January 5, 2007: Writing sea lion

Caught by Spluch is this fine AFP story and image, the official caption and photo credit:

Artist at work : Nine-year-old sea lion Jonao holds a brush between his teeth to write a letter of wild boar in Chinese characters, in preparation for the new year at Hakkeijima Sea Paradise in Yokohama, suburban Tokyo. (AFP/Toru Yamanaka)

"Wild boar", he wrote. It makes you wonder whether they wait until he's done writing, and then figure out which slashes correspond to a Chinese character.

Meant to say "I'm bored."

Is it just me, or does the bottom figure look like a human bending over?

They read it wrong, the sea lion is doing fractions. 1/42

Sheldonrs;304432 wrote:

Is it just me, or does the bottom figure look like a human bending over?

Yes! It's obviously a person throwing a fish. And the cheering crowd is represented by the person with spread arms above it.

Jonao san is simply stating a desire for "More fissssh please!"

http://www.cellar.org/iotd.php?threadid=7840

I don't know about you, but it seems like he's gotten better since last time.

Durn, another one where I forgot about the earlier entry!

I used to remember all of them, but it gets impossible... this is the 1909th one!

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That really looks like someone got him started with the right character, and then shoved a brush in his mouth for a photo op. I need video.

Mom, camp is ok but boring. send more money for sea urchins and kelp.
thanks. say hi to sparky.
love

He has many talents...You should hear him sing!

Does he sing like this?
[youtube]kLneCbN-0QI[/youtube]
Safe for work but it is a song, so turn your monitor down

He does include that song in his repertoire, it's his signature song in fact. However, he tends to sing it less falsetto; more bluesy. He's a very deep and soulful sea lion.

Has anyone ever considered that he might have the intelligence to be taught to paint specific characters? I mean they say a dog is equivalent to a seven year old, and seven year olds aren't dumb, so a seal is probably trainable. (I don't believe for a minute that he can read it.) But I suspect the lack of an opposable thumb (or flipper bone) is the major obstacle to demonstrating intelligence.

Karenv;304638 wrote:

I mean they say a dog is equivalent to a seven year old,

I can't get past this. Sure, dogs are smart, and are trainable and all. But my daughter is seven right now, and I'm absolutely amazed at everything she already knows. There's just no comparison between a dog and a 7 year old human. And I like dogs.

No kidding. A seven-year-old can read well and do quite a lot of math, just for starters. I'd say a dog is equivalent to a 3 year old.

milkfish;304424 wrote:

Meant to say "I'm bored."

Wild Boar / Wildly Bored. Easy mistake to make.

Sundae Girl;304595 wrote:

Does he sing like this?
[youtube]kLneCbN-0QI[/youtube]
Safe for work but it is a song, so turn your monitor down

Trivia: Anyone know which "Fish Heads" singer was a star of Babylon 5? And what his previous claim to fame was?

That is just too easy for this crowd. Bill Mumy was half of Barnes and Barnes ... and he played Will Robinson on Lost in Space, as anybody who halfway paid attention to Dr. Demento in the 70s knows.

I guess if a sea lion can balance a ball on his nose for hours at a time, writing Chinese characters must be a piece of cake.

Karenv;304638 wrote:

snip~ But I suspect the lack of an opposable thumb (or flipper bone) is the major obstacle to demonstrating intelligence.

But Stephen Hawking doesn't have opposable thumbs that work. ;)

wolf;304732 wrote:

I guess if a sea lion can balance a ball on his nose for hours at a time, writing Chinese characters must be a piece of cake.

For HOURS? Really?

wolf;304731 wrote:

That is just too easy for this crowd. Bill Mumy was half of Barnes and Barnes ... and he played Will Robinson on Lost in Space, as anybody who halfway paid attention to Dr. Demento in the 70s knows.

I knew I should have said "anybody but wolf"...

I am acknowledged in my circle of friends as the Fount of All Knowledge. I have personlized pencils that say so.

One of my other friends, the Great Mall of Wisdom, has personalized pens.

The reason for the difference should be obvious.

I knew he was Will Robinson, but no idea who Barnes and Barnes are. Do I get half credit? :D