Category: Collected #2026MMM posts

TONIGHT! Round 1 of the LIBRARY LEGENDS!!!!Tonight we will explore some amazing taxa that are associated with libraries- through symbolism, through lifestyle, invited guests and pesky pests! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:02:11.994Z

And because we have a LOT OF SCIENCE… and plenty of CARNAGE!!! without further ado… #2026MMMwww.youtube.com/watch?v=MEvH…

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:03:20.577Z

First Up: #1-seed Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) vs. #16-seed Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:04:42.259Z

Papyrus is a giant grasslike plant with triangular blades known as a sedge. Papyrus wetlands are important for biodiversity, for water quality, floodwater management, and contribute directly and indirectly to the livelihoods of millions of people. (Van Dam 2014) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:05:31.141Z

Papyrus motifs are prominent in paintings and carvings in Egyptian tombs. Illustrated Papyri records, thousands of years old provide extensive records of ublic and private life of ancient Egyptians (Rusman 1995; Autran 2023) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:05:47.140Z

#2026MMM #LibraryDivision #TeamPapyrus Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:06:06.951Z

Maxombe et al. (2022) used SE African Papyrus DNA (n = >1000) to test the unidirectional dispersal hypothesis (i.e. pops downstream have ⬆️ diversity than pops upstream). Results = no! Looks like Holocene climate & demographic dynamics shaped genetic diversity. http://www.nature.com/articles/s41… #2026MMM

— Eduardo Amorim (@cegamorim.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:06:12.466Z

Nile Crocodile can grow to 18 feet & 2000lbs, sizing in 2nd only to those Big Salties #EstuarineCrocodile among the Crocodylians found in tropical and near tropical waters around the world. ALSO TEEFS! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:07:50.072Z

In the late 1800s & early decades of the 1900s, archaeological excavation in Tebtunis & wider Fayum region of Egypt unearthed thousands of traditionally mummified crocodiles wrapped in 26,000 fragments of papyrus texts. (Mulcho et al. 2014) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:08:15.941Z

This region was known for worship of the crocodile diety Sobek, worshipers would mummify both Crocodylus niloticus & C. suchusmany of these artifacts were dispersed to private and/or museum & library collections. (Hekkala et al. 2022) #2026MMM http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/visit/bancro…

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:08:43.641Z

#2026MMM #LibraryDivision #TeamNileCrocodile Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:09:08.164Z

That croc can swim! Meredith et al. (2011) used mtDNA to show that eastern Nile crocs are more closely related to American crocs than to W. Nile crocs (same species?). This suggests some Nile crocs swam across the Atlantic in the late Miocene/early Pliocene! #2026MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.ym…

— Eduardo Amorim (@cegamorim.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:09:11.047Z

TODAY'S Battle occurs in mashlands near Lake Victoria, one of Africa's Great Lakes, where BOTH Nile Crocodile and Papyrus NATURALLY OCCUR #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:10:56.057Z

Almost entirely submerged near the bank of the waterway, the semiaquatic ambush predator Nile Crocodile enhances his concealment by lying submerged next to a thicket of tall reeds… PAPYRUS! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:11:30.422Z

Nile Crocodile, his fellow living Crocodylians, & his ancestors have "occupied this ecological role since at least the Early Jurassic" 200 million years ago. (Melstrom et al. 2025) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:11:46.469Z

Lying in the water, Nile Crocodile 'breathes, smells, sees and hears while only his nostrils and the top of its head are visible above the surface" He blends well in the shadows cast by Papyrus over the silty waters with agricultural runoff (Pooley & Gans 1976) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:12:17.452Z

Papyrus, one of the largest sedges to grow in both still or flowing freshwater, is busy photosynthesizing. #PlantScience #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:13:05.051Z

A group of humans has arrived to the Papyrus thicket to sustainably harvest Papyrus. Still used today for weaving mats and thatching house roofs, Papyrus remains an important resource, another reason for protecting Papyrus wetlands. (Emerton 1998 Emerton et al. 1999) #PlantScience #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:14:29.635Z

CHOP CHOP CHOP, humans on the NON-waterway side of combatant Papyrus cut through the adjacent trunks of the shared root system of the large papyrus. #PlantCarnage #PlantScience #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:16:17.864Z

As Papyrus timbers, one harvester grabs it to swing it down into place, opening a gap to the waterway… #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:17:06.697Z

JUST AS CROCODILE AMBUSHES FROM THE WATERS!!!! (Pooley et al. 2019) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:17:26.764Z

Crocodile's tail swing gives him accelerated momentum with the simultaneous forward swing of his hind legs launching off the wetland bank, vaulting Nile Crocodile JAWS WIDE AT THE HUMAN!!! (Pooley & Gans 1976) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:18:32.731Z

THWACK!!!! Timbering Papyrus slaps into Nile Crocodile, SLOWING THE PREDATORY ATTACK!!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:19:11.847Z

Clamboring jump away, the human JUST MISSES BEING LUNCH, and Crocodile slides back into the waters, claws dragging the hewn Papyrus into the water to eventually float away beyond the field of battle! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:20:08.111Z

NILE CROCODILE OUTLASTS PAPYRUS!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:20:33.445Z

#2026MMM #LibraryDivision #TeamNileCrocodile Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:20:42.326Z

Using PCR of a small piece of chloroplast DNA, Marota et al. (2002) studied DNA preservation in 0–-3,200-year-old papyri! (PCR = the xerox machine of biology) Results: Papyri DNA ‘half-life’ is only ~19-24 yrs suggesting no DNA preservation after ~700 years. #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1002/ajpa…

— Eduardo Amorim (@cegamorim.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:21:01.279Z

Up next: 6-seed cat (Felis catus) vs 11-seed common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:22:49.015Z

Common pipistrelles are one of Europe's most widespread bats and also one of the smallest. Weighing only ~5 grams, they pair their fast, erratic flight with sonar scanning behavior, directing their acoustic "gaze' from side to side as they hunt (Siebert et al 2013). #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:23:32.674Z

Voracious predators who can eat up thousands of insects a night (Mathews et al 2023), common pipistrelles are friends to farmers, and…libraries? Common pipistrelles living in libraries eat beetles and moths whose larvae pose serious threats to books and manuscripts. #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:24:04.869Z

#2026MMM #LibraryDivision #TeamCommonPipistrelleBats Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:24:18.284Z

What do a tiny pipistrelle bat and bottlenose dolphin have in common? Exceptional hearing. Independent evolution of echolocation led to similar changes in the hearing gene Prestin. Different mammals. Same genetic solution. #2026MMM http://www.cell.com/current-biol…

— Eduardo Amorim (@cegamorim.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:24:29.777Z

Cute and cuddly, sleek or fluffy with a come-and-go attitude, domestic cats have settled in our hearts – and in our libraries. #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:25:39.223Z

Library cats have protected books and manuscripts from mice, rats and cockroaches since at least the Middle Ages (Lotz 2017). As playful and (occasionally) patient pets, library cats also promote libraries and act as ice-breakers for new patrons #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:26:10.458Z

#2026MMM #LibraryDivision #TeamDomesticCat Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:26:22.181Z

Plot twist: “ancient domestic cat” wasn’t a domestic cat after all. Genomics of 5,400-year-old bones from China revealed a leopard cat instead. Domestic cat (Felis catus) likely reached China via Silk Road trade only ~1,400 years ago. #2026MMM http://www.cell.com/cell-genomic…

— Eduardo Amorim (@cegamorim.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:26:31.278Z

The sun has just winked out from behind the tiled roof and elegant white walls of the Biblioteca Joanina, Portugal. Inside, soft squeaks interrupt the hush of the closed library as our Bat shuffles its way out from behind an elaborate bookshelf #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:27:39.038Z

Stretching its narrow wings, Bat swoops down, deftly maneuvering past rows of leather bound books and gilded stucco in search of moths and beetles. Turning a corner, Bats is suddenly transported by #MMMMagic to the modern and austere stacks of a British county library #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:28:12.856Z

After a long exhausting day of napping in the sunlight, Library Cat is dozing on the floor among the stacks. Paws twitch slightly as she dreams of chasing mice and receiving back scratches from library patrons #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:28:43.458Z

Caught off guard by the different arrangement of the bookshelves, Bat loses momentum and spirals downward, catching itself on the back of reading chair. Clinging to the fabric, Bat swivels it heads back and forth while echolocating, trying to learn about this new place #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:29:26.768Z

With the flick of her ears, Library Cat snaps awake. While she may enjoy the occasional mouse or two, years of prowling around old English buildings have honed her skills and senses for small, winged mammals. Rising in one fluid motion, she pads towards the sound. #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:30:10.169Z

Now reoriented, Bat angles its body towards the open aisle of books, pushing off its wings to launch back into the air when WHRIIIP! #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:30:57.852Z

Library Cat springs up and forward and a single outstretched claw slices through the trailing edge of Bat's wing #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:31:57.750Z

Bat falls to the ground with a soft thud. Library Cat delivers another quick blow, sending the bat skittering across the floor. Library Cat pounces forward, pinning the Bat with one paw as she delivers the killing bite #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:32:40.855Z

Bat falls to the ground with a soft thud. Library Cat delivers another quick blow, sending the bat skittering across the floor. Library Cat pounces forward, pinning the Bat with one paw as she delivers the killing bite #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:32:40.855Z

LIBRARY CAT DEFEATS BAT! #2026MMM

— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:33:18.161Z

#2026MMM #LibraryDivision #TeamDomesticCat Art by Mary C. Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:33:35.388Z

Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) may yet outlive its competitors. This tiny bat weighs < two pennies but can live up to 15 years—mice last only ~2. Bat genome comparisons point to changes in DNA repair & immune genes that may slow aging #RIP #2026MMM http://www.nature.com/articles/s41&#8230;

— Eduardo Amorim (@cegamorim.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:33:44.078Z

NEXT UP: #4 seed Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) vs #12 seed silverfish (Lepisma saccharinum) #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:35:21.959Z

The Eurasian Eagle Owl is the largest owl in the world, their feathers are brown-black to tawny-buff & sport prominent ear tufties. (Cantrell, et al. 2004) #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:35:55.154Z

In ancient Greece, owls were symbolic of wisdom & knowledge, associated with the goddess Athena & the Acropolis of Athens. Today many libraries have owl motifs in architecture & artwork (Bontzorlos et al. 2023) #2026MMM http://www.lapl.org/collections-&#8230;

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:36:35.537Z

Body weights of Eurasian eagle owls range widely – from 1.6 kg to 4.2 kg. They tend to be smallest at low latitudes and largest toward the poles #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:37:10.091Z

This latitudinal trend (bigger as you approach the poles) is found across many (but not all) animal species – it's called Bergmann's rule en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergman… #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:37:38.468Z

The 'reason' Bergmann gave for his rule is primarily thermoregulatory, as organisms get bigger the volume increases more than does surface area. Thus, a large endotherm can hold onto heat more easily. And it's more important to stay warm at the poles (Salewski & Watt, 2017) #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:38:05.725Z

#2026MMM #LibraryDivision #TeamEurasianEagleOwl Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:38:32.979Z

Eagle owls in Spain were hunted nearly to extinction in the 20th century. DNA from survivors shows a classic genetic bottleneck: loss of diversity due to low numbers. But populations have bounced back since protections began! Conservation genetics in action #2026MMM journals.plos.org/plosone/arti…

— Eduardo Amorim (@cegamorim.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:38:32.377Z

In the other corner is the silverfish! #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:39:26.639Z

Silverfish are literally lightweights – 0.5 to 1 gram in weight and only 7 to 25 mm in length #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:40:23.066Z

Silverfish are voracious feeders on materials high in starches, glue, and cellulose such as paper. Lepisma saccharina is a common pest in libraries and museums where paper books and labels are abundant. #2026MMM journals.flvc.org/edis/article…

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:40:47.309Z

Devries and Appel (2014) found that silverfish add fats and protein to their diet in a narrow temperature range (Figure 1). #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:41:25.957Z

#2026MMM #LibraryDivision #TeamSilverfish Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:41:47.013Z

Favorite snack for Silverfish (Lepisma saccharinum): old library books. Why? RNA sequencing and proteomics of the gut in a close relative found plant cell-wall-degrading enzymes that break down the cellulose in aging paper and turn it into fuel. #2026MMM journals.plos.org/plosone/arti…

— Eduardo Amorim (@cegamorim.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:41:52.361Z

Tonight's battle begins outside of the University of Bath library in southwest England #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:42:43.412Z

A library patron rushes out from the library and slips on slick seagull poop on the front steps, windmilling his arms, he accidentally flings the book he just checked out… #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:43:08.936Z

A library patron rushes out from the library and slips on slick seagull poop on the front steps, windmilling his arms, he accidentally flings the book he just checked out… #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:43:08.936Z

Bouncing against the building edifice, the book bursts open, jolting a Silverfish onto the Library steps JUST AS A MASSIVE SHADOW SWOOPS! #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:43:34.609Z

SQUAWK! Seagulls twist-spin-jump to take off from scavenging food on campus… youtu.be/47e3hK3brUU?… #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:44:11.693Z

THE SWOOPING SHADOW IS A TRAINED EURASIAN EAGLE OWL SCATTERING THE SEA GULLS!!! #2026MMM http://www.theguardian.com/education/20&#8230;

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:44:51.102Z

A gull flaps away, not even noticing the 1 gram of smooshed Silverfish it smashed with its foot while fleeing the Eagle Owl! #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:45:11.476Z

EURASIAN EAGLE OWL OUTLASTS SILVERFISH! #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:45:35.959Z

A Eurasian eagle owl named Yoda was issued a library card by the University of Bath for it's services to scare gulls away. Yoda passed away from cancer in 2023, but I like to think it provides guidance from the great beyond #2026MMM

— Chris Anderson (@cnanderson.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:46:30.531Z

#2026MMM #LibraryDivision #TeamEurasianEagleOwl Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:46:56.303Z

Is Silverfish really gone? Nope. A global analysis of indoor silverfish species shows they thrive in human buildings and keep spreading by hitchhiking with cargo. The silverfish invasion may be just getting started. #2026MMM #RIP academic.oup.com/jinsectscien…

— Eduardo Amorim (@cegamorim.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:47:07.424Z

Next Up: 8-seed European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) vs. 9-seed Mouse (Mus musculus) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:49:52.291Z

WILD European Rabbit tips the scales up to 5.5lbs, their soft fur is grayish and can be sprinkled with black, brown, ruddy colors. Their undersides are paler gray to white. Rabbits in general have smaller ears & shorter, less powerful legs than hares, & the European Rabbit is no exception. #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:50:31.041Z

Lagomorphs were common doodles & illustrations in the margins of illuminated manuscripts made vibrant with gold silver & other bright pigments. These books were written by hand (and copies made by hand) in the Middle Ages almost exclusively in the libraries of medieval monastaries. #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:51:10.590Z

#2026MMM #LibraryDivision #TeamEuropeanRabbit Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:51:34.801Z

300+ rabbit breeds trace back to 1 domestication from the European rabbit that still hops wild in Spain today. DNA shows steps of diversity loss: Iberia → France → breeds. One species, one funnel 🐰 #2026MMM journals.plos.org/plosone/arti…

— Eduardo Amorim (@cegamorim.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:51:47.892Z

House mice can be up to 8 inches long from nose to tail (0.6 stoat length), but they are about half tail, and tipping the scales at 0.15 stoatweights (30grams), fur color ranges from light brown to black with white to buffy bellys. #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:52:55.138Z

House mice & other rodents damage library collections by chewing paper and leather for access or nesting materials and their urine & feces contaminates & deteriorate library materials. Their activities can also attract or facilitate other library pests and organisms. #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:53:21.088Z

#2026MMM #LibraryDivision #TeamMouse Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:53:40.626Z

A mouse in the house? Almost definitely. The house mouse (Mus musculus) moved in with humans 15,000 years ago, but they’re new to the Americas—hitching a ride on European ships in the 1500s. #2026MMM pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC…

— Eduardo Amorim (@cegamorim.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:53:53.474Z

Tonight's Battle occurs in Doñana National Park of the Iberian Peninsula 'A key crossroads for migratory bird routes between Africa and Europe, and the last refuge for many endangered species' #2026MMM http://www.donanareservas.com/en/donana/

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:54:51.685Z

Here the first wave of epizootic rabbit hemorrhagic disease began in 1990, wiping out 60% of the population. Despite the idiom "breeding like rabbits" AND being a problematic invasive outside Europe, in their native range, European rabbits are endangered. (Moreno et al. 2007) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:55:11.484Z

Doñana National Park includes marshlands, heathlands, & sand dunes. #MosaicLandscape A burrowing herbivore, European Rabbit prefers the transition zone near low dunes for digging burrows with access to grasslands that emerge from drying seasonal marshlands. European Rabbit is grazing now #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:55:26.968Z

MEANWHILE, nighttime at the Library & Mouse is hard at work, amidst scurrying about for food particles (No Food in the Library!).Mouse has been chewing paper from a book to make her nest more cozy! #BookCarnage! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:56:18.999Z

When #MMMagic translocates Mouse the the grassy meadow aside European Rabbit! Mouse does not typically travel more than 50 feet from home, and the bright sunshine of the great outdoors is a LOT, and so many smells! Whiskers twitching, Mouse approaches the grazing Rabbit #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:57:27.664Z

Side-by-side the Rabbit and the Mouse forage, Rabbit plucks grass blades and Mouse, well fed from human scavenged food, takes a first foray on new shoots of spring grass with delicate nibbles. #PlantCarnage #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:57:56.933Z

WHOMPF! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:58:43.299Z

TALONS EMBED IN THE RABBIT'S TORSO!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:59:00.381Z

Mouse flattens to the sandy soil as a SPANISH IMPERIAL EAGLE'S flight feathers flap the ground, tickling against the terrified rodent, as the eagle's hooked beak begins tearing into the lagomorph! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T00:59:33.914Z

After all, the European Rabbit is a key food resource for the "endangered specialist rabbit feeder, the Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti)" with Rabbit serving as "one of the most important trophic links for converting plant to animal biomass" (Moreno et al. 2007) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T01:00:01.381Z

Mouse sprints away, 8mph, from the predatory scene, as flecks of blood splatter the grasslands! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T01:00:39.762Z

MOUSE OUTLASTS EUROPEAN RABBIT!!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T01:00:54.730Z

#2026MMM #LibraryDivision #TeamMouse Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T01:01:05.314Z

#RIP European rabbit 🐰 When myxoma virus devastated rabbit populations in Australia, UK & France in the 1950s, survivors in all three places independently evolved resistance driven by changes in the same immune genes.Evolution finding the same solution 3X! #2026MMMwww.science.org/doi/10.1126/…

— Eduardo Amorim (@cegamorim.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T01:01:14.172Z

#InspirationalIntermission #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T01:03:17.094Z

#InspirationalIntermission #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-13T01:03:58.143Z

Next Up! 3rd seed Common Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) vs 14th seed Brown-Throated Sloth (Bradypus variegatus). #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:55:52.524Z

Male hippopotamuses reach weights of up to 3200 kg (over 14,500 stoats) & can open their mouths at an angle of 150 degrees to reveal impressive 20-inch (1.5 stoat) tusks. (Mason 2013) #2026MMM #StoatsAsMeasurement #OpenWide

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:58:08.271Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamCommonHippo Art by Mary C. Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:57:30.100Z

Hippos are the closest relatives to cetaceans (whales, dolphins), but these two groups lost their hair independently. Genetics show that hair-related PADI3 and S100A3 became nonfunctional pseudogenes AFTER these two groups split. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1007/s002…

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:57:23.811Z

The much smaller (6 kg, or 27 stoats) Brown-throated Sloth has long forelimbs with three-clawed toes. Though its long, coarse hair is naturally gray, it may have a greenish tint due to the algae that grow in it. (Jung 2011) #2026MMM #StoatsAsMeasurement

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:59:11.104Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamBrownThroatedSloth Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:59:31.125Z

Did you know the 6 species of sloths still around today are classified as either two- or three-toed sloths? The brown-throated sloth is a three-toed sloth and mtDNA suggest that it, along with the other three-toed species, diverged from two-toed sloths ~30 mya! #2026MMM doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msv250

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:59:30.474Z

TONIGHT in Southern Africa, Hippo rests submerged in the rippling water where the trees shade the muddy banks of the Limpopo River. (Mosase & Ahiablame 2018) #HomeHabitatAdvantage #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:00:23.767Z

MEANWHILE in the Brazilian rainforest, Sloth is, um, hanging around. Brown-throated Sloths spend about 85% of their time either sleeping or resting, & often spend multiple days feeding in a single tree. (Cliffe et al 2023) #TheSlowLife #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:01:00.704Z

Sloths do, however, descend to the forest floor to poop once a week, and Brown-throated Sloth had felt nature's call and has been slooooowly moving down the tree trunk to take care of business. Almost to the ground…. #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:01:47.285Z

As dusk approaches, Hippo moves toward the riverbank to climb out for his evening meal. He will remain close to the water to feed, grazing for 4-5 hours & consuming 25-50kg of grass. (Fritsch 2020) #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:02:32.369Z

Sloth has reached the ground at a base of the tree and doesn't even notice when #MMMagic translocates him onto the banks of the Limpopo. #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:03:18.200Z

FWOOOSH. As Hippo exits the river his massive bulk splashes water onto the muddy bank where Sloth has, ahem, collected himself, sloshing Sloth into the river!!! #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:03:53.966Z

But sloths are good swimmers! Though surprised at his suddenly aquatic surroundings, Sloth begins to paddle. (Britton 1941) #2026MMMwww.youtube.com/watch?v=T7HG…

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:04:54.937Z

But sloths are good swimmers! Though surprised at his suddenly aquatic surroundings, Sloth begins to paddle. (Britton 1941) #2026MMMwww.youtube.com/watch?v=T7HG…

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:04:54.937Z

Hippo stands on the shore…..as the current carries Sloth AWAY FROM THE FIELD OF BATTLE! #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:05:30.788Z

Hippopotamus displaces Brown-throated Sloth! #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:05:57.605Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamCommonHippo Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:06:07.449Z

The brown-throated sloth lost this round and in fact, many males in this species lose when competing for mates! Using 13 microsats, a small study found that 50% of all juveniles were sired by 1 male (and 74% of males did not reproduce at all!). #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0051389

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:06:13.745Z

Next Up: #7-seed Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx) vs #10-seed Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:09:32.026Z

Arabian Oryx, a cream & grey antelope and smallest of the oryx species is adapted to the "hyperarid" deserts of the Arabian peninsula, can reach heights of 4.5 ft at the shoulders & tips the scales at over 450lbs (Leu 2001; Davimes et al. 2018) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:10:14.686Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamArabianOryx Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:10:58.784Z

Genetic monitoring is vital for the health of Arabian oryx populations. Seven unique maternal haplotypes have been identified. This data is important because preserving rare lineages is critical for conservation breeding #2026MMM doi.org/10.1266/ggs….

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:10:55.413Z

Eurasian Lynx, a "yellowish gray to grizzled grayish brown" felid sports impressive adaptations like furry feet to snowshoe pad across the snowpack of wintery Northern hemisphere, is the "largest of the bob-tailed cats" – a large male tips the scales at 80lbs (Tumlison 1987). #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:12:24.582Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamEurasianLynx Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:12:52.458Z

Eurasian lynx DNA from 148 museum specimens was analyzed. Researchers found that the ancestral group of lynx inhabited the southern part of their current range. Lynx then colonized the northeast after ice sheets withdrew around 20,000 years ago. doi.org/10.1371/jour… #2026MMM

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:12:42.828Z

TONIGHT Arabian Oryx- Al Maha in Arabic- rests as the shadows grow long in the setting sun of the Mahazat as-Sayd Protected Area, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established in 1987 for the reintroduction & breeding of endangered species Arabian Oryx & sand gazelles. (Al-Namazi & Almalki 2020) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:14:29.599Z

Although springtime temperatures do not reach the highest heat of summer daytime, Arabian Oryx has dug down into the sand of a dune to lay down in the cooler sand not reached by sunlight, a behavioral adaptation to create a more pleasant "microclimate" (Davimes 2018) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:14:49.516Z

MEANWHILE, March is mating season for the Eurasian Lynx in Poland's Białowieża Primeval Forest. Our combatant male has been on the lookout for a lovely lady, trekking 9 miles a day in his mate-searching, using calories and working up an appetite… (Jędrzejewski et al. 2002). #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:15:18.423Z

Spotting a roe deer through the burshy forest understory, Lynx stalks closer to ambush his preferred meal… stalking closer… closer… closer… (Okarma et al. 1997, Lone et al. 2014) #2026MMM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhhJ&#8230;

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:16:27.752Z

BACK on the Arabian Peninsula, the Arabian Oryx, kneels up to tilt his head to self-groom his his back leg, orienting his 4.5 foot horns directly forward… #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:16:52.868Z

Eurasian Lynx pounces to attack the roe deer… but leaps through the #MMMagic translocation portal to the Arabian Peninsula!!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:17:15.419Z

FWOOSH!!!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:17:25.869Z

Arabian Oryx's left horn skitters across Eurasian Lynx's hide, perpendicular to lynx's body, along Lynx's rib cage bruising BUT NOT PENETRATING & Lynx twists away!!!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:19:06.352Z

Spin-Pounce! Eurasian Lynx bank-propels itself against the sand dune to launch-attack at the back of the Arabian Oryx! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:19:58.922Z

FWOOSH! Stabbing air, the Oryx's horns slash in defense against a felid's predatory attack, usually from LIONS, and the Oryx stands to full height! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:21:00.688Z

LYNX EVADES THE HORNS!!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:21:27.922Z

BUT Arabian Oryx is 4x larger & much better weaponed than a roe deer, & Lynx is over-heating… #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:21:46.606Z

Eurasian Lynx has little hope of effectively wrestling the bovid down with a throat-crushing kill bite. Bruised but savvy, LYNX QUITS THE FIELD OF BATTLE! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:22:14.940Z

ARABIAN ORYX DEFEATS EURASIAN LYNX! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:22:30.706Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamArabianOryx Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:22:48.562Z

Lynx DNA reveals a strong genetic split between populations in different regions. Scandinavian lynx are highly distinct from their Finnish and Baltic neighbors regardless of how close they live to them. #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1023/A:10…

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:22:58.793Z

Next up! 6-seed Roan Antelope (Hippotragus equinus) VS 11-seed Borean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:25:59.891Z

Weighing in at 225-330kg (1500 stoats), the Roan Antelope has large horns, long ears, and a thick, sturdy, body. Known for being territorial in its grassland savanna habitat, this browser prefers to eat leaves over stems. (Roe 2002) #2026MMM #StoatsAsMeasurement

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:27:00.810Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamRoanAntelope Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:27:22.355Z

The genome of the roan antelope is 2.56 gigabases long with 42% of it made up of repetitive DNA, similar in size and composition to close relatives like the sable antelope whose genome is 2.60 gigabases in length and composed of 47% repetitive DNA. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1093/g3journal/jkab002

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:27:19.148Z

The Bornean Orangutan – Malay for "person of the forest" – is covered in shaggy red fur & tips the scales at 87kg / 39.5 stoats. His long arms- spanning over 7 feet!- help him move through his treetop (arboreal) forest habitat with ease. (Strobel 2013) #2026MMM #StoatsAsMeasurement

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:28:17.124Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamBorneanOrangutan Art by Mary C. Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:28:48.193Z

Female orangutans tend to stay near their birthplace while males travel long distances. This is reflected in their genetics: maternal mtDNA shows deep geographic structure while paternal Y chromosome DNA shows a mixing of the gene pool across regions. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1093/molb…

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:28:46.641Z

It is a hot sunny day in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve in Northern Botswana, where Roan Antelope is calmly enjoying his leafy lunch under a Mopane tree. #PlantCarnage (Havemann et al 2022) #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:29:40.987Z

Meanwhile, in Gunung Palung National Park in Indonesia, Bornean Orangutan is dining on fruit in an Artocarpus tree. Fruit is an orangutan's preferred food, though they will eat leaves & bark when fruit is not readily available. #PlantCarnage (Widiani et al 2021) #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:30:19.171Z

Meanwhile, in Gunung Palung National Park in Indonesia, Bornean Orangutan is dining on fruit in an Artocarpus tree. Fruit is an orangutan's preferred food, though they will eat leaves & bark when fruit is not readily available. #PlantCarnage (Widiani et al 2021) #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:30:19.171Z

After finishing his lunch, Orangutan begins to give a "long call." Males produce these vocalizations, which can be heard up to a kilometer away, to defend their territory from other males & attract sexually responsive females. #2026MMM #AfternoonDelightwww.youtube.com/watch?v=-YQb…

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:31:16.239Z

There is a rustling in the nearby tree canopy. Might it be a receptive female? Using all 4 limbs to support himself, Orangutan begins clambering in that direction when… (Thorpe & Crompton 2006)) #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:32:23.337Z

#MMMagic translocates Orangutan silently to a branch in the Mopane tree above Roan Antelope! #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:33:15.054Z

#MMMagic translocates Orangutan silently to a branch in the Mopane tree above Roan Antelope! #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:33:15.054Z

Continuing to forage, Roan Antelope scans the tall grass around him to check for lurking hyenas or leopards. If necessary, Roan Antelope can run as fast as 55km/hr to escape predators, but at the moment all is quiet… (Harrington et al 1999) #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:34:02.071Z

WOOOP WOOOP WOOOOP!!! The tranquility of Roan Antelope's lunch is suddenly shattered. Orangutan, confused about his unexpected relocation away from a potential mate, is again long calling in the tree above Antelope. (Mitani 1985) #2026MMM #WOOOOPThereItIs

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:35:05.487Z

Roan Antelope, startled by the strange and unexpected noise, bolts to a safer grazing spot! In the tree above, Orangutan quiets & looks around, still confused BUT HOLDING THE FIELD OF BATTLE!! #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:36:06.686Z

Roan Antelope, startled by the strange and unexpected noise, bolts to a safer grazing spot! In the tree above, Orangutan quiets & looks around, still confused BUT HOLDING THE FIELD OF BATTLE!! #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:36:06.686Z

Bornean Orangutan SPOOKS Roan Antelope!! #2026MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:36:45.953Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamBorneanOrangutan Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:37:06.434Z

Roan antelopes have a wide distribution across the savannas of Africa. Yet, microsatellites + mtDNA for 131 animals sampled from 70 locations across their range reveal there are five distinct genetic groups of roan antelope consistent with five subspecies. #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14241

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:37:13.210Z

LAST BATTLE OF THE NIGHT! Seed #8 Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus) vs Seed #9 Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:40:03.746Z

Spectacled Bear have thick black or dark brown fur with pale cream or white markings around their eyes (like spectacles), muzzle, & chest (Peyton et al. 2018) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:41:08.517Z

South America's only living bear species, Spectacled Bear's sharp curved claws & muscular limbs make them skilled climbers in steep Andean forests. (Fenner 2012) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:41:48.617Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamSpectacledBear Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:42:32.961Z

The spectacled bear is the only extant bear in S. America! Autosomal+Y data suggest it diverged from its relatives the ursine bears (American + Asian black bear, sun bear, sloth bear, brown bear, polar bear) 5.9 mya—right before the Miocene➡️Pliocene transition. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msu186

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:42:25.559Z

Eastern Gorillas are divided among several subspecies, but Mountain Gorilla, Gorilla beringei beringei is on the most money! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:43:53.538Z

Mountain gorillas have dense black fur for colder elevations of Equitorial mountain climates, a broad chest, & long muscular arms for knuckle-walking & climbing. A silver-grey saddle marks mature “silverbacks” (Canington 2018) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:44:07.821Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamEasternGorilla Art by Mary C. Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:44:28.466Z

Analysis of autosomal DNA from wild eastern gorilla feces reveals that the species split into the mountain gorilla and Grauer’s (aka eastern lowland) gorilla subspecies relatively recently at ~10,000 years ago, perhaps due to changes in forest distribution. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.0811

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:44:31.489Z

TONIGHT: in Colombia’s Eastern Andes, Chingaza National Natural Park’s páramo blends misty grasslands, mossy boulders, and cloud forest edges. (Buytaert et al. 2006). #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:45:24.523Z

Spectacled Bear has been mowing down on one of his favorite foods- bromeliads! He's a very herbivorous bear, 2nd only to #WorstBear in his ravenous appetite for #PlantCarnage. #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:46:06.523Z

Done with dinner, Spectacled Bear digs his claws into tree trunk to confidently decend from the forest canopy to meander to a terrestrial chill zone for restin' & digestin' #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:46:33.270Z

MEANWHILE…. In the Virunga forest, a silverback forages alongside his family. In the early, rainy season, there is extensive vegetation growth and Mountain Gorilla eats shoots and leaves #PlantCarnage

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:47:20.957Z

Every few moments, the Mountain Gorilla lifts his head, scanning the trees for threats to his family before going back to eating. As the elder Silverback, he protects his family from predators, poachers, & other intruders (Potel et al. 2024). #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:47:38.358Z

#MMMagic translocates Mountain Gorilla to the Colombian Andes, amidst tree trunks and tumbled boulders. #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:48:08.142Z

Mountain Gorilla is uncertain in the new environmentHe listens then makes some low pitch double grunts- the "close call" that he rountinely makes to his family members. Mountain Gorilla listens for their return grunts, grumbles, & hums.But no close call is returned! (Hedwig et al. 2014) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:48:36.158Z

New environment & missing family, uncertainty turns to a cascading stress response as his adrenal glands surge cortisol into his bloodstream (Eckardt et al. 2019) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:50:09.142Z

Spectacled Bear hears Mountain Gorilla's deep double grunts from around a boulder & hesitant to reveal himself to immediately look, stands to sniff the air to smell what the boulder is concealing. #SmellWhatTheRockNoLooking #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:50:47.258Z

Mountain Gorilla begins knuckle-walking through the foliage around the boulder and comes nearly face to face with Spectacled Bear! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:51:19.160Z

Mountain Gorilla & Spectacled Bear instantly REAR BACK from each other standing on their back legs! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:52:34.094Z

Standing upright about 5–6 ft tall, tipping the scales at 440lbs, Spectacled Bear stares at Mountain Gorilla. The only Great Ape in South America are humans, this creature is entirely bizarre to the bear! (Fenner 2012) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:52:57.695Z

Standing upright about 5-6 feet tall, tipping the scales at 440lbs, Mountain Gorilla stares at Spectacled Bear, the last SubSaharan Bear was Agriotherium that went extinct almost 2 million years ago, this creature is entirely bizarre to the Mountain Gorilla! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:53:39.709Z

Spectacled Bear & Mountain Gorilla,Same Height.Same Weight. Both with strong jaws & impressive teeth; Bear has advantage of Claws, but Gorilla has advantage of REACH… #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:55:18.547Z

BUT THEY ARE EQUALLY MATCHED IN THE MOST IMPORTANT PARAMETER OF ALL!!!!Exactly zero motivation to tangle! With everything to risk and nothing to win… #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:57:01.980Z

Spectacled Bear & Mountain Gorilla back away from each other, drop down to all fours, andwhile frequently looking over their shoulders at the other to make sure they are not about to be attacked… BEAR & GORILLA BOTH BEGIN TO FLEE THE FIELD OF BATTLE!!!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:58:06.358Z

BAM! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T01:59:49.939Z

Gorilla looking over his shoulder, bounces off a tree trunk, accidentally STAYING ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE!!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T02:01:18.407Z

EASTERN GORILLA OUTLASTS SPECTACLED BEAR!!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T02:01:47.492Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamEasternGorilla Art by Mary C. Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T02:02:04.117Z

Spectacled bear didn’t win but don’t worry, it will not be forgotten! Spectacled bears are unique in many ways relative to their bear cousins, incl. having 52 chromosomes vs. 74 in the American/Asian black bear, sun bear, sloth bear, brown bear, & polar bear! #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1159/000132455

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T02:02:11.959Z

HUMPBACK WHALEASIAN ELEPHANTINDIAN RHINOCOMMON HIPPOGIRAFFEMOUNTAIN GORILLABORNEAN ORANGUTANARABIAN ORYX ADVANCE!!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T02:03:01.725Z

DOUBTED OUR PROMISE OF CARNAGE TONIGHT, or do plants not matter to you?! #PlantBlindness #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T02:03:31.675Z

“Plant blindness” was the term introduced in 1999 by the botanists and educators JH Wandersee (GREAT NAME) & EE Schussler to describe what they saw as a pervasive insensitivity to the green environment & a general neglect of plants on the part of biology education"(Thomas et al. 2022) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T02:03:49.142Z

But plants, are the primary producers in our ecosystems that allow TANK MAMMAL herbivores to be the meaty meals carnivores CRAVE! Plants "an essential element in sustainability education & practice." (Thomas et al. 2022) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T02:04:44.642Z

But if you are demanding CARNAGE, just see how those skeets age. #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T02:05:20.475Z

See you tomorrow night for LIBRARY LEGENDS DIVISION! Until then be well.Good night & Good luck#2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T02:05:49.592Z

💲MAMMALS EMOJI BATTLERound 1 #2026MMM🐋🆚🐿️:🐿️🪄🗑️/🐋🌊🗑️/🏆🐋🦏🆚🦌:🦏🦌🌅/🦌↩️🦏/🏆🦏🦒🆚😛:🦒🦵🏼😛/😛😨🏃🏼‍♂️‍➡️/🏆🦒🐘🆚🦦:🦦👀🐭/🦦🤫🐘/🏆🐘🦛🆚🦥:🦛🌊🦥/🦥🚣🏻‍♂️👋🏻/🏆🦛⚔️🆚😾:⚔️🗡️😾/😾🤕👋🏾/🏆⚔️🐐🆚🦧:🦧⁉️🔊/🐐😱🏃🏾‍♂️‍➡️/🏆🦧🤓🆚🦍:🤓↔️🦍/🦍💥🌳/🏆🦍

— Jess Popescu (@jesspopescu.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T02:03:02.654Z

#2026MMM MONEY MAMMALS ROUND 1 WINNERS:Humpback Whale, Eastern Gorilla, Giraffe, Indian Rhinoceros, Bornean Orangutan, Hippopotamus, Oryx, Asian ElephantPlease join us TOMORROW (Thursday 3/12) at 8PM EST for Library Legends Round 1!

— March Mammal Madness (@mmmletsgo.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T02:06:36.152Z

You ready #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:00:11.237Z

WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME to the first night of ROUND 1MONEY MAMMALS DIVISION!#2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:01:16.784Z

These are all mammals that are featured on coins and bank notes from around the world! Wildlife is often included on money because it has great cultural significance or great conservations concern OR BOTH! #2026MMM theconversation.com/almost-1-in-…

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:02:17.949Z

For our viewers at home, I am compelled to warn you that ALL but 2 of tonight's battles will include descriptions of RAMPANT CARNAGE! TWISTINGRIPPINGSLURPINGTEARINGGRINDINGThe faint of heart should proceed only with caution to the horrors that await you in MONEY MAMMALS DIVISION! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:03:34.600Z

SO WITHOUT FURTHER #2026MMM ADO… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6eQ&#8230;

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:04:04.235Z

First Up: #1 seed Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) vs #16 seed Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:05:37.936Z

The humpback whale is a large baleen whale. Females are lheavier & longer at ~13.9m with males ~13.0m. Mostly black with a white, ribboned underside. Their LONG pectoral fins are about 1/3 the length of their entire body! #WavesHello Lurz et al. 2005 #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:06:16.628Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamHumpbackWhale Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:06:40.147Z

Mid-1800s ➡️ early 1900s, humpback whales dramatically ⬇️ due to hunting. The species has showed signs of recovery but their DNA still may harbor the cost of this decline; they have slightly ⬇️ genetic diversity and are slightly ⬆️ inbred than early 1900 whales. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ady7091

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:06:40.540Z

Red squirrels have thick fur in reds (shocker) but also black, browns, & greys with white undersides. These tree rodents stand at about 8-10in tall with curved claws & strong hind limbs for nimble climbing. A bushy tail helps them balance, communicate, & thermoregulate (Clapham et al 1999) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:07:50.797Z

Urban parks & green spaces can be important refuges for threatened Red Squirrels. Without greenspaces though, urban areas can be dangerous. Becoming roadkill or diseased from poor human-sourced foods & squirrel pox transmission are risks from some urban areas. (Finland et al. 2022) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:08:10.845Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamRedSquirrel Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:08:39.104Z

Grill et al. (2009) used mt DNA & microsatellites to study red squirrel population history finding that Calabrian squirrels are distinct & may be from a ‘refuge w/in refugia’ remaining isolated in the Pleistocene after which the rest of the squirrel crowd expanded doi.org/10.1111/j.13… #2026MMM

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:08:33.610Z

Tonight our Lady Humpback Whale swims the channels between the islands of Maui, Lanai, and Kahoolawe in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (Patton & Lawless 2021) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:10:14.311Z

MEANWHILE, in a British coniferous forest, a male red squirrel darts from his coze nest to forage for food. Scarce in the winter, Red Squirrel relies on his scatter-hoarding tactic of burying seeds, nuts, & other plant matter (Shuttleworth 2001) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:10:52.979Z

Red Squirrel sits nibbling a seed #PlantCarnage, when #MMMagic translocates Red Squirrel to floating marine debris- a mix of driftwood, fishing rope, plastic flip flops- Disoriented by the tropical waters, Red Squirrel grips the debris raft, twitching his tail for balance #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:11:41.112Z

FSHHHHHFT!!! Humpback Whale surfaces aside the squirrel, exhaling through her spout and sending rippling sea water into the debris raft… (Fabietti et al. 2024) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:12:44.909Z

Swimming in a circle, the Humpback Whale dives and then surfaces in a "SPY HOP" rising vertically above the water's surface to bringing her face and eye above water level, spinning to look at the squirrel on the marine debris…. (Patton & Lawless 2021) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:13:12.079Z

Tilting sideways, but NOT onto the marine debris, Humpback Whale's wake pushes the floating marine debris and Red Squirrel… BEYOND THE FIELD OF BATTLE! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:13:55.278Z

HUMPBACK WHALE WAVES AWAY RED SQUIRREL!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:14:25.278Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamHumpbackWhale Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:14:41.348Z

Avanzi et al. (2016) analyzed DNA from wild roadkill red squirrels & discovered some carry Mycobacterium leprae & M. lepromatosis which cause Hansen’s disease (aka leprosy). Also the strains of M. leprae were similar to those found in Medieval England! #2026MMM #RIP http://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/&#8230;

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:14:48.638Z

NEXT UP: No. 4 Indian Rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) vs. No. 13 Chital (Axis axis) #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:16:13.468Z

The Indian Rhino's charming scientific name (Rhinoceros unicornis) refers to the rhino's distinct single horn. This grassland unicorn is also recognizable by layers of thick, folded skin – which serve as armor, but may also help them release heat during hot summers! (Endo et al. 2009) #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:16:57.650Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamIndianRhinoceros Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:17:21.577Z

There are two remaining Indian rhinoceros populations. Genetic sequencing of rhinos from these two sites showed that Assam is the historical source while the Nepal group formed later when individuals moved from Assam #2026MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.bi…

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:17:22.943Z

The Chital, or Indian spotted deer, stands 70–90 cm tall and weighs 25–75 kg. A golden brown, white spotted coat and sociable nature mark this herbivore, which grazes in herds across South Asia’s forests and grasslands (Shrivastava et al. 2013) #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:18:19.393Z

Native to India and Sri Lanka, Chital have distinct glands near their eyes and on their hind legs, which they use for signaling with smells! #OlfactoryCommunication #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:18:38.977Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamChital Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:18:56.756Z

Field biologists may identify a species from environmental samples, but determining its sex may require genetic tests. A PCR reaction can identify the sex of chital tissue or fecal samples. A 5:1 male to female ratio was found from samples in India doi.org/10.1007/s120… #2026MMM

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:19:02.321Z

TONIGHT'S ENCOUNTER takes place in Chitwan National Park in Nepal, one of the last strongholds of the Indian Rhino. #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:19:39.516Z

There are few places where Chital & Indian Rhinos are both found, despite greater histroical range overlap, but here in Chitwan, there's no need for #MMMagic translocation – both species are already present! (Mukherjee et al. 2020) #Sympatric #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:20:15.835Z

As dusk falls over Chitwan, a lone Indian Rhino rises from the water of the floodplain, where he has been resting in the heat of the day. His folded skin helps hold onto the cool water as he stands, taking a long drink. (Sankar et al. 2004) #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:20:53.560Z

Emerging from the safety of the dense forest near the floodplain, Chital walks cautiously towards the water, also seeking a drink. Like the Indian Rhino, Chital spends the heat of the day resting, foraging at dawn and dusk. (Schaller 1967) #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:21:21.675Z

Indian Rhino lazily wades towards shore, the setting sun signaling dinner time. The grasses along the shore look delicious. #ImminentPlantCarnage (Dutta 2021) #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:22:35.450Z

Ever alert, Chital notices the movement of the large, ambling herbivore and freezes at the edge of the treeline. Threat assesment is a key for survival as a small deer in an ecosystem with tigers. Nearby, other chital pick up the signal & freeze as well. #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:23:18.781Z

Indian Rhino halts by the riverbank, nostrils flaring at the bouquet of smells in the air. While he has great hearing and smell, his eyesight is poor. #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:23:33.021Z

Indian Rhino lowers his massive head, lipping the grass into his mouth and chewing slowly, shifting his weight a bit #OhThePlantmanity #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:23:51.266Z

Chital gives the rhino a wide berth, foraging well beyond the field of battle #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:24:22.555Z

Indian Rhino INTIMIDATES Chital! #2026MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:24:45.430Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamIndianRhinoceros Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:24:52.405Z

Wildlife officials combat illegal hunting of chital deer, but their meat is not easy to recognize. Scientists created a fast DNA test that only fluoresces when chital DNA is present, which helps identify meat in the field to prevent illegal trading. #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1007/s126…

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:25:14.808Z

NEXT UP: No. 5 Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) vs. No. 12 Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:27:22.516Z

Giraffe, the tallest living animal, reaches heights of 6 m (19 ft) & weights up to 1900 kg (4189 lbs) (Dagg 1971). Male & female giraffes sport a spotted coat (yellow to black in color) & a pair of short, bony horns called ossicones on top of their heads #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:28:26.950Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamGiraffe Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:28:54.180Z

Comparing mutations in the genomes of the giraffe vs. other mammals helps scientists find genes possibly responsible for the giraffe’s uniquely long neck. 7 changes in FGFRL1 (gene involved in skeletal + cardiovascular development) might provide important clues. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11519

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:28:55.297Z

Comparing mutations in the genomes of the giraffe vs. other mammals helps scientists find genes possibly responsible for the giraffe’s uniquely long neck. 7 changes in FGFRL1 (gene involved in skeletal + cardiovascular development) might provide important clues. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11519

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:28:55.297Z

Giant Anteater is the largest of the anteater species, averaging 2200 mm in length (7.2 ft) & 26-33 kg (57-57 lbs), with a triangular black stripe extending from the below ears to mid-back (Gaudin et al. 2018), tubular skull & long rostrum, & formidable claws on their forelegs #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:29:57.786Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamGiantAnteater Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:30:33.965Z

Giant anteater genetics confirm that they are habitat generalists. Haplotypes for both mitochondrial and nuclear markers are shared across biomes like Cerrado, Pantanal, and Amazonia. This suggests high connectivity and movement across diverse landscapes. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1007/s105…

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:30:31.538Z

It's sunrise in the Khamab Kalahari Nature Reserve http://www.khamab.co.za. Giraffe stretches his neck to the high canopy of a mokala tree extending his long tongue to grasp leaves while deftly avoiding thorns #PlantCarnage (Deacon et al. 2023) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:32:10.703Z

In the Brazilian Pantanal, Giant Anteater is, like his name implies, EATING ANTS. He extends his long, sticky tongue & quickly snags an ant, slurping it into his toothless mouth #AntCarnage Anteater extends his tongue again…. #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:33:23.204Z

…and is is magically transported to the Kalahari! Anteater is unfazed by the new surroundings; all that matters is that there are ants to eat. Anteater snags an ant with his tongue as it walks by, then lifts his head & uses his strong sense of smell to find more ant morsels #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:33:57.771Z

Anteater detects the delectable scent of A LOT OF ANTS & knuckle-walks towards a patch of trees. An ant nest at the base of the largest tree, a mokala tree, is teaming with ants. Anteater dives in with powerful forelimbs & long claws releasing a frenzy of ants #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:34:23.671Z

A shadow descends #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:34:48.221Z

Giraffe is at the SAME MOKALA TREE & has shifted his position to reach the tastiest leaves. Giraffe's body casts a shadow over Anteater. Anteater detects the lower light level, but assumes clouds have moved in; he continues to gorge. Giraffe shifts position again and… #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:35:03.755Z

Bumps into Anteater! Giraffe's legs sweep into Anteater's long, extended tail & brush against the coarse fur. The contact is strong & abrupt, shifting Anteater from the ant nest #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:35:48.289Z

Long, but not tall, Anteater turns in a circle trying to detect what has hit his tail. He rises off his knuckles, rears back on his hind legs, & extends his enlarged forelimbs & claws at his unseen assailant (Borges et al. 2017) #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:36:31.522Z

All Anteater sees are sapling trunks surrounding him! SKINNY MOVING SAPLINGS! Super tall Giraffe shifts position again to better reach the best mokala leaves closer to Anteater's forelimbs & CLAWS #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:37:21.521Z

Anteater turns to avoid the moving "sapling" but bumps INTO ANOTHER SAPLING! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:38:18.337Z

Giraffe continues to forage, oblivious to the coarse-haired Giant Anteater. Anteater rears back….. #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:38:37.700Z

….And exits the field of battle in search of more ants & trees that don't move #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:38:53.550Z

GIRAFFE OUTLASTS GIANT ANTEATER!!! #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:39:05.266Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamGiraffe Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:39:19.156Z

Giant anteater's loss mirrors its real-world decline. Genetic simulations predict a 15% drop in allelic richness over the next 100 years even if current numbers are held. Stopping threats like roadkill and hunting is urgent to ensure this species's viability. #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.3389/fgen…

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:39:23.820Z

NEXT UP: 2-seed Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) vs. 15-seed Beech Marten (Martes foina) #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:41:16.047Z

The Beech Marten adorns the back of the Croatia 1 euro coin. Males are ~50 cm long (with a ~30 cm long floof tail) and weight in at ~2 kg, making them small but mighty with their short round ears, a white throat patch & peach-colored nose. #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:42:00.635Z

But judge them not by their size! A Beech Marten took down the ~9 billion dollar Large Hadron Collider when it chewed through wire connected to a transformer, bringing a, ahem, paws to the workday (Aron 2016) #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:42:43.196Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamBeechMarten Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:43:06.279Z

Tomarovsky et al. used cytogenetics and DNA sequencing to reveal that the stone marten has a karyotype (# and arrangement of chromosomes) similar to the ancestral carnivoran karyotype. Low heterozygosity suggests that its conservation status should be re-evaluated. doi.org/10.1093/jher… #2026MMM

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:43:07.828Z

Male Asian elephant stands at 3 meters tall w/ two 1.8 meter tusks, thick grey skin & giant feet (Comstock & Rafferty 2025). This megaherbivore is the second largest land mammal, clocking in at over 5400 kg, and only outsized on land by the African savanna elephant! #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:43:54.595Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamAsianElephant Art by Mary C. Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:44:22.520Z

Asian, African savanna, and African forest elephants are the only 3 species of elephantids left today.>300 sites in the genome suggest that the Asian elephant is most closely related to their famous extinct elephantid relative, the iconic woolly mammoth. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1000564

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:44:18.061Z

It is spring time at Udawalawe National Park in Northern Sri Lanka, home to our Asian elephant. He spends most of his day feeding on shrubs and grasses among the deer, cats, boar, hornbills and other animals in the grasslands, marshes, and forests (Sampson 2013). #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:45:11.899Z

Asian Elephant calmly browses #PlantCarnage when #MMMagic translocates Marten into the grasslands. Though unfamiliar w/ this habitat, mustelid's might is only eclipsed by his adaptability & Beech Marten begins to scope area for tasty treats of the small mammal kind (Goszczyński et al 2013) #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:45:46.336Z

Elephant begins striding to a new browsing patch with his nearly silent step from his padded feet, but Beech Marten quickly alerts to the massive mammal's movement. #ThatsNoMoose #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:46:30.607Z

Elephant barely notices the Beech Marten, so similar to the ruddy mongooses (Urva smithii) that scamper about this ecosystem. #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:47:13.232Z

Elephant barely notices the Beech Marten, so similar to the ruddy mongooses (Urva smithii) that scamper about this ecosystem. #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:47:13.232Z

Elephant barely notices the Beech Marten, so similar to the ruddy mongooses (Urva smithii) that scamper about this ecosystem. #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:47:13.232Z

Just beyond the elephant in the brush, Beech Marten spots an Indian brush rat in the brush! Mustelid twitches in opportunistic predatory mode! #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:47:58.687Z

The Brush rat's peripheral vision spots the Beech Marten and the rodent bolts into the foliage… Asian Elephant continues to graze, unaware of happenings down below (Hemamali. & Boyagoda 2019) #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:48:34.129Z

Beech Marten creeps past the pachyderm on shorter legs that keep it from galloping like a pine marten… into the brush rat track in the grasslands… AND BEYOND THE FIELD OF BATTLE!!! (Heptner et al 1988) #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:49:42.807Z

Asian Elephant OUTLASTS Beech Marten!!! #2026MMM

— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:50:03.557Z

#2026MMM #MoneyDivision #TeamAsianElephant Art by Mary C. Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social

— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:50:39.332Z

Using mitochondrial and microsatellite data, Vergara et al. (2015) found that there is weak genetic structure of beech martens across the Iberian Peninsula, possibly driven by the rivers Ebro, Tagus, and Guadiana, which create semi-permeable geographic barriers. doi.org/10.1371/jour… #2026MMM #RIP

— Carlos Chavez Ramirez (@carloschalicothere.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:50:47.025Z

#InspirationalIntermission #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:53:17.004Z

#InspirationalIntermission #2026MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T00:54:15.243Z