Jessica Light Profile picture
Mar 29, 2018 18 tweets 10 min read Read on X
UP NEXT: #3 seed Berlin Boar (Sus scrofa) vs #7 seed Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) #2018MMM
The top-ranked competitor still has homefield advantage, so this Urban Jungle battle takes place in Berlin, Germany. Berlin Board & Porcupine don't have a lot in common; they last shared a common ancestor ~96 mya (timetree.org) #2018MMM
Did you know what "Porcupine" is Latin for "Quill Pig"? Follow #ActualLivingScientist @porcupinedoc for some more amazing porcupine facts #2018MMM
Usually, our Berlin Boar has a pretty easy run of things in the city. But March Mammal Madness has not been very kind to her. First a squirrel tried to steal some of her food & then a bobcat went after her piglets & left the Sow with a sliced eye #2018MMM
Our Sow needs some much needed rest & recovery; she just wants to crawl into bed & "pig" out on some sweets #2018MMM
But with little piglets, R&R is a luxury she's not going to get while the Babes are still young & nursing #lactation #ActualLivingScientist @Mammals_Suck. So, she settles for some fresh air in Tegel Forest on the NW side of Berlin #2018MMM
It is not uncommon for wild pigs to hang out in Tegel Forest (izw-berlin.de/pr/berlin-wild…) & sometimes attack! (pri.org/stories/2017-1…) #2018MMM
It's a warmer night & our Berlin Sow is rooting around for food at the base of a large spruce tree while trying to keep her one good eye on her piglets (who often behave like the pig in this gif #parentlife) #2018MMM
After dealing with a couple of aggressive primates in R1 & R2, our Porcupine also needs a break & a safe place to nibble on some bark. In this strange land (for this rodent, anyway), the best place for Porcupine is up a tree bit.ly/2pLKfzF #2018MMM
Tegel Forest is quite nice, & even with its poor eyesight, Porcupine easily spots a nice big spruce tree to climb & lumbers towards it #2018MMM
This so happens to be the same spruce tree in use by our Berlin Sow & her piglets. Porcupine smells the Pigs before seeing them (Mama Sow still smells faintly of Nic Nacs from R1) #2018MM
But this is the best tree for the Porcupine. All the other trees nearby are too small to support its 12 kg frame (55 stoats #stoatsasmeasurement). This spruce must be climbed & defended! Porcupine gets on his game face, erects his quills, & shuffles forward #2018MMM
With all the piglet noise, Berlin Sow doesn't hear the Porcupine advancing. And with her one good eye on her piglets, Berlin Sow is BLINDsided!! #2018MMM
Porcupine collides with the Berlin Sow, depositing 80 quills onto her backside #2018MMM
The startled Sus scrofa barks in surprise. Startled Wild Pigs can be extremely dangerous #2018MMM
But, with a brood in tow, our Berlin Sow bee-lines it out of the woods, with her piglets close behind #2018MMM
Porcupine lumbers forward, climbs up the spruce, parks it on a limb, takes in the lovely views of Tegel Forest, & sighs #2018MMM
PORCUPINE DEFEATS BERLIN BOAR!!! #2018MMM

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More from @je_light

Apr 3, 2018
UP FIRST TONIGHT: everyone's favorite river horse, the 1-seeded PYGMY HIPPO Hexaprotodon (formally Choeropsis) liberiensis, vs. the scrappy 4-seeded brush wolf, COYOTE Canis latrans! #2018MMM
Many minds came together to bring you tonight's first battle, so a quick hat-tip to @AnneWHilborn, @PKurnath, @TCastanea, & @tinkeringprim8. Seriously, the #teamwork has been amazing #Monstars #2018MMM
To reach the #FinalRoar, Hippo crushed star-nosed mole, intimidated both maned rat & Tasmanian devil, & STOMPED the cheetah out of competition #hangryhippo #2018MMM
Read 36 tweets
Mar 27, 2018
First up in Kat's Away division, Orinoco Crocodile (#1 seed) vs Goliath Tarantula (#9 seed) #2018MMM
This battle was written by the fabulous @c_n_anderson, & it's a doozy. Buckle up folks #2018MMM
The critically endangered Orinoco crocodile defeated the praying mantis in R1 and faces another arthropod tonight. arkive.org/orinoco-crocod… #2018MMM
Read 17 tweets
Mar 23, 2018
NEXT UP: #3 Crabeater Seal Vs. #6 Jaguarundi!!! #2018MMM
This battle was written by @Drew_Lab. Josh is in the UK right now & he was at Darwin's House today. How cool was that? #2018MMM
The Crabeater Seal skated into R2 after lightly munching on the surprisingly aptly named Edible Dormouse, while the Jaguarundi defeated the Desman #2018MMM
Read 21 tweets
Mar 22, 2018
NEXT UP: 8th seeded Bothrops asper (Terciopelo or Lancehead) vs. 9th seeded Theraphosa blondi (Goliath Tarantula or Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantula) #2018MMM
AKA, THE GREAT VENOM BATTLE OF 2018!! We've seen a lot of venom tonight. Who's ready for more?? #2018MMM
First, a brief review of venomous vs poisonous. Both competitors in this match-up are venomous #2018MMM
Read 21 tweets
Mar 20, 2018
NEXT UP: 7th seeded Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) vs 10th seeded Delhi Rhesus (aka, Rhesus Monkey or Rhesus Macaque; Macaca mulatta) #2018MMM
Erethizon dorsatum are the 2nd largest rodents in North America (1st place goes to beavers), weighing anywhere between 5-14 kg (23-64 stoats #stoatsasmeasurement) #2018MMM
When we think porcupines, we think quills, right? Quills & spines have evolved multiple, independent times across the mammal tree of life as a defense strategy & are excellent examples of convergent #evolution (see the hedgehog battle) (animaldiversity.org/collections/sp…) #2018MMM
Read 22 tweets
Mar 15, 2018
NEXT UP: 6th seed Jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) vs 11th seed Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) #2018MMM
Wait, a who and a what? You know...jaguarundi...a New World cat that looks sort of like like a big weasel #2018MMM
Jaguarundi great adaptations include: long & slender body w/short legs, variable coat color, diurnal activity, habitat generalist, &, as a member of the Carnivora, #carnassials #2018MMM
Read 17 tweets

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