Alyson Brokaw, PhD

GELADA OUTLIVES COATI!!! #2025MMM

Dragging the dead coati between its front legs, the ocelot waddles off with its prize (youtube.com/clip/Ugkx50L...). Gelada continues to pick through the grass, unimpressed #2025MMM

CRUNCH! Despite the Coati's large claws, the ocelot manages to land a killing bite to the back of the neck. #2025MMM

The ocelot launches forward. Limbs flail as the coati and ocelot roll and scramble across the dirt floor. youtube.com/clip/UgkxzC8... #2025MMM

The cat pauses, its elegant striped tail twitching as it lowers its body to the ground in a crouch. Turning, the Coati stares down the cat, nervously shuffling as it tries to back up and away from the predator. #2025MMM

As the Gelada picks through the limited grass offers of the tropical forest, an ocelot trots into view. Used to watching Ethiopian wolves hunt rodents in their midst (Venkataraman et al 2015), the Gelada ignores the small cat. #2025MMM

Used to a cooler, high elevation climate, the thick, humid Costa Rican air is uncomfortable for our Gelada. He carefully ambles into the shade of a nearby fig tree, close to where our Coati forages. #2025MMM

A gelada walking through grasslands

Over in Ethiopia, our Gelada is pacing the edge of a large barley field. Agricultural expansion near protected areas has led to increased human-gelada conflicts (Yihune et al 2009). A pair of human guards watch the Gelada carefully, when suddenly the Gelada is magicked away. #2025MMM

A white-nosed coati climbing through tree branches

The afternoon sun filters through the Costa Rican forest as we find our Coati once again picking its way through the gnarled roots of a large fig tree #2025MMM

Figure from Fleming and Weldon 2021 showing camera shots images of a a) tayra pooping on a log, b) coati coming by and sniffing the poop and c) rubbing the poop on itself.

Many mammals love to roll in smelly things, and coati are no exception. Captive coati have been known to rub lemons and other citrus on their fur, and free-ranged coatis have been caught anoiting themselves with 4-day-old tayra poop! (Fleming & Weldon 2021) #2025MMM

A gelada yawning with its mouth open wide, showing off big canines and lots of teeth

When geladas yawn, they show off an impressive set of thick canines, accompanied by a loud yawning noise. That yawn noise is contagious between gelada individuals - just like yawns in humans (Pedruzzi et al 2024)! (are you yawning now?) #2025MMM

First Up: 3rd seed Coati (Nasua narica) vs. 8th seed Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) #2025MMM

Mountain Zebra Outlasts Wild Yak! #2025MMM

The entire herd of wild yaks high tails it ["when running, the yak carries its tail high up or even over its back" (Rockhill 1895, p266)] "until visual contact is no longer possible, often over mountain passes or onto distant snowfields" (Harris 2008, p154) & OFF THE FIELD OF BATTLE #2025MMM

YouTube video by Our Human Planet Life Among the Tibetan Nomadic Yak Herders

Just as Zebra starts to trot towards warmer pastures, a rogue domestic yak comes charging onto the scene, with its herder in hot pursuit! #2025MMM youtu.be/HpflduYGqJQ?...

Zebra eyes Wild Yak. The Yak seem more similar to the African buffalo Zebra is used to - maybe it's better to steer clear since bovids of this size seem to be aggressive and belligerent. (Harris 2008) #2025MMM

The wild yak herd continues peacefully grazing. While they have a keen sense of smell, their vision is...less good. (Blanford 1888; Bower 1894) Like Zorilla, Zebra is downwind of the herd. #OuttaSightOuttaMind #2025MMM

Mountain Zebra surveys the meadow. Is that a herd of wildebeest? They look a lot more hairy than usual... #2025MMM

Mountain Zebra stands up. He sniffs the moss he was just resting on and gives it a tentative nibble. His sharp hooves easily part the moss, but there's no dust underneath, just ice. #2025MMM

Mountain zebra laying on its side in the dirt.

Meanwhile, Mountain Zebra finishes his daily dust bath and rolls into a kneeling position. Now that he's right side up, the ground feels much much colder on his knees. What is this squishy green plant material he's in? #2025MMM

Tonight's battle is back in the remote, high-elevation alpine meadows of Chang Tang Reserve. Our large male Wild Yak has gone back to peacefully grazing with his herd after the highly volatile (pun intended) antics of Zorilla in Round 1. #2025MMM

A single Mountain Zebra standing among green, savannah grasses

Reindeer games? Try zebra games! While other zebra sp are rarely recorded engaging in play, mountain zebra often initiate play by racing or chasing each other. From there, they may rub their nose/body, groom, or play-fight (fighting, now with exaggerated movements). (Penzhorn 1988) #2025MMM

Vintage plate art of the Wild Yak published by Rowland Yard in 1898

Wild yaks like to have friends in high places - they're herd animals that once numbered in the millions in the high elevations of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Despite almost being driven to extinction in the 1970s by excessive hunting, yaks still prefer to live in herds of tens to hundreds. #2025MMM

Next Up: 3rd-seed Wild Yak (Bos mutus) vs. 6th-seed Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra), written by @chumblebiome.bsky.social #2025MMM

COATI OUTLIVES PACA! #2025MMM

The hunter gives a short, sharp whistle. The dog retreats, carrying the limp Paca in its jaws and the two continue on their path, leaving the Coati tucked amongst the tree branches. #2025MMM

The hunting dog lunges, siezing the Paca by her neck and giving a hard shake. CRACK! Poor Paca's neck breaks. #2025MMM

Behind the dog, light from a hunter's flashlight floods the base of the tree. Blinded, the Paca freezes (Emmons 2016). #2025MMM

Quiet footfalls and low panting fill the air. A dark, wet snout emerges through the brush as a dog scents its quarry - the Paca! #2025MMM

Paca snorts with unease at the change in scenery. Above her head, the Coati continues his ambling climb along a thick, strong tree branch #2025MMM