Who Will Sweep The Charismatic Creature Carnival?

IRA FLATOW: And now for the last time this fall, it’s our Charismatic Creature Carnival.

[PRIMAL MUSIC]

[INSECTS CHIRPING]

[ANIMAL CALL]

[ROARING]

[CAT MEOWS]

Joining me today, as always, is our Charismatic Creature correspondent, Kathleen Davis. Hi, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN DAVIS: Hey, Ira. I’m so sad the carnival’s almost over.

IRA FLATOW: You know, so am I. But let’s review. Last week we had a showdown between the pigeon and the shoebill stork. And I hear we have a winner.

KATHLEEN DAVIS: We sure do. Our listeners voted on which creature they thought was the most charismatic. And one of our feathered friends came out on top. So Ira, for the last time this carnival, I would like a drum roll, please.

IRA FLATOW: [IMITATES DRUM ROLL WITH HANDS ON TABLE]

KATHLEEN DAVIS: Soaring into our third semifinalist spot it’s the one, the only shoebill stork.

IRA FLATOW: [IMITATES CYMBOL STRIKE] So now we have all our semifinalists, right?

KATHLEEN DAVIS: Yes. The shoebill stork joins the mantis shrimp and the opossum as carnival match-up winners. And that means one of them will come out on top as our first entry into the Charismatic Creature Carnival Hall of Fame. But that choice is up to our listeners.

IRA FLATOW: Ooh. And we know our listeners feel strongly about these creatures, don’t we?

KATHLEEN DAVIS: We heard from so many people, listeners of all ages from all over the world, from Douglas, Alaska to Tokyo, Japan. Our listeners were so passionate about the creatures we talked about. So we’ve collected the wonderful art and voice messages they’ve sent in at sciencefriday.com/carnival. But who will be our winner? Will it be the shoebill stork? Here is what listener Jeff from Bozeman, Montana had to say about why he liked the shoebill stork.

JEFF: Given the fact that dinosaurs are still alive and with us in the form of birds, there is no better example, in my opinion, than the shoebill stork. It looks exactly like what I imagine a living dinosaur would look. It’s kind of terrifying, in my opinion, but really cool.

IRA FLATOW: Whoa. First of all, he should have his own radio show, I think, with that voice. But that was a great vote, I think.

KATHLEEN DAVIS: Yeah. But it could also be the opossum that comes out on top. Here is a message that we got from Judy from Sag Harbor, New York.

JUDY: I’m voting for the opossum because it’s America’s only marsupial, number one. I live in Long Island. And opossums eat ticks, so that’s very cool. And it’s got a face that only a mother could love. So we’ve got to love them.

IRA FLATOW: She makes a good argument, I guess. It’s got a phase only a mother could love.

KATHLEEN DAVIS: It sure does. Or will the colorful, tiny, but mighty mantis shrimp come out on top? Here is a message we got from Diego from Florida about why he loves the mantis shrimp.

DIEGO: I like the mantis shrimp because of all its different colors. Yeah, I just think it’s really good.

IRA FLATOW: Yeah. Well, I’m with you, Diego, on that one. They are all great creatures. I really don’t know who’s going to come out on top. And how do people vote for their favorites of these three?

KATHLEEN DAVIS: Per usual, the site you’re going to go to is sciencefriday.com/carnival.

IRA FLATOW: sciencefriday.com/carnival. Voting closes next Wednesday, 10:00 AM Eastern time. And Kathleen, I hear the winner will be announced at a special event next week.

KATHLEEN DAVIS: Yes. So, as our listeners may know, on Wednesdays we hold Science Friday Trivia. It’s completely virtual. It is streamed on YouTube so anybody can come. And next Wednesday at 8:30 PM Eastern time we are doing a special Charismatic Creature trivia night.

IRA FLATOW: Ooh! So does that mean if you’ve been listening throughout the carnival you might have an advantage?

KATHLEEN DAVIS: I’m not not saying that.

IRA FLATOW: [LAUGHS] Do I have any use for the mantis shrimp costume I’ve been painstakingly making for Halloween?

KATHLEEN DAVIS: Well, it’s funny that you mention that. Our trivia event will also be a virtual costume party.

IRA FLATOW: No!

KATHLEEN DAVIS: I will be dressed up. So will our trivia leader, Diana. And we’ll want you to send photos of your costumes. So choose your favorite charismatic creature we talked about during the carnival. And I can’t wait to see what our creative listeners do.

IRA FLATOW: Same here. Sign up for trivia at sciencefriday.com/trivia. Our carnival winner will be announced next Wednesday 8:30 PM Eastern time. Want to thank our carnival ringleader, SciFri producer Kathleen Davis. This really was a lot of fun. It was a great contest.

KATHLEEN DAVIS: Thanks, Ira. I had a blast. And I will see everybody at trivia next week.

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