paulcanning: animals

Monday, August 24

Cute animals: Watch the birdie

This thrush (I think that's what it is, feel free to correct me! A mate thinks it may be a female blackbird) is completely unfazed by my camera. I've had it hopping around friends legs as we sit out in the backyard, not a care in its world. It's even hopped right onto the plants around me on the bench.

It's after the insects which, apparently, are encouraged by my backyard being slightly 'wild' and having different kinds of plants in it.

I like him/her and always say hello!

Tuesday, August 18

Wednesday, April 2

And Tango Makes Three!

I'm always amazed at the blind hate which anything to do with same-gender love and kids engenders.

There's a story today in the Mail about a school in Bristol which withdrew this lovely looking book (Reading level: Ages 4-8) because lots of parents complained ("fury!" why is it always "fury!") about supposedly introducing their kids to 'sex'.

Huh? Have any of them seen the book?

Here's a review by Andie A., Minnesota, age 10

And Tango Makes Three is a wonderful book about two male penguins named Silo and Roy adopting an egg that came to be Tango. It's also about two male penguins doing what the other penguin couples do, but using a rock for an egg and finally getting a real egg that hatched Tango the baby penguin. It takes place in New York City in Central Park Zoo. It was written in 2005, so not too long ago. There were so many newspaper articles about it, and the authors thought it would make a good picture book. The zookeeper got the egg from another penguin couple that had two eggs and only could take care of one, so the zookeeper gave the other one to Silo and Roy. So that's how Silo and Roy became Tango's daddies.

And Tango Makes Three is a wonderful book. I'd recommend it for people ages 3 to 9. It's also fun for teachers and parents. It has lots of information about penguins. It's based on a true story. I like And Tango Makes Three so much.

Isn't that sweet? And it's a true story!

Roy and Silo were a very famous couple of penguins! For six years they 'pair-bonded' as biologists call it. Silo left Roy for Strappy in 2005 :{ But now they're back together :}

The pair were observed trying to hatch a rock as if it were an egg. When the zoo staff realized that Roy and Silo were both male, it occurred to them to give them the second egg of a mixed-gender penguin couple, a couple which previously had been unable to successfully hatch two eggs at a time. Roy and Silo hatched and raised the healthy young chick, a female named "Tango" by keepers

They exhibit what in penguin parlance is called ''ecstatic behavior'': that is, they entwine their necks, they vocalize to each other, they have [gulp] sex.

[Love That Dare Not Squeak Its Name] Before them, the Central Park Zoo had Georgey and Mickey, two female Gentoo penguins who tried to incubate eggs together. And Wendell and Cass, a devoted male African penguin pair, live at the New York Aquarium in Coney Island.

And this ''ecstatic behavior'' is all pretty normal for animals!

These two are obviously having a 'love spat' ...

What is wrong with people who just see 'sex! sex! sex!' all the time? Yes, the complainants were 'religious' :{ What view of the world around them do they want kids to have ... oh yes, that one ... All the bad reviews object to a zoo keeper saying "they must be in love."

Huh?

And what do the mummies and daddies reading about this fuss in a teacup think? Readers?