Wow ! ! ! The Smallest Monkey......

The Philippine Tarsier


The Philippine Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta or Carlito syrichta), known locally as the Maumag in Cebuano/Visayan and Mamag in Luzon, is an endangered species of tarsier endemic to the Philippines.  It is found in the southeastern part of the archipelago, particularly in the islands of Bohol Island, Samar Island, Leyte Island and Mindanao. It is a member of the approximately 45 million year old family Tarsiidae, whose name is derived from its elongated "tarsus" or ankle bone.

Its geographic range also includes Maripipi Island, Siargao Island, Basilan Island and Dinagat Island. Tarsiers have also been reported in Sarangani, although they may be different subspecies.

It was only introduced to Western biologists in the 18th century.

Anatomy and morphology

The Philippine Tarsier is not a large animal; it measures only about 85 to 160 millimetres (3.35 to 6.30 in) in height, making it one of the smallest primates. The small size makes it difficult to spot. The mass for males is between 80–160 g (2.8–5.6 oz), usually lighter for females, somewhat heavier than otherTarsius such as the Pygmy Tarsier. The average adult is about the size of a human fist and will fit very comfortably in the human hand.

Like all tarsiers, the Philippine Tarsier's eyes are fixed in its skull; they cannot turn in their sockets. Instead, a special adaptation in the neck allows its round head to be rotated 180 degrees. The eyes are disproportionately large, having the largest eye-to-body size ratio of all mammals. These huge eyes provide this nocturnal animal with excellent night vision. The large membranous ears are mobile, appearing to be almost constantly moving, allowing the tarsier to hear any movement.

The Philippine Tarsier has thin, rough fur which is colored gray to dark brown. The narrow tail, usually used for balance, is naked or bald except for a tuft of hair at the end, and is about twice the body length. Its elongated "tarsus," or ankle bone, which gives the tarsier its name, allows it to jump at least three meters from tree to tree without having to touch the ground. Its long digits are tipped with rounded pads that allow T. syrichta to cling easily to trees and to grip almost any surface. The thumb is not truly opposable, but the first toe is. All of the digits have flattened nails, except for the second and third toes, which have sharp claws specialized for grooming.

Range and distribution

The Philippine Tarsier, as its name suggests, is endemic to the Philippine archipelago. T. syrichta populations are generally found in the southeastern part of the archipelago. Established populations are present primarily on the islands of Bohol, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. It has also been found on various isolated islands within its known range, such as Maripipi Island, Siargao Island, Basilan Island and Dinagat Island.

Habitat

The Philippine Tarsier's habitat is the second growth, secondary forest, and primary forest from sea level to 700 m (2,300 ft). Its habitat also includes tropical rainforest with dense vegetation and trees that offer it protection like tall grasses, bushes and bamboo shoots. It prefers dense, low-level vegetation in secondary forests, with perching sites averaging 2 meters above the ground.

Ecosystem roles

Besides human hunters, feral cats banished from nearby communities are the species' main predators, though some large birds are known to prey on it as well. Because of its nocturnal and arboreal habits, the Philippine Tarsier is most likely to fall prey to owls, or to small carnivores which it can encounter in its canopy homes.

Communication

The Philippine Tarsier uses varied means of communication. Although less vocal than many primate species, it uses calls which are often associated with territorial maintenance and male-female spacing. Its "loud call" is a loud piercing single note. When content, it emits a sound similar to a soft sweet bird-like twill. And when several tarsiers come together, they have a chirping, locust-like sound.

Its vocal communication is the distress call made by infants when they are separated from their mothers. It is also the call made by males to their mates during mating season. Its olfactory communication is the marking of a scent from the circumoral gland which the female uses to mark her mate with the gland located around the mouth. It is also the marking of a male's territory with the use of urine. Its tactile communication is the social grooming done when one tarsier grooms the other, removing dead skin and parasites, observed in females on adult males, as well as in females on their offspring.

Where to Meet the Tarsier

You can visit the tarsier at the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, and see it in its natural habitat.

The Philippine Tarsier Foundation,
Km. 14 Canapnapan Corella, Bohol 6300 Philippines
Tel: (0912) 5163375
Mobile: (0918) 6021326
Email: tarsier@mozcom.com
Website: http://www.philippinetarsier.org/.




Please avoid visiting the tarsiers kept in cages along Loboc river. Here, these shy animals have a miserable live, and normally don't survive for long.

A weird species.....

ROMANESCO BROCCOLI

Romanesco broccoli, or Roman cauliflower, is an edible flower of the species Brassica oleracea, and a variant form of cauliflower.

DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER ! ! ! ! ! !

• Powerful vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage fight against colon, breast and prostate gland cancer. Being loaded with beta-carotene is another of the many health benefits of broccoli. Beta-carotene converts to Vitamin A once inside the body, becoming an antioxidant.
• Incentives to eat cabbage are certainly significant, not just because it tastes good, but because it offers many health benefits. A cup of cabbage (approximately 150 grams) has only 33 calories.

Romanesco is an edible flower and very healthy too. Different countries call it different names like: Romanesco Broccoli, Roman Cauliflower, Broccoflower, and Romanesco Cauliflower. God created this Vegetable with a very beautiful design. At the same time, not only is it beautiful on the outside, it is also very good and healthy on the inside. The nutrients that you can find in a Romanesco are:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B1, Thiamin
- Vitamin B2, Riboflavin
- Vitamin B3, Niacin
- Vitamin B5, Pantothenic Acid
- Vitamin B6, Pyridoxine
- Vitamin B9, Folate
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Dietary Fiber
- Manganese
- Magnesium
- Protein
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Tryptophan
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids

The Health Benefits that people can very possibly get from Romanesco Cauliflower or Broccoli are:
- Improves Eyesight
- Supports Vision
- Helps fight viral infections
- Protects from free radicals
- Lowers Risk of many cancers
- Improves healing
- Helps protect from colds
- Helps protect from flu
- Helps protect from infections
- Improves Lung health
- Supports red cell health
- Improves Bone health
- Improves Brain function
- Reduces Depression
- Reduces Constipations
- Improves Cholesterol Levels
- Improves Blood Sugar Levels
- Improves Blood Pressure Levels
- Supports Muscles
- Supports Nerves
- Supports Heart Health

HISTORY

Romanesco broccoli was first documented in Italy (as broccolo romanesco) in the sixteenth century. It is sometimes called broccoflower, but that name is also applied to green-curded cauliflower cultivars.

DESCRIPTION

Also known as coral broccoli, Romanesco broccoli is rich in vitamin C, fiber, and carotenoids.

The vegetable resembles a cauliflower, but is of a light green color and the inflorescence (the bud) has an approximate self-similar character, with the branched meristems making a logarithmic spiral. In this sense the broccoli's shape approximates a natural fractal; each bud is composed of a series of smaller buds, all arranged in yet another logarithmic spiral. This self-similar pattern continues at several smaller levels.

In appearance, Broccoli Romanesco is truly bizarre. The vegetable illustrates a fractal pattern, growing a spiral head composed of conical florets which also prove to be spirals upon close examination. The vegetable has a greenish tinge, and giant waxy leaves which can almost entirely conceal the edible heads of the plant. Mathematicians sometimes use the plant to illustrate fractals, since it is stunning to look at in addition to being edible after class.

FRACTAL PATTERN

The head of Romanesco broccoli is a visually striking example of an approximate fractal in nature. The pattern is only an approximate fractal since the pattern eventually terminates when the feature size becomes sufficiently small. In computer graphics, its pattern has been modeled as a recursive helical arrangement of cones.

GROWING

Broccoli Romanesco grows best in temperate climates over the cooler months, preferring temperatures no higher than 25°C (77°F) and no lower than -2°C (28°F).
It requires a partially shaded location with plenty of space and slightly alkaline soil.
These plants grow upto 3 ft in height.

COOKING

Although in Italy there are a number of recipes dedicated to Romanesco broccoli, in the rest of the world it is usually prepared like conventional broccoli. Like conventional broccoli, overcooking Romanesco will result in a texture some people find unpleasant. The texture is more tender than cauliflower, making it suited to raw use as crudités.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size	1 cup
Amount Per Serving
Calories	35
Calories from Fat	0
% Daily Value*
Total Fat	0.0 g	0 %
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 %
Sodium	20 mg	1 %
Potassium	0 mg	0 %
Total Carbohydrate	5 g	2 %
Dietary Fiber	3 g	12 %
Protein	3.0 g	6 %
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Giant Huntsman Spider (heteropoda maxima)

Giant huntsman spider is considered the world's largest spider.

Appeareance

The coloration is yellowish-brown with several irregularly distributed dark spots on the rear half. The legs have wide dark bands before the first bend. Like all huntsman spiders, the legs of the giant huntsman spider are long compared to the body, and twist forward in a crab-like fashion. Apart from its size, it can be distinguished from other species of Heteropoda by genital characteristics: On males, the cymbium is much longer than usual, at least three times longer than the tegulum. The female is distinguished by a characteristically shaped epigyneal field with two anterior directed bands, and the course of their internal ducts.

The giant huntsman spider is the largest member of the Sparassidae, boasting a 30 centimeter (12 inch) leg-span, and 4.6 centimeter body-length.

What Do They Eat? Can They Eat Me?! What About My Pets?

Huntsman Spiders get their name by waiting for prey to come close, and like lions, chase their prey for short distances. Contrary to their gangly and cumbersome appearance, Hunstman Spiders are very fast and are able to chase down their prey with ease. Hunstman Spiders are extremely aggressive, will arch up to make displays to frighten off perceived threats, and will tenaciously cling to attackers or perceived attackers if they think it will protect them. Given any other circumstance, Hunstman Spiders are designed to slip through holes and cracks and will escape if they feel outmatched.

That's all great...but what about me?!

Huntsman Spiders are not harmful to humans, and although big and scary, are certainly not strong enough to carry off or take a bite out of a human. They will bite in self-defense, in which case they are not venomous, and the only result will be a big red spider bite. As mentioned before, they do cling if picked up, and will most likely bite, making a close-up Huntsman encounter a frightening and potentially painful one, but ultimately not life-threatening.

Alright, enough scaring you...to properly answer the question, Hunstman Spiders mainly eat insects, other spiders and sometimes small lizards and snakes. Big enough Hunstmen might kill and digest very small rodents. Your pets are probably safe, unless you own very small rodents or reptiles. They do not swim, so your fish are safe, too.

They can be found in warm places where spiders thrive, particularly most of South and Central America, Africa, Australia, Asia up through southern Russia, most of Europe and most of the south and midwestern portion of the United States.

There are 1009 separate Huntsman species making up the Sparassidae Family around the world, each varying somewhat in size and shape, but maintaining the primary characteristic of having their legs extend forward, looking much like crabs' legs. For this reason, some people call Huntsmen Crab Spiders, but the Crab Spider is a completely different spider.

Huntsman Spiders favor various brown shades to fit into woodland and desert settings, have more spindly legs and are far bigger than the typical crab spider.

The Most INTELLIGENT Dog......

BORDER COLLIE (Canis familiaris)

The Border Collie is a dog breed developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region for use on farms to assist with the herding of livestock. Their intelligence has been observed as having an intuitive quality that goes well beyond basic instinct. Such sensitivity calls for an environment that regards their higher faculties; otherwise, they can become distressed. With this understanding, they are excellent companion animals.

Typically extremely energetic, acrobatic and athletic, they frequently compete with great success in dog sports, in addition to their success in sheepdog trials, and are often cited as the most intelligent of all dogs.

Description

Appearance

In general, Border Collies are medium-sized dogs without extreme physical characteristics and with a moderate amount of coat, which means not much hair will be shed. Their double coats vary from slick to lush, and come in many colours, although black and white is the most common. Black tricolour (black/tan/white or sable and white), red (chocolate) and white, and red tricolour (red/tan/white) also occur regularly, with other colours such as blue, lilac, red merle, blue merle, brindle and "Australian red"/gold seen less frequently. Border Collies may also have single-colour coats.

Eye colour varies from deep brown to amber or blue, and occasionally eyes of differing colour occur. (This is usually seen with "merles"). The ears of the Border Collie are also variable — some have fully erect ears, some fully dropped ears, and others semi-erect ears (similar to those of the rough Collie or sighthounds). Although working Border Collie handlers sometimes have superstitions about the appearance of their dogs (handlers may avoid mostly white dogs due to the unfounded idea that sheep will not respect a white or almost all white dog), in general a dog's appearance is considered by the American Border Collie Association to be irrelevant. It is considered much more useful to identify a working Border Collie by its attitude and ability than by its looks.

Dogs bred for showing are more homogeneous in appearance than working Border Collies, since to win in conformation showing they must conform closely to breed club standards that are specific on many points of the structure, coat and colour. Kennel clubs specify, for example, that the Border Collie must have a "keen and intelligent" expression, and that the preferred eye colour is dark brown. In deference to the dog's working origin, scars and broken teeth received in the line of duty are not to be counted against a Border Collie in the show ring.

Height at withers: Males from 19 to 22 in (48 to 56 cm), females from 18 to 21 in (46 to 53 cm).

Temperament

Border Collies require considerable daily physical exercise and mental stimulation. Border Collies are an intelligent breed. The breed has an instinctive desire to work closely and intensely with a human handler. Although the primary role of the Border Collie is that of the working stock dog, dogs of this breed are becoming increasingly popular as pets.

True to their working heritage, Border Collies make very demanding, energetic pets that are better off in households that can provide them with plenty of play and exercise with humans or other dogs. Due to their demanding personalities and need for mental stimulation and exercise, many border collies develop neurotic behaviors in households that are not able to provide for their needs. They are famous for chewing holes in walls and digging holes out of boredom. As a result, an alarming number of border collies end up in shelters and rescues every year. One of the prime reasons for getting rid of a border collie is their unsuitability for families with small children, cats, and other dogs, due to their intense desire to herd. 

As long as the Border Collie is in the herding/working position (crouched down, tail tucked between legs, eyes firmly fixed on the matter in hand) it considers it work. Their tails are about as long as their body.

A Border Collie's tail, based on position, shows the mindset the dog is in. A raised, wagging tail is called a "gay tail" by shepherds because it usually indicates the dog is excited and not concentrated on work. The tail lowered or tucked between the legs indicates the dog is focused and ready to listen/work.

Border Collies are now also being used in showing, especially agility, where their speed and agility comes to good use.

Though they are common choice for household pets, Border Collies have attributes that makes them less suited for certain people who have small children and cannot give them the exercise they need. As with many working breeds, Border Collies can be motion-sensitive and they may chase vehicles occasionally or a small child in the garden running around as these are both very similar to herding sheep.

Health

Lifespan

The natural life span of the Border Collie is between 10 and 17 years, with an average lifespan of twelve years. The median longevities of breeds of similar size are usually 12 to 13 years.

Leading causes of death were cancer (23.6%), old age (17.9%) and cerebral vascular afflictions (9.4%).

Common health problems

Hip dysplasia, Collie eye anomaly (CEA), and epilepsy are considered the primary genetic diseases of concern in the breed at this time. CEA is a congenital, inherited eye disease involving the retina, choroid, and sclera that sometimes affects Border Collies. In Border Collies, it is generally a mild disease and rarely significantly impairs vision. There is now a DNA test available for CEA and, through its use, breeders can ensure that they will not produce affected pups. There are different types of hip testing available including OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) and Penn Hip. Radiographs are taken and sent to these organizations to determine a dog's hip and elbow quality.

The mutation responsible for TNS has been found in Border Collies in English working dogs,in show dogs that had originated in Australian and New Zealand, and in unrelated Australian working dogs indicating the gene is widespread and probably as old as the breed itself. TNS was identified by Jeremy Shearman in the laboratory of Dr. Alan Wilton of the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales. There is no cure, but a DNA test is now available to detect carriers as well as affected dogs. Elbow dysplasia or osteochondritis, deafness, and hypothyroidism may also occur in the breed. Dogs homozygous for the merle gene are likely to have eye and/or hearing problems.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) is a rare but serious disease that is limited to show Border Collies. NCL results in severe neurological impairment and early death; afflicted dogs rarely survive beyond two years of age. The mutation causing the form of the disease found in Border Collies was identified by Scott Melville in the laboratory of Dr. Alan Wilton of the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences,University of New South Wales.  There is no treatment or cure, but a DNA test is now available to detect carriers as well as affected dogs. Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome or TNS,is a hereditary disease in which the bone marrow produces neutrophils 

(white cells) but is unable to effectively release them into the bloodstream. Affected puppies have an impaired immune system and will eventually die from infections they cannot fight. TNS has been found in Border Collies in English working dogs,in show dogs that had originated in Australian and New Zealand, and in unrelated Australian working dogs indicating the gene is widespread and probably as old as the breed itself. TNS was identified by Jeremy Shearman in the laboratory of Dr. Alan Wilton of the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales. There is no cure, but a DNA test is now available to detect carriers as well as affected dogs.

Activities

Collie needs a job. When he was unemployed, they won’t be happy. Collie is not recommended to be left alone. They need a companion, praise and intensive training. If you work outside the city, do not think to have this dog, because it really is not suitable for you. Collie have legendary intelligence. Dog competition for the program is different from others, such as speed test, obedience and of course herding sheep challenge. Border Collies are one of the most popular breeds for dog agility competitions. They also excel at competitive obedience, showmanship, fly ball, tracking, and USBCHA Sheepdog trials and herding events.

Dog sports

Border Collies excel at several dog sports in addition to their success in sheepdog trials. Because of the high instinct of herding, they are excellent at this sport. Herding instincts and trainability can be tested for when introduced to sheep or at noncompetitive instinct tests. Border Collies exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in sheepdog trials and other herding events. They perform well at some higher jump heights at dog agility competitions, so much so that in England, competitions often include classes for ABC dogs, "Anything But Collies".

The Border Collie's speed, agility, and stamina have allowed them to dominate in dog activities like fly ball and disc dog competitions. Their trainability has also given them a berth in dog dancing competitions.

Border Collies have a highly developed sense of smell and with their high drive make excellent and easily motivated tracking dogs for tracking trials. These trials simulate the finding of a lost person in a controlled situation where the performance of the dog can be evaluated, with titles awarded for successful dogs.

Search and rescue

Because of their skills, Border Collies make excellent search and rescue dogs in lowland, mountain, and urban areas. They have been trained in air-scenting, ground-scenting and as cadaver dogs.