Monday, March 19, 2012

On Marmosets

Welcome to "The Gods Are Bored!" Another Monday, another jammed copy machine. Thank goodness I don't need the copies until tomorrow. (Ain't I the optimist that the machine will be working tomorrow?)

One of the favorite things I do with my daughters is go to the Philaelphia Zoo. We go at least once a year, and sometimes more. It's even sweeter now that they have two turkey vultures that can't be released into the wild.

Our favorite zoo exhibit, by far, is the pygmy marmosets. Full grown they are about the size of baby bunnies. And yet, the eyes that stare back at you through the glass are so doggone human. Or perhaps I should say that our human eyes are so doggone marmoset. Yes, I like that second one better.

Whenever the daughters and I have a favorite activity, I always attach an anticipatory line to it. When we go to the thrift store, I always say, "Life is short."  It used to be, "Life is short. Let's thrift." Now all I have to say is the first part, and they grab their second-hand coats in a jiffy.

My anticipatory line for the zoo is, "When I say pygmy, you say..."

If daughters answer, "Marmoset," off we go to the zoo!

Philosophically I don't particularly like zoos, but if you consider their role in keeping certain species viable in the wild, I suppose they're a necessary evil. One of the nice things about the pygmy marmosets is that, being small and social, they seem to enjoy being at the zoo. Three hots and a cot for them! The breeding program is very successful.

So, below, is a little ditty my daughter The Spare discovered on the Tube. We all howler monkeyed over it ... hope it's not an inside joke.

Have a good day. Treat a bored deity to an offering. Something tasteful, like a well-upholstered settee.

3 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Cute video!

Moma Fauna said...

One thing I love about marmosets (now my physical anthropology geekiness truly shows) is that some species of marmosets are among the rare few creatures which practice polyandry. Now, this homonid personally would not want to have to deal with all those men (or the obligatory relationships) but I have to hand it to those little ladies for grabbing the reins & taking full advantage of that kind of social system! Hats of to the marmoset mammas! ;)

yellowdoggranny said...

my best memories are of taking my kids to the zoo..in Oregon, in San Diego, In LA, in San Antonio, in Austin, in Waco..in Roswell, New Mexico..and the granddaughters in Waco..best way to make long lasting memories.