Two Toed Sloth

As its name implies, have only two toes on their front paws, although, like other sloths have three toes on the hind legs. They are also three-toed sloths. The mother gives birth to a young, while hanging upside down. Two-toed sloths spend most of their lives upside down in the trees. She can not walk, so they prefer to hand to hand, which is extremely slow in one. As primarily nocturnal, is her hair, which grows to mix green algae, their main source of protection depends on the temperature of your body at least partially on the ambient temperature, can not keep warm shake, do as others metabolic rate of mammals because of its exceptionally low power and reduced. 

 Depending on the cycle of excretion lazy weighed urine and faeces to 30 percent of the body weight of the animal, which is about 6 kg (about 13 pounds). They have small teeth, incisors or canines constantly growing and not true total lack of homology with other mammalian dental formula.

Rhesus Macaque

The rhesus macaque is brown or gray and has a pink face, which is hairless. Its tail is of medium length and average between 20.7 and 22.9 cm (8.1 to 9.0 inches). Adult males measure about 53 cm (21 inches) on average and weigh about 7.7 kg (17 lbs). The females are smaller, with an average of 47 cm (19 inches) long and 5.3 kg (12 lbs). Rhesus macaques have an average of 50 vertebrae. The rhesus macaque has 32 teeth with a dental formula 2.1.2.3/2.1.2.3 bilophodont molars. The lower molars also have four cusps: metaconid, protoconid, hypoconid and entoconid. Rhesus monkeys are native to northern India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Afghanistan, Vietnam, southern China and neighboring regions. They have the widest geographic distribution of a non-human primate, occupying a wide range of altitudes throughout Central, South and South-East Asia.

Broadening the range of rhesus macaque a natural process in some regions and a direct consequence of the introduction by humans in other regions has serious implications for the declining populations of endemic and bonnet macaques in southern India Rhesus monkeys are diurnal and arboreal and terrestrial time. During the monsoon season, which derive much of their water from fruits ripe and juicy. Macaques who live far from water sources lick the dew from the leaves and drink the rain water accumulated in tree holes. Drink water when they feed and congregate around streams and rivers. Rhesus monkeys are specialized pockets like the cheeks, which allows them to accumulate temporarily foods.

 Rhesus macaques interact with a variety of vocalizations and body postures and facial expressive gestures. Perhaps the most common expression of the face makes Java is the "silent bared teeth" face. During the movements, macaques will "tuba" and "grunts". When foods are rarely high quality macaques makes "chirping", "harmonic arches" or "correction." When at risk, macaques emits a high-pitched sound which he called "sour bark." "Oops", "cry", "twitter", "pants-threats," "growls" and "bark" are used in aggressive interactions. Babies "gecker" to attract the attention of his mother. Adult male macaques seek to maximize their reproductive success by taking wife couples with women, both inside and outside of the breeding season. The females prefer to mate with males that increase the survival of their offspring. So a man marries provides resources for girls and protects them from predators.

Male rhesus macaques were observed to fight for access to sexually receptive females, but suffer more injuries during the mating season. Male macaques generally play no part in rearing the young, but they have peaceful relations with their children, couples wife. Mothers with one or more immature girls, and their children are in contact with the younger children of those who have immature older girls and mothers can pass the responsibility of raising their daughters. Children farther from the center of the most vulnerable groups outside infanticide. Some mothers abuse their children, which is supposed to be the result of controlling parenting styles.

Groundhog

The higher is the marmot Sciuridae in its geographical area, usually 40-65 cm (16-26 inches) long (including 15 cm (6 inches) from the tail) and weighing 2 to 4 kg (4-9 lb). In regions with less natural predators and large amounts of alfalfa, groundhogs can grow to 80 cm (30 inches) and 14 kg (31 lbs). Groundhogs are well adapted for digging, with short limbs, yet powerful curved claws thick. Adapted to the temperate habitat, groundhogs are covered with two layers of fur: a dense gray long coat and a bunch of guard hairs that gives the groundhog its distinctive "frozen".

In regions with less natural predators and large amounts of alfalfa, groundhogs can grow to 80 cm (30 inches) and 14 kg (31 lbs). Groundhogs are well adapted for digging, with short limbs, yet powerful curved claws thick. Adapted to the temperate habitat, groundhogs are covered with two layers of fur: a dense gray long coat and a bunch of guard hairs that gives the groundhog its distinctive "frozen".

Groundhogs are well adapted for digging, with short limbs, yet powerful curved claws thick. Groundhogs are excellent burrowers, with burrows for sleeping, rearing young, and hibernating. The average groundhog has been estimated to move approximately 1 m3 (35 cubic feet) or 320 kg (710 lb) ground by digging a burrow. Although groundhogs are the most solitary of the marmots, several individuals may occupy the same burrow. Groundhog burrows usually have 2-5 inputs, providing groundhogs principal means of escape from predators. Groundhogs are one of the few species that enter into true hibernation, and often build a "winter burrow" for this purpose separate.

Groundhogs are most of the time during the day. Groundhogs may squeal when fighting, seriously injured or captured by the enemy. Others sounds groundhogs may make are low barks and a sound produced by the grinding of teeth when groundhogs are frightened, the hairs of the tail support, giving the tail looks like a hair brush The breeding season runs from early March to mid or late April, after hibernation. Litter is produced annually, usually containing 5:58-blind, hairless and helpless young. Marmot young are weaned and ready to seek their own burrow 5-6 weeks of age. The groundhog prefers open country and the edges of forests, and rarely far from a burrow entrance. 

Groundhogs are often hunted for sport, which tends to control their numbers. Marmots bred in captivity can be socialized relatively easily, but their aggressive nature can pose problems. Doug Schwartz, a zookeeper and groundhog trainer Staten Island Zoo, was quoted as saying. United States and Canada, the annual Groundhog Day gave the recognition and popularity of the marmot, like in the movie of the same name. The best known of these groundhogs are Wiarton Willie and Punxsutawney Phil, well maintained, as part of celebrations of Groundhog Day in Wiarton, Ontario and Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, respectively. A marmot famous south, General Beauregard Lee, is based on the Yellow River Game Ranch outside Atlanta, Georgia. 

Marmots are used in medical research on liver cancer induced hepatitis B. Marmot burrows have been known to be at least one archaeological site, the site Ufferman in the state of Ohio, United States Although archaeologists have excavated the Ufferman site, many objects were found through activities local marmots. 

Queen Angelfish

The color adult queen angelfish overall body color can be blue to blue-green with yellow wheels described in its scales. Queen Angelfish is also known to have blue markings around each gill cover. Young people have dark blue bodies with yellow lips, gills and tail and vertical bars ranging in color from blue to white. The colors of young fish to help them integrate into the reef. Queen Angelfish are about three and a half kilos. 

The queen angelfish feeds primarily on sponges, but also feeds on jellyfish, tunicates and corals and plankton and algae. Young people serve as "cleaners" and feed on the parasites of larger fish at cleaning stations. Despite having in home aquariums, aquarium made for the queen angelfish diet of meaty foods and algae queen angels inhabit the reef base and are often located near the Florida Keys and Florida in particular, the Bahamas and the Gulf of Mexico. 

Pairs reproduce by rising water, the wombs. Freely anywhere from 25 to 75 thousand eggs each night and up to 10 million eggs per reproductive cycle Eggs are transparent, dynamic and pelagic, floating in the water column. The size of the yolk sac is absorbed after 48 hours, during which the larvae develop normal characteristics of free swimming fish. Larvae are in the water column and feed plankton. The queen angelfish harass other fish without discrimination, in particular, the new additions to the aquarium.

Tawny Owl

The Tawny Owl is a robust bird, 37-46 cm (15-18 inches) long, with a 80-105 cm (32-41 in) wingspan. The big round head lacking ear tufts and facial disk surrounding dark brown eyes usually quite obvious. The race morph two names that differ in the color of its plumage, a form of rufous brown back and the other brown, although intermediates occur. The owl flies with long glides on rounded wings, less hilly and flutters unless other owls Eurasia, and usually at higher elevations. Like most owls, is let her escape because soft their primary feathers, furry and bumps on the leading edge of the outer primaries of the size, shape and broad wings chubby distinguish it from other owls in their scope, are gray Grande, Eagle and Ural owls are similar in shape, but much larger. An owl eyes are positioned in front of the head and have an overlapping range of 50-70%, which makes it better daylight binocular vision (30-50% coverage). 

The experimental basis for this statement is probably wrong, at least a factor of 10 Owl actual visual acuity is only slightly greater than that of the human, and any increase in sensitivity due to optical factors that large retinal sensitivity and human owl, the resolution limit of the terrestrial vertebrate retina Adjustments night vision, including the size of the eye of the tube shape, a large number of closely packed rods of the retina, and an absence of cone cells are superior rod cells because photosensitivity. In contrast to birds of prey, owls is usually only a foveal daily, and that undeveloped except diurnal hunters like the short-eared owl. Hearing is important for a nocturnal bird of prey, and like other owls, tawny differ in structure and two ear openings are asymmetrically positioned improve directional hearing. The opening of the left ear is better higher in the head of the right ear and down steep inclines sensitivity to sounds below. 

To hear the most common contact call is a shrill, kew-wick, but the male has a vibrant advertising song hoo ho, ho, hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo. William Shakespeare used this song owl Lost Love's Labour (Act 5, Scene 2) as a "night owl looking Utter, tu-whit, tu-, a cheerful note, while Joan doth greasy keel the pot" is, but this stereotype actually a duet with his wife kew-wick sound, and the male responding hooo. A man meets a broadcast song seems an indicator of his health and strength owls with high blood parasites consume less high frequencies and a limited number of frequencies in their responses to an apparent intruder. The tawny owl has. 

The tawny owl is a geographical reach of 10 million square kilometers (3.8 million square kilometers) and a large population, including an estimated 970,000 to 2,000,000 people in Europe alone. This species has., A large number of prisoners, especially forest rodents, but other mammals up to the size of a rabbit, birds, worms and bugs In urban areas, the birds are a large part of the diet, and species as unlikely as Mallard and Kittiwake killed and eaten. Forest owls less potent than the owl and the owl is not normally associated with strong red color, which can be taken as a food and in different habitats in Ireland, was the lack of Tawny owl to be dominant. Even if the owl has moved to urban areas, tends to suppress their breeding owls traditional buildings.

Wolverine

Anatomically, the wolverine is an animal strong and muscular. With short legs, broad, rounded head and small eyes with short rounded ears, it resembles a bear more than others martens. Although his legs are short to facilitate his long legs and five fingers plantigrade posture movement in deep snow.Adult wolverine is about the size of a medium sized dog, with a length usually ranging from 65 to 107 cm (26-42 inches), a tail 17 to 26 cm (6.7 to 10 inches) and weighing 9-25 kg (20-55 lb) but exceptionally large males can weigh up to 32 kg (71 lb). Wolverines have thick, dark, oily, which is highly hydrophobic, making it. The pungent odor has resulted in the nickname "skunk bear" and "nasty cat.

The wolverine is a predator hunting versatile and powerful treasure. Prey is mainly composed of small and large mammals listed wolverine kill prey such as adult deer are larger distance themselves feed on species such as porcupines, squirrels, marmots, beavers, rabbits, voles, mice, shrews, lemmings, caribou, deer, white-tailed deer, mule deer, sheep, moose and elk The smaller predators sometimes hunted, including marten, mink, fox, lynx, Canada, weasels, bobcats and coyotes and pups. Wolverines often pursue live prey, which is relatively easy to obtain, including animals in traps, newborn mammals and deer (including elk and moose adults) is weakened if caught by winter or immobilized by snow. Most of the support wolverine on carrion, which almost exclusively in winter and spring from. Wolverines end up eating carrion after the predator feeds (especially wolf packs) or just take another predator. That eating live prey or carrion, Wolverine style appears voracious feeding anything. 

Adaptation to food that is easy, especially in winter Armed with powerful jaws, sharp claws, and a thick skin, wolverines, like most mustelids, are very strong for their size. Death to defend themselves against predators larger or more numerous. At least you have a wolverine apparent attempt to steal £ 12 by the death of a black bear (adult males weigh 400-500 lb (180-230 kg). account Another polar bear of unknown age and weight down with a similar wolverine where the smaller, tenacious predator came first. Interestingly, while Wolves Wolverines dominated the competition a corpse, some wolves hunting Wolverines used and may, wolves such cases, a complete lack wolverine lead in a given area. Wolverines inhabiting the Old World (especially Fennoscandia) are active predators than their North American cousins. 

Often feed on carrion left by wolves, changes in the population of wolves may affect the population of wolverines. Wolverines also sometimes known to eat plants. Women often do not produce young if food is scarce. The gestation period is 30-50 days wolverine. Many cities, teams and organizations use the wolverine as a pet. For example, the State of Michigan is, by tradition, known as "The Wolverine State," and the University of Michigan wolverine as its mascot. The association is long established: for example, when many volunteers Detroit in the American Civil War and George Armstrong Custer, who led the Michigan Brigade, the fight against the Wolverines. Wolverines are, however, extremely rare in Michigan. Wolverine prominently in the mythology of eastern Quebec and Labrador Innu. 

Flying Snake

Chrysopelea also below their assigned common name "flying snakes" known. He slides his balance comb over his belly and slid against the rough bark of tree trunks, making up a tree. The combination of sucking in your stomach and make a lateral move to the curve in the air makes the snake can float in the air, which can save energy from the earth and terrestrial predators Dodge limited concave bearing surface that creates long journey suction snake flattens the stomach body to twice the width of the back of the head to the anal hole is near the end of the tail of the snake, making the cross section of the body of the snake resemble sectional through a cross Frisbee or flying saucer. 

When a flying disk revolutions in the air, resulting in increased projecting section concavity air pressure to the center of the disc, to raise the flying disc. A snake is continuously moved in lateral undulation for the same effect of increasing the air pressure below the arcuate body to create a slide. Flying snakes are able to glide better than flying squirrels and other gliding animals, despite the absence of limbs, wings, wing extensions or other, glide through the forest and jungle life with a distance as great as 100 m. There are five recognized species of flying snake, found in western India Indonesian archipelago. 

It is a bit poisonous snakes ", but its small and fixed rear teeth that make them dangerous to humans Golden tree snake or ornate flying snake, adorned Chrysopelea (Shaw, 1802) This result is the largest species of snake fly, up to four meters long. Although it is the golden tree snake, there are other colors, for example, tend to have a few steps toward the thin lime green pure yellow, while in India, the IT-orange red marks and small black bars back, rich colors almost paradise tree snake. Paradise tree snake, Paradisi Chrysopelea Boie and Boie, 1827 This species of flying snake fields of up to three meters long and is very popular in the pet trade in Europe. Their bodies are black, but covered with rich green scales. Tree Band snake or flying serpent, Chrysopelea Pelias (Linnaeus, 1758) Twin-Lock: This is the smallest species of flying snakes up to two meters long. Though small, it is certainly one of the rarest species of flying snakes in the range. 

Cicada

The adult insect, known as imago is generally from 2 to 5 cm (1-2 inches) long, although some tropical species can reach 15 cm (6 inches), for example, Imperata Pomponia Malaysia. Cicadas have prominent eyes separated on the sides of the head, short antennae protruding between or in front of the eyes, and membranous front wings. Cicada nymphs suck xylem sap of several species of trees, including oak, cypress, willow, ash and maple. Most cicadas go through a life cycle that lasts from two to five years. A predator with a shorter life cycle of at least two years with cicadas reliability of assault In Greek mythology, Tithonus eventually turns into a cicada after obtaining immortality but not eternal youth, by Zeus.

The cicada has represented insouciance from classical antiquity. Jean de La Fontaine began his collection of fables Les Fables de La Fontaine with the story La Cigale and the Ant (The Cicada and the Ant) based on one of Aesop's fables: in it the cicada spends the summer singing, the ant stores away, and went without food when the weather turns sour. In Japan, the cicada is associated with the summer season. The songs of the cicadas are often used in movies and television for the Japanese scene takes place in the summer.

Since the cicada emerges from the ground to sing every summer in Japan is considered a symbol of reincarnation is particularly important that the cicada silence, leaving an empty shell. But, since the cicada only lives for a short period of time long enough to attract a mate with its song and complete the fertilization process, are considered a symbol of transience. In the Japanese novel The Tale of Genji, the main character of his poetry equals a love interest of a cicada by how smoothly flowing scarf like a cicada shell lost when you move. A shell of the cicada also plays a role in winter cicada manga.

In the classic Chinese novel Three Kingdoms Diaochan also got its name from the black-tailed decoration and shaped jade cicada (Chan), which at the time adorned the hats of high officials. Month Javanese version called Pranata cycle cicadas mangsa used as an indicator of the onset of the dry season (April-May). On the Run From now, cicadas play an important role in the books. romanticizes the insect as a creature that sings until it dies. In Tuscany, the Italian word for the cicada (Cicada) is a euphemism for "vagina", used by children (the usage is equivalent to "Fanny" in English / Australian English). In 2004, "cicada" ranked 6th in Merriam-Webster word of the year.

Porcupine

A porcupine is one of 29 species of rodent belonging to the families Erethizontidae (genres Coendou, Sphiggurus, Erethizon, and Echinoprocta Chaetomys) or Hystricidae (genres Atherurus, Hystrix and Trichys). Porcupines vary in size considerably: Rothschild Porcupine South America weighs less than a kilogram (2.2 pounds (1.00 kg)), Porcupine, Italy, Sicily, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa can achieve more than 27 kg (60 lbs). The eleven porcupine Old World tend to be quite large, and peaks that are grouped. Porcupines New World have evolved their spines independently (through convergent evolution) and are more closely related to several other families of rodent than they are porcupines of the Old World.

Porcupine Old World (Hystricidae) have quills embedded in groups, whereas in New World porcupines (Erethizontidae), interspersed with hair feathers individually hairdryer. New feathers grow to replace those lost. Porcupines occupy a short distance from the habitat in tropical and temperate regions of Asia, Europe, South Africa, North America and South America. Porcupines live in forests, deserts, rocky outcrops and slopes. Some porcupines New World live in trees, but porcupines Old World remain on the rocks. Porcupines are found in rocky areas up to 3,700 m (12,100 ft) high. Porcupines are generally nocturnal, but sometimes active during the day.

Bengal Tiger

The coat of the Bengal tiger is light orange yellow, striped with dark brown to black, the belly is white and the inner member, and the tail is orange rings with blacks. Male Bengal tigers have a total length, including the tail, from 270 to 310 centimeters (110 to 120), while the females range from 240 to 265 cm (94 to 104). The average weight of males is 221.2 kg (488 lb), while that of females was 139.7 kg (308 lb). 

The men captured in the Chitwan National Park in 1970 had an average weight of 235 kg (520 lb) 200 to 261 kg (440-580 lb), and the females was 140 kg (310 lb) from 116 to 164 kg (260-360 lb). The men of North India are as big as the Siberian tiger with a skull length 332-376 mm higher (13.1 inches to 14.8). The white tiger is a recessive mutant of the Bengal tiger, which was reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar and especially the old state of Rewa. 

There is a case of a real tiger albino duly authenticated, and none of the Black Tigers, with the possible exception of a dead specimen examined in Chittagong in 1846. Bengal tigers are defined by three distinct mitochondrial nucleotide sites and 12 unique microsatellite alleles.

Grasshopper

No coherent distinction between taxonomic species of locusts and grasshoppers, the basis for the definition of a species swarm form under appropriate intervals. In English, the term "locust" is used for the grasshopper species which are morphologically and behavioral change the movement, the formation of clouds that grow immature stages called bands hopper. Charles Valentine Riley and Norman Criddle were also involved in the development of understanding and control locusts. Research at Oxford University has discovered a swarm behavior is a response to overcrowding. This causes the locust to change color, eat much more, and much easier to raise. 

Locusts in the Bible and the Qur'an, one of the biblical plagues of Egypt, where locusts ate all the crops of Egypt. In an article published in the January 30, 2009 edition of the AAAS Science Journal, Anstey, Rogers, et al. demonstrated when locusts are, their nervous systems release serotonin so attracted to each other, a prerequisite for swarming. Swarms of locusts have short antennae or antennas and auditory organs in the abdomen (posterior segment of the body). From winged adults fly in swarms, locusts may be carried by the wind hundreds of miles from their spawning grounds, landing devour all vegetation. The migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) from Europe to China, and even small swarms may cover several square miles, and weigh thousands of tons. 

The largest known swarm covered 513,000 km ², comprising about 12.5 trillion insects and a weight of 27.5 million tonnes. A biological pesticide for the control of locusts in Africa has been tested by a multinational team in 1997. Dried fungal spores sprayed in breeding areas Metarhizium species pierce the locust exoskeleton on germination and penetration of the body cavity, causing death. The fungus is spread by insects and insect persists in the region, making repeated treatments unnecessary. 

The extinction of the Rocky Mountain locust is a source of wonder. The international agenda is LUBILOSA promote non-chemical methods of control to find lobster. Different cultures around the world eat insects. Even Islamic law and Jewish food, eating other insects grasshoppers to eat after the ban, particularly as food for the hungry poor.

Laughing Kookaburra

Laughing Kookaburra is native to the Australian mainland, and has also been introduced in Tasmania, Kangaroo Island and Flinders Island. Laughing Kookaburra is a stocky bird about 45 cm (18 inches) long, with a large head, a prominent brown eyes and Big Bill. Body with a white or cream-colored head with a dark over each eye and slightly above the head brown band. The tail is red-brown rust orange with black stripes and white tips on the feathers. The name "Laughing Kookaburra" means bird "laugh" is used to determine the area between family groups. Bird starts hiccups low laugh, then throws his head back and laughed often several others join in. If a rival tribe is within earshot and replies, the whole family meets before finishing laugh current ring. Hearing kookaburras in full voice is one of the most extraordinary experiences of Australian nature, something the locals can not ignore, and some visitors, unless forewarned, the call can be found surprising 

Kookaburra is the theme song of the popular Australian children, Kookaburra. Kookaburras occupy forest land (including forests) released by family groups and their laughter serves the same purpose as other birds called its boundaries. Common prey includes small mammals such as mice and the size of large insects, lizards, small birds and chicks, and most famously, snakes. Small prey is better, but sometimes large kookaburras creatures, including much longer than its body venomous snakes. During mating, the Laughing Kookaburra provided as shown in the behavior as wattlebird. The man then offers his own current captivity, with "oo oo oo" sound. When food is abundant, parents spend more time black chick, so the girls are not able to fight. It is not uncommon for kookaburras snatch food from the hands of the people, without notice, falling away. People often fed pieces of raw meat.

Prehistoric Frilled Shark

A species of shark rarely seen alive because its natural habitat is about 2,000 feet under the sea was captured on film by staff at a Japanese marine park this week. 

The Awashima Marine Park in Shizuoka, south of Tokyo, was alerted by a fisherman at a nearby port on Sunday that he had spotted an odd-looking eel-like creature with a mouthful of needle-sharp teeth. Marine park staff caught the 5 foot (1.6 meter) long creature, which they identified as a female frilled shark, sometimes referred to as a "living fossil" because it is a primitive species that has changed little since prehistoric times. 

The shark appeared to be in poor condition when park staff moved it to a seawater pool where they filmed it swimming and opening its jaws. 

"We believe moving pictures of a live specimen are extremely rare," said an official at the park. "They live between 1,968 and 3,280 feet (600 and 1,000 meters) under the water, which is deeper than humans can go." 

"We think it may have come close to the surface because it was sick, or else it was weakened because it was in shallow waters," the official said.

Gustave - The Giant Crocodile

Gustave is a massive male Nile crocodile living in Burundi. In 2004 he was estimated to be 60 years old, 20 feet (6.1 m) in length and to weigh around 1 ton, making him the largest confirmed crocodile ever seen in Africa. He is a notorious man-eater, who is rumored to have claimed as many as 300 humans from the banks of the Ruzizi River and the northern shores of Lake Tanganyika. While this number is likely exaggerated, Gustave has attained a near-mythical status and is greatly feared by people in the region. Scientists and Herpetologists who have studied Gustave claim that his uncommon size and weight impedes the crocodile's ability to hunt the species' usual, agile prey such as fish, antelope and zebra, forcing him to attack larger animals such as Hippopotamus, large wildebeest and, to some extent, humans. According to a popular local warning, he is said to hunt and leave his victims' corpses uneaten. 

Gustave was named by Patrice Faye, a French resident of Burundi and self-taught naturalist who has been pursuing the crocodile since 1998. Faye and a documentary team attempted to capture Gustave in 2002 using an enormous trap, but the crocodile not only avoided it, but seemed to taunt the team as well. The ill-fated attempt was detailed in a documentary titled Capturing the Killer Croc, which aired on PBS in May 2004. 

Gustave was sighted most recently in February 2008 by National Geographic sources. In parts of Asia and Australia saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) 6 metres (20 ft) long are well known and easy to spot; individuals 7 metres (23 ft) long have been reported. In eastern India the Guinness Book of World Records has confirmed the existence of a 7 metre individual. Therefore, although Gustave is not exceptional in size compared to other species of crocodiles, he is much larger than the average male Nile crocodile. He is known for the few distinct bullet scars that cover his body: one on his head and three on his right side

White rhino - endangered animal

The rhino is called “The Africa's Big Five”. The white rhino is the largest of the remaining 5 species of rhinoceros. Those species are divided into the southern and northern white rhinos. It was thought the northern rhino was extinct in the wild due to poaching, and only a handful remain in captivity.  

Although some research shows the southern wild population numbers around 11,000, the IUCN red list shows over 17,000. At any rate, even though the white rhino has the largest numbers of any of the rhino species, it still is endangered and needs our help. (On a side note-the IUCN recently took the Asian greater one horned rhino of the endangered red list, but I along with others feel it is still needs the protection given by that status) 

There are over 700 white rhinos in captivity world wide. The rhino is one of the few larger animals that can be introduced into the wild. Meaning a captive born white or black rhino could make its way to Africa. Recently in October 2008, a white rhino was born via artificial insemination at the Budapest Zoo. 

Even with protection they can still be legally trophy hunted in areas of South Africa. This is very counter productive with all the time and money going into increasing their numbers. They can also be green hunted in which a tranquillizer gun is used to and the hunter gets a picture next to their "kill." These are less expensive, but not as popular as a regular hunt. The rhino horn is still found on the billion dollar animal black market which is driven mostly by China and the US.

Do you know that: 

• - Baby kangaroos, regardless of sex, are always called Joeys. Male kangaroos are known as Jacks, Bucks or Boomers. Female kangaroos are known as Jills, Does or Flyers. 

• - Kangaroos can survive months without drinking water. Also, very often when they need water, kangaroos will dig their own water wells to find it. 

• - The female kangaroo will give birth to a new Joey just when it is time to eject the older kangaroo from her pouch. During the time of transition, she will simultaneously produce two different types of milk for the different needs of her young kangaroos. Each Joey knows which milk is theirs and will only nurse from the appropriate one. 

• - Joeys can be seen peeking from their mothers pouch. The "two-headed" kangaroos shocked the early Australian explorers. When they returned to Europe they told strange stories about the “two-headed” monster but other folks rarely believed them.

HedgeHogs - Cute and Funny Animals

Do you know that: 

Hedgehogs possess incredible sense of smelling. 

Hedgies can be found in woods, parks, farmland, gardens. 

All hedgehogs are capable of swimming and climbing trees. 

When hedgies are born, their spines are very short and very soft. 

Hedgehogs eat mice, birds, worms, slugs, adore eggs and various plants and fruits. 

Hedgehogs Latin (scientific) name is “Erinaceus europaeus”. 

Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals. Also they hibernate from November to the end of March every year. Strangely hedgies live up to 3 years in the wild and in captivity – up to 10 years. 

Hedgehogs prefer leading solitary lives. Hedgehogs are very loud animals. 

They make various rather loud sounds (sneezing, snorting, purring, squealing, etc.). 

Hedgies are born with closed eyes. 

Many people posses hedgehogs as pets. Hedgies are very interesting to look at, they are not aggressive and have no odour

The Komodo Dragon

Do you know that: 

People believe that there are now only 4 thousands Komodo dragons left on the planet. The Komodo dragon has a long life expectancy of about 50 years. There are about 4 times as many male Komodos as females, in the wild. 

Komodo dragons are easily confused with crocodiles. They are called the “Ora” or “land crocodile” by locals. The Komodo dragon is the heaviest and largest living lizard in the world. Komodos are able to grow as long as 10 feet and weigh more than 300 pounds. 

Komodo dragons eat almost any kind of meat. 

Komods are able to see prey and other objects as far as 985 feet away. 

These dragons can run just as fast as humans can - up to 11 miles an hour. They just tire quickly. 

There was an old belief in China that the tail of a dragon, when ground into powder, was a powerful medicine. Some believed that it could even stop a person from growing old! The Komodo dragon is able to eat almost 80% of its weight in one meal. 

Komodos hunting strategy is very simply. They will go for the feet, and bring down the prey. Then the Komodo dragon will rip its victim to pieces. The Komodo dragons ancestors date back over 100 million years. Komodos mouth saliva contains a host of deadly bacteria. A Komodo will go through about 4 or 5 sets of teeth in his life.

These dragons have no natural enemies. The greatest threat they face is from other dragons, and humans. Once a female dragon lays her eggs, she never comes back to check up on them. Young Komodo dragons are able to climb trees, to help protect them, and to find food.

March of The Penguins and "Flaying Penguins"

Do you know that: 

Penguins can adapt to various climates. 

They waddle while walking. Baby penguins have soft feathers. 

Those feathers are known as down. 

Penguins live in large colonies called rookeries. 

Penguins spend most of their lives in water. 

Penguins have the ability to walk faster than humans. 

Penguins use body language to communicate with each other. 

They don’t fear humans but are endangered by oil spills, water pollution, and the over harvesting of ocean fish. 

Penguins have more feathers per square inch and that keeps them warm in frigid waters. 

Penguins are very social creatures. 

Their body is insulated with a thick layer of blubber that keeps them warm. Penguins can hold their breath under water - for about 20 minutes. 

Rockhopper penguins have very loud calls and are very noisy. 

Penguins are dresses in classic white and black. 

They are counter-shaded for camouflage. 

The baby penguins count on their parents for food until they grow up with waterproof juvenile feathers. 

Penguins can leap out of water while swimming. 

They pick up stones and store them in their crop. 

This helps them to float when they are in water. 

Penguins can control their blood flow through the amount of fat in their bodies.

Ants - Life Underwater

Do you know that: Ants started farming long before human beings. Ants are capable of carrying objects 50 times their own body weight with their mandibles. Around 700,000 members can be found in a typical Ant colony of Army ants.

Sometimes soldier ants use their heads to plug the entrances to their nests and keep intruders from gaining access. Ants lived alongside the dinosaurs over 100 million years ago. Certain ant species defend plants in exchange for food and shelter. 

Every ant has two stomachs. In the first one it stores food for itself and in the second it stores food that is to be shared with other ants. The total biomass of all the ants on Earth is roughly equal to the total biomass of all the people on Earth. The ants have very strong legs. They help them to run very quickly. 

Ants sometimes herd or tend to insects of other species, like aphids or leafhoppers. The common Black Ants and Wood Ants have no sting, but they can squirt a spray of formic acid. Ants are capable of enslaving other ants, keeping them captive and making them do work for the colony. 

The average life expectancy of an ant is 45-60 days. Some ants form "super-colonies,". These are massive communities of ants that can stretch for thousands of miles. If a worker ant has found a good source for food, it leaves a trail of scent. The other ants follow those scent trails laid by scout ants to gather food. At night the worker ants move the eggs and larvae deep into the nest to protect them from cold.

20 000 Dollars Dog House

One year ago Tammy Kassis decides that her dogs deserve their own house to live in. Nothing extraordinary, except for the price of the dog house - $20 000.

The house look like a regular hose, it is just smaller and the furniture is lower to the ground. Tammy Kassis is 42 years old lady and lives with her husband outside of Los Angeles.

She explained that there was an accident where an owl almost took away one of her three dogs - Coco Puff, Darla and Chelsea. Then she decided to give her dogs an extraordinary dog house. She commissioned a famous architect Alan Mowrer of La Petite Maison in Denver for the dog house and the result is an 11ft replica of family home with luxury features like heat, hardwood floors, screened doors and windows, handmade curtains, mini-blinds, and landscaping complete with a white picket fence. Tammy Kassis even has plans to install a plasma TV so the dogs can all watch their favorite shows on Animal Planet together.

Tammy Kassis was quoted as saying "My dogs are my life," We all are absolutely sure about this – after all she spent 20 000 dollars for their home.

Okapi

Okapi interesting facts: 

• - Okapi (Okapia johnstoni) is closely related to giraffe but is smaller with much shorter neck and stripe on the legs. It also looks like it is part deer and part zebra. It is native to the Ituri Rainforest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in central Africa. 
• - Okapi is solitary animal. Each one is stacking its own patch of turf and prefers to stay there as long as there is a enough food. 
• - The Okapi has a reddish dark back, with striking horizontal white stripes on the front and back legs. They have an oily, velvety coat of fur that repels the water. 
• - The Okapi has a keen sense of smell and hearing. 
• - Okapis are master at hiding. You usually won’t spot a herd of okapis no matter how hard you look. 
• - The Okapi weight varies from 200 to 300 kilograms (440 to 660 lb), the body length from 1.9 to 2.5 metres (6.2 to 8.2 ft) long and the height from 1.5 to 2.0 metres (4.9 to 6.6 ft) tall. - The Okapi habitat are rainforests, the lifespan is about 25 years. It’s could speed up to 37 mph (60 km/hr). Okapis are herbivores eating mainly tree leaves, grass, ferns, fruit and fungi. 
• - Okapis are very picky on their food. Okapis will eat only the mature leaves of certain trees. 
• - The Okapi has a long black-blue tongue, like the giraffe. The Okapi can even reach its eyes and ears using its tongue. 
•  - The Okapi was discovered in the deep forests of Belgian Congo by the explorer Henry Stanley. 
• - Male Okapis are known as bulls and female Okapis are known as cows. 
• - The only times you are about to see more than a single okapi is when it is a mother with her youngster. Young okapis stay with their mother for not quite a year, and then seek their own patch of turf. 
• - Okapis are ruminants i.e. they swallow their food initially and later regurgitate it for chewing and swallowing it the last time. The okapi stomach is divided into four or three compartments. 
• - The male Okapi has short, skin-covered horns called ossicones. The color of okapi’s body is chiefly reddish chestnut, the cheeks are yellowish white, and the fore and hind legs above the knees and the haunches are striped with purplish black and cream color. 
• - The Okapi is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as 'Near Threatened'. This means that Okapis may be considered threatened in the near future.

Penguins

Penguins interesting facts: 

• - Penguins are shaped like a torpedo. Their body is built for the most efficient swimming with their average speed in the water being about 15 miles per hour. 
• - Penguins are birds with black and white feathers and a funny waddle. Unlike most birds, though, penguins are not able to fly. 
• - Penguins spend as much as 75% of their time underwater, searching for food in the ocean. When they are in the water, they dive and flap their wings. It looks just like they are flying! 
• - Penguins don't live near freshwater – all fresh water is frozen where they live. Instead they drink salt water. They have a special gland in their bodies that takes the salt out of the water they drink and pushes it out of grooves in their bill. A handy in-house filtration system! 
• - Penguins eat seafood. Their main diet is fish, though they'll also eat squid, small shrimplike animals called "krill" and crustaceans. 
• - Penguins have many natural predators depending on their habitat, including leopard seals, sea lions, orcas, skuas, snakes, sharks and foxes. Artificial threats are also a problem for penguins, including oil spills and other pollution, global warming that changes the distribution of food sources and illegal poaching and egg harvesting. Fortunately, many penguins are receptive to captive breeding programs and those successes can help preserve penguin populations. 
• - If you look closely at a penguin's bill you'll notice a hook at the end, perfect for grabbing dinner. Penguins also have backward facing bristles on their tongues that helps slippery seafood from getting away. 
• - Penguins spend a lot of time dealing with temperature. They are warm blooded, just like people with a normal body temperature of about 36 degrees C. 
• - Penguins’ eyes work better underwater than they do on the ground, giving them superior eyesight to spot prey while hunting, even in cloudy, dark or murky water. 
• - Penguins don't live in the best habitats for finding nesting material, so they have to make do with what they can find. 
• - Just like whales, penguins have a layer of fat under their skin called "blubber". Overtop of this they are covered with fluffy "down" feathers and overtop of those they have their outer feathers which overlap to seal in warmth. Penguins rub oil from a gland onto their feathers to help make them waterproof and windproof. 
• - Depending on the species, a wild penguin can live about 15-20 years. During that time, they spend up to 75 percent of their lives at sea. 
• - During the mating season penguins head for special nesting areas on the shore. The area where penguins mate, nest and raise their chicks is called a "rookery". 
• - Penguins often leap out of the water. They do this to get a gulp of air before diving back down for fish. Penguins cannot breathe underwater, though they are able to hold their breath for a long time. They also use their ability to leap out of the water to get from the ocean onto land if there are cliffs or ice flows to deal with. 
• - The emperor penguin is the largest of the penguin species and can weigh up to 90 pounds when mature and not fasting to incubate eggs. The fairy penguin is the smallest and weighs only 2 pounds. 
• - Some penguins need help to stay warm. It is a common picture to see groups of penguins huddled shoulder to shoulder with their wings tight against their body keeping each other warm. As many as 5,000 penguins will bunch together to warm each other up. 
• - Other penguins have overheat problem. For example the Galapagos penguins live in such tropical weather that they get too hot. These penguins spread out their wings and fluff out their feathers to help them cool off. 
• - Once a penguin finds a mate, they usually stay together for years -- for as long as they have chicks. 
• - During the mating season penguins head for special nesting areas on the shore. The area where penguins mate, nest and raise their chicks is called a "rookery". 
• - When the eggs are laid (penguins lay one or two eggs at a time), the female penguin dashes out for dinner, leaving the male to watch the nest. 
• - Penguins lost the ability to fly millions of years ago, but their powerful flippers and streamlined bodies make them very accomplished swimmers. They are the fastest swimming and deepest diving species of any birds. 
• - When the chicks hatch, they immediately start calling so that its parents could learn to recognize their voices. 
• - There are 18 species of penguins in the world. While some species are widespread and thriving, 13 of them have declining populations, and five of them are considered endangered and facing possible extinction if strong protection and conservation measures are not taken. 
• - All of the penguin species live in the Southern hemisphere. Many live at the South Pole on Antarctica. But some don't live in such cold places. They are found on the coasts of South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Galapagos Islands. 
• - While the little chicks are still growing there is always one parent staying with them. Once the chicks become strong enough, both parents head for the ocean at the same time. The chicks then are left in a group together (sort of like a kindergarten). When the penguin parents return with dinner they recognize their chicks by their voice. - Rockhopper penguins build their nests on steep rocky areas. To get there, they hold both feet together and bounce from ledge to ledge. Penguins may bounce up to 5 feet. 
• - When penguins are ready to mate, the male penguin stands with his back arched and wings stretched. The male then starts making calls and struts about to attract a female. 
• - When the penguins find a mate, they bond with each other by touching necks and slapping each other on the back with their flippers. Penguins also "sing" to each other so they learn to recognize each other's voices. 
• - Magellanic penguins dig burrows under the ground to form huge "cities" similar to gophers. 
• - Adelies and chinstrap penguins use rocks to build their nests. The perfect rock is a rare commodity for these birds. They'll often fight over or steal each other's stones! 
• - The penguins use camouflage as their protection. Their white bellies blend with the snow and sunlight making it difficult for an underwater predator to see them. 
• - A great number of birds also hunt penguins, for example, the Australian sea eagle and the Skua. The penguins black backs blend against the dark ocean water, making it more difficult to spot them from above. 
• - Penguins are highly social, colonial animals. Penguins form breeding colonies numbering in the tens of thousands. They may use the same nesting grounds for thousands of years and the largest colonies can number in the millions, but parents and chicks use their superb hearing to easily keep track of one another even in a crowd. 
•  - The yellow-eyed penguin is believed to be the rarest penguin species, with only approximately 5,000 birds surviving in the wild, though population numbers fluctuate. They can only be found along the southeastern coast of New Zealand and smaller nearby islands. 
• - The Emperor penguin is the only species that breeds and nests in Antarctica through the frigid winter. 
• - The naturally northernmost penguin species is the Galapagos penguin, which lives year-round near the equator on the Galapagos Islands, and is the only penguin species that can rarely cross into the Northern Hemisphere, which it may do while feeding. 
• - Emperor penguins and king penguins do not make any sort of nests. Instead, a single egg for each mated pair is incubated on a parent’s feet and kept warm by a flap of skin called a brood pouch. Incubation can take about 10 weeks and occurs during winter, so the egg must always be kept warm and safe. 
• - Emperor penguin males will incubate their eggs for two months in the winter without eating while the females are at sea. During that time, they live off their fat reserves and may lose half their body weight. When the females return shortly after the chicks hatch, they switch parental duties and the females look after the chicks while the males go to sea to replenish their fat stores. 
• - While swimming, penguins will leap in shallow arcs above the surface of the water. This coats their plumage with tiny bubbles that reduce friction, allowing them to swim as fast as 20 miles per hour (32 kph). It may also help them evade predators and allows them to breathe more regularly, and some scientists theorize that they may make these leaps out of sheer joy.

Dorset Polar Bear Mystery Revealed – It Turned Out to be a Badger

For the past year several people in Dorset County encountered a strange animal. It had a white fur and was rumoured to be a small polar bear (which is of course not possible). A photographer called Colin Varndell finally revealed the mystery by being able to take photos of the animal. 

It turned out to just be a badger. The rare albino badger managed to avoid any attempts to be tracked. The badger finally got photographed and it should be said that it is a small bear animal, nocturnal in habit. Mr Varndell admitted that people have known about it for months. 

The first person to see it was a policeman and he described the animal as a small polar bear. Floodlights were used to take the pictures as Colin did not want to startle the badger. It is a very rare animal because of its sandy-colored fur, and Colin spent four nights waiting for the badger to take these pictures. 

Fluffy – The Lizard Pet

 David Robson, a young man from Bridlington has an unusual pet with the common name Fluffy. Now you probably imagine a cute little dog but Fluffy is actually a five-stone lizard that and it runs, jumps and is able to infuse the hearts of other animals with fear. 

As any regular pet Fluffy goes for walks and loves playing with his owners and other people. David admits that older persons love Fluffy the most. Robsons take Fluffy the pet-lizard to festivals in order to collect for charities and usually David holds him around his chest. 

“The people think I hold a small child and are asking me to see the baby” – says David. 

Robsons have a lot of animals in their home. There are several dogs and cats and Fluffy gets really well with most of them. When Fluffy arrived at home about 5 years ago he was only about 3in long. The lizard is now 5ft long from head to tail and weight more than 5st. 

When Robsons got their latest cat as a just one month old kitten it went missing. They thought he was lost forever but found the kitten curled up next to Fluffy in his tank. Fluffy generates a lot of warmth from his body and probably attracted the kitten. 

The pet-lizard Fluffy was trained the same was dogs are. Fluffy let his owners know when he wants to be let out or is tired or hungry. David uses a leash to lead him for walks and Fluffy recognizes the time and happily runs to the front door (just like a normal dog). He also loves running around the garden. Fluffy also likes doing night-walks but is very careful and silent and doesn’t break anything or wake anybody. There was a funny time when the lizard loved to climb over David’s father legs, sit on his face and then fall asleep. But the lizard is too big for his dad to move and he’d be pinned to the sofa.