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In the new minecraft 1.17 update came with the animal the axoltotk

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There are very few people who have heard the word Axolotl, and even fewer who really know what it is. I did some research on this unique little creature and have come up with a guide that is perfect for beginners and anyone else who is interested in learning more about these strange animals.

What is an Axolotl? Commonly known as the Mexican walking fish, the Axolotl is a type of salamander that never outgrows its aquatic phase and is found in Mexico. This aquatic anomaly is severely endangered because of the love that people have in making it a pet.

There is a lot of wonder and intrigue surrounding the Axolotl because not many people know much about it and because of its unique and special look. The Axolotl is not the kind of pet that beginners should buy spur of the moment, but are a special species that should be prepared for months in advance.

What is an Axolotl?

Everyone's big question is "What is an Axolotl?" People are buzzing trying to figure this out. Is it a fish? Is it a lizard? What in the world could an Axolotl be?

Luckily we know the answer. Part of the salamander family the Axolotl, Mexican walking fish, is a species of salamander that has stopped developing in their adolescent stage and remains aquatic.

The Axolotl really differs from its salamander cousins in its stationary state in the water. It, unlike all other salamanders, keeps its dorsal fin that run almost the full length of its back to the tip of its tail and its frilly gills that stick out from behind its head.

On rare occasions, the Axolotl has been known to progress to live on the ground, but in general, these creatures love their habitat at the bottom of their lake where they are safe and content.

Axolotls are only found in Mexico and only in a certain place called Xochimilco that is made up of lakes and canals. There these creatures can live and grow.

Unfortunately, in recent years the axolotls have been put on the endangered species list and then on the critically endangered species list. This is due to a number of factors that humans have brought into the picture.

Axolotls gills have often been referred to as feathery head dresses, because of the way that they crown their heads and stick out of their necks.

The Xochimilco lake used to be clear and full of clean water but now because of pollution the water is dirty and full of particles that cause the Axolotls to receive cuts and damages to their skin as well as their insides.

The demand for Axolotls as a pet has also driven the desire for people to steal them and sell them into captivity. Luckily today in order to sell an Axolotls it needs to be bred in captivity. it is now illegal to capture the Axolotls.

Another problem that humans have been declared in charge of, is the introduction of larger species to the lake. Throughout time the Axolotls have been on the top of the food chain surviving off of fish and worms.

But now that humans have introduced new species into the Xochimilco lake they are starting to attack and kill the remaining Axolotls. Causing them to dip farther and farther onto the endangered species list.

There are some breeders in the United States that are breeding these endangered animals and there are also new laws saying that wild Axolotls are not to be caught and sold as pets.

This doesn't stop the locals from making a meal out of these special amphibians as they eat one of their countries most famous and delicious delicacies.

A Complete Beginners' Species Guide to Axolotls

There is a lot to know about the Axolotl salamander and a lot more to learn about the world because of them, and because of the future discoveries made possible through them.

So, let's start at the very beginning as we learn our way through this guide about the Axolotl species. There is a lot of knowledge to gain from the past and the events that have led up to our day.

History of the Axolotls

The history of the Axolotl actually come to us in the form of a myth. It is said that the original Axolotl was a dog-headed god named Xolotl. It was required of all the gods to sacrifice themselves to fire in order to create a new element on earth.

When it came Xolotl's turn to sacrifice himself he ran instead. Perused by his brother Quetzalcoatl, another god, Xolotl found Lake Xochimilco and transformed himself into an Axolotl to hide.

Finding his brother hidden in lake Xochimilco, Quetzalcoatl cursed him to be an Axolotl forever. Unable to evolve onto land he was punished to live forever in darkness as a water monster.

Even the name Axolotl means water dog after the myth of Xolotl and his brother. Although this myth is not a historical fact, it is the only history of the Axolotl that we humans have.

When it comes to evolution a lot of people wonder what the Axolotl evolved from. While the answer is still unknown, it is a common belief that the Axolotl is actually a step backward in evolution.

It is believed that because Axolotls are stuck in their juvenile state that they digressed in the form of evolution. They are rumored to be decedents of the tiger salamander, because of successful inbreeding, these creatures seem to cause quite the conundrum.

Difference Between Axolotl and Other Salamanders

Differences between Axolotl and
Salamanders

Similarities between Axolotl
and
Salamanders

Axolotl never go through
metamorphose while
other salamanders do.

The both belong to the same
genus.

Salamanders live on land while the
Axolotl live in the water.

Both Salamanders and
Axolotl lay
their eggs in water.

Salamanders and Axolotl have different matinf rituals

Most Salamanders and all Axolotl
reproduce by the male excreting his sperm
and the female then picking it up
with her colacal lips.

Size and Looks are Important

When we hear the words water monster we normally think of something huge like the loch ness monster but really these water monsters are about 6 inches long.

Although, larger Axolotl can reach about 12 inches in length. Female Axolotls are usually larger than males and grow even more while they are preparing to reproduce.

In the wild, these salamanders are normally a brownish color with spots of yellow and white in captivity though they are bred to be either dark, white/ albino, or yellow.

It is very rare and almost unheard of to find a completely albino or yellow Axolotl naturally in the wild. There dark molted skin helps them to blend into their surroundings on the lake floor.

Axolotls Have Special Skills that Humans Want

Most amphibians and lizards can regrow parts of their bodies but the Axolotl has taken it to another level that is completely unheard of except for these little guys.

Axolotls can regrow any limb any amount of time. The can regrow legs, arms, feet, tails, spines, spinal cords, jaws, tongues, and even their own brains.

These creatures have amazing powers of regeneration because they never grow out of their embryonic state. This is very useful for Axolotl because they have very sensitive skin and this regrowth helps them to heal nicks and tears in their skill with no scaring at all.

Not to mention that axolotls can regrow any limb over 100 times. This allows for a lot of wounds to be healed free of scaring as many times as it needed. This is not only a helpful skill for Axolotl but also one that human scientists have admired for years.

Trying to replicate and apply this ability to regrow any part of itself to other amphibians and even to humans has been in trials for years. So far, there have been no successes.

Although, they have been able to transplant organs from one Axolotl to another, and the Axolotl accepted the transplant completely and without any problems.

The Lifespan of the Axolotl

Axolotls live for about 15 years, and when they are kept in clean environments they very easily achieve that. That means that getting an Axolotl as a pet is at least a 15-year commitment.

Growing up as an Axolotl is an interesting process. Axolotls have neoteny which means that although they reach adulthood they never actually mature out of their juvenile state.

That is why they stay in the water their whole lives. So the Axolotls lungs develop, but they rarely use them because of their gills, which give them plenty of oxygen under the water.

Just because Axolotls have lungs and can breathe out of the water does not mean that they can survive out of the water. They cannot walk on land and they are not meant to be out of the water for extended periods of time.

Eating Habits Tell Us a Lot About Axolotls

A lot of people wonder what the Axolotls eat and how they survive in their habitat. Well, these kings of the food chain are known for eating some fish but most of their diet consists of worms, mollusks, insect larvae, and crustaceans.

The only real natural predator of the Axolotl are birds like storks and herons, but humans have changed the game for the Axolotl. Humans have introduced bigger fish into lake Xochimilco which has seriously influenced the Axolotl.

No longer the top of the food chain, the introduction of these new and big species of fish into the Axolotl's habitat has caused a severe drop in the amount of Axolotls that are able to survive.

Now they have to deal with predators that they are not evolved to face and that are causing their deaths. Because of human interference these amphibians may be lost in the wild forever.

Reproduction is What Keeps All Species Alive

Male and female Axolotls reproduce in a sort of dance. The male Axolotl will show that he is interested by nudging his head under the hindquarters of the female Axolotl.

If the female shows interest they male will move to her front and start leading her around her head to his tail. As the male walks forward he deposits sperm packs in the water.

He then leads the female over them and she takes them in through her cloaca. Then will continue this dance for about an hour with the male continually dropping sperm and the female continually taking sperm in.

Within 12 to 72 hours the eggs are fertilized and laid, preferably in a plant, and then after about the same amount of time they hatch and grow very rapidly. They are fully mature around 18 months.

Axolotls in Captivity

Having an Axolotl in captivity is hard and they need a lot of special attention. For that reason, beginner pet and fish owners are persuaded into buying other fish before they move on to Axolotls.

Basically, they are not for beginners and it is simply because they have very demanding needs in order to survive in captivity. Axolotls are sensitive and should be treated as thus.

Before you purchase and pick up your Axolotl you need to prepare their terrarium about a month in advance. Axolotls need special water that is partially distilled and partially salt water.

Once you have the right blend, which can be mixed in the home or bought at the store, you need to monitor the levels of nitrate and ammonia for about two weeks, so that the balance isn't off.

Once you have the water right you should place big smooth rocks in the water. If you use small rocks your Axolotl will eat them and it may cause serious problems with their digestive tracts.

You can keep about 3 Axolotls in one ten-gallon tank, but they must each have their own cave or hideaway that they can claim dominion over.

You can decorate their terrariums with some fake plants but make sure that they are smooth and soft so that your Axolotl does cut their skin on them. Because of their skin, everything in their terrariums should be soft and smooth.

Axolotls should be kept in 10-gallon tanks and the water should be kept in the low sixties. The filter should also be able to change settings because their needs be a slow flow coming from the filter.

In two strong of a current, these little creatures can damage their skin. It is also important to change their water regularly so that it stays clean and pure.

In order to feed your Axolotl, you should decide if you are going to feed them live food or pellets. Whichever you decide you should feed them little amounts throughout the day, and try to feed them in the same spot every time.

If you feed an Axolotl all at once in one big meal, it will gorge itself which will then, in turn, cause major digestive issues that a specialized vet will have to take care of.

This is why they steer beginners away from Axolotls. They have a lot of special needs and are a lot of work. But if you are used to taking care of these types of animals it can be an easy transition to raising an Axolotl.

Related Questions:

Can Axolotls regenerate their heads? Known for their power over regeneration, Axolotls can regenerate almost any part of their bodies including their brains, jaw, and spine. They can regrow any part of their body over 100 times.

How many Axolotls are left in the world as of 2018? It is said, that there are 700-1200 Axolotls living in the wild today. They are in extreme danger because of the destruction of their natural habitat.

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What is an Axolotl? A Complete Species Guide for Beginners | Embora Pets

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There are very few people who have heard the word Axolotl, and even fewer who really know what it is. I did some research on this unique little creature and have come up with a guide that is perfect for beginners and anyone else who is interested in learning more about these strange animals.

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FIVE FACTS ABOUT LION | THEY CAN SLEEP UPTO 20 HOUR IN A DAY

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FIVE FACTS ABOUT LION | THEY CAN SLEEP UPTO 20 HOUR IN A DAY

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Lion Whisperer | Racing Extinction (360 Video)

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It is ok if you are bored of reading don't worry i got you here is a video BTW my next thing will also be a video😉🤫

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(Image credit: Jeffrey Lagmay via Shutterstock)

When the Aztecs settled the Valley of Mexico around what is now Mexico City in the 13th century, they found a large salamander living in the lake surrounding the island where they built their capital, Tenochtitlán. They called the salamander "axolotl" after Xolotl, their god of fire and lightning. Xolotl was said to have transformed into a salamander, among other forms, to avoid being sacrificed so the sun and moon could move in the sky; he was eventually captured and killed, according to Aztec mythology.

In the same vein, axolotls were commonly killed for food by the Aztecs and are still eaten in today. But beyond Aztec mythology and the dinner plate, axolotls have become one of the world's most famous salamanders, whether as pets thanks to their charisma and easy care, or more recently as highly sought-after characters in the popular online games Minecraft and Fortnite. The creatures' extraordinary ability to regenerate body parts has even made them an interesting study subject for scientists. But in their native home in Mexico, the salamanders are rapidly disappearing and are considered critically endangered.

Axolotls ( Ambystoma mexicanum) are amphibians belonging to the single living genus of the family Ambystomatidae. There are more than 30 salamander species in the Ambystoma genus, known as the mole salamanders, according to the University of California, Berkeley's, AmphibiaWeb.

Axolotls can grow on average to a length of 9 inches (20 centimeters), but some have grown to more than 12 inches (30 cm) long. In captivity, the salamanders live an average of 5 to 6 years, but some have lived for up to 17 years, according to the University of Liverpool's The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database.

Where do axolotls live?

Wild axolotls live exclusively in the swampy remnants of Lake Xochimilco and the canals leading to it on the southern edge of Mexico City. Axolotls also once lived in Lake Chalco, another of Mexico City's five "great lakes" where the ancient Aztecs settled. But all of those lakes, except for Xochimilco, were drained by the 1970s to prevent flooding and to allow urban expansion, NBC News reported.

Axolotls' carnivorous diet historically put them at the top of the food chain. They eat anything they can snatch: Mollusks, fish and arthropods like insects and spiders. They even eat each other. In the 1970s and 1980s, though, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization introduced tilapia and carp fish to the salamanders' habitat to provide local people with more protein, according to JSTOR Daily. Those fish chow down on young axolotls and are an invasive threat to the salamanders.

How do axolotl reproduce?

Axolotl reproduction starts with dancing - literally. After a male and female nudge and stroke one another's urogenital opening called the cloaca, the salamanders step in a circle in a sort of waltz, according to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web. The male then struts away while seductively shimmying his tail, luring the female to follow. As the two dance partners step together, the male drops a small white capsule full of sperm called a spermatophore. With the female in tow, the male moves forward until the female just skirts over the spermatophore and picks it up with her cloaca.

Axolotls go through this courtship once a year, typically between March and June. When the courtship dancing is done, the female axolotl will individually attach her 100 to 300 jelly-coated eggs to aquatic plants or rocks. Around 10 to 14 days later, the eggs hatch, and the young fend for themselves. It takes about a year for axolotls to become sexually mature.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Axolotls are one of several salamander species, however, that never metamorphose into terrestrial adults that are primarily lung-breathing. American evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould described the adult salamanders as "sexually mature tadpoles" because they forever retain their juvenile characteristics: a fully aquatic lifestyle, a finned tail, and frilly gills. This evolutionary phenomenon of "everlasting youth" is called paedomorphosis, or neoteny. Scientists can force axolotls in the lab to metamorphose by introducing iodine to their environment or injecting them with thyroid hormones, but axolotl metamorphosis rarely occurs in the wild, researchers reported in 2015 in the journal BioScience.

Biologists considered this obligate trait of axolotls a major force of evolution - a characteristic that could genetically isolate a population from other nearby salamander species and, consequently, could drive the rapid development of new species. But a 2021 study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that select sets of genes from axolotls and their relatives are almost indistinguishable. Throughout their history, the various salamander species (some with obligate paedomorphosis, others not) have interbred, providing new and potentially important context for researchers trying to conserve axolotls and their relative, and implying that scientists could look to related but less-endangered salamander species to answer research questions for which axolotls have been used.

Why are axolotls endangered?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources considers axolotls critically endangered and their population declining. Surveys in 1998 and 2008 found that the population density had dropped from about 6,000 individuals per square kilometer (0.4 square miles) to 100 individuals per square kilometer. A more recent survey in 2015 found about 35 individuals per square kilometer.

has been particularly detrimental to the species. Poor waste regulations and increasing tourism in Mexico City mean that trash, plastics, heavy metals and high levels of ammonia spilled from waste-treatment plants clog the canals where the salamanders live.

In coordination with the Mexican government, scientists, farmers and nonprofit organizations are working to restore the axolotl's habitat, using floating islands of water plants, logs and mud called chinampas to filter the polluted water, National Geographic reported. Organizations are also providing opportunities for interested tourists to see the salamanders in their natural habitats, with proceeds going toward conservation efforts.

While a substantial captive axolotl population exists in research labs around the world, accounting for several thousand individuals, these salamanders stem from 34 individuals shipped to Paris from Xochimilco, Mexico in 1863. Consequently, the population suffers from high rates of inbreeding - a major problem for forming a healthy and sustainable population.

(Image credit: Francisco Gomez Sosa via Shutterstock)

Axolotls in research

Among the axolotl's trademark talents is its ability to regrow almost any body part: feet, legs, tails and even bits of the heart and brain. The amphibians can even mobilize stem cells - cells that can pretty much form into any cell necessary - to repair an injured spinal cord, scientists reported in 2021 in the journal eLife. And axolotls don't stop with the regeneration of their own body parts. All sorts of organs, including eyes, can be transplanted between axolotls without rejection by the recipient body's immune system. In 1968, researchers showed that they could even transplant the head of one axolotl to another axolotl, and it functioned normally. The combination of these abilities makes axolotls attractive model organisms for scientists.

This ability to regenerate limbs and organs has contributed to a huge swath of research in regenerative biology, especially for medical applications. Researchers in 2013 discovered that white blood cells called macrophages are essential for axolotls' regenerative abilities. Without these cells, the salamanders just form a scar at the injury site, implying that macrophages in some way pump the brakes of scar formation. In 2021, researchers reported in the journal Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology that the salamander's macrophages come from its liver, not from bone marrow as they do in humans. While tissue and organ regeneration in humans is likely far more complicated than in a salamander, the finding provides researchers with a new and somewhat unexpected place to look in humans for potential regenerative therapies.

In 2018, researchers discovered another oddity about axolotls: Their genome is enormous. At about 32 billion pairs of DNA nucleotides, the axolotl genome dwarfs the human genome (which is about 10 times smaller) and ranks as the largest animal genome sequenced from beginning to end so far. Researchers in 2021 finally put those 32 billion base pairs in the order they're found on the salamander's chromosomes and uncovered how they're packaged. They reported in PNAS that the massive scale of the axolotl genome comes with some interesting consequences: The cell cycle that produces new cells takes 3 to 4 times longer than the typical 24 hours in most vertebrates. And the genes responsible for making a protein in the body sometimes spanned hundreds of thousands of base pairs long - 100 to 1,000 times longer than in humans. Researchers are still wading through data from the genome to uncover the molecular secrets behind the axolotl's regenerative abilities, and to learn if such genetic machinery could ever be activated in humans to do the same.

Additional resources
This article was updated on May 24, 2022, by Live Science Contributor Jeremy Rehm.

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Axolotls: The adorable, giant salamanders of Mexico

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Axolotls are cute, charismatic salamanders that have an almost otherworldly ability to regenerate their body parts. But pollution and urbanization critically threaten this species' survival.

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Bears

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According to Aztec legend, the first axolotl (pronounced axo-LO-tuhl) was a god who changed his form in order to escape being sacrificed. The sneaky transformation from terrestrial salamander to a fully aquatic form did not save later generations from death. The Aztecs ate axolotls. Back when the animals were common, you could buy them as food in Mexican markets.

While the axolotl may not be a god, it's an amazing animal. Learn how to recognize an axolotl, why scientists are fascinated by them, and how to care for one as a pet.

Fast Facts: Axolotl

Description

An axolotl is a type of salamander, which is an amphibian. Frogs, newts, and most salamanders undergo a metamorphosis to transition from life in the water to life on land. The axolotl is unusual in that it doesn't undergo a metamorphosis and develop lungs. Instead, axolotls hatch from eggs into a juvenile form that grows to become its adult form. Axolotls keep their gills and permanently reside in the water.

A mature axolotl (18 to 24 months in the wild) ranges in length from 15 to 45 centimeters (6 to 18 inches). An adult specimen weighs anywhere between 2 and 8 ounces. An axolotl resembles other salamander larvae, with lidless eyes, a wide head, frilled gills, long digits, and a long tail. A male has a swollen, papillae-lined cloaca, while a female has a wider body that is full of eggs. The salamanders have vestigial teeth. Gills are used for respiration, although the animals sometimes gulp surface air for supplemental oxygen.

Axolotls have four pigmentation genes, giving rise to a wide range of colors. The wild-type coloration is olive brown with gold speckles. Mutant colors include pale pink with black eyes, gold with gold eyes, gray with black eyes, and black. Axolotls can alter their melanophores to camouflage themselves, but only to a limited extent.

Scientists believe axolotls descended from salamanders that could live on land, but reverted to water because it offered a survival advantage.

Animals Confused With Axolotls

People confuse axolotls with other animals partly because the same common names may be applied to different species and partly because axolotls do resemble other animals.

Animals confused with axolotls include:

Waterdog: A waterdog is the name of the larval stage of the tiger salamander ( Ambystoma tigrinum and A. mavotium). The tiger salamander and axolotl are related, but the axolotl never metamorphosizes into a terrestrial salamander. However, it's possible to force an axolotl to undergo metamorphosis. This animal looks like a tiger salamander, but the metamorphosis is unnatural and shortens the animals lifespan.

Mudpuppy: Like the axolotl, the mudpuppy ( Necturus spp.) is a fully aquatic salamander. However, the two species are not closely related. Unlike the axolotl, the common mudpuppy ( N. maculosus) is not endangered.

Habitat and Distribution

In the wild, axolotls only live in the Xochimilco lake complex, which is located near Mexico City. The salamanders may be found on the bottom of the lake and its canals.

The axolotl is a neotenic salamander, which means it doesn't mature into an air-breathing adult form. Neoteny is favored in cool, high-altitude environments because metamorphosis requires a huge energy expenditure. Axolotls can be induced to metamorphose by injection of iodine or thyroxine or by ingesting iodine-rich food.

Axolotls are carnivores. In the wild, they eat worms, insect larvae, crustaceans, small fish, and mollusks. The salamanders hunt by smell, snapping at prey and sucking it in like a vacuum cleaner.

Within the lake, axolotls had no real predators. Predatory birds were the biggest threat. Large fish were introduced into Lake Xochimilco, which ate the young salamanders.

Reproduction and Offspring

Much of what we know about axolotl reproduction comes from observing them in captivity. Captive axolotls become mature in their larval stage between 6 and 12 months of age. Females typically mature later than males.

The increasing temperature and light of spring signal the start of the axolotl breeding season. Males expel spermatophores into the water and try to lure a female over them. The female picks up the sperm packet with her cloaca, leading to internal fertilization. Females release between 400 and 1000 eggs during spawning. She lays each egg individually, attaching it to a plant or rock. A female may breed several times during a season.

The tail and gills of the larvae are visible within the egg. Hatching occurs after 2 to 3 weeks. Larger, earlier-hatching larvae eat smaller, younger ones.

Regeneration

The axolotl is a model genetic organism for regeneration. Salamanders and newts have the highest regenerative ability of any tetrapod (4-legged) vertebrates. The incredible healing ability extends well beyond replacing a lost tail or limbs. Axolotls can even replace some parts of their brains. In addition, they freely accept transplants (including eyes and brain portions) from other axolotls.

Conservation Status

Wild axolotls are headed to extinction. They are listed as critically endangered by IUCN. In 2013, no surviving axolotls were found in the Lake Xochimilco habitat, but then two individuals were found in the canals leading from the lake.

The decline of axolotls is due to multiple factors. Water pollution, urbanization (loss of habitat), and introduction of invasive species (tilapia and perch) may be more than the species can withstand.

Keeping an Axolotl in Captivity

However, the axolotl won't vanish! Axolotls are important research animals and fairly common exotic pets. They are uncommon at pet stores because they require a cool temperature, but may be obtained from hobbyists and scientific supply houses.

A single axolotl needs at least a 10-gallon aquarium, filled (no exposed land, like for a frog), and supplied with a lid (because axolotls jump). Axolotls cannot tolerate chlorine or chloramine, so tap water must be treated prior to use. A water filter is a necessity, but the salamanders cannot tolerate flowing water. They do not require light, so in an aquarium with plants, it's important to have large rocks or other hiding places. Pebbles, sand, or gravel (anything smaller than the axolotl's head) pose a risk because axolotls will ingest them and may die from gastrointestinal blockage. Axolotls need a year-round temperature in the low to mid-60s (Fahrenheit) and will die if exposed to prolonged temperature about 74 °F. They need an aquarium chiller to maintain the proper temperature range.

Feeding is the easy part of axolotl care. They will eat bloodworm cubes, earthworms, shrimp, and lean chicken or beef. While they will eat feeder fish, experts recommend avoiding them because salamanders are susceptible to parasites and diseases carried by fish.

Luis Zambrano; Paola Mosig Reidl; Jeanne McKay; Richard Griffiths; Brad Shaffer; Oscar Flores-Villela; Gabriela Parra-Olea; David Wake. "Ambystoma mexicanum". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2010. IUCN. 2010: e.T1095A3229615. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T1095A3229615.en

Malacinski, George M. "The Mexican Axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum: Its Biology and Developmental Genetics, and Its Autonomous Cell-Lethal Genes". American Zoologist. Oxford University Press. 18: 195-206, Spring 1978.

Pough, F. H. "Recommendations for the Care of Amphibians and Reptiles in Academic Institutions". Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1992.

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According to Aztec legend, the first axolotl (pronounced axo-LO-tuhl) was a god who changed his form in order to escape being sacrificed. The sneaky transformation from terrestrial salamander to a fully aquatic form did not save later generations from death. The Aztecs ate axolotls.

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See all the wonderful things Nwachukwu Ani has made

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joke time why did the chicken runaway because popyes was go eat him

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joke time why did the chicken runaway because popyes was go eat him

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Experience the Elusive Tiger | Racing Extinction (360 Video)

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Snow leopards live at very high elevations where there are steep cliffs. The wild goats and sheep they prey on are quite nimble at leaping from rock to rock-and so are snow leopards! The cat's huge paws have fur on the bottom that gives the leopard traction on the snow and protection from sharp rocks.

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Snow Leopards are big cats that live in central and south Asia. These beautiful animals are endangered due to habitat loss and hunting. This page contains information, pictures and a list of snow leopard facts for kids.

Find out about more endangered animals here.

Snow Leopard Facts: The Basics

Despite their name, snow leopards are more closely related to tigers than leopards. Unlike their African cousins, they have evolved to live in colder parts of the world. Snow leopards are also occasionally called 'ounces'.

Where Do Snow Leopards Live?

Snow leopards live in and around the mountains of central Asia, in countries such as Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan.

What Do Snow Leopards Look Like?

Smallest Of The Big Cats

Snow leopards are physically the smallest members of the group of animals known as the 'big cats'. (This group also includes lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars.) However, snow leopards are still fairly big animals, weighing around 25-55+ kg (60-120+ lbs). Their bodies (including their tails) are between 6 and 7.5 feet long.

Long Tails

Snow leopards' tails are longer, in proportion to body size, than those of most other cats. This may help to provide them with better balance for walking in rocky environments.

Adaptation To Mountain Life

The most obvious difference between snow leopards and other big cats is their colour. Snow leopards have smoky-grey coloured fur, which provides camouflage in rocky, snow-covered habitat. The snow leopard's spots - known as rosettes - help it to blend in with the rocks on the slopes of the mountains.

Snow leopards also have a number of other adaptations for living in the mountains. Whereas most big cats have yellow eyes, snow leopards have light green or grey eyes. This helps them to blend into their environment.

Snow leopards have thick fur. Their tails, which are not only long, but also thick, are used to protect their faces from the cold when the animal is resting. Snow leopards have wide paws, which allow them to walk on snow without sinking into it. The undersides of the paws are furry, to aid grip and to provide protection against the cold. Snow leopards' nasal cavities are large, to warm up the cold air.

Watch the video below to see for yourself how well camouflaged snow leopards are!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjxvrHDaxKc

Snow Leopard Habitat

Snow leopards live in mountainous terrain which, for much of the time, is covered with snow. Snow leopards live above the tree line at altitudes of 3000-6000 m. In the winter, snow leopards will live at lower altitudes, coming into forests and valleys.

Snow Leopard Facts For Kids: What Do Snow Leopards Eat?

Snow leopards are carnivores (meat eaters). They hunt by stalking and ambushing their prey, often from above. Snow leopards are capable of taking animals three times their weight. Common prey creatures include ibex, Himalayan blue sheep and Himalayan tahr. Snow leopards also hunt smaller animals such as rats, hares, and birds, and will also eat carrion.

Snow leopards occasionally prey on domestic livestock. This can cause farmers to hunt snow leopards in order to protect their livelihoods.

Why Are Snow Leopards Endangered?

The main reason snow leopards are endangered is habitat loss. More and more of its habitat is being developed into farmland. When this happens, the snow leopard loses not only its home, but also its food - it can no longer find enough animals to eat. Snow leopards are also hunted for their fur and their bones.

There are only about 6,000 snow leopards left in their natural habitat, and this number is decreasing. Today there are more snow leopards living in captivity than in the wild.

There are several charities that have been set up to help snow leopards, one of which is the Snow Leopard Trust.

10 Amazing Facts About Snow Leopards For Kids

1. Snow leopards can jump up to nine metres.

2. Snow leopards have long tails to help them balance, and keep them warm.

3. Unlike other big cats, snow leopards can't roar.

4. Snow leopards can live up to 20 years old.

5. To keep their feet warm, snow leopards have lots of thick fur on their paws.

6. Snow leopards are most active at dawn and dusk.

7. A female snow leopard gives birth to 2 or 3 cubs at a time.

8. Snow leopards have light green or grey eyes, unlike other big cats, whose eyes are yellow / orange.

9. Snow leopards rely on camouflage to hunt (and hide) in the snow.

10. The snow leopard's scientific name is 'Panthera uncia'.

Discover More with Active Wild

You can find out more about endangered animals on this page: Endangered Animals List with Pictures & Facts

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Snow Leopard Facts For Kids: Information, Pictures & Videos

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Snow Leopards are big cats that live in central and south Asia. These beautiful animals are endangered due to habitat loss and hunting. This page contains information, pictures and a list of snow leopard facts for kids. Find out about more endangered animals here.

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The snow leopard or ounce ( Panthera uncia) is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because the global population is estimated to number less than 10,000 mature individuals. As of 2016, the global population was estimated at 4,678 to 8,745 mature individuals.

The snow leopard inhabits alpine and subalpine zones at elevations from 3,000 to 4,500 m (9,800 to 14,800 ft), ranging from eastern Afghanistan to Mongolia and western China. In the northern range countries, it also occurs at lower elevations. The cat is closely related to the other big four in the genus .

Appearance

They weigh between 22 and 55 kg (49 and 121 lb).

They have grey and white fur with dark rosettes and spots, and their tails have stripes.

Its fur is very long and thick to protect it against the cold.

Their feet are also big and furry, which helps them to walk on snow easier.

Their tails are 80 to 105 cm (31 to 41 in) long. They use their long tails for balance and as blankets to cover sensitive body parts against the severe mountain chill.

They are one of the cats which cannot purr. The snow leopard has the longest tail of any cat, their unusually long tail helps maintain balance in the rocky terrains.

The snow leopard is solitary, except for females with cubs. They rear them in dens in the mountains for extended periods. Male snow leopards require a territory of around 80 square miles, while females require up to 48 square miles of territory.

Like other cats, snow leopards use scent marks to indicate their territories and common travel routes. These are most commonly produced by scraping the ground with the hind feet before depositing urine or scat, but they also spray urine onto sheltered patches of rock.

Snow leopards are solitary creatures and do not hunt in packs or groups.

Snow leopards are well camouflaged, and are crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk). They are known for being extremely secretive and well camouflaged. They stalk and eat medium-sized prey like Ibex, bharal (mountain sheep) and wild goats. It can survive on a single sheep for two weeks.

Snow leopards prefer to ambush prey from above, using broken terrain to conceal their approach. They try and land on the sheep, and kill it directly. If the sheep runs, they pursue it down steep mountainsides, using the momentum of their initial leap to chase prey for up to 300 m (980 ft).

They kill with a bite to the neck, and may drag the prey to a safe location before feeding. They consume all edible parts of the carcass, and can survive on a single bharal for two weeks before hunting again. Annual prey needs is 20-30 adult sheep (bharal).

Snow leopards eat almost anything they can catch, often hunting animals three times their size. Their main sources of food include wild sheep and goats, pikas, hares, and game birds. In the summer, they eat mostly smaller prey, such as marmots. At other times their prey includes wild boars, gazelles, markhor, bobak, tahr, ibex, bharal, mice, and deer. They stalk their prey and usually begin their attack when they are 20 to 50 feet (6-15 m) away.

The snow leopard's broad paws act as snow shoes and give them traction as they chase their prey across stone, snow, and icy surfaces. They are at their best when they can run across the hard, icy crusts that form above banks of deep snow while their prey breaks through the crust, getting mired in the soft, underlying snow.

In summer, snow leopards usually live above the tree line on mountainous meadows and in rocky regions at altitudes from 2,700 to 6,000 m (8,900 to 19,700 ft). In winter, they come down into the forests to altitudes around 1,200 to 2,000 m (3,900 to 6,600 ft). Snow leopards prefer broken terrain, and can travel without difficulty in snow up to 85 cm (33 in) deep, although they prefer to use existing trails made by other animals.

Snow leopards live in the high mountains of China and Central Asia, particularly throughout the Himalayas. They typically have a hunting range or territory of 100 square miles (260 square km), because very few prey animals live in the harsh, mountain habitat that is home to the snow leopard.

Reproduction

Snow leopards become mature at two to three years, and normally live for 15-18 years in the wild. In captivity they can live for up to 25 years. Females have a gestation period of 90-100 days, so the cubs are born between April and June.

The mother gives birth in a rocky den or crevice lined with fur shed from her underside. Litter sizes vary from one to five cubs, but the average is 2. The cubs are blind and helpless at birth, although already with a thick coat of fur. Their eyes open at around seven days, and the cubs can walk at five weeks and are fully weaned by 10 weeks. Also when they are born, they have full black spots which turn into rosettes as they grow to adolescence.

The cubs leave the den when they are around two to four months of age, but remain with their mother until they become independent after around 18-22 months. Once independent, they disperse over considerable distances, even crossing wide expanses of flat terrain to seek out new hunting grounds.

Conservation

The snow leopard is listed in CITES Appendix I. It has been listed as threatened with extinction in Schedule I of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals since 1985. Hunting snow leopards has been prohibited in Kyrgyzstan since the 1950s. In India, the snow leopard is granted the highest level of protection under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and hunting is sentenced with imprisonment of 3-7 years. In Nepal, it has been legally protected since 1973, with penalties of 5-15 years in prison and a fine for poaching and trading it. Since 1978, it has been listed in the Soviet Union's Red Book and is still inscribed today in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation as threatened with extinction. Hunting snow leopards is only permitted for the purposes of conservation and monitoring, and to eliminate a threat to the life of humans and livestock. Smuggling of snow leopard body parts is punished with imprisonment and a fine. Hunting snow leopards has been prohibited in Afghanistan since 1986. In China, it has been protected by law since 1989; hunting and trading snow leopards or their body parts constitute a criminal offence that is punishable by the confiscation of property, a fine and a sentence of at least 10 years in prison. It has been protected in Bhutan since 1995.

At the end of 2020, 35 cameras were installed on the outskirts of Almaty, Kazakhstan in hopes to catch footage of snow leopards. In November 2021, it was announced by the Russian World Wildlife Fund (WWF) that snow leopards were spotted 65 times on these cameras in the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains since the cameras were installed.

Snow leopards inhabit the following protected areas:

in Kazakhstan: Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve

in Russia: Katun Nature Reserve, Sayano-Shushenski Nature Reserve

in Kyrgyzstan: Sarychat-Ertash State Nature Reserve, Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve, Besh-Tash State Nature National Park, Kyrgyz-Ata National Park, Karakol National Park, Chychkan Wildlife Refuge;

in Uzbekistan: Chatkalskiy State Nature Reserve, Zaamin National Park, Ugam-Chatkal National Park, Hissar National Reserve;

in Tajikistan: Pamir National Park

in Mongolia: Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, Tsambagarav Uul National Park, Har Us Nuur National Park and Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park

in China: Chang Tang Nature Reserve, Qomolangma National Nature Preserve and Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve on the Tibetan Plateau, Tomur National Conservation Zone in the western Tianshan Mountains, Qilianshan National Nature Reserve in the Qilian Mountains,

in Pakistan: Chitral National Park in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa region, Central Karakoram National Park and Khunjerab National Park in Gilgit-Baltistan, Deosai National Park, Naltar Wildlife Sanctuary, Baltistan Wildlife Sanctuary and several protected areas that are smaller than 300 km² (120 sq mi);

in India: Hemis National Park, Kishtwar National Park, Dachigam National Park, Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary, Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary, Rangdum Wildlife Reserve, Overa-Aru, Kanji, Gya-Miru and Baltal-Thajwas Wildlife Sanctuaries in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir; Pin Valley National Park, Great Himalayan National Park, Rupi-Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary, Sechu Tuan Nala Wildlife Sanctuary and Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh; Nanda Devi National Park, Gangotri National Park and Valley of Flowers National Park in Uttarakhand; Khangchendzonga National Park and Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary in the Eastern Himalayas;

in Nepal: Api Nampa Conservation Area, Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Shey Phoksundo National Park, Annapurna Conservation Area, Manaslu Conservation Area, Langtang National Park, Sagarmatha National Park, Makalu Barun National Park and Kanchenjunga Conservation Area;

in Bhutan: Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary, Jigme Dorji National Park and Wangchuck Centennial National Park.

In captivity

In 2008, there were approximately 600 snow leopards in zoos around the world. In the Richmond Metropolitan Zoo in Virginia, in the United States of America, snow leopard cubs were born in 2016.

Much progress has been made in securing the survival of the snow leopard, with them being successfully bred in captivity. Females usually give birth to two to three cubs in a litter, but can give birth to up to seven in some cases.

Images for kids

In Spanish: Panthera uncia para niños

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GHOST CATS

These endangered cats are nearly impossible to see-they've even earned the nickname "ghost of the mountains." Their spotted coats act as cloaks of invisibility by blending into the rocky mountains of the 12 Central Asian countries where the cats live: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Their range spans about two million square miles, which is about half the size of Greenland.

The mountains the snow leopards call home are rugged and extremely cold in the winter. But these cats have some amazing body parts that make living in the area no big deal. In addition to camouflaging them, a snow leopard's soft, dense fur keeps it warm in the bitter cold. Their large paws work like snowshoes, letting the cat walk on snow without sinking. And their long, heavy tail helps them keep their balance while they're chasing prey. At night, the cats curl their tails around their bodies like a cozy scarf to keep warm-and to stay hidden while sleeping. (Find out 5 reasons why you'll leap for snow leopards.)

SEARCHING FOR SNOW LEOPARDS

Few humans have seen snow leopards in real life, but hunting scenes like the one above have been captured on video by researchers who spend countless hours searching the mountains of Central Asia for snow leopards. Researchers think only 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards exist in the wild, but no one knows for sure.

Snow leopard experts need to gather more information about the secretive cats' lives to help protect them. To do that, researchers use high-tech tools to spy on the shy animals. They gently trap the wild cats to examine them and put on satellite radio collars to track where the cats roam. Motion-activated digital cameras capture images of snow leopards, exposing many new details about how many there are, how they live, and what threatens their survival.

THE REAL THREAT

Even though snow leopards live in some of the most rugged mountain terrain on Earth, people pose the biggest threat to their survival. Poachers can sell a snow leopard's hide and bones for thousands of dollars. Herders often kill any snow leopard that attacks their livestock. Hunters target ibex, wild sheep, and other animals for food and trophies-removing important snow leopard prey. The more scientists can learn about snow leopards, the better they can protect these rarely seen cats from humans who harm them.

* The snow leopard's wide nose warms cold air before it enters its lungs.

* Snow leopards can mew, growl, and puff ... but they can't roar.

* Adult snow leopards are solitary, but young siblings will cuddle and play.

* Snow leopards have powerful legs and can jump as far as 50 feet.

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A snow leopard peers down from a craggy rock ledge high in the peaks of Mongolia, a country in Asia. She's on the lookout for a snack. The animal's spotted beige fur allows her to blend in almost completely with the rocks, making the cat a nearly invisible hunter.

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A white tiger is a Bengal tiger - it is not a species or sub-species of tiger as some people think.

Like all Bengal tigers they used to live in the wild in Asia, particularly in countries like India. Now though, they live in captivity, which helps keep them protected.

What do White Tigers look like?

White Tigers have a creamy white coat, blue eyes and gray or brown-colored stripes. Pretty beautiful!

White tigers can weigh up to around 570 pounds, which is a little more than the weight of two giant pandas. They can grow to be more than ten feet long.

White tiger is about 80 to 110 cms tall at the shoulder.

They like living in and grassy areas, and their stripes help give them some camouflage!

Why are White Tigers White

White tigers are white due to their genes, or their genetics.

It's also not the albino kind (which is a form that lacks hair and skin color). For a white tiger to be born, two Bengal tigers with specific recessive genes have to mate.

Their white fur is caused by an absence of pheomelanin, a pigment found in the normal orange tigers. This, however, is exceedingly uncommon, occurring just once per 10,000 births.

Their coat darkens when the weather becomes colder. When exposed to low temperatures, the White Tiger, like Siamese Cats and Himalayan Rabbits, produces an enzyme that induces a response in its fur, turning them darker.

The weaker immune system associated with their genetic coloring is thought to be the reason.

White Tigers vs Regular Tigers

The face of a white tiger is similar to that of any other Bengal tiger. They are only different when it comes to their color. The fur on their face is white, meaning you can easily tell them apart from other Bengal tigers.

A white tiger also has very intriguing eyes - they are sapphire blue which combined with their white coat, makes them look very attractive and fascinating.

White male tigers weigh approximately 190 to 260 kg (420 to 570 pounds). You sure wouldn't be able to lift them very easily, even if you did get close to one!

White Tigers have also been seen to grow quicker than their orange counterparts. They are larger from the moment they are born, and this continues until adulthood. When they are 3 years old, they are considered completely developed.

Where do White Tigers live?

Like all Bengal tigers they used to live in the wild in , particularly in countries like . Only 12 white tigers were seen in the wild throughout the twentieth century. Now they live in captivity, which helps keep them protected.

When white tigers were first discovered in the wild, they shared the same habitat as orange Bengal tigers. Its primary habitat consisted of areas of the jungle with plenty of food, water, and trees.

Tigers have historically inhabited a wide range of habitats, including tropical rain forests, savannahs and mangroves.

White Tiger Behavior

When compared to the usual orange Bengal tiger, white tigers are more muscular, stronger and moreaggressive.

The white tiger, like all other tigers, is a solitary animal that lives in its own territory of around 20 square miles.

They are diurnal (active during daytime) but most of their hunting is after dusk.

How Long do White Tigers Live

In the wild, tigers usually live for around 10 years. Since almost all white tigers live in captivity, they live longer, for around 15 years.

What do White Tigers Eat

The white tiger, like all other tigers, is a carnivore, which means it hunts and eats other animals.

There are no white tigers living in the wild anymore, but when they were in the wild more than a hundred years ago, they hunted just like orange Bengal tigers. They hunt animals at night, approaching gently so as not to be noticed.

White tigers in the wild mostly hunted herbivores like deer, goats, buffalo, wild boar, baby elephants and baby rhinoceros. If they are hungry and unable to find herbivores, they also kill and eat leopards and wolves.

Tigers don't eat stale meat and have a strong preference for freshly killed animals. They can consume 40 pounds of meat in a single feeding.

What are Snow Tigers?

Snow tigers are not a species of tiger but are actually white Bengal tigers. Some people refer to tigers who live where it snows, as Snow Tigers, but that would be Siberian Tigers which are also known at Amur Tigers.

Interesting White Tiger Facts:

In 1561, the very first sighting of a white tiger was documented in India in Akbar Nama (a chronicle maintained by the Mughal King Akbar).

White Bengal tiger It is the develops faster and is heavier than the conventional orange-colored Bengal tiger. second largest tiger, smaller only to the Siberian Tiger.

The white tiger's peak speed is 60 miles per hour.

Each tiger's stripes are distinct from those of other tigers. They aren't simply fur-deep either. If you shaved a white tiger, you'd notice that the stripes were still visible on their skin.

Mohan is the most well-known white tiger to be discovered in the wild. All 200 white tigers in captivity today are believed to be descended from Mohan.

Now, why not explore some more fun animal facts?

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30 Amazing White Tiger Facts for Kids [year] [With Pictures]

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A white tiger is a Bengal tiger - it is not a species or sub-species of tiger as some people think. Like all Bengal tigers they used to live in the wild in Asia, particularly in countries like India. Now though, they live in captivity, which helps keep them protected.

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Serengeti: Pride of lions hunting and killing zebras (4 K/UHD)

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they are cool

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the siamses cat play lot they are the mos cat in the wrls

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View the Penguins collection on Epic plus over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids.

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Games | Daniel Tiger | PBS KIDS

https://pbskids.org › daniel › games

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Did you know that Red Pandas eat bamboo? Kinda like Great Pandas!

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some cat bo ti ?

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Black bear facts

1. American black bears are found in Canada, Mexico and North America.

2. They mostly eat grasses, herbs and fruit, but will sometimes eat other things, including fish.

3. The black bear's coat has lots of layers of shaggy fur, which keeps it warm in cold winter months.

4. They may be called black bears, but their coat can be blue-gray or blue-black, brown and even sometimes white!

5. Their short claws make black bears expert tree climbers.

6. They may be large, but black bears can run up to 40kmph!

7. These big bears have a very good sense of smell and can often be seen standing on their hind legs, sniffing scents!

8. They usually live in forests but black bears are also found in mountains and swamps.

9. Black bears spend winter dormant in their dens, feeding on body fat they have built up over the summer and autumn.

10. They make their dens in caves, burrows or other sheltered spots. Sometimes they even make them in tree holes high above the ground!

Image ⓒ Black bear orange/red background: Getty (137271612). Black in river by log: Getty (974185272). Black bear in grass: Getty (160869655).

What did you make to our fascinating black bear facts? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

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10 black bear facts! | National Geographic Kids

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Scoop fascinating black bear facts right here at Nat Geo Kids! Discover where these incredible creatures live, how they hunt and what they eat...

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Black bear facts

1. American black bears are found in Canada, Mexico and North America.

2. They mostly eat grasses, herbs and fruit, but will sometimes eat other things, including fish.

3. The black bear's coat has lots of layers of shaggy fur, which keeps it warm in cold winter months.

4. They may be called black bears, but their coat can be blue-gray or blue-black, brown and even sometimes white!

5. Their short claws make black bears expert tree climbers.

6. They may be large, but black bears can run up to 40kmph!

7. These big bears have a very good sense of smell and can often be seen standing on their hind legs, sniffing scents!

8. They usually live in forests but black bears are also found in mountains and swamps.

9. Black bears spend winter dormant in their dens, feeding on body fat they have built up over the summer and autumn.

10. They make their dens in caves, burrows or other sheltered spots. Sometimes they even make them in tree holes high above the ground!

Image ⓒ Black bear orange/red background: Getty (137271612). Black in river by log: Getty (974185272). Black bear in grass: Getty (160869655).

What did you make to our fascinating black bear facts? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

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10 black bear facts! | National Geographic Kids

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Scoop fascinating black bear facts right here at Nat Geo Kids! Discover where these incredible creatures live, how they hunt and what they eat...

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Lion, Tiger And Bear Were Rescued As Cubs And Became Best Friends For Life

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https://www.getepic.com/app/user-collection/160961

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black bear can live up to 30 years

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bears almost eat
anything

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Live Sea Otter Cam - Monterey Bay Aquarium

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15 Otter Facts That Are Otterly Amazing - The Fact Site

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Otters are the dogs of the water world, so it’s no surprise we have such affection for them. These cuties have some interesting habits to learn about!

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animal game

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king

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Also they are legal in America but not in these states:

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Also they are legal in America but not in these states:

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California, Maine, and New Jersey.

They are not legal or illegal if they are imported from out of state.

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Axolotls are CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.🥺😢😭😡

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Georgia Aquarium Otters Play Off Exhibit While Being Treated For Covid-19 | NBC News

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(POOR LITTLE THING)😭😂So confused

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https://www.getepic.com/app/read/14595

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Otters are streamlined, thick-furred swimmers found all over the world.

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Web (for this case) means website

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They can live just about anywhere they can find food, but largely occur where there are trees. American black bears are omnivorous, meaning they will eat a variety of things, including both plants and meat. Their diet includes roots, berries, meat, fish, insects, larvae, grass, and other succulent plants.

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Where do tigers live? And other tiger facts | Stories | WWF

https://www.worldwildlife.org ›

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these lions live in sub saharan africa in parts of asia and europe

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these lions live in sub saharan africa in parts of asia and europe

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juvenile

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Did you know that lots of red pandas live in Asia?

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the cats is cute

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They are found in Alaska, much of Canada and the contiguous United States, and extend as far south as northern Mexico. Because of their versatile diet, black bears can live in a variety of habitat types. They inhabit both coniferous and deciduous forests, as well as open alpine habitats.

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Tigers are found in amazingly diverse habitats: rain forests, grasslands, savannas and even mangrove swamps. Unfortunately, 93% of historical tiger lands have disappeared primarily because of expanding human activity. Saving tigers means saving forests that are vital to the health of the planet.

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the only place you can find axolotls is in a lake found in the lakes and canals of Xochimilco, Mexico.

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Question: What does a ghost say to the red panda? Answer: Bam-boo!

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They are found in Alaska, much of Canada and the contiguous United States, and extend as far south as northern Mexico.

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Folklore: Perhaps no other animals have so excited the human imagination as bears. References to bears are found in ancient and modern literature, folk songs, legends, mythology, children stories, and cartoons. Bears are among the first animals that children learn to recognize. Bear folklore is confusing because it is based on caricatures, with Teddy Bears and the kindly Smokey on one hand and ferocious magazine cover drawings on the other. Dominant themes of our folklore are fear of the unknown and man against nature, and bears have traditionally been portrayed as the villains to support those themes, unfairly demonizing them to the public. A problem for black bears is that literature about bears often does not separate black bears from grizzly bears.

General Description: The black bear is approximately 4 to 7 feet from nose to tail, and two to three feet high at the withers. It has small eyes, rounded ears, a long snout, a large body, a short tail, and shaggy hair. It differs from grizzly bears in being smaller with a smaller shoulder hump, a furred rear instep, a less concave facial profile, smaller claws that are more tightly curved, and longer, smoother, and more tapered ears.

Classification of Ursus americanus, the American black bear: Kingdom: Animal, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Mammalia, Subclass: Theria, Infraclass: Eutheria, Order: Carnivora, Suborder: Fissipedia, Family: Ursidae, Subfamily: Ursinae (all bears except the giant panda and the spectacled bears), Genus: Ursus, Subgenus: Euarctos, Species: americanus.

Taxonomists generally separate black bears into 16 subspecies based on minor differences in appearance and DNA: Ursus americanus altifrontalis (Pacific Northwest), U. a. amblyceps (Southwestern US), U. a. americanus (widespread from Alaska to the Atlantic), U. a. californiensis (interior California), U. a. carlottae (Queen Charlotte islands of British Columbia), U. a. cinnamomum (WY, eastern CO, ID, western MT, southwestern Alberta, southeastern British Columbia), U. a. emmonsii (coastal AK from Glacier Bay to Prince William Sound), U. a. eremicus (northeastern Mexico and the Big Bend area of Texas), U. a. floridanus (FL, southern GA, southern AL), U. a. hamiltoni (Newfoundland), U. a. kermodei (portion of coastal BC), U. a. luteolus (southern LA, and southern MS), U. a. machetes (northwestern Mexico), U. a. perniger (Kenai Peninsula of AK), U. a. pugnax (southeastern Alaska), U. a. vancouveri (Vancouver Island). Taxonomists update subspecies classifications as they learn more about regional differences in DNA, body form, and behavior.

Names: Some black bear subspecies go by different names, like Kermode bear, Cinnamon bear, or Glacier bear, but they are all black bears. We prefer calling male and female bears simply males and females, but many people call them boars and sows, like pigs. Although pigs and black bears are both omnivores, they are not related. A group of bears is sometimes called a sloth of bears after the Middle English slowthe, meaning slow. The term is inaccurate because bears are not slow, lean bears can run in excess of 30 mph and few people use the term anymore.

Range: The American black bear is found only in North America. The population is estimated at 750,000. They live in forests as far south as Florida and northern Mexico and as far north as forests grow in Alaska and Canada. In northern Labrador, where grizzly bears no longer live, black bears range out onto open tundra where there are no trees to escape into. People are becoming more tolerant of black bears as we learn more about them. Many people are enjoying having bears live close to them where the bears were once feared and killed.

Color: Body fur usually black or brown but occasionally blonde, or rarely white as in the Kermode subspecies of coastal British Columbia. Brown muzzle. White chest patch is uncommon in most populations. Eyes brown (blue at birth). Skin light gray.

Adult Weights: Wild male black bears of breeding age usually weigh between 125 and 500 pounds, depending upon age, season, and food. Very well fed bears can be heavier. The heaviest bear was claimed be a male shot in 1972 in New Brunswick that weighed 902 pounds after it had been dressed, estimated to be over 1,000 pounds in life. Wild females usually weigh between 90 and 300 pounds with the heaviest known female weighing 520 pounds in northeastern Minnesota on August 30, 1993. Black bears in captivity may exceed these records.

Adult Length: 50 to 80 inches long, nose to tail, with males being larger than females.

Mating Season: Usually from late May to early July. In the eastern deciduous forest, mating season can extend into August.

Implantation: Delayed until November.

Birth: January or early February.

Number of Cubs: The number of cubs in a litter is usually 2 in the western United States and 3 in the eastern United States. First litters are often only 1 or 2. Litters of 6 have been reported in several eastern states.

Birth Weight: Cubs weigh 1/2 to 1 pound at birth.

Fall Weight of Cubs: By their first fall, cubs may weigh as little as 15 pounds or more than 165 pounds, depending on food supply.

Parental Care: Cubs usually stay with their mother for 16-17 months (rarely 29 months). One to six days before the mothers are ready to mate in late May or June, they force their yearlings to stop traveling with them.

Age at Production of First Cubs: 2 to 11 years, depending upon food supply. Typically 3 to 7 years.

Interval Between Litters: Typically 2 years, but it can be 3 or 4 years if food is so scarce that they have to abort their blastocysts, embryos, or fetuses. If a litter is born but dies before the mating season, the mother will mate again and produce cubs in consecutive years.

Sex Ratio: Nearly 50:50 at birth. Males are killed by people at a higher rate, though, so the sex ratio among mature bears is often one male per 2-5 females.

Vision: Bears see in color and have good vision close-up. Their distance vision (over two hundred yards) has not been tested.

Hearing: Exceeds human frequency ranges and probably twice the sensitivity.

Smelling: Their smelling ability is extremely good. The limits are untested. Their nasal mucosa area is about 100 times larger than in humans.

Intelligence: Large brain compared to body size. One of the more intelligent mammals. Navigation ability superior to humans. Excellent long-term memory. Can generalize to the simple concept level.

Sounds: Usually silent (except in movies in which sounds are dubbed in). A variety of grunts in amiable situations. Loud blowing noises when frightened. Clack teeth when frightened. They use a resonant, humanlike "voice" to express a range of emotions from pleasure to fear. Does not threaten by growling (except in movies). In story-telling, any sound a bear makes is called a growl.

Swimming Ability: Good. Speed and distance limits are untested. Can swim at least a mile and a half in fresh water. One swam more than 9 miles in the Gulf of Mexico. Can swim to island campsites.

Running Speed: Lean bears can exceed 30 mph. Can run uphill, downhill, or on level ground. Fat bears in winter coats overheat and tire quickly.

Daily Activity Period: Most bears become active a half-hour before sunrise, take a nap or two during the day, and bed down for the night an hour or two after sunset. However, some bears are active at night to possibly avoid people or other bears.

Preferred Foods: Nuts, acorns, fruit, insects, succulent greens. Meat and less succulent greens are eaten when preferred foods are scarce. A scarcity of preferred foods can result in failed reproduction, stunted growth, failure to add optimal amounts of fat, and death of young bears, especially cubs.

Do bears hibernate? When hibernation was defined simply in terms of temperature reduction, bears were not considered hibernators. New knowledge of hibernation processes has led biologists to redefine mammalian hibernation as simply a specialized, seasonal reduction of metabolism concurrent with the environmental pressures of scarce food and low ambient temperatures. Black bears are now considered highly efficient hibernators, they have insulative pelts and have lower surface to mass ratios than the smaller hibernators. As a result, bears' body heat is lost very slowly, enabling them to cut their metabolic rate in half and still make it through winter, maintaining temperatures above 88 degrees-within 12 degrees of their normal summer temperature. (Excerpted from "A Bear In Its Lair" by Lynn Rogers, Natural History Magazine, October 1981). Mothers wake up to give birth and take excellent care of the cubs in the den, licking them clean and responding to every cry for warmth and milk. Wild mothers ingest their cubs' urine and feces. They also lick up drops of meltwater, eat snow and icicles, urinate, and defecate.

Length of Hibernation: The length and depth of hibernation is genetically programmed to match the regional norms of food availability. Hibernation is deeper and can last over 7 months in the northern portion of the black bear range where abundant, high quality food is available only from May through August. There, some bears hibernate so deeply, especially the leaner bears after a summer of unusually scarce food, that a person can jostle them for several minutes before they wake up. However, in southern states where food is available year-round, some do not hibernate at all, and those that do are easily aroused.

Potential Longevity (lifespan): Black bears can live 21-39 1/2 years or more if they are not killed.

Causes of Death: In Minnesota, black bears less than 16-17 months old typically die from starvation, predation, falls from trees, and other accidental causes. A very few die from parasites or disease. Very few adult black bears die of natural causes except in national parks. Nearly all adult bears die from human-related causes. A few are killed by vehicles. Most are shot. The average age at which bears are shot in Minnesota is 2 for males and 3 for females.

Core Home Range Diameter: Typically: Yearlings: 1-2 miles. Adult females: 2-6 miles. Adult males: 8-15 miles. Excursions to 126 miles recorded.

Ideal Habitat: Black bears like large forests with many different kinds of fruits and nuts. Small sunny openings within the forest provide many kinds of food for the bears. Lowlands and wetlands provide tender and juicy vegetation. Streams and woodland pools provide water for drinking and cooling. Mothers with cubs like large trees (over 20 inches in diameter) with furrowed bark (like white pines or hemlocks) for bedding sites. These trees are safest for small cubs to climb.

Living with Bears: Many people are moving into black bear habitat. The bears' future depends on how well we understand and tolerate them.

Long-Term Problem: Magazines and movies have given black bears an unrealistically ferocious image, causing people to fear them excessively and kill them unnecessarily. There are many misconceptions about black bears.

Greatest misconception: The greatest misconception about black bears is that they are likely to attack people in defense of cubs. They are highly unlikely to do this. Black bear researchers often capture screaming cubs in the presence of bluff-charging mothers with no attacks.

Defense of cubs is a grizzly bear trait. About 70 percent of human deaths from grizzly bears are from mothers defending cubs, but black bear mothers have not been known to kill anyone in defense of cubs.

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Quick Black Bear Facts - North American Bear Center

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Folklore: Perhaps no other animals have so excited the human imagination as bears. References to bears are found in ancient and modern literature, folk songs, legends, mythology, children stories, and cartoons. Bears are among the first animals that children learn to recognize.