Must Read: Animal Behavior

This semester I've been focusing on reading more biology related books instead of novels. I just hadn't found the right book since I can't imagine myself carrying around a textbook to read during my class breaks. This month I went to my university's library and found the perfect reading material: 

DOLPHIN MYSTERIES Unlocking the Secrets of Communication 

by Kathleen M. Dudzinski and Toni Frohoff.  

The book is like an educational story on all the aspects of how dolphins communicate, social interactions, and their physical characteristics. It's by no means boring or doesn't make you feel like your reading for a class. For this an many more reasons you will find out IF you read the book, I STRONGLY recommend  it! :D If you are interested in animal behavior or just simply love dolphins (like me) , READ it you won't regret it. ;)

Happy Blogging..

Haven't written for over a week now. I guess my senior seminar is taking toll of my time, but I'll be over with it next week and promise to tell you all about the interesting paper I chose about dolphins.

Made me smile... :)

From the wild to the runway: Polka Dots

The Fashion Muses 

  

Because nature has served as an art and fashion inspiration for centuries.

Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)

We all have that boring class in which our thoughts unravel till the bell rings. This week while staring at my classmate's polka dot backpack I ended up wondering: Who created polka dots? Does it have something to do with whoever invented the polka dance? Or was it just a fashion statement? After pondering for a while I remembered this cool polka dot stingray I once saw in some aquarium. Then I had my "AHA moment!", and concluded polka dots haaad to come from nature. I found more than one species with gorgeous polka dot patterns to backup my theory.  So, sorry but no credits for Venezuelan designer Carolina Herrera one of the first designers to use polka dots. Still a trendsetter though. ;)

Yellow Boxfish (Ostracion cubicus)

New York Fashion Week: Michael Kors

Black Devil Stingray (Potamotrygon leopoldi)

BIOcabulary

Homopterans: sucking insects that feed on plant juices.

e.g.  a Leafhopper which colors combine perfectly with my blog! :)

The world's most dangerous birdy...

So,  a couple of weeks ago for my Biodiversity of Taiwan class we had a "field trip" if you can call it that.. since we just took the elevator three floors down from the classroom. We visited one of NTU (National Taiwan University) Zoological Museums located in the Life Science Department building. I had been there before since I pass by it almost everyday since freshman year. But this time around we got to see the WHOLE skeleton collection not just the one they have on display for visitors, but the one in the storage room too (perks of being a bio major) ;) . It was fascinating from gorilla skulls to elephant molars you could feel with your own hands, a first for me since I wasn't allowed to touch skeletons in the Museum of Natural History let alone pet the T.rex like Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum. Well back to the story there's someone who caught my eye that day.. none less than the world's most dangerous bird:   

THE CASSOWARY.  

The Cassowary is native to the tropical forest of New Guinea and forests of North Queensland, Australia. It's the third tallest bird in the world after #1 the Ostrich and #2 the Emu, measuring 1.5 - 2 meters. It gains it notoriety since World War II when the Papa Guinea locals warned the American and Australian troops to avoid Cassowaries at all cost. 

Still not scared? disturb it, and it will use its middle toe which has a dagger-like claw (5 inch long) to defend itself causing serious injuries or death. Either that or it will use it's powerful long legs and send you flying of the ground. I think I've heard enough!..See for yourself:

                                          ...It will kill you faster than a dose of bird flu