Mobile phones, medals, a doll's legs, an entire army... is there anything a gull won't swallow?

December 22, 2009 11:26 AM

Overambitious eating: Tetrapod Zoology brings us a series of articles on overambitious gluttony by animals. seagull vs phone, small army, doll parts, a perentie trying for a spiky echidna, heron vs. lamprey, roadrunner vs. horned lizard, snake vs. centipede, and real lizard vs. plasic lizard.

The issue of seabirds eating just about anything was touched upon graphically in Chris Jordan's depressing photographs of albatrosses from Midway Atol previously. The problem with plastic bags previously featured periphally on MeFi.

posted by jonesor (13 comments total)

Python vs. alligator.
posted by Morrigan at 11:38 AM on December 22, 2009

I ACCIDENTALLY THE WHOLE -- *choke* *gag*
posted by brundlefly at 11:39 AM on December 22, 2009

New rule: Don't eat anything bigger than your head torso self.
posted by Iosephus at 11:43 AM on December 22, 2009

That is one freaky looking centipede in the snake versus centipede picture. Ick.
posted by dortmunder at 11:44 AM on December 22, 2009

THE WHOLE THING!!!
posted by GuyZero at 11:46 AM on December 22, 2009

Score one for Mushu. But the um, method of extraction, even under anesthesia, is kind of disturbing.
posted by cmgonzalez at 11:58 AM on December 22, 2009

They probably use the wrong fork, too.
posted by Burhanistan at 12:02 PM on December 22, 2009 [1 favorite]

Lucky it isn't Octopod Zoology.
posted by UbuRoivas at 12:29 PM on December 22, 2009

They probably use the wrong fork, too.

I hear that some birds eat with their feet!
posted by filthy light thief at 1:30 PM on December 22, 2009

Let this be a lesson for the holidays...
posted by elder18 at 1:38 PM on December 22, 2009 [1 favorite]

Every time I read something like this, it reminds me of when I had an aquarium with a brown catfish (Ameiurus nebulosus?) in it. Once when I was cleaning the tank, I felt the little teeth around my finger, and picked up the whole 3" long fish out of the tank. I imagined a tiny voice saying, "Hold still, dammit!" I thought I was a goner.
posted by sneebler at 1:52 PM on December 22, 2009

Never eat anything bigger than your head.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 2:08 PM on December 22, 2009

Alligator vs. Apple
posted by aftermarketradio at 2:54 PM on December 22, 2009