Seal: 12 Interesting Facts

Earless Seal. See many other types at wikipedia.

       A seal is a warm-blooded, air- breathing, animal that lives both in the water and on the land. A few seals are found in the Caspian Sea and Lake Baikal, but, with these exceptions, all seals are inhabitants of the sea. They are divided into two classes, called true seals, which have no external ears, and eared seals.

12 Interesting Facts About Seals In General:

1. The seal has a body which is large at the front and tapers toward the tail, like that of the whales. 
2. It has four legs, which are almost covered by the skin of the body, while in place of the feet are fins or flippers. 
3. The hind legs are used in swimming, and the fore legs support the animal in an erect position when he is on the land. 
4. The mouth is large and is surrounded by numerous feelers, resembling those of the cat. 
5. The eyes are large, with an almost human expression, and the ears are small or entirely lacking. 
6. The body is covered by thick, woolly fur and long, shining hair, and all is so oily and smooth that it enables the seal to move easily through the "water."
7. Seals are air-breathing animals, but they can remain under water for a considerable time.
8. They are expert divers and swimmers, but are exceedingly awkward on land.
9. Seals inhabit the cool waters of the temperate and polar regions and usually return to the same spot year after year to breed. 
10. They live in herds, and before they were hunted many of these herds "were of enormous size. 
11. They frequent rocks in shallow places and icebergs, where they come at breeding time and remain to rear their young. 
12. Most species are easily tamed, and they often form great attachment for their keepers and are easily taught ingenious and amusing tricks.

A fur seal rests on the rocks.

       The hair seal, which is the common seal of the Atlantic coast, has long, silky hair, and was once valuable for its skin and fat, called blubber. 

5 Facts About Hair Seals:

1. This seal was captured in large numbers off Newfoundland, Labrador, Jan Meyen Island and in the White Sea. 
2. The inhabitants of Greenland hunted these seals for food and clothing, but they took only a sufficient number to supply their needs. 
3. In many places these seals have been nearly exterminated by hunters, because the skins made good leather, and a valuable oil was extracted from the blubber. 
4. The hair-seal industry was really more important than the fur-seal industry, although it did not receive as much attention. 
5. The danger of exterminating these animals has become so imminent that international agreements restricting the hunting of the animals are routinely drafted signed and updated. 

• See Fur Seal Act of 1966 and Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972

       The fur seal or sea bear is highly valued for its fur, which consists of a thick, woolly hair next the skin, very fine and compact, usually of a dark brown color. Over this grows long, coarse hair, which is of some shade of gray. The fur seals are found in the water of the cool temperate or polar regions north and south of the equator.

More About Fur Seals from The Web:

• Northern Fur Seals at The Marine Mammal Center
• Northern Fur Seals at The Seattle Aquarium

Fur Seals Overcome Extinction On "Resurrection Island"

by National Geographic

Dodo

       The dodo an extinct genus of birds, said to be related to the pigeons. The dodo was a massive, clumsy bird, larger than a swan. and covered with down instead of feathers. It walked on short, ill-shaped legs and had wings and tail so short as to be useless for flight. The birds were once numerous on the island of Mauritius, but it has been two hundred years since the last one was seen. Several perfect specimens are preserved in the British Museum. They furnish the world's sole present knowledge of the bird. 

Scientists Finally Know The Real Reason 

Dodos Went Extinct by Grunge

Catbird

       A catbird is a common American thrush, so named because one of its calls sounds like the mewing of a cat. It is found throughout the Northern and Middle states, in thickets and shrubberies, where it lives an active existence, chiefly in the pursuit of insects. Its plumage is a deep slate color above and lighter below, with a reddish-brown patch on the lower tail coverts. Its song is varied and fine, largely in imitation of the songs of other birds. In winter it retires to the extreme southern parts of the United States, or even to Mexico and Central America.

More About Catbirds On The Web:

• Catbird Mew Calls by MyBackyardBirding
• Dominique Lalonde Films Nature of Gray Catbird

Dugong

Dugong mammas float upright to hold their tiny
 babies out of the ocean while they nurse.

       The dugong is a native mammal of the Indian seas, resembling the whale in some respects. It has a tapering body, ending in a crescent-shaped, finlike tail, and is said sometimes to attain a length of twenty feet, though generally it is about seven or eight feet long. The thick, smooth skin is bluish on the upper and white on the lower parts of the body, and bears a few scattered bristles. The dugong's food consists of marine plants, which it finds in the mouths of large rivers. 

More About Dugong on The Web:

• Dugongs of The Philippines by Jonathan Bird's Blue World
• What in the World is A Dugong?
• Meet Australia's Only Captive Dugongs
• Color a momma dugong with her baby

Capybara

       A capybara a species of rodent, sometimes known by the name of the water hog. It attains the length of about three feet, and has a very large and thick head, a thick body, covered with short, coarse, brown hair, and short legs, with long feet. It has no tail. The capybara is common in several parts of South America, and particularly in Brazil. It feeds on vegetables. In the water the animal is perfectly at home. Its flesh is edible.

More About Capybara From The Web:

• Capybara are the friendliest animals by Animals are Awesome
• Dog and Capybara by Crazy Cody's Creatures

Carp

The High Stakes of the Great Lakes - Asian Carp are Invasive Species

       Carp, a family of fresh-water fishes native to Southwestern Asia, but now acclimated in all parts of the world. Carp is a favorite food fish of Europe, but because of the coarseness of its flesh it is not so well liked in the United States. It thrives and multiplies rapidly in ponds and sluggish streams, and the United States Fish Commission has stocked many such bodies of water with it. The leather carps have no scales. Other species are brilliantly colored, while still others are dull.

More About Carp From The Web:

• Eating Away Indiana's Asian Carp Problem
• Asian Carp Processing Plant in Kentucky
• Cashing in On Asian Carp!

Chamois

A Chamois is a goat-like antelope, living in the high mountains of Europe and Western Asia.

7 Facts About Chamois:

1. It is a rather small animal, with a brownish coat that changes to faun color in summer and gray in the spring.
2. Its head is of a pale yellow color, marked by a black band surrounding the eyes and extending from the nose to the ears.
3. Its horns, which are about six or seven inches long, are round and almost smooth, and they grow straight upward until near the tip, where they suddenly end in a sharp hook that is bent backward.
4. The tail is black.
5. During the feeding time, which is in the morning, one animal is always standing on guard in some prominent place for the purpose of warning the rest of approaching danger.
6. The fleetness of the chamois, the roughness of the mountains which it inhabits, and its powers of smell, make its pursuit both difficult and dangerous.
7. Though the flesh is highly prized as food, the chief value of a chamois lies in its skin, which is used to make the very soft, flexible leather known as chamois skin.

More About Chamois From The Web:

• What is a chamois? Candid Animal Cam takes you to high-altitude Europe
• Chamois (goat-antalope) grazing by ArtoftheImage

Koala: 5 Facts About

       A koala is an Australian animal, in appearance somewhat resembling a small bear, hence, sometimes called the native hear. 

5 Facts About The Koala:

1. It differs from all other quadrupeds in that its toes are divided into groups of two and three. 
2. This arrangement enables the animal easily to grasp and hang from the branches of trees. 
3. The koala is about two feet long and is covered with a short, gray, wooly fur. 
4. It roams at night and feeds on leaves, chiefly of the eucalyptus. 
5. Like the kangaroo, the female koala carries her young in a pouch. 

More From The Web About Koalas:

• Visit Recovering Koalas at The Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie, Australia
• The Koala is A Species On The Move

Koala Sitting for those that are fragile 

and need a little extra help.

Sea Urchin

Meet the purple sea urchin at 
Monterey Bay Aquarium.

       Sea Urchin or Echinus, a genus of sea animals, belonging to the same group as the starfish, sea lily and sea cucumber. The body of the sea urchin is more or less globular and covered with a shell which is often studded with movable spines. Sea urchins, of which there are many species, are found in shallow water in almost all parts of the world, those of the tropical regions being largest.

More About Sea Urchins from The Web:

• Classification of Southern California Sea Urchins
• Sea Urchins from Patriots Point Science Spotlight
• Pacific Purple Sea Urchin

Jay: 8 Fun Facts

An American blue jay.

        Jay, a bird related to the crow, but of smaller size.

8 Fun Facts About Jays:

1. It has a trim shape and beautiful plumage, blue usually predominating".
2. Some species have long tails and high crests.
3. The jays have harsh voices and do not sing, but some of them are skillful in imitating the calls of other birds.
4. They are noted for their fighting disposition and for the bad habit of destroying the nests, eggs and even the young of weaker birds.
5. Some of the jays are brilliantly colored.
6. The beautiful American blue jay is bright blue marked with black and white.
7. The Canada jay, or ichisky Jack, or lumber Jack, is a bird of rather somber coloring, but with the bold, noisy and active habits of the other jays.
8. The common European jay is cinnamon-colored, varied with white, black and blue. Its head is provided with a conspicuous black-marked crest.

More About Jays From The Web:

• Blue Jay or Cyanocitta cristata from Missouri Dept. of Conservation
• 7 Beautiful Jays That Aren't So Famous
• LesleytheBirdNerd has more about blue jays... lots more.

Sea Lion: 9 Facts About

A sea lion suns himself on rocky cliffs.

       A sea lion, the name given to a large group of eared seals, which, though closely related to the fur seals, were not trapped as often for skinning.

9 Facts About Sea Lions:

1. All have long, cylindrical bodies, small, round heads, pointed noses, thick skin, with an under layer of fat for protection against cold, and coarse hair.
2. The individuals of some species have manes.
3. The largest animals, belonging to the Steller group, attain a weight of a thousand pounds and more, and a length of fourteen feet.
4. Their particular habitat is the North Pacific.
5. The natives of the Aleutian Islands caught thousands of these seals once. They used the flesh for food, the hide for shoes and boats and the sinews for thread.
6. Another group, called California sea lions, is made up of smaller animals.
7. Sea lions are seen in large numbers on the Pacific coast cliffs.
8. They are peaceable creatures, but if attacked defend themselves fiercely.
9. They are protected by law, but a few are allowed to be taken for menageries and zoological gardens. 

More About Sea Lions From the Web:

• California Sea Lion: Protected by NOAA Fisheries
• Sea Lions Are Endangered
• Baby Sea Lions Sick and Starving To Death

Canary

Tiny hatching canaries by Monika Pakeka

       A canary is a small finch, originally from the Canary Islands and Madeira, but introduced into Europe several hundred years ago. It is the most popular of all cage birds because of its cheerful singing and friendly nature. Canaries have been bred in captivity so long that many remarkable varieties have developed, scarcely resembling the greenish little bird of Madeira. The topknots of some, the long, slender shapes of others, the yellows, browns, reds and blacks seen in their plumage are all unnatural. The Scotch fancy canary, with his long, slender, curved body, bent almost to a semicircle, is one of the strangest results of breeding.

More About Canaries From The Web:

• How to Take Care of a Canary & Finch as Pets
• Best Trained Canary by Cazuza Roxy