Dogs

We’ve seen posts about sharks to peacocks, but I think its time to mention the “mans best friend”.. Yes the dog.

1 in 3 families own a dog in America, so I think its safe to say that majority of us love dogs.. But who wouldn’t? There are more than 150 breeds of dogs around the world in which they are all primarily functional, acting as a guard, children’s playmate, or even just a walking companion. They are the only animal which will be loyal to its owner and protect him/her from any dangers that come their way.

Having a dog as a pet does have its major responsibilities though, taking a lot of time and effort. They need excessive attention, cleaning, grooming in which owners must be prepared to offer.

(image source:http://reigningcatsdogs.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/socializing-your-new-puppy.html)

Regardless, at the end of the day it is worth every second of your time just to have that companionship.

(MERVE GENEL)

Chimpanzee

Chimpanzees are mammals like humans.
And whats most fascinating about that is that they share a common ancestor with humans and have very similar features of humans. By analysing the hands and feet of a chimpanzee you can tell there are many similarities between humans and chimpanzees.
They also share about 98% of human genetic material which is the closest an animal is in relation to humans. Chimpanzees usually group themselves together of about a dozen or so, and are usually found in the African rainforest, woodlands and grasslands. From studying chimpanzees, they usually consume fruit and plants, but they can also consume eggs and insects.

(image source: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/chimpanzee/)

Things that interest me about chimpanzees are their methods of catching insects. They tend to use sticks to pick out insects from hole in trees or from holes in the ground. Chimpanzees can walk on their bare knuckles by clenching them into a fist and supporting themselves by pressing them into the ground. They are very athletic and are lot more agile than most other mammals. Chimpanzees have amazing upper body strength which allows them to swing from tree to tree.
Chimpanzees are also quite intelligent as they have the ability to memorise locations and patterns of numbers they have been previously shown.

(DANIEL CHAND)

Tigers

I have personally been interested in tigers since I watched the film ‘Life of Pi’. The tiger is one of the largest cat species, reaching a total length of up to 3.3 metres and weighing up to 306kg. It is most recognisable by its dark vertical stripes over its orange fur. Tigers are extremely territorial and generally solitary but social animals, often requiring large areas of habitat where food requirements can be supported. This, coupled with the fact that they are indigenous to some of the most densely populated places on Earth, such as India, has caused significant conflicts between tigers and humans.

(image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tiger_in_Ranthambhore.jpg)

In a poll conducted by Animal Planet of more than 50,000 viewers, the tiger was voted the world’s favourite animal, narrowly beating the dog. Animal behaviorists put this down to the fact that people can admire and relate to the tiger, as it is fierce and commanding on the outside, but noble and discerning on the inside. Callum Rankine, international species officer at the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) conservation charity, said the result of the Animal Planet survey gave him hope since if people are voting tigers as their favourite animal, it means they recognize their importance and hopefully the need to ensure their survival.

Click the following link for information about further information about tigers and conservation projects…
http://www.21stcenturytiger.org/ 

(BEN TAYLOR)

Indian Peacock (AKA Peafowl)

When it comes to beautiful, and colourfully vibrant animals nothing can even remotely compare to the Indian peacock. The Indian pea cock is known for its train, which when extended opens to show a semi circle of its colourful feathers, adult males train consist of feathers which are green and blue. The adult females train consists of feathers which are dull green, brown and grey, whereas a child peacocks train is dull green, and yellow. The India peacock is most commonly found in south Asia, and as the name suggests it is the official national bird of India, as it is intrinsic to the Indian province of Punjab.

The peacock is an omnivorous bird, however it mostly feeds on plants, flower petals, small insects and reptiles. The peacock is a sacred bird in Hindu culture, it is well known as the loyal bird of Lord Karthikeya ( The God of War) and son of Shiva, referenced to in the “Mahabharata”.

Train Closed

(image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Indian_Peacock_I3_IMG_9656.jpg) 

Train Opened

(image source: http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/shawnhempel/shawnhempel1006/shawnhempel100600025/7136089-beautiful-indian-peacock-with-fully-fanned-tail.jpg)

(MOHAMMAD AZHAR)

Redback Spider

Time for one of the creepy crawlys...yes it's the Redback Spider...
What is fascinating about the Redback spider is the fact that it is an Arachnid. An arachnid is defined as an animal that have exoskeletons. These are broken into 2 body sections which have no backbone and 8 legs attached to the body. 
Redback Spiders are considered one of the most venomous spiders in Australia. Interestingly, the redback spiders can be sexually cannibalistic.This involves the female consuming the male counterpart if he has not satisfied her during the males mating dance (which should presumably go for 100 minutes)

(image source: http://museumvictoria.com.au/spidersparlour/spider13.html)

After reviewing the Redback Spider, one thing that interests me about it the most is the obvious look of the spider; well known for the red stripe across the back, its very bright and obvious stripe on the back of the spider defines its deadliness. Redbacks are fairly aggressive. Their hunting methods and sexual cannibalism which I had mentioned earlier are one of the key reasons why I like the redback spider.

Here is a good video which shows you how the female can eat the male counterpart up if she is displeased.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojDCmlhBhxw

(DANIEL CHAND)

Tyrannosaurus Rex (T-Rex)

It’s amazing to know that hundreds of years ago there were once giant reptiles, known as dinosaurs with tiny brains who “ruled the earth”.

Out of all the dinosaurs, the one who is at the top of the food chain is tyrannosaurus rex (also known as T-rex). T-rex was one of the largest carnivores ever, standing at 12m long and 6m tall and weighing at around 7000 pounds.  

(image source: http://www.cosmostv.org/2011/10/t-rexs-weight-topped-9-tons.html)

Through scientific research it is believed that the T-rex was so powerful it could eat up to 500 pounds (230 kg) of meat in one bite. Not only is that an excessive amount of food in one bite, T-rex also used to crush and break the bones of the animals it used to eat.

So if you are terrified of bears, sharks, lions or any other living animal in today’s society, then thank god that you were not alive during the time of T-rex.

Because many of these facts about dinosaurs are through their remains in fossils and through extreme scientific research, not many people believe in the existence of them. But personally, I think it is astonishing to know that there were such creatures that touched the same soil we do, everyday.

(MERVE GENEL)