DANGEROUS ANACONDA!

WHAT IS ANACONDA?

          An anaconda is a large, non-venomous snake and although the name actually applies to a group of snakes, it is often used to refer to one species in particular - The common or green anaconda, EUNECTES MURINUS. It is one of the largest and most powerful snakes in the world. They are greenish-brown with a double row of black oval spots on the back and smaller white markings on the sides. Their scaly skin glistens but is dry is to the touch. The anaconda has a large head and a thick neck. Its eyes and nostrils are positioned on the top of the head, enabling the anaconda to breathe and to see its prey while its thick and strong body lies submerged under water. It smells with its tongue. It has no fangs.

 

WHERE IS IT FOUND?

         Anacondas are found in the rivers in the rain forests of South America, Brazil and Guiana. Water is their main escape method when confronted with danger. Rather than attacking, they will choose to slide into the water unnoticed. They spend a lot of their time in the dark waters of their habitat.

HOW BIG IS THE ANACONDA?

         Anacondas are very difficult for scientists to study or even find and so there is some debate about their maximum size. According to the records, the biggest anaconda ever found was of length more than 37 ft. There may be larger Anacondas which are unseen.Anacondas like to hang out in rivers so it would be difficult to estimate the length of one seen swimming without seeing the entire snake. It's the anaconda's ability to remain partly hidden in the water that makes it difficult to accurately find (and document) a specimen that exceeds the current world's record.

RAISING BABIES:-

         Green anacondas spend most of their time alone. However, between April and May, males seek out females for the opportunity to mate. Often times, multiple males will pursue the same female. This results in “breeding balls” of up to a dozen males wrapped around a single female, all attempting to mate. The breeding ball can last up to 4 weeks.

Once pregnant, the female will produce eggs inside her body. The eggs develop for 8-12 weeks and then hatch while still inside the mother’s body. She then gives birth to as many as 80 tiny snakes, each 30-60 cm (12-24 in.) in length.

DO ANACONDAS BITE?

        Anacondas have teeth, but they are not a venomous snake. They rely on their enormous size and power to topple their victims. It is possible to be bitten by an anaconda, but the bite itself would not be fatal. Anacondas eat amphibious animals like frogs and toads, as well as fish, caiman, birds, ducks and turtles.

HOW DOES AN ANACONDA KILL?

          Anacondas kill their prey by coiling their large, powerful bodies around their victims and squeezing until their prey suffocates or is crushed to death and dies from internal bleeding. Then the snake unhinges its jaw and swallows the victim whole. The anaconda's top and bottom jaws are joined together with stretchy ligaments (elastic band), which let the snake eat animals wider than itself. Snakes don't chew their food. The acids in the snake's stomach break it down.

FACTS ABOUT ANACONDA:- SOURCE

• Anacondas continue to grow as long as they live!
• Compared to other animals, anacondas live a very long life. Around 35 - 45 years!
• To prevent tick/ flea infestation, these snakes emit a foul-smelling substance which is poisonous to small creatures.
• Though the origin of their name is unknown, there are many versions of it. Some people believe that the word anaconda originated from the Sinhalese (language of Sri Lanka) word henakandeya meaning 'a thing with an enormous body' or 'a whip snake'. A few others believed that anaconda is taken from the Tamil (a language spoken in Tamil Nadu, a state in South India) word anaikondran that means 'elephant killer'.
• They are also known in South America by many local names like matatoro (a Spanish term which means 'bull killer'), yakumama and sucuri (Native American terms used for this snake).
• Out of the four types, namely Dark-spotted, Yellow, Green and Bolivian anacondas, the biggest species ever found is the Green Anaconda.
• The world's biggest snake i.e. the Green anaconda is also the heaviest snake, with a fully grown adult weighing more than 550 pounds (or 227 kilograms approximately) and being 9 meters (approximately 30 feet) long.
• The biological name of the Green anaconda, Eunectes murinus, is formed from the Greek word Eunectes meaning 'good swimmer' and Latin word murinus which means 'who hunts mice'.

   


ANACONDA EATING ITS PREY

HOW TO ESCAPE FROM AN ANACONDA ATTACK?  SOURCE 

Avoid going to areas where anacondas are likely to be seen.

Always keep a knife with you for safety.

Try not to get gripped in the first place. Stay out of shallow rivers because there is a chance of you getting an anaconda. If you do see a snake, don't get close to it. Watch out to see if it is tracking your movement, following you, and flicking its tongue. These are signs that it is getting ready to strike.

  If an anaconda ever starts squeezing you, bite the end of the snake's tail as hard as you can This will cause the anaconda tremendous pain, causing you to let go.

Hit the snake with anything that you can see, especially a rock or a sharp object like a knife.

Biting the anaconda in the middle of its body may not have the same effect as biting the tip of the tail.Anacondas are very thick, so you may not be able to do any real damage unless you get a weak spot.

A VIDEO OF ANACONDA SWALLOWING  ITS PREY:-

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DEATHLY SHARKS!!



Dwarf Laternshark





        Sharks belong to the 'Chandrichhye' class of fish and they are believed to have existed more than 300 milllion years ago, even before dinosaurs! Massively misunderstood and  for many, the Sharks are quite often feared.



Whale Shark



What Are The Physical Features?

       They range in size from the small dwarf lanternshark, Etmopterus perryi, a deep sea species of only 17 centimetres in length, to the whale shark, Rhincodon typus, the largest fish, which grows to a length of approximately 12 metres. Sharks have very distinctive tails which provide thrust and speed to the sharks. A shark does not have a single bone in it body, instead it has a single bone it body, instead it has a skeleton made up of cartilage. In many shark species, a female grows than a male s25% more hark.Whale Sharks are estimated to be approximately 70 cm at birth. A shark's skin is covered by small, razor-sharp teeth called denticles. A shark's teeth are usually replaced every eight days and some species of sharks shed about 30,000 teeth in their lifetime.

What Are The Characteristics Of Sharks?

              The maximum lifespan of a shark varies from species to species. Most sharks live for 20 to 30 years, while the spiny dogfish lives a record lifespan of more than 100 years. Sharks have keen olfactory senses to detect changes in Earth's geomagnetic field. They generally rely on their superior sense of smell to find prey, but at closer range they also use the lateral lines running along their sides to sense movement in the water. Sharks have a sensory organ which is called the "ampullae of Lorenzini" which they use to feel the electrical field coming from its prey. Recent studies have indicated that many sharks possess powerful problem-solving skills, social complexity and curiosity.

 

Do Sharks Kill And Eat Humans?

         Sharks are found all around the globe from the North to the South in all seas. They evolved millions of years ago before humans existed and therefore humans are not part of their normal diets. Sharks eat small fishes, large seals, plankton, smaller fish, and other sharks etc. Under normal conditions, they are harmless and shy. They have been known to attack humans when they are confused or curious. Out of 360 species, only a dozen of them have been involved in attacks on humans. If a shark sees a human in deep water, it may investigate it leading to an accidental attack. Sharks may also attack humans because of poor visibility. But, sharks are more afraid of us than we are of sharks. We hunt sharks for their meat, internal organs, and skin in order to make products such as shark fin soup, lubricants, and leather etc. And if we just keep doing it, we won't see even a single shark in blue seas.

What Should You Do When You See A Shark?

• Do not go in water if you have a wound or if you you have recently been in contact with blood.
• Avoid going to areas like murky water and wherever there are animals like seals, fishes etc, which are the prey of sharks.
• Do not splash or make a lot of noise. Sharks, as well as all predators, will always choose the easiest prey to attack first. Splashing and standing out from the group can make you look like a struggling fish.
• If you see a shark, swim slowly but using powerful strokes. Try to get out of the water as soon as possibly.
• If the sharks tries to attact you, never try to pretend dead. Try to attack him in the sensitive part of the shark i.e. gills, nose, especially the eyes of shark. Prove them that you aren't afraid of them. Till the shark feels some pain, quickly get out of water.
• If you have anything around you or in your hand like a camera or a rock, use it as a defence weapon.

Was This Informative?

CAT POWER

                               JAGUAR

       The Jaguar, Panthera onca, is the third largest feline after the tiger and the lion. This spotted cat most closely resembles the leopard physically, although it is usually larger and of sturdier build, while it's behavioural and habitat characteristics are closer to those of the tiger.

What Are Its Physical Characteristics?
       The base coat of the jaguar is generally a tawny yellow, but can range to reddish-brown and black. The cat is covered in rosettes and the spots on the head and neck are generally solid, as are those on the tail, where they may merge to form a band. The underbelly, throat and outer surface of the legs and lower flanks are white. They normally weigh in the range of 56-96 kilograms and stand about 67-76  centimeters tall at the shoulders.

WETLANDS

JAGUAR IN DENSE RAINFOREST

Where Do Jaguars Live?
            The jaguar is a very adaptable animal. While it is usually found in dense rainforests, the jaguar also prefers forest habitats and areas close to water sources such as wetlands, rivers, lakes, etc. as it loves water and is a great swimmer.
                                 

What Do They Eat?
            As carnivore, the jaguar hunts for prey mostly during the dark hours od the day. Jaguars prefers large prey- deer, dogs, foxes and sometimes even anacondas, but at times they also eat small species like rats, monkeys, etc.

Which Is The Most Unique Feature?
       The head of the jaguar is robust and the jaw extremely powerful. It has been suggested that the jaguar has the strongest bite of all felines. It prefers a killing method unique amongst cats i.e. it pierces directly through the temporal bones of the skull with its canine teeth, piercing the brain.

How Symbolic Is The Jaguar?
          The Jaguar is the national animal of Brazil and Guyana. Synonymous to strength and power, it is widely used as a product name and symbol, most prominently for a luxury car brand - Jaguar and a sports franchise - Puma.

ANIMAL KINGDOM...

SARUS CRANE...

HERE

SARUS CRANE ARE FOUND AT PLACES MARKED IN GREEN 

             The Sarus Crane is an all- year resident breeding bird found in freshwater marshes and plains of northern Pakistan, India, Nepal, Southeast Asia and Queensland, Australia. It is the world's tallest flying bird.

Physical Appearance:-
      It has long red legs. Its head and upper neck are also red in colour. It is highlighted with a white crown, which is covered with green skin. It has a dark long pointed bill. Black hair- like bristles cover the upper throat  and neck. They have grey feathers over the ears. Females are shorter than the males.

SARUS CHICK HATCHING FROM AN EGG

Characteristics:- 
          The Sarus crane is the tallest crane species standing at six feet tall, with a wingspan of eight feet. It weighs around 7.3 kg and stands as tall as a man. The lifespan of Sarus Crane exceeds up to 15-20 years in the wild and for 40 years in captivity.

RICE PADDIES...

Habitat:-
        Sarus Crane prefers wetlands, cultivated fields to live. Their optimal habitat includes a combination of small seasonal marshes, floodplains, high altitude wetlands, human- altered ponds, fallow and cultivated lands, and rice paddies.
                                       
Diet:-
        They are omnivorous, eating insects, aquatic plants and animals, crustaceans, seeds and berries, small vertebrates, and invertebrates. These birds are usually seen in small groups of 2-5 and they forage while walking in shallow water or in fields, sometimes probing with their long bills.

SARUS CRANE FLYING IN THE AIR

Declining Numbers:-
           The total population of Sarus Crane approximately lies between 13,500 to 15,500. Loss of wetland areas, egg damage by the humans and heavy use of pesticides had seriously declined the population of Sarus Crane.


Presence In India:-
         Sarus Crane is found across the northern, central and north-eastern parts of India. You can spot them in Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Madhav National Park, Kerala Bustard Snctuary and Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary.


HERE IS A VIDEO:-

                                  Hope you like it..:)

BIRD WATCHING....

             
A large number of people all over the world enjoy bird watching or birding. There are over 100,000 species of birds found all over the world. birds are colorful, lively, interesting to listen to and relatively easy to attract to our gardens. Bird  watching does not require a lot of equipments - just a good pair of binoculars and a field guide that will help identify the bird.. 

  
Getting Started:-
         The best way to start is to go with someone who has been birding for a while. If you don't have friends who do so, try finding a local birding club. Many good bookshops have a selection of books, magazines and tapes on bird watching. Learn to indentify common local species using your field guide. Consider putting a bird feeder and/or bird attracting native plants around your home. Because different birds live in different habitats, try to visit as many different habitat types as you possibly can.


Choosing A Bird Guide:-
      A good bird has clear, easy to recognize colour illustrations. The guide includes includes information about habitats, maps showing range of different birds, if, where and when they migrate and what their song or call sounds like.The better guides show seasonal colour changes, similar appearing species, and provides information on how to tell them apart. These guides also give information about  the various birding sites.

Better Safe Than Sorry:-
      Bird watching can be a fascinating and rewarding way to spend your time, and following basic safety tips can enhance your bird watching experiences..:- 
*  Watch for Wildlife: Many bird watching sites are also home to large animals. So make sure you do not turn over large rocks, or stick your hands or feet into rock formations, tree logs, brush, or other enclosed areas since scorpion bites and snake bites can be lethal.
*  Sinking Land: Marshes and wetlands are not solid ground. Use a walking stick to check the soil conditions before walking or setting up your tripod, tent, or other equipment.
*  First Aid: Take food, water, a first- aid kit, and extra layers of clothing..


Birding Ethics:-

• Be Quiet, avoid harassment ;don't disturb the birds.
• Be extra careful during the breeding season of the birds.
• Do not handle eggs or young or stay too long at nests.
• Don't use bird call audio tapes to attract birds, unless very necessary for some research.
• Follow all rules of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
• Divide larger groups of people into smaller more manageable numbers.
• Leave no liter or trash, carry it back with you.
• Use flash sparingly when photographing birds.
• Be aware of others in your group and how your actions affect their enjoyment..

HERE IS A VIDEO:-

                                                                     HOPE YOU LIKE IT..:)