Clouded Leopard

True Wild Life | Clouded Leopard | The clouded leopard is a medium-sized feline native to the thick, tropical jungles of south-east Asia. The clouded leopard has very distinctive markings on it's fur that look more like large patches compared to the spots of the African leopard. The markings of the clouded leopard are said to look like clouds, hence it's name. The clouded leopard has many distinctive features along with it's beautiful markings. The clouded leopard is known to have the longest canine teeth of all the smaller sized felines and the teeth of the clouded leopard are the same length as the teeth of the tiger at around 2 inches long.

The clouded leopard also has a remarkably long tail for it's size, as the tail of the clouded leopard can be the same length as the body of the clouded leopard. The clouded leopard uses it's long tail to help it balance when moving in the trees and running at fast speeds on the ground. Clouded leopards inhabit the dense jungles in south-east Asia and so are naturally quite adept at climbing. Clouded leopards can often be seen resting in the trees where they remain out of the way from potential predators and also have a look out point from where the clouded leopard is able to spot oncoming prey.

There are two main species of clouded leopard, one that is found inhabiting the forests of China, Myanmar (Burma) and Nepal (it was also once found in Taiwan but is now extinct there). The other species of clouded leopard known as the Bornean clouded leopard, is found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra along with a few smaller islands in the Indonesian archipelago. As with other species of large, wild cat, the clouded leopard is a carnivorous animal, surviving on a purely meat based diet. Clouded leopards hunt monkeys, birds, goats, cattle, buffalo, pigs and deer in the jungle and often venture in the cultivated farmland areas if food in the jungle is scarce.

Due to the speed and size of the clouded leopard, the clouded leopard has very few natural predators in it's environment. The main predators of the clouded leopard are the tiger and the leopard, to which the clouded leopard is not closely related (despite it's name). Humans are the main predators of the clouded leopard as they hunt them fur their fur and also destroy the forest habitat in which the clouded leopard lives. Clouded leopards are very reclusive animals and are therefore rarely seen by adventures in the wild. The clouded leopard will remain out of sight to prevent itself from being seen and hunted. Clouded leopards are very solitary animals and only come together to mate.

After a gestation period of roughly 3 months, the female clouded leopard gives birth to between 3 and 5 clouded leopard babies, known as cubs or kittens. When the clouded leopard cubs are first born they are blind and one colour as their spots are joined together. The clouded leopard cubs can usually see within the first 2 weeks and develop their spots when they are older. The clouded leopard cubs are able to move around and start hunting with the mother clouded leopard when they are about 6 weeks old and usually become independent when they are 10 months of age.

Today, the clouded leopard is a species that is said to be vulnerable to extinction, due to hunting but more likely severe habitat loss. The forests in which the clouded leopard lives are being destroyed for both logging and also to make way for palm oil plantations. The clouded population numbers are severely declining and clouded leopards have been completely wiped out in some places and are therefore extinct in these regions.

read more "Clouded Leopard"

American Pit Bull Terrier

The US Trends | American Pit Bull Terrier | TheAmerican Pit Bull Terrier is a medium-sized, solidly built, short haired dog whose early ancestors came from England and Ireland. It is a member of the molosser breed group.During the 19th century, England, Ireland, and Scotland began to experiment with crosses between bulldogs and terriers, looking for a dog that combined the gameness of the terrier with the strength and athleticism of thebulldog.

In the late 19th century to early 20th century, two clubs were formed for the specific purpose of registering American Pit Bull Terrier: the United Kennel Club and the American Dog Breeders Association.The United Kennel Club was founded in 1898, and was the first registry to recognize the breed, with the owner assigning the first number to his ownAmerican Pit Bull Terrier.

The American Pit Bull Terrier was bred first to bait bulls and bears.When baiting bulls was deemed inhumane, ratting (a sport where a number of rats were placed in a pit for a specified time with the dog) and dog fighting became more popular.The American Pit Bull Terrier was used in both sports, and its prevalence in being put in pits with rats led to "pit" being added to its name.With time, the dogs became more commonly used as house pets due to their friendliness towards people.In America, farmers and ranchers used theirAmerican Pit Bull Terrier for protection, as catch dogs for semi-wild cattle and hogs, to hunt, and to drive livestock.The dog was used during World War I and World War II as a way of delivering messages on the battlefield.

Once a popular family dog in the United States, theAmerican Pit Bull Terrier's popularity began to decline following World War II in favor of other breeds.

The American Pit Bull Terrier diverges in appearance from the Staffordshire breeds, having less bulldog traits in the face and body.The American Pit Bull is medium sized, having a short coat and smooth well-defined muscle structure, but should never appear bulky or muscle-bound like Staffordshires.Its eyes are round to almond shaped, and its ears are small to medium in length and can be natural or cropped.The tail is thick and tapers to a point.The coat is glossy, smooth, short, and slightly stiff and can be any color except merle. The breed ranges from a height of about 14 to 24 in (36 to 61 cm) at shoulders, and weighs between 30 and 60 lb (14 and 27 kg).

The American Pit Bull Terrier is a breed that is loyal to friends and family, and is generally friendly towards strangers.Many have strong instincts to chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures, including deer and livestock (prey drive).As with any dog breed, proper training and socialization at an early age is a must.According to the UKC, "aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable."

The American Temperament Testing Society shows a pass percentage of 86% for American Pit Bull Terriers as opposed to the Golden Retriever with a temperament of 84.9%.American Pit Bull Terriers generally have a lot of energy and benefit from exercise and stimulation to channel their energy properly and avoid becoming frustrated, bored, or destructive.

The average life expectancy of an American Pit Bull Terrier is about twelve to fourteen years making them one of the longer living large breeds.The breed tends to have a higher than average incidence of hip dysplasia.They may also suffer from patella problems, thyroid dysfunction and congenital heart defects. American Pit Bull Terriers with dilute coat colors have a higher occurrence of skin allergies.

Being intelligent, athletic dogs, American Pit Bull Terriers excel in many dog sports, including weight pulling, dogagility, flyball, lure coursing, and advanced obedience competition.Some American Pit Bull Terrier have been known to do well in schutzhund as well. Out of the 25 dogs who have earned UKC "superdog" status (by gaining championship titles in conformation, obedience, agility, and weightpull), fourteen have been American Pit Bull Terriers.

The American Pit Bull Terrier is a working dog, and issuitable for a wide range of working disciplines due to their intelligence, high energy, and endurance.In the United States they have been used as search and rescue dogs, police dogs performing narcotics and explosives detection,Border Patrol dogs, hearing dogs to provide services to the deaf, as well as general service dogs. - THE US TRENDS

Tags: pit bull terrier attack, pit bull terrier attacks, american pit bull terrier info, history of american pit bull terrier, american pit bull terrier information, history of the american pit bull terrier, pit bull liability insurance, pit bull insurance, pit bull homeowners insurance, homeowners insurance pit bull, pit bull dog attacks, pit bull puppy food

read more "American Pit Bull Terrier"

Killer Whale

True Wild Life | Killer Whale | Killer Whales (orca) are found in all the worlds oceans both hot and cold from the freezing waters of the North and South poles to tropical seas. The killer whale is the biggest member of the dolphin family, and there are about 5 different species of killer whale in the oceans. Killer whales hunt in groups called pods that normally contain from 6 to 40 killer whales. The killer whales hunt larger fish, seal and sea lion and often sea birds and mammals. Killer whales are sadly hunted worldwide for their meat and whale blubber, which is used as an old form of fuel. Due to whaling bans in recent years, the killer whale population can begin to recover again.

The killer whale is a dominant hunter but gets it name from the amount of meat it eats rather than having an aggressive temperament. Some killer whales are known to be relatively acrobatic naturally, although the majority are trained in zoos and aquariums. The killer whale has a top speed of around 30 miles an hour but can travel at 26 mph for long periods of time. It is common for killer whale to swim more than 50 miles without stopping. Killer whales are large, stocky animals that have a large dorsal fin, with the black and white markings of the killer whale being their most distinctive feature. Male killer whales are bigger than female killer whales with male killer whales growing to around 8 meters in length. Female killer whales are slightly smaller than the male killer whales with the female killer whales growing to around 7 meters in length.

Killer whales today are considered to be an endangered species due to habitat loss and hunting from humans. Although killer whales are not generally seen as a great threat to humans, there have been a number of instances, particularly in marine parks, where the killer whale has attacked its trainer. The killer whale is often referred to as the wolf of the sea, as killer whales are dominant predators and hunt in packs in a similar way to wolves on land. Typically, an average killer whale will eat over 200 kg of food every day which includes over 20 different species of marine mammal and more than 30 different species of large fish.

As with their dolphin cousins, killer whales are extremely vocal animals and communicate between one another using clicks and whistles in a process known as echolocation. Killer whales are known to at their most vocal and noisy when the killer whales are hunting and the killer whales are much calmer and quieter when they are resting. Killer whales are known to use different sounds when the killer whales are participating in different activities. Female killer whales give birth to one baby killer whale roughly once every five years. Female killer whales do not reach sexual maturity until they are about 15 years old, and the gestation period is thought be roughly 18 months long. Baby killer whales are born with a yellowish tint to the white parts of the baby killer whales skin, which fades into the brilliant white colour as the baby killer whale gets older. Mother killer whales look after their calves for the first couple of years of life. Baby killer whales feed only on their mothers milk until they are about a year old, when the baby killer whale will begin to solid food.

Killer whales can live until they are 60 years old but this is thought to depend strongly on the will of the killer whale. By means of comparison, killer whales that are kept in captivity will often not live longer than 25 years but in the wild killer whales live for much longer.

read more "Killer Whale"

Giraffe

True Wild Life | Giraffe | Giraffes are found in parts of Africa and are the tallest mammals on Earth standing at an average of 6 metres tall. The giraffe is able to reach twigs and leaves at the top of trees that other animals cannot get to thanks to the vast length of the neck of the giraffe. The giraffe is thought to be related to cattle and deer, and inhabit plains, grasslands and wooded areas. Giraffes can spend long periods of time in hot, dry lands as the giraffe is able to drink enormous quantities of water when they come across it.

Male giraffes tend to be more solitary animals than the female giraffes. Female giraffes can often be found in small groups on the African Savannah normally with their young giraffes following close behind their mother giraffes. Despite the fact that a giraffes head is approximately 6 m above ground, the common theory that giraffes are more flexible than the average animal is untrue as the giraffe has the same amount of bones in its neck as any other animal, which is 7. The giraffe is also unable to turn its head back.

The giraffe has spots covering its entire body which is believed to help the giraffe camouflage itself slightly in the African wilderness. Giraffes however, do not have spots on the underside of their tummies and each giraffe has spots that are truly unique to the giraffe as an individual.

Giraffe Foot Facts

• The giraffe has a hoof-like foot that is split into sections that provide the giraffe with a greater surface area and therefore better balance.

• The average hoof of an adult giraffe is about the same size as a dinner plate and can reach 12 inches in diameter.

• When a giraffe walks, the giraffe moves both feet on one side of the body first and then moves both feet on the other side of their body.

• When a giraffe runs, the giraffe moves both feet at the front of its body followed by its back feet as this allows the giraffe to gallop effectively and therefore escape any oncoming predators.

• The hoof of the giraffe is used to fend off unwanted company and is also very adept for walking on solid ground, however the hoof is not very effective on muddy ground and simply sinks into it.

Giraffe Teeth Facts

• The giraffe has very tough lips to ensure that no damage is done to their mouths when chewing on trees and twigs that have thorns.

• The giraffe uses its front teeth and lips to grab onto their food and then pulls it into their mouths using their long tongues before they begin to chew.

• The giraffe has one set of teeth at the front on its bottom jaw and one set at the back on the top jaw, but the giraffe also has a hard plate at the top of its mouth.

• The giraffe uses its teeth, long tongue and hard plate to cut up food before the back teeth are able to chew the last bits before the giraffe can swallow it.

• The two sets of molars in the mouth of the giraffe means that the giraffe has 32 teeth, which is the same amount as humans have.

read more "Giraffe"

Blue Whale

True Wild Life | Blue Whale | Blue Whales are the largest recorded mammal on earth some reaching nearly 120ft. The blue whale is found in pretty much all oceans but the whales tend to prefer the warmer waters. The blue whale has been nearly hunted to extinction by man when eastern Asian whaling came into fashion a few of hundred years ago. There are less than 12,000 blue whales left worldwide. Blue whales feed mainly on krill but also small fish and squid, that swim inside their enormous mouths. The blue whale has thousands of extremely fine teeth that allow water to filter out of the whales mouth, without the whales catch escaping.

Apparently just one breath from a fully grown adult blue whale, will produce enough air to fill nearly 2,000 balloons! The blue whales heart is so big that it is around the same size as a small car, with the blue whales main arteries being big enough for a human to swim through comfortably.

The blue whale is a very solitary animal and generally spends the majority of its life alone, roaming the vast ocean waters. It has been known for particular blue whales to travel in pairs although, it is not known whether or not these blue whales remain together for extended periods of time. When there are good feeding areas, more than 50 blue whales have been seen in the same area, although they do not appear to interact with one another and tend to leave the other blue whales to their feeding.

Very little is known about the breeding patterns or grounds of the blue whale, although scientists do know that female blue whales tend to give birth every 2 to 3 years and this usually takes place at the beginning of winter. The blue whale calf tends to stay with the mother blue whale for around 6 months before the blue whale calf is ready to venture out by itself.

read more "Blue Whale"

Eagle

True Wild Life | Eagle | The eagle is a (generally) large sized bird of prey meaning that the eagle is one of the most dominant predators in the sky. Eagles are most commonly found in the Northern Hemisphere including Europe, Asia and North America. Eagles are also found on the African continent. There are more than 60 different species of eagle in the world with only 2 of these eagle species being found in the USA and Canada. However, one of these eagle species is one of the most common species of eagle, the bald eagle. Despite it's name the bald eagle has a full head of feathers but their bright white colour makes the bald eagle very distinguishable. The golden eagle is the only other species of eagle found on the American continent.

The size of an eagle is dependent on the species of eagle. Eagles can range in size from 40cm to over 1m in height. The wing span of an eagle tends to be at least double the length of the eagle's body. Eagles have feathers on the ends of their wings which the eagles move up and down to help them when flying. Eagles are dominant predators and are known as birds of prey. Eagles feed off smaller birds and bats in the sky and small mammals and fish on the ground. The eagle is well known for it's incredible eyesight. An eagle's eyesight is so good that an eagle can apparently see a mouse on the ground when the eagle is still high in the sky.

The eagle is used as a symbol in many national flags and emblems all around the world, as an eagle is believed to resemble power or good fortune. Eagles are dominant and ruthless predators in their environment and eagles therefore have very few natural predators themselves. Eagles are most likely to be hunted by smaller animals when they are chicks or still young and inexperienced so they are fairly vulnerable. Female eagles build their nests in tall tree tops or on high cliffs where they are at their safest. The mother eagle tends to lay two eggs, which hatch after about a month. In many eagle species however, one of the eagle chicks is naturally slightly stronger than the other chick, with the stronger chick generally killing it's weaker sibling.

Eagles have adapted well to their dominant predatory lifestyle. Not only do eagles have exceptional eyesight and are about to soar remarkably quickly through the air for such a large bird, but eagles also have pointed beaks and agile feet known as talons. The beak of the eagle is perfectly designed for ripping flesh away from bone, and the talons of the eagle are so strong that the eagle is able to carry it's prey in it's feet until it reaches a safe place to eat it.

read more "Eagle"

Deer

True Wild Life | Deer | The deer is found in the forests of Europe, Asia and North America, where most deer grow to an average of about 1 meter tall. Deer-like creatures are found in Africa, however they are all antelope and not deer. Deer stay in herds of approximately 25 deers per herd, mainly female deer and a dominant male deer known as a stag. The male deer are protective deer and will often fight other stags to protect their herd of female deer and to protect their pride.

The male deer horns shed and regrow every year, a little like the skin on a snake. The only species of deer with exception to this annual horn shedding is the Chinese water deer. There are around 40 different species of deer found in the woodlands of the Northern Hemisphere. There are roughly six different species of deer found in the UK alone, however, only the red deer and the roe deer are truly native to the Isles.

Deer are known as selective feeders and spend most of their time browsing for food with the deer mainly eating leaves. Deer are very selective in what they eat and deer therefore spend a great deal of time picking out the shoots, leaves, grasses and fruits that are easy for the deer to digest. Humans have hunted deer for thousands of years and hunt the deer for the deer meat, milk and skins. Today, deer are commercially farmed for their meat, rather than being hunted, and in New Zealand alone there are over 3,000 deer farms across the two islands.

Due to hunting from humans and other large predators, and the continued loss of the deer habitat, the wild deer are becoming very vulnerable and are being pushed into smaller areas of forest that is uninhabited by larger mammals. Deer are prey to many wild animals around the world from humans, to wolves, tigers, bears and occasionally foxes, and many other mammals will attempt to scavenge from a deer that has been killed by something else, seeing as many deer species can be quite big and are fairly fast.

read more "Deer"