AJ: Sometimes living in the wild is a tough life, especially when you are bullied out of your home by a bigger animal. According to Live Science, mantis shrimp are notorious for taking over other animals’ living spaces. If a mantis shrimp finds a perfect hole or nook that is already occupied, it will fight to the death to take it over. These shrimp like to fight a little dirty, too. These shrimp specifically pick fights with smaller animals they know they could beat. I guess you could say these shrimp are a little shellfish when it comes to a good home.
Jenna: I’d like to debate whether they are playing dirty or playing smart… Sounds like those shrimp know what they’re doing out there in the wild. Speaking of sea animals, some have evolved overtime to look otherworldly, like the giant sunfish. This beast of a fish, also known as a Mola, looks like a massive oval with two long vertical fins on its rear end, so it is understandable that a sighting could cause some alarm. However, according to NBC News, police in Warham, Massachusetts, want everyone to know that the sunfish recently spotted off of their coast is just fine. They have been getting an overwhelming number of 911 phone calls over the misidentification and fear of the giant sunfish. Reports ranged from an injured seal, to a threatening shark, to an alien animal. It’s funny to think that this fish has no idea how much chaos it’s creating.
AJ: I’m sure everyone has had their fill of election news, but exciting elections happen even in the wild. Some animals have an organized way of picking leaders and who is in charge. According to The Guardian, honey bees, Indian jumping ants, and pigeons all have an elaborate hierarchy. Honey bees vote for their leader, Indian jumping ant contestants have vicious duels, and pigeons will alternate leaders in a flight. If a pigeon realizes it is leading the flock the wrong way, the pigeon might step down from its position to let another lead. I never knew pigeons were so noble.
Jenna: Thanksgiving is coming up quick, and Fanimal has some delicious recipes to elevate your Thanksgiving dinner. Try spiced chickpeas and butternut for some tasty Fall flavors. For dessert, bake Fanimal monster cookies to satisfy your sweet tooth. And don’t forget about our kids’ vegan recipe contest! Fanimal has extended the contest deadline to November 20th to give you more time to submit your plant-based recipes. Click here to enter the contest and check out the prizes.
AJ: We have one more exciting event to share for all of our entrepreneurial Fanimals. If you struggling to keep up with the latest and greatest technology while it’s more important than ever, then we have a resource to share with you that will help you set up the digital aspects of your business so your technology can start working for YOU — a technology training course from Vegan Mainstream!
Jenna: Tech Vibes is an online technology training for vegan entrepreneurs and professionals that will show you that technology and online business is in reach for everybody, no matter your field. Designed by long-time business coach and self-professed tech geek Stephanie Redcross West, this technology training for vegan entrepreneurs will get you comfortable with a number of useful applications that are user-friendly and easy to learn. These are apps that will help you get more comfortable with using tech in your business and teach you how to use them to strengthen your business. The course launches November 19th, 2020, but register here before November 17th to receive 30% off. See you all next week.
Animals in the news:
First polar bear born in UK in 25 years moved from Scotland to Yorkshire from The Guardian
Animals vote, too: how different species choose – or depose – a leader from The Guardian
Giant sunfish: Officials say don’t call police over sightings from NBC News
Researchers find ‘Queen of the Ocean’ ancient great white shark off Nova Scotia coast from NBC News
Mantis shrimp punch down, pick on smaller rivals to steal their homes from Live Science
‘They’re Calling You on the Squid Phone’ from The New York Times
Images of Canada’s coastal wolves help promote ocean conservation efforts from The World
Solution to Christmas Island traffic woes as 40 million of red crabs migrate to ocean for breeding from ABC News
While in Lockdown Citizen Scientists are Going Outside Observing Insects, Helping Boost Their Recovery from Good News Network
Entangled: How a global seaweed ‘plague’ threatens West Africa’s coastline from Mongabay
The crypto-creature from the deep: Researchers get rare video of bigfin squid from Mongabay
Arizona’s border wall will include openings too small for many animals from National Geographic
Coffee Mate to Launch Two New Vegan Creamers from VegNews
The ‘Vegan Amazon’ to Open Flagship Store in San Diego from Live Kindly
Photo credit to Dorothea OLDANI from Unsplash
Creature Feature 