So Jenn, Michael and I went all the way up north to Gentry yesterday to see this drive through zoo they have up there. All in all, it was a good trip I think. Here are just a few good highlights, as bandwidth on this site is limited. Peacocks, emus and deer are a very common and predominant sight there as they are wandering all over the place. Jenn found a fairly good sized peacock feather which were being sold at the front office for $1 a piece. Though we really bought nothing except a bottle of water from them, Jenn commented that the prices were not the usual gouging you would expect in attending a theme park or a theater (who could forget something like a $4 Coke?).
Watching all these animals and observing their various plumage, I got to thinking about natural camouflage and how it came about in the natural world. Naturalists are quick to say that the tiger's stripes are to help the beasts to be more stealthy and undetectable in the bush and so forth, but what I wish to understand is the origin of how such a selection is made from the genetic level. The tiger certainly doesn't just say in his head "I think I'll turn a little lighter because the scrub isn't as thick..." etc. Similarly, over time, prey species develop eyes which are more on the sides of their heads (allowing them to have an almost 360 degree sweep of vision), while predator species (like us humans) have stereoscopic vision which allows them to track and home in on prey. Interesting thought anyway. Enjoy!
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