beautiful animals

Islamabad's beautiful and colorful birds

2009-05-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

High quality pictures of flowers, moon and beetle

2009-04-22T18:54:00.000-07:00

High Quality and High in resolution pictures

Here are some most amazing and beautiful pictures of flowers. One of my cousin has sent me these high quality picture he has taken in Islamabad. He told me about the exhibition held at a nearby park not far from his house. So he walked in to see what the competition was all about. As he was saying that everyone was competing for whose got the best flowers arrangement.
This picture of Pakistan's map is one of the best project in the exhibition.

Like to see more wallpapers and high resolution pictures? This is a link of my cousin's website
Majed Jahandad

A flowery map of Pakistan

Yellow flowers

Colorful flower close up

Macro picture

I like this butterfly, you can even see it's tongue! it's just so awesome.

Butterfly on pink flower

Full moon

Beetle Close up

Kalaripayattu-3000 year old martial arts

2009-04-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

This is all about inner peace and animal movements.

Kalari law which has eight poses can be used if necessary under deadly attack. One who knows this art of position and strength can gain lightening-fast speed.

All of the movements are related with Lion, Tiger, Elephant, Wild Boar, Snake, and Crocodile. Kalaripayattu laid down the combat code of the Cholas, the Cheras and the Pandyas. It is mostly practiced in isolation, preferrably forest.

From contracting body in a wave-like motion of the boar to elephant's sturdy or immovable pose. Cat's silent fall from the tallest wall to lion's sense of protecting, the power to destroy. Snake technique to turn in any direction to peacock's attack on it's enemy when it spreads it's wings, dances by steadying on it's one leg and then jumping and flying.

There are so many videos related with this topic.
And seriously I didn't know that there was any legendary martial arts practice still existing.

Monarch Butterfly

2009-04-03T19:34:00.000-07:00

Monarch Butterfly

emerging butterfly video

Facts:

Female monarchs have darker veins on their wings, and the males have a spot in the center of each hindwing from which pheromones are released. Males are also slightly larger.

Monarch butterflies are known for the incredible mass migration that brings millions of them to California and Mexico each winter. North American monarchs are the only butterflies that make such a massive journey—up to 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers). The insects must begin this journey each fall ahead of cold weather, which will kill them if they tarry too long.

Plastic stickers are placed on the wing of the insect with identification information. Tracking information is used to study the migration patterns of monarchs, including how far and where they fly.

Recent illegal deforestation of the monarch's overwintering grounds have led to a drastic reduction in the butterfly's population.

Firefly

2009-04-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

Firefly

There are about 2,000 firefly species. These insects live in a variety of warm environments, as well as in more temperate regions, and are a familiar sight on summer evenings.
Fireflies have dedicated light organs that are located under their abdomens. Scientists are not sure how the insects regulate this process to turn their lights on and off.

Firefly light may also serve as a defense mechanism that flashes a clear warning of the insect's unappetizing taste.

Poison Dart Frog

2009-04-03T19:05:00.000-07:00

Depending on individual habitats, which extend from the tropical forests of Costa Rica to Brazil, their coloring can be yellow, gold, copper, red, green, blue, or black. Their elaborate designs and hues are deliberately ostentatious to ward off potential predators, a tactic called aposematic coloration.

Considered to be one of the most toxic animals on Earth, golden poison dart frogs have enough venom to kill ten grown humans.

strawberry poison dart frog video

High Resolution pictures from Islamabad Zoo, PK

2009-03-04T22:29:00.000-08:00

The Steppe Eagle's diet is largely fresh carrion of all kinds, but it will kill rodents and other small mammals up to the size of a rabbit, and birds up to the size of partridges. It will also steal food from other raptors.
The call of the Steppe Eagle is a crow-like barking, but it is rather a silent bird except in display.

The Indian Peafowl is a resident breeder in the Indian subcontinent and has been introduced into many parts of the world and feral populations exist in many introduced regions. The peacock is the national bird of India and is the largest Asian galliform.

chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and most of India. It is the most common deer species in Indian forests. Its coat is reddish fawn, marked with white spots, and its underparts are white.

Typically these birds will weigh around 800 grams. In most cases, male birds can be distinguished from females with their almost black eyes, whereas the female has a more red/brown coloured eye. Their distinctive raucous call can be very loud; it is meant to travel through the forest environments in which they live, including tropical and subtropical rainforests. These birds are naturally curious creatures, as well as very intelligent. They have adapted very well to European settlement in Australia and live in many urban areas. These birds are very long lived, and can live upwards of 70 years in captivity, although they only live to about 20-40 years in the wild.

In Mecca, in pre-Islamic South Arabia, Allat, Uzza, and Manah were believed to be the three chief goddesses of Mecca, they were called the "three exalted cranes" (gharaniq, an obscure word on which 'crane' is the usual gloss).

Despite widespread misconceptions, only the females of most dabbling ducks "quack". For example, the scaup which are diving ducks make a noise like "scaup" (hence their name), and even among the dabbling ducks, the males never quack.

When swimming, black swans hold their necks arched or erect, and often carry their feathers or wings raised in an aggressive display. In flight, a wedge of black swans will form as a line or a V, with the individual birds flying strongly with undulating long necks, making whistling sounds with their wings and baying, bugling or trumpeting calls.

Superb High Quality Pictures from my cousin

2009-03-04T21:56:00.000-08:00

I just love this flower, very pretty

Pictures I thought are worth a watch

2009-02-26T16:53:00.000-08:00

Lion

2009-02-17T20:32:00.000-08:00

Lion (African and Asiatic)
Panthera leo

Renowned for its majesty and nicknamed the King of the Jungle, the lion possesses both beauty and strength. Lions vary in color but typically sport light yellowish-brown coats. Mature male lions are unique among big cats due the thick brown or black manes that encircle their necks and protect them while fighting.

Interesting Lion Facts
Top speed 50 mph, for short distances
Longest leap 36 feet
Distance over which roar can be heard 5 miles; both males and females roar.

Height 4 feet (males), females smaller
Length 5-8 feet (males), females smaller
Weight 330-500 lbs (males), females less

Lifespan 13 years, although they may live longer in captivity

Diet
Staples Wide variety; from wildebeest, impala, zebra, giraffe, buffalo and wild hogs to sometimes rhinos and hippos. They will also feed on smaller animals such as hares, birds and reptiles.
Also known to attack Elephants when food is scarce

Population
The lion population in Africa has been reduced by half since the early 1950s. Today, fewer than 21,000 remain in all of Africa. The Gir Wildlife Sanctuary in India contains approximately 200 lions.

Range
Though lions used to live in most parts of Africa, they are now found only in the south Sahara desert and in parts of southern and eastern Africa. In addition, a small population of the Asiatic lion subspecies remains in the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary in northwestern India. Historically in addition to Africa, lions were found from Greece through the Middle East to northern India.

Behavior

The only social member of the cat (Felidae) family, lions live in large groups called "prides," consisting of about 15 lions. Related females and their young make up the majority of the pride. A single male, or sometimes a small group of 2-3 males, will join a pride for an indefinite period, usually about 3 years or until another group of males takes over.

Lions within a pride are often affectionate and, when resting, seem to enjoy good fellowship with lots of touching, head rubbing, licking and purring. The males are territorial, and will roar and use scent markings to establish their domains.

Females do almost all of the hunting. They are mainly nocturnal and work in teams to stalk and ambush prey. Lions inhabit grassy plains, savannahs, open woodlands and scrub country. These landscapes allow the hunters to creep stealthily through vegetation and leap upon their unsuspecting prey.

Reproduction
Mating Season Throughout the year
Gestation Around 110 days
Litter size 3-4 cubs
Cubs have long hair on the backs of their necks that make them look like honey badgers, which are ferocious animals that predators are wary of. Young cubs are vulnerable to predation by hyenas, leopards and black-backed jackals. The cubs begin hunting at 11 months but remain with their mother for at least two years.

Threats
Lions are threatened by human population growth and agricultural expansion, as well as hunting and poaching by livestock ranchers.

Legal Status/Protection
Although the population of lions is declining, they are not currently listed as endangered or threatened. The Asiatic lion subspecies, however, is endangered.

Yellow Stone National Park

2009-02-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

With half of the earth’s geothermal features, Yellowstone holds the planet’s most diverse and intact collection of geysers, hot springs, mudpots, and fumaroles. Its more than 300 geysers make up two thirds of all those found on earth. Combine this with more than 10,000 thermal features comprised of brilliantly colored hot springs, bubbling mudpots, and steaming fumaroles, and you have a place like no other. Geyserland, fairyland, wonderland--through the years, all have been used to describe the natural wonder and magic of this unique park that contains more geothermal features than any other place on earth.
Yellowstone’s vast collection of thermal features provides a constant reminder of the park’s recent volcanic past. Indeed, the caldera provides the setting that allows such features as Old Faithful to exist and to exist in such great
concentrations.

Photo of the Sun taken at intervals.

2009-02-11T15:06:00.000-08:00

Don't know much about this picture, just saw this cool picture. It's blog worthy, must be taken from Greenland or Alaska.

Chihuahuas are digging the cash

2009-02-04T18:19:00.000-08:00

In Beverly Hills dogs, and especially Chihuahuas, are being treated to the good life like never before.

111-year-old reptile becomes a dad

2009-02-04T18:17:00.000-08:00

111- year-old reptile becomes a dad

Henry the tuatara, has unexpectedly become a father at the impressive old age of 111.

Watch the Video

Funny and Odd Animals

2009-02-03T14:34:00.000-08:00

A bird's moon walk in the forest- watch full video

2009-01-31T12:31:00.000-08:00

2009-01-16T17:34:00.000-08:00

Extinct Tasmanian Tiger DNA inserted in mouse embryoby Rich Bowden - May 20 2008

Researchers have made a breakthrough in cloning extinct species by inserting Tasmanian Tiger DNA into a mouse embryo. Image: The extinct Tasmanian Tiger(Thylacine).

Genes from a preserved specimen of the Tasmanian Tiger, or thylacine, were injected into the mouse by a team of researchers from the University of Melbourne and the University of Texas. The team said they then witnessed a biological function in the developing mouse cartilage.
�This is the first time that DNA from an extinct species has been used to induce a functional response in another living organism,� said Dr Andrew Pask, RD Wright Fellow at the University of Melbourne�s Department of Zoology who led the research.
�As more and more species of animals become extinct, we are continuing to lose critical knowledge of gene function and their potential. Up until now we have only been able to examine gene sequences from extinct animals. This research was developed to go one step further to examine extinct gene function in a whole organism,� he said.
The potential applications of such research was described as "enormous" by the team.
�This research has enormous potential for many applications including the development of new biomedicines and gaining a better understanding of the biology of extinct animals,� said Professor Richard Behringer, Deputy Head of the Department of Molecular Genetics, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, at the University of Texas, who is the corresponding author on the paper.
�At a time when extinction rates are increasing at an alarming rate, especially of mammals, this research discovery is critical,� says Professor Marilyn Renfree, Federation Fellow and Laureate Professor in the University of Melbourne�s Department of Zoology, the senior author on the paper. The team's findings are to published in the journal .

The Tiger was hunted to extinction by settlers on the Australian island state of Tasmania during the 19th century. The last known thylacine died at Hobart Zoo in 1936.

endangered birds

2009-01-16T15:03:00.000-08:00

Of the nearly 10,000 described bird species, over 1,200 are listed as threatened or endangered by the IUCN. Some are facing seemingly hopeless battles, while others are recovering from decades of decline. The future hangs in the balance for many of our feathered friends.

Here are few of them:

SOUTHWESTERN WILLOW FLYCATCHER (Empidonax traillii extimus)
The southwestern willow flycatcher is a small songbird with a green-gray body, white throat and yellow belly. It is found in the forests along rivers, streams and other wetlands in the southwestern United States and Northern Mexico. Most birders rely on sound rather than sight to identify this bird. It has a distinct "fitz-bew" call that is unmistakable. This species is threatened by habitat loss and there may be fewer than 1,000 individuals left in the wild.
USFWS Status: Endangered
Major Threat: Habitat loss
Habitat: Forests along rivers, streams and other wetlands
Location: Southwestern United States and Northern MexicoDiet: Insects

RED-CROWNED CRANE (Grus japonensis)
Cranes are large long-legged birds with a slender bill and rounded wings. They are found throughout the world, though many are endangered. In fact, cranes have a higher proportion of endangered species than any other bird group. The red-crowned crane — the heaviest member of the crane family — breeds on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. It may have occurred on other Japanese islands in the past, but hunting and habitat loss have restricted its numbers.

IUCN Status: EndangeredUSFWS Status: Endangered
Major Threats: Hunting and habitat loss
Habitat: Marshes, river banks and similar habitats
Location: Island of Hokkaido in Japan
Diet: Small amphibians, aquatic invertebrates, insects and plants

TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius tricolor)
Blackbirds are found exclusively in the Americas and are well-adapted for life in and around human settlements. The tricolored blackbird is found throughout the marsh, scrub and wetlands of the Central Valley of California, and breeding colonies may occur in Nevada, Oregon and Washington. The male is shiny black with red or white wing epaulets, and the females are dusky gray. This species is currently undergoing rapid population decline due to loss of habitat.

IUCN Status: Endangered
Major Threat: Habitat loss
Habitat: Marsh, scrub and wetlands
Location: Central Valley of California
Diet: Insects, seeds and other plant matter

tiger shark

2009-01-16T14:42:00.000-08:00

Type: FishDiet: CarnivoreAverage lifespan in the wild: Up to 50 yearsSize: 10 to 14 ft (3.25 to 4.25 m)Weight: 850 to 1,400 lbs (385 to 635 kg)Group name: School or shoalDid you know? The tiger shark's reputation as an indiscriminate eater that will swallow anything it finds, including garbage, has earned it the nickname "wastebasket of the sea."Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:

Tiger sharks are named for the dark, vertical stripes found mainly on juveniles. As these sharks mature, the lines begin to fade and almost disappear.
These large, blunt-nosed predators have a duly earned reputation as man-eaters. They are second only to great whites in attacking people. But because they have a near completely undiscerning palate, they are not likely to swim away after biting a human, as great whites frequently do.
They are consummate scavengers, with excellent senses of sight and smell and a nearly limitless menu of diet items. They have sharp, highly serrated teeth and powerful jaws that allow them to crack the shells of sea turtles and clams. The stomach contents of captured tiger sharks have included stingrays, sea snakes, seals, birds, squids, and even license plates and old tires.
Tiger sharks are common in tropical and sub-tropical waters throughout the world. Large specimens can grow to as much as 20 to 25 feet (6 to 7.5 meters) in length and weigh more than 1,900 pounds (900 kilograms).
They are heavily harvested for their fins, skin, and flesh, and their livers contain high levels of vitamin A, which is processed into vitamin oil. They have extremely low repopulation rates, and therefore may be highly susceptible to fishing pressure. They are listed as near threatened throughout their range.

King Cobra

2009-01-16T14:19:00.000-08:00

Fast Facts
Type: Reptile
Diet: Carnivore
Average lifespan in the wild: 20 years
Size: 13 ft (4 m)
Weight: Up to 20 lbs (9 kg)

Did you know? Synthetic cobra venom is used in pain relievers and arthritis medication.
It seems unfairly menacing that a snake that can literally "stand up" and look a full-grown person in the eye would also be among the most venomous on the planet, but that describes the famous king cobra.

King cobras can reach 18 feet (5.5 meters) in length, making them the longest of all venomous snakes. When confronted, they can raise up to one-third of their bodies straight off the ground and still move forward to attack. They will also flare out their iconic hoods and emit a bone-chilling hiss that sounds almost like a growling dog.

Their venom is not the most potent among venomous snakes, but the amount of neurotoxin they can deliver in a single bite—up to two-tenths of a fluid ounce (seven milliliters)—is enough to kill 20 people, or even an elephant. Fortunately, king cobras are shy and will avoid humans whenever possible, but they are fiercely aggressive when cornered.

King cobras live mainly in the rain forests and plains of India, southern China, and Southeast Asia, and their coloring can vary greatly from region to region. They are comfortable in the trees, on land, and in water, feeding mainly on other snakes, venomous and nonvenomous. They will also eat lizards, eggs, and small mammals.They are the only snakes in the world that build nests for their eggs, which they guard ferociously until the hatchlings emerge.

King cobras may be best known as the species of choice for the snake charmers of South Asia. Although cobras can hear, they are actually deaf to ambient noises, sensing ground vibrations instead. The charmer's flute entices the cobra by its shape and movement, not by the music it emits.

The Elusive Quetzal

2009-01-16T14:16:00.000-08:00

"Shimmering feathers of a male resplendent quetzal reach far beyond the nest he and his mate hollowed out of a tree in Guatemala. Breathtaking glimpses of this celebrated and threatened bird are becoming increasingly rare as human encroachment reduces its numbers."

ribbom tailed birds of paradise

2009-01-16T14:12:00.001-08:00

Fast Facts
Type: Bird
Diet: Varies by species
Average lifespan in the wild: Varies by species and habitat
Size: 4.75 to 39 in (12 to 100 cm)
Weight: Varies by species
There are more than three-dozen species in the family Paradisaeidae, more commonly known as the birds of paradise. Most are distinguished by striking colors and bright plumage of yellow, blue, scarlet, and green. These colors distinguish them as some of the world's most dramatic and attractive birds. Males often sport vibrant feathered ruffs or amazingly elongated feathers, which are known as wires or streamers. Some species have enormous head plumes or other distinctive ornaments, such as breast shields or head fans.Males put their bright colors and unusual ornaments to good use when they display for females. Their elaborate dances, poses, and other rituals accentuate their appearance and put on a phenomenal show for both female birds and any humans lucky enough to be in the vicinity. Such displays can last for hours, and in many species they consume a significant part of the male's time.Birds of paradise are found in New Guinea and surrounding islands. The manucodes and riflebirds species also dwell in Australia. Birds of paradise are so attractive that their appearance once made them the target of skin hunters, who decimated some species.These birds also lend their name to a colorful flower. South Africa's bird-of-paradise (Strelitzia reginae) is a member of the banana family. It sports a beautiful flower believed to resemble the avian bird of paradise in flight.

Parrots

2009-01-16T14:09:00.001-08:00

Type: BirdDiet: OmnivoreAverage lifespan in the wild: Up to 80 yearsSize: 3.5 in (8.7cm) to 40 in (100 cm)Weight: 2.25 oz (65 g) to 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg) The parrots are a broad order of more than 350 birds. Macaws, Amazons, lorikeets, lovebirds, cockatoos and many others are all considered parrots.
Though there is great diversity among these birds, there are similarities as well. All parrots have curved beaks and all are zygodactyls, meaning they have four toes on each foot, two pointing forward and two projecting backward. Most parrots eat fruit, flowers, buds, nuts, seeds, and some small creatures such as insects.
Parrots are found in warm climates all over most of the world. The greatest diversities exist in Australasia, Central America, and South America.
Many parrots are kept as pets, especially macaws, Amazon parrots, cockatiels, parakeets, and cockatoos. These birds have been popular companions throughout history because they are intelligent, charismatic, colorful, and musical. Some birds can imitate many nonavian sounds, including human speech. The male African gray parrot (Psittacus erithacus) is the most accomplished user of human speech in the animal world; this rain forest-dweller is an uncanny mimic.
Currently the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) bans the sale of any wild-caught species, yet the parrots' popularity continues to drive illegal trade.
Some parrot species are highly endangered. In other cases, once tame birds have reproduced in the wild and established thriving feral populations in foreign ecosystems. The monk (green) parakeet, for example, now lives in several U.S. states.

Asian Peacock

2009-01-16T14:00:00.001-08:00

Fast Facts Type:
BirdDiet: OmnivoreAverage lifespan in the wild: 20 years
Size: Body, 35 to 50 in (90 to 130 cm); Tail, 5 ft (1.5 m)
Weight: 8.75 to 13 lbs (4 to 6 kg)
Did you know? A male peafowl is one of the largest flying birds when the combined length of its train and its large wingspan are considered.
Peacocks are large, colorful pheasants (typically blue and green) known for their iridescent tails. These tail feathers, or coverts, spread out in a distinctive train that is more than 60 percent of the bird’s total body length and boast colorful "eye" markings of blue, gold, red, and other hues. The large train is used in mating rituals and courtship displays. It can be arched into a magnificent fan that reaches across the bird's back and touches the ground on either side. Females are believed to choose their mates according to the size, color, and quality of these outrageous feather trains.
The term "peacock" is commonly used to refer to birds of both sexes. Technically, only males are peacocks. Females are peahens, and together, they are called peafowl.
Suitable males may gather harems of several females, each of which will lay three to five eggs. In fact, wild peafowl often roost in forest trees and gather in groups called parties.
Peacocks are ground-feeders that eat insects, plants, and small creatures. There are two familiar peacock species. The blue peacock lives in India and Sri Lanka, while the green peacock is found in Java and Myanmar (Burma). A more distinct and little-known species, the Congo peacock, inhabits African rain forests.
Peafowl such as the blue peacock have been admired by humans and kept as pets for thousands of years. Selective breeding has created some unusual color combinations, but wild birds are themselves bursting with vibrant hues. They can be testy and do not mix well with other domestic birds.