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Twobytwostuck t1_j1kuv45 wrote

I can do it too, but only once

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anddingowashisnameoh t1_j1kv2tx wrote

That's not climbing, it's falling with style.

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paperclouds412 t1_j1kwdmq wrote

I got to meet some with my daughter! They have cat like personalities. They also don’t have pads on there paws. Just sharp ass claws and fur.

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TexasJustis OP t1_j1kuu0i wrote

Squirrels and raccoons obviously can too. See interesting discussions in this r/awwducation thread

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rough-n-ready t1_j1lam7j wrote

Op’s title is completely wrong. Lots of animals can climb down a tree head first. I can’t think of many insects or spiders or lizards that can’t.

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TexasJustis OP t1_j1m4ifv wrote

Right. Now since you mentioned it, probably the article should change it to “mammals”.

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David-Puddy t1_j1moyvg wrote

Squirrels, racoons, one of the big cats (I forget which once, but there's one that can!), Monkeys, etc

The title is basically bunk lol

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RRettig t1_j1lqmbw wrote

I have a huge redwood in my yard and the squirrels chase each other around in circles horizontal to the ground

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Festival_Vestibule t1_j1lmycb wrote

They said they've seen a woodchuck come down a tree head first? Idk if I'm buying that. I think they saw a possum. Pretty much any animal that climbs is going to be able to come down head first. Raccoons obviously but they aren't doing any zigging and zagging and the tree has to be pretty rough. Squirrles are just no fucks given, literally balls to the wall. You even seen one of those little guys run headfirst down a brick wall at full speed? There's not another mammal in North America that can do that. Can't be many in the world.

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TexasJustis OP t1_j1m4bd5 wrote

I’ve never seen a woodchuck and didn’t know those chubby things could climb a tree.

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konosyn t1_j1mujev wrote

Probably plenty of tree-climbing mustelids, also definitely coatis, etc

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BON3SMcCOY t1_j1ljj6q wrote

Silly question, but why are flexible ankles required to do this?

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konosyn t1_j1mubka wrote

They have to turn them backwards, essentially, so that their claws can grip the bark on the way down.

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Cluefuljewel t1_j21iub8 wrote

They have an adaptation that is sometimes called a “pseudo thumb”which is actually an elongated wrist bone. It helps them grip bamboo. Red pandas are sooooo cute!

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Urag-gro_Shub t1_j1lz8d7 wrote

My cat does that all the time

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ScipioLongstocking t1_j1mfru2 wrote

Can your cat stop while doing it, or is it more of a controlled fall where the cat runs down the tree?

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Urag-gro_Shub t1_j1nxlvo wrote

Yeah, she goes down really slow until the last 4 feet or so when it turns into a kinda run-jump. She tends to go more diagnally headfirst rather than straight up and down though

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Orogogus t1_j1nqdof wrote

Supposedly the Norwegian Forest Cat is the only breed of small cat that climbs down trees headfirst, although it's usually said to be more the controlled fall thing the other poster says -- they just run down and manage not to crash at the bottom. But the first hit on YouTube for 'Norwegian Forest Cat climb down tree headfirst' shows one making its way down at a fairly leisurely pace:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Izq1hMUPvY

For other breeds they say the shape of the toes/claws forces the cat to go forwards, but somehow Norwegian Forest Cats just have exceptionally strong claws and forepaws that let them do the job. That always sounded weird to me, though; their claws and arms don't look that different from other cats. Surely it's just a quirk from the breeding program?

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Spank86 t1_j1n3zhn wrote

I'm willing to give this a try. Pretty sure i can pull it off, though it's not going to look good.

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