Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Sparrow

The sparrows are a family of small passerine birds, Passeridae. They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family Passer.[1] They are distinct from both the American sparrows, in the family Emberizidae, and from a few other birds sharing their name, such as the Java sparrow of the family Estrildidae. Many species nest on buildings, and the house and Eurasian tree sparrows in particular inhabit cities in large numbers, so sparrows may be the most familiar of all wild birds. They are primarily seed-eaters, though they also consume small insects. Some species scavenge for food around cities and, like gulls or rock doves, will happily eat virtually anything in small quantities.

Dog

The scientific evidence is mixed as to whether companionship of a dog can enhance human physical health and psychological wellbeing.[76] Studies suggesting that there are benefits to physical health and psychological wellbeing[77] have been criticised for being poorly controlled,[78] and finding that "[t]he health of elderly people is related to their health habits and social supports but not to their ownership of, or attachment to, a companion animal." Earlier studies have shown that people who keep pet dogs or cats exhibit better mental and physical health than those who do not, making fewer visits to the doctor and being less likely to be on medication than non-guardians.[79] A 2005 paper states "recent research has failed to support earlier findings that pet ownership is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, a reduced use of general practitioner services, or any psychological or physical benefits on health for community dwelling older people. Research has, however, pointed to significantly less absenteeism from school through sickness among children who live with pets."[76] In one study, new guardians reported a highly significant reduction in minor health problems during the first month following pet acquisition, and this effect was sustained in those with dogs through to the end of the study

snakes collect

Snakes are elongated, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more joints than their lizard ancestors, enabling them to swallow prey much larger than their heads with their highly mobile jaws. To accommodate their narrow bodies, snakes' paired organs (such as kidneys) appear one in front of the other instead of side by side, and most have only one functional lung. Some species retain a pelvic girdle with a pair of vestigial claws on either side of the cloaca. Living snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica, and on most smaller land masses — exceptions include some large islands, such as Ireland and New Zealand, and many small islands of the Atlantic and central Pacific.[1] Additionally, sea snakes are widespread throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans. More than 20 families are currently recognized, comprising about 500 genera and about 3,400 species.[2][3] They range in size from the tiny, 10 cm-long thread snake to the Reticulated python of up to 8.7 meters (29 ft) in length.[4][5] The fossil species Titanoboa cerrejonensis was 15 meters (49 ft) long. Snakes are thought to have evolved from either burrowing or aquatic lizards during the mid-Cretaceous period, and the earliest known fossils date to around 112 Ma ago. The diversity of modern snakes appeared during the Paleocene period (c 66 to 56 Ma ago). The oldest preserved descriptions of snakes can be found in the Brooklyn Papyrus.

Animals in the World

What are dangerous animals? Is there really a list of the top ten most dangerous animals in the world which is the actual list of the top most vicious animals in the world? Is there any animal fact or wild animal fact which depicts animals as dangerous or has man created the fact that some animals are dangerous while some other wild animals are very dangerous hence the division to create dangerous animals which should be feared at all cost and precaution taken while in the natural habitat of these dangerous wild animals. What are the true facts about these world’s top ten most dangerous animals? I guess decades ago when man changed from a gather or to a hunter, that’s the time man really encountered these dangerous animals in the wild while hunting and he had to protect himself and his family as well against these dangerous creatures which roam most of the dangerous forest of the different parts of the world, while some of these dangerous animals are found in the deep seas and people have been victims of animal attacks because of these beautiful dangerous deep sea creatures. While these top ten most dangerous animal come in all forms shapes and sizes, the creeping and crawling insects as well have managed to attack people from all walks of life big and small and from all creed leaving them at the mercy of the researchers to come up with ways and means as to how to prevent oneself from these dangerous animal attacks from the top ten most dangerous animals in the world. Why do we call these beautiful safari creatures dangerous animals? Are these beautiful animals really very dangerous as they have been portrayed by all the information about dangerous animals in the media or its man who has contributed by invading the environment of these beautiful animals such that while protecting their natural habitat, these animals with their natural animal instincts become dangerous and will protect all their territory, their family and feeding grounds as well. Those people who have seen these animals attack and maul people live really know how these animals dangerous can be and what to do when you encounter these dangerous animals as well. The lion looks very charming on many of the lion photos take in the wild or just in any lion zoo around the world. The beautiful Africa elephants and the Asian elephants have been know to give people rides in some of the Animal safari specially in the Asian animal habitat but little is still beg done in order to stop the onset of these elephants from attacking people year after year after year even during religious or cultural ceremonies, these beautiful elephants have been known to take over the show and become the spotlight in the breaking news of the world “ Elephants trample people and severely attack spectators during a religious ceremony in Asia” As far as culture and the environment one is coming from, there are many things about these top ten most dangerous animals which we still need to know more about the animals in the wild and the animals being kept as pets as well. Animals are animals and they can react in many different ways which we might not expect. Whether it’s a provoked attack or an unprovoked attack, we humans still need to learn the secrets as to hwy animal attack stake place and what to expect while you are being attacked and what to do while you are being attacked. Is there good or bad publicity when these dangerous animals appear on national news and television attacking unsuspecting people in their own comfort zones? What does the society have to do when such animals attack and who should be responsible for these top ten most dangerous animals? These are just some of the few frequently asked questions about the top ten most dangerous animals in the world. Always remember that there are many dangerous animals which are out there not just in the wild but in each and every human and animal environment. Your back yard can have the most dangerous snakes in the world. while going out for a walk you might also be attacked by the most dangerous mosquito in the world and remember while you really need to take that vacation with your beloved ones to the beach, the deep sea jellyfish and the great white sharks might attack you straight away when you encounter these animal in their natural habitat. It doesn't matter where you encounter these dangerous creeping reptiles, dangerous stinging insects, deep sea creatures or the most dangerous carnivorous on earth, these dangerous animals deserve their respect mostly when you are in their habitat at all cost and you just need to have all the information about the area where you are going just to take all those foreseen preventive measures so that care has to be taken while in their natural habitat and breeding grounds as well.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Bats

Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera (/kaɪˈrɒptərə/; from the Greek χείρ - cheir, "hand"[2] and πτερόν - pteron, "wing"[3]) whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, can only glide for short distances. Bats do not flap their entire forelimbs, as birds do, but instead flap their spread-out digits,[4] which are very long and covered with a thin membrane or patagium. Bats are the second largest order of mammals (after the rodents), representing about 20% of all classified mammal species worldwide, with about 1,240 bat species divided into two suborders: the less specialized and largely fruit-eating megabats, or flying foxes, and the highly specialized and echolocating microbats.[5] About 70% of bat species are insectivores. Most of the rest are frugivores, or fruit eaters. A few species, such as the fish-eating bat, feed from animals other than insects, with the vampire bats being hematophagous, or feeding on blood. Bats are present throughout most of the world, performing vital ecological roles of pollinating flowers and dispersing fruit seeds. Many tropical plant species depend entirely on bats for the distribution of their seeds. Bats are economically important, as they consume insect pests, reducing the need for pesticides. The smallest bat is the Kitti's hog-nosed bat, measuring 29–34 mm (1.14–1.34 in) in length, 15 cm (5.91 in) across the wings and 2–2.6 g (0.07–0.09 oz) in mass.[6][7] It is also arguably the smallest extant species of mammal, with the Etruscan shrew being the other contender.[8] The largest species of bat are a few species of Pteropus (fruit bats or flying foxes) and the giant golden-crowned flying fox with a weight up to 1.6 kg (4 lb) and wingspan up to

planet's brilliance

The ice rink of the Natural History Museum has melted away and its lawn transformed into an open-air gallery. Eighty photographs selected from the annual Wildlife Competitions by the “Spring Watch” presenter Chris Packham focus on the animals but also remind us of the planet’s natural beauty and design brilliance. “The plight of the wild planet is in our hands, hands that must urgently protect and heal earth’s unfortunate catalogue of problems,” he writes, prodding us to remember the dangers, threats and possible extinction facing many subjects. Having viewed (and reviewed) the winners of this competition over several years, I’ve watched the standards of photography impressively raised. Pandering to the cuties (including a leopard cub and, god forbid, the meerkats) is thankfully low on the list now and no doubt chosen here to draw families. Winners of all ages now present original, artful approaches to nature’s own designs and palettes. The irresistible photogenicity of the planet and its inhabitants is represented by degrees of photographic sophistication. Geological upheavals are always marvels, often revealing their closeness to paintings. Lava highlights the saturated redness of a volcanic flow which bleeds into black lava like oils merging at a calculated border. Of the animals, past favourites include the Sand Sprinters, ostriches with chicks walking up sand dunes, their shadows spread across the planes of sandy colour. The South Pacific Jellyfish is a model of sculptural perfection, its translucence exaggerated by the sun’s back-lighting through the water. And differently but equally stunning, snow geese in morning light, an epic scene where the birds immersed in flame-red mist like a classic naval battle aflame with canon fire and smoke. Thankfully, anthropomorphism has virtually vanished from the picture.

Llama

The height of a full-grown, full-size llama is 1.7 to 1.8 m (5.5 to 6.0 ft) tall at the top of the head, and can weigh between 130 and 200 kg (280 to 450 lb). At birth, a baby llama (called a cria) can weigh between 9 and 14 kg (20 and 30 lb). Llamas typically live for 15-25 years, with some individuals surviving 30 years or more. They are very social animals and live with other llamas as a herd. The wool produced by a llama is very soft and lanolin-free. Llamas are intelligent and can learn simple tasks after a few repetitions. When using a pack, they can carry about 25% to 30% of their body weight for 8–13 km (5–8 miles).[4] The name llama (in the past also spelled 'lama' or 'glama') was adopted by European settlers from native Peruvians.[5] Llamas appear to have originated from the central plains of North America about 40 million years ago. They migrated to South America about three million years ago. By the end of the last ice age (10,000–12,000 years ago), camelids were extinct in North America.[4] As of 2007, there were over seven million llamas and alpacas in South America, and due to importation from South America in the late 20th century, there are now over 158,000 llamas and 100,000 alpacas in the United States and Canada.[6]