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World Cup

World Cup: Serbia’s Marbled Polecat (Vormela peregusna)

by JR Kinyak on June 25, 2010

in Carnivores,Theme Weeks

Marbled polecat (click image to enlarge)

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Today marked the end of the first stage of play in the World Cup, and the Round of 16 is set. Unfortunately, today’s country, Serbia, did not make it through, but no matter. The marbled polecat (our second mustelid in a row, by the way) still has a chance in the World Cup of Mammals!

Marbled polecats (who make me hungry with the way their fur evokes marble cake) live in Europe and Asia, but their numbers are decreasing, and the IUCN Red List classifies them as vulnerable, the last step before endangered. That is due to habitat loss, completely unsurprisingly. Polecats like steppes, brushland, and sometimes forests, and between climate change and humans being humanny, those kinds of habitats are going away.

Perhaps we should think twice before crossing them, though. The species account in Mammalian Species number 779, December 20, 2005, has the following chilling details to report:

“[Marbled polecats] have a repertoire of alternative methods to kill prey. They have 2 kinds of killing bites: the 1st is the penetration of the prey’s body by the canines, and the 2nd is crushing the prey without canine penetration (Ben-David et al. 1991). To kill small vertebrate prey, marbled polecats crush the thorax. If the prey struggles, they may pin the prey down with the forepaws and deliver head shakes or follow-up by a bite to the head or neck (Ben-David et al. 1991). On larger, more nondefensive prey (guinea pigs, Cavia porcellus), the polecat bites the nape of the neck and eventually severs the spinal column from the base of the skull. To kill large defensive prey such as rats, the marbled polecat bites the throat. Fleeing prey were bitten dorsally, but defending prey were bitten on the head or neck. Additional details on the killing methods of the marbled polecat are available (Ben-David et al. 1991).”

So let’s be careful around them, shall we? And so should the other mammals of Group D!

And what of Serbia’s national soccer team? Their showing in this World Cup was kind of confusing, apparently, with them beating a team no one thought they should have (Germany) and losing to teams everyone thought they should have beaten (Ghana, Australia). This is actually Serbia’s first World Cup under the name Serbia. The team is considered the continuation of both the Serbia and Montenegro team (after Montenegro seceded from Serbia and Montenegro, they got their own team) and the Yugoslavia team (which broke up when Yugoslavia did), so any records that the Serbia and Montenegro or Yugoslavia teams earned now belong to the Serbia team.

Tagged as: endangered, humans, mustelid, threats, World Cup

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World Cup: Slovenia’s Beech Marten (Martes foina)

by JR Kinyak on June 24, 2010

in Carnivores,Theme Weeks

Beech marten (click image to enlarge)

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The World Cup continues and so do the mammals! Today we have a beech marten from Slovenia. Also called the stone marten, the beech marten is pretty widespread in Europe and Asia. It lives in forests, nests in cozy crevices and hollows, and eats rodents, birds and their eggs, and berries. In researching the beech marten, I learned a new word: commensal, as in “Commensal beech martens may cause damage to roofs, insulation, and electrical wiring and pipes in houses and cars,” which is a quote from the beech marten’s page on the IUCN Red List. The dictionary says that a commensal relationship is one in which one organism benefits and the other is neither benefited nor harmed (hmm, I think I may have been in a commensal relationship myself once or twice), which confused me because it seems like damage to roofs, insulation, and electrical wiring could qualify as harm. Basically, in biology, commensal animals are those who live among humans and may annoy us but don’t get in the way too much, if I’m understanding it correctly. Rats, for example, are commensal with us. And Wikipedia points out that the mites that live in our eyelash follicles are an example of commensalism, too! Oh good!

Slovenia came in third in Group C, ahead of Algeria but behind the U.S. and England. The team was formed after Slovenia split from Yugoslavia in 1991, and this was their second World Cup.

Group C Results

In Group C, we had the European beaver from England, the American badger from the U.S., the Barbary macaque from Algeria, and today’s Slovenian beech marten. Tough group! The beaver is a rodent, but a tough one, and even though beech martens do eat rodents, I don’t think they eat rodents that weigh ten times more than they do. Badgers are notoriously vicious. I usually give an edge to primates, but the Barbary macaque is kind of small and herbivorous. So I think the mammalian Group C goes in the exact order the soccer one did, and the two mammals continuing on to the Round of 16 are:

American Badger (USA)
and
European Beaver (England)

Tagged as: humans, words, World Cup

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World Cup: Algeria’s Barbary Macaque (Macaca sylvanus)

by JR Kinyak on June 23, 2010

in Primates,Theme Weeks

Barbary macaque (click image to enlarge)


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The World Cup is swinging right along, and we’re celebrating with a look at the mammals of the 32 countries competing in the tournament. Today we’re in Algeria, where they have these monkeys, see, the Barbary macaques. They live in the forests of Algeria and Morocco, and there’s also a population in Gibraltar, making them the only primates that live freely in Europe other than humans. Male macaques have a most endearing bonding ritual. In order to make friends with other males, a male macaque will cuddle with a baby, his own or someone else’s. When one male is holding a baby, other males will approach him, embrace him, and make googoo faces at the infant alongside him. Males who do it right find that holding a baby can really help their social status. Isn’t that funny? But like human infants, baby macaques can be unrelenting when they cry, and the downside for the baby-holding males is that they experience higher stress levels than males who don’t hold babies.

Today Group C played its final two games in the World Cup. Each group’s last two games are played simultaneously because otherwise, teams that knew the outcome of an earlier game would have incentive to throw their own game in one way or another. FIFA started structuring the World Cup that way in 1986, and Algeria was involved in the events that caused the change. In 1982, Algeria “shocked the world” when they beat reigning champions West Germany. In their group, which also included Austria and Chile, it turned out that in the final game, if West Germany beat Austria, both teams would be guaranteed to continue on to the next round, while a different outcome would have sent Algeria on. So in “the dodgiest game in football history,” West Germany scored a goal very early on and the two teams spent the rest of the game fooling around while their fans booed and even burned a flag. Algeria complained, and while FIFA declined to do anything about it at the time, they did change the rules for the next World Cup.

This World Cup was only the third that Algeria made it to. They had their glory days in the 1980s, qualifying for both the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, but then they endured a long slump known as “the walk through the desert,” coming back into their own in 2008. Today Algeria, whose nickname is the Fennecs, lost to the U.S., and England beat Slovenia, and so the U.S. and England are continuing on to the Round of 16.

Coco drew such an amazing Barbary macaque:

Barbary macaque by Coco, age 11

Tagged as: coco, monkey, World Cup

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World Cup: USA’s American Badger (Taxidea taxus)

by JR Kinyak on June 22, 2010

in Carnivores,Theme Weeks

American badger (click image to enlarge)

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Do you realize that I’m currently on my longest-ever mammal streak? Three weeks and counting. I’m sure it’s bound to break any day now, so let’s continue enjoying the mammals from the 32 countries competing in the World Cup. Today it’s my own home, the USA, and the American badger, which I admit I picked because I regretted that I already drew the European badger and therefore couldn’t assign it to England. Thanks to The Wind in the Willows, badgers are quintessentially English to me. But just like the USA has conquered England in the World Cup, so we shall conquer their badgers in the World Cup of Mammals!

Okay, so the USA didn’t actually conquer England in the World Cup. But we did tie them, which is amazing. Look at this Daily Show segment about how ridiculous at least some English people think it is that we even have a soccer team:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
World Cup 2010: Into Africa – Two Teams, One Cup
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Before the match, CNN reminisced about the long-ago time (1950) “when U.S. postmen and miners humbled England,” President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron made a friendly wager (when they could have been talking about, I don’t know, British Petroleum or something), Katy Perry wore a goofy dress (and I would point out that it’s half the Union Jack, instead of half the St. George’s Cross, which it should be, am I right?) because she’s engaged to an Englishman, and look at this English tabloid front page, in which they parody how we Yanks talk:

The Sun, June 12, 2010

After all that, it was a draw, which was satisfying enough to the USA and especially humbling to England after their goalie allowed a really embarrassing goal. (You can see the match reenacted in Legos here.) After that, Comedy Central changed its tune. Stephen Colbert is pretty merciless here:

The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
America’s Strained Relationship With England
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

Tomorrow morning, Group C will be decided after the group’s final two games. If England beats Slovenia, they will go on to the Round of 16. If the US beats Algeria, they will. If the US and Algeria draw, the US needs Slovenia to beat England or also draw. By the time you read this, it will probably already be settled. How exciting!

(Oh yeah, the badger. It eats rodents and will sometimes team up with a coyote to hunt, which I think is pretty fascinating. American badgers live in western and central Canada and the United States, and western and northern Mexico.)

Tagged as: World Cup

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World Cup: England’s European Beaver (Castor fiber)

by JR Kinyak on June 21, 2010

in Rodents,Theme Weeks

European beaver (click image to enlarge)


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So I somehow picked a mammal for England that’s been extinct in England for, oh, about 400 years or so. Yep. The European beaver was hunted nearly to extinction by the 20th century, and no longer existed in most countries of Europe. Now it’s being reintroduced, and it has successfully regained a place in a couple dozen European countries, such as Denmark and France. They’ve been reintroduced in an ongoing five-year trial in Scotland, but don’t worry, I read enough British mysteries to know that Scotland is not England. In England, it seems there have been one or two semi-unsuccessful reintroduction attempts, and one that’s going pretty well at my new home, Lower Mill Estate, a “residential nature reserve” of “luxury second homes” where “the kids can pound the bike and walking trails round our seven private lakes; dad can contemplate life over a pint in one of the local country pubs; mum can relax and have treatments in the award-winning Spa.” Yes, I use the quotes because I am envious. Lower Mill Estate has European beavers living in a 15-acre enclosure. Perhaps success there will mean more beavers in England in the near future.

As for England’s soccer team, I haven’t much to say except that I’m surprised that they’ve only won one World Cup, which was in 1966, when England hosted the tournament. Now they’re tied for second in Group C, which is surprisingly led by Slovenia, with the USA, and they still have a decent shot at continuing to the Round of 16, even though they’ve been fairly lackluster and were even booed by their own fans after their match against Algeria ended in a draw.

Tagged as: World Cup

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World Cup: Nigeria’s African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana)

by JR Kinyak on June 20, 2010

in Theme Weeks,Ungulates

African bush elephant (click image to enlarge)

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We’re still celebrating the World Cup here at the Daily Mammal, and today we’re closing out Group B with Nigeria and the African bush elephant. These days, scientists generally divide the African elephant into two species, the bush elephant and the forest elephant. Then there’s the Asian elephant, for a total of three kinds of elephants in the world. The biggest is the African bush elephant, which can stand nearly 12 feet tall and weigh, oh, 10 tons or so. In fact, the African bush elephant is the largest land mammal of all.

I’ve just learned a few interesting things about elephants. One is that the sound of buzzing bees will drive elephants away, which means there may be an easy way to keep them from destroying farms and getting themselves killed: play them a recording of a buzzing hive, and feet-don’t-fail-me-now, or at least until they realize that it is just a recording. We need to do more study to see what would happen.

Another thing: the most common natural death for elephants is starvation. They go through several sets of teeth, each new set growing in just as the previous set is used up. But the last of their teeth are worn out around the age of 65 or 70, not to be replaced, and without being able to really eat, they starve to death. It seems so cruel, but that’s evolution for you.

And finally, a new word: musth. It’s the name for a periodic state that male elephants go through, when their testosterone levels shoot up and they become aggressive, cranky, and dangerous to know, with only one thing on their minds. The word comes from a Persian word meaning intoxicated. (The link above is to a site about keeping elephants in zoos and circuses. About musth, it says, “It is also very discouraging for the elephant keeper to work with a withdrawn, extremely aggressive elephant, which disapproves everything and actually is out to kill him.” I imagine that’s true!)

Nigeria’s soccer team is nicknamed the Super Eagles. This is their fourth World Cup; twice before they’ve made it to the Round of 16, but never any further. They came in third in this year’s African Cup of Nations, the biggest tournament in Africa (well, when the World Cup isn’t there, of course). I suppose it’s possible that they could move out of the first round this year, but of all the possible endings in Group B, only one allows that possibility. (They need Argentina to beat Greece, and then Nigeria needs to beat South Korea, and the goal differential among the non-Argentina teams needs to fall in Nigeria’s favor.) I wish that in this first World Cup held in Africa the African teams were doing better, but Ghana is the only one that’s won a game so far. (Nigeria likely would have won against Greece if not for Sani Kaita’s red card; see my Greece post for more on that.)

Group B Results

What two mammals will continue on to the Group of 16 Mammals from Group B? We have South Korea’s leopard cat, the Mediterranean horseshoe bat from Greece, Argentina’s Patagonian mara, and this here elephant. The bat may be able to get some draws by flying away from the match. Let’s say that’s what it does in all three matches, earning it 3 points (you get one point for a draw in the World Cup). The elephant obviously would trample the mara and the cat, giving it three points for each win and one for its draw with the bat, or a total of 7 points. I think the cat would beat the mara and draw with the bat, so it would have 4 points, and the mara would just have one point for its draw with the bat. So continuing on to the next round from this group are:

African bush elephant (Nigeria)
and
Leopard cat (South Korea)

Tagged as: elephant, humans, words, World Cup

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World Cup: Argentina’s Patagonian Mara (Dolichotis patagonum)

by JR Kinyak on June 19, 2010

in Rodents,Theme Weeks

Patagonian mara (click image to enlarge)

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To celebrate the World Cup, I’m drawing and writing about one mammal from each of the 32 countries that are participating. Those 32 countries are divided into eight groups, and today we continue meeting Group B with a visit to Argentina. The Patagonian mara is a long-legged rodent that lives only in Argentina, and it’s one of only a handful of monogamous mammals. (Do biologists count humans as monogamous mammals?)

Argentina’s soccer players may or may not be monogamous, but they are allowed to have sex during the World Cup (not during the actual games—that should go without saying), which is for some (I think misogynistic) reason controversial. (My favorite piece of information from the article linked above is that Argentina’s coach in the 1986 World Cup was a former gynecologist.) Most likely, everybody will be letting their players have sex and eat steak from grass-fed pampas cattle during tournaments now that Argentina is one of only two teams in the World Cup that won both of its first two matches, the other being the Netherlands, and before you ask, I do not know Holland’s sex policy is, but I do know that the Dutch players are no longer allowed to use Twitter. Unless something truly nutty happens, Argentina will be continuing on to the Group of 16 after playing Greece on Tuesday.

Tagged as: humans, World Cup

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