#CrittersClass SHEEP HISTORY ALERT. #Zooarchaeology
August 22, 2026 at 9:53 PM
#CrittersClass SHEEP HISTORY ALERT. #Zooarchaeology
Tool use in animals article! #CrittersClass
A female wolf has been doing something unusual on the Central Coast of British Columbia. She's learned to pull crab traps up from the water, yanking on a rope to bring it to the surface. But is it tool use? Very fun story from @phiejacobs.bsky.social for @science.org
Have wild wolves learned to use tools?
Video captures a lone female pulling crab traps out of the water, but does it count as tool use?
www.science.org
November 17, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Tool use in animals article! #CrittersClass
You think #zooarchaeology and the study of human-animal relationships in anthropology are tame and placid. But no.
#CrittersClass
#CrittersClass
February 14, 2026 at 1:56 PM
You think #zooarchaeology and the study of human-animal relationships in anthropology are tame and placid. But no.
#CrittersClass
#CrittersClass
Immersed in The Tortoise's Tale, a novel by animal ethics scholar @drkendracoulter.bsky.social - the tortoise narrator is wonderful. She delights in being seen as someone, not something. #tortoise #turtle #animals #Booksky
December 2, 2025 at 5:09 PM
May 22, 2025 at 1:57 PM
A potential topic for #CrittersClass , which I'll probably never get to teach again.
1/2 A film about emotions for cows.
Cows can distinguish between human emotions (anger and joy) shown to them on video. Later, when they encounter these people in person, they prefer the one who displayed joy.
(paper) www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Cows can distinguish between human emotions (anger and joy) shown to them on video. Later, when they encounter these people in person, they prefer the one who displayed joy.
(paper) www.nature.com/articles/s41...
May 14, 2026 at 4:48 PM
A potential topic for #CrittersClass , which I'll probably never get to teach again.
"Despite multiple attacks by the eagle, the goose remained unbowed. The raptor, defeated, flew off."
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Canada goose fights off bald eagle in rare, symbolism-laden battle on ice
Photographer captures 20-minute clash between birds emblematic of Canada and US amid high trade tensions
www.theguardian.com
March 6, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Marking for a (hopefully 😪) future #CrittersClass!
New paper out today w @dalmaijer.bsky.social @barbaraklump.bsky.social and @lucymaplin.bsky.social as part of the Phil Trans special issue doi.org/10.1098/rstb.... Over 2 years, we studied a population of cockatoos thought to be the source of the innovation of bin-opening.
December 8, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Marking for a (hopefully 😪) future #CrittersClass!
In #CrittersClass two years ago I learned that, like mules, there are hybrids of male dromedary camels and female llamas called camas. Why?? I don't know, but they're both camelids. #2026MMM
March 26, 2026 at 1:49 AM
In #CrittersClass two years ago I learned that, like mules, there are hybrids of male dromedary camels and female llamas called camas. Why?? I don't know, but they're both camelids. #2026MMM
I need to start marking all this Jimothy stuff for #CrittersClass, may it some day happen again.
MULDER [slapping down plane tix]: Hope you packed your rain coat, Scully.
SCULLY: Seattle? Mulder it's the weekend, what-
MULDER [handing her a file] Confirmed sightings, Scully. This is big
SCULLY [eyes wide]: My God Mulder, what am I looking at here?
MULDER: The locals are calling it.. JIMOTHY
SCULLY: Seattle? Mulder it's the weekend, what-
MULDER [handing her a file] Confirmed sightings, Scully. This is big
SCULLY [eyes wide]: My God Mulder, what am I looking at here?
MULDER: The locals are calling it.. JIMOTHY
July 20, 2026 at 1:51 AM
I need to start marking all this Jimothy stuff for #CrittersClass, may it some day happen again.
#CrittersClass Fresh mountain lion-human interaction alert.
An update re: the mtn lion seen in SF, which was reported heading twd Oakland Zoo for care. We have lots of experience with puma rescues, but weren't involved w/this case.
We applaud the SF orgs & CDFW for safely relocating the puma to a more suitable habitat.
📸: California Dept of Fish & Wildlife
We applaud the SF orgs & CDFW for safely relocating the puma to a more suitable habitat.
📸: California Dept of Fish & Wildlife
January 29, 2026 at 2:30 AM
#CrittersClass Fresh mountain lion-human interaction alert.
I was not involved in this research, but I commented on the study for Discover Magazine. It's a great example of #multispeciesarchaeology 🏺
Beavers Played an Important Part in the Lives of Ancient Humans
Humans relied on beavers for food and their furs, but the animal may have played a larger role in our ancient past. Learn more about this human-animal relationship.
www.discovermagazine.com
December 22, 2023 at 5:34 AM
#CrittersClass not that anyone enrolled in it for the fall 😪
"I need to get away from the man. But I need to do it in a way that doesn’t anger him. This is the tricky bit. Men who lack social awareness or empathy often also lack other skills in emotional management."
A Woman Who Left Society to Live With Bears Weighs in on “Man or Bear”
In this piece, long-term bicycle traveler Laura Killingbeck reflects on the "Man or Bear" debate and adds her unique perspective...
bikepacking.com
May 23, 2024 at 11:39 AM
#CrittersClass not that anyone enrolled in it for the fall 😪
It's THAT TIME again.
This year I'm not teaching ☠️💩😭😱 so I won't have #CrittersClass to analyze what's specifically wrong with the bad fake Halloween animal skeletons.
This year I'm not teaching ☠️💩😭😱 so I won't have #CrittersClass to analyze what's specifically wrong with the bad fake Halloween animal skeletons.
My favorite from my zooarch class's plastic skeleton project last year was the octopus skeleton.
August 23, 2026 at 1:37 PM
It's THAT TIME again.
This year I'm not teaching ☠️💩😭😱 so I won't have #CrittersClass to analyze what's specifically wrong with the bad fake Halloween animal skeletons.
This year I'm not teaching ☠️💩😭😱 so I won't have #CrittersClass to analyze what's specifically wrong with the bad fake Halloween animal skeletons.
Today I have seen
Jimothy minis
Jimothy Disability Awareness Month posters
Jimothy cake
Jimothy Roku
Jimothy tshirts
Jimothy enamel pins
Jimothy wildlife PSAs
Jimothy minis
Jimothy Disability Awareness Month posters
Jimothy cake
Jimothy Roku
Jimothy tshirts
Jimothy enamel pins
Jimothy wildlife PSAs
July 23, 2026 at 3:55 AM
November 12, 2023 at 7:22 PM
Otter 841, Santa Cruz's most adorable surfboard thief, might be back — or she has inspired a new wave of otter bandits. 🦦 www.snopes.com/fact-check/c...
Sea otter harasses California surfers, stealing their surfboards?
The outlaw otter was last spotted in May 2024. Reports in October 2025 suggest there may be copycats.
www.snopes.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:06 AM
#CrittersClass To read later. Curious who the experts are and in what way (long distance? pid-to-pid learning? local) they're "coordinated". Worried that this framing might endanger them.
December 27, 2025 at 6:18 PM
#CrittersClass To read later. Curious who the experts are and in what way (long distance? pid-to-pid learning? local) they're "coordinated". Worried that this framing might endanger them.
The whole Man or Bear thing is so #CrittersClass .
"I need to get away from the man. But I need to do it in a way that doesn’t anger him. This is the tricky bit. Men who lack social awareness or empathy often also lack other skills in emotional management."
A Woman Who Left Society to Live With Bears Weighs in on “Man or Bear”
In this piece, long-term bicycle traveler Laura Killingbeck reflects on the "Man or Bear" debate and adds her unique perspective...
bikepacking.com
May 23, 2024 at 11:39 AM
The whole Man or Bear thing is so #CrittersClass .
#CrittersClass today was on de-extinction.
Apparently #vaquita numbers are down to10?!?!??? Is that true?!
Apparently #vaquita numbers are down to10?!?!??? Is that true?!
November 6, 2023 at 10:53 PM
#CrittersClass today was on de-extinction.
Apparently #vaquita numbers are down to10?!?!??? Is that true?!
Apparently #vaquita numbers are down to10?!?!??? Is that true?!
I used his article about birds and light pollution--with the example of migrating birds eerily trapped in the strong lights of the 09/11 memorial every year--in #CrittersClass but somehow haven't managed to get to the whole book yet!! Shocking, actually.
May 8, 2026 at 3:37 AM
I used his article about birds and light pollution--with the example of migrating birds eerily trapped in the strong lights of the 09/11 memorial every year--in #CrittersClass but somehow haven't managed to get to the whole book yet!! Shocking, actually.
Allow me to just note that this stuffed octopus--who still needs a name--was by far my best purchase of 2023, and accompanied me to many a #CrittersClass.
January 2, 2024 at 4:36 AM
Allow me to just note that this stuffed octopus--who still needs a name--was by far my best purchase of 2023, and accompanied me to many a #CrittersClass.
Anyone else out there following the Jackie's illness? I saw on Fbook today that one of the fan groups--and I don't follow it, it just popped up--was begging people to only say kind, supportive things, and I wondered what could gave prompted that. The vets are working hard. #CrittersClass
What do you mean there is a bald eagle fandom and it’s currently going through a conspiratorial toxic fandom cycle right now where people are showing up a veterinarian’s houses? Why the fuck are we like this, man?
August 8, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Anyone else out there following the Jackie's illness? I saw on Fbook today that one of the fan groups--and I don't follow it, it just popped up--was begging people to only say kind, supportive things, and I wondered what could gave prompted that. The vets are working hard. #CrittersClass
I'm reading final papers (final grades due at noon aaaagh) and I feel I've reached a new pedagogical high because one of my students just discussed #FatBearWeek as "a worship ritual that improves understanding of human-animal relationships." If only we'd had #CrittersClass during #2024MMM! ;D
December 18, 2023 at 12:57 PM
I'm reading final papers (final grades due at noon aaaagh) and I feel I've reached a new pedagogical high because one of my students just discussed #FatBearWeek as "a worship ritual that improves understanding of human-animal relationships." If only we'd had #CrittersClass during #2024MMM! ;D