Tag Archives: Animal

Gila Monster

By | |
Leave a comment
Gila Monster

Gila monsters have turned back the clock!

  • Gila monsters are a lizard of larger size native to the southwest of the United States and to the northwest of Mexico, and were named after the Gila River Basin or the Gila River, where they were initially found, in the United State’s Arizona.
  • A Gila monster has the scientific name Heloderma suspectum and is from the family Helodermatidae, the family of American venomous lizards.
  • Gila monsters typically grow to be 30 to 60 centimetres (12 to 24 inches) in length, making them the largest living land-dwelling lizard in the United States, and they usually weigh between 1.3 to 2.2 kilograms (3 to 5 pounds).
  • Habitats that Gila monsters thrive in include desert, shrubby areas, woodlands and rocky areas, and they mostly live alone in burrows spending most of their time there.
  • The diet of Gila monsters is carnivorous, consisting primarily of frogs, eggs, insects, birds, small mammals and lizards.
Gila Monster, Reptile, America, Orange, Animal, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Flickr
A Gila Monster
Image courtesy of walknboston/Flickr
  • Gila monsters can live without food for months, although they may eat up to a third of their body weight in a single sitting, mostly eating their prey by swallowing whole.
  • Gila monsters have a very strong grip and are thus difficult to pry from a bite, while submerging underwater is the best method to force release, and although their bite is venomous it is not lethal to a healthy adult despite causing symptoms of weakness, great pain and a drastic reduction in blood pressure.
  • Around two to thirteen eggs are produced by female Gila monsters at a single time, and they are buried in a shallow hole.
  • Gila monsters are listed as near threatened, and in 1952, they were protected under law and were the first venomous animal to receive such protection.
  • The saliva of Gila monsters contains a chemical that can be used as a treatment for those with diabetes, as it assists in controlling blood sugar levels.
Bibliography:
Gila Monster, 2015, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/gila-monster/
Gila Monster, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/reptiles/gila-monster/
Gila Monster, 2015, San Diego Zoo, http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/gila-monster
Gila Monster, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gila_monster

Amazon:       

Red Wolf

By | |
Leave a comment
Red Wolf

At such small numbers, red wolves can easily be lost among similar relatives.

  • A red wolf is a mammal of medium size, native primarily to the marshes in the eastern areas of the United States.
  • ‘Red wolves’ are also known as ‘Florida wolves’ and ‘Mississippi Valley wolves’.
  • The scientific name of a red wolf is Canis rufus or Canis lupus rufus, and it is from the family Canidae, the family of dogs.
  • The length of a red wolf, including the tail, is typically between 121 and 160 centimetres (48 and 63 inches) and it generally weighs between 23 and 39 kilograms (50 and 85 pounds).
  • The fur of a red wolf is generally a combination of red, brown, black, grey and white in colour, although it is most notably red on parts of the face, ears, and legs.
Red Wolf, Photo, Orange, Mammal, Capture, Grassy, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Flickr, Scavenging, Sniffing
A Red Wolf
Image courtesy of Brandon Trentler/Flickr
  • The carnivorous diet of red wolves consists primarily of rodents, rabbits, raccoons and deer, and they have an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years.
  • A female red wolf has approximately five to seven pups at a time, in dens in hollow trees, on river banks or in those that have been made by other animals but deserted.
  • By 1980, red wolves had become extinct in the wild as a result of coyote cross-breeding and hunting by humans, as well as possible habitat destruction.
  • Red wolves live in packs that can consist of two to ten wolves, and they are most often closely related to each other.
  • In 2015, red wolves were listed as critically endangered, due to captive breeding programs that allowed them to be reintroduced into the wild from 1987 in North Carolina, and as such, they are a protected species.
Bibliography:
Canis rufus, 2015, The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/3747/0
Red Wolf, 2015, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/red-wolf/
Red Wolf, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_wolf

Amazon:       

Siamese Fighting Fish

By | |
Leave a comment
Siamese Fighting Fish

Who would know that such a small fish, such as the Siamese fighting fish, could be so aggressive?

  • A Siamese fighting fish is a small freshwater fish that is native to the Mekong river system of Southeast Asia.
  • The ‘Siamese fighting fish’ is also known as ‘betta fish’, while the Thai and Khmer know it as ‘pla-kad’ and ‘trey krem’ respectively.
  • The scientific name of a Siamese fighting fish is Betta splendens and it is from the family Osphronemidae, the family of gouramis.
  • Siamese fighting fish grow to be 6 to 8 centimetres (2.4 to 3.1 inches) in length, and they are commonly kept in domestic aquariums.
  • In the wild, Siamese fighting fish are most commonly brown, silver, grey or green in colour, while the more brightly coloured ones that include red, white, green, blue or pink are specifically bred, often with large flowing tails and fins of various shapes.
Siamese Fighting Fish, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Blue, Animal, Aquatic, Water, Purple, Betta
Siamese Fighting Fish
Image courtesy of h080/Flickr
  • Male Siamese fighting fish are usually more brightly coloured than the females, and while the female produces the 10 to 45 eggs, they are cared for by the male in a nest that he makes from bubbles, primarily due to the female’s tendency to eat her eggs.
  • Male Siamese fighting fish commonly duel each other for territorial reasons, which can be fatal for them, and they show off their fins by splaying them out, and in some countries, this aggressive behaviour is taken advantage of for gambling purposes.
  • Siamese fighting fish have a unique respiratory system that allows them to breath air from above water when necessary.
  • Due to their aggressiveness, Siamese fighting fish are commonly thought to be incompatible in aquariums, although this is not always true, as they often leave less colourful and visually different fish alone, especially species larger than themselves.
  • The diet of Siamese fighting fish consists primarily of plankton, shrimp and insects, and they generally live to be two to three years of age, although they may live for five or more years.
Bibliography:
Siamese Fighting Fish, 2015, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/siamese-fighting-fish/
Siamese Fighting Fish, 2015, Burke’s Backyard, http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/fact-sheets/pets/pet-road-tests/fish/siamese-fighting-fish/
Siamese Fighting Fish, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siamese_fighting_fish

Amazon:       

Biting Midges

By | |
Leave a comment
Biting Midges

Biting midges are awful irritators – or amazing, depending on the way you look at it.

  • Biting midges are flying insects that are considered pests due to their habit of consuming human blood, and they are also known as ‘no-see-ums’, ‘midgies’, ‘midges’, ‘punkies’, and somewhat incorrectly as ‘sandflies’, although they are a technically a fly.
  • Ceratopogonidae, is the family of biting midges, while those in the Culicoides genus number greater than one thousand, and they are generally found in areas near water or in mountainous regions.
  • There are more than 200 biting midges in the Culicoides genus, the most common found in Australia, and they are native to moist, muddy or mass-vegetated habitats often in coastal areas, particularly those in northern Australia (especially the tropics), although other midges in the genus are found around the world.
  •  The size of a biting midge is extremely small, ranging from 1 to 3 millimetres (0.04 to 0.12 inches) in length and the insect consumes nectar from plants as part of its diet.
  • Some biting midges cause significant irritation in humans after biting, which is caused by chemicals in the insect’s saliva, although not all midges are human pests; and it is often thought that their urine is what creates the burning irritation on one’s skin, however this is false.
Biting Midge, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Fly, Insect, Female, Animal, Pest
A Biting Midge
Image courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture/Flickr
  • Blood is collected only by female biting midges, to supply adequate nutrients for egg reproduction, and for this reason, males are harmless.
  • The larvae of biting midges moult four times with the final time being the pupa stage, emerging as an adult two to three days later, with the entire process taking 3 to 22 weeks according to species, and it can also be dependent upon the moon and tide cycles.
  • Biting midges are generally most active at dawn and dusk, when the females tend to bite, but they can also be a pest during the night and occasionally in overcast weather, however, they are generally less active when it is windy, and more active around full and new moons.
  • The bites of biting midges are typically itchy and/or painful, and red swelling may be evident and grow to multiple centimetres in diameter, depending on one’s immunity, which can build over time, and unlike mosquitoes, midges in Australia are not known to spread disease among humans, though disease spread among animals and humans in other countries is evident.
  • Biting midges tend to stay low to the ground, so they are not typically a pest in high-set buildings, and humans are best protected from their bites by being fully covered by clothing, with the addition of chemical insect repellents on uncovered areas, while the consumption of vitamin B1 (as suggested by some) is ineffective.
Bibliography:
Biting Midges, 2015, Merck Manuals, http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/integumentary_system/flies/biting_midges.html
Biting Midges or “Sandflies” in the NT, 2003, Northern Territory Government, http://www.education.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/3713/BitingMidge.pdf
Biting Midges or Sandflies, 2009, Government of Western Australia, http://www.public.health.wa.gov.au/cproot/2658/2/biting%20midges%20or%20sandflies.pdf
Culicoides spp., 2013, University of Florida, http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/aquatic/biting_midges.htm

Amazon:       

Kangaroo

By | |
Leave a comment
Kangaroo

Any person could attribute a kangaroo to Australia.

  • Kangaroos are marsupials that are very symbolic of Australia, their native home, and the animal even features in the country’s coat-of-arms.
  • Macropodidae is the family of kangaroos, while the scientific name of the animal is Macropus, however, the smaller animals in the genus are called ‘wallabies’, and some are known as ‘wallaroos’.
  • There are four species in the Macropus genus called ‘kangaroos’ –  the ‘Red’ (Macropus rufus); ‘Western Grey’ (Macropus fuliginosus); ‘Eastern Grey’ (Macropus giganteus); and the lesser known ‘Antilopine’ (Macropus antilopinus) which is sometimes called a ‘wallaby’ or a ‘wallaroo’; while the ‘tree kangaroo’ belongs to a different genus.
  • The diet of kangaroos consists of a variety of vegetation including grasses, flowers, fungi, seeds and shrubs, which is often chewed multiple times as cud; and they have fur that ranges from brown, tan, red or grey in colour, which varies according to the species, and the common names of the various species is generally indicative of the colour of their fur.
  • Kangaroos range in height from 0.8 to 2.1 metres (2.6 to 6.9 feet) in height and have a weight that ranges from 18 to 90 kilograms (40 to 200 pounds), while those in the ‘red’ (rufus) species are the largest extant marsupials.

Kangaroo, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Brown, Mammal, Marsupial, Australia,

Kangaroo
Image courtesy of Val Laird
  • Kangaroos are notable for having feet and a tail of significantly large size, which are useful for keeping the animal stable, especially when they move, and they can jump distances that can reach 8 metres (24 feet) in length and 2 metres (6.6 feet) in height, and can move at speeds up to 60 kilometres per hour (37 miles per hour).
  • Kangaroos may fight for dominance or simply for entertainment, fighting somewhat like a boxer or kicking with their potentially dangerous feet, and they will use these movements as defence against predators like dingoes.
  • The young of a kangaroo, known as a ‘joey’, spends around two thirds of a year in the pouch of its mother, where it grows as a neonate, poking its head out after about six months.
  • Kangaroos are mostly nocturnal and as a result, are particularly susceptible to being startled by vehicle noises and headlights, and they often jump in front of vehicles in confusion, which can be fatal for the animal and sometimes the occupants of the vehicle.
  • The meat of kangaroos has traditionally been eaten by indigenous Australians, and it is becoming quite popular among others, especially for its high protein and low fat properties.
Bibliography:
Kangaroo, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo
Kangaroo, 2015, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/kangaroo/
Kangaroo Facts, 2015, Outback Australia Travel Guide, http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/kangaroo-facts.html

Amazon:       

Puss Moth

By | |
1 Comment
Puss Moth

Puss moths are an example of grey-scale beauty.

  • Puss moths are a species of moth of a medium size, native to Europe, North Africa and parts of Asia.
  • The scientific name of a puss moth is Cerura vinula and it is from the family Notodontidae, a family of moths known as ‘prominents’.
  • Puss moths have wings that are predominantly a white, grey or cream colour, that are patterned with black coloured marble styled markings, and the body is similar in colouring.
  • The wingspan of a puss moth is roughly 5 to 8 centimetres (2 to 3 inches) in length, though they may be larger, while the length of the caterpillar is approximately 8 centimetres (3 inches).
  • Puss moth caterpillars are primarily green in colour when mature (black when juvenile) and have small white spots, and their head is surrounded by a red coloured ring that is decorated with two black spots so that it appears to be a face.
Puss Moth, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Animal, Trivia, White, Rest
Puss Moth
Image courtesy of Ben Sale/Flickr
  • Puss moth caterpillars strike a defence pose when feeling threatened, which involves intimidation with its pretend ‘face’ and the two red tipped projections on its rear.
  • As a method of protection, puss moth caterpillars may excrete formic acid which is sprayed out when they are further threatened, a feature that makes it one of the more dangerous caterpillars in the United Kingdom.
  • The diet of puss moth caterpillars mainly consists of vegetation from poplars and willow trees, and once hatched, they have an average lifespan of three to five months.
  • Puss moths have a soft furry texture that is comparable to the fur of a cat, which is the reason for the moth’s common name, and they are said to be threatened in some areas due to continuous woodland destruction and pollution.
  • Puss moth caterpillars construct hard waterproof cocoons that are considered one the strongest among moth species, and once the metamorphosis process has concluded, the moth releases a liquid to soften the cocoon so that it can be liberated.
Bibliography:
Cerura Vinula, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerura_vinula
Puss Moth, 2013, Buglife, https://www.buglife.org.uk/bugs-and-habitats/puss-moth
Puss Moth, 2015, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/puss-moth/

Amazon:       

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...