Drawing Conclusions #5: "Whisker Mug Shot"
“Whisker Mug Shots”
Scientists have found a simple way to identify lions that live on wild animal reserves. They look at the lion’s whiskers. Lions have about five rows of whiskers between their nose and upper lip. The holes of these whiskers form a very clear pattern. Every lion, it seems, has a distinctive pattern of “whisker holes.” In some of the wild animal reserves where scientists are trying to observe lions in their natural habitat, they need to keep an eye on the lions individually. In the past, this has been a difficult job. Lions like to roam and have the habit of hiding themselves in the tall grasses. Trying to “paw Print” or “tag” the lions has been almost impossible to do. They move on when people move in too closely. Taking “whisker mug shots” makes it easier to keep an eye on the lions in the reserve