Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:


CHECK IT OUT MY LATEST ENDANGERED SPECIES GALLERY




Narwhal

         Narwhal

Monodon monoceros
Narwhals are mid-sized whales living in the cold waters of the Arctic Circle near northern Canada and Greenland. They grow between 4 and 6 m (12-20 ft.) in length – a similar size to their relative, the beluga whale.
But they are easily distinguished from their beluga kin. Male narwhals possess a great spiraled tooth that projects from their heads. The long, hornlike tooth can reach up to 3 m (10 ft.) in length and grows continually to replace wear. Researchers are unsure of the exact purpose of the tooth. Some believe it serves as an attractive ornament for mating, while others believe it is used as a weapon to fight rivals. One researcher concluded that the tooth has the ability to detect changes in water temperature and pressure.
Narwhals also have a second tooth that measures about 30 cm (1 ft.) long, but it remains embedded in the skull. Some females have been spotted with a protruding tooth, though not nearly as long as that of the males. There have even been some males with two long protruding teeth.
Narwhals also differ from belugas in skin color. Narwhals have black and white mottled skin. Appearing to resemble the bodies of drowned soldiers, the name narwhal derives from the old Norse word nar meaning corpse.
At birth, narwhals are approximately 1.5 m (5 ft.) in length. At maturity, which is between 6 and 9 years, females grow to about 3.5 m (11.5 ft.) in length, and weigh around 1,000 kg (2,200 lb.). Males reach between 4 and 6 m (13 and 20 ft.) and can weigh 1,600 kg (3,500 lb.).
Once they are mature, females will give birth to a calf once every 3 years. The pregnancy lasts for about 14 months, and calves are born in the spring.
Like many other whales, narwhals travel in groups. Their pods average 15-20 whales. Sometimes multiple pods will meet in social groups of up to 100 whales, although it is hard to get exact numbers. Narwhals have proven difficult for researchers to tag and track, mainly due to the cold and icy water conditions and the fact that narwhals do not come very close to shore.
Narwhals feed more regularly in the winter, consuming fish like cod and halibut, shrimp, and squid. Preying on creatures primarily on the bottom of the sea, they dive on average 800 m (.5 mi.), but can go twice that. The dives last around 25 minutes. In the summer, narwhals feed rarely, having stored up enough energy during the winter feeding season. They return to the same feeding grounds each year.
Narwhals are preyed upon by polar bears and walruses if they get trapped by shifting ice. Off shore they are attacked by orcas, to whom they are also related. In the summer, narwhals are also hunted by Inuits using kayaks and spears.

Conservation Status

Narwhals are currently considered near-threatened. Exact data is not known regarding the number of narwhals in the world. There are concerns with specific populations near the coasts of Eastern Canada and Greenland due to intense hunting. Many of the areas inhabited by narwhals are also subject to drilling and mining, which produces waste that is dangerous to all animal populations.

What You Can Do to Help

One way you can help is to get involved with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

Narwhal Distribution

Arctic map showing the narwhal distribution in the Arctic Circle
          Narwhals inhabit the cold waters of the Arctic Circle near northern Canada and Greenland.

Narwhal Resources



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10 Amazing Dangerous Toothpaste Ingredients

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under: ,

10 Amazing Dangerous Toothpaste Ingredients


File:Toothpasteonbrush.jpg


Toothpaste even though (in some form or another) has been around as long as the Ancient Greeks have, the formula (as we know it) did not become popular until World War I. As soon as companies began manufacturing toothpaste, people began to purchase the magical concoction - guaranteed to produce glistening teeth! White teeth were all the rage after World War I had ended, and toothpaste quickly became a product that most people simply couldn't live without.

Toothpaste is one item that nearly everyone uses today, but what makes this concoction so special? Whether you brush your teeth once per day or three times per day, chances are that you've never taken the time to read that ingredient list. Some believe that the ingredients contained in a standard package of toothpaste are essential - others believe that water may be just as effective. In the end, there's a good reason why most toothpaste packages warn: "Do Not Ingest!"



10. Formaldehyde

That same ingredient that coroners can't live without can be found inside of your toothpaste tube. Formaldehyde kills all of those small bacteria that climb onto your teeth after eating or sleeping. If a large amount of formaldehyde is accidentally ingested, the result could be fatal. Severe formaldehyde ingestion results in jaundice, kidney damage, liver damage, and death.

9. Detergent

Foam, suds, activation! What would toothpaste be without that satisfying soapy feeling? Manufacturers use regular detergent in order to appease the masses that prefer bubbly toothpaste. While bubbles may be fun, be careful if you accidentally ingest a large amount of this stuff - swallowing detergent can cause digestive tract burning.

8. Seaweed

Stretchy and slimy, seaweed holds that paste together. Without this green stuff, toothpaste would simply fall apart! The good news is that seaweed isn't toxic. Infact, seaweed has a number of nutritional benefits, though hitting the sushi bar is a better way of gaining those benefits.

7. Peppermint Oil

Minty, minty, minty! Fresh breath can only be kept fresh with the help of peppermint oil! While refreshing when brushing your teeth using toothpaste, peppermint oil can cause a slow pulse, heartburn, and muscle tremors if it is consumed.

6. Paraffin

As slick as the petroleum that it is derived from, paraffin creates a smooth paste that oozes onto your toothbrush using toothpaste. As you might imagine, paraffin wasn't meant to be eaten. If you happen to swallow this ingredient, you may end up with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and severe constipation.

5. Glycerin Glycol

Never heard of this ingredient before? Sure about that? Glycerin glycol is added to toothpaste in order to prevent the paste from becoming too dry – it's also found in antifreeze. Even though glycerin is not toxic, this additive may cause nausea if swallowed.

4. Chalk

That's right - chalk. Thanks to the fact that chalk is made from exoskeletons, it's hard enough to remove all of that caked on gunk from your pearly whites. Chalk dust may cause lung problems if inhaled via toothpaste, and swallowing a bit of chalk could cause bleeding.

3. Titanium Dioxide

This is another common toothpaste ingredient, though it's usually found in white paint. When added to toothpaste, titanium dioxide has the safe effect on your teeth as it does on walls - it keeps them nice and white (for a few hours, at least!). Ingesting titanium dioxide won't hurt you, but it isn't recommended either.

2. Saccharin

Something has to combat that terrible detergent taste! Saccharin is sweet, but not too sweet - just the way that most people like their toothpaste! Saccharin has been a hot topic of debate every since Theodore Roosevelt was in the White House. The USDA tried to ban the substance in 1972, though it is considered "safe" to ingest today.

1. Menthol

One last ingredient to add a minty note to your breath. Without menthol, toothpaste might taste like, well, chalk, glycerin, paraffin, detergent, titanium dioxide, and seaweed! Go ahead and ingest menthol if you like, but sipping some tea containing menthol is a far better idea than chewing on your tube of toothpaste.
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WORLD LARGEST FROG

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
WORLD LARGEST FROG


   This might be the world's largest frog ever, the name of this species was Goliath Frog or in the science name we call it Conraua goliath, it commonly lived in Benito River Cameron in the west Africa near to Gabon. the length of this frog can reach about 33 cm and the weight can reach 3.3 kg, if this creature was sitting it will looks like a cat. Children in Africa were familiar with this frog, they treat this animal as their pet like dog or cat.



But unfortunately the number of this species were decreasing and this species will face their extinction.. because of the wild hunting. every years, there's about 300 of Goliath Frog was export to the foreign country.Science Name : Conraua goliathAge : Approximately they can stand for 15 years..Food : Scorpions, Insect and small frog.The goliath frog, Conraua goliath is the largest extant anuran on Earth, and most likely the largest anuran that has ever lived. This has led to various hypotheses that Goliaths represent the upper limit of anuran growth. It can grow up to 13 inches (33 cm) in length from snout to vent, and weighs up to 8 lb (3 kg). This animal has a relatively small habitat range, mainly in West Africa (near Gabon). Its numbers are dwindling due to habitat destruction, food collection and for the pet trade.
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Dinosaur Facts

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:

Dinosaur Facts
The heaviest, the biggest, the smallest, the oldest... all the hottest dinosaur facts can be found here.

The First Dinosaur to be Named 


The first dinosaur to be named was Megalosaurus. It was named in 1824 by Reverend William Buckland. Megalosaurus means ‘great lizard’ and it was about 9 metres long, and 3 metres tall.

The First Dinosaur to be Discovered in America 


The first discovery of dinosaur remains in North America was made in 1854 by Ferdinand Vandiveer Hayden during his exploration of the upper Missouri River. He discovered a small collection of teeth which were later described by Joseph Leidy in 1856 as belonging to Trachodon, Troodon, and Deinodon.

The Longest Dinosaur The longest dinosaur was Seismosaurus, which measured over 40 metres, as long as five double-decker buses. It was related to diplodocus, which for a long time held the honour.

The Heaviest Dinosaur


The heaviest dinosaur was Brachiosaurus at 80 tonnes. It was the equivalent to 17 African Elephants. Brachiosaurus was 16m tall and 26m long and is the largest dinosaur skeleton to be mounted in a museum


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The Smallest Dinosaur Egg - How To Tell a Dinosaur Egg from a Rock?


Dinosaur eggs come in all shapes and sizes. They tend to be ovoid or spherical in shape and up to 30cm in length - about the size of a rugby ball. The smallest dinosaur egg so far found is only 3cm long. Once the egg has been fossilised it will become hard like rock, but it will retain a structure of its own.

The Smallest Dinosaur


The smallest fully-grown fossil dinosaur is the little bird-hipped plant-eater like lesothosaurus, which was only the size of a chicken. Smaller fossilised examples have been found, but these are of baby dinosaurs.
The Most Brainy Dinosaur


One of the most intelligent dinosaurs was Troodon. It was a hunting dinosaur, about 2 metres long, and had a brain size similar to that of a mammal or bird of today, stereoscopic vision, and grasping hands

The Dumbest Dinosaur


Stegosaurus had a brain the size of a walnut - only 3 centimetres long and weighing 75 grams. However, comparing brain size to body size sauropodomorphs, like Plateosaurus, were probably one of the dumbest dinosaurs.

 The Tallest Dinosaur


The tallest dinosaurs were the Brachiosaurid group of sauropods. Their front legs were longer than the rear legs giving them a giraffe-like stance. This combined with their extremely long necks, which were held vertically, meant they could browse off the tallest trees. Brachiosaurus - the most well known of the group - was 13 metres tall. Sauroposeidon was massive and probably grew to 18.5 metres tall making it the tallest dinosaur.

The Fastest Running Dinosaur


The speediest dinosaurs were the ostrich mimic ornithomimids, such as Dromiceiomimus, which could probably run at speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour.

The Oldest Dinosaur


The oldest dinosaurs known are 230 million years old, and have been found in Madagasgar. As yet they have not been formally named. Before this Eoraptor, meaning "dawn thief" had held the title at 228 million years.

The Longest Dinosaur Name


The dinosaur with the longest name was Micropachycephalosaurus meaning "tiny thick-headed lizard". Its fossils have been found in China, and it was named in 1978 by the Chinese palaeontologist Dong.

The Fiercest Dinosaur


Tyrannosaurus rex looked the most ferocious of all the dinosaurs, but in terms of overall cunning, determination and its array of vicious weapons it was Utahraptor that was probably the fiercest of all. Utahraptor measured about 7 metres, and was a very powerful, agile and intelligent predator.
The Largest PterosaurQuetzalocoatlus with its wingspan of up to 13 metres was probably the largest pterosaur, and hence the largest flying creature of all time. Despite its size it weighed no more than 100 kilograms. Its only contender may be Arambourgiania, which is only known from one bone but scaled up the whole pterosaur could have been even larger. Pterosaurs were not dinosaur.



Elasmosaurus was the longest plesiosaur at up to 14 metres (46 ft) long. Half of its length was its neck, which had as many as 75 vertebrae in it (in comparison to 7-8 neck vertebrae in humans). Elasmosaurus had four long, paddle-like flippers, a tiny head, sharp teeth in strong jaws, and a pointed tail. Plesiosaurs were not dinosaurs but were marine reptiles.
What killed the dinosaurs?


It is believed that dinosaur extinction was part of a mass extinction brought about by two massive destructive events. The first of these was the collision with the Earth of a meteorite landing in what is now the Yucatan Peninsula, of Mexico. This was followed by an enormous volcanic eruption which split what is now India in half.

How many types of dinosaur were there?


At present over 700 different species of dinosaurs have been identified and named. However palaeontologists believe that there are many more new and different dinosaur species still to be discovered.

How many species of dinosaurs have been found in Britain?


So far 108 species of dinosaurs have been discovered in Britain. Britain was an important area during much of the Mesozoic Era acting as a 'land bridge' between North America and Eurasia. It became a hotspot for dinosaur evolution and migration. British dinosaurs include Megalosaurus, Iguanodon, Neovenator, Eotyrannus, and Cetiosaurus. The dinosaur Museum has the skeleton of a Megalosaurus and the skull of an Iguanodon on display.

 Which is Britain's Oldest Dinosaur?


The oldest known dinosaur so far discovered in Britain is Thecodontosaurus antiquus. It was discovered near Bristol in 1970 but only now has funding been achieved to excavate the dinosaur. Thecondontosaurus was 2.1 metres long, about the size of a kangaroo, and ate plants. It lived on the richly vegetated islands that were around that area in Triassic times about 200 million years ago.

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Top 10 Most Amazing Extinct Animals.

Author: Tamilpandiyan Posted under:
All of us have seen some animal or the other in our lifetime. But what about those animals that we’ve never seen simply because they existed before us or became extinct? This is the Top 10 Most Amazing Extinct Animals.
1. Wooly Mammoths: Extinct 10,000 years
woolymammothrbc_1
Mammoths are hairy elephant-like animals, with sloping back, huge curved tusks up to 3.5 m. long, tiny tail, a large shoulder hump, unique teeth and small ears. They were adapted to cold weather, and lived during the ice age. Woolly Mammoths lived from about 2 million years to 10,000 years ago, that was 65 million years after the dinosaurs went extinct. They lived throughout the world.

2. Megalodon: Extinct 25 – 1.6 million years

meg1_1
During its 25-million years, Megalodon was distributed nearly world-wide. Megalodon is a very large shark/dino shark with fossil teeth, they’re sized would have been 40-100 feet long or even more. They are known from South America, North America, Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. They lived during Miocene era.

3. Dodo: Extinct Since Late 17th Century

dodo1_1
A flightless bird from islands in the Indian Ocean with a black fluffy down and feathers, greenish yellow bill and black feet and related to pigeons and doves. They’re weight ranged according to reproduction periods and seasonal diets. Dodo birds are now extinct and have died out around 1691 AD.

4. Megatherium: Extinct 11,000 Years

megatherium_1
A giant sloth that lived during the ice age.

5. Passenger Pigeon: Extinct since 1914

rombirdgallerypassengerpigeon_1
Passenger Pigeon is the most abundant bird species on earth. Their extensive winter roosting grounds along river bottoms in the Southern Appalachians are recalled in the names of two rivers, the Pigeon and the Little Pigeon.

6. Carolina Parakeet: Extinct since Early 1900s

karolinasittich01_1
Carolina Parakeet is the only member of the parrot family native to the eastern United States. Carolina Parakeet is a large colored bird, about thirteen inches long, with a yellow head and neck and orange cheeks and forehead, mostly bright green in color.

7. Atrox Lion: Extinct 25,000 Years

atrox_1
This cat was about 1/4 larger than the African lion, even bigger than the Siberian tiger. It lived from 25,000 years ago to 10,000 years ago in North America. Fossil evidence indicates it had the most highly developed brain of any known cat.

8. Irish Deer: Extinct 7,700 Years

megaloceros_1
The Irish Deer, was the largest deer that ever lived. The Giant Deer is famous for its size. It lived in Eurasia, from Ireland, during the Late Pleistocene and early Holocene.

9. Great Auk: Extinct Since 1844

keulemansgreatauk_1
The Great Auk stands about 75 centimetres or 30-34 inches high and weighing around 5 kl. It was from the Atlantic. The only species in the genus Pinguinus, flightless giant auks, survive until recent times, but is extinct today. It was also known as garefowl, or penguin.



10. Tyrannosaurus Rex: Extinct 65 Million Years

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Tyrannosaurus Rex: measuring up to 43.3 feet long and 16.6 ft tall, the estimated mass that goes up to 7 tons. It was one of the largest land carnivores of all time.
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