Common name : Greek tortoise, Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise Scientific name : Testudo graeca Family : Testudinidae Native to : Spain, Africa, Europe and the Middle East Interesting fact : The spur-thighed tortoise is confused with the Hermanns tortoise as they look alike. Conservation status : Vulnerable The spur-thighed tortoise can be identified by a conical […]
Scientific name : Naja sp. Family : Elapidae Native to : Africa, South-West Asia, South Asia and South-East Asia Interesting fact : They can spit venom up to a distance of 2 metres. Conservation status : Least Concern Spitting cobras can squirt the venom through holes in their fangs. This happens when muscles squeeze the
Beavers are known to be the most well-known animal architects. These prolific builders cut trees and gather sticks and mud to construct dams with their front teeth, which create ponds that offer protection from predators and easy access to food during winter. The front teeth of the beaver never stop growing. Beavers’ constant gnawing on
Why are beavers considered to be excellent architects? Read More »
Common name : Black spiny softshell, Eastern spiny softshell, Texas spiny softshell Scientific name : Apalone spinifera Family : Trionychidae Native to : North America Interesting fact : Spiny softshell turtles can breathe through their skins and stay under water for up to 5 hours. Conservation status : Least Concern A soft and round, skin-like
Common name : Spiny-sided chameleon Scientific name : Trioceros laterispinis Family : Chamaeleonidae Native to : United Republic of Tanzania Conservation status : Vulnerable The spiny flanked chameleon is a spiky little creature with spines on its back, tail and sides. They are quite colourful with olive, brown-black and white markings on the body. As
The superb lyrebird is a natural mimic. It can mimic sounds from Nature. It is commonly found in the Australian forests and it can imitate complex sounds like camera shutters, other birds, especially the laughing kookaburras and interestingly, the wing beats of small birds. Although not much is known about the bird yet its hearing
Why is the superb lyrebird considered a superb mimic? Read More »
Common name : Beaded sea snake, Marbled sea snake, Eydoux’ sea snake Scientific name : Aipysurus eydouxii Family : Hydrophiidae Native to : Distributed from northern coast of Australia to South-East Asia Interesting fact : Spine-tailed sea snake is one of the only two sea snakes that have a diet of eggs only. Conservation status
Scientific name : Lampropeltis getula holbrooki Family : Colubridae Native to : United States Interesting fact : When threatened they shake their tails and expel foul-smelling musk. Conservation status : Not Assessed Living in swamps and rivers is the speckled kingsnake with its ‘salt and pepper’ look. They are covered in black scales and yellow
Snow leopards have beautiful thick white fur, with ringed spots of black or brown that act as an excellent camouflage. Snow leopards are extremely elusive by Nature, and live among the Himalayan peaks. They live and travel in solitude over vast distances of isolated and rugged mountain ranges. Interestingly, although they are big cats like
Why are snow leopards called ‘ghosts of the mountain’? Read More »
Common name : Speckled padloper Scientific name : Homopus signatus Family : Testudinidae Native to : South Africa and Namibia Interesting fact : The tortoise, unlike its relatives, has five toes on its forefeet. Conservation status : Near Threatened The smallest tortoise in the world, the speckled cape tortoise, has a flat shell to hide
Common name : White caiman, Common caiman Scientific name : Caiman crocodilus Family : Alligatoridae Native to : Central and South America Interesting fact : Nest temperatures above 32 degrees produce female caimans or vice versa. Conservation status : Least Concern A bony ridge connects the eyes of the caiman like a pair of spectacles.
These rare, large owls mainly live in the Arctic in open, treeless areas called ‘tundra’. One of the largest species of owls, it makes its nest on the ground. These beautiful birds have white and dark brown feathers covering their bodies that camouflage them in their usually snowy habitat. They are well equipped for hunting
Common name : Hissing sand snake, Blow viper Scientific name : Heterodon simus Family : Colubridae Native to : South-Eastern United States Interesting fact : When defensive, it will play dead or puff up, form a hood, hiss continuously and pretend to strike. Conservation status : Vulnerable The Southern hog-nosed snake has an upturned snout
Scientific name : Pseudophryne corroboree Family : Myobatrachidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : Their decline is attributed to a fungal infection by the chytrid fungus. Conservation status : Critically Endangered Found exclusively high up in Mouth Kosciusko National Park, New South Wales, is the Southern Corroboree frog. Its rough skin is covered in
Stick insects look like twigs of sticks and are practically invisible from almost anywhere. They are herbivorous and spend their life on trees where they also get their food. Their brown, thin-shaped bodies make them invisible to their enemies. They can also be green in colour. They tend to freeze when threatened and may even
Why are stick insects so successful at camouflage? Read More »