ANIMAL WORLD

Beavers are a keystone species, meaning that they have a disproportionately large effect on the environment in comparison to their number.
There are two living species of beaver: the North American beaver and the Eurasian beaver.
North American beavers typically weigh between 35 and 65 pounds (16 - 30 KG) and are 3-4 feet long (standing 1-1.5 feet tall). The Eurasian beaver is slightly smaller than North American beaver.
Beavers have distinctive orange teeth due to iron in their enamel which makes their teeth strong enough to gnaw through wood.
Beavers make good use of the trees they eat by building dams and lodges with the leftover parts of it, also transporting other materials such as mud, rocks, and debris.
Because they were often hunted for their fur and meat and castoreum, a scent secretion used in perfumes, beavers nearly became extinct in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Though there were reported to be about 60 million beavers in North America at one time, their population has dropped to around 10 to 15 million.

2 years ago | [YT] | 2

ANIMAL WORLD

The Eurasian eagle-owl is one of the largest living species of owl.
Eurasian eagle-owl, like all owls, can turn its head 270°! Owls can’t move their eyes, so need a very movable head for hunting.
These owls have bright orange eyes, which indicates that they are crepuscular, or active at dawn and dusk.
They are silent hunters that use their keen eyesight and hearing to locate and capture prey.
Eurasian eagle owls are relatively long lived, typically reaching 20 years in

the wild and up to 60 years in captivity.

2 years ago | [YT] | 1

ANIMAL WORLD

Cormorant’ comes from the Latin 'corvus marinus', meaning 'sea crow'.
Cormorants are a type of bird known for their ability to dive deeply underwater to hunt for fish.
Great cormorants have been seen swallowing small pebbles for extra weight in order to dive more easily, which they regurgitate after feeding.
They are excellent swimmers and can remain underwater for several minutes at a time.
Some species of cormorant are even known to swim to depths of 150 feet!
In addition to their diving abilities, cormorants are also distinguished by their dark, glossy feathers and long, hooked bills.
There are over 40 different species of cormorants found in nearly every country of the world.

2 years ago | [YT] | 0

ANIMAL WORLD

The Caracal is a medium-sized, slender member of the cat family found across Africa and Central and Southwestern Asia. These strongly built felines have tan to brick red coats, distinctive tufted ears and long legs, especially their hindquarters.
The name “Caracal” comes from the Turkish Karakulak – “black ear”, since the rear side of the ears of these cats is black.
All cats are regal, of course, but the Caracal actually seems to have a crown: Its large, pointy ears, tipped with black and tufted, are a trademark of the species.
The fastest of the smaller African wildcats, Caracals are supreme hunters. Their sandy-colored coats provide camouflage, and stiff fur cushioning their footpads makes them nearly silent stalkers.

2 years ago | [YT] | 1

ANIMAL WORLD

The koala has one of the smallest brains in proportion to body weight of any mammal.
The koala may sleep or rest for up to 18-20 hours every day while being tucked into the fork of the tree. Their extraordinary sleeping habit is believed to be an adaptation to their leaf-based diet, as they get very little energy from just eating leaves. Hence, koalas need more rest and sleep than most mammals to conserve their energy in dry environments such as the Australian bush.
When an infant koala – called a joey – is born, it immediately climbs up to its mother’s pouch. Blind and earless, a joey uses its strong sense of touch and smell, as well as natural instinct, to find its way.

2 years ago | [YT] | 0

ANIMAL WORLD

Red pandas have shot to viral fame for their adorable look with their kitten-like faces and striking reddish-brown coats.

Red pandas, which grow to about the size of a house cat, are impressive acrobats that climb and swing on trees.
Red pandas, unlike black-and-white pandas, are not bears.
Red pandas live in high-altitude forests of Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar and China. They are mainly arboreal species, often living close to water sources and in densely bamboo covered areas.
Red pandas are currently listed as endangered species by the IUCN, and their numbers are believed to be less than 10,000 individuals in the wild.

2 years ago | [YT] | 3

ANIMAL WORLD

There are 25 species of chipmunk, 24 of which live in North America. Chipmunks are excellent tree climbers and swimmers who live in a variety of habitats, including plains, mountains, forests, and deserts. Chipmunks like to live alone in holes or burrows called dens.
Chipmunks hibernate in cold weather, which means they spend most of the winter sleeping in their dens. One chipmunk can gather up to 165 acorns in a day. In just two days, a chipmunk can collect enough food to last an entire winter, although chipmunks typically hoard much more food than necessary.

2 years ago | [YT] | 4

ANIMAL WORLD

Madagascar is the only place lemurs naturally call home.
Lemurs living in social groups take their lead from the dominant female.
She decides where and when the group will move.
There are over 100 species of lemur, in all shapes and sizes.
The diet of lemurs varies among species. Often the smaller lemur species
feed primarily on fruit, insects, or sap, while larger species are
mostly herbivorous, chowing down on plant material such as fruits,
leaves, flowers, nectar, shoots, and bark.

2 years ago | [YT] | 0

ANIMAL WORLD

The Great grey owl is a very large owl, documented as the world's largest species of owl by length.
Adult Great grey owls have a large rounded head with a grey face and yellow eyes with darker circles around them. The underparts are light with dark streaks; the upper parts are grey with pale bars. These owls do not have ear tufts and have the largest facial disc of any raptor. There is a white collar or "bow tie" just below the beak.

2 years ago | [YT] | 4