Category Animal World

WHAT IS COLOUR CHANGING FEATURES OF PTEROSAURS ?

We know that dinosaurs roamed the Earth millions of years ago. Pterosaurs, the flying relatives of dinosaurs, lived alongside them 230 to 66 million years ago.

A new research by an. international team of palaeontologists has come up with evidence to show that these feathery friends of dinosaurs had the ability to control the colour of their feathers using melanin pigments. Led by palaeontologists from the University College Cork and from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences and with a team of scientists from Brazil and Belgium, the results of this study have been published in the journal Nature in April.

115 MILLION-YEAR-OLD FOSSIL

This study is based on analyses of a new fossilised head crest of Tupandactylus imperator. This pterosaur fossil, which is 115 million years old, was from north-eastern Brazil. This species is famous for its bizarre huge head crest.

The team discovered that the bottom of the crest had a fuzzy rim of feathers. They believe that this specimen closes off the decades-long debate that palaeontologists have had about whether pterosaurs had feathers.

MELANOSOMES OF DIFFERENT SHAPES

Additionally, the team then studied the feathers with high-powered electron microscopes. They were able to find preserved melanosomes – granules of the pigment melanin. What’s more, they were able to show that the melanosomes in different feather types have different shapes.

Feather colour has a strong link to melanosome shape in birds today. The different melanosome shapes in the pterosaurs has led the researchers to argue that these animals must have possessed the genetic capability to control the colours of their feathers. It also shows that colouration was a crucial feature of even the earliest feathers.

This remarkable specimen has now been repatriated from Europe to Brazil, thanks largely to the efforts of the scientists and authorities, along with the contribution of a private donor. Returned to their country of origin, these fossils can now be conserved safely for posterity and be made available to scientists of future generations.

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WHAT SPECIES ARE ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION?

Can you believe that at least one in five reptile species in the world are threatened with extinction? Yes, that is what the first major global assessment of the world’s cold blooded creatures reveals. Let’s look at the findings.

At least one in five reptile species are threatened with extinction, including more than half of turtles and crocodiles, according to the first major global. assessment of the world’s so-called cold-blooded creatures.

Catastrophic declines in biodiversity across the world are increasingly seen as a threat to life on Earth- and as important as the interrelated menace of climate change.

Threats to other creatures have been well documented. More than 40 percent of amphibians, 25 percent of mammals and 13 percent of birds could face extinction. But until now, researchers did not have a comprehensive picture of the proportion of reptiles at risk.

HOW MANY SPECIES ASSESSED

In a new global assessment. published in the journal Nature, researchers assessed 10,196 reptile species and evaluated them using criteria from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species.

They found that at least 1,829. 21 per cent were either vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. “It’s just overwhelming the number of species that we see as being threatened,” said co-author Neil Cox, who manages the IUCN-Conservation International Biodiversity Assessment Unit and co-led the study. “Now we know the threats facing each reptile species, the global community can take the next step…. and invest in turning around the often too under-appreciated and severe biodiversity crisis.”

TOOK 15 LONG YEARS

Young said the reptile assessment. which involved hundreds of scientists from across the world, took around 15 years to complete because of a lack of funding.

“Reptiles, to many people, are not charismatic. And there’s just been a lot more focus on some of the more furry or feathery species of vertebrates for conservation,” he said. Researchers hope the new assessment will help spur international action to halt biodiversity loss. Almost 200 countries are currently locked in global biodiversity talks to try to safeguard nature, including a key milestone of 30 percent of Earth’s surface protected by 2030.

“Through work like this, we advertise the importance of these creatures. They’re part of the tree of life, just like any other and equally deserving of attention,” Young said.  AFP. Crocodiles and turtles were found to be among the most at-risk species, with around 58 percent and 50 percent of those assessed found to be under threat respectively.  Crocodiles are killed for their meat and to remove them from human settlements. Turtles are targeted by the pet trade and used for traditional medicine. The Komodo dragon of the Indonesian islands is threatened with extinction, researchers say.

WHERE ARE THEY FOUND?

Threatened reptiles were largely found concentrated in Southeast Asia, Western Africa, northern Madagascar, the Northern Andes and the Caribbean. Reptiles restricted to arid habitats such as deserts, grasslands, and savannas are significantly less threatened than those in forest habitats, the study says.

THE KING IS IN DANGER

Another well-known species at risk is the fearsome king cobra, the world’s largest venomous snake. It has been classified as vulnerable, indicating it is very close to extinction”, according to the research. “It’s a real iconic species in Asia and it’s such a shame that even widespread species such as this are really suffering and in decline”. Logging and deliberate attacks by humans were among the biggest threats to the snake.

WHAT ARE THE THREATS THEY FACE?

Agriculture. logging. invasive species and urban development were found to be among the threats to reptiles, while people also target them for the pet trade or kill them for food or out of fear.

Climate change was found to pose a direct threat to some 10 per cent of reptile species. Longer-term threats such as sea level rise, or indirect climate-driven dangers such as fire, and from things like disease also have an impact.

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How is the Bengal tiger an animal superstar?

Did you know that animal activists have categorized the Bengal tiger as an animal superstar? The tiger is listed under a special category called the ‘charismatic megafauna’ which uses the animal’s popular appeal as an instrument for environmental change.

Few animals exude power and grace like the tiger. Vividly coloured in yellow to burnished-orange with vertical black stripes and white underparts, the tiger is a solitary predator. It is the largest of the big cats and can reach a length of 10 feet and weigh as much as 260 kg. It is nocturnal and preys on buffalo, deer, wild boar and other large mammals. Tigers possess the longest canines and the strongest teeth of any big cat and usually kill with a powerful bite on the neck. They have retractable claws and can even climb trees in pursuit of their prey.

The Royal Bengal tiger is native to the Indian subcontinent with about 70 percent of the world’s population found in India. Historically this apex predator was hunted for sport and for trophies like its teeth and skin. Tiger parts are also used in traditional Chinese medicine. Rampant killing of this magnificent animal as well as habitat loss from human encroachment led to its rapid decline.

From as many as 100,000 tigers in the 1900s, the numbers reduced to 20,000 in the next 25 years. By 1965 the tiger population in India was on the brink of extinction. This led to tiger protection laws being passed in 1971 and the launch of Project Tiger in 1973. Due to persistent conservation efforts, today India’s tigers number around 3000.

However, further increase of the tiger population needs a corresponding increase in forest area. A single tiger needs a territory of around 100 sq km to operate and unless existing forest reserves are extended, an increasing tiger population cannot be contained.

This iconic and ultimate predator is the national symbol of our country. The IUCN lists the Royal Bengal tiger as ‘Endangered’ on its Red List.

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HOW MANY GRAMS IS THE WORLD’S HEAVIEST STRAWBERRY?

A strawberry weighing 289 grams has been declared the world’s heaviest by the Guinness World Records. The strawberry was picked on a family farm near the city of Netanya in central Israel. The berry is 18 cm long, 4 cm thick and 34 cm in circumference. It is of a local variety of strawberries called Ilan, known for their larger than usual sizes. The berry’s size is due to multiple berries that grew and fused together to form one large strawberry.

The size of the world’s biggest strawberry was put into perspective when Ariel weighed it after weighing an iPhone XR. The iPhone weighed 194 grams, almost 100 g less than the massive strawberry.  The Ilan variety of strawberry was originally bred by Dr. Nir Dai, a researcher from the Israel’s Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), at the ARO Volcani Center in Bet-Dagan, near Tel-Aviv. The Ilan variety of strawberry is known producing large fruits. “During this strawberry season in late January and early February it was particularly cold,” explained Dr. Nir Dai, who was one of the witnesses during the strawberry’s weigh-in. This meant that multiple berries grew and fused together to form one large strawberry. The cold weather conditions described by Dr. Nir Dai led to a bumper crop of strawberries for Ariel’s fruit farm, producing not just one, but four sizable strawbs. However, the heavyweight champion weighed in at 289 g (10.19 oz) – or 299 g with its stem.

The previous record for world’s heaviest strawberry was 250 g (8.82 oz). The berry was grown by Koji Nakao (Japan) and was weighed in Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan, on 28 January 2015. The strawberry was a Japanese variety called Amaou.

Credit : Guinness world records

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How big is the Kodiak bear?

Kodiak bears are the biggest brown bears in the world – almost as big as the polar bear. Adult males stand at 10 feet on their hind legs and weigh around 635 kg. The largest recorded Kodiak bear in the wild weighed 751 kg.

This bear is only found in the Kodiak archipelago of Southwestern Alaska, where it has lived in peace for thousands of years. These bears have been cut off from the mainland since the last Ice Age, and have evolved into a well knit c ommunity that is more social than other brown bears. They do not have many territorial conflicts even in smaller areas, as food is abundant and the coastal areas that they inhabit have a profusion of shellfish and salmon.

Kodiak bears build up their fat reserves by gorging on salmon before hibernating for the winter. Soon-to-be mothers will dig dens or enter caves by October. They usually give birth during the winter hibernation and emerge with their new cubs in spring. Mothers are fiercely protective of their young and look after them for around 3 years till they become mature.

The Kodiak archipelago has an abundance of fruits, berries and salmon and the Kodiak bear population has remained stable till now. Possible future threats are human encroachment and reducing food sources due to climate change.  They are listed as a species of ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN.

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Why is the camel exceptional?

If you are a fan of survival shows, the sturdy and dependable camel might interest you.  This remarkable animal has several adaptations for extreme survival that would make Bear Grylls (the famous British Adventurer) go green with envy! For instance it can go for nearly 2 weeks without food or water. It stores extra reserves of food as fat in a hump on its back. It has double eyelashes to keep dust and dirt out and a slit-like nostril which can be closed during sandstorms.

Camels are wide-hoofed with spreading toes on each foot to help them walk in the desert sand. They have the ability to regulate their body temperatures as required and the capacity to rehydrate quickly by drinking more than 100 litres of water in 15 minutes! To top it all they can walk up to 185 kms at a stretch and are able to run at a top speed of 65 km/h.

There are two varieties of camels found in the world – the dromedary or Arabian camel with one hump on its back and the Bactrian camel or the Asian camel which has 2 humps on its back. While the one-humped camel is found in hot desert regions like Africa and the Arabian peninsula, the two-humped camel is found in cold desert regions like Mongolia and Leh. The dromedary is the tallest camel in the world, growing to an average height of around 6.6 feet at its shoulder.

Camels and humans have had a long association, one that goes back nearly 4,000 years! In fact dromedaries have been domesticated for so long that they have not occurred naturally in the wild for nearly 2000 years. They were used for farming and travel and also for their milk. Did you know that camel milk is one of the most nutritious foods in the world? It is supposed to be beneficial in managing autism, preventing cancer and even good for diabetes patients. In India, camel milk is available in powdered and liquid form.

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