ON THE BRINK

ASIATIC LION

Panthera leo persica Within the scrub forests of the Gir National Park you can find the only surviving population of the Asiatic lion, declared as endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Once, these lions roamed from the Middle East to India but were hunted down to a small population that can be found only in Gujarat, making them an endemic species. African and Asiatic lions can be distinguished based on their size with Asiatic lions being the smaller cat. Males also have a smaller and darker mane which makes their ears always visible unlike in African lions. However, the most striking difference is a longitudinal fold on the abdomen of the Asiatic lion which is seen in both males and females. The females are the primary hunters that work together to take down large prey. Chital, Sambar, Wild Boar and Nilgai are the most common prey species for them. Due to the proximity of villages, the lions are also known to feed on cattle quite often. The lion’s greatest threat is the deterioration of the gene pool due to constant inbreeding. In recent times, scientists have also noticed an increase in mortality rates due to the canine virus distemper. There is a silver lining for the future of the Asiatic lion in the form of a proposed relocation of a small population to the Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. A report released in June 2020, showed that the population has risen by 29% in the last five years with the current population being 674. Conservationists are also taking great efforts to raise awareness on the species in the surrounding villages. The Maldhari tribe are a great example of community-initiated conservation. They revere the species and have learned to live in co-existence with the king of the jungle.

JOKING AROUND

In a study published in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology, researchers studied the importance of humour shared between siblings. Humour is a complex skill involving cognitive and social development. It involves an understanding of timing, judging the audience’s mood and emotions and most importantly it requires creativity. Its benefits are numerous, apart from the obvious one of making you laugh, other benefits include relieving stress and anxiety and promoting social bonds. Till now there has been little study done on humour focusing on the relationship between siblings. Researchers discovered that certain types of humour are shared between siblings at certain ages. The most common one was spontaneous humour that showed and conveyed shared experiences between the siblings. It was also found that by the age of seven In the highlands of the Peruvian Andes spot the jewels of the avian world. Known for their diversity of Hummingbirds, these tropical forests support a variety of nectar bearing flowers. Hummingbirds get their name from the sound that is produced from their wings. With the highest record of wing flapping of almost 70 beats per second, hummingbirds have developed the ability to hover over flowers. These small sized birds need to consume close to half their body weight daily, which means they feed every 10 to 15 minutes during the day! The forests of the Peruvian highlands though a rainforest tend to get extremely cold at night with temperatures reaching below freezing. In this climate, researchers came across a species of hummingbird that resorts to extreme torpor (a state of inactivity) to survive the cold. children indulge in word based humour, usually related to taboo topics such as bathroom humour. Another type of humour observed was funny sounds, weird voices and rude sounds. During playtime, clowning around and the use of their body as a form of expression to make the other laugh was quite common. This included making funny faces, silly poses and dancing. The study also found that the type of humour varied with the age gap between the siblings. There is still a lot more research that needs to be done in this field that could shed light on the importance of humour in child development and their psychological well being. If we can identify the subtle differences in the kinds of humour between siblings, we can further understand the role of

THE COOLEST HUMMINGBIRD OF THE ANDES

humour in a child’s social relationships. The Black Metaltail hummingbird slows its body functions and suspends all movements to such an extent that its body cools down to 3.26°C. Blair Wolf from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque says ‘This is the lowest body temperature recorded in a bird or non hibernating animal.’ Wolf and his team observed 26 individuals during the night and recorded their body temperatures as part of their study. They learnt that this adaptation allows them to save almost 95% of their energy, allowing them to adapt and flourish at such a high altitude. With the first rays of the sun, the birds begin to thaw and rev up their bodies, just like an engine, by quivering, before setting off on their daily foraging routine.