“Mini” the FIELD MOUSE
Peromyscus maniculatus
© Colleen L. Guerrero
Sometimes animals come into our lives and makes them just a little richer. This is such a story — the story of Mini the Field Mouse. Thanks Colleen!
We have a large patio and I was walking through the house when I notice something moving on the patio floor. It was tiny, but what caught my eye was that it was hopping. When I went outside to see what it was and saw that it was a little mouse. I went into the house to get a towel to place over it, when I returned she was still in the same spot. Again, as I walked up to it, it came toward me. I put down my hand and it climbed on. I was surprised to say the least. She started to nurse in the folds of my fingers.
I put her in a shoe box with the towel and punched holes in the top. Then I tried looking her up on google, but she did not fit any description perfectly. I fed her apricots and birdseed. She ate them in my hand, eagerly. The next day I went to the feed store and purchased a can of puppy formula and she loved it. I first offered the milk to her with a syringe with she gripped with her little hands. No hesitation on her part.
Every 4 hours I fed her the milk and she always had seeds in the box. When ever I opened the box she would climb onto the top of the towel and onto my hand. She wanted to drink a little then sleep in my cupped hand.
Minigraduated from the syringe to a miniature cup as if it was natural. Her ears grew and her eyes became round and bulgy. It was then that I realized that she was a field mouse.
She has a new address in our back field area near the bird feeders. She loved the bird food. Hope she is well, for she was so cute.
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CHEETAH - by request
Acinonyx jubatus
©law_keven/Flickr
Once widespread across arid Africa, into the Middle East and east to India, the cheetah has suffered dramatic declines over the last century. It now lives in Africa, though a few may still survive in Iran.
Hunted for their spotted coats and because they sometimes attack livestock, they disappeared from many areas. More recently, widespread habitat destruction has fragmented cheetah habitats, isolating many populations. In many areas, the cheetah’s prey has been overhunted by people.
Scientists have also found that many cheetahs suffer from genetic defects due to inbreeding, possibly the result of a population bottleneck—a sharp decline—that occurred perhaps as far back as 10,000 years ago. Among other things, inbreeding could raise cub mortality, lower cheetahs’ resistance to disease, and cause infertility.
An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 wild cheetahs survive. Cheetah strongholds, where possible, must be connected to allow genetic interchange if this species is to survive. Also, conflict between cheetahs and humans needs to be moderated. For example, in Namibia, ranchers may legally shoot cheetahs that prey on livestock.
Source: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/africansavanna/fact-cheetah.cfm
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Cheetah with hackles raised
SPOTTED HYENA by request
Crocuta crocuta
posted by thehindu.com
The spotted hyena also known as laughing hyena, is a carnivorous mammal of the family Hyaenidae, of which it is the largest extant member. The species range includes all of Africa south of the Sahara save for the Congo Basin. Spotted hyenas live in large matriarchal communities called clans, which can consist of up to 80 individuals.
Though often mislabeled as cowardly scavengers, spotted hyenas derive the majority of their nourishment by hunting medium sized ungulates, and frequently clash with lions over food and territory. Studies indicate that their social intelligence is on par with some primate species. The relative amount of frontal cortex in their brains not used for motor control is higher than in other carnivorans examined, which has been attributed to their complex social lives.
The spotted hyena features prominently in African mythology and folklore, where its portrayal varies from being a bringer of light, to a symbol of immorality and depravity.
Scientists have found that the pitch and timbre of the Hyena’s ‘giggle’ is a way of communicating their hierarchy. They found that while the pitch of the giggle reveals a hyena’s age, variations in the frequency of notes can encode information about dominant status.
These vocalisations are mainly produced during food contests by animals that are prevented from securing access to a kill, and have been considered a gesture of submission, the scientists say.
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_Hyena
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/article323061.ece
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PRZEWALSKI’S HORSE
Equus ferus przewalskii
©WCS, Julie Larsen Maher
The stocky, short-necked Przewalski’s horse is the only true living species of wild horse. It is native to the steppe of Central Asia and became extinct in the wild, existing only in zoos and animal parks. Projects spearheaded in the early 1990s by the Mongolian Association for Conservation of Nature and the Environment, the Foundation for the Preservation and Protection of the Przewalski’s Horse, and the International Takhi Group have reintroduced the horse into its native habitat in three areas in central, northwest, and southwest Mongolia. As of January 2008, there are more than 300 free-ranging reintroduced and wild-born Przewalski’s horses and the number is increasing. Further initiatives are under way in neighboring China. There are hopes
that there will soon be large, self-sustaining wild populations of the once extinct animal.
Source: http://news.discovery.com/animals/worlds-rarest-animals-identified.html
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NORTHERN BASKET STAR
Gorgonocephalus arcticus
©Alexander Semenov
Characteristics:
• yellowish color
• 5 arms branching out into numerous coiled filaments
• opens to feed on plankton when the current is not running too strongly.
Family:
Gorgonocephalidae
Maximum size:
4”/102 mm
Source:
http://www.osl.gc.ca/guide_sp/en/invert/sp/g-arcticus.html
Other posts:
Sunflower Sea Star
CARACAL - by request
Caracal caracal /ˈkærəkæl/
©Paula~Koala
Fact Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracal
Other image you might enjoy:
Cheetah with hackles raised
RED PANDA or SHINING CAT— requested by @snakelivsey
Ailurus fulgens
©*Curt*
Location:
The red panda shares the giant panda’s rainy, high-altitude forest habitat, but has a wider range. Red pandas live in the mountains of Nepal and northern Myanmar (Burma), as well as in central China.
Status: Endangered
Facts:
Source: http://www.facts-about.org.uk/animals-red-pandas.htm
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SHOEBILL STORK - Yikes!
Balaeniceps rex
© Zdeněk Chalupa
I couldn’t resist - these pre-historic looking birds never cease to amaze me :)
This species was only classified in the 19th century when some skins were brought to Europe. It was not until years later that live specimens reached the scientific community. However, the bird was known to both ancient Egyptians and Arabs. There are Egyptian images depicting the Shoebill, while the Arabs referred to the bird as abu markub, which means one with a shoe, a reference to the bird’s distinctive bill.
Shoebills feed in muddy waters, preying on fish, frogs, reptiles such as baby crocodiles, and small mammals. They nest on the ground and lay from 1 to 3 eggs, usually during the dry season.
The population is estimated at between 5,000 and 8,000 individuals, the majority of which live in Sudan. BirdLife International have classified it as Vulnerable with the main threats being habitat destruction, disturbance and hunting.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoebill
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HONDURAN WHITE BAT - by Request*
Ectophylla alba
©Wanja Krah
*What animal is the Pokémon Woobat?
That would be the Honduran white bat which has snow white fur and a pig-like yellow nose and ears. It is tiny, only 1-1/2” - 2” long (3.7-4.7cm)—that’s about the size of a ping pong ball. The only member of the genus Ectophylla, it is found in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and western Panama. It feeds at least in part on fruit.
The Honduran white bat cuts the side veins extending out from the midrib of the large leave of the Heliconia plant causing the leaves to fold down and form a ‘tent’. They cling to the roof of this tent in small colonies of up to half a dozen individuals, consisting of one male and a harem of females. The tent protects them from rain and predators. Most tent-making bats take flight at even slight disturbances, but researchers in Costa Rica have reported that Honduran white bats take flight only when the main stem of their tent is disturbed, possibly because they are well camouflaged. Although their tents are typically low to the ground (about six feet), sunlight filters through the leaf which gives their white fur a greenish cast. This almost completely conceals them if they remain still. It has been suggested a colony may have a number of tents scattered within the forest. It is one of 15 species of Latin American bats that roost in tents.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honduran_white_bat
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RED BIRD -OF-PARADISE — by request
Paradisaea rubra
©Tim Laman
An Indonesian endemic, the Red Bird-of-paradise is distributed to lowland rainforests of Waigeo and Batanta islands of West Papua. This species shares its home with another bird-of-paradise, the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise. Hybridisation between these two species is not recorded but is expected because it is recorded for many other birds of paradise.
Large, up to 13” - 33 cm long, the male has an emerald green face, a pair of elongated black corkscrew-shaped tail wires, dark green feather pompoms above each eye and a train of glossy crimson red plumes with whitish tips at either side of the breast. The male measures up to 28” - 72 cm long, including the ornamental red plumes that require at least six years to fully attain. The female is similar but smaller in size, with a dark brown face and has no ornamental red plumes.
The diet consists mainly of fruits, berries and arthropods.
The M.O. of the bird of Paradise is that the male is colorful and extra-fancy with pom-poms on his cheeks or wild plumage, wiry or extraordinarily long tail feathers, while the female tends to be rather non-descript. The male courtship dances are over-the-top with clicking and flashes of color all to woo a mate…
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Tim Laman took this photo, most of the photos below, and in truth most of the Birds of Paradise photos that you’ll see online. His website is gorgeous: http://timlaman.com and includes a gallery devoted to Birds of Paradise as well as his other land and aquatic adventures Tim has taken on his own, for National Geographic and for other clients. Definitely worth taking a look.
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Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bird-of-paradise
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LONG-EARED HEDGEHOG — by request
Hemiechinus auritus
© Cotafamily4
The Long-eared Hedgehog is a species of hedgehog native to Central Asian countries and the Caucasus mountains. The Long-eared Hedgehog uses grass nests as shelter, and has numerous enemies. It hibernates from late October to March. Its life span is about 5–6 years.The Long-eared Hedgehog is hunted by the Eurasian Eagle Owl and makes up about 14% of the predatory birds diet.
The Long-eared Hedgehog is naturally parasite prone and can carry diseases such as plague, iand have been found to carry Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the Brown Dog Tick, which can transmit Boutonneuse fever.
Hemiechinus auritus has a global range that extends from the eastern Mediterranean region, through southwest Asia to western Pakistan in the south; and from eastern Ukraine through Mongolia, to China. Lately it has also been spotted in parts of western Europe. This species is native to the following countries: Afghanistan; China; Cyprus; Egypt; Iran; Iraq; Israel; Kyrgyzstan; Lebanon; Libya; Mongolia; Pakistan; Russia; Syria; Tajikistan; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-eared_Hedgehog
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TEMMINCK’S TRAGOPAN
Tragopan temminckii
©Dr. Axel Gebauer / BBC Earth
The Temminck’s Tragopan is a medium-sized, approximately 64cm long, pheasant in the genus Tragopan. The male is a stocky red-and-orange bird with white-spotted plumage, black bill and pink legs. It has a bare blue facial skin, inflatable dark-blue lappet and horns. The female is a white-spotted brown bird with blue circular eye skin.
The diet consists mainly of berries, grass and plants.
The Temminck’s Tragopan is distributed in forests of northern South Asia, from northeast India, northwest Vietnam, Tibet and northern provinces of China.
Can also inflate horns and its colorful lappet
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temminck%27s_Tragopan
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SOUTHERN TAMANDUA
Tamandua tetradactyla
©nagashima
Tamandua tetradactyla is found in South America from Venezuela and Trinidad to northern Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay at elevations to 2000 m.
They live in forests and grasslands, are semi-arboreal, and possess partially prehensile tails. They mainly eat ants and termites, but they occasionally eat bees, beetles, and insect larvae. They have no teeth and depend on their powerful gizzard to break down their food.
Tamanduas grow to be 535 mm (21.1 in) to 880 mm (31.5 in) and tail length from 400 mm (15.7 in) to 590 mm (23.2 in). They weigh between 2 and 7 kg and live up to 9 years.
The tamandua is thought to nest during the day in hollow tree trunks or in the burrows of other animals. Research shows that this type of anteater spends 13-64% of its time in trees. In fact, they are very clumsy on the ground unlike their cousin, the giant anteater. To avoid puncturing their palms with their sharp claws, they walk on the outsides of their “hands.”
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamandua
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FLOWER BEETLE or FLOWER CHAFER
Stephanorrhina guttata
©Elwood
Stephanorrhina guttata is small at only 20 mm in length, but has brilliant metallic coloration. S. guttata is yet another species of the multitude of cetoniine scarabs that live in the African tropics. Often referred to as the “Flower beetles”, cetoniines derive their common name from the fact that many species frequent flowers, where they feed upon nectar and pollen. Many plants in the tropics are assisted in the pollination process by these beetles.
Source: http://www.naturalworlds.org/scarabaeidae/species/Stephanorrhina_guttata.htm
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GREEN SEA TURTLE being cleaned by YELLOW TANGs
Chelonia mydas and Zebrasoma flavescens
©reeflections
Green sea turtles are reptiles whose ancestors evolved on land and took to the sea to live about 150 million years ago. They are one of the few species so ancient that they watched the dinosaurs evolve and become extinct.
In this photo - This Green Sea Turtle is getting cleaned by Yellow Tangs. Like most surgeonfish, yellow tangs are algae eaters. This works well for the turtles that are unable to wash their own backs. Yellow tangs are the number one fish caught here in Hawaii for export to the aquarium market and are becoming very rare on some the Islands. Please don’t buy any wild fish for your aquariums. You will make the turtles very happy. Source & other images for sale here: http://reeflections.smugmug.com
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The green turtle is a large sea turtle that inhabits tropical and subtropical coastal waters around the world. Occasionally seen sunbathing, it is one of the few marine turtles known to leave the water other than at nesting times.
It is named not for the color of its shell, which is normally brown or olive depending on its habitat, but for the greenish color of its skin.
Weighing up to 700 pounds (317.5 kilograms) green turtles are among the largest sea turtles in the world. Their proportionally small head is non-retractable and extends from a heart-shaped carapace that measures up to 5 feet (1.5 meters). Males are slightly larger than females and have a longer tail. Both have flippers that resemble paddles, which make them powerful and graceful swimmers.
Unlike most sea turtles, adult green turtles are herbivores, feeding on sea grasses and algae. Juveniles, however, will also eat invertebrates like crabs, jellyfish, and sponges.
Source: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/green-turtle.html
Other “cleaning” posts:
