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Join us as we explore the wilderness and share the beautiful scenery of nature! For all questions: @magellanvs
Two-colored (Crested) Pitohui (Pitohui dichrous), also known as the Two-colored Robin, inhabits New Guinea. It is one of the few venomous birds: its skin and feathers contain batrachotoxin, a powerful neurotoxin.
Humans and animals poisoned by batrachotoxin die from heart failure. However, touching the Two-colored Robin does not pose a danger to humans - unless they have cuts on their hands.
The bird's venomous nature is due to its diet. Two-colored Pitohuis eat Choresine pulchra beetles, which contain batrachotoxin. The bird has developed immunity to this toxin (it is even present in its internal organs) - unlike local residents, who consider this bird inedible. Lucky bird!
Fun Fact: The batrachotoxin found in the Pitohui is so potent that a single gram could kill up to 20,000 mice! 🐭💀
Oxpeckers (Buphagus) are unique birds found only in Africa, where they are widespread and commonly seen.
These birds are known for their close relationship with large ungulates. They perch on these animals, picking off insects and their larvae from the skin, which is their primary food source. Oxpeckers spend most of their time moving with their hosts, riding along as they graze.
Fun Fact: Oxpeckers have a mutualistic relationship with their hosts. While they benefit from the meal, they also help the animals by removing parasites and even alerting them to danger with their loud calls.
These birds are non-migratory and spend their days near grazing wildlife, such as elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, zebras, and wildebeests, or domestic livestock. At night, they roost in large groups in reeds. They cling to the animals' skin with their sharp claws, foraging for ticks, lice, and other parasites, as well as pulling out botfly larvae that have burrowed under the skin.
It helps them blend into their surroundings and avoid predators. This unique adaptation makes them one of the most fascinating butterflies in the world.
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Leopard after an attack by a porcupine...
Porcupine quills are not venomous, but they are not sterile either - and can cause painful, slow-healing wounds. Especially if a quill breaks off and its tip remains lodged in the leopard's skin.
These are the leopards that, once severely injured by porcupines, would turn into man-eaters, striking fear into villages in India. After all, an unarmed ordinary person is a completely defenseless animal, much easier for an injured leopard to hunt than any other creature in the jungle.
Fun Fact: Leopards are incredibly strong swimmers and often hunt for fish and crabs in rivers and streams. They are also known to climb trees, even with their heavy prey, to keep it safe from scavengers like lions and hyenas.
Fun Fact: Bengal cats are excellent swimmers and are known to chase prey in the water, a rare trait among wild cats! 🐾💦
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🌟 Fun Fact: Boreal owls are known for their exceptional hunting skills, capable of catching prey even in complete darkness using their acute hearing and silent flight. 🌟
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Maned Wolf (Guara) - Chrysocyon brachyurus
The maned wolf is the largest canid in South America. It resembles a large fox with tall, slender legs rather than a wolf. Its body is relatively short (125-130 cm), but its legs are very tall (75-85 cm at the shoulder), and it weighs 20-23 kg.
Its disproportionate build is further emphasized by its tall ears and short tail (30-45 cm). The maned wolf's long legs are an evolutionary adaptation to grassy plains, helping it survey the surroundings while moving through tall grass.
Maned wolves are nocturnal and crepuscular. Their social structure is based on a breeding pair that occupies a single hunting territory but is otherwise quite independent. The male and female rest, hunt, and travel separately.
Fun Fact: The maned wolf produces a distinctive, skunk-like odor from a gland near its tail, which it uses for marking territory. This unique scent is so strong that it can be detected by humans from a considerable distance! 🦊🌾
Japanese Giant Hornet (Vespa mandarinia japonica) - The World's Largest Hornet:
The Japanese giant hornet is the largest hornet in the world, with an average body length of 5.5 cm, a wingspan of 7.5 cm, and a stinger slightly over 6 mm long.
Habitat: Korea, China, Japan, Nepal, India.
Did You Know? The Japanese giant hornet's stinger rarely remains in its victim, allowing it to sting multiple times. Its neurotoxic venom contains mandarotoxin, which can cause severe pain, allergic reactions, cardiac arrest, and kidney failure in humans.
These hornets are aggressive predators, feeding on both ripe fruits and other insects, including their close relatives, bees. A scout hornet locates a bee hive and marks it, then several hunter hornets find and raid the hive, devastating everything in their path. A group of just 30 hornets can destroy a colony of 20-30 thousand bees! 🐝💥
Dominican Widowbird (Vidua macroura)
Just like the cuckoo, the Dominican Widowbird lays its eggs in the nests of other birds! However, their chicks are easier to feed: widowbirds are no bigger than canaries (except for the males' long tails).
Widowbirds are widespread across a large area of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Their diet mainly consists of plant seeds, which they gather from the ground. They may also eat insects, such as flying termites. During the breeding season, the female pecks at the eggs of the host bird.
There is no definitive version of how this bird got its name. Opinions vary—some insist the name comes from the presence of black feathers, while others argue it arose from mispronunciation of words. 🐦🌍
Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) - a tiny squirrel-like creature!
This adorable creature is about the size of a mouse: 15 cm in body length, with a 6-8 cm tail, and weighs only 15-25 g. It's one of the smallest dormice species.
The hazel dormouse is found in deciduous and mixed forests across Europe and northern Turkey, including southern Sweden and the UK. It's common in Southern Europe, except for Spain.
Fun Fact: Hazel dormice have a unique hibernation pattern. They can wake up from hibernation during warm winter spells to forage for food, then go back to sleep!
Their diet consists of tree and shrub seeds (nuts, acorns, chestnuts, beech and lime nuts) and various berries and fruits. Their favorite food? Hazelnuts! In early spring, they also eat young shoots and buds. 🌰🍂
Bandit Cat: The Striped Linsang
The striped linsang (Prionodon linsang) is a civet-like mammal, not a feline (despite its name!).
Native to the forests of Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo, this elusive creature thrives in dense, tropical environments.
Measuring 35-45 cm in body length and 30-35 cm in tail length, the linsang is a slender, graceful animal. Its coat is light gray or brownish-gray, adorned with 4 or 5 black transverse stripes on its back. Dark spots mark its sides and legs.
A nocturnal animal, the linsang spends most of its time in trees, expertly climbing and leaping among the branches. Yet, it's also agile on the ground.
Its diet includes birds, small mammals, insects, lizards, frogs, and even bird eggs.
Fun Fact: The linsang's name comes from the Thai word "ling-sang," which means "fox" and "wildcat," reflecting its unique, cat-like appearance and fox-like behavior. 🦊🐱
Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) - a fascinating mammal from the raccoon family, thriving in Arizona. Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, this creature is known by many names: Ringtail, Ring-tailed Cat, Miner's Cat, or Bassariscus. The term "Cacomistle" is sometimes used, but it more commonly refers to its close relative, Bassariscus sumichrasti.
Fun Fact: The Ringtail's ankle joint is incredibly flexible, rotating over 180 degrees, making it an agile climber. Its long tail aids in balance while navigating narrow ledges.
Did You Know? Ringtails can ascend narrow passages by pressing all their feet against one wall and their back against the other, or by pressing both right feet against one wall and both left feet against the opposite wall.
Sound Off: Their typical call is a loud, mournful howl. They also produce a variety of sounds, including clicks and chatter, reminiscent of raccoons. 🐾🌵
Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) - A wild cat of Southeast Asia, known for its unique fishing skills and excellent swimming abilities.
Between the toes of its front paws, it has webbing that prevents it from retracting its claws but aids in catching fish. Adults weigh 11-15 kg (males) and 6-7 kg (females), with a body length of 95-120 cm and a shoulder height of about 40 cm. This cat has a sturdy build and impressive strength.
The fishing cat inhabits tropical and subtropical regions of Southeast Asia: southern and eastern India, Indochina, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, and Java. It is primarily found in forests near water bodies, especially swamps, lakes, and slow-moving rivers.
Did you know? This cat mainly feeds on fish. During hunting, it sits by the riverbank, waiting for a passing fish, which it strikes with its clawed paw. Sometimes, it even dives to the riverbed for its prey.
Fun Fact: Fishing cats are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater for up to 30 seconds! 🐾💦
🐦 Meet the Kea (Nestor notabilis), a unique parrot endemic to New Zealand! 🌟 With its falcon-like appearance, large head, and curved beak, this bird is a force to be reckoned with. 💪 Despite its relatively small size (45 cm, 600-1000 g), the Kea is incredibly strong and an agile flyer.
🌿 Its olive-green feathers, with a hint of brown and bright red under its wings, make it a stunning sight. Its grey legs and loud, screeching call ("keeee-aa") complete its distinctive appearance. 🗣️
🤡 Known for their curious nature and clever beak use, Keas are infamous for causing mischief among locals and entertaining tourists. Dubbed the "clowns of the mountains," they love to investigate backpacks and cars, making them a joy to watch! 🎉
🐺 Grey Wolves Love Blueberries! 🫐
Wolves actually crave berries and other fruits. During the growth period, berries can make up to 80% of a wolf pack's diet! 🌿 Did you know that wolves are important seed dispersers in many ecosystems, helping to spread plant species through their droppings? 🌱
Snow Goat (Oreamnos americanus)
The snow goat is found in the western part of North America, in the mountain ranges of Idaho, Montana, and southeastern Alaska. In Canada, they inhabit Alberta, British Columbia, and the southern Yukon Territory.
This mountain-dwelling animal prefers remote, high-altitude areas above the tree line. During summer, they can often be spotted at elevations above 3,000 meters.
Snow goats feed on grasses and lichens and can withstand temperatures as low as -40°C. They typically move in small herds.
Their coat is thick, long, white, and fluffy. Externally, the snow goat resembles a common domestic goat. Both males and females have horns that grow up to 20-30 cm in length, with a rounded cross-section.
Fun Fact: Snow goats have special pads on the bottom of their hooves that help them climb steep, icy slopes with ease! 🏔️🐐
Moschus moschiferus - the Musk Deer
A small even-toed ungulate, distinctive for its tusks and musk. Unlike deer, which it's sometimes mistaken for, it lacks antlers. Instead, males have long, curved tusks protruding from under the upper lip (7-9 cm), used for combat, and a abdominal gland producing musk.
Musk deer have unusually long hind legs, making their rump 5-10 cm higher than their withers when standing.
They prefer dark coniferous parts of the taiga with rock outcrops. They live solitarily and are sedentary in these areas.
Their diet mainly consists of epiphytic and terrestrial lichens, making up 65-95% of their winter diet. They also eat fir and cedar needles, some umbellifers, bilberry leaves, ferns, and horsetails.
Fun Fact: Musk deer are known for their musk, a strong-smelling substance used in perfumes and traditional medicine. It's so valuable that it's often called "liquid gold"! 💰💫
Glass Butterfly Greta oto is native to Central America, from Mexico to Argentina - but these shots were filmed at London Zoo.
Wingspan of Greta oto ranges from 5.5 to 6 cm. The tissue between the veins on its wings is transparent because it lacks colored scales.
The female lays eggs on plants of the genus Cestrum, which the caterpillar will later feed on, accumulating toxic alkaloids in its tissues. This makes the adult butterfly taste unpleasant to birds. Adult butterflies drink floral nectar.
In Spanish, the Glass Butterfly is called "espejitos," which translates to "little mirrors." When hit by car headlights, the semi-transparent parts of the wings gain a glossy, almost reflective property, making their Spanish name remarkably accurate. However, it doesn't matter how you name these butterflies - mirror, transparent, or glass - they are truly magical!
Fun Fact: The transparency of the Glass Butterfly's wings is not just for show.
Arachnacris - A genus of large bush crickets found in the tropical forests of the Malay Peninsula, New Guinea, and the Bismarck Archipelago. Adults can reach up to 15 cm in body length, with a wingspan of up to 25 cm.
Arachnacris regalis - An omnivorous insect: its diet mainly consists of plant-based foods. However, it occasionally hunts smaller invertebrates and isn't averse to scavenging.
Despite belonging to the genus of True Crickets and having relatively long legs, Arachnacris regalis has lost the ability to jump. It also rarely flies, preferring to move by crawling. And that's a good thing! In its flying and jumping form, it would be quite unbearable!
Fun Fact: These crickets are named for their spider-like appearance, with long legs and a robust body. Their unique look and behavior make them a fascinating subject for entomologists.
Bengal (Small) Cat Prionailurus bengalensis, also known as the Far Eastern Cat, is one of the most widespread wild cat species in the world. Their size is similar to that of a domestic cat, and across their vast range, they exhibit a variety of coat colors.
The appearance of Bengal cats varies greatly within the species. Those in the coastal regions look quite different from those on the islands of Indonesia. In the south, their base coat color is more yellow, like a leopard, while in the north, it is predominantly gray-brown.
Northern populations have circular spots on their fur, while southern populations have black streaks. The size of Bengal cats ranges from 65 cm (on the island of Java) to one meter (in the coastal regions), including a tail that can reach 20-40 cm.
Bengal cats always live near water. They adapt equally well in tropical forests, coniferous forests, savannas, or mountains.
The smallest owl in the family of owls is the boreal owl (Aegolius funereus). This bird has fluffy plumage, a large head, and a pronounced facial disc. A distinctive feature of the species is the fluffy plumage on its legs. These owls have wide and long wings, and a small tail. Boreal owls have a distant resemblance to domestic owls, but the latter lack feathering on their legs.
Boreal owls are small birds, with males weighing around 120 g and females around 200 g. They lack ear tufts on their heads, but when startled, small "horns" of feathers form. These birds are known for their surprised facial expression. They have large, yellow eyes and lead a nocturnal lifestyle, hunting in the forest.
The mating call of male boreal owls can be heard in their habitats during the breeding season, which lasts from mid-March to mid-May.
Isidore's Hawk-Eagle (Black-chestnut Eagle) Spizaetus isidori inhabits the northwestern part of South America.
This includes Colombia and Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru, as well as Bolivia and northwestern Argentina. However, this bird is rare everywhere.
Isidore's Hawk-Eagles are very active birds and rarely rest. They perch on treetops, branches, and stumps bathed in sunlight, with the tips of their wings hanging below the end of their tail.
These eagles hunt woolly monkeys, sloths, wild boars, and other small mammals that primarily live in hilly areas. They also raid native chicken coops, which is why their population is constantly declining.
Fun Fact: Isidore's Hawk-Eagles are known for their impressive aerial displays during courtship, performing spectacular dives and rolls to attract a mate. 🦅💫
Desert Buzzard Hunting the White-tailed Antelope Squirrel. Notice that leisurely stroll among the cacti...
The Desert Buzzard (Parabuteo unicinctus) is a bird of prey from the family Accipitridae, found from the southwestern USA to Chile and central Argentina. This bird is known for its unique "cooperative hunting" practice in family groups, unlike most other predators that hunt alone.
The White-tailed (Antelope) Squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus) is a ground squirrel inhabiting deserts in the western USA. Interestingly, these tiny creatures don't need to drink water as they get all the necessary moisture from their food. They primarily feed on seeds from desert plants. 🌵🐿️
Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) is part of the weasel family, alongside minks, polecats, badgers, ferrets, wolverines, stoats, honey badgers, and other carnivorous creatures.
Dietary habits of sea otters are particularly noteworthy: they use carefully selected stones to crack open shells, making them one of the few animal species that use tools.
Their fur hangs loosely, creating many folds. Under each front paw, they have folds large enough to temporarily store various prey during prolonged underwater dives.
Very dense fur (the standard for density and durability), coated with glandular secretions, is well protected from wetting and serves as an excellent barrier against hypothermia. In the 18th-19th centuries, this fur led to extensive hunting, pushing the species to the brink of extinction. 🦦🌊
Flying foxes (Pteropus) trying to drink from a river or cool off, while freshwater Australian crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni) hunt them.
Interesting fact: Unlike bats, flying foxes do not have echolocation. They don't need it, as these vegans feed on nectar, fruit pulp, and flowers. 🦇🍹🐊
Three-coloured Glossy Starling (Superb Starling) Lamprotornis superbus
This stocky, short-tailed starling is native to East Africa, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
It boasts a wide repertoire of whistles and trills, even mimicking the calls of other bird species.
The bird forages on the ground for insects, mollusks, worms, fruits, and seeds. When gathering in flocks, they can cause significant damage to crops. Additionally, they may persistently beg for food in villages and cities.
Their song is characterized by whistles transitioning into trills, constantly changing to create a beautiful, vibrant, and diverse melody.
Fun Fact: The Superb Starling's striking plumage and melodious song have made it a popular subject for birdwatchers and photographers alike.
The Pallas's Cat: A Unique Feline
The Pallas's cat, also known as the manul, is a fascinating creature that has remained in a transitional stage of evolution. Unlike other felines, it hasn't learned to roar like big cats, nor has it become a typical wild cat. It retains a round pupil, much like a lion.
There are three known subspecies of Pallas's cats:
1. Otocolobus manul manul: Found in various regions, including Mongolia and China.
2. Otocolobus manul ferruginea: Inhabits Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Kazakhstan. Its coat is more reddish with reddish stripes.
3. Otocolobus manul nigripecta: Known as the Tibetan Pallas's cat, it lives in Tibet, Kashmir, and Nepal. Its fur is more gray, turning silvery in winter.
Despite its adorable appearance, the Pallas's cat is a tough, ruthless predator. It lives solitary and doesn't tolerate competitors on its large territory.
🐦 Meet the House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 🌟
Found throughout the US, Mexico, southern Canada, and Hawaii, this bird is known for its vibrant colors. Males have a distinctive red head, breast, and back, with a speckled belly and brown wings and tail. Females are more subdued, with a speckled underside and brown upperparts. Young males resemble females in coloration.
💕 House Finches are monogamous, forming pairs in winter before the breeding season. During courtship, males perform a "butterfly flight," soaring 20-30 meters high and then slowly descending while singing loudly. Females prefer males with brighter head colors! 🌟
🐤 Chicks leave the nest after 12-19 days, and the female builds a new nest and lays another clutch. The father continues to feed the young for a while. 🐦
🦎 Meet the Komodo Dragon, one of the most unique animals in the wild! 🌟 This lizard resembles a mythical creature from folklore.
With its impressive appearance, the Komodo Dragon has a sturdy neck, powerful shoulders, but a relatively small head. Its large tail serves as both a support while moving and a weapon to settle disputes with rivals.
Adult males can grow up to 3m in length and weigh between 80-180kg, while females are slightly smaller. 🤯
Despite their seemingly sluggish nature, these lizards can run at speeds of up to 40km/h, sometimes rivaling deer and antelopes. They can even catch up to these hoofed animals while hunting! 🏃♂️
🐦 Meet the Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), a bird with a subtle yet striking appearance. 🌟
This medium-sized bird measures around 56 cm in length and weighs 500-1000 g. Adults have a dark brown plumage with a bronze and green metallic sheen. Young birds are brown without the sheen, with white streaks on their head and neck that fade with age. 🔍
Glossy Ibises inhabit freshwater and brackish wetlands, vast marshes, and shallow waters. They flock together, sometimes in groups of up to 100 birds, and feed on shallow waters with muddy bottoms, often among reeds or on rice fields and damp meadows. They roost in trees at night. 🌳
Interesting fact: Glossy Ibises are known for their unique, curved bills, which they use to probe into the mud for food. They are also skilled migrants, traveling long distances each year to reach their wintering grounds in Africa and southern Asia. 🌏