27 January 2021

Newt

A newt is an amphibian of the Salamandridae family, although not all aquatic salamanders are considered newts. Newts are classified in the subfamily Pleurodelinae of the family Salamandridae, and are found in North America, Europe and Asia. Newts metamorphose through three distinct developmental life stages: aquatic larva, terrestrial juvenile (called an eft), and adult. Adult newts have lizard-like bodies and may be either fully aquatic, living permanently in the water, or semi-aquatic, living terrestrially but returning to the water each year to breed.

Toad

A toad can refer to a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura. A distinction is often made between frogs and toads by their appearance, prompted by the convergent adaptation among so-called "toads" to dry habitats. Many "toads" often have leathery skin for better water retention, and a brown coloration for camouflage. They also tend to burrow. However, these adaptations are not reliable indicators of its ancestry. Because taxonomy reflects only evolutionary relationships, any distinction between frogs and toads is irrelevant to their classification. For instance, many members of the frog families Bombinatoridae, Discoglossidae, Pelobatidae, Rhinophrynidae, Scaphiopodidae, and some species from the Microhylidae family are commonly called "toads". However, the only family exclusively given the common name "toad" is Bufonidae, or the "true toads". Some "true frogs" of the genus Rana have also adapted to burrowing habitats, while a bufonid species in the genus Atelopus are conversely known by the common name "harlequin frogs". Similarly to frogs, toads also display metamorphosis from tadpole to sexually mature adult.

Jaguar

The jaguar, Panthera onca, is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus. It is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest and most powerful feline in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Mexico across much of Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. Apart from a known and possibly breeding population in Arizona (southwest of Tucson), the cat has largely been extirpated from the United States since the early 1900s. There is, however, a high probability that (given the surveyed population in southwestern Arizona) populations of Jaguar exist in other unsurveyed regions within southern Arizona, New Mexico and possibly even Texas.

This spotted cat most closely resembles the leopard physically, although it is usually larger and of sturdier build and its behavioral and habitat characteristics are closer to those of the tiger. While dense rainforest is its preferred habitat, the jaguar will range across a variety of forested and open terrain. It is strongly associated with the presence of water and is notable, along with the tiger, as a feline that enjoys swimming. The jaguar is a largely solitary, stalk-and-ambush predator, and is opportunistic in prey selection. It is also an apex and keystone predator, playing an important role in stabilizing ecosystems and regulating the populations of prey species. The jaguar has developed an exceptionally powerful bite, even relative to the other big cats. This allows it to pierce the shells of armoured reptiles and to employ an unusual killing method: it bites directly through the skull of prey between the ears to deliver a fatal blow to the brain. The jaguar is a near threatened species and its numbers are declining. Threats include habitat loss and fragmentation. While international trade in jaguars or their parts is prohibited, the cat is still regularly killed by humans, particularly in conflicts with ranchers and farmers in South America. Although reduced, its range remains large; given its historical distribution, the jaguar has featured prominently in the mythology of numerous indigenous American cultures, including that of the Maya and Aztec.

Baboon

There are five different species of baboons. All of them live in Africa or Arabia. Baboons are some of the world's largest monkeys, and males of different species average from 33 to 82 pounds (15 to 37 kilograms). Baboon bodies are 20 to 40 inches (60 to 102 centimeters) long, not including substantial tails of varying lengths.

Baboons generally prefer savanna and other semi-arid habitats, though a few live in tropical forests.

Like other Old World monkeys, baboons do not have prehensile (gripping) tails. But they can and do climb trees to sleep, eat, or look out for trouble. They spend much of their time on the ground.

Baboons are opportunistic eaters and, fond of crops, become destructive pests to many African farmers. They eat fruits, grasses, seeds, bark, and roots, but also have a taste for meat. They eat birds, rodents, and even the young of larger mammals, such as antelopes and sheep.

Four baboon species (i.e., chacma, olive, yellow, and Guinea) are known as the savanna baboons. These animals form large troops, composed of dozens or even hundreds of baboons, governed by a complex hierarchy that fascinates scientists. Males use shows of physical power to dominate rivals, and troop members spend endless hours carefully grooming one another to remove insects and dead skin.

A fifth species, the hamadryas baboon, lives in the hills along the Red Sea coasts of Africa and Arabia. These cliff-dwelling baboons disperse to forage during the day and reconvene in much smaller groups at night.

Cactus Cat

Around 100 years ago, there were tall tales of mischievous felines known as cactus cats in the sprawling deserts of the southwestern US and northern Mexico. About the size and shape of house cats, these critters were covered in needles, and cactuslike growths protruded from their tails and ears.

The cactus cat fed off the juice of cacti but not in the way you might think. It would slash the bottom of a cactus and allow the juices to collect, but instead of drinking, it would move on to the next cactus and do the same thing. Over several days, it would make a circuit.

By the time it reached the first cactus, the juices had fermented into alcohol. After chugging the alcohol, the cat would saunter drunkenly into the night, yowling loudly, slashing at anything in his path, and leaving prickling welts cowboys after stumbling into their camps. Unfortunately, the cactus cats’ frequent inebriation made it easy for the cowboys to supposedly hunt them to extinction.

Time to protect the amazing octopus

Octopuses are extraordinary and fascinating animals and one of the most intelligent of all invertebrates. Scientists are increasingly producing evidence that they are sentient creatures. Yet they are given little or no legal protection from suffering. But, at last, that is starting to change.

Octopuses, squid and cuttlefish are a type of animal called cephalopods. A new law governing the use of animals in experiments in the EU will, for the first time, provide some protection for these animals in the same way as for vertebrate animals such as monkeys and mice. And about time too.

Fascinating creatures

So what do we know about these illusive animals of the sea? Well, a few interesting basic facts: there are over 300 known species of octopus, they have four pairs of arms and three hearts!

The challenging environment in which cephalopods live and their lifestyle means that they need to be capable of complex and flexible behaviours. For example, as they are active predators octopuses need to explore, remember their environment and understand the behaviour of other animals including their prey.

It is therefore not surprising that studies have shown that octopuses easily learn new things, simply by observing other octopuses. They can also solve problems they would not encounter in the wild such as unscrewing the lid of a container to get at prey inside.

Tool users

One of the most interesting recorded natural behaviours of octopuses is their use of tools. Researchers only recently observed veined octopuses in Australia using halved coconut shells as tools, by scooping them from the seabed, carrying with them and later using them as a shelter when needed. This is the first reported case of tool use by an invertebrate animal.

Thwarting predators

Common octopuses have a wide array of techniques they use to avoid or thwart potential predators. If there is a place to hide they can squeeze their soft bodies with no internal or external skeleton through impossibly small cracks and crevices where predators can’t follow. Or they can choose to jet off at speed by expelling water through their mantles. They can also improve their chances of escape by obscuring an attacker’s view and dulling its sense of smell by releasing a cloud of black ink.

If all else fails, they have beak-like jaws which can deliver a nasty bite, and venomous saliva which is mostly used for subduing prey. Even if a predator manages to bit off one of their eight arms they can re-grow it later with no permanent damage!