Indus River Dolphin: Critically Endangered Dolphins of Pakistan

Indus River

The Indus River Dolphin is a dolphin subspecies that is closely related to the Ganges River Dolphin. They are endemic to Pakistan and can only be found in parts of the lower Indus River Basin. They are primarily found in the deep waters of the rivers there, but can also be found in shallow areas.

Indus River Dolphins have very thick and stocky bodies. They have flukes and flippers that are comparatively larger than those of many other dolphin species. They also have comparatively small dorsal fins that are located far down their backs. The beak of an Indus River Dolphin is very long and contains sharp teeth that dull with age. These animals have grayish-brown skin and light pink or white undersides. They can grow up to 8 feet in length and can weigh up to 200 pounds. The females of the species are larger than their male counterparts.

One very interesting thing about Indus River Dolphins is their eyes. These dolphins have very small eyes that are located above their mouths. Whether or not they use these eyes to see conventionally, is a matter of debate. Some researchers believe that they can only see very little out of their eyes while others believe that Indus River Dolphins are functionally blind. The waters that they are found in are very muddy, so it is known that they would have very little use for good eyesight.

These animals use echolocation to find their way through the rivers and to hunt. They also use their beaks and fins to search for food on the river bottoms while swimming on their sides. In fact, most of their eating and hunting are done near the river bed. They eat fish and invertebrates such as, clams, prawns, mahseers, carp, catfish, gobies and herring.

Indus River Dolphins are primarily solitary creatures but they can also be found in groups. It is thought that they do not have a particular mating season and may breed all year round. Females of the species gestate for eight to eleven months before giving birth to one calf. The calf is typically around 3.2 feet long. It will nurse for roughly one year before becoming independent. These dolphins become sexually mature at around ten years of age. Their average life expectancy is not known for certain, but it may be in the area of thirty years.

The Indus River Dolphin is one of the most endangered mammals on the planet. In fact, there may only be a few hundred of these animals left, which may not be enough to keep the species going. Humans have largely impacted their population by building dams, accidentally netting the creatures and by hunting them. An Indus River Dolphin Reserve has been established to try and propagate the species. However, it is unknown if they will be able to increase the wild population of these animals enough to save them from extinction.

Sources

Animal Info-Indus River Dolphin, retrieved 11/29/09, animalinfo.org/species/cetacean/platmino.htm

Indus River Dolphin, retrieved 11/29/09, marinebio.org/species.asp?id=340

BIg Cat Hybrids

A liger male and female
Photo by Hkandy

Big cats, such as tigers, lions and cheetahs, are some of the most majestic creatures on Earth. Like their smaller domesticated counterparts, they are stealthy, cunning, efficient and beautiful. It is no wonder that humans are fascinated with these creatures and often wonder if the world will produce more variations of them. Chances are that what we have now is all we get and, as it is, we are destroying what we have. The closest we can come to seeing new big cat species now are hybrid big cats, which are often bred accidentally and would certainly never flourish in the wild and emerge as a new species. Here are a few of the more common big cat hybrids.

Ligers

Ligers are the most well known of the hybrid big cats. This is largely due to their sheer size, strength and relatively laid back attitude. People simply cannot resist a large and in charge wild animal that is docile enough to be handled by humans. However, people should not be fooled by their calm exterior–ligers are hunters. Not to mention, they are the largest living big cats and can easily kill a human.

It takes a male lion and a female tiger to parent a liger. The result is a cat that can grow to weigh more than 1,000 pounds and stand 12 ft. on its hind legs. That means they are up to double the size of their parents. In appearance, ligers look very much like a huge lion with light tiger stripes. As for personality and vocalization, ligers behave and communicate like both of their parent species.

Tigons

Tigons are the result of a female lion and a male tiger. They appear to be more difficult to breed than ligers. However, there is not a huge body of knowledge on the subject because tigons and ligers almost never breed in the wild, if at all. Furthermore, zoos frown on breeding hybrid big cats, so most tigons are the result of an accidental captive mating.

Like ligers, tigons can roar and chuff. They also display characteristics of both species, such as social interaction and swimming. However, they are much smaller than ligers. They are more the size of a smallish lion or tiger. Apart from size, tigons and ligers have the same features.

Both tigons and ligers (among other hybrids) have shorter life spans than their parent species. They also appear to have a tendency to develop diseases. This is part of the reason why breeding hybrid big cats is frowned upon and even illegal in some cases. It just seems cruel to the animals, though some very special creatures have arisen through hybrid mating. There is also the fact that many hybrid animals (especially males) are incapable of breeding. There is no future for such creatures.

(The reason hybrids of the same species with a different male/female parentage are given different names is that males and females of all species bring certain genetic traits to their offspring. Therefore, the opposing coupling often produces very different offspring.)

Leopons

Leopons are the offspring of male leopards and female lions. These are rare (even for big cat hybrids) because female lions are more likely to kill male leopards than mate with them. The size difference is also a problem. It is highly unlikely that lion leopard hybrids occur in the wild because of this discrepancy and propensity for violent encounters.

Now here is a very interesting-looking creature. When leopons do occur in captivity, they grow to be bigger than a leopard, but not quite as big as a lion. Their legs are shorter than that of their mother and they are spotted much like their father. Specimens that have been observed liked to climb and swim like leopards. Males have manes, but they are less magnificent than lion manes. They tend to be sterile as well.

(Offspring of female leopards and male lions are known as liards or lipards.)

Hybrid big cats are a rare treat to see, but one that should not occur with human intervention. Unfortunately, it cannot be helped sometimes. Big cats have been known to get aggravated when you take away their mate (wrong species or not) and it is important to keep captive animals happy. However, captive big cats that are not of the same species should be prevented from forming bonds. It just seems unethical knowingly to allow an animal to be produced that will likely die young, be sterile and develop some painful, debilitating disease. All that aside, it is hard to deny that these hybrids possess the same majesty and beauty of their parent species.

Other, less documented, big cat hybrids include:

Jagupard - Offspring of a male jaguar and a female leopard

Jaglion - Offspring of a male jaguar and a female lion

Tigard - Offspring of a male tiger and a female leopard

Pumapard - Offspring of a male puma and a female leopard

Sources

Leopon, retrieved 2/14/11, messybeast.com/genetics/hyb-leopxlion.htm

Tigons & Ti-Tigons, retrieved 2/14/11, lairweb.org.nz/tiger/tigonsz.html

Mott, Maryann, Ligers Make "Dynamite" Leap Into the Limelight, retrieved 2/14/11, new.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/08/0604-050804_ligers.html

Green Anacondas: The Biggest Snakes in the World

Green anaconda in captivity
Photo by LA Dawson

Green anacondas (Eunectes murinus) are boa constrictors that can be found in marshy or swampy areas, as well as near slow moving rivers and streams. They are commonly found in the tropical rainforests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins. Because they are semi-aquatic and far more graceful in the water than on land, they are never too far from a water source. They are also known as the common anaconda. Not only are they common, but they are also the largest of the four anaconda species. In fact, they are the largest of all snakes.

Adult green anacondas are 20 feet in length, on average. However, they can grow up to 29 feet in length, or more. Reticulated pythons can grow to be longer than the green anaconda, but they are nowhere near as heavy. Adult green anacondas weigh an average of 330 pounds and can grow to weigh up to 550 pounds, or more. It’s no wonder that many humans are afraid that these massive beasts could eat them. In truth, they are capable of eating humans that are not too large. However, anaconda attacks on humans are rare and no fatal cases have been proven.

These snakes mate in a very interesting way. The female, which is significantly larger than the male, will lie in wait for males during the later months of the dry season. Several males, anywhere between two and twelve, will coil around the female in a “‘breeding ball” for several weeks. Once the female has mated with her partners, she will go up to seven months without eating. Gestating for roughly six months, she will retain her eggs, which incubate for eight to twelve weeks. She gives birth to dozens of live young that are roughly 1-2 feet in length. They are completely independent from birth and can be expected to live about ten years in the wild. However, green anacondas have been known to live up to thirty years in captivity.

Green anacondas feed on a variety of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and birds. They can eat rather large prey, such as wild pigs, capybara, jaguars and deer. They coil around their prey and squeeze it until it can no longer breathe and subsequently dies. They then swallow their prey whole. Like many snakes, they can go for a long time without eating, depending on the size of their most recent meal. It is extremely rare for an adult green anaconda to be consumed by another animal. However, adolescents of the species may be preyed upon by some mammals, birds and reptiles.

Despite their obviously formidable appearance, green anacondas are quite beautiful. They are commonly dark green in color with black, oval-shaped markings. These markings have yellowish centers on the sides of the snake. They can be admired from afar in several zoos and aquariums. This may be the best way to catch a glimpse of these awesome creatures.

Sources

Green Anaconda, retrieved 11/17/09, seaworld.org/animal-info/Animal-Bytes/animalia/eumetazoa/coelomates/deuterostomes/chordata/craniata/reptilia/squamata/green-anaconda.htm#top

Green Anaconda, retrieved 11/17/09, neaq.org/animals_and_exhibits/animals/anaconda/index.php

Soomro, A. 2001 “Eunictus murinus,” Animal Diversity Web, retrieved 11/17/09, animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Eunectes_murinus

Galapagos Land Iguana

Galapagos Land Iguana
Photo by Peter Wilton

Among the amazing animals that can be found on the famous Galapagos Archipelago are two species of land iguanas. The more common of the two is the Conolophus subcristatus and it can be found on Fernandina Island, Isabela Island, Santa Cruz Island, North Seymour Island, Hood Island and South Plaza Island. The second is the Conolophus pallidus and it can only be found on Sante Fe Island.

Galapagos land iguanas are yellow, orange or a mix of the two. They have blunt heads and long, tapering tails. These iguanas have short legs and long, sharp claws. A row of spines runs down the center of the neck and down the back. They are relatively large iguanas with adult males being up to 3.2 feet long and weighing up to 28 pounds.

Galapagos land iguanas do have specific time frames for breeding. However, this time depends on the island on which the iguana dwells. After mating, the female iguana will wander off to dig a nest in sandy or loose soil, which she will protect for a few days before abandoning it. The female lays anywhere from 2-25 eggs; the eggs will incubate for three to four months. When the eggs hatch, it will take the young about one week to dig their way out of the nest. The young are very vulnerable to predation, but may live more than 50 years, if they get past the first couple. It will take them between 8 and 15 years to reach adulthood, depending on their size.

Galapagos land iguanas are omnivorous. However, their primary source of food is the plant life of their respective islands, particularly, cactus and fallen fruit. Younger iguanas are a source of food for other animals on the islands such as cats, heron, hawks and snakes. Cats will eat the eggs and can feed on land iguanas until they are about four years old, at which time they become too big for the cats. The rest of the animal’s predators can only eat smaller specimens that are up to a year old. Adult Galapagos land iguanas have no natural predators.

These animals are only active during daylight hours. They bask in the sun during the morning, but spend the hottest hours hiding in the shade. At night they sleep in burrows which they dig in the earth. Males of these two species are territorial and do display aggression. When their territory is being encroached upon by another male, they may bob their head up and down or bite the other animal. Another interesting behavior that these animals display is their symbiotic relationship with Darwin’s finches. When a Galapagos land iguana has ticks, it may lift its body up off the ground so that one of these birds can eat the ticks.

Unfortunately, like so many other species on these beautiful islands, the Galapagos land iguana is in need of conservation. They are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and they are threatened by invasive species. There are conservation efforts underway at this time. However, the species population has dwindled so much that some of the islands where they were abundant are no longer host to these creatures. Hopefully with a little care on our part and a little more effort for their sake, this won’t happen on any more of the islands in the Galapagos.

Sources

Galapagos Land Iguanas, retrieved 11/07/09, gct.org/iguana.html

Galapagos Land Iguana, arkive.org/galapagos-land-iguana/conolophus-subcristatus/info.html

Five Largest Known Beetle Species

Goliath Beetle
Photo by H. Zell

Beetles are insects that can be found virtually everywhere on the planet. They make up a huge portion of all living creatures on Earth. In fact, they account for roughly one-fifth of all species. Most of us know them as relatively small and harmless insects. However, there are beetles that grow rather large. These large beetles are still mostly harmless, but they sure are frightful, if bugs the size of your hand freak you out. Listed here are the five of the largest beetle species in the world, according to length. They are not only the largest beetles, but they are among the largest insects, as well.

Five Largest Beetle Species #5: Acteon Beetle (Megasoma acteon)

The Acteon Beetle can be found in parts of the Amazon region of South America. They can grow to be up to 3 ½ inches long. However, there are some sources that claim they can grow to be up to 5 ½ inches in length.

Five Largest Beetle Species #4: Goliath Beetles

Goliath Beetles are often said to be the largest insects in the world, however, if you are using length to determine size than they are not even the largest of the beetles. Goliath Beetles are native to Africa. The largest of the Goliath Beetle species can grow to be around 4 ½ inches long.

Five Largest Beetle Species #3: Great Fijian Longhorn Beetle (Xixuthrush eros)

The Great Fijian Longhorn Beetle can grow to be up to 5 9/10 inches long. They are found on some of the Fijian Islands. They are rare and are sought after by locals as food. Apparently, Fijian Longhorn Beetles are a delicacy there.

Five Largest Beetle Species #2: South American Longhorn Beetle (Titanus gigantus)

The South American Longhorn Beetle may grow to be more than 6 inches in length. They can be found in various parts of the South American Amazon. These beetles have very strong mandibles and so humans should be wary of their bites.

Five Largest Beetle Species #1: Hercules Beetle (Dynastes tityus)

The Hercules Beetle is noticeable for its formidable mandibles and great size. These beetles are native to the rainforests of Central and South America. They can grow to be around 6 ¾ inches in length.

These are only five species of the roughly 350,000 known species of beetle on this planet. Some of these insects are rather rare and elusive, so it is almost impossible to tell whether there are bigger species out there on the verge of extinction. Of all the known insect species on Earth, roughly 40% are beetles, so it is safe to say that there are beetles out there just waiting to be discovered. Who knows what frighteningly huge insects scientists will be finding in the future?

Sources

Dehkan, Cyrus, The Goliath Beetle, retrieved 3/23/10, insects.suite101/com/article.cfm/the_goliath_beetle

Giant Fijian Longhorn Beetle, retrieved 3/23/10, naturefiji.org/end species.php?info=Great%20Fijian%20Longhorn%20Beetle

Hercules Beetle, retrieved 3/23/10, natural works.org/scarabaeidae/species/Dynastes-Hercules.htm

What is the World’s Biggest Insect?, retrieved 3/23/10, wisegeek.com/what-is-the-worlds-biggest-insect.htm

Beetles, retrieved 3/23/10, waynesword.palomar.edu/ww/0502.htm

Fastest Animals in the World By Category

Peregrine Falcon
Photo by Alan Vernon

When composing a list of the fastest animals in the world, there are several variables that can cause any list to be different from the one before it. Such as, what sort of speed are you using to determine which animal is fastest–land, air, swimming, jumping or diving? Are you only counting a specific group of animals? Also, it is difficult to gauge some animals’ speed for certain and some have not been measured. Therefore, we cannot be certain if some animals are truly the fastest.

Bearing all of the above in mind, the following list consists of two each of the fastest animals in the world, per group, as far as we know. Included are insects, birds, mammals, reptiles and fish. Now, if this list were to be compiled based solely on speed, birds would dominate the list. In fact, the Peregrine falcon’s dive is nearly twice as fast as any animal, including birds, on this list. It is most certainly the fastest animal in the world. However, included here are only the birds with the top level flying speed.

Fastest Animals in the World: Land Mammals

The Cheetah is often thought of as the fastest animal in the world. However, it is only the fastest animal on land. This is not to say that they are not astoundingly fast, though. A Cheetah can actually outrun cars, which are going the speed limit, on most highways. Their top recorded speed is 70 miles per hour.

The next fastest land mammal could not outrun the cheetah, but it can outrun its natural predators. This animal is the Pronghorn antelope. They can run up to 53 miles per hour.

Fastest Animals in the World: Reptiles

It’s difficult to say which reptiles are the fastest in the world. However, it is widely believed that the Black Spiny-tailed iguana is the fastest. This little lizard can run at speeds around 21 miles per hour.

The next animal on our list may actually be able to go one mile an hour faster than the Black Spiny-tailed Iguana. This reptile is the Leatherback sea turtle. However, there is not a lot of information available on this animal’s speed. Also, like most marine creatures, their speed is difficult to gauge accurately.

Fastest Animals in the World: Birds

As mentioned above, Peregrine Falcons are most certainly the fastest animals in the world. However, their top speed is based on their dive. Spine-tailed swifts have the fastest level flying speed. They are capable of flying at speeds up to 106 miles per hour.

Coming in just behind the Spine-tailed swift is the Frigate bird. These birds can fly up to 95 miles per hour. They’re also very interesting looking creatures. You really wouldn’t think them capable of such speed, especially if you saw the male trying to impress his potential mate.

Fastest Animals in the World: Fish

It is very difficult to gauge the speed of fish. However, some methods of measuring their speed have been used and some hypotheses exist on the subject. Using one of these methods to measure a fish’s speed, researchers measured the leaping speed of the sailfish. It was capable of moving 68 miles per hour.

The speed of this next animal is not quite certain and some believe that the Marlin is faster than this creature. Nonetheless, the Mako shark is often said to be the second fastest fish in the world. It may be capable of speeds up to 60 miles per hour.

Fastest Animals in the World: Insects

Many insects’ speeds have not been measured extensively, or at all. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to accurately state which are the fastest. However, the following two are often thought to be the fastest in the world.

The Hawkmoth is capable of speeds up to 33 miles per hour. However, the Tabinid fly and Horseflies may be much faster. In fact, the Tabanid fly may be able to reach speeds up to 90 miles per hour.

Dragonflies are capable of speeds up to 19 miles per hour. This may not seem like much when compared to the insects mentioned above. Nonetheless, various sources actually claim that they are the fastest insects in the world. This isn’t likely, but they are among the fastest. Most humans couldn’t catch up to them.

These animals are certainly some of the fastest in the world. There are definitely others that are as fast, or perhaps even faster than those mentioned, with the exception of the Peregrine falcon. However, at this point, it is impossible for us to know just how fast some animals are capable of moving. Despite our vast reach in this world, there are still things we don’t know or can’t measure. Until such a time as we can, certain mysteries will remain.

Sources

Pronghorn, animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/antelope.html

The World’s Fastest Birds, thetravelalmanac.com/lists/birds-speed.htm

The Fastest fish in the world, thetravelalmanac.com/lists/fish-speed.htm

The Leatherback Sea Turtle, bagheera.com/intheworld/van-anim.turtle.htm

Five Interesting Animals That Are Now Extinct

A Quagga that used tolive at the London Zoo

Listed here are five interesting extinct animals. Some of these animals were extinct long before mankind walked the planet and our only knowledge of their existence comes from the fossil record. Others have become extinct in more recent years and their extinction is directly related to our presence here on Earth.

Interesting Extinct Animal: The Quagga

Quaggas were horselike creatures that were related to the southern plains zebras of Africa. They lived in dry or grassy areas. They were brownish in color and had stripes on their heads, necks and the forward section of their backs.

The Quagga was hunted to extinction by man. They were hunted for their meat and the leather that could be made out of their hides. The last surviving Quagga, a mare, died in captivity in August of 1883. Sadly, when this mare died, no one realized that she was the only living example of these creatures left on the planet.

Amazingly, a rebreeding program, known as the ‘Quagga Project’ is currently working on selectively breeding plains zebras in an attempt to bring the Quagga back into existence. Believe it or not, this program is actually working, to an extent. Experts believe that they will certainly be able to breed an animal that is, at least, closely genetically related, to the Quagga. They have hopes that they may even be able to breed something identical to the Quagga.

Interesting Extinct Animal: The Giant Ground Sloth

The Giant Ground Sloth lived during the Pleistocene Era. The largest of these animals, Megatherium americanum, was roughly the size of an elephant and may have weighed roughly five tons. It was probably capable of standing on its hind legs, which would have made it about 20 ft. tall, when standing.

Giant Ground Sloths are thought to have been herbivorous. Their teeth suggest that they lived off of the leaves of trees. They had very long, sharp claws, but these are thought to have been used to strip bark off of trees. However, it has been suggested that the largest of these creatures may have turned carnivorous, though there is no proof of this. They became extinct around 10,000 years ago.

Interesting Extinct Animal: The Thylacine or ‘Tasmanian Tiger’

The Thylacine was a carnivorous marsupial that bore a strong resemblance to canids. They were brownish in color with dark brown stripes from about 1/4 of the way down their midsection to the base of their tail. They had long pointy snouts and jaws that appeared to open very wide.

Farmers mistakenly believed that the Thylacine posed a major threat to their livestock. Therefore, major killing campaigns were formed against these animals. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, these animals were hunted to the very brink of extinction. By the time the killing stopped, it was too late to save the species. The last known Thylacine died at the Hobart Zoo on September 7, 1936.

Interesting Extinct Animal: Irish Elk

There has been much discussion regarding this extinct animal’s name. The Irish Elk is actually a deer, not an Elk and it is not Irish, per se. It is, in fact, European, Asian and African. They are the largest deer ever known to have walked the Earth. They could grow to be up to 7 ft. tall at the shoulder.

The Irish Elk lived during the Pleistocene Era. The reason for their extinction is not quite known. They disappeared from the fossil record roughly 11,000 years ago.

Interesting Extinct Animal: All of the Dinosaurs

What can be more interesting than gigantic lizards? These creatures dominated the planet for roughly 160 million years. They came in all different shapes and sizes. Some were bigger than your house, some were smaller than your dog and others could even fly. There is much controversy surrounding the life and extinction of these animals. No one is quite sure what could have wiped out such a widespread population of various species of lizards, but the most popular theory is a meteor impact. Whatever the cause of their extinction may be, we know that they all died out roughly 65 million years ago. However, it has been suggested that we are surrounded by their genetic offspring, modern birds.

It is amazing how, in this stage of mankind’s evolution, we are able to have knowledge of creatures that are extinct. However, along with that knowledge comes a sadness that we may never have the chance to see any of these creatures, some of which are very interesting and amazing animals. Of course, there are also extinct animals that have become extinct in recent history, even in living memory. We may have had a chance to see and even photograph these creatures, but, those of us who care, must live with the guilt that it was our presence on this planet that caused these interesting animals to become extinct, at least, in most cases.

Sources

Giant Sloth, retrieved 12/21/09, unmuseum.org/sloth.htm

Introducing the Thylacine, retrieved 12/21/09, naturalworlds.org/thylacine/introducing/what_is_thylacine_1.htm

The Case of the Irish Elk, retrieved 12/21/09, kucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/artis/irishelk.html