Most living creatures have red blood. There are many, however, that do not share this trait. Their blood can be blue, green, yellow, clear, and even purple.

Purple blood is often found in deep-sea worms such as the peanut worm and bristle worms. Brachiopods have blood that is such a deep purple that it is often thought to be black. The color of blood, which is normally used to carry oxygen throughout the body, is determined by what elements are used for this purpose.

For those with red blood, the common element is iron. The three creatures known to have purple blood do not have iron. A protein called hemerythrin is used to carry oxygen through their bodies.

Let’s take a look at these three fascinating animals.

1. The Peanut Worm

Dwelling at the bottom of many oceans, especially in the area of Hawaii, is the odd-looking peanut worm. The body of the peanut worm is without segments and it sports a bulbous trunk called an introvert. The mouth located inside this introvert is surrounded by a ring of tentacles that help guide food into the worm.

The peanut worm lives mainly on detritus, which is decaying matter from dead sealife. The peanut worm makes its home in a variety of locations. Most of the worms create burrows in the mud or sand at the bottom of the sea.

Others, however, prefer more luxurious homes in rock crevices or inside abandoned seashells. They rarely swim but instead move when necessary by twisting their bodies in every direction. When they are threatened, they can configure their bodies into a shape that resembles a peanut shell.

This is what has given them their unusual name. The same chemical that gives the peanut worm its purple blood also gives it the ability to regenerate should it lose part of its body. The skin of this sea creature is almost translucent, which makes it appear to be purple because you can see the blood running through it.

2. Brachiopods

Brachiopods are also known as lampshades. These small marine … Read the rest of the story.

Human beings have the capacity to experience a wide range of emotions, from sorrow to grief to happiness, but many of us are unsure if animals have the same experiences. Have you ever wondered what kinds of animals are incapable of feeling emotions?

Scientists claim that certain animals are capable of experiencing emotions, whereas others are incapable of experiencing any feelings at all. According to experts, animals that do not have brain structures or brain networks do not have the ability to feel any emotions. These creatures, which are also referred to as limbic system animals, are incapable of feeling any emotions such as fear, rage, terror, sorrow, or happiness.

For example, multicellular creatures such as sea sponges, most corals, sea anemones, as well as other similar species, are considered to be examples of these kinds of animals. In this post, we will talk about the different animals that don’t feel emotions according to scientists. So if you’re interested in learning more about these creatures that don’t feel emotions, keep reading.

The Following Animals Don’t Feel Emotions

As previously stated, scientists believe that a specific group of animals may experience emotions similar to those experienced by humans; yet, other types of animals do not experience emotions at all.

In the world of invertebrates, there are very few species that ever express what we call emotion. The cephalopods, such as the octopus and the squid, are prominent outliers to this. Despite the fact that they have never shown emotions, responses such as fear, and anger, as well as satisfaction seem to be present in these creatures.

The following are examples of creatures that are incapable of feeling any emotions:

Insects

The world has several insects with thousands of different species that cover the world. They vary according to their colors, shapes, and structures, as well as their overall look. Due to the fact that insects are members of the invertebrate kingdom, they do not have brain networks and, as a consequence, they do not feel any emotion at all.

Jelly Fish

… Read the rest of the story.

Retractable claws, small stature, and fierce temper, and no, we are not talking about the Marvel X-Man character. We are talking about the largest land-living species of the weasel family, the Wolverine. This mammal is only the size of a medium dog, but don’t let their size fool you; they are vicious and have unimaginable strength compared to their size.

A Tough Body Design

The Wolverine looks like a cross between a wolf and a small bear. With dark brown coarse fur, brown-black head, raccoon-like eyes, a longer snout, and a short body. Sometimes he sports a lighter golden stripe from his strong shoulders, traveling down his flanks and to the base of his tail.

His feet are like giant snowshoes; with each step, his toes spread, making it easy to walk on top of the snow. He has semi-retractable claws like a cat, striking, tearing, or climbing as needed. A tenacious mammal with the scientific name of Gulo gulo, which means glutton.

Are they gluttons? Let’s explore the eating habits of the Wolverine together.

Eating Habits

The Wolverine has a reputation for being vicious; it has incredible strength and can kill an animal much bigger than itself. They are considered cruel animals. Paralyzing animals as large as a reindeer by biting the spine.

Yet not killing it until they are ready to eat the animal, allowing it to die as they consume it. Once they are full, they bury it under the snow, saving the rest for later. This has given them the added reputation of being greedy, as they do not share any meal.

Wolverines have a keen sense of smell and can smell a dead animal even though frozen deep under the snow. This ability gives them more food than other animals attempting to survive in harsh weather. Not only can they smell, but they also have unique teeth, including an upper molar that is turned 90 degrees, which makes ripping flesh easier.

The teeth are so strong they can break and rip frozen meat from bones.… Read the rest of the story.

The ability to “see,” in light or darkness is difficult to truly define. For example, fans of Marvel may be familiar with the superhero Daredevil, who lost his sight at a young age and is, effectively, blind; however, even he has difficulty answering the question of whether or not he can see because he is able to use his other senses to get a very accurate picture of his surroundings. It is the same with some animals.

Animals that can’t see well oftentimes do just fine because of other adaptations like whiskers, echolocation, and hearing. For the purposes of this list, I will include animals that have poor eyesight at night, even if they can see well by other means. Overall, night vision is hard to measure.

Unless an animal is completely blind, it can see in the dark to some extent. How well an animal can see at night depends on the number of rod cells in its eyes. Oftentimes, animals with bigger eyes have better night vision. You’ll notice the lack of this feature holds true for the following animals.

Gorillas

Most of our world’s gorillas live in Equatorial Africa, an area of dense vegetation and humidity. Earth’s only two species are separated by over 500 miles of forest in the Congo Basin. Both species are vegetarian, diurnal mammals.

During the day, gorillas have pretty good vision, similar to a human’s. Front-facing eyes, limited color vision, and a light-sensitive area of the eye called the fovea allow gorillas to see a wide field of view, understand depth, and see detail clearly. Their ability to distinguish between colors is likely a result of their vegetarian diet, as color distinction may be an important survival tactic for the differentiation of poisonous and non-poisonous fruit and plants, and helps foragers find food among like-textured backgrounds.

Gorillas also don’t do a lot of moving around after dark. Like humans, they try to be in bed when it gets dark, but they will sleep for around 12 hours, effectively missing the non-daylight hours entirely. Also similar to … Read the rest of the story.

The vast majority of animals that inhabit the earth have a circulatory system much like we do, complete with a heart and blood. Most of us have red blood, though some animals have blue, black, or even green blood. Then, strangest of all, are the animals that have no blood at all.

Here are a few animals that live without blood in their body!

1. Jellyfish

It seems pretty obvious that a jellyfish has no circulatory system when we look at it. These transparent, gelatinous masses don’t have any obvious muscles or organs and are usually transparent, floating aimlessly around the ocean. Jellyfish belong to a class of animals called cnidarians, which include coral and sea anemones.

Instead of using blood to transport nutrients throughout their body, cnidarians absorb them directly from the water into their cells.

According to the UCSB Science Line: “When the cells on the outside of their body come into contact with water, oxygen and nutrients can diffuse into their body to provide them with everything they need.” Jellyfish are the largest animals without a heart.

2. Flatworms

Flatworms, as the name implies, are flat, worm-like invertebrates. Their extremely flat bodies mean that they have no room for organs. Not only do they have no blood, but they also have no heart, circulatory system, or respiratory system.

They gather nutrients and oxygen through a process called diffusion. Unlike in humans, this process doesn’t involve any kind of pump; instead, the nutrients simply flow through the flatworm’s body without direction. Some flatworms are parasites, such as the tapeworm. Other types include the fluke and the planarian.

3. Nematodes

Nematodes, also known as roundworms, are an incredibly common parasite, living in other animal species of all kinds as well as in food, soil, vinegar, malt, and deep within the earth. There are a huge number of nematodes — as many as 20,000 distinct types have been identified — but scientists think that these might only be a small percentage of the true number. The internal organs and … Read the rest of the story.

Have you ever wondered if there actually are creatures on Earth who have different colored blood? You may be surprised to learn that there are several living things that have yellow blood. That’s right, this bright blood is so foreign, and you aren’t likely to see it up close, but it’s absolutely fact that they’ve got this distinct type of blood.

The reason why some have yellow blood is that it contains a high concentration of vanabin, which is a vanadium-based pigment. Read on to learn more about these fascinating creatures and what makes them so different!

Beetles

Just like some other types of bugs, beetles have yellow-ish blood. You may notice this when you’ve seen a beetle that’s hit your windshield or is squished on the ground. Most people don’t know the fact that insects usually don’t have blood vessels like animals do. They’ve got a large hole in their skeletons that holds all of its blood.

Beetles are found all over the world. They tend to prefer making their habitats in spaces that are dark and moist, such as gardens, lakes, ponds, and grain fields.

This animal tends to eat a variety of what’s found in nature. This includes other insects and types of animals, decaying matter, and plants. Ultimately, what they eat depends on the type of beetle and the environment in which they live.

Sea Cucumbers

This underwater creature definitely is a wonder to behold. Sea cucumbers live at the bottom of the ocean. They’re considered to be extremely simple creatures.

They kind of look like fruit, and the name of this animal makes it even stranger since you wouldn’t expect that it’s even an animal!  The sea cucumber has thousands of little feet, and it moves slowly on the ocean bottom. The fact that it has yellow blood is due to how it contains vanadium, a metal compound that has yellow pigment which is found in vanabin proteins.

It’s important to note that vanabin doesn’t aid in the transport of oxygen to the rest of the body. Scientists haven’t been … Read the rest of the story.

When I’m having trouble trying to figure out a problem, and I just can’t wrap my brain around the solution, I think of the old saying, “Two heads are better than one.” Well, what about two brains? Did you know that some animals, including humans, have two or more brains?

I know, it sounds like science fiction or maybe even a horror movie, ”The Human with Two Brains.” But, it’s true. You probably think I’m crazy, but let’s get into a few examples of animals with two brains.

These incredible and complex creatures are all around us. Not only do humans have two brains, but many other animals do too. You’ll soon find out that I haven’t lost my mind.

Octopus (Octopoda)

According to Scientific American, octopuses and their close relatives, ten-armed squid and cuttlefish, stand apart from all invertebrates. They are ”deep-sea thinkers.” Octopus brains let them remember things, recognize other sea creatures, and explore objects.

Even though they’re invertebrates, their brains act similar to our own. That’s where the similarities to vertebrates end. These Cephalopods have brains that aren’t only in their heads but in their eight arms.

So, octopuses actually have nine brains. Each arm has a unique set of neurons that act independently from each other. Each arm can taste, touch and control feelings using hundreds of sensors.

In fact, the Smithsonian Institute says that octopuses can finish puzzles, open jars and untie knots with their arms. They are masters at ambushing their prey, which are fish, jellyfish and crustaceans. The 300 different species of octopus live in all the oceans of the world.

Humans (Homo sapien)

People have two organs that think for them. Both of these are made up of the same types of neurons and tissue. One is the brain in your head and the other is in your digestive system. They each control different functions in your body.

Your guts and brain are connected, so when you feel anxiety, it disrupts your digestion. Have you ever had to give a … Read the rest of the story.

”Follow your heart. Your heart is the right guide in everything big.” I often follow this sage advice, but what about animals that don’t have hearts?

I’m not talking figuratively about someone who doesn’t seem to have feelings. I’m talking literally about animals that don’t have hearts. Stranger than fiction, you might be thinking.

Several animals live without hearts. They don’t need it to pump blood or carry oxygen through their circulatory systems. It seems unimaginable, but these creatures have everything they need to live without a heart.

Let’s learn more about these incredible animals, and how they function without a heart.

1. Starfish (Asteroidea)

Starfish live in almost all water environments, but mostly in the oceans. They eat oysters, clams, plankton, and even other starfish. Since starfish don’t have teeth, they swallow their food whole.

Starfish don’t have a circulatory system that pumps blood through their bodies. Instead of a vascular system with blood, they have a water vascular system that carries seawater through their systems. They have open circulatory systems.

This means the seawater moves through the body cavity but without the help of a heart. Seawater, instead of a heart, moves nutrients through their bodies. The vascular system extends down each leg of the starfish.

As the water moves through the legs, it provides nutrition, movement, and the ability to hunt prey.

2. Sea Anemone (Cnidaria)

Sea anemones attach themselves to hard surfaces or live at the bottom of the ocean in the soft sand. Most of them live in tropical waters but several have adapted to cold seawater. Many people call them the ”flowers of the sea” because of their colorful petal-like tentacles.

These tentacles might be as delicate as a flower, but they capture any prey that gets too close. Sea anemones eat crabs, small fish, mollusks, and many other sea organisms. Since sea anemones don’t have a heart, their stomach serves as their circulatory system.

This form of circulation is called gastrovascular. It provides nutrients and removes waste from the body by diffusion … Read the rest of the story.

Have you ever heard the tell-tale sound of your trash being knocked over at night and thought, “those damn raccoons!” The chances are high that you’re correct. But have you ever wondered if it may be a coyote? Do they even raid trashcans?

And if they do, what other similarities, or differences, do they have with raccoons?

Although coyotes and raccoons are classified under the “dog-like” suborder of animals, coyotes are closely related to dogs. In contrast, raccoons are part of the omnivorous, arboreal, and five-toed Procyonid family. Raccoons are, in fact, more closely related to mustelids (weasels and badgers).

Although their classification and genetics are definitely at odds, are there any similarities between coyotes and raccoons in appearance, behavior, distribution, or ecology? And what happens if they meet in the wild?

Physical Features, Relatedness And Taxonomical Differences Between Coyotes And Raccoons

Taxonomy Of Coyotes And Raccoons

To better understand what an animal is and the differences between different animals, we need to look at how researchers have classified them.

The best starting point is through taxonomy, how an organism is related to other organisms.

Coyote

Kingdom       –       Animalia

Phylum         –        Chordata

Class              –       Mammalia

Order             –       Carnivora

Suborder       –       Caniformia

Family           –       Canidae

Genus            –       Canis

Species          –        latrans

Raccoon

Kingdom      –           Animalia

Phylum         –           Chordata

Class             –            Mammalia

Order           –             Carnivora

Suborder      –            Caniformia

Family          –             Procyonidae

Genus           –             Procyon

Species        … Read the rest of the story.

I’ll be honest; this question may have been misleading for me as well! That “versus” made me wonder if this should be a “death battle” scenario. Now, sorry to disappoint, but that’s not the focus of this blog.

Instead, we’ll take a look at the facilitating differences between coyotes and hyenas. But, if you are looking for a fight, read to the end; there may be a surprise waiting for you!

Coyotes and hyenas have many differences. Coyotes are similar to medium-sized dogs in size, appearance, and behavior; they are also closely related to dogs and wolves. Hyenas have similar behavior to dogs but are more closely related to cats, while mongoose and civets are their closest relatives.

Genetically speaking, the differences between coyotes and hyenas are vast. But do the differences stop there? Or are there other dividing lines, like habitat, food sources, and hunting strategies?

And with all that’s different, are there any similarities?

Anatomical, Phylogenetic And Classification Differences Between Coyotes And Hyenas

Taxonomy Of Coyotes And Hyenas

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Taxonomy is the “orderly classification of plants and animals according to their presumed natural relationships.”

It is the way we categorize and make sense of the world around us. When we compare a coyote and hyena by taxonomy and nomenclature, we can see on a genetic level where certain traits are shared and where they differ.

Coyote

Kingdom    –         Animalia

Phylum      –         Chordata

Class           –         Mammalia

Order          –         Carnivora

Suborder    –         Caniformia

Family        –          Canidae

Genus         –          Canis

Species       –           latrans

 

Hyena

Kingdom    –         Animalia

Phylum      –          Chordata

Class           –          Mammalia

Order          –          Carnivora

Suborder    … Read the rest of the story.

Have you ever been sitting around the campfire, in the wilderness, on a cool evening and heard a distant howling? And then did you wonder whether it was a coyote or a wolf? Or maybe you were out hiking, and you could have sworn you saw a fox dart into a hole, but maybe it was a coyote? Well, if you’ve ever been confused between the three, you’re in luck as we look at coyote vs. wolf vs. fox.

Although they are all part of the dog family (Canidae), there are some differences between coyotes, wolves and foxes. Wolves, on average, are 88lb; coyotes are 35lbs, and foxes are 14lb. Wolves prey on larger animals as a pack, coyotes’ medium animals alone, and foxes smaller animals alone.

Aside from size and what they eat, are coyotes, wolves, and foxes really so different? What are some of their similarities? Do they ever get into conflicts, and what are their behaviors amongst themselves and each other?

The Coyote, The Wolf And The Fox, Differences In Anatomy, Ancestry And Classification

Taxonomy Of Coyotes, Wolves And Foxes

When we speak about taxonomy, we are just talking about how different animals are grouped according to their features and genetic make-up.

By using nomenclature and taxonomy, we can quickly tell how related any two (or three) different species may be.

Below the taxonomical listing are compared for these three species.

Kingdom

Animalia

• All three

Phylum

Chordata

• All three

Class

Mammalia

• All three

Order

Carnivora

• All three

Suborder

Caniformia

• All three

Family

Canidae

• All three

Genus

Coyote

• Canis

Wolf

• Canis

Fox

• Vulpes

Species

Coyote

• Latrans

Wolf

• Lupus, rufus, lycaon

Fox

• lagopus, zerda, pallida, cana, chama, corsac, ferrilata, velox, macrotis, rueppellii, bengalensis, vulpes.

Right from the start, when we compare coyotes, wolves and foxes, we see that they are all closely related.

They are all dog-like carnivores in the Canid family. The first divide happens at the genus level, where foxes break off into their own group, while coyotes and wolves keep the same genus and separate at the species level.… Read the rest of the story.

I have always wondered how many different types of King Cobra snakes there are in nature. When researching the topic, I found that there is only one type of King cobra and that some people don’t even regard the King as a real cobra!

King Cobras are the sole member of the genus Ophiophagus hannah, which translates to snake eater. Genetic analysis revealed that the snake was an early offshoot of a genetic lineage that gave rise to the mambas rather than the true cobra genus called Naja.

The Naja genus is widely recognized as “true cobras.” They are the most recognized cobra species and the most widespread. Some people classify any snake that forms part of the Elapidae family as a cobra.

Whatever the case, this article will list some of the best-known types of “true cobras” and also give you some exciting information regarding the King of the Cobras.

Table of Contents

• Types of King Cobra Snakes
• Characteristics of Cobras
  • How Do Scientists Measure the Venom of Cobra Snakes?
• Types Of Cobras
  • Caspian Cobra
  • Philippine Cobra
  • Samar Cobra
  • Forest Cobra
  • Indochinese Spitting Cobra
  • Chinese Cobra
  • Indian Cobra
  • Cape Cobra
  • Equatorial Spitting Cobra
• Conclusion

Types of King Cobra Snakes

When it comes to cobra snakes, there is only one King. In 1945, Charles Mitchill Bogert, an American herpetologist, had the King cobra’s genus Ophiophagus hannah accepted as the species’ valid name. The King cobra is known as the largest venomous snake in the world.

Using cytochrome b, he concluded that the King cobra was more mamba than cobra during a genetic analysis. Although classified as a snake-eating cobra, other cobras are considered more of a “true cobra.”

The King cobra’s average length is 3 meters, although specimens have been found with lengths over 5 meters. They are widely spread over Asia in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines.

The King cobra eats other cobras, hence the name King, pythons, rat snakes, and lizards. Due to its slow … Read the rest of the story.

When most of us think of giant constrictor snakes, our first thoughts go to Anacondas (thank you, Hollywood); however, they are not alone! Pythons are another group (genus) of constrictors that are found in various sizes, spread across the globe. These snakes have adapted to a range of different conditions and food types.

Below we’ll take a look at the different types of pythons.

Within the Pythonidae family, 41 species belong to nine different genera. The genus Python (true pythons) currently has ten recognized species: African Rock (and Southern Rock), Angolan, Burmese, Borneo, Malaysian Blood, Myanmar short-tailed, Sumatran, Ball, and Indian Pythons.

With around 40 different species in nine genera, we can expect to see a fair amount of diversity within this snake family. But where are they located? What do they eat? And are there any interesting facts about them?

Table of Contents

• A Global Perspective on the Different Species of Pythons
• A Breakdown of the Genera in the Pythonidae Family
  • Pythons in the Genus Antaresia
    • 1. Children’s Python (Antaresia childreni)
    • 2. Spotted Python/Eastern Children’s Python (Antaresia maculosa)
    • 3. Pygmy Python (Antaresia perthensis)
    • 4. Papuan Spotted Python (Antaresia papuensis)
    • 5. Stimson’s Python/Large-blotched Python (Antaresia stimsoni)
  • Pythons in the Genus Apodora
    • 1. Papuan Olive Python/Papuan Python (Apodora papuana)
  • Pythons in the Genus Aspidites
    • 1. Black-headed Python (Aspidites melanocephalus)
    • 2. Ramsay’s Python/Woma Python (Aspidites ramsayi)
  • Pythons in the Genus Bothrochilus (Leiopython)
    • 1. D’Albertis Python/Northern White-lipped Python (Bothrochilus albertisii)
    • 2. Biak White-lipped Python (Bothrochilus biakensis)
    • 3. Bismarck Ringed Python (Bothrochilus boa)
    • 4. Karimui Basin White-lipped Python (Bothrochilus fredparkeri)
    • 5. Huon Peninsula White-lipped Python (Bothrochilus huonensis)
    • 6. Southern Whitelip Python/Southern White-lipped Python (Bothrochilus meridionalis)
    • 7. Wau White-lipped Python (Bothrochilus montanus)
  • Pythons in the Genus Liasis
    • 1. Brown Water Python (Liasis fuscus)
    • 2. Macklot’s Python/Freckled Python (Liasis mackloti)
    • 3. Olive Python (Liasis olivaceus)
  • Pythons in the Genus Malayopython
    • 1. Reticulated Python (Malayopython reticulatus)
    • 2. Timor Python/Lesser Sundas Python (Malayopython timoriensis)
  • Pythons in the Genus Morelia
    • 1. Centralian Carpet Python (Morelia bredli)
    • 2. Rough-scaled Python (Morelia carinata)
    • 3. Diamond Python/Carpet Python (Morelia spilota)
    • 4. Green

… Read the rest of the story.

Whenever wild animals encroach on our urban areas and start crossing paths with our domesticated pets, we start wondering if there are any safety issues we should be concerned about. We also are naturally inclined to worry about how well our dog would fair against a wild hunter. A question that is commonly raised is what would happen if a coyote faced a pitbull?

Coyotes are weaker and smaller than Pitbulls. Coyotes are wild hunters and scavengers, but not fighters. Pitbulls often dominate coyotes in altercations based on their athletic build, size difference, and superior jaw strength. A pack of coyotes is more dangerous to a Pitbull than an individual.

The physical traits and behaviors of both the coyote and the pitbull breeds will determine whether these two would be any match for each other. The below statistics may help us imagine the outcome of this hypothetical clash.

Table of Contents

• About the Coyote
• Coyote Distribution
• Coyote Physical Attributes
  • Average Coyote Attributes:
• Coyote Diet
  • Common Coyote Diet:
• About the Pitbull
• Pitbull Physical Attributes
  • Average Pitbull Attributes:
• Pitbull Diet
  • Balanced Diet Ratios:
• Conclusion

About the Coyote

Coyote (Canis latrans), also called brush wolf or prairie wolf is a member of the dog family (Canidae) that is smaller than the wolf with a more slight build. The coyote is a prevalent character in Native American folklore, usually depicted as a trickster that alternately assumes the form of a coyote or a man. There are 19 recognized coyote subspecies.

Coyotes have a flexible social organization, living either in a strong family unit or in packs of loosely-knit, unrelated individuals. They communicate with a distinctive yapping call, which at night often escalates into a boisterous wolf-like serenade. The coyote is primarily nocturnal.

Both members of a breeding pair of territorial coyotes will defend their territory against other coyotes and predators. Territories commonly are marked with urine and feces, and some believe that howling indicates that the territory is claimed. Most territories range from 10 to 40 square km (4 to 15 square miles).

Coyote Distribution

The … Read the rest of the story.

With over 50 genera and 268 species, squirrels have adapted to living in a wide variety of conditions. All squirrels have lean bodies and characteristic bushy tails, but the different types of squirrels show significant variation in size, coloring, and behavior.

There are over 200 different types of squirrels divided into 50 genera. Squirrels are grouped into one of three categories: flying, ground, and tree squirrels. Flying squirrels have patagia and live in trees. Tree squirrels also live in trees but have no patagia. Ground squirrels live in burrows.

Squirrels are exemplary students of Darwinian theories of evolution; these tiny creatures have rapidly evolved into easily distinguishable species in response to the environmental stresses placed on their colonies.

Table of Contents

• The Three Main Types of Squirrels
• Flying Squirrels
  • How Does a Flying Squirrel Glide?
  • How Far Can a Flying Squirrel Glide?
  • Geographical Distribution of Flying Squirrels
  • Behaviour and Habitat of Flying Squirrels
  • Are Flying Squirrels Pests?
  • What are the Three Flying Squirrel Types Found in America?
• Ground Squirrels
  • The Ins and Outs of a Ground Squirrel’s Burrow
  • A Ground Squirrels Defence System
    • Combat Relations Between Rattlesnakes And Ground Squirrels
  • Geographical Distribution of Ground Squirrels
  • Ground Squirrels Preferred Habitat
  • Are Ground Squirrels Pests?
  • What Types of Ground Squirrels are Found in North America?
• Tree Squirrels
  • Climbing Adaptations of Tree Squirrels
    • Climbing Strategies Used to Navigate Small Trees
    • Climbing Strategies Used to Navigate Thick Trees
  • Geographical Distribution of Tree Squirrels
  • Behaviour and Habitat of Tree Squirrels
  • Are Tree Squirrels Pests?
  • What Types of Tree Squirrels are Found in America?
• Conclusion

The Three Main Types of Squirrels

The taxonomy classification of squirrels places them in the family Sciuridae, which also contains marmots, prairie dogs, and chipmunks, i.e., this is one cute family group. The squirrels in the family Sciuridae are loosely divided into three groups: tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and flying squirrels.

Flying Squirrels

The flying squirrel, also known as the gliding squirrel, is easily distinguishable from the tree and ground … Read the rest of the story.

There are approximately 200 members of species that belong to the Viper (Viperidae) family. The Viper is a highly developed species; its sophisticated design is revealed in its fangs, scales, predatory tactics, habits, and behaviors resulting from progressive, evolutionary adaptation.

The Viper (Viperidae family) is divided into three subdivisions: Viperinae, Crotalinae, and Azemiopinae. The Viperinae is known as True Viper. Heat-detecting sacs distinguish Crotalinae or Pit Vipers from other Viperids. Azemiopinae is commonly known as Fea Vipers; it is the most primitive Viper.

The Viper is one of the most dangerous serpents across the globe. The lethal injection of its fangs carries highly advanced venom, the product of 60 million years of evolution. Viper bites result in many reported death cases per year.

Table of Contents

• Types of Vipers
  • The Common Characteristics of the Viper
  • The Viperinae
    • Atheris- Bush Vipers
    • Bitis- Puff Adders
    • Causus- Night Adder
    • Cerastes- Horned Vipers
    • Echis- Saw Scaled Vipers or Carpet Vipers
    • Macrovipera- Large Palearctic Vipers
    • Pseudocerastes- False Horned Viper
  • Crotalinae
    • Agkistrodon- Moccasins
    • Bothreichis- Palm Vipers or Palm-Pit Vipers
    • Bothrops- Lanceheads
    • Crotalus- Rattlesnakes
    • Gloydius- Asian Moccasins
    • Ovophis- Mountain Pit Viper
    • Porthidium- Hognose Pit Vipers
    • Protobothrops- Pit Vipers
  • Trimeresurus- Pit Viper
    • Tropidolaemus- Temple Pit Vipers
  • Azemiopinae- Fea Vipers
• Conclusion

Types of Vipers

Numerous species belong to the Viperidae family; this is subdivided into Viperinae, Crotalinae, and Azemiopinae. They all share common characteristics and features that distinguish the Viperidae. 

The Common Characteristics of the Viper

The Viper is so named as it is viviparous; vivi– living and parere– to beget; this means it gives birth to live young. Ovoviviparous describes the hatching of eggs within their bodies and birth live infants. They are the only species of snake to do this, although there are members that oviparous; this is to lay and hatch eggs.

Almost all vipers have vertical, or elliptical, slit-shaped pupils that vary in different sizes per species. Their vertically shaped pupils allow Vipers to detect the physical world on the light ray … Read the rest of the story.

Coyotes are born survivors and will do and eat whatever they need to survive. The resilient adaptability of coyotes has made them exciting animals to research regarding their diets and hunting techniques.

Coyotes are omnivores who eat 90% meat and 10% plant-based foods. Coyotes are most active during dawn or dusk when they hunt alone or in pairs. Solitary coyotes primarily hunt small prey, but packs of coyotes will hunt and kill large prey animals. Coyotes can form hunting alliances with badgers.

Coyotes have spread throughout most of America and are one of the most common medium-sized predators living within city limits. The varied environments coyotes call home have forced them to develop unique hunting skills and meal plans.

Table of Contents

• Are Coyotes Omnivores or Carnivores?
• Do Coyotes Prefer Meat or Vegetables?
• What Game Do Wild Coyotes Hunt?
• Do Coyotes Eat Cats and Dogs?
• When Do Coyotes Hunt?
• Do Coyotes Hunt Alone or In Packs?
• The Symbiotic Relationship Between Coyotes And Badgers
• Coyotes Hunting Patterns And Prey Type
• Conclusion

Are Coyotes Omnivores or Carnivores?

Coyotes, like dogs and unlike wolves, are omnivores who eat both meat and plants. Approximately 90% of the coyote’s diet comprises freshly killed or scavenged animal meats, while the remaining 10% is made up of plant-based foods.

These plant-based foods are essential components of a Coyote’s diet. They allow the coyote to survive in desolate areas devoid of suitable prey, i.e., during harsh winters or desert environments.

Do Coyotes Prefer Meat or Vegetables?

Coyotes typically prefer to eat meat-based meals and are not particularly fussy about what meat they’ll eat. Coyotes will hunt and kill fresh prey if available but have been known to eat roadkill, garbage, and rotting meat. The coyote’s motto is “food is food, and beggars can’t be choosers.”

During winter months, when the game becomes scarce, coyotes will begin to supplement their diets with berries, but they have been known to eat other fruit, grass, and even wheat. These plants provide valuable nutrients to the hungry coyote; however, these nutrients are more challenging … Read the rest of the story.

Ever wondered what a coyote looks like or how you can distinguish them from other canines?

I know I have! It turns out that there are some typical physical characteristics that all coyotes share and some that might vary depending on where they live. So, what do coyotes look like?

Typically coyotes are 2 feet tall, measuring 3.3 – 4.3 feet in length, snout to tail. They weigh 20 to 50 pounds; have pointed ears, yellow eyes, slender muzzles, and downward-pointing bushy tails. Their coloring is grayish-brown, with a red-tinged face, ears, and legs, and black-tipped tails. 

Coyotes hail from the desert plains of western and central North America. They have expanded across Northern America and Central America and have adapted to their surroundings, including some physical adaptations. So even though there are some typical coyote characteristics, not all coyotes will look the same.

The differences will depend on where the coyotes live.

Table of Contents

• What are the Typical Characteristics of a Coyote?
• How Do Eastern and Western Coyotes Differ in Appearance?
• What is a Coydog?
• Conclusion

What are the Typical Characteristics of a Coyote?

Coyotes look a bit like your typical collie dog; this is unsurprising as they also form part of the dog family, Canidae. Coyotes are more lightly built and much smaller than your average wolf but are bigger than foxes.

Coyotes have black-tipped noses, long slender muzzles, pointed and erect ears, and a drooping bushy tail. The tail typically has a black tip. Their eyes are yellow, which is different from your standard domesticated dog eye color, which is brown.

Coyotes are relatively small, standing at only 2 feet in height and measuring 24 inches at the shoulder. They are typically 3.3 – 4.3 feet in length; included in this length are their tails, which measure 11.8 – 16 inches.

The usual coloring for a coyote is greyish-brown to black with red tinges to the face and behind the ears. This reddish tinge can also be seen on the backs of the legs, while the throat and underbellies’ coloration often … Read the rest of the story.