Tag Archives: Asia

Ginger Root

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Ginger Root

Ginger root is strong in flavour.

  • Ginger root is the root of the ginger plant native to parts of South-East Asia, including southern China, that has the scientific name Zingiber officinale.
  • ‘Ginger root’ is also known as simply ‘ginger’, and the word has its origins in Old English, Latin, Greek and Prakrit – gingiber, zingiberi, zingiberis, and singabera respectively, with suggestions that it ultimately came from the Sanskrit words ‘srngam’ and ‘vera’, meaning ‘horn’ and ‘body’ respectively, in reference to the root’s shape.
  • Ginger root is commonly used as a culinary spice, and ranges from mild to hot strengths with a sweet tangy and spicy flavour, and it is a good source of copper, manganese, magnesium and potassium.
  • Common foods that use ginger root as a flavouring include beverages, condiments, curry, and baked goods including cookies, and the root can also be candied, pickled or juiced.
  • Ginger root can be collected when the plant root is either young or old, and it can be dried and ground or used fresh, while the younger roots are normally juicer, contain less fibres and are milder in spiciness.

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  • Ginger root can be used for medical purposes, including preventing motion sickness and other causes of nausea, reduction or prevention of some cancers, and for treating some inflammatory problems.
  • The skin of ginger root is typically brown coloured, with red, white, yellow or orange flesh, which varies according to the variety of the plant.
  • Fresh ginger root is commonly peeled to remove the skin before grating, slicing or chopping the flesh, though it is not usually necessary to peel younger roots.
  • Care should be taken when eating ginger root as it can cause allergic reactions in some people and negative affects include rashes, bloating, burping, gas and nausea, and it can interfere with some medical drugs.
  • Ginger root has been used since ancient times in the Middle East, India and China, and in 2012 India was the largest producer of the root, growing a third of the world’s total production.
Bibliography:
Ginger, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger
Ginger, 2015, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=72

Mossy Frog

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Mossy Frog

Try not to step on a mossy frog in disguise!

  • Mossy frogs are medium-sized frogs that can reach lengths of 5 to 9 centimetres (2 to 3.5 inches) and are native to north Vietnam in Southeast Asia.
  • ‘Mossy frogs’ are also known as ‘Tonkin bug-eyed frogs’ and ‘Vietnamese mossy frogs’.
  • The scientific name of a mossy frog is Theloderma corticale, and it is from the family Rhacophoridae, the family of shrub frogs.
  • The colour of mossy frogs ranges from a lush green to a murky brown, and the colour patterns, combined with its bumpy texture, have the appearance of moss, which the frog uses to camouflage itself.
  • Mossy frogs live in habitats of forests and mountainous regions in tropical climates, especially those areas that are commonly wet or marshy.
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Mossy Frog
Image courtesy of Jason Wesley Upton/Flickr
  • The diet of mossy frogs consists of insects including crickets, moths, locusts and flies.
  • When feeling threatened, a mossy frog retracts into the shape of a ball and acts as if it was dead.
  • Due to their remote location, mossy frogs are not well researched, which prevents them from having a proper population estimate, although it is known the frog is threatened by habitat loss.
  • Female mossy frogs generally produce between ten and thirty eggs that are laid slightly above, or just in water, that hatch two to three weeks later.
  • Mossy frogs have become popular amphibians in the pet industry, due to their interesting look and their relatively easy care nature.
Bibliography:
Keeping and Breeding Mossy Frogs (Theloderma Corticale), 2015, Saurian Enterprises, https://saurian.net/froginfo_mossyfrogcare.html
Mossy Frog, n.d, World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, http://www.waza.org/en/zoo/visit-the-zoo/amphibian-house/frogs-and-toads-1254385524/theloderma-corticale
Theloderma Corticale, n.d, The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/summary/59033/0
Theloderma Corticale, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theloderma_corticale

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Potala Palace

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Potala Palace

Potala Palace is quite high up.

  • Potala Palace is a historic Buddhist building located on Red Mountain, Red Hill, or Marpo Ri as it is known, in Tibet’s Lhasa, in Asia.
  • The construction of the Potala Palace began in 1645, taking three years to build the outside structure, and it was completed in the 1690s.
  • Potala Palace was created due to the recommendation of the adviser of the Head of State and fifth Dalai Lama, Lozang Gyatso, and it was suggested that the location would be advantageous for political reasons.
  •  A smaller palace originated on the site of Potala Palace, which was built in the 600s, while sections of the older building are still evident in some parts.
  • The UNESCO World Heritage Convention designated Potala Palace a World Heritage Site in 1994, which was expanded to include other surrounding historical buildings in 2000 and 2001.
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Potala Palace
Image courtesy of Will De Freitas/Flickr
  • Since 2003, numbers of tourists that can enter Potala Palace each day have been limited, so as to reduce damage to the building, however it remains a popular tourist attraction.
  • Potala Palace is split into two differently purposed buildings, or palaces, as they are called – one for general living and one for religious purposes, marked via white and red colours respectively, and known as Potrang Karpo (White Palace) and Potrang Marpo (Red Palace).
  • Potala Palace extends to an area of more than 130,000 square metres (1.4 million square feet) and is 110 metres (161 feet) in height.
  • To prevent destruction caused by earthquakes, the base of Potala Palace is said to have been reinforced with copper during the original construction.
  • The palace, officially ‘Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace’, has been known as ‘Bùdálā Gōng’ in Pinyin, and the name ‘Potala’ is a reference to a sacred mountain in India.
Bibliography:
Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa, 2015, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/707
Potala Palace, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potala_Palace

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Fire-bellied Toad

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Fire-bellied Toad

Be careful about touching a fire-bellied toad… it can ‘burn’ you.

  • Fire-bellied toads, also known as ‘firebelly toads’, are amphibians, and a toad of smaller size, native to central to northern Asia and across Europe.
  • Fire-bellied toads typically grow to be 4 to 7 centimetres (1.6 to 2.8 inches) in length and weigh 20 to 80 grams (0.7 to 2.8 ounces).
  • The scientific name of a fire-bellied toad is Bombina, that is one of two groups in the family Bombinatoridae, and there are eight species in the genus.
  • Depending on the species, the skin of fire-bellied toads contains numerous bumps, and ranges from green, black and brown in colour, while the underside is yellow, red, orange or black, and the bright colour acts as a natural warning that it contains toxins which can be harmful to animals, and can cause a rash in some humans.
  • The diet of fire-bellied toads consists primarily of flies, worms, shrimp, beetles, larvae, spiders and other insects.

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A Fire-bellied Toad
Image courtesy of Flickpicpete/Flickr
  • Unlike most frogs, fire-bellied toads do not produce a croaking sound, but instead a bark, which is used by males to find a mate.
  • Female fire-bellied toads lay around 50 to 300 eggs at a time, laid onto vegetation that is situated above a small body of water, and they develop into tadpoles, and eventually toads, that have an average lifespan of ten to fifteen years.
  • Triangular or heart shaped pupils can be found in the eyes of some fire-bellied toads, and they can arch their backs and flip upside down to show their bright coloured bellies to scare away predators like birds, lizards, foxes and snakes.
  • Some fire-bellied toad species are listed as vulnerable or endangered due to habitat loss, and disease is also a possible cause of the decline in numbers in some species.
  • Fire-bellied toads generally live alone near fresh water ponds and streams, in forest and swamp habitats, and some species are kept as pets.
Bibliography:
Fire-bellied Toad, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/fire-bellied-toad/
Fire-bellied Toad, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire-bellied_toad
Oriental Fire-bellied Toad, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/amphibians/oriental-fire-bellied-toad/

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Slow Worm

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Slow Worm

Do not be fooled! Slow worms are not worms or snakes!

  • Slow worms are lizards, found across Europe and Asia, that do not have legs, and move using body muscles.
  • ‘Slow worms’ are also known as ‘slowworms’, ‘blindworms’ and ‘blind worms’, while the scientific name is Anguis fragilis, from the family Anguidae, a family of lizards.
  • Slow worms are commonly found in urban gardens, as well as grass plains and farming areas, where areas are damp and warm, and they are often hidden under objects.
  • The length of a slow worm typically reaches 20 to 50 centimetres (8 to 20 inches) in length and it can weigh 20 to 100 grams (0.7 to 3.5 ounces).
  • The colour of slow worms is generally a combination of black, grey, brown, tan and yellow, while males are occasionally spotted blue.
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Slow Worm
Image courtesy of Peter O’Conner/Flickr
  • Despite similar appearances, a slow worm can be distinguished from a snake, as the lizard has blinking eyelids; ears that are typical of a lizard; and it discards only portions of its skin at one time.
  • The diet of slow worms consists primarily of insects, worms, spiders, snails and slugs.
  • A slow worm can break off its tail to escape predators like birds, that will regrow to a shorter length, although this escape method is not always effective against other predators such as cats and dogs.
  • Female slow worms produce an average of around 8 young at a time, and the babies form inside eggs in the mother’s body, although they are born live (the process known as ovoviviparity).
  • Slow worms can move at speeds of up to 0.5 kilometres per hour (0.3 miles per hour), and have an average lifespan of 10 to 30 years.
Bibliography:
Angius fragilis, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anguis_fragilis
Slow Worm, 2013, A-Z Aniamls, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/slow-worm/
Slow Worm, n.d, RSPB, http://www.rspb.org.uk/makeahomeforwildlife/wildlifegarden/atoz/s/slowworm.aspx

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Mole

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Mole

Moles are not deaf or blind.

  • Moles are mammals of small size, that have extremely good smelling capabilities, which make up for their poor eyesight; and they are native to Asia, North America, and Europe, excluding Ireland.
  • Moles have the scientific family name Talpidae, a family of digging mammals, that also includes desmans and shrew moles.
  • Moles generally have long claws and feature a second thumb adjacent to its first, that they use to dig numerous tunnels underground.
  • The diet of moles consists mainly of worms, although they also consume mice and insects; and they are preyed on by cats, foxes and owls.
  • Moles have a tail, and typically grow to be 12 to 15 centimetres (4.5 to 6 inches) in length and weigh between 250 to 550 grams (9 to 19 ounces).
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Mole
Image courtesy of free photos/Flickr
  • The fur of moles is thick and short, and is usually coloured a combination of brown, white, black and grey.
  • Moles generally live alone underground in wooded, farmed or grassed areas, and the males are inclined to protect their territory from other males.
  • Due to the haemoglobin proteins that exist in their blood, moles have the unique ability to reuse oxygen and endure significant quantities of carbon dioxide, which allows the mammals to live efficiently underground.
  • The saliva of a mole can paralyse prey, owing to the natural poison it contains, allowing the mammal to collect food to eat at a later time.
  • Moles are considered a pest in many urban communities and farming areas, as they burrow beneath the soil, which can cause damage to the roots of vegetation and crops; while on the surface, the piles of dirt (molehills) that are created from excess soil can destroy grass and plants, and have an unsightly appearance.
Bibliography:
Mole, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/mole/
Mole, n.d, Young People’s Trust for the Environment, https://ypte.org.uk/factsheets/mole/overview
Mole (Animal), 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(animal)

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