Animal Wallpapers | Wild Animal | Facts | Videos | Animals Pictures

Grizzly Bear

2013-04-07T23:13:00.000-07:00

Guinea Pig

2013-04-07T23:10:00.001-07:00

The Guppy Fish

2013-04-07T23:08:00.002-07:00

Hammerhead Shark

2013-04-07T23:06:00.001-07:00

Hamster Pictures

2013-03-29T02:31:00.002-07:00

Size: 5-28cm (2-11in)
Average Life: 2-3 years
Weight: 100-900g (3.5-32oz)
Top Speed: 6km/h (4mph)
Colour: Tan, Brown, White, Black
Food: Seeds

Hare Pictures

2013-03-29T02:28:00.000-07:00

Size: 36-71cm (14-28in)
Average Life: 2-8 years
Weight: 1-5.5kg (3-12lbs)
Top Speed: 72km/h (45mph)
Colour: Tan, Brown, White, Black
Food: Grass

Hedgehog Pictures

2013-03-29T02:22:00.002-07:00

Size: 16-35cm (6-14in)
Average Life: 3-6 years
Weight: 1-2kg (2.2-4.4lbs)
Top Speed: 19km/h (12mph)
Colour: Tan, Brown, Grey
Food: Insects

Hermit Crab

2013-03-29T02:19:00.000-07:00

Size: 2-10cm (0.8-4in)
Average Life: 1-10 years
Weight: 200-500g (7-18oz)
Colour: Green, Red, Blue, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, White
Food: Fish
Number of Species: 500

Hercules Beetles

2013-03-29T02:15:00.000-07:00

Size: 4cm - 17cm (1.5in - 6.7in)
Average Life: 3 - 5 months
Colour: Black, Brown, Green, Blue, White, Yellow
Food: Decaying wood
Found: Central and South America
Number of Species: 13

Highland Cattle

2013-03-29T01:39:00.002-07:00

Size: 0.9-1.1m (3-3.5ft)
Average Life: 15-22 years
Weight: 400-1,000kg (882-2,204lbs)
Top Speed: 40km/h (25mph)
Colour: Tan, Brown, Orange
Food: Grass

13 Scariest Freshwater Animals

2013-03-25T22:26:00.002-07:00

1. Nile Crocodile

A year-old Nile crocodile attempts to snap up a frog in the St. Lucia Estuary in South Africa (from the National Geographic book Visions of Earth). Also known as the common crocodile, these large reptiles are distributed across much of Africa, and they have earned their reputation as among the most ferocious, deadly animals on the planet.

Male crocs typically measure from 11.5 to 16 feet long (3.5 to 5 meters), but they have been known to exceed 18 feet (5.5 meters) in length. Individual crocodiles attack anything the same size or smaller than them. They are occasionally known to hunt in packs, in which they can take down animals as large as hippos and rhinos. Nile crocodiles occasionaly prey on human beings, with estimates ranging from several hundred to several thousand deaths a year.

The ancient Egyptians feared and revered Nile crocodiles and worked them into their mystic religions. In modern times, the big animals were heavily hunted for their leather, although recent protections have helped stabilize the population at an estimated 250,000 to 500,000.

2. Snakehead

Snakeheads are often feared in the West, where populations of the aggressive fish have occasionally taken root as invasive species. After a fisherman found a Northern snakehead (Channa argus) in a pond in Maryland, it caused a media sensation. Biologists warned that the large freshwater fish could readily become established in North America, where it could wreak havoc on native ecosystems.

The voracious top-level predators can reach a length of three feet (one meter). They prey on invertebrates, frogs, and smaller fish, though they are known to attack anything moving when they are breeding.

Snakeheads can breathe air and can survive out of water for up to four days. They can survive much longer periods of drought by burrowing into the mud. Several species of the fish are native to much of Asia, where they are commonly caught and are prized for the dinner table. They are also frequently kept as aquarium fish and are noted for their aggressive behavior.

3. Mata Mata

A mata mata (Chelus fimbriatus) is a freshwater turtle that inhabits the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America. The bizarre turtles are entirely aquatic, although they prefer shallow, stagnant water, where they can easily reach their head out of water to breathe.

The mata mata can grow quite large, up to 33 pounds (15 kilograms). They feed on invertebrates and fish and aren't dangerous to people, despite their appearance.

Mata mata are fairly sensitive to water quality, both in captivity and in the wild, so they can be harmed by pollutants.

4. Giant Catfish

Divers work with a model European catfish in the Great Lake at Ostersund in Sweden. Large catfish live in many rivers throughout the world, where they are important scavengers.

The largest on record is the Mekong giant catfish, which has reached recorded sizes up to 10.5 feet (3.2 meters) and 660 pounds (300 kilograms). Once distributed across several countries in Southeast Asia, the Mekong giant catfish is now critically endangered, thanks to habitat disruption. Not much is known about the world's biggest freshwater fish, although conservation efforts are underway.

Big catfish are rarely considered dangerous to people. The Mekong species can live to be more than 60 years old.

5. Diving Bell Spider

The diving bell spider (Argyroneta aquatica) is the only known spider in the world that lives entirely underwater. Like other arachnids, it must breathe air, but it provides its own supply by forming a bubble, which it holds by hairs on its legs and abdomen. The spiders must occasionally return to the surface to replenish their air supply, although some gas exchange happens across the surface of their bubbles, so they don't have to come up very often.

The diving bell spider is found in northern and central Europe and parts of northern Asia. Unusual for spiders, the males are bigger than the females, perhaps because the males are more active hunters.

The spiders can inflict a painful bite that is often accompanied by feverish symptoms. Those who are afraid of spiders may be disturbed to know they may not be safe from them, even in the water.

6. Anaconda

Animal handlers hold a 19-foot anaconda at the Zoological Gardens. Among the world's largest snakes, anacondas live in rivers and wetlands of South America. The word anaconda is thought to come from the Tamil word anaikolra, which means elephant killer, alluding to the reptile's fearsome reputation.

Anacondas feed on fish, birds, reptiles, and small mammals, though they have been known to take the occasional domestic animal. The big snakes can be dangerous to people, though reports of deliberate predation are very rare.

Like other boas, anacondas are nonvenomous, and they often kill their prey by constricting it. Like other snakes, they swallow their prey whole.

7. Giant Freshwater Stingray

Freshwater stingrays are known to inhabit rivers in Southeast Asia and northern Australia, where they can reach enormous proportions, measuring up to 16.5 feet (5 meters) long and up to 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms). However, very little is known about these creatures, including how many are left, and if they ever enter saltwater.

Freshwater stingrays are hard to see, because they often bury themselves in river sediments. They hunt for clams and crabs by detecting their electric impulses. There are reports of the big animals overturning boats, though they rarely attack people.

Even so, stingrays can pack a powerful punch; they have a barb at the base of their tail that contains deadly poison and a stinger as long as 15 inches (38 centimeters).

Many scientists fear that freshwater stingrays are threatened by habitat loss and pollution.

8. Vampire Fish

Fanged vampire fish, or payara (Hydrolycus scomberoides), are offered at a market in Pevas, Peru, on the Amazon River. This fearsome, little-known fish is prized for its meat in the Amazon and Orinoco basins.

Vampire fish prey primarily on smaller fish, especially piranhas, which they impale with their long, sharp fangs. The intimidating teeth can grow up to six inches long.

9. Candiru

Perhaps the most feared freshwater species of all, candiru are parasitic catfish in the family Trichomycteridae. These small, narrow fish normally feed on the gills of larger fish in the Amazon. However, over the past few centuries there have been reports of these creatures lodging in the urethras of men and women.

Some native peoples along the Amazon have described means of preventing such a disturbing infection, which is said to be hard to remedy, even with surgery. Protection measures are said to include tough clothing, tying off extremities with ligatures, and avoiding urination around rivers. It was long believed that urine attracted the candiru, although a recent study Candirurange.

10. Piranha

Notorious for their sharp teeth and voracious appetites, piranhas inhabit several of the major river basins in South America. These omnivorous fish are known for their taste for meat, although attacks on human beings are quite rare, despite breathless accounts from early explorers.

In a historic visit to Brazil, Theodore Roosevelt famously saw a group of piranhas shredding pieces of a cow carcass in seconds. His dramatic account would color popular imagination for years, even though it was based on a manipulated spectacle in which fishermen blocked off a group of the fish and starved them beforehand.

Still, piranhas are important scavengers and predators in their native rivers, and they often resort to cannibalism if food gets scarce. It's true that local fishermen occasionally have scars from close encounters with them.

It's unknown how many species of piranhas exist, with estimates ranging from 30 to 60. —Brian Clark Howard.

11. Goliath Bird-Eater Spider

The second largest spider in the world, the goliath bird-eater (Theraphosa blondi), is related to the tarantula. It received its fearsome name after Victorian explorers witnessed one feasting on a hummingbird.

The big spiders inhabit marshy land in the rain forests of nothern South America, where they can grow to a leg span of up to 12 inches (30 cm) and can weigh more than 6 ounces (170 grams). As with many other spiders, females may eat the males after mating. Partially as a result, males have a lifespan of 3 to 6 years, while females have a lifespan of 15 to 25 years.

Despite the spider's name, birds are not the main prey of the goliath bird-eater. They prefer to eat insects and other invertebrates, although they will occasionally eat small vertebrates. The big spiders are not generally considered dangerous to human beings, although they can bite if disturbed, leaving a wound about as painful as a wasp sting. They can also release hairs that irritate the skin.

12. Electric Eel

Electra the electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) demonstrates her shocking power at Ford Motor Company's "Cycle of Production" exhibit at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Despite their name, electric eels are actually a type of knifefish and are more closely related to catfish than they are to true eels. These unusual fish inhabit waterways in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, where they hunt prey and defend themselves by producing powerful bursts of electricity.

Electric eels gulp air from the surface in order to breathe. Thanks to specialized internal organs, they can produce pulses of electricity greater than 500 volts, with a current greater than one amp. That's enough to kill an adult human being.

Electric eels mostly hunt invertebrates, though adults also consume fish and small mammals. They only attack human beings if they are disturbed. They tend to live in murky, stagnate waters. Scientists have long been fascinated by the species and have probed its impressive electrical abilities.

13. Tiger Fish

Widely distributed across much of Africa, tiger fish are fierce predators with large, razor-sharp teeth. They often hunt in packs and occasionally eat large animals. Attacks on human beings are rare but not unheard of.

The two largest species are the goliath tiger fish (Hydrocynus goliath) and the Hydrocynus vittatus, which is commonly called the tiger fish. Both are prized as game fish. The goliath tiger fish, which can reach sizes up to 110 pounds (50 kg), is found in the Congo River and Lake Tanganyika. The tiger fish can weigh up to 33 pounds (15 kg) and is found in the Zambezi River system.

Camel Wrestling in Turkey

2013-03-21T06:11:00.001-07:00

Camel Wrestling is a traditional sport very popular along the west coast of Turkey, where male camels from local villages are pit against each other in a dusty stadium. The days leading to the grand fight is an exciting one for the Turkish people.

Camel fighting originated among ancient Turkic tribes over 2,400 years ago, probably started as a form of competition between nomad caravans in the Middle East. At one point of time the government of Turkey began discouraging the practice characterizing it as too backwards of a practice.

Polar Bears

2013-03-18T00:32:00.001-07:00

Krill Facts, Pictures, Information

2012-12-11T02:41:00.000-08:00

Integral to the food chain, tiny shrimp krill are the primary food source for many marine mammals and fish.

Type: Invertebrate

Diet: Herbivore

Average life span in the wild: 5 years or more

Size: 2.4 in (6 cm)

Weight: 0.035 oz (1 g)

Group name: Swarm

Did you know? Scientists estimate that the total weight of all the Antarctic krill is more than the total weight of all humans on Earth.

The lowly krill averages only about two inches (five centimeters) in length, but it represents a giant-sized link in the global food chain. These small, shrimp-like crustaceans are essentially the fuel that runs the engine of the Earth’s marine ecosystems.

Krill feed on phytoplankton, microscopic, single-celled plants that drift near the ocean’s surface and live off carbon dioxide and the sun’s rays. They in turn are the main staple in the diets of literally hundreds of different animals, from fish, to birds, to baleen whales.

Simply put, without krill, most of the life forms in the Antarctic would disappear.

Alarmingly, there are recent studies that show Antarctic krill stocks may have dropped by 80 percent since the 1970s. Scientists attribute these declines in part to ice cover loss caused by global warming. This ice loss removes a primary source of food for krill: ice-algae.

Pink and opaque, Antarctic krill are among the largest of the 85 known krill species. Their estimated numbers range from 125 million tons to 6 billion tons in the waters around Antarctica. During certain times of year, krill congregate in swarms so dense and widespread that they can be seen from space.

Antarctic krill can live up to 10 years, an amazing longevity for such a heavily hunted creature. They spend their days avoiding predators in the cold depths of the Antarctic Ocean, some 320 feet (100 meters) below the surface. During the night, they drift up the water column toward the surface in search of phytoplankton.

Tyrannosaurus Rex Facts, Pictures, Information

2012-12-10T23:00:00.000-08:00

One of the largest dinosaurs that ever lived, Tyrannosaurus rex was a fierce carnivore. Scientists believe this powerful predator could eat up to 500 pounds (230 kilograms) of meat in one bite.

Type: Prehistoric

Diet: Carnivore

Size: 40 ft (12 m) long; 15 to 20 ft (4.6 to 6 m) tall

Protection status: Extinct

Did you know? Tyrannosaurus means "tyrant lizard."

Tyrannosaurus rex was one of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs that ever lived. Everything about this ferocious predator, from its thick, heavy skull to its 4-foot-long (1.2-meter-long) jaw, was designed for maximum bone-crushing action.

Fossil evidence shows that Tyrannosaurus was about 40 feet (12 meters) long and about 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6 meters) tall. Its strong thighs and long, powerful tail helped it move quickly, and its massive 5-foot-long (1.5-meter-long) skull could bore into prey.

T. rex's serrated, conical teeth were most likely used to pierce and grip flesh, which it then ripped away with its brawny neck muscles. Its two-fingered forearms could probably seize prey, but they were too short to reach its mouth.

Scientists believe this powerful predator could eat up to 500 pounds (230 kilograms) of meat in one bite. Fossils of T. rex prey, including Triceratops and Edmontosaurus, suggest T. rex crushed and broke bones as it ate, and broken bones have been found in its dung.

Tyrannosaurus rex lived in forested river valleys in North America during the late Cretaceous period. It became extinct about 65 million years ago in the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction.

Velociraptor Mongoliensis Facts, Pictures, Information

2012-12-10T22:59:00.001-08:00

Despite its birdlike plumage Velociraptor mongoliensis was not a flier. Its short forelimbs made liftoff impossible, though they may be the evolutionary remnants of an ancient ancestor’s flight-giving wings.

Type: Prehistoric

Diet: Carnivore

Size: 6 ft (1.8 m) long

Protection status: Extinct

Did you know? Velociraptor was featured in the Hollywood blockbuster Jurassic Park, but scientists stress that the movie's dinos bore little resemblance to the real deal.

Recent research suggests that Velociraptor mongoliensis was a feathered dinosaur. A forelimb fossil discovered in Mongolia showed quill knobs like those found in many modern birds. These telltale features are evidence of where ligaments attached flight feathers to bone and are considered proof that Velociraptor sported a fine feathery coat.

The dinosaur's plumage may have been used for mating or other visual displays, similar to how modern birds use their colorful feathers, or to help regulate body temperature. The feathers might also have helped females protect their eggs.

Velociraptor highlights many of the numerous similarities between dinosaurs and birds, which go far beyond the skin-deep appearance of feathers. Like birds, Velociraptor had hollow bones, tended nests of eggs, and probably behaved in similar ways.

Despite their birdlike plumage these dinosaurs were not fliers. Their short forelimbs made liftoff impossible, though they may be the evolutionary remnants of an ancient ancestor's flight-giving wings.

Velociraptor was probably one of the more intelligent dinosaurs, because it had a large brain proportionate to its body size. It was formidable on land and, as the name suggests, almost certainly covered ground quickly. Moving upright on two legs, they may have been able to reach speeds of 24 miles an hour (39 kilometers an hour).

When they caught up to prey, these predators likely brought them down quickly with a long, 3.5-inch (9-centimeter) retractable claw on each foot and a mouth full of sharp teeth. Velociraptor is known to have preyed on herbivores such as Protoceratops. One famous fossil immortalized the two species locked in an ancient duel to the death.

Wallaby Facts, Pictures, Information

2012-12-10T22:59:00.000-08:00

Wallabies, like their close kangaroo relatives, have long tails for balance and large feet and strong legs for jumping great distances.

Type: Mammal

Diet: Herbivore

Average life span in the wild: 9 years

Size: 12 to 41 in (30 to 104 cm); tail, 10 to 29 in (25 to 74 cm)

Weight: 4 to 53 lbs (2 to 24 kg)

Wallabies are members of the kangaroo clan found primarily in Australia and on nearby islands. There are many wallaby species, grouped roughly by habitat: shrub wallabies, brush wallabies, and rock wallabies. Hare wallabies are named for their size and their hare-like behavior.

All wallabies are marsupials or pouched mammals. Wallaby young are born tiny, helpless, and undeveloped. They immediately crawl into their mothers' pouches where they continue to develop after birth—usually for a couple of months. Young wallabies, like their larger kangaroo cousins, are called joeys. Even after a joey leaves the pouch, it often returns to jump in when danger approaches.

Wallabies are typically small to medium-sized mammals, but the largest can reach 6 feet (1.8 meters) from head to tail. They have powerful hind legs they use to bound along at high speeds and jump great distances. When wallabies are threatened by predators, or when males battle each other, they may also use these legs to deliver powerful kicks.

These marsupials also have large and powerful tails. Wallaby tails are not prehensile (gripping), but are useful nonetheless. The animals use them for balance when moving and to prop themselves up in a sitting posture. Nail-tailed wallabies even sport a sharp growth at the end of their tails.

Wallabies are herbivores, and the bulk of their diet is grasses and plants. Their elongated faces leave plenty of jaw room for the large, flat teeth necessary to chew their vegetarian meals.

Wallace's Flying Frog Facts, Pictures, Information

2012-12-10T22:58:00.001-08:00

Flying through the air with a semblance of ease, the Wallace's flying frog is one of few aerial amphibians.

Type: Amphibian

Diet: Carnivore

Size: 4 in (10 cm)

Group name: Army

Did you know? The Wallace's flying frog is named for the 19th-century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who first described the species in 1869.

The overachieving Wallace's flying frog wasn't content to just hop and swim. Thousands of years of watching birds navigate the rain forest and avoid predators by taking to the sky appears to have convinced this unique amphibian that air travel is the way to go.

Also known as parachute frogs, Wallace's flying frogs inhabit the dense tropical jungles of Malaysia and Borneo. They live almost exclusively in the trees, descending only to mate and lay eggs.

When threatened or in search of prey, they will leap from a branch and splay their four webbed feet. The membranes between their toes and loose skin flaps on their sides catch the air as they fall, helping them to glide, sometimes 50 feet (15 meters) or more, to a neighboring tree branch or even all the way to the ground. They also have oversized toe pads to help them land softly and stick to tree trunks.

Wallace's flying frogs are not the only frogs who have developed this ability, but they are among the largest. The black color of their foot webbing helps distinguish them from their similarly aerial cousins.

They are generally bright green with yellow sides and grow to about 4 inches (10 centimeters). They survive mainly on insects.

The Wallace's flying frog population is considered stable, and they have special status only in certain localities. However, they are partial to breeding and laying eggs in the fetid wallowing holes of the nearly extinct Asian rhinoceros, and further decreases in rhino populations may negatively affect the species.

Warthog Facts, Pictures, Information

2012-12-10T22:58:00.000-08:00

Although warthogs look fierce, they are actually herbivores who prefer to flee rather than fight.

Type: Mammal

Diet: Herbivore

Average life span in the wild: 15 years

Size: Height at shoulder, 30 in (76 cm)

Weight: 120 to 250 lbs (54.5 to 113 kg)

Group name: Sounder

Warthogs are members of the same family as domestic pigs, but present a much different appearance. These sturdy hogs are not among the world's most aesthetically pleasing animals—their large, flat heads are covered with "warts," which are actually protective bumps. Warthogs also sport four sharp tusks. They are mostly bald, but they do have some sparse hair and a thicker mane on their backs.

Though warthogs appear ferocious, they are basically grazers. They eat grasses and plants, and also use their snouts to dig or "root" for roots or bulbs. When startled or threatened, warthogs can be surprisingly fast, running at speeds of up to 30 miles (48 kilometers) an hour.

Warthogs are adaptable and are able to go long periods without water, as much as several months in the dry season.

When water is available, warthogs will seek it and often submerge to cool down. They will also wallow in mud for the same purpose—and to gain relief from insects. Birds also aid these hogs in their battle with insects; oxpeckers and other species sometimes ride along on their warthog hosts, feeding on the tiny creatures invading their hides.

These African hogs often utilize empty dens created by aardvarks. Rather than fight, they often choose flight, and search for such a den to use as a hidey-hole. They typically back in, using their tusks to effectively guard the entrance.

Warthogs also use these dens to have their young. Females have litters of four or fewer young, which they suckle for about four months.

Warty Newt Facts, Pictures, Information

2012-12-10T22:57:00.000-08:00

The warty is also called the great crested newt for the dramatic, jagged crest that males develop along their backs during the spring breeding season.

Type: Amphibian

Diet: Carnivore

Average life span in the wild: Up to 25 years

Size: 7 in (18 cm)

Weight: 0.22 to 0.37 oz (6.3 to 10.6 g)

Did you know? In Europe, a special license is required to handle warty newts.

The warty or great crested newt lives only in Europe. Females, which are larger than males, can reach 7 inches (18 centimeters) in length, making these stout-bodied amphibians the continent’s largest newts.

True to its name, the warty newt has skin that is covered in small bumps. The skin contains glands that secrete a milky, acrid-smelling substance to dissuade predators. Its other common name derives from the dramatic, jagged crest that males develop along their backs during the spring breeding season.

These newts are generally dark colored on top and orange or yellow with black spots underneath. They also have white speckles on their flanks and a large, vertically flattened tail that bears a white streak down the side.

Warty newts are nocturnal and are voracious eaters, feeding on worms, slugs, and insects on land, and tadpoles and mollusks in water. They are more terrestrial than most newts, but must remain near bodies of fresh water to keep their skin moist.

These newts spend a significant portion of their lives in hibernation, usually from around October to March of each year. On a rainy night in March, they awaken and trek back to the pond where they hatched to mate.

Females lay from 200 to 300 eggs, but only about half develop into tadpoles. Tadpoles emerge from their eggs in about 21 days and feed on small insects like water fleas and tiny worms. Warty newts are extremely long-lived, with some exceeding 16 years of age. Like all newts, they can regrow body parts if necessary, but that ability diminishes as they age.

Warty newt populations are in decline throughout their range, and they are considered an endangered species. They and their habitats are protected under European law.

Wasp Facts, Pictures, Information

2012-12-10T22:56:00.001-08:00

Type: Insect

Diet: Omnivorous

Size: Up to 1.5 in (3.8 cm)

Group name: Colony

Protection status: None

Did you know? Yellow jacket adults bring food to their hive-bound young, and in return, the young emit sweet secretions that the adults consume.

Wasps make up an enormously diverse array of insects, with some 30,000 identified species. We are most familiar with those that are wrapped in bright warning colors—ones that buzz angrily about in groups and threaten us with painful stings.

But most wasps are actually solitary, non-stinging varieties. And all do far more good for humans by controlling pest insect populations than harm.

Wasps are distinguishable from bees by their pointed lower abdomens and the narrow "waist," called a petiole, that separates the abdomen from the thorax.

They come in every color imaginable, from the familiar yellow to brown, metallic blue, and bright red. Generally, the brighter colored species are in the Vespidae, or stinging wasp, family.

All wasps build nests. Whereas bees secrete a waxy substance to construct their nests, wasps create their familiar papery abodes from wood fibers scraped with their hard mandibles and chewed into a pulp.

Wasps are divided into two primary subgroups: social and solitary. Social wasps account for only about a thousand species and include formidable colony-builders, like yellow jackets and hornets.

Social wasp colonies are started from scratch each spring by a queen who was fertilized the previous year and survived the winter by hibernating in a warm place. When she emerges, she builds a small nest and rears a starter brood of worker females. These workers then take over expanding the nest, building multiple six-sided cells into which the queen continually lays eggs. By late summer, a colony can have more than 5,000 individuals, all of whom, including the founding queen, die off at winter. Only newly fertilized queens survive the cold to restart the process in spring.

Solitary wasps, by far the largest subgroup, do not form colonies. This group includes some of the wasp family's largest members, like cicada killers and the striking blue-and-orange tarantula hawks, which can both reach 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) in length. Whereas social wasps use their stingers only for defense, stinging solitary wasps rely on their venom to hunt.

Most animals have developed a well-earned fear of stinging wasps and give them a wide berth. Creatures who haplessly stumble upon a wasp colony or have the audacity to disturb a nest will find themselves quickly swarmed. A social wasp in distress emits a pheromone that sends nearby colony members into a defensive, stinging frenzy. Unlike bees, wasps can sting repeatedly. Only females have stingers, which are actually modified egg-laying organs.

Despite the fear they sometimes evoke, wasps are extremely beneficial to humans. Nearly every pest insect on Earth is preyed upon by a wasp species, either for food or as a host for its parasitic larvae. Wasps are so adept at controlling pest populations that the agriculture industry now regularly deploys them to protect crops.

Water Buffalo Facts, Pictures, Information

2012-12-10T22:56:00.000-08:00

Both male and female water buffalo wear the species’ signature backward-curving horns, although the females’ horns are significantly smaller.

Type: Mammal

Diet: Herbivore

Average life span in captivity: Up to 25 years

Size: Head and body, 8 to 9 ft (2.4 to 2.7 m); Tail 2 to 3.3 ft (60 to 100 cm)

Weight: 1,500 to 2,650 lbs (700 to 1,200 kg)

Group name: Herd

Protection status: Endangered

Did you know? The domesticated water buffalo is often referred to as the “living tractor of the East,” as it is relied upon for plowing and transportation in many parts of Asia.

The water buffalo, or Asian buffalo, as it is often called, is the largest member of the Bovini tribe, which includes yak, bison, African buffalo, various species of wild cattle, and others.

Standing 5 to 6.2 feet (1.5 to 1.9 meters) tall at the shoulder, wild water buffalo are formidable mammals with sparse gray-black coats. Males carry enormous backward-curving, crescent-shaped horns stretching close to 5 feet (1.5 meters) long with deep ridges on their surface. Females are smaller in size and weight, but they also have horns, although they are proportionately smaller.

Water buffalo spend much of their day submerged in the muddy waters of Asia’s tropical and subtropical forests. Their wide-splayed hoofed feet prevent them from sinking too deeply in the mud and allow them to move about in wetlands and swamps. These marshes provide good cover and rich aquatic plants to forage on, although water buffalo actually prefer to feed in grasslands on grass and herbs.

Females normally produce calves every other year, after a gestation of 9 to 11 months. Young bulls typically remain with maternal herds, which consist of around 30 buffalo, for three years after birth. They then go on to form small all-male herds.

Water buffalo have been domesticated for more than 5,000 years. They have buttressed humanity’s survival with their meat, horns, hides, milk, butterfat, and power, plowing and transporting people and crops.

Wild water buffalo are endangered and live only in a small number of protected areas stretching across India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and a wildlife reserve in Thailand. And populations are likely to diminish as they are interbred with domesticated water buffalo.

Web-Footed Gecko Facts, Pictures, Information

2012-12-10T22:55:00.001-08:00

The web-footed gecko's salmon-colored skin and light-brown stripes help it stay camouflaged in the Namib Desert's reddish sands.

Type: Reptile

Diet: Carnivore

Average life span in the wild: 5 years

Size: 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm)

Did you know? Web-footed geckos communicate with a wide range of vocalizations, including squeaks, clicks, and even croaks.

The ghostly web-footed gecko is nearly translucent with a pale, salmon-colored undertone and light-brown stripes. Their color provides perfect camouflage among the powdery reddish sands of the Namib Desert, their primary habitat.

These geckos have adapted their webbed feet not only to help them stay atop, but to bury beneath the dunes of the Namib Desert. Strictly nocturnal lizards, they spend the day in self-dug burrows and emerge at night to feed.

Their bloodshot-looking eyes are massively oversized to help them detect prey, which includes crickets, grasshoppers, and small spiders. They move surprisingly quickly across the sand, and adhesive pads on their toes make them excellent climbers.

Web-foots are considered medium-size geckos, reaching an average size of about four inches (ten centimeters) in length. Males are slightly smaller than females.

People sometimes hunt these tiny lizards for food, and human encroachment is destroying some of its habitat. Their estimated lifespan in the wild is about five years.

Weddell Seal Facts, Pictures, Information

2012-12-10T22:55:00.000-08:00

Weddell seals are known for their docile nature and are easily approached by humans.

Type: Mammal

Diet: Carnivore

Average life span in the wild: 30 years

Size: 10 ft (3 m)

Weight: 1,200 lbs (544 kg)

Group name: Pod

Weddell seals spend much of their time below the Antarctic ice. They have the southernmost range of any seal, but find the chilly waters rich with the prey they seek. These seals do not migrate often and are commonly found within a few miles of their birthplace.

By swimming under the ice, these seals can often avoid their main predators—orcas and leopard seals. The environment helps their own fishing as well. When feeding below the ice, they may dive beneath their prey. As the seal rises, the fish above it are backlit by the ice above and easily spotted in silhouette. Weddell seals can also use air to collect a meal. They have been known to blow air into cracks in the ice. The surprise tactic puts small fish to flight, which the seal then devours. Cod and silverfish are favorites, though these seals also eat small crustaceans, octopuses, and other marine creatures.

Weddell seals can dive up to 2,000 feet (610 meters) down and stay under for up to 45 minutes. But no matter how deep they dive, like all marine mammals, they must surface to breathe. If natural openings are not available, Weddell seals use their teeth to open and maintain air holes in the ice pack.

Weddell seals are very vocal. Their calls can be heard from atop the ice even when seals themselves are below. The seals "haul out" onto the ice to rest, molt, or give birth. Females usually have one pup in September or October. These young are silver or golden (their parents are gray) and can swim by two weeks of age.

Western Lowland Gorilla Facts, Pictures, Information

2012-12-10T22:53:00.000-08:00

Gorillas are very intelligent and have been taught simple sign language in captivity. Like chimpanzees, gorillas have been observed using tools in the wild.

Type: Mammal

Diet: Omnivore

Average life span in the wild: 35 years

Size: Standing height, 4 to 6 ft (1.2 to 1.8 m)

Weight: 150 to 400 lbs (68 to 181 kg)

Group name: Troop

Protection status: Endangered

Did you know? Western lowland gorillas live in the smallest family groups of all gorillas, with an average of 4 to 8 members in each.

Western lowland gorillas are endangered, but they remain far more common than their relatives, the mountain gorillas. They live in heavy rain forests, and it is difficult for scientists to accurately estimate how many survive in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Western lowland gorillas tend to be a bit smaller than their mountain cousins. They also have shorter hair and longer arms.

Gorillas can climb trees, but are usually found on the ground in communities of up to 30 individuals. These troops are organized according to fascinating social structures. Troops are led by one dominant, older adult male, often called a silverback because of the swath of silver hair that adorns his otherwise dark fur. Troops also include several other young males, some females, and their offspring.

The leader organizes troop activities like eating, nesting in leaves, and moving about the group's three-quarter- to 16-square-mile (2- to 40-square-kilometer) home range.

Those who challenge this alpha male are apt to be cowed by impressive shows of physical power. He may stand upright, throw things, make aggressive charges, and pound his huge chest while barking out powerful hoots or unleashing a frightening roar. Despite these displays and the animals' obvious physical power, gorillas are generally calm and nonaggressive unless they are disturbed.

In the thick forests of central and west Africa, troops find plentiful food for their vegetarian diet. They eat roots, shoots, fruit, wild celery, and tree bark and pulp.

Female gorillas give birth to one infant after a pregnancy of nearly nine months. Unlike their powerful parents, newborns are tiny—weighing four pounds (two kilograms)—and able only to cling to their mothers' fur. These infants ride on their mothers' backs from the age of four months through the first two or three years of their lives.

Young gorillas, from three to six years old, remind human observers of children. Much of their day is spent in play, climbing trees, chasing one another, and swinging from branches.

In captivity, gorillas have displayed significant intelligence and have even learned simple human sign language.

In the wild, these primates are under siege. Forest loss is a twofold threat; it destroys gorilla habitat and brings hungry people who hunt gorillas for bushmeat. Farming, grazing, and expanding human settlements are also shrinking the lowland gorilla's space.