Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros /raɪˈnɒsərəs/, often abbreviated as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia.
Members of the rhinoceros family are characterized by their large size (they are some of the largest remaining megafauna, with all of the species able to reach one tonne or more in weight); as well as by a herbivorous diet; a thick protective skin, 1.5–5 cm thick, formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure; relatively small brains for mammals this size (400–600 g); and a large horn. They generally eat leafy material, although their ability to ferment food in their hindgut allows them to subsist on more fibrous plant matter, if necessary. Unlike other perissodactyls, the two African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths, relying instead on their powerful premolar and molar teeth to grind up plant food.^[1]
Rhinoceros are killed by humans for their horns, which are bought and sold on the black market, and which are used by some cultures for ornamental or (pseudo-scientific) medicinal purposes. The horns are made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails.^[2] Both African species and the Sumatran rhinoceros have two horns, while the Indian and Javan rhinoceros have a single horn.

White rhinoceros

There are two subspecies of white rhino: the southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) and the northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni). In 2007, the southern subspecies had a wild population of 17,480 (IUCN2008) - 16,266 of which were in South Africa - making them the most abundant rhino subspecies in the world. However, the northern subspecies was critically endangered, with as few as four individuals in the wild; the possibility of complete extinction in the wild having been noted since June 2008.^[5] Six are known to be held in captivity, two of which reside in a zoo in San Diego. Four born in a zoo in the Czech Republic were transferred to a wildlife refuge in Kenya in December 2009, in an effort to have the animals reproduce and save the subspecies

Black rhinoceros

The name black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) was chosen to distinguish this species from the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). This can be confusing, as the two species are not really distinguishable by color. There are four subspecies of black rhino: South-central (Diceros bicornis minor), the most numerous, which once ranged from central Tanzania south through Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique to northern and eastern South Africa; South-western (Diceros bicornis bicornis) which are better adapted to the arid and semi-arid savannas of Namibia, southern Angola, western Botswana and western South Africa; East African (Diceros bicornis michaeli), primarily in Tanzania; and West African (Diceros bicornis longipes) which was declared extinct in November 2011.^[10] The native Tswanan name Keitloa is used to describe a South African variation of the black rhino in which the posterior horn is equal to or longer than the anterior horn.^[11]
An adult black rhinoceros stands 150–175 cm (59–69 in) high at the shoulder and is 3.5–3.9 m (11–13 ft) in length.^[12] An adult weighs from 850 to 1,600 kg (1,900 to 3,500 lb), exceptionally to 1,800 kg (4,000 lb), with the females being smaller than the males. Two horns on the skull are made of keratin with the larger front horn typically 50 cm long, exceptionally up to 140 cm. Sometimes, a third smaller horn may develop. The black rhino is much smaller than the white rhino, and has a pointed mouth, which it uses to grasp leaves and twigs when feeding.
During the latter half of the 20th century their numbers were severely reduced from an estimated 70,000^[13] in the late 1960s to only 2,410 in 1995.^[14]

Indian rhinoceros

The Indian rhinoceros, or the greater one-horned rhinoceros, (Rhinoceros unicornis) is now found almost exclusively in Nepal and North-Eastern India. The rhino once inhabited many areas ranging from Pakistan to Burma and may have even roamed in China. However, because of human influence, their range has shrunk and now they only exist in several protected areas of India (in Assam, West Bengal, Gujarat and a few pairs in Uttar Pradesh) and Nepal, plus a few pairs in Lal Suhanra National Park in Pakistan. It is confined to the tall grasslands and forests in the foothills of the Himalayas.
The Indian rhinoceros has thick, silver-brown skin which creates huge folds all over its body. Its upper legs and shoulders are covered in wart-like bumps, and it has very little body hair. Fully grown males are larger than females in the wild, weighing from 2,500–3,200 kg (5,500–7,100 lb).The Indian rhino stands at 1.75–2.0 metres (5.75–6.5 ft). Female Indian rhinos weigh about 1,900 kg and are 3–4 metres long. The record-sized specimen of this rhino was approximately 3,800 kg. The Indian rhino has a single horn that reaches a length of between 20 and 100 cm. Its size is comparable to that of the white rhino in Africa.
Two-thirds of the world's Indian rhinoceroses are now confined to the Kaziranga National Park situated in the Golaghat district of Assam, India.^[15]

Javan rhinoceros

The Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is one of the rarest and most endangered large mammals anywhere in the world.^[16] According to 2002 estimates, only about 60 remain, in Java (Indonesia) and Vietnam. Of all the rhino species, the least is known of the Javan Rhino. These animals prefer dense lowland rain forest, tall grass and reed beds that are plentiful with large floodplains and mud wallows. Though once widespread throughout Asia, by the 1930s the rhinoceros was nearly hunted to extinction in India, Burma, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra for the supposed medical powers of its horn and blood. As of 2009, there are only 40 of them remaining in Ujung Kulon Conservation, Java, Indonesia. The last rhinoceros in Vietnam was reportedly killed in 2010.^[17]
Like the closely related, and larger, Indian rhinoceros, the Javan rhinoceros has a single horn. Its hairless, hazy gray skin falls into folds into the shoulder, back, and rump giving it an armored-like appearance. The Javan rhino's body length reaches up to 3.1–3.2 m (10–10 ft), including its head and a height of 1.5–1.7 m (4 ft 10 in–5 ft 7 in) tall. Adults are variously reported to weigh between 900–1,400 kg^[18] or 1,360–2,000 kg.^[19] Male horns can reach 26 cm in length, while in females they are knobs or are not present at all.^[19

Sumatran rhinoceros

The Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is the smallest extant rhinoceros species, as well as the one with the most hair. It can be found at very high altitudes in Borneo and Sumatra. Due to habitat loss and poaching, its numbers have declined and it is the most threatened rhinoceros. About 275 Sumatran rhinos are believed to remain.
A mature Sumatran rhino typically stands about 130 cm (51 in) high at the shoulder, with a body length of 240–315 cm (94–124 in) and weighing around 700 kg (1,500 lb), though the largest individuals have been known to weigh as much as 1,000 kilograms. Like the African species, it has two horns; the larger is the front (25–79 cm), with the smaller usually less than 10 cm long. The males have much larger horns than the females. Hair can range from dense (the densest hair in young calves) to scarce. The color of these rhinos is reddish brown. The body is short and has stubby legs. They also have a prehensile lip.^]

Jellyfish


Medusa Jellyfish are the major non-polyp form of individuals of the phylum Cnidaria. They are typified as free-swimming marine animals consisting of a gelatinous umbrella-shaped bell and trailing tentacles. The bell can pulsate for locomotion, while stinging tentacles can be used to capture prey.
Jellyfish are found in every ocean, from the surface to the deep sea. A few jellyfish inhabit freshwater. Large, often colorful, jellyfish are common in coastal zones worldwide. Jellyfish have roamed the seas for at least 500 million years,^[1] and possibly 700 million years or more, making them the oldest multi-organ animal.^[2]

 

Musk Ox

The musk ox live in the frozen tundra of northern, Alaska, Canada, Ellesmere Island, Greenland, Norway, Sweden and Siberia. No other hoofed animal lives as far north as the musk ox. The musk ox can live in the harsh conditions of the arctic tundra because its 24" long hair and woolly undercoat ward off frost andprovide insulation. It has a sturdy build. It looks like a huge dust mop on hooves, their long hair

reaching almost to the ground. Its muzzle is usually white. It can weigh from 396-880 pounds, and reach a length of 7 feet. The musk ox gets its name from the odor produced by glands beneath the bull's eyes. The male has thick horns that almost meet on top of its head in what is called a "boss". The horns curve down besides its face and out at the ends. The female has smaller horns, without a boss. Instead the top of her head is covered with whitish hair.

In the summer the musk ox herd has about 10 members. They will use the almost constant daylight to stuff themselves on plants. They need to put on enough fat to get them through the long winter. In winter the herd can have about 15 to 20 members. They will head out to higher ground where the fierce Arctic winds blow the snow off the ground. Here they will feed on crowberry, bearberry, and willow. The herd only travels about 50 miles between its summer and winter feeding areas.

Breeding season starts in July and goes on until the end of August. Each herd has a dominant male, or bull, who will try to keep other bulls from mating with the females. The female will give birth to one calf the following April through June. The calf can graze in about a week but keeps suckling for another year. The lifespan of a musk ox is about 24 years.

Muskoxen coexisted with the mastodons and mammoths and have survived early hunters and climate changes that caused the extinction of other species. The musk ox doesn't have many predators. Polar bears can sometimes kill weak or injured oxen. The Arctic wolf is the only serious predator.

Musk ox form a defensive formation when threatened. They will first run to a higher location, then turn and stand shoulder-to-shoulder in a circle. With their heads lowered, they form an impenetrable wall. The young are protected in the center of the circle. Musk oxen stampede easily and sometimes young calves become separated from the herd and are lost.

The musk ox's defense is useless against bullets, and they became easy targets for humans. They were almost hunted to extinction for their fur and their meat. By the early 20th century the population had become depleted. In 1917 the Canadian government gave them protection and now there are about 90,000 musk ox in that country.

More ominous as far as the decline of the musk ox is concerned are the effects global warming has had on their breeding. In the past few years, as a result of warmer climates, the coastal plains used as calving grounds have had more snow, and as a result, a later thaw. Musk oxen have moved to the foothills to find forage and often give birth there, making them and their calves more vulnerable to grizzly bears.

The Inpiaq speaking Eskimos of the Northern Slope of Alaska call the musk ox "Oomingmak", which means "animal with skin like a beard".

2000

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Vampire bat

Vampire bats are bats whose food source is blood, a dietary trait called hematophagy. Three bat species feed solely on blood: thecommon vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus), the hairy-legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata), and the white-winged vampire bat(Diaemus youngi). All three species are native to the New World, ranging from Mexico to Brazil, Chile, and Argentina.

Pteropus

Bats of the genus Pteropus, belonging to the megabat suborder, Megachiroptera, are the largest bats in the world. They are commonly known as the fruit bats or flying foxes among other colloquial names. They live in the tropics and subtropics of Asia (including the Indian subcontinent), Australia, islands off East Africa (but not mainland Africa), and a number of remote oceanic islands in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans.^[1] There are at least 60 extant species in this genus.^[2]

The oldest ancestors of the genus Pteropus to be unearthed appear in the fossil record almost exactly as they are today, the only notable differences being early flight adaptations such as a tail for stabilizing. The oldest megachiropteran is dated at around 35 million years ago, but the preceding gap in the fossil record makes their true lineage unknown.

Characteristically, all species of flying foxes only feed on nectar, blossom, pollen, and fruit, which explains their limited tropical distribution. They do not possess echolocation, a feature which helps the other sub-order of bats, the microbats, locate and catch prey such as insects in mid-air. Instead, smell and eyesight are very well-developed in flying foxes. Feeding ranges can reach up to 40 miles. When it locates food, the flying fox "crashes" into foliage and grabs for it. It may also attempt to catch hold of a branch with its hind feet, then swing upside down – once attached and hanging, the fox draws food to its mouth with one of its hind feet or with the clawed thumbs at the top of its wings.

dog

The domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris),^[2][3] is a subspecies of the gray wolf (Canis lupus), a member of the Canidae family of the mammalian order Carnivora. The term "domestic dog" is generally used for both domesticated and feral varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and pet in human history. The word "dog" may also mean the male of a canine species,^[4] as opposed to the word "bitch" for the female of the species.

The present lineage of dogs was domesticated from gray wolves about 15,000 years ago.^[5] Though remains of domesticated dogs have been found in Siberia and Belgium from about 33,000 years ago, none of those lineages seem to have survived the Last Glacial Maximum. Although mDNA testing suggests an evolutionary split between dogs and wolves around 100,000 years ago, no specimens prior to 33,000 years ago are clearly morphologically domesticated dog.^[6][7][8]

Dogs' value to early human hunter-gatherers led to them quickly becoming ubiquitous across world cultures. Dogs perform many roles for people, such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection, assisting police and military, companionship, and, more recently, aiding handicapped individuals. This impact on human society has given them the nickname "Man's Best Friend" in the Western world. In some cultures, dogs are also source of meat.^[9][10] In 2001, there were estimated to be 400 million dogs in the world.^[11]

Most breeds of dogs are at most a few hundred years old, having been artificially selected for particular morphologies andbehaviors by people for specific functional roles. Through this selective breeding, the dog has developed into hundreds of variedbreeds, and shows more behavioral and morphological variation than any other land mammal.^[12] For example, height measured to the withers ranges from 6 inches (150 mm) in the Chihuahua to about 2.5 feet (0.76 m) in the Irish Wolfhound; color varies from white through grays (usually called "blue") to black, and browns from light (tan) to dark ("red" or "chocolate") in a wide variation of patterns; coats can be short or long, coarse-haired to wool-like, straight, curly, or smooth.^[13] It is common for most breeds toshed this coat.

Cat

the domestic cat^[1][2] (Felis catus^[2] or Felis silvestris catus^[4]) is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal. It is often called the housecat when kept as an indoor pet,^[6] or simply the cat when there is no need to distinguish it from other felidsand felines. Cats are valued by humans for companionship and ability to hunt vermin and household pests. A group of cats is known as either a "Glaring" or "Clowder" of cats.

Cats are similar in anatomy to the other felids, with strong, flexible bodies, quick reflexes, sharp retractable claws, and teeth adapted to killing small prey. Cat senses fit a crepuscular and predatory ecological niche. Cats can hear sounds too faint or too high in frequency for human ears, such as those made by mice and other small game. They can see in near darkness. Like most mammals, cats have poorer color vision and a better sense of smell than humans.

Despite being solitary hunters, cats are a social species, and cat communication includes the use of a variety of vocalizations(meowing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling and grunting) as well as pheromones and types of cat-specific body language.^[7]

Cats have a rapid breeding rate. Under controlled breeding, they can be bred and shown as registered pedigree pets, a hobby known as cat fancy. Failure to control the breeding of pet cats by spaying and neutering, and the abandonment of former household pets, has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, with a population of up to 60 million of these animals in the United States alone, while in Japan they are caught and disposed of.^[8]

Since cats were cult animals in ancient Egypt, they were commonly believed to have been domesticated there,^[9] but there may have been instances of domestication as early as the Neolithic.^[10]

A genetic study in 2007 revealed that all domestic cats are descended from as few as five female African wildcats (Felis silvestris lybica) c. 8000 BCE, in the Middle East.^[9][11] Cats are the most popular pet in the world, and now found almost everywhere where people live.^[12]