Author: Annette J Beveridge

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Mammals

Why Giant River Otters Are on the Slippery Slope to Extinction

EcoHive Nature

By Annette J Beveridge

Writer and conservationist Annette J Beveridge

River contamination, habitat degradation and overfishing are all familiar stories but for the Giant River Otter, these pressures impact heavily. Found in the Amazon, Orinoco, and La Plata, there may only be 5,000 animals left in the wild. These low numbers are indicative of hunting where the otter pelt was once sought after. Fortunately, action taken in the 1970’s made this unappealing economically, but the slow reproductive maturity hinders the recovery process.  

Giant River Otters are the largest of the mustelid family which includes ferrets and weasels, and they weigh a considerable 22 – 32 kg. They grow up to 1.8 metres in length. Often referred to as the river wolf, Giant River Otters are top predators with a streamlined body and webbed feet. They are agile swimmers, taking fish such as piranhas, Amazonian catfish but crustaceans and even snakes will make it onto the menu.

Their whiskers enable them to detect vibrations from prey underwater which helps them to find and consume up to 9lbs of food per day each.

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Big cats

Endangered – The Threat to Amur Leopards

Amur leopard - endangered

A colossal 80% of the Amur leopard’s habitat has been lost due to forest fires, logging and agricultural land conversion projects

Writer and conservationist Annette J Beveridge
Annette J Beveridge

A subspecies of leopard that has adapted to the colder climates of the mountains and forests, the Amur leopard, (Panthera pardus orientalis) is slightly smaller than other leopards with a thick coat, wide-spacing rosettes and a long tail. The rosettes are spaced further apart with a dark ring around them which helps with identification against other leopards. They can be heard making rasping sounds even if the animal is hidden from sight. Their fur changes seasonally. In the winter, it is lighter with a yellow sheen and in the summer months, a yellow/red tinge develops to the fur.

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Birds

Birds Nesting Earlier

Nature science
Writer and conservationist Annette J Beveridge

by Annette J Beveridge

Spring is upon us. The sound of birds singing and the warmth of the sun is so welcome after the dark nights and the chilly winter months.

It may feel wonderful to us, but we do know that throughout springtime, birds start to build their nests in alignment with available food sources. This is typically around the same time of the year every year.

However, research by US scientists analysed nesting trends and used egg samples available in the Chicago area. It revealed that egg laying is now occurring almost a month earlier than at any time over the last century.

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Reptiles

The Asian Grass Lizard

Long-Tailed Grass Lizard
Writer and conservationist Annette J Beveridge

By Annette J Beveridge

An arboreal, diurnal species distributed throughout southern and south-eastern Asia, the Asian grass lizard (Takydromus sexlineatus) is a species easily recognised by the length of its tail. This distinctive long tail – approximately three times the length of the lizard’s body might be considered a hindrance but it distributes body weight and balance by making points of contact when climbing through grass stalks. They can easily jump from one stalk to the next.

Asian grass lizard description

The lizard has a pointed snout and small head. The tongue is black or pink. Sometimes, small scales can be seen beneath the chin which resemble a beard. The lizard’s limbs are of a normal size but notice the long and thin digits.

The underbelly is cream but the colour on the back will vary – green – beige. Some have brown stripes. Both male and females look similar but males can be identified through the presence of white spots on the side of the body and the pre-anal pores. The male’s tail is also thicker past the vent.

Habitat

These lizards are most commonly found in grasslands. Each morning, they bask in the sunlight and are often seen swaying in the tips of grasses. This greater height affords protection from some of the ground predators. Asian grass lizards are not found in the arid areas but prefer habitat where seasonal rain occurs.

At night, they coil around the grass base or hide beneath logs for protection.

If a predator approaches, the Asian grass lizard remains completely still until danger has passed. If under immediate threat, they will quickly flee to safety diving into the deeper foliage. These are agile lizards and incredibly fast. If attacked, they can drop their tail which serves to distract the predator. The fact that these are such distinctive reptiles may go against them as they are often sold as pets. Fortunately, the species is not at risk.

Categories
Mammals

An Elephant’s Trunk

Elephants
Writer and conservationist Annette J Beveridge

by Annette J Beveridge

An elephant’s trunk is an incredible appendage growing 6-8 ft in length and weighing approximately 140 kg. It should be considered a combination of body parts set in one as it forms the upper lip and an extension of the nose. The nostrils run all the way through the length of the trunk. At the tip of an African elephant’s trunk, you can see the equivalent of two prehensile fingers. This is a proboscides which enables them to grasp and to pick up even the smallest of objects. Asian elephants are different in that they have just one prehensile ‘finger’ at the tip. This is known as a proboscis.

The elephants trunk....

Muscles and usage

There are no bones or joints in the trunk, but they have 40,000 muscles providing flexible movement. By contrast, humans have 600+ muscles within the whole of the body. Elephants use their trunks for multiple tasks, stretching high up into the trees to strip vegetation from branches, or gently rubbing at an itchy part of the body. They use it to satiate thirst too by drawing up to 4 litres of water into the trunk and then, releasing a little water at a time into the mouth.

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News Ocean wildlife

Rising Ocean Temperatures and Tiger Sharks

Tiger Shark Study

The University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science has revealed the changes to tiger shark movements including timings and locations in the western North Atlantic Ocean. This is due to an increase of ocean temperatures. The sharks have become more vulnerable through moving outside of protected areas.

By Annette J Beveridge

Writer and conservationist Annette J Beveridge

Found in tropical and temperate regions, the tiger shark is one of the largest sharks in the world growing over 5 m in length. They weigh between 800-1500 pounds, and live up to 50 years. Tiger sharks are the only surviving member of the genus Galeocerdo.  The name tiger shark originates from the dark stripes running down its body but these fade as the shark matures.  Skin varies in colour from a blue or green hue and there is a light yellow underbelly. Females grow bigger than the males.

Tiger sharks are nomadic

Tiger sharks are guided by warmer currents. They remain in deep water moving along reefs but will move closer to the shore when following prey. These are aggressive predators, often circling prey, nudging it before establishing a full attack.  

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Big cats Mammals

The Tragic Loss of Jaguars

By Annette J Beveridge

Editor Annette J Beveridge

Jaguars (panthera onca) are enigmatic animals. With an unusually large round head, a stunning coat and long tail, jaguars are muscled, compact and distinctive. They have shorter legs than other Panthera species of a similar weight. In the Americas, it is the largest species of cat and has the most powerful bite comparative to its size which enables it to bite through the skull of mammalian prey.

Jaguars are the third largest feline after tigers and lions and are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are classified as near threatened. An investigation into the population recorded a loss of almost 1500 animals. Here’s why.

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Bees

Introducing Flesh-Eating Vulture Bees

By Annette J Beveridge

Editor Annette J Beveridge

There are approximately 20,000 species of bee worldwide and most will search for pollen and nectar but some bees actively seek out rotting flesh instead. Vulture bees (also known as carrion bees) form a select group of three and belong to the genus Trigona.

They live in tropical rainforests and use pheromones to signal a source of food to others. Bees respond to this signal swarming to the carcass where they can be seen covering the flesh with saliva. It may sound gruesome but it has proven of great interest to the science world since this behaviour was first discovered in 1982. These are stingless bees living primarily in South and North America.

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Categories
Snakes

The King Cobra

EcoHive King Cobra

by Annette J Beveridge

Editor Annette J Beveridge

Few snakes strike fear into the heart as much as the king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah). Found in jungles in southern and south-east Asia, the King Cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world with an average length of 10-13 ft (3 -4 metres). The largest recorded king cobra was discovered in Thailand and reached 18ft 4 inches.

The King Cobra is dangerous but often misunderstood. Highly venomous, they will try to avoid confrontation but will provide an intimidating display if....

Capable of lifting 1/3 of its body off the ground, the king cobra moves from side to side in a threatening pose. With black, penetrating eyes, they are identifiable by the hood that flares outwards when the snake feels threatened. The hood is actually the ribs and muscles.

A group of king cobras is called a quiver

 

These are smooth snakes with a yellow, brown, green and black scaly pattern. On the back of the neck, there is a distinctive pattern of colour. Some king cobras are leucistic, and this is where much of the colouration is missing due to a partial loss of pigmentation. The snake may have white or patchy colouring.

These snakes are primarily killers of other snakes and lizards and will take rat snakes, green whip snake, pit vipers, kraits, pythons, and other cobras as a primary food source. If food becomes scarce, they will feed on small vertebrates. Once the snake has eaten well, it will not need to eat again for months due to a slow metabolic rate. King cobras have been known to constrict prey but this is not typical.

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Nature Experiences

The Hunt for the Ocellated Lizard

Ocellated Lizard
Editor Annette J Beveridge

By Annette J Beveridge

My brother and I spent a great deal of time searching for the elusive ocellated lizard while living in Spain. He had practically stumbled across an impressive male in the rough scrubland nearby and had rushed over to my house excited about his latest discovery. Both keen conservationists, I was eager to find one too and knowing these beautiful lizards were ‘almost’ on the doorstep was tantalising.

Near to the house, an area of desert-like scrub stretched for miles all the way to a small beach town on the far distant horizon. The terrain was hot, arid and in places, difficult to navigate. Having done a little research, I knew that the habitat – made up of dry, bushy shrubs, sparsely dotted trees, scrubby woodland in places and rocky, sandy areas, were perfect for this lizard.

We started searching in earnest trying to glimpse any movement. I searched for abandoned rabbit burrows too knowing that these lizards would make use of them. The heat sapped our energy. There was little shade and the sun was torturous at times. Spending hours in 40+ degree heat is really not easy. At times, I had to give in.

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