Last Up: 2-Seed NARWHAL (Monodon monoceros) vs. 6-Seed MOUNTAIN ZEBRA (Equus zebra). This battle is co-narrated by @tanisbp.bsky.social #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:00:36.653Z
Narwal are physiologically adapted for icy waters w/ key diving muscles having high amounts of slow-twitch oxidative fibers that allow for endurance & myoglobin that allows for prolonged diving (Williams et al. 2011). #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:01:27.549Z
Narwal’s adaptations leaves them w/ little physiological flexibility to adjust swimming & diving behavior in response to rising ocean temperatures and restricts them to specific ecological niches vulnerable to the effects of climate change (Williams et al. 2011). #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:02:19.226Z
Narwal’s adaptations leaves them w/ little physiological flexibility to adjust swimming & diving behavior in response to rising ocean temperatures and restricts them to specific ecological niches vulnerable to the effects of climate change (Williams et al. 2011). #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:02:19.226Z
#2025MMM #DivisionTuxedoStyle #TeamNarwhal Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social #mammals
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:02:31.234Z
McGowen et al. (2019) sequenced 3191 protein-coding genes from 68 species of cetaceans. Their phylogeny shows narwhal is closest to beluga & beluga + narwhal are most closely related to Phocoenidae (porpoises) diverging from them in the neogene (~15 mya) #2025MMM doi.org/10.1093/sysb…
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:02:43.382Z
Mountain Zebra are increasing though still listed as vulnerable by IUCN due to habitat loss/encroachment, hunting & trapping, and drought (Gosling et al. 2019). Zebra have long been threatened w/ the 1st hunting ban in 1742 and populations nearing extinction in early 1900’s (Penzhorn 1988). #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:03:20.040Z
#2025MMM #DivisionTuxedoStyle #TeamZebra Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:03:45.454Z
The Cape mountain zebra—one of two mountain 🦓 subspecies—nearly went extinct in the 1950s with <50 individuals in the wild. The subspecies has recovered today to >4000 animals but microsatellites suggest they might not have recovered genetically…yet. #2025MMM doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220331
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:03:43.261Z
TONIGHT, we find Narwhal in the North Water Polynya in the northern Baffin Bay region of the Arctic. Narwhal swims near the surface, his tusk closely pursuing a single Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:04:57.124Z
The function of Narwhal’s tusk (actually, a long, spiraled tooth!) is unclear, but very recent work shows that they are used in prey capture and in “exploration and likely play” (O’Corry-Crowe et al. 2025). #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:06:01.724Z
Narwhal's fishy playmate makes a quick escape by rapidly swimming in the opposite direction (O'Corry-Crowe et al. 2025). Narwhal plunges deeper into the Bay. #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:06:57.686Z
In the grasslands of the Mountain Zebra National Park in S. Africa, Zebra has just finished grazing for grasses and is at a watering hole for his daily drink of water (Penzhorn 1988). He takes a few steps into the water. #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:08:01.748Z
But the water is much colder than Zebra was expecting. MMMagic has transported this odd-toed ungulate to the open waters of Baffin Bay, where sea ice is reaching its maximum coverage this time of year (Harning et al. 2021). #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:09:14.608Z
Zebra’s legs “stride powerfully underwater” (Stone 2008) as he attempts to swim to land he assumes would be surely upstream… but where? #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:10:03.133Z
As Narwhal returns from the depths, he spots something strange moving at the surface above. Narwhal’s laterally-oriented, smaller optic nerve canals mean that he likely has reduced depth perception but a wider field of view (monocular vision) (Racicot et al. 2018) #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:10:56.391Z
Though many mammals exhibit some degree of the mammalian diving reflex (or response), it is much stronger in aquatic mammals like Narwhal than terrestrial species. This physiological reflex is triggered by submersion in cold water & likely helps preserve oxygen stores (Godek & Freeman 2022) #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:11:58.346Z
…Zebra grows sluggish as the blood vessels in his legs constrict to redirect blood towards core organs. Zebra's legs become tired as his muscles run out of available energy after shivering in hopes of producing body heat (thermogenesis) #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:13:01.650Z
Narwhal's large, hollow horn is aimed at Zebra, who is treading water with greater and greater difficulty… until… Zebra sinks below the icy water's surface… forever #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:13:45.686Z
Cold-water drowning can happen in minutes in the Arctic Sea: "Thermal conductivity of water is 20 to 25 times that of air, so a body will lose heat approximately three times faster in water than in air." (Rolf & Gallagher 2018) #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:14:51.742Z
Narwhal follows another Arctic char, flushing it to the surface only to be snatched by a glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus) (O'Corry-Crowe et al. 2025). #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:15:34.165Z
NARWHAL OUTLASTS ZEBRA!!! #2025MMM
— Dr. Chloe Josefson (@chloejosefson.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:16:14.948Z
#2025MMM #Sweet16 #DivisionTuxedoStyle #TeamNarwhal Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social #mammals
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:16:27.440Z
Mountain zebras lost this round…and have also lost the most chromosomes out of all equids! Mountain zebras have only 16 pairs, their zebra relatives have 22 and 23 pairs, and the Przewalski’s horse has the most in the equid genus w/33 pairs. #2025MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1007/s10577-013-9346-z
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:16:31.621Z
AND A BIG WARM WELCOME FROM THE #2025MMM COMMMUNITY for our special GUEST NARRATOR FOR THIS NEXT BATTLE… @solomonrdavid.bsky.social
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:20:23.470Z
Next Up: #2 seed ALLIGATOR GAR (Atractosteus spatula) vs. #3 Seed Frilled Shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus) #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:21:28.726Z
While adult Alligator Gars have few predators, humans are their biggest threat. Loss of river-floodplain spawning habitat and overfishing have led to a drastically reduced range, smaller population sizes, and local extinctions (Smith et al. 2020). #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:23:38.838Z
#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamGar Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social #sciart
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:24:17.801Z
Gar, an actinopterygian, has mineralized tissues involving SCPP genes, which were previously unidentified in chondrichthyans. In gar, 38 SCPP genes were found – a genetic system for tissue mineralization in early osteichthyans, w/ rapid expansion in actinopterygians. #2025MMM doi.org/10.1002/jez….
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:24:54.574Z
Frilled Sharks are not often encountered by humans, however, they are occasionally taken as bycatch in deep-sea commercial trawls and longlines. They're currently considered Least Concern (Smart et al. 2016) #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:26:06.062Z
#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamShark Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social #sciart
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:26:48.801Z
Frilled sharks (C. anguineus) show extremely low intraspecific genetic variation: distant populations have >99.9% identical mtDNA. This low diversity suggests a historically widespread population or very slow drift—likely aided by deep-sea stability. #2025MMM doi.org/10.1080/23802359.2015.1137801
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:27:11.005Z
The Trinity River empties into the Gulf Coast, and this productive ecosystem is home to Alligator Gars and other apex predators, including several shark species. (Livernois et al. 2024) The gar is no stranger to its cartilaginous counterparts. #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:28:58.429Z
Meanwhile, in Suruga Bay, Japan, Frilled Shark has evaded deep-sea trawlers and moved into shallower water in search of squid. While swimming higher in the water column, a burst of #MMMagic warps this living fossil on a shark trek to Galveston Bay! #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:30:19.029Z
Frilled Shark gets her bearings through the murky estuarine waters of the bay, slithering eel-like until she sees a large log just below the surface. WAIT, that's no log… #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:31:09.933Z
Alligator Gar catches a glimpse of what appears to be a giant eel swimming her way. The gar paddles her pectoral fins, slowly pivoting for a better look at this bizarre visitor. #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:31:56.285Z
Frilled Sharks can eat prey nearly 1/2 their body length, and this living fossil is hungry! A relatively weak swimmer, Frilled Shark makes a stealth approach toward the lumbering Alligator Gar. #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:32:22.181Z
Alligator Gar turns just in time to see the serpentine shark swimming directly for its flank, Frilled Shark's toothy mouth agape! #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:32:58.997Z
Frilled Shark's rows of needle-sharp teeth clamp down on Alligator Gar's side! #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:33:47.877Z
Despite her giant gape and multi-barbed teeth so great at jigging squid, Frilled Shark can't penetrate Alligator Gar's armored scales (basically covered in tooth enamel)! #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:35:03.589Z
With a thrust of her paddle-like tail, Alligator Gar bursts forward, while Frilled Shark slides down the gar's body, teeth scraping but not gripping…until reaching gar's pelvic fin, a weaker spot! #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:35:32.116Z
Frilled Shark's teeth tear through the fellow living fossil's fin turning it to ribbons, a small pulse of blood clouds the water around the battle. #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:35:50.245Z
Gar curves her body nearly 180 degrees, Alligator Gar's armored scales make her SEEM rigid, but she's actually flexible! Alligator Gar GRABS Frilled Shark with her DOUBLE-ROW of conical sharp teeth! #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:37:30.565Z
Frilled Shark has no armor! Alligator Gar's teeth sink in to the sharks sand-papery, scaly skin!! #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:38:17.709Z
Alligator Gar begins its characteristic quick open-close jaw movements shimmying Frilled Shark into position to be swallowed head first. #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:38:49.829Z
As Alligator Gar begins to swallow Frilled Shark, Gar realizes this prey is too large to consume!!! Alligator Gar releases the mortally wounded chondrichthyan! #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:39:06.468Z
Lacerated Frilled Shark takes her final swim down to the bottom of the delta. Alligator Gar, still hungry, is the last of these two living fossils that remains… living in #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:39:34.884Z
ALLIGATOR GAR DEFEATS FRILLED SHARK!!! #2025MMM
— Dr. Solomon David (@solomonrdavid.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:40:03.692Z
#2025MMM #Sweet16 #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamGar Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social #sciart
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:40:21.841Z
C. anguineus has an unusually high chromosome count (100 chromosomes) compared to many other sharks. Such a high diploid number may hint at chromosomal reorganizations or ancient polyploidy events in its lineage. #2025MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1023/A:10…
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:40:30.699Z
Next Up: 2nd seed PUMA (Puma concolor) vs. 3rd seed SAIGA (Saiga tatarica) #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:44:00.963Z
Some Western US states allow sport hunting of pumas, but a 2020 analysis found this did not accomplish stated management goals of reducing problematic puma-human encounters & predation on domestic livestock (Laundré & Papouchis 2020). #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:44:56.650Z
Near urban areas, humans have direct & indirect impacts on puma populations. In addition to highway collisions like the one that led to puma P-22's death in 2022, habitat fragmentation reduces genetic diversity (Ernest et al 2014). #2025MMM http://www.nps.gov/articles/000…
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:45:35.656Z
#2025MMM #DivisionOnlyOnes #TeamPuma Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:46:01.224Z
How does puma diversity compare to other wild felids? A study on pumas, jaguars, and ocelots in Belize showed jaguars had the lowest genetic diversity, followed by pumas, then ocelots. Puma pops showed the most structure of the 3 cats across the fragmented landscape. #2025MMM doi.org/10.1371/jour…
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:46:12.868Z
While their recent population rebound is a conservation win, saigas in Kazakhstan compete with livestock farmers for land & resources. Poaching, driven in part by the use of saiga horn in traditional Chinese medicine, also remains a threat (Doughty et al 2019). #2025MMM http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/science…
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:46:51.925Z
#2025MMM #DivisionOnlyOnes #TeamSaiga Art by Mary C Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social #mammals
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:47:13.492Z
European populations of Saiga have low variability of microsatellite loci, but highly variable mitochondrial control region and nuclear DNA– why? Likely due to the overhunting of adult male Saiga in the early 1990s, which caused the loss of paternal lines #2025MMM research.ebsco.com/linkprocesso…
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:47:17.887Z
In the Santa Susana Mountains in southern California, traditional home of the Chumash people, Puma is "scraping," using his hind feet to create a small mound of dirt & leaves that he then urinates on. Pumas use scrape marks to communicate & mark home ranges (Allen 2014) #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:48:23.668Z
Meanwhile, on the open Kazakh landscape, Saiga mills among his herd, still snoofling. Saiga's gnarly nose "is highly specialised, adapted to remove dust from the air they breathe" (Mullineaux et al 2024). #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:49:04.916Z
But it's #MMMagic time and Saiga is translocated mid-inhalation to Southern California, landing just 25 feet away from scraping Puma! #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:49:46.973Z
Saiga skip-startles & stares, unfamiliar with the sight of a big cat like Puma (tigers disappeared from Kazakhstan in the 1950s, although 2 were recently reintroduced in a Kazakh nature reserve). #2025MMM http://www.cnn.com/science/kaza…
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:50:25.117Z
Puma, on the other hand, knows a potential meal when he sees one. From a standstill, he LEAPS 30 feet to reach the tasty-looking Saiga. #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:51:08.367Z
Saiga turns to run as Puma soars through the air. Adult saiga can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour (Moon 2023)! #SpeedySnoot #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:51:50.977Z
BUT the Californian landscape is rockier and more uneven than the steppes Saiga is used to, and he stumbles! #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:52:52.121Z
In an instant, Puma is on top of Saiga, clawing at his head & shoulders, "causing hemorrhaging in the muscle tissue." (Alt & Eckert 2017) #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:53:34.266Z
Saiga throws his head back! His 16 inch long horns arc through the air…. #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:54:23.597Z
But do not gouge or dislodge Puma, whose "well-developed forelimbs and protracted claws" let him tightly grasp his prey! Puma BITES Saiga at the back of the neck, SNAPPING the vertebrae with sharp 2-inch canine teeth, & Saiga collapses. (Alt & Eckert 2017) #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:55:29.255Z
While pumas in North America eat more than 125 species (Karandikar et al 2022), our Puma may be the first to dine on Saiga, entering the thoracic cavity through a wound that "almost looks knife-like." (Alt & Eckert 2017) #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:56:09.933Z
"Cougars typically select the nutritious thoracic organs, diaphragm, and liver for consumption first, followed by other abdominal organs, fats, the rib cage, and muscle tissues." (Murphy et al 2010) #ProteinLoading #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:56:47.448Z
PUMA DISEMBOWELS SAIGA!! #2025MMM
— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:57:14.016Z
#2025MMM #Sweet16 #DivisionOnlyOnes #TeamPuma Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:57:31.262Z
Efforts to protect Saiga have been mixed– they are susceptible to the bacterium Pasteurella multocida, which tragically killed more than 200,000 individuals in 2015 alone. Very high temp & humidity that year may have contributed to the die off. #2025MMM #RIP http://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/…
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:57:56.796Z
Last Up: 1-Seed Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) vs. 4-seed Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T01:59:59.395Z
The Polar Bear is uniquely adapted to life on the ice, the global warming climate crisis is quickly deteriorating the sea ice on which the Polar Bear & numerous other species rely. nsidc.org/sea-ice-today #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:00:42.603Z
Explore the Circumpolar Action Plan polarbearagreement.org/circumpolar-… & Take Climate Action today: polarbearsinternational.org/act-now/take… #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:00:57.538Z
#2025MMM #DivisionTuxedoStyle #TeamPolarBear Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:01:16.880Z
Polar bears in the Svalbard Archipelago (Norway) have experienced rapid sea ice loss over the past few decades. Microsatellites from 622 polar bears living in this region in 1995-2016 (2 generations) show ⬇️ in genetic diversity + ⬆️ in relatedness over time. #2025MMM doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.1741
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:01:19.094Z
The Cape Buffalo "is the largest and most massive bovid of the African continent"- Across its African distribution, 80% of the Cape Buffalo population died during the rinderpest epidemic of 1896, now eradicated thanks to vaccines! (Morens et al. 2011) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:01:59.383Z
As one researcher stated in their #OverlyHonestMethods about their study on anti-predator behavior in the bovidae: "Though numerous, Cape buffalo Syncerus caffer were not approached on foot in the interests of completing the study"-Tim Caro, 1994
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:02:33.262Z
#2025MMM #DivisionTuxedoStyle #TeamBuffalo Art by Mary C Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social #mammals
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:02:51.309Z
The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) split from its Asian relatives (Bubalus spp.) ~7 million years ago. Fossils and DNA agree ➡️ Bovini arrived in Africa during the late Miocene, giving rise to a new branch of buffalos. #2025MMM link.springer.com/article/10.1…
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:02:50.907Z
After several months prioritizing still-hunting at breathing holes, Polar Bear sniffs natal lairs of any seals giving birth approaching the April birth peak or hauled out seals to stalk hunt (Togunov et al. 2022; Stirling 1974) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:04:19.030Z
MEANWHILE, in Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania, Cape Buffalo approaches the river, to drink some of the ~12 gallons of water he needs, drinking every day or every other day to meet his hydration requirements (Cornélis et al. 2014) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:04:47.203Z
After quickly assessing from lions in ambush- he can outrun them if he gets a head start- Cape Buffalo lowers his head, dropping his wide mouth to the water… to be #MMMagically translocated to the High Arctic sea ice ABOUT TO DRINK SALT WATER!!! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:05:18.888Z
The edge of the ice begins to crumble under the heavy front-end weight of the Cape Buffalo, and the 2000lb herbivore backs up blinking in surprise that he is now in the Arctic. #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:05:40.835Z
Although cold, the open landscape is reassuring to the Cape Buffalo. At Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania, his greatest source of mortality are cooperative hunting attacks from lions in habitats that provide ambush cover. (Prins & Iason 1989) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:06:08.456Z
200 feet away, a 1700lb Polar Bear slips into the water between chunks of sea ice… and begins an "aquatic stalk" toward the Cape Buffalo. #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:06:29.363Z
Cape Buffalo remains thirsty, and turns his back to the water. Cape Buffalo uses his wide front hooves to gouge at the frozen ice… most chunks have low salt content due to the freezing process creating brine pockets (Vancoppenolle et al. 2006). #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:07:00.367Z
Polar Bear swims below the ice, surfacing through a gap to breathe, looks at Cape Buffalo, and dives again. Polar Bear has such intense control that he surfaces, breathes, raises his head slightly to look, and submerges "without making a ripple in the water." (Stirling 1974) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:07:47.983Z
The bear swims closer… closer… closer… #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:08:06.676Z
FWOOSH!!! Polar Bear bursts from the arctic waters surging toward Cape Buffalo!!! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:08:44.683Z
Recognizing the sound of :an aggressive territorial hippopotamus" behind him attacking from the water, Cape Buffalo bolts without even looking, quickly getting to TWICE the speed of the charging Polar Bear!!! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:09:33.778Z
Slowing down when feeling safely clear from the water, Cape Buffalo turns to see THE STILL STALKING POLAR BEAR!! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:09:58.454Z
SubSahara Africa's paleobear Agriotherium africanum went extinct 2 million years ago, but Cape Buffalo perceives the predatory intent of STRANGER DANGER and spins to run away… but the slope of the ice dips INTO THE ARCTIC WATERS!!! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:10:24.740Z
CAPE BUFFALO IS A MIGHTY SWIMMER!!! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:10:42.361Z
BUT POLAR BEAR IS AN EVEN MORE ADEPT SWIMMER IN THESE ARCTIC WATERS!!! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:11:26.610Z
Polar Bear reaches his prey and grasps the Cape Buffalo's 'rump, sinking claws into the artiodactyl!' (Stempniewicz et al. 2021) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:11:52.451Z
Polar Bear climbs onto the Cape Buffalo, using his "weight to submerge the prey so that only the latter’s head and neck are still visible above the water!" Then with his teeth, Polar Bear grabs the Cape Buffalo by the nape, immersing the artiodactyl completely! (Stempniewicz et al 2021) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:12:28.811Z
Polar Bear and Cape Buffalo "struggle, parts of each animal appearing alternately on the surface." Cape Buffalo is tiring under the onslaught in the cold, bleating out a DEATH BELLOW… WHEN…#2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:13:01.217Z
POLAR GRIPS THE CAPE BUFFALO'S "NECK FROM BELOW AS POLAR BEAR DISPATCHES HIS PREY WITHIN ABOUT A MINUTE" (Stempniewicz et al. 2021) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:14:21.440Z
Polar Bear hauls Cape Buffalo onto a submerged chunk of ice, and stands holding the carcass down with front legs, ripping chunks of meat from his fallen foe. (Stirling 1974) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:15:12.511Z
POLAR BEAR CONSUMES CAPE BUFFALO!! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:15:58.371Z
#2025MMM #Sweet16 #DivisionTuxedoStyle #TeamPolarBear Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:16:07.188Z
The Cape Buffalo has undergone major genetic shifts due to recent and ancient events. DNA analysis revealed 3 distinct population clusters, likely shaped by Holocene climate change and more recent human impacts like habitat fragmentation and disease. #2025MMM #RIP link.springer.com/article/10.1…
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:16:17.781Z
WOW WHAT A NIGHT! Polar BearNarwhalGeladaSun Bear Gingko & RhizzoAlligator GarAddax& Puma ADVANCE to Tomorrow Night's ELITE TRAIT and the beginning of RANDOM HABITATS! Who will triumph? WHO WILL FALL? #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:17:58.669Z
#2025MMM SWEET 16 EMOJI BATTLE RESULTS!🦝🆚🐒:🐆🦷🦝/🐒🫤🌾/🏆🐒🦌🆚🐗:🦌🚽⏱️/🐗😤😱/🏆🦌☀️🆚😳:☀️📌😳/😳🪂🍂/🏆☀️🌳🍄🟫🆚🦭:🦭💆🏽♂️/🦭🚽/🏆🌳🍄🟫🦄🆚🦓:🦓🏊🏽♂️⚰️/🦄🔝🐟/🏆🦄🦈🆚🐊:🦈🦷🐊/🐊🦷🦈/🏆🐊😼🆚👃🏽:😼🛫👃🏽/😼🍽️👃🏽/🏆😼🐻❄️🆚🐃:🐻❄️🔜🐃/🐻❄️🍽️🐃/🏆🐻❄️
— Jess Popescu (@jesspopescu.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:17:15.946Z
#2025MMM SWEET 16 WINNERS:Gelada, Sun Bear, Polar Bear, Narwhal, Addax, Puma, Ginkgo & Rhizo, Alligator Gar Join us TOMORROW 3/27 at 8PM EST for the battle of the ELITE TRAIT!
— March Mammal Madness (@mmmletsgo.bsky.social) 2025-03-27T02:20:04.311Z
Christopher N Anderson 
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