Category Archives: Animals

Mongoose

By | |
Leave a comment
Mongoose

Watch the sneaky mongoose.

  • Mongooses are a family of mammals with the scientific name Herpestidae, and they are native to Asian, African and some European habitats.
  • The family of mongooses consists of just over 30 species, most of which are called such, although the species also include meerkats and kusimanses.
  • ‘Mongoose’ comes from the word ‘mungūs’, from the Indian Marathi language, and ‘mungoose’ is an alternative spelling for the word.
  • Mongooses, depending on the species, typically grow to heights of 18 to 120 centimetres (7 to 47 inches), and weigh 0.3 to 5 kilograms (0.7 to 11 pounds).
  • The diet of a mongoose consists primarily of lizards, insects, snakes, small mammals like rodents, eggs, birds and worms, and at times, nuts and fruit.
Mongoose, Red, Animal, Mammal, Orange, Ten Random Facts, Turn, Back, Yellow, Paddock, Europe
Mongoose
Image courtesy of Tambako The Jaguar/Flickr
  • Some species of female mongoose give birth to their pups all at the same time, and this decreases the likelihood of infanticide.
  • Mongooses can be kept as pets, although it is illegal in many countries where they could become a pest and cause environmental damage, and reduce numbers of native animals.
  • Some species of mongoose live in burrows that have been deserted or they have made, and they either live by themselves, or in groups, depending on the species.
  • The fur of a mongoose is typically coloured a combination of brown, tan and grey, and the animal has a long tail.
  • Mongooses are preyed on by snakes, large birds and jackals, and live to be around 10 to 15 years.
Bibliography:
Mongoose, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/mongoose/
Mongoose, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/mongoose/
Mongoose, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongoose

Amazon:      

Common Barbel

By | |
2 Comments
Common Barbel

Don’t get a common barbel in your face.

  • Common barbels are a species of smaller-sized fish mainly native to various countries in Europe.
  • The scientific name of a common barbel is Barbus barbus, and it is from the family Cyprinidae, the family of carps and minnows.
  • ‘Common barbels’ are also known as ‘barbels’, the broad name of the genus; and ‘pigfish’, from an English legend.
  • Common barbels inhabit freshwater locations such as rivers and lakes, and they are generally found in the water, close to the stony ground.
  • Common barbels grow to be 10 to 120 centimetres (4 to 47 inches) in length and weigh 1 to 12 kilograms (2 to 26 pounds).
Common Barbel, Green, Yellow, Tank, Pebble, Ten Random Facts, Fish, Animal, Barbus
Common Barbel
Image courtesy of robposse/Flickr
  • The diet of common barbels consists primarily of fish, algae, larvae of insects and crustaceans.
  • The number of eggs produced by common barbels at one time is said to be in the thousands, for every kilogram of fish weight, due to the large quantity that are initially eaten by other water creatures.
  • Common barbels have a lifespan of up to 15 years, and they are commonly fished for sport, commercially grown for food, and used in the pet industry.
  • Common barbels can feature numerous small black spots, and they are generally coloured mainly brown or grey, with the addition of silver, white, and pink colours.
  • Although classified as least concerned, both pollution and habitat loss threaten some common barbel populations.
Bibliography:
Barb, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/barb/
Barbus barbus, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbus_barbus
Barbus barbus, 2015, IUCN Red List, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/summary/2561/0
Binohlan C, Barbus barbus, n.d, Fish Base, http://www.fishbase.org/summary/4472

Amazon:    

Radiated Tortoise

By | |
Leave a comment
Radiated Tortoise

Admire the beauty of radiated tortoises.

  • Radiated tortoises, sometimes called ‘sokake’, are reptiles native to the southern areas of Africa’s island of Madagascar.
  • The scientific name of a radiated tortoise is Astrochelys radiata, and is from the family Testudinidae, the family of tortoises.
  • The diet of radiated tortoises consists primarily of grass, but fruit and cacti and other plants are also consumed.
  • Radiated tortoises can grow to be 30 to 41 centimetres (12 to 16 inches) in length, and weigh 2.2 to 16 kilograms (4.8 to 35 pounds).
  • The humped shell of a radiated tortoise is generally a dark brown or black colour, that is patterned with prominent yellow coloured star-like shapes.
Radiated Tortoise, Zoo, Animal, Reptile, Honolulu, Ten Random Facts, Yellow, Shell
Radiated Tortoise
Image courtesy of Paul Morris/Flickr
  • Female radiated tortoises lay and deposit eggs in holes that they dig, numbering 3 to 12 eggs at a time, and they leave them to incubate and hatch 4 to 8 months later.
  • Radiated tortoises have a mostly yellow coloured head and legs; and on average, they live for 30 to 90 years, although one has been recorded to live to around 188 years old.
  • While radiated tortoises are protected, they are ranked as critically endangered, due to habitat loss and illegal hunting for the shell, meat and pet industry.
  • Radiated tortoises can produce grunting and hissing noises, as well as screeching sounds to scare off predators.
  • Radiated tortoises are preyed on by snakes and large birds, and they can protect themselves to some extent by withdrawing into their shell.
Bibliography:
Radiated Tortoise, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/radiated-tortoise/
Radiated Tortoise, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiated_tortoise

Amazon:     

Pademelon

By | |
Leave a comment
Pademelon

Have you ever heard of a pademelon?

  • Pademelons are nocturnal marsupials that generally live in bushland habitats in coastal areas, and are native to Australia and some nearby islands, including Papua New Guinea.
  • The scientific name of a pademelon is Thylogale, and it is from the family Macropodidae, the family of kangaroos and wallabies.
  • Pademelons are very similar to their cousins, the kangaroo and wallaby, although they are of a smaller size, and have a comparatively larger diameter tail, that also has a shorter length.
  • Pademelons generally make their home in thick bush, jungle, forests and scrubby habitats, as well as swampy areas, and they usually spend their time alone.
  • There are seven species of pademelon, and the colour of their fur is usually a combination of brown, red, black and grey.

Pademelon, Animal, Ten Random Facts, Mammal, Marsupial, Australia, Flickr

Pademelon
Image courtesy of JJ Harrison/Flickr
  •  Pademelons have a life span of four to eight years, and historically they were hunted by early settlers and indigenous Australians, for both meat and fur.
  • The height of pademelons typically range from 42 to 52 centimetres (16.5 to 20.5 inches) and they weigh 3.5 to 12 kilograms (7.7 to 26 pounds).
  • The diet of pademelons consists primarily of vegetation such as grass, leaves, berries and shoots, and they are preyed on by foxes and dogs.
  • A female pademelon has a pouch that holds its baby once born, and the baby, called a ‘joey’, only leaves the pouch after six months of age.
  • While three species of pademelons are listed as ‘least concern’, four of the species, located in Papua New Guinea, are listed as vulnerable or endangered, and numbers have been declining, mostly due to hunting for food purposes and loss of habitat.
Bibliography:
Pademelon, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/pademelon/
Pademelon, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pademelon

Amazon:       

Raccoon

By | |
1 Comment
Raccoon

Did you see the sneaky raccoon pass by a few minutes ago?

  • Raccoons, also known as ‘common’, ‘North American’ and ‘north’, are mammals native to forests of North America, although they are found in other areas, as they readily adapt to their environment.
  • The scientific name of a racoon is Procyon lotor, and it is from the family Procyonidae, the family of some New World mammals, and there are up to 22 subspecies of the animal.
  • Raccoons generally grow to be 40 to 71 centimetres (16 to 28 inches) in length and weigh 2 to 10.4 kilograms (4 to 23 pounds).
  • The face of a raccoon features a black mask, so the animal is sometimes called a ‘masked bandit’; and its fur is mostly coloured white and grey, and occasionally brown.
  • Raccoons have uniquely sensitive front paws, and the mammal has sharp hearing and smelling senses.

Raccoon, Animal, Mammal, Family, Captive, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Raccoon
Image courtesy of Daniel Spiess/Flickr
  • Raccoons typically give birth in spring, to as many as seven kits at a time, with an average of five; and they have an average lifespan of 12 to 16 years.
  • The intelligence of a raccoon can allow the mammal to open somewhat complex locking devices, and have a memory that lasts three years, and it can also untie or unscrew objects.
  • The diet of raccoons typically consists of insects, eggs, fish, berries and nuts, while birds and mammals are sometimes eaten.
  • Raccoons live in trees or rock shelters, sometimes venturing into urbanised habitats where they are often considered a pest; and they have been introduced into Asia’ Japan and some European countries.
  • Historically, raccoons have been hunted for their fur, as well as for food, and some communities still use them for meat.
Bibliography:
Raccoon, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/raccoon/
Raccoon, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/raccoon/
Raccoon, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raccoon

Amazon:     

Leafy Seadragon

By | |
2 Comments
Leafy Seadragon

Let’s play ‘Hide and Seek’. Can you find the leafy seadragon?

  • Leafy seadragons are aquatic animals native to the southern coast of Australia, and are found in water with maximum depths of 50 metres (164 feet).
  • ‘Leafy seadragons’ are also known as ‘Glauert’s seadragon’ and ‘leafies’, and Australia’s state of South Australia has them as its marine animal emblem.
  • Though it is related, a leafy seadragon is not a seahorse, but a species of seadragon, and it has the scientific name Phycodurus eques, being from the family Syngnathidae, the family of seahorses and pipefish.
  • The typical length of leafy seadragons ranges from 20 to 35 centimetres (8 to 14 inches), and they tend to be a yellow and green colour with black patches.
  • The diet of leafy seadragons typically consists of plankton, shrimp and fish larvae, which are consumed via an intriguing, long cylindrical snout using a suction force.
Leafy Seadragon, Pet, Yellow, Aquatic, Water, Ten Random Facts, Flickr, Animal, Marine
Leafy Seadragon
Image courtesy of VirtualWolf/Flickr
  • In the leafy seadragon reproduction process, females produce pink eggs, numbering around 250, that are transferred to males, who carry the eggs on a special patch on their tail until they hatch, and during the process, the eggs change colour.
  • Leafy seadragons have many appendages that form on their body that look like leafy branches, and these cause the fish to be camouflaged by having the appearance of seaweed.
  • On average, only one in twenty leafy seadragons survive until adulthood, and when they do, they have a lifespan of two to ten years.
  • Leafy seadragons are listed as ‘near threatened’ due to loss of habitat from pollution and accidental catching by commercial fisheries, as well as their collection for the pet industry, and they are now a protected species.
  • Leafy seadragons are slow movers, swimming via their transparent fins and appearing to drift like seaweed, although they are sometimes stationary for days.
Bibliography:
Leafy Seadragon, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leafy_seadragon
Leafy and Weedy Seadragons, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/fish/sea-dragon/
Sea Dragon, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/sea-dragon/

Amazon:     

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...