Category: Animals

The Fringed Leaf Frog

Post author By Wells Baum
Post date February 18, 2021

The Fringed Leaf Frog (Cruziohyla craspedopus) is one of the rarest amphibians in the world.

The 3-inch creature lives a reclusive life up in the Amazon rainforest’s high canopies — it rarely visits the ground — in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

The frog’s coloration, of course, is stunning — intermixing green, blue, and purple. It also can feature pale blue patches on its back.

The myriad colors provide the frog with superb camouflage to conceal it from hunting monkeys. It also makes a soft, croaking sound.

Like all rainforest species, the Fringed Leaf Frog faces the threat of habitat loss. So if you see one perched for a photo opportunity, remember to leave it be.

Tags brazil, Fringed Leaf Frog, frogs, Nature

Animals

The elephant trunk snake

Post author By Wells Baum
Post date February 11, 2021

The Elephant trunk snake (Acrochordus javanicus) is among the largest freshwater snakes in the world.

This weird-looking snake has unique wrinkly scalation and a chunky body, resembling an elephant’s trunk. Its face also looks like a pug or seal.

Given the snake’s aquatic nature, it’s often mistaken as an eel. But the elephant trunk snake rarely leaves the water. The creature mostly lives in the streams and lagoons in Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Non-venomous — it has a forked tongue — elephant trunk snakes make popular exotic pets.

Tags animals, elephant trunk snake, snakes

Animals

The freaky Potoo bird

Post author By Wells Baum
Post date February 8, 2021

The Potoo bird (Ghost bird) from Central and South America can appear freaky.

The strange-looking bird possesses a hooked snake-like bill with a massive gape the animal uses to swallow moths and other insects.

A nocturnal insectivore, their yellow eyes glow up into massive googly balls at night. Yet, they are unrelated to owls.

The potoo bird enjoys excellent camouflage, living life perched upon a tree branch during the day.

In addition to looking like a muppet, the bird may be best known for its sound, projecting a creepy melancholic song.

Tags animals, Potoo bird, South America

Animals

The stealthy ghost crab

Post author By Wells Baum
Post date February 6, 2021

The ghost crab is about as big as your hand but as fast as lightning.

The eight-legged little creature moves across sandy beaches at 100 body lengths per second, which is blazing fast compared to the human and cheetah, which achieve speeds of 11 and 20 body lengths per second.

In other words, you’d be lucky to photograph one. Be prepared for it to dash away as soon as it gets a glimpse of you. The ghost crab typically burrows deep holes in the sand and reemerge late in the day.

But within those stalky eyes and cute little faces are teeth that growl at predators when threatened. The ghost crab is the first example of an animal that uses its stomach to communicate.

Meanwhile, the crabs survive off insects, small clams, and other sand crabs.

Tags animals, beach, ghost crab, Ocean

Animals Nature Photography

The pink-eyed hover goby

Post author By Wells Baum
Post date February 4, 2021

The pink-eyed hover goby (Bryaninops natans) is a fish with a see-through body and yellow organs.

No bigger than an inch, it’s so transparent you can even see its bones in its body.

The pink-eyed goby hovers above the tips of Acropora corals in shallow lagoon reefs of the Indo-Pacific area.

Here are few more images of the cool little fish.

Tags animals, fish, Nature, Photography

Animals

Gorgeous eyelashes of the Secretary bird

Post author By Wells Baum
Post date January 25, 2021

The Secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is your new favorite bird.

Endemic to Africa and the national bird of Sudan, the Secretary bird looks like a combination of an eagle and a crane. Its snake-stomping legs can deliver up to 43 pounds of force. The raptor is also known for its speed, earning the nickname “devil’s horse.”

But what’s most recognizable about this 4-foot terrestrial bird of prey is its beautiful, elongated eyelashes and eyelash-like feathers.

Don’t be ashamed to admit if the Secretarybird has better eyelashes than you.

Tags africa, animals, birds

Animals Nature

Cosmic caterpillar of the Pacific fruit piercing moth

Post author By Wells Baum
Post date January 23, 2021

See the universe in the marvelous googly-eyed cosmic caterpillar of the Pacific fruit piercing moth (Eudocima phalonia), and you’ll never be the same.

While dazzling as the cosmos, the caterpillar is a serious pest in its moth stage, destroying ripe and riping fruit harvests across Hawaii, Australia, to West Bengal, India.

Here are some more pics of the cosmic caterpillar in its advanced larva stage and its appearance as an adult moth. It does an incredible leaf mimic.

Tags animal, Caterpillar, India, Nature

Animals Nature

The giant crowned flying fox is a human-size bat from the Philippines

Post author By Wells Baum
Post date January 21, 2021

Here’s a creature from the Philippines that will stop you in your tracks. The giant golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus) grows as large as 3 feet with a 5-6 feet wingspan.

It is quite simply one of the largest bats in the world.

You’d think that the megabat the size of a 6-year-old kid would be a threat, but it’s harmless — the animal is vegetarian and primarily munches on fruit. For that reason, it is also known as the golden-capped fruit bat. The bats even help spread seeds as pollinators.

Unfortunately, the species is endangered and facing extinction due to poaching in the forest.

Tags animals, bats, Nature, Philippines

Animals Nature

The flamboyant cuttlefish

Post author By Wells Baum
Post date January 20, 2021

The cuttlefish (Sepia latimanus) is a real master of color change.

The bioluminescent fish can modify their appearance and shape using flashing LCD-like bands to hypnotize prey before snatching it up.

A cuttlefish hypnotizes its prey to eat it pic.twitter.com/Q5yPxqDaoE
— Diane Doniol-Valcroze (@ddoniolvalcroze) January 19, 2021

That’s right — these fish use their strobing disco lights to psyche-out crabs and small fish!

Like the octopus, the cuttlefish have pigmented chromatophores in their skin, allowing them to camouflage with their surroundings.

Learn more about the cuttlefish in the video below.

Tags animals, cuttlefish, Nature, Ocean, octopus

Animals

The Great Blue Turaco

Post author By Wells Baum
Post date January 15, 2021

The beautiful Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata) is a bird from West and Central Africa’s tropical forests.

The birds weigh up to three pounds and grow up to 30 inches long, about a pheasant’s size. While not the most competent flyers, they are excellent climbers, spending most of their time hanging out in the trees.

While the great blue turaco sings sweet melodies and snacks on fruit, leaves, and flowers, it’s most famous for its mix of vibrant colors.

With blue running across its head and upper breasts, the bird also flashes a black crest, a teal belly, and a red and tipped beak that gives it the impression of wearing lipstick. It also sports a stunning dark blue mohawk.

One of the most sought after bird species by birders, the Great Blue Turaco is also widely regarded as a bird that brings good luck.

Tags africa, animals, birds, Great Blue Turaco, Nature