Beluga Whale

 

The Life of Animals | Beluga whale | The beluga or white whale, Delphinapterus leucas, is an Arctic and sub-Arctic cetacean. This marine mammal is commonly Referred to simply as the Beluga or Sea Canary due to its high-pitched twitter It is up to 5 m (16 ft) in length and an unmistakable all-white color with a distinctive protuberance on the head. Populations of seven Canadian beluga, two are listed as endangered, inhabiting eastern Hudson Bay, and Ungava Bay.

In 1776, Peter Simon Pallas first described the beluga It is a member of the family Monodontidae, the which is in turn part of the toothed whale suborder of The Irrawaddy dolphin was once placed in the same series; however, recent genetic evidence Suggests Otherwise The narwhal is The only other species within the Monodontidae besides the beluga The Red List of Threatened Species Both Gives and white beluga whale as common names, though the former is now more popular. It is Sometimes Referred to by Scientists as the belukha whale to avoid confusion with the beluga sturgeon.

A Japanese researcher says he taught a beluga to "talk" by using these sounds to identify three different objects, offering Hope that Humans may one day be Able to Communicate effectively with sea Mammals Female belugas are larger than females. Calves, however, are usually gray That Its head is unlike any other of cetaceans. The beluga's melon is extremely bulbous and even malleable The beluga is Able to change the shape of its head by blowing water around its sinuses. Unlike many Dolphins and whales, the vertebrae in the neck are not Fused together, allowing the animal to turn its head laterally. 

Belugas have a dorsal ridge, rather than a dorsal fin the absence of the dorsal fin is reflected in the genus name of the species-apterus the Greek word for "wingless." The beluga inhabits a discontinuous Circumpolar distribution in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters ranging from 50 ° N to 80 ° N, particularly along the coasts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Russia.  Lawrence River estuary and the Saguenay fjord, around the village of Tadoussac, Quebec, in the Atlantic and the Amur River delta, the Shantar Surrounding Islands and the waters of Sakhalin Island in the Sea of Okhotsk

In the spring, the Beluga moves to its summer grounds: bays, estuaries and other shallow inlets. These summer sites are discontinuous. Beluga may also find pockets of water trapped under the ice. The beluga's ability to find the thin slivers of open water within a dense ice pack may cover more than That 96% of the surface mystifies Scientists. Its echo-location capabilities are highly adapted to the sub-ice sea's Peculiar acoustics and it has been suggested That belugas can sense open water through echo-location.

Experts Those Identified as the bones of a beluga.  Today, the Charlotte whale aids in the study of the geology and the history of the Champlain Basin and this fossil is now the official Vermont State Fossil (making Vermont the only official state fossil Whose Is that of a still extant animal). On June 9, 2006, a young beluga carcass was found in the Tanana River near Fairbanks in central Alaska, Nearly 1.700 kilometers (1,100 mi) from the nearest ocean habitats. Sometimes Belugas follow migrating fish, leading Alaska state biologist Tom Seaton to speculate That it Had Followed salmon migrating up the river at some point in the prior fall. Belugas are highly Sociable. Groups of males may number in the Hundreds, while mothers with calves Generally mix in slightly Smaller groups. Pods growing niche to be unstable, meaning That They growing niche to move from pod to pod. Mothers and calves form the beluga's Closest social relationships. Belugas can be playful, They may spit at Humans or other whales.  Unlike most whales, it is capable of swimming backwards. Female belugas typically give birth to one calf every three years Most Occurs ing the between February and May, but some ing Occurs at other times of year. It is questionable whether the beluga has delayed implantation gestation Lasts 12 to 14.5 months Calves are born over a protracted period, That varies by location. The global population of belugas today stands at about 100,000. There are estimated to be 40.000 individuals in the Beaufort Sea, Hudson Bay in 25.045, 18.500 in the Bering Sea, and 28.008 in the Canadian Low Arctic. The population in the St. Lawrence estuary is estimated to be around 1.000 It is Considered an excellent sentinel species (indicators of environment health and changes). 

Because the Beluga congregates in river estuaries, pollution is proving to be a significant health danger. Levels the between 240 ppm and 800 ppm of PCBs have been found, with males typically having higher levels, the long-term effects of this pollution on the affected Populations is not known. While some Populations tolerate small boats, others actively try to avoid ships.  Indigenous Whaling Continues in these areas, and some Populations continue to decline.  As of 2008, the beluga is listed as "near Threatened" by the IUCN, due to uncertainty about the number of belugas over parts of its range (ESPECIALLY the Russian Arctic), and the expectation That Efforts cease if current conservation, ESPECIALLY hunting management , the beluga population is Likely to qualify for "Threatened" status within five years. Prior to 2008, the beluga was listed as "vulnerable", a higher level of concern. IUCN cited the stability of the largest subpopulations and improved census methods That indicate a larger population than Previously estimated To Prevent hunting, belugas are protected under the International Moratorium on Commercial Whaling; however, small amounts of Beluga Whaling are still allowed. 

To Prevent whales from coming in contact with industrial waste, the Alaskan and Canadian Governments are Relocating and waste sites where whales come in contact. Healthy captive belugas are Important Because They are one of the only whales found in many marine aquariums. The high numbers of Captives adds to the threat to the beluga population, while Their carcasses Contribute to scientific research. The Cook Inlet subpopulation is listed as "Critically Endangered" by the IUCN as of 2006 of The Cook Inlet beluga population is listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act as of October 2008. This was due to overharvesting of belugas prior to 1998. The beluga whale is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).

Arabian leopard

  

The Life of Animals | Arabian leopard | The Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr) is a leopard subspecies native to the Arabian Peninsula and classified as critically endangered by IUCN since 1996. Less than 200 animals remained in 2006, and the population trend is decreasing The Arabian leopard is the smallest leopard subspecies The Arabian leopard was tentatively affirmed as a distinct subspecies by genetic analysis from a single captive leopard from Israel of south Arabian origin, which appeared most closely related to the African leopard

The Arabian leopard has pelage hues that vary from pale yellow to deep golden or tawny and are patterned with rosettes  At a weight of about 30 kg (66 lb) for the male and around 20 kg (44 lb) for the female, the Arabian leopard is much smaller than the African Leopard and other Asian subspecies. The geographic range is poorly understood but generally considered as limited to the Arabian Peninsula, including Egypt's Sinai Peninsula Until the late 1960s, the Arabian leopard was widely distributed in the Arabian Peninsula. 

A few individuals survive in the Judean Desert and Negev Highlands while in the Arabian Peninsula leopards are known from just one location in Yemen and one in Oman  The largest confirmed subpopulation inhabits the Dhofar Mountains of southern Oman. Camera trapping has identified 17 individual adult leopards since 1997 in the Jabal Samhan Nature Reserve Camera trapping has confirmed the presence of 9–11 leopards in the mountains that run west of the reserve to the Yemen border Leopards occupy remote and rugged high-mountain areas that provide security and vantage points. In the arid terrain of their habitat, Arabian leopards require large territories in order to find enough food and water to survive. The Arabian leopard seems to concentrate on small-to-medium-sized prey species such as mountain gazelle, Arabian tahr, rock hyrax, hares, birds and possibly lizards and insects. 

Three confirmed separate subpopulations remain on the Arabian Peninsula with fewer than estimated 200 leopards The Arabian leopard is threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation; hunting of its wild prey, and retaliatory killing in defense of livestock.  The actual distribution of the leopard in Arabia is not known exactly, mainly due to habitat destruction, killing and lack of ecological studies. Some reports indicate that the leopard population has decreased drastically in Arabia due to killing by shepherds and villagers after leopard raids on their livestock making them an enemy of farmers. In addition, hunting of leopard prey such as hyrax and ibex by local people; habitat fragmentation, especially in the Sarawat Mountains, have made the survival of the leopard uncertain The reduced leopard population in Arabia requires immediate action to avoid further losses and extinction.

Together with the killing and poisoning of the leopard, decreased availability of prey might bring about its extinction Other reasons for killing leopards are for personal satisfaction and pride, traditional medicine and hides. Some leopards are killed accidentally when eating poisoned carcasses intended for wolves and hyenas Among products being sold in the tent city of Mina, Saudi Arabia after the Haj of 2010, also skins of Arabian leopards poached in Yemen were offered The 4,500 km2 (1,700 sq mi) Jabal Samhan Nature Reserve was established in 1997 after camera trap records of leopards were obtained; camera trapping since then has identified 17 individual adult leopards, including one cub A detailed study of leopard distribution and habitat requirement is needed for the management of the species. A successful conservation strategy must promote the awareness of the importance of leopard conservation, employing the media and perhaps other sources for basic education programs. The support and involvement of people living close to leopard habitats are vital in such efforts.

African leopard

The Life of Animals  | African leopard | The African Leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) is a leopard subspecies occurring across most of sub-Saharan Africa.  African leopards exhibit great variation in coat color, depending on location and habitat. Male leopards are larger, averaging 60 kg (130 lb) with 91 kg (200 lb) being the maximum weight attained by a male. Females weigh about 35 to 40 kg (77 to 88 lb) in average. Between 1996 and 2000, 11 adult leopards were radio-collared on Namibian farmlands. Males weighed 37.5 to 52.3 kg (83 to 115 lb) only, and females 24 to 33.5 kg (53 to 74 lb) Leopards inhabiting the mountains of the Cape Provinces appear physically different from leopards further north. African leopards used to occur in most of sub-Saharan Africa, occupying both rainforest and arid desert habitats.

African leopards inhabited a wide range of habitats within Africa, from mountainous forests to grasslands and savannahs, excluding only extremely sandy desert. Leopards are generally most active between sunset and sunrise, and kill more prey at this time In Kruger National Park, male leopards and female leopards with cubs were relatively more active at night than solitary females. The highest rates of daytime activity were recorded for leopards using thorn thickets during the wet season, when impala also used them Small prey are taken where large ungulates are less common. The known prey of leopards ranges from dung beetles to adult elands, which can reach 900 kg (2,000 lb) In sub-Saharan Africa, at least 92 prey species have been ocumented in their diet including rodents, birds, small and large antelopes, hyraxes and hares, and arthropods. Average intervals between ungulate kills range from seven to 12–13 days

In the Serengeti National Park, leopards were radio-collared for the first time in the early 1970s. Occasionally, they successfully hunted warthog, dik-dik, reedbuck, duiker, steinbok, wildebeest and topi calves, jackal, hare, guinea fowl and starling. They were less successful in hunting zebras, kongonis, giraffes, mongooses, genets, hyrax and small birds. Leopards often cache large kills in trees, a behavior for which great strength is required. Throughout Africa, the major threats to leopards are habitat conversion and intense persecution, especially in retribution for real and perceived livestock loss

The impact of trophy hunting on populations is unclear, but may have impacts at the demographic and population level, especially when females are shot.  Although male leopards provide no parental care to cubs, the presence of the sire allows mothers to raise cubs with a reduced risk of infanticide by foreign males. There are few reliable observations of infanticide in leopards but new males entering the population are likely to kill existing cubs

Analysis of leopard scats and camera trapping surveys in contiguous forest landscapes in the Congo Basin revealed a high dietary niche overlap and an exploitative competition between leopards and bushmeat hunters. With increasing proximity to settlements and concomitant human hunting pressure, leopards exploit smaller prey and occur at considerably reduced population densities. In the presence of intensive bushmeat hunting surrounding human settlements, leopards appear entirely absent

Indian leopard

 

The Life of Animals | Indian leopard | The Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is a leopard subspecies widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the five big cats found in India, apart from Asiatic lion, Bengal tiger, snow leopard and clouded leopard. In 1794, Friedrich Albrecht Anton Meyer wrote the first description of Felis fusca, in which he gave account of a panther-like cat from Bengal of about 85.5 cm (33.7 in), with strong legs and a long well-formed tail, head as big as a panther’s, broad muzzle, short ears and small, yellowish grey eyes, light grey ocular bulbs; black at first sight, but on closer examination dark brown with circular darker coloured spots, tinged pale red underneath.

Indian leopards are distributed all over India, in Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and parts of Pakistan. They inhabit tropical rain forests, dry deciduous forests, temperate forests and northern coniferous forests up to an altitude of 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) above sea level, bordering snow leopard habitat. A significant immediate threat to wild leopard populations is the illegal trade in poached skins and body parts between India, Nepal and China. Buyers choose the skins from dealers or tanneries and smuggle them through a complex interlinking network to markets outside India, mainly in China  Seized skins in Kathmandu confirm the city's role as a key staging point for illegal skins smuggled from India bound for Tibet and China.

Leopards share their habitats with Asiatic lions, Bengal tigers, Asiatic Black Bears and sloth bears, wolves, Striped hyenas and wild dogs. These animals may kill leopard cubs given a chance. Lions and tigers may even attack a full-grown leopard. Leopards succeed in co-existing with tigers, but are not common in habitat where tiger density is high.

Discus

  

The Life of Animals | Discus | Discus belong to the genus Symphysodon, which currently includes three species: The common discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus), the Heckel discus (Symphysodon discus), and a new species which has been named Symphysodon tarzoo  However,

 a further investigation published in August 2007 suggested that the genus held the three species: S. aequifasciatus (the green discus), S. haraldi (the blue/brown/common discus) and S. discus (the Heckel discus).

 

Another characteristic of Symphysodon species is their care for the larvae. As for most cichlids, brood care is highly developed with both the parents caring for the young. Additionally, adult discus produce a secretion through their skin, which the larvae live off during their first few days. This behaviour has also been observed for Uaru species. However when bred in captivity the larvae will tend to live off their parents secretion for up to 2 weeks.

Marine Iguana

  

The Life of Animals | Marine Iguana | The Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is an iguana found only on the Galápagos Islands that has the ability, unique among modern lizards, to live and forage in the sea, making it a marine reptile. The Iguana can dive over 30 ft (10 m) into the water. It has spread to all the islands in the archipelago, and is sometimes called the Galapagos Marine Iguana.
 

 

In adult males, coloration varies with the season. On land, the marine iguana is rather a clumsy animal, but in the water it is a graceful swimmer. As an ectothermic animal, the marine iguana can spend only a limited time in the cold sea, where it dives for algae. The males assemble large groups of females to mate with, and guard them against other male iguanas.

 

Marine iguanas have also been found to change their size to adapt to varying food conditions. When food conditions returned to normal, the iguanas returned to their pre-famine size. El Niño effects cause periodic declines in population, with high mortality, and the marine iguana is threatened by predation by exotic species. The marine iguanas have not evolved to combat newer predators. Therefore, cats and dogs both eat the young iguanas and dogs will kill adults due to the iguanas' slow reflex times and tameness. 

Knysna Dwarf Chameleon

  

The Life of Animals | Knysna Dwarf Chameleon | The Knysna Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion damaranum) is a species of dwarf chameleon in the Bradypodion ("slow footed") genus of chameleons that are endemic to South Africa. It is a forest dweller, found only in a limited range in the afromontane forests near Knysna, South Africa, and in certain other areas. 

This gives the chameleon the ability to catch insects some distance away.Like the Cape Dwarf Chameleon it seems to be a basal offshoot of the ancestral stock which gave rise to all Bradypodion chameleon species.

The normal habitat of Bradypodion damaranum is dense, wet montane forest. This chameleon also readily adapts to living in gardens.