Equity in the Wild Kingdom

Every so often, mother nature allows for a bit of fair play and turn about.

Here's a photo of a fringe-lipped bat (Trachops cirrhosus) dining on a tungara frog in Panama (not an uncommon occurrence). The bat looks overwhelmed by the meal awaiting it. The frog looks put out.

Photo source: National Geographic


















Not to be out done, the amphibians even the score. Large green tree frogs (Litoria cerulea) like to lurk outside the lairs of little bent-wing bats (Miniopterus australis) and nab one for dinner.

Photo credit: D. Bruce Means










Though I would never suggest that there is a natural law of parity or equity in the wild kingdom, I think my kids can learn a good lesson from this, perhaps in a Brothers Grimm-style dark fable. A children's book about bats eating frogs and frogs eating bats is in order. I'm sure they'll be charmed.