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Dusky Dolphin

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Dusky Dolphin

Dusky dolphins are the experts in acrobatics.

  • Dusky dolphins are a species of dolphin native to fairly low temperature waters in coastal areas, in the Southern Hemisphere, and they live in large groups or pods, that revert to small groups at various times in the day.
  • The scientific name of a dusky dolphin is Lagenorhynchus obscurus and it is from the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins.
  • The diet of dusky dolphins consists primarily of aquatic animals, that mainly includes fish and squid, and they are preyed upon by orcas and sharks.
  • A dusky dolphin’s length ranges from 1.6 to 2.1 metres (5.2 to 6.9 feet), while the weight varies from 70 to 120 kilograms (154 to 264 pounds).
  • It is common for dusky dolphins to swim according to cold water currents, and they are said to be able travel up to 780 kilometres (485 miles) in a single journey.

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Dusky Dolphin
Image courtesy of NOAA Photo Library/Flickr

  • Dusky dolphins have a smooth skin that ranges from grey, black and blue in colour, while the underbelly is white.
  • The sounds produced by dusky dolphins are generally clicks and whistles that have a frequency varying from 40 to 110 kilohertz.
  • For reproduction purposes, female dusky dolphins generally prefer speedier and more agile males over any other characteristic, and mature females will usually produce one calf every two to three years, and care for their young in groups that contain mothers and their babies.
  • Dusky dolphins are prided for their particular skill in aerial acrobatics, that include graceful flips, slaps, leaps and spins.
  • As a popular animal viewed by tourists, dusky dolphin sightings have increased significantly over the decades, although actual numbers of the animal in the wild are undetermined due to a lack of data, and the species is protected in many areas.
Bibliography:
Dusky Dolphin, 2015, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/dusky-dolphin/
Dusky Dolphin, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dusky_dolphin

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Nashi Pear

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Nashi Pear

You cannot get more exotic than nashi pears.

  • Nashi pears are a fruit of roughly spherical shape that grow on trees from the same genus as pears.
  • ‘Nashi pears’ are also known as ‘Japanese pears’, ‘Chinese pears’, ‘nashis’, ‘Korean pears’, ‘Asian pears’, ‘Japanese apple pears’, ‘apple-pears’, ‘Oriental pears’, ‘Taiwan pears’ and ‘sand pears’.
  • The scientific name of the nashi pear tree is Pyrus pyrifolia and it is from the family Rosaceae, the family of roses.
  • The skin of nashi pears is a little course and is typically speckled, and can be a light yellow, green, golden brown or cream colour, depending on the variety.
  • The flesh of nashi pears is almost white, and it tends to be crispy, grainy, watery, and sweet.

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Nashi Pear
Image courtesy of Apple and Pear Australia Ltd/Flickr

 

  • Nashi pears are popularly eaten both raw and cooked, sometimes used as a sweetener, and they can be baked, grilled, poached and barbecued.
  • Nashi pears have their origins in Japan and China, in East Asia, where the tree’s flower has become a sign of spring.
  • Nashi pears are best stored in a dry and cool area, where they can be kept for a number of weeks.
  • Due to their high water content, nashi pears can bruise quite easily, and as a result they require hand picking and sufficient cushioning for transportation purposes.
  • Nashi pears have significant quantities of vitamin K and vitamin C, as well as fibre and potassium.
Bibliography:
Nashi, 2011, Fresh For Kids, http://www.freshforkids.com.au/fruit_pages/nashi/nashi.html
Pyrus pyrifolia, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrus_pyrifolia

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Okavango Delta

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Okavango Delta

Okavango Delta is worth its weight in gold.

  • Okavango Delta is a lush delta that is listed as one of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders, located in Botswana in southern Africa, and it has no outflow to the ocean.
  • Okavango River flows into the Okavango Delta, and each year the delta is fed by the flooded river, and 60% of the 1.1 × 10¹³ litres (11 kilometres cubed or 2.6 cubic miles) of the water is transpired through plants, while 36% evaporates.
  • Habitats of Okavango Delta include grasslands, swamps, forests and lagoons, with the lowest and highest points of elevation sporting a difference of only 2 metres (6.6 feet).
  • Constant flooding and termite nest building have contributed to the numerous islands found in the Okavango Delta, while the biggest is Chief’s Island, although it was formed through movement of the earth due to a fault line.
  • The UNESCO World Heritage Convention designated Okavango Delta a World Heritage Site in 2014, and it was the 1000th site to be listed.

Okavango Delta, Africa, Aerial, Ten Random Facts, Trivia, Water, Lush, Green, Vegetation

Okavango Delta
Image courtesy of Justin Hall/Flickr
  • Salt accumulates on the islands in the Okavango Delta around plant roots, and in some areas on the islands the soil has become too infused with salt so that vegetation is unable to grow.
  • Countless species of wildlife, some of which are endangered, favour the Okavango Delta, including catfish, giraffes, baboons, elephants, hyenas, large cat species, antelopes, rhinoceroses, buffalo, tigerfish and lechwe, the latter boasting the most population in the area of any species.
  • Five primary tribes make up the native people of the Okavango Delta, and they use the area for fishing, crops and hunting.
  • Multiple reserves have been initiated to protect the diverse ecosystem of Okavango Delta, including the Moremi Game Reserve, and the delta has in excess of a thousand plant species.
  • Okavango Delta, also known as ‘Okavango Grassland’, is of great size, and has an area that covers more than 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 square miles).
Bibliography:
Okavango Delta, 2015, UNESCO World Heritage Convention,  http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1432
Okavango Delta, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okavango_Delta
Okavango Delta, n.d, Okavango Delta, http://www.okavangodelta.com/
Powers L, Okavanga Delta – Part 2, 2009, Africa Bespoke Blog, http://blog.africabespoke.com/okavango-delta-part-2/

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Plate

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Plate

Have a plate for your bread and a plate for your roast.

  • Plates are an invention used to serve food in both a household and a commercial setting, both to increase presentation but also for practical purposes.
  • Plates are generally quite flat with a slight bowl or dip spreading from the centre, which is where food is generally served.
  • The three main sections that make up a plate are the rim, which is the outermost edge; the base, the underneath surface where the dishware rests; and the well, where the food is placed.
  • A variety of materials can be used to make plates including ceramics, metal, glass, cardboard, wood and plastic, while cardboard is generally used for those that are used once only and disposed of, and some plastic ones are also made with this purpose in mind.
  • Plates come in a wide variety of sizes, generally ranging from 10 to 36 centimetres (4 to 14 inches) in diameter, and the most common are usually between 25.5 to 30.5 centimetres (10 to 12 inches); and the size generally determines its use.

Plate, invention, Utensil, Food, Ten Random Facts, Assortment, Ceramic, Glass, Trivia, Ten Random Facts

  • Early plates were likely natural items such as large shells or big leaves, and old bread was also utilised, while wood, pewter, silver and clay items were later employed for this purpose, however they were designed for communal use, rather than as individual pieces.
  • Stereotypically, plates are of a round shape, although some cultures prefer a rectangular or ellipse shape, and square ones are not uncommon.
  • The Chinese created plates from porcelain through the ceramic process in the 7th century, and these were made available to Europeans from the 1300s, although it was not until the 1700s that Europeans started making the products themselves.
  • Some people collect plates as a hobby, although they are usually used to hold a wide variety of food, including main meals, entrees, buffets and bread; while a small one designed to hold a cup is known as a ‘saucer’.
  • In European countries, porcelain plates were originally reserved for those of wealthy status due to their expense and limited availability due to the product being made in China, however, they became affordable and readily available in the 1800s due to more efficient manufacturing processes.
Bibliography:
Carrol M, The History of Dinner Plates, 2015, eHow, http://www.ehow.com/facts_7728332_history-dinner-plates.html
The History Behind Your Plate, 2014, HubPages, http://nanlt.hubpages.com/hub/history-of-the-plate
Plate (dishware), 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_(dishware)

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Giant Ghana Snail

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Giant Ghana Snail

Giant Ghana snails can be beaten in a race but no snail can beat it in size.

  • Giant Ghana snails are a species of snail, native to the forests of West Africa, in the countries of Ghana, Sierra Leone, Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Liberia, and Ivory Coast.
  • The scientific name of giant Ghana snail is Achatina achatina and it is from the family Achatinidae, a family of large to medium land snails.
  • ‘Giant Ghana snails’ are also known as ‘giant tiger land snails’ and ‘tiger snails’, and should not be confused with the closely related ‘giant African snails’ with the scientific name Achatina fulica.
  • Giant Ghana snails can reach lengths of 18 to 30 centimetres (7 to 12 inches) making them the largest snails that exist on land, in the world.
  • Giant Ghana snails have been introduced to some areas of the United States where they are restricted, and some islands in the Caribbean, where they are considered a pest, while in some locations they are kept as pets.

Giant Ghana Snail, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Animal, Shell, Large, Record, Grass Brown, Black

Giant Ghana Snail
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
  • Giant Ghana snails are hermaphrodites and can lay around 30 to 300 eggs at a single time, and they live to be around five to ten years of age.
  • Giant Ghana snails can be eaten, sold commercially in parts of Africa, and are a good source of protein.
  • The roughly coned shaped shell of a giant Ghana snail is often striped and chestnut to brown in colour, while the actual snail is a blue-grey.
  • Giant Ghana snails were originally very common in their native habitat, although their population has decreased in recent times as a result of over-consumption by humans, and habitat loss.
  • The diet of giant Ghana snails consists of decomposing vegetation and other plant life that can include vegetables, leaves, grass, flowers and fruit.
Bibliography:
Achatina (Achatina) achatina (Linné, 1758), 2015, Pet Snails, http://www.petsnails.co.uk/species/achatina-achatina.html
Achatina achatina, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achatina_achatina

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Brussels Sprouts

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Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts sprout on stalks that sprout from soil.

  • Brussels sprouts, also known as ‘brussel sprouts’, are a vegetable eaten primarily for its leaves and they grow as buds along the stalk of a plant.
  • The scientific name of the Brussels sprout plant is Brassica oleracea variety gemmifera, from the Brassica genus, which include species of cabbages and cruciferous vegetables, and it is from the Brassicaceae family, the family of mustards.
  • Generally Brussels sprouts are a rough oval shape, with an appearance of a tiny cabbage, and they grow to sizes of 2.5 to 5 centimetres (1 to 2 inches) in length.
  • The exact origin of Brussels sprouts is unknown, although it is thought Europe’s Belgium first cultivated the vegetable, possibly in the capital Brussels sometime around the 1200s, hence the vegetable’s name, although concrete evidence only exists from the late 1500s.
  • The United States of America saw the introduction of Brussels sprouts in the 1700s by some immigrants from France.
Brussels Sprouts, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Green, Food, Vegetable, Soaking, Bowl, Multiple
Brussels Sprouts
Image courtesy of Jacqueline/Flickr
  • The typical lush green colour of Brussels sprouts can vary in shade, and they can become a yellow or other discoloured colour when of poor quality, however purple coloured varieties are available.
  • Brussels sprouts are popularly cooked through boiling, stir-frying, grilling or roasting techniques, and are commonly flavoured with spices or sauces, and they are also able to be eaten raw and are sometimes used in salads.
  • Brussels sprouts contain a sulphur compound, glucosinolate sinigrin, that can produce a displeasing smell and a bitter taste when overcooked.
  • The Netherlands in Europe is one of the largest producer of Brussels sprouts in the world with 82,000 tonnes (90,390 tons), while the United Kingdom has a fairly high consumption rate of the vegetable.
  • Brussels sprouts are very high in vitamin C and vitamin K, and are a good source of folate, and they also contain other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Brussels Sprouts, 2011, Fresh For Kids, http://www.freshforkids.com.au/veg_pages/brussels_sprout/brussels_sprout.html
Brussels Sprouts, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brussels_sprout
Brussels Sprouts, 2015, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=10

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