Funny Videos
7/27/2007
7/21/2007
Somethin 2 know
All of the following images, that have a blue backround, are made by the offical website creators of Microsoft's Zoo Tycoon 2 Marine Mania. Thank you Microsoft! Oh yea, here's the link/source: http://zootycoon.com/Products/MarineMania/default.htm. Just click on animals...
White Shark
The white shark, also known as the great white, white pointer, and white death, is considered the most dangerous of sharks. It has a conical instead of flattened snout, black eyes, and large, serrated, arrowhead-shaped teeth. Its body is blue- or brown-gray, not white, except on its underside. Although the white shark is notorious as a movie villain, little information exists about its behavior. White sharks swallow creatures and objects half their size without chewing them, especially seals, dolphins, turtles, other sharks, chunks of whale, fish, and even ship garbage. They are excellent vertical swimmers, which is why they often attack their prey from directly below.Whale Shark
The whale shark is the largest fish in the world. It can grow to be 15 m (50 ft) long. A slow-swimming gentle giant, this shark is harmless to humans. It has a dark gray upper body that’s marked with pale yellow spots and vertical stripes. The whale shark has a huge mouth that holds up to three thousand tiny teeth, which it never uses. It feeds by sucking ocean water into its mouth, and then forcing the water through its gill rakers to strain out plankton and tiny fish. Whale sharks are found in tropical and warm ocean waters and tend to lead a solitary life. Interestingly, whale sharks cannot reproduce until 30 years of age.West Indian Manatee
The West Indian, or Caribbean, manatee is found in rivers and coastal waters from the southeastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico to the Caribbean Sea and northeastern Brazil. The manatee is popularly called a sea cow because it grazes on marine grasses and other water plants, to the extent that this helps to clear plant-clogged river channels used for irrigation and transportation. An adult manatee grazes for 6 to 8 hours per day, consuming an amount equal to between 5 and 10 percent of its body weight. Manatees live in small family groups, although they occasionally travel in herds of 15 to 20. In ancient times, manatees were often mistaken for mermaids when seen at a distance by sailors.
Short-finned Pilot Whale
Like the orca, the short-finned pilot whale is a member of the dolphin family. It lives in tropical and warm temperate waters throughout the world's oceans. Short-finned pilot whales have a large, rounded head and a very large dorsal fin. They are black to dark brown or gray in color, and they have a light patch (a saddle patch) just behind their dorsal fin. Short-finned pilot whales are very sociable and gregarious; they congregate in pods and communicate using complex rasping sounds and squeals. Like orcas, pilot whale pups are cared for by both their mothers and the members of the pod. Pilot whales use echolocation to hunt prey and locate objects in the water.Sea Otter
The sea otter, the smallest marine mammal, is native to the American and Asian shores of the North Pacific Ocean. It feeds mainly on mollusks and sea urchins, which it crushes with its large, blunt teeth. The otter also regularly uses rocks to open shellfish while swimming on its back. Swimming underwater, however, is no problem, as it can stay underwater for as long as six minutes. The brown inner fur of the otter is soft, dense, and woolly; overlaid by coarser and longer gray-tipped hairs of outer fur; and highly prized among humans. Once abundant, sea otters were hunted almost to extinction during the first half of the 20th century. Protective measures increased their numbers along the coasts of California and AlaskaScalloped Hammerhead Shark
The scalloped hammerhead shark is among 10 related species of hammerhead sharks found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide. The large flattened extensions of its head give this shark a hydroplanelike lift and enable it to make sharper turns than most other sharks. Because its eyes and nostrils are placed at the ends of its head extension, the hammerhead has better ability to track its prey. So keen is its sense of smell that the scalloped hammerhead can detect even a tiny amount (one part per million) of blood in sea water. Though some of the small hammerhead species are not considered dangerous to humans, the scalloped hammerhead most certainly is.Rockhopper Penguin
Rockhoppers inhabit the rocky islands of the sub-Antarctic, such as the Falklands, the Antipodes, and Macquarie Island. Because they nest on craggy shorelines, their ability to hop out of the water and up onto rocks is an important survival skill. It’s also how they got their common name. Both males and females sport a crest of yellow-and-black feathers, bright red eyes, and a sharp orange bill. The smallest of the six crested penguin species, rockhoppers can be aggressive, particularly when it comes to nesting sites. Females lay two eggs each breeding season, but only one is incubated. Both parents care for the chick. Rockhoppers are superb swimmers and hunters, who eat lantern fish, krill, and small squid.
Pacific Walrus
The Pacific walrus (from the Old Norse hvall-hross, meaning “whale-horse”) is found in the Arctic at the edge of the polar ice. They are very large and have thick, wrinkled, hairy skin and relatively small heads with no external ears. They have enormously elongated upper canine teeth forming heavy tusks that are used as weapons in fighting and as hooks when climbing on ice. Their sensitive whiskers and fleshy snout help them find prey on the ocean floor. The walrus sometimes dislodges its favorite food—clams—by blowing them loose with a jet of water. Walruses are social animals and congregate in large herds—sometimes numbering several thousand animals.Orca
The orca is the largest member of the dolphin family and is not considered dangerous to humans. Its killer whale nickname is attributed to its voracious appetite for fish, sea turtles, aquatic mammals (including larger whales), and sea birds. Orcas live in more parts of the world than any other aquatic mammal, but they are more commonly found in colder waters. Orcas congregate in pods, with each pod having its own dialect. Orcas also have a highly defined social structure based on the female as dominant, and they demonstrate a great deal of care for their young. Animated, playful, and curious, orcas rely largely on sounds, including clicking noises, screams, whistles, and pulsed calls to communicate and locate prey.Manta Ray
The largest of the rays, the manta ray is a cartilaginous fish and a relative of the shark. Called the devil ray or sting ray, manta rays are harmless to humans and do not sting. Because of their large size, sharks are their only predators. Manta rays live in temperate and tropical waters near continents and island groups. Cruising near the ocean’s surface, the manta ray uses the two lobes near its eyes to guide plankton, tiny fish, and small crustaceans into its mouth. Manta rays are elegant and acrobatic swimmers. Swimming underwater they look like a slow-moving bird in flight, and they are also known to leap out from the water.Norwhal
The name narwhal means “corpse whale” in Old Norse. Narwhals live in the deep cold waters of the high Arctic. A close relation of the beluga, narwhals have only two teeth, both in the upper jaw. The left tooth of the adult male looks like a tusk and grows up to 3 m (about 10 ft) long, spiraling counterclockwise out of the male’s head. Narwhals socialize in small pods of about 12 animals that are part of larger herds. They migrate seasonally as the ice edge moves. Fish, squid, and shrimp make up their diet.Leatherback Sea Turtle
The leatherback sea turtle is the largest living turtle and is named for its leathery skin. The leatherback is found farther north and south than other sea turtles because it can maintain its body temperature well above that of the water due to its large size and muscular activity. The turtle is blackish or blue-black, and females have a pink spot on the top of their heads. The male spends its adult life in the sea; the female emerges only to lay eggs on beaches. The leatherback is not edible, but its eggs are, which has caused this turtle to become endangered.Green Sea Turtle
The green sea turtle is named for the color of its fat and is the fastest swimming turtle. It is common in all warm seas and may sometimes be found, in summer, along the North Atlantic coasts of the United States and Europe. The male never leaves the sea; the female leaves only to lay her eggs. As many as 200 eggs are laid at night in sand above the reach of the sea. The young use an “egg tooth” to break out of their shells, immediately start moving their flippers to rise out of the sand in which their egg was buried, and then crawl into the sea and swim away.Goblin Shark
Rarely seen, the goblin shark dwells in the deepest of ocean waters, where it is believed to feed on squid, shrimp, octopus, and other soft-bodied bottom-dwelling creatures. Goblin sharks grow to be very large. Their long, knife-shaped nose is embedded with tiny sensory cells, and they have a very large mouth with needlelike teeth. Little is known of the goblin shark and its habits. Humans almost never come in contact with this prehistoric-looking shark because it lives at such great depths. Sightings of goblin sharks have occurred off the coasts of Japan, Australia, and southern Africa.False Killer Whale
Named for its deceptively similar appearance to the orca, the false killer whale is, in fact, a part of the dolphin family. False killer whales are playful and social animals who travel in large groups in temperate and tropical waters the world over. The species is not known to be plentiful in any one place. False killer whales eat salmon, tuna, squid, mackerel, mahi-mahi, and other kinds of fish.California Sea Lion
The California sea lion is an intelligent, slender-bodied seal with a gregarious personality, remarkable speed and agility on land, and barklike vocalizations. They are found along North America’s western coast, and some as far as the Galápagos Islands and even the Sea of Japan. In early June, bulls set up breeding territories, or rookeries, on sandy or rocky coasts, and each bull mates with a harem, or group of cows, of 5 to 20 females. Bulls defend their harem and territory by patrolling the area on land and in the water, barking loudly, posturing at trespassers, and sometimes fighting with intruding males.Bottlenose Dolphin
The bottlenose dolphin is found along almost all tropical and temperate coasts, and offshore varieties also exist in deep water. They eat fish, shrimp, squid, and other invertebrates. Dolphins appear to stay mated for life. They communicate using a variety of whistles and rasping sounds and can discriminate even small objects by echolocation—that is, they send out high-frequency clicks that bounce off prey and other objects, and then use the returning echoes to distinguish the objects. Dolphins sometimes stun their prey with high-pitched clicking sounds. Is it any surprise their brains are larger than those of humans?7/20/2007
Blue Marlin
The blue marlin is distinguished by its long sharp bill, which it uses as a weapon, and its sleek crescent-shaped tail. With a hydrodynamic shape and great strength, this marlin is one of the Atlantic Ocean’s fastest swimmers. These fish are highly migratory and travel nearly the length of the Atlantic Ocean each year, wintering in tropical waters near the equator, and then journeying north to summer in temperate waters. The blue marlin hunts alone and in the daytime for octopus, squid, tuna, and mackerel.
Blacktip Reef Shark
Named for the distinctive black markings on its pectoral and dorsal fins, the blacktip reef shark inhabits the warm shallow waters of tropical lagoons, coral reefs, and some shoreline areas. Though fish are a staple of its diet, the blacktip reef shark also uses its sharp serrated teeth to consume crustaceans (crabs and lobsters) and cephalopods (octopus and squids). In shallow waters off the coast of Australia, this shark is also known for eating a large number of snakes. Blacktip reef sharks are smallish in size and generally not dangerous to humans.Beluga
The name beluga is derived from the Russian byeluka, meaning “white.” Born gray in color, belugas turn white by five years of age and are also called the white whale. Belugas inhabit the waters of the Arctic and sub-Artic. Their bodies have many layers of blubber that protect them from the intense cold. Belugas whales eat a lot, including fish, squid, octopus, and crustaceans. They are extremely sociable animals that congregate in pods. When journeying to summer feeding and breeding grounds, beluga pods team up and travel in schools of several thousand. Beluga whales chirp and chatter amongst themselves so much that they are nicknamed the sea canary.
6/23/2007
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Tyrannosaurus rex was a large, two-legged, meat-eating dinosaur that lived in the late Cretaceous Period, 65 million years ago. Scientists know more about Tyrannosaurus than any other predatory dinosaur. Tyrannosaurus had a bone-crushing bite and often preyed upon plant-eating dinosaurs, and its stomach could hold more than half a metric ton of meat. The frill of a Triceratops was found in the fossilized dung of a Tyrannosaurus.Triceratops
Triceratops was a plant-eating dinosaur that lived during the late Cretaceous Period, 65 million years ago. It was a descendant of Styracosaurus, with horns on its snout and eyes, and a spiked neck frill. Triceratops could open its jaws sideways to gather foliage by rotating the joint between its head and neck. Fossil evidence indicates that the underside of the neck frill contained a dense network of blood vessels that was used to cool the dinosaur in much the same way elephants transport blood to their ears to radiate heat.Styracosaurus
Styracosaurus was a plant-eating dinosaur that lived during the early Cretaceous Period, 65 million years ago. It was an ancestor of Triceratops, with one large horn on its snout, a small horn above each eye, and a spiked neck frill for protection from predators such as T. rex. Like Triceratops, Styracosaurus used its sharp beak to cut leaves from low-growing foliage, such as cycads, and its powerful jaws to chew the tough leaves. A large bone bed with approximately 100 Styracosaurus fossils indicates that Styracosaurus traveled in herds.Carnotaurus
Carnotaurus was an unusual meat-eating dinosaur that lived during the mid-Cretaceous period, 113 to 91 million years ago. It had knobby horns over its eyebrows, which were used for head butting and mating rituals, and four-fingered “hands” with a backward-pointing spike. While most dinosaur fossils have been found in North America, Carnotaurus was discovered in Argentina, South America and quite recently (1984) by José F. Bonaparte. He found only a single fossil, but it was so well preserved that rough bumps were visible on its skin.Some Info for U
The below pics and fun facts are taken directly from Zoo Tycoon 2 African Adventure. Thank you www.zootycoon.com!
Wildebeest
The wildebeest is a large African antelope that is native to the open woodlands and grasslands of southern Africa and is one of its fastest residents. Its large head and short neck support long horns, but its best defense is that it is a tireless runner. Although their bristly faces and massive shoulders make wildebeests appear menacing, they go into antics when approached, dashing off and wheeling about to gaze at intruders. Wildebeests roam the African savannah in large herds. More than 1 million forage for grasses on the Serengeti Plain alone.White Rhinoceros
The white rhinoceros is the largest of the rhino species and also the most peaceful. The white rhino is not actually white. Its name comes from the Afrikaans word “weit,” meaning “wide” and describing the shape of its mouth. As with other rhinos, the two horns on the end of the white rhino’s nose are not made of bone but are actually hardened deposits of keratin fibers, which is the same protein in hair. The white rhino has very poor eyesight and relies on its sense of smell. In fact, its olfactory passages are larger than its brain. All rhinos are vegetarians, and the white rhino lives almost entirely on grass. It eats so much grass that it is one of the few animals classified as a “megaherbivore.”Warthog
The warthog is a wild pig with a stocky body and two pairs of tusks and wart-like protuberances on its long, wide head. Widespread on the plains and open woodlands of Africa, their diet includes grass, berries, bark, roots, and carrion. They normally spend the night in a burrow, which they prefer to take over from other animals (especially aardvarks). The warthog's tusks are sharp weapons used against such predators as lions.Striped Hyena
The striped hyena is a doglike carnivore and a renowned scavenger. Hyenas have powerful jaws capable of crushing large bones that other predators cannot eat. All hyenas share the characteristic of a distinctly sloping back, resulting from a size difference between their large, muscular front legs and smaller back legs.Secretary Bird
The secretary bird is a large bird of prey found in Africa south of the Sahara. It has very long legs, a long tail, and a powerful, hooked beak. Many books derive the origin of the bird's name from a resemblance of its crest of long feathers to a group of quill pens placed behind the ear. But the name is actually a mispronunciation of the Arabic name for the species. The secretary bird feeds on small animals and reptiles, particularly snakes, generally by stalking them. Secretary birds rarely fly. These solitary birds build large, strong nests of twigs in trees or bushes.Ratel
The ratel is a skunk-like mammal native to Africa and parts of Asia. It is also known as a honey badger because bee honey is one of its favorite foods. In parts of Africa, the ratel finds beehives with the help of a bird that eats bee larvae. The bird calls the ratel to tear open the hive with its strong claws, and then both animals feed on the contents. Ratels are extremely difficult to kill. Their skin is unusually tough and is attached loosely to the body, making it hard for other animals to grasp. Animal bites, bee stings, or porcupine quills usually do not penetrate the ratel’s tough hide. As an added deterrent to predators, the anal glands of ratels emit a foul-smelling liquid.Pygmy Hippopotamus
The pygmy hippopotamus is the smallest member of the hippo family, weighing only 350 to 550 lbs compared to the 8,000 lb river hippo. Due to habitat destruction, the pygmy hippo is found only in a small area in western Africa. They are nocturnal and solitary, so it is difficult to observe them in the wild. Like all hippos, pygmy hippos are herbivores and graze on grasses, succulent plants, fallen fruit, and other low-lying vegetation. Most pygmy hippos in American zoos today are descended from one that was given to President Calvin Coolidge in 1927.Meerkat
The meerkat is a small member of the mongoose family that inhabits the dry open areas and savannahs of southern Africa. Meerkats are known for their upright posture and highly sociable behavior, similar to prairie dogs. These social animals live in colonies (called a mob) and dig elaborate underground burrows. Meerkats typically stand up straight on their hind legs or even their toes to sniff the wind and search for attacking vultures. They have excellent vision and are capable of making at least ten types of sounds, including an alarm bark.Nile Monitor
The Nile monitor is among the world’s largest lizards and lives near rivers and streams in sub-Saharan Africa. It has an aggressive temperament and great physical power in its jaws, legs, and tail (which it often uses as a slashing weapon). The Nile monitor is carnivorous and tends to swallow its prey whole. It eats grasshoppers, beetles, birds, fish, rodents, and even other lizards. While primarily dwelling on the ground near the water, Nile monitors have been known to climb trees to eat eggs from bird nests.Masai Giraffe
The Masai giraffe is the tallest land animal. All giraffes have short, dense fur with an intricate pattern of dark patches that range from tannish-yellow to chestnut brown. This coloration helps giraffes blend in among trees and leaves and makes them harder for predators to spot. Although no two giraffe skin patterns are exactly the same, some regional patterns are so common and distinct that zoologists have identified a number of giraffe subspecies, including the Masai, based on the patterns. The Masai giraffe has patches with complex jagged outlines.Mandrill
The mandrill is a terrestrial baboon of tropical West Africa. The male mandrill is considered to be the most colorful mammal in the world. Its muzzle has large bony ridges that are covered with longitudinally ribbed naked skin in vivid colors of blue and red. The mandrill has a muscular, stout body with strong limbs and enormous canine teeth that add to its fierce appearance.Gerenuk
The gerenuk (Somali for “giraffe-necked”) is a relative of the gazelle, but it has an elongated neck that allows it to eat trees and plants that are several feet tall. It sometimes stands on its hind legs to feed from trees and uses its forelegs to pull the branches down within reach. Gerenuks live in small groups and, because they are such adaptable eaters, they have no specific mating season during the year. Gerenuks are often prey for cheetahs, leopards, lions, and jackals.Gelada
The gelada is closely related to the baboon, but its nostrils are farther from the tip of its mouth. The male gelada has a very distinctive cape of hair that covers its head and hangs down its back. The gelada lives in the mountain grasslands primarily in Ethiopia. It eats a diet of grass, roots, bulbs, and occasional insects. Because of this restricted diet, it spends much of the day grazing. Geladas have a complex social structure and communicate with a multitude of sounds, tactile communication, and facial expressions.Ethiopian Wolf
The Ethiopian wolf is the only wolf found in Africa, and it exists in only a handful of mountain ranges in Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is a carnivore that generally feeds on rodents, either by digging them from their burrows or by chasing them down. On rare occasions, Ethiopian wolves hunt cooperatively to bring down a larger animal, such as a young antelope.Caracal
The caracal (also known as the Persian lynx) is a predator that is native to the savannas and dry, rocky hills of Africa and Asia. It has a reddish-brown coat, white belly, and tufts of black hair on the tips of its ears. The name “caracal” means “black ears” in Turkish. Caracals are very quick hunters who prey on rodents, small antelope, and birds (even if they’re roosting at the tops of trees).
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