Strange and obscure folklore and sayings relating animals

In many predominately muslim areas of Sumatra the Malayan tapir is not hunted because its meat is believed to be "haram" to eat (Arabic / Islamic term translating as "forbidden").

This is because the tapir is thought to resemble a pig and eating any kind of pork is strictly forbidden for muslims according to dietary rules set out in Islamic scripture.

The tapir is of course not a pig / Suid but a Perissodactyl or odd toed ungulate and is actually far more closely related to the equids / horses.

However, the strict taboo surrounding the hunting and eating of tapir meat and the belief that it is "pig-like" has arguably given this species one less anthropogenic threat to deal with.

Nevertheless, the larger threat of habitat loss due to deforestation for reasons such as agricultural conversion, palm oil plantations and hydroelectrical dams remain strong and the species is considered endangered by the IUCN.

Source: "The Asian Tapir in Kerinci Seblat National Park, Sumatra: evidence collected through photo-trapping", Jeremy Holden et al, 2003 (Journal: Oryx).

 

They'd have a field day with tigers then, wouldn't they?


21 Terrific Tiger Facts | Animals, Animals beautiful, Majestic animals

 

Especially the Sumatran tiger, in my opinion the markings of that particular population (subspecies?) of tigers are the most beautiful of all.

 

Agreed. They have such vivid stripes. I also really like the spots many Sumatran tigers have. Apparently this was a feature of the Balinese tiger (and indeed many believe that Sumatran, Javan and Balinese tigers are one of the same).


Sumatran Tiger Keeper Update

 

The lion has always been a symbolic animal in Ethiopia due to its association with the "Lion of Judah", a hereditary and religious title claimed by the Solomnic Christian Emperors who once ruled the country.

For much of the 20th century the image of the lion even appeared prominently on the national flag of Ethiopia until the overthrow of the Emperor Haile Selassie in 1975.

But this reverence for the lion is not something limited to urban areas or elites and is also felt strongly in the rural areas of the country.

In the Kafa highlands where one of the last remaining populations of the lion occurs in Ethiopia this animal is referred to as "Donno" which is a term of profound respect normally given to elderly or socially respected people.

It is considered taboo to refer to the lion as "Dahero" (the normal word for lion in the Ethiopian language) and if this is done people will cover their ears to avoid hearing what is perceived as being a crude form of disrespect.

This deeply rooted respect for lions even extends into tolerance for these animals during attacks on livestock. Despite the poverty of this region and peoples economic dependence on livestock when lions kill a few cattle or goats it is perceived to be a sign of goodluck.


Source: "A culture of tolerance: Coexisting with large carnivores in the Kafa highlands, Ethiopia", Fikirte Gebresenbet et al, 2018 (Journal: Oryx).

 

They are beautiful aren't they ?

I think it is how comparably dark the stripes are that makes them more striking than the other populations / subspecies (?).

It also makes them look a lot more aggressive and sinister too IMO.

 

Well, tigers are bit more tricky to domesticate and keep than dogs.

 

Bohemian Waxwings are known in Dutch as "Pestvogel", which means "Plague bird." The name originated in the middle ages. Waxwings here are rare winter visitors, but in particularly cold winters we sometimes experience "invasions" (irruptions) of waxwings (though the invasions are becoming increasingly rare). The Plague also had an invasion-like occurrence here, and people connected the two phenomena which resulted in the belief that the waxwings were a sign that the Plague was coming.

Interestingly, besides "Pestvogel," the bird also has a number of old-fashioned regional names here including "Zwarte mantel", which means "black cloak". That name also is connected to the Plague, which resulted in the Black Death (or "Zwarte Dood", in Dutch). Other old-fashioned names are kinder toward this gorgeous species, as it also known as Sneeuwvogel (Snow bird), Zijdestaart (silk tail), or Wijnstaart (Wine tail).

Source: De Nederlandse vogelnamen en hun betekenis (H. Blok and H. ten Stege).

 

Same in Germany and Switzerland, where it was also seen as a harbinger of misery, disease and harsh cold winters. The Swiss thus also called it "Sterbevögeli" (Die-birdie).

 

In some areas of Central and South America, armadillos are suspected to be ghoulish gravediggers. That might sound silly at first when looking at a cute little armadillo, but is possibly not that far-fetched...
Predation and Corpse-Eating in Armadillos — Tetrapod Zoology

 

Awesome post @Batto ! Thanks for sharing !

I've heard of this too but I've never seen the footage in that awesome blog post, really fascinating !

The records of predation or attempted by armadillos of animals like deer and rhea is quite new to me too as is the taboo against eating them in Paraguay because of the belief that they rob graves.

Unfortunately there are no such taboos against consuming armadillos here in Brazil (even though there are quite significant risks of zoonosis from this kind of bushmeat) and in fact this is one of the reasons why the Brazilian three banded armadillo is so threatened in the North-East.

 

Thank you for your comment @Mr. Zootycoon ! Much appreciated!

That is really interesting and quite a sinister thought that people in medieval times would have thought that the arrival of these birds heralded the begining of a plague epidemic.

I suppose the "black cloak" name would be a reference to the outfit of plague doctors (which incidentally is quite avian looking with the large beak) right ?

 

The babirusa with its strange and savage looking curved tusks that pierce through the flesh of its snout often shock visitors to zoos and probably have featured in the nightmares of many children (and maybe adults too) who visit zoos.

The menacing appearance of this strange animal also seemed to disturb many indigenous cultures of South-East Asia and so is believed by some to have become incorporated into religious mythology.

Some cultural anthropologists have sugggested that the strange tusks of the babirusa may have inspired many of the masks used in Bali that represent the bloodthirsty demons of Hindu mythology.

Such masks are worn in traditional dances in Bali that represent the cosmic battle between good and evil.


Source: "Tooth and fang in Bali", Anthony Forge, 1980 (Journal: Cranberra Anthropology).

 

Recent research has revealed the slow loris to be the only venomous primate and one of the few venomous mammals.

However, many indigenous folktales, myths and legends surrounding this animal in its native South-East Asia also speak of this strange ability.

In many areas of the Sukumbabi region of Western Java people believe that the bite of the slow loris to be fatal. As such, the teeth of these primates were considered to possess a powerful black magic by many Javanese tribes and were often purchased and used for witchcraft to cast curses and to poison rivals.

One Sundanese tribe of the same region recount that their ancestors smeared the blades of swords and spears with the blood of the slow loris before going to war. One cut against an adversaries flesh with a loris envenomed blade was believed to cause a lingering and excruciatingly painful death to the enemy.

It is possible that long before Western science documented the venomous ability of the slow loris that many folkloric beliefs across South-East Asia partially alluded to or recognised it as a biological reality.

Source: "Mad, Bad and Dangerous : The biochemistry, ecology and evolution of venom in the slow loris", Anna Nekaris et al, 2013 (Journal: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases).

 

In some parts of the Congo in areas inhabited by the ethnic Bantu peoples the iconic animal hero of folklore is a seemingly very unlikely one: the water chevrotain (known as nseshi in the Bantu language).

The water chevrotain / nseshi plays an underdog character in such Bantu folk tales.

Through bravery and cunning this little animal must face up to much larger and stronger beasts like the lion, the hyena and the elephant which symbolize brute strength, stupidity and arrogance.

Alice Werner, the Victorian anthropologist and literature professor who studied such folk tales believed that :

"The reason why these creatures (the chevrotain and the hare), so small and weak, are made the principal heroes of African folklore seems to be a deep-seated, inarticulate feeling that the strong cannot always have things their own way and the underdog must sometime or other come into his own."

Source: "Myths and legends of the Bantu", Alice Werner, 1933.

 

Mousedeer has the same role in Malaysian folklore.

 

As an underdog type character ?

Hmmm thats really interesting and I didn't know that (to be honest though I didn't know about the water chevrotain in African Bantu culture either till today)

I did read once that the Philippine mousedeer often plays the role of a trickster type figure or archetype in Filippino folklore (like the North American coyote or the Eurasian red fox) which is quite strange to me as they dont seem like cunning animals at all.

 

In rural areas of the Philippines the little tarsier, one of the worlds smallest primates and the only purely carnivorous one, is the subject of many myths and folkloric stories. One such myth often recounted in villages is that the tarsier feeds purely upon charcoal and that this is why the animal has darkened gums.

This strange idea is believed so strongly that in the past when tarsiers were caught in large numbers for the illegal pet trade (and to sell to zoos) many of these animals died from starvation due to being fed a diet of charcoal by illegal traffickers. The most probable origin of this myth is that villagers long ago observed a curious habit of the tarsier and misunderstood what was occurring.

In the Philippines farmers practice what is known as "slash and burn" agriculture which is a technique through which trees and foilage are cut down and then a fire started to clear remaining vegetation. The nutrient rich layer of ash which remains after a fire allows crops to be planted quickly and ensures fertility.

The burning of the forest encourages both mass insect movement / activity as these try to escape from flames and the disappearance of the vegetation after a fire may make the displaced invertebrates much easier to spot by predators.

In the aftermath of a fire this may stimulate the tarsiers ever present hunting instinct as they search through the charcoal remains for prey and are seen by villagers who believe they are eating charcoal.

Source: "Tasier talk - Tarsiers, Hunters and Ecotourism in Corella, Bohol", Bon Aure et al, 2005 (Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society).

 

To the indigenous Māori of New Zealand the tuatara is not merely a living fossil and of scientific value but an animal imbued with a deep cultural significance.

The name tuatara in fact translates from the Māori language as "peaks on back" which refers to the crest along the back and tail of this animal which sort of resemble a mountain range.

This reptile is considered to be "Taonga" to many Māori which is an expression that means "treasure" or "cultural artifact". Such beliefs about the tuatara have been beneficial for their conservation and many Māori communities have been very supportive of efforts to conserve this reptile as part of their natural heritage.

The tuatara perhaps because of its incredibly long lifespan (these reptiles often live for over a century) was associated in some Māori tribal cultures with knowledge and wisdom.

For other tribes it was an animal believed to be a "kaitiaki" which translated as "guardian" of sacred sites and accordingly the tuatara was often released near burial caves so that they could watch over the sleep of the dead and the ancestors for eternity.

Source: "Species and Cultural Conservation in New Zealand: Maori Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Tuatara", Kristina M Ramstad et al, 2007 (Journal: Conservation Biology).

 

Gibbons and macaques have long been animals with complex meanings in Chinese traditional culture.

Perhaps due to observations of the gibbons social scructure with its monogamous breeding strategy, strong pair bonds and small family groups the gibbon became an animal that was imbued with positivity and associated with Confucian ethics.

During the Song Dynasty Period the gibbon was contrasted with the macaque with the former being considered to be a "gentleman", "responsible and filial" and "civilized" and the latter to be "evil minded", "uncouth" and a "barbarian of bad manners".

As such the metaphor was often applied to describe differences in morality and behaviour between individual people. Good and well behaved people were compared to gibbons whereas bad and badly behaved people were compared with macaques.

Macaques were seen as quarrelsome, promiscuous, deceitful, messy and dirty in their habits and thieves through crop raiding. As such they were associated with negativity and social outcasts like brawlers, prostitutes, con-artists, wastrels, liars and thieves.

One writer of the period wrote in 217 AD that :

“Gibbons and macaques dwelled on different mountains; being of a different nature, they could not encounter with each other. The disposition of the gibbon was quiet and constant he tended to show benevolence, humility, filial piety and compassion. Gibbons lived in a group. They let others eat first, and drank one after the other. If one got separated from the group, he would wail in sorrow. They traveled in an order. When confronted with danger the gibbons placed young individuals in their midst (to better protect the young)."

On macaques he noted:

“they are always wrangling and shouting among each other, and jabbering confusedly. Although they lived in groups, they were by no means well-disposed towards each other. While feeding, they bite and snap at each other, they move about in unruly groups. They had no fixed orders while drinking. They do not mind getting separated, and when confronted with danger they always put their young in front (so as to be able to escape by themselves)."

"They love to raid crops. They gnaw at unripe fruit and throw it away after the first bite. They steal people’s food and filled it in their cheek pouches. They trample down or uproot young plants and tree shoots in themountains. Therefore, the mountains where the macaques lived are always bare.”

The behaviour of the gibbon in contrast according to this author was a model of civility and environmental stewardship and that:

"The gibbons did not trample the crops in the field, and they would carefully check the fruits of the trees to ascertain whether they were ripe. They would call their group members to eat together with peace and enjoyment. They protected trees to grow, and walked carefully at around young plants and tree sprouts on their mountain. Therefore, those mountains where gibbons dwelled in used to be covered by dense forests.”

Source: "Good gibbons and evil macaques: a historical review on cognitive features of non-human primates in Chinese traditional culture", Peng Zhang, 2015 (Journal: Primates).