Tuesday, 18 February 2020
12-2-2020 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - CHIMPANZEE (Pan troglodytes)
The chimpanzee (/tʃɪmpænˈzi/; Pan troglodytes), or simply known as the chimp, is a species of great ape native to the forests and savannahs of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed one. When its close relative the bonobo was more commonly known as the pygmy chimpanzee, this species was often called the common chimpanzee or the robust chimpanzee. The chimpanzee and the bonobo are the only species in the genus Pan. Evidence from fossils and DNA sequencing shows that Pan is a sister taxon to the human lineage and is thus humans' closest living relative. The chimpanzee is covered in coarse black hair, but has a bare face, fingers, toes, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet. It is larger and more robust than the bonobo, weighing 40–70 kg (88–154 lb) for males and 27–50 kg (60–110 lb) for females and standing 150 cm (4 ft 11 in).
The chimpanzee lives in groups that range in size from 15 to 150 members, although individuals travel and forage in much smaller groups during the day. The species lives in a strict male-dominated hierarchy, where disputes are generally settled without the need for violence. Nearly all chimpanzee populations have been recorded using tools, modifying sticks, rocks, grass and leaves and using them for hunting and acquiring honey, termites, ants, nuts and water. The species has also been found creating sharpened sticks to spear small mammals. Its gestation period is eight months. The infant is weaned at about three years old but usually maintains a close relationship with its mother for several years more.
The chimpanzee is listed on the IUCN Red List as an endangered species. Between 170,000 and 300,000 individuals are estimated across its range. The biggest threats to the chimpanzee are habitat loss, poaching, and disease. Chimpanzees appear in Western popular culture as stereotyped clown-figures and have featured in entertainments such as chimpanzees' tea parties, circus acts and stage shows. Although many chimpanzees have been kept as pets, their strength, aggressiveness, and unpredictability makes them dangerous in this role. Some hundreds have been kept in laboratories for research, especially in the United States. Many attempts have been made to teach languages such as American Sign Language to chimpanzees, with limited success.
Chimpanzees are highly intelligent, social great apes native to African forests and savannas, sharing roughly 98%–99% of their DNA with humans. Known for using tools, having complex emotional lives, and living in fission-fusion communities, they are our closest living relatives. They are endangered, with populations threatened by habitat loss and hunting.
Key Facts About Chimpanzees
Intelligence & Tools: Chimpanzees are among the most intelligent species, known for using sticks to "fish" for termites and leaves to soak up water. They can recognize themselves in mirrors, a sign of self-awareness.
Monday, 17 February 2020
Sunday, 16 February 2020
12-2-2020 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - ABDIM'S STORK (Ciconia abdimii)
Abdim's stork (Ciconia abdimii), also known as the white-bellied stork, is a stork belonging to the family Ciconiidae. It is the smallest species of stork, feeds mostly on insects, and is found widely in open habitats in Sub-Saharan Africa and in Yemen. The common name commemorates the Turkish Governor of Wadi Halfa in Sudan, Bey El-Arnaut Abdim (1780–1827).
Abdim's stork is found widely in open habitats throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, from the Sahel to South Africa, being absent mainly from forests, dense woodlands and deserts. A smaller populations occurs in Yemen. It breeds colonially in trees, on cliffs or rooftops in the northern half of its range (north of the Equator) during the wet season from May to August, migrating to eastern and southern Africa for the remainder of the year. This stork has escaped or been deliberately released into Florida, U.S., but there is no evidence that the population is breeding and may only persist due to continuing releases or escapes.
Widespread and common throughout its large range, Abdim's stork is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is the subject of several nationally coordinated breeding programs: in the United States, the plan for this species is administered by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and in Europe by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria.
The Abdim's stork is mostly insectivorous, feeding on locusts, caterpillars and other large insects, although these birds will also eat small reptiles, amphibians, mice, crabs and eggs] The female lays two to three eggs and is slightly smaller than the male.
12-2-2020 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - GREY CROWNED CRANE (Balearica regulorum)
The Grey Crowned Crane, known scientifically as Balearica regulorum, stands as a majestic figure approximately 1 meter tall, with a wingspan stretching to 2 meters. This bird's plumage is predominantly grey, accented with a variety of colors on the wings and a striking black patch at the top. Its head is adorned with a crown of stiff golden feathers, setting it apart from its avian companions. The face is white, highlighted by a bright red inflatable throat pouch, and the bill is a modest grey. Black legs support its graceful frame, and its large, slender feet are designed for balance as it wades through grasslands.
Observers should note the Grey Crowned Crane's unique combination of features: the golden crown, white face, red throat pouch, and the black patch on the wings. Males and females are similar in appearance, though males may be slightly larger. Juveniles present a greyer complexion with a feathered buff face.
The Grey Crowned Crane favors the dry savannahs of Sub-Saharan Africa but is also comfortable in marshes, cultivated lands, and grassy flatlands near rivers and lakes.
This species is widespread across eastern and southern Africa, with a presence from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, through Kenya, down to South Africa.
The Grey Crowned Crane is known for its elaborate breeding display, which includes dancing, bowing, and jumping. It is a social bird, often found in flocks ranging from 30 to 150 individuals.
The crane's call is a distinctive booming sound, produced with the help of its red gular sac. It also emits a honking noise, quite unlike the trumpeting calls of other crane species.
Breeding seasons are timed with the rains, varying by region. The Grey Crowned Crane builds a large nest in wetland vegetation, where it lays a clutch of 2-5 glossy, dirty-white eggs. Both parents share incubation duties over a period of 28–31 days. Chicks are precocial and fledge in 56–100 days.
An omnivorous bird, the Grey Crowned Crane feeds on plants, seeds, grain, insects, frogs, worms, snakes, small fish, and eggs of aquatic animals. It employs a foot-stamping technique to flush out insects and often follows grazing herbivores to catch disturbed prey.
The Grey Crowned Crane is currently classified as Endangered, with an estimated global population between 58,000 and 77,000 individuals. It faces threats from habitat destruction, overgrazing, and pesticide pollution.
The Grey Crowned Crane holds a place of honor as the national bird of Uganda, gracing the country's flag and coat of arms.
15-2-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GREAT TIT (Parus major)
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The great tit (Parus major) is a small passerine bird, easily recognized by its black head and neck, striking white cheeks, olive upperparts, and vibrant yellow underparts. This bird is the most widespread species in the genus Parus, found across Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of North Africa.
Males are characterized by their bright plumage, with a black bib that extends down the belly, bordered by a lemon-yellow breast. Females and juveniles are similar but have duller coloration. The black line down the belly is also narrower and sometimes broken in these birds.
Great tits favor a variety of woodland habitats, including deciduous and mixed forests, forest edges, and even urban parks and gardens. They are also found in riverine woodlands and, in some regions, boreal taiga.
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This species is resident throughout its range, which extends from the Iberian Peninsula to the Amur Valley, and from Scandinavia to the Middle East. It is generally non-migratory, except in harsh winters when it may move to more temperate areas.
Great tits are known for their intelligence and adaptability. They exhibit a range of foraging behaviors and can solve problems with insight learning. They are also cavity nesters and are monogamous, with both parents involved in raising the chicks.
The great tit has a repertoire of up to 40 calls and songs, with the male being particularly vocal. A common call resembles the phrase "teacher, teacher," which is used to proclaim territory.
Breeding occurs once a year, with the female laying up to 12 eggs in a cavity nest. The female incubates the eggs alone, but both parents feed the chicks. In most years, the pair will raise two broods.
In summer, the diet is predominantly insectivorous, while in winter, it expands to include seeds and berries. Great tits are adept at handling large food items and are known to visit bird feeders in urban areas.
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