recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Urial

The ****Urial****, (*Ovis orientalis*), is a medium-size, rather stout-bodied wild sheep, distributed from northwest India and Ladakh to southwest Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. Six to nine subspecies are usually recognized; they differ in the colour and size of the winter neck-ruff of males, as well as in the colour of their saddle patches and in their horn shape. (Horn tips can converge to the back of the neck, point forward, or sometimes diverge.) Urials show such geneticvariation, both within and between populations, that it is hard for taxonomists to agree upon their classification. Some zoologists give these sheep the taxonomic name of *O. vignei*; others suggest *O. gmelini*. Mouflons have also been classified as urials by some zoologists, but others have recently split them into separate species. Western urials (mouflons) have 54 diploid chromosomes, while eastern ones have 56. Urials weigh about 50 kg (110 pounds).

## Range

Urials are generally found in arid country at relatively low altitudes, although they live more than 4,000 metres (13,000 feet) above sea level in Ladakh. Most urials live in open habitats, with few or no trees, but there are indications that this may be a recent adaptation to changing environmental conditions and that the urial was originally more of a woodland animal than at present. The mating season typically falls in the autumn, and one or, on rare occasions, two young are delivered about five months later. Urial ewes withdraw into the upper reaches of ravines and eroded gullies and give birth in these shady retreats. Urials graze mainly on grass, but they may also feed upon a variety of forbs and leaves from shrubs and trees.

## Status

The urial, as a species, is considered vulnerable to extinction, but most subspecies are actually endangered (*O. o. bocharensis*, *O. o. punjabiensis*, *O. o. severtzovi*, and *O. o. vignei*). These wild sheep are especially threatened for several reasons. They live at low altitudes in open terrain that is usually near inhabited areas heavily used by cattle, sheep, and goats, all of which are ecological competitors and may infect them with disease. The close presence of man also brings excessive hunting or poaching. By inhabiting arid and low-productivity habitats, urials occur naturally at low densities, often at less than one individual per 100 hectares (250 acres). Male urials are highly prized by trophy hunters; therefore, mature rams are usually overhunted, and local populations are gravely damaged. As with argalis and several other Caprinae species, urgent conservation measures and sustainable management are necessary for the urial’s preservation.
Yak

The yak is a herd animal found in the mountainous regions of central Asia. The yak tend to gather in herds from 10 yaks to 100 yaks, most of which are female. There are only a few male yaks per herd. Although there is a large domestic population of yak, there are only a few wild yak remaining . The yak is still used in many parts of central Asia, for pulling heavy farm machines and transporting large loads through the mountain passes. The average male yak can grow to about 2 meters tall, with the female yak being about 1/3 the size of the male yak. All yak have very long hair to keep them warm.

The yak belongs to the same cow family as the Asian water buffalo, the African buffalo and the American bison. However, the yak is slightly more like the American bison in appearance as both the yak and the bison have long hair in order to withstand the colder climates, the bison of the North American winters and the yak of the mid-Asian mountains.

The yak breeds in the warmer months of September and after a gestation period of nine months the female yak gives birth to a single yak calf. A female yak will occasionally give birth to twins but it is very rare. Some female yak give birth to a calf almost every year but it depends on the environment in which the yak lives and the yak individual. Yak babies are completely independent by the time that they are a year old and they are fully grown when they are between 7 and 8 years old. The average lifespan of a yak is about 20 years in the wild and slightly longer when in captivity.

Like other species of cow, the yak is a herbivore and spends a great deal of time on grassy plains in the mountains grazing on grasses, herbs and wild flowers. In a similar way to other cow species the yak has more than one stomach which the yak uses to successfully get all of the nutrients out of the plants that it eats. The yak has firm, dense horns which the yak uses to break through snow in order to get the plants that are buried beneath it and the yak will also use it's horns in defence. They have long shaggy hairthat covers their bodies that keep them warm and dry.
White-Bellied Woodpecker

The **white-bellied woodpecker** or **great black woodpecker** (*Dryocopus javensis*) is found in evergreen forests of tropical Asia, including the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It has 14 subspecies, part of a complex including the Andaman woodpecker (*Dryocopus hodgei*) (earlier treated as a subspecies). Many island forms are endangered, some are extinct. Populations differ in the distribution and extent of white. They are among the largest of the Asiatic woodpeckers and nest in large dead trees, often beside rivers. Their drums and calls are louder than those of the smaller woodpeckers.

## Description

This species is one of the largest living species of woodpecker. Adults range in size from 40 to 48 cm (16 to 19 in) and are second in size only to the Great Slaty Woodpecker among Asian woodpecker species. The species is considered closely related to the more northern Black Woodpecker and the North American pileated woodpecker and is similar in size to these species. Body mass can vary from 197 to 350 g (6.9 to 12.3 oz). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 20.5 to 25.2 cm (8.1 to 9.9 in), the tail is 14.3 to 18.9 cm (5.6 to 7.4 in), the bill is 4.6 to 6 cm (1.8 to 2.4 in) and the tarsus is 3.2 to 4.3 cm (1.3 to 1.7 in).

Subspecies *hodgsonii* has whitish underwing coverts and a white rump. The face lacks white but juveniles of the nominate race can have white streaks on the throat. Differences from the other Southeast Asian subspecies in the vocalizations and morphology of this species are suggested to be large enough to raise this to full species status. Solitary adults may spend an hour foraging at a suitable tree. Subspecies *hodgsonii* of India breeds from January to May, mainly in large dead trees, often using the same tree year after year. The normal clutch is usually of two eggs. They feed mainly on insects such as ants or grubs obtained mainly from under bark but sometimes take fruit. Although shy, they can nest close to well used tracks and human disturbed areas. They have a range of calls from a short, sharp "kuk" to more intoned "kyuk", "kew", "kee-yow" calls. The longer calls are given prior to flying off. They roost within holes.

## Behavior and Ecology

This large black woodpecker is usually seen singly or as a pair, which may sometimes be accompanied by a third bird. They have a dipping in which the loud single note laugh like *chiank* call is produced. They also produce loud drumming, especially in the breeding season. The breeding season is mainly January to March. The nest is built in a large dead tree, often in open forest. Two white eggs are the usual clutch. In Bastar in central India, the squabs are sought after by tribals, resulting in the rarity of these birds.
Triggerfish

The 40 species of triggerfish are scattered throughout the world’s seas and are familiar to divers and aquarium aficionados. Largest of all is the stone triggerfish, which reaches up to 3.3 feet long, found in the Eastern Pacific from Mexico to Chile.

## Feeding

These bottom dwellers dig out prey, such as crabs and worms, by flapping away debris with their fins and sandblasting with water squirted from their mouths. They also use very tough teeth and jaws to take on sea urchins, flipping them over to get at their bellies, which are armed with fewer spines. Triggerfish wreak such havoc on less fortunate reef dwellers that smaller fish often follow them to feast on their leftovers.

## Behavior and Reproduction

The *Balistidae* family takes its common name from a set of spines the fish use to deter predators or to “lock” themselves into holes, crevices, and other hiding spots. The system can be "unlocked" by depressing a smaller, “trigger” spine.

Triggerfish tend to be solitary but meet at traditional mating grounds according to timetables governed by moons and tides. The males of many species appear to establish territories on these spawning grounds and prepare seafloor nests that will house tens of thousands of eggs. Females share care of the eggs until they hatch, blowing water on them to keep them well supplied with oxygen. In some species males are known to maintain a harem of female mates. Triggerfish are infamous for their nasty attitude and this behavior is especially evident around nests, where intruders, from other fish to human divers, are likely to be charged or bitten.

## Conservation

Triggerfish are attractive animals and some species have become too popular for their own good. They are sought for the aquarium trade, which has prompted fishermen to gather even threatened species from the wild. Researchers are working to raise triggerfish in captivity so that wild populations might more likely be left alone.
X-Ray Fish

***Pristella maxillaris***, the only species in the genus *Pristella*, is commonly known as the **X-ray fish** or **X-ray tetra** because of its translucent body. It is a widely distributed and adaptable fish, found in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, as well as coastal rivers in the Guianas in both acidic and alkaline waters. Unlike most other characins, it is tolerant of (and sometimes found in) slightly brackish water. It is small (up to around 5 cm or 2.0 in in length) and lives in large groups, and males can be distinguished from females by being smaller and thinner than the females. Like most other tetras, it feeds primarily on small insects and planktonic animals.

## Nomenclature

Older aquarium books often refer to this species by the junior synonym *Pristella riddlei*. Aquarists tend to refer to this fish as the golden pristella tetra, though some call it the X-ray tetra, instead. Other common names include goldfinch tetra, a reference to the similarly coloured goldfinch, and pristella tetra, a modification of its Latin name. A common name that was once widespread but is now rarely used is signal tetra, a reference to the similarity between the yellow and black dorsal fin and the arm of a semaphore railway signal.

## In Aquaria

*Pristella maxillaris* is a small, adaptable fish that is often kept in a home aquarium and will eat most fish foods. It is tolerant of a range of water chemistry values (pH 6–8; hardness up to 20 dGH). As a shoaling species, it is usually kept in groups of at least six specimens and away from aggressive or predatorytankmates, but is otherwise easily kept in the community tank. The minimum aquarium size is typically 60 x 30cm (15 Gallons).
Tigers

Tigers are big cats lions are bigger then them they live in Asia they like to swim like other animals they have stripes each has a different stripe they hide in the forest they eat big animals like elk they hunt at night they have sharp teeth they have loud roars they stay away form people most live alone they form in a cartoon like little lodgers and the milky and shake show and also ma cli bo do you know tigers are scary.
Yellow-Billed Stork

Yellow-billed storks are adaptive and intelligent. They have a fishing technique of using one foot to stir up the water to flush out prey. A quick muscular reflex in the neck enables yellow-billed storks to catch almost all of their food in the water. These storks do not socialize much with one another and tend to isolate themselves in swamps, muddy rivers and marshes. They breed nearly year round. The male chooses the location of the nest and works with the female to build it in 7-10 days. Two or three eggs are laid one at a time, two days apart, so the chicks hatch on different days about a month later.

## Diet

Their diet comprises mainly small, freshwater fish of about 60-100mm length and maximally 150g, which they swallow whole. They also feed on crustaceans, worms, aquatic insects, frogs and occasionally small mammals and birds. This species appears to rely mainly on sense of touch to detect and capture prey, rather than by vision. They feed patiently by walking through the water with partially open bills and probe the water for prey. Contact of the bill with a prey item is followed by a rapid snap-bill reflex, whereby the bird snaps shut its mandibles, raises its head and swallows the prey whole. The speed of this reflex in the closely related American woodstork (*Mycteria americana*) has been recorded as 25 milliseconds and although the corresponding reflex in the yellow-billed stork has not been quantitatively measured, the yellow-billed stork’s feeding mechanism appears to be at least qualitatively identical to that of the American woodstork.

## Range and Habitat

The yellow-billed stork is native to Africa, where it ranges from Senegal in the east and Mauritania in the west and south to South Africa. It is a vagrant to the north of the Sahara including Morocco and Egypt. The yellow-billed stork favours wetlands with a water depth of between 10 and 40 centimetres, with sandbanks and trees close by. It is frequently seen in margins of rivers and lakes, lagoons, large marshes, small pools, flooded grasslands, alkaline lakes, reservoirs, water holes and rice paddies, which all have optimum conditions for this species. It will avoid flooded areas as it is not able to feed in deep water.
Tibetan Blue Bear

The **Tibetan bear** or **Tibetan blue bear** (*Ursus arctos pruinosus*) is a subspecies of the brown bear (*Ursus arctos*) found in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. It is also known as the **Himalayan blue bear**, **Himalayan snow bear**, **Chinese brown bear**, **Tibetan brown bear**, or the **horse bear**. In Tibetan, it is known as Dom gyamuk. One of the rarest subspecies of bear in the world, the blue bear is rarely sighted in the wild. The blue bear is known in the west only through a small number of fur and bone samples. It was first classified in 1854.
Wallace's Flying Frog

The overachieving Wallace's flying frog wasn't content to just hop and swim. Thousands of years of watching birds navigate the rain forest and avoid predators by taking to the sky appears to have convinced this unique amphibian that air travel is the way to go.

## Description

This frog is quite photogenic, due to its large size, brilliant colors, and interesting behavior. With a body length of 80–100 mm (males are smaller than females), it is one of the largest species of *Rhacophorus*. Its eyes and eardrums are large with horizontal pupils. Its limbs are very long, and its fingers and toes are webbed right to the tips. Together with a fringe of skin stretching between the limbs, this flying frog can parachute to the forest floor from high in the trees where it is normally found.

Its back is bright shiny green and the underside is white to pale yellow. The upper sides of the inside toes, as well as the outer parts of the toe and finger webbing, are brilliant yellow. The base of the webs and one flank spot per side are jet black. Overall, this frog looks much like the  green flying frog (*R. reinwardtii*) and *R. kio*, which even if full grown do not reach the size of Wallace's flying frog, though, and have more orange web fringes.

They live almost exclusively in the trees, descending only to mate and lay eggs, and leaps and "flies" from tree to tree or to bushes. When threatened or in search of prey, they will leap from a branch and splay their four webbed feet. The membranes between their toes and loose skin flaps on their sides catch the air as they fall, helping them to glide, sometimes 50 feet (15 meters) or more, to a neighboring tree branch or even all the way to the ground. They also have oversized toe pads to help them land softly and stick to tree trunks. They survive mainly on insects. The species is known to fall prey to tree climbing snakes.

**In the Air**

Also known as parachute frogs, Wallace's flying frogs inhabit the dense tropical jungles of Malaysia and Borneo. They live almost exclusively in the trees, descending only to mate and lay eggs. When threatened or in search of prey, they will leap from a branch and splay their four webbed feet. The membranes between their toes and loose skin flaps on their sides catch the air as they fall, helping them to glide, sometimes 50 feet or more, to a neighboring tree branch or even all the way to the ground. They also have oversized toe pads to help them land softly and stick to tree trunks. Wallace's flying frogs are not the only frogs who have developed this ability, but they are among the largest. The black color of their foot webbing helps distinguish them from their similarly aerial cousins.

**Population**

They are generally bright green with yellow sides and grow to about 4 inches. They survive mainly on insects. The Wallace's flying frog population is considered stable, and they have special status only in certain localities. However, they are partial to breeding and laying eggs in the fetid wallowing holes of the nearly extinct Asian rhinoceros, and further decreases in rhino populations may negatively affect the species.
Zebras

Zebras are a type of horse they are mammals that live in Africa they like grasslands they have stripes on their coats they eat grass they have teeth but they never stop growing they live in groups called herds they glooming their coats to keep them clean they from in a cartoon like little lodgers little Einstein’s Mickey Mouse clubhouse meet the animals 30 and ma cli bo do you think zebras are black and white
Wolves

Wolves are wild dogs their bigger then pet dogs they live in North America and Europe they like forest tundra and praies they don’t attack people they eat hares and big ones like bison and moose they live in groups called packs they hunt big prey they have little ones called Cubs they play fight and chase small animals their pack leader keeps their pack they live in a cartoon like meet the animals 6 and the one like the patchwork pals series 5 like wolf and the Sudan animated animals do you know wolfs are dangerous
Turkey Vulture

The most widespread vulture in North America, the turkey vulture is locally called “buzzard” in many areas. A turkey vulture standing on the ground can, at a distance, resemble a wild turkey. It is unique among our vultures in that it finds carrion by smell as well as by sight. When threatened, it defends itself by vomiting powerful stomach acids. Polytypic (4 ssp.). Length 27" (69 cm); wingspan 69" (175 cm).

## Identification

Overall, it is black with brownish tones, especially on the feather edges. Legs are dark to pinkish in color, the head unfeathered. Adult: the red skin color of the head contrasts with the ivory bill and dark feather ruff on the neck. Juvenile: the skin of the head is dark, the bill dark with a pale base. Flight: a large dark bird that flies with its wings held in a noticeable dihedral. Usually rocks side-to-side, especially in strong winds. Underneath, the silvery secondaries contrast with the black primaries and wing coverts, giving a two-toned look to the wing. The tail is relatively long.

## Geographic Variation

Three subspecies are found in North America (*aura*, *meridionalis*, *septentrionalis*). Only a few minor differences in size and overall tone separate them.

**Similar Species** The black vulture has a quicker, shallow flap, shorter tail, and obvious white patches at the base of the primaries on its shorter, broader wings. The zone-tailed hawk and golden eagle will mimic the wing dihedral when hunting, and dark-morph Swainson’s hawks and rough-legged hawks also can fly in a dihedral, but at closer range all have feathered heads and different wing shapes. Zone-tailed also shows banded tail and yellow cere and legs.

**Status and Distribution** Year-round in southern United States, migrates into northern United States and Canada. Breeding: nests on the ground, using a shallow cave, hollow log, or thick vegetation. Migration: northern populations migratory, some heading to Canada. Winter: increasing numbers in snowbound states. Vagrant: to Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Newfoundland.
Tibetan Antelope

The **Tibetan antelope** or **chiru** (*Pantholops hodgsonii*) (Tibetan: གཙོད་, Wylie: *gtsod*, pronounced [tsǿ]; Chinese: 藏羚羊; pinyin: *zàng língyáng*) is a medium-sized bovid native to the Tibetan plateau. Fewer than 75,000 individuals are left in the wild. In recent years, they have become endangered due to poaching. They are hunted for their soft and warm wool which is usually obtained after death. This wool is known as *shahtoosh* and is used to weave shawls . At present, international trade in their products is strictly prohibited.

## Description

The Tibetan antelope, or ‘chiru’, is well known for possessing the finest and warmest wool in the animal kingdom. This adaptation provides warmth in the harsh climate of the Tibetan plateau but has contributed greatly to this species’ decline. These antelope are most closely related to wild sheep and goats, they have grey to reddish-brown coats with a remarkably soft and dense undercoat. The underparts are creamy white in color and the bulbous nostrils have small inflatable sacs on the side. Male Tibetan antelope have slender, black horns that may reach 60 centimetres in length; in winter they possess black markings on the face and legs.

## Biology

Mating occurs in November and December, at this time males fight fiercely in an effort to control access to groups of 10 – 20 females. Females migrate north to give birth, over 300 km away, in June and July. A single calf is usually born, although life expectancy is extremely low in this harsh environment. Tibetan antelope are extremely wary and alert; partially concealed, they rest in depressions dug into the soil, which provide protection from mountain winds and predation. Herds mainly browse in the morning and evening, resting at midday.

## Range and Habitat

Endemic to the Tibetan Plateau, this antelope is found mainly in Chinese regions although some individuals migrate to Ladakh in India. The Tibetan antelope inhabits harsh steppe areas at elevations of 3,700 to 5,500 metres above sea level, where temperatures can fall to -40°F.

## Behavior

Tibetan antelope feed on forbs, grasses, and sedges, often digging through the snow to obtain food in winter. Their natural predators include wolves, lynx, and snow leopards, and red foxes are known to prey on young calves.

Tibetan antelope are gregarious, sometimes congregating in herds hundreds strong when moving between summer and winter pastures, although they are more usually found in much smaller groups, with no more than 20 individuals. The females migrate up to 300 km (190 mi) yearly to calving grounds in the summer, where they usually give birth to a single calf, and rejoin the males at the wintering grounds in late autumn.
West African Manatee

There are only four species in the order Sirenia still existing, with the only non-manatee member being the dugong in a separate family Dugongidae. The African manatee is thought to be similar in appearance and behaviour to the better known American manatee. Like its relatives, this gentle manatee is threatened with extinction as a result of human activities. The principle threat is incidental catch in fishing equipment, although the species is also hunted in some regions either because it is considered a pest or for its meat and body parts. Habitat loss and degradation caused by the destruction of mangroves and damming of waterways is also a threat. Fewer than 15,000 individuals are thought to survive, with some populations already thought to have been driven to the brink of extinction as a result of these threats.

## Distribution

The West African manatee is found extensively along the west African coastline in a number of countries including Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

## Habitat and Ecology

The West African manatee inhabits salt, brackish and freshwater in a number of habitats such as marine coastal areas, lagoons, estuaries and river tributaries. They show a preference for mangrove habitats and calm water conditions, restricted to water that is 18°C and over. Feeding and moving mostly during the night. Their diet consists mainly of aquatic vegetation from overhanging bank growth, mangroves or submerged aquatic plants. In some regions the West African Manatee are reported to eat fish from nets and rice from fields; bringing them into conflict with the local human population. In island regions the West African manatee is usually found as solitary individuals or as small family groups but groups of up to 15 individuals have been sighted. Breeding is thought to occur year round and adult females will give birth to live young which can be up to 1m in length.
Vampire Bat

Bats are the first mammals that can fly, but the **Vampire Bat** has an even more interesting distinction—they are the one mammal that feeds entirely on blood. These notorious bats sleep during the day in total darkness, suspended upside down from the roofs of caves. They typically gather in colonies of about 100 animals, but sometimes live in groups of 1,000 or more. In one year, a 100-bat colony can drink the blood of 25 cows.

During the darkest part of the night, common vampire bats emerge to hunt. Sleeping cattle and horses are their usual victims, but they have been known to feed on people as well. The bats drink their victim's blood for about 30 minutes. They don't remove enough blood to harm their host, but their bites can cause nasty infections and disease.

Vampire bats strike their victims from the ground. They land near their prey and approach it on all fours. The bats have few teeth because of their liquid diet, but those they have are razor sharp. Each bat has a heat sensor on its nose that points it toward a spot where warm blood is flowing just beneath its victim's skin. After putting the bite on an animal, the vampire bat laps up the flowing blood with its tongue. Its saliva prevents the blood from clotting.

Young vampire bats feed not on blood but on milk. They cling tightly to their mothers, even in flight, and consume nothing but her milk for about three months. The common vampire bat is found in the tropics of Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Warty Chameleon

***Furcifer verrucosus***, also known as the **warty chameleon**, **spiny chameleon** or **crocodile chameleon**, is a species of small reptile endemic to Madagascar. It was first described by Georges Cuvier in 1829.

## Taxonomy

There are two subspecies, *Furcifer v. verrucosus* and *Furcifer v. semicristatus*, the latter being found mainly in the southernmost part of the island. This chameleon is closely related to Oustalet's chameleon *Furcifer oustaleti* (Malagasy giant chameleon), the pair forming a species complex, but each member of the group may be a cryptic species (two species indistinguishable in the field and currently believed to be a single species) and the exact taxonomicalrelationship between members of the group is unclear.

## Description

The warty chameleon is a large species with males growing to a total length of 56 centimetres (22 in) and females reaching 21 cm (8 in). On its head it has a casque, a helmet-like crest formed from scales. A small crest runs along a raised ridge from its eyes to its snout. There are further low crests running along the flanks, down the throat and along the belly. A distinctive crest of up to forty 4 millimetres (0.16 in) spines runs along the back in males but this is cut short in females, continuing along the spine as tubercles. Both sexes have a row of large scales forming a lateral line. The long tail is prehensile. The general colour of this chameleon is grey or brown variously blotched or indistinctly banded, with a white intermittent streak along each side. Females are usually paler in color and males are often tinged with green on the belly, tail and limbs.

## Distribution and Habitat

The warty chameleon is found only on the island of Madagascar including Manderano in the Tulear region. It occurs over much of the west part of the island and in drier parts of the south. It is seldom found in primary rainforest but favours arid disturbed land, including near the sea. It is a terrestrial species and also climbs around in low bushes. In hot weather it sometimes retreats into a sandy burrow to keep cool.

## Biology

The warty chameleon feeds largely on insects which it catches with its long sticky tongue. The female lays one clutch of 30 to 60 eggs a year and these are incubated for about 200 days. They hatch into juvenile chameleons which may take six months to a year to become mature.
Tambourine Dove

The **tambourine dove** (*Turtur tympanistria*) is a pigeon which is a widespread resident breeding bird in woodlands and other thick vegetation in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Its range extends from Senegal east to Ethiopia and Kenya and southwards through eastern Africa to south-eastern South Africa, but it is absent from the drier areas of south-western Africa. There is a population on the Comoros Islands.

This is very much a species of thick woodlands, including dense gardens and plantations of castor oil, cocoa and rubber. As such, this shy species is usually seen when flushed whilst feeding on the forest floor, The tambourine dove builds a frail stick nest low in a thicket or vine tangle, and lays two cream-coloured eggs. Both sexes incubate, although this task is performed mainly by the female, and the eggs hatch in 13 days with another 13–14 days to fledging. The chicks are fed regurgitated food.

The tambourine dove is a small plump pigeon, typically 22 cm in length. The male has a white face with a black spot behind the eye, white underparts and a grey crown. Its back, hind neck, wings and tail are pale grey brown, and the folded wings have large dark purple patches. The under tail is brown. The eye ring and feet are purple-red, and the bill is purple.

The female is duller, and is white only on the belly, the face and breast being a pale grey-brown. The crown is grey-brown, without the blue-grey of the male. The juvenile resembles the female but has chestnut fringes to the feathers of the back, breast and flanks. Even in these plumages, this species is paler below than other small African doves.

The tambourine dove’s flight is fast and agile, and it tends to stay quite low when flushed. In flight it shows chestnut primary flight feathers and under wings.

The call of this bird is a persistently repeated *du-du-du-du-du*.

Tambourine dove is usually solitary, but is sometimes seen in family groups or with lemon doves. It is quite terrestrial, and usually forages on the ground for seeds and small fruits. It has a preference for seeds of the castor oil plant. It will on occasion eat small insects and molluscs.
White-Headed Vulture

The **white-headed vulture** (*Trigonoceps occipitalis*) is an Old World vulture endemic to Africa. Populations have been declining steeply in recent years due to habitat degradation and poisoning of vultures at carcasses.

## Description

The white-headed vulture is a medium-sized vulture, 72–85 centimetres (28–33 in) in length and with a wingspan of 207–230 centimetres (81–91 in). Females have an average weight of 4.7 kilograms (10 lb), while males are generally lighter at 4 kilograms (8.8 lb) or less. It has a pink beak and a white crest, and the featherless areas on its head are pale. It has dark brown upper parts and black tail feathers. The feathers on its lower parts and legs are white, giving it its diagnostic image from below.

## Distribution and Habitat

The white-headed vulture is widely spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa, occurring from Senegal and Gambia east to Somalia and south to South Africa and Swaziland. It is locally uncommon to common. A total population of 10,500-18,750 individuals has been estimated, but newer estimates following recent declines suggest a population of just 5,500 individuals. The species prefers mixed, dry woodland at low altitudes. It occurs at elevations of up to 4,000 m in Ethiopia, perhaps 3,000 m in Kenya, and can be found in thorny Acacia-dominated landscape in Botswana. It generally avoids human habitation.

## Ecology

The species is long-lived and appears to be loyal to a territory where it remains resident. It builds nests in trees (mostly acacias or baobab), laying a single egg a couple of months after the rainy season has ended and the dry season is underway. The white-headed vulture is predominantly a carrion-eater; frequently flying lower than other vulture species, it is often the first species to turn up at a carcass. However, the species is probably also an active predator if the occasion arises.

## Conservation

White-headed vulture populations have been declining since the early 1940s; it was classified as Vulnerable in the 2007 IUCN Red List. Recent indications that the species is rarer than previously thought have led to a status upgrade to Critically Endangered in 2015.

The main threats to white-headed vulture populations are reductions in the availability of suitable food sources (carcasses of medium-sized mammals and ungulates) and the loss of habitat to the spread of urban and agricultural developments. Poisoning through baits set for other carnivores such as jackals and hyenas, as well as targeted poisoning of vultures (by poachers who seek to prevent vultures from drawing attention to an illegal kill), is also an important factor. Secondary causes of decline is exploitation for the international trade in raptors and use in traditional medicines. The species is highly sensitive to land-use and tends to depart from degraded habitat, leading to high concentrations in protected areas. Potential introduction of the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, which is fatal to all vultures of this genus when ingested at livestock carcasses, may represent a potential future threat.
Wobbegong

**Wobbegong** is the common name given to the 12 species of carpet sharks in the family **Orectolobidae**. They are found in shallow temperate and tropical waters of the western Pacific Oceanand eastern Indian Ocean, chiefly around Australia and Indonesia, although one species (the Japanese wobbegong, *Orectolobus japonicus*) occurs as far north as Japan. The word *wobbegong* is believed to come from an Australian Aboriginal language, meaning "shaggy beard", referring to the growths around the mouth of the shark of the western Pacific. Wobbegongs are bottom-dwelling sharks, so they spend much of their time resting on the sea floor. Most species have a maximum length of 1.25 m (4.1 ft) or less, but the largest, the spotted wobbegong, *Orectolobus maculatus*, and banded wobbegong, *O. halei*, reach about 3 m (9.8 ft) in length.

## Description

Wobbegongs are well camouflaged with a symmetrical pattern of bold markings which resembles a carpet. Because of this striking pattern, wobbegongs and their close relatives are often referred to as carpet sharks. The camouflage is improved by the presence of small weed-like whisker lobes surrounding the wobbegong's jaw, which help to camouflage it and act as sensory barbs. Wobbegongs make use of their relative invisibility to hide among rocks and catch smaller fish which swim too close, typical of ambush predators.

## Interaction with Humans

Wobbegongs are generally not considered dangerous to humans, but have attacked swimmers, snorkellers and SCUBA divers who inadvertently come close to them. The Australian Shark Attack File contains more than 50 records of unprovoked attacks by wobbegongs, and the International Shark Attack File 28 records; none of them fatal. Wobbegongs have also bitten surfers. Wobbegongs are very flexible and can easily bite a hand holding onto their tail. They have many small but sharp teeth and their bite can be severe, even through a wetsuit; having once bitten, they have been known to hang on and can be very difficult to remove. In Australia, the flesh of wobbegongs and other shark species is called flake and it is often the "fish" component of fish and chips. Wobbegong skin is also used to make leather.

**Captivity**

Although most wobbegong species are unsuitable for home aquaria due to their large adult size, this has not stopped some of the larger species from being sold in the aquarium trade. Small wobbegong species, such as the tasselled wobbegong and Ward's wobbegong, are "ideal" sharks for home aquarists to keep because they are an appropriate size and are lethargic, enabling them to be accommodated within the limited space of home aquaria, although they will consume tankmates, even quite large ones. Some aquarists, by contrast, see the lack of activity to be a drawback to keeping wobbegongs and prefer more active sharks. Wobbegongs are largely nocturnal and, due to their slow metabolism, do not have to be fed as often as other sharks. Most do well on two feedings weekly. Underfed wobbegongs can be recognised by visibly atrophied dorsal musculature.
Yeti Crab

The ***Yeti Crab*** (**Kiwa Hirsuta**) is a crustacean discovered in 2005 in the South Pacific Ocean. This decapod, which is approximately 15 cm (5.9 in) long, is notable for the quantity of silky blond setae (resembling fur) covering its pereiopods (thoracic legs, including claws). Its discoverers dubbed it the "Yeti Lobster" or "Abominable Snow Crab".

## Dentification

*K. Hirsuta* (its scientific name) was first been March 2005 by a group organized by Robert Vrijenhoek of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Monterey, California and Michel Segonzac of the Ifremer and a Census of Marine Life scientist using the submarine DSV *Alvin*, operating from RV *Atlantis*. The discovery was announced on 7 March 2006. It was found along the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge, 1,500 kilometres (930 mi) south of Easter Island at a depth of 2,200 metres (7,200 ft), living on hydrothermal vents. Based on both morphology and molecular data, the organism was deemed to form a new biological family (Kiwaidae); a second species, **Kiwa Puravida**, was discovered in 2006 and described in 2011.

## Characteristics

The *yeti crab* has strongly reduced eyes that lack pigment, and is thought to be blind. The "hairy" pincers contain filamentous bacteria, which the creature may use to detoxify poisonous minerals from the water emitted by the hydrothermal vents where it lives. This process is known as chemosynthesis. Alternatively, it may feed on bacteria, although it is generally thought to be a carnivore.

Although it is often referred to as the "furry lobster" outside the scientific literature, The *yeti crab* is a squat lobster, more closely related to crabs and hermit crabs than true lobsters. The term "furry lobster" is more commonly used for the family Synaxidae.
Viceroy Butterfly

The **viceroy** (*Limenitis archippus*) is a North American butterfly that ranges through most of the contiguous United States as well as parts of Canada and Mexico. The westernmost portion of its range extends from the Northwest Territories along the eastern edges of the Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada mountains, southwards into central Mexico. Its easternmost range extends along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America from Nova Scotia into Texas.

## Characteristics

   The viceroy butterfly is a brush-footed butterfly. Brush-footed butterflies have tiny, hairy forelegs that look more like brushes than feet and are not used for walking. It is dark orange with black veins. A row of white spots edge its wings. Its color and pattern mimics the monarch butterfly's pattern, except for a black horizontal stripe that crosses the bottom of its back wings. The viceroy caterpillar is white and olive-brown.

## Range and Habitat

The viceroy is found in most of the continental United States and in southern Canada and northern Mexico. The viceroy is found throughout New Hampshire. The viceroy butterfly lives in meadows, marshes and swamps and other wet areas with willow, aspen and poplar trees.

## Diet

The viceroy caterpillar eats the leaves of willow and poplar trees. The viceroy butterfly eats dung, carrion, fungi, and the nectar of flowers from the Asteraceae family like golden rod, thistles, and asters.

## Life Cycle

The viceroy mates in the afternoon. The female lays her eggs on the tips of the leaves of poplars and willows. There are usually two or three generations of viceroys born each breeding season.

## Behavior

The viceroy and monarch were once thought to exhibit Batesian mimicry where a harmless species mimics a toxic species. Studies conducted in the early 1990's suggest that the viceroy and the monarch are actually examples of Mullerian mimicry where two equally toxic species mimic each other to the benefit of each. Just goes to show you there's always something new to discover in the natural world.
Weasel

Weasels are small mammals they live in Europe and North America they live in holes and burrows they eat nuts and grasses they have enemies like bears and wolfs they hide in burrows and holes they hibernate all winter long they don’t from in a cartoon of the milky and shake show the only one from minnies bow toons in forest life do you know weasels have fur
Tsessebe

The common tsessebe or sassaby is one of five subspecies of African antelope Damaliscus lunatus of the genus Damaliscus and subfamily Alcelaphinae in the family Bovidae. It is most closely related to the topi, korrigum, coastal topi and tiang, and the bangweulu tsessebe and bontebok in the same genus.

## Appearance

Tsessebe Bulls have a mass of 140 Kg and measure 1.2 m at the shoulders, and are slightly larger than cows which weigh approximately 120 Kg. Both sexes grow horns, but those on bulls are heavier. When viewed from the front the horns appear typical 'halfmoon' shaped. It has a dark face with purple blotches on the shoulders, whereas the withers and upper body are reddish-brown.

## Diet

Tsessebe are grazers which utilise a wide range of grass species. They select the leaf over the stems. They prefer fresh growth, and are attracted to burnt areas.

## Breeding

Seasonal breeders, which in South Africa give birth during September / October to single calves, after a gestation period of seven months. The rut takes place during mid-February and continues through to March. During the mating season elaborate displays by the bulls form part of the mating ritual.

## Behavior

Tsessebe are social animals and their basic group structure consists of small breeding groups, each comprising of six to ten cows with their offspring. Bachelor groups and territorial bull herds may sometimes number up to 30 strong. This is especially noticeable near water and favourable gazing. Breeding herds consisting of cows are not restricted to a specific territory. In areas where tsessebe occur in higher densities, bulls establish typical 'lek' system territories. Young bulls form bachelor groups at the age of one year as they are pushed out of herds.

In patrolling their territories, territorial males maintain a steady gait and defecate at regular intervals. Both sexes mark their territories with the preorbital glands, but the territorial males are more active in doing so. Tsessebe also rub the sides of their faces on the ground, usually on a termite mound or on a sandy patch, dropping to their knees to do so. Both sexes horn the ground, especially after rain. The animal has well developed interdigital glands on the front feet, and territorial males paw and scrape the ground as a means of territorial marking.

## Range

Only one of the several subspecies that are recognized, occur in the Subregion. In South Africa the tsessebe are confined to northern savannah woodlands. They are mostly confined to the Kruger National Park and some provincial game reserves. They have also been re-introduced to some private game farms.
West African Lungfish

The **West African lungfish** (*Protopterus annectens*), also known as the **Tana lungfish** or simply **African lungfish**, is a species of African lungfish. It is found in a wide range of freshwater habitats in West and Middle Africa, as well as the northern half of Southern Africa.

## Description

*Protopterus annectens* has a prominent snout and small eyes. Its body is long and eel-like, some 9–15 times the length of the head. It has two pairs of long, filamentous fins. The pectoral finshave a basal fringe and are about three times the head length, while its pelvic fins are about twice the head length. In general, three external gills are inserted posterior to the gill slits and above the pectoral fins.

## Distribution

It has cycloid scales embedded in the skin. About 40–50 scales occur between the operculum and the anus, and 36–40 around the body before the origin of the dorsal fin. It has 34–37 pairs of ribs. The dorsal side is olive or brown in color and the ventral side is lighter, with great blackish or brownish spots on the body and fins except on its belly.[6] They reach a length of about 1 m (3.3 ft) in the wild.

## Habitat

The West African lungfish is distributed throughout Africa. It has two subspecies; *P. a. annectens* is found primarily in the basins of Sahel as well as Guinea and Sierra Leone whilst the other subspecies, *P. a.* *brieni* is known largely from the upper Congo River area and from the Zambezi of Mozambique.

## Diet

Like other African lungfish, the West African lungfish is an obligate air breather and a freshwater-dwelling fish.[8] It is demersal, meaning that it lives primarily buried within riverbeds. Due to the dry season frequently drying the rivers and floodplains in which it lives, the West African lungfish can aestivate for up to a year; however the West African lungfish generally only aestivates between wet seasons.

The Tana lungfish has a diet not unlike other lungfish, consisting of various mollusks, crabs, prawn, and small fish within its distribution. It can also go for up to 3 1/2 years without any food intake whatsoever. During this time period it behaves much like an estivating fish in that it buries itself in the mud and does not move until more favorable conditions occur.
Yellow Boxfish

The **yellow boxfish** (*Ostracion cubicus*) is a species of boxfish. It can be found in reefs throughout the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean as well as the south eastern Atlantic Ocean. It reaches a maximum length of 45 centimetres (18 in).

As the name suggests, it is box-shaped. When juvenile, it is bright yellow in color. As it ages, the brightness fades and very old specimens will have blue-grey to black colouration with faded yellow. It feeds mainly on algae, but will also feed on sponges, crustaceans and molluscs. The fish's diet consists of marine algae, worms, crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish.

When stressed or injured it releases poisonous proteins from its skin that may prove lethal to any fish in the surrounding waters. The bright yellow color and black spots are a form of warning coloration (Aposematism) to any potential predators. They are solitary animals. Breeding occurs during the spring, in small groups that consist of 1 male and 2 - 4 females.

In 2006, Mercedes-Benz unveiled its Bionic concept car, which was inspired by the shape of the yellow boxfish. It was assumed that due to the extreme agility with which boxfish maneuver, that their shape was aerodynamic and self stabilizing. However, analysis by scientists suggests that boxfish agility is instead due to the combination of an aerodynamically unstable body and the manner in which the fish use their fins for movement.

Because of its unique shape, this boxfish is popular in the pet industry for use in saltwater aquarium. They are typically taken from their habitat and exported to other continents (assuredly North America, Europe) where they are held at importers' until picked up by pet stores. Fish that arrive in a new habitat must be acclimatized. The boxfish, like most ocean creatures kept in aquariums, are provided with filtration, heating, and reverse osmosis water; lighting, substrate, and decor also play key roles in the health and behavior of fish in captivity.