I like animals
Quotes, interesting things, conservation related and endangered animals
I have too many tumblrs:
#~ My reptile facts tumblr
# My pets and related ramblings
# My taxidermy tumblr
# Everything else
# And some of my own photos
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have you ever been reading something and completely understood a line of foreshadowing and just whispered “shit”
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I tried to take photos of Syd while I was cleaning him out, but he was being camera shy. So here he is doing his best impression of a ball python...
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Leafy Sea Dragons
These stunning sea dragon pictures illuminate their mysterious beauty and extraordinary adaptations. The...
Crested Gecko (by macrojunkie)
(via thewildlifekingdom)
Angel shark (Squatina squatina)
Critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Found in the north-eastern Atlantic, Squatina squatina spends most of its time buried under mud or sand on the sea floor. Here it waits for its prey, usually other fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, and ambushes anything that comes too close. During the summer, those in the northern part of its range migrate northwards. At around 2.4 metres long, S. squatina is not a threat to humans, although it may bite if provoked.
S. squatina is often caught in nets as by-catch, particularly by trawl fisheries, as they live on the sea floor. This has caused a dramatic decline in numbers, and this species is now considered extinct in the North Sea.
This species, and all other Squatina, are protected around the Balearic Islands, as fishing for these species is banned. There are no other protective measures for S. squatina in the other parts of its range.
Hey guys, OT animals time because this one hits real close to home.
Bracken cave is home to the world’s largest gathering of bats. I’ve been there a few times, and seeing them flow out like a whispering black tornado is really something.
…and now they want to put a residential community directly below the flight path, and above the sensitive Edwards Aquifer recharge zone (aka, my water I drink). To top it off, they would be knocking down and building right on top of federally endangered golden cheeked warbler habitat.
In short, imagine the badguy of FernGully or something. Only with less sexy voice acting.
Summer and winter coats.
American Flamingo - Phoenicopterus ruber
Flamingos aren’t naturally pink! They get their coloration from beta carotene found in the blue-green algae they consume. The flamingos that consume blue-green algae directly are much pinker than flamingos that primarily consume the blue-green algae secondhand (via zooplankton/brine shrimp).
Flamingos are also unique in their method of eating - their bills are designed to scoop the bottom sediment and then filter out the mud and silt, leaving only the blue-green algae or the brine shrimp in their mouth. They shake their head back and forth under the water after scooping up the sediment. The big, fleshy tongue of the flamingo pushes water back and forth in the mouth and facilitates the filtering of all that mud. They also swallow their food while their head is upside-down! The meaty tongue used to be considered a delicacy among the Roman elite.
Images:
Nature Neighbors: Embracing Birds, Plants, and Minerals. Nathanial Moore Banta for the American Audubon Association, 1914.Osteologia Avium; or, A sketch of the osteology of birds. T.C. Eyton, 1867.
Just look at that tiny tiny little body. Oh, Flamingo. How do you hold your heavy head up on that skinny little neck? You look so unfeasible and I love you.
Love,
Emily
Oddly appropriate, got to dissect a flamingo head yesterday :D The structure of the tongue is amazing o.o
(via blackbackedjackal)
Markhor (Calpra Falconeri) -
There are three subspecies of Markhor, but they are quite hard to distinguish.
These goats live high in the mountains and grow long thick coats to deal with the cold. Their horns give them the nickname of screw-horned goat. The males horns can grow up to 65 inches, and the females about 10. They will eat a wide variety of available vegetation. It is thought by the locals of Pakistan that these goats are able to kill and eat snakes, producing a foamy cud that is valuable to the people.
Females live together higher in the mountains while males are more solitary and can venture to lower elevations in the summer.
This critically endangered goat are still declining due to over hunting, illegal hunting. Since they live at such high elevations and extreme environments, they are considered prize hunting trophies and in some areas require an expensive hunting license to kill. Captive breeding is making an effort to boost populations in their natural habitat.
South American coati - neusbeer by Berendje Photography1 on Flickr.
(via blackbackedjackal)
By request.
(via thewildlifekingdom)
