Chimpanzee / Pan troglodytes

The Chimpanzee

Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives, sharing more than 98 percent of our genetic blueprint. Humans and chimps are also thought to share a common ancestor who lived some four to eight million years ago.

Chimps also known as chimpanzees are found in African rainforests and live in mainly woodland, trees, or grassland. Chimps are generally fruit and plant eaters, but they also consume insects, eggs, and meat, including carrion. They have a tremendously varied diet that includes hundreds of known foods.

These mammals are carnivores and live up to 45 years approx. 

Females can give birth at any time of year, typically to a single infant that clings to its mother's fur and later rides on her back until the age of two. Females reach reproductive age at 13, while males are not considered adults until they are 16 years old.

Size relative to man:

Although chimps and humans are closely related, the apes have suffered much at human hands. These great apes are endangered and still threatened by bush-meat hunters and habitat destruction. These Apes are lovely if you treat them right, don't believe what the government says in the movies such as 'Dawn of the planet of Apes' they are not that vicious, like anything, if you annoy them, they will attack.

Cheetah / Acinonyx jubatus

The Cheetah

Cheetahs are one of the fastest land mammals, in the world, they could easily leave a car in the dust as they can speed from 0-60 miles an hour in only 3 seconds! 

These big cats are quite nimble at high speed and can make quick and sudden turns in pursuit of prey.

This big cat is a daylight hunter that benefits from stealthy movement and a distinctive spotted coat that allows it to blend easily into high, dry grasses.

When the moment is right a cheetah will sprint after its quarry and attempt to knock it down. 

Most wild cheetahs are found in eastern and south-western Africa. Perhaps only 7,000 to 10,000 of these big cats remain, and those are under pressure as the wide-open grasslands they favour are disappearing at the hands of human settlers.

Female cheetahs typically have a litter of three cubs and live with them for one and a half to two years. Young cubs spend their first year learning from their mother and practising hunting techniques with playful games.

These mammals are carnivores and they can live up to 10 to 12 years, their protection status is vulnerable at the moment.

Size relative to man:

Cheetahs eyes are normally, brown, orange or blue.

 

 

Carolina Wren / Thryothorus ludovicianus

Carolina Wrens

The Carolina wren is an adaptable dweller of forestlands, swamps, farms, and tree-filled human communities, they are usually found in pairs, and are very fond of warm weather so stay in southern areas. 

These large wrens feed on insects, larvae, and spiders but also eat berries and fruit. They forage on or near the ground and hop along far more often than they fly. They use their bills to poke about and search for hidden meals and try to remain close to brush in which they can hide.

These birds are mammals and live for 6 years approximately. A single, captive male Carolina wren reportedly sang some 3,000 times in one day.

They are found as far north as the Great Lakes, and warm winters spur them to extend their range northward. However, when colder years arrive, many northern birds are unable to survive and fringe populations plummet.

Size relative to a cup:

Females lay about four eggs and incubate them for two weeks while their mates bring them food. Both parents feed their chicks for an additional two weeks before they gain independence.

The video above is a lovely wren singing.

Caribou / Rangifer tarandus

The Caribou

Caribou, also called reindeer, are found in northern regions of North America, Europe, Asia, and Greenland, as summer approaches, caribou herds head north in one of the world's great large-animal migrations.

During migration, herds of cows (female caribou) leave several weeks before the males, who follow with yearling calves from the previous birthing season.

These beautiful mammals are herbivores and live up to 15 years.

Caribou have large hooves that are useful tools for life in the harsh north-lands. They are big enough to support the animal's bulk on snow and to paddle it efficiently through the water. The hoof's underside is hollowed out like a scoop and used for digging through the snow in search of food. Its sharp edges give the animal good purchase on rocks or ice.

Caribou are the only deer in which male and females both have antlers—though only some females have them. Cows have one calf each year, which can stand after only a few minutes and move on with its mother by the next day!

Size relative to man:

Sadly these creatures are endangered,Caribou are traditionally vital to indigenous northern people throughout much of their range.

 

This 'big' guy is a nasty man, what does he do with the caribou... eat them ?

Canvasback / Aythya valisineria

The Canvasback

Canvasbacks might have been named for the rough texture of their pale backs—or for the canvas bags in which Chesapeake Bay duck carcasses were once shipped to restaurants. 

Canvasbacks are diver ducks well equipped with their own form of flippers—large webbed feet that make them smooth and graceful swimmers. They spend much of their time in the water and use their long bills to feed by digging through bottom sediments in search of aquatic plant stems and roots, or submerged insects, crustaceans, and clams. 

They are omnivores and in a group they are called a flock.

Canvasbacks are traditionally popular with hunters. By the late 1980s and early 1990s their numbers had been dramatically decreased by hunting pressure, lead poisoning from ingestion of lead shot, and the gradual loss of both suitable breeding and wintering habitats.

Size relative to man:

It is most likely that the whiter duck may be the female and the other the male. They are also a little weird as they have red eyes!

Thank you for reading my blog, hope you have all had lovely Easters.

Latest Animal News!

People Acting For The Youth Of Elephants...

School children in Hong Kong are helping to reduce the ivory for poor elephants!

Cane Toad / Bufo marinus

Cane Toad

The much maligned venomous cane toads earned their bad reputation shortly after being released into the Australian ecology in 1935 with the hope that they would control the destructive cane beetle population. They turned out to be failures at controlling beetles, but remarkably successful at reproducing and spreading themselves, this all may sound surreal like a movie but it is true!

About 3,000 cane toads were released in the sugar-cane plantations of north Queensland in 1935. They now number well into the millions, and their still expanding range, they cover hundreds of miles.

Cane toads are large, stocky amphibians with dry, warted skin, they are amphibians and can live for up to 

5-10 years. In a group they are named a knot or a nest. 

they have thrived in Australia because there are few natural predators, they breed easily, and they have abundant food, including pet food, which they steal from feeding bowls left outside of homes.

Cane toad venom is a mix of toxins that primarily affects the functioning of the heart. It is present throughout their bodies and is secreted as a milky liquid from the parotoid glands located over the toad's shoulders.

Humans still die from eating cane toads and their eggs! 

Size relative to a cup:

Note: This frog is not the toad that closes up and rolls, that is the rock toad.

HAPPY EASTER TO EVERYONE!

       

All of the above does look very sweet and how Easter normally looks, but really Easter is about a special sacrifice.... the sacrifice of Jesus.

But Easter is also about new life and new starts, that is why chicks, eggs, rabbits, swans, sheep/lamb, and others are represented as new life because of the new life, and we have just entered spring.

Happy Easter though, this is my favourite picture of the day...

Canada Goose / Branta canadensis

The Canada Goose

Canada goose is one of the best known birds in North America. It is found in every contiguous U.S. state and Canadian province at one time of the year or another.

Canada geese are adaptable to many habitats and may thrive wherever grasses, grains, or berries are available,  Typically, the birds summered in northern North America and flew south when cold weather arrived. This cycle endures, but some northern populations have shortened their flight to traditional wintering grounds in the southern U.S. and Mexico.

 Canada geese have become permanent residents of parks, golf courses, suburban sub-developments, and other human habitats across much of North America, these herbivores live up to 24 years and a normally in flocks with any other birds in the water, such as Moore hens, ducks, sea gulls and others.

They are quite small, they can peck quite hard too if they want to because they have small teeth!

Size relative to man:

Thank you for reading Happy Easter for tomorrow.

California Sea Lion / Zalophus californianus

Californian Sea Lions

Californian Sea lions are very cute, and look just like my Staffordshire bull terrier!

The Californian Sea Lion is the fastest sea lion and they gather on the pacific coast lines of north america, these mammals are carnivores, their life span is for 30 years, When diving deep, California sea lions slow their heart rates to allow them to remain underwater for nearly ten minutes before surfacing to breathe. This ability gives them an edge in the pursuit of the fish, squid, and shellfish that make up their primary diet.

California sea lions may hunt continuously for up to 30 hours, with each dive lasting three to five minutes.

In a group sea lions are called either a colony or a rookery, The sea lion's ancient ancestors, like those of whales and dolphins, lived on land. The modern animal is well adapted to an aquatic environment, with its streamlined body and powerful flippers.

Huge colonies can be seen gathered on seaside rocks, and even on man-made structures, for breeding and for birthing. Males gather harems of females to their sides in competition to sire young pups, which are born on land.

You may see Sea lions in zoo's or in parks such as chesington etc...

Size relative to man:

I think sea lions, (seals) are very loving and lovable creatures.

California Condor / Gymnogyps californianus

The first to come in the letter c is the Californian Condor....

The California Condor 

Like other vultures, condors are scavengers that feast on the carcasses of large mammals, such as cattle and deer. When a big meal is available, the birds may gorge themselves so much that they must rest for several hours before flying again!

condors neared the point of extinction in the late 1970s, when only two or three dozen birds survived. No one is sure exactly what cause or causes contributed most to this decline. Many birds died from poison ingestion and illegal egg collection, and all felt the steady loss of the open lands over which they once soared.

California condors mature and reproduce slowly. 

They don't breed until they are between six and eight years old, and the female lays only one egg every two years. If that egg is removed, however, she will lay a second or a third. With this in mind, scientists began to collect eggs for captive incubation.

Fossil records also show that the birds occupied only a fraction of their former range when Europeans first reached America.

These carnivores live for up to 60 years and they also are endangered as you may have read already.

These birds are very large,

 like this photo below compared to the average man:

Thanks for reading .

C

The third letter in the alphabet is finally here!.. C

 

Butterflyfish / Chaetodontidae

The Butterfly Fish

Butterfly fish are usually found around coral reefs, looking for polyps, worms, and any other small invertebrates.

Butterfly fish, with their amazing array of colours and patterns, are among the most common sites on reefs throughout the world. Although some species are dull-coloured, most wear intricate patterns with striking backgrounds of blue, red, orange, or yellow. 

Many have dark bands across their eyes and round, eye-like dots on their flanks to confuse predators as to which end to strike and in which direction they're likely to flee.

There are about 114 species of butterfly fish. They have thin, disk-shaped bodies that closely resemble their equally recognizable cousins, the angelfish. 

Some butterfly fish species travel in small schools, although many are solitary until they find a partner, with whom they may mate for life.

Butterfly fish are omnivores, At night, butterfly fish settle into dark crevices, and their brilliant colours and markings fade to blend with the reef background!

Size relative to a tea cup:

Burmese Python / Python molurus bivittatus

The Burmese Python

The Burmese python, is a carnivore they can live for 25 years or more, and are threatened though.

Native to the jungles and grassy marshes of South-east Asia, Burmese pythons are among the largest snakes on Earth. They are capable of reaching 23 feet, and can weigh up to 200 pounds, there is one though that holds the world record it is 27 ft and a whopping 403 pound!

Burmese pythons are carnivores, surviving primarily on small mammals and birds. They have poor eyesight, and stalk prey using chemical receptors in their tongues and heat-sensors along the jaws. They kill by constriction, grasping a victim with their sharp teeth, coiling their bodies around the animal, and squeezing until it suffocates, just as the Boa Constrictor does.

They have stretchy ligaments in their jaws that allow them to swallow all their food whole, such as alligators and larger prey.   

Burmese pythons are solitary animals and are generally only seen together during spring mating. Females lay clutches of up to 100 eggs, which they incubate for two to three months. To keep their eggs warm, they continually contract, or shiver, their muscles.

Size relative to average man:

Habitat depletion, continued demand for Burmese pythons in the pet trade, and hunting for their skins and flesh have landed these graceful giants on the threatened species list.

Thanks again for reading 

one of my blog pages  ;)

Bull Shark / Carcharhinus leucas

Bull Shark

Bull sharks are aggressive, common, and usually live near high-population areas like tropical shorelines. They are not bothered by brackish and freshwater, and even venture far inland via rivers and tributaries.

 Bull sharks get their name from their short, blunt snout, as well as their pugnacious disposition and a tendency to head-butt their prey before attacking. They are medium-size sharks, with thick, stout bodies and long pectoral fins. They are grey on top and white below, and the fins have dark tips, particularly on young bull sharks.

Fast, agile predators, they will eat almost anything they see, including fish, dolphins, and even other sharks, humans are not on their list, but they will attack humans if they are in their view.

Bull sharks currently are not threatened or endangered. However, they are fished widely for their meat, hides, and oils, and their numbers are likely shrinking. 

Bull sharks have been found thousands of miles up the Amazon River.

In a group they are named a school or a shoal,they also live up to 16 years.

Size relative to man :

The Shark with no fish friend is a bull shark. :)

Brown Bear / Ursus arctos

The Brown Bear

        

The brown bear, lives for about 25 - 30 years, they are omnivores and are one of the amazing mammals, of Earth. These omnivorous giants tend to be solitary animals, except for females and their cubs.

Brown bears dig dens for winter hibernation, often holing up in a suitable hillside. 

Females, or she-bears, den while pregnant and give birth during this winter rest, usually to a pair of cubs. 

Adult brown bears are powerful, top-of-the-food chain predators, but much of their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruit, leaves, and roots. Bears also eat other animals, from rodents to moose.

The world's largest brown bears are found in coastal British Columbia and Alaska, and on islands such as Kodiak, despite their enormous size, brown bears are extremely fast, having been clocked at speeds of 30 miles per hour, they can be dangerous to humans, particularly if surprised or if a person gets between a mother bear and her cubs.

Size relative to average human:

Their group name is a sloth or a sleuth.

 In fall a brown bear may eat as much as 90 pounds each day, especially before hibernation.

Brachychampsa Montana / Brachychampsa montana

Brachychampsa Montana

This ancient creature is extinct, and is now known as pre-historic, it is related to it's ancestors the alligators. That individual animal lived not so long before the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction that wiped out many of Earth's species some 65 million years ago.

Modern alligators look much the same as their 80-million-year-old ancestors.The first alligator ancestors evolved some 245 million years ago. About 80 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period, crocodilians appeared. This group includes alligatoroids, such as Brachychampsa, as well as their close relatives the crocodiles and caimans.

Many of these ancient animals were survivors of the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction, though no one knows why they lived when so many others perished.

Size thought to be, compared to average man:

There is not much information on this animal, as we were not around in the pre-historic era.

Box Jellyfish / Cubozoa

Box Jelly-Fish

Box jelly fish has the most strongest venom in the world, which contains toxins that attack the heart, nervous system and skin cells, many people are lucky to survive jelly fish attacks.

human victims have been known to go into shock and drown or die of heart failure before even reaching shore. Survivors can experience considerable pain for weeks and often have significant scarring where the tentacles made contact.

Box jellies, also called sea wasps and marine stingers, live primarily in coastal waters off Northern Australia and throughout the Indo-Pacific. They are pale blue and transparent in colour and get their name from the cube-like shape of their bell. Up to 15 tentacles grow from each corner of the bell and can reach 10 feet!

Box jellies are highly advanced among jellyfish. They have developed the ability to move rather than just drift, jetting at up to four knots through the water. They also have eyes grouped in clusters of six on the four sides of their bell, scientists are still unsure of how they see though.

The box jelly fish can live for only less than a year, which is quite good in a sense.

 Sea turtles are unaffected by the sting of the box jellyfish and regularly eat them!

These jelly fish are called a fluther or smack when in a group, they are invertebrates, so are cold blooded and are carnivores.

Jelly fish relative to a 6 ft man:

Bottlenose Dolphin / Tursiops truncatus

Bottle Nose Dolphin

Their intelligence, friendly disposition, and "smiling" faces make dolphins popular in large aquariums and with divers. In the wild, these sleek swimmers can reach speeds of over 18 miles an hour. 

They surface often to breathe, doing so two or three times a minute. Bottle-nose dolphins travel in social groups and communicate with each other by a complex system of squeaks and whistles. 

Schools of dolphins have been known to come to the aid of an injured dolphin and help it to the surface.

Bottle-nose dolphins track their prey through the expert use of echolocation. 

They can make up to 1,000 clicking noises per second. These sounds travel underwater until they encounter objects, then bounce back to their dolphin senders, revealing the location, size, and shape of their target!

Bottle-nose dolphins are found in tropical oceans and other warm waters around the globe. They were once widely hunted for meat and oil (used for lamps and cooking), but today only limited dolphin fishing occurs. 

However, dolphins are threatened by commercial fishing for other species, like tuna, and can become mortally entangled in nets and other fishing equipment. Dolphins eat squid, shrimp and any other bottom of the sea foods.

Dolphins live for 45-50 years, in a group they are called a pod, they are also carnivores so eat only meat.

Size relative to a 6ft man:

Bobcat / Felis rufus

Bob-Cat

The bob cat is named because of its small bobbed tail, some people might get them mixed up with a their cousin the lynx because of their pointed ears.

Bobcats are elusive and nocturnal, so they are rarely spotted by humans. Although they are seldom seen, they roam throughout much of North America and adapt well to such diverse habitats as forests, swamps, deserts, and even suburban areas!

Bobcats, sometimes called wildcats, are roughly twice as big as the average house-cat. They have long legs, large paws, and tufted ears ( like the lynx), Most bobcats are brown or brownish red with a white underbelly and short, black-tipped tail. 

These mammals are very fierce like many other 'big' cats, they can kill prey much larger than them selves, but mainly eat rabbit, birds, mice, squirrels, and other smaller food, a bob-cat has a death blow, which is when they pounce onto their prey, their leap can cover around 10 feet! 

Bobcats are solitary animals. Females choose a secluded den to raise a litter of one to six young kittens, which will remain with their mother for 9 to 12 months. In some areas, bobcats are still trapped for their soft, spotted fur.  

North American populations are believed to be quite large, with perhaps as many as one million cats in the United States alone! The bobcat is the most abundant wildcat in the U.S. and has the greatest range of all native North American cats.

Size relative to the average man:

They can live up to 10 - 12 years.

Boa Constrictor / Boa constrictor

Boa Constrictor

The Boa constrictor is a large carnivorous snake which slowly squeezes its prey to death.

Boa constrictors wear some of the most distinctive markings of all reptiles. Depending on the habitat they are trying to blend into, their bodies can be tan, green, red, or yellow, and display cryptic patterns of jagged lines, ovals, diamonds, and circles.

 Like their anaconda cousins, they are excellent swimmers! who ever thought a snake could swim?

they do prefer to stay on dry land, living primarily in hollow logs and abandoned mammal burrows though, Boa's are found in central south Africa.

Boas will eat almost anything they can catch, including birds, monkeys, and wild pigs. Their jaws can stretch wide to swallow large prey whole. 

This reptile is hunted for their fine, ornate skin and for sale in the exotic pet trade, some boa constrictors are endangered and most have protected status in their range. The boa constrictor can grow to 13 ft/4m.

Some South Americans keep boas in their houses to control rat infestations! Also in a group boa's are named a bed or a knot.

Size relative to a man:

 The boa constrictor lives for 20-30 years.