Zebra

“Behold the zebra on the plains, And shudder at his mighty manes!”-Ogden Nash

Zebras belong to the horse family and have thick bodies, thin legs, tufted tail, long head and neck sporting a short mane. Their brilliant black-and-white striped coat is unique and no two zebras have the same set of stripes which helps them to recognise one another in the herd. These stripes could also dazzle or confuse the predators such as lions, hyenas as well as African wild dogs. Zebras are known to have excellent hearing and eyesight. Their kick is powerful and can cause serious injuries to the predators. 

Being herbivores, they graze for several hours each day by using their strong front teeth to clip off the tips of the grass. The back teeth are used to crush and grind the food. An interesting fact is that a Zebra's teeth keep growing for its entire life since continuous grazing and chewing wears them down.

There are three species of zebra, namely the plains zebra, Grevy’s zebra and mountain zebra. They are native to Africa. Plains zebras suffer from drought and a lack of natural resources, making their conservation status nearly threatened. Currently, the Grevys are endangered and mountain zebras are classified as vulnerable.

A tryst with nature #zebra

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Yield

 

“A reasonable agriculture would do its best to emulate nature. Rather than change the earth to suit a crop it would diversify its crops to suit the earth.” - Verlyn Klinkenborg.

Agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gases which contribute to the greenhouse effect and climate change. The changing climate impacts the yield and is likely to cause food insecurities in following ways:

• To mitigate climate change, energy prices increase which account for soaring food costs.

• Water required for food production becomes more scarce and expensive due to natural disasters such as droughts.

• Competition for land is likely to increase as certain regions become climatically unsuitable for production. 

• Extreme weather conditions like torrential rains may cause sudden decrease in yield, leading to rapid price increase.

Farmers can maintain the crop yield and be climate resilient by following these 'climate-smart' agricultural practices.

• Farms need an effective management plan which increases their yield, fights food insecurity, saves money and reduces the climate impact. They also need to keep a close track of weather and farm data in order to predict patterns and plan accordingly. 

• Agriculture consumes 70 percent of the world’s freshwater, making water conservation urgent and necessary. By planting a buffer of trees and bushes along streams and rivers soil erosion can be prevented. Also, wastewater caused by agricultural processing can be treated before it is released back into waterways. 

• Fertile soil is the biggest carbon sink on the planet as healthy soil holds more moisture which keeps plant roots hydrated during dry periods. Soil can be conserved by incorporating methods such as contour planting or no-till farming. Further more, regular compost applications enrich the soil there by minimising the usage of fertilisers.

• Pulling weeds by hand instead of using chemical weed killers is healthier for soil and lowers the greenhouse gas emissions as well as the operating costs. Selective manual weeding is a practice where farmers uproot 'bad' weeds (which are later composted) while allowing 'good' weeds to grow. This helps in restoring nitrogen to the soil and reduces the usage of chemical fertilisers.

• Planting more trees reduces soil erosion, enriches soil, filters water, provides shade for workers, creates habitat for wildlife and sucks up greenhouse gasses. Agricultural expansion causes deforestation and high-yield farming practices can address this challenge.

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Xerophytes

 

“Evolution taught us that adaptation is the key to survival!”— Gemma Malley

Xerophytes are plants which need very little water and are adapted to desert areas. They belong to the succulent family. Common Xerophytes are Cacti, Prickly Pear, Barbary fig and Agave. To survive the harsh weather conditions they have special features such as:

• The tiny hairs on their surface act as windbreak, reduce air flow and decrease the rate of evaporation.
• The colour of the plant or the waxy coat reflects sunlight and reduces evaporation.
• Few plants store water in roots, trunks, stems and leaves.
• In times of drought they drop their leaves.
• During dry times, xerophytic plants may stop growing and go dormant.

While Xerophytes have evolved for survival and adapted to arid regions there are many factors such as climate change, erosion and human encroachment on desert land which pose a risk to their survival. 

A tryst with nature #xerophytes

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Wild Asters

“Wildflowers aren't meant to be cut & tamed. They're meant to be loved & admired.” – Anthony T. Hincks

Asters are wildflowers and range in colours from blue, purple, pink to white. They are commonly known as frost flowers as they bloom from late-summer to early-fall.

These autumn-blooming perennials attract loads of late season pollinating insects and during winter they provide food as well as habitat for many birds and small animals. Research shows that these wildflowers support many species of butterflies and moths, making them a pollinator's delight.

Wild asters are easy to grow from seed and offer an inexpensive way to beautify the landscape.The plant requires moist and well-drained soil. If the soil is very wet, it leads to rotting.To produce the prettiest flowers, Asters need plenty of sunlight.

A tryst with nature #wildaster

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Victoria Crowned Pigeon

 

“A forest bird never wants a cage.” — Henrik Ibsen

The Victoria crowned pigeons are mostly found living in swampy forests of Northern New Guinea. They belong to the Aves class of animals. The body of crowned pigeons is blue-grey in colour and they have a small black mask. Their eye-catching feathered crests have white tips and the birds are renowned for their red eyes. These attractive birds have a large lifespan of around 20-25 years. 

Victoria crowned pigeons communicate through various sounds. A deep 'hoota-hoota' sound is made while performing their mating calls, whereas  a 'whup-up whup-up' sound while defending their territories.

They usually eat seeds, leaves, insects and flowers. They are hunted for feathers and meat, which has resulted in a steady decline in their population.

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Urban Tree Canopy

 

"The forest is for me a temple - a cathedral of tree canopies & dancing light." - Dr. JaneGoodall

Urban tree canopy is a measurement which includes the layer of leaves, branches and stems of trees that shelter the ground when viewed from the top. This is expressed as a percentage of ground area that is covered by tree crowns. Trees provide numerous benefits to our ecosystem such as:

• Removal of pollutants from the air, soil and water.

• Release of water vapour into the atmosphere cools the surroundings there by reducing the heat and causing rainfall in urban areas

• Reduction of storm water runoff there by reducing the costs related to infrastructure maintenance.

• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions and due to shade provided energy usage is reduced.

Tree preservation, tree planting and improving tree health contribute to a sustained or enhanced urban tree canopy. Site clearances during development and natural disasters such as wild fires as well as storms drastically reduce the tree canopy. Stringent measures must be taken to ensure that canopy cover is maintained over the long term as tree canopy takes a while to build.

A tryst with nature #urbantreecanopy

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Tortoise

 

“Nature is slow, but sure; she works no faster than need be; she is the tortoise that wins the race by her perseverance.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

A tortoise is a land-dwelling reptile found in all continents except Australia and Antarctica. The shell, which protects their body, is made of two pieces, the carapace (top part) and the plastron (bottom part), which are fused together on each side to form a bridge. Scutes are keratin scales which are found over the shell. The carapace indicates the age of the tortoise by the number of concentric rings which is similar to the cross-section of a tree. These reptiles can retract their head, their four limbs and tail into the shell for protection. They have a beak, but no teeth and no external ears. Tortoises are diurnal and generally shy creatures. Most land based tortoises are herbivores and feed primarily on grazing grasses, weeds, leafy greens, flowers and certain fruits. An interesting fact is that they empty their lungs before going back into their shell and can last for some time without coming out for oxygen. This behaviour is displayed when they sense a threat. Loss of habitat, pet trade, pollution and climate change are the biggest threats to tortoises globally. More than half of the tortoise species are at risk of extinction, making them one of the most threatened groups.

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Sea Lion

 

"Surely we all have a responsibility to care for our Blue Planet. The future of humanity and indeed, all life on earth, now depends on us." - David Attenborough

Sea lions are renowned for their sleek, streamlined bodies which make them playful and acrobatic. They are found on the coasts of Japan and Korea, western North America from southern Canada to mid-Mexico and the Galápagos Islands.

The front flippers of sea lions are very powerful and aid in swimming. Some species can swim at speeds up to 25 mph. Their flexible neck and backbone assists in taking sharp turns under water. To walk effectively on land, the rear flippers are rotated under their body. Sea lions have very sensitive whiskers called 'vibrissae' which sense vibrations under the water to detect their prey. This sense of touch is especially important in murky water. Primarily these aquatic mammals feed on a wide variety of seafood such as squid, clams, salmon, anchovy, dogfish, herring, lamprey and whiting.

Great white sharks as well as killer whales are natural predators of sea lions. Although sea lions are kept in zoos and aquariums, they are considered as wild animals.Over the years, a cyclical warming of the Pacific Ocean has greatly diminished their food supplies posing serious threat to their numbers.

A tryst with nature #sealion

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Robin

“Nothing in the world is quite as adorably lovely as a robin when he shows off and they are nearly always doing it.” - Frances Hodgson Burnett

Robin, or robin redbreast breeds throughout Europe, western Asia and in parts of North Africa. In northern Europe, it is migratory but farther south the robin is sedentary.

Being an insectivore, it mainly feeds on insects and worms. Although a robin is diurnal, it actively hunts for insects on moonlit nights or near artificial lights at night. Both male and female robins have red breasts while juveniles have a spotted brown colour.

During the breeding season, the birds are territorial and the red chest of the male becomes even more red. European robins are relatively unafraid of people and often attracted to human activities such as digging of soil in order to look out for earthworms and other insects. Hence, they are considered to be a gardener's friend. The conservation status of robins is of least concern.

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Quince Flower

"Blossom by blossom the spring begins." - Algernon Charles Swinburne

Quince is a perennial bloom which is native to Southeast Asia. Its botanical name is Chaenomeles Speciosa and is commonly known as Japanese Quince. There are only three species of this plant. They usually bloom from late winter to early spring which makes them a perfect choice for border plantings. The flowers form in clusters and are typically orange-red, pink or white in colour.

Flowering Quince are shrubs which grow in sun or in partial shade. The shrubs are compact and are perfect for hedges which shelter bird nests and small wildlife. The fruits of flowering quince plants are edible but tart. Symbolically the ornamental quince represents life, love and fertility. 

A tryst with nature #quince

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Penguin

 

Penguins are an indicator of the health of our watery planet, and if they are unable to survive, we had better take notice or we might find our own survival threatened. — Roger Tory Peterson

Penguins are flightless birds found in Antarctica, South Africa, Chile, Peru, Galápagos Islands, New Zealand and Australia. They have a streamlined body which helps them to swim fast. Most birds have bones which are hollow and filled with air. This anatomy helps them to stay light for flight. Penguins are an exception to this and they have solid bones which reduce buoyancy to stay afloat while swimming. A gland near the base of their tail provides waterproof oil which penguins use to cover their feathers before swimming. Thick feathers and oil helps the birds to stay warm. Penguins huddle together to protect themselves from predators. They are highly sociable animals and live in groups called rookery, colony and huddle. Many male penguins gift females rocks to build nests. The diet of these carnivorous birds includes squids, fishes and krills. Nearly half of the 18 species of penguins are listed as either vulnerable or endangered.

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Ostritch

 

"If you can't fly then run..." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Ostriches belong to the Aves class of animals and are the largest flightless birds. Their habitats include open areas of grassy plains, savannahs and semi-arid areas of the African continent. Open surroundings help the ostriches to easily spot the dangers and due to their inability to fly, they can easily run away from predators using their strong legs.

These birds live in small groups called herds or flocks. A herd comprises 10-12 ostriches. The male Ostrich is called cock, the female is referred as hen and the baby is known as chick. They communicate by growling, whistling and booming. These omnivorous birds eat seeds, plants, roots, small insects and small lizards.

They are considered to be aggressive and dangerous. Using their strong legs they can kick hard which can kill a human as well as a lion. Ostrich population faces heavy threat from hunting and habitat loss. 

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Nocturnal Wildlife

 

Everything in nature goes by law, and not by luck. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nocturnal wildlife includes animals which are more active during night. Sight is one of the evolved physical traits of these animals. They have big eyes and wide pupils. For instance, eyes of an owl are so big that they can not move in the socket but instead the wide pupils help them to collect more light.

Apart from sight nocturnal animals rely on their strong senses. Large cats as well as owls have specialised hearing to hunt at night. Owls’ ears are offset and ears of large cats are highly flexible. Many nocturnal animals apart from birds, have a good sense of smell which they use for communication. Snakes use taste to navigate and locate prey.

For several animals, special hairs with sensory receptors play an important role in finding food at night. In case of mammals, these receptors are on the whiskers where as the arthropods are covered by body hair with receptors. For example, spiders use their webs as sensory tools when they catch prey.

Light pollution caused by artificial lights have disrupted the world’s ecosystems. Glare from lights have turned night environment into day there by interfering in nocturnal activities such as reproduction and hunting. This has in turn resulted in a decrease in their population.

A tryst with nature #nocturnal

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Monkey

In Kenya you've got the great birds and monkeys leaping through the trees overhead. It's a chance to remember what the world is really like. - Joanna Lumley

Monkeys are primates and are mainly divided into two groups: Old World monkeys and New World monkeys. Old World ones differ from New World ones in nostrils which are downward-pointing and have only two premolars. The Old World ones are commonly found in Africa and Asia whereas the New World ones are distributed across South America. In the wild, monkeys can live between 10 to 50 years. Apes are not monkeys and the primary difference between them is absence of tail. Groups of monkeys are known as a ‘tribe’, ‘troop’ or ‘mission’. They have large brains and are known to be ingenious and inquisitive. These primates primarily feed on fruit, insects, flowers, leaves and reptiles. Currently around 264 monkey species are known. Half of them are threatened with extinction due to habitat loss by clearing the tropical forests, hunting for food and the illegal wildlife trade. 

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Lion

 There is something about seeing rhinos and lions running free that excites you. It's not that you feel afraid; it's more like you're liberated by seeing them. - Michael Douglas

Lion (Panthera leo) belongs to the cat family called Felidae and is regarded as the king of beasts. They usually live in groups of 10 or 15 animals called prides and are commonly found in grasslands, savannas, dense scrubs and open woodlands. Lions are distributed across Africa, south of the Sahara. One population of forest-dwelling lions are found in Gir Forest National Park, India. They hunt for food from dusk to dawn. Male lions protect the pride whilst female lions hunt. The roar of a male can be heard up to 8 km. Lions are one of the fastest mammals and run at a maximum speed of 81 kmph. They live for an average of 12 years in the wild. These big cats are classified as “critically endangered” due to a massive decline in their population caused by habitat loss and poaching.

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Kingfisher

“The river is such a tranquil place, a place to sit and think of romance and the beauty of nature, to enjoy the elegance of swans and the chance of a glimpse of a kingfisher.”—Jane Wilson-Howarth

Kingfishers are small bright blue and metallic copper coloured birds which are commonly found flying rapidly over slow moving or still waters. They mainly hunt fish and aquatic insects such as minnows, sticklebacks, freshwater shrimps and tadpoles by hovering above the surface of water.  An interesting fact is that they fish blind by closing their eyes as they dive into the water. To judge the depth of the fish they bobble their heads before diving. The anatomy of a kingfisher’s beak is aerodynamically shaped which allows it to dive from its perch towards its prey with maximum speed and minimum splash. The beak design is so efficient that the front of many Japanese bullet trains are modelled in a similar manner.

A kingfisher pair breed during spring. They nest in burrows along soft riverbanks. The end of the nest chamber has a slight depression to prevent the eggs from rolling out. The first clutch of 6-7 eggs is laid in late March or in early April. Chicks are fed in rotation and a chick can eat around 12-18 fish a day. Once a chick is fed, it moves to the back of the nest to digest its meal, letting the others move forward. When out of the nest, the young are fed for only four days before the adults drive them out of the territory and start the next brood. During the breeding season, 2-3 broods are often raised.

Kingfishers are vulnerable species due to their low breeding number and habitat loss. These exotic birds die mainly of cold or lack of food during severe winters. River pollution has also resulted in their population decline.

A tryst with nature #kingfisher

P.C Alan McFadyen

P.C Alan McFadyen

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Jersey Tiger Moth

 

Nature is always lavish of her gifts even to the most insignificant forms. The butterflies and moths are richly dowered in this respect. - Annie Besant

The Jersey tiger moth (Euplagia quadripunctaria) belongs to the class of Insecta. Due to their bright-coloured plumage, they are known to be exotic in the moth world. Tiger moths are commonly found in Europe, Russia, Iran and in the Mediterranean coast. Their habitat consists of coastal cliffs, gardens, towns and beaches. For reproduction they undergo a full metamorphosis that includes four stages - egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa and adult stage. Their conservation status is considered to be scarce. Habitat loss and Climate change are responsible for decline in their population. The caterpillars are known to feed on plants like nettles, dandelions, raspberries and lettuce. The moths tend to communicate through their distinct colouration as a visual cue or signal and produce clicking sounds.

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Insects

"If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos!"

Insects are essential for mankind and for the environment in numerous ways. Their contributions include the following:

• Beneficial insects reduce crop damage by feeding on pests and certain types of weeds. 
• They serve as a food source for several people in parts of Central and South America, Africa and Asia.
• Chemicals extracted from insects have been used for medicinal purposes for several years. This therapeutic practice is called Entomotherapy.
• Insects such as bees, butterflies, moths, beetles and flies perform the most essential task which is pollination. During the past several years, there has been a massive decline in the number of insect pollinators due to habitat loss, pesticide usage and pollution.

A tryst with nature #insects 

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Hornbill

Birds are the most popular group in the animal kingdom. We feed them and tame them and think we know them. And yet they inhabit a world which is really rather mysterious. - David Attenborough

Hornbills are majorly found in subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. Their biological name is the Bucerotidae and are the national bird of Malaysia. These exotic birds have very strong neck to hold the heavy beak. The strong neck is formed by the fusion of the first and second vertebrae. Hornbills have very loud and distinct calls. They use their beaks for climbing the tree and the female hornbills use the bills to create a closed nest during nesting period. Several Asian hornbills are threatened by hunting as well as habitat loss.

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