[the zoological association] animal sciences chat

[zoocyte]

here's a video of a polar bear from the oregon zoo diving into the water. i really love watching how different kinds of animals move in the water, from fish to crocodiles to otters to seals to penguins to hippos to snakes to whales and others, it's a fascinating version of locomotion to witness.

look how this hippo swims up and down so quickly! it's amazing to watch from such a huge animal.

look at these sea snakes and how they're shaped to move through water! i've never seen a lot of them in one place. mesmerizing serpents.

[ChunkyChad]

username: ChunkyChad
favorite animal overall? Seals/sea lions (though if I had to pick a specific one probably harbor seals)
favorite mammal? Seals/sea lions again lol
favorite reptile? Crocodiles/Alligators (but legless lizards are close)
favorite amphibian? Pixie frog (so chunky)
favorite bird? Flamingos or any of the birds of paradise (or really any bright coloured bird)
favorite fish? Catfish or whale shark
favorite invertebrate? Sea slugs
favorite extinct animal? Ummm having a hard time thinking of one so I'm gonna just go with the weird lookin koolasuchus
favorite (by your standards) underrated animal? Bighorn sheep (they're always so chill and tend to hang out near roads so they're easy to spot)
favorite branch of zoological science? anthrozoology since it seems the closest to what I'm studying (though any that have a focus on marine life are up there)
what animals have you seen in person? A lot so I'll just say the stand outs (not including zoos), seals, turkey vulture, great horned owl, moose, killer whales, and though this last one, bison, I've seen a fair amount but did get to have a close encounter with a few cause they charged me :c
what animals can be found in your area? I'll say the ones I have seen which are black bears, grizzlies, coyotes, deer, elk, moose, eagles, hawks, canadian toads, garter snakes and other common animals like squirrels and such
do you create media related to animals (art, writing, crafts, etc.)? I occasionally draw animals
have you ever wanted to work with animals? Yes I am currently studying animal health in university with a focus on companion and performance animals with hopes of eventually also getting some credentials to work with marine life. I also am in training right now to volunteer at a shelter.
what animals do you hope to see in person one day? Any deep sea life, especially those that are barely understood like the bigfin squid or possibly a yet discovered creature.
give me an animal fact! Dogs are able to understand pointing gestures while chimpanzees despite being more closely related to us tend to not recognize this form of communication

[hyenacolada]

username: hyenacolada

favorite animal overall? hyenas
favorite mammal? hyenas
favorite reptile? leachianus geckos
favorite amphibian? tiger salamanders
favorite bird? pigeons
favorite fish? corydora catfish
favorite invertebrate? weevils (all species)
favorite extinct animal? thylacines

favorite (by your standards) underrated animal? chinchillas
favorite branch of zoological science? taxonomy + entomology

what animals have you seen in person? all kinds!
what animals can be found in your area? tons of mammals skunks/woodchucks/mink/deer, i have a nest of waxwings in my backyard as well
do you create media related to animals (art, writing, crafts, etc.)? i love scientific illustration and traditional art, and i exclusively draw animals

have you ever wanted to work with animals? my whole life! i'm a senior in college majoring in zoology with a minor in animal behavior! i also work in an entomological collection rn
what animals do you hope to see in person one day? i want to work with hyenas very badly, but most of my studies are in inverts ;A;

give me an animal fact! despite their looks, hyenas are not canines! they're actually feliformes, as they have retractable claws and similar ear morphology to cats

[Sadies]

username: Sadies
favorite animal overall? Dog.
favorite mammal? Dogs. I also really love Hyena.
favorite reptile? Western Hognose Snake.
favorite amphibian? Newt?
favorite bird? Conure.
favorite fish? Betta.
favorite invertebrate? Amano Shrimp.
favorite extinct animal? Tasmanian Tiger. :(
favorite (by your standards) underrated animal? Shrimp, Fish, Hyena.
favorite branch of zoological science? Cynology - Study of Dogs. Also mammalogy.
what animals have you seen in person? Too many to list, studied animals in college and cared for a large range including Otters, Penguins, Lemurs. I work with mostly Dogs, also cats and small animals.
what animals can be found in your area? I have a cat and fish in my house...XD I live in the UK, so British animals with a cup of tea. lol.
do you create media related to animals (art, writing, crafts, etc.)? I draw and write about canines. Usually Wovles.
have you ever wanted to work with animals? Yes, I work at Dog Groomers (we also groom cats, rabbits and guinea pigs.)
what animals do you hope to see in person one day? Mexican Hairless (Standard) dog. Also love to see a Hyena (Spotted) and Wolves in the wild.
give me an animal fact! Dogs developed their eyebrow muscles, the ones that give the "puppy dog face", purely for humans. They are also able to read human facial expressions and they read them in the same direction as humans do, from one side to the other. Their behavior, interactions with humans and diet are all completely different from that of the wolf. It is one of the main reasons why the "dominant dog theory" (training dogs as if they are wolves/needing to dominate your dog) has been debunked repeatedly.

Oh, and hear is a Feather Star, just because I could watch them for hours.