Results tagged “colour” on Earth Touch Blog
Wildlife news from around the world
Darwin and the jungle fowl gene Apr 14 2008
Evolution theorist Charles Darwin believed the domesticated chicken descended from the red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) only, but new research shows there’s more to the story.
Tags: asia, bird, chicken, colour, evolution, forest, fowl, genetics, india, jungle, skinDid you know? Red-eyed dove Apr 3 2008
Tags: africa, bird, call, colour, dove, eye, forest, plumage, red-eyed, south africa
Great white shark’s hunting kit Apr 3 2008
The great white shark senses what’s going on around it using its eyesight, special cells along its lateral line, and sensory cells on its nose, called ampullae of Lorenzini, which detect electrical fields.
Tags: africa, camouflage, coast, colour, fish, great white, marine, predator, prey, reef, sense, shark, sight, smell, south africa, struisbaai, swim, vertebrate, western capeDid you know? Differences between black and white rhinos Mar 28 2008
Black rhinos (Diceros bicornis) and white rhinos (Ceratotherium simum) are both grey in colour. But there are many differences between them.
Tags: africa, black, black rhino, browse, colour, conservation, endangered, feed, feeding, grass, graze, grazing, hluhluwe, imfolozi, kwazulu-natal, lip, mammal, rhino, rhinoceros, smell, south africa, threatened, trees, white, white rhino, wildlifeDid you know? Flap-neck chameleon Mar 27 2008
The flap-neck chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis) of Southern Africa is named for the occipital (relating to the back part of the head) flap that extends from the back of its head over its neck. It raises this flap when agitated, to make itself appear larger, as well as hissing, gaping and changing colour. The size of the flap varies between populations of this species, as well as by sex and age.
Tags: africa, animal, back, black, chameleon, colour, feed, feet, flap-neck, forest, green, head, incubate, insect, kwazulu-natal, male, neck, occipital, reptile, size, tail, temperatureDark clouds and great whites Mar 25 2008
A blanket of apprehension lay over the day’s divers – the crew from Earth-Touch and a few British tourists. There were dark storm clouds making their way towards the area we were going to try to find the great white sharks, and the surface of the sea was windswept, with white caps dotted across the ocean surface.
The boats were loaded, and soon we were pounding our way to Skip Skop, an area 7km (4mi) off the coast, with a ferocious reputation for great whites (Carcharodon carcharias). As we sped from the base, the excitement seemed to drain from the faces with every kilometre we travelled.
Tags: adrenaline, animal, bait, bite, camera, coast, colour, eye, female, fin, fish, great white, green, jaw, nerves, ocean, power, sea, shark, skip skop, south africa, speed, storm, swim, tail, visibility, water, western cape, white, windThe snow hunter Jan 29 2008
The great grey owl (Strix nebulosa) is one the largest in the world and in North America it is the tallest owl with the largest wingspan. Yet there are other owls that weigh more and have bigger feet.
Wildlife news from around the world
Three new salamander species found Jan 29 2008
Scientists have made a thrilling discovery of three new species of salamander in a remote forest reserve in Costa Rica. Two of the species are nocturnal, belonging to the Bolitoglossa genus, while the third is a dwarf variety from the Nototriton family, growing to little longer than a thumbnail. The three new finds bring the number of Costa Rican salamanders known to science to a total of 43.
“Discovering so many new species in one area is exciting, particularly as this is probably the only place in the world you can find these animals,” said Dr Alex Monro of London’s Natural History Museum, who is leading the project.
Tags: amphibian, bolitoglossa genus, colour, costa rica, gland, invertebrate, lizard, london’s natural history museum, nototriton, salamandar, skin, slug, south america, vertebrae, wormToad chorus Jan 29 2008
Each species of frog or toad has a unique call. You can hear a chorus of olive toads in the Earth-Touch clip, Toad song in the canyon, filmed in the Blyde Canyon in South Africa.
The marula tree Jan 29 2008
This tree, Sclerocarya birrea, is found in Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia and Swaziland, amongst other African countries. It bears small, round fruit, yellow when ripe and green when unripe, which can be harvested from January to March.
There are countless myths and legends about this tree.
Tags: africa, bark, colour, crop, elephant, fertility, fruit, goat, leaf, malaria, marula, medicine, myth, namibia, pestle and mortar, plant, relish, sotho, south africa, swaziland, venda, wood, worm, wound, zimbabwe, zuluDid you know? Bluespotted chromis Jan 8 2008
The bluespotted chromis (Chromis dasygenys) seen in the Earth-Touch clip, Fish defend nest, belongs to one of the biggest reef fish families, the damselfishes.
Damselfishes are small, oval fish which vary in colour depending on the species. They feed on zooplankton or algae.
Tags: chromis, colourBossy emperor snapper Jan 2 2008
As a juvenile the emperor snapper (Lutjanus sebae) is clearly marked with bands of red or black and white. The stripes fade and the adult fish is reddish overall. It can grow to 1m (39in) in length and is a reef predator with a bold temperament.
Zebra shark in Mozambique Dec 6 2007
The zebra shark (Stegostoma fasciatum) is a highly distinctive looking fish, particularly because of its long tail and dark brown spots on a yellowish to brown background. It is this adult colouring that gives it the alternative name of leopard shark. The juvenile zebra shark has stripes, hence the common name.
Did you know? Lion manes Nov 28 2007
The male lion is distinguished from the female by the mass of hair surrounding his head, commonly known as a mane.
The mane’s’ size and colour changes with age, making the more adult male look bigger and more threatening. This may foil attempts by younger males to confront the more domineering looking male.
Did You Know? Tokay geckos Nov 27 2007
The best way to track down the nocturnal tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) is to listen out for its loud, distinctive “to-kay” call after sunset.
Native to parts of Asia and the Indo-Australian Archipelago, this species also makes a variety of other calls which sound like “gah”, “eck” and, sometimes, a small dog’s bark.
Tags: asia, colour, gecko, lizard, noise, reptile, thailand, throat, thung salaeng luang national park, tokay gecko, tongueDid You Know? Haemanthus Nov 22 2007
Haemanthus is a genus of the flowering plant family Amaryllidaceae, which is endemic to Southern Africa.
Haemanthus coccineus, commonly known as the “paintbrush” or “powderpuff” lily, has a striking head of bright orange needles.
Massive whale shark spotted Nov 16 2007
In the Earth-Touch clip, Encounter with a big fish, a large whale shark, measuring about 12m (39ft) is seen swimming near Leven Point, on the north coast of KwaZulu- Natal province between Kosi Bay in the north and Richards Bay in the south, South Africa.
Did you know? Ghost crabs Nov 15 2007
In winter the Tembe-Thonga people of Mozambique find little to eat on the beaches except for the local three species of ghost crab, so named because they appear and disappear from sight in a ghostly manner.
A diver’s best friend Nov 15 2007
The potato bass (Epinephelus tukula) is one of the largest members of the rockcod family, reaching 2m (6.5ft) in length. It’s easily identified by the large, brown spots on its body.
Giraffe at sunset Nov 14 2007
As the sun paints the sky different shades of red and orange in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, passing giraffe are silhouetted against the setting sun in the Earth-Touch clip, Storks watch giraffe go by.
The sunset in this part of the world is often spectacular, especially during the summer months. As Botswana is a flat country, much of it desert, there are layers of dust that fill the air, enhancing the golden haze on the horizon.
Tags: bird, colour, giraffe, mammal, marabou stork, stork, sunset, vertebrateMacaws in Ecuador Nov 8 2007
In the Earth-Touch clip Macaws roost high in the treetops, a variety of birds provide a rich musical background to the views of Ecuadorian jungle life.
The forest canopy along the Cuyabeno River in Ecuador is massive and is home to a diverse range of bird species including the iconic blue and yellow macaw (Ara ararauna).
Tags: bird, blue and yellow macaw, colour, cuyabeno river, equador, macaw, panama, paraguay, parrot, rainforest, roost, south americaDid you know? Coral reefs Nov 8 2007
One of the biggest threats to coral reefs is climate change. The natural oranges, purples and greens could be bleached a ghostly white if the sea temperature continues to increase.
In the past 100 years the sea temperature has increased by 1°C (33°F) and it is predicted to rise even more in the coming 50 years. This rise could result in sea temperatures that are intolerable to coral life and could result in the extinction of coral species and reef communities.
Did you know? The Rockies Nov 7 2007
The Rocky Mountain range, commonly referred to as the Rockies, stretches vertically through much of the western side of North America, from British Columbia in Canada in the north to New Mexico in the United States in the south.
The highest peak is Mount Elberti in Colorado, at 4 401m (14 440ft) .
Tags: bird, british columbia, colorado, colour, mount elberti, mountain, new mexico, plant, rockies, rocky mountain range, wyomingDid you know? The difference between black-backed and side-striped jackals Nov 6 2007
Despite the obvious difference between these two species – one has a black back and the other a side stripe – there are also other differences that distinguish these two jackals.
They differ in size, with the side-striped jackal (Canis adustus) being up to 10kg (22lb) heavier than the black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas). The face and coat of the black-backed jackal are tan, whereas the side-striped jackal is grey in colour.
Tags: black-backed jackal, breed, colour, ear, jackal, scavenger, side-striped jackal, size, tailDid you know? Elk Nov 2 2007
Elk (Cervus elaphus) are also known by their Cree name, “wapiti”, which means “light-coloured deer”, and are the second-largest deer species in the world, after the moose.
Wildlife news from around the world
New type of fruit bat foundas Oct 3 2007
A new species of flying fox has been discovered on the island of Mindoro in the Philippines, National Geographic News and Reuters India have reported.
View rare chorongo monkeys Oct 1 2007
Woolly monkeys, commonly known as chorongo monkeys in Ecuador, are found in the rainforests of the western Amazon River basin.
Did you know? Bee-eater Sep 26 2007
Bee-eaters are typically brightly coloured and have streamlined bodies and long tail feathers.
Though they do eat other insects, their favourite prey is bees, which they catch in flight and then beat against a perch, thrashing out their venom.
Tags: bee, bird, carmine bee-eater, colour, flock, venomDid you know? Wrecks form coral reefs Sep 25 2007
Shipwrecks often form natural coral reefs alive with colourful corals and an abundance of underwater life, as is illustrated in the Nebo shipwreck.
The Nebo was a 2000-ton steamship that sank off the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal in 1884, on her maiden voyage from Sunderland in the United Kingdom to Durban, South Africa. It was carrying a railway bridge for Amanzimtoti, a town just south of Durban, aboard, when it sank. It now lies upside down about 1km (0.62mi) north-west of Aliwal Shoal.
Tags: aliwal shoal, angelfish, catfish, colour, coral, durban, kwazulu-natal, nebo, ocean, reef, shipwreck, south africa, sunderland, united kingdomSunrise, sunset Sep 20 2007
By Andy Crawford, field crew
Did you know? Zebra stripes Sep 18 2007
Every individual zebra has a matchless stripe pattern made up of black stripes on a white base.
Not only are they all different, but also the pattern of stripes on the left hand side differs from that on the right.
The distinctive pattern of each zebra, as well as scent, allows the mother to identify her foal in the first days after birth, even in a large herd.
African skimmer chicks hatch Sep 6 2007
In the past few days Earth-Touch has broadcast footage of this season’s first African skimmers being born in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.
African skimmers are an endangered species. They are striking black and white birds, with large, orange beaks, which they use to skim the surface of the water for fish, as they fly along. Their chicks are the colour of tortoise shell, and they have yet to develop their iconic beaks.
Tags: african skimmer, beak, bird, chick, colour, fly, skimmer, threatenedDid you know? Cape gannet Sep 4 2007
Cape gannets live around the coast of Africa, and breed on only six islands in Southern Africa. They are known for spectacularly diving to spear fish, and for their unusual looks, with their streamlined bodies, yellow heads, pointed beaks and blue-ringed eyes.
Floral welcoming Aug 28 2007
During the weeks of spring the harsh, sandy desert of Namaqualand is transformed into a sea of yellow, white and orange flowers in bloom. This is a sign of the approaching summer and the end of winter’s cold.
Treat your soul to a sunrise Aug 24 2007
There is perhaps nothing more beautiful and marvelous than the sun slowly rising above the ocean.
Did you know? - Vervet monkey Aug 24 2007
The male vervet monkey develops a bright blue scrotum – a mark of adulthood he will always have thereafter – during adolescence. The brightness depends on an individual’s dominance and is related to testosterone production, and fades or brightens as an animal loses or gains dominance. A male vervet communicates dominance by sitting with his legs apart exposing his status to approaching males.
Tags: ape, colour, communication, genitalia, male, monkey, primate, scrotum, testosterone, vervet monkeyUnderwater Okavango Jul 20 2007
By Andy Crawford, field crew
We have sent Earth-Touch crew member Brad Bestelink off to the panhandle section of the Okavango Delta, from where he will soon be sending video and images from under the Okavango waters.
The Okavango River floods annually during July and August, during winter in the Southern Hemisphere. The floodwaters flow from Angola and through the northwestern corner of Botswana, creating the vast and beautiful Okavango Delta.
Tags: angola, colour, mokoro, panhandle, squeaker fish, tiger fish, winterPage 1 of 1 pages
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