The island effect produces giant predatory house mice

[urbpan]

I found out about this on "Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me: The NPR News Quiz."

‘Monster mice’ are eating island’s seabirds
Rodents evolved to triple normal size, attack much larger chicks

The island effect produces giant tortoises, giant (flightless) pigeons, and my favorite, giant monitor lizards (Komodo dragons). For some unknown reason, it also produces dwarf humans (Homo florensis) and dwarf elephants (which, according to island biogeographer David Quammen, were originally the chief prey of Komodo dragons).

EDIT: I originally spelled the name "Kwammen," for some reason

Comments

Wait, wait, don't tell me. Seriously.

[brush-rat.livejournal.com]

Excuse me Mr. smarty pants zoo keeper person, but some of us in the Pacific time zone haven't heard that yet. while you're at it, why don't you call me about 10 o'clock my time and tell me all the punchlines from SNL. Hrumph.

Re: Wait, wait, don't tell me. Seriously.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

No worries, it was one of the limericks, which you can only get wrong if you have some kind of rhyme/rhythm impairment disorder.

Re: Wait, wait, don't tell me. Seriously.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

The punchlines from SNL:

Someone has an irritating personality, and is annoying for 10 minutes. The first 30 seconds makes you kind of chuckle, the remaining time makes you drink more.

Re: Wait, wait, don't tell me. Seriously.

[brush-rat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, if I'm up and alone, I usually turn it on a little before midnight to catch Weekend Update. Other than that, it usually hurts to watch it. I think it was Eric Idle who said "what's the difference between life and a Saturday Night Live Sketch? Life eventually ends."