I have just finished watching the BBC series “Last Chance To See”, featuring Stephen Fry and conservationist Mark Cawardine. I had recorded the episodes when the series was broadcast back in the autmun but only got around to working through them in the last few weeks. As with most programmes featuring Stephen Fry, they are beyond brilliant: Excellently filmed, informative, touching and, perhaps most importantly, imperative.

20 years ago, the late, great Douglas Adams, author of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy” and an extremely clever man accompanied Cawardine on a trip to see some of the rarest animals on the planet. Originally slightly skeptical of the process of chasing down a flightless parrot in New Zealand or sitting up all night to catch sight of the ugly Aye-Aye on Madagascar, Adams was a total convert to the cause of wildlife conservation from then on.

The result of the trip was a radio documentary series and book of the name “Last Chance To See”, not to mention many lectures delivered by Adams who supported wildlife causes such as the WWF in the guise of someone who was definitely NOT of the sandal-wearing, tree-hugging ilk, but an intelligent, respected and authoritative voice from the world of “celebrity”. His status as an iconic author gave the causes he supported added weight among the generation who grew up reading his work, hanging on his every utterance.

The word “untimely” is often chucked in front of the word “death” when someone dies young, often with little thought for the weight of that word. In the case of Douglas Adams, his death at the age of 49 on FA Cup Final day in May 2001 was untimely indeed. I remember the day vividly. I was ensconced in the sitting room of a boarding master at school with several other Liverpool-supporting friends, watching Michael Owen snatch the cup from under the nose of Arsenal, when the news headlines scrolled across the screen. I had only that year read the entire Hitchhiker trilogy of five and fallen in love with the silly science, brilliant wordplay and parody, fantastic intergalactic landscape and sheer imaginative freewheeling which resided in the pages of Douglas Adams’ books. His name and the words “dead at 49″ struck me very deeply as being untimely – how could he be dead when I’ve only just discovered why his life is so precious to us?

He was the voice for the computer age, championing the Apple Mac. He was the voice for science and intelligent debate with religion. He was the suit of armour which many endangered species would be donning in the new millenium. He was Stephen Fry without the television exposure, more reserved and less flamboyant. I admire Stephen Fry greatly and I think Adams and he were certainly kindred spirits, sharing many passions and interests, as well as enormous intellectual and literary abilities.  I have no doubt that, were he alive now, Douglas would be right up there with Stephen, tweeting from the pantheon of internet gods, worshipping the iPhone and educating us with incisive and engaging broadcasts, be they on television or radio or from the lectern.

So it was entirely appropriate that Stephen Fry attempted to fill the massive void left by Adams by taking up the challenge set by Cawardine, to retrace his journey with Douglas two decades on. They tracked down the Amazonian Manatee, the Northern White Rhino, the Aye-Aye, the Komodo Dragon, the Kakapo and the Blue Whale. Fry points out that these are a mere six of more than 4,500 endangered species across the world. They encountered many others along the way and came across the remains of some already long gone. I found myself in tears as I watched the re-union of two rescued chimpanzee babies with their own kind. The primitive link between them and us, the joy of seeing a child being saved, the thought that our closest relation in nature is slowly being killed off, touched a nerve.

But perhaps what most caught my attention was a moment in the final episode when, on the trail of the blue whale, Cawardine pointed out that he and Douglas had actually tracked the Yangtze river dolphin on their original travels but, while planning this new series, the animal had been declared functionally extinct.

While I was in primary school in the mid-nineties, the giant panda, the orangutan and the Yangtze river dolphin were the figureheads of endangerment and names casually tossed at us by teachers during classes tentatively called Nature. At that age, most children are susceptible to the calling to “Save The Animals” and many lose that enthusiasm as time passes. I could not quite grasp the enormity of what it all meant back then. But, with my more adult worldview, I was shocked to hear that the freshwater dolphin which became a familiar figure in my early childhood was from now on only to exist in photos.

It is rather like being told that Santa definitely doesn’t exist or seeing a grandparent die or losing your virginity. In that moment, a massive upheaval in whatever life you have lived before takes place. You have lost something childlike but gained some new knowledge. It is that transition from innocence to experience. Hearing that something which existed in my childhood as a living symbol of our natural world which ought to be cherished and saved was now, actually, beyond saving…that stuck in my throat.

What it did was what the purpose of this programme was, I feel. It made me realise that we human beings, we almighty rulers of the planet, we who are so bloody ingenious, aren’t quite as clever as we thought. We may think we are the most advanced creature around but that does not apply insofar as our savage abuse of the planet, its resources and our cohabitants demonstrates our destructive capabilities. Not only that, but the notion that that we are able to do anything is rubbished by the evidence of these programmes, by the death of the Yangtze river dolphin: We have singularly FAILED to save creatures we all knew we were eradicating.

If one steps on an earwig, fine, it happens, we may not have seen it and there are plenty of earwigs to go around. We might hit a badger crossing the road – again, sad, but not disastrous. But when some of us cut swathes through ancient rainforests, others pour bile and poison into our oceans, still more spew fire and brimstone into the clouds and the rest sit idly by and do nothing – that is a travesty. It’s all very well for us to KNOW that the Yangtze river dolphin or the rhino or the tiger are endangered, stare at pictures in books or at our flickering television screens and say “Dear me”. It is very much a different thing for us to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

In this month when the world is coming together in Copenhagan to try and solve the problem of climate change, it strikes me as baffling that the only concern – certainly in the media coverage of the summit – seems to be for the implications for humanity. The whalers still whale; the rainforests still fall; the rhino and elephant still sacrifice their lives and the medals of our vicious regime are struck in their ivory. It’s times like this when you want to pull your hair out and scream “Fuck trade agreements and quotas and targets and pussyfooting around multinational companies! They’re killing the planet, killing the animal kingdom, killing beauty.”

I’m in danger of sounding very sandal-wearing and tree-hugging myself. I’m not going to go vegan or stop wearing leather – I understand how nature works and we are, even in our technological way, part of that. But there was no need for hundreds of companies to pour pollutants into the Yangtze and knowingly do away with the dolphins. There is no need for the hunting trade which cuts through hundreds of species across our planet purely for sport. There is no need for the deforestation which will kill the tiger and the panda and the orangutan and the gorilla and many more. “Last Chance To See” was, I said at the start of this blog, an imperative piece of television. It said “Look. Now act.” Very simply, we must act now and not just throw words and cliché at the problem. Otherwise Cawardine and Fry may, in twenty years time, have nothing left to see at all.

Looks like I’m sick again! I was helping out with some little kid crafts for service hours last night, and it went something like this:

Kid: “-sneeze-”
Kid’s parental: “Son, cover your mouth!”
Frei: “-twitches after feeling kiddie snot splatter on her arms/face-”

So I guess my sickness isn’t all that surprising. And it seems my brain function is failing so I’ll provide you intellectuals with some adorable pictures of fuzzy little animals.

From: Tingqui Tao tingqitao_jxstdc@yahoo.com.hk

To: Leena Shirlee

Date: October 19th, 2009

Subject: Private Job Offering.

PART -TIME WORK

Greetings,
Thank you for replying to my short message, I am TINGQI TAO, I am a private freelance researcher. I undertake research into rare and vulnerable
plant, animal and marine species. I am very interested in offering you a part-time paying job in which you could earn a reasonable amount of money.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FOR ME
Presently, I have just been granted funding to head a research project
in the tropical regions of MEKONG RIVER BASIN (spreads across Tibet- China- Laos-Cambodia-Vietnam-Burma) in BURMA-Myanmar regarding rare and vulnerable
plant, animal and marine species and this project is ongoing, However my
fundings is to be provided by American and Canadian Firms. These U.S. and Canadian Firms
sends to me payments mostly in the form of US based Bank checks only.
I cannot cash these checks here in Burma, because Burma is not a member of the  Mekong River Commission
and she is facing isolation from the world, because of her represive and brutal military Junta.
Getting an accountant in the states or opening an account would have been my best choice but I have a
deadline to meet and taking any of those choices would cost me time and
a whole lot of other requirements I am not ready to deal with as presently, I am
traveling a lot by foot, canoe and sometimes an old landrover jeep in the dense and hostile jungles of
the Mekong River in Burma. I am armed with my laptop and a satelite
Phone, This enables me to access the internet through Visat. So presently, assuming you would be
able to receive these checks on my behalf, “I would be willing to employ you on contract
basis to be my payment receiver/representative , this way I could instruct the financiers to
issue the check to your name,  and post the checks to your address.
All you have to do is deposit the checks into your bank account,
and when the check has sailed through clearance (a compulsory factor),
withdraw 90% of the total amount and send to my bank account in China. keep the remaining 10% as
your commission.

JOB DESCRIPTION?
1. Receive payment checks from Financiers
2. Cash Payments checks at your Bank
3. Deduct 10% (NEGOTIABLE) which will be your percentage/pay on Payment processed.
4. Forward balance after deduction of
Percentage/pay to my bank account as directed by me.

HOW MUCH WILL YOU EARN?
10% from each operation! For instance: you receive 170,000 USD via cheques
on my behalf. You will send me 153,000 usd and keep 17,000 usd
(10% from 170,000usd) for yourself! At the beginning your commission will
equal 10%, though later it will increase up to 15%!

ADVANTAGES
You do not have to go out as you will work as an independent contractor
right from your home or office. Your job is absolutely legal. You can earn
up to 30000usd-40000usd monthly depending on time you will spend for this job.
You do not need any capital to start.

MAIN REQUIREMENTS
18 years or older
Legally capable
Responsible
Ready to work 3-4 hours per week.
With PC knowledge
E-mail and internet experience (minimal)
Check your email messages daily
Must answer your phone calls always.
A COMPANY BANK ACCOUNT OWNED AND CONTROLLED BY YOU (OPTIONAL)

Please know that Everything is absolutely legal,  I would be glad if you accept my offer
and I intend to commence on the job as soon as you are ready.
Please note when replying fill the form below:

Names:
Full Street Address: (not p . o . box):
City:
State:
Zip code:
Country:
Phone Number(s):
Age:
Sex:
Current job:
Company Name ( Company owners only)
Email:

ON THE OTHER HAND IF YOU PREFER DIRECT DEPOSIT IN STEAD OF CHECK, I HAVE A GRANT OF MONEY THAT IS READY TO BE DEPOSITED INTO ANY OF MY REPRESENTATIVE’S STOCK ACCOUNT NOW.
THE GRANT MUST BE DEPOSITED INTO A STOCK ACCOUNT. DO YOU HAVE A STOCK ACCOUNT? IF YOU HAVE,
SEND ME THE FOLLOWING

NAME OF STOCK ACCOUNT:
12 DIGIT ISIN NUMBER OF THE STOCK ACCOUNT:
MEMO CODE OF THE STOCK ACCOUNT:

Thanks for your anticipated action and i hope to hear back from you.
Tingqi Tao
tingqitao_jxstdcc@yahoo.com.hk
tingqitao_jxstdcc@yahoo.com.hk

From: Leena Shirlee

To: Tinqui Tao tingqitao_jxstdc@yahoo.com.hk

Date: October 19th, 2009

Subject: Re: Private Job Offering

Hello, Tingqui and well met, this is Leena!

Thank you for your note!

Seeing as I am unemployed, and have been for awhile, I am very interested in your job offer. I have been doing primarily administrative work–answering phones, filing, collating documents and stapling things to things. I have been doing this work for over 10 years and needless to say, I am looking for a change!

I am interested in going with you on your safari to the Mekong Basin. I have watched alot of david attenborough nature films (planet earth is of course my favorite! but life in the undergrowth was good too.) and I feel I have enough knowledge of rare plant and bird species to help you in your research. Ontop of that, I majored in ecology in college and feel very strongly about protecting endangered species. Did you know that the aye-aye is a primate that builds a nest? Did you know that the Wild Buckeye Camel can squirt urine out of its eye to protect its young? We must work together to help preserve these species!!!

In addition, you will I am a very pleasant safari companion. You will enjoy my witty observations about the things we see. I am a deep appreciator of gods country, and I will always carry a twinkle in my eye even if you yell at me.  But I also know when it’s time to work it’s time to WORK. I will work late into the evening on you, classifying your  rare bees, birds or stripping bark from a tree to be analized.

I also do not mind making waste in a hole or a can–I have been camping in many extreme forms of wilderness and I can assure you I am no primadonna!

I look forward to hearing more about this job. Should I start taking malaria pills now? Are there any vaccinations I should get? Also, if you could make a list of the top necessary things I should bring with me, that would be very helpful. Will we be meeting in Tibet, or Laos? I love the Dalai Lama!

Thank you for your job offer! You don’t know what a godsend you are.

All my best,
Leena

aye-aye

From: Tingqui Tao tingqitao_jxstdc@yahoo.com.hk

To: Leena Shirlee

Date: October 19th, 2009

Subject: Re: Re: Private Job Offering.

I thank you for your interest in this offer, I hope you accept this lucrative part time offer. English is a third language to me, so bear with my use of English.
This job is very legal, After my research is completed, my financial backers intend to do a documentary on my findings on the orang pendak, the rare mekong delta catfish to mention a few, but now I am in the nitty gritty of it all In the forest. I need you to receive these funds on my behalf and in the final completion of the documentary, your name or Company name would be listed in the appreciation honors list. I need to install and station about 200 motion activated night vision Cameras around hotspots and water drinking areas of the jungle. We pay cash Dollars to local guides and village heads in order for them to take us to remote tribal grounds and forests., The fishermen along the river has to be paid to assist me and my crew to some remote part of the river in Burma, Burmese military officials has to be given cash gifts in order for them to turn the order way for us to get into some parts of the Burma Mekong region. You know the Military Government here are very wary of any kind of foreign researcher, so I expend a lot of cash to placate the military, so that I can locate and tag and catch on video film, most of these rare animal, fish and plant species

I plead with you to give me your address details as requested, so that you can receive these monies on my behalf. If you own a private company of your own, it is better you provide the company name so that the checks are issue in the company name. The listing of your name and company name in the publication and documentary would go a long way to boost your company’s image for participating in this noble venture.

Tao

Names:
Full Street Address: (not p . o . box):
City:
State:
Zip code:
Country:
Phone Number(s):
Age:
Sex:
Current job:
Company Name ( Company owners only)
Email:
Your Bank Name ONLY-

The fabled Orang Pendek

From: Leena Shirlee

To: Tinqui Tao tingqitao_jxstdc@yahoo.com.hk

Date: October 20th, 2009

Subject: Re: Private Job Offering

Hello Tao! Leena here! How are you today?

I have to say, that was the easiest job interview I have ever had! I am so glad to be coming to see you in the mekong delta and help you with your research! I am looking at plane tickets to Hanoi right now and trying to decide when would be the best time to arrive. Do you recommend morning, or evening? I am flying out from Wyoming, and I don’t want to be too jet-lagged, as I know we have lots of work to do!

By the way, not to blow my own trumpet, but….. I have a film degree and I could help you with any cinematography or art direction you might need for your movie. I  was recently flown out to Rhinelander wisconsin to film the fabled Hodag (see picture below) and I think I could help you bait the Orange Pendak as well. Not only do I have experience with filmmaking, I have been told I have a special pheremone that draws rare species of animals to me. This has been both a blessing and a curse for me. For instance, I cannot go walking in any wilderness without being raped by yetis. If I go into an open field, I get visited by the little grays in the lubeship, and they like to do it rough. The loch ness monster is actually a very tender lover, contrary to what you might have been told. What I’m trying to say is, I can help you in many ways, above and beyond being an excellent travel companion and filmmaker.

At any rate, I am looking forward to our work together! Do you suppose that when we are done we could go this restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City?

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Vietnam/Thanh_Pho_Ho_Chi_Minh/Ho_Chi_Minh_City-1470720/Restaurants-Ho_Chi_Minh_City-Quan_An_Ngon-BR-1.html

This one might a little touristy, but Lara Flynn Boyle says it is her favorite eating hole in all of Vietnam! I love Lara Flynn! Plus, I am a big “Pho Phreak” as my friends say. I  just can’t get enough hot noodles in me.

I will await further instruction, and be careful with the delta catfish, Tao! I hear it has poisonous testacles.

All my best to you, my friend.
~Leena

The Rhinelander Hodag

Summer = brain rot.  Brain rot = TV.  I don’t know where I was trying to go there, but I feel really rusty with this now O________o.  Time to get back into it, I suppose!

Last Chance to See is a wonderful BBC documentary series.  The show follows Mark Carwadine (a wildlife photographer and zoologist) and Stephen Fry (Hugh Laurie’s old comedic partner :O ) as they search for animals on the brink of extinction.  Of course, all the while they are exploring the wildlife of their surrounding regions.  The project was actually started by Carwadine and the late Douglas Adams in 1990 – however, it was in a book format at the time.  I think Carwadine was interested in seeing how the dynamics had changed over the past 20 years, so he decided to embark on this long journey again.  Stephen Fry had a friendship with Adams, and therefore opted to take Adam’s place as Carwadein’s partner.

Some of the moments in this show are just beautiful.

Animals covered so far include the:

The Amazonian Manatee

The Northern White Rhinoceros - now declared Extinct in the Wild

The Aye-Aye - in case you are wondering, it's a lemur, lol

Carwadine PRETTY much has my dream job.. like actually.  I often say that I don’t know what to do with my life, but if i had a choice now – this would be it.

Watch this show!  It is wonderful.  Aside from searching for these fascinating creatures, they also encounter a variety of  wildlife along the way.  Not to mention the fact that some of the places they go to are truly just breath taking.

Nine days in London, and two observations.

The first concerns the police, who seem to have two modi operandi:

1.   Standing on pavements in groups of between 2 and 6, with arms crossed, chatting.

2.   Racing round the streets at manic speed, blue lights blazing, sirens screaming.

There is clearly some purpose to this which is beyond the understanding of a simple country woman.

The second matter concerns toes. In the current very pleasant mild weather, many feet are wearing sandals or open-toed shoes, and I couldn’t help noticing the unusually long toes belonging to some people. I’m referring to the toe that lives next to the big toe. Some of them were so long that they were hanging over the end of the shoes they were in. Having very boring little feet myself – the toes running in descending order – I am so envious of the very elegant feet that these long-toed people have.  They reminded me of those little furry animals called aye-ayes, that live in Madagascar and have one very, very long finger which they use to dig insects out. I wonder if people with long toes have found a similar use for them?

Oh Hai!

Check out this You Tube video called “Animals That Really Do Exist.”  It is very cute, especially the little puff ball cats.  Enjoy!

Thank You For Your Consideration,

The Graham Ten

Saigon – Aye Aye - Click To Listen

Aye Aye Aye , da , Saigon care mai devreme anul acesta , a avut treaba pe plan muzical in 2 directii , una care`l viza pe Joe Budden (care incepe sa critice lumea buna a hip`hop`ului) cu care a avut beef aparut pe primele pagini , iar directia cu nr. 2 este proiectul dus la bun sfarsit impreuna cu Statik Selektah (producator) , mai precis 1 zi de munca care a rezultat albumul All In A Day`s Work postat la vremea aceea si aici . E Saigon , nu mai e nimic de spus .

Download Saigon – Aye Aye Aye

Previous/Anterior Saigon & Statik Selektah – All In A Day’s Work

Bonus Previous/Anterior Saigon Vs. Joe Budden – And the winner is ?

Years ago, when my high school played our rival high school, we had a cheer that began, “Aye Aye Aye Aye….” The rest of the cheer is totally inappropriate for this post, but I hear that opening line whenever I think of this month’s cool critter, the aye-aye.

The aye-aye (pronounced “eye-eye”), a native of Madagascar, is the largest nocturnal primate* in the world. That’s not particularly impressive since the little guys tip the scales somewhere between 5 ½ and 6 ½ pounds, but ya know, it could come in handy on “Jeopardy” someday.

Aye-ayes are adorable gremlin-like critters with long bushy tails, big eyes, huge ears, large hands and middle fingers that are three times longer than their other fingers. They spend their days sleeping in nests high in the rain forest canopy and spend their nights foraging for nuts, fruit, fungi, nectar, seeds, and insect larvae (a.k.a. grubs).

As our devoted readers know, our standards for the coolness of our Cool Critters are pretty freaking high. The aye-aye, like the African Wild Ass, has a fabulous name, but it’s the aye-aye’s grub-hunting style that earns it Cool Critter status.

To find grubs in trees, aye-ayes use a technique known as “percussive foraging.” They walk along a branch and tap their extra long middle finger quickly against the wood, and then they listen. When the aye-aye hears the sounds of a grub tunnel inside the wood, it goes to town, gnawing through the branch until the tunnel is visible. To get the grubs, the aye-aye sticks its middle finger into the hole, hooks a few grubs, and brings the snack to its mouth.

Aye-ayes’ bodies are totally designed for this style of foraging. Their long, skinny middle fingers move independently of the rest of the aye-aye’s fingers, like a built-in tool. Aye-ayes use their middle fingers to skewer prey, to groom and to drink (by dipping their fingers in liquid and quickly bringing it to their mouths). The aye-aye’s large hands allow it to use one hand to tap and extract prey while the other hand keeps the aye-aye from falling. Its huge, moveable ears allow the foraging animal to tune into the echoes from the tapping to locate insect tunnels. Its long incisors never stop growing, all the better to gnaw through branches. And finally, aye-ayes have a nictitating membrane—also known as a third eyelid—to keep their big eyes moist and to protect them from flying wood shards (a hazard of vigorous gnawing).

All the things that make the aye-aye a Cool Critter have earned it a very different reputation in its native land. According to legend, the aye-aye is a symbol of evil and death. Some say that an aye-aye’s appearance in a village means that a villager will die. Others say that aye-ayes sneak into houses during the night and puncture peoples’ aortas with their middle fingers. Either way, it is believed that the only way to protect oneself and one’s village from the evil aye-aye is by killing the aye-aye immediately.

This threat has never stopped the aye-ayes. The mischievous little critters have always sauntered through villages and raided coconut plantations. Of course, they have been killed. Now, as the aye-ayes’ rainforest habitat is being destroyed, more and more aye-ayes are sneaking into villages—and more and more aye-ayes are killed. And so the aye-aye is endangered.**

*The aye-aye is actually a prosimian, a suborder of primates that aren’t monkeys or apes. Lemurs, bushbabies and tarsiers are also prosimians. Aye-ayes have the largest brain of the prosimians. By the way, aye-ayes have color vision, a unique trait for a nocturnal animal.

** The aye-aye is listed as “near threatened” on the IUCN Red List.

Sea of Shoes: TOKYO UPDATE

sea pig pictures – latest news, information, videos, photos, images.

I&ve been having a blast here in Tokyo, but probably my favorite thing to do is to slum around Omotesando taking people&s pictures. It&s very relaxing. Sadly my pictures don&t always turn out well because of the high-speed traffic in… … you value having freedom and flexibility with your hair then big changes like that are not the best idea. still. i wish i could see what they look like on someone…and you would have been the perfect guinea pig to pull them off! …

I&ve been having a blast here in Tokyo, but probably my favorite thing to do is to slum around Omotesando taking people&s pictures. It&s very relaxing. Sadly my pictures don&t always turn out well because of the high-speed traffic in… … you value having freedom and flexibility with your hair then big changes like that are not the best idea. still. i wish i could see what they look like on someone…and you would have been the perfect guinea pig to pull them off! …

Blogger was doing funny things when I was uploading pictures so these are a little bit out of order, but here they are. Bradley and Daniel getting diapers before our trip home. Daniel needed a new diaper and we knew Bradley would go to sleep from such a long day … We had to take a minute or two when we got off the get our sea legs back and for the ground to quit rocking. It was a lot of fun to see the sub, but I am very glad I wasn&t on it while it was still being used. …

sea pig pictures – latest news, information, videos, photos, images.

Pessoal, eu tava dando uma estudada em Biologia Animal, achei alguns animais bem exóticos e resolvi colocá-los aqui pra vocês! Vamos a eles então.

Alquimi

“Solenedon cubanus”. Nativo de Cuba, quase não há mais vestígios de sua existência desde 1999. Sua quase extinção deve-se a derrubada da floresta para o cultivo de cana-de-açúcar. Sem seu habitat natural, virou presa fácil. O almiqui é um animal noctívago, ou seja, dorme durante o dia e sé sai da toca a noite. Possui um nariz rosado, comprido e muito aguçado. A boca tem dentes potiagudos e protuberantes. O alimento preferido desse estranho animal são as larvas e insetos. Seu corpo está preparado para todo tipo de animal suculento. desde uma lagarta até baratas.

Esquilo da Indonésia

Esse mamífero tem uma característica unica, pois não possui pêlos e as orelhas são maiores do que em outras espécies de esquilos.

Equidna

O Tachyglossidae é da ordem doa monotremata (junto com, os ornitorrincos) e é encontrado na Austrália e na Nova Guiné. Também tem hábitos noturnos e anda sozinho, fazendo contato com a espécie somente para reprodução. São nômades e tem um sentido visual apuradíssimo. Assim como o tatu, quando ameaçados esse estranho animal enrola-se sobre si, protegendo a barriga com os espinhos. Também são hábeis escavadores, conseguindo se enterrar em pouco tempo. Os filhotes nascem de ovos, após 20 dias da fecundação.

Aye-Aye

Daubentonia madagascariensis, natural da ilha de Madagascar, está ameaçado de extinção por que a população da ilha o considera um mau agouro e mata todso os que encontra. Esse espécie de milhões de anos está prestes e desaparecer da Terra. esse animal exótico tem ainda algumas peculiaridades: um de seus dedos é bem mais comprido que os outros e é usado para caçar larvas em buracos de árvores. Só tem um filhote por cria, o que dificulta a procriação.

Társio

A família Tarsiidae compôe-se de 3 espécies. a mais difundida é o társio-espectro que se alimenta de gafanhotos, frutos e largatos. Por sua maneira de pular de árvore em árvore, prendendo-se nos galhos pelas almofadas adesivas dos “dedos”, ele é muitas vezes confundido com a rã-de-árvore. É um animal noturno, e macho e fêmea formam um par muito unido.

Diabo da Tasmânia

Sarcophilus laniarius é um marsupial que habita toda a região da ilha da Tasmânia, principalmente as florestas. Esse animal estranho é o maior carnívoro marsupial atualmente. As fémeas normalmente são maiores do que os machos. As crias, geralmente, são de 2 ou 3 filhotes e anuais. São animais diurnos e andam sozinhos, que encontram outros diabos ao redor das carcaças. E, nessa hora, são muito agressivos e lutam arduamente, ficando com cicatrizes profundas frequentemente.

Ornitorrinco

Ornithorhynchus anatinus é um mamífero semiaquático natural da Austrália e Tasmânia. É o único representante vivo da família Ornithorhynchidae, e a única espécie do gênero Ornithorhynchus . Juntamente com as equidnas, formam o grupo dos monotremados, os únicos mamíferos ovíparos existentes. A espécie é monotípica.

Spotify is pretty damn useful. For those who don’t know it’s essentially a free program that allows you to stream a huge amount of music. Whole albums, for free. This is pretty good. The only slight hitch is that every 15 mins or so you have to listen to a 30 second advert. Which is a farily fair price to pay.

There are greater evils in the world:

At the moment Spotify is only available on computers, and in the UK. However according to BBC reports, they are set to roll out the device on to mobile platforms:

‘Speaking about the plan to go mobile, Spotify founder Daniel Ek said: “We want to be everywhere. We won’t only do one device.”‘

You might say ‘I can now use Spotify on my iphone! Sounds perfect’ right?

WELL YOU WOULD BE IRRECOVERABLY WRONG, YOU FOOL.

Spotify also say they plan to only provide this service to their premium users, the ones who pay £10 a month. This means you’re essentially paying £10 for something you’ll never own, neither physically nor digitally. And there is no cap on how long you could do this for, reductio ad absurdum you’ll pay infinity pounds for nothing.

There is an advantage to this, it means you can listen to ‘guilty pleasures’ without the inevitably ‘Myles why the fuck have you got High School Musical on your ipod’ that comes with it. Dangerous Grounds.

Oh Hai!

In case you forgot to take your medicine today, here is another dose of cute baby animal Prozac.  Use as directed.

Thank You For Your Consideration,

The Graham 10

Photo credits: Dave Parsons, The Denver Zoo

A new aye-aye baby was born April 18th at the Denver Zoo. This is only the second one to be born in North America. While not publicized as many other primates and great apes are, (or as “cute”) aye-ayes are endangered.

The new aye-aye, who has yet to be named, is currently in a nest in the zoo’s Emerald Forest building inside the Primate Panorama exhibit.

Aye-ayes are the world’s largest nocturnal primate, weighing up to 6 pounds. The species is so unique, it has its own family classification called Daubentoniidae.

“Aye-ayes look like no other animals living today. Their monkey-like body, squirrel-like tail, large eyes and elongated middle fingers make them easily distinguishable from any other primate,” according to the zoo release.

Read the news article here. http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_12317643

Calma gente, nós, os loucos do 100NexO não estamos pra adoção(Até porque acho pouco provável que alguém fosse querer), bem, mas estamos com um projeto de adoção de um lindo filhote Aye Aye, vindo diretamente de Madagascar! Você terá apenas que nos convenver o porque você merece este maravilhoso animal na sua casa, a frase mais criativa ganha este exemplar que mostraremos na foto abaixo:

*Nota: Esta é uma promoção FANTASIA, não hesite em achar que é de verdade

Team of Scientists pack your bags! We’re taking a much needed vacation! I’ve booked ahead and all travel arrangements have been made. Don’t forget your passports and other essentials because–What? This has nothing to do with what happened a couple of weeks ago!

FLASHBACK…

One part avian flu, one part pig flu, and what the hell two parts human flu. Uh oh.

 Alright! Alright! We have to lay low for a while. So I figured why not kill two birds with one stone and finally get that expedition we have been planning out of the way. What do you mean, “what expedition?” I see you guys taking notes all day on those clipboards, but never seem to remember a damn thing I say. We are traveling  the world to find the world’s strangest creatures. First stop, The Arctic!

Narwhal: Sea Unicorns

The narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is a medium-sized toothed whale that lives year-round in the Arctic. One of two species of whale in the Monodontidae family, along with the Beluga whale, the narwhal males are distinguished by a characteristic long, straight, helical tusk extending from their upper left jaw.

No, it hasn't just finished eating a Unicorn.

 

The long helical tusk has been the topic of much debate over those studying the narwhal. Some say it’s a tool to break the icy surface of the Arctic waters, others believe the narwhal males will use the tusks when fighting, but the most widely believed purpose is that it is a secondary sexual characteristic. This would also mean the tusk is used to determine social rank, and maintain dominance, not unlike a lion’s mane, or a peacock’s tail feathers.

You’re not fooling me Narwhal, nor will I leave this up to debate. Nobody shows up with a nearly ten foot spiral bone lance protruding out of their mouth without something to prove. Team of Scientists! Bring me closer to that group over there.

If they're not careful, someone's gonna poke an eye out.

Hmmm? They don’t seem to be showing signs of aggression to each other. Maybe the others are right in that the tusk is only for show. Well, Team of Scientists let’s continue on to our next destination. Wait a minute?

Oh my God! He’s looking at those narwhals.

Stop you fool!!!

As God as my witness this actually happened.

Aye-Aye: Your Nightmare Come to Life

The Aye-aye is the world’s largest nocturnal prosimian, and dwells predominantly in forest canopies.

Mother of Pearl!!

The adult Aye-aye has black or dark brown fur covered by white guard hairs at the neck. The tail is bushy and shaped like that of a squirrel. The Aye-aye’s face is also rodent-like, the shape of a raccoon’s, and mouses bright, beady, luminous eyes. Its incisors are very large, and grow continuously throughout its lifespan.

It's teeth, they never...stop growing!!

The Aye-aye’s hands are arguably its most unusual feature. Much like other primates, it possesses opposable thumbs, but both the hallux and the fingers are long and slender, and appear to be in a curved position.  The middle finger can be up to three times longer than the others.

Look at it's hands! LOOK AT IT'S HANDS!

Researchers in Madagascar report remarkable fearlessness in the Aye-aye; some accounts tell of individual animals strolling nonchalantly in village streets or even walking right up to naturalists in the rainforest and sniffing their shoes.

It shows NO FEAR!!

Well Hollywood science fiction and fantasy writers, it looks like Darwin just trumped your asses! Moving on.

Pistol Shrimp: The Gunslinger of the Sea

Growing tired of copying and pasting from Wikpedia, I’ve decided to give Youtube a chance at better explaining the awesome power of the Pistol Shrimp. Trust me, it’s worth a watch.

Amazing! This little guy can harness the power of the Sun itself.  Scientist #4 collect me a specimen.

Quick! Put it down, put it down!

You win this round Pistol Shrimp. But one day you’re awesome power will be mine! Don’t worry Scientist #4 we’ll stop at Rite Aid for some balm before our next stop.

"I'll shoot ya, and wear yer boots!"

Japanese Spider Crab: Combining Your Fears of Crabs and Spiders

You must have seen this coming. No trip into the strange and bizarre is complete without a stop to Japan. One has to wonder why Japan spent decades filming a guy in a rubber suit, stomping on model cities when they could have just filmed this.

I really wish I could say that this is fake.

The Japanese spider crab, Macrocheira kaempferi, is the largest known arthropod; fully grown it can reach a leg span of almost 4 m (13 ft), a body size of up to 37 cm (15 inches) and a weight of up to 20 kg (44 lb).

Spider Crabs! Represeeeent!

Here’s a quick video to showcase the actual size of these Spider Crabs. Ignore the annoying tourists.

It is believed to have a life expectancy of up to 100 years. That’s right folks. They are possibly immortal. It seems to me these Spider Crabs would pose a serious threat to the Japanese being able to get a good night’s sleep. I wonder how they cope with knowing these creatures are most likely surrounding their mainlands, ready to invade?

It's Japan. Of course they are going to eat them!

Speaking of Crabs,

Giant Coconut Crab: We’re all Doomed

Sure the Japanese Spider Crab may be the largest known crab, but they seem very fragile and edible. Well where the Coconut Crab falls short in size, it more than makes up for in shear strength.

This is not photoshopped, not a model, and not a picture from the set of a new science fiction movie.

I know what you’re thinking. Maybe that’s just a tiny tree and I’m using trick photography. Well here’s another pic.

Going through human trash...to STUDY US!

Now you’re probably asking yourself where the name “Coconut Crab” comes from? The Coconut Crab’s primary food source comes from cracking open coconuts and eating the liquidy fleshy insides.

Other researchers claim they crack coconuts for food. I say it's practice!

That’s right! I believe the Coconut Crab is merely using coconuts to hone their skills to eventually crack our own similarly textured heads!

Oh my God! It's right on your head! How do you not notice?!

And when will enough be enough for the Coconut Crab?!

"Oh my sweet Anna! I regret nothing!!"

But the Coconut Crab will not ever stop! It’s agenda is clear!

Team of Scientists! We must get back to the lab and figure out a way to stop the Coconut Crab menace before they eventually become known as the Cranium Crab! Swine Flu be damned! We have work to do!

Bonus Content: The Star Nosed Mole

I'm not touching that one with a 10 foot Narwhal tusk

John Michael Gagnon AKA Johnny Red

Aye-aye o filhote de cruz credo.

Precisa falar mais alguma coisa? Clique aqui para saber mais sobre o tal chupa-cabras.

Am mai scris despre acest ciudat animalut numit si Aye Aye unicul in specia sa care traieste in  Madagascar.

Povestea lui este trista . Este singurul reprezentant al speciei sale , pentru ca  Aye Aye Gigant(Daubentonia robusta) s-a extins de foarte mult timp .

El traieste in sona costiera orientala a Madagascarului , unde colonizeaza padurea pluviala ( nu mai jos de 700 de m altitudine ). Coboara  mereu pe plantatii pt a fura hrana .

Aye-ayenu nu este simplu de gasit asa ca daca intentionati sa il vedeti puteti vizita  Parcul  Nazional din Ranomafana, il Parcul Nazional din Andasibe-Mantadia si  Rezerva Speciale din Nosy Mangabe.

Mai jos o sa vedeti cate ceva despre nasterea acestui ciudat animalut