[A quick note: I am as horrified as most people are about the multiple disasters striking Japan, the attempted destruction of US unions and pollution regulations, and the generally appalling and depressing state of the world. But to begin that rant would be to never end it, so for the moment I will continue to address simpler subjects nearer at hand.]
Unlike, say, alligators—or even gorillas—otters are not particularly tranquil, meditative, still animals. There are exceptions to this, of course; sometimes a whole group of small-clawed otters will lie together in a big otter-pile, dozing contentedly in the sun and not moving even when a bunch of what may be Mennonites (men and boys in long pants, women and girls in dresses and bonnets) begin clapping loudly and shouting, “Wake up!” at them, thereby helping to reinforce and/or create negative stereotypes about their group (the Mennonites’ group, that is, not the otters’). I know I personally had to restrain myself from calling them a few choice phrases. The words “obnoxious bonneted twits,” among others, leapt to mind…
Generally speaking, though, the otters move around a lot, and it’s always a matter of luck and a fast shutter finger as to whether or not you’ll get a decent picture. In the space of a week or two I happened to catch several motion-photos of the otters shaking themselves after emerging from the water; it’s not much of a theme, but there’s something about it that really captures their energy and perpetual motion.
—And, of course, their clownishness.
Unlike, say, alligators—or even gorillas—otters are not particularly tranquil, meditative, still animals. There are exceptions to this, of course; sometimes a whole group of small-clawed otters will lie together in a big otter-pile, dozing contentedly in the sun and not moving even when a bunch of what may be Mennonites (men and boys in long pants, women and girls in dresses and bonnets) begin clapping loudly and shouting, “Wake up!” at them, thereby helping to reinforce and/or create negative stereotypes about their group (the Mennonites’ group, that is, not the otters’). I know I personally had to restrain myself from calling them a few choice phrases. The words “obnoxious bonneted twits,” among others, leapt to mind…
Generally speaking, though, the otters move around a lot, and it’s always a matter of luck and a fast shutter finger as to whether or not you’ll get a decent picture. In the space of a week or two I happened to catch several motion-photos of the otters shaking themselves after emerging from the water; it’s not much of a theme, but there’s something about it that really captures their energy and perpetual motion.
—And, of course, their clownishness.
{A note: I do write all text and take all pictures. Please do not reproduce either without my permission.}
1 comment:
So adorable!
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