Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
One of the most famous and most recognizable of all equids is the zebra of Africa, of which there are three recognized species: the plains zebra (Equus quagga), the mountain zebra (E. zebra), and the Grevy’s zebra (E.
Another “Savanah Summer” and, much like last year, I’m bringing out the big guns! In Africa, there is no bigger than the African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana). At 13ft tall and over 10 tonnes in weight, it is the true heavy weight, and take the title of largest land animal with ease (even though giraffes are taller).
The black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas) is a fixture of the east and southern African landscape. Usually seen skulking around the periphery of kills made by Africa’s much larger predators. Although regarded as lowly scavengers at the bottom of the predatory pecking order jackals are cunning, resourceful, and successful little generalist predators.
The Diana monkey (Cercopithecus diana) is a species of catarrhine (old-world) monkey native to Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire. It’s named after the Roman goddess, Diana, goddess of wild animals and hunting, and the boundary between the wild and civilization, among other things. The Diana monkey gets this name due to its white crescent-shaped browband, which resembles the bow that the goddess is often depicted with.
The African wild ass (Equus africanus) is a species of Equid native to the arid regions of North Africa. It is also critically endangered with only about 570 individuals living in the wild. Two sub-species have been described, the Nubian wild ass (E. a. africanus) and the Somali wild ass (E.
I started collecting insects when I was in Junior High School, so roughly 1984 or so. Like most beginners, I collected conspicuous and familiar species in my neighborhood, including of course butterflies and moths. Among the Lepidoptera my favorites were members of the family Pieridae, commonly referred to as whites, yellows, sulfurs, and orange-tips due to their delicate off-whites and pastel oranges and yellows.
With today being St. Patrick’s Day, I thought it would be fun to look at an animal that hails from the Emerald Isle. I decided to go with the red deer (Cervus elaphus), Ireland’s only native deer and its largest native land mammal. The red deer ranges across much of Europe, into western Asia, and Northern Africa where it has the distinction of being Africa’s only deer species.
In the rainforests in the highlands of Cameroon lives the enigmatic Cameroon sailfin chameleon (Trioceros montium). It is kin to the more familiar Jackson’s chameleon. It occurs primarily in rainforests around Mount Cameroon between 700 and 1900 meters above sea level, although it has been known to make its way into farms and gardens.
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
African lions (Panthera leo) are by far the most social of wild felids thanks to their practice of living in groups of around 15 to 30 individuals, commonly called prides. The males, with their greater size and distinctive manes, occupy themselves primarily with defending the pride against intruders.
Native to the rainforests of equatorial West Africa, the emperor scorpion, Pandinus imperator, is one of the most familiar and popular scorpion species. Its large size, fearsome appearance, docile nature, and mild venom make it very popular in the pet trade. It should be no surprise than that it is the most commonly-made scorpion in the toy market.
Yes, that is the name of the collection…
The Great Pyramids of Egypt. What was their grand purpose and influence? Merely grandeur tombs for Egyptian royalty? Conduits for alien visitors? A regeneration site for En Sabah Nur? Or maybe they are just giant piles of cow sh*t! Yes, really! Ever notice how a pyramid is shaped like a cascading pile of cow dung?
It’s Halloween and what better way to end our spooky season than by looking at one of its most symbolic animals, the common raven (Corvus corax). The common raven ranges around the northern hemisphere and lives in all the varied habitats therein. As a result, it also features in the varied mythologies, folklore, and religions from wherever it lives.
