WWF 2012 Donation

[guppiecat]

It's that time again.

I have selected five choices for who will get to come from WWF and live with me this year. They are:

Koala - Selected because my house is surprisingly short of marsupials. Sadly, this one does not seem to have a pouch, but I have enough crafty/knitty friends that I'm sure this will be easily rectified.

Black-footed Ferret - Notable because I got to photograph a living one and they are still remarkably rare. Also gets bonus points for being able to get two of them.

Sumatran Rhino - There are only 300 of these left in the wild and not very many in captivity. Special because it's the hairy rhino and, while the Woolly Rhinoceros is sadly extinct, this one is kinda close... and I'd get to say "woolly rhino" a lot if this one is selected. (Try it, it's fun.)

Mekong Dolphin - This is a dolphin with a freaking huge head. I'm sure it does other dolphiny things, but the head is what I noticed most.

Tasmanian Devil - This one is special because they are facing extinction due to the normal pressures, but also do to a contagious facial cancer. Though that's sad, it's also very biologically interesting.

The rules are those discussed after last year's event. Vote in the poll and get a point. Do something creative (write a poem, short story, picture... something arty) and get five points! The winner after about two weeks will be chosen. (I reserve the right to exclude votes from people I don't know.)


[Poll #1875880]

Comments

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

The Black-footed Ferret bewilders me. It's noted as being a solitary animal, yet two are shown, and two come in the adoption pack.

I went for the Tasmanian Devil. Biologically interesting, marsupial, and, hey, it's from Tasmania!

[guppiecat]

I think there are two because they want you to help with the breeding program.

Not sure why they don't do that with the others, but the ferret has proven surprisingly responsive to the breeding efforts, so maybe they figure that it's OK for novices to help out there.

The best I could do on short notice.

[mle292.livejournal.com]

most mammals are nearly actinomorphous
but the hardest to rhyme is Rhinoceros

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

There once was a fellow named Josh
Who once every year thought, "Gosh!
I need a new furry,
But which one? I worry.
Oh well, they all are most posh."

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

P.S. I voted for the devil.

[7ivy7.livejournal.com]

Josh lives in M. N. where the weather is rough
Now Devils are tough, but I vote the Ferret
The Ferret can bear it!

[barondave.livejournal.com]

I voted for the dolphin because I used to watch Flipper, and I think it would be fun hearing you describe its care and feeding.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

You ought to keep whichever best suits
but you sure can't beat the Koala for cutes.

[bonz-lizard.livejournal.com]

I'm voting for the koala because of the crafting possibilities. Contrasting plaid patch pocket with flap perhaps?

Koala

[bonz-lizard.livejournal.com]

How about a nerd koala with a pocket protector and glasses?

[mplsfish.livejournal.com]

None of the plushies look much like the real thing. I voted for the Rhino because I never heard of it and there are only 300.
It was a close thing with the Tazmanian Devil but because of Hanna Barberra people know about them. But the TD had the plushie most resembling the original.

[trishtrash.livejournal.com]

Huffily Puffily
Rhinos in Asia are
Finding conditions there
Bad for their health;

Luckily, Guppy has
Rhinocerotidae
Sized residence on his
Ungulate shelf.


A bit scrappy, sorry. I write one of these a year, when it's time to vote for plushies... I need more practice. Also, I'm not sure if you have a dedicated ungulate shelf or if it's megafauna vs. slickety wee beasties. But there should be Sumatran Rhinos up there, great charging herds of 'em.

[edited: accidentally an apostrophe]

[carbonel]

In favor of black-footed ferrets (how can I resist something whose initialism is BFF?), I have composed my first-ever double-dactyl. It's a slight cheat, since I use the Latin name in lieu of the six-syllable word called for, but the thought is sincere.

Squishily, squashily,
Black-footed ferret stuffed
Animals don’t look much
Like the real thing.

Properly labeled as
Mustela nigripes,
Once thought extinct,
Now the numbers take wing.

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

I would be willing to help modify the Koala to have a proper pouch! (I am experienced in subtle stuffed-animal alteration for adorable purposes.)

[vgqn.livejournal.com]

The Sumatran rhino is very wooly,
Despite its size, it's not a bully.
It feeds on tropical fruits and plants,
It surely deserves a better chance.

With habitat loss from humans encroaching,
Additional loss from hunting and poaching,
The wild population is but 300 rhinos,
Let's keep them from going the way of the dinos!