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
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl0H0rUfYAk


KIDS CORNER
​
kids.kiddle.co/Otter

​www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc-13P6Yb_o



​By Brendon Crook

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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