recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Elf Owl

The **elf owl** (*Micrathene whitneyi*) is a member of the owl family Strigidae, that breeds in the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is the world's lightest owl, although the long-whiskered owlet and the Tamaulipas pygmy owl are of a similarly diminutive length. The mean body weight of this species is 40 grams (1.4 ounces). These tiny owls are 12.5 to 14.5 centimetres (4.9 to 5.7 in) long and have a wingspan of about 27 cm (10.5 in). Their primary projection extends nearly past their tail. They have fairly long legs and often appear bow-legged. They can often be heard calling to one another just after dusk or at sunset. Their call is a high-pitched whinny or chuckle. The male and female dart around trees and call back and forth.

## Reproduction

Elf owls usually choose abandoned, north-facing woodpecker cavities in saguaro cacti, sycamores, cottonwoods, and other hardwood trees, to raise their young. The female usually lays three round white eggs. The eggs are incubated for about 3 weeks before the chicks hatch. The young owlets fledge at about 10 weeks. Usually, chicks are born in mid-June or early July. By the end of July, they are almost always fledged and ready to set out on their own.

## Behavior

They are often found in chaparral, and are easily found during their breeding season. They live in cacti much like some birds, using the shade and climate the tree provides. Elf owls usually are not aggressive and feign death in any dangerous situation, especially when a threatening animal comes inside their Saguaro cactus.

## Migrating

The elf owl migrates to Arizona and New Mexico in the spring and summer. In the winter, it is found in central and southern Mexico. Migrant elf owls return north in mid-April or early May.

## Diet

Elf owls feed mainly on insects and therefore occupy habitats with a ready supply of these. Agaves and ocotillos are ideal places for foraging as moths and other insects may sleep in their flowers. They are often seen chasing after flying insects, with a flight similar to a tyrant flycatcher's. They also feed on scorpions. The elf owls seem to not be bothered by the scorpion's stings.

## Lifespan

Elf owls live 3 to 6 years; in captivity they may live up to 6–10 years.
Florida Softshell Turtle

The **Florida softshell turtle** (*Apalone ferox*) is a species of softshell turtle native to the Southeastern United States.

## Description

The Florida Softshell Turtle is a species of softshell turtle (of the family Trionychidae) native to the eastern United States, primarily in the state of Florida. It is the largest of the New World softshell turtles (which are all believed to have originated in the Old World). Individual specimens have been found released to the wild well outside of their range, but they are not known to be established outside of their native area. The adult softshell turtles typically have dark brownish-green to tan shells with blotches on their skins and sometimes the shells. The shells are covered with skin and are soft around the edges. They are strong swimmers and thus do well in deeper water habitats.

## Habitat

The Florida softshell turtle ranges on the southern South Carolina to Mobile Bay, Alabama from southeastern lower Coastal Plain. They are found in a wide variety of freshwater habitats including ponds, lakes, rivers, canals, swamps, and suburban/ urban stormwater ponds. They prefer slow-moving, shallow water with abundant aquatic and soft bottom vegetation. The softshell turtle will readily migrate over land to nearby wetter areas if their wetland dries.

## Diet

The Florida softshell is carnivorous and feeds on insects, snails, crustaceans, amphibians, and fish (live and dead), as well as aquatic plants and algae. They hunt and chase down prey as well as scavenge. They burrow into the mud near a bank or shore, extending the snout to the surface for air and wait for frogs, fish, and small crustaceans.

## Breeding

The female softshell can nest more times annually and lay more eggs in one season than most reptiles. One of the rare purposes for a softshell turtle to leave the water is to lay eggs. Like most turtles, when the mother is ready to lay, she leaves the water and either finds an existing nest, such as an alligators, or digs a hole in a soft, sandy area near the water.
Golden Mole

**Golden moles** are small insectivorous burrowing mammals endemic to Southern Africa where their Afrikaans names are **gouemolle** or **kruipmolle** (singular *gouemol* or *kruipmol*). They comprise the family **Chrysochloridae** and as such they are taxonomically distinct from the true moles, family Talpidae, and other mole-like families, all of which, to various degrees, they resemble as a result of evolutionary convergence.

## Characteristics

**Golden mole**, (order Chrysochloridea), any of 18 species of blind and tailless burrowing insectivoresthat live in sub-Saharan Africa. They are sufficiently different from other moles and insectivores to constitute their own mammalian order. Golden moles have a cylindrical body, short limbs, and no external tail; tail vertebrae are beneath the skin. Their triangular head ends in a leathery pad at the muzzle; their degenerate eyes are covered with skin and fur; and they lack external ears. The skin is tough and loosely attached to the body. The four front digits bear strong claws, two of which are long and shaped like a pickax. The five hind digits are connected by membranous skin. The fur is long and slightly coarse in two species but short, soft, and dense in all others. It ranges in colour from dark gray through brownish tones and chestnut to black, with violet, green, yellow, or bronze iridescence.

## Habitat and Ecology

Most species are nocturnal, though some are also active by day. They prefer loamy or sandy soils; clay and compacted soils are avoided. After heavy rainfalls golden moles come to the surface. Golden moles eat insects, earthworms, and lizards. Some travel and forage in shallow subsurface tunnels; others excavate burrows as deep as 50 cm (20 inches), with entrances marked by mounds of soil. Soil is loosened with the leathery muzzle, forefeet, and claws and then pushed under the body with the claws and muzzle. The hind feet push the debris along and out of the burrow. Grant’s golden mole (*Eremitalpa granti*) of southern Africa is a sand-dune inhabitant. It does not live in burrows but travels at night on the dune surface or just below, employing its front limbs and muzzle to “swim” through the sand. During the day it buries itself down to 35 cm in soft sand.

Golden moles range from coastal lowlands to elevations of 3,300 metres (10,800 feet), inhabiting forests, savannas, grasslands, rocky hillsides, sandy riverbeds, and sand dunes. Some species reportedly live in cultivated fields and on the fairways of golf courses. The largest is the giant golden mole (*Chrysospalax trevelyani*) of South Africa, with a body 20 to 24 cm (7.9 to 9.4 inches) long; it is a forest dweller that dens in burrows but travels and forages along the surface. The smallest is Grant’s golden mole, weighing less than an ounce, with a body 8 to 9 cm long.

## Reproduction

Females give birth to one to three hairless young in a grass-lined nest within the burrow system. Breeding occurs throughout the year. The adults are solitary, and their burrowing territory may be aggressively defended from intruders, especially where resources are relatively scarce.[3]
Galapagos Penguin

## Discription

The Galapagos penguin (*Spheniscus mendiculus*) is the most northerly of all penguins, occurring on the Galapagos Islands, on the equator. It is the smallest of the South American penguins, with an average length of less than 50 centimeters.

This diminutive penguin has a black head and upperparts, with a narrow white line extending from the throat around the head to the corner of the eye. The underparts are white, with two black bands extending across the breast. The upper part of the bill and the tip of the lower part of the bill are black, but the rest of the bill and a bare patch around the eye and bill are pinkish yellow. The female Galapagos penguin is generally smaller than the male. Juveniles have a completely dark head, and lack the dark breast bands seen in adults. The Galapagos penguin has a longer and more slender bill than other penguins.

## Biology

The Galapagos penguin displays a great number of unique behavioural adaptations that allow it to inhabit the Galapagos Islands and keep cool on land. These include standing with the flippers extended to aid heat loss, as well as panting and seeking shade. When standing on land, it tends to adopt a strange hunched posture, which shades the bare feet, a major site of heat loss.

The flexibility of breeding in the Galapagos penguin allows it to take advantage of times of high food abundance. When the surface temperature of the sea becomes high, the water becomes very poor in nutrients resulting in food shortages. During these periods, known as El Nino Southern Oscillations (ENSO), the Galapagos penguin will delay breeding completely until food resources improve.

Pair bonds are for life, enabling the Galapagos penguin to begin breeding quickly when conditions improve. The bond is reinforced by mutual preening and bill tapping. Two eggs are produced at an interval of around four days. Incubation takes up to 40 days and is shared by the male and female. After 30 days, the chicks develop plumage to protect them from the sun, and the chicks fledge after 65 days.

## Range

The Galapagos penguin is endemic to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Approximately 95 percent of the population occurs on the western islands of Ferdinandina and Isabela, with the remaining 5 percent on Bartolome, Santiago and Floreana. This species has the smallest breeding range and lowest population size of any penguin. In 2007, the population numbered just 1,000 individuals.

## Habitat

The Galapagos penguin nests in cracks, caves and depressions in the island’s lava flows. It feeds near the shore in cool, nutrient-rich oceanic waters, where there is an abundance of prey year-round.
East African Oryx

The **East African Oryx**, also known as the **Beisa Oryx** or sometimes called **Gemsbok** is a species of antelope from Eastern and Southern Africa. They have a grey coat with a white underside, separated from the grey by a stripe of black. There are also black stripes where the head attaches to the neck, along the nose, from the eye to the mouth and on the forehead. The mane is small and chestnut-colored. The ringed horns are thin and straight, they are found on both sexes.

## Description

The *East African Oryx* stands just over a metre at the shoulder and weighs around 175 lb (79 kg). It has a grey coat with a white underside, separated from the grey by a stripe of black, with black stripes where the head attaches to the neck, along the nose, and from the eye to the mouth and on the forehead. The mane is small and chestnut-coloured; the ringed horns are thin and straight. They are found on both sexes and typically measure 75–80 cm (30–31 in). Comparably, the *Gemsbok* has an entirely black tail, a black patch at the base of the tail, and more black on the legs (including a patch on the hindlegs) and lower flanks. The smaller Arabian Oryx is overall whiter with largely dark legs.

## Habits and Lifestyle

*East African Oryx* are social antelope. They gather in herds of 5 to 40 animals, often with females moving at the front and a large male guarding from the rear. Some older males are solitary. Solitary males are often accompanied for brief periods by breeding-condition females. *Beisa Oryx* or *Gemsbok*s are diurnal creatures. Leaving under conditions of extreme heat, these animals are able to store water by raising their body temperatures in order to avoid perspiration. When feeling danger *East African Oryx*es usually flee, however, when cornered they defend themselves with the help of their spear-like horns, sometimes causing fatal injuries.

## Gallery

An Oryx is grazing in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya.A Herd of OryxesOryxes FightingAn Oryx with YoungOryx male chasing off a challengerOryx with Disfigured HornsEast African Oryx HeadOryx Laying DownThe Lion KingThe Lion King 2: Simba's PrideTimon & PumbaaThe Lion GuardThe Wild ThornberrysAU Oryx.pngFantasia 2000Night at the MuseumKhumbaJungle Emperor LeoFamily GuyAnimals-united-disneyscreencaps.com-7110.jpgAnimals-united-disneyscreencaps.com-7109.jpg
Wood Release: Underground Roots Technique

Using the Wood Release, a user can manipulate the terrain, bringing out underground roots of varying sizes to fit various offensive situations, such as using the roots for trickery, misdirection and restriction. One can also use a large scale version, bringing out massive roots over a larger area that tangle around each other with such force that any one caught in-between is violently crushed to death.
Flounder

**Flounders** are a group of flatfish species. They are demersal fish found at the bottom of oceans around the world; some species will also enter estuaries.

## Taxonomy

The name 'flounder' is used for several only distantly related species, though all are in the suborder Pleuronectidae (families Achiropsettidae, Bothidae, Pleuronectidae, Paralichthyidae and Samaria). Some of the better known species that are important in fisheries are:

* Western Atlantic
	+ Gulf flounder - *Paralichthys albigutta*
	+ Southern flounder - *Paralichthys lethostigma*
	+ Summer flounder (also known as *fluke*) - *Paralichthys dentatus*
	+ Winter flounder - *Pseudopleuronectes americanus*
* European waters
	+ European flounder - *Platichthys flesus*
* Northwestern Pacific
	+ Olive flounder - *Paralichthys olivaceus*

## Eye Migration

In its life cycle, an adult flounder has two eyes situated on one side of its head, while at hatching one eye is located on each side of its brain. One eye migrates to the other side of the body as a process of metamorphosis as it grows from larval to juvenile stage. As an adult, a flounder changes its habits and camouflages itself by lying on the bottom of the ocean floor as protection against predators.[1] As a result, the eyes are then on the side which faces up. The side to which the eyes migrate is dependent on the species type.

## Habitat[edit]

Flounders ambush their prey, feeding at soft muddy areas of the sea bottom, near bridge piles, docks and coral reefs.

A flounder's diet consists mainly of fish spawn, crustaceans, polychaetes and small fish. Flounder typically grow to a length of 22–60 centimeters (8.7–23.6 in), and as large as 95 centimeters (37 in). Their width is about half their length. Male *Platichthys* are known to display a pioneering spirit, and have been found up to 80 miles off the coast of northern Sardinia, sometimes with heavy encrustations of various species of barnacle.

## Threats

World stocks of large predatory fish and large ground fish, such as sole and flounder, were estimated in 2003 to be only about 10% of pre-industrial levels, largely due to overfishing. Most overfishing is due to the extensive activities of the fishing industry. Current estimates suggest that approximately 30 million flounder (excluding sole) are alive in the world today. In the Gulf of Mexico, along the coast of Texas, research indicates the flounder population could be as low as 15 million due to heavy overfishing and industrial pollution. According to Seafood Watch, Atlantic flounders and soles are currently on the list of seafood that sustainability-minded consumers should avoid.
Leaf-Nosed Bat

The **New World leaf-nosed bats** (**Phyllostomidae**) are found throughout Central and South America, from Mexico to northern Argentina. They are ecologically the most varied and diverse family within the order Chiroptera. Most species are insectivorous, but the phyllostomid bats include within their number true predatory species as well as frugivores (subfamily Stenodermatinae and Carolliinae). For example, the false vampire (*Vampyrum spectrum*), the largest bat in the Americas, eats vertebrate prey including small dove-sized birds. Members of this family have evolved to use food groups such as fruit, nectar, pollen, insects, frogs, other bats, and small vertebrates, and, in the case of the vampire bats, even blood.

Both the scientific and common names derive from their often large, lance-shaped noses, greatly reduced in some of the nectar- and pollen-feeders. Because these bats echolocate nasally, this "nose-leaf" is thought to serve some role in modifying and directing the echolocation call. Similar nose-leavesare found in some other groups of bats, most notably the Old World leaf-nosed bats.

New World leaf-nosed bats are usually brown, grey, or black, although one species is white. They range in size from 4 to 13.5 cm (1.6 to 5.3 in) in head-body length, and can weigh from 7 to 200 g (0.25 to 7.05 oz). Most roost in fairly small groups within caves, animal burrows, or hollow trees, although some species aggregate in colonies of several hundred individuals. They do not hibernate, although some species have been reported to aestivate.
Dogs

A **Dog** is a type of pet that can be found in streets parks and lives in your house. Some *dogs* like to chase cats, while others eat bones and dog treats. All *dogs* have cute ears, a black nose, and a wagging tail. A baby *dog* is called a Puppy, a mother dog can have up to 5 to 6 puppies in a litter.
Hyenas

A ***Hyena*** or ***Hyaena*** is a special type of Carnivoran that lives in the grasslands and deserts of either Africa or Asia, there are 4 extant species of *hyena* and 22 extinct species, so the Cave Hyena (*Crocuta Crocuta Spelaea*) was the most aggressive *hyena* of all time and once roamed all across Eurasia.

## Species

* Spotted Hyena
* Striped Hyena
* Brown Hyena
* Aardwolf
Horseshoe Bat

**Horseshoe bats** make up the bat family **Rhinolophidae**. In addition to the single living genus, ***Rhinolophus***, one extinct genus, *Palaeonycteris*, has been recognized. The closely related Hipposideridae are sometimes included within the horseshoe bats as a subfamily, Hipposiderinae. Both families are classified in the suborder Yinpterochiroptera or Pteropodiformes and were previously included in Microchiroptera.

## Appearance

All horseshoe bats have leaf-like, horseshoe-shaped protuberances called noseleafs on their noses. The noseleafs are important in species identification, and are composed of several parts. The lancet is triangular, pointed, and pocketed, and points up between the bats' eyes. The sella is a flat, ridge-like structure at the center of the nose, rising from behind the nostrils, that points out perpendicular from the head. The sella usually has less hair than the lancet or the noseleaf.

In the related Hipposideridae, these protuberances are leaf- or spear-like. They emit echolocation calls through these structures, which may serve to focus the sound. Their hind limbs are not well developed, so they cannot walk on all fours; conversely, their wings are broad, making their flight particularly agile. Most rhinolophids are dull brown or reddish-brown in color. They vary in size from 2.5 to 14 cm in head-body length, and 4.0 to 120 g in weight. The females have a pair of mammary glands and two "false nipples" above and to the side of the genital opening, to which newborn bats cling for a few days after birth.

## Ecology

Rhinolophids inhabit temperate and tropical regions of southern Europe, Africa, and Asia south to northern and eastern Australia. All species are insectivorous, capturing insects in flight. Their roost habits are diverse; some species are found in large colonies in caves, some prefer hollow trees, and others sleep in the open, among the branches of trees. Members of northern populations may hibernate during the winter, while a few are known to aestivate; at least one species is migratory. Like many Vespertilionidae bats, females of some rhinolophid species mate during the fall and store the spermover the winter, conceiving and gestating young beginning in the spring.

## Classification

Horseshoe bats are closely related to the family Hipposideridae, which is often included within the Rhinolophidae; however, it is now considered a separate family. In addition to the sole living genus, *Rhinolophus*, the family Rhinolophidae contains one extinct genus, *Palaeonycteris*. Many species are extremely difficult to distinguish.

Although horseshoe bats have traditionally been included in the suborder Microchiroptera ("microbats"), genetic evidence suggests they and a few other microbat families are more closely related to Pteropodidae, the only family of "megabats" (Megachiroptera). Therefore, Pteropodidae, horseshoe bats, and related families are now placed in a single suborder, called Yinpterochiroptera or Pteropodiformes.
Gentoo Penguin

With flamboyant red-orange beaks, white-feather caps, and peach-colored feet, gentoo penguins stand out against their drab, rock-strewn Antarctic habitat. These charismatic waddlers, who populate the Antarctic Peninsula and numerous islands around the frozen continent, are the penguin world’s third largest members, reaching a height of 30 inches (76 centimeters) and a weight of 12 pounds (5.5 kilograms).

## Habitat and Range

Gentoos are partial to ice-free areas, including coastal plains, sheltered valleys, and cliffs. They gather in colonies of breeding pairs that can number from a few dozen to many thousands. Gentoo parents, which often form long-lasting bonds, are highly nurturing. At breeding time, both parents will work to build a circular nest of stones, grass, moss, and feathers. The mother then deposits two spherical, white eggs, which both parents take turns incubating for more than a month. Hatchlings remain in the nest for up to a month, and the parents alternate foraging and brooding duties.

Like all penguins, gentoos are awkward on land. But they’re pure grace underwater. They have streamlined bodies and strong, paddle-shaped flippers that propel them up to 22 miles an hour (36 kilometers an hour), faster than any other diving bird. Adults spend the entire day hunting, usually close to shore, but occasionally ranging as far as 16 miles (26 kilometers) out. When pursuing prey, which includes fish, squid, and krill, they can remain below for up to seven minutes and dive as deep as 655 feet (200 meters).

## Predators

Gentoo penguins are a favored menu item of the leopard seals, sea lions, and orcas that patrol the waters around their colonies. On land, adults have no natural predators other than humans, who harvest them for their oil and skin. Gentoo eggs and chicks, however, are vulnerable to birds of prey, like skuas and caracaras. Gentoo numbers are increasing on the Antarctic Peninsula but have plummeted in some of their island enclaves, possibly due to local pollution or disrupted fisheries. They are protected by the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 and received near threatened status on the IUCN Red List in 2007.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough

Saving Throw

The **Wind Release: Great Breakthrough** is a technique that creates a gust of wind, whose scale and usage varies depending on the user. It has enough destructive power to knock down a large tree. The wind from the squall can blow away all things in the user's line of sight. The technique can also be used in the form of a devastation stream of wind expelled from the user's mouth. There is also a variation of the technique involves a smaller blast of wind which gets ignited with flame.

* Opponent is Blown away if failed saving throw.
Indian Boar

The **Indian boar** (*Sus scrofa cristatus*), also known as the **Andamanese pig** or **Moupin pig** is a subspecies of wild boar native to India, Nepal, Burma, western Thailand and Sri Lanka.

The Indian boar differs from its European counterpart by its large mane which runs in a crest along its back from its head to lower body, larger, more sharply featured and straighter skull, its smaller, sharper ears and overall lighter build. It is taller and more sparsely haired than the European form, though its back bristles are much more developed. The tail is also more tufted, and the cheeks hairier. Adults measure from 83.82 to 91.44 cm (33.00 to 36.00 in) in shoulder height (with one specimen in Bengal having reached 38 inches) and five feet in body length. Weight ranges from 90.72 to 136.08 kg (200.0 to 300.0 lb).

The animal has interacted with humans in India since at least the Upper Paleolithic, with the oldest depiction being a cave painting in Bhimbetaka, and it occasionally appears in Vedic mythology. A story present in the Brāhmaṇas has Indra slaying an avaricious boar, who has stolen the treasure of the asuras, then giving its carcass to Vishnu, who offers it as a sacrifice to the gods. In the story's retelling in the Charaka Samhita, the boar is described as a form of Prajāpti, and is credited with having raised the earth from the primeval waters. In the Rāmāyaṇa and the Purāṇas, the same boar is portrayed as an avatar of Vishnu.
Ladybug

Many people are fond of ladybugs because of their colorful, spotted appearance. But farmers love them for their appetite. Most ladybugs voraciously consume plant-eating insects, such as aphids, and in doing so they help to protect crops. Ladybugs lay hundreds of eggs in the colonies of aphids and other plant-eating pests. When they hatch, the ladybug larvae immediately begin to feed. Ladybugs are also called lady beetles or, in Europe, ladybird beetles. There are about 5,000 different species of these insects, and not all of them have the same appetites. A few ladybugs prey not on plant-eaters but on plants. The Mexican bean beetle and the squash beetle are destructive pests that prey upon the crops mentioned in their names.

**Spots and Coloring**

Ladybugs appear as half-spheres, tiny, spotted, round or oval-shaped domes. They have short legs and antennae. Their distinctive spots and attractive colors are meant to make them unappealing to predators. Ladybugs can secrete a fluid from joints in their legs which gives them a foul taste. Their coloring is likely a reminder to any animals that have tried to eat their kind before: "I taste awful." A threatened ladybug may both play dead and secrete the unappetizing substance to protect itself.

**Infestations and Impacts**

In the United States, ladybugs usually begin to appear indoors in the autumn when they leave their summer feeding sites in fields, forests, and yards and search out places to spend the winter. Typically, when temperatures warm to the mid-60s F (around 18 °C) in the late afternoon, following a period of cooler weather, they will swarm onto or into buildings illuminated by the sun. Swarms of ladybugs fly to buildings in September through November depending on location and weather conditions. Homes or other buildings near fields or woods are particularly prone to infestation.

After an abnormally long period of hot, dry weather in the summer of 1976 in the UK, a marked increase in the aphid population was followed by a "plague" of ladybirds, with many reports of people being bitten as the supply of aphids dwindled. The presence of ladybugs in grape harvests can cause ladybird taint in wines produced from the grapes.
Golden Eagle

This powerful eagle is North America's largest bird of prey and the national bird of Mexico. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their heads and necks. They are extremely swift, and can dive upon their quarry at speeds of more than 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour.

Golden eagles use their speed and sharp talons to snatch up rabbits, marmots, and ground squirrels. They also eat carrion, reptiles, birds, fish, and smaller fare such as large insects. They have even been known to attack full grown deer. Ranchers once killed many of these birds for fear that they would prey on their livestock, but studies showed that the animal's impact was minimal. Today, golden eagles are protected by law.

Golden eagles usually hunt during daylight hours, but were recorded hunting from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset during the breeding season in southwestern Idaho. The hunting success rate of golden eagles was calculated in Idaho, showing that, out of 115 hunting attempts, 20% were successful in procuring prey. A fully-grown golden eagle requires about 230 to 250 g (8.1 to 8.8 oz) of food per day but in the life of most eagles there are cycles of feast and famine, and eagles have been known to go without food for up to a week and then gorge on up to 900 g (2.0 lb) at one sitting.

Golden eagle pairs maintain territories that may be as large as 60 square miles (155 square kilometers). They are monogamous and may remain with their mate for several years or possibly for life. Golden eagles nest in high places including cliffs, trees, or human structures such as telephone poles. They build huge nests to which they may return for several breeding years. Females lay from one to four eggs, and both parents incubate them for 40 to 45 days. Typically, one or two young survive to fledge in about three months.

These majestic birds range from Mexico through much of western North America as far north as Alaska; they also appear in the east but are uncommon. Golden eagles are also found in Asia, northern Africa, and Europe. Some golden eagles migrate, but others do not—depending on the conditions of their geographic location. Alaskan and Canadian eagles typically fly south in the fall, for example, while birds that live in the western continental U.S. tend to remain in their ranges year-round.

## Gallery

Golden Eagle Attacking Red FoxGolden Eagle with ChickGolden Eagle in TreeGolden Eagle with Indian ManGolden Eagle Landing on Telephone PoleGolden Eagle in SnowThe Wild ThornberrysBraveWild KrattsAnimals-united-disneyscreencaps.com-10252.jpg
Draco

***Draco*** is a genus of agamid lizards that also are known as **flying dragons** or **gliding lizards**. The ribs and their connecting membrane may be extended to create a wing, the hindlimbs are flattened and wing-like in cross-section, and a small set of flaps on the neck serve as a horizontal stabilizers. *Draco* are arboreal insectivores. While not capable of powered flight they often obtain lift in the course of their gliding flights. Glides as long as 60 m (200 ft) have been recorded, over which the animal loses only 10 m (33 ft) in height, which is quite some distance, considering that one of these lizards is only around 20 cm (7.9 in) in total length (tail included).

## Description

Dracos reach about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long, including tail. They have flattened bodies, which also aid in flight, and are a mottled brown in color. The undersides of their wings are blue in males and yellow in females. They also have a flap of skin on the bottom of their necks called a dewlap. This is bright yellow in males and bluish gray in females.

Males are highly territorial and will use their ability to glide to chase rivals from the two or three trees they claim as their own.

## Reproduction

The only time a flying lizard ventures to the ground is when a female is ready to lay her eggs. She descends the tree she is on and makes a nest hole by forcing her head into the soil. She then lays 2–5 eggs before filling the hole. She guards the eggs for approximately 24 hours, but then leaves and has nothing more to do with her offspring.

Although Dracos usually avoid going to the ground, females still must descend to deposit eggs. The lizard uses her pointed snout to create a small hole in the ground, where she lays about five eggs and then covers the hole with dirt. She remains on the ground for about 24 hours, fiercely guarding the nest, and then returns to the trees and leaves the eggs to their fate.

## Gliding

For the tiny Draco lizards, moving among the trees in the jungles of Southeast Asia is an essential task—for escaping danger, attracting mates, and finding meals. Scampering across the forest floor, where predators lurk, can be perilous. So over thousands of years, the Draco lizard has taken the ground out of the equation by adapting the capacity for flight.

These so-called flying dragons have a set of elongated ribs, which they can extend and retract. Between these ribs are folds of skin that rest flat against the body when not in use, but act as wings when unfurled, allowing the Draco to catch the wind and glide. The lizards use their long, slender tails to steer themselves, and each sortie can carry them up to 30 feet (9 meters).

Flying dragons survive on a diet of almost exclusively ants and termites. The lizards are found in densely wooded areas in the Philippines and Borneo in the east, across Southeast Asia and into Southern India. They are abundant throughout their range and have no special conservation status.
Eurasian Lynx

The **Eurasian Lynx** is a medium-sized wild cat native to Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe to Central Asia and Siberia, the Tibetan Plateau, and the Himalayas. It inhabits temperate and boreal forests up to an elevation of 5,500 m (18,000 ft). Despite its wide distribution, it is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching and depletion of prey.
Lanner Falcon

Lanner Falcons are strong, stocky birds with long wings and a relatively short tail, very similar to the North American Peregrine Falcon.  Like the Peregrine, Lanners a dark grey to bluish on the back, with a lighter underside generaly streaked with brown.  Lanner Falcons are often more reddish about the head, however, and tend to lack the dark "hood" characteristic of the Peregrine.  Instead, the Lanner Falcon sports a dashing mustache in the form of dark streaks down both cheeks.  Like most raptors, males and females look the same, with females tending to be about a third larger.

One of the oldest species of heirofalcons, Lanners have been used in falconry for more than a thousand years.  They are especially prized for their ability to capture other birds, such as pigeons or grouse.  Lanners are fast, agile flyers, and not afraid to follow prey into underbrush.  Unlike Peregrines, who are famed for the 200 mph dives (called "stoops" in falconry), Lanners use a horizontal hunting style, coming at their prey low, flat, and fast.  Generating speeds of up to 90 mph using wingbeats alone, Lanners will strike a bird in flight to stun it, then follow it to the ground to finish the kill.

Lanners are strongly territorial.  Juveniles will wander about until they are able to find a mate and establish a territory of their own.  Once they've done so, however, they don't migrate.  Although widespread and common in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, the wild Lanner population in Europe is small and declining.  Illegal shooting, stealing of young birds for falconry, and disturbing during the breeding season by rock climbers are among the Lanner Falcon's greatest challenges.  Destruction of important habitat -- such as by road construction that destabilizes cliff faces where they nest, and open-pit mining that chases prey away from hunting grounds also take their toll.

## Distribution

Lanner falcons live in Africa, southeast Europe and just into Asia.

## Habitat

Lanner falcons prefer open and arid terrain, especially near rocky cliffs.

## Diet

These birds of prey primarily consist of other birds, taken while in flight; occasionally small mammals and large insects. Pigeons paticularly are a favorite.

## Breeding

Like all falcons, Lanner Falcons don't build their own nests. A mated pair will either take over an abandoned nest (usually one built by ravens or vultures), or simply lay eggs on a ledge or crevice with no nesting material at all. They like to nest well off the ground; nests are generally 30-35 meters high, and well-situated to take advantage of multiple potential hunting grounds. The female lays 3-4 eggs in early March, and both parents share incubation duties. Once chicks hatch, the female is primarily responsible for their care and feeding. Juvenile Lanner Falcons fledge near the end of May, but remain dependent on their parents for another 4-6 weeks.
Lemming

A **lemming** is a small rodent, usually found in or near the Arctic, in tundra biomes. Lemmings are subniveal animals, and together with voles and muskrats, they make up the subfamily Arvicolinae (also known as Microtinae), which forms part of the largest mammal radiation by far, the superfamily Muroidea, which also includes rats, mice, hamsters, and gerbils.

## Description and Habitat

Lemmings weigh from 30 to 110 g (1 to 4 oz) and are about 7 to 15 cm (3 to 6 in) long. They generally have long, soft fur, and very short tails. They are herbivorous, feeding mostly on leaves and shoots, grasses, and sedges in particular, but also on roots and bulbs. At times, they will eat grubs and larvae. Like other rodents, their incisors grow continuously, allowing them to exist on much tougher forage than would otherwise be possible. Lemmings do not hibernate through the harsh northern winter. They remain active, finding food by burrowing through the snow and using grasses clipped and stored in advance. They are solitary animals by nature, meeting only to mate and then going their separate ways, but like all rodents, they have a high reproductive rate and can breed rapidly when food is plentiful.

## Behavior

The behavior of lemmings is much the same as that of many other rodents which have periodic population booms and then disperse in all directions, seeking the food and shelter their natural habitats cannot provide. The Norway lemming and brown lemming are two of the few vertebrates which reproduce so quickly that their population fluctuations are chaotic, rather than following linear growth to a carrying capacity or regular oscillations. It is not known why lemming populations fluctuate with such great variance roughly every four years, before numbers drop to near extinction. Lemming behavior and appearance are markedly different from those of other rodents, which are inconspicuously colored and try to conceal themselves from their predators. Lemmings, by contrast, are conspicuously colored and behave aggressively towards predators and even human observers. The lemming defense system is thought to be based on aposematism (warning display).

For many years, the population of lemmings was believed to change with the population cycle, but now some evidence suggests their predators' populations, particularly those of the stoat, may be more closely involved in changing the lemming population.
Eagles

Eagles are birds they live in North America they like to be in forests they hunt animals like small ones such as mice and hares they have yellow beaks brown feathers and also they have white feathers on the top of they heads they make beast and they lay eggs their baby ones are called chicks chicks all ways cheeping the mother eagle tries to feed them they belong in a cartoon called little Einstein’s like I love to concert
Electric Eel

Electric Eels are found in the waters of South America, and are capable of generating a 500volt electric shock through 28ft of still water. The shock that the electric eel produces is enough to harm any large mammal, including humans.

Electric eels can grow up to 2.5 metres and only need to surface for air every 10 minutes due to the eels complex circulatory system. Electric eels tend to live in muddy beds in calm water, eating fish and small mammals. Despite the name electric eel, the electric eel is actually related most closely to a catfish and not the common eel fish and many electric eel adults tend to be smaller than their eel fish counterparts.

The electricity that the electric eel uses to shock its prey, is produced in pairs of organs that are found in the abdomen of the electric eel. These electricity producing organs take up around of 80% of the body of the electric eel leaving only 20% of the electric eels body free to hold the electric eels vital organs that it needs to survive.

Electric eels are found inhabiting fresh waters of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America, and the electric eels tend to prefer the river floodplains, swamps, coastal plains, and creeks. Electric eels tend to live on muddy bottoms in calm water and in stagnant arms of rivers, where the electric eel spends most of its time hunting.

The electric eel is also known for its unusual breeding behaviour. In the dry season, a male electric eel makes a nest from his saliva into which the female electric eel lays her eggs. As many as 17,000 young electric eels will hatch from the eggs in one nest. These young electric eels feed mainly on invertebrates found on the river bed, however, first-born baby electric eels have been known to gobble up the eggs from batches of other electric eels that were laid only a short time after themselves
Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Hawksbill turtles are found throughout the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They avoid deep waters, preferring coastlines where sponges are abundant and sandy nesting sites are within reach. Not particularly large compared with other sea turtles, hawksbills grow up to about 45 inches (114 centimeters) in shell length and 150 pounds (68 kilograms) in weight. While young, their carapace, or upper shell, is heart-shaped, and as they mature it elongates. Their strikingly colored carapace is serrated and has overlapping scutes, or thick bony plates. Their tapered heads end in a sharp point resembling a bird’s beak, hence their name. A further distinctive feature is a pair of claws adorning each flipper. Male hawksbills have longer claws, thicker tails, and somewhat brighter coloring than females.

They are normally found near reefs rich in the sponges they like to feed on. Hawksbills are omnivorous and while the hawksbill sea turtles mainly feed on sponges found on coral reefs, they will also eat mollusks, marine algae, crustaceans, sea urchins, fish, and jellyfish. Their hard shells protect them from many predators, but they still fall prey to large fish, sharks, crocodiles, octopie, and humans.

Like other sea turtles, hawksbills make incredible migrations in order to move from feeding sites to nesting grounds, normally on tropical beaches. Mating occurs every two to three years and normally takes place in shallow waters close to the shore. The nesting procedure begins when the turtles leave the sea to choose an area to lay their eggs. A pit is dug in the sand, filled with eggs, and then covered. At this stage the turtles retreat to the sea, leaving the eggs, which will hatch in about 60 days. The most dangerous time of their lives comes when hatchlings make the journey from their nests to the sea. Crabs and flocks of gulls voraciously prey on the young turtles during this short scamper.

Like many sea turtles, hawksbills are a critically endangered species due mostly to human impact. Hawksbill eggs are still eaten around the world despite the turtle’s international protected status, and they are often killed for their flesh and their stunning shells. These graceful sea turtles are also threatened by accidental capture in fishing nets.

## Gallery

Hawksbill Sea Turtle Eating Sea SpongeWld Kratts
Great Gray Owl

The **great grey owl** or **great gray owl** (*Strix nebulosa*) is a very large owl, documented as the world's largest species of owl by length. It is distributed across the Northern Hemisphere, and it is the only species in the genus *Strix* found in both Eastern and Western Hemispheres. In some areas it is also called Phantom of the North, cinereous owl, spectral owl, Lapland owl, spruce owl, bearded owl, and sooty owl.

## Description

Not surprisingly, Great Gray Owls are large and gray. The plumage of Great Gray Owls is finely mottled and streaked, and the owls have distinctive black and white markings on their throats. They have large heads without ear-tufts, large facial disks, and yellow eyes. Their plumage is especially fluffy and thick, which makes them look larger-bodied than they really are. Although they are taller and have longer wingspans than Great Horned Owls, they weigh on average 15% less.

## Habitat

Great Gray Owls inhabit mature conifer forests adjacent to open wet meadows. Most breed in mountainous areas but may winter at lower elevations with thinner snow cover. Great Gray Owls require areas with large trees and a dense covering canopy. Dead trees are an important component of their habitat as they provide potential nest sites. As part of learning to fly, juveniles climb leaning trees.

## Behavior

Great Gray Owls hunt by day as well as night, especially during the summer when they are raising chicks. They typically use a sit-and-wait hunting style, watching from a perch and swooping down silently on unsuspecting prey. Sometimes they fly low over open areas, scanning for prey. They can locate prey by sound alone and will break through crusted snow to get at rodents tunneling more than a foot beneath the surface. Sometimes Great Gray Owls form loose groups in winter where there is a concentration of prey.

## Diet

Small mammals, especially rodents such as voles, pocket gophers, and mice make up most of the Great Gray Owl's diet.

## Nesting

Monogamous, long-term pairs nest in abandoned hawk or raven nests, broken-topped trees, or on man-made nesting platforms. They do not add any material to the nest and may reuse the same nest several years. Clutches typically contain 2-5 eggs but may be larger when prey is abundant. The female incubates the eggs for about 30 days, while the male brings her food. The female broods the young for 2-3 weeks after they hatch, while the male brings food to the female and the owlets. After 3-4 weeks, the young begin to climb about on nearby branches; they can fly 1-2 weeks later. Sometimes the female departs once the young begin to fly; sometimes she remains and helps the male, who continues to feed the young for up to three months.
Gerenuk

The **gerenuk** is a very tall gazelle-like antelope. Its long neck and long thin legs make it one of the most easily identifiable antelopes of the world. The head is long, flattened, narrow and wedge-shaped. It has large, skinny, rounded ears and white rings around its eyes. Females additionally have a dark patch on the crown. The tail terminates in a black tuft. Horns, found only on males, are curved backward and point forward, ending in hooked tips. The reddish-brown to pale tawny coat is of short, fine, glossy hair spread evenly over the whole body. The underparts and the front of the neck are white. A dark band extends from the back partly down to the sides. On the dorsal midline of the neck are reversed hairs directed toward the neck.

Gerenuks seldom graze but browse on prickly bushes and trees, such as acacias. They can reach higher branches and twigs than other gazelles and antelope by standing erect on their rear legs and elongating their necks. They appear to favour the more tender leaves and shoots, but will also eat buds, flowers, fruit, and herbaceous plants. Gerenuks do not appear to drink water; they get enough water from the plants they eat. Because of this, they can survive in very dry habitats. Gerenuks are often prey for lions, cheetahs, hyenas, jackals and leopards.

Gerenuk reproduce throughout the year. Females reach sexual maturity at around one year, and males reach sexual maturity at 1.5 years, although in the wild they may only be successful after acquiring a territory (perhaps 3.5 years). The gestation period is about seven months. They are born one at a time, weighing about 3 kg (6.6 lb) at birth. Offspring were produced through artificial insemination for the first time in 2010 at White Oak Conservation in Yulee, Florida. Four female calves were born, and one of the four was later inseminated successfully by White Oak and SEZARC (South-East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction & Conservation), creating a second generation of calves born from artificial insemination. Gerenuk can live 13 years or more in captivity, and at least eight years in the wild.

## Gallery

Gerenuk Standing UpMother Gerenuk with Fawn