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pokemonbiologyirlthetabletop · 10 months

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Petilil & Lilligant

Petilil (#548)

Conroboherba parvus

General Information: Petilil are a small grass-type Pokémon with leaves that, when eaten in large amounts, cause dizziness, but in smaller amounts they provide a revitalizing effect that helps regain vigor. These leaves grow back fairly quickly.

Petilil average at 1’8 feet tall (0.5 M) and 14.6 pounds (6.6 kg). The deeper the color of their leaves, the healthier the Petilil.

Habitat: Petilil can be found throughout the Asia and Europe, where they love to live near bodies of clean water on land with rich nutritious soil. They especially love flowerbeds and lush forests. However, Petilil are highly sensitive to environmental pollution, and will be one of the first Pokémon to disappear from a habitat when humans pollute it.

Life Cycles: Petilil are born every Spring in litters of dozens, like anywhere from 60 to 90 is a normal clutch size per mother. As one can imagine from litters this big, Petilil are eaten by a lot of things. They are small, fairly harmless grass-types that also taste a bit bitter, and they’re snack-sized to a lot of larger predators, such as Talonflames, Sevipers, Galvantulas, Orangurus, Passimians, other primate Pokémon, and so forth. Around 3% of Petilils will survive to become Lilligants, barring extraordinary circumstances. As an all-female species, Petilils must seek mates from other species, with Ivysaurs often being mates of choice given the high ratio of males, and their own impressive flowers and courtship rituals.

Behavior: Petilil are friendly but (justifiably) quite skittish in nature. They are scared of humans and other large predators as a rule. They live in large flocks/gardens of scores of other Petilil, often their siblings by proximity. In captivity, especially when raised from an egg or bred from domesticated stock by Breeders, Petilil are sociable creatures who need other Pokémon around to be happy. Other grass-types are the best companions to give a Petilil, but don’t let that discourage you from giving your Petilil other friends!

Diet: Sunlight, berries.

Conservation: Vulnerable

Relationship with Humans: Petilils have been eaten by humanity since we left Africa and travelled into the Middle East. They’re small, nutritious, weak, docile, easy to catch, and they breed well in agricultural settings. Even the dizziness that one gets from eating too many of their leaves disappears upon boiling. And, since the Petilils regrow their leaves quickly, there’s little need to kill them, just plucking their leaves does the trick.

Their habitats are under threat all the time from pollution, and since they’re one of the earliest ecosystem indicators available to science, their presence or absence is a huge tell when something is going wrong in an environment. The main thing that stops Petilils from being endangered in spite of this extreme sensitivity to toxins, is their range and presence in human dwellings. Petilils would make for excellent starter Pokémon if it wasn’t for the fact that they evolve into the notoriously finicky Lilligant. But, Petilils are present on the teams of many doctors, herbalists, and chefs who use their revitalizing leaves to enhance foods and medicines. Their presence in the culinary arts and medicine is so prevalent and rooted in ancient traditions, that Petilils are seen as the symbol of herbal medicines and gardens. Many businesses throughout time use a stylized Petilil to represent herbs or herbal medicine, to the point that it is ubiquitous with the trade.

Classification: “Conroboherba” is a combination of “conroboro” which means “strengthen, invigorate” and “herba” which means “herb.”

Lilligant (#549)

Conroboherba elegans ruben ([OG] Lilligant) Conroboherba elegans tripodo ([H] Lilligant)

General Information: Lilligant are tall, elegant Pokémon with gorgeous flowers atop their heads that always bloom most beautifully in the wild. The flower produces a strong, sweet aroma that gives a heartened feeling. (OG) Lilligants average at 3’7 feet tall (1.1 M) and 35.9 pounds (16.3 kg), and (H) Lilligants are 3’11 feet tall (1.2 M) and 42.3 pounds (19.2 kg).

Habitat: Lilligants are found in the forests and mountains of Asia and Europe. (H) Lilligants are exclusively found in the Himalayas, where the cold, rocky mountains gave the Lilligants powerful legs for jumping great distances. While Petilils are common enough, Lilligants are rare in the wild.

Life Cycles: As an all-female species, Lilligants must seek out mates from other species, such as Venusaurs. They will roam forests in bands or by themselves in search of mates, and when a suitable mate has been found the flower on its head will wilt and wither away. When at last they lay eggs, they will guard their eggs enough to keep an eye out for egg-thieves, but once the Petilils hatch then the babies are left to fend for themselves unless there happens to be a Lilligant in the colony. Be aware, that captive Lilligants who have not bloomed their flower for the year are not ready to mate. While Petilils are born in vast numbers and themselves reproduce easily enough, Lilligants are not at risk of death too often and can afford to be picky about when and with whom they reproduce.

Behavior: Lilligants are finicky creatures and not terribly good mothers. While friendly enough, they are hard to please in captivity, and even veteran trainers and first-class gardeners have been known to struggle with coaxing the flower on a Lilligant to bloom. Should their flower bloom and they are then neglected, it will wilt.

Diet: Sunlight and berries.

Conservation: Vulnerable

Like Petilils, Lilligants are finicky ecosystem indicators who flee from polluted habitats and deforested lands. Their populations are spotty and fragmented, but what saves the species from being endangered is the amount of habitat that they cover across Europe and Asia, and their willingness to live in human-controlled habitats like botanical gardens, even if they are finicky to the umpteenth degree. However, the (H) Lilligant of the Himalayas is likely endangered, but it’s hard to say for the sub-species is found at incredibly high altitudes and in remote parts of the world.

Relationship with Humans: Lilligants are one of many symbols of beauty in the human world, often depicted alongside Milotic, Gardevoir, and Lopunny. They are popular amongst celebrities, and even veteran and first-rank gardeners find the needs of Lilligants to be a challenge. The flower of a Lilligant is sometimes cultivated into an incredibly rare and expensive perfume—Pokémon Rights Activists rejoice, the very nature of the flower on a Lilligant means it is treated well and it is happy!

There are parts of the world that worship Lilligants as dancers and beauties of the forest/mountains.

Classification: The species epithets of Lilligant, ruben and tripodo refer to the red flower on the head of (OG) Lilligant and the dancing movements of (H) Lilligant respectively.

Evolution: Lilligants evolve from Petilils with a Sun Stone or appropriate equivalent. The regional form is genetic, so Petilils bred from the (H) lineage will still evolve into (H) Lilligants even outside of the Himalayas.

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is-the-primate-vid-cute · 2 years

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FAQ

Q: Can primates be neurodivergent/have mental illnesses like people?

A: Mental illnesses and neurodivergency are human concepts and social constructs that were designed to specifically apply to people to explain perceived differences and issues that an individual may experience. While primates can exhibit signs of what we would label as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress, other labels such as ADHD, autism, OCD, bipolar disorder, and the like do not translate across species. It is important to consider as well that many of these labels are culturally dependent, so they do not even apply universally across human populations.

Posts we’ve made about this: X X X

Q: Can primates be physically disabled/use disability aids?

A: Yes, primates can have virtually any type of disability. There are primates with limited mobility, vision impairment, hearing impairment, diabetes, and any number of other health problems or physical challenges that may impact quality of life. The best way that caretakers for disabled primates in captivity can help them is to make adaptations to their lifestyle and habitat so that they can live the best and more independent life they are capable of. Primates will not use disability aids such as hearing aids, glasses, canes, prosthetics, or wheelchairs, so instead caretakers will install ramps in their enclosures to help them get around, will have care regimens that account for their limitations, and will provide them with diets and enrichment that is best for them considering their health.

Posts we’ve made about this: X X

Q: What about primates as service animals?

A: Primates are wild animals. Only domesticated animals can be successfully trained for the use of serving someone who needs assistance. As established in the case of primates kept as pets, they have extensive care needs and require social time with appropriate peers. This does not change in the context of service animals. Only dogs and miniature horses are legally recognized service animals in the USA.

Posts we’ve made about this: X

Q: Have you guys heard about the game Gibbon: Beyond the Trees?

A: Yes we have! It looks great and we have yet to play it, but we hope to at some point.

Q: Do primates enjoy music?

A: Some do, but most are indifferent. San Francisco Zoo did a study where they played different types of music at different locations throughout their chimpanzee habitat and indoors and found most their chimpanzees preferred silence over any of the music provided. In mod E's personal experience, primates tend to enjoy videos much more than music.

posts we've made about this: X

Q: Aren’t chimpanzees super violent and aggressive?

A: No. Chimpanzees are some of the most tragically misunderstood primates, and have a bad reputation based on a few high profile incidents. Aggression is part of chimp life, but most conflicts are able to be resolved without escalating to serious violence. By and large, extreme chimpanzee violence happens as a result of human intervention such as deforestation forcing chimp troupes into smaller areas leading to territory disputes, and chimps that have been kept as pets never learning appropriate outlets for their frustration. While chimpanzees can be violent and aggressive, they spend most of their lives working together and taking care of each other and form extremely close bonds with their loved ones. While it is important to consider aggression as part of chimpanzees, it is just one part of the total primate package.

Posts we’ve made about this: X X X

Q: I want to work with primates. How can I get into a career with primates?

A: There is no one route to a career working with primates, but there are certain things you can do to be a better contender for primate related jobs. It is important to consider that jobs working directly with animals are very physically demanding and because these jobs are desirable, there can be steep competition for available positions. This being said, if you feel passionate about primates absolutely go for it! Starting with volunteering is a great way to get into primate care taking, and can help you find a type of work that works for you. If you have specific questions about careers working with primates, mod E is happy to help.

Posts we’ve made about this: X X X X X

Q: Can I ethically be friends with a primate?

A: We feel that desire! The most ethical way to be friends with a primate that not only doesn’t harm them but actively helps, is to find an accredited zoo near you and go as often as you want. Primates are highly social and enjoy watching people as well as being watched, and if you go frequently enough the primates you see may start to recognize you. We also encourage volunteering for primate organizations that help them if you can.

Posts we’ve made about this: X X

Q: What is a fear grimace vs a play face?

A: These two expressions can be used by social apes and monkeys but are most commonly expressed by chimpanzees and macaques. They can be easily mixed up or mistaken by humans.

A “fear grimace” features tense body language, eye contact or avoidant eyes, and the lips pulled all the way back to expose both rows of teeth (looks alot like a human smile). Fear grimaces are often paired with crying or screaming, and running away or otherwise avoidant body movements. The fear grimace can be used to express: “I’m not a threat! I don’t want to fight! Let’s be friends!”. Sometimes a fear grimace can be used when monkeys or apes are meeting for the first time to communicate a friendly, non-threatening, stance. In the past (and today, unfortunately) chimpanzees, macaques, capuchins used for entertainment would be trained to “smile” as part of an act. This muddied the public perception of the expression. A normal person would not know a “smiling” primate is a tense, fearful animal and the person may attempt to approach the animal, in which case the animal may defend itself, since the fear grimace was not responded to correctly. A fear grimace is not an expression of aggression: it communicates a desire not to fight.

A “play face” features an open, relaxed mouth that exposes the bottom row of teeth, soft (non-focused) eyes, relaxed body language and may be accompanied by panting sometimes described as a laugh. A play face is often being displayed during play, or “flirting” (friendly behavior to show interest before courting).

Please check the links below for visuals of the difference between the two.

Posts we’ve made about this: X X X X

Q: Why do humans smile if a “smile” (aka fear grimace) is a defensive measure for other primates?

A: A fear grimace is a complicated expression. Typically, the grimace is a means of asking for acceptance; “I don’t want to fight. I’m friendly. Please don’t make me defend myself physically”. It does not only occur when the animal is fearful, but instead when they are anticipating potential conflict. A human smile (In western cultures) is utilized in a very similar way. Do you only smile when you’re truly happy? Do you ever find yourself smiling when you’re nervous, when you’re trying to fit into a new social group, when you see a stranger and want to appear friendly, when you greet a customer/worker, etc. These are all ways in which our smile is used to communicate “I’m not a threat. I’m friendly, see!” This is not to say all our body language is the same as our primate cousins, but to simply show how similar that can be in ways we don’t always notice.

Posts we’ve made about this: X

Q: Why are humans so different from every other species of primate?

A: A couple million years of evolution has sent us down a strange path, making humanity a very odd species in comparison to other lifeforms. While we tend to think of ourselves as the most evolved or developed species, the truth is that evolution abides by the principle of “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it”. While other species have settled into evolutionary niches, early human ancestors (hominids) struggled to find an edge on the competition for resources. We have never been the strongest, fastest, or most efficient species, but walking upright became our strength. Every development a species goes through is a trade off: walking upright gave us the ability to walk longer distances and left our arms free to carry things, but for this ability we lost speed, take more fall damage, have more back and joint problems. However, in a period of great scarcity being able to walk for hours to forage and collect the spoils to save for later/sharing was a great way to survive. Walking upright ended up being the catalyst for further development along the lines we now know as human: narrower hips to support upright posture made giving birth more difficult which meant that unlike other species which tend to give birth alone, birth became a group effort. The strengthening of our social bonds and increased interdependence allowed us to take more risks as a species and rely on each other, and as we gained cognitive function we became known for our intelligence (at least to ourselves). Human evolution has been a strange and unique path, and a big reason for that is that our niche shifts slowly, and so do we. Australopithecus Aferensis, the species commonly referred to as the earliest common ancestor, existed for 900,000 years– thats much longer than homo sapiens! So while we are very different from other primates, things could look very different in a few million years.

Posts we’ve made about this: X

Q: Does anyone else find great apes to trigger an uncanny valley response? Is it normal to be kind of creeped out by them?

A: It is absolutely normal. We never judge anyone for being scared, apprehensive, or off-put by a primate, it’s a good survival skill to be cautious! Lots of people find primates close to people to be uncomfortable to look at and while we hope that feeling will fade as you get to know our ape cousins and (hopefully) grow to love them, we totally get it.

Posts we’ve made about this: X

Q: What do you think about Kanzi the bonobo?

A: Yes, we get asked about Kanzi kind of a lot! We think he is a gorgeous and lovely ape, and though the Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative has had a rocky history we are proud to support them at their current standards of bonobo care and ethics. Kanzi clearly lives a good life with his friends and family, and while we aren’t confident that he can communicate to the extent that he has complete understanding of human language, he does appear to possess recognition of some spoken English and symbols on his lexigram board. Neat guy altogether!

Posts we’ve made about this: X X

Q: Why did Travis end up committing that famous attack?

A: Travis is perhaps the most famous pet primate in the USA. Travis was purchased as a pet for Sandy Harold and her family. He was raised more as a child than a pet. He ate meals with the family at the table, was trained to drive cars, and was discouraged from displaying his natural chimpanzee behaviors. When he started to mature, his strength and confidence with humans became a problem. Harold unfortunately lost her son and her husband, leading her to lean more on Travis for emotional support. They slept in the same bed together, she let him drive her into town, and the nature of their relationship was troubling and unsafe. Harold relied on Xanax to calm Travis when he would act out. She also utilized many unhealthy foods Travis enjoyed to appease him- which in turn made him extremely obese. The famous attack started when Harold had trouble soothing a distressed Travis. She called her friend Nash to come over and help her with Travis. She also dosed him with some Xanax (while Xanax is a depressant and commonly tranquilizes humans, primates can actually become more agitated and aggressive on Xanax.)Travis had taken the car keys and was attempting to leave the property when Nash arrived. She stepped out of her vehicle and Travis attacked her. Harold called the police and attempted to stab Travis with a kitchen knife. Police arrived and Travis attempted to enter the squad car, that’s when Travis sustained the fatal gunshot wound and he retreated to the house before he passed away. Nash survived the attack but required many surgeries. Travis is a tragic red flag in the American law-making system. Wild animals do not belong in out homes. Allowing humans to keep wild animals routinely puts the public at risk of attack when the animal inevitably escapes. May Travis and the Harolds rest in peace. Please do not soil their memory with unkind jokes, this is a topic we take very seriously.

The second link contains outside sources that go into some pretty disturbing details of the attack.

Posts we’ve made about this: X X

Q: Could Koko the gorilla really talk?

A: She certainly could use some signs to get a desired response, but I wouldn’t say she could talk. The research methods used were not up to standard; the “signs” she used were not any other official sign language, videos of her signing were always in clips and full videos of her training sessions were never released. She was an absolute legend and her fame really helped gorillas as a whole receive public interest and support in a time they were seen as the stinky, dumb ogres of the great apes.

Posts we’ve made about this: X X

Q: Why did the Harambe situation play out like it did?

A: Harambe was a western lowland gorilla who lived at the Cincinnati Zoo from 2014 to 2016, and previously at the Gladys Porter Zoo for 15 years. May 2016, a 3 year old boy climbed the wall of the enclosure and fell 15 feet into into the moat of the enclosure. Keepers immediately signaled the gorillas to shift to the indoor space, and the two females complied. Harambe though, approached the child. He grabbed the kid, propping him up and pushing him down when the child tried to stand. Onlookers were screaming which disoriented the gorilla, he was displaying “strutting” behavior where he walks tall with his chest pushed out to appear bigger. Because he was not responding to keepers and they feared the situation would escalate, the emergency team decided to use the zoo’s emergency rifle to kill Harambe and retrieve the child, who was unharmed.

On top of the grief of unexpectedly losing a beloved animal, the staff at Cincinnati Zoo were tormented with public opinions on what they should have or could have done. Making light of such a difficult situation, a coping mechanism for many, sparked alot of hot debate for keepers on their personal social media accounts. Animal Rights Activists protested the zoo and many felt the need to debate if it was an ethical decision. As sad as it is, human lives will always be the priority in situations like this.

Posts we've made about this: X

Q: How can I determine if a sanctuary or zoo is ethical?

A: This can be especially difficult, even for professionals in the field, doubly difficult for facilities abroad. When traveling, we recommend doing as much research possible about the destination and their entertainment opportunities. Heavily research the animal encounters you may see. If they allow/encourage you to touch or feed wild monkeys, that’s a red flag. If animals are restrained, that’s a red flag. The human populations in popular travel destinations know that animals are a great source of revenue. Keep an eye out for volunteer opportunities rather than paid experiences in order to support local sanctuaries and rescues! A proper sanctuary should not breed, allow for hands-on “playtime”, exchange funds for experiences, or encourage you to be in unprotected contact with the animals. Happy travels!

In the states, we recommend first checking the facility accreditation. Accreditation is a way for facilities to say, “hey, we all agreed to X standards and we check each other to ensure we are all meeting those standards.”. Accreditation is a membership. There are fees and politics involved so this is not the end-all-be-all of ethics. Typically, AZA and ZAA are accreditors who can be trusted. For primate sanctuaries, NAPSA is the largest and strictest accreditor. Next, we recommend going to the facility website and checking their encounter rules. Do they restrain their animals, or allow you to feed or touch animals? Do they contribute to conservation? Are they outspoken about ending the trade of animals into private collections and homes? These can all be clues about the standards of the facility.

Posts we’ve made about this: X

#FAQ #mod E #mod J #admin

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ornisapiens · 10 months

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My entry for the Obscure Posthuman Species Contest, a terrestrial Pterosapien relative. There are numerous posthuman lineages that supplement their representative's stories. I picked one of a dozen that doesn't even have pictures, and that creative freedom was one of the

While the Killer Folk are known for eating another posthuman species, they weren't the only ones to hunt and farm for them. Pterosapiens have farmed their large, terrestrial relatives.

This stout terrestrial ptero is a domesticated variety of terry for a lack of concrete terms. They are characterized by their stout body plan, large/deep chest, plantigrade feet, vestigial wing fingers, nonexistent tail, and a snood-like structure on their faces.

Domestic terries look like a turkey, horse, and primate walked into a bar, quite literally in the variety noted for sporting a cartoonish lump on its head. This breed's eyes have a frowny quality deemed adorable by some demographics, and their agreeable nature secures a spot among the few kept as pets, spared from the life of breeding stock or early slaughter for food.

#Fanart #All Tomorrows #Obscure Posthuman Species

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fairy25 · 9 months

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Transcript below:

HUMANS NOT SMARTER THAN ANIMALS, JUST DIFFERENT

Thursday, 5 December 2013

Humans have been deceiving themselves for thousands of years that they're smarter than the rest of the animal kingdom, despite growing evidence to the contrary, according to University of Adelaide experts in evolutionary biology.

"For millennia, all kinds of authorities - from religion to eminent scholars - have been repeating the same idea ad nauseam, that humans are exceptional by virtue that they are the smartest in the animal kingdom," says Dr Arthur Saniotis, Visiting Research Fellow with the University's School of Medical Sciences.

"However, science tells us that animals can have cognitive faculties that are superior to human beings."

He says the belief that humans have superior intelligence harks back to the Agricultural Revolution some 10,000 years ago when people began producing cereals and domesticating animals. This gained momentum with the development of organised religion, which viewed human beings as the top species in creation.

"The belief of human cognitive superiority became entrenched in human philosophy and sciences. Even Aristotle, probably the most influential of all thinkers, argued that humans were superior to other animals due to our exclusive ability to reason," Dr Saniotis says.

While animal rights began to rise in prominence during the 19th century, the drive of the Industrial Revolution forestalled any gains made in the awareness of other animals.

Professor Maciej Henneberg, a professor of anthropological and comparative anatomy from the School of Medical Sciences, says animals often possess different abilities that are misunderstood by humans.

"The fact that they may not understand us, while we do not understand them, does not mean our 'intelligences' are at different levels, they are just of different kinds. When a foreigner tries to communicate with us using an imperfect, broken, version of our language, our impression is that they are not very intelligent. But the reality is quite different," Professor Henneberg says.

"Animals offer different kinds of intelligences which have been under-rated due to humans' fixation on language and technology. These include social and kinaesthetic intelligence. Some mammals, like gibbons, can produce a large number of varied sounds - over 20 different sounds with clearly different meanings that allow these arboreal primates to communicate across tropical forest canopy. The fact that they do not build houses is irrelevant to the gibbons.

"Many quadrupeds leave complex olfactory marks in their environment, and some, like koalas, have special pectoral glands for scent marking. Humans, with their limited sense of smell, can't even gauge the complexity of messages contained in olfactory markings, which may be as rich in information as the visual world," he says.

Professor Henneberg says domestic pets also give us close insight into mental abilities of mammals and birds. "They can even communicate to us their demands and make us do things they want. The animal world is much more complex than we give it credit for," he says.

#i liked this article #i was thinking about this and they summarized everything better than I could

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owenthetokencishet · 1 year

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I PROPOSE A NEW FAD DIET. I simply call it... Monke eat™️.

Here's the thing

Diet culture, fad diets, "x is as bad for you as driving 80 km/h off the white cliffs of Dover" that stuff? Yeah just about all of that's bullshit.

The beauty standards you've been fed? Skinny, pale, clear skin, perfect proportions? Yeah also bullshit. Also probably not real, magazines and the like tend to doctor those sorts of photos and cartoons are... cartoons. (That's another post for another time and a decades-old discussion)

This all is where Monke eat™️ comes in. The name itself serves as a reminder, a memento monkey if you will.

You are (I assume, judging by the fact that you are capable of fully understanding language) a human. Humans are primates. Pretty big ones too, second only to the gorilla in size.

An animal that big takes a lot of energy to run. Almost 8.4 million joules to be precise. It's a bloody miracle it takes that little considering the lumps of jello in our heads that make the average supercomputer look like a dollar-store calculator.

The only way humans have to get that kind of energy is by eating. Good news! As a human, eating could not be easier! Because guess what? You're an omnivore baybee! You evolved to forage and eat as you went, and then we needed extra energy to start thinking so we started eating meat!

I mean obviously yeah you still gotta eat lots of vegetables n shit but even that's not as hard as it sounds. Vegetables don't stop being vegetables the second you do stuff to them. Tomatoes don't turn to nutritionally empty goop the second they're chopped and thrown into salsa, sticky toffee pudding is still mostly made of dates. A salad with dressing and crotoutons and shit is still a salad.

You are a large, omnivorous, domesticated hive primate with a brain capable of designing fusion reactors and you should eat as much as you think you need to without worry. Embrace monke™️

#eating #food #primates #we are all monkeys #diet culture #eat what you like #who give a shit

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delgado-master · 2 years

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A little thing on the ethics of keeping exotic animals.

So, with exotic animals, I have certain rules that I use to evaluate if an animal should be kept in captivity. I am sharing because I think it may be useful to decide for yourself if a certain species of exotic animals should be kept in captivity. For each example, I will give examples of animals that fail the test.

Does the animal live longer in captivity than in the wild? (Lobsters only live 6 months in captivity)

Does the animal readily breed in captivity? (Many reptiles have to be wild caught as they don’t breed in captivity)

Is the animal dangerous to humans? (Large cats, venomous snakes, chimps)

Does the animal carry zoonotic diseases? (Raccoons, primates)

Does the animal require an exceptionally large enclosure? (Large cats, large snakes)

Does the animal require more mental stimulation than can be reasonably provided by a single person? (Primates, parrots)

Is the animal a wild type of an endangered species? (Slow loris, endangered reptiles)

Also, any non-domestic animal should not be considered for beginner pet owners. Many domestic animals are routinely abused (Guinea pigs, goldfish), and if you cannot take care of something that has been domesticated for thousands of years, you cannot take care of something that is not domesticated at all.

Note: Social species are not included on this list because I believe it is ethical to keep social species as long as you have multiple members. This philosophy extends to domesticated animals. Keeping one Guinea pig is highly unethical except under extraordinary circumstances (there are always members of social species who do not get along with their peers. If that is the case with your social animal, make sure to give them lots of enrichment)

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snowdoniasupernaturalsociety · 11 months

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Ancient Aliens: Arrival

Three aliens land on the surface of earth pre-agricultural human society, sounds like the beginning of a joke, and in many ways it is.

As the night descends upon their little patch of the Earth. Dietrich, Marcus, and Cyrill argue amongst themselves about which of Earth's native species will become dominant. Dietrich argues that insectoids are statistically most likely to achieve dominance due to their large population and hive-mind.

Marcus disagrees, as he always does, vouching for the efficacy of the planet's dinosaur population. He is unaware of the tragic fate of the dinosaurs since the last observation of Earth. Though I suppose that's old news to you, and to most of the galaxy's empires with up-to-date planetary records.

Cyrill supposes that from what they've observed humanity has the most room to develop, citing their use of tools and domesticated animals. He would have been wrong, of course, if not for the intervention of three incompetent alien scientists. I'm sure you can guess their names at this point.

"You remember what happened the last time we decided to study primates, right Cyrill?" Dietrich would ask, as he glared at the insectoid across from him. "Because I remember you trying to defend 'sudden planetary implosion' to the Ethics Committee after we tried to introduce them to spacefold technology."

"Oh we remember, in fact, I remember how you bet us 50 credits that if we left a spacefold engine on Omega-9 they'd never even figure out hot to turn it on." Cyrill retorted with as smug an expression an insect could manage, before finishing his cup of water and setting it down on the ground.

"50 credits that you still owe us." Added Marcus, before he stood up from the rock he'd dragged over nearly five hours ago so he didn't have to spend their whole discussion standing. "I'm getting the fabrication module, and the straws, we're right on schedule to set up the farm." He said, before he walked into the spaceship.

After nearly an hour of arguing over an instruction manual the three of them gathered around the fabrication module which had been anchored into the ground. Marcus set the cup filled with straws on top of the module and the three of them closed their eyes and drew a straw each, followed by a loud groan filling the silence of the early evening.

"This has to be rigged. There is no way, statistically, that I would have drawn the short straw three missions in a row." Dietrich said, a hairs breadth away from a rant about statistics and probability when Marcus interrupted. "We can't change the straws now, we've been drawing straws since the first mission."

"I suppose." Dietrich agreed, although he still had his reservations about the methodology. "But with how short the night cycle is I want tomorrow off, it'll be daylight again by the time I've even finished planting potatos in this soil." He said as he picked up the shovel and tapped the ground with it to demonstrate his point.

"Only if those potatoes are actually planted. We didn't expend the resources of Theta-98 developing the perfect food for you to forget to plant it, again." Cyrill activated the fabricator module as he said this, then left it to convert local resources into a suitable base. "See you in ten hours, Dietrich."

As two of our alien friends slept in the spaceship and another slaved away building the farm they didn't even notice a tribe of their new human neighbours watching from afar, keen to see what the strange looking creatures were doing to the soil. "Fucking straws." Dietrich said aloud to himself as he picked up the hoe to begin tilling the freshly loosened dirt.

And that concludes our story, and the origin of the first curse word added to the human vocabulary. I have been your deep space conversational companion, goodnight.

#writing #fiction #aliens #sci fi #comedy

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vegance · 2 years

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I’m, not saying torture animals that aren’t human. But simply that they should have different things considered than humans. And if any other homo species was still around, then yeah the whole genus would probably require the same protections. As for aliens, if they manage to come visit us they’re clearly at least on the same level as humans, if they’re found on another planet we should leave them the fuck alone we have our own planet.

Other primates definitely shouldn’t be treated the same as humans either because they arent, but they should have different rules from livestock for many reasons. Just, dont keep primates as pets, dont eat primates (even if the person doesn’t think it’s weird to eat our cousins, it’s still a huge risk of disease because of how closely related we are). Just, let primates live their own lives and keep their habitats safe.

And if any of that was directed at cattle in wheelchairs, that is not an animal that can live a good life in a wheelchair. Dogs could, but cattle have social fights and get way too heavy for a wheelchair to not cause harm.

Also remember, death isn’t a horrible thing. It’s the one thing that truly connects all living creatures. And all we can truly ask for is a peaceful death. Which, idk how poultry and such is killed but yes cattle are killed in a peaceful way. Any twitching that happens after the bolt is from leftover electrical energy.

Slaughterhouses just need more unions, more osha type regulations. Yeah things can be bloody but that doesn’t mean it’s horrible. Everything dies to feed something else. One day I’ll be gone and will feed the worms and plants.

Just because a human can be fine on a vegan diet doesn’t mean they all can do one or that people should all switch to a vegan diet. And yeah people tend to take supplements, because our diets tend to be less varied than they should be. There’s a difference between going paleo and just, understanding that as an omnivore you are built to require animal products. Not everyone can even properly process supplements.

Vegan baby formula also has the downsides of, its soy. Most of the time it’s just soy which is one of the worst monocultures there is and is a rather common allergen. Only one vegan formula is even approved by the fda (in the us ofc, idk anything about food safety regulators in other countries). We need to grow less soy, not more (and no, most of the soy isnt being grown for feeding livestock. That’s just where the beans that have been processed for oil and all the inedible parts go, as it is with most food given to livestock)

“What do orphaned baby lions have to do with people eating a cheeseburger”

Nothing. I wasnt talking lions. I was talking kittens. And the connection is, they’re domestics that need meat and (for formula) dairy. Not to mention Wildlife rehabs also often have to raise orphaned animals until they’re old enough to release.

I’m kinda done talking to a brick wall tho.

"I’m, not saying torture animals that aren’t human. But simply that they should have different things considered than humans." we are torturing them, though. that's the whole point.

i'm not saying we should treat all animals the same as humans, i am saying that they deserve the most basic moral consideration.

cattle often do not die a peaceful death, as the source i provided showed. it's easy to be all zen about death when you are not the one being killed. vegans are literally just arguing that we should not inflict suffering and death on animals when we can avoid it.

you are just making a lot of blanket statements with no proof (cattles lives in wheelchairs cant be good, but dogs can) or bring up super specific cases, which are no argument against veganism. i'm just not sure what you are trying to do here, or why you messaged me in the first place. if it was just a general discussion about veganism, why all these weirdly specific situations, that have nothing to do with animal ag at large?

soybean meal actually is edible for humans, and still 98% of it is fed to animals. about 70% of the worlds soy is made into soybean cakes for animal feed. as far as i understand, these are made of soybean meal.

yes, soy is a major allergen. so is dairy :D

ok, then you're not talking about lions, you are talking about kittens. but you are also not a kitten?? (unless...?) again, these small, super specific examples have nothing to do with whether or not the average person should go as vegan as they can? milk replacements for wildlife rehabilitation is not a major driver in animal ag.

"I’m kinda done talking to a brick wall tho." samsies. have a great night

#ask #long post #dix

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garfield-mug · 5 months

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rant about animal/veterinary stuff under the cut:

i have a lot of beef with the government of texas as a whole, but their laws (or lack thereof) regarding the keeping of non-domesticated (aka WILD) animals as pets (more commonly called exotic pets) is a very large portion of this beef.

and my feelings have to be contained somewhat because if the people keeping these animals feel judged by us as veterinary professionals, they won't seek appropriate care for their animals.

on the other hand, absolutely no layperson should ever, EVER be able to get their hands on and keep animals like monkeys, lemurs, venemous snakes, crocodilians, large lizards, large parrots, raccoons, skunks, foxes, opossums, big cats, and the list goes on and on and on. you, as a person with no education, training, expertise, lack of appropriate equipment and facilities, should NOT be able to keep any of these animals in your homes. it's not possible for these animals to get proper care on ALL LEVELS from joe shmo down the street. aside from being incredibly irresponsible and damaging to the environment (in more cases than one), it also presents a serious risk to public health. ESPECIALLY in the case of non-human primates.

i'm gonna stop my rant from going any further bc this is supposed to be my fandom blog, but holy shit, you guys. people need to be more responsible.

#and it's not just texas that has like zero laws and regulations either #i didn't even get into the cool medical side of things because most of it is so so shit #florida is also like this #and it absolutely grinds my gears when i see people posting videos on socials with monkeys or lemurs #or other species of apes or raccoons #ET CETERA #like.#that animals should not be in your home #it shouldn't be in anyone's home #it should be in a zoological facility #birdie's posts

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twf2020 · 7 months

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How is the Spider Monkey being conserved in the Amazon?

The spider monkey (genus Ateles) is amongst the most captivating primates of the New World. Renowned for their agility and social dynamics, these monkeys play a crucial role in the biodiversity and health of tropical rainforests. This article will explore the characteristics, habitat, diet, and social behavior of spider monkeys, delve into the threats they face, and underscore the importance of primate conservation in the rainforest.

Characteristics of the Spider Monkey

Spider monkeys are distinguished by their slender bodies and long, flexible limbs, which, along with their prehensile tails, inspire their common name. Their tails, which can reach lengths of up to 89 centimeters, are particularly noteworthy for their dexterity and strength, often serving as a “fifth hand” to swing between branches or pick up objects.

Habitat and Social Behavior

Spider monkeys inhabit a range of tropical rainforest environments, from wet and evergreen forests to mangroves and mountain forests, spread across Central and South America. They are diurnal, arboreal creatures, spending the majority of their lives high in the forest canopy.

Spider monkeys are highly social animals, living in large groups of 20 to 40 individuals, although they typically split into smaller subgroups to forage during the day. They have a fission-fusion social system, similar to that of chimpanzees, characterized by flexible grouping patterns in response to food availability and other environmental factors.

Communication in spider monkey groups is rich, involving a range of vocalizations, facial expressions, and body postures. They have been observed to maintain strong social bonds, often through grooming and play behavior.

The Diet and Role of Spider Monkeys in the Ecosystem

Spider monkeys are primarily frugivorous, with fruits making up to 90% of their diet. However, they also consume leaves, flowers, bark, honey, insects, and even bird eggs. They play a vital role in the rainforest ecosystem as seed dispersers. By consuming a wide variety of fruits, they contribute to forest regeneration and biodiversity by dispersing the seeds through their feces across large distances.

Threats to the Spider Monkey

Unfortunately, spider monkeys face significant threats, primarily due to human activities. Deforestation, driven by logging, agriculture, and urban development, is destroying and fragmenting their habitats. This habitat loss not only reduces the availability of food and shelter but also isolates populations, leading to inbreeding and reduced genetic diversity.

Hunting poses another major threat. Spider monkeys are hunted for bushmeat, and infants are often captured for the illegal pet trade after their mothers are killed.

Disease transmission from humans and domestic animals can also impact spider monkey populations. Climate change further exacerbates these threats, leading to shifts in food availability and potentially increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events that can impact their habitats.

How is the Spider Monkey being conserved?

Spider monkeys are considered “umbrella species” — protecting them and their habitats can benefit a wide range of other species that share the same environment. Additionally, as primates, they serve as significant indicators of ecosystem health due to their sensitivity to environmental change.

Conservation efforts for spider monkeys and other primates require multi-faceted, integrated approaches. Establishing and properly managing protected areas, such as national parks and reserves, is a critical first step. However, these areas must be large and connected enough to support viable primate populations.

Community-based conservation efforts can also be highly effective, often providing local economic incentives for conservation through ecotourism or sustainable agriculture. Education and awareness campaigns are also essential to change local perceptions and behaviors towards primates and their habitats.

Law enforcement is another crucial aspect of primate conservation. Strengthening the enforcement of laws against hunting and illegal pet trade can significantly reduce threats to spider monkeys and other primates. International cooperation is also needed to regulate and reduce the trade of primates and primate products.

Research and monitoring are vital to inform and guide these conservation efforts. This includes studying the behavior, ecology, and population trends of spider monkeys, identifying key threats, and monitoring the effectiveness of conservation interventions.

Conclusion

The spider monkey, with its distinctive characteristics, captivating social dynamics, and vital ecological role, is a remarkable symbol of the rich biodiversity of tropical rainforests. However, like many other primates, it faces substantial threats due to human activities.

The conservation of spider monkeys and other primates is not just about saving individual species. It is about preserving the intricate web of life that characterizes our planet’s rainforests. These ecosystems, apart from hosting a vast array of life, also provide crucial services to humanity, from carbon sequestration and climate regulation to sources of food, medicine, and cultural inspiration.

In a world facing unprecedented environmental challenges, the conservation of spider monkeys and their rainforest homes is both an ecological necessity and a moral imperative. It is a challenge that requires science, collaboration, and compassion, and one that we must rise to meet for the sake of all life on Earth.

We at Think Wildlife Foundation recently launched our Livelihoods for Conservation project to provide alternative, sustainable livelihoods to the communities living with wildlife. This is with the aim to incentivize conservation while uplifting these communities economically. You can purchase merchandise from these communities here!

Written by: Sanghmitra Singh

Originally published at https://thinkwildlifefoundation.com on July 1, 2023.

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