How vital are “connector” species ?

 

When the topic of conservation comes up for discussion, it is inevitable that there's mention of how within an ecosystem, each organism has a role to play in keeping the environment together. With climate change dealing a blow to our natural world, such roles become even more important. In such a scenario, researchers have discovered something significant- an interconnectedness between different ecosystems that could be "a new way to increase resilience to climate change". What is it? Come, let's find out.

Isolated from mainlands, islands have evolved to have unique ecosystems. For long, both plant and animal species globally have lived undisturbed on islands. But this very isolation could also mean doom. One of the causes for this doom could be the deliberate or accidental introduction of invasive species. And the elimination of invasive species could be a key factor in improving nature on both land and sea. How?

When islands are rid of invasive species, they have a positive impact not just on land but on sea too through "connector" species such as seabirds, seals, and land crabs, "which transfer nutrients from oceans to islands and vice versa". Here's an example. "On Floreana island in the Galapagos, invasive species have devastated not just bird and plant species, but also livelihoods, with farmers losing up to 100 percent of their crops due to invasive rats that started to spread on the island. Some 13 species have gone locally extinct on the main island, while 54 species are critically endangered, endangered, or threatened. The island, which is almost entirely a national park, eradicated invasive pigs in the 1980s in a bid to save the critically endangered seabird the Galapagos petrel, and then in 2019 non-native goats were removed, leading to a regrowth in local vegetation. The 10-year battle to rid the island of rats continues. It is said that once they are gone, at least a dozen species that went locally extinct largely because of invasive species will be returned to the island, including giant tortoises and mockingbirds."

In essence, loss of connector species populations "often results in ecosystem collapse-both on land and in the sea". So, "carefully chosen conservation actions on islands can lead to really stunning changes in the neighbouring ocean ecosystem, because everything is connected". This also becomes vital due to the climate crisis because healthy populations of connector species can "transfer some of the lost nutrients to the water', encouraging plankton growth, potentially easing the effects of El Nino, the unusual warming of ocean surface waters.

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Which is the smallest known mammal, by mass, that still exists?

The Etruscan shrew is the mammal having the smallest mass. It weighs only about 1.8g on average. It is also known as the Etruscan pygmy shrew or the white-toothed pygmy shrew and are characterized by very quick movements. These animals exhibit very fast metabolism and can eat about 1.5-2 times their own body weight per day. Their heads are relatively larger than their bodies.

Etruscan shrews are usually found in warm and damp habitats that are covered by shrubs. They use these habitats to hide from potential predators and often avoid open terrain such as grasslands and scrubby deciduous forests due to the threat of being hunted. They are mostly found in Europe and North Africa, all the way till Malaysia. They have also been located in the Maltese islands in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. They arrange their nests in various natural shelters, crevices, and abandoned burrows of other animals as they themselves cannot dig burrows very skillfully.

These animals are solitary and territorial. They use chirping noises and signs of aggression to protect their territories. They live rather interesting lives as they are constantly in motion when they are awake and not hiding, and when they are not eating, they constantly groom themselves. They hide from their predators very often, but such hiding periods are short and usually only last less than half an hour. When they move, they make clicking sounds, which stop as they rest.

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What are the specialities of three-toed sloths?

The three-toed sloths are considered the slowest land mammals. Their slow pace is rather famous and, on an average, it is 0.24 km/h. They are close to the size of a large cat or a small dog with their head and body having a combined length of 45 cm and a weight of 3.5-4.5 kg.

Sloths are designed for a life on the treetops. Most of their life is spent hanging from branches with a powerful grip, which is provided by their long claws. This capacity enables them to sleep in the trees-sometimes as long as 15-20 hours a day.

Sloths give birth while hanging from the trees. Their babies are often seen clinging to their mothers, and they travel by hanging onto their mothers for the first nine months of their lives. On land, their weak hind legs provide no power and their long claws become an obstacle. If they are caught on land, the three-toed sloths have no chance to escape the predators, such as big cats, and can only try to defend themselves by clawing and biting.

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Where can we find the perentie, the fastest reptile?

Generally considered the fastest recorded reptile, the perentie, is most commonly found in Australia. It is Australia's largest lizard, and grows to over 2.5 metres in length. It has a long neck with a stout and robust body, and has a long, tapering tail as well. Perenties have a yellow body, or a cream body with tawny brown rosettes edged in dark brown on their back. They have dark limbs with white spots, with a head and neck that are pale creamy- white with a reticulated pattern of black lines and flecks.

Perenties are found in the arid parts of South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory, where they are usually found around rocky hills and outcrops. They often find their shelter in burrows that they dig themselves. These burrows can be extensive and have several escape exits.

The diet of younger perenties include lizards, insects, and small mammals. As they grow, they will spontaneously attack large venomous snakes, rabbits, birds and their eggs, and even small marsupials such as wallabies. They are rarely seen as they are extremely shy and live in remote areas away from human habitation. They are considered to be a species of least-concern according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Which is the fastest bird?

The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in the world. Its diving speed during flight can reach above 300 km per hour, making it the world's fastest animal. The bird has breeding populations on every continent except Antarctica and some oceanic islands, which gives it the credit of being the most widely distributed species of bird of prey.

For a long time, captive peregrine falcons have been used in the sport of falconry. After World War II, the bird suffered a huge decline in population across the globe. In most regions, including North America, the major reason for this loss of population is traced to the pesticide DDT, which the birds accumulated from their prey. The chemical concentrated in the bird's tissues, which affected the deposition of calcium in the eggshells, making them abnormally thin and easily breakable.

In the British Isles, another pesticide named dieldrin caused direct death of peregrine falcons and thus contributed to their decline. Following the banning or minimising the use of organochlorine pesticides, their populations have increased in many regions.

The peregrine has been listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2015.

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Why is the cheetah known as the fastest mammal on land?

Cheetahs are the fastest mammals that live upon the planet and can run at speeds as high as 113 km per hour in short distances.

Their bodies are designed with a lot of agility. They can make quick turns while running at high speeds. Their spines are extremely flexible, giving them the ability to have long strides. Their slender limbs and hard footpads are also excellent tools that aid their agility and speed.

Cheetahs are covered in bold black stripes all over their body and each cheetah has a unique pattern over its skin. They have a tear-like pattern that runs from the inner corners of their eyes down to both sides of their mouths. The ends of their tails have black rings as well. These cats have great eye sight, making them dangerous predators.

Their unique coat is also a great way to blend with the tall, dry grass of the plains and helps them remain hidden during the hunt. The cheetahs live in a range of habitats across eastern and southern Africa, but they are usually found in open grasslands. At one point, they were found throughout Asia and Africa, but they are currently facing extinction due to loss of habitat. Their lives are threatened by the declining number of prey due to the destruction of the natural environments.

Although cheetahs are considered to be among the big cats, they are unable to roar- they can only purr. Like the other big cats of the family, they also usually prey on small- to medium-size animals such as hares, impalas, wildebeest calves, and gazelles.

The cheetah chases its prey at only about half of its maximum speed and often has to rest for at least half an hour before it can eat so as to catch breath. The pronghorn, also called the American antelope, is the fastest long-distance runner in the animal kingdom.

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Which is the tallest animal?

Giraffes are the world's tallest animals with legs as long as 1.8 metres. They not only have long legs, but also have long necks that they use to reach leaves and buds on treetops, which no other animal can reach. They have very long tongues as well, which can be as long as 53.34 centimetres.

Living in the African savannah, they move at a speed of 16 kilometres per hour to cover long distances and can run as fast as 56 kilometres per hour in short distances. Although their massive height becomes advantageous while looking out for predators, it also becomes a difficulty while they drink from water holes. With their towering legs, the only way to drink water from these water holes is to bend down in a weird position that makes them vulnerable to attack. The wild cats of Africa are the most common predators of the giraffes.

Their favourite food is Acacia leaves. Like the cows, they regurgitate their food and chew it as cud. Their diet also keeps them hydrated, as the leaves have a lot of water content in them and helps them to avoid going to the water holes frequently. They also travel really long distances to find their meal as they consume about a hundred pounds of leaves every week, which is a big volume of plant matter to be found in one area.

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Which bird has the longest wingspan?

The wandering albatross that glides above the sea for hours without flapping its wings has the longest wingspan of any living bird. Its wingspan ranges from 2.51 to 3.5 metres. These birds use their large wings to ride the sea winds and spend most of their lives out in the open sea. They are so efficient at flying that it takes them more energy to sit on a nest than fly!

Albatrosses are a pelagic species, which means they inhabit the open seas. They are found in all oceans except the North Atlantic. They breed on remote islands on the north of the Antarctic Circle, and travel thousands of kilometres from their breeding ground when it is not breeding season. They sometimes cross the equator as well. These birds can fly up to 40 kilometres per hour.

Albatrosses feed during the night, alone or in small groups, making shallow dives while hunting. They mostly consume small fish and crustaceans. They also follow fishing boats and ships to feed on discards and garbage. Albatrosses often overdo their hunting and end up eating so much that they are unable to fly and have to float on the water!

These birds come together in large colonies on remote islands and build their nests from mud and grass. An egg is produced by the female, which gets incubated by the pair in turns. The egg hatches after around 11 weeks, and once the chick is born, the parents take turns to hunt, while the other stays in the nest to take care of the chick. Albatrosses don't have many predators owing to their large size, but they are listed as vulnerable due to increasing pollution, which makes it difficult for them to find food.

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What is Self-Publishing?

Several species of agricultural crops depend on bats for pollination. In addition, fruits bats help in the dispersion of seeds, keeping several species of fruit-bearing trees alive. Some species of bats consume insects, considered agricultural pests. This not only prevents the use of billions of dollars worth of pesticides annually but also allows the soil to remain free from harmful chemicals.

The fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans causes white-nose syndrome in bats, and "is responsible for the deaths of over six million bats in North America". This is one of the reasons for the decline in the population of bats globally. And, scientists say that this decline is of concern. What causes the plunge in their numbers, and why should we be worried? Come, let's find out. Often labelled blood suckers and disease carriers, bats seem to get short shrift. Pop culture portayals of vampires and the endless speculation over the origins (often pointing to bats, albeit scientifically unproven) of the ongoing pandemic make it even worse for the world's only flying mammals. Add to the fact that these nocturnal creatures usually do their work under the cover of darkness, their role in healthy ecosystems may not be appreciated by laypeople. Several species of agricultural crops such as banana, mangoes, avocadoes, and figs are said to depend on bats for pollination. In addition, fruit bats help in the dispersion of seeds, keeping several species of fruit-bearing trees alive. Some species of bats consume insects, considered agricultural pests. This not only prevents the use of billions of dollars worth of pesticides annually but also allows the soil to remain free from harmful chemicals. In fact, guano - the excrement of bats - makes for excellent manure. Found in all continents except Antarctica, bats are a part of different types of ecosystems - from rainforests to deserts. Irrespective of the region they inhabit, they play crucial ecological roles, keeping alive the biodiversity and the health of their ecosystems.

While the population of bats in North America has taken a huge hit due to the white-nose syndrome, there's a general decline in their population in other parts of the world too. The reasons for this include climate change, invasive species, loss of habitat due to urbanisation and agriculture, lack of food, especially when pesticide is used to kill the insects they feed on, etc. There's still a lot to be studied about bats. But an aspect of concem in studying bats is that they "roost in lots of different places, from caves to barns to attics, and scientists can't monitor bats in all places at all times".

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Which is the largest animal on Earth?

Blue whales are the biggest animals that have ever inhabited our planet. These marine mammals grow up to 22 metres in length and to a weight of 150,000 kilograms. Their tongues alone weigh as much as an elephant in some cases and their hearts can be as big as an automobile.

The most interesting detail about these huge creatures is the fact that they reach these immense body sizes by consuming tiny shrimp-like animals called krills alone. In some seasons, a single adult blue whale eats about 4000 kilograms of krill a day.

Blue whales belong to the family of baleen whales. Baleen is a fringed plate made of fingernail-like material that is attached to their upper jaws. These giant animals feed by first gulping a great amount of water through their mouth and then they expand the pleated skin on their throat and belly to take it in. After this, the whales use their massive tongue and force the water out through the thin, overlapping baleen plates. This process leaves behind a large volume of krill, which gets consumed by the whales. Blue whales are found in all the oceans, except the Arctic. They occasionally swim in small groups but they move about in pairs or stay alone.

They now face a severe threat due to whaling and are considered endangered according to the IUCN Red List.

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Why are whale sharks different?

Whale sharks are the largest fish to be identified and can grow up to 10 metres in length. They consume a wide variety of sea animals and planktons in a rather interesting manner. They just keep their mouths wide open and scoop the tiny plants and fishes as they move close to the surface of water.

The whale shark belongs to the category of filter feeders, just like the world's second largest fish, the basking shark. This means that their huge jaws filter everything it comes across, to find its food. This mechanism is similar to that of the baleen whales, where too, a cross-flow filtration is observed. These giants prefer warm waters and are found in all tropical seas. They also migrate to the continental shelf of the central west coast of Australia during the spring season. During this time, the coral spawning of the Ningaloo Reef of this region provides the whale shark with plenty of plankton to feed on.

Although whale sharks are massive, they are very docile. They even allow swimmers to hitch a ride at times! Currently listed as a vulnerable species, these animals face the threat of hunting, as in some parts of Asia, people continue to hunt them.

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WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON SPECIES OF BEAR?

Brown bears! They are found in Europe, Asia and North America - where they are called grizzlies. Mostly solitary animals, brown bears are good hunters, able to run at speeds of up to 48 km per hour; they also swim well.

One way to identify a brown bear is by the hump at the top of its shoulder. The hump is made of muscle and helps the bear dig a den. No other extant species of bear has this hump. Adult bears have short tails and sharp teeth with curved lower canines. Their skulls are heavy and concave.

Brown bears claws are large, curved, and blunt. Their claws are straighter and longer than those of black bears. Unlike the black bear, which readily climbs trees, the brown bear climbs less frequently due to its weight and claw structure.

You might guess from their name that brown bears are brown. However, these bears can be brown, red, tan, cream, bicolored, or nearly black. Sometimes the tips of their fur are colored. Fur length varies according to the season. In the summer, their fur is shorter. In the winter, some brown bears' fur can reach 4 to 5 inches in length.

Brown bear size is highly variable, depending both on subspecies and food availability. Males are about 30% larger than females. An average-sized bear might range from 5 to 8 feet in length and weigh 700 pounds, however, much smaller and much larger specimens occur. On average, polar bears are larger than brown bears, but a large grizzly and a polar bear are comparable.

Habitat and Distribution

The brown bear's range includes northern North America and Eurasia, including the United States, Canada, Russia, China, Central Asia, Scandinavia, Romania, Caucasus, and Anatolia. At one time, it was also found throughout Europe, in northern Africa, and as far south as Mexico in North America.

Diet

Although brown bears have a reputation as fierce carnivores, they actually obtain as much as 90% of their calories from vegetation. Bears are omnivorous and naturally curious about eating nearly any creature. Their preferred food is anything abundant and easy to obtain, which varies according to the season. Their diet includes grass, berries, roots, carrion, meat, fish, insects, nuts, flowers, fungi, moss, and even pine cones.

Bears that live near people may prey on pets and livestock and scavenge for human food. Brown bears eat up to 90 pounds of food per day in autumn and weigh twice as much as when they emerge from their dens in the spring.

Adult brown bears face few predators. Depending where they live, they may be attacked by tigers or other bears. Brown bears dominate gray wolves, cougars, black bears, and even polar bears. Large herbivores rarely threaten the bears, but may fatally wound one in self-defense or protecting calves.

Behavior

Most adult brown bears are crepuscular, with peak activity in the early morning and evening. Young bears may be active during the day, while bears living near humans tend to be nocturnal.

Adult bears tend to be solitary, except for females with cubs or gatherings at fishing spots. While a bear may roam over a huge range, it tends not to be territorial.

Bears double their weight from the spring going into winter. Each bear selects a protected spot as a den for the winter months. Sometimes bears will dig out a den, but they will use a cave, hollow log, or tree roots. While brown bears become lethargic in the winter, they do not truly hibernate and can be easily woken if disturbed.

Reproduction and Offspring

Female bears become sexually mature between 4 and 8 years of age and come into heat once every three or four years. Males typically begin mating a year older than females, when they are large enough to compete with other males. Both males and females take multiple mates during the mating season, which runs from mid-May to June. Fertilized eggs remain in the female's uterus for six months, implanting in her uterus while she is dormant during the winter.

Cubs are born eight weeks after implantation, while the female is sleeping. The average litter is 1 to 3 cubs, although as many as 6 cubs may be born. Cubs nurse on their mother's milk until she emerges from her den in spring. They remain with her for about two and a half years. Males do not aid in rearing. They will engage in infanticide of another bear's cubs, presumably to bring females into heat. Females often successfully defend cubs from males, but may be killed in the conflict. In the wild, the average brown bear life expectancy is around 25 years.

Credit : Thoughtco.com 

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AN INTERVIEW OF YOUNG ACHIEVER TOSHANI PURI (CO-FOUNDER AND HEAD OF ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT AT V-THRED TECH. DUBAI )

How did your journey start?

When we were hit by the pandemic and under lockdown, my dad started working from home, and I could hear him speak and attend meetings over the phone every day. One day, I heard him in need of HR services for his company. It made me want to help not only him but everyone in such a need.

Is that what your Company V-Thred Tech does?

I founded V-Thred Tech in 2020, and it is a marketplace for HR services. Based on the requirements of the companies that register, we look for and offer the companies seven best matches to choose from. We also let them turn down the offers if they don't require them. Around 40 companies register themselves every month. which has been a great progress.

Tell us about your new GIGG Club and what it aims for.

It is fundamentally a learn-and-earn community. Individuals register on the website,-and post details about their achievements. This helps them connect with those who are in need of a particular specialist.

What were the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

I did face a lot of challenges as a 16-year-old girl managing school work and all my clubs; it was not easy for me. But at the end of the day, what is important is being confident and believing in ourselves. The best way to overcome our problems is to give it time and be mentally peaceful. Over a period of time, say 20 years from now, these may not even be 1% of the problem compared to the other issues we may face. We sometimes feel it is the end of everything when we have too many problems to face at once. The best way to come out of it is to breathe and calm our mind to help us think better to resolve the situation.

Should the youth consider entrepreneurship as a career or is it only for the experienced ones?

Everyone is bom a leader, but we just need to sense that leadership in us to take things forward to create success. Entrepreneurship is for everybody, and anybody can do it. Our knowledge of entrepreneurship is also impacted by who our mentor is.

Entrepreneurship is a give-and-take process, where we learn, put theories into practice, and gain knowledge and experience from it. A successful entrepreneur is made by that mentor who guides them in each and every step of their journey. to make the best decisions and let them know about their mistakes to get them corrected.

What are your hobbies?

In my free time, I mostly swim, listen to music or may talk to my friends. Usually when I get exhausted, I most likely go for a swim to relax and calm myself.

What is the one thing you would like to change in society?

I would like to change how society thinks due to which we are unable to talk about taboo topics, especially in India. We are afraid to open up about our issues to anyone, which affects our mental health a lot. People are unable to accept the fact that a person with stress would like to overcome it with the help of a counsellor. The problem of mental health and the taboo around it is the one thing I want to change in India.

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HOW BIG IS A BEAR CUB AT BIRTH?

When a baby bear is born, it’s called a cub. Cubs are born to sows, their adult mothers, and boars, their adult fathers. A group of baby bear cubs it’s called a litter, but a group of adult bears is called a sleuth or sloth.

Although adult bears can be very large, cubs are tiny when they are born. A huge polar bear, weighing more than 500 kg, will give birth to cubs weighing about one kilogram - far smaller even than human babies! Baby pandas weigh as little as 85 g. Bear cubs do, however, gain weight and grow very rapidly.

 Baby Black Bears are Not Always Black. Some black bear cubs are born with fur that doesn’t exactly match their name. Did you know a black bear’s fur can range from light blonde to blue-gray? 

The Kermode, a subspecies of black bear, is also known as the split bear due to its white fur, despite being a black bear. The spirit bear is located in Alaska and is nicknamed the spirit bear because it has ghostly white fur. Bear cubs are on average one pound at birth and can easily fit in the palm of your hand. By the time they’re 6 months old, they weigh about 6 pounds. 

As adults, though, they are extremely large. An adult male black bear weighs an average of 400 pounds and an adult female weighs around 200 pounds. In comparison to how large they get to be, bear cubs are tiny!

What do baby bears eat?

Bears are mammals, therefore their young nurses from their mother. While the mother bear is napping away in hibernation, her cubs will nurse until content. Once they’ve made their way out of the den, the cubs will begin weaning from their mom’s milk in the summer and will start tasting their mom’s food once they leave the den. Bears like to eat fish, leaves, bugs, fruit, berries, and much more! 

Where do baby bears live?

Cubs are born in dens that their mothers choose for birth and hibernation. They’re born between November and February and stay in the den until Springtime when they will all come out together to see the world for the first time. Once out of the birthing den, the family will move on to find shelter that would better suit their growing family.

Credit : A-Z Animals 

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IS THE GIANT PANDA A BEAR?

For years experts argued about whether the giant panda should be grouped with bears, or raccoons, or classed in a family of its own. Scientific study now suggests that the panda is definitely a member of the bear family. The giant panda is a rare animal that is found only in the mountainous forests of Central China, where it feeds on a certain kind of bamboo tree. As the bamboo is not very nutritious, the panda spends 10-12 hours a day eating.

If we go by common names, there are two types of pandas: the giant panda and the red panda. However, only of them is considered a bear species.

There has been a long drawn debate among scientists as to whether the giant panda is a bear, a raccoon, or has a separate family of its own. Why? The giant pandas and red pandas have characteristics common with both a bear and a raccoon. However, with evidence from recent genetic studies indicating that the giant panda is more closely related to a bear, it is categorized in the bear family Ursidae.

Why are they called pandas?

The giant panda is a bear of the bear family Ursidae. Even though it shares a common name with the red panda, the latter is not a bear and belongs to a distinct family of its own called Ailuridae.

The term panda is believed to have its roots in the Nepalese word 'nigalya ponya', which translates to 'bamboo eater' in English. Thus, the name panda essentially refers to the bamboo-based diet of both giant and red pandas even though the two animals are classified separately. In fact, the red panda was described way before the giant panda, and the latter was named 'panda' due to the similarities the two species share, like feeding on bamboo shoots. The giant panda is also known as the bamboo bear, panda bear, or in Chinese as 'Daxiongmao,' which means 'the large bear cat.'

Credit : kidadl.com

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