Malabar Tree Toad

Pedostibes tuberculosus

The Malabar Tree Toad is a very small, slender species that is found only in the forests around the Western Ghats in India. They are also referred to as the Warty Asian Tree Toad.

If you couldn't guess from the name, these Toads live in the trees that are usually close to a body of water. They are found on the ground as well, as that is where they breed and lay their eggs, but they ascend into the trees during the night time.

Malabar Tree Toads are small little guys, and measure only around 1in in length! (Yes, that is a human fingernail in the picture.. for a size reference.) Females are slightly larger than the males. They can be identified by their warty brown bodies and the black and white bands that run down their sides.

The Malabar Tree Toad is currently listed as Endangered, and its population is on the decline. Its main threat is habitat loss due to the logging and farming industries. They are found within several protected refuges, and are the topic of ongoing study.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Europe and Asia
Size : Length up to 12in (31cm), Wingspan up to 26in (67cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Anura
Family : Bufonidae -- Genus : Pedostibes -- Species : P. tuberculosus

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Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropus

The Spotted Redshank is quite the little traveler. These birds spend their summers in Scandinavia and in parts of Siberia. When the autumn comes, they head south. Some go as close as the British Isles or the Mediterranean, while others make it all the way to Southeast Asia and even Australia! These migrations can start as early as late June, and will take months to complete with several stopover points.

Spotted Redshanks are wading waterbirds that can be found in marshes, forests, and wetland regions in whatever country they happen to be in at the time. They feed on very small water dwelling creatures, usually insects and their larvae, though they will take small vertebrates on occasion as well. Spotted Redshanks typically wade in order to feed, but they will also swim into deeper water and upend themselves like ducks do.

The population of Spotted Redshanks is currently stable, but that may not always be the case. Habitat degradation is happening in many of their winter and summer homes, as well as in many of their extremely important migration stopover points. For now though, their population size and massive range is enough to keep them listed as being of Least Concern, though they are listed by the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Europe and Asia
Size : Length up to 12in (31cm), Wingspan up to 26in (67cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Charadriiformes
Family : Scolopacidae -- Genus : Tringa -- Species : T. erythropus

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Golden-crested Mynah

Ampeliceps coronatus

The Golden-crested Mynah is a smallish Starling that can be found throughout a large range in South and Southeast Asia. They have also been introduced to a handful of islands as well. Their preferred habitats lowland, subtropical forests.

These birds are very appropriately named-- they have bright yellow crowns on their heads, and darker feathers over the rest of their bodies. Like many other Mynahs, the Golden-cresteds are able to mimic other sounds. They can even recreate human voices! The word Mynah itself actually derives from a Sanskrit word meaning "joyful," which is turn has a root word that means "bubbles." "Bubbling with joy" is a pretty apt description of these active, talkative birds.

Golden-crested Mynahs are omnivores that feed mostly on fruits and small insects, though they will go after some small vertebrates as well. They live in small flocks, pairs often remain together for several years, and they have a lifespan that can last as long as 20 years.

The population of the Golden-crested Mynah has not been quantified, and is on the decline due to habitat loss and degradation. The decline is slow, however, and the bird remains common in most of its range (though it is more rare on the fringes).

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : South and Southeast Asia
Size : Length up to 8.5in (21cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Sturnidae -- Genus : Ampeliceps-- Species : A. coronatus

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Protylopus

Protylopus

It's pretty amazing to think about the origins of some of the animals that we know so well. When you picture a camel, you probably envision a large, humped mammal with cloven, padded feet. But did you know that their earliest discovered ancestor was comparatively tiny, had no humps, and had four toes?

Meet Protylopus, the oldest known camel. These guys lived during the Eocene, around 45-40 million years ago. They were absolutely diminutive by modern camel standards. They were barely two feet tall, and about the same measurement in length. Protylopus probably weighed no more than around 50lbs. Think of them as about the size of a medium sized dog!

There are five different species within the Protylopus genus, with P. petersoni being the type species. All lived in what is now North America. Based on their teeth, they most likely fed on leaves and other soft plants, and it is possible that they even stood up on their hind legs to feed, as their front legs are shorter and they carry their weight in the 3rd and 4th toes. Fossils also indicate that these toes probably had small hooves, instead of the giant toe pads that our modern camels have.

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Status : Extinct for 40 million years
Location : North America
Size : Length up to 2.5ft (80cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : †Oromerycidae -- Genus : †Protylopus

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Galah

Eolophus roseicapilla

The Galah, or Rose-breasted Cockatoo, is a very wide-spread Cockatoo that cane be found throughout Australia. Their name is derived from the Yuwaalaraay word that is used to describe the birds.

Galahs can be found in just about every corner of the continent, living in habitats that range from urban cities to woodlands, to open fields. They feed on different seeds, leaves, and grains, as well as on insects.

As adults, Galahs have bright pink heads and chests, with a lighter pink crest and grey wings. They are even sometimes referred to as "Pink and Greys." The only real difference between males and females is the eye color-- males have dark eyes, while the females have reddish-brown eyes.

Galahs live in flicks that can number from a few dozen to a few hundred. They stick together while foraging, but  will often go slightly off on their own while nesting. Males perform a dance, complete with stick waving and head bobs, in order to attract a mate. Galahs are monogamous for life, and form very strong bonds with one another. When it comes time to breed they will build a nest in a tree cavity and lay 2-3 eggs which are incubated and cared for by both parents.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Australia
Size : Length up to 14in (35cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Psittaciformes
Family : Cacatuidae -- Genus : Eolophus-- Species : E. roseicapilla

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Morgan Horse

Morgan Colt

The Morgan Horse is one of the earliest horse breeds developed in the United States, dating back to the late 18th century. They are small, strong horses that often toe the line between being of horse size (over 14.2 hands) and pony size (under 14.2 hands). They come in a wide variety of colors, though black, chestnut, and bay are the most common.

The breed dates back to 1789, when a Massachusetts businessman named Justin Morgan bought a young colt that he named "Figure." Figure was known for his expressive nature, athleticism, gentile nature, and his endurance. When Morgan died, Figure was passed to different owners, and was eventually renamed Justin Morgan after his first master. He became the foundation sire for an entire new breed, and was able to pass on all of his defining traits to his offspring

The breed took off, and by the Civil War it had become a very popular mount for the cavalry, because of their ability to work under pressure and because of their incredible endurance. Several prominent generals on both sides of the conflict rode Morgans, including Stonewall Jackson and his mount "Little Sorrel," and Philip Sheridan's "Rienzi."

The Morgan breed has also been influential in the creation of other American horse breeds. Around 90% of all Saddlebreds carry Morgan blood,  and Standardbreds, Tennessee Walkers, and Quarter Horses all have Morgans in their ancestry.

Morgans continue to be used as riding mounts for all sorts of disciplines. They have their very own breed-specific competition circuit, and they perform in several different events including jumping, dressage, and driving. Morgans are the state animal of Vermont, and are the state horse of Massachusetts.

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Status : Endangered
Location : Developed in the United States
Size : Height up to 15.2 hands (1.6m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Perissodactyla
Family : Equidae -- Genus : Equus -- Species : E. ferus -- Subspecies : E. f. caballus

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Blue Whale

Balaenoptera musculus

Happy World Oceans Day everybody! And what animal could represent the oceans better than the largest one in them? Meet the astonishing Blue Whale, the biggest creatures to have ever lived!

Blue Whales can reach lengths of up to 100ft, and weigh nearly 400,000lbs. That is incredible! Their hearts are the size of a small car, and their tongues can weigh as much as an elephant! In fact, right at birth they are already one of the largest animals on the planet. A newborn can measure over 25ft long and weigh 3 tons. (They also will grow 200lbs every single day!)

It is amazing to think that an animal so massive has a diet that is based exclusively on tiny little crustaceans called Krill. During the Arctic summers, they can consume up to 4tons of Krill in a single day! They feed by gulping a huge amount of water into their mouths, expanding their mouths and belly out in the process. They then push the Krill up into their baleen plates and strain the water out, leaving only the tasty little crustaceans behind.

Blue Whales can be found in all of the world's oceans, and they often migrate long distances between the poles and the equator every year. They typically travel alone, but are sometimes found in very small groups. Even if they are alone, they can still find one another with relative ease, considering they are the loudest animals out there. Their low frequency, 188 decibel sounds can be heard hundreds of miles away!

Comparison between an average Blue Whale,
a human, and  a Hector's Dolphin

So we've already learned that the Blue Whale is the largest animal, and the loudest. But did you know they are also one of the most long lived? Scientists estimate that their average lifespan is 80-90 years, and that ages of well over 100 are common.

Unfortunately, Blue Whale populations aren't doing so hot. They were absolutely decimated during the commercial whaling boom, with hundreds of thousands being killed before the ban. Hunting of the species has been outlawed since 1966, but recovery has been slow. Blue Whales are listed as Endangered, and there may be less than 10,000 left in the entire world, with most being found in the Northern Hemisphere.

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IUCN Status : Endangered
Location : Oceans Worldwide
Size : Length up to 98ft (30m), Weight up to 200tons (180 metric tons)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Cetacea
Family : Balaenopteridae -- Genus : Balaenoptera -- Species : B. musculus

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