Ring-Tailed Lemur

The Ring-Tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families, and is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar. Known locally in Malagasy as maky ([makʲ] ( listen), spelled maki in French) or hira, it inhabits gallery forests to spiny scrub in the southern regions of the island. It is omnivorous and the most terrestrial of lemurs. The animal is diurnal, being active exclusively in daylight hours.

The ring-tailed lemur is highly social, living in groups of up to 30 individuals. It is also female dominant, a trait common among lemurs. To keep warm and reaffirm social bonds, groups will huddle together. The ring-tailed lemur will also sunbathe, sitting upright facing its underside, with its thinner white fur towards the sun. Like other lemurs, this species relies strongly on its sense of smell and marks its territory with scent glands. The males perform a unique scent marking behavior called spur marking and will participate in stink fights by impregnating their tail with their scent and wafting it at opponents.

 Ring-Tailed Lemur

 Ring-Tailed Lemur

 Ring-Tailed Lemur

Ring-Tailed Lemur

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Alligator

Alligator: is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two living alligator species: the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) and the Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis). In addition, several extinct species of alligator are known from fossil remains. Alligators first appeared during the Oligocene epoch about 37 million years ago. The name alligator is an anglicized form of el lagarto, the Spanish term for "lizard", which early Spanish explorers and settlers in Florida called the alligator.

A large adult American alligator's weight and length is 360 kg (790 lb) and 4.0 m (13.1 ft) long[citation needed], but can grow to 4.4 m (14 ft) long and weigh over 450 kg (990 lb). The largest ever recorded was found in Louisiana and measured 5.84 m (19.2 ft). The Chinese alligator is smaller, rarely exceeding 2.1 m (6.9 ft) in length. Alligators have an average of 75 teeth. There is no measured average lifespan for an alligator. In 1937, a one year-old specimen was brought to the Belgrade Zoo in Serbia from Germany.

 Alligator

 Alligator

 Alligator

Alligator

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Grizzly Bear

Grizzly Bear: The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear (Ursus arctos) that generally lives in the uplands of western North America. This subspecies is thought to descend from Ussuri brown bears which crossed to Alaska from eastern Russia 100,000 years ago, though they did not move south until 13,000 years ago.

Except for cubs and females, grizzlies are normally solitary, active animals, but in coastal areas, the grizzly congregates alongside streams, lakes, rivers, and ponds during the salmon spawn. Every other year, females (sows) produce one to four young (commonly two) which are small and weigh only about 500 grams (1 lb). A sow is protective of her offspring and will attack if she thinks she or her cubs are threatened.

 Grizzly Bear

 Grizzly Bear

 Grizzly Bear

Grizzly Bear

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Milk Snake

Milk Snake: Lampropeltis triangulum, commonly known as a milk snake or milksnake, (French: Couleuvre tachetée; Spanish: Culebra-real coralillo) is a species of king snake. There are 24 subspecies of milk snakes. Lampropeltis elapsoides, the scarlet kingsnake, was formerly classified as the subspecies L. t. elapsoides, but is now recognized as a distinct species. The subspecies have strikingly different appearances, and many of them have their own common names.

Milk snakes grow 20 to 60 inches (51 to 150 cm) long. They have smooth and shiny scales and their typical color pattern is alternating bands of red-black-yellow or white-black-red. However, red blotches instead of bands are seen in some populations. Some milk snakes have a striking resemblance to coral snakes and this mimicry (known as Batesian mimicry) likely scares away potential predators. While both milk snakes and coral snakes possess transverse bands of red, black and yello

 Milk Snake

 Milk Snake

 Milk Snake

Milk Snake

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African Lion

African Lion: Today only eight subspecies are usually accepted, although one of these, the Cape lion, formerly described as Panthera leo melanochaita, is probably invalid. Even the remaining seven subspecies might be too many. While the status of the Asiatic lion (P. l. persica) as a subspecies is generally accepted, the systematic relationships among African lions are still not completely resolved. Mitochondrial variation in living African lions seemed to be modest according to some newer studies.

Therefore all sub-Saharan lions sometimes have been considered a single subspecies. However, a recent study revealed lions from western and central Africa differ genetically from lions of southern or eastern Africa. According to this study, Western African lions are more closely related to Asian lions than to South or East African lions. These findings might be explained by a late Pleistocene extinction event of lions in western and central Africa and a subsequent recolonisation of these parts from Asia.

 African Lion

 African Lion

 African Lion

African Lions

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Agama Agama

Agama Agama: An agama is any one of the various small, long-tailed, insect-eating lizards of the genus Agama. The agamid genus is composed of at least 37 species across Africa, where they are the most common lizard. They can be found in many sizes, from 12.5 to 30 cm (5 in. to 1 ft.) in length and a wide variety of colours. One of the best known species is the Agama agama, widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. For Eurasian agamas, see the genus Laudakia.

Agamas originally lived in forest and bush across Africa, but have since adapted to live in villages and compounds where their habitat has been cleared. They live inside the thatch of huts and other small spaces, emerging only to feed. If caught out in the open, agamas are able to run quickly on their hind legs to reach shelter. The desert agama can still be found in the dry areas of North Africa. Despite their name, they avoid bare sand. See Pictures of Agama Agama below.

 Agama Agama

 Agama Agama

 Agama Agama

Agama Agama

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Aardvark

Aardvark: The aardvark is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa.It is the only living species of the order Tubulidentata, although other prehistoric species and genera of Tubulidentata are known. It is sometimes colloquially called "antbear", "anteater", or the "Cape anteater" after the Cape of Good Hope. The name comes from earlier Afrikaans and means "earth pig" or "ground pig" (aarde earth/ground, varken pig), because of its burrowing habits (similar origin to the name groundhog). The aardvark is not closely related to the pig; rather, it is the sole recent representative of the obscure mammalian order Tubulidentata. 

The aardvark is not closely related to the South American anteater, despite sharing some characteristics and a superficial resemblance. The closest living relatives of the aardvark are the elephant shrews, along with the sirenians, hyraxes, tenrecs, and elephants. With their extinct relatives, these animals form the superorder Afrotheria. The scientific name of the aardvark comes from Greek ορυκτερόπους (orykterópous) meaning "digging footed" and afer: from Africa.

 Aardvark

 Aardvark

 Aardvark

 Aardvark

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Bullmastiff

Bullmastiff: is a large breed of domestic dog. It has a solid build and a short muzzle. The Bullmastiff shares the characteristics of Molosser dogs, and was originally developed by 19th-century gamekeepers in England to pull buses when they broke down. The breed's bloodlines are drawn from the English Mastiff and Old English Bulldog. It was recognized as a purebred dog by the English Kennel Club in 1924. They are a very quiet dog; they very rarely bark.

Males should be 25 to 27 inches (63 to 69 cm) tall (AKC Std.) at the withers and 110 to 130 pounds (50 to 59 kg). Females should be 24 to 26 inches (61 to 66 cm) at the withers, and 100 to 120 pounds (45 to 54 kg). Exceeding these dimensions is discouraged by breeders. A bullmastiff's coat may appear in fawn, red, or brindle. These are the only acceptable colors in the AKC standard. The fawn can range from a very light brown to a reddish brown.

 Bullmastiff

 Bullmastiff

 Bullmastiff

Bullmastiff

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Malayan Civet

Malayan Civet: The Malay civet (Viverra tangalunga), also known as the Malayan civet or oriental civet, is a civet found on the Malay Peninsula and the islands of Sumatra, Bangka, Borneo, the Rhio Archipelago, and the Philippines. The Malay civet is known from the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, Maluku Islands and the Philippines,. Locations without evidence of breeding populations include Java, where two specimens were recorded  and Singapore, where a single individual was photographed in 2012.

 The Malay civet occurs in a wide variety of habitats including forests, secondary habitats, cultivated land and the outskirts of villages. Distributions on hill include elevations of up to 900m on Gunung Madalan in Sabah and 1,100m on Usun Apau and the Kelabit Upland in Sarawak.Malay civets are. They are mostly terrestrial but are known to climb up trees. Their upperparts are greyish with numerous black spots, tail with about 15 black bands. They feed on invertebrates and small vertebrates.

 Malayan Civet

 Malayan Civet

 Malayan Civet

Malayan Civet

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Macaroni Penguin

Macaroni Penguin:  The Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) is a species of penguin found from the Subantarctic to the Antarctic Peninsula. One of six species of crested penguin, it is very closely related to the Royal Penguin, and some authorities consider the two to be a single species. It bears a distinctive yellow crest, and the face and upperparts are black and sharply delineated from the white underparts. Adults weigh on average 5.5 kg (12 lb) and are 70 cm (28 in) in length. 

The male and female are similar in appearance although the male is slightly larger with a relatively larger bill. Like all penguins, it is flightless, with a streamlined body and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a marine lifestyle. Its diet consists of a variety of crustaceans, mainly krill, as well as small fish and cephalopods; the species consumes more marine life annually than any other species of seabird. These birds moult once a year, spending about three to four weeks ashore, before returning to the sea.

 Macaroni Penguin

 Macaroni Penguin

 Macaroni Penguin

Macaroni Penguin

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Pit Bull Terrier

Pit Bull Terrier: Pit Bulls are generally friendly, even around strangers. As with any dog breed, proper training and socialization at an early age is a must. According to the UKC,"This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. APBTs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. Because most APBTs exhibit some level of dog aggression and because of its powerful physique, the APBT requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog.

The breed’s natural agility makes it one of the most capable canine climbers so good fencing is a must for this breed. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence and its willingness to work." Recently, American Pit Bull Terriers have been banned from several cities and states, due to the general public's belief that Pit Bulls are naturally violent and aggressive towards people and other dogs. Contrary to popular belief, Pit Bull Terriers can be just as loving, caring, and loyal as any other dog breed.

Pit Bull Terrier

American PitBull Terrier

American Pit Bull Terrier

 The American Pit Bull Terrier

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American PitBull Terrier

American PitBull Terrier: is one of the smartest, most athletic, and most affectionate dog breeds in the world. They are highly trainable and can excel at just about any training activity you give them. American Pit bull Terrier is by far the most misunderstood breed of dog. Its origin, which is full of brutality and violence, has played a big role to the public confusion. In reality, American Pit bull Terrier is a loving, very obedient, and loyal breed.

During the nineteenth century, Europeans experimented by crossing bulldogs to terriers in hopes to result in a breed having the gameness of terriers and the strength and athleticism of bulldogs. They did just that and the Pit bull Terrier was developed. Unfortunately, the purpose of their breeding was to feed the desires of man to witness bloodshed and violence. Originally, they were used in bull baiting, a brutal animal spectacle where dogs are used to submit enraged bulls.

 American PitBull Terrier

 American PitBull Terrier

 American PitBull Terrier

 American PitBull Terrier

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American Pit Bull Terrier

American Pit Bull Terrier: (APBT) is a medium-sized, solidly built, short haired dog whose early ancestors came from England and Ireland. It is a member of the molosser breed group. During the 19th century, England, Ireland, and Scotland began to experiment with crosses between bulldogs and terriers, looking for a dog that combined the gameness, speed, and agility of the terrier with the strength and athleticism of the bulldog.

In the late 19th century to early 20th century, two clubs were formed for the specific purpose of registering APBTs: the United Kennel Club and the American Dog Breeders Association. The United Kennel Club was founded in 1898, and was the first registry to recognize the breed, with the owner assigning the first number to his own APBT. The dog was bred first to bait bulls and bears. When baiting bulls was deemed inhumane, ratting (a sport where a number of rats were placed in a pit for a specified time with the dog) and dog fighting became more popular.

 American Pit Bull Terrier

 American Pit Bull Terrier

American Pit Bull Terrier

American Pit Bull Terrier

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