Tag Archives: Asia

Shilin Stone Forest

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Shilin Stone Forest

Don’t get lost in the Shilin Stone Forest labyrinth.

  • Shilin Stone Forest is a group of natural rock formations located in the province of Yunnan, in China, Asia.
  • ‘Shilin Stone Forest’ is also known as ‘Shilin’ which means ‘stone forest’ in Chinese, ‘Shilin Geopark’, ‘Stone Forest’, and ‘Stone Forest Geopark’.
  • The rocks of Shilin Stone Forest are made of limestone, shaped by constant erosion and weathering.
  • There are thousands of rocks in the Shilin Stone Forest, and the rocks have the appearance of petrified trees or stalagmites.
  • The South China Karst, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, includes the Shilin Stone Forest.
Shilin Stone Forest, China, Rocks, Vegetation, Piers, Ten Random Facts, Flickr
Part of Shilin Stone Forest
Image courtesy of Paul Arps/Flickr
  • Shilin Stone Forest sits on an area covering approximately 350 square kilometres (140 square miles), and it is a highly popular tourist attraction, with various accommodation options nearby.
  • Seven main parts make up Shilin Stone Forest, including the Greater and Lesser sections, and areas that contain caves and lakes, such as Zhiyun Cave and Lake Chang.
  • According to native folklore, the area of Shilin Stone Forest is the location of where a Yi woman, called Ashima, was born, who is said to have turned to stone when she failed to received permission to marry her true love.
  • Strange shaped rocks that resemble elephants, lions, and other forms can be found throughout Shilin Stone Forest.
  • The tallest formation of Shilin Stone Forest reaches 30 metres (98 feet) in height.
Bibliography:
Cool Karst at China’s Shilin Stone Forest: 270 Million Year Old Natural Wonder [35 PICS], 2013, Love These Pics, http://www.lovethesepics.com/2013/06/cool-karst-at-chinas-shilin-stone-forest-270-million-year-old-natural-wonder-35-pics/
Stone Forest, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Forest
Stone Forest Geopark, n.d, Global Network of National Geoparks, http://www.globalgeopark.org/aboutGGN/list/China/6414.htm

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Old World Vultures

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Old World Vultures

Old World vultures are necessary parts of many ecosystems.

  • Old World vultures are large birds native to Africa, Europe and Asia, classified by two subfamilies, Gypaetinae and Aegypiinae.
  • Old World vultures are from the family Accipitridae, the family of hooked-beak birds, while New World vultures belong to a different family.
  • The diet of Old World vultures consists primarily of meat that they extract from the bodies of dead animals and people.
  • The heads of many of the Old World vultures are generally featherless, which is said to help prevent overheating.
  • Livestock may be treated with chemicals, that can render meat for Old World vultures poisonous, and has caused the destruction of many populations of the birds, although the birds are generally not affected by animal diseases and bacteria.
Old World Vulture, Cape Griffon Vulture (Gyps coprotheres), Ten Random Facts, Bird, White, Perch, Feather, Black
Old World Vulture
Image courtesy of Heather Paul/Flickr
  • Old World vultures range from 60 to 150 centimetres (2 to 5 feet) in height, generally weigh between 0.85 to 2.2 kilograms (2 to 5 pounds), and typically have a wingspan that spreads 130 to 183 centimetres (51 to 72 inches) wide.
  • Old World vultures have feathers that are typically coloured black, brown, white, grey or tan, or a combination of these colours.
  • Old World vultures have superb eyesight, and they can turn red in the head when they are not happy about something.
  • Snakes, hawks and wild cats prey on Old World vultures, and the birds commonly play dead when they feel vulnerable.
  • People from Old World vulture’s native countries benefit from the bird, as they clean up rotting carcasses, that would otherwise spread disease and cause other health problems.
Bibliography:
Old World Vultures, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_World_vulture
Vulture, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/vulture/
Vulture, 2015, San Diego Zoo, http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/vulture

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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.
Mongoose, Red, Animal, Mammal, Orange, Ten Random Facts, Turn, Back, Yellow, Paddock, Europe
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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Common Barbel

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Common Barbel

Don’t get a common barbel in your face.

  • Common barbels are a species of smaller-sized fish mainly native to various countries in Europe.
  • The scientific name of a common barbel is Barbus barbus, and it is from the family Cyprinidae, the family of carps and minnows.
  • ‘Common barbels’ are also known as ‘barbels’, the broad name of the genus; and ‘pigfish’, from an English legend.
  • Common barbels inhabit freshwater locations such as rivers and lakes, and they are generally found in the water, close to the stony ground.
  • Common barbels grow to be 10 to 120 centimetres (4 to 47 inches) in length and weigh 1 to 12 kilograms (2 to 26 pounds).
Common Barbel, Green, Yellow, Tank, Pebble, Ten Random Facts, Fish, Animal, Barbus
Common Barbel
Image courtesy of robposse/Flickr
  • The diet of common barbels consists primarily of fish, algae, larvae of insects and crustaceans.
  • The number of eggs produced by common barbels at one time is said to be in the thousands, for every kilogram of fish weight, due to the large quantity that are initially eaten by other water creatures.
  • Common barbels have a lifespan of up to 15 years, and they are commonly fished for sport, commercially grown for food, and used in the pet industry.
  • Common barbels can feature numerous small black spots, and they are generally coloured mainly brown or grey, with the addition of silver, white, and pink colours.
  • Although classified as least concerned, both pollution and habitat loss threaten some common barbel populations.
Bibliography:
Barb, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/barb/
Barbus barbus, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbus_barbus
Barbus barbus, 2015, IUCN Red List, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/summary/2561/0
Binohlan C, Barbus barbus, n.d, Fish Base, http://www.fishbase.org/summary/4472

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Indian Hawthorn

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Indian Hawthorn

Are Indian hawthorns welcome, or weeds?

  • Indian hawthorns are evergreen flowering plants that are native to China and a number of countries in south east Asia.
  • The scientific name of an Indian hawthorn plant is Rhaphiolepis indica, that comes from the family Rosaceae, the family of roses.
  • ‘Indian hawthorns’ are also known as ‘India hawthorns’ and ‘cherry laurels’, and they grow well in subtropical areas.
  • Indian hawthorns can grow to be 0.6 to 4.5 metres (2 to 15 feet) in height, although the average is around 2 metres (6.5 feet).
  • Indian hawthorns have small, pink to white coloured flowers that are seen most often in spring and summer, with five petals and many stamens in the centre, as well as a sweet fragrance.

Indian Hawthorn, Flower, Plant, White, Red, Pink, Ten Random Facts, Flickr, Australia

  • Indian hawthorns are commonly used for decorative purposes in the garden, and they are suitable to use as hedges, and can be grown as bonsai.
  • The leaves of Indian hawthorn plants are generally dark green, glossy and thick, with serrated edges.
  • The best conditions for growing Indian hawthorns is full sun; and unfortunately they have become a weed in some areas due to their ability to grown readily from seed.
  • As the plant is quite robust, an Indian hawthorn plant is not bothered by salt, thus it can be grown on the coast, and it is also frost resistant.
  • After flowering, small black to purple, roughly spherical berries form, that are between 5 and 10 mm (0.2 and 0.4 inches) in diameter, that are said to be useful for making jam.
Bibliography:
Indian Hawthorn, 2011, Weeds of Australia, http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/03030800-0b07-490a-8d04-0605030c0f01/media/Html/Rhaphiolepis_indica.htm
Indian Hawthorns – Qantas, 2014, Burke’s Backyard, http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/fact-sheets/in-the-garden/flowering-plants-shrubs/indian-hawthorn-qantas-amazing-australia/#.VPwDZIuUd8E
Raphiolepis Indica, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhaphiolepis_indica

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Sundarbans

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Sundarbans

Large forests like Sundarbans are perfect places to hide.

  • Sundarbans, in Asia, is the world’s biggest connected mangrove forest, and 40% of the forest is in India, while the other 60% can be found in Bangladesh.
  • The area of Sundarbans sits in the Bay of Bengal and covers 10,000 square kilometres (3900 square kilometres).
  • Four parts of Sundarbans are individually protected, as a National Park in India, and as a South, East and West Wildlife Sanctuary in Bangladesh, and the area as a whole, has been reserved since 1878.
  • When translated from the Bengali term ‘Shundorbôn’, ‘Sundarbans’ has the meaning ‘beautiful forest’.
  • Civilisations have lived among the Sundarbans since the third century, and the area was also a common hideout for criminals.
Sundarbans
Part of the Sundarbans
Image courtesy of Marufish/Flickr
  • Sundarbans is the home to hundreds of waterways that connect to nearly every part of the forest, allowing the vast majority of areas to be accessible by water transport.
  • The UNESCO World Heritage Convention declared part of the Sundarbans as a World Heritage Site in 1997, and the area contains numerous threatened or endangered species.
  • Sundarbans is the home to almost 50 species of mammals, including the Royal Bengal Tiger, nearly 60 reptile species, over 300 species of birds and more than 300 plant species.
  • Up to 50 people suffer fatalities from tiger attacks in Sundarbans annually, although there has been active measures to reduce this number, including releasing livestock into the area, to provide an alternative meal for the tigers.
  • In late 2014, an oil-liner sunk in the Sundarbans area, spilling 358,000 litres (95,000 gallons) of oil, and the spill further threatened already threatened species in the area.
Bibliography:
The Sundarbans, 2015, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/798
Sundarbans, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundarbans

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