Dear students!
I actually thought that you would start posting yourselves about mammals but as far as noone has actually done it yet, I guess that may be you are experiencing troubles in creating a new post and thus am doing that myself at the moment.
So here is the post where you are to upload your stories about mammals. Everybody is most welcome to add pictures and videos to the post in order to make it more interesting. I am as well looking forward to others commenting on the stories of your coursemates:)
Hope to see your stories here as soon as possible and see you all tomorrow in flesh at our class.
Warmest regards,
Irina
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HIPPOPOTAMUS AMPHIBIUS
ReplyDeleteThe hippopotamus or hippo is a large, mostly plant-eating mammal in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The hippo is semi-aquatic - inhabiting rivers and lakes and can go on land also. During the day they remain cool by staying in the water
or mud. That is the reason why their eyes and ears are placed high on the roof of the scull. Hippos leave the water to graze and short grass. They spend 4-5 hours grazing and can consume 68 kg of grass each night.
Reproduction and childbirth also occur in water.
Their closest living relatives are cetaceans, from which they diverged about 55 million years ago. The hippopotamus is recognizable by its barrel-shaped torso, enormous mouth and teeth, nearly hairless body and stubby legs. It is the third-largest land mammal by weight (between 1,5 and 3,5 tons)
The hippopotamus is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and is often regarded as the most ferocious animal in Africa. There are an estimated 125000 to 150000 hippos throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, Zambia and Tanzania.
A male hippo is known as a bull, a female as a cow and a baby as a calf.
As indicated by the name, ancient Greeks considered the hippopotamus to be related to the horse. Other mammals in order Artiodactyla are camels, cows, deer, pigs, although hippos are not closely related to these groups.
Hippos measure 3,3 to 5,2 meters long.
A hippo's lifespan is typically 40 to 50 years. Donna the Hippo is the oldest living Hippo in captivity - 57 years.
Iris Heinsoo
European Hedgehog - Erinaceus europaeus
ReplyDeleteHedgehog is a spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. Hedgehogs are found in all parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and New Zealand. In all there are 17 species in five genera.
European Hedgehogs are usually 14-30 cm long, and weigh maximum 1 kg. On their back, there are about 3cm-long needle-like growths, that are very helpful when someone attacks. During the dangerous situation, hedgehogs roll into a tight ball and all the spines point outward for protection. But under extreme stress or during sickness spines can fall out. Hedgehogs’ stomach and face are covered with fur. They also have a tail, which is 1,5-3 cm long.
Hedgehogs have quite long lifespan for their size, as they may live up to 7 years. But the average life expectancy is only 3 years, because even though they have spines for self-defence, they still have enemies like owls, ferrets, foxes and wolves. Hedghogs give descendants once or twice in a year and gestation period lasts 35-58 days. Usually there are 4-6 blind and furless newborns in one litter. After 2 months youngsters start their independent life, but until then only female takes care of them.
They live in Eurasia, in mixed forests and greenwoods of temperate zone and even in gardens and parks. But as they have a nocturnal lifestyle, they are not often seen during the daytime. During the summer, they sleep under a cover of a bush or a grass on the ground. When it is winter, hedgehogs hibernate in a hole in the ground filled with moss, leaves and straws.
It is thought, that hedgehogs have insectivorous way of life, however they do not only eat insects, but also grass roots and berries. So being omnivores, they feed on insects, snails, frogs, bird eggs, mushrooms, melons etc. That is why hedgehogs are welcomed as a natural form of garden pest control, as they eat all the vermins.
Asti Kuuse
The horse (Equus ferus caballus) is a hoofed mammal. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today. Humans began to domesticate horses around 4000 BCE. Although most horses today are domesticated, there are still endangered populations of the Przewalski's Horse, the only remaining true wild horse.
ReplyDeleteTheir anatomy enables them to make use of speed to escape predators and they have a well-developed sense of balance and a strong fight-or-flight instinct. Related to this need to flee from predators in the wild is an unusual trait: horses are able to sleep both standing up and lying down. Mares, carry their young for approximately 11 months, and a foal, can stand and run shortly following birth. Most domesticated horses begin training under saddle or in harness between the ages of two and four. They reach full adult development by age five, and have an average lifespan of between 25 and 30 years.
Horse breeds are loosely divided into three categories based on general temperament: spirited "hot bloods" with speed and endurance; "cold bloods", suitable for slow, heavy work; and "warmbloods", crosses between hot and cold bloods, horses that are bred for specific riding purposes. There are over 300 breeds of horses in the world today, developed for many different uses.
Horses and humans interact in many ways, not only in a wide variety of sport competitions and non-competitive recreational pursuits, but also in working activities including police work, agriculture, entertainment, assisted learning and therapy. Horses were historically used in warfare. A wide variety of riding and driving techniques have been developed, using many different styles of equipment and methods of control. Many products are derived from horses, including meat, milk, hide, hair, bone, and pharmaceuticals extracted from the urine of pregnant mares. Humans provide domesticated horses with food, water and shelter, as well as attention from specialists such as veterinarians and farriers.
Maarja Ruusmann
I composed my text about bats using wikipedia, animal.discovery.com and batcon.org.
ReplyDeleteBat fossils have been found approximately 50 million years ago and suprisingly, the bats of that period resemble very close those we now today. They have played essential roles in the evolution of nature.
Human can be more closely related to bats than previously thought. Recent studies show that fruit bats and flying foxes can be descended from early primates.
Bats are such unique mammals that scientists have placed them in a group Chiroptera, which means hand-wing. Bats are the only mammal that can fly. They are found worldwide – aside from the poles and extreme deserts. There are about 1000 species of bat, which is about 20 percent of all mammal species. Most of them are small enough to fit inside a human’s hand. About 70 percent of bats are insectivores. Some species eat fruit using their tongues to sip nectar. Carnivorous bats eat lizards or frogs, fish-eating bats catch fish with their hooked claws. The infamous vampire bat uses its sharp teeth to pierce the skin of animals for the blood.
Most bats communicate and navigate with high-frequency sound. They can see everything but color. They search for food nightly using echolocation - giving out clicking sound through nose. The time it takes for the sound to return to the bats highly receptive ears reveals the size and location of the object.
In temperate regions, due to cold weather, they are forced to migrate or hibernate. They travel less than 300 miles to find a suitable cave, where they stay for up to six months, surviving on stored fat reserves. Information about how to find cave entrances is passed on from generation to generation. Some of them have found their way even when blinded. Although they are best known for living in caves, bats can be found in almost any shelter.
Bats mate in the fall just before entering hibernation. They sing, do wing displays and more to attract mates. Pregnant females move from hibernating sites to warmer shelters, where they form nursery colonies. Birth occurs about month or two later. The young learn to fly within three weeks. Vampire bats adopt orphans, unusual for any wild animal.
For the size, bats are the slowest reproducing mammals on earth. They are exceptionally long-lived, there is a record of a bat who survived in the wild for 41 years. A few survive for more than 34 years.
They range in size from Kitti’s Hog-nosed Bat measuring 29-33mm in length and 2g in mass, to the Giant Golden-crowned Flying-fox which has a wing span of 1.5m and weighs approximately 1.2kg.
Maari Aru
Zebras
ReplyDeleteZebras are big mammals, that live in Africa. There are three species of zebras and many subspecies for them. The three zebra species are Plain’s Zebra (Equus quagga), Grevy’s Zebra (Equus grevyi) and Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra).
Plain’s Zebras are most commons zebras. They are most widespread zebra species.
Grevy’s Zebra is taller than other zebra species. It also have larger ears and narrower stripes than other zebras. It lives wild in Kenya and Ethiopia. It is named after the late France president Jules Grévy.
Mountain zebra is the most threatened of zebra species. It has two subspecies: Cape Mountain Zebra and Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra. They lived in south-western Angola, Namibia and South Africa.
Zebras are known for their stripes and each species are their own ”stripe marks”. And each individuals has its own personal ”stripe style”.
Former it was believed, that zebras are white animals with black stripes. Today embryolocigal evidence shows, that zebras are black animals with white stripes and belly.
It suggests, that stripes serves as a individual identification., so that zebras can indentify each others by stripes. Stripes are also needed as a camouflage to keep predators away.
Zebras are grazers and they graze almost all the time. They eat mainly grass, but they can also eat herbs, shrubs, leaves, twigs and bark.
Zebra mares can get their first foal at three years old. Males can’t reproduce until five or six year old.
Mares get a foal every twelve months. A foal is with mother until he is one year old.
Human has tried to tame and train zebras for riding and carriage animals. Almost all attempts are failed, because zebras more unpredictable and tend to panic under stress than horses.
For that reason zebra crosses, zebroids, are preffered over the pure-bred zebras for these purposes.
Isa Sandström
Killer whale (Orcinus orca)
ReplyDeleteThe Killer Whale or Orca is the largest species of the dolphin family. It is found in all the world's oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to warm, tropical seas.
The killer whale is an apex predator. Some populations feed mostly on fish while others hunt sharks, marine mammals, including sea lions, seals, walruses and even large whales and white sharks. Killer whales are sometimes called the wolves of the sea, because they hunt in pods like packs of wolves.
There are up to five distinct killer whale types distinguished by geographical range, preferred prey items and physical appearance.
Killer whales are distinctively marked with a black back, white chest and sides, and a white patch above and behind the eye.
Calves are born with a yellowish or orange tint, which fades to white.
Males typically range from 6–8 m long and weigh in excess of 6 tons. Females are smaller, generally ranging from 5–7 m and weighing about 3 to 4 tons. The killer whale's large size and strength make it among the fastest marine mammals, often reaching speeds in excess of 65 km/h.
Females become mature at around 15 years of age. Mothers calve, with a single offspring, about once every five years. Newborn mortality is very high -one survey suggested that nearly half of all calves fail to reach one year old. Calves nurse for up to two years but will start to take solid food at about twelve months.
All resident killer whale pod members, including males of all ages, participate in the care of the young. The killer whales normally life span average is 40-50 years.
Like other dolphins, killer whales are highly vocal. They produce a variety of clicks and whistles used for communication and echolocation.
Heidi Halme
Dolphins.(As my favourite mammals)
ReplyDeleteDolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in seventeen genera. They vary in size from 1.2 m and 40 kg (Maui's Dolphin), up to 9.5 m and 10 tonnes (the Orca or Killer Whale). Dolphins live up to 40 years although the average is 25 years. They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves and even in some important rivers, and are carnivores, mostly eating fish and squid. The family Delphinidae is the largest in the Cetacean order, and relatively recent: dolphins evolved about ten million years ago, during the Miocene. Dolphins are among the most intelligent animals and their often friendly appearance and seemingly playful attitude have made them popular in human culture.
Dolphins live in all oceans of the planet and even in some important rivers.
The name is originally from Ancient Greek (delphís; "dolphin"), which was related to the Greek (delphys; "womb"). The animal's name can therefore be interpreted as meaning "a 'fish' with a womb". The name was transmitted via the Latin delphinus, Middle Latin dolfinus and the Old French daulphin, which reintroduced the ph into the word.
Dolphins have a streamlined fusiform body, adapted for fast swimming. The tail fin, called the fluke, is used for propulsion, while the pectoral fins together with the entire tail section provide directional control. The dorsal fin, in those species that have one, provides stability while swimming.Unlike most mammals, dolphins do not have hair, except for a few hairs around the tip of their rostrum which they lose shortly before or after birth. The only exception to this is the Boto river dolphin, which has persistent small hairs on the rostrum.
Reelika Kruuda
Lemurs are a special group of primates found only on Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. There are 99 species of lemurs. The term "lemur" is derived from the Latin word lemures meaning "spirits of the night" or "haunter". This likely refers to their large, reflective eyes and the wailing cries of some species.
ReplyDeleteThere are many kinds of lemurs, but most have long, pointy noses, which contribute to their excellent sense of smell. Each type of lemur looks very different. They vary color from reddish brown to gray. While their ancestors were displaced in the rest of the world by monkeys and apes, the lemurs were safe from competition on Madagascar and differentiated into a number of species. These range in size from the tiny 30 gram Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemur to the 10 kilogram Indri.
Lemurs use their sense of smell to communicate with each other. These primates have scent glands on their bottoms and on their feet that leave odors on surfaces they cross. When other lemurs pass by, they smell those odors and can tell that another lemur has been there. Most lemurs are arboreal, which means they spend most of their time in trees and bushes. Only the Ringtail lemur spends most of its time on the ground. Usually lemurs that are awake during the day live in groups. Besides using scent glands and tails to communicate, they also make noises.
Many, but not all, lemur species exhibit female dominance, which is a very rare social structure in mammals, and it is only observed consistently in hyenas and lemurs. In species where this occurs, adult males exhibit submissive behavior to adult females in social settings, such as feeding, grooming, and sleeping site priority. Most lemurs are listed as endangered or threatened species. Many species have become extinct in the last centuries, mainly due to habitat destruction (deforestation) and hunting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgaAJFMVrRM&feature=related
Kadri Kuusk
Koalas
ReplyDeleteThe word koala is an Aboriginal word meaning "no water". This refers to the koala's ability to obtain most of its moisture requirements from gum leaves.
Koalas’ similarities to a teddy bear often give them the name "koala bear", but there is no relation to the bear family. Koalas have soft thick fur often grey or brown in colour with a white belly, a large hairless nose, round ears and almost no tail.
Koalas spend most of their time asleep in a fork of a eucalyptus tree. At night they move about and eat, most of their activity takes place just after sunset. The koala is well suited to life in the trees. They have an excellent sense of balance, their body is lean and muscular, strong limbs support their weight when climbing.
Koalas only eat the leaves of certain types of eucalypt. Eucalyptus leaves have a very high fibre and low protein content. A full grown koala eats a bit more than one kilogram of leaves a day. They drink only when they are ill or when there is not enough moisture in the leaves. Koalas live in societies, just like humans, so they need to be able to come into contact with other koalas.
Baby koalas (aka joeys) weigh less than half a kilogram at birth and will remain in the pouch for the first six months, then spending a further six months riding around on their mothers’ back. After leaving the pouch, the koalas feed on a mixed diet of milk and leaves, they are not fully weaned until they are 12 months old. A fully grown koala measures from 64 to 76 cm and weighs around 7 to 14 kilograms.
Koalas use a range of sounds to communicate with one another over relatively large distances. They also communicate by marking their trees with their scent.
Koalas are found only in Ausralia - in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe platypus is the only living representative of its family (Ornithorhynchidae) and genus (Ornithorhynchus). It’s a very unique animal, as the platypus is one of the only five species of egg-laying mammals (the other four are different species of spiny anteaters). The word platypus comes from Greek - ’platys’ meaning ’broad’ and ’pous’ meaning ’foot’, referring to the animal's webbed foot.
ReplyDeleteThose animals are found only in eastern Australia and Tasmania, where they live on the edges of rivers and freshwater lakes where burrows can be dug. Platypuses are most active for several hours after dusk and before dawn, during the daytime they usually sleep in their burrows.
It is also a very funny looking animal with it’s large bill that resembles a duck's bill. It is actually an elongated snout covered with soft, moist, leathery skin and sensitive nerve endings. The body of the platypus is 30-45 cm long and covered with a thick, soft layer of fur.
The platypus usally feeds at night on aquatic insect larvae, shrimps and worms by dabbling in mud or silt on the bottom of rivers and freshwater lakes. The food is stored in the cheek pouches and will be chewed after returning to the surface. Platypuses can consume their own body weight in food in one day.
The male platypus has a sharp spur about 15 mm long on the inside of both hind leg ankles. This is connected to a venom gland which produces a very strong toxin. The spur can be used in defence against predators but also in aggressive encounters between males. The toxin is strong enough to kill a small dog.
Until the early 20th century platypuses were hunted for their fur, but are now protected throughout their range. Although captive breeding programs have had only limited success and the platypus is vulnerable to the effects of pollution, it is not under any immediate threat.
Ingrid Pärg
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
ReplyDeleteKoala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is an Australian arboreal marsupial herbivore. It is the only member of the family Phascolarctos.
Koala eats leaves from the eucalyptus tree. Eucalyptus is a poisonous tree and koala can eat only few species of it. It takes time to digest the eaten leaves and that’s why koala sleeps the most of the day.
Koala is a medium size marsupial and it has a thick grey or brown coat and it might include white. Albinos are rare but possible. Adult koala is about 70-80cm long and males can be half bigger than females. Koalas head is big compared to its body and it has also big nose and big hairy ears. Eyes are facing forward and the forehead is high. Koala has no tail and it doesn’t have patellas at all.
Koalas legs and hands are approximately same size and every limb has five toes. Frontpaws two toes are a bit separate than the others so when koala crabs the branch the two toes are on the different side than the other three toes. That kind of grip is very good when climbing trees.
Koalas vision is week but the hearing and sense of smell is very developed. Koalas digestive system is highly developed and complicated, because it has to process the poisons of eucalyptus trees.
Female koala has a pouch where it carries the baby.
Koala is mainly nocturnal animal and it spends 20 hours a day sleeping and resting. It finds a suitable branch where it can rest comfortably.
Koalas number is not known very well but scientists estimate that the number of koalas has come down 50-90% after the European colonists arrived. Earlier Australian aboriginal people used koalas as their nutrition. Europeans started to hunt koalas for their fur and from the end of 1900-century to the beginning of the 2000 century about 3000 000 furs went to sale. South-Australian koalas extinguished and Victorian population was very near to be extinguished.
Martta Viljanen
Siberian Tiger
ReplyDeleteSiberian tigers are the world´s largest cats. They are endangered. The Siberian tiger is also known as the Amur Tiger. The name Siberian Tiger doesn´t mean that they live in Siberia. They live mostly in eastern Russia´s forests, but a few are found in China and North Korea. Around 300-400 tigers are left in wild and 490 are in the zoos.
The Amur tiger is the largest and heaviest subspecies of tiger. Length of adult male is about 3,3 meters. Weight is nearly 300 kilogram.
Siberian tigers have striped coat. Their colours are yellowish red and black with a white belly. There is a white ruff around the neck. They are paler than others tigers. White Siberian tigers are rare.
Amur tiger is a carnivore. They need 20 pounds of meat for they daily diet. A adult tiger can eat even 200 pounds of meat in a day. They eat deer, elk and wild pigs. They usually hunt at night and alone. Tigers must be close to their prey before they attack. They can reach speeds of about 49-65 kilometres per hour, but they can only do so in short time.
The Siberian tiger occupies a very large territory. Male tigers prefer to live solitary and territory is up to 40 km by 40 km . Females live in families and take care of their cubs.
Siberian tigers avoid humans, but always are exceptions.
Maarja Arras
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
ReplyDeleteBlue whale is the largest mammal and it belongs to the family Balaenopteridae and to genus Balaenoptera. It is a marine mammal that can grow to be up to 32.9 m long and weigh 172 metric tons and is so the largest animal that is known to ever have existed. Blue whales live in North East Pasific, Antarctic, and Indian Ocean groups plus at least two populations in both North Atlantic and Southern Hemisphere.
Blue whale can reach speeds of 50 kilometers per hour over short burst but typically they travel at speed of 20 kilometers per hour. They travel and live mostly alone but can form packs for short periods of time if they are feeding in a particularly prosperous area. Some whales also travel as pairs but not much is known about that.
Measuring a blue whale is so difficult that there are not many accurate recordings of their size. Usually the hunted and killed whales were cut to pieces or drained of their bodily fluids and intestines before they were lifted to the ship so not a lot of accurate data is available. The whalers of the first half of the twentieth century also didn’t have very good measuring equipment so that the results could be scientifically accurate.
Despite its massive size blue whale can not swallow an object that is wider than the size of a beach ball. Therefore blue whales diet consists of only of the smallest of sea creatures; the krills. The krills are a species of zooplankton and one adult blue whale eats them up to 40 million specimen in a day. That can add up to 3600 kilograms in a day and the whales can feed in depths of more than 100 meters below the surface . They are also able to dive for more than 20 minutes.
Not much is known about how blue whales mate and breed. Females usually give birth once every two or three years and the calf weighs about 2,5 metric tons and is about 7 meters long. It is estimated that blue whale can live at least 80 years and their only natural enemy besides humans are the killer whales.
Blue whales were hunted until they nearly became extinct during the first half of the twentieth century but their hunting was banned in the 1960s. More than 350000 whales were killed during the hunting period and the largest population of more than 330000 whales in antarctic has been reduced to 0.15% of their initial numbers. It is estimated that there are between 5000 and 12000 whales left in the world.
Satu Pulkkinen
Ilves - Lynx (Lynx lynx)
ReplyDeleteThe lynx is a private cat that haunts the isolated northern forests of North America, Europe and Asia. Lynx are covered with beautiful thick fur that keeps them warm during frosty winters. Their large paws are olso furry and functiones as natural snowshoes. These silent cats avoid humans and hunt at night, so they are rarely seen.
There are several types of lynx. Few survive in Europe but those that do, like their Asian relatives, are typically larger than their North American counterpart, the Canada lynx.
Are lynx are skilled hunters and they have extremely good hearing thanks to their characteristic tufts of black hair on the tip of their ears. They also have so strong eyesight that a lynx can spot a mouse 75 meters away.
They feed on wide range of animals from different deer species to snowshoe hares and fish.
Lynx inhabit the high altitude bushy forests. Although the cats hunt on the ground, they can climb trees and can swim quickly, catching fish.
Mating takes place in the late winter and they give birth to two or six kittens once a year.
Humans sometimes hunt lynx for their beautiful fur.
Lynx is consideres a national animal in the Republic of Macedonia and is displayed on the reverse of the Macedonia 5 denar coin.
Triinu Tereping
Polar bear
ReplyDeleteThe polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a bear native largely within the Arctic circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest carnivore species found on land. It is also the largest bear, together with the omnivoreKodiak bear which is approximately the same size. An adult male weighs around 350–680 kg (770–1,500 lb), while an adult female is about half that size. Although it is closely related to the brown bear, it has evolved to occupy a narrow ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice, and open water, and for hunting the seals which make up most of its diet. Although most polar bears are born on land, it spends most of its time at sea, hence its name meaning "maritime bear", and can hunt consistently only from sea ice, spending much of the year on the frozen sea.
The polar bear is classified as a vulnerable species, with 5 of the 19 polar bear subpopulations in decline. For decades, unrestricted hunting raised international concern for the future of the species; populations have rebounded after controls and quotas began to take effect. For thousands of years, the polar bear has been a key figure in the material, spiritual, and cultural life of Arctic indigenous peoples, and the hunting of polar bears remains important in their cultures.
The polar bear is often regarded as a marine mammal because it spends many months of the year at sea. Its preferred habitat is the annual sea icecovering the waters over the continental shelf and the Arctic inter-island archipelagos. These areas, known as the "Arctic ring of life", have high biological productivity in comparison to the deep waters of the high Arctic. The polar bear tends to frequent areas where sea ice meets water, such as polynyas and leads (temporary stretches of open water in Arctic ice), to hunt the seals that make up most of its diet. Polar bears are therefore found primarily along the perimeter of the polar ice pack, rather than in the Polar Basin close to the North Pole where the density of seals is low.
Kristin Tõnise
ALCES ALCES - MOOSE/ELK.
ReplyDeleteMoose is a large and wide spread mammal. On average, an adult moose stands 1.8–2.1 m high at the shoulder. Males weigh 380–720 kg and females weigh 270–360 kg. The animal bearing name Alces alces is known in Europe as elk and in North America as moose. The name elk is connected with several earlier European variants—Latin: alces, Old Norse: elgr, Scandinavian: elg, and German: Elch—all of which refer to this animal.
Moose typically inhabit boreal and mixed deciduous forests of the Northern Hemisphere in temperate to subarctic climates. In Europe, moose are found in large numbers throughout Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Finland and the Baltic States. They are also widespread through Russia. Small populations remain in Poland (Biebrza Nat. Park), Belarus and the Czech Republic. In North America, the moose range includes almost all of Canada, most of central and western Alaska, much of New England and upstate New York, the upper Rocky Mountains, Northeastern Minnesota, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Isle Royale in Lake Superior. Moose have also been introduced to other countries.
The male's antlers grow as cylindrical beams projecting on each side of the head at right angles to the midline of the skull, and then fork. The lower prong of this fork may be either simple, or divided into two or three tines, with some flattening. The male will drop its antlers after the mating season and conserve energy for the winter. A new set of antlers will then regrow in the spring. Antlers take three to five months to fully develop, making them one of the fastest growing animal organs. They initially have a layer of skin called felt which is shed once the antlers become fully grown. Immature bulls may not shed their antlers for the winter, but retain them until the following spring.
Moose are mostly diurnal. They are generally solitary with the strongest bonds between mother and calf. Two individuals can sometimes be found feeding along the same stream. The males are polygamous and will seek several females to breed with. Mating occurs in September and October. During this times both sexes will call to each other. Males produce heavy grunting sounds that can be heard from up to 500 meters away while females produce wail-like sounds. Female moose have an eight-month gestation period. Most litters consist of a single calf; however, twins are not uncommon and triplets are known to occur. Newborn moose have fur with a reddish hue in contrast to the brown appearance of an adult. The young will stay with the mother until just before the next young are born.
A full-grown moose has few enemies, but a pack of wolves can still pose a threat, especially to females with calves. Siberian Tigers and Brown Bear are also known to prey on juvenile moose, although bears are more likely to take over a wolf kill than to hunt moose on their own. American Black Bears and Cougars can be significant predators of moose calves in May and June.
A moose's body structure, with a large heavy body suspended on long spindly legs, makes these animals particularly dangerous when hit by motor vehicles. Such collisions are often fatal for both the moose and motorist. Generally, upon impact the bumper of the car will break the moose's legs. The main body of the moose will then collide with the windscreen, often with disastrous effect to both motorist and animal. In a collision of this nature, a car's airbags may not deploy or be of much use if they do. These risks led to the development of a vehicle test referred to as the "moose test" (Swedish: Älgtest, German: Elchtest). Moose warning signs are used on roads in regions where there is a danger of collision with the animal. The triangular warning signs common in Sweden, Norway and Finland have become coveted souvenirs among the many German tourists traveling in these countries, and authorities have had to issue warnings that it is dangerous and criminal to remove these signs.
My story is about dogs, chihuahuas - one of my favourite breeds. I have used some of the materials I have gathered for my home page(http://www.sweetchihua.com ) and added a bit.
ReplyDeleteChihuahuas are very old breed, and their history still keeps many secrets. Ancient Mexican tribes – Incs, Maya, and Aztec, were living together with small dogs. But then, this breed was known as TECHINI. Small dogs were a luxury, and keeping them was a prerogative of wealthy indians. They were treated like saint animals, slaves served them, and, after some sources, those dogs were fed with a human flesh. After serving their master for a life time, dogs get burned and buried together with him. It was a believe, that since that moment, dog leaded a master soul through the darkness, to the sky, and there was also a believe, that chihuahuas were able to heal those who were sick, by taking a disease from one person to another. There’s an opinion, that chihuahuas were living in mountains, together with people from wild tribes, those who climbed trees, and moved only when it was dark.
There are different opinions about who actually created the chuhuahua breed – were they ancient Indians, Egyptians, or Chinese. There’s a theory, that with help of people from Mediterranian , breed reached Malta. And there are some common things found with chihuahuas and with mexican hairless dogs of those times. Drawings of chihuahuas, which were created aproximately between 500 and 2000 year before the birth of Christ, were found in ancient Mexican caves.
But at the same time, those chihuahua drawings remind of some other breeds, and thats why history of chihuahua will always be a secret. In the beginning of a XVI century, Hernando Cortez destroyed a culture of Aztek, but some on them survived, and so did their dogs, and in 1850 y., Americans found tiny little dogs in a Mexican village named Chihuahua, and thats why there’s a believe, that chihuahuas are coming from Aztek saint dogs.
But also, an about 3000 y.o. mummy of a dog was found on Malta, and it reminds a lot of chihuahua. It seems like those tiny dogs were living also on Malta, and there was found a very old drawing of a man, who holds 2 chihuahua alike dogs on his hands. In the beginning those dogs were named „Malta terrier“. According to this theory, chihuahuas have European origin, and they were brought to Mexico by Spanish. For this theory speaks a Botticelli fresco of Moses, which comes from a year 1482, and clearly shows a chihuahua, and it was about 10 years before Columbus trip to the new world.
Chihuahuas are known as courageous, agile, initiative, and active dogs. They are very true to their master, and they show their love with lots of kisses (if possible, to master’s mouth) .They like to stay at home, but are always ready to keep master a company during his walks, visiting friends, and even in the office. Chihuahuas are often being compared to the little warriors, which have a great soul hidden in a tiny little body. Often chihuahua masters get tired of a walk before their little dogs.
Chihuahuas love to be in the centre of attention, whenever they happen to be.
Usually they are welcome in every company. Sometimes they appear to be too true to their master, and may show some jelousy. Chihuahuas are very good guards, and protectors of master’s property, and they welcome strangers with a loud barking.
According to the breed standard, chihuahuas should weigh 1.5-3 kg. There are separated long coat chihuahuas and smooth coat chihuahuas. All kind of colours are accepted, except merle colour. It is because this colour has been inherited from parents, but brought into chihuahuas from another breeds. As merle colour seems very rare for peole, some has used it to earn more money. Unfortunetly it has caused really many health problems to the puppies and recently using merle coloured dogs in breeding has been prohibited by Federation Cynologique Internationale.
I introduce another dog breed - Boxer.
ReplyDeleteThe Boxer was developed in Germany in the late 1800s from the now extinct Bullenbeiser (German mastiff type dog).
They were historically used for dog fighting, but then developed into loyal, hard-working dogs that were used as
protectors, hunters, and even couriers (during World War I, the Boxer was co-opted for military work, acting
as a valuable messenger dog, pack-carrier).
The name "Boxer" is supposedly derieved from the breed's tendency to play by standing on its hind legs
and "boxing" with its front paws. My Boxer is "boxing" also with its nose.
The Boxer is a short-haired breed, with a shiny, smooth coat that lies tight to the body. The Boxers coat colors
are fawn (yellow) and brindle (tiger), sometimes with a white stomach and feet (but when they have too much
white color then they are not allowed to get descendants). They also have black mask.
Adult female Boxers are between 53 and 59 cm; adult males are between 57 and 63 cm.
Boxers are friendly, even-tempered and they have forcegul elegance - perfect combination. Real Boxers are not
aggressive or cowardly. Real Boxer is fearless, energetic, self-confident and sturdy. Boxers have really
unconventional facial expression - they can show their emotions.
"Boxer is not a dog anymore and is not a human yet."
("Bokser ei ole enam koer ja ei ole veel päris inimene)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjN0w3i8evc - how Boxers fight
Some pictures of my friend:
http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs23/f/2007/348/a/0/friends__by_ParisDiamondEeva.jpg
and
http://fc09.deviantart.com/fs50/i/2009/301/e/e/Bairon_by_ParisDiamondEeva.jpg
Eeva-Maarja Raamat
(eevamaarja.raamat@gmail.com)
I prepared a short story about alpacas (Vicugna pacos).
ReplyDeleteAlpacas are domesticated speacies of South American camelid. They were domesticated as a fiber producing animals but by know they are also for breeding stock, pets, light pack animals, therapy and investments.
They live about 18-20 years and their avarage height is 3 feet at the shoulder and 4,5 feet at the head. Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas.
Females are first bred at 14-28 months of age. Alpacas are included ovulators and can be bred at any time of the year. Alpacas gestination is 11 months long.
Their fiber colours range from true non fading black to brilliant white with roans, pintos, browns, reds and etc. Alpacas fiber is used for making knitted and woven items.
Alpacas are ruminants with three compartment stomachs. They chew their cud like sheep and cattle. They can be raised in almost any climate.
Alpacas are very gentle and curious. They are social animals and can be pleasantly dependent on humans. They are easy to train and intelligent. Alpacas are very hardy, healthy, and easy to care for.
I saw alpaca this autumn in one exhibition where i were with horses, and the alpaca was interested in our horses and he was extremely funny and curious. The owner of this alpaca said that in Estonia are quite few alpacas, cause they are expencive. And also they can spit if they don't like something. Owner said that when they brought them (alpaca and his friend donkey) to this exhibition then alpaca fell in trailer and donkey was standing on him so he couldn't stand up. Alpaca had spitted all the way there so the trailer was quite snotty. That was my first meeting with alpacas
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Camelidae
Genus: Vicugna
Species: V. pacos
Amur(or Siberian) tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)
ReplyDeleteThese tigers live in the Russian Far East in the Amur-Ussuri region of Primorski and Khabarovski Krais although a few are found across the border in northern China and Korea.
The Amur tiger is the largest and heaviest living cat in the world(weight up to 800 lbs and length up to 10 feet). Because of the cold clime Amur tigers has longer fur which is lighter in colour than other tigers.
Amur tigers pray Wild Boar, Roe Deer, Red Deer, Moose, dogs ad cattle. They also take smaller pray like rabbits and fish, including salmon. Tigers may prey on both Brown and Black Bears when ungulate populations decrease.
The Amur tiger has had a difficult time over the past hundred years with a low of less than 50 individuals in the middle of the twentieth century. It gained protection and numbers increased until the present day when numbers may be up to 400 adult individuals. Dangers: 1) local hunters 2) illegal poaching 3) traditional Chinese Medicine 4) loss of habit
Scientific classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Species: Panthera tigris
Subspecies: Panthera tigris altaica
I will introduce you one more dog breed-dachshund.
ReplyDeleteThe dachshund is a short-legged and elongated dog breed. Because of they are long and narrow build, they are sometimes nicknamed hot dog dog, wiener dog or sausage dog.
The typical dachshund is long-bodied and muscular, with short and stubby legs. Its paws are unusually large and paddle-shaped, for efficient digging. It has skin that is loose enough not to tear while tunnelling in tight burrows to chase prey. The dachshund has a deep chest to allow enough lung capacity to keep going when hunting. Its snout is long with an increased nose area that absorbs odours.
There are three types of dachshunds and they are classified with their coats; short-haired, long-haired and wire-haired. Dachshunds also come in three different sizes: standard, miniature, and rabbit.
Dachshunds are very stubborn, wich makes them a challenge or almost impossible to train. I really know becouse I own one short-haired standard size dachshund. =) He´s now six years old and he can do a lot of things if he want´s to and when he want´s to!
In the end I give you one dachshunds owner, E. B. White, commend abaut them. Here is the reason why I love and sometimes hate dachshunds and that´s also the reason why I will always want to have at least one of them!
"Being the owner of dachshunds, to me a book on dog discipline becomes a volume of inspired humor. Every sentence is a riot. Some day, if I ever get a chance, I shall write a book, or warning, on the character and temperament of the dachshund and why he can't be trained and shouldn't be. I would rather train a striped zebra to balance an Indian club than induce a dachshund to heed my slightest command. When I address Fred I never have to raise either my voice or my hopes. He even disobeys me when I instruct him in something he wants to do."
Elephants
ReplyDeleteElephants are large mammals, the largest land animals now living. There are African Elephants and Asian(Indian) Elephants. The elephant's gestation period is 22 months, the longest of any land animal. At birth it is common for an elephant calf to weigh 120 kilograms. They typically live for 50 to 70 years, but the oldest recorded elephant lived for 82 years.
African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)
African elephants are bigger than Asian Elephants. Males stand 3.64 meters tall at the shoulder and weigh 5,455 kg, while females stand 3 meters and weigh 3,636 kg to 4,545 kg. However, males can get as big as 6,800 kg.
There are visible tusks in both sexes, although in some areas a certain percentage of elephants is tuskless. The animals' trunks, unique among living mammals, are versatile, enabling elephants to manipulate tiny objects or tear down huge tree limbs. Wide, padded feet enable them to walk quietly. Large, flappable ears help these huge animals to cool off, although elephants often must retreat to the shade or water during the hottest part of the day.
Females, subadults and youngsters live in cohesive herds. The matriarch, usually the oldest and largest female, sets the pace of the group's activities. Males leave herds at puberty and travel alone or in bachelor groups. Elephants travel widely in search of food. Movements vary depending upon food availability. African elephants communicate with varied, low-frequency sounds which may travel over long distances.
African elephants can also be seen in Tallinn Zoo.
Triin Visamaa
I see there are dog lovers among us)))Since i'm one too,i want to introduce you to a dog breed called American Akita(aka The Great Japanese dog)
ReplyDeleteThe American Akita,often also called simply Akita,is a dog breed from the mountainous northern regions of Japan.American Akita is considered to be a separate breed from Akita-inu(Japanese akita) in many countries around the world.However,in USA and Canada they are seen as a single breed with differences in type(the differences are that american akitas are heavy-bodied dogs,often with loose skin under their neck,meanwhile japanese akitas have a more refined look,tighter skin,and,proportionately,more length of leg.)
As a northern breed,the appearance of the Akita reflects cold weather adaptions essential to their original function.Characteristic physical traits include a large,bear-like head with erect,triangular ears set at a slight angle following the arch of the neck.The eyes of the Akita are small,dark,deeply set and triangular in shape.Akitas have thick double coats, and tight,well knuckled cat feet.Mature males measure typically 26-28 inches at the withers(66-71cm)and weigh between 45-59 kg.Females typically measure 24-26 inches (61-66 cm) and weigh 32-45 kg.
Japanese history describe the ancestors of Akita the Matagi dog,as one of the oldest and native dogs.The Akita of today developed primarily from these dogs in the northernmost region of the island of Honshū in the Akita prefecture,thus providing the breed's name.The Matagis tracked large game and held it at bay until the hunters arrived to make the kill.A popular "sport" in Japan during the early 1900's was competitive dog fighting.In order to develop a fighting dog for the burgeoning dog fighting industries in Odate,today's Akita is also influenced by crosses with larger breeds from Asia and Europe,including the Tosa Inu.
The Akita today is a unique combination of dignity,courage,alertness and devotion to its family.It's ver loyal and affectionate with family and friends,territorial about its property and reserved with strangers.It's feline in actions.For example,it is not unusual for Akita to clean its face after eating or to be fastidious in the house.Akita is not a breed for anyone because of its size,power and unique personality.It is a very independent dog that can be challenging in obedience activities.The Akita thrives on love and respect of its master.Akitas are not bred to live and work in groups like many hound and sporting breeds.They prefer to work alone or in pairs.They also tend to take a socially dominant role with other dogs and are tend to be less tolerant of dogs of the same sex.
All in all,Akitas are intelligent,fearless,docile,loyal and affectionate dogs,who need a firm and confident pack-leader,without which they may become willfull and agressive to other dogs and animals.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3210/3132567064_cf2766f504.jpg
http://www.finigan.pl/images/finigan_astart1.jpeg
Btw,i'm a lucky owner myself))
The Dingo (Canis lupus dingo)
ReplyDeleteThe Dingo is a domestic dog which has reverted to a wild state for thousands of years and today lives largely independent from humans in the majority of its distribution.
The dingo is considered as an apex predator in Australia and is, together with other domestic dogs, the biggest terrestrial predator there. As such they are considered to play an important role in the various ecosystems of the continent.
Due to its habit of attacking livestock and the vulnerability of sheep, dingoes and other wild dogs are seen as a pest by the sheep industry and the resulting control methods normally run counter with efforts of conserving the dingo.
Dingoes have a relatively broad head, a pointed muzzle, and erect ears. Compared to other similarly sized domestic dogs, dingoes have longer muzzles, larger carnassials, longer canine teeth, and a flatter skull with larger nuchal lines. The legs are about half the length of the body. The fur of adult dingoes is short, bushy on the tail. Color is mostly sandy to reddish brown. It is often wrongly asserted that dingoes do not bark. Compared to most other domestic dogs, the bark of a dingo is short and monosyllabic. Dingoes are very often nocturnal in warmer regions, but more active during the day in cooler areas. Their main time of activity is around dusk and dawn. In general, dingoes are shy towards humans.
Dingoes often kill by biting the throat and adjust their hunting strategies to suit circumstances. For bigger prey, due to their strength and potential danger, two or more individuals are needed. Dingoes breed once annually, depending on the estrus-cycle of the females who, according to most sources, only come in heat once per year. Dingo bitches can come in heat twice per year, but can only be pregnant once a year, with the second time only seeming to be pregnant.
Dingos are very interesting animals. They are similar to dogs, but there are a lot of things that are different. I could have written more, because there were so much information, but then the text would have been very long.
Gerli Luhtaru
Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis)
ReplyDeleteThe Aye-aye is, in my opinion, one of the most odd-looking and at the same time fascinating creatures on the face of the earth. I composed this text of the mammal using mainly wikipedia.
The Aye-aye is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth with a long, thin middle finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker. It is the world's largest nocturnal primate, and is characterized by its unusual method of finding food; it taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes in the wood and inserts its elongated middle finger to pull the grubs out. It is not certain to this day how the animal has got it’s name - there are a couple of speculationsm, but so far none have been proven to be correct.
The adult Aye-aye has black or dark brown fur covered by white guard hairs at the neck. The tail is bushy and shaped like that of a squirrel. The Aye-aye's face is also rodent-like, the shape of a raccoon's, and has bright, beady, luminous eyes. Its incisors are very large, and grow continuously throughout its lifespan. These features contrast its monkey-like body, and are the likely cause of why scientists originally deemed it to be a rodent. The Aye-aye's hands are arguably its most unusual feature. Much like other primates, it possesses opposable thumbs, but both the hallux and the fingers are long and slender, and appear to be in a curved position. The middle finger can be up to three times longer than the others.
The Aye-Aye sleeps during daytime and is active at night. The Aye-aye commonly eats nuts, and also grubs, fruits, nectar, seeds, and fungi, classifying it as an omnivore. Though foraging is mostly solitary, it will occasionally forage in groups. Individual movements within the group are coordinated using both sound and scent signals.
The Aye-aye is an endangered species not only because its habitat is being destroyed, but also due to native superstition. The Aye-aye is often viewed as a harbinger of evil and killed on sight. Others believe that should one point its long middle finger at you, you were condemned to death. Some say the appearance of an Aye-aye in a village predicts the death of a villager, and the only way to prevent this is to kill the Aye-aye. The Sakalava people go so far as to claim Aye-ayes sneak into houses through the thatched roofs and murder the sleeping occupants by using their middle finger to puncture the victim's aorta.
My summary seems to be a bit longish, hopefully it won't be a problem.
Martin Karindi
FENNEC FOXES (Vulpes zerda)
ReplyDeleteThe Fennec Fox is a small nocturnal fox found in the Sahara of North Africa.
Its name comes from the Arabic word fenek, which means fox, and the species name zerda comes from the Greek word xeros which means dry, referring to the fox's habitat.
The Fennec is the smallest species of canid in the world; coat, ears and kidney functions have adapted to a high-temperature, low-water, desert environment.
The coat is often a cream color and fluffy, which deflects heat during the day and keeps the fox warm at night
Its most distinctive feature is unusually large ears.
In addition, its hearing is sensitive enough to hear prey moving underground.
The life span of a Fennec Fox has been recorded as up to 12 years in captivity but only up to ten in the wild.
The Fennec Fox's main predators are Caracals and the various African varieties of Eagle Owl.
Families of Fennecs dig out dens in sand for habitation and protection, which can be as large as 120 m2 (1,292 sq ft) and adjoin the dens of other families.
The Fennec Fox is a nocturnal omnivore. Food sources include rodents, insects, birds and eggs.
An individual can jump up to 2 ft (61 cm) high and 4 ft (120 cm) forward, which helps it catch prey and escape predators.
Fennec Foxes are social animals that mate for life, with each pair or family controlling their own territory.
In the wild, mating usually occurs between January and February for litters to be born between March and April.
The typical litter is between one and four kits.
The Fennec Fox is classified as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List.
The Fennec's fur is prized by the indigenous peoples of North Africa, and in some parts of the world, the animal is considered an exotic pet.
The Fennec Fox is the national animal of Algeria.
It also serves as the nickname for the Algeria national football team: "Les Fennecs".
Elina Sergunina, VM
FENNEC FOXES (Vulpes zerda)
ReplyDeleteThe Fennec Fox is a small nocturnal fox found in the Sahara of North Africa.
Its name comes from the Arabic word fenek, which means fox, and the species name zerda comes from the Greek word xeros which means dry, referring to the fox's habitat.
The Fennec is the smallest species of canid in the world; coat, ears and kidney functions have adapted to a high-temperature, low-water, desert environment.
The coat is often a cream color and fluffy, which deflects heat during the day and keeps the fox warm at night
Its most distinctive feature is unusually large ears.
In addition, its hearing is sensitive enough to hear prey moving underground.
The life span of a Fennec Fox has been recorded as up to 12 years in captivity but only up to ten in the wild.
The Fennec Fox's main predators are Caracals and the various African varieties of Eagle Owl.
Families of Fennecs dig out dens in sand for habitation and protection, which can be as large as 120 m2 (1,292 sq ft) and adjoin the dens of other families.
The Fennec Fox is a nocturnal omnivore. Food sources include rodents, insects, birds and eggs.
An individual can jump up to 2 ft (61 cm) high and 4 ft (120 cm) forward, which helps it catch prey and escape predators.
Fennec Foxes are social animals that mate for life, with each pair or family controlling their own territory.
In the wild, mating usually occurs between January and February for litters to be born between March and April.
The typical litter is between one and four kits.
The Fennec Fox is classified as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List.
The Fennec's fur is prized by the indigenous peoples of North Africa, and in some parts of the world, the animal is considered an exotic pet.
The Fennec Fox is the national animal of Algeria.
It also serves as the nickname for the Algeria national football team: "Les Fennecs".
Elina Sergunina, VM
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ReplyDeleteRecruitment Technology has for a long time fallen behind the developments in other professional industries such as accounting, legal, insurance etc. with a number of excellent technology tools and software products being developed in these areas. Recently though their has been a surge of development within recruitment technology with some truly fantastic products being developed to take us out of the dark ages of recruitment methodologies. But if recruiters don't embrace this development we will hinder our progress into the future. อนิเมะ
ReplyDelete