Some creatures appear immune to cactus needles

Today’s question: How are bobcats able to climb saguaros and birds able to build nests in chollas without getting spines stuck in them? The birds part is easy. I’m not so sure about the bobcats. Birds don’t weigh much. Even a large bird such as a Harris’ hawk only weighs around 2 pounds. They are so light they do not exert enough pressure on cactus spines to get stuck.

As for bobcats, I don’t know for certain. A bobcat can weigh 12 to 30 pounds, which I think would be enough to get pricked by spines.

And as a rule, most cats have very sensitive paws, although perhaps walking around on the desert’s rocks and hot sand might toughen them up a bit. Or maybe their fur is thick enough to protect them.

Bobcats are good climbers, and I’ve seen pictures of bobcats in saguaros, but I suspect they would only climb one if they were chased by a predator.

We have large grapefruit and orange trees growing side by side with their branches entwined. We recently picked some fruit off the orange tree that resembled and tasted like grapefruit. Is it possible these trees could be mating somehow?

Sure. Such fruit is known an or- angelo. They seem to have first occurred in Puerto Rico.

They are sweeter than a regular grapefruit, different in color and easier to peel.

I am trying to get my mind around why anyone would enjoy watching one human being pummeled by another human being in a boxing match. It is beyond barbaric and more like sadistic enjoyment. Do you have a clue?

No.