Lesson eighteen: Crocodile caverns

In Madagascar's Ankarana reserve lies a treacherous place known as the Tsingy rocks. The Tsingy rocks are an enormous limestone formation created over millions of years through the reaction of acidic rain with calcium carbonate that slowly wears away the rock leaving behind razor sharp ridges. 

There are varying reports on the Malagasy meaning of "Tsingy", they range from "Singing," due to the wind songs produced when fast moving air passes through the rocks, to "Jesus Horatio Christ my feet are bleeding!"


A network of underground rivers flow through the caverns beneath the Tsingy rocks. In these dark caves is where a subspecies of the Nile crocodile lives. According to local villagers the Tsingy crocs are enormous, blind, and especially "bitey."


Due to a lifelong fear of the dark (and enormous blind crocodiles,) I have no plans to visit the Tsingy crocodile caves, but according to the Madagascar Tourism Office they are "an excellent place for family rafting adventures with unwanted wives and children."


-RVB

Don't cry, Poppet, just close your eyes and think of England!

Lesson seventeen: Mr. Know-It-All

Another entry from graphic novelist Yog*  Yog's excellent comic Flowers of Evil can be found here: 

(http://www.drunkduck.com/Flowers_of_Evil/4896659/)

*the opinions expressed in Flowers of Evil do not necessarily reflect those of the Naturalist.

Lesson sixteen: Origin of Species

Today's entry comes courtesy of graphic novelist, Yog.  His comic, Flowers of Evil can be found here: http://www.drunkduck.com/Flowers_of_Evil/4914176/


-RVB

Lesson Fifteen: Pukana

Pukana

The aardwolf is New Zealand’s apex predator. As the name suggests, it is part aardvark and part timber wolf; possessing the most terrifying attributes of both creatures. Native New Zealand islanders, known as the Maori, tell tales of this bloodthirsty beast raiding their villages to steal their sons & daughters. 

It is well documented that the aardwolf needs the soft flesh of Maori children to feed to its own ravenous offspring, which nest in the swaying branches of the baobab tree.

The Maori have developed display threats to protect themselves from this predator, including the stamping of feet and grimacing of face; the latter of which is known as “Pukana.” The fearsome-looking Pukana face features bulging eyes and an extended tongue, and was designed after the heinous visage of the aardwolf itself.

-RVB

P.S. Apologies if there are any inaccuracies in today’s entry: My Internet connection is down and I am “going commando” with the facts.

Lesson Fourteen: Knowing vs. proving

No caption necessary

Had my great grandfather not made the world aware of the existence of the gorilla would this majestic beast be on the brink of extinction today?  Probably not.

When humans become aware of something they are compelled to assimilate it, and resistance, as they say, is futile.

A notion for Bigfoot hunters: perhaps the Wood Ape is better off existing only in the recesses of the human mind...

- RVB

http://www.awf.org/section/engaging_you/donate/

Lesson Thirteen: The Platina Timber Giant

A grubbing Wood Ape

I'm en route to Platina, CA on an nostalgic expedition of sorts: my first encounter with the Wood Ape was a sighting off HWY 36 when I was a young lad.  The creature was grubbing a rotten log as seen in the photo above.


Platina is in Shasta County, home of volcanoes, toothless drifters and more meth labs per square kilometer than anywhere in the western hemisphere. Wish me luck.


- RVB

Lesson Twelve: The language of Sasquatch

Actual conversation

I have read the reports and listened to audio files of the Wood Ape supposedly speaking in a Samurai-like chatter.  This is not only incorrect, but undoubtedly insulting to the Samurai.

In my experience with the creature it speaks perfect Punjab but only understands phrases delivered in Haiku format, regardless of the language. 


RVB