recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Hammerhead Shark

Hammerhead sharks are consummate predators that use their oddly shaped heads to improve their ability to find prey. Their wide-set eyes give them a better visual range than most other sharks. And by spreading their highly specialized sensory organs over their wide, mallet-shaped head, they can more thoroughly scan the ocean for food. One group of sensory organs is the ampullae of Lorenzini, which allows sharks to detect, among other things, the electrical fields created by prey animals. The hammerhead's increased ampullae sensitivity allows it to find its favorite meal, stingrays, which usually bury themselves under the sand.

The great hammerhead is the largest of the nine identified species of this shark. It can grow up to 20 feet (6 meters) in length and weigh up to 1,000 pounds (450 kg), although smaller sizes are more common. Found in temperate and tropical waters worldwide, far offshore and near shorelines, hammerheads are often seen in mass summer migrations seeking cooler water. They are gray-brown to olive-green on top with off-white undersides, and they have heavily serrated, triangular teeth. Their extra-tall, pointed dorsal fins are easily identifiable.

Most hammerhead species are fairly small and are considered harmless to humans. However, the great hammerhead's enormous size and fierceness make it potentially dangerous, though few attacks have been recorded. The squat-headed hammerhead (*Sphyrna mokarran*) and the scalloped hammerhead *(Sphyrna lewini*) are listed as endangered and the smalleye hammerhead*(Sphyrna tudes)*and thesmooth hammerhead*(Sphyrna zygaena)*are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species*.*

Female hammerhead sharks give birth to their pups. They can have from 20-40 of them at any one time. They immediately separate themselves from the young though. Since these sharks have such a unique shape they are often feared in the water so they don’t have too many enemies. A good percentage of the young hammerheads will survive.

## Gallery

Hammerhead Shark SchoolTeen TitansThe Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea
Leopard Frog

A **leopard frog** (sometimes called a **meadow frog**) can mean any frog of about 14 species within the true frog genus *Lithobates*. They are generally similarly colored—green with prominent black spotting that sometimes appears as a leopard pattern. They are distinguished by their distribution and certain rather subtle ecological, behavioral, morphological and genetic traits. Their range in the North-American subcontinent extends throughout temperate and subtropical North America to northern Mexico, with some species found even further south. They are also found in Europe.

## Taxonomy

Leopard frogs (meadow frogs) were briefly grouped with the American bullfrog and relatives in the genus *Lithobates*.

### **Species**

Further species may exist in this famous cryptic species complex

* Chiricahua leopard frog, *Lithobates chiricahuensis*
* Guerreran leopard frog, *Lithobates omiltemana*
* Island leopard frog, *Lithobates miadis*
* Lowland leopard frog, *Lithobates yavapaiensis*
* Northern leopard frog, *Lithobates pipiens*
* Northwest Mexico leopard frog, *Lithobates magnaocularis*
* Plains leopard frog, *Lithobates blairi*
* Ramsey Canyon leopard frog, *Lithobates subaquavocalis*
* Relict leopard frog *Lithobates onca*
* Rio Grande leopard frog, *Lithobates berlandieri*
* Southern leopard frog, *Lithobates sphenocephalus*
* Tlaloc's leopard frog, *Lithobates tlaloci*
* Transverse volcanic leopard frog, *Lithobates neovolcanica*
* Vegas Valley leopard frog, *Lithobates fisheri*

## New Species

In March 2012, it was announced that DNA testing had confirmed that a new species of leopard frog had been found whose habitat was centered near New York's Yankee Stadium and included Northern New Jersey, Southeastern New York, and Staten Island; the new still unnamed species is part of a cryptic species complex that was first distinguished by its short, repetitive croak, distinct from the "long snore" or "rapid chuckle" of other area leopard frog species. This species has now been identified as far south as southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. On 30 October 2014, it was announced that the frog which was found in March 2012, is a new species of leopard frog called *Rana kauffeldi* that once inhabited Manhattan, New York.
Giant African Snail

***Achatina achatina***, commonly known as the **Giant Ghana African snail**, also known as the **Giant African snail**, **giant tiger land snail**, and **gigantocochlea**, is a species of very large, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Achatinidae. The name "Achatina" is from "achates", Greek for agate. It shares the common name "giant African snail" with other species of snails such as *Achatina fulica* and *Archachatina marginata*.

## Distribution

The species is believed to be native to West Africa, within 160 kilometres (99 mi) to 300 kilometres (190 mi) of the coasts of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, Ghana, and Nigeria.

*Achatina achatina* is routinely confiscated by quarantine authorities at United States airports, especially Baltimore, Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and San Francisco. These very large snails are kept as pets in the Western world, where owners prize their large size, distinctive markings, and rarity.

It is considered a potentially serious pest, an invasive species that could adversely affect agriculture, natural ecosystems, human health or commerce. A related species of snail (*Achatina fulica*) has become established in some Caribbean islands, such as Barbados. It has been suggested that these species be given top national quarantine significance in the United States. Snails of the genus *Achatina* have already established themselves in the wild in Florida, where they are considered a pest.

## Description

The shells of these snails often grow to a length of 18 centimetres (7.1 in) with a diameter of 9 centimetres (3.5 in). Certain examples have been surveyed in the wild at 30×15 cm, making them the largest extant land snail species known. Similar to other giant land snails such as the Achatina fulica, Achatina achatinas are herbivores. Their diets consist of many plants such as nuts, flowers, fruit, stems, and leaves. Achatina achatina have also been known to eat farmers crops including cocoa, peanuts, bananas, and cauliflower.

## Ecology

Like almost all pulmonate gastropods, these snails are hermaphrodites, having male and female sex organs. Each snail lays up to 1200 eggs per year. *Achatina achatina* is an important source of animal protein for West African forest-dwelling ethnic groups, and there is potential for commercial farming. This species' substantial size and potential for rapid population growth can make the snail a serious pest when introduced to non-native ecosystems. The population size of this species can be curtailed through disease caused by the bacterium *Aeromonas liquefaciens* but it often has no other natural enemies.
Honey Bee

A **honey bee** (or **honeybee**), in contrast with the stingless honey bee, is any bee that is a member of the genus ***Apis***, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests from wax. Honey bees are the only extant members of the tribe Apini, all in the genus *Apis*. Currently, only seven species of honey bee are recognized, with a total of 44 subspecies, though historically, from six to eleven species have been recognized. Honey bees represent only a small fraction of the roughly 20,000 known species of bees. Some other types of related bees produce and store honey, but only members of the genus *Apis* are true honey bees. The study of honey bees is known as melittology.

Honeybee hives have long provided humans with honey and beeswax. Such commercial uses have spawned a large beekeeping industry, though many species still occur in the wild. All honeybees are social and cooperative insects. A hive's inhabitants are generally divided into three types.

Workers are the only bees that most people ever see. These bees are females that are not sexually developed. Workers forage for food (pollen and nectar from flowers), build and protect the hive, clean, circulate air by beating their wings, and perform many other societal functions.

The queen's job is simple laying the eggs that will spawn the hive's next generation of bees. There is usually only a single queen in a hive. If the queen dies, workers will create a new queen by feeding one of the worker females a special diet of a food called "royal jelly." This elixir enables the worker to develop into a fertile queen. Queens also regulate the hive's activities by producing chemicals that guide the behavior of the other bees. Male bees are called drones the third class of honeybee. Several hundred drones live in each hive during the spring and summer, but they are expelled for the winter months when the hive goes into a lean survival mode. Bees live on stored honey and pollen all winter, and cluster into a ball to conserve warmth. Larvae are fed from the stores during this season and, by spring, the hive is swarming with a new generation of bees.

## Gallery

Ed, Edd'n EddyThe Lion GuardWild KrattsThe Magic School BusThe Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Galapagos Tortoise

It is possible, though perhaps unlikely, that among the remaining giant tortoises of the Galápagos Islands, there exists an old-timer that was a hatchling at the time of Charles Darwin's famous visit in 1835. Giant tortoises are the longest-lived of all vertebrates, averaging over 100 years. The oldest on record lived to be 152.

They are also the world's largest tortoises, with some specimens exceeding 5 feet (1.5 meters) in length and reaching 550 pounds (250 kilograms). There are now only 11 types of giant tortoises left in the Galápagos, down from 15 when Darwin arrived. Hunted as food by pirates, whalers, and merchantmen during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, more than 100,000 tortoises are estimated to have been killed off. Nonnative species such as feral pigs, dogs, cats, rats, goats, and cattle are a continuing threat to their food supply and eggs. Today, only about 15,000 remain.

The tortoises are now listed as endangered and have been strictly protected by the Ecuadorian government since 1970. Captive breeding efforts by the Charles Darwin Research Station are also having positive effects. Galápagos tortoises lead an uncomplicated life, grazing on grass, leaves, and cactus, basking in the sun, and napping nearly 16 hours per day. A slow metabolism and large internal stores of water mean they can survive up to a year without eating or drinking.

The top shell of a tortoise is called the carapace; the shell that covers a tortoise's belly is called the plastron. The populations of Galápagos tortoises that live on the hotter and drier islands of the Galápagos have developed shells that are saddle-shaped with a high notch above the neck. This allows them to stretch their necks higher to reach vegetation that grows above the ground.

Tortoises lay eggs. Females lay their eggs in nest holes, which they cover and leave. Babies hatch in four to eight months. They are on their own from the beginning.
Jaguarundi

The **jaguarundi** (*Herpailurus yagouaroundi*) or **eyra** is a small wild cat native to southern North America and South America. It has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2002. The megareserves of the Amazon Basin are probably the only conservation units that can sustain long-term viable populations. In some Spanish-speaking countries, the jaguarundi is also called *gato colorado*, *gato moro*, *león brenero*, *tigrillo*, and *leoncillo*.

## Characteristics

The jaguarundi is small cat that is a little bit larger than a house cat. It is 3 to 4½ feet in length from nose to the tip of its tail and 10-24 inches tall at the shoulders. Its tail can be as long as one to two feet. It weighs 12-18 pounds and has unspotted gray or reddish-brown fur. If it is gray, it will have two white patches under its nose. If it is reddish-brown, it may also have a white or cream throat. It has a long, slender body; a flattened, triangular head with short, rounded ears; an extremely long tail and short, powerful legs. It has been compared in looks to a weasel or an otter. In fact, in Mexico it is sometimes called the "otter cat."

## Range and Habitat

The jaguarundi is native to Central America and the northern and central countries of South America down to Argentina. It can be found, on rare occasions, in extreme southeast Arizona and Texas. The jaguarundi is a federal endangered species in the United States. Its habitat is lowland brush areas close to a source of running water, including dry thorn forest to wet grassland. While commonly inhabiting lowlands, it has been reported at elevations as high as 3,200 m (10,500 ft). Occasionally it also occurs in dense tropical areas.

## Habitat

The jaguarundi lives in brushy lowland areas with cactus, mesquite and other spiny plants. It is also found in swamps and forests. It usually lives near water. It does not make its own dens, instead it finds a natural den in a cave, under a bank or in the tall grass.

## Diet

The jaguarundi hunts both at night and during the day. It eats birds, small mammals and reptiles. It stalks its prey and then pounces on it. It is a good swimmer and also eats fish. It will occasionally eat fruit.

## Life Cycle

The jaguarundi breeds year-round. After a gestation period of about 75 days, the female gives birth to one to four kittens  The kittens have spots that will eventually disappear. The kittens are weaned when they are about a month old. The mother will take the kittens out and teach them how to hunt. The kittens will stay with their mother until they are about ten months old.

## Behavior

The jaguarundi is a solitary animal and usually only socialize to mate and to raise young. It is a very vocal cat with as many as 13 separate vocalizations. It is mostly diurnal, but is is sometimes active at night. It is a good climber and swimmer.
Protecting Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms

# Protecting Eight Trigrams: 64 Palms

*This is a highly versatile technique which affords both offensive and defensive capabilities whereby the user emits a constant stream of chakra from her palms, which are formed into extremely thin, sharp, blades.*

As part of this action you make an attack against all targets within the 30 foot burst. In addition to dealing unarmed attack damage, the target also takes 1d6 per caster level of the user. This can be maintained by concentrating on the technique, otherwise the barrier lasts for 1 round.
Giant Pacific Octopus

Aside from being the largest of all types of octopus, the **Giant Pacific Octopus** is also recognizable by its typical reddish-pink color.  The octopus is equipped with special pigment cells, called chromatophores, just below the surface of the skin that allow it to change color and blend in with rocky or coral-laden surroundings. The Octopus is actually a mollusk—their shell is located in the head as two small plates and the rest of their body is soft. Since they lack a protective outer shell, octopuses like the giant pacific octopus, use their camouflage abilities to stay safe. When threatened, an octopus can also cloud predators in black ink.  The ink is toxic and can be deadly to the octopus if confined to a small space with little current flow. Giant pacific octopuses spend most of their lives alone. They hunt at night for shrimp, clams, lobsters and fish, but have also been known to eat small sharks using their beak-like mouths to puncture prey.

Along with eight arms, an octopus also has three hearts and nine brains. Two of the three hearts pump blood to the gills, while the third circulates blood to the rest of the body. Octopuses use one central brain to control their nervous systems and a small brain in each arm to control movement. Octopuses, including the giant pacific octopus, are also known for having blue blood thanks to a copper-rich protein called hemocyanin in their bloodstream, which is efficient for oxygen transport in cold ocean environments.

The giant pacific octopus only lives an average four to five years in the wild, yet they are still considered one of the longest-living octopus species. Octopus mothers typically die shortly following breeding. After mating, a female will lay up to 74,000 eggs or more in a deep den or cave and live there for seven months watching over them. During this time, dedicated mothers won’t venture out for food, and shortly after the young hatch, the mother will die. Because of this behavior, it is difficult to know population numbers of the giant pacific octopus. Even though these octopuses are still commercially fished in both North America and Japan for food and bait, populations have been naturally resilient so far.
Lions

Lions are big cats their bigger then tigers they live in Africa they like grasslands and woodlands they live in groups called prides they have manes they roar loudly they eat animals and rodents they hunt at night they from in a cartoon like little lodgers little Einstein’s ma cli bo and Sudan animated animals
Green Bee-Eater

The Green bee-eater is a small bee-eater bird that lives in parts of Asia and Africa. It is a tiny exquisite bird which has bright emerald green plumage. It has a narrow black stripe known as a ‘gorget’ on its throat, and a black ‘mask’ running through its crimson eyes. Its two central, narrow, long black tail streamers are also distinctive, and are only present in mature birds. Male and female birds look the same.

## Distribution

The Green bee-eater’s vast range stretches from Mauritania in West Africa, to sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the Middle East and India as far in the north as Nepal; in Southeast Asia it is found in central China, Thailand and Vietnam. This species frequents wooded areas where there are scattered trees and bushes, keeping near streams and shores, but also occurs in arid areas that have acacia and date palms, and in dunes, near cultivated areas and big gardens. It likes bare and sandy soils.

## Habits and Lifestyle

Green bee-eaters are fairly gregarious birds, with 30- 300 individuals roosting next to each other on a branch, and as many as 20 gathering to dust bathe together, this activity believed to help remove excess oil from the feathers and dislodge harmful parasites. Flocks sleep together at roosts, high in trees. Except for at nighttime, they perch fairly low. They forage either alone or with a group of 15 to 20 birds. These elegant birds usually hunt low to the ground, making short swoops before returning to their perch. They sometimes perch on the backs of cattle or grazing antelope, and make sallies into vegetation close to the ground to catch insects. Before eating their prey, they remove any dirt by striking the insect several times against a hard surface. These birds make soft trilling calls, ‘trree-trree-trree’, or short, sharp alarm calls that sound like ‘ti-ic’ or ‘ti-ti-ti’.

## Diet and Nutrition

Green bee-eaters are insectivorous, they eat bees, Hymenoptera, bugs, beetles, termites, moths and many flies. They also eat butterflies, crickets, dragonflies, caterpillars and spiders.

## Mating Habits

Green bee-eaters are thought to be monogamous breeders, which means that a male will mate with only one female and a female will mate with only one male. The breeding season ranges from March to June or sometimes July to August, depending on the range. These birds are solitary nesters in Arabia and Africa, whereas small colonies are found in India, with larger colonies (10 to 30 breeding pairs) in Myanmar and Pakistan. These birds nest in burrows that are dug by both male and female into flat ground or a gentle slope in Africa, while in Asia it is often into a low shore. The burrow measures one to two meters in length, with the nest-chamber of around 15 cm at its end. 4-8 white eggs are laid in the chamber and incubation is 18 to 22 days, mainly carried out by the female. The young stay in the nest for 22 to 31 days while being fed by both their parents.
Indian Scops Owl

The **Indian scops owl** (*Otus bakkamoena*) is a resident species of owl native to South Asia.

## Description

The Indian Scops-owl is now considered as full species. Formerly, six races were included. They have been split up into two species: the Indian Scops-owl and the Collared Scops-owl (Otus lettia). The Indian Scops-owl is found in India, whereas the Collared Scops-owl occurs in SE Asia. The species is found in two morphs, greyish-brown and rufous. The rufous morph is usually commoner in southern populations, and shows distinct ochre tinge.

The adult male of nominate race has pale greyish or rufous facial disk bordered black. Forehead, eyebrows and long ear-tufts are much paler. The crown is mottled blackish.
The upperparts are mottled and spotted dark brown to blackish. We can see a pale buff collar on the hindnek, and a second one on the nape. The spots on scapulars are pale buff and indistinct.
The underparts are grey-buff or rufous-buff with fine dark shaft streaks and vermiculations.

The bill is horn-colored with paler base and lower mandible, and dark tip. The eyes are hazel or brown. The legs are usually feathered to base of toes. The feet are brownish-flesh with horny-brown claws. Both sexes are similar, with female slightly larger than male.  The juvenile is pale grey or yellowish-brown according to the morph, and barred overall.

## Habitat

The Indian Scops-owl frequents forest and secondary woodland, wooded gardens and orchards, groves around villages and cultivated areas. It can be occasionally found in more open country with trees, plains and hills up to 2200 metres of elevation, 1200 metres in India and up to 2400 metres in E Himalayas.
The birds of Pakistan frequent irrigated plantations and riverine forest in the dry areas.
In Sri Lanka, they nest at edges of rubber and tea plantations.

## Behavior

The Indian Scops-owl is a nocturnal species. It spends the day hidden in tree holes or on branch in the dense foliage. It takes advantage of its cryptic plumage and it is very difficult to find it. Small passerines often harass it when roosting in tree.

## Diet

This owl feeds mainly on large insects such as beetles and grasshoppers, and other species too. It also consumes moth larvae. It can occasionally take rodents and small birds, also lizards and rarely bats.
Large-Eared Tenrec

The **large-eared tenrec** (*Geogale aurita*) is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is monotypic, being the only species in its genus *Geogale*. It is endemic to Madagascar where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss, but to a lesser extent than was previously thought and is listed by the IUCN as being of "Least Concern".

## Description

The large-eared tenrec is a small shrew-like animal with short, soft fur, a long hairy tail and large projecting ears. Adults weigh between 5 and 8 grams (0.18 and 0.28 oz) and measure 60 to 75 millimetres (2.4 to 3.0 in) in length, with a tail half as long again. The dorsal (upper) surface is greyish brown or reddish brown and the ventral (under) surface is buffish white. The large-eared tenrec differs from other tenrecs in the family by having 34 teeth instead of 36. It is also unique within the family in that females come into oestrus while they are lactating and so are able to be carrying one litter while still feeding another.

## Behavior

The large-eared tenrec feeds on insects, particularly termites which it locates by sound. It is itself preyed on by several predators including the Barn Owl (*Tyto alba*), the Madagascar Owl (*Asio madagascariensis*), the Malagasy cat-eye snake (*Madagascarophis colubrinus*) and the narrow-striped mongoose(*Mungotictis decemlineata*).

The large-eared tenrec has a low metabolic rate and is heterothermic. This means that its body temperature fluctuates with the surrounding environment, although pregnant and lactating females may maintain a more steady, higher temperature. The animals are often torpid in the heat of the day, hiding in concealed locations such as hollow logs or holes. Reproduction has been little studied in this species, but the breeding season is between September and March. It is known that development can be arrested temporarily and the gestation period may vary between about 54 and 69 days. A litter consists of up to five blind, deaf and helpless young and these are weaned when between 21 and 33 days old, soon after their eyes have opened.

## Status

The large-eared tenrec is listed by the IUCN in its Red List of Threatened Species as being of "Least Concern". The population trend is unknown and although this tenrec has been recorded in various scattered areas of Madagascar, it is a small, inconspicuous animal and is likely to also be present in intervening locations. It had been thought to be restricted to dry deciduous forest but it has now also been found in grassland and is probably more resilient to disturbed habitat than had previously been realised. Some of the areas in which it occurs are in national parks and nature reserves.
Legless Lizard

**Legless lizard** may refer to any of several groups of lizards that have independently lost limbs or reduced them to the point of being of no use in locomotion. It is the common name for the family Pygopodidae, but often refers to other groups, such as limbless anguids, depending on the region of the world. These lizards are often distinguishable from snakes on the basis of one or more of the following characteristics: possessing eyelids, possessing external ear openings, lack of broad belly scales, notched rather than forked tongue, and/or a very long tail (while snakes have a long body and short tail).

Many families of lizards have independently evolved limblessness or greatly reduced limbs (which are presumably non-functional in locomotion), including the following examples:

* Anguidae – 102 species, of which 17 are limbless and in the genera *Ophisaurus*, *Pseudopus* and *Anguis* from Eurasia and North America.
* Cordylidae – an African family of 66 species, with one virtually legless genus *Chamaesaura*, containing five species with hindlimbs reduced to small scaly protuberances.
* Pygopodidae – all 44 species; they belong to the genera *Aprasia*, *Delma*, *Lialis*, *Ophidiocephalus*, *Paradelma*, *Pletholax* and *Pygopus*. All are endemic to Australia, except the two species of *Lialis*, which also occur in New Guinea, one of which is endemic to that island. Pygopodids are not strictly legless since, although they lack forelimbs, they possess hindlimbs that are greatly reduced to small digitless flaps, hence the often used common names of "flap-footed lizards" or "scaly-foot".[2] The pygopodids are considered an advanced evolutionary clade of the Gekkota, which also contains six families of geckos.
* Dibamidae – all 23 species in the family, which comprises the monotypic Mexican genus *Anelytropsis* and the Southeast Asian genus *Dibamus*. All are limbless burrowers that are nearly or completely blind.
* Anniellidae – comprising the single genus *Anniella*, which contains six legless lizards that inhabit central / southern California and Baja California, Mexico.
* Gymnophthalmidae – a large neotropical family containing many species with reduced limbs, the most extreme being the 23 species in the genus *Bachia*, which escape by making sudden saltatory "figure-8" flicks with the body and tail.
* Scincidae – commonly known as skinks, the largest lizard family with over 1500 species, of which many are limbless and nearly-limbless species, including (but not confined to) the genera *Acontias*, *Feylinia*, *Melanoseps*, *Paracontias* and *Typhlosaurus* from Africa, *Lerista* from Australia, and some species in the genera *Chalcides* from southern Europe and North Africa, and *Scelotes* from southern Africa.

The 190 species of worm-lizards in the Amphisbaenia belong to a different suborder of the Squamata to the lizards and are not included here.
Great Horned Owl

The **great horned owl** (*Bubo virginianus*), also known as the **tiger owl** (originally derived from early naturalists' description as the "winged tiger" or "tiger of the air") or the **hoot owl**, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an extremely adaptable bird with a vast range and is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas. Its primary diet appears to be rabbits and hares, rats and mice, voles, even skunks due to their no sense of smell. Although it freely hunts any animal it can overtake, primarily other rodents and small mammals, but also larger mid-sized mammals, various birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. In ornithological study, the great horned owl is often compared to the Eurasian eagle-owl (*Bubo bubo*), a closely related species which, despite the latter's notably larger size, occupies the same ecological niche in Eurasia, and the red-tailed hawk (*Buteo jamaicensis*), with which it often shares similar habitat, prey and nesting habits by day and is thus something of a diurnal ecological equivalent. The great horned owl is one of the earliest nesting birds in North America, often laying eggs weeks or even months before other raptorial birds.

The great horned owl is the most common owl of the Americas, easily recognizable because of the feather tufts on its head. These "plumicorns" resemble horns or, to some, catlike ears. Great horned owls are adaptable birds and live from the Arctic to South America. They are at home in suburbia as well as in woods and farmlands. Northern populations migrate in winter, but most live permanently in more temperate climes. The birds nest in tree holes, stumps, caves, or in the abandoned nests of other large birds. Monogamous pairs have one to five eggs (two is typical), both the male and female incubate, and the male also hunts for food. Owls are powerful birds and fiercely protective parents. They have even been known to attack humans who wander too close to their young.

Like other owls, these birds have an incredible digestive system. They sometimes swallow their prey whole and later regurgitate pellets composed of bone, fur, and the other unwanted parts of their meal. Owls are efficient nighttime hunters that strike from above, and use their powerful talons to kill and carry animals several times heavier than themselves. Owls prey on a huge variety of creatures, including raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, domestic birds, falcons, and other owls. They regularly eat skunks (due to their no sense of smell), and may be the only animal with such an appetite. They sometimes hunt for smaller game by standing or walking along the ground. Owls have even been known to prey upon unlucky cats and dogs.

Great horned owls are largely nocturnal so they can be difficult to spot. But in the dark after sunset, or just before dawn, they can often be heard vocalizing with their well known series of "Hoo H'hoos!"

## Gallery

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. ToadMelody Time (1948)Charlotte's WebPocahontasThe SimpsonsFantasia 2000
Indian Rhinoceros

The Indian rhinoceros (also known as the great one-horned rhinoceros and the Asian one-horned rhinoceros) is a small species of rhinoceros native to parts of Indiaand Nepal. The Indian rhinoceros gets it's common name from the fact that it only has one horn rather than two. Historically, the Indian rhinoceros had a vast range across northern India but today that range has been drastically reduced due to excessive hunting. The Indian rhinocerosis now confined to the tall grasslands and forests that surround the Himalayas Mountain range.

The Indian rhinoceros is one of the smaller rhinoceros species, thought to be most closely related to the Javan rhinoceros. The Indian rhinoceros has one horn which it uses for defence, intimidation, digging up roots and breaking branches during feeding. The horn of the Indian rhinoceros is made from a substance called keratin and is therefore very strong. The horn of the Indian rhinoceros is used in ancient medicine and many Indian rhinos have been illegally poached for them.

The Indian rhinoceros has relatively poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and smell to detect what is going on around them. The ears of the Indian rhinoceros possess a relatively wide rotational range to detect sounds and an excellent sense of smell to readily alert them to the presence of predators. The Indian rhinoceros is a herbivorous animal meaning that it sustains itself on a purely plant based diet. Indian rhinos browse the densely vegetated sub-tropical forest for leaves, flowers, buds, fruits, berries and roots which they dig up from the ground using their horns.

Due to it's large size, the Indian rhino's only real predator in the wild are large wild cats such as tigers that will prey on the Indian rhino calves and weak individuals. Humans are the biggest threat to the Indian rhinoceros as they have been hunted to the brink of extinction for their horns. The Indian rhinoceros is solitary animal and only comes together with other Indian rhinos to mate. The female Indian rhinoceros gives birth to a single calf after a gestation period that is over a year long. The Indian rhinoceros calf remains with it's mother until it is at least 2 years old and big enough to become independent.

Today, the Indian rhinoceros is an endangered animal and has been pushed into only a small fraction of it's historical territory by human hunters and deforestation. There are thought to be around 3,000 Indian rhinoceros individuals left in the wild, two thirds of which are believed to be in the Assam region of India.

## Gallery

Indian rhinoceros in the waterIndian Rhino GrazingIndian Rhino Showing Lower IncisorsMother Rhino with CalfThe Jungle Book 2Jungle CubsThe Jungle Book (2016)Cats Don't DancePlanet ZooGlobehunters: An Around the World in 80 AdventureStanley
Florida Panther

The **Florida panther** is an endangered subspecies of cougar (*Puma concolor*) that lives in forests and swamps of southern Florida in the United States. Its current taxonomic status (*Puma concolor coryi* or *Puma concolor couguar*) is unresolved, but recent genetic research alone does not alter the legal conservation status. This subspecies of cougar is sometimes referred to as cougar, mountain lion, puma, and catamount, but in the southeastern United States and particularly Florida, it is exclusively known as the panther, with respect to its distinction from different cougar subspecies found in other regions of the United States. Florida panthers are usually found in pinelands, hardwood hammocks, and mix swamp forests.

Males can weigh up to 160 pounds (73 kg) and live within a range that includes the Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Picayune Strand State Forest, rural communities of Collier County, Florida including Golden Gate Estates, Hendry County, Florida, Lee County, Florida, Miami-Dade County, Florida and Monroe County, Florida. This population, the only unequivocal cougar representative in the eastern United States, currently occupies 5% of its historic range. In the 1970s, there were an estimated 20 Florida panthers in the wild, although their numbers had increased to an estimated 230 by 2017.

## Diet

Florida panthers primarily eat white-tailed deer, but they will also hunt wild boar, rabbit, raccoon, armadillo, birds and other animals, including small alligators.

## Habitat & Range

Panthers historically ranged across the southeastern United States including Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and parts of Tennessee and South Carolina. Now, the breeding population of Florida panthers is found only in the southern tip of Florida, south of the Caloosahatchee River. In recent years, young male panthers have traveled north into central and northeast Florida, and one even dispersed to west-central Georgia near the Alabama border. Females do not roam as widely and none have been documented outside of south Florida in decades.

## Behavior

Panthers are habitat generalists, which means they use a variety of habitat types, including forests, prairies and swamps. They are solitary and territorial animals that travel hundreds of miles within their home ranges. Panthers are mostly active between dusk and dawn, resting during the heat of the day. Males have a home range on average of 200 square miles and females about 75 square miles. Panthers are usually quiet, but they do communicate through vocalizations that have been described as chirps, peeps, whistles, purrs, moans, screams, growls, and hisses. Females signal their readiness to mate by yowling or caterwauling.

## Reproduction

Rarely do all kittens survive. Kittens are born with dark spots that soon fade away as they become adults. They stay with their mother for up to two years.
Gobi Bear

The **Gobi bear**, ***Ursus arctos gobiensis*** (known in Mongolian as the *mazaalai* / Мазаалай) is a subspecies of the brown bear, *Ursus arctos*, that is found in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. It is listed as critically endangered by Mongolian Redbook of Endangered Species and by the Zoological Society of London using IUCN standards, the population included only around 20 adults and were separated by enough distance. Gobi bears mainly eat roots, berries, and other plants, sometimes rodents, there were no evidence that they ate large mammals. Small compared to other brown bear subspecies, adult males weigh about 96.0–138.0 kilograms (211.6–304.2 lb) and females about 51.0–78.0 kilograms (112.4–172.0 lb). The Gobi brown bear is sometimes classified as being of the same subspecies as the Tibetan blue bear; this is based on morphological similarities, and the belief that the desert-dwelling Gobi bear represents a relict population of the blue bear. However, the Gobi bear is sometimes classified as its own subspecies, and closely resembles other Asian brown bears.
Golden-Crowned Lemur

One of the medium sized primates is the Golden-Crowned Sifaka Lemur. They are very limited in number and location. There isn’t much known about them and they were only identified as a unique species in 1974. They are a fascinating type of animal but much about them remains a mystery today.

## Description

The fur of the Golden-Crowned Sifaka Lemur is a white or cream color. On top of the head though is a crown of gold which is where the name comes from. They weigh about 7 ½ pounds as mature adults. They have a very long tail that they rely on for vertical leaping and for climbing. It is a myth though that Lemurs use these long tails to hang from trees like some primates are able to do.

## Distribution

The Golden-Crowned Sifaka Lemur has the most restricted distribution of any Lemurs on Madagascar Island. They are found along the Northeast portion of it. There are estimated to be between 6,000 and 10,000 of them that remain in the wild. They primarily live in the trees and stick to the lower elevations. However, if food is hard to come by they will move up higher to see what they can find.

## Behavior

The Golden-Crowned Sifaka Lemur is usually active during the day. During the rainy season though you will find them being active at early morning too. They live in small family groups with about 6 members. There is usually a very close ratio of males to females in those family groups. Scent markings are very common among these species of Lemurs, more so than any other of them. This helps them to find each other and to be able to tell if there are outsiders in their home range territory. The Golden-Crowned Sifaka Lemur has a very large range of vocalizations that they offer. These sounds allow them to be able to find each other, to warn of predators, and even to give off the message that they are feeling stressed.

## Diet /Feeding

Due to the small geographical location where these Lemurs live, they only travel about ½ of a mile per day to find food. They consume nuts, fruits, twigs, and nectar. What they will eat often depends on the time of year. Since they don’t have a wide range for roaming they have to be very opportunistic with what they find.

## Reproduction

Mating usually occurs at the end of January. The gestation period is close to 6 months. The young offspring will feed from the mother for about 5 months. They will be able to forage for food on their own as the wet season approaches. This is when there will be the most abundance of food available. The mature females only mate about every two years. This slow rate of reproduction has been a big obstacle in the quest to increase the overall population. The fact that there is also a high mortality rate means that very few of them reach the age of maturity in the wild.

## Conservation

Since the Golden-Crowned Sifaka Lemur was first spotted in 1974 their numbers have continued to decline. Many experts feel they won’t be able to survive more than few decades if substantial conservation efforts to their natural habitat aren’t made. Illegal hunting and trapping continue to be problems to overcome. These type of Lemurs are often sold as pets.
Fire Skink

The **fire skink** (*Lepidothyris fernandi*), also known as the **true fire skink** or **Togo fire skink**, is a fairly large skink, a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is known for its bright and vivid coloration. Native to tropical forests in Western Africa, the fire skink lives fifteen to twenty years. This species is a diurnal lizard that loves to burrow and hide. It is relatively shy and reclusive, but may become tame in captivity.

## Etymology

The specific name, *fernandi*, refers to the island formerly known as Fernando Po, which has been called Bioko since 1979. It is known in the Yoruba language, spoken in Western Africa, as Ọlọyọmbẹ́rẹ́.

## Taxonomy

Historically, the fire skink has been placed in several different genera and was until recently placed in *Riopa* together with several skinks from southeast Asia. While these are superficially similar to the African fire skink, they are closer to some other Asian skinks, resulting in their move to *Lygosoma*. The fire skink is not closely related to other skinks and belongs to the genus *Lepidothyris*. However, a review of the taxonomy of the fire skink did reveal that it, as traditionally defined, actually consists of three separate species. This essentially limits true *L. fernandi* to tropical Western Africa, while population in Central and East Africa are *L. hinkeli* and *L. striatus*.

## Description

The fire skink is a fairly large species of skink, reaching up to 37 cm (15 in) in total length (including tail). The most notable aspect of the fire skink's appearance is its vivid, bright colors. Smooth, gold scales adorn the fire skink's back, while red and black bars set against a silver background line its sides. The fire skink does not display obvious sexual dimorphism, which makes it difficult to sex. Males are, in general, bulkier than females with a slightly flatter head and wider jaws.

## Reproduction

The fire skink, unlike many other skink species, is oviparous. An adult female will generally lay a clutch of five to nine eggs after mating. Fire skink eggs take forty to fifty days to hatch when incubated at a temperature of 85 °F (29 °C).

## Diet

*L. fernandi* has a large appetite, and it is mainly insectivorous. Insects such as crickets, and larvae such as mealworms, are used for feeding captive specimens.

## In Captivity

The fire skink is kept as a pet. Many specimens available for sale are wild-caught, but captive-bred skinks are available. The fire skink requires a larger tank with plenty of horizontal space, as well as some vertical space for its occasional tendency to climb.[4] It also requires a loose substrate for burrowing. The environment should be moist and humid, with plenty of ground cover to create hiding places. One end of the tank should be warmed with a lamp for basking. Live insects are a proper diet, and some keepers provide an occasional pinkie mouse.
Ivory-Billed Woodcreeper

The **ivory-billed woodcreeper** (*Xiphorhynchus flavigaster*) is a species of bird in the Dendrocolaptinae subfamily.

It is found in the United States, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and very, very large temperate forest.
Long-Tailed Duck

The long-tailed duck, once known as oldsquaw, is a medium-sized sea duck. It is the only living member of its genus, Clangula. This was formerly used for the goldeneyes, with the long-tailed duck being placed in Harelda, but the latter is the type species of the genus.

## Description

Formerly known in the United States as the Oldsquaw, the Long-tailed Duck is a distinctive sea duck with a short bill and heavy body. The short, pointed, all-dark wings of the Long-tailed Duck are evident in all sexes and plumages. In breeding plumage, the male has a long, black tail-plume, a white rump and belly, and black breast. The head and back are black, with brown shoulders and a white patch around the eye. In winter the brown on the back is replaced by white, and the head is white with a gray cheek-patch. In spring, the female is gray with a white rump, and white around the eye and at the nape of the neck. In winter, she has a white face with dark crown and cheek-patch. The juvenile is similar to the female--gray with white, although it has more white on its face than the female.

## Habitat

Long-tailed Ducks breed in shallow tundra ponds and lakes around the northern parts of Canada and Asia. During other seasons, Long-tailed Ducks can be found on the ocean over sandy substrates. They prefer sheltered water, but can be found on the open ocean as well.

## Behavior

Long-tailed Ducks dive and swim under water, and, while they propel themselves with their feet like other ducks, their wings are sometimes partly opened under water. Most feeding is done within 30 feet of the surface, but they are capable of diving more than 200 feet below the surface. Long-tailed Ducks fly low with stiff and shallow wing-beats, often tilting from side to side.

## Diet

For Long-tailed Ducks at sea, mollusks and crustaceans are the main source of food. In summer, aquatic insects, other aquatic invertebrates, and some plant material are eaten.

## Nesting

Most female Long-tailed Ducks first breed at the age of two. Pair bonds are established in the winter, or during the spring migration, and last until incubation begins. The nest is located on dry ground close to the water, often hidden in the undergrowth or among rocks. It is a depression lined with plant material and great quantities of down that the female adds to the nest after she begins laying. She usually lays from 6 to 11 eggs and incubates them for 24 to 29 days. Shortly after hatching, the young leave the nest and can swim and dive well. The female tends them and may dislodge food items for them when she is diving, but they feed themselves. They first fly at 35 to 40 days.