Last Up: #3-seed Wolverine (Gulo gulo) vs. #6-seed Bat-Eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis) #2023MMM
With more research projects of wolverine in North America, evidence is accumulating for male parental visits to dens of females with young in their territory, with the most visits occurring in March (Copeland et al. 2017) #2023MMM
Whether male wolverines are engaging in direct behavioral care is unknown, but researchers speculate that increased visits of male may deter predators or stranger wolverines from approaching the dens (Copeland et al. 2017). #2023MMM
AND THEN THERE WERE 32 #Round2#2023MMM (also, if you listen to music, this is the music for the intro: )
In Round 1, we learned about the division themes, met all the combatants, and went to habitats AROUND THE WORLD for some WILD action, and even traveled into deep time! #2023MMM
And can we give it up to the Genetics Team, the Art Team, the Narration Team, the Summary Team, the Library Team, @MC_Marmot@MMMletsgo & our backchannel stage manager Rick who keeps the wheels on the bus night after night! #2023MMM
NEXT UP: #6-seed Itjaritjari (Notoryctes typhlops) vs #11-seed Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) #2023MMM
Welcome back to the Itjaritjari!
First appearing as a combatant in 2017, Itjaritjari was a 16th seed who was dug up & scarfed by 1-seed Honey Badger.
Also, in 2022, Itjaritjari was Australia's MAMMAL OF THE YEAR! #2023MMM
The Itjaritjari, also called a marsupial mole, is SMOL (head & body length 121–159 mm, weight 40–70 g) & has big digging claws on front feet & a thickened "rostral horny shield" to protect its nose & front of its face (Bennison et al. 2014) #2023MMM
NEXT UP: #4 seed Mara v #13 seed Siberian Chipmunk #2023MMM (this battle narration crafted by @am_anatiala)
Here it comes, the rabbit-looking capybara relative that acts & moves like an ungulate! Pretty clear how it was in The Who in the What Now Division as a #15-seed in 2014. #2023MMM
The Mara, weighing in at 37 stoats (8.12 kg) hails from the shrub & grasslands of Argentina. #2023MMM#StoatsAsMeasurement
TONIGHT: Itty Bitty Come Back City Division!
Bringing back some beloved littles that were 14, 15, & 16 seeds early departed from tournament contention.
These mini mammals are back for another chance at March Mammal Madness glory. #2023MMM
We'll also take a bit of a stroll down MMMemory lane, revisiting the past battles of these teensy tinies & mighty minis and 10 years of learning! #DecadeOfWinning#2023MMM
Tonight's hurlyburly is writ in part from the dubious knowledge from Edward Topsell's History of Four-Foot'd Beasts (1607) & History of Serpents (1608) for 1658's then definitive 1000-page barn-burner of a natural history compendium #YeOldeTimeyBattle#ExhibitionGames#2022MMM
Topsell collected writings from Conradus Gesner & other authors to integrate & evaluate many terms & descriptions, at times appropriately skeptical but also at times overly credulous #YeOldeTimeyBattle#2022MMMloc.gov/resource/rbcto…
Although Topsell's Beastiary was not as systematic as the Bauhin brothers a hundred years before or Linnaeus a hundred years later... #YeOldeTimeBattle#2022MMM