An Alligator is a crocodilian in the genus 'Alligator' of the family 'Alligatoridae'. Alligators are large, semi-aquatic carnivorous reptiles with four small legs and a very large, The tail is half the animals total length. Alligators tails help propel them rapidly through the water and is used to make pools of water during the dry seasons called 'gator holes'.
The tail is also used as a weapon and stores fat that the alligator will use for nourishment during the winter. Alligators are cold blooded (ectothermic) and like most reptiles they do not make their own body heat. Alligators gain body heat by basking in the sun moving between hot and cool locations.
Alligators, like many reptiles are 'plantigrade'. This means that they walk in a flat-footed manner. On land, they can run and move very fast, but only in short bursts.
There are two living alligator species:
The American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) found only in the southeastern part of the USA - Gulf of Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida as well as Arkansas, Georgia and the Carolinas. The majority of American Alligators inhabit Florida and Louisiana. In Florida alone there are an estimated more than one million alligators. The United States is the only nation on earth where both alligators and crocodiles live side by side. American Alligators live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes, wetlands, rivers and swamps.
An average American Alligators weight is 800 pounds and their length is around 13 feet long. The largest alligator recorded in Florida was 17 feet 5 inches long (5.3 metres). The largest alligator ever recorded in the world measured 19 feet 2 inches (5.8 metres) and was found on Marsh Island, Louisiana. Few of the giant specimens were weighed, but the larger ones could have exceeded a ton in weight. The Chinese Alligator is smaller, rarely exceeding 7 feet (2 metres) in length.
The Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis) is an endangered species and is found in the lower Yangtze River basin in China. Alligators mostly live in fresh to brackish water, in swamps, marshes, canals and lakes. There is estimated to be only around 24 Chinese Alligators left in the wild. There are many more of these alligators in zoos around the world than in the wild.
The tail is also used as a weapon and stores fat that the alligator will use for nourishment during the winter. Alligators are cold blooded (ectothermic) and like most reptiles they do not make their own body heat. Alligators gain body heat by basking in the sun moving between hot and cool locations.
Alligators, like many reptiles are 'plantigrade'. This means that they walk in a flat-footed manner. On land, they can run and move very fast, but only in short bursts.
There are two living alligator species:
The American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) found only in the southeastern part of the USA - Gulf of Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida as well as Arkansas, Georgia and the Carolinas. The majority of American Alligators inhabit Florida and Louisiana. In Florida alone there are an estimated more than one million alligators. The United States is the only nation on earth where both alligators and crocodiles live side by side. American Alligators live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes, wetlands, rivers and swamps.
An average American Alligators weight is 800 pounds and their length is around 13 feet long. The largest alligator recorded in Florida was 17 feet 5 inches long (5.3 metres). The largest alligator ever recorded in the world measured 19 feet 2 inches (5.8 metres) and was found on Marsh Island, Louisiana. Few of the giant specimens were weighed, but the larger ones could have exceeded a ton in weight. The Chinese Alligator is smaller, rarely exceeding 7 feet (2 metres) in length.
The Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis) is an endangered species and is found in the lower Yangtze River basin in China. Alligators mostly live in fresh to brackish water, in swamps, marshes, canals and lakes. There is estimated to be only around 24 Chinese Alligators left in the wild. There are many more of these alligators in zoos around the world than in the wild.
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines (all living turtles belong to the crown group Chelonia), most of whose body is shielded by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs. The top part of the shell is called a carapace and the bottom is called the plastron just like a Tortoise.
The shell is covered with scutes, scales that are made of keratin (the same protein that our fingernails are made of and the horn of a rhino).
The Order Testudines includes both extant (living) and extinct species, the earliest turtles being known from around 250 million years ago, making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups and a much more ancient group than the lizards and snakes. About 300 species are alive today. Some are highly endangered. Turtles, like other reptiles, are ectothermic or cold-blooded, which means that their body temperature changes with their surroundings.
Turtles vary in size depending on species. Sea or Marine Turtles tend to be the larger ones when compared to pond or land turtles.
Turtles are capable of retracting their head and limbs inside of the shells for protection and also to sleep. Turtles have no teeth, however, they have a beak which they are born with. Just like Tortoises, they have no external ears, just two small holes on the sides of their heads. Their nostrils are located near the top of their heads, therefore, allowing them to breath near the water surface without having to lift the heads out of the water.
Pond turtles have small, flat feet that are webbed. Larger turtles such as thesea turtles have large, broad flippers which it uses to glide itself through the waters. Pond turtles have a very agile neck and can fold it into its shell in an 'S' shape. A sea turtle cannot do this.
The shell is covered with scutes, scales that are made of keratin (the same protein that our fingernails are made of and the horn of a rhino).
The Order Testudines includes both extant (living) and extinct species, the earliest turtles being known from around 250 million years ago, making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups and a much more ancient group than the lizards and snakes. About 300 species are alive today. Some are highly endangered. Turtles, like other reptiles, are ectothermic or cold-blooded, which means that their body temperature changes with their surroundings.
Turtles vary in size depending on species. Sea or Marine Turtles tend to be the larger ones when compared to pond or land turtles.
Turtles are capable of retracting their head and limbs inside of the shells for protection and also to sleep. Turtles have no teeth, however, they have a beak which they are born with. Just like Tortoises, they have no external ears, just two small holes on the sides of their heads. Their nostrils are located near the top of their heads, therefore, allowing them to breath near the water surface without having to lift the heads out of the water.
Pond turtles have small, flat feet that are webbed. Larger turtles such as thesea turtles have large, broad flippers which it uses to glide itself through the waters. Pond turtles have a very agile neck and can fold it into its shell in an 'S' shape. A sea turtle cannot do this.
The royal penguin is a medium to large sized species of penguin that is found inhabiting the freezing waters that surround the Antarctic continent. The royal penguin is best known for the yellow feathers than grow from it's forehead to the back of it's head and are not to be confused with the macaroni penguin which they are closely related to.Like other penguin species, the royal penguin spends the majority of it's life hunting out at sea and are usually found in the nutrient rich waters that surround Antarctica. However, royal penguins are known to only breed on Macquarie Island, a rocky south-western Pacific island that lies roughly half way between New Zealandand Antarctica.
Until recently, the royal penguin and the macaroni penguin where thought to be the same species but there are a number of distinct differences between the two. Royal penguins have white chins and faces, where the face of the macaroni penguin is black. Royal penguins also breed exclusively on Macquarie Island, a place inhabited by no other penguin species.
All penguins are fantastic swimmers and the royal penguin is no exception. Royal penguins use their powerful flippers and streamlined bodies, aided by their webbed feet to soar through the water and are able to reach speeds of nearly 20mph. Royal penguins also dive to depths of up to 150m in order to catch food, with dives usually lasting for a few minutes.
The royal penguin is a carnivorous animal, that like all other penguin species, survives on a diet that is only comprised of marine animals. Krill and small crustaceans make up the bulk of the royal penguin's diet along with larger organisms including squid and various species of fish. Royal penguins can be at sea for days at a time whilst hunting.
The royal penguin has no natural land-based predators due to the fact that royal penguins inhabit pretty harsh environments. Large leopard seals hunt the royal penguin in the water along with large sharks and killer whales. Royal penguin population have also been seriously affected by human hunting for the oil found in their feathers.
Royal penguins nest on beaches or on bare areas on slopes covered with vegetation along the island's coast. Royal penguins are colonial birds, nesting in scrapes on the ground up to a mile inland (these sites are known as rookeries). The female royal penguin lays two eggs which are incubated for 35 days. The chicks leave the nest after a couple of months returning when they are 5 to 6 years old to begin breeding themselves.
The Baboon is a medium to large sized species of Old World Monkey that is found in a variety of different habitats throughout Africa and in parts of Arabia. There are five different species of Baboon which are the Olive Baboon, the Guinea Baboon, the Chacma Baboon, the Yellow Baboon and the Hamadryas Baboon which differs most from the others wide it's bright red face and cliff-dwelling lifestyle (the other four species are collectively known as Savanna Baboons). However, there is some debate over the classification of the different species due to the fact that some have been known to interbreed, indicating that they could be sub-species instead. Baboons are incredibly sociable and intelligent animals that are known to form close bonds with other members of the troop that often last for life. They are also incredibly adaptable animals but their population numbers are declining throughout their natural range primarily due to hunting and habitat loss.
Baboons are large and powerfully built monkeys that spend most of their time on the ground. They have large heads with a long, dog-like muzzle and cheek-pouches for storing food with a heavy brow ridge protecting their eyes. Males are often twice the size of females and have fearsomely sharp canines that help them to defend the troop from danger, but their exact size depends on the species with the Chacma Baboon being the largest while the Guinea Baboon is the smallest species. Baboons have wild-looking fur with a longer mane that extends over the shoulders and hairless patches on their faces and rumps which are padded with hard skin. Their colour varies from olive-green to yellow, silver and brown depending on the species. They also have a distinctive bend towards the base of their long tails.
Dog
The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term encompasses both feral and pet varieties and is also sometimes used to describe wild canids of other subspecies or species. The domestic dog has been one of the most widely kept working and companion animals in human history, as well as being a food source in some cultures. There are estimated to be 400 million dogs in the world.
The dog has developed into hundreds of varied breeds. Height measured to the withers ranges from a few inches in the Chihuahua to a few feet in the Irish Wolfhound; color varies from white through grays (usually called blue) to black, and browns from light (tan) to dark ("red" or "chocolate") in a wide variation of patterns; and, coats can be very short to many centimeters long, from coarse hair to something akin to wool, straight or curly, or smooth.
The English word dog can be traced back to the Old English docga, a "powerful breed of canine". It is only attested since the early 16th century, and of uncertain further origin. The most probable source is Germanic *dukk?n, represented in Old English finger-docce 'finger-muscle', and some German and Old Norse words with meanings 'doll, small block, strong, round', which may have been applied to pups of a strong breed of dogs.
The English word hound is a cognate of German Hund, Dutch hond, common Scandinavian hund, Icelandic hundur which, though referring to a specific breed group in English, means "dog" in general in the other Germanic languages. Hound itself is derived from the Proto-Indo-European *kwon-, which is the direct root of the Greek ???? (ku?n) and the indirect root of the Latin canis through the variant form *kani-.
In breeding circles, a male canine is referred to as a dog, while a female canine is called a bitch. The father of a litter is called the sire, and the mother of a litter is called the dam. Offspring are generally called pups or puppies until they are about a year old. A group of offspring is a litter. The process of birth is whelping. Many terms are used for dogs that are not purebred.
The English word dog, in common usage, refers to the domestic pet dog, Canis lupus familiaris. The species was originally classified as Canis familiaris and "Canis familiarus domesticus" by Linnaeus in 1758 . In 1993, dogs were reclassified as a subspecies of the gray wolf, Canis lupus, by the Smithsonian Institution and the American Society of Mammalogists. "Dog" is sometimes used to refer collectively to any mammal belonging to the family Canidae (as in "the dog family"), such as wolves, foxes, and coyotes. Some members of the family have "dog" in their common names, such as the Raccoon Dog and the African Wild Dog. A few animals have "dog" in their common names but are not canids, such as the prairie dog.
Based on DNA evidence, the wolf ancestors of modern dogs diverged from other wolves about 100,000 years ago, and dogs were domesticated from those wolf ancestors about 15,000 years ago. This date would make dogs the first species to be domesticated by humans.
Evidence suggests that dogs were first domesticated in East Asia, possibly China, and some of the peoples who entered North America took dogs with them from Asia.
As humans migrated around the planet, a variety of dog forms migrated with them. The agricultural revolution and subsequent urban revolution led to an increase in the dog population and a demand for specialization. These circumstances would provide the opportunity for selective breeding to create specialized working dogs and pets.
Molecular systematics indicate that the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) descends from one or more populations of wild wolves (Canis lupus). As reflected in the nomenclature, dogs are descended from the wolf and are able to interbreed with wolves.
The relationship between human and canine has deep roots. Converging archaeological and genetic evidence indicate a time of domestication in the late Upper Paleolithic close to the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary, between 17,000 and 14,000 years ago. Fossil bone morphologies and genetic analysis of current and ancient dog and wolf populations have not yet been able to conclusively determine whether all dogs descend from a single domestication event, or whether dogs were domesticated independently in more than one location. Domesticated dogs may have interbred with local populations of wild wolves on several occasions (a process known in genetics as introgression).
The earliest dog fossils, two crania from Russia and a mandible from Germany, date from 13,000 to 17,000 years ago. Their likely ancestor is the large northern Holarctic wolf, Canis lupus lupus. Remains of smaller dogs from Mesolithic (Natufian) cave deposits in the Middle East, dated to around 12,000 years ago, have been interpreted as descendants of a lighter Southwest Asian wolf, Canis lupus Arabs. Rock art and skeletal remains indicate that by 14,000 years ago, dogs were present from North Africa across Eurasia to North America. Dog burials at the Mesolithic cemetery of Svaerdborg in Denmark suggest that in ancient Europe dogs were valued companions.
Genetic analyses have so far yielded divergent results. Vil�, Savolainen, and colleagues (1997) concluded that the ancestors of dogs split off from other wolves between 75,000 and 135,000 years ago, while a subsequent analysis by Savolainen et al. (2002) indicated a "common origin from a single gene pool for all dog populations" between 40,000 and 15,000 years ago in East Asia. Verginelli et al. (2005), however, suggest both sets of dates must be reevaluated in light of recent findings showing that poorly calibrated molecular clocks have systematically overestimated the age of geologically recent events. On balance, and in agreement with the archaeological evidence, 15,000 years ago is the most likely time for the wolf-dog divergence.
The Soviets have attempted to domesticate the fox, mentioned in the article Tame Silver Fox, and were able to do so in just nine generations, or less than a human lifetime. This also resulted in other changes, including color, which became black, white, or black and white. They also developed year-round breeding ability, curled-up tails, and droopy ears.
The rapidity of this change has suggested to researchers a scenario of the origin of the domestic dog. Primitive people lived on the edge of survival which involved occasional food shortages, and would not have taken wolf pups and made pets of them. However, wolves would raid garbage dumps near human habitations. Wolves have a flight distance which they keep between themselves and a threatening creature. When a dump was approached by humans, some wolves would run a greater distance from the dump than others. Those that ran the shortest distance would return first, and obtain the greatest amount of food.
This set up a selective breeding situation that resulted in a strain of wolves having shorter and shorter flight distances, until they were eventually comfortable near humans, having domesticated themselves, so to speak. At that point, they were tolerated by humans, so long as they were also useful, in such ways as catching rats or driving away other predators. In time, other uses, such as hunting, were found for them. The Farm Fox Experiment Evolution of Dogs
There are numerous dog breeds, with over 800 being recognized by various kennel clubs worldwide. Many dogs, especially outside the United States of America and Western Europe, belong to no recognized breed. A few basic breed types have evolved gradually during the domesticated dog's relationship with humans over the last 10,000 or more years, but all modern breeds are of relatively recent derivation. Many of these are the product of a deliberate process of artificial selection. Because of this, some breeds are highly specialized, and there is extraordinary morphological diversity across different breeds. Despite these differences, dogs are able to distinguish dogs from other kinds of animal.
The definition of a dog breed is a matter of some controversy. Depending on the size of the original founding population, closed gene pool breeds can have problems with inbreeding, specifically due to the founder effect. Dog breeders are increasingly aware of the importance of population genetics and of maintaining diverse gene pools. Health testing and new DNA tests can help avoid problems, by providing a replacement for natural selection. Without selection, inbreeding and closed gene pools can increase the risk of severe health or behavioral problems. Some organizations define a breed more loosely, such that an individual may be considered of one breed as long as 75% of its parentage is of that breed. These considerations affect both pets and the show dogs entered in dog shows. Even prize-winning purebred dogs sometimes possess crippling genetic defects due to founder effect or inbreeding. These problems are not limited to purebred dogs and can affect cross-breed populations. The behavior and appearance of a dog of a particular breed can be predicted to a degree, while mixed-breed dogs show a broader range of innovative appearance and behavior.
Mixed-breed dogs or Mongrels (also called "mutts") are dogs that do not belong to specific breeds, being mixtures more than two in variant percentages. Mixed breed dogs and purebred dogs are both suitable as companions, pets, working dogs, or competitors in dog sports. Sometimes different breed dogs are deliberately bred, to create cross-breeds such as the Cockapoo, a mixture of Cocker Spaniel and Miniature Poodle. Such deliberate crosses may display some degree of hybrid vigor and other desirable traits, but may or may not inherit any of the desired traits of their parents, such as temperament or a particular color or coat. Without genetic testing of the parents, the crosses can end up inheriting genetic defects that occur in both parental breeds.
A breed is a group of animals that possesses a set of inherited characteristics that distinguishes it from other animals within the same species. Deliberately crossing two or more breeds is also a manner of establishing new breeds, but it is only a breed when offspring will reliably demonstrate that particular set of characteristics and qualities.
Breed popularity varies widely over time and in different parts of the world and different segments of the population. Counting by American Kennel Club (AKC) registration (not by licensing registration or by United Kennel Club (UKC) registration, which could present different statistics), the Labrador Retriever has been the United States's most commonly registered breed of dog since 1991. However, even within parts of the United States, popularity varies; for example, in 2005 the most-registered breed in New York City was the Poodle while the Yorkshire Terrier was the second-most-registered breed in Houston. However, animal shelters in many parts of the United States report that the most-commonly available dog for adoption is the American Pit Bull Terrier or pit bull-type mixes, making up as much as 20% of dogs available for adoption, none of which would be registered with the AKC. Two decades ago, in 1983, the AKC's top two registered breeds were the American Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle.
The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term encompasses both feral and pet varieties and is also sometimes used to describe wild canids of other subspecies or species. The domestic dog has been one of the most widely kept working and companion animals in human history, as well as being a food source in some cultures. There are estimated to be 400 million dogs in the world.
The dog has developed into hundreds of varied breeds. Height measured to the withers ranges from a few inches in the Chihuahua to a few feet in the Irish Wolfhound; color varies from white through grays (usually called blue) to black, and browns from light (tan) to dark ("red" or "chocolate") in a wide variation of patterns; and, coats can be very short to many centimeters long, from coarse hair to something akin to wool, straight or curly, or smooth.
The English word dog can be traced back to the Old English docga, a "powerful breed of canine". It is only attested since the early 16th century, and of uncertain further origin. The most probable source is Germanic *dukk?n, represented in Old English finger-docce 'finger-muscle', and some German and Old Norse words with meanings 'doll, small block, strong, round', which may have been applied to pups of a strong breed of dogs.
The English word hound is a cognate of German Hund, Dutch hond, common Scandinavian hund, Icelandic hundur which, though referring to a specific breed group in English, means "dog" in general in the other Germanic languages. Hound itself is derived from the Proto-Indo-European *kwon-, which is the direct root of the Greek ???? (ku?n) and the indirect root of the Latin canis through the variant form *kani-.
In breeding circles, a male canine is referred to as a dog, while a female canine is called a bitch. The father of a litter is called the sire, and the mother of a litter is called the dam. Offspring are generally called pups or puppies until they are about a year old. A group of offspring is a litter. The process of birth is whelping. Many terms are used for dogs that are not purebred.
The English word dog, in common usage, refers to the domestic pet dog, Canis lupus familiaris. The species was originally classified as Canis familiaris and "Canis familiarus domesticus" by Linnaeus in 1758 . In 1993, dogs were reclassified as a subspecies of the gray wolf, Canis lupus, by the Smithsonian Institution and the American Society of Mammalogists. "Dog" is sometimes used to refer collectively to any mammal belonging to the family Canidae (as in "the dog family"), such as wolves, foxes, and coyotes. Some members of the family have "dog" in their common names, such as the Raccoon Dog and the African Wild Dog. A few animals have "dog" in their common names but are not canids, such as the prairie dog.
Based on DNA evidence, the wolf ancestors of modern dogs diverged from other wolves about 100,000 years ago, and dogs were domesticated from those wolf ancestors about 15,000 years ago. This date would make dogs the first species to be domesticated by humans.
Evidence suggests that dogs were first domesticated in East Asia, possibly China, and some of the peoples who entered North America took dogs with them from Asia.
As humans migrated around the planet, a variety of dog forms migrated with them. The agricultural revolution and subsequent urban revolution led to an increase in the dog population and a demand for specialization. These circumstances would provide the opportunity for selective breeding to create specialized working dogs and pets.
Molecular systematics indicate that the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) descends from one or more populations of wild wolves (Canis lupus). As reflected in the nomenclature, dogs are descended from the wolf and are able to interbreed with wolves.
The relationship between human and canine has deep roots. Converging archaeological and genetic evidence indicate a time of domestication in the late Upper Paleolithic close to the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary, between 17,000 and 14,000 years ago. Fossil bone morphologies and genetic analysis of current and ancient dog and wolf populations have not yet been able to conclusively determine whether all dogs descend from a single domestication event, or whether dogs were domesticated independently in more than one location. Domesticated dogs may have interbred with local populations of wild wolves on several occasions (a process known in genetics as introgression).
The earliest dog fossils, two crania from Russia and a mandible from Germany, date from 13,000 to 17,000 years ago. Their likely ancestor is the large northern Holarctic wolf, Canis lupus lupus. Remains of smaller dogs from Mesolithic (Natufian) cave deposits in the Middle East, dated to around 12,000 years ago, have been interpreted as descendants of a lighter Southwest Asian wolf, Canis lupus Arabs. Rock art and skeletal remains indicate that by 14,000 years ago, dogs were present from North Africa across Eurasia to North America. Dog burials at the Mesolithic cemetery of Svaerdborg in Denmark suggest that in ancient Europe dogs were valued companions.
Genetic analyses have so far yielded divergent results. Vil�, Savolainen, and colleagues (1997) concluded that the ancestors of dogs split off from other wolves between 75,000 and 135,000 years ago, while a subsequent analysis by Savolainen et al. (2002) indicated a "common origin from a single gene pool for all dog populations" between 40,000 and 15,000 years ago in East Asia. Verginelli et al. (2005), however, suggest both sets of dates must be reevaluated in light of recent findings showing that poorly calibrated molecular clocks have systematically overestimated the age of geologically recent events. On balance, and in agreement with the archaeological evidence, 15,000 years ago is the most likely time for the wolf-dog divergence.
The Soviets have attempted to domesticate the fox, mentioned in the article Tame Silver Fox, and were able to do so in just nine generations, or less than a human lifetime. This also resulted in other changes, including color, which became black, white, or black and white. They also developed year-round breeding ability, curled-up tails, and droopy ears.
The rapidity of this change has suggested to researchers a scenario of the origin of the domestic dog. Primitive people lived on the edge of survival which involved occasional food shortages, and would not have taken wolf pups and made pets of them. However, wolves would raid garbage dumps near human habitations. Wolves have a flight distance which they keep between themselves and a threatening creature. When a dump was approached by humans, some wolves would run a greater distance from the dump than others. Those that ran the shortest distance would return first, and obtain the greatest amount of food.
This set up a selective breeding situation that resulted in a strain of wolves having shorter and shorter flight distances, until they were eventually comfortable near humans, having domesticated themselves, so to speak. At that point, they were tolerated by humans, so long as they were also useful, in such ways as catching rats or driving away other predators. In time, other uses, such as hunting, were found for them. The Farm Fox Experiment Evolution of Dogs
There are numerous dog breeds, with over 800 being recognized by various kennel clubs worldwide. Many dogs, especially outside the United States of America and Western Europe, belong to no recognized breed. A few basic breed types have evolved gradually during the domesticated dog's relationship with humans over the last 10,000 or more years, but all modern breeds are of relatively recent derivation. Many of these are the product of a deliberate process of artificial selection. Because of this, some breeds are highly specialized, and there is extraordinary morphological diversity across different breeds. Despite these differences, dogs are able to distinguish dogs from other kinds of animal.
The definition of a dog breed is a matter of some controversy. Depending on the size of the original founding population, closed gene pool breeds can have problems with inbreeding, specifically due to the founder effect. Dog breeders are increasingly aware of the importance of population genetics and of maintaining diverse gene pools. Health testing and new DNA tests can help avoid problems, by providing a replacement for natural selection. Without selection, inbreeding and closed gene pools can increase the risk of severe health or behavioral problems. Some organizations define a breed more loosely, such that an individual may be considered of one breed as long as 75% of its parentage is of that breed. These considerations affect both pets and the show dogs entered in dog shows. Even prize-winning purebred dogs sometimes possess crippling genetic defects due to founder effect or inbreeding. These problems are not limited to purebred dogs and can affect cross-breed populations. The behavior and appearance of a dog of a particular breed can be predicted to a degree, while mixed-breed dogs show a broader range of innovative appearance and behavior.
Mixed-breed dogs or Mongrels (also called "mutts") are dogs that do not belong to specific breeds, being mixtures more than two in variant percentages. Mixed breed dogs and purebred dogs are both suitable as companions, pets, working dogs, or competitors in dog sports. Sometimes different breed dogs are deliberately bred, to create cross-breeds such as the Cockapoo, a mixture of Cocker Spaniel and Miniature Poodle. Such deliberate crosses may display some degree of hybrid vigor and other desirable traits, but may or may not inherit any of the desired traits of their parents, such as temperament or a particular color or coat. Without genetic testing of the parents, the crosses can end up inheriting genetic defects that occur in both parental breeds.
A breed is a group of animals that possesses a set of inherited characteristics that distinguishes it from other animals within the same species. Deliberately crossing two or more breeds is also a manner of establishing new breeds, but it is only a breed when offspring will reliably demonstrate that particular set of characteristics and qualities.
Breed popularity varies widely over time and in different parts of the world and different segments of the population. Counting by American Kennel Club (AKC) registration (not by licensing registration or by United Kennel Club (UKC) registration, which could present different statistics), the Labrador Retriever has been the United States's most commonly registered breed of dog since 1991. However, even within parts of the United States, popularity varies; for example, in 2005 the most-registered breed in New York City was the Poodle while the Yorkshire Terrier was the second-most-registered breed in Houston. However, animal shelters in many parts of the United States report that the most-commonly available dog for adoption is the American Pit Bull Terrier or pit bull-type mixes, making up as much as 20% of dogs available for adoption, none of which would be registered with the AKC. Two decades ago, in 1983, the AKC's top two registered breeds were the American Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle.
Moving to a new home is one of life’s most stressful moments. This is true not only for the humans in the family, but also their pet companions. The sense of upheaval impacts our furry friends before, during and after the move.
The signs that an animal is under stress from a move “varies depending on the pet,” said Dr. Eric Tempel from the Animal Clinic of North Topeka. “Some animals are more sensitive than others.”
Some of the signs an animal is stressed out include:
■ Changes in behavior, such as hiding out more, acting fearful, or becoming more aggressive.
■ Diminished appetite.
■ Excessive grooming. Animals do this as a way of soothing their frayed nerves. Cats will sometimes pull hair out, and dogs may lick one spot until it becomes sore.
■ Inappropriate elimination. Sometimes animals who were once house broken no longer act that way. They don’t mean to misbehave. They are just fearful, and punishing them will only make the situation worse.
■ Obsessive-compulsive behavior, such as drinking a lot, vocalizing more, or excessive panting or pacing.
How to Help
As moving day approaches, the best way to keep your pet’s stress level low is by sticking to their regular daily routine. Continue to feed and walk them at their normal time. Plus, Dr. Tempel suggested, “Change their part of the home environment towards the end. Keep the stuff around that is familiar to them.”
Another good idea is to take your pet for a check-up. Make sure all vaccinations are up to date, and if the move is across state lines, owners need to get a health certificate from their vet and check out what vaccines are necessary in the new state. Dog owners should also check to be sure their pet’s breed is not banned in the new home area.
For a pet who is truly suffering from the stress, ask your vet about tranquilizers to help calm them down a bit. The vet can also provide medication for animal that experience motion sickness.
Perhaps the most important step is to make sure your pet has proper identification. The most common is a collar with an ID tag. Owners should be able to fit two fingers under the collar for a comfortable fit. Since cats jump and climb more than dogs, choose break-away collars for cats that slip-off easily if they get caught on something. Besides a tag, it is also a good idea to write your cell phone number on the actual collar material with a permanent marker incase the tag comes off.
While at the vet, consider having a microchip inserted into your pet. This small radio-frequency chip is the size of a grain of rice and injected just under the skin between the shoulder blades. Most shelters and veterinarians have scanners that can read the chip, which directs them to a central registry with the pet’s contact information. Microchip insertion is a relatively pain-free, five-minute procedure.
“A microchip is beneficial to any animal, especially if there is a risk of them getting loose or lost, as there would be during a move,” Dr. Tempel said. “The pet might flee, plus there are a lot of doors opening, which increases the risk of them getting loose.”
If the pet is not accustomed to riding in a car, drive them around town in the weeks before the move. Some may settle down after 10 to 20 minutes of driving, but others will continue to be agitated. Medication will help deal with the problem.
Moving Day
When the big day arrives, it is best to confine the pet to a quiet room in the house or inside a kennel at home to help them stay calm and keep them out from underfoot. The bathroom is a good choice since not much stuff needs to be moved out of that room. Place a sign on the door to remind everyone to keep the door closed. Another option is boarding the pet for a time at a kennel.
Bring along the pet’s regular food, water from the old home to help avoid diarrhea, the cat’s litter box, and their favorite blanket or a piece of clothing with the owner’s sent. For long-distance moves, look for pet-friendly hotels along the way, and check out the room before you let the animal loose. A frightened pet can crawl into spaces you would never think they could get in. The bathroom is often the best place to keep your pet for the night.
Once you arrive at the new home, continue to follow your pet’s normal routine as much as possible. Dogs usually adjust well as long as they are with their owner, but they may get stressed by the new noises or the new dogs on the other side of the fence. Cats adjust better if they are housed in a room all their own until they become familiar with the new space and sounds.
Pigeon
Pigeons and doves constitute the family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerine birds. In general parlance the terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably. In ornithological practice, there is a tendency for "dove" to be used for smaller species and "pigeon" for larger ones, but this is in no way consistently applied, and historically the common names for these birds involve a great deal of variation between the term "dove" and "pigeon." This family occurs worldwide, but the greatest variety is in the Indomalaya and Australasia ecozones. The young doves and pigeons are called "squabs."
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. The species commonly referred to just as the "pigeon" is the feral Rock Pigeon, common in many cities.
Their usually flimsy nests are made of sticks, and the two white eggs are incubated by both sexes. Doves feed on seeds, fruit and plants. Unlike most other birds (but see flamingo), the doves and pigeons produce "crop milk," which is secreted by a sloughing of fluid-filled cells from the lining of the crop. Both sexes produce this highly nutritious substance to feed to the young.
The pigeons and doves exhibit considerable variation in size. The largest species are the crowned pigeons of New Guinea, which can weigh up to 2000 g, the smallest species is the new World Common Ground-dove, which is the same size as a House Sparrow and weighs only 30g. The largest arboreal species are the imperial-pigeons like the New Caledonian Imperial-pigeon and the Kereru of New Zealand. Smaller species tend to be known as doves, and larger species as pigeons, but there is no taxonomic basis for distinguishing between the two.
Overall, the Columbidae tend to have short bills and legs, small heads on large compact bodies. The wings are large and have low wing loadings; pigeons have strong wing muscles (wing muscles comprise 31-44% of their body weight) and are amongst the strongest fliers of all birds. They are also highly manoeuvrable in flight.
The plumage of the family is variable. Granivorous species tend to have dull plumage, with a few exceptions, whereas the frugivorous species have brightly coloured plumage. The Ptilinopus fruit-doves are some of the brightest coloured pigeons, with the three endemic species of Fiji and the Indian Ocean Alectroenas being amongst the brightest coloured. Pigeons and doves may be sexually monochromatic or dichromatic. In addition to bright colours pigeons may sport crests or other ornamentation.
The pigeons and doves are distributed everywhere on Earth except for the driest areas of the Sahara Desert, Antarctica and its surrounding islands and the high Arctic. They have colonised most of the world's oceanic islands (with the notable exception of Hawaii), reaching eastern Polynesia and the Chatham Islands in the Pacific, Mauritius, the Seychelles and Reunion in the Indian Ocean, and the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean.
The family has adapted to most of the habitats available on the planet. The largest number of species are found in tropical forests and woodlands, where they may be arboreal, terrestrial or semi-terrestrial. Various species also inhabit savannas, grasslands, deserts, temperate woodlands and forests, mangrove forests, and even the barren sands and gravels of atolls.
Some species have large natural ranges. The Eared Dove ranges across the entirety of South America from Colombia to Tierra Del Fuego, the Eurasian Collared Dove has a massive (if discontinuous) distribution from Britain across Europe, the Middle East, India and China, and the Laughing Dove across most of sub-Saharan Africa as well as India and the Middle-east. Other species have a tiny restricted distribution, this is most common in island endemics. The Whistling Dove is endemic to the tiny island of Kadavu in Fiji, the Caroline Ground-dove is restricted to two islands, Truk and Pohnpei in the Caroline Islands and the Grenada Dove is restricted to Grenada in the Caribbean. Some continental species also have tiny distributions; for example the Black-banded Fruit-dove is restricted to a small area of the Arnhem Land of Australia, the Somali Pigeon is restricted to a tiny area of northern Somalia, and Bare-eyed Ground-dove is restricted to the area around Salta and Tucuman in northern Argentina.
The largest range of any species is that of the Rock Pigeon (formerly Rock Dove). The species had a large natural distribution from Britain and Ireland to northern Africa, across Europe, Arabia, Central Asia, India, the Himalayas and up into China and Mongolia. The range of the species increased dramatically upon domestication as the species went feral in cities around the world. The species is currently resident across most of North America, and has established itself in cities and urban areas in South America, sub-Saharan Africa, South East Asia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The species is not the only pigeon to have increased its range due to actions of man, several other species have become established outside of their natural range after escaping captivity, and other species have increased their natural ranges due to habitat changes caused by human activities.
Seeds and fruit form the major component of the diet of pigeons and doves. In fact, the family can be divided into the seed eating or granivorous species (subfamily Columbinae) and the fruit eating or frugivorous species (the other four subfamilies). The granivorous typically feed on seed found on the ground, whereas the species that feed on fruit and mast tend to feed in trees. There are morphological adaptations that can be used to distinguish between the two groups, granivorous species tend to have thick walls in the gizzards, whereas the frugivores tend to have thin walls. In addition fruit eating species have short intestines whereas those that eat seeds have longer ones. Frugivores are capable of clinging to branches and even hang upside down in order to reach fruit.
In addition to fruit and seeds a number of other food items are taken by many species. Some species, particularly the ground-doves and quail-doves take a large number of prey items such as insects and worms. One species, the Atoll Fruit-dove is specialised in taking insect and reptile prey. Snails, moths and other insects are taken by White-crowned Doves, Orange Doves and Ruddy Ground Doves.
This family is a highly coherent group with no members showing obvious links with other bird families, or vice versa. The dodo and solitaires are clearly related, as discussed below, but equally lacking in obvious links with other bird families. The limited fossil record also consists only of unequivocal Columbidae species. Links to the sandgrouse and parrots have been suggested, but resemblances to the first group are due to convergent evolution and the second depend on the parrot-like features of the Tooth-billed Pigeon. However, the distinctive features of that bird seem to have arisen from its specialized diet rather than a real relationship to the parrots.
The family is usually divided into five subfamilies, but this is probably inaccurate. For example, the American ground and quail doves which are usually placed in the Columbinae seem to be two distinct subfamilies. The order presented here follows Baptista et al. (1997) with some updates (Johnson & Clayton 2000, Johnson et al. 2001, Shapiro et al. 2002).
Note that the arrangement of genera and naming of subfamilies is in some cases provisional because analyzes of different DNA sequences yield results that differ, often radically, in the placement of certain (mainly Indo-Australian) genera. This ambiguity, probably caused by Long branch attraction, seems to confirm that the first pigeons evolved in the Australasian region, and that the "Treronidae" and allied forms (crowned and pheasant pigeons, for example) represent the earliest radiation of the group.
As the Dodo and Rodrigues Solitaire are in all likelihood part of the Indo-Australian radiation that produced the 3 small subfamilies mentioned above with the fruit-doves and -pigeons (including the Nicobar Pigeon), they are here included as a subfamily Raphinae, pending better material evidence of their exact relationships.
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in seventeen genera. They vary in size from 1.2 metres (4 ft) and 40 kilograms (88 lb) (Maui's Dolphin), up to 9.5 m (30 ft) and ten tonnes (the Orca or Killer Whale). They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating fish and squid. The family Delphinidae is the largest in the Cetacea, and relatively recent: dolphins evolved about ten million years ago, during the Miocene. Dolphins are considered to be amongst the most intelligent of animals and their often friendly appearance and seemingly playful attitude have made them popular in human culture.
The name is originally from Ancient Greek ?????? (delph�s; "dolphin"), which was related to the Greek ?????? (delphys; "womb"). The animal's name can therefore be interpreted as meaning "a 'fish' with a womb". The name was transmitted via the Latin delphinus, Middle Latin dolfinus and the Old French daulphin, which reintroduced the ph into the word.
The word is used in a few different ways. It can mean:
In this article, the second definition is used. Porpoises (suborder Odontoceti, family Phocoenidae) are thus not dolphins in this sense. Orcas and some closely related species belong to the Delphinidae family and therefore qualify as dolphins, even though they are called whales in common language. A group of dolphins can be called a "school" or a "pod". Male dolphins are called "bulls", females "cows" and young dolphins are called "calves".
Six species in the family Delphinidae are commonly called "whales" but are strictly speaking dolphins. They are sometimes called "blackfish".
In 1933, three abnormal dolphins were beached off the Irish coast; these appeared to be hybrids between Risso's Dolphin and the Bottlenose Dolphin. This mating has since been repeated in captivity and a hybrid calf was born. In captivity, a Bottlenose Dolphin and a Rough-toothed Dolphin produced hybrid offspring. A Common-Bottlenose hybrid lives at SeaWorld California and another one lives at Discovery Cove in Orlando. Various other dolphin hybrids have also been reported in the wild, such as a Bottlenose-Atlantic Spotted hybrid. The best known hybrid however is the Wolphin, a False Killer Whale-Bottlenose Dolphin hybrid. The Wolphin is a fertile hybrid, and two such Wolphins currently live at the Sea Life Park in Hawaii, the first having been born in 1985 from a male False Killer Whale and a female Bottlenose. Wolphins have also been observed in the wild.
Dolphins, along with whales and porpoises, are descendants of terrestrial mammals, most likely of the Artiodactyl order. The ancestors of the modern day dolphins entered the water roughly fifty million years ago, in the Eocene epoch.
Modern dolphin skeletons have two small, rod-shaped pelvic bones thought to be vestigial hind legs. In October 2006 an unusual Bottlenose Dolphin was captured in Japan; it had small fins on each side of its genital slit which scientists believe to be a more pronounced development of these vestigial hind legs.
Dolphins have a streamlined fusiform body, adapted for fast swimming. The tail fin, called the fluke, is used for propulsion, while the pectoral fins together with the entire tail section provide directional control. The dorsal fin, in those species that have one, provides stability while swimming.
Though it varies per species, basic colouration patterns are shades of grey usually with a lighter underside. It is often combined with lines and patches of different hue and contrast.
The head contains the melon, a round organ used for echolocation. In many species, the jaws are elongated, forming a distinct beak; for some species like the Bottlenose, there is a curved mouth which looks like a fixed smile. Teeth can be very numerous (up to two hundred and fifty) in several species. Dolphins breathe through a blowhole located on top of their head, with the trachea being anterior to the brain. The dolphin brain is large and highly complex and is different in structure from most land mammals.
Unlike most mammals, dolphins do not have hair, but they are born with a few hairs around the tip of their rostrum which they lose shortly after birth, in some cases even before they are born. The only exception to this is the Boto river dolphin, which does have some small hairs on the rostrum.
Their reproductive organs are located on the underside of the body. Males have two slits, one concealing the penis and one further behind for the anus. The female has one genital slit, housing the vagina and the anus. A mammary slit is positioned on either side of the female's genital slit.
Most dolphins have acute eyesight, both in and out of the water, and their sense of hearing is superior to that of humans. Though they have a small ear opening on each side of their head, it is believed that hearing underwater is also if not exclusively done with the lower jaw which conducts the sound vibrations to the middle ear via a fat-filled cavity in the lower jaw bone. Hearing is also used for echolocation, which seems to be an ability all dolphins have. It is believed that their teeth are arranged in a way that works as an array or antenna to receive the incoming sound and make it easier for them to pinpoint the exact location of an object. The dolphin's sense of touch is also well-developed, with free nerve endings being densely packed in the skin, especially around the snout, pectoral fins and genital area. However, dolphins lack an olfactory nerve and lobes and thus are believed to have no sense of smell, but they can taste and do show preferences for certain kinds of fish. Since dolphins spend most of their time below the surface normally, just tasting the water could act in a manner analogous to a sense of smell.
Though most dolphins do not have any hair, they do still have hair follicles and it is believed these might still perform some sensory function, though it is unclear what exactly this may be. The small hairs on the rostrum of the Boto river dolphin are believed to function as a tactile sense however, possibly to compensate for the Boto's poor eyesight.
Dolphins are often regarded as one of Earth's most intelligent animals, though it is hard to say just how intelligent dolphins are, as comparisons of species' relative intelligence are complicated by differences in sensory apparatus, response modes, and nature of cognition. Furthermore, the difficulty and expense of doing experimental work with large aquatics means that some tests which could yield meaningful results still have not been carried out, or have been carried out with inadequate sample size and methodology. Dolphin behaviour has been studied extensively by humans however, both in captivity and in the wild. See the cetacean intelligence article for more details.
Dolphins are social, living in pods (also called "schools") of up to a dozen individuals. In places with a high abundance of food, pods can join temporarily, forming an aggregation called a superpod; such groupings may exceed a thousand dolphins. The individuals communicate using a variety of clicks, whistles and other vocalizations. They also use ultrasonic sounds for echolocation. Membership in pods is not rigid; interchange is common. However, the cetaceans can establish strong bonds between each other. This leads to them staying with injured or ill individuals, even actively helping them to breathe by bringing them to the surface if needed. This altruistic behaviour does not appear to be limited to their own species however. A dolphin in New Zealand that goes by the name of Moko has been observed to seemingly help guide a female Pygmy Sperm Whale together with her calf out of shallow water where they had stranded several times. They have also been known to seemingly protect swimmers from sharks by swimming circles around them.
Dolphins also show cultural behaviour, something long believed to be a quality unique to humans. In May 2005, a discovery was made in Australia which shows this cultural aspect of dolphin behaviour: Some dolphins, such as the Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) teach their young to use tools. The dolphins break sponges off and cover their snouts with them thus protecting their snouts while foraging. This knowledge of how to use a tool is mostly transferred from mothers to daughters, unlike simian primates, where the knowledge is generally passed on to both sexes. The technology to use sponges as mouth protection is not genetically inherited but a taught behaviour. Another such behaviour was discovered amongst river dolphins in Brazil, where some male dolphins apparently use objects such as weeds and sticks as part of a sexual display.
Dolphins are known to engage in acts of aggression towards each other. The older a male dolphin is, the more likely his body is covered with scars ranging in depth from teeth marks made by other dolphins. It is suggested that male dolphins engage in such acts of aggression for the same reasons as humans: disputes between companions or even competition for other females. Acts of aggression can become so intense that targeted dolphins are known to go into exile, leaving their communities as a result of losing a fight with other dolphins.
Male Bottlenose Dolphins have been known to engage in infanticide. Dolphins have also been known to kill porpoises for reasons which are not fully understood, as porpoises generally do not share the same fish diet as dolphins and are therefore not competitors for food supplies.
Dolphin copulation happens belly to belly and though many species engage in lengthy foreplay, the actual act is usually only brief, but may be repeated several times within a short timespan. The gestation period varies per species; for the small Tucuxi dolphin, this period is around 11 to 12 months, while for the Orca the gestation period is around 17 months. They usually become sexually active at a young age, even before reaching sexual maturity. The age at which sexual maturity is reached varies per species and gender.
Dolphins are known to have sex for reasons other than reproduction, sometimes also engaging in acts of a homosexual nature. Various dolphin species have been known to engage in sexual behaviour with other dolphin species, this also having resulted in various hybrid dolphin species as mentioned earlier. Sexual encounters may be violent, with male dolphins sometimes showing aggressive behaviour towards both females and other male dolphins. Occasionally, dolphins will also show sexual behaviour towards other animals, including humans.
Various methods of feeding exist, not just between species but also within a species. Various methods may be employed, some techniques being used by only a single dolphin population. Fish and squid are the main source of food for most dolphin species, but the False Killer Whale and the Killer Whale also feed on other marine mammals.
One feeding method employed by many species is herding, where a pod will control a school of fish while individual members take turns plowing through the school, feeding. The tightly packed school of fish is commonly known as a bait ball. Coralling is a method where fish are chased to shallow water where they are more easily captured. In South Carolina, the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin takes this one step further with what has become known as strand feeding, where the fish are driven onto mud banks and retrieved from there. In some places, Orcas will also come up to the beach to capture sea lions. Some species also whack fish with their fluke, stunning them and sometimes sending fish clear out of the water.
Reports of cooperative human-dolphin fisheries date back to the ancient Roman author and natural philosopher Pliny the Elder. A modern human-dolphin fishery still takes place in Laguna, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Here, dolphins drive fish towards fishermen waiting along the shore and give them a signal when they can cast their nets. The dolphins then feed off the fish that manage to escape the nets.
Dolphins are capable of making a broad range of sounds using nasal airsacs located just below the blowhole. Roughly three categories of sounds can be identified however; frequency modulated sounds which are usually just called whistles; burst-pulsed sounds and clicks. Whistles are used by dolphins to communicate, though the nature and extent of their ability to communicate in this way is not known. Research has shown however that at least some dolphin species are capable of sending identity information to each other using a signature whistle; a whistle that refers specifically to the identity of a certain dolphin. The burst-pulsed sounds are also used for communication, but again the nature and extent of communication possible this way is not known. The clicks are directional and used by dolphins for echolocation and are often in a short series called a click train, the rate increasing when approaching an object of interest. Dolphin echolocation clicks are amongst the loudest sounds made by animals in the sea.
Dolphins occasionally leap above the water surface, sometimes performing acrobatic figures (e.g. the Spinner Dolphin). Scientists are not always quite certain about the purpose of this behaviour and the reason for it may vary; it could be to locate schools of fish by looking at above-water signs like feeding birds, they could be communicating to other dolphins to join a hunt, attempting to dislodge parasites, or simply doing it for fun.
Play is a fairly important part of dolphins' lives, and they can be observed playing with seaweed or play-fighting with other dolphins. At times they also harass other local creatures, like seabirds and turtles. Dolphins also seem to enjoy riding waves and frequently 'surf' coastal swells and the bow waves of boats. Occasionally, they're also willing to playfully interact with human swimmers.
Because dolphins need to come up to the surface to breathe and have to be alert for possible predators, they do not sleep in the same way land mammals do. Generally, dolphins sleep with only one brain hemisphere in slow-wave sleep at a time, thus maintaining some amount of consciousness required to breathe and keeping one eye open to keep a watch out for possible threats. The earlier stages of sleep can be observed in both hemispheres of the brain, however.
However, in captivity, dolphins have been observed to seemingly enter a fully asleep state where both eyes are closed and the animal does not respond to mild external stimuli, respiration being automatic with a tail kick reflex keeping the blowhole above the water. If not needed to keep the blowhole above the water, the tail kick reflex may subside. Dolphins kept unconscious using anesthetics initially show a similar tail kick reflex. Though a similar state has been observed with wild Sperm Whales, it is not known if this state is ever reached in the wild amongst any dolphin species.
Except for mankind (discussed below), dolphins have few natural enemies, some species or specific populations having none at all making them apex predators. For most smaller species of dolphins, only a few larger species of shark such as the bull shark, dusky shark, tiger shark and great white shark are a potential risk, especially for calves. Some of the larger dolphin species such as Orcas may also prey on some of the smaller dolphin species, but this seems rare. Dolphins may also suffer from a wide variety of diseases and parasites.
Some dolphin species face an uncertain future, especially some of the river dolphin species such as the Amazon River Dolphin, and the Ganges and Yangtze River Dolphin, all of which are critically or seriously endangered. A 2006 survey found no individuals of the Yangtze River Dolphin, leading to the conclusion that the species is now functionally extinct.
Contamination of environment - the oceans, seas, and rivers - is an issue of concern, especially pesticides, heavy metals, plastics, and other industrial and agricultural pollutants which do not disintegrate rapidly in the environment are reducing dolphin populations, and resulting in dolphins building up unusually high levels of contaminants. Injuries or deaths due to collisions with boats, especially their propellers, are also common.
Sheep
Domestic sheep (Ovis aries) are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are even-toed ungulates, also commonly called cloven-hoofed animals. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries. Domestic sheep are the most numerous species in their genus, and are most likely descended from the wild mouflon of Europe and Asia.
One of the earliest animals to be domesticated for agricultural purposes, sheep are primarily valued for their fleece and meat. A sheep's wool is the most widely used of any animal, and is typically harvested by shearing. Ovine meat is called lamb when from younger animals and mutton when from older ones. They continue to be important for wool and meat today, and are also occasionally raised for pelts, as dairy animals, or as model organisms for science.
Sheep husbandry is practised throughout the inhabited world, and has played a pivotal role in many civilizations. In the modern era, Australia, New Zealand, Patagonian nations, and the United Kingdom are most closely associated with sheep production. Sheep-raising has a large lexicon of unique terms which vary considerably by region and dialect. Use of the word sheep began in Middle English as a derivation of the Old English word sc?ap; it is both the singular and plural name for the animal. A group of sheep is called a flock, herd or mob. Adult female sheep are referred to as ewes, intact males as rams, castrated males as wethers, and younger sheep as lambs. Many other specific terms for the various life stages of sheep exist, generally related to lambing, shearing, and age.
Being a key animal in the history of farming, sheep have a deeply entrenched place in human culture, and find representation in much modern language and symbology. As livestock, sheep are most-often associated with pastoral, Arcadian imagery. Sheep figure in many mythologies�such as the Golden Fleece�and major religions, especially the Abrahamic traditions. In both ancient and modern religious ritual, sheep are used as sacrificial animals. In contemporary English language usage, people who are timid, easily led, or stupid are often compared to sheep.
Etymologically, the word modern English language speakers now use to denote ovines is derived from the Old English term sc?ap, which is akin to the Old High German sc?f and probably ultimately originated from Proto-Germanic or Gothic. Before 1200 AD, English spelling preferred scheap, and the shift to the currently used spelling did not occur until about 1280.
The word ram derives from the Old English rom (dated to 725) and subsequently ramm (in use before 1325). The word has always been closely associated with implements used in the application of force, such as the battering ram or the weight of a pile driver, but its earliest usage is in reference to male sheep. Before 1300, ewe was usually written as ouwe, and it stems from the Old English ?owu. Lamb is thought to be the oldest ovine term still used in an unchanged form; its first appearance is in 858. It sprang from the Old English lomb (dated to 725), and the verb form is first recorded from 1611.
Domestic sheep are relatively small ruminants, typically with horns forming a lateral spiral and crimped hair called wool. Domestic sheep differ from their wild relatives and ancestors in several respects, having become uniquely neotenic as a result of man's influence. A few primitive breeds of sheep retain some of the characteristics of their wild cousins, such as short tails. Depending on breed, domestic sheep may have no horns at all (polled), or horns in both sexes (as in wild sheep), or in males only. Most horned breeds have a single pair.
Another trait unique to sheep are their wide variation in color. Wild sheep are largely variations of brown hues. Colors of domestic sheep range from pure white to dark chocolate brown and even spotted or piebald. Selection for easily dyeable white fleeces began early in sheep domestication, and as white wool is a dominant trait it spread quickly. However, colored sheep do appear in many modern breeds, and may even appear as a recessive trait in white flocks. While white wool is desirable for large commercial markets, there is a niche market for colored fleeces, mostly for handspinning.
Depending on breed, sheep show a range of heights and weights. Their rate of growth and mature weight is a heritable trait that is often selected for in breeding. Ewes typically weigh between 100 and 225 pounds (45�100 kg), with the larger rams between 100 and 350 pounds (45�160 kg). Mature sheep have 32 teeth (dental formula: I:0/4 C:0/0 P:3/3 M:3/3). As with other ruminants, the eight incisors are in the lower jaw and bite against a hard, toothless pad in the upper jaw; picking off vegetation. There are no canines, instead there is a large gap between the incisors and the premolars. Until the age of four (when all the adult teeth have erupted), it is possible to see the age of sheep from their front teeth, as a pair of incisors erupts each year.
The front teeth are gradually lost as sheep age, making it harder for them to feed and hindering the health and productivity of the animal. For this reason, domestic sheep on normal pasture begin to slowly decline from four years on, and the average life expectancy of a sheep is 10 to 12 years, though some sheep may live as long as 20 years.
Sheep have good hearing, and are sensitive to noise when being handled. Sheep have horizontal slit-shaped pupils, possessing excellent peripheral vision; with visual fields of approximately 270� to 320�, sheep can see behind themselves without turning their heads. However, sheep have poor depth perception; shadows and dips in the ground may cause sheep to balk. In general, sheep have a tendency to move out of the dark and into well-lit areas. Sheep also have an excellent sense of smell, and�like all species of their genus�have scent glands just in front of the eyes, and interdigitally on the feet. The purpose of these glands is uncertain, but those on the face may be used in breeding behaviors. The interdigital glands might also be used in reproduction, but alternative reasons, such as secretion of a waste product or a scent marker to help lost sheep find their flock, have also been proposed.
Sheep and goats are closely related (both are in the subfamily Caprinae), and it can be difficult to distinguish them by their appearance. However, they are separate species, so hybrids rarely occur, and are always infertile. A hybrid of a ewe and a buck (a male goat) is called a sheep-goat hybrid, and is not to be confused with the genetic chimera called a geep. Visual differences between sheep and goats include the beard and divided upper lip unique to goats. Sheep tails also hang down, even when short or docked, while the tails of goats are held upwards. Sheep breeds are also often naturally polled (either in both sexes or just in the female), while naturally polled goats are rare (though many are polled artificially). Males of the two species differ in that buck goats acquire a unique and strong odor during the rut, whereas rams do not.
The domestic sheep is a multi-purpose animal, and the more than 200 breeds now in existence were created to serve these diverse purposes. Some sources give a count of a thousand or more breeds, but these numbers cannot be verified. Almost all sheep are classified as being best suited to furnishing a certain product: wool, meat, milk, hides, or a combination in a dual-purpose breed. Other features used when classifying sheep include face color (generally white or black), tail length, presence or lack of horns, and the topography for which the breed has been developed. This last point is especially stressed in the UK, where breeds are described as either upland (hill or mountain) or lowland breeds. A sheep may also be of a fat-tailed breed, which is a dual-purpose sheep common in Africa and Asia with larger deposits of fat within its tail.
Breeds are also grouped based on how well they are suited to producing a certain type of breeding stock. Generally, sheep are thought to be either "ewe breeds" or "ram breeds". Ewe breeds are those that are hardy, and have good reproductive and mothering capabilities�they are for replacing breeding ewes in standing flocks. Ram breeds are selected for rapid growth and carcass quality, and are mated with ewe breeds to produce meat lambs. Lowland and upland breeds are also crossed in this fashion, with the hardy hill ewes crossed with larger, fast-growing lowland rams to produce ewes called mules, which can then be crossed with meat-type rams to produce prime market lambs. Many breeds, especially rare or primitive ones, fall into no clear category.
Breeds are categorized by the type of their wool. Fine wool breeds are those that have wool of great crimp and density, which are preferred for textiles. Most of these were derived from Merino sheep, and the breed continues to dominate the world sheep industry. The record for the most valuable sheep belongs to an Australian Merino ram that was sold for $16,000 AUD. Medium wool breeds have wool between the extremes, and are typically fast-growing meat and ram breeds with dark faces. Some major medium wool breeds, such as the Corriedale, are dual-purpose crosses of long and fine-wooled breeds and were created for high-production commercial flocks. Long wool breeds are the largest of sheep, with long wool and a slow rate of growth. Long wool sheep are most valued for crossbreeding to improve the attributes of other sheep types. For example: the American Columbia breed was developed by crossing Lincoln rams (a long wool breed) with fine-wooled Rambouillet ewes.
Coarse or carpet wool sheep are those with a medium to long length wool of characteristic coarseness. Breeds traditionally used for carpet wool show great variability, but the chief requirement is a wool that will not break down under heavy use (as would that of the finer breeds). As the demand for carpet-quality wool declines, some breeders of this type of sheep are attempting to use a few of these traditional breeds for alternative purposes. Others have always been primarily meat-class sheep.
A minor class of sheep are the dairy breeds. Dual-purpose breeds that may primarily be meat or wool sheep are often used secondarily as milking animals, but there are a few breeds that are predominantly used for milking. These sheep do produce a higher quantity of milk and have slightly longer lactation curves. In the quality of their milk, fat and protein content percentages of dairy sheep vary from non-dairy breeds but lactose content does not.
A last group of sheep breeds is that of fur or hair sheep, which do not grow wool at all. Hair sheep are similar to the early domesticated sheep kept before woolly breeds were developed, and are raised for meat and pelts. Some modern breeds of hair sheep, such as the Dorper, result from crosses between wooled and hair breeds. For meat and hide producers, hair sheep are cheaper to keep, as they do not need shearing. Hair sheep are also resistant to parasites and hot weather.
With the modern rise of corporate agribusiness and the decline of localized family farms, many breeds of sheep are in danger of extinction. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust of the UK lists 25 native breeds as having only 3,000 registered animals, and the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy lists 14 as having fewer than 10,000. Preferences for breeds with uniform characteristics and fast growth have pushed heritage (or heirloom) breeds to the margins of the sheep industry. Those that remain are maintained through the efforts of conservation organizations, breed registries, and individual farmers dedicated to their preservation.
Sheep are exclusively herbivorous mammals. Like all ruminants, sheep have a complex digestive system composed of four chambers, allowing them to break down cellulose from stems, leaves, and seed hulls into simpler carbohydrates. When sheep graze, vegetation is chewed into a mass called a bolus, which is then passed into the first chamber: the rumen. The rumen is a 5- to 10-gallon (19�38 l) organ which ferments feed via a symbiotic relationship with the bacteria, protozoa, and yeasts of the gut flora. The bolus is periodically regurgitated back to the mouth as cud for additional chewing and salivation. Cud chewing is an adaptation allowing ruminants to graze more quickly in the morning, and then fully chew and digest feed later in the day. This is beneficial as grazing, which requires lowering the head, leaves sheep vulnerable to predators, while cud chewing does not.
During fermentation, the rumen produces gas that must be expelled; disturbances of the organ, such as sudden changes in a sheep's diet, can cause potentially fatal conditions such as bloat. After fermentation in the rumen, feed passes in to the reticulum and the omasum; special feeds such as grains may bypass the rumen altogether. Following the first three chambers, food moves in to the abomasum for final digestion before processing by the intestines. The abomasum is the only one of the three chambers analogous to the human stomach (being the only one that absorbs nutrients for use as energy), and is sometimes called the "true stomach".
Sheep follow a diurnal pattern of activity, feeding from dawn to dusk, stopping sporadically to rest and chew their cud. Ideal pasture for sheep is not lawn-like grass, but an array of grasses, legumes and forbs. Types of land where sheep are raised vary widely, from pastures that are seeded and improved intentionally to rough, native lands. Common plants toxic to sheep are present in most of the world, and include (but are not limited to) oak and acorns, tomato, yew, rhubarb, potato, and rhododendron.
Sheep are largely grazing herbivores, unlike browsing animals such as goats and deer that prefer taller foliage. With a much narrower face, sheep crop plants very close to the ground and can overgraze a pasture much faster than cattle. For this reason, many shepherds use managed grazing, where a flock is rotated through multiple pastures, giving plants time to recover. Paradoxically, sheep can both cause and solve the spread of invasive plant species. By disturbing the natural state of pasture, sheep and other livestock can pave the way for invasive plants. However, sheep also prefer to eat invasives such as cheatgrass, leafy spurge, kudzu and spotted knapweed over native species such as sagebrush, making grazing sheep an effective way of restoring native pastures.
Other than forage, the other staple feed for sheep is hay, often during the winter months. The ability to thrive solely on pasture (even without hay) varies with breed, but all sheep can survive on this diet. Also included in most sheep's diets are minerals, either in a trace mix or in licks.
Naturally, a constant source of potable water is also a fundamental requirement for sheep. The amount of water needed by sheep fluctuates with the season and the type and quality of the food they consume. When sheep feed on large amounts of new growth and there is precipitation (including dew, as sheep are dawn feeders), sheep need less water. When sheep are confined or are eating large amounts of cured hay, more water is typically needed. Sheep also require clean water, and may refuse to drink water that is covered in scum or algae.
Sheep are one of the few livestock animals raised for meat today that have never been widely kept in an intensive, confined animal feeding operation. Although there is a growing movement advocating alternative farming styles, a large percentage of beef cattle, pigs, and poultry are still produced under such conditions. In contrast, only a few specific categories of sheep are regularly given high-concentration grain feed, much less kept in confinement. Where there is not enough pasture available or the pasture is not rich enough, sheep producers may fatten market lambs before slaughter (called "finishing"), sometimes in feedlots. Many sheep breeders flush ewes and rams with grain during breeding to increase fertility. Ewes are also flushed during pregnancy to increase birth weights, as 70% of a lamb's growth occurs in the last five to six weeks of gestation. Otherwise, only lactating ewes and especially old or infirm sheep are commonly provided with grain. Feed provided to sheep must be specially formulated, as most cattle, poultry, pig, and even some goat feeds contain levels of copper that are lethal to sheep. The same danger applies to mineral supplements such as salt licks.
Sheep are prey animals with a strong gregarious instinct, and a majority of sheep behaviors can be understood in these terms. The dominance hierarchy of Ovis aries and its natural inclination to follow a leader to new pastures were the pivotal factors in it being one of the first domesticated livestock species. All sheep have a tendency to congregate close to other members of a flock, although this behavior varies with breed. Farmers exploit this behavior to keep sheep together on unfenced pastures and to move them more easily. Shepherds may also use sheepdogs in this effort, whose highly bred herding ability can assist in moving flocks. Sheep are also extremely food-oriented, and association of humans with regular feeding often results in sheep soliciting people for food. Those who are moving sheep may exploit this behavior by leading sheep with buckets of feed, rather than forcing their movements with herding.
In regions where sheep have no natural predators, none of the native breeds of sheep exhibit a strong flocking behavior. Sheep can also become hefted to one particular local pasture (heft) so they do not roam freely in unfenced landscapes. Ewes teach the heft to their lambs, and if whole flocks are culled it must be retaught to the replacement animals.
Flock dynamics in sheep are as a rule only exhibited in a group of four or more sheep. Fewer sheep may not react as normally expected when alone or with few other sheep. For sheep, the primary defense mechanism is simply to flee from danger when their flight zone is crossed. Secondly, cornered sheep may charge or threaten to do so through hoof stamping and aggressive posture. This is particularly true for ewes with newborn lambs.
In displaying flocking, sheep have a strong lead-follow tendency, and a leader often as not is simply the first sheep to move. However, sheep do establish a pecking order through physical displays of dominance. Dominant animals are inclined to be more aggressive with other sheep, and usually feed first at troughs. Primarily among rams, horn size is a factor in the flock hierarchy. Rams with different size horns may be less inclined to fight to establish pecking order, while rams with similarly sized horns are more so.
Sheep become highly stressed when separated from their flock members. Sheep can recognize individual human and ovine faces, and remember them for years. Relationships in flocks tend to be closest among related sheep: in mixed-breed flocks same-breed subgroups tend to form, and a ewe and her direct descendants often move as a unit within large flocks.
Sheep are frequently thought of as extremely stupid animals. A sheep's herd mentality and quickness to flee and panic in the face of stress often make shepherding a difficult endeavor for the uninitiated. Despite these perceptions, a University of Illinois monograph on sheep found them to be just below pigs and on par with cattle in IQ, and some sheep have shown problem-solving abilities; a flock in Yorkshire, England allegedly found a way to get over cattle grids by rolling on their backs, although documentation of this has relied on anecdotal accounts. In addition to long-term facial recognition of individuals, sheep can also differentiate emotional states through facial characteristics. If worked with patiently, sheep may learn their names, and many sheep are trained to be led by halter for showing and other purposes. Sheep have also responded well to clicker training. Very rarely, sheep are used as pack animals. Tibetan nomads distribute baggage equally throughout a flock as it is herded between living sites.
Chicken
The Chicken (Gallus gallus, sometimes G. gallus domesticus) is a domesticated fowl likely descended from the wild Indian and southeast Asian Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) and the related Grey Junglefowl (G. sonneratii). Traditionally it has been widely accepted that the chicken was descended solely from the former, as hybrids of both wild types tended toward sterility; but recent genetic work has revealed that the genotype for yellow skin present in the domestic fowl is not present in what is otherwise its closest kin, the Red Junglefowl. It is deemed most likely, then, that the yellow skin trait in domestic birds originated in the Grey Junglefowl.
The chicken is one of the most common and widespread domestic animals. With a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other bird. Humans keep chickens primarily as a source of food, with both their meat and their eggs consumed.
In the U.S.A., Canada and Australia, adult male chickens are known as roosters; in the UK they are known as cocks. Males under a year old are cockerels. Castrated roosters are called capons (though both surgical and chemical castration are now illegal in some parts of the world). Females over a year old are known as hens, and younger females are pullets. In Australia and New Zealand (also sometimes in Britain), there is a useful generic term chook (rhymes with "book") to describe all ages and both genders. Babies are called chicks, and the meat is called chicken.
"Chicken" was originally the word only for chicks, and the species as a whole was then called domestic fowl, or just fowl. This use of "chicken" survives in the phrase "Hen and Chickens," sometimes used as a UK pub or theatre name, and to name groups of one large and many small rocks or islands in the sea (see for example Hen and Chicken Islands).
Chickens in nature may live for five to eleven years depending on the breed. In commercial intensive farming, a meat Chicken generally lives only six weeks before slaughter. A free range or organic meat Chicken will usually be slaughtered at about 14 weeks. Hens of special laying breeds may produce as many as 300 eggs a year. After 12 months, the hen's egg-laying ability starts to decline, and commercial laying hens are then slaughtered and used in baby foods, pet foods, pies and other processed foods. The world's oldest Chicken, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, died of heart failure when she was 16 years.
Roosters can usually be differentiated from hens by their striking plumage, marked by long flowing tails and shiny, pointed feathers on their necks and backs (the hackles and saddle)�these are often colored differently from the hackles and saddles of females.
However, in some breeds, such as the Sebright, the cock has only slightly pointed neck feathers, the same colour as the hen's. The identification must be made by looking at the comb, or eventually from the development of spurs on the male's legs (in a few breeds and in certain hybrids the male and female chicks may be differentiated by colour). Adult Chickens have a fleshy crest on their heads called a comb or cockscomb, and hanging flaps of skin either side under their beaks called wattles. These organs help to cool the bird by redirecting blood flow to the skin. Both the adult male and female have wattles and combs, but in most breeds these are more prominent in males.
In the wild, chickens often scratch at the soil to search for seeds, insects and even larger animals such as lizards or young mice.
Domestic chickens are not capable of long distance flight, although lighter birds are generally capable of flying for short distances, such as over fences or into trees (where they would naturally roost). Chickens will sometimes fly to explore their surroundings, but usually do so only to flee perceived danger. Because of the risk of escape, chickens raised in open-air pens often have one of their wings clipped by the breeder�the tips of the longest feathers on one of the wings are cut, resulting in unbalanced flight which the bird cannot sustain for more than a few meters, and it is thus discouraged from flying at all.
Chickens are gregarious birds and live together as a flock. They have a communal approach to the incubation of eggs and raising of young. Individual chickens in a flock will dominate others, establishing a "pecking order," with dominant individuals having priority for access to food and nesting locations. Removing hens or roosters from a flock causes a temporary disruption to this social order until a new pecking order is established. Adding hens�especially younger birds�to an existing flock, can lead to violence and injury.
Hens will try to lay in nests that already contain eggs, and have been known to move eggs from neighbouring nests into their own. Some farmers use fake eggs made from plastic or stone (or golf balls) to encourage hens to lay in a particular location. The result of this behavior is that a flock will use only a few preferred locations, rather than having a different nest for every bird.
Hens can also be extremely stubborn about always laying in the same location. It is not unknown for two (or more) hens to try to share the same nest at the same time. If the nest is small, or one of the hens is particularly determined, this may result in chickens trying to lay on top of each other.
Duck
Duck is the common name for a number of species in the Anatidae family of birds. The ducks are divided between several subfamilies listed in full in the Anatidae article. Ducks are mostly aquatic birds, mostly smaller than their relatives the swans and geese, and may be found in both fresh water and sea water.
Ducks are sometimes confused with several types of unrelated water birds with similar forms, such as loons or divers, grebes, gallinules, and coots.
The word duck (from Anglo-Saxon d?ce), meaning the bird, came from the verb "to duck" (from Anglo-Saxon supposed *d?can) meaning "to bend down low as if to get under something" or "to dive", because of the way many species in the dabbling duck group feed by upending (compare Dutch duiken, German tauchen = "to dive").
This happened because the older Anglo-Saxon words ened (= "duck") and ende (= "end") came to be pronounced the same: other Germanic languages still have similar words for "duck" and "end": for example, Dutch eend = "duck", eind = "end", German ente = "duck", ende = "end"; this similarity goes back to Indo-European: compare Latin anas (stem anat-) = "duck", Lithuanian antis = "duck", Ancient Greek ?????, ????? (n?ssa, n?tta) = "duck"; Sanskrit anta = "end".
Some people use "duck" specifically for adult females and "drake" for adult males, for the species described here; others use "hen" and "drake", respectively.
A duckling is a young duck in downy plumage or baby duck.; but in the food trade young adult ducks ready for roasting are sometimes labelled "duckling".
Many species of duck are temporarily flightless while moulting; they seek out protected habitat with good food supplies during this period. This moult typically precedes migration.
The drakes of northern species often have extravagant plumage, but that is moulted in summer to give a more female-like appearance, the "eclipse" plumage. Southern resident species typically show less sexual dimorphism.
Most ducks have a wide flat beak adapted for dredging.
Ducks exploit a variety of food sources such as grasses, aquatic plants, fish, insects, small amphibians, worms, and small molluscs.
Diving ducks and sea ducks forage deep underwater. To be able to submerge more easily, the diving ducks are heavier than dabbling ducks, and therefore have more difficulty taking off to fly.
Dabbling ducks feed on the surface of water or on land, or as deep as they can reach by up-ending without completely submerging. Along the inside of the beak they have tiny rows of plates called lamellae like a whale's baleen. These let them filter water out of the side of their beaks and keep food inside.
A few specialized species such as the smew, goosander, and the mergansers are adapted to catch and swallow large fish.
Despite widespread misconceptions, most ducks other than female Mallards and domestic ducks do not "quack"; for example, the scaup makes a noise like "scaup", which its name came from.
A common urban legend claims that duck quacks do not echo; however, this has been shown to be false. This myth was first debunked by the Acoustics Research Centre at the University of Salford in 2003 as part of the British Association's Festival of Science. It was also debunked in one of the earlier episodes of the popular Discovery Channel television show MythBusters.
Some duck species, mainly those breeding in the temperate and Arctic Northern Hemisphere, are migratory; those in the tropics, however, are generally not. Some ducks, particularly in Australia where rainfall is patchy and erratic, are nomadic, seeking out the temporary lakes and pools that form after localised heavy rain.
Ducks have become an accepted presence in populated areas. Migration patterns have changed such that many species remain in an area during the winter months. In spring and early summer ducks sometimes influence human activity through their nesting; sometimes a duck pair nests well away from water, needing a long trek to water for the hatchlings: this sometimes causes an urgent wildlife rescue operation (e.g. by the RSPCA) if the duck nested somewhere unsuitable like in a small enclosed courtyard.
A worldwide group like the ducks has many predators. Ducklings are particularly vulnerable, since their inability to fly makes them easy prey not only for avian hunters but also large fish like pike, crocodilians, and other aquatic hunters, including fish-eating birds such as herons. Ducks' nests may be raided by land-based predators, and brooding females may sometimes be caught unaware on the nest by mammals (e.g. foxes) and large birds, including hawks and eagles.
Adult ducks are fast fliers, but may be caught on the water by large aquatic predators. This can occasionally include fish such as the muskie in North America or the pike in Europe. In flight, ducks are safe from all but a few predators such as humans and the Peregrine Falcon, which regularly uses its speed and strength to catch ducks.
As food, "duck" refers to the meat of several species of bird in the Anatidae family, found in both fresh and salt water. Duck is eaten in many cuisines around the world.
Ducks have many economic uses, being farmed for their meat, eggs, feathers, (particularly their down). They are also kept and bred by aviculturists and often displayed in zoos. All domestic ducks are descended from the wild Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, except the Muscovy Duck . Many domestic breeds have become much larger than their wild ancestor, with a "hull length" (from base of neck to base of tail) of 30 cm (12 inches) or more and routinely able to swallow an adult British Common Frog Rana temporaria whole.
FAO reports that China is the top duck market in 2004 followed by Vietnam and other South East Asian countries.
In many areas, wild ducks of various species (including ducks farmed and released into the wild) are hunted for food or sport, by shooting, or formerly by decoys. From this came the expression "a sitting duck", which means "an easy target".
In 2002, psychologist Richard Wiseman and colleagues at the University of Hertfordshire (UK) finished a year-long LaughLab experiment, concluding that, of the animals in the world, the duck is the type that attracts most humor and silliness; he said "If you're going to tell a joke involving an animal, make it a duck." The word "duck" may have become an inherently funny word in many languages because ducks are seen as a silly animal, and their odd appearance compared to other birds. Of the many ducks in fiction, many are silly cartoon characters like Daffy Duck (see the New Scientist article mentioning humor in the word "duck").
The pygmy marmoset is a tiny primate that is exclusively found in the jungles of South America. The pygmy marmoset is known to be the smallest known species of monkey in the world. The pygmy marmoset averages at about 15cm tall, with a 20cm long tail behind it. The pygmy marmoset has sharp claws which make the pygmy marmoset excellent at climbing trees and the long tail of the pygmy marmoset gives this little monkey fantastic balance when jumping between tree branches.
The low weight of the pygmy marmoset allows the pygmy marmoset to reach the canopy tree tops, a place where many of the larger species of monkey cannot reach. Here the pygmy marmoset eats fruits, berries, insects and small reptiles safely high above any dangerous predators.
The small size of the pygmy marmoset means that it has developed a number of nicknames from locals and tourists alike, such as the pocket monkey and the little lion. The tiny size of this miniature monkey means that the pygmy marmoset if often very difficult to observe in the wild.
The pygmy marmoset has been increasingly popular as an exotic pet, but they are very hard to keep. When a baby pygmy marmoset is taken away from the family it can often die quickly due to depression. Baby pygmy marmosets also need feeding every two hours for their first two weeks in the world so they can be very time-consuming pets. Pet pygmy marmosets can take a grave dislike towards their owners and some have been known to bite their owners and throw feces at them, as a form of attack.
After a gestation period of around 4.5 months, the female pygmy marmoset gives birth to one or two babies. The male pygmy marmoset will often carry the babies after birth until they are big enough and strong enough to look after themselves.
Pygmy marmosets live in groups which tend to consist of the head male and female pygmy marmosets and their offspring, usually about four litters. There can be more than one male in a pygmy marmoset troop, but the dominant male pygmy marmoset will remain the dominant male of that troop.
The low weight of the pygmy marmoset allows the pygmy marmoset to reach the canopy tree tops, a place where many of the larger species of monkey cannot reach. Here the pygmy marmoset eats fruits, berries, insects and small reptiles safely high above any dangerous predators.
The small size of the pygmy marmoset means that it has developed a number of nicknames from locals and tourists alike, such as the pocket monkey and the little lion. The tiny size of this miniature monkey means that the pygmy marmoset if often very difficult to observe in the wild.
The pygmy marmoset has been increasingly popular as an exotic pet, but they are very hard to keep. When a baby pygmy marmoset is taken away from the family it can often die quickly due to depression. Baby pygmy marmosets also need feeding every two hours for their first two weeks in the world so they can be very time-consuming pets. Pet pygmy marmosets can take a grave dislike towards their owners and some have been known to bite their owners and throw feces at them, as a form of attack.
After a gestation period of around 4.5 months, the female pygmy marmoset gives birth to one or two babies. The male pygmy marmoset will often carry the babies after birth until they are big enough and strong enough to look after themselves.
Pygmy marmosets live in groups which tend to consist of the head male and female pygmy marmosets and their offspring, usually about four litters. There can be more than one male in a pygmy marmoset troop, but the dominant male pygmy marmoset will remain the dominant male of that troop.
A mixed-breed dog, also called a mutt, mongrel, tyke, cur, bitzer, feist or random-bred dog, is a dog that has characteristics of two or more types of breeds, or is a descendant of feral or pariah dog populations. This term, along with the term purebred dog stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of the genetics and misinterpretation of Darwinian theory, and should be viewed with the same skepticism as we view the concept of pure races in human populations. The term crossbreed refers to puppies produced by the breeding technique of breeding known dogs of two different purebred dog breeds for some specific reason.
The term mutt generally refers to a dog of unknown descent. Dogs interbreed freely, except where extreme variations in size exist, so mixed-breed dogs vary in size, shape, and color, making them hard to classify physically.
The term mutt generally refers to a dog of unknown descent. Dogs interbreed freely, except where extreme variations in size exist, so mixed-breed dogs vary in size, shape, and color, making them hard to classify physically.
The Quetzal is a medium sized bird that is found inhabiting the moist, tropical rainforests of Central America from southern Mexico right down into Panama. There are six sub-species of Quetzal that are found in varying geographic locations including the Crested Quetzal, the Golden-headed Quetzal, the White-tipped Quetzal, the Pavonine Quetzal, the Eared Quetzal and the most famously known Resplendent Quetzal, all of which belong to the Trogon family of birds. The Quetzal is an immensely coloured animal with metallic plumage and is widely considered to be one of the most strikingly-beautiful birds in the world. They are most well known for the long tail feathers of the males.
The Quetzal is an incredibly coloured bird with males displaying a bright metallic green or blue on most of their bodies besides the deep red of the chest and belly. The male Quetzal also has a distinctive tuft of golden green feathers that form a crest on top of their heads and immensely long twin tail feathers that can grow up to a meter in length. Although females do not grow such an impressively long train they are of a similar colouration to their male counterparts with their plumage not being quite as bright. The deep red of the chest is often much duller or even grey (as is the metallic green) and they have grey or bronze coloured heads edged with green. As with other members of the Trogon family, the feet of the Quetzal are unique with two toes facing forward and two back on each foot that aid the Quetzal when perching high in the trees.
The Quetzal is found throughout the mountainous rainforests of Central America where they tend to prefer high mountain ranges at altitudes of between 4,000 and 10,000 feet. The Quetzal inhabits moist, tropical forests in areas that are cooler, contain dense vegetation and that are incredibly moist. Cloud forests are one of the most successful habitats for the Quetzal where the high moisture levels cause there to be a great deal of fog in the forest. Quetzals live in holes in the trees close to the top of the canopy that they have either built themselves using their powerful beaks, or ones that have been abandoned by Woodpeckers. The striking plumage of the Quetzal means that these birds are perfectly camouflaged amongst the abundance of vegetation surrounding them.
The Quetzal is thought to be a relatively inactive bird and is rarely seen on the forest floor as the design of their feet makes them very weak for walking on. The Quetzal perches high up in the tree canopy where their calls are nearly as distinctive as their appearance. They make soft, deep noises that can be very loud and they are known to use different calls depending on the situation. The Quetzal is most vocal when there is plenty of mist at dawn and dusk and rarely call during very sunny or windy days. Although the calls of the males tend to be louder than those of the females, during the mating season the sounds made are described as being "whining". The Quetzal is also known to make whistle-like calls at dawn and dusk to stake it's claim on it's territory.
Quetzals use their strong beaks to make holes in rotting trees so that they can nest. The female between one and three eggs in the hole which are incubated by both the female and the male alternately. However, due to the fact that the male Quetzal has tail feathers that can grow up to 3ft long, they are often seen sticking out of the nest when he is sitting on the eggs. Incubation lasts for up to three weeks and when the chicks hatch they are born with their eyes closed and are fed by their parents until they are strong enough to begin moving about. Quetzal chicks can usually fly by the time they are three weeks old and once they are confident enough, they will flee the nest to find a territory of their own (although are known to remain close to their father for their first few years).
The Uguisu is a small species of bird that is natively found throughout Japan, China and Taiwan, along with a number of other regions of the far east. The Uguisu is also commonly known as the Japanese Bush-Warbler, as it is named for it's beautifully distinctive song. The Uguisu is most closely related to other small songbirds including Bushtits and Nightingales which they are similar in appearance too, although the Uguisu is generally very slightly larger. Although they do not sing at night, the beauty of the Uguisu's song is said to have led to them also being known as the Japanese Nightingale. The Uguisu was first described as a documented species by Heinrich von Kittlitz in 1830.
The Uguisu is a small-sized bird that is known for it's fairly dull colouration, particularly in comparison with the beauty of it's song. They tend to be olive-green or light brown in colour with darker plumage towards the tips of their wings and tail. The tail of the Uguisu is relatively long in relation to it's body size and is comprised of straight feathers, making it similar in appearance to Long-Tailed Tits to which the Uguisu are thought to be closely related. Like other species of small perching bird, the Uguisu also has thin legs with long, clawed toes to help them grip onto branches more easily. The Uguisu has small dark eyes with pale stripes above each one, and a straight, tan coloured beak.
The Uguisu is most commonly inhabits regions throughout Japan where it is found all year round, along with parts of the northern Philippines. The Uguisu is also native to southern Russia, China and Korea and is found in countries including Taiwan on a more seasonal basis. The Uguisu tends to be found in mountainous regions at the varying altitudes of both lowland hills and high up in the mountain forests, and are known to move further down the mountains during the winter. The Uguisu is found in seasonal forests and bamboo thickets where there is plenty of foliage to hide amongst, along with an ample supply of food.
In a similar way to Nightingales, the Uguisu is a relatively solitary bird with individuals only really coming together during the breeding season. The Uguisu is fairly quiet during the winter months making low chirping noises in the bare trees, but in early spring they break into song in order to try and attract a mate. The Uguisu is more heard than seen by many people due to their highly secretive nature, as they spend the majority of the daylight hours hiding deep in the shadows of the surrounding foliage. In some areas, the Uguisu are migratory birds flying between different countries with the changing seasons. This is most commonly to escape from the cold mountain winters, particularly on the large Japanese island of Hokkaido in the north.
The Uguisu breeding season begins in the early spring when the males break into beautiful song in order to try and attract a female to mate with. Like Nightingales, males and females are fairly similar in appearance although the female tends to be slightly smaller in size. The female Uguisu constructs a cup-shaped nest in a dense thicket out of twigs, leaves and moss where she lays up to 5 small eggs. The Uguisu female sits on her eggs to keep them warm and to protect them for between 2 and 3 weeks when the chicks hatch. The Uguisu chicks are fed and cared for by their mother until they fledge at around 2 weeks old. The Uguisu tends to live for between 2 and 5 years in the wild.
The Uguisu is an omnivorous animal meaning that they feed on a variety of both plants and animals. Like other Warblers and Nightingales, the Uguisu has a predominantly insect-based diet feeding on Flies, Worms, Beetles, Moths and Grasshoppers in the forest. The Uguisu is also known to forage for fruits and berries to supplement it's diet. The need to find food is one reason why the Uguisu migrates in some parts of their natural range. During the winter months, not only is it much colder but the Uguisu also finds it more difficult to find food in such uncompromising conditions. By moving down to the lowlands, there is a higher chance that supper will not be in such short supply.
The Uguisu is a very distinctive bird and it's calls can be heard throughout the mountainous forests of the far east. Their relatively drab colouration however, means that although the Uguisu can be easily heard they are in fact very difficult for predators to spot amongst the foliage. There are a number of animals that do manage to catch the Uguisu though with it's main predators including feral Cats and Dogs, along with Snakes, Lizards and Birds Of Prey. Uguisu's are also under threat from people who have cut more and more of the natural forest down to make way for growing towns and cities, meaning that the Uguisu has lost much of it's natural habitat.
The ferret is a domestic mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Domestic ferrets typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur, have an average length of approximately 20 inches (51 cm) including a 5 inch (13 cm) tail, weigh about 2-4 pounds (1 kg), and have a natural lifespan of 7 to 10 years.
Several other small, elongated carnivorous mammals belonging to the family Mustelidae (weasels) also have the word "ferret" in their common names, including an endangered species, the Black-footed Ferret. The ferret is a very close relative of the polecat, but it is as yet unclear whether it is a domesticated form of the European Polecat, the Steppe Polecat, or some hybrid of the two.
The history of the ferret's domestication is uncertain, like that of most other domestic animals. It is very likely that ferrets have been domesticated for at least 2,500 years, but it is not certain for what purpose the ferret was originally domesticated. They are still used for hunting rabbits in some parts of the world today, but increasingly they are being kept simply as pets.
Being so closely related to polecats, ferrets are quite easily able to hybridize with them, and this has occasionally resulted in feral colonies of ferret polecat hybrids that have been perceived to have caused damage to native fauna, perhaps most notably in New Zealand. As a result, some parts of the world have imposed restrictions on the keeping of ferrets.
Like most domestic animals, the original reason for ferrets' domestication by human beings is uncertain but it may have involved hunting. It was most likely domesticated from the European polecat (Mustela putorius), though it is also possible that ferrets are descendants of the Steppe polecat (Mustela eversmannii), or some hybridization thereof. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA suggests that ferrets were domesticated around 2,500 years ago, although what appear to be ferret remains have been dated to 1500 BC. It has been claimed that the ancient Egyptians were the first to domesticate ferrets, but as no mummified remains of a ferret have yet been found, or any hieroglyph of a ferret, and no polecat now occurs wild in the area, that idea seems unlikely.
The Greek word ictis occurs in a play written by Aristophanes, The Acharnians, in 425 BC. Whether this was actually a reference to ferrets, polecats, or the similar Egyptian Mongoose is uncertain.
The name "ferret" is derived from the Latin furittus, meaning "little thief", a likely reference to the common ferret penchant for secreting away small items. Ferrets were probably used by the Romans for hunting.
Colonies of feral ferrets have established themselves in areas where there is no competition from similarly sized predators, such as in the Shetland Islands. Where ferrets coexist with polecats, hybridization is common. It has been claimed that New Zealand has the world's largest feral population of ferret-polecat hybrids. In 1877, farmers in New Zealand demanded that ferrets be introduced into the country to control the rabbit population, which was also introduced by humans. Five ferrets were imported in 1879, and in 1882-1883, 32 shipments of ferrets were made from London, totaling 1,217 animals. Only 678 landed, and 198 were sent from Melbourne, Australia. On the voyage, the ferrets were mated with the European polecat, creating a number of hybrids that were capable of surviving in the wild. In 1884 and 1886, close to 4,000 ferrets and ferret hybrids, 3,099 weasels and 137 stoats were turned loose. Concern was raised that these animals would eventually prey on indigenous wildlife once rabbit populations dropped, and this is exactly what happened to New Zealand bird species which previously had no mammalian predators.
For hundreds of years, the main use of ferrets was for hunting, or ferreting. With their long, lean build and inquisitive nature, ferrets are very well equipped for getting down holes and chasing rodents and rabbits out of their burrows. Caesar Augustus sent ferrets or mongooses (named "viverrae" by Plinius) to the Balearic Islands to control the rabbit plagues in 6 BC. They are still used for hunting in some countries, including the United Kingdom, where rabbits are considered a plague species. However, the practice is illegal in several countries where it is feared that ferrets could unbalance the ecology.
The Basenji is alert, affectionate, energetic, and curious. It loves to play and makes a good pet, as long as it is handled regularly from an early age and the owners are very patient. It is very intelligent. It can be reserved with strangers. The Basenji is somewhat aloof, but can also form strong bonds with people. It should not be trusted with noncanine pets. It is usually patient, but does best with older considerate children. The Basenji dislikes wet weather. The breed likes to climb and can easily get over chain wire fences. (NOTE: NOT all Basenjis climb--it depends on the individual.)
Basenjis are very clever at getting their own way. The Basenji has the unique properties of not barking (it makes a low, liquid ululation instead) and cleaning itself like a cat. It can be described as speedy, frisky, tireless at play, and teasing the owner into play. Most Basenji problems usually involve a mismatch between owner and pet. The owners mistake the adjective quiet to mean inactive instead of noiseless, thus, they become harassed by an active, though relatively silent, dog.
Basenjis are very clever at getting their own way. The Basenji has the unique properties of not barking (it makes a low, liquid ululation instead) and cleaning itself like a cat. It can be described as speedy, frisky, tireless at play, and teasing the owner into play. Most Basenji problems usually involve a mismatch between owner and pet. The owners mistake the adjective quiet to mean inactive instead of noiseless, thus, they become harassed by an active, though relatively silent, dog.
The name anaconda actually refers to the Eunectes , but it is most often used to refer to one the green or common anaconda. A member of the boa family, Boidae, South America’s green anaconda is the heaviest snake in the world, having the greatest girth in proportion to its length of any snake.
The green anaconda is normally some shade of brownish-green, olive, or grayish-green and patterned with egg-shaped black spots. The Beni or Bolivian anaconda is similar but is found only in a small region of Bolivia. The smaller yellow or Paraguayan anaconda has a pattern of blotches, saddles, spots, and streaks (usually black or dark brown) against a yellow, golden-tan, or greenish-yellow background. The dark-spotted anaconda is about the same size as the yellow anaconda and is brown with large dark spots
The anaconda lives over a vast area of tropical river systems and swamps in South America, east of the Andes. This hot, humid region with its dense foliage offers excellent habitat for such a large snake, which fits well into this world. The anaconda likes to be in or near water and spends a large part of its time in the murky waters that help to hide, as well as support, its tremendous body.
Anacondas are excellent swimmers and divers. Their eyes and nasal openings are on top of their head, so the snakes can wait for
\while remaining nearly hidden by the water. Anacondas rest and sun themselves along the bank of a river or in tree branches that hang over water along riverbanks so the snakes can quickly drop into the water if needed.
The green anaconda is normally some shade of brownish-green, olive, or grayish-green and patterned with egg-shaped black spots. The Beni or Bolivian anaconda is similar but is found only in a small region of Bolivia. The smaller yellow or Paraguayan anaconda has a pattern of blotches, saddles, spots, and streaks (usually black or dark brown) against a yellow, golden-tan, or greenish-yellow background. The dark-spotted anaconda is about the same size as the yellow anaconda and is brown with large dark spots
The anaconda lives over a vast area of tropical river systems and swamps in South America, east of the Andes. This hot, humid region with its dense foliage offers excellent habitat for such a large snake, which fits well into this world. The anaconda likes to be in or near water and spends a large part of its time in the murky waters that help to hide, as well as support, its tremendous body.
Anacondas are excellent swimmers and divers. Their eyes and nasal openings are on top of their head, so the snakes can wait for
\while remaining nearly hidden by the water. Anacondas rest and sun themselves along the bank of a river or in tree branches that hang over water along riverbanks so the snakes can quickly drop into the water if needed.
Palm oil plantations have been popping up rapidly over recent years, but many of them are illegally set-up in natural forest and peat-land and are completely unregulated. Thousands of acres of both primary and secondary forest that are either vital to conservation or the native people are being cleared every year. The trade is thought to now account for up to 10% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions.
This boom has happened mainly over the last 10 years and has made palm oil the most used edible oil today. It is found in thousands of products from chocolate and biscuits to soap and lipstick, but many companies actually have no idea where their palm oil even comes from. Under current European legislation, companies do not have to state if they have used palm oil in their products, instead it can be labelled as vegetable oil!
This boom has happened mainly over the last 10 years and has made palm oil the most used edible oil today. It is found in thousands of products from chocolate and biscuits to soap and lipstick, but many companies actually have no idea where their palm oil even comes from. Under current European legislation, companies do not have to state if they have used palm oil in their products, instead it can be labelled as vegetable oil!
Cairn Terriers are intelligent, lively, strong, and loyal. Like most terriers, they love to dig after real or imagined . Cairn Terriers have a strong instinct and will need comprehensive training. However, they are reasonably intelligent and, although willful, can be trained. Although it is often said that they are disobedient, this is not the case provided correct training is applied. Cairns are working and are still used as such in parts of Scotland. Cairn Terriers generally adapt well to children and are suitable family .
The Pygmy Hippopotamus is a medium-sized herbivorous mammal that is found inhabiting the humid forests and swamps of West Africa. The Pygmy Hippopotamus is closely related to Africa's other Hippopotamus species, which is the Common Hippopotamus but is much smaller in size weighing around a fifth of it's enormous cousin's weight. Although the two species may look very similar there are actually a number of notable differences as the Pygmy Hippopotamus has a narrower mouth and sleeker body that helps it when moving quickly through the dense vegetation in the jungle. They also spend much less time in the water compared to the Common Hippopotamus and even rest in burrows in the vegetation on river banks. Unlike it's larger cousin though, the Pygmy Hippopotamus is a very rare animal that is severely threatened in it's remaining habitats by both hunting and habitat loss which appears to be hard to control in such an unregulated region.
The Pygmy Hippopotamus has a long barrel-shaped body that is covered in slate-grey skin, which lightens towards the underside. The head of the Pygmy Hippopotamus is small in relation to it's body size and along with it's narrower mouth, makes it easier for them to run through the forest at speed. Due to the fact that the Pygmy Hippopotamus has evolved to being more land-dwelling than the larger Common Hippopotamus, they have a number of adaptations that aid them when in the dense forest. Although the Pygmy Hippopotamus is still semi-aquatic and will enter the water, they have fewer webbed toes than their cousin to help them move more effectively on land, and their eyes are also found on the sides of their head rather than on the top which again helps them to see more around them when they are amongst the trees. The Pygmy Hippopotamus also has long canines called tusks and although they are no-way near as impressive as those found in the mouth of the Common Hippopotamus, they are still used for intimidating rivals and intruders.
Although the Pygmy Hippopotamus would have once been found throughout more of it's current range, evidence suggests that the species has always been fairly rare. Pygmy Hippopotamuses are found in Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire in western Africa, along with there also being a few small and isolated populations in neighbouring Sierra Leone and Guinea. The Pygmy Hippopotamus inhabits areas of dense, lowland tropical forest and swampland, where it spends the majority of it's time foraging for food and resting on land. Despite the fact that Pygmy Hippopotamus populations have never been too numerous, their numbers have declined drastically particularity over recent years due to both hunting and habitat loss. The natural tropical forests that the Pygmy Hippopotamus inhabits are also home to rare and sought-after tropical timbers, with these areas therefore being subjected to high levels of illegal logging.
Unlike the larger and more sociable Common Hippopotamus, the Pygmy Hippopotamus does not live in herds and is in fact, largely solitary. Spending the hot days resting in the cool mud or in the burrow of another animal (such as an Otter) that it has enlarged, the Pygmy Hippopotamus spends comparatively little of it's time in water and tends to use it more as a refuge if it feels threatened. The Pygmy Hippopotamus is nocturnal and forages in the forest at night for a wide variety of plant matter and fallen fruits. Like their larger cousin, the Pygmy Hippopotamus follows well-trodden and marked paths between it's feeding and resting grounds and can dart through these tunnels at a remarkable pace if it feels in danger. Although Pygmy Hippopotamuses roam individual home ranges it is not uncommon for them to overlap those of others, and they are even known to tolerate the presence of other individuals in their territory.
During the breeding season is one of the main times when male Pygmy Hippopotamuses become more aggressive and will bare their teeth and even fight with one another to earn the right to mate with the local females. After a gestation period that lasts for between six and seven months, the female Pygmy Hippopotamus gives birth to a single calf either in a den in the dense vegetation or in the water. Pygmy Hippopotamus calves weigh just under 6kg at birth and are fully weaned by the time they are eight months old, after which they begin to accompany their mother on foraging trips in the forest. Pygmy Hippopotamuses are relatively long-living animals that often reach older ages than the average Common Hippopotamus, particularity when kept in captivity.
The Pygmy Hippopotamus is a herbivorous animal which means that it only forages for and consumes different types of plant matter in order to acquire all of the nutrients that it needs to survive. Unlike the Common Hippopotamus that primarily (and almost only) feeds on grasses, the Pygmy Hippopotamus has a much more varied diet and consumes a wide range a plants and plant material throughout the forest. The Pygmy Hippopotamus forages under the cover of night eating grasses, ferns, leaves, shrubs and fruits that have fallen onto the forest floor from the branches above. The Pygmy Hippopotamus uses special tunnel through the dense jungle to move about most safely between it's resting and feeding grounds, ensuring that it can always have a good route of escape if danger approaches.
The bumble bee is the most common type of bee with around 250 different species of the bumble bee found around the world. Despite the fact that the bumble bee can be found in many countries, it is indigenous to the Northern Hemisphere, breeding more successfully in the more temperate climates.
The bumble bee is best known for having a sting on it's tail, which the bumble bee uses to protect itself from danger. Once the bumble bee has stung something with it's sting, the sting breaks off and the bumble bee generally dies. Despite common belief, not every bumble bee has a sting, in fact the male bumble bees (known as drones) do not have a sting at all. Only the female bumble bee has a sting on it's tail.
One of the main causes in the decline of the bumble bee populations is the fact that the places where the bumble bees nest are being disturbed often destroying the bumble bee's nest in the process.
The bumble bee is a herbivorous animal feeding primarily on nectar. Bumble bees also eat pollen and honey when there is no nectar available. Bumble bees have numerous natural predators including birds, larger insects and amphibians such as frogs and newts.
The queen bumble bee is the one who lays the eggs. She lays her eggs in a round-shaped mound that she then seals with wax. When the baby bumbles bees (larvae) hatch they are forced to eat their way out of their sealed dome.
Bumble bees are known to play a valuable part in the eco-system as around 1/3 of what humans eat is pollinated by bees. It is estimated that around 80% of the world's crop species are dependent on the pollination by bees to survive.
Sadly due to high pollution levels and habitat loss, the bumble bee populations are rapidly declining with the bumble bee being one of the few insects that is classed as being threatened with extinction. Human beings do not give bees the respect they deserve, as bumble bees are vital to the survival of plants which are in turn vital to the survival of humans.
The bumble bee is best known for having a sting on it's tail, which the bumble bee uses to protect itself from danger. Once the bumble bee has stung something with it's sting, the sting breaks off and the bumble bee generally dies. Despite common belief, not every bumble bee has a sting, in fact the male bumble bees (known as drones) do not have a sting at all. Only the female bumble bee has a sting on it's tail.
One of the main causes in the decline of the bumble bee populations is the fact that the places where the bumble bees nest are being disturbed often destroying the bumble bee's nest in the process.
The bumble bee is a herbivorous animal feeding primarily on nectar. Bumble bees also eat pollen and honey when there is no nectar available. Bumble bees have numerous natural predators including birds, larger insects and amphibians such as frogs and newts.
The queen bumble bee is the one who lays the eggs. She lays her eggs in a round-shaped mound that she then seals with wax. When the baby bumbles bees (larvae) hatch they are forced to eat their way out of their sealed dome.
Bumble bees are known to play a valuable part in the eco-system as around 1/3 of what humans eat is pollinated by bees. It is estimated that around 80% of the world's crop species are dependent on the pollination by bees to survive.
Sadly due to high pollution levels and habitat loss, the bumble bee populations are rapidly declining with the bumble bee being one of the few insects that is classed as being threatened with extinction. Human beings do not give bees the respect they deserve, as bumble bees are vital to the survival of plants which are in turn vital to the survival of humans.
The sea otter is a small marine mammal native to the north and eastern coasts of the Pacific Ocean. Despite the fact that sea otters are the largest members of the weasel family, sea otters are among the smallest mammals in the marine world. The sea otter is known to have one of the thickest, warmest coats of fur in the animal kingdom which helps to keep the sea otter warm in the cold waters of the North Pacific. Like their smaller river otter cousins, the sea otter is able to walk and live on the land but it is not uncommon for sea otters to spend their lives exclusively in the water.
Sea otters are omnivores as they do eat seaweed and other aquatic plants. Despite this though, most sea otter individuals have a primarily carnivorous diet with sea otters known to eat more than 40 different species of marine animals. The sea otter mainly hunts sea urchins, clams, crabs, snails and small fish in the water. The sea otter is one of the few animals in the world that has the remarkable trait of using tools, such as rocks, in order to get at it's prey.
Sea otters have few natural predators in the sea due to their large size. Those sea otters that live further south are mainly preyed upon by the great white shark and those sea otters that inhabit more northern regions of the Pacific, are preyed upon by killer whales. Humans are one of the sea otters main predators as sea otters are hunted mainly for their incredibly dense fur.
Sea otters are today considered to be an endangered species are they were extensively hunted for their fur in the 18th century which meant that sea otter populations took a devastating plunge and sea otters became rarer and rarer. There are estimated to be less than 2,000 sea otter individuals left in the wild today.
There are three different species of sea otter that are recognised by science today. The common sea otter (also known as the Asian sea otter) is the largest of the tree sea otter subspecies and is found around the islands in the Western Pacific. The southern sea otter (also known as the Californian sea otter) is found off the coast of California and is known to have a narrow head and small teeth. The northern sea otter is native to Alaska and the North West of the Pacific. The northern sea otter was wiped out from the coast of British Columbia due to over hunting but has been recently reintroduced to Vancouver Island.
Unlike other marine mammals, the sea otter does not have a layer of blubber to keep it warm, so the sea otter has to rely on it's dense fur to keep the cold out. The fur of the sea otter is so thick that no water actually touches the skin of the sea otter. The sea otter's fur also consists of two layers, a waterproof layer of long guard hairs with a layer of short thick fur underneath.
Although sea otter hunt and forage for food on their own, sea otters are often seen resting together in large single-sex groups known as rafts. Typically, the average sea otter raft consists of between 10 to 100 sea otter individuals, with the largest recorded sea otter raft containing nearly 2,000 sea otter individuals.
Sea otters are known to mate all year round, but the southern sea otter is known to mate every year, which is twice as often as the northern sea otter. After a gestation period of up to a year, the mother sea otter gives birth to a single sea otter although twins are known to occur. Mother sea otters are known to nurse their pups for up to a year, by which time, the sea otter pups are able to hunt and forage for food by themselves.
Sea otters are omnivores as they do eat seaweed and other aquatic plants. Despite this though, most sea otter individuals have a primarily carnivorous diet with sea otters known to eat more than 40 different species of marine animals. The sea otter mainly hunts sea urchins, clams, crabs, snails and small fish in the water. The sea otter is one of the few animals in the world that has the remarkable trait of using tools, such as rocks, in order to get at it's prey.
Sea otters have few natural predators in the sea due to their large size. Those sea otters that live further south are mainly preyed upon by the great white shark and those sea otters that inhabit more northern regions of the Pacific, are preyed upon by killer whales. Humans are one of the sea otters main predators as sea otters are hunted mainly for their incredibly dense fur.
Sea otters are today considered to be an endangered species are they were extensively hunted for their fur in the 18th century which meant that sea otter populations took a devastating plunge and sea otters became rarer and rarer. There are estimated to be less than 2,000 sea otter individuals left in the wild today.
There are three different species of sea otter that are recognised by science today. The common sea otter (also known as the Asian sea otter) is the largest of the tree sea otter subspecies and is found around the islands in the Western Pacific. The southern sea otter (also known as the Californian sea otter) is found off the coast of California and is known to have a narrow head and small teeth. The northern sea otter is native to Alaska and the North West of the Pacific. The northern sea otter was wiped out from the coast of British Columbia due to over hunting but has been recently reintroduced to Vancouver Island.
Unlike other marine mammals, the sea otter does not have a layer of blubber to keep it warm, so the sea otter has to rely on it's dense fur to keep the cold out. The fur of the sea otter is so thick that no water actually touches the skin of the sea otter. The sea otter's fur also consists of two layers, a waterproof layer of long guard hairs with a layer of short thick fur underneath.
Although sea otter hunt and forage for food on their own, sea otters are often seen resting together in large single-sex groups known as rafts. Typically, the average sea otter raft consists of between 10 to 100 sea otter individuals, with the largest recorded sea otter raft containing nearly 2,000 sea otter individuals.
Sea otters are known to mate all year round, but the southern sea otter is known to mate every year, which is twice as often as the northern sea otter. After a gestation period of up to a year, the mother sea otter gives birth to a single sea otter although twins are known to occur. Mother sea otters are known to nurse their pups for up to a year, by which time, the sea otter pups are able to hunt and forage for food by themselves.
The barracuda is a large species of fish found in the warmer, coastal regions of the world's oceans. There are more than 20 different species of barracuda that range in size from less than 50cm to nearly 2 meters in length. The barracuda is widely spread across the oceans but is more commonly found in the more tropical regions where there is an abundance of food. Although barracudas can be found in the deep ocean, they tend to prefer coastal habitats along continental shelves and close to coral reefs.
Despite the difference in size and colour between barracuda species, all species of barracuda have a similar elongated appearance, and pointed head with powerful jaws, containing rows of sharp fang-like teeth used for eating larger prey.
The barracuda is known to be an aggressive and dominant predator, often relying on the surprise tactic in order to catch it's prey. Barracudas are also able to swim at over 40 km/h in short bursts which they do to overtake prey that may be trying to swim away.
The barracuda is an opportunistic predator, feeding only on other animals in the surrounding water. The carnivorous barracuda primarily feeds on smaller species of fish, marine invertebrates, crustaceans and squid, which the barracuda usually ambushes with tremendous power.
Due to the fact that barracudas can grow into very large sized fish, the barracuda has few natural predators in the ocean besides sharks and killer whales. Humans are also one of the barracuda's main predators as they are hunted and eaten all around the world.
Although little is really known about the reproduction of the barracuda, female barracuda are known to spawn during the spring. The female barracuda releases her eggs into the water which are then fertilised externally. As with many fish species, once spawned, the barracuda mother has no interest in caring for her young.
Today, due to it's aggressive nature, the barracuda is one of the most dominant predators within it's coastal environments and has even been known to act aggressively towards humans diving or snorkelling in the water.
Despite the difference in size and colour between barracuda species, all species of barracuda have a similar elongated appearance, and pointed head with powerful jaws, containing rows of sharp fang-like teeth used for eating larger prey.
The barracuda is known to be an aggressive and dominant predator, often relying on the surprise tactic in order to catch it's prey. Barracudas are also able to swim at over 40 km/h in short bursts which they do to overtake prey that may be trying to swim away.
The barracuda is an opportunistic predator, feeding only on other animals in the surrounding water. The carnivorous barracuda primarily feeds on smaller species of fish, marine invertebrates, crustaceans and squid, which the barracuda usually ambushes with tremendous power.
Due to the fact that barracudas can grow into very large sized fish, the barracuda has few natural predators in the ocean besides sharks and killer whales. Humans are also one of the barracuda's main predators as they are hunted and eaten all around the world.
Although little is really known about the reproduction of the barracuda, female barracuda are known to spawn during the spring. The female barracuda releases her eggs into the water which are then fertilised externally. As with many fish species, once spawned, the barracuda mother has no interest in caring for her young.
Today, due to it's aggressive nature, the barracuda is one of the most dominant predators within it's coastal environments and has even been known to act aggressively towards humans diving or snorkelling in the water.
The booby is a large species of sea-bird closely related to the gannet. Boobies spend their lives at sea hunting fish and are found on the east coast of Central and South America, and across the tropical islands of the South Pacific as far west as the Galapagos islands. The booby is the most commonly found sea-bird on the Galapagos islands. There are six different species of booby found nesting on the tropical and subtropical islands and continental coasts across the south eastern Pacific Ocean, although fossil evidence suggests that there were numerous species of booby that are now extinct and are believed to inhabited regions as far east as Europe.
The different species of booby are all very similar in size and appearance but each species of booby appears to have it's own uniquely distinguishable features. The different species of booby are the blue-footed booby, the red-footed booby, the brown booby, the Peruvian booby, the masked booby and the Nazca booby.
The blue-footed booby is the most well known species of booby and is most commonly found on the Galapagos islands and Ecuador. The blue-footed booby is the second largest of the booby species and is identifiable by it's bright blue feet. The female blue-footed booby is generally slightly larger than the male blue-footed booby and the female blue-footed booby also has more brightly coloured feet than the male blue-footed booby, as the male's feet are paler. The young blue-footed booby also has pale coloured feet which (in females particularly) becomes brighter as the booby gets older.
The red-footed booby is slightly smaller than the blue-footed booby but the red-footed booby is known to have a wider range from the Galapagos islands to the Caribbean. As the name suggests, the re-footed booby has bright, red feet that are a pinkish colour when the re-footed booby is young. Although the re-footed booby is known to be an agile flyer, the red-footed booby can be clumsy when taking off and landing. The red-footed booby can dive through the sky to the surface of the water to catch fish at speeds of up to 60 mph.
The brown booby is around half the size of the blue-footed booby and is found in the Caribbean Sea and in the Gulf Of Mexico. The brown booby has a black head and back and a white belly, short wings and a long tail. The brown booby breeds in a large colony on coastal islands and is known to spend the winter at sea, covering a larger area. As with other species of booby, the brown booby is incredible at diving.
The Peruvian booby is native to Peru and parts of Chilli and is not as elaborate in appearance of the other booby species. The Peruvian booby is the second most common sea-bird found in Peru and is also the second biggest sea-bird that produces guano in the country. Guano is the excrement which is produces by sea-birds, bats and seals, which has high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen and so is used to make fertilizer and gunpowder.
The masked booby is distinguishable by the black colour around it's eyes. The masked booby has an enormous range that stretches from the Caribbean islands right across to Australia. The masked booby is the largest species of booby in the world and can grow to nearly a metre in height. The masked booby primarily feeds on flying fish and squid.
The Nazca booby is found on islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean and is one of the most favourable birds on the Galapagos islands for eco-tourists to spot. The Nazca booby has a more rounded head than the other species of booby and is believed to be most closely related to the masked booby. The Nazca booby has a white body and a beak that is yellow or orange in colour.
The booby is rarely found in regions where it cannot nest apart from those species of booby that purposefully spend the winter at sea (like the brown booby). Typically, the booby will have the same mating partner for a few years and the booby has been known to lay it's eggs all year round, although this is quite dependent on the area which the booby inhabits. The booby lays between 1 and 3 eggs (usually 2), and the booby chicks hatch after an incubation period of 4 to 5 weeks.
Due to it's large size and the areas in which it inhabits. the booby has few natural predators. The main predators of the booby are owls and large birds of prey that steal the booby chicks, but the adult booby is far to big for another bird to eat. The human is the main predator of the enormous adult booby, and occasionally the odd shark.
The different species of booby are all very similar in size and appearance but each species of booby appears to have it's own uniquely distinguishable features. The different species of booby are the blue-footed booby, the red-footed booby, the brown booby, the Peruvian booby, the masked booby and the Nazca booby.
The blue-footed booby is the most well known species of booby and is most commonly found on the Galapagos islands and Ecuador. The blue-footed booby is the second largest of the booby species and is identifiable by it's bright blue feet. The female blue-footed booby is generally slightly larger than the male blue-footed booby and the female blue-footed booby also has more brightly coloured feet than the male blue-footed booby, as the male's feet are paler. The young blue-footed booby also has pale coloured feet which (in females particularly) becomes brighter as the booby gets older.
The red-footed booby is slightly smaller than the blue-footed booby but the red-footed booby is known to have a wider range from the Galapagos islands to the Caribbean. As the name suggests, the re-footed booby has bright, red feet that are a pinkish colour when the re-footed booby is young. Although the re-footed booby is known to be an agile flyer, the red-footed booby can be clumsy when taking off and landing. The red-footed booby can dive through the sky to the surface of the water to catch fish at speeds of up to 60 mph.
The brown booby is around half the size of the blue-footed booby and is found in the Caribbean Sea and in the Gulf Of Mexico. The brown booby has a black head and back and a white belly, short wings and a long tail. The brown booby breeds in a large colony on coastal islands and is known to spend the winter at sea, covering a larger area. As with other species of booby, the brown booby is incredible at diving.
The Peruvian booby is native to Peru and parts of Chilli and is not as elaborate in appearance of the other booby species. The Peruvian booby is the second most common sea-bird found in Peru and is also the second biggest sea-bird that produces guano in the country. Guano is the excrement which is produces by sea-birds, bats and seals, which has high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen and so is used to make fertilizer and gunpowder.
The masked booby is distinguishable by the black colour around it's eyes. The masked booby has an enormous range that stretches from the Caribbean islands right across to Australia. The masked booby is the largest species of booby in the world and can grow to nearly a metre in height. The masked booby primarily feeds on flying fish and squid.
The Nazca booby is found on islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean and is one of the most favourable birds on the Galapagos islands for eco-tourists to spot. The Nazca booby has a more rounded head than the other species of booby and is believed to be most closely related to the masked booby. The Nazca booby has a white body and a beak that is yellow or orange in colour.
The booby is rarely found in regions where it cannot nest apart from those species of booby that purposefully spend the winter at sea (like the brown booby). Typically, the booby will have the same mating partner for a few years and the booby has been known to lay it's eggs all year round, although this is quite dependent on the area which the booby inhabits. The booby lays between 1 and 3 eggs (usually 2), and the booby chicks hatch after an incubation period of 4 to 5 weeks.
Due to it's large size and the areas in which it inhabits. the booby has few natural predators. The main predators of the booby are owls and large birds of prey that steal the booby chicks, but the adult booby is far to big for another bird to eat. The human is the main predator of the enormous adult booby, and occasionally the odd shark.
The pink fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus) which is also known as the Pichiciego is the smallest species of armadillo known. This particular species of armadillo generally ranges between 90-115 mm in length, excluding its tail, and will weigh less than a pound. Similarly, this is the only species of armadillo that has its dorsal shell almost completely separate from its body.
This unique animal resides in the dry grasslands and sandy plains of central Argentina. This sandy environment works well for the pink fairy armadillo since they are excellent diggers. In fact, they have the ability to completely bury themselves in a matter of seconds if threatened.
The pink fairy armadillo uses their digging abilities to burrow in areas beside large ant colonies. Ants provide a constant food source for this species of armadillo. As well, they may also forage on worms, snails and plant matter but ants are their number one choice.
This armadillo tends to live a solitary life in which it stays protected underground only to come out and feed at night. Although, they are solitary it is believed that the pink fairy armadillo is polygamous when it comes to mating. Usually the female will give birth to one young, whose shell will not become completely hardened until it is fully grown.
The pink fairy armadillo will spend most of its time underground similar to a mole. The large front claws allow them to effortlessly move the sand. In fact they move underground as if they were swimming through the water. The aerodynamics of the armadillo as well as the shielded head makes this type of movement possible.
This unique animal resides in the dry grasslands and sandy plains of central Argentina. This sandy environment works well for the pink fairy armadillo since they are excellent diggers. In fact, they have the ability to completely bury themselves in a matter of seconds if threatened.
The pink fairy armadillo uses their digging abilities to burrow in areas beside large ant colonies. Ants provide a constant food source for this species of armadillo. As well, they may also forage on worms, snails and plant matter but ants are their number one choice.
This armadillo tends to live a solitary life in which it stays protected underground only to come out and feed at night. Although, they are solitary it is believed that the pink fairy armadillo is polygamous when it comes to mating. Usually the female will give birth to one young, whose shell will not become completely hardened until it is fully grown.
The pink fairy armadillo will spend most of its time underground similar to a mole. The large front claws allow them to effortlessly move the sand. In fact they move underground as if they were swimming through the water. The aerodynamics of the armadillo as well as the shielded head makes this type of movement possible.
King Crabs are known for their sheer size but only a couple of species get really big. King crabs are mainly found in the Southern Hemisphere where the waters are warmer but the Alaskan king crab is the obvious exception to this as the waters there are near freezing. Red king crabs can have a leg span of up to 1.8m, blue king crabs often weigh over 8kg! King crabs hunt small fish and plankton in the oceans and are often found close to coral reefs or rocky areas where there are plenty of places for the king crab to hide.
The king crab is generally believed to come from the ancestors of hermit crabs, as with many species of crab today. King crabs are hunted all year round by fisherman and the king crab is seen to be delicacy in many parts of the world.
There are thought to be around 40 different species of king crab today, nearly all of which are hunted for food by humans due to their large size and the taste of their flesh. The most popular king crab for a human catch, is the red king crab as the red king crab is one of the largest species and one of the most readily available species of king crab in the ocean.
The king crab is generally believed to come from the ancestors of hermit crabs, as with many species of crab today. King crabs are hunted all year round by fisherman and the king crab is seen to be delicacy in many parts of the world.
There are thought to be around 40 different species of king crab today, nearly all of which are hunted for food by humans due to their large size and the taste of their flesh. The most popular king crab for a human catch, is the red king crab as the red king crab is one of the largest species and one of the most readily available species of king crab in the ocean.
The slow worm is a long species of legless lizard found throughout Europe and in parts of Asia, that is often mistaken for a snake due to it's appearance. The slow worm inhabits warm, moist and shaded areas across the European continent and is also commonly found in gardens throughout the United Kingdom, as well as meadows and farmland.
Despite it's snake-like appearance, the slow worm is in fact a lizard but without legs and instead uses the muscles in it's body to move itself around. Slow worms have smooth and shiny skin and a small head in comparison to their body.
As with other reptiles, the slow worm has a forked tongue which it uses to sense smells in the air. Slow worms also have eyelids which is the main indicator between lizards and snakes (as snakes are commonly known to not have eyelids but lizards do).
The slow worm is a carnivorous animal meaning that the slow worm only feeds on other animals in order to survive. Slow worms primarily feed on small, slow-moving animals like worms, slugs and snails as well as insects, spiders and other invertebrates.
Due to it's shiny skin and elongated body, the slow worm is prey to numerous predators within it's natural environment. Cats, dogs, weasels and birds are the most common predators of the slow worm.
After mating, the female slow worm produces up to 15 eggs which are incubated in her body for a few months. Once developed, the slow worm babies hatch inside their mother meaning that the female slow worm ends up giving birth to live young.
Today, the slow worm population appears to be thriving in parts of Europe, particularly in Britain where the slow worm is commonly found in back gardens across the country.
Despite it's snake-like appearance, the slow worm is in fact a lizard but without legs and instead uses the muscles in it's body to move itself around. Slow worms have smooth and shiny skin and a small head in comparison to their body.
As with other reptiles, the slow worm has a forked tongue which it uses to sense smells in the air. Slow worms also have eyelids which is the main indicator between lizards and snakes (as snakes are commonly known to not have eyelids but lizards do).
The slow worm is a carnivorous animal meaning that the slow worm only feeds on other animals in order to survive. Slow worms primarily feed on small, slow-moving animals like worms, slugs and snails as well as insects, spiders and other invertebrates.
Due to it's shiny skin and elongated body, the slow worm is prey to numerous predators within it's natural environment. Cats, dogs, weasels and birds are the most common predators of the slow worm.
After mating, the female slow worm produces up to 15 eggs which are incubated in her body for a few months. Once developed, the slow worm babies hatch inside their mother meaning that the female slow worm ends up giving birth to live young.
Today, the slow worm population appears to be thriving in parts of Europe, particularly in Britain where the slow worm is commonly found in back gardens across the country.
The X-Ray Tetra is a small species of schooling Fish that is naturally found in the Amazon River's coastal waters in South America. The X-Ray Tetra is also known as the Golden Pristella Tetra and the Water Goldfinch due to the faint golden colouration of their translucent skin. They were first described by Ulrey in 1894 and have since become one of the most popular freshwater Fish kept in artificial aquariums today. Although the X-Ray Tetra is the only known species in it's genus, it is closely related to other small and colourful South American Fish, including the nearly 100 other Tetra species. X-Ray Tetra Anatomy and Appearance
The most distinctive feature of the X-Ray Tetra is the translucent layer of skin that covers it's small body, allowing the Fish's backbone to be clearly seen. The scales of the X-Ray Tetra are a silvery-yellowish colour that is very faint, looking almost golden in some lights. The X-Ray Tetra also has a re-tipped tail and strikingly striped dorsal and anal fins that are yellow, black and white in colour. This is a relatively small species of Fish that actually has a bony internal structure known as the Weberian apparatus, which is used in picking up sound waves, and contributes to their acute sense of hearing (this bony structure is also found in many of their relatives). Females are generally slightly larger and rounder than the more slender males, although the two are very similar in appearance.
The X-Ray Tetra is found in the Amazonian coastal waters of Brazil, Guiana, Guyana, and Venezuela in South America. They differ greatly from other Tetra species as they are able to tolerate the harder brackish water closer to the coast, as well as their usual freshwater environments. They inhabit clear-water streams and tributaries during the dry season, and with the coming of the rains, the X-Ray Tetra then move into the flooded marshlands where the water is softer and more acidic. It is during the wet season that the X-Ray Tetra breed as they have better water conditions and a higher abundance of food.
Like many other small, colourful Fish, the X-Ray Tetra is a schooling species of Fish inhabiting the region between the bottom and middle of the water as a group. They are incredibly peaceful and are often tolerant of the other species that they share their habitats with. The X-Ray Tetra is one of the most adaptable species of Tetra as it is able to inhabit both fresh and brackish water happily, in both acidic and alkaline conditions. It is widely observed that those X-Ray Tetra that are kept in tanks, can change quickly from being peaceful to becoming skittish in the presence of larger, predatory Fish, with the same behaviour known to be displayed if the school size is not big enough.
During the rainy season. the X-Ray Tetra return to the flood-lands to spawn. Unlike many similar Fish who give birth to live young, the female X-Ray Tetra lays between 300 - 400 eggs by scattering them amongst the vegetation (when she is ready to spawn, the see-through skin means that her eggs can also be easily seen). X-Ray Tetra fry begin to hatch as early as 24 hours later, and become free swimming within a few days. Once able to swim, the small and dull white young, are able to find better food sources and soon develop their characteristic adult markings. X-Ray Tetra usually live for three or four years in the wild but can get to older ages in captivity.
Like many other small species of Fish that live in the Amazon River, the X-Ray Tetra is an omnivorous animal whose diet is made up of both animals and plants. X-Ray Tetra primarily hunt Worms, Insects and small Crustaceans that live close to the river bed and their fry tend to feed on Insect larvae. Although they are also known to supplement their diet with aquatic plants, they are predominantly micro-predators that feed on small invertebrates. In artificial communities, X-Ray Tetra need a variety of food sources including Brine Shrimp and Bloodworm alongside the standard flakes and pellets to ensure that they have a fully nutritious diet.
The small size of the X-Ray Tetra means that they should not be kept in the same aquarium as larger, predatory Fish, but will co-inhabit the tank peacefully with other small, schooling Fish that pose them no threat. In the wild, X-Ray Tetra are preyed upon by a number of aquatic predators including larger Fish and Frogs, and are also threatened by Birds and Snakes if they are closer to the water's surface. Populations are thought to be the most under threat from the rising levels of pollution in the water and habitat loss in general.
The Weberian apparatus (the bony structure) in the X-Ray Tetra's body works by transmitting sound waves through their vertebrate, that have been received by the swim bladder and are then taken to the inner ear, meaning that the X-Ray Tetra has excellent hearing. The transparency of their skin is thought to be a form of protection as predators find it much harder to spot them (along with their light yellow markings) amongst the dense vegetation, and shimmering water. Not only is the yellowish X-Ray Tetra popular in tanks, but an albino version of the species is also now commonly found in artificial communities worldwide.
Since it was first described in 1894, this unique animal has been the subject of much fascination due to it's nearly transparent body. They are now one of the most popular species of tropical Fish to be kept in household tanks, mainly due to their ease of keeping as they are hardy, adaptable and undemanding. Their fast breeding rate is also thought to be one of the reasons why they have become quite so popular. Today, aquarium X-Ray Tetra do not come from the wild, but are instead commercially farmed for the trade, mainly in Eastern Europe and in the Far East.
The X-Ray Tetra has not been listed on the IUCN Red List as a species that is under threat in it's environment. However, increasing industry in the Amazon Basin means that there has been an increase in the levels of pollution in the water and therefore a decrease in water quality, leading to slight population declines in certain areas.
The woolly monkey is a medium to large sized primate, that inhabits the tropical forests of north-west South America. The woolly monkey is most well known for it's round-shaped head and dense fur that covers the body of the woolly monkey. Woolly monkeys are found throughout Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and parts of Venezuela where they live an arboreal lifestyle. Woolly monkeys have long and very strong prehensile tails which allows them to balance and grip onto branches without having to give up the use of their hands.
There are four different species of woolly monkey found in the South American jungles today. These are the brown woolly monkey (also known as the common woolly monkey), the grey woolly monkey, the Columbian woolly monkey and the silvery woolly monkey. All four of the different woolly monkey species are found in the same regions of South America.
The woolly monkey gets its name from its soft and thick, curled fur which ranges from brown to black to grey, depending on the species of woolly monkey. Woolly monkeys have relatively stocky bodies, with powerful shoulders and hips.
Like many other primate species, woolly monkeys live together in fairly large groups known as troops. The woolly monkey troops contain both male woolly monkeys and female woolly monkeys. The woolly monkey troop is also known to split up into smaller groups when it is time to forage for food.
The woolly monkey is an omnivorous animal, meaning that it feeds on both plants and other animals. Fruit is the primary source of food for woolly monkeys, but they will also eat nuts, seeds, leaves, flowers, nectar, insects and even small rodents and reptiles.
Due to their relatively large size, woolly monkeys have few natural predators within their jungle environment. Large birds of prey such as eagles, are the main predators of the young woolly monkeys, and wildcats such as ocelot and jaguars are the main predators of the adult woolly monkeys. The human is also one of the main predators of the woolly monkey as they are hunted for their meat and fur.
The alpha male woolly monkey will mate with the females in his troop. After a gestation period of between 7 and 8 months, the baby woolly monkey is born. Woolly monkeys tend to only have one baby at a time although twins have been known to occur. The baby woolly monkey clings to it's mothers underside, before climbing up onto her back when it is around a week old. The baby woolly monkey is independent and no longer needs it's mother when it is around 6 months old.
Due to deforestation and therefore habitat loss, the woolly monkey population numbers are drastically decreasing, with the woolly monkey now considered to be an animal species that is vulnerable to extinction.
There are four different species of woolly monkey found in the South American jungles today. These are the brown woolly monkey (also known as the common woolly monkey), the grey woolly monkey, the Columbian woolly monkey and the silvery woolly monkey. All four of the different woolly monkey species are found in the same regions of South America.
The woolly monkey gets its name from its soft and thick, curled fur which ranges from brown to black to grey, depending on the species of woolly monkey. Woolly monkeys have relatively stocky bodies, with powerful shoulders and hips.
Like many other primate species, woolly monkeys live together in fairly large groups known as troops. The woolly monkey troops contain both male woolly monkeys and female woolly monkeys. The woolly monkey troop is also known to split up into smaller groups when it is time to forage for food.
The woolly monkey is an omnivorous animal, meaning that it feeds on both plants and other animals. Fruit is the primary source of food for woolly monkeys, but they will also eat nuts, seeds, leaves, flowers, nectar, insects and even small rodents and reptiles.
Due to their relatively large size, woolly monkeys have few natural predators within their jungle environment. Large birds of prey such as eagles, are the main predators of the young woolly monkeys, and wildcats such as ocelot and jaguars are the main predators of the adult woolly monkeys. The human is also one of the main predators of the woolly monkey as they are hunted for their meat and fur.
The alpha male woolly monkey will mate with the females in his troop. After a gestation period of between 7 and 8 months, the baby woolly monkey is born. Woolly monkeys tend to only have one baby at a time although twins have been known to occur. The baby woolly monkey clings to it's mothers underside, before climbing up onto her back when it is around a week old. The baby woolly monkey is independent and no longer needs it's mother when it is around 6 months old.
Due to deforestation and therefore habitat loss, the woolly monkey population numbers are drastically decreasing, with the woolly monkey now considered to be an animal species that is vulnerable to extinction.
The Arctic wolf is found in the most northern parts of the wolf\'s range, in the Arctic Circle. Arctic wolves mainly inhabit Northern Canada and Alaska, parts of Greenland and Iceland and Northern Europe. Arctic wolves are incredibly versatile and adaptive animals, able to withstand year round sub-zero temperatures. Living in the Arctic Circle, the Arctic wolf spends five out of twelve months in total darkness.
The Arctic wolf hunts lemmings, assorted rodents, and Arctic hare but will take larger prey like caribou when available. When the Arctic wolf wants to hunt musk ox, the pack will gather and work as a team attempt to isolate it from the herd and take it. An adult musk ox is simply too big for one Arctic wolf to try and take on alone.
Although the Arctic wolf is generally smaller in size than the grey wolf, Arctic wolves tend to be bulkier than grey wolves with the male Arctic wolves also growing larger than the female Arctic wolves.
Normally, only the alpha male Arctic wolf and female Arctic wolves breed, but if a pack gets too large it may break up into new smaller packs giving others the opportunity to mate. Due to the Arctic Circle\'s uncompromising permafrost soil and the difficulty it poses for digging dens, Arctic wolves often use rock outcroppings, caves or even shallow depressions as dens instead.
Arctic wolf pups are born in litters of two or three in the months of May and June, meaning that the Arctic wolf pups are born about a month later than the grey wolf pups. Arctic wolves tend to be white with brown irises, unlike most other subspecies of wolves with yellow to amber eyes. White fur gives them camouflage in a snowy environment, and the darker irises give added protection to the eyes in a high glare environment.
The Arctic wolf hunts lemmings, assorted rodents, and Arctic hare but will take larger prey like caribou when available. When the Arctic wolf wants to hunt musk ox, the pack will gather and work as a team attempt to isolate it from the herd and take it. An adult musk ox is simply too big for one Arctic wolf to try and take on alone.
Although the Arctic wolf is generally smaller in size than the grey wolf, Arctic wolves tend to be bulkier than grey wolves with the male Arctic wolves also growing larger than the female Arctic wolves.
Normally, only the alpha male Arctic wolf and female Arctic wolves breed, but if a pack gets too large it may break up into new smaller packs giving others the opportunity to mate. Due to the Arctic Circle\'s uncompromising permafrost soil and the difficulty it poses for digging dens, Arctic wolves often use rock outcroppings, caves or even shallow depressions as dens instead.
Arctic wolf pups are born in litters of two or three in the months of May and June, meaning that the Arctic wolf pups are born about a month later than the grey wolf pups. Arctic wolves tend to be white with brown irises, unlike most other subspecies of wolves with yellow to amber eyes. White fur gives them camouflage in a snowy environment, and the darker irises give added protection to the eyes in a high glare environment.
The manta ray is a large species of flattened fish, closely related to other cartilaginous fish such as sharks. The manta ray is the largest species of ray in the world with some manta ray individuals reaching up to 9 meters wide. The manta ray is most commonly found in the warmer, tropical of waters of the world's oceans, typically around coral reefs and along the continental shelves where food is in abundance. However, due to their enormous size, manta rays are also commonly spotted hunting out in the open ocean.
The manta ray is a solitary animal and is also a graceful swimmer. Like other large species of fish, manta rays swim by moving their pectoral fins up and down which propels their enormous body through the surrounding water. The short tail of the manta ray also allows the manta ray to be more acrobatic with it's movement, and they have even be seen leaping out of the water.
Manta rays are known to frequently visit cleaning stations where small fish such as wrasse and angelfish swim in the manta ray's gills and over it's skin to feed, in the process cleaning it of parasites and dead tissue. Manta rays are generally not interested in eating these smaller fish as they are providing a great service to the manta ray.
Unlike many sharks, manta rays do not actually have teeth and instead sieve the food particles out of the water using rows of tiny plates in their mouths, which they funnel in their mouths as they swim. Manta rays eat tiny marine organisms including microscopic plankton, small fish and crustaceans.
Despite it's large size, the relatively docile nature of the manta ray means that it is actually preyed upon by a number of large marine predators. Large species of shark such as the great white shark, killer whales and also humans are known to hunt the manta ray.
After mating the female manta ray lays a couple of eggs which actually develop and then hatch inside her. This process is known as aplacental viviparity and is quite commonly seen in the reproduction of a number of shark and ray species. Within 6 weeks of hatching, the female manta ray gives birth to 1 or 2 manta ray pups, which develop into large adults fairly quickly.
Today, although the manta ray is not considered to be a species that is in imminent danger of extinction in the wild, the manta ray population numbers have been declining more quickly in recent years. Manta rays are particularly susceptible to pollution in the water and are quickly affected by overfishing in certain areas, and therefore a lack of food.
The manta ray is a solitary animal and is also a graceful swimmer. Like other large species of fish, manta rays swim by moving their pectoral fins up and down which propels their enormous body through the surrounding water. The short tail of the manta ray also allows the manta ray to be more acrobatic with it's movement, and they have even be seen leaping out of the water.
Manta rays are known to frequently visit cleaning stations where small fish such as wrasse and angelfish swim in the manta ray's gills and over it's skin to feed, in the process cleaning it of parasites and dead tissue. Manta rays are generally not interested in eating these smaller fish as they are providing a great service to the manta ray.
Unlike many sharks, manta rays do not actually have teeth and instead sieve the food particles out of the water using rows of tiny plates in their mouths, which they funnel in their mouths as they swim. Manta rays eat tiny marine organisms including microscopic plankton, small fish and crustaceans.
Despite it's large size, the relatively docile nature of the manta ray means that it is actually preyed upon by a number of large marine predators. Large species of shark such as the great white shark, killer whales and also humans are known to hunt the manta ray.
After mating the female manta ray lays a couple of eggs which actually develop and then hatch inside her. This process is known as aplacental viviparity and is quite commonly seen in the reproduction of a number of shark and ray species. Within 6 weeks of hatching, the female manta ray gives birth to 1 or 2 manta ray pups, which develop into large adults fairly quickly.
Today, although the manta ray is not considered to be a species that is in imminent danger of extinction in the wild, the manta ray population numbers have been declining more quickly in recent years. Manta rays are particularly susceptible to pollution in the water and are quickly affected by overfishing in certain areas, and therefore a lack of food.
Today the Chow Chow is most commonly kept as a companion dog. Its keen sense of proprietorship over its home paired with a sometimes disconcertingly serious approach to strangers can be off-putting to those unfamiliar with the breed. However, displays of timidity and aggression are uncharacteristic of well-bred and well-socialized specimens. Inexperienced dog owners should beware of how dogs of this breed encounter those it perceives as strangers, their notoriety is so established that many homeowners insurance companies will not cover dogs from this breed.
The proper Chow owner will be just as willful and stubborn as the Chow they keep, thus weaker-willed individuals would be best served to evaluate their commitment in controlling an animal who is happy to take over any household. Specimens of opposite sex typically co-habitate with less tension than those of the same sex, but it is not unheard of for multiple chows of both sexes to live together peacefully in a home setting.
The Chow is extremely loyal to its own family and will bond tightly to its master. The Chow typically shows affection only with those it has bonds to, so new visitors to the home should not press their physical attention upon the resident Chow as it will not immediately accept strangers in the same manner as it does members of its own pack.
The proper Chow owner will be just as willful and stubborn as the Chow they keep, thus weaker-willed individuals would be best served to evaluate their commitment in controlling an animal who is happy to take over any household. Specimens of opposite sex typically co-habitate with less tension than those of the same sex, but it is not unheard of for multiple chows of both sexes to live together peacefully in a home setting.
The Chow is extremely loyal to its own family and will bond tightly to its master. The Chow typically shows affection only with those it has bonds to, so new visitors to the home should not press their physical attention upon the resident Chow as it will not immediately accept strangers in the same manner as it does members of its own pack.
The American Foxhound dates back to the 1700s, when they were bred from English Foxhounds and French Foxhounds by George Washington. Their most notable ancestors though are the English Foxhounds that arrived in North America in 1650 with the English settlers. Back then, hunters required a domestic breed that had similar physical characteristics to the English Foxhound, but one that was both faster and had a keener sense of smell than the already existing breeds. In the 17th century, the American Foxhound was most commonly used for seeking out the native people, before it later became a highly effective hunter of wild animals. American Foxhounds are kept both on their own and as pack animals, in groups that tend to contain between 10 and 20 individuals, primarily by hunters and farmers.
The American Foxhound is large breed of domestic Dog, growing to an average height of 63cm tall. They are long and lean animals, with straight, long legs and a narrow tail which curves slightly upwards. The American Foxhound has a short coat of coarse fur which is most commonly white, brown, tan, or black in colour, and is known to shed fairly regularly. The American Foxhound's long head is dome-shaped with large, wide-set eyes that are generally hazel or brown in colour. Their wide pendant-shaped ears lie flat on either side of their head, framing the American Foxhound's face. Despite being leaner than the English Foxhound, the American Foxhound's body is incredibly muscular, allowing it to pursue a chase with great stamina, speed and agility.
The American Foxhound has a generally loyal, sweet, affectionate and gentle nature when at home, but like other Hounds, they are incredibly dedicated and brave when hunting. They are however known to be relatively stubborn when they come across a scent trail and can run incredibly fast when giving chase. As a household pet, the American Foxhound needs a great deal of exercise due to it's incredibly active nature and is known to get on well with other domestic Dog breeds, mainly due to it's history as a pack-animal. The American Foxhound does however need a constant pack-leader to avoid any behavioural issues that may occur. Even though the American Foxhound is an incredibly responsive animal, they are not known to be particularly wary of strangers and rarely show any aggressive tendencies.
The American Foxhound was first bred in the 1700s by George Washington, by using what is believed to be a combination of the English Foxhound and the French Foxhound, which each had their own desirable traits. Hounds were primarily used by hunters and farmers to seek out animals and all have a very strong sense of smell. Washington however, required a breed that had an even keener sense of the smell than the current breeds, and also had incredible speed and stamina. Since then, the American Foxhound is still found throughout the United States but is thought to be most popular with hunters and farmers. Although they do make good companions, they are not particularly common household pets probably because of their high energy levels and the fact that their incredibly sensitive nose can lead them to become very stubborn.
The American Foxhound was bred by the President after having received a gift of a French Foxhound. Having written about both the French and English Foxhounds in his journals on many occasions, the leaner, lighter and faster American Foxhound appeared soon afterwards and quickly became a popular choice among Hounds. Despite however, being one of the few domestic breeds native to North America, the American Foxhound is actually quite rare today with adoption levels of these Dogs being very low. The American Foxhound though is loved by owners, particularly for their special bark which consists of a loud, deep bark followed by a high-pitched howl. The bark of the American Foxhound is apparently so harmonious that is has appeared in songs.
The humpback whale is one of the bigger species of whale with the average adult humpback whale measuring more than 15m long (thats still about half the size of the blue whale). Humpback whales are found in all of the main oceans worldwide, but the humpback whales tend to stay in three main herds, the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Indian Ocean herds. There were once thought to be less than 15,000 humpback whale individuals left in the wild, with the humpback whale population declining by nearly 90% when whale hunting became popular with humans, meaning that the humpback whale was on the verge of extinction. Since new whaling laws have been put into place the humpback whale population has been allowed to grow again and today there are believed to be roughly 80,000 humpback whale individuals left in the wild.
The humpback whales spend the summer months in the colder, polar waters and then the humpback whales migrate south in the winter to the warmer tropical waters where the humpback whales live off their fat reserves until they migrate north again in the summer. The average humpback whale can travel to around 25,000 km every year when the humpback whale migrates between the north and the south.
Humpback whale mothers tend to give birth to their young during the winter months when the humpback whales are in the warmer, southern waters. The humpback whale mother feeds her calf on the milk that she produces but this means that the humpback mother is often very week when she returns to the colder, northern waters in the summer as the humpback whale mother often will not have eaten since the migration south months before.
The humpback whale is a species of Baleen whale and is thought to be closely related to the blue whale and the minke whale. As the humpback whale is a type of Baleen whale, this means that the humpback whale has rows of plates in the enormous mouth of the humpback whale, which the humpback whale uses to filter small particles of food out of the water. The humpback whale therefore does not have teeth.
Humpback whales primarily feed off krill and plankton that are present in their billions in richer waters. The humpback whale will also eat small fish and crabs that get taken into the vast mouth of the humpback whale when the humpback whale is filtering large amounts of water in order to extract the nutrients from it.
The humpback whale has not one but two blow holes, which are located on the top of the humpback whales head. The blow holes of the humpback whale enable the humpback whale to breathe in air on the surface of the water. Humpback whales spout (breathe) around 1-2 times per minute when the humpback whale is resting, and 4-8 times per minutes after the humpback whale has made a deep dive into the ocean. The blow of the humpback whale is a double stream of spray that rises between 3 and 4 meters into the air above the surface of the water.
Humpback whales are often seen migrating together in large pods but the relationships between groups of humpback whales are thought to be temporary and only last for a number of days. Humpback whales are also highly acrobatic animals and are often a favourite with whale watchers as the humpback whales can launch themselves high above the surface of the water.
The humpback whales spend the summer months in the colder, polar waters and then the humpback whales migrate south in the winter to the warmer tropical waters where the humpback whales live off their fat reserves until they migrate north again in the summer. The average humpback whale can travel to around 25,000 km every year when the humpback whale migrates between the north and the south.
Humpback whale mothers tend to give birth to their young during the winter months when the humpback whales are in the warmer, southern waters. The humpback whale mother feeds her calf on the milk that she produces but this means that the humpback mother is often very week when she returns to the colder, northern waters in the summer as the humpback whale mother often will not have eaten since the migration south months before.
The humpback whale is a species of Baleen whale and is thought to be closely related to the blue whale and the minke whale. As the humpback whale is a type of Baleen whale, this means that the humpback whale has rows of plates in the enormous mouth of the humpback whale, which the humpback whale uses to filter small particles of food out of the water. The humpback whale therefore does not have teeth.
Humpback whales primarily feed off krill and plankton that are present in their billions in richer waters. The humpback whale will also eat small fish and crabs that get taken into the vast mouth of the humpback whale when the humpback whale is filtering large amounts of water in order to extract the nutrients from it.
The humpback whale has not one but two blow holes, which are located on the top of the humpback whales head. The blow holes of the humpback whale enable the humpback whale to breathe in air on the surface of the water. Humpback whales spout (breathe) around 1-2 times per minute when the humpback whale is resting, and 4-8 times per minutes after the humpback whale has made a deep dive into the ocean. The blow of the humpback whale is a double stream of spray that rises between 3 and 4 meters into the air above the surface of the water.
Humpback whales are often seen migrating together in large pods but the relationships between groups of humpback whales are thought to be temporary and only last for a number of days. Humpback whales are also highly acrobatic animals and are often a favourite with whale watchers as the humpback whales can launch themselves high above the surface of the water.
The budgerigar is a small colorful bird native to Australia. The budgerigar is thought to be a sub-species of parrot, making the budgerigar one of the smallest parrot species in the world. The budgerigar is often called a parakeet or a budgie and the budgie is one of the most popular birds to keep as pets, both in outside aviaries and in cages in homes. Budgerigars are thought to be popular pets due to their small size and brightly coloured feathers.
The budgerigar is a very sociable bird and budgies can been seen gathering in large flocks in trees and scrub land in the Australian wilderness. Pet budgerigars should always be kept at least with one other budgerigar to prevent them from getting lonely. The wild budgerigar tends to feed on grass seeds and occasional insects.
Budgies are known to be very easy animals to sex. Male budgies and female budgies can be identified by the colour of their nose. The male budgerigar has a blue nose while the female budgie's nose is brown in colour.
Budgerigars are known to be very hardy little creatures and if a budgie becomes ill in the wild, the budgie will try to conceal it as long as possible so as not to appear weak and vulnerable to potential predators. The main predators of the wild budgerigar are snakes and birds of prey such as hawks. Wild budgerigars have also been known to be hunted by local natives mainly for their brightly coloured feathers which are then used in tribal costumes.
The average lifespan of a wild budgerigar is thought to be around 5 years but budgerigars have been known to live much longer in captivity, some get to nearly 20 years old! The average lifespan of a pet budgie is between 8 and 10 years.
Budgerigars are one of the few bird species that do not build nests and female budgerigars will therefore find a hole in a tree in which to lay their eggs. The female budgerigar lays around 5 or 6 eggs, that hatch in around 3 weeks. The budgie chicks are looked after by their mother and reach full adulthood when they are roughly 9 months old.
The budgerigar is a very vocal animal and the song of the budgie is also quite loud. Budgerigars use their voices to communicate with one another as they are very sociable animals.
The budgerigar is a very sociable bird and budgies can been seen gathering in large flocks in trees and scrub land in the Australian wilderness. Pet budgerigars should always be kept at least with one other budgerigar to prevent them from getting lonely. The wild budgerigar tends to feed on grass seeds and occasional insects.
Budgies are known to be very easy animals to sex. Male budgies and female budgies can be identified by the colour of their nose. The male budgerigar has a blue nose while the female budgie's nose is brown in colour.
Budgerigars are known to be very hardy little creatures and if a budgie becomes ill in the wild, the budgie will try to conceal it as long as possible so as not to appear weak and vulnerable to potential predators. The main predators of the wild budgerigar are snakes and birds of prey such as hawks. Wild budgerigars have also been known to be hunted by local natives mainly for their brightly coloured feathers which are then used in tribal costumes.
The average lifespan of a wild budgerigar is thought to be around 5 years but budgerigars have been known to live much longer in captivity, some get to nearly 20 years old! The average lifespan of a pet budgie is between 8 and 10 years.
Budgerigars are one of the few bird species that do not build nests and female budgerigars will therefore find a hole in a tree in which to lay their eggs. The female budgerigar lays around 5 or 6 eggs, that hatch in around 3 weeks. The budgie chicks are looked after by their mother and reach full adulthood when they are roughly 9 months old.
The budgerigar is a very vocal animal and the song of the budgie is also quite loud. Budgerigars use their voices to communicate with one another as they are very sociable animals.
The Javan rhinoceros (also known as the lesser one-horned rhinoceros and the Sunda rhinoceros) is a small species of rhinoceros native to parts of south-east Asia. The Javan rhinoceros is thought to be most closely related to the Indian rhinoceros, both of which only have one horn. The Javan Rhino primarily inhabits dense lowland rain forests, tall grass and reed beds that are plentiful with rivers, large floodplains, or wet areas with many mud wallows. The range of Javan rhinoceros once stretched from Bengal, through south-east Asia and down to Sumatra but today, the Javan rhinoceros is only found in Vietnam and on the island of Java.
The Javan rhinoceros only has one horn which is much smaller than those of other rhinoceros species, growing to an average length of 25cm. The Javan rhinoceros uses its small horn for defence, intimidation, digging up roots and breaking branches during feeding. The horn of the Javan rhinoceros is made from a substance called keratin and is therefore very strong. The horn of the Javan rhinoceros is used in ancient medicine and many Indian rhinos have been illegally poached for them.
The Javan rhinoceros has relatively poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and smell to detect what is going on around them. The ears of the Javan rhinoceros possess a relatively wide rotational range to detect sounds and an excellent sense of smell to readily alert them to the presence of predators.
The Javan rhinoceros is a herbivorous animal meaning that it sustains itself on a purely plant based diet. Javan rhinos browse the densely vegetated sub-tropical forest for leaves, flowers, buds, fruits, berries and roots which they dig up from the ground using their horns.
Due to it's large size, the Javan rhino's only real predator in the wild are large wild cats such as tigers that will prey on the Javan rhino calves and weak individuals. Humans are the biggest threat to the Javan rhinoceros as they have been hunted to the brink of extinction for their horns.
The Javan rhinoceros is solitary animal and only comes together with other Javan rhinos to mate. The female Javan rhinoceros gives birth to a single calf after a gestation period that is over a year long. The Javan rhinoceros calf remains with it's mother until it is at least 2 years old and big enough to become independent.
Today, the Javan rhinoceros has been poached for it's horns to the extent that it is on the brink of extinction. Hunting of the Javan rhinoceros along with habitat loss in their native regions have led to there being only a handful of Javan rhinoceros individuals left in the jungles of south-east Asia today.
The Javan rhinoceros only has one horn which is much smaller than those of other rhinoceros species, growing to an average length of 25cm. The Javan rhinoceros uses its small horn for defence, intimidation, digging up roots and breaking branches during feeding. The horn of the Javan rhinoceros is made from a substance called keratin and is therefore very strong. The horn of the Javan rhinoceros is used in ancient medicine and many Indian rhinos have been illegally poached for them.
The Javan rhinoceros has relatively poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and smell to detect what is going on around them. The ears of the Javan rhinoceros possess a relatively wide rotational range to detect sounds and an excellent sense of smell to readily alert them to the presence of predators.
The Javan rhinoceros is a herbivorous animal meaning that it sustains itself on a purely plant based diet. Javan rhinos browse the densely vegetated sub-tropical forest for leaves, flowers, buds, fruits, berries and roots which they dig up from the ground using their horns.
Due to it's large size, the Javan rhino's only real predator in the wild are large wild cats such as tigers that will prey on the Javan rhino calves and weak individuals. Humans are the biggest threat to the Javan rhinoceros as they have been hunted to the brink of extinction for their horns.
The Javan rhinoceros is solitary animal and only comes together with other Javan rhinos to mate. The female Javan rhinoceros gives birth to a single calf after a gestation period that is over a year long. The Javan rhinoceros calf remains with it's mother until it is at least 2 years old and big enough to become independent.
Today, the Javan rhinoceros has been poached for it's horns to the extent that it is on the brink of extinction. Hunting of the Javan rhinoceros along with habitat loss in their native regions have led to there being only a handful of Javan rhinoceros individuals left in the jungles of south-east Asia today.
The black rhinoceros (also known as the hook-lipped rhinoceros) is a large species of rhinoceros native to Africa. Despite it's name, the black rhinoceros is actually fairly light in colour with most black rhinoceros individuals having either white or grey skin. Historically, the black rhinoceros had a vast range across central and eastern Africa in countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola. Although the black rhinoceros is still found in these countries today, their numbers are very few and far between.
The black rhinoceros is one of the larger rhinoceros species with the horns of the black rhinoceros known to reach 1.5 meters in length. The black rhinoceros uses it's horns are used for defence, intimidation, digging up roots and breaking branches during feeding. The horns of the black rhinoceros are made from a substance called keratin and are therefore very strong. The horns of the black rhinoceros are used in ancient medicine and many black rhinos have been illegally poached for them.
The black rhinoceros has relatively poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and smell to detect what is going on around them. The ears of the black rhinoceros possess a relatively wide rotational range to detect sounds and an excellent sense of smell to readily alert them to the presence of predators.
The black rhinoceros is a herbivorous animal meaning that it sustains itself on a purely plant based diet. Black rhinos browse the densely vegetated savanna for leaves, flowers, buds, fruits, berries and roots which they dig up from the ground using their horns.
Due to it's large size, the black rhino's only real predator in the wild are large wild cats such as lions that will prey on the black rhino calves and weak individuals. Humans are the biggest threat to the black rhinoceros as they have been hunted to the brink of extinction for their horns.
The black rhinoceros is solitary animal and only comes together with other black rhinos to mate. The female black rhinoceros gives birth to a single calf after a gestation period that is over a year long. The black rhinoceros calf remains with it's mother until it is at least 2 years old and big enough to become independent.
Today, the black rhinoceros is a critically endangered animal said to be on the brink of extinction in the wild. There are only a handful of black rhinoceros individuals left in the wild, but reports suggest that black rhinoceros population numbers are now beginning to increase due to continued conservation efforts.
The black rhinoceros is one of the larger rhinoceros species with the horns of the black rhinoceros known to reach 1.5 meters in length. The black rhinoceros uses it's horns are used for defence, intimidation, digging up roots and breaking branches during feeding. The horns of the black rhinoceros are made from a substance called keratin and are therefore very strong. The horns of the black rhinoceros are used in ancient medicine and many black rhinos have been illegally poached for them.
The black rhinoceros has relatively poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and smell to detect what is going on around them. The ears of the black rhinoceros possess a relatively wide rotational range to detect sounds and an excellent sense of smell to readily alert them to the presence of predators.
The black rhinoceros is a herbivorous animal meaning that it sustains itself on a purely plant based diet. Black rhinos browse the densely vegetated savanna for leaves, flowers, buds, fruits, berries and roots which they dig up from the ground using their horns.
Due to it's large size, the black rhino's only real predator in the wild are large wild cats such as lions that will prey on the black rhino calves and weak individuals. Humans are the biggest threat to the black rhinoceros as they have been hunted to the brink of extinction for their horns.
The black rhinoceros is solitary animal and only comes together with other black rhinos to mate. The female black rhinoceros gives birth to a single calf after a gestation period that is over a year long. The black rhinoceros calf remains with it's mother until it is at least 2 years old and big enough to become independent.
Today, the black rhinoceros is a critically endangered animal said to be on the brink of extinction in the wild. There are only a handful of black rhinoceros individuals left in the wild, but reports suggest that black rhinoceros population numbers are now beginning to increase due to continued conservation efforts.
The Indian rhinoceros (also known as the great one-horned rhinoceros and the Asian one-horned rhinoceros) is a small species of rhinoceros native to parts of India and Nepal. The Indian rhinoceros gets it's common name from the fact that it only has one horn rather than two. Historically, the Indian rhinoceros had a vast range across northern India but today that range has been drastically reduced due to excessive hunting. The Indian rhinoceros is now confined to the tall grasslands and forests that surround the Himalayas Mountain range.
The Indian rhinoceros is one of the smaller rhinoceros species, thought to be most closely related to the Javan rhinoceros. The Indian rhinoceros has one horn which it uses for defence, intimidation, digging up roots and breaking branches during feeding. The horn of the Indian rhinoceros is made from a substance called keratin and is therefore very strong. The horn of the Indian rhinoceros is used in ancient medicine and many Indian rhinos have been illegally poached for them.
The Indian rhinoceros has relatively poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and smell to detect what is going on around them. The ears of the Indian rhinoceros possess a relatively wide rotational range to detect sounds and an excellent sense of smell to readily alert them to the presence of predators.
The Indian rhinoceros is a herbivorous animal meaning that it sustains itself on a purely plant based diet. Indian rhinos browse the densely vegetated sub-tropical forest for leaves, flowers, buds, fruits, berries and roots which they dig up from the ground using their horns.
Due to it's large size, the Indian rhino's only real predator in the wild are large wild cats such as tigers that will prey on the Indian rhino calves and weak individuals. Humans are the biggest threat to the Indian rhinoceros as they have been hunted to the brink of extinction for their horns.
The Indian rhinoceros is solitary animal and only comes together with other Indian rhinos to mate. The female Indian rhinoceros gives birth to a single calf after a gestation period that is over a year long. The Indian rhinoceros calf remains with it's mother until it is at least 2 years old and big enough to become independent.
Today, the Indian rhinoceros is an endangered animal and has been pushed into only a small fraction of it's historical territory by human hunters and deforestation. There are thought to be around 3,000 Indian rhinoceros individuals left in the wild, two thirds of which are believed to be in the Assam region of India.
The Indian rhinoceros is one of the smaller rhinoceros species, thought to be most closely related to the Javan rhinoceros. The Indian rhinoceros has one horn which it uses for defence, intimidation, digging up roots and breaking branches during feeding. The horn of the Indian rhinoceros is made from a substance called keratin and is therefore very strong. The horn of the Indian rhinoceros is used in ancient medicine and many Indian rhinos have been illegally poached for them.
The Indian rhinoceros has relatively poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and smell to detect what is going on around them. The ears of the Indian rhinoceros possess a relatively wide rotational range to detect sounds and an excellent sense of smell to readily alert them to the presence of predators.
The Indian rhinoceros is a herbivorous animal meaning that it sustains itself on a purely plant based diet. Indian rhinos browse the densely vegetated sub-tropical forest for leaves, flowers, buds, fruits, berries and roots which they dig up from the ground using their horns.
Due to it's large size, the Indian rhino's only real predator in the wild are large wild cats such as tigers that will prey on the Indian rhino calves and weak individuals. Humans are the biggest threat to the Indian rhinoceros as they have been hunted to the brink of extinction for their horns.
The Indian rhinoceros is solitary animal and only comes together with other Indian rhinos to mate. The female Indian rhinoceros gives birth to a single calf after a gestation period that is over a year long. The Indian rhinoceros calf remains with it's mother until it is at least 2 years old and big enough to become independent.
Today, the Indian rhinoceros is an endangered animal and has been pushed into only a small fraction of it's historical territory by human hunters and deforestation. There are thought to be around 3,000 Indian rhinoceros individuals left in the wild, two thirds of which are believed to be in the Assam region of India.
The rhinoceros is a large mammal native to Africa and Asia. There are five species of rhino found in the world with 3 out of the 5 species of rhino now considered to be critically endangered. The rhino is thought to be the second biggest land mammal in the world behind the African elephant. The five species of rhinoceros are the white rhino (which is the largest species of rhino) and the black rhino which are both native to Africa and are only really distinguished in size as they look fairly similar. The Indian rhino, the Sumatran rhino and the Javan rhino are all native to Asia and are much smaller in size than the white rhino and the black rhino of Africa.
The rhino averages about 1.5 tons in weight, and the rhino has a tough skin that is roughly 1.5cm thick. The rhino also has a large horn in the middle of its face and some species of rhino have a second smaller horn above the larger one.
The rhinoceros is a herbivore and eats grasses, leaves, shoots, buds and fruits in order to gain the nutrients that the rhino needs to grow and survive. The average rhinoceros regularly gets to about 60 years old in the wild particularly seeing as they have no real predators apart from human poachers. The rhino is also known to have a fairly small brain in comparison to their large size.
The rhino is prized for its horn. The horns of a rhinoceros are made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails in most animals including humans. Both African species of rhino and the Sumatran rhinoceros have two horns, while the Indian rhino and Javan rhinoceros have just one horn. Rhinos have brilliant hearing and the rhino also has a keen sense of smell, but the rhino is well known for having extremely poor eyesight.
The rhinoceros is generally found in thick forests and savannas where there is plenty of food to eat and lots of cover for the rhino to hide in. Although the rhino is a herbivore, they are known for their aggressive nature and will often charge towards oncoming predators in order to scare them away. Most rhinoceros individuals that are killed by poachers, are caught out when they are quietly drinking from a water hole and therefore drop their guard.
The rhino averages about 1.5 tons in weight, and the rhino has a tough skin that is roughly 1.5cm thick. The rhino also has a large horn in the middle of its face and some species of rhino have a second smaller horn above the larger one.
The rhinoceros is a herbivore and eats grasses, leaves, shoots, buds and fruits in order to gain the nutrients that the rhino needs to grow and survive. The average rhinoceros regularly gets to about 60 years old in the wild particularly seeing as they have no real predators apart from human poachers. The rhino is also known to have a fairly small brain in comparison to their large size.
The rhino is prized for its horn. The horns of a rhinoceros are made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails in most animals including humans. Both African species of rhino and the Sumatran rhinoceros have two horns, while the Indian rhino and Javan rhinoceros have just one horn. Rhinos have brilliant hearing and the rhino also has a keen sense of smell, but the rhino is well known for having extremely poor eyesight.
The rhinoceros is generally found in thick forests and savannas where there is plenty of food to eat and lots of cover for the rhino to hide in. Although the rhino is a herbivore, they are known for their aggressive nature and will often charge towards oncoming predators in order to scare them away. Most rhinoceros individuals that are killed by poachers, are caught out when they are quietly drinking from a water hole and therefore drop their guard.
Horses evolved over 50 million years from small many toed animals to the big beautiful, single-toed horses of today. The modern horse has been domesticated around the world for many reasons including transportation and battle. Horses tend to live for about 30 years, and the oldest recorded horse at age 56 died in 2007. Horses graze on plant matter and vegetation, preferably tender green grass. The height of a horse is measured in hands, 1 hand being the same as 10cm (4 inches). The age of the horse is estimated by the pattern of tooth wear in his mouth.
An adult female is called a mare, and a young female is called a filly. An adult male is a stallion, and a young male is a colt. An unweaned baby of either sex is a foal. Castrated males and spayed females are called geldings. Mares carry their young inside them for approximately 11 months. When the baby horse is born, the young horse is often able to stand and then run about not long after birth. A mare comes into season one month after her foal is born. If she is remated then, she will have a foal at the same time each year.
The horses' hoofs are made out of horn which comes in different colors, with black being most common. Horses with white feet often have white hoofs, which are more brittle than pigmented ones. Appaloosa horses often have striped hoofs consisting of both pigmented and white hoof material.
There are thought to be more than 300 different breeds of horse found around the world today, each being bred for a purpose. Enormous draft horses such as Clydesdales pull heavy wagons, lighter saddle horses are for riding, and pony breeds are suitable for children and small adults. Miniature horses (30" and under) are primarily pets, though some have been used to guide blind people.
Horses have remarkable hearing and are almost able to have 360 degree hearing. The sense of smell of the horse is better than that of a human but the horse tends to rely more on vision than smell. Their field of monocular vision is almost 360 degrees with a narrower field of binocular vision in front and slightly to the sides. Horses have a blind spot directly in front of the nose and directly behind them. For this reason it is better to approach from the side. Whether they can see color is inconclusive. They do have much better night vision than humans.
Horses have an advanced sense of taste which allows the horse to sort through grasses and grains to find the things that the horse would most like to eat. Horses generally will not eat plants that are poisonous, but when the horse cannot find more adequate food, the horse will eat plants that contain toxins. A horse's gut is designed to have food flowing through it almost continually, and horses graze most of the day if allowed.
An adult female is called a mare, and a young female is called a filly. An adult male is a stallion, and a young male is a colt. An unweaned baby of either sex is a foal. Castrated males and spayed females are called geldings. Mares carry their young inside them for approximately 11 months. When the baby horse is born, the young horse is often able to stand and then run about not long after birth. A mare comes into season one month after her foal is born. If she is remated then, she will have a foal at the same time each year.
The horses' hoofs are made out of horn which comes in different colors, with black being most common. Horses with white feet often have white hoofs, which are more brittle than pigmented ones. Appaloosa horses often have striped hoofs consisting of both pigmented and white hoof material.
There are thought to be more than 300 different breeds of horse found around the world today, each being bred for a purpose. Enormous draft horses such as Clydesdales pull heavy wagons, lighter saddle horses are for riding, and pony breeds are suitable for children and small adults. Miniature horses (30" and under) are primarily pets, though some have been used to guide blind people.
Horses have remarkable hearing and are almost able to have 360 degree hearing. The sense of smell of the horse is better than that of a human but the horse tends to rely more on vision than smell. Their field of monocular vision is almost 360 degrees with a narrower field of binocular vision in front and slightly to the sides. Horses have a blind spot directly in front of the nose and directly behind them. For this reason it is better to approach from the side. Whether they can see color is inconclusive. They do have much better night vision than humans.
Horses have an advanced sense of taste which allows the horse to sort through grasses and grains to find the things that the horse would most like to eat. Horses generally will not eat plants that are poisonous, but when the horse cannot find more adequate food, the horse will eat plants that contain toxins. A horse's gut is designed to have food flowing through it almost continually, and horses graze most of the day if allowed.
Donkeys were supposedly domesticated around 5000 years ago in the north east of Africa from the Somali wild ass. The domestication if donkeys soon spread across the globe, with people mainly using the donkeys to help carry heavy loads and transport goods long distances. They are anatomically normal and show normal breeding behavior, so hybrids should be gelded as early as possible to avoid studdy behavior. The majority of donkeys today still do the same burdening tasks that the donkeys did thousands of years ago, in a similar way to the pack-mules in the Asian mountains that transport burdening goods through the mountain passes.
Despite the obvious similarities between a donkey and a horse, a donkey-horse offspring (mule) will always be infertile, due to a genetic malfunction that occurs when two different species mate. This is also the case when different species of asses interbreed, such as the onager and the Somali wild ass. Even though they are in the same genus taxonomically, the hybrid offspring of two species of ass will have sterile offspring.
Wild donkeys have adapted to living in near desert environments and because of this, donkeys have very hardy immune and digestive systems. This allows the donkey to be able to process and gain nutrition from vegetation that many other species of animal have great difficulty gaining any nutrition from.
There are thought to be more than 44 million donkeys found throughout the world, with around 11 million of these donkeys found in China. Scientists believe that the real number of donkeys could be much higher than this as many donkeys go unaccounted for.
Donkeys are said to have a relatively stubborn temperament but once the owner of the donkey has gained the donkeys trust, the donkey is extremely loyal and a good friend. Donkeys are not truly stubborn; they are very good at taking care of themselves. Their self preservation instincts are strong. They will refuse to proceed if they sense danger or if they are overburdened. They pass this valuable trait on to the mule. Donkeys are also thought to have a calming affect over distressed horses and donkeys are often put into fields with horses as they make great companions for them.
Despite the obvious similarities between a donkey and a horse, a donkey-horse offspring (mule) will always be infertile, due to a genetic malfunction that occurs when two different species mate. This is also the case when different species of asses interbreed, such as the onager and the Somali wild ass. Even though they are in the same genus taxonomically, the hybrid offspring of two species of ass will have sterile offspring.
Wild donkeys have adapted to living in near desert environments and because of this, donkeys have very hardy immune and digestive systems. This allows the donkey to be able to process and gain nutrition from vegetation that many other species of animal have great difficulty gaining any nutrition from.
There are thought to be more than 44 million donkeys found throughout the world, with around 11 million of these donkeys found in China. Scientists believe that the real number of donkeys could be much higher than this as many donkeys go unaccounted for.
Donkeys are said to have a relatively stubborn temperament but once the owner of the donkey has gained the donkeys trust, the donkey is extremely loyal and a good friend. Donkeys are not truly stubborn; they are very good at taking care of themselves. Their self preservation instincts are strong. They will refuse to proceed if they sense danger or if they are overburdened. They pass this valuable trait on to the mule. Donkeys are also thought to have a calming affect over distressed horses and donkeys are often put into fields with horses as they make great companions for them.
A mule is the result of the mating of a male donkey (jack) and a female horse (mare) to produce a hybrid. The much rarer hinny is the result of mating a female donkey (jennet) with a male horse (stallion) although the hinny is much harder to produce than the mule. The jennet's reproductive system is more efficient at detecting and eliminating foreign DNA than the mare's is. The hinny conception rate is lower and the miscarriage rate is higher. It really isn't possible to distinguish a mule from a hinny by appearance. Mules are anatomically normal and show normal breeding behavior unless gelded (castrated) early in life. Mules are sterile due to an uneven chromosome count. There are have been a very few rare cases since the 1500s where female mules have been known to produce a foal when mated to a stallion or jack. Males are completely sterile, and as an old muleman said,"Ain't nothing meaner than a stud mule!"
Mules are commonly found around the world in any area where there are donkeys and horses inhabiting the same environment. Mules have been bred by humans for use as riding and pack animals, and for ploughing or any work one does with horses.
The mule's body type and temperament depend on the breed of mare and jack used. Huge draft mules are created by breeding draft horses such as Belgians to Mammoth jacks. They have the size and power of the draft horse with the mule's ability to tolerate heat and less feed. Racing mules are produced using Throughbred mares, and trail mules are often produced from Quarter horses, Paint horses, and Appaloosas. Mules come in any horse or donkey color or combination of both. A mule is easily distinguished from a donkey by looking at the tail. A mule's tail is haired all the way to the top like a horse's tail; a donkey's tail has a tuft on the end like a cow. They compete successfully with horses in all venues including dressage.
The mule has the patience, endurance, sure footedness, sense, and drought tolerance of the donkey, combined with the size, speed, strength and courage of the horse. Operators of working animals generally find mules preferable to horses as mules have harder skin that is less sensitive than that of horses, meaning that mules can deal with climate extremes such as strong sun and rain more easily. They require less food and water than a horse of the same size. The mules hooves are harder than horses hooves, and both the mule and the mules hooves show a natural resistance to disease and insects.
Mules are commonly found around the world in any area where there are donkeys and horses inhabiting the same environment. Mules have been bred by humans for use as riding and pack animals, and for ploughing or any work one does with horses.
The mule's body type and temperament depend on the breed of mare and jack used. Huge draft mules are created by breeding draft horses such as Belgians to Mammoth jacks. They have the size and power of the draft horse with the mule's ability to tolerate heat and less feed. Racing mules are produced using Throughbred mares, and trail mules are often produced from Quarter horses, Paint horses, and Appaloosas. Mules come in any horse or donkey color or combination of both. A mule is easily distinguished from a donkey by looking at the tail. A mule's tail is haired all the way to the top like a horse's tail; a donkey's tail has a tuft on the end like a cow. They compete successfully with horses in all venues including dressage.
The mule has the patience, endurance, sure footedness, sense, and drought tolerance of the donkey, combined with the size, speed, strength and courage of the horse. Operators of working animals generally find mules preferable to horses as mules have harder skin that is less sensitive than that of horses, meaning that mules can deal with climate extremes such as strong sun and rain more easily. They require less food and water than a horse of the same size. The mules hooves are harder than horses hooves, and both the mule and the mules hooves show a natural resistance to disease and insects.
The Zebra is a large species of equine that is natively found roaming the grassy plains of sub-Saharan Africa. They are the largest and most distinctive wild horses with bodies that are patterned with white and black stripes, the exact placement of which is unique to each individual. There are three different species of Zebra that are found in Africa which are the Common Zebra (also known as the Plains Zebra and the Burchell's Zebra), the Grevy's Zebra (also known as the Imperial Zebra) and the Mountain Zebra. They are incredibly sociable animals that can travel vast distances in search of fresh grass and water but are severely threatened throughout much of their natural range due to increasing levels of human activity. Today, both the Grevy's Zebra and the Mountain Zebra are considered to be endangered species and although the Common Zebra is more widespread and numerous, there have been sharp population declines in certain areas.
Zebras are heavy bodied animals that are perfectly designed for speed with their long and slender legs and narrow hooves helping them to reach speeds of 40kph when running. In the same way as horses, they only have a single toe on each foot which they walk on the tip of and is protected by their tough hooves. Their black and white stripes are unique to each individual and help them to identify each other when in the herd. Zebras have long necks and heads that mean they can easily reach the grass on the ground and a mane that extends from their forehead and along their back to the tail. The pattern of their stripes varies between the species with Grevy's and Mountain Zebras having narrower stripes and white undersides, while the Common Zebra has broad stripes that cover it's entire body. The Grevy's Zebra is not only the largest of the Zebra species but is also easily identifiable by it's large, rounded ears.
Zebras are found inhabiting the open grasslands and plains of East and Southern Africa where they spend almost of their time grazing on the grasses. The Common Zebra is the most numerous and has the widest natural range throughout East Africa where they are found roaming the grassy plains. The Mountain Zebra can be found grazing on the mountain grasslands of South-West Africa, while the Grevy's Zebra is confined to the arid grasslands and sub-desert steppe throughout Ethiopia, Somalia and in northern Kenya. Zebras have evolved to run incredibly fast so they are able to escape from dangerous predators and so rely heavily on the open plains for their survival. Although the Common Zebra has been least affected, all three species are at risk from population declines due to the loss of their natural habitats caused by by increasing levels of human activity.
Zebras are highly sociable animals that roam the savanna in herds for protection from predators. The Grevy's Zebra occupies herds more loosely than the other species with a stallion (male) patrolling enormous territories of up to 10 square kilometres, with mares (females) and their foals grazing freely and occasionally forming small groups that feed together. Both the Common Zebra and the Mountain Zebra inhabit their native regions in long-term herds that split into smaller family groups which are led by a dominant stallion and contain between one and six mares with their young. Their strong social bonds can make them very affectionate towards one another, often grooming each other using their teeth. During the mating season, males will fight fiercely for the right to breed with the females and do so by rearing up on their back legs whilst kicking and biting one another.
The Zebra is a relatively slow-developing mammal with females not being able to first breed until they are at least a few years old. After a gestation period that can last for between 10 months and a year, the female gives birth to a single foal that is born with it's stripes, mane and also has a little patch of hair in the middle of it's tummy. Zebra foals are able to stand within minutes of birth which is vital to ensure that they are able to run away to escape from predators. They are able to begin eating grass after a week and are weaned by the time they are 11 months old. Young Zebras remain with their mother until they are mature at around three years old when the males leave their natal herd to join an all-male bachelor group, while females stay with their mother. These bachelor groups begin to challenge the dominant stallions to try and take over the harem during the mating season.
The Zebra is a herbivorous animal meaning that it only eats plant-matter in order to gain the nutrition that it needs to survive. The majority of the Zebra's diet (in fact around 90%) is comprised of a wide variety of different grasses with other plant matter including leaves and buds making up the rest. They use their sharp front teeth to nibble on the tough ends of grasses before grinding them up using the flat molars along it's cheeks. Due to the fact that grass has little nutritional value, Zebras must spend between 60% and 80% of the day grazing. Common Zebras are often seen drinking at water holes which they do every day but, due to the fact that the Grevy's Zebra and the Mountain Zebra inhabit drier, more arid regions, they often don't drink for several days at a time. In the dry season Zebras can travel vast distances in search of fresh grass and water holes that haven't yet dried up, with the Grevy's Zebra also known to dig into the ground of dried up river beds to access the water underground.
The Zebra is a large and powerful animal that despite being herbivorous can easily outrun many of it's predators. Zebras are preyed upon by Lions, Leopards, Hyenas and African Wild Dogs, along with numerous other large carnivores such as Crocodiles when they are crossing rivers or drinking. Although their first instinct is to run away, Zebras are sometimes known to attack the animal that is threatening it by kicking and biting. However, when danger is spotted, Zebras alert one another of the threat and by running away from their predator as a tight herd, they often either confuse or simply intimidate their attacker. The biggest threat though to Africa's remaining Zebra populations is the increasing encroachment on their natural habitats by people, with the loss of their open plains to grazing for livestock and to clear land for agriculture.
The stripes of the Zebra remain a slight mystery to science even today as they were once thought to camouflage them into the natural light and shade of their surroundings to confuse predators, as once running as a herd, it is extremely difficult to remain focused on a single animal. The formation of the stripes on their rear end of the Zebra differs greatly between the three species with Common Zebras having horizontal stripes on it's haunches where those of the Grevy's Zebra curve upwards. These patterns on their rear ends are thought to differ so greatly so that members of the same herd are able to easily identify the individual at the front of the pack when running. As with other male horses, Zebra stallions are known to curl their top lips up which is thought to heighten their sense of smell. This so-called "horse laugh" is thought to prove vital for the male to be able to detect when a female is ready to mate.
Due to the free-roaming nature of Zebras and over vast distances, the increasing human presence throughout the world has meant that Zebras have been affected by the loss of their habitats throughout much of the natural range. However, one of the most intriguing things about Zebras to people is that because they are so closely related to other equines including Horses and Donkeys, Zebras has actually been able to breed with them to produce a hybrid foal, known as a Zonkey (Zebras and Donkeys) or as a Zorse (Zebras and Horses). Although it is not thought that the two species would naturally be able to mate in the wild due to geographical differences, a number of both Zonkey and Zorse individuals now exist around the world. Zebras are thought to have natural protection to certain parasites which has led people to breed Horses and Donkeys with Zebras to produce an animal that has the character and size of a Horse or Donkey but with the power and resilience of a Zebra. As with other cross-breed offspring though, Zonkeys and Zorses are infertile and so are unable to reproduce themselves.
Today, two out of the three Zebras species are listed by the IUCN as animals that are Endangered and therefore face extinction from their natural habitats in the future. The Grevy's Zebra and the Mountain Zebra are found in increasingly isolated regions and their numbers continue to fall throughout their natural ranges. The Common Zebra is an animal that is listed as being of Least Concern from extinction in the wild and although they are still widespread and numbers appear to be relatively stable, they like the other species, are threatened by habitat loss throughout much of their natural range.
The Zorse is one of a number of equine hybrids that are known as Zebroids, which is the name given to an equine hybrid that has Zebra ancestry. The Zorse is the result of cross-breeding a generally male Zebra (stallion) with a female Horse (mare) to produce an animal that looks more like a Horse than a Zebra, but one that has stripes. The Zebra part also gives the Zorse resistance to certain pests and diseases that normally affect both Horses and Donkeys, meaning that they are not only sturdy but also very hardy animals. Due to the fact that there are not only three different sub-species of Zebra but also nearly 300 different breeds of domestic Horse, the Zorse can vary quite dramatically particularly in size and colour, depending on it's parents.
The Zorse is very Horse-like in appearance as it inherits it's shape, size, colour and temperament from it's mother. One of the Zorse's most notable features is the dark stripes that are boldest on their legs and rear, along with also commonly being found on the rest of the body, neck and head. The Zorse tends to have short, coarse fur that can range in colour from tan to brown to black, with a darker mane and tail (although the exact characteristics of the Zorse are dependent on the breed of the female Horse). Zorses have a large head with a long muzzle, pricked up ears and large, dark eyes with long eyelashes that help to stop things from getting in their eyes. Zorses have long, thin legs that are incredibly muscular and end in generally black (but sometimes white) coloured hooves that are made from horn and allow the Zorse to be more sturdy when moving through various different terrains.
Unlike the case with the Zonkey where there have been a number of wild Zonkey sightings reported, it is almost impossible for a fully wild Zorse to occur without Human intervention of some kind. There are three different sub-species of Zebra that are found in eastern and southern Africa on the vast open grasslands and savannah, but the incredibly rare wild Horse is historically native to parts of Europe and Asia meaning that the two species would not come together naturally in the wild. In parts of Africa though where Human settlements are either close to or intrude on the Zebra's natural habitat, it is possible for a semi-wild Zorse to occur with the mating of a wild Zebra with a domestic Horse. Nearly all of the world's Zorses however, are found either in zoos or animal institutes around the world, with a number also being used as work horses particularly in parts of North America.
In the wild, both Zebras and Horses roam throughout their natural environment in herds that can contain anywhere from two to more than two hundred individuals, making Zorses relatively sociable animals that prefer to live with other equines. Their temperaments however, are generally similar to those of their mother, including their strong flight response which is heightened by their Zebra side. Zorses are strong and muscular animals that spend the majority of their lives grazing and along with the fact that they are known to have better night vision than people, they are known to have almost 360 degree vision with the exception of a blind spot in front of their nose and directly behind them. The Zorse's large, pricked ears give it incredible hearing and their large nostrils mean that they also have a keen sense of smell.
Zorses are produced when a male Zebra mates with a female Horse. After a gestation period that usually lasts for around 11 months, the female Horse gives birth to a single Zorse foal. Like the offspring of numerous other hoofed-herbivores, the Zorse is able stand up within an hour after birth and begins to canter a few hours after that. Although they are much smaller in size than their parents, the Zorse is born with incredibly long legs that are actually nearly their adult length already. As with other hybrid animal including both Zonkeys and Mules, the Zorse is sterile meaning that although they still display normal breeding behaviour they are unable to produce offspring of their own. Zorses tend to be very healthy and hardy animals that can live to be more than 30 years old.
Like other equines including both Zebras and Horses, the Zorse is a herbivorous animal meaning that it only consumes plants and plant matter in order to gain all of the nutrients that it needs to survive. They spend almost all of their time grazing and like Horses, the Zorse has an advanced sense of taste which allows it to sort through grasses and grains in search of it's most favourable foods. The Zorse primarily eats grasses, herbs and flowers that grow on ground level, along with leaves, fruits and berries that it has to pull from the trees or finds on the floor. Zorses generally will not eat plants that are poisonous, but are known to resort to eating plants that contain toxins when there is not an adequate supply of more nutritious food. Oddly enough the Zorse's digestive system is designed to have food flowing through it almost continually, allowing them to graze nearly all day if they can.
On the African plains, Zebras are an important source of food for a number of large carnivores including large felines such as Lions, Leopards and Cheetahs along with Hunting Dogs and also Hyenas. Zorses tend to be slightly larger in size than Zebras (depending on the size of their mother) and so would be a bit harder for these powerful predators to kill. In their native habitats, wild Horses are preyed upon by Wolf packs or Bears that try to single out a generally smaller or weaker individual from the herd. The biggest threat to both wild Horses and Africa's Zebra populations though is habitat loss either in the form of growing Human settlements or to clear land for agriculture, with populations declining throughout much of their natural ranges.
The Zorse is a cross between a Zebra stallion and a domestic mare, but it is also possible to use a Zebra mare and a domestic stallion. This is not that common however because owners of valuable Zebra mares don't want to waste a year of their breeding life trying to produce a hybrid when they could be producing a Zebra foal instead. In Africa, Zebras and Horses are often cross-bred to create Zorses that are used as trekking animals to transport both people and goods up and down the mountains. As with their Zebra father, the pattern of the Zorse's bold stripes is unique to each individual animal (much like the fingerprint of Human), meaning that they can be easily distinguished between one another, and if they were found naturally in the wild it could give them some form of camouflage into their surrounding environment.
The Zorse was originally bred in England and Africa to try and produce a domestic Horse-like animal that was resistant to diseases spread by the Tse Tse Fly in Africa (Zebras have a natural resistance where domestic Donkeys and Horses do not). The experimental crosses were actually becoming popular until early in the 20th century when the ever-improving car industry meant that fewer and fewer people were using Horses for transport. At that point cross-breeding was largely abandoned until a revival of interest came in the early 1990s, with just about every breed of domestic horse imaginable being tried. Zorses are bred and kept today for riding, as work animals and as attractions in zoos and animal institutes around the world.
Due to the fact that the Zorse is a cross-bred animal and that it cannot continue a population, it is not listed by the IUCN. The three Zebra species though are all listed with the Plains Zebra as Least Concern, the Mountain Zebra as Vulnerable and the Grevy's Zebra as Endangered. The Przewalski's Horse which is the only species of wild Horse remaining, is actually Critically Endangered with populations falling so low that reintroduction schemes began reintroducing captive individuals back into their natural environment.
The Zonkey is a hybrid animal that is created by cross-breeding two different species of animal that belong to the same genetic group. Technically though, an individual is only classed as a Zonkey if it is sired from a male Zebra and female Donkey, as one that has a male Donkey and female Zebra parents is known as a Zedonk. Like many other animal hybrids around the world including the Mule and the Liger however, the Zonkey is a sterile creature meaning that it cannot produce offspring of it's own. Unlike the Liger though, it is actually quite possible for Zonkeys to live in the wild as Zebras and Donkeys are naturally found in close proximity to one another in parts of Africa. Although they are very rare, cases of wild Zonkeys have been reported but the majority of them today are found in zoos around the world and are bred as tourist attractions.
The Zebra and the Donkey are closely related to one another and both belonging to the Horse family means these two species share a number of similar characteristics including their size. The Zonkey tends to be of a similar size to these animals but takes on a more definitive Donkey-like appearance, with the obvious exception of inheriting the uniquely-striped pattern on their fur from their Zebra parent. Zonkeys tend to be either tan, brown or grey in colour with a lighter underside, and it is on the lighter parts of their body like their legs and belly where the Zonkey's darker stripes are most prominent (they are much harder to see on the darker parts). The Zonkey also has a black mane which extends along the ridge of their back to the tip if their black tail, and a large head and ears which makes the Zonkey look much more like a Donkey than a Zebra.
Out of the three species of Zebra that are found living on the African continent, two are found in Eastern Africa whilst the other is found in more southern regions. Generally preferring to inhabit savannas and open woodlands throughout their historical range, Zebras are often found in enormous herds particularly on the Serengeti plains where they migrate thousands of miles following the rains that bring new grass. Some are also found in close proximity to Human settlements where they are known to have to compete with domestic livestock, such as Donkeys, for food. It is in these areas where Zonkeys are most likely to be produced naturally in the wild as it gives the two separate species the opportunity to mate. Sadly however, the world's Zonkeys tend to be found in zoos and animal institutions where they are generally bred deliberately.
Despite being very similar animals both in appearance and behaviour, one of the biggest differences between the two is that unlike Donkeys which have been domesticated by Humans for thousands of years, Zebras remain to be wild animals and therefore have a naturally more aggressive nature. Along with their stripes, the other thing that Zonkeys seem to inherit from their Zebra parent is their wild streak as they too are known to be fairly aggressive towards Humans and sometimes other animals. One of the Zonkey's most favourable characteristics is their sheer power which is made up of the stamina of the Donkey mixed with the speed and strength of the Zebra, which has led to them being used as work animals mainly to pull heavy loads.
For a Zonkey to be produced, a male Zebra must have mated with a female Donkey (if the parents are the other way round the offspring is known as a Zedonk). After a gestation period that can last for more than a year, the female Donkey gives birth to a single Zonkey foal that, like Zebra and Donkey foals is able to stand up just minutes after birth. The Zonkey foal would generally remain with it's mother until it was between five and six months old when it would become independent and join another herd. This kind of behaviour however, actually happens slightly later with Zebra foals as they can take up to four years to leave the herd. Like numerous other hybrid animals, the Zonkey itself cannot produce offspring of it's own, as the cross-breeding of two different species often results in their young being sterile and unable to continue a population.
Like Donkeys, Zebras, Horses and their other relatives, Zonkeys are herbivorous animals meaning that they survive on a diet that is solely comprised of plant matter. The majority of their food is made up of grasses and herbs that grow on the ground and like all equines, the Zonkey has flat, broad teeth which are the perfect tools for grinding down the fibrous grass. Along with grazing, Zonkeys also like to browse for other types of food including fruits and berries which are found growing more commonly in less arid areas. Due to the fact that Zonkeys are naturally found in the African wilderness there is always competition for both food and water from other animals inhabiting the same area and so they are always on the move in search of greener pastures.
Despite their large size and the fact that they are long-living animals, both Zebras and Donkeys (and therefore Zonkeys) are important prey to numerous carnivores throughout their natural range. Lions and Hyenas are their most common predators, along with African Hunting Dogs and large felines like Leopards and Cheetahs. Even though they remain a stable food source for these large predators, they are often hard to catch and Zebras particularly are known to protect wounded individuals to prevent them from being hurt any more. Although rarer today, one of the biggest threats to both Zebras and Donkeys in Africa has been the fact that they have been subjected to hunting for both their meat and their skins. They are also being pushed into more isolated regions of the natural habitats meaning a decrease in the likelihood of wild Zonkeys.
Although we often only think of Donkeys as being domesticated animals, wild herds of Donkeys can still be found living on the continent and in herds up to 100 strong in northern Africa, but this is an area that is not inhabited by Zebras and so the chances of a Zonkey occurring under these conditions would be extremely rare. Zonkeys have been mentioned by naturalists for centuries including Darwin who mentioned the possibility of a fertile female Zonkey that was being exhibited at the London Zoo. The Zonkey is thought to be a popular work animal as they have an apparent resistance to certain pests and diseases, something which is thought to have been inherited from their Zebra father.
Originally bred by Humans to pull heavy loads and thought to have appeared in zoos in the 19th century, the Zonkey first became really famous when one was accidentally sired in Colchester Zoo in the 1970s, and they have since continued to exhibit Zonkeys as a popular tourist attraction. Along with now being bred in zoos around the world, Zonkeys are also bred for riding and as work animals involved in transport and pulling heavy loads due to their strength and stamina. In the wild in Africa however, Zebras have come under particular threat from people due both hunting and loss of habitat for growing Human settlements or land clearance for agriculture.
Due to the fact that the Zonkey is a cross-bred animal and that it cannot continue a population, it is not listed by the IUCN. The three Zebra species though are all listed with the Plains Zebra as Least Concern, the Mountain Zebra as Vulnerable and the Grevy's Zebra as Endangered. This means that the chances of Zonkeys occurring in the wild are becoming slimmer and slimmer, with the majority of them today found in zoos and used as work animals.
The llama is thought to have originated in North America around 40 million years ago and the llama is believed to have then migrated to South America and Asia around 3 million years ago, before the American and Asian continents finally separated at Alaska. The llama is thought to have become extinct from North America during the ice age. Today the llama is most commonly found in the Andes mountain region of South America where the llama was kept as a pack animal by the ancient Inca people. Llamas are used for meat, wool, skin and for transporting heavy loads (a little like donkeys).
The llama is thought to have evolved from the old world camel-like animals that inhabited the regions that is today the Middle East. Although the llama has many similarities to the camel, the most noticeable difference between the llama and the camel is that the llama does not have a hump on its back.
Llamas are very sociable animals and enjoy being with other llamas in a herd. The llama is also believed to be a particularly intelligent animal as llamas are commonly taught tasks which the llama picks up with only a few repetitions of the task.
Female llamas give birth to baby llamas (known as crias) standing up. The gestation period for a llama is between 11 and 12 months and the birth of the cria is usually over within half an hour. Baby llamas are generally standing up and attempting to walk within an hour of birth. Llama mating takes place throughout the year and baby llamas tend to be born in the morning when the weather is warm. This is believed to increase the fertility rate of the cria.
The llama is a herbivore and gets most of its nutrition from grass, leaves and young shoots. Llamas also do not have the same water retaining properties of their camel cousins, meaning that the llama must drink more often and llamas therefore prefer to be close to water
The llama is thought to have evolved from the old world camel-like animals that inhabited the regions that is today the Middle East. Although the llama has many similarities to the camel, the most noticeable difference between the llama and the camel is that the llama does not have a hump on its back.
Llamas are very sociable animals and enjoy being with other llamas in a herd. The llama is also believed to be a particularly intelligent animal as llamas are commonly taught tasks which the llama picks up with only a few repetitions of the task.
Female llamas give birth to baby llamas (known as crias) standing up. The gestation period for a llama is between 11 and 12 months and the birth of the cria is usually over within half an hour. Baby llamas are generally standing up and attempting to walk within an hour of birth. Llama mating takes place throughout the year and baby llamas tend to be born in the morning when the weather is warm. This is believed to increase the fertility rate of the cria.
The llama is a herbivore and gets most of its nutrition from grass, leaves and young shoots. Llamas also do not have the same water retaining properties of their camel cousins, meaning that the llama must drink more often and llamas therefore prefer to be close to water
Alligators are in the same family as other large reptiles like Crocodiles but are native to only two countries, which are the southern USA and China (where the Alligator is now nearly extinct). Alligators tend to be smaller than their Crocodile cousins but have been known to move at speeds of up to 15mph on land making them one of the fastest large reptiles in the world. Despite their size, there are a number of distinct differences between Alligators and Crocodiles as an Alligator's snout is shorter than that of a Crocodile, and with their mouths shut, an Alligator's teeth cannot be seen but a Crocodile's can. Alligators are also commonly known as Gators in their native, southern North American habitats.
Alligators are very large reptiles, with males growing up to 4.5 meters in length. The female Alligator tends to be slightly smaller, with a total body and tail length of between 3 and 3.5 meters. The Chinese Alligator is a much smaller species, almost half the size of a female American Alligator. Alligators have an armour-plated body that varies in colour from yellow, to green, to brown, finally turning almost completely black in old age. The tail of the Alligator is incredibly muscular and is used to propel the animal when it is in the water. Alligators have short, stocky legs with webbing between their toes. This not only helps them when they are swimming but also means that they can negotiate the muddy river banks with ease.
The American Alligators are found in the south-eastern USA, throughout all of Florida and Louisiana, the southern parts of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, coastal South and North Carolina, eastern Texas, the south-eastern corner of Oklahoma and the southern tip of Arkansas. The majority of American Alligators inhabit Florida and Louisiana, with over a million alligators thought to be found between the two states. The American Alligators live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes, wetlands, rivers, lakes, and swamps, as well as brackish environments. Southern Florida is the only place in the world where both Alligators and Crocodiles are known to live in the same place.
The Alligator is a solitary predator that is actually surprisingly clunky when moving about on land. They tend to be quite slow, moving themselves by either crawling or sliding along the slippery banks on their bellies. They are highly territorial animals that are known to make a variety of noises to represent different things, including the declaration of territory, finding a mate and the young warning their mother that they are in danger. Male Alligators however, do not appear to have such a prominent voice box and make very little noise outside of the breeding season, when they are known to growl and bellow to fend off competing males.
Alligators tend to breed during the spring when they come together in large groups to find a suitable partner. The female constructs a nest out of mud, leaves and twigs on the ground where she lays up to 50 eggs. The hatchlings emerge after a 2 month incubation period which is done by the rotting vegetation in the nest. Females do not incubate their eggs as they would break them but still guard their nest from hungry predators. The baby Alligators are between 15 and 20 long when they hatch and are vulnerable to predation from a number of species. They usually remain with their mother for the first 2 years. Alligators tend to live to about 50 years old or so but some have been known to live at least another 20 years when in captivity.
The Alligator is generally a solitary predator, but smaller and younger Alligator individuals however, are known to stay together in groups especially when hunting. The Alligator eats fish, small mammals and birds, but the Alligator has also been known to attack much larger animals. Adult alligators have been known to hunt Deer and are well known to kill and eat smaller Alligators. In some cases, larger alligators have been known to hunt the Florida Panther and Black Bears, making the alligator the dominant predator throughout the their environment. Attacks on pets and even people are also not unknown.
The Alligator is an apex predator in it's environment, known to even hunt animals that are much larger in size. Humans are the only predator of adult Alligators as they were hunted almost to extinction for their meat, and for their unique skin which was used in the manufacture of a variety of products. The smaller, baby Alligators however, are prey to a number of species including Raccoons, Birds, Bobcats and even other Alligators. Despite being protected from hunting in much of it's North American range today, Alligators are threatened by loss of their natural habitats and high levels of pollution in the water.
Alligator DNA is thought to date back to even before Dinosaur times meaning that the Alligators survived whatever it was that the dinosaurs didn't, with the scientific estimates first dating the species 150 million years ago. The Chinese Alligator is currently found only in the Yangtze River Valley and the Chinese Alligator is now extremely endangered with less than 100 Chinese Alligators believed to be left in the wild. There are actually many more Chinese Alligators that live in zoos around the world than can be found in the wild today. Alligators are known to have up to 80 teeth which are perfectly shaped for biting down on prey. They are even able to regrow those teeth that are lost.
Unlike large Crocodiles, Alligators do not immediately regard a Human upon encounter as prey, but the Alligator may still attack in self-defence if provoked. Alligator attacks are uncommon but Alligators have definitely been known to attack Humans if the Human is in the Alligator's territory and particularly if the animal feels threatened. They are however known to commonly prey on domestic animals including pets and sometimes livestock when they are close to Human settlements. Hunting towards the end of the last century almost completely obliterated the entire American Alligator population (and has pretty much done so to the Chinese Alligator). Fortunately the gravity of the situation in the USA was realised before it was too late, with the protection of the species having led to an increase in population numbers now.
The American Alligator was once an Endangered species but thanks to habitat protection and federal laws protecting them, populations throughout Florida and Louisiana have recovered really well, with over a million Alligators thought to exist in the USA today. They are however now threatened by habitat degradation, mainly in the form of deforestation and pollution in the water. The story of the Chinese Alligator however is very different, with less than 100 individuals thought to be left in the Yangtze River Valley, this species is Critically Endangered in the wild and is sadly on the verge of extinction.
The caiman is a large aquatic reptile found in the swamps and tropical rivers that cover Central and South America. Although the caimans have much narrower bodies, they are most closely related to alligators and crocodiles. Caimans are found in a variety of habitats throughout Central and South America from marshes and swamps to mangrove rivers and lakes. As with other reptiles, caimans have scaly skin and live a fairly nocturnal existence.
Caimans range in size from the dwarf caiman which measures just over a meter in length, to the black caiman which can to grow to be nearly 5 meters long. The black caiman is the largest caiman species in the world and is found in the slow-moving rivers and lakes that surround the Amazon basin.
There are six different species of caiman found throughout the watery, jungle habitats of Central and Southern America. The average length for most of the other caiman species if about 2.5 meters long.
The caiman is a carnivorous predators and, like the alligator and the crocodile, the caiman has a diet that consists of a great deal of fish. The caiman also hunts insects, birds and small mammals and reptiles.
Due to the large size and ferocious nature of the caiman, it has few natural predators within its environment. Humans are the main predators of the caiman as they have been hunted for their meat and skin. Jaguars are the only other predator of the caiman.
Female caimans build a large nest in which to lay their eggs, which can be more than 1.5 meters wide. Female caimans lay between 10 and 50 eggs which hatch within about 6 weeks. Once they have hatched, the mother caiman takes her young to a shallow pool of water where they can learn how to hunt and swim.
Caimans range in size from the dwarf caiman which measures just over a meter in length, to the black caiman which can to grow to be nearly 5 meters long. The black caiman is the largest caiman species in the world and is found in the slow-moving rivers and lakes that surround the Amazon basin.
There are six different species of caiman found throughout the watery, jungle habitats of Central and Southern America. The average length for most of the other caiman species if about 2.5 meters long.
The caiman is a carnivorous predators and, like the alligator and the crocodile, the caiman has a diet that consists of a great deal of fish. The caiman also hunts insects, birds and small mammals and reptiles.
Due to the large size and ferocious nature of the caiman, it has few natural predators within its environment. Humans are the main predators of the caiman as they have been hunted for their meat and skin. Jaguars are the only other predator of the caiman.
Female caimans build a large nest in which to lay their eggs, which can be more than 1.5 meters wide. Female caimans lay between 10 and 50 eggs which hatch within about 6 weeks. Once they have hatched, the mother caiman takes her young to a shallow pool of water where they can learn how to hunt and swim.
The gharial is a large-sized reptile found in the murky waters of Northern India and the surrounding countries. The gharial is closely related to other large reptiles including caimans and alligators, although the salt-water crocodile is believed to be the gharial's closest relative. The gharial is most commonly found in the calmer areas of the deep, fast-flowing rivers of the North Indian subcontinent. The gharial spends most of its time in the water as it is not well suited for a life on the land, due to its short legs.
The gharial (along with the larger adult salt-water crocodiles) is the longest of this group of large reptiles, with there having been reports of adult male gharials reaching more than six meters in length. The elongated snout of the gharial is ideal for catching fish in the water, and contains more than 50 sharp teeth.
The gharial is a generally solitary predator and does not have the same terrifying reputation for eating humans as crocodiles do. Although the gharial has been known to show aggressive behaviour towards humans at times, the shape of the gharial's snout makes it difficult for the gharial to consume anything too big.
The gharial is a carnivorous animal and a dominant predator within its environment. The only time that this isn't the case is when the gharial share its territory with a large salt-water crocodile. Fish is the primary food of the gharial along with insects and occasionally small animals.
Due to its large size, the gharial has no natural predators within its environment besides humans who hunt the gharial, often for leather or meat. The gharial has also been devastatingly affected by the increasingly levels of pollution in the water and is today considered to be critically endangered in the wild.
The female gharial makes their nests and lay their eggs during the dry season when the river shrinks exposing more the sand on the river banks. The female gharial lays between 30 and 50 eggs which are buried in a whole in the sand by her.
The baby gharial emerge from the underground nest after a few months and are protected in the water by their mother for a few days, until they are able to fend for themselves.
The gharial (along with the larger adult salt-water crocodiles) is the longest of this group of large reptiles, with there having been reports of adult male gharials reaching more than six meters in length. The elongated snout of the gharial is ideal for catching fish in the water, and contains more than 50 sharp teeth.
The gharial is a generally solitary predator and does not have the same terrifying reputation for eating humans as crocodiles do. Although the gharial has been known to show aggressive behaviour towards humans at times, the shape of the gharial's snout makes it difficult for the gharial to consume anything too big.
The gharial is a carnivorous animal and a dominant predator within its environment. The only time that this isn't the case is when the gharial share its territory with a large salt-water crocodile. Fish is the primary food of the gharial along with insects and occasionally small animals.
Due to its large size, the gharial has no natural predators within its environment besides humans who hunt the gharial, often for leather or meat. The gharial has also been devastatingly affected by the increasingly levels of pollution in the water and is today considered to be critically endangered in the wild.
The female gharial makes their nests and lay their eggs during the dry season when the river shrinks exposing more the sand on the river banks. The female gharial lays between 30 and 50 eggs which are buried in a whole in the sand by her.
The baby gharial emerge from the underground nest after a few months and are protected in the water by their mother for a few days, until they are able to fend for themselves.
The Koala is a small to medium sized mammal that is found inhabiting a variety of different types of forest in south-eastern Australia. Despite it's appearance and the fact that it is also known as the Koala Bear, Koalas are in fact marsupials but are so distinctive amongst this specially adapted family of mammals that they are classified in a scientific group of their own. However, although they are now considered to be one of Australia's most iconic mammal species when European settlers first arrived things were very different, with millions of Koalas known to have been killed every year for their pelts (fur). The Koala is a unique animal that famously feeds only the leaves of the eucalyptus trees which they inhabit but this diet is very hard to digest and lacks many of the vital nutrients that are key to the survival of a number of animal species. Today, although populations are stable and widespread the Koala is affected by habitat loss as vast areas of land are cleared every year to support growing development.
The Koala is one of the most charismatic of all marsupials with it's large, wide face and round, white-tufted ears giving it the appearance of a small bear, along with their lack of a visible tail and smooth, black nose. The Koala has dense and soft grey or grey-brown fur which is lighter on their underside and mottled on the rear. Due to the fact that Koalas spend almost all of their lives in the trees, they have evolved a number of adaptations to help them with their arboreal lifestyle including having short, powerful limbs that are tipped with sharp claws. Having two opposable thumbs and three fingers on each hand means that Koalas are able to grip onto even the smoothest of bark when climbing and feeding in the trees. Koalas move about in the trees by jumping, first gripping the trunk with their front paws (helped by their rough paw pads and claws) before then moving both their back legs up the tree together, allowing them to get higher up.
The Koala would have once been widespread throughout south-eastern Australia and on a number of it's surrounding islands but populations (particularly in the south) were wiped out in some areas due to hunting. They are however, surprisingly resilient and adaptable animals that are known to inhabit various types of forest from the tall eucalyptus forests, to coastal regions and even low-lying woodlands further inland. Despite the fact that they are common in much of their natural range today, land clearance has not only meant a loss of their habitats but also separates populations from one another making them more and more isolated. It is not just loss of habitat to Human activity though that has led to population declines in certain areas, as quick-spreading forest fires can devastate vast areas of land in minutes and severely affect the local Koala populations in the process.
The Koala is a solitary and nocturnal animal that spends most of the daytime hours sleeping in the fork of a eucalyptus tree. Their low-energy diet (that is comprised only of the fibrous leaves of the eucalyptus) leads to Koalas leading a largely inactive lifestyle as they can happily spend up to 18 hours a day sleeping or simply just sit in the trees to conserve energy. Everything from sleeping to eating and even breeding is done in the trees as although Koalas are known to come down to the ground quite frequently, it is only so they are able to move to another tree. Koalas are also sedentary animals which means that they occupy a fixed home range which can vary in size depending on the abundance of food available (home ranges are smaller in areas with more food as there is no need to travel as far). Although the home ranges of males and females do overlap, males will not tolerate rival males intruding on their territory and fight viciously by scratching and biting.
During the breeding season, males can be heard producing loud booming calls through the forest which are to both attract a female mate but also to deter any potential rivals. In Koala society it is the dominant male that gets to mate with the most females meaning that although males (like females) are able to reproduce from the age of two, breeding is not normally successful until the male Koala is between 4 and 5 years old and has established his dominance. After a gestation period that lasts for a mere 35 days, a single joey is born that is about the size of a bee and very underdeveloped, and immediately crawls unaided into the pouch on it's mother's belly. Here it attaches itself to one of the two teats and remains in the safety of the pouch until it is weaned at between 6 and 7 months old after having grown dramatically. The young Koala then clings onto it's mother's back where it tends to remain for another few months or until the next season's young has developed and is ready to leave the pouch.
The Koala is a herbivorous animal that only feeds on the leaves of the eucalyptus (gum) tree in order to survive. Despite there being around 600 different species of eucalyptus, Koalas only seem to feed on 30 of them which depends on the surrounding habitat. Eucalyptus leaves are tough and fibrous and often toxic making them inedible to other herbivorous animals but the Koala has evolved to fill this gap in the eco-system and has large cheek pouches where the leaves are stored. Once full, the Koala then begins to grind the leaves down into a pulp using their flat cheek teeth with some of the toxins then being detoxified by the liver. The Koala also has an incredibly long digestive tract to help it to break down the tough leaves which is more than three times it's body length. In order to help the process Koalas are also known to occasionally eat soil, bark and gravel to aid the digestion of such a fibrous plant.
Despite being relatively small, the lack of native mammalian predators in Australia means that adult Koalas have very few natural predators with the exception of large Birds of Prey. Young Koalas are more vulnerable however and are preyed on by a number of different animals including Snakes, but both are most threatened by domestic animals particularly dogs that not only attack Koalas but are also known to spread disease into local populations. This is actually one of the biggest threats to Koalas in certain areas as large numbers of individuals have been affected particularly by the Chlamydia bacterium, which can actually be treated with antibiotics. Other threats to the current Koala populations include habitat loss to growing Human settlements, tourist developments and forest fires that can spread rapidly in semiarid regions. The Koala populations on a number of islands have also been affected by over-population as the increasing number of individuals means that there is less food to go around.
Due to the fact that Koalas sustain themselves on a diet that is only comprised of leaves they have little need to drink as they get almost all of the water that they need through their food. However, living on a diet that is so low in nutrients has led to the Koala evolving a very small brain for it's body size as this organ can drain the body's energy supplies. After having spent their first six months of life developing in their mother's pouch suckling milk, baby Koalas must then attempt to eat solid foods with the first one being the soft droppings of their mother. Young Koalas are thought to do this as it contains a number of microbes that help the young to both fight off disease and to begin digesting the tough, fibrous leaves of the eucalyptus.
The Koala would have once been abundant throughout the forests of south-eastern Australia but intense hunting of them for their soft fur in the early 20th Century led to drastic population declines and even local extinction in some areas. When the industry peaked in 1924 two million pelts were traded and eventually led to public outcry over the situation. Since then, the hunting of Koalas has been banned and management of populations has seen them increase once again. Despite their rising population numbers though, Koalas are affected by Human activity throughout much of their natural range mainly in the form of habitat loss as vast areas of land are cleared annually for development and agriculture. However, the Koala today is one of Australia's most famous and treasured species of mammal and is found on numerous emblems and in stories not just in Australia but worldwide.
The cuscus is a large marsupial native to the Northern forest of Australia and the large, tropical island of Papua New Guinea. The cuscus is a subspecies of possum with the cuscus being the largest of the world's possum species. The cuscus is known to range in size from just 15cm to more than 60cm in length, although the average sized cuscus tends to be around 45cm (18inches). The cuscus has small ears and large eyes which aid the cuscus through it's nocturnal lifestyle.
The cuscus is an arboreal mammal, and spends it's life almost exclusively in the trees. The cuscus rests in the trees during the day, sleeping in the dense foliage and awakens at night to start moving through the trees in search of food. The cuscus is an omnivorous animal but the cuscus mainly eats leaves and fruits occasionally feasting on small birds and reptiles.
The cuscus is thought to breed throughout the year rather than having a strict breeding season. The mother cuscus gives birth to between 2 and 4 baby cuscus after a gestation period of just a couple of weeks. As with all marsupials, the female cuscus has a pouch on her tummy which the new born cuscus babies crawl into and stay until they are bigger, less vulnerable and able to start feeding themselves. Typically only one of the cuscus babies will survive and emerge from the pouch after 6 or 7 months.
The cuscus has a long and very strong prehensile tail which is naked (has no fur) at the end. This allows the cuscus to be able to grip onto the tree branches more easily when the cuscus is moving from tree to tree and resting during the day. The cuscus also has long, sharp claws which help the cuscus when it is moving around in the trees. The cuscus has thick, woolly fur which can be a variety of colours including brown, tan and white.
Due to the arboreal and nocturnal lifestyle of the cuscus, the cuscus has few natural predators in it's environment. The main predators of the cuscus (besides humans) are large snakes and birds of prey which tend to pick on the more vulnerable, young cuscus. The human is the biggest predator of the cuscus as natives hunt the cuscus for both the meat of the cuscus and the thick fur of the cuscus.
When the cuscus was first discovered, scientists believed that the cuscus was a type of monkey due to the way that the cuscus moves through the trees and uses it's tail to grip onto branches. It was later discovered that the cuscus was actually most closely related to the possum.
Today the cuscus populations are declining mainly due to deforestation and therefore loss of the habitat in which the cuscus exists. More and more of the secluded forests where the cuscus dwells, is being cut down with the trees being sold to logging companies.
The cuscus is an elusive and very secretive animal that are extremely difficult to spot in the wild. It is said to be one of the most rewarding sights, if you spot a cuscus in it's natural habitat.
The cuscus is an arboreal mammal, and spends it's life almost exclusively in the trees. The cuscus rests in the trees during the day, sleeping in the dense foliage and awakens at night to start moving through the trees in search of food. The cuscus is an omnivorous animal but the cuscus mainly eats leaves and fruits occasionally feasting on small birds and reptiles.
The cuscus is thought to breed throughout the year rather than having a strict breeding season. The mother cuscus gives birth to between 2 and 4 baby cuscus after a gestation period of just a couple of weeks. As with all marsupials, the female cuscus has a pouch on her tummy which the new born cuscus babies crawl into and stay until they are bigger, less vulnerable and able to start feeding themselves. Typically only one of the cuscus babies will survive and emerge from the pouch after 6 or 7 months.
The cuscus has a long and very strong prehensile tail which is naked (has no fur) at the end. This allows the cuscus to be able to grip onto the tree branches more easily when the cuscus is moving from tree to tree and resting during the day. The cuscus also has long, sharp claws which help the cuscus when it is moving around in the trees. The cuscus has thick, woolly fur which can be a variety of colours including brown, tan and white.
Due to the arboreal and nocturnal lifestyle of the cuscus, the cuscus has few natural predators in it's environment. The main predators of the cuscus (besides humans) are large snakes and birds of prey which tend to pick on the more vulnerable, young cuscus. The human is the biggest predator of the cuscus as natives hunt the cuscus for both the meat of the cuscus and the thick fur of the cuscus.
When the cuscus was first discovered, scientists believed that the cuscus was a type of monkey due to the way that the cuscus moves through the trees and uses it's tail to grip onto branches. It was later discovered that the cuscus was actually most closely related to the possum.
Today the cuscus populations are declining mainly due to deforestation and therefore loss of the habitat in which the cuscus exists. More and more of the secluded forests where the cuscus dwells, is being cut down with the trees being sold to logging companies.
The cuscus is an elusive and very secretive animal that are extremely difficult to spot in the wild. It is said to be one of the most rewarding sights, if you spot a cuscus in it's natural habitat.
The kangaroo is a marsupial that is indigenous to Australia and and the Indonesian island of New Guinea. Although kangaroos are often seen congregating in groups, kangaroos are generally fairly solitary mammals but kangaroos are also known for being sociable animals when with other kangaroos. Kangaroos have a deep pouch on their front in which to carry their young. A baby kangaroo is called a joey. Kangaroos eat plants, nuts, berries and insects that the kangaroos rummage for in the arid wilderness.
Kangaroos are most well known for their ability to jump a phenomenal distance. The kangaroo is the largest of the marsupials, a group an animals that includes koalas and the common brushtail possum. Marsupials are distinguished by the pouch that these animals have on their bellies, in which they carry their young.
There are three main species of kangaroo in existence today and these are the red kangaroo, which is the largest and most well-known of all the kangaroo species. The Eastern grey kangaroo is known to be the heaviest species of kangaroo despite the fact that the red kangaroo is taller. The western grey kangaroo can be found in large numbers and can be anywhere in colour from grey to brown. The kangaroo is the national animal and emblem of Australia.
Kangaroos have large, flat feet which the kangaroos use in order to aid their movement which the kangaroos do by hopping. Despite the fact that kangaroos do not move about in the conventional way, kangaroos can often be seen running at high speeds, generally when the kangaroo is scared or being chased by oncoming predators.
Although kangaroos are not commercially farmed, wild kangaroos are often pursued by human hunters for sport, meat, fur and when farmers are conserving their grazing land for their sheep and cows. This method of sustainable hunting is said to have more health and environmental benefits than that of sheep and cattle.
The average age of a wild kangaroo tends to be less than 10 years, although some kangaroo individuals in the wild have been known to get closer to 20 years old. Kangaroos generally live to about the age of 23 when the kangaroo is in captivity.
Kangaroos are most well known for their ability to jump a phenomenal distance. The kangaroo is the largest of the marsupials, a group an animals that includes koalas and the common brushtail possum. Marsupials are distinguished by the pouch that these animals have on their bellies, in which they carry their young.
There are three main species of kangaroo in existence today and these are the red kangaroo, which is the largest and most well-known of all the kangaroo species. The Eastern grey kangaroo is known to be the heaviest species of kangaroo despite the fact that the red kangaroo is taller. The western grey kangaroo can be found in large numbers and can be anywhere in colour from grey to brown. The kangaroo is the national animal and emblem of Australia.
Kangaroos have large, flat feet which the kangaroos use in order to aid their movement which the kangaroos do by hopping. Despite the fact that kangaroos do not move about in the conventional way, kangaroos can often be seen running at high speeds, generally when the kangaroo is scared or being chased by oncoming predators.
Although kangaroos are not commercially farmed, wild kangaroos are often pursued by human hunters for sport, meat, fur and when farmers are conserving their grazing land for their sheep and cows. This method of sustainable hunting is said to have more health and environmental benefits than that of sheep and cattle.
The average age of a wild kangaroo tends to be less than 10 years, although some kangaroo individuals in the wild have been known to get closer to 20 years old. Kangaroos generally live to about the age of 23 when the kangaroo is in captivity.
The numbat is a small-sized marsupial that is found in Western Australia. The numbat has long, colourful fur and despite being a marsupial, the female numbat does not have a pouch on her belly. The numbat was once found across Southern Australia, but today the numbat is considered to be an endangered species as there are only a few small numbat colonies found in Western Australia today. It has been estimated that there are only 1,500 numbat individuals left in the wild.
Numbats inhabit forests and woodland, particularly those that are mainly made up of eucalyptus trees. Numbats have also been found in grasslands that are relatively close to water.
Numbats are solitary animals with large home ranges, which they spend the daylight hours hunting for termites and in the dark nights in hollow logs and burrows. Numbats have strong front claws and long tongues which they use to get termites out of their nests.
The numbat is an omnivorous animal but it's diet primarily consists of termites and occasionally ants and other small insects. An adult numbat can eat more than 20,000 termites in just one day.
Due to their small size, numbats are prey to a number of larger, predatory animals such as foxes, snakes, dingos and feral cats. Dogs also prey on numbats, along with birds of prey that prey on the smaller numbat babies.
The numbat breeding season is between January and May, when the female numbat gives birth to an average of 4 numbat babies after a gestation period of just a couple of weeks. The numbat babies quickly attach to the mother numbat's teat, where they are protected only by her long hair, as she does not have a pouch.
Numbat babies are not left by their mother until they are a few months old, when she leaves to search for food. The mother numbat leaves her young in a burrow and comes back to give them milk every now and again.
Numbats inhabit forests and woodland, particularly those that are mainly made up of eucalyptus trees. Numbats have also been found in grasslands that are relatively close to water.
Numbats are solitary animals with large home ranges, which they spend the daylight hours hunting for termites and in the dark nights in hollow logs and burrows. Numbats have strong front claws and long tongues which they use to get termites out of their nests.
The numbat is an omnivorous animal but it's diet primarily consists of termites and occasionally ants and other small insects. An adult numbat can eat more than 20,000 termites in just one day.
Due to their small size, numbats are prey to a number of larger, predatory animals such as foxes, snakes, dingos and feral cats. Dogs also prey on numbats, along with birds of prey that prey on the smaller numbat babies.
The numbat breeding season is between January and May, when the female numbat gives birth to an average of 4 numbat babies after a gestation period of just a couple of weeks. The numbat babies quickly attach to the mother numbat's teat, where they are protected only by her long hair, as she does not have a pouch.
Numbat babies are not left by their mother until they are a few months old, when she leaves to search for food. The mother numbat leaves her young in a burrow and comes back to give them milk every now and again.
The opossum is a medium-sized animal that is found inhabiting farmland and forested areas of North America. The opossum is thought to have evolved from the basic marsupials that lived in the jungles of South America. The opossum is often referred to as a possum, although there is no direct link between the possums of Australia and the opossum of America. The opossum is the only species of marsupial that is found outside of Australia an it's surrounding islands.
The opossum is found inhabiting areas of grassland, farmland and woodland in North America. The opossum is also found in urban areas where the opossum can be a pest as it feeds on rubbish, and food that it finds lying around. The opossum is generally found in areas that are close to water.
The opossum is known to be one of the world's animals that carries rabies and the opossum is much more likely to have the disease than any other animal. Opossums are also thought to have some immunity towards the venom of certain snakes such as pit vipers and rattlesnakes.
The opossum is an omnivorous animal and will eat almost anything that it can find. Opossums mainly feed on insects, frogs, birds, snakes, small mammals, and earthworms. The opossum is also a great scavenger and will feed on left over kills of other animals along with road-kill.
The opossum has a number of natural predators in it's environment although the main predators of the opossum are birds of prey such as owls and eagles, dogs, foxes and cats. Humans are one of the main predators of the opossum as they hunt them for meat but the opossum is also commonly killed on the roads by cars.
As with all marsupials, the female opossum has a pouch in which it rears it's young. The opossum gives birth to as many as 15 babies, which are born in just a couple of weeks. After birth, the opossum babies, crawl up into their mother's pouch where they continue to grow and develop until they are a couple of months old.
The opossum is an animal that is not threatened with extinction although due to deforestation and habitat loss, opossums are becoming increasingly common in urban and suburban areas.
The opossum is found inhabiting areas of grassland, farmland and woodland in North America. The opossum is also found in urban areas where the opossum can be a pest as it feeds on rubbish, and food that it finds lying around. The opossum is generally found in areas that are close to water.
The opossum is known to be one of the world's animals that carries rabies and the opossum is much more likely to have the disease than any other animal. Opossums are also thought to have some immunity towards the venom of certain snakes such as pit vipers and rattlesnakes.
The opossum is an omnivorous animal and will eat almost anything that it can find. Opossums mainly feed on insects, frogs, birds, snakes, small mammals, and earthworms. The opossum is also a great scavenger and will feed on left over kills of other animals along with road-kill.
The opossum has a number of natural predators in it's environment although the main predators of the opossum are birds of prey such as owls and eagles, dogs, foxes and cats. Humans are one of the main predators of the opossum as they hunt them for meat but the opossum is also commonly killed on the roads by cars.
As with all marsupials, the female opossum has a pouch in which it rears it's young. The opossum gives birth to as many as 15 babies, which are born in just a couple of weeks. After birth, the opossum babies, crawl up into their mother's pouch where they continue to grow and develop until they are a couple of months old.
The opossum is an animal that is not threatened with extinction although due to deforestation and habitat loss, opossums are becoming increasingly common in urban and suburban areas.
The quoll is a medium-sized marsupial, natively found in parts of Australia, Papua New Guinea and Tasmania. The quoll is often known as the native cat, due to the cat-like appearance of the quoll. Quolls are found occupying woodland, shrubland and grassy habitats across Australia and New Guinea. Although quolls have been seen climbing trees, the quoll tends to live life on the ground.
The quoll is a nocturnal animal meaning that it spends the nights hunting and the daytimes hours resting. Unlike many other nocturnal mammals, the quoll enjoys to spend the sunlit days basking in the heat rather than hiding in a crevice or underground.
There are six different species of quoll, found across Papua New guinea and Australia. The Bronze quoll and the New Guinean quoll are natively found on the tropical island of Papua New Guinea. The Western quoll, the Northern quoll and the Tiger quoll are all natively found on the Australian mainland. Although the Eastern quoll was originally found on the Australian mainland, they are more commonly found on the island Tasmania.
Although the quoll is an omnivorous animal, the quoll is has a predominantly meat-based diet. Quoll hunt during the darkness of night, searching for small mammals, birds, small reptiles and insects. The quoll also feasts on nuts, grasses and fruits when they are available.
The quoll (particularly the tiger) quoll is an apex predators in it's environment as they are one of the largest species of carnivorous marsupial in the world. The main predators of the quoll are generally human hunters, large snakes and crocodiles.
The quoll is a marsupial, meaning that the female quoll has a pouch on her tummy for her young to develop in. The baby quolls are born after a gestation period of just a few weeks, when they crawl up into the mother's pouch. The baby quolls are nursed in the pouch of the female quoll for about 2 months but are not fully independent until they are nearly 6 months old.
The quoll is a nocturnal animal meaning that it spends the nights hunting and the daytimes hours resting. Unlike many other nocturnal mammals, the quoll enjoys to spend the sunlit days basking in the heat rather than hiding in a crevice or underground.
There are six different species of quoll, found across Papua New guinea and Australia. The Bronze quoll and the New Guinean quoll are natively found on the tropical island of Papua New Guinea. The Western quoll, the Northern quoll and the Tiger quoll are all natively found on the Australian mainland. Although the Eastern quoll was originally found on the Australian mainland, they are more commonly found on the island Tasmania.
Although the quoll is an omnivorous animal, the quoll is has a predominantly meat-based diet. Quoll hunt during the darkness of night, searching for small mammals, birds, small reptiles and insects. The quoll also feasts on nuts, grasses and fruits when they are available.
The quoll (particularly the tiger) quoll is an apex predators in it's environment as they are one of the largest species of carnivorous marsupial in the world. The main predators of the quoll are generally human hunters, large snakes and crocodiles.
The quoll is a marsupial, meaning that the female quoll has a pouch on her tummy for her young to develop in. The baby quolls are born after a gestation period of just a few weeks, when they crawl up into the mother's pouch. The baby quolls are nursed in the pouch of the female quoll for about 2 months but are not fully independent until they are nearly 6 months old.
The possum is a medium-sized marsupial that is natively found in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Sulawesi, which is a tropical island found in the Indonesian Archipelago. Today the possum has also been introduced to New Zealand and parts of China. There are 69 different species of possum found in the far east, all of which range of size and colour. The pygmy possum is the smallest species of possum in the world, growing to just 10cm tall, where the brushtail possum can reach more than a meter in height.
In general, the possum is roughly the same size and weight of a domestic cat. The possum is not to be confused with the opossum, which is found in North America and is the only marsupial which inhabits areas outside of Australia and it's surrounding islands.
Possums tend to be found inhabiting bush-lands and rainforests where the possums live in hollow trees and logs. The possum lives a predominantly arboreal lifestyle meaning that the possum spends most of it's time in the trees.
Possums are nocturnal animals and therefore, the possum only hunts for food in the cover of the night. The possum spends the lighter daytimes, resting in hollow trees out of site from predators.
Possums have long prehensile tails, which are naked on the underside which gives the possum more grip when it is in the trees. Possums also have sharp claws which enable them to climb up tree trunks more easily.
Possums are omnivorous animals so possums naturally eat a variety of both plants and other animals. Possums feed on almost anything they can find including insects, leaves, flowers, nectar, fruits and even small mammals, birds and reptiles.
The possum has a number of predators in the wild, which vary depending on the region which the possum inhabits. Foxes, cats and birds of prey are the main predators of the possum but other animals such as Tasmanian devils, dogs, dingos and snakes also prey on the possum.
The possum is a very solitary animal, and possum individuals only really come together to mate. The possum is thought to breed throughout the year rather than having a strict breeding season. The female possum gives birth to between 2 and 4 baby possums after a gestation period of just a couple of weeks. As with all marsupials, the female possum has a pouch on her tummy which the new born possum babies crawl into and stay until they are bigger, less vulnerable and able to start feeding themselves. Typically only one of the possum babies will survive and emerge from the pouch after 6 or 7 months.
In some areas, the possum is seen to be a pest as they are known to hunt in urban waste and compost bins in search of food. Possums are generally considered to not be threatened with extinction, although some of the rarer species of possum, such as the cuscus, are threatened animals or even considered to be endangered.
In general, the possum is roughly the same size and weight of a domestic cat. The possum is not to be confused with the opossum, which is found in North America and is the only marsupial which inhabits areas outside of Australia and it's surrounding islands.
Possums tend to be found inhabiting bush-lands and rainforests where the possums live in hollow trees and logs. The possum lives a predominantly arboreal lifestyle meaning that the possum spends most of it's time in the trees.
Possums are nocturnal animals and therefore, the possum only hunts for food in the cover of the night. The possum spends the lighter daytimes, resting in hollow trees out of site from predators.
Possums have long prehensile tails, which are naked on the underside which gives the possum more grip when it is in the trees. Possums also have sharp claws which enable them to climb up tree trunks more easily.
Possums are omnivorous animals so possums naturally eat a variety of both plants and other animals. Possums feed on almost anything they can find including insects, leaves, flowers, nectar, fruits and even small mammals, birds and reptiles.
The possum has a number of predators in the wild, which vary depending on the region which the possum inhabits. Foxes, cats and birds of prey are the main predators of the possum but other animals such as Tasmanian devils, dogs, dingos and snakes also prey on the possum.
The possum is a very solitary animal, and possum individuals only really come together to mate. The possum is thought to breed throughout the year rather than having a strict breeding season. The female possum gives birth to between 2 and 4 baby possums after a gestation period of just a couple of weeks. As with all marsupials, the female possum has a pouch on her tummy which the new born possum babies crawl into and stay until they are bigger, less vulnerable and able to start feeding themselves. Typically only one of the possum babies will survive and emerge from the pouch after 6 or 7 months.
In some areas, the possum is seen to be a pest as they are known to hunt in urban waste and compost bins in search of food. Possums are generally considered to not be threatened with extinction, although some of the rarer species of possum, such as the cuscus, are threatened animals or even considered to be endangered.
The wombat is a medium sized marsupial that is found only in Australia and it's surrounding islands. Wombats are burrowing mammals that spend most of the day under ground, coming out at night to feed. The common wombat is thought to be a descendant of the giant wombat that existed around 50 million years ago. The giant wombat's extinction is said to be caused by hunting and changes to their environment including pollution and habitat loss.
The common wombat is a nocturnal herbivore and gets to about 26 years old in the wild although some wombat individuals have been known to live for longer in captivity. Wombats eats grasses, shoots and bark which the wombat needs to keep gnawing on in order to keep it's continuously growing teeth at a manageable size.
Like all other marsupials, the female wombat has a warm pouch on it's belly in which the wombat babies are nurtured for the first few months of life. When the baby wombats are first born they are very small and undeveloped and crawl into the mother wombat's pouch almost immediately. The baby wombat stays in the pouch of the mother wombat until the baby wombat is around 5 months old. By the time the baby wombat is roughly 7 months old, it is able to care for itself.
Wombats have long claws which they use to dig burrows. Wombat burrows can easily become an extensive network of underground tunnels leading to small chambers. Most wombats are solitary animals but some wombats have been known to form underground colonies with other wombats.
Wombats have a few natural predators including foxes and dingos. Although the wombat is relatively defenceless when it is out and about, wombats are generally well protected in their underground burrows as many predators cannot follow the wombat into the narrow, complex tunnels.
Today the wombat is considered to be an endangered species of animal. Wombat numbers have been decreasing rapidly due to habitat loss and hunting by humans who believe the wombat and it's network of underground tunnels to be an agricultural pest.
The common wombat is a nocturnal herbivore and gets to about 26 years old in the wild although some wombat individuals have been known to live for longer in captivity. Wombats eats grasses, shoots and bark which the wombat needs to keep gnawing on in order to keep it's continuously growing teeth at a manageable size.
Like all other marsupials, the female wombat has a warm pouch on it's belly in which the wombat babies are nurtured for the first few months of life. When the baby wombats are first born they are very small and undeveloped and crawl into the mother wombat's pouch almost immediately. The baby wombat stays in the pouch of the mother wombat until the baby wombat is around 5 months old. By the time the baby wombat is roughly 7 months old, it is able to care for itself.
Wombats have long claws which they use to dig burrows. Wombat burrows can easily become an extensive network of underground tunnels leading to small chambers. Most wombats are solitary animals but some wombats have been known to form underground colonies with other wombats.
Wombats have a few natural predators including foxes and dingos. Although the wombat is relatively defenceless when it is out and about, wombats are generally well protected in their underground burrows as many predators cannot follow the wombat into the narrow, complex tunnels.
Today the wombat is considered to be an endangered species of animal. Wombat numbers have been decreasing rapidly due to habitat loss and hunting by humans who believe the wombat and it's network of underground tunnels to be an agricultural pest.
The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial and the Tasmanian devil is therefore distantly related to kangaroos and wombats. Although the Tasmanian devil's closest relative is a kangaroo, the Tasmanian devil has the appearance of a wild dog The Tasmanian devil is only found on the Australian island state of Tasmania. The Tasmanian devil is characterized by their black fur and the offensive odour the Tasmanian devil secretes when stressed. The Tasmanian devil is also known to making a horrible, loud screeching sound when the Tasmanian devil is distressed or feels threatened.
Since the late 1990s, a nasty facial mutation disease has caused the Tasmanian devil population to decline, meaning that the Tasmanian devil is now an endangered species. The facial mutation disease is thought to be a type of cancer and ends in fatality about a year after it is contracted.
The Tasmanian devil is very fierce, but that does not mean we shouldn't try to save them. If people shoot them because they attack something, that is like killing a friend, there will soon be no more.
The Tasmanian devil known to display odd and slightly psychotic behaviour. When the Tasmanian devil feels threatened by a predator, is competing for mate or even a male, the Tasmanian devil displays a series of behaviours including lunging, teeth-baring and growling. The Tasmanian devil turns to rage so quickly that European settlers first named it the devil.
Tasmanian devils are highly carnivorous and survive on snakes, birds, fish, insects and road kill. When a carcass is found, Tasmanian devils are known to be one of the loudest animals when it comes to fighting for a meal.
Tasmanian devils are solitary animals and are nocturnal. The Tasmanian devil rests in burrows, caves and hollow logs during the day and then come out at night to find food. Tasmanian devils use their long whiskers and fantastic sense of smell to find prey whilst avoiding troublesome predators.
Female Tasmanian devils give birth after about three weeks of pregnancy to 20 or 30 very tiny young. These tiny Tasmanian devil babies crawl up their mother's fur and into her pouch where they are kept safe as well as fed. However, only a few of the Tasmanian devil babies will survive as the mother cannot feed them all at once. The baby Tasmanian devils leave the safety of their mother's pouch when they are about 4 months old and are big enough and strong enough to make it on their own when they are 8 months old.
Since the late 1990s, a nasty facial mutation disease has caused the Tasmanian devil population to decline, meaning that the Tasmanian devil is now an endangered species. The facial mutation disease is thought to be a type of cancer and ends in fatality about a year after it is contracted.
The Tasmanian devil is very fierce, but that does not mean we shouldn't try to save them. If people shoot them because they attack something, that is like killing a friend, there will soon be no more.
The Tasmanian devil known to display odd and slightly psychotic behaviour. When the Tasmanian devil feels threatened by a predator, is competing for mate or even a male, the Tasmanian devil displays a series of behaviours including lunging, teeth-baring and growling. The Tasmanian devil turns to rage so quickly that European settlers first named it the devil.
Tasmanian devils are highly carnivorous and survive on snakes, birds, fish, insects and road kill. When a carcass is found, Tasmanian devils are known to be one of the loudest animals when it comes to fighting for a meal.
Tasmanian devils are solitary animals and are nocturnal. The Tasmanian devil rests in burrows, caves and hollow logs during the day and then come out at night to find food. Tasmanian devils use their long whiskers and fantastic sense of smell to find prey whilst avoiding troublesome predators.
Female Tasmanian devils give birth after about three weeks of pregnancy to 20 or 30 very tiny young. These tiny Tasmanian devil babies crawl up their mother's fur and into her pouch where they are kept safe as well as fed. However, only a few of the Tasmanian devil babies will survive as the mother cannot feed them all at once. The baby Tasmanian devils leave the safety of their mother's pouch when they are about 4 months old and are big enough and strong enough to make it on their own when they are 8 months old.
The gecko is a small to medium species of lizard that is found in the more temperate and tropical regions of the world. Geckos are more commonly found around the Equator and in the Southern Hemisphere although a few species of gecko are found north of the Equator in warmer regions. There are thought to be over 2,000 different species of gecko found around the world and it is widely believed that there are more species of gecko that ate yet to be discovered. Geckos are found in a wide variety of colours and have various different markings on their bodies depending on the species of gecko.
Geckos are found in a wide variety of habitats in the warmer parts of the world including rocky deserts, mountains, jungles, rainforests, grasslands and even in urban areas where it is common to find geckos in houses.
Geckos can range in size from just a few centimetre to more than 50 cm in length. The largest species of gecko is the Delcourt's gecko (which is now believed to be extinct), native to New Zealand and it grows to nearly 60 cm in length. The Jaragua Sphaero found in the Dominican Republic in South America, is the smallest species of gecko in the world and averages less than 2cm in length.
Geckos are well known for their amazing ability to walk up vertical surfaces even those as smooth as glass. The feet of the gecko are covered in tiny hairs that stick to surfaces like sucker pads. This adaptation means that the gecko is a very agile animal.
Geckos are carnivorous reptiles so the diet of the gecko is based on meat from other animals. Geckos primarily eat insects and worms, but some of the larger species of gecko hunt small birds, reptiles and even small mammals such as mice. Some species of gecko are also known to eat a small amount of plant matter such as moss.
Due to their small size, geckos have a number of natural predators around the world, with the snake being the main predator of the gecko. Other animals that prey on the gecko include large spiders, birds and some mammal species.
After mating, the female gecko lays 2 sticky eggs, that have a soft shell and are white in colour. The gecko eggs quickly harden so that the developing gecko inside is more protected. The eggs of the gecko can take between 1 and 3 months to hatch but the incubation period is largely dependent on the species of gecko and the area in which it inhabit. The female gecko is not known to nurse or look after the baby geckos after they hatch.
Today, many species of gecko are considered to be threatened with extinction due to habitat loss and pollution. Geckos are also popular pets around the world and many are caught in the wild to be sold into the exotic pet trade.
Geckos are found in a wide variety of habitats in the warmer parts of the world including rocky deserts, mountains, jungles, rainforests, grasslands and even in urban areas where it is common to find geckos in houses.
Geckos can range in size from just a few centimetre to more than 50 cm in length. The largest species of gecko is the Delcourt's gecko (which is now believed to be extinct), native to New Zealand and it grows to nearly 60 cm in length. The Jaragua Sphaero found in the Dominican Republic in South America, is the smallest species of gecko in the world and averages less than 2cm in length.
Geckos are well known for their amazing ability to walk up vertical surfaces even those as smooth as glass. The feet of the gecko are covered in tiny hairs that stick to surfaces like sucker pads. This adaptation means that the gecko is a very agile animal.
Geckos are carnivorous reptiles so the diet of the gecko is based on meat from other animals. Geckos primarily eat insects and worms, but some of the larger species of gecko hunt small birds, reptiles and even small mammals such as mice. Some species of gecko are also known to eat a small amount of plant matter such as moss.
Due to their small size, geckos have a number of natural predators around the world, with the snake being the main predator of the gecko. Other animals that prey on the gecko include large spiders, birds and some mammal species.
After mating, the female gecko lays 2 sticky eggs, that have a soft shell and are white in colour. The gecko eggs quickly harden so that the developing gecko inside is more protected. The eggs of the gecko can take between 1 and 3 months to hatch but the incubation period is largely dependent on the species of gecko and the area in which it inhabit. The female gecko is not known to nurse or look after the baby geckos after they hatch.
Today, many species of gecko are considered to be threatened with extinction due to habitat loss and pollution. Geckos are also popular pets around the world and many are caught in the wild to be sold into the exotic pet trade.
The Persian cat is one of the most common exotic cat breeds for people to keep as pets. The Persian cat is thought to originate from the Persian area of the Middle East, which is today's Iran. Most Persian cat breeding is in the United States The Persian cat makes a fantastic household pet as they are quiet and good-natured. One disadvantage of owning a Persian cat is they do need looking after, mainly as the Persian cat has long hair, this needs to be brushed regularly to stop it getting matted together.
The Persian cat is a medium-sized stockily built cat with a rounded body and short limbs. The Persian cat often has a fairly wide face with large eyes and a muzzle of longer fur around it's nose and mouth.
Due to its long silky fur, general appearance and calm temperament, the Persian cat is one of the most popular breeds of domestic cat in the world. Today, the Persian cat is among the most common domestic cat breeds in the United States.
The Persian cat is an intelligent animal and enjoy human interaction and companionship. Persian cats are also one of the most long-living of all domestic cat breeds and are often said to be a seen as family member by their owners.
The Persian cat is a medium-sized stockily built cat with a rounded body and short limbs. The Persian cat often has a fairly wide face with large eyes and a muzzle of longer fur around it's nose and mouth.
Due to its long silky fur, general appearance and calm temperament, the Persian cat is one of the most popular breeds of domestic cat in the world. Today, the Persian cat is among the most common domestic cat breeds in the United States.
The Persian cat is an intelligent animal and enjoy human interaction and companionship. Persian cats are also one of the most long-living of all domestic cat breeds and are often said to be a seen as family member by their owners.
The Abyssinian Cat is thought to be one of the oldest breeds of domestic Cat in the world, as the first domestication of the Abyssinian Cat occurred in Ancient Egyptian times. It is thought that Abyssinian Cats were bought and sold on the banks of the River Nile by traders, where the African Wild Cats (the ancestors of all domestic Cats) lived in their native habitats. Abyssinian Cats are most easily identified by their "ticked" fur which gives their coat a mottled appearance.
The Abyssinian Cat has a more wild looking appearance when compared to many breeds of domestic Cat in modern times. The Abyssinian Cat has large ears (meaning it has fantastic hearing) on top of it's broad head, and the large almond-shaped eyes of the Abyssinian are still distinctive to this breed today. The Abyssinian Cat is a medium sized Cat with a long and muscular yet slender body and a relatively short tail. Although today, the Abyssinian can be found in a variety of different colours from blue to lilac to red, the dense, silky fur of the Abyssinian was originally silver or fawn in colour.
The Abyssinian Cat is known to be extremely intelligent and playful and is thought to be one of the most active breeds of domestic Cat as the Abyssinian seems to find it almost impossible to sit still. Abyssinian Cats are known to be extremely loyal and obedient felines making them easy to train in the house. The Abyssinian Cat is as wild in temperament as it is in appearance and enjoys to have a lot of attention as well as to keep active, which also tends make these Cats naturally good hunters.
Today, most species of modern day domestic Cat are thought to have descended from, or be close descendants of, the Abyssinian Cats which were brought to England from Northern Africa in the 19th century. The Abyssinian Cat is thought to have been one of the first species of Wild Cat to have been domesticated by Humans, and is therefore one of the first wild animals to be treated like a household pet. The Abyssinian is now one of the most popular domestic Cat breeds in the USA and was thought to have been first exhibited in Crystal Palace in 1871 and the first official listing of the Abyssinian Cat breed was in 1882.
In Ancient Egypt, the Abyssinian Cat was seen as a sign from the Ancient Egyptian Gods and was therefore thought to be a sacred animal with legend deeming that the Abyssinian was the "Child of the Gods" and it was therefore worshipped on the banks of the Nile. This meant that the Egyptian people believed that the Abyssinian Cats were extremely special animals and they therefore looked after their Cats very well, with Abyssinian Cats often being depicted as sacred beings in Ancient Egyptian art and legend.
The Norwegian forest cat is native to the Scandinavian regions of Northern Europe, with the Norwegian forest cat having adapted to the colder climates of the near polar regions. The Norwegian forest cat has long thick fur, which is in a double-layer to keep the cat warm in the uncompromising winters. The Norwegian forest cat also has a thick layer of fat insulating its body.
The Norwegian forest cat was only distinguished as a special breed of cat in the 1900s, up until then it was simply another type of house cat. The Norwegian forest cat is today bred for cat shows and awards in both Europe and America.
The Norwegian Forest cat is one of the largest breeds of domestic cat, generally reaching more than a meter in length. The Norwegian forest cat has a heavy body due to its large size and can often be more than twice the weight of other domestic cat breeds.
The Norwegian Forest cat is a popular household pet die to its large size, long fur and its gentle and loving temperate. The large size of the Norwegian Forest cat also means that it can be lazier than other, smaller, domestic cat breeds.
The Norwegian forest cat was only distinguished as a special breed of cat in the 1900s, up until then it was simply another type of house cat. The Norwegian forest cat is today bred for cat shows and awards in both Europe and America.
The Norwegian Forest cat is one of the largest breeds of domestic cat, generally reaching more than a meter in length. The Norwegian forest cat has a heavy body due to its large size and can often be more than twice the weight of other domestic cat breeds.
The Norwegian Forest cat is a popular household pet die to its large size, long fur and its gentle and loving temperate. The large size of the Norwegian Forest cat also means that it can be lazier than other, smaller, domestic cat breeds.
The Maine Coon cat is native to the Maine area of North America but it is thought to have derived from an American wild cat rather than another breed of domestic cat. The Maine folklore is that the Maine Coon cat is in fact half cat and a half raccoon in origin, but it is more commonly thought to be closely related to the North American bobcat.
The Maine Coon typically has long fur although, many types that existent in Europe have shorter hair and are thought to be related to the wilder European farm cats.
The Maine Coon is popular domestic breed of cat due to its large size, long silky fur and its calm and gentle nature. The Maine Coon is an intelligent and affectionate breed of cat that loves to be active and to be around humans and other animals.
The Maine Coon is a very large breed cat, often double the size of other domestic cat breeds. The Maine Coon is thought to be so big due to its supposedly larger wild ancestors.
The Maine Coon typically has long fur although, many types that existent in Europe have shorter hair and are thought to be related to the wilder European farm cats.
The Maine Coon is popular domestic breed of cat due to its large size, long silky fur and its calm and gentle nature. The Maine Coon is an intelligent and affectionate breed of cat that loves to be active and to be around humans and other animals.
The Maine Coon is a very large breed cat, often double the size of other domestic cat breeds. The Maine Coon is thought to be so big due to its supposedly larger wild ancestors.
The Ragdoll cat has emerged in North America as mixed cat breeding has become more popular. The ragdoll cat is usually part Burmese, Birman, Javanese, Siamese and Persian cat or any of these combinations. The Ragdoll cat is known to be one of the larger species of domestic cat and commonly have a slightly larger tummy than other cats, along with a rounded body and short limbs.
The Ragdoll cat is normally white in colour with the distinctive Siamese cat style brown markings. The ragdoll cat often inherits the long hair and blue eyes from the Persian and Birman cats but this is not always the case.
The Ragdoll cat is most well known for its calm and affectionate temperament, and its generally easy-going nature. The Ragdoll cat is a relaxed and gentle feline that is also well known for its intelligence.
The Ragdoll cat is named so because of the way in which the Ragdoll breed is often found to be easy to handle, even said to turn floppy when picked up. Ragdoll cats are known to be much more chilled-out and friendly compared to other domestic breeds.
The Ragdoll cat is normally white in colour with the distinctive Siamese cat style brown markings. The ragdoll cat often inherits the long hair and blue eyes from the Persian and Birman cats but this is not always the case.
The Ragdoll cat is most well known for its calm and affectionate temperament, and its generally easy-going nature. The Ragdoll cat is a relaxed and gentle feline that is also well known for its intelligence.
The Ragdoll cat is named so because of the way in which the Ragdoll breed is often found to be easy to handle, even said to turn floppy when picked up. Ragdoll cats are known to be much more chilled-out and friendly compared to other domestic breeds.
The Balinese cat was first registered in the USA in the 1920s as a longhair Siamese cat, and it wasn't until the mid 1950s that the Balinese cat was classified as a new breed of domestic cat. The Balinese cat is very much like the Siamese cat in characteristics but the Balinese cat generally has longer hair and is more likely to have markings on its fur. The Balinese cat is about the same size and weight as the Siamese cat and also tends to be found in similar colours.
The Balinese cat is a popular longhair household cat as the Balinese cat does not need grooming as much as other long-haired cats, such as the Himalayan cat and the Persian cat. The elegant features of Balinese cat also make it a popular breed in Western households.
The Balinese cat is a very affectionate feline and adores human attention. The Balinese is also a playful and energetic breed of cat and is most happy when it is active and playing.
The Balinese is an extremely intelligent breed of cat, and it is thought that the Balinese cat is the most intelligent breed of ling-haired cat. The Balinese also has a remarkably long lifespan for a domestic cats as the Balinese often reaches 20 years old.
The Balinese cat is a popular longhair household cat as the Balinese cat does not need grooming as much as other long-haired cats, such as the Himalayan cat and the Persian cat. The elegant features of Balinese cat also make it a popular breed in Western households.
The Balinese cat is a very affectionate feline and adores human attention. The Balinese is also a playful and energetic breed of cat and is most happy when it is active and playing.
The Balinese is an extremely intelligent breed of cat, and it is thought that the Balinese cat is the most intelligent breed of ling-haired cat. The Balinese also has a remarkably long lifespan for a domestic cats as the Balinese often reaches 20 years old.
The Birman Cat (also known as the sacred cat of Burma) is thought to have originated in today's Myanmar (Burma), and is thought to be a close relation of the popular Burmese cat. The Birman cat has a bright white and brown marked coat with beautiful blue eyes. The Birman is an intelligent breed of cat that always appears interested in its surroundings. The Birman is a gentle natured and playful animal that relies on human affection and championship.
The legend of the Birman cat is thought to be that originally, the guardians of the Temple of LaoTsun were yellow-eyed white cats with long hair. The golden goddess of the temple, Tsun-Kyan-Kse, had deep blue eyes. The head priest, Mun-Ha, had as his companion a beautiful cat named Sinh. One day the temple was attacked and Mun-Ha was killed. At the moment of his death, Sinh placed his feet on his master. The cats white fur took on a golden cast, his eyes turned as blue as the eyes of the goddess, and his face, legs and tail became the colour of earth. However, his paws, where they touched the priest, remained white as a symbol of purity. All the other temple cats became similarly coloured. Seven days later, Sinh died, taking the soul of Mun-Ha to paradise.
The legend of the Birman cat is thought to be that originally, the guardians of the Temple of LaoTsun were yellow-eyed white cats with long hair. The golden goddess of the temple, Tsun-Kyan-Kse, had deep blue eyes. The head priest, Mun-Ha, had as his companion a beautiful cat named Sinh. One day the temple was attacked and Mun-Ha was killed. At the moment of his death, Sinh placed his feet on his master. The cats white fur took on a golden cast, his eyes turned as blue as the eyes of the goddess, and his face, legs and tail became the colour of earth. However, his paws, where they touched the priest, remained white as a symbol of purity. All the other temple cats became similarly coloured. Seven days later, Sinh died, taking the soul of Mun-Ha to paradise.
The Burmese cat is native to the south east Asian countries of Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand, but is a very popular cat today and is domestically bred in Europe and across North America. The Burmese is cat is thought to have been originally brown in colour but years of the selective breeding of the Burmese cat has meant that today the Burmese cat can be found in many different colours including black, lilac and even ginger.
The Burmese cat is best known for its beautiful soft fur, which is normally in incredible condition. The Thai name for the Burmese cat is subh-bha-lak , which means fortunate, beautiful and splendid in appearance.
The Burmese cat is a popular breed of domestic cat due to its playful and energetic nature. Burmese cats adore to be around humans and are extremely affectionate and loving pets.
The Burmese cat is a very intelligent animal and is constantly curious and inquisitive in its surroundings. The Burmese cat is also one of the more vocal breeds of domestic cat, along with one of the most elegant.
The Burmese cat is best known for its beautiful soft fur, which is normally in incredible condition. The Thai name for the Burmese cat is subh-bha-lak , which means fortunate, beautiful and splendid in appearance.
The Burmese cat is a popular breed of domestic cat due to its playful and energetic nature. Burmese cats adore to be around humans and are extremely affectionate and loving pets.
The Burmese cat is a very intelligent animal and is constantly curious and inquisitive in its surroundings. The Burmese cat is also one of the more vocal breeds of domestic cat, along with one of the most elegant.