Beavers gonna beav. In the below photo sit three happy beavers, obeying their natural animal instincts, appearing adorably proud of themselves as they relax after a long day’s work of cutting down trees. While most view these animals as cute, fuzzy little creatures, for those who have had a beaver bite down a tree on their property, these creatures are seen as a large, annoying nuisance. However, scientists have proved the benefits of these animals on their surrounding habitats.
Believe it or not, similar to humans, beavers also use goggles to swim! However, unlike the man-made, artificial goggles humans use to better see under water, beavers actually posses a set of transparent eyelids. This adaptation allows beavers to see underwater.
Whatchu’ Looking at, Blue Footed Booby?
Named after their blue-footed feet, the blue-footed booby bird, known by the scientific name of Sula nebouxii, was named after this bird’s silly, boob-like, foolish and goofy demeanor. This carnivorous bird’s clown-like notoriety is reflected in its clumsiness on land, similar to the awkward movement of many other seabirds on land. Additionally, these odd birds are also known to be unusually trusting of humans.
Of the many weird facts pertaining to the blue-footed booby bird, perhaps the strangest of them all is the birds’ unique mating ritual. Taking great pride in their name, and (more likely) their blue feet, during Blue-footed mating rituals, the males will flaunt their blue feet, displaying them to prospective female mates with a pompous, high-stepping strut movement. The key to finding a successful mate? Blue feet. The bluer the feet, the more attractive the mate.
The Flight of the Gulls and the Eagle
Shot in the skies of Alaska in June of 2018, this incredible photo captures the rare, violent moment between a bald eagle and two seagulls. Like raptor birds, eagles are a carnivorous species of hunting bird whose diet is mainly composed of small mammals and, believe it or not, even birds. Unique to North America, this bird has a distinct brown body and contrasting white head.
According to the story retold by the photographer responsible for the above picture, this image showcases the two seagulls in the fight of their lives. The seagull above was trying to save its friend, who was caught by the vision eagle, willing to risk his life for his soulmate's companionship.
Looking Straight Into the Soul of the Emperor Tamarin
Staring directly into the lens of the camera responsible for the below photo is the primate known as the emperor tamarin. The size of a squirrel, this primate lives deep within the Amazon basin of South America. Despite its regal name, in reality, this species of primate is not particularly high up in the species hierarchy—it just has a very, very large mustache. Given its name by a Swiss zoologist, the tamarin was given its royal name as a comical tribute to Emperor Wilhelm II, who was widely known in his country as a man with an extremely powerful mustache.
These animals are diurnal primates, meaning the majority of their activities take place during the day. The emperor tamarin lives in trees, leaping from branch to branch to move around and find food. As such, they are extremely small and impressively agile creatures. It is interesting to note that two-thirds of female emperor tamarins only see three colors: an adaptation which makes it easier for these females to detect and find ripe fruit in the trees. In contrast, other females and males of these species only see two colors, which ables them to better detect camouflaged predators.
The World’s Most Expensive Aquarium Fish: the Asian Arowana
Below is a photo of the Asian Arowana, the most expensive aquarium fish in the world. Sold with an average price tag of around $150,000 (or more, depending on the seller), because this fish is illegal to import into the US, many of them are sold at an even higher rate on the black market. A beautiful fish rarely spotted in the wild, the Asian Arowana, also known as the dragon fish, hails from the waters of Southeast Asia.
In the wild, this fish can grow up to three feet long—roughly the size of a single snowshoe. A predator fish traced all the way back to the prehistoric age of the dinosaurs, this fish is distinguished by its red color, the whiskers on its chin and its coin-like, metallic scales. Combined, these distinct features are said to resemble the Chinese dragon. It is this striking similarity that eventually led to the belief associated with the Arowana's good luck and prosperity.