Raccoon

Today, in honor of Sam's birthday, Ivor decided to be Sam's favorite animal, a raccoon. Raccoons are clever, adaptable creatures and can live in all kinds of environments, both urban and rural, in North America. They're well recognized by their facial markings, which make them look somewhat like bandits. Raccoons are so nifty that tyrannosaurus rexes fear them (transcription of that comic can be found here).

Ivor's raccoonicity is well in keeping with his recent habit of looking for food all the time. Today, Ivor not only badgered his friend Amy for treats, but also started nosing around Sam's desk in search of muffin crumbs. Like other raccoons, Ivor seems willing to eat pretty much anything lately, even when it might not be good for him. He didn't get much muffin or ice cream, though, which is why he's sort of moping in this picture:



Pooooor Ivor.

Spiny dog fish

Today Ivor is a spiny dogfish. 7thFloor Media.com says:

Spiny dog fish are actually the smallest sharks in the world. They have five gills, one spine in front of each dorsal fin, and no anal fin. The largest dog fish ever found was 160 cm (63 inches) and 9.1kg (20 lb.). The spiny dog fish lives all around the world, not just in the Pacific Ocean. It is grey with a oval shaped tail, but the top of the fin is longer than the bottom. Spiny dog fish sometimes become a schooling fish and they also will dart toward a diver but then veer away from the diver, showing their speed, grace and power. The active spiny dog fish frequently swims at the surface, finning or thrashing in pursuit of plankton, herring or other small fishes. You should watch this from a wharf, the shore or a boat.

It appears that Ivor, while still not the longest, definitely has broken the record for heaviest dogfish alive. And he STILL WANTS MORE TREATS!

Spectacled bear

Ivor is a spectacled bear today. He lives in South America and eats a variety of foods, from orchid bulbs to small mammals.

He's rather small for a bear - about 60 inches - but pretty big for a guide dog. Which probably explains why he's been so hungry all day - regular dog meals just aren't doing it today, he wants all of our food as well. He had better not eat my orchid bulbs, though. Find your own, Ivor!