Green turtle hides near scuba diver to avoid hungry hammerhead sharks
Pacific green turtles are magnificent animals. They are among the largest of the sea turtles in the Galapagos Islands. They are protected by armour, a massive and heavy shell that covers their back and their underside, but unlike some turtles, they are unable to pull their head completely into their shell. This leaves them vulnerable to large predators such as orcas, hammerhead sharks, and Galapagos sharks.
This brave sea turtle was cruising along in the waters off Wolf Island in the Galapagos. It was searching for vegetation such as algae or sea grass to eat but apparently, it realized that it was surrounded by large hammerhead and Galapagos sharks. Wisely, it decided to seek shelter from the predators but what was unusual is that it chose to do so near a scuba diver. This diver was hunkered down in the rocks to observe the schooling hammerheads that occasionally swim around this island in great numbers. The sharks are occasionally curious about the divers, often oblivious, or even wary. The diver was in no serious danger as long as they kept a respectful distance from the school. Venturing out into open water is generally safe as well, as long as the diver does not act aggressively. The sea turtle decided it had better odds near the diver and it zeroed in on them, almost colliding with the camera that was recording the sharks and the turtle's approach. It banked to the left and found a crevice to crawl under. The turtle can hold its breath for more than 30 minutes which is ample time for the sharks to leave the area if they don't sense food hiding in the rocks. The turtle has likely lived as long as it has because it is smart enough to know that a passing school of hammerheads means take cover.
Animals in the Galapagos Islands have not learned to fear humans. Strict rules are adhered to in this place to ensure that the animals and humans coexist with as little effect on the animals as possible. This creates the opportunity for close interactions like this one, on the animals' terms. Seeing a beautiful creature like this one in its own habitat is an unforgettable experience.
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Great Dane Devours Giant Cucumber In Daily Garden Raid
Raven is a gigantic Great Dane who lives an ideal life in country home. She has the full run of a 3 acre property and she is taken for daily hikes in a nearby forest where she runs off-leash, following the scent of turkeys, deer, and other forest creatures. She comes home exhausted from her adventures and dreams happily on the couch after each excursion.
Raven has a very unusual reason to be excited when she wakes up each morning. When the door opens, Raven has one thing on her mind. She runs straight to the vegetable garden and finds herself a cucumber. She pulls it off the vine and carries it off into the long grass where she devours it in seconds. She seems to worry that her owners might take it away from her and she tries to find a spot where she is out of sight. But even long grass will not hide a dog the size of Raven. She seems proud that she has her treat and she wags her tail happily when she is "discovered" by her human.
Raven is a fan of many unusual treats and she raids a different part of the vegetable patch each day, depending on her mood. She was once see carrying a giant watermelon out of the greenhouse. She's been discovered with a cantaloupe in her huge jaws. And she's been caught digging for potatoes and carrots too. She has eaten a good portion of the sweet peppers and even some of the pole beans. Her owners are always happy to see her eating healthy and there is more than enough extra produce to share with a dog as wonderful as Raven. They do not plant corn, however, as Raven likes it so much that her people will not see any of it reaching their table.
It's lucky for Raven that the garden is as big as it is. She never gets in trouble for helping with the harvest and in return, the rabbits and raccoons don't seem to come around like they do with the neighbours!
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Hummingbirds zoom in for a quick drink on a hot day
Hummingbirds are one of the most amazing species that you are likely to see in North America. They are tiny, but lightning quick. Although there are 366 species of hummingbirds worldwide and they can range as far north as Alaska, most are found in Central and South America. Many are found throughout North America during the warmer months.
To enable such rapid flight, they also must have rapid metabolisms. They require such a constant food supply that they consume calories without pause during the day. At night, they have adapted to lowering their metabolisms to 1/15th of their normal rate to enable them to survive several hours without food.
While hovering, their wings beat 12 times per second for some species and as many as 80 times per second for others. They are capable of flight speeds up to 54km/h (34mph).
Hummingbirds nest in tiny cup shaped structures made from plant fibres, spider webs, lichens, and moss. The female lays to eggs that are pea shaped. They are the smallest eggs of any bird. The female incubates the eggs for 2-3 weeks before they hatch. Generally, they live 3-5 years, although the bee hummingbird, the smallest species, lives 7-10 years.
These hummingbirds frequent a back yard bird feeder in Southern Ontario.
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Beautiful Black-throated Blue Warbler Captured At Oriole Feeder
The black-throated blue warbler is a spectacular bird that delights bird watchers and nature enthusiasts. A rare sight at the back yard feeder, this little fellow was migrating north for the summer when he decided to stop for some orange treats. These warblers spend their winters in the Caribbean and their summers in North America. The feeder had been set up for orioles that also make their way to Ontario, Canada and nest here for the spring and summer.
Orioles will frequent their favourite feeders and will even bring their young to feed once they have grown accustomed to a steady supply of treats.
The black-throated blue warblers are typically insect eaters, frequenting the lower canopy of the forests and picking insects off the underside of leaves. They prefer caterpillars, crane flies, and spiders. They also eat berries and seeds in winter months.
Black-throated blue warblers are generally monogamous birds and the male will often follow the female once he has mated with her to prevent fertilization by another male. This is known as "mate guarding". If a female allows a second male to mate with her, she is less likely to receive help from the male later as she protects her eggs and cares for the young.
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