Category Archives: Animals

Spinning Wheel

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Spinning Wheel

Spinning wheels may be old but still are interesting!

  • Spinning wheels are machines used to spin yarn or other fibres, that were invented to replace the spindle and distaff hand spinning.
  • Illustrations of spinning wheels have originated as far back as 1035, in Asia, while pictures of the machines emerged in the 1200s in Europe, China and Iraq.
  • Notable versions of spinning wheels include the Charkha, among the oldest machines and they have a wheel moved by hand; the ‘great wheel’, often larger and also with a wheel moved by hand; and the treadle wheel, that has a foot peddle that spins the wheel.
  • Spinning wheels are depicted in numerous art and literature forms, including fairy tales such as Sleeping Beauty and Rumplestiltskin.
  • Spinning wheels were invented by the Chinese, and led to increased production of yarn that positively effected many industries including sail making and paper making.

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  • The spinning Jenny was invented in 1764 and replaced the spinning wheel, due to increased efficiency, as it was able to spin multiple threads at once.
  • Spinning wheels can be run by electrical energy, and these machines are usually powered by an electric motor.
  • To produce yarn using a spinning wheel, the fibre is attached to a bobbin that is connected to the machine, and the yarn is fed and guided by the hand while it twists, as the wheel spins.
  • Spinning wheels are traditionally made of wood, but can also be constructed from metal.
  • Spinning wheels have been superseded by modern technology, however they are still used by home hobbyists who prefer to spin their own fibre.
Bibliography:
100 years of Spinning Wheels, 2014, Wild Fibres, http://www.wildfibres.co.uk/html/spinning_wheels_history.html
Spinning Wheel, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinning_wheel

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Tuatara

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Tuatara

Tuataras are not lizards… but they are reptiles!

  • A tuatara is a species of reptile native to New Zealand and its nearby islands, and are the only extant members of the order Rhynchocephalia.
  • The scientific name of a tuatara is Sphenodon, from the family Sphenodontidae, and there are two living species.
  • Tuataras can grow up to 70 to 80 centimetres (28 to 31 inches) in length, and they can weigh up to 0.6 to 1 kilogram (1.3 to 2.2 pounds).
  • ‘Tuatara’ is a native Maori word, which in English can be translated as ‘spines on the back’, referring to the crested spikes on the animal.
  • The tuatara was first classified in 1831 by the British Museum after studying the reptile’s skull, and it was classed as a lizard, however, in 1867 this was determined to be inaccurate and was changed.
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Tuatara
Image courtesy of Sid Mosdell/Flickr
  • The skin of tuataras can be grey, green or brown in colour, which is shed many times and the reptile also features a spiny back and three eyes, one of which sits on top of its head.
  • Tuataras have a life span that ranges from 60 to 100 years, and they are preyed on by rats, pigs and cats and other introduced species.
  • The diet of tuataras typically includes insects, frogs, spiders, lizards, young birds and eggs, and they live in burrows, generally venturing out at night.
  • Tuataras are mainly found on isolated islands, although they are being reintroduced to mainland New Zealand, and there has also been a concerted effort to protect them, as their numbers are dwindling due to habitat loss, and the eggs and young are very vulnerable to introduced predators.
  • A female tuatara lays up to 19 eggs approximately once every four or five years, although the eggs can take up to 15 months to incubate, and the incubation temperature determines the gender of the hatched reptile.
Bibliography:
Tuatara, 2014, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/tuatara/
Tuatara, 2014, San Diego Zoo, http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/tuatara
Tuatara, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuatara

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Markhor

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Markhor

Markhors look splendid with horns and a beard.

  • A markhor is one of nine species of wild goat in the Capra genus and is native to south-western Asia.
  • Markhors have the scientific name Capra falconeri, and are from the family Bovidae, the family of cloven-hoofed mammals that are ruminants.
  • ‘Markhor’ is believed to come from the Persian words for ‘snake’ and ‘eater’, ‘mar’ and ‘khor’ respectively, due to the idea that it can kill snakes, or the shape of the horns.
  • The height of markhors typically ranges from 65 to 115 centimetres (26 to 45 inches) up to the shoulder, and weigh 32 to 110 kilograms (71 to 243 pounds).
  • Markhors have long spiral shaped horns and a beard, both of which are larger in the males, and are typically coloured a combination of brown, tan, white, grey and black.
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A Male Markhor
Image courtesy of Marie Hale/Flickr
  • Markhors live in small herds in mountainous forests, and eat vegetation including twigs, grasses, herbs and leaves.
  • Markhors are preyed on by snow leopards, wolves lynxes, eagles, bears and jackals.
  • Although hunting markhors is generally an illegal practice, they are often poached and have been prized game for experienced hunters, and due to trophy hunting in the past, as well loss of habit by deforestation, the species is now endangered.
  • Markhors have one kid per birth, sometimes two, and they have a life span of 10 to 13 years.
  • There are three subspecies of markhors, the Astor, Kabul and Bukharan, and the mammal is the national animal of Pakistan.
Bibliography:
Markhor, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/markhor/
Markhor, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markhor

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Gerbil

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Gerbil

Gerbil… not just a pet.

  • Gerbils are a subfamily of approximately 110 species of mammals, or small rodents, native to Asian, Indian and African deserts and hot areas.
  • A gerbil was historically called a ‘desert rat’, while its scientific name is Gerbillinae, and it belongs to the family Muridae, a family of rodents.
  • Gerbils generally range from 7 to 20 centimetres (2.7 to 7.9 inches) in length, plus the tail that can be just as long, depending on the species, and weigh from 57 to 114 grams (2-4 ounces).
  • Mongolia gerbils were first made available as pets in the mid 1900s, and are now quite popular, although the pet can be illegal in some areas due to threats to agriculture and ecosystems.
  • Some species of gerbil live alone, while others reside in groups, and they use their sense of smell to determine whether fellow rodents belong to their family group or not.
Gerbil, Pet, Animal, Dirt, Brown, Animal, Rodent, Mammal, Ten Random Facts, FlickrA Gerbil
Image courtesy of Shankar S./Flickr
  • Gerbils generally live for three to five years and females have litters of approximately eight, that are born with no fur or sight.
  • The diet of gerbils generally consists of seeds, nuts and fruit, although insects, small birds and eggs, and other plant material are sometimes consumed, depending on the species.
  • Gerbils live in burrows and are prominent diggers, digging underground networks and tunnels with strong claws.
  • Gerbils have fur typically coloured brown, grey, black, white or tan, and those in the pet industry most commonly differ in colour due to select breeding.
  • A gerbil has the ability to shed their tail if it is trapped, and they are preyed on by snakes, birds, feral cats and other small mammals.
Bibliography:
Gerbil, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/gerbil/
Gerbil, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerbil

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Quoll

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Quoll

Can you spot the cute and spotty quoll?

  • Quolls are six living species of a genus of marsupials, and four are native to Australia, while the remaining two are native to New Guinea, in the Pacific Ocean.
  • Quolls have the scientific name Dasyurus and are from the family Dasyuridae, the family of New Guinean and Australian marsupials.
  • Quolls typically grow to be 25 to 75 centimetres (10 to 29.5 inches) in length and grow to be 0.3 to 7 kilograms (0.7 to 15 pounds) in weight.
  • ‘Quolls’ were named by Australia’s notable European discoverer, Captain James Cook, derived from the native Aboriginal name, but the term only became popular in the 1960s, and were previously known as ‘native cats’ and ‘tiger cats’.
  • The diet of quolls typically consists of birds, insects, reptiles, and small mammals, as well as nuts, fruit and other vegetation, and the larger species also eat larger mammals including echidnas and possums.
Quoll, Tiger, Ten Random Facts, Animal, Mammal, Marsupial, Australia, Habitat, Ten Random Facts, Flickr
Quoll
Image courtesy of Joshua Cunningham/Flickr
  • Up to thirty quolls can be born to a single mother at one time, although the very young ‘pups’ will die until only six remain, due to the number of teats available.
  • Five species of quoll are near threatened, while the sixth is endangered, and numbers are diminishing due to habitat loss; consumption of poisonous bait for pests; and the existence of introduced species of animals in there native habitat, including poisonous cane toads that are eaten, and foxes and feral cats that either hunt or compete against the marsupial.
  • Quolls are most active at night time; typically have a life span ranging three to six years; and are preyed on by crocodiles and snakes.
  • Quolls have a fur coat coloured black, brown, grey or tan, which is patterned with lightly coloured spots, and they have a long tail and a pointy snout.
  • Although they typically live on their own, quolls in a single area usually toilet in the same spot as their fellow species.
Bibliography:
Quoll, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/quoll/
Quoll, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quoll
Department of the Environment and Heritage, Quolls of Australia, n.d, Australian Government, http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/8ad3915e-57ee-4eb8-afd0-4f6bed036896/files/quolls.pdf

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Indri

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Indri

An indri is an exotic lemur of Madagascar.

  • Indris are primates, as well as the biggest extant lemur, and are native to Africa’s largest island, Madagascar.
  • Indris have the scientific name Indri indri, and are from the family Indriidae, the family of strepsirrhine primates of large and medium lemurs.
  • ‘Indris’ are also known as ‘babakotos’, meaning ‘father’ in the Malagasy language, and they are preyed on by snakes, birds of prey and fossas.
  • Indris can make sounds that are song-like, that have been compared to those of whales and can be projected for over three minutes, while roars, hums, wheezes and grunts are also common noises.
  • The diet of an indri mainly consists of recently sprouted leaves, as well as fruit, flowers and seeds and they spend most of their time in trees.
Indri, Lemur, Black, White, Primate, Ten Random Facts, Animal, Madagascar, Flickr
Indri
Image courtesy of Frank Vassen/Flickr
  • Although protected in national parks, indris are endangered on a critical level due to habitat loss from logging and agricultural practices, much of which occurs illegally, as well as poaching.
  • Indris are typically considered sacred by native folk to the area, and are often depicted in legends associated with humans.
  • Indris can grow to be 64 to 72 centimetres (25 to 28 inches) in height and generally weigh 6 to 9.5 kilograms (13 to 21 pounds).
  • Indris have fur typically coloured in a combination of white, grey and black or brown, and usually have distinct areas of colour.
  • Indris typically live to be 15 to 22 years in the wild, while barely surviving in captivity, and they reproduce one baby at a time.
Bibliography:
Indri, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/indri/
Indri, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indri

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