The Shoebill

The Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) also known as Whalehead or Shoe-billed Stork, is a very large stork-like bird. It derives its name from its massive shoe-shaped bill. Although it has a somewhat stork-like overall form and has previously been classified in the order Ciconiiformes, its true affiliations with other living birds is ambiguous. Some authorities now reclassify it with the Pelecaniformes. The adult is mainly grey while the juveniles are browner. It lives in tropical east Africa in large swamps from Sudan to Zambia. 

Source: Wikipedia

Caracal Cat, Desert Lynx

Look, Pokémon babies! No, just kidding. These are kittens of the caracal cat, also known as the desert lynx. They're found across Africa, central Asia and southwest Asia into India.

Check out the tuft of hair on top of their ears - as adults, it's a full 50% the length of the ear itself.

The fish with a transparent head!

Very little light reaches the dark depths of the ocean. Consequently we see many adaptions regarding light among deep-sea organisms, from extreme sensitivity to bio-luminescence. But as strange as they can seem, the barreleye fish blows them all away - it has evolved to see through its own head.

The green orbs you see are its eyes, which spend most of their time gazing upwards through its transparent "forehead" for prey. This "forehead" is actually a fluid-filled sack. When it spots something it likes, it rotates them forward so its field of vision and mouth are now aligned to hunt. Until 2009 it was thought that these eyes were fixed staring upwards, but finding a live specimen revealed their mobility.

The two spots you can see near the mouth are called nares, which the barreleye uses to filter the water for chemical traces. In addition to the stunning head adaptation, the yellow pigment of the eyes help the barreleye distinguish between sunlight from the surface and light coming from bio-luminiscent fish. A fascinating example of evolution indeed.

Polar Bear

When polar bears are in a good mood, they like to float on the surface of water.

TREE CLIMBING GOATS

Found in Morocco, they climb these Argan trees in search of food. It's hard to imagine that animals with hooves could be so adept at climbing, but these images are 100% real. Food is fairly sparse in this area, so they have to grab it when they can - even if it's high up in a tree!  The secret to their ability to climb lies in the shape of their hooves.

The keratin reinforced hoof wall adds strength, while the soft textured sole provides traction and grip. It's also capable of deforming inwards to counter irregularities in the terrain. Their toes are capable of operating independently giving them more of a "grip".  These hooves evolved to allow the goats to climb rocky, mountainous areas - but they've shifted ecosystems to the trees!

Hippos Milk is Pink

Hippopotamuses have adapted to utilize two unique
acid secretions in their skin.
The first is called "hipposudoric acid" and the
second is called "norhipposudoric acid".
Since these are strong acids, they deter the growth
of bacteria on the skin.
In addition, hipposudoric acid is colored bright red
while norhipposudoric acid is colored bright orange.
The combination of these two acids provides
hippopotamuses with a sunscreen effect because
these colors absorb dangerous, cell-destroying
ultraviolet light.
Hippopotamus milk is most likely pink due to the
combination of these acidic secretions with off-
white milk (red + white = pink).

Mind Blowing Tips

SOMETHING YOU MIGHT HAVE NOT KNOWN And NEED TO KNOW !!

Ants Problem:
Ants hate Cucumbers. "KEEP the skin of Cucumbers near the
Place where they are or at Ant Hole.

To Get Pure & Clean Ice :
"Boil Water first before placing in the Freezer"

To make the Mirror Shine:
"Clean with Sprite"

To remove Chewing Gum from Clothes:
"Keep the Cloth in the Freezer for One Hour"

To Whiten White Clothes:
"Soak White Clothes in hot water with a Slice of Lemon for 10 Minutes"

To give a Shine to your Hair:
"Add one Teaspoon of Vinegar to Hair, then wash Hair"

To get maximum Juice out of Lemons:
"Soak Lemons in Hot Water for One Hour, and then juice them"

To avoid smell of Cabbage while cooking:
"Keep a piece of Bread on the Cabbage in the Vessel while cooking"

To avoid Tears while cutting Onions
"Chew Gum"

To boil Potatoes quickly:
"Skin one Potato from one side only before boiling"

To remove Ink from Clothes:
"Put Toothpaste on the Ink Spots generously and let it dry completely, then wash"

To skin Sweet Potatoes quickly :
"Soak in Cold Water immediately after boiling"

To get rid of Mice or Rats:
"Sprinkle Black Pepper in places where you find Mice & Rats. They will run away"

Take Water Before Bedtime..
"About 90% of Heart Attacks occur Early in the Morning & it can
be reduced if one takes a Glass or two of Water before going
to bed at Night"

We Know Water is important but never knew about the Special Times one has to drink it.. !!

Did you ???

Drinking Water at the Right Time Maximizes its effectiveness on the
Human Body;

1 Glass of Water after waking up - helps to activate internal
organs..

1 Glass of Water 30 Minutes before a Meal - helps digestion..

1 Glass of Water before taking a Bath - helps lower your blood
pressure.

1 Glass of Water before going to Bed - avoids Stroke or Heart
Attack.

Chinese Proverb Says:
'When someone shares something of value with you and
you benefit from it, You have a moral obligation to share it
with others too.'

Dolphins Help Save Dog from Drowning!

On Marco Island, Florida a group of dolphins came
to the aid of a lost Dog that had fallen into a canal
and couldn't get out. The dolphins made so much
noise, it attracted the attention of people living
nearby, who then rescued the dog. The Dog was
believed to have spent 15 hours in the canal water
before he was pulled out by fire personnel and
reunited with his owner.
One of the people whose attention was captured by
the noisy, demonstrative dolphins said, "They were
really putting up a ruckus, almost beaching
themselves on the sandbar over there. If it wasn't
for the dolphin, I would have never seen the
dog.” (Source: ABC7news) He said also if the
dolphins hadn't persisted enough to get their
attention, they dog would have died in the canal.
The dog had fallen over the edge of a concrete wall
down into the water far enough that it had no
chance of getting back up by itself. The dog was
exhausted from being in the cold water for hours,
and most likely suffering from hypothermia.
Dolphins have been known to sometimes help
stranded or injured people as well. In 2007, a pod
of dolphins formed a ring around a surfer who was
injured and bleeding after being bitten by a Great
White shark. The surfer survived because they
prevented further bites. No one knows exactly why
dolphins have intervened in such emergency
situations, and helped save the lives of other
species.
Suffice to say they are capable of empathy and
heroic actions.

Amazing Dogs

Napolitian Mastiff Dog.





Hercules was recently awarded the honorable distinction of Worlds Biggest Dog by Guinness World Records. Hercules is an English Mastiff and has a 38 inch neck and weighs 282 pounds.

With "paws the size of softballs" (reports the Boston Herald), 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, and grew.

Your Nature

An old man saw a scorpion drowning and decided to pull it out from the water. He calmly extended his hand to reach the creature. 

When he did, the scorpion stung him. With the effect of the pain, the old man let go the creature and it fell back into the water. The man realizing that the scorpion was drowning again, got back and tried to rescue it but then again it stung him. He let go of it again.

A young boy standing by, approached the old man and said, “Excuse me Sir, you are going to hurt yourself trying to save the evil-vicious creature, why do you insist? Don't you realize that each time you try to help the scorpion, it stings you?”

The man replied, “The nature of the scorpion is to sting and mine is to help. My nature will not change in helping the scorpion.”

So the man thought for a while and used a leaf from a nearby tree and pulled the scorpion out from the water and saved its life.

MORAL LESSON: Do not change your nature. If someone hurts you, just take precautions. Some pursue happiness while others create it. Let your conscience be your guide in whatever you do.

Swimming : Careful from Lampreys

Everyone, out of the water. Lampreys have round, sucker-like mouths filled with rows of teeth. As adults, they parasitise other fish, latching onto them with their sucker mouths and scraping the skin away with their teeth. They release anticoagulants to help the blood to flow more easily from their hosts, many of which die from excessive blood loss or infection.

Snake Fact

Snake.... no it's not snake .
This is the larva of the Hemeroplanes triptolemus moth. In its larval form it is capable of expanding its anterior body segments to give it the appearance of a snake, complete with simulated eyes. It's mimicry extends even to the point where it will harmlessly strike at potential predators.

Dolphins

Dolphins are well known for their intellect, their gregarious nature, and their acrobatic abilities. But there are many lesser known qualities that make a dolphin a dolphin. 

When light passes from air to water, it changes speed. The creates an optical effect referred to as refraction. For dolphins, this means their eyes must correct for these differences if they are to see clearly in both conditions. Fortunately, dolphins have specially adapted lens and cornea that enable them to see clearly in and out of the water.

Dolphins, like all toothed whales, lack olfactory lobes and nerves. Because dolphins do not possess these anatomical features, they most likely have a poorly developed sense of smell.

Dolphins can recognize their old friends even after 20 years of being apart.

Blue Parrotfish

The Blue Parrot-fish (Scarus coeruleus) is a member of the parrot fish genus Scarus. They are blue and can grow to up to 120 cm

On average they grow to sizes of around 30-75 cm in length, but can grow at least as large as 1.2 meters. The males are generally larger than the females, they also tend to develop “humps” on their head. Their range extends throughout much of the Western Atlantic. They eat, primarily, algae and small animals that live in the sand.

They are currently labeled as “Least Concern” on the Endangered Species List, but they do remain vulnerable due to habitat destruction/coral reef death/bleaching.

Hippos

Hippos are born underwater and must swim to the surface to take their first breath.