This essay is kind of the second part of an essay on taste that can be read here:
Marimo (毬藻) moss balls are actually a type of algae that grows spherically as it rolls in the water. Because they only grow 5mm a month, they are easy to take care of, but they are also very rare and can only be found in a few parts of the world including Japan & Iceland. Because of their rarity and beauty, a festival called Marimo Matsuri takes place every year in Hokkaido, Japan where all the marimo plants in the Lake Akanko are taken out, individually cleaned, and placed back into the water. Not only are they adorable, but they are considered a national treasure in Japan!
While looking at the little screech owl, I took a series of photographs and made this gif to illustrate the of the automatic grasping action of the talons.
The structure of bird feet is set up so that the foot automatically grasps when the ankle joint is bent.
