10-09-2003, 01:42 AM
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Snakes in the Garden - herpetology, philosophy lessons
(paghat) wrote in
news
Also field studies have shown these animals can become befuddled by
changes in landscape. Salamanders can become confused and never find
their way back to their traditional breeding ponds if they have to
cross farmland that was for years plowed south to north, but then one
year is plowed east to west, implying some visual & landmark
recognition for these local migrations. Snakes too, finding their
This sounds kind of hokey. I wouldn't think amphibians would have keen
eyesight at all. If anything I would guess they are myopic to suit their
amphibious nature. I would guess it's more likely they're following a
narrow chemical trail that if heading N-S would be not be much affected by
plowing N-S (same chemicals but on different places on the trail), but
would be dispersed willy-nilly by E-W ploughing.
singly or in small clusters. There is no reason they MUST den en
masse, & the only thing that makes their situation difficult to adapt
Actually, being cold-blooded, they would freeze to death if alone. But
like any living animals, are at least 80% water and have good heat
retention. Underground in in sheltered area, on ground with high thermal
resistivity, with friends to share heat loss, give them a good chance of
making it to the spring.
too familiar to frighten us as they should. Yet if a totally harmless
& even beneficial garter snake wiggles out in front of us, it's
instantly "omigod what the hell is that get me a sledge hammer!"
I dunno paghat, there is something aboriginally evil about snakes. What is
the essence of a snake? Primally, a snake is just a mouth connected to a
body, well adapted to a life of consumption and seemingly ill suited
towards any act of creation. You may recognize that some politicians (or
even ordinary people) bear a striking resemblance.
That said, I'd sooner whack a politician than a harmless snake.
Add to that the pure destructive meanness of omnivores for which
anything that exists, whether it can move or can't move, is fair game
for destruction, & the only reason we don't stuff it all in our mouths
after it's mashed is because the microwave oven is more than fifteen
steps away & we're already stuffed with McGreasy Burgers & pizzas,
just like that well-fed pitbull won't stick around & eat the child it
just mauled to death.
I don't think there is anything intrinsicly 'mean' about omnivores.
However, people, if you subscribe to evolutionary theory or psychology,
operate on different levels. Brutes. fearfuls and children who don't know
any better will always attempt to fight or flee. Technology, giving man
superior power, emboldens him to fight, while population pressures removes
most options to flee. Otherwise, there is the third option, clearly not
popular, and not even clearly better, so it stands; make the bed you sleep
in.
- ST
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