Pets and Animals World

Rooks - An Introduction

admin — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:38:23 +0000

Rooks are birds of the crow family. Rooks are distinguished from similar members of the crow family by the bare grey-white skin around the base of the adult’s bill in front of the eyes. The feathering around the legs also looks “shaggier” and laxer than the congeneric Carrion Crow. The juvenile is superficially more similar to the Crow because it lacks the bare patch at the base of the bill, but it loses the facial feathers after about six months.

Rhinoceros - An Introduction

admin — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:37:41 +0000

Rhinoceros are characterized by large heads, broad chests, thick legs, poor eyesight, excellent hearing, and a fondness for rolling in the mud. Rhinoceros also have acute hearing and sense of smell, but poor eyesight over any distance. Most rhinoceros live to be about 50 years old or more. For ages, rhino horn has been used to treat illnesses, especially fevers. Yet like our fingernails and hair, is made of Keratin. Because they are very nearsighted, they often charge when they are startled. This has given them an undeserved reputation for having a bad temper.

Raptors - An Introduction

admin — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:36:44 +0000

Raptors are birds of prey that hunt food with their talons. They are characterized by a curved tip at the end of the beak and a superb vision.

Ravens - An Introduction

admin — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:35:47 +0000

Ravens are large black birds. Ravens have a varied diet. They will eat a wide number of foods, including insects, berries, fruit, other birds’ eggs, carrion, wolf or dog faeces, and human-produced foods such as bread. They also may kill small birds and mammals, including young rabbits and rats, but do so mainly as opportunists.

Rats - An Introduction

admin — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:34:39 +0000

Rats are small omnivorous rodents. Wild rats living in good environments are typically healthy and robust animals. Wild rats living in cities may suffer themselves from poor diet the rat makes a fine pet, known for its intelligence, playfulness and sociability. They are extremely clean. Rats can be taught entertaining tricks, in the same way as many other domesticated animals. It has been observed that rats can actually last longer without water than camels. Rats have a normal lifespan ranging from two to five years, though three years is typical.

Rattlesnakes - An Introduction

admin — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:31:46 +0000

Rattlesnakes are vipers and highly venomous snakes. Rattlesnakes feed on rodents and other small animals, subduing their prey by striking them quickly with a venomous bite. The rattle found at the tip of the tail is used as a warning device when threatened.

Reindeers - An Introduction

admin — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:30:27 +0000

Wild reindeer are mostly found in North America, Greenland and Iceland. Domesticated animals (reindeer) are shorter-legged and heavier than their wild counterparts (caribou). The caribou of North America can run at speeds of almost 50 miles per hour and may travel 3,000 miles in a year.

Raccoons - An Introduction

admin — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:29:20 +0000

Raccoons are omnivores, eating berries, insects, eggs and small animals. Raccoons can live in the city or in the wild, but are not normally kept as pets. They average 2 to 3 feet long (including the tail) and 12 inches high, weigh 8 to 22 pounds (heaviest in autumn), and live for 10 to 13 years.

Racoons - An Introduction

admin — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:29:07 +0000

Rabbits - An Introduction

admin — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:28:14 +0000

Rabbits are clearly distinguished from hares in that rabbits are altricial, having young that are born blind and hairless; all rabbits, except the cottontail rabbit, live underground in burrows or warrens. Hares are generally bigger, have longer ears and have black markings on their fur. They also live in simple nests above the ground, just as the cottontail rabbit does, and usually do not live together in groups.

Quaggas - An Introduction

admin — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:27:03 +0000

Once found in great numbers in South Africa, this extinct species of plain zebras is nowhere present on the planet. It was distinguished from other zebras by having the usual vivid marks on the front part of the body only. In the mid-section, the stripes faded and the dark, inter-stripe spaces became wider, and the hindquarters were a plain brown. The quagga had been hunted to extinction for meat, hides, and to preserve feed for domesticated stock. The last wild quagga was probably shot in the late 1870s, and the last specimen in captivity died 1883.

Quails - An Introduction

admin — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 10:14:58 +0000

Quails are small, plump terrestrial birds. They are seed eaters along with small insects as their prey. Some quail are farmed in large numbers. Quails are mostly kept to produce eggs that are sold worldwide.

Quail - An Introduction

admin — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 10:14:52 +0000

Pythons - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 08:13:48 +0000

Having a length that varies from 3 to 20 feet some Pythons are the longest snakes in the world. Most pythons live in the dense underbrush of rugged tropical rainforest regions. Like all snakes, Pythons are also capable swimmers. Pythons wrap themselves around their prey killing them by squeezing them to death. They swallow their prey whole, and take several days or even weeks to fully digest it. Despite their intimidating size and muscular power, they are generally not dangerous to humans. Pythons will not usually attack humans unless startled or provoked, although females protecting their eggs can be aggressive.

Puma - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 08:11:59 +0000

Puma is a solitary cat native to the Americas. Pumas are tawny-coloured with black-tipped ears and tail. They avoid people, and attacks on humans are rare. There is a considerable variation in colour and size of these animals across their large range of habitats. Though large in size, this cat cannot roar, but instead purrs and has even been said to make eerily humanlike screams when courting.

Praire Dogs - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 08:10:13 +0000

Native to North American grasslands Prairie Dogs are small rodents. Prairie dogs are named for their habitat and warning call, which sounds similar to a dog’s bark. The prairie dog is chiefly herbivorous, though it eats some insects. It feeds primarily on grass. They have up to 4 pups yearly, which are born blind and furless and need about 30 days of close nurturing by their mother. The prairie dog is well-adapted to predators. Using its dichromatic colour vision, it can detect predators from afar and then alert other prairie dogs to the danger with a special, high-pitched call.

Possums - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 08:08:33 +0000

Possums are small marsupials with brown or grey fur, ranging in size from the length of a finger o the length of a forearm (brush tails and ringtails). All possums are omnivorous and nocturnal creatures. Possums hide in a nest in a hollow tree during the day and coming out during the night to forage for food. In suburban areas they are often considered pests owing to their habit of eating fruit, vegetables, flowers and tender young shoots from gardens, and nesting in roofs.

Porpoises - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 08:07:27 +0000

Related to whales and dolphins yet distinct Porpoises are found in the Northern Hemisphere. The most obvious visible difference between the two groups is that porpoises have spatulate (flattened) teeth distinct from the conical teeth of dolphins. Compared with dolphins they rear more young more quickly than dolphins. Porpoises tend to be smaller but stouter than dolphins. They have small, rounded heads and blunt jaws instead of beaks. Their teeth are spade-shaped, whereas dolphins have conical teeth. In addition, a porpoise’s dorsal fin is generally triangular, rather than falcate (curved) like that of many dolphins and large whales.

Porcupines - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 08:06:09 +0000

Porcupines are rodents famously known for their coat of sharp spines, or quills that defend them from predators. Contrary to popular belief, porcupines are not capable of throwing their quills. Porcupines occupy a wide range of habitats in tropical and temperate parts; Porcupines live in forests, deserts and grasslands. Some live in trees, others stay on the ground.

Ponies - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 08:04:57 +0000

The term “pony” can be used generally for any small horse or colt, regardless of its actual measurements. It is interesting to note, however, that some equine breeds are not considered ponies. There are several wild breeds of pony, and these have often been captured and bred for various purposes. Used for hauling loads of coal up from the mines, for freight transport, as children’s mounts and for entertainment, and later as competitors and performers in their own right. They were also ridden (and continue to be ridden) by adults, as ponies are usually very strong.

Polecats - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 08:03:13 +0000

The word Pole cat refers to the weasel which varies up to a length from 6 to 14 inches, having a light brown upper coat, white belly and black fur at the tip of the tail. They have long slender bodies, which enable them to follow their prey into burrows. Their tails are typically almost as long as the rest of their bodies. As is typical of small carnivores, weasels have a reputation for cleverness and guile.

Polar Bears - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 08:01:50 +0000

Native to the Arctic region the Polar or Sea bear is well adapted to its habitat with its thick fur and blubber acting as insulation against the fierce cold. Polar bears hunt well on land, sea and on ice. Their range is limited by the availability of sea ice that they use as a platform to hunt seals, the mainstay of their diet. Polar bears are enormous, aggressive, curious, and extremely dangerous to humans. It is best to remember that wild polar bears, unlike most other bears, are often barely habituated to people and will quickly size up any animal they encounter as potential prey. A polar bear should never be approached and if one is spotted, it is best to retreat slowly on foot, preferably to indoors, or move away in a vehicle.

Plovers - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 08:00:47 +0000

Plovers are wading birds found throughout the world, and are characterised by relatively short bills. They hunt by sight, rather than by feel as longer-billed waders. They feed mainly on insects, worms or other invertebrates, depending on habitat, which are obtained by a run-and-pause technique, rather than the steady probing of some other wader groups.

Platypus - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 07:59:49 +0000

The Platypus is a unique animal native to Australia. It has webbed feet and a large, rubbery snout that are more reminiscent of a duck’s features than those of any known mammal. Along with the echidna it is second egg-laying mammal in the world. The male platypus has venomous ankle spurs which produce a cocktail of venom; the venom is not lethal to humans but will produce excruciating pain — so intense that the victim may be incapacitated. The platypus is an excellent swimmer and spends much of its time in the water foraging for food. When swimming they are distinguished from other Australian mammals by the absence of visible ears. It keeps its eyes tightly shut when swimming, relying completely on its other senses. All four feet of the platypus are webbed. When it swims, it propels itself by paddling with the front two feet. The tail and hind feet assist in steering but not propulsion.

Pigeons - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 07:59:35 +0000

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills. Both the sexes incubate the eggs; the nests are made of flimsy sticks. The terms “dove” and “pigeon” are used interchangeably, although smaller species are more likely to be called doves. Approximately 300 species are known until now.

Pigs - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 07:57:17 +0000

Pigs are omnivorous and eat both plants and animals. They are usually raised as livestock by people for meat and also for leather. On a small farm, or in a large household, they can be fed kitchen scraps as part or all of their diet. In the wild, they are foraging animals. Being very smart animals pigs are also kept as pets in some households.

Pheasants - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 07:53:39 +0000

Pheasants are large birds usually hunted as game. Being characterized by very bright colours especially the male has highly ornate colours for attracting mates. There are approximately 35 species of pheasants known until now.

Penguins - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 07:52:40 +0000

Penguins are aquatic flightless birds. There are approximately 16 to 19 species of penguins known until now. All penguins have a white underside and a dark (mostly black) upper side, the white side acts as a camouflage for predators in the water and the dark plumage on their backs camouflages them from above. Penguins feed on krill, squid, fish and other sea life forms while swimming underwater. Half of their lives are spent in the ocean and half on land.

Pelicans - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 07:52:14 +0000

Pelicans are large water birds have a pouch beneath their beak. Pelicans are found in all continents except Antarctica. Pelicans can grow to a wingspan of three meters and weigh 13 kilograms, males being a little larger than females and having a longer bill. Pelicans are gregarious and nest colonially, the male bringing the material, the female heaping it up to form a simple structure. Pairs are monogamous for a single season but the pair bond extends only to the nesting area; mates are independent away from the nest.

Peacocks - An Introduction

admin — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 07:50:55 +0000

Peacocks are most notable for the males’ extravagant tail which it displays at the time of courtship. The male (peacock) has beautiful iridescent blue-green or green coloured plumage. Females can also display their plumage to ward off danger to her young or other female competition. Peafowl are omnivorous and consume plant parts, flower petals, seed heads, insects, and other arthropods, as well as reptiles and amphibians.