Tasmanian Devil
Unlike the cartoon, tasmanian devil’s are not snarling ravaging beasts. They are typically calm. They earned their name when European settlers witnessed them in their rage. The tasmanianb devil enters this rage when it is cornered or fighting for a mate. These wild animals have a coat of coarse brown-black fur. Most have a white stripe on their chests and light brown patches on their hind quarters. They can grow up to 30 inches in length and reach weights of up to 26 pounds. They have sharp teeth and extremely strong jaws. They are strictly canivorous, relying on snakes and small rodents for their diet. They once resided in Australia, but through poaching they now only live in their native island of Tasmania.
King Cobra
The king cobra snake is the largest venemous snake in the world. All snakes can only lift or stand up one third their body length. The largest of these snakes can stand up and look an adult human in the eyes! They cna reach up to 18 feet in length. That is a huge snake! They are just as capable of attacking while standing as when lieing flat on the ground. They have ionic hoods of skin on their head that the spread wide to look even bigger, though at 18 feet long I am unsure why they need to look any larger! They have a bone chilling hiss that often sounds more like a growling dog than a snake. Their venom is not the most poisonous of all snakes, but they put out 2/10 of a fluid ounce in one bite. That is enough to kill 20 people, or one elephant! These snakes live in India, China, and Asia, and their markings differ from region to region. The king cobra is the only snake that build nests for their eggs, and they guard these nests ferociously. These snakes truely are one of a kind!
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard lives in the rocky mpuntains of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and China. Unlike their name indicates, they usually do not live in snowy territories. The temperature in the mountains is typically around 10 degrees. Their white spotted coat helps them blend in to the rocks and mountain side that they live in. They have very large paws that help them grip the steep cliffsides, along with a large long tail that they use for balance. They feed most often on mountain goats that roam nearby on in the same mountains. These cats are endangered due mainly to the native goat farmers. Every time a goat would be taken by a cat, the farmers would go to the mountains and kill more leopards. Now it is illegal to trade furs, organs, or any part of a snow leopard. Despite these laws, people are still killing and trading these beautiful cats. The laws have helped, but it has not completely solved the issue. These cats may be extinct sooner than anyone knows.
Turkey Vulture
The turkey vulture is a a large carrion-eating bird that is excellant when it comes to flying and soaring. They have a keen sense of smell, allowing them to find their main sorce of food- anything dead. They will eat dead animals along with rotten fruit such as pumpkins and grapes. They also have been noted eating grasshoppers and coyote feces. The vulture’s head is bald and bright red. It’s body is primarily dark brown. Their head’s are bald for a reason. If their heads were feather covered, it would gather meat particles and bacteria while reaching into carcuses to eat. It is a matter of hygein. They grow to a length of 25-32 inches long and have a wing spand of up to 6 feet! They do not have a voice box, so they are limited to hissing and grunting. They typically hiss at eachother when fighting over food. They are typically gentle and non-aggressive. They typically roost in large community groups.
Ibex
The Ibex is a close relative to the goat. They can be found in the mountains throughout the world- from the Rocky’s the the Alps. The males are easily recognized with their beards and their large ribbed horns that curl backwards behind their head. Females of this specias have smaller smooth horns and do not grow beards. Their coats are a sandy color whith a white underbelly. Adult Ibex weigh in from 225- 275 pounds. Their children are not born with horns, but later develop them. All Ibex, young and old, are amazing climbers of trecherous terrain. They have great balance and can stand on almost a vertical slope with ease. These animals would not be able to survive in the terrain that they do if it were not for their balance and split hoofs.
Goblin Shark
The goblin shark is a unique and ancient living species of shark. It has a very noticable protruding beak-like snout which is directly above its mouth. The mouth is truely unique. The shark can open its bottom jaw then allow its top and bottom jaws to spring forward seperate from its head. Unless attacking, their mouths are tucked up under their long “beak”. They are found in many of the worlds oceans, deeper than the sunlight can reach, but were originally discovered in the waters around Japan. They are often 200 meters below the water feeding on deep sea crabs, fish, and squid. The deepest goblin was found at 1300 meters below! There is no real threat to their population, and are not considered to be endangered, even though they are so rare to see. Their species was first found by a Japanese fisherman in 1897.
African Honey Bees, the Killer Bee!
The African honey bee is considered the most deadly bee on Earth. They are a mix breed of the southern African honey bee and the Brazilian honey bee. In 1957 Brazilian scientists imported many of the southern African bees in a quatantined attempt to cross breed them with the native bees to create a better bee better adapted. In their attempt, many bee’s escaped and began breeding with the local bees. From that time they have began spreading at a rate of greater than 200 mile per year. They have earned the name of “Killer Bee” because they have been known to attack people and animals who unknowinglye enter their territory. resulting in injury or death! Their venom is no stronger than native honey bees, but they attack in much greater numbers and therefore use more venom on their enemy. The first swarm of African honey bees were detected in the united states in 1990 in Texas. As of today, they remain in Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, California, and Arizona. They nest almost anywhere, from trees and bushes to walls of houses to holes in the ground. These bees have proven to be fast spreading and made a true spot for themselves on the list of dangerous insects.
