Tag Archives: Animal lovers

Verdi

The Green Tree Python is an arboreal species of snake native to New Guinea, Indonesia and Northern Australia. They have a prehensile tail which they use to anchor themselves to a branch, allowing them to strike at prey without falling. They also use their tail as a lure prey. As with all pythons the greenContinueContinue reading “Verdi”

Small but Deadly

The phantasmal poison dart frog lives on the slopes of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador. As their name suggests, they are poisonous. Their poison comes from their diet, which includes ants, spiders, mites, and other insects. The frogs metabolize the toxins from their prey and combine them to produce a poison that they secrete throughContinueContinue reading “Small but Deadly”

Pigeons can be Beautiful

When you say pigeon most people think of the kind that live in big cities and go after your food in the park. But there are actually 175 different species of pigeons. The Victoria crowned pigeon is arguably the most elegant and ornate species of pigeons. Named after Queen Victoria for their regal appearance. TheContinueContinue reading “Pigeons can be Beautiful”

Squirrels………..are pink?

Pink Bones!! That’s right, fox squirrels’ bones glow pink under ultraviolet light. This occurs because of a build up of a chemical compound called porphyrin. Eastern fox squirrels are the largest species of tree squirrels native to North America. They are common across the eastern United States, but are also found in southern parts ofContinueContinue reading “Squirrels………..are pink?”

Peafowl

Even though most people refer to both sexes as peacocks, only the males are called peacocks. The females are called peahens. And peafowl is the term for both.  Peacocks use their bright iridescent trains to attract peahens. Another technique males use is quivering their feathers to produce infrasonic sounds (low frequency). Baby peafowl are calledContinueContinue reading “Peafowl”

A Whistling Duck

Fulvous whistling ducks live across 4 continents, including North and South America, Africa, and Asia. They are often found in marshes and rice fields. They forage by straining the mud for seeds and plant material. Unlike most ducks, fulvous whistling ducks mate for life. Both the male and female take turns incubating the eggs andContinueContinue reading “A Whistling Duck”

The worlds largest bird

You guessed it…The Ostrich  These birds are not just big, they are powerful. The ostriches’ main defense is its legs. They can run up to 43 mph (70 kph). When running isn’t an option, ostriches use their foot equipped with a 4-inch long claw. A single kick from an ostrich can kill a lion.   OstrichesContinueContinue reading “The worlds largest bird”

The elephant’s closest living land relative is ….

….The hyrax  Hyraxes may look like rodents but they are actually cousins of the elephant.   Elephants, hyraxes, dugongs, and manatees all share a common ancestor.  There are several unique physical characteristics that hyraxes and elephants share. Both have tusks formed from their incisors, instead of their canines like other tusked animals. Both have flattened, hoof-likeContinueContinue reading “The elephant’s closest living land relative is ….”

Flaming Flamingos

The name “flamingo” comes from Portuguese or Spanish flamengo, meaning “flame-colored” The pink or reddish color of flamingos comes from carotenoids found in the shrimp, plankton, algae and crustaceans they eat. Flamingos have a unique way of eating…upside down. They plunge their head underwater and use their bills like a shovel to scoop up food.ContinueContinue reading “Flaming Flamingos”