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Poison dart frog
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The poison dart frog is the common name given to the most poisonous animals on Earth. Native to Central and South America, these species of frogs (family: Dendrobatidae) produce several lethal toxins that are capable of killing a human or other large animal with just 2 micrograms (μg). In other words, one drop of their venom could be powerful enough to kill 8000 people. The most toxic of poison dart frog species is Phyllobates terribilis. Unlike snakes, dart frogs do not synthesize their poisons, but sequester the chemicals they consume from arthropod prey, such as ants, centipedes and mites. This is why in captivity, they produce far less poison than wild frogs due to their change in diet. What makes these frogs immune to their own poison i ...
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1503 |
bio_man |
5 years ago |
The Philippine eagle
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The Philippine eagle ( Pithecophaga jefferyi), also known as the monkey-eating eagle, is found exclusively in the forests of the Philippines. It has brown- and white-coloured plumage, and a shaggy crest, and generally measures 86 to 102 cm (2.82 to 3.35 ft) in length, weighs 4.7 to 8.0 kg (10.4 to 17.6 lb), and has a 2 meter wingspan. It is considered the largest of the extant eagles in the world in terms of length and wing surface. Among the rarest and most powerful birds in the world, it has been declared the Philippine national bird. Unfortunately, however, it is critically endangered, mainly due to massive loss of habitat resulting from deforestation in most of its range. Killing a Philippine eagle is punishable under Philippine law by 1 ...
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1204 |
bio_man |
6 years ago |
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4790 |
duddy |
7 years ago |
Gliding spiders
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These tropical arachnids known as selenopid spiders (pictured above) possess the rare ability to steer themselves in the air and jump between trees - an unexpected talent for spiders, which have no history of flight. Researchers theorize that this behavior may have evolved because tree trunks are a far better place for a tree-dwelling spider than the forest floor, an unfamiliar territory crawling with creatures looking for a meal. ...
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11144 |
duddy |
8 years ago |
A miniature wildcat
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The KodKod ( Leopardus guigna) is the smallest wildcat - it's even smaller than domestic cats. It lives primarily in central and southern Chile and marginally in adjoining areas of Argentina. Check out the video below for more information on this cute creature: ...
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2021 |
duddy |
8 years ago |
The world's tallest tree
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Hyperion, ranked as the world's tallest known living tree, has not had its location revealed publicly for fear that human traffic would upset the ecosystem the tree inhabits. This fabulous tree is a coast redwood ( Sequoia sempervirens) found in Northern California that was measured at 115.61 m (379.3 ft).
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2774 |
duddy |
8 years ago |
Humans and Earth - the battle
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When you turn on your TV, it is the definition of ironic to watch the news channels for information about planet mass destruction. Whilst when you step outside your door, it is quite alarming and obvious that our earth is suffering. When every person around you, from toddlers to elderly, own some for of technology, with no means of recycling old items. When students, each with their own copies of pages. When potable water has not yet reached the most needy of nations. When human greed is apparent with every innovative idea claiming to "revolutionize "a domain brought up to make a quick buck. Drilling, mining, industrialization, politics, scavenging for resources, suffocating our environment... This may all seem negative, but coming from a ...
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2760 |
ehd123 |
8 years ago |
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26152 |
duddy |
9 years ago |
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13143 |
duddy |
9 years ago |
Overcrowded forest leads to this
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This beautiful mosaic of leaves is caused by a mysterious natural phenomenon known as 'crown shyness'. Seen here in a cluster of Kapur trees in Malaysia, scientists suspect that it occurs when young shoots become sensitive to touch, and stop growing once they graze other leaves.
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4043 |
duddy |
9 years ago |
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6312 |
duddy |
9 years ago |
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6573 |
duddy |
9 years ago |
This sweet fruit grows in the most unbelievable place
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The Brazilian Jaboticaba tree well and truly takes advantage of all the surface area on its trunk by growing its sweet, grape-like fruits all over it. It's said to have evolved its trunk-fruit so animals could reach them and distribute the seeds.
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4176 |
duddy |
9 years ago |
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2552 |
duddy |
9 years ago |
Foxfire or Firefox, take your pick!
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Foxfire, also called "fairy fire" is a crazy glow in the dark fungus. The bluish-green glow is attributed to luciferase, an oxidative enzyme, which emits light as it reacts with luciferin. It is widely believed that the light attracts insects to spread spores, or acts as a warning to hungry animals, like the bright colors exhibited by some poisonous or unpalatable animal species. Although generally very dim, in some cases foxfire is bright enough to read by. ...
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1887 |
duddy |
9 years ago |