Categoría: Nature

For obvious reasons, giraffes are the tallest animals in the world. With an eternal neck like that, no wonder you might say! It almost seems as if they come from another planet! Apart from its unmistakably long and unusual neck, what do you really know about the giraffe??? Any ideas? Why don’t we find out together? Its Tongue Thankfully the giraffe’s tongue is not as imposing as its neck, yet it is still worth mentioning (around 45 cm). Why that long? Well you see, the animal’s favorite food comes from the acacia tree. For most animals acacia leaves are unattainable due to the huge thorns on the tree (several cm long; trust me you wouldn’t want to get some of those anywhere near you). For the giraffe however, this is no issue whatsoever; thanks to its prehensile lip and tongue it can maneuver a way around thorns to reach its treat. Et voila! Easy, huh?! 😉 The tongue’s colour is also quite intriguing. It has a distinctive purple bluish colour, which acts as natural sunscreen! Its Neck A long neck is extremely advantageous to reach the highest leaves from trees. Do you know how many bones form a giraffe’s neck? 20? 30? 50? NOT EVEN CLOSE! Let me give you a hint: how many vertebrae do we have in our neck? If you’re still wondering the answer’s 7; exactly the same as the giraffe! Amazing, isn’t it?! Of course giraffe vertebrae are just a little larger (up to 25 cm long), and heavier than ours :). Its Unique Pattern Giraffes have a superb patterned skin that looks slightly like burnt pop corn! They are a beauty to watch, and their coat is like no other; perhaps the only animal that could rival its originality would be the leopard! Hello world The gestation period for the animal is around 15 months, and they usually breed all year round. Only one calf is born at a time (twins are extremely rare). Like most births it can be quite traumatizing for the new being. Nonetheless, for baby giraffe in particular it is a very uncharacteristic welcome; the calf makes a 1.8 m plunge onto the ground. Hard to imagine, right? While the fall does not hurt the calf, it enables it to take its first deep breath. After as little as an hour, the baby will be up and running as if nothing had just happened! Truly fascinating!!! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2233615

One of the best leopard gecko morphs is the jungle leopard gecko. It gets its name from the wild and unique patterns and colors. Jungles are some of the most exotic and unpredictable morphs. They are hard to classify because no two jungle leos are exactly the same. They can have spots or stripes, and come in all different colors. They are known particularly for sometimes having diagonal stripes, a trait you won’t see in any other morphs. The one clear way to tell that you’ve got a jungle is by its tail. They have a unique tail pattern with dark bands that don’t go completely around. Sometimes, this is the only way you can tell that it’s a jungle. Why Leopard Jungles Are Tough To Breed Breeding jungle leopards presents a special challenge. Which exact traits create the jungle morph is not known exactly. It isn’t known whether they are recessive or dominant traits. Many jungle leos don’t show any jungle patterning at all. Then, their hatchlings will show the tell-tale signs of the morph. Often, hatchlings won’t appear to be jungles until they reach full growth. This is why jungles are so rare and special. Breeding them is a challenge. Jungle Leo Varieties There are lots of different types of jungle morphs. Jungles have been bred together with other morphs to create patterns and colors that are unique. One of these is the «four eyed» jungles. Around their eyes are white circles, and two more circles with black dots above them make it look like they have four eyes. Four eyed jungles are more common than other. The bandit jungle is another type. Its one distinctive features is a black band that runs somewhere on the face, usually between the eyes and the nose. New morphs are constantly being created, like the swirl jungle. They are named this because of the swirls of red, orange and yellow that appear all over the body in random patterns. Jungle albinos are also popular. These leos are a mix between jungle patterns and albinos, so that they have no black pigmentation whatsoever. The jungle leopard gecko has become a very popular morph, and they are essential for any collector. Alex Jacobs is an leopard gecko expert whose goal is to provide accurate information on raising the worlds most interesting lizard. Visit his site and sign up for his free leopard gecko mini-course and receive a free report! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2875951  

Today there are something like twenty-two species of reptile that make up the Order Crocodylia. Of these species; only thirteen are actually true crocodiles, the remainder are Alligators, Caiman and the extremely rare and endangered, long-snouted gavials, sometimes referred to as gharials. We often get asked how to tell the difference between a crocodile and an alligator. There are a number of anatomical differences between crocodiles and alligators, when observing these reptiles look for a large, fourth tooth in the lower jaw. When the mouth is closed this tooth fits into a notch in the upper jaw and the tooth remains visible even when the mouth is closed. If you can see this tooth, then you are looking at a crocodile. There are only two species of Alligator left in the world. Firstly, as most people know, there is the American alligator (alligator mississipiensis), which can be found widely distributed across the south-eastern United States, most typically in the Florida Everglades. There is also a second extant species of alligator, although this one is much rarer and confined to the upper Yangtse River valley in China. Scientists had thought that the less aggressive alligator had been «weeded out» of its range by crocodiles, leaving the only representatives of the Alligatoridae family in these isolated pockets. The more efficient crocodiles grew faster and may have been better at consuming food but this is generally regarded as speculation – as in the case of the American alligator, this species competes with the native American crocodile (C. acutus). The American alligator can withstand cold spells far better than the American crocodile, and as a result, has a much more extensive range in the United States. Crocodylia in the «New World» The idea of a «less aggressive» member of the Order Crocodylia is also a contradiction in terms. In the USA, once an Alligator reaches a length in excess of 4 feet it is regarded as dangerous to people. Alligator incidents are frequent, beginning in the spring when the warmer weather makes these cold-blooded reptiles more active and they begin to roam more widely. Fortunately, attacks on humans are relatively rare, although they do occur especially where people have been foolish enough to encourage alligators by feeding them. In some parts of the southern United States, special warden teams have been formed who work on a twenty-four call out service capturing and removing alligators that have wandered into areas of human habitation and got into contact with people. Specimens over 3 metres long are exceptionally rare in the wild but these reptiles, with their powerful jaws are still extremely dangerous and should be treated with caution. There is even a countryside code which has been developed by park rangers – a sort of «dos and don’ts» when in American alligator territory. Crocodylia in the «Old World» The majority of fatal attacks occur in Asia and northern Australia. Whilst we at Everything Dinosaur, would contend that all species of crocodilian are dangerous and that even a baby crocodile emerging from its egg is quite capable of giving you a nasty bite on the end of your finger – perhaps two of the most dangerous species of crocodile in the world can be found in Asia and Australia. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6470054

 In 2005, one of the biggest movie surprises and box-office hits was March of the Penguins, a full-length feature documentary like something you would see on The Discovery Channel or PBS, but extraordinary. The film was directed by Luc Jacquet. The movie is considered to be a marvelous film masterpiece that everybody can relate to regardless of culture. The film shows the penguins values such as love and companionship, but also portrays the struggle of life and death for the penguins in the brutal climates they have become accustomed to living in. The March of the Penguins film originated in France, but the U.S. version of the film is narrated by Morgan Freeman, and they couldn’t have picked a better person for the job. Morgan Freeman has the perfect voice to emphasize the amazing journey of the Emperor Penguins. From beginning to end, the film contains powerful visuals and awe-inspiring scenes of nature, but I’m not sure if it would have been as successful if not for the voice of Morgan Freeman. We are introduced to the Emperor penguins and their home in Antarctica in the opening scenes. The films premise is to follow penguins from all over Antarctica as they make an incredible voyage each year across inhospitable terrain to look for their breeding grounds. Throughout the film, we learn all about the difficult tasks that face the Emperor penguins as they make their journey and try to raise a family. Thousands and thousands of penguins gather together at the breeding grounds, and each one is looking for a mate to start a family with. Once the penguins choose a mate, the female lays a single egg. The egg is very fragile and could easily break, but the extreme cold is also hazardous to the egg, so the male penguin must keep it warm by holding it on top of his feet and under his belly until the female penguin returns to take over caring for her offspring. In the meantime, the male penguins must survive harsh winds, driving snow, and extremely low temperatures as he tries desperately to protect the egg. The herd of male penguins work together to protect themselves by standing in a huge huddle, and they keep rotating so that the penguins on the outside get to move into the warmer middle part of the huddle. Their system makes sure that each penguin gets an equal amount of warmth. When the female penguins return, the new baby penguins are hatched and the mothers must concern themselves with the threat of predators. The male penguins then take their turn at going out to sea to hunt and eat. The mothers take the task of teaching the young penguin chicks about the world, because one day soon those baby chicks will have to carry on the tradition for the survival of their species. Overall, March of the Penguins is an amazing film. The visual, the narration, the storyline, everything about it is great. It is one of the highest grossing documentaries ever released. Contrary to most movies made today, March of the Penguins is entertaining and educational at the same time. It gives the viewer everything they need in a movie. If you want action, suspense, romance, heroes, villains, and more. It’s a true story, too! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/828897

The Giraffe is one of the wild mammals that every visitor want to see in every park, zoo or reserve. Like other wild animals, the continued increase in human population has threatened this animal for years. Destruction of wildlife habitat areas for agriculture including hunting has reduced the giraffe population in many parts of Africa. There are still many places in Africa where the gentle mammal can be spotted. For instance, Niger is one of the most famous country where you can see people living in harmony with the giraffe. The government has played a great role in its conservation. People of Haoukoussa and Yeni Villages have improved their living standards by helping the government to protect the giraffe and other wild animals. Villagers report cases which are likely threaten the giraffe. In return, the government compensate the villagers for all damages in the farms by the giraffe especially during the rainy season. In the Masai Mara Game Reserve of Kenya, you can easily spot the giraffe feeding on the acacia tree on the endless Savannah. During the annual wildebeest migration, you will see over 1.5 million wild animals grazing on the ripened grass. You will see thousands of wildebeest, zebra, antelope, elephant, buffalo, rhino and the warthog. You will also see predators such as lion, leopard, cheetah and the hyena. The Mara river has specific sites where you can watch wild animals cross the river as crocodiles and hippos fiercely attack them. The Giraffe Center in Nairobi and Lake Nakuru national Park provide good shelter for herds of giraffe. The Serengeti National Park and Lake Manyara in Tanzania are other places where you can watch the giraffe. These two parks are excellent for game viewing. Lake Manyara is a haven for bird watching. A part from watching the rare giraffe, you will see many large mammal species. Other places where you spot the giraffe include South Africa and along the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. An adult giraffe can weigh up to 70 kg. The tongue of a giraffe is about half a meter long and an adult can weigh a ton. The height of a giraffe is between four and three meters. It has an attractive long neck that has seven vertebrae. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5925107

Bird watching is a wonderfully relaxing non-activity. Creating a bird sanctuary complete with a hummingbird feeder will attract hummingbirds to your backyard so you get an opportunity to watch these wonderful little creatures in action. Bird watching can keep your mind sharp and your attitude positive. Watching hummingbirds fly into their own little specialized habitat will give you a very positive experience. A hummingbird feeder will add elements to our backyard that would encourage hummingbirds to come. The hummingbird feeder can be hung from a tree in the backyard or another appropriate location can be chosen. Choosing the kind of hummingbird feeder that you will use should not be a problem. There are several styles of feeders to choose from. You can build one that would be a creative undertaking or you can run to your nearby hardware store and get a hummingbird feeder already set up for you. A garden shop, discount marts or online, hummingbird feeders are available almost everywhere. As soon as you hang the feeder, you can determine how many birds will be coming into your yard. You can expand the size of the feeder if necessary. You can add an additional larger feeder. Then you can watch all the activity around your feeder from the comfort of the backyard habitat. Most hummingbird feeders are made of plastic. Newer feeders are made of ceramic or glass. Since if the hummingbirds do not always recognize the feeders as a source they may not come immediately to the hummingbird feeder. Add nectar to the feeder to attract them but keep in mind that hummingbirds must learn to use the feeder. Any feeder will attract hummingbirds. The features to look for in your hummingbird feeder are ease of cleaning and personal style. Get the basin-style hummingbird feeder instead of the ones with the inverted bottle. If your birds seem to prefer one style feeder rather than another, it’s probably a simple matter of being familiar with a certain type of feeder. If you have a lot of hummingbirds coming to your feeder, you might want to increase the number of hummingbird feeders in the sanctuary. Hummingbirds are very territorial. Hummingbirds are small little birds but are also fierce competitors. While they are flying around your hummingbird feeder, they are aware of everything around them and will defend their territory from other hummingbirds and from insects. They must also watch out for other animals that might prey on them, such as tarantulas. Praying mantises are known to capture and kill hummingbirds. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/381127

Natural Selection The Nazis were obsessed with Darwinian notions of natural selection and survival of the fittest. Aggressive competition was woven into the very fabric of the Nazi state including tank design and production. The Tiger tank was born from a competition between the firms Porsche and Henschel to produce a 45-ton tank with an 88mm gun, heavy armour, speed and manoeuvrability. A tank that was capable of dealing with the Soviet T-34 and KV-1. The two firms were to have prototypes ready for inspection on Adolf Hilter’s birthday, April 20th, 1942. Despite Dr. Ferdinand Porsche’s friendship with Hitler, the Henschel design triumphed. Price Premium Tiger tanks started rolling out of the factory at a rate of just 25 per month in 1942. Peak production of 104 Tigers per month was finally reached in April 1944. It took an estimated 300,000 man hours to build one Tiger, and cost the equivalent of $100,000 U.S. dollars in 1941. That’s about $1.25m today. In contrast the Allies went for cheap, mass production, which ultimately proved decisive. What’s in a Name The new Henschel tank was officially named the Panzerkampfwagen VI H (88mm) (SdKfz 182) Ausführung H1. However the tank’s project design name was Tiger and the name stuck. Reputation The newly named Tiger tank quickly gained a reputation on the Eastern Front during 1943 and 1944. The fearsome 88mm gun gave the Tiger a clear reach advantage over its Soviet opponents. Often faced by inferior equipment and poorly trained men, German tank crews and individual tank commanders were able to amass impressive combat scores, numbering hundreds of «kills». The concept of the «Tank Ace» was born and ruthlessly exploited for propaganda purposes. Occasionally just the sight of a German Tiger would make Soviet tanks withdraw. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5830615

The most critical designs on the world’s best hummingbird feeder will involve the human element. Unlike birdseed feeders, nectar feeders must be completely cleaned at a minimum of once per week. Hummingbirds are attracted to fresh liquid, nectar that most closely resembles the natural nectar flowers provide. Unused nectar quickly turns to a molasses-type mixture that can not be easily removed. The world’s best hummingbird feeders are designed with humans in mind, as well as hummingbirds. If a feeder is too complex or impossible to come apart, most people will not clean it properly. Adding fresh nectar to remnants of old nectar will create a spoiled mix for hummingbirds to drink. These small birds can immediately taste the stale nectar and will leave your feeders alone. There are two standard types of hummingbird feeders, gravity fed and dish. Gravity fed hummingbird feeders consist of a chamber above a feeding base. You fill the chamber with fresh nectar and then attach a base that contains feeding ports. As the hummingbirds drink from the base, gravity from the chamber above constantly fills the base. The most critical part to clean will be the base. If you can not disassemble it, there are specially fitted brushes designed to get into the tiny feeding holes to remove all traces of old nectar. The world’s best hummingbird feeders have bases designed to come apart for easier cleaning. Dish-style hummingbird feeders are flat with no chamber above. The hummingbirds feed directly from the base, or dish, where the nectar is stored. These styles usually consist of two pieces that are easily disassembled for complete access to the old nectar. When you shop for the world’s best hummingbird feeder, here are some insider’s tips: 1.) Bee Guards & Ant Moats Bees and ants are attracted to the same sugar-water mixture as hummingbirds, creating a nuisance to feeding birds. In fact, when ants craw into the nectar and die, they release formic acid, fouling the solution. Hummingbirds will taste this and leave your feeder. Stop ants by putting a barrier, such as a water filled moat, between the ants and nectar. Bees and wasps have short mouthparts, so bee guards over the end of the feeding holes interfere with their reach. The world’s best hummingbird feeders incorporate these important design elements. 2.) Capacity Choose a feeder that matches the number of hummingbirds available to feed in your area. In New England, it is more appropriate to have many, small capacity feeders than one large feeder. East of the Mississippi River, there is only one kind of hummingbird, the ruby-throated. This bird is extremely territorial and will refuse a spot on a feeder for any other ruby-throated, even it’s mate. Don’t forget, no matter where you live, you must empty and clean your nectar feeders at least once per week, more often in hotter climates. Reduce waste and save time by only purchasing the world’s best hummingbird feeder made for your region. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3870339