Naturenibble

Do Goats Shed Their Horns?

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No. All of the horns on a goat are permanent. They grow as the animal gets older, but they never lose them. Horns are made of an exceptionally hard material called keratin, also found in hair and fingernails. It will never come off once it grows out of a goat’s head, just like your fingernails (although you can cut it if you want to).

What Causes Horn Breakage in Goats?

The only exception to this is cases of severe injury when a horn breaks off. In the absence of any other damage, the horns grow back, but they are always smaller in circumference than before the break. If a goat does lose its horn due to injury or disease, it will regrow.

Many times in the case of an accidentally broken horn, the goat will eventually recover and regain the missing horn completely. This may take anywhere from several weeks to several months. Typically, a young goat will grow a horn on each side of its head that is noticeably larger than the other.

This is known as bilateral symmetry. An older goat will generally only have one very large horn on one side of its head, known as uni-lateral symmetry. Each goat’s horn pattern is unique and can be recognized by the shape and size of the horns.

This can be helpful when it comes to identification if you have more than one goat in your herd.

Horn Trimming

When their horns grow larger than necessary, they are trimmed to avoid injury. Goats will often rub their horns around trees and posts to trim them naturally. This is a matter of personal preference.

There are two schools of thought on the use of dehorning. The most traditional approach is to clip off the tip at an early age, just past the blood vessels and nerves. This prevents them from growing into large horns later on in life, but it also causes pain and bleeding for the animal.

To prevent injuries from happening to other goats or humans, you can dehorn them after they have grown fully. … Read the rest of the story.

Do Wolverines Hibernate?

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Wolverines don’t hibernate during the winter because they’ve adaptive features to survive in extreme conditions. They find habitation out of the wind and cold during spring and winter. Wolverines’ fur is dark, thick, and oily, enabling them to withstand water and frost.

Moreover, they can walk on top of the snow, so they don’t hibernate. Their feet are short and have large, five-toed claws and paws. Also, their plantigrade posture enables them to walk on their soles.

They can easily climb up and over trees, cliffs, and snow-covered peaks.

Continue reading for more information about wolverines.

What Is the Taxonomic Classification of the Wolverine?

Wolverines are widely classified into:

Kingdom: Animalia

Class: Mammalia

Infraclass: Eutheria

Subclass: Theria

Phylum: Chordata

Subphylum: Vertebrata

Genus: Gulo

Species: Gulo

Family: Mustelidae

Subfamily: Mustelinae

Order: Carnivora

Suborder: Fissipedia

Species: Gulo

Subspecies: Luscus (New World), gulo (Old World) – possibly, vancouverensis and other isolated subspecies aren’t identified.

What Animals Kill Wolverines?

Wolverines are killed by bears, coyotes, wolves, and humans for meat and valuable fur. Wolverine is a fierce predator but has natural enemies, too. Humans are the primary cause of wolverines’ extinction.

They’ve continued to encroach upon their habitat and killed them for their valuable fur or sport.

Are Wolverines Omnivores?

Wolverines eat both meat and veggies. They typically feed on large game such as mountain goats, moose, and caribou; smaller animals like rodents and squirrels. They might travel over 24 kilometers daily searching for meat and can eat dead animals they didn’t kill.

Wolverines have a higher sense of smell as they can smell prey 25 feet under the snow. They can dig down into the snow and kill hibernating prey. Also, they’re sneaky when searching for food.

Wolverines have strong teeth and jaws to help them crush a carcass and munch it. They’re known to eat both the teeth and bones of their prey. Moreover, wolverines are good at storing food.

They use snow as refrigerators to keep their food fresh. Later, they’ll return to their stockpiles and retrieve food when there is scarcity.

 Do Wolverines Make Dens?

Wolverines mostly live … Read the rest of the story.

How Long are Palm Tree Roots?

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Nothing makes you think about a tropical island getaway or vacation in the sun like the presence of palm trees.  I remember the enthusiasm I displayed on my first trip to the beach.  We knew our destination on the sands, and a beautiful body of water was near because the scenic route was lined with tall palm trees like a wall on either side of the highway.

Ironically, palm trees can reach heights of 75 feet or more and have root systems that grow no more than 3 feet deep.  The roots usually grow horizontally rather than vertically during its period of growth.  In addition, palm tree roots remain in that precarious state as the tree grows taller, contrary to how we see other large tree root systems grow.

For instance, many would believe that as a tree grows above ground, the root system would grow similar to it in depth below the soil.  Like a 50-foot-tall tree having roots just as deep and wide from the tree’s trunk down into the ground.  On the contrary, you can find palm trees well over 60 feet tall with much shorter roots than that.

Yet they are strong and powerful trees, able to withstand the toughest of weather conditions.

How do palm trees survive such severe storms and hurricanes with short roots?

Plant ecologist Dan Metcalfe states that palm trees have three features that help them overcome the dreadful conditions of cyclones, tsunamis, and even hurricanes.

1. Its Fibrous Roots

With such shallow root systems, many wonder how palm trees survive such harsh storm systems.  Hurricanes, typhoons, and tornados are no joke as they usher in winds over 100 miles per hour at times.  Yet, after many storms, the palm tree is one of the few things left standing.

Palms have a fibrous tree root system.  That means its roots adapt in such a way that they branch out in a pattern that enables it to maximize nutrient and water absorption. Its root system has many short roots that spread across the soil’s upper level.

In addition, fibrous root systems grow … Read the rest of the story.

2 Land Animals Without Brains

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A brain is essential for the survival of most living creatures, including humans and other animals. However, when it comes to animals, the matter is a little bit more complicated. There are some animals that do not have brains.

To most people, this is a puzzling statement, because how can such animals survive without a brain of their own? Today, we’ll answer these and other questions as we explore the world of land animals without brains.

What exactly is the brain?

A brain is essentially what is formed when a huge number of nerve cells known as neurons come together to create a big cluster. These neurons, when they act in concert, regulate the physiological activities of the animal. So, how can any animal live if it does not have a brain?

Consider the sorts of organisms that may exist without the need for a brain. They are rather basic creatures when compared to a human being or other animals with whom you may be more acquainted. In order to sense things like food and threats or danger, most of these organisms rely on the most primitive biological mechanisms.

These are the animals That Don’t Have a Brain

Most animals that do not have a brain are sea animals. But, is there any land animal that doesn’t have a brain? Yes, but there are very few land animals that do not have a brain. Although scientists are still hard at work learning about animals that have a brain and those that don’t, we can confirm that the following species belong to the latter group:

Leeches

Leeches (Hirudinea) are capable of surviving in a variety of settings, including marine, terrestrial, as well as groundwater. Leeches are distinguished by having an extended body that is slightly fat and viscous. Several kinds of leeches are predatory creatures, and some of these species can feed on human blood.

Even though leeches do not have brains, they do have neural networks that are scattered throughout their bodies, mostly as a result of tiny nodes as well as sensory organs.

Earthworms

Earthworms (members of the Lumbricidae … Read the rest of the story.

How Long are Oak Tree Roots?

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Mother Nature has provided mankind with so much wonder and curiosity for all of recorded history. It seems that we just can’t help but look around at the planet that surrounds us and be awed. One thing that brings home much of this joy and wonder are the trees that we see.

Oak trees are particularly interesting to a lot of people because of their strength and ability to grow in most parts of the world. When looking at and examining oak trees for all that they are, we cannot forget that they are very much in need of having strong roots that keep them grounded and allow them to do what they need to do. In other words, we should try to be respectful of how oak trees grow and why it matters for the world that we want to live in.

Oak Tree Roots

The roots of an oak tree are very important to its ability to survive and grow. Despite this, oak tree roots are only about 18 inches beneath the surface of the Earth. This is not just a fun fact that you should know, but it is something that plays an integral part in the life of an oak tree and how it manages to survive in nearly all weather conditions.

It keeps its roots near the surface so it can draw in moisture even when there is very little to come by. This is part of the reason why oak trees have been so successful at growing and surviving no matter where they are found on the planet. An important thing to understand about oak trees is that their root system can also be something that works against them.

They have their roots so close to the Earth that they may struggle if there is pavement or some other obstructor that gets in their way. This is a known fact about oak trees, and it may be a reason why a particular oak tree is not able to survive under certain conditions. If you notice that there is an oak tree in your area … Read the rest of the story.

How Long are Redwood Tree Roots?

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Depending on the variety, redwood tree roots can extend out for more than 100 feet. California or coast redwoods, giant sequoias, and dawn redwoods are nature’s three forest giants. I’ll never forget the classic scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo where Madeleine (Kim Novak) and Scottie (Jimmy Stewart) are virtually dwarfed by the “Father of the Forest” sequoia.

What gives these trees such amazing growth potential and the ability to live for thousands of years? Let’s get to the root of this question together.

Roots – Going The Distance

Redwood tree roots grow out, not down like other trees. You’ll find these systems extending only six to twelve feet deep, often with the bulk of the growth closer to three feet beneath the soil’s surface. At a glance, such shallow growth might not seem like it can support forest behemoths that can grow between one hundred and fifty and three hundred feet tall.

No Taproot Needed

Unlike the thick taproot that becomes a carrot or the sometimes frustratingly long ones that support a dandelion, redwood seedlings don’t rely on these central, deep-diving anchors. That’s because their shallow root systems are able to get water and oxygen nearer to the surface of the soil where they grow.

How Do Redwoods Get Water?

Did you know that redwoods can make their own rain? Shallow roots mean these trees need a lot of moisture. Sure, groves along the California and Oregon coasts can count on winter rains, but they also “comb” fog during the summer months – collecting moisture on hanging branches and leaves and dripping it onto the soil.

According to plant ecologist Todd Dawson, these trees get between one-fourth and one-half of their water this way. If that isn’t cool enough for you, terpenes released from their leaves can also help condense moisture, creating cooling clouds.

It Takes A Grove To Grow A Redwood

You’ve probably heard plenty of quotes and anecdotes championing the benefits of deep roots (any Tolkien fans out there?). Redwoods show us the advantages of shallow but far-reaching roots – they make it easier to … Read the rest of the story.

How Long are Tomato Roots?

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Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum, Lycopersicon lycopersicum) grow up to 3 feet long depending on which root system they have. I’ve always planted tomatoes in my garden after turning about one foot or more of the soil over with a pitchfork. I know, I’m pretty old school about that.

I find that the tomato taproots grow deep and develop healthy root systems this way. If you want to plant tomatoes but don’t have room for a garden, you can plant them in containers or raised beds. You just need to make sure you have enough depth for the tomato roots to grow long.

Learn more about how long tomato roots grow and the types of root systems they have. This will help you grow healthy plants and tomatoes.

What Root System Do Tomato Plants Have?

Tomato plants can have two different types of root systems. One is a taproot system and the other is a fibrous root system. It’s important to know the difference if you’re growing tomatoes in your garden, raised beds, or pots.

Whether the tomato plant has a taproot or a fibrous root system depends on how it was germinated. If it grows from a seed, it develops the taproot. Plants that grow from cuttings develop a fibrous root system.

What Are Taproots?

A taproot is a large, central root. It is longer and wider than the lateral roots that grow off of it. Taproots grow deeper into the soil than fibrous roots.

Since they’re so deep, they can hold the weight of large tomato plants.

What Are Fibrous Roots?

Fibrous roots are thin and stringy. They branch out and form a complex web of roots that stay near the topsoil. They look like fuzzy clumps of root hairs.

These fine roots provide nutrients, moisture, and air circulation for your tomato plants. If you notice small bulbs on the ends of the roots, they’re for storing nitrogen.

Why Do Tomato Roots Grow to Different Depths?

When you plant different tomato varieties, you’ll see that their roots develop differently. Some tomato varieties grow roots deeper than others. … Read the rest of the story.

How Long Are Dandelion Roots?

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The central tap-root of a dandelion grows up to 3 feet long, but for most dandelions, it’s 6 to 12 inches. If you’re like me, you have a love-hate relationship with dandelions. You might know them as puffballs, lion’s tooth, or monk’s head.

The bright, yellow blooms are harbingers of springtime, which I yearn for after a cold winter. But, when they invade my lawn, I get out my dandelion puller tool. The thing is, I don’t just pull them and toss them into a compost pile.

I take them inside, clean them off and eat them as a side dish with dinner or dehydrate the roots for later use. Did you know that you can eat all parts of the dandelion roots and leaves? But, if you’d rather not have pesky dandelions in your lawn, here’s what you need to know about dandelion roots, and how to get rid of them.

What Is a Dandelion Taproot?

The dandelion (Taxaracum officinale) is a hardy, perennial plant that grows in all kinds of soil conditions. The reason it’s so successful is because of its taproot. The tap-root grows deep into the soil, which protects the plant from several conditions, such as:

Frost

Heat

Drought

Overwatering

Crowding

The tap-root is the main root of the dandelion’s root system. It carries all the water and minerals into the plant. There are also root hairs that grow out of the large taproot.

They are closer to the surface and absorb water and nutrients from the soil. The tap-root actually stores the nutrients and moisture that the dandelion needs to regrow. This is why the dandelion comes back even if you pull up the leaves and flower stems or mow them down.

Will the Dandelion Die if the Taproot Breaks?

If the dandelion taproot breaks, but a portion of the root is still intact, a new plant will grow. As little as one inch of the taproot can grow a new plant. I found this out the hard way when my hand-pulling was always futile.

You have to remove the entire established … Read the rest of the story.

How Long are Pine Tree Roots?

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Pine trees are popular for landscaping because of their beautiful, evergreen needles and sturdy branches. Besides being attractive additions to any property, pine trees have many practical uses. For example, they can provide shade from the sun in the summer or a windbreak during the winter months.

They also produce cones that make beautiful decorations. However, even with all these benefits, there is one downside: if you don’t care for the roots properly, your tree won’t flourish.

What Are Pine Tree Roots and What Do They Do?

Pine tree roots grow deep into the soil, searching for water and nutrients. They also anchor the tree in place and help to store food reserves. The length of a pine tree’s roots can vary depending on the soil type.

The deeper the soil, the longer the roots will be. Most are about five to twenty feet, depending on the size and age of the tree. However, in dry or sandy soil with fewer nutrients, they can grow much longer.

Some pine tree roots have been known to reach a depth of 40 feet or more. If you have a pine tree close to your home, the roots can sometimes cause damage to sidewalks, driveways, and foundations. That’s why it’s essential to plant your tree within enough distance from your home to provide shade but not cause any damage.

Can Pine Tree Roots Damage Septic Systems?

Pine tree roots can also be a problem for septic systems. If they grow too close, they can clog the system or even cause it to fail. Install septic systems with enough distance from pine trees (and any other type of tree) to protect them from damage.

For problems with your septic system or any other underground plumbing and pine tree roots, you’ll need to contact a professional tree service. The company can inspect the area and develop a plan to remove the roots or entire tree to prevent damage to your septic system or provide the space to make repairs. Don’t fix a septic system with punctures or other damage on your own.

You … Read the rest of the story.

Which Animals Have White Blood?

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Blood is the fluid that carries oxygen and many nutrients around the body that are essential for the survival of humans and animals. But what some people might not know, is that not every blood is red. In fact, blood can come in different colors.

Blood is made mostly of plasma, proteins, and other good stuff that are crucial for humans and animals that have different needs, which is why the color of the blood is not always the same.

Why is Blood Red?

Before we go through the list of which animals have white blood, we should understand why blood is usually red. Blood is usually red because it is created by red blood cells. But why are they red to start with?

Well, inside those red blood cells, there’s a protein named hemoglobin (that helps to carry oxygen around the bloodstream), which gives blood its usual red color. However, in animals, this isn’t always the case, but why?

Why do Animal’s Blood Have Different Colors?

While humans have exclusively red blood, in the animal kingdom, blood is not always the same color. In fact, the blood in animals can come in other colors, like blue, purple, green, yellow, and even white! But why? Because some animals have a very unique blend of proteins in their blood that causes the different colors.

This is usually because of the presence of different proteins and pigments that impact the color of the blood. And in some species, the presence of hemoglobin is not existent as some animals don’t need it to carry oxygen. But let’s find out which animals have white blood and why.

Which Animals Have White Blood?

Some types of fish and insects are among the animals that have white blood. This happens because their bodies have to adapt to different needs, which affects the presence of hemoglobin (the responsible inert oxygen carrier protein that makes the bloodred). But let’s find out which unique animals have white blood below!

Crocodile Icefish

The crocodile icefish’s blood, also known as Channichthyidae has no hemoglobin or red blood cells … Read the rest of the story.

How Long are Cactus Roots?

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The cactus is the king plant of the desert, or any desert environment. Cacti can be seen sprouting up in any region with an arid and hot climate. One consequence of the spread of American civilization in the West was the reclamation of large tracts of desert.

But even where modern cities have been established, the conditions for growing cacti exist. Many urban and suburban residents of such regions have grown cacti in their gardens and communities. In many instances, this is done to better integrate the city with the environment.

If you intend to do this, then you should gain insight into how cacti work.

How Long Are Cactus Roots?

The root system of a cactus is unique in that it is necessary for the plant to retrieve water from deep inside the ground and disperse it widely throughout its wide body. Cactus roots can grow as deep as three feet into the ground and up to three feet wide. Cacti are tough and resilient plants that have evolved to survive the harsh and inhospitable conditions of the desert.

The roots adaptation system is one of the many techniques they have acquired to preserve themselves in the desert.

The Importance of Cacti Roots

Over the centuries, cacti have evolved to collect and store water for prolonged drought seasons. This is essential to their survival. Some have roots that are covered with thick and hairy layers that prevent the loss of water.

Other cacti have a fibrous root system with connective tissues that spread out to collect as much water as possible. Knowing the different types of cacti roots is key to understanding how the plant grows and survives.

Types of Cacti Roots

Here are some of the many different types of cacti roots:

1. Taproots

These are the most common types of roots found on the plant. Cacti send these long roots deep into the ground. Taproots are strong enough to provide stability and firm anchorage for the plant.

The latter is vital to the survival of the plant, as cacti grow in climates filled with heavy wind and … Read the rest of the story.

Do Anteaters Eat Every Type of Ant? If Not, Which Types?

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Anteaters are silly-looking mammals that fascinate anyone who looks at them. With their long snouts, slow-motion movements, and coarse and spiky hair, they’re quite interesting to watch. Anteaters live in Central and South America and get their name from their diets.

Did you know that it’s possible to tell anteaters apart by their front claws? These claws, which are also known as thumbs or fingers, make it easy for the anteaters to tear open termite mounds or logs to reach the ants they love to eat. So, what kind of ants do anteaters eat?

Do they prefer one type above another? Do they ever eat anything other than ants? Let’s find out!

What do Anteaters Eat?

As we all know, anteaters generally (and primarily) eat insects like termites, ants, and other small critters living in the dirt. They lick up these insects with their incredibly long tongues — anteater tongues can be up to two feet long! — that they can flick out of their mouths about 150 times a minute.

These insects provide anteaters with all the protein and nutrients they need to survive. With strong claws, no ant-filled log or termite mound is a challenge a hungry anteater can’t overcome.

What do Different Types of Anteaters Eat?

Not everyone realizes that there are actually two main kinds of anteaters: the giant anteater and the lesser anteater (tamandua). The tamandua is smaller than the giant anteater, is most active at night, and has an unpleasant smell. In addition to these differences, the two types of anteaters also have slightly different diets.

Giant Anteater’s Diet

Giant anteaters mainly eat ants and termites, though it seems they prefer termites above ants. However, if they are in areas where termites are scarce, these anteaters will happily eat only ants. They do also like to indulge in fruit, eggs, carrion, and small lizards.

However, they steer clear of hornet, wasp, and bee nests.

Lesser Anteater’s Diet

Lesser anteaters mostly only eat ants. But, if they can get their paws on them, they will also eat scorpions, grasshoppers, and spiders. Sometimes, … Read the rest of the story.

How Many Times Can a Snake Bite Until it’s Out of Venom?

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If you come face-to-face with a snake, you may be wondering just how many times it can bite you before it runs out of venom. For the vast majority of snakes, it’s highly unlikely that they will bite more than once. And when they do, they can decide how much venom they’ll inject into you.

This is the reason that there are so many “dry-bites” where no venom is injected. As they’re shy and scared of humans, snakes will strike as a last resort and then attempt to make a getaway. Unless, of course, you make contact with a black mamba.

Black mambas are nasty, vindictive snakes with the personality of a psychopath. They’ve been known to bite up to 12 times in a single attack! Their venom is extremely toxic, but they will inject up to 12 times as much venom as is needed to kill their prey.

If you’re unfortunate enough to meet one of these slithery assassins, then you have about 20-30 minutes before you die after a bite. Not pleasant.

Can Snakes Run Out of Venom?

While it is unusual for a snake to bite more than once, it is possible and snakes do run out of venom. It can then take from a few days to some weeks to fully recharge their venom sacs. It is not always necessary for a snake to inject venom to kill its prey or to affect an escape.

They are more than capable of inflicting serious wounds just with their bite alone.

How Long Does it Take for a Snake to Replenish Its Venom?

The complex process of producing venom depends to a large degree on how healthy and well-fed the snake is. Younger snakes take longer to produce venom than older, more mature snakes. Adult rattlesnakes can, for instance, replenish their venom in a matter of days, whereas younger members of the species can take a week or more to produce their venom.

It is always best to assume that the snake has venom available rather than taking a chance and assuming that it has exhausted its supply.… Read the rest of the story.

Which Animals Have Mates for Life?

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Yes, several species mate for life, but you’re far more likely to find these rare couples sporting feathers rather than fur in the animal kingdom. According to BBC Earth, while up to 90% of bird species partner up for a lifetime, only 3 to 5% of mammals form monogamous relationships. So, who are these die-hard duos, and when we say mate for life, what does that really mean?

The answers may surprise you.

10 Animal Species That Mate For Life

Gray Wolves

Eurasian Beavers

California Mice

Shingleback Skinks

Parasitic Flatworms

Black Vultures

Barn Owls

Bald Eagles

Pacific Striped Octopuses

Seahorses

Grey Wolves – The Amorous Alphas

The gray wolf partnership is just as much about status as it is about ensuring the longevity and stability of the pack. It’s easier for an alpha male to protect one mate from other pack members. With pack numbers seen as high as 30 in the wild, and the potential to mate lasting the entire lifetime of the luna or alpha female, keeping other potential suitors in check is essential.

Only the male and female alpha, also known as “the breeding pair,” are permitted to reproduce.

Eurasian Beavers – A Hardworking Relationship

If you’re a she-beaver looking for love, you can’t depend on snaring your partner with one tasty “engagement chicken” and then kicking back and ordering take-out for the rest of your relationship. Male and female Eurasian beavers pair up in order to get enough tree bark to keep each other fed. This hardworking couple also shares housekeeping and parenting duties.

California Mice – They Don’t Dare Cheat

Is that lipstick on your collar?! OK, so mouse arguments probably don’t sound exactly like that but mated California mice are known to angrily bark at each other when separated and placed with other mice for a time. The good news for the calmer California mouse in a mated relationship?

Couples who avoided these little tiffs or quickly decided to forgive and forget were more likely to produce healthy offspring.

Shingleback Skinks – A Rare Reptilian Pair

We’re not sure if it’s … Read the rest of the story.

Do Bears Live in the Same Den Year After Year?

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Bears do not usually live in the same den year after year. So, does that mean if you know where a bear has spent the winter, you are unlikely to see a shaggy black boar or a brown sow and her cubs emerging from the same cozy hole in winters to come? Not necessarily.

Great Dens Are Repeat Retreats

Can you imagine a lair used for thousands of years by so many generations of bears that the walls have been worn smooth by their passage? Dens can be used again and again, but not necessarily by the same bear. Fish and Game bear researcher LaVern Beier “followed one bear for 13 years, and he only used the same den two times, and it wasn’t two years in a row.”

The North American Bear Center echos this sentiment: “the den that researchers found being used the most during four decades of study was used three times, each time by a different bear, and each time after an interval of six years.”

How Do Bears Choose A Den?

Since bears have home ranges anywhere from 50 square miles (for females) and 300 square miles (for males), they have a lot of territories to choose from. You’re more likely to see your favorite bruin sticking to spots close to where they sheltered the year before.

Most Bear Dens Have Three Things In Common

A North Facing Slope

Protection From The Weather

Well-Draining Soil

“If It Ain’t Broke…” – Ursids Everywhere

According to the National Forest Service, “Brown bears rely on past experience to choose den sites that maximize energy conservation.” In some environments, like the Arctic, it’s likely that last year’s hidey-hole has caved in by the time this year’s first cold snap hits. So, how far do these Kodiaks, Grizzlies, Cinnamons, or Kermodes actually travel from last winter’s digs?

Females (Sows): Less Than 2 Miles

Males (Boars): Less Than 4 Miles

The Ideal Winter Hideaway Starts In Summertime

Preparing for their long winter’s rest is no last-minute job, especially for pregnant females. Bears will spend warmer months searching out … Read the rest of the story.

How Long Do Bears Hibernate?

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How long bears hibernate depends on where the bear lives. From mountaintops to tropical forests, believe it or not, bears of the same species living in different environments will hibernate for different periods of time. Some bears don’t hibernate at all, while others can stay in their dens for up to eight months.

Learn more about who’s most likely to be snoozing during snowy weather and who can be seen lumbering through their forest homes year-round.

How Do Bears Change During Hibernation?

Slowed Breathing

Slowed Heart Rate

Slightly Lower Body Temperature

Lower Energy Use & Production

No Need To Eat, Drink, Or Produce Waste

Bears – The Super Hibernators

Torpor, light hibernation, carnivore lethargy – there are a lot of ways to say that bears are not “true hibernators.” One of the main differences between states like torpor and the way say a bat spends the season of snow and ice is how easy they are to wake up. Bears can wake up quickly in response to a perceived threat, like a flood or predator.

As scientists learn more and more about their winter denning habits and unique physical adaptations, however, many now consider bears to be super hibernators.

The 5 Stages Of Bear Hibernation & Activity

Hibernation – Dormant, But Can Waken Quickly

Walking Hibernation – Awake, But Eating & Drinking Less

Normal Activity

Hyperphagia – Putting On The Pounds

Fall Transition – Eating Less, Sleeping More

Types Of Bears That Hibernate

You can find hibernating bears everywhere, from the Arctic to North America to Asia. The colder the climate and the scarcer the food availability during wintertime, the more likely the species is to den up and the longer they do it. So, who are these super hibernators?

American Black Bears

According to Bearwise.org, American black bears “inhabit forests of at least 40 of the 50 states.” So, while inhabitants of the southernmost states and Mexico may forgo their long winter sleep, northern black bears can hibernate for over seven months.

Fun fact, male and female bears hibernate separately. Females often den sooner and leave later in … Read the rest of the story.

How Long are Avocado Plant Roots?

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Gardening can be a rewarding and relaxing pasttime. If, like me, you work in a job that keeps you still and sedentary, if you are chained to a desk for the better part of the day, you should take up gardening. It is nice to go into the air and sun and dig your hands into the earth to plant a few seeds.

Not all your endeavors need to end with decorative plants and flowers. Depending on where you live, the quality of your soil, and the size of your garden, you may be able to grow fruits and vegetables that you can eat. I like to grow avocados in my garden. There are a great many dishes that can be made with them.

They can also be served as a main dish on their own, and I have discovered a range of dishes that make this possible. The avocado is as good a plant as any to start a gardening hobby. However, you should know something about the plant and how to grow, nurture, and care for it.

How Long Are Avocado Plant Roots?

Avocado is native to warm and arid areas of North and South America. Hardier forms of it grow in subtropical climates such as California, Hawaii, Florida, and the Mediterranean. Plants and trees grow by sprouting roots and taking nutrients from the earth.

When growing anything in your garden, you must know how long and wide such roots will grow. This can affect other structures in your backyard and the gardens of homes next to yours. Most avocado feeder roots grow in the top 6 inches of soil.

However, it is important to keep in mind that the roots grow outward in all directions, reaching well beyond the avocado tree itself. The avocado plant prefers loose and well-drained soil, and it is highly tolerant of acidic and alkaline soil conditions.

Caring for Avocado Roots

Avocado roots are relatively shallow. This makes the plant vulnerable to damage from large amounts of rain, flooding, and overwatering. If the plant remains wet for too long, it will lose … Read the rest of the story.

How Long are Bamboo Roots?

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Bamboo is a great plant to have in your garden but if the roots are not maintained well enough, they may spread extremely quickly and cause damage. If you wish to eliminate the bamboo plant or regulate its roots, the first thing you need to do is determine how long the roots are in the first place. Don’t worry, I will explain how long bamboo roots are and everything else you need to know about them in the following post.

“The first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, the third year it leaps.”

How Long Are Bamboo Roots?

The most important thing to know is that bamboo roots are typically thin and fibrous, and they may grow as long as 2 to 3 feet. A bamboo plant has rhizomes, (the component of the plant that spreads), which are normally just a few inches deep, seldom exceeding 12 inches. If you prune your trees yearly, you will have an easier time finding them.

Even though certain varieties of bamboo plants grow longer roots or shorter than others, the majority of the varieties do not grow more than 3 feet. In addition, the rhizomes will never grow deeper than 12 inches. If bamboo roots are not controlled, they may develop quite quickly.

Based on the kind of bamboo plant used, you may find that the roots may even grow as long as 5 feet. Other bamboo roots also grow about 2 and 6 feet every year, depending on the kind of bamboo being used. These figures are quite broad; nonetheless, they are strongly influenced by the zone in which your bamboo plants are growing as well as the kind of bamboo that is growing in your garden.

What Can I Do to Keep My Bamboo Roots Under Control?

The most straightforward method of controlling bamboo is to restrict the size of the area in which its rhizomes (roots) may expand. If you keep rhizomes under control and prune back undesired new shoots, you may enable them to develop without having to worry about spreading. Furthermore, the area in which … Read the rest of the story.

Is There a Point at Which Polar Bears will Get Cold? What is it?

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Polar bears live in the arctic, hang out on slabs of ice, and snack on sea lions. Ultimately, slabs of ice are a big part of what polar bears call home, they live their lives floating around on them. But because the ice continually shifts and moves, so do the bears and they can be found in countries within the arctic region from Alaska, Canada, and Russia to Norway.

Polar bears are well adapted to life in extremely cold weather, but do they always stay cozy underneath all that fur and blubber? I want to figure out whether polar bears ever get cold, but to do that I first need to understand how they stay so warm in the first place.

How Does a Polar Bear Survive in Freezing Temperatures?

Polar bears have a few things to keep them snug in those freezing conditions including:

A thick fur-coat

Layers of blubber

A wicked fast metabolism

A small body surface area to volume ratio helps to minimize heat loss

The fur coat acts as a barrier to keep out the cold and the layer of blubber functions as insulation. Blubber helps the polar bear maintain its body temperature, allowing it to remain at a comfortable 98.6 F. And a polar bear’s super-fast metabolism generates heat, helping it stay warm in a below-freezing climate.

Other adaptations that help a polar bear survive to include:

A white appearance helps it camouflage in the snow when hunting its prey

Large feet help it balance and grip the ice

The polar bear has adapted to its environment in several ways, but a primary trait (and probably its most significant) is its ability to retain warmth, to survive the subfreezing temperatures of its environment. While other survival traits are important, if a polar bear cannot stay warm, it will face a bigger problem than forgetting to bring a sweater. If a polar bear’s body loses the ability to retain heat, the polar bear will not survive.

What Might Limit a Polar Bear’s Ability to Retain Heat?

To figure out whether polar bears can … Read the rest of the story.

Which Animals Have Blue Blood?

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Which color do you imagine when you think of blood? Of course, many people think of red since that is the color of human blood and blood for most animals. But, do you know blood also comes in many colors apart from red?

If you’ve ever done an injustice to a fly or caterpillar, then you know what I’m talking about. Was it green? Blue? or perhaps red?….. Well, in an actual sense, several animals out there have different colors of this life-giving fluid.

Today, we talk about blue blood. Let’s find out why blood can be blue:

Why Do Some Animals Have Blue Blood?

Octopuses, snails, horseshoe crabs, and spiders have one thing in common. All of them have blue blood! But why is their blood blue and not red?

This is because octopuses, snails, and spiders, unlike mammals, don’t use hemoglobin to carry oxygen in their bodies. Instead, they use a related compound called hemocyanin. Rather than having an iron atom in its middle, this molecule has a copper atom that binds oxygen.

It absorbs all colors apart from blue, reflecting and making the blood of these creatures appear blue.

7 Animals With Blue Blood

Blood being blue depends on the presence of hemocyanin in place of hemoglobin. Let’s discuss several animals whose blood appears blue due to this factor.

1. Scorpions

Some scorpions have blue blood due to the high level of hemocyanin in the blood, for instance, the Emperor Scorpion. This is the largest in the scorpion family. Scorpions eat various insects, spiders, lizards, and even other scorpions.

They eat small mammals also, such as mice but can live for months without food, only water. Scorpions are on every continent, excluding Antarctica. They are found in habitats ranging from grasslands to tropical rainforests and deserts.

2. Octopuses

Octopuses have blue blood filled with hemocyanin. Hemocyanin works better than hemoglobin in deep-sea environments where oxygen is poor. Octopuses use hemocyanin, the copper-laden protein, to remain alive in the cold, deep, anoxic waters.

In addition, hemocyanin helps the antennae critters control the salt content of their … Read the rest of the story.

How Do Legless Lizards Move? Survive?

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Something slithered in the grass below. Initially, it seemed like it was a snake and I had to hold my breath for a moment before I bothered to consider the creature that was using weird s-movements while crawling through the grassy plain. Staring at the creature in awe, it dawned on me that the reptile had no actual legs.

It seemed as if it was moving entirely on its stomach!

I wasn’t at the Mojave Desert when I spotted this legless lizard but I had read in a past newspaper article that California-based biologists had stumbled across four new species of legless lizards at first in the Mojave Desert and then at the runway at LAX.

If you’re one of the many people who have never heard about legless lizards, keep reading to learn more about fascinating, exotic creatures.

Are Legless Lizards Snakes?

The idea of a lizard not moving on all fours can be quite confusing. If you, like me, are fascinated with these creatures, you will know that the fact that four new species of legless lizard were found means that lizards are a species with their own qualities. While there are striking similarities between the snake and the legless lizard, their distinct movement patterns prove that both species are actually worlds apart.

More subtle differences between the snake and legless lizard include the way their jaws are structured and the characteristics of their ear openings. These legless lizards have to survive on smaller creatures in comparison to the creatures that are gobbled up by the snake. This is due to the fact that the lizards’ jaws are closely intertwined.

Generally, legless lizards consume prey that is smaller than the size of their heads. While both the legless lizard and the snake survive, they move rather differently in order to survive.

Early Beginnings

While we could assume that the legless lizard and the snake have somewhat of a similar history, we have found fossil remains of legless lizards which may prove that they are an earlier ascendant of the snake.

“In 2007, scientists discovered a 95-million-year-old fossil … Read the rest of the story.

What Animal Do Not Come Out at Night?

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You will see many critters if you wander out at night, but you won’t ever see honey bees, squirrels, or even any Komodo dragons. These animals aren’t afraid of the dark, they are called diurnal animals because their circadian rhythm is designed to allow them to function better during daylight hours. Unlike many of the night creatures, which are considered nocturnal, many of these daylight animals could not survive if they came out only at night.

Let’s take a look at what other living things also share day activity and why.

What Is Circadian Rhythm?

Circadian rhythm is a 24-hour cycle within the living body that determines when the body is most active. This cycle speeds up for twelve hours and is slower during the other twelve. During the active period, the animal or plant needs to eat, exercise, and can think and perform better.

When the cycle slows down, sleep is needed and the body heals. Scientists aren’t completely sure how this developed but it is mainly controlled by the amount of light present. While circadian rhythm is fairly consistent within each being, it is possible to change that rhythm when necessary.

For example, people, who are naturally more active during the day, can adapt to work nights and sleep days. Bears are naturally day animals, but when they live in areas where there are a lot of people, many will adjust their daily activities to forage at night. This is why bears can often be found in garbage cans searching for food.

On the other hand, lions and tigers are naturally active at night, but many have adapted to hunting during the day because that is when their prey is most active.

Why Are Many Animals Active Only During the Day?

Scientists theorize that many of the Earth’s population were active during the day originally. Over time, a number of factors were involved in changing this. By having some animals active during the day and others at night, more animals can share the same area without getting in each other’s path.

This makes it easier to utilize … Read the rest of the story.

5 Insects Without Eyes (List)

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There’s no shortage of blind animals in nature, which is incredible because these animals manage to survive just fine. You probably know how bats have become the poster boy for blindness, and yet they can fly about with no problem. There are also many other blind animals, like moles and salamanders that have adapted to life without eyes.

But, did you know? Insects can be blind too! By insects, we mean those typically small animals with six legs, two compound eyes, two antennae, a head, thorax, and abdomen.

In all instances where a new species of blind insect is discovered, you find that these insects only live in the darkest of environments, such as caves. Also, some small, blind insects live in leaf litter, where little light penetrates. Read on to discover the different types of fascinating, eyeless creatures known to man.

Springtails

Springtails are so-called because they move around by leaping, which they can do using some kind of spring on their body. These eyeless, wingless insects are ancient and primitive, so they have been around for a long time.

There are many types of species of springtail, and those that have evolved to have a significant reduction in eyes live in soil or underground. Generally, springtails feed on decomposing material, bacteria, and fungi.

A few years ago, a new species of springtail known as Plutomurus ortobalaganensis was discovered. This insect now holds the title of the deepest terrestrial animal on Earth. It was discovered nearly 2000 meters below the surface of a cave entrance during an expedition in 2010. The insect lives in a cave called Krubera-Voronja, located in Abkhazia, a far-off place near the Black Sea.

The insects were collected and studied, and besides the observation that P. ortobalaganensis had no eyes, it was also noted that the creature had long antennae. Its grayish body was covered in dark spots. It’s not hard to see why P. ortobalaganensis evolved to be eyeless, seeing that it resides in lightless caves.

It makes sense that the insect does not need eyes while living deep underground in the total absence of light. However, the springtail … Read the rest of the story.

Which Animals have Purple Blood?

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Most living creatures have red blood. There are many, however, that do not share this trait. Their blood can be blue, green, yellow, clear, and even purple.

Purple blood is often found in deep-sea worms such as the peanut worm and bristle worms. Brachiopods have blood that is such a deep purple that it is often thought to be black. The color of blood, which is normally used to carry oxygen throughout the body, is determined by what elements are used for this purpose.

For those with red blood, the common element is iron. The three creatures known to have purple blood do not have iron. A protein called hemerythrin is used to carry oxygen through their bodies.

Let’s take a look at these three fascinating animals.

1. The Peanut Worm

Dwelling at the bottom of many oceans, especially in the area of Hawaii, is the odd-looking peanut worm. The body of the peanut worm is without segments and it sports a bulbous trunk called an introvert. The mouth located inside this introvert is surrounded by a ring of tentacles that help guide food into the worm.

The peanut worm lives mainly on detritus, which is decaying matter from dead sealife. The peanut worm makes its home in a variety of locations. Most of the worms create burrows in the mud or sand at the bottom of the sea.

Others, however, prefer more luxurious homes in rock crevices or inside abandoned seashells. They rarely swim but instead move when necessary by twisting their bodies in every direction. When they are threatened, they can configure their bodies into a shape that resembles a peanut shell.

This is what has given them their unusual name. The same chemical that gives the peanut worm its purple blood also gives it the ability to regenerate should it lose part of its body. The skin of this sea creature is almost translucent, which makes it appear to be purple because you can see the blood running through it.

2. Brachiopods

Brachiopods are also known as lampshades. These small marine shellfish have existed in the … Read the rest of the story.

7 Animals that Don’t Feel Emotions (List)

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Human beings have the capacity to experience a wide range of emotions, from sorrow to grief to happiness, but many of us are unsure if animals have the same experiences. Have you ever wondered what kinds of animals are incapable of feeling emotions?

Scientists claim that certain animals are capable of experiencing emotions, whereas others are incapable of experiencing any feelings at all. According to experts, animals that do not have brain structures or brain networks do not have the ability to feel any emotions. These creatures, which are also referred to as limbic system animals, are incapable of feeling any emotions such as fear, rage, terror, sorrow, or happiness.

For example, multicellular creatures such as sea sponges, most corals, sea anemones, as well as other similar species, are considered to be examples of these kinds of animals. In this post, we will talk about the different animals that don’t feel emotions according to scientists. So if you’re interested in learning more about these creatures that don’t feel emotions, keep reading.

The Following Animals Don’t Feel Emotions

As previously stated, scientists believe that a specific group of animals may experience emotions similar to those experienced by humans; yet, other types of animals do not experience emotions at all.

In the world of invertebrates, there are very few species that ever express what we call emotion. The cephalopods, such as the octopus and the squid, are prominent outliers to this. Despite the fact that they have never shown emotions, responses such as fear, and anger, as well as satisfaction seem to be present in these creatures.

The following are examples of creatures that are incapable of feeling any emotions:

Insects

The world has several insects with thousands of different species that cover the world. They vary according to their colors, shapes, and structures, as well as their overall look. Due to the fact that insects are members of the invertebrate kingdom, they do not have brain networks and, as a consequence, they do not feel any emotion at all.

Jelly Fish

There are various types of jellyfish, and they … Read the rest of the story.

Wolverine (Gulo gulo): The Glutton of the Wild

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Retractable claws, small stature, and fierce temper, and no, we are not talking about the Marvel X-Man character. We are talking about the largest land-living species of the weasel family, the Wolverine. This mammal is only the size of a medium dog, but don’t let their size fool you; they are vicious and have unimaginable strength compared to their size.

A Tough Body Design

The Wolverine looks like a cross between a wolf and a small bear. With dark brown coarse fur, brown-black head, raccoon-like eyes, a longer snout, and a short body. Sometimes he sports a lighter golden stripe from his strong shoulders, traveling down his flanks and to the base of his tail.

His feet are like giant snowshoes; with each step, his toes spread, making it easy to walk on top of the snow. He has semi-retractable claws like a cat, striking, tearing, or climbing as needed. A tenacious mammal with the scientific name of Gulo gulo, which means glutton.

Are they gluttons? Let’s explore the eating habits of the Wolverine together.

Eating Habits

The Wolverine has a reputation for being vicious; it has incredible strength and can kill an animal much bigger than itself. They are considered cruel animals. Paralyzing animals as large as a reindeer by biting the spine.

Yet not killing it until they are ready to eat the animal, allowing it to die as they consume it. Once they are full, they bury it under the snow, saving the rest for later. This has given them the added reputation of being greedy, as they do not share any meal.

Wolverines have a keen sense of smell and can smell a dead animal even though frozen deep under the snow. This ability gives them more food than other animals attempting to survive in harsh weather. Not only can they smell, but they also have unique teeth, including an upper molar that is turned 90 degrees, which makes ripping flesh easier.

The teeth are so strong they can break and rip frozen meat from bones.

Wolverines Eat Almost Anything

An Omnivore … Read the rest of the story.

3 Animals that Can’t See in the Dark

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The ability to “see,” in light or darkness is difficult to truly define. For example, fans of Marvel may be familiar with the superhero Daredevil, who lost his sight at a young age and is, effectively, blind; however, even he has difficulty answering the question of whether or not he can see because he is able to use his other senses to get a very accurate picture of his surroundings. It is the same with some animals.

Animals that can’t see well oftentimes do just fine because of other adaptations like whiskers, echolocation, and hearing. For the purposes of this list, I will include animals that have poor eyesight at night, even if they can see well by other means. Overall, night vision is hard to measure.

Unless an animal is completely blind, it can see in the dark to some extent. How well an animal can see at night depends on the number of rod cells in its eyes. Oftentimes, animals with bigger eyes have better night vision. You’ll notice the lack of this feature holds true for the following animals.

Gorillas

Most of our world’s gorillas live in Equatorial Africa, an area of dense vegetation and humidity. Earth’s only two species are separated by over 500 miles of forest in the Congo Basin. Both species are vegetarian, diurnal mammals.

During the day, gorillas have pretty good vision, similar to a human’s. Front-facing eyes, limited color vision, and a light-sensitive area of the eye called the fovea allow gorillas to see a wide field of view, understand depth, and see detail clearly. Their ability to distinguish between colors is likely a result of their vegetarian diet, as color distinction may be an important survival tactic for the differentiation of poisonous and non-poisonous fruit and plants, and helps foragers find food among like-textured backgrounds.

Gorillas also don’t do a lot of moving around after dark. Like humans, they try to be in bed when it gets dark, but they will sleep for around 12 hours, effectively missing the non-daylight hours entirely. Also similar to humans, when it gets dark, … Read the rest of the story.

7 Animals with No Blood

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The vast majority of animals that inhabit the earth have a circulatory system much like we do, complete with a heart and blood. Most of us have red blood, though some animals have blue, black, or even green blood. Then, strangest of all, are the animals that have no blood at all.

Here are a few animals that live without blood in their body!

1. Jellyfish

It seems pretty obvious that a jellyfish has no circulatory system when we look at it. These transparent, gelatinous masses don’t have any obvious muscles or organs and are usually transparent, floating aimlessly around the ocean. Jellyfish belong to a class of animals called cnidarians, which include coral and sea anemones.

Instead of using blood to transport nutrients throughout their body, cnidarians absorb them directly from the water into their cells.

According to the UCSB Science Line: “When the cells on the outside of their body come into contact with water, oxygen and nutrients can diffuse into their body to provide them with everything they need.” Jellyfish are the largest animals without a heart.

2. Flatworms

Flatworms, as the name implies, are flat, worm-like invertebrates. Their extremely flat bodies mean that they have no room for organs. Not only do they have no blood, but they also have no heart, circulatory system, or respiratory system.

They gather nutrients and oxygen through a process called diffusion. Unlike in humans, this process doesn’t involve any kind of pump; instead, the nutrients simply flow through the flatworm’s body without direction. Some flatworms are parasites, such as the tapeworm. Other types include the fluke and the planarian.

3. Nematodes

Nematodes, also known as roundworms, are an incredibly common parasite, living in other animal species of all kinds as well as in food, soil, vinegar, malt, and deep within the earth. There are a huge number of nematodes — as many as 20,000 distinct types have been identified — but scientists think that these might only be a small percentage of the true number. The internal organs and other systems vary among different types of nematodes, but … Read the rest of the story.

Which Animals have Yellow Blood?

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Have you ever wondered if there actually are creatures on Earth who have different colored blood? You may be surprised to learn that there are several living things that have yellow blood. That’s right, this bright blood is so foreign, and you aren’t likely to see it up close, but it’s absolutely fact that they’ve got this distinct type of blood.

The reason why some have yellow blood is that it contains a high concentration of vanabin, which is a vanadium-based pigment. Read on to learn more about these fascinating creatures and what makes them so different!

Beetles

Just like some other types of bugs, beetles have yellow-ish blood. You may notice this when you’ve seen a beetle that’s hit your windshield or is squished on the ground. Most people don’t know the fact that insects usually don’t have blood vessels like animals do. They’ve got a large hole in their skeletons that holds all of its blood.

Beetles are found all over the world. They tend to prefer making their habitats in spaces that are dark and moist, such as gardens, lakes, ponds, and grain fields.

This animal tends to eat a variety of what’s found in nature. This includes other insects and types of animals, decaying matter, and plants. Ultimately, what they eat depends on the type of beetle and the environment in which they live.

Sea Cucumbers

This underwater creature definitely is a wonder to behold. Sea cucumbers live at the bottom of the ocean. They’re considered to be extremely simple creatures.

They kind of look like fruit, and the name of this animal makes it even stranger since you wouldn’t expect that it’s even an animal!  The sea cucumber has thousands of little feet, and it moves slowly on the ocean bottom. The fact that it has yellow blood is due to how it contains vanadium, a metal compound that has yellow pigment which is found in vanabin proteins.

It’s important to note that vanabin doesn’t aid in the transport of oxygen to the rest of the body. Scientists haven’t been able to figure out the … Read the rest of the story.

Which Animals Have Two Brains?

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When I’m having trouble trying to figure out a problem, and I just can’t wrap my brain around the solution, I think of the old saying, “Two heads are better than one.” Well, what about two brains? Did you know that some animals, including humans, have two or more brains?

I know, it sounds like science fiction or maybe even a horror movie, ”The Human with Two Brains.” But, it’s true. You probably think I’m crazy, but let’s get into a few examples of animals with two brains.

These incredible and complex creatures are all around us. Not only do humans have two brains, but many other animals do too. You’ll soon find out that I haven’t lost my mind.

Octopus (Octopoda)

According to Scientific American, octopuses and their close relatives, ten-armed squid and cuttlefish, stand apart from all invertebrates. They are ”deep-sea thinkers.” Octopus brains let them remember things, recognize other sea creatures, and explore objects.

Even though they’re invertebrates, their brains act similar to our own. That’s where the similarities to vertebrates end. These Cephalopods have brains that aren’t only in their heads but in their eight arms.

So, octopuses actually have nine brains. Each arm has a unique set of neurons that act independently from each other. Each arm can taste, touch and control feelings using hundreds of sensors.

In fact, the Smithsonian Institute says that octopuses can finish puzzles, open jars and untie knots with their arms. They are masters at ambushing their prey, which are fish, jellyfish and crustaceans. The 300 different species of octopus live in all the oceans of the world.

Humans (Homo sapien)

People have two organs that think for them. Both of these are made up of the same types of neurons and tissue. One is the brain in your head and the other is in your digestive system. They each control different functions in your body.

Your guts and brain are connected, so when you feel anxiety, it disrupts your digestion. Have you ever had to give a speech or walk into a room of new people, and … Read the rest of the story.