MSN's "Top 10 Animal Dads" needs new judgment criteria

Take a look at this, off-linked from their main page today. Read through the decriptions of the various "animal dads" and ask yourself what kind of values were used to come up with this list. This is about as overt an exercise in anthropomorphization as any I have ever seen, valuable less for what it tells us about the natural world but more about what it tells us about how paternity is viewed. For example, in describing #9, the Antechinus, the text reads:

'The antechinus can spend up to 12 hours mating! In fact, this super mouse gets so distracted he forgets to eat, drink and sleep. Between that and the steroids that build up in his blood, he doesn't stand a chance. His mate makes the most of it, filling herself up with sperm until the end of the breeding season. But don't feel too sad about the passing of dear old dad. With him out of the picture, there's more food for those left behind -- plus he likely died a very happy mouse!'

Read that last line: "With him out of the picture, there's more food for those left behind - plus he likely died a very happy mouse!"

If you can't see what's wrong with that kind of statement, well, I dunno what to say to you. But it isn't limited to #9-- something like that is found in all these descriptions, from how good "dad" is that he raises the kids despite his mate's infidelities to acting as the fearless and unwavering protector. As I said above, what's most interesting is not the animal species in question but the animal specie that is observing them.