Thread by @c_n_anderson

UP FIRST, URBAN JUNGLE: #4 seed Coyote (Canis latrans) vs #7 seed Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) #2018MMM

Co-authored battle with @je_light and @TCastanea! #2018MMM

In this final Urban Jungle face-off, don't forget there are many references available to learn more about urban animals. Some books: crcpress.com/Urban-Wildlife…, stackpolebooks.com/book/978081170…, springer.com/us/book/978148… #2018MMM

And loads of online resources urbanwildlifegroup.org, theurbaninterface.com, fs.fed.us/research/urban… @TUIWildlife. If Urban Wildlife interests you, these resources can help get you started #2018MMM

Now in the Elite Trait, Battle location has been randomized! Coyote & Porcupine will be competing in...........#2018MMM

....A CLOUD FOREST! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_for… #2018MMM

Cloud forests are a rare & sensitive ecosystem that are under threat from development & climate change. They occur in tropical mountains & make up less that 2.5% of the world’s tropical forests old.unep-wcmc.org/biodiversity-s… #2018MMM

Cloud forests contain a disproportionately large number of species compared to other habitats, making them especially vulnerable to biodiversity losses onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.111… & scientificamerican.com/article/colomb… #2018MMM

Tonight’s battle takes place in Peru's Tabaconas Namballe National Sanctuary, a 70,000-acre preserve whose cloud forests are also home to the endangered mountain tapir & spectacled bear. In 2012, 8 new mammal species were described from here pri.org/stories/2012-1… #2018MMM

Tabaconas Namballe is located on the Perú/Ecuador border. The @wwf is working with local communities to establish sustainable economic development opportunities #shadegrowncoffee #shadegrowncacao to protect these areas & biodiversity wwf.org.pe/?299618/commun… #2018MMM

Coyote can be found in Peru, New York, but are not native to South America perugazette.com/2017/02/26/coy… #2018MMM

The Prehensile-Tailed Porcupine (Coendou prehensilis) is native to South America, but our North American Porcupine (pictured) is not animaldiversity.org/accounts/Coend… #2018MMM Photographer: J.Glover on Wikimedia commons

Both Coyote & Porcupine feel a little out of place in this humid, high elevation environment. But, as Urban Mammals, they are highly adaptable #2018MMM

Our battle begins with the Porcupine climbing up a conifer, wanting to munch on some foliage. Our Coyote spots the porcupine & yelps up the base of the tree. Believe it or not, Coyotes are known to prey upon Porcupines academic.oup.com/jmammal/articl… & nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.113… #2018MMM

The Porcupine shivers & chatters its teeth together. While this often serves as an effective warning, the Coyote gets even more agitated. The Coyote...starts climbing the tree! #2018MMM

Yes, Coyotes have been known to climb trees. They are not very good at it (article here: cbc.ca/news/canada/ca…) #2018MMM

Porcupines, despite being more experienced climbers, aren't so good at it either #2018MMM

As the Coyote clambers up a limb, the Porcupine loses its grip and falls! #2018MMM

During the fall from the tree, the Porcupine is self-impaled by some of its own quills! Roze (2002) reports that Porcupine falls are quite common, as is the risk of self impalement academic.oup.com/jmammal/articl… #2018MMM

Our Porcupine is wounded, but not defeated. The Coyote leaps down to the ground & begins circling its quarry #2018MMM

The self-quilled Porcupine is attempting to keep its face away from (and quills pointed toward) the circling Coyote, but is slowed by its injuries. Each time the Coyote circles to the face of the Porcupine, it darts in & delivers a nip on the nose #2018MMM

Fishers (mustelid weasel-like carnivores) use this behavior & are extremely effective at preying on porcupines news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/06/1… & post-gazette.com/sports/outdoor… #2018MMM

Quick aside: MMM narrator (and battle co-author) @TCastanea is working to restore the fisher population in the Washington Cascade Mountains. Great quote in this article! kcts9.org/programs/earth… #2018MMM

After 6 nips on the nose, the Porcupine is disoriented & the Coyote bites & flips the rodent pin-cushion on its back -revealing its exposed unprotected belly arkive.org/north-american… #2018MMM

The Coyote sinks its teeth into the Porcupine's belly. It will feed well tonight #2018MMM

COYOTE DEFEATS PORCUPINE!!! #2018MMM