Thursday 25 July 2013 Underwater Diner - The Spotted Turtle

The Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) is a small freshwater turtle measuring about 9 to 12.7 cm (3.5 to 5.0 inches) in length and weighing about 8 to 12 ounces (226 to 340 grams). Found mainly along the east coast of the United States, from southern Maine to northern Florida, as well as the Midwest and southern parts of Canada near the Great Lakes, the Spotted Turtle prefers to live in ponds, ditches, swamps and marshes. The Spotted Turtle's shell varies in color from black to bluish black, accented with yellow spots that extend to the legs, neck and head. The Spotted Turtle does not reach maturity until 8 to 10 years of age and the life expectancy of a typical Spotted Turtle is about 25 years.

What makes the Spotted Turtle so fascinating is its eating habits. The Spotted Turtle is an omnivore and will eat a wide variety of foods, from algae and other aquatic vegetation to salamanders, fish, slugs, worms and other small insects. However, the Spotted Turtle will consume its food exclusively in the water. Even if it finds food on land, the Spotted Turtle will return to the water to consume it.

The breeding period for the Spotted Turtle begins in March and ends in May. The female turtles will begin searching for nesting areas at the end of March. Once a proper nesting spot is found, the females will lay only about three to four eggs each. The eggs hatch in about 10 to 12 weeks and the 1-inch (2 cm) hatchlings begin their search for wet, marshy areas to secure food and shelter. Predators of the Spotted Turtle include raccoons, muskrats, skunks, otters, bears and eagles. The eggs of the Spotted Turtle are also at risk of being consumed or destroyed by foxes, skunks, raccoons and ants.

However, due to pollution and destruction of natural habitats, the population of wild Spotted Turtles is in decline. The collection of Spotted Turtles for pets has also added to the decrease in population. The Spotted Turtle is listed as an endangered species in Illinois and Ohio, a threatened species in Vermont and Maine, a species of special concern in Indiana and West Virginia, and a protected species in Massachusetts. In Canada, the Spotted Turtle is also listed as endangered and the International Union for Conservation of Nature considers the Spotted Turtle as a species vulnerable to extinction. You can help spreading the word about this animal by liking it on facebook

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Wednesday 24 July 2013 The Lesser hairy-footed Dunnart - Small but Feisty

The Lesser Hairy-footed Dunnart (Sminthopsis youngsoni) is a tiny furry marsupial about the size of a mouse that is common in the desert areas of Australia including the Northern Territory, Queensland, the top edge of South Australia and Western Australia. It is of the family Dasyuridae and distinguished from the Hairy-footed Dunnart by its less hairy soles and smaller size. Marsupials are different from other mammals because when their young are born they are extremely undeveloped. The young of Lesser hair-footed dunnarts drink their mother's milk from nipples that are in a fold of skin on the stomach that acts as a pouch. They stay close to the mother until they can hunt for insects themselves.

A carnivorous mammal, weighing only 0.01 kg. (0.022 lbs.), it lives up to 5 years and the females have litters of up to 5 or 6 young once a year. Adults can be from 10 to 16 cm. (5 to 7 inches) long. It is usually seen in sandy plains, inter-dune habitats, sand dunes, tussock grasslands, hummock grasslands and open shrubland. They get all the water they need from the insects they eat so they don't require to drink free water.
It is listed in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with a Least Concern (LR/lc) which is the designation for the lowest risk. There is a large population which lives in a number of protected areas including Uluru National Park and Rudall River National Park, so it is considered unlikely that the numbers will be declining at the rate needed to be listed as threatened. The only threats to the Lesser Hairy-footed Dunnart are not major. They include cats which were introduced to the habitat and frequent, huge fires, but these are considered only localized threats and are not a threat to the species.

It eats mainly insects including grasshoppers and crickets as well as spiders and other invertebrates. Even though it is tiny, the Lesser Hairy-footed dunnart is very brave and will fiercely protect itself if it feels threatened, but if there is no food available they can become torpid.

Picture of the Lesser Hairy-footed Dunnart by UtherSRG, licensed under GFDL You can help spreading the word about this animal by liking it on facebook

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Monday 22 July 2013 The Giant Trevally - The Muscle Car of the Ocean

The Giant Trevally (Caranx ignobilis) is a powerful oceanic predator fish also known as the GT for short. It’s also called the Giant Kingfish, the Lowly Trevally, or the Barrier Trevally. Like the Mustang GT muscle car, this GT has its own muscle power: strong and thick midsection, and is distinguished by its steep and blunt head shape, and 26 to 38 scutes (sharp, bony plates) along its lateral line. Its color ranges from silver to black, and on those with darker color, it can have remarkable silvery-white patterns on its upper body.

The GT reaches its full size at 3-4 years. Typical size 60 cm long (1.969 feet, or .6 meters) but have been recorded with a length of 170 cm long (5.577 feet, or 1.7 meters) and a weight of 80 kg (176.4 pounds).

The distribution of the Giant Trevally occurs in the tropical or coastal areas of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The range extends from the eastern coast of Africa, along the coasts of India and Pakistan, across the coast of northern Australia, to as far east as Hawaii. Its habitat is in the shallow coral reefs and lagoons and channels in these tropical areas.

With its canines in its upper jaw, and conical teeth in its lower jaw, the GT has been known to consume small turtles and dolphins. However, its main diet consists of most baitfish found in tropical waters, and it supplements its diet with lobsters, squid, and octopus. The Trevally’s method of operation is to use its muscled body to body slam its prey into stunned submission and then quickly eat before another competitor can take away the spoils. The GT also follows Monk Seals and reef sharks to their feeding grounds, and waits for when the shark or seal’s attention is diverted, and then grabs what it can of the other predator’s dinner.

The GT is prey to only two other predators: sharks, and man. Its biggest threat is population decline, which is largely suspected as due to erosion of coral reefs, which are the GT’s main habitat. While it remains a popular game fish in the Indo-Pacific region, its numbers have been decreasing around Hawaii. So far, fishing for the Giant Trevally has not been banned but anglers are being encouraged to follow a catch and release method instead. Recommendations are to have the fish out of water for no more than 30 seconds, to use a hose to pump saltwater through the gills, to use barbless hooks, to not hold the fish by just the mouth, gills, or tail, to hold it securely and not allow it to drop or hit against anything, and to gently swim it a bit before releasing it. You can help spreading the word about this animal by liking it on facebook

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mammals