Animal information

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 14:14:00 +0000

Brief Information About Deep Sea Animals

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 13:03:00 +0000

There are lots of interesting things living in the sea. Here for some information about Minuscule Sea Animals, Sea invertebrates, Sea Reptiles, Sea Mammals, Sea birds and other sea creatures.

Minuscule Sea Animals

Zooplanktons are the very small animals in the ocean biome - which mainly include of small crustaceans and fish larvae. Some examples of zooplanktons are protozoa, chaetognaths, mollusks, arthropods, annelids etc. There are 500 types of zooplankton animals recorded in the Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic Ocean alone, whereas the total number of Zooplanktons in the entire world is expected to be more than a million.

Sea Invertebrates

Jellyfish, Octopus, Crab, these are sea animals which are usually distinguished by the absence of a vertebral column. These types of invertebrates are generally found in the surrounding area of coral reefs and these also referred to as coral reef animals. Examples of invertebrates in the marine biome include jelly fish, deep sea worms, shellfish, squid, octopus, star fish, crabs etc. As in the case of different land biomes, invertebrates make up an important portion of living organisms in water biomes.

Fish Species

There are more than 31,500 variety of fishes are there in various oceans of the world. These fish species range from microscopic fat infant fish to large whale sharks. Examples of well know fish species of the world include sardines, halibut, sharks etc.

Sea Reptiles

Sea Reptiles includes different types of sea snakes, sea turtles, and also some types which common between sea and ground such as the sea iguan

a and saltwater crocodiles. Most of the seas reptiles are found in the oceans are oviparous that is animals which put down eggs, with sea snakes being the only exception. Due to their tendency to come on land regularly, these reptile species are most frequently seen in low waters close to land. Although sea snakes rarely come on land, they do prefer shallow waters of estuaries particularly wherein they can get protection from their predators.

Bat echolocation could be a form of communication

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 04:04:00 +0000

Echolocation in bats is generally seen as a sort of natural sonar, in which the bats use ultrasonic clicks to navigate the night sky and find prey. But it may also be a rudimentary language, transmitting greetings and social information.
Many animals do, in a sense, possess a basic form of language that they can use for communication, with everything from primates to whales to bees showing some basic ability to transmit information through sounds. But this is the first time researchers have definitively shown that bats use echolocation to speak to each other as much as they do to find their way around.
A team of German scientists working in Panama tested a group of local bats by playing audio recordings of various bats. These recordings fell into one of three groups: familiar bats from the same species, unfamiliar bats from the same species, or bats from another species entirely. The bats responded to the echolocation calls in complex ways, including apparently preparing to release massive amounts of their pheromones.
Interestingly, it was bats that the test subjects didn't know that attracted the most attention, at least if the recorded bat was from the same species. They pretty much ignored the recordings from the other bat species. It would be interesting to speculate that this is because the different species were actually speaking different languages, but there's no real way to know that. In any event, whenever the bats did respond vocally, they made a unique noise that carried with it an identifiable acoustical signature that no other bat could reproduce. The researchers think this is the bat equivalent of saying, "Hello, it's me." So bats really do possess their own language, albeit on ultrasonic frequencies humans can't hear.
Of course, there are some crucial differences between human language and that of our animal counterparts. For a start, humans can use language to communicate abstract concepts divorced from the speaker's current position in time and space. Animal language, on the other hand, is forever locked in the here and now.
It's also possible to break down human statements in two ways, by either its individual sounds (phonologically) or its individual meanings (morphologically). This is known as double articulation, but animal languages don't possess this feature, which again limits the ability of animals to express anything more than the simplest of information.. Animal language is also almost entirely an instinctual ability, whereas human language is learned culturally.
Still, using echolocation to communicate greetings is a reasonably advanced form of animal language, and it's possible further study will reveal greater complexity in how bats communicate. Indeed, the researchers are already fairly sure the bats aren't just greeting each other. They're also relaying social information, which might explain why they responded more strongly to unknown bats - they were trying to make it clear what their social place was relative to the other bat.

Animals | Vet Pet Training Guide For Health Offers Free New Blog

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:34:00 +0000

New user? Login Register Help upgrading to IE8 more secure Yahoo Mail My Yahoo! Finance Sports News Your Set Fairfax, VA (PRWEB) 15/09/2010 – David Jackson, VMD, is now offering a free e-book for the new blog YourPetYourVetAndYou.com. The e-book titled "Making Works: A guide for veterinary pet health." Over the last 40 years of my career as a veterinarian, I have many questions pet owners receive the right to how to care for their pets, "said Dr. David Jackson. "Unfortunately, our pets are coming with an instruction manual. This e-book covers everything you need to know if a pet owner, including information on selecting your local vet, many ways to pay for animal care, appropriate vaccines, and to provide even basic education your pet. "The readers of his blog remains up to date on daily events with Dr. Jackson in small animal practice in general, but also learn all the basic ingredients care for your pets. Wonderful Resources Inc." We have always for feeding pets a proper diet to prevent ticks and fleas. Because I am so happy to share. He thinks it should be mandatory reading for all dog owners that their pet. David Jackson, VMD graduated from Virginia Tech in 1967 and received his veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1971, when he is caring for pets for nearly 40 years. Mr. Jackson has developed surgical skills and experience of the private interest of the long-term neurological and orthopedic surgery. More information is available at # # # Your pet and your veterinarian Judy U Jackson703 376-8027 E-mail Info: Yahoo! News on Twitter, a fan on Facebook … More Video Business: Building Your Customer Base Business ABC News Video: Entrepreneurship Education CBA New Kids Video Business: Obama President: Small Business

Bird Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:50:00 +0000

Bird-Wallpapers.com brings you some of the best freely available bird backgrounds available on the net. Everything from Eagles, Parrots, Owls, Ducks and many other beautiful birds are available for download

Tiger Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:49:00 +0000

Tiger-Wallpapers.com offers a unique collection of Tiger pictures and desktop backgrounds. The site covers most of the tiger species including the white tiger and even has a separate section for other big cat pictures. A great resource and one perfect for your bookmarks.

Fish Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:47:00 +0000

If you love your fish then fish-wallpapers.com carries over 200+ fully categorised, high quality fish desktop wallpapers. From jellyfish and starfish to sharks and dolphins you’ll find most types of fish and marine life on this site. Overall a smashing site for fish lovers and one that seems to be updated on a regular basis, so definitely one of our favourites.

Lion Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:45:00 +0000

If you’re after a Lion pictures and wallpapers then lionwallpapers.com is packed to the brim with high quality lion desktop wallpapers. From adult lions, to baby cubs this site has them all and organises them into easy to browse categories. An amazing resource for big cat lovers so check them out today.

Animal Wallpaper

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:43:00 +0000

If you love animals then you’ll love animalwallpaper.info a great site which has over 200+ animal wallpapers many of which you simply won’t find anywhere else. Run by mick who’s an avid animal photographer you’ll find a whole range of animals from mountain goats to Toucans and big jungle lions. A great site and one that really does carry some really cool animal wallpapers

Shark Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:39:00 +0000

Remember the movie Jaws ? Well if you, like me became interested in sharks after that movie you’ll absolutely love sharkwallpapers.net. This site has one of the largest collections of shark desktop wallpapers and desktop backgrounds we’ve ever see. From the great white shark to the tiger and bull shark you’ll find some amazing shark wallpapers here. Definitely one to add to your favourites.

Horse Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:36:00 +0000

Horse Wallpapers is one of those sites that’s perfect for anyone that loves horses. From desktop backgrounds of Arabian horses to horses of all types and sizes you’ll be absolutely amazed at the massive selection available on this site. Definitely a site for the horse enthusiast and certainly there are very few sites of this calibre that offer horse wallpapers exclusively.

Like Being Human Thank an Animal

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:08:00 +0000

Chances are, if you're reading this, you share your space with an animal. A new scientific theory is making the rounds that suggests you owe them some thanks — not only for the unconditional love and companionship, but for actually making you human. According to Penn State University paleoanthropologist Pat Shipman, animals played a big part in helping early humankind evolve into what we are now — scientifically-minded, curious, organized.

And, oh yeah, carnivorous.
Around 2.6 million years ago, humans suddenly switched from a mostly vegetarian diet to a carnivorous one, a quick change (in evolutionary terms) Shipman calls it a "shortcut [in] the evolutionary process." From hunting animals for food, it was a relatively short leap to growing our own, as it were, and animal domestication and husbandry were born. And, since hunting animals for food was still a part of the diet as well, our ancestors started domesticating the first dogs.
Managing a herd of cattle or goats is somewhat more complicated than picking up your stone-tipped spear and jogging out to bring down a wild animal; it requires a different skill set. You have to be able to organize data about grazing, and keep at least rudimentary records of where to graze your herd and when. It's not too far out of bounds to speculate that animal husbandry was the among the first information sciences.
And from those humble beginnings, implies Shipman, came humankind as we know it. Johannes Gutenberg, Copernicus, the Industrial Revolution, the atomic bomb, the Beatles' White Album, and (Heaven help us) American Idol — animals helped them all come into being.
Is Shipman's theory plausible? As Shipman notes, the concept of early man spending his time and resources tending to the needs of animals is, "a poor strategy for survival ... a very weird behavior." Put into Shipman's context, it becomes explainable. Some of the implications might be disturbing, especially the implication that animal domestication had little or nothing to do with compassion and a lot more to do with utility.
We like to think of ourselves as compassionate animals, not to mention compassionate to animals. If you buy into Shipman's theory, there's still room for compassion to play a role in our evolutionary history with animals. After all, taking Shipman's logic, animals were a key factor in teaching us to organize and communicate information. It's just as easy to suggest that they also taught us, as a species, to be gracious, compassionate, and caring.

Cat size monkey species discovered

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:02:00 +0000

A scientific expedition to the Colombian Amazon has revealed a new species of monkey.

The species of titi monkey (Callicebus caquetensis) is a cat-size creature that is critically endangered because of rapid habitat loss and its small population. The discovery was announced Thursday by the environmental nonprofit group Conservation International.
Research from 30 years ago hinted that a previously unknown primate species might be living in Colombia's Caquetá region, near the Ecuadorian and Peruvian border, but violence and insurgent fighting kept the area off limits for decades. It was only in 2008 that scientists Thomas Defler, Marta Bueno and student Javier García of the National University of Colombia proved the rumors true.
García, a native of Caquetá, was finally able to travel to the upper Caquetá River three years ago, and, using GPS, searching on foot, and listening for calls, he found 13 groups of the new species. Titi monkeys (or zogui zogui as they are called in Spanish) have one of the most complex calls in the animal kingdom and use it every morning to mark their territory.
"This discovery is extremely exciting because we had heard about this animal, but for a long time we could not confirm if it was different from other titis. We now know that this is a unique species, and it shows the rich diversity of life that is still to be discovered in the Amazon,” said Defler.
C. caquetensis has grayish-brown hair, but does not have a white bar on its forehead as many other species of Callicebus do. Its long tail is stippled with grey, and it has a bushy red beard around its cheeks. Unlike most primates, Caquetá titi monkeys (and probably all titi monkeys) form life-long, monogamous relationships, and pairs are often seen sitting on a branch with their tails entwined.
They usually have one baby per year. As a new baby arrives, the parents force the oldest baby to leave to allow them to focus on the newborn (this is based on information collected from closely related species). The families of this species stick together in groups of about four individuals and can be seen in the trees close to some of the main rivers of Caquetá.
This newly discovered species is struggling to survive. It is estimated that less than 250 Caquetá titi monkeys exist — a healthy population should be in the thousands. The main reason for this small number is the degradation of the forests in the area, which have been felled for agricultural land. It is very dangerous, and sometimes impossible, for these animals to cross grassy savannah or barbed wire fences to reach other patches of forest.
Both the very small population size and the fragmented habitat should qualify the species for a Critically Endangered species classification, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria, which means that it faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future.
"This discovery is particularly important because it reminds us that we should celebrate the diversity of Earth, but also we must take action now to preserve it," said José Vicente Rodríguez, head of science at Conservation International in Colombia and president of the Colombia Association of Zoology.
"When world leaders meet later this year in Japan for the Convention on Biological Diversity, they must commit to the creation of many more protected areas if we want to ensure the survival of threatened creatures like this in the Amazon and around the world."

CHARACTERICS AND BEHAVIOR

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:52:00 +0000

Not Just a Flash in the Pan: A zebra can travel at a top speed of fifty-five kilometers per hour, slower than a horse. However, it has much greater stamina. During the course of a day the plains zebra can walk around forty kilometers (from its herd, and back again in the evening)
Family Ties: There are four species, as well as several subspecies. Zebra populations vary a great deal, and the relationships between and the taxonomic status of several of the subspecies are unclear.
The Plains zebra (Equus quagga, formerly Equus burchelli) is the most common, and has or had about five subspecies distributed across much of southern and eastern Africa. It, or particular subspecies of it, have also been known as the Common zebra, the Dauw, Burchell's zebra (actually the subspecies Equus quagga burchelli), and the Quagga (another, extinct, subspecies, Equus quagga quagga).
The Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra) of southwest Africa tends to have a sleek coat with a white belly and narrower stripes than the Plains zebra. It has two subspecies and is classified as endangered.
Grevy's Zebra (Equus grevyi) is the largest type, with an erect mane, and a long, narrow head making it appear rather mule-like. It is an inhabitant of the semi-arid grasslands of Ethiopia, Somalia, and northern Kenya. The Grevy's zebra is one of the rarest species of zebra around today, and is classified as endangered.
Plains Zebras are mid-sized and thick-bodied with relatively short legs. Adults of both sexes stand about 1.4 meters high at the shoulder, are approximately 2.3 meters long, and weigh about 230 kg. Like all zebras, they are boldly striped in black and white and no two individuals look exactly alike. All have vertical stripes on the forepart of the body, which tend towards the horizontal on the hindquarters. The northern species have narrower and more defined striping; southern populations have varied but lesser amounts of striping on the underparts, the legs and the hindquarters.
Striped and Social: Plains zebras are highly social and usually form small family groups consisting of a single stallion, one, two, or several mares, and their recent offspring. Groups are permanent, and group size tends to vary with habitat: in poor country the groups are small. From time to time, Plains zebra families group together into large herds, both with one another and with other grazing species, notably Blue wildebeests. Unlike many of the large ungulates of Africa, Plains zebras prefer but do not require short grass to graze on. In consequence, they range more widely than many other species, even into woodlands, and they are often the first grazing species to appear in a well-vegetated area.
Only after zebras have cropped and trampled the long grasses do wildebeests and gazelles move in. Nevertheless, for protection from predators, Plains zebras retreat into open areas with good visibility at night time, and take it in turns standing watch. They eat a wide range of different grasses, preferring young, fresh growth where available, and also browse on leaves and shoots from time to time.
Mountain Zebras are native to South West Africa and are found in dry, stony, mountain and hill habitats. Its diet is tufted grass, bark, leaves, fruit and roots. Zebras' dazzling stripes may be a signaling system for the herd and may also be useful in confusing predators
The Grevy's Zebra (Equus grevyi), sometimes known as the Imperial Zebra, is the largest species of zebra. It is found in the wild in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, and is considered endangered, partly due to hunting for its skin, which fetches a high price on the world market. Compared to other zebras, it is tall, has large ears, and its stripes are narrower. The species is named after Jules Grévy, a president of France, who, in the 1880s, was given one by the government of Abyssinia.
Sizes and Scales: The Grevy's zebra is the largest of all wild equines. It is 2.5-3 m from head to tail with a 38-75 cm tail, and stands 1.25-1.6 m high at the shoulder. Males weigh 380-450 kg, and females 350-400 kg. The stripes are narrow and close-set, being broader on the neck, and they extend to the hooves. The belly and the area around the base of the tail lack stripes.
The ears are very large, rounded, and conical. The head is large, long, and narrow, particularly mule-like in appearance. The mane is tall and erect; juveniles having a mane extending the length of the back.
The Donkey Connection: Grevy's zebra is similar to the asses in many ways. Behaviorally, for example, it has a social system characterized by small groups of adults associated for short time periods of a few months. Adult males spend their time mostly alone in territories of 2-12 km², which is considerably smaller than the territories of the wild asses.
The territories are marked by dung piles and females within the territory mate solely with the resident male. Small bachelor herds are known. This social structure is well-adapted for the dry and arid scrubland and plains that Grevy's zebra primarily inhabits, less for the more lush habitats used by the other zebras.
Fighting for Females: Like all zebras and asses, Grevy's zebra males fight amongst themselves over territory and females. The Grevy's is vocal during fights (an asinine characteristic), braying loudly. Otherwise, the Grevy's communicates over long distances.
Just the Facts: The Grevy's zebra lives 10-25 years and eats grasses and other plants. Gestation lasts 350-400 days, with a single foal being born. Predators of Grevy's zebra include hunters and wild dogs native to the area. Most captive zebras in zoos are Grevy's Zebras.

Why Stripes? Originally, most zoologists assumed that zebras' stripes acted as a camouflage mechanism, while others believed them to play a role in social interactions, with slight variations of the pattern allowing the animals to distinguish between individuals. A more recent theory, supported by experiment, posits that the disruptive coloration is an effective means of confusing the visual system of the blood-sucking tsetse fly.

ARTICLE AFRICAN ELEPHANTS

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:47:00 +0000

Loxodonta is a genus in Elephantidae, the family of elephants and is divided into two species.

The African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the better-known and larger of the two species of African elephants. Both it and the African Forest Elephant were previously classified as a single species, known simply as the African Elephant. It is also known as the Bush Elephant or Savanna Elephant.

Sizes and Scales: The African Bush Elephant is the largest land dwelling animal, normally reaches 6 to 7.3 m (20 to 24 ft) in length and 3 to 3.5 meters in height, although a 4-meter elephant, the body of which is mounted in the rotunda of the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., was discovered in Angola in 1955.

Big and Brisk: Weighing between 7,000 and 10,000 kg (15,000-22,000 lb), it is the largest land animal in the world. It moves at a rate of 6 km/h, but it can reach a top speed of 40 km/h when scared or upset.

Big-headed: The animal is characterized by its large head; two large ears that cover its shoulders and radiate excess heat; a large and muscular trunk; two prominent tusks, which are well-developed in both sexes, although more commonly in males; a short neck; a large, barrel-like body; four long and heavy legs that resemble columns; and a relatively short tail.

Thick Skinned: The animal is protected by a heavy but flexible layer of gray-brown skin, dotted with mostly undeveloped patches of hair and long, black hair at the tip of its tail. Its back feet have three toes that form a hoof, while the number of toes on the front feet have varied between four and five, in different instances. The front is smoother and less convex than that of the Asian Elephant.
Nose + Lip = Trunk: The trunk is the most characteristic feature of the African Bush Elephant. It is formed by the fusion and elongation of the nose and upper lip, forming a flexible and strong organ made purely of muscle.

Intellectual Giants? A recent report states that African elephants are able to use seismic vibrations at infrasound frequencies for communication. The African Bush Elephant is a notably intelligent animal. In fact, experiments about reasoning and learning applied on them show that they are the smartest ungulates together with their Asian cousins. This is mostly due to their large brain.

African & Asian: Differences between the African Bush Elephant and the African Forest Elephant include the Forest Elephant's long, narrow mandible (the African Bush Elephant's is short and wide), its rounded ears (an African Bush Elephant's ears are more pointed), different tusks, and considerably smaller size. The Male African Forest Elephant rarely exceed 2.5 meters (8 feet) in height, while the African Bush Elephant is usually over 3 meters (just under 10 feet) and sometimes almost 4 meters (13 feet) tall.

What's on the menu? African elephants are herbivorous. The diet of the African Bush Elephant varies according to its habitat; elephants living in forests, partial deserts, and grasslands all eat different proportions of herbs and tree or shrubbery leaves.
Chew on this! In order to break down the plants they consume, the African Bush Elephant has four large molars, two in each mandible of the jaw. Each of these molars is 10 cm wide and 30 cm long. Over time, these molars are worn away and new ones are grown to replace them as the elephant ages. Around the age of 15 their milk teeth are replaced by new ones that last until the age of 30, and then by another set which wear off past the age of 40, being replaced by the last set of teeth that last approximately until the age of 65–70. Not much later, the animal dies of starvation from not being able to feed correctly. There are known cases of over 80 year old specimens in captivity.
Big Appetite: These animals typically ingest an average of 225 kg of vegetable matter daily, which is defecated without being fully digested. That, combined with the long distances that they can cover daily in search of more food, contributes notably to the dispersion of many plant seeds that germinate in the middle of a nutrient-filled feces mound. In their feeding-oriented whereabouts, elephants rip apart all kind of plants, and knock down trees with the tusks if they are not able to reach the tree leaves not even standing up straight, as actual living bulldozers. It can be said that they carry devastation with them. That causes deep trouble for other species and to the elephants themselves in national parks where there is overpopulation, so that managers of overpopulated parks often contact other parks with fewer specimens to transfer excess individuals.
Thirst Quencher: Elephants also drink great quantities of water, over 190 liters per day.
Mothers Rule: Herds are made up of related females and their younglings of assorted ages, directed by the eldest female, called the matriarch. Infrequently, an adult male goes with them, but those usually leave the pack when reaching adolescence to form herds with other elephants of the same age. Later, they spread out, carrying out a lonely life, approaching the female herds only during the mating season. Nevertheless, elephants don't get too far from their families and recognize them when re-encountered. Sometimes, several female herds can blend for a period of time, reaching even hundreds of individuals.

Herd Is Where The Heart Is:
The matriarch is the one who decides the route and shows to each other member of the herd all the water sources she knows, which the rest will memorize in the future.
The relations among the members of the herd is very tight; when a female gives birth to a baby the rest go to acknowledge it by touching her with the trunk; and when an old elephant dies the rest of the herd will stay by the corpse for a while.

The famous elephant graveyards are a myth, but it is true that these animals can recognize a carcass of its species when they find one during their trips, and even if it is a stranger, they form around it and sometimes they even touch its forehead with their trunk.
Killing Rhinos: Some African Bush Elephants will attack and kill rhinoceroses. This behavior, when it occurs, is mostly observed with younger adult male elephants who have come into musth prematurely.
Natural Predators: The adult African Bush Elephant lacks natural predators thanks to its great size, but the calves (especially the newborn) are vulnerable to lion, leopard, crocodile, and, more rarely, hyena attacks. Adult females of a group will attack approaching predators. Predation, as well as drought, contribute significantly to infant mortality.
Human Predators: Humans are the elephant's major predator. Elephants have been hunted for meat as well as the rest of the body, including skin, bones, and tusks. Elephant trophy-hunting increased in the 19th and 20th centuries, when tourism and plantations increasingly attracted sport hunters.
In 1989, hunting of the African elephant and ivory trading were forbidden, after the elephant population fell from several million at the beginning of the 20th century to fewer than 700,000. The population of African elephants was halved during the 1980s. Scientists then estimated that, if no protective measures were taken, the wild elephant would be extinct by 1995. The protection that the elephant now receives has been partially successful, but despite increasingly severe penalties imposed by governments against illegal hunting, poaching is still common. CITES still considers this species as threatened with extinction.

Birds and Bees: Mating for a African Bush Elephant happens when the female feels ready, an event that can occur anytime during the year. When she is ready, she starts emitting infrasounds that attract the males, sometimes many kilometers away.
The adult males start arriving to the herd during the following days and begin fighting head-to-head between them, causing some injuries and even broken tusks. The female shows her acceptance of the victor by rubbing her body against his. They mate, and then both go their own way.
Incredibly Long Pregnancy: After 22 months of gestation (the longest among mammals), the female gives birth to a single 90cm-high calf which weighs more than 100 kg.
The baby feeds on the mothers milk until the age of 5, but also eats solid food from as early as 6 months old. Just a few days after birth the calf can follow the herd by foot, and so the herd resumes its course.

Classification Confusion: Until recently, it was thought that the so-called African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) was simply a subspecies of the African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana).
DNA testing has now shown that there are in fact three extant elephant species: the two African types (formerly considered to be separate populations of a single species, the African Elephant) and the South Asian species, known as the Indian or Asian Elephant. The North African elephant of Hannibal fame was a now-extinct fourth species or a subspecies of the Forest Elephant (Loxodonta (africana) pharaoensis); it disappeared around the 1st or 2nd century CE.
The disputed Pygmy Elephants of the Congo basin, often assumed to be a separate species (Loxodonta pumilio) by cryptozoologists, are probably Forest Elephants whose diminutive size and/or early maturity is due to environmental conditions.
Late in the 20th century, conservation workers established a DNA identification system to trace the origin of poached ivory. It had long been known that the ivory of the African Forest Elephant was particularly hard, with a pinkish tinge, and straight (whereas that of the African Bush Elephant is curved). The DNA tests, however, indicated that the two populations were much more different than originally thought—indeed, in its genetic makeup, the African Forest Elephant is almost two-thirds as distinct from the African Bush Elephant as the Asian Elephant is.

ARTICLE AARDVARK

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:43:00 +0000

The Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) is a medium-sized mammal native to Africa. The name comes from the Afrikaans/Dutch for "earth pig" (aarde earth, varken pig), because early settlers from Europe thought it resembled a pig. However, the Aardvark is not closely related to pigs.

Chew on This: The most distinctive charactristic of aardvarks is their teeth. Instead of having a pulp cavities, aardvark teeth have lots of thin tubes of dentine, each containing pulp and held together by cementum. The teeth have no enamel coating and are worn away and regrow continuously. In adults, the only teeth are the molars at the back of the jaw.

Appearance: The Aardvark is only vaguely pig-like; the body is stout with an arched back; the limbs are of moderate length. The ears are disproportionately long and the tail very thick at the base with a gradual taper. The greatly elongated head is set on a short, thick neck, and at the end of the snout is a disk in which the nostrils open. The mouth is typical of species that feed on termites: small and tubular. The Aardvark has a long, thin, protrusible tongue and elaborate structures supporting a keen sense of smell. The Aardvark is a pale yellowish gray in color, often stained reddish-brown by soil. The coat is thin and the animal's primary protection is its tough skin; the Aardvark has been known to sleep in a recently excavated ant nest, so well does it protect them.

Aardvark of Africa: The Aardvark is distributed across most of sub-Saharan Africa, and although killed by humans both for its flesh and for its teeth (which are used as decorations), does not appear to be threatened.
Insects for Dinner: The Aardvark is nocturnal and a solitary creature that feeds almost exclusively on ants and termites. An Aardvark emerges from its burrow in the late afternoon or shortly after sunset, and forages over a considerable home range, swinging its long nose from side to side to pick up the scent of food. When a concentration of ants or termites is found, the Aardvark digs into it with its powerful front legs, keeping its long ears upright to listen for predators, and takes up an astonishing number of insects with its long, sticky tongue—as many as 50,000 in one night has been recorded. It is an exceptionally fast digger, but otherwise moves rather slowly.
Burrow Park: Aside from digging out ants and termites, the Aardvark also excavates burrows to live in: temporary sites scattered around the home range as refuges, and the main burrow which is used for breeding.

Burrow Basics: Main burrows can be deep and extensive, have several entrances, and can be as much as 13 meters long. The Aardvark changes the layout of its home burrow regularly, and from time to time moves on and makes a new one. Only mothers and young share burrows.

Trivia:
* Aardvark is usually considered the first noun in the English dictionary.

* Arthur Read is a fictional aardvark (despite looking more like a mouse) with human-like traits. He is a book and television character created by Marc Brown.* Cerebus the Aardvark is a comic aardvark created by Canadian artist Dave Sim.

* Jason Webley, the musician, has a song about an aardvark.

* The Raccoons, a popular Canadian animated television show in the late 1980's, featured a pink, anti-environmentalist aardvark named Cyril Snear.

* Earlham College (Richmond, Indiana) is the only American liberal arts university, outside of zoological institutes, with a comprehensive concentration in the study of aardvarks.

* In the Pink Panther cartoon there was a character named the "Blue Aardvark". The Pink Panther represented innocence and un-fortune, The Blue Aardvark was unkind and ill-polite...

After a gestation period of 7 months, a single cub weighing around 2 kg is born, and is able to leave the burrow to accompany its mother after only two weeks. At six months of age it is digging its own burrows, but it will often remain with the mother until the next mating season. The Aardvarks can grow older than 20 years in captivity.
The Aardvark is the only surviving member of the family Orycteropodidae and of the order Tubulidentata. The Aardvark was originally placed in the same genus as the South American anteaters because of superficial similarities which, it is now known, are the result of convergent evolution, not common ancestry. For the same reason, Aardvarks bear a striking first-glance resemblance to the marsupial bilbies and Bandicoots of Australasia, which are not placental mammals at all. The Aardvark is now placed in its own genus, Orycteropus.

American Crocodile

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:50:00 +0000

The American crocodile average lifespan is up to 70 years in the wild. The grow up to 15 feet. They weigh up to 2,000 pounds. They bask on land and float in the water.
They are considered an endangered species in most of America. Most are found in Southern Mexico, Central America, the Carribbean, and northern South America. There are also some in Southern Florida.
The prefer fresh or brackish water of river estuaries, coastal lagoons, and mangrove swamps. They are distinguishable from their cousin, the American alligator, by its longer, thinner snout, its lighter color, and two long teeth on the lower jaw that are visible when their mouth is closed.
Their diet consists mainly of small mammals, birds, fish, crabs, insects, snails, frogs, and occassionally carrion.

Nicholas E. Curtis and Ray Martinez

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:08:00 +0000

The sea slug Elysia chlorotica feeds by sucking the insides out of strands of algae. The slug has taken in the algae’s key tools for using sunlight to help produce food. Researchers now say the slug also can produce — and not just steal — a chemical called chlorophyll, which is needed in that food-production process.

Nicholas E. Curtis and Ray Martinez

For decades, people have been telling each other, “You are what you eat” — meaning that the nutrition in a person’s diet affects his or her health. It doesn’t mean, for example, that if you eat a plant, you become a plant.

At least, not for people.

For a certain kind of sea slug, however, those words are more than just a reminder to eat well. The Elysia chlorotica is a sea slug that looks like a leaf and eats by sucking the insides out of strands of algae. (Yum!) These algae, like plants, get their food by using sunlight to help make sugar.

At a recent meeting of scientists, a biologist named Sidney K. Pierce reported a surprising observation in these algae-eating sea slugs. Pierce does his research at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Pierce already knew that these sea animals, just like plants, have the right chemical tools to turn sunlight into food. Surprisingly, now he’s learned that the sea slugs aren’t simply stealing what they need to do this from the algae. They’ve also stolen the recipe for how to make chlorophyll, a chemical that is vital to the process, and can make chlorophyll themselves. In other words, they have started to behave like their food.

“This could be a fusion of a plant and an animal — that’s just cool,” John Zardus told Science News. Zardus is an invertebrate zoologist at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. Invertebrates are animals that don’t have backbones (like slugs), and zoology is the study of animals — so Zardus studies animals without backbones.

Inside their cells, plants have tiny structures called chloroplasts. These chloroplasts turn carbon dioxide and water into sugar using sunlight and a chemical called chlorophyll. (The first part of the word comes from the Greek word chloros, which means “green” —chlorophyll gives green plants their color.) The process of the chloroplasts using chlorophyll to make sugar is called photosynthesis.

Like plants, the algae that get eaten by the sea slugs also use photosynthesis. When Pierce’s slug eats algae, it separates out the chloroplasts. Instead of digesting and excreting the chloroplasts, the sea slug absorbs them inside its own cells. Pierce and his colleagues already knew that once a slug has chloroplasts inside its cells, it can use photosynthesis to make food — which means it may not even have to eat for the rest of its life (about a year). Other animals, like coral, have been known to stash cells containing chloroplasts and use some of the food they make.

But the chloroplasts use up the chlorophyll during photosynthesis, and a fresh supply is needed. Where does it come from? One idea was that when an animal absorbed the chloroplasts, they came with a lifetime supply of chlorophyll. But as it turns out, that’s not the case with these sea slugs. Pierce and his colleagues found that unlike other animals, sea slugs can make their own chlorophyll — which means that they have stolen more than just the chloroplasts.

Deep inside almost every living cell are genes, which function like recipes for how to make what the organism needs. A plant has genes, for example, that contain the instructions for chlorophyll. As it turns out, so do sea slugs — as Pierce and his colleagues are discovering.

So sea slugs not only ingest the chloroplasts — they’ve also “adopted” part of these genetic instructions from their food. In other words, these sea slugs are truly becoming what they eat. Even stranger — it’s the first time the worlds of algae and animals have seemed to overlap like this.

The nerve of one animal

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:07:00 +0000

A cancer that spreads from one animal to another has wiped out about 70 percent of the population of Tasmanian devils (one shown).

Image courtesy of Anaspides Photography, Iain D. Williams

A vicious cancer has wiped out 70 percent of the world’s population of wild Tasmanian devils, and if nothing changes, these animals might be extinct in the wild in 30 to 50 years. But there may be hope: In a new study, scientists have identified the cancer and can point to where it starts.

The scientist who led the study is Elizabeth Murchison, who grew up seeing these animals in the wild. “I didn’t want to sit back and let the devils disappear,” she told Science News.

Murchison, who now works at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, England, comes from Tasmania, an Australian island that is the only native home to Tasmanian devils. These animals, which look like small bears, weigh up to 26 pounds, have a long and bushy tail, and often feed on dead animals.

Since 1996, they have been plagued by devil facial tumor disease, or DFTD. As its name suggests, this disease causes large tumors to grow on an infected devil’s face, especially around the mouth. (Devils often bite each other on the face when they meet.) Eventually, the tumors get so large they interfere with eating, and the animal dies of starvation.

To make matters worse, the cancer is contagious. It’s so contagious that some scientists used to believe a virus caused the disease. But that’s not the case — scientists have found that the cancer grows deep in the cells of the central nervous system, and the cancer cells themselves spread from animal to animal through bites (although scientists still don’t know why).

Now that they know where the disease comes from, however, scientists might be able to develop a vaccine that kills the cancer before it becomes deadly, says Katherine Belov. She is a scientist at the University of Sydney, in Australia, who was not involved with the project.

In the study, Murchison and her team reported that the tumors start in cells, called Schwann cells, that usually surround nerve fibers. Nerve fibers, or axons, act like electrical lines in the body: They carry electrical impulses from one neuron (also known as a nerve cell) to the next, or from neurons to muscles.

When the brain sends a signal through the body, the signal travels by way of nerve fibers. Schwann cells wrap themselves around nerve fibers forming a white, wispy layer called myelin. The layer of myelin helps electrical messages zip from one nerve cell to another without shorting out, much like insulation around electrical wires. When a Tasmanian devil’s Schwann cells become cancerous, the animal starts to grow tumors — and becomes contagious.

To understand the cancer, Murchison studied both healthy cells and tumor cells in the animals. In particular, she looked at the genes in the cells. A gene is like a set of instructions for how to build proteins, which are key ingredients that make our bodies work. All the genes together of an organism are called its genome — and a genome is a like a complicated recipe which in humans has more than 20,000 sets of instructions to create its key ingredients.

In a healthy cell, all the genes are working properly. But in a cancer cell, some of the genes aren’t working. Some genes might be “silenced,” or turned off, like a light switch — so they’re not doing their jobs. And other genes might be doing too much of their job — and making too much of one ingredient. (Think about a recipe with too much salt.)

In addition to comparing the genes of healthy and cancerous cells, Murchison looked at microRNAs, which are tiny pieces of genetic material in a cell that help determine which genes get turned on and off. She and her team studied 25 tumors and found they had the same genome (or were “genetically identical”). This led the scientists to conclude that the disease started in a single Tasmanian devil that probably got sick about 20 years ago.

She and her team also noticed that the patterns of genetic activity in the tumor cells (that is, the genetic instructions the cells were following) looked like the patterns found in Schwann cells — which led the scientists to conclude that Schwann cells were the source.

Gregory Hannon, a scientist at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island, N.Y., who worked with Murchison, says that right now, a vaccine that will save the Tasmanian devils is probably a long way off. But that may change in a decade. “Ten years might be enough time” to save the animals, he told Science News.

Mammal babies, including goats, get milk from their mothers.

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:05:00 +0000

We put it in cereal. We drink it with cookies. And we eat tons of foods that are made from it, including yogurt, cheese and even some crackers, breads and granola bars. For most of us, milk is a staple that would be hard to live without.

Thousands of years ago, though, only babies drank milk — and that milk came from their mothers. Now, scientists are investigating the beginnings of mankind’s long-lasting love for daily products. They are looking back thousands of years, to the days when people first squeezed milk out of cows and other animals for use as food and drink.

Tracking down the first milk drinkers could give insight into some bigger questions. For example, why do so many people today still get sick from drinking milk? In some countries, almost nobody can digest dairy products.

The work could also help explain major events in human history. Before refrigerators and grocery stores kept a steady supply of fresh food around, dairying probably transformed societies.

“If you can have an animal supply nutrition without killing it, that’s a real step in agriculture,” says Richard Evershed, a chemist at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. “That’s spectacular in terms of human nutrition.”

As easy as milk is to find these days, though, its history is challenging to piece together. Like detectives, researchers are tackling the milk mystery in more ways than one.

They are analyzing ancient milk scum on extremely old pots. They’re tracking down the genes that allowed people to digest milk, which is surprisingly hard for many people to stomach. They’re even looking for clues in the buried bones of cows, sheep, horses and other milk-making animals.

“Milk was probably the world’s first superfood,” says Mark Thomas, a scientist at University College London who studies how genes have changed throughout history. The advantages of being able to drink it, he adds, “are just out of this world.”

Thanks, moms

To most people, milk comes in a carton. But milk originally comes from the bodies of mammals. Human as well as other mammal mothers, including dogs, cats, pigs and mice, produce milk to feed their babies.

Mammal babies, including goats, get milk from their mothers. Human mothers also provide milk to their very young children, but most people get milk from the store.

isaact/iStockphoto

Most of the milk in U.S. grocery stores comes from cows. In other countries, it is common to drink the milk of sheep, goats, camels, even horses. Each type of milk has a different flavor. Some types are easier to stomach than others.

Evershed recently sampled milk from horses in Kazakhstan. “It was the most disgusting drink I’ve ever tasted,” he says. “I just didn’t like it.”

Unlike meat, milk does not require that an animal be slaughtered. But the first dairy farmers had to figure out for themselves how to turn wild animals into ones that could be raised in captivity. Then, they needed to herd the animals, care for them and continue to milk them even after the animals’ babies grew up.

Another complication: Milk drinking doesn’t come naturally to older kids and adults. Milk contains a type of sugar called lactose. In order to turn lactose into energy, our bodies need an enzyme called lactase. Enzymes are proteins that help the body do its work.

Like other newborn mammals, baby humans have plenty of lactase, which allows them to gulp down their mothers’ milk. After age 2 or so, though, lactase levels drop.

Without lactase, people can get very sick from dairy products. Symptoms include gas, stomach cramps and severe diarrhea. The condition is called lactose intolerance.

None of our early ancestors could digest milk as adults because their bodies never had to — milk drinking simply wasn’t an option. As people began to extract milk from animals, though, some people developed the ability to keep drinking it throughout their lives.

That biological switch proved to be a huge boost toward survival. Milk is full of calories, fat, protein, calcium and other nutrients. For ancient man, it would have been a valuable and steady source of food.

Scientists now know of a milk-related mutation in our genes — the chemical instructions for life that we carry in almost every cell in our bodies. People who have a mutated form of one particular gene can drink milk just fine. People without the mutation tend to get sick from milk.

“The ability to digest milk, Thomas says, “has been incredibly important for people’s survival for the last 8,000 to 10,000 years. We still just don’t know why.”

The first milk drinkers

To figure out where, and possibly why, milk drinking started, some scientists have been looking at who has the milk-digesting mutation today. Patterns are striking.

Most adults in Northern and Central Europe are able to digest milk — and they do. Cheese, butter and other dairy products are popular in countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Germany and England. Because European settlers dominated North America, most people here can handle milk just fine, as well. That may explain why ice cream is such a popular dessert in the United States.

In much of Africa, Asia and South America, on the other hand, people tend to avoid dairy products because they lead to diarrhea and other stomach problems. (That’s why you won’t typically find cheese on the menu at a Chinese, Japanese or Ethiopian restaurant.) Native Americans are also unable to digest lactose.

Based on these genetic patterns, scientists have long thought that milk drinking started in Northern Europe, where dairy is an institution and the milk-digesting mutation is everywhere.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) with fish

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:49:00 +0000

osprey , common name for a bird of prey related to the hawk and the New World vulture and found near water in most parts of the world. The American osprey, or fish hawk, Pandion haliaetus, has white underparts and a wingspread of 5 to 6 ft (152 to 183 cm). It feeds solely on live fish and is usually seen hovering over the water, into which it plunges feet first to grasp its prey. Ospreys are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Falconiformes, family Pandionidae.

whale

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:41:00 +0000

whale aquatic mammal of the order Cetacea, found in all oceans of the world. Members of this order vary greatly in size and include the largest animals that have ever lived. Cetaceans never leave the water, even to give birth. Although their ancestry has been much debated, DNA studies and skeletal evidence from extinct early whales indicate that whales evolved from the ancestors of artiodactyls, a group that includes hippopotamuses, cows, pigs, and deer.

Characteristics and Behavior

Like other mammals, whales breathe air, are warm-blooded, and produce milk to feed their young. Their adaptations for aquatic life include a streamlined form, nearly hairless skin, and an insulating layer of blubber, which can be as thick as 28 in. (70 cm) in some Arctic species. The forelimbs of whales are modified into flippers, and the hind legs are reduced to internal vestiges. Many species possess

Killerwhales jumping.jpg

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:37:00 +0000

killer whale or grampus, a large, rapacious marine mammal, Orcinus orca, of the dolphin family. Male killer whales may reach a length of 30 ft (9 m) and females half that length. The killer whale is black above, with a sharply contrasting white oval patch around each eye; its belly is white with white markings projecting up along the animal's sides. It has a high, triangular dorsal fin midway between head and tail, and broad, paddle-shaped flippers. The killer whale is worldwide in distribution. It is a swift and ferocious animal, armed with more than four dozen sharp teeth, and is the only cetacean (see whale ) that feeds regularly on birds or mammals. Killer whales eat seals, sea birds, and fish, and in packs they will even attack larger whales. The female gives birth to a single calf, up to 7 ft (2.1 m) long, following a gestation period of approximately one year. Females

Dog Pink Eye

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:44:00 +0000

Wondering about ways to treat your dog's pink eye? Pink eye in dogs can cause a lot of discomfort and itchiness. Read on to know more about dog pink eye.

Pink eye in dogs can cause a lot of uneasiness and discomfort in your pet. It surely is very painful to see your dear pet whimpering and writhing in pain. Whenever you see a major shift in your dog's behavior, remember to check your pet's eye. Has it turned pink? If yes, it's your responsibility to get your dog treated for pink eye or canine conjunctivitis soon. Before we move on to dog pink eye treatment, we need to get answers to some questions. What causes dog pink eye? Is dog pink eye contagious to humans? Dog pink eye or canine conjunctivitis, as the name suggests, is an infection of the conjunctiva which causes a change in the color of white portion of your pet's eyeball. The cause of irritation might be a foreign substance in the eyes. In case, your pet came into direct contact with any food allergens, pollen or perfumes, it could lead to sinus and inflammation of mucous membranes and cause dog pink eye. Bacterial or viral infections are common causes of canine conjunctivitis.

Symptoms of Dog Pink Eye

As far as the symptoms are concerned, a dog afflicted with pink eye will have bloodshot eyes accompanied with irritated or inflamed eyelids. Dog pink eye causes the eyelids to become puffy and the surrounding tissue gets inflamed. In case of severe eyelid inflammation, your dog might have problems in blinking or might not be able to open his eyes. Sometimes, the dog's pink eye might be accompanied by a thick, pus-filled dog eye discharge. Read more on:

Dog Eye Infection
Dog Eye Problems

Diagnosis of Dog Pink Eye

In case, the color of your dog's eye has turned pink and it's accompanied by discharge along with irritated and puffy eyes, your dog's conjunctiva might have got infected. It could be caused if a foreign substance has fallen into his eyes. Wash his eyes with water to get rid of the irritant or foreign substance. Are you wondering whether this infection might affect you? Don't worry, a dog's pink eye is not contagious to humans. If the problem persists and your dog has severe inflammation of the mucous membranes along with other symptoms of dog pink eye, it would be advisable to take your dog to a vet. The vet might examine scrapings of the conjunctiva or the discharge to determine if it has been caused by a virus. A culture or sensitivity test would indicate whether the infection is bacterial in nature or not. Schirmer's test might throw some light on the quantity and quality of his tears. After the nature of infection has been determined, the vet might prescribe dog pink eye drops or dog pink eye antibiotic ointments to treat the eye infection. Read more on:

Dog Illnesses
Dog Eye Drops

Dog Pink Eye Home Remedies

If your dog's conjunctiva is inflamed, you could follow these home remedies to give your dog some respite from discomfort. Take a soft cloth and dampen it with warm water and clean your dog's eyes gently, wiping away the discharge. Do this at least 3-4 times to ease your dog's discomfort. Warm compress is another method to provide relief from dog pink eye. Make sure you don't use hot water for the compress, you might end up hurting your pet even more. So, take a clean cloth and dampen it with lukewarm water. Place the cloth very gently over your dog's eye, you must not apply too much pressure. If both eyes are infected, make sure you use a separate cloth for both eyes. In case, your dog feels no relief and these remedies are not working, make sure you visit a vet soon. Delay in treatment might lead to a scratched cornea. You could also consult the vet and put artificial tears to wash off the dirt from your pet's eyes. Keep your pet's eyes clean and trim your dog's long hair( if any) around his eyes to reduce the chances of hair irritating the eye.

Japanese Chin Dog

noreply@blogger.com (izalkancil) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:42:00 +0000

The Japanese chin dog is a popular toy breed, and is a great choice as a family pet. Find out all about the Japanese chin dog here.

The Japanese chin dog belongs to one of the exotic dog breeds, that actually originated in China. They were presented as gifts to the Empress of Japan. As such, they came to be maintained and bred by the nobility of the country, and this resulted in the development of the dog breed of different standards. As such, you may find a variation in the coat density, personality, fragility, eye set and bone structure in different Japanese chin dogs. Overall, they are small and lively dogs, that are elegant and playful. They have a thick coat, and move gracefully, almost like cats. They are related to other eastern breeds such as the Tibetan spaniel, the Shih Tzu and the Pekingese. Take a look at some other interesting breeds of Japanese dogs.

Appearance and Temperament

As mentioned before, the Japanese chin dog is a small and fragile dog, with a height that may range between 8 inches to 11 inches, while weight which will be between 4 pounds to 11 pounds. Its face is flat, and has large eyes that are set wide apart, while its coat is long, soft and silky. An interesting observation is that the tiny frame can make choosing Japanese chin dog names relatively easy, tempting you to give it all sort of 'cute nothing' names.

The Japanese chin dog makes a great companion dog, simply because of its intelligent, affectionate and playful nature. It is alert, and warms up to every family member in the house. It enjoys being with its owner, following it around, and cuddling up at every opportunity. At times they may be wary of strangers, but mostly gel well with almost anyone around, including children and other pets. Though they love to be independent, they are sensitive and enjoy being with their owners. They are very obedient and quick learners and thus, can be easily trained. As such, they would make a great option for newbies who wish to adopt a dog for a pet. However, since they are fragile, they would not make great companions for very young children, as they may not be able to deal with the rough manner in which children usually handle pets. Also, they may suffer from separation anxiety, and thus require a good amount of attention. Exposing them to different people and environments will make them accustomed to change without getting anxious.

Regular Care, Environment and Health

Taking care of a Japanese chin dog involves the following:

Combing its coat at least twice a week, to keep it tangle free.
Shampooing occasionally as it keeps itself clean.
Keeping the eyes and ears clean at all times to prevent the occurrence of infections.
Taking it for short walks daily, and spending 'play time' with it.
The Japanese chin dog is prone to heavy shedding, so that is something you may have to get used to.

Though this dog breed has a low activity level, it is important to give it a daily dose of exercise, as is the case with any other dog breed. Due to its easily adaptable nature, the Japanese chin dog can be brought up and maintained in a rural or urban environment. As such, they even make good apartment dogs.

This fragile dog breed may be prone to the following dog health problems.

Since it is a flat-nosed dog breed, it is prone to several breathing and heart problems.
It is important to avoid extreme temperature conditions with this breed, mainly heat, as it cannot adapt to very hot and humid conditions.
Genetically, a Japanese chin may be prone to knee problems such as dislocation.
Since its eyes are large, they can be easily scratched that may go on to become serious ulcerations.
Japanese chin dog allergies may be few and seasonal.
Also, as it is a small breed, it is at a higher risk of developing low sugar levels, especially as a puppy, till it matures.
The small size also contributes to a whelping problem among this breed.

If a Japanese chin dog is well taken care of, its life span can range anywhere between 9 and 12 years. Get additional useful information on other dog health problems.

So if you've decided to get yourself this wonderful little companion, rush to any of the Japanese chin dog breeders in your locality, and enjoy the company of this breed of Japanese royalty!