Tag Archives: Water

Lake Nakuru

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Lake Nakuru

Lake Nakuru is a blue and pink lake.

  • Lake Nakuru is an alkaline rich lake located in Kenya, Africa, in the East African Rift.
  • Lake Nakuru has been included in Lake Nakuru National Park, since 1961, which supports endangered white rhinoceroses, black rhinoceroses and giraffes.
  • Lake Nakuru covers an approximate area of up to 45 kilometres squared (17 miles squared) and has an approximate depth of 2.3 metres (7.5 feet).
  • Lake Nakuru is popularly known for its abundant attraction of thousands to millions of flamingos, although this number has been diminishing, that feed on the large quantities of blue-green algae growing on the lake.
  • Wildlife surrounding Lake Nakuru , in the national park, include black and white rhinoceroses, giraffes, waterbucks, lions, leopards, baboons, cheetahs, warthogs and pythons, as well as 300 different bird species.

Lake Nakuru, Flamingos, Flying, Alkaline, Soda, Africa, Kenya, National Park, Ten Random Facts

Flamingos on Lake Nakuru
Image courtesy of Andrea Schieber/Flickr

  • During 1951 to 1953, Lake Nakuru was dry, which led to programs of alkaline dust control.
  • Lake Nakuru contains fauna including the salt tolerant fish, Tilapia grahami, clawless otters and hippopotamuses.
  • Lake Nakuru is protected and is surrounded by a fence to deter poachers, and the word ‘nakuru’ is a local Maasai word meaning ‘dust’ or ‘dusty place’.
  • In 2007, Lake Nakuru boasted a tourism count of nearly 347,000 people, which included visits from local Kenyans, as well as visitors from around the world.
  • Lake Nakuru has been in danger of industrial and domestic pollution from nearby Nakuru town situated 4 km (2.5 miles) away, that causes poisonous water and shortage of algae, which has led to large migrations and fatalities of flamingos.
Bibliography:
Lake Nakuru, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nakuru
Lake Nakuru National Park, 2013, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1344/
Parks & Reserves: Lake Nakuru National Park, 2013, Kenyalogy, http://www.kenyalogy.com/eng/parques/nakuru.html

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Emperor Penguin

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Emperor Penguin

Waddle like an emperor penguin.

  • Native to Antarctica, the emperor penguin is an aquatic species of  feathered bird, and is black-headed and black-backed, with a white torso and yellow neck.
  • The scientific name of emperor penguins is Aptenodytes forsteri, and they are from the family of penguins, Spheniscidae.
  • Of all species of penguin alive today, emperor penguins have the greatest height and weight, with up to 122 centimetres (48 inches) and between 22 to 45 kilograms (49 to 99 pounds) respectively.
  • Fish, squid and crustaceans are the main items in an emperor penguin’s diet, while they are preyed on by larger birds, whales and seals, and when breeding, if one emperor penguin out of a twosome becomes the meal of a predator, the egg or chick is deserted and the surviving penguin goes off to find food.
  • Emperor penguins can survive very deep depths of water, up to 535 metres (1,735 feet) or more from the surface, having the capacity to stay under water for at least 20 minutes, and can swim at speeds of up to 9 kph (6 mph).
Emperor Penguin, White, Black, Two, Pair, Antarctica, Cold, Ten Random Facts, National Geographic
Emperor
Image courtesy of National Geographic
  • Emperor penguins have a high density layer of  insulating feathers and fat, strong bones, and can survive on low oxygen levels.
  • Of all the species of penguin, emperor penguins are the only ones with winter as its breeding season, laying one egg every season, in breeding colonies of thousands.
  • Emperor penguins generally live to be 15-20 years old, although only 20% to 30% (approximately) of chicks born, live longer than a year.
  • The first person to discover the emperor penguins was possibly Johann Forster, a naturalist from Germany, in 1773 or 1774, although this is uncertain, however the the scientific name of the penguins is named after him.
  • Emperor penguins generally moult from January to February, typically moulting for a month, shedding their feathers quicker than most birds.
Bibliography:
Emperor Penguin, 2013, Animal Fact Guide, http://www.animalfactguide.com/animal-facts/emperor-penguin/
Emperor Penguin, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Penguin

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Pangong Tso

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Pangong Tso

Is Pangong Tso on your list of ‘things you want to do before you die’?

  • Pangong Tso is a salt-water lake, and is a type of endorheic basin, meaning that it does not have water flowing out of it and usually has a salt pan at the bottom.
  • ‘Pangong Tso’ means “long, narrow, enchanted lake” and it is also known as ‘Pangong Lake’, Banggong Lake’, ‘Banggong Co’ and other various names.
  • Pangong Tso has a length of approximately 134 kilometres (83 miles) and a width (at the widest point) of 5 kilometres (3.1 miles), and on the eastern side the water in the lake is fresh, and it gets more salty as you head west.
  • Pangong Tso is situated in the Himalayas in Asia, and can be found approximately 4,250 metres (13,940 feet) above sea level, mostly in Tibet, China, but partially in India.
  • Pangong Tso is a restricted area, and can only be visited via a permit, which is checked many times at multiple checkpoints.

Pangong Tso Lake, China, India, Basin, Salt water. Mountain, Blue, Sunset, Panorama, ten random facts, flickr

Pangong Tso
Image courtesy of Gopal Vijayaraghavan/Flickr
  • Pangong Tso can only be reached via a rugged and sometimes hazardous mountain road that takes, on average, five hours from Leh.
  • Pangong Tso is best visited between June and September and the required permits are issued only to groups of two or more.
  • Pangong Tso is coloured in multiple shades of blue and green, and beautifully reflects colours that surround it.
  • Pangong Tso is fed by a couple of streams and has some swamp and wetland areas, as well as a ‘bird island’, the highest in the world, where thousands of birds flock to in late spring and summer for breeding purposes.
  • Pangong Tso contains fish in the fresh water side of the lake, and only small aquatic crustaceans in the salty, and as well as the birds, some other wildlife can be seen in the area.
Bibliography:
Pangong Tso, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangong_Tso
Shaikh N, Pangong Tso, 2013, Travel India, http://travel.india.com/destinations/pangong-tso

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Parrotfish

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Parrotfish

Parrotfish do not fly!

  • Parrotfish are mainly found in reefs or coastal areas and include 90 species of fish, that are native to the tropics and sub tropics of the seas around the globe.
  • Parrotfish were previously from the family Scaridae, however, they have been reclassified and now belong to the family Labridae , which is the family of wrasses, and are now known as the sub-family Scarinae.
  • ‘Parrotfish’ are named as such, due to the beak-like mouth the fish have, and are used to chomp on hard objects, especially coral from which they extract algae.
  • Parrotfish can grow to be 30 to 130 centimetres (one to four feet) in length, and have a lifespan of  up to seven years.
  • Usually at night, some parrotfish species encase themselves in a mucus covering, which protects the fish from predators, probably by blocking its odour and acting as an alarm.

Parrotfish, Blue, One, Single, Swim, Sea, Egypt, Fish, Reef, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Parrotfish
Image courtesy of Rob/Flickr
  • Parrotfish diets consist mainly of vegetational matter, usually algae growing on coral, although sometimes other marine animals are eaten.
  • Parrotfish produce up to 90 kilograms (198 pounds) of sand a year, from ground, indigestible coral that exits the fish as sand.
  • It is common for female parrotfish to change gender and become males during their life, and females can lay 100s of floating eggs at a time, that deposit on coral.
  • Parrotfish change colours while growing, often starting dull and becoming bright and colourful, sometimes imitating other fish.
  • The meat of parrotfish is considered a luxury in some countries, and in a few historical cases, it was served only to the king.
Bibliography:
Parrot Fish, 2013, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/fish/parrot-fish/
Parrotfish, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parrotfish

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Alligator Snapping Turtle

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Alligator Snapping Turtle

Do not get caught by the alligator snapping turtle!

  • Alligator snapping turtles are the heaviest freshwater turtles, weighing on average 68 to 80 kilograms (150 to 180 pounds).
  • ‘Alligator snapping turtles’ are also known as ‘alligator snappers’ and are from the family Chelydridae, a family of turtles.
  • The scientific name of alligator snapping turtles is Macrochelys temminckii, named after the zoologist Coenraad Temminck.
  • Alligator snapping turtles are native to the United States in the south-eastern areas, and they live in lakes, rivers and other aquatic habitats.
  • Alligator snapping turtles have heads that are large and heavy, and a ridged-scaled shell that grows to between 40 to 80 centimetres (16 to 32 inches).

Alligator Snapping Turtle, Bench, Alive, Wet, Mouth open, Ten Random Facts, United States, Reptile, Flickr

Alligator Snapper
Image courtesy of Gary J. Wood/ Flickr
  • When ‘hunting’ for food, an alligator snapping turtle lies still and camouflages itself with its mouth open, and the worm shaped part on its tongue attracts its prey.
  • Alligator snapping turtles eat fish and other aquatic animals or shore mammals, and they have strong jaws, and can bite a human finger off.
  • Alligator snapping turtles can live from 20 to 70 years while in captive, and some believe that the turtles can live over 100 years in the wild.
  • Alligator snapping turtles are sometimes kept as pets, but must be kept cautiously as well as being fed and held correctly.
  • Alligator snapping turtles are commonly poached for its exotic meat and shell.
Bibliography:
Alligator Snapping Turtle, 2013, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/reptiles/alligator-snapping-turtle/
Alligator Snapping Turtle, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator_snapping_turtle

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Salt

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Salt

Can you pass the salt, please?

  • ‘Salt’ is also known as ‘table salt’, ‘common salt’, and ‘sodium chloride’, and depending on where it was sourced, ‘rock salt’  or ‘sea salt’.
  • Salt is a chemical mineral that is produced in saltwater lakes, rivers and seas (sea salt), and it can also be found in the sedimentary layers of dried-up lakes, or ‘halite’ as the mineral is called (rock salt), from where it is mined.
  • Salt is made of the elements sodium and chlorine, and when combined they make ‘sodium chloride’ or ‘NaCl’.
  • Salt is an important ingredient in a balanced diet and in human health, although the recommended daily intake is no more than a teaspoonful, or 4 g (0.14 oz), but most people who eat processed food, will consume much more than that each day.
  • Too much salt can increase the risk of heart disease or the risk of stroke, as well as increase blood pressure and can cause other health issues.

Salt, cubic, ground, white, three types, medium, large, Ten Random facts, Seasoning, Australia

  • Salt can be used as a food preserver, and was commonly used for this purpose before refrigerators were invented and before canning became popular.
  • Salt is typically small, white or clear coloured cubes, that may be tinted purple, blue or other colours due to contaminants.
  • In history, salt was a vital commodity, and essential to many communities’ survival, due to the need to preserve food to get through winter and bad seasons, and for this reason it has been used as money, and at one stage, was worth as much as gold.
  • Table salt is a popular addition to processed foods and is a popular seasoning.
  • Out of the total salt production on earth, only 6% is consumed by humans, while 68% is used in manufacturing processes, which includes the making of plastics, detergents and soaps, and numerous other products.

 

Bibliography:
Salt, 2011, Better Health Channel, http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Salt
Salt, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt

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