Animals (='.'=)

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*Just thought I'd make this thread for those here who might like animals like I do.

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Elephants are the largest land mammals on earth and have distinctly massive bodies, large ears, and long trunks. They use their trunks to pick up objects, trumpet warnings, greet other elephants, or suck up water for drinking or bathing, among other uses. Both male and female African elephants grow tusks and each individual can either be left- or right-tusked, and the one they use more is usually smaller because of wear and tear. Elephant tusks serve many purposes. These extended teeth can be used to protect the elephant's trunk, lift and move objects, gather food, and strip bark from trees. They can also be used for defense. During times of drought, elephants even use their tusks to dig holes to find water underground.

Two genetically different African species exist: the savanna elephant and the forest elephant, with a number of characteristics that differentiate them both. The African savanna elephant is the largest elephant species, while the Asian forest elephant and the African forest elephant are of a comparable, smaller size.

Asian elephants differ in several ways from their African relatives, with more than 10 distinct physical differences between them. For example, Asian elephants' ears are smaller compared to the large fan-shaped ears of the African species. Only some male Asian elephants have tusks, while both male and female African elephants grow tusks.

Led by a matriarch, elephants are organized into complex social structures of females and calves, while male elephants tend to live in isolation or in small bachelor groups. A single calf is born to a female once every four to five years and after a gestation period of 22 months—the longest of any mammal. Calves are cared for by the entire herd of related females. Female calves may stay with their maternal herd for the rest of their lives, while males leave the herd as they reach puberty. Forest elephants' social groups differ slightly and may be comprised of only an adult female and her offspring. However, they may congregate in larger groups in forest clearings where resources are more abundant.

Elephants need extensive land areas to survive and meet their ecological needs, which includes food, water, and space. On average, an elephant can feed up to 18 hours and consume hundreds of pounds of plant matter in a single day. As a result, as they lose habitat, they often come into conflict with people in competition for resources.

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There are seven species of sea turtles in the world distributed in the tropical regions of the ocean; six of them are in danger of extinction. These reptiles have in their DNA more than 200 million years of history and evolution, and that is just one of the reasons why they are so essential to the biodiversity and the life on the planet.

They belong to the class of “Reptilia” and the order “Testudines,” which divides into two families, “Cheloniidae,” which groups six species and “Dermochelyidae,” that has only one species.

Sea turtles have exceptional characteristics and abilities that no other marine organism has. Thanks to the shell that covers most of their body, predators do not choose them as a common prey. The size of some species as the leatherback sea turtle reaches between six and nine feet long and a great thickness which is also a reason that deters many marine enemies. For example, the largest specimen found of this species had three meters long. Additionally, this is the only sea turtle that does not has a hard shell. Instead, it has bony plates under a soft leathery tissue.

Unlike birds, mammals and prehistoric reptiles whose skins have feathers or hair, sea turtles have a sort of scales that give them a unique skin texture. They do not usually form groups to carry out their activities but remain solitary for most of their life cycle. They only interact in stages of reproduction or when the food in some zone is abundant, and several coincide simultaneously to feed.

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Great white sharks, (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as white sharks, are the largest predatory fish in the world. They belong to a partially "warm-blooded" family of sharks called Lamnidae, or mackerel sharks, that are able to maintain an internal body temperature that's warmer than their external environment — unlike other "cold-blooded" sharks, which can't, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History(opens in new tab).

Great white sharks are the only living members of the genus Carcharodon — inspired by the Greek words "karcharos," which means sharpen, and "odous," which means teeth. This name is well-chosen, as great white sharks have rows of up to 300 serrated, triangular teeth. These sharks have bullet-shaped bodies, gray skin and white bellies.

Despite being one of the best-known shark species thanks to movies such as "Jaws" (1975), great white sharks live a secretive lifestyle, and scientists still have much to learn about these iconic predators. Great white shark size varies, but females can grow to be larger than males. Female great white sharks reach an average length of 15 to 16 feet (4.6 to 4.9 meters), while males usually reach 11 to 13 feet (3.4 to 4 m), according to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History(opens in new tab) in Washington D.C. The largest great white sharks can grow to 20 feet long (6.1 m), and there are unconfirmed reports of great whites growing to 23 feet long (7 m), according to the Florida Museum of Natural History(opens in new tab). Adults weigh between 4,000 and 7,000 pounds (1,800 and 3,000 kilograms), according to the World Wildlife Fund(opens in new tab) (WWF).

Great whites are not the biggest sharks in the world. That title goes to whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), which are filter-feeders and usually grow up to 33 feet (10 m) long and weigh around 42,000 pounds (19,000 kg). The biggest shark species ever was the now-extinct megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon), which may have grown up to 60 feet long (18 m) or more, although scientists are still debating its exact size. Great white sharks are migratory and undertake long-distance journeys across the open ocean, possibly for food and breeding. A 2002 study published in the journal Nature(opens in new tab) found that one great white shark swam 2,360 miles (3,800 kilometers) from the coast of central California to the Hawaiian island of Kahoolawe. In 2005, researchers tracked a great white shark swimming almost 6,900 miles (11,100 km) from the coast of South Africa to Australia, before later heading back again, Mongabay reported(opens in new tab). To have enough energy for such long journeys, great white sharks store energy in their oil-rich livers, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

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Hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius) are large, round, water-loving animals that are native to Africa. The word "hippopotamus" comes from the Greek word for "water horse" or "river horse," although hippos and horses aren't closely related. The closest living relatives to hippos are pigs, whales and dolphins, according to the San Diego Zoo(opens in new tab). Common hippos, also known as river hippos, are very rotund animals and are the third largest living land mammals, after elephants and white rhinos, according to the African Wildlife Foundation(opens in new tab). They grow to between 10.8 and 16.5 feet (3.3 and 5 meters) long and up to 5.2 feet (1.6 m) tall at the shoulder. The average female weighs around 3,000 lbs. (1,400 kilograms), while males weigh 3,500 to 9,920 lbs. (1,600 to 4,500 kg), according to the San Diego Zoo.

These enormous animals are related to the much smaller and rarer pygmy hippo (Choeropsis liberiensis), which only grows to be 2.5 to 3.2 feet (0.75 to 1 m) tall and about 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.75 m) long, according to the San Diego Zoo(opens in new tab). Pygmy hippos can weigh between 350 and 600 lbs. (160 and 270 kg). Common hippos live in sub-Saharan Africa. They live in areas with abundant water, as they spend most of their time submerged to keep their skin cool and moist. Considered amphibious animals, hippos spend up to 16 hours per day in the water, according to National Geographic(opens in new tab).

Hippos are social beasts, hanging out in groups called schools, bloats, pods or sieges. Schools of hippos usually consist of 10 to 30 members, including both females and males, although some groups have as many as 200 individuals. No matter the size, the school is usually led by a dominant male, according to the San Diego Zoo.

Hippos are loud animals. Their snorts, grumbles and wheezes have been measured at 115 decibels, according to the San Diego Zoo — about the same volume you'd hear when 15 feet (4.6 m) from the speakers at a rock concert. The animals' signature noise, called the "wheeze honk," can be heard from more than half a mile (1 kilometer) away, Live Science previously reported. These booming creatures also use subsonic vocalizations to communicate.

Hippos are aggressive and are considered very dangerous. They have large teeth and tusks that they use for fighting off threats, including humans. Sometimes, their young fall victim to adult hippos' tempers. During a fight between two adults, a young hippo caught in the middle can be seriously hurt or even crushed, according to PBS(opens in new tab).

Though hippos move easily through the water, they can't actually swim. According to the San Diego Zoo, these animals glide through the water by pushing themselves off other objects. And they can stay underwater for up to 5 minutes without coming up for air, according to National Geographic.

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Lazy turd.

 

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Lazy turd.

IKR? They/Them piss me off!

 

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IKR? They/Them piss me off!

Not sure what IKR means. I was calling the lion a lazy turd, not you. lol

 

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The leopard is the epitome of stealth. Its very name brings mental pictures of this great spotted cat crouched on a tree limb awaiting the approach of a gazelle, or of a sleek, spotted body slipping silently through the dry savanna grass with scarcely a ripple as it nears its chosen target. Silence and stealth are the trademarks of this ultimate predator.

Leopards are the smallest of the large cats (to include lions, tigers, and jaguars) and are the most widespread, with subspecies found in Africa and Asia. They have a body structure similar to jaguars and are covered with flower-shaped spots on their backs called rosettes, with no dot in the center; the jaguar has a dot inside each of its rosettes. This profusion of spots helps leopards hide from their prey, breaking up their body outline in forests or grasslands.

Leopards living in dry grasslands are generally a lighter color than those found in rainforests. In the thick, dark rainforests of Southeast Asia, leopards that are nearly black can sometimes be found; these cats may look solid black at first glance, but their spotted pattern is visible in certain light.

Although a powerful and clever hunter, leopards are not always at the top of the food chain. In Africa, lions and packs of hyenas or painted dogs can kill leopards; in Asia, a tiger can do the same. Leopards go to great lengths to avoid these predators, hunting at different times and often pursing different prey than their competitors, and resting in trees to keep from being noticed.

Leopards easily adapt to a wide variety of habitats, altitudes, and temperatures, from high mountains to deserts to rainforests. The largest leopards are named after the regions where they’re found, like the North African leopard and the Persian leopard. All can live without drinking water for as long as 10 days, getting the moisture they need from their food. All they need is some brush, thick vegetation, caves, or rocky terrain for hiding and hunting. Leopards usually rest during the heat of the day in bushes, rocks, caves, or even up in a tree, depending upon their habitat. Of the large cats, leopards are the most arboreal; they have long tails to help them to balance on narrow tree branches.

Unlike most cats, leopards are strong swimmers and are one of the few cats that like water, although they are not as aquatic as tigers. They are great athletes, able to run in bursts up to 36 miles an hour (58 kilometers per hour), leap 20 feet (6 meters) forward in a single bound, and jump ten feet (3 meters) straight up.

Leopards have incredible strength and can climb as high as 50 feet (15 meters) up a favorite tree while holding a fresh kill in its mouth, even one larger and heavier than themselves! They stash food up high so other predators such as lions or hyenas can’t get it. This way, leopards can return to eat more at a later time. One leopard was spotted dragging a 220-pound (100 kilograms) young giraffe into heavy brush to hide it. Leopards are usually nocturnal, resting by day and hunting at night.

Stories from both Africa and Asia tell of the leopard’s ability to enter a village and snatch a sleeping dog without being detected. The leopard is a champion hunter and has a variety of stealth attacks that catch its prey off guard. From dropping on prey out of trees to stalking prey at waterholes or in dry grasses, often slinking along on the belly, a leopard doesn’t have a predictable pattern to hunting.

The cat uses its vision, keen hearing, and whiskers, rather than its sense of smell, while hunting. The whiskers face forward when the leopard is walking and move back when the cat is sniffing; they stick out sideways when the leopard is resting. The big cat stalks and pounces rather than chases its prey over long distances. It grabs or swats prey, using retractable claws. Prey is killed with a bite to the throat. Leopards are carnivores and eat any meat item they can find: monkeys, baboons, rodents, snakes, amphibians, large birds, fish, antelope, cheetah cubs, warthogs, and porcupines.

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The adult bald eagle is a large dark brown bird with a white head and tail and yellow bill, eyes, legs and feet. The female is larger than the male by as much as 25 percent. The juvenile bald eagle is mostly dark brown with dark brown eyes and a gray or black bill, but has white patches or spots on its tail, belly and under its wings. Plumage of juveniles varies, generally losing the white on their bodies and becoming increasingly white on their heads and tails as they gain maturity. Full adult plumage for bald eagles typically appears in their fifth year.

Florida has one of the densest concentrations of nesting bald eagles in the lower 48 states. An estimated 1,499 nesting pairs were recorded in Florida in 2014, compared to only 88 active nests in 1973. Bald eagles and their nests are protected by state rule and federal law. Their nesting territories are concentrated around inland lake and river systems in peninsular Florida, such as the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, and along the Gulf coast. Bald eagles use forested habitats for nesting and roosting, and expanses of shallow fresh or salt water for foraging. Nesting habitat generally consists of mature canopy trees located along habitat edges, providing an unobstructed view of surrounding areas. Daytime roosts are in the highest trees and adjacent to shorelines. High quality foraging habitat for bald eagles has a diversity and abundance of prey, access to shallow water and tall trees or structures for perching.

They feed on a wide variety of prey, mostly on fish such as catfish but also on birds and small mammals. They may harass other birds in flight to drop their fish and scavenge roadkill or other available carcasses. Bald eagles in Florida return to nest territories in the fall to begin nest building or repair. Their breeding season may extend to late April or May when young are able to fly. While highly social outside of nesting season, bald eagles are extremely territorial when nesting. They can breed in their fourth year but may wait until two or three years later if breeding competition is intense. Eagles typically produce one brood per nesting season, but may re-nest if the first clutch is lost. Nests are quite large and typically located less than two miles from water.

A record-sized nest in St. Petersburg, Florida was 9.5 feet in diameter and 20 feet tall. Most eagle nests are in live native pine trees but they also nest in cypress trees, oaks, mangroves and artificial structures such as communication towers. Their nests are spaced apart to ensure sufficient food for nestlings and to raise young without disturbance from other eagles. In Florida, females typically lay a clutch of 1-3 eggs between December and early January, with incubation lasting about 35 days. Nestlings in Florida fledge, or become able to fly, at about 11 weeks but remain with their parents near the nest for another four to 11 weeks. Most of Florida's breeding bald eagles, especially those in the extreme southern peninsula, remain in the state year-round. Sub-adult, non-breeding eagles migrate out of Florida starting in spring and summer and returning in fall and winter. A bald eagle in the wild may live up to 28 years.

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The largest bear in the world and the Arctic's top predator, polar bears are a powerful symbol of the strength and endurance of the Arctic. The polar bear's Latin name, Ursus maritimus, means "sea bear." It's an apt name for this majestic species, which spends much of its life in, around, or on the ocean–predominantly on the sea ice. In the United States, Alaska is home to two polar bear subpopulations.

Considered talented swimmers, polar bears can sustain a pace of six miles per hour by paddling with their front paws and holding their hind legs flat like a rudder. They have a thick layer of body fat and a water-repellent coat that insulates them from the cold air and water.

Polar bears spend over 50% of their time hunting for food. A polar bear might catch only one or two out of 10 seals it hunts, depending on the time of year and other variables. Their diet mainly consists of ringed and bearded seals because they need large amounts of fat to survive.

Polar bears rely heavily on sea ice for traveling, hunting, resting, mating and, in some areas, maternal dens. But because of ongoing and potential loss of their sea ice habitat resulting from climate change–the primary threat to polar bears Arctic-wide–polar bears were listed as a threatened species in the US under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008. As their sea ice habitat recedes earlier in the spring and forms later in the fall, polar bears are increasingly spending longer periods on land, where they are often attracted to areas where humans live.

The survival and the protection of the polar bear habitat are urgent issues for WWF. In October 2019, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Polar Bear Specialist Group released a new assessment of polar bear populations showing that the number of polar bear subpopulations experience recent declines has increased to four, with eight populations still being data-deficient. The good news is that five populations are stable while two have been experiencing an upward trend.

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The spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta ), also known as the laughing hyena, is a hyena species, currently classed as the sole extant member of the genus Crocuta, native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as being of least concern by the IUCN on account of its widespread range and large numbers estimated between 27,000 and 47,000 individuals. The species is, however, experiencing declines outside of protected areas due to habitat loss and poaching. The species may have originated in Asia, and once ranged throughout Europe for at least one million years until the end of the Late Pleistocene. The spotted hyena is the largest known member of the Hyaenidae, and is further physically distinguished from other species by its vaguely bear-like build, its rounded ears, its less prominent mane, its spotted pelt, its more dual-purposed dentition, its fewer nipples and the presence of a pseudo-penis in the female. It is the only mammalian species to lack an external vaginal opening, having a pseudo-penis instead.

The spotted hyena is the most social of the Carnivora in that it has the largest group sizes and most complex social behaviors. Its social organization is unlike that of any other carnivore, bearing closer resemblance to that of cercopithecine primates (baboons and macaques) with respect to group size, hierarchical structure, and frequency of social interaction among both kin and unrelated group-mates. However, the social system of the spotted hyena is openly competitive rather than cooperative, with access to kills, mating opportunities and the time of dispersal for males depending on the ability to dominate other clan-members. Females provide only for their own cubs rather than assist each other, and males display no paternal care. Spotted hyena society is matriarchal; females are larger than males, and dominate them.

The spotted hyena is a highly successful animal, being the most common large carnivore in Africa. Its success is due in part to its adaptability and opportunism; it is primarily a hunter but may also scavenge, with the capacity to eat and digest skin, bone and other animal waste. In functional terms, the spotted hyena makes the most efficient use of animal matter of all African carnivores. The spotted hyena displays greater plasticity in its hunting and foraging behavior than other African carnivores; it hunts alone, in small parties of 2–5 individuals or in large groups. During a hunt, spotted hyenas often run through ungulate herds in order to select an individual to attack. Once selected, their prey is chased over a long distance, often several kilometers, at speeds of up to 60 km/h.

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The Komodo dragon is the largest and heaviest of the lizards, well muscled, and covered with non-overlapping scales that give its surface a granular effect. These scales are a drab greyish-black colour. The skin beneath is a multi-coloured mixture of brown, yellow, greyish-red and black and is clearly visible between the scales. The head and the tail are blackish-grey; the belly exhibits hard bony scales and is also grey. Those on the nape of the neck are raised and bony; on the ridge and along the length of the tail, they form a short, spiky fringe. The scales around the anus are spiny and their arrangement is helpful in identifying male from female. As well, the males are larger and bulkier. Otherwise, they are dimorphic.

The head is tapered and flat on top; the snout and nostrils are round. The eyes are placed to the side of the skull and above the hinge of the jaws; their pupils are circular. The ears have no external structure and are seen as holes behind the eyes. The mouth reveals powerful, laterally flattened, serrated, rootless teeth set into sockets, approximately 60 in number. Further rows of replacement teeth lie behind. The roof of the mouth is strong. The tongue is long, yellow and forked and is connected to a Jacobsen’s organ on the roof of the mouth. Under the tongue and near the throat lies an opening connected to the lungs. The musculature of the neck and throat is powerful.

Four very stout, bowed legs support a massive torso. These limbs, set in the hips horizontally from the body, give the lizard an ambling and serpentine gait. They end in five digits and sharp claws. The outside digit is splayed backwards. The muscular tail is slightly flattened vertically and ends in a tip. It exceeds half the dragon’s overall length.

Weight: Males average 100 kg to 135 kg. Females average 100 kg.

Length: Males average 3.5 m. Females are slightly smaller.

For approximately the first eight months, Komodo young live in the trees where they find insects, small lizards and birds, eggs, beetles, and snakes. As older terrestrial lizards, they forage for larger game: goats, pigs, wild boar, smaller dragons, horses, water buffalo, and especially deer. A major portion of their diet, however, is carrion.

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Macaws are king-sized members of the parrot family and have typical parrot features. Their large, strong, curved beaks are adapted for crushing nuts and seeds. Their strong, agile toes are used like hands to grasp things. Loud, screeching and squawking voices help make their presence known in dense rainforests. They are also famous for their bright colors, which seem bold and conspicuous to us but actually blend in well with the green leaves, red and yellow fruits, and bluish shadows of the forest homes.

Macaws are adapted for flying through the trees in the forest, with a streamlined body and tail shape and wings that don’t flap deeply. When they come in for a landing, they drop their tail and feet downward and use their wings like brakes to slow down before grasping a perch with their feet. Most macaws nest in holes of trees or in earthen banks and cliff sides.

Macaws are intelligent and curious birds that like to explore and keep busy. They are very aware of their surroundings, which is necessary to keep watch for predators. As social birds, they spend a lot of time interacting with their mates and their family groups. Macaws have been known to use items as tools, and they like to play with interesting objects they find. They examine the objects from different angles, moving them with their feet, testing them with their tongue, and tossing them around. Macaws are also big chewers, something they need to do to keep their beaks in good shape. They can do impressive damage to even very hard wood with their beaks. Most macaws like to take baths, and they play in the water as they splash around.

Screaming is a natural call for macaws. They do it to make contact with one another, to define territory, and even as part of their play. Their calls can be quite earsplitting to humans! Macaws can also imitate sounds, and macaws that live with or near humans often repeat words they hear, practicing to themselves until they get it right.One of the outstanding natural sights in Mexico and Central and South America is a large flock of colorful macaws bursting up from the forest canopy in flight. Macaws live in pairs, family groups, or flocks of 10 to 30, which helps give them protection from predators like large snakes and birds of prey. They usually wake before dawn, preening their feathers and calling to one another, perhaps communicating where they are and what they plan to do next. Then, as a group, they fly up out of the trees to journey to the day’s feeding grounds, often traveling quite a long distance to a grove of trees with ripe fruit. In fact, macaws fly as far as 15 miles (24 kilometers) each day to feed. They feast until midday, when they settle down for more preening and "chatting," then forage more in the afternoon.

Shortly before or after dusk, macaws all take wing again to return to their roosting site, where they call to each other to figure out who sits where. The sitting arrangement can change from day to day! Sometimes squabbles break out, but macaws rarely physically injure each other. Once everyone is settled, they quiet down, fluff out their feathers, and prepare to snooze through the night.

Macaws eat a variety of ripe and unripe fruits, nuts and seeds, flowers, leaves, and stems of plants, and sources of protein like insects and snails. Some specialize in eating the hard fruits and nuts of palm trees. One trick they use for this is to forage in fields where cattle live. The cattle eat the palm nuts, which pass through their digestive system and come out the other end with the nut’s hard coating removed. This makes the nuts softer and easier for the macaws to eat! Macaws also visit riverbanks and cliffs made of clay soil, which they eat. Scientists believe the soil may neutralize any toxic chemicals the birds might eat in seeds or unripe fruits.

Macaws usually live in pairs, and after the nesting season, in family groups. When adult macaws choose mates, they usually stay together until one of them dies. This close relationship is called a pair bond. The pair reinforces its bond by preening each other’s feathers, sharing food, and roosting together. The bond is so strong that even when the pair flies with a large flock, the two stay close together, with their wings almost touching.

Most macaw pairs breed once a year, and the female lays her eggs in a nest inside a tree hollow or in a dirt hollow on a cliff face. Only the mother does the incubating until the chicks hatch; the father is in charge of bringing food to her.

Once chicks hatch, both parents bring them food. Macaw chicks are helpless at first. Their eyes remain shut for several days, and they are sparsely covered in downy feathers, so they need their parents’ care until they grow their plumage, at about 10 weeks of age. Many times chicks in the same nest compete for food, and most often only the older, stronger chick survives. The fledglings are clumsy at first as they learn to fly, at about three months of age, but once they get the hang of it, they start flying with the adults to forage for food. Most macaws start out with gray or black eyes when they’re young, which change to brown or yellow as they mature.

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Among the largest species of cats in the world, tigers are powerful hunters with sharp teeth, strong jaws and agile bodies. They range across Asia from Russia all the way to Sumatra and mainland Southeast Asia. Researchers still have much to learn about these beautiful, endangered cats.

There is currently one recognized species of tiger, Panthera tigris. Scientists have further classified the tiger into nine subspecies: the extinct Bali, Caspian and Javan subspecies, and the living Malayan, Sumatran, South China, Indochinese, Bengal and Amur (or Siberian) subspecies. Of these six subspecies, AZA-accredited zoos currently manage three: Amur, Malayan and Sumatran. The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is home to Sumatran and Amur tigers; Sumatran tigers are listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, and Amur tigers have been classified as Endangered.

Tigers have reddish-orange coats with prominent black stripes, white bellies and white spots on their ears. Like a human fingerprint, no two tigers have the exact same markings. Because of this, researchers can use stripe patterns to identify different individuals when studying tigers in the wild. Tigers are powerful hunters with sharp teeth, strong jaws and agile bodies. They are the largest terrestrial mammal whose diet consists entirely of meat; the largest tiger ever recorded was an Amur tiger. The tiger's closest relative is the lion. In fact, without fur, it is difficult to distinguish a tiger from a lion.

Tigers are among the largest cats in the world, and the Amur tiger is the largest subspecies with males weighing up to 660 pounds (300 kilograms) and measuring 10 feet (3 meters). Sumatran tigers are the smallest subspecies, maxing out at 310 pounds (140 kilograms) and 8 feet (2.4 meters). Female tigers of all subspecies tend to be smaller than their male counterparts.

Historically, tigers existed throughout much of Eastern and Southern Asia, as well as in parts of Central and Western Asia and the Middle East, surrounding the Caspian Sea. Their range has diminished significantly as human populations have expanded. It is believed they currently occupy just 7 percent of their historic range.

Presently, tigers are found in a variety of habitats across South and Southeast Asia, China and Eastern Russia. They thrive in temperate, tropical or evergreen forests, mangrove swamps and grasslands. Amur tigers are primarily found in Far-East Russia, although there are small populations across the border into China and potentially North Korea. Sumatran tigers are found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. A tiger's range within these regions is determined by the availability of prey.

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Silverback Gorillas are the largest primates on earth. After bonobos and chimpanzees, gorillas are the closest relatives to humans (Their DNA is about 98% similar to that of humans). Gorilla are found in the great forests of East, Central and Western Africa. Gorillas are dived into two main species – The eastern gorilla and the western gorilla. The western gorilla is divided into two subspecies – The western lowland gorilla and the Cross river gorilla. Eastern gorillas include the Mountain gorilla and the Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Also known as Grauers Gorilla).

Of all the gorilla subspecies, the Eastern Lowland gorilla is the largest, followed by the mountain gorilla. The Cross River gorilla is the smallest of the lot.There are currently over 300,000 Western lowland gorillas, 5000 Eastern lowland gorillas, 1,000 mountain gorillas and less than 400 Cross river gorillas. All subspecies of gorillas are considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This is because their numbers have reduced considerably in the last century. Human diseases, habitat destruction and poaching for meat are the greatest threat to wild gorilla survival. Gorillas live in groups or families led by a Silverback.

Silverback doesn’t refer to a particular species of gorillas but a mature male gorilla. Silverback gorillas are distinguished by a grayish white hairline around the back and shoulders. A male gorilla that is too old to be a juvenile but too young to be a Silverback gorilla strengthsilverback is referred to as a blackback. A silverback is much larger than a female. Compared to a female, a silverback gorilla has a larger head, body and can weigh up to 270 kilograms. A male gorilla becomes an adult at about 8 years of age. This is the time most leave the group to leave alone or join other males. At this point, they are still referred to as Blackbacks. It is only when they become fully grown (at about 12 to 13 years of age) that they become silverbacks. This is also the time when the hair down their back and across the shoulders becomes whitish or greyish in color.

A mature and lone blackback or silverback will live close to a particular group and attempt to dethrone the dominant silverback as soon as he is strong enough. If he fails to dethrone a leader of a particular gorilla family, he will attempt to steal females from that group to form his own.

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Lions have captured our imagination for centuries. Stars of movies and characters in books, lions are at the top of the food chain. The Swahili word for lion, simba, also means "king," "strong," and "aggressive." The word lion has similar meaning in our vocabulary. If you call someone lionhearted, you’re describing a courageous and brave person. If you lionize someone, you treat that person with great interest or importance.

Prime habitat for lions is open woodlands, thick grassland, and brush habitat, where there is enough cover for hunting and denning. These areas of grassland habitat also provide food for the herbivores that lions prey upon.

Lions differ from the other members of the large cat genus, Panthera—tigers, leopards, and jaguars. Adult male lions are much larger than females and usually have an impressive mane of hair around the neck. The color, size, and abundance of the mane all vary among individuals and with age. The mane’s function is to make the male look more impressive to females and more intimidating to rival males. The lion’s thick mane also protects his neck against raking claws during fights with other males over territory disputes or breeding rights.

Lions are also the only cats that live in large, social groups called “prides.” A pride can have 3 to 30 lions and is made up of lionesses (mothers, sisters, and cousins), and their cubs, along with a few unrelated adult males. The pride has a close bond and is not likely to accept a stranger. The unrelated males stay a few months or a few years, but the older lionesses stay together for life. In dry areas with less food, prides are smaller, with two lionesses in charge. In habitats with more food and water, prides can have four to six adult lionesses. Both males and females scent mark to define their territory.

Living in a pride makes life easier. Hunting as a group means there is a better chance that the lions have food when they need it, and it is less likely that they will get injured while hunting. Lion researchers have noticed that some activities are “contagious” within a pride. If one lion yawns, grooms itself, or roars, it sets off a wave of yawning, grooming, or roaring!

Lions and lionesses play different roles in the life of the pride. The lionesses work together to hunt and help rear the cubs. This allows them to get the most from their hard work, keeping them healthier and safer. Being smaller and lighter than males, lionesses are more agile and faster. During hunting, smaller females chase the prey toward the center of the hunting group. The larger and heavier lionesses ambush or capture the prey. Lionesses are versatile and can switch hunting jobs depending on which females are hunting that day and what kind of prey it is.

While it may look like the lionesses do all the work in the pride, the males play an important role. While they do eat more than the lionesses and bring in far less food (they hunt less than 10 percent of the time), males patrol, mark, and guard the pride’s territory. Males also guard the cubs while the lionesses are hunting, and they make sure the cubs get enough food. When a new male tries to join a pride, he has to fight the males already there. The new male is either driven off or succeeds in pushing out the existing males.

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A full-grown king cobra is yellow, green, brown or black. They usually also have yellowish or white crossbars or chevrons. The belly may be uniform in color or ornamented with bars. The throat is light yellow or cream-colored. The juveniles are jet-black, with yellow or white crossbars on the body and tail and four similar crossbars on the head. The king cobra is regarded as a fierce and aggressive snake and its length and size give it an awe inspiring appearance.

The king cobra's deadly fangs are almost 0.5 inches (8 to 10 millimeters) long. Because they are fixed to the upper jaw, they have to be short. If they were longer, they would penetrate the floor of its mouth. Angled back into the snake's mouth, the fangs help push the prey on its path to the stomach. The king cobra's average size is 10 to 12 feet (3 to 3.6 meters), but it can reach 18 feet (5.4 meters).King cobras live in northern India, east to southern China, including Hong Kong and Hainan; south throughout the Malay Peninsula and east to western Indonesia and the Philippines.

They prefer streams in dense or open forest, bamboo thickets, adjacent agricultural areas and dense mangrove swamps. They often stay near streams, where the temperature and humidity are relatively constant. They spend almost a fourth of their time up in trees or bushes. Its eyesight is better than most snakes'. It's good enough to see a moving person almost 330 feet (100 meters) away. The cobra's hiss is much lower than most snakes', more like a dog's growl. It is produced by tiny holes in the trachea and is resonated by the lung.

To impress a rival, male king cobras resort to wrestling. Male combat is a ritual conflict in which the first one to push the other's head to the ground wins. Although the king cobra is undoubtedly a very dangerous snake, it prefers to escape unless it is provoked. Despite its aggressive reputation, the king cobra is actually much more cautious than many smaller snakes. The cobra only attacks people when it is cornered, in self-defense or to protect its eggs. Throughout its entire range from India to Indonesia, the king cobra causes fewer than five human deaths a year, about one-fifth as many as caused by rattlers in North America. This behavior is not true of nesting females, which may attack without provocation. When in a threat display, these snakes can raise the anterior part of their body about three to four feet (1 to 1.2 meters) off the ground and are able to follow their enemy in this position over considerable distances.

The king cobra will also hiss and flatten its neck ribs into a hood. It will assume an upright posture without the hood extended in order to see over bushes or tall grasses.Breeding usually occurs from January through April. King cobras are oviparous and lay 21 to 40 white, leathery eggs. The female pushes leaves and branches into a nest pile where the eggs are incubated by the elevated temperatures of decomposition. The female remains on top of the nest to guard the eggs, and the male remains close by. During the brood care period, the king cobra tends to be very aggressive toward approaching humans. The eggs of the king cobra incubate during spring and summer, hatching in the fall. It is possible that king cobras mate for life.

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One of the world’s largest animals, the Orca belongs to the Dolphin family (Delphinidae). Males can reach ten meters in length and 22,000 kilograms in weight. Females are smaller, but still considerable, at 8.5 meters long and 7,500 kilograms. Highly intelligent and distinctive for its black and white coloration, these magnificent creatures are also deadly. Poised at the top of the oceanic food chain, they are carnivores whose diet is often geographic and population specific. The Killer Whale’s menu could be fish heavy—such as salmon, herring, and tuna—or comprise larger marine life, such as seals, sea lions, penguins, sharks, and other whales and porpoises.

Extremely social, Orcas live (and hunt) in matriarchal family pods typically comprising five to fifty whales and use echolocation to communicate. Killer Whales are distributed throughout the world, from the polar ice caps to the tropics near the Equator. In Canadian waters, there are noted populations in the northern Pacific along British Columbia, and, though less commonly, in the Atlantic and Arctic regions. In recent years, however, this has begun to change, as sea ice both recedes and occurs for shorter times each year.

One consequence of increasing melting and retreating ice and the growing unpredictability of ice formation schedules is the change in roaming patterns of Killer Whales, who now venture into far northern waters where they previously did not. Killer Whales typically avoid ice because of their high dorsal fins. With the loss of year-round sea ice in the Arctic, however, these cetaceans, once largely absent from the region, are now both spending more time there and going to areas that were formerly inaccessible due to permanent or seasonal ice cover. For example, Killer Whale sightings, once rare in Hudson Bay, have been reported not only during summer months but in winter as well.

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*They are cute, but I wouldn't want to take a bite from one of the little turds. Just sayin'.

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Tasmanian devils are the largest carnivorous (meat-eating) marsupials in the world. Tasmanian devils live in Tasmania, a large island just south of Australia. In fact, Tasmania is the only place where they are found in the wild. Adult Tasmanian devils are usually about the size of a small dog. They have coarse brown or black fur and a pudgy appearance that makes them look like baby bears. But don't let their cuteness fool you. They have sharp teeth and strong, muscular jaws that can deliver one of the most powerful bites of any mammal on Earth.

Tasmanian devils are strictly carnivorous, surviving on small prey and frequently feasting on already dead animals, called carrion. The most famous characteristic of the Tasmanian devil, though, is its feisty personality. When threatened, a devil will lunge at its attacker, shriek, howl, bare its teeth, and often spin around in circles like the cartoon Taz. Devils will also display these behaviors when trying to join in as other devils are eating an animal carcass or fighting for a mate.

Tasmanian devils are nocturnal animals, spending their days alone in hollow logs, caves, or burrows, and emerging at night to feed. They use their excellent sense of smell and sight to avoid predators and locate prey and carrion. They are voracious eaters and will consume everything—including hair, organs, and bones.Like all marsupials, Tasmanian devil mothers give birth to very tiny young (about the size of a raisin). Once born, the babies crawl up the mother's fur and into her pouch.

Tragically, since the mid-1990s, a catastrophic disease has killed thousands of Tasmanian devils. Called devil facial tumor disease (DFTD), this fatal condition is a rare contagious cancer that causes lumps to form around the animal's mouth and head, making it hard for it to eat. Scientists are working hard to find a way to stop the spread of DFTD before it wipes the species out.

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Piranhas are South American fish with razor-sharp teeth and a reputation for feeding frenzies. In fact, piranha means "tooth fish" in the Brazilian language of the Tupi people. However, not all piranha species have a taste for blood; some are vegetarian.

Many different fish are called "piranha," but the number of species is a matter of debate, according to Piranha-Info. "New unidentified species, regional varieties and color forms are discovered, and new and/or updated research data … is published on a fairly regular basis," the website said. Based on current data, there are between 40 and 60 different species of piranha in 12 different scientific families. Two species, Pygocentrus and Serrasalmus, are popular as aquarium fish, according to Piranha-Info. The most commonly known species is Pygocentrus natterei, the red-bellied piranha.


Most piranhas don't get any bigger than 2 feet (60 centimeters) long. For example, the red-bellied piranha and the piraya piranha grow to about 20 inches (51 cm) long, while the black spot piranha grows to about 11 inches (28 cm), according to FishBase.All piranhas live in South America in rivers and lakes, and 20 different species are found in the Amazon River, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

Some piranhas have been found around the world, but these are thought to be pets that were released into waterways. In some U.S. states, it is illegal to transport, purchase, possess or sell piranhas; other states require permits, according to the Oregon Piranha Exotic Fish Exhibit (OPEFE). Most piranhas get a bad rap as terrifying predators that will tear to shreds any flesh that dares dip into its waters. This actually isn't true. Some piranhas are omnivorous and eat more seeds than meat, according to Smithsonian magazine. Some species are vegetarian. A species discovered in 2013, Tometes camunani, for example, lives on river weeds, according to Smithsonian. Others species eat shrimp, crustaceans, worms, carrion and other fish. Attacks on humans are very rare.

The red-bellied piranha is considered one of the more dangerous and aggressive species of piranha, according to the Animal Diversity Web. Generally, when red-bellied piranhas are feeding normally, the fish will spread out, and a scout will signal when a food source is found. When alerted, piranhas are very orderly. Some of the fish will take a bite and then move aside so another fish can take a bite. Just one red-bellied piranha can eat around 2.46 grams per day, or around one-eighth its body mass, according to the Smithsonian.

Wimpel piranhas (Catoprion mento) are very sneaky. They have been observed swimming very quickly toward a target and biting hard as they collide. They will nip bits of fins and scales from other fishes to survive, according to Seriously Fish.

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The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is a large crocodilian that lives in freshwater habitats in Africa. There it is present in 26 countries. The Nile crocodile is one of the most dangerous species of crocodile and is responsible for hundreds of human deaths every year. It is common and is not endangered, despite some regional declines or extirpations.The Nile crocodile is one of the largest crocodilian species. Females are noticeably smaller than males. Their bodies are streamlined, the tails are long and sturdy, and the hind feet are webbed. Nile crocodiles have long and powerful jaws, which perfectly fit catching and holding the prey.

Due to a special valve, found at the back of their throat, these crocodiles can move underwater with an open mouth, and grab and hold prey without ingesting water. Nile crocodiles are grey-olive in color and have yellowish bellies. Young individuals are identified by greenish or dark olive-brown coloration and black-colored cross-banding all over the body and tail. As they grow up, the banding on their bodies becomes fainter.Nile crocodiles are found across Sub-Saharan Africa. They most frequently occur in the central, eastern, and southern regions of Africa as well as Western Madagascar.

Nile crocodiles can live in a broad range of habitat types, including small brackish streams, fast-flowing rivers, swamps, dams, and tidal lakes and estuaries. In East Africa, they are found mostly in rivers, lakes, marshes, and dams, favoring open, broad bodies of water over smaller ones. They are often found in waters adjacent to various open habitats such as savanna or even semi-desert but can also acclimate to well-wooded swamps, extensively wooded riparian zones, waterways of other woodlands, and the perimeter of forests. In Madagascar, the remnant population of Nile crocodiles has adapted to living within caves. Although not a regular sea-going species, the Nile crocodile possesses salt glands like all true crocodiles and may occasionally enter coastal and even marine waters.

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Rhinos once roamed many places throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa and were known to early Europeans who depicted them in cave paintings. At the beginning of the 20th century, 500,000 rhinos roamed Africa and Asia. By 1970, rhino numbers dropped to 70,000, and today, around 27,000 rhinos remain in the wild. Very few rhinos survive outside national parks and reserves due to persistent poaching and habitat loss over many decades. Three species of rhino—black, Javan, and Sumatran—are critically endangered.

Today, a small population of Javan rhinos is found in only one national park on the northern tip of the Indonesian island of Java. A mainland subspecies of the Javan rhino was declared extinct in Vietnam in 2011. Successful conservation efforts have led to an increase in the number of greater one-horned (or Indian) rhinos, from around 200 at the turn of the 20th century to around 3,700 today. The greater one-horned rhino is one of Asia’s biggest success stories, with their status improving from endangered to vulnerable following significant population increases. However, the species still remains under threat from poaching for its horn and from habitat loss and degradation.

In Africa, southern white rhinos, once thought to be extinct, now thrive in protected sanctuaries and are classified as near threatened. But the western black rhino and northern white rhinos have recently become extinct in the wild. The only two remaining northern white rhino are kept under 24-hour guard in Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. Black rhinos have doubled in number over the past two decades from their low point of fewer than 2,500 individuals, but total numbers are still a fraction of the estimated 100,000 that existed in the early part of the 20th century.

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Weird ass bug, literally, a moth with a Y shaped tail

 

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What the hell is that?! lol

 

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Some very weird moth