Posted on 10/08/2013 10:32:52 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows
It’s August in Australia, and a small, mouse-like creature called an antechinus is busy killing himself through sex. He was a virgin until now, but for two to three weeks, this little lothario goes at it non-stop. He mates with as many females as he can, in violent, frenetic encounters that can each last up to 14 hours. He does little else.
A month ago, he irreversibly stopped making sperm, so he’s got all that he will ever have. This burst of speed-mating is his one chance to pass his genes on to the next generation, and he will die trying. He exhausts himself so thoroughly that his body starts to fall apart. His blood courses with testosterone and stress hormones. His fur falls off. He bleeds internally. His immune system fails to fight off incoming infections, and he becomes riddled with gangrene.
He’s a complete mess, but he’s still after sex. “By the end of the mating season, physically disintegrating males may run around frantically searching for last mating opportunities,” says Diana Fisher from the University of Queensland. “By that time, females are, not surprisingly, avoiding them.”
Soon, it’s all over. A few weeks shy of his first birthday, he is dead, along with every other male antechinus in the area.
(Excerpt) Read more at phenomena.nationalgeographic.com ...
You win!
I can't not! ; )
LOL
Depends on whether it’s the ‘graybeards’ or ‘saddlebags’ you’re talking about...:)
Latin name: cigar sinkemperor
I’ve always been fascinated by that painting, Ivan Albright’s “The Picture Of Dorian Gray”. He painted most of his works in a style called “ugly realism”. I guess his theme was to show that mortality is just plain gross.
Is it just me, or does Clinton look like he’s wearing orange jailhouse duds?
It’s like a Bill Clinton mouse.
I’m sorry he’s gone.
Would have been interesting to see his version of Obeyme on a unicorn.
;]
Dang!
See post #40.
In 1996 President Clinton saw a photo of Juanita and reportedly said, "If I were a single man, I might ask that mummy out. That's a good-looking mummy!" According to the Associated Press, Peruvian scientists at the time called his remark "tasteless."
Graybeard I get, but saddlebags...?
They’re easy to open and you can put anything in them.
[you asked]
;]
I posted about sports and got one reply.
In the US those rodents are the majority of welfare recipients.
R=If this idiot gets a realitty show it should be on NAT GEO WILD
As a former teen age boy I concur, and still at this age I really don't see a down side.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.