Wednesday 22 June 2011 Dall's Porpoise - Nature's Blue-eyed Speed Racer

The Dall's Porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) is an incredible swimmer with turquoise eyes and the ability to breathe air while rushing through the water at top speeds. These amazing porpoises love bow-riding, yet are shy around humans, and are some of the fastest mammals riding the waves in the North Pacific.

The Dall's porpoise is robust and muscular, particularly through the middle. The head is small and rounded, which makes it look smaller than it really is. The beak is small and poorly defined. The small mouth has a bit of an under bite, and their teeth are ideal for helping them hold on to the slippery prey. This animal looks a bit out of proportion because of an additional hump located on the bottom of the body. One of the amazing features of the Dall's porpoise is their colored eyes. The iris is black or dark blue with a deep, iridescent turquoise colored pupil.

Their coloring is typically black on the top with white bellies and white sides. One of the smaller porpoises, males are typically 7.5 feet (2.29 meter) long while females are typically 6 feet (2.1 meters) long. Weights for both males and females are typically about 270 pounds (123 kg). They can get larger, however. The largest recorded to date weighed in at 480 pounds, or 220 kg.

This amazing swimmer can only be seen in the wild in the North Pacific. Their territory ranges from Baja, California all the way to Alaska, through the Bering Sea and into the waters of Japan. They prefer the cooler temperatures of the water and typically stay where the water temperature is below 60 degrees F (15 C).

The Dall's porpoise can go as fast as 30 knots. It loves bow-riding with fast vessels, but will avoid contact with the people on board. When dashing through the water its head and back move in unison to create a unique spray of water known as a "rooster tail". This movement actually creates a hollow cone in the water that will allow the porpoise to breathe without surfacing.

They are not currently endangered, although they are in need of protection due to the growing fishing industry. Thousands of Dall's porpoises are caught in Japanese nets set out for salmon and squid. Other threats to this impressive swimmer include pollutants and other contaminants in the water. Steps are currently underway to protect this species and preserve it for the future.

They dine on small fish; specifically squid, capelin, herring, and sardines. They also enjoy hake, smelts, and lantern fish. A largely nocturnal animal, it mainly feeds at night and will consume between 28 and 30 pounds (12.7 - 13.6 kg) per day. Natural predators of these porpoises include killer whales and sharks. However, they are able to use their small size and quick movements to their advantage as they escape these predators. You can help spreading the word about this animal by liking it on facebook

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Monday 20 June 2011 Pygmy Planigale - carnivorous marsupial

The Pygmy planigale (Planigale maculata) is a small marsupial which can be found in parts of Australia, as well as the islands of Groote Eylandt and Great Keppel. This creature's appearance resembles a cross between a mouse and a shrew.

When looking at this critter, it appears small, measuring 180 millimeters (18 centimeters) in length. The males of this species weigh 15 grams (0.53 ounces) and the females average around 11 grams (0.39 ounces). The resemblance is remarkably similar to that of the house mouse, with the exception of their pointy head and large round ears.

This small creature, whose scientific name translates as "spotted flat-weasel", is covered in coat of reddish or grey fur. Their underside is lighter in color and appears to be a mix between light grey and yellow. Their fur extends around the entire body, stopping at the tail which is almost completely naked. Their marsupial pouch is located on the bellies of the females opening towards the back. Females give birth to between five and eleven young at a time, who crawl into the pouch to suckle, and then emerge twenty-eight days later. These young go out on their own at seventy days old.

The pygmy planigale can be found in a variety of locations including rainforests, heathland, grasslands, forests, and marshlands. Generally, they prefer to live near water in places that have thick cover under which they can hide from their predators. Additionally, community nests built by the pygmy planigale have been found in the wild.

This nocturnal marsupial is a carnivore whose diet mainly consists of insects and arthropods. They are known to bite the bellies of insects in order to kill their prey where they are most vulnerable. This little creature has also been known to take down prey larger than itself, including small birds and lizards. The pygmy planigale needs to keep a lookout for their predators which include foxes, cats, and cane toads.

Although the pygmy planigale is not on the endangered "center">