The Jungle Store

Did you know a lobsters blood is colorless?

2016-06-15T08:30:00.000-05:00

Did you know that the lobster's blood has a bluish tint due to the presence of copper found in the blue haemocyanin molecule?

Did you know that the lobsters blood when exposed to oxygen it turns blue?

Did you know that human blood is red because that is the color of oxygen saturated hemoglobin in our blood stream?

Did you know that Lobsters have no hemoglobin to transport oxygen?

Harambe the Gorilla

2016-06-09T13:33:00.000-05:00

Everyone by now has heard about Harambe the Gorilla incident. As reported a young boy jumped into the gorilla's cage by crossing the public barrier. His mother was present but was distracted by 3 other children. Videos show Harambe dragging the child through the moat. Some say he was distressed from all the shouting from other guests. Some conclude he was protecting the child.

Unfortunately the world has lost a rare and extinct gorilla. Harambe was a silver lowland gorilla. Lowland gorillas are said to stand erect at 5–6 feet (1.5–1.8 m) tall and weigh 300–600 pounds.

Western lowland gorillas are endangered and 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.

What kind of fish is Dory?

2016-06-08T13:57:00.000-05:00

Dory is a blue tang fish. The Scientific name is Paracanthurus hepatus. The blue tang has 9 dorsal spines, 26–28 dorsal soft rays, 3 anal spines, and 24–26 anal soft rays.The fish is important for coral health as it eats algae that may otherwise choke it by overgrowth.

Finding Dory Comes out June 17

2016-06-01T13:46:00.000-05:00

Dory(Ellen DeGeneres) is back! And this time she's looking for her parents (Diane Keaton) and (Eugene Levy). Nemo, Marlin and the gang help Dory navigate through the ocean hoping to find leads to her past. With new characters being introduced along the way we're sure to fall in love with these new personalities.

Released in theaters June 17th.

1st Birthday Jungle Themed Party Ideas

2016-05-20T12:19:00.002-05:00

Celebrating babys' first year is a big deal.Choosing a theme is quite difficult. The best themes to choose are jungle themed because they allow you to have more freedom on party supplies and ideas. We've collected a few items from our site that would work perfectly for a jungle birthday party.

Jungle Disposable Plates, $13.60

Jungle Cup, $ 14.35

Zebra Invitation, $7.79

Zebra Hanging Cutouts, $7.88

Giraffe Metallic Balloon, $7.10

Safari Adventure Tablecover, $8.82

Safari Adventure Centerpiece, $8.28

Giraffe Print Round Mylar Balloon, $6.17

New Jellyfish Discovered near Marina Trench

2016-05-13T18:02:00.000-05:00

image from here

Scientist have discovered a rare jellyfish that has never been seen before. The jellyfish had bright light gonads, two sets of tentacles, long and short, that extend from its pulsating bell. When the long tentacles are extended outward, the jellyfish's bell remains still.

Did you know? Crab-Eating Macaque

2016-05-06T13:23:00.000-05:00

Did you know that the crab-eating macaque eats crabs?

Did you know that the crab-eating macaque troops are centered around the female crab-eating macaques?

Did you know that the crab-eating macaques were used as the laboratory animal for the research and development of the polio vaccine?

Did you know that some believe that the Crab-eating macaque is responsible for the extinction of forest birds and the destruction of agriculture?

The Jungle Book Movie

2016-04-29T16:27:00.000-05:00

The legendary story of Mowgoli raised by a family of wolves known as Jungle Book has now been made into a theatrical movie. Walt Disney's Jungle Book was directed by infamous director, John Favreau, from the T.V. show Friends. Favreau expressed that he was afraid the movie would fall apart due to Disney requesting him to use real animals. Disney wanted the animals to look realistic and did not want to use too much CGI effects.

Here's some images....what do you think? Are you excited to see this movie?

Did You Know? Discus Fish

2016-04-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

Did you know the Discus Fish have small bright red eyes?

Did you know that the Discus are very nice creatures but can become aggressive when defending their young or territory?

Did you know that the nine vertical strips on the Discus is how they communicate with other Discus?

Did you know that when Discus find their spouse they remain together for life?

Did You Know? African Palm Civet

2016-04-13T11:36:00.000-05:00

Did you know that the cat-like African Palm Civet is actually not a feline and related to carnivores like the weasel family?

Did you know that the African Palm Civet lives a crepuscular lifestyle? That means they only come out at dawn and dusk to hunt for food.

Did you know that African Palm Civet can only breed twice a year? Once in May and once in October.

Did you know that the musk secreted by the glands close to the African Palm Civet's reproductive organs has been collected by Humans to make perfume?

Top 5 of the Best National Parks in the USA

2016-04-06T15:03:00.000-05:00

Summer time is perfect for a road trip to the best National Parks in the world. Here's our recommendations for the best national parks to visit.

1. Yellowstone National Park

Image via here

Known as the first national park, Yellowstone features dramatic canyons, alpine rivers, lush forests, hot springs and gushing geysers, including its most famous, Old Faithful. There is proven artifacts that humans have been in Yellowstone for 11,000 years.

2. Yosemite National Park

Image via here

Yosemite was the subject of famed photographer Ansel Adams. Ansel featured Yosemite's beautiful mountains. With its ancient sequoias and Bridalveil Fall and the granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome it's definitely a sight to see.

3. Arches National Park

Image via here

Located in Eastern Utah Arches National Park features beautiful Sandstone towers and arches. The park lies above a salt bed which is how these sandstone features form. There is also prehistoric proof of human existence drawn on rocks.

4. Mesa Verde National Park

Image via here

With the best preserved Ancestral Puebloan archeological sites Mesa Verde National Park has to be part of the list. You'll have the opportunity to witness adobe brick homes built by the Puebloan people who are said to be of a Native American ancestry.

5. Zion National Park

Image via here

Zion was Utah's first National Park which features beautiful hiking trails. The canyons are heavenly and are great for hiking and rock climbing. Zion is Hebrew for place of peace and relaxation. Shaped by erosion and tectonic plates it's every photographers dream.

Animals Who are Extinct Because of Hunting

2016-03-30T13:13:00.001-05:00

Over the years Humans and corporations have played a huge part in unethical decisions in terms of the environmental issues on the planet. Global warming and pollution is at an all time high and sadly it's affecting the animals around us. Each day animals are constantly hunted for animal parts that are believed to be of value. Some people hunt for sport and others for money. Let's take a closer look at a few animals who are extinct because of hunting.

image via here

Northern White Rhinoceros - It's not old news that Rhinos have been hunted for their horns. In parts like South Africa it is believed that the horns can cure cancer and fevers. Which of course in untrue. According to researchers there are only 3 Northern White Rhinoceros on this earth. Sadly there is not much we can do to save the species unless they reproduce. Some of the sperm has been frozen and the San Diego Zoo in California is planning on implanting them into Southern white rhinoceros.

Elephants - Elephants are known for their ivory tusks. Ivory is used for manufacturing and art. It is quite popular in South East Asia and China. Because of this demand poachers are constantly killing elephants. It is recorded that every hour 5 African elephants are killed.

image via here

Bengal Tigers - As the national animal of India and Bangladesh it has the largest Tiger species. Countries like India, Nepal and China have failed to implement laws to stop poaching. These countries work in conjunction to tan, kill and trade the fur and bones. The Chinese use the Bengal Tigers bones for herbal medicines.

Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna - Many people don't know that this fish is becoming rare to find. Due to the high demands for the Sushi industry has led to over fishing. The Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna is heavily prized for its taste. It's used for sushi and sashimi. European nations are said to be responsible for over fishing and in 2010 is was banned by European officials.

image via here

Pangolian - The Pangolian is rarely talked about but is on the top list of the most hunted animal in the world. This interesting creature is the only mammal to be completely covered in scales. Pangolian scales are said to cure acne and cancer. When threatened the Pangolian will roll up and their scales will shoot out. These scales are razor sharp. Also Pangolians will release an acid scent to scare off their predators. Similar to a skunk. In Asia and Africa thousands are Pangolians are hunted and killed for their meat and scales.

Sadly all we can do to prevent these animals from going extinct are educating our peers and refusing to buy products from companies or brands that endorse poaching or the use of these materials. It's important for us to know that we are contributing to these animals becoming extinct. Lets do our part and educate others on animals who are extinct because of hunting.

Which Animals Sweat?

2016-03-10T15:14:00.002-06:00

We know how animals keep their cool during the heat. So which animals sweat? Science shows that Humans carry two sweat glands. One type that you can see on the top layer of your skin to regulate your body temperature. The second is a forms into droplets. Imagine areas like your armpits. Most animals do have this sort of sweat gland but mostly around the face and mouth and anus.

Dogs and Cats

Sweat glands are located on their foot pads. This is called an apocrine gland to help them cool off.

Horses

Horses sweat to keep their body cools. A part of the horse's brain called the hypothalamus senses the increase. It sends signals rushing out to sweat glands distributed in his skin.

Apes

Genetically apes are the closest to humans. They also sweat around their armpits just like humans.

Bats

Bats keep cool using their tounge but are mammals and sweat as well.

Other animals that sweat

sloth, lemurs

Do you know any other animals that sweat? Let us know in the comments below.

Did You Know? Vampire Bats

2015-09-25T11:02:00.003-05:00

Did you know the average vampire bat is about the size of a tea cup?

Did you know bats are the only mammals that can fly?

Did you know vampire bats drink their victims blood for about 30 minutes?

Did you know vampire bats don't remove enough blood to harm their host but their bites can cause infections?

Did You Know? Box Jellyfish

2015-04-30T10:29:00.000-05:00

Did you know?

The venom from a Box Jellyfish is considered one of the most deadly in the world! This dangerous venom contains toxins that attack the heart, nervous system and even skin cells! Ouch!

Which Species is The Elephant Shrew Really Related To?

2014-08-14T10:55:00.000-05:00

Elephant Shrews are small mammals that only eat insects and are native to Africa. Elephant Shrews resemble rodents or opossums and have scaly tails, elongated snouts are relatively long legs for their size. These long legs are used to move in a hopping fashion much like rabbits.

Elephant Shrews have been, in the past, classified with shrews and hedgehogs and lumped in with hares and rabbits. However, new evidence shows that the Elephant Shrew is related to mammals such as golden moles, aardvarks and even elephants!

The Elephant Shrew is more closely related to elephants than shrews!

Just How Slow Are Sloths?

2014-07-22T08:49:00.000-05:00

The sloth's scientific name, Bradypus, is Greek for "slow feet", which seems fitting since they are the world's slowest animal. Sloths are so slow that algae actually grow on their fur! The algae is actually a good thing for the sloth, as it helps them blend into the trees.

Sloths can only climb 6 to 8 feet per minute, which is very slow compared to most mammals. Sloths however, are excellent swimmers. Sloths will drop themselves off branches in order to get to the rivers for a swim.

Since sloths bodies are only made up of 25 percent muscle, they can't shiver when they are cold to warm up. This is why they are found in tropical climates and are covered in fur. There are times of cold in the forest, though. If a female gets too cold, she is unable to digest food. If her young is still nursing, she may starve to death.

A sloth only has its claws for defense against predators. However, its very low level of movement and the camouflage make it difficult to notice.

Source: Live Science

Do Wolves Really Howl at The Moon?

2014-06-30T09:36:00.002-05:00

Gray wolves were once common throughout all of North America, but were exterminated in most areas of the United States by the mid 1930s. Today, their range has been reduced to Canada, Alaska, the Great Lakes, northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest.

Wolves have a complex communication system ranging from barks and whines to growls and howls. While they don't actually howl at the moon, they are more active at dawn and dusk, and they do howl more when it's lighter at night, which occurs more often when the moon is full.

Did you know that wolves have unique howls,like fingerprints, that scientists (and other members of their pack) can use to tell them apart?

Source: Defenders of Wildlife

Animals That Mate For Life

2014-06-13T10:11:00.000-05:00

Humans are not the only species that can express faithfulness, many other animals can offer examples of how to keep a relationship together. Even though lifelong pair bonds are fairly rare in the animal kingdom, there are a few animals that can keep it together.

Gibbons

Gibbons will form an extremely strong bond with their mate and spend time grooming each other and hanging out together

Swans

Swans can form strong pair bonds that can last for many years or even for life. Swans have become a symbol of love because of their loyalty and while swimming together their necks form a heart.

French Angelfish

French Angelfish are rarely alone, they form monogamous bonds that often last a lifetime. They will live, travel and hunt in pairs.

Turtle Doves

It's no wonder that Turtle Doves come in pairs in the classic "The Twelve Days of Christmas".

Source: Mother Nature Network

Kansas City Animal Shelters

2014-06-03T11:19:00.001-05:00

According to the ASPCA (the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), there are about 13.600 community animal shelters all over the United States. Since June is Adopt a Shelter Cat Month I want to share a few statistics about animal shelters and highlight some Kansas City area shelters.

Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats
Each year, approximately 2.7 million animals are euthanized (1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats)
Of the dogs entering shelters, approximately 35% are adopted, 31% are euthanized and 26% of dogs who came in as strays are returned to their owner
Of the cats entering shelters, approximately 37% are adopted, 41% are euthanized and less than 5% of cats who came in as strays are returned to their owner

With 37-47% of all households in the United States owning a dog, and 30-37% owning a cat there is no reason why we cannot rescue some of these animals! As a proud parent of a shelter dog I strongly believe that shelter animals deserve to get adopted just as much as an animal from a pet store.

A few local Kansas City Animal Shelters include:

Wayside Waifs - Kansas City's largest no-kill animal shelter established in 1944

The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City - Kansas City's oldest humane society and has been a no-kill shelter since 1994

KC Pet Project - Has 3 different locations around the Kansas City area, creating a no-kill community in Kansas City

Unleashed Pet Rescue - Works to pull animals from high kill shelters and rescue "unwanted" pets.

Zoo Spotlight: Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

2014-05-23T09:46:00.001-05:00

On a recent mini vacation my family and I took a weekend trip to Omaha, our main interest being to visit the zoo. I have heard from many friends that Omaha has the best zoo and aquarium and it really is! Trip Advisor ranked the Omaha Zoo the #1 zoo in the country. This zoo isn't huge but you will definitely get a days worth of fun! Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo offers numerous indoor and outdoor habitats.

The first thing you will notice when arriving at the zoo is the huge Desert Dome. The Desert Dome is the world's largest indoor desert and is located under the world's largest glazed geodesic dome.

The Desert Dome showcases plant and animal life from three deserts around the world: the Namib Desert of southern Africa, the Red Center of Australia and the Sonoran Desert of the southwest United States. Also, the Kingdoms of the Night is located beneath the desert and is the world's largest nocturnal exhibit.

Another great indoor exhibit is the Lied Jungle, which is America's largest indoor rainforest. Inside the exhibit you will feel as if you are in the rainforest, you will hear waterfalls crashing, see gibbons swinging from trees and even cross a rope bridge. The Lied Jungle was my favorite exhibit at the Omaha Zoo because you really feel transported to the jungle

The Berniece Grewcock Butterfly and Insect Pavilion is another fun indoor exhibit. Inside the butterfly house you can carefully walk among the beautiful free flying butterflies in a tropical environment.

Another favorite of mine was the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium, where you can walk through a tunnel of water as sharks and sea turtle swim above. The aquarium is home to a variety of sea life, from Antarctic penguins to colorful warm water fish! If you are planning a trip to the Omaha Zoo make sure you get there when they open either 9 or 10 a.m. depending on the time of year. Also, I recommend going straight to the aquarium when you get there, after a few hours it will be packed!

Here are a few bonus photos from our trip!

Happy Birthday Pup: Planning a Dog Birthday Party

2014-05-07T13:02:00.000-05:00

I will admit that I treat my dog like my child, and I don't think I'm alone in that. My hound/lab mix Roxy will be turning 5 this week and I want to plan something to celebrate! The number of owners wanting to throw a birthday party for their four legged friends is growing every year! Here are a few tips and ideas to help you put together a great dog birthday party!

Invite some friends. You will probably want to invite dogs that have met before or that usually socialize well. Nothing will ruin a dog party quicker than a dog with an attitude problem, keep this in mind when inviting guests.

Plan the menu. If it were up to Roxy she would just have a plate full of sausage or something, but to get an adorable birthday picture a pupcake might work better. There are a lot of dog bakeries popping up that make special pupcakes and other yummy pet friendly treats but if you don't have a dog bakery near you pupcakes are pretty easy to make. This site has a lot of good pupcake recipes your dog is sure to love!

Just have fun! Having extra party hats or other costumes available for all your dog guests will add to the fun! You could plan some dog games based on human games to get all of your guests involved. Some great dog/human games are:

Simon Says - Each dog pairs with their human and each team spreads out to have enough room to move around. You announce a command, which must be preceded by "Simon Says" Says. Each team must follow your instruction. Any team who does not perform the right command, does not perform at all or performs a command without the preceding "Simon Says" phrase is out. The team left standing is the winner.

Toss Up - Each dog is paired with their human and stand facing each other. The dog humans toss treats one at a time to their dog, each treat their dog catches counts as a point. The dog who catches the most treats in a certain amount of time if the winner.

Bobbing for Treats - Fill up a kiddie pool with water, then place your treat of choice into the pool. Some great treat ideas include: apples, carrots, kibble, cut up pieces of hot dog, popcorn or whatever your dog's favorite treat is. Dogs can take turns at the pool bobbing for the different treats.

The Slow Loris: Cute But Deadly

2014-04-30T13:01:00.000-05:00

You have probably seen one of these videos of the adorable Slow Loris around the internet the past few years. They are almost painfully cute but are actually poisonous and greatly endangered. Slow Lorises are found in southern and south-eastern Asia and are among the rarest primates on earth. The Slow Loris is nocturnal and has forward-facing eyes and hands with opposable thumbs that are almost human-like.

They are one of a handful of poisonous mammals in the world. The Slow Loris produces venom from glands on the insides of their elbows and when threatened they lick the area in order to venomize their bites. The "venom" is a concentrated protein that acts as an allergen and can cause death by anaphylactic shock.

The Slow Loris is endangered due to habitat loss and hunting for illegal pet and traditional medical trades. Thousands of Slow Lorises are poached from the wild and sold illegally on the street. The International Animal Rescue has set up a treatment facility in Ciapus, Java to care for Slow Lorises that have been confiscated from animal markets or surrendered by their owners. You can help protect these adorable primates by adopting a Slow Loris through International Animal Rescue.

Happy National Zoo Lovers Day!

2014-04-08T09:35:00.001-05:00

Each year people across the nation celebrate National Zoo Lovers Day on April 8th. Today is the perfect day to plan a trip to a zoo in your area. Enjoy this "unofficial" holiday with the 175 million other people who visit zoos each year. The first public zoo in the United States was opened in 1874 in New York's Central Park. Today the United States has over 350 zoos! Here is a look at some fun things you can do at zoos all over the world!

At Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, Florida you can play tug-of-war with a tiger.

At the Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park in Japan you can shake hands with an otter.

At the Oregon Zoo an Asian elephant named Chendra likes to take morning walks with her handlers. She sometimes likes to visit some of the other animals, especially Gus the sea lion.

April Fools Day Animal Pranks

2014-04-01T12:18:00.000-05:00

As a kid I always tried to play pranks on my family, which rarely ever worked out. As an adult I've found that the best person to prank is usually my dog. To help you get into the Aprils Fools Day spirit here are some hilarious animal pranks.