Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, June 10, 2017

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 10, 2017 8 JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 10, 2017 8 
A FEW FUN FACTS 
ABOUT OUR 
FELLOW BEINGS 

Just when I think I’ve heard it all regarding the 
non-human creatures we share this planet with, I 
come across yet another new interesting fact about 
how animals survive or why they behave the way 
they do. This is when I am, yet again reminded of 
how little I actually know. Few things stimulate 
my mind as much as learning the how’s and why’s 
pertaining to our fellow life forms, and this week 
I thought I’d share a few fun animal facts that I 
hope you will find stimulating as well.

For example, did you know that penguins use 
their feces to create cozy coves in which to breed 
their young? That’s right, when the time comes 
to lay their eggs, they gather closely together 
and intentionally deposit their poop within the 
proximity of their partners in order to melt the 
ice, so their eggs and subsequent hatchlings will 
have a nice warm spot to hatch and mature in. 
Talk about recycling, penguins put us humans to 
shame in their practice of the adage, “Waste not, 
want not”! 

Another interesting tidbit that I had never 
before been privy to is one that the average grown 
man is bound to admire. We all know that snakes 
are, by nature, active breeders. But did you know 
that male snakes spend mega calories just doing 
“the deed”? The fact is, every spring, red-sided 
garter snakes leave their hibernation burrows to 
engage in a frenzied jumble of mating, and studies 
show that this is no easy feat for the males. Indeed, 
this particular type of male snake spends up to a 
whopping 18% of his daily energy to ensure his 
personal mating success.

Male red-sided garter snakes use all that energy 
to create gelatinous copulatory plugs that they put 
on the female after they mate, to trap the sperm 
inside and prevent other males from penetrating 
and interrupting the process of their own sperm‘s 
procreation. Unlike many humans who question 
paternal identity after the birth of a baby, red-
sided garter snakes apparently don’t have to 
worry about taking a DNA test to know “who’s 
the daddy” when their hatchlings 
arrive! 

And here’s a fun fact about 
bats that I thought was pretty 
amazing; It’s no news to most of 
us that bats are excellent flutterers, 
hoverers and dive-bombers. This 
is quite obvious to anyone who 
has observed them flitting about 
in the local skies. Scientists have 
long known that bats owe most 
of their incredible aerial agility 
to echolocation. However, recent 
research results attribute the bat’s 

Seeing double? Meet ARCTIC & ASPEN Theyare twin brothers, gorgeous Turkish Angoras, age6 months. These beautiful boys are like two peas 


Happy Tails 
by Chris Leclerc 

remarkable navigation skills not only to its brain’s 
ability to sense space through echolocation, 
but also to sensors instilled in the bat’s wings 
themselves. 

In a relatively recent issue of the journal, Cell 
Reports, bat wings are described as sporting a 
unique touch-receptor design. The design consists 
of tiny sensory cells associated with fine hairs that 
enable the animal to change the shape of it’s wings 
in a split second, granting them impressive midair 
maneuverability that modern-day man-made 
drones would die for, if indeed they were alive to 
die. Oh the wonders of nature! 

Here’s one more new-found fact that doesn’t 
exactly fit into the category of fun, but it is 
interesting, and could help save a senior feline’s life. 
The United Kingdom based charity, International 
Cat Care recently reached out to veterinary 
specialists after receiving surprising complaints 
from cat owners that their feline friends were 
apparently having seizures in response to high-
pitched sounds.

A scientific survey of the cats’ owners revealed 
that the sound-induced seizures were more 
common in older cats, and the most common 
triggers were crinkling tinfoil, hitting a ceramic 
bowl with a metal spoon and tapping glass. For all 
you cat owners out there this may or may not be 
a prevalent epidemic, but it certainly can’t hurt to 
be cautious and aware. 

In my constant quest to learn more about animal 
behavior and nature’s way of working its wonders, 
I am amazed on a daily basis and I hope you are 
equally impressed with these off-the-beaten-trail 
fun facts about our fellow beings. Take the time 
to enjoy nature and the wildlife it inhabits. Try to 
spend a short bit of time each day, away from the 
stresses of rushing traffic and hurried bustling we 
humans tend to engage in, and sit quietly; simply 
absorb the peaceful sanctuary of nature and it‘s 
ways. Love and let live.

Credited Source: www.livescience.com 


LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND 


Prim is a 3-year-old tabby domestic short hair, andhas the perfect calm and proper demeanor to fither name. When visitors come into Mini Manor, 
Prim politely meows inviting them to meet her. Andonce she has the attention she seeks, she loves to be 
petted and rolls over to have gentle lady-like bellyrubs. When she is comfortable with her visitor, Prim 
enjoys sitting in a staff or volunteer lap for one onone attention. She is an affectionate girl and whenyou look into her bright green eyes, you’ll see a ladyjust waiting to give and receive love. Prim will comeafter the laser light and feathery toys to play withpeople. While she gets along fine with the other catsin her area, she just prefers to watch their antics froma distance. Prim is looking for her forever familywhere her sweet, calm disposition will be appreciated.
Her adoption fee is $99 and includes spay surgery,
vaccinations, microchip and a free wellness examat a participating veterinarian. Feel free to call us at

(626) 286-1159 for more information on Prim. She 
currently resides at the San Gabriel Valley HumaneSociety located at 851 E. Grand Avenue in San 
Gabriel which is located off San Gabriel Blvd, north 
of Mission and south of Las Tunas Drive. To arrangea ‘Meet and Greet’ with Prim, please stop by any timefrom 10:30am to 4:30pm Tuesday through Sunday.
Website:www.sgvhumane.org. 
in a pod--or 
should we saytwo snowflakes! 
They are sweet, 
loving, and 
very bonded, sowill be adoptedtogether. It’s a 
better idea to 
adopt 2 rather 
than just one. 
THEY will always have a pal or two to play withwhen you’re gone, and YOU will have the benefitof being the recipient of double love licks & kisses!
Use our TWOFUR OFFER. 


Adoption fee is $100 for both, which includesneuter, microchip, exam & vaccines. Our cats are 
negative FELV/FIV unless otherwise indicated.

See more pictures, adoption info & application 
on our website, www.lifelineforpets.org. Can’t 
adopt? Visit our website for our easy Sponsor AKitty campaign.

GOOD NEWS: Naomi and Baby Whitney havebeen adopted. 

THE JOY OF YOGA 
HEALTHY LIFESTYLES 
RESIST NEGATIVITY 
Do you remember 
the “like attracts 
like” principle?
It illustrates the 
idea that the 
more energy and 

thought we put into something, the more it will 
grow. Also, the longer we are in that place or state 
of mind, the greater the tendency is to stay there. 
It becomes comfortable. 
This applies to thought patterns and habits, or 
even optimism and negativity. Gandhi illustrates 
this point of view eloquently: “Your beliefs 
become your thoughts, your thoughts become 
your words, your words become your actions, 
your actions become your habits, your habits 
become your values, your values become your 
destiny.” In other words, “like attracts like.” So, 
how then do we change course and step off the 
flow of negativity?
First, the realization of the power of choice must 
come into awareness. No one, no circumstance, 
no external structure has power over our lives and 
inner peace. Higher values of love, compassion, 
tolerance, and universal connection with one 
another are the guiding force by which we soothe 
fear. To take the fuse out of fear, truthfulness 

(honesty), or satya must be present. 
Second, after becoming aware and acknowledging 
the feeling of fear or the train of thought of 
negativity, cultivate the opposite. Optimism and 
love are the antidotes to overcoming negativity. 
Even doing this begrudgingly will call upon 
those higher principles when we act in our higher 
selves. 
This process will lead us into the spirit of open-
mindedness. This process is one of the core 
reasons why yoga benefits the world. The world 
has enough pain and negativity. Yoga cultivates 
compassion and tolerance –for everyone- and that 
means everyone! Each one of us is experiencing 
the human condition together. Any actions I 
take affect not only others but myself as well by 
creating my own internal suffering from living 
in a negative frame of mind. Resist and defeat 
negativity with hope and a positive attitude. 
Knowing all of this, my yoga practice, meditation, 
and a practice of loving-kindness feel more 
important than ever. 


Namaste, 
Keely Totten, 
E-RYT 500, 
Teacher at Yoga Madre 



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