About 10,000 new animal species are being discovered every year.
The bee hummingbird of Cuba is the smallest warm blooded creature. It is only 2.25" long and weighs less than 2 gm.
The Compsognathus is the smallest dinosaur. It measured slightly more than half a metre in length and weighed around 3 kg.—the weight of a large hen.
About 100,000 species of extinct animals have been identified by scientists from their fossil remains.
The Baluchitherium was the largest terrestrial mammal ever to have walked on this earth. Its length was about 12 m. and it weighed 20 tons. At present the African elephant is the largest terrestrial mammal. It weighs 6 tons.
The Brachiosaurus is considered to be the heaviest of all prehistoric animals. It weighed around 78 tons—about the weight of 13 African elephants!
The dodo was once commonly found in Mauritius. It was a heavy, large bird weighing 30 kg. and walked very slowly. Due to this, it was caught and killed very easily leading to its extinction at around the end of the 18th century.
Study of corals which lived 300 million years ago has revealed that during that time there were 400 days in a year. In a coral, a day's growth is marked by a distinct ring. The rings on the prehistoric corals revealed this surprising fact.
There are about 30,000 species of fish known to scientists, of them about 2,300 are of the fresh water species.
The King Cobra is the only snake to build a nest. It scrapes together clay and leaves and makes a nest about half a metre in height.
The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world. It grows to a length of 9 to 10 m.
The male snake uses the sense of smell to search for female snake for breeding purposes.
The female tropical stick insect is the longest insect in the world. It measures around 330 mm.
The queen termite is considered to lead the longest lifespan in the insect world. It can live up to 50 years.
The male cicadas are said to be the loudest of all insects. They can produce
sounds that can be detected at more than a quarter of a mile away.
The largest living bird is the ostrich, a flightless bird. The heaviest flying bird is the Kori bustard which weighs about 15 kg.
The hummingbird has the highest energy consumption per unit of weight. The average man uses about 3,500 calories in a day. If the hummingbird was the size of a man it would use 155,000 calories!
The flightless rail is the smallest of flightless birds and is the size of a newly hatched chicken. It is an inhabitant of Inaccessible Island in the South Atlantic Ocean.
The willow warbler is an unusual bird as it moults twice a year.
The heaviest bird ever to have lived1 on our earth was the Elephant bird. It weighed about 450 kg. They have become extinct recently. They inhabited Madagascar.
When the first explorers brought the skin of the duck-billed platypus from Australia, scientists did not take it seriously. The platypus, as we know, is a very strange, mixed up, peculiar animal. We can't blame the zoologists of that time for thinking it was a .hoax.
The dog was one of the first animals to have been domesticated by man as far back as 10,000 BC. The goat was domesticated around 8,000 BC, cattle around 5,500 BC, sheep 5,000 BC, horse and donkey around 3,000 BC, cat and chicken around 2,000 BC, duck and goose around 1,500 BC. and the rabbit 1,000 AD.
The flatfish, also known as Moses soles, secrete a milky substance to defend themselves from their enemies. This secretion is the poison, pardoxin and is very lethal. Just one part of it in 5,000 parts of sea water is enough to kill small fish and molluscs. It even causes paralysis in fish like the shark.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
There are about 3,500 species of cockroaches in the world, most of which are found in the tropics.
The common cockroach found in human dwellings contaminates food and is a great nuisance. The American or German cockroach are also pests in kitchens, bakeries and warehouses. There were only 2 species originally found in Britain but due to import of food and migration, several other species have been introduced there.
The domesticated species of cockroaches are omnivorous and can eat any sort of food. They are particularly fond of sweet and starchy food. In the absence of food, they feed on clothing, paper, books and even shoes. Thus they are severe pests in most households.
The cockroach is a nocturnal insect. It hides in dark cupboards and drawers and comes out only when it is dark. That is why if we happen to switch on the light in a dark kitchen at night, we can see them scurrying away into dark corners.
The cockroach has a flat body and is able to squeeze into the narrowest gaps and crevices. It has two long antennae for feeling and smelling its way in the dark. Its large eyes are not of much use. It has two pairs of wings which are used very rarely for flying.
The female cockroach lays the eggs in a horny, purse like egg case. She carries it around for some time beneath her abdomen till she deposits it by sticking it on a surface. The egg case contains about 16 eggs in 2 rows. The 'nymphs' that hatch out of these eggs are identical to the adult cockroach except that they are wingless, smaller and pale in colour. As they feed and grow older they become darker. They cast off their skin six or seven times during their growth period. This ceases when their development is complete. This process is known as incomplete metamorphosis. The butterfly, on the other hand, has a complete metamorphosis.
Man has invented several sprays and poisons for killing cockroaches but he has never been able to eradicate .them fully. They continue to come out from nooks and corners. They devour and contaminate our food and crawl all over our homes spreading diseases.
The common cockroach found in human dwellings contaminates food and is a great nuisance. The American or German cockroach are also pests in kitchens, bakeries and warehouses. There were only 2 species originally found in Britain but due to import of food and migration, several other species have been introduced there.
The domesticated species of cockroaches are omnivorous and can eat any sort of food. They are particularly fond of sweet and starchy food. In the absence of food, they feed on clothing, paper, books and even shoes. Thus they are severe pests in most households.
The cockroach is a nocturnal insect. It hides in dark cupboards and drawers and comes out only when it is dark. That is why if we happen to switch on the light in a dark kitchen at night, we can see them scurrying away into dark corners.
The cockroach has a flat body and is able to squeeze into the narrowest gaps and crevices. It has two long antennae for feeling and smelling its way in the dark. Its large eyes are not of much use. It has two pairs of wings which are used very rarely for flying.
The female cockroach lays the eggs in a horny, purse like egg case. She carries it around for some time beneath her abdomen till she deposits it by sticking it on a surface. The egg case contains about 16 eggs in 2 rows. The 'nymphs' that hatch out of these eggs are identical to the adult cockroach except that they are wingless, smaller and pale in colour. As they feed and grow older they become darker. They cast off their skin six or seven times during their growth period. This ceases when their development is complete. This process is known as incomplete metamorphosis. The butterfly, on the other hand, has a complete metamorphosis.
Man has invented several sprays and poisons for killing cockroaches but he has never been able to eradicate .them fully. They continue to come out from nooks and corners. They devour and contaminate our food and crawl all over our homes spreading diseases.
Is cockroach a pest ?
There are about 3,500 species of cockroaches in the world, most of which are found in the tropics.
The common cockroach found in human dwellings contaminates food and is a great nuisance. The American or German cockroach are also pests in kitchens, bakeries and warehouses. There were only 2 species originally found in Britain but due to import of food and migration, several other species have been introduced there.
The domesticated species of cockroaches are omnivorous and can eat any sort of food. They are particularly fond of sweet and starchy food. In the absence of food, they feed on clothing, paper, books and even shoes. Thus they are severe pests in most households.
The common cockroach found in human dwellings contaminates food and is a great nuisance. The American or German cockroach are also pests in kitchens, bakeries and warehouses. There were only 2 species originally found in Britain but due to import of food and migration, several other species have been introduced there.
The domesticated species of cockroaches are omnivorous and can eat any sort of food. They are particularly fond of sweet and starchy food. In the absence of food, they feed on clothing, paper, books and even shoes. Thus they are severe pests in most households.
What are the different species of rats ?
The rat is a very versatile and tough animal. It has a phenomenal capacity to survive in the most difficult situations. It was noticed that after nuclear tests, the rats in the area seemed the fittest and healthiest.
Rats are larger than mice and usually have scaly, naked tails. There are several species of rats.
The brown rat is about 20 cm. with a tail of almost equal length. These rats originated in Central Asia. Now they have spread throughout the world. Thanks to ships which transported them to all corners of the world.
The black rat, responsible for plagues, is smaller than brown rat. It has, however, larger ears, a longer nose and a pointed snout. They do not interbreed with brown rats.
The pack rat or wood rat is common throughout North America. There are about 7 different species of this kind. Their dens are made of partly eaten plants, dung and miscellaneous objects.
Rats have a very flexible body and can squeeze in through tiny holes, climb vertical surfaces, burrow the earth, jump as high as 1 metre and jump down from a height of 15 metre. They can swim at least a mile and can chew through live electrical cables. They can kill another animal which is twice their size. Rats seem to be very intelligent. They are awfully cautious, wary and shrewd.
Rats are supposed to have killed more than 25 million people - a quarter of the population of Europe - during the infamous Black Death. In 1348 rats travelling in ships from Black Sea to Genoa brought the plague bacterium on fleas that lived on its hair. The Plague lasted for more than 3 years resulting in a horror that changed the history of the world. Rats still are responsible for spreading diseases like typlus, trichinosis, Lassa fever and Salmonella.
Great damage is done to property by rats as they gnow through them. Rats pillage tons of food grains stored in the granaries. They devour potatoes, bananas, carrots and other produce in the fields. It is very difficult to eradicate the rat menace as they multiply very quickly. A female rat can reproduce and have at least 15,000 descendants in a year!
It seems rats have only one useful quality in them that is of value to man. They are excellent animals for the research laboratory where new drugs can be tested on them. Rats being tough, versatile, quick reproducers and having ability to eat 'anything' are the favourite animals for experimentation.
Rats are larger than mice and usually have scaly, naked tails. There are several species of rats.
The brown rat is about 20 cm. with a tail of almost equal length. These rats originated in Central Asia. Now they have spread throughout the world. Thanks to ships which transported them to all corners of the world.
The black rat, responsible for plagues, is smaller than brown rat. It has, however, larger ears, a longer nose and a pointed snout. They do not interbreed with brown rats.
The pack rat or wood rat is common throughout North America. There are about 7 different species of this kind. Their dens are made of partly eaten plants, dung and miscellaneous objects.
Rats have a very flexible body and can squeeze in through tiny holes, climb vertical surfaces, burrow the earth, jump as high as 1 metre and jump down from a height of 15 metre. They can swim at least a mile and can chew through live electrical cables. They can kill another animal which is twice their size. Rats seem to be very intelligent. They are awfully cautious, wary and shrewd.
Rats are supposed to have killed more than 25 million people - a quarter of the population of Europe - during the infamous Black Death. In 1348 rats travelling in ships from Black Sea to Genoa brought the plague bacterium on fleas that lived on its hair. The Plague lasted for more than 3 years resulting in a horror that changed the history of the world. Rats still are responsible for spreading diseases like typlus, trichinosis, Lassa fever and Salmonella.
Great damage is done to property by rats as they gnow through them. Rats pillage tons of food grains stored in the granaries. They devour potatoes, bananas, carrots and other produce in the fields. It is very difficult to eradicate the rat menace as they multiply very quickly. A female rat can reproduce and have at least 15,000 descendants in a year!
It seems rats have only one useful quality in them that is of value to man. They are excellent animals for the research laboratory where new drugs can be tested on them. Rats being tough, versatile, quick reproducers and having ability to eat 'anything' are the favourite animals for experimentation.
What are the main characteristics of an ostrich ?
The ostrich is the largest of all birds and weighs about 150 kg. It also has a record of laying the largest eggs which are about 120 cm. long and 15 cm. in diametre. The ostrich is a flightless bird. However, it is the fastest bird on legs with a speed of 80 kmph. It has a peculiar habit of running round in circles.
The ostrich is a native of Africa. The male has a height of about 2.5 m. The female is comparitively smaller. The legs, which are two-toed, are long and strong and its large body seems precariously balanced on them. Its neck is lengthy and at the end of it is a small head with a short beak. Its eyes are large with long eyelashes.
The brain of the ostrich is smaller than its eyes but that does not mean it is a stupid bird. In fact, it is quite intelligent. Scientists no longer believe in the myth that the Ostrich and its eggs ostrich buries its head in the sand in times of danger. Instead it sits and stretches its neck along the sand. The predator passes by thinking it is just a mound of dry leaves. The ostrich uses the same method when guarding its eggs.
The female ostrich is dull brown in colour while the male is black. They use this colour difference very effectively as they take turns in guarding their eggs. The female sits over the eggs during the day time so that its feathers blend into the surrounding environment. At night, the black male guards the eggs.
The ostrich is herbivorous and lives on grass, leaves and fruit. Like several other birds, it eats small stones and pebbles to help in digestion. Ostriches have been known to eat shiny objects like glass pieces and metallic objects like jewellery and watches.
Ostriches are being farmed for their meat and beautiful feathers. Even their hide is used to make good quality leather. In some places they are also trained to pull carts. However domesticating the ostrich is very difficult as it is a very aggressive bird. It attacks with a very powerful kick which can easily break one's bones. So farmers have to be very careful when approaching it.
The ostrich lives in a family group of one cock and several hens. Each of the hens lays about 14 eggs.
The ostrich is a native of Africa. The male has a height of about 2.5 m. The female is comparitively smaller. The legs, which are two-toed, are long and strong and its large body seems precariously balanced on them. Its neck is lengthy and at the end of it is a small head with a short beak. Its eyes are large with long eyelashes.
The brain of the ostrich is smaller than its eyes but that does not mean it is a stupid bird. In fact, it is quite intelligent. Scientists no longer believe in the myth that the Ostrich and its eggs ostrich buries its head in the sand in times of danger. Instead it sits and stretches its neck along the sand. The predator passes by thinking it is just a mound of dry leaves. The ostrich uses the same method when guarding its eggs.
The female ostrich is dull brown in colour while the male is black. They use this colour difference very effectively as they take turns in guarding their eggs. The female sits over the eggs during the day time so that its feathers blend into the surrounding environment. At night, the black male guards the eggs.
The ostrich is herbivorous and lives on grass, leaves and fruit. Like several other birds, it eats small stones and pebbles to help in digestion. Ostriches have been known to eat shiny objects like glass pieces and metallic objects like jewellery and watches.
Ostriches are being farmed for their meat and beautiful feathers. Even their hide is used to make good quality leather. In some places they are also trained to pull carts. However domesticating the ostrich is very difficult as it is a very aggressive bird. It attacks with a very powerful kick which can easily break one's bones. So farmers have to be very careful when approaching it.
The ostrich lives in a family group of one cock and several hens. Each of the hens lays about 14 eggs.
Why do cats arch their backs and hiss ?
A cat arches its back and hisses when alarmed or frightened. In most cases it does not want to attack the enemy. It pulls itself up and hisses to make itself look bigger and more menacing. The enemy is startled by this sudden action. That is when the cat makes its escape.
Hissing is the cat's way of threatening enemies or warning its kittens. This sends the kittens scurrying back to their nest.
Many animals use similar techniques to frighten off their enemies: Dogs, lizards, birds and even rabbits.
Hissing is the cat's way of threatening enemies or warning its kittens. This sends the kittens scurrying back to their nest.
Many animals use similar techniques to frighten off their enemies: Dogs, lizards, birds and even rabbits.
How does an earthworm see or hear ?
Earthworms are found in the surface layers of moist soil which is rich in humus. They spend the day time underground in their burrows and crawl out at night in search of food.
An earthworm has no eyes but can tell when it is near the surface, for its front end is sensitive to bright light. An earthworm has no ears either but it is able to perceive vibrations in the soil and so will not venture from its burrow while a bird is hopping about overhead.
An earthworm tunnels its burrow partly by force and partly by eating its way through the soil. It feeds on decayed animals and plant remains in the soil which is swallowed. The soil is ground up by a part of its food canal known as the gizzard. The finely powdered soil is then passed out of the body forming little heaps at the entrance of its burrow. These are known as worm casts.
Earthworms are important to the farmer as their burrowing activities help to loosen the soil. This helps the roots of plants to go down easily and also allows the entry of rain water and air into the soil.
An earthworm has no eyes but can tell when it is near the surface, for its front end is sensitive to bright light. An earthworm has no ears either but it is able to perceive vibrations in the soil and so will not venture from its burrow while a bird is hopping about overhead.
An earthworm tunnels its burrow partly by force and partly by eating its way through the soil. It feeds on decayed animals and plant remains in the soil which is swallowed. The soil is ground up by a part of its food canal known as the gizzard. The finely powdered soil is then passed out of the body forming little heaps at the entrance of its burrow. These are known as worm casts.
Earthworms are important to the farmer as their burrowing activities help to loosen the soil. This helps the roots of plants to go down easily and also allows the entry of rain water and air into the soil.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)