Pelegrina29

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Awesome Koi fish

Koi Heritage Contrary to popular belief, the koi fish is thought to have originated in China. The fish were later used as a food source before the Japanese began breeding them for their aesthetic appeal in the mid-1800s. Popularity Contest In Japan, the most popular variety of koi is the Kohaku, a red and white koi. In the United States, the most popular are the Kohaku, the Taisho Sanke, and the Showa Sanke. The Taisho Sanka and the Showa Sanka are both red, white, and black. Smarty Fish Koi fish are very intellectual. Like a dog or a cat, they can be trained to eat out of your hand and sometimes even out of your mouth. Koi fish are omnivores and are known to munch on pond plants. Body Works Koi fish can grow up to three feet long if raised in the ideal conditions. They can become sunburned if a pond is too shallow and has little shade. Koi fish don’t have teeth. Females are larger than males. The Great Mate In the mating process, koi fish eat their young, recently-hatched offspring called koi fry. Koi fish need to be removed from the fry during the mating session to preserve the fry. If a breeder raises a highly sought after koi, it can sell for thousands of dollars. $250,000 is not unheard of for a prized koi fish. Great-Great-Great-Great Grandpa Koi The Kohaku is a white variety of koi with red patches and is the most popular in Japan. A legendary koi named Hanako lived to be the oldest koi of all recorded history. Hanako was hatched in 1751 and lived to the ripe old age of 226, passing away in 1977. This famous Japanese koi lived through the Industrial, American, and French Revolutions, saw the formation of the United States, the invention of electricity and the automobile, survived World War I and II, and even lived into the Vietnam War! That’s one long life span! However, most koi live 30-40 years. Showing Their Age While Hanako may have lived for 226 years, the koi’s age was not visible to the naked eye. Microscopic growth marks cover a koi fish’s scales like that of the rings on a tree. These can show patterns of rapid growth or shortage of food. Representations Koi fish symbolize many virtues in Asian cultures. They are recognized as symbols of perseverance and endurance, as well as strength and individualism. Koi are a very intellectual fish and can be trained to feed from an owner's hand. A Rainbow of Ideals Because koi fish can develop such an array of colors, it comes as no surprise that each hue has developed a connotation. Gold koi fish represent wealth and prosperity. Metallic koi symbolize success in business. A blue koi is thought to bring serenity. Asagi koi of blue, red, and grey colorings symbolize positivity. Black koi are thought to hold a patriarchal symbolism, with red belonging to the mother, blue to the son, and pink to the daughter. Do you have any fun koi fish facts to share with fellow koi connoisseurs? Post a comment or share them via the contact form!

3 years ago 93 views 7 comments

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Cute Panda Footage

1. THEY HAVE GREAT CAMOUFLAGE FOR THEIR ENVIRONMENT The giant panda's distinct black-and-white markings have two functions: camouflage and communication. Most of the panda - its face, neck, belly, rump - is white to help it hide in snowy habitats. The arms and legs are black, helping it to hide in shade. 2. THEIR EYES ARE DIFFERENT TO NORMAL BEARS Like domestic cats, giant pandas have vertical slits for pupils. Giant panda © WWF China / Yong Yange© WWF China / Yong Yange 3. CUBS ARE WELL PROTECTED IN THEIR FIRST MONTH Mother pandas keep contact with their cub nearly 100% of the time during their first month - with the cub resting on her front and remaining covered by her paw, arm or head. Juvenile giant panda climbing© naturepl.com / Pete Oxford / WWF 4. COURAGEOUS CUBS! At 5 months old, giant pandas learn how to climb - sometimes practicing by climbing on their mum. Portrait of a giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ). Bifengxia Panda Base, Sichuan. China © Richard Barrett / WWF-UK© Richard Barrett / WWF-UK 5. A HELPING HAND They have an extended wrist bone that they use like a thumb to help them grip food. Giant panda eating Bamboo© Sharon Fisher 6. THEY SPEND A LOT OF THEIR DAY EATING Giant pandas spend 10-16 hours a day feeding, mainly on bamboo. Giant panda eating bamboo© Richard Barrett / WWF-UK 7. BAMBOO IS CRITICAL TO THEIR DIET Pandas need at least 2 different bamboo species in their range to avoid starvation Giant Panda Zhen Zhen visiting the Panda Research Camp Wuyipang, China© George B. Schaller / WWF 8. BUT THEY DO OCCASIONALLY EAT SOMETHING OTHER THAN BAMBOO Although pandas are 99% vegetarian their digestive system is typical of a carnivore. For the 1% of their diet that isn't bamboo, pandas eat eggs, small animals, carrion, and forage in farmland for pumpkin, kidney beans, wheat and domestic pig food. Wild Giant Panda scenting a tree© Anzihe Nature Reserve/WWF China 9. PANDAS SOMETIMES DO HANDSTANDS WHEN THEY WEE! Sometimes, to mark their scent, panda's climb a tree backwards with their hindfeet until they're in a full handstand upside down - enabling them to leave their scent higher up. Giant panda in tree, Wolong Nature Reserve, China.© Bernard De Wetter / WWF 10. THEY LIKE TO KEEP IT REGULAR On average, pandas poo 40 times a day.

3 years ago 173 views 2 comments

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Cute Sea-lion

Sea lions are some of the most adorable creatures that you’ll find in the sea. In fact, the name “sea lion” may be a bit of a misnomer. “Sea puppy” might be a better fit. Of course, this is purely an opinion, and you’re probably looking for a few sea lion facts, so here are seven of them: Sea Lion Galapagos #1 – They’re mammals – That makes sense, considering the “lion” part of the name. Sea lions give birth to live pups, and the females produce milk to nurse their young – just like puppies! Sea Lion Mother and Pup #2 – There are many species of sea lions – There are actually seven different species even though they all often seem to be bundled into the same category. Sea lions belong to a group of animals called “pinnipeds.” Sea Lion on Dive #3 – The bigger, the better – Male sea lions grow to be pretty big – much larger than females. The females look for the largest males to mate with, so in this case, yes, bigger is better. Sea Lion #4 – The Northern Atlantic Ocean is off-limits – You can find sea lions in bodies of water throughout the world – except for the Northern Atlantic Ocean. This is strange since its temperatures are certainly compatible with where sea lions typically live, and there’s plenty of food there. Scientists have no idea why sea lions refuse to live in this area. Sea Lions California #5 – They can have age-related health issues. When they grow older, sea lions become prone to pneumonia, epilepsy, and cancer. Sea Lion Close Up #6 – They’re very social. Sea lions communicate in a variety of ways, although scientists are still somewhat baffled as to what their sounds mean. They travel in large colonies, which have subgroups. Sea lions will even move from subgroup to subgroup during their lifetimes – so in a way, they’re kind of like cliques. sea-lion-group #7 – They are endangered. This one is probably our fault; humans hunted sea lions for many years until they were on the brink of extinction. International laws now prohibit the hunting of sea lions in an effort to protect and save them. Learn more about booking a trip to dive with the sea puppy (okay, fine – the “sea lion”) with PADI Travel.