Animals Photos Images Mating with Down Syndrome with Names to draw in the rainforest wallpapers

Friday, July 25, 2014

Animals Photo Animals Photos Images Mating with Down Syndrome with Names to draw in the rainforest wallpapers with human teeth

Animals Photo Biography

Source Link Goggle.com.pk

A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon, scarce, or infrequently encountered. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and may be distinct from the term endangered or threatened species. Designation of a rare species may be made by an official body, such as a national government, state, or province. However, the term more commonly appears without reference to specific criteria. The IUCN does not normally make
Rarity rests on a specific species being represented by a small number of organisms worldwide, usually fewer than 10,000. However, a species having a very narrow endemic range or fragmented habitat also influences the concept.[2] Rare species are not uncommon, since nearly 75% of
A species may be endangered or vulnerable, but not considered rare if—for example—it has a large, dispersed population, but its numbers are declining rapidly or predicted to do so. Rare species are generally considered threatened because a small population size is more likely to not recover from stochastic events (things that could happen).The conservation status of a species indicates the likelihood that it will become extinct. Many factors are considered when assessing the conservation status of a species; e.g., such statistics as the number remaining, the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, or known threats.[2] The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the best-known worldwide conservation status listing
Over 40% of species are estimated to be at risk extinction.[4] Internationally, 199 countries have signed an accord to create Biodiversity Action Plans that will protect endangered and other threatened species. In the United States this plan is usually called a species Recovery PlanIUCN Red List refers to a specific category of threatened species and may include critically endangered species. The IUCN Red List uses the term endangered species as a specific category of imperilment, rather than as a general term. Under the IUCN Categories and Criteria, endangered species is between critically endangered and vulnerable. Also critically endangered species may also be counted as endangered species and fill all the criteria.
The more general term used by the IUCN for species at risk of extinction is "threatened species", which also includes the less-at-risk category of vulnerable species together with endangered and
IUCN categories, and some animals in those categories, include:Some endangered species laws are controversial. Typical areas of controversy include: criteria for placing a species on the endangered species list and criteria for removing a species from the list once its population has recovered; whether restrictions on land development constitute a "taking" of land by the government; the related question of whether private landowners should be compensated for the loss of uses of their lands; and obtaining reasonable exceptions to protection laws. Also lobbying from hunters and various industries like the petroleum industry, construction industry, and logging, has been an obstacle in establishing endangered species laws.
The Bush administration lifted a policy that required federal officials to consult a wildlife expert before taking actions that could damage endangered species. Under the Obama administration,
Being listed as an endangered species can have negative effect since it could make a species more desirable for collectors and poachers.[8] This effect is potentially reducible, such as in China where commercially farmed turtles may be reducing some of the pressure to poach endangered
Another problem with the listing species is its effect of inciting the use of the "shoot, shovel, and shut-up" method of clearing endangered species from an area of land. Some landowners currently may perceive a diminution in value for their land after finding an endangered animal on it. They have allegedly opted to silently kill and bury the animals or destroy habitat, thus removing the problem from their land, but at the same time further reducing the population of an endangered species.[10] The effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act, which coined the term "endangered species", has been questioned by business advocacy groups and their publications, but is nevertheless widely recognized as an effective recovery tool by wildlife scientists who work with the species. Nineteen species have been delisted and recovered[11] and 93% of listed species in the northeastern United States have a recovering or stable population.[12]
Currently, 1,556 known species in the world have been identified as endangered, or near extinction, and are under protection by government law (Glenn, 2006, Webpage). This approximation, however, does not take into consideration the number of species threatened with endangerment that are not included under the protection of such laws as the Endangered Species Act. According to NatureServe's global conservation status, approximately thirteen percent of vertebrates (excluding marine fish), seventeen percent of vascular plants, and six to eighteen percent of fungi are considered imperiled (Wilcove & Master, 2008, p. 415-416). Thus, in total, between seven and eighteen percent of the United States' known animals, fungi, and plants are near extinction (Wilcove & Master, 2008, p. 416). This total is substantially more than the number of species protected under the Endangered Species Act in the United States.Over-hunting and over-fishing have been a problem ever since mankind started to hunt, and it is no different today. Animals like the bald eagle, grizzly bear, American bison, timber wolf, and sea turtles have all been hunted nearly to extinction, and these are the lucky ones. Others such as the dodo, passenger pigeon, great auk, and Stellar’s sea cows were not as lucky as they were hunted to extinction. All of these animals started off as a food source or ones almost necessary for survival, but the need turned into greed and sport and the populations of these animals were greatly depleted. A present day example of the over-hunting of a species can be seen in the oceans as populations of certain whales have been greatly reduced. Large whales like the blue whale, bowhead whale, finback whale, gray whale, sperm whale, and humpback whale are some of the eight whales which are currently still included on the Endangered Species List. Actions have been taken to try to reduce whaling and increase population sizes, including prohibiting all whaling in United States waters, the formation of the CITES treaty which protects all whales, along with the formation of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). But even though all of these movements have been put in place, countries like Japan claim that they are whaling for “scientific” purposes and continue to harvest whales.[13] Over-hunting,climatic change and habitat loss leads in landing species in endangered species list and could mean that extinction rates could increase to a large extent in the future.Whereas poaching substantially reduces endangered animal populations, legal, for-profit, private farming does the opposite. It has substantially increased the populations of the southern black rhinoceros and southern white rhinoceros. Dr Richard Emslie, a scientific officer at the IUCN, said of such programs, "Effective law enforcement has become much easier now that the animals are largely privately owned... We have been able to bring local communities into the conservation programmes. There are increasingly strong economic incentives attached to looking after rhinos rather than simply poaching: from Eco-tourism or selling them on for a profit. So many owners are keeping them secure. The private
Conservation experts view the effect of China's turtle farming on the wild turtle populations of China and South-Eastern Asia—many of which are endangered—as "poorly understood".[17] Although they commend the gradual replacement of wild-caught turtles with farm-raised turtles in the marketplace (the percentage of farm-raised individuals in the "visible" trade grew from around 30% in 2000 to around 70% in 2007),[18] they worry that many wild animals are caught to provide farmers with breeding stock. The conservation expert Peter Paul van Dijk noted that turtle farmers often believe that wild-caught animals are superior breeding stock; turtle farmers may therefore seek and catch the very last remaining wild specimens of some endangered turtle
In 2009, researchers in Australia first coaxed southern bluefin tuna to breed in landlocked tanks, enabling fish farming to save the species from overfishing

Animals Photo Animals Photos Images Mating With Down Syndrome With Names To Draw In The Rainforest Wallpapers With Human Teeth

Rare Animals Animals Photos Images Mating With Down Syndrome With Names To Draw In The Rainforest Wallpapers With Human Teeth

Rare Animals Biography

Source Link Goggle.com.pk

A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon, scarce, or infrequently encountered. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and may be distinct from the term endangered or threatened species. Designation of a rare species may be made by an official body, such as a national government, state, or province. However, the term more commonly appears without reference to specific criteria. The IUCN does not normally make
Rarity rests on a specific species being represented by a small number of organisms worldwide, usually fewer than 10,000. However, a species having a very narrow endemic range or fragmented habitat also influences the concept.[2] Rare species are not uncommon, since nearly 75% of
A species may be endangered or vulnerable, but not considered rare if—for example—it has a large, dispersed population, but its numbers are declining rapidly or predicted to do so. Rare species are generally considered threatened because a small population size is more likely to not recover from stochastic events (things that could happen).The conservation status of a species indicates the likelihood that it will become extinct. Many factors are considered when assessing the conservation status of a species; e.g., such statistics as the number remaining, the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, or known threats.[2] The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the best-known worldwide conservation status listing
Over 40% of species are estimated to be at risk extinction.[4] Internationally, 199 countries have signed an accord to create Biodiversity Action Plans that will protect endangered and other threatened species. In the United States this plan is usually called a species Recovery PlanIUCN Red List refers to a specific category of threatened species and may include critically endangered species. The IUCN Red List uses the term endangered species as a specific category of imperilment, rather than as a general term. Under the IUCN Categories and Criteria, endangered species is between critically endangered and vulnerable. Also critically endangered species may also be counted as endangered species and fill all the criteria.
The more general term used by the IUCN for species at risk of extinction is "threatened species", which also includes the less-at-risk category of vulnerable species together with endangered and .
IUCN categories, and some animals in those categories, include:Some endangered species laws are controversial. Typical areas of controversy include: criteria for placing a species on the endangered species list and criteria for removing a species from the list once its population has recovered; whether restrictions on land development constitute a "taking" of land by the government; the related question of whether private landowners should be compensated for the loss of uses of their lands; and obtaining reasonable exceptions to protection laws. Also lobbying from hunters and various industries like the petroleum industry, construction industry, and logging, has been an obstacle in establishing endangered species laws.
The Bush administration lifted a policy that required federal officials to consult a wildlife expert before taking actions that could damage endangered species. Under the Obama administration,
Being listed as an endangered species can have negative effect since it could make a species more desirable for collectors and poachers.[8] This effect is potentially reducible, such as in China where commercially farmed turtles may be reducing some of the pressure to poach endangered
Another problem with the listing species is its effect of inciting the use of the "shoot, shovel, and shut-up" method of clearing endangered species from an area of land. Some landowners currently may perceive a diminution in value for their land after finding an endangered animal on it. They have allegedly opted to silently kill and bury the animals or destroy habitat, thus removing the problem from their land, but at the same time further reducing the population of an endangered species.[10] The effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act, which coined the term "endangered species", has been questioned by business advocacy groups and their publications, but is nevertheless widely recognized as an effective recovery tool by wildlife scientists who work with the species. Nineteen species have been delisted and recovered[11] and 93% of listed species in the northeastern United States have a recovering or stable population.[12]
Currently, 1,556 known species in the world have been identified as endangered, or near extinction, and are under protection by government law (Glenn, 2006, Webpage). This approximation, however, does not take into consideration the number of species threatened with endangerment that are not included under the protection of such laws as the Endangered Species Act. According to NatureServe's global conservation status, approximately thirteen percent of vertebrates (excluding marine fish), seventeen percent of vascular plants, and six to eighteen percent of fungi are considered imperiled (Wilcove & Master, 2008, p. 415-416). Thus, in total, between seven and eighteen percent of the United States' known animals, fungi, and plants are near extinction (Wilcove & Master, 2008, p. 416). This total is substantially more than the number of species protected under the Endangered Species Act in the United States.Over-hunting and over-fishing have been a problem ever since mankind started to hunt, and it is no different today. Animals like the bald eagle, grizzly bear, American bison, timber wolf, and sea turtles have all been hunted nearly to extinction, and these are the lucky ones. Others such as the dodo, passenger pigeon, great auk, and Stellar’s sea cows were not as lucky as they were hunted to extinction. All of these animals started off as a food source or ones almost necessary for survival, but the need turned into greed and sport and the populations of these animals were greatly depleted. A present day example of the over-hunting of a species can be seen in the oceans as populations of certain whales have been greatly reduced. Large whales like the blue whale, bowhead whale, finback whale, gray whale, sperm whale, and humpback whale are some of the eight whales which are currently still included on the Endangered Species List. Actions have been taken to try to reduce whaling and increase population sizes, including prohibiting all whaling in United States waters, the formation of the CITES treaty which protects all whales, along with the formation of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). But even though all of these movements have been put in place, countries like Japan claim that they are whaling for “scientific” purposes and continue to harvest whales.[13] Over-hunting,climatic change and habitat loss leads in landing species in endangered species list and could mean that extinction rates could increase to a large extent in the future.Whereas poaching substantially reduces endangered animal populations, legal, for-profit, private farming does the opposite. It has substantially increased the populations of the southern black rhinoceros and southern white rhinoceros. Dr Richard Emslie, a scientific officer at the IUCN, said of such programs, "Effective law enforcement has become much easier now that the animals are largely privately owned... We have been able to bring local communities into the conservation programmes. There are increasingly strong economic incentives attached to looking after rhinos rather than simply poaching: from Eco-tourism or selling them on for a profit. So many owners are keeping them secure. The private
Conservation experts view the effect of China's turtle farming on the wild turtle populations of China and South-Eastern Asia—many of which are endangered—as "poorly understood".[17] Although they commend the gradual replacement of wild-caught turtles with farm-raised turtles in the marketplace (the percentage of farm-raised individuals in the "visible" trade grew from around 30% in 2000 to around 70% in 2007),[18] they worry that many wild animals are caught to provide farmers with breeding stock. The conservation expert Peter Paul van Dijk noted that turtle farmers often believe that wild-caught animals are superior breeding stock; turtle farmers may therefore seek and catch the very last remaining wild specimens of some endangered turtle
In 2009, researchers in Australia first coaxed southern bluefin tuna to breed in landlocked tanks, enabling fish farming to save the species from overfishing

Rare Animals Animals Photos Images Mating With Down Syndrome With Names To Draw In The Rainforest Wallpapers With Human Teeth

Endangerd Animals Animals Photos Images Mating With Down Syndrome With Names To Draw In The Rainforest Wallpapers With Human Teeth

Endangerd Animals Biography

Source Link Goggle.com.pk

Kangaroos are the largest living marsupials in the world and are usually red or grey. The Australian Coat of Arms has a Kangaroo and Emu holding a shield with symbols representing the six states on it. Kangaroos have greatly enlarged hind legs, a strong, muscular tail, small forelegs, a relatively small head, and large ears. They usually move around with a hopping gait. The long, strong tail is used as a balance when hopping and as a prop when resting or fighting.
Like most marsupials, kangaroos give birth to small premature young called a "joey". Although the period of gestation (pregnancy), may be short, ranging from 27 to 40 days, the young may spend a long periods in their mothers pouch. In the case of the red kangaroo, they remain there
The Red Kangaroo has a number of adaptations for coping with unpredictable drought conditions, especially in relation to its breeding cycle. Both male and female are potentially capable of breeding at any time of year, but severe drought suppresses the cycle indefinitely.
After the "joey" is born the mother mates again. However, the embryo resulting from this mating remains "on hold" so long as the earlier "joey" remains in the pouch. Should this "joey" die for any reason, or when it is weaned and leaves the pouch naturally, then the embryo (unborn "joey") resumes development, and the reproductive cycle continues. In effect, a female Red Kangaroo
By these strategies, the Red Kangaroo avoids wasting resources on futile breeding attempts when conditions are poor, but remains in permanent readiness to breed rapidly when conditions improve.
The 50 or more species of kangaroos are distributed from Tasmania and Australia proper to New Guinea and adjacent islands, and some have been introduced into New Zealand.
Red kangaroos are slightly larger than the eastern grey kangaroo and the western grey. In general, males have an average height of about 1.5 m (5 ft), weigh 55 kg (121 lb), and may have a tail length of 1 m (3.2 ft); females are somewhat smaller. Kangaroos can leap 1.5 m (5 ft) when moving slowly and more than 9 m (30 ft) at high speeds. For short distances a grey or red kangaroo can travel at 48 km/h (30 mph). Grey kangaroos inhabit bushland in southern and eastern Australia and Tasmania, while red kangaroos live on the plains throughout Aust
Usually there is one dominate male who rules the "mob". In his short reign as king he may fight many would be successors. He may survive for up to a year or more and sire many "joeys" but in the end he will be driven out by the next dominant male. On his own, his life expectancy is short.How did the Koala get its name? The Australian Aborigines used the word "koala" when they did not wish to drink from a communal water vessel. They adapted the usage of this word to
The koala, called a native bear by the first settlers, is not a bear but a marsupial. A series of advertisements in America run by QANTAS featuring the koala led to a lot of Americans
The koala has a large head, hairy ears fringed with white, and a large nose. It has dense, woolly, greyish white fur. It grows up to 84 cm (33 in) long, and weighs up to 14 kg (30 lb). Selective eaters of eucalyptus leaves and young bark, koalas are solitary or live in small harems led by a single male. The young are born after a gestation (pregnancy) period of 25 to 30 days and weigh about 5.5 g (0.2 oz) at birth. They spend about 6 months in the mother's pouch and are weaned on predigested eucalyptus leaves. After this the young cub takes to riding on its mothers back. At one year of age it leaves the mother, fends for itself and finds it own tree.
Though its range extends across eastern and southeastern Australia roughly from Cairns to Adelaide), the koala's distribution is far from continuous. Today it is still absent from large areas of apparently suitable habitat. On the other hand, it has been successfully introduced into many areas where it apparently did not occur before European settlement. Its habitat requirements are not yet clearly understood but, in general, koalas seem to prefer open forests over dense forests
The koala sleeps during the day, usually huddled up in a fork in cold weather, sprawled along a branch with legs dangling in warm weather. Most feeding occurs just after sunset. A typical koala spends about 20 per cent of its time feeding, nearly 80 per cent sleeping, and less than one per cent grooming, traveling and seeking mates. Koalas are solitary animals occupying home ranges normally about three hectares in extent, though this varies widely with habitat and population density. They are not particularly sedentary, and wanderings of up to 20-30 kilometres have been
Koalas are remarkable in feeding almost exclusively on eucalypt foliage, a diet high in fibre, low in protein and rich in various toxins. Their slow life-style means that their protein requirement is about half that needed by other mammals of similar size. Even so, koalas have a number of particular adaptations for coping with such a low-grade diet. Especially notable is the caecum (a part of the lower intestine corresponding to the appendix in humans), which is proportionately longer than in any mammal. Here the gut contents are held for some time while bacteria process .
Nearly exterminated by epidemics around the turn of the century, by massive slaughter for their fur in the 1920s, and by human-caused fires. Many are also killed by traffic on roads. Koalas in some areas have reached plague proportions necessitating the need for "culling".The wombat is a burrowing, herbivorous, marsupial mammal. Except for the lack of a tail, the wombat is remarkably beaver like in appearance. They are greyish brown, thick-bodied animals ranging
There are three existing species of wombat, common, hairy-nosed and Tasmanian found only in Australia. They are believed to have evolved from the same basic possum-like marsupial stock that gave rise to the koala, but they have become specialised for a ground-dwelling, burrowing .
Wombats prefer dense forests and eucalypt woodland, but they also sometimes occur in coastal .
During the day wombats occasionally emerge to feed or bask in the sun, but for the most part wombats are active only at night. They are solitary animals having overlapping home ranges that are undefended and more or less permanent. These vary greatly in extent depending on the quality of the environment, but 10-20 hectares is about average. Within its home range, a wombat digs, maintains and extends a number of burrows. These also vary widely in size and importance from mere temporary shelters to intricate structures which have side corridors, numerous bed
Wombats are wholly herbivorous and feed entirely on grasses, roots and the inner bark of trees, and some fungi, such as puffballs. In a typical night of foraging, a wombat visits three or four of its burrows in turn, using them as temporary refuges from danger or as places to rest for a while before resuming feeding; in this way it might visit a dozen or more over several weeks of its nocturnal wanderings. In overlapping ranges it might happen that, by coincidence, two neighbouring wombats come together in the same burrow, but such meetings are generally amicable: where they are numerous, wombats frequently use each other's burrows.
Wombats are speedy diggers in rough country, as shown by their powerful build and shovel-shaped nails, while their rodent-like incisors can gnaw through the toughest roots. Their burrows can be up to 30m (38 ft) long, and be large enough for a small child to crawl into. Wombats' large and
Very little is known about their mating habits. There is no particular breeding season. Females have one baby usually in late autumn. It is carried around in its mothers pouch for about 25 weeks, it then follows its mother at heel until it reaches independence and wanders off at about 18 months of age. Wombats reach sexual maturity in their third year. The average life expectancy of wild wombats is at least five years, and some captive individuals have lived for 20 years.
The common wombat is a very tough, rugged animal. It is too strong to have any natural enemies - even foxes and dingoes, and would seem to be in no danger as a species.Veronica first heard the "laughter" of the kookaburra when working partime in San Diego Zoo. She was fascinated by the sound and would go to work early just to hear it. She dreamed of visiting Australia and studying the bird in its natural bushland setting. Two years later Professor Marshall of Melbourne's Monash University offered her a postgraduate scholarship. At the end of the scholarship she was granted a Master of Science degree and wrote the book. I believe Veronica now lives in Australia.
The kookaburra, or laughing jackass, Dacelo gigas, is a large and noisy bird of the Australian bush. Although a member of the kingfisher family, the kookaburra does not eat fish but feeds mainly on large insects and small reptiles and amphibians. At a maximum of 47 cm (18.5 in) in length, and with a 10-cm (4-in) bill, the kookaburra is larger than most kingfishers, but its brown and tan plumage is drab by the standards of the family. Kookaburras nest during the spring and lay 2 to 4 white eggs in tree holes or termite nests. Their loud cries, which resemble human laughter and are typically chorused at dawn and dusk, are one of the characteristic sounds of the Australian bush.When first sent to England, the duck-billed, web-footed platypus looked so strange to the scientists in London's British Museum that they thought it was a "fake". They thought that it had been put together by parts of other animals to fool them. They tried to prise off the animals bill and today you can still see the marks on the platypus at the Museum of Natural
The platypus is one of two egg laying mammals to be found in the world today, the other is the echidna. Both belong to a group called monotremes. They lay eggs with soft leathery shells,
In size and weight, the Platypus varies quite widely according to locality, but males average about half a metre in length and one to two kilograms in weight. Females are significantly smaller than
It is restricted to the seaboard and associated mountain ranges of eastern Australia from near Cairns to the vicinity of Adelaide, including Tasmania. However, it is quite fussy in its habitat requirements, reliant on unpolluted, relatively undisturbed rivers and streams, so it is strongly local in occurrence. It is apparently now extinct in South Australia, except for an introduced population on Kangaroo Island. Nevertheless, it remains common in a number of suitable
Platypus are shy and wary. But in the early evening in a suitably quiet, secluded pool, they often emerge to spend some time at the surface, feeding, grooming or, sometimes, simply floating quietly as though sunbathing. Though strongly aquatic, platypus do occasionally come ashore, or
The platypus is described as a semiaquatic animal with a flat, rubbery bill and a beaver like tail. The rubbery, supersensitive bill is used in sifting the bottom silt and gravel for minute animals. It is about 61 cm (24 in) long, weighs about 1.8 kg (4 lb), and has a coat of dark brown to yellow fur. Webbed feet enable the platypus to swim well. On each hind foot of the male there is a poison spur that can kill small animals and inflict painful wounds on larger ones. Eating by crushing its food with the horny plates of its bill and mouth, the platypus consumes about half its own weight in worms, insect larvae, mollusks, crustaceans, and vegetation. This it does underwater where it is blind and deaf. However, its bill has in built electric sensing powers that signal the presence of prey. No other animal has this, although some fish do have this sixth sense (humans have only
Sometimes several may be seen together in the same pool, but little is known of their territorial behaviour and, on the whole, Platypus appear to be largely solitary in habits. When not hunting, they spend most of their time in short residential burrows dug into the riverbank, with an entrance
Mating takes place in late winter and early spring. The female digs a burrow 4.6 to 18 m (15 to 60 ft) long, at the end of which she builds a nest and lays her eggs, usually two. The eggs are incubated for 8 to 10 days. After the eggs hatch, the young suck milk from the mammary glands of the mother. The young are weaned at about 5 months and reach sexual maturity within a year. The life span is about 10 years.The echidna is the only native Australian mammal found throughout the entire continent, including Tasmania. It seems equally at home in all environments from above the winter snow line in the Snowy Mountains to tropical northern woodlands and the harshest deserts of the interior. A highly specialised feeder, it relies almost entirely on ants and termites for food.
Spiny anteaters as echidnas are known, are egg-laying mammals. They have compact, muscular bodies and short legs with broad feet and large claws that they use for digging up food in the form of termites, ants, and worms. The echidnas powerful forepaws are used to break into an ant or termite nest. Its long tongue and sticky saliva is used to flick through the nest. Insects stick to the tongues surface, then are dragged back into the mouth to be crushed between tough pads on the
Generally solitary, the echidna occupies permanent, overlapping, and undefended territories that lack fixed dens of any kind. Usually, an echidna simply beds down for the night (or for a few hours during the day if the weather is exceptionally hot) wherever it happens to be at sunset, sheltering under a bush, in a hollow log or a pile of boulders, or the abandoned burrow of some other animal.
Lacking significant predators, the echidna generally ignores any other animal it might happen to encounter. Trundling short-sightedly about like a miniature tank on its short, squat legs, if disturbed, its reaction varies with the circumstances. In soft soil it burrows straight down disappearing with astonishing rapidity. Among rocks it erects its spines to wedge itself immovably in some convenient crevice. Or, on bare open ground, it may simply roll itself into a tight ball, shielding all vulnerable parts behind an impenetrable barrier of spines.
The echidna's body is covered with coarse hair and barbless spines, and it has small ears, a stubby tail, and a long, toothless snout. The female lays a single, leathery egg, which is placed in a temporary pouch formed on her abdomen. The egg hatches in 7 to 10 days, and the young feeds on thick, yellowish milk that flows from the mammary glands along several tufts of hair into the pouch. Young stay inside the pouch for 6 to 8 weeks until a spine develops. They become sexually
The short-nosed echidna, ranges from Tasmania and Australia proper into New Guinea. It reaches about 50 cm (19.5 in) in length, plus tail, and 6.5 kg (14 lb) in weight. Recently, scientists have found electroreceptors in the tip of the snout that may be used to detect electrical signals given off by worms and ants. Further studies are under way to learn if similar electroreceptors are found in other echidnas. The long-nosed echidna, is confined to New Guinea. Here it reaches 66 cm (26 in) .
Life expectancy of echidnas is over 50 years. In mammals, only humans have a longer life expectancy.The Galah's distribution stretches almost entirely across the Australian continent, though it tends to avoid the extremes of the very harshest deserts and dense forests, instead it favours open plains and savanna woodland. Formerly it was largely absent from the eastern seaboard but in recent decades has become much more common in several east coastal towns and cities, including several in Tasmania. The diet consists mainly of fallen seeds of various native plants, occasionally supplemented by insects, but it also feeds on cereal crops such as wheat and oats, especially spilled grain in the vicinity of storage silos and along country roads.
Galahs are strongly gregarious, spending most of the year in flocks that may number several hundred birds. Pairs drop out only in order to nest; the pair bond seems to be permanent, and the same nest site may be used year after year. Even when breeding, however, the birds are not especially territorial. They readily tolerate neighbouring nesting pairs, often in the same tree, so long as they do not trespass into the immediate vicinity of the nest cavity itself.
Breeding may take place at any time of year, but especially in early spring in the south, and just after the wet in the north. Eggs are laid in a tree cavity (which may be up to 20 metres from the ground), lined with green leaves. There is usually a conspicuous patch on the trunk or limb near the nest cavity from which the birds remove the bark, apparently as a sort of signal to other Galahs that the cavity is occupied. Two to six eggs form the clutch. They hatch in about 30 days, and the chicks remain in the nest for six to eight weeks before fledging. The newly-hatched chicks of cockatoos generally are clad in sparse yellow down, but the Galah is exceptional in that the natal down is pinkish. Both parents share more or less equally in incubation and raising the young.
Young Galahs do not leave the nest until they can fly quite well, and soon join other youngsters from neighbouring pairs to form a creche in some suitable nearby patch of woodland. Their parents continue to feed them in the creche for a further six to eight weeks before they are finally left to fend for themselves. Parents and young recognise each other by their calls. Galahs spend the first three or four years of their lives in wandering flocks before settling down to breed for the first time, after which they are generally sedentary - though they are such strong swift fliers that they commonly commute 15 kilometres or more in search of food. Mortality among Galahs is high at first - on average only about 10 per cent survive their first year - but adults generally live for

Endangerd Animals Animals Photos Images Mating With Down Syndrome With Names To Draw In The Rainforest Wallpapers With Human Teeth

Animals Of Africa Animals Photos Images Mating With Down Syndrome With Names To Draw In The Rainforest Wallpapers With Human Teeth

Animals Of Africa Biography

Source Link Goggle.com.pk

Kangaroos are the largest living marsupials in the world and are usually red or grey. The Australian Coat of Arms has a Kangaroo and Emu holding a shield with symbols representing the six states on it. Kangaroos have greatly enlarged hind legs, a strong, muscular tail, small forelegs, a relatively small head, and large ears. They usually move around with a hopping gait. The long, strong tail is used as a balance when hopping and as a prop when resting or fighting.
Like most marsupials, kangaroos give birth to small premature young called a "joey". Although the period of gestation (pregnancy), may be short, ranging from 27 to 40 days, the young may spend a long periods in their mothers pouch. In the case of the red kangaroo, they remain there
The Red Kangaroo has a number of adaptations for coping with unpredictable drought conditions, especially in relation to its breeding cycle. Both male and female are potentially capable of breeding at any time of year, but severe drought suppresses the cycle indefinitely.
After the "joey" is born the mother mates again. However, the embryo resulting from this mating remains "on hold" so long as the earlier "joey" remains in the pouch. Should this "joey" die for any reason, or when it is weaned and leaves the pouch naturally, then the embryo (unborn "joey") resumes development, and the reproductive cycle continues. In effect, a female Red Kangaroo constantly has one youngster in her pouch and another in reserve.
By these strategies, the Red Kangaroo avoids wasting resources on futile breeding attempts when conditions are poor, but remains in permanent readiness to breed rapidly when conditions improve.
The 50 or more species of kangaroos are distributed from Tasmania and Australia proper to New Guinea and adjacent islands, and some have been introduced into New Zealand.
Red kangaroos are slightly larger than the eastern grey kangaroo and the western grey. In general, males have an average height of about 1.5 m (5 ft), weigh 55 kg (121 lb), and may have a tail length of 1 m (3.2 ft); females are somewhat smaller. Kangaroos can leap 1.5 m (5 ft) when moving slowly and more than 9 m (30 ft) at high speeds. For short distances a grey or red kangaroo can travel at 48 km/h (30 mph). Grey kangaroos inhabit bushland in southern and eastern Australia and Tasmania, while red kangaroos live on the plains throughout Aust
Usually there is one dominate male who rules the "mob". In his short reign as king he may fight many would be successors. He may survive for up to a year or more and sire many "joeys" but in the end he will be driven out by the next dominant male. On his own, his life expectancy is short.How did the Koala get its name? The Australian Aborigines used the word "koala" when they did not wish to drink from a communal water vessel. They adapted the usage of this word to
The koala, called a native bear by the first settlers, is not a bear but a marsupial. A series of advertisements in America run by QANTAS featuring the koala led to a lot of Americans
The koala has a large head, hairy ears fringed with white, and a large nose. It has dense, woolly, greyish white fur. It grows up to 84 cm (33 in) long, and weighs up to 14 kg (30 lb). Selective eaters of eucalyptus leaves and young bark, koalas are solitary or live in small harems led by a single male. The young are born after a gestation (pregnancy) period of 25 to 30 days and weigh about 5.5 g (0.2 oz) at birth. They spend about 6 months in the mother's pouch and are weaned on predigested eucalyptus leaves. After this the young cub takes to riding on its mothers back. At one year of age it leaves the mother, fends for itself and finds it own tree.
Though its range extends across eastern and southeastern Australia roughly from Cairns to Adelaide), the koala's distribution is far from continuous. Today it is still absent from large areas of apparently suitable habitat. On the other hand, it has been successfully introduced into many areas where it apparently did not occur before European settlement. Its habitat requirements are not yet clearly understood but, in general, koalas seem to prefer open forests over dense forests
The koala sleeps during the day, usually huddled up in a fork in cold weather, sprawled along a branch with legs dangling in warm weather. Most feeding occurs just after sunset. A typical koala spends about 20 per cent of its time feeding, nearly 80 per cent sleeping, and less than one per cent grooming, traveling and seeking mates. Koalas are solitary animals occupying home ranges normally about three hectares in extent, though this varies widely with habitat and population density. They are not particularly sedentary, and wanderings of up to 20-30 kilometres have been
Koalas are remarkable in feeding almost exclusively on eucalypt foliage, a diet high in fibre, low in protein and rich in various toxins. Their slow life-style means that their protein requirement is about half that needed by other mammals of similar size. Even so, koalas have a number of particular adaptations for coping with such a low-grade diet. Especially notable is the caecum (a part of the lower intestine corresponding to the appendix in humans), which is proportionately longer than in any mammal. Here the gut contents are held for some time while bacteria process
Nearly exterminated by epidemics around the turn of the century, by massive slaughter for their fur in the 1920s, and by human-caused fires. Many are also killed by traffic on roads. Koalas in some areas have reached plague proportions necessitating the need for "culling".The wombat is a burrowing, herbivorous, marsupial mammal. Except for the lack of a tail, the wombat is remarkably beaver like in appearance. They are greyish brown, thick-bodied animals ranging
There are three existing species of wombat, common, hairy-nosed and Tasmanian found only in Australia. They are believed to have evolved from the same basic possum-like marsupial stock that gave rise to the koala, but they have become specialised for a ground-dwelling, burrowing
Wombats prefer dense forests and eucalypt woodland, but they also sometimes occur in coastal
During the day wombats occasionally emerge to feed or bask in the sun, but for the most part wombats are active only at night. They are solitary animals having overlapping home ranges that are undefended and more or less permanent. These vary greatly in extent depending on the quality of the environment, but 10-20 hectares is about average. Within its home range, a wombat digs, maintains and extends a number of burrows. These also vary widely in size and importance from mere temporary shelters to intricate structures which have side corridors, numerous bed
Wombats are wholly herbivorous and feed entirely on grasses, roots and the inner bark of trees, and some fungi, such as puffballs. In a typical night of foraging, a wombat visits three or four of its burrows in turn, using them as temporary refuges from danger or as places to rest for a while before resuming feeding; in this way it might visit a dozen or more over several weeks of its nocturnal wanderings. In overlapping ranges it might happen that, by coincidence, two neighbouring wombats come together in the same burrow, but such meetings are generally amicable: where they are numerous, wombats frequently use each other's burrows.
Wombats are speedy diggers in rough country, as shown by their powerful build and shovel-shaped nails, while their rodent-like incisors can gnaw through the toughest roots. Their burrows can be up to 30m (38 ft) long, and be large enough for a small child to crawl into. Wombats' large and
Very little is known about their mating habits. There is no particular breeding season. Females have one baby usually in late autumn. It is carried around in its mothers pouch for about 25 weeks, it then follows its mother at heel until it reaches independence and wanders off at about 18 months of age. Wombats reach sexual maturity in their third year. The average life expectancy of wild wombats is at least five years, and some captive individuals have lived for 20 years.
The common wombat is a very tough, rugged animal. It is too strong to have any natural enemies - even foxes and dingoes, and would seem to be in no danger as a species.Veronica first heard the "laughter" of the kookaburra when working partime in San Diego Zoo. She was fascinated by the sound and would go to work early just to hear it. She dreamed of visiting Australia and studying the bird in its natural bushland setting. Two years later Professor Marshall of Melbourne's Monash University offered her a postgraduate scholarship. At the end of the scholarship she was granted a Master of Science degree and wrote the book. I believe Veronica now lives in Australia.
The kookaburra, or laughing jackass, Dacelo gigas, is a large and noisy bird of the Australian bush. Although a member of the kingfisher family, the kookaburra does not eat fish but feeds mainly on large insects and small reptiles and amphibians. At a maximum of 47 cm (18.5 in) in length, and with a 10-cm (4-in) bill, the kookaburra is larger than most kingfishers, but its brown and tan plumage is drab by the standards of the family. Kookaburras nest during the spring and lay 2 to 4 white eggs in tree holes or termite nests. Their loud cries, which resemble human laughter and are typically chorused at dawn and dusk, are one of the characteristic sounds of the Australian bush.When first sent to England, the duck-billed, web-footed platypus looked so strange to the scientists in London's British Museum that they thought it was a "fake". They thought that it had been put together by parts of other animals to fool them. They tried to prise off the animals bill and today you can still see the marks on the platypus at the Museum of Natural
The platypus is one of two egg laying mammals to be found in the world today, the other is the echidna. Both belong to a group called monotremes. They lay eggs with soft leathery shells, .
In size and weight, the Platypus varies quite widely according to locality, but males average about half a metre in length and one to two kilograms in weight. Females are significantly smaller than
It is restricted to the seaboard and associated mountain ranges of eastern Australia from near Cairns to the vicinity of Adelaide, including Tasmania. However, it is quite fussy in its habitat requirements, reliant on unpolluted, relatively undisturbed rivers and streams, so it is strongly local in occurrence. It is apparently now extinct in South Australia, except for an introduced population on Kangaroo Island. Nevertheless, it remains common in a number of suitable
Platypus are shy and wary. But in the early evening in a suitably quiet, secluded pool, they often emerge to spend some time at the surface, feeding, grooming or, sometimes, simply floating quietly as though sunbathing. Though strongly aquatic, platypus do occasionally come ashore, or .
The platypus is described as a semiaquatic animal with a flat, rubbery bill and a beaver like tail. The rubbery, supersensitive bill is used in sifting the bottom silt and gravel for minute animals. It is about 61 cm (24 in) long, weighs about 1.8 kg (4 lb), and has a coat of dark brown to yellow fur. Webbed feet enable the platypus to swim well. On each hind foot of the male there is a poison spur that can kill small animals and inflict painful wounds on larger ones. Eating by crushing its food with the horny plates of its bill and mouth, the platypus consumes about half its own weight in worms, insect larvae, mollusks, crustaceans, and vegetation. This it does underwater where it is blind and deaf. However, its bill has in built electric sensing powers that signal the presence of prey. No other animal has this, although some fish do have this sixth sense (humans have only
Sometimes several may be seen together in the same pool, but little is known of their territorial behaviour and, on the whole, Platypus appear to be largely solitary in habits. When not hunting, they spend most of their time in short residential burrows dug into the riverbank, with an entrance
Mating takes place in late winter and early spring. The female digs a burrow 4.6 to 18 m (15 to 60 ft) long, at the end of which she builds a nest and lays her eggs, usually two. The eggs are incubated for 8 to 10 days. After the eggs hatch, the young suck milk from the mammary glands of the mother. The young are weaned at about 5 months and reach sexual maturity within a year. The life span is about 10 years.The echidna is the only native Australian mammal found throughout the entire continent, including Tasmania. It seems equally at home in all environments from above the winter snow line in the Snowy Mountains to tropical northern woodlands and the harshest deserts of the interior. A highly specialised feeder, it relies almost entirely on ants and termites for food.
Spiny anteaters as echidnas are known, are egg-laying mammals. They have compact, muscular bodies and short legs with broad feet and large claws that they use for digging up food in the form of termites, ants, and worms. The echidnas powerful forepaws are used to break into an ant or termite nest. Its long tongue and sticky saliva is used to flick through the nest. Insects stick to the tongues surface, then are dragged back into the mouth to be crushed between tough pads on the
Generally solitary, the echidna occupies permanent, overlapping, and undefended territories that lack fixed dens of any kind. Usually, an echidna simply beds down for the night (or for a few hours during the day if the weather is exceptionally hot) wherever it happens to be at sunset, sheltering under a bush, in a hollow log or a pile of boulders, or the abandoned burrow of some other animal.
Lacking significant predators, the echidna generally ignores any other animal it might happen to encounter. Trundling short-sightedly about like a miniature tank on its short, squat legs, if disturbed, its reaction varies with the circumstances. In soft soil it burrows straight down disappearing with astonishing rapidity. Among rocks it erects its spines to wedge itself immovably in some convenient crevice. Or, on bare open ground, it may simply roll itself into a tight ball,
The echidna's body is covered with coarse hair and barbless spines, and it has small ears, a stubby tail, and a long, toothless snout. The female lays a single, leathery egg, which is placed in a temporary pouch formed on her abdomen. The egg hatches in 7 to 10 days, and the young feeds on thick, yellowish milk that flows from the mammary glands along several tufts of hair into the pouch. Young stay inside the pouch for 6 to 8 weeks until a spine develops. They become sexually
The short-nosed echidna, ranges from Tasmania and Australia proper into New Guinea. It reaches about 50 cm (19.5 in) in length, plus tail, and 6.5 kg (14 lb) in weight. Recently, scientists have found electroreceptors in the tip of the snout that may be used to detect electrical signals given off by worms and ants. Further studies are under way to learn if similar electroreceptors are found in other echidnas. The long-nosed echidna, is confined to New Guinea. Here it reaches 66 cm (26 in)
Life expectancy of echidnas is over 50 years. In mammals, only humans have a longer life expectancy.The Galah's distribution stretches almost entirely across the Australian continent, though it tends to avoid the extremes of the very harshest deserts and dense forests, instead it favours open plains and savanna woodland. Formerly it was largely absent from the eastern seaboard but in recent decades has become much more common in several east coastal towns and cities, including several in Tasmania. The diet consists mainly of fallen seeds of various native plants, occasionally supplemented by insects, but it also feeds on cereal crops such as wheat and oats, especially spilled grain in the vicinity of storage silos and along country roads.
Galahs are strongly gregarious, spending most of the year in flocks that may number several hundred birds. Pairs drop out only in order to nest; the pair bond seems to be permanent, and the same nest site may be used year after year. Even when breeding, however, the birds are not especially territorial. They readily tolerate neighbouring nesting pairs, often in the same tree, so long as they do not trespass into the immediate vicinity of the nest cavity itself.
Breeding may take place at any time of year, but especially in early spring in the south, and just after the wet in the north. Eggs are laid in a tree cavity (which may be up to 20 metres from the ground), lined with green leaves. There is usually a conspicuous patch on the trunk or limb near the nest cavity from which the birds remove the bark, apparently as a sort of signal to other Galahs that the cavity is occupied. Two to six eggs form the clutch. They hatch in about 30 days, and the chicks remain in the nest for six to eight weeks before fledging. The newly-hatched chicks of cockatoos generally are clad in sparse yellow down, but the Galah is exceptional in that the natal down is pinkish. Both parents share more or less equally in incubation and raising the young.
Young Galahs do not leave the nest until they can fly quite well, and soon join other youngsters from neighbouring pairs to form a creche in some suitable nearby patch of woodland. Their parents continue to feed them in the creche for a further six to eight weeks before they are finally left to fend for themselves. Parents and young recognise each other by their calls. Galahs spend the first three or four years of their lives in wandering flocks before settling down to breed for the first time, after which they are generally sedentary - though they are such strong swift fliers that they commonly commute 15 kilometres or more in search of food. Mortality among Galahs is high at first - on average only about 10 per cent survive their first year - but adults generally live for

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Kangaroos are the largest living marsupials in the world and are usually red or grey. The Australian Coat of Arms has a Kangaroo and Emu holding a shield with symbols representing the six states on it. Kangaroos have greatly enlarged hind legs, a strong, muscular tail, small forelegs, a relatively small head, and large ears. They usually move around with a hopping gait. The long, strong tail is used as a balance when hopping and as a prop when resting or fighting.
Like most marsupials, kangaroos give birth to small premature young called a "joey". Although the period of gestation (pregnancy), may be short, ranging from 27 to 40 days, the young may spend a long periods in their mothers pouch. In the case of the red kangaroo, they remain there
The Red Kangaroo has a number of adaptations for coping with unpredictable drought conditions, especially in relation to its breeding cycle. Both male and female are potentially capable of breeding at any time of year, but severe drought suppresses the cycle indefinitely.
After the "joey" is born the mother mates again. However, the embryo resulting from this mating remains "on hold" so long as the earlier "joey" remains in the pouch. Should this "joey" die for any reason, or when it is weaned and leaves the pouch naturally, then the embryo (unborn "joey") resumes development, and the reproductive cycle continues. In effect, a female Red Kangaroo constantly has one youngster in her pouch and another in reserve.
By these strategies, the Red Kangaroo avoids wasting resources on futile breeding attempts when conditions are poor, but remains in permanent readiness to breed rapidly when conditions improve.
The 50 or more species of kangaroos are distributed from Tasmania and Australia proper to New Guinea and adjacent islands, and some have been introduced into New Zealand.
Red kangaroos are slightly larger than the eastern grey kangaroo and the western grey. In general, males have an average height of about 1.5 m (5 ft), weigh 55 kg (121 lb), and may have a tail length of 1 m (3.2 ft); females are somewhat smaller. Kangaroos can leap 1.5 m (5 ft) when moving slowly and more than 9 m (30 ft) at high speeds. For short distances a grey or red kangaroo can travel at 48 km/h (30 mph). Grey kangaroos inhabit bushland in southern and eastern Australia and Tasmania, while red kangaroos live on the plains throughout Aust
Usually there is one dominate male who rules the "mob". In his short reign as king he may fight many would be successors. He may survive for up to a year or more and sire many "joeys" but in the end he will be driven out by the next dominant male. On his own, his life expectancy is short.How did the Koala get its name? The Australian Aborigines used the word "koala" when they did not wish to drink from a communal water vessel. They adapted the usage of this word to
The koala, called a native bear by the first settlers, is not a bear but a marsupial. A series of advertisements in America run by QANTAS featuring the koala led to a lot of Americans
The koala has a large head, hairy ears fringed with white, and a large nose. It has dense, woolly, greyish white fur. It grows up to 84 cm (33 in) long, and weighs up to 14 kg (30 lb). Selective eaters of eucalyptus leaves and young bark, koalas are solitary or live in small harems led by a single male. The young are born after a gestation (pregnancy) period of 25 to 30 days and weigh about 5.5 g (0.2 oz) at birth. They spend about 6 months in the mother's pouch and are weaned on predigested eucalyptus leaves. After this the young cub takes to riding on its mothers back. At one year of age it leaves the mother, fends for itself and finds it own tree.
Though its range extends across eastern and southeastern Australia roughly from Cairns to Adelaide), the koala's distribution is far from continuous. Today it is still absent from large areas of apparently suitable habitat. On the other hand, it has been successfully introduced into many areas where it apparently did not occur before European settlement. Its habitat requirements are not yet clearly understood but, in general, koalas seem to prefer open forests over dense forests
The koala sleeps during the day, usually huddled up in a fork in cold weather, sprawled along a branch with legs dangling in warm weather. Most feeding occurs just after sunset. A typical koala spends about 20 per cent of its time feeding, nearly 80 per cent sleeping, and less than one per cent grooming, traveling and seeking mates. Koalas are solitary animals occupying home ranges normally about three hectares in extent, though this varies widely with habitat and population density. They are not particularly sedentary, and wanderings of up to 20-30 kilometres have been
Koalas are remarkable in feeding almost exclusively on eucalypt foliage, a diet high in fibre, low in protein and rich in various toxins. Their slow life-style means that their protein requirement is about half that needed by other mammals of similar size. Even so, koalas have a number of particular adaptations for coping with such a low-grade diet. Especially notable is the caecum (a part of the lower intestine corresponding to the appendix in humans), which is proportionately longer than in any mammal. Here the gut contents are held for some time while bacteria process
Nearly exterminated by epidemics around the turn of the century, by massive slaughter for their fur in the 1920s, and by human-caused fires. Many are also killed by traffic on roads. Koalas in some areas have reached plague proportions necessitating the need for "culling".The wombat is a burrowing, herbivorous, marsupial mammal. Except for the lack of a tail, the wombat is remarkably beaver like in appearance. They are greyish brown, thick-bodied animals ranging
There are three existing species of wombat, common, hairy-nosed and Tasmanian found only in Australia. They are believed to have evolved from the same basic possum-like marsupial stock that gave rise to the koala, but they have become specialised for a ground-dwelling, burrowing
Wombats prefer dense forests and eucalypt woodland, but they also sometimes occur in coastal
During the day wombats occasionally emerge to feed or bask in the sun, but for the most part wombats are active only at night. They are solitary animals having overlapping home ranges that are undefended and more or less permanent. These vary greatly in extent depending on the quality of the environment, but 10-20 hectares is about average. Within its home range, a wombat digs, maintains and extends a number of burrows. These also vary widely in size and importance from mere temporary shelters to intricate structures which have side corridors, numerous bed
Wombats are wholly herbivorous and feed entirely on grasses, roots and the inner bark of trees, and some fungi, such as puffballs. In a typical night of foraging, a wombat visits three or four of its burrows in turn, using them as temporary refuges from danger or as places to rest for a while before resuming feeding; in this way it might visit a dozen or more over several weeks of its nocturnal wanderings. In overlapping ranges it might happen that, by coincidence, two neighbouring wombats come together in the same burrow, but such meetings are generally amicable: where they are numerous, wombats frequently use each other's burrows.
Wombats are speedy diggers in rough country, as shown by their powerful build and shovel-shaped nails, while their rodent-like incisors can gnaw through the toughest roots. Their burrows can be up to 30m (38 ft) long, and be large enough for a small child to crawl into. Wombats' large and numerous burrows are a hazard to domestic range animals.
Very little is known about their mating habits. There is no particular breeding season. Females have one baby usually in late autumn. It is carried around in its mothers pouch for about 25 weeks, it then follows its mother at heel until it reaches independence and wanders off at about 18 months of age. Wombats reach sexual maturity in their third year. The average life expectancy of wild wombats is at least five years, and some captive individuals have lived for 20 years.
The common wombat is a very tough, rugged animal. It is too strong to have any natural enemies - even foxes and dingoes, and would seem to be in no danger as a species.Veronica first heard the "laughter" of the kookaburra when working partime in San Diego Zoo. She was fascinated by the sound and would go to work early just to hear it. She dreamed of visiting Australia and studying the bird in its natural bushland setting. Two years later Professor Marshall of Melbourne's Monash University offered her a postgraduate scholarship. At the end of the scholarship she was granted a Master of Science degree and wrote the book. I believe Veronica now lives in Australia.
The kookaburra, or laughing jackass, Dacelo gigas, is a large and noisy bird of the Australian bush. Although a member of the kingfisher family, the kookaburra does not eat fish but feeds mainly on large insects and small reptiles and amphibians. At a maximum of 47 cm (18.5 in) in length, and with a 10-cm (4-in) bill, the kookaburra is larger than most kingfishers, but its brown and tan plumage is drab by the standards of the family. Kookaburras nest during the spring and lay 2 to 4 white eggs in tree holes or termite nests. Their loud cries, which resemble human laughter and are typically chorused at dawn and dusk, are one of the characteristic sounds of the Australian bush.When first sent to England, the duck-billed, web-footed platypus looked so strange to the scientists in London's British Museum that they thought it was a "fake". They thought that it had been put together by parts of other animals to fool them. They tried to prise off the animals bill and today you can still see the marks on the platypus at the Museum of Natural
The platypus is one of two egg laying mammals to be found in the world today, the other is the echidna. Both belong to a group called monotremes. They lay eggs with soft leathery shells, .
In size and weight, the Platypus varies quite widely according to locality, but males average about half a metre in length and one to two kilograms in weight. Females are significantly smaller than
It is restricted to the seaboard and associated mountain ranges of eastern Australia from near Cairns to the vicinity of Adelaide, including Tasmania. However, it is quite fussy in its habitat requirements, reliant on unpolluted, relatively undisturbed rivers and streams, so it is strongly local in occurrence. It is apparently now extinct in South Australia, except for an introduced population on Kangaroo Island. Nevertheless, it remains common in a number of suitable
Platypus are shy and wary. But in the early evening in a suitably quiet, secluded pool, they often emerge to spend some time at the surface, feeding, grooming or, sometimes, simply floating quietly as though sunbathing. Though strongly aquatic, platypus do occasionally come ashore, or
The platypus is described as a semiaquatic animal with a flat, rubbery bill and a beaver like tail. The rubbery, supersensitive bill is used in sifting the bottom silt and gravel for minute animals. It is about 61 cm (24 in) long, weighs about 1.8 kg (4 lb), and has a coat of dark brown to yellow fur. Webbed feet enable the platypus to swim well. On each hind foot of the male there is a poison spur that can kill small animals and inflict painful wounds on larger ones. Eating by crushing its food with the horny plates of its bill and mouth, the platypus consumes about half its own weight in worms, insect larvae, mollusks, crustaceans, and vegetation. This it does underwater where it is blind and deaf. However, its bill has in built electric sensing powers that signal the presence of prey. No other animal has this, although some fish do have this sixth sense (humans have only
Sometimes several may be seen together in the same pool, but little is known of their territorial behaviour and, on the whole, Platypus appear to be largely solitary in habits. When not hunting, they spend most of their time in short residential burrows dug into the riverbank, with an entrance
Mating takes place in late winter and early spring. The female digs a burrow 4.6 to 18 m (15 to 60 ft) long, at the end of which she builds a nest and lays her eggs, usually two. The eggs are incubated for 8 to 10 days. After the eggs hatch, the young suck milk from the mammary glands of the mother. The young are weaned at about 5 months and reach sexual maturity within a year. The life span is about 10 years.The echidna is the only native Australian mammal found throughout the entire continent, including Tasmania. It seems equally at home in all environments from above the winter snow line in the Snowy Mountains to tropical northern woodlands and the harshest deserts of the interior. A highly specialised feeder, it relies almost entirely on ants and termites for food.
Spiny anteaters as echidnas are known, are egg-laying mammals. They have compact, muscular bodies and short legs with broad feet and large claws that they use for digging up food in the form of termites, ants, and worms. The echidnas powerful forepaws are used to break into an ant or termite nest. Its long tongue and sticky saliva is used to flick through the nest. Insects stick to the tongues surface, then are dragged back into the mouth to be crushed between tough pads on the
Generally solitary, the echidna occupies permanent, overlapping, and undefended territories that lack fixed dens of any kind. Usually, an echidna simply beds down for the night (or for a few hours during the day if the weather is exceptionally hot) wherever it happens to be at sunset, sheltering under a bush, in a hollow log or a pile of boulders, or the abandoned burrow of some other animal.
Lacking significant predators, the echidna generally ignores any other animal it might happen to encounter. Trundling short-sightedly about like a miniature tank on its short, squat legs, if disturbed, its reaction varies with the circumstances. In soft soil it burrows straight down disappearing with astonishing rapidity. Among rocks it erects its spines to wedge itself immovably in some convenient crevice. Or, on bare open ground, it may simply roll itself into a tight ball, shielding all vulnerable parts behind an impenetrable barrier of spines.
The echidna's body is covered with coarse hair and barbless spines, and it has small ears, a stubby tail, and a long, toothless snout. The female lays a single, leathery egg, which is placed in a temporary pouch formed on her abdomen. The egg hatches in 7 to 10 days, and the young feeds on thick, yellowish milk that flows from the mammary glands along several tufts of hair into the pouch. Young stay inside the pouch for 6 to 8 weeks until a spine develops. They become sexually
The short-nosed echidna, ranges from Tasmania and Australia proper into New Guinea. It reaches about 50 cm (19.5 in) in length, plus tail, and 6.5 kg (14 lb) in weight. Recently, scientists have found electroreceptors in the tip of the snout that may be used to detect electrical signals given off by worms and ants. Further studies are under way to learn if similar electroreceptors are found in other echidnas. The long-nosed echidna, is confined to New Guinea. Here it reaches 66 cm (26 in)
Life expectancy of echidnas is over 50 years. In mammals, only humans have a longer life expectancy.The Galah's distribution stretches almost entirely across the Australian continent, though it tends to avoid the extremes of the very harshest deserts and dense forests, instead it favours open plains and savanna woodland. Formerly it was largely absent from the eastern seaboard but in recent decades has become much more common in several east coastal towns and cities, including several in Tasmania. The diet consists mainly of fallen seeds of various native plants, occasionally supplemented by insects, but it also feeds on cereal crops such as wheat and oats, especially spilled grain in the vicinity of storage silos and along country roads.
Galahs are strongly gregarious, spending most of the year in flocks that may number several hundred birds. Pairs drop out only in order to nest; the pair bond seems to be permanent, and the same nest site may be used year after year. Even when breeding, however, the birds are not especially territorial. They readily tolerate neighbouring nesting pairs, often in the same tree, so long as they do not trespass into the immediate vicinity of the nest cavity itself.
Breeding may take place at any time of year, but especially in early spring in the south, and just after the wet in the north. Eggs are laid in a tree cavity (which may be up to 20 metres from the ground), lined with green leaves. There is usually a conspicuous patch on the trunk or limb near the nest cavity from which the birds remove the bark, apparently as a sort of signal to other Galahs that the cavity is occupied. Two to six eggs form the clutch. They hatch in about 30 days, and the chicks remain in the nest for six to eight weeks before fledging. The newly-hatched chicks of cockatoos generally are clad in sparse yellow down, but the Galah is exceptional in that the natal down is pinkish. Both parents share more or less equally in incubation and raising the young.
Young Galahs do not leave the nest until they can fly quite well, and soon join other youngsters from neighbouring pairs to form a creche in some suitable nearby patch of woodland. Their parents continue to feed them in the creche for a further six to eight weeks before they are finally left to fend for themselves. Parents and young recognise each other by their calls. Galahs spend the first three or four years of their lives in wandering flocks before settling down to breed for the first time, after which they are generally sedentary - though they are such strong swift fliers that they commonly commute 15 kilometres or more in search of food. Mortality among Galahs is high at first - on average only about 10 per cent survive their first year - but adults generally live for

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