WashingtonClub001

"So lucky to be a part of the underwater world and showing people these absolutely amazing creatures! Turtles give everyone hope with only 1 in 1000 making it to maturity these guys are up against it! But they just keep swimming and end up back to there home! Since the already have so much against them let’s not add to their fight! Remember to reduce reuse and recycle ♻️ and take care of what we throw away. That way the next generation will also get to experience swimming in the ocean with these beauties!"

Humpback whales are beautiful and peaceful creatures. They are highly intelligent, with cognitive abilities that are comparable to dogs, chimpanzees, and dolphins. Scientists believe that as recently as 100,000 years ago, humpbacks were the most intelligent creatures on the planet at that time. Humpbacks are gentle creatures, despite their immense size and power. They are curious in nature and they tolerate the presence of humans in the water along with them, as long they are given a respectful distance. Tonga is one of the few places in the world where people are still allowed to get into the water with these magnificent beings. These lucky swimmers quietly slipped into the ocean and waited as a mother humpback and her calf approached and curiously looked them over. Tonga is a world free of orcas and other predators that would kill a defenseless baby whale. These whales come to the waters around Tonga to breed and bear their young. This calf is less than two weeks old. It will stick close to its mother and drink milk as rapidly as possible so that it will gain weight and strength. The baby will need both to survive as the whales migrate to their feeding grounds. When threatened, the mother will swim under her baby and lift it out of the water on her head. She will also use her massive fins to create a barrier between a predator and her calf. As a last resort, the mother will position herself so that she can slap her tail and strike with enormous power. Spending time with such a beautiful animal in its own environment is an indescribable experience. To be given the trust to interact with this newborn calf is touching and unforgettable. Humpback whales deserve every chance to thrive without human interference. To lose them forever would be beyond tragic.

Joe is a happy little calf who lives on a beautiful farm in Ontario, Canada. It's a magical place where the cows wander freely over vast expanses of lush, green meadow. They graze happily in the fresh air and lounge in the ponds on hot days. They can soak up the sunshine or find shade under the trees on the edge of the forest, as they choose. Joe has everything he needs, including an endless supply of warm milk to fill his belly. He follows his mother around the pasture and nurses whenever he wishes. After a satisfying breakfast, Joe had the foamy remains all over his little face. It was the most adorable milk moustache and beard ever. Joe has very few cares in the world. He plays with the other calves in the meadow and he explores his surroundings as his mother grazes and keeps an eye on him. Joe lives on what is referred to as an ethical beef farm. The cows live outside, except in the harshest winter months. They have lots of room, the companionship of the herd, and all efforts are made to give them a stress free life. There is even a bull named Gus, who watches over them protectively and does his job in a natural way. It's life as close as possible to what nature intended for these gentle souls. Joe is only a few weeks old and he is just starting to nibble at the grass, but he will rely on his mother for a few more months before he starts to graze like she does. Until then, his life is about as care-free as it can be.

Joe is a happy little calf who lives on a beautiful farm in Ontario, Canada. It's a magical place where the cows wander freely over vast expanses of lush, green meadow. They graze happily in the fresh air and lounge in the ponds on hot days. They can soak up the sunshine or find shade under the trees on the edge of the forest, as they choose. Joe has everything he needs, including an endless supply of warm milk to fill his belly. He follows his mother around the pasture and nurses whenever he wishes. After a satisfying breakfast, Joe had the foamy remains all over his little face. It was the most adorable milk moustache and beard ever. Joe has very few cares in the world. He plays with the other calves in the meadow and he explores his surroundings as his mother grazes and keeps an eye on him. Joe lives on what is referred to as an ethical beef farm. The cows live outside, except in the harshest winter months. They have lots of room, the companionship of the herd, and all efforts are made to give them a stress free life. There is even a bull named Gus, who watches over them protectively and does his job in a natural way. It's life as close as possible to what nature intended for these gentle souls. Joe is only a few weeks old and he is just starting to nibble at the grass, but he will rely on his mother for a few more months before he starts to graze like she does. Until then, his life is about as care-free as it can be.

Deer are shy and gentle animals that keep to themselves. They wander the forests and the meadows, throughout North America, as well as many other countries. We often see them from afar, or very briefly close up, but they are sure to run away at the sight of humans. Even seen from afar, we cannot help but be deeply affected by their gracefulness and their soulful eyes. But this man has discovered that with a little patience, the deer might just become curious enough to wander closer than usual. He sat on this log in a remote section of a protected Canadian forest and hoped to see the deer close up. The animals cannot be hunted here and they have learned that humans mean them no harm. It is common to see them grazing in the distance. They are usually not alarmed enough to flee. They may walk away or they may stare curiously. A human seated on a log, munching apples seems to arouse enough curiosity that the deer slowly wandered closer as they passed through this quiet section of the woods. When the man ignored them and made no move to go closer, they seemed to smell the apples. He tossed a few chunks in the grass and they actually came almost close enough to touch. The most surprising part of this encounter was that one of the does walked over the hill and then returned, bringing her fawns over the hill with her. This is a very unusual thing for a mother to do with her young. Although there is not much reaction from the man here, seeing the deer so close was a beautiful experience and seeing fawns right in front of him like this was unforgettable. The trust shown by these wonderful creatures was extremely touching.

Turn up your volume. . Seeing Cats is a lot more fun when you track them down with warning calls from the prey animals. Here the frantic calls of the Spotted Deer and the Langur monkeys (in the background) led us to this Banyan tree where Scarface had just killed a Deer fawn and stashed it up.

What an awesome sight it is to see fearless pack of 10 Wild Dogs marching ahead in search of prey on a lovely monsoon morning flushing out every creature that was hidden on the way. We were able to see two rare Mouse Deers this way as they sensed and chased them around in the undergrowth. If you decide to follow them at a distance for sometime you can be rest assured of some crazy action, many a time they have lead us straight to a Leopard which we had no clue of and treed them for hours. Kabini in the monsoons is definitely one of the best places to see these whistling hunters in good numbers.

The Battle of Kabini . As we sat in the vehicle with the covers wrapped around us on a typical monsoon morning we heard a troop of Bonnet Macaques around us going haywire. We moved a little further to investigate the reason for their nervousness when we saw an elephant herd of 10 females and 2 calves huddled down the road and something walking towards them at a distance. It was a pack of 13 Wild Dogs on a hunt who were scouring the jungle for prey. The Elephant herd had 2 tiny calves and because the pack size was quite big ,they were potential prey. Since I had seen this particular pack hunting on quite a few occasions, I knew their fearless nature will surely entice them to atleast give it a try for sure. The first thing they would try and do was to create chaos and try to separate the calves from the adults. It was a tense moment for all of us. . Once the herd realised that the Dogs were around they formed an impenetrable wall by surrounding both the calves. While this was happening, one member of the herd (seen in the video) decided to take on the pack herself so that this could distract them and hence buy time for the herd to move away to safety. So she charged at them and started to kick the wet mud at each one of the Wild Dogs. She tried her best to get them, and during this time I was hoping against hope that she does not get close to them, as that would mean death for sure. Thankfully the pack was very nimble footed and managed to avoid the fury of the four ton pachyderm. . Realistically speaking there was very less chance of a hunt happening with quite a few adults there to protect them. If only the mother with the calf had been separated from the herd then there was a good possibility. Having said that , in the wild you never know when the tables can turn. .

This baby great horned owl has had the luxury of sleeping in while his mother and father were out hunting in the forest nearby. He has napped as the sun slowly rose and lit up the world around him. He stretches and stands up in the nest, high in a pine tree. As if on cue, his mother returned with breakfast very soon after this moment was captured. She brought him a small rabbit that she tore into pieces and fed him. She tried teaching him how to swallow larger chunks but he isn't quite ready for a full meal yet. He's still only able to swallow small chunks. This was the baby's last day in the nest. He ventured out on the branch the following morning and clumsily flapped to the ground. He was able to make his way up onto a low branch where his parents continued to watch over him and feed him. Very soon, his wings will be fully developed and capable of graceful flight. He will be taught by the best instructors as he learns to hunt for his own food. Great horned owls are the second largest of the North American owls but they are the heaviest. They have powerful grip strength and talons that are unmatched. Able to snap the spine of animals much larger than they are, they are formidable predators. They prey on rabbits, squirrels, mice, birds, and even other owls. These owls are the ones we see most frequently in movies and animated productions. They are often referred to as hoot owls. With their large eyes and familiar call, they are the ones that most people envision when they think of owls.

Something in the creek was making Deerick the rescued deer quite mad! It may have been a big cat wandering through, or even a hog. Have you ever heard a deer makes these sounds before? The Black Panther taking a brief pit stop at a picturesque water body as things start heating up on a beautiful winter morning. This was right after he had walked continuously for an hour as he was hot on the trail of Scarface and kept moving around in circles smelling his scent and leaving his

Indigo buntings are one of the most vibrant and beautiful birds in North America. Bird watchers and nature enthusiasts take extreme delight in getting a close look at one, whether at the edge of the forest or at the back yard feeder. But these bird lovers have a pair that frequent their feeder and their pond. Indigo buntings are one of the most striking of all the songbirds that appear at the backyard feeders in North America. They are a rare sight and an exciting one with their vibrant blue plumage. Bird enthusiasts and nature lovers anxiously watch and hope to catch a glimpse of these beauties paying them a visit. Indigo buntings frequent the edge of forested areas and farm land, enjoying the hardwood lots where they meet meadows. The birds love seeds and berries, but they also eat a lot of insects and caterpillars. This is extremely beneficial for keeping the moths and caterpillars in check. Without them, trees and other vegetation would suffer and decline as leaves were devoured by the insects. The male of the species is a brilliant blue during mating season, while the female is a brown colour and far less striking. During winter months, even the males are brown. This is very common in birds as more vibrant colour is a signal to the females that the males are robust and carry strong genes, making them the most desirable mates. Amazingly, Indigo Buntings migrate at night, using the stars for guidance. These birds possess an internal clock that enables them to continually adjust their angle of orientation to the stars, even as that star moves through the night sky. This is a very unique trait. The indigo bunting is as fascinating as it is beautiful!

Torn Ears ascends a tree just a couple of metres from the Jeep only to rub against the bark and leave his scent before he descended to resume patrol of his territory. . These are the boundaries which are invisible to us but act as signboards with information for any other Leopard in the vicinity that goes past them. That is why we see time and again Leopards of different generations mark the same trees and use particular trees for resting. Welcome to the fascinating world of the big cats. #picoftheday #photooftheday #animals #natgeoyourshot #dailyshot #bbc #instagram #incredible #india #instagood #beautiful #story #magazine #cover #published #mumbai #publication #instagram #instagramhub .

African elephants are the world’s largest land mammals. The video shows that you need nerves of steel when meeting a giant elephant bull face to face. With no tourists around at the moment, I decided to head out on a self-drive safari, exploring a remote wilderness part of the Kruger National Park. Going out in the wild is always an exciting experience as you never know what you will encounter around the next corner. Even though a safari can be filled with excitement and great sightings, one of the first and foremost things to keep in mind is that the animals you encounter on any African safari are wild, can be very dangerous and even lethal. These wild creatures demand the utmost respect at all times. As a safari guide that mostly lead groups of tourists that has never been in the African bush, it is our responsibility to always keep safety in mind and show respect for wild animals at all times. Different animals react in different ways and as a safari guide, you are trained on how to deal with various situations that involves dangerous animals. The one blanket rule in the African bush is to always keep a safe distance between you and the wild animals. There are times when things can actually take an unexpected turn. While I was driving around in the wild, I came across a large watering hole. In the distance I saw one lone bull elephant enjoying a drink of water before splashing himself with mud in order to cool himself down. I scanned the surroundings and didn’t see any other wildlife nearby. I decided to spend time watching the large bull elephant going about his daily business. Once the elephant bull was done at the water, he slowly started walking in the direction of my vehicle. Originally there was a safe distance between me and the male elephant but with him slowly walking towards me, that distance very quickly shrunk. It would have been suicidal to start the vehicle and make an attempt to get away while the male elephant was approaching. Any sudden behaviour or noise can possibly aggravate the bull elephant, which is something I definitely did not want to do. I had to fall back on my experience and did my best to remain calm and stay very still. This is easier said than done as your natural instinct tells you to get away immediately. The bull elephant ended up right in front of me, towering over my vehicle. It was extremely intimidating to have the bull elephant’s face right in front of me, while sniffing at me with his trunk. With over five tonnes standing right in front of me, not knowing what the animal’s next move will be, it became an absolute heart racing experience for me. The bull elephant then slowly moved to left front of the vehicle. On the front of the vehicle is a seat normally occupied by a scout that helps with spotting and tracking wild animals during a safari. Luckily on this day I was alone. The bull elephant then proceeded to use that seat as a rubbing post, slowly scratching off the mud still stuck on his trunk. After scratching his trunk against the vehicle, it looked like he was moving away to my relief. The relief inside of me quickly disappeared when the massive elephant decided to turn around and have a go at the vehicle with his tusks. The elephant bull bumped the vehicle slightly with his tusks before giving the vehicle a slight lift. The bull elephant was clearly very curious to test his abilities against that of the safari vehicle. This elephant’s behaviour was totally unpredictable and I knew that he could very easily flip my vehicle over. With all of that going through my mind, I used a steady and firm tone of voice to mumble my disapproval of what he was about to do. Luckily my mumbling worked as the elephant stopped banging the vehicle with his tusks and finally pulled away. The elephant bull remained close to the vehicle for another few minutes before he eventually moved on, leaving me in peace. A huge sense of relief fell over me while my heart rate was still going through the roof.

I am currently in Kefalonia in Greece where beautiful sea turtles like this, filmed yesterday in the harbour, are facing a huge threat from potential oil drilling in the area. Find out more about the campaign to stop it on Sunday, when I’ll be sharing more details 🙏🏻💚🐬🐋 #greenpeace #kefalonia #wwf #wwfgreece #stopthedrilling #oilfreegreece

It always seems difficult to get your children to take a nap, even pandas have to take the time to get their little one back to bed. The young baby panda was not happy with nap time and decided to take a stroll around Taipei Zoo, which is located in Taipei, Taiwan. It is one of the largest zoos in Asia and is the largest zoo in Taiwan. The baby panda seems to have found a way out of nap time but this doesn't last for long. Their mom, the giant panda, is able to bring back its baby, while comforting and relaxing them, allowing it to take a nap. Nap time is never avoided! How adorable is it to see this giant panda taking care of its young one? It's always nice to see the love between a mother and their young one. Pandas are native to south central china. The giant panda has striking features. It consists of striking black patches near it eyes, on the ears and across their body. Their diet consists of 99 percent bamboo! As you can tell, they don't seem to be demanding when it comes to the menu. It can be difficult to put your children to sleep, not all children are willing to stop their daily play to take a nap. It is always convenient to have something to help make our day become a little easier. Why not use some best seller night time book to help get the young one to a more peaceful nap time sooner. You can never go wrong with a good bedtime story! Large panda is an endangered species in the world of today. To ensure its survival, the protection of the large panda is currently practiced by a large number of organizations in the world. This animal is timid and therefore, despite years of study, little is known about its lifestyle and habits. Pandas with the exception of China, as single units or in pairs, live scattered around the many zoos in many different countries in the world. Therefore, it is both difficult to find a pair capable of producing offspring and ready and willing to mate for that matter. Most of the pandas living in shelters have suffered a difficult life in captivity. It is extremely difficult to create the suitable conditions to enable pandas to mate, reproduce and nurture baby pandas to adulthood both in captivity and in nature and this is why every cub is as precious as gold. The Great Panda is found on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is one of the rarest, poorly studied large animals a very secretive way of life. It became known only in the middle of the XIX century, and the first panda was observed by naturalists in its natural habitat as late as 1913. In China, the great panda is declared a national treasure. Therefore, in 1995, a Chinese farmer who shot and killed a large panda and tried to sell her hide was sentenced to life imprisonment. According to the results of a survey conducted in 2004, it was found that the great panda population in the wild numbers only about 1600 individuals. About 140 pandas live in zoos. #Wakayama Prefecture #Shirahama Town #adventure world #giant panda #panda family #kadehama

Magical manta encounters on the reef off Heron Island ✨⁠

Discover a world beneath the surface that's teeming with life 🐠⁠✨ Did you know?! There are more than 20 dives sites to explore off Heron Island, all easily accessible on our tour boat within 15 minutes (or much less!) from the jetty.⁠ ⁠

It's officially nesting season for Green and Loggerhead Sea Turtles here on Heron Island 🐢💚 ⁠If you're visiting us over the next few months, be sure to join one of our complimentary turtle talks to discover all about their incredible circle of life! ⁠ ⁠

It's breeding season on Heron Island right now... and turtles aren't the only wildlife taking part 🥚✨ How adorable is this moment a mumma Buff-banded Rail was spotted feeding her chick

Big eyed jacks are a preferred food of many of the sharks in the Galapagos Islands and they seem to know it. These waters are home to thousands of hammerhead sharks that school in great numbers. There are also Galapagos sharks, the top predators here, as well as black tipped reef sharks. These big eyed jacks have many reasons to be wary of what lurks in the depths all around them. But one way for prey fish like these to avoid being eaten is to find larger animals to hide near. The fish seem to know that the hammerheads we see behind them are reluctant to come too close to the clumsy and awkward looking group of scuba divers. The jacks might understand that the scuba divers are less of a threat, or they might simply hope that the divers are a distraction for the sharks. But either way, they have come directly for the safety of the people in the water. The scuba divers in this group have ventured here from all over the world to see the amazing and fascinating life that thrives under the waves. The fish and other marine animals come here for the food which is brought by the convergence of three powerful ocean currents that create an upwelling of plankton. Bait fish come to eat the tiny and numerous plankton. They in turn attract larger fish and the larger fish attract the top predators. This is the food chain and the web of life that allows all the animals on the planet to survive. Hammerhead sharks are formidable hunters with few enemies. The Galapagos shark reigns, even over the hammerheads, at least until the orcas make an appearance. The orcas are undeniably the ocean's top predators, but it is rare to find them in these waters. The Galapagos Islands are remote and isolated, but they are teeming with life. For most scuba divers, this is the biggest bucket list adventure. It is a world like no other.

When this scuba diver's camera began sinking into the depths, she wasn't just losing a few thousand dollars worth of equipment. She was also losing contacts, precious family photos, and the most memorable video footage that she had ever captured. Minutes before, Tammy met a whale shark face to face at 70 feet in the remote waters of the Galapagos Islands. This is a bucket list trip and the close up encounter with such a magnificent animal is the kind of experience that all scuba divers dream of. She had captured the memories forever and she knew that this was the best dive of her life. The camera is also Tammy's active iPhone and the water proof case and light system has set her back a lot of money. She had it properly secured to her flotation vest, but the cord broke somehow as she reached the surface. She didn't know the camera was gone until somebody yelled that there was a camera sinking beneath the group. She instantly knew that she couldn't catch it and she braced herself for the reality that it was gone forever. Kristy, another member of the dive group began chasing the camera but she was well aware that her air had been depleted on the dive. She knew she could not kick her fins quickly enough to descend after it because she would need enough air for the added exertion as well as the return trip from the depths. She made the decision that it was impossible. The camera was sinking almost as quickly as Kristy could swim. The only one in the group with enough air left to go after it was Solon, the dive guide. A very experienced diver who is in excellent physical condition, he had almost half a tank of air left after the dive. He is diving with enriched air, called "Nitrox". The higher oxygen concentration allows Solon to remain underwater longer without building up a toxic level of nitrogen in his body, but the gas mix becomes toxic to humans under the pressure that exists somewhere below 35m (100 feet). He knows he must reach the sinking camera before he hits 35m or he will risk convulsions, disorientation, neurological damage, or even death. Solon has longer fins as well and he chases the camera at full effort, slowly closing in as he descends. The rapid dive causes pressure buildup in his ears and sinuses and he needs to equalize rapidly to avoid severe pain and eardrum damage. He must gauge his exertion so that he does not require air faster than his regulator can provide it. Solon disappeared far enough that only his rising bubbles were visible to the divers above. He is alone as he descends because nobody is able to follow him far beneath the surface. This places him at risk because he will be completely reliant on only his own equipment. A malfunction at this time will be disastrous with no dive buddy to share their air with him. After a few minutes Solon appeared. He could be seen at 6m (18 feet), the safety stop that allows a diver to expel nitrogen gas before surfacing. Unbelievably, he had the camera in his hand, but even MORE unbelievable was that he was using the camera to record something beautiful. Solon had surfaced in the middle of a gigantic pod of dolphins. These amazing animals are a rare sight for scuba divers and a close look at one in its natural environment is also a bucket list item for most scuba enthusiasts. Solon has turned on the camera and is capturing footage for Tammy, who has climbed into the inflatable boat that will take her back to the main boat. Tammy was already telling fellow divers that she did not think she would ever see her camera or the footage of the whale shark that looked her straight in the eye. Then Solon surfaced and held up the camera. There were cheers and shouts of surprise as Tammy beamed with relief. There was an even bigger smile as she looked at the footage that Solon captured as dolphins circled him curiously. Tammy is an appreciate person and Solon was properly thanked in a tangible manner for such a super human effort.

This deer is one of a herd of wild deer that live in a protected area in Northern Ontario. There is no hunting allowed and the animals wander in a quiet and remote forest where there are few humans. But the people that they do see are respectful and non threatening and it is not uncommon to get a close look at a deer grazing in the distance. Sitting quietly, and almost motionless will sometimes tempt the deer to wander very close to have a curious look. Dave has learned that sitting patiently and munching on an apple or a carrot will even bring the deer close enough to share. He will often toss apple slices or corn to the deer that are brave enough to come close. But he decided to see if they like watermelon. He sliced one open and munched away, hoping the sweet smell of the melon would be a tempting treat. This deer caught the aroma and boldly walked toward him. As he sat still, the deer inched closer and closer until it was able to stick its face right in. It was soon munching away happily as Dave held the watermelon for her. The other deer in the herd were not so bold so Dave sliced up the melon and spread it around on the grass before walking away. He looked back to see that all the deer were gathered around, enjoying the watermelon just as much as the first. While it is inadvisable to make wild animals accustomed to humans, this location is a bit of an exception as the deer can never be harmed as a result of forming a trust in people. And if you could sit and watch a wild deer savoring such a tasty treat, would you pass up the opportunity?

South Georgia-Penguin paradise of the South Atlantic,culture,wildlife

This tortoise is estimated to be 200 years old. He is one of a population of ancient creatures that live on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos. Protected, the animals roam freely and enjoy a harmonious existence with the people who share their home with the tortoises. Even visitors are gently reminded of the rules that prevent our human presence from impacting these beautiful creatures. The Galapagos tortoise is the largest living species of tortoise, capable of reaching 417kg (919lbs). They can live almost 200 years. To put that in perspective, some of the tortoise seen roaming the islands today might actually have been alive when Charles Darwin made his historic voyage aboard the HMS Beagle in the early 1800s. It was his time on these islands, along with the discoveries he made, that led him to the famous theory of evolution that has changed the way we view the world, and the way we view ourselves. Galapagos tortoises are vegetarians. They eat almost anything green and they consume a large amount of food daily. But they are also capable of storing food and water in such quantities that they can last almost a full year with eating or drinking anything at all. Galapagos tortoises rely on their shell for defence. They retreat inside and pull in their armour plated appendages to shield their vulnerable areas. They are incredibly strong and prying their legs away from their heads is impossible. They can also outwait any predator by staying in their shells until the other animal gets tired of waiting. A predator would literally starve or die of dehydration before the turtle needed to emerge. The Galapagos Islands are relatively new, in geological terms. Formed by volcanic eruptions, the islands are between 8 and 90 million years old. The first animals came here from other continents, arriving by sea or by air, but the distance made it nearly impossible for land dwellers to bridge the gap. It is believed that tortoises made the journey when they were caught on floating rafts of vegetation adrift on the currents. Tortoises could survive at sea for a much greater length of time than most animals. The Galapagos tortoise is an iconic creature that has come to symbolize the Galapagos Islands. No trip here is complete without a close up view of these magnificent and impressive beasts.

India is home to an incredible variety of wild animals, including the peacock, one of the most spectacular birds found anywhere. They are large and beautifully adorned with the longest feathers found anywhere. The Indian peafowl will eat snakes and rodents, but its diet is largely made up of insects. These peafowl have found a nest of ants and they hungrily devour as many as they can. But the ants have signaled that there is trouble and the excretion of a pheromone from a few have alerted the others and brought them out in an agitated frenzy. They will bite anything that they sense is a threat and the peacocks suddenly find themselves in over their heads. The swarm of fire ants on the ground is visible as they move rapidly, in search of any predator. Their great numbers allow them to overwhelm even a large predator with multiple stings and strong venom. If these peacocks do not leave the area, they can easily die from the venom. In such a case, the ants will devour the peacocks, turning the tables. The male has sensed the presence of the ants and he tries to eat them off his feet and legs as they sting him aggressively. The female decides there is no hope of winning and she takes flight almost immediately. Eventually, the male leaves as well. The fire ants cannot follow him far, but the few that remain on his legs will hold on and sting him mercilessly until he rids himself of the tiny warriors. Imported red fire ants are an invasive species to India, having made their way from South America. The stings cause itching, burning, and swelling, often resulting in blisters. In rare cases anaphylactic shock can occur and may cause death. Nests hold between 100,000 and 250,000 ants and they are a formidable opponent for any animal.