Category Archives: Animals

Goanna

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Goanna

Go Anna!!

  • There are 30 known species of goanna, 25 which are found in Australia.
  • Goannas are Australian monitor lizards from the species group ‘Varanus’ which also includes some lizards from South East Asia.
  • Goannas are carnivores, and generally have large, sharp teeth and claws, and range from 20 cm (7.9 inches) to over 2 metres (65 feet, 7 inchs) in length.
  • Although many lizards can regrow their broken tail or limbs, a goanna can’t.
  • Goannas are generally good swimmers but generally don’t spend much time near water (with exceptions of water goannas).
Lace Monitar, Goanna, Lizard, Queensland, Australia, Ten Random Facts, Janowen Hills 4WD Park
  • Goannas typically eat insects, small lizards, mammals, birds and eggs.
  • Recent studies on monitor lizards suggest goannas are venomous.
  • Goannas are generally shy and timid, and are generally afraid of humans.  They have long been a source of food for indigenous Australians.
  • Goannas usually lay 5-6 eggs in a nest.
  • Goannas can rear up on their hind legs, run fast and are good tree climbers.
Bibliography:
Goanna 31 October 2012, Wikipedia, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goanna>

Cattle

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Cattle

Cattle… or cows.

  • Cattle are members of the subcategory, Bovinae, meaning medium to large hoofed animals.
  • Cattle are usually raised for the meat, milk and as draft animals (pull carts etc) and also produce leather and manure.
  • It is estimated that there is 1.3 billion cattle in the world.
  • In some countries, such as India, cattle are considered sacred.
  • An adult male cattle are called bulls, females who have given birth are called cows, a female who hasn’t given birth is called a heifer,  newborn cattle (male or female) are called calves and draft cattle are called oxen.

Cow, Cattle, White, Brown. Yellow tag, Jonowen Hills 4WD park, Ten Random Facts

  • A newborn calf usually weighs between 25-45 kg (55-99 pounds).
  • All cattle are colour blind to the colours red and green.
  • Cattle have about 22,000 genes which 80% of humans also have.
  • The average amount of sleep per day, for cattle, is four hours.
  • In 2009, India had the most cattle in the world – a population of 281,700,000, and Brazil had the second most –  87,087,000.
Bibliography:
Cattle 2 December 2012, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle>

Termite

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Termite

Term-ites. No, terms are not all right!

  • Termites eat old foliage including wood and dead animals.
  • Termites build mounds up to 7 metres (23 feet) high for shelter, storage and to keep the termites and nest moist and cool.
  • Termites don’t like daylight so hide in small tunnels during the day.
  • Termites build there mounds and tunnels mainly out of clay and dirt.
  • Termite nymphs moult up to ten times before they become an adult, the process taking a year.

Worker Termite, Termite tunnels, wood, Ten Random Facts

  • Only the termite kings and queen have wings, whilst workers have white heads and soldiers have red heads.
  • Termites are commonly known as “white ants” but are not technically an ant.
  • Termites are traditionally eaten in many countries since they are a good source of fat and protein.
  • Termites have been blamed to have eaten $220,000 worth of Indian rupee notes.
  • Termites are mainly found in tropical and warm temperature regions.
Bibliography:
Burnie, D 2006, E.Explore Insect, Dorling Kindersley, Great Britian
Termite 8 November 2012 , Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Termite>

Buff-banded Rail

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Buff-banded Rail

Buff-banded Rail – interesting name!

  • The Buff-banded Rail is also known as the Banded Landrail or Rail and its scientific name is ‘Gallirallus philippensis’.
  • The Buff-banded Rail is from the specie group ‘ralligae’ or the rails, and there are 26 total subspecies of the Buff-banded Rail, including those which are extinct.
  • The Buff-banded Rail is found throughout most of Australasia.
  • A Buff-banded Rail is normally 28-33 cm when fully grown.
  • The Buff-banded Rail has high pitch double cheeps.

Buff Banded Rail, Banded Landrail, Bird, Val Laird Designs, Ten Random Facts

 Photo courtesy of Val Laird
  • The Buff-banded Rail lives near water and rainforests.
  • The Buff-banded Rail is a shy but terrestrial bird
  • Buff-banded Rail flick their tails frequently.
  • The Buff-banded Rail feed on invertebrates, small vertebrates, seeds and fallen fruit and vegetables.
  • The nest of a Buff-banded Rail is usually constructed with grassy or reddish foliage situated near the water, and usually contains 5-8 eggs.
Bibliography:
Buff-banded Rail4 October 2012 , Wikipedia,  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buff-banded_Rail>
Pizzey, G 1997, Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, Angus&Robertson, Australia

Dragonfly

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Dragonfly

Zoom, zoom ancient, little dragons.

  • Dragonflies belong to the insect group called Odonata species, and are close relatives to damselflies which also belong to this group. They are found worldwide, except in Antarctica.
  • Adult dragonflies have large eyes, a long abdomen body and two pairs of large, transparent wings.  They usually rest with their wings spread out.
  • Dragonfly wings can beat in opposite directions, allowing the dragonfly to hover and fly backwards as well as fly forwards.  They zoom through the air and can fly at speeds of 58 km/h (36 mph).
  • Dragonfly adults lay their eggs by dropping them on water.  The eggs hatch into dragonfly nymphs which have good legs, eyes and jaws and live underwater.

Dragonfly resting, Wings spread, Ten Random Facts

  • In Spring or Summer, a mature nymph climbs out of the water and moults wings and becomes an adult dragonfly.
  • The markings of a female are normally different to a male’s markings.
  • Adult dragonflies have larger eyes and are more colourful than dragonfly nymphs.
  • Adult dragonflies eat insects and small water creatures and us their feet to capture prey.
  • Dragonfly nymphs hunt small water creatures and fish using stealth, ambushing and stalking techniques.  When its prey is close enough, the nymph shoots out a harpoon like mask that stabs and reels in the prey.
  • Dragonflies are threatened due to the drainage of wetlands were they lay eggs and nymphs survive.
Bibliography:
Burnie, D 2005, E.Explore Insect, Dorling Kindersley, Great Britian

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Hammerhead Shark

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Hammerhead Shark

Wonderful wildlife, wonderful facts. Strange wildlife, strange facts. Wonderful and strange wildlife? Wonderful and strange facts.

  • There are nine species of hammerhead sharks.
  • Most hammerheads live in warm temperature and tropical seas.
  • Hammerheads normally live in small schools together where there are more females than males.
  • Female hammerheads fight with other females to be in the centre, so they are noticeable to the males.
  • By dusk, the hammerheads leave the school to find a place to eat and by dawn, the hammerheads regroup into schools again, at the same spot they left.

Hammerhead shark Silloutte, Fish, Ocean, Sea, Ten Random Facts, Free Stock Photos

Hammerhead Shark 
Image courtesy of Free Stock Photos
  • Stingrays are the hammerhead’s favourite food.
  • The smallest hammerhead alive is the Bonnethead, which grows to 1.5 meters (5 feet) long, and the largest hammerhead, the Great Hammerhead, grows to 6 meters (19.5 feet) long.
  • The hammer shaped head of the hammerhead helps the shark to swim faster.
  • A hammerhead swings it’s head side to side to see it’s surroundings.
  • The hammerhead’s head has many ampullae of Lorenzini which can sense small electric currents produced by their prey.
Bibliography:
Macquitty, M 2004, Shark, Dorling Kindersley, United States

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