Wait... Bears Can Rock Climb?

Well, the answer is yes! Bears can rock climb, as seen in this viral video filmed by youtuber Stephanie Latimer. These bears aren't quite poetry in motion; they seem too clumsy, shaky and husky to be testing their vertical limits. And since they climb free-solo (meaning without ropes or protection because they are bears), you're left on the very edge of your seat with every reach and paw shuffle.  

Cedar Wright, a North Face athlete, seasoned professional rock climber and writer, was particularly impressed with the daring bears:

"These are the best bear climbers I've seen since 1999 in Yosemite when I witnessed the impressive free-solo of a 50-foot 5.9 off-width by a bear....The mom employs some masterful stemming at the crux, while the cub realizes that this is a reach problem and is forced to establish a more difficult variation." 

These are Mexican Black Bears, a subspecies of black bear listed as endangered in Texas, and they grow to weigh 200-400 pounds--not an ideal weight for such miniscule paw holds. Yet somehow the little cub, after watching her mother traverse like a furry Alex Honnold to the safe ledge, learns quickly. She nervously negotiates the route and tops out in dramatic fashion.

These black bears are often spotted by campers in Santa Elena Canyon, part of the 800,000-acre Big Bend National Park in the lone star state. Campers and hikers might witness them lumbering around and foraging near the river with their cubs. But seeing these bears crimp, traverse and jug up the canyon walls, claws and all? That's another story.

"Rarely are [black bears] seen scaling the walls of the canyon," says a Park Ranger of Big Bend who prefers anonymity. But, he says, it happens, and it's not as impressive as the video suggests. "The cliffs actually aren't all that vertical," he says, and it's common for bears to climb anything that they perceive is climbable.

Plus, rock climbing in Santa Elena Canyon isn't conducive to human methods of climbing. The canyon rock--soft igneous and limestone flutes--is much less dense than say Yosemite's granite.  Drilling and placing climbing protection are risky for the climber and damage the rock's integrity.

Wright (pictured, tall), however, remains awestruck. "After careful examination," says Wright, "I can confidently say that this is a cutting edge ascent that in bear grades is in the upper stratosphere of what is possible. I would guess it is a solid B.15." Wright equates the "B" scale (for "Bear") to the highest-rated climb in human standards, 5.15. 

"Even by human standards this is one of the great ascents of our time. A new bar has been set. I think it's time for [Chris] Sharma, Honnold and [Tommy] Caldwell to hang up their hats and give respect where it's due."

  

Video credit: Stephanie Latimer

Photo credit: Cedar Wright

J. Scott Donahue is a former intern at Sierra. He will soon obtain an MFA in nonfiction writing, and his thesis is composed of travel essays about trekking, mountaineering and running Nepal's Himalayas.

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This Bird Flies Underwater

 

The "critter" in Sierra's current issue is the Kingfisher, a prodigious fishing bird that must provide its young with 2,000 little happy meals before they fledge. Exactly how they do this can be seen in this amazing slo-mo video (see below) shot on the River Shannon in Ireland by Colin Stafford-Johnson for the PBS documentary, Ireland's Wild River --they fly underwater. Kingfishers don't swim great distances or for long periods like penguins or cormorants, as you can see in the underwater footage toward the end, but instead pinpoint their tiny prey from above and dive straight down like multi-colored missiles to nab their lunch. 

As we noted in the magazine, the kingfisher is also known as the "halcyon" (from its Linnaean name, Alcedo atthis), and is associated with fine weather: 

In ancient times, the kingfisher was believed to build floating nests on the open sea at the winter solstice, during which time the waters would miraculously become clam and navigable. Pliny the Elder cites this story as the origin of the term "halcyon days."

Now come Christina Chronopoulou and A. Mavrakis in the journal Weather with an article entitled "Ancient Greek drama as an eyewitness of a specific meteorological phenomenon: indication of stability of the Halcyon days." Their study of weather references in classical Greek plays shows that the 5th Century BCE was pretty darn halcyon--so much so that audiences of the time could expect to watch open-air performances in amphitheaters in mid-winter. In fact, says Tim Radford at Climate News Network, Greek dramas of the time were replete with halcyon references:

Euripides in Medea in 431 BC mentions "the temperate and sweet breezes" while Aristophanes in The Frogs in 405 BC actually addresses "you halcyons who chatter by the ever-flowing waves."

"Combining the fact that dramatic contests were held in mid-winter without any indication of postponement, and references from the drama about clear weather and mild winters, we can assume that those particular days of almost every January were summery in the 5th and maybe the 4th centuries BC," said Chronopoulou. 

Thus the kingfisher provides paleoclimatologists new clues for unravelling the fluctuations of weather, the better to chart our own drastic effects on the world's climate.

 

 Image: Colin Stafford-Johnson

PAUL RAUBER is a senior editor at Sierra. He is the author, with Carl Pope, of the happily outdated Strategic Ignorance: Why the Bush Administration Is Recklessly Destroying a Century of Environmental Progress. Otherwise he is a cyclist, cook, and dad. Follow him on Twitter @paulrauber

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Critter: Fish-hunting Cat

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The Tardigrade: Tiny, Cute, and Indestructible

 

 

 

 

Why You Should Remember the Passenger Pigeon

An estimated 2 billion birds darkened the sky above John James Audubon's head in the autumn of 1813, a flock of passenger pigeons more than 50 miles long that would take three full days to pass out of view. "The birds poured in in countless multitudes," Audubon wrote. "The air was literally filled with pigeons; the light of noonday was obscured as by an eclipse; the dung fell in spots, not unlike melting flakes of snow; and the continued buzz of wings had a tendency to lull my senses to repose."

When Dr. Andrew Stern visits schools to teach children about the now-extinct passenger pigeon, he slowly dims the lights, turning up a radio until the sound of white noise shakes the building.

"It's a little scary," Stern said. "That’s what it was supposed to be like. More [birds] than is imaginable. The fact that they were gone in a little over 50 years is astounding."

A Pet Fish That Grows Your Herbs

Nikhil Arora (left) and Alejandro Velez of Back to the Roots | Photo courtesy of Back to the Roots

 

Nikhil Arora and Alejandro Velez didn't know each other when they enrolled in the same business ethics class at UC Berkeley. After their professor, Alan Ross, mentioned during a lecture that mushrooms can grow in coffee grounds, they approached him separately to learn more. Ross didn't have much to add about fungi, but he did introduce the curious students to each other.

"We turned Alex's fraternity into a test kitchen," Arora says, "and couldn't believe that one of the buckets actually started growing oyster mushrooms." After much research—including carting the 'shrooms to legendary Chez Panisse and asking chef-owner Alice Waters to taste them ("It was a good thing we didn't know who she was," Arora says)—they had a grow-it-yourself mushroom kit ready for market.

Quiz: Which Penguin Species Are You?

How will you celebrate National Penguin Awareness Day on January 20? Whether or not you achieve your dream of trekking to see penguins or hosting a perfect penguin-themed bash, you can still have a festive (although flightless) day. To honor our feathered friends, we've picked five species — the Emperor Penguins, Galápagos Penguins, Adelie Penguins, Little Penguins, and Snares Penguins — to highlight. Take our quiz to find out your penguin personality!

Quiz: Which Penguin Species Are You?

Mechanical Mimicry: 5 Robots that Emulate Animals

Many technological innovations seek to emulate nature. And through biomimicry, these robots are getting pretty darn close. 

Some of these bots were built for fun, some for research, and some just for beating records, but they all make it easy to marvel at just how complicated and beautiful nature really is.


Robugtix's Octopods

This little creepy crawly creature, built by Hong Kong based Robugtix, is potentially the most authentic spider bot available (it is even for sale). Its 3d printed parts make it extremely light at only 300 grams and allow for precise and subtle movements that almost make you forget it is not the real thing. Plus, the little blue eye adds a HAL aspect from 2001: A Space Odyssey that makes us smile. Check out Adam Savage of Mythbusters playing around with his below (skip ahead to 1:45 or 6:05 for fascinating and fear-inducing spider close-ups):

The Internet's Best Live Animal Cams

Every good internet procrastinator has explored the live puppy and kitten cams the web has to offer. Hours intended for studying or working can easily and happily be spent watching fluffy baby animals play on your computer screen. But it doesn't stop there — there are more wildlife cameras broadcasting online than any one person could hope to view, from cockroach cams to bear live feeds. Viewers can observe animals they might never safely have the chance to safely approach the wild, and explore new places otherwise inaccessible to them, all from their laptops. We've collected a few of the more unique animal adventures you can explore right now online. Watch the live video feeds below. 

An Interview with Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autism as a toddler. She struggled in school until she met Bill Carlock, a high school science teacher who revolutionized her thinking. As an adult, she, in turn, revolutionized the design of slaughterhouses to make sure animals are relaxed and treated well before they're killed. Grandin, now an animal science professor at Colorado State University and the author of many books, including Animals in Translation and The Autistic Brain, is also the subject of an eponymous Emmy-winning HBO movie. We spoke with Grandin to find out how she views the meat industry today.

Q: What environmental suggestions do you make to improve cattle ranches?

A: One of the most important things you can do is really work on your grazing management programs. Rotate the grazing right, and then you can actually stimulate grass growth for the ranch and sequester more carbon.

Q: Have you worked with organic cattle ranches?

A: Yes. [Organic farming] doesn't give all the answers. Big agriculture and organic agriculture can learn from each other. Sometimes you need a little artificial fertilizer. Then there are things like crop rotation that the big farms can learn from the organic ones.

Q: You eat meat. How do you reconcile that with your love for animals?

A: Most of these cattle wouldn't even be born if people didn't eat meat. I feel strongly that we give animals a life worth living. And when it's time, a quick painless death.

Backyard Beekeeping 101

There are a number of reasons Americans are taking up beekeeping — a backyard colony can help your garden produce more fruits and veggies, harvesting your own honey cuts down on your grocery bill, and honey bees continue to be threatened by colony collapse disorder. Take your pick, and join the growing ranks of urban apiarists.

Keepers of rooftop and backyard hives extol the spiritual benefits of beekeeping, as well as the tasty ones.

"It is a joy to have them around and observe their intricate dance with life," says Ruby Blume, a Bay Area beekeeper who teaches courses on the subject at The Institute of Urban Homesteading in Oakland. "When the bees come out in spring there's a huge uplifting feeling in my spirit, and I know it's time to start gardening and engaging with the outside world again." 

A single hive in an urban setting can produce as much as 60 pounds of honey, requires less management than a cat or dog, and has relatively low start-up costs, making it an appealing way for city folk to connect with their country roots. Here are a few things to consider when contemplating a hive of your very own:

You will need to do your research. "The more you know, the better beekeeper you'll be," advises Blume. There is a wealth of resources out there for aspiring beekeepers, from books to classes. Take several classes, says Blume, or find a mentor. Most cities have beekeepers associations full of enthusiasts who would be happy to help. 

But first, investigate your city's laws — you don't want to unintentionally become a fugitive while pursuing your apiarist dreams.

Why Jellyfish Might Rule the Future

Are jellyfish taking over? Dr. Lisa-ann Gershwin, author of Stung! On Jellyfish Blooms and the Future of our Oceans and the director of the Australian Marine Stinger Advisory Sciences, has outlined how rising temperatures and the toxicity of the earth's oceans have resulted in an increase in jellyfish blooms. We recently asked the marine biologist about the rise of the jellies and whether humans are smarter than brainless invertebrates. 

Can you start of by telling me what Stung! is about?

It's about human impact on the oceans and the unexpected and unwanted consequences of jellyfish taking over. Nobody could have imagined that jellyfish could have done so well in damaged ecosystems.

There is a really powerful quote in your book: “Here we are at the dawn of a new millennium, in the age of cyberspace, and we are at the mercy of jellyfish.” What is the significance of that quote to you?

Despite all of our gadgets and all of our technologies and all of our good intentions and our good management models, despite our ability to do things right, nonetheless jellyfish are getting the best of us. We’re losing this battle to jellyfish. Mind you, it’s not their fault, we’re not losing the battle to ourselves because we want our cake and we want to eat it too. It’s our fault because we’re damaging the ecosystems to the point that they’re able to exploit that damage.