The Timeworn Tarsier

Well let me tell you, this little guy sure has been capturing my attention these days. So much that I just made a birthday card featuring him. He is my new buddy, the Tarsier.

First, I have to admit that wikipedia doesn't have too much on these guys and what they do have makes absolutely no sense to me so I'll try to draw out what I can.

The Tarsier gets its names from its insanely long tarsus bones, that of course causes it to have very long feet and its fingers are also elongated (the third finger is actually as long as their upper arm). It has very soft and velvety fur and uses its hind feet claws to groom itself.

It is found exclusively on the islands of South East Asia although it used to be more wide spread. Despite this, it is not endangered.

It is a nocturnal animal but unlink most nocturnal animals it lacks a light-reflecting eye. I think this means like, when you're driving and it's dark and there's a racoon in the road and its eyes look spooky because it's reflecting the light of your headlights. So it lacks that, but I don't know what that means. It also eats bugs but sometimes eats frogs and lizards and snakes and can even catch birds in mid-flight as it jumps from tree to tree!!!!

Something cool about them is they have the longest continuous fossil record of any primate!!!! Also, they have never been able to breed in captivity and often kill themselves due to stress.

Camel: The Beast of Burden

This is a (psychotic flag wielding) bactrian camel!!! I know because it has two humps! There are only 1.4 million of these camels left compared to its one humped counterpart, the dromedary that numbers about 14 million. Currently, almost all camels have been domesticated. Like the buffalo, we will never see the majestic camel run wild and free (except for the 1000 wild bactarians in the Gobi desert. Apparently there is also a feral population of about 700,000 is Australia but they're subject to systematic extermination...just kidding, I don't know if that's true...actually yes, this is true.)

Both the dromedary and the bactrian can live for sixty to eighty years and stand 6 feet tall at the shoulders. They're found in the dry deserts of western, central, and eastern Asia although the dromedary is particular to western Asia. While the bacterian camels are more well equipped for the rugged cold, the dromedary prefers the arid heat and maintains a body temp of 106 F that would normally kill most animals!

Despite popular belief, the camel does not store water in its humps. I don't know where that rumor came from but I believed it until this very moment. It reminds me of the time my science teacher in 7th grade told us that pandas weren't bears but raccoons. Anyway, what really happens is a number of things:
1. Their blood cells are oval shaped instead of circular so they travel more easily in a dehydrated state.
2. Their nostrils magically trap water that is being exhaled and return it to the body.
3. The can stand 20-25% weight loss due to sweating unlike most animals who can only stay 3-4%.
4. A camel's coat reflects the sun. The more hair the better!
5. The kidneys and intestines are awesome at retaining water. Their urine comes out like molasses and you can make a fire with their shit!

Ok, I think that's about all I want to say about the camel. They're totally cool though and I have a new found respect for them. They've carried a lot of stuff for us humans and they truly are the "beast of burden." One word of caution though, it is said that if you eat raw camel liver you might catch the bubonic plague...no joke.