My Science School

Like all felines (including the domestic cat), the lion’s tongue is covered in small, hook-shaped growths called papillae, which point towards the back of the mouth, and are used as a brush to separate flesh from fur and bone, particularly when the cat is feeding on a humongous kill (wildebeests, buffaloes, zebras…) – in the case of smaller prey items (rabbits, rodents, birds…), the carcass is devoured whole, with only a few or no bone splinters left.

Moreover, these papillae have the feeling of a hairbrush, resulting in the tongue becoming a rough surface – they’re sort of like hairs because they’re made of keratin, which is the same protein a human’s hairs and fingernails are composed of.

In the process, the feeding lion consumes the skin completely, and ensures itself that it never swallows (even accidentally!) small, pointy bones that could rip the cat’s throat, and that the meat is tenderized, which renders it efficiently digested.

Now, a lot of lions have seen to be licking prey they’ve just hunted, before killing and eating them. This mostly happens when the prey (usually an ungulate youngster) is brought alive by the lionesses to their cubs, so that the latter can hone their hunting skills – in the process, these cubs are too young to understand the art of hunting and the throttling bite that is essential to make a kill, so they instead resort to play with the animal by chasing it around; and when they subdue it, they don’t immediately kill it, but rather lick it, possibly as a means to display youth innocence.

This behavior mainly occurs with lion cubs (the youngsters, naturally), but it’s seen in adult lions too – in this case, it’s not always clear why. In my opinion, it could be psychological, in a way that the hunting lion either resorts to licking the animal in order to calm it – either it’s something done prior to giving the prey a quick death, or because something snapped inside the lion, a friendly, empathetic thought that made it reconsider its ferocious behavior, particularly since the hunted animal frantically panics from being attacked by a predator, emitting gut-wrenching cries for help –, or it’s just playing with its food (like house cats do), perhaps to torment the prey or simply tire it out so as to not risk injury. But I’m just speculating.

In the end, no one knows exactly why lions (the adults, to be precise) resort to licking their prey a lot while it’s still alive, prior to eating it.

 

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The oldest national park in the country, Jim Corbett National Park covers an area of more than 500 sq km and is located in Uttarakhand. It was known as Hailey National Park before it was renamed in the 1950s after hunter-turned-conservationist James Edward Corbett (popularly known as Jim Corbett), who played a significant role in setting it up. The Park is part of the larger Tiger Reserve of the same name. Located on the Himalayan foothills, the Park has streams and rivers running through it, helping nurture the varied landscapes there from rugged forests to grasslands. This mosaic of vegetation has also served as a magnet for several species of birds and animals. The region is noted especially for its tiger and elephant population. In fact, Corbett has the highest number of tigers in the country – 213, according to the report of the fourth All India Tiger Estimation 2018 released on the eve of Global Tiger Day (July 29), 2020. Corbett hosts more than 550 species of birds, and has been declared an "Important Bird Area" by Birdlife International.

Wildlife

The birds found in the region include pelicans, darters, cormorants, grebes, storks, ibises, pochards, shelducks, hawks, grions, harriers, falcons, kestrels, francolins. partridges, quails, pheasants, crakes, swamphens, moorhens, watercocks, jacanas, lapwings, plovers, sandpipers, snipes, stints, redshanks, coucals, nightjars, hornbills, barbets, woodpeckers, martins, magpies, minivets, fantails, warblers, prinias, robins, tits, nuthatches, wagtails, weavers, and buntings. Apart from the Royal Bengal tiger and the Asiatic elephant, one may spot the gharial, sloth bear, Himalayan black bear, hog deer, sambar, marsh crocodile, rhesus macaque, mongoose, otter, jackal, pangolin, python and the cobra too.

Hello, rhinos!

Though famed for its tigers, Corbett is all set to welcome a new kind of inhabitant - Assam's famed one-horned rhinoceros. In November 2019, the Uttarakhand Wildlife Advisory Board approved a proposal for rhino translocation on an experimental basis. As part of the proposal, more than one dozen rhinos from the Kaziranga National Park will find a home in Uttarakhand's most popular National Park. It is said that the region is conducive for the mammals, and is also less plagued by human-animal conflict. Reports suggest that Corbett was perhaps a natural habitat of the pachyderms since a male rhino was sighted towards the end of the 18th Century. What inspired the proposal could be the similar translocation and eventual success of nearly half-a-dozen rhinos from Assam's Pobitora to Uttar Pradesh's Dudhwa National Park way back in 1984.

Popularity is a threat...

• The Park has for long received a large number of visitors. While tourism is integral to the development of any natural habitat it cannot be at the cost of the region itself. The huge number of visitors, infrastructure development around the Park to host these visitors, the clearing of land to set up activities for the tourists, the dumping of garbage into the river flowing through the Park etc. are among the greatest threats to the Park With increasing number of visitors, the chances of human animal conflicts too increase. drawing attention to the need to find a healthy balance between tourism and income generation for the region.

• This February, more than a month before the COVD-19 pandemic gripped the country, a photograph shot inside the Corbett Tiger Reserve went viral on social media It showed two tigers playing with what appears to be a plastic object. Indicative of how much plastic has invaded eco-sensitive regions, conservationists termed it a tragedy and called for public awareness and sensitivity. Ironically, plastic is banned in the Reserve.

• In 2016, Uttarakhand experienced one of its worst forest fires in recent times. Among several other areas Corbett too suffered. It was reported that about 200 hectares of forests were reduced to ashes. Though animal deaths were not reported forest fires can push escaping animals into human habitation leading to conflicts. Worse, several adult and young animals could perish or be injured significantly reducing the chances of new generations of animals to survive and grow, and leaving existing populations vulnerable.

 

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Balloons, glitters and confetti add colour to our celebrations. But did you know while we treat ourselves to these small pleasures, we inadvertently pollute Earth? After all, what goes up must come down. Free-flying balloons and confetti ultimately become litter and put animals and birds at risk.

Balloons

Balloons are of two types - latex and mylar. Although latex balloons are promoted as biodegradable, they take anywhere between six months and four years to decompose. Mylar balloons are composed of synthetic nylon with a metallic coating. They are non biodegradable.

Balloons (when released into the sky, say as part of events or campaigns) travel thousands of miles, capable of polluting the most remote and pristine places. Deflated balloons that settle on land and sea surface are mistaken for food and eaten by animals and birds. They get lodged in their digestive tract, causing obstruction, loss of nutrition, internal injury, starvation, and death. String or ribbon often found attached to balloons can cause entanglement in animals, again leading to their death. Animals such as sea turtles are at special risk because the balloons resemble their favourite food - jellyfish. Seabirds are not safe either. According to a study released in 2019, if a seabird swallows a balloon, it's 32 times more likely to die than if it had gulped down a piece of hard plastic.

Glitter and confetti

Confetti has been used for thousands of years. The tradition can be traced back to the pagan times when people tossed grains and sweets during weddings and festivals. It has been adopted by many cultures around the world. But in recent years, it has taken a different form. We toss confetti and glitter at weddings and stage performances today, which simply disperse microplastics everywhere. Because confetti and glitter are made of plastic - polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), respectively.

Microplastics are plastic particles that are less than 5mm in diameter and are an emerging environmental issue. Glitter is usually less than 1mm in diameter and is used in a wide array of products, including cosmetics. It leads into the environment and often ends up in the oceans. It can be accidentally consumed by plankton, fish, shellfish, seabirds, and other marine life. When microplastic builds up in their systems, it can lead to death.

Further, PET, the plastic most glitter is made from, can break down and release chemicals that can disrupt human and animal hormones.

 

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Chytridiomycosis

Chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease that affects amphibians worldwide. It is caused by the chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), leading to deaths in frogs, toads and salamanders. A report released in 2019 revealed that it has caused declines in at least 501 frog and salamander species in the last 50 years.

Of these, some 90 species are presumably extinct in the wild and 124 are suffering serve declines due to the disease, the report said. In many species, the fungus is the main factor in the deaths, but in others, it’s a combination of the disease and other factors such as habitat loss, climate change and predation from invasive species.

Chytrid fungi that infect vertebrate species live in water or soil. They reproduce asexually and have spores that swim in the water. Amphibians contract the disease when their skin comes in contact with water containing spores or with other affected amphibians. The fungus affects their skin, making it difficult for them to breathe (amphibians use their skin for respiration). The fungus also damages the nervous system, affecting their behaviour. It doesn’t kill the amphibians immediately, which increases the odds of the pathogen spreading rapidly.

The disease is thought to have spread around the world via the pet and meat trade.

Chytridiomycosis has affected amphibian populations in more than 60 countries, with the largest die-offs in Australia, Central America and South America.

Devil Facial Tumour Disease

The Tasmanian devil, a marsupial native of Australia, has suffered a dramatic population decline due to Devil Facial Turmour Disease (DFTD). First discovered in northeastern Tasmania in 1996, the disease has since spread across 95% of the species’ range. Up to 90% of their populations have been wiped out.

The disease is spread through biting during fighting or mating. It spreads particularly when canine teeth come into contact with the diseased cells. The rough cells then settle down in their new host, developing into tumours on face, neck and other parts of the body. The devils soon find it difficult to eat and drink, and usually die from starvation and dehydration. The cancer also affects other bodily functions such as respiration and blood circulation. An infected devil dies within six months. According to some predictions, DFTD could wipe out wild Tasmanian devils in less than 40 years.

White-Nose Syndrome

White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) is a fungal disease that has killed over six million bats in North America in over a decade. Caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, or Pd, the disease has spread to 33 U.S. States and seven Canadian provinces. Some populations have declined by more than 90 % within five years of the disease reaching a site. As of 2017, 15 bat species have been affected by WNS.

The fungus infects the skin on the nose, mouth,ears and wings of hibernating bats. The fungus thrives in cold and humid environments such as caves and mines used by bats. Bats can catch the fungus from physical contact with infected bats. The signs observed in bats with WNS include unusual winter behaviour-they experience frequent arousal from sleep and instead of continuing with the hibernation, the bats fly far out of their caves, even in daylight. As a result they quickly drain their fat reserves, and starve to death, Infected bats also show evidence of blood acidification and dehydration.

Sea Star Wasting Syndrome

Sea Star Wasting Syndrome (SSWS) has been linked to the mass die-offs of starfish and several other echinoderms (such as sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers) since 2013 in the Pacific waters from Mexico to Alaska. In 2014, it was suggested that the disease is caused by densovirus; but subsequent work revealed that an association between a viral pathogen and SSWS was unlikely.

The symptoms begin with white lesions on their limbs, decay of tissue surrounding the lesions and loss of limbs. The sea star would eventually turn into a mushy blob and die. Forty species of sea stars have been affected by this disease.

Research has shown that warming ocean temperatures could play a role in exacerbating the disease. But the actual causative agent for SSWS remains elusive.

Hemorrhagic Septicemia

One day in May 2015, a handful of saiga antelops were found dead in the steppe of Kazakhstan. The next day saw more deaths. Within three weeks, some 2,00,000 – 62% of the world’s population – were dead. This alarmed the scientists from across the globe as the species was already critically endangered in Central Asia. The reported symptoms were foaming at the mouth, diarrhoea and bloating. Initial research revealed it could be due to a disease. A 2018 report confirmed that the killar was a bacterium, Pasteurella multocida, that normally lives in the antelopes’ tonsils without causing any problems. It also revealed that unusually warm, moist weather may have triggered the overgrowth of the bacteria, which subsequently found its way into the antelopes’ tissues and bloodstream, causing haemorrhagic septicaemia or  fatal blood poisoning. Researchers say there is a high chance of the same thing happening again, given the climate change predictions for the region.

Similar die-offs were reported in 2010 and 1988. They were also linked to Pasteurella multocida. Today, roughly 50,000 saigas are thought to remain in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

 

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Cheetahs have two tear lines that run from the inside corners of their eyes down to the outside edges of their mouth. These marks help reflect the sun’s glare whenever the cats are off hunting during the sunniest of days – in that way, cheetahs don’t get blinded by direct sunlight like we do, even in midday.

The tear lines work in a similar way to the black marks worn by rugby players. They’re also helpful features for the cheetah in order to stay focused on its prey.

There is a Zulu folklore tale about how the cheetah got its tear lines: once, a hunter was too lazy to be about his business, wishing that someone could get the meat for him. Soon, he saw a female cheetah making a successful kill and feeding it to her cubs, and all of a sudden decided to steal all these cubs in order to train them for hunting.

Soon, when the mother cheetah was away, the wicked hunter accomplished his terrible deed, kidnapping all the cubs without leaving a single one. Once the mother found her babies gone, she became heartbroken, searched for them far and wide, and kept calling and crying all day and night, so long and so hard, until her tears made dark stains down her cheeks.

Soon, the elders got wind of the event and went to punish the lazy hunter, who had also broken the tribe’s most sacred traditions – in Zulu culture, it’s tradition that a hunter must use only his own strength and skill, otherwise dishonor comes. But even when the wicked man was eventually forced to bring the cubs back to their mother, nevertheless her long weeping stained her face forever – and those tears are worn by her children (modern-day cheetahs) to this day.

According to the locals, this tale carries a moral: a cheetah wearing the tear stains on its face is a reminder for hunters that it is not honorable to hunt in a non-traditional, inconvenient way.

 

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Thus, when they see an open safari vehicle, full of people, all they see is one single thing: a large beast with some appendices on top (heads). As a large, and potentially powerful, beast does not interest them, as well as other large animals such as adult rhinos and elephants: they know the hunting effort is not worthy. Not because they fear humans.

However, all attention is necessary, as apex predators such as lions or even leopards are relatively intelligent and curious animals. If somebody stands up and detaches himself from the rest of the “beast mass”, the predator may be curious and in doubt if that is a part of the large beast or is something else separate: it may then investigate or attack. In case of an attack, we all can imagine what happens. If it starts to investigate too close, many tourists may lose their nerve, stand up and even run… which will be the worst mistake, as the predator will then be sure that it is a prey and will start chasing (hunting reflex), and they run much faster than any of us.

Considering that, the local guides normally orient passengers to stay seated, quiet, only observing when close to animals. They teach you to never stand up, shake arms or worst, get out of the safari vehicle. In this last case, the animal will be sure you are not part of the large beast and will notice you are actually the perfect size for a prey…

However, some private game reserves do not disclose the fact that, in order to maintain the “savage aspect” of the tour, especially those where an open safari vehicle is used, they “prepare” the animals to get used to human presence. Before opening a new game reserve or when new animals are bought (yes, they do buy animals from other places to populate or replace losses, so there is plenty to be seen by tourists), they get the animals used to the safari vehicle and people, by running close to them on a frequent basis, until the animal is used to the vehicle and people and do not show aggressiveness anymore. They do it until the “large beast” is already a part of the landscape. That is why they really do not attack.

Nevertheless, if a pack of lions insist on being aggressive to humans, which makes the reserve lose money, they resell or even shoot down the rebels. Sad, no? No publicity on this, bad for business.

 

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While many animals in the world look dangerous and live up to their frightening appearances, there are many others which pose little to no threat to us humans.

Here’s my list of 7 scary looking animals that are practically harmless.

1. Gharial

Many people would be right to fear a gharial if they’ve heard stories about how other crocodilians kill hundreds of humans each year, but is this slim snouted creature really as dangerous as its cousins?

In truth, gharials only hunt small prey like fish and frogs as their jaws are too slim and weak to take down larger quarry. As a result gharials are unable to attack large prey, namely humans.

2. Milk snake

While, the milk snake may bear a striking resemblance to the venomous coral snake they are completely harmless. They have no venom and are actually quite docile in nature which makes them pretty good pets for reptile lovers.

3. Sand tiger shark

Most people know that sharks in general don’t deserve their fearsome reputation as an eating monsters but very few of them are completely harmless. While, the great white, tiger and bull shark have all been known to kill people, the sand tiger shark is actually completely harmless.

This shark’s barbed jaws may look threatening but these scary looking teeth are exactly what keep this fish from being even a slight danger towards us. The shark’s mouth is too small to cause a human fatality so only squid and fish fall victim to this shark’s jaws. While this shark is very docile there have been a few attacks when it’s been provoked…

4. Goliath bird eater

Goliath bird eating spiders may have venom. They may take down small birds and they may be freaking massive but are they really a danger towards humans?

In truth this tarantula’s venom is harmless and is quite similar to how a wasp’s sting would feel. Main difference is that these spiders only bite in self defense, so I’m pretty sure you won’t be bothered by this giant.

5. Manta rays

Manta rays are very large and if you have ever heard of sting rays, you might be frightened by this aquatic creature. Manta rays are actually gentle giants and are only filter feeders, meaning they eat really small prey. To make things better, they don’t have stingers so divers have nothing to fear!

6. Thorny devil

These lizards may be small but I’m pretty sure most of us would be scared if this spiky reptile came charging. Luckily this animal only feeds on insects and when it does feel threatened it squirts blood from its eyes…which may seem gross but wouldn’t really harm a human being. To make things even better, these scary looking lizards run at the first sight of a human being!

7. Basking shark

The second-largest shark species is pretty harmless despite its frightening set of jaws. Like many of the ocean’s largest predators, this creature is a filter feeder and that means humans aren’t on the menu!

 

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It's because Lions and Tigers do not co-exist in a shared territory anymore (thanks to humans).

However Tigers and Lions used to share common habitats in Asia, specially India and Iran before the end of 20th century. Fights between these two beasts were recorded in the accounts of travellers, folklore and stories.

20th Century had been the worst century for animals in these regions. Both British and Indian/Persian Royals hunted down Tigers and Lions in huge numbers, bounty was put on them and due to rapid urbanization and huge agricultural demands their habitats were run over by human occupation.

Lions were less of a shy animal compared to Tigers which preferred to hide in deep forests, so Lions were killed more, so much so that Lions went locally extinct in Iran and most of India.

Only 12 were left in a small forest in Gujarat, India by the end of 20th Century. They were able to survive because King of that region decided to protect them.

Tigers also perished as they were also hunted down to near extinction.

They became extinct in Iran and were only able to survive in small pockets of forests in India.

So, if not so for relentless hunting of Wild Animals by humans in 20th Century, Tigers and Lions would had still co-existed with each other in Jungles of Persia and India, and we may had witnessed Tigers and Lions fighting over territory and prey in the wild itself.

 

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Kamataka's Nagarhole National Park officially Rajiv Gandhi National Park, spans the two districts of Mysuru and Kodagu together over an area of nearly 650 sq. km. Nagarhole is part of the 2,000-sq.km. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which also includes Kamataka's Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Kerala's Wayanad Sanctuary and Tamil Nadu's Mudumalai National Park Nagarhole and Bandipur - both tiger reserves - together account for a high number of not just tigers but also elephants. Named after the river flowing in the area, Nagarhole is full moist deciduous forests comprising rosewood and teakwood, among other species. The landscape also includes dry deciduous forests and swamps, making the region a haven for many species of birds, animals and reptiles. With a good balance between predators and prey, the area is also an example of a healthy ecosystem.

Wildlife

Nagarhole hosts more than 250 species of birds, including barbets, bush chats, buzzards, ducks, eagles, finchlarks, flowerpeckers, flycatchers, hawks, ibises, treepies, hornbills, kingfishers, kites, lapwings, larks, orioles, nuthatches, owls, parakeets, partridges, pipits, quails, sandpipers, shrikes, storks, swifts, teals, tits, vultures, wagtails, warblers and woodpeckers. In addition to the tiger and the elephant, one can also find the leopard, black panther, Indian wild dog, sloth bear, hyena, jackal, spotted deer. sambar, gaur, pangolin, common langur, porcupine, bonnet macaque, civet cat, mongoose, Malabar giant squirrel, wild boar, Russell's viper, Indian rock python, mugger, monitor lizard etc.

Threats and concerns

• Nagarhole like its neighbouring areas such as Bandipur, is prone to forest fires. However, in 2012, the region suffered one of its worst forest fires in recent years, leaving behind trails of large-scale destruction in its wake. In 2017, a drought that had exacerbated the severity of the heat and dry conditions, and gusty winds, raised fears of a repeat of 2012. However, the timely deployment of watchers thwarted this.

• The growth of lantana in the region is a cause for concert - it is an invasive creeper believed to be brought in from South America by the British as a decorative plant. But it chokes off native species of plants that many animals feed on.

• According to a data in 2018, the Nagarhole-Bandipur regions together accounted for 10,000 instances of human-animal conflict over a period of three years. This amounted to as many as nine instances every day, on an average.

 • Poaching of birds and mammals is one of the severe problems of the region. Another equally worrisome act is the continuous exploitation of forest products. leading to the deficits in food sources for the animals.

The Kabini migration

The words animal migration usually make us think of the great wildebeest migration that occurs in Africa annually. But there's an interesting migration happening in our own backyard - the elephant migration. Nagarhole hosts one of the highest populations of the Asian elephants in the world. Add to this the populations in neighbouring regions as well, and the number swells to many hundreds. Every summer when water and grass in their regions dry up, herds of these gentle giants take up the annual ritual of moving towards the Kabini backwaters and the most fertile regions around it. (There are up to 140 water holes in Nagarahole alone, in addition a few streams.) In 2017 though, the story was different - media reports said that following a severe drought the backwaters could not draw in the usual numbers of elephants. However, things changed in two years. Due to rains as late as November in 2019 and with most of the regular water holes still having water, forest officials had predicted that the pachyderms would start their yearly summer march in 2020 slightly later than usual!

 

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Trophy hunting is the shooting of certain animals - most often rhinoceros, elephant, lion, cheetah, bear, deer, and moose - for recreation. The trophy is the animal or part of it-its head, skin, horns, tusks, antlers, - that the hunter keeps as a souvenir. Its different from poaching because its legal in many countries, although there are some restrictions.

Trophy hunting takes place in most countries of Europe, Africa Asia South America and the US, Canada. Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. Trophy hunting is allowed with varying degrees of transparency and control. The yearly quota is expected to be set based on the conservation status of a species. Highly vulnerable populations are often excluded.

In general a portion of the hunting fee is paid directly to local community members and towards conservation projects to protect the area's wildlife. In most cases, while trophies such as skin or tusk go to the hunters, the meat would all go to the local population. Hunters pay $65.000 to $140.000 to hunt lions in Zimbabwe, for instance.

Can trophy hunting benefit wildlife?

Supporters say that legal well-regulated trophy hunting programmes can deliver benefits for wildlife conservation. Trophy hunting can generate revenue for wildlife management and conservation including anti-poaching activities, for government, private and community landholders. They point out that loss of habitat and prey, and poaching pose a greater threat to these animals and there is an urgent need to boost conservation efforts.

The ground reality

The ground reality, however, is different Cases of poorly conducted and poorly regulated hunting continue in a number of countries aS a result of weak governance, corruption. lack of transparency and excessive quotas. A report in 2015 says government corruption, especially in Zimbabwe, prevents elephant hunting fees from going towards any conservation efforts. A 2011 study found that trophy hunting was the leading factor in the population decline of lions in Tanzania.

Impact on survival of species

Many people object to the killing of individual animals on ethical grounds, regardless of its conservation benefit Hundreds of thousands of wild mammals, including endangered species, are slain by trophy hunters each year. The U.S. legally imports 126,000 animal trophies every year, and the EU imports 11,000-12,000 animals representing 140 species.

Opponents also cite that the genetic health and social behaviours of species are adversely affected because hunters often target the largest or most significant male of a species. They argue that trophy hunting of should stop as it cannot contribute to the survival of a species.

 

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The duckbill platypus uses its cheek pouches to store food. Its pouches come in handy when it goes down to the bottom of the river to gather its food, mainly insect larvae, water snails and crustaceans.

These Australian mammals are bottom feeders. They scoop up insects and larvae, shellfish, and worms in their bill along with bits of gravel and mud from the bottom. All this material is stored in cheek pouches and, at the surface, mashed for consumption. Platypuses do not have teeth, so the bits of gravel help them to “chew” their meal.

 

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The walrus has a pouch on its throat, which inflates with air and props the animal up when it goes to steep in an upright position in the water.

The only natural predators for walruses are polar bears, orcas and humans.

Adult females are generally smaller than males, with an average weight of about 1,900 lbs and an average length of approximately 9 feet.  Calves of both sexes weigh between 100 to 150 pounds and are about 4.5 feet in length.

The scientific name for walrus, Odobenus rosmarus, means “toothwalkers.”

Adult Pacific walrus can eat up 4.2 to 6.2 percent of their total body weight (1760-4000 pounds) each day – that’s between 74 and 250 pounds of food per day!

 

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The hamster has an elongated pouch on either side of its head that extend to its shoulders. The animal fills it with food it plants to eat later.

Most of the time, they fill their cheeks with food, but sometimes mother hamsters store their babies in their cheeks for protection. Hamster cheeks contain pouches that resemble small deflated balloons. As food enters, the pouch expands and retractor muscles squeeze the pouch and pull food back. 

Hamsters, like other animals, have two cheeks. Sometimes they stuff both of their cheeks and other times they only stuff one side with food. It is normal for hamsters to carry their food around or back to their beds via their cheeks. They will often continue to eat, even after filling their cheek pouches. Females may even carry or hide their babies in their cheek pouches.

 

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The pelican, for instance, has a pouch that hangs down from the underside of its long beak. The pouch is the bird’s ‘fishing net’ and can expand to hold several fish at a time.

Many pelicans fish by swimming in cooperative groups. They may form a line or a "U" shape and drive fish into shallow water by beating their wings on the surface. When fish congregate in the shallows, the pelicans simply scoop them up. The brown pelican, on the other hand, dives on fish (usually a type of herring called menhaden) from above and snares them in its bill. Pelicans do not store fish in their pouch, but simply use it to catch them and then tip it back to drain out water and swallow the fish immediately. The American white pelican can hold some 3 gallons of water in its bill. Young pelicans feed by sticking their bills into their parents' throats to retrieve food.

 

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The Eastern chipmunk, a small squirrel which lives in eastern North America, has specially adapted pouches inside its cheeks, in which it is able to hold large amounts of food at a time.

Cheek pouches are more pronounced in certain rodents, such as hamsters, yet this structure is also distinguishable on certain species of rat, like the Gambian pouched rat, of which extensive morphological investigations have been conducted. Aspects including rat pouch musculature, vascularization, and innervations were all explored and compiled through this and other studies. The widely distributed Rattus rattus is an example of the rodent family Muridae that lacks a true cheek pouch, rather, they exhibit more elastic cheeks (not true pouches) due to the organization of their cheek musculature.

Concerning the musculature, the cheek pouch is composed primarily of a developed masseter (cheek) muscle that exhibits a high tensile ability. The masseter muscle has been shown to insert into the pectoralis muscles, allowing for a higher degree of food retention. The pouch is clearly divided between a buccal (cheek) and sublingual (below the tongue) portion.

 

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