Tag Archives: animal
Z is for Zetek’s Treefrog
This brilliant photo of this little treefrog was taken by Dr Robert Puschendorf, Lecturer in Conservation Biology at Plymouth University, and is used by permission. Here it is again, peeking out from a bromeliad, so you can see where it lives – this gorgeous photo was taken by Andreas Hertz and is also used by permission: These are …
X is for Xantu’s Murrelet
This image from Wiki shows the size of a Xantu’s murrelet (recently renamed Scripp’s murrelet) when it leaves the nest and plunges into the ocean at fewer than 48 hours old, having not been fed, and without being able to fly. It is about 5 inches long: Uniquely, from this moment forward this little chick spends it’s …
U is for Umbrella Jelly
This is a short Youtube video of delicate and beautiful umbrella jellyfish, or ‘umbrella jellies’ which is the preferred term, as they are not actually fish, and their magical water dancing. Uploaded by Aquarium of the Pacific. These tiny little jellies’ Latin name is Eutonia indicans, and they are at the most 1 inch in diameter. Being …
R is for Rockhopper Penguin
Rockhopper penguins are not like other penguins – they live on rocky, inhospitable places, mainly around the antarctic, so inhospitable these penguins have no land predators. Here is a wonderful picture of one by Robert Orr: As well as being the kookiest-looking penguin, their behaviour is different. They do not slide around the place on icy floes, and neither do …
Q is for Quino Checkerspot Butterfly
This is a rare good news story on the sustainability front – that of the 3 cm quino checkerspot butterfly, here photographed by Adam Braziel: Adam isn’t sure if this is the quino or the Wright’s checkerspot, but after making my eyes go whizzy looking at both species’ photos, Wright’s checkerspot is a different species altogether, …
N is for Numbat
This engaging little creature, photographed by S J Bennett, is a numbat! Numbats are little marsupials that now only live in a few small colonies in Australia. They are unique – one of only a few marsupials that do not have a pouch – the 4 baby numbats, when born, make their way to the teats on the …
I is for Ibis
This fabulous photo of a feeding sacred ibis was taken by Jeremy Thompson on Flikr. I only found two photos of such an excellence to illustrate the poem and post, the other is further down! Neither are creative commons and are used by permission. Sacred ibis are large wading birds, with beautiful white (but black edged, seen when …
E is for Electric Eel
This image of incredible electric eels is by Walknboston on Flikr. Electric eels are actually not eels at all but a type of fish similar to a catfish – they can reach 8 feet in length. They live in muddy streams that feed into and in the Amazon and Orinoco rivers in South America. They are extraordinary killers. …
W is for Water Vole
There are 3 types of cute vole living in the UK and this is the biggest, at 4.5-9 inches – a water vole. This brilliant image has been taken by the prolific nature photographer, Peter Trimming, on Flikr. ‘Ratty’ in The Wind in the Willows was not a rat at all, but a water vole. …
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