Impala (Latin – Aepyceros melampus) are probably one of the most beautiful antelopes found in Africa. Their bright, goldenly brown fur and large eyes make them one of the most majestic African animals. Like many antelopes, Impalas are great runners – they can reach a speed of up to 60 km/h and jump as high
Springbok, in translation meaning jumping antelope has deserved this name for its unique jumping technique when it springs in the air, bending its back like a cat. These charming mammals live in arid and empty lowlands in South Africa. A Springbok in the desert The Springbok is an average sized antelope, reaching up to 90
Shetland Pony is the smallest breed of ponies. At the same time, they’re one of the strongest members of the horse family, by a strength-to-size ratio. These ponies have been companions of men for 2500 years, as the first Shetland Pony was tamed 500 B.C. and their incredible stamina has always been praised. A Shetland
Slow Worm, also known as blind worm may look like a snake, but is in fact a limbless lizard that inhabits all parts of Europe, except Northern Scandinavia, Ireland and Southern part of the Pyrenean Peninsula. These lizards have gone a peculiar way in evolution, getting rid of their limbs. Slow Worm is 28 to
The Sulfur-crested Cockatoo is one of the most popular birds of Australia. The Cockatoo is known all around the world for being a friendly bird, easy to raise in captivity. In the wild, however, these birds are quite cautious and scared easily. Sulfur-crested Cockatoo in a tree Sulfur-crested Cockatoo’s homeland is Australia and it lives
Tawny Owl is a nocturnal bird and people rarely get the chance to see it, although you can tell an owl is nearby by its “hoo-hoo” call. These medium sized birds are widespread through most parts of Europe and they’re one of the most capable predatory birds. A Tawny Owl in flight These owls inhabit
The Gray Fox is a skittish mammal, that has great climbing skills and finds most of its food above ground level. This fox is often confused with the coyote, which is a more widely known animal. Most people don’t know anything about Gray Foxes, just because they can be so easily scared and they will
The Pileated Woodpecker is a very large bird of the North American Continent, which means they can be found in Canada, all the way down to Florida, and from the East Coast of Nova Scotia to California’s West Coast. The Pileated Woodpecker on a Tree Appearance A very large bird, the Pileated Woodpecker is almost
Eclectus Parrot or Eclectus roratus is a beautiful bird that lives in rain-forests in the tropical Pacific islands, mainly New Guinea. Probably it is so widespread because local people raised those parrots as their companions. Eclectus parrots can be loud and live in huge groups. There are sometimes up to 60 birds in one flock.
The Beluga, also commonly referred to as the White Whale is a species of predatory whales that live in the arctic waters. They are also often called “sea canaries” because many of the sounds they emit underwater can also be heard above the surface. Beluga’s white skin colour provides great camouflage in the waters they
Alpaca or as the romans would have called it Vicugna Pacosis a domesticated South American camelid (llamas and Alpacas are members of the Camel family) that looks like a slightly smaller llama. The wild ancestors of alpacas are called vicuñas. Alpacas are kept mainly for their fur. Ponchos, sweaters, coats, socks and other woven or
African Wild Dog goes by many names. Its aliases include Lycaon pictus, Mbwa mwitu, Ornate Wolf, Painted Wolf, Painted Dog and many others. What is interesting about this species is that they are one of the most efficient hunters in Africa. They succeed 70 – 90 percent of the time, while the accuracy of lions
The Eurasian Water Shrew known by the brits simply as the Water Shrew is a fairly common rodent. It usually grows to be up to 10 centimeters (4 in) long. Its tail can be up to 75% as long as the shrew itself. The fur of this rodent traps bubbles of air increasing buoyancy to a level
The Rafflesia refers to a specific genus of plants found only in South-East Asia, specifically the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra and in the Philippines. Named after Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, leader of the expedition that found it which also happens to be the founder of Singapore. The Rafflesia is the biggest flower in the world
Megachile Leaf-cutter bee is an extraordinary species. Although in appearance similar to the Honey Bee, this bee has a completely different lifestyle, most notably – the leaf-cutter bees lead solitary lives and don’t form hives. As their name suggests, these bees “cut” and then carefully sticks them together, using saliva, thus forming complex nests. Leaf-cutter
