Saturday, April 13, 2019

Surviving Slowly

The Museum of Nature has galleries going off this dramatic interior atrium with its skylight. I like to go to the top and work my way down through the galleries as I visit. 


This moose is inscribed into the floor at the entrance.


Survival Of The Slowest is a temporary exhibit going on here at present, featuring displays and animals who resort to slowness to thrive.


Dumeril's Monitor is one of them, a lizard living in southeast Asia. Attaining a maximum size of 140 cms long, this reptile hunts a varied array of prey- crustaceans, fish, frogs, insects, and small mammals. Its specialty is crabs.


Panels on the differences between animals who rely on speed and those that conserve energy are found throughout the exhibit.


The pancake tortoise calls Kenya and Tanzania home. 


Curled up around a branch was a green tree python. Native to northern Australia and New Guinea, this snake preys on small mammals and lizards. Because it lives in a warm environment, it doesn't have to move around a lot to maintain body temperature. Their style of hunting is more sit and wait, and so they can get along quite nicely not moving about, thus conserving energy.


More displays. Some animals must use speed- whether that means in hunting or in thwarting the hunter. And yet speed comes at a cost- an animal burns through energy when they're all out.

32 comments:

  1. Interesting museum William.
    Have a lovely weekend.

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  2. Interesting to learn about the speed and slowness of animals.

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  3. Never fascinated me the crawling animals ...
    I don't know why ... maybe because I love the furry animals!
    But it is interesting to learn about the two different ways of life!

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  4. The ceiling is breathtaking!

    I wonder how animals like this feel. Are they happy to be in a safe place like this where nothing is hunting them or do they realize they are in jail?

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  5. Interesting to see that some animals go slow.

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  6. ...I would love to see a moose in the wild!

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  7. The ceiling and the floor in your first two shots are beautiful. In the days ahead we'll see what's in between them.

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  8. Hello, great museum and exhibits. I would love to visit this museum. Happy weekend!

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  9. @Lady Fi: thank you.

    @Sami: it is quite a wonder.

    @Nancy: I found it so.

    @Ella: that it is.

    @Sandi: I have that quandary.

    @Joan: and thrive doing so.

    @Tom: I have. They are magnificent.

    @Jan: thank you.

    @Francisco: thanks!

    @Eileen: I enjoy it.

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  10. I would never have thought a peregrine falcon would be in a museum for slow movers. They are very fast, I thought. :-)

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  11. survival of the slowest, that's amazing, thank you for this,

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  12. A place where I would spend some time too!

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  13. What an interesting display - thanks for showing it, William!

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  14. Good that we are exposed to natural history from other areas.

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  15. That atrium has a very appealing look.

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  16. @DJan: in this case it's for contrast. The falcon is the world's fastest animal, but speed is not always all that it's cut out to be.

    @Barbara: it was a wonderful exhibit.

    @Laurie: you're welcome.

    @Italiafinlandia: I love this museum.

    @RedPat: a pleasure to do so.

    @Red: I agree.

    @Sharon: yes it does.

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  17. I would love to see one of those falcons.

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  18. Lovely critters and sometimes it pays to be slow ~ Great photos!

    Happy Days to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  19. What an interesting place to explore.

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  20. we love finding moose in the wild ... it is so rare ...but super awesome! hope 2 see more in the future ... fingers and toes are crossed on that. i hope??! happy weekend! ( ;

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  21. I haven't seen this topic addressed before. It's very interesting.

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  22. Sometimes speed is just a tongue-flip away.

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  23. Lots of interesting info, thanks William ✨

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  24. While it pains me to see the critters caged, it is good for people to see them, I guess!

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  25. This will be a wonderful spot to visit for a bit!

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  26. Interesting information provided. Would love to visit this museum!

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  27. You do find some interesting places to share with us, thank you.

    All the best Jan

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  28. Pancake tortoise ! Ha,ha, cute name.

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  29. @Marie: I've seen one once.

    @Carol: it does.

    @Bill: very much so.

    @Beth: I've seen them from time to time, but it's been several years.

    @Kay: it was a good exhibit.

    @Catalyst: quite true.

    @Grace: you're welcome.

    @Jennifer: I get that.

    @Jeanie: I like this museum.

    @Betty: thank you.

    @Jan: you're welcome.

    @Klara: it is.

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