Anna's Blog

Flight puppies are an adorable nickname for bats. These cute creatures with a bad reputation are the silent helpers no one recognizes. “The 28 species of bats that make their colonies in Arizona all belong to the Microchiroptera sub-order. Most are insectivores with their colonies consuming thousands of flying insects each and every night,” (Buscher, 2019). Bats are portrayed to be vicious and blood-sucking demons. However, “A variety of small brown bat species are the most common bats found in Arizona and play a crucial role in managing the flying nighttime insect populations. Entomologists estimate that a large colony of bats can eat a million pounds (453,592.37 kg) of insects nightly,” (Buscher, 2019). Bats not only help with the pesky bugs they also help pollinate our flowers. Some bats do not eat bugs but instead fruit. “ the long-nosed bat covered with the pollen of saguaro flowers, bats are vital pollinators of the cacti and agave flowers of the desert assuring another summer of successful seed production” (Buscher, 2019). Bats are an interesting, cute and useful creature that deserves more love from the public. 

A bizarre little marsupial is making us all rethink the meaning of life. In the Article, These Marsupials Drop Dead After Mating, by Annie Roth states, “Male kalutas, small mouselike marsupials found in the arid regions of Northwestern Australia, are semelparous, meaning that shortly after they mate, they drop dead.” They bring a new meaning to the saying live fast and die young. These adorable little furballs die after mating due to, to much stress and hormone imbalances. These tiny marsupials live only ten months before they are old enough to mate. Ten months is a very short life span for anything to live. They could live longer if they chose not to mate. This makes me rethink the purpose of life. For these creatures, their purpose is to reproduce and that is it. They will never meet their offspring, never live a long life, never know a future outside of what is destined for them. It makes me at least grateful for the chance of being able to meet my children and not having to make that choice. The choice between never procreating and living or procreating and dying a painful death. The article also talks about how a mammal this small usually won’t live past a year anyways so the men would likely die soon after the mating season anyway. This raises another question on whether or not is an extra couple month worth not procreating. To these animals it is not, they have decieded they would rather live fast and die young.

The puppies of the ocean are getting sick. In the article, “What’s Killing California’s Sea Otters? House Cats,” from the New York Times, states, “toxoplasma infections contribute to the deaths of 8 percent of otters that are found dead, and is the primary cause of death in 3 percent.” Toxoplasma can most commonly be found in feline poop. Scientist in this article discussed how one way to help the sea otters would be to keep your cats indoors and do not flush your cats poop down the toilet. However, house cats can not only be blame. Toxoplasma can be found in all feline poop including mountain lines and bob cats. I am a huge fan of nature and love all wildlife. I have had personal exepeinces with otters. A small river otter came up to my canoe and began tapping on the side in a playful way. These adorable, fun loving, and outgoing creatures need all the help they can get to stay healthy. There are simple things the scientists in this article said we can do to help. Even if the disease doesn’t fully kill them we are. Symptoms of toxoplasma also can make the sea otters sluggish and they then cannot move out of the way for boats. Once again we are hurting these cute creatures. We cannot blame the house cats for the decline in sea otters when we are the root of the problem.

Gulls are great parents. They will do anything to take care of their young. A male seagull will split the time sitting on the egg with the female 50/50. After reading the article, “In Defense of Sea Gulls: They’re Smart, and They Co-Parent, 50/50 All the Way” by James Gorman he defends the life habits of a gull. Gulls are well-known thieves but it is at no fault of their own. They are smart birds that learn quickly in the article he talks about how gulls will see humans throw food out and then go eat it. This teaches the gulls humans equal food. I found it interesting in this article how humans have changed the habits of nature. Gulls in the wild usually go for calms, small fish and other small sea creatures. Humans have changed it so gulls flock to beaches, landfills, sand places with a large human population. Humans have also made parenting harder for them. Humans are invading their nesting zones. This makes the gulls made. In the article he explained it as if someone was coming into your house you wouldn’t be happy either and I can understand that. I feel these sea gulls get a bad wrap. They are just trying to find the easiest way to get a full meal for them and their babies. These parents split their time between finding food and sitting on the egg. Co-parenting is how the gulls have chosen to raise their young and will literally steal the food out of a humans hand if it means their baby will eat. 

Calissa Hanson is a sophomore here at Morningside College. She is a graphic design major. Calissa has lived in Sioux City all here life. She now lives on campus in Dimmit hall. Calissa is involved in the Morningside College Choir and Mac events. After graduation Calissa wants to do story boarding. Calissa said, “animation is medium not a genre”. Her favorite cartoon is the She – ra cartoon. Right now she is working at the print shop. She has two older sisters. One of whom went to Morningside and now works for the college. Her mom Jerrie also works for Morningside College. I am excited to get to know Calissa more though out the semester and learn journalism with her.