The yellow Galapagos Land Iguana! One Wild World 2021-03-21 | Galapagos Land Iguana FACTS:The two species of land iguanas—Galapagos and Santa Fe—look almost identical; they are yellowish in color and bigger than their marine relatives.Physical CharacteristicsGalapagos land iguana adults may weigh up to 175 pounds and may be 39 inches long.The similar-looking Santa Fe land iguanas, limited only to Santa Fe Island, are, on average, slightly bigger and more yellow than the Galapagos land iguana. They have more pronounced spines, and they can exceed 3.3 feet in lengthA spikey dorsal crest runs along their neck and back.Yellowish in color with splotches of black, white and brownToes have long, sharp clawsNoses are short and blunt Range and HabitatGalapagos land iguanas are endemic to the Galapagos Islands, and they are found on the islands of South Plaza, Isabela, Santa Cruz, Fernandina, Hood and North Seymour, with South Plaza offering the best viewing opportunities. Land iguanas formerly existed on most of the other islands in the archipelago as well, but hunting and competition by introduced animals such as goats, rats, pigs and pet cats and dogs, which prey on iguana eggs, caused their demise. They prefer drier, scrubbier areas and live in burrows.Feeding HabitsThe preferred food of Galapagos land iguanas and Santa Fe land iguanas is the prickly pear cactus. They are sometimes seen standing on their hind legs while they try to reach the pads and yellow flowers of the succulent. Their mouths are incredibly leathery, enabling them to eat the cactus pads whole without removing the spines. They will also eat insects and carrion, if those can be found.Behavior and CommunicationLand iguanas live in small colonies, though sometimes they can be found alone. Males will engage in head-butting to defend their territories because they are highly territorial. Land iguanas are known to live for at least 60 years.Breeding and ReproductionLand iguanas reach sexual maturity between 6 and 10 years of age. Males aggressively court females, and then the females will search extensively for suitable nesting areas. In fact, some will travel up to nine miles until they find the right place to lay their eggs. Then, they dig a hole 18 inches deep and may lay from 2 to 25 eggs. They will defend their nests for a few days, at least, to make sure other females will not lay in the same place. Hatching occurs after approximately 100 days of incubation.ConservationLand iguanas are a threatened species because of introduced rats and cats, mainly. Darwin wrote that when he and his team explored Santiago Island, they could not find an appropriate place to pitch their tents, as there were too many land iguana burrows. Sadly, the iguana population on Santiago Island has since disappeared. Goats also invade their habitat, potentially eating up their food supplies. Conservation efforts seek to manage domestic and feral animals, as well as protect their habitats in general.
Cozy Galapagos Penguins! One Wild World 2021-11-24 | GALAPAGOS PENGUINThe only penguin that lives north of the equator is the Galapagos penguin. This small-bodied species is restricted to the Galapagos Islands, which straddle the equator, if only by a few degrees of latitude. The Galapagos penguin is closely related to the other temperate penguins (that live on the coasts of South America and Africa) and more distantly related to the Antarctic penguins.This species is able to survive at the equator because of the unique biogeography of the Galapagos Islands. Cold water travels from Antarctica via the Humboldt Current, which flows to this island group.Like many animals near the equator, Galapagos penguins breed year round. Unlike the Antarctic penguins, Galapagos penguins do not need to worry about their eggs freezing. Instead they have to worry about them overheating or being attacked by egg predators. Galapagos penguins nest along the shoreline, and when nesting, one parent feeds while the other cares for the egg. Incubation takes longer than one month. Galapagos penguins form strong pair bonds and remain with the same partner for their entire lives. They are foraging predators that primarily eat small fishes. They forage relatively close to shore, as they are prey for the large marine predators of the Galapagos Islands, namely sharks, fur seals, and sea lions.Based on their small geographic distribution, their already naturally low numbers, and their decreasing population size, Galapagos penguins are considered endangered (highly vulnerable to extinction). Some individuals are accidentally caught by fishers targeting other species, but the two biggest issues for Galapagos penguin populations are climate variability and invasive species. The cyclical, large-scale climate phenomenon known as El Niño significantly reduces the amount of food available to Galapagos penguins, causing them to skip nesting. In severe cases, these events can lead to starvation of the adults. While El Niño is a natural phenomenon, there is some growing evidence that human activities acting on the climate system as a whole may increase the severity or frequency of El Niño events. Perhaps a greater risk to this species is the introduction of two very different species, both of which threaten adult and juvenile Galapagos penguins. Introduced cats attack and eat these penguins and have contributed to a direct reduction in population size. Introduced mosquitoes carry avian flu, a virus that is particularly deadly to Galapagos penguins and its close relatives. An outbreak of this flu could easily spread through large swaths of the remaining Galapagos penguin population. Finally, as Galapagos penguins (like all penguins) are air breathers that regularly come to the sea surface, an oil spill in the Galapagos Islands could be a major threat to this rare, coastal species. Scientists estimate that there are fewer than 600 breeding pairs of Galapagos penguins alive today, so without continuing conservation measures, the species could be at risk of being lost.
Masked Booby with chick! One Wild World 2021-11-24 | MASKED BOOBYA magnificent seabird of tropical oceans, the Masked Booby looks like a Northern Gannet in disguise. These lanky seabirds are snowy white like gannets, but with a blackish “mask” of skin at the base of the bill, as well as more extensive black in the flight feathers. The name “booby” derives from the Spanish bobo (for "fool”), possibly because of their ungainly courtship dances. Like other boobies, they nest in large colonies and forage at sea, making spectacular plunges into the ocean to capture fish and squid.COOL FACTSMasked Boobies lay one or two eggs in a shallow depression on the ground. Males often decorate the edge of the nest. A single nest had 988 pebbles or pieces of coral, 155 shell fragments, 10 bird bones, and a piece of wood.The oldest recorded Masked Booby was at least 25 years, 3 months old when it was found alive in the wild in the Pacific Oceania area.The closely related Nazca Booby, which breeds along the Pacific Coast of northern South America, including the Galapagos, was long considered a subspecies of Masked Booby. The two species were formally split in the early 2000s. The smaller Nazca Booby has a shorter, shallower, and more orange bill; and it nests on cliffs rather than on low, flat areas. "Nazca” refers to the tectonic plate in the eastern Pacific Ocean that underlies the islands where this species nests. In turn, the plate bears the name of the Nazca culture of ancient Peru.
Humpback & Minke Whales in Antarctica! One Wild World 2021-11-24 | HUMPBACK WHALEThe humpback whale was given its name because of the shape of the hump on its dorsal fin and the distinctive look of its back when diving. Its long, white, wing-like flippers are often as long as one-third of the animal's length.Unique to humpbacks are the wart-like, round bumps or tubercles that are seen on the head forward of the blowhole and on the edges of the flippers.Each whale has its own unique pattern on the underside of its tail fluke, which serves as a sort of fingerprint for identifying individual whales.Humpbacks found in the Northern Hemisphere reach an average length of 49 to 52 feet and southern humpbacks reach 60 feet. Females are generally larger than males, with the average weight for a mature adult being 50,000 to 80,000 pounds.MINKE WHALEFirstly, its very size ranks as the most noteworthy fact about the Minke Whale. Only the pygmy right whale attains a smaller average length. The genus also exhibits moderate sexual dimorphism, with the females being larger than the males.While the IUCN does list it on their Red List of Threatened Species, this ocean denizen holds the status of Least Concern. That’s because current estimates place their global numbers in excess of 500,000 individuals. While originally ignored by most whalers, in favor of larger prey, it became a target beginning in the 1930s as a result of the overhunting of larger whales. Then the moratorium on whaling was luckily established in 1986.While the majority of countries have honored the moratorium, a few have ignored it. These countries include Japan, Norway, Iceland, and South Korea. Estimates place the number of Minke Whales illegally hunted annually at more than 2,000 individuals.
Albatross & Magnificent Frigate Bird in the Galapagos! One Wild World 2021-04-22 | Albatrosses are very large seabirds in the family Diomedeidae. They range widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific. They are absent from the North Atlantic, although fossil remains show they once occurred there and occasional vagrants are found. Albatrosses are among the largest of flying birds, and species of the genus Diomedea (great albatrosses) have the longest wingspans of any extant birds, reaching up to 3.7 m (12 ft). Albatrosses are usually regarded as falling into four genera, but disagreement exists over the number of species.Albatrosses are the most efficient travelers of all vertebrates on the planet. They expend very little energy soaring hundreds of miles over the ocean each day using dynamic soaring and slope soaring. They have a tendon in each shoulder locking their wings fully-extended, so once aloft and soaring across a fair breeze they never need to flap their wings. Like some vultures they hunt by smell, sensitive to the odor of carrion and other biological processes.They feed on squid, fish, and krill by either scavenging, surface seizing, or diving. Albatrosses are colonial, nesting for the most part on remote oceanic islands, often with several species nesting together. Pair bonds between males and females form over several years, with the use of "ritualized dances", and last for the life of the pair. A breeding season can take over a year from laying to fledging, with a single egg laid in each breeding attempt. Of the 22 species of albatrosses recognized by the IUCN, all are listed as at some level of concern; three species are critically endangered, five species are endangered, seven species are near threatened, and seven species are vulnerable. Numbers of albatrosses have declined in the past due to harvesting for feathers. Albatrosses are threatened by introduced species, such as rats and feral cats that attack eggs, chicks, and nesting adults; by pollution; by a serious decline in fish stocks in many regions largely due to overfishing; and by longline fishing. Longline fisheries pose the greatest threat, as feeding birds are attracted to the bait, become hooked on the lines, and drown. Identified stakeholders such as governments, conservation organizations, and people in the fishing industry are all working toward reducing this bycatch.The magnificent frigatebird is the largest species of frigatebird. It measures 89–114 cm (35–45 in) in length, has a wingspan of 2.17–2.44 m (7.1–8.0 ft) and weighs 1.1–1.59 kilograms (2.4–3.5 lb).[12] Males are all-black with a scarlet throat pouch that is inflated like a balloon in the breeding season. Although the feathers are black, the scapular feathers produce a purple iridescence when they reflect sunlight, in contrast to the male great frigatebird's green sheen. Females are black but have a white breast and lower neck sides, a brown band on the wings, and a blue eye-ring that is diagnostic of the female of the species. Immature birds have a white head and underparts.This species is very similar to the other frigatebirds and is similarly sized to all but the lesser frigatebird. However, it lacks a white axillary spur, and juveniles show a distinctive diamond-shaped belly patch. The magnificent frigatebird is silent in flight, but makes various rattling sounds at its nest.It spends days and nights on the wing, with an average ground speed of 10 km/h (6.2 mph), covering up to 223 km (139 mi) before landing. They alternately climb in thermals, to altitudes occasionally as high as 2,500 m (8,200 ft), and descend to near the sea surface. The only other bird known to spend days and nights on the wing is the common swift.[13]
Orca rarely seen pack hunting a seal! One Wild World 2021-03-22 | OrcaSix tons of pure power whacks an ice floe floating in cold Arctic waters. The seal lying on top of the ice doesn't stand a chance. Knocked into the sea, the seal becomes a meal for one of the ocean's top predators—the huge orca, or killer whale.COMMON NAME: Orca (Killer Whale)SCIENTIFIC NAME: Orcinus orcaTYPE: MammalsDIET: CarnivoreGROUP NAME: PodAVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 50 to 80 yearsSIZE: 23 to 32 feetWEIGHT: Up to 6 tonsOrcas hunt everything from fish to walruses, seals, sea lions, penguins, squid, sea turtles, sharks, and even other kinds of whales. Depending on the season and where they are, their diet varies—some orcas eat more fishes and squid than seals and penguins. But wherever they are in any of the world's oceans, average-sized orcas may eat about 500 pounds (227 kilograms) of food a day. Orcas have many hunting techniques, and bumping seals off ice is just one of them.Often referred to as wolves of the sea, orcas live and hunt together in cooperative pods, or family groups, much like a pack of wolves. They work together as they hunt. Groups of orcas cooperate to herd fish into a compact area so that they're easier to eat. They will also slap their tails onto the water's surface, causing a wave to wash prey, such as penguins or sea lions, off ice floes and into the water. Sometimes a pod of whales will join forces to surround a larger animal, such as a blue whale. They chase, bite, and wear it down until it becomes a meal.Orcas' teeth, numbering about 45 and each measuring about 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) long, are shaped for ripping and tearing prey. Orcas do not chew their food. They can swallow small seals and sea lions whole. The prey slides down the orcas' throats! Bigger prey is eaten in chunks. The color pattern of orcas may help them sneak up on and attack their prey. Their backs are black, their stomachs are white. Animals looking down on an orca from above, such as a seal on an ice floe, might not see it because the whale's dark back blends with the water below.On the other hand, the whale's white underside blends with the light streaming down into the sea from the surface, making it hard to spot from below. With orcas camouflaged so well, those prey fish, penguins, or seals are likely to miss the danger heading their way, as the killer whale once again proves it is the oceans' superbly designed hunter.
Weddell & Crabeater Seals in Antarctica! One Wild World 2021-03-18 | How do Weddell Seals feed?Weddell Seals can stay submerged for up to 80 minutes at a time. These prolonged dives are for both foraging and for finding new breathing holes in the ice above. They can dive over 600 meters down.Part of their ability to dive for such long periods is due to their having more red blood cells and more blood volume than other comparable mammals, which allows them to carry more oxygen with them at any one time.The Seals have excellent underwater vision, and it is thought that they swim below fish and look up, letting the light coming through the ice silhouette the fish.During the dark winters they are able to find prey through the use of their whiskers which are extremely sensitive to movement.Are Weddell Seals social?Weddell Seals tend to congregate together around breathing holes made in the ice. They’ll stay together in the water during the Antarctic winters with just their noses poking out in order to avoid the harsh winter winds.How fast do Weddell Seals swim?The Weddell Seals’ swim speed is around 10km per hour.What are Weddell Seal mating rituals like?Weddell Seal females can mature sexually at around 3 years of age, but both females and males usually wait until they’re about 7.Birthing season occurs from early September through November, depending on which latitude any particular Seal is located.Mating season is very noisy – the Seals make noises loud enough to be heard through the ice. Actual mating occurs underwater, with the males often biting the female around the neck area.The actual birth is very fast, usually taking less than 5 minutes. Weddell Seals are one of the few of the species that can give birth to twins.Pups are around 1.25 meters at birth and weigh about 25kg. Like all mammals, the pups grow fat on their mother’s milk, gaining around 2kg in weight every day. By their 7th week the pups can weigh around 100kg.During this time the mother doesn’t feed, so as the baby grows plumper the female grows thin, sometimes to the point of her ribs showing.How long do Weddell Seals live?Weddell Seals live 30 years on average.Do Weddell Seals have any natural predators?Weddell Seals are preyed upon by Killer Whales and Leopard Seals, the latter usually attacking the young.6 Wonderful Weddell Seal FactsWeddell Seals live the furthest south of any mammals.Since Weddell Seals are the most studied of any Seal species in the Antarctic.Weddell Seals are named after James Weddell, a British captain of a sealing vessel.Weddell Seal females are generally a little bit longer and heavier than the males.Weddell Seals have a membrane over their eyes that protect them from blowing snow and the salt in the ocean.Nothing is known about the Weddell Seal’s ability to hear.How do Crabeater Seals feed?Crabeater Seals have a unique adaptation for feeding – they have evolved a sieve-like tooth structure that filter krill, somewhat like the baleens on Baleen Whales. They suck in water containing krill, close their jaws, and then force the water back out between their specialized teeth, trapping the krill inside. Krill make up to 95% of a Crabeater Seal’s diet.The Crabeaters do most of their feeding at night. They can dive as deep as 430 meters although feeding dives are usually around 30 meters. The hunt can last up to 16 hours, involving hundreds of dives.How fast can Crabeater Seals move?On land, Crabeater Seals have an almost snake-like method of movement, weaving their front and back ends back and forth in a curving motion. Through this method they can reach speeds of 25 km per hour for short bursts. In the water Crabeater Seals can reach speeds of almost 13 km per hour.Do Crabeater Seals have any natural predators?Crabeater Seal pups are preyed upon by Leopard Seals. Both the young and adults are taken by Killer Whales.7 Captivating Crabeater Seal FactsCrabeater Seals are probably the most abundant large mammal on Earth and by far the most numerous kind of seal in the world.The scientific names of “Lobodon” and “carcinophaga” mean “lobe-toothed” and “crab eater” respectively. Despite the name, Crabeater Seals don’t eat Crabs.Crabeater Seals bodies have been found remarkably far inland, over 100km from the shore.Many Crabeater Seals have a number of scars on their bodies – results of run-ins with Leopard Seals.Crabeater Seals will sometimes use the breathing holes in the ice made by Weddell Seals. Sometimes they’ll even chase younger Weddell Seals away for exclusive rights to a particular breathing hole.If feeling threatened Crabeater Seals will snort, hiss, show their teeth, and roll over multiple times. This is probably a getaway tactic evolved to help evade Killer Whales and Leopard Seals. The unique sieve-like teeth of the Crabeater Seal are considered to be the most specialized of any carnivore.
The singing Blue-footed Booby in the Galapagos! One Wild World 2021-03-17 | The Blue-footed Booby has captivated the human imagination for centuries with its mating display, in which its vivid baby-blue feet play a key role. The other part of the name—booby—is reportedly taken from the Spanish for “stupid,” (“bobo”) and refers to these birds’ tameness around people. Like its North Atlantic relative the Northern Gannet, Blue-footed Boobies catch fish in spectacular dives from high in the air. Watching large flocks pursue shoaling fish can be breathtaking, with hundreds plunging into the ocean at any moment.Cool FactsTo stay cool in very hot environments, Blue-footed Boobies sometimes defecate on their feet (a behavior called urohydrosis). They also flutter the skin of their throats (the gular pouch) by rapidly vibrating bones in their throat, which creates evaporative cooling through the open mouth.The blue color of Blue-footed Booby’s feet varies in its intensity. Boobies with bluer feet appear to have more success in finding a mate than birds with duller blue feet. One study looked at foot color in relation to the health of young chicks and found that healthiest chicks tended to have fathers with intensely blue feet—possibly an indication of the father’s ability to keep himself well fed. Although the famous mating display might seem comical to humans, the display of foot color provides critical information on a bird’s health and ability to provide for young.The Blue-footed Booby makes no nest, but lays its eggs on bare ground. The incubating birds defecate while on the nest, and the eggs become surrounded by a circular wall of excrement.
Penguins of Antarctica! One Wild World 2021-03-15 | 14 Fun Facts About the Penguins of AntarcticaWith a handful of movies spotlighting the flightless birds, Hollywood seems to obsess over penguins. And for good reason. The adorable, waddling birds are friendly creatures that inhabit the frozen tundra of Antarctica and the surrounding Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands. Those who travel on Hurtigruten voyages to Antarctica will get an up-close look at these stunning birds, a favorite among Antarctic animals.1. Are penguins birds? Yes, they are!The answer is yes, penguins are birds - although they swim and cannot fly. One can say that the penguins belong to a zoological term called flightless seabirds. In common with other birds they have feathers and lay eggs. The penguins feathers are stiff and closely overlay each other to get an isolating layer, which traps air beneath it and provide insulation against cold weather and water. 2. Types of penguins - how many are there?There are 17 total species of penguins, but the continent of Antarctica is home to only four breeding species of them. By far the most common is the chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica), which owes its name to the narrow black band under its head. The second-most populated is the Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae), numbering approximately 2.3 million pairs in Antarctica. Other penguin species on the continent include the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) and the Gentoo penguin (pygoscelis papua). Three more species live and nest on the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands: the macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus), the rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes crestatus), and the king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonica).3. Where do penguins live?Since there are over 17 different species of penguins, they live scattered from each other. Penguins make their homes in different climates, depending on the type of penguin. All penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere – there are no penguins in the Arctic.4. Do polar bears eat penguins?Since there are no penguins in the Arctic and no polar bears on the Southern Hemisphere, penguins don’t get eaten by polar bears. This is only a common misconception. Polar bears and penguins have therefore never met.5. Emperor penguins are the largest of all penguins. An average bird stand about 45 inches tall.6. Penguins are often called 'flippered flyers' because of their effortless movement through the water. This bird is not able to fly; its wings are developed for swimming rather than flying. Underwater, they can reach speeds of up to 15 to 25 miles per hour. Emperor penguins can reach depths of up to to 1,850 feet!7. One method they use to survive the cruel environment is huddling together to escape wind and conserve warmth. Individuals take turns moving to the group's protected center. After the penguin has become relatively warm, it'll move to the outer perimeter of the group.8. Male emperor penguins stand for about 65 days through the icy temperatures and wild storms to keep their eggs warm. During this time, temperatures outside reach -76°F!9. Emperor penguins are the only penguins that breed in the Antarctic winter. The other species breed in the austral summer.10. A group of chicks are called creches, and are left when the adults fish.11. A group of penguins is called a colony.12. The average penguin weighs about 88 pounds. That's a lot of insulation!13. Females sometimes travel 50 miles to reach the open ocean, where they find fish, quid, and krill. When they return to the breeding site, they carry a stomach full of food that they regurgitate to their young.14. The ice begins to break up in December, Antarctic summer, just when young penguins are ready to swim and fish on their own.
Rainforest Wildlife Montage! One Wild World 2021-03-14 | Take a quick trip through the rainforests of Central America and check out all the amazing wildlife and biodiversity that the rainforest holds!
Sea Turtles & Orca! One Wild World 2021-03-13 | Leatherback turtles are named for their shell, which is leather-like rather than hard, like other turtles.They are the largest sea turtle species and also one of the most migratory, crossing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Pacific leatherbacks migrate from nesting beaches in the Coral Triangle all the way to the California coast to feed on the abundant jellyfish every summer and fall.Although their distribution is wide, numbers of leatherback turtles have seriously declined during the last century as a result of intense egg collection and fisheries bycatch. Globally, leatherback status according to IUCN is listed as Vulnerable, but many subpopulations (such as in the Pacific and Southwest Atlantic) are Critically Endangered.The killer whale (Orcinus orca), also known as the orca, is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. Killer whales have a diverse diet, although individual populations often specialize in particular types of prey. Some feed exclusively on fish, while others hunt marine mammals such as seals and other species of dolphin. They have been known to attack baleen whale calves, and even adult whales. Killer whales are apex predators, as no animal preys on them. A cosmopolitan species, they can be found in each of the world's oceans in a variety of marine environments, from Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas, absent only from the Baltic and Black seas, and some areas of the Arctic Ocean.Killer whales are highly social; some populations are composed of matrilineal family groups (pods) which are the most stable of any animal species. Their sophisticated hunting techniques and vocal behaviors, which are often specific to a particular group and passed across generations, have been described as manifestations of animal culture.The International Union for Conservation of Nature assesses the orca's conservation status as data deficient because of the likelihood that two or more killer whale types are separate species. Some local populations are considered threatened or endangered due to prey depletion, habitat loss, pollution (by PCBs), capture for marine mammal parks, and conflicts with human fisheries. In late 2005, the southern resident killer whales, which swim in British Columbia and Washington state waters, were placed on the U.S. Endangered Species list.Wild killer whales are not considered a threat to humans and no fatal attack on humans has ever been documented, but there have been cases of captive orcas killing or injuring their handlers at marine theme parks. Killer whales feature strongly in the mythologies of indigenous cultures, and their reputation in different cultures ranges from being the souls of humans to merciless killers.
Wild Dolphins frolic in Costa Rica! One Wild World 2021-03-13 | Dolphin is a common name of aquatic mammals within the infraorder Cetacea. There are 40 extant species named as dolphins.Dolphins range in size from the 1.7-metre-long (5 ft 7 in) long and 50-kilogram (110-pound) Maui's dolphin to the 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in) and 10-tonne (11-short-ton) killer whale. Several species exhibit sexual dimorphism, in that the males are larger than females. They have streamlined bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers. Though not quite as flexible as seals, some dolphins can travel at speeds 29 km/h (20 mph) for short distances. Dolphins use their conical shaped teeth to capture fast moving prey. They have well-developed hearing which is adapted for both air and water and is so well developed that some can survive even if they are blind. Some species are well adapted for diving to great depths. They have a layer of fat, or blubber, under the skin to keep warm in the cold water.Although dolphins are widespread, most species prefer the warmer waters of the tropic zones, but some, like the right whale dolphin, prefer colder climates. Dolphins feed largely on fish and squid, but a few, like the killer whale, feed on large mammals, like seals. Male dolphins typically mate with multiple females every year, but females only mate every two to three years. Calves are typically born in the spring and summer months and females bear all the responsibility for raising them. Mothers of some species fast and nurse their young for a relatively long period of time. Dolphins produce a variety of vocalizations, usually in the form of clicks and whistles.Dolphins are sometimes hunted in places such as Japan, in an activity known as dolphin drive hunting. Besides drive hunting, they also face threats from bycatch, habitat loss, and marine pollution. Dolphins have been depicted in various cultures worldwide. Dolphins occasionally feature in literature and film, as in the film series Free Willy. Dolphins are sometimes kept in captivity and trained to perform tricks. The most common dolphin species in captivity is the bottlenose dolphin, while there are around 60 captive killer whales.
Anteater & Leaf Cutter Ants! One Wild World 2021-03-11 | DescriptionThe northern tamandua is a medium-sized anteater with a prehensile tail, small eyes and ears, and a long snout. The fur is pale yellow over most of the body, with a distinctive patch of black fur over the flanks, back, and shoulders, that somewhat resembles a vest in shape. The presence of this colouration pattern makes it possible to distinguish this species from its southern relative, which has a more uniform color. The tail has fur on its upper surface for about a third of its length, but is otherwise hairless. The hind feet have five toes, while the fore feet have only four.Males and females are similar in size and color, and range from 102 to 130 centimeters (40 to 51 in) in total length, including the 40 to 68 centimeters (16 to 27 in) tail. Adults weigh between 3.2 to 5.4 kilograms (7.1 to 11.9 lb).Like other anteaters, the northern tamandua is highly adapted to its unusual diet. The tongue is long, extensible, and covered in sticky saliva able to pick up ants and termites. It has unusually well developed muscles, attached to a large hyoid bone and rooted to the top of the sternum. The entire oral cavity is modified to accommodate this tongue, and is so elongated that the back of the soft palate is level with the fifth cervical vertebra near the base of the neck, rather than at the top of the pharynx as in most other mammals. The jaw muscles and mandible are reduced, and the latter is particularly fragile. Like other anteaters, the northern tamandua has no teeth.In addition to its diet, and unlike the giant anteater, the northern tamandua is also adapted to an arboreal lifestyle. The muscles of the toes and the presence of a tough pad on the palms makes the forefeet prehensile, enabling them to grip onto projections as it climbs. The middle toe of the forefeet also bears an unusually large claw, and the toe has enough muscle and leverage to allow it to rip open wood to get at the ants within.Distribution and habitatThe northern tamandua inhabits forests from southern Mexico, through Central America to western Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, and the northwestern corner of Peru. It has been reported from various types of forest within this region, including evergreen, deciduous, mangrove swamps, cloud forests, and secondary forest. Four subspecies of T. mexicana are currently recognized:BehaviorNorthern tamanduas are mainly nocturnal, but are also often active during the day, and spend only around 40% of their time in the trees. They are active for about eight hours each day, spending the rest of the time sheltering in hollow trees. They are solitary animals, occupying home ranges of between 25 and 70 ha (62 and 170 ac). Known predators include jaguars and harpy eagles.Northern tamanduas subsist almost entirely on diets of ants and termites, although they have also been observed to eat small quantities of fruit. They prefer relatively large insects, over 4 mm (0.16 in) in length, including Camponotus, Azteca, Crematogaster, and Nasutitermes, among others. They may eat up to 9,000 insects per day, from 50 to 80 different nests, which they locate by scent and then dig into with their powerful claws. They extract the ants with their long, narrow, sticky tongues, but seem to do little permanent damage to the nests, perhaps because they do not spend long at each one before being driven away by the insects' natural defenses.The anteaters can communicate with each other by leaving scent marks with their anal scent glands. Though infants can be quite vocal, adults rarely make any sounds. If provoked, they can prop themselves up on their hind legs and tails using a tree or rock for support, and lash out with their claws.ReproductionWith no defined breeding season for northern tamanduas, females appear to be able to enter oestrus at any time of year. Males locate fertile females by scent, and court them with repeated sniffing and swatting with their claws. Eventually, they use their strong fore limbs and tails to secure the females while they mate.[6] Gestation lasts from 130 to 190 days, and results in the birth of a single offspring. The young anteater initially shelters in a nest in a hollow tree, but later moves about by clinging to its mother's back. Young leave the mother at about a year of age, and northern tamanduas have been reported to live up to 9.5 years in captivity.
Scarlet Macaws & Toucan! One Wild World 2021-03-11 | Did you know? Forests are home to 80 percent of Earth's terrestrial biodiversity! We're preserving habitats for endangered species, conserving wildlife corridors, and saving breeding grounds.SCARLET MACAWAnatomyMacaws are the largest parrots in the world -- the body of the scarlet macaw from beak to tail can be as long as 33 inches. This beautiful macaw has a creamy white, almost featherless face, with bright red plumage covering most of its body, wings and long tail. Brilliant blue and yellow feathers also adorn the lower wings. The bird's strong beak is adapted to breaking hard nuts found in the rainforest.HabitatThe scarlet macaw can be found from southern Mexico to Peru, as well as Bolivia, eastern Brazil and the island of Trinidad. They prefer to spend their time in tall, deciduous trees in forests and near rivers, usually in large, noisy groups. Macaws also mate for life, nesting from January through April in the holes of dead canopy trees. Mated adults lay up to two eggs per year, and preen each other and their offspring for hours, cleaning bugs from their feathers.DietNuts, leaves, berries and seeds from the rainforest make up the bulk of the scarlet macaw’s diet. Its strong, hooked beak is perfect for breaking nuts and seeds. Interestingly, the scarlet macaw can eat fruits toxic enough to kill other animals. This could be because they also eat large amounts of clay, which is thought to neutralize plant poisons.ThreatsThe primary threats to the scarlet macaw are habitat loss from rainforest destruction and heavy exploitation for pet trading. In Costa Rica, these birds, which are frequently stolen from their nests, can be sold on the black market for $200. In the United States, baby birds smuggled into the country can be sold for as much as $4,000. Because tourists bring in almost $14,000 a year to see birds like the scarlet macaw in the wild, biologists hope that local governments will devote more attention to the protection of these magnificent birds.TOUCANAnatomyBest known for its oversized bill, the keel-billed toucan is a large and colorful bird with black plumage, a bright yellow throat and cheeks, vibrant red feathers under its tail and a yellow-green face. Its light green, banana-shaped bill is splashed with orange and tipped with red and blue, and can grow to be a third of the size of the toucan’s 20-inch body. Though cumbersome looking, the bill is actually quite light because it is made of protein and supported by hollow bones. The toucan’s very broad wings, however, are heavy and make flight laborious.HabitatThese unique birds are found in tropical and sub-tropical rainforests from southern Mexico to Venezuela and Colombia. The keel-billed toucan is crepuscular, meaning that it is most active during dawn and dusk. It lives in groups of six to twelve birds and rarely flies long distances because of its heavy wings -- it is, however, quite agile hopping from branch to branch. The monogamous pairs make their nests in natural or wood-pecker created tree holes, taking turns incubating their eggs.DietKeel-billed toucans feed mostly on fruits but are also known to eat insects, lizards, tree frogs and even eggs. They consume their food by grasping it with their bill and quickly flipping it up into the air and catching it in their mouths. They swallow their fruit whole and will regurgitate the larger seeds while the smaller ones pass through their digestive systems. This method means that toucans play an important role in the reproduction of the fruit trees they depend on. These beautiful birds are almost always seen feeding on fruits high up in the canopy; however, they will occasionally fly down to feed from the shrubs, or catch a lizard from the undergrowth.ThreatsThe species is not currently listed as endangered, but it is threatened by human activity. Habitat loss is a constant menace to the species’ populations. They are sometimes still hunted for their meat and ornamental feathers. At one time, they were very popular in the pet trade but it has since been revealed that their poor disposition actually makes them bad pets. They’re valuable to Belize -- where they are the national bird -- bringing tourists who hope to catch a glimpse of their stunning plumage.
Vibrant Flamingos of Panama! One Wild World 2021-03-09 | Flamingos are the most instantly recognizable wading birds in the world, but what makes them so special that they capture the hearts of birders and non-birders alike? These fun flamingo facts and trivia may surprise you!Flamingo TriviaThere are only six species of flamingos in the world, though several of those species have subspecies divisions and could eventually be split into different unique species. All flamingos belong to the bird family Phoenicopteridae, and they are the only members of that scientific bird family.Flamingos are found around the world from the Caribbean and South America to Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. They are also popular guests in many zoos, aviaries, aquariums, marine parks, and botanical gardens well outside their native ranges. Occasional escaped flamingos often make headlines among birders or on local news networks.The word "flamingo" comes from the Spanish and Latin word "flamenco" which means fire, and refers to the bright color of the birds' feathers. Not all flamingos are brightly colored, however, and some of the birds are mostly gray or white. The strength of a flamingo's coloration comes from its diet. Younger birds also have less coloration.Flamingos are strong but rare swimmers and powerful fliers, even though they're most often seen just wading. Flamingos do fly very well, however, and many flamingos migrate or regularly fly between the best food sources and nesting grounds.A flamingo chick's bill is small and straight, without any distinct color patches. After a few months, their growing bills will develop the distinct "break" curve and they will be eating mostly on their own.Flamingos are monogamous birds that lay only a single egg each year. If that egg is lost, stolen, damaged, or other wise does not hatch, they do not typically lay a replacement. If a flamingo colony is ransacked by predators or hit with a natural disaster, it can take several years for the birds to recover and for their population to grow again.Parent flamingos feed their chicks exclusively crop milk for 5-12 days after hatching. After that time, the chicks do begin to forage on their own, though young flamingos may continue to eat crop milk for up to two months as their bills develop. This high fat, high protein substance is not like mammalian milk, but is excellent nutrition for growing chicks. Parent flamingos produce crop milk in their digestive tracts and regurgitate it to feed their young.Flamingo chicks are born gray or white and take up to three years to reach their mature pink, orange, or red plumage. Their young feathers are much less structured and fluffier than adult plumage, but that down provides excellent insulation to help keep baby flamingos warm. The pink, orange, or red color of a flamingo's feathers is caused by carotenoid pigments in their food, the same pigments that make tomatoes red and carrots orange. A wild flamingo's diet includes shrimp, plankton, algae, and crustaceans skimmed from different water sources. If those food sources do not provide enough pigmentation, flamingos may seem more gray or white, but they are still healthy and strong. In zoos and aviaries, captive flamingos are often fed a specialized diet that will help preserve and enhance their unique coloration.The greater flamingo is the largest flamingo species and can measure up to five feet tall when standing erect with its head raised, but only weighs a maximum of eight pounds. The lesser flamingo is the smallest flamingo and can reach three feet tall and typically weighs 3-6 pounds.An adult flamingo's legs can be 30-50 inches long, which is longer than its entire body. Flamingos often stand on one leg to preserve body heat, tucking the other leg into their plumage so it is kept warm. They will alternate legs to regulate their body temperature.Flamingos are gregarious birds that do not do well in very small flocks of just a few birds. While a typical flock is only several dozen birds, flocks of up to a million or more have been recorded. Flamingos use these tremendous flocks as a safety measure against predators, and larger flocks are more stable for population growth and breeding success.Flamingos have a wild lifespan of 20-30 years, but in captivity have been recorded as living up to 50 years or longer. Captive flamingos typically live longer because they are not subject to predators, poachers, or other threats, and they receive excellent veterinary care and abundant food.Don Featherstone of Massachusetts invented the pink plastic lawn flamingo, which has been gracing lawns since 1957. The "official" pink flamingo is from Union Products, though the patents and official molds for the classic lawn birds have been transferred to different companies. These birds are still in production today and now there are more plastic flamingos in America than there are real ones.
Crab pecked to death by hungry seabird! One Wild World 2021-03-08 | Sally Lightfoot crabs are brightly-colored coastal scavengers, found in the Galapagos Islands and across the western coast of South and Central America. They have an extremely generalist diet, feeding on anything from sea lion placenta to other crabs. This makes them an important part of the ecosystem, as they provide services such as keeping the shore clean of any organic debris and eating ticks off marine iguanas. They are rumored to have been named after a Caribbean dancer, due to their agility in jumping from rock to rock, their ability to run in four directions and their capacity to climb up vertical slopes. This extreme agility makes them very difficult to catch. Adult crabs show characteristic intense blue and red coloring on their shells, with a white or pale blue underbelly. Younger crabs have darker colouration with red spots, providing a higher degree of camouflage. Every time the crabs molt their shell, the spots become gradually larger, until they obtain the adult coloring.Female Sally Lightfoot crabs carry their eggs around with them on their stomachs until they hatch into the water. The larvae then swim out to deeper waters, where they consume phytoplankton and undergo a rapid series of molts. Eventually they undergo metamorphosis to become juvenile crabs and swim to shore, where they start to scavenge, becoming bigger and more colorful with each molt. These juveniles tend to travel in large groups until they reach maturity, after which they become largely solitary when not mating. When they are not mating or feeding, the crabs spend their time hiding in cracks in rocks. If they are disturbed, they may spray water or shed one of their legs as a defense mechanism.
Iguanas of Central America! One Wild World 2021-03-07 | The green iguana (Iguana iguana), also known as the American iguana or the common green iguana, is a large, arboreal, mostly herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana. Usually, this animal is simply called the iguana. The green iguana ranges over a large geographic area; it is native from southern Brazil and Paraguay as far north as Mexico, and has been introduced from South America to Puerto Rico and is very common throughout the island, where it is colloquially known as gallina de palo ("bamboo chicken" or "chicken of the trees") and considered an invasive species; in the United States, feral populations also exist in South Florida (including the Florida Keys), Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Green iguanas have also successfully colonised the island of Anguilla, arriving on the island in 1995 after rafting across the Caribbean from Guadeloupe.In South and Central America, where the green iguana is native, it is an endangered species in some countries because people have been hunting and eating this gallino de palo ("bamboo chicken" or "chicken of the trees") for a long time.A herbivore, it has adapted significantly with regard to locomotion and osmoregulation as a result of its diet. It grows to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in length from head to tail, although a few specimens have grown more than 2 metres (6.6 ft) with bodyweights upward of 20 pounds (9.1 kg).
Pit Viper, Fer-de-Lance and Coati in Panama! One Wild World 2021-03-07 | Pit Vipers are a subfamily of venomous vipers found in Eurasia and the Americas. They are distinguished by the presence of a heat-sensing pit organ located between the eye and the nostril on both sides of the head. These are also the only viperids found in the Americas. The groups of snakes represented here include rattlesnakes, lanceheads, and Asian pit vipers.These snakes range in size from the diminutive hump-nosed viper, Hypnale hypnale, that grows to an average total length (including tail) of only 30–45 cm (12–18 in), to the bushmaster, Lachesis muta, a species known to reach a maximum total length of 3.65 m (12.0 ft) in length.Like most snakes, Pit Vipers keep to themselves and strike only if cornered or threatened. Smaller snakes are less likely to stand their ground than larger specimens. Pollution and the destruction of rainforests have caused many pit viper populations to decline. Humans also threaten pit vipers, as many are hunted for their skins or killed by cars when they wander onto roads.Coati are diurnal mammals native to South America, Central America, Mexico, and the southwestern United States. Coatis have bear- and raccoon-like paws, and walk plantigrade (on the soles of the feet, as do humans), like raccoons and bears. Coatis have nonretractable claws. Coatis also are, in common with raccoons and other procyonids (and others in the order Carnivora and rare cases amongst other mammals), able to rotate their ankles beyond 180°; they are therefore able to descend trees head first. Other animals living in forests have acquired some or all of these properties through convergent evolution, including members of the mongoose, civet, weasel, cat, and bear families.The coati snout is long and somewhat pig-like – part of the reason for its nickname 'the hog-nosed raccoon'. It is also extremely flexible – it can be rotated up to 60° in any direction. They use their noses to push objects and rub parts of their body. The facial markings include white markings around the eyes and on the ears and snout.Coatis have strong limbs to climb and dig and have a reputation for intelligence, like their fellow procyonid, the raccoon. They prefer to sleep or rest in elevated places and niches, like the rainforest canopy, in crudely built sleeping nests. Coatis are active day and night but are not nocturnal animals unlike their raccoon cousins.
Bats of Costa Rica! One Wild World 2021-03-07 | The most numerous mammals found throughout Costa Rica are, by far, bats. You may easily come across them slumbering by day halfway up a tree, folded up in a banana palm or roosting inside a cracked fence post. Bats are nocturnal and most are lunarphobic, which means they avoid bright light, even moonlight. While most bats feed on insects, others eat fruit or lap nectar from night-blooming flowers. A few species feed on fish, frogs and small vertebrates. But no matter what they feed on, bats are highly beneficial, both ecologically and economically, especially if left alone.There are more than 100 native bat species in Costa Rica, and they come in a variety of sizes and colors. They range in size from the large Vampyrum spectrum, or false vampire bat, with a wingspan of nearly 3 feet, to the Rhynchonycteris naso, or proboscis bat, which weighs less than two U.S. pennies. Despite some bat species’ peculiar looks, these creatures are generally harmless to humans and are actually quite helpful as pollinators, seed dispersers, and pest exterminators. The majority of these animals are frugivores, such as the large Jamaican fruit bat and tent-making bat, or insectivores, like the rare, white Northern ghost bat.Vampire bats are a different matter. Although these amazing mammals have been known to adopt orphans and to risk their lives to share food with roost-mates, they have also been of serious concern to Latin American ranchers. This species causes approximately $100 million in damage each year on livestock in Central and South America. Vampire bats land on, or close to, sleeping mammals, preferably cattle. Using two razor-sharp incisors, they will puncture the farm animal, and aided by the glycoprotein in their saliva that keeps blood from clotting will squat beside the wound and lick up the blood while it flows.Conservation officials and ranchers have made progress in controlling vampire bats where they are a problem, avoiding the needless killing of beneficial species. However, much remains to be done. Vampire bats are only one species of at least 110 in Costa Rica, and humans usually are not at risk of being bitten.Bats have developed a highly sophisticated sonar system called echolocation. These creatures emit calls that bounce off objects around them and send signals back. As a result, bats can determine how far away an object is, how big it is, and even what texture it might have.One of the most interesting types of bat, which usually roost near water, is the greater bulldog or fisherman bat. Cheek pouches, pointed ears and a blunt nose give this bat the appearance of a bulldog, but its huge feet with long claws make it an outstanding angler. Fisherman bats use their finely tuned echolocation to detect the slightest ripples in water and will rake their feet along the water’s surface before snatching a slippery fish with their sharp claws.Bats are very important as seed dispersers and pollinators. In fact, some plants depend completely on bats as their pollinators. Just after sunset, bats swoop through the air, capturing large amounts of mosquitoes, moths and other insects, lapping up nectar or feeding on fruit.
Wild Brown Bears catch and devour salmon in Alaska! One Wild World 2021-01-25 | Brown bears typically live along the southern coast of the state where they have access to seasonally abundant spawning salmon. The coastal areas also provide a rich array of vegetation they can use as food as well as a milder climate. This allows them to grow larger and live in higher densities than their “grizzly” cousins in the northern and interior parts of the state. To minimize confusion, this report uses the term “brown bear” to refer to all members of Ursus arctos.The brown bear resembles its close relatives the black bear and the polar bear. Brown bears are usually larger than black bears, have a more prominent shoulder hump, less prominent ears, and longer, straighter claws. Polar bears are similar in size to coastal brown bears, but are more streamlined, lacking the hump. The varying shapes of these bears are adaptations to their particular life styles. Long claws are useful in digging roots or excavating small mammals, but are not efficient for climbing trees. The musculature and bone structure of the hump are adaptations for digging and for attaining bursts of speed necessary for capture of moose or caribou. Color is not a reliable key in differentiating these bears because black and brown bears have many color phases and polar bears may have stained fur. For example, black bear fur may be black, brown, reddish or even shades of grey and white, while brown bear colors range from dark brown through very light blond.Brown bears are very adaptable and like humans, they consume a wide variety of foods. Common foods include salmon, berries, grasses, sedges, cow parsnip, ground squirrels, carrion, and roots. In many parts of Alaska, brown bears are capable predators of moose and caribou, especially newborns. Bears may also be attracted to human camps and homes by improperly stored food and garbage as well as domestic animals.Although generally solitary in nature, brown bears often occur in large groups in concentrated feeding areas such as salmon spawning streams, sedge flats, open garbage dumps or on whale carcasses. Because of this, they have developed a complex language and social structure to express their feelings and minimize serious fights These feeding concentration areas also provide opportunities for people to watch bears.
Rockin Rockhopper Penguins in South Georgia Island! One Wild World 2021-01-25 | Rockhoppers are the most widespread crested penguins. Their range goes from the Antarctic front to the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Because of how widespread they are, breeding varies among the penguins in different areas. Northern Penguins begin the mating process two months earlier than Southern ones. Two eggs are usually laid a few days apart during early November in hope that at least one will survive, and the second egg is usually larger than the first. They will use the same nest as they did in previous years as well. Eggs hatch about a month later and the mother will have food for the chick.The rockhopper penguin's diet consists of krill and small crustaceans, which may include shrimp, crabs, lobsters or crayfish. They also eat squid and myctophid fish. Rockhopper penguins consume more krill than they do fish; their diet changes during migration and as the seasons change. Rockhopper penguins can be at sea for several days while hunting. They can dive up to 330 feet (100 m) for many minutes at a time while searching for prey.Although the rockhopper penguin is one of the world's most numerous penguin populations, it is estimated that the population declined by some 30 percent over the final 30 years of the 20th century. The cause of this decline is mainly unknown, but scientists have speculated that humans are involved, mostly by commercial overfishing, oil exploitation, and pollution. Recent research has shown that rockhopper penguin population declines with changes in ocean surface temperature, indicating a direct impact from climate change. These activities have depleted much of the rockhopper penguin's food supply and raised the sea surface temperatures, and because this species is geographically isolated to the tip of South America and the Falkland Islands and is very sensitive to food web changes, there is little foreseeable opportunity for the penguins to recover.
Curious Capuchin Monkeys in Costa Rica! One Wild World 2021-01-24 | The capuchin monkeys are New World monkeys of the subfamily Cebinae. They are readily identified as the "organ grinder" monkey, and have been used in many movies and television shows. The range of capuchin monkeys includes some tropical forests in Central America and South America as far south as northern Argentina. In Central America, where they are called white-faced monkeys ("carablanca,") they usually occupy the wet lowland forests on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and Panama and deciduous dry forest on the Pacific coast.Like most New World monkeys, capuchins are diurnal and arboreal. With the exception of a midday nap, they spend their entire day searching for food. At night, they sleep in the trees, wedged between branches. They are undemanding regarding their habitat and can thus be found in many differing areas.Capuchin monkeys are clever and easy to train. As a result, they are used to help people who are quadriplegics in many developed countries. They have also become popular pets and attractions for street entertainment, and are hunted for meat by local people. Since they have a high reproductive rate and can easily adapt to their living environment, loss of the forest does not negatively impact the Capuchin monkey populations as much as other species, although habitat fragmentation is still a threat. Natural predators include jaguars, cougars, jaguarundis, coyotes, tayras, snakes, crocodiles and birds of prey. The main predator of the tufted capuchin is the harpy eagle, which has been seen bringing several Capuchin back to its nest.When presented with a reflection, Capuchin monkeys react in a way that indicates an intermediate state between seeing the mirror as another individual and recognizing the image as self.Most animals react to seeing their reflections as if encountering another individual they do not recognize. An experiment with Capuchins shows that they react to a reflection as a strange phenomenon, but not as if seeing a strange Capuchin.In the experiment, Capuchins were presented with three different scenarios:Seeing an unfamiliar, same-sex monkey on the other side of a clear barrierSeeing a familiar, same-sex monkey on the other side of a clear barrierA mirror showing a reflection of the monkeyWith scenario 1, females appeared anxious and avoided eye-contact, while males made threatening gestures. In scenario 2, there was little reaction by either males or females.When presented with a reflection, females gazed into their own eyes and made friendly gestures, such as lip-smacking and swaying. Males made more eye contact than with strangers or familiar monkeys, but reacted with signs of confusion or distress, such as squealing, curling up on the floor, or trying to escape from the test room.
Cutest Baby Animals in the Wild! One Wild World 2020-10-09 | Need a smile today? Here are some of the cutest baby animals from all over the globe in their natural habitat.
Sea Otters play in Alaska! One Wild World 2020-08-21 | This aquatic member of the weasel family is found along the coasts of the Pacific Ocean in North America and Asia. The sea otter spends most of its time in the water but, in some locations, comes ashore to sleep or rest. Sea otters have webbed feet, water-repellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils and ears that close in the water.Floating BehaviorSea otters often float at the water's surface, lying on their backs in a posture of serene repose. They sleep this way, often gathered in groups. Otters sometimes float in forests of kelp, or giant seaweed, in which they entangle themselves to provide anchorage in the swirling sea.These aquatic otters do more than sleep while floating on their backs. They are often seen with a clam or mussel and a rock that has been deftly snared from the ocean floor. Otters will place the rock on their chests, and repeatedly smash the shellfish against it until it breaks open to reveal the tasty meal inside. They also dine on such aquatic creatures as sea urchins, crabs, squid, octopuses, and fish.Sea otters are the only otters to give birth in the water. Mothers nurture their young while floating on their backs. They hold infants on their chests to nurse them, and quickly teach them to swim and hunt.Sea Otter CoatsSea otters are meticulously clean. After eating, they wash themselves in the ocean, cleaning their coat with their teeth and paws. They have good reason to take care of their coats—it helps them to remain waterproof and insulated against the cold. Sea otters have thick underfur that traps air to form an insulating layer against the chilly waters (they have no insulating fat). This coat is invaluable to otters, but it has worth to some humans as well.Sea otters were hunted for their fur to the point of near extinction. Early in the 20th century only 1,000 to 2,000 animals remained. Today, sea otters are protected by law.
The Giant Tortoise over 150 years old! One Wild World 2020-07-01 | This is the Galapagos Giant Tortoise, quite simply, the largest tortoise species in the world! Just how big is big? More than 600 pounds and 4 feet long! No wonder they’re going nowhere fast.The Giant tortoises have been around for millions of years! They are in fact the world’s longest living animals, with an average life span of well over 100 years! Old or young, tortoises are slow-moving all around, averaging a speed of less than half a mile an hour. But they do have great stamina, and can cover very long distances if need be. With keen eye sight and a great sense of smell, they are very good at finding food. And through the two tiny openings on each side of their head, they sense any changes in vibration or pressure which could mean a predator is approaching.Also called a carapace, the primary purpose of the large tortoise shell is for protection. Whenever the animal feels threatened, it pulls its head and neck into the carapace. Its legs are covered with hard scales, that act like an armor.Tortoises have adapted the shape of their carapace based on where they live. The saddle-shaped shells live on the coastal lands where they can eat from low shrubs. The larger, dome-shaped shells live in the highlands where they feed on grasses and plants. All tortoises are herbivores, eating only plants. They usually get their moisture from the dew in the vegetation, but nothing beats a nice cold drink at the local watering hole. The tortoise don’t really have any natural predators on the islands. However, they may fight among themselves to establish who the ranking male is. They will rise up on their legs and stretch their necks out to prove who is more dominant. The smaller tortoise will back off, leaving the larger male to mate with the female. Did you know that Tortoises are reptiles? They share certain key characteristics with snakes, lizards, and crocodiles. The most important trait among reptiles is that they are all cold-blooded.
Salt-sneezing Marine Iguanas in the Galapagos! One Wild World 2020-07-01 | Generally grayish in color and covered in many spiny crests all up and down their back, the Marine Iguanas have developed into very good swimmers. With flattened tails, they swim by moving their bodies side to side. Staying mostly in the shallow waters where it’s not too cold, the Marine Iguanas can survive dives up to half an hour long! After feeding on nearby algae and seaweed, they climb back ashore, where it’s safer. Long, sharp claws help them cling to rocks when rough waves come along.Because Marine Iguanas take in such a large amount of seawater while they’re feeding, they have developed salt glands, which help remove the salt and deposit it in the nostrils. With a frequent sneezing action, the iguana shoots the salt into the air, and the salt falls back down on its head, making a little white wig.Most of the time, Marine Iguanas are lying around on the black lava rocks warming up from the cold Galapagos waters. They love to cuddle up together to conserve body heat. But when the sun starts to set they head into burrows dug in the ground, where they can conserve body heat until the sun comes up again. They also use these dug-outs to lay eggs and nest.
9,000 lb Giant Elephant Seals in the Falkland Islands! One Wild World 2020-06-25 | Elephant seals are marine mammals classified under the order Pinnipedia, which, in Latin, means feather- or fin-footed. Elephant seals spend the majority of their time (90%) underwater in search of food, and can cover 100 kilometres (60 miles) a day when they head out to sea. When elephant seals are born, they can weigh up to 36 kilograms (80 pounds) and reach lengths up to 122 cm (4 ft 0 in). Sexual dimorphism is extreme, with male elephant seals weighing up to 10 times more than females, and having a large proboscis.Elephant seals take their name from the large proboscis of the adult male (bull), which resembles an elephant's trunk, and is considered a secondary sexual characteristic. The bull's proboscis is used in producing extraordinarily loud roaring noises, especially during the mating season. They are very much larger than other pinnipeds, with southern elephant seal bulls typically reaching a length of 5 m (16 ft) and a weight of 3,000 kg (7,000 lb), and are much larger than the adult females (cows), with some exceptionally large males reaching up to 6 m (20 ft) in length and weighing 4,000 kg (9,000 lb); cows typically measure about 3 m (10 ft) and 900 kg (2,000 lb). Northern elephant seal bulls reach a length of 4.3 to 4.8 m (14 to 16 ft) and the heaviest weigh about 2,500 kg (5,500 lb).
Acrobatic Spider Monkeys in Costa Rica! One Wild World 2020-06-22 | Spider Monkey fun facts:Spider monkeys are ideally suited for a life in the canopies of the forest. They have long limbs and flexible shoulder joints that enable them to move easily from branch to branch. They do not have opposable thumbs. This benefits them by giving them a hook-like hand to allow for great speed in swinging through the trees. They have a prehensile tail, prehensile means "able to grasp" and their tail can be used like a fifth limb. The underside of the tail has a friction pad which allows for maximum dexterity and provides unique prints like human fingerprints. Colorations are variable among species but all infants are born with a pink face and ears.Behavior:Spider monkeys are referred to as the most accomplished acrobats of the forest. They are primarily arboreal and even sleep in the tree tops. Living loosely organized in groups of 4 to 25 individuals, they are usually led by the alpha female. They have several vocalizations including barks, whinnies, screams, trills and sobs. When they display aggressively, they can pilo-erect the hair on their neck, shoulders and tail and will face each other screaming. Either in greeting or reconciliation, Spider monkeys are known to hug each other and even wrap their tails around one another.Reproduction:Gestation cycle of 226-232 days. Usually, only a single baby is born. The infant is totally dependent on its mothers for about 10 weeks after which it begins to leave its mother to play and investigate its nearby surroundings, often playing with other infants. Infants are carried on their mother's stomachs until 16 weeks old and then are able to be carried on her back. Infants are not entirely independent until 36 months old. Sexual maturity occurs at 4-5 years of age.Interesting Facts:Their genus name, Ateles, means "imperfect", which refers to their lack of thumbs. When first discovered, Spider monkeys were observed hanging suspended from their tail with their arms and legs dangling down. This gave them a "spider-like" appearance and hence earned them their name. They are very intelligent and have an impressive memory.About Our Animals:We have two different species one male Black Handed and one female Brown-Headed Spider MonkeyConservation:The brown-headed Spider monkey is considered endangered and the black-handed Spider monkey is considered vulnerable. Both are at risk primarily due to habitat loss and the bush-meat trade. They are losing 35,000 acres of natural habitat a day. They are also victims of the pet trade.
Slowest animal in the world! One Wild World 2011-03-12 | Fun facts about the Sloth:The brown-throated three-toed sloth is a truly unique animal that inhabits the rainforest canopies of Central and South America. The term sloth is synonymous with the word slow, and sloths certainly live up to that definition.Three-toed sloth in the canopy. Once a week, they descend from the rainforest canopy to urinate and defecate. Although their large curved claws help them immensely in the treetops, they make traveling on the ground very difficult. Sloths crawl very awkwardly and slowly on the ground, making them easy targets for predators like ocelots.But sloths take the risk to climb down to the ground because of a symbiotic relationship they have with the flora living in their fur. Sloth fur is rife with macro- and microorganisms like algae, fungi and moths. While these organisms benefit from having a sheltered place to live among the long coarse hairs, the sloth also gains from the relationship. The algae provides supplemental nutrition for the sloth and tints the fur green, which helps camouflage the sloth among the leaves. The fungi helps fend off parasites known to cause diseases like malaria and Chagas disease. The moths provide fertilizer for the algae.When sloths descend from the canopy, they come in contact with the beneficial fungal spores in the soil. In addition, the moths have a chance to lay their eggs in the sloth’s dung. In this way, a complete ecosystem thrives between the sloth and the organisms living in its fur.Another unique trait of sloths is that they rely on solar energy to regulate their body temperature. With such a slow metabolism, sloths must sunbathe in order to keep their body temperature up. In this way, sloths are similar to reptiles.Male brown-throated three-toed sloths can be easily distinguished from females because they have a bright orange patch with a black stripe on their backs. This patch has scent marking glands that attracts female sloths. Alpha males have a larger patches than other males.The mating season for brown-throated sloths is in the spring, which is July-November in South America and February-May in Central America. Female sloths give birth to one infant at a time. The baby sloth spends 5-10 months attached to its mother, using her body like a jungle gym. This helps prepare the baby for life hanging in the treetops.
Humpback Whales lunge for food in Alaska! One Wild World 2011-02-25 | Humpback whales are enormous creatures — about the size of a school bus. They are known for their haunting and melodic songs and for breaching the water with amazing acrobatic abilities.Humpbacks don't normally have a hump on their backs; the name comes from the large hump that forms when they arch their backs before making a deep dive into the ocean. The scientific name, Megaptera novaeangliae, means "big-winged New Englander" because the population that swam off New England was the best known to Europeans, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).Size:Humpback whales are not the biggest whales — that's the blue whale. Humpbacks can grow to 60 feet (18 meters) long, and they can weigh a whopping 40 tons (about half the size of a blue whale), according to the NOAA. Their flippers can grow up to 16 feet (5 m) long, which is the largest appendage in the world. Their tails are also massive and grow up to 18 feet (5.5 m) wide. Like most whales, females are larger than males.Humpbacks' heads are broad and rounded and covered with knobs, called tubercles. Each knob contains at least one stiff hair, according to the American Cetacean Society (ACS). The purpose of the hairs is not known, but it is thought that they may be motion detectors. Humpbacks are black on the upper (dorsal) side and mottled black and white on the under (ventral) side. Ventral pleats run from the tip of the lower jaw to the belly, according to the ACS. They have a dorsal fin on their backs. The shape and color pattern on the dorsal fin and flukes is unique to each individual, like human fingerprints. That discovery has helped researchers identify, catalog and monitor humpback whale migration, population size, sexual maturity and behavior patterns.Habitat:Humpbacks roam all over the world, but exactly where they may be found depends on the time of year. In the summer, many humpbacks spend their time in high-latitude feeding areas such of the Gulf of Alaska or the Gulf of Maine, according to the NOAA. During the winter, they swim to the warm waters closer to the Equator, around Hawaii, South America and Africa.The exception is the humpbacks that live in the Arabian Sea. They stay there year-round, eating and mating all in the same area, according to the ACS.Habits:Humpbacks typically travel alone or in small groups, called pods, consisting of two or three whales, according to Whale Facts. When together, they communicate with each other and travel together, and moms and their young even touch fins as a possible sign of endearment. Sometimes they even help each other hunt.Humpback whales migrate farther than any other mammal on Earth, according to the NOAA. They can travel around 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) between their breeding and feeding grounds on a regular basis. The longest ever recorded migration was 11,706 miles (18,840 km), a trip that went from American Samoa to the Antarctic Peninsula.Breaching:Humpbacks often propel themselves above the water and then splash back down, according to National Geographic. This is called breaching. Some scientists think that they may do this to splash off parasites, but they may just do it because it's fun.They also slap the water with their tails or flippers, according to the NOAA. These behaviors may be used to communicate with one another. They may also be used to show dominance and health during mating season, according to Whale Facts.Whale songs:Humpback whales are known for their haunting songs, which are complex sequences of moans, howls and cries that often continue for hours, according to National Geographic. Only male whales sing, so scientists think they are trying to attract potential mates. A male may sing for hours, repeating the song several times. Songs can be heard 20 miles (30 km) away.Diet:Humpbacks mostly dine on small fish, krill (tiny crustaceans) and plankton. To eat prey, they take large gulps of water. Below the mouth are 12 to 36 throat grooves that expand to hold the water. The baleens filter the water, and the two blowholes on the whale's back expel the water. The fish and other goodies remain in the whale for digestion.OffspringA female humpback has a baby every two to three years. She carries her young for a gestation period of about 12 months, according to the ACS. Babies, called calves, are born live, like most mammals. The newborns are between 10 and 15 feet (3 to 4.5 m) long and weigh up to a ton (907 kg).Conservation status:The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies humpbacks as least concern on its Red List of Threatened Species. However, as recently as 1988, humpback whales were listed as endangered. Populations have recovered, to between 30,000 and 40,000, which is about 30 to 35 percent of the population in 1940, according to the American Cetacean Society.
Killer Alligators in the Everglades! One Wild World 2011-02-24 | Fun facts about the American Alligator:Physical DescriptionBoth males and females have an "armored" body with a muscular, flat tail. The skin on their back is armored with embedded bony plates called osteoderms or scutes. They have four short legs; the front legs have five toes while the back legs have only four toes. Alligators have a long, rounded snout that has upward facing nostrils at the end; this allows breathing to occur while the rest of the body is underwater. The young have bright yellow stripes on the tail; adults have dark stripes on the tail.It's easy to distinguish an alligator from a crocodile by the teeth. The large, fourth tooth in the lower jaw of an alligator fits into a socket in the upper jaw and is not visible when the mouth is closed. This does not happen in crocodiles. Alligators have between 74 and 80 teeth in their mouth at a time. As they wear down, they are replaced. An alligator can go through 3,000 teeth in a lifetime.SizeMale alligators are larger than female alligators. The average adult size for a female is 8.2 feet (2.6 meters), and the average size for a male is 11.2 feet (3.4 meters). Exceptionally large males can reach a weight of nearly half a ton or 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms).Native HabitatThe American alligator is found in the United States from North Carolina to the Rio Grande in Texas. Alligators are usually found in freshwater, slow-moving rivers. They also live in swamps, marshes and lakes. They can only tolerate salt water for brief periods because they do not have salt glands.Food/Eating HabitsAlligators are carnivorous. They have very strong jaws that can crack a turtle shell. They eat fish, snails and other invertebrates, birds, frogs and mammals that come to the water's edge. They use their sharp teeth to seize and hold prey. They swallow small prey whole. If the prey is large, they shake it apart into smaller, manageable pieces. If it is very large, they will bite it, then spin on the long axis of their bodies to tear off easily swallowed pieces.Sleep HabitsOne interesting aspect of alligator biology is that even though they do not hibernate, they undergo periods of dormancy when the weather becomes cold. They excavate a depression called a "gator hole" along a waterway to be used when the seasonal temperature falls. In areas where the water level fluctuates, alligators dig themselves into hollows in the mud, which fill with water. These tunnels can be as long as 65 feet (20 m) and provide protection during extreme hot or cold weather. Many other animals also use these burrows after their builder abandons them.LifespanAmerican alligators live about 50 years in the wild. After they are 4 feet long, alligators are safe from predators except humans and occasionally other alligators.Conservation:Once on the verge of extinction, the American alligator has made a remarkable recovery due to strict conservation measures and extensive research. It is no longer endangered except in scattered areas of its range. However, the federal government lists it as threatened because it is very similar in appearance to the American crocodile. Because the American crocodile is endangered, the government does not want hunters to confuse the two different types of animals. Hunting is allowed in some states but it is strictly controlled. The greatest threat is currently destruction of habitat; this includes water management systems and increased levels of mercury and dioxins in the water.Since alligators can become large and will feed on almost anything, they pose a mild threat to humans. In Florida, where there is the greatest alligator population, there have been several reported deaths due to alligator attacks in recent years and human-alligator conflicts are common. Dogs and other pets are also sometimes killed.Alligators are hunted mostly for their skin, but also they are hunted for their meat. Today, there is a multi-million dollar industry in which alligators are raised for the production of their meat and skin. Also, alligators are a tourist attraction, especially in Florida, where visitors enjoy nature tours to view and occasionally feed them.Help this SpeciesBe a smart consumer! Avoid animal-skin products, even those marked “faux,” to ensure you’re not contributing to the illegal hunting of this species.Organize or attend a stream, river, lake or other waterway cleanup in your area to preserve aquatic habitats for local species.Share the story of this animal with others. Simply raising awareness about this species can contribute to its overall protection.
Ever see a RED Panda bear? One Wild World 2011-02-20 | Fun facts about the Red Panda:Red pandas can be easily identified by their unique ruddy coat color, which acts like camouflage within the canopy of fir trees where branches are covered with clumps of reddish-brown moss and white lichens.They have large, round heads and short snouts with big, pointed ears. Their faces are white with reddish-brown “tear” marks that extend from the eyes to the corner of the mouth. These markings could have evolved to help keep the sun out of their eyes. Their tails are marked with alternating red and buff rings.Red pandas have a soft, dense woolly undercoat covered by long, coarse guard hairs. Long, bushy tails help these arboreal animals maintain balance and protect them from harsh cold and winds. Dense fur completely covers their feet which have five, widely separated toes and semi-retractable claws.Red pandas are skilled climbers, using trees for shelter, to escape predators and to sunbathe in the winter. Their ankles are extremely flexible, and the fibula and tibia are attached in such a way as to allow the fibula to rotate about its axis. These features make it possible for red pandas to adeptly climb headfirst down tree trunks.SizeAdult red pandas typically weigh about 8.8 to 13.3 pounds (4 to 6.5 kilograms) and are 22 to 24.6 inches (56 to 62.5 centimeters) long, plus a tail of 14.6 to 18.6 inches (37 to 47.2 centimeters).Native HabitatRed pandas range from northern Myanmar (Burma) to the west Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces of China. They are also found in suitable habitat in Nepal, India and Tibet. The Ailurus fulgens fulgens subspecies is found in Nepal, northeastern India, Bhutan and part of China, while the Ailurus fulgens styani subspecies is found in China and northern Myanmar. Red pandas live in high-altitude temperate forests with bamboo understories in the Himalayas and high mountains.CommunicationRed pandas are generally quiet, but subtle vocalizations—such as squeals, twitters and huff-quacks—can be heard at close proximity. They may also hiss or grunt, and young cubs use a whistle, or high-pitched bleat, to signal distress. Red pandas will climb trees and rocks to escape predators, such as leopards and jackals.Food/Eating HabitsBamboo constitutes about 98% of the red panda's diet. Unlike giant pandas that feed on nearly every above-ground portion of bamboo (including the culm, or woody stem), red pandas feed selectively on the most nutritious leaf tips and, when available, tender shoots.Like giant pandas, red pandas grasp plant stems using their forepaws and shear selected leaves off with their mouths. Because red pandas are obligate bamboo eaters, they are on a tight energy budget for much of the year. They may also forage for roots, succulent grasses, fruits, insects and grubs, and are known to occasionally kill and eat birds and small mammals.At the Smithsonian's National Zoo, red pandas eat bamboo throughout the day. They are also fed leaf-eater biscuits and fruits, such as grapes and chopped apples.Social StructureRed pandas are solitary except during the breeding season. In human care, most breeding pairs live together year-round. In the wild, the home range of one animal is about 1 square mile.Reproduction and DevelopmentIn the Northern Hemisphere, red pandas breed from January through March. In the Southern Hemisphere, breeding season extends from June through August. The rapid change in photoperiod, or day length, after the winter solstice initiates this breeding season.Mating occurs on the ground, and gestation appears to include a period of delayed implantation, which may be as short as 93 days or as long as 156 days. Reproduction expends a great deal of energy, so it is believed that a long gestation period may be the result of a slow metabolic rate. Late spring births also coincide with the emergence of the most tender and digestible bamboo shoots and leaves.Sleep HabitsIn human care, red pandas can be active at any time of day but are primarily crepuscular, or most active at dawn and dusk. On average, they spend about 45 percent of the day awake and tend to be more active in cooler weather, especially during the winter mating season.In significantly cold temperatures, red pandas can become dormant, lowering their metabolic rate and raising it every few hours as they wake up to look for food.This adaptation allows red pandas to spend nearly as little energy as sloths, which is very beneficial considering the low nutrition content of their diet. They also exhibit temperature-regulating behaviors, such as curling into a tight ball to conserve body heat and energy expenditure in the cold. Conversely, when temperatures are warm, red pandas stretch out on branches and pant to lower their body temperature.LifespanRed pandas may live as long as 23 years. They show symptoms of age at around 12 to 14 years old. While females do not breed after age 12, males continue to be reproductively capable.
Penguin eaten by giant Leopard Seal! One Wild World 2011-02-18 | 10 facts about the Leopard Seal:1. The leopard seal shares its spots with its feline namesakeAlso known as the sea leopard, it has several characteristics in common with the big cat. Although its coat is grey rather than golden, the black spots on its coat are responsible for its name.2. It has a unique dietIts favorite prey is warm-blooded, with leopard seals particularly partial to the various species of penguins that inhabit Antarctica and the subAntarctic islands where it lives. Unlike other members of the pinniped group of mammals, they feed upon other seals, including the smaller crabeater, Antarctic and Weddell seals also found in this region.3. The leopard seal is the second largest species of sealFemale seals, which are larger than males, grow to an incredible 11.5 ft (3.5m) and weigh up to 1,000lbs (455 kg).4. It has adapted to become a remarkable hunterThe claws along the edges of its front fins and its sharp, 1.5 inch (2.5cm) canine teeth grant it its status as one of the most feared predators in the seas surrounding Antarctica.5. Leopard seals are ferocious, solitary animalsNot known for being particularly sociable animals, the only time these mammals are normally seen with others of the same species is between November and March when the breeding season leads to groups of leopard seals collecting on the sea-ice.6. But they’re not quite the fiercest Antarctic predatorAlthough they are certainly formidable, leopard seals only have two known predators: killer whales and sharks. As a result, they can live up to 26 years – a reflection of their robust capacity to withstand the notoriously harsh conditions of Antarctica.7. Scientists don’t really know why leopard seals “play” with their foodThe leopard seal’s favorite types of penguin, which include gentoo, king and emperors, have more to fear than just a hungry leopard seal. Indeed, it has been known to cut off penguins’ routes back towards shore and engage in a game of “cat and mouse” as it chases its prey around the water. Scientists are still unsure as to why exactly they do this, but believe it could likely be a way for younger animals to sharpen their hunting skills.8. The leopard seal enjoys “singing”During the austral summer, leopard seals are known to spend hours of each day singing beneath the waters. Hanging upside down and rocking from side to side, adult males have distinctive, stylized calls which they reproduce in unique sequences and which are believed to form part of their breeding behavior.9. And it can be very dangerous to humansAlthough few serious interactions between leopard seals and humans have been recorded, in 2003 a biologist with the British Antarctic Survey was tragically dragged 200 ft. (61m) underwater to her death by a leopard seal.10. But its behavior can also surpriseIn 2006, photographer Paul Nicklen for National Geographic was documenting leopard seals in the Antarctic and, rather than being attacked as he scuba dived around the animals, ended up being “nurtured” by a female who brought him live and then dead penguins. Nicklen believed the leopard seal viewed him as a “useless predator” and was attempting to help him learn to hunt.
Wild Polar Bears! One Wild World 2011-02-17 | Polar bears, or “sea bears,” are the world’s largest land predators, weighing up to 600 kg (1300 lb.) and measuring up to 3 m (10 ft.) tall. On average they live to be about 25 years old, reaching sexual maturity at around 4 years.Although they appear white or yellow in color, their fur is actually clear and hollow, and their skin is black. Their visibly pale coloring is caused by the reflection and scattering of light.Inhabiting the ice and sea of the Arctic, polar bears are well-equipped for survival in a harsh environment. Two coats of fur and a thick layer of blubber help insulate the polar bear’s body from the cold, keeping its temperature at an even 37° C (98.6° F). In addition, polar bears’ paws are especially adapted for walking on the ice and swimming in the sea. Hairs and bumps on the soles of their feet provide traction, while webbing between their toes allows for effective swimming strokes.Polar bears are also equipped with strong noses. They use their powerful sense of smell when hunting for seals, their main source of food. They can smell a seal’s breathing hole, or aglu, up to one mile away. Once located, a polar bear will wait patiently by the hole and attack the seal’s head when it comes up for air. In ideal hunting conditions, the bear will just eat the seal fat, leaving the carcass for other animals. However, when food is scarce, polar bears will eat just about anything. Supplemental foods include walruses, short-legged reindeer, birds, bird eggs, kelp, and beached whales. When in proximity to human settlements, they have even been known to eat garbage such as Styrofoam.Polar bear cubsPolar bears do not hibernate like other bears, but females do enter into a dormant state while pregnant. After mating in the spring, a female polar bear spends the summer ingesting large amounts of food and building a maternity den in a snow drift to prepare for the arrival of her cubs.In the fall, she enters into a dormant state, remaining this way even as she gives birth. The litter, usually two cubs, will spend two years with their mother learning essential hunting and survival skills.Conservation StatusPolar bears are currently listed as vulnerable by IUCN’s Red List. Global warming greatly impacts the fate of the polar bear. A reduction of large masses of ice results in limited access to seals. Not only does this adversely affect the health of adult polar bears, it also hinders the successful reproduction and nourishment of new bear cubs. Rising temperatures also result in unstable maternity dens, as snowdrifts melt and collapse.What You Can Do to HelpTo help save the polar bear habitat, you can take measures to reduce your carbon emissions in order to curb global warming. This includes walking or taking public transportation instead of driving, using energy saver appliances and light bulbs, buying locally grown produce, recycling, and more. For more information, visit the Inconvenient Truth website.
Mountain Gorilla family in Rwanda - Silverback male false-charges! One Wild World 2011-02-09 | 10 Mountain Gorilla facts:1. AROUND 1,063 EXIST IN THE WILDThere are two species of gorilla: eastern and western. The mountain gorilla is a sub-species of the eastern gorilla. Mountain gorillas are endangered - there are an estimated 1,063 in the wild according to the latest census results (which come out every 5-10 years). 2. THEY LIVE IN TWO ISOLATED GROUPSMountain gorillas live in east-central Africa in just two isolated groups – one in the Virunga Volcanoes (a region spanning 3 national parks in Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)) and one in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, which connects to Sarambwe Nature Reserve, DRC. They’re found in high altitude montane and bamboo forests, which are surrounded by agriculture and settlements. 3. WE SHARE AROUND 98% OF OUR DNA WITH GORILLASThis means that exposure to human illnesses – even a cold - can have potentially detrimental impacts on gorillas as they are so genetically similar to us, but they haven't developed the necessary immunities.4. THEY’RE ONE OF THE BIGGEST, MOST POWERFUL LIVING PRIMATESAn average male mountain gorilla can weigh 180kg (that’s almost 30 stone), and measure 170cm (over 5’5”) tall. 5. THEY CAN EAT ALL DAY LONGMountain gorillas spend about a quarter of their day eating mainly leaves and shoots, but have also been known to eat snails, ants and bark (a good source of sodium). 6. THEY COZY UP AT NIGHTAt night, mountain gorilla groups sleep together in nests on the ground, or in trees, that they make from foliage. Infants will share their mother’s nests, staying safe and warm. 7. THEY HAVE 16 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CALLThis includes short barks when they’re mildly alarmed or curious. To intimidate rivals, male gorillas strut with stiff legs, beat their chests, and use vocalizations like roars or hoots. 8. THEY LIVE IN FAMILY GROUPSMost mountain gorillas live in stable family groups of around 10 individuals, with one dominant male and several females. Both males and females in the group care for their infants; hugging, carrying and playing with them. When they get older, most males and around 60% of females then leave their birth group to join another troop. This helps prevent inbreeding. 9. IN THE WILD, GORILLAS CAN LIVE TO OVER 40 YEARS OLDGorillas are classed as infants until they reach around three-and-a-half years old, and adults from around 8 years. Males between 8-12 years are called 'blackbacks'. Then from 12 years old, they develop a silver section of hair over their back and hips, earning them the name 'silverback'. 10. THEY’RE UNDER THREATThe main threat to mountain gorillas is the degradation of their habitat. As the region’s growing human population struggles to eke out a living, land is often converted for agriculture and competition for limited natural resources leads to deforestation. With little other choice, people enter mountain gorilla forests to collect water and firewood, putting gorillas at risk from human contact and illnesses. People may also lay snares intended for bushmeat, which can accidentally injure the great apes. Gorillas don’t just stay in their forests. They venture onto farmland to eat crops like maize and bananas, which can cause conflict with people who need to make a living. Gorilla tourism that isn’t well managed is another potential issue, as it can impact the behavior and health of mountain gorillas.
Sea Lions frolic and swim underwater! One Wild World 2011-02-09 | Sea Lion facts"Sea lions live along the coastlines and islands of the Pacific Ocean. These fabulously aquatic animals are extremely fit for what might seem like a harsh marine existence to us. A reflective membrane at the back of the eye acts as a mirror, bouncing what little light they find in the ocean back through the eye a second time. This helps them see underwater, where light may be scarce. Sea lions also rely on excellent senses of hearing and smell.The front flippers are strong enough to support the animal on land. They also serve to help regulate the sea lion’s body temperature. When it is cold, specially designed blood vessels in the thin-skinned flippers constrict to prevent heat loss, but when it is hot, blood flow is increased to these surface areas to be cooled more quickly. When you see an odd group of dark “fins” sticking out of the water in California harbors, it is usually sea lions sticking their flippers into the air to cool off.A sea lion’s sleek body is perfect for diving deep in the ocean (up to 600 feet, or 180 meters) in search of tasty fish and squid. Because sea lions are mammals and must breathe air, they can’t stay underwater forever! But with the help of nostrils that seal up automatically when they dive, a sea lion typically remain submerged for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Sea lions are great swimmers, too, reaching speeds of 18 miles per hour (29 kilometers per hour) for short bursts. This helps them escape from their enemies, killer whales and sharks.It can be pretty dark in the ocean, but sea lions can find their way around with the help of their sensitive whiskers. Each long whisker, called a vibrissa, is loosely attached to the sea lion’s upper lip. Like a straw in a soda bottle, each whisker can rotate around with the underwater currents, letting the sea lion "feel" any food swimming nearby. All sea lions are carnivores, eating fish, squid, crabs, and clams. Steller sea lions also eat seals. Most food is just swallowed whole. Sea lions often toss the fish or squid up and around until it can slide headfirst down the mouth. They use their flat back teeth to crush food that has a hard shell before swallowing. FAMILY LIFEMale sea lions don’t eat during the breeding season. They care more about protecting their territory and making sure their females don’t run off with another male.Life in a harem: Despite their adaptations for aquatic living, sea lions are still bound to the land for reproduction. Usually the males, called bulls, leave the water first in the spring to stake out territorial claims on ice, rocks, or the shore. The bulls gear up for this breeding season by gorging themselves on extra food to create an especially thick layer of blubber, allowing the individual to live for weeks without eating as he guards his territory and females. During the breeding season, bulls bark loudly and continuously to establish or defend their territories. Bulls also stare, shake their head, or lunge toward any opponent.The bulls are several times larger that the adult females, called cows. During the breeding season, each adult bull tries to gather up as many cows as he can to form his "harem." Sea lion harems, or family groups, can number up to 15 cows and their young. The bull watches over his harem, protecting it from harm. But don’t think the harem has the place all to itself—popular resting spots can support dozens of harems. A large group of sea lions gathered together on land or floating ice is called a colony. During the birthing season these areas are known as rookeries.The exception to this breeding behavior is the Australian sea lion bull; he does not stake out a territory or form a harem. Instead, the bulls fight for any available female.Never timid about speaking what’s on their minds, sea lions make all sorts of barks, honks, trumpets, and roars. A baby sea lion, called a pup, can pick out its mother from among hundreds gathered on rocky shores just by the sound she makes. Between the bulls roaring, the mothers barking, and the pups bleating, the rookery is a noisy place indeed!Female sea lions usually give birth to a single pup per year. Pups are born with their eyes open and their tummies ready for their mother's rich milk. The milk is high in fat, and this helps the pup grow that important layer of blubber to keep warm. Pups are born with a long, dense coat of hair called the lanugo that helps keep them warm until they develop that blubber. Mothers are very attentive to their pup during the first two to four days of life, nuzzling them and picking them up by the scruff of the neck. The pups are capable of awkward swimming at birth, but can walk at just 30 minutes old!
Wild King Penguins on South Georgia Island! One Wild World 2011-02-04 | King Penguin fun facts:How do King Penguins hunt?King Penguins make multiple dives usually to a depth of over 100 metres, with depths of over 300 metres having been observed. King Penguins will not immediately resurface, instead spending up to just shy of 10 minutes (although usually closer to 5 minutes) underwater on some dives, investigating the seabed for prey.Are King Penguins social?King Penguins form gigantic colonies when they come in to shore during the mating season. One colony at South Georgian Island is estimated to have over 200,000 birds.Huge colony of adult King penguins and chicksHow fast can King Penguins move?The average cruising speed for a King Penguin while swimming ranges somewhere between 5 and 10 km per hour.On land King Penguins are walkers and tobogganers as opposed to some of their cousins that prefer to hop around.King penguins on a pebble beachWhat are King Penguin mating rituals like?King Penguins mature sexually at 3 years of age, though it’s more likely for them to start breeding around age 6.King Penguins are “serially monogamous” – they mate with only one mate per season, working with their mate to hatch the egg and care for the chick. However, unlike some other species of penguin, they’re not so likely to return to the same mate the next year – about 70% will find a new mate the following season.Mating behavior of King penguinsThe mating season begins with a return of the Penguins to solid ground, coming in from the hunting grounds of the sea. In September through November the birds moult – replacing their worn out feathers with new ones, necessary to remain waterproof. Mating occurs during this time ashore.They then return to the sea for about 3 weeks for more hunting. Somewhere in November to January the female will lay one egg that weighs around 300 grams. The adults will take turns incubating the egg for periods of about 1 to 2 ½ weeks each, while the other goes off and hunts. The adult who remains does not feed during their shift.Egg on the feet of an adult King penguinThe egg hatches between 50 and 60 days after being laid. The chick is completely helpless and must be kept both warm and fed by the parents. Again the parents take turns, one keeping the chick warm, the other going off to hunt down some fish to bring back to regurgitate it for the newborn. This phase lasts about up to 40 days, with the parents switching off every week or so.Next the chick joins the other chicks in its own sub-community called a crèche. They will use each other for warmth and to keep from being singled out by predators while they grow their feathers in and learn how to survive on their own.Lots of King penguin chicks with adult Kings in the backgroundHow long do King Penguins live?King Penguins can live up to 25 years in the wild.How many King Penguins are there today?A conservative estimate puts the worldwide King Penguin population at 2.2 million breeding pairs.Do King Penguins have any natural predators?King Penguin chicks and eggs are vulnerable to other sea birds like the Skua or Snowy Sheathbill. Adults can be taken by different kinds of Seals and Killer Whales.8 Killer King Penguin FactsKing Penguins are the 2nd largest species of penguin.A King Penguin’s birth through maturity takes an unusually long time compared with the rest of the Penguin world - between 14 and 16 months. Other Penguins are laid, hatch, and head off to the sea usually within a summer season.This difference in the King Penguin’s cycle is thought to be due to their large size – the extended length of time means there will be plenty of fish in the water when the newborns finally head into the sea to start hunting on their own, as opposed to other species heading off to the waters during scarcer hunting seasons.The King Penguin is on the emblem of the Edinburgh Zoo of Scotland.Some early explorers thought that King Penguin chicks were a separate species of Penguin because they look so different – brown and fuzzy. Unlike most other Penguin species, King Penguin colonies have inhabitants the entire year round thanks to the length of their maturity cycle.King Penguins don’t make nests of any kind. They carry their egg around with them at all times on top of their feet.Once a young King Penguin does leave its colony it will not return until at least 3 years later when it’s able to mate.
Howlin Howler Monkeys in Panama! One Wild World 2011-02-03 | Fun facts about the Mantled Howler Monkey:The Mantled howler monkeys are native to Central and South America. The animals are so called due to exhibiting long, guard hairs on both of their sides. These primates belong to the group of New World monkeys. They have black colored, furless face with a beard as well as a prehensile tail with a naked pad, found on the underside, at its base. Mature individuals are distinguished by black and brown/blonde saddles. Infants, on the other hand, display silver to golden brown overall coloration, which gradually changes, finally turning to the adult pattern at one year old.DistributionThe natural range of Mantled howlers occupies southern Mexico and southern Guatemala, stretching to Central America as south as the west coast of Colombia and Ecuador. Preferred types of their habitat are lowland and montane rainforests such as primary and regenerated forests.Habits and LifestyleThe mantled howler monkeys exhibit a highly social behavior and a well-defined hierarchy system. They form groups of 10 - 20 individuals, including a single dominant male and multiple females, with whom it mates. The core of each group is composed of females, which generally live in the group throughout their lives. These monkeys are mainly tree-dwelling animals. When travelling among trees, they walk and climb the forest canopy, using all of their four limbs. They can often be seen hung from tree branches with their arms. When eating, they usually wrap their long tails around branches. As diurnal animals, they are active by day and sleep by night on horizontal branches of trees. These primates communicate with each other through a wide variety of calls such as barks, grunts, and woofs. Although they normally give out the famous howling calls at dusk and dawn, they can use this form of communication when disturbed.Diet and NutritionMantled howler monkeys are herbivores (folivores). The usual diet of these primates is mainly composed of leaves, fruits and flowers.PopulationPopulation threatsThe population of Mantled howler monkeys as a whole currently faces loss, destruction and fragmentation of its forest habitat, which primarily concerns the Mexican subspecies, classified as Critically Endangered. If this continues, the Mantled howler monkeys will lose as much as 73 - 84% of their range during the following 30 years. Habitat fragmentation nowadays poses a number of serious threats for isolated populations of this species, including genetic problems, associated with continuous interbreeding as well as possible extinction, as a result of potential natural disasters of disease outbreaks.Population numberAs reported by the Pets on Mom. Me. Resource, the overall population of this species is currently over 11,000 monkeys, 1,300 of which inhabit protected areas and the remaining 10,200 are found outside protected areas. Currently, Mantled howler monkeys are classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.Ecological nicheThese monkeys disperse seeds of various plants they consume through their feces, thus highly benefiting the local ecosystem. Additionally, their feces are used by a number of dung beetles, which, in turn, help recycle nutrients from their feces into the soil.
