Tag Archives: Animal

Roseate Spoonbill

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Roseate Spoonbill

Roseate spoonbills are really as vivid as a rose against the lakes.

  • Roseate spoonbills are a species of bird found mostly in lake, swampy and mangrove areas of South America, but also in Central America, and southern parts of North America.
  • The scientific name of a roseate spoonbill is Platalea ajaja, and is also known as Ajaia ajaja, and is from the family Threskiornithidae, the family of spoonbills and ibises.
  • Roseate spoonbills generally grow to be 60 to 80 centimetres (23.6 to 31.5 inches) in height and have a wingspan of 110 to 130 centimetres (43 to 51 inches).
  • The plumage colour of roseate spoonbills is a combination of pinks, whites and reds, and they often have some pale green, grey and orange features.
  • Roseate spoonbills are wading birds, and as such their diet consists primarily of aquatic insects, small fish, and shrimp.
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Roseate Spoonbill
Image courtesy of Insu Nuzzi/Flickr
  • Female roseate spoonbills typically produce a clutch of two to five white eggs that are speckled with brown, which are laid in a nest they build, usually in a tree near water.
  • The 15 to 18 centimetres (6 to 7 inches) long, flat-ended bill of a roseate spoonbill is utilised by swinging back and forth underwater to collect food, and on it are sensors that allows the bird to know when it has come in contact with food.
  • A roseate spoonbill does not usually sit or lie down when asleep and instead stands, often on one of its long legs, while tucking its head into its plumage.
  • Roseate spoonbills have an average lifespan of ten to fifteen years; and they live in flocks, and when in flight, they are typically arranged in a pattern, often diagonally.
  • The habitat of roseate spoonbills is under threat in a number of regions; and they have been traditionally hunted for both food and for their striking feathers, however, they have since been protected for many years in some areas, and are listed as ‘least concern’.
Bibliography:
Roseate Spoonbill, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseate_spoonbill
Roseate Spoonbill, 2016, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/roseate-spoonbill/
Roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja), 2015, Nature Works, http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/roseatespoonbill.htm
Roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja), n.d, Wildscreen Arkive, http://www.arkive.org/roseate-spoonbill/platalea-ajaja/

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Arctic Hare

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Arctic Hare

Don’t lose your hair over the Arctic hare.

  • Arctic hares are a species of hare native to the Arctic Circle, primarily in northern parts of Canada, Greenland, and islands of the Arctic.
  • The scientific name of Arctic hares is Lepus arcticus and it is from the family Leporidae, the family of rabbits and hares.
  • ‘Arctic hares’ are also known as ‘polar hares’ and ‘polar rabbits’, and they are said to be the largest species of hare in existence.
  • Arctic hares generally range from 48 to 67 centimetres (19 to 26 inches) in length and weigh 2.5 to 5.5 kilograms (5.5 to 12.1 pounds), though they can be heavier.
  • The diet of Arctic hares consists primarily of leaves from certain species of low growing plants, as well as twigs, roots, grass, moss and flowers depending on the season, while sometimes they are known to consume meat.
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Arctic Hare
Image courtesy of Jodie Wilson/Flickr
  • In winter, Arctic hares are generally white in colour to blend into their environment, and they become a blue-grey or brown-grey colour in the months without snow, so that they are more camouflaged in their habitat; however, hares in the northern regions, with short summers, may remain white or grey all year round.
  • Female Arctic hares typically have two to eight young each year, during a period between April to September, and the young are generally able to fend for themselves after nine weeks.
  • It is common for Arctic hares to live alone, however some gather in groups reaching hundreds of individuals; and they have an average lifespan of three to five years.
  • Arctic hares can reach speeds of 64 kilometres per hour (40 miles per hour), achieving such speeds when threatened by predators like wolves, foxes, and large birds of prey; and they are also proficient swimmers and diggers.
  • The Arctic hare has been hunted by humans for its meat, as well as its soft, thick and absorbent fur which is used for clothes, throughout much of North America’s history.
Bibliography:
Arctic Hare, 2016, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/arctic-hare/
Arctic Hare, 2016, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/arctic-hare/
Arctic Hare, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_hare
Lepus Arcticus, 2014, Animal Diversity Web, http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lepus_arcticus/

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Salmon (Food)

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Salmon (Food)

I’m sure salmon would make great salesmen.

  • Salmon is among a number of fish that are popularly produced and eaten as food, and Atlantic salmon is the most commonly consumed species of salmon in the world.
  • Salmon species are mostly native to the northern Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans, and are from the Salmo and Oncorhynchus genera respectively, both of the Salmonidae family.
  • The colour of raw salmon flesh ranges from red to orange, and occasionally white, patterned with thin, pale stripes, and once cooked, the flesh often lightens in colour and sometimes looks pink.
  • Approximately 70% of salmon produced for commercial purposes is farmed, usually in sheltered areas like bays, in a netted enclosure.
  • Salmon is known as an ‘oily fish’, and is popularly cooked by smoking; although curing, like in a mixture of sugar, dill, salt and pepper as in ‘Gravlax’ is popular; and other forms of cooking are not uncommon.

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Salmon prepared with herbs
  • Salmon is able to be eaten raw as in sushi, though the fish is usually frozen for 24 to 48 hours before consuming to ensure any possible parasites in the fish are destroyed.
  • Salmon has been commonly eaten since early times, with many cultures traditionally smoking the fish; and in modern times it is generally obtained commercially as fillets, steak, whole and canned.
  • Salmon is very high in selenium, vitamins B6 and B12, niacin and protein and it has significant quantities of many other vitamins and minerals, and is also well known for its omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Live salmon will often consume poisons such as mercury or chemicals dumped into water sources, and although this can result in human poisoning if large quantities of the meat is eaten, the risk is low, and current guidelines suggest that the consumption of this or similar fish once a week is safe.
  • In 2014, Norway produced the most salmon in the world, with more than a million tonnes (1.1 million tons), which accounted for more than a third of the world’s production.
Bibliography:
Aquaculture of Salmonids, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaculture_of_salmonids
Salmon, 2016, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=104
Salmon as Food, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Salmon Farming Industry Handbook 2015, 2015, Marine Harvest, http://www.marineharvest.com/globalassets/investors/handbook/2015-salmon-industry-handbook.pdf

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Banded Coral Shrimp

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Banded Coral Shrimp

Banded coral shrimps keep the tank clean.

  • Banded coral shrimps are an aquatic cleaner shrimp native to mostly tropical waters, including the west Atlantic ocean and the Indo-Pacific.
  • The scientific name of a banded coral shrimp is Stenopus hispidus, and it is from the family Stenopodidae, a family of decapod crustaceans.
  • ‘Banded coral shrimps’ are also known as ‘banded cleaner shrimps’ and ‘redbanded coral shrimps’, though technically they are neither prawns nor shrimps and are closer relatives to crabs and lobsters.
  • Banded coral shrimps are striped in vivid reds and whites; however the shrimp’s base ‘colour’ is transparent, and the length of their body generally reaches 5 to 6.2 centimetres (2 to 2.4 inches).
  • Banded coral shrimps have lengthy, white antennae that extend beyond the length of their body, and they have small spines on parts of their body.

Banded Coral Shrimp, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Animal, Aquatic, Crustacean, Aquarium

  • With their claws, banded coral shrimps clean other aquatic species bodies and mouths as part of their food intake, and they market their fish-cleaning services through a little dance and the movement of their antennae.
  • Coral reefs are the natural habitats of banded coral shrimps, where they are found in waters up to 210 metres (689 feet) deep, but they generally live at much shallower depths in caves or crevices; and groups of shrimps will tend to congregate at what are called ‘cleaning stations’.
  • The diet of banded coral shrimps consists primarily of dead tissue, parasites, and unwanted food, that has been scavenged from their cleaning work, though worms, crustaceans, and other marine animals are sometimes consumed.
  • If a section of a body of a banded coral shrimp is lost, it will usually regenerate back on the next moult, which occurs once every month or two.
  • Banded coral shrimps typically partner for life or many years, and they are somewhat territorial, remaining in the one small area for a lengthy period.
Bibliography:
Banded Coral Shrimp, n.d, World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, http://www.waza.org/en/zoo/choose-a-species/invertebrates/other-aquatic-invertebrates/stenopus-hispidus
Coral Shrimp – Coral Banded Shrimp, n.d, Fishlore, http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-CoralBandedShrimp.htm
Sanderson A, Stenopus hispidus, 2002, Animal Diversity Web, http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Stenopus_hispidus/
Stenopus hispidus, 2014, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stenopus_hispidus

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Laced Moray

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Laced Moray

One could say laced morays are indeed prettier than their relatives.

  • Laced morays are a species of eel, native to the waters of the Indian Ocean and the west Pacific Ocean.
  • ‘Laced morays’ are also known as ‘tessellate morays’, ‘leopard morays’, ‘giraffe eels’, and ‘honeycomb morays’.
  • The scientific name of a laced moray is Gymnothorax favagineus and it is from the family Muraenidae, the family of moray eels.
  • The skin of a laced moray has a base colour of white or cream, spotted with irregular black shapes that vary, depending on its habitat as well as its age, and the spots are usually smaller in older eels.
  • Laced morays can reach a length of 1.8 metres (6 feet), although some claim specimens reaching 3 metres (9.8 feet) exist.

Laced Moray, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Eel, Fish, Animal, Honeycomb, Tessellated, Coral, SEALIFE, Melbourne, Australia, Aquarium

  • Laced morays typically live in tropical reef areas, and if the surrounding waters are of an increased clarity, they will generally feature lighter coloured spots.
  • Laced morays are active during night hours, and they generally rest in cavities and crevices during daylight.
  • The diet of laced morays consists primarily of small fish, crabs, squid-like molluscs and shrimp.
  • Laced morays have a habit of moving with their mouths open, which allows the gills to retrieve water necessary for breathing.
  • Although they rarely attacks humans, laced morays can produce a strong bite due to their teeth that are sharp.
Bibliography:
Gymnothorax favagineus  Bloch & Schneider, 1801, n.d, FishBase, http://www.fishbase.org/summary/5391
Honeycomb Moray, n.d, Melbourne Sealife Aquarium, https://www.melbourneaquarium.com.au/explore/coral-atoll/honeycomb-moray/
Laced Moray, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laced_moray

Bush Stone-Curlew

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Bush Stone-Curlew

Bush stone-curlews are an evening bird… with an odd gown.

  • Bush stone-curlews, also known as ‘screaming woman birds’ and ‘bush thick-knees’, are birds that are mostly active during nocturnal hours and are native to Australia.
  • The scientific name of a bush stone-curlew is Burhinus grallarius, formerly Burhinus magnirostris, and it is from the family of stone-curlews.
  • The plumage of bush stone-curlews ranges in various patterns of grey, black, brown and white, that typically looks similar to their natural habitat, so that they are not easily noticed.
  • The diet of bush stone-curlews consists of a wide variety of foods, including insects, small mammals, molluscs, amphibians, crabs and reptiles.
  • A bush stone-curlew’s native habitat is open woody forests, or grassy or shrubby areas, often with dead branches and leaves on the ground with which they can blend in.

Bush Stone-Curlew, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Bird, Statue, Australia, Animal

  • Bush stone-curlews are proficient in both mobility on land and during flight, although they spend most of their time on the ground, where they forage for food and lay their eggs.
  • The sounds of bush stone-curlews are very noticeable, with loud screams or wails, or even screeches when frightened, that are mostly heard after dark, and if they are discovered or threatened, they will generally freeze like a statue to camouflage themselves.
  • Bush stone-curlews have long skinny legs, and the birds reach heights of 50 to 60 centimetres (20 to 24 inches), with a similar wingspan.
  • Female bush stone-curlews generally lay two eggs in a small depression in the ground, which both parents care for, and they usually partner for life and can live up to 30 years.
  • Bush stone-curlew populations have dwindled significantly in some areas, and as a result they are listed as endangered or near threatened in most states, with flocks once reaching into the hundreds now limited to tiny groups due to habitat loss and introduced predators; though in 2012, the species was listed as ‘least concern’.
Bibliography:
Birds – Bush Stone-curlew, 2016, Australia Zoo, https://www.australiazoo.com.au/our-animals/birds/stone-curlews/bush-stone-curlew
Burhinus (Burhinus) grallarius (Latham, 1801), n.d, Atlas of Living Australia, http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Burhinus+(Burhinus)+grallarius
Bush stone-curlew, 2005, Australian Government Department of Environment, https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/ceebef10-c480-4ced-a026-bb5a241b70d4/files/tsd05bush-stone-curlew.pdf
Bush stone-curlew, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_stone-curlew

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