Posts Tagged ‘wildlife’
Raccoons – The Masked Thieves in Your Home
Raccoons, they are so cute to watch from the inside of your home. However, when humans come into contact with them in their natural habitat, it is self-evident that they are not an animal one would want for a pet. They are mammals and are known to be nocturnal and omnivorous.
Now, because they are omnivores, they are scavengers as well. So they will discover a way into your backyard and patio. If a raccoon finds dog or cat food on a backyard patio, it will not hesitate to eat it.
Once a raccoon knows where to get a free meal, it will return for more. In fact, a raccoon with bring its family with it to enjoy a free meal. The raccoon is most likely to consume nuts such as walnuts and acorns in its own natural habitat. If, on the other hand, a raccoon strays into a suburban setting, like the backyard of a home, it will consume whatever is on the ground or in a rubbish can.
The raccoon is known for scrambling into, and overturning, waste cans to search for waste food for their next meal. Raccoons were first spotted in a city in Cincinnati in the 1920?s and then were seen in such cities as San Francisco, Chicago and Toronto in the 1950?s.
The raccoon is chiefly to be found in North American states and territories such as Panama, Bahamas, Cuba and Jamaica., but also in Europe too.
Raccoons have a decent memory and have been studied by a variety of scientists past and present. With their memory and intelligence, it is no wonder that they can remember where they discovered their last meal and will return to that same area.
once a raccoon knows where to go back for a meal, it will, more likely than not, strive to get into the home it is taking food from. If a raccoon is clever enough to know where to return for a meal, with family in tow, it will find a route to into a home and search out a food source.
Whilst a raccoon is found in the backyard, or inside a home, it is not wise to strive and catch it. The best a homeowner can do is shoo the raccoon, or its family, away and call the animal control in your city. As cute and furry as raccoons look, they are not to get touched or selected up.
A raccoon is a wild animal and will do whatever it takes to protect itself and its family. It is also vital to realize that raccoons carry sickness. A raccoon carries rabies and will pass it on to a pet or human by a bite. The rabies virus is in the raccoon?s saliva.
As the raccoon becomes ?comfortable? visiting the outside of a home, it will become inside if it perceives a fashion in through a back door or attic window. As stated above, raccoons are smart and immense natural climbers. They will have no problem climbing up the side of a home, look for an open window into an attic and climb in.
If a raccoon has its ?kits? in tow, they will all find their way into the attic and make not only far of noise, but will do their best to be into the home to search for their next meal.
Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many of subjects, but is now concerned with distemper in raccoons. If you want to know more, please visit our website at Distemper Vaccines
Animal Facts – Black Necked Stilt
The Black-necked Stilt is a locally abundant shorebird of American wetlands and coastlines. The tail is white with some grey banding. A continuous area of black extends from the back along to the head. There, it forms a cap covering the entire head from the top to just below eye-level, with the exception of the areas surrounding the bill and a small white spot above the eye. Stilts’ legs are longer in proportion to their bodies than any other bird except the flamingo. They also have partially webbed feet, which allow them to swim – but they rarely do.
The Black-necked Stilt forages by probing and gleaning mostly in lakeshores, but also in very shallow waters near shores. It seeks out a range of aquatic invertebrates, mainly crustaceans, mollusks, small fish, tadpoles and very rarely plant seeds. They have a length of 35-39 cm and a wingspan of 71 cm. Their lifespan is approximately 20 years.
The Black-necked Stilt is actually classified as semi-colonial since the nests are rarely found alone and colonies usually number dozens, rarely hundreds of pairs. The nests are typically sited within one kilometer of a feeding location, and the pairs defend an extensive perimeter around groups of nests, patrolling in cooperation with their neighbors.
Males have a greenish gloss to the back and wings, particularly in the breeding season. These guys usually breed after the rainy season. They begin to breed at 1-2 years of age. The clutch size generally is 3-5 eggs. For 22-26 days both sexes take turns incubating the eggs. The young are seen swimming within two hours after hatching and are also capable of rapid land velocity at that early time. In spite of this early development the young normally return to the nest for resting for one or two more days but remain dependent on their parents for some more weeks.
They are not in the threatened species list but their numbers are declining because of the destruction or their habitat. It is found through Central America and the Caribbean to Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and the Galpagos Islands. The Black-necked Stilt is found in estuarine, salt pond and emergent wetland habitats; it is generally a lowland bird but in Central America has been found up to 8,200 ft (2,500 m).
Marina K. Villatoro, lives in Central America – Costa Rica and Guatemala for the past decade. She has traveled all over these areas with her family and now she loves to organize vacations to Costa Rica and Guatemala. Contact her for advice and to plan your perfect trip! Also published at Animal Facts – Black Necked Stilt.
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Animal Facts – Ocelots
The ocelot’s appearance is similar to that of the domestic cat. Its fur resembles that of a Clouded Leopard or Jaguar. These guys receive many names and some are: McKenney’s Wildcat, Jaguatirica, Jaguarete, Tigrillo, Cunaguaro, or Manigordo (in Costa Rica and Panama). It has a tawny to reddish brown coat marked with black spots and rosettes. The fur is short, and lighter beneath. There is a single white spot on the back of each of its ears. There are two black lines on either side of its face and has a black-banded tail.
Studies suggest that it follows and finds prey via odor trails, but the ocelot also has very good vision, including night vision. The white rings around the ocelot’s eyes help to reflect extra light into the eye at night. Ocelots hunt over a range of 18 km2, taking mostly small animals like deer, various rodents, reptiles and amphibians lizards, turtles, frogs, crab, birds and fish. Almost all of the prey that the ocelot hunts is far smaller than itself. It can be up to 1 m long, plus 45 cm of tail length. Their average weigh is 25-35 pounds. Ocelots can live 8 to 11 years.
Almost all of the prey that the ocelot hunts is far smaller than itself. It can be up to 1 m long, plus 45 cm of tail length. Their average weigh is 25-35 pounds. Ocelots can live 8 to 11 years. The ocelot is mostly nocturnal and very territorial. It will fight fiercely, sometimes to the death, in territorial disputes. In addition, the ocelot marks its territory with especial urine.
Like most felines, it is solitary, usually meeting only to mate. However, during the day it rests in trees or other dense foliage, and will occasionally share its spot with another ocelot of the same sex. Also fter mating the female will find a den in a cave in a rocky bluff, a hollow tree, or a dense thicket. The gestation period is estimated to be 70 days.
Generally the female will have 2-3 kittens. They are born in autumn with their eyes closed and a thin covering of hair. But thousands of ocelots have been killed for their fur. The feline was classified a “vulnerable” endangered species from 1972 until. This wild cat is distributed over South and Central America and Mexico.
Marina K. Villatoro, the Travel Experta, has been living in Central America – Costa Rica and Guatemala for over 10 years. She has traveled here extensively. Now loves organizing vacations to this amazing part of the world, having first hand experience of all the places with her family. Contact her for advice and to plan your perfect trip!
Guatemala Wildlife – 10 Facts About Turquoise-Browed Motmot
The turquoise-browed Motmot is a beautifully colored medium sized bird that lives from the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico down to Costa Rica. It lives in fairly open habitats such as forest edge, gallery forest and scrubland.
When it comes to food Motmots eat small insects and reptiles such as lizards they might also eat fruits. They have even been seen eating poisonous frogs in Costa Rica.
These are medium sized birds and measure approximately 34 cm long and weigh about 65 grams. It has also been known that motmots live somewhere between 12 to 14 years.
Some studies have shown that motmots move their tail back and forth in a wag-display when they detect predators and that the display is likely to communicate that the motmot is aware of the predator and is prepared to escape. After mating these birds lay 3 – 6 white eggs in a long tunnel nest in an earth bank or sometimes in a quarry or fresh-water well.
After mating these birds lay 3 – 6 white eggs in a long tunnel nest in an earth bank or sometimes in a quarry or fresh-water well. Studies have also shown that males apparently use their tail as a sexual signal, males with longer tails have the best pairing success and reproductive success.
Right now the motmot population appears to be stable. Hence the species is not on the vulnerable lists. But because of the human effect their numbers are declining fast.
Marina K. Villatoro, the Travel Experta, has been living in Central America – Costa Rica and Guatemala for the past decade. Traveling with her family to all parts of Costa Rica and Guatemala, she now loves organizing vacations for people and offers first hand experience. Contact her for advice and to plan your perfect trip!
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Bring a Bit of the Wild to Your Finances With Bear Checks
Bears are really get the wrong end of the stick. Due to their bulk and quickness, they frequently get condemned for being angry, cantankerous, and hostile. Nevertheless, those that adore and value bears recognize that these animals are in fact very protecting, affectionate, and family-oriented. Additionally, nothing is more cuddly than a fluffy teddy bear. If you find bears irresistible and you want to bring awareness to them, or you just want to have a delightful image of a stuffed animal in your billfold, then you should certainly consider carrying checks that include images of these appealing creatures.
If you take pleasure in images of bears in nature, then you might want to think about the “American Wildlife” check series. These have 8 rotating scenes so it will be some time before you replicate any of these images. The Defenders of Wildlife Grizzly checks also have images of bears in the wild, too.
In contrast, if you are merely seeking distinctive illustrated images of fluffy teddy bears, then you can’t go wrong with the “Americana,” “Blue Jean Teddy,” or “Boyd’s Bears” check series. All of these come with 4 rotating scenes of cuddly bears that will be a joy to anyone that you write a check to. Few things scream “America” as Boyd’s Bears! All of these check designs come with 4 rotating images, too.
Obviously, if you truly want something endearing then you shouldn’t neglect the Care Bears checks. These include 5 rotating scenes of your darling bears which are positive to be a hit. You can carry your love of your much loved childhood cartoon in addition to your fondness for nostalgia to your finances when you purchase these.
For something a little unusual, you might want to think about the Coca Cola Polar Bears check series. Few things say “Christmas” like the Coca Cola bears. They have turned into symbols for the holiday season and with excellent reason-these enchanting bears adore the holidays just about as much as they love their cokes!
Still, if you want something a little more serious, then you can also find images of polar bears in the Defenders of Wildlife Polar Bears check series. These contain real photographic images of polar bears in the wild. Likewise, the Earth matters checks contain images of endangered bears, like the pandas.
Most check series come with coordinating accessories that you can purchase at an additional cost. You might be interested in buying a matching checkbook cover, coordinating address labels, or contact cards to go along with your checks, for instance.
Bear in mind that if you get your checks online from a protected site you can save as much as 50% off the overall cost of them. In addition, you will have a giant selection of checks to pick from. This means that you won’t have to settle for a design that you’re not particularly interested in.
When you purchase your checks online, you can usually expect to get them in the mail in roughly 3-5 days. That’s almost certainly earlier than your bank got them to you before.
Before you purchase bear checks, go to BearChecks.net to get coupons and to save 50% off your next purchase of bear personal checks.
Howler Monkeys Monkeying Around In Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
There are around five families of primates that are found in different parts of the world and howler Monkeys are among the largest of the new world monkeys. They are native to central and South American forests. Corcovado National Park has a wide number of Howler Monkeys.
This species of monkeys lives up to an elevation of 2,500 m from southern Mexico to northwestern South America. Canopies of lowland and mountain forests are home to them.
Howler monkeys range in size from 56 to 92 cm, excluding their tail which can be as long. Like many New World monkeys, these guys have prehensile tails. Unlike other New World monkeys, both male and female howler monkeys have color vision. An adult male Howler can weigh up to 7 kg and a female may weigh up to 5 kg. They have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years.
These guys are named Howler because of their incredible vocalization skill. Their howls can be heard more than 1 km away through the forest. They usually scream out at sunrise and sunset or in response to people, airplanes, rain and thunders, or other howlers. Some biologists think that it is used as a spacing mechanism between individuals or to communicate within the troop.
The group is usually defined as several adult males and females, with their juveniles and infants, although juveniles usually leave their parents’ group at around 12 weeks old. A female will become sexually active at 3 years and have her first infant before her fourth year, with a gestation period of 6 months. Within a group, all adult males are dominant to all adult females, but the youngest adult of either sex holds the alpha rank for that sex. The group size varies from 11 to 18 individuals depending on the region. Howlers hardly ever descend to the ground except to travel between islands of trees in a habitat. Howlers are relatively common in Costa Rican forests, where they constitute 69% of the primate biomass within the country.
These primates are sedentary foragers. They eat mostly leaves, but they may also pick fruits and flowers. Since they are not dependent on only eating fruit howlers can survive in home ranges rather small for a primate of their size. They also seem to base their food choices on how much the plant contains protein, fiber, and levels of alkaloids and tannins. Essentially, they try to maximize protein and amino acids in their diet but minimize their intake of fiber and plant secondary compounds.
One of the best places to bump into howler monkeys is Corcovado National Park. This park hosts a wide number of them.
Marina K. Villatoro, the Travel Experta, has been living in Central America – Costa Rica and Guatemala for over 10 years. She has traveled here extensively. Now loves organizing vacations to this amazing part of the world, having first hand experience of all the places with her family. Contact her for advice and to plan your perfect trip!
Penguins Make Perfect Mascots for Your Bank Checks
There is no refuting that penguins are enchanting and adorable. Not only are they faithful to their parents, but they practically walk to the ends of the earth for their children. Few creatures are as brave. If you are trying to find a way to make your personal bank checks more exciting then you might want to think about getting penguin checks. Let the charming antics of the Antarctic’s most celebrated creatures cheer up your check book. If you order them online, you will save quite a bit of money and ordering them is easier than you might think.
Penguins are a group of birds that, while they are good swimmers, are unable to fly. They live in a very harsh environment and their bodies are made exclusively for survival. When they dive into the water, for example, their wings turn into flippers. Although the largest species are the Emperor penguins, they still only reach about 4 feet tall. However, in the prehistoric times, some were as tall and heavy as present day humans! Back then, they didn’t all live in the Antarctic regions, either.
You have several options when it comes to penguin checks. Your main options are the Defenders of Wildlife Penguin checks, Penguin Pals checks, Penguin Parade checks, and even matching accessories like address labels and checkbook covers.
The Penguin Parade checks show a family of penguins. These checks feature Emperor penguins in the Arctic Circle, their habitat. It appears like they are having a meaningful conversation, and they might be. You can also buy matching address labels with these, too.
You can rest assured knowing that you are helping out an organization that protects wild animals and their natural habitats if you get the Defenders of Wildlife penguin checks. This organization’s programs support natural habitats and ecosystems. The check series has 4 rotating images which mean that each check you write will be different. Coordinating contact cards, address labels, and a matching checkbook cover can be purchased at an extra cost.
The Penguin Pals penguin series has 4 attractive images of penguins in their natural habitat. From moving images of parental affection to groups of hip young penguins, the images on these checks capture the enthralling antics of these fascinating creatures that dwell in a cruel environment.
You can also get coordinating address labels with the Penguin Pals checks. These can really add life to your envelopes. A corresponding checkbook cover can be found, too, that features a gang of young penguins, ostensibly smiling straight at the camera.
It could be costly to get striking checks that weren’t boring and unexciting in the past. In this day and age, however, if you get your checks on the Internet from a protected site you can save as much as 50% off of the cost that your bank might have charged you. It typically just takes a couple of days to get them, too, which might be even earlier than your bank could have gotten them to you.
Before you order penguin checks, go to Penguin-Checks.com to find coupons and to save 50% off your next order of penguin personal checks.
Use Butterflies to Make Your Checks Beautiful and Elegant
Butterflies are one of the most beloved species in nature. Whether they are swallowtails or monarchs, you can’t deny their beauty and grace. If you want a way to make your personal bank checks beautiful and distinctive then you should think about using butterflies to add flair to them.
With gorgeous butterfly images on your checks, your finances will never be boring again. You won’t be able to help but smile each and every time you glance at your checkbook.
There is an assortment of butterfly checks available to buy. A popular series called “Butterfly Kisses” is offered by Bradford Exchange Checks. These checks showcase four varying butterfly designs, each one with striking colors and artistic images. The colors are vivacious and suggestive of a field of flowers or a rainbow.
Another popular check series is called “Lena Liu’s Enchanted Wings.” These feature butterfly paintings by world renowned artist Lena Liu. These striking capricious images contain subdued colors and fine details. There is so much detail in one butterfly that you feel as though it is imply going to fly off the check and into the air. Every time you look at these checks you will feel that spring has arrived, no matter what the season is.
If you love babies and butterflies, you can combine both with the Anne Geddes “Butterfly Babies” checks. These checks also come in four rotating designs, each one with an endearing photograph of a baby costumed as a butterfly. Corresponding address labels, contact cards, and checkbook cover are all available to purchase with this series, too.
In most cases, if you want to shield your new butterfly checks, you can also get a matching checkbook cover. The designs will differ from one company to the next, but a popular checkbook cover has an image of two beautiful orange butterflies alighting delicately on a group of yellow flowers.
You can also purchase side-tear and duplicate checks with butterfly images. Side-tear checks are taken out of the checkbook from the side instead of the top. This helps reduce the chances of tearing the check. With duplicate checks, each check you write will leave a copy behind.
In the past, it could be expensive to purchase personal checks with unique designs. Thanks to the Internet, this is no longer the case. By ordering your butterfly personal checks online from a trusted website, you can save as much as 50% off of what you would have paid at your local bank branch.
When you purchase your butterfly checks on the internet, you will need to know your checking account number and your routing number. This is vital because the numbers need to be printed onto the checks.
You can expect to see your checks arrive in your mailbox in about 5 days. That’s pretty much the same amount of time that it would have taken you to get your checks in the past, only now you can order them from the privacy of your own home.
Before you purchase Butterfly checks, visit ButterflyChecks.net to find coupons and to save 50% off your next order of Butterfly personal checks.
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