Alyson Brokaw, PhD
@alybatgirl.bsky.social
I like to talk about bats and noses. 🦇👃
Sometimes I dress up like fantasy characters 🧝♀️
Sometimes I dress up like fantasy characters 🧝♀️
Dragging the dead coati between its front legs, the ocelot waddles off with its prize (youtube.com/clip/Ugkx50L...). Gelada continues to pick through the grass, unimpressed #2025MMM
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March 27, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Dragging the dead coati between its front legs, the ocelot waddles off with its prize (youtube.com/clip/Ugkx50L...). Gelada continues to pick through the grass, unimpressed #2025MMM
The ocelot launches forward. Limbs flail as the coati and ocelot roll and scramble across the dirt floor. youtube.com/clip/UgkxzC8... #2025MMM
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March 27, 2025 at 12:10 AM
The ocelot launches forward. Limbs flail as the coati and ocelot roll and scramble across the dirt floor. youtube.com/clip/UgkxzC8... #2025MMM
The cat pauses, its elegant striped tail twitching as it lowers its body to the ground in a crouch. Turning, the Coati stares down the cat, nervously shuffling as it tries to back up and away from the predator. #2025MMM
March 27, 2025 at 12:09 AM
The cat pauses, its elegant striped tail twitching as it lowers its body to the ground in a crouch. Turning, the Coati stares down the cat, nervously shuffling as it tries to back up and away from the predator. #2025MMM
As the Gelada picks through the limited grass offers of the tropical forest, an ocelot trots into view. Used to watching Ethiopian wolves hunt rodents in their midst (Venkataraman et al 2015), the Gelada ignores the small cat. #2025MMM
March 27, 2025 at 12:08 AM
As the Gelada picks through the limited grass offers of the tropical forest, an ocelot trots into view. Used to watching Ethiopian wolves hunt rodents in their midst (Venkataraman et al 2015), the Gelada ignores the small cat. #2025MMM
Used to a cooler, high elevation climate, the thick, humid Costa Rican air is uncomfortable for our Gelada. He carefully ambles into the shade of a nearby fig tree, close to where our Coati forages. #2025MMM
March 27, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Used to a cooler, high elevation climate, the thick, humid Costa Rican air is uncomfortable for our Gelada. He carefully ambles into the shade of a nearby fig tree, close to where our Coati forages. #2025MMM
Over in Ethiopia, our Gelada is pacing the edge of a large barley field. Agricultural expansion near protected areas has led to increased human-gelada conflicts (Yihune et al 2009). A pair of human guards watch the Gelada carefully, when suddenly the Gelada is magicked away. #2025MMM
March 27, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Over in Ethiopia, our Gelada is pacing the edge of a large barley field. Agricultural expansion near protected areas has led to increased human-gelada conflicts (Yihune et al 2009). A pair of human guards watch the Gelada carefully, when suddenly the Gelada is magicked away. #2025MMM
The afternoon sun filters through the Costa Rican forest as we find our Coati once again picking its way through the gnarled roots of a large fig tree #2025MMM
March 27, 2025 at 12:07 AM
The afternoon sun filters through the Costa Rican forest as we find our Coati once again picking its way through the gnarled roots of a large fig tree #2025MMM
Many mammals love to roll in smelly things, and coati are no exception. Captive coati have been known to rub lemons and other citrus on their fur, and free-ranged coatis have been caught anoiting themselves with 4-day-old tayra poop! (Fleming & Weldon 2021) #2025MMM
March 27, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Many mammals love to roll in smelly things, and coati are no exception. Captive coati have been known to rub lemons and other citrus on their fur, and free-ranged coatis have been caught anoiting themselves with 4-day-old tayra poop! (Fleming & Weldon 2021) #2025MMM
When geladas yawn, they show off an impressive set of thick canines, accompanied by a loud yawning noise. That yawn noise is contagious between gelada individuals - just like yawns in humans (Pedruzzi et al 2024)! (are you yawning now?) #2025MMM
March 27, 2025 at 12:04 AM
When geladas yawn, they show off an impressive set of thick canines, accompanied by a loud yawning noise. That yawn noise is contagious between gelada individuals - just like yawns in humans (Pedruzzi et al 2024)! (are you yawning now?) #2025MMM
The entire herd of wild yaks high tails it ["when running, the yak carries its tail high up or even over its back" (Rockhill 1895, p266)] "until visual contact is no longer possible, often over mountain passes or onto distant snowfields" (Harris 2008, p154) & OFF THE FIELD OF BATTLE #2025MMM
March 25, 2025 at 1:21 AM
The entire herd of wild yaks high tails it ["when running, the yak carries its tail high up or even over its back" (Rockhill 1895, p266)] "until visual contact is no longer possible, often over mountain passes or onto distant snowfields" (Harris 2008, p154) & OFF THE FIELD OF BATTLE #2025MMM
Just as Zebra starts to trot towards warmer pastures, a rogue domestic yak comes charging onto the scene, with its herder in hot pursuit! #2025MMM youtu.be/HpflduYGqJQ?...
Life Among the Tibetan Nomadic Yak Herders
YouTube video by Our Human Planet
youtu.be
March 25, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Just as Zebra starts to trot towards warmer pastures, a rogue domestic yak comes charging onto the scene, with its herder in hot pursuit! #2025MMM youtu.be/HpflduYGqJQ?...
Zebra eyes Wild Yak. The Yak seem more similar to the African buffalo Zebra is used to - maybe it's better to steer clear since bovids of this size seem to be aggressive and belligerent. (Harris 2008) #2025MMM
March 25, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Zebra eyes Wild Yak. The Yak seem more similar to the African buffalo Zebra is used to - maybe it's better to steer clear since bovids of this size seem to be aggressive and belligerent. (Harris 2008) #2025MMM
The wild yak herd continues peacefully grazing. While they have a keen sense of smell, their vision is...less good. (Blanford 1888; Bower 1894) Like Zorilla, Zebra is downwind of the herd. #OuttaSightOuttaMind #2025MMM
March 25, 2025 at 1:20 AM
The wild yak herd continues peacefully grazing. While they have a keen sense of smell, their vision is...less good. (Blanford 1888; Bower 1894) Like Zorilla, Zebra is downwind of the herd. #OuttaSightOuttaMind #2025MMM
Mountain Zebra stands up. He sniffs the moss he was just resting on and gives it a tentative nibble. His sharp hooves easily part the moss, but there's no dust underneath, just ice. #2025MMM
March 25, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Mountain Zebra stands up. He sniffs the moss he was just resting on and gives it a tentative nibble. His sharp hooves easily part the moss, but there's no dust underneath, just ice. #2025MMM
Meanwhile, Mountain Zebra finishes his daily dust bath and rolls into a kneeling position. Now that he's right side up, the ground feels much much colder on his knees. What is this squishy green plant material he's in? #2025MMM
March 25, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Meanwhile, Mountain Zebra finishes his daily dust bath and rolls into a kneeling position. Now that he's right side up, the ground feels much much colder on his knees. What is this squishy green plant material he's in? #2025MMM
Tonight's battle is back in the remote, high-elevation alpine meadows of Chang Tang Reserve. Our large male Wild Yak has gone back to peacefully grazing with his herd after the highly volatile (pun intended) antics of Zorilla in Round 1. #2025MMM
March 25, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Tonight's battle is back in the remote, high-elevation alpine meadows of Chang Tang Reserve. Our large male Wild Yak has gone back to peacefully grazing with his herd after the highly volatile (pun intended) antics of Zorilla in Round 1. #2025MMM
Reindeer games? Try zebra games! While other zebra sp are rarely recorded engaging in play, mountain zebra often initiate play by racing or chasing each other. From there, they may rub their nose/body, groom, or play-fight (fighting, now with exaggerated movements). (Penzhorn 1988) #2025MMM
March 25, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Reindeer games? Try zebra games! While other zebra sp are rarely recorded engaging in play, mountain zebra often initiate play by racing or chasing each other. From there, they may rub their nose/body, groom, or play-fight (fighting, now with exaggerated movements). (Penzhorn 1988) #2025MMM
Wild yaks like to have friends in high places - they're herd animals that once numbered in the millions in the high elevations of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Despite almost being driven to extinction in the 1970s by excessive hunting, yaks still prefer to live in herds of tens to hundreds. #2025MMM
March 25, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Wild yaks like to have friends in high places - they're herd animals that once numbered in the millions in the high elevations of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Despite almost being driven to extinction in the 1970s by excessive hunting, yaks still prefer to live in herds of tens to hundreds. #2025MMM