Is this something I'd have to be a real eatate agent to appreciate? ;-)
Seriously. I have never gotten over reading Galapagos. Wonderful clip. Needs more boobies, though. posted by St Urbain's Horseman at 9:55 PM on July 28, 2007
I went on a tour of the Galapagos Islands about ten years ago. It was educational and amazing and we saw all these animals, but it was too restrictive. Each night the boat would motor to a new island then you would explore it en masse with the other people on the boat. Due to strict conservation laws you had to stay in certain areas and the guide was ever present. I had backpacked Peru and Ecuador and I missed the freedom of being able to go where I wanted without a guide. Glad I went but would not recommend it to someone unless they were a serious naturalist, biologist or Darwinophile.
(on preview I guess I am just not a "cruise" or guided tour person, ymmv) posted by vronsky at 10:05 PM on July 28, 2007
I like mating dances. This was mostly billing, which anyway I suppose can be considered a kind of dance... Thanks for the post, growabrain. Not enough birds on MetaFilter, so you're helping to narrow the bird gap! posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:09 PM on July 28, 2007
When competing for territory, Giant Tortoises extend their necks upward, and whoever’s neck extends furthest wins.
Wow. Tortoises live for ages and ages, so if you get the genetic short end of the stick and have a neck that's not as long as anyone else's, you not only don't get territory, you have to live with the fact that you don't get territory for over a hundred years. Sizeist bastards. posted by Zack_Replica at 10:48 PM on July 28, 2007
Damn my craptastically slow internet connection. posted by hadjiboy at 10:50 PM on July 28, 2007
I had the pleasure of seeing this in person this past November. It's an amazing ritual, made even more so by the utter fearlessness of humans that the albatross share with the rest of Galapagos's fauna. We were able to watch the courtship from less than 20 feet away.
A trip to the Galapagos is recommended just to see turtles grazing on shared farmland with horses and cattle. posted by rouftop at 2:04 AM on July 29, 2007
Courtship displays are so amazing. Not many couples in the animal world mate for life. Loved that billing and cooing, or billing and crackling.
*puffs out cheeks and makes clicking noises with tongue while hopping around on one leg... hopes nickyskye is looking* posted by vronsky at 4:16 AM on July 29, 2007
vronsky dearest, you've always dazzled me. Can we do the otters holding hands thing? posted by nickyskye at 5:04 AM on July 29, 2007
That sounds otterly delightful nickyskye;) posted by vronsky at 6:05 AM on July 29, 2007
MetaDance - the place to filter your future mate. posted by homodigitalis at 6:49 AM on July 29, 2007
I want a wombat the size of a car.
I'm not entirely positive what I would do with it, but I can assure you, it would not be used for digging tunnels for the purposes of committing interesting art thefts.
Or terrorizing my neighbors yappy little dog.
Or riding down the street. posted by quin at 10:06 AM on July 29, 2007
posted by washburn at 9:47 PM on July 28, 2007