The Kiwi

Everyone knows the beloved endangered kiwi is a flightless bird. As if to make up for its winged impotence, the kiwi is actually a violent, temperamental little bird. But its quirks don’t stop there. The only bird with whiskers is also distinctly dog-like in its ability to sniff out food and threats. In fact, it has the most highly developed sense of smell of any bird, lifting its “nose” (beak) into the breeze to determine its surroundings, just like a dog would. That’s probably because kiwis are also the only bird to have prominent nostrils. Contrary to popular belief, the kiwi does have wings, but they are tiny and difficult to detect under the loose, fluffy, hair-like feathers. The kiwi has many other unusual characteristics: the eggs are relatively huge, being one-fifth the bird’s weight; kiwi pairs mate for life – as long as 30 years – but tend to have feisty relationships; the females are larger and more dominant than the males. In fact, daddy kiwis incubate the young while mom hunts – for an unheard-of 80 days, no less. Did you know that kiwis are the smallest ratites on earth?

A colorful bird?

Paradise Tanager- (tangara Chilensis), is a multicolored, medium-sized songbird whose length varies between 13.5 and 15cm. It has a light green head, sky blue underparts and a black upper body plumage. Depending on subspecies, the rump is yellow and red or all red. The beak is black and the legs are grey.

It's found in humid tropical and subtropical forests in the western and northern Amazon Basin in South America, it occurs in Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil and the Guianas.

what is the world's strongest animal?

Strongest relatively speaking – The rhinocerous beetle     -In absolute terms, the African elephant is by far the strongest living animal but it can only lift 25% of its body-weight. Unlike the mighty rhinocerous beetle who thinks nothing of carrying 850 times its own weight. To put that into perspective that would be like one of us lifting a 65 ton armored tank.

Strongest arm wrestler – The gorilla     -Gorillas have  huge muscles in their arms. They use their arm strength for bending and gathering foliage however they are also used for defense.  Based on estimates, an adult gorilla’s upper body strength is around 4- 6 times more powerful than that of an adult human giving them probably enough power to bench press a couple of cars.

Strongest natural material – Spider’s silk     -Based on weight, spider’s silk is far stronger than steel and is more elastic than nylon. It’s so light that a strand long enough to circle the world would weigh less than a kilo. It really is a true miracle of nature and no spider weavers a stronger web than the recently discovered Darwin's back spider.

Strongest air lift – The eagle     -Some eagles such as the African crowned eagles can carry around 4 times its weight during flight.

python vs. alligator - who would win?

Big alligators will eat smaller pythons and bigger pythons will eat smaller alligators.  When a hungry big python comes across an alligator, he will eat it. The python will attack the alligator, constrict it and swallow it whole just like it would swallow a bird or a rabbit. Pythons kill their prey by constrictions. The python coils around the prey's chest cavity. As the prey exhales, the python squeezes tighter and tighter. This stops the heart from beating and it stops the air from flowing into the lungs. The prey suffocates to death. Now, the only problem with this method against alligators is that alligators can lower their heart rate to one or two beats a minute. Yes, there are occasions when the python would think that the alligator is dead and would begin swallowing it. The alligator could recover in a few minutes and start a fight, while he is inside python! It's like something out of a cartoon. If the alligator could recover in a few minutes the alligator can cause life threatening damage to the python's organs. At that moment the python's life is at risk. Larger Alligators however with their powerful jaws have a distinct advantage over the pythons. The alligators holds on to the python with power exceeding 2000 pounds per square inch. It is impossible for the python to escape the alligators hold. After an exhausting battle that can last for hours things could go unexpected.  On rare occasions the python is able to intimidate the alligator into a retreat.

Burmese Pythons are an invasive species from South East Asia, that have found a home in Florida's Everglades. Now they have to compete with american alligators as top predators. It is the first time in history that these two top predators battle for the same resources

american alligator

Burmese python

An animal you would not want to be extinct

Many remember the movie madagascar, and most specifically they remember this little fellow. Yes  he was very entertaining. His name was Maurice in the movie. You would love to see this animal's behavior in the wild (in madagascar). Well guess what? It is rare to see in the wild for there are more in captivity. It is in great danger of extinction. SHARE this to help people notice the beauty of this animal.

  

                                                 click here to watch ring-tailed lemurs play

The ring-tailed lemur is highly social and lives in groups of up to 30 individuals.  To keep warm and reaffirm social bonds, groups will huddle together. The ring-tailed lemur will also sunbathe, sitting upright facing its underside, with its thinner white fur towards the sun. Like other lemurs, this species relies strongly on its sense of smell and mark its territory with scent glands. The males perform a unique scent making behavior called spur marking and will participate in stink fights by impregnating their tail with their scent and wafting it at opponents. It is listed as near threatened by the IUCN red list. It's habitat is also in danger of destruction.

Does an ant which explode when threatened really exist?

The Malaysian exploding ant (Camponotus saundersi) which is known for its explosive self-defense mechanism. No, they are not terrorists. These creatures have the ability to explode when threatened. These ants follow one strict rule where protecting the colony is its number one priority.  In an instance when a predator attacks the colony, groups come marching right up to the "enemy". Once they are in range, they contract their abdomen, which causes its venom-filled glands to rupture, spraying deadly poison at the threat. The ants die with honor, saving their colony, protecting their one rule. The predator is defeated for the venom is deadly enough to take it down.

These ants are so brave, fighting for their colony till their very last breath to defend it. Their patriotism should be admired and looked up upon. 

The Frilled Shark-"The Living Fossil"

The Chlamydoselachus anguineus (frilled shark) is one of the most physically strange looking sharks in the world. It's about 2 meters in length, and is known as the "living fossil" since they are prehistoric species that has changed very little over millions of years. Frilled Sharks can be found in several places in waters up to 1,300 meters below the surface such as the waters near The East side of the United States, Australia, United Kingdom and Japan. Even though some Frilled Sharks can be found near the surface of the ocean, encounters with humans are extremely rare. They feed on squids, other sharks and bony fishes. It is thought that they swiftly and aggressively attack their prey when it is injured or exhausted from spawning. While their bite is still deadly, scientists have observed that their bite is not as strong as the conventionally built sharks that we are most commonly associated with.

The Pistol Shrimp

The Pistol shrimp is not ordinary shrimp. They are about an inch long and have one (sometimes two) oversized claws. What is so intriguing about it is that when it snaps its claws shut, it forces out a powerful jet of bubbles that travels at an incredible rate of 60mph. When these bubbles implode, they realease a bright flash of light. Not only that, immense heat is released upon impact, and the temperature inside the bubbles reach over 5,000 degrees Kelvin, momentarily reaching the temperature of the sun! With this fascinating yet deadly attack, the pistol shrimp can easily stun prey like fish. These shrimp are known also for being one of the loudest creatures on Earth. It's claw's snapping sound can go up to 200 decibels. A human eardrum ruptures just at 150. Another bizzare thing about this creature is that it has a symbiotic relationship with species of the Goby fish. Since the postil shrimp has poor vision, the goby fish would warn the shrimp if danger is approaching by breaking contact from the antennae. In my opinion that would be the only reason for why the pistol shrimp doesn't eat the goby fish as well. In return of the "favor", the shrimp builds a burrow for the goby fish to live in.  

A White: Lion, Alligator and Gorilla?

Everyone knows a zebra's color or a lion's, but would you believe me if I told you that there is a white lion? What if I told you that there is a white Gorilla? You may be wondering how could this all happen. It's actually quite simple. All these animals fall under one branch. It all goes down to genes. 

1. The White Lion

The white lion owes it's coloring to a recessive gene. The white lion is  a special morph with a genetic condition called leucism. Leucism is a condition characterized by reducing pigmentation in animals. The difference between Leucism and Albinism is that Leucism is caused by a reduction in all types of skin pigments, not only melanin. They have been seen around the Kruger National Park and the Timbavati Private Game Reserve in eastern South Africa, but are more commonly found in captivity. These stunning creatures have been bred in camps in South Africa for use as trophies to be killed during canned hunts. The first sightings started to surface in 1928. Reports where made for the next 47 years, until confirmation of the coloration came in 1975 when a litter containing two white cubs was seen in the Timbavati Game Reserve. 

2.  The Albino Alligator

The albino alligator is in great state of extinction. There are only 12 white alligator's remaining in the world. This type of alligator being an albino has an inhibited gene for melanin, the brown pigmen from the skin and eye's iris, which is why it's skin appears white and it's eyes pinkish because of the blood vessels. To see this animal visitors must enter a dark lobby for the sun could damage the alligator's skin.

3.  "Snowflake"Gorilla

unlike the white albino alligator, the so called "white gorilla" was only one in the world. Yes, you read correctly I said was. There has only been one known albino Gorilla who was named "Snowflake". He was found in 1966 by a fang farmer. The farmer in order to obtain this unusual albino specimen, had to kill the rest of his group who were all charcoal black. Snowflake would automatically shut his eyes when in bright light. It was calculated that he blinked 20 times a minute. By now you would be wondering why didn't you clone him or something like that. Well, Here's your answer. During his life-time in captivity, he fathered 22 offspring which only 6 survived to adulthood. Guess what, none of his offspring were albino (meaning white). 

He was thought to be around 39 years of age. The average lifespan of a gorilla in the wild is 25. Snowflake suffered from an unusual type of skin cancer, most probably related to his albinism condition, known as oculocutaneous albinism type 1. In September 2003 it had been publicly announced that he was dying and so thousands visited him to say their goodbye before be passed away in November.

There are many albino animals. Here is a list of other Albino animals:

-albino snail

-albino turtle

-albino peacock

-albino rabbit

-albino snake

and many other!

can a lizard squirt blood from it's eyes?

The horned Lizard is a type of reptile. They are preyed upon by a number of creatures such as hawks, snakes, dogs, wolves, coyotes and other lizards. When a predator attacks, it inflates its body to look like a spiky balloon. If the aggressor/predator does not stop then the horned lizard squeezes its eyes to squirt blood. This method of defense id done allowing the arteries behind their eyes to close. As pressure is built the eyes bulge and blood is sent into the capillaries at the inner corner of their eyes. Just as the predator tries to wrap his mouth around the lizard it squirts the blood in it. They can shoot up to 50 times in two minutes. The length of one blood squirt could go up to 4 feet. The predator gets confused and doesn't like the taste of it's prey or the size and so the lizards survives. It is amusing how most creatures would fight back trying to keep their bodies intact and their blood inside them while the horned lizard squirts it around as an appetizer. 

In the last decades the horned lizard's population have been in decline throughout their range. Their native habitats are being destroyed and the pet trade have all been influencing it's numbers. The price for one shockingly is only about 20.00 $.   

Glaucus Atlanticus

The Glaucus Atlanticus, known as the Dragon Sea Slug or by it's other names is a mollusk that floats upside down at the ocean floor. No, it doesn't spit fire, nor does it fly although it is just as awesome. It's normal size is up to 3 cm. It has dark blue stripes along the edge of its feet.   It eats many creatures that float on the surface, including the blue button and the violet snail but feeds mostly on Physalia. It has many sharp radular teeth and as it eats the Portuguese Man o'War for example it takes in its stinging cells. These are what the Portuguese Man o'War uses to catch it's prey. It contains a toxin that is capable of paralyzing small fish. The glaucus atlanticus isn't harmed by it and so it uses the captured stinging cells (nematocyst) for its own defense. Not only they use them for defense but they are able to select the most venomous nematocysts. This creature isn't much bigger then your thumb and feeds on something which can hurt us and we humans are way bigger. What a bad-ass slug this little fellow is.

A fish with transparent head exists?

The Macropinna microstoma, commonly known as "spook-fish" or the "barrel-eye"  was first described in 1937. They are 6 inches long and are found in waters as deep as 3330ft (1015m). They have been found in the Pacific ocean, from the Bering Sea to Japan and Baja California, Mexico.  Not much is known on what they eat but, scientists think they eat jellies. 

 It's common names describes it's tubular eyes. You might be shocked by looking at it's transparent head however in the deep, being transparent isn't unusual.  Also having tubular eyes isn't new, either. It is when the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) filmed one that this fish's awesome factor got known.  The fish was first discovered in 1939, but the transparent nature of the fish wasn't known. It had been caught in nets, but when fish dies, it's transparent part is destroyed. It was thought that it could not see in front of itself for it was never captured alive. The Monterey Bay Team sent remotely operated vehicles to the ocean floor to learn about this fish, finding out it's remarkable feature. The Team had managed to capture a live specimen, and for hours observing the fish which was rotating it's eyes. The see through section of the fish allows it to actually see through itself when looking for food at different angles above it. 

Whatever the science, the see through fish is simply a marvel of nature. If it were possible, could you imagine having this fish as your pet?

how many pinta island tortoise's are there left?

Lonely George was estimated to be around 100 years old when he died on the 24th of June, 2012. Also known as the world's rarest creature passed away in Puerto Ayora, the largest town in Galapagos on the central island of Santa Cruz.

George, was discovered in 1971 by a Hungarian-born snail biologist working alone on the uninhabited northerly island of Pinta.  Before, conservationists had assumed his subspecies had become extinct.

After this discovery, the Galapagos National Park (GNP) decided to search the island, but could not find another of his kind.

Lonesome George's untimely death has deprived Galapagos of another of it's beautiful species.

The Pinta Island Tortoise was a subspecies of Galapagos Tortoise native to Ecuador's Pinta Island. The subspecies had been described by Albert Gunther in 1877. By the end of the 19th century, most of the Pinta Island Tortoises had been killed for hunting. By the mid-20th century it was assumed that the species was extinct until the discovery of Lonesome George.

Now that it is "assumed" once again of the extinction of this species  do you believe that another last pinta giant tortoise could be found?