Sexual reproduction can be quite a tricky process, involving an array of selective pressures that produce intriguing behaviors across species. Male-male competition is one common form of sexual selection and includes a variety of processes, such as direct combat. For example, look at the male-male competition that occurs within the wild ass populations of the... Continue Reading →
The Un-Bear-able Truth
From Pole to Pole, Series 1, Episode 1, depicts the impacts of raising young polar bear cubs on hibernation cycles and, consequently, survival. This video focuses on the maternal efforts taken to ensure the offsprings’ survival. Polar bears reproduce sexually, and the father has nothing to do with the mother or offspring after mating. After... Continue Reading →
Grooming the Next Generation: The Gelada Social Network
It appears that, just like us, Gelada baboons love to network. In Season 1, Episode 1 of Planet Earth, David Attenborough describes how, like other primates, Gelada baboons use morning time as a chance to groom. However, unlike other primates, the Geladas chatter constantly during grooming in an effort to network with others. The Gelada... Continue Reading →
King of The Fig Trees
According to David Attenborough in Planet Earth, Season 1, Episode 8 “Jungles”, fig trees and other fruiting trees are very valuable, causing many monkeys to be territorial. Siamang Gibbons claim their territory through their calls, starting with a duet between the dominant male and female and then spreading through their group. But how does this... Continue Reading →
To Breathe or not to Breathe: Adaptations of Deep Diving Marine Iguanas
In the episode Islands of Planet Earth II, majestic marine iguanas steal the show with their ability to thrive on a barren, volcanically active island. These marine iguanas live on Fernandina, one of the Galapagos Islands, and can swim up to 30 meters by holding their breath for up to half an hour [1]. But... Continue Reading →