16-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - RED PANDA (Ailurus fulgens)

The red panda is slightly larger than a domestic cat with a bear-like body and thick russet fur. The belly and limbs are black, and there are white markings on the side of the head and above its small eyes. Red pandas are very skillful and acrobatic animals that predominantly stay in trees. Almost 50% of the red panda’s habitat is in the Eastern Himalayas. They use their long, bushy tails for balance and to cover themselves in winter, presumably for warmth. Primarily an herbivore, the name panda is said to come from the Nepali word ‘ponya,’ which means bamboo or plant eating animal.

Red pandas have shot to viral fame for their adorable looks, but there’s a lot more to these elusive animals than their kitten-like faces and striking reddish-brown coats. 

Red pandas, which grow to about the size of a house cat, are impressive acrobats that climb and swing on trees in their Asian forest homes, and they once sparked fierce debate about their relationship to giant pandas. Taxonomists previously assigned them to both the raccoon family and the bear family, but DNA research later revealed that they belong to their own unique family (Ailuridae) and genus (Ailurus).

While originally thought to be two subspecies—the Himalayan red panda and the Chinese red panda—growing evidence suggests they may be two distinct species instead. The Chinese red panda is a bit larger and has more distinct rings on its fluffy tail.

Red pandas live in the rainy mountain forests of Nepal, India, Bhutan, northern Myanmar (Burma), and central China. They spend the vast majority of their lives in trees, where they sleep and sunbathe. 

These animals have adapted incredibly well to their environment: They have sharp, semi-retractable claws that help them grip slippery branches, and their flexible ankles give them the unique ability to climb down trees headfirst. This helps them quickly escape predators like snow leopards and jackals, which may have difficulty seeing the animals to begin with: Their coats match the moss clumps that grow on their tree homes, and their black bellies make it difficult for predators to spot them from the ground. 

Red pandas even have two layers of fur—a soft undercoat covered with coarse hairs—to insulate them from the mountain chill, and they use their long tail as a wraparound blanket.

16-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - WEST AFRICAN SLENDER SNOUTED CROCODILE (Crocodylus cataphractus)

The West African slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus), or slender-snouted crocodile, is a critically endangered species of African crocodile. It is one of five species of crocodile in Africa, the other four being the Central African slender-snouted, Nile, West African and dwarf crocodiles.

The slender-snouted crocodile (M. cataphractus) was thought to be distributed across west Africa and into central Africa but the central African species has been separated as the Central African slender-snouted crocodile (M. leptorhynchus) based on studies in 2014 and 2018 that indicated that both were distinct species. The name cataphractus is retained for the West African species as that species was described first based on specimens from western Africa. The two species diverged about 6.5–7.5 mya, living in different river drainage zones that were geographically separated from each other by the Cameroon Line.

As with its relative, the West African slender-snouted crocodile has a very long, slender snout that it uses to catch fish and small aquatic invertebrates. As with all crocodilians, larger animals may feed opportunistically on larger prey if it becomes available. They are relatively medium-sized, but large males can exceed several other species of crocodilians in size. Three individuals measuring 2.31 to 2.62 m (7 ft 7 in – 8 ft 7 in) and weighing 50–95 kg (110–209 lb) had a bite force in the range of 1,704–2,447 N (383–550 lbf). Adult males typically reach 3 to 4 m (9 ft 10 in – 13 ft 1 in) in length. Large males can reportedly grow up to 4.5 m (15 ft) in length. They generally weigh between 125 and 325 kg (276 and 717 lb).[13] The body mass of the largest males have been estimated to reach up to 667 kg (1,470 lb).

16-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - EURASIAN JACKDAW (Corvus monedula)

The western jackdaw (Coloeus monedula), also known as the Eurasian jackdaw, the European jackdaw, or simply the jackdaw, is a passerine bird in the crow family. Found across Europe, western Asia and North Africa; it is mostly resident, although northern and eastern populations migrate south in the winter. Four subspecies are recognised, which differ mainly in the colouration of the plumage on the head and nape. Linnaeus first described it formally, giving it the name Corvus monedula. The common name derives from the word jack, denoting "small", and daw, a less common synonym for "jackdaw", and the native English name for the bird.

Measuring 34–39 centimetres (13–15 in) in length, the western jackdaw is a black-plumaged bird with a grey nape and distinctive pale-grey irises. It is gregarious and vocal, living in small groups with a complex social structure in farmland, open woodland, on coastal cliffs, and in urban settings. Like its relatives, jackdaws are intelligent birds, and have been observed using tools. An omnivorous and opportunistic feeder, it eats a wide variety of plant material and invertebrates, as well as food waste from urban areas. Western jackdaws are monogamous and build simple nests of sticks in cavities in trees, cliffs, or buildings. About five pale blue or blue-green eggs with brown speckles are laid and incubated by the female. The young fledge in four to five weeks.

The western jackdaw is found from Northwest Africa through all of Europe, except for the subarctic north, and eastwards through central Asia to the eastern Himalayas and Lake Baikal. To the east, it occurs throughout Turkey, the Caucasus, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwestern India. However, it is regionally extinct in Malta and Tunisia. The range is vast, with an estimated global extent between 1 and 10 million square kilometres (0.4–4 million square miles). It has a large global population, with an estimated 15.6 to 45 million individuals in Europe alone.[45] Censuses of bird populations in marginal uplands in Great Britain show that western jackdaws greatly increased in numbers between the 1970s and 2010, although this increase may be related to recovery from previous periods when they were regarded as pests. The UK population was estimated at 2.5 million individuals in 1998, up from 780,000 in 1970.

21-7-2024 VIGUR ISLAND, ICELAND - ATLANTIC PUFFIN (Fratercula arctica)

Like most seabirds, Atlantic puffins get all of their food from marine sources but nest on land. Their preferred prey includes forage fishes, including herrings, capelins, sprat, and others. While nesting, they generally feed close to their nesting sites but may go on longer feeding trips during other seasons. Atlantic puffins are pursuit divers – they “duck dive” from the sea surface and chase prey, using their wings like flippers. Using this method, they can dive as deep as 200 feet (60 m). When on long foraging trips, Atlantic puffins rest (and even sleep) on the sea surface rather than on the wing. Unlike most seabirds, their wings are relatively small, and they are unable to glide.

Atlantic puffins are typically solitary while foraging, so most of scientists’ knowledge of this species is a result of studying nesting birds. During the nesting season (spring), these birds return to their natal colonies (the places where they hatched) and form pair bonds that allow them to raise chicks to maturity in the harsh north Atlantic Ocean. During the nesting season, Atlantic puffins remain monogamous, and some pair bonds are consistent from year to year. Colony size is limited by availability of nest sites, and late returning birds may not be able to find a suitable area and therefore not be able to reproduce.

Atlantic puffins were historically hunted heavily and populations have declined. In most places, this species now has some or complete legal protection, but populations continue to trend downward, perhaps as a result of changes to north Atlantic food webs. Fortunately, these negative trends are not threatening the species, and scientists recently determined that it is one of least concern. However, it is important to continue to monitor populations to ensure that declines do not become more severe.

Atlantic puffins are birds that live at sea most of their lives. They fly through the air like most birds, but they also "fly" through the water, using their wings as paddles. As they swim, they use their webbed feet to steer, much as a boat uses a rudder. 

Puffins eat small fish—such as sand eels and herring—which they hunt underwater. They generally stay underwater for 30 seconds or less, but are able to dive 200 feet deep and stay down for up to a minute.

Well adapted for their home in the water, puffins are also speedy in the air. They flap their wings up to 400 times a minute, speeding along in the air at 55 miles an hour—as fast as a car on a highway. (How many times can you flap your arms in one minute?) 

As a puffin matures, its beak and feet change from a dull gray color to bright orange.

In the spring and summer, thousands of puffins gather in colonies on the coasts and islands of the North Atlantic Ocean. They stay in colonies to limit their chances of being eaten by the herring gulls that fly overhead. At the ages of 4-6, pairs of puffins often become mates for life, finding each other at their breeding colony year after year. They show affection by rubbing and tapping beaks. The pair often uses the same burrow they used the year before.

Using their beaks and claws, puffins build their burrows between two boulders or in a rocky crevice. They line the burrow with feathers and grass before laying the egg that will incubate for 42 days.

A baby puffin is known as a chick or puffling. When it first hatches, it looks like a furry ball of feathers. As it gets older, it will grow sturdy and smooth feathers to help it swim and fly.

Born on North Atlantic islands, pufflings leave their burrows after 45 days. They won’t return until it is their turn to lay eggs.

A puffling eats so much food that both the mother and father have to supply it with fish. In one day a parent may dive 276 times, bringing back 10 fish each time. The puffling swallows the fish head first and whole. By the time the puffling leaves its burrow, each parent will have dove 12,420 times. 

16-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - EUROPEAN MOORHEN (Gallinula chloropus)

The common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), also known as the waterhen or swamp chicken, is a bird species in the rail family (Rallidae). It is distributed across many parts of the Old World.

The common moorhen lives around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals and other wetlands. The species is not found in the polar regions or many tropical rainforests. Elsewhere it is likely the most common rail species, except for the Eurasian coot in some regions.

The closely related common gallinule of the New World has been recognized as a separate species by most authorities, starting with the American Ornithologists' Union and the International Ornithological Committee in 2011.

The moorhen is a distinctive species, with predominantly black and brown plumage, with the exception of a white under-tail, white streaks on the flanks, yellow legs and a red frontal shield. The bill is red with a yellow tip. The young are browner and lack the red shield. The frontal shield of the adult has a rounded top and fairly parallel sides; the tailward margin of the red unfeathered area is a smooth waving line. In the related common gallinule (Gallinula galeata) of the Americas, the frontal shield has a fairly straight top and is less wide towards the bill, giving a marked indentation to the back margin of the red area.

The common moorhen gives a wide range of gargling calls and will emit loud hisses when threatened. A midsized to large rail, it can range from 30 to 38 cm (12 to 15 in) in length and span 50 to 62 cm (20 to 24 in) across the wings. The body mass of this species can range from 192 to 500 g (6.8 to 17.6 oz).

This is a common breeding and resident bird in marsh environments, rivers, well-vegetated lakes and even in city parks. Populations in areas where the waters freeze, such as eastern Europe, will migrate to more temperate climates. In China, common moorhen populations are largely resident south of the Yangtze River, whilst northern populations migrate in the winter, therefore these populations show high genetic diversity.

This species will consume a wide variety of vegetable material and small aquatic creatures. They forage beside or in the water, sometimes walking on lilypads or upending in the water to feed. They are often secretive, but can become tame in some areas. Despite loss of habitat in parts of its range, the common moorhen remains plentiful and widespread.

16-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - COMMON SHELDUCK (FEMALE) (Tadorna tadorna)

The common shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) is a waterfowl species of the shelduck genus, Tadorna. It is widespread and common in the Euro-Siberian region of the Palearctic, mainly breeding in temperate and wintering in subtropical regions; in winter, it can also be found in the Maghreb.

Fossil bones from Dorkovo (Bulgaria) described as Balcanas pliocaenica may actually belong to this species. More likely, they are an extinct species of Tadorna (if not a distinct genus) due to their Early Pliocene age; the present species is not unequivocally attested from the fossil record until some 2–3 million years later (Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene).

The common shelduck resembles a small short-necked goose in size and shape. It is a striking bird, with a reddish-pink bill, pink feet, a white body with chestnut patches and a black belly, and a dark green head and neck. The wing coverts are white, the primary remiges black, and the secondaries green (only showing in flight) and chestnut. The underwings are almost entirely white. Sexes are similar, but the female is smaller, with some white facial markings, while the male is particularly crisply coloured in the breeding season, his bill bright red and bearing a prominent knob at the forehead.

3-8-2024 SERPIS PARK GANDIA, VALENCIA - BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)

The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most widespread species of swallow in the world, occurring on all continents, with vagrants reported even in Antarctica. It appears to have the largest natural distribution of any of the world's passerines, ranging over 251 million square kilometres globally.[not verified in body] It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts and a long, deeply forked tail. In Anglophone Europe, it is just called the swallow; in northern Europe, it is the only member of family Hirundinidae called a "swallow" rather than a "martin".

There are six subspecies of barn swallow, which breed across the Northern Hemisphere. Two subspecies, (H. r. savignii and H. r. transitiva) have fairly restricted ranges in the Nile valley and eastern Mediterranean, respectively. The other four are more widespread, with winter ranges covering much of the Southern Hemisphere.

The barn swallow is a bird of open country that normally nests in man-made structures and consequently has spread with human expansion. It builds a cup nest from mud pellets in barns or similar structures and feeds on insects caught in flight. This species lives in close association with humans, and its insect-eating habits mean that it is tolerated by humans; this acceptance was reinforced in the past by superstitions regarding the bird and its nest. There are frequent cultural references to the barn swallow in literary and religious works due to both its living in close proximity to humans and its annual migration. The barn swallow is the national bird of Austria and Estonia. 

3-8-2024 SERPIS PARK GANDIA, VALENCIA - ORANGE WINGED DROPWING DRAGONFLY (MALE) (Trithemis kirbyi)

Trithemis kirbyi, also known as the Kirby's dropwing, orange-winged dropwing, or scarlet rock glider is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae.

It is found in Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Chad, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and possibly Burundi. It is also present in southern Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian Ocean Islands and South Asia to India.

Since 2003 this African tropical dragonfly has been colonizing Europe helped by a widespread increase in temperatures. It is now breeding successfully in Spain, Portugal and France.

3-8-2024 SERPIS PARK GANDIA, VALENCIA - IBERIAN GRASS SNAKE (Natrix astreptophora)

Natrix astreptophora, the red-eyed grass snake or the Iberian grass snake, is a species of natricine snake found in the Iberian Peninsula, south of France, and some coastal areas in Maghreb, from Tangier to Tunisia. Long considered a subscpesies of the European grass snake, Natrix natrix, the subecpesies was split off from that taxon in 2016.

6-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - BALLOON FLOWER (Platycodon grandiflorus)

Platycodon grandiflorus (from Ancient Greek πλατύς "wide" and κώδων "bell") is a species of herbaceous flowering perennial plant of the family Campanulaceae, and the only member of the genus Platycodon. It is native to East Asia (China, Korea, Japan, and the Russian Far East). It is commonly known as balloon flower (referring to the balloon-shaped flower buds), Chinese bellflower, or platycodon.

Growing to 60 cm (24 in) tall by 30 cm (12 in) wide, it is an herbaceous perennial with dark green leaves and blue flowers in late summer. A notable feature of the plant is the flower bud, which swells like a balloon before fully opening. The five petals are fused together into a bell shape at the base, like its relatives, the campanulas.

In Korea, the plant as well as its root are referred to as doraji (도라지). The root, fresh or dried, is one of the most common namul vegetables. It is also one of the most frequent ingredients in bibimbap. Sometimes, rice is cooked with balloon flower root to make doraji-bap. Preparation of the root always involves soaking and washing (usually rubbing it with coarse sea salt and rinsing it multiple times), which gets rid of the bitter taste.

The root is also used to make desserts, such as doraji-jeonggwa. Syrup made from the root, called doraji-cheong (balloon flower root honey), can be used to make doraji-cha (balloon flower root tea). The root can be used to infuse liquor called doraji-sul, typically using distilled soju or other unflavored hard alcohol that has an ABV higher than 30% as a base.

In addition, other ingredients include calcium, fiber, iron, minerals, proteins and vitamins.

6-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - ORANGE DAY LILY (Hemerocallis fulva)

Hemerocallis fulva, the orange day-lily, tawny daylily, corn lily, tiger daylily, fulvous daylily, ditch lily or Fourth of July lily (also railroad daylily, roadside daylily, outhouse lily, and wash-house lily),[citation needed] is a species of daylily native to Asia. It is very widely grown as an ornamental plant in temperate climates for its showy flowers and ease of cultivation. It is not a true lily in the genus Lilium, but gets its common name from the superficial similarity of its flowers to Lilium and from the fact that each flower lasts only one day.

It is an herbaceous perennial plant growing from tuberous roots, with stems 40–150 centimetres (16–59 inches) tall. The leaves are linear, 0.5–1.5 metres (1+1⁄2–5 feet) long and 1.5–3 cm (1⁄2–1+1⁄4 in) broad.[4] The flowers are 5–12 cm (2–4+3⁄4 in) across, orange-red, with a pale central line on each tepal; they are produced from early summer through late autumn on scapes of ten through twenty flowers, with the individual flowers opening successively, each one lasting only one day. Its fruit is a three-valved capsule 2–2.5 cm (3⁄4–1 in) long and 1.2–1.5 cm (1⁄2–5⁄8 in) broad which splits open at maturity and releases seeds.

Both diploid and triploid forms occur in the wild, but most cultivated plants are triploids which rarely produce seeds and primarily reproduce vegetatively by stolons. At least four botanical varieties are recognized, including the typical triploid var. fulva, the diploid, long-flowered var. angustifolia (syn.: var. longituba), the triploid var. Flore Pleno, which has petaloid stamens, and the evergreen var. aurantiaca.

Orange daylily is native to Asia from the Caucasus east through the Himalaya through China, Japan, and Korea. Orange daylily persists where planted, making them a very good garden plant.

Hemerocallis fulva var. fulva has escaped from cultivation across much of the United States and parts of Canada and has become a weedy or invasive species. It persists also where dumped and spreads more or less rapidly by vegetative increase into woods and fields and along roadsides and ditches, hence its common name ditch lily. It forms dense stands that exclude native vegetation, and is often mistaken for a native species.

Hemerocallis fulva is an invasive non-native plant in parts of the United States and is included on lists of plants to avoid planting in some states, including Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and other mid-Atlantic states.

Hemerocallis fulva has been cultivated in Europe, and naturalized in many countries there, since at least the 16th century. Several modern cultivars exist which are grown as ornamental plants. As most of the varieties in cultivation are sterile triploids, and all spread via subterranean bulb offsets, the most common (and simplest) method of propagation is by root- or bulb-division.

H. fulva are long-lived perennials, and are adaptable to a range of climatic conditions. The species is a vigorous grower in nearly any location, thriving even difficult areas where other plants do not thrive. The plants grow well in full sun to open shade, and are drought tolerant. H. fulva is winter hardy to UDSA Zone 4.

Special care should be taken if one owns cats, or if errant cats frequent the garden where Hemerocallis is growing, as most daylily species are seriously toxic to felines (while being somewhat less toxic to canines). In particular, cats are uniquely vulnerable, as they often explore outdoors, and can potentially brush against blooming daylilies, causing pollen to inadvertently collect on their fur; afterwards, the cat's instinctual self-grooming and licking behaviors can put them at-risk of directly ingesting the pollen.

 The flowers, leaves, and tubers of H. fulva are edible. The leaves and shoots can be eaten raw or cooked when very young, lest they become too fibrous. The flower petals and young tubers can also be eaten raw in salads, stir-fried, or otherwise cooked. The petals seem to taste better when cooked, but can also be fried for storing, or dried and used as a thickener in soups or sauces. The cooked flower buds, served with butter, taste like green beans or wax beans. The tubers are a good potato substitute, with a reportedly "nutty" flavor.

6-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - FRINGED CERIANTHID (Pachycerianthus fimbriatus)

Pachycerianthus fimbriatus is a cerianthid anemone that burrows in substrate and lives in a semi-rigid tube made of felted nematocysts. The anemone is often seen in bright orange to red.

Like most anemones, the tube-dwelling anemone contains stinging cells or nematocytes along its tentacles, however, the cells are not toxic to humans.

The ceriantharia possess two whorls of tentacles, one surrounding the mouth (labial tentacles) and one at the edge of the oral disc (marginal tentacles).

This species was described from Indonesia. It is considered to be synonymous with Pachycerianthus plicatus which was described from the Pacific Ocean coast of North America.

Pachycerianthus fimbriatus feeds on small crustaceans. The giant nudibranch Dendronotus iris has been documented to prey upon P. fimbriatus. 

6-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - VISAYAN WARTY PIG (Sus cebifrons)

The Visayan warty pig (Sus cebifrons) is a critically endangered species in the pig genus (Sus). It is endemic to six of the Visayan Islands (Cebu, Negros, Panay, Masbate, Guimaras, and Siquijor) in the central Philippines. It is known by many names in the region (depending on the island and linguistic group) with most translating into 'wild pig': baboy ilahas ('wild pig' in Hiligaynon,Cebuano and Waray), baboy talonon ('forest pig' in Hiligaynon), baboy sulop ('dark pig' in Cebuano), and baboy ramo ('wild boar' in Waray).

The Visayan warty pig is critically endangered due to habitat loss and hunting. It is believed to be extinct in four of the islands in its original native range, with only small surviving populations in Negros and Panay. Due to the small numbers of remaining Visayan warty pigs in the wild, little is known of their behaviors or characteristics outside of captivity. In 2012, the Negros Interior Biodiversity Expedition undertook camera trapping in the Northern Negros Natural Park and gained the first photos taken in the wild of the Visayan warty pig.

The Visayan warty pig is endemic to six islands in the Philippines: Cebu, Negros, Panay, Masbate, Guimaras, and Siquijor. However, only Negros and Panay have documented remaining populations of Visayan warty pigs. It is believed to be extinct in all the other islands, although there is a possibility of some surviving populations in Masbate.

16-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - CHAPMAN'S ZEBRA (Equus quagga ssp. chapmani)

Chapman's zebra (Equus quagga chapmani), named after explorer James Chapman, is a subspecies of the plains zebra from southern Africa.

Chapman's zebra are native to savannas and similar habitats of north-east South Africa, north to Zimbabwe, west into Botswana, the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, and southern Angola. Like the other subspecies of plains zebra, it is a herbivore that exists largely on a diet of grasses, and undertakes a migration during the wet season to find fresh sources of food and to avoid lions, which are their primary predator. Chapman's zebras are distinguished from other subspecies by subtle variations in their stripes. When compared to other equids in the region Chapman's zebras are relatively abundant in number, however its population is now in decline largely because of human factors such as poaching and farming.

Studies and breeding programs have been undertaken with the hope of arresting this decline, with a focus on ensuring zebras bred in captivity are equipped for life in the wild, and that non-domesticated populations are able to freely migrate. A problem faced by some of these programs is that captive Chapman's zebra populations experience higher incidence of diagnosed diseases than non-domesticated populations due to the fact that they live longer, and so are less likely to die in the wild from predation or a lack of food or water.

Chapman's zebras are single-hoofed mammals that are a part of the odd-toed ungulate order. They differ from other zebras in that their stripes continue past their knees, and that they also have somewhat brown stripes in addition to the black and white stripes that are typically associated with zebras. The pastern is also not completely black on the lower half. Each zebra has its own unique stripe pattern that also includes shadow stripes. When foals are born, they have brown stripes, and in some cases, adults do not develop the black colouration on their hides and keep their brown stripes.

In the wild Chapman's zebra live on average to 25 years of age, however that can live to be up to 38 years of age in captivity. Males usually weigh 270–360 kg (600–800 lb) and stand at 120–130 cm (48–52 in) tall. Females weigh about 230–320 kg (500–700 lb) and stand as tall as the males. Foals weigh 25-50 kg (55-88 lb) at birth. Adult zebras can run at up to 56 kilometres per hour (35 miles per hour) and have strong eyesight and hearing which are essential evolutionary defence mechanisms.

Chapman's zebras have been observed to spend a large portion of their day feeding (approximately 50%), and primarily consume low-quality grasses found in savannas, grasslands, and shrublands, however they occasionally eat wild berries and other plants in order to increase protein intake. While they show a preference for short grasses, unlike some other grazing animals they also eat long grasses and so play an important role by consuming the upper portion of long grass that has grown in the wet season to then allow for other animals to feed. Young foals are reliant on their mothers for sustenance for approximately the first 12 months of their lives as their teeth are unable to properly breakdown the tough grasses that the adults eat until the enamel has sufficiently worn away.

16-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - ELEGANT FIREFISH (Nemateleotris decora)

Nemateleotris decora, the elegant firefish or purple firefish, is a species of dartfish native to tropical waters in the Indo-West Pacific, from Mauritius to Samoa, north to Ryukyu Islands, and south to New Caledonia, from depths ranging between 25 and 70 m (82 and 230 ft). It is found over hard, open bottoms of reefs, sandy patches and rubble, as well as deeper coastal outer reef drop-offs where there are strong currents. It reaches a maximum length of 9 cm (3 in). This species is often found in pairs and is monogamous. They feed on zooplankton, especially the larvae of copepods and crustaceans. They will dart into holes when alarmed. The populations of this species from the western Indian Ocean have been recognised by some workers as a distinct species, Nemateleotris exquisita, however, the validity of this taxon needs more taxonomic research.

The elegant firefish is a slender, colourful fish. The dorsal fin has 7 spines and 27 to 32 soft rays while the anal fin has a single spine and 28 to 31 soft rays. The head is purple and the body colour is whitish or yellowish, gradually darkening to deep grey towards the tail. The fins have longitudinal bands of purple, red, black and orange.

6-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - GIANT DIAPHERODE (Diapherodes gigantea)

Diapherodes gigantea is a striking stick insect belonging to the family Phasmatidae. One of its many remarkable features, besides the fascinating sexual dimorphism displayed by adult individuals, consists in its large size, which makes this insect one of the most demanded and appreciated by phasmid breeders.

This beautiful creature is a female stick insect of a species known only by its scientific name of DIAPHERODES GIGANTEA. In the wild it is found on several Caribbean islands including Grenada, where they spend much of their time hiding in (and eating) the leaves of Eucalyptus trees and other native tree species.

6-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - EUROPEAN HERRING GULL (Larus marinus)

Herring Gulls are large, noisy gulls found throughout the year around our coasts and inland around rubbish tips, fields, large reservoirs and lakes, especially during winter. Adults have light grey backs, white under parts, and black wing tips with white 'mirrors'. Their legs are pink with webbed feet and they have heavy, slightly curved bills marked with a red spot. Young birds are mottled brown. This species is on the Red List due to ongoing population declines and wintering population declines.

A large gull, which in adult plumage has light grey upperwings, showing black tips with white 'mirrors' (white at the very tips surrounded by black); the rest of the plumage is white. Similar to Common Gull in colouration, but separated by size, Common Gull is much smaller and shows larger, more conspicuous white 'mirrors' at the wing tip as an adult. Adult birds have heavy yellow bills with a orange spot on the lower bill, the head is pure white in the summer and streaked in the winter. The legs are pink at all ages. Herring Gulls have four age groups and attain adult plumage after three years when they moult into adult winter plumage. Juveniles are brown with finely patterned feathers which fade in the first year, especially the wing and tail feathers which are retained through the first summer.

Juvenile and first year birds, do not have any plain grey adult like feathers in the upperparts and can be difficult to tell apart from immature Lesser and Great Black-back Gulls. Grey in the upperparts develops from the second winter onwards, initially mostly in the mantle and back and becomes more extensive over the wings as the bird moves towards maturity. Younger immature birds have a dark terminal tail band which becomes less prominent as they get older, adult birds lack this band completely.

Calls are strident and loud.

Both predator and scavenger, often feeds on the coast and follows fishing boats and uses landfill sites.

Breeds in colonies around the coast of Ireland and also inland in Co. Donegal and Co. Galway. The biggest colony in Ireland is on Lambay island off Co. Dublin with over 1,800 nests.

Widespread on the coast and inland.

1-8-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HALF EDGED WALL JUMPING SPIDER (Menemerus semilimbatus)

Menemerus semilimbatus is a spider in the family Salticidae.

Menemerus semilimbatus are about 6.5–8.4 millimetres (0.26–0.33 in) long, the male being slightly smaller than the female. These fairly big jumping spiders are dorso-ventrally flattened and are covered with short dense, grayish-white hairs, with hairy whitish palps and a white band on the side margins of the carapace, showing also a small white, triangular marking in the middle. The eyes are large and forward-facing. 

The legs are light brown with darker rings and patches, while the abdomen is dorsally yellowish or grayish, with a characteristic pattern of several bright V-shaped markings. The females show a notch at the posterior edge of the epigyne and two oval depressions in the anterior half.

Menemerus semilimbatus is a Mediterranean species widely distributed in Europe, southern Asia and in Africa. In the Americas, it has been reported in Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and USA.

These spiders are synanthropic living in gardens and inside and on the outside of houses. It is usually found on the walls of buildings where it stalks its prey.

1-8-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - PYRALID SNOUT MOTH (Bostra obsoletalis)

Bostra obsoletalis is a species of moth in the family Pyralidae described by Josef Johann Mann in 1864. It is found in southern Europe, Yemen, Sudan, the Palestinian territories, Tunisia and Morocco.

The wingspan is 14–15 mm. Adults are on wing from June to August.

16-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - ANEMONE FISH (Genus Amphiprion)

Amphiprion is a genus of ray-finned fish which comprises all but one of the species of clownfish or anemonefish in the subfamily Amphiprioninae of the family Pomacentridae.

Fish of the genus Amphiprion  are commonly called "clownfish". They belong to the family Pomacentridae, which also includes damselfishes. In many ways, they resemble cichlids and serranids.

The clownfish first came to the world's attention in 1881 when the first specimens were shown to the public in a seawater aquarium. Symbiosis with the anemone, present in all species, has been known since the mid-twentieth century. The development of diving and underwater science has led to numerous discoveries, and it is hoped that new species will be described in the future.

The films Finding Nemo and Finding Dory have made these species famous. Both have sparked a great deal of enthusiasm in the aquarium world. Initially, these species were not bred in captivity, and many populations have suffered from overfishing in the 2000s. Some populations have even disappeared locally, such as at Cape Rachado in Malaysia. Conservation measures and the development of captive breeding have helped to improve this situation.

In 2020, the genus Amphiprion  comprises 29 species that are morphologically distinguished by the number of bands (from 0 to 3) and by their colour (orange, yellow, red, black). They are all found in the shallow tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are characterised by their bright colours and a particular lifestyle, closely linked to their hosts, the anemones.

Clownfish are territorial and rarely stray far from the anemone in which they live. Of the 1,000 species of anemones, only about ten are hosts for clownfish. The geographical distribution of these fish is entirely linked to that of these 10 anemones.

In the richest coral areas, up to five species of fish can be found in the same number of anemones. These anemones are only present at shallow depths, as they are closely linked to a microscopic algae that needs sunlight to carry out photosynthesis. They are therefore limited to around fifty metres and their number decreases with the depth and turbidity of the water.

Although they generally live on coral reefs, clownfish can actually live anywhere where anemones are present. Like jellyfish and corals, anemones can cause burns via their stinging nematocysts. They possess poisonous tentacles. The function of the relationship between clownfish and anemone is not yet fully understood.

The most likely hypothesis is that it is due to the protection provided by the mucus.  After a display in which the clownfish avoids being stung, it covers itself with the anemone's mucus, which gives it chemical camouflage. The constant coming and going of the fish to its host could validate this theory. A second theory suggests that the presence of anemone mucus in the fish is the result of protection and not the cause of it. According to this theory, the clownfish's mucus has evolved to be chemically compatible with the anemone.

6-7-2024 ROTTERDAM ZOO, NETHERLANDS - CALIFORNIA SEALION (Zalophus californianus)

The California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) is a coastal eared seal native to western North America. It is one of six species of sea lions. Its natural habitat ranges from southeast Alaska to central Mexico, including the Gulf of California. California sea lions are sexually dimorphic; males are larger than females, and have a thicker neck, and a protruding sagittal crest. They mainly haul out on sandy or rocky beaches, but they also frequent manmade environments such as marinas and wharves. California sea lions feed on a number of species of fish and squid, and are preyed on by orcas and great white sharks.

California sea lions have a polygynous breeding pattern. From May to August, males establish territories and try to attract females with which to mate. Females are free to move in between territories, and are not coerced by males. Mothers nurse their pups in between foraging trips. California sea lions communicate with numerous vocalizations, notably with barks and mother-pup contact calls. Outside their breeding season, California sea lions spend much of their time at sea, but they come to shore to molt.

California sea lions are particularly intelligent, can be trained to perform various tasks and display limited fear of humans if accustomed to them. Because of this, California sea lions are a popular choice for public display in zoos, circuses and oceanariums, and are trained by the United States Navy for certain military operations. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the species as Least Concern due to its abundance. To protect fish, the US states of Oregon and Washington engage in annual kill quotas of California sea lions.

31-7-2024 CATARROJA, VALENCIA - BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)

The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most widespread species of swallow in the world, occurring on all continents, with vagrants reported even in Antarctica. It appears to have the largest natural distribution of any of the world's passerines, ranging over 251 million square kilometres globally.[not verified in body] It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts and a long, deeply forked tail. In Anglophone Europe, it is just called the swallow; in northern Europe, it is the only member of family Hirundinidae called a "swallow" rather than a "martin".

There are six subspecies of barn swallow, which breed across the Northern Hemisphere. Two subspecies, (H. r. savignii and H. r. transitiva) have fairly restricted ranges in the Nile valley and eastern Mediterranean, respectively. The other four are more widespread, with winter ranges covering much of the Southern Hemisphere.

The barn swallow is a bird of open country that normally nests in man-made structures and consequently has spread with human expansion. It builds a cup nest from mud pellets in barns or similar structures and feeds on insects caught in flight. This species lives in close association with humans, and its insect-eating habits mean that it is tolerated by humans; this acceptance was reinforced in the past by superstitions regarding the bird and its nest. There are frequent cultural references to the barn swallow in literary and religious works due to both its living in close proximity to humans and its annual migration. The barn swallow is the national bird of Austria and Estonia.

31-7-2024 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - GREATER FLAMINGO (Phoenicopterus roseus)

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The greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread and largest species of the flamingo family. Common in the Old World, they are found in Northern (coastal) and Sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian Subcontinent (south of the Himalayas), the Middle East, the Levant, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean countries of Southern Europe.

The greater flamingo is the largest living species of flamingo, averaging 110–150 cm (43–59 in) tall and weighing 2–4 kg (4.4–8.8 lb). The largest male flamingos have been recorded to be up to 187 cm (74 in) tall and to weigh 4.5 kg (9.9 lb).

Most of the plumage is pinkish-white, but the wing coverts are red and the primary and secondary flight feathers are black. The bill is pink with a restricted black tip, and the legs are entirely pink. The call is a goose-like honking.

Chicks are covered in gray fluffy down. Subadult flamingos are paler with dark legs. Adults feeding chicks also become paler, but retain the bright pink legs. The coloration comes from the carotenoid pigments in the organisms that live in their feeding grounds. Secretions of the uropygial gland also contain carotenoids. During the breeding season, greater flamingos increase the frequency of their spreading uropygial secretions over their feathers and thereby enhance their color. This cosmetic use of uropygial secretions has been described as applying "make-up".

31-7-2024 ULLAL DE BALDOVI, ALBUFERA - SMALL WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris rapae)

Pieris rapae is a small- to medium-sized butterfly species of the whites-and-yellows family Pieridae. It is known in Europe as the small white, in North America as the cabbage white or cabbage butterfly, on several continents as the small cabbage white, and in New Zealand as the white butterfly. The butterfly is recognizable by its white color with small black dots on its wings, and it can be distinguished from P. brassicae by its larger size and the black band at the tip of its forewings.

The caterpillar of this species, often referred to as the "imported cabbageworm", is a pest to crucifer crops such as cabbage, kale, bok choy and broccoli. Pieris rapae is widespread in Europe and Asia; it is believed to have originated in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Europe, and to have spread across Eurasia thanks to the diversification of brassicaceous crops and the development of human trade routes. Over the past two centuries, it spread to North Africa, North America, New Zealand, and Australia, as a result of accidental introductions.

31-7-2024 ULLAL DE BALDOVI, ALBUFERA - MEDITERRANEAN SKIPPER BUTTERFLY (Gegenes nostrodamus)

Gegenes nostrodamus, commonly known as the dingy swift, light pygmy skipper, Mediterranean skipper or veloz de las rieras, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found from the Mediterranean Sea, through Anatolia to Turkestan and India.

The length of the forewings is 15–16 mm. Adults are on wing from May to October in multiple generations.

The larvae feed on various grasses, including Gramineae, Aeluropus (in the Sinai Desert) and Aerulopus and Panicum species.

Dark brown, base smoky black; inner margin of the hindwing paler than the ground colour, and a few white dots on the forewing in the female. Underside pale brown, with some obscure white spots towards the tip of the forewing, and in the female at the hind-margin of the hindwing also. Expands a little over one inch. It inhabits South Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia in August, and is found in dry places.

31-7-2024 ULLAL DE BALDOVI, ALBUFERA - BLACK TAILED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (FEMALE) (Orthetrum cancellatum)

This species is widespread in Europe and Asia. It is found throughout European continent including the Mediterranean islands but is absent in the north of Britain and the northern half of Fennoscandia. This is one of the most common European species and it is still increasing its range northwards. To the east, the range extends over central Asia to Kashmir, Mongolia to the northern parts of China and Arunachal Pradesh in India.

The black-tailed skimmer is abundant throughout its range and is one of the most commonly seen dragonflies in Europe. It holds a stable population and has no known major threats.

This dragonfly is found at any open water with bare patches along the shore where the patrolling males frequently rest in the sun. It also inhabits near slow-flowing waters. It favors lakes, slow rivers, ponds and sometimes marshy area, without dense riparian vegetation. Females are less bold and not encountered as regularly. Adults prefer to perch on bare ground and rocks.

It is a fairly large dragonfly (the length of 47–53 mm, 29–35 mm abdomen, rear wing 35–41 mm.) with relatively broad, flattened abdomen, but not as broad as to chaser species. With age, adult males develop extensive blue pruinescence on their abdomen, offset by yellow lateral patches. The middle lobe of the pronotum is large and notched in the middle. The chest is yellow or yellowish-brown. The base of the hind wings do not show a dark opaque spots. The pterostigma is dark brown or black. On the front wings pterostigma 2–3 mm long. Anal appendages are black. The females and immature males are a deep yellow color, with wavy black lines dorsally on their abdomen. Males and females have the costal vein (the leading edge of the wing) yellow or black.

31-7-2024 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (Charadrius dubius)

The little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius) is a small plover. The genus name Charadrius is a Late Latin word for a yellowish bird mentioned in the fourth-century Vulgate. It derives from Ancient Greek kharadrios a bird found in river valleys (kharadra, "ravine"). The specific dubius is Latin for doubtful, since Sonnerat, writing in 1776, thought this bird might be just a variant of common ringed plover.

Adult little ringed plovers have a grey-brown back and wings, a white belly and a white breast with one black neckband. They have a brown cap, a white forehead, a black mask around the eyes with white above and a short dark bill. The legs are flesh-coloured and the toes are all webbed.

This species differs from the larger ringed plover in leg colour, the head pattern, and the presence of a clear yellow eye-ring.