A GREAT DAY FOR FISHING!

O Deer!

I've heard of salmon jumping into boats but... Four deer were pulled from the icy waters of Stephens Passage, Alaska by a group of locals on Tom Satre's 62-foot charter vessel. Four juvenile Sitka black-tailed deer swam directly toward the boat.

Once the deer reached the boat, the four began to circle the boat, looking directly at the humans on board. Clearly, the bucks were distressed. With help, the typically skittish and absolutely wild animals came willingly onto the boat. Once onboard, they collapsed with exhaustion, shivering.

Here the rescued bucks rest on the back of Tom Satre's boat, the Alaska Quest. All four deer were transported to Taku Harbour . Once the group reached the dock, the first buck that had been pulled from the water hopped onto the dock, looked back, then leapt into the harbour, swam to shore, and disappeared into the forest. After a bit of prodding and assistance from the humans, two others followed suit, but one deer needed more help.






Tom, Anna and Tim Satre help the last of the "button" bucks to its feet. They did not know how long the deer had been in the icy waters or if there had been others who did not survive. The good Samaritans (humans) describe their experience as "one of those defining moments in life." I'm sure it was for the deer as well!

THE WORLD'S HEAVIEST INSECT

The Heavyweight champion of the insect world


Image source

What is worst than coming face to face with a creepy crawly? Coming face to face with a giant creepy crawly!

New Zealand’s Giant Weta is the heaviest insect on the planet; weighing more than 71 g, this arthropod is heavier than a swallow. There are eleven species of giant weta, which are significantly larger than other weta or any other insect. The largest species of giant weta is the Little Barrier Island giant weta also known by the Maori name ‘wetapunga’, which means ‘god of ugly things’. These heavyweights have a body length of up to 10 cm, excluding their lengthy legs and antennae. They often live under rocks and bush floor debris and prefer a vegetarian diet.

At approximately two years of age the female will lay anything between a hundred and three hundred eggs. Unfortunately, the parents of the ‘little giants’ will die before the eggs hatch three to five months later. However spine-chilling they seem, they are in actual fact gentle giants and need to be respected and protected. Weta are at risk from being eaten by rats, trampling by stock and killed by forest fires.


Image source

via

10 UNBELIEVABLE SEA SLUGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED

Sea slugs, more formally known as nudibranch, are some of the most beautiful and colourful creatures on earth. Here are only a few of the hundreds of species of nudibranch that adorn our oceans.

1. The Glaucus atlanticus


Image source

The blue ocean slug (known by various names including blue lizard and blue dragon) is a specie of medium-sized (about five to eight centimeters in length) nudibranch. It has an awkward appearance and looks as if it could be a creature out of a sci-fi movie with its appendages, anatomical structure and flat blue and silver body. This nudibranch is pelagic, and is distributed throughout the world's oceans, in temperate and tropical waters. Regions include the east and south coast of South Africa, European waters and Mozambique.

This species floats upside down on the surface tension of the ocean. The blue ocean slug can feed on a variety of larger predators, such as the Portugese Man-O-War, the Blue Sea Star and the By-The-Wind-Sailor, because of its immunity to their venom. When feeding upon these cnidarians it transfers its prey's stinging cells into its own cerata (or appendages) and then utilizes them for its own defence. It is also a hermaphrodite which means that it has both male and female reproductive organs. The cerata (tenticle-like appendages) are used in respiration, defense and digestion.

More photos of the blue ocean slug:


Image source


Image source

2. The Nembrotha kubaryana


Image source

The Nembrotha kubaryana, also known as the variable neon slug, is a species of colorful sea slug that can reach a total length of more than 120 mm. It is a large dark-bodied nudibranch which have green stripes running down the length of the body or green raised spots. The foot and head are a vivid red-orange. Nembrotha kubaryana uses the toxins in its prey to defend itself against predators. It stores their victim's toxins in its tissues and then releases them in a slimy defensive mucus when alarmed (via).


Image source

3. The Cyerce nigricans

Image source

Also known as the Sacoglossan sea slug – it is one of the 'icon' species of the Great Barrier Reef – often being used in tourist posters and brochures. As with many brightly coloured sea slugs this species produces distasteful secretions that are easily cast through the cerata (appendages) when the animal is disturbed.


Image source

4. The Chromodoris annae



Image source

This colourful group of species is characterized by black longitudinal lines, bluish backgrounds and orange borders. They inhabit the waters of the tropical western Pacific.


Image source


Image source

5. The Elysia crispata


Image source

The lettuce sea slug or Elysia crispata is a herbivore (that feeds of algae) that reaches up to 5 cm in length. They are native across the Caribbean. The lettuce sea slug is not a true nudibranch, as it is often referred, but a ’sacoglossan sea slug’. Sacoglossans feed by sucking out the chlorophyll contents of algae, and then incorporate that chlorophyll into their own tissues. Thus the slugs themselves become 'solar powered' (via).

More photos of the lettuce sea slug:


Image source


Image source

6. The Phyllidia ocellata


Image source

Phyllidia ocellata is a species of sea slug that can measure up to 60 mm in length. This nudibranch has a yellow body with a dorsum covered in yellow or white tubercules. Its bright coloration is a perfect example of 'warning' coloration that advises wandering predators to stay away because they give off noxious chemicals if disturbed or eaten. They feed by secreting digestive enzymes into sponges afterwards they suck the partially digested tissue into their gut.


Image source

7. The Hypselodoris apolegma


Image source

This odd colored sea slug is found in the Western Pacific. They are a pinkinsh-purple color and they have a white border on their mantle. Their rhinophore clubs (appendages) are an orange-yellow color that is a startling juxtaposition with the rest of their bodies.


Image source

8. The Chelidonura Varians


Image source

The hammerhead nudibranch or Chelidonura Varians is also referred to as the ‘prince of darkness’ of the nudibranch world with its black colour and neon markings around its mantle.


Image source

9. The Janolus barbarensis


Image source


Image source

10. The Glossodoris atromarginata


Image source


Image source

HORSES TAKE LIONS FOR RIDES

Lions should roam the wild and not be tamed. I feel so deeply sorry for Circus lions even if they can ride a horse. These pictures come from the animal park at Xiamen in Fujian, south-east China, where the public seem to delight in humiliating circus-style stunts and have no regard for animal cruelty. Apparently the conditions in the zoo are poor, with lions, tigers and leopards and other large animals including bears kept in solitary confinement in tiny cages (via).


Image source


Image source


Image source

Save China's Tigers, a charity which has a branch in the UK, campaigns to save animals trapped in the country's zoos.

THE WORLD'S LARGEST CRUSTACEAN

Image source


Image source


Image source


Image source


Image source


Image source

The Coconut Crab is freaking me out a little, although they are harmless, I would prefer it if our paths never cross.

They come from the Indo-Pacific Islands region where they climb coconut trees. They have extremely strong pinchers that can easily crack open a coconut so that they can feast on the soft flesh inside. Similar to hermit crabs the Coconut Crab also lives in a borrowed shell when young. As they mature (that take up to eight years) the shells gets discarded for new ones until their flesh hardens and they no longer need them.

The crabs usually comes out at night. During the day they hide in burrows that they have lined with coconut fibres to retain humidity so that their bodies does not dry out.

Because the crabs are edible they are almost extinct.

via scienceray.com

THE WORLD'S MOST COLORFUL BIRD

Image source


Image source


Image source

The Flying Rainbow

The Rainbow Finch, better known as the Gouldian Finch is yet another remarkable specie found only in Australia. The birds are extinct because there are only approximately two thousand of these beautiful birds left in the wild and the number is decreasing. The Rainbow Finches are generally susceptible to diseases and viral infections and because of their bright colors, they are easily caught by predators.

The males and females are both brightly colored with black, green, yellow, red and other colors. However, the male's chest are a bright purple while the females have a paler lilac colored chest. No one knows exactly how many of these birds exists in captivity – it could be thousands. It is a hugely popular pet – because of its unique plumage, but it would be a shame if this stunning psychedelic colored bird’s future existence relies solely on it being kept in cages.

via Webphemera

For more stories on interesting birds see:

WORLD'S MOST UNUSUAL BIRD

THE CUTEST PET EVER

As sweet as sugar


Image source


Image source


Image source


Image source


Image source

The Sugar Glider – a small gliding marsupial, found most commonly in Australia but also in New Guineau, Tasmania and the Bismarck Archipelago – is becoming a popular pet in the US since they were made legal in March 2009.

Besides having an incredible cute appearance, the Sugar Glider bonds well to its human companions – if you have the time to devote to it. They are known as pocket pets because of their tininess and because once they are used to humans they become very sociable.

The Sugar Glider is not an endangered specie although it has lost a great deal of its natural habitat, fortunately it is highly adaptable and can live in almost any area.

via The Real Owner

For more interesting stories about unusual pets see:

UNBEARABLE PET



THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE PET



ALTERNATIVE PET


MAN'S BEST FRIEND...A GIANT CROC