Deer Wallpapers And Information

                                      Deer are considered by many to be one of nature's most beautiful animals, but they can compromise public safety and pose a nuisance to homeowners. Additionally, an overabundance of deer will denude forest undergrowth and remove vital food sources on which other animals rely. This overabundance of deer can have a dramatic impact on the quality of small, urban forests. In the 1950's deer were isolated to the Land Between the Lakes region of Kentucky and numbered approximately 2,000. Between 1960 and 1990, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife released deer into Kentucky from other parts of the country.

                                        This restocking program increased the number of deer in the state from approximately 2,000 in the 1950's to over 1 million today. According to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, deer are reaching a saturation point in many parts of the Commonwealth. The deer is found in the forests of Europe, Asia and North America, where most deer grow to an average of about 1 meter tall. Deer-like creatures are found in Africa, however they are all antelope and not deer.

                                    Deer stay in herds of approximately 25 deers per herd, mainly female deer and a dominant male deer known as a stag. The male deer are protective deer and will often fight other stags to protect their herd of female deer and to protect their pride. The male deer horns shed and regrow every year, a little like the skin on a snake. The only species of deer with exception to this annual horn shedding is the Chinese water deer.

                                   There are around 40 different species of deer found in the woodlands of the Northern Hemisphere. There are roughly six different species of deer found in the UK alone, however, only the red deer and the roe deer are truly native to the Isles. Deer have an excellent sense of smell, which allows them to detect predators from a long distance away. Deer lick their nose to keep it moist, which helps odor particles stick to it, improving their sense of smell. The nose also plays a role in communication. Deer produce scents with glands located on their head, legs and hooves. These scents provide information to other deer about their gender, social status, physical condition and whether an area is safe.

                                              Deer usually stay in the same area called a home range. These areas are shared by related females who form matriarchies and that exclude adult males. The breeding season for deer occurs between October and January. This period is called the "rut". During the "rut" the necks of the male deer will swell to more than double their normal diameter and their antlers will have lost their velvet. This will prepare them for fights with other buck to determine dominance and breeding rights.

                                             Deer - Wikipedia

All About Elephants And High Resolution Wallpapers

                                 Elephants are large mammals of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. Traditionally, two species are recognised, the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) and the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), although some evidence suggests that African bush elephants and African forest elephants are separate species (L. africana and L. cyclotis respectively). Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Elephantidae are the only surviving family of the order Proboscidea; other, now extinct, families of the order include mammoths and mastodons. The largest living terrestrial animals, male African elephants can reach a height of 4 m (13 ft) and weigh 7,000 kg (15,000 lb).

                              All elephants have several distinctive features the most notable of which is a long proboscis or trunk used for many purposes, particularly for grasping objects. In addition to their trunks, their incisors grow into tusks, which serve as tools for moving objects and digging and as weapons for fighting. The elephant's large ear flaps help to control the temperature of its body. African elephants have larger ears and concave backs while Asian elephants have smaller ears and convex or level backs.Elephants are herbivores and eat up to 100 different kinds of plants. All parts of the plant are eaten - leaves, twigs, bark, roots, flowers, fruit, seeds, and thorns. They spend most of their time eating (about 16 hours) because they need between 330 to 350 lbs. of food each day.

                                Babies often eat dung of the adults to get the microscopic organisms to live in their gut to help them digest their food. Only half of the adults food is digested, so the dung is rich as a food source for the youngsters. Elephants usually walk, but can run short distances. They move quietly because of the soft pads in their feet. At the turn of the 20th century, there were a few million African elephants and about 100,000 Asian elephants. Today, there are an estimated 450,000 - 700,000 African elephants and between 35,000 - 40,000 wild Asian elephants. African savannah elephants are found in savannah zones in 37 countries south of the Sahara Desert.

      
                                       African forest elephants inhabit the dense rainforests of west and central Africa. The Asian elephant is found in India, Sri Lanka, China and much of Southeast Asia. Elephants form deep family bonds and live in tight matriarchal family groups of related females called a herd.

                                 The herd is led by the oldest and often largest female in the herd, called a matriarch. Herds consist of 8-100 individuals depending on terrain and family size. When a calf is born, it is raised and protected by the whole matriarchal herd. Males leave the family unit between the ages of 12-15 and may lead solitary lives or live temporarily with other males. Elephants are extremely intelligent animals and have memories that span many years. It is this memory that serves matriarchs well during dry seasons when they need to guide their herds, sometimes for tens of miles, to watering holes that they remember from the past. They also display signs of grief, joy, anger and play.

                                         Elephants - Wikipedia

Information And HD Wallpapers Of Tiger

                                       Tigers are the largest members of the cat family (Felidae). The other big cat members of this family are lions, panthers and jaguars. These large, predatory felines are known for their iconic orange fur and black stripes. Fur colors do range across the subspecies though, with Sumatran tigers are typically sporting the darkest coats, and Bengal tigers sometimes sporting white coats thanks to a recessive gene. Stripes can vary in color and spacing across the subspecies as well. The largest tiger subspecies are the Amur (Siberian) tigers — males can weigh up to 660 pounds (300 kilograms) and females up to 370 pounds (167 kg) — and the smallest are the Sumatran tigers, with males weighing up to 260 pounds (120 kg) and females weighing up to 200 pounds (90 kg).

                                          Tigers live long whether you find them in the wild or in the confines of a zoo. Their longevity reaches 26 years, which should have been enough time to breed well. It is not only their size that is large but also its appetite for territory. Though tigers usually prefer living and hunting alone, they are also very social animals that need large areas in which to live and hunt. Unfortunately for tigers, developments favoring us humans have destroyed their habitats. This is food for thought to us all who want to do something to help revive the tiger population. Tigers used to be abundant in Asian countries, including Turkey and Russia.

                                      However, the past century has seen the tigers lose almost a hundred percent of the place they used to inhabit. Today, the tiger habitats are living in grasslands, the Siberian tanga and even in the mangrove swamps of the tropics. On writing, it sounds as if there is still a generous patch of land available. There aren’t a lot of tigers left in general, though. With only six subspecies left, tigers have been declared endangered by the IUCN. Tigers that remained in the forests are only a little more than 3,000 in number.

                                             The rest of the tigers, which may have not been included in the count, belong to small, isolated groups that sort of act like family units. The population has suffered a rapid decline due to the destruction of the tigers' homes as well as because of the crime of poaching. So, at this point, the area left inhabited by tigers is at only 184,911 square kilometers or 457,497 square miles. This estimate, however, was good in the 1990s. Today, the area could be a lot smaller.Back in 1758, Linnaeus gave the tiger "Felis tigrisas" as its scientific name in his Systema Naturae. However, in 1929, Reginald Innes Pocock, a British taxonomist has declared the animal part of the genus Panthera.

                               

                                     At that time, the tiger has instead become tagged with the scientific name Panthera tigris. Note that Panthera as a word could be Oriental in origin and may even be traced back to various ancient words such as pantera (Latin), pantere (French) and panther, which is Ancient Greek. The word, in the olden days, would most likely refer to a “yellowish animal”, which the tiger is.

                                      Tiger - Wikipedia

Lion Free HD Wallpapers And Facts

                             The lion is a magnificent animal that appears as a symbol of power, courage and nobility on family crests, coats of arms and national flags in many civilizations. Lions at one time were found from Greece through the Middle East to northern India, but today only a very small population remains in India. In the past lions lived in most parts of Africa, but are now confined to the sub-Saharan region. Most cat species live a fundamentally solitary existence, but the lion is an exception. It has developed a social system based on teamwork and a division of labor within the pride, and an extended but closed family unit centered around a group of related females. The average pride consists of about 15 individuals, including five to 10 females with their young and two or three territorial males that are usually brothers or pride mates.

      
                                  Male lions grow up to 10 feet (3 meters) in length and usually weigh around 330 to 550 pounds (150 to 250 kilograms), while female lions are smaller, growing up to 9 feet (2.7 m) in length and weighing between 265 to 395 pounds (120 to 180 kg), according to the National Zoo. A lion's tail adds another 2 to 3 feet to their length (0.6 to 1 m). Adult lions stand about 3.5 to 4 feet high at their shoulders. (Asiatic lions are slightly smaller than African lions) Lions' bodies are built for hunting: They are strong and compact, with strong forelimbs and jaws that help them bring down their prey.

                                  Lions once lived across Europe, Africa and North America, but they are now found primarily in Africa. They range from the southern border of the Sahara to the northern parts of South Africa. They dwell in the savanna habitat. A small population of about 300 lions can be found in the Gir Forest of western India, according to the National Zoo.

                                          Some lions have been known to eat humans however this is thought to only have been done by those who are suffering injuries and disabilities that make it difficult for them to hunt natural prey thus pursuing humans as they are weaker and easier to capture. Several other theories include wanting to defend itself. Another is that their natural habitat is unavailable and not wanting to starve, they attack humans. The thought that lions are predatory towards humans has created ignorance and increased the amount of hunting by encouraging the extermination of these creatures. Humans have taken over territories once belonging to lions and by forcing them to leave their natural home has further demolished their habitat and lifestyle, leaving them to suffer and destruct. Lions are now listed as being a vulnerable species and their population is now irreversibly decreased.

                                          The largest lion was recorded to be nearly 700 pounds and nearly 11 foot long. The oldest lion on record was nearly 29 years old. A lion's eyesight is five times better than a human being. A lion can hear prey from a mile away. Lions can smell nearby prey and estimate how long it was in the area. A lion's roar can be heard from five miles away. Tigers are so similar to lions that without their coats, their bodies look so similar only experts can tell them apart. When males join a pride, they usually kill other cubs. Lions can go four days without drinking. There is less than 50 000 lions in the world today. The gestation period is about 110 days.

Indian National Bird Peacock Free Wallpapers

                                       The peacock is a bird genus, Polyplectron, of the family Phasianidae, consisting of eight species. They are colored inconspicuously, relying on heavily on crypsis to avoid detection. When threatened, peacock will alter their shapes utilising specialised plumage that when expanded reveals numerous iridescent orbs. The birds also vibrate their plume quills further accentuating their aposematism. Peacocks exhibit well developed metatarsal spurs. Older individuals may have multiple spurs on each leg. These kicking thorns are used in self-defense.

                                  The systematics of the genus are somewhat unclear. Molecular research has revealed that peacock-pheasants are not genetically related to pheasants and only distantly to peafowl. Their closest allies are the Asiatic spurfowl and the Crimson-headed Partridge, endemic to Borneo. These three genera share the curious tendency for multiple metatarsal spurs. Though they are somewhat divergent morphologically, their skeletons are nearly identical. The species of Polyplectron diverged at some time between, roughly, the Early Pliocene and the Middle Pleistocene, or 5–1 million years ago. Polyplectron malacense and P. schleiermacheri form a basal radiation around the southern South China Sea together with P. napoleonis, as is confirmed by comparison of biogeography and mtDNA cytochrome b and D-loop as well as the nuclear ovomucoid intron G.

                               The male peacock displays his tail feathers to attract attention during courtship. The Indian, or common, peacock is native to India and Sri Lanka. It has a crest of blue-green feathers, and a long train composed of the upper tail coverts. Its neck, breast, and train are iridescent blue and green. The back and tail are chestnut in color; the wings are white and brown. The hen is duller in color, and has no train. A white variety of the Indian peacock has been developed. The Javanese peacock is native to Indochina. It is similar to the Indian peacock except that it is predominantly green, and the female is more brightly colored than the Indian peahen.

                                    The male of either species of Asian peacocks may have a body more than two feet (60 cm) long and a train six feet (180 cm) long. To attract attention, during courtship and at other times, the male lifts the train and spreads it out in a fan that arches over the bird's back and touches the ground on either side. The train is supported by the short, stiff tail feathers. The plumage of the train is spotted with eye-shaped markings in gold, green, and purple. The Congo peacock, of a different genus, was discovered by zoologists in 1937. The male is glossy black with a white crest, and has no train. The female is green and brown.

                                       Peacocks are ground-feeders that eat insects, plants, and small creatures. There are two familiar peacock species. The blue peacock lives in India and Sri Lanka, while the green peacock is found in Java and Myanmar (Burma). A more distinct and little-known species, the Congo peacock, inhabits African rain forests.

Flamingo Birds Free HD Wallpapers And Bio

                                    Flamingos or Flamingoes are a type of wading bird in the genus Phoenicopterus (from Greek: φοινικόπτερος, meaning "purple wing"), the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae. There are four flamingo species in the Americas and two species in the Old World. Six flamingo species are recognized by most sources, and these are generally placed in one genus. Two species, the Andean and the James's Flamingo, are often placed in the genus Phoenicoparrus instead of Phoenicopterus.

                                   These famous pink birds can be found in warm, watery regions on many continents. They favor environments like estuaries and saline or alkaline lakes. Considering their appearance, flamingos are surprisingly fluid swimmers, but really thrive on the extensive mud flats where they breed and feed. Greater flamingos are likely to be the only tall, pink bird in any given locale. They also have long, lean, curved necks and black-tipped bills with a distinctive downward bend.

                               The word "flamingo" comes from the Spanish and Latin word "flamenco" which means fire, and refers to the bright color of the birds' feathers. While flamingos are considered wading birds, they are most closely related to grebes genetically. Flamingos are strong but rare swimmers and powerful fliers, even though they're most often seen just wading.

                                 When flying in a flock, the top speed of a flamingo can be as high as 35 miles per hour. Flamingos hold their bills upside down while feeding, often for several hours a day, so they can filter out their food while skimming the water. A flamingo chick's bill is small and straight, but will develop the distinct "break" curve after a few months. Flamingos are monogamous birds that lay only a single egg each year. If that egg is lost or damaged, they do not typically lay a replacement. Parent flamingos feed their chicks exclusively crop milk for 5-12 days after hatching. This high fat, high protein substance is not like mammalian milk, but is excellent nutrition for growing chicks.

                                    There are thought to be between 2.2 million and 3.25m lesser flamingos in the world of which between 1.5m and 2.5m are found in East Africa. The global population is declining because of habitat loss and contamination. Lack of breeding at Lake Natron will reduce the region’s population. The lesser flamingo is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List 2004. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES and on Appendix II of the Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Species.

Red And Green Macaw Desktop Wallpapers

                                   The Green winged Macaw (Ara chloropterus), also known as the Red and green Macaw, is a large mostly-red macaw of the Ara genus. This is the largest of the Ara genus, widespread in the forests and woodlands of northern and central South America. However, in common with other macaws, in recent years there has been a marked decline in its numbers due to habitat loss and illegal capture for the parrot trade.

                            Red and green macaw generally mates for life. The female typically lays two or three eggs in a nest made in a hole in a tree. The female incubates the eggs for about 28 days, and the chicks fledge from the nest about 90 days after hatching.

                                      Red and green Macaws are usually seen in pairs, small flocks of several pairs, or (less frequently) family groups. They sometimes associate with Scarlet or Blue-and-yellow Macaws (Ara ararauna). In the northern part of their range, Red-and-green Macaws tend to inhabit terra firme rainforest (forests that do not experience seasonal flooding), apparently avoiding swampy areas. In the southern and eastern parts of the range, they are often found in more open and drier habitats. They have been reported to elevations of 1000 m in Panama, 500 m in Colombia, and 1400 m in Venezuela. Large trees with cavities are generally required for nesting, but in some areas they nest in crevices in rock faces.  are generally absent near human population centers. Birds forage in the canopy, feeding on fruits and seeds.

                                      Red and green Macaws are found in eastern Panama and South America south to (at least reported formerly, though conceivably based on escaped captives) northern Argentina. This species is generally uncommon due to population declines from capture for the pet trade, habitat loss, and hunting. It is locally distributed in Panama, Venezuela, and Bolivia, but widespread throughout much of the Amazon basin. It is also widespread in captivity.

                                         Red and green Macaws are beautiful, brilliantly colored members of the parrot family. Many macaws have vibrant plumage. The coloring is suited to life in Central and South American rain forests, with their green canopies and colorful fruits and flowers. The birds boast large, powerful beaks that easily crack nuts and seeds, while their dry, scaly tongues have a bone inside them that makes them an effective tool for tapping into fruits.

The Rainbow Lorikeet HD Wallpapers And Taxonomy

                          The Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus) is a species of Australasian parrot found in Australia, eastern Indonesia (Maluku and Western New Guinea), Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. In Australia, it is common along the eastern seaboard, from Queensland to South Australia and northwest Tasmania. Its habitat is rainforest, coastal bush and woodland areas. Several taxa traditionally listed as subspecies of the Rainbow Lorikeet are increasingly treated as separate species. Rainbow Lorikeets are true parrots, within the Psittacoidea superfamily in the order Psittaciformes. The Rainbow Lorikeet has often included the Red-collared Lorikeet (T. rubritorquis) as a subspecies, but today most major authorities consider it separate. Additionally, a review in 1997 led to the recommendation of splitting off some of the most distinctive taxa from the Lesser Sundas as separate species, these being the Scarlet-breasted Lorikeet (T. forsteni), the Marigold Lorikeet (T. capistratus) and the Flores Lorikeet (T. weberi). This is increasingly followed by major authorities.[5][6] With these as separate species, the Rainbow Lorikeet includes the following subspecies (in taxonomic order); most of the common names listed below are only used in aviculture.

                                The Rainbow Lorikeet mostly forages on the flowers of shrubs or trees to harvest nectar and pollen, but also eats fruits, seeds and some insects. The eggs of the Rainbow Lorikeet are laid on chewed, decayed wood, usually in a hollow limb of a eucalypt tree. Both sexes prepare the nest cavity and feed the young, but only the female incubates the eggs. The Rainbow Lorikeet appears to have benefited from artificial feeding stations and prolific-fruiting and flowering trees and shrubs. The Rainbow Lorikeet is found in a wide range of treed habitats including rainforest and woodlands, as well as in well-treed urban areas.

                                       Most lorikeets are outgoing in nature. Some species are more aggressive than others and some may have a tendency to become territorial. As pets, hand-reared birds are the best choice as they are more familiar with people and easier to handle. Lorikeets are highly gregarious and if not in the company of other birds will fulfil their need for company with people or other pets. Some owners are surprised by the level of involvement needed to own a pet lorikeet, especially a single bird. They find the birds very demanding and must provide their pet lorikeet with constant companionship and stimulation. Birds kept as pairs or in colonies do not usually demand the same level of attention, but they also do not form as close a bond with their owners. Lorikeets are intelligent and can be trained, some even talk. In large numbers they can be quite noisy emitting sharp shrieks and chatterings.

                          Lorikeets are one of the few parrots that eat mainly nectar and pollen and therefore need a specialised diet. There are now commercial brands of both wet (nectar) and dry (pollen) lorikeet feeds that have made feeding and nutritional maintenance of the birds easier. These feeds can be bought from any pet store. A daily supply of fruit and vegetables is also important in a balanced, healthy diet and native eucalypt flowers are always well received. Left over food should be removed immediately and feeding equipment should be thoroughly cleaned.

                                    Lorikeets make great companions for those with the time and dedication to satisfy a single bird. For those who wish only to enjoy the beauty of these birds, a pair or colony of lorikeets in an aviary is a better choice. Lorikeets are a good beginners bird, but it is important to remember the large amount of liquid excreta that a lorikeet will produce. Anyone interested in breeding birds should seek the help of a club or more experienced breeder.

Princess Of Hill Stations Kodaikanal HD Wallpapers

                                   Kodaikanal is a city in the hills of the taluk division of the Dindigul district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Its name in the Tamil language means "The Gift of the Forest". Kodaikanal is referred to as the "Princess of Hill stations" and has a long history as a retreat and popular tourist destination. Kodaikanal was established in 1845 as a refuge from the high temperatures and tropical diseases of the plains. Much of the local economy is based on the hospitality industry serving tourism.

                           The word Kodaikanal is actually an amalgamation of two words: Kodai and Kanal. And the Tamil language has at least four possible interpretations of the name "Kodaikanal". By pronouncing the first syllable of Kodaikanal with a long Tamil 'O', as in koe-dei, it means summer, whilst the final two syllables: kanal, in Tamil can mean to see, rendering 'Kodaikanal' as a 'place to see in Summer'. Kodaikanal is a summer forest, and it is also a place that the first missionaries to settle used as a refuge to escape the overbearing and mosquito-ridden heat of the plains - a place that they would have counted on seeing in the summer! "Kanal", in Tamil, can also mean dense forest or closed forest. In this case, "Kodai" can have at least four different meanings. By pronouncing 'Kodai' with the long Tamil 'O' and short 'e', Ko-dai means "the end". So that KODAI KANAL could mean "The End of the Forest" which makes poetic as well as geographical sense, in that Kodaikanal is situated at the crown of the Palani Hills, and is effectively surrounded and protected by thick forests, which one must traverse to reach Kodai.

                                 Fodder shortage in Kodaikanal Hills caused by shrinking grazing lands is threatening the very existence of Indian bisons. Environmental and animal activists in Kodaikanal say at least two Indian guars died due to malnutrition in the past three months. The spread of foreign weeds like wattle are blamed for choking the growth of grasslands on the hills. Environmentalists, who accessed the autopsy report of dead bisons, urged the forest department to stop monoculture and promote indigenous trees in the ecologically fragile Kodaikanal forests. Wattle is notorious for invading natural vegetation and displacing native flora.

                                While forest officials are in the denial mode, animals are starving. "There is basically very less grassland in the forest because of wattle presence. Animals are intruding into residential areas and eating whatever thrown by the visitors," Kishore Cariappa, an animal enthusiast from Kodaikanal said. Both environmentalists and animal enthusiasts in Kodaikanal are aghast at the condition of animals. "I happened to access the post-mortem report of an Indian Guar that died recently. I was shocked to see that it died due to malnutrition. Due to food shortage the animals stray into tourists spots and eat food wastes. Most Indian Guars spotted inside the forest looked emaciated," said Minoo Avari, an avid environmentalist and the president of Mya Palanimalai Farmers Association.

     

                                        Tourists visiting the hill station this winter will have an opportunity to see the bountiful blossom of ornamental plum tree, technically known as Prunus Genus. Standing in front of the recently renovated Glass House in the Bryant Park, the ornamental plum tree has started blossoming. It belonged to the flowering varieties like almond, apricot, cherry, nectarine and peach. Collectively known as stone fruits, these trees produce little or no eating-quality fruit but are prized for their springtime display of blossoms.

                                            Some trees even offer fall foliage colour, as well as an attractive shape. People may not value its tiny plums, but they draw birds in large numbers. Moreover, butterfly larvae feed on the prolific flowers in spring only, according to Deputy Director of Horticulture S. Raja Mohamed. “It is an asset to the Bryant Park.” Special care is needed for the maintenance of this ornamental tree variety.