Monday 27 April 2009 Spectacled flying-fox

The Spectacled Flying-fox (Pteropus conspicillatus) is a large fruit bat which is also called the Spectacled Fruit Bat, or Spectacled Bat. It lives on the islands of Woodlark, Alcester, Kiriwina, and Halmahera in New Guinea, and is also found in Queensland Australia. This species of bat is listed as a threatened species in the CEPBCA act of 1999 in Australia, and are considered vulnerable because of a decline in numbers from habitat loss, however as a worldwide species the IUCN lists them as being of least concern due to population distribution and stability. This means that although the populations in Queensland are in danger, the species as a whole is not going to go extinct in the near or median future.

Their length from head to toe is 8-9 inches (20-25cm) and they weigh 2.2lbs on average (1kg). They are a large and black bat, and have a grayish yellow striped fur around their eyes, while their mantle is also this same color and follows along their back, their neck, and their shoulders. Coloration varies from individual, and some seem paler, while others more yellowish in color. They have a very sensitive sense of smell, and very good eyesight. Because they are a fruit bat they do not rely on echolocation to track insects - they don’t eat them. Instead they prefer to eat fruit, blossoms, and nectar. Their favorite roosting locations are in the canopies of trees in rainforests, such as mangroves, eucalyptus, or paperbark while in the sun, and colonies can number in the hundreds. They prefer to stay close to these locations as they offer abundant sources of food, shelter, and places to roost at night. When they leave at dusk, they can travel as far as 43 miles (70 kilometers) in search of food.

The Binomial Name of the Spectacled Flying-fox is Pteropus conspicillatus, and it belongs to the Genus Pteropus. Within Pteropus there are roughly 64 known species of bat, and are the largest bats alive in wingspan; almost all of the species of bats in this genus are threatened. Pteropus belongs to the Subfamily Pteropodinae, which has around 36 known genera. Pteropodinae belongs to the Family Pteropodidae, which belongs to the Suborder Megachiroptera or fruit bats also known as megabats. Megachiroptera belongs to the Order Chiroptera - this is all bats. Under the revised model of mammals, yet to be adopted, Chiroptera belongs to the Superorder Laurasiatheria, which then includes the carnivores, cows, camels and many more. Laurasiatheria belongs to Eutheria - the placental mammals, which include the primates and their relatives (us). Eutheria belongs to Theria, which are all the mammals with the exception of the monotremes.

Interesting Facts about the Spectacled Flying Fox

Like many other megabats, the Spectacled Flying Fox may drink ocean water on the way to the forests to feed, sustaining flight and keeping thirst down. However, for humans to drink seawater without first filtering it - it would cause more thirst, and possibly dehydration.

Photo of the baby Spectacled flying-fox taken at the Tolga Bat Hospital, Australia by Mnolf, licensed under GFDL & CC ShareAlike 2.0

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Sunday 12 April 2009 Hare - Easter bunny was a hare originally

The tradition of the Easter bunny originates from West-european cultures, where it is a hare (Lepus europaeus) rather than a rabbit... German protestants had an abundance of eggs because of fasting. "German Protestants wanted to retain the Catholic custom of eating colored eggs for Easter, but did not want to introduce their children to the Catholic rite of fasting. Eggs were forbidden to Catholics during the fast of Lent, which was the reason for the abundance of eggs at Easter time." (source)

The Easter bunny / hare would leave eggs for good children. The egg and its symbolism comes from the Romans: "The Romans believed that all life proceeded from an egg, so the egg came to symbolize birth and rebirth. Christians regarded eggs as the seeds of life and attributed them with the symbol of Jesus' resurrection." (source)

Hares can run up to 70 kilometers per hour. Around spring, hares change their behavior and can be seen fighting each other, this can be either intermale competition or a female testing a male or rejecting him. Unlike the young of rabbits, the young of hares are born with fur and eyes open and are able to defend themselves quickly

Photo taken on 16 Sep 2004 by de:User:Fmickan, licensed under GFDL

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Saturday 11 April 2009 Large flying fox - 7 foot (2 meter) wingspan

The Large Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus) is the second largest bat in the world by weight, and the largest by wingspan. Its species name is P. vampyrus, however it is no vampire bat, this bat is what is called a megabat, being a large fruit bat. They are sometimes called flying foxes; however they have no direct relation to foxes and only resemble them in passing with the face. The Large Flying Fox has a wingspan of seven feet (2 meters), and a weight of 3lbs (1.5kg), has small pointed ears, large eyes, and face that is shaped like a foxes. Its coloration varies from dark ashen brown, to near black, and their toes have large claws that are curved to help grab onto branches. The Large Flying Fox cannot echolocate, as that is specific to the microbats, and one species of fruit bat that has developed echolocation on its own. Instead, the megabats rely on excellent eyesight, and excellent smell to track their prey of fruit, nectar, blossoms, and pollen.

They can be found in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Tonga, and Vanuatu.

Their feeding habit consists of a crash landing into the targeted tree, grappling onto a branch with their powerful claws on their feet, and using their feet, or the clawed digit that we use for thumbs at the top of its wings. They are active mostly in the evening into the night, while during the day they roost in large trees with many of their colony members, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. They communicate with each other in high pitch sounds, and a closely related species has at least 30 distinct recorded calls, therefore it is easy to assume that the Large Flying Fox would also have these calls. Mating season takes place in the warmer summer months when the blossoms and nectar from many flowers are available for consumption, and usually just one baby bat is born at a time. Their feeding habits range, and behavior lends itself to an important ecological niche, as they help pollinate on a grand scale most of the fruit baring trees, and help plant new ones through their digestive system.

The Binomial Name of the Large Flying Fox is Pteropus vampyrus, and it belongs to the Genus Pteropus. Within Pteropus there are roughly 64 known species of bat, and a probably amount on the scale of tens that are currently unknown, and hundreds that have gone extinct – possibly recently; almost all of the species of bats in this genus are threatened or endangered. Pteropus belongs to the Subfamily Pteropodinae, which has around 36 known genera of bat, and an immeasurable number of extinct relatives along with unknown living genera yet to be identified. Pteropodinae belongs to the Family Pteropodidae, which has one other Subfamily - Macroglossinae. Pteropodidae belongs to the Suborder Megachiroptera, which belongs to the Order Chiroptera - which includes all bats. Under the revised model of mammals, yet to be adopted, Chiroptera belongs to the Superorder Pegasoferae, with the other Order being Zoomata, which includes the carnivores, pangolins, and the odd toed ungulates. Pegasoferae belongs to the Superorder Laurasiatheria, which then includes the even toed ungulates, the whales, moles, and many more. Laurasiatheria belongs to Eutheria, or the placental mammals which includes the primates and their relatives, along with rodents and anything that is not a monotreme, marsupial, and is a mammal. Eutheria belongs to Theria, which is all the mammals with the exception of the monotremes.

Interesting Facts about the Large Flying Fox

The large flying fox, within the last six months, has gone from being a species of least concern to a species that is now near threatened and possibly and rapidly approaching the endangered status of “vulnerable” if habitat destruction and hunting does not stop. Being the largest bat by wingspan, and the most visible when in flight, it is no wonder that they make such an easy target for bush meat and those that consider them a delicacy. Unfortunately, if this bat goes extinct or decreases in numbers, plants will suffer due to a lack of pollination and seed dispersal. The consequences are far reaching, as all the megabats are heading toward endangerment or worse.

Picture of the large flying fox by Daniel Vianna Mr.Rocks, licensed under GFDL

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Monday 06 April 2009 The Yak – Don’t talk back

The Yak (Bos grunniens)is listed as a threatened, near-endangered species by the IUCN, and has a likely chance of going extinct this century, although this endangered populations is almost identical to the domesticated yak, however many domesticated yak are crossbred with domestic cattle and not true yaks. The wild yaks are decreasing in population and may become extinct in the wild, while the domesticated yaks are likely to live on indefinitely. In the wild the yak is a herd animal that usually lives in groups of 10-30 animals; however larger herds have been seen. They can weigh up to 2,500lbs in the wild (1200kg) and are adept at living in high altitude habitats which range from 10,000 to 18,000 feet (people acclimated to sea-level elevation who experience cabin decompression in an airplane at 18,000 feet in altitude will succumb to hypoxia in ~20 minutes). Their fur is matted by a specialized sweat, and their coloration is usually brown, black, and some domesticated varieties are white.

They usually are pregnant for 9 months and give birth every other year or in three year cycles, additionally they can live past 20 years of age. Their physiology (blood, lungs, etcetera) is very adapted to living in the high elevations as well as their diet. They have very efficient lungs and much larger lungs than related domestic stocks, and their matted hair provides excellent insulation. Their diet consists of mostly lichens and grasses, along with other available plant matter. Their horns are usually white, and curved inward, while their faces are dark except around the nose and occasional patters between the eyes. Due to their ability to provide food for humans, the wild yaks are often hunted, while the domesticated (and much smaller) yaks are used for milk, and meat, along with being a sort of transport. Once domesticated, the yak became much smaller, having nearly half the weight and size of their wild brethren, and this stock of yak, as mentioned is not in danger of extinction.

The yak’s binomial name and species is Bos grunniens, belonging to the Genus Bos. Within the Bos genus, there are many living relatives, and some extinct known relatives; of the living there are cattle (cows), guars, the Grey Ox, and more. Bos belongs to the Subfamily Bovinae, which has ten different genera, including species like the four-horned antelope, the buffalos, the Kting Voar, Bison, and others. Bovinae belongs to the Family Bovidae, of which all members are called bovids. Bovids include cattle, antelopes, sheep, goats, muskox, wildebeest, and many more. Bovidae belongs to the Infraorder Pecora, which has giraffes, musk deer, pronghorns, and deer along with more. Pecora belongs to the Suborder Ruminantia, which includes two Infraorders, with Tragulina being the other, and having just 6 living species, and many extinct relatives. Ruminantia belongs to the Order Artiodactyla, otherwise known as even-toed ungulates, meaning they either walk on two of their digits (such as camels), or four of their digits (such as pigs, and red deer); within this large order there are four suborders, like Cetancodonta with just hippos (and possibly the whale), Tylopoda with just the camels, and Suina with peccaries and pigs. Although that does not seem very large, there are also 26 known extinct families within the suborders when combined. Artiodactyla belongs to the Superorder of Laurasiatheria, and within this reside many species of mammals and many orders, such as the bats, the carnivores, and the odd-toed ungulates. Laurasiatheria belongs to the Infraclass Eutheria which is the living placental mammals and their extinct relatives. Eutheria belongs to the Subclass Theria, of which all mammals with the exception of the monotremes are members of.

Interesting Facts about the Yak

The Yak’s sweat is a specialized sticky substance that allows for the hair to be very matted and to keep the yak warm, however it is also used in traditional Tibetan medicine.

Domestic Yak can be used to make clothing, as their hair is soft and smooth and can be turned into yarn and then knitted into clothing, rugs, ropes, and many more fiber-based products.

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