Chris Anderson Profile picture
Mar 30, 2018 26 tweets 15 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
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
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

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More from @c_n_anderson

Mar 22, 2018
Next Up #5 Secretary Bird vs Horseshoe Crab #2018MMM
Secretary birds stand around 0.9 to 1.2 meters tall and weigh between 2.3 to 4.27 kg #2018MMM Check out this awesome image from @FieldMuseum
The secretary bird occurs in sub-Saharan Africa where it inhabits grasslands, ranging from open plains to lightly wooded savanna, but is also found in agricultural areas and sub-desert #2018MMM
Read 19 tweets
Mar 20, 2018
Next up we have #15 seeded Common Hedgehog vs. #2 seed Cape Town Chacma Baboon #2018MMM
Many of tonight's facts are going to be old news to #2018MMM fan favorite @PPricklepants, check out the awesome posed picture in this tweet! #2018MMM
The hedgehog and baboon lineages are estimated to have diverged about 100 million years ago (timetree.org). Hedgehogs are in the Eulipotyphla order, which includes shrews, moles, and solenodons. The common hedgehog averages 1 kg, and are 135- 165 cm in length. #2018MMM
Read 21 tweets
Mar 15, 2018
LAST UP: The 8th seed platypus vs. the 9th seed maned rat! #2018MMM
This battle was written by @Mammals_Suck, but at this moment she is flying over platypus range from Brisbane to Melbourne #2018MMM
The two combatants are pretty similar in body weight & dimensions both being ~5 lbs with squatty legs & funny walks #2018MMM
Read 29 tweets
Mar 15, 2018
Our third battle of the night was written by @Drew_Lab , but I'm guest tweeting for him tonight #2018MMM
We're now going to look at the #3 seed Crabeater seal and the 14 seed the Edible doormouse #2018MMM
The Crabeater seal is a large seal found across the Southern Ocean, spending their lives on pack ice #2018MMM
Read 19 tweets
Mar 15, 2018
1 minute to #2018MMM Round 1 action!!
WELCOME!!! @Mammals_Suck is returning from down under from the @OzBreastfeeding fest, so I get to kick off tonight's festivities! #2018MMM
Important reminders for those catching up on #2018MMM
Read 28 tweets
Mar 13, 2018
#2018MMM folks, you'll want the sound on tonight... obviously.
It's time to play the music, it's time to light the lights... #2018MMM
Welcome to the 6th Annual MARCH MAMMAL MADNESS!!! #2018MMM
Read 40 tweets

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