Pangolin Facts

Pangolins are strange Ant -Eating mammals.The name pangolin derives from the Malay word pengguling something that rolls. Pangolins are nocturnal and use their highly developed sense of smell to find insects. The long-tailed pangolin is also active during the day. Pangolins spend most of those who sleep during the day, curled up into a ball. 
Pangolins lack teeth and the ability to chew. Pangolins have glands in the chest to lubricate the tongue with sticky saliva, the ant-catching. Their bodies are covered in overlapping scales that protect them from other animals and the stinging bites of ants. Pangolins are hunted and eaten in many parts of Africa and is one of the most popular types of bushmeat. 
Pangolins are also in great demand in China because their meat is a delicacy and some Chinese believe pangolin scales reduce swelling, improve circulation and use as medication.

Cuckoos Facts

The cuckoos are a family, Cuculidae, of near passerine birds. The cuckoos are generally medium sized slender birds. Cuckoos don't bother making their own nests. Instead, they lay their eggs in other bird's nests. This way cuckoos do not have all the hard work of looking after their own chicks -other birds do it for them!

Most birds take minutes to lay an egg. The mother cuckoo can lay an egg in 9 seconds ! This allows her to quickly pop it in the nest of another bird.

Buffalo , Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis ) Amazing Facts

The water buffalo or domestic Asian water buffalo 'Bubalus bubalis' .

Buffalo are used as draft, meat, and dairy animals. Their dung is used as a fertilizer and as a fuel when dried. 

True wild water buffalo are thought to survive in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Thailand.

The rumen "the first chamber of the digestive system of a ruminant" of the water buffalo has important differences from that of other ruminants.

The water buffalo rumen has been found to contain a larger population of bacteria, particularly the cellulolytic bacteria, lower protozoa and higher fungi zoo-spores and higher rumen ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N) and higher pH have been found as compared to those in cattle.

The domesticated water buffalo is often referred to as 'the living tractor of the East', as it is relied upon for plowing and transportation in many parts of Asia.

The chief dairy breed of buffalo is the Murrah breed. Buffalo meat, sometimes called 'carabeef '.

Honeyguide Birds Facts -Amazing Facts

Most honeyguides are dull-colored, though a few have bright yellow in the plumage. All have light outer tail feathers, which are white in all the African species.

Honeyguide birds follow honey badgers to find their favourite food - delicious bee grubs!! The clever birds follow the badgers when they go in search of a bee's nest. When the badger opens the nest it feeds on the honey, while the birds eat the grubs and beeswax. 

Ant Birds Facts

Ant birds are generally small birds with rounded wings and strong legs. Most have heavy bills, which in many species are hooked at the tip. They have mostly sombre grey, white, brown and rufous plumage. As of April 2008, 38 species are considered by the IUCN to be near threatened or worse and therefore at risk of extinction. 

Antbirds are not targeted by either hunters or the pet traders. Ant birds follow army ants as they march through the forest, but they don't usually eat them. The birds perch on trees as the army ants pass by, then they pounce on the other small  animals and insects that come to feed on the ants.

Red Pandas Facts

Red pandas are distantly related to giant pandas. But they are smaller, and only the size of a domestic cat, but the big tail, thick add an additional 45 centimeters in length. Red pandas live in the mountains of Nepal and the mountains of Nepal and Myanmar, North as well as in central China. These animals spend most of their lives in trees and even sleep in the air. Red pandas have a taste for bamboo but, unlike their larger relatives, they eat many other foods and fruits, acorns, roots, and eggs.

Sloth -Amazing Facts

The sloth is the slowest mammal in the world. Its bodily functions are so slow that it comes down to the ground to relieve itself once a week. Sloths move so slowly that even at top speed, they reach little more than one kilometre an hour. There are two types of sloths, the slow two-toed sloth, and the even slower three-toed sloth, which moves at half the speed of a tortoise.
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Dogs Amazing Facts

Dogs were first domesticated by cavemen in the Palaeolithic age and gradually developed into the breeds known today. The lifespan of a dog, on an average is between 8 to 15 years. The sweat glands of a dog are located between their paw pads. Dogs are di-chromatic and have color vision equivalent to red-green color blindness in humans..he eyes of different breeds of dogs have different shapes, dimensions, and retina configurations.Experimentation has proven that dogs can distinguish between complex visual images such as that of a cube or a prism.

The frequency range of dog hearing is approximately 40 Hz to 60,000 Hz.dogs have ear mobility which allows them to rapidly pinpoint the exact location of a sound.

Dogs are also vulnerable to some of the same health conditions as humans, including diabetes, dental and heart disease, epilepsy, cancer, hypothyroidism, and arthritis.

Dogs are highly susceptible to theobromine poisoning, typically from ingestion of chocolate ,especially dark chocolate.

St. Bernard is a giant, strong, muscular dog. these dogs are very gentle and friendly. This breed has become famous because it has helped save lives in the Swiss Alps. A monastery located in the Alps of Switzerland along the Saint Bernard Pass. The pass was the most important crossing over the Alps and very often travelers were lost in the snow while crossing it. These dogs were trained to rescue the lost travelers.  

Opossums Facts

Mammals that have pouches on their tummies are called marsupials. Opossums are the only marsupials to be found outside Australia, They are found in America too. These animals are most famous for 'playing possum'. 

When threatened by dogs, foxes, bobcats, opossums sometimes flop onto their sides and lie on the ground with their eye closed, or staring fixedly into space. They extend their tongue and pretend to be dead :)). This trick fools the enemy, and allows the opossum to make its escape.

Pygmy Hippos /hippopotamuses Facts

Pygmy hippopotamuses resemble hippopotamuses , but on closer examination, several differences can be noted. Pygmy hippopotamuses are smaller. They are more like a pig in shape and have smaller head and longer neck and legs. Unlike Hippos, Their eyes are placed on the sides of the head and their nostrils are low on the face. The Pygmy hippopotamuses is found in W. Africa in dense, swapy forests near streams, rivers and creeks.

Amazing Facts About Mustang and Przewalski's Horses

Mustang horses are probably the most well known type of wild  horses, particularly within the United States. they are the descendents of the horses escaped and learnt to live in the wild. The name Mustang comes from the Spanish word 'mesteno' or 'monstenco' that means stray or wild.

Przewalski's horses are the last surviving subspecies of wild horse. Przewalski's horses have never been tamed for riding, which means that they are the last truly wild horses in existence today. They were first described scientifically in the late 19th century by N.M. Przewalski , a Russian Explorer. They are the national symbol of Mongolia, the country of their origin .With a short, muscular body Przewalski's horses are smaller than most domesticated horses.

Oarfish Facts

OARFISH

The oarfish does and it can grow to be as long as four canoes!! It is the longest bony fish and is found in all the world's oceans. Oarfish have a bright red fin along the length of their back. They swim upright through the water.

Capybara Facts -Amazing Facts

A larger capybara ( now extinct )called Neochoerus Pinckneyi once existed in North America, having invaded that continent during the Great American Interchange that followed formation of the Isthmus of Panama.Capybaras are hunted for their meat and pelts in some areas
Capybara is the world's largest rodent, which is found in South America. It is relative of the guinea pig, and is as big as a sheep!! A fully grown capybara may reach a length of 1.22 metres and weigh as much as 65 kg. Capybaras are herbivores (plant eater) that mainly eat by grazing. much like cattle on both grasses and aquatic plants, fruits and bark of trees. Adults eat up to 3 and 1/2 kilos of grass each day.

Python The Truth - Amazing Fact Must Watch

Okapi Facts - Amazing Facts

The okapi is sometimes referred to as an example of a living fossil.The okapi was adopted as an emblem by the now defunct International Society of Cryptozoology. The tongue of the okapi is also long enough for the animal to wash its eyelids and clean its ears (inside and out).

The okapi is a beautiful and unusual animal. It has white and black striped hindquarters and front legs, like a zebra's, but its head is like a giraffe's. In fact the okapi is a distant cousin of the giraffe. Like giraffes, okapis have very large , upright ears, which catch even slight sounds, helping them to avoid trouble. They also have long, dark tongues , just like giraffe's to help them strip the buds and young leaves from the trees in the dense rain forest of West Africa. They are not as tall as giraffe, since they live in rainforests  where  there are trees with branches hanging down as well as roots and tree trunks to dodge. Okapis communicate by means of a scent gland on each foot that leaves behind a sticky tar like substance wherever the have walked, marking their territory. Its really interesting that By  checking the ground , an okapi can tell if an other okapi has been there.

Bats ,Vampire Bats ,Flying Foxes and Bumblebee Bat Facts

Bats are the only mammals that can fly. They fly like birds do by beating the air with their wings. However, the bat's wing is not like a bird's wing at all. A bat's wings are actually its forelimbs that have grownvery long. the wing has no feathers rather, a thin memebrane stretches across the 'fingers'. They sleep upside down and use their feet to grasp onto twig or board. There are more than 1000 species of bats in the world. Bats are called nocturnal, as they sleep during daytime and are active at night. 

To find prey in the dark, they  have developed a remarkable navigation system called echolocation. When bat are out hunting, they make high pitched sounds , that we can not hear them. When these sounds strike a solid object ,they bounce back as echoes and bat's ears picks up that echoes to determine how far an object is  and how big it is, Its really amazing !!!

Vampire Bat

Vampire bats - only bat that feeds on blood. It preys on cattle, horses and large birds . They make a small hole with thier two sharp incisor teeth and lap up the blood.

The smallest mammals in the world is a bat from Thailand. It is called Kitti's hog -nosed bat or Bumblebee bat. 

Kitti's hog -nosed bat or Bumblebee bat 

Some bats are called Flying Foxes- they are a species of fruit bat. They are called flying foxes because of their fox -like heads and red dish brown fur. They are the largest bats some attains a wingspan of one metre.

Raccoons Facts -Amazing Facts

A raccoon is one of the most facinating and among the most intelligent of wild animals. Raccoons are related to Pandas, but their tails are ringed. The most important sense for the raccoon is its sense of touch. The raccoon also has black and white marking on its face that resemble masks. Raccoons are often called 'little bandits' because of these masks. These mammals are found in forests, marshes, prairies, and even in cities, where they love to feast on garbage. They are nocturnal -that means they are active at night. When it comes to choosing a den, raccoons may inhabit a tree hole, fallen log, or a house's attic. The raccoon is very good with its front paws, using them like hands. Its scientific name, Procyon lotor , means 'a washer'. Raccoons got this name because they often seem to wash their food in water. The most important natural predators of the raccoon are bobcats, coyotes, and great horned owls, the latter mainly prey on young raccoons.

Tasmanian Wolf Facts

The tasmanian wolf was a marsupial that was striped like a tiger, had a thick tail like a kangaroo, and looked like a wolf... It was a remarkable animals that has now become extinct. Tasmanian wolves were shot by farmers because they killed sheep. The last surviving tasmaniam wolf died in a zoo in 1936.

Streaked Tenrec - Amazing Facts

Streaked Tenrec 

Streaked Tenrec 

Tenrecs are small mammals and many have greatly reduced tails and bodies covered with bristly hair or quills. around 30 species of tenrecs can be found on madagascar. Streaked tenrecs are known to communicate using high pitch tongue clicks when searching for food, but many of the sounds  are beyond human hearing. They also grow faster than any other mammals . It is quite amazing that even six day old babies of the streaked tenrec stop drinking milk and start eating worms.

Rabbits, Hares and Pikas - Amazing Facts

One of the interesting facts is that rabbit's teeth never stop growing rabbits. It is said that the teeth (28 in total) growing at least one to five millimeters, every week. The growth rate may vary with different teeth and a rabbit to another.

Male rabbit is known as buck, whereas the females are called as does. The young one of a rabbit is a kit and the newborns are collectively known as litter. A group of rabbits is called a herd.

Rabbit

Rabbit

Hare

While rabbits and hares may look alike, and their names are commonly used interchangeably, there are many differences between the two. One of the most important differencs between rabbit and hares is that the rabbit species has been domesticated , while hares have not been domesticated at all. Rabbit babies are born naked and blind , while the babies of hares are born furred, and with vision. Rabbits and hares also have slightly different tastes in food. Rabbits prefer soft green foods like stem of grass and other vegetables , while hares prefer to gnaw on hard wood, bark and twigs. The hare has longer ears than a rabbits.

Pikas -

Pika

Pika

The pika is a relative of the rabbit. pikas are small, short- legged, and virtually tail less. This ehh-shaped mammal is found in the mountains of the western north America and much of Asia. Pikas mark their territory with scent from thier cheek glands. They are social mammals and generally live in colonies.

Water Shrew Facts

The water shrew is one of the largest of the shrews. Its saliva contains venom that it uses to stun larger prey such as fish and frogs and prevents the prey from struggling. The salivary glands of one shrew contains enough poison to kill 200 mice! Because the water shrew complately digests its food in three hours, it must feed frequently , throughout both day and night.

Albatrosses Amazing Facts

Wide wings and long life, albatrosses are rarely seen on land and prefer to stay out on ocean, except to mate and raise their chicks. The albatrosses are a group of large to very large birds, they are the largest of the procellariiformes. Albatrosses have been described as "the most legendary of all birds." An albatross is a central emblem in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Their long, narrow wings are strikingly graceful. Equally impressive are the large heads featuring massive hooked bills. Their bodies are mostly white and have long necks, short legs and short tails especially. The size of the largest great albatrosses (genus Diomedea) are the largest of any bird, exceeding 340 cm. 

Wandering albatrosses are the biggest seabirds and spend months at sea. They are such good gliders that they even sleep as they fly. To feed, they sit on the surface of water, where they catch creatures such as cephalopods (class of marine mollusks that includes nautilus, squid, cuttlefish, and octopus) , fish and crustaceans (Arrow Crab, Stenorhynchus seticornis. Red Hermit Crab, Dardanus megistos. Purple Shore Crab, Hemigrapsus nudus). An albatross has a wingspan of around 3 metres about the lenght of a family car !!!

Out of the 21 albatross species recognised by IUCN on their Red List, 19 albatross species are threatened, and the other two are near threatened.