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Showing posts with label wildlife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wildlife. Show all posts
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
African Buffalo
Africa's only cowlike mammal makes its home in a variety of habitats at altitudes up to 13,200 feet. Herds can be as large as 2,000 individuals, which are dominated by large males, when food is plentiful. When food is scare, African buffalo find it advantageous to split up into smaller groups. Members mutually groom each other and make noises to communicate.
Large males can weigh over 1,500 pounds and are usually twice the size of females. Males also carry a larger set of horns on top of their head, and have a thicker neck and a shoulder hump. A small fringe of hairs called a dewlap hangs from the throat. Both sexes are dark brown with hair-fringed ears, a hairless muzzle and a long tail.
Large males can weigh over 1,500 pounds and are usually twice the size of females. Males also carry a larger set of horns on top of their head, and have a thicker neck and a shoulder hump. A small fringe of hairs called a dewlap hangs from the throat. Both sexes are dark brown with hair-fringed ears, a hairless muzzle and a long tail.
Sundarban : World's Largest Mangrove Forest
Sundarban is the largest mangrove forest of the world, which is located southwestern costal area of Bangladesh. Sundarban means "Beautiful Forest" a unique combination of land, sea, forest, river, island, deer, colorful bird, and of course the Royal Bengal Tiger. Many island and with an approximate area of 10,000 sq-km forming the Sundarban. Around 60 % of this area is part of Bangladesh territory and the remaining 40 % is part of India.Geographical Details: - Longitude - 30 24' - 30 28' N - Latitude - 77 40' - 77 44' E- Altitudinal Range - 0-10 m above sea level- Average Rainfall - 175 cm- Temperature-Min. 2 C, Max. 38 CSpecies of Sunderban:- Over 40 mammal Species - 270 colorful bird species- 45 reptile species- 11 amphibian species - More than 120 fish species and- More than 330 plant speciesSeveral remarkable animal species of Sundarban: Royal Bengal Tiger, Estuarine Crocodile, Marsh Crocodile, Spotted Deer, Swamp Deer, Hog Deer, Dolphins, Water Buffalo, Rhesus Monkey, Pythons, King Cobra, Salvator lizards etc.Birds: Kingfishers (9 species), Raptors (38 species), Jungle Fowl, Woodpeckers, Fishing Engle, White Bellied Sea Eagle, Seagull etc.Migratory Birds:Whimprel, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Stint, Eastern Knot, Curlew, Sandpiper, Golden Plover, Pintail, White-eyed Pochard and also Whistling teal. Plants:Sundarban is also a habitat of more than 330 species of fresh-water, brakish-water plants. Including various kinds of algae, herb, tree etc.Sundri(Heritiera fomes), Gewa (Excoecaria agallocha), Goran (Ceriops decandra), Passur (Xylocarpus mekongensis), Kankara (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza), Dhundal (Xylocarpus granatum) are main trees of Sundarban.
Image on Google Search :
Image on Google Search :Ice Baby : Mammoth
A near-perfect frozen mammoth resurfaces after 40,000 years, bearing clues to a great vanished species.
The mammoth herd approaches the rushing river. A calf ambles close to her mother's huge legs, brushing their long, glossy hair now and then with her trunk. The sky is brilliant blue, and a dry wind hisses through the grasses, which billow like oceanic swells across a steppe 1o,ooo miles wide, spanning the northern arc of the Ice Age world. The long winter is over; birdsong and the scent of damp loam fill the air.
For more feature and story Please visit National Geography Features and Photography
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Biologists Discover Thriving Irrawaddy Dolphin Population
© Alice Rocco (via Wildlife Conservation Society)
The Irrawaddy dolphin is listed by the IUCN as vulnerable. But surveys conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Chittagong University in Bangladesh have given biologists hope. The surveys estimate that a population of 6000 live around the coast of Bangladesh – a number far higher than expected.
Still, scientists warn that there are still threats to the dolphins’ survival such as entanglement in fishing nets and changes in water flows due to damming the river.
For more info: New York Times
Cougar
Puma concolor
The cougar, which is also commonly referred to as a puma, mountain lion or panther, is the second largest cat in North America. Unlike other big cats, however, the cougar cannot roar. Instead, the large feline purrs like a house cat.
Cougars also have similar body types to house cats, only on a larger scale. They have slender bodies and round heads with pointed ears. They vary between 1.5-2.7 m (5-9 ft.) from head to tail. While males can weigh up to 68 kg (150 lb.), females weigh less, topping out at nearly 45 kg (100 lb.).
The coat of the cougar is a grayish tan to reddish color with lighter parts on the underside. The tail has a black spot on the end.
Atlantic Puffin
Fratercula arctica
Dubbed "sea parrots" as well as "clowns of the sea," Atlantic puffins sport large, brightly-colored beaks on their substantially-sized heads. Crisp black and white markings on their plumage, as well as superior diving capabilities, have led people to compare the northern seabirds to penguins. However, Atlantic puffins are actually not related to penguins at all. They are in fact small seabirds (about 25 cm, or 10 in., long) that belong to the Alcidae (auk) family.
For most of the year, Atlantic puffins live on the open ocean, with a range spanning from the eastern coast of Canada and the northern United States to the western coast of Europe and northern Russia. 60% of the world's puffins live near Iceland.
Puffins are specially adapted to living on the open sea. Waterproof feathers allow them stay warm as they float at the ocean's surface or swim underwater. Diving as deep as 60 m (200 ft.), they swim by flapping their wings as if flying through the water and use their feet to steer. There, they hunt herring, hake, capelin, and sand eels. They supplement their meals by drinking saltwater.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
GANGA BANDHAN : SAVE GANGES RIVER
I GOT THIS PDF FROM NET. It's stating the miserable situation of GANGES RIVER. THE PDF FILE includes information, image and analysis by experts. I am giving this here for sharing with other -
GANGA BANDHAN
Click above link to get PDF File and share it with others
Click above link to get PDF File and share it with others
Green Glossary: Keystone Species
A keystone species is a species "so critical to an ecosystem that its removal could potentially destroy the entire system...It is important to consider keystone species when making any decisions that could affect the natural environment. A small impact on keystone species could cause major disruption for the whole ecosystem."
Within the prairie ecosystem, the black-tailed prairie dog is a keystone species. "More than 200 other wildlife species have been observed on or near prairie dog colonies," explains PrairieDogs.org. "Some of these animals depend on prairie dogs as a food source or for their habitat. Among those animals associated with prairie dogs and their colonies are bald and golden eagles, swift foxes, coyotes, ferruginous hawks, burrowing owls, badgers and black-footed ferrets. Countless insects and some plants are also associated with prairie dog towns. Countless plants and invertebrate species also rely heavily on prairie dogs and their activities."
As a keystone species, black-tailed prairie dogs impact the prairie ecosystem in multiple ways:
- Their burrows act as homes to other creatures, including burrowing owls, badgers, rabbits, black-footed ferrets, snakes, salamanders, and insects.
- Their burrowing activity works to loosen and churn up the soil, increasing its ability to sustain plant life.
- Their foraging and feeding practices enable a more nutritious, diverse and nitrogen-rich mixture of grasses and forbs (broad-leafed vegetation) to grow.
- The enriched vegetation attracts an amazing array of wildlife who graze in their colonies.
- Black-tailed prairie dogs play an integral role in the prairie food chain; they are a critical food source for such animals as the endangered black-footed ferret, swift fox, coyotes, hawks, eagles and badgers.
10 Tips For Avoiding a Shark Attack
Spending time outdoors at the beach isn't any fun if a shark attacks you.
By Elizabeth Seward
New York, NY, USA | Sat Mar 07 12:30:00 EST 2009
Well, a 15 year old near Sydney, Australia was recently attacked by a shark. And with spring break coming up, partnered with rising temperatures, the average beach population will be increasing, and with it will probably come, unfortunately, more reported shark attacks. It happens this way each year. I mean, it doesn't happen a whole lot. And I doubt it'll happen to you. But, ya know, just in case you are going to the beach soon, I'd wager a bet that you don't want your vacation inconvenienced by a shark that's out to get you. That would cost you time, pain, money, resources from the hospital, and maybe even a limb or two. You'd also be disrupting nature.
A lot of us have picked up tidbits from the news over the years on how to fight a shark if we're attacked, but what do we really know? I mean, I know I'm supposed to 'punch a shark in the nose', but does that mean I'll survive? No. And the idea of punching a shark in the nose scares me. And it wouldn't leave the shark in a great position either...you know, if I, by chance, hit him hard.
The fact of the matter is that we're invading a shark's territory when we go swimming in the ocean—it's not the other way around. (And even if it were, they're the ones with the massive, jagged, terrifying teeth). Leaving a human or a shark wounded shouldn't have to be the solution. The better thing to do is to avoid contact in the first place. (Duh). Getting outdoors and enjoying the scenery and the sun is good for you and it should be simple and fun. Don't let a shark complicate this.
So here are some tips on how to avoid a shark attack:
1. Make sure to swim in a group. Sharks are known to usually attack those swimming alone. The same way human criminals do. Always have a buddy.
2. Don't swim too far from shore. It's less safe and isolates you farther from help. If you're screaming for help a mile into the ocean, the seagulls might hear you, but they won't help you.
3. Don't swim at night, dawn, or dusk. Sharks are often most active during this time and you're less likely to spot them, but they'll spot you.
4. Don't ever go into the water bleeding or with an open wound of any kind. Sharks can smell and taste blood on a completely different level than humans. If they smell or taste it in the water, they will trace it back to its source. And then they'll try to eat its source.
5. Remove all things shiny before swimming. Sharks are attracted to things that shine because they resemble the scales of fish. Which they eat.
6. Avoid waters being fished or with lots of bait fishes. Sharks follow bait fishes, so avoid these areas. A good way to tell if there are bait fishes around is if seabirds are diving for them.
7. Avoid brightly colored clothes; noticeably uneven tan. Sharks' vision has a great capacity for contrast and these sorts of things stick out to them.
8. Don't erratically splash. Unpredictable movements like these are a good way to attract sharks.
9. Avoid steep drop-offs and sandbars. Sharks love to hang out in these sorts of places, so avoid them. Unless you want to hang out with the sharks. In that case, be my guest.
10. If you see a shark—leave. Don't try to touch it, just try to get away before it attacks you. And really, if your first instinct upon seeing a shark is to touch it, I don't know...maybe you need to get bitten, just a little bit, to learn your lesson.
By Elizabeth Seward
New York, NY, USA | Sat Mar 07 12:30:00 EST 2009
Well, a 15 year old near Sydney, Australia was recently attacked by a shark. And with spring break coming up, partnered with rising temperatures, the average beach population will be increasing, and with it will probably come, unfortunately, more reported shark attacks. It happens this way each year. I mean, it doesn't happen a whole lot. And I doubt it'll happen to you. But, ya know, just in case you are going to the beach soon, I'd wager a bet that you don't want your vacation inconvenienced by a shark that's out to get you. That would cost you time, pain, money, resources from the hospital, and maybe even a limb or two. You'd also be disrupting nature.
A lot of us have picked up tidbits from the news over the years on how to fight a shark if we're attacked, but what do we really know? I mean, I know I'm supposed to 'punch a shark in the nose', but does that mean I'll survive? No. And the idea of punching a shark in the nose scares me. And it wouldn't leave the shark in a great position either...you know, if I, by chance, hit him hard.
The fact of the matter is that we're invading a shark's territory when we go swimming in the ocean—it's not the other way around. (And even if it were, they're the ones with the massive, jagged, terrifying teeth). Leaving a human or a shark wounded shouldn't have to be the solution. The better thing to do is to avoid contact in the first place. (Duh). Getting outdoors and enjoying the scenery and the sun is good for you and it should be simple and fun. Don't let a shark complicate this.
So here are some tips on how to avoid a shark attack:
1. Make sure to swim in a group. Sharks are known to usually attack those swimming alone. The same way human criminals do. Always have a buddy.
2. Don't swim too far from shore. It's less safe and isolates you farther from help. If you're screaming for help a mile into the ocean, the seagulls might hear you, but they won't help you.
3. Don't swim at night, dawn, or dusk. Sharks are often most active during this time and you're less likely to spot them, but they'll spot you.
4. Don't ever go into the water bleeding or with an open wound of any kind. Sharks can smell and taste blood on a completely different level than humans. If they smell or taste it in the water, they will trace it back to its source. And then they'll try to eat its source.
5. Remove all things shiny before swimming. Sharks are attracted to things that shine because they resemble the scales of fish. Which they eat.
6. Avoid waters being fished or with lots of bait fishes. Sharks follow bait fishes, so avoid these areas. A good way to tell if there are bait fishes around is if seabirds are diving for them.
7. Avoid brightly colored clothes; noticeably uneven tan. Sharks' vision has a great capacity for contrast and these sorts of things stick out to them.
8. Don't erratically splash. Unpredictable movements like these are a good way to attract sharks.
9. Avoid steep drop-offs and sandbars. Sharks love to hang out in these sorts of places, so avoid them. Unless you want to hang out with the sharks. In that case, be my guest.
10. If you see a shark—leave. Don't try to touch it, just try to get away before it attacks you. And really, if your first instinct upon seeing a shark is to touch it, I don't know...maybe you need to get bitten, just a little bit, to learn your lesson.
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