Cool Animals

[Ganoderma]

when i was looking into piranahs years back one fellow told me that some species (no idea which) can change from female to male. he explained that in a group there would be a dominent female which would then change sex into a male and begin reproduction. can anyone clarify this?

[Racoon]

Skunk :)

 

I will always remember riding with my grandparents on visits, over a few stretches of road near their home aptly named "Skunk Hollow".. either from run over skunks, or their defense mechanisms in action!

Skunks can make a real stink :)

 

Link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk

 

Skunks are moderately small mammals, usually with black-and-white fur, belonging to the family Mephitidae and the order Carnivora. There are 11 species of skunks, which are divided into four genera: Mephitis (hooded and striped skunks, two species), Spilogale (spotted skunks, two species), Mydaus (stink badgers, two species), and Conepatus (hog-nosed skunks, five species). The two skunk species in the Mydaus genus inhabit Indonesia and the Philippines; all other skunks inhabit the Americas from Canada to central South America.

 

The best-known, most distinctive, and often most notorious feature of the skunks is the great development of their anal scent glands, which they can use as a defensive weapon.

 

It is similar, though much more developed than the glands found in species of the Mustelidae family. They have two glands, on either side of the anus, that produce a mixture of sulfur-containing chemicals (methyl and butyl thiols) that has a highly offensive smell.

 

The odor of the fluid is strong enough to ward off bears and other potential attackers, and can be difficult to remove from clothing. Muscles located next to the scent glands allow them to spray with high accuracy as far as 2 to 3 metres (7 to 10 ft). The smell aside, the spray can cause irritation and even temporary blindness, and is sufficiently powerful to be detected by even an insensitive human nose anywhere up to a mile downwind. Their chemical defense, though unusual, is effective, as illustrated by this extract from Charles Darwin's The Voyage of the Beagle:

 

 

Skunks are reluctant to use their smelly weapon, as they carry just enough of the chemical for 5 to 6 uses—about 15 cc—and require some ten days to produce another supply. Their bold black and white colouring however serves to makes the skunk's appearance memorable. Where practical, it is to a skunk's advantage to simply warn a threatening creature off without expending scent: the black and white warning colour aside, threatened skunks will go through an elaborate routine of hisses and foot stamping and tail-high threat postures before resorting to the spray. Interestingly, skunks will not spray other skunks (with the exception of males in the mating season); though they fight over den space in autumn, they do so with tooth and claw.

 

They're cute, but I wouldn't wanna' get too close :D

[Michaelangelica]

Thank the gods we only have a few poisioous snakes and spiders -no skunks

pwew!:hihi:

[Racoon]

Manatee

I was always fascinated by these things... :lol:

 

Manatees (family Trichechidae, genus Trichechus) are large aquatic mammals sometimes known as sea cows. The name comes from the Spanish manatí, which itself comes from a Carib word meaning "breast."

 

The Manatee is from 8' to 14' long. The average weights for adult Manatees are approximately 800 to 1200 pounds. Large individuals have been known to weigh up to 3500 pounds. Females are normally larger than males are

 

Manatees inhabit the shallow, marshy coastal areas and rivers of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico (T. manatus, West Indian manatee), the Amazon basin (T. inunguis, Amazonian manatee), and West Africa (T. senegalensis, African manatee). They spend half of their day sleeping in the water, surfacing for air every 20 minutes for air

 

Manatees were commonly hunted for their meat by natives of the Caribbean, although this is much less common today.

 

Manatees are slow moving, non-aggressive, and generally curious creatures. They enjoy warmer waters and are known to congregate in shallow waters, and frequently migrate through brackish water estuaries to fresh water springs. Their slow moving, curious nature, coupled with dense coastal development, has led to a number of harmful interactions with boat propellers.

 

Manatees are herbivores and eat over 60 different plant species such as mangrove leaves, turtle grass, and types of algae, using their divided upper lip. An adult manatee will commonly eat up to 9% of its body weight

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manatee

[learnin to learn]

COW

they give us milk and they give us T-bone steak! you got to love the cow!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cow

[Michaelangelica]

Koalas with grunt

Spring in eastern and southern Australia is the time to listen out for the bizarre sounds of male koalas looking for love.

They may seem passive and sleepy, but come mating time, koalas morph into aggressive, smelly creatures that you'd never want to cuddle in a million years http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/october2006/

 

Koalas are not bears.

They spend all their lives eating poisionous gum leaves and sleeping (except the above of course)

[Mercedes Benzene]

How about an Okapi!

I bring this up because one was recently born at an Illinois zoo.

 

[Racoon]

How about an Okapi!

I bring this up because one was recently born at an Illinois zoo.

 

Okapis are interesting. Thats wonderful that one was born in the zoo because they are near extinction :friday:

 

They might look like a realtive to the zebra but actually okapis more closely related to the giraffe

 

But the most amazing thing is they only need 5 minutes of sleep! They can stay at peak alertness with only 5 minutes of sleep in a 24 hour period.

[Michaelangelica]

Manatee

I was always fascinated by these things... :friday:

 

Manatees

We call them "Dugongs"

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/info_services/publications/misc_pub/dugongs

Dugongs are more closely related to elephants than to marine mammals

. . .

Most of the world’s population of dugongs is now found in northern Australian waters between Shark Bay in Western Australia and Moreton Bay in Queensland.

Some say that this is where the mermaid myth came from as they appear to have breasts

Wonderful animals. Often found around the Great barrier Reef.

More here

http://www.deh.gov.au/coasts/species/dugongs/index.html

 

 

I would like to nominate the humble crab as a "Cool Animal"

I have been sitting at the end of a pier at my local lake contemplating my navel, and suddenly all sizes of crabs appeared.

Fascinating how they use their claws to feel then eat things. (seaweed meat from me) All their feet/claws seem to be sense organs.

They always seem to be touching and feeling things with them

Their claws hold them against the small waves that come in.

They are shy and easily frightened have eyes on stalks that seem to see everything.

I have taken to feeding them with old meat. They delicately pick at this with their claws and masticate it in a tiny mouth. They seem to like fat.

The bigger ones chase the smaller ones away although there is plenty of food for all so, like us, they must have a pecking order.

They are fascinating to watch

 

When they get really big I guess I can eat them Yum:)

michael

[Racoon]

Octopuses have to be one of the more fascinating inhabitants of Earth.

 

 

An expert in camouflage, octopus can change colour to mirror their surrounding

Many people believe Octopus are as smart as cats, they also have a good capacity for learning.

 

> Octopus are great escape artists; an adult Octopus can squeeze through a hole the size of a 10-cent coin.

> Octopus are part of the Mollusc family, more closely related to Pipis and Mussel than fish.

> Octopus are generally nocturnal.

 

 

http://marine.alaskapacific.edu/octopus/factsheet.html

The Blue Ringed Octopus is extremely poisonous.

 

http://www.didyouknow.cd/animals/octopus.htm

[Cedars]

Good Pic Racoon!

 

Heres a clip from this page (3rd article)

 

"In a classic demonstration, scientists put a crab ("their absolute favorite food") in a sealed mayonnaise jar and deposit it in the octopus tank. The animals eventually figure out how to unscrew the lid, providing evidence of their problem-solving ability. Furthermore, recent studies have shown octopuses can learn by observing, a skill once thought to be found only in vertebrate animals."

 

Seems those who keep octopus in aquariums have a problem keeping them in. A quote from a website forum on this issue:

 

"As for keeping the octo in, I just duct taped my tank and put a heavy paper weight on top."

 

I read an article a while back where an aquarium was loosing shellfish at night. They set up a camera and caught the thief, an octopus, who would leave his tank at night, crawl across the floor into the shellfish tank. After eating his fill he would crawl back to his own tank before morning. *If memory serves me right this occured in Seattle or Portland.

[Racoon]

Good Pic Racoon!

 

"In a classic demonstration, scientists put a crab ("their absolute favorite food") in a sealed mayonnaise jar and deposit it in the octopus tank. The animals eventually figure out how to unscrew the lid, providing evidence of their problem-solving ability. Furthermore, recent studies have shown octopuses can learn by observing, a skill once thought to be found only in vertebrate animals."

 

I read an article a while back where an aquarium was loosing shellfish at night. They set up a camera and caught the thief, an octopus, who would leave his tank at night, crawl across the floor into the shellfish tank. After eating his fill he would crawl back to his own tank before morning. *If memory serves me right this occured in Seattle or Portland.

 

Those guys are dastardly clever :D

 

Thanks for the compliment on the pics, but I just google search them for now.

I have a digital camera ordered on its way, so I will soon be able to take real pics. ( and of birds too :D )

[Racoon]

Capuchin Monkeys...

 

You may know of this species, becuz' it is the famous "Organ Grinder" monkey. :D

 

Capuchins are new world primates from the tropical forests of Central and South America.

 

The name is derived from the 'cap' on their head which resembles the cowl worn by Capuchin monks.

 

[LJP07]

The Walrus

 

Quite aggressive creatures that can easily pierce the body of a Polar Bear resulting in it's death due to the lack of food available at certian times of the year.

 

Other facts:

* They are not Seals but are very close relatives.

* Normally wiegh in-between 2500-3500 pounds.

* Excellent swimmers that can go as deep as ocean floors.

* It uses it's tusks for attack but also for grip on steep ice-slopes.

* A Walrus will eat and attack a Seal.

* When a Walrus sunbathes, it's skin turns red due to influx of blood.

* Male Walurs is a bull, Female is Cow and baby is a Calf.

[Racoon]

cool 30 sec. video of an octopus escaping through a small hole!

 

Octopus escaping through a 1 inch hole - Google Video http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4007016107763801953&hl=en

 

[Michaelangelica]

cool 30 sec. video of an octopus escaping through a small hole!

Sigh,. . . broadband one day. . .

 

Want to hear the grunting of a sexually active koala?:cup: :) :eek: :smart:

Koalas with grunt - October 2006 - Scribbly Gum - ABC Science Online

The grunts and bellows of amorous male koalas are so loud they can sometimes be heard several kilometres away. You're most likely to hear the sounds of their gruntings at sunrise and sunset.

 

audio koalas grunting Click to listen to 40 odd seconds of grunt (49secs - mp3)

Sounds a bit like my car:)

 

Just found this too

Holy seaweed! Batfish save reef :Clown: :umno:

camera See the batfish in action here.

News in Science - Holy seaweed! Batfish save reef - 19/12/2006

[LJP07]

As a side post for ants and the Cordyceps Fungus, one of the most fascinating Fungus as when it affects the ant it takes control of it's body then eventually kills it by coming out of it's head!

 

Here's a video from the famous Planet Earth series: Just click Play on the video:

 

Parasitic Cordyceps Fungi Attacks Ants