UHAIIIUHAIIIALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ANIMALS, PLANTS AND WILDLIFE Articles
The Hoodia Plant
2008-05-19 19:52:00 Imagine this: an organic pill that kills the appetite and attacks obesity.It has no known side-effects, and contains a molecule that fools your brain into believing you are full.Deep inside the African Kalahari desert, grows an ugly cactus-like plant called the Hoodia . It thrives in extremely high temperatures, and takes years to mature. Read on>>>>More on the Hoodia plant: Wikipedia, Drugs.com, CBS News, Medicinenet, Thyroid-info, Cellhealthmakeover, rebirth.co.za, hoodia-advice, naturaingredients, health.propeller, MigFa, Doctor Weil, Books, Scholar More About: Plant
The Harvester Ant
2008-05-06 09:37:00 Adult -- The harvester ants are large ants 5 to 6 mm in length and different species can vary in color from reddish-brown to yellow or black. The pedicel (or stalk) between the abdomen and thorax has two segments. They have elaborate fringes of hairs underneath the head. As is the case with other ants, adults may be winged males or females, or workers (wingless females). Winged ants have two pairs of wings, the anterior pair being much larger than the second pair.Egg -- The eggs are minute, less than 0.5 mm long, white and elliptical in shape.Larvae -- The larvae are white and legless. The body is covered with short hairs and is shaped like a crookneck squash or gourd with a small distinct head.Pupa -- Found in a cocoon, the pupa resemble the larva except that the body is straight and rigid with legs and wings visible. Read on>>>More on the Ant: desertUSA, creatures.ifas, The Science Daily, agrilife, Globio, Biology News, stanford.edu, Nature, myrmecos.net, Wikipedia, WikiAnswers, S...
The Masai Mara
2008-05-04 11:47:00 An area of gently rolling hills, woodland and acacia treeswhich is watered by the Mara and Talek rivers and opens onto the Serengeti plains of Tanzania.What are the animals?Much of the wildlife can be divided into mammals, birds and reptiles. Many of the mammals can be divided into carnivores, primates and ungulates (hooved animals). Carnivores include cheetah, genet, hyena, jackal, leopard, lion, mongoose, serval and wild dog. Primates include baboon, bushbaby and monkey. Odd-toed ungulates include rhino and zebra. Even-toed ungulates include buffalo, giraffe, hippo, warthog and antelope (bushbuck, dik-dik, duiker, eland, gazelle, hartebeest, impala, klipspringer, kudu, oribi, reedbuck, roan antelope, topi, waterbuck and wildebeest). The so-called "Big Five" are Buffalo, Elephant, Leopard, Lion and Rhinoceros. The "Big Nine" extends this to include Cheetah, Zebra, Giraffe and Hippo. Read on>>>>More on the Masai Mara: masaimara.org, Magical Kenya, masai-mara.net, Explore Kenya, kili...
The Albatross
2008-04-29 08:54:00 Albatrosses - legendary protectors of seafarers - are heading for extinction. Biologists have discovered that swordfish, tuna and other fishing fleets are killing more that 100 000 of these birds every year. In a couple of decades many species may be wiped out unless urgent action is taken.The wandering albatross is the largest of seabirds, with a wing span reaching 3 m and a body mass of 8-12 kg. All species of albatross lay a single egg, several species breed only every second year and most take ten years to reach sexual maturity. They have very long life spans, with some individuals living to over 60 years of age. But many are now being killed off before thay can reach half that age, as a result populations are in rapid decline. Albatrosses have one of the lowest reproductive rates of any bird. Read more>>>More: Save The Albatross, National Geographic, WWF, Facts, petcaretips, Earthlife, antarcticaconnection, coolantarctica, Wikipedia, Encarta, Ecuador Travel, Books More About: Majesty
The Emperor penguin
2008-04-24 11:32:00 The Emperor penguin Aptenodytes forsteri is one of only two species of penguin that inhabit the Antarctic continent: Adelie penguins breed there in summer, while Emperors breed in winter.Emperors are the largest of all penguins, easily recognised by their black cap, blue-grey neck, orange ear-patches and bills and yellow breasts. There is a thick layer of blubber under the Emperor's skin. In their chicks, it is covered by a dense layer of woolly down. An overlapping coat of feathers grows over this layer. The outer feathers are covered in a greasy waterproof coating. It's mainly the layers of feathers that keep the water off the penguins' skin and help retain heat. The feathers are highly specialised and modified compared to the feathers of flying birds. For example, they are smaller, stiff, and lanceolate. There are far more feathers on a penguin than on a flying bird of comparative size. The feathers of an adult have tufts of downy underfeathers attached to the bottom of the ra... More About: Majesty , Penguin
The Black Footed Ferret
2008-04-22 07:53:00 The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is the only ferret species endemic to North America and has been classified as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since l967. Within the genus Mustela, ferrets belong to the subgenus Putorius, from which there are only three extant species: M. putorius, the European polecat; M. eversmanni, the Siberian, or steppe polecat; and M. nigripes, the black-footed ferret. The European polecat lives in open forests and meadows, and is thought to be the ancestor of the domestic ferret. The Siberian polecat looks nearly identical to the black-footed ferret and leads a similar life on open grasslands and semi desert regions across Russia, China and Siberia. Read more>>>>>More on the Ferret: Recovery Program, Defenders, National Geographic, Animalinfo, Endangered .gov, Species.gov, tpw.state.tx, Enchanted Learning, Ferret Haven, Nature.ca.notebook, Books, Scholar More About: Black
Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat
2008-04-09 13:00:00 GENUS AND SPECIES: Lasiorhinus krefftiiALTERNATE NAMES:The Northern hairy nosed wombat is also called the Queensland hairy nosed wombat, the Queensland wombat, the Soft furred wombat, the Broad nosed wombat, Yaminon, the Moonie River wombat, Barnard's hairy nosed wombat, and the Hairy nosed northern wombat. Nickname: Bulldozer of the bushCLASSIFICATION:While there is currently only a single living species of Northern hairy-nosed wombats, an extinct population existed in southeast Queensland along the Moonie River near St. George until about 1908. This population was sometimes classified as a separate species, Lasiorhinus Gillespiei. Another population once existed in Deniliquin, NSW until the late 1800's.DISTRIBUTION:Their range used to include northern Victoria, New South Wales, and about a quarter of Queensland. There now exists only a single remaining population of the Northern hairy-nosed wombat. Its range is restricted to about 300 ha (750 acres) of the Epping Forest in east-... More About: Endangered
Argan Tree and Oil
2008-04-05 09:45:00 THE ARGAN tree (argania spinosa) is perfect for a harsh environment, surviving heat, drought and poor soil.It is little known outside Morocco, and many Moroccans themselves have never heard of it because it grows only in the south-west of the country - roughly between Essaouira and Agadir, in an area covering 700,000-800,000 hectares. But within the area where the argan grows there are about 21 million trees which play a vital role in the food chain and the environment, though their numbers are declining.The tree, which is thorny and can reach heights of 8-10 metres, probably originated in Argana, a village north-east of Agadir (off Route 40). It lives longer than the olive and requires no cultivation.The trunk of the argan is often twisted and gnarled, allowing goats to clamber along its branches and feed on the leaves and fruit.The fruit has a green, fleshy exterior like an olive, but larger and rounder. Inside, there is a nut with an extremely hard shell, which in turn contains o... More About: Tree
Proboscis Monkeys
2008-04-02 12:13:00 A unique species, the Proboscis Monkey is unlike any other primate with its extraordinarily large nose. The function of the nose is not known, but it is particularly pronounced in adult males. The fur colour is predominantly light grey to pale orange, and adult males appear to wear a dark brown 'waistcoat'. Both males and females have a reddish brown crown and white chin.Their preferred habitats are riverine forest and mangrove. During the early morning or late afternoon they are active in trees lining the water's edge, usually with a large male carefully watching over the group.Endemic to Borneo, the Proboscis Monkey inhabits coastal forests in many areas and can easily be seen in Brunei Bay, and the Kinabatangan Sanctuary, Sabah. EcologyasiaMore on the Monkey: WWF, BBC, The Primata, National Geographic, Naturspot, jrank, Wikipedia, Nature.com, Books, Youtube More About: Endangered , Monkeys
Goliath Tarantulas Spider
2008-03-24 12:35:00 The goliath bird-eating spider is pretty harmless to humans, as are most species of tarantulas. They do carry venom in their fangs and have been known to bite humans when threatened, but the venom just causes swelling and mild pain for a few hours (like a wasp sting). Tarantula bites to humans are usually in self-defense and don't always contain spider venom - what is known as a "dry bite".The most dangerous thing about the goliath bird-eater is its ability to flick urticating hairs from its body at any creature it perceives as a threat, including humans. This is not a species of tarantula you'd keep as a pet. The tiny, almost invisible hairs that it voluntarily sends floating through the air are extremely irritating to our skin, and can cause real problems if they got into delicate mucous membranes around eyes and mouth. As hunters, tarantulas can be fearsome predators. Tarantulas don't have any special techniques, such as building intricate webs, or leaping great distances, for... More About: Spider
Beetroot
2008-02-08 12:48:00 The Romans knew about love!The Romans considered beetroot an aphrodisiac (it?s rich in the mineral boron which is important in the production of human sex hormones). The belief persists to this day that if a man and a woman eat from the same beetroot, they will fall in love (with each other, presumably.)Beetroot benefits Beetroot contains betaine, a substance that relaxes the mind and is used to treat depression. It also contains trytophan (also found in chocolate!) which contributes to a sense of well being.Keep calm Don?t be alarmed, if after eating beetroot, there are pink side effects! It?s the red pigment in beetroot which passes harmlessly through the digestive system.Colour by numbersBetanins, a substance obtained from beetroot, are used industrially as red food colourants ? e.g. to improve the colour of tomato paste, sauces, jams and ice cream. LovebeetrootMore on Beetroot: FlavoursofIndia, Organic Food, Eat the Seasons, Vegparadise, Health24, Food Navigator, BBCImage: Google
Platypus
2008-02-05 12:18:00 The shy Platypus is found only in eastern Australia, where they live on the edges of rivers and freshwater lakes where burrows can be dug. The best streams are ones where the banks are strong enough for building their deep burrows, and often these banks overhang the river. During the day, a Platypus often rests in this burrow, but it may spend some hours near the entrance to the burrow, basking in the sun and grooming its dense fur. But Platypuses (or platypi) are most active for several hours after dusk and before dawn. Read on >>>>More on: Platypus: National Geographic, WWF, Australian Wildlife, Wikipedia, Geneva Schools, Nature.ca, Enchanted Learning, BBC, Platypus.org, Creation Science, Books, ScholarImage: State of the Environment Tasmania
The Baiji Yangtze Dolphin
2008-02-01 14:24:00 The Baiji Yangtze Dolphin is with all probability extinct. On Wednesday, in the city of Wuhan in central China, a search expedition, under the direction of the Institute for Hydrobiology Wuhan and the Swiss-based baiji.org Foundation, drew to a finish without any results. During the six-week expedition scientists from six nations desperately searched the Yangtze in vain.The scientists were travelling on two research vessels almost 3500 kilometers from Yichang nearby the Three Gorges Dam to Shanghai into the Yangtze Delta and back, using high-performance optical instruments and underwater microphones.«It is possible we may have missed one or two animals», said August Pfluger, head of Swiss-based baiji.org Foundation and co-organizer of the expedition on Wednesday in Wuhan. Regardless, these animals would have no chance of survival in the river. «We have to accept the fact, that the Baiji is functionally extinct.. It is a tragedy, a loss not only for China, but for the entire world», ...
The Yew Tree
2008-01-31 11:26:00 The yew tree has a rather diversified background in terms of its historical accounts. The yew was sometimes known as the "tree of death." Its poisonous nature was often noted in ancient Greek literature. In fact, the name Taxus comes from the Greek word taxon, which translates to poison or toxin. Julius Caesar, in his writings about the wars against the Gallic tribes, noted that Catuvolcus, who was king of the Eburones, poisoned himself with the yew because he eas old and weak and could no longer endure the hardships of battle. Other writings, such as Pliney the Elder, noted that people died after drinking wine stored in casks made of wood from the yew tree. As seen in Celtic tradition, the yew was a sacred tree. Its wood was used for religious objects, such the druidic staff. Further citings of the poisonous yew are illustrated in Hamlet, Macbeth, and the Agatha Christie's novel "A Pocket Full of Rye."Although now the yew is almost extinct, at one time in Europe there were vast fo... More About: Tree
Gardiner's Seychelles Frog
2008-01-23 16:56:00 Gardiner's Frog is one of the smallest frogs in the world, reaching a maximum length of 11 millimetres (0.4 in). Newly hatched frogs measure only 3 millimetres (0.1 in) in length. Adult males are only 8mm long. It is brown in colour, and has a dark stripe running from its mouth to its legs. WikipediaMore on the Frog: National Geographic, Yahoo News, The Telegraph, The Scotsman, Scholar More About: Endangered , Seychelles
The Saola
2008-01-15 05:20:00 Two Vietnamese provinces recently signed commitments to conserve the saola, a rare animal discovered just 15 years ago by a team of scientists from WWF and the Vietnamese Ministry of Forestry. In partial fulfillment of the provinces? commitments, two new reserves for the saola have been declared. The reserves are adjacent and connect to an area that was recently added to Bach Ma National Park. The benefits of these new reserves will extend far beyond saola conservation. They will also provide almost continuous protected area coverage from the South China Sea to a protected area across the border in Laos. WWF is working closely with government officials on saola conservation and has honored the Forest Protection departments of Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces, as well as Bach Ma National Park, with a ?Leaders for a Living Planet? award. We are collecting signatures through an online petition as another way to thank these Vietnamese officials and the citizens who were involved a... More About: Endangered
Pantanal
2008-01-12 14:45:00 In the center of the South American continent, south of the Amazon basin and east of the Andes, lies an immense landlocked river delta where annual floodwaters regularly rise several meters and then recede. For the abundant and diverse plants and animals living there, the flood pulse in normal and life giving.The Pantanal is one of our planet's most spectacular wetland systems. The following information on this region is exerpted from "The Pantanal in the 21st Century: For the World's Largest Wetland, an Uncertain Future," by Frederick A. Swarts, which serves as the introduction to the book The Pantanal of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay (Hudson MacArthur 2000). This edited volume is a select collection of papers presented at the first and second World Conference on Preservation and Sustainable Development in the Pantanal.The Pantanal of South America is one of the most immense, pristine and biologically rich environments on the planet. Often referred to as the world?s largest freshw... More About: Anal
Dendroseris Neriifolia
2008-01-10 07:32:00 As plants go, it doesn't look like anything special -- droopy, elongated leaves and tiny yellow-white flowers.What makes Dendroseris neriifolia so unusual and the object of so much study is that there is only one known specimen living in the wild. It is the world's rarest plant and, like scores of other species on rugged Robinson Crusoe island, it somehow survives literally on the precipice of extinction on this speck of land lost in the South Pacific. Known to a few travel connoisseurs as the place where the real-life Robinson Crusoe was marooned in the 18th century, the island attracts naturalists who come to study what is believed to be the world's largest number of endemic plant species per square mile. There are 124 unique plant species -- occurring nowhere else on earth -- on an island of a mere 36 square miles. Read on>>> Forests.orgFor more: Zipcodezoo, Wikipedia, amjbot.org, ScholarImage: geocities More About: Endangered
Chameleons
2007-12-27 06:15:00 Almost half of the world?s chameleon species live on the island of Madagascar. This chameleon community is not only the world?s largest, it is also the world?s most unique; with 59 different species existing nowhere outside of Madagascar.Beyond their uniqueness to the island, chameleons are unique creatures in their own right. Known for their ability to change color, they can be seen wearing a variety of colors, including brown, green, blue, yellow, red, black or white. Communication is an important reason behind these color changes. With color, chameleons can communicate with others, expressing attitudes such as their willingness to mate. Contrary to popular belief, chameleons cannot display limitless colors and do not change colors in a camouflage response to their surroundings. Instead, their skin changes in response to temperature, light, and mood. Read more from>>>PBSMore on Chameleons: Wikipedia, Wonderquest, National Geographic, WWF, Animalark, BBC, Webhome, BooksImage: Nikutai More About: Mele
Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)
2007-12-25 07:21:00 In the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean, there is often nor clear distinction made between a couple of aromatic herbs of the mint family: Names like Turkish kekik or Arabic zatar/satar [????, ????] and related forms in Hebrew and Persian, often in conjunction with qualifying or descriptive adjectives, may be applied to a varity of native herbs including, but not restricted to, oregano, marjoram, thyme and savory. Usage may vary even within a given language, depending on the region and particularly on the local flora. In Jordan, zahtar usually means a spice mixture containing such herbs. Fore more go to>>>>>Spice PagesMore on Thyme: Nature Direct, Maria Treben, EHFoods, Sallys-Place, Garden-guides, World.std.com, Botanical, Culinarycafe, Wikipedia, ScholarImage: Botanical.com
Otters
2007-12-23 10:49:00 Otters are amphibious (or in one case aquatic) carnivorous mammals. The otter subfamily Lutrinae forms part of the family Mustelidae, which also includes weasels, polecats, badgers, as well as others. With 13 species in 7 genera, otters have an almost worldwide distribution.An otter's den is called a holt. Male otters are dog-otters, females are bitches and babies are cubs or pups. The collective noun romp is sometimes used for a group of otters, being descriptive of their often playful nature. Otter dung is called spraint (or sometimes scat as for many other carnivores) ? in the Eurasian otter at least this has a not unpleasant, perfume-like smell. WikipediaMore on Otters: Otternet, National Geographic, SanDiegoHistory, Sea-Otters, River Otters, Environment Agency, WWF, Nature, National Geographic, BooksImage of European Otter: Wildlife Trust More About: Otters
Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus)
2007-12-21 09:03:00 Although the Inland Taipan has the most potent venom of any land snake on earth, it is usually quite shy and has a placid disposition. It occurs in the drainages of the cooper and Diamantina creeks and their tributaries and, at least in the very recent past, also in the drainages of the Bulloo, Paroo, Warrego and lower Darling Rivers. There are two early European records of specimens from the latter more eastern drainages but no further specimens have been found. It is possible that represented outlier populations that have since become extinct, or that the eastern and southern range of the species has contracted. Since European settlement, changes in land use and subtle climatic changes have made these areas unsuited to the Inland Taipan. More reading>>>>>users.esc.net.auMore on the Inland Taipan: Reptile Park, Manbir-online, Barefoot Bushman, ABC.net, Everthing2, National Geographic, Toxinology, answers.yahoo, Reptile Knowledge, Echeat, Featherdale, kingsnake, Wikipedia, Books, Sc...
Chinese Crested Tern
2007-12-18 05:58:00 A study of Chinese Crested Tern highlights that the global population has fallen to less than fifty individuals, half what they were just three years ago.The study believes that the main cause of this decline is an unregulated expansion in trade for seabird eggs, a local delicacy that has risen in demand alongside a thriving tourist economy.Without urgent action conservationists have given the bird less than five years before disappearing completely from its two remaining breeding areas. Chinese Crested Tern Sterna bernstein is China?s rarest bird, listed by BirdLife International as Critically Endangered ? the most severe threat category. First discovered in 1861 and rarely recorded since, Chinese Crested Tern was largely presumed extinct until 2000, when four adults and four chicks were found amongst a colony of other tern species on Matsu, an island off the coast of Fujian Province. In 2004, it was discovered breeding at another site: Jiushan Islands, on the coast of Zhejiang Pro...
Meerkats Standing Tall!
2007-12-13 16:51:00 These gregarious animals are often seen in groups, and several families may live together in a large community. Squirrel-sized meerkats are mongooses famed for their upright posture. They often stand on their rear legs and gaze alertly over the southern African plains where they live. Mothers can even nurse their young while standing.Meerkats (also called suricates) work together in numbers. A few will typically serve as lookouts, watching the skies for birds of prey, such as hawks and eagles, that can snatch them from the ground. A sharp, shrill call is the signal for all to take cover. While a few individuals guard the group, the rest busy themselves foraging for the foods that make up their varied diet. Meerkats will eat insects, lizards, birds, and fruit. When hunting small game, they work together and communicate with purring sounds. Meerkats are good hunters and are sometimes tamed for use as rodent-catchers.Meerkat groups utilize several different burrows and move from one to... More About: Tall , Standing
The Silkworm Moth
2007-12-12 08:10:00 The Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is the caterpillar of a moth whose cocoon is used to make silk; it is not a worm at all. This insect is also called the silkworm-moth and the mulberry silkworm. It is native to Northern China.Silk: The silk from the silkworm's cocoon is a single, continuous thread. It is made of a protein that is secreted from two salivary glands in the caterpillar's head. The Chinese have harvested silk from silkworm cocoons for thousands of years. To harvest silk, the silkworm is allowed to spin its cocoon and it is then put in boiling water to kill the pupa and help unravel the thread. Each cocoon contains a single silk thread that is about 300 to 900 meters long. The silkworm has been domesticated to the point where it could no longer survive in the wild. The adult moth cannot eat or fly; it has a fat body and small wings.Lifecycle: The tiny Silkworm larva hatches from a tiny black egg. The larva eats mulberry (Morus alba) leaves almost constantly for 4 to 6 weeks un...
Bats
2007-12-10 11:00:00 Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight. With extremely elongated fingers and a wing membrane stretched between, the bat?s wing anatomically resembles the human hand, Almost 1,000 bat species can be found worldwide. In fact, bats make up a quarter of all mammal species on earth!Size Bats are divided into two suborders: Megachiroptera, meaning large bat, and Microchiroptera, meaning small bat. The largest bats have a 6 foot wingspan. The bodies of the smallest bats are no more than an inch long.Lifespan Most bats live longer than most mammals of their size. The longest known lifespan of a bat in the wild is 30 years for a little brown bat. Read more>>>>Defenders of WildlifeMore on Bats: Batcon, Batworld, cccoe, KidZone, Members.AOL, Wikipedia, Bats.org, National Geographic, Kennesaw, Bat Conservation, WWF, Earthlink, Smithsonian, Batworld Facts, dnr.wi.gov, Bugspray, Thinkquest, Animaldiversity, Friendsofbats, Eparks, National Zoological Park, WBU, Books, Scholar, PicasaImag... More About: Bats
Tasmanian Devil
2007-11-28 16:25:00 The Tasmanian devil cannot be mistaken for any other marsupial. Its spine-chilling screeches, black colour, and reputed bad-temper, led the early European settlers to call it The Devil . Although only the size of a small dog, it can sound and look incredibly fierce.The world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial, the devil has a thick-set, squat build, with a relatively large, broad head and short, thick tail. The fur is mostly or wholly black, but white markings often occur on the rump and chest. Body size also varies greatly, depending on the diet and habitat. Adult males are usually larger than adult females. Large males weigh up to 12 kg, and stand about 30 cm high at the shoulder. Devils once occurred on mainland Australia, with fossils having been found widely. Today, however the devil is only found in Tasmania. It is believed the devil became extinct on the mainland some 600 years ago -- before European settlement of the continent. The dingo, which was brought into Austra... More About: Endangered
The Jellyfish
2007-11-26 13:23:00 No bones. No brains. But what a sting!The sting of some "jellies," such as this sea nettle (left), can be deadly. Others are harmless to humans.They look like blobs when washed up on the beach. But in the water jellies are graceful. They range in size from about 1 inch (2 1/2 centimeters) to 200 feet (61 meters) long. They have been drifting through the world's oceans for more than 650 million years.Jellyfish are not fish at all. They are invertebrates, relatives of corals and sea anemones (uh-NEH-muh-neez). A jelly has no head, brain, heart, eyes, nor ears. It has no bones, either. But that's no problem! To capture prey for food, jellies have a net of tentacles that contain poisonous, stinging cells. When the tentacles brush against prey (or, say, a person's leg), thousands of tiny stinging cells explode, launching barbed stingers and poison into the victim. Where there's water?from icy polar seas to tropical Pacific shores?there are jellies. Scientists estimate there may be 2,...
The Black Rhino
2007-11-24 07:29:00 Common Name: Black rhino, hook-lipped rhinoceros;Rhin océros noir(Fr);Rinoceronte negro(Sp)Scientific Name:Diceros bicornisHabitat: Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Deserts and Xeric ShrublandsLocation: Eastern, central, western and southern AfricaStatus: IUCN: Critically Endangered (CR A2abc) to Probably Extinct CITES: Appendix IPopulation: Approximately 3,725 individuals >>>Information From: WWFMore on the Black Rhino : IRF, BlackRhinoceros, SCZ, Botany UWC, IFAW, National Geographic, Bagheera, Animal Diversity, AnimalInfo, WildLifeAfrica, Save The RhinoImage: AWF
Jatropha
More articles from this author:2007-11-20 14:30:00 Jatropha curcus is a drought-resistant perennial, growing well in marginal/poor soil. It is easy to establish, grows relatively quickly and lives, producing seeds for 50 years.Jatropha the wonder plant produces seeds with an oil content of 37%. The oil can be combusted as fuel without being refined. It burns with clear smoke-free flame, tested successfully as fuel for simple diesel engine. The by-products are press cake a good organic fertilizer, oil contains also insecticide.It is found to be growing in many parts of the country, rugged in nature and can survive with minimum inputs and easy to propagate.Medically it is used for diseases like cancer, piles, snakebite, paralysis, dropsy etc.Jatropha grows wild in many areas of India and even thrives on infertile soil. A good crop can be obtained with little effort. Depending on soil quality and rainfall, oil can be extracted from the jatropha nuts after two to five years. The annual nut yield ranges from 0.5 to 12 tons. The kernels c... More About: Jatropha 1, 2, 3 |
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