Wild Animals

[Vikramaditya]

Please share knowledge about animals,especially rare and Endangered species .....................:113:

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

A good and constructive endeavour... I commend you on this original idea and I hope it makes a brilliant thread...

 

[Vikramaditya]

Snow Leopard(endangered species)

The snow leopard sometimes known as "ounce," is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia.

Snow leopards are smaller than the other big cats but like them, exhibit a range of sizes, generally weighing between 27 and 54 kg. Body length ranges from 74–130 cm with a tail of nearly the same length.

Snow leopards living in a cold mountainous environment.

The snow leopard's range in central and south Asia.

Mostly in 12 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

There are also 600-700 snow leopards in zoos around the world.

Range Country Habitat Area(sq. km.) Estimated Population


Afghanistan 50,000 100-200?
Bhutan 15,000 100-200?
China 1,100,000 2,000-5,000
India 75,000 200-600
Kazakhstan 50,000 180-200
Kyrgyz Republic 105,000 150-500
Mongolia 101,000 500-1000
Nepal 30,000 unknown probably quite high
Pakistan 80,000 200-420
Tajikistan 100,000 180-220
Uzbekistan 10,000 20-50

 

[Vikramaditya]

Snow Leopard(endangered species)continue..

 

[Vikramaditya]

In India:::
Ladakh

new york

For more info:
Snow Leopard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Vikramaditya]

Fishing Cat(almost extinct)

The Fishing Cat is a medium-sized cat whose disjunct global range extends from eastern Pakistan through portions of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, throughout Bangladesh and Mainland Southeast Asia to Sumatra and Java.

Its fur has an olive-grey color with dark spots arranged stripe-like running along the length of the body.

The face has a distinctly flat-nosed appearance.

The size varies between locations:
Indian specimens grow to 80 cm plus 30 cm tail,Indonesian fishing cats only reach 65 cm plus 25 cm tail.

Indian individuals weigh up to 11.7 kg, while in Indonesia adult fishing cats weigh in at up to approximately 6 kg.

The Fishing Cat lives along rivers, brooks and mangrove swamps. It is well adapted to this habitat, being an eager and skilled swimmer.

YouTube - FISHING CAT Species Spotlight - Big Cat TV

 

[IBRIS]

Walked in Asia is a huge assertion. Tigers and lions actually DID, at one point, live in overlapping regions. I suspect in the distant past ligers actually did walk the earth, but wouldn't give a definitive answer either way. I think that's inappropriate speculation.

YouTube - Lion/Tiger and Liger Compared

 

[IBRIS]

The Liger is a hybrid cross between a male lion and a female tiger. A liger resembles a tiger with diffused stripes. They are the largest cats in the world. A similar hybrid, the offspring of a male tiger and a female lion is called a tigon. Ligers may inherit rosettes from the lion parent. These markings may be black, dark brown or sandy. The background color may be correspondingly tawny, sandy or golden.

According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, accredited zoos frown on the practice of mixing two different species and have never bred ligers. Keeping the two species separate has always been standard procedure. However they have admitted that ligers have occurred by accident.

 

[IBRIS]

 

[NSG_Blackcats]

Indian Rhino​

The Indian Rhinoceros, internationally known as the Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros is a colossally built beast of truly mammoth proportions that is next only to the Indian Elephant. Though it could once be found throughout India in the grassy flood plains of the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers, it is now confined to the banks of the Brahmaputra, for its natural habitat of marshes, grassland and swamps has constantly been turned into farmland.

Physical Features
The Indian rhinoceros ("rhino") has one horn, and it has skin with loose folds which make it appear armored. A single One -Horned Rhino are about 1.5 to 1.8 m tall. The female Indian rhino weighs 1600 kg (3500 lb); male: 2200 kg (4800 lb).

Key Factors

Class : Mammalian
Zoological Name : Rhinoceros unicornis
Status: Endangered
Major Sites: Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park in India.

Social Characteristics
The one-horned rhino is solitary in nature and spends hours wallowing in mud and water, or feeding on grasses. It feeds mostly in the morning and evening. It generally restricts its movements within an area of 5 sq km, though the males may sometimes move further in search of mates. One of their special features is the long noisy fights that occur between a male and a female at the time of courtship. Violent encounters ensue in a series of displays and postures involving curling of lips, and snorts and grunts. Rhinos can be amazingly agile despite their bulk and growth, and can charge at speeds of 4 to 8 km per hour.

Indian Rhinos & Conservation

The population of the one-horned rhino has decreased due to destruction of their natural habitat as well as uncontrolled and merciless poaching, for the mythical aphrodisiacal properties of its horn, as well as mythical medicinal properties of other parts of its body. One rhino horn can fetch as much as 20,000 US dollars, and even more in the international markets.

The 9th population estimation for enumerating rhino figures in Kaziranga NP was conducted during 9th & 10th April 2009. As suggested by the Asian Rhino Specialist group this census was conducted after a gap of three years deviating from the normal trend of conducting a census every six years. The last census was held in 2006 wherein 1885 rhinos were recorded, a three yearly census was suggested to understand closely the population dynamics and trends. This year the estimated rhino figure in the park is 2048.

 

[NSG_Blackcats]

Cobra Snake(Known as King Cobra)​

The King Cobra, found in India is the largest venomous snake in the world. In a single bite it can inject enough venom to kill an elephant - up to 6 - 7 ml. This is enough to kill up to 20 people. The venom of King Cobras has a paralyzing effect on the nerves and has been used to develop painkillers used to treat arthritis in humans.

Physical Feature
King Cobras grow to an average length of 3.7 m (12 ft). The longest recorded King Cobra was 5.58 m. When threatened, the King Cobra reacts by putting on a threat display. It rises to one-third the length of its body, spreads its hood and emits a hissing noise. The King Cobra has scales covering its skin and looks shiny but is dry to touch. Adults are yellow, green, brown, or black; the throat is light yellow or cream-colored. Young King Cobras, which are about 14 inches long, have bright markings on their bodies. They often have yellow, white or black bands across their bodies. These bright bands fade with time to become the broad chevron like markings seen on adult cobras.

Habitat & Diets
The King Cobra is generally found in deep jungles and mild cool climates with a lot of humidity. Thick undergrowth, cool swamps and bamboo clusters. Cobras prefer to avoid human habitation. The destruction of their habitat has led to increased human cobra conflict. Cobras can slide up trees and bushes and spend a significant amount of time above the ground, looking for prey.

The King Cobra eats mice, rats, snakes, lizards, birds, frogs and fish. Like all snakes, they swallow the prey whole, head first. The top and bottom jaws are attached to each other with stretchy ligaments, which let the snake swallow animals wider that itself. Snakes can't chew their prey; food is digested by very strong acids in the snake's stomach. It can go without food

Key Factors
Family: Elapidae
Zoological name: Ophiophagus hannah
Indian Cobra: Naja Naja
Spitting Cobra: Naja Nigricollis
Egyptian Cobra: Naja Haje
Range: King Cobras are found across South East Asia from India through Southern China, Vietnam Malaysia Indonesia and the Philippines. The largest recorded King Cobras have been found in peninsular Malaysia.
Estimated population: Exact numbers of King Cobra population in India are unknown. They are considered an endangered species.

Major Sites
The King Cobra is found and Malaysia, India, Africa, China. In India, the king Cobra can be found in the National Parks and Reserves of Buxa, Corbett, Manas, Namdhapa, Simlipal, and the Sunderbans.

Present Status
King Cobras are threatened by the reduction of rainforest jungle and bamboo groves. The destruction of their natural habitat has led King Cobras to come into conflict with humans. The fear of the cobra's venom often leads to Cobras being killed as soon as they are seen. Cobras are usually killed due to human encroachment. They are also killed for their skin which is used to make leather items such as belts, purses and bags.

 

[NSG_Blackcats]

YouTube - Indian King Cobra

 

[NSG_Blackcats]

YouTube - Giant King Cobra

 

[RPK]

350 new species of flora, fauna found in Himalayas

New Delhi: Environmentalists have found some news to cheer about. A new report by the World Wildlife Fund or WWF shows the presence of atleast 350 new species of flora and fauna. All these species have been discovered in the Eastern Himalayas, in the last decade.


This snow leopard has company in the Himalayas and it's not just the rare red pandas.


Eastern Himalayas is also home to the red-footed bright green tree frog. This frog which glides from one tree to another was unknown to the world till now.


The little freshwater prawn, the ornamental shrimp is another new addition. The Arunachal macaque, a new primate species is an extraordinary find.


These are just a few of the 350 new species that have been discovered in the Eastern Himalayas in the last 10 years.


Wildlife biologist Dipankar Ghose from the WWF said that out of these species newly discovered in India, include one bird and two mammal species.


This itself is a pointer that the area has a lot of potential in terms of richness of flora and fauna.


The world of a biologist is richer by the discovery these rare Himalayan species:



244 plants




16 amphibians




16 reptiles




14 types of fish




2 mammals




At least 60 new invertebrates



But the fragile Himalayan ecosystem is facing an unprecedented onslaught.. only 25 per cent of the original habitat of the forest here is still intact.


Over 300 dams are being built on the river Teesta which will submerge these biodiversity hotspots wiping out many species which are already endangered.


Of the 163 species considered to be globally threatened, 90 per cent are from north-east India. Of these, 70 species cannot be found anywhere else on earth. The report makes an urgent plea for protection of their habitat to save them from extinction.

 

[Vikramaditya]

Shark

#Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body.

#They respire with the use of five to seven gill slits.

#They have several sets of replaceable teeth.

#The tail provides thrust and so speed and acceleration are dependent on tail shape. Different tail shapes have evolved in sharks adapted for different environments.

#The maximum lifespan of a shark varies by species. Most sharks live 20 to 30 years, while the spiny dogfish has the longest lifespan at more than 100 years.Whale sharks have been hypothesized to also live over 100 years.

#All sharks are carnivorous. Many believe that sharks will eat just about anything.

#sharks swim at an average speed of 8 kilometres per hour but when feeding or attacking, the average shark can reach speeds upwards of 19 kilometres per hour .

#Sharks can lie on the bottom while actively pumping water over their gills, but their eyes remain open and actively follow divers.

 

[Vikramaditya]

Shark types:

crocodile shark

#The crocodile shark is the smallest living mackerel shark, measuring only 1 m long.

grey nurse shark

It is a large shark inhabiting coastal waters worldwide, with many different names in different countries in the world. Despite a fearsome appearance and strong swimming abilities, it is a relatively slow moving animal. It is considered not aggressive unless provoked.

 

[Vikramaditya]

Indian sand tiger

#The Indian sand tiger,is a sand tiger of the shark,found in the Indian and western Pacific oceans. Its length is up to 3.7 m.

Goblin shark

#The goblin shark is a deep-sea shark, the sole living species in the family Mitsukurinidae.

#The most distinctive characteristic of the goblin shark is the unorthodox shape of its head. It has a long, trowel-shaped, beak-like rostrum or snout, much longer than other sharks' snouts.

#Other distinguishing characteristics of the shark are the color of its body, which is mostly pink, and its long, protrusible jaws.

 

[Vikramaditya]

Megamouth shark

#The megamouth shark,is an extremely rare species of deepwater shark.

#It has a generally brownish-blackish color on top and white underneath.

#A relatively poor swimmer, the megamouth has a soft, flabby body and lacks keels.

#Megamouths are very large sharks, able to grow to 5.5 metres in length. Males mature by 4 metres and females by 5 metres.

# Megamouths have a large mouth with small teeth.

 

[Vikramaditya]

Salmon shark

#The salmon shark, is a species of shark occurring in the north Pacific ocean.

#Salmon shark feeds on salmon, and also on squid, sablefish, and herring.

#Salmon shark are remarkable for their ability to maintain body temperature.

#Adult salmon sharks are medium grey to black over most of the body, with a white underside with darker blotches.

 

[Vikramaditya]

Great white shark

#The great white shark,also known as great white, white pointer, white shark, or white death, is an exceptionally large shark found in coastal surface waters in all major oceans.

#Reaching lengths of more than 6 metres .