Share Animal Pictures: For Animal Lovers

[BillTre]

Here is a clip from Jeremy Wade in River Monsters (my daughter (field biologist) used to love this show) catching a Goliath Tigerfish. It is one of the scariest freshwater fish.

 

[DennisN]

Here is a clip from Jeremy Wade in River Monsters (my daughter (field biologist) used to love this show) catching a Goliath Tigerfish. It is one of the scariest freshwater fish.

What a monster! I had never heard about it.

 

[fresh_42]

 

[BillTre]

Pollen butt.

 

[BillTre]

These are baby caecillians. Limbless, tailless amphibians.
The picture is from this NY Times article on them.

I used to keep some of these. I was trying to get them to breed.
They fertilize internally. Some species have a 21 month gestation period.

They are weird and interesting pets. They are strong worm-like things and great escape artists (making them a challenge to keep).
Some are terrestrial, but those available through the pet trade are usually aquatic species. Caecillians also shed their skin, somewhat like snakes (not related). They are now difficult to get because it has become a hassle to import them, especially since they are "weird" and a lot of people don't know what they are.
I had some that grew too about 2.5 feet.
They are excellent for sending to school with a kid for show and tell. Harmless, very active when picked up and have a slimy skin. (Beware, some teachers might freak out).

 

[strangerep]

These are baby caecillians. [...]

Aren't those a Klingon delicacy, seen occasionally on Star Trek?

 

[DennisN]

 

[Ibix]

I've heard of bookworms. Bookdogs are new to me...

 

[Borg]

I've heard of bookworms. Bookdogs are new to me...

You've never dog-eared a book?

 

[DennisN]

 

[morrobay]

My Thai girlfriend loves her cat

 

[morrobay]

 

[strangerep]

My Thai girlfriend loves her cat

The cat doesn't seem quite as keen...

Caption for the cat: "Oh dear lord! I know I have to put up with this, but... sheesh!"

 

[fresh_42]

Nature wins. Always!

 

[berkeman]

From FB today -- made me laugh out loud...

 

[berkeman]

Wow, from my FB feed today:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1423246001078658/user/61550931526438/

 

[Ibix]

Anybody else think the eagle on the right is saying "One more squawk out of you, young man..."?

 

[fresh_42]

 

[Bystander]

View attachment 334609

Looks like he's going, "Oh s**t, forgot the 'turtle'."

 

[OCR]

Looks like he's going, "Oh s**t, forgot the 'turtle'."

I think it was an eagle. . .

.

 

[Borg]

Part of my drive into work this morning. I had just dimmed my lights for a car ahead...

 

[morrobay]

You really are better off programing your self to hit the deer. https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/deer-vs.-car-collisions

 

[berkeman]

You really are better off programing your self to hit the deer. https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/deer-vs.-car-collisions

Well, not necessarily hit the deerbie, but do your best to brake in a straight line to minimize any injuries or damage. And the corrollary is to always follow other vehicles at a safe distance so you can brake and avoid a collision if they slam on their brakes for a reason that you don't immediately see. Don't ask me how I know this...

 

[fresh_42]

Well, not necessarily hit the deerbie, but do your best to brake in a straight line to minimize any injuries or damage. And the corrollary is to always follow other vehicles at a safe distance so you can brake and avoid a collision if they slam on their brakes for a reason that you don't immediately see. Don't ask me how I know this...

It also depends on the mass and shape. E.g. collision with a horse can be deadly, and a deer with big antlers crashing through your windshield? I don't know, doesn't sound like a good idea. The advice is because people crash with trees trying to escape the situation which is definitely worse than crashing with an animal.

A pilot once said to me: Airplanes are actually very safe as long as you have sufficient altitude. And driving cars through their territory is safe as long as you are sufficiently slow.

 

[DennisN]

And the corrollary is to always follow other vehicles at a safe distance so you can brake and avoid a collision if they slam on their brakes for a reason that you don't immediately see.

In Sweden I've been taught a "three seconds" rule/guideline, which basically means you keep a minimum distance (to the car in front of you) which corresponds to three seconds, in order to give time for reaction and braking.

You measure the time by taking a mental note when the car in front of you passes a certain thing (e.g some line on the road, a sign, a tree or something). Then you count "1001, 1002, 1003" and note when you pass the same thing. If you pass the thing before "1003" you are too close to the car in front.

I don't know if this is a widespread guideline, but I thought I could share it.

Regarding close calls, I remember we once were very close to colliding with a moose who had decided to cross the road during twilight. Luckily my father had quick reactions and good control of the car. It was darn scary, the moose was BIG.

 

[strangerep]

You measure the time by taking a mental note when the car in front of you passes a certain thing (e.g some line on the road, a sign, a tree or something. Then you count "1001, 1002, 1003" and note when you pass the same thing. If you pass the thing before "1003" you are too close to the car in front

On motorways (~110 kph) in my part of the world, some/many drivers instinctively use the rule "1, oh that'll do".

 

[fresh_42]

In Sweden I've been taught a "three seconds" rule/guideline, which basically means you keep a minimum distance (to the car in front of you) which corresponds to three seconds, in order to give time for reaction and braking.

You measure the time by taking a mental note when the car in front of you passes a certain thing (e.g some line on the road, a sign, a tree or something. Then you count "1001, 1002, 1003" and note when you pass the same thing. If you pass the thing before "1003" you are too close to the car in front.

I don't know if this is widespread guideline, but I thought I could share it.

Our rule of thumb is "half the tacho", e.g. 60 meters at 120 km/h. Well, that was before ABS and alike. Now that I think of it, your 3 second rule wouldn't work on our highways. No chance.

Regarding close calls, I remember we once were very close to colliding with a moose who had decided to cross the road during twilight. Luckily my father had quick reactions and good control of the car. It was darn scary, the moose was BIG.

I once had a colleague who regularly practiced a turn on the spot (with the help of the handbrake). This transforms the linear moment into a circular moment. But you have to learn it.

 

[berkeman]

Here in Silicon Valley, 3 seconds is a bit too much. 2 seconds of stopping distance is more practical.

For those of us that ride sportbikes, remember that if the car in front of you rear-ends the car in front of them, they will stop VERY quickly...

 

[DennisN]

in my part of the world, some/many drivers instinctively use the rule "1, oh that'll do".

Something like this?

 

[fresh_42]

On motorways (~110 kph) in my part of the world, some/many drivers instinctively use the rule "1, oh that'll do".

Come on over and practice! I have heard that there are travel agencies that offer visits to Germany only to drive on our highways.

I remember when I came back from the US, I tried to drive the same way and obeyed the rules - for two days. I was a moving obstacle. On day three I decided to become a comoving observer again.

 

[DennisN]

Now that I think of it, your 3 second rule wouldn't work on our highways. No chance.

My memory of the German Autobahn is that there are three lanes:

Right lane: Pretty chill, but still quite fast.
Edit: The lane for trucks, busses and older drivers.

Center lane: Faster.
Edit: The usual lane for most cars.

Left lane: Are you kidding me? Where's the fire?
Edit: In this lane we find occasional appearances of police cars and ambulances going at high speeds. And people with fast cars and/or in a real hurry. And the occasional mad scientist who tries to reach an orbit around the Earth by car.



That is, if my memory serves me; @fresh_42 maybe can correct me if I remember wrong.

 

[fresh_42]

My memory of the German Autobahn is that there are three lanes:

Right lane: Pretty chill, but still quite fast.

You have another kind of stress on the right lane. It is meanwhile so full of trucks, bumper to bumper, all at their allowed maximal speed (plus minus 1km/h which drives you mad when they overtake each other), that you have to plan exits miles ahead!

Center lane: Faster.

Here is where war starts. Some feel the need to "educate" others. I can tell you: 2 meters at 180 km/h is really close. And that was only to signal me that I had to leave the left lane earlier in the other one's mind.

Left lane: Are you kidding me? Where's the fire?

This is as long as no problem until some idiot from the center lane crawls over ignoring the fire alarm.

In the US, you become a squinter because you have to read hundreds of texts all the time instead of following international traffic sign conventions. They write and write and write. Either you learn to squint or pay a lot of tickets.

In Germany, you have to squint if you use the left lane because you constantly have to watch the idiots on the right, and the guy with the headlight flasher behind you.

 

[Ibix]

2 seconds of stopping distance is more practical.

I learned "Only a fool breaks the two second rule". It takes about two seconds to say, so doubles as a check that you're sticking to it.

 

[Borg]

You really are better off programing your self to hit the deer. https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/deer-vs.-car-collisions

I'm aware that generally you shouldn't swerve. I'm probably a bit differently wired than most drivers because I'm constantly thinking about where my escape points are when I'm driving. Swerving off the road or into oncoming traffic doesn't qualify as an escape point.

I'm also aware of the torque forces that would occur if I did impact something during a swerve which is why I keep my speed down in the early morning. It's also why I am less likely to swerve when I'm in traffic.

 

[fresh_42]

 

[berkeman]

Quiz Question: When you see a cute baby animal, of a large and dangerous animal, running toward you, what should you do?

 

[berkeman]

For reference, the only animals I've ever run away from in the woods (I usually am armed) are a skunk and a baby bear...

 

[fresh_42]

For reference, the only animals I've ever run away from in the woods (I usually am armed) are a skunk and a baby bear...

Well, bear cubs are rarely alone and mama bear is definitely dangerous, and - unfortunately - skunks haven't signed the Geneva Protocol that forbids chemical weapons. The chances to meet a baby elephant in the US are pretty manageable.

 

[BillTre]

Moose and Squirrel Bison babies would also be good to avoid.

 

[fresh_42]

Moose and Squirrel Bison babies would also be good to avoid.

And white bunnies as we all know.

 

[strangerep]

Come on over and practice! I have heard that there are travel agencies that offer visits to Germany only to drive on our highways.

I remember when I came back from the US, I tried to drive the same way and obeyed the rules - for two days. I was a moving obstacle. On day three I decided to become a comoving observer again.

Most drivers on the M1 near where I live do indeed keep roughly to the speed limit, since there are many radar traps. The problem is more about large trucks that insist on driving ridiculously close behind me. I wish someone would invent radar devices that could detect such people not maintaining a reasonable gap.

 

[Ibix]

Quiz Question: When you see a cute baby animal, of a large and dangerous animal, running toward you, what should you do?

Look around for its mum. And/or whatever it's running away from.

 

[strangerep]

Look around for its mum. And/or whatever it's running away from.

But what if its mum is a short distance behind you, and the baby is actually running towards her ?

I'd say get your weapon ready to fire -- you might only get one chance...
(Have you seen "The Revenant"?)

 

[DennisN]

I'd say get your weapon ready to fire -- you might only get one chance...
(Have you seen "The Revenant"?)

I know exactly what you mean .
I loved the movie. Occasionally very bloody and violent, but a great movie.

 

[BillTre]

Esox is the group of fish that contains pikes and pike-like fish.
These are teeth in the mouth, but not on the jaws.

 

[berkeman]

Look around for its mum. And/or whatever it's running away from.

Spoiler

Move sideways quickly. That gives you the best chance of not encountering mama bear, and keeping the little bearlet from still heading at you. Keep your head on a swivel...

 

[fresh_42]

 

[dextercioby]

 

[dextercioby]

 

[DennisN]

The lovely raven Loki:

Personal space and the Gwah machine!