About Wild Animals

How is a flamingo is able to standing on one leg?

2016-06-17T18:12:00.001+03:00

Standing on one leg

The flamingo’s neck and legs are, in proportion, the longest of any bird’s. The flamingo may stand over six feet [1.8 m] tall.

Its stilt-like legs are suited to life in shallow, salty lakes. It even rests while standing in the water, safe from predators, and in the unlikeliest of positions—standing on one leg!

Experts say that a flamingo stands on one leg in order to rest the other.

A special tendon enables the bird to lock the leg rigidly in place, like a pole.

A superb sense of balance helps too.

Flamingo Beauty

And a single flamingo is a beauty, from head to foot.

Consider the beak, an oblong, lidded box, turned down at the end so that it is parallel to the bottom of the pond as the head sweeps back and forth searching for food in the shallow water.

Inside, the beak is lined with bristles that keep larger objects out while trapping small, edible bits of algae and such, as the tongue pumps water in and out.

Only whales feed similarly, filtering tiny shrimps through their baleen.

A flaming bird!

That is how the ancient Greeks described the phoenix, a mythical bird that ended its life in flames and later emerged from the ashes.

Centuries ago, the name of the phoenix was transferred to a real bird, the flamingo. It lives up to the name better than a legend ever could.

A flock on the wing is a sight beyond the spectacular—a whirring, honking, “fire storm” of pink.

Meet a frog whose stomach functions as a womb

2016-06-10T09:07:00.000+03:00

Gastric brooding frog

The Australian gastric brooding frog that incubates its eggs in its stomach is thought to be extinct from the 80's.

The frog has been of scientific interest because its eggs, incubated in its stomach, are “apparently unharmed by digestive juices."

After swallowing fertilized eggs, the young frogs emerged from the mothers mouth after brooding in the mothers stomach for about six weeks.

To prevent her from digesting her young, somehow the stomach stops producing digestive acids and enzymes.

Also during that period she does not eating anything.

As the young frogs grow in the mothers stomach they stretch the stomach to a point where they completely flattened the mothers lung.

Hence, the mother is now forced to breathe through her skin.

Scientists conclude that “something must inhibit the destructive effect of the hydrochloric acid and other enzymes in the frog’s digestive system,” and that such could be valuable in the treatment of human ulcers.

Because of the many benefits that can be derived from learning about the Australian gastric brooding frog, some scientists have teamed up to try to bring this frog back from extinction.

Please watch the video( The gastric-brooding frog:how to bring a species back from the dead) below to learn more about their efforts:

Can the African elephant be tamed?

2016-06-08T13:32:00.001+03:00

Training African Elephants

Asian elephants have been used for centuries as work animals. Their larger African cousins, however, have been thought to be too aggressive to tame.

But at least there are some experiments that have enjoyed apparent success.

African elephants are being used in the Imire game reserve of Zimbabwe to plow fields and to carry rangers into hard-to-reach areas.

The training method used is called “love and reward.”

A reporter for an African newspaper watched an elephant named Nyasha plow a field, with a laborer, Muchemwa, riding on its back.

“Every now and then,” the reporter explained, “he stretched his trunk back and Muchemwa popped a high-protein game cube into it.”

The report continued:

Nyasha and the six other trained elephants at Imire will be used to prepare fields before the next rains for crops such as maize, which will be used to feed them and the other animals on the farm.”

Another example is the touching relationship between three African elephants and an American named Randall Moore.

The elephants were part of a group of calves captured in South Africa’s Kruger National Park and shipped to the United States. In time they were trained for a circus act and performed well.

When their owner died, Moore was given the trio and returned them to Africa.

The two females, named Owalla and Durga, were introduced to the Pilanesberg Reserve of Bophuthatswana.

At the time the park had a number of orphaned elephant calves who were in bad shape and needed supervision by adult females.

Would circus-trained Owalla and Durga be able to take on this role?

After a year, Moore received reports that his elephants had adopted all 14 orphans and that more orphans were to be introduced to the park.

After a four-year absence, Moore returned to see for himself.

Anticipating a long search in the Pilanesberg Mountains, he was surprised, soon after his arrival, to spot Owalla and Durga among a large herd. “My first, unprofessional impulse,” he wrote in Back to Africa, “was to run up to them, embrace them and lavish them with praise. I replaced that urge with a more rational approach.”

First, Owalla and Durga had to be certain of the presence of their old friend.

They inspected his outstretched hand with their trunks. “Owalla,” writes Moore, “towered above me as if awaiting the next command."

The remainder of the herd in frozen posture clustered around. I obliged. ‘Owalla . . . Trunk UP and FOOT!’

Owalla immediately lifted her front foot high into the air and curled her trunk skyward in the classic salute position of those far-off circus days.

Who was it who first said that an elephant never forgets?”

Three years later, Owalla’s memory was given another test.

This time Moore decided to try something he had not done since introducing the elephants to the park seven years previously.

Owalla obeyed his command to stretch down and allowed him to climb on her back.

Television viewers were thrilled to see him ride her amid more than 30 wild elephants.

“I did this,” Moore explained, “not as a publicity act but because I was curious to know the amount of bonding and intelligence possible with an African elephant.”

The Pilanesberg orphans thrived under the intelligent care of Owalla and Durga.

True, the instances of friendship between human and African elephant today are not the rule; they take careful cultivation.

It would be foolhardy indeed for the average person to venture into the wild and try to tame a wild elephant.

Why the Panda is a sad and private clown?

2016-06-07T00:27:00.000+03:00

Its face is white, but its eyes are set in two black patches slanted at a peculiar angle that gives it a soulful look.

This, plus a shiny black nose, reminds one of a sad clown.

Two round black ears rise from the surrounding white fur to complete a fascinating face—the face of the giant panda.

It is a private animal, living a solitary life in the high mountains of southwest China and eastern Tibet.

In fact, only during the mating period do a male and a female live together.

When it is time for a baby to be born, the female finds a hollow tree in which to bear and nurse her cub.

In the winter the giant panda moves down the mountainsides, below 8,500 feet where food is more plentiful.

But in summer it climbs above 9,000 feet, where it is cool, and sweet Chinacane bamboo is abundant.

Its appetite is enormous, a single panda devouring 22 to 44 pounds a day to sustain its 200- to 300-pound body.

After eating, it has an after-dinner drink of water—not from a stream, but from a hole it digs right beside the stream.

It may make and drink from several of these private water holes before its thirst is quenched.

You may have to depend on a zoo to see the soulful-looking pandas, but Tibetan peasants who live in the Baishui River Nature Preserve have them as neighbors.

The Tibetans call them the “white bears.” Sometimes they wander into the cornfields for a snack, but the peasants merely shout to drive them away.

Once in a while a panda slips into a peasant’s cottage to filch some food, but the peasant is likely to smile and say, “Welcome to my home for dinner, white bear.”

Peasants have been known to care for lost cubs, feeding them the tenderest shoots of bamboo until they are able to fend for themselves.

Conserving the Panda

Since the Chinacane bamboo is the regular diet of giant pandas, a disaster can occur when, after a cycle of several decades, the bamboos suddenly die off en masse.

When Tibetans report the matter, rescue teams are usually sent out to search for starving pandas.

The teams bring the pandas to a collecting post, where they are fed maize or rice mixed with sweet potatoes.

Team members even scale mountains to find any remaining bamboo shoots.

Old and weak pandas are given a broth of Chinese medicinal herbs to aid in their recovery.

Recently giant pandas have appeared in places where they have not been seen for years.

But their numbers in the wild are just under 1,000, and there is growing concern for their survival.

Hopefully, however, the “white bears” will increase.

It would be sad indeed if these animals with the soulful look were to disappear from the earth.

Meet nudibranch the most beautiful snails in the world.

2016-06-01T15:19:00.000+03:00

What do you think of when someone mentions the word “snail” or “slug”?

Most of us think of some slimy, slippery animal that isn’t the least bit pretty, fascinating, or appealing.

Beneath the surface of the sea, however, lives a type of sea slug, a snail like animal, that is so beautiful and colorful that it has been called the butterfly of the seas.

Although most of these creatures are shell-less, they are in the mollusk family, which includes seashells.

What is it? It’s a nudibranch (pronounced nōōdē-brank).

Nudibranch

The nudibranch was given its name because it is a mollusk without a shell and, therefore, its gills are exposed. Its name means, literally, “naked gills.”

Marine biologists are still learning about nudibranchs, but over 3,000 species have been found and most of them identified.

They range in length from 1/8 inch [0.3 cm] to more than 12 inches [30 cm] and are among the most vividly colored animals in the sea, possessing vibrant orange, blue, purple, yellow, and red pigments.

Even the masses of eggs of some of these creatures are beautiful in color and design.

Their eggs are laid in ribbons arranged in various shapes, which have an appearance much like the ribbon you might use to decorate a gift.

These “ribbons” are laid on edge and are formed into a large egg mass resembling a beautiful flower.

What keeps such a delicate-looking morsel from being nibbled on and eaten by fish and other predators?

The egg case contains a substance that makes them very distasteful to predators, thereby protecting the eggs until they develop into planktonic larvae.

Adult nudibranchs not only are delicate and highly visible but are slow-moving and soft, a seeming paradox in the often severe, harsh, and hostile environment of the ocean—so much so that one marine biologist said, “They amaze and astound simply because they are.”

Yes, it is amazing that they can continue to exist in their environment—particularly that such an appetizing-to-look-at morsel keeps from being eaten by the fish that are attracted by its bright colors and often fluttering appearance.

Many of the soft-bodied nudibranchs are uniquely designed to graze on sea anemones and their relatives the hydroids.

These organisms upon which they feed have stinging cells in their tentacles to stun their prey and to act as a protection against most predators.

The nudibranch, however, is immune to their sting, and when one of these sea slugs eats the stinging structures responsible for the venomous sting of the anemone or hydroid, its remarkably designed digestive system passes some of these poisonous organisms on to other parts of its body to become a defense against marauders who might like to make a meal of Mr. Nudibranch.

Other nudibranchs protect themselves by secreting mucus that smells unpleasant to man and perhaps makes them unappetizing to fish and other predators.

One species, the sea lemon, has a specialized gland that emits a slimy, sour secretion containing sulfuric acid as a defense against predators.

Fish have been observed to grab a nudibranch, only to spit it out in “disgust.”

Observation of this behavior has led scientists to conclude that the association of bright color and repugnant taste and/or a stung mouth produces a learned response that makes the brightly colored sea slug an invitation to an unpalatable meal.

A powerful defense mechanism indeed!

Some nudibranchs enjoy still another defense mechanism; they can swim and are thus able to get away from possible danger of an obstinate foe.

Others are able to cast off parts of their bodies when under attack and get away. Later, these parts are regenerated.

When observing the delicate beauty of the nudibranch in its ocean environment and learning a little about its means of continued existence,

Kudu- An animal with massive curly horns

2016-05-25T15:34:00.000+03:00

Oh, how beautifully the early morning light illuminates the male kudus!

He is a handsome ram of rich gray color. His body is banded with 13 or 14 narrow white vertical stripes.

A conspicuous white patch adorns his throat, and a white bar his lower neck.

The white chevron between his velvety eyes and the white area around his mouth give character to his dark face.

A cool morning breeze gently ripples the short white mane running down his neck, shoulders, and back.

His head is crowned with two triple-twisted horns that gracefully spiral upward and outward.
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Infancy and Territoriality

When a baby kudu is born, its mother will immediately lick it clean so that it will have no scent by which predators may track it.

Then, when the mother goes off to feed, the infant antelope will obediently stay put, lying quietly where its mother has placed it.

The mother will regularly give her baby a “licking” bath to keep it deodorized and thus protected from predators.

But on about the tenth day, when her baby begins nibbling plants, it develops body odor.

Since its specialized protection from detection is then lost, from that time on, it accompanies its mother everywhere.

A conspicuous kudu characteristic is that of establishing territory boundaries.

This is the choosing and defending of a particular patch of ground by the males of the species.

In claiming an area, the male marks the boundary by depositing its body excretions on grass and bushes.

Then he defends his area by chasing out any male intruder that crosses these scented territorial boundaries.

What about female intruders? Why, they are not intruders!

They are guests who are welcome to stay. In fact, they may be pressured into doing so!

Evidence of Intelligence

The instinctive behavior of marking off territorial boundaries keeps herds well dispersed and protects against overgrazing.

Thus, browsing kudu are assured of an uninterrupted supply of the leafy bushes they relish. But what happens when a drought occurs?

Conservationist Daphne Sheldrick explains:

When times are hard, however, and food and water scarce, Nature introduces a radical measure which is the exact opposite of territoriality . . . , and that is Migration. Territoriality inclines toward separation and a readiness to fight and mate; migration inhibits both these basic instincts as the need for closer cohesion increases. Survival becomes the paramount concern of all, and so males and females come together . . . in peaceful mixed association. And then, one day, as though by Divine Command, they will vacate an area en masse and a general exodus takes place.”

Yes, off they go, seeking new feeding grounds where foliage is abundant!

This is how the peaceful kudu survives in the wilds of Africa.

Its protection is the instinctive ability to stand motionless and blend in with its surroundings.

No wonder the kudu is so elusive! Its life depends on it.

Why the rhino is not a bad-tempered animal?

2016-05-24T00:25:00.000+03:00

Attacks for defense only

While the rhino’s sense of smell is acute and his hearing is good, he has difficulty in distinguishing a human beyond about twenty-five yards.

And if he catches sight of movement at that range, he will feel too close to danger for comfort and he may charge.

Rather than this rhino being a bad-tempered animal, some naturalists say that it is more likely fear that motivates the attack and that the charge is actually defensive rather than aggressive.

Nevertheless, three thousand pounds of rhino, galvanized into action, charging at twenty-five to thirty-five miles per hour makes a formidable foe.

A locomotive was once derailed by one of these huge rhino.

Usually the rhino is happy to be left alone.

Rhino's habitat

Apart from giving relief from heat, the mud serves another purpose.

A coating of mud will cause the ticks, small blood-eating parasites, to loosen their hold on the rhino’s skin.

The rhino then rubs them off along with the mud, against a stone or tree stump.

The wallow, in turn, becomes deeper and deeper as the rhino uses it, and it eventually becomes a semi-permanent waterhole, providing water in the dry season for many other animals.

The bull rhino seeks to establish a territory of his own, an area of perhaps 500 acres.

He has various ways of marking this territory as his, and he will defend it against challengers.

One way he marks his territory is by finding a small bush; then, holding each back leg stiff in turn, he will drag them over the bush, breaking it down.

After this he urinates in a fine spray so that the whole bush is scented.

Now any visiting rhino that comes upon such a bush will know immediately that he is in someone’s territory.

But how will the bull know who has visited his territory?

It is the practice of the bull to establish middens or heaps of dung.

Any visiting rhino will use the middens and so leave evidence of his presence.

The territorial bull makes his round of the middens, from the scent gaining knowledge as to who has visited his territory; whether they were cows or bulls, neighbors or strangers.

The dung in the midden is scattered by a kicking action of the back legs on the part of the territory owner so that the visitor’s slate is wiped clean before the next round of inspection.

Rhino feeding habits

To get its dinner it often uses its front horn (sometimes as long as three and a half feet) to uproot and overturn bushes and small trees.

When you observe a rhino feeding from the acacia thorn tree. You will notice the way his hooked lip reaches around the twigs to strip them of leaves.

It acts almost like a finger. Certainly his mouth was made ideally for feeding in that manner.

Usually the bird that sits on a rhino’s back is an ox-pecker, and it feeds upon the parasites found on the skin and in the ears of its host.

This alert birds fly's off making a loud noise at the appearance of danger, so sounding a warning to the rhino.

Many, indeed, are the interesting features of these huge horned animals, now declining in numbers.

Surely their lives should mean more than the inflated value of their horns.

What a pity that humans, activated by ignorance, fails to see the true value of this earth and the wonderful creatures upon it.

Oxpecker bird makes friends with large wild animals

2016-05-22T01:15:00.000+03:00

SHAKESPEARE wrote, “Nature teaches beasts to know their friends.”

And, indeed, there are many beneficial partnerships in the animal world.

One of these involves the oxpecker bird, a resident of wild game parks.

Approximately eight inches [20 cm] long, this bird is endowed with a broad, thickened yellow or red beak, short legs, and powerful claws.

It is usually found sitting atop large game animals like hippos and on domestic cattle. Why?

The oxpecker is busy exploring every crevice and wrinkle in their hides, seeking to rid its hosts of harmful ticks.

Its work, however, is not without recompense, for these ticks are the oxpecker’s chief food source.

Both man and beast benefit from the oxpecker’s services.

Ornithologist Oliver Austin, Jr., notes:

Bushmen and primitive farmers value [oxpeckers] for ridding their cattle of ticks.”

To African game hunters, though, oxpeckers are a nuisance. How so?

Imagine a hunter stealthily closing within striking distance of his quarry. Suddenly, up flies the vigilant sentinel—the oxpecker bird!

With clamorous, agitating cries, the oxpecker now alerts its partner that danger is near. Away flees the game!

Deer— An animal that portrays love and beauty

2016-05-21T21:55:00.000+03:00

The deer is an animal that portrays love and beauty. Large, lovely eyes peer from the sides of the creature’s head.

The short, shiny hair lies flat and, therefore, contributes to the deer’s streamlined appearance.

Whether standing motionless, running or jumping, this slim, long-legged creature never looks awkward or out of place.

Beautiful deer antlers

The antlers are definitely a distinguishing feature of deer.

Usually only the males or stags have them.

But in the case of reindeer and caribou, antlers crown the heads of both the male and the female.

By contrast, Chinese water deer and the Asiatic musk deer have none.

Unlike horns, which are actually hard layers of skin, antlers are bones.

Deer inhabiting the temperate zones shed them in the winter and, in the early summer, begin to grow new ones.

As for deer in tropical areas, antlers may be shed and new ones start growing at other times of the year.

New antlers are soft and covered with thin skin, from which short, fine hair grows. This skin, with its fine hair, is known as “velvet.”

Eventually blood stops circulating through the skin covering the antlers.

When this occurs the skin dries up and the deer scrapes it off on the ground or against trees or shrubs.

The younger the stag, the shorter and smaller will be the antlers. The animal may grow its first set of antlers at the age of one or two years.

Just what purpose do antlers serve?

Many naturalists believe that they are mainly used in fighting for mates and also play a role in establishing the stag’s rank.

It should be noted, however, that stags lacking antlers have no problem in being recognized by their juniors as occupying a superior rank.

There are also indications that in serious battles the antlers play an insignificant part. So there may well be other reasons for the deer’s antlers.

Commenting on a current theory, The International Wildlife Encyclopedia states:

Observations on red deer show that they appear to suffer from heat in the summer. They are active at night and spend a considerable time wallowing. Stonehouse’s theory is that the antlers act as radiators in the summer as the velvet is richly supplied with blood vessels and measurements show that the temperature of the antler surface rises when the stags are active. During the summer when the stags are feeding they lay down a thick layer of fat, so some means of getting rid of heat is needed. Hinds do not need such radiators as sufficient energy is expended by the developing foetus and whilst suckling. Antlers are awkwardly shaped for either fighting or signalling so this theory seems to offer a more reasonable explanation of their function, with the antlers being used secondarily for fighting and signalling.”

Jumping and running ability

The jumping ability and swiftness of deer are most remarkable. Strong muscles in the upper part of the deer’s legs enable it to make tremendous leaps and to run quickly.

A mule deer may cover the distance of twenty-five feet (7.6 meters) in one great bound.

This deer can also jump to a height of about eight feet (2.4 meters) and run at a rate of thirty-five miles (56 kilometers) an hour.

White-tailed deer have been known to jump forty feet (12 meters), and the maximum long jump is thought to be even greater.

Why whales make explosive jumps out of water?

2016-05-21T07:26:00.000+03:00

The ocean surface is smooth and tranquil. Suddenly, there is an explosion of water and spray!

A 40-ton black beast makes what appears to be an abortive launch into flight.

The creature falters for a moment at the peak of its upward thrust.

Then, with a resounding crash, it disappears below the surface of the water.

For those who witness this, the impression left on them is lasting.

They have privileged to witness one of the largest of earth’s creatures, the whale, rear itself above the water to catch a breath of air.

For many hundreds of years man has marveled at the whale, believing at one time that its appearances near coasts or on shores were portents heralding great events.

While to a great extent superstitions concerning the whale have disappeared, awe and amazement have not.

A closer look at this giant’s form and habits will show why.

What Is a Whale?

A whale is not a fish, but a mammal that is warm-blooded.

It breathes air, suckles its young and even has some of the external hairs so characteristic of mammals.

However, the only time a whale breaks the water’s surface is to exhale a blast of steamy breath, known as the blow, and to inhale more life-sustaining air.

Unlike other marine mammals, whales cannot lounge around shorelines.

For some of the ‘great whales’ to be beached even temporarily means certain death.

Without water to support such a huge bulk, their ribs collapse and death occurs by suffocation.

Whales are divided into two basic groups, the baleen whales (with whalebones, rather than teeth) and the toothed whales.

Perhaps the best known of the baleen group is the giant blue whale, spanning a length of some 100 feet (30 m) and weighing up to 134 tons.

Says the book Whales, by E. J. Slijper, that weight is equivalent to four brontosaurs or 30 elephants, or 200 cows, or 1,600 men!

Certainly this monarch of the deep is the largest creature, living or dead, ever known to move upon planet Earth.

The baleen or whalebone itself is a horny growth, edged with frayed bristles that hang from the whale’s upper jaw.

It is made of a substance similar to our own hair and nails and is constantly growing and being worn away.

A row of these long tapered baleen plates on each side of the mouth creates a large sieve that separates plankton, a major part of the diet for this type of whale, from tremendous quantities of water.

On the other hand, toothed whales are not equipped to catch the tiny plankton.

Instead, they prey primarily on fish, squid and other seagoing mammals.

Toothed whales range in size from the four-foot (1.2-m) long porpoise through the well-known dolphins and killer whales right up to the 60-foot (18-m) long sperm whale.

Amazing Abilities

At first it appeared that the whale’s ability as a swimmer ran counter to physical law.

How can such a huge creature plow through the ocean at speeds rivaling a nuclear-powered submarine?

Investigations have shown that, unlike the rigid submarine, a whale’s body is flexible.

A layer of blubber thwarts friction and reduces turbulence to a minimum.

Another endowment of the whale is its ability to produce an array of noises ranging from creaks and squeaks to chirps and shrill whistles.

Use of these sounds appear to be twofold: they help to keep the family groups, known as pods, together, and also are a form of sonar, enabling the whale to locate food and “see” in the dark.

Whaling

The gigantic bodies of whales have long been viewed as enormous bags of “goodies.”

Originally people sought the flesh as food and the blubber for oil.

Nowadays people produce from whale carcasses such things as automatic transmission fluid, candles, fertilizer and, yes, even lipstick.

Will the Whale Survive?

What will be the whale’s future? Will it become extinct?

Some efforts have been made to ensure the survival of whales. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is a voluntary body made up of representatives of 17 whaling nations.

Since 1946 the Commission has placed bans and quotas on catching various species.

But its effectiveness and true loyalties have come under fire from conservation groups.

Whether efforts to preserve the whale population will succeed remains to be seen.

Pigeon - A bird that calls cities and streets home

2016-05-17T21:28:00.000+03:00

You may have walked down the street of a large metropolitan city or visited a park and observed a flock of pigeons. Some may even have held a meeting on your roof."

Doubtless you noticed that they were quite fearless, possibly even eating from someone’s hand or at a very nearby feeding station.

But something else you may also have noticed—the mess these creatures produce on statuary, sidewalks and private homes

So you may wonder, Why would anyone want to have these birds around? And why would anyone ever want to raise pigeons? Beautiful, graceful—perhaps but, oh, so dirty!

There is evidence that for thousands of years the Chinese employed pigeons for liaison purposes. Akbar, a ruler of India in the sixteenth century C.E., reportedly had about 20,000 pigeons.

Today, thousands of people breed pigeons for their beauty, humorous antics, for racing or for food.

Young pigeons are marketed when they weigh from 12 to 24 ounces (340 to 680 grams).

Pigeons as Homemakers

Part of the interest in pigeons lies in the exemplary cooperation of male and female. At about four to six months of age the cock and hen mate, usually for life.

Together they start to build a nest and take turns sitting on it.

After the two eggs are laid, the female incubates them throughout the night, continuing until about 9:30 a.m. Next the cock takes his turn, completing his incubation duty about 2:00 p.m.

After about eighteen and a half days the newly hatched pigeons, known as squabs, emerge to be fed by both parents.

Both hen and cock produce in their crops “pigeon milk,” a nutritious substance that is regurgitated and passed mouth to mouth from the parents to the babies.

“Milk” feeding continues for about two weeks and then the squabs’ diet becomes the same as that of the parents.

Kinds of Pigeons and their uses

There are hundreds of pigeon breeds. Of special interest to us here are the following three categories:

(1) racing homers, (2) performing pigeons and (3) fancy pigeons.

As the name implies, the racing homer is bred to use its instinct to race home.

At speeds upward of a mile a minute, this bird, when released in unfamiliar territory, will circle once or twice and then streak home, flying distances of up to 500 miles (about 800 kilometers).

How the pigeon is able to accomplish the feat of finding its nest at such great distances still remains a mystery.

The racing homer was first developed in the early 1800’s in Belgium, and, to this day, pigeon racing is a national sport there. It is so widespread that for every eight homes there is one pigeon loft.

Sadly, in connection with pigeon racing, human greediness comes to the fore, as this activity is associated with gambling.

In order to make the birds fly faster, it has been reported that in Germany pigeon breeders have interrupted the mating process shortly before its climax and have then taken the male to the point where he is released for the race.

A recent newspaper article told of a pigeon fancier who paid $23,000 for one pigeon. Why? The man wanted the championship strain in his loft.

Besides racing, the homing instinct of these pigeons has been employed to relay messages.

Before the advent of the telegraph, the racing homer served well in carrying stock exchange quotations back and forth across the English Channel, from London to Antwerp.

A pigeon has been known to deliver a message over a thousand miles (1,600 kilometers), although a hundred miles (160 kilometers) is generally accepted as the maximum distance that should be attempted.

Performing pigeons fall, essentially, into four groups. The first group, the “Rollers” and “Flying Tumblers,” are indeed fascinating to watch.

When released, a flock of twenty or so will rise in formation and then go into a precision act. They will fly a figure “8” up and down wind.

At the cross wind of the figure, all the birds will flip over backward in somersaults. Pulling out of the somersault in unison, they continue the figure “8” until signaled to return to their nests.

The “Tipplers” and “Highfliers” have tremendous endurance.

These birds have been known to stay in the air for over nineteen hours and to reach altitudes that will make them appear as mere dots when seen through binoculars.

“Parlor Tumblers” give many hours of amusement, as they do their stunts on the floor. These birds will take a step forward and then flip head over heels backward for two steps.

The real show-off is the “Swing Pouter.” This brightly colored bird balloons his crop and then, with wings lifted high above his head, swoops down at his admirers.

Next the “Swing Pouter” flies upward, loudly clapping his wings. It would seem that the bird is trying to call attention to himself.

Fancy pigeons, like flowers, seem endless in variety, color and hue.

The enjoyment comes from finding pleasure in their delicate beauty. It may be a special feather arrangement, a colorful decoration or a unique shape.

Challenges in rearing pigeons

While there can be a certain delight in raising pigeons, it does involve a substantial sum of money to house and feed the birds.

There is also work involved. To prevent disease, bird lofts must be kept clean and dry.

The devices used for watering and feeding the birds must also be kept clean. To facilitate this, the housing must be properly designed.

Cleanliness in the pigeon loft is absolutely a must, as it is known that pigeons can be carriers of diseases fatal to humans.

Sound management would also require isolating sick and newly purchased birds for a time. This can prevent their introducing disease to the rest of the flock.

Pigeons have brought delight to many people throughout the centuries.

Even you may be surprised because of being able to get very close to these essentially wild birds without their taking wing.

And what pleasure can come from watching the antics of performing pigeons!

Adding to the fascination are the accomplishments of racing homers and the delicate beauty of fancy pigeons.

Truly, the pigeon is an interesting, fascinating bird.

Meet a bird who raises children on high voltage wires

2016-05-15T19:25:00.000+03:00

The Extraordinary Nest

Storks favor a nesting place in a prominent place, such as the top of a tall tree, although they will sometimes make do with a modern-day counterpart, an electrical pole.

But for centuries, rooftops, churches, and chimneys throughout Europe have been favorite nesting sites.

Both the male and the female bird patiently build the nest, an extraordinary structure that may well look as if it will topple off its perch at any moment.

But appearances can be deceptive, and the large nests are rarely dislodged even during the most violent storms.

So durable are the nests that the storks on returning each year usually just spend a week or so making minimal repairs to their home.

This repair work, which involves adding twigs and other material, is usually done by both storks as soon as they arrive from their winter quarters.

And eventually, it is this repair work that brings about the nest’s demise—it just collapses under its own weight.

By that time the nest may well be as much as seven feet [2 m] high and three or more feet [a meter or more] in diameter.

Just as the parents return to their nest every spring, so the offspring try to find a site as near as possible to their place of hatching.

Thus, some old buildings become host to a dozen or more enormous nests, all occupied by descendants of one original pair.

Comings and Goings

Some European storks winter in West Africa south of the Sahara, while others travel as far as South Africa.

They start the long journey south in August. As they are not strong fliers, the journey is done in stages.

They prefer to migrate in groups of varying size, and often all the storks in a certain area will join up before departing on their migration.

Being among the earliest migratory birds to return north, they arrive back at their nests in February or March.

Because of their size—they have a wingspan of about six feet [1.8 m]—and their dependability, migrating storks have always attracted attention.

The distance they travel every year—a round-trip of over ten thousand miles [16,000 km] in some cases—is remarkable, all the more so considering that they glide most of the way.

Like the large birds of prey, they rely on thermals, rising bodies of hot air, to gain altitude, after which they take advantage of their broad wings to glide effortlessly for long distances, only rarely beating their wings.

A unique feature of the storks’ migration is their passage across the Mediterranean. They prefer not to travel over water, where thermals are absent.

Thus, every August thousands of storks congregate to make the crossing at the two points where the distance over the water is the shortest (the Strait of Gibraltar and the Bosporus).

Surprisingly, the long journey across the Sahara Desert does not daunt them as much as the nine-mile [14 km] stretch of water separating Spain and Africa, which can take them as much as five hours.

The Current Plight of the Stork

Despite attempts to make the stork feel welcome in many European towns, its future looks bleak.

Last century there were some 500 nests in Switzerland, but now only a handful remain.

A similar gloomy picture emerges from Sweden, Holland, Denmark, and Germany, where their numbers are decreasing alarmingly.

In Spain, where they are still a common sight, occupied nests have been reduced by half in just ten years.

The whole European population is now estimated to be only from 10,000 to 20,000 pairs. What is happening to one of man’s favorite birds?

Apparently, many factors are involved, but most of them are related to human’s destruction of the environment.

In their wintering grounds in Africa, storks are often hunted and killed for food: an ecological tragedy, as the storks spend the winter months gorging on the locust swarms that do so much damage to vital African crops.

Meanwhile, in Europe infertile eggs, caused by widespread use of pesticides, and the loss of feeding grounds have resulted in fewer offspring being reared each year.

Furthermore, power lines are a lethal hazard for many large birds, and trigger-happy hunters are responsible for the death of many others.

Conservationists are making efforts to protect the stork, but a successful program will depend on the cooperation of many nations, something that is not easy to achieve.

Storks and Babies

For centuries, children have been told that babies are brought by storks, and storks still feature prominently on cards congratulating parents on the birth of a baby.

Where did the story originate?

Apparently, the idea is based on two legends. Years ago, people noticed that storks appeared seemingly miraculously each year at the same time.

Some thought that they went to Egypt during the winter months and became men, only to revert to being birds in the spring (this explained their attachment to human dwellings).

It was also noticed that storks spent most of the day feeding in marshy areas, which were said to be the dwelling place of the souls of newborn babies.

As storks were birds that were most solicitous parents, it did not require too much imagination for people to link fact and fiction and come up with the notion that babies were brought by storks.

The stork—traditional harbinger of spring, babies, and good fortune—has long held a special place in human’s myths and affections.

Its graceful flight, its affinity for human settlements, and its useful role in controlling agricultural pests have all contributed to its popular image.

But perhaps its most endearing feature is its faithfulness—faithfulness to its nest, to which it returns every year, and loyalty to its mate, with which it forms a lifelong bond.

In fact, its name in Hebrew means “loyal one” or “one of loving-kindness” because, as the Talmud explains, it is a creature distinguished for treating its mate with affection.

Thanks to this popular image, nearly two hundred years ago the stork was a protected species in Holland and, reportedly, tame storks could be seen strutting around the fish market of The Hague.

It was later made the national bird of Germany. And nowadays, in some European towns, platforms are erected on roofs to encourage this friendly bird to nest on them. Storks are welcome neighbors!

Let hope this altitude will persist into the future!

Meet the 'spiderman' frog with human-like fingers and toes

2016-05-13T03:07:00.000+03:00

'El coqui' a frog with unusual features

This little frog averages 36 mm (less than an inch and a half) in length. Its body is not much larger than a human’s thumbnail.

The head, with its large, protruding eyes, is wider than the torso.

Those eyes are ever on the alert for any careless insect that might fly close enough to become a tasty morsel.

Unlike other frogs, coquí does not have webbed feet but has long human-like fingers and toes.

Its skin changes from light to dark, to match its surroundings.

Another non-frog like feature is its development from eggs to embryo to frog.

There is no tadpole stage.

The female is a giant compared to the male.

She usually lays about 36 eggs on the leaf of an air plant, just at the surface of the water in the lower part of the leaf.

The eggs form an oval mass six to eight mm (about one-fourth inch) in diameter.

At night coquíes sit about on vegetation, enjoying their own harmonious sounds.

Only the males sing. Sometimes they begin their melodious song softly, going up the musical scale, “co-qui-qui-qui-qui-qui!” very rapidly.

As the song gets louder, it settles down to the common two-note “ko-kee! ko-kee!”

The residents of Puerto Rico where the frog is usually found find this a most pleasing accompaniment to their evening meals.

They particularly enjoy the nightly songs of this little frog in the bromeliad plant hanging on the porch.

Unfortunately, many times his privacy was often invaded as people pulled down a leaf of the plant to peep in at the small body from which that big voice came.

The frog usually puffs himself up to twice his size, then squeezing out the “ko-kee!” whistles, his body pulsating with each note.

The El coqui family

In a small town in Puerto Ricoa woman had the delight of actually witnessing the birth of a coquí family.

One night she saw the female high up on the kitchen wall. The darker, somewhat warty female is not nearly as good-looking as the male.

In the morning the woman checked the hole that was the male’s living quarters, and found him sitting over a mass of eggs.

The nights were quiet now, for while attending to his duties papa coquí does not sing.

The woman kept close watch on the eggs, and her vigilance paid off. Finally, she noticed a stream of water going over the eggs.

Again and again the male sprayed them. Soon one of the eggs seemed to be whirling, but just for a moment.

The membrane broke and out hopped a tiny coquí, about the size of a common ant but with long legs. The tiny creature disappeared quickly.

Then other eggs began hatching. Finally, the hole was alive with swirling eggs and tiny coquíes scurrying for cover.

The father kept spraying water at intervals, apparently unconcerned about the flight of his offspring.

When his work was finished, he left. His voice was not heard for several evenings.

But after a week or so the familiar sound came from the same window perch he formerly used.

And there he sat, his little body pushing out those two welcome notes, “ko-kee! ko-kee!”

Meet the largest rodent in the world

2016-05-09T18:01:00.000+03:00

The Spanish-speaking folk call the rodent carpincho or chigüiro.

These are only 2 of the 190 names the rodent has been given.

It better known, though, as the “largest rodent in the world.” or commonly as "Capybara."

As you see, it is roughly the size of a sheep. Put it on the scales, and the needle can swing to a hundred pounds [45 kg].

Some larger ones can register 130 pounds [60 kg] or more. Yet, one sleek female Capybara in Brazil set the record—a hefty 200 pounds [90 kg].

Master of the Grasses

All that weight is not the result of gorging junk waste food, since they are wholly vegetarian, eating mainly grass.

Sometimes they even graze alongside domestic cattle.

Respectfully, Amerindians of old called them “master of the grasses.”

That’s certainly a more reasonable description of them.

They also eat water plants, and while you are sleeping, cannot resist sinking their chisel-shaped incisors into a juicy watermelon, a sweet stalk of sugarcane, or a young rice plant.

In fact, whenever you see them, they are nibbling—not because they are gluttons but because they are rodents.

Their cheek teeth never stop growing, so the only way to wear them down is by chewing and gnawing until they die.

They pick only “plants of highest protein content and are more efficient at converting grass to protein than even sheep or rabbits.”

A Pig With Swim Fins?

Admittedly it looks like a pig, let’s say, characteristically.

Protruding eyes; small, round ears; contractible nostrils—all placed high up on it's large head, giving it's face an expression of perpetual amazement.

That is why some say the large rodent looks like a “jumbo guinea pig with just a suggestion of the hippopotamus in it.

Moreover, 200 years ago, Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus mistakenly classified the rodent as a pig.

However, the Capybara is no relative of the porkers. Why?

Have you ever seen a pig with swimming fins?

These webbed feet are handy because the rodent love water.

In fact, it is the pig-shaped body and love for water that has earned the Capybara the nickname water pig.

Why the Capybara loves living near the water?

Areas near ponds, lakes, rivers, and swamps—preferably surrounded by woods with thick undergrowth—suit the rodent as home.

Not only does it love water, but needs it for survival. Why?

It does not make burrows to hide in like other rodents.

Rather, when alarmed it heads for water, dives in, and swims away with ease.

Though it body lacks the streamlined features of other aquatic creatures, it is a superb swimmer.

The reason?

Because of it's layers of fat, volume for volume, it is only slightly heavier than water.

When hard-pressed, it's webbed feet can propel the rodent quickly forward—away from enemies.

Therefore it can swim a good distance underwater and remain submerged for several minutes.

Cautiously it may come up, staying low in the water, exposing only it's nostrils, eyes, and ears—just as the hippopotamus does.

Enemies, such as feral dogs, jaguars, caimans, anacondas, and humans, have a hard time spotting it's nostrils among the water plants.

With a well-developed sense of smell, it's nose can easily discovers predators.

Since constant exposure to the hot sun quickly cracks and ulcerates it's skin, being in the water also prevents sunburn.

As it's reddish-brown to grayish hair is sparsely distributed, it's skin shows through.

So to control it's body temperature, it simply remains submerged in water or wallow in mud, covering it's body with a layer of clay.

A Nursing Coalition

The capybara mother has to be on land to give birth.

After a pregnancy of about four months, from two to eight babies are born, each weighing over two pounds [1 kg].

Their “lighter brown, sleeker coats,” makes them look “more smartly dressed” than their parents.

A female capybara begins breeding when 15 months old.

She may live for ten years and may produce a minimum of 36 babies in her lifetime.

Within hours the babies are walking closely behind mother.

Swimming, however, is harder because baby at first is reluctant to go into the water.

After a forced launching, the frantically paddling infant will try to catch up with mother, or another female, and climb on her back.

Mother, then, willingly serves as a life buoy. The larger the infant becomes, though, the harder it is for it to keep its balance.

Soon it rolls off mother’s back, swimming on its own.

Adult females also cooperate in nursing.

Mothers feed not only their own young but also the thirsty offspring of other females. Why?

A nursing coalition, increases [the youngsters] chances for survival.

Meek by nature, they are easy-to-tame as pets.

However, they are mostly kept for their meat, which some say is tasty.

Some countries even have ranches where thousands of Capybaras are raised for food.

Conclusion

We hope now you will like the Capybara not merely for the way it tastes, but for what it is, a marvel of nature.

Gerenuk performs amazing gymnastics to survive.

2016-05-07T15:23:00.001+03:00

Gerenuk feeds in Samburu National park.

When you enter Samburu National Park in Northern Kenya.

Your eyes may dart from side to side, taking in the array of wildlife, until they focus on the charming sight of what appears to be a baby giraffe hungrily nibbling on a tree.

But on closer examination you may observe that this is no giraffe.

“What animal may you have noticed?”

It is a Gerenuk.

Gerenuk, comes from the Somali language and means “giraffe-necked.”

The animal is called Swala Twiga in Swahili, meaning “giraffe gazelle.”

It is a creature about the size of a deer with two graceful horns sweeping back.

When feeding Gerenuk stands up on its hind legs, supporting itself on a tree branch with its forelegs.

Feeding Gerenuks stands up on their hind legs

It certainly does seem giraffe-like as its exceptionally long neck stretches, allowing it to feed from six to eight feet [1.8 to 2.4 m] off the ground.

What a delight just to stare at this creature, with its heart-shaped head, expressive eyes, and huge ears!

Only the males, however, have horns.

A Long-Necked Gourmet

This graceful gazelle often dwells in near-desert surroundings.

Surely it must develop an insatiable thirst for water.

Yet, the amazing fact is that the gerenuk rarely if ever drinks water.

It is able to extract all the moisture it needs from the leaves, shoots, and twigs that it eats.

And because the gerenuk is willing to eat from about 80 different types of shrubs and trees—including evergreen plants that few other animals eat—it is able to thrive in the most barren of regions.

In its own way, the gerenuk is somewhat of a fussy eater, since it selects only the best portions of plants, the parts high in nutritional value.

Interestingly, though, the gerenuk feeds on the same types of shoots and twigs as do the giraffe and the dik-dik, which is a smaller member of the antelope family, about the size of a jackrabbit.

Yet, there is no competition among them for food. Why?

Because of the varying heights at which they feed: giraffes between 15 and 18 feet [4.6 and 5.5 m], gerenuks around 6 feet [1.8 m], and the little dik-dik around 2 feet [0.6 m].

“No Trespassing sign”

Unlike humans, who often wage war over territory, the gerenuks generally maintain peace among themselves by respecting one another’s property.

Each defines its boundaries by using its anteorbital gland at the corner of each eye.

It selects an area of about half a square mile and with this gland deposits a tarlike substance on branches and twigs.

The substance gives off a scent, and in this way the territory of the gerenuk is defined to any neighbor gerenuk.

But what about unwanted intruders, such as the cheetah, the leopard, or the lion, who have little respect for “No Trespassing” signs?

The gerenuk must resort to its secrets of survival.

For example, it has an amazing ability to freeze and stare, dropping its big ears down close to its neck.

A Gerenuk blending with the surroundings.

With its beautiful brown tones, it blends in very nicely with its natural surroundings.

It remains motionless in this way until the unwanted visitors take their leave.

Should it be detected, however, the gerenuk will use flight to avoid predators.

Its knowledge of the home range, as well as its ability to dodge in and out among thorny bushes and shrubs, makes following it very difficult for most predators.

Mother Care

At birth the gerenuk lacks survival skills. Its mother, therefore, gets the baby gerenuk through its first days of life.

When the time arrives for a gerenuk to give birth, it finds a place of solitude.

Most babies are born during the morning hours, allowing them to gain strength before the perilous night comes.

Amazingly, after just ten minutes, a baby gerenuk is up on those wobbly, skinny legs!

By evening time it is quite active, even entertaining Mother with its playful pranks.

At this early stage, the baby Gerenuk is easy prey.

Mother therefore cleans her baby thoroughly, so that it is devoid of any telltale scents.

And its natural camouflage allows it to hide safely while Mother goes out for food.

Occasionally, though, the young gazelle changes location.

Since the mother cannot rely on odor as a tracking device, she resorts to Gerenuk talk—a low bleat, which can carry quite far though it is soft to human ears.

The baby will respond to this bleat by standing up or by answering the call, identifying its whereabouts.

After two weeks, the young Gerenuk need no longer be hidden away but can join its family in browsing for twigs and leaves.

The gerenuk has been called “one of the strangest creatures in East Africa.”

And admittedly, on the basis of looks alone, it is rather strange.

But our giraffe-gazelle friend is also graceful, resourceful, and in its own way beautiful.

How high is an elephant's intelligence?

2016-05-06T20:24:00.000+03:00

“I don’t believe that ‘an elephant never forgets,’” wrote one authority, Jim Williams, in his book Elephant Bill.

Nevertheless, Jim deeply respected the intelligence of these beasts that were used by a teak company in Burma where he was employed.

He found out that an elephant can be taught to respond to 24 different verbal commands as well as numerous silent commands given by movements of the rider’s body.

The following incident concerns an elephant named Bandoola and a Burmese rider named Po Toke:

“Po Toke was only too glad to show off Bandoola’s prowess . . . He laid down ten articles in front of him—an axe, a saw, three different sizes of chains, a hammer, etc.

“‘Give me the saw,’ he said in Burmese.

“Bandoola looked along the row of implements and immediately passed up the saw, with his trunk, to Po Toke.

“‘All right, put it down,’ he said. ‘Now pass me the hammer.’

This too was picked out without a moment’s hesitation; and then the rest of the articles were passed up in turn without a mistake.

“‘You’re a fine big gentleman,’ said Po Toke, and Bandoola seemed to take it as the compliment it was meant to be.

“Po Toke then climbed down from the elephant’s head, took up one end of a chain in his hands and told Bandoola to tie it in a knot.

This he did with great vigour, twisting it with his trunk into a knot that no human hand would have had the strength to untie.

However, when Bandoola was told to loosen it, he did so as if it were a piece of string.

“‘Oh, he can do more than that,’ said Po Toke with pride. ‘You come and watch what he can do with a tree.’

He rode him a few paces to where some young trees were growing.

This time all the orders were carried out without a word of command—there was no saddle, no whip—just the pressure of the inner thigh against the animal’s neck and a touch of the [oozie’s] big toe behind his ear.

Each time, Po Toke indicated what he was going to ask Bandoola to do, then silently conveyed his wishes to the animal, whose powers of differentiation were quite remarkable.

The elephant responded to a series of unspoken instructions.

"Turn left—turn right—put his head back—put his head down—pull a branch down—push a tree down—pull up a sapling, or simply protect a sapling.”—From The Footprints of Elephant Bill, by Susan Williams.

What qualities are needed in training an elephant to respond like that?

Cruelty or kindness?

“As the elephant’s obedience is largely the result of affection,” explains the above authoress, “his training has to be done with great gentleness and kindness.”

The training must also start while the animal is young.

Bandoola’s training began in his sixth year.

At first he was used as a pack animal, and only at the age of 20 was he considered mature enough for the heavier work of moving logs. Is such patient training worth it?

Apparently so. An adult elephant can drag heavy logs for about 35 years.

How many modern transport vehicles last that long?

Bear safety tips when hiking a wild game reserve

2016-05-06T19:48:00.001+03:00

What to do in a bear attack?

One couple were completing the last stages of a hike down Boundary Creek outside Waterton in southern Alberta.

Suddenly they caught sight of a bear coming down the trail toward them.

The woman, who had a pack on her back, threw herself down on the trail in a fetal position, hands behind the neck, knees up over her stomach.

Her husband froze with fear, standing about 20 feet [6 m] from her, watching the approaching bear.

The bear immediately went toward the woman, scratching at the pack on her back in an effort to get food.

It inflicted scratches on her back, hip, and buttocks.

Finally, realizing he had to do something, her husband reached into his pack and threw some sandwiches on the ground.

In doing so, a pot fell from his pack onto a rock, and the noise caused the bear to break off and scurry back into the woods.

The couple then made a hasty retreat. We had to destroy the bear, as it had been involved in previous incidents with humans.

The lesson from this is: If you are wearing a pack and are approached by a bear, get rid of the pack.

Bears will often approach people to get them to drop their packs for the food they contain; they very quickly learn to do this.

The discarded pack or camera or whatever object you have can distract the bear, buying you time to escape.

Bear safety tips

Photographers must take care to avoid getting too close to bears in efforts to take pictures.

A man and his wife were camped at a site in Glacier National Park.

They spotted a sow grizzly bear with three cubs.

The husband left with a camera that featured automatic multi-exposures.

He took the first pictures from a safe position on the slope opposite the bears.

Then he began to get overconfident, as the bears seemed to ignore his presence.

He cautiously crossed the slope until he was on the same avalanche path as the bears.

The pictures, developed later from this multi-exposure camera, showed the bears closer and closer.

He wanted to get the shot of a lifetime and was far too close to the sow, violating her space, forcing her to make a decision either to run or to attack.

The final pictures in the camera showed signs that the bear had had enough—and it charged!

The photographer tried to climb a tree, but it was too late.

The bear got to him first and inflicted fatal injuries.

In another incident in the Lake Louise area of Banff National Park, a man was bitten on the thigh and hand by a female grizzly bear.

She had two cubs with her.

The incident didn’t make sense.

She had charged from a distance of about 500 feet [150 m], leaving her cubs unprotected.

It is not likely a bear would run that distance away from her cubs to attack a person for no apparent reason.

Wardens of the park had a feeling that the hiker’s dog had gone up to the bear and that the bear had chased the dog back to its owner.

When they suggested this to the dog’s owner, he denied it, citing the park regulations that a dog must be on a leash, under physical control at all times.

When the wardens told him they will have to kill the bear.

Immediately, the hiker’s response was, “Why?”

“The bear attack appears to be unprovoked,” they answered, “so the animal has to be killed.”

He thought it over for a moment and then confessed:

“OK. You’re right. What you said is exactly what happened. My dog on the loose provoked the bear.”

Some people, when hiking the back country, feel that a dog is a protection.

It is exactly the opposite.

An untrained dog will often run up to a bear, bark, and then bring the pursuing bear back to its defenseless master.

To give another incident involving a bear attack: A child was reported to have been bitten by a bear.

Wardens learned that two children had been playing on a gravel bar while the father was fishing not far away.

The bear suddenly bolted out of the bush and grabbed one child and dragged it off.

The father rushed after the bear and retrieved the child, whom he found abandoned by the bear.

It was the wardens opinion that it was a case of mistaken identity.

The children playing down on their hands and knees could have been mistaken by the bear for fawns, or perhaps elk calves.

The bear had apparently abandoned the child of its own volition when it determined its prey was human.

Unfortunately, the one bite was enough to injure the child fatally.

So remember, bears are not tame just because they are in the park.

They can attack children and sometimes do, as this experience shows. So keep your children with you.

Another thing to remember is to make noise while in bear country.

This way you will not surprise the bears.

There is safety in numbers; a group of seven or so will displace nearly any bear.

On the other hand, if you have been relatively quiet and then see a bear and it hasn’t seen you, it may be best not to make any sudden, unexpected sound that may provoke an attack.

At times a surprised bear will bluff an attack, huffing or growling and approaching in a threatening manner.

You are too close and are being warned.

It’s time to use discretion and back out quietly, leaving the area to the bear.

This is one argument you cannot win.

So take the time to read park brochures about bears so as to know what to do and what to look for while in bear country.

Gray or Grey wolves - Why hated and loved?

2016-05-06T03:01:00.000+03:00

The story of Little Red Riding Hood tells of a wolf threatening to eat a little girl. This has given people the notion that wolves attack people."

Why hated and loved?

Whatever the perception, emotions inspired by the word “wolf” have always run deep.

It has been the focus of misunderstanding, bias, and fear. Some people despise the wolf because it is a predator.

Wolves have been a constant irritation to farmers and ranchers by preying on sheep, cattle, and other livestock.

Legends and folklore have contributed to its bad reputation.

Who has not heard the expressions “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” and “to keep the wolf from the door”?

Fables picture it as “The Big Bad Wolf.”

However, scientists and biologists view wolves another way.

They regard them as extremely shy creatures who try to avoid humans as much as possible.

In fact, according to an article appearing in GEO magazine, wolves actually fear man.

Despite wolves’ fierce appearance, there seems to be no basis for the belief that healthy, wild wolves of North America are a danger to man.

Biologist Paul Paquet, who has done extensive wolf research, admits to having a love for these wild creatures since his childhood.

He has recorded some of his observations. He claims he has often seen wolves expressing happiness, loneliness, and humor.

Once he observed an old, crippled wolf that could no longer hunt who was being brought food by other pack members.

Even though the wolf had outlived its usefulness, the pack still valued its life and was keeping it alive.

This characteristic of pack hunting, however, has threatened their very existence.

Wolves pack

Hunting in packs is merely how wolves satisfy their hunger and feed their pups.

It must be recognized, though, that the killing of sheep and cattle by wolves is an annoying problem for farmers.

As a predator with excellent vision, a keen sense of smell, fine hearing, and an incredibly powerful bite—as well as being suited for running and trotting—the wolf is well equipped for the hunt.

It is also an opportunist. It would be foolish to think this crafty creature would turn down any easily available prey it can catch or snatch—especially large, fat sheep and cattle.

It might be said that wolves unwittingly “benefit” their prey in the wild by culling out the easier kill, the unhealthy and the weak, thus leaving more food for the healthy ones.

Wolf howling

What about that eerie howling that can be heard for miles and that strikes fear in the listener?

To the wolf this is simply a social activity of the pack—a form of communication.

A wolf who has become separated during a hunt may climb a ridge and howl to attract other members of the pack.

Or howling may be used to define its territory. Sometimes wolves seem to howl just to express happiness.

When a pack get together to howl, you would almost think they were enjoying a sing-along.

To us it might sound better if they were to sing in unison, but they appear to prefer chords.

Of course they have other means of communication as well.

There are what have been described as the whimper, the growl, the bark, the social squeak, and the yipping of the pups in the den.

Communication by posture is also used to establish social status and bonding among the pack.

A Beautiful Creature

Look closely at this outstandingly beautiful creature.

Observe its thick coat of predominantly grey hair (some are jet black), with intermingled white, black, and brown hairs. Focus on the stare of its penetrating clear yellow eyes.

Examine its facial markings. All of these make the wolf a magnificent animal to behold.

Concerns, however, are being voiced about its future. Is there reason for concern?

Diminishing habitat

Well, what was once common across much of Europe, Asia, and North America—the sighting of a wolf—is now rare in Canada, Alaska, and less-populated regions of the United States, Europe, and Russia.

People are saying they must make room for some wolves in selected wild areas.

Since humans have learned to live with predators such as eagles, bears, and mountain lions, there are those who are asking, “Why not likewise live with wolves?”

Gray wolf endangered

Two gray wolves fighting fiercely

The number of people supporting the recovery of an animal that has lived on the edge of human tolerance for so long indicates a decided shift in attitude.

The book The Wolf—The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species states:

There is still time left to rescue the species from its plight. Whether or not this is done depends on man’s knowledge of the ecology and behavior of the wolf, his continued research into the ways of the wolf, and his learning to think of the wolf not as a competitor but as a fellow creature with which the earth must be shared.”

Monkey sense of impacting understanding in their young

2016-05-04T20:39:00.000+03:00

A baby monkey holding the mother.

In West Africa, there is a saying:

The monkey doesn’t just tell her child, ‘Hold tight!’ She says, ‘Look down.’”

This brings to mind the picture of a young monkey high in the trees, clinging to his mother’s back.

The idea behind the saying is that if Mama merely says to hold tight, her youngster might do so for a while, but since he does not know the reason behind her injunction, he may soon forget and loosen his grip.

However, if the youngster looks down, he will see what a long way he is from the ground and will be impressed more forcefully that his life is involved.

Why, he could be seriously injured or even killed!

Having understood the danger more fully, he has strong motivation to hold tight.

Now any added admonition or command will be more respected.

What a fine principle for teaching others, especially children.

The moral of the story is that rather than just issuing commands, it is important to impart understanding.

Of course, on occasion there may not be enough time to do that first.

For example, if your child, without carefully looking, starts to cross a street busy with moving traffic, you might command him to stop and come back immediately.

Giving the command here first is crucial.

But then an explanation of the danger the child was in can impart the understanding.

The crowned crane - A beautiful ballet dancer

2016-05-03T14:03:00.000+03:00

The crowned crane

The crowned crane is one of the most beautiful birds in the world.

It is a stately bird with subtle colors and an exquisite shape.

Almost four feet [more than a meter] long, it has a huge wingspan and a delicate, long neck, also characteristic of other types of cranes.

Male and female crowned cranes look alike.

The dark back feathers attractively frame the pure white wing feathers that run down both sides of the bird and turn golden near the tail. Other wing feathers are a rich chestnut brown.

The face of the crowned crane is a delight to see. Its cheeks are ivory and are surrounded by soft, ebony head feathers on the crown and throat.

The eyes are a beautiful light-blue. From the black throat feathers hangs a long, bright-red wattle, which dangles like a scarlet pendant when the crane stretches its neck horizontally.

Most conspicuous of all is the spectacular plume of slender, golden head feathers that form a magnificent symmetrical crown.

These lustrous, thin feathers glow golden when lit by the rays of the sun.

All these striking, contrasting colors are balanced atop two long, slender black legs.

The trumpeting call of the crowned crane is one of the unforgettable sounds: O-wahng! O-wahng! O-wahng!

This loud cry can be heard for great distances.

Often, a pair of cranes will call out together as they fly to or from their roosting trees.

At certain times of the year, crowned cranes congregate and may number up to 30 birds, producing a cacophony of sound that is a delight to the ears.

Parental Care

Crowned cranes evidently mate for life. They are found in especially in swamps and marshy areas, where they nest and raise their young.

The nest is a large cone-shaped heap of grass and reeds that provides a platform on which the female lays two or three large, greenish-blue eggs.

The male and female take turns sitting on the eggs, and within a month the chicks hatch.

The parents work together to feed and care for their downy offspring, and they will protect their fledglings fearlessly.

The crowned cranes’ main diet consists of insects, frogs, small snakes, and seeds.

Using their long, spindly legs and their large feet, they stamp the ground, making a quick meal of any small creature that is flushed out of the grass.

Bird Ballet

Crowned cranes are enthusiastic and entertaining dancers.

Flapping their large colorful wings, they lift themselves into the air vertically and then float gently back to the earth as if attached to a parachute.

Gracefully bounding about, they run and spring into the air, circling their mates and bobbing their heads with quick, clownish jerks.

Holding their large wings open, they stand erect and display the beautiful colors of their wing feathers.

Sometimes a pair will contort their necks into elegant shapes and look each other in the eye.

Beak-to-beak, they utter a series of low, booming notes as if serenading each other.

Standing upright again, they resume their elaborate bird ballet.

The Fight to Survive

Crowned cranes are rather tolerant of humans and are easily tamed.

Because of their delightful color and shape and their entertaining dancing displays, they are popular in zoos and are sought after to ornament private estates and gardens.

With such a demand, it is not surprising that their numbers are dwindling.

Further pressure on the crowned crane comes from the reclamation of wetlands and the use of poisons and insecticides, which pollute lakes and streams.

Beewolf wasp puts cruise missile to shame

2016-05-02T18:37:00.001+03:00

By USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory

In the aftermath of war, journalists and military experts tend to do a lot of crowing over the sophistication of modern weaponry.

They extol the virtues of “smart bombs,” laser-guided cruise missiles, and attack-helicopters with unprecedented—and lethal—maneuverability.

Without question, the ingenuity behind these weapons is often remarkable.

But such glowing paeans to the machinery of death rarely acknowledge a simple truth:

Even the most advanced of human’s airborne wonders are primitive in design compared to the tiny flying insects.

Consider the cruise missile.

According to The Wall Street Journal,

the cruise missile’s path is predetermined by a digitized reference map stored inside a computer processor. A zoom lens and electronic sensors keep it on course as it glides along at high-subsonic speeds, hugging the terrain.”

Sounds pretty sophisticated, doesn’t it?

But now consider, in comparison, a humble insect—the beewolf.

The beewolf

Ben Smith, a technical editor for the computer magazine BYTE, acknowledges:

Compared to the beewolf, the cruise missile is downright stupid.”

Why?

Because a cruise missile, for all its technical prowess, is fairly easy to fool.

Smith puts it this way:

You just move the target, leaving behind a dummy target. Because the cruise missile destroys itself in the process of destroying its target, it never can discover that it has made a mistake.”

Fooling the beewolf is another matter.

One biologist studying these insects tried it.

Noticing that hundreds of them lived in a community of identical holes along a small stretch of beach, he waited until one of them flew off, and then he quickly covered up the entrance of its home with sand.

Then he waited to see if the insect could find the hole again.

To his amazement, it landed unerringly by the hidden entrance and dug it out!

Observing that the beewolf habitually flew what looked like a reconnaissance pattern above its burrow whenever it left or returned, the biologist wondered if the insect could be memorizing the surrounding landmarks, making a sort of mental map.

To test his theory, he covered the hole again and this time rearranged some pine cones that were lying around it.

When the beewolf came home, it reconnoitered from above as usual and then landed in the wrong place! For a moment it was confused.

Then it took off and flew another reconnaissance pattern—but this time higher.

Apparently this new perspective on the problem gave the little insect some more stable landmarks to refer to, for it immediately found its hidden burrow and dug it out again.

The computer aboard a cruise missile may cost millions of dollars and weigh nearly a hundred pounds [50 kg].

The beewolf uses a brain about the size of the head of a pin.

Ben Smith adds:

The bee wolf also can walk, dig, locate and outmaneuver its prey, and find a mate (a task that would be disastrous for a cruise missile).”

Smith concludes:

Even when this year’s high-performance machines outperform last year’s model by an order of magnitude, they are still not noticeably closer to the performance of the humble bee wolf’s brain, let alone the performance of the human mind.”

The Camel - The all purpose desert vehicle

2016-05-02T11:49:00.000+03:00

Seeing a camel for the first time as it lopes along on its gangling legs, its nose in the air and its hump swaying from side to side, one is truly amazed.

Why the strange hump, the long neck, the spindly legs, and the huge round feet, not to mention those long, curly eyelashes?

A brief study of the camel shows that its different parts were obviously designed in such a way as to enable it to adapt to a hot, arid climate.

These parts are not mere accidents of nature. They give the camel a distinct advantage in this difficult part of the world.

Why such a long neck?

This gives the camel an advantage similar to that of the giraffe, enabling it to eat from trees.

Like the giraffe, it often feeds on the thorny, acacia-type trees that are common in the Sahel.

Most of the year, it does not rain, so there is often not much vegetation available on the ground; the trees survive because of their long roots and become the obvious food for camels.

Why the long legs and the strange feet?

As well as contributing to the camel’s height advantage for feeding, its long legs give it the added benefit of speed.

From a distance the Arabian camel seems to be sauntering along at a leisurely pace, but pedestrians who try to keep up with one soon realize that each step of the camel covers a lot of ground.

The large, roundish feet are quite soft and seem to spread out as the camel steps down, giving it the advantage of being able to walk easily on sand.

The small, hard hoof of a cow or a horse tends to sink into sand, but the camel stays on top.

The bottom of the foot is covered with a thick callus from birth, and these prevent burns from the hot desert sand.

Camels find it difficult to walk in mud, though; hence, their disappearance from the southern Sahel during the rainy season.

Their masters take them into the desert so that they will not slip and possibly break a leg or otherwise injure themselves.

Why the famous hump?

Some will tell you that it is for storing water, but it is actually composed mainly of fat and is really for food storage.

An underfed camel often has a diminished hump, which sometimes even sags or flops over, but after a few weeks of good feeding, the hump is eventually restored.

Incidentally, the Bactrian, or two-humped, camel, which is better suited to the colder deserts of central Asia, is quite easily interbred with the one-humped camel.

Why those long curly eyelashes?

Long before modern fashion invented long, false eyelashes, camels had the real thing, and not simply for beauty.

They protect the eyes from the blowing sand, thus enabling the camel to continue on the move where other animals would be blinded and have to stop.

The long, slit-shaped nostrils complement the eyes by filtering out sand when the camel inhales and by limiting water loss by extracting moisture when it exhales.

This, as well as other characteristics, gives the camel its renowned ability to go several days without drinking.

Without difficulty it can survive a water loss of up to a third of its body weight. But when it does drink, be prepared.

Camels have been known to consume up to 35 gallons [135 L] of water in ten minutes to replace the water they have lost.

Thus, although it may seem unusual to some, the the above facts explain why the camel clearly adapted to the desert.

Meet the bird who invented long eye lashes

2016-04-30T09:12:00.000+03:00

Ground hornbill with it's long lashes

Chances you may have never met them. They are birds, and most people know them as southern ground hornbills.

Apart from their striking looks, there are other interesting facts about them.

For one thing, as its name suggests, the birds spends much of it's time on the ground.

In size they are somewhat similar to the turkey, and like the turkey, they really does not fly that much.

With their distinctive, ponderous waddle, they wanders the central and southeastern regions of Africa.

If you should ever meet the bird, you would not fail to recognize it because of it's scarlet throat bags and eye patches and, of course, their long, stunning eyelashes!

Unique breeding characteristics

The ground hornbill is a shy breeder—on average, it raises one chick to fledgling every six years.

During the breeding season, the males provides a good supply of dry leaves to line the nests, which are usually in hollow trees or rock cavities.

Then the females carefully tend the eggs for a period of 40 days.

Together with other members of the family bird group, they scurry to and fro, providing a steady supply of worms, grubs, and other delicacies to the ‘mother in waiting'.

It is a joyous occasion when, three months after hatching, the new arrivals leave the nest to join the rest of our family unit.

The road to maturity is a slow one—it takes at least six years before the young ones to reach full adulthood.

And it takes even longer for one of them to succeed in establishing his own family.

Of course, the fact they live long (many of them up to 30 years) gives them ample time to pass their genes on to other generation.

As you can see, the bird is family oriented, with groups of no more than eight birds living and working together.

Each family operates in an area of about 40 square miles [100 sq km] of African savannas, woodlands, and grasslands.

In some parts of southern Africa, they have lost up to 70 percent of their habitat to agriculture and human habitation.
However, they are very protective of their ranges and regularly patrol their borders.

Their food—snakes, grubs, tortoises, and insects—is not to be shared, even with hornbills from other families.

In their aggressiveness to ward off intruders, they sometimes make fools of themselves. How?

When they see their own reflection on a windowpane, they often charge into the window, mistaking the reflection for an intruder.

Inevitably, the impact of the long hard bill shatters the window.

Because of the many broken windows, some people have placed wire mesh over their windows.

Their habitats threatened

People have crowded the birds out of their habitat. Others shoot them with guns.

Farmers often put out poisoned bait for jackals and other animals deemed undesirable.

But since the ground hornbill normally digs for food with their long beaks, they dig their own graves, in a manner of speaking, when they dig up the poisoned food.

On the other hand, there are some people are working hard to protect them from these dangers.

So whenever you happen to be in their area and hear their booming call, du-du-dududu du-du-dududu, know you are in the realm of the ground hornbill.

The bearded vulture -The bone eating bird.

2016-04-29T22:55:00.000+03:00

The bearded vulture carrying a bone

The bearded vulture ( lammergeier )is a majestic bird, measuring upwards of four feet [120 cm] from beak to tail.

It can be seen soaring effortlessly on its ten-foot [3 m]-wide wings over mountain ranges in Europe and Africa and, at times, at an altitude of up to five miles [8 km] in the Himalayas.

This stately creature, with its orange breast and neck and black-and-white head, has long bristles hanging from its lower beak.

It usually lives in remote and inhospitable regions,

How the bearded vulture is able to eat bones?

“There is no authenticated account of this bird ever attacking a living animal,” states The World Atlas of Birds, although it is known to eat fur pellets regurgitated by other birds, from which all flesh has been digested.

So, how is the bearded vulture able to feed on the bone leftovers ?

The bearded vulture carries to great heights the bones of animals that have been killed by predators or have died in other ways and drops the bones onto rocks below.

The assumption has always been that it smashed the bones in this way solely to get to the bone marrow.

Now, following detailed examination of living and dead specimens of the bird, researchers from Glasgow University in Scotland have been able to offer a different explanation, reports The Economist.

The bearded vulture (lammergeier) swallows bones in pieces as large as ten inches [25 cm] by one and a half inches [4 cm].

Yet, the researchers, to their surprise, found that the bird has no special digestive system, such as a gizzard, to cope with its indigestible diet.

The only unusual feature is an extremely elastic esophagus that enables the bone fragments to pass through. The bearded vulture stomach, however, tells more.

The scientists were surprised to find in the stomach a large number of cells secreting an unusually strong acid—harsher than battery acid—that dissolves the calcium of the bone, thereby liberating the protein and the marrow fat.

This food provides a higher energy value than a meal of the same weight of flesh.

Even more astonishing is the fact that digestive enzymes are found in such an acid environment.

So now the mystery of how this strong creature is sustained on such a meager diet of 90 percent bones has been solved—another wonder of nature

Obnoxious flies—More useful than you think?

2016-04-28T19:18:00.000+03:00

(Picture of a housefly)

MOST of us consider flies to be either a nuisance or a downright danger to society.

But biologists are discovering that flies, bothersome as they may be, are more useful than we might think.

Many species spend much of the day visiting flowers, fast-food outlets that offer their insect clients both nectar and pollen.

Some flies that can extract the nutrients from pollen—no mean feat in itself—depend on this high-energy food to develop their eggs.

While visiting one flower after another, the flies inevitably pick up sticky grains of pollen, which attach themselves to their bodies.

One fly that was carefully examined by biologists had 1,200 grains of pollen on his body!

As more research has been done on the pollination role of flies, scientists have discovered that some flowers depend on them for their survival.

The magazine Natural History describes a series of experiments carried out in Colorado, North America.

Common muscoid flies, which resemble houseflies, were dusted with bright colors so that they could be tracked easily.

After monitoring their daily activity, the researchers were surprised to discover that for some wildflowers the flies were more important pollinators than the bees and that they ranged a lot farther than bees.

How important is the flies’ work?

Some flowers were covered over with netting so that they could not be visited.

These flowers produced no seed at all—in sharp contrast with the fruitful ones nearby that were pollinated by flies.

Although some flowers were principally pollinated by bees, in the case of other species such as wild flax or wild geranium, at some elevations the flies performed over 90 percent of this work.

What was the conclusion of Carol Kearns and David Inouye, two of the researchers?

For many wildflowers in the Colorado Rockies, then, flies outshadow bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.Without these insects, which most people find slightly repulsive, many of the wildflowers that make visiting an alpine meadow so delightful would fail to set seed.”

No doubt about it, flies have their uses!