The Puss Caterpillar

Deadliest December: The Puss Caterpillar
This insect -although cute and fuzzy- has done severe harm to people throughout the country. Young children have been reported with excruciating pain after petting them, or one having fallen onto them from a tree. The Megalopyge Opercularis (scientific name) is a venomous caterpillar, existing mainly in North and Central Florida These insects hide extremely toxic spines underneath their fuzz, and when pricked, the pain is similar to a bee sting, but worse. The pain increases or decreases based on the amount of spines that prick your skin, and some people have noted that their pain lasted up to twelve hours. The Puss Caterpillar is generally 1 inch long, before turning into female Flannel Moths. This species goes through what is called "boom and bust cycles"which means their population rises and falls drastically based on the season, but in the past 3-5 years their numbers have sky-rocketed without any explanation.

The Siberian Tiger

Deadliest December: The Siberian Tiger

This majestic creature is known as dangerous, deadly, and simply horrific, but as true "Tiger Lovers" know, they are deeply misunderstood. The Siberian Tigers live mainly in eastern Russia's Birch Forests, although there is a scarce population of them in China and North Korea. This fascinating animal is slowly -but entirely- going extinct, and according to the latest research there are only 400-500 of them left. These tigers live in a harsher climate than most, but they do have certain
advantages, such as human density being lower than any other tiger habitat in the world. Panthera Tigris Altaica (scientific name) are known for their strength, agility, and power, while also being graceful, stealthy, and dignified mammals. Their size rockets past every member of the wildcat family, measuring up to 11 feet in length. These incredible forms of life were once a part of a family of eight other species of tigers, that have all gone completely extinct during the 20th century. Over the last hundred years the tiger population has gone from hundreds of thousands, to thousands, to now less than 1,000 tigers. This drastic drop in numbers is due to hunting, forest destruction, human agriculture, as hunting trophies, and some body parts are used in traditional Chinese medicines. Poaching, although extremely reduced, is still a massive issue in the process of saving Siberian Tigers. These tigers have been hanging on by a thin thread, fighting for their lives to remain of this earth, and we, as a race, are obligated to make an effort to salvage them.

Deadliest December: Polar Bear

When you hear "polar bear" a fluffy white bear might pop into your brain. These massive bears look cute and cuddly, but they are actually extreme killers. Polar bears, or Ursus maritimus live mainly in the Arctic Circle. They make dens in the snowy masses of land. Polar bears can swim exceptionally well because of their massive paws, although they prefer land. Seals are their main food source; they use a method of hunting called still-hunting, where they stand near breathing holes in the ice and wait. When a seal comes up to breathe, they kill it. Polar bears are classified as "threatened" in the conservation status. The main reason is because of global warming, and the melting of the polar ice caps. While these animals cause at least ten deaths per year, they are still endangered, and we should help to keep these animals alive.

Northern Goshawk

     The northern goshawk, or Accipiter gentilis, is a ferocious diurnal raptor endemic to central and western north america. These terrifying birds of prey have blood-red eyes, dark grey feathers, a black beak, and long black talons, giving them a mysterious dark appearance. This goshawk is extremely territorial, and will attack any threat to their nest, even humans. They are swift hunters and can catch large prey, such as hares, ducks, and other waterfowl, with one blow from their sharp claws.

Gila Monster

    The Gila monster, or Heloderma suspectum, is America's largest and only poisonous lizard species. It certainly lives up to the term monster. Their bite is extremely painful, as they latch on to their victim to let neurotoxins enter the wound. They are found in the deserts of the southwestern states, and part of Mexico. Gilas spend much of their time in their burrows, only coming out to eat. Due to ever-constant human encroachment, the Gila monster is viewed as threatened.

Coywolves

    A coywolf is a hybrid between a wolf (Canis lupus) and a coyote (Canis latrans). Recently, due to small pure wolf populations, the coywolf has become America's newest top predator. The coywolf is much larger than a coyote, and hunts in packs. However, they have adopted a special trait from coyotes; they have a much lesser fear of humans than wolves. Almost all coyotes, unlike other hybrids, bred in the wild. Leading it to be one of the most successful non-man-made hybrids. Although many view coywolves as a nuisance, could they be nature's way of filling the gray wolve's niche as apex predator?

Red Lipped Batfish

These strange looking fish have long and sharp nose and they also look like they put a lot of lipstick on their lips These fish live in tropical climates. They have a broad head and  large lumps covering their body. What’s interesting from this strange sea creature is that unlike any other fishes, they are horrible swimmers. You probably find this very weird and in my opinion when i think of fish the first thing that pops up in my head is fish: swimming.  They might be strange looking but they are harmless creatures. The maximum length of the red-lipped batfish is about 40 cm long. Like many deep sea fish, red-lipped batfish are voracious carnivores

Red drum

Red drum, also called redfish, channel bass, spottail, red bass or reds, are one of Florida’s most popular sport fish and the state’s most widespread estuarine fish. Red drum are named after the "drumming" sound the make during spawning and when taken out of the water. The sound is produced by muscles rubbing against the inflated air bladder. Red drum inhabit the nearshore and offshore waters throughout the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Key West. Juvenile red drum inhabit rivers, bays, canals, tidal creeks, and passes in estuaries for up to four years, after which they usually move to nearshore or open ocean waters as adults. Red drum in Florida can reach lengths of 45 inches and weigh up to 51 pounds. The world record red drum was caught off North Carolina waters in 1984 and it weighed 94 pounds, 2 ounces.The oldest recorded red drum in Florida was aged at 40 years.

The Aardwolf

 The Aardwolf is a species of small insectivores related to hyenas. The Aardwolf lives in africa and preys mainly on termites. There only predators besides humans are black backed jackals, owls, leopards, and other hyenas. They are not an endangered species even though ranchers shoot them cause they think they will kill livestock.

Greater Bird-of-Paradise

The majestic Greater Bird-of-Paradise, or Paradisaea apoda is native to New Guinea and Aru Islands, Indonesia. These birds eat mainly nuts, seeds, and small insects. They are labeled "Least Concern" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, hunted for their plumage, but not endangered yet. Carolus Linnaeus invented the scientific name for this bird, Paradisaea apoda. The name, meaning legless bird-of-paradise was invented because of a misconception that the birds could fly for long periods of time and would never touch the ground until their moment of death. 

The Roloway Monkey

      The Roloway monkey, or Cercopithecus roloway, is an endangered species found in the jungles of West Africa. This guenon (Old World monkey) is distinguishable by its long beard. Roloway monkeys live in the canopies of jungles and rainforests in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia among other West African areas. The Roloway monkey is an omnivore, and eats a diverse selection of insects, fruits, seeds, and flowers. This monkey is endangered because of hawk-eagles, chimpanzees, leopards, and, most of all, humans. Africans kill the Roloway monkey for their bushmeat, a delicacy in West African cultures. The monkeys also breed less often because groups of males will stray off from their group, and the females will stay behind. The Roloway monkey is diurnal, and will spend its days hunting and sometimes playing in the lush African rainforests and jungles. 

White-Nosed Coatimundi

              The white-nosed coatimundi, or Nasua narica, is a raccoon-like mammal. The coatimundi, more commonly called the coati, lives in central America and the deserts of the southwestern states of America. It is a social animal and travels in groups of up to 24. The Coati can grow up to five feet long and can weigh up to 25 pounds. Coatis are diurnal and spend their days searching for insects, lizards, roots, fruits, and nuts to eat.

The Red Panda

The Red Panda,

  The Red Panda is not necessarily a panda, most people would assume that it is a red-panda.  It is not anything close to looking like one, it is more like a raccoon that is red.  They live in China and are hunted for there fur.  A different name for it is Lesser panda or Red cat-bea.  There main meal/diet is bamboo,  they will also eat small mammals, birds, flowers, bark and many more things.  The last thing about the Red Panda is there behavior, there behavior is very much like a cat how they clean there self, etc.  Here is a picture of the
Red Panda.

Asian Carp

The Asian Carp is a catchall name for species of Bighead, Grass, Black, and Silver carp that come from southeast Asia. Silver carp are threat to all boaters because they are huge, hard-headed, beasts that will jump out of the water when startled by things such as motor boats engines, or even a paddle from a row boat.

People are desperately trying to keep Asian Carp out of the Great Lakes (Michigan, Huron, Erie, Superior, and Ontario) but a Bighead carp was found just five miles away from Lake Michigan.

The Aye-Aye

This strange little creature is called the aye-aye, or Daubentonia madagascariensis. Although the aye-aye looks like something from an alien movie, it is actually a primate, related to apes, chimpanzees and humans. The aye-aye lives solely on the island of Madagascar. It's diet consists of fruit, nectar, seeds, insect larvae, nuts and more. Aye-aye's use their long, flexible fingers to dig out their food.  The aye-aye is nocturnal, and lives in rain forest trees, very rarely coming down to the ground. They are considered a bad omen to the natives of Madagascar, and because of that are killed on sight. That, plus habitat destruction, have caused the aye-aye to become critically endangered. They are now protected by law.

Pink Fairy Armadillo

The pink fairy armadillo is the smallest known species of armadillo. They range from 90-115 mm in length, and (not including tail) weighs less than a pound. This interesting animal resides in Argentina, in the dry grasslands and deserts. Its long claws give it a superior digging ability, and in seconds it can bury itself, protecting it from predators, which is useful, because the pink fairy armadillo's shell is almost completely separate from it's body, and very thin. The pink fairy armadillo eats mainly ants, but will also eat worms, snails, or plants, although ants are it's main preference. The pink fairy armadillo, unfortunately, is endangered, but people are trying hard to keep this tiny little armadillo safe from extinction.

The Pinocchio Lizard

      The Pinocchio lizard, or Anolis proboscis, is a species of anole native to Ecuador, known for it's distinct nose. Declared extinct in the 1960's, one of these lizards was spotted in 2005 walking across a road in Ecuador. They have been spotted only a hand-full of times since then. They are named after the fictional character, Pinocchio. Discovered in 1953, Pinocchio lizards were only known for a few years before they supposedly went extinct. These endangered lizards are so rare that most sightings are along a single stretch of road. We can only hope that the Pinocchio lizard will survive and that human encroachment will not make them truly go extinct.

The Harris hawk

    Although this hawk doesn't look like anything special, it may very well be one of the most unique birds in the animal kingdom. The Harris Hawk, or Parabuteo unicinctus, is a bird of prey native to the Southwestern United States. What makes this bird so peculiar is it's interesting behavior. They are the only birds to hunt in packs, similarly to wolves. They commonly hunt in groups of up to eight birds. They can attain a wingspan of up to four feet. Another unique tactic that they use is known as "stacking". When "stacking", multiple Harris Hawks will stand on top of each other to survey their surroundings. Their pack-hunting comes in handy when hunting their favorite prey, the jackrabbit. They take turns chasing the rabbit, and when it tires, they go in for the kill. Because they are easily trainable, they are commonly utilized in the art of falconry. These hawks show that the world's raptors should be respected and cared for.

Jumbo-sized July: Giant Golden-crowned Flying Fox

       The golden-crowned flying fox, or Acerodon jubatus, is the largest species of bat in the world. Their faces are very fox-like, giving them the name, "flying fox". They also have golden fur on their heads, hence the name, "golden-crowned". As for the "giant" part, their 5 foot wingspan explains that pretty well. Although they are the size of a large hawk, these bats only weigh about 2.5 pounds. Although they are frighteningly huge, they are not carnivores; they feed upon fruit. These majestic creatures are solely found in the Philippines, but are rare even there. The golden-crowned flying fox is highly endangered and at risk of extinction. However, few people are concerned with their conservation.

Pistol Shrimp

    Pistol shrimp, also known as snapping shrimp, or Alpheidae, is a family of arthropods with a bizarre adaptation. These shrimp have developed an over-sized claw with a small hole on one of their arms. They quickly snap this claw together, creating a high pressure bubble within it. This causes a high velocity stream of water to shoot through the hole in their claw, carrying a bubble in it's wake. This bubble is rapidly shrinking, and compressing the air inside, creating a pocket of oxygen that can reach up to 10,000 degrees fahrenheit. When this bubble erupts, it not only emits a sound capable of stunning fish, but creates a flash of light which scientists dub, "shrimpoluminescence".  The pistol shrimp mainly feeds upon smaller fish and invertebrates. These unique shrimp are barely the size of your finger, but they are one of the loudest creatures in the ocean.

Jumbo Sized July: Piraiba

     The piraiba is a giant cat fish that can grow up to 10 feet in length and 600 pounds in weight. Piraiba have been known to eat almost anything including humans. they live in Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Guyana. There are several more large catfish including the red-tail catfish and the goonch. These are some of the most feared freshwater fish on Earth.  

Jumbo-sized July: Megaladapis

     The genus Megaladapis is an extinct group of lemurs, consisting of three species. These primates, the largest of their kind, could grow to five feet long, and weighed up to 110 pounds. These creatures resided peacefully in Madagascar until 1,500 years ago, when colonists arrived. The colonists destroyed their habitat and hunted them, causing their population to dwindle down until they went extinct 500 years ago. It most likely fed upon vegetation among the trees that it lived in. Unlike most primates, megaladapis's eyes were located on the sides of it's head, rather than on the front.

Jumbo Sized July: Japanese Spider Crab

The japanese spider crab is usually found in the pacific ocean near Japan. It lives at depths of 160 - 2,000 feet. It was named the spider crab because its similarity to a spider. the spider crab usually grows to 15 inches wide and up to 44 pounds, But the males are usually bigger than the females. the japanese spider crab is one of the largest arthropods known.

Jumbo-sized July: Saltwater Crocodile

     The Saltwater Crocodile is the world's largest living reptile. This creature'a habitat stretches from the northeast corner of the Indian Ocean all the way to the Western Pacific. This giant crocodile can eat anything that fits in its deadly jaws including: monkeys, wild boar, and even sharks. The way this giant can devour such massive animals is by propelling themselves out of the water with their powerful tail. Then, they grasp their victims with its deadly jaws. Next, it submerges under the water and waits until its helpless victims drown. Though these animals are at low risk of extinction and have a population of around 200,000-300,000, their skins are the most coveted among all crocodile skins.

Jumbo-sized July: Polar Bear

       The polar bear, or Ursus maritimus, is the largest terrestrial carnivore in the world. The largest species of bears, they can reach lengths of up to nine feet. Polar bears mainly eat seals, but have been known to eat walruses and beluga whales. They are native to the arctic, and certain arctic regions nearby. The polar bear is solitary for the majority of its adulthood. To reach the seals that they prey upon under the ice, the polar bear uses a peculiar tactic. It uses it's excellent sense of smell to locate a seal den, then it smashes it's paws downward to crush the thick layer of ice and reach the seal. The polar bear is classified as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and it is known that only about 20,000 of these bears are still alive. Their main threat is global warming, which is harshly reducing their range. Although there are many conservation efforts in action, some scientists believe that polar bears could go extinct by 2050.

The Aloe Plant

           The Aloe Plant is a succulent plant that can usually survive with or with out aid from humans.
Their healing and soothing properties are well known and come from a semi-sticky substance that comes from the inner part of it's leaves.

Jumbo-sized July

    We are excited to announce that throughout July, we will be releasing posts about the giants of the animal kingdom. Please enjoy Jumbo-sized July.

Post Of The Month

      We are happy to announce that the votes for June's post of the month are in. The favorite post of June is............. Megalania Prisca, by Wyatt Cummings! Megalania Prisca came in first with 2 votes. The Silent Rattlesnake, by Drew Rogers, tied for second with 1 vote with Monster Of The Deep, by Wyatt Cummings. Remember your favorites from July for next time!

Axolotl

 The axolotl are also known as the Mexican salamander or the Mexican walking fish. Though many people call it a walking fish it is not a fish. The axolotl are amphibians. Axolotl do not go through metamorphosis, because of this they stay in water their whole life and always have gills. In 2010 they almost went extinct due to water pollution and to this day they are still endangered.

Giant Pacific octopus

Giant Pacific octopus's are usually reddish-pink with a delicate, veinlike pattern when you see them up close, fading to white on the underside of the tentacles. Its eight arms are covered with suction cups—2,240 of them in females, about 100 fewer in males—which give the octopus an iron grip as well as exquisite powers of taste and smell.

 When Full-grown giant Pacific octopus often top 50 pounds, and the record was a creature weighing 600 pounds and measuring nearly 30 feet across. 

 

Golden Dorado

    The Golden Dorado (Salminus brasiliensis) is a large river fish that lives in central and east-central South America. Despite having Salminus in its name, the dorado is not related to any species of salmon, nor to the saltwater fish also called dorado. It is very popular among recreational anglers and also supports large commercial fisheries.    The average size of the golden dorado is about 3–10 kilograms (6.6–22 lb). The largest recorded size is 100 centimetres (39 in) length and 31.4 kilograms (69 lb). Golden Dorado live in warm freshwater habitats in southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia and northern Argentina, where found in the river basins of the Paraguay, Uruguay, Chapare and Mamoré, and the drainage of the Lagoa dos Patos. The dorado is considered an endangered species in Paraguay and therefore a 5-year fishing ban is currently on effect there. Other South American river basins hold relatives of this species: S. franciscanus in the São Francisco Basin, S. hilarii in the upper Paraná, Amazon and Orinoco basins, and S. affinis in the Santiago and Magdalena basins in Ecuador and Colombia.

The Wild Rat

The Wild Rat is a hardy that have no problem adjusting to change. Once a Wild Rat makes a home in house it is nearly impossible to get rid of. They can survive in habitats that would kill a common mouse .Even when it is tried extensively to exterminate them, a Wild Rat will be stubborn and do what-ever it takes to stay there. So the best way to cope with these animals is to live with the fact that their there and you cant do anything about it.

Post Of The Month

     Over June, you have seen many posts, from extinct snakes to carnivorous plants. But now, it is time to vote on your favorites. The post with the most votes by July 1st wins post of the month. Post your favorites in the comments, and we will reveal the winner afterwards. Choose wisely!

The Dumbo Octopus

The Dumbo Octopuses are known to be the deepest living species of octopus at around 12,000 feet below the surface. It's name appropriately comes from the Disney character, Dumbo, the flying elephant, because of the octopuses large ear like fins on the top of it's head. There are 17 known species of Dumbo Octopus. They can grow to be up to five feet in diameter and unlike other octopus species that grind up their prey the Dumbo Octopus swallows it prey whole.

The Silent Rattlesnake

The Silent Rattlesnake is not a new species of rattlesnake, but a adaptation that rattlesnakes are beginning to adopt. Humans are one of the main causes of this adaptation because we have taken to killing rattlesnakes on sight. Usually it isn't us seeing them, but them rattling and us locating the source of the sound and killing it. But when the rattlesnake doesn't rattle it tends to not be noticed and therefore not be killed making the non-rattling version of the species more dominant than the original rattling version. This good or bad adaptation has been around for around six or seven years but is only being publicly noticed in the past year or so.

Monitor Mayhem: Nile Monitor

    The Nile monitor, or Varanus niloticus, is a species of monitor native to central and southern Africa. These carnivores prey upon crocodile eggs, fish, frogs, turtles, rodents, lizards, mussels, crabs, and snails. They are commonly found in the woodlands and swamps of their range. Their main predators are crocodiles and pythons. They can measure in length from 5 to 7 feet. This aggressive lizard  has a whipping tail and a powerful bite force. They are semi-aquatic and can stay underwater for up to an hour, allowing them to evade predators or stalk prey. Due to release from pet owners, Nile monitors have established a population in south Florida. In this environment, they can prey upon native and endangered Florida species. There are efforts to end the invasion, but if these monitors spread and thrive, they might become the dominant species, and spread to northern states.

Monitor Mayhem: Crocodile Monitor

       The crocodile monitor, or Varanus salvadorii, is a species of monitor lizard native to southern New Guinea. Weighing up to 200 pounds and measuring an outstanding 12 feet, they are the longest monitors in the world. There even reports from natives of the island of 20 foot crocodile monitors. This could explain the New Guinea reports of the extinct monitor, Megalania prisca. These top predators feed upon birds, mammals, fish, and reptiles. They are diurnal and arboreal so they spend much of their days in the canopy. They are mainly dark-colored with lighter spots. Like other monitors, crocodile monitors have a whip-like tail, rough skin, and powerful muscles. Unlike their relatives, these monitors' teeth are serrated, similar to a crocodile's teeth, giving them their name. Their tails are so powerful that when whipped, people can even obtain severe lacerations. Some people have compared them to velociraptors because of their calculating minds. They have been known to keep an eye on everyone nearby, and when cornered, plan escapes. Due to their range of uncharted land, there are no accurate population estimates. However, because of their rarity, there are conservation efforts to save these secretive giants.

Monitor Mayhem: Komodo Dragon

      The Komodo dragon, or Varanus komodoensis, is a species of monitor lizards indigenous to the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia. They are the largest lizards in the world, measuring 10 feet long and weighing up to 300 pounds. They are armed with razor sharp teeth, poisonous bacteria in their saliva, sharp claws, and a muscular tail which they utilize as a whip. Komodo dragons feed upon deer, pigs, smaller monitor lizards, water buffalo, and even humans. Only about 5,000 of these lizards are believed to be alive in the wild, causing them to be classified as endangered. The Komodo dragon is an elusive creature and was only discovered about 100 years ago. Although attacks are rare, there have been over 10 attacks within the last 5 years. This just goes to show that these majestic monitors should be observed, not disturbed.