Christopher Cudworth’s Post

Black-backed jackals are highly vocal. Best known for their high, wailing calls – often given in the early evening, when one individual answers another until an unearthly chorus builds up – they also utter a repeated yapping when tailing a predator; a call that sometimes betrays an irritated lion or leopard. Fossil deposits have revealed that the black-backed jackal is one of the oldest known dog species. It has remained pretty much unchanged since the Pleistocene epoch, up to 2.5 million years ago. Like all jackals, this species forms monogamous, life-long pair bonds. What’s more, youngsters from one year’s litter often act as ‘helpers’, suppressing their own breeding ambitions and remaining with their parents for a year or more in order to help them raise the next litter. This habit is known to have a greater bearing on pup survival rates in black-backed jackals, than in any other jackal species. #wildlife#tembeakenya#hidayaafricatoursandtravel call:0722370545/0733370545 email:hidayaafricatours@gmail.com website:www.hidayaafricatour.com

The next #WildlifeWednesday series will be about snakes. Let’s learn something about these creatures which are so often feared. Know that you are much more likely to be hurt by a dog than by a snake. Snakes help control the tick and rodent populations and snake venom has unique medicinal uses in cancer treatments. Strictly carnivores, snakes are both predators and prey which helps to maintain balance in a diverse ecosystem. Each article in this series will focus on a species or category of snakes, tune in! The Kingsnake Let’s start with a relatively distinctive and beloved (as snakes go) species, the Eastern Kingsnake. The Eastern Kingsnake is shiny black with yellow to white markings that differ based on region. In the north Georgia forests these markings are typically thin yellow bands. Strong constrictors, kingsnakes average 3 feet long but can grow up to 7 feet. The kingsnake is most active in daytime, especially the morning. Kingsnakes use woodpiles and downed logs for cover and to lay eggs in moist shaded places. With anywhere from 3 to 20 in a nest, the leathery eggs are mostly white and about the size of jellybeans. Baby kingsnakes hatch in late August and look just like small versions of their parents. There are several reasons to feel good about having a kingsnake on your property. Immune to venom, kingsnakes eat copperheads and rattlesnakes (hence the name kingsnake). They also provide effective rodent control. Besides all that, it is illegal to capture, harass, or kill any non-venomous snake in Georgia, so you might as well learn to appreciate their benefits! The head of the Eastern kingsnake is short and stout. #DiscoverMountainLiving #PrivatePass #BentTree #LiveLifeToTheFullest #BentTreePrivatePass #MountainLiving #DiscoverBentTree #WildlifeSanctuary #NaturePhotography #NorthGeorgiaWildlife #NatureLovers

Hello darkness, my old friend. Owls are now active at 4 p.m. 🦉 There are 12 species of owls recorded in Toronto. 🦉 Most owls have excellent night vision because of the rod cells in their eyes and even though their eyes can’t move, they can rotate their heads more than 180 degrees. Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus, picutured), unlike most owls, hunts during the day. 🦉 Not only do they have excellent camouflage, they have fringed flight feathers and down for silent flight. 🦉 Some species have facial disc feathers that direct sounds to their ears allowing them to detect prey under snow. Additional Snowy Owl fact: Occassionally, Snowy Owls appear by the dozens in what is known as an “irruption”. Surges in lemming abundance in the Arctic during the owl’s breeding season allow ample food for the owls to raise many offspring. If you’re lucky enough to observe an owl, keep your distance to avoid disturbing them (winter is challenging enough!) and do not post their location. Image: Snowy Owl along Lake Ontario in the west end, photographed ethically and without disturbance.

Discover Fascinating Facts About Belted Kingfishers! Belted Kingfishers are captivating birds known for their distinctive features and behaviors. * With their top-heavy physique and energetic flight, Belted Kingfishers exude self-importance as they patrol rivers and shorelines. * They nest in burrows along earthen banks and feed primarily on aquatic prey like fish and crayfish. * Males sport one blue band across their white breast, while females boast a blue and chestnut band. * Female Belted Kingfishers are more brightly colored than males, a rare occurrence among bird species. * During breeding season, pairs defend territories against other kingfishers along streams. * Nest burrows slope upward to prevent water entry and can range from 1 to 8 feet in length. * Nestling kingfishers have acidic stomachs to digest bones and fish scales, but switch to regurgitating pellets as they mature. * These birds have a wide range, appearing in places like the Galapagos Islands and Greenland. * The oldest known kingfisher fossil is 2 million years old, discovered in Florida. Call to Action: Engage with this post by sharing your thoughts or experiences with Belted Kingfishers! Let's learn more about these fascinating birds together. 🐦💭 #BeltedKingfisher #NatureFacts #Wildlife #DiscoverMore

The Malabar Pit Viper ( Craspedocephalus malabaricus ) is an ambush hunter thanks to its amazing ability to blend into its surroundings. It can be green, brown, yellow, or orange, making it hard to spot! It has a prehensile tail that helps them anchor themselves on branches or twigs while hanging. Unlike most snakes, this one gives birth to live babies instead of laying eggs. It has special heat-sensing pits on its face that help it find warm-blooded animals to eat, even in the dark. Although it moves slowly, it can strike quickly to catch its prey by surprise. This snake is only found in the Western Ghats of India and could indicate how healthy the rainforest is. If something changes with these snakes, it might mean there's a bigger problem with the environment. #malabarpitviper #craspedocephalusmalabaricus #ambushhunter #snakecamouflage #reptilelife #wildlifephotography #westernghats #indianrainforest #snakesofindia #wildlifeconservation #ecologicalindicator #reptileconservation #snakefacts #wildlifefacts #naturelovers #wildlifeenthusiasts

Deer antler shedding is a fascinating natural phenomenon that occurs annually in many deer species. We share 15 unknown facts behind this behavior; - Antlers are bony structures that grow on the heads of male deer. - They are composed of living tissue and are the fastest-growing type of mammalian bone. - Antlers start growing in the spring and continue to develop throughout the summer months. - As the antlers develop, they are covered in a soft tissue called velvet, which contains blood vessels and nerves. - While the exact triggers may differ among species and individual deer, one significant factor is the photoperiod, which refers to the duration of daylight. - Reduced daylight exposure triggers a decrease in testosterone levels, which leads to the weakening of the tissue connecting the antlers to the deer’s skull. - The first sign of antler shedding is the drying up of the velvet. - Deer may rub their antlers against trees and bushes to hasten the removal of the velvet, relieving the itchiness caused by its presence. - Once the velvet is shed, the antlers harden and detach from the deer’s skull. - After shedding, the deer’s pedicles, the bony structures from which the antlers grow, remain on its skull. - These pedicles serve as the foundation for new antler growth in the following spring. - Shedding allows deer to grow new, larger antlers each year, which are important for various aspects of their lives. - During the mating season, male deer, or bucks, use their antlers to establish dominance and compete for mates. Larger antlers provide an advantage in this competition, as they demonstrate the buck’s strength and genetic fitness. - Shedding and regrowing antlers ensure that bucks have a chance to improve their antler size and quality with each passing year. - Antler shedding also helps deer conserve energy during harsh winter months reducing the deer’s weight, making it easier for them to navigate through snow-covered landscapes and find food. #didyouknow #didyouknowfacts🤔 #didyouknowfacts #facts #factsaboutwildlife #deer #antlers

Curious to learn more about owls, sparrows, or crows? Register with a special October rate for in-depth courses from our friends at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: The Wonderful World of Owls: https://lnkd.in/gsXb3N8B Be a Better Birder: Sparrow Identification: https://lnkd.in/gs4UBFjP Anything but Common: The Hidden Life of the American Crow: https://lnkd.in/ga-i3eyx

This unique collective noun is thought to have originated from the portrayal of owls as wise and knowledgeable creatures, often depicted as such in folklore and literature 🦉 Owls are fascinating birds with several intriguing characteristics. For instance, they have exceptional night vision, thanks to their large eyes that can capture more light even in the darkest environments. Unlike most birds, owls can rotate their heads up to 270 degrees, allowing them to have an extensive field of view without moving their bodies. This ability is due to their unique bone structure and blood vessel arrangement, which prevents blood flow from being cut off when they turn their heads. Another fun fact about owls is their silent flight. The edges of their flight feathers are serrated, reducing noise and allowing them to swoop down on prey with minimal sound. This stealthy approach makes them effective hunters, able to catch even the most cautious animals. Owls also have an interesting way of communicating. They produce a variety of sounds, including hoots, screeches, and whistles, each serving a different purpose, from marking territory to attracting mates. Some owl species, like the Barn Owl, are known for their eerie, ghost-like calls. Next time you hear the hoot of an owl or spot one in the wild, remember the fascinating facts about these nocturnal birds and their wise "parliament." ✨  Follow QuickSchools.com for more unique and quirky names for animal groups! #QuickSchools #FactualFriday #ParliamentOfOwls #OwlFacts #NatureFun

Bones on the Beach.  Bones are a common sight on Sable Island – sun-bleached skulls, a cluster of ribs or vertebrae, sometimes most of a skeleton. They are the remains of seals, whales, horses, birds, and fish, and once in a while a few skeletal reminders of earlier times – a dog skull or long bones of a cow. A few days ago, an anglerfish washed ashore on north beach. There are many species of anglerfish. In this specimen most features (such as a luminescent lure to attract prey) have been lost to scavenging and decomposition, but the big head, large mouth, and fang-like, inward-pointing teeth, are evident. This skeleton was about 40 cm long, but the live fish was likely shorter.  Photos Zoe Lucas.  For more about what’s found on Sable’s beach: https://lnkd.in/d5xau7p    #SableIsland #NorthAtlantic #Bones #beachsurvey #Beachmonitoring #anglerfish #skeletons      #sableislandnpr #parkscanada  #sableislandnationalparkreserve

How much can one photo tell a story? This great blue heron pic says quite a bit. First, the bird is sitting above a #wetland where water levels had returned after a period of years when levels were low, and little #wildlife was around. Large cottonwood #trees died when their roots were submerged and #woodpeckers drilled holes in the trunks, which you can see in this photo. Dozens of dead trees rife with such holes now provide nesting cavities for #woodducks #swallows and other species, including #starlings. Flocks of #birds attract apex #predator species such as #coopershawk and #kestrel, #redtailedhawk and #greathornedowl. This #heron fishes for #frogs in the #swamp and #marsh, and even hunts #mice and #voles on nearby uplands. #Muskrat and #mink, #weasels and #snakes all live here too. Regal on its perch in the morning sunlight, the heron symbolizes a healthy #environment and vital #habitat for dozens of living things including #turtles, #salamander and #dragonflies, #bats and #gulls, #terns and #ducks, #geese of four kinds and #swans, #eagle, #osprey and #kingfisher too. All because the #wetland wasn't drained and #insects thrive and drive the #foodchain. Photo ©ChristopherCudworth 2024