Even zoologists have a heart
22 Nov
As the resident Earth-Touch zoologist, I’m often mocked by Kelly (the website editor) for my seemingly heartless behaviour towards all manner of creepy crawlies around our office. I guess you’d put me in that seemingly weird group of people who are so unashamedly fascinated by the natural world that every little insect or natural oddity has to be fully inspected with a hands-on approach.
Imagine sitting there quietly at your desk going about your daily business when some wildlife whacko comes along and thrusts a millipede or jumping spider right under your nose and says, “Check how amazing this is!!” It can be quite disconcerting. Kelly sees this as cruel, saying animals should stay where they are. But how are you supposed to understand the natural world without getting your hands dirty?
The massive wildlife video archive we’ve built up over the past few years contains some extraordinary behaviour as well as pieces of footage that really aren’t suitable for broadcast on TV before the watershed. Colleagues often ask how I can be so callous and unfeeling about seeing nature at its most “red in tooth and claw”, but for me that is nature at its most wonderful. The complex interplay of the predator-and-prey arms race. The seemingly horrendous cruelty of a male lion tearing apart the cubs of a recently conquered pride…All of these are examples of evolution in action right before our eyes. The survival of the fittest.
Having said all that, I did recently come across a video that provoked a little “Aww, that’s cute.” You see, zoologists do have a heart.
That was amazing. I love the way he talks about doing the introduction every time he enters.
I have a feeling though that when the cubs are bigger the lioness might not be so friendly towards him.. perhaps a result of maternal instinct?
Nonetheless, amazing clip. He is fortunate!
One Zoologist to rule them all!
No. No. No. This is not proof.
For me, only a full live dissection will suffice – recorded live and displayed on the Earth-Touch website. In the unlikely event that a heart is located it should be pickled for posterity as a lesson to all scientists who are tempted to use the monstrous phrase:- ‘Aww – that’s cute.’
Agreed…i feel as though I have really let the soulless scientific community down. i fear my only option is to remove the pesky piece of anatomy (my heart) and replace it with something more scientific…maybe a good old fashioned peristaltic pump will do.
That is awesome! Playing with the cubs and watching them grow up…
That was amazing. I love the way he talks about doing the introduction every time he enters. I have a feeling though that when the cubs are bigger the lioness might not be so friendly towards him.. perhaps a result of maternal instinct? Nonetheless, amazing clip. He is fortunate!