UHAIIIUHAIIIALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ANIMALS, PLANTS AND WILDLIFE Articles
The Cone Snail
2007-11-19 05:47:00 Cone snails are the world's most venomous molluscs, and the :>500 species in the genus Conus have evolved tens of thousands of different peptide toxins that are used to paralyze prey by blocking nerve and muscle activity. These toxins are injected from an extensible proboscis through a hollow, barbed tubular tooth that serves as a syringe needle. Nearly all cones snails show a high degree of specificity for certain prey types -- worms, other molluscs or fish. Only Conus californicus, a species found from San Francisco to Cabo San Lucas, is known to prey on all three of these groups (See October, 2005, Biological Bulletin). Snails that prey on fish tend to have toxins that are harmful to humans, and some toxins are being developed as human pharmaceuticals for treatment of chronic pain. Stanford.eduMore on Cone Snails: National Geographic, Newscientist, Edinburgh University, Melbourne University, PBS.org, eMedicineHealth, Oceanlight, Wikipedia, Nature, BBC, Books, ScholarImage: Natio... More About: The Con
The African Sable
2007-11-15 14:32:00 There are 4 recognized subspecies or races of Sable Antelope: Zambian (Hippotragus niger kirkii), Common or Southern (Hippotragus niger niger), Eastern (Hippotragus niger roosevelti), and the Giant or Angolan (Hippotragus niger variani). The Kirki, Common, and Northern subspecies are listed in the "Lower Risk-Conservation Dependent" category by C.I.T.E.S, and has no listing in F.W.S. or I.U.C.N. However, C.I.T.E.S., F.W.S., and I.U.C.N. have placed the Giant Sable Antelope in the "critically endangered" category.Sable Antelope do not start life with a dark coat. A newborn calf is born with a camouflaging, sandy-brown coat. As the calf grows and achieves status in the herd, its coat will continually darken (Wolfsen 1997). The coat color of adult females and sub-adult males range from a rich-chestnut brown to brownish-black. Fully mature males generally have the darkest coat coloration, brownish-black or a pitch-black color that glistens in the sunlight. The abdominal, rump, and facia... More About: Majesty , African
Rafflesia arnoldii
2007-11-13 17:31:00 The largest flower in the world comes from a leafless plant from Mayla. It's a parasitic plant that has grapevine like roots and a fleshy flower which is the only part of the plant that appears above the ground. The flower is approximately three foot across and can weigh up to five pounds. The plant is said to exude an order similar to decaying flesh which attracts carrion flies that pollinate the plant. According to the Guiness Book of Records, the largest flower in the world came from the Raffle sia Arnoldii, which measured three feet in diameter, was 3/4 inch thick and weighed fifteen pounds. This magnificiently colourful flower is both strange and baffling. It blooms as a single flower which has no roots, no stem or leaves. Propogation of this unique plant is rather tricky. Each flower produces just one seed and this seed can only germinate if it succeeds in lodging itself in the tissue of one particular cissus vine host known as Tetrastigma, which usually crawls along the rainf...
Eco Tips
2007-11-08 10:42:00 Some fine and useful sites, offering Eco and environmental tips and sustainable solutions for a healthy planet:1. Global Eastwards2. The Environment Site3. Ecology Fund4. Tree Hugger5. GreenpeaceImage: PureStyle Living More About: Tips
Golden Poison Frog
2007-11-05 14:46:00 The golden poison dart frog is considered one of the most toxic animals on Earth. A single specimen measuring two inches (five centimeters) has enough venom to kill ten grown men. Indigenous Emberá people of Colombia have used its powerful venom for centuries to tip their blowgun darts when hunting, hence the species' name. These brightly colored amphibians are among the largest of the more than 100 poison dart frog species, averaging more than one inch (two and a half centimeters) in length. They live within a tiny plot of rain forest on the Pacific coast of Colombia. And though the population in its small range is abundant, widespread decimation of the rain forest has landed this species on international endangered lists.Their coloring, which can be yellow, orange, or pale green, depending on their particular range, is deliberately ostentatious to ward off potential predators, a tactic called aposematic coloration. Their diet includes flies, crickets, ants, termites, and beetles.... More About: Frog , Golden , Poison
Turmeric
2007-10-27 10:32:00 Turmeric is botanically known as Curcuma longa, derived from the old Arabic name for the kurkum plant we know better as saffron. Yet this spice is a member of the ginger family and unrelated to saffron. Like ginger, it is the root of the turmeric plant that is used as a spice, usually in a dried form.However, in some areas of the Far East, the fresh turmeric root is used and stored much like ginger. The root is generally peeled to expose its bright yellow flesh, then boiled, dried, and ground into a powder. Turmeric gives ball-park yellow mustard its bright color, is a prime ingredient in Worcestershire sauce, and is also used to color other foods such as butter, cheese, and fruit drinks. It is a favorite in Middle East and Asian foods and spice blends such as curry.Turmeric contains curcumin, a proven anti-allergenic. Especially good for the skin and for enhancing resistance to skin allergies. It also helps support healthy liver function, which aids assimilation and energy levels. ... More About: Turmeric
An Inconvenient Truth
2007-10-19 13:03:00 "Humanity is sitting on a ticking time bomb. If the vast majority of the world's scientists are right, we have just ten years to avert a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet into a tail-spin of epic destruction involving extreme weather, floods, droughts, epidemics and killer heat waves beyond anything we have ever experienced.If that sounds like a recipe for serious gloom and doom -- think again. From director Davis Guggenheim comes the Sundance Film Festival hit, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, which offers a passionate and inspirational look at one man's fervent crusade to halt global warming's deadly progress in its tracks by exposing the myths and misconceptions that surround it. That man is former Vice President Al Gore, who, in the wake of defeat in the 2000 election, re-set the course of his life to focus on a last-ditch, all-out effort to help save the planet from irrevocable change. In this eye-opening and poignant portrait of Gore and his "traveling global warmin... More About: Truth , Campaign , An Inconvenient Truth , Ruth
The Salmon
2007-10-16 11:16:00 Salmon (fish), common name applied to fish characterized by an elongate body covered with small, rounded scales and a fleshy fin between the dorsal fin and tail. These fish belong to the salmon family, which also includes char (see Trout), grayling, and whitefish. Most members of the salmon family are valuable food fish and excellent game fish. Salmon eat smaller fishes, crustaceans, and insects. They are found in both fresh and salt water in the colder regions of the northern hemisphere.Many species of salmon are anadromous?they spawn, or lay their eggs, in fresh water; the young migrate to salt water and grow up there; and the fish return to fresh water to breed after they reach maturity. Other populations or species of salmon are landlocked, spending their entire life cycle in fresh water. The migratory instinct of members of the salmon family is remarkably specific, each generation returning to spawn in exactly the same breeding places as the generation before it. Some salmon mi...
Cocoa
2007-10-14 11:03:00 The Rich Heritage of the Cocoa Bean Origins in the New WorldCocoa beans were an important part of ancient South American cultures. The Mayans created a ritual beverage made from the ground cocoa beans mixed with water, black pepper, vanilla and spices. The beverage was shared during betrothal and marriage ceremonies, providing one of the first links we know of between chocolate and romance. Cocoa beans also served as money in South American civilizations and were only consumed as they wore out. A horse, ancient records show, could be purchased for ten beans.For nearly a hundred years after the Spaniards discovered chocolatl, the coveted drink of New World inhabitants, they kept the secret of its production to themselves. In the same years as Shakespeare wrote his final plays, the missionary and theologian José de Acosta, wrote from Lima, Peru, of cocoa, ?It is so much esteemed among the Indians (yea, among the Spaniards), that it is one of the richest and the greatest traffickes of ...
Go Greenpeace
2007-10-11 11:03:00 Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action.Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace by: *Catalysing an energy revolution to address the number one threat facing our planet: climate change. *Defending our oceans by challenging wasteful and destructive fishing, and creating a global network of marine reserves. *Protecting the world?s ancient forests and the animals, plants and people that depend on them. *Working for disarmament and peace by tackling the causes of conflict and calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. *Creating a toxic free future with safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in today's products and manufacturing. *Campaining for sustainable agriculture by rejecting genetically engineered organisms, protecting biodiversity and encouraging socially responsible f... More About: Campaign , Greenpeace
The Great Egret
2007-10-08 11:06:00 A large white heron, the Great Egret is found across much of the world, from southern Canada southward to Argentina, and in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. It's the largest egret in the Old World, and thus has garnered the name Great White Egret. But in the Americas, the white form of the Great Blue Heron is larger and warrants that name. In the United States, the Great Egret used to be called the American Egret but that was hardly appropriate, since the species range extends beyond America and indeed farther than other herons. All About BirdsMore on the Great Egret: Assateague, Amonline, Naturia, nhaptv, Nature-wildlife, Enature, USGS, Whatbird, Wikipedia Image: Naturescapes More About: Majesty , The G
The Most Beautiful Insect
2007-09-28 14:34:00 The Madagascan Sunset Moth (Urania riphaeus), a.k.a. Chrysiridia Madagascariensis or the Malagasy lepidoptera, is a very colorful species that belongs to the family Uraniidae which are day-flying moths that are easily confused with swallowtail butterflies (Papilionidae). Sunset Moths are large for moths and unlike most they are active during the daylight hours. Their known food plants are privet, rhododendron, Ailanthus. The Uraniidae family is native to Madagascar and South America. More on the Sunset Moth: Wikipedia, Butterflies Image: stat.wisc.edu More About: Beautiful
The Cod Fish
2007-09-24 14:23:00 A new WWF report shows that global cod catch has suffered a 70 per cent drop over the last 30 years, and if this trend continues, the world?s cod stocks will disappear in 15 years. The report reveals that the world's largest remaining cod stock, in the Barents Sea, is now highly threatened by overfishing, illegal fishing and industrial development. WWFMore on Cod: LBF, WHFoods, mercola.com, National Geographic, Amazon.com, Wikipedia, Google Books, Google ScholarImage: dkimages.com More About: Fish , Endangered
Tea
2007-09-21 14:28:00 The story of tea began in ancient China over 5,000 years ago. According to legend, Shen Nung, an early emperor was a skilled ruler, creative scientist and patron of the arts. His far-sighted edicts required, among other things, that all drinking water be boiled as a hygienic precaution. One summer day while visiting a distant region of his realm, he and the court stopped to rest. In accordance with his ruling, the servants began to boil water for the court to drink. Dried leaves from the near by bush fell into the boiling water, and a brown liquid was infused into the water. As a scientist, the Emperor was interested in the new liquid, drank some, and found it very refreshing. And so, according to legend, tea was created. (This myth maintains such a practical narrative, that many mythologists believe it may relate closely to the actual events, now lost in ancient history.) StashteaMore on Tea: UK Tea Council, Wikipedia, BBC, MSNBC, Tea Benefits, Healthcastle, green-tea-benefit, Fars...
The Crocodile
2007-09-17 07:24:00 "Did you know that there is a creature that still walks upon the earth just as it did 200 million years ago? Dinosaurs may have disappeared into extinction, but this tough and intelligent denizen survived and has outlived them by 65 million years! It has even survived the deadliest of all predators, man.""A well-fed adult croc can be 15 feet long and weigh up to 450 pounds. But that doesn?t mean that they just slowly lumber along. They can shoot out of the water and onto shore at a terrifying 43 miles per hour! Once on land, they can keep pace with an Olympic runner at a speed of 18 mph.""Croc odiles have keen eyesight, excellent hearing and a good sense of smell. While they can?t focus well underwater, crocodiles can sight their prey on land from great distances and scientists even believe that they can see color. Their sharp ears are equipped with a movable flap that can prevent water from getting in. They can smell dead animals from afar and hone in for an easily scavenged meal. T... More About: Dile
The Hummingbird
2007-09-14 13:28:00 Hummingbirds include the smallest birds in the world but they belong to one of the largest families of birds. These enchanting birds are found in deserts, mountains, and plains, but most are found in the tropical rain forests. Their name refers to the humming sound made by their tiny beating wings. In the Caribbean people call them el zunzun.There are more than 300 kinds of hummingbirds. The smallest is the bee hummingbird Mellisuga helenae from Cuba; the largest is the giant hummingbird Patagona gigas. Hummingbird bills come in different sizes and shapes, too. The long slender bill is adapted for collecting nectar from flowers. The bills protect their long split tongues and allow each kind of hummingbird to feed from specific types of flowers. Hummingbirds are called ?nectivores? because about 90 percent of their diet is nectar from flowers. They also snack on insects now and then, which they often catch by ?hawking.? A hummingbird ?hawks? insects by flying and diving to snap them ... More About: Ming , Hummingbird
The Locust
2007-09-07 13:35:00 It?s hard not to have at least a grudging respect for the desert locust. It has survived on Earth for millions of years, thriving in the heat and aridity of the world?s most inhospitable deserts. For the most part, the insect known as Schistocerca gregaria goes quietly about its inscrutable insect business, a solitary and inconspicuous brown speck concealed in clumps of widely scattered desert vegetation, subsisting on even the most noxious weeds when necessary.Our admiration can only be carried so far, though, when this seemingly shy and inconspicuous insect reveals its surprising dark side. Throughout recorded human history, and surely long before, locust plagues have periodically poured forth from their arid confines and invaded areas where people live, farm, and graze their livestock. Their impact on human lives has often been so crippling that records of plagues have taken on religious significance and made their way into sacred and historical texts. Earthobservatory.nasa.govMo... More About: Locust , Locus
The Olive
2007-09-03 12:41:00 Common Name: Olive .Related Species: Wild Olive (Olea africana), Oleaster (O. europaea var. oleaster).Distant Affinity: American Olive (Osmanthus americana), Fragrant Olive (O. fragrans).Origin: The olive is native to the Mediterranean region, tropical and central Asia and various parts of Africa. The olive has a history almost as long as that of Western civilization, its development being one of civilized man's first accomplishments. At a site in Spain, carbon-dating has shown olive seed found there to be eight thousand years old. O. europaea may have been cultivated independently in two places, Crete and Syria. Archeological evidence suggest that olives were being grown in Crete as long ago as 2,500 B.C. From Crete and Syria olives spread to Greece, Rome and other parts of the Mediterranean area. Olives are also grown commercially in California, Australia and South Africa. There is some disagreement over when the trees first appeared in California. Some say they were introduced in... More About: The O
The Great Barrier Reef
2007-08-30 08:54:00 The Great Barrier Reef is undisputed as one of the world?s most important natural assets. It is the largest natural feature on earth stretching more than 2,300km along the northeast coast of Australia from the northern tip of Queensland to just north of Bundaberg. gbrmpa.govMore on the Great Barrier Reef: great-barrier-reef.com, National Geographic, cultureandrecreation.gov.au, Barrier Reef Australia, Google Books, Google Video, Google ScholarImage: students.salisbury.edu More About: The G
The 'General Sherman' Tree
2007-08-21 09:47:00 The General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park is the largest (by volume) tree in the world.Computing the volume of a standing tree is the practical equivalent of calculating the volume of an irregular cone. For purposes of volume comparison, only the trunk of a giant sequoia is measured, including the restored volume of basal fire scars. Using these accepted standards and actual field measurements taken in 1975, the volume of the Sherman Tree was calculated to be slightly over 52.500 cubic feet (1486.6 meters). nps.govMore on General Sherman: Think Quest, werc.usgs, WikipediaGeneral Sherman Googled: Books, VideoImage: scienceandart.com More About: Majesty , Herman
The Viperfish
2007-08-19 11:14:00 The viperfish, also known scientifically as Chauliodus sloani, is one of the fiercest predators of the deep. This fish can be easily recognized by its large mouth and sharp, fang-like teeth. These fangs are so large in fact that they do not fit inside its mouth. Instead, they curve back very close to the fish's eyes. The viper is thought to use these sharp teeth to impale its victims by swimming at them at high speeds. The first vertebra, right behind the head, actually acts as a shock absorber. This fearsome looking creature has a long dorsal spine that is tipped with a photophore, a light-producing organ. The viperfish uses this light organ to attract its prey. By flashing it on and off, it can be used like a fishing lure to attract smaller fish. They have been known to hang motionless in the water, waving their lures over their heads to attract their meals. Viper s have a hinged skull, which can be rotated up for swallowing large prey. They also have large stomachs that allow the...
The Great White Shark
2007-08-15 13:04:00 The legendary great white shark is far more fearsome in our imaginations than in reality. As scientific research on these elusive predators increases, their image as mindless killing machines is beginning to fade.Of the 100-plus annual shark attacks worldwide, fully one-third to one-half are attributable to great whites. However, most of these are not fatal, and new research finds that great whites, who are naturally curious, are "sample biting" then releasing their victims rather than preying on humans. It's not a terribly comforting distinction, but it does indicate that humans are not actually on the great white's menu.Great whites are the largest predatory fish on Earth. They grow to an average of 15 feet (4.6 meters) in length, though specimens exceeding 20 feet (6 meters) and weighing up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms) have been recorded. National GeographicMore on The White Shark : Enchanted Learning, WWF, Ocean Link, AASharks.com, Wikipedia Image: World Wildlife More About: The G , Great White
The Leopard
2007-08-07 07:50:00 Physical Characteristics The most secretive and elusive of the large carnivores, the leopard is also the shrewdest. Pound for pound, it is the strongest climber of the large cats and capable of killing prey larger than itself. Leopard s come in a wide variety of coat colors, from a light buff or tawny in warmer, dryer areas to a dark shade in deep forests. The spots, or rosettes, are circular in East African leopards but square in southern African leopards.Habitat Dense bush in rocky surroundings and riverine forest are their favorite habitats, but leopards adapt to many places in both warm and cold climates. Their adaptability, in fact, has helped them survive the loss of habitat to increasing human settlement. Leopards are primarily nocturnal, usually resting during the daytime in trees or thick bush. The spotted coat provides almost perfect camouflage. AWFMore on Leopards: Big Cats Rescue, Ench... More About: Endangered
Cannabis Sativa
2007-08-05 07:00:00 Cannabis sativa has many common names: hemp, marijuana, bhang, ganja, hashish, etc. It is an annual herb in the hemp family (Cannabaceae) which grows 3-10 feet tall and has hairy leaves divided into 5 to 7 serrated leaflets; the leaves are often sticky with resin. The plants are distinctly male or female (male and female flowers are produced by separate plants) and they flower from June to October.Hemp is one of the oldest and one of the most all-round useful economic plants. Its fibers have been used to make high-quality paper, rope, twine, and cloth (the original Levi's jeans were made from hemp); its seeds have been eaten as a high-protein grain, turned into a tofu-like nondairy cheese substitute, and pressed to make oil for paints and varnishes; its leaves and flowers have been eaten or smoked as a medicine or intoxicant.It was originally native to the Caucasus region of far eastern Europe, northern India, and Persia (Iran) but it is now cultivated in warm-to-temperate regions ... More About: Sativa , Cannabis
The Orangutan
2007-07-30 18:48:00 "Orangutan Facts Indigenous peoples of Indonesia and Malaysia call this ape "Orang Hutan" literally translating into English as "People of the Forest". In times past they would not kill them because they felt the orangutan was simply a person hiding in the trees, trying to avoid having to go to work or become a slave."What's so special about an orangutan?Orangutans are with an ability to reason and think. This large, gentle red ape is one of our closest relatives, sharing 97% of the same DNA as humans. Indigenous peoples of Indonesia and Malaysia call this ape "Orang Hutan" literally translating into English as "People of the Forest." In times past they would not kill them because they felt the orangutan was simply a person hiding in the trees, trying to avoid having to go to work or become a slave.Orangutans are unique in the ape world. There are four kinds of great apes: gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans. Only the orangutan comes from Asia; the others all come from Af... More About: Endangered , The O
The Komodo Dragon
2007-07-26 18:35:00 Komodo dragons have thrived in the harsh climate of Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands for millions of years, although amazingly, their existence was unknown to humans until about 100 years ago.Reaching 10 feet (3 meters) in length and more than 300 pounds (136 kilograms), Komodo dragons are the heaviest lizards on Earth. They have long, flat heads with rounded snouts, scaly skin, bowed legs, and huge, muscular tails.As the dominant predators on the handful of islands they inhabit, they will eat almost anything, including carrion, deer, pigs, smaller dragons, and even large water buffalo and humans. When hunting, Komodo dragons rely on camouflage and patience, lying in wait for passing prey. When a victim ambles by, the dragon springs, using its powerful legs, sharp claws and serrated, shark-like teeth to eviscerate its prey.Animals that escape the jaws of a Komodo will only feel lucky briefly. Drago n saliva teems with over 50 strains of bacteria, and within 24 hours, the stricken cr... More About: Endangered , Komodo
Serengeti
2007-07-20 15:00:00 It was 1913 and great stretches of Africa were still unknown to the white man when Stewart Edward White, an American hunter, set out from Nairobi. Pushing south, he recorded: "We walked for miles over burnt out country... Then I saw the green trees of the river, walked two miles more and found myself in paradise." He had found Serengeti . In the years since White's excursion under "the high noble arc of the cloudless African sky," Serengeti has come to symbolize paradise to many of us. The Maasai, who had grazed their cattle on the vast grassy plains for millennia had always thought so. To them it was Siringitu - "the place where the land moves on forever." serengeti.orgMore reading: Tanzania Parks, glcomImage: Google
The Gray Wolf
2007-07-17 13:55:00 The gray or timber wolf's story is one of the most compelling tales of American wildlife. Once, the wolf was plentiful in most of North America, but it was hunted ruthlessly. Today, the wolf is making a successful comeback in some of its former habitat. The gray wolf plays a vital role in the health and proper functioning of ecosystems. NWFMore reading: International Wolf Center, Wikipedia, Enchanted LearningImage from: ohn.net More About: Gray , The G
The Amazing Butterfly
2007-07-15 12:05:00 The continuing battle between a butterfly and the bacteria that nearly wiped out all the insect species' males has taken a sudden and unexpected turn.In just a few years, the butterfly has evolved a way to evade the bacteria's tightly controlling grip. The findings show that evolution can strike in a flash, even after long periods of time with little change, researchers say. For at least a century, according to the experts, bacteria called Wolbachia had been playing puppet master with Hypolimnas bolina butterflies found on two Samoan islands.The bacteria had been killing off nearly all the male larvae of the butterfly, also known as the eggfly or the blue moon butterfly. But males made a comeback in 2006, the researchers found, with nearly as many of them as females. Read more from the National Geographic Image from: National Geographic News More About: Amazing , Butterfly , Butter , Butt , The A
In Support Of The National Geographic
More articles from this author:2007-07-14 13:28:00 Our Mission in Action Inspiring People to Care About the Planet Since 1888, we've traveled the Earth, sharing its amazing stories with each new generation. The Society's Mission Programs support critical expeditions and scientific fieldwork; encourage geography education for students; promote natural and cultural conservation; and inspire audiences through new media, vibrant exhibitions, and live events. Witness the mission in action, and get involved today! The National GeographicImage From: Google Images More About: National Geographic , Support , Graph , The Nation 1, 2, 3 |
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