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September 16, 2008

The Bestiary

I caught a fascinating episode of PRI's (always-fascinating) To The Best Of Our Knowledge entitled "The Bestiary" (mp3)  The show ran amok in the wilds of myth, fantasy, pseudo/possibly-real, and the unbelievably weird, rare, and endangered.  Some highlights:

• The kappa, Japanese water sprites known for "passing gas" or kidnapping and eating children, can be dispatched and appeased in two ways:  first, when confronted by a kappa you should try to take advantage of its sense of ettiquette...it will be forced to return your deep bow with one of its own, which will in turn drain the pool of water that sits atop its head, weakening it.  Secondly, you can befriend a kappa by a generous gift of cucumbers (of note, this is why cucumber sushi is called kappamaki).
• The EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered) of Existence Project "...highlights and protects some of the weirdest and most wonderful species on the planet.  EDGE species have few close relatives on the tree of life and are often extremely unusual in the way they look, live and behave, as well as in their genetic make-up.  They represent a unique and irreplaceable part of the world’s natural heritage, yet an alarming proportion are currently sliding silently towards extinction unnoticed."  This is an astounding collection of amazingly unique and adapted creatures.

Clampants | September 16, 2008 08:23 AM