I’m always keeping animal’s best interests at hand. Well, not always. One time my dog bit me and then I bit him back, but like, he started it so, I don’t really know what he expected. DO NOT CROSS ME.
Today I want to take a deeper look at the animals that are under appreciated and overlooked. These animals deserve more credit. More street cred, if you will. Even though most of these animals don’t know what streets are. Okay, none of them know what streets are.
Let’s start with peacocks. Peacocks are frickin sweet. They’ve been around forever, so maybe we aren’t as impressed by their beauty for that reason. There’s a petting zoo nearby my house here in Victoria. Like all good zoos, there are peacocks strutting around aimlessly. Often times, they escape and chill in the park outside of the petting zoo’s gates. So badass. I’m always amazed at the small reaction that peacocks get. Like, people should be freaking out that these beautiful birds are walking among us. Their feathers are iridescent for crying out loud! I’m lucky enough to have seen the rare albino peacock that resides in my little corner of Canada. Maybe because I appreciate them so much?
The pistol shrimp. Have you ever heard of this guy? Probably not because I have to teach you guys everything. The pistol shrimp has been perfectly named. Watch this video and be amazed.
Snakes in general need more street cred. They literally have no arms or legs and society lives in fear of them. If I saw a human with no appendages, I would stare, sure. But I definitely wouldn’t be scared. Like, what are they gonna do? Wink at me? Frightening. Yet snakes are in this same situation and are huge predators! Serious snaps for snakes.
Narwhals are the closest thing we have to unicorns…I mean, besides horses. Narwhals deserve some credit because they live in frigid temperatures and rarely complain about it. And they also have like, a built in sword for fighting other narwhals and for charging in battle.
Tally ho, gents.
Consider the lemming–they look like chipmunks/hamsters. There’s a misconception that lemmings commit a mass suicide during their migratory season. Even though that would be rad, it’s not true. Lemmings just have crazy urges to jump in water. They’re actually perfectly good swimmers, but they usually jump in too much water, making it unable for them to swim out successfully. I think lemmings could conquer the world. They have good self esteem and they believe they can accomplish whatever they set their minds to. They just need to stop jumping into water and accidentally killing themselves.
Koala bears are animals after my own heart. They sleep between 16 and 20 hours a day. Just living the dream.
Catchin some zzz’s for a quick 20 hours.
Lily In Canada 
Holy Crap! Where did you find that awesome clip of the Pistol Shrimp!! They’re amazing!! It’s like the wild west down there in those depths. I love him.
This is, once again, supes funny, like I literally put my hand over my mouth to contain my own laughter. Tally-ho, gents! – killed me. I’m glad you shared the story of biting Truman, now people know who you really are.
Haha I had to do some research to find that little guy. But what a gem! It is like the wild west! Hahaha.
I’m glad I made you shuck. You’re actually the person I want to make laugh the most. My target audience!
Now people will know what a truly fair and square person I am after biting my own dog. Truman gave me the stink eye from that day on.
I’ve heard pistol shrimp in a mangrove swamp in Florida.
Or as the guide put it, Keep your ears open, because you’ll never see them.
Yeah, sneaky little buggers they are! I didn’t realize that they lived in swamps too! They should try to kill alligators with their pistols.
That pistol shrimp is AMAZING.
Peacocks used to scare me as a kid, the ‘eyes’ on their feathers freaked me out.
Top, top list there Lily. I wonder if the snakes ever want to take part in the paralympics…?
Right?! I was amazed as well!
Haha yeah birds in general kind of freak me out. Those beaks and the beady eyes. *shudder*
Thanks Michael! Hahah snakes would totally win the paralympics! Maybe team USA should enter some snakes and see how it goes?
You bit your dog named after a great man?? My esteem rises. I’m a fan of the sloth–not enough street cred there, either, and they are beyond cute!!
I was actually super close to adding sloths to the list, but they look too much like Muppets, so I decided against it. But I do like how laid back they are!
I would also add sloths to the list. They’re like koalas. They’re genetically engineered to sleep and cling to things. And yay narwhals!! I think they’re amazing.
Narwhals are the coolest. I think I just like saying the name narwhal. Yeahhh sloths are cool, but they always have that weird smile on their face like they know something that we don’t. That freaks me out a little bit…!
You had me when you bit your dog (there are many, many times I would like to scratch the cat’s eyes out…). But you kept me with your peacocks and pistol shrimps.
Hahah so glad I earned your trust at my dog’s expense! You have to teach them who’s boss, right? It kind of backfired though because he hated me from that point on.
So glad I was able to entertain you! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Lily this post is not only awesome, it’s important. We do need to stop taking these animals for granted. Especially snakes. Yes no arms and legs but scary as all get out! I think it’s the fact that they know they have a scary crazy creepy effect on people and they are secretly loving it that really freaks me out! That albino peacock! So pretty. But aren’t they about the size of a turkey? And are they edible. Oh there’s my practical side coming out again! Loved this post. You think of the best things to blog about! 😀
Hahah but most importantly, are peacocks edible? If so, I think I found my new favorite food. Besides ramen noodles of course. A gift from the gods right there.
Thanks Linda! That’s a great compliment! I wish I could be as creative and funny as you! 😀
Thank you for the compliment! Lil lil! 😀 And you are every bit as creative and funny and what’s really great is that you are so young and have a great future ahead of you in the writing field, in my opinion! 😀
Thanks Linds! You are the kindest 😀
Peacocks are amazing. Imagine having a bunch of cool feathers coming out of your behind.
Must be awesome.
Yeah! It’s like they have on permanent tutus! But I think the male peacocks are the ones that look cool. Unfair
Peacocks frighten me. Freud would say it’s because their name, I say it’s because no fences can ever hold them. Why are they always at zoos? I guess they’re brilliant. Not like seagulls who hangout above grocery store dumpsters.
Great take on snakes! I never thought about it that way. I really want to meet a person without arms or legs (A Pillowman) and call him Snake.
Fences can’t hold them! They are unbeatable. Maybe if they were in a tank of water surrounded by a fence? That might do the trick. That might be considered animal slaughter though.
Thanks! I felt like it was a mooselicker take on snakes really. Just let my mind wander and see what I come up with. A pillowman! That’s a new one. But yeah it would be awesome to be like, “Has anyone told you that you look like a snake?” And then they’d try to kill themselves but they wouldn’t be able to.
Check out this peacock video
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Update+Video+peacock+attacking+toddler+Calgary/7096810/story.html
Okay that peacock clearly doesn’t take crap from other people. Especially kids.
I can relate.
Best part is mom takes no responsibility. It is the birds fault.
Narwhals DO have great attitudes, don’t they. I have rarely heard one complain either. We all have a lot to learn from them and their stabby heads.
Haha stabby heads! How do they even birth other Narwhals? Having a horn come out of your womb would hurt a lot, I can imagine. But again, I never hear them complaining about it!
OMG I never thought about the stabs coming out of the birth canal.