Tag Archives: Animal

Elephant Seal

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Elephant Seal

Don’t let an elephant seal squash you.

  • Elephant seals are two species of seal, the ‘northern’ and the ‘southern’, native to Pacific Ocean coastal waters of North and Central America, and coastal waters of the Southern Hemisphere, respectively.
  • The scientific name of an elephant seal is Mirounga, and it is from the family Phocidae, the family of earless or true seals, and it is also known as a ‘sea elephant’.
  • Elephant seals can grow to be 3 to 6.1 metres (10 to 20 feet) in length, and weigh 900 to 4,000 kilograms (2,000 to 8,800 pounds).
  • Elephant seals can hold their breath for up to two hours or more, which exceeds the time of any other marine mammal.
  • The diet of elephant seals primarily consists of fish, squid, eels, sharks and skates, and they are preyed on by sharks and orcas.
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A Northern Elephant Seal
Image courtesy of Frank Schulenburg/Flickr
  • Elephant seals have a greater blubber layer than fur, which traps body heat and protects the animal from the cold; and they shed their skin each year, and remain on land for a couple of months as it regrows.
  • Mature female elephant seals usually give birth to one pup annually, and they have a lifespan typically ranging from 14 to 22 years.
  • Although classified as ‘least concern’, elephant seals are threatened by collisions with boats and fisheries, as well as rubbish and wreck entanglements; and the mammal has been previously hunted to dangerously low populations, but they have been protected since 1972 in the United States.
  • Elephant seals are generally coloured a combination of brown, grey, black and tan in colour, and the males feature a nose similar to an elephant trunk, hence their common name.
  • Elephant seals can dive to depths of over 2,300 metres (7,546 feet), although 300 to 600 metres (984 to 1,968 feet) is the average.
Bibliography:
Elephant Seal, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/elephant-seal/
Elephant Seal, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/elephant-seal/
Elephant Seal, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_seal


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Wood Frog

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Wood Frog

Wood frogs are wonders of natural science.

  • Wood frogs are frogs native to forests that feature pools of water, in northern parts of North America.
  • The scientific name of a wood frog is Lithobates sylvaticus and it is from the family Ranidae, the family of true frogs.
  • Wood frogs grow to lengths of around 3.5 to 7.6 centimetres (1.4 to 3 inches), and they deter predators with their poison glands and shrill noises they can make.
  • Typically, a wood frog is coloured brown, brown-red or tan in colour, and occasionally green or grey, and it has a dark band covering its eye.
  • The diet of wood frogs typically consists of  insects, algae, worms, molluscs, and amphibious eggs and larvae.

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Wood Frog
Image courtesy of Dave Huth/Flickr
  • Wood frogs shut down during freezing winter temperatures, and they survive the freezing/thawing process numerous times due to the content of glucose and urea in their system, which reduces dehydration and the formation of ice in their cells.
  • Female wood frogs lay up to 3000 eggs in temporary water pools, that later hatch into tadpoles, then morph into adults; and they generally only reproduce once in their life, which is 3 to 5 years.
  • Wood frogs generally live alone in wet forest habitats during summer, and live in hilly habitats during winter.
  • Male wood frogs have a brighter coloured skin tone, although they are generally smaller than females, and the females usually live longer than the males.
  • Deforestation of their natural habitat threatens certain populations of wood frogs, although the population as a whole is not under threat at this stage.
Bibliography:
Kiehl K, Lithobates sylvaticus, 2015, Animal Diversity, http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lithobates_sylvaticus/
Wood frog, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_frog

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Quetzal

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Quetzal

Be striking like a male quetzal.

  • Quetzals are tropical birds native to Central American woody and rainforest habitats.
  • The scientific name of quetzals is Pharomachrus, which covers five species, and they are from the family Trogonidae, the family of trogons, although there is one more species, and it has the scientific name Euptilotis, and belongs to the same family.
  • Quetzals have a diet that generally consists of fruit, such as berries, and animals of small size, like lizards, frogs and insects.
  • Male quetzals have brightly coloured luminous feathers, that are mostly green and red, with an orange to yellow crest, while females generally have duller colours with the addition of brown or grey.
  • Quetzals grow to be around 32 to 40.5 centimetres (12.6 to 16 inches) in height, and they generally weigh between 200 to 225 grams (7 to 8 ounces).
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Quetzal
Image courtesy of vil.sandi/Flickr
  • Quetzals have trouble walking on their unstable feet, that are designed for perching in the heights of trees, as they have two toes facing backwards, and the other two forwards.
  • The tail of quetzals consists of two feathers that can be between 65 cm (25.6 inches) and one metre (three feet) in length, although the females do not have such long tails.
  • The sounds made by quetzals range from whines, chirps and whistles; they mostly live alone; and they are most active during the twilight hours.
  • Quetzals lay eggs in holes that they carve in tree trunks, laying one to three at a time, and the eggs and chicks are looked after by both parents.
  • The population of quetzals is said to be threatened by illegal deforestation and exotic pet trades, with an estimated 50,000 left in the wild.
Bibliography:
Quetzal, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/quetzal/
Quetzal, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/birds/quetzal/
Quetzal, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzal

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Crab-eating Macaque

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Crab-eating Macaque

Crab-eating macaques are not so fascinated by crabs.

  • Crab-eating macaques are medium-sized monkeys originating in jungle and forest areas, generally with nearby water access, in Asia’s south-east.
  • ‘Crab-eating macaques’ are also known as ‘long-tailed macaques’, ‘java monkeys’ and ‘cynomolgus monkeys’.
  • Crab-eating macaques have the scientific name Macaca fascicularis, being from the family Cercopithecidae, the family of Old World monkeys, and the species includes ten subspecies.
  • The typical size of a crab-eating macaque is 38 to 55 centimetres (15 to 22 inches) in height and they generally weigh between 3 to 9 kilograms (6.6 to 20 pounds).
  • Crab-eating macaques most often live in troops with four to twenty others of their own species, and the group commonly contains more females than males, although there is generally a dominant male, which is decided by combat.
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A Crab-eating Macaque
Image courtesy of Brian Jeffery Beggerly/Flickr
  • Typically, crab-eating macaques have a lengthy tail of 40 to 65 centimetres (16 to 26 inches), and fur coloured a combination of grey, yellow, white and brown.
  • The diet of crab-eating macaques consists mostly of fruit, nuts and seeds, and they also consume other vegetation, as well as animals, such as birds and their eggs, fish, lizards, frogs, crabs and other crustaceans.
  • Female crab-eating macaques give birth to one baby at a time, although young ones can be subject to infanticide or kidnapping, and they have an average lifespan of 15 to 30 years.
  • Crab-eating macaques may use water to wash food, or use stones to open tough, enclosed items, and they have been studied for medical reasons, as these monkeys are effected by disease in similar ways to humans.
  • Crab-eating macaques have been introduced into some parts of Asia, and in some areas they are thought of as pests, while in other areas, they are considered sacred.
Bibliography:
Crab-eating Macaques, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/crab-eating-macaque/
Crab-eating Macaques, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab-eating_macaque

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Hercules Beetle

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Hercules Beetle

Hercules beetles have undeniable strength.

  • Hercules beetles are rainforest and jungle insects that are found in South and Central America.
  • The scientific name of a Hercules beetle is Dynastes hercules, and it is from the family Scarabaeidae, the family of scarabs.
  • Hercules beetles can grow to be 4 to 18 centimetres (1.6 to 7 inches) in length, placing them among the top three largest beetles.
  • Male Hercules beetles always have horns, or large pincers, which females lack, although the latter generally have a larger body.
  • The outer shell of a Hercules beetle is generally a combination of brown or black, and yellow or green, and it can change colour, depending on the humidity.
Hercules Beetle, Animals, Insect, Beetle, Large, Ten Random Facts, Side, BlackHercules Beetle
Image courtesy of Mr Bluff/Flickr
  • The diet of a Hercules beetle typically consists of decomposing fruit, wood, leaves or other vegetation, and sometimes little insects.
  • Hercules beetles are among the strongest animals in relation to body weight, with the ability to carry their own weight multiplied by 80.
  • Hercules beetles hatch from eggs laid by the females, and the larvae spend a year or two burrowing through wood, which they eat, until the young become adults through a pupa, then moulting stage.
  • Male Hercules beetles sometimes battle each other with their pincers, and the pincers can be longer than the main part of their body.
  • Hercules beetles can live up to twelve months as an adult, making a total lifespan of close to three years.
Bibliography:
Hercules Beetle, 2008, University of Kentucky Etymology, http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/beetles/hercules/hercules.htm
Hercules Beetle, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/hercules-beetle/
Hercules Beetle, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercules_beetle

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Leaf-tail Gecko

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Leaf-tail Gecko

Hide among the vegetation like leaf-tail geckos.

  • Leaf-tail geckos are a reptile, or specifically, a gecko, native to Africa’s tropical Madagascar.
  • ‘Leaf-tail geckos’ are also known as ‘leaf-tailed geckos,’ and ‘flat-tailed geckos’.
  • There are at least 14 species of leaf-tail geckos and their scientific or genus name is Uroplatus, and they are from the family Gekkonidae, a family of geckos.
  • Leaf-tail geckos can grow to be 10 to 30 centimetres (4 to 12 inches) in length, and weigh 10 to 30 grams (0.35 to 1 ounce) in weight.
  • The skin of leaf-tail geckos can be a combination of green, brown, grey and black; and they usually have coloured patterns that mimic their surroundings, and depending on the species, they will look similar to either leaves or bark that they hide among.
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A Leaf-tail Gecko
Image courtesy of Frank Vassen/Flickr
  • Leaf-tail geckos have digits or toes, some of which have small claws, that can be used to grip onto numerous surfaces; and they have a leaf shaped tail.
  • During the day, leaf-tail geckos camouflage themselves from predators in trees or bushes, and they become active hunters during the night.
  • The diet of leaf-tail geckos primarily consists of insects, as well as worms and spiders, while other reptiles and rodents are sometimes consumed.
  • Female leaf-tail geckos generally lay between two to four eggs at a time; and the reptile has an average life span of two to nine years.
  • Leaf-tail geckos are threatened by illegal hunting for the pet industry, along with habitat loss, and some species are listed as endangered, vulnerable and near threatened.
Bibliography:
Leaf-tailed Gecko, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/leaf-tailed-gecko/
Uroplatus, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uroplatus

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