Summer Break

Hang tight!

After 3 years and over 1,100 featured critters, Animal A Day is taking its very first break.

As some of you may know, I am the only person who does the writing and updating for the site. With weddings (including my own), vacations, and home renovations time is going to be short and a good internet connection is going to be spotty.

I'll be back full swing this August though, with a redone site and all new animal features, so don't go anywhere!

And in the mean time, continue to follow AaD on Facebook and Pinterest-- I'll be making updates there, and sharing lots of great new animal stories and pictures.

Thank you for three awesome years, I'll be back very soon!

-Lauren

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Crested Guineafowl

Guttera pucherani

The Crested Guineafowl is a bird with a serious hairdo! They have an incredibly distinctive mop of feathers on the top of their head that looks like a funky hair-style!

Aside from their awesome 'do, these birds have bodies covered in black and white spotted feathers, and featherless faces.

Like all members of the Numididae (Guineafowl) family, these birds live on the continent of Africa. They have a range that covers the open forests and tree-spotted savannas south of the Sahara desert. There, they feed on a range of items like seeds, grasses, and insects.

Interestingly, these birds practice courtship feeding-- the partners bring food to one another to strengthen their bond. Crested Guineafowl are monogamous, possibly for life. They nest on the ground, hiding it in tall grasses or under the cover of bushes.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Africa
Size : Body length up to 20in (50cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Galliformes
Family : Numididae -- Genus : Guttera -- Species : G. pucherani
Image : D. Keats

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Porbeagle

Lamna nasus

The Porbeagle is a large shark that is found in the cooler and temperate waters of the world's oceans. They can grow to lengths of around 12ft, and weigh over 500lbs!

The name "Porbeagle" is a mysterious one. It's exact origins are unknown, though there are a few theories. One is that the name comes from Cornish terms for "harbor" and "shepherd." Another is that it is a combination of the words "porpoise" and "beagle," because of its porpoise like shape and dog-like hunting ability.

Like many large sharks, the Porbeagles give birth to live young. They have up to 6 at a time, which take 8-9 months to gestate. At birth the young sharks are already more than 2ft long! Also like other members of their family, Porbeagles are effectively warm-blooded. They have vascular counter-current heat exchangers in their muscles which allow them to store up all the heat that they generate through fast swimming. They can make their bodies warmer than the surrounding water, which is why they can live in such cold areas.

Porbeagles are actually listed as Vulnerable, and some local populations are Endangered. They have been hunted commercially for their meat and fins in a number of countries, and because they take so long to grow it is difficult for them to quickly repopulate. Also, even though they are very large, Porbeagle attacks on humans are very, very rare.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : Temperate and Cold Oceans
Size : Body length up to 12ft (3.7m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Chondrichthyes -- Order : Lamniformes
Family : Lamnidae -- Genus : Lamna -- Species : L. nasus
Image : Citron

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Amami Rabbit

Pentalagus furnessi

Today's animal is one of those creatures that is sometimes referred to as a "Living Fossil." You see, these Rabbits have evolved in complete isolation over thousands of years, and now have traits that make them a bit unusual.

Amami Rabbits are found on only two small islands-- Amami and Tokunoshima. They are located between the large Japanese island of Kyushu, and Okinawa. That isolation has led them to maintain primitive rabbit traits-- short ears, thick dark fur, and stocky bodies.

These Rabbits are nocturnal, which is also an unusual rabbit trait. They spend the daytime in underground dens. They also give birth to only a single baby at a time, though a female may have more that one child during a single year.

Sadly, because these Rabbits live on only two islands, they are very susceptible to habitat loss and the trouble caused by introduced species. Mongooses have been especially problematic to these rabbit, and have caused a significant population drop since they were first introduced 30 years ago. Mongoose (and feral cat and dog) eradication programs have been proposed to save the Rabbits, along with the restoration of habitat.

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IUCN Status : Endangered
Location : Japan
Size : Body length up to 20in (50cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Lagomorpha
Family : Leporidae -- Genus : Pentalagus-- Species : P. furnessi
Image : Animal Photos

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Timema Stick Insects

Timema genevieve

Timema is the genus name for a group of 20-odd stick insects that are all found within the western United States. Most of these species live in the state of California, and a few others are found in neighboring states.

Like all Stick Insects, the members of the Timema genus are all very well camouflaged. They resemble small, stout, sticks and branches, and range in color and size depending on the species. All of these critters are nocturnal, so their coloration is especially important since they need to hide out and rest during the daytime. At night they come out to feed on different shrubs and trees.

One absolutely remarkable feature of this genus is that it is the earliest, most basal branch of the living Stick Insect groups. This means that they have a few very primitive traits that are all their own. For one, their legs only have three segments, instead of five. Secondly, about 1/4 of the species are asexual, and are able to reproduce through Parthenogenesis (females lay eggs that do not need to be fertilized by males). Two of the species exclusively reproduce asexually, and have been doing so for over a million years!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : United States
Size : Varies

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Phasmatodea
Family : Timematidae -- Genus : Timema
Image : Paradise Reserve

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Alpine Salamander

Salamandra atra

Today is Mother's Day, so I thought it might be appropriate to talk about an animal that has one of the longest gestational periods on the planet. Nope, it's not a large mammal like a Giraffe, Whale, or Elephant-- it's a 5in long Amphibian!

Alpine Salamanders live at very high altitudes in the European Alps. That altitude is actually what helps to determine how long they will be pregnant for. The higher up they live, the longer the gestational period. At around 1,700m up it can last as long as three years.

That is particularly amazing considering they only have a 10 year lifespan at best. Also amazing? These Salamanders give birth to live young (ovoviviparous) and at birth their two offspring can each measure 2in long. Mom might only be 5in herself! Talk about big babies!

Alpine Salamanders are completely terrestrial, unlike many of their family members. They range in color from all black to various degrees of yellow spots, depending on the subspecies.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Europe
Size : Length up to 5.5in (14cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Caudata
Family : Salamandridae -- Genus : Salamandra -- Species : S. atra
Image : bohringer friedrich

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Birman

The Birman is a breed of cat that should not be confused with the Burmese (which has a similar name) or the Siamese (which has similar coloration). These cats are a breed all their own, and have been recognized as such since 1925.

Birman Cats have a history that is shrouded in mystery and legend. No one is 100% sure of their true origins, but one common belief is that they came from Burma (the French name is Bimanie) and were originally kept by temple priests. They eventually made their way to France, either as gifts or through smuggling, but by World War II they were almost completely wiped out. Only two cats remained, and the breed was rebuilt using their offspring and by outcrossing to Persian and Siamese cats.

Birmans have medium-long hair that is pale all over the body, with dark points on the faces and feet (called colorpoint). Interestingly, Birmans are one of the few cat breeds that are colorpoint... except for their feet. Though their legs grow dark in color, their toes are white. Birman kittens are born white, and start to develop color around 1 week old.

Personality-wise, Birmans are quiet, but like attention. They tend to follow their owners around are are quite social.They are both calm and playful, and are a good breed choice for those who have small children or other pets

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Status : Domesticated
Location : France, Burma?
Size : Weight up to 12lbs (5.5kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Felidae -- Genus : Felis -- Species : F. catus
Image : D.Maillard

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