Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)
Description: Those hardy souls who take long winter walks are sometimes treated to the sight of a snow-capped mass of fresh oyster mushrooms growing on a tree or log.
This large white, tan or ivory-colored mushroom is named for its oyster shell-like shape. It has white gills running down a very short, off-center stem. Spores are white to lilac, and the flesh is very soft. Oyster mushrooms usually are found in large clusters of overlapping caps and always on wood. Size: 2" to 8" wide.
When and Where: Spring, summer, fall and during warm spells in winter. On trees and fallen logs.
Cautions: This mushroom has a number of look-alikes, (including Crepidotus and Lentinus spp.), but none are dangerous. they may, however, be woody or unpleasant-tasting. Check by tasting a small piece and by making a spore print. Watch out for the small black beetles which sometimes infest this mushroom.
Cooking Hints: Soak in salted water to remove bugs. Dip in beaten egg, roll in cracker crumbs and fry.

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Dimetrodon

Dimetrodon - ancestor of the mammals belonged to the family called Pelycosaurs, which had both mammal and reptile characteristics. Dimetrodon preceded the earliest dinosaurs by more than 40 million years but physically it looked a lot like one. It is often referred to as mammal-like reptile, based on characteristics of the skull and dentition. Dimetrodon was a dominant carnivore, the largest one of the Permian period. It was a predacious reptile that was on the top of the food chain during the early Permian.
This pelycosaur possessed a spectacular sail on its back, supported by long, bony spines, each of which grew out of a separate spinal vertebra. The sail was probably an early experiment in controlling body temperature. It is believed that the sail absorbed the heat of the sun and warmed the blood and body. It warmed up early after sunrise and cooled off more efficiently during the heat of the day. It may have also been used for mating and dominance rituals and making it look much larger than it was to predators. Dimetrodon had a large skull with two types of teeth (sharp canines and shearing teeth). It was probably quite slow because it walked on four side-sprawling legs.
Dimetrodon is one of the more recognized of the early reptiles..
TIME - 280 - 260 MYA, Early Permian period.RANGE - Russia, E. Europe. USA Texas, Oklahoma.DIET - Smaller reptiles and other small vertebrates.SIZE - Up to 6ft (2m) long.

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The American Goldfinch

General Description

The American Goldfinch is the state bird of Washington. It is common throughout the lowlands of Washington, often coming to bird feeders. The male in breeding plumage is bright yellow with a black forehead, wings, and tail. He has one white wing-bar on each wing and white on his tail. Outside of the breeding season, the male is drab brown with hints of yellow and white wing-bars. In both breeding and non-breeding plumage, he has white undertail coverts contrasting with the yellow undertail coverts of the Lesser Goldfinch. The female in breeding plumage is yellowish-gray-brown on top and varies in color from bright yellow to dull yellow underneath. She has two light wing-bars on each wing and a light-colored bill. Her tail is black with white outer tips. Outside of the breeding season, she is gray above and below, and has less distinct wing-bars and a darker bill.

Habitat

American Goldfinches can generally be found in brushy and weedy habitats at the edges of fields, rivers, and hedgerows, especially when thistle is present. Suburban gardens, poplar plantations, orchards, and other brushy areas with scattered deciduous trees are commonly used.

Behavior

Flocks are common outside of the breeding season, and American Goldfinches often flock with redpolls and Pine Siskins. They are active foragers, and climb about nimbly when foraging, often hanging from seed-heads and other objects. Like many finches, American Goldfinches have an undulating flight. They often give call notes on the upward strokes

Diet

Small seeds, especially thistle, make up the majority of the American Goldfinch's diet. In the summer, they eat some insects, especially aphids, but seeds dominate their diet. They feed regurgitated seeds to their young.

Nesting

American Goldfinches breed later in the summer than most songbirds. Their breeding is timed to coincide with the peak abundance of thistle seed. They often nest in loose colonies. The nest is located in an upright fork of a shrub, tree, or occasionally a dense weed. The female builds a tightly woven, compact cup of plant fibers and spider webs and lines it with thistle-down. The female incubates 4 to 6 eggs for 12 to 14 days. The male brings her food while she incubates, and while she broods the young for the first few days after they hatch. After that, both parents bring food to the young. The young leave the nest after 12 to 17 days, but the parents continue to feed the young for a few weeks. American Goldfinches generally raise one or two broods each year.

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Japanese Macaque

The troop consists of seven monkeys. One adult male, Flash, and six females including Isabelle, Yuki, Hana, Ynez, Iris and Erin. Their ages range from 25 years to the newborn. You are born into your social class. If you have a higher standing it is likely that you will get the most grooming and will eat before the others.Rankings are not stable, and can change depending on the whims of the adult male, Flash. He has the final say as the dominant male and changes may occur after the breeding season.
  
Found in the wild: Japanese macaques are the northernmost of all non-human primates and can live up to elevations of 9,600 feet above sea level. They are found in Honshu, Japan.

See Them at the Central Park Zoo: This troop of primates lives on an island in the center of the Temperate Zone, just across from the Red panda exhibit.

Description: They are Old World monkeys. Individuals have brown-gray fur, a red face, hands and bottom, and a short tail. 

Baby Zeppy, at seven months old

Zoo Snow Monkey Habitat: A large island surrounded by water. The habitat includes winter hot tubs, that reach the same temperature as the Japanese Macaques body temperature - 104 degrees, for their bathing pleasure. You will also see two black necked swans and will find freeloading Mallard Ducks, raising their ducklings seasonally. 

What do they eat:  In the wild, they will feed on seeds, roots, buds, fruit, invertebrates, berries, leaves, birds eggs, fungi, bark and cereals. Japanese macaques are omnivorous, which means they will eat just about anything- meat or vegetation. At the Central Park Zoo, the troop is fed yams, oranges, apples, green beans, mixed greens, peanuts, and monkey chow.

Life span: 30 years

Threats: Not threatened.

Fun Facts: They live in parts of Japan where it snows. They are the only animal other than humans and raccoons,  who wash their food before they eat it. These are the monkeys you may have seen that find hot springs and spend a lot of time in the winter sitting in the warm water. These monkeys are thought to be the inspiration behind the saying 'see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil'.

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Giant Isopods

Giant Isopods are just like some kind of little insects (see picture below), but only in a bigger format. These creatures are crustaceans (a mix between a crab and a shrimp). The Giant Isopod also called Bathynomus giganteus is one of the nine species of the genus Bathynomus. That live in the deep and cold waters of the Atlantic ocean. The Giant Isopod isn't a very lucrative business for fishing industries, because they are hard to catch and when they're brought to the surface they have already been scavenged by other fishes. However in Taiwan where they live much closer in shallow waters they're served in restaurants.

The Giant Isopod can reach a length between 19 cm and 37 cm with a maximum weight of 1.7 kg which isn't so great to be called gigantic, but if we compare these with other normal Isopods, then they are just enormous. The Giant Ispod has a kind of shield on his back with two antennas close to its head. It has 7 pair of legs also called (pereiopods) and one pair of these legs has as function to bring food to its jaws.

You see the resembles between the Giant Isopod?

Giant Isopods are deep sea creatures that scavenge at depths of 170m to depths or even 2200 meters. However they prefer to stay at middle depths of 300m to 700m. They love to scavenge dead whales, fish and even squids. It isn't only a scavenger, if its spots a sea cucumber, spunge or another little creature, then he won't hesitate and eat this creature. Living on these depths isn't a paradise. Therefore they could stay for more then eight weeks without any food. The deeper we go the bigger that these Giant Isopods are. Giant Isopods are living fossils, they haven't evolved for over 130 million years.

Giant Isopods lay eggs, the mature female develops a marsupium (brood punch) when she becomes  sexually active. The eggs that have been fertilized by the male Isopod will be stored in the marsupium for an unknown time and when the eggs hatch, then the miniature Isopods emerge from the marsupium as little clones.

Did you know that the eggs of the giant Isopod are the biggest ones of all the invertebrates?

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Pelican Eel

It is almost the end of the week and so far we have talked about birds, mammals and reptiles. I figured this would be a good time to head to the sea and look at an unusual animal that is hardly ever seen by humans. So grab your diving gear and a little bit of courage because we are going to the deep, dark depths of the ocean!

The Pelican Eel is related to the true eels (the ones that we probably familiar with), however, these deep sea eels have some major differences. Most notably has to be the size of this particular eels mouth. The pelican eel has a very large, hinged mouth that is capable of consuming fish much larger than itself. You can see the size of the mouth in the picture above. Actually, this eel received the “Pelican” portion of its name since the lower job resembles the pouch-like beak of a pelican. The most bizarre thing about their mouth is the fact that the pelican eel mostly feeds on small crustaceans. As a matter of fact, they have tiny teeth which are not consistent with animals which feed primarily on fish.

The other interesting feature of this eel is located at the other end of their body. The very tip of their tail happens to be a very complex organ with several tentacles. The cool thing about this organ is the fact that it will glow pink. Scientists presume this feature is to attract fish into the area so it can chomp away at them with their extremely over-sized mouth. Again, this is an odd behaviour for an animal that is suppose to feed on small crustaceans. I am starting to think there is something “fishy” about our understanding of this eel. It just doesn’t make sense to me why they have evolved a large mouth, an attractive tail yet have small teeth and are known to feed on small creatures. Maybe they are in the process of changing for whatever reason? Whatever their story is at least it is an interesting one for all of us to read about.

That just about does it for today’s deep sea adventure. I am glad everyone made the trip and had a safe adventure. See all of you tomorrow!

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Antarctic Krill

Krill is a general term used to describe about 85 species of free-swimming, open-ocean crustaceans known as euphausiids.

Scientific name

Euphausia superba

Physical description

With their large black eyes, krill are mostly transparent, although their shells have a bright red tinge from small pigment spots. Their digestive system is usually visible and this is often a vivid green from the pigment of microscopic plants they have eaten. Adult Antarctic krill are approximately six centimetres in length and weigh over a gram.

Distribution and Abundance

Antarctic krill are one of the most abundant and successful animal species on Earth. Scientists estimate there are about 500 million tonnes of Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean. The biomass of this one species may be the largest of any multi-cellular animal species on the planet.

As krill come to resemble adults they begin to aggregate into huge schools or swarms, sometimes stretching for kilometres in every direction, with many thousands of krill packed into each cubic metre of water, turning the water red or orange.

Most of the time the schools stay deep in the water during daylight hours and only rise to the surface at night. It is not known why swarms are occasionally seen at the surface during broad daylight.

Fishery

Commercial krill fishing began in the early 1970s and the prospect of a free-for-all fishery for Antarctic krill led to the signing of a unique fishing treaty in 1981. The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources is designed to protect the Antarctic ecosystem from the consequences of rapidly expanding fisheries, and to aid recovery of the great whales and some of the overexploited species of fish.

The fishery is managed through an international body (CCAMLR) which sets limits on the krill catch taking into account the needs of other elements of the ecosystem.

Scientists at the Australian Antarctic Division study krill to provide a better understanding of krill life cycles so that the fishery can be better managed.

Breeding

Female Antarctic krill lay up to 10,000 eggs at a time, sometimes several times a season.

Diet and Feeding

Antarctic krill are mainly herbivorous, feeding mostly on the phytoplankton (microscopic suspended plants) of the Southern Ocean and, to a lesser extent, planktonic animals (zooplankton).

In winter, they have to use other food sources such as the algae which grows on the underside of the pack ice, detritus on the sea-floor or the other animals in the water. Krill can survive for long periods (up to 200 days) without food and can shrink in length as they starve.

Most of the larger Antarctic animals, the seals, whales, seabirds, fish and squid, depend directly or indirectly on Antarctic krill.

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Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Description & Behavior

Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758), aka blue fin tunas, blue-fin tunny, bluefin tunas, horse mackerels, northern bluefin tunas, and squid hounds, are regarded as one of the most highly evolved fish species and one of the most prized fish in danger of overfishing. Tuna, originating from the Greek word meaning "to rush," usually swim at speeds of 1.5-4  knots, can maintain 8 knots for some time, and can break 20  knots for short periods. These are one of the most magnificent fishes in the sea. One fish can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. A 342  kg tuna sold at Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market for 32.49 million yen ($396,700 US dollars), the highest price for a single fish since record-keeping began in 1999, that's 95,000 yen ($1,157) per kg!

The Atlantic bluefin tuna is the largest member of the Scombridae Family (albacores, bonitos, mackerels, tunas). It is one of the largest bony fishes and can reach lengths of up to 3  m, although they are more commonly found from 0.5-2  m in length. Adult weights range from 136-680  kg, although the upper weight range is rare, especially now. They can dive as deep as 914  m, and are known to swim long distances as they are a highly migratory species.

Atlantic bluefins are dark blue to black on their dorsal (upper) surface and silvery ventrally (underneath). The bluefin is known for their finlets that run down their dorsal and ventral sides toward their anal fin. There are 12-14 spines in their first dorsal fin and 13-15 rays in their second dorsal fin. Their anal fin has 11-15 rays. The average lifespan of bluefin tunas is 15-30 years.

Atlantic bluefin are homeothermic ("warm-blooded") and are therefore able to thermoregulate  keeping their body temperatures higher than the surrounding water, which is why they are so well adapted to colder waters.

World Range & Habitat

Atlantic bluefin live in subtropical and temperate waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean, and Black Seas. Bluefin are highly migratory and limited numbers of individuals may cross the Atlantic in as little as 60 days and are widely distributed throughout the Atlantic and can be found from Newfoundland all the way to the coast of Brazil. They range in the eastern Atlantic as far north as Norway and down to northern West Africa. Bluefin tagged in the Bahamas have been captured in Norway as well as off the coast of Brazil. Bluefin in the South Atlantic belong to a distinct southern population, with known spawning areas south of Java, Indonesia. The bluefin is a pelagic , schooling fish. They tend to group together according to size.

Feeding Behavior (Ecology)

Atlantic bluefin tuna consume smaller fishes such as mackerel, herring, whiting, flying fish, and mullet as well as squid, eels, and crustaceans.

Life History

Although Atlantic bluefin are widely distributed and migrate thousands of kilometers, there are two confirmed spawning locations—the Gulf of Mexico in the western Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea in the eastern Atlantic. Although many ecological and environmental variables undoubtedly affect both the location and productivity of spawning in these two areas, relatively little is known concerning why bluefin spawn where they do.

Spawning in the Gulf of Mexico occurs between mid-April and mid-June when females, which mature around age 8, release approximately 30 million eggs each. The highest density of bluefin larvae, the primary indicator of spawning, occurs in the northern Gulf of Mexico with lesser larval concentrations appearing off the Texas coast and in the Straits of Florida.

In the eastern Atlantic, spawning occurs exclusively in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas from June through August, with the highest larvae concentrations appearing around southern Italy. Although some fishery biologists believe that eastern Atlantic bluefin reach sexual maturity several years earlier than western Atlantic bluefin (possibly as young as ages 4-5), this understanding has been criticized. Juvenile Bluefin Tuna Found To Dive To Depths Of More Than 1,000 Meters 

Conservation Status & Comments(in need of updating, is very likely threatened):

"A taxon is Data Deficient when there is inadequate information to make a direct, or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction based on its distribution and/or population status. A taxon in this category may be well studied, and its biology well known, but appropriate data on abundance and/or distribution is lacking. Data Deficient is therefore not a category of threat or Lower Risk. Listing of taxa in this category indicates that more information is required and acknowledges the possibility that future research will show that threatened classification is appropriate. It is important to make positive use of whatever data are available. In many cases great care should be exercised in choosing between DD and threatened status. If the range of a taxon is suspected to be relatively circumscribed, if a considerable period of time has elapsed since the last record of the taxon, threatened status may well be justified."

International sport fishing for "giant" bluefin originated about 100 years ago, becoming popular domestically in the early 1900s. The Sharp Cup in Nova Scotia was a distinguished international bluefin tournament held from the early 1930s through the 1960s, with a peak landing of 1,760 fish in 1949. Many other tournaments existed throughout the Northeast United States until the mid-1960s, when giant bluefin abundance near tournament sites appeared to decline. Although studies have been inconclusive regarding these changes, suspected causes include changes in water temperature, oceanic currents, availability of food, and overfishing .

Prior to 1970, sport fishing was exclusively recreational, as giant bluefin tuna had a commercial value of only $.05 per pound. Giant trophy tuna that were not kept for personal display or consumption were sold to cat and dog food producers. With the development of the Japanese specialty market in the early 1970s, giant bluefin tuna suddenly represented big money to traditional sport fishermen. Perspectives on the fishery shifted, and the recreational character of the fishery was altered by economic opportunity. A giant 225 kg trophy fish was, by the late 1970s, a highly valued Japanese delicacy. Participation exploded and the giant bluefin fishery capitalized quickly.

Now many "recreational anglers" also obtain commercial permits, so that virtually all giant bluefin tuna currently caught are marketed commercially, except for a small scale catch-and-release sport fishery in the Bahamas. A substantial charter- or party-boat fishery for small bluefin tuna also exists from North Carolina to Massachusetts. Estimated at more than 15,000 recreational anglers annually, this is the only U.S. fishery allowed to catch bluefin smaller than the minimum commercial size (1.78  m from the tip of a fish's snout to the fork of its tail).

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Siamang

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

The Siamang is a gibbon and like the latter, it is an ape, not a monkey. The chief characteristics distinguishing apes from monkeys are the absence of a tail, their more or less upright posture and the high development of their brain. (Gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans are also apes.)

The Siamang is always black in color, with reddish-brown eyebrows. It differs from other gibbons in that it has a webbing between the second and third toe. The largest of the gibbon family, Siamangs are also the best at walking on two legs.

Like other gibbons, they have tough, horny pads on their buttocks known as ischial callosities. Since Siamangs and Gibbons build no sleeping nest, the pads help them spend a comfortable night seated on tree branches safe from predators.

Male and female are similar in size, growing to 30-35 inches in length and weighing approximately 23 pounds.

DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

Siamangs range through southeastern Asia and are found in some numbers in the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra.

BEHAVIOR:

Along with other gibbons, the Siamangs are the top trapeze artists of the animal world. They leap with confidence across formidable gaps between branches, launching themselves 30-50 feet, using their hands as hooks. This mode of locomotion is called brachiation. While their arms are used for travel, their feet are used to carry objects. When walking, Siamangs will hold their arms above their heads for balance.

Siamangs live in family groups lead by a dominant male. They are protective of one another and sociable among themselves, huddling together in groups of two or three when they sleep.

The call of the Siamang excels that of other gibbons because of the animal's sound-amplifying throat sac. The female emits a series of barks alternated with booms resonated in the vocal pouch, which she blows up like a balloon. The mate's higher scream is usually uttered at each of the two accelerations of the female, and their combined "song" rises in pitch to end with the thunderous pouch boom of the male. It is quite a display of territory and power and can be heard for a considerable distance.

DIET:

Siamangs eat fruit, leaves, insects, nuts, small animals, birds and bird's eggs. In the zoo they are fed fruit, vegetables and monkey chow.

REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

Siamangs bear one offspring after a seven- month gestation period. At birth, the young are naked, and for the first few months, the baby clings to the mother's abdomen. She, in turn, keeps her legs partially raised to provide warmth and support. By the age of two, the baby is independent but still very much a part of the family.

Sexual maturity is reached at about seven years of age.  In the wild they live from 25 to 30 years.

ENDANGERED STATUS:

Like other gibbons, the Siamang is declining in numbers as man enters its forested territory, often killing the mothers in capturing the young for a lucrative pet market.

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Arctic Fox

The North American tundra is located at latitudes 60° to 85° North and longitudes 55° to160° West which includes northern parts of Canada and the state of Alaska. The tundra is a cold barren wasteland that includes snow, rocks and very little variety in vegetation. It is in this place where the Arctic fox is found.

The Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) makes its home in small burrows in frost-free ground, often in low mounds, or in rock piles. Because the Arctic fox is a scavenger it can usually find food to eat. Sometimes the fox will follow Polar bears or other predators and feed off the remains they leave behind.

The Arctic fox is about 10 -16 inches long and weighs about 6-12 pounds. It is about the size of an ordinary domesticated house cat. It has short legs a long bushy tail that it uses as insulation by wrapping it around itself when sleeping. Its long hair is white in the winter, and "blue" or gray in the summer. Its head has a stubby muzzle, small ears, and large eyes. Its feet are lined with fur, which helps it conserve heat. The Arctic fox has adapted a stealthy movement due to its predatory nature.

Both male and female mature sexually at one year of age. The mating season is May-February and the gestation period for a pregnant female is 52 days. The number of pups born can range between 6-19, and the newborns weigh approximately 2 ounces. Whelps are helpless and blind when first born. They nurse until they can eat solid food. Both parents care for the pups. The mother raises the young while the father hunts for lemmings and other food. They start to eat solids after 6 weeks and leave the den after 14-15 weeks. The whelp is usually dependent on its parent from summer to fall. Mortality rates for young foxes is very high. An average life span for the arctic fox is around three years.

The Arctic fox is a solitary animal. Arctic foxes usually live to 15 years of age. It is an omnivore (one who eats both plants and animals). A typical diet of this fox consists of birds, eggs, small mammals and fish. It will also eat berries, seaweed, insects and larvae, when other prey is scarce. The Arctic fox is a predator to lemmings (one of it's favorite foods) and voles, among other creatures. The population cycles of lemmings and voles are largely dependent on the arctic fox. The fox is prey to wolves, polar bears and golden eagles. Because it is a scavenger, it keeps the environment clean by eating dead animals and keeping the rodent population down. The Arctic fox is a diurnal creature.

The Arctic fox has adapted to its environment by growing long fur that changes color with the season for camouflage. It tends to eat whatever is available. It s movements are stealthy due to lack of cover on the tundra. Its legs, ears, and muzzle are short to conserve heat, and uses its tail like a muffler when cold.

The Arctic fox is not endangered world wide and it is estimated that there are several thousand arctic foxes left in the wild. Two arctic fox populations are endangered, however. One in Russia has been reduced to around 90 animals because of a mange caused by ear ticks introduced by dogs. The second in Fennoscandia (Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Kola Peninsula) was caused by over hunting around the turn of the century. The total number of breeding pairs there is about 140.

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INCREDIBLE CATERPILLAR CONVOY

This is the moment a group of tiny caterpillars formed an incredible 17ft long convoy to cross a road. Some 136 caterpillars made the single line and wriggled top-to-toe across the road, linked by a thin silk thread which set their path. Their safety-in-numbers approach had the desired effect as the slow-moving convoy was easily seen by motorists, who were held up for 20 minutes as it made its way across.

The spectacle was captured on camera by British tourist Jamie Rooney, who was visiting the famous Kruger National Park in South Africa. Rooney stated that they were out on a safari, when all of a sudden the driver shouted out and slammed on his brakes. Luckily he managed to stop just in time.

This amazing trail of caterpillars, was stretching across the road. The guide had never seen it before and explained it as being similar to the migration of bigger game like wildebeest but just on a tiny scale. When the catepillars reach their destination – most possibly the bushes on the other side of the road – they would pupate and turn into butterflies.

Conservation is a massive deal in South Africa and you should stop for any living creature crossing the road.

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Squid Worm

Two miles deep, down in the waters between Indonesia and the Philippines, there lives and animal so unusual that on first glance, no one knew what it was. Was it a squid? Was it a worm? What is this thing? After a few years of study, we now know. It is, in fact, a Squid Worm, a member of the earthworm and tube worm filled Annelid phylum.

Squid Worms (Teuthidodrilus samae) are interesting because they are remarkably abundant, and are relatively large for a deep sea creature. They measure about four inches in length. The name comes from the ten tentacles that protrude outward from the head. The Squid Worm also has iridescent bristles that run down the length of their body, aiding in movement. They feed off of plankton and small floating debris.

Another notable fact about the Squid Worm is that it might be a transitional species; and animal that stradles the line between species that reside on the sea floor, and those that swim openly. Such transitional species are important in understanding evolutionary history.

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The European Starling

General Description

The European Starling is a medium-sized, black songbird with short, triangular wings, spotted plumage, and a short tail. The adult in breeding plumage has a distinctive thin, pointed, yellow bill and black, speckled plumage with purple-green iridescence. The non-breeding adult has a black beak and light spots. Juveniles are drab gray-brown overall. Males and females look alike.

Habitat

Starlings are typically associated with disturbed areas and human-altered settings. They can be found in practically all habitats, with the exception of large tracts of undisturbed forests and undeveloped alpine areas. They usually forage in open areas, especially lawns, agricultural fields, or other developed areas, but require nearby nesting cavities.

Behavior

European Starlings tend to form flocks year round, but flocks are generally larger'and often huge'in fall and winter. They often forage with other species, including Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, American Robins, House Sparrows, crows, and Rock Doves. When foraging, they generally walk or run along the ground and probe the soil with their bills, looking for food. Starlings can be aggressive and will persistently harass other species to take over nesting cavities. They will also mob predators in flight, gathering into tight flocks and dive-bombing a hawk or other predator. Starlings are intelligent and adaptable, and are capable mimics.

Diet

Starlings eat a diverse, omnivorous diet of invertebrates, berries and other fruit, grains, and seeds. They commonly come to seed and suet feeders.

Nesting

Starlings are generally monogamous, but can be polygamous. They begin nesting early in the breeding season. Males establish territories and choose nest sites, then attract females. European Starlings are cavity nesters, and nests are generally located in natural hollows, old woodpecker holes, birdhouses, or building eaves and crevices. The male generally starts the nest, and the female finishes the job, often removing material that the male placed initially. The nest is a loose pile of twigs, weeds, grass, feathers, leaves, and other material, with a depression in the middle. Both members of the pair help incubate 4 to 6 eggs for about 12 days. Females will sometimes lay eggs in other starlings' nests. Both adults help brood the young and bring food to the nest. The young leave the nest after about three weeks. The parents may continue to feed the young for a day or two after they fledge, but the young can forage on their own at that time. If this is the first brood, the female typically starts laying a second brood shortly after the first one fledges. The male may provide support for up to 12 days after the young leave the nest, and the young often join other newly fledged young on communal roosts.

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Little Penguin

What do little penguins look like?

Penguins are flightless seabirds. The little penguin is the smallest of all penguins. Standing about 30 to 35 cm in height, it weighs approximately one kilogram when fully grown.

Its upper body and flippers are slate blue or blue-grey in colour, with the underside and throat being white. The little penguin's bill is black, its feet are pale pink, and its eyes are silvery-grey. The males of the species are slightly bigger than the females, and have a deeper bill and larger head.

What do they sound like?

The little penguin makes a variety of noises for different situations. It has a short, sharp bark when at sea; it uses a variety of throbbing growls and hoarse whoops when attracting a mate; and if it is disturbed it lets out a sharp, snorting yelp.

Where do they live?

The little penguin is the only penguin species that breeds on the Australian mainland. Little penguins are found along the southern coasts of Australia, from near Perth in Western Australia to around Coffs Harbour in northern NSW. They also occur in New Zealand.

Originally, little penguins were fairly common on the Australian mainland, but these days their colonies are generally restricted to offshore islands. Approximately 25,000 pairs nest on islands off the coast of NSW. The largest colonies are on:

• Montague Island
• Tollgate Island
• Brush Island.

Currently, the only known mainland breeding colony in NSW is in a secluded cove in the Manly area of Sydney Harbour. This colony has been declared an endangered population.

The birds usually nest in burrows. They often set up their colonies in sand-dune vegetation, but they can also be found among rocks, in sea caves, and on headlands. A typical penguin burrow consists of a tunnel that leads to a nest bowl which is large enough for the penguin to stand up in. In rocky areas and in sea caves, the burrow may be a collection of twigs or a nest between large rocks. Sometimes even man-made structures, such as the cavities under raised houses, are used.

The ocean is the little penguin's natural environment. Their wings have evolved into flippers with which they propel themselves - 'flying' underwater. The birds are excellent swimmers, and are able to survive at sea for long periods. They generally spend the day at sea and return to their colonies after dark. On land they stand upright, walking or waddling awkwardly on their hind legs.

What do they eat?

Little penguins feed on small fish, squid and krill (tiny shrimp-like crustaceans). They mainly feed in shallow waters within 15 to 20 kilometres of the coast. They hunt near the surface for fish such as pilchards, anchovies and garfish. They can also quickly dive to the sea floor to feast on squid and krill.

Breeding and life history

Little penguins live for an average of seven years, and are ready for their first breeding season at around three years of age. Most of the birds have the same mate for life, but about 25 per cent of them may change their mate from year to year.

Between June and August, male penguins return to their colonies to reconstruct old burrows, dig new ones and attract mates. The breeding season varies from year to year and from colony to colony, depending on the availability of food.

For the 35-day incubation period, both males and females take turns incubating the eggs. On hatching, the penguin chicks are very weak, and cannot raise their heads. Their eyes open at one week of age.

Until around 15 days after hatching, one parent will remain with the young chick while the other goes hunting for food. After this, the young are left alone while both adults go hunting.

Chicks leave the nest to go to sea once they reach the age of eight or nine weeks. Before they leave the nest (a process called fledging), little penguin chicks tend to be brownish in colour. They later take on a similar colouring to the adults, only slightly duller.

Once the young have fledged, the adult penguins prepare to moult (shed their feathers to grow a new coat). The penguins feed themselves up, to build a store of fat which will carry them through the period ashore while moulting and waiting for a new feather coat to grow.

Threats to little penguins

Little penguins face a number of threats. On the mainland, dogs, cats and foxes pose the greatest threat by attacking the adults and chicks. The death of one adult in a breeding pair will often lead to the death of the young. Other threats include:

• the destruction or disturbance of nesting habitat by human activity
• pollution and run-off from nearby human development
• reckless behaviour from some jet skiiers and water skiiers
• the reduction of penguin food supplies, through overfishing or the introduction of exotic diseases or parasites.

Protecting the little penguin

Little penguins are protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, and the colony of little penguins at Manly on Sydney Harbour is protected as an endangered population under theThreatened Species Conservation Act 1995. Areas of penguin habitat around Manly have also been declared 'critical habitat'. OEH is researching little penguins, and has prepared a recovery plan for the little penguins at Manly.

If you are near a little penguin colony, you can help protect these native seabirds:

• never allow your dog or cat to roam free in areas where the little penguin may have its breeding sites or burrows
• if you see little penguins when you are near the coast, keep your distance - you may be near breeding sites or habitat areas which can easily be disturbed
• if you would like to help the research program into little penguins, contact the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife, which has established a fund for research and recovery work for the species.

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Chan’s Megastick

This new bug is actually dead, and has been dead for about thirty years, but the international insect size record committee has had a lot of back work to do, and I guess they only just got around to it.

Anyway, we just have to accept that now everybody can measure insects as quickly as we might hope, and move on to this massive bug—Chan’s Megastick. (Or Phobaeticus chain if you’re going to be a jerk about it.) It looks… like a stick, really. A stick that’s nearly two feet long.

That’s right, y’all, the megastick is over 22 inches long from front legs to back legs, with a 14-inch-long body. It lives by disguising itself among the treetops, until a human walks beneath it, at which point it dives down, and inserts itself into the person’s body. It lives the remainder of its life there, laying eggs in all major organs, and scurrying around just beneath the skin.

That, or they spend their lives moving slowly and eating plants. Which ever you choose to believe.

The record-breaking specimen was collected decades ago in Borneo by a local giant bug enthusiast. Ten years later, the Malaysian naturalist Datuk Chan Chew Lun found the remarkable insect in the collection, and it was only announced to be a new species (among more than 3000 species of stick insects) last week. It edged out the previous record holder by less than an inch.

A huge, huge bug. How do you feel about that?

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