Blogging with mehar_mah

Thorny Devil (Moloch horridus) in Watarrka National Park, Northern Territory The devil is out there to haunt you! Don’t let their appearance fool you – Thorny Devils are actually less prickly than you might think. In fact, the endemic creature’s spiky exterior (each of which is said to be similar in size to a rose thorn) actually helps them absorb water in their arid habitat. This can be obtained via dew that condenses on their body overnight or by brushing up against dew-heavy grass. This water then finds its way into the various grooves around the Thorny Devil’s body, and makes its way to the mouth via capillary action. If you want to see one of these beautifully strange wonders in action, spring is the perfect time, as the next few months are their most active. But don’t dawdle, because come summer they will take refuge in underground burrows before briefly returning for mating season. They will be going to become almost completely inactive in the peak of summer. Can...

Spectral tarsiers in a ficus tree in Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve, Indonesia All eyes on sustainability We don't need an excuse to highlight and celebrate wildlife, but as it turns out, today is the UN's World Wildlife Day. This year's theme is 'Sustaining all life on Earth', focusing on biodiversity. The UN and its partners are producing a series of programs and social media activities, including an event at UN Headquarters in New York, a film festival, and an international youth art competition. Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve in Indonesia is a great symbol of biodiversity, protecting hundreds of species of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Among the threatened mammals there are these spectral tarsiers. These small nocturnal primates have eyes that are larger than their brains, giving them an alien-like appearance. They're not in imminent danger of going extinct but are classified as vulnerable, and their population has de...

Pinzon Island tortoise hatchling emerging from its egg at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.