Just an adorable pile of sleepy lion cubs
Lions are social animals, and therefore, like being with each other. These lion cubs are the perfect example of such behavior, being all piled up in a corner for a snooze. Doesn't it make you want to be there with them?!
The lion (Panthera leo) is one of the five species of big cats belonging to the Panthera genus, along with the tiger (Panthera tigris), the leopard (Panthera pardus), the jaguar (Panthera onca), and the Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia).
Lions are found in most sub-Saharan countries in Africa, but originally their range used to be much wider, from Northern Africa through Southwest Asia, east into India, and west into Europe.
Lions are found in most African habitats, being only absent from the interior of the Sahara desert and tropical rainforest. When there is not water available for them to drink, they get moisture from their prey, and sometimes even plants, which allows them to live in very arid environments.
Lions are the most social of all cat species, and related females and their cubs live together in groups called prides, and males form coalitions.
The most characteristic feature of lions is the males' prominent mane, which goes from light buff to silvery grey, yellowish red and dark brown.
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Adorable penguin chicks chase light reflection
These adorable penguin chicks were hand-reared from rescued eggs that were incubated at a rescue center, and as soon as they are old and strong enough, they will be released into a penguin colony. Every child is curious, and these penguin chicks are no different! When they saw a reflection of the sun on the wall, they were very intrigued and started chasing it like a cat would do… well, in their own penguin-chick way! Of course, they are still very young, and one even loses it!+ How adorable is that?!
The African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is also known as South African Penguin, Cape Penguin, Black-footed Penguin, and Jackass Penguin. It shares the Spheniscus genus with three other species: the Magellanic Penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus), the Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti), and the Galapagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus). All four species have similar coloration, but the African Penguin cannot be mistaken by any of the other three in the wild, as it is confined to southern African waters, whereas the other species are found in South America.
With the exception of the Galapagos Penguin, which is found north of the Equator, all penguin species live in the Southern Hemisphere. Because penguins are flightless birds who spend a large portion of their time in the water, their wings have been modified into flippers, to make them better swimmers.
A penguin's coloration is counter-shaded for camouflage, with a white front and black back, so that when they are swimming, it is hard for a predator looking up to distinguish them from the reflective water surface, whereas the black helps them when seen from above.
Their aquatically adapted bodies make them waddle when they walk, so another way to move around out of the water is to slide on their bellies in the snow or on ice, using their feet to steer and propel themselves. Penguins can also jump, which is often observed in Rockhopper Penguins.
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Whale Sharks will swim through you if you don't get out of the way
The Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest fish species in the world, reaching 10 meters in length, and weighing 9 tons! But in spite of its impressive size, the whale shark is a filter feeder, which means that it only eats plankton, and it is harmless to us. Of all animals in the world, the Whale Shark is the one with the thickest skin, reaching up to 15 cm (6 in), covered in dermal denticles, which are tough, tooth-like scales, and it regenerates quickly after an attack.
Because Whale Sharks don't really have to worry about predators, they aren't scared of people, and won't bother to swim around you if you are in its way, so even though Whale Sharks are harmless, you might want to move out of the way if you see one movin towards you!
It is the sole species in the Rhincodon genus, and the only member of the Rhincodontidae family, although it shares the Orectolobiformes order with a diverse group of sharks from all over the world, including the 30 cm long Barbelthroat Carpet Shark (Cirrhoscyllium expolitum), with a total of 43 species.
Whale Sharks are endangered, and major threats include fisheries catches, bycatch in nets, and boat strikes. Unfortunately, recent studies show that Whale Shark fins are now demanding high prices, which should result in increased targeting.
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Heroic biologist helps a crippled sea turtle dig her nest
This female sea turtle is ready to lay her eggs, but she needs to dig a nest first. The problem is that she is missing a flipper, which makes it much harder. Thankfully, a biologist who was monitoring the nesting sea turtles gave her a hand (literally)!
The video is dark because only red light can be used on nesting sea turtles, so that it won't scare them away.
There are seven species of Sea Turtles in the world: the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas), the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta), the Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), the Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), and the Flatback Sea Turtle (Natator depressus).
The animal in the video is an Olive Ridley, the second smallest species, but the most abundant one, although it is listed as a Vulnerable species.
When they hatch, sea turtles crawl to the ocean, where the survivors spend the rest of their lives. Males never go back to land, but females have to, so that they can nest. They find their way back to the same beach where they hatched, decades later, then crawl up the beach, usually when it is dark, and when they find the perfect spot, the digging begins. It can take a whole hour to dig a nest, then lay the eggs, cover it up, and make sure nobody finds it, because that is all the parental care they are going to get: making sure the eggs are as safe as possible before the mother goes back to the ocean. It is truly impressive how they can dig such a perfect nest, having only flippers. They slowly scoop the sand out with one hind flipper, throw it away, then make sure there's no sand left on the other flipper before putting that one down in the hole to repeat the process. Pay attention when watching the video and you'll be able to observe that meticulous process.
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Stumbling upon an African Coral Snake at night
When out for a walk with a UV light, in search of scorpions, this group of people found something a bit different than what they were looking for. In spite of being a venomous species, this snake (like most snakes) didn't want any trouble and was not aggressive towards its observers, instead, it looked for a place to hide, which shows that snakes do not attack without a reason.
The Cape Coral Cobra (Aspidelaps lubricus) is a venomous elapid from Southern Africa. It can be found in south Africa, Nambia and Angola. This colorful nocturnal snake inhabits desert, fynbos, Karoo scrub, outcrops and stony, dry, sandy regions in arid savanna, taking shelter under rocks. It can often be seen crossing the road at night.
Although it is called "coral cobra", snakes in the Aspidelaps genus are not true cobras. They receive the name due to their cobra-like behavior when confronted, lifting their head off the ground, and flattening the neck region, but the hood is not nearly as well-developed as in the snakes in the Naja genus.
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Young rescued baboons enjoying some free time in the wild
These young baboons lost their mothers and had to be rescued when they were just little babies, and now have to grow up at a wildlife sanctuary. They do live in enclosures, but because they need to exercise, they are taken on daily walks. During these walks they are completely free to explore the wild, run and play around, and they love it!
The Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus), is one of the five species of baboons, along with the Yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus), the Olive baboon (Papio anubis), the Guinea baboon (Papio papio), and the Hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas). With the exception of the Hamadryas Baboon, which also occurs in the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, they are all native to the African continent. The Chacma Baboon occurs all over southern Africa, up to the Zambezi valley, Caprivi, and southern Angola.
Two subspecies of Chacma Baboon are recognized: Papio ursinus griseipes, occuring in south-west Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique; and Papio ursinus ursinus, occuring in all provinces of South Africa and throughout Namibia.
They have the need to drink water daily, making water a limiting factor for their range, but they occupy subdesert and steppes, savanna, all types of woodland, montane regions, Cape Fynbos and Succulent Karoo.
Chacma Baboons live in troops of usually 20 to 50 members, but up to 130 individuals have been recorded together. The troops contain adult males, females and the babies, and it has a complex social structure, and are ranked by dominance.
Baboons are omnivorous and opportunistic, which means that they eat a little bit of everything, and will take whatever they can get their hands on, even though they might show a preference for bulbs, shoots, roots, seeds, and fruits. They can also eat fungi, lichen, invertebrates, small vertebrates and, occasionally, even small antelopes, or lambs and small stock, in some ranching areas.
They are usually considered pests, for raiding crops and livestock, which makes people shoot and poison them. They are also hunted for bushmeat, captured for the pet trade and can be used for medical research, but victims of urbanization as well, getting hit by cars or electrocuted.
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Old cheetah gets chopped meat to be able to eat
This cheetah had to be rescued and now lives in a pre-release area. In spite of the area being really big, it is still an enclosed area, so the cheetah can't hunt, since there are no preys in there, which means that it still needs to get fed. At an old age, this cheetah barely has any teeth, so she needs to get chopped meat to be able to eat it.
The Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), is native to Africa and Asia, although it has been extirpated from nearly all of its Asian range. They could once be found from the shores of the Mediterranean and the Arabian Peninsula, west through central India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and north to the northern shores of the Aral and Caspian Seas, but nowadays are limited to the central deserts of Iran. Although cheetahs still occur in several African countries, they now only occupy 10% of their historic range.
Five subspecies are recognized: Acinonyx jubatus hecki, in Northwest Africa; Acinonyx jubatus earsoni, in East Africa; Acinonyx jubatus jubatus, in Southern Africa; Acinonyx jubatus soemmerringi, in Northeast Africa; and Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, from Northern Africa to central India.
Cheetahs are classified as Vulnerable, although the subspecies Acinonyx jubatus venaticus and Acinonyx jubatus heckii are listed as Critically Endangered.
They can be found in dry forest, thick scrub, grassland and hyperarid deserts. They are only absent from montane and tropical forests.
Cheetahs are mostly known as the fastest land mammals, however, they are only able to sustain top speeds for a few hundred meters. If they don't succeed at their hunt by then, they need to give up and rest, otherwise they overheat.
Unlike other cat species, female cheetahs are solitary, accompanied only by their young, and males can be solitary or live in coalitions of two or three, usually consisting of brothers, but not necessarily.
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Research boat has extremely close encounter with fin whale
This video was shot while researching the whales with the Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS), for conservation purposes. The motor was turned off, to avoid any accidents. They must be admired from a safe distance, and must not be approached.
The Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus), also known as Finback Whale and Common Rorqual, is the second largest whale in the world, and the second largest animal that has ever been recorded, reaching a length of 27.3 m (89.6 ft) and nearly 74 tonnes, although the average size in the Northern Hemisphere is about 18.5 m (61 ft) for adult males and 20 m (66 ft), for adult females, weighing 38.5 and 50.5 tonnes,respectively. In the Southern Hemisphere they are a bit larger, with males having and average length of 20.5 m (67 ft), and weighing 52.3 tonnes, and females being 22 m long (72 ft), and weighing 63 tonnes.
Fin Whales share the Balaenoptera genus with seven other extant species: the Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus), the Omura's Whale (Balaenoptera oomurai), the Bryde's Whale (Balaenoptera brydei), the Eden's Whale (Balaenoptera edeni), the Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis), the Common Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and the Antarctic Minke Whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis). These, along with the Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), form the Balaenopteridae family, and are called Rorquals, the largest group of all baleen whales.
Fin Whales are found all over the world, but are rare in the tropics, preferring cold waters. They eat mainly crustaceans, but can sometimes prey heavily on fish.
Before the 19th century, Fin Whales were too hard to catch, but due to modern whaling, in the 20th century, they were depleted worldwide, until they were protected in the Southern Hemisphere and in the North Pacific in 1975. Boat strikes and by-catch are also threats to these beautiful giants of the sea.
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Super cute coati plays with caretaker just like a doggy
These coatis used to be kept as pets at a very young age. But in spite of having been legally bought, coatis are still wild animals, and make terrible pets, even though they extremely cute and makes you want to cuddle them. So, after a little while, their owner realized that was a really bad idea, donating them to an institute that could care for them properly. But those animals, growing up as pets, could not be released, for they are now humanized, and are no longer afraid of people. So they started being used for educational purposes, so that students could learn how to properly handle wildlife, but in order to do that, they would have to not attack the students handling them, which, for a coati, is a lot to ask. So their caretaker had to sit with them, every day, for them to get accustomed to it, and cooperate, otherwise they would simply be animals in captivity.
Coatis look extremely adorable, and they are, as long as you do (and let them do) whatever they and want! Otherwise, they can be vicious! You can see the one in the video acting super cute and playing like a dog, but do not be mistaken, they are nothing like dogs!
South American Coatis (Nasua nasua) are very energetic animals, and extremely curious! They spend most of their time exploring, climbing, while looking for food or anything else they can steal, causing trouble in the process! They don't take no for an answer, and will climb on people and search every inch of them, trying to find something they consider interesting! They have a very similar personality to raccoons, members of the same family (Procyonidae). The family is also shared with Olingos, Oliguito, Kinkajou, Ringtail, Cacomistle, as well as other species of coati.
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Hanging out with a rescued baby baboon
This adorable baby baboon had to be rescued when it was still very little, but since baboons are social animals, they love being around their carers.
The Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus), is one of the five species of baboons, along with the Yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus), the Olive baboon (Papio anubis), the Guinea baboon (Papio papio), and the Hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas). With the exception of the Hamadryas Baboon, which also occurs in the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, they are all native to the African continent. The Chacma Baboon occurs all over southern Africa, up to the Zambezi valley, Caprivi, and southern Angola.
Two subspecies of Chacma Baboon are recognized: Papio ursinus griseipes, occuring in south-west Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique; and Papio ursinus ursinus, occuring in all provinces of South Africa and throughout Namibia.
They have the need to drink water daily, making water a limiting factor for their range, but they occupy subdesert and steppes, savanna, all types of woodland, montane regions, Cape Fynbos and Succulent Karoo.
Chacma Baboons live in troops of usually 20 to 50 members, but up to 130 individuals have been recorded together. The troops contain adult males, females and the babies, and it has a complex social structure, and are ranked by dominance.
Baboons are omnivorous and opportunistic, which means that they eat a little bit of everything, and will take whatever they can get their hands on, even though they might show a preference for bulbs, shoots, roots, seeds, and fruits. They can also eat fungi, lichen, invertebrates, small vertebrates and, occasionally, even small antelopes, or lambs and small stock, in some ranching areas.
They are usually considered pests, for raiding crops and livestock, which makes people shoot and poison them. They are also hunted for bushmeat, captured for the pet trade and can be used for medical research, but victims of urbanization as well, getting hit by cars or electrocuted.
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Young rescued Wild Dog behaves like a domestic dog
This young rescued Wild Dog was sick, and had to be kept in quarantine before getting moved to a big enclosure, to live with a companion. Although they are not closely related to domestic dogs, the resemblance can't go unnoticed, as she explores her enclosure and gets in the water. But do not be mistaken, this is a wild animal and could not (and should not) be kept as a pet!
The African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus), also known as African Painted Dog, is one of the most endangered mammals in the world! It has been considered endangered for over twenty years, and with an estimate of about 6,600 remaining in the wild. They are not only shot or poisoned by farmers, for being accused of killing livestock, but their main threat is habitat fragmentation, which not only subjects them to disease outbreaks, but increases the human-wild dog conflict.
Their scientific name means "painted dog", due to their mottled coat, which has brown, yellow, white and black colors. And even though that is true for every Wild Dog, each of them will have a unique pattern, which makes it easy to be visually identified. Unlike other canids, they have no underfur, and it's entirely consisted of stiff bristle-hairs. The fur is gradually lost with age, making old individuals nearly bald.
Wild Dogs are highly social animals, and almost exclusively live in packs, usually of up to ten individuals, but packs with over 40 members have been recorded. A lone Wild Dog has a very slim chance of survival, and packs don’t accept new members. There is monogamous alpha mating pair in charge of the pack, but the pups are the ones who get to feed first, and the rest of the group has to patiently wait for their turn. The pack shares a very strong bond and when a member is injured or ill, and is unable to hunt, the other ones will care for it and feed it, making sure it doesn't die.
Because the pack has such a coordinated nature, they have an 80% success rate with hunts, making them extremely effective predators!
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Adorable rescued Tayra loves sweet potato
This adorable young Tayra had to be rescued, so now he depends on his caretakers to feed him. As an omnivorous animal, his diet is both animal and plant based, and he particularly loves sweet potatoes! Just look at that happy face!
The Tayra (Eira Barbara), is the sole member of its genus, but shares the Mustelidae family with over 50 other species, such as otters, weasels, ferrets, badgers, martens, polecats, grisons, and minks. It resembles its arctic cousin, the Wolwerine (Gulo gulo).
The Tayra is native to the Americas, and is currently split into nine subspecies: Eira barbara barbara, in southern and central Brazil, western Bolivia, Paraguay and northern Argentina; Eira barbara inserta, from central Costa Rica to southern Guatemala; Eira barbara madeirensis, from northern Brazil to western Ecuador; Eira barbara peruana, from Bolivia to the Peruvian Andes; Eira barbara poliocephala, from northeastern Brazil to the Guianas and eastern Venezuela; Eira barbara senex, from northern Honduras to central Mexico; Eira barbara sinuensis, from Panama to western Venezuela and Colombia; Eira barbara biologiae; Eira barbara senilis.
It is an arboreal animal, although it also uses the forest floor. It is mostly diurnal, but sometimes crepuscular. It is solitary and it can travel long distances within its home range. It is an opportunistic animal, hunting small mammals such as rodents, but also birds, lizards, and invertebrates, as well as climbing trees to get fruit and steal honey.
The Tayra is found mostly in tropical and subtropical forests, secondary rain forests, gallery forests, cloud forests, but also in dry scrub forests, gardens, and plantations, and it does well in agricultural areas and near human settlements. They live in tree hollows or burrows in the ground. The destruction of its habitat is the Tayra's biggest threat, forcing it to live closer and closer to humans.
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Rescued Vervet Monkeys love getting bottle-fed
These adorable Vervet Monkeys were orphaned and rescued at a very early age, and had to grow up at a wildlife center. In order to be able to return to the wild, they can't be humanized, which means that they can't get used to people, or they would approach them once they are free, and it would result in they either getting captured and kept as pets, or killed, so even when getting bottle-fed, a distance is kept. They still enjoy it just the same, and one even closes its eyes! How cute are they?!
The Vervet Monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) is an Old World monkey, which means that it belongs to the Cercopithecidae family, the largest of all primate families, comprising 138 species of primates.
The term "vervet" is used to refer to all members of the Chlorocebus genus, although it is still debated whether there are several species or only one, with several subspecies.
They are native to the African continent, and can be found as far north as Egypt, and as far south as South Africa. They occupy savanna, open woodland, and forest-grassland mosaic, preferably close to rivers, being generally absent from desert areas and deep forest. It's a common and abundant species; flexible and easily adapted to secondary and highly fragmented vegetation, including cultivated areas and rural and urban environments, where it is often considered a pest, which gets them hunted and shot, causing many babies to become orphaned. In some areas, they become bushmeat.
Vervet Monkeys live in large troops of up to 38 individuals, with one dominant male. The females are usually related to one another, but many unrelated males may be present.
With a life-span of 10 to 11 years, females become sexually mature at age four, and males at age five. They breed from April to June, and a single offspring is born five months later.
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Hanging out with baby caracals
These adorable baby caracals, unfortunately, didn't have the chance to grow up in the wild, but they received the best possible care at a wildlife sanctuary in Africa. Although these plush-toy-like cats look extremely cute and make you want to have one, caracals are wild animals and should not be kept as pets!
The caracal (Caracal caracal) shares its genus with the African Golden Cat (Caracal aurata), although it is also closely related to the Serval (Leptailurus serval). It is divided into three subspecies: the Southern Caracal (Caracal caracal caracal), the Northern Caracal (Caracal caracal nubicus), and the Asiatic Caracal (Caracal caracal schmitzi).
Also known as Desert Lynx because of its tufted ears, however, caracals are not spotted and blotched, as lynx are. The caracal is a slender, medium-sized cat with long and powerful legs, that allow it to leap higher than 3 m in the air to catch prey.
The species is widely distributed across Africa, Central Asia, and south-west Asia into India. In the African country, it is only absent from the equatorial forest belt and from much of the central Sahara, but having a continuous range to the west and east of the central Sahara, which links the ranges to the north and south.
Caracals prefer drier woodland and savanna regions with lower rainfall and some cover, although they can be found in various habitats, from semi-desert to relatively open savanna, scrubland, moist woodland and thicket or evergreen/montane forest. They are, however, absent from true desert, tending to be associated with some form of vegetative cover.
They usually feed on rodents and other small to medium-sized mammals, but also prey on birds, reptiles, fish, and even invertebrates.
Caracals had great importance in ancient Egypt, playing a religious role, and can be found in paintings and statues from that time.
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Manta Ray appears to be "flying" through the water
Swimming with mantas had been a dream of mine for years, and after a whole month looking for them (I had been in the water with them twice, but hadn't seen them), I finally had this encounter... we swam with it for over five minutes, and once I couldn't kick anymore and thought that was it, another one showed up! And the same thing happened... there were quite a few mantas around and being in the water with them is an indescribable feeling!
The Giant Manta Ray (Mobula birostris), also known as Oceanic Manta Ray, is one of the two currently accepted manta species, the other one being the Reef Manta Ray (Mobula alfredi). Until recently, they used to belong to the Manta genus, but it was discovered that they are very closely related to the rays belonging to the Mobula genus, so now the mantas are also classified in the Mobula genus, along with nine species of Devil Rays. There is a possible third species of Manta being researched in the Atlantic, sharing some similarities with the Giant Manta Ray, but also some clear differences.
The Giant Manta Ray is the biggest species of Ray and the fifth biggest species of fish in the world. While all rays have a cartilaginous skeleton, flattened bodies, enlarged pectoral fins fused to the head, and gill slits on the underside, Mobulids have triangular-shaped pectoral fins, and two cephalic lobes extending from the front of their heads to help with feeding. They are filter feeders, and these modified fins help to conduct the food into their mouths.
Because of their wing-like pectoral fins, they are not bottom dwellers, like other rays species, but flap them to swim, which makes them look like they are flying under the under. Such majestic creatures! It is an unforgettable sighting!
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Rescued Saki Monkey wants to befriend caretaker
This Saki Monkey was rescued from the illegal pet trade, and now lives at a rescue center in the Peruvian Amazon. She is very nice, but also very shy, and doesn't let people pet her and such, but she does want to befriend her caretaker. She is still unsure about it, and only approaches her and the caretaker looks away, then the monkey comes close and touches her hand. Little by little a friendship is born… animals are fascinating!
Saki Monkeys are New World Monkeys belonging to the Pithecia genus. Sixteen species are recognized: the Equatorial Saki (Pithecia aequatorialis), the White-footed Saki, also known as the Buffy Saki (Pithecia albicans), the Cazuza's Saki (Pithecia cazuzai), the Golden-faced Saki (Pithecia chrysocephala), the Hairy Saki (Pithecia hirsutea), the Burnished Saki (Pithecia inusta), the Rio Tapajós Saki, also known as the Gray's Bald-faced Saki (Pithecia irrorata), the Isabel's Saki (Pithecia isabela), the Monk Saki (Pithecia monachus), the Miller's Saki (Pithecia milleri), the Mittermeier's Tapajós Saki (Pithecia mittermeieri), the Napo Saki (Pithecia napensis), the White-faced Saki (Pithecia pithecia), the Pissinatti’s Bald-faced Saki (Pithecia pissinattii), the Rylands' Bald-faced Saki (Pithecia rylandsi), and the Vanzolini's Bald-faced Saki (Pithecia vanzolinii).
Saki Monkeys have long, coarse, fluffy hair, which puffs up when they feel threatened, making them look bigger. Coronal hairs are directed forward, making them look like they have bangs.
They are native to the rainforests of South America and rarely come down to ground. They tend to prefer mature forests including various flooded forests, such as várzea, which is the white-water flooded forest, igapó, the black-water flooded forest, palm swamp, also known as Mauritia swamp, and terra firma forest. They are also found in disturbed habitats and in fragments that have secondary forest, although they feed on seeds of large forest tree species, especially the ones in the family Lecythidaceae, which are usually in mature forest.
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Rescued meerkats being funny
These meerkats were rescued and are being cared for at a wildlife sanctuary. They are very entertaining animals to watch, with their funny mannerisms.
The meerkat (Suricata suricatta), also known as suricate, is the sole member of its genus. It belongs to the Herpestidae family, along with 27 species of mongooses, two dwarf mongooses, and four species of kusimanses.
Meerkats are small diurnal carnivores from southern Africa. Three subspecies of meerkats are currently recognized: the Southern African Meerkat (Suricata suricatta suricatta), in South Africa, southern Namibia and Botswana; the Desert Meerkat (Suricata suricatta majoriae), in central and northwestern Namibia and the Namib desert; and the Angolan Meerkat (Suricata suricatta iona), in southwestern Angola.
They are primarily insectivores, but they eat invertebrates in general, such as scorpions, spiders , millipedes, and centipedes, as well as some small vertebrates, such as lizards, snakes and, more rarely, small birds. They also eat eggs, plants and fungi. Meerkats are able to hunt scorpions because they are immune to certain types of venom.
They forage in groups, and there is always one sentry watching for predators while the others look for food. The sentry stands guard for about an hour, making peeping sounds when all is well.
They have claws that are used for digging burrows and finding prey, but can also help them to climb trees. Their tails are used for both balance, when standing up straight, and for signaling other meerkats.
Meerkats have no breeding season, being able to reproduce at any time of year. After about eleven weeks of gestation, a female can give birth to one to four pups in a litter, but the most common is three. They are born undeveloped, and the ears open about 10 days later, and the eyes between 10 and 14 days. Although they start foraging at one month of age, by following an older individual, they are only weaned at around two months.
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First Right Whales of the season show up a month late
Southern Right Whales (Eubalaena australis) feed in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters, traveling North for the breeding season that goes from July to November, with its peak in August-September. Although in the last two seasons they were first seen on July 11th, in Torres - RS, this year they were nearly a month late, and the people from the Farol das Baleias project had already been monitoring the area for 40 days when they finally decided to show up! A mother and calf were seen on August 9th, and everybody ran up to the sea-cliff to see them! Such an exciting moment!
There are two other species of Right Whale: the Northern Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis), and the North Pacific Right Whale (Eubalaena japonica). All three species received this name because whalers referred to them as the "right" whales to kill, due to their large amount of oil and baleen, which had many uses. Also, they usually travel at no more than about 10 miles per hour, making them easy to capture, and they float once they are dead, making the carcass much easier to salvage.
They came close to extinction by 1750, and although they became internationally protected in the first half of the 20th century, they might still go extinct in about 20 years. The populations of Southern Right Whale have been growing since, but the North Atlantic Right Whale is still very rare.
In spite of whaling no longer being a threat to them, their main causes of known mortality are entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes. When ships run into them, the damage is often fatal; they might die at the time of the impact, or later, from blood loss or other complications. And although Ship strikes and fishing gear entanglement are the leading causes of death for North Atlantic Right Whales, they aren't the only ones. Right Whales are very sensitive to noise, so the sound pollution from seismic airguns, etc., is another very real threat, especially when combined with the first two.
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Old rescued cheetah having lunch
This cheetah was rescued many years ago, and now, at old age, she barely has any teeth, so she needs to get chopped meat to be able to eat it. She is still very sweet most of the time and loves receiving visitors, longing for attention. She may not live in the wild, where she was supposed to be, but she got the best life she could!
The Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), is native to Africa and Asia, although it has been extirpated from nearly all of its Asian range. They could once be found from the shores of the Mediterranean and the Arabian Peninsula, west through central India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and north to the northern shores of the Aral and Caspian Seas, but nowadays are limited to the central deserts of Iran. Although cheetahs still occur in several African countries, they now only occupy 10% of their historic range.
Five subspecies are recognized: Acinonyx jubatus hecki, in Northwest Africa; Acinonyx jubatus earsoni, in East Africa; Acinonyx jubatus jubatus, in Southern Africa; Acinonyx jubatus soemmerringi, in Northeast Africa; and Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, from Northern Africa to central India.
Cheetahs are classified as Vulnerable, although the subspecies Acinonyx jubatus venaticus and Acinonyx jubatus heckii are listed as Critically Endangered.
They can be found in dry forest, thick scrub, grassland and hyperarid deserts. They are only absent from montane and tropical forests.
Cheetahs are mostly known as the fastest land mammals, however, they are only able to sustain top speeds for a few hundred meters. If they don't succeed at their hunt by then, they need to give up and rest, otherwise they overheat.
Unlike other cat species, female cheetahs are solitary, accompanied only by their young, and males can be solitary or live in coalitions of two or three, usually consisting of brothers, but not necessarily.
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Rescued baby baboon is too adorable
Both of these baboons are rescued babies, and had to be rescued because they have lost their mothers, however, one is already a few months old, and the little one has recently arrived at the wildlife sanctuary. In spite of being little and still a bit afraid of the world, she is also very curious and loves to play, but always stays near her human caretakers. How adorable is she?!
The Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus), is one of the five species of baboons, along with the Yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus), the Olive baboon (Papio anubis), the Guinea baboon (Papio papio), and the Hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas). With the exception of the Hamadryas Baboon, which also occurs in the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, they are all native to the African continent. The Chacma Baboon occurs all over southern Africa, up to the Zambezi valley, Caprivi, and southern Angola.
Two subspecies of Chacma Baboon are recognized: Papio ursinus griseipes, occuring in south-west Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique; and Papio ursinus ursinus, occuring in all provinces of South Africa and throughout Namibia.
They have the need to drink water daily, making water a limiting factor for their range, but they occupy subdesert and steppes, savanna, all types of woodland, montane regions, Cape Fynbos and Succulent Karoo.
Chacma Baboons live in troops of usually 20 to 50 members, but up to 130 individuals have been recorded together. The troops contain adult males, females and the babies, and it has a complex social structure, and are ranked by dominance.
Baboons are omnivorous and opportunistic, which means that they eat a little bit of everything, and will take whatever they can get their hands on, even though they might show a preference for bulbs, shoots, roots, seeds, and fruits. They can also eat fungi, lichen, invertebrates, small vertebrates and, occasionally, even small antelopes, or lambs and small stock, in some ranching areas.
They are usually considered pests, for raiding crops and livestock, which makes people shoot and poison them. They are also hunted for bushmeat, captured for the pet trade and can be used for medical research, but victims of urbanization as well, getting hit by cars or electrocuted.
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Sweet young rescued kudu gives kisses to human friend
This 1-year-old Greater Kudu was rescued when he was just a baby, and had to be hand-reared, so he is very friendly and loves attention. He even shows affection back to his human friend! How precious is that?!
The Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is one of the largest species of antelopes, and it's known for its fence-jumping abilities, being able to easily jump fences that are 3 meters high, and even 3.5 meters, if needed! It is also known for its beautiful horns, making them the most commonly hunted species in Southern Africa.
It shares the Tragelaphus genus with seven other species: the Lesser Kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis), the Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus), the Imbabala (Tragelaphus sylvaticus), the Kéwel (Tragelaphus scriptus), the Sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii), the Nyala (Tragelaphus angasii), and the Mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni). All of these species are large-sized, lightly built, have long necks, and spiral horns. They also have a considerable sexual dimorphism, which means that males and females look different. The Common Eland (Taurotragus oryx) used to also be in this genus, with the scientific name of Tragelaphus oryx. Is spite both being called Kudu, the Greater Kudu and the Lesser Kudu are not more closely related than the other members of the genus.
Only male Kudus have horns, and they only begin to grow between 6 and 12 months of age, twisting once around two years, and only reaching the full two and a half twists (occasionally three) at 6 years of age.
The Greater Kudu prefers habitats with mixed scrub woodland, acacia, and mopane bush on lowlands, mountains, and hills. They are water-dependent when the vegetation is too dry, but other than that, they can go for long periods without drinking water, getting enough moisture from their food.
They are a preferred species for game-ranching, for being browsers and, therefore, not competing with domestic livestock.
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Rescued manatees adorably kiss each other
These adorably funny manatees were found beached when they were just little babies, and had to be rescued and cared for at a marine mammal rehabilitation center, and should soon be released back into the ocean.
The sense of touch is a manatee's strongest sense. Their faces, covered in hairs, is as sensitive as a human's fingertips, so it is how they investigate things. Their body hairs help them detect slight vibrations in the water. These hairs are called "tactile hairs", and have the function to detect mechanosensory stimuli, instead of providing warmth or protection, such as "pelage hair". The main class of tactile hair is called vibrissae, and it's usually confined to the face area in other animals, but are all over manatee's bodies. Manatees and dugongs are the only animals that have exclusively tactile hairs, and no other type of hair on their bodies.
The West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus) is the largest species of Sirenians alive. The Sirenia order also includes the Amazonian Manatee (Trichechus inunguis) and the African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis).
The West Indian Manatee is currently divided into two subspecies, the Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and the Antillean Manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus), although recent data indicates three separate lineages: one in Florida and the Greater Antilles; another in Western and Southern Gulf of Mexico, Central America, and Northwestern South America, West of the Lesser Antilles; and the third one on Northeastern South America, East of the Lesser Antilles. Evidence indicates that there might be hybridization with the Amazonian Manatee, in some areas near the mouth of the Amazon.
In 2017 the West Indian Manatee’s status has been downgraded from endangered to threatened, but it's essential to have a stronger emphasis on preserving and restoring warm water habitats, and increase the reports of manatee boat strikes, in order to sustain this progress.
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Rescued Rock Dassie doesn't want the other animals to eat
This rescued Rock Dassie shares the enclosure with other rescued animals, but thinks it is the boss, and does not want to let other animals eat, even carnivores! Animals can have such strong personalities!
The Rock Dassie (Procavia capensis), also known as the Rock Hyrax, or sometimes just Dassie, is a medium-sized mammal that occurs in Africa and the Middle East. It can be found in a wide variety of habitats, such as rainforests, arid deserts, from sea level to Mount Kenya, although they are typically associated with cliffs, boulders, and rocky outcrops, which gives it its name.
Its great range means that there are many variations of the same species; in fact, 17 subspecies are recognized: Procavia capensis capensis (Cape Hyrax), Procavia capensis bamendae (Bamenda Highlands Rock Hyrax), Procavia capensis habessinica (Abyssinian Hyrax), Procavia capensis jayakari (Arabian Rock Hyrax), Procavia capensis johnstoni (Johnston's Hyrax), Procavia capensis matschiei (Tanzania Rock Hyrax), Procavia capensis ruficeps (Western Rock Hyrax), Procavia capensis syriaca (Syrian Hyrax), Procavia capensis welwitschii (Kakoveld Hyrax), Procavia capensis capillosa, Procavia capensis erlangeri, Procavia capensis jacksoni, Procavia capensis kerstingi, Procavia capensis mackinderi, Procavia capensis pallida, Procavia capensis scioana, and Procavia capensis sharica. It is, however, the sole extant member of the Procavia genus, but shares the Procaviidae family with the Southern Tree Hyrax (Dendrohyrax arboreus), the Western Tree Hyrax (Dendrohyrax dorsalis), the Eastern Tree Hyrax (Dendrohyrax validus), and the Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax (Heterohyrax brucei).
Rock Dassies are herbivores and eat a variety of grasses, forbs and shrubs, buds, fruits and berries. Adults may reach a length of 50 cm and weigh around 4 kg, although there is a subtle sexual dimorphism, and males are about 10% heavier than females.
The color of their coat varies according to the habitat they live in, from dark brown in wetter environments, to light grey in desert areas.
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Dog fail: Puppy doesn't know how to jump
This adorable Great Dane pup is only four months old, in spite of its really big size, and it is still very clumsy and not well coordinated. Although he is a very tall dog even at such an early age, he can't reach things that are very high, because he does not know how to jump! He tries, but fails miserably, although his attempts are hilarious and adorable!
In spite of its name, Great Danes are actually from Germany. They were originally called "Boar Hounds", because wild boars were what they were bred to hunt. The name was changed in the 16th century to "English Dogges". Later in the 1600s, German nobles began keeping the "best" ones for themselves, refining the breed to the well-balanced, elegant and gentle dog we have nowadays. The name "Great Dane" appeared in the 1700s, when a French naturalist saw one in Denmark that was slimmer and more Greyhound-like than the original ones, and called it "Grand Danois", and the name stuck, even though it had nothing to do with the breed's development.
But much has changed since then. Even though they may look imposing and intimidating, often being used as guard dogs, they are actually very sweet, affectionate, eager to please, and gentle with kids. They are also easy to house train, responding well to positive reinforcement, and love the play!
They are often referred to as the "Apollo of dogs", Apollo being the Greek god of the sun. Great Danes have an athletic and muscular body, with a massive, long and narrow head, and a long neck.
They love attention and often nudge people with their head, and many of them think they are lap dogs.
Unfortunately, due to its huge size, the lifespan of a Great Dane is around eight years old, possibly reaching ten years of age.
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Rescued cheetahs in pre-release area
These cheetahs had to be rescued, rehabilitated at a wildlife sanctuary, and now live in a pre-release area, waiting to get released back into the wild, where they belong. They still need to get fed, which means that they do not hunt, so they need to chase the car in order to get the food and exercise a little. Also, because it is such a big area, sometimes it takes a very long time for all of them to arrive.
The Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), is native to Africa and Asia, although it has been extirpated from nearly all of its Asian range. They could once be found from the shores of the Mediterranean and the Arabian Peninsula, west through central India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and north to the northern shores of the Aral and Caspian Seas, but nowadays are limited to the central deserts of Iran. Although cheetahs still occur in several African countries, they now only occupy 10% of their historic range.
Five subspecies are recognized: Acinonyx jubatus hecki, in Northwest Africa; Acinonyx jubatus earsoni, in East Africa; Acinonyx jubatus jubatus, in Southern Africa; Acinonyx jubatus soemmerringi, in Northeast Africa; and Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, from Northern Africa to central India.
Cheetahs are classified as Vulnerable, although the subspecies Acinonyx jubatus venaticus and Acinonyx jubatus heckii are listed as Critically Endangered.
They can be found in dry forest, thick scrub, grassland and hyperarid deserts. They are only absent from montane and tropical forests.
Cheetahs are mostly known as the fastest land mammals, however, they are only able to sustain top speeds for a few hundred meters. If they don't succeed at their hunt by then, they need to give up and rest, otherwise they overheat.
Unlike other cat species, female cheetahs are solitary, accompanied only by their young, and males can be solitary or live in coalitions of two or three, usually consisting of brothers, but not necessarily.
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