Mallard Duck

I apologize for the absurdly late post today, got a bit sidetracked with some other stuff. But one of those projects was a short trip to the zoo! In 40 degree weather! Not a whole lot was outside in that kind of climate, but there were loads and loads of Mallard Ducks. More Mallards than I've probably ever seen in one place, so tonight we're gonna dive into the wonderful world of ducks!

Mallards are the most widespread of all ducks, and are found in freshwater areas across the Northern Hemisphere, and have been introduced to many other locations. Mallards have become so widespread that some localized populations have changed enough to be considered their own separate species. Some Northern Mallard populations are migratory, while others remain in their location year round. Mallards can fly at speeds of up to 40mph.

Did you know that the Mallard is the ancestor of all the domestic ducks we have today, save the Muscovy Duck? When you think of the wild Mallard, and even many domestic variations, the bright green-headed male typically comes to mind. Females are far more drab in color. They are "dabbling ducks," which means that they do not dive for their food; they stay at the surface and feed off of plants, insects, and amphibians, occasionally dipping underwater.

Mallard Ducks form pairs during the breeding season, but the females are left by the males upon laying eggs (the males are very territorial up to that point). Between six and fourteen eggs are laid, and the chicks are able to swim and feed themselves right after hatching, but they will stay with their mother for about two months.

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Red Bellied Piranha

When pop culture talks about tiny fish that swarm the water and devour everything in sight, they are almost always referring the the Red Bellied Piranha. But interestingly, the reputation of the Piranha as a bloodthirsty killer that will eat a man alive is more or less undeserved. Let's learn why!

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Red Bellied Piranhas (Pygocentrus nattereri) live in the Amazon and in other surrounding coastal rivers in South America. As their name might suggest, they have red coloration on their undersides, and a silvery top.

These Piranhas do have razor sharp, interlocking teeth, and they do sometimes have "feeding frenzies," where a school of them will consume prey and strip it to the bone. But their normal meals includes other fish, insects, crustaceans, and even algae! Don't get me wrong, Red Bellied Piranhas will sometimes feed on much larger creatures, but it's typically because they are sick or injured. In their native habitat, humans are not often bitten by Piranhas, and the Piranhas are often consumed as food!

And despite their aggressive reputation, Red Bellied Piranhas make pretty decent parents. The males and females will protect their nests, and then, after hatching, guard their brood of young for a period.

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Gentoo Penguin

Gentoo Penguins (pronounced jen-TOO) stand about 30 inches tall and are the third largest species of penguin, behind the Kings and Emperors. They also possess one of the widest distributions of all penguins, inhabiting the shores of Antarctica and numerous islands including the Falklands and South Georgia. Their genus, Pygoscelis, also contains the Chinstrap and Adeilie Penguins.

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Pygoscelis papua is identified by its vividly bright orange beak and feet. They also have a "cap" of white feathers that runs over their head from eye to eye. Gentoo Penguins are carnivorous, and consume crustaceans, small cephalopds, and fish. Hunting is done close to their breeding colonies. When hunting, the penguins are able to dive over 300ft, and can reduce their normally 80-100bpm heart rate down to only 20bpm. During a single day, an individual penguin may dive for food several hundred times!

Gentoo nests are typically found on rocky shores, and are built from a wide variety of materials, including grasses, feathers, and pebbles. Two eggs are typically laid, and the parents will care for both chicks equally, but in time of food scarcity only the strongest chick will usually survive. After about a month the chicks will form creches, which are groups of young penguins. They will continue to seek assistance from their parents until they are around 3 months old. Nesting sites do not remain the same from year to year, though many couples will retain long-term bonds.

At sea, the Gentoo Penguin has many predators, including Sea Lions, Seals, and Orcas. While on land they have more protection, though eggs and chicks are sometimes nabbed up by predatory birds. There are roughly 300,000 current breeding pairs, and they are legally protected from human hunting and egg gathering.

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Duckbill Platypus

Oh Monotremes. You are so amazingly, incredibly bizarre. And as weird as the Echidna was, it's got nothing on the Platypus, a mammal so darn weird that British Naturalists actually believed it was a hoax stitched together by Chinese sailors. And you know what? I really don't blame them. How would you react to a weird, otter-like creature with webbed flippers, a beaver tail and a bird-like bill?

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Platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) are one of a kind, the only living members of the Monotreme suborder Platypoda. Other, now-extinct Platypuses exist in the fossil record as far back at 60 million years. (The first known Monotremes, while we're on this topic, are thought to have diverged from other mammals over 160 million years ago.) They are found exclusively in Australia, along the eastern edge of the continent and on the island of Tasmania.

All of the Platypus's features serve a purpose. Their bill is actually one long snout full of sensory organs used to locate and scoop up food underwater. The webbed feet assist in swimming, digging, and paddling, and their dense fur serves as insulation. The tail also helps in swimming, and provides fat-storage. Adult Platypuses do not have teeth, and they will collect gravel to help chew food, which primarily consists of insects and crustaceans.

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Like all Monotremes, Platypuses lay eggs. Two are typically laid at a time, and are insulted below the mother's tail. At birth the young Platypus is tiny and helpless, and will be cared for for several months.

On top of laying eggs and looking weird, the Platypus is toxic! Males have venom-injecting spurs on their rear feet. It is believed that this venom is significant during mating periods.

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Sea Cucumber

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There are over 1,200 known species of Sea Cucumber, invertebrate echinoderms of the class Holothroidea. All species are ocean-dwellers, living in waters throughout the world, including the frigid waters near the North and South Pole. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, with the largest (the appropriately named Giant Sea Cucumber) measuring up to several feet in length. Because of their soft bodies, Sea Cucumbers have not fossilized well, but we do have examples dating back around 400 million years to the Silurian.

Sea Cucumbers are scavengers, feeding off of plankton and debris that floats through the water. They draw meals in using tentacle-like appendages around their mouth, and then digest and expel the waste back into the water, where it becomes food for bacteria. Most Sea Cucumber species have very tiny tube-like feet that help them to move slowly.

One of the most interesting (and probably disgusting) habits of Sea Cucumbers is their ability to ward offthreats. Many species will dispel their internal organs out of their anus, distracting the predators and making themselves smaller. They are then able to regrow those organs. Sea Cucumbers also have an an additional tactic up their proverbial sleeves. They can shoot out a sticky mucus that ensnares attackers.

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Sea Cucumbers reproduce both sexually and asexually, depending on the species. Sexual reproduction happens externally, with the sperm and egg intermingling in open water.

Some species of Sea Cucumber are harvested as delicacies in a fishing process known as Trepanging.

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Golden Pheasant

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The Golden or Chinese Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) is a rather interesting looking bird belonging to the Galliformes order and found natively in China. There are also feral populations in England and elsewhere.

To be perfectly honest, I chose this bird because of its absolutely spectacular looks. The males are simply gorgeous birds, with red, blues, greens, golds found throughout their color palette. The females are quite less stunning; they are a dull brown color which aids in camouflage. Even though the males are quite flashy, they live in very dense habitats and are not easily seen.

Golden Pheasants are omnivores, feeding on invertebrates, berries, grains, and other forms of vegetation. They are able to fly, but are  a bit clumsy, and are typically found on the ground.

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Golden Pheasants interbreed with Lady Amherst Pheasants, (also of the genus Chrysolophus) and many captive individuals are mixed breeds. Captive Goldens are bred for a variety of different colors, including Yellow and Cinnamon Goldens. They intermingle well with birds of other species.

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Arapaima

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The Arapaima (Arapaima gigas) is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Measuring up to ten feet long and weighing 400 pounds, it is a true river giant. They are native to the Amazon River, where they and their descendants have been swimming since the Jurassic.

Arapaimas are air-breathers, meaning that they inhale their oxygen through the air rather than through the water. Because of this, they are typically found near the surface of the water, though they are able to hold their breath for 10-20 minutes.

The breeding cycle of the Arapaima is dependent on the seasons. Eggs are laid February-April, when the water is at its lowest, and hatch during the flooding season so that the young fish can thrive and feast on all of the organisms that are churned up. Male Arapaimas take an interesting role in the process, incubating the eggs in his mouth (mouthbrooding).

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Water birds beware! Though the Arapaima mainly eats fish, they will also gulp up birds that they find on the waters' surface. Surface proximity has caused problems for the Arapaima; it makes them much easier to fish for with nets or harpoons. Their meat, tongue, and scales are collected for food and jewelry. Hunting has been the main reason for their population decline, and they are now listed as Vulnerable.

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