Animal Facts & Trivia

What You Shouldn't Do in Dog Training

2011-02-20T17:47:00.000-08:00

Most dog training articles or advice would usually contain the best tips on how to achieve good behaviour and a well-trained dog. All of them are really informational and useful but most of them concentrate on the Do’s of dog training. While that is a positive note, providing the Don’t's as well can better help dog owners and trainers. Here are some of the Don’t's in dog training.

Don’t conduct the training in a place with lots of distraction. Pets easily get distracted with sights and sounds. Find a place where the pet can hear and focus on your commands. Your backyard will be a great place to start with. Public places like parks are ideal for outdoor training but they are usually crowded and noisy. If you choose a park for training, be sure to find a quiet and less crowded spot.

Don’t exhaust your dog in training. Pets have a short attention span too. Unless you can sustain their attention and interest, then maybe you can plan a quite extensive training module. If you can’t, try to keep the lessons short. Around 20 to 30 minutes perhaps. Do not push your dog to his limits. Try to give him a time to rest in between the training time.

Don’t forget to commend and reward your dog. If your pet was able to do your commands and exemplify good behaviour, show them your appreciation by commending them and giving them rewards. Through your actions, your pet can associate that what he did was good, and will do it again so he can get a reward. Rewards can be food, treats or toys.

Don’t stop until you achieve your goal. Pet owners have their goals in training their dogs. Sometimes, dogs are too stubborn and this requires patience among the trainers. Try to devote your time and exert some effort in training them until you see progress and finally achieve your goals. Having a well-behaved dog after training will make all the effort worth it.

Don’t be afraid to consult a professional dog trainer. If you are having problems in teaching your dog, you can always ask a professional trainer for advice. Hearing it from the experts, you can be quite sure that their tips and advice are proven and effective. They have handled quite a lot of dogs like your dog and they already know what to do.

Don’t hesitate to try dog training aids. The market now offers a lot of training kits for dogs. There are kits for obedience, and some for agility. Choosing petsafe products will ensure pet safety and better serve your purpose.

How to Protect your Dog via Wifi

2011-01-03T17:28:00.000-08:00

Technology has also revolutionized dog supplies. From wireless communication, internet, now comes a wireless dog containment. This is a quantum leap in technology that is simply beyond any traditional wireless dog fencing system on the market today.

Pet supply manufacturers have developed their line of wifi rechargeable pet fence that uses the latest digitally encoded WiFi signal technology used in advanced wireless communications with the 802.15 WiFi protocol. Unlike other fencing technology, the Wire-Free Smart Station and Pet Link collar are both connected by Transceivers - highly integrated signal chips that constantly links the distance between your dog and the Smart Station. Wire-Free Pet Fence intelligently tracks the location of your dog at all times, reminding your pet to respect the established boundary safe area, all while communicating critical safety information back to you.

The specifications of this new line of pet fence may overwhelm owners at first, but actually this fence provides great ease not just in installation but also in operation. It also allows owners to save on money by providing a petsafe , reliable and effective wireless fence containment that today’s traditional fencing types fail to provide.

The Wireless pet fence is ideal for small to medium dogs and offers twice the coverage of any other wireless system on the market that is why more and more dog owners are trying it. This wireless fence has no unattractive poles to set up and no wires to bury. Instant wireless dog fence uses a constant radio signal to create a "safe zone" for the pet. What’s also great about it is its portability. Owners can take it wherever they go. It can also be plugged in the cigarette lighter of the car, boat or RV with the help of the DC to AC power inverter.

However, dog owners must also keep in mind that this wireless fence system must also be backed by proper training techniques in order for the dog to get used to it. It’s important that they become patient with their pets for training may take some of their time and effort.

Celebrity Pet Names to Inspire First Time Dog Owners

2010-12-12T18:14:00.000-08:00

So you got a new pet, now what do you name her? Wait! Is it a she or a he?

As a first time dog owner you are likely to experience a lot of difficulty in choosing a pet name. You want the name to be unique and meaningful but still perfect for yourr dog. Naming a dog Brownie or Spot is out of your options since a thousand other pets may share the same name for it is some of the most common dog names. So where do you draw an inspiration? (Light bulb flicks in your brain) How about from a celebrity pet? Bright idea!

Hollywood celebrities do not only shine in TV, movies, music, sports, etc. They also shine in choosing some of the cutest, weirdest, funniest pet names. To give you an example here are some of the coolest celebrity pet names.

A-list duo Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner named their pet Martha Stewart. This is not to insult the chef and green thumb celebrity, but rather to show admiration for her. Jen loves to cook and garden too so she chose that name for their yellow lab.

Jake Gyllenhaal loves both dogs and literature. So how did he show this? By naming his dogs based on the characters of the Harper Lee Pulitzer Prize winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird. His German Shepherd is known as Atticus Finch while his Puggle is called Boo Radley.

Like Ben & Jen, and Jake; Joss Stone also chose to name her dog after an inspiration. The soul singer-song writer confessed that Dusty Springfield is one of her top musical influences so she named her poodle after her.

Who is Jackson P. Mutley? Anyone? Well he may not be as popular as his owner, but he did gain his own right to stardom after winning the The World Urban Doggy Award in 2005. Jack is Mariah Carey's Jack Russel Terrier. He has appeared on several pictorials and music videos with MC, and even had a cameo appearance on the film, Glitter.

Frank Sinatra is not just known as an actor and the singer who made My Way very popular. He is also known as Reese Witherspoon's pet. Oops! My bad, I took them for the same person. Sorry for that! It just happened that Reese's English bulldog is named after him. Reese and former husband Ryan Philippe are both huge fans of the singer so as a tribute to him, they gave the dog his name.

These are just some of the celebrity dog names that hopefully can inspire you. Hope you can come up with something as cool as these. Aside from giving a good dog name, what's more important for a first
time owner, is to give your dog petsafe care and lots of love.

A Look at Disc Dog

2010-11-29T17:58:00.000-08:00

As Ultimate Frisbee is becoming more popular as a sport, so is its counterpart in dog sports. Disc dog or Frisbee dog had attracted both dogs and their owners to train hard and compete in events like distance catching and freestyle catching. This and other dog sports allow owners and their pets to strengthen their bond as it require them to spend more time and work together.

Any type of dog can play Frisbee. Mixed breed dogs and those rescued from shelters have made their names in this sport. Engaging pets into sport allow them to live an active and dynamic lifestyle. It’s also a good form of exercise to make him more energetic and vigorous.

However, dogs must be trained first to prepare him for the different challenges of sports. Owners must be ready to devote ample time and effort to develop his physical and mental health. Not all dogs immediately understand the concept of the game so it’s important to be patient enough to teach him the basics of the game. You may throw the disc but he may not know what to do with it. This is one of most common problems owners’ face especially those who are always busy. Good thing there are training kits that can aid them. Just be sure to employ petsafe ways and proper techniques.

For those who want to join disc dog competitions, they usually happen during summer in plain grassy fields or sometimes even in winter on soft snow. Some of the most popular events include the Ashley Whippet Invitational, Skyhoundz, and the UFO World Cup Series.

Get your dog in the game! Train them now to be more active and energetic. Not just for the sake of competing, but also to keep them fit and healthy.

Ding Dong! Who's at the Door?

2010-10-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

Ding Dong!

Look who's at the door.... it's your dog! Now, dogs can call your attention quicker and easier when they want to get inside the house. No need to bark or scratch the door til you come and open it.

After the manufacturing of pet doors, door bell was also invented. No need to knock, or bark, the dog just need to press the button and Ding Dong.

The petsafe door bell mounts securely indoors. It senses your pet’s SmartKey inside or out and signals, letting you know your pet is at the door. You can also customize it by putting your favorite pet photo, plus it has 4 different, adjustable volume settings.

Check the line up of pet door bells from petsafe today.

Interesting Facts about Dogs

2010-09-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

There are more than five million puppies born in the United States each year.

When a puppy is born, he is blind, deaf, and toothless.

Dogs don't actually sweat by salivating. They sweat through the pads on their feet.

The oldest recorded age for a dog is 29.

Greyhounds can reach a speed of up to 45 miles per hour.

There are over 800 different dog breeds.

There is only one barkless dog in the world, the Basenji.

Dalmations are born without their spots. The spots appear as they mature.

Smiling at a dog causes him to think you are baring your teeth to show aggression.

There are about 68 million dogs with owners in the United States.

If a dog lives to be 11 years old, it would have cost about $13,550 to own that dog, including all his regular dog supplies.

The top five favorite breeds of dogs in the US are:
Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, Beagle, and Dachshund.

Cutting Edge Features from Dogtra Training Collars

2010-06-20T20:16:00.000-07:00

With the problem of expensive training, dog equipment manufacturers like Dogtra have developed training products to ease dog owners of training problems and additional expenses. Dog owners won’t have to be burdened of extra expenses anymore, and will just have to get a dog training collar for quick and effective training.

To make training more exciting and with great ease, Dogtra has developed a line of cutting edge but user friendly dog training collars. The latest training collars are waterproof and offer a wide variety of ranges. Not just that, to maximize their use, they provide rapid charge and precise correction levels. Pet owners will surely enjoy training their pets with a Dogtra collar especially if they can see and adjust settings in a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen. Yes, you got that right! LCD screen on a dog training collar.

AmericaOutdoor.com offersa great variety of Dogtra products. Check them out to see the latest line up of high tech training collars.

Affordable and Effective Training With Dogtra

2010-05-12T18:34:00.000-07:00

Pet training is one of the most strenuous tasks of pet ownership. Some breeds are easier to train, but some can be very stubborn and are harder to train. Most dog owners have a little time to spend on training that is why they often seek the help of professional dog trainers. Yet, enrolling the pet at a dog training school can be expensive. Having monthly, weekly or daily fees for training may stretch out your budget.

Using Dogtra training collars allow dog owners to mark pet boundaries. They can restrict their pets of crossing limited areas. Such training tools can also impose pet obedience. Dog owners will no longer have a hard time in giving commands and calling out their pets.

There is a wide variety of dog training collars offered in the market today, with Dogtra providing an outstanding product line up. These dog equipments come with 3 components, the transmitter, the collar, and the receiver. They can also cover various ranges, in yards or miles.

For dog owners who want to have a speedy, yet effective training, Dogtra training collars can be your reliable aid. No need to worry on the safety of the pet, these products has passed manufacturing and safety checks. Spare yourself from the hassles and difficulties of dog training. Have a obedient and behaved dog in no time.

A Bird's Eye View on Bird Trivias

2010-04-18T20:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we wish we're free as a bird. We just spread our wings and fly endlessly in the skies. Birds are very interesting animals and you'll surely be more interested if you find out amazing facts about some of them.

*The Albatross has a wing span of up to 14 feet and only needs to land once every couple of years to breed. They can travel hundreds of thousands of miles each flight.

*An albatross is able to sleep and fly at the same time.

*If an average man had a metabolism comparable to that of a hummingbird he would have
to eat 285 pounds of hamburger every day to maintain his weight.

*Owls turn their heads in almost a circle because they cannot move their eyes. Their
eyeballs are not round like ours. They are tubular.

*The female cuckoo bird destroys eggs in other bird's nests and replaces them with her own. The eggs are instinctively cared for by the mother of the destroyed eggs.

* Birds actually dream when they sleep. According to research conducted by the University of Chicago, they dream about their songs, have dream rehearsals, and sing the same songs better the next day.

*A flamingo must turn its head upside down to eat.

*All of the swans in England are the property of the queen. Disturbing or bothering
them is considered a serious offense.

Birds are just amazing that is why people admire them and owners love them so much. If you have a bird, be sure to protect and care for them with only the safe and reliable pet supplies.

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song."

-Lou Holtz

Eric Cartman and the Dog Whisperer

2010-03-03T06:41:00.000-08:00

This is an old episode alright, but still posted it just for laughs!

In this episode, Eric's mom seeked the help of real-life dog whispere Cesar Millan to help her train his son and hopefully develop a good behavior. The dog whisperer gives Eric a funny treatment, a dog treatment actually which he did not like. Find and watch the "Walking Cartman" and the series of episodes with the Dog Whisperer.

If you love dogs and you love South Park, I'm sure you loved this episode. Watch it again! For those who will see it for the first time, enjoy!

Seems like the video was removed from Youtube so I can;t embed it, but here's the link to the South Park website where you can watch the episodes online.

Cartman vs. The Dog Whisperer

Houdini Dog

2010-02-10T06:02:00.000-08:00

Houdini, the magician made name with his great escaping stunts. Well it seems like he's gonna lose his title to a four-pawed newbie. Meet Brandy. Saw this video from Youtube today.

I didn't know dogs can climb. But this dog actually did to escape a proof dog fence. Well, I guess this is what happens if you don't have petsafe dog fence. Watch Brandy now and be amazed with her great escape!

See it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-hw4JNW5iI

Presidential Dogs

2010-01-25T16:58:00.000-08:00

US have already had 44 presidents, including the present leader, Barrack Obama. All of them are great men, great leaders. There is a saying that behind every man's success is a woman. While this can be held true. we can also say that behind these distinguished leaders are their dogs.

Time Magazine, in their Photo Essays, featured a collection starring former presidents and their dogs. Meet the presidential dogs and see what they looked like. Learn their names. Get some posing ideas so you can have your photo taken with your dog while imitating the pose of George Washington, Calvin Coolridge, Warren Harding, etc.

Here's the link to Time's photo gallery.

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1830236_1746240,00.html

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This entry is brought to you by America Outdoor, a premier source for safe and humane Dog Crates

The Beatles' Song for Dogs

2010-01-21T16:43:00.000-08:00

The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in music history had not only touched the lives of millions of their fans but also left a mark on the lives of dogs with one of their songs.

A Day in the Life made by the fab four, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr had on its ending, an ultrasonic whistle, audible only to dogs. This was recorded by Paul McCartney for his Shetland sheepdog.

Watch the video here, have your dog sit beside you and see if he can hear the ultrasonic whistle.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This article is provided by America Outdoor, a leading source of Pet Beds and
Petsafe Dog Fence .

About Batman Stingray

2010-01-11T02:11:00.000-08:00

Stingrays are sensitive animals and they could not endure that type of mutilation. Stingrays also have an amazing ability to regenerate their disc, which would further recognize 'batman rays' to be a developmental disfunction.

Batman Rays are the result of a defect during embryonic development of the disc. The frontal area of the disc fails to fuse together. This morph is very uncommon, and no one to date has been able to reproduce these rays with success. Much like Albino or Xanthic morphs, these rays are a genetic misfit, and are usually only birthed in captivity because the survival rate of a deficient animal in the wild is next to none. This is due to predation and competition for food. They live just normal stingray and needing the same fish supplies.

The so-called ‘Batman’ stingray morphology. The disk failed

to fuse in front of the head during embryonic development of

this Potamotrygon motoro.

These rays move, eat, and act like normal stingrays. Special care must be provided as they tend to have a harder time competing for food. Beyond the few that are being kept in captivity, very little is known about the Batman Ray. We can assume that it is a genetic mutation, similar to a 'cleft lip' in a human, and that it is in no way man-made. These stingrays demand a very high price due to rarity.

There is no known genetic component to cleft lips in humans, and batman morphology in stingrays almost certainly has nothing to do with genetics.

Dog Drinks Slow Motion

2009-12-14T02:07:00.000-08:00

Have you ever observed closely how dogs drink water? Let's enter to the time warp and split seconds in thousand times to see clearly how dogs drink water.

The set up was not just in dog bow, not on pet feeder & waterer, not in fond or anywhere just outside, it's on the laboratory with the high definition camera was set.

No 10 Most Popular Cat Breed in US

2009-11-13T02:29:00.000-08:00

The Sphynx (also known as Canadian Hairless) is a rare breed of cat known for its lack of a coat. As a hairless breed, the Sphynx can seem more alien than pet. Find out how this cat lost its fur!

- The Sphynx appears to be a hairless cat, although it is not truly hairless. The skin should have the texture of Chamois leather. It may be covered with very soft hair that is often described as peach fuzz. Because the sphynx cats have no hair to keep them warm they prefer to cuddle up against other animals and people, they even tend to cuddle up and sleep with their owners under the covers.

- While Sphynx cats lack a coat to shed or groom, they are not maintenance-free. Body oils, which would normally be absorbed by the hair, tend to build up on the skin.

- In 1966 a domestic cat gave birth to a hairless kitten in Toronto, Canada.

- This medium-sized cat breed is very active, playful with cat toys, extremely gentle and intelligent.

- Pricing on Sphynx usually depends on type, applicable markings and bloodlines distinguished by Grand Champion (GC), National, National Breed and/or Regional winning parentage (NW, BW, RW) or of Distinguished Merit parentage (DM).

It's the No. 10 of Animal Planet's Top 10 Most Popular Cat Breeds

Spider Silk as Artificial Muscle

2009-11-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

Spider silk's unique ability to contract when wet is applied to produce artificial muscles.

Spider silk is renowned for its lightweight yet stronger-than-steel fibers, and now scientists are finding a new use for the fine, strong thread: as an artificial muscle.

Scientists at the University of Akron have developed two new ways to apply spider silk, and normal silk from silkworms, to artificial muscles. If refined and commercialized, scientists say the silk could be used in everything from robotics to microchip systems.

"No one thought about using spider silk as an artificial muscle," said Todd Blackledge, a professor at the University of Akron who studies spider silk. "But wrap a finger of drag line spider silk around your finger and dip it in water, and your finger will turn blue from the contraction of the fiber."

Scientists have known for years that some spider silk contracts dramatically, up to 50 percent, when it gets wet. The phenomena is known as super contraction. Scientists speculate that spiders use super contraction as a way to help tighten their webs when dew appears in the morning.

While powerful, super contraction generally only happens once; for a second contraction the fiber must be dried and manually stretched back to its original length.

Like human muscle, spider silk muscles would have degrees of movement, depending on the amount of water in the air around the muscle. High humidity would mean maximum contraction, low humidity would loosen the treads. Water breaks apart the hydrogen bonds inside the thin strands of protein, causing new, contracting bonds, to form. As the water evaporates the hydrogen bonds reform in their original positions.

While studying super contraction, the scientists found a second type of movement, known as cyclic contraction. Unlike super contraction, which generally is a one-time occurrence, cyclic contraction can instantly expand and contract as the humidity around the fiber changes, no drying necessary. While faster and more responsive than super contraction, cyclic contraction isn't nearly as dramatic; the fiber only shortens by 1 to 2 percent instead of 50 percent.

Video about Scientists experiment on Spiders Silk. http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/9550-science-investigations-spider-silk-video.htm

Essential Products on Cold Weathers at PetStreetMall

Those small numbers are fine with Blackledge, who notes that human muscle, despite its seemingly wide range of motion, only contracts between 10 and 20 percent. The new artificial muscle could be used in microelectromechnical systems (or MEMS) -- tiny devices that operate on very small scales to, for example, separate individual cells. All a spider silk, cyclic contraction-based spider silk artificial muscle would have to do in a MEMS system is open or close a tiny channel to separate individual cells.

A MEMS system would be a great first use for spider silk artificial muscles because not much silk would be needed. Despite decades of research and dozens of attempts to create artificial spider silk, no one has succeeded in creating an effective replacement. All the silk for an artificial muscle would have to be gathered by hand from real spiders, a fairly labor intensive task.

Luckily, says Blackledge, the same silk worm-based silk that goes into dresses and medical products also exhibits similar contraction properties as spider silk and could also be used for artificial muscles at tiny scales.

Scaling up spider silk for human limb-sized artificial muscles could be problematic, says Brent Opell, a professor at Virginia Tech. A single thread of drag line spider silk is very narrow, about five microns in diameter, and has a high surface area that lets it quickly absorb large amounts of water to quickly contract.

Stacking multiple fibers next to each other will likely slow the diffusion of water through the fiber and slow the speed of contraction.

While there are still multiple issues that still need to be resolved before any actual device using spider silk as an artificial muscle is built, the idea does have its merits, especially when compared to other artificial muscles out there, says Adam Summers, a professor at the University of Washington.

"Spider silk is a remarkably long-lived polymer that would last for tens of thousands of cycles," said Summers.

Other artificial muscles exist that are superior to spider silk in terms of speed or amount of contraction, says Summers, but often require high amounts of electricity or toxic chemicals for activation and break down after a couple hundred cycles.

Blackledge also only studied one of the seven different types of silk produced by one of the more than 40,000 species of silk-producing spider species. Other spider species could produce silk with much higher cyclic contraction percentages or super contraction that has a faster response time.

Source:

Animal Planet at Discovery Channel

Parrots: exceptionally intelligent birds

2009-03-05T01:30:00.001-08:00

All parrots’ eggs are pure white.
Parrots don’t have vocal cords, so they actually “trumpet” the sound by pushing air out of their trachea.
Wild parrots do not learn to talk, but the African Grey is the easiest to teach.
Parrots, when not nesting, live in groups known as flocks and are prone to squawking and screaming.
Parrots are zygodactyls i.e. they have four toes on each foot.
Most of the parrots build their nests in holes in trees, termite mounts, rock cavities or ground tunnels. Only a few build stick nests.
The vocalizations of some parrots can be heard for up to 1 mile.
While eating, parrots hold their food in one of their feet, which can be either left or right, making parrots left as well as right handed.
Parrots have a thick muscular tongue that helps them eat fruit, seeds, buds, nectar, and pollen.
Chocolate is poisonous to the Parrots.
The Owl Parrot is a bird that cannot fly.
Parrots are an endangered species.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Infraclass: Neognathae
Order: Psittaciformes

Parrots are fine-looking birds, mainly found inhabiting tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Grouped into two families, Psittacidae (true parrots) and Cacatuidae (cockatoos), they include as many as 350 species within their order. A parrot can be described as a bird with a strong curved beak, erect carriage, strong legs and clawed zygodactyl feet. Parrots can control the pitch of the sound by manipulating the shape and depth of the trachea. Experts say that when parrots talk, they are actually making variations on whistling.

Most parrot fossils were excavated in Europe. The earliest dates back to the Eocene, and are 50 million years old. Most of the complete skeletons were found in Germany and England. These birds are considered the great “parrot ancestors.” However, fossils of modern parrots—with the same bone structure and appearance as the ones we see today, are about 23 million years old.

There are actually two major groups of parrots: the psittacidae, and the cacutaidae. The latter has a movable head crest while the psittacidae have brighter, more vibrant colors. There are also enormous skeletal differences.
Some parrots are in danger of extinction. This includes the Spixs Macaw, of which only 7 survive in captivity. Naturalists once thought they had completely disappeared from the wild, but one was seen spotted flying in the South American rainforest. Breeding efforts have been stepped out to increase the parrots’ numbers.

Great Parrot Talent:

Megalodon: greatest fish predator ever lived

2009-02-27T01:34:00.000-08:00

The greatest shark to have ever lived!
Megalodon was the largest carnivorous fish in history.
The Carcharodon megalodon comes from the Greek word for “big tooth”.
C. megalodon was certainly piscivorous as well just like other sharks.
This shark was as big as a bus at a length of 60 feet and estimated to weigh between 30-60 tons.
The largest tooth of Megalodon ever found measured 7 inches in slant length.
The weight is comparable to 7 large African elephants weighing 7 tons each!
The Swiss naturalist, Louis Agassiz, gave this shark its scientific name, Carcharodon megalodon in 1835.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Disputed; either Lamnidae or Otodontidae
Genus: Disputed; either Carcharodon or Carcharocles
Species: C. megalodon

Carcharodon Megalodon was a giant shark that lived during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs of the Cenozoic Era, between 2 million and 16 million years ago. Little is known for sure about these giant predators because all that remains of their existence are fossilized teeth. C. megalodon was a warm water pelagic fish and it thrived in all the oceans of the world in its time. The teeth of this ancient shark have been excavated from many parts of the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, Malta and India.

There is evidence that C. megalodon preyed on whales, Cetotherium, and Odobenocetops, sirenians, dolphins, porpoises, pinnipeds and giant see turtles. The teeth from the megalodon shark are truly massive in both length and width. The largest teeth are as large as a man's hand and can weigh well over a pound. Another factor that greatly increases the value of a tooth is the degree of preservation. The vast majority of teeth that have become fossils have been destroyed by natural processes (erosion, chemical processes, etc.). Most megalodon teeth found have undergone quite a bit of destruction, with chunks of the tooth broken off, the enamel eaten through, or significant erosion wearing the natural features of the tooth.

Several hypotheses as to how an apex predator like C. megalodon suddenly became extinct after millions of years of existence. Factors such as abrupt global cooling of the Earth's climate coincided with changing ocean circulation, and shortage of food, have been known to cause demise of even dominant marine species.

Rabbits: interesting rabbit facts and trivia

2009-02-20T01:56:00.000-08:00

Rabbits are not rodents, they are lagomorphs.
A male rabbit is a buck, female rabbit is a doe and baby rabbit is a kit.
A group of rabbits is called a herd.
Rabbits groom themselves
A rabbits teeth never stop growing.
Rabbits have 28 teeth
Rabbits have a tiny "peg" tooth behind each incisor.
Rabbits can be litter trained
A pet rabbit can live as long as 10 years
Rabbits can purr similar to a cat
Rabbits cannot vomit
Rabbits can jump 36" and higher
The world record for the rabbit high jump is 1 meter.
The longest ears are 31.125 inches long.
Rabbits can suffer heat stroke
Rabbits do not hibernate
A 4 pound rabbit will drink as much water as a 20 pound dog
The only place a rabbit sweats is through the pads on its feet
Rabbits eat their own night droppings called cecotropes
Predators can literally scare a rabbit to death
When rabbits are happy, they will jump and twist, this is called a binky
Rabbits can see behind them without turning their heads, but have blind spot in front of their face.
The longest-lived rabbit was nearly 19 years old when he died.
Rabbits are most active at dawn and dusk.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae

Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world. There are seven different genera in the family classified as rabbits, including the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), Cottontail rabbit (genus Sylvilagus; 13 species), and the Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi, endangered species on Amami Ōshima, Japan). There are many other species of rabbit, and these, along with pikas and hares, make up the order Lagomorpha.

Rabbits are ground dwellers that live in environments ranging from desert to tropical forest and wetland. Their natural geographic range encompasses the middle latitudes of the Western Hemisphere. In the Eastern Hemisphere rabbits are found in Europe, portions of Central and Southern Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Sumatra, and Japan. The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) has been introduced to many locations around the world, and all breeds of domestic rabbit originate from the European.

Monitor Lizards: the tropical predators

2009-02-13T01:32:00.000-08:00

All monitor lizards are tropical reptiles.
The claws of monitors are long and sharp.
Monitor lizard jaws are very strong and once they bite something it is very difficult to get them to let go.
Monitors are carnivorous and will devour anything they are capable of dismembering and gulping down.
Monitors do not divest themselves of their tails, like some other lizards. Once lost, the tail of a monitor does not grow back.
Many species of monitor lizards hold their heads erect on their long necks, which gives them the appearance of being alert.
Monitors tend to swallow their prey whole, like snakes.
Monitor lizards lay 7 to 35 soft-shelled eggs, usually deposited in holes in riverbanks or in trees along water courses.
The Nile monitor often lays its eggs in termite nests.
Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world and belong to the family of monitor lizards.
Some are small reptiles of less than a foot in length, while the Komodo dragon, the largest living lizard, grows to 364 lb.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Scleroglossa
Infraorder: Anguimorpha
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus

Monitor lizards or biawak are members of the family Varanidae, a group of carnivorous lizards which includes the heaviest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, with the crocodile monitor being the longest in the world. Varanidae is monotypic, containing only the genus Varanus. Their closest living relatives are the anguid and helodermatid lizards.

Monitor lizards are generally large reptiles, although some can be as small as 12 centimetres in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semi-aquatic monitors are also known. Almost all monitor lizards are carnivorous, although Varanus prasinus and Varanus olivaceus are also known to eat fruit. They are oviparous, laying from 7 to 37 eggs, which they often cover with soil or protect in a hollow tree stump.

Armadillos: super armored animal

2009-02-05T00:21:00.000-08:00

The armadillo is so heavy it will sink in water unless it inflates its stomach with air. Even then only its nose shows above the water.
All four young, always of the same sex, are identical quadruplets and developed from the same egg. Armadillos are the only mammals in which multiple young form from a single egg with any regularity.
Despite its short legs, the armadillo moves relatively quickly. With its strong feet and thick claws it can burrow with considerable speed.
A full grown armadillo is about the size of a large lunchbox, and weighs around 17 pounds.
Because of its naturally low body temperature, armadillos have been used in leprosy research that includes the development of a vaccine.
Many towns in Texas hold beauty pageants for armadillos. Contestants groom, show and race their pet armadillos.
The armadillo is covered with platelets on its midsection, has hornlike skin, stiff hoods on its shoulders and hips, and additional protection on its face, tail and feet. Only its abdomen is unprotected.
The armadillo eats ants, worms and other ground insects and is classified as a meat eater.
Fossil remains of extinct giant armadillos have been found in the Pleistocene strata of South America.
Armadillo flesh is palatable and is used for food.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Superorder: Xenarthra
Order: Cingulata

Armadillos are small placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. The Dasypodidae are the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one".

Armadillos are prolific diggers. Many species use their sharp claws to dig for food, such as grubs, and to dig dens. The Nine-banded Armadillo prefers to build burrows in moist soil near the creeks, streams, and arroyos around which it lives and feeds. The diet of different armadillo species varies, but consists mainly of insects, grubs, and other invertebrates. Some species, however, are almost entirely formicivorous (feeding mainly on ants).

Armadillos are often used in the study of leprosy, since they, along with mangabey monkeys, rabbits and mice (on their footpads), are among the few known non-human animal species that can contract the disease systemically. They are particularly susceptible due to their unusually low body temperature, which is hospitable to the leprosy bacterium.

Butterflies: fascinating butterfly facts and trivia

2009-01-27T00:49:00.001-08:00

The original name for the butterfly was 'flutterby'!
Butterflies range in size from a tiny 1/8 inch to a huge almost 12 inches.
Butterflies cannot fly if their body temperature is less than 86 degrees.
The Brimstone butterfly (Gonepterix rhamni) has the longest lifetime of the adult butterflies: 9-10 months.
The caterpillars of some Snout Moths (Pyralididae) live in or on water-plants.
Many butterflies can taste with their feet to find out whether the leaf they sit on is good to lay eggs on to be their caterpillars' food or not.
People eat insects – called "Entomophagy"(people eating bugs), many bugs are both protein-rich and good sources of vitamins, minerals and fats.
Butterflies and insects have their skeletons on the outside of their bodies, called the exoskeleton (related to crabs and lobsters), keeping water inside their body to keep them from drying out.
Female butterflies usually are bigger and live longer than male butterflies.
A butterfly has compound eyes: each eye is made up of about 6,000 tiny parts called lenses, which let in light.
The female moth produces a scent that a male moth can smell a mile away.
Butterflies can’t hear, but they can feel vibrations.
Butterflies don't have mouths that allow them to bite or chew.
A caterpillar grows to about 27,000 times the size it was when it first emerged from its egg
The wings of butterflies and moths are actually transparent.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Rhopalocera

A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera, butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a larval caterpillar stage, an inactive pupal stage, and a spectacular metamorphosis into a familiar and colourful winged adult form.

Butterflies are characterized by their scale-covered wings. The coloration of butterfly wings is created by minute scales. These scales are pigmented with melanins that give them blacks and browns, but blues, greens, reds and iridescence are usually created not by pigments but the microstructure of the scales. This structural coloration is the result of coherent scattering of light by the photonic crystal nature of the scales.

Both butterflies and moths belong to the order lepidoptera, a Greek which means scale wing.The iridescent scales, which overlap like shingles on a roof, give the wings the colors that we see. Contrary to popular belief, many butterflies can be held gently by the wings without harming the butterfly. Of course, some are more fragile than others, and are easily damaged if not handled very gently. Butterflies along with most moths have a long straw like structure called a proboscis which they use to drink nectar and juices. When not in use, the proboscis remains coiled like a garden hose.

Studies on the reflection and scattering of light by the scales on wings of swallowtail butterflies led to the innovation of more efficient light-emitting diodes. Researches on the wing structure of Birdwing (of Palawan, Philippines) butterflies led to new wide wingspan kite and aircraft designs. The structural coloration of butterflies is inspiring nanotechnology research to produce paints that do not use toxic pigments and in the development of new display technologies. Furthermore, the discoloration and health of butterflies in butterfly farms, is now being studied for use as indicators of air quality in several cities.

Hercules Beetle: strongest of all

2009-01-22T01:02:00.000-08:00

Hercules beetles, also called rhinoceros and unicorn beetles, are among the largest beetles in the world.
Pound for pound, Hercules beetles are the strongest animal in the world. Some can lift as much as 850 times their own weight.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Scarabaeidae
Subfamily: Dynastinae
Genus: Dynastes
Species: D. hercules

The male, about five inches (13 cm) long, is one of the largest insects known. Females often have a greater body length but are not as long overall. Males have black heads and a set of forewings that can be shades of green, brown or black, while females are entirely brownish black. A large horn projecting from its upper thorax (chest) and a smaller one from its head resemble pincers. They are mainly found in tropical rainforests in Central and South America, but live as far north as Mexico as well as on some Caribbean islands.

Hercules beetles have a total life cycle of about a year and a half. They live underground as larvae for ten to 16 months, but only live for three to four months as adults.
Adult Hercules Beetles feed on sweet fruits, tree sap, and decaying plant matter. Larvae develop in or around rotten logs and eat decaying wood. Hercules beetles are vulnerable in the wild due to destruction of forests and collection for the pet trade. They are also vulnerable as their natural range is very limited.

Mouse: adaptable intelligent animal

2009-01-08T23:07:00.000-08:00

The typical laboratory mouse runs 2.5 miles per night on its treadmill.
A rat can walk longer on desert than a camel without drinking water.
Mice have tails that are as long as their bodies.
Mice see best in dim light. Their eyesight is weak, but their other senses are acute.
Mice have teeth that never stop growing. Mice teeth can grow up to 5 inches a year.
Mice squeak at very high frequencies, often above the range of human hearing.
Mice can jump down 12 feet without injury; they also have a 12-inch vertical jump.
Mice explore their territory daily, showing no aversion to new objects (neophobia).
The female mouse ovulates every other day.
A baby mouse is called a pinky, or a kitten. A female is called a doe. A male is called a buck

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Superfamily: Muroidea
Family: Muridae
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Mus

The word "mouse" and the word muscle are related. Muscle stems from musculus meaning small mouse - possibly because of a similarity in shape The word "mouse" is a cognate of Sanskrit mus meaning 'to steal,' which is also cognate with mys in Old Greek and mus in Latin. Mice range in size from 11 to 21 cm (4 to 8 inches) long (including a long tail). They weigh from .25 to 2 oz (7.1 to 57 g). The coat color ranges from white to brown to gray. Most mice have a pointed snout with long whiskers, round ears, and thin tails. Many mice scurry along the ground, but some can hop or jump.

Mice are common experimental animals in biology and psychology primarily because they are mammals, mice also share a high degree of homology with humans. They are the most commonly used mammalian model organism, more common than rats. The mouse genome has been sequenced, and virtually all mouse genes have human homologs. There are other reasons for why mice are used in laboratory research. Mice are small, inexpensive, easily maintained, and can reproduce quickly. Several generations of mice can be observed in a relatively short period of time. Mice are generally very docile if raised from birth and given sufficient human contact. However, certain strains have been known to be quite temperamental. Mice (and rats) have the same organs in the same places, just different proportions.

Mice live for one to two years. They can start having babies at 6-8 weeks old and have 5-10 in each litter (pregnancy lasts 3 weeks). Babies are born hairless with their eyes closed. One mother mouse can produce over 100 babies a year.

Goose: Amazing migratory birds

2008-12-21T23:01:00.000-08:00

The first bird domesticated by man was the goose.
The original and classic foie gras is made from goose liver.
Geese are entirely herbivorous, consuming plant material exclusively.
Migratory geese flight range 2 – 3 thousand miles.
Resident geese flight range: 100 –200 miles to find food, water, and safety.
Geese will find a new mate if mate dies or is killed.
The Geese eggs in a nest are called a "clutch", avegaring 5 per nest.
In the event the clutch is lost to a predator, the goose will lay a new clutch.
Baby geese are called "goslings".
Natural predators of geese are foxes, raccoons, owls and snapping turtles

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Superorder: Galloanserae
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Subfamily: Anserinae
Tribe: Anserini

The most familiar and widespread goose in North America, the Canada Goose, can be found all across the continent, from the tundra in Canada to the Gulf Coast. Many populations are resident in urban and suburban areas, and often come into conflict with people. In appearance, a “resident” Canada goose is identical to a migrant. The only differences between a resident and migrant are that the resident breeds in the United States and does not migrate. The “acid test” to determine residency is the presence of nests and goslings in the contiguous United States during the spring breeding season. In the wild, the birds can eat nearly all plant species and parts, including aquatic, but especially enjoy grasses, clovers, sedges, grain, and berries.
Generally the term foie gras is used for goose liver, although it is also used to refer to duck liver. Goose liver is considered superior by most people.

Mother goose lays 1 egg approximately 1_ days apart until full clutch is obtained. Mother goose waits until all eggs are laid before she begins to sit on nest to incubate eggs. Incubation time: 28 – 30 days. Undeveloped eggs (still fluid) will sink or float vertically with the wider portion of the egg pointing down. All geese eggs in a single clutch hatch on approximately the same day.

Spiders: amazing hunters and nature balancer

2008-12-15T01:04:00.000-08:00

The sex organ on a male spider is located at the end of one of its legs.
Male spiders are usually smaller than female spiders.
Most spiders are very nearsighted.
Webs get dirty and torn, so lots of spiders make a new one every day.
Spiders have as many as 8 eyes, but some spiders have only 6 eyes and several spiders have fewer or even none.
Fear of spiders is called Arachnophobia.
Most spiders have fangs, through which venom is ejected.
Spiders are invertebrates, which means they don't have backbones.
Spiders are not insects. Insects have three body parts and six legs.
Spiders have eight legs and two body parts, the abdomen and the thorax.
Spiders have silk spinning glands called spinnerets, at the tip of their abdomen.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae

Spiders are air-breathing chelicerate arthropods that have two body segments, eight legs, and no chewing mouth parts. About 40,000 species have been identified. In spiders' bodies the usual arthropod segments are fused into two tagmata, the cephalothorax and abdomen, joined by a small, cylindrical pedicel. These small creatures help plants reproduce by pollinating them. They also help recycle dead trees and animals back into the earth. They are also a vital source of food for birds, fish, and small mammals. Without invertebrates, like spiders and insects, many other living things would not survive.

The silk of a spider is mainly composed of a protein very similar to that used in insect silk. It is initially a liquid, and hardens not by exposure to air but as a result of being drawn out, which changes the internal structure of the protein. Most spiders have four pairs of eyes on the top-front area of the cephalothorax, arranged in patterns that vary from one family to another. The pair at the front are of the type called pigment-cup ocelli ("little eyes"), which in most arthropods are only capable of detecting the direction from which light is coming, using the shadow cast by the walls of the cup. However the main eyes at the front of spiders' heads are pigment-cup ocelli that are capable of forming images.

The largest spider is the South American tarantula, as big as a dinner plate and heavy as a stick of butter. The smallest is the Comb-footed spider, smaller than the head of a pin. The smallest, dwarf spiders of the subfamily Erigoninae, are less than 1 mm (about .05 inches) in body length. Cooked tarantula spiders are considered a delicacy in Cambodia, and by the Piaroa Indians of southern Venezuela – provided the highly irritant hairs, the spiders' main defense system, are removed first. Spider venoms may be a less polluting alternative to conventional pesticides as they are deadly to insects but the great majority are harmless to vertebrates. Australian funnel web spiders are a promising source as most of the world's insect pests have had no opportunity to develop any immunity to their venom, and funnel web spiders thrive in captivity and are easy to "milk". It may be possible to target specific pests by engineering genes for the production of spider toxins into viruses that infect species such as cotton bollworms. Possible medical uses for spider venoms are being investigated, for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, Alzheimer's disease, strokes, and erectile dysfunction.

Arachnophobia is a specific phobia, an abnormal fear of spiders or anything reminiscent of spiders, such as webs or spider-like shapes. It may be an exaggerated form of an instinctive response that helped early humans to survive, or perhaps a cultural phenomenon that is most common in predominantly European societies.

Armadillos: Great body structure for medical research

2008-12-08T22:39:00.000-08:00

The scientific name of the nine banded armadillo is Dasypus novemcinctus. Dasypus is from the Greek word for rabbit, novem is from the Latin word for nine and cinctus is from the Latin word for a band.
The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one."
Armadillos spend about 80% of their lives sleeping.
Armadillos are not blind, but they do have poor eyesight.
Contrary to popular belief, the nine-banded armadillo can not roll itself into a ball to escape predators!! Only one of the twenty-odd varieties of armadillos — the three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus) — is able to roll up.
Nine-banded armadillos always give birth to four identical young — the only mammal known to do so.
Armadillos are used in leprosy research because their body temperatures are low enough for them to contract the most virulent form of the disease.
Armadillos like to swim, and they are very good at it.
Armadillo teeth have no enamel.
Like most insect eating mammals, armadillos have a very long, sticky tongue to slurp up bugs as quickly as possible.
Armadillos have a very low metabolic rate, which means they don’t produce much body heat.
One way that armadillos conserve energy is through reta mirabila (Latin for “miraculous net”) — a system of veins and arteries in their legs.
Baby armadillos have soft shells, like human fingernails.
In many parts of the world, including the United States, you might find armadillo meat on the menu.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Superorder: Xenarthra
Order: Cingulata

Armadillos are small placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. The other types are covered with too many bony plates to allow them to curl up. Other armadillos have to rely on their armored shells for defense while they scuttle away through thick, thorny brush or dig themselves a hole to hide in. They also do not have a very strong immune system, making them an ideal model for many types of medical research.

“Virgin births” Armadillos are a result of the female’s ability to delay implantation of the fertilized egg during times of stress. This reproductive tactic is one reason why the armadillos are so good at colonizing new areas (such as the United States). Armadillos have a strong dog paddle, and can even go quite a distance underwater, walking along the bottom of streams and ponds. They can hold their breath for four to six minutes at a time. When they need to cross larger bodies of water, they swim across. Because their heavy shell makes it hard for them to float, they gulp air into their intestines to make them more buoyant. The ability to cross streams and rivers has helped armadillos expand their home range. Armadillos also have very few teeth — just several peg-like molars. Since they primarily eat insects, they don’t have to do a lot of heavy chewing, making big, strong teeth a waste of energy to grow. They also are equipped with strong claws to tear open ant nests. Their cousins, the anteaters, have very similar tongues and claws.

Armadillos are not good at living in cold areas, because they can’t keep warm very well! Armadillos don’t have a lot of body fat, so they must forage for food on a daily basis. Just a few cold days in a row can be deadly to an armadillo. Despite this fact, armadillos are steadily moving north. Hot blood going out through arteries is cooled by cold blood coming in through veins, and vice versa. This means that not much heat actually goes out into the legs, keeping it in the body. This also means they will get frostbitten very easily, since they have no way to warm their extremities through blood flow. Marine mammals, like whales, use a similar net of veins and arteries to stop the loss of body heat through the fins.

Crickets: cute body structure

2008-12-04T21:43:00.000-08:00

The ears of a cricket are located on the front legs, just below the knee.
While crickets have wings, the majority of them do not fly.
Spiders, some wasps, ground beetles, birds, small rodents and lizards are cricket predators.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Superfamily: Grylloidea
Family: Gryllidae

Crickets have long antennae and hind legs adapted for jumping; organs for hearing are located on their front legs. Solitary by day, crickets remain in crevices, under rocks, or in shallow burrows dug in the soil, emerging at night to feed on plants.
Crickets are omnivores and scavengers feeding on organic materials, as well as decaying plant material, fungi, and some seedling plants. Crickets also have been known to eat their own dead when there is no other source of food available. If left unchecked in houses, especially in large numbers, they will cause damage to clothing and other fabrics. They also have been known to feed on other insects, as in the smaller ones that live among ants.

Crickets do not rub their hind legs together to chirp. The left forewing of the male has a thick rib (a modified vein) which bears 50 to 300 ridges. The chirp (which only male crickets can do) is generated by raising their left forewing to a 45 degree angle and rubbing it against the upper hind edge of the right forewing, which has a thick scraper (Berenbaum 1995). This sound producing action is called "stridulation" and the song is species-specific. There are four types of cricket song: The calling song attracts females and repels other males, and is fairly loud. The courting song is used when a female cricket is near, and is a very quiet song. An aggressive song is triggered by chemoreceptors on the antennae that detect the near presence of another male cricket and a copulatory song is produced for a brief period after successful deposition of sperm on the female's eggs.

The Cricket wings are often too small to be of any use and lie useless across the back. Most get about by jumping from place to place, and through time, have developed legs
that are built for jumping at great heights when put in comparison to their size. Crickets vary in size from specie to specie, with most being in the range of ½” to 1”. One species that appears to clean up after ants in the ant’s own house is smaller than ¼’. The common house cricket is usually on the smaller end, most often not being much over the ½” range. As their name suggests, these are most commonly found around and inside houses.

Chameleons: amazing tongue hunting animal

2008-11-24T01:03:00.000-08:00

A chameleon’s tongue is twice the length of its body
The chameleon's tongue extends faster than the human eye can follow, at around 26 body lengths per second.
Chameleon's tongue hits the prey in about 30 thousandths of a second
Even a small chameleon is capable of eating a large locust or mantis
All chameleon species are able to change their skin color.
Chameleons are mostly oviparous, some being ovoviviparous.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Chamaeleonidae

More than 160 species of Chameleons are known, arranged in nine genera. The main distribution of Chameleons is in Africa and Madagascar, and other tropical regions, although some species are also found in parts of southern Europe, southern India and Sri Lanka. There are introduced, feral populations of veiled and Jackson's chameleons in Hawaii and isolated pockets of feral Jackson's chameleons have been reported in California and Florida. Chameleons inhabit all kinds of tropical and mountain rain forests, savannas and sometimes semi-deserts and steppes. They are mostly arboreal and are often found in trees or occasionally on smaller bushes. Some smaller species live on the ground under foliage.

The chameleon's tongue's tip is a bulbous ball of muscle, and as it hits its prey, it rapidly forms a small suction cup. Once the tongue sticks to the prey, it is drawn quickly back into the chameleon’s mouth, where the chameleon's strong jaws crush it. Chameleon's eyes are the most distinctive among the reptiles. The upper and lower eyelids are joined, with only a pinhole large enough for the pupil to see through. The eyes can rotate and focus separately to observe two different objects simultaneously, giving them a full 360-degree arc of vision around their body. When prey is located, both eyes can be focused in the same direction, giving sharp stereoscopic vision and depth perception. They have very good eyesight for reptiles, letting them see small insects from a relatively great (5-10cm) distance.

Different chameleon species are able to change into different colors which can include pink, blue, red, orange, green, black, brown and yellow. Chameleons are naturally colored for their surroundings as a camouflage. Chameleons change their color in response to light exposure and ambient temperature, as well as to express their mood (not for camouflage, as is commonly believed). Emotions and attraction of a mate can induce the color changes seen in a chameleon. The color changes also play a part in communication.

Sharks: made to hunt predators

2008-11-17T01:14:00.000-08:00

Sharks have been around for about 400 million years - long before dinosaurs even existed.
Sharks apparently are the only animals that never get sick. They are immune to every type of disease including cancer.
Sharks have the most powerful jaws on the planet.
Sharks never run out of teeth. If one is lost, another spins forward from the rows and rows of backup teeth.
A shark may use over 20,000 teeth during its life.
A sharks skeleton is made of cartilage, allowing greater flexibility.
The most harmless sharks tend to be the largest, such as the Basking Shark, the Whale Shark and the Megamouth Shark.
Two-thirds of a Sharks brain is dedicated to the sense of smell.
Shark skin is made of denticles instead of ordinary fish scales.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Superorder: Selachimorpha

Sharks (superorder Selachimorpha) are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. They respire with the use of five to seven gill slits. Sharks have a covering of dermal denticles that protect their skin from damage and parasites and improve fluid dynamics; they also have replaceable teeth. Sharks range in size from the small dwarf lanternshark, Etmopterus perryi, a deep sea species of only 17 centimeters (7 in) in length, to the whale shark, Rhincodon typus, the largest fish, which grows to a length of approximately 12 metres (39 ft) and which feeds only on plankton, squid, and small fish through filter feeding.

Lobsters: Incredible animal body

2008-11-10T00:49:00.001-08:00

It takes a lobster about seven years to grow to be one pound.
Lobster blood is a clear fluid. When the animal is boiled, the blood turns to an opaque whitish gel. It has no discernible flavor and is perfectly safe to eat.
Lobsters can regenerate legs, claws, and antennae.
Lobsters molt (shed their shells) to grow.
Lobster larva will molt about six times while still in the egg.
Lobsters exhibit 'handedness'. Some lobsters will have the crusher claw on the right side while others will have it on the left.
Lobsters may come in a variety of colors besides the usual blue-green, including blue, yellow, red, and white. ome even come in two colors, having half of their shell one color and the other half a totally different color. Of these only the white ones (true albinos) don't turn red when cooked.
The nervous system of a lobster is decentralized and has been likened to that of a grasshopper.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Astacidea
Family: Nephropidae

Lobsters are invertebrates, members of the Class Crustacea of the Phylum Arthropoda. This class includes animals without backbones and with hard shells like crab, shrimp, crayfish, water fleas and wood lice. A male lobster is called a cock and a female a hen or chicken (when she weighs about 1 pound). Lobsters are sexed by examining the first set of appendages behind the walkers. The male (gonopeds) are bony while the same appendages on the female are feathery. In both cases, you have to look closely because sometimes they are folded up tightly under the body. With a little practice, you can also tell by looking at the tail. On females the tail is relatively broad compared to the male's to accommodate the egg mass.

There are two kinds of lobsters, the "true" lobster (also called American lobster) and the spiny lobster. The true lobster has claws on the first four legs, lacking in the spiny lobster. The spiny lobster has a pair of horns above the eyes, lacking in the true lobster. Spiny lobsters also have two large cream-colored spots on the top of the second segment of the tail. Lobsters regenerate, in fact they can amputate their own claws and legs (autotomy) to escape danger. The term 'amputate' can be in the passive sense as well. I've seen a lobster spontaneously drop a claw for no apparent reason. The lobster's body has 19 parts, each covered by a section of the shell. The shell is thin and soft where the parts join, so lobsters can bend their body and move about. Lobsters breathe through gills located beneath the shell on both sides of their thorax (center part). Lobsters eyes are compound eyes, consisting of hundreds of lenses joined together on the ends of pair of jointed organs called stalks. The four small antennae on the front of their heads are used to "smell" their food or chemicals in the water. The tiny sensory hairs along their legs are used to "taste" their food. Lobsters keep their antennae and eye stalks moving constantly to search for food and to watch for enemies.

True lobsters have two very powerful claws. One claw is sharp and used for cutting, the other is bony and used for crushing. Lobsters that have their heavy ("crusher") claw on the right are considered "right-handed" and the others are "left-handed". Some lobsters are ambidextrous, they usually favor the claw that is the largest. Lobsters can lose claws, legs, eyes and antennae through accident or self-defense, but are able to regenerate them. Lobsters often fight with other lobsters for territory. If another lobster seizes their claw, they may drop their claw to escape. Sometimes, the more aggressive lobster will tear the claw of the opponent off. A lobster with a claw missing is called a cull It takes about 3 to 4 molt cycles for the claw to grow back to full size. Lobsters have a sophisticated nervous system that allows it to sense actions that will cause it harm and feel pain. Lobsters don't have an autonomic nervous system that puts it into a state of shock when it is harmed. For this reason, they will feel pain until their nervous system is completely destroyed. After they are released from the mother's swimmerettes and hatch, the larva will float freely in the water column and molt several more times before taking the form that we recognize as a lobster. At this point they may be only 1/4" in length.

Before they shed the old shell, they will form a thin one underneath. Growing lobsters secrete enzymes that soften the shell and connective shell joints. The shell spilts up the back and the creature backs out leaving it behind...including the membrane that covered the eyes. They will increase their size by about 20% at every molt. By the time a lobster is of legal size, it will have molted about 20-25 times, averaging 4-5 molts a year. After a molt the animal is vulnerable because the new shell is very soft. It will hide among the rocks on the bottom for 6-8 weeks until its shell hardens enough to offer some protection. They often eat their old shell which will replenish the lost calcium and speed up the hardening of the new shell. A young, immature lobster (first 5-7 years) will molt about 25 times a year. An adult male lobster molts twice a year and an adult female lobster once a year, usually in the summer. When lobsters get older, they will molt only once every 3-4 years. The only way to gauge the exact age of a lobster would be by their shell. However, since lobsters shed their shells so often, it is impossible to determine their age. Knowledge of body size at age makes scientists believe that lobsters can attain a maximum age of 100 years. The normal life span is about 15 years. Lobsters can grow to be 3 feet long in overall body length.

Dragonfly: amazing insect predator

2008-11-03T00:47:00.000-08:00

Dragonflies are one of the fastest insects, flying 50 to 60 mph.
Dragonfly eyes contain up to 30,000 individual lenses. Human eyes only have one.
Dragonflies only flap their wings at about 30 beats per second (bps) compared to a bee’s 300 bps.
Dragonflies have two sets of wings. They don’t have to beat their wings in unison like other insects do. Their front wings can be going up while their backs ones are going down.
Although 80% of the brain is devoted to sight, dragonflies are not able to register detail well.
Excellent and strong fliers, dragonfly can loop-the-loop, hover, and fly backwards.
There are nearly 2500 different species of dragonflies.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Suborder: Epiprocta
Infraorder: Anisoptera

Dragonflies have been around 300 million years. One prehistoric fossil had a wingspan of 2 1/2 feet! Today, the largest dragonfly is found in Costa Rica. It has a wingspan of 7 1/2 inches. Below you’ll find more interesting facts about dragonflies.

Female dragonfly lay eggs sometimes as many 100,000 at a time. Dragonflies typically eat mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, bees, ants and butterflies. They are therefore valued as predators, since they help control populations of harmful insects. Dragonflies are usually found around lakes, ponds, streams and wetlands because their larvae, known as "nymphs", are aquatic. While underwater they eat mosquito nymphs, tiny fish, and pollywogs. When they have matured to airborne insects, they catch mosquitoes and gnats in mid-air before devouring them. Surprisingly, dragonflies will spend only a very short part of their life span as actual dragonflies. They will live as nymphs for up to four years, shedding their skin up to fifteen times, yet when they finally mature into adults, the dragonfly stage, they will survive only a few months.

Camels: Ships of Deserts

2008-10-29T00:32:00.000-07:00

Incredible Facts about Camels:

Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand. Camelids lie down to rest and sleep.
Camels have a split upper lip, which aids them in grazing.
Camels feet are soft and spread out so they won't sink in the sand. They have two toes on each foot joined by a tough web and leathery padded souls.
Camel's coat moult in spring and grow a new coat by autumn. A camel sheds around 2kgs of wool every time they moult.
Camels eat vegetation and feed on grasses. They frequently seek out plants high in salt content.
A camel’s body temperature rises during the heat of the day and then cools down at night.
A camels can go for days or weeks with little or no water or food.
A camel’s stomach has three sections, similar to a domestic cow (bovine). This makes it a ruminant.
The camel's nickname "Ships of the Desert" comes from their walk. Like a giraffe, the camel moves both legs on one side of its body at the same time, then the other side. The rolling motion resembles a ship at sea.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Camelidae
Genus: Camelus

Camels are even-toed ungulates within the genus Camelus. The dromedary, one-humped or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the Bactrian camel has two humps. They are native to the dry desert areas of western Asia, and central and east Asia, respectively. The term camel is also used more broadly to describe any of the six camellike creatures in the family Camelidae: the two true camels, and the four South American camelids, the llama, alpaca, guanaco, and vicuña. The camel's average life expectancy of a camel is forty to fifty years. A fully-grown adult camel stands 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) at the shoulder and 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in) at the hump. The hump rises about thirty inches (75 cm) out of its body. Camels can run up to 65 km/h (40 mph) in short bursts and sustain speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph). A female camel is a cow, a male camel is a bull and a baby camel is a calf. When calves are born they weigh 30-40kgs but by the time they're adults, they weigh around 500-600kgs. They get to this size at 6-7 years but can live up to 50 years. Calves remain close to their mother until they are around 5 years old.

Electric Eels - shocking water predators

2008-10-20T01:24:00.000-07:00

An electric eel can produce a shock of up to 650 volts.
Electric eels cannot get enough oxygen from water. Approximately every five minutes, they must surface to breathe, or they will drown.
Electric Eels can swim both backwards and forwards.
Electric Eels have poor eyesight, but can emit a low-level charge, less than 10 volts, which they use like radar to navigate and locate prey.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Osteichthyes
Order: Gymnotiformes
Family: Gymnotidae
Genus: Electrophorus
Species: E. electricus

Electrophorus electricus or Electric Eels are fascinating and famous freshwater predators get their name from the enormous electrical charge they can generate to stun/immobilize prey and dissuade predators. Their bodies contain electric organs with about 6,000 specialized cells called electrolytes that store power like tiny batteries. When threatened or attacking prey, these cells will discharge simultaneously, emitting a burst of at least 600 volts. The electric organ, which consists of a series of modified tail muscles, is similar to a row of batteries connected in a series. It is subdivided into three sections: two small and one large. One small battery is used for navigational signals. The large battery and the other small one is used to generate the stunning discharge. After delivering a strong shock, the electric eel must then allow the electric organ to recharge. Batteries have to be recharged using an external source of energy; in the electric eel the energy to recharge the electric organ comes from the fish's metabolism.

Despite their serpentine appearance, electric eels are not actually eels, their scientific classification is closer to carp and catfish. They are spread in the South America in Guianas then in the Orinoco and the Amazon basin. It has got long and rounded body with small eyes. Its colour is dark brown. The eel can be up to 2.4 m (8 feet) long. The electric eel does not have any pelvic, dorsal or tail fin. Because of that its swimming can also be called as wriggling because its movements are made by the anal fin. An adult eel feeds on small fishes and young eels eat insects.

Woodpeckers - amazing hunting abilities

2008-10-13T01:17:00.000-07:00

A woodpecker can peck 20 times per second.
Most woodpeckers have four toes. Two face forward and two face backward. This arrangement is called zygodactyl.
Their short legs and sharp nails make it easier for them to cling to bark.
A straight, chisel-like bill is used to excavate holes in trees for nesting and roosting. It is also used for foraging insects, insect eggs and larva.
Very long tongues allow the birds to "worm" their way in to hard to reach places. There are hard, saliva coated bristles on the end of the tongue. These aid in grabbing the prey. The tongue can also be used for lapping sap.
All woodpeckers have a characteristic wing-beat pattern while flying: 3 flaps and glide, 3 flaps and glide...

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Subclass: Neornithes
Infraclass: Neognathae
Superorder: Neoaves
Order: Piciformes
Suborder: Pici
Family: Picidae

The woodpecker's strong, pointed beak acts as both a chisel and a crowbar to remove bark and find hiding insects. It has a very long tongue, up to four inches in some species - with a glue-like substance on the tip for catching insects. The woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks are a family, Picidae, of near-passerine birds . Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia and New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. Most species live in forests or woodland habitats, although a few species are known to live in desert areas.

The smallest woodpecker is the Bar-breasted Piculet, at 7 g and 8 cm (3.2 inches). The largest woodpecker was the Imperial Woodpecker, at an average of 58 cm (23 inches) and probably over 600 g (1.3 lb). The Ivory-billed Woodpecker is (or was) slightly smaller at 50 cm (20 inches) and a weight of 500 g (1.1 lb). If both the Ivory-billed and Imperial Woodpeckers are indeed extinct, the largest extant woodpecker is the Great Slaty Woodpecker of Southeast Asia, at about 50 cm (20 inches) and 450 g (1 lb). The woodpeckers range from highly antisocial solitary species which are aggressive to other members of their species to group living species. Group living species tend to be communal group breeders. In addition to these species a number of species may join mixed-species feeding flocks with other insectivorous birds, although they tend to stay at the edges of these groups. Woodpeckers are diurnal, roosting at night inside holes. In most species the roost will become the nest during the breeding season.

The diet of these birds consists mainly of insects, such as ants and beetles, nuts, seeds, berries, some fruit and sap. Species may feed generally on all of these, or may specialize on one or two.

Kangaroo : interesting facts about kangaroos

2008-10-08T03:31:00.000-07:00

A newborn kangaroo is about 1 inch in length.
Kangaroos are the largest marsupial mammals. It is a macropod which means "big foot".
There are over 40 different types (species) of Kangaroo.
The Red Kangaroo is the largest living marsupial and can grow to two meters. It weighs up to 90 kg (200 pounds).
Kangaroos are the only large animals that move by hopping. They can't move backward.
On land kangaroos can't move their hind legs independently, only together. But when they are swimming (they are good swimmers) they kick each leg independently.

When European explorers first saw these strange hopping animals they asked a native Australian (aborigine) what they were called. He replied "kangaroo" meaning "I don't understand" your question. The explorers thought this was the animal's name. And that's how the kangaroo got its name.

Female kangaroos enter into heat within a few days after giving birth they mate and conceive, but after only one week's development the microscopic embryo enters a dormant state that lasts until the previous young leaves the pouch. All kangaroos have a chambered stomach similar to cattle and sheep. They regurgitate the vegetation they have eaten, chew it as cud, and then swallow it again for final digestion. The Red kangaroo grazes during the night on a wide variety of grasses and low herbaceous plants, though sometimes this grazing period starts late evening and ends early morning. Kangaroos mate again as soon after a joey is borne, but the development of the second embryo stops, or rather, is paused after a few days. So in a way kangaroos are permanently pregnant. If a joey is lost, or if one has grown up and left the pouch, they can immediately give birth again.

The Kangaroo moves by hopping on its powerful hind legs. It uses its thick long tail to balance its body while hopping. A kangaroo can hop at up to 60kmh (40mph). It can also leap over obstacles up to 3m (10ft) high. Because of the unusual shape of its legs and its bulky tail a kangaroo can't walk or move backwards very easily. Kangaroos are found in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. The Kangaroo moves by hopping on its hind legs using its tail for steering and balancing while hopping at speed up to 40mph/60kmh. When kangaroo is moving slowly the tail is used as an extra leg and supports the kangaroo when it is standing on its hind legs. Most kangaroos can only move both back legs together and not one at a time.

A male kangaroo is called a buck or a boomer or an old man.
A female kangaroo is called a flyer
A baby kangaroo is called a joey
A group of kangaroos is called a mob.
"Roos" is a colloquial name used for any kangaroos or wallabies.
Eastern Grey Macropus giganteus 3 - 8ft (0.9 - 2.4m) 40 - 200 lbs (18 - 95kg)
Red kangaroo Macropus Rufus 3 - 9ft (0.9 - 2.7m) 40 - 150 lbs (18 - 70kg)
Western Grey Macropus fuliginosus 3 - 7ft (0.9 - 2.1m) 63 - 120lbs (28 - 54kg)

Spine-Tailed Swift / White-Throated Needletail - the fastest flying bird

2008-09-30T02:07:00.000-07:00

The fastest bird, the spine-tailed swift, can fly as fast as 106mph.

White-throated Needletail is capable to drink water in flight.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Apodidae
Genus: Hirundapus
Species: H. caudacutus

Spine-Tail Swift, commonly known as White-throated Needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus) has long curved wings and white markings. It is the fastest-flying bird in level, flapping flight, being capable of 170 km/h (105mph), faster than other swifts. The plumage of the White-throated Needletail is predominantly grey-brown, glossed with green and the wings are long and pointed. The tail is short and square, with the protruding feather shafts giving a spiky appearance. The throat and undertail are white. It was formerly known as the Spine-tailed Swift, but it is now placed in its own genus. It is also sometimes known as the Storm-bird or Stormbird.

White-throated Needletails often occur in large numbers over eastern and northern Australia. White-throated Needletails are aerial birds and for a time it was commonly believed that they did not land while in Australia. It has now been observed that birds will roost in trees, and radio-tracking has since confirmed that this is a regular activity. The White-throated Needletail feeds on flying insects, such as termites, ants, beetles and flies. They catch the insects in flight in their wide gaping beaks. Birds usually feed in rising thermal currents associated with storm fronts and bushfires and they are commonly seen moving with wind fronts. While feeding, the White-throated Needletail protects its eyes with a special membrane and a small ridge of feathers. The birds also drink in flight.

Snail - great sleeping time and other facts

2008-09-22T02:20:00.000-07:00

A snail can sleep for 3 years, others even recorded that some snail species can sleep up to six (6) years.
Garden snails evolved from sea snails about 600 million years ago.
The largest land snail ever found was 15 inches long and weighed 2 pounds!
Snails' bodies produce a thick slime. Because of this slime, they can crawl across the edge of a razor and not get hurt.
Some snails have been known to live up to 15 years.
Snails are hermaphrodites which means that they have both male and female reproductive organs.
Snails usually travel in irregular paths, often traveling in a circle.
Snails reply mainly on their sense of touch and smell when finding food because they have very poor eyesight.
Snails cannot hear.
Snails can retract one or both of their tentacles at a time.
Because of the suction created by their slime, a snail can crawl upside down.
Snails are nocturnal animals which means they are more active at night.
Garden Snails mainly eat garden plants and vegetables, but they will also eat decaying plants and soil.
The fastest snails are the speckled garden snails which can move up to 55 yards per hour compared 23 inches per hour of most other land snails.
Garden snails hibernate during the winter and live on their stored fat.
Garden snails breathe with lungs.
The garden snail is cooked and eaten as a delicacy called escargot.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Molluska
Class: Gastropoda
Sublcass: Herterobranchia
Family: Stylomatophora
Genus: Helix aspersa

Generally speaking, snails don't sleep. They will become inactive for short periods at certain times, and will actually hibernate under some conditions. They hibernate in winter and estivate in the summer, dropping their heart rate from 56bpm to just three or four. This hibernation occurs during dry periods so that the snail can maintain the moisture within its shell.

There are thousands of species of snail (most of which are marine - not the land snails we are used to seeing). Which is what they do for most of the day- sleep. Because snails as members of the mollusk family, need moisture to keep their bodies going. The heat of the sun is very drying, so they usually don't come out until nighttime. This same behavior is followed by species that live in desert areas when there is a shortage of water. They will withdraw into their shells, and hibernate or sleep, for as much as 2-3 years, until conditions improve.

The eye is on the tip of the tentacle or at the base of the tentacle for marine species. The snail has two pairs of tentacles on its head. One pair is longer than the other pair. The eyes are on the longer pair. The shorter pair is used for smelling and feeling its way around. The tentacles are very important to the snail. A snail have something called a radula in its mouth for grinding up its food. This radula is like a rough tongue, something like a file with rows of tiny teeth which it uses to scrap off leaves and flowers to eat. Many people get upset and farmers get angry when snails eat their plants and crops. Snails can cause serious damage to crops. Snails eat mostly living plants as well as decaying plants. They also chew on fruits and young succulent plant barks. The largest known land snail named Gee Geronimo was a Giant African Snail collected in Sierra Leone in 1976. It weighed about 2lb (900g) and measured over 15 inches (39.3cm) from snout to tail. The snail is both male and female. Therefore, it can produce sperms and eggs at the same time ! Isn't that incredible ? However, to fertilize the eggs, the snails need to exchange sperms with each other. An animal which is both a male and a female is called a hermaphrodite. The brown garden snail lays about 80 spherical shaped white or yellowish colored eggs at a time into the topsoil of the ground. It can lay eggs up to six times a year. Snails take about 2 years to become adults. Some pond snails have gills to breathe in water. Those with gills will live at the bottom of the pond. Those that do not have gills, will come up to the surface to breathe. These snails will live on the surface so that they can come up to breathe easily.

The snail is one of the greatest works of geometry in nature. It consists of chalky material and one specific organic substance – CONHIOLIN – that is the basic substance for shell formation. Numerous shapes of shell help us easily differentiate between many species.

Goldfish - incredible eyesight

2008-09-14T23:33:00.000-07:00

A goldfish is the only animal that can see infrared and ultraviolet light.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Genus: Carassius
Species: C. auratus
Subspecies: C. a. auratus/C. a. gibelio

Goldfish are one of the most common types of fish. They come in different varieties such as Ryukin, Fantail, Oranda and many others. Some goldfish look like they have bubbles of skin covering their eyes. Goldfish can live to be 5 to 10 years old. The average goldfish lives to be around 4 years old and can grow to be 6 inches plus. Goldfish originated in China with several hundred varieties developing over the years. They arrived in the United States somewhere between the 18th and 19th century and have became the most common pet found in households today! They have been kept as pets longer than any other species of fish. Although there are many varieties, all goldfish actually belong to just one species: Carassius auratus. Because of this, goldfish are similar in their behavior, required care, and habits. Goldfish are not tropical fish; therefore, they do not require tropical temperatures such as some fish with temperatures of 80F and higher.

Goldfish are quite intelligent and will recognize the person who feeds them, research show that goldfish have a memory-span of at least three months and can distinguish between different shapes, colors and sounds. They will show they know you by swimming rapidly back and forth when you are near the tank or splashing. Goldfish like to play and benefit from the exercise, so having two fish is better than one. There are several varieties of goldfish; however, they all stem from the original stocks developed by Chinese, Korean, and Japanese breeders. Names are sometimes a hard thing to decide on due to the fact that different cultures call the same fish by different names. Goldfish come in many variations with different colors, single-tails, double-tails, various body shapes, head shapes from pointed to square, and various other mutations such as telescoped eyes.

Goldfish Vision:

Vision that is seen in the goldfish may not seem important to many people, but it is actually quite fascinating in that it is much more developed than most people would expect it to be for the size and apparent intelligence of the creature. Overall, goldfish have developed full-spectrum vision so that they will be able to see the micro-flashes of static electrical charge and bio-luminescence that appear when a creature hunting with sonar sends sound waves through waters rich in micro-fauna in order to search for its prey. This full-spectrum vision has also proved to be very effective in sensing many and various tell-tale signs that come from the bow-wave that a rapidly moving predator makes as it cuts through the water.

Goldfish, in particular, have been widely used as a model system for the study of color vision. The goldfish retina contains rods and four cone types in juveniles, three cone types in adults. The majority of goldfish retina ganglion cells have center-surround organization and many are wavelength opponent goldfish evidence photopic spectral sensitivity functions reflecting both wavelength additive mechanisms and wavelength opponent mechanisms. Goldfish wavelength discrimination has been reported in many studies and found out to exhibit color constancy. the goldfish first developed full spectrum vision in order to see the micro-flashes of bio-luminescence and static electrical charges that tend to discharge when a sonar-hunter sends sound waves through micro-fauna rich waters in search of prey. It also proved effective in sensing various tell-tales that result from the bow-wave of a fast moving predator... Only later did they realize that they could track submarines, intercept trace reflections of communication lasers that took bad bounces of atmospheric interference, and even decode the ultra-faint eminations that are shed of trans-oceanic communication cables, and so much more.

Wood Frogs - freeze, thaw back to life

2008-09-08T02:31:00.000-07:00

Some frogs (Rana Sylvatica) are able to be frozen and then thawed, and continue living.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Ranidae
Genus: Rana
Species: R. sylvatica

Frogs can survive multiple freeze/thaw events during winter if not more than about 65% of the total body water freezes. The terrestrial wood frog, Rana sylvatica, can tolerate sub-freezing environmental temperatures because of biochemical adaptations that protect cells from freezing.

the ability to endure the actual formation of ice within the body. Ice forming in body tissues can do a lot of harm. Ice crystals can puncture small blood vessels, squeeze and deform cells to the point of breaking, and scramble the micro- architecture inside cells so that upon thawing, organs are severely damaged. Freezing of the blood also interrupts the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to organs and so also causes severe metabolic damage. Any animal species that adopts a freeze tolerance strategy for winter survival must, therefore, find ways to overcome all of these types of injuries that can be caused by ice. Few animals like the Wood Frog can deal with horrendous structural damage that is caused by ice formation inside of cells, so freeze tolerant animals typically confine ice growth to extracellular spaces of their bodies while using protective mechanisms to keep the water inside their cells from freezing (extracellular freeze tolerance plus intracellular freeze avoidance). Their soft, water-permeable skin is no barrier to ice and so, whenever frost penetrates into their winter home, they freeze. Ice penetrates though all of the fluid compartments of the animal and within just a few hours a mass of ice fills the abdominal cavity encasing all the internal organs. Large flat ice crystals run between the layers of skin and muscle, and the eyes turn white because the lens freezes. Their blood stops flowing and as much as 65% of the frog's total body water is converted to ice. Breathing, heart beat, and muscle movements all stop and the frozen "frog-sicle" exists in a virtual state of suspended animation until it thaws.

Firstly, wood frogs and other freeze tolerant animals take active control over freezing. Rather than wait for spontaneous ice formation to begin, they employ special ice nucleators that actively seed ice formation in their bodies. In this way the animals can start freezing just below 0·C.

Second part of freezing survival is the same as that for freeze avoidance - the animals build up high concentrations of sugars or sugar alcohols in their tissues. In this case, however, the sugars are used to keep just the insides of cells from freezing, rather than the whole organism. So ice forms all around the outsides of the internal organs, sucking water out of them, but leaving behind a thick syrupy solution inside cells which can't freeze.

Third part to freeze tolerance is the need for all organs to survive through the freeze without any deliveries of oxygen or nutrients via the blood, which is frozen. The low body temperature during freezing helps, for metabolic rate is also very low, but all freeze tolerant animals have also enhanced the abilities of their organs to survive without oxygen.

Most freeze tolerant insects use the sugar alcohol, glycerol, for antifreeze as do their freeze avoiding insect cousins, but the wood frog, and other frogs, use glucose which is the normal blood sugar of all vertebrate animals. What is unique for wood frogs, however, is that they easily tolerate blood sugar levels that are 100-fold or higher than normal and show none of massive injuries that are suffered by human diabetics when their blood sugar rises by only 2-10 fold. Hence, these frogs may have some important lessons to tell us about how an animal can manage hugely high sugar levels in its tissues without ill effect.

Interesting aspect to freeze tolerance of animals which has not yet been explored is the fact that, while frozen, organ functions cease - heart beat stops, breathing halts: what signals these organs to shut off and how they are reactivated after thawing.

Finally, freeze tolerant animals also appear to enhance their body's damage repair mechanisms in order to deal with any physical injuries to organs that may be caused by ice while they are frozen. In wood frogs, for example, the levels of clotting proteins rise in the blood so that any bleeding that is detected during thawing can be quickly halted.

Polar Bears - world's largest land predator

2008-09-01T02:09:00.000-07:00

Polar Bears are capable of jumping as high as 6 feet and can run as fast as 25mph. The polar bear or the sea/ice bear are the world's largest land predators.

Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus: Ursus
Species: U. maritimus

The world's largest land predator, Polar bears grow twice as big as the Siberian Tigers. Male polar bears may grow 10 feet tall and weigh over 1400 pounds. Females reach seven feet and weigh 650 pounds. In the wild polar bears live up to age 25. Their skin, nose and lips are black in color. Their fur is thicker than any other bears’ even covering their feet, for warmth and traction on ice. Polar bears also have a thick layer of blubber which provides buoyancy and insulation. Despite what we think, a polar bear's fur is not white. Each hair is clear hollow tube. Polar bears look white because each hollow hair reflects the light. On sunny days, it traps the sun's infrared heat and keeps the bear warm at 98 degrees F (when they're resting). Polar bear fur is oily and water repellent. The hairs don't mat when wet, allowing the polar bears to easily shake free of water and any ice that may form after swimming.

They have wide front paws with slightly webbed toes that help them swim. Polar bears’ long neck and narrow skull aid in streamlining the animal in water, and their large, flat and oar-like front feet make them strong swimmers. They paddle with their front feet and steer with their hind feet. Paw pads with rough surfaces help prevent polar bears from slipping up on the ice. The Polar bears have been known to swim 100 miles (161 kilometers) at a stretch.

Polar bears primarily eat seals. They often rest silently at a seal’s breathing hole in the ice, waiting for a seal in the water to surface. Once the seal comes up, the bear will spring and sink its jagged teeth into the seal’s head. Sometimes the polar bear stalks its prey. It may see a seal lying near its breathing hole and slowly move toward it, then charge it, biting its head or grabbing it with its massive claws. A polar bear may also hunt by swimming beneath the ice.

Humans are the polar bears only predator. Baby polar bears often starve. In fact, 70 percent do not live to their third birthday. Sometimes seals are hard to find, especially in the summer when the ice has melted. All across the Arctic, man is moving in to mine oil and coal and there is less space for the polar bear to live. Oil spills can be very dangerous. A bear with oil on its coat cannot regulate its body temperature properly. If the bear eats the oil while grooming it could die. Man made pollution is also a cause of death. At each stage of the food chain, pollutants get more concentrated. By the end when the polar bear eats the seal and it could be lethal.

Whale Shark - teeth of the largest living fish

2008-08-25T22:34:00.000-07:00

The whale shark has over 4,000 teeth. Each tooth is only 3mm long.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Orectolobiformes
Family: Rhincodontidae
Genus: Rhincodon
Species: R. typus
Common Name: Whale Shark

Teeth minute, about 300 rows in each jaw. An individual tooth has a single, hooked cusp. Teeth appear to play no role in feeding. Instead, it is a suction filter feeder - it sucks in a huge volume of water and plankton. The water is strained through spongy tissues supported by cartilaginous rods between the whale shark's gill arches. The plankton, trapped in the gill rakers, is then swallowed. Sometimes larger fishes - such as mackerels, anchovies, and tunas - are sucked in as well. A whale shark can filter 1.5 million liters (400,000 gallons) of water an hour when feeding. The whale shark has unique denticles (tooth-like scales structures), each with an extremely strong central keel, no lateral keels, and a tri-lobed rear margin. It would appear that the denticles are hydrodynamically important in its pelagic lifestyle.

About Whale Sharks:
The whale shark is the largest living fish today. Maximum size is thought to be 20m. The smallest free-living individuals are from 55cm (21.7 inches) long. Sexual maturity in both sexes may not occur until the sharks are over 9m in length. Age estimates for whale sharks are as high as 60 years, but no one really knows how long this species lives.
Based on the study of a single egg recovered off the coast of Mexico in 1956, it was believed to be oviparous, but the capture of a female in July 1996 which was pregnant with 300 pups indicates that they are ovoviviparous. In 1995, an 11-meter female whale shark was harpooned off the eastern coast of Taiwan and 300 fetal specimens, ranging in length from 42 to 63cm, were taken from the two uteri. This discovery proved that the species is a live bearer, with an ovoviviparous mode of development. The egg-capsules of this whale shark were amber colored, with a smooth texture, and possessed a respiratory fissure (opening) on each side.

Cockroach - incredible life survival

2008-08-19T22:20:00.000-07:00

A cockroach can survive for about a week without its head before dying of starvation.
A cockroach can survive a month or more without food, but less than two weeks without water.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Infraclass: Neoptera
Superorder: Dictyoptera
Order: Blattaria

Cockroaches (or simply "roaches") are insects of the order Blattaria. This name derives from the Latin word for "cockroach", blatta. Cockroaches are one of the oldest insects. There are cockroach fossil remains which date back 200 million years. Cockroaches have wings, six legs, and two antennae. A cockroach likes to eat sweet and floury foods and hang out in dark, wet places. Cockroaches are one of the most commonly noted household pest insects. They feed on human and pet food and damage and can leave an offensive odor. They can also passively transport microbes on their body surfaces including those that are potentially dangerous to humans, particularly in environments such as hospitals. Cockroaches infestations have been shown to be linked with allergic reactions in humans.

Some of the earliest writings with regards to cockroaches encouraged their use as medicine. Pedanius Dioscorides (1st century), Kamal al-Din al-Damiri and Abu Hanifa ad-Dainuri (9th century) all offered medicines that either suggest grinding them up with oil or boiling them. The list of ailments to be treated included earaches, open wounds and "gynecological disorders."

Hummingbird - their incredible diet

2008-08-11T02:00:00.000-07:00

Hummingbird’s consume half of their weight in food daily.

With the exception of insects, hummingbirds while in flight have the highest metabolism of all animals, a necessity in order to support the rapid beating of their wings. Their heart rate can reach as high as 1,260 beats per minute, a rate once measured in a Blue-throated Hummingbird. They also typically consume more than their own weight in nectar each day, and to do so they must visit hundreds of flowers daily. At any given moment, they are only hours away from starving.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Subclass: Neornithes
Infraclass: Neognathae
(unranked) Cypselomorphae
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae

Hummingbirds feed on the nectar of plants and are important pollinators, especially of deep-throated, tubular flowers. Like bees, they are able to assess the amount of sugar in the nectar they eat; they reject flower types that produce nectar which is less than 12% sugar and prefer those whose sugar content is around 25%. Nectar is a poor source of nutrients, so hummingbirds meet their needs for protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, etc. by preying on insects and spiders, especially when feeding young. Hummingbirds do not spend all day flying, as the energy costs of this would be prohibitive; the majority of their activity consists simply of sitting or perching. Hummingbirds feed in many small meals, consuming many small invertebrates and up to five times their own body weight in nectar each day. They spend an average of 10-15% of their time feeding and 75-80% sitting and digesting.

Myth and Culture about Hummingbirds: Wikipedia Article
The Aztec god Huitzilopochtli is often depicted as a hummingbird. The Nahuatl word huitzil (hummingbird) is an onomatopoeic word derived from the sounds of the hummingbird's wing-beats and zooming flight.
One of the Nazca Lines, displayed at right, depicts a hummingbird.
The Ohlone tells the story of how Hummingbird brought fire to the world. See article at the National Parks Conservation Association's website for a recounting.
Trinidad and Tobago is known as "The land of the hummingbird," and a hummingbird can be seen on that nation's coat of arms and 1-cent coin as well as its national airline, "Caribbean Airlines".

Dog's Smell - One of kennest in nature

2008-08-05T01:13:00.000-07:00

A dog’s sense of smell is 1,000 times stronger than humans.
A dog's sense of smell is one of the keenest in nature. The big difference with dogs and humans is that dogs are not as interested in seeing the objects that surround them, they rather smell them. Smelling is a way of recognizing the world.

Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: C. lupus
Subspecies: C. l. familiaris

Dog's nose consists of 120 to 220 million cells compare to humans with just 5 million cells, also their smelling receiver made up of mucous cover an area of 130 square compare to human with jast 3 square meter. Dogs can detect even lightest environmental changes, a distant object, also even changes in hormonal levels around them. They can sense signals many other things around unnoticed by humans through their noses.

Important use of dog's acute smell sense is detection. They can tract missing persons, search for buried people under decries or snow, they can trace criminals or escaped prisoners through smelling their tract. Military use police dogs to detect drugs and explosives or buried mines in wars.

About Dogs : Wikipedia
The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term encompasses both feral and pet varieties and is also sometimes used to describe wild canids of other subspecies or species. The domestic dog has been one of the most widely kept working and companion animals in human history, as well as being a food source in some cultures. There are estimated to be 400 million dogs in the world. The English word dog can be traced back to the Old English docga, a "powerful breed of canine". The term may derive from Proto-Germanic *dukkōn, represented in Old English finger-docce ("finger-muscle").

Giant Squid - world's larget eyes

2008-08-01T01:42:00.000-07:00

"A giant squid’s eyes have a diameter of 15 inches which are the largest of any animal."

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Subclass: Coleoidea
Order: Teuthida
Suborder: Oegopsina
Family: Architeuthidae
Genus: Architeuthis

Giant squid have a sophisticated nervous system and complex brain, attracting great interest from scientists. They also have the largest eyes of any living creature except perhaps colossal squid — over 30 centimeters (1 ft) in diameter. Large eyes can better detect light (including bioluminescent light), which is scarce in deep water. Architeuthis) is a deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae, represented by as many as eight species. Aristotle, who lived in the fourth century B.C., already described a large squid, which he called teuthus, distinguishing it from the smaller squid, the teuthis. He mentions that "of the calamaries the so-called teuthus is much bigger than the teuthis; for teuthi [plural of teuthus] have been found as much as five ells long."

- Researchers defrosting two colossal squid at New Zealand's national museum
- The larger one has eyes around 27 cm across, believed to be world's biggest
- It weighs almost half a tonne and measures about 32 feet (10 meters) in length
- Scientists believe that there may be even larger colossal squids in existence

Article from Wikipedia about Giant Squid:

The giant squid (genus: Architeuthis) is a deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae, represented by as many as eight species. Giant squid can grow to a tremendous size: recent estimates put the maximum size at 13 metres (43 ft) for females and 10 metres (33 ft) for males from caudal fin to the tip of the two long tentacles (second only to the colossal squid at an estimated 14 metres (46 ft), one of the largest living organisms). The mantle is about 2 metres (7 ft) long (more for females, less for males), and the length of the squid excluding its tentacles is about 5 metres (16 ft). There have been claims reported of specimens of up to 20 metres (66 ft), but no animals of such size have been scientifically documented.

Humpback Whales - World's loudest Creature

2008-07-31T03:14:00.000-07:00

Humpback whales create the loudest sound of any living creature.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Mysticeti
Family: Balaenopteridae
Genus: Megaptera
Species: novaeangliae

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a Baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from 12–16 metres (40–50 ft) and weigh approximately 36,000 kilograms (79,000 lb). The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic animal, often breaching and slapping the water. Males produce a complex whale song, which lasts for 10 to 20 minutes and is repeated for hours at a time. The purpose of the song is not yet clear, although it appears to have a role in mating.

Wikipedia Article - Whale song

Both male and female humpback whales can produce sounds, however only the males produce the long, loud, complex "songs" for which the species is famous. Each song consists of several sounds in a low register that vary in amplitude and frequency, and typically lasts from 10 to 20 minutes. Songs may be repeated continuously for several hours; humpback whales have been observed to sing continuously for more than 24 hours at a time. As cetaceans have no vocal cords, whales generate their song by forcing air through their massive nasal cavities.

Whales within an area sing the same song, for example all of the humpback whales of the North Atlantic sing the same song, and those of the North Pacific sing a different song. Each population's song changes slowly over a period of years —never returning to the same sequence of notes.

Scientists are still unsure of the purpose of whale song. Only male humpbacks sing, so it was initially assumed that the purpose of the songs was to attract females. However, many of the whales observed to approach singing whales have been other males, with the meeting resulting in a conflict. Thus, one interpretation is that the whale songs serve as a threat to other males. Some scientists have hypothesized that the song may serve an echolocative function. During the feeding season, humpback whales make altogether different vocalizations, which they use to herd fish into their bubble nets.