2024 Brackets and results

Humans are storytellers and story-listeners. Animals feature prominently throughout oral tradition, folklore, and mythology. From the most ancient recorded epics to more recent literary masterpieces are tales of adventure and animal encounters. Some especially notable species appear again and again across time, geography, and culture. And some animals are named for works of words, from novels to poem to song to screenplays.

These brilliant beasties combine colors, sometimes across a spectrum only they can see, on their flamboyant forms. To paraphrase Kermit, “why are there so many, species with rainbows, and what’s with their vibrant hides?”

Some carnivores have particularly specialized traits for acquiring, chewing, or digesting their meals. Similarly, some herbivores can safely consume high levels of toxins. And some truly fascinating species have adapted to dietary niches of really, really specific foods. 

Gird your stomachs and get ready to toast these combatants and their comestible curiosities. #HeardChef

From a tantalizing courtship dance to demonstrations of intimidating power, from a waggle dance of a food location to a tricksy mother’s feeble cries as she drags a “broken” wing to lure a predator away from her nest of chicks, many animals are peak performers. We applaud these showboats!