Red-faced Liocichla, Liocichla ripponi, Mai Fang, Doi Lang, Chiang Mai Thailand
photo by Jason Thompson CC
Red-faced Liocichla, Liocichla ripponi, Mai Fang, Doi Lang, Chiang Mai Thailand
Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier), Bahamas
photograph by Albert Kok | Wikipedia CC
The Tiger Shark is a species of requiem shark and the only extant member of the genus Galeocerdo. It is a large macropredator, capable of attaining a length over 5 m (16 ft 5 in). Populations are found in many tropical and temperate waters, especially around central Pacific islands. Its name derives from the dark stripes down its body, which resemble a tiger’s pattern, but fade as the shark matures.
photos by marine biologist thomas peschak of whale sharks in the gulf of tadjoura, djibouti. his latest book, “sharks and people: exploring our relationship with the most feared fish in the sea,” was released last year.
as thomas notes, whale sharks are docile, slow moving filter feeders that feed by drifting with their capacious mouths open, drawing in plankton, fish, and small crustaceans. but foreign objects, such as plastic, can also be drawn into the shark’s digestive system, causing them harm.
whale sharks, the largest non mammalian vertebrates on the planet, originated some sixty million years ago, but are now listed as a vulnerable species, coming under particular threat from boat propellers and pollution. they are also hunted for their fins, though the u.a.e. banned the shark fin trade in 2008
Whale Sharks
Fisher by Michel_Rathwell
Fisher is the common name for a largely arboreal, North American carnivorous mammal. Despite its name, this animal seldom eats fish. It is a weasel of the Mustelidae family.
With its speed and agility, the fisher is a remarkable predator that captures a wide diversity of prey: Rabbits, hares, squirrels, mice, grouse, and so forth. Even the well-protected porcupine is captured by the fisher, using a unique technique designed to tire the porcupine until the fisher can kill the large quilled rodent.
The Fisher is a top predator. For thousands of years the dense, lustrous coat of the fisher has been prized.
