BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE

Nature's Fearless Fighting

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:21:00 +0000

A pair of gulls fight in mid-air. Conflict is incredibly commonplace within the animal kingdom. Quite often the fights are short and based on display rather than actual physical contact and so it is difficult to capture on film. The photographer must be incredibly quick in order to get that photograph. This particular spat, for example, could have been over in seconds.

Often the fighting is between alpha males who are looking to secure dominance over a single female or perhaps even a group. The dominance of the alpha male will ensure that it is his genes that are passed on to the next generation. In many species, when a new alpha male takes over, he will deliberately seek out and kill and offspring which he has not sired. Why should he bring up other people's kids? In other species such as the meerkat and Prairie dog it may be the females who occasionally commit infanticide in the fight to get their genes in to the next generation. The Prairie Dogs above are play fighting - but this is as much to practice for the real thing as to pass some time having fun.

Many animals will avoid a fight and when they find themselves in a situation where they must there is an implicit ‘trust' almost between the two animals that the fight will not lead to life-endangering injuries or lead to death. Obviously, animals do not have Emergency Rooms where they can go to get their wounds healed! Horses are an example where the fight never results in the death of one of the antagonists. Sometimes fights are caused simply because the animals are in a bad mood, in this case possibly because of overcrowding.

The fighting is often about the right to mate. The old idea of the survival of the fittest is an everyday fact of life in the animal kingdom, It may seem unfair to our sense of fair play but when animals must seek out their own food they must ensure that they have the optimum ‘equipment' with which to hunt or to gather.

The male elephant seal will run his own harem and he must protect it with his life. On average male elephant seals live four years less than the females, sometimes reaching the age of twenty. This isn't too surprising when the fact is taken in to consideration that alpha status can be reached at the age of eight. That will mean at least a dozen years of continually fending off other males. No wonder the male does not live as long as the female.

The hippo's reputation has taken a battering over recent years with many nature documentaries showing them for the bad tempered and aggressive individuals that they truly are. These are animals that show no fear in attacking crocodiles should they get in their way. However, hippos will rarely kill each other when they fight, which is more often than not about territory. If a bachelor challenges the alpha male then the fight will be over as soon as it is clear which hippo is stronger.

Additionally, single males are allowed in to the ‘stretch' of a bull alpha male as long as their behavior is submissive towards the alpha male. In this way hippo ‘pods' can number up to a hundred. Due to the size of the pods - and the animals themselves - there can often be some bad-tempered jostling for space. The differences in gender behavior have been difficult to ascertain as they are not sexually dimorphic. This means that females and young males look incredibly alike.

In all three main zebra species, young males will live together in groups. Then, when they feel the need to reproduce they will challenge the alpha male who often has a permanent harem of up to six females (except Grevy's zebra which does not have social bonds of any permanency).

The fights between the competing males often look more violent than they are and the lesser of the two will usually retreat when he knows that he has lost. At least he can go back to the bachelor herd!

Everyone knows that kangaroos box each other and in less enlightened times they were used a fairground attractions. Most boxing is play-related but it can be done for dominance of a group or when there is competition in the great mating game. The forepaws can be used to grapple and punch but the real danger are the hugely powerful hindlegs of the animal. The toenails of the hindleg are incredibly sharp and it has been known for an opponent to be disemboweled. However, most conflicts between males do not result in life threatening injuries.

These Coots are fighting over who gets to pay attention to a female. Some species of birds allow the female to choose her mate and this is usually down to the song, plumage and sometimes the ‘dance' of the male.

Fighting among males is not only restricted to mammals. Dragonflies are highly territorial and if a male strays in to the wrong territory then it will definitely mean a fight. In years when the population is large that can mean that territory can be disputed by more than one dragonfly at a time.
CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

The Incredible Beauty of Hummingbirds in Flight

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:19:00 +0000

Nothing can quite prepare you for the exquisite sight of a hummingbird on the wing. Nature has truly spoiled us with this astonishing spectacle. Take a look as ten different species take flight in their search for food and marvel at the aerodynamics of one of the world's truly astonishing species.

This beautiful specimen is known as an Anna’s Hummingbird and was named after Anna Messina, the Duchess of Rivoli. It is found along the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to Arizona. Males perform remarkable display dives during the courtship season. The male, when his territory is threatened, rises up around a hundred feet before diving on to his rival. The dive is so fast it produces an “explosive squeak” as the wind rushes through the tail feathers.

With his iridescent green back, this male Broad-tailed Hummingbird is spectacular enough. However, he also has a brilliant red gorget (a throat patch) which really makes him stand out from the crowd. This species is found across the forests and meadows of the Western United States but do range as gar as Mexico and Guatemala. The bird is somewhat vagrant and can be seen even in El Salvador, although it will not breed there. The bird is recognized by the trilling sound that the male’s wings make during flight. A gorgeous species.

The beautiful and fascinated Ruby-throated hummingbird has many flight muscle and skeletal adaptations which allow it great agility in flight. They have, for example, long blade-like wings which connect to the body only from the shoulder joint. This is unlike most other birds and this adaptation allows the wing to rotate almost through one hundred and eighty degrees. Amazingly, this then allows the bird to not only fly forwards but straight up and down, backwards and sideways. Their Phenomenal wings beat 55 times a second when hovering!

Does the camera ever lie? Perhaps, but in this case it is not intentional. The Costa’s Hummingbird is tiny and grows to only three inches in length. This male of the species shows of his most distinguishing feature – his purple cap, with his throat feathers flaring out and back behind his head. This species is fairly common in the Southwestern United States and in the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. Many people believe that hummingbirds survive only on the nectar of flowers. The Costa’s, like all other hummingbird species, also eats any tiny insects it finds among the petals when it is collecting the nectar.

This species of hummingbird has a forked tail and as such is known as the Swallow-tailed variety. It is one of the largest “city” hummingbirds and can be very aggressive. It will attack any other hummingbirds that dare encroach on its particular territory. They occur from the Amazon River up to Paraguay and South Eastern Peru. Unfortunately, although they can get along in partially deforested zones they may well disappear because of intensive agriculture and the development of treeless cities.

The Green Violet ear is one of the more magnificent of hummingbirds and it is a resident of South America, mostly. Although it breeds in Mexico and the Andes it has been known to wander in to the United States, even as far as Canada. It is known, as well as its supreme colorings, for it vigorous song that is repeated ad infinitum all day long. The song goes CHEEP-chut-chut, chip CHEET and would probably drive you mad if this particular species decided to make its home next to yours.

The Blue-throated Hummingbird is fairly large for the genus, reaching up to five inches in length. Its tail feathers are an iridescent blue with broad white tips on the outer two or three pairs. The male also has a wonderful blue gorget (which the female lacks). Unlike the Green violet-ear, this hummingbird has a simple “peep peep” song. It is common in Mexico and frequently nests over water. It can breed three times a year and the female simply builds a new nest on top of the old one. This can lead to conspicuous “nest towers” which give the bird a taste of high rise life.

The Collared Inca Hummingbird is found in the humid forest of the Andes. It is common throughout Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. It is known for its darker looks – and has a clear white chest patch which distinguishes it further, giving him something of the look of a flying catholic priest.

A Giant Hummingbird takes a feed. This one is as large as it looks! This is the largest member of the hummingbird family and can measure up to eight and a half inches in length. That is approximately the length of a European Starling, which should give you a good idea about its size. It is not as attractive as many of its smaller cousins and as such is known locally as the “burro q’enti” – the burro refers to its dull plumage. It is found in the Andes.

The Sword-billed Hummingbird is the only bird in the world which has a bill that is actually longer than its body. As such it is unable to preen itself and has to use its feet. This is universally acknowledged as one of nature’s stranger, funnier sights. The length of its bill is so it cal feed on plants with long corollas. As you might expect its tongue is also unusually long.
CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

8 Largest Giants of the Deep

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:17:00 +0000

The deep, dark ocean is a scary place, and it’s teeming with creatures that can inspire many a horror flick. Here’s our round-up of real-life monsters, animals that exhibit what’s known as abyssal gigantism, or the tendency for deep-sea dwellers to be much, much larger than their shallow-water cousins. It’s not known exactly why this type of gigantism occurs, but one thing’s for sure, we’re lucky that a close encounter with any of these eight giants in their natural habitat is rare!

Japanese Spider Crab
The Japanese spider crab can be found skulking around the bottom of the deep, dark sea floor. It can weigh up to 44 pounds, possess a leg span of almost four metres and boast a body size of 15 inches. It’s also incredibly long-lived, with a lifespan of up to 100 years.

Giant Isopod
It’s a pill bug on steroids! The giant isopod is a scavenger that thrives in deep, cold waters. At up to 14.5 inches in length and up to three pounds in weight, this creepy crustacean is a meaty dish that’s sometimes boiled and served in Northern Taiwanese oceanside restaurants.

Giant Tube Worm
If the thought of accidentally crushing an earthworm on a rainy day makes you cringe, you don’t want to know about the hordes of giant tube worms that live miles deep under the sea. These animals can grow to more than two metres long, and love the extreme heat and sulfurous environment near hydrothermal vents called ‘black smokers’.

Seven-arm Octopus
According to all known records, this 75 kg, four metre-long beast is the largest octopus on our planet, though some say the North Pacific Giant Octopus can grow even larger. Male octopuses have a specialized egg fertilization arm that’s coiled-up by the right eye, making it look like the octopus only has seven arms.

North Pacific Giant Octopus
Although the title of ‘world’s largest octopus’ is disputed, there’s no mistaking that the North Pacific giant octopus is a formidable killer. Watch this video and you’ll see that even sharks aren’t safe in its company.

King of Herrings
At up to 11 metres, the king of herrings is cited in the Guinness Book of World Records as being the longest fish alive. But even though it can grow to be quite large, it is very elusive; it wasn’t until 2001 that it was filmed alive.

Bigfin Squid
We’ll focus on two of the many monstrous squid species here, including the alien-like bigfin squid. This squid’s got huge fins that resemble dumbo-ears as well as extremely long arms and incredibly elastic tentacles that are held at strange angles to it’s body

Colossal Squid
No round-up of deep-sea monsters would be complete without recognition of the largest invertebrate in the world - the colossal squid. It’s estimated that this animal can grow up to an impressive 14 metres long, and has a body that’s both wider and heavier than the giant squid.
CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

9 Of The World's Biggest Animals

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:16:00 +0000

World's Biggest Dog

Say hello to this gargantuan specimen named Hercules, purportedly the Guinness Record holder for World's Biggest Dog. Hercules is an English Mastiff and has a 38 inch neck and weighs 282 pounds.

With "paws the size of softballs", the three-year-old monster is far larger and heavier than his breed's standard 200lb. limit. Hercules owner Mr. Flynn says that Hercules weight is natural and not induced by a bizarre diet: "I fed him normal food and he just grew, and grew, and grew”.

World's Biggest Horse

Radar, a Belgian draught horse, is the World’s Tallest Living Horse. This huge horse, at 6ft 71/2in from hoof to shoulder, is from Mount Pleasant, Texas. At 2,400lb, he has a giant appetite to match, putting away 20 gallons of water a day and 18lb of grain.

World’s Biggest Cow

As big as a small elephant, Big Cow Chilli and he's described as a gentle giant. Chilli the giant bullock stands at 6ft 6ins and weighs well over a ton. Despite his grand stature, Chilli only grazes on grass during the day and enjoys the occasional swede as a treat.

World's Biggest Pig

The Liaoning Provincial Agricultural Museum is appealing to the Guinness Book of Records to recognise a 900 kg (1984 pounds) pig which died on February 5 as the biggest pig ever. When the pig died it was 2.5 metres long, had a waistline of 2.23 metres and a tusk of 14.4 centimetres long. According to XU Changjin, a farmer of Wafangdian city, the pig was only 5 years old. He kept his pig in a good built sty and gave it quality food all its life.

World's Biggest Catfish

At 646LB this Mekong Giant Catfish is the largest freshwater fish in the world. With nearly nine feet long (2.7 meters) and as big as a grizzly bear, this huge catfish caught in northern Thailand may be the largest freshwater fish ever recorded. Although there are many claims and rumours about the world’s largest freshwater specimens, especially from misguided anglers. However, in the eyes of scientist's the Mekong Giant Catfish has taken pole position with the recorded capture of this huge 646LB specimen by local fishermen in 2005. Many anglers over look the fact that some larger fish that can be caught in the worlds rivers, such as Sturgeon, migrate between river and sea, and therefore not considered to be freshwater species in the true sense of the word.

World's Tallest Dog

Hercules might be the biggest dog in the world, but the tallest according to the Guinness World Records is Gibson, a Harlequin Great Dane, who is 42.2 inches. The 170-pound Dane is more than 7 feet tall, taller than most NBA basketball players.

World's Biggest Cat

Jungle Island in Miami is home to a liger (a hybrid cross between a male lion and a female tiger) named Hercules, the largest non-obese liger. The liger is recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records as the largest cat on Earth, weighing in at 900 lbs.

World's Biggest Stingray ever caught

It took 90 minutes to land, 13 men to heave it out of the water... and weighed 55 stone when they finally got it to the scales. So it's little wonder that when Ian Welch first hooked the record stingray, it almost pulled him into the river. The angler, from Aldershot, Hampshire, was fishing in Thailand when he landed the ray, which is the biggest freshwater fish to be caught with a rod, with over 7ft long and wide, with a tail of 10ft.

World's Biggest Shark ever caught

More likely to eat than be eaten, this giant whale shark was caught off the coast of China by hardcore fishermen who managed to harness the ten-metre, eight-tonne whopper. Whale sharks are the world's largest living fish, it is estimated that they can reach an 18 metre length. They live in warm water along the coast and open seas and spend most of their time near the surface.
CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

The Beautiful Complexity of Animal Hands

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:40:00 +0000

There is something that touches us about hands. Of all our body parts, fingertips have some of the most densely packed nerve endings, provide the richest source of tactile feedback, and come with the best positioning capabilities – and not just while hovering over a keyboard. When it comes to the sense of touch, it’s all about the hands. Of course, some animals have hands too, or at least feet that closely resemble them, and they’re endlessly fascinating both in form and function. Here are five of our favourites – heart in hand – and see if you can guess whose hand belongs to whom.

1. Give it a big hand…

OK, we’ll start with an easy one. It’s a hand that’s hard to miss both because of its size and because, well, it’s kind of familiar. Like our own hands, this ape’s mitts are capped off with fingernails, and what’s more they’re endowed with those inimitable opposable thumbs. Opposable thumbs allowed this African beast to evolve more accurate fine motor skills – you know, the fiddly stuff like picking your nose – and are also thought to have led directly to the development of tools.

…it’s the Gorilla

It’s the greatest of great apes, the Gorilla, and this surly looking hombre looks to be tooled up with a big branch. Gorillas are one of our closest relatives – second only to chimpanzees – having split from our evolutionary path as little as 7 million years ago. They’re highly intelligent, and not only use their fingers for manipulating food, but like all the great apes have a semi-precision grip. This means they can use basic tools and improvised club weapons, and have even been recorded employing more sophisticated tool use, like using a stick as if to test the depth of water while crossing a swamp.

2. Keeping its hands clean…

That’s a pair of hands that wishes it were clinging onto something other than the inside of cage – really in this case as the critter they’re connected to has been known to seriously harm itself if locked up. We’re not going to tell you who they belong to yet – that would be giving the game away – but we’ll give you a clue. It’s another primate, like us and the largest of the group the Gorilla, and what makes its hands the real deal is that they too are blessed with a kind of opposable thumb.

…it’s the Tarsier

Not so obvious this time, eh? This buggy-eyed little beggar is the Tarsier, an insect-eating beastie found only on a few Southeast Asian Islands like the Philippines, Borneo and Sumatra, and which fossils indicate has not changed a lot in 45 million
years. Tarsiers’ fingers are incredibly elongated – the third finger is about the same length as the upper arm – which is great for grabbing the trees they inhabit. Most of the digits also have short nails – an evolutionary manicure job that also helps with gripping branches – but some of the toes on the hind feet have claws instead, used for grooming that lovely velvety fur.

3. Palming you off…

Like most members of the primate order, this cheeky chap’s hands have five digits as well as sensitive pads on the undersides of fingertips, but it’s lacking in the old opposable thumb department and has claws instead of nails on every digit barring the big toe. This means this little monkey – oops! – is not quite so dextrous when it comes to gripping objects with precision, though it’s still pretty handy at climbing trees, picking fruit and scratching for insects.

…it’s the Pygmy Marmoset

Any ideas? It’s the Pygmy Marmoset. The Tarsier may have been small, but this little critter takes the cake in the tininess stakes, standing as it does as among the most diminutive primates and the smallest of all monkeys. Sometimes called Dwarf Monkeys, Pygmy Marmosets have a body length of just 15 centimetres. So, while you’ll have a hard time trying to catch a glimpse of them, if you trek hard enough you may at least hear them in their native habitat of the South or Central American rainforest, where their calls reverberate down from the canopy tops.

4. Hand and foot…

These suckers this mitt belongs to are an everyday sight in homes in warmer climates around the world, where they often become part of the furniture – welcome guests who gobble up all sorts of insects such as mosquitoes. However, they’re equally renowned for their astonishing wall-climbing talents, the result of specialised toes that allow them to scale smooth, vertical surfaces, and even effortlessly cross ceilings. Note to pedantic types: technically this guy has feet, not hands, but they’re handy enough for us.

…it’s the Gecko

Guessed yet? It’s the groovy Gecko. The toes of these lizards have developed a uniquely adapted ability that allows them to adhere to almost any surface, without the use of fluids for example. In a cool(-blooded) illustration of nature’s physical chemistry, every square millimetre of the Gecko’s footpad is covered with around 14,000 hair-like setae, and each seta is itself delicately divided to interact with the surface at a submicroscopic level and produce the attractive forces that keep a Gecko stuck there. Phew. Who’d have guessed the wall-crawling exploits of the many-coloured Gecko would be so insanely scientific?

5. A dab hand…

The last addition to our list is another non-mammalian animal with some superior skills at its fingertips. Those well-developed discs at the ends of its finger and toe tips are all about adhesiveness, though of a wet kind unlike the Gecko’s; yes, this is a creature that likes to climb too. The fingers and toes themselves as well as their associated limbs tend to be a little on the lanky side, and the end result is some top of the tree grasping capabilities.

…it’s the Tree Frog

Will the owner of these hands please hop forward? Ladies and gentlemen, the Tree Frog. As you’d expect, the typically tiny and brightly coloured Tree Frog is found in very tall trees and high-growing vegetation. There are many different species, but two genii stand out as worthy of special mention. Chiromantis can oppose two fingers to the other two, resulting in a vice-like grip that even predators may need to heed, while Phyllomedusa, pictured above, has a form of opposable thumb. It’s all bound to help if you’re in a climbing club like these suckers. Safe hands and all
CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

The scariest and weirdest spiders on the planet

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:38:00 +0000

Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus)

Funnel-webs are one of the three most dangerous spiders in the world and are regarded by some to be the most dangerous. Wandering males are thought to be responsible for the majority of fatal bites to humans, however this has not been proven. Males are aggressive and tend to wander looking for receptive females of their kind for mating.

Goliath bird eating spider (Theraphosa blondi)

The goliath bird eating spider is an arachnid belonging to the tarantula family and is the largest spider in the world. The spider was named by explorers from the Victorian era, who reported the sighting to the Western world after witnessing the spider devouring a hummingbird.

Redback spider (Latrodectus hasselti)

Resembling the black widow spider, the redback is a member of the genus Latrodectus (widow family) found throughout the world. Females measure about a centimetre in length while the male is only 3 to 4 milimetres long. The redback spider is one of few animals which display sexual cannibalism while mating.

Crab spider (Ozyptila praticola)

Most often found on flowers, lying in ambush for prey, crab spiders do not build webs to trap prey but are active hunters much like jumping spiders. Like crabs, these spiders move sideways and backwards more easily than forwards.

Camel spiders (Solifugae)

These terrifying creatures became infamous when American soldiers who had returned home from Iraq told of cat size spiders that could bite chunks out of human flesh. Solifugae are not actually true spiders but belong to a distinct arachnid order.

Black Widow (Latrodectus)

This sinister creature posseses venom 15 times more potent than that of a rattlesnake. Due to the great geographical range of the black widow, the highest number of deaths world-wide are caused by members of their genus.

Brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa)

Brown recluse bites produce severe dermonecrotic lesions and severe systemic symptoms, including organ damage and even fatalities. Bites have been known to form a necrotizing ulcer that destroys soft tissue and may take months to heal, leaving deep scars. The damaged tissue will become gangrenous and eventually slough away.

Argiope aetherea

This large orb-web is often referred to as the St Andrew's Cross spider due to it's characteristic cross-shaped web. This species displays sexual size dimorphism, with females being many times larger than males.

Nephila clavata (Joro spider)

This colorful arachnid is a golden orb-web spider. Researchers in Japan have created a silk thread that is stronger, softer and more durable than conventional silk by genetically modifying silkworms with Nephilia drag line genes. Spider socks, stockings and fishing lines are expected to appear on the market within years.

Chilean rose tarantula (Grammostola rosea)

Although they look fightening, these tarantulas make brilliant pets. Females have been known to live as long as 20 years with the possibility that they may live considerably longer.

Wolf spider (Hogna helluo)

So called due to their ability to run down their prey, wolf spiders depend on their eyesight to hunt. Their sense of touch is acute. A bite may cause some itching to a human, but nothing deadly or major.

Goldenrod crab spider (Misumena vatia)

Goldenrod spiders are mainly found in North America and have the ability to change colour from white to yellow and back again. The colour change is made possible by the spider secreting a liquid yellow pigment into the outer cell layer of the body.

Zebra spider (Salticus scenicus)

Zebra spiders are often noted for their 'curiosity' when observed, many seem aware of their audience and seem to respond by raising their head and looking back at the person. This spider uses its four pairs of large eyes to locate prey and it's jumping ability to pounce and capture it.

Huntsman spider (Sparassidae)

Huntsman spiders can grow up to a legspan of 12 inches and will bite if provoked. Huntsman spiders are not deadly to humans though, the victim will suffer only minor swelling and localised pain, recovering in a day or two.

Mexican redknee tarantula (Brachypelma Smithi)

In the wild, the redknee will consume almost any kind of arthropod, small lizard, or small rodent that they can overpower and immobilize with their venom. After moulting, it will emerge from its exoskeleton leaving the old skin behind, looking like a second spider.

Barn spider (Araneus cavaticus)

This spider was made famous by the book, Charlotte's Web. The book's spider was called Charlotte A. Cavatica, and the barn spider's scientific name is Araneus cavaticus.
CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

The Most Disturbing Animals On Earth

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:36:00 +0000

Nature is the Stephen King of anthropomorphized abstract concepts: It's the undisputed master of horror. But unlike Stephen King, nature didn’t run out of good ideas twenty years ago. It’s been going strong for millenia, crafting subtle and intricate masterpieces of terror to unsettle, disturb, or outright kill you. Here’s a few more of it’s finer works:

Cymothoa exigua

Cymothoa Exigua, an ocean-dwelling parasite in the pacific ocean, primarily feeds on the Rose Snapper. And that’s not a picture of it being eaten up there. See, Cymothoa Exigua feeds by attching itself to the base of the tongue and draining the blood until it eventually atrophies and falls off. At which point the parasite replaces the tongue - actually functioning as the appendage - thus ensuring that the fish cannot get rid of it without starving to death.

And in other disturbing news: Apparently the Rose Snapper has my grandpa's teeth.

It's the only parasite that actually replaces a body part in its host, and apart from making fishing trips rather disturbing when one finds themselves trying to remove a hook from the mouth of the monster from Aliens, it also sets a terrifying bar for all the other parasites out there. I'm not saying that this trend will continue, or that you can expect to find your penis replaced by segmented translucent millipede in the near future, I'm just saying that if that does happen, you should probably run to the doctor immediately, provided that your legs have not been replaced by tapeworms in the interim.

Vampire Moth

This is the Vampire Moth, and it doesn’t need a lot of explaining. It is a moth that sucks your blood. And that is terrible. You worry about bloodsucking from mosquitoes, leeches, and lawyers, and now you have to worry about it from moths too? No longer can you say “don’t worry, honey, it’s just a moth!” and be the brave soldier for your loved ones. No, now you're the one screaming "vampire!" and then hiding under your bed with a cross everytime you see a butterfly.

They’re a recently discovered species, and the blood-sucking mechanism is considered a “logical evolution” from the fruit piercing mechanism present in many other moths. Take note: Everything that eats fruit is going to "logically evolve" into a vampire. I didn’t fucking say that; that’s science. Take it up with them.

Hatchet Fish

This is the Deep Sea Hatchetfish, so named for the hatchet-like body shape. It grows to about four inches in size, and like most deep sea creatures, it is bioluminescent. Unlike other deep sea dwellers, however, the hatchet fish has the unique ability to deeply unsettle you for the rest of your years by simply turning to face you:

Whereupon it ceases to be a fish and instead becomes a phantom escaped from the Room of Lost Souls, here to haunt the living out of jealousy for their flesh., While objectively I know that the Deep Sea Hatchetfish makes no particular sound, I swear to god that I can hear that thing screaming right now, and I’m pretty sure I only have 7 days to live because of it.

Sydney Funnel Web Spider

The Sydney Funnel Web Spider hails from the land of the Plagued Mother Of Horrors - The Kingdom of the Queen of Monsters, The World of Ancient and Unspeakable Horror - where old and terrifying gods sleep eternally, breathing their noxious miasma of choking fear across this world:

The land of Australia.

It’s one of the deadliest spiders in the world, and unfortunately that old adage “it’s more afraid of you than you are of it,” does not apply to the Syndney Funnel Web Spider: It’s not fucking afraid of you at all. It’s infamous for being one of the most “notoriously aggressive” species, and it will attack immediately when provoked. So no, it’s not "more afraid of you than you are of it," unless you’ve suffered head trauma that has rendered you functionally incapable of registering fear, or are Daredevil.

The venom of the Syndney Funnel Web Spider can kill you quite painfully within 40 minutes, and since you can find the males wandering incessantly during the summer months, frequently living in garages, yards, and houses all around Sydney, it probably will. Smashing it is ill-advised, because it's got little spider rage issues and if you miss, it will probably come after you like Mel Gibson in Payback. But drowning is also not a good idea: The Syndney Funnel Web Spider can survive a full day immersed in water, and are also frequently found in swimming pools.

So hey, vacation in Australia! If you’re too scared of sharks to go in the ocean, take a dip in the pool where you only have to risk the word’s most deadly, snorkeling, furious spider.

Giant Anteater

The Giant Anteater, as anybody with reading comprehension skills can tell you is both giant and an anteater. It's found mostly in central and southern America, and it’s quite cute in a fucked-up-elongated-face kind of way, like Sarah Jessica Parker. Not so cute? These things:

That’s the claw of a giant anteater laid next to the claw of a Velociraptor. You remember Velociraptors, right? From Jurassic Park? There was that really scary speech about how they use these enormous claws to disembowel you, remember? Yeah, the giant anteater is just like that , except for one thing:

The top claw up there – the bigger one – that’s the anteater.

It uses these god damn gigantic claws to kill jungle cats, which are its only natural predator. It can swipe quite rapidly, using a sweeping scythe-like motion to slash at predators or, if cornered, will grab enemies in a “bear hug,” and squeeze the claws through their body. So is it still adorable now that you know it’s basically an Iron Maiden for jaguars?
CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

Cute Exotic Baby Animals Born at Zoos Around the World

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:11:00 +0000

Tiny Tiger Triplets Say - "Roar!"

Born June 2nd,Amur Tigers are the largest of all cat species, reaching 11 feet and up to 650 lbs in adulthood.

Meet a Medditerranean Miniature Donkey

Born July 16th amidst heavy thunder and lightening, the UK's Wingham Wildlife Park named it's newest Mediterranean Miniature Donkey foal "Storm."

Little Loggerheads Weather the Storm at Sea World

Rough seas caused by Hurricane Bill prevented this tiny week-old trio baby Loggerhead Sea Turtles from safely trekking to the ocean from their nest.

Boisterous Baboons Show Their Stuff

Visitors enjoyed the antics of a pair of baby baboons as they got up to some "monkey business".

Everyone's Pulling for Denver's Tamarin Orphans

Zoo keepers and veterinary staff at Denver Zoo are working around the clock to care for emperor tamarin twins, orphaned after the death of their mother.

Baby Elephant Shower Time

Watch a tiny elephant calf enjoying her first wash.

A Squirrelly Little Monkey

Squirrel Monkey clings tightly to mom's back.

Romping Snow Leopard Kittens

Well technically they're cubs... but the newest little Snow Leopards sure look like curious kittens to us.

Double Giraffe Calves for the Binder Park Zoo

The first baby was 6' tall and the second 5' 6", but what's six inches when you're almost two yards tall at birth?

Cheetah Cub Charms in Cincinnati

Baby White-Cheeked Gibbon Along for the Ride

This tiny White-Cheeked Gibbon was born April 3rd and still spends most of his time clinging tightly to mom, 21 year old Indah.

Up Close and Personal with a Baby Barbary Macaque

This baby macaque was born in the last few weeks at Apenheul Primate Park in the Netherlands.

Four's Company at the Denver Zoo

The July 9th birth of quadruplet red panda cubs is extremely rare; this marks only the fifth recorded birth of quadruplets at an accredited U.S. zoo.

Rare Ducklings Born at the Louisville Zoo

After 26 days in the incubator, two tiny ducklings were born and are doing well.

A Healthy 251 lb Baby!

After 22 months of pregnancy, mother elephant Christie gave birth to a high-spirited female calf weighing in at 251 lbs or 114 kg.

A Belgian Birth with Stripes

Antwerp Zoo welcomed a new zebra foal to it's ranks. While camouflaged well against its mother, the striking stripes and lanky frame make it a standout among visitors.

Baby Meerkats at the Belfast Zoo

Newest playful meerkat pups emerge from the den and explore their surroundings, as their relatives keep a characteristic meerkat lookout.

A Furry Little Backpack

A baby Ring-tail Lemur takes in its surroundings from the safety of mom's back.

Meet the Columbus Zoo's Newest Little Langur

When Is a Hedgehog Not a Hedgehog?

This little fellow was born on June 24th to one of the only breeding females in the United States.

Fledgling Flamingo in the Sun

A Caribbean Flamingo chick basks in the sun while mom watches affectionately.

Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed

In June the Bronx Zoo welcomed a happy and healthy baby Coquerel's Sifaka Lemur .

Baby Koala Ventures out of the Pouch

We see a sleepy Koala joey at the stage when it first ventures out of its mother's pouch.

Orphan Pups Find a Home at the Mystic Aquarium

Three playful sea lion pups, all rescued separately from harbors in Southern California, have found their way to the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut.

Looking Fierce!

This "ferocious" young cub was born in May.

Smile and Say Cheetah!

Johari, a 2-month-old African cheetah, shows off her pearly whites at the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park.

Alien or Aardvark?

This newborn aardvark at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo most certainly wins the award for wrinkliest baby.

A South American Tapir in King Arthur's Court

This beautifully camouflaged baby tapir was recently born at the UK's Marwell Zoo.

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

Cannibalism The Animal Kingdom's Dirty Little Secret

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:09:00 +0000

NO PAIN, NO GAIN
To us humans, cannibalism seems like one of the stranger—and creepier—phenomena cooked up by nature. But eating one's own kind happens more often in the wild than you might think. Some animals almost seem to have evolved to be cannibals, some do it only through desperation, and some do it during their most passionate moments.

The Australian redback spider falls into this last category. During copulation the male often "somersaults" into the much larger female's mouth; two-thirds of the time she eats him, as seen here. His sacrifice pays off with greater copulation time and increased chances that the female will ignore future suitors.Other male spiders are a little more careful. The goldenrod crab spider of Canada uses its silk-spinning abilities not to spin a web but to restrain the female during mating.

CROC CHOMP

An Australian fisherman was boating in the Mission River last summer when he snapped this photo—a saltwater crocodile chowing down on another croc.

Crocs eat their young in times of resource scarcity—the little ones make an easy target. However, this photo could be showing an act of scavenging, one Australian biologist told the local press.

DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD

The female mantis is one of the world's most notorious cannibals. Sometimes—but not all the time—she devours the male after he jumps on her back to mate, seen here.

Males know they're asking for trouble during mating, so if they boldly go there at all, they often try to leap onto her back from far away, and then escape when the deed is done. Even if she kills him, though, all is not lost—male mantises can famously continue to copulate hours after decapitation.

BROTHERS AND SISTERS

Sibling rivalry takes a deadly turn with sand tiger sharks. While still in the womb, baby sharks begin to develop their fangs. The eldest then devour some of their younger siblings, ensuring themselves a better chance of survival in the war for resources that is ocean life.

THE NOTORIOUS WIDOW

The bright red markings on the back of a female black widow spider is a clear warning to people to stay away—the venom in her bite can be lethal. But the male, who is brown and much smaller than the female, can't resist her, and sometimes it costs him his life.

There are several kinds of black widow; their markings vary regionally, as does the female appetite for her mate.

DEVOURED IN THE DESERT

While spiders specialize in sexual cannibalism, scorpions—their fellow arachnids—seem to just dislike each other. They lead solitary lives, and when they meet, they often fight, kill, and eat each other, as this photo shows. They also sometimes practice sexual cannibalism, if they don't immediately fight to the death.

A study of desert scorpions back in 1980 showed that other scorpions represented only the fourth-most common meal for a scorpion—but by body mass it was number one, representing more than 25 percent of the total.

DEATH MARCH

Mormon crickets aren't crickets but rather katydids, their close relatives. (They're not Mormon, either.) While scientists have generally attributed their swarming mass migrations to food shortages, there's a darker side of that hunger that keeps these insects on the march: If one stops marching, the others will devour it, as seen here.

Starving Mormon crickets need protein and salt, and it turns out that other Mormon crickets are great sources of both.

SNAKEBITTEN

In February, a team of biologists found that female rattlesnakes will consume, on average, 11 percent of their postpartum mass—that's mostly in stillborn or non-viable offspring. They do it to recover some of their strength after giving birth and to get ready for subsequent reproduction.

New rattlesnake mothers cannibalizing some of their stillborn young is more common than not: Of the 190 females snakes in the study, 68 percent consumed at least some of their babies.

THE NEW BOSS

Sometimes killing one's own species has less to do with resources and more to do with dominance. When a young adult male comes to challenge for leadership of a new pride, he doesn't want the cubs of his old rival hanging around. So if he succeeds in overthrowing the older males, he often kills their cubs to make room for his own.

OUR CLOSEST RELATIVES

This one hits a little too close to home: Our close relatives, chimps, don't care much for their fellow primates. Females commit infanticide, though the reasons are not perfectly clear. Hunting parties will chase chimps and monkeys with remarkable bloodlust.

Chimps on a hunt viciously tear apart their victim, whether it's another chimp or not. Sometimes, chimps even attack people, as in the notorious attack in February in Connecticut.

Goliath Tigerfish
Frilled Shark
Blob Fish or Blob Sculpin

Wolf Fish

Rattails or Grenadiers

Lamprey

Basking Shark

Goblin Shark

NO Name

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

Amazing colorful frogs

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:05:00 +0000

Red-eyed Tree Frog

The Red-eyed Tree Frog (Litoria chloris) found in eastern Australia.

The habitat of frogs extends almost worldwide, but they do not occur in Antarctica and are not present on many oceanic islands.^[27]^[28] The greatest diversity of frogs occurs in the tropical areas of the world, where water is readily available, suiting frogs' requirements due to their skin. Some frogs inhabit arid areas such as deserts, where water may not be easily accessible, and rely on specific adaptations to survive. The Australian genus Cyclorana and the American genus Pternohyla will bury themselves underground, create a water-impervious cocoon and hibernate during dry periods. Once it rains, they emerge, find a temporary pond and breed. Egg and tadpole development is very fast in comparison to most other frogs so that breeding is complete before the pond dries up. Some frog species are adapted to a cold environment; for instance the wood frog, whose habitat extends north of the Arctic Circle, buries itself in the ground during winter when much of its body freezes.

Golden Toad

Golden toad (Ollotis periglenes) - last seen in 1989

The golden toad (Bufo periglenes) was a small, shiny, bright true toad that was once abundant in a small region of high-altitude cloud-covered tropical forests, about 30 square kilometers in area, above the city of Monteverde, Costa Rica. For this reason, it is sometimes also called the Monteverde golden toad, or the Monte Verde toad. Other common English names include Alajuela toad and orange toad

Poison

Oophaga pumilio (formerly known as Dendrobates pumilio), a poison dart frog, from Costa Rica, Central America.

Many frogs contain mild toxins that make them unpalatable to potential predators. For example, all toads have large poison glands—the parotoid glands—located behind the eyes on the top of the head. Some frogs, such as some poison dart frogs, are especially toxic. The chemical makeup of toxins in frogs varies from irritants to hallucinogens, convulsants, nerve poisons, and vasoconstrictors. Many predators of frogs have adapted to tolerate high levels of these poisons. Others, including humans, may be severely affected.

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

Man swims with killer Alligator

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:04:00 +0000

Sean Manning swims with a nine foot long American Alligator at Jungle Island animal theme park in Florida, January 17, 2009. Carrying no protection and breathing through a snorkel, Sean has to rely on the mood and attitude of the alligator before he attempts to get close. Eventually swimming head to head with the well-known 'killing machine'. With 80 razor sharp teeth and jaws that crush at 3000 pounds per-square-inch, Sean had better not get complacent. [CFP]

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

10 Transparent Animals

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Transparent Frog

Native to Venezuela, the Glass Frogs belong to the amphibian family Centrolenidae (order Anura). While the general background coloration of most glass frogs is primarily lime green, the abdominal skin of some members of this family is transparent, so that the heart, liver, and digestive tract are visible through their translucent skin.

Transparent Head Fish

This bizarre deep-water fish called the Barreleye (Macropinna microstoma) has a transparent head and tubular eyes. It has extremely light-sensitive eyes that can rotate within his transparent, fluid-filled shield on its head, while the fish's tubular eyes, well inside the head, are capped by bright green lenses. The eyes point upward (as shown here) when the fish is looking for food overhead. They point forward when the fish is feeding. The two spots above the fish's mouth are not eyes: those are olfactory organs called nares, which are analogous to human nostrils.

Transparent Butterfly

Found in Central America, from Mexico to Panama, the Glasswing Butterfly (Greta Oto) is a brush-footed butterfly where its wings are transparent. The tissue between the veins of its wings looks like glass.

Transparent Squid

Found on the southern hemisphere's oceans, the Glass Squid (Teuthowenia pellucida) has light organs on its eyes and possesses the ability to roll into a ball, like an aquatic hedgehog. It is prey of many deep-sea fish (eg goblin sharks) as well as whales and oceanic seabirds.
Transparent Zebrafish created by scientists

This see-through zebrafish was created in 2008 by scientists so they can study disease processes, including the spread of cancer. The transparent fish are allowing researchers at Children's Hospital Boston to directly view fish's internal organs and observe processes such as tumor growth in real-time in living organisms.

Transparent Icefish

Fund in the cold waters around Antarctica and southern South America, the crocodile icefish (Channichthyidae) feed on krill, copepods, and other fish. Their blood is transparent because they have no hemoglobin and/or only defunct erythrocytes. Their metabolism relies only on the oxygen dissolved in the liquid blood, which is believed to be absorbed directly through the skin from the water. This works because water can dissolve the most oxygen when it is coldest. In five species, the gene for myoglobin in the muscles has also vanished, leaving them with white instead of pink hearts.

Transparent Amphipod

Called Phronima, this unusual animal is one of the many strange species recently found on an expedition to a deep-sea mountain range in the North Atlantic. In an ironic strategy for survival, this tiny shrimplike creature shows everything it has, inside and out, in an attempt to disappear. Many other small deep-sea creatures are transparent as well, or nearly so, to better camouflage themselves in their murky surroundings, scientists say.

Transparent Larval Shrimp

Found in the in the waters around Hawaii, this transparent larval shrimp piggybacks on an equally see-through jellyfish.

Transparent Salp

This jellyfish-like animals known as Salps feed on small plants in the water called phytoplankton (marine algae). They are transparent, barrel-shaped animals that can range from one to 10cm in length.

Transparent Jellyfish

Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. They are found in every ocean, from the surface to the deep sea. Many jellies are so transparent that they are almost impossible to see. The one above is from the Arctapodema genus, with a size of an inch-long (2.5-centimeter-long).

Insects and Spiders Macro Photography

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:59:00 +0000

Insects and Spiders Macro Photography
CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

The Smallest Monkeys in the World

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:57:00 +0000

Image from Froso Zoo via DRB

If you’re a sucker for cute furry animals then you’ll be in for a treat over at Dark Roasted Blend, who this week have collated a spread of some of the not-so-well-known primates of the planet.

The “Aww” inducing list includes the titchy thumb-sized pygmy marmoset monkey, named after the French word marmouset, which means shrimp, or dwarf, “They range in length from 5 to 6 inches not including the tail, which is an amazing 6 to 8 inches,” say DRB. There are 18 recorded species of marmoset and, unlike other monkeys they have claws rather than nails, tactile hairs on their wrists and lack wisdom teeth, making them slightly more primitive than other monkeys.

Rare Albino Pygmy Marmoset Twins

Image from Froso Zoo via National Geographic

Pygmy marmosets are found in the rainforests of Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Columbia. They live in the upper canopy of the forest, no doubt to steer clear of bigger, heavier predators, and survive on an omnivorous diet of fruit, leaves, insects, small reptiles and their favorite nibble, tree sap. Specialized incisors enable the marmoset to gnaw through even the toughest tree bark, allowing easy access to their favorite gummy fluid.

Adult Marmoset Monkey

Image via Davidson College

Living in groups of two to six, usually consisting of a breeding pair plus their offspring, marmoset families are fiercely territorial often defending an area of up to 100 acres
– that’s a lot of rainforest for the midget mammals. Don’t expect to see them in the wild though; they’re nippy little blighters and move like lighting through the trees, so you’ll have to make do with these sweet pics instead.
CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

9 Most Disturbing Animals on Earth

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:55:00 +0000

1. Gumprecht's Green Pit Viper
This striking bright green snake, commonly known as Gumprecht's green pit viper, is found in the Southeast Asian region of Greater Mekong.

The serpent, which has the formal name Trimeresurus gumprechti, was first described by scientists in 2002, although he doesn't look like he appreciates having been discovered

2.Snakefish

In 2002, the snakefish (or Channidae) was described as “something from a bad horror movie” by US Interior Secretary Gale Norton. Some describe snakefish as having ”a voracious appetite, often consuming all other fish in a lake or pond and even eating its young. It can slither across land, staying out of water for up to three days, to find new sources of food.” Norton also warns that once on land ”snakeheads can eat almost any small animal in its path…. They have even attacked people in China who got too close to snakeheads’ egg nesting areas.” According to Wikipedia, snakefish can be up to over a metre in length and over 6 kilograms in weight. Most snakefish are 2-3 feet long. They’re also fast reproducers with no natural enemies outside of their native environments. Within their native environments, small snakefish are preyed upon by bigger fish, while full-grown snakefish are consumed by crocodiles and alligators. Because of their ability to move into new habitats and wipe out local ecosystems (and to then hop out of the water and mosey on over to another body of water and repeat the process) snakefish have been prohibited in 13 American states and other countries (e.g., Australia).

3.Giant Isopod

This Predator look-alike is a Giant Isopod (Bathynomus giganteus), a carnivorous crustacean that spends its time scavenging the deep ocean floor, up to 6,000ft down on the seabed where there is no light. In the pitch black and cold, they survive by feasting on dead and decaying fish and other marine animals.

4.Aye-aye

Considered by locals as a harbinger of misfortune, the Aye-aye is one of the world’s most rare and bizarre looking primates. To the Malagasy people, the aye-aye is magical, and believed to bring death to the village it appears in; therefore they’re often killed on sight. The aye-aye is the world’s largest nocturnal primate with an average head and body length of 16 inches (40 centimeters), a long bushy tail of 2 feet (61 centimeters) long, and weighs about 4 pounds (2 kilos). The Aye-aye has large beady eyes, black hair, and large spoon-shaped ears. It has 5-fingered hands with flat nails, with a middle finger up to 3 times the length of the others.

5.Star-nosed Mole

One of the most intriguing stars in the universe is right here on Earth: the eleven pairs of pink fleshy appendages ringing the snout of the star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata). From its appearance and location, one would think this star might be a supersensitive olfactory organ, helping the nearly blind mole negotiate its subterranean environment, or an extra hand for grasping prey or manipulating objects. Some researchers have hypothesized that the star detects electric fields, thus acting as a kind of antenna. But in reality, the star is an extraordinary touch organ with more than 25,000 minute sensory receptors, called Eimer’s organs, with which this hamster-sized mole feels its way around.

6.Frilled Lizard

The frilled lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingi) is a yellowish-brown australian lizard has got a large frill of skin to the sides of the neck and throat. It is about 90 cm/35 in long, and when is angry or alarmed, it erects its frill, which may be as much as 25cm/10 in in diameter, thus giving itself the appearance of being larger than it really is. Frilled lizards are generally tree-living but may spend some time on the ground, where they run with their forelimbs in the air.

7.Giant leaf-tailed Gecko

The Giant leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus fimbriatus) is endemic to Madagascar and the islands Nosy Bohara and Nosy Mangabe. These geckos live in tropical rain forests and reach a total length of 330 mm. A large nocturnal gecko, by day it plasters it self to a small tree trunk and rests head down. If disturbed it will raise it tail and head, open its mouth and scream... and call his mom.

8.Kerivoula Kachinensis

Another of the species found in one of the world's last scientifically unexplored regions, Asia's Greater Mekong, the Kerivoula Kachinensis is one of the most disturbing bats ever found.

9.Desert Mole Rat

The Desert Mole Rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is a burrowing rodent native to parts of East Africa notable for its eusocial lifestyle, nearly unique among mammals, and for a highly unusual set of physical traits that enables it to thrive in a harsh, underground environment, including a lack of pain sensation in its skin, and a nearly cold-blooded metabolism. Plus, it is horrible.
CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

The scariest and weirdest spiders on the planet

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:53:00 +0000

Australasian funnel-web spider

Funnel-webs are one of the three most dangerous spiders in the world and are regarded by some to be the most dangerous. Wandering males are thought to be responsible for the majority of fatal bites to humans, however this has not been proven. Males are aggressive and tend to wander looking for receptive females of their kind for mating.

Goliath birdeater tarantula (Theraphosa blondi)

The goliath bird eating spider is an arachnid belonging to the tarantula family and is the largest spider in the world. The spider was named by explorers from the Victorian era, who reported the sighting to the Western world after witnessing the spider devouring a hummingbird.

The redback

Resembling the black widow spider, the redback is a member of the genus Latrodectus (widow family) found throughout the world. Females measure about a centimetre in length while the male is only 3 to 4 milimetres long. The redback spider is one of few animals which display sexual cannibalism while mating.

Space spider Arabella spins a web

Spider webs were spun in space in 1973 in low earth orbit aboard Skylab. Two European garden spiders, Arabella and Anita, were used. The space-webs were finer than normal Earth webs, with variations in the characteristics and thickness of the webs unlike those spun on Earth.

Crab spider

Most often found on flowers, lying in ambush for prey, crab spiders do not build webs to trap prey but are active hunters much like jumping spiders. Like crabs, these spiders move sideways and backwards more easily than forwards.

Camel spiders (Solifugae)

These terrifying creatures became infamous when American soldiers who had returned home from Iraq told of cat size spiders that could bite chunks out of human flesh. Solifugae are not actually true spiders but belong to a distinct arachnid order.

The black widow

This sinister creature posseses venom 15 times more potent than that of a rattlesnake. Due to the great geographical range of the black widow, the highest number of deaths world-wide are caused by members of their genus.

The brown recluse

Brown recluse bites produce severe dermonecrotic lesions and severe systemic symptoms, including organ damage and even fatalities. Bites have been known to form a necrotizing ulcer that destroys soft tissue and may take months to heal, leaving deep scars. The damaged tissue will become gangrenous and eventually slough away.

Argiope aetherea

This large orb-web is often referred to as the St Andrew's Cross spider due to it's characteristic cross-shaped web. This species displays sexual size dimorphism, with females being many times larger than males.

Nephila Clavata (Joro spider)

This colorful arachnid is a golden orb-web spider. Researchers in Japan have created a silk thread that is stronger, softer and more durable than conventional silk by genetically modifying silkworms with Nephilia drag line genes. Spider socks, stockings and fishing lines are expected to appear on the market within years

Chilean rose tarantula

Although they look fightening, these tarantulas make brilliant pets. Females have been known to live as long as 20 years with the possibility that they may live considerably longer.

Wolf spider

So called due to their ability to run down their prey, wolf spiders depend on their eyesight to hunt. Their sense of touch is acute. A bite may cause some itching to a human, but nothing deadly or major.

Goldenrod spider

Goldenrod spiders are mainly found in North America and have the ability to change colour from white to yellow and back again. The colour change is made possible by the spider secreting a liquid yellow pigment into the outer cell layer of the body.

Zebra spider

Zebra spiders are often noted for their 'curiosity' when observed, many seem aware of their audience and seem to respond by raising their head and looking back at the person. This spider uses its four pairs of large eyes to locate prey and it's jumping ability to pounce and capture it.

Huntsman spider

Huntsman spiders can grow up to a legspan of 12 inches and will bite if provoked. Huntsman spiders are not deadly to humans though, the victim will suffer only minor swelling and localised pain, recovering in a day or two.

Mexican redknee tarantula

In the wild, the redknee will consume almost any kind of arthropod, small lizard, or small rodent that they can overpower and immobilize with their venom. After moulting, it will emerge from its exoskeleton leaving the old skin behind, looking like a second spider.

Araneus cavaticus

This spider was made famous by the book, Charlotte's Web. The book's spider was called Charlotte A. Cavatica, and the barn spider's scientific name is Araneus cavaticus.

Exotic silver spider

This exotic silver spider looks like a face hugger from the sci-fi horror movie Aliens!

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

The scariest and weirdest spiders on the planet

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:53:00 +0000

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

Beautiful Buffalo

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:51:00 +0000

Beautiful and Giand Buffalo of the world

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

African Wildlife and Safaris

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:49:00 +0000

African Wildlife and Safaris
CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

From Bead to Pearl in Malaysia

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:29:00 +0000

Quality shell beads imported from the Mississippi River bed in America that will be inserted into the oysters as a nucleus for the pearls to form.

At the seeding station, a skilled grafter cuts an incision on the oyster with a scalpel and inserts a shell bead as well as a small piece of mantle tissue from donor native oysters.

The nylon nets containing the seeded oysters are strung from wooden rafts and placed over calm, sheltered waters.

The oysters are hauled up regularly for cleaning so that barnacles, algae and parasites can be scraped from their shells before being re-submerged.

After four to six years, upon maturity, the oysters are brought up fro harvesting at the Silumpat Selatan (at Southern part of Malaysia) station.

Workers deftly split open the two halves of an oyster with a knife and pries the shells apart to gather the pearl inside.

...the reveal a perfectly formed pearl. This will be sold but inferior pearls will cast into the sea.

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

Horrible Deep Sea Creatures

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:12:00 +0000

Viper fish

Viper fish (Mesopelagic - found at 80-1600 meters - about a mile down) are some of the most wicked looking fish dredged up from the depths. Some of them are black as night all over with light organs (called photophores) in strategic places on their bodies, including one on a long dorsal fin that serves as a lure for the fish it preys upon. Some viperfish (and many other deep ocean fish species) don't have any pigment (color) at all - they're "see through". They also have enlarged eyes, presumably for gathering as much light as possible where there is little or no light at all. The light organs create lights by using a chemical process called bioluminescence. Other deep ocean fish, such as the the gulperDeep ocean anglerfish eel have a hinged skull, which can rotate upward to swallow large prey. They also have large stomachs which can stretch to accommodate a fish much larger than itself. The gulper eel is particularly well-known for its impossibly large mouth - big enough to get its mouth around (and swallow!) creatures much bigger than itself. Fish that live down here must adapt to a very low food supply, eating only "scraps" that sink down from above, or sometimes eating each other.

Fangtooth

The fangtooth, aslo known as Anoplogaster cornuta, is a menacing looking creature that inhabits the deep waters of the ocean. Although it may look like a monster, it only grows to a size of about six inches in length. It has a short body and a large head. The fangtooth gets its name from the long, sharp, fang-like teeth that line its enormous, over-sized mouth. Its gruesome appearance has earned it the name, "ogrefish". The color of the adults ranges from dark brown to black. Juveniles look completely different. They are light gray in color with long spines on their heads. The fangtooth is an extreme deep-water species that lives at depths of about 16,000 feet. The pressure at these depths is intense and the water temperature is near freezing. Food here is scarce, so the fangtooth will eat just about anything it can find. Most of its meals probably fall from the upper depths of the ocean. The fangtooth is found throughout the world in temperate and tropical ocean regions including the waters off the coast of Australia.

Dragonfish
The deep sea dragonfish, or Grammatostomias flagellibarba, is a ferocious predator in spite of its small size. It is one of many species known to inhabit the deep oceans of the world. This fish grows to about six inches in length. It has a large head and mouth equipped with many sharp, fang-like teeth. The dragonfish has a long barbel attached to its chin. This barbel is tipped with a light-producing organ known as a photophore. The dragonfish uses this organ like a fishing lure, flashing it on and off and waving it back and forth. Once an unsuspecting fish gets too close, it is snapped up in the dragonfish's powerful jaws. The dragonfish also has photophores along the sides of its body. These light organs may be used to signal other dragonfish during mating. They may also serve to attract and disorient prey fishes from deep below. Dragonfishes live in deep ocean waters at depths of up to 5000 feet (1,500 meters). They are found in most tropical regions around the world.

Angler
The deep sea angler, known also as Melanocetus johnsoni, is a grotesque-looking fish that lives in the extreme depths of the ocean. Its round body resembles a basketball, and indeed, it looks like it could easily swallow one. It has a large mouth likes with sharp, fang-like teeth. Its appearance has earned it a second name of "common black devil". Despite its ferocious appearance, the angler only reaches a maximum length of about five inches. The angler gets its name from the long, modified dorsal spine which is tipped with a light producing organ known as a photophore. Like many other deep-water fish, the angler uses this organ like a lure to attract its prey. It will flash its light on and off while waving it back and forth like a fishing pole. When the prey fish gets close enough, the angler snaps it up with its powerful jaws. A strange fact about the deep sea angler is the fact that the male is smaller and different in appearance from the female, which is pictures above. The male of the species is about the size of a finger and has small hook teeth, which it uses to attach itself to the female. Once attached, its blood vessels join with that of the female and it will spend the rest of its life joined to her like a parasite, getting all of its nourishment from her body. If the male is unable to attach to a female, it will eventually dies of starvation. The deep sea angler is found throughout the world at depths of over 3000 feet.

Gulper Eel
The gulper eel, known scientifically as Eurypharynx pelecanoides, is perhaps one of the most bizarre looking creatures in the deep ocean. Its most notable attribute is the large mouth. The eel's mouth is loosely hinged, and can be opened wide enough to swallow an animal much larger than itself. The hapless fish is then deposited into a pouch-like lower jaw, which resembles that of a pelican. In fact, it is sometimes referred to as the pelican eel. The gulper's stomach can also stretch to accommodate its large meals. This giant mouth gives the eel its other common name of umbrellamouth gulper. The eel also has a very long, whip-like tail. Specimens that have been brought to the surface in fishing nets have been known to have their long tails tied into several knots. The gulper eel grows to a length of about two to six feet and is found in all of the world's oceans at depths ranging from 3000 to 6000 feet.

Giant Squid
The elusive giant squid, known to science as Architeuthis dux, is one of the world's largest animals, reaching a length of up to 60 feet. It is the largest known invertebrate in the world. The giant squid is a mollusk and is member of the cephalopod class, which includes the octopus and other squids. Very little is known about these mysterious animals because none have been seen alive in the wild. Most of what we know about them comes from the bodies of dead squid that have washed ashore or been pulled up in fishermen's nets. These animals are carnivores, and will eat just about anything they can catch. During World War II, stories from the survivors of sunken ships tell of shipmates being eaten by these creatures in the dark of night. There have even been reports of giant squid reaching out of the water and pulling men off small boats. None of these reports have been officially verified, but they paint a picture of a powerful predator. The squid's eight long tentacles have strong suction cups, which they use to hold on to their prey. A sharp, powerful beak finishes off their helpless victim with eerie efficiency. The giant squid appears to be a favorite meal for the sperm whale. They have been found in the stomachs of dead whales and many these whales bear scars from the squid's suction-cupped tentacles.

Giant Isopod

The giant isopod, known scientifically as Bathynomus giganteus, is the largest known member of the isopod family. It is very closely related to the small pillbugs that you can find in the garden. It is a carnivorous crustacean that spends its time scavenging the deep ocean floor. Food is extremely scarce at these great depths, so the isopod has adapted to eat what ever happens to fall to the ocean floor from above. It will also feed on some of the small invertebrates that live at these depths.

Giant isopods are known to reach a size of over 16 inches in length and are one of the largest members of the crustacean family. These animals are very prehistoric in appearance. When threatened, the can roll themselves into a tight ball where they are protected by their strong, armor-plated shells. They have complex mouths that contain many components that work together to pierce, shred, and disembowel live or dead prey. Giant isopods are all over the world at depths of over 2000 feet.

Coffinfish

The coffinfish (B.melanostomus) has a flabby body and long tail that are both covered with small spines. It has a black mouth lining and an illicium (glossary) on the snout that can be lowered into a groove. This species grows to at least 10cm in length. B.melanostomus has been trawled in the Central to Eastern Indian Ocean at depths ranging from 1320m to 1760m. The name melanostomus comes from the Greek melanos meaning black and stoma meaning mouth. There are two genera in the family Chaunacidae; Bathychaunax and Chaunax. Bathychaunax differs from Chaunax by having a lower lateral line count, longer ilicium, a wider head, more widely spaced body spines and several skeletal characters.

Vampire squid

The vampire squid, known to scientists as Vampyroteuthis infernalis, looks more like something that swam out of a late-night science fiction movie. The squid has large fins at the to of its body that resemble large ears. It is very gelatinous in form, resembling a jellyfish more than the common squid. The vampire squid has the largest eyes of any animal. It is a small animal, growing to a length of about six inches, bit it has globular eyeballs as large as the eyes of a large dog. The vampire squid's body is covered with light-producing organs called photophores. This gives the squid the unique ability to "turn itself on or off" at will. When the photophores are off, the squid is completely invisible in the dark waters where it lives. These squid live as deep as 3000 feet. Unlike other squid and octopi, the vampire squid has no ink sack. The vampire squid's arms are covered with sharp tooth-like spikes. This gives the animal its name. One pair of arms has been modified into retractile filaments that can extend to twice the body length of the animal. The squid may use these arms to capture its prey. When threatened, the squid can draw its arms up over itself and form a defensive web that covers its body. The vampire squid can swim extremely fast for a gelatinous animal. It can reach a speed of 2 body lengths per second and can accelerate to this speed in only 5 seconds. If danger is present, it can make several quick turns in an attempt to escape its enemies. The vampire squid is found throughout the world in most tropical and temperate regions.

Long-nosed

ChimaeraBiologists have gone to great lengths to describe the long-nosed chimaera, Harriotta raleighana, whose kind can reach five feet in length. Its stiletto-like nose reminded one of "the nose contour of a supersonic jet aircraft." Others have dubbed it "rattail," for obvious reasons. In South Africa, it is known as the "ghost shark," though it is only distantly related to sharks. A touch of the venomous spine on the first dorsal fin can kill a person, though such a fate is unlikely given the 8,000-foot depths at which this creature lives.

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

Big Snake

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:10:00 +0000

Big Snake

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

How They Make Hand Bag

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:09:00 +0000

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

Dog From Tibet

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Its Lion alike but is NOT a lion, its a dog!!

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD

10 Most Poisonous Animals in the World

malikimrana1@gmail.com (MALIK IMRAN AWAN) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:29:00 +0000

01 - Box Jellyfish

The top prize for The World Most Venomous Animal,would go to the Box Jellyfish.

It has caused at least 5,567 recorded deaths since 1954.

Their venom is among the most deadly in the world. Its toxins attack the heart, nervous system, and skin cells. And the worst part of it is that jelly box venom is so overpoweringly painful, that human victims go in shock, drown or die of heart failure before even reaching shore. Survivors experience pain weeks after the contact with box jellies...

You have virtually no chance to survive the venomous sting, unless treated immediately. After a sting, vinegar should be applied for a minimum of 30 seconds. Vinegar has acetic acid, which disables the box jellys nematocysts that have not yet discharged into the bloodstream (though it will not alleviate the pain). Wearing panty hose while swimming is also a good prevention measure since it can prevent jellies from being able to harm your legs.

Jelly box can be found in the waters around Asia and Australia.

02 - King Cobra

The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the worlds longest venomous snake - growing up to 5.6 m (18.5 ft) in length.

Ophiophagus, literally means snake-eater as it eats other snakes.. One single bite of this deadly snake can easily kill a human.

This snake is even capable of killing a full-grown Asian Elephant within 3 hours if the larger animal is bitten in a vulnerable area such as the trunk.

Its venom is not as toxic as other venomous snakes, but King Cobra is capable of injecting 5 times more venom than black mamba and can result in mortality up to 5 times faster than that of the black mamba.

It is quite widespread, ranging across South and South-east Asia, living in dense highland forests.

03 - Marbled Cone Snail

This little beautiful looking Marbled Cone snail can be as deadly as any other animal on this list.

One drop of its venom is so powerful that it can kill more than 20 humans.

If you ever happen to be in warm salt water environment (where these snails are often found) and see it, dont even think of picking it up. Of course, the true purpose of its venom is to catch its prey.

Symptoms of a cone snail sting can start immediately or can be delayed in onset for days.

It results in intense pain, swelling, numbness and tingling. Severe cases involve muscle paralysis, vision changes and breathing failure.

There is no antivenom. However, only about 30 human deaths have been recorded from cone snail envenomation.

04 - Blue-Ringed Octopus

The Blue-Ringed Octopus is very small, only the size of a golf ball, but its venom is so powerful that can kill a human. Actually it carries enough poison to kill 26 adult humans within minutes, and there is no antidote. They are currently recognized as one of the worlds most venomous animals.

Its painless bite may seem harmless, but the deadly neurotoxins begin working immediately resulting in muscular weakness, numbness, followed by a cessation and breathing and ultimately death.

They can be found in tide pools in the Pacific Ocean, from Japan to Australia.

05 - Death Stalker Scorpion

Contrarily to the popular belief most of the scorpions are relatively harmless to humans as stings produce only local effects (pain, numbness or swelling). However, the Death Starker Scorpion is highly dangerous species because its venom is a powerful cocktail of neurotoxins which causes an intense and unbearable pain, then fever, followed by coma, convulsions, paralysis and death. Fortunately, while a sting from this scorpion is extremely painful, it would be unlikely to kill a healthy, adult human. Young children, the old, or infirm (with a heart condition) are at the biggest risk.

Death stalker scorpions are spread in North Africa and Middle East.

06 - Stonefish

Maybe Stonefish would never win a beauty contest, but it would definitely win the top prize for being The World Most Venomous Fish.

Its venom causes such a severe pain that the victims of its sting want the affected limb to be amputated. It is described as the worst pain known to man.

It is accompanied with possible shock, paralysis, and tissue death. If not given medical attention within a couple of hours It can be fatal to humans.

Stonefish stores its toxins in gruesome-looking spines that are designed to hurt would-be predators.

Stonefish mostly live above the tropic of Capricorn, often found in the shallow tropical marine waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans, ranging from the Red Sea to the Queensland Great Barrier Reef.

07 - The Brazilian wandering spider

The Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria) or banana spider appears in the Guinness Book of World Records 2007 for the most venomous spider and is the spider responsible for most human deaths.

This spider is believed to have the most potent neurotoxic venom of any living spider. Only 0.006mg (0.00000021oz) is sufficient to kill a mouse.

They are also so dangerous because of their wandering nature. They often hide during daytime in highly populated areas inside houses, clothes, boots, and cars.

Its venomous bite causes not only intense pain, the venom of the spider can also cause priapism - uncomfortable erections lasting for many hours that lead to impotence.

08 - Inland Taipan

The prize for The Worlds Most Venomous Snake goes to the Inland Taipan of Australia.

Just a single bite from this snake contains enough venom to kill 100 human adults or an army of 250,000 mice.

Its venom is at least 200 - 400 times more toxic than a common cobra. The Inland Taiwans extremely neurotoxic venom can kill an adult human in as little as 45 minutes.

Fortunately this snake is very shy and there have been no documented human fatalities (all known bites were treated with antivenin).

09 - Poison Dart Frog

If you ever happen to be running through the rain forests somewhere in Central or South America, do not ever pick up beautiful and colorful frogs - it can be the Poison Dart Frog. This frog is probably the most poisonous animal on earth.

The 2 inch long (5cm) golden poison dart frog has enough venom to kill 10 adult humans or 20,000 mice. Only 2 micrograms of this lethal toxin (the amount that fits on the head of a pin) is capable of killing a human or other large mammal.

They are called dart frogs because indigenous Amerindians use of their toxic secretions to poison the tips of their blow-darts...

Poison dart frogs keep their poison in their skins and will sicken or kill anybody who touches or eats it.

10 - Puffer Fish

Puffer Fish are the second most poisonous vertebrate on earth (the first one is golden dart Frog).

The meat of some species is a delicacy in both Japan (as fugu) and Korea (as bok-uh) but the problem is that the skin and certain organs of many puffer fish are very poisonous to humans.

This puffy fish produce rapid and violent death...

Puffers poisoning causes deadening of the tongue and lips, dizziness, vomiting, rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, and muscle paralysis. Victims die from suffocation as diaphragm muscles are paralyzed.

Most of the victims die after four to 24 hours.

There is no known antidote, Most deaths from fugu happen when untrained people catch and prepare the fish.

Statistics show that there were 20 to 44 incidents of fugu poisoning per year between 1996 and 2006 in all of Japan and up to six incidents per year led to death.

Since Fugus poison can cause near instantaneous death, only licensed chefs are allowed to prepare it.

CLICK NOW
COLLECTION OF WORLD'S BEST WALLPAPERS
WOW WHAT A BEAUTY
AMAZING NATURE
NATURE OF GOD
JAZZ OF LIFE
COOL PHOTOS BANK
BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE
BEST PHOTOS OF THE WORLD