Photo: Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo - By Brendon Crook - Heathcote, N.S.W, Australia.


Today is World Parrot day

Parrots are wonderful birds of which there are 398 species found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions.

Parrots are mainly plant and seed eaters but there are some carrion and insect eaters among them.

Parrot lineage is difficult to determine as there are very few Parrot fossils available but some studies have suggested they evolved on the super continent Gondwana between 51 - 66 million yerars ago, 

Parrot size ranges from the Buff-faced pygmy Parrot at 8cm (3.1 in) to the large Hyacinth Macaw at 1m (3.3 ft) in length. 

There is a flightless parrot called the Kakapo in New Zealand which are also known as the Owl Parrot.
Also in New Zealand is the carrion eating parrot called the Kea. 

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Photo: Rainbow Lorikeet -- By Brendon Crook -- Heathcote, N.S.W, Australia. 


More interesting facts on Parrots are linked below:

www.parrots.org/

​www.idausa.org/campaign/wild-animals-and-habitats/parrots-as-pets/



​KIDS CORNER

​​opensanctuary.org/fun-facts-about-parrots/?gclid=CjwKCAjwscGjBhAXEiwAswQqNHTjx72ODXKRQbPdY1qsoB7usNV8CYWwOFdHlaAG3u_ar063ILIHXRoCB4QQAvD_BwE

​www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR8S50WuWxE



By Brendon Crook

Photo: Eurasian Otter -- Wikipedia Common License. 

Today is World Otter Day.

Otters are carnivorous mammals of which there are 13 species and which are found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. 

Otters range in size from the Asian small clawed Otter at 0.6m (2ft) to the Giant Otter at 1.8m (5ft 9 in).
Most live in fresh water whilst the Sea Otter lives on the northern Pacific Ocean coasts while the Marine Otter lives in the coastal waters of Western South America.

Sea Otters fossil records go back 5-7 million years while the fresh water Otters go back to between 5-23 million years.

Happy Otter Day

For more information see the links below:

defenders.org/wildlife/sea-otter

www.humanesociety.org/animals/otters
​
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl0H0rUfYAk


KIDS CORNER
​
kids.kiddle.co/Otter

​www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc-13P6Yb_o



​By Brendon Crook

​

Photo by Brendon Crook:  Kismet the Box turtle - Mission TX

Today is World Turtle Day.

Turtles are reptiles that are divided into 2 groups. They are the side-necked Turtles and the hidden-necked Turtles of which there are 360 species in total. 

Turtles are found throughout most of the world with Sea Turtles being found throughout most oceans although their numbers are being impacted by human encroachment and commercial fishing practices. 

Turtles are omnivores whose shells are made of bone. They share a common ancestor with crocodilians and birds and separated from them around 255 million years ago. 

Happy Turtle Day 

​For more interesting facts on Turtles check out the links below.


www.livescience.com/52361-turtle-facts.html

conserveturtles.org/information-about-sea-turtles-their-habitats-and-threats-to-their-survival/

seaturtleinc.org/  


KIDS CORNER

www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/animals/sea-life/turtle-facts/

​www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB0OodoGuUQ



By Brendon Crook

tapirs.org/tapirs/Photo: The 4 species of Tapir (Creative Common license - Wikipedia)

Today is International Tapir Day (along with International Hyena Day)

Tapirs are large herbivorous mammals found in Central and South America with one species found in Asia.

For much of their existence they lived across the Northern Hemisphere and became extinct in that region only about 10000 years ago. 

Tapirs generally eat only in the mornings and evenings and will eat leaves, twigs and grasses. 

They have a short trunk which is an extended nose and upper lip. 

Weighing in at around 300-700lb (140-320kg) Tapirs can live up to 30 years old although they are slow breeders usually having only one baby per pregnancy which can last 13-14 months. 

Tapirs are sadly becoming rare due to habitat loss and poaching. 

Below are some interesting links:

tapirs.org/tapirs/

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AR2lLVIWt4



KIDS CORNER

kids.kiddle.co/Tapir

www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7FnvV1zCGk




​By Brendon Crook

Photo:  The 4 species of Hyena  (Creative Commons license - Wikipedia)

Today is International Hyena Day as well as being International Tapir Day

Hyenas are carnivorous mammals that are found throughout Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia.

There are 4 species of Hyena, the Brown (found only in Africa), the Striped (Africa, much of the Middle East and parts of Asia), Spotted (Native to Sub-Saharan Africa) and the Aardwolf Hyena (Africa).

Although Hyenas are related more to felines than they are to Canines their behaviour more closely resembles Canines. 

Hyena evolution can be traced back to around 22 million years ago and although all related the 4 species are quite distinctive from each other. 

Although most famous for being scavengers Hyenas are very capable hunters and get 50-90% of their diet from hunting depending on the species of Hyena.

Hyenas have a rich history associated with human too which are explained and explored in the links below.

​www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/hyena

​talkinghumanities.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2021/03/16/hyenas-and-humans-millennia-of-myths-misrepresentations-and-persecution/

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqYIMgpqo1M

KIDS CORNER
www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/animals/general-animals/spotted-hyena-facts/
​
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBVetU8FsRE




By Brendon Crook

Photo: Fruit Bats from various countries (Megabats) -- Photo: License under common use license. 

Today is Bat  appreciation day.

In some circles Bats are anything but appreciated and have for long had a bad image which is very unfair as they are an integral being in our eco-systems and are found almost everywhere on the planet except very cold regions. 

Bats are the only true and sustained flying mammal and have a fossil record going back nearly 50 million years. They feed on fruit and insects and some such as the Hairy-legged Bat and White Winged Bat that feed only on the blood of birds or large mammals. 

Bats are very vocal creatures and the Mexican Free Tailed Bat is one of a few that actually sing like a bird. They also have amazing sonar detection devices that have been known to be able to be jammed by certain species of Moths.

I'm sure people reading this will love Bats for the unusual but wonderful creatures they are but if you come across people who hold a negative opinion of them please put them right and explain to them just how beneficial Bats really are to our world. 

For more information on these fluffy fliers feel free to click on the links below. Especially interesting to me are the articles on their radar systems. 

​www.si.edu/spotlight/bats/batfacts

animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/bat

​www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJOloliWvB8

https://www.merlintuttle.org/

https://www.batcon.org/


KIDS CORNER
www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/animals/general-animals/bat-facts/
​
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FVoTMOorXA

By Brendon Crook.

Photo: Brendon Crook         (Borderlands Southern Texas)

​A Woodlouse is a Crustacean that gets their name from being found in old wood. They have many names the world over and you may know the creature in the photo by an entirely different name as I do. In fact I've only ever known them as Slaters from where I'm from and while I've heard of Woodlice I never knew this was one before reading about them for this article!!!

Woodlice fossils date back to around 100000 years ago and have endured many changes to the earth in that time. 
Some species live in arid deserts while others have returned to aquatic environments. 

They eat fungi and rotting plants. They will also eat seedlings and soft fruits although they are considered beneficial in the garden as they turn and aerate the soil and they add compost.

The female Woodlouse will keep fertilized eggs in what is called a marsupium on the underside of her body. A female Woodlouse is also capable of reproducing asexually.

Although they do turn up in human houses they are usually there as they like damp places so you likely have a dampness problem which is Natures way of letting you know so you can repair it. 

Please don't kill or harm them.

​Below are some ideas on removing them from areas you don't wish them to be.
By the way a group of Woodlice are called a Quabble. 

Rather than see them as a pest we should embrace them and see them as fellow Earthlings and amazing little creatures in so very many ways. 

​The text underlined below is from a UK company that has many non-lethal ways to remove unwanted insects/rodents and keep them out. 
The link to them is www.fantasticpestcontrol.co.uk/blog/humane-methods-for-handling-common-household-pests/#
​

"Since woodlice play an essential role in decomposition, it’s better to remove them from your home rather than kill them. They usually live in damp places, such as piles of leaves, woodpiles, and under rocks, and may occasionally be found indoors. 
A woodlice infestation can be the first sign of a damp problem in your home, which is why finding the source and fixing it is crucial. If you see no other evidence of dampness, you should close up any holes, clean your gutters, and remove any rotting plant material from outside your home. Cinnamon, peppermint, citrus, and oregano essential oils are particularly effective in preventing woodlice infestations".


www.countrylife.co.uk/nature/bizarre-world-of-woodlice-164708

​KIDS CORNER

www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Armadillidium_vulgare/

factanimal.com/woodlouse/

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVkZwv1T3kE



By Brendon Crook

Photo: Male House Sparrow    (Rhododendrites - Wikipedia Creative commons license)

Today is world Sparrow day.

I guess Sparrows need little introduction however there are some interesting facts about them especially as we lump them all into one species as these sweet little birds seem to be never far away.

Old World Sparrows are considered true Sparrows and are a distinct species from the New World Sparrows which are more closely associated with Buntings.  
The House sparrow and the Eurasian Tree Sparrow are probably the most familiar to us. 

Sparrows mostly eat seeds and small insects although they are opportunistic in cities or where ever humans have been and will eat what has been dropped or discarded us.

Sparrows have a rather sparse fossil record up until 10000-20000 years ago. Once agriculture began to spread Sparrows moved with it and evolved to the climate they found themselves in. 

Below are some interesting links to the Sparrow. 

​​www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/house-sparrow
​
www.thespruce.com/pictures-of-sparrows-4121969

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh1_u9wJPyQ

KIDS CORNER

​www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Spizella_arborea/

By Brendon Crook

Photo: Charles J Sharp - Etosha National Park, Namibia (Creative Commons license)

Today is Buzzard Day.

Buzzards are large birds of which there are 26 species. The term Buzzard is often applied to many birds who aren't in fact true Buzzards. 
​
​Buzzards are a type of medium to large Hawk of which there are 26 species. 

True Buzzards can be distinguished by their large tails, broad wings and their slow heavy wing beats in flight.

The Common Buzzard ranges all over Europe and up into Scandinavia. Other Buzzards are found in Eurasia, northern Africa and North America. 

Vultures are often called Buzzards even though they are not the same bird. Buzzards are more likely to hunt live prey then eat carrion although they will eat already dead animals. 

For more interesting facts on Buzzards and their differences to other birds often called Buzzards there are some links below.

​www.thespruce.com/buzzards-vs-vultures-4171318

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw-IGYyae6c

By Brendon Crook

​

Photo: Common Hippopotamus in Saadani National Park (Muhammad Mahdi Karim - Wikipedia creative commons license)


Today is World Hippopotamus Day.

There are 2 living species of Hippopotamus both of which live in Sub-Saharan Africa. One is the Nile or Common Hippopotamus and the other is the pygmy hippopotamus.

Hippos live in many different water ways, everything from rivers to mangrove swamps and estuaries and are semi-aquatic usually cooling in the water by day and grazing on land during the night. They have webbed toes which help them in the water and also help them grip on steep or slippery banks when on land.
They are herbivores and eat mostly grasses and very little aquatic vegetation.

Hippopotamus live between 40 - 50 years of age and can weigh up to 3300Ib (1500kg) for the male (Bull) and 2900Ib (1300kg) for the female (Cow).

There estimated to be between 115000 - 130000 hippos left in the wild but they are under threat from loss of access to fresh water and are also subject to unregulated hunting and poaching..

The Pygmy Hippopotamus lives only in the forests and swamps of West Africa and are critically endangered. They are solitary and nocturnal creatures and only around 2500 remain in the wild. They are threatened by habitat loss and poaching and hunting.

If you would like more information on these captivating creatures I've included some links below:

​www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/hippopotamus

www.youtube.com/watch?v=67xmpRHj9wA

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​KIDS CORNER
www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/animals/general-animals/ten-hippo-facts/

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iYx5q5CudI
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By Brendon Crook