Tag Archives: Africa

Mongoose

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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.
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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

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Radiated Tortoise

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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.
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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

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Richat Structure

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Richat Structure

Be ‘stared’ into space by the Richat Structure.

  • The Richat Structure is an eroded rock formation spread in a circular format, found in the country of Mauritania in the Western Sahara, in Africa.
  • The ‘Richat Structure’ is also known as the ‘Eye of the Sahara’, ‘Eye of Africa’, ‘blue eye of Africa’, ‘Earth’s bulls-eye’ and the ‘Guelb er Richat’.
  • The Richat Structure has a diameter of approximately 48 kilometres (30 miles), and is best viewed from the sky or space.
  • Both sedimentary rock, like quartzite and sandstone, and igneous rock make up the Richat Structure, while the latter form dykes, sills and rings within the outer rim.
  • It was originally thought that the Richat Structure was created by an asteroid impact, due to the circular shape and mistaken evidence.

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Space Image of Richat Structure
Image courtesy of Calvin Hamilton
  • The Richat Structure is generally blue in colour, although its vividness depends on the angle of the photograph or viewing point.
  • The Richat Structure is believed to have been formed by constant erosion of a volcanic dome over thousands of years.
  • The Richat Structure can be visited by tourists, and one of the most common activities is four-wheel drive tours.
  • Due to its size and features, the Richat Structure has commonly been used as a reference point from space, by astronauts.
  • The Richat Structure has the appearance of an eye, hence some of the common names for the formation; and its appearance has lead to numerous parodic works of the feature.
Bibliography:
Richat Structure, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richat_Structure
Richat Structure, n.d, Atlas Obscura, http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/richat-structure
The Richat Structure: The Eye of the Earth, 2007, Dark Roasted Blend, http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html

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Ground Morning Glory

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Ground Morning Glory

Wake up to the ‘ground morning glory’ early in the morning.

  • Ground morning glories are plants that are native to North Africa and Europe’s Italy and Spain.
  • A ground morning glory has the scientific name Convolvulus sabatius, and it is from the family Convolvulaceae, the family of morning glories.
  • ‘Ground morning glory’ plants are also called ‘Blue rock bindweeds’ and ‘Mauritian bindweeds, and they are also known by the scientific name ‘Convolvulus mauritanicus’.
  • Typically, ground morning glory plants grow to heights of around 15 to 20 centimetres (6 to 8 inches) and spread to a diameter of up to 100 cm (40 inches).
  • Ground morning glories are hardy perennial plants that have received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.

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  • The flowers of ground morning glory plants are blue or purple in colour, that are like a saucer in shape, and are approximately 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter.
  • The blooming season of ground morning glory flowers ranges from summer to autumn, and they sometimes flower in spring.
  • The best position for growing ground morning glory plants is full sun and they usually thrive in free-draining soils.
  • Ground morning glories are typically used for ornamental purposes in pots, hanging baskets or gardens, as a ground cover or trailing plant.
  • Ground morning glory plants have small green leaves, and the plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings.
Bibliography:
Convolvulus sabatius, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convolvulus_sabatius
Convolvulus sabatius, 2015, Perennials.com, http://www.perennials.com/plants/convolvulus-sabatius.html
Convolvulus sabatius, 2015, Renaissance Herbs, http://www.renaissanceherbs.com.au/romantic-cottage/convolvulus-sabatius

 

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Great Sphinx of Giza

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Great Sphinx of Giza

The Great Sphinx of Giza has survived the ages.

  • The Great Sphinx of Giza is a statue depicting a mythical sphinx – a lion with a human head, located near the Pyramids of Giza, near Cairo in Africa’s Egypt.
  • ‘The Great Sphinx of Giza’ is also known as ‘the Sphinx’, and can be literally translated as ‘the terrifying one’ or ‘Father of Dread’.
  • The height of the Great Sphinx of Giza reaches 20 metres (66 feet), while the statue is approximately 73 metres (239 feet) in length and 19 metres (63 feet) in width.
  • The Great Sphinx of Giza is the largest statue carved from a single rock and the oldest statue of its kind, in the world, and it is believed that the monument was carved from limestone around 2558 to 2532 BC, by the Ancient Egyptians.
  • The Great Sphinx of Giza is generally accepted to depict the Old Kingdom Pharaoh Khafre (or Khafra) who reigned at the time of its construction, although there are no known records of the Sphinx until the New Kingdom beginning 1550 BC.
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The Great Sphinx of Giza
Image courtesy of Jack Versloot/Flickr
  • The Great Sphinx of Giza remained mostly covered by sand for thousands of years, although there were efforts to excavate it by some Ancient Egyptian pharaohs of the past, including Thutmose IV, around 1400 BC.
  • The first excavations of modern times on the Great Sphinx of Giza, were performed in 1817 by Italian Giovanni Battista Caviglia, an Egyptologist, while the statue was fully uncovered by 1936, after multiple excavations in the 1800 and 1900s, led by various people.
  • The nose of the Great Sphinx of Giza appears to have been chiselled or broken off on an unknown occasion in the past, and there is evidence the statue once featured a beard.
  • The Great Sphinx of Giza has been commonly depicted, and occasionally mocked, in artistic media, with early depictions from the 1500s being notably amusing.
  • There is evidence of the Great Sphinx of Giza being significantly eroded by wind-blown sand over thousands of years, and protecting the statue from further decline is of continual concern.
Bibliography:
Great Sphinx of Giza, 2015, Sacred Destinations, http://www.sacred-destinations.com/egypt/giza-sphinx
Great Sphinx of Giza, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Sphinx_of_Giza
Winston A, The Great Sphinx of Giza, an Introduction, 2013, Tour Egypt, http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/sphinx1.htm

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Ribwort Plantain

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Ribwort Plantain

Ribwort plantains have a barren look.

  • Ribwort plantain is a plant native to Asia, Europe and North Africa, and depending on the location and growing conditions, it will grow as a perennial, biennial or annual.
  • ‘Ribwort plantains’ are also known as ‘narrowleaf plantains’, ‘English plantains’, ‘buckhorn plaintains’, ‘lamb’s tongues’, ‘rib grass’ and ‘ribleaves’.
  • The scientific name of a ribwort plantain is Plantago lanceolata, and it is from the family Plantaginaceae, the family of plantains.
  • Ribwort plantain leaves grown in a rosette formation, and the underside of the long green leaves always feature five obvious veins.
  • Ribwort plantains typically grow to be approximately 50 centimetres (20 inches) in height, and they have tall flower spikes, with heads that are surrounded by numerous tiny white petals.

Ribwort Plantain, Vegetation, Weed, Australia, Clump, Grass,, Vegetation, Ten Random Facts

  • The bitter leaves of ribwort plantains are edible and can be eaten cooked or raw, while the seeds can be cooked whole or ground like flour.
  • Ribwort plantains are easily grown from seed in low quality soil, with a preference for full sunlight, and as a result, the plants are increasingly used in pastures for livestock fodder.
  • Ribwort plantain plants have been used medicinally for a variety of purposes, including the slowing or stopping of bleeding, and treating  inflammation, and they can be used to hasten skin healing.
  • Countries such as Australia, has seen ribwort plantains introduced, and this has resulted in them being an invasive weed in some areas.
  • Ribwort plantain plants are useful for textile purposes, as they can be made into dye; the fibres from the leaves can be used; and the seeds can be treated to stiffen fabric.
Bibliography:
Environmental Weed Profiles, 2011, Trees For Life, https://www.treesforlife.org.au/sites/default/files/Ribwort%20Plantain_Weed%20Profile.pdf
Plantago lanceolata – L., 2012, Plants For A Future, http://www.pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Plantago+lanceolata
Plantago lanceolata, n.d, Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants, http://keys.trin.org.au:8080/key-server/data/0e0f0504-0103-430d-8004-060d07080d04/media/Html/taxon/Plantago_lanceolata.htm

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