TOKYO (AP) —
Americans may seem obsessed with animals, with daycare for dogs and TV
therapists for cats, not to mention the hours we spend looking at photos
of cute critters on the Internet. But it's generally the conventionally
adorable ones that get our attention. On a recent trip to Japan
I found ample evidence of our two countries' mutual adoration of pets
and pandas. But it was a pleasure to immerse myself in a culture that
shares my appreciation for more unusual creatures as well. Here are some
highlights.
DUGONGS
One of my lifelong dreams was to see a dugong. There are only a handful of these sea mammals related to manatees in captivity, none in North America. One of them is in the Toba Aquarium in Mie Prefecture, about three hours by train from Tokyo, http://www.aquarium.co.jp/english/index.html .
The
legend of the mermaid is supposed to be a result of sailors' sightings
of dugongs. Only someone who'd been at sea and hadn't seen a woman in an
extremely long time could mistake this animal for a human beauty, with
its tiny eyes, large floppy lips, and almost rectangular bald head.
Continued: http://news.yahoo.com/japan-see-dugongs-eat-dugong-cookies-153706890.html;_ylt=Aj6vy88XjhVwJfCPNiNwOCH_uKN4;_ylu=X3oDMTRhdnFpN3BpBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBTY2llbmNlU0YgQW5pbWFsUGV0c1NTRgRwa2cDNTljYjhhYWQtM2QxNi0zYzBjLTk0MDgtNDIyMGYzY2IwMjdlBHBvcwMzBHNlYwN0b3Bfc3RvcnkEdmVyAzVhMmQxYjYxLTBkNzAtMTFlMi1iZjRmLTg2NjdiZjY0YzI0OA--;_ylg=X3oDMTI0MmNvNGRoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANzY2llbmNlfGFuaW1hbHNhbmRwZXRzBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3
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