Category Biology

Which is the slowest bird at level flight?

Both the American woodcock and Eurasian woodcock have been recorded travelling at 8 km/h speed in level flight. Their brilliant camouflage techniques have earned them the title ‘timberdoodles.’ American woodcocks blend into woodland environments to the point of becoming invisible as they camouflage so perfectly with the leaf litter on the forest floor.

Their bodies are stocky and plump, and they have short wings. Their body structure helps them to navigate the woodland and meadows, which are their natural habitats. Their physical design implies that fast-paced and graceful flight is impossible for them.

However, American wood-cocks increase their pace during migration and speeds between 26 and 45 km/h have been recorded. Even during this time, they usually fly at relatively low altitudes.

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Which is the fastest bird?

The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in the world. Its diving speed during flight can reach above 300 km per hour, making it the world’s fastest animal. The bird has breeding populations on every continent except Antarctica and some oceanic islands, which gives it the credit of being the most widely distributed species of bird of prey.

For a long time, captive peregrine falcons have been used in the sport of falconry. After World War II, the bird suffered a huge decline in population across the globe. In most regions, including North America, the major reason for this loss of population is traced to the pesticide DDT, which the birds accumulated from their prey. The chemical concentrated in the bird’s tissues, which affected the deposition of calcium in the eggshells, making them abnormally thin and easily breakable.

In the British Isles, another pesticide named dieldrin caused direct death of peregrine falcons and thus contributed to their decline. Following the banning or minimising the use of organochlorine pesticides, their populations have increased in many regions.

The peregrine has been listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2015.

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Why is the cheetah known as the fastest mammal on land?

Cheetahs are the fastest mammals that live upon the planet and can run at speeds as high as 113 km per hour in short distances.

Their bodies are designed with a lot of agility. They can make quick turns while running at high speeds. Their spines are extremely flexible, giving them the ability to have long strides. Their slender limbs and hard footpads are also excellent tools that aid their agility and speed.

Cheetahs are covered in bold black stripes all over their body and each cheetah has a unique pattern over its skin. They have a tear-like pattern that runs from the inner corners of their eyes down to both sides of their mouths. The ends of their tails have black rings as well. These cats have great eye sight, making them dangerous predators.

Their unique coat is also a great way to blend with the tall, dry grass of the plains and helps them remain hidden during the hunt. The cheetahs live in a range of habitats across eastern and southern Africa, but they are usually found in open grasslands. At one point, they were found throughout Asia and Africa, but they are currently facing extinction due to loss of habitat. Their lives are threatened by the declining number of prey due to the destruction of the natural environments.

Although cheetahs are considered to be among the big cats, they are unable to roar- they can only purr. Like the other big cats of the family, they also usually prey on small- to medium-size animals such as hares, impalas, wildebeest calves, and gazelles.

The cheetah chases its prey at only about half of its maximum speed and often has to rest for at least half an hour before it can eat so as to catch breath. The pronghorn, also called the American antelope, is the fastest long-distance runner in the animal kingdom.

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What has caused the decline in grey whale numbers?

Often, conservation stories underline the importance of the role of all creatures-big and small-for balance in ecosystem. For instance, krill crustaceans barely two inches long are a huge link in the global food chain. If such a small organism can have a telling impact on the food chain, one can only imagine the kind of effect larger animals have in an ecosystem. So, when the population of a large animal plunges, it is always a cause for concern.

Grey whales are among the largest animals on Earth- nearly 50 feet long and weighing over 40 tonnes. These giants are known for their long annual migration of more than 15,000 km “between feeding grounds in the Arctic and breeding grounds in Baja Mexico” Recent research has revealed that the number of these fascinating creatures is witnessing a worrying slump- by nearly 40% in just six years. From 27,000 whales in 2016, the number stands at a concerning 16,650 today. Several factors are attributed to this decrease. One of them is the increase in strandings in 2019, when about 600 of these creatures washed up dead along the west coast of North America Though boat collisions and killer whale attacks caused a few of these deaths most of the dead whales were malnourished which takes us to n crucial of interconnectedness in an ecosystem. It is believed that the malnourishment could be the result of “the whales’ food sources of tiny crustaceans and other invertebrates they prey on in the Arctic shifting due to environmental changes. Further, the overall population among West Coast grey whales “coincides with diminished reproduction” While there were 383 baby whales during the calf production season last year, there have been a mere 217 newborns this year – “the lowest number since such counts began in 1994”

Grey whales were close to extinction several decades ago due to commercial whaling before their population improved due to timely conservation efforts. Even then, the 80s and 90s saw a plunge of about 40%, and eventually they rebounded. It is important for this whale population to recover too because they keep the population of certain other creatures in the food chain in check. Even in death-as carcasses- these large marine mammals help feed several other organisms.

Often, grey whales are washed up dead along the U.S. west coasts. Though boat collisions and killer whale attacks cause some deaths, researchers say malnourishment is a major reason. With tiny crustaceans and other invertebrates shifting due to environmental changes, the grey whales are left without food.

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Which is the tallest animal?

Giraffes are the world’s tallest animals with legs as long as 1.8 metres. They not only have long legs, but also have long necks that they use to reach leaves and buds on treetops, which no other animal can reach. They have very long tongues as well, which can be as long as 53.34 centimetres.

Living in the African savannah, they move at a speed of 16 kilometres per hour to cover long distances and can run as fast as 56 kilometres per hour in short distances. Although their massive height becomes advantageous while looking out for predators, it also becomes a difficulty while they drink from water holes. With their towering legs, the only way to drink water from these water holes is to bend down in a weird position that makes them vulnerable to attack. The wild cats of Africa are the most common predators of the giraffes.

Their favourite food is Acacia leaves. Like the cows, they regurgitate their food and chew it as cud. Their diet also keeps them hydrated, as the leaves have a lot of water content in them and helps them to avoid going to the water holes frequently. They also travel really long distances to find their meal as they consume about a hundred pounds of leaves every week, which is a big volume of plant matter to be found in one area.

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What animals are the masters of camouflage?

Scorpionfish

Scorpionfish, one of the most venomous fish in the world, are found across the world in warm waters. They are most common in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are also known as rockfish and stonefish as they commonly live among rocks. They are perch-like fish with large, spiny heads and strong, sometimes venomous. fin spines. While their spines protect them from predators, it is their colouring that helps them in hiding. They are carnivorous and generally sedentary. The fin spines, even ones without venom, can inflict deep, painful wounds. While some are dull in colour, others are brighter, often some shade of red. The largest members of the family grow about 39 inches long.

Walkingstick

Suddenly seeing a twig crawling down a tree trunk? It isn’t a twig but a walkingstick, also called stick insect. The stick-like trickster uses its appearance to save itself from enemies. They are commonly found in tropical and temperate (or mild) forests across the world. Though related to grasshoppers, crickets, and mantises, these crawlies are either brown, green, or black. They’re also the world’s longest insects. The largest one found was 22 inches long with its legs extended. They spend most of their time on trees, munching on leaves. When predators like birds approach, the bug tries to remain still to blend with the branches. However, if the predator manages to catch the bug by its legs, the insect can detach the leg and scuttle away. The leg will later regenerate, or grow back.

Camouflage

Also known as cryptic colouration, is a defence mechanism used by organisms to disguise their appearence, usually to blend/ in with their surroundings. This tactic is used to mask their location, identity and even movement. This helps the prey to protect themselves from predators.

Chameleon

Chameleons have the ability to change their colour and pattern. They are found in warm climates and in parts of the Middle East, southwestern Asia, and southern Europe, Madagascar nearly all of Africa, and parts of India and Sri Lanka. There are more than 200 species of chameleons, of which 76 are found on the island of Madagascar. Their diet consists of insects and plants, though some may eat rodents or small birds. They live in a range of habitats, including deserts, rainforests, and savannahs. The word chameleon comes from the Greek ‘khamai’ meaning on the ground, earth and leon’ meaning ‘lion’. probably because the head of some species resembles a lion’s mane. The distinctive features of these lizards are their telescopic eyes, grasping tail, colour-changing skin, and projectile tongue.

Great Potoo

The Great Potoo is a nocturnal bird of the American tropics. Its name is similar to its wailing cry, “po-TOO,” made by some species. Their patterns of grey, black, and brown plumage resemble tree bark. Their camouflage helps them to even sleep while perched out in the open during daylight During the day, the birds sleep, vertically perched and virtually indistinguishable from the dead branches they roost on They wake up at dusk with their huge, wide-open eyes capable of spotting moths and other flying insects in the dark. They are mainly solitary creatures and highly restricted nesters. Instead of building a nest, they choose a branch or stub with a crevice just enough to accommodate the single egg they lay.

Nightjar

Nightjar is a medium-sized bird that are mostly active at night feeding on flying insects. They have a protective colouring of grey, brown, or reddish brown. There are about 60 to 70 species of nightjars. They are found almost worldwide in temperate to tropical regions, except for New Zealand and some islands of Oceania. They do not make nests, instead deposit their eggs on the ground or on the leaf-covered floor of the woodland. Some of the species, mainly the North American nighthawks, have adapted to urban life and nest on flat gravel-covered rooftops. The nightjar’s soft plumage and variegated colouring help it blend in with its surroundings. Despite their skill at camouflage, some nightjar species are endangered.

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