BUTTERFLY FISH

The butterfly fish is a generally small sized species of marine fish, found in tropical and subtropical waters, primarily around coral reefs. The butterfly fish is well known for it's brightly coloured body and elaborate markings.

 There are more than 100 different species of butterfly fish found distributed throughout the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, meaning that the butterfly fish is a salt-water species of (marine) fish.


The average butterfly fish is fairly small and generally grows to around 4 or 5 inches in length. Some species of the butterfly fish however, are known to grow to 8 inches (20 cm) long and some butterfly fish individuals have been known to grow to 30 cm in length.
The butterfly fish can live for up to 10 years in a well kept aquarium but will only reach about 7 years old in the wild. The butterfly fish is a difficult fish to keep as they need very specific water conditions that need regular and close monitoring and so the butterfly fish is only found in specific water conditions in the wild.
The butterfly fish is most closely related to the marine angelfish which is similar in colour but the marine angelfish is often much larger in size than the butterfly fish. Butterfly fish can be distinguished from angelfish by the dark spots on their bodies, dark bands around their eyes and the fact that the mouth of the butterfly fish is more pointed than the mouth of the angelfish.

Butterfly fish are diurnal animals which means that they are feeding during the day and resting in the coral during the night. Most species of butterfly fish feed on the plankton in the water, coral and sea anemones and occasionally snack on small crustaceans . Those butterfly fish fish that primarily feed on the plankton in the water are generally the smaller species of butterfly fish and can be seen in large groups. The larger species of butterfly fish are fairly solitary or stay with their mating partner.
Butterfly fish are preyed upon by a number of large predators including fish such as snappers, eels and sharks. Due to the fact that the butterfly fish is small in size, it is able to tuck itself into crevices in the coral in order to escape danger and prevent itself from being eaten.


Butterfly fish form mating pairs that they remain with for life. Butterfly fish release their eggs into the water which form part of the plankton (it is because of this that many butterfly fish eggs are accidentally eaten by animals that live on plankton). When the eggs hatch, the baby butterfly fish (known as fry) develop armoured plates on their bodies to protect them when they are so vulnerable. As the butterfly fish gets, older these plates disappear. Butterfly fish have an average lifespan of 8 to 10 years although some of the larger butterfly fish species are known to get to much older.
Today, the butterfly fish is considered to be an endangered animal mainly as butterfly fish populations have been threatened due to water pollution and habitat loss. The destruction of coral reefs occurs mainly from boats, and without their coral habitat, the butterfly fish find it difficult to survive as they have less food and are also more exposed to predators. 

ALLIGATOR!!!

Alligator Classification and Evolution
Alligators are in the same family as other large reptiles like Crocodiles but are native to only two countries, which are the southern USA and China (where the Alligator is now nearly extinct). Alligators tend to be smaller than their Crocodile cousins but have been known to move at speeds of up to 15mph on land making them one of the fastest large reptiles in the world. Despite their size, there are a number of distinct differences between Alligators and Crocodiles as an Alligator's snout is shorter than that of a Crocodile, and with their mouths shut, an Alligator's teeth cannot be seen but a Crocodile's can. Alligators are also commonly known as Gators in their native, southern North American habitats. 


Alligator Anatomy and Appearance
Alligators are very large reptiles, with males growing up to 4.5 meters in length. The female Alligator tends to be slightly smaller, with a total body and tail length of between 3 and 3.5 meters. The Chinese Alligator is a much smaller species, almost half the size of a female American Alligator. Alligators have an armour-plated body that varies in colour from yellow, to green, to brown, finally turning almost completely black in old age. The tail of the Alligator is incredibly muscular and is used to propel the animal when it is in the water. Alligators have short, stocky legs with webbing between their toes. This not only helps them when they are swimming but also means that they can negotiate the muddy river banks with ease.
Alligator Distribution and Habitat
The American Alligators are found in the south-eastern USA, throughout all of Florida and Louisiana, the southern parts of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, coastal South and North Carolina, eastern Texas, the south-eastern corner of Oklahoma and the southern tip of Arkansas. The majority of American Alligators inhabit Florida and Louisiana, with over a million alligators thought to be found between the two states. The American Alligators live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes, wetlands, rivers, lakes, and swamps, as well as brackish environments. Southern Florida is the only place in the world where both Alligators and Crocodiles are known to live in the same place.
Alligator Behavior and Lifestyle
The Alligator is a solitary predator that is actually surprisingly clunky when moving about on land. They tend to be quite slow, moving themselves by either crawling or sliding along the slippery banks on their bellies. They are highly territorial animals that are known to make a variety of noises to represent different things, including the declaration of territory, finding a mate and the young warning their mother that they are in danger. Male Alligators however, do not appear to have such a prominent voice box and make very little noise outside of the breeding season, when they are known to growl and bellow to fend off competing males.

 Alligator Reproduction and Life Cycles
Alligators tend to breed during the spring when they come together in large groups to find a suitable partner. The female constructs a nest out of mud, leaves and twigs on the ground where she lays up to 50 eggs. The hatchlings emerge after a 2 month incubation period which is done by the rotting vegetation in the nest. Females do not incubate their eggs as they would break them but still guard their nest from hungry predators. The baby Alligators are between 15 and 20 long when they hatch and are vulnerable to predation from a number of species. They usually remain with their mother for the first 2 years. Alligators tend to live to about 50 years old or so but some have been known to live at least another 20 years when in captivity.

 Alligator Diet and Prey
The Alligator is generally a solitary predator, but smaller and younger Alligator individuals however, are known to stay together in groups especially when hunting. The Alligator eats fish, small mammals and birds, but the Alligator has also been known to attack much larger animals. Adult alligators have been known to hunt Deer and are well known to kill and eat smaller Alligators. In some cases, larger alligators have been known to hunt the Florida Panther and Black Bears, making the alligator the dominant predator throughout the their environment. Attacks on pets and even people are also not unknown.

 Alligator Predators and Threats
The Alligator is an apex predator in it's environment, known to even hunt animals that are much larger in size. Humans are the only predator of adult Alligators as they were hunted almost to extinction for their meat, and for their unique skin which was used in the manufacture of a variety of products. The smaller, baby Alligators however, are prey to a number of species including Racoons, Birds, Bobcats and even other Alligators. Despite being protected from hunting in much of it's North American range today, Alligators are threatened by loss of their natural habitats and high levels of pollution in the water.

 Alligator Interesting Facts and Features
Alligator DNA is thought to date back to even before Dinosaur times meaning that the Alligators survived whatever it was that the dinosaurs didn't, with the scientific estimates first dating the species 150 million years ago. The Chinese Alligator is currently found only in the Yangtze River Valley and the Chinese Alligator is now extremely endangered with less than 100 Chinese Alligators believed to be left in the wild. There are actually many more Chinese Alligators that live in zoos around the world than can be found in the wild today. Alligators are known to have up to 80 teeth which are perfectly shaped for biting down on prey. They are even able to regrow those teeth that are lost.

Alligator Relationship with Humans
Unlike large Crocodiles, Alligators do not immediately regard a Human upon encounter as prey, but the Alligator may still attack in self-defence if provoked. Alligator attacks are uncommon but Alligators have definitely been known to attack Humans if the Human is in the Alligator's territory and particularly if the animal feels threatened. They are however known to commonly prey on domestic animals including pets and sometimes livestock when they are close to Human settlements. Hunting towards the end of the last century almost completely obliterated the entire American Alligator population (and has pretty much done so to the Chinese Alligator). Fortunately the gravity of the situation in the USA was realised before it was too late, with the protection of the species having led to an increase in population numbers now.
Alligator Conservation Status and Life Today
The American Alligator was once an Endangered species but thanks to habitat protection and federal laws protecting them, populations throughout Florida and Louisiana have recovered really well, with over a million Alligators thought to exist in the USA today. They are however now threatened by habitat degradation, mainly in the form of deforestation and pollution in the water. The story of the Chinese Alligator however is very different, with less than 100 individuals thought to be left in the Yangtze River Valley, this species is Critically Endangered in the wild and is sadly on the verge of extinction.

ADELIE PENGUIN

Adelie PENGUIN Classification and Evolution
The Adelie Penguin is the smallest and most widely distributed species of Penguin in the Southern Ocean and is one of only two species of Penguin found on the Antarctic mainland (the other being the much larger Emperor Penguin). The Adelie Penguin was named in 1840 by French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville who named the Penguin for his wife, Adelie. Adelie Penguin have adapted well to life in the Antarctic as these migratory Birds winter in the northern pack-ice before returning south to the Antarctic coast for the warmer summer months. 

 Adelie Penguin Anatomy and Appearance
The Adelie Penguin is one of the most easily identifiable Penguin species with a blue-black back and completely white chest and belly. The head and beak of the Adelie Penguin are both black, with a distinctive white ring around each eye. The strong, pink feet of the Adelie Penguin are tough and bumpy with nails that not only aid the Adelie Penguin in climbing the rocky cliffs to reach its nesting grounds, but also help to push them along when they are sliding (rowing) along the ice. Adelie Penguins also use their webbed feet along with their small flippers to propel them along when swimming in the cold waters.

 Adelie Penguin Distribution and Habitat
The Adelie Penguin is one of the southern-most Birds in the world as it is found along the Antarctic coastline and on the islands close to it. During the winter months, the Adelie Penguins migrate north where they inhabit large platforms of ice and have better access to food. During the warmer summer months, the Adelie Penguins return south where they head for the coastal beaches in search of ice-free ground on the rocky slopes where they can build their nests. More than half a million Adelie Penguins have formed one of the largest animal colonies in the world on Ross Island, an island formed by the activities of four monstrous volcanoes in the Ross Sea.

 Adelie Penguin Bahaviour and Lifestyle
Like all species of Penguin, the Adelie Penguin is a highly sociable animal, gathering in large groups known as colonies, which often number thousands of Penguin individuals. Although Adelie Penguins are not known to be terribly territorial, it is not uncommon for adults to become aggressive over nesting sites, and have even been known to steal rocks from the nests of their neighbours. Adelie Penguins are also known to hunt in groups as it is thought to reduce the risk of being eaten by hungry predators. Adelie Penguins are constantly interacting with one another, with body language and specific eye movements thought to be the most common forms of communication. 

 Adelie Penguin Reproduction and Life Cycles
Adelie Penguins return to their breeding grounds during the Antarctic summer months of November and December. Their soft feet are well designed for walking on land making the trek to it's nesting ground much easier as the Penguin fasts during this time. Adelie Penguin pairs mate for life in large colonies, with females laying two eggs a couple of days apart into a nest built from rocks. Both the male and female take it in turns to incubate their eggs while the other goes off to feed, for up to 10 days at a time. The Adelie Penguin chicks have an egg-tooth which is a bump on the top of their beaks, which helps them to break out of the egg. Once hatched, the parents still take it in turns to look after their young while the other goes off to gather food. After about a month, the chicks congregate in groups called crèches and are able to fend for themselves at sea when they are between 2 and 3 months old. 

Adelie Penguin Diet and Prey
Adelie Penguins are strong and capable swimmers, obtaining all of their food from the sea. These Penguins primarily feed on krill which are found throughout the Antarctic ocean, as well as Molluscs, Squid and small Fish. The record of fossilised eggshell accumulated in the Adelie Penguin colonies over the last 38,000 years reveals a sudden change from a Fish-based diet to Krill that started two hundred years ago. This is thought to be due to the decline of the Antarctic Fur Seal Seal in the late 1700s and Baleen Whales in the twentieth century. The reduction of competition from these predators has resulted in there being an abundance of Krill, which the Adelie Penguins are now able to exploit as an easier source of food. 

 Adelie Penguin Predators and Threats
Adult Adelie Penguins have no land based predators due to the uncompromising conditions that they inhabit. In the water however, the biggest threat to the Adelie Penguin is the Leopard Seal, which is one of the southern-most species of Seal and a dominant predator in the Southern Ocean. These Penguins have learnt to avoid these predators by swimming in large groups and not walking on thin ice. The Killer Whale Whale is the other main predator of the Adelie Penguin, although they normally hunt larger species of Penguin further north. South Polar Skuas are known to prey on the Adelie Penguin's eggs if left unguarded, along with chicks that have strayed from a group. 

 Adelie Penguin Interesting Facts and Features
Adelie Penguins inhabit one of the coldest environments on Earth and so have a thick layer of fat under their skin helping to keep them warm. Their feathers help to insulate them and provide a waterproof layer for extra protection. The Adelie Penguin is a highly efficient hunter and is able to eat up to 2kg of food per day, with a breeding colony thought to consume around 9,000 tonnes of food over 24 hours. The flippers of the Adelie Penguin make them fantastic at swimming and they can dive to depths of 175 meters in search of food. Adelie Penguins do not have teeth as such but instead have tooth-shaped barbs on their tongue and on the roof of their mouths. These barbs do not exist for chewing but instead assist the Penguin to swallow slippery prey

. Adelie Penguin Relationship with Humans
A visit to the Adelie Penguin colonies has long since been on the programme for tourists to the Antarctic, who marvel at the vast numbers of them nesting on the beaches and hunting in the surrounding waters. This has meant that Adelie Penguins are one of the most well-known of all Penguin species today. Early explorers however, also hunted the Penguins both for their meat and their eggs in order to survive in such uncompromising conditions. 

 Adelie Peunguin Conservation Status and Life Today
Despite having been confined to living on coastal Antarctica, Adelie Penguins are one of the most common and widespread Penguins in the southern hemisphere. With more than 2.5 million breeding pairs found throughout southern Antarctica, the Adelie Penguin has adapted well to it's polar habitat. Scientists have also been known to use Adelie Penguin nesting patterns as indicators of climate change, noticing that they are able to nest on beaches that were previously covered in ice. The Adelie Penguin is listed as Least Concern.

KILER WHALE

Killer Whales (orca) are found in all the worlds oceans both hot and cold from the freezing waters of the North and South poles to tropical seas. The killer whale is the biggest member of the dolphin family, and there are about 5 different species of killer whale in the oceans.

 Killer whales hunt in groups called pods that normally contain from 6 to 40 killer whales. The killer whales hunt larger fish, seal and sea lion and often sea birds and mammals.

 Killer whales are sadly hunted worldwide for their meat and whale blubber, which is used as an old form of fuel. Due to whaling bans in recent years, the killer whale population can begin to recover again. 


The killer whale is a dominant hunter but gets it name from the amount of meat it eats rather than having an aggressive temperament. Some killer whales are known to be relatively acrobatic naturally, although the majority are trained in zoos and aquariums.
The killer whale has a top speed of around 30 miles an hour but can travel at 26 mph for long periods of time. It is common for killer whale to swim more than 50 miles without stopping.

 Killer whales are large, stocky animals that have a large dorsal fin, with the black and white markings of the killer whale being their most distinctive feature. Male killer whales are bigger than female killer whales with male killer whales growing to around 8 meters in length. Female killer whales are slightly smaller than the male killer whales with the female killer whales growing to around 7 meters in length.

 Killer whales today are considered to be an endangered species due to habitat loss and hunting from humans. Although killer whales are not generally seen as a great threat to humans, there have been a number of instances, particularly in marine parks, where the killer whale has attacked its trainer.

 The killer whale is often referred to as the wolf of the sea, as killer whales are dominant predators and hunt in packs in a similar way to wolves on land. Typically, an average killer whale will eat over 200 kg of food every day which includes over 20 different species of marine mammal and more than 30 different species of large fish.

 As with their dolphin cousins, killer whales are extremely vocal animals and communicate between one another using clicks and whistles in a process known as echolocation. Killer whales are known to at their most vocal and noisy when the killer whales are hunting and the killer whales are much calmer and quieter when they are resting. Killer whales are known to use different sounds when the killer whales are participating in different activities.

Female killer whales give birth to one baby killer whale roughly once every five years. Female killer whales do not reach sexual maturity until they are about 15 years old, and the gestation period is thought be roughly 18 months long. Baby killer whales are born with a yellowish tint to the white parts of the baby killer whales skin, which fades into the brilliant white colour as the baby killer whale gets older. Mother killer whales look after their calves for the first couple of years of life. Baby killer whales feed only on their mothers milk until they are about a year old, when the baby killer whale will begin to solid food.

 Killer whales can live until they are 60 years old but this is thought to depend strongly on the will of the killer whale. By means of comparison, killer whales that are kept in captivity will often not live longer than 25 years but in the wild killer whales live for much longer.

The Gray Wolf also know as the Timber Wolf or Western Wolf, is a canid native to the widerness and remote areas of Nort America Euroasia and Northen, Western and Eastern Africa. It is the largest extant member of its family, with males averaging 43–45 kg (95–99 lb), and females 36–38.5 kg (79–85 lb).  Like the Red Wolf , it is distinguished from other Canis species by its larger size and less pointed features, particularly on the ears and muzzle^. Its winter fur is long and bushy, and predominantly a mottled gray in color, although nearly pure white, red, or brown to black also occur.

 The gray wolf is one of the world's best known and well researched animals, with probably more books written about it than any other wildlife species^. It has a long history of association with humans, having been despised and hunted in most pastoral communities due to its attacks on livestock, while conversely being respected in some agrarian and hunter-gatherer societies.It is the sole ancestor of the dog which genetic and paleontological records indicate was first domesticated in Europe 18,800-32,100 years ago by hunter-gatherers. Although the fear of wolves is pervasive in many human societies, the majority of recorded attacks on people have been attributed to animals suffering from rabies. Non-rabid wolves have attacked and killed people, mainly children, but this is unusual, as wolves are relatively few, live away from people, and have been taught to fear humans by hunters and shepherds.

Opposable Pseudo Thumb

A characteristic of the Giant Panda that has mystified scientists is their movable, elongated wrist bone that acts like an opposable thumb. This human-like quality that helps give them even more of a cuddly-bear appearance enables that Giant Panda to pick up objects and even eat sittinh up.

Quick Fact
Giant Pandas have five clawed toes and one pseudo thumb.

Their pseudo thumb, along with pads of skin, help the Giant Panda strip the more nutritious small bamboo shoots and leaves while holding the stalk in their mouth.

INTRIGUING GIANT PANDA MYSTERIES

While most adore their fluffy fur and round heads , which help give them their cuddly bear quality, others are fascinated by the many mysteries of the giant panda. Did you know that the giant panda may actuality be a racoon, they have an opposable pseudo thumb , and that they're technically a carnivore even though their diet is primarily vegetarian ? These things and more have baffled scientists and naturalists for hundreds of years .

 

The PANDA also known as PANDA BEAR or the GIANT PANDA to distinguish it from the unrelated Red Panda , is a bear native to south central China.  It is easily recognized by the large, distinctive black patches around its eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is over 99%  bamboo.  Pandas in the wild will occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents or carrion. In captivity, they may receive honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves , oranges, or bananas along with specially prepared food.
 The giant panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in Shaanhi and Gansu provinces.







THE GIANT PANDA

The Giant Panda , which only lives in China outside of captivity , has captured the hearts of people of all ages across the globe. From their furry black and white bodies to their shy and docile nature, they are considered one of the world's most loved animals.
Quick Fact   The estimated number of giant pandas in the wild varies between 1500 and 3000