Life, Death, and Taxonomy

“And today we are talking about the monarch butterfly, an insect that tastes so bad other bugs are trying to be her! But more on that later…”

She prepares for a journey she may never complete,

And from which she will never return.

No insect migration could ever compete

But it’s not the glory she seeks to earn.

Madam butterfly is a southbound bug,

In search of a kinder season.

Her children will sleep safe and snug,

In temperatures that are well within reason.

A haven she will never know,

Will save them from winter snow.

But a bittersweet journey is what she’ll need,

To make it in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

“And today we are talking about a dark and mysterious creature that’s the subject of frightening folklore and spooky stories. But more on the later.”

Creeping quietly through the night

A vampire finds its hearts delight

Breathing softly in its sleep

The prey knows not what’s in the deep

With slash and prick, the wound is cut

The sanguine morsel in its gut

Is not enough to satisfy

This parasite, the rat that flies

But those who trade in scarlet know

That darkness causes fear to grow

And rest extracts a heavy fee

In Life, Death, and Taxonomy

Sources:

Fast Talkin by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100590

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

“Today we’re talking about a fancy bird with a thousand words for romance.”

It’s a beautiful Australian morning, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing and— what was that? Was that a chainsaw you just heard? Nope, it was just the song of the lyrebird, nature’s most complicated songwriter. By imitating other birds, animals, sound effects, and even humans, the lyrebird sings a weird and beautiful song to its one true love. But it’s not over until the lyrebird sings here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Artwork: xnamaru

Music: Morning Mood – Edvard Grieg

Lyrebird Videos: 

David Attenborough Chats With a Lyrebird

Chook’s Superb Song

“And today we are talking about a large primate with orange hair whose bellowing can be heard for great distances… even without twitter.”

Intro

Life in the rain forests of Borneo may seem like a peaceful existence in paradise, but finding food and shelter requires the right tools and the brains to use them. It’s a good thing that the forest’s largest tree dwelling mammal has one of the largest proportional brains in the animal kingdom. But how do they use that advantage to survive 100 feet above the forest floor? These apes are truly living the high Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

“And today we are learning about a whale that’s as much a whale as they are Federal Aviation Administration approved pilots.”

Have you ever been sleeping? And during that sleep had a dream? And did that dream seem incredibly real? Well, you probably just ate too much sugar before bed, but this happens to the pilot whale all the time, and not because of late night snacks. Out sleeping cetaceous friend always sleeps with one eye open here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Life is dangerous for a small arthropod. You might be on the menu for every animal from birds to mammals. But sometimes, you just have to let go of the stress of being small and learn to adapt to the changes as they come. For the daddy longlegs, maintaining life might mean giving up some of your most precious tools. But that’s just what it takes to adapt to Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Art by: Xnamaru

When searching for the key to a long cancer-free life, there is one place that few people want to look—which is directly into the beady, unblinking eyes of a hairless underground horror. Enter the naked mole rat, the sort of cold-blooded super ugly mammal with cells that loath social contact. But hey, maybe we’ll find the cure to cancer here in Life Death and Taxonomy.

“And today we’re talking about a strong independent gecko, who loves sailing and walks on the beach. But more on that later.”

Intro

If you found yourself all alone on a desert island, you might be pretty lonely. But what if you could make friends… literally! There’s one little lizard that has developed a way to populate islands in the South Pacific with unorthodox methods. But, sometimes, strange and amazing adaptations are what it takes to pass on your genes in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

“…and today we’ll be talking about a cool cat that can bat at crocodile backs and fat rats like they’re doormats and defeat them in combat. But more on that later.”

Intro

The jungle is home to some of the most extraordinary creatures on planet Earth. One such creature stalks the rainforests of Central and South America as the king of the jungle: the jaguar. Pound for pound, this large feline has the second strongest bite of any mammal on Earth. But to survive beneath the Amazonian canopy, the jaguar must also be one of the most versatile creatures. It’s all part of being an apex predator on Life Death and Taxonomy.