tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46234690659604900342024-03-14T00:43:00.262-07:00veterinaryfacts.blogspot.commah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-8701943480765174632009-10-02T17:33:00.000-07:002009-10-02T17:35:17.490-07:00How is body heat regulated?How is body heat regulated?<br />The thermoregulatory center is composed of two parts. The rostral part is a heat loss center<br />that is parasympathetic. The caudal part is a heat production center that is sympathetic.<br />Peripheral thermoreceptors in the skin and internal receptors in the abdomen and central nervous system (eNS) along with the thermoregulatory centers help to maintain a delicate balance between heat loss and production.mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-85685050327932371932009-10-02T17:26:00.000-07:002009-10-02T17:31:06.783-07:00What is fever?What is fever?<br />Fever is an increased core body temperature due to resetting of the hypothalamic thermoregulatory center to a higher temperature. The thermoregulatory center is located in the preoptic region of the rostral hypothalamus.mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-38064012160655753772009-08-18T13:55:00.000-07:002009-08-18T13:59:20.655-07:00The Meller's chameleon<a href="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/animals/images/primary/mellers-chameleon.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 470px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 324px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/animals/images/primary/mellers-chameleon.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>is the largest of the chameleons not native to Madagascar. Their stout bodies can grow to be up to two feet (two-thirds of a meter) long and weigh more than a pound (one-half kilogram).<br />Meller's distinguish themselves from their universally bizarre-looking cousins with a single small horn protruding from the front of their snouts. This and their size earn them the common name "giant one-horned chameleon."<br />They are fairly common in the savanna of East Africa, including Malawi, northern Mozambique, and Tanzania. Almost one-half of the world’s chameleons live on the island of Madagascar.<br />As with all chameleons, Meller's will change colors in response to stress and to communicate with other chameleons. Their normal appearance is deep green with yellow stripes and random black spots. Females are slightly smaller, but are otherwise indistinguishable from males.</div>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-16679230054731165842008-12-27T05:20:00.000-08:002008-12-27T05:22:39.956-08:00Bird of Paradise<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheReprgp1PGBW6fQIFfxS4X0BdHXpAbYvly-foS3zzxB9RdR-AK6LFMfL0CTSIuKvaUd_Tu7-Q1Uq8OzWeuedVmjXNgwW1a_tShuNOwIBmEmt9ib1aPXsf5VJ97MjI0GDotmr-1S5iOiw/s1600-h/ribbon-tailed-bird-of-parad.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284459624349990962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 278px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheReprgp1PGBW6fQIFfxS4X0BdHXpAbYvly-foS3zzxB9RdR-AK6LFMfL0CTSIuKvaUd_Tu7-Q1Uq8OzWeuedVmjXNgwW1a_tShuNOwIBmEmt9ib1aPXsf5VJ97MjI0GDotmr-1S5iOiw/s400/ribbon-tailed-bird-of-parad.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>There are more than three-dozen species in the family Paradisaeidae, more commonly known as the birds of paradise. Most are distinguished by striking colors and bright plumage of yellow, blue, scarlet, and green. These colors distinguish them as some of the world's most dramatic and attractive birds. Males often sport vibrant feathered ruffs or amazingly elongated feathers, which are known as wires or streamers. Some species have enormous head plumes or other distinctive ornaments, such as breast shields or head fans.</div>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-22621032849678006312008-12-27T05:04:00.000-08:002008-12-27T05:13:21.536-08:00Domestic Cat<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCaDQssWhSB1YEaFNNl6EOUcHi8N2okwiSqgwbvqTvyW8XFC8NM1uRci2wdgeK30PGUyDjSsc3ni6xDN3kINZPb6ziigUz0ZmHyLeEtCYEzLiU5Po2usIJ-CG0etm82StuYMY0kSzpns/s1600-h/domestic-cat.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284457245646755010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 221px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCaDQssWhSB1YEaFNNl6EOUcHi8N2okwiSqgwbvqTvyW8XFC8NM1uRci2wdgeK30PGUyDjSsc3ni6xDN3kINZPb6ziigUz0ZmHyLeEtCYEzLiU5Po2usIJ-CG0etm82StuYMY0kSzpns/s320/domestic-cat.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Domestic Cat </div><br /><div>Domestic cats, no matter their breed, are all members of one species. Felis catus has had a very long relationship with humans. Ancient Egyptians may have first domesticated cats as early as 4,000 years ago. Plentiful rodents probably drew wild felines to human communities. The cats' skill in killing them may have first earned the affectionate attention of humans. Early Egyptians worshipped a cat goddess and even mummified their beloved pets for their journey to the next world—accompanied by mummified mice! Cultures around the world later adopted cats as their own companions.</div>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-64638241213704717662008-12-27T04:55:00.000-08:002008-12-27T04:58:34.331-08:00African Wild DogThe African wild dog, also called Cape hunting dog or painted dog, typically roams the open plains and sparse woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa.These long-legged canines have only four toes per foot, unlike other dogs, which have five toes on their forefeet. The dog's Latin name means "painted wolf," referring to the animal's irregular, mottled coat, which features patches of red, black, brown, white, and yellow fur. Each animal has its own unique coat pattern, and all have big, rounded ears.African wild dogs live in packs that are usually dominated by a monogamous breeding pair. The female has a litter of 2 to 20 pups, which are cared for by the entire pack. These dogs are very social, and packs have been known to share food and to assist weak or ill members. Social interactions are common, and the dogs communicate by touch, actions, and vocalizations.mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-29081335110011826812008-06-04T10:50:00.000-07:002008-06-04T10:51:45.060-07:00King Cobra<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiffKr4o07NMSho1i5GiszWCOxpkMgDFVg-UJy5SaTUr8j_eZSWoNUuLcUDfTjitbtiamHlm8PoUo5PKGeox_Xb8CI4rou6gmTgB1h7wF2C8Qr47YYMev-RZuLURXrbr8IE0d0YpWBoj3U/s1600-h/king-cobra.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208085463204389634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiffKr4o07NMSho1i5GiszWCOxpkMgDFVg-UJy5SaTUr8j_eZSWoNUuLcUDfTjitbtiamHlm8PoUo5PKGeox_Xb8CI4rou6gmTgB1h7wF2C8Qr47YYMev-RZuLURXrbr8IE0d0YpWBoj3U/s320/king-cobra.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>It seems unfairly menacing that a snake that can literally "stand up" and look a full-grown person in the eye would also be among the most venomous on the planet, but that describes the famous king cobra.King cobras can reach 18 feet (5.5 meters) in length, making them the longest of all venomous snakes. When confronted, they can raise up to one-third of their bodies straight off the ground and still move forward to attack. They will also flare out their iconic hoods and emit a bone-chilling hiss that sounds almost like a growling dog.Their venom is not the most potent among venomous snakes, but the amount of neurotoxin they can deliver in a single bite—up to two-tenths of a fluid ounce (seven milliliters)—is enough to kill 20 people, or even an elephant. Fortunately, king cobras are shy and will avoid humans whenever possible, but they are fiercely aggressive when cornered.King cobras live mainly in the rain forests and plains of India, southern China, and Southeast Asia, and their coloring can vary greatly from region to region. They are comfortable in the trees, on land, and in water, feeding mainly on other snakes, venomous and nonvenomous. They will also eat lizards, eggs, and small mammals.They are the only snakes in the world that build nests for their eggs, which they guard ferociously until the hatchlings emerge.King cobras may be best known as the species of choice for the snake charmers of South Asia. Although cobras can hear, they are actually deaf to ambient noises, sensing ground vibrations instead. The charmer's flute entices the cobra by its shape and movement, not by the music it emits.</div>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-13110501389698710142008-05-24T12:09:00.000-07:002008-05-24T12:13:15.058-07:00Lowland Gorilla<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfK72oLQI_IokRvRV4w86TxXCxH-7ywpOxV2qQY0jnPHHdY2558GVHEmo8WGxGxGOUYUZulbN0M8j2O_4wyTynQ8qevNb-p0FuQ5Ju34whGXrMi62u9iUMOPADR2daLTV5iMxmgRtFi4/s1600-h/western-lowland-gorilla-looking.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204024545535872290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfK72oLQI_IokRvRV4w86TxXCxH-7ywpOxV2qQY0jnPHHdY2558GVHEmo8WGxGxGOUYUZulbN0M8j2O_4wyTynQ8qevNb-p0FuQ5Ju34whGXrMi62u9iUMOPADR2daLTV5iMxmgRtFi4/s320/western-lowland-gorilla-looking.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>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.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.</div><br /><div>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.</div>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-50553972926266310942008-05-24T09:20:00.000-07:002008-05-24T09:34:38.999-07:00Hippopotamus<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtqcnlRH23mLRg8JS4Vn0Z0O2YKtrmqR5Py8e0p-iv3b8fk2D79SY1k20qrwmQzAnr3DkwgEt6Sp-oIXgsvEF52woVmENr2u_1ZATri5QYJ40cpEwHKMILQdJlDUKqgFpSbo5NzRsczM/s1600-h/hippo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203983653152247058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtqcnlRH23mLRg8JS4Vn0Z0O2YKtrmqR5Py8e0p-iv3b8fk2D79SY1k20qrwmQzAnr3DkwgEt6Sp-oIXgsvEF52woVmENr2u_1ZATri5QYJ40cpEwHKMILQdJlDUKqgFpSbo5NzRsczM/s320/hippo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Hippopotamuses love water, which is why the Greeks named them the "river horse." Hippos spend up to 16 hours a day submerged in rivers and lakes to keep their massive bodies cool under the hot African sun. Hippos are graceful in water, good swimmers, and can hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes. However, they are often large enough to simply walk or stand on the lake floor, or lie in the shallows. Their eyes and nostrils are located high on their heads, which allows them to see and breathe while mostly submerged.Hippos also bask on the shoreline and secrete an oily red substance, which gave rise to the myth that they sweat blood. The liquid is actually a skin moistener and sunblock that may also provide protection against germs.</div><br /><div>At sunset, hippopotamuses leave the water and travel overland to graze. They may travel 6 miles (10 kilometers) in a night, along single-file pathways, to consume some 80 pounds (35 kilograms) of grass. Considering their enormous size, a hippo's food intake is relatively low. If threatened on land hippos may run for the water—they can match a human's speed for short distances.Hippo calves weigh nearly 100 pounds (45 kilograms) at birth and can suckle on land or underwater by closing their ears and nostrils. Each female has only one calf every two years. Soon after birth, mother and young join schools that provide some protection against crocodiles, lions, and hyenas.Hippos once had a broader distribution but now live in eastern central and southern sub-Saharan Africa, where their populations are in decline</div>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-20574779157172509852008-05-19T11:31:00.000-07:002008-05-19T11:35:20.229-07:00Brown Bear<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkpBrKuapXtFW1qLifWnm2PE2uI8WMQv3cAGD948sPRDFDhBu5nbKpl1m5RlIchNXAIMpaHT4AVx0aYWlN_3T2zDPB2qRBXexRWPtHPespVmNd9tdieMjsNPgLgsjRYdxo94wP8O8Vzs/s1600-h/kodiak-bear.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202159300247605554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkpBrKuapXtFW1qLifWnm2PE2uI8WMQv3cAGD948sPRDFDhBu5nbKpl1m5RlIchNXAIMpaHT4AVx0aYWlN_3T2zDPB2qRBXexRWPtHPespVmNd9tdieMjsNPgLgsjRYdxo94wP8O8Vzs/s320/kodiak-bear.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Fast Facts</div><br /><div><br />Type: Mammal<br />Diet: Omnivore<br />Average lifespan in the wild: 25 years<br />Size: 5 to 8 ft (1.5 to 2.5 m)<br />Weight: 700 lbs (318 kg)<br />Group name: Sloth or sleuth<br />Size relative to a 6ft (2m) man: </div>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-15379142731723970772008-05-19T11:26:00.000-07:002008-05-19T11:29:54.582-07:00Flying Snake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTF-TUeQirXLLoSaQC1H7eQZYuOc9LS3eqz4okc1OxwL2X34E8fJqMqJjrFBvee5Y6zZG8ihPUbFVpWubNY6u97CFtIcaf3hLwluAJ0Yl3Vm4ORESFKZREOz_NNxZOIhU5Ke0QoGpSrjI/s1600-h/flying-snake.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202157951627874594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTF-TUeQirXLLoSaQC1H7eQZYuOc9LS3eqz4okc1OxwL2X34E8fJqMqJjrFBvee5Y6zZG8ihPUbFVpWubNY6u97CFtIcaf3hLwluAJ0Yl3Vm4ORESFKZREOz_NNxZOIhU5Ke0QoGpSrjI/s320/flying-snake.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The image of airborne snakes may seem like the stuff of nightmares (or a certain Hollywood movie), but in the jungles of South and Southeast Asia it is reality.Flying snake is a misnomer, since, barring a strong updraft, these animals can’t actually gain altitude. They’re gliders, using the speed of free fall and contortions of their bodies to catch the air and generate lift.</div><br /><div>Once thought to be more parachuters than gliders, recent scientific studies have revealed intricate details about how these limbless, tube-shaped creatures turn plummeting into piloting. To prepare for take-off, a flying snake will slither to the end of a branch, and dangle in a J shape. It propels itself from the branch with the lower half of its body, forms quickly into an S, and flattens to about twice its normal width, giving its normally round body a concave C shape which can trap air. By undulating back and forth, the snake can actually make turns. Flying snakes are technically better gliders than their more popular mammalian equivalents, the flying squirrels.There are five recognized species of flying snake, found from western India to the Indonesian archipelago. Knowledge of their behavior in the wild is limited, but they are thought to be highly arboreal, rarely descending from the canopy. The smallest species reach about 2 feet (61 centimeters) in length and the largest grow to 4 feet (1.2 meters).Their diets are variable depending on their range, but they are known to eat rodents, lizards, frogs, birds, and bats. They are mildly venomous snakes, but their tiny, fixed rear fangs make them harmless to humans.Scientists don’t know how often or exactly why flying snakes fly, but it’s likely they use their aerobatics to escape predators, to move from tree to tree without having to descend to the forest floor, and possibly even to hunt prey.</div>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-88038095702656879222008-05-19T11:17:00.000-07:002008-05-19T11:23:15.626-07:00Arabian (Dromedary) Camel<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FMrIScLOkGb4YqTbauvRaALKrdpqTqLbHPjyB6H7nX7F_tb9ZU10nhmOwAJ_Kwxvy4vJCvDAbqB_wTCLhjyedM7LflWp-4knJQXxLvs1OQq3qXR1b3I_oW7Ynp6wg0ndeah2eRzhVg8/s1600-h/arabian-camel.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202156199281217810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FMrIScLOkGb4YqTbauvRaALKrdpqTqLbHPjyB6H7nX7F_tb9ZU10nhmOwAJ_Kwxvy4vJCvDAbqB_wTCLhjyedM7LflWp-4knJQXxLvs1OQq3qXR1b3I_oW7Ynp6wg0ndeah2eRzhVg8/s320/arabian-camel.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Fast Facts</div><br /><div>Type: Mammal<br />Diet: Herbivore<br />Size: Over 7 ft (2.1 m) tall at the hump<br />Weight: Up to 1,600 lbs (726 kg)<br />Group name: Flock or Caravan<br />Did you know? Unlike many other animals, camels move both legs on one side of the body at the same time.<br />Size relative to a 6ft (2m) man:</div>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-92152184842610600662008-05-17T13:04:00.000-07:002008-05-17T13:07:55.850-07:00Ant<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0H1vc-_K2noBIdzFCbk0TkRvHUdZDEPqrLVv1WhKPbxgXvcmeuKXcPH6fV6aimykcH3iK3vos4ggo2VRqvdZXvd8y0BHN7vGyQ6nsqes6TJ4T4cjmN3jfqTQ0bJ8VkI3lUxgXJavWoYg/s1600-h/leaf-cutter-ant.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201441001327087874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0H1vc-_K2noBIdzFCbk0TkRvHUdZDEPqrLVv1WhKPbxgXvcmeuKXcPH6fV6aimykcH3iK3vos4ggo2VRqvdZXvd8y0BHN7vGyQ6nsqes6TJ4T4cjmN3jfqTQ0bJ8VkI3lUxgXJavWoYg/s320/leaf-cutter-ant.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Fast Facts</div><br /><div><br />Type: Bug<br />Diet: Omnivore<br />Average lifespan in the wild: Several weeks to several years<br />Size: 0.08 to 1 in (2 to 25 mm)<br />Group name: Army or colony<br />Did you know? Ants can lift and carry more than three times their own weight.<br />Size relative to a paper clip: </div>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-19586771557654308132008-05-17T12:43:00.000-07:002008-05-17T13:00:55.218-07:00Baboon .......Fast Facts<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 5px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 18px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="257" alt="" src="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/animals/images/primary/olive-" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201438548900761842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 255px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 158px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="359" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrOtW3EJY7DI8z9BtJNCshyphenhyphen9Uiqm8ln8uoQ2RvTqcqJj1Z2OFmyeJWPXklVb7L5FCYRTSybV4wIet5tIjrWbjSp_a8w_avVBTLHduWKL9sZvplVP-r_umUbtbWh-vk_Xv1OKKbEpaY8A/s320/olive-baboon-with-baby.jpg" width="449" border="0" /><br /><div><br /><br /><div>Type: Mammal<br />Diet: Omnivore<br />Average lifespan in the wild: 30 years<br />Size: Head and body, 20 to 34 in (60 to 86 cm); Tail, 16 to 23 in (41 to 58 cm)<br />Weight: 33 to 82 lbs (22 to 37 kg)<br />Group name: Troop<br />Did you know? Baboons use at least ten different and unique vocalizations to communicate with other members of the troop.<br />Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:</div></div>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-52251242816979126162008-04-08T05:55:00.000-07:002008-04-08T06:06:58.089-07:00bottlenose dolphins<a href="http://www.nature.org/animals/mammals/images/bottlenose_longnew.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.nature.org/animals/mammals/images/bottlenose_longnew.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The bottlenose dolphin is recognizable by its large curved dorsal fin and gray body with muted color patterns. Males sometimes exceed 12 feet and 1,200 pounds, living 40-45 years in the wild. Females are smaller and longer lived. Widely distributed, the dolphin inhabits tropical and temperate latitudes around the world, residing both offshore and in estuaries, bays and the lower reaches of rivers. A playful animal, bottlenoses are often spotted bow-riding, wake-riding and body-surfing across the surface.<br />Inshore bottlenose dolphins differ markedly from the offshore variety, which tend to be darker with larger bodies and smaller flippers. They also typically gather in larger social groups, sometimes numbering more than a hundred, than inshore dolphins. Bay residents gather in groups as small as 2-15. Both varieties prey on fish, inshore individuals supplementing their diet with marine invertebrates. Often they are attracted to commercial fishing operations, feeding off discards or escapees. Their more unusual hunting practices include chasing fish out of the water and then partially beaching themselves to feed.<br />Though worldwide populations remain vibrant and widely-distributed, some regional populations are endangered by hunting, degradation of habitat and conflicts with commercial fishing. The Black Sea population is in particularly narrow straits, decimated by severely degraded water quality and killings that continued well into the 1980s and 1990s. Pollution, gill net entanglement and the collapse of fish populations threaten Mediterranean populations.</div>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-76105981271489765522007-12-31T08:36:00.000-08:002007-12-31T08:39:31.770-08:00WHO CONFIRMS H5N1 CASES IN EGYPT,VIETNAM<strong><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:130%;">WHO confirms H5N1 cases in Egypt, Vietnam</span><br />Dec 28, 2007 (CIDRAP News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) today confirmed three human cases of H5N1 avian influenza in Vietnam and Egypt, one of which was fatal, raising the global H5N1 count to 346 cases with 213 deaths.<br />In Vietnam, a 4-year-old boy from the northern province of Son La died of an H5N1 infection Dec 16, the WHO said. He fell ill Dec 7 and was hospitalized on the 11th. His case was first reported by news services on Dec 26.<br />The boy's source of exposure is under investigation, the WHO said. His close contacts are being monitored, and all remain healthy so far, the agency reported.<br />Two women in Egypt are being treated for H5N1 disease, the WHO said. One is a 50-year-old from Domiatt governorate who was hospitalized Dec 24 and is in critical condition. The other is a 22-year-old chicken seller from Menofia governorate; she was hospitalized Dec 26 and is in intensive care but recovering, the WHO reported.<br />"Both women had contact with sick and dead poultry prior to illness onset," the agency said. News services first reported their cases yesterday.<br />Vietnam has had 101 confirmed H5N1 cases with 47 deaths, while Egypt has had 41 confirmed cases, 16 of them fatal. </span></strong>mah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4623469065960490034.post-34177404617090854742007-12-29T06:29:00.000-08:002007-12-29T06:35:36.745-08:00Another death highlights avian flu threat in Egypt16th victim of human bird flu infection reported since H5N1 virus first detected in Egypt.<br />-Another human victim of bird flu - the 16th in Egypt - has been registered in the country, underlining the fact that the deadly H5N1 strain of avian flu, which was first detected in Egypt in February 2006, has not disappeared.<br />-The Ministry of Health said on 26 December that a 25-year-old woman had died the previous day in a village near Beni Souef, about 100km south of Cairo. The woman, who had handled infected birds at home, was admitted to hospital on 21 December suffering from pneumonia and respiratory problems.<br />-This was the 39th case of human bird flu infection reported since the H5N1 virus was first detected in the country. It was the first human death from bird flu since June 2007, when a 10-year-old girl died. In Egypt, most victims of avian flu have been women and children because of their role in raising domestic fowl.<br />-Nakhla Amany, regional planning assistant for avian flu in the Cairo office of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told IRIN that in this specific case the Egyptian health authorities had taken the right measures. “They immediately took the victim to hospital once they detected the symptoms of avian flu and they conducted the right tests.”<br />-She regretted, however, the delay by the victim’s family in seeking medical help. The family is being tested to see if anybody else has been infected.<br />Egypt has taken a number of stringent measures to combat the spread of the avian flu virus, including banning the raising of birds in towns and their transportation between provinces, and controlling where they are raised and sold.<br />A programme to raise awareness of the risks posedmah_nadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672271091236337542noreply@blogger.com0