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Sports

Brett Lee-The Best of Binga in ODIs

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  Brett Lee’s ODI stats: Matches: 221, Wickets: 380, Average: 23.36, 4 Wickets in Innings: 23, 5 Wickets in Innings: 9, Best figures: 5/22 vs South Africa, Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, 2006, Economy Rate: 4.76, Strike Rate: 29.43 5/42 vs New Zealand, St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth, 2003 ICC World Cup. Overs: 9.1, Maidens: 0, Runs: 42, Wickets: 5, Economy Rate: 4.58.   A match where fast bowling stole the show. Shane Bond (6/23 off 10 overs) did the job for the Kiwis with the ball and helped restrict Australia to 208/9 off 50 overs.    The Kiwis never looked comfortable in the chase. Brett Lee was on another level in the 2003 World Cup, bowling with extreme pace, swing, bounce, and intimidation. He operated between 140-150km/h and when he was on song; he got the ball over 150km/h. Sometimes, he reached 160km/h. Brett Lee: The Best of Binga in ODIs. In the Super Six Encounter against Trans-Tasman rivals, New Zealand, he was superb. He dismissed New Zealand captain, Stephen Fleming, with a short ball. Fleming (48) gloved behind to Adam Gilchrist. Brett Lee then bowled a searing yorker that hit Brendon McCullum (1), plumb in front. Brett Lee: The Best of Binga in ODIs. Lee then came around the wicket to Jacob Oram (0) and bowled him with a delivery clocked at 151km/h that straightened and hit the off-stump. It was a peach of a delivery. If the delivery to Oram was a beauty, then the delivery to bowl Andre Adams was even better. Adams knew that Lee would bowl a yorker. It’s just that he couldn’t do much about it. Lee bowled a 152km/h yorker that knocked the stumps out of the ground. Adams (0) departed and then Lee caught and bowled Shane bond (3) to seal the deal for the Aussies. New Zealand’s last 5 wickets fell for just 10 runs, as Australia bowled New Zealand out for 112, losing the match by 96 runs.   Lee was at his brutal best in this game, and the Kiwis struggled to deal with him. Australia won their 3rd World Cup overall, and their 2nd consecutive title.     5/30 vs England, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, 2002-03 VB Series: Overs: 9.3, Maidens: 0, Runs: 30, Wickets: 5, Economy Rate: 3.15, 0s: 42. 4) Brett Lee 5/30 off 9.3 overs vs England, MCG, Melbourne, VB Series 2002-03.   England’s chase started on an unpleasant note as they lost Marcus Trescothick (0) early. Trescothick upper cut the ball straight to Andy Bichel to the third man. Lee’s next victim was Nick Knight (5). Knight looked uncomfortable against the Aussie fast bowler, but he was a little unlucky as Andrew Symonds caught him at backward square leg.   England were 216/6 after 47 overs and needed 14 runs to win off 3 overs with 4 wickets in hand. Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, brought Brett Lee back, and lee did not disappoint. Lee bowled Andrew Flintoff (16) with a yorker pitched on middle stump. Then, Ian Blackwell (1) hit the ball straight to Damien Martyn.   England were in trouble. Lee came back for the final over and bowled Andy Caddick (4) with a 152km/h yorker that hit Caddick’s foot and deflected back onto the stumps. That was Lee’s fifth wicket and two balls later, James Anderson (0) was run-out by Adam Gilchrist and Australia won the match by 5 runs, and the Finals, 2-0. England lost their last 4 wickets for 8 runs.   Lee bowled with searing pace all night. He intimidated the English batting line-up and the English batting line-up had no answer to Brett Lee’s brilliant fast bowling spell.   5/27 vs India, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 2000. Overs: 8.5 overs, Maidens: 1, Runs: 27, Wickets: 5, Economy Rate: 3.05.   India needed to win this game to stay alive in the Carlton and United ODI Tri-Series in 2000. The venue for this game was the Adelaide Oval and the occasion, Australia Day. It was also Republic Day in India. It was an enormous game for India. The visitors needed to win. The task became more difficult as they had to chase 330 in 50 overs to defeat Australia. Mark Waugh was brilliant for Australia. Waugh and Adam Gilchrist set the game up for the home side.   India were never in the game, as the Aussies bowled the Indians out for 177 in 46.5 overs. Brett Lee destroyed the Indians. Australia’s excellent fielding also put India under serious pressure that saw them falter. Brett lee bowled close to the 150km/h mark in the match and continued his brilliant debut season.   His first victim was Sachin Tendulkar (18) who played a loose shot and top-edged the ball to the third man, Stuart MacGill, who took a wonderful catch. Lee’s dismissed Hrishikesh Kanitkar (0), lbw. Although, the ball was hitting the stumps, replays showed that the ball pitched outside the line of leg-stump.   Lee bowled Anil Kumble (26) with by a lethal 145km/h plus delivery. Javagal Srinath (0) nicked a ball wide of the off-stump to Adam Gilchrist. Lee’s 5th and final wicket was Debashish Mohanty (1), who Lee clean bowled. Australia knocked India out of the Carlton and United Series 2000., winning the match by 152 runs. Lee picked up his first ODI 5-wicket haul and became the 21st Australian to do so. Him and elder brother Shane, became the second pair of brothers to pick up an international 5-wicket haul after Zimbabwean brothers, Paul and Brian Strang.   5/22 vs South Africa, Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, 2006 VB Series, Overs: 10, Maidens: 0, Runs: 22, Wickets: 5, Economy Rate: 2.20, 0s: 41. Brett Lee-The Best of Binga in ODIs Australia won this game by about 59 runs and under the roof, Brett Lee was a nightmare for South Africa. The visitors bowled Australia out for 245 in 49.2 overs with Phil Jaques (94) top-scoring for the homes side. Andrew Hall (4/35 off 9.3 overs). Australia bowled South Africa bowled

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Mammals

Snow Leopard: The predatory mountain cat

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Snow Leopard: The predatory mountain cat   Snow Leopard are a species of leopard throughout Central and South Asia. There are about 10, 000 of fewer snow leopards in the wild, and their population is in serious decline. The Snow Leopards have fur that acts like a camouflage. Their fur is soft, dense, and it grows extra-thick during winter which helps keep it warm. The colour of the fur is grey-white and they have black spots and rosettes. Height-wise, the Snow Leopards are 55-65cm (22-26 inches), length-wise they are 90-115cm (936-44 inches), and 100cm tall. Their weight is 60-120 pounds. The Snow Leopard has extra enormous paws that help it from sinking in the snow, its round ears minimize heat loss. The short, nasal cavity converts the air into warmer air before the Snow Leopard inhale the air into its lungs. Their tail helps it maintain balance plus keeps it warm during the Winter when the Snow Leopard wraps the tail around its body. The cats can jump up to 30 feet in one leap because of their strong, short, front limbs and longer hind limbs. Diet, and Habitat: Diet: Snow Leopards diet has a wide range. They eat bharal, yak, argali, birds, markhor, and domestic animals such as horses and camels. But leopards are strong enough to take prey as large as a yak. They also eat bharals, Siberian ibex, gorals, wild boars, red panda, pikas, marmots, langur, antelopes, pronghorns, chukar, blue sheep, rodents, snow cock, woolly hares, and deer. However, unlike other enormous cats, the Snow Leopard eats vegetation like grass to help cleanse itself. Habitat: The habitat of the Snow Leopards is the mountains of Central Asia Snow leopards live in the mountains of Central Asia. The range of their habitat covers about 2 million sq. km. The habitat extends through the range of 12 countries, i.e., Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Snow Leopards prefer cold/dry climate, with grasses and small shrubs, terrain of cliffs, rocky outcrops, and ravines. Behaviour: The Snow Leopard is a shy animal and hunt by themselves. They are active at dawn, and dusk, which means their activity is a crepuscular pattern. The snow leopards cover ranges over hundreds of square kilometres. Snow Leopards can make a similar sound to the other cats. They can purr, meow, hiss, and growl. However, they cannot growl because of the physiology of their throat and instead of a roar they make a non-aggressive sound called a ‘chuff’. There have been no recorded/verified snow leopard attack on humans. If they see a human, they are more likely to run away from the site. Mating: Snow Leopards communicate with one another by leaving markings or urinating against the rocks. This helps the Snow leopards develop a territory and identify their mates for mating. When the cubs are 2 years old, they leave their mother and live by themselves. Threats and Conservation efforts: Threats: Poaching of not only the Snow Leopards but also the poaching of their prey like the wild sheep and goat, which affects the populations of the snow leopard. Snow Leopards also face threats like illegal or unsustainable hunting. Also, some herders whose livelihood depends on herding domestic animals, kill Snow Leopards. The reason is that Snow Leopards hunt domestic animals. Losing a domestic animal can lead to economic/financial losses for herders and that’s why the herders kill Snow Leopards. Animal trade, mining, large-scale development are threats to the snow leopard population’s survival. Conservation Efforts: To curb the incidents of herders killing Snow Leopards, the Snow Leopard Trust have started Livestock insurance, and provided livestock vaccinations to help herders take care of their livestock. Also, the Snow Leopard Trust has taken steps such as predation prevention, Conservation Education, and Combatting Poaching to help improve Snow leopard populations and protect the herder’s livestock. Conservation Education helps in providing education about boosting the community-based conservation efforts, plus enthusing the next cohort of nature conservationists. Sources:

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Sports

Six memorable spells from Trent Boult

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Six memorable spells 6/32 vs England, at Eden Park, Auckland, 2018. Overs: 10.4, Maidens: 3, Runs: 32, Wickets: 6, Economy rate: 3.00. New Zealand hosted their first ever home Day/Night Test back in early 2018. The venue, Eden Park, Auckland. England batted first and well, finished batting before lunch on Day 1. New Zealand bowled the visitors out for 58 in just 20.4 overs. It was an absolute horror show from the visitors who came off a 4-0 drubbing in the Ashes. Only Craig Overton (33*) and opening batsman, Mark Stoneman (11) reached double figures for the visitors as Trent Boult and Tim Southee ripped through the England batting line-up. England never recovered and New Zealand ended up winning the match by an innings and 49 runs. Kiwi Skipper Kane Williamson only used two bowlers throughout the England innings, i.e., Trent Boult and Tim Southee. Trent Boult (6/32) and Tim Southee (4/25) destroyed the English batting line-up. At one stage England, were on course to being dismissed for the lowest team total ever. England were 9/27 after an hour of play. When England were 9/27, Southee had figures of 4/14 and Boult had figures of 5/13. Boult dismissed Alastair Cook (5) as Tom Latham caught him in the slips. Then Boult bowled Joe Root (0) with a beautiful inswinger. Dawid Malan (2) edged behind to BJ Watling. Boult bowled the returning Ben Stokes (0) with a clever scrambled seam delivery that jagged and hit the off-stump.  When Tim Southee caught Jonny Bairstow (0) off his own bowling, England were 6/18. Boult then bowled Chris Woakes (0) with an inswinger to pick up his 5th wicket. Henry Nicholls caught James Anderson (1) to give Boult his 6th wicket. It was an outstanding display of swing bowling from Boult and Southee. England collapsed and New Zealand won the Test match and the 2-match Test series, 1-0. This was New Zealand’s first Test series win over England in almost two decades.   6/30 vs Sri Lanka, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, 2018. Overs: 15, Maidens: 8, Runs: 30, Wickets: 6, Economy Rate: 2.00. After an epic draw at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, the Kiwis were looking to win the final Test and take out the 2-match series. Sri Lanka were 4/100 and needed a solid partnership to establish themselves in the game. Trent Boult (6/30) had other plans as he took his career-best figures.   In third over of the 2nd day of the Test, Roshen Silva (21) edged the ball to Tim Southee at third slip. Niroshan Dickwella (4) departed in similar fashion. Sri Lanka lost their last 5 wickets for 4 runs. The last four wickets were lbw. All four batsmen were out for ducks. Boult picked up 6 wickets in just 15 deliveries. New Zealand bowled Sri Lanka out for 104 in 41 overs. New Zealand never looked back from there and they ended up winning the match by 423 runs and took out the 2-match Test series, 1-0.   7/34 vs West Indies, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, 2017. Overs: 10.0, Maidens: 3, Runs: 34, Wickets: 7, Economy Rate: 3.40. New Zealand posted 325/6 after 50 overs in the second ODI and bowled the West Indies out for 121 in 28 overs. The Kiwis won the match by 204 runs. Trent Boult (7/34) and Lockie Ferguson (3/17) tore the Windies batting line-up apart. In his initial spell, Boult picked up 3/6 off 3 overs. Boult dismissed Evin Lewis (10), Kyle (4) and Shai (23) Hope in his initial spell. Six memorable spells from Trent Boult He then came back and dismissed Shimron Hetmyer (2). Lockie Ferguson removed Jason Mohammed (18), West indies captain, Jason Holder (13) and Rovman Powell (0) in 10 deliveries. Ferguson’s pace was too much for the West Indies to handle. Boult then finished the lower order, dismissing Ashley Nurse (27), Sheldon Cottrell (8) and Shannon Gabriel (0) to finish with his career best ODI figures. New Zealand ended up whitewashing the Windies, 3-0 in the ODI series. The West indies went home after the T20 series, without registering a victory on tour. Boult was the star of the day though, and won the Man of the match award for his brilliant performance. Six memorable spells from Trent Boult 5/21 vs India, Seddon Park, Hamilton, 2019. Overs: 10.0, Maidens: 4, Runs: 21, Wickets: 5, Economy Rate: 2.10. India already had the series wrapped up before this ODI. India wanted to gain momentum heading into the 2019 World Cup in England. However, Trent Boult and New Zealand had other ideas and bowled India out for just 92 in 30.5 overs. The match lasted 44.4 overs as the Kiwis won their only game of the 5-match ODI series by 8 wickets with 212 balls remaining. India batted first. Trent Boult dismissed Shikhar Dhawan (13) leg-before-wicket. Then, Trent Boult caught Rohit Sharma (7) and Shubman Gill (9), off his own bowling. All this happened inside 10.2 overs. Colin de Grandhomme (3/26 off 10 overs: 2 maidens) backed up Boult and removed Ajinkya Rahane (0), Ambati Rayudu (0) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1). Boult came back and had Kedar Jadhav (1) plumb in front. Hardik Pandya (16) nicked behind to Latham as Boult picked up his 5th ODI 5-wicket haul. Boult mixed his scrambled seam deliveries with the deliveries that swing with splendid success. It created havoc and India struggled. 5/27 vs Australia, Eden Park, Auckland, 2015 ICC World Cup. Overs: 10.0, Maidens: 3, Runs: 27, Wickets: 5, Economy Rate: 2.70. An all-time classic between the two Trans-Tasman neighbours. New Zealand dismissed Australia for 151 in 32.2 overs. Trent Boult sparked the collapse as Australia went from 1/80 after 13 overs to being dismissed for 152 in 32.2 overs. The Aussies lost their last 9 wickets for just 71 runs. Boult was swinging the ball at around 140km/h and the 40,053 fans at Eden Park were cheering him on. The crowd were giving it to the Aussie players, and the atmosphere was awesome at

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Sports

5 moments of brilliance from Shane Warne

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Classic spells from the Sheikh of Tweak, Shane Warne 4/36 vs West Indies, Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali, 1996 World Cup. Overs: 9, Maidens: 0, Runs: 36, Wickets: 4, Economy Rate: 4.00. Australia didn’t have much of a total to defend. Mark Taylor’s side made 207/9 in 50 overs with Stuart Law (72 off 105 balls) and Michael Bevan (69 off 110 balls), top-scoring. Ian Healy (31 off 28 balls) provided a handy cameo that helped propel Australia over the 200-mark. The pitch was a challenging one for batting. At the half-way stage, most people would have backed the West Indies to win the match and reach the final. At 2/165 after 41.1 overs, the West Indies looked solid, and they had two well-set batsmen at the crease. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (80 off 126 balls) and captain Richie Richardson (49* off 83) put on a partnership of 72 for the 3rd wicket. Once Glenn McGrath removed Chanderpaul, the West Indies collapsed like a pack of cards. The West Indies lost the game by 5 runs as Australia went onto the World-Cup Final. The West Indies lost their last 8 wickets for 37 runs in the space of 49 balls. Shane Warne, who picked up Courtney Browne (10 off 18 balls) with the first ball he bowled, came back for his last spell. In that spell, he dismissed Otis Gibson, Jimmy Adams, and Ian Bishop with some clever bowling. Flippers, changes in pace and tight lines did the trick as Warne helped Australia win a World Cup classic. Warne’s last spell, included 3 overs, 6 runs, and 3 wickets. Warne performed on the big stage and this would not be the last time he performed on the big stage. 4/29 vs RSA, Edgbaston, Birmingham, 1999 World Cup. Overs: 10, Maidens: 4, Runs: 29, Wickets: 4, Economy Rate: 2.90. Australia reached the 1999 World Cup semi-final after beating South Africa in the last Super Six match. They had a poor start to the tournament, and they had to win every game to reach the final. The 1999 World Cup semi-final was and will remain as one of the greatest ODIs and to be fair, cricket matches of all-time. Edgbaston was the venue for the semi-final between the two Southern Hemisphere teams. South Africa dismissed Australia for 213 in 49.2 overs. Michael Bevan (66 off 101 balls) and captain, Steve Waugh (56 off 76 balls) helped Australia post a modest total on a tricky pitch. Australia needed a big performance from one of their star bowlers to defend the total and reach the final. A tie or a victory for Australia meant they would have reached the final. South Africa needed a win to reach the final. At 0/48 after 12.1 overs, South Africa was in control of the match. Australian captain, Steve Waugh brought Shane Warne into the attack, and the situation changed. Warne bowled one of his best spells. Warne removed Herschelle Gibbs (30 off 36 balls) with a beautiful leg-break pitched outside leg-stump that turned and clipped off-stump. He then bowled Gary Kirsten (18 off 42 balls). Warne tossed the ball up in the air and the ball turned back into the stumps. Kirsten played a loose shot at the wrong stage of the game. Warne removed the late South African captain, Hansie Cronje (0 off 2 balls) for his third duck in World Cup encounters against Australia. Cronje nicked the ball to Mark Waugh at first slip. Later Warne came back and got the big wicket of Jacques Kallis (53 off 92 balls). Warne tossed it up and extracted just enough turn to create an error. Kallis lobbed the ball to Australia captain, Steve Waugh who was waiting at the cover for the catch. Warne bowled an amazing 4 maidens in a World Cup semi-final. Also, he went under 3 an over, which is brilliant in ODIs for any era. When he removed Gibbs, he kept pumping his teammates up, which lifted the team’s spirits after South Africa’s positive start. Again, Warne performed when his team needed it the most.  8/71 vs England, GABBA, Brisbane, 1994: 1st innings bowling figures: Overs: 21.2 Maidens: 7, Runs: 39, Wickets: 3, economy rate: 1.83 & 2nd innings bowling figures: Overs; 50.2 overs, Maidens: 22, Runs: 81, Wickets: 8, Economy Rate: 1.41. First Ashes series at home for Shane Warne and he had an instant impact as he ripped through the English batting line-up. This was the 2nd of Warne’s 10 10-wicket match hauls in his Test career. His performance in the second innings remained his best performance throughout his Test career. England required a then-world record of 428 to win and fell 183 runs short of the total. Shane Warne weaved his magic and destroyed England. His first wicket was England wicketkeeper, Alec Stewart (33 off 40 balls), who he bowled with a beautiful flipper. Then the ‘Sheikh of Tweak’ dismissed Mike Atherton (23 off 40 balls), plumb in front. Warne ended a 160-run partnership between Graeme Hick and Graham Thorpe, dismissing the latter, with a looping delivery that delivery slipped though Thorpe’s (67 off 229 balls) bat and pad, and bowled him. One run later, Hick (80 off 227 balls) misjudged a ball pitched outside leg-stump that bounced and it caught his glove. Ian Healy took the catch. Graham Gooch (56 off 137 balls) was Warne’s 5th wicket. Warne deceived Gooch with a delivery that had revs on it. Gooch under-edged it to Healy. Warne bowled Phil DeFreitas around his legs, and then Warne trapped Martin McCague, plumb in front, with a googly. Darren Gough was Warne’s 8th wicket. Gough nicked the ball to Mark Waugh standing at first slip. England lost their last 7 wickets for 104 runs. Warne was like a magician that day. It wouldn’t be the last time Warne tormented the English in his Test career. Warne only lost one out of eight Test series against England throughout his career. 5 moments of brilliance from

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Coronavirus

How to look after your mental health-Coronavirus pandemic

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How to look after your mental health amid the coronavirus pandemic-There are various ways that individuals can deal with their prosperity. The coronavirus pandemic has profoundly affected all aspects of society. It’s significant that individuals adopt a useful strategy for managing COVID-19. Try to maintain perspective While it is sensible for individuals to be worried about the outbreak of coronavirus, attempt to recollect that clinical, logical, and general wellbeing specialists around the globe are endeavoring to contain the infection, treat those influenced and build up an antibody as fast as could reasonably be expected. Find a healthy balance in reference to media coverage Being exposed to large volumes of negative information can heighten feelings of anxiety. While it’s important to remain informed, you’ll find it useful to limit your media intake if it’s upsetting you or your family. Try to maintain a practical and calm approach. Widespread panic can complicate efforts to manage the outbreak effectively. Do your best to remain calm and follow official advice, particularly around observing good hygiene habits. The Australian Psychological Society has advised about maintaining a positive psychological state during the outbreakTo contribute to a way of community wellbeing, attempt to remember that the coronavirus can affect anyone no matter their nationality or ethnicity and remember that those with the disease haven’t done anything wrong. “Find More About Covid” COVID Prevention – (COVID-19)-Symptoms and Prevention *Covid-19 – Latest Coronavirus outbreak *Quarantine at home- guidance for close contacts *When will a coronavirus vaccine be ready?  Wash your hands – but not excessively OCD Action has seen an expansion in help demands from individuals whose apprehensions have gotten concentrated on the coronavirus pandemic. For individuals with OCD and a few kinds of tension, being continually advised to wash your hands can be particularly hard to hear. support It’s normal to feel overwhelmed or stressed by news of the outbreak. We encourage people that have experienced psychological state issues within the past to: activate your support network acknowledge feelings of distress seek professional support early if you’re having difficulties. For those already managing a psychological state issue, continue together with your treatment plan, and monitor for any new symptoms. Social contact and maintaining routines are often supportive of our psychological state and wellbeing. In circumstances where this is often impossible, staying connected with friends and family online or by phone may assist. Beyond Blue also features a dedicated page on its forums about coping during the coronavirus outbreak.

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Birds

Kea-The Kiwi Mountain Parrot

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Kea-The Kiwi Mountain Parrot Kea-The Kiwi Mountain Parrot – Facts file  The Kea is a native Kiwi parrot found in the Southern Island of New Zealand. Its beak around 4.5cm-5cm long for males, while the female’s beak is 4-4.5cm long. Their wingspan is 1m in width and they are about 46cm long. A male Kea weighs 750g-1kg, whereas, the female Kea weighs 700-850g. Keas have a plumage of olive green, their nape and crown are yellow or green. Their abdomen and chest are green with a tinge of brown, while their tail is blueish green with a black tip. Their eye colour is brown and they have dark, brown patches around their eyes Their feet have 4 toes on each foot with two pointing forwards and backwards. Adult Keas have brown feet, while the younger ones/juveniles have yellow feet. Diet, habitat, predators, and behaviour. Diet: Their diet comprises leaf buds, roots, fruit, seeds, nectar, and insects. Their favourite food is the nectar of flax and coprosma.  Habitat: Keas live throughout alpine areas in the Southern Island of New Zealand. They build nests at sea level on the West Coast of the South Island, the Southern Alps and in the mountains of the South Island. Behaviour: Kea parrots are intelligent birds. Scientists from all over the world have come to Southern Island to conduct experiments on the Kea. The experiments involve tasks that aim at showing the intelligence levels of the Kea. Along with intelligence, they are noisy and can be pests. There have been cases where the Kea has broken tourists’ cars and vandalised lodges and houses. They like going to buildings whatever way they can. They use their beak for looking for food through rocks and other tough places like crevices. Mating occurs over a lifetime. The females lay 2-5 eggs per year in a burrow deep in the ground under a beech trees’ roots or large rock outcrop. The Male feeds the female during the incubation period. Incubation occurs for 1 month and Keas breed each year. Sexual maturity in the Keas occurs at around 3 years in females and 4-5 years in males. If predators like stouts (introduced species) and possums eat the Keas eggs, the female Kea can lay another batch of eggs if it is not too late in the season. When the chick is 1-month old, the male keas assist with their feeding. Male Keas mate with up to four females during the breeding season. After 10-13 weeks, the chicks can fledge. Threats and conservation efforts: Threats: There are threats to the Keas existence. Introduced mammalian predators, Lead in the Keas habitat is also a threat to Keas existence. Irresponsible 1080 pest control, Avian diseases, accidents, and illicit wildlife trade are other threats the Keas face to their existence. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies Keas as ‘Vulnerable’. Conservation Efforts: The pleasant news is that past New Zealand Government had implemented legislation and Projects to minimise the above threats. Under the Wildlife Protection Act, a person who kills a Kea can receive a heavy fine and face imprisonment. Projects are being developed to minimise the impact of each of these threats. Threat Mitigation Projects help in reducing the impact of the threats that Keas face.  The Kea Conservation Trust is a registered charitable trust that has helped in preserving the Keas populations in New Zealand. Kea-The Kiwi Mountain Parrot

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Mammals

wolverine | Description, Habitat, Photos, & Facts

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wolverine | Description, Habitat, Photos, & Facts Wolverine. Wolverines are the largest member of the weasel family. They live throughout the Arctic and Sub-Arctic. Wolverines are fearsome animals just like the Honey Badger. They are fearsome as they take on big animals like the moose. Their body includes a thick, hydrophobic, and oily fur which helps it resist the toughest of conditions. Hence, why it can survive in the harsh conditions of the Artic and Sub-Artic. There are two types of wolverine and i.e., the European Wolverine and the North-American Wolverine. There are about 15,000-30,000 Wolverines in the wild. Their body length is between 32-42 inches and their weight can be up to 70 pounds. Out of all mustelids, only the Sea Otter and the Giant Otter are larger than the Wolverine. Diet, Habitat, and Behaviour. Diet: Their diet involves scavenging on the corpses and prey of other animals. Wolverines are opportunistic eaters that feast on anything. They eat smaller prey like porcupines, beavers, squirrels, foxes, rabbits, voles, lemmings and mice to birds, bird eggs. They take on bigger prey like deer and moose if the prey appears to be injured. Plants, berries, and other veggies are just a small portion of their diet and they eat them in Summer. Habitat: Wolverines need a lot of room and live in different habitats. They can travel for up to 15 miles a day while searching for food. They visit boreal forests, taiga, and tundra in the northern latitudes of Europe, Asia, and North America. Behavior: Wolverines are excellent climbers and they rest in the evergreen trees of their homes. Their scavenging nature leads them to steal from hunting lodges. There are cases where they carry off guns, knives, clothes, blankets, cooking utensils, tools, and other items that they would not use. Like bears, the male Wolverines mark their territories with a scent. Females stay in the den and give birth to 2-3 young in late winter or early spring. The young ones live with their mums until they reach maturity, which is two years. Females have delayed implantation so the eggs stay around the uterus before they de-attach. The reason is to ensure that there is an abundance of food when the young is born, during January-April. Females produce one litter every 2-3 years. Threats and Conservation efforts: Threats: The major threats to Wolverine’s existence are loss/fragmentation of habitat, and hunting. As described earlier, the fur of Wolverines has qualities that help it survive. Poachers/Hunters see the Wolverine fur becomes beneficial and has a value in the market. Hunters also hunt wolverines for sport. These are the reasons their populations are declining. The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) assessment lists the Wolverines as ‘Least Concerning’. The IUCN’s European assessment lists the Wolverine as ‘Vulnerable’ in Europe. Conservation Efforts: Conservationists have tried to pass legislation that helps preserve the Wolverine populations. There have been efforts to include the Wolverine under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). WCS America has protected Wolverines in the U.S. and they have tried to push legislation that help protect the Wolverine from extinction in the U.S.

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Animal World, Mammals

Indian Sloth Bear Facts | India Wildlife Guide

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Indian Sloth Bear Facts Indian Sloth bears are large mammals found in India. What makes these bears unique is their diet’s key source is insects. The estimated number of Sloth bears in the wild is less than 20,000. The body-length of the Indian Sloth Bear is between 5-6ft. Female Indian Sloth Bears weight is 175-310 pounds and the males weight is 120-210 pounds. Its tail is about 6-7 inches long, which is the longest tail in the bear family. Plus, its footprint is like a human’s footprint. Diet, Habitat, Predators, and Behaviour: Diet: The Indian Sloth Bears diet includes insects. Their sense of smell and their long, curved claws help them locate and rip the termite mounds. Termites are the Indian Sloth Bears favourite delicacy. Indian Sloth Bears also eat flowers, mangoes, jackfruits, sugar cane, honey, wood apples and other fruits, seeds. Habitat: They live in lowland forests and sometimes, and they live in tall, dense grasslands and a range of insect-rich habitats. They prefer living in areas with lower elevation and also dry forests. Predators: Humans, leopards, tigers and wolves are the major predators. Tigers, Leopards, and Wolves prey on the cubs. Behaviour: Most of them are nocturnal. The females are more active during the daytime so she can avoid predators preying on her young ones at night. Cubs and adults climb trees, however, the cubs do not climb the trees to avoid predators like other bear species. The cubs jump on their mother’s back while their mothers scare the predator/s away. These bears live in a warm climate and need not hibernate in winter like other bear species. The surprising thing is that these bears kill 12 people a year. Reproduction depends on the location and it can happen anytime in the year. The gestation period is around 9 months and their litters contain 2-3 cubs. Female sloth bears reproduce at different times of the year based upon their location. Once they mate, their gestation period is nine months long. The mother uses a cave or rock cavity so they can give birth with optimal safety. The cubs ride on their mums back for safety and quicker travel until they are about nine months old and they become independent when they are 2-3 years old. Threats and Conservation efforts: Threats: Use of bears for entertainment, deforestation, loss/fragmentation of habitat hunting, poaching, and other forms of human conflict are just some threats that the bear’s face. In the Dancing Bear Trade in India, the bears end up suffering from malnutrition. Poachers kill the bears to use their gall bladder for traditional eastern medicine. Some people still use them for entertainment despite bans being put in place in 1972 which prohibit the use of bears for entertainment. The IUCN’s (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List labels the Sloth Bear as a ‘Vulnerable’ species. Conservation efforts: Despite all the threats, there are efforts aimed at conserving the Indian Sloth Bear populations. Community-based incentives aim at planting more trees and protecting the bears’ habitat. Zoos help to preserve the Sloth Bear’s populations. In addition, the Wildlife SOS has saved 400 bears from the dancing bear business in India. The Wildlife SOS is a non-profit organisation that aims at conserving India’s natural resources. It also has rescue and rehabilitation centres that help the bears with recovery efforts.  Indian Sloth Bear Facts  -Sources: https://www.nathab.com/know-before-you-go/asia-the-pacific/india/wildlife-guide/sloth-bear/ https://animals.net/sloth-bear/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/05/sloth-bears-are-worlds-deadliest-india-human-conflict/ https://institute.sandiegozoo.org/species/sloth-bear http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/carnivores/bear_sloth.html

multicoloured squirrel
Mammals

Indian giant squirrel

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Indian giant squirrel The Malabar Giant Squirrels (or Indian Giant Squirrel) are an endemic Indian species, found throughout India in places like the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats and the Satpura Range in states such as Madhya Pradesh. Body length-wise, they are 20-25 cm, their tail around 45cm in length, and their weight from 1.5-2kg. They are two times the size of the Eastern Grey Squirrel.   Their colour tone is a one, two, or three-toned colour scheme. Its colours include white, creamy-beige, buff, tan, rust reddish-maroon, brown, dark brown, or black. The colours act as a camouflage to protect the squirrel from predators. Broadleaf habitats of the squirrels exhibit a “mosaic of sun flecks and dark, shaded areas” which is like the patterns of the Giant Malabar Indian Squirrel. The Malabar Giant Squirrels can leap up to 20 ft. and they can travel between close trees with limited effort. Their long and strong claws help them climb trees with ease. Their flexibility and cautious attitude help them avoid predators. Diet, Habitat, Predators, and Behaviour: Their diet includes consists of jackfruit native to India, other fruit, flowers, nuts, and tree bark. The omnivorous species eat insects, and sometimes, bird eggs.   Malabar Giant Squirrels live in the tropical evergreen forests of India. They are an upper-canopy dwelling species that stay in the treetop and rarely touch the ground. They make their nests on the nooks of the thinner branches or in tree holes.   The nests’ sizes are like that of eagle nests and consist of twigs and leaves. Some individuals and pairs of squirrels live in over one nest. They leap from one tree to another in search of food. These creatures have a quirky method of storing their food. Unlike other squirrels, the Malabar Giant Squirrel creates large caches of food high in the treetops. Predators include leopards, lion-tailed macaques, crested serpent eagles, other big cats, snakes, and other big birds of prey.   Their tail aids their balance while they roam on precarious branches. Malabar Giant Squirrels have a unique way of avoiding predators. They flatten themselves against a branch and utilise their unique colour pattern to make it look like they are apart of the tree. There is limited knowledge about the breeding and mating habits of these unique creatures. The only known aspect is that their litter can include one to three squirrels and that breeding occurs at any time of the year. Their lifespan in the wild is unknown. However, in captivity, the longest they have lived in 20 years.   Threats and conservation efforts: These wonderful creatures are facing many threats to their survival. Deforestation, hunting, fragmentation of their habitats and captivity as pets are just some threats that the Malabar Giant Squirrel faces. There are efforts being made to help conserve their populations, but they are difficult to look after due to certain behavioural traits. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of threatened species did a worldwide assessment on the species. The assessment confirmed that despite the decline, the squirrel’s numbers remain of “least concern” on the organization’s scale. Conservation efforts despite all the challenges are being made to help improve the Malabar Giant Squirrel’s population. Implementation of Wildlife Protection Acts and legislations that ban hunting and keeping them as pets, help preserve the Malabar Giant populations. Wildlife Parks and Zoos including the Rajiv Gandhi National Zoological Park in Pune are helping boost the population of the Malabar Giant Squirrel. These are just some conservation efforts being made to protect the Malabar Giant Squirrel.   Sources: https://www.conservationindia.org/gallery/captive-malabar-giant-squirrel https://www.thedodo.com/in-the-wild/indian-giant-squirrel-pictures https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/why-a-pune-zoo-is-breeding-the-malabar-giant-squirrel/article25401268.ece https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/04/indian-giant-squirrels-colors-camouflage/ https://allthatsinteresting.com/indian-giant-squirrel

pexels brett sayles 2555825 scaled
Mammals

Grizzly Bear Facts |- Animal Fact Guide

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Facts about the Grizzly Bear. Grizzly bears live throughout the U.S.A., Canada, Alaska and parts of the former Soviet Union. They are brown. The name grizzly comes from the fact that their fur, appears to be white-tipped, or grizzled. Their claws can be up to 4 inches. Grizzly Bear front claws can be up to 4-inches. Grizzly bears most definable trait is the hump on their shoulders. The hump is a large, powerful muscle that helps provide power to their forelimbs through their schedule. Diet, Habitat, behaviour and Mating: Diet-wise, the grizzly bears eat whatever they like. They are on-top-of-the-food-chain predators. However, most of their diet revolves around nuts, berries, fruits, leaves, and roots. They eat moose, elk, bison, and mice. The grizzlies are powerful enough to make a meal out of anything. Quantity-wise, they can eat up to 90lbs of food each day. The Grizzly Bears like open areas including the tundra, alpine meadows, and coastlines. Grizzlies are solitary animals and only meet up with other Grizzlies for mating. In case they meet other bears, the social interactions between the bears are limited. The bears have a habit of rubbing their backs against trees. The purpose is to communicate with other Grizzly bears by emitting a scent onto the tree. They are not trying to get rid of an itch from their backs. The cubs require about 2-3 years of nursing before they can go out on their own. The cubs become less dependent on their mama’s milk and eat solid food from an early age. Females give birth during hibernation in which they spend most of their time in the dens they build before the winter period. Other interesting facts about the Grizzly Bear: In fictional stories, bears appear to be slow, lazy, and clumsy. However, appearances are deceptive. Grizzlies can run at speeds ranging from 27.78-35 miles per hour. This means they can beat many sprinters including the legendary, Usain Bolt. Also, contrary to popular belief, Grizzly bears can climb trees. However, they need proper support from evenly spaced branches as the bears have long claws and are heavy animals. They can be dangerous to humans if they feel threatened or if a human comes near their cubs. Conservation efforts and threats: Like many beautiful creatures, Grizzly bears populations are facing threats to their existence. Threats to their populations’ existence include human activities like logging, hunting, development, and mining. The sad part is that there is legalized bear hunting in Canada. A dead Grizzly bear is viewed as a trophy. There have been some controversial efforts to remove laws that aim at protecting the Grizzly Bears in recent years. On a positive note, there have been conservation efforts to boost the bears’ populations. In the USA, the Endangered Species Act helps in conserving the bear’s population. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have helped in conservation efforts by setting up recovery zones. Its aims at setting up recovery zones which help in reimbursing ranchers for the livestock killed by Grizzly bears. The Recovery Zones also aim at improving human-bear relations by educating people about the bears.                                    

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