Interesting article about seals

I thought this article was pretty interesting and worth sharing. I hope you enjoy...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/ampht...?noredirect=on

damn teenagers getting high off snorting eels...



(super interesting article ty for sharing)

And we are worried about this why?

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

And we are worried about this why?

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because they are an endangered and protected species

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

because they are an endangered and protected species

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So do we need to apprehend the eels?

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

...teenagers getting high off snorting eels...

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:rofl: Yes, thank you for sharing this, Craig...it's truly bizarre, beyond my imagination.

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

So do we need to apprehend the eels?

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no.

they need to study the phenomena and determine what exactly is happening to an endangered species.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

no.

they need to study the phenomena and determine what exactly is happening to an endangered species.

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Could it just be nature being nature?

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

Could it just be nature being nature?

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considering this is happening suddenly and frequently and to only younger animals, no.

EDIT: did you read the article??

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

considering this is happening suddenly and frequently and to only younger animals, no.

EDIT: did you read the article?

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Yes, and it's quotes like these that make me pray no public funding EVER goes to whack jobs like this guy, "rare phenomenon that continues to baffle scientists such as Charles Littnan, who is now begging the endangered seals to “make better choices.” GMAFB!!!

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

Yes, and it's quotes like these that make me pray no public funding EVER goes to whack jobs like this guy, "rare phenomenon that continues to baffle scientists such as Charles Littnan, who is now begging the endangered seals to “make better choices.” GMAFB!!!

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...okay.

well this is why you're not a scientist quoted on the topic.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

...okay.

well this is why you're not a scientist quoted on the topic.

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And you call this bozo a scientist??? He's BEGGING a species of animal to make BETTER decisions! Through some type of seal continuing education series? Weekend symposium in the Berkshires? Maybe a convention in the Azores?

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

And you call this bozo a scientist??? He's BEGGING a species of animal to make BETTER decisions! Through some type of seal continuing education series? Weekend symposium in the Berkshires? Maybe a convention in the Azores?

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yikes!

yeah, ill believe the lead researcher whose dedicated the last 15 years to this than...you.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

yikes!

yeah, ill believe the lead researcher whose dedicated the last 15 years to this than...you.

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And that says scores about you thinking what this blowhard is doing really best. Guess animals can't be animals in your book. Humans know better. Uh huh.

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

And that says scores about you thinking what this blowhard is doing really best. Guess animals can't be animals in your book. Humans know better. Uh huh.

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LOL. yikes!!!

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

LOL. yikes!!!

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I'd like to know what Corny thinks. BTW, glad you found him.

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

I'd like to know what Corny thinks. BTW, glad you found him.

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...well he's a snake. he thinks "heat, food, poop, repeat."

lol.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

...well he's a snake. He thinks "heat, food, poop, repeat."

lol.

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lol

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

Yes, and it's quotes like these that make me pray no public funding EVER goes to whack jobs like this guy, "rare phenomenon that continues to baffle scientists such as Charles Littnan, who is now begging the endangered seals to “make better choices.” GMAFB!!!

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If this article was intended as a scientific paper, I might agree with you, but it's written with a touch of humor for public enlightenment about an unusual phenomenon
that's being observed. I guess you're the only one who didn't find it enjoyable & interesting.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

If this article was intended as a scientific paper, I might agree with you, but it's written with a touch of humor for public enlightenment about an unusual phenomenon
that's being observed. I guess you're the only one who didn't find it enjoyable & interesting.

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Read it a couple of times and can't figure if it's written from a humor angle or if serious. I would be interested if the high summit was held in Scottsdale though.

Furthermore, if you fail to interest the public in an area you wish to pursue "good luck!" getting funding! How many people do you think would read some dry
scientific article about this anyway? Count 'em on one hand...;) (& you can figure that they'll mostly be relatives...)

Cool article, Craig...thanks for sharing. I love reading all kinds of nature articles and books, as well as watching any kind of nature programs. In years of programs, I’ve never seen anything like this.

And the seal looks so content, almost proud of himself...maybe the seal equivalent of piercing? :D

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Originally Posted by Dianne

Cool article, Craig...thanks for sharing. I love reading all kinds of nature articles and books, as well as watching any kind of nature programs. In years of programs, I’ve never seen anything like this.

And the seal looks so content, almost proud of himself...maybe the seal equivalent of piercing? :D

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Hey, maybe he's doing yoga!? There's a thing (I forget what it's called) where they pass a string up one nostril & down/out the other; needless to say, I didn't work
that hard in yoga class, lol...

Here is my observation to this whole thing...

First of all, interesting article. What is esp. interesting about it is not just what has happened to those seals, but how humans interpret it.

I do not think this scientist literally begs the seals to stop this behavior. That was just the articles writer attempt at making this story more interesting and fun.
From what I read that scientist jokingly said that IF the seals could understand humans, he would tell them to please stop this potentially hazardous behavior.
Scientist are often quite the socially awkward people. They spend a lot of time out in the field, are interested in things not many other people are, and are often what we refer to as "nerds".
Their attempts at being humorous don't always come across as intended.

After he made that quip/joke, the writer ran with that line and elaborated on it.

That said, I do not think the seal looks relaxed or comfortable. They have very little to work with when it comes to body language. But something about the seals face makes it seem that it is actually very uncomfortable. After going through quite a few health scares with my dogs and my horse over the years I pay extreme attention to their eyes and facial expressions. Often that is the first sign that something isn't quite right. To me the seals lips look tight and drawn up a bit. Oftentimes dogs and even horses will have those tight and drawn up lips when something bothers them or they are in pain. Almost resembles a "smile" but there is a tightness to it and some wrinkles along the corners of the lips. I call them "worry wrinkles" and in horses and dogs you will also get them around the eyes, but with the seal there isn't enough loose skin to show this.

The so called relaxed half closed eyes do not look relaxed or "high" to me at all. One is shut more then the other. To me it looks like squinting rather then relaxed eyes. If you were to stick a finger or something else way up into your nose (please don't) you would squint, too, its involuntary. And not comfortable.

Its like the one scientist said, they are very stoic animals. They won't throw themselves around and carry on, they probably did try to get rid of the irritation by rubbing their faces on stuff, but without hands to remove it, what can they do. Eventually they just give up and endure.

Making it seem like they do this purposely and get some kind of strange pleasure from it, by making the connection to young people, snorting, looking high or relaxed, is just the typical human thing of trying to attribute human behavior and tendencies onto animals.

As to why this happened, who knows. Like its been said, they shove their faces into cracks and crevices underwater, trying to get those inhabitants to come out and be eaten. The younger seals may very well by more inexperienced and somehow this happened. I don't think its a new thing, or a learned behavior. Its probably just one of the things that was just now noticed and now the people are actually looking for this.

But then again, I could be wrong about it all, this is just what I came away with from reading this article and looking at the picture ;)

I had no difficulty interpreting the scientist's humor in this either, perhaps because I was good friends for years with one. This article was obviously (to many of
us) written with what is termed "writer's license"...a little intentional distortion woven-in for the sake of impact. Nothing rare about that either.

I think you're correct zina10...the seal is just "enduring", as most wild animals must with non-existent healthcare.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I think you're correct zina10...the seal is just "enduring", as most wild animals must with non-existent healthcare.

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Or non existent hands with opposable thumbs with which to pull out the offending object! :oops:

Interesting article, thanks Craig!

Did anyone click on the short electric eel vid? I found that equally interesting.
The electric pulses were converted to sound......

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Originally Posted by Reinz

Interesting article, thanks Craig!

Did anyone click on the short electric eel vid? I found that equally interesting.
The electric pulses were converted to sound......

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I didn’t watch the video in the link (but will now ;)), but recently saw a nature program on electric eels. It’s incredible the wattage they can produce...enough to give you a very bad day, and even kill a human.

I think y'all need to go to the nut house!

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

I think y'all need to go to the nut house!

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Well, if you're joking, a ;) might help...but if not, there's plenty of other playgrounds you can go play on.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Well, if you're joking, a ;) might help...but if not, there's plenty of other playgrounds you can go play on.

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Sorry. Is this:):P:oops::D;):O:rolleyes::cool::snake::taz::bow::gj::rolleye2::rage::rofl:b etter?

I haven't had time to read the article ... I just like using this image :)

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d46a9bdfd.jpeg


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I'm trying to put together a symposium in the Jacques Cousteau Room at the Atlantis Resort. Seals can attend at no charge.:snake:

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

I'm trying to put together a symposium in the Jacques Cousteau Room at the Atlantis Resort. Seals can attend at no charge.:snake:

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I grew up watching Jacques Cousteau !!!

I've kept tropical fish ever since stretching back over 45 years !!




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