Head-to-Head 02: Moose vs. Rattlesnakes

Ranking The Kingdom

Our second Head-to-Head is even more dramatic than the first. It's a battle between size and venom. Are you ready?

It may be Christmastime out there in the real world, but here on Ranking the Kingdom it is time for War. The Moose and Rattlesnake both scored 68's in their reviews, and this week we finally decide who would win in an all-out animal brawl. The Moose are strong, well-insulated, and large and/ or in charge. The Rattlesnake is small, but fast and full of venom. In an animal face-off fit for kings we pit the world's population of Rattlesnakes against the world's population of Moose, and you won't believe who comes out on top. Or maybe you will. Put some cocoa on the fire, wrap yourself up in a log, and drink some nice hot blanket as you listen to the sounds of Animal War on War Apocalypse.

If you are new to the show and don't quite get how this whole "ranking animals" thing works, please head on over to the show's website for a quick explanation of the rating system. Also rate and subscribe to Ranking the Kingdom on iTunes, and don't hesitate to follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@rankthekingdom) for updates and links to interesting animal facts!

The Ranking the Kingdom subreddit is a great place to reach out to me or the community as well, or you can even send me an email at [e-mail]. For those of you with podcast apps that do not display pictures, you can go here to view each episode's set: rankingthekingdom.libsyn.com.

We are also promoting the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) this month, so please go there if you would like to fight animal cruelty. It's a good thing to be against.

Episode Guide:

(0:00 - 7:05) - Intro: Christmas, Population Updates, ASPCA.

(7:11 - 14:59) - The Armies: Moose, Rattlesnakes, Compared.

(15:02 - 25:00) - The War: Stampeding, Biting, Envenoming.

(25:03 - 31:31) - The Outcome: Where we declare the winner.

Pictures:

http://vermontjournal.com/outdoor-news/vermonts-moose-hunt-preliminary-total-73

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/rattlesnake/#rattlesnake-tongue.jpg

Sources:

Thank you to Silent Partner for the intro/transition/outro music “Cloud Patterns”

Thank you to the following for the free sources:

https://twitter.com/AlongsideWild/status/811740693911769092 (Rattlesnake Venom Can’t Take Down Moose)

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/56003281/0 (Moose Population - Roughly 2 Million)

http://www.equinews.com/article/rattlesnake-bites-may-be-serious-horses (Rattlesnakes and Horses)

http://wildliferesearch.org/the-timber-rattlesnake/ (Timber Rattlesnake Population)

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/64311/0 (Western Diamondback Population - 100,000)

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/64308/0 (Eastern Diamondback Population - 100,000)

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/64346/0 (Massassauga Rattlesnake Population - 10,000)

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/64315/0 (Sidewinder Population - 100,000)

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/64315/0 (Pygmy Rattlesnake Population - 100,000)

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/64332/0 (Mojave Rattlesnake Population - 100,000)

http://reptilis.net/serpentes/venom.html (Venom Replenishment - 3 days to 3 weeks)

http://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub434/item2438.html (Venom Replenishment - Approx. One Month)

http://www.venomousreptiles.org/forums/Experts/5865 (More Discussion on Venom Replenishment)

http://traffic.libsyn.com/rankingthekingdom/05_-_Moose.mp3 (Ranking the Kingdom - Moose)

http://traffic.libsyn.com/rankingthekingdom/04_-_Rattlesnake.mp3 (Ranking the Kingdom - Rattlesnake)

Thank you to the following musicians for your royalty free music:

Air Hockey Saloon by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/vendaface/

Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/

I Don't See the Branches, I See the Leaves by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/

Candlepower by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/

Exotic Battle by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100451

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Lightless Dawn by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100655

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

I Am Running with Temporary Success from a Monstrous Vacuum by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/honor/

Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/