Category: Animals

Finland (Wild Scandinavia) – Amazing Video

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date October 27, 2019
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Scandinavian peninsula from space. The Scandinavian Peninsula is the largest of the well-known peninsulas of Europe, with a greater area than the Balkan, Iberian and Italian peninsulas. During the Ice Ages, the sea level of the Atlantic Ocean dropped so much that the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland disappeared, and the countries now surrounding them, including Germany, Poland, the other Baltic countries and Scandinavia, were directly joined by land. The name of the peninsula is derived from the term Scandinavia, the cultural region of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, or to the broader region including Finland and Iceland, which is always known locally as the Nordic countries.

An amazing video with scenes from the documentary Wild Scandinavia Episode 5 (Finland), with background music of the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’ great work Finlandia, Op. 26.

Life on Earth Animals Climate

Here’s How Climate Change Created Today’s Large Crocodiles

Post author By The Conversation
Post date September 24, 2019
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Saltwater crocodile — The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), also known as the estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific crocodile, marine crocodile, sea crocodile, or informally as saltie, is the largest of all living reptiles (and naturally all living crocodiles), as well as the largest riparian predator in the world. Males of this species can reach sizes up to 6.17 meters (20 feet 3 in). But males reaching or exceeding 6 meters (19.7 feet) are really rare. Females are much smaller and often do not surpass 3 m (9.8 ft). Due to their size, aggression, and distribution, saltwater crocodiles are regarded as the most dangerous extant crocodilian to humans.

What does the term crocodylian bring to mind? A big reptile with a chomping jaw? But exactly which environmental factors created today’s large crocodiles?

Animals Life on Earth

20 Amazing Elephant Facts

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date August 12, 2019
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African Elephant herd — An elephant herd, led by a Magnificent 'Tusker' bull at a waterhole in the Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa. Source: Deposit Photos

Elephants! Even though these largest existing land animals are loved, revered, and respected by people and cultures worldwide, they are actually close to the edge of extinction. The escalation of poaching, habitat loss, human-elephant conflict, and mistreatment in captivity are just some of the threats to both African and Asian elephants. So, we urgently need to take action to protect these amazing (and cute!) animals. Here are 20 amazing elephant facts.

Life on Earth Animals Technology

This “Salmon Cannon” helps native fish pass over dams

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date August 11, 2019
No Comments on This “Salmon Cannon” helps native fish pass over dams

Whooshh Innovations salmon cannon — The Whooshh Fish Transport System, also known as the "salmon cannon," moves fish through a flexible, pressurized tube, safely transforming them from one area to another. This solves a major problem for migratory fish like salmon. The system gives fish a boost over dams so they can swim upstream to spawn.

Hydroelectric dams act as obstacles for wildlife, especially migrating salmon. The Whooshh Fish Transport System, also known as the “salmon cannon,” gives fish a much-needed boost over dams so they can swim upstream to spawn.

Life on Earth Animals People

Wildlife crossings make animals and people safer

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date June 28, 2019
No Comments on Wildlife crossings make animals and people safer

Wildlife crossings save animals — A green wildlife bridge over an "autobahn" in Germany. As of 2015, the country had more than 35 wildlife crossings over major roads. Wildlife crossings are structures that allow animals to cross human-made barriers like roads, railroads, canals, electric power lines, pipelines, etc. safely.

Wildlife crossings over (and under) the highways could make animals (both wild and domesticated) and people safer.

Our expanding network of roads is interrupting and fragmenting the territories of wild (and also domesticated) animals who need to cross our roads in search of food, water, mates, and shelter. Many are routinely struck and killed by vehicles in this most basic quest for survival.

In addition to conservation concerns, animal-vehicle collisions have a significant cost for human populations because collisions damage property and injure and kill passengers and drivers: in the United States only, collisions between wildlife and vehicles have increased by 50 percent in the most recently reported 15 years. These accidents now cost Americans $8 billion every year.

Life on Earth Animals Climate Global Warming Insects Plants

UN report warns one million species at risk of extinction

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date May 7, 2019
No Comments on UN report warns one million species at risk of extinction

Proboscis monkey — The proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) or long-nosed monkey is a reddish-brown arboreal Old World monkey with an unusually large nose. It is endemic to the southeast Asian island of Borneo and known as "the bekantan" in Indonesia. The proboscis monkey is a large species, being one of the largest monkey species native to Asia. Only the Tibetan macaque and a few of the gray langurs can rival its size. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced in the species. Males have a head-body length of 66 to 76.2 cm (26.0 to 30.0 in) and typically weigh 16 to 22.5 kg (35 to 50 lb), with a maximum known weight of 30 kg (66 lb). Females measure 53.3 to 62 cm (21.0 to 24.4 in) in head-and-body length and weigh 7 to 12 kg (15 to 26 lb), with a maximum known mass of 15 kg (33 lb). They generally live in groups composed of one adult male, some adult females and their offspring. All-male groups may also exist. Some individuals are solitary, mostly males. The proboscis monkey is assessed as endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and listed in Appendix I of CITES. Its total population has decreased by more than 50% in the past 36-40 years to 2008 due to ongoing habitat loss because of logging and oil palm plantations, and hunting in some areas due to the species being treated as a delicacy, as well as its use in traditional Chinese medicine. Text Source: Wikipedia Photo: PXHere

We, humans, are destroying the Earth’s wilderness, very fast. Actually, we are the main (and probably the only) cause of the sixth major extinction event in the history of our planet. Now, a recent UN report says at least one million species (animals, plants, and insects) are at the risk of extinction. There will be serious consequences for life on Earth, and also for human beings.

Environment Animals Evolution Life on Earth

It would take at least 3 million years for Earth to recover from the 6th mass extinction

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date April 18, 2019
No Comments on It would take at least 3 million years for Earth to recover from the 6th mass extinction

Elephants in Okavango Delta, Botswana — Elephants in the Okavango Delta. The area is one of the best places to see animals and birds in Africa. The area supports large concentrations of animals on both a permanent and seasonal basis. A myriad of species are found within the delta including African Bush Elephant, African Buffalo, Hippopotamus, Lechwe, Topi, Blue Wildebeest, Giraffe, Nile crocodile, Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, Brown Hyena, Spotted Hyena, Greater Kudu, Sable Antelope, Black Rhinoceros, White Rhinoceros, Plains Zebra, Warthog and Chacma Baboon. Notably the endangered African Wild Dog still survives within the Okavango Delta and exhibits one of the richest pack densities in Africa. In addition to these large animals the Okavango Delta also supports over 400 species of birds and 71 recorded species of fish including Tigerfish, Tilapia and Catfish. Thanks to this wide variety of wildlife, the delta is now a popular tourist attraction.

Even if we stop destroying Earth’s wilderness today, it would take 3 to 5 million years for Earth to recover from the 6th mass extinction, scientists warn.

Animals Evolution Life on Earth Oceans

Blue whale facts: How big is the blue whale?

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date March 12, 2019
1 Comment on Blue whale facts: How big is the blue whale?

Blue whale and diver — Blue whale size compared to an average human. The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal belonging to the baleen whales (Mysticeti). At 30 metres (98 ft) in length and up to 173 tonnes (191 short tons) in weight, it is the largest extant animal and is the heaviest known to have existed. Photo: dkfindout.com

The blue whale (scientific name: Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal belonging to the baleen whales (Mysticeti). Up to 31 meters (102 feet) in length and 190 tonnes (210 short tons) in weight, it is the largest extant animal and also is the heaviest known to have existed. But it’s hard to conceptualize how big these wonderful animals really are. To put things into perspective, the Facts in Motion channel prepared a video titled “Blue Whales Are Way Bigger Than You Think”. The video also explains the evolutionary reasons behind how and why blue whales get that large.

Life on Earth Animals

A single cell becomes a complete organism in six min. of timelapse

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date February 13, 2019
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Alpine newt embryo — The alpine newt (scientific name: Ichthyosaura alpestris) is a newt of the salamander order Caudata (or Urodela) in the class of amphibians. The biggest of the males can reach up to 9 cm (3.54 inches), and the females up to 12 cm (4.72 inches) in length. They typically inhabit forests with good access to water in hilly to mountainous regions of Central Europe and mountainous Southern Europe (where they were originally confined to). They also have isolated populations on the northern Iberian Peninsula and in Italy. The species was introduced into the United Kingdom in the 1930s, initially in southern England and since then several populations have become established as far north as Edinburgh. It has also been introduced to the Sierra de Guadarrama in Madrid Province Spain. They populate well in thick deciduous forests, as well as parkland and natural gardens. They are mostly absent in forest-poor areas.

A single cell becomes a complete organism (an alpine newt) in this amazing six pulsing minutes of a timelapse video named “Becoming” published by the Aeon Video channel. A film by Jan van IJken.

Animals Environment Life on Earth

28% of vertebrates die because of humans on the land

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date February 11, 2019
No Comments on 28% of vertebrates die because of humans on the land

According to a study published in January in the journal Global Ecology and Biogeography, on the land, 28% of vertebrates (including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians) die because of humans.