Persian Leopard

Persian leopard is the biggest subspecies of leopard. It is also one of the rarest. Also known as Iranian Leopard, it is found in scattered numbers in a number of countries extending from South Asia to Middle East, including some Central Asian states. A particularly strong animal, the Persian Leopard, Panthera Pardus Saxicolor, grows up to a height of near three feet and weighs as much as one hundred and fifty pounds, in case of healthy adult males.

Not much is documented about any unique physical attributes of this big cat. It is similar in appearance to other members of its species, with a tawny coat marked with rosettes. It has seldom been photographed in the wild and rarely studied in detail. As a result not much is known about its behavior, hunting and reproductive profile, though the leopard is known to prey upon a variety of animals including deer, goat, sheep, camel, dog, mule, wild boar and birds.

The elusive Persian Leopard resides in rugged mountainous terrains in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Georgia and Russia. It is a secretive animal like all leopards and is seldom seen in the wild. Residing in a combination of hilly and forested areas, it is a solitary feline that faces a variety of threats in its natural habitat and is struggling to survive in nature.

The splendid cat has had to withstand a lot over the years owing to the war torn conditions in its geographical range. This along with poaching for fur, prize hunting, poisoning, wild fires and habitat and prey loss has meant that there are fewer than thirteen hundred Persian Leopards in the wild today. Highest numbers are in Iran with around six to eight hundred animals reportedly existing. There are some conservation projects underway but the big cat is still endangered at the moment.

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on Persian Leopard Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Omer_Ashraf

Wild Animal Intelligence is Often Hiding From View

It is always difficult to capture wild animal intelligence on film or in actual observation, but it is not impossible nor is it to be consider non-existent. Many times wild animals are caught and nurtured back to health when injured by humans and then set back free, during the minor periods of captivity they are taught new skills. Yet so often once back in the wild they do not teach their local grouping the skill or even their offspring. It does happen and has been documented, but still it is rare.

Much therefore is often hidden from view. And my point being that we do not see this in animals as it is hidden from view as well; Never the less, a study of them up close in the wild is of value. And if an animal is taught a skill by lets say a higher order mammal or being and they have little need for it having evolutionarily already solved that problem in their current living environment or habitat they will lose it if they do not use it and fail to teach it to their offspring as it is not needed.

But if the animal is creative it will take that skill and modify it for some other purpose and that is the point at which you could really say that that Wild Animal Intelligence is more than we think, as they will use the new skill if needed and it comes in handy for a particular purpose and will not use the new learned skill if it is not. And wouldn’t that be the smartest thing to do? Interesting indeed, now let’s take a potential scenario of a new learned skill of a wild animal in captivity.

For instance lets say you teach a Chimpanzee how to mow the lawn, well pretty cool and the Chimpanzee is intrigued by this and gets a kick out of it really, thinking it is funny and laughing at the process, while he or she gets a free banana. When you put them back into the wild let’s say, well there are no CCRs or neighbors telling them to cut the grass.

But perhaps they find a sharp object and think well, there are snakes down there and if we cut the grass back we can see them if they try to sneak up on us. So they cut the grass back. Now to some this may seem like a so what? Yet, in reality it shows quite a bit of planning and adaptation and this is a skill that would be passed on and not the skill of the operation of a modern day lawn mower or push mower, as there are no gasoline stations they can use, no electrical plug ins, no lawnmowers either. So in that regard although perhaps un-noteworthy to some, it is a sign of higher level thought, strategizing and planning, reasoning and creativity to problem solve. Interesting indeed, so consider this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

Animal Skill Learning And Creativity In And Out Of Their Natural Environment

Many researchers have noticed that you can train a wild animal to do something, like a shark, wolf, guerilla, tiger or Chimpanzee, but when they go back into the wild they simply dismiss the skill and do not bother to teach it to their wild companions. Yet some skills, which are of value to the animal they will teach their offspring and local social groupings if they can in fact be used in that natural environment.

Indeed, well I do not have a problem with this logic. And would add that once back in the wild, if the new skill proved useful then it most likely would be passed on through teaching and imitation [another animal trait perhaps associated with empathy and thus mirroring] and one should not necessarily assign intelligence to mirroring or copying, although a form of intelligence, original ideas seem more a sign of intelligence in that regard and then there is the creativity with problem solving which seems to be the big kicker which researchers find hard to judge at times.

Creativity in my opinion needs a better metric, as I often consider this having possession of so much myself and do not know why. What I find interesting in that is that creativity without action goes un-rewarded and is hard to measure. Thus you can have extremely creative people yet do not know it until you have a discussion [with animals we don’t as communication is difficult presently] and often in humans you find very creative let’s say introverts and introspectives, but until you look at their drawings, video game creations, writing, art and such you would never know. They are just regular people. Perhaps this thought is of value to you or someone you know. If so consider this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

Wild Life Prints

The process of capturing a perfect picture of any wild life scene requires knowledge and patience. It may take a photographer up to 10 days to get a regular shot of a rare animal in a natural setting. Wild life pictures are difficult to capture, and successful ones are the result of luck, expertise, patience, and courage. Wild life photographers usually make good use of the background by centralizing the focus of the frame on the subject.

Exotic animals are captured on camera, and once the prints are developed, the immense beauty of nature is reveled. Theses prints may be used for a variety of reasons. They sometimes are used by non-governmental organizations to promote their stand against poaching of endangered species or to publicize the ill effects of deforestation. The use of wild life prints extends to the zoo where they are depicted, to showcase the various animals that form part of our ecosystem. Wildlife prints are also a medium of education for young kids and prove to be an efficient tool in generating awareness among the younger generation.

Wild life prints are often seen in homes, offices, hotels, restaurants, and hospitals. They are sometimes enlarged and framed and used as wall hangings and desktop show pieces. Many collectors are fond of their wild life print collections and have been accumulating prints from various photographers in order to exhibit them at exhibitions, museums, and galleries.

A photographer has the option of sending the prints to the Society of Animal Artists, where they are evaluated and judged by a panel of artists to look for the authenticity and uniqueness of the picture. Based on these criteria, awards are presented that add value to the photographer?s career. Wild life prints can be easily ordered on the Internet or, alternatively, purchased from an art store. Most of the stores have a stock of wildlife prints as the demand for them is on an increase.

Prints provides detailed information on Digital Photo Prints, Prints, Art Prints, Print Shops and more. Prints is affiliated with Digital Art Schools.

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Why Wild Animals Do Not Make Good Pets

Have you ever caught an animal in the wild? Save it from utter destruction only to find out that it's a baby? Many people, especially animal lovers, get drawn in by the inherent cuteness of an animal and decide that it would be a good idea to take it home, care for it, and turn it into a pet. No. It is often forgotten that these animals are born wild. Wild animals have certain predispositions for specific behaviors, special needs that may not be accessible through conventional means, and an inherent fear of human beings. Over time, these attributes can become quite dangerous.

Bringing wild animals into the home is against the law in many different states. Various different species are protected by both state and federal law. Statutes have been passed primarily to protect the animals from inadequate care and unnecessary death. There are several things that cause these deaths, and they are also very compelling reasons why wild animals do not make good pets. Here are just a few:

1. Ignorance of Proper Care

Believe it or not, many wild animals held in captivity die, due to the fact that their caregivers do not know how to give proper car. Many of the wild animals held in captivity have special needs that are not the same as domesticated animals. Eventually, these animals develop a deficiency in their diet, causing them to become ill.

2. Lack of Proper Socialization

Wild animals require an ability to associate with their own kind. Through this process the animal is able to develop the skill sets necessary to survive on his or her own out in the wild. If the animal has not learned these skills, it must either stay in captivity or die. This is especially unfortunate for animal that are much larger than usual or more aggressive that what humans are used to.

3. Lack of Fear of Human Beings

Wild animals are generally scared of human beings, especially if they have never encountered them before. This fear generally keeps them safe from hostile humans, and other unintentional harms.

No matter how cute the animal might be, keeping a wild animal is not a good idea, not only for your health, but also for the health of the animal. The best thing to do when you encounter a wild animal is the report the sighting to the proper authorities, who have the experience and knowledge to deal with the situation appropriately.

How to Love and Care For Your Wallaroo

Exotic pets can be found all over the place because there are many different pets that are included in this category. If you are looking for a truly exotic pet, a Wallaroo may be just your ticket. There are many things that you need to understand about this type of new found pet.

Wallaroos are a mix between a Wallaby and a kangaroo, and these pets will grow be about the size of a medium to large dog. Wallaroos can be a great pet for anyone to have as long as they are put into the right environment. The first thing that you should realize before you purchase a pet such as this is that they require just as much attention as a dog or cat. You must be prepared to provide a loving and helpful environment for the Wallaroo to live in. Wallaroos can grow to be up to 100 pounds depending on if you have a male or female. Females tend to be anywhere from 40-50 pounds, and the males tend to be anywhere from 50-100 pounds depending on the breed of the Wallaroo.

One of the first things that you need to do before you bring the Wallaroo home is to find a local Atlanta veterinarians that will be willing to work with your new exotic pet. If you can find a vet with experience that would be great, but they are usually harder to find. You need to find a vet that will be comfortable and willing to work with your pet.

The next thing to have a wallaroo will be to find a breeder. Wallaroo breeders are fairly hard to find unless you know of someone. You should also make sure that the breeder bottle feeds all of the wallaroos because this will make the animal more comfortable with humans. This is the most important part of the wallaroo buying process. If your pet isn't comfortable with you, it could lead to bad situations later for both you and the animal.

The last thing you should to set up for your Wallaroo is to make sure that you have a playground for it. Providing a fenced in area for the pet to play with can be an important factor in the developing process. You should understand that these pets are herbivores, and they will only eat grass and hay which shouldn't be hard to provide for your animal.

Is a Pet Raccoon a Good Idea?

If you or your family is considering having a raccoon as a pet, there are numerous factors that you need to consider. Raccoons can be very complicated animals and will require a lot to be content in your home.

Raccoons can be a great pet for your family to have because of the amount of attention that they require from you, but this can also be a downside. One of the first factors that you should consider is if it will be legal to have a raccoon as a pet. In most states, it is illegal to own a raccoon, and keep it in your domesticated home. While it is illegal, there are also many states that will allow you to keep a raccoon in your home under certain conditions. When caring for an abandoned raccoon, you are required to apply for a permit from the city.

The next factor that you should consider is that you must find a local San Francisco vet clinic that will be willing to treat and care for a raccoon. Most vets are not willing to care for animals that aren't domesticated such as cats and dogs. Once you have taken care of all the appropriate documentation, you can begin to create a home for your new pet raccoon.

Raccoons are the type of animal that likes to burrow in its home, so you will need to provide ample bedding for the raccoon to use. If you give the raccoon its own space to use, it will leave your furniture and beds alone. Raccoons are also needy pets, so you need to be prepared to spend a lot of play time with a pet such as this. Filling your bath tub up with water on a regular basis will provide ample play time as well as reducing its body odor.

Another important factor would be having your raccoon vaccinated appropriately. Rabies is always a big worry in animals that have been domesticated for pets. Once you have found a veterinarian clinic that is willing to take care of your raccoon, you will need to have your raccoon vaccinated. Most veterinarians will require that you get rabies and distemper shot for your pet raccoon. This will help to prevent any spread of rabies if your raccoon happens to bite anyone. This can be preventative measure to help protect your family in case something was to happen.

Taking a Walk on the Wild Side - Taking Care of Exotic Pets

Taking care of exotic pets is one of the biggest temptations for anyone, especially if you have the money to burn. But having an amazing looking pet that you can brag about to your friends isn't all that. It entails a lot of responsibility and sometimes owners just have to deal with the fact that some pets just aren't for them or their neighborhoods. One can, for example keep a big tarantula in an apartment, granted they have the right tools to keep it alive, but keeping something like a white tiger or eagle would absolutely never work.

The fact that exotic pets can be found everywhere doesn't really help to curb people's excitement. Pet stores everywhere are selling exotic pets like rare parrots, scorpions, big spiders etc. So really, there's nothing stopping the most excited child or adult from getting their very own piece of mother nature's wildest creatures. But then that also means that because of their excitement, many people also fail to recognize the responsibilities that come with taking care of such animals.

For example, when taking care of a spider or a big lizard, it's imperative to know what exactly you need to keep it alive. What for example, what do they eat and how do I get them? If a snake for example needs live prey for you to keep them healthy, how do you intend to buy or store such things? Does your pet thrive only in a certain kind of environment or only survive at a certain temperature? And if so, can your home meet the demands of having such a pet in it? If not, it certainly does both you and the animal a favor not to buy it in the first place. Trust me, you'll both walk away better because of it.

Bigger and rarer exotic animals come with much larger price tags and are almost always sold to private individuals illegally.

Wildlife Wall Murals

Nature and wildlife have always been favorite subjects of most wall mural artists. The wildlife wall murals are perfect to depict wildlife, in their natural habitats. They offer a wildlife- enriched ambience to the room. They are especially captivating for nature and animal lovers, as they feel environment friendly.

The wall murals portray different animals in action, in their natural surroundings. They can be divided into different categories. There are murals of bears, birds, deer, large cats, elephants, wolves and other animals.

The murals come in different sizes, small, medium, large and extra large. They can be used for decoration, according to the dimension of the wall and the room. Some murals are canvas sized, while some cover the wall. They are ideal for country homes and cabins. The popularity of such murals can be attributed to the way it transverses the beauty of the nature, indoors. They create a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

The murals are inspired from the paintings of the artists such as Jim Hansel, Jeff Tift and Kevin Daniel or the photographs and digital images of the animals. One of the techniques used mainly for wildlife murals is the Trompe l'oeil and faux finishing. These are aimed at creating an illusionary effect on the murals. The faux finishing in the wildlife murals dazzles the eye, as it is difficult to make out where the mural actually begins and ends.

Some companies specialize is wildlife murals. The murals transform the room and the prices are fixed on the basis of the size, complexity or intricacy of the design and other details. The murals generally carry price tags as high as $500.

The wildlife wall murals are exemplary work of art. They are popular and expensive varieties of wall murals that offer a different dimension to the interiors.

Wall Murals provides detailed information on Wall Murals, Wall Murals for Children, Tuscan Wall Murals, Painted Wall Murals and more. Wall Murals is affiliated with Contemporary Wall Clocks. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Valentino

An African Wildlife Safari Is A Remarkable Excursion

A hippo in a zoo is a fascinating sight, and a lion in a circus is an interesting creature. On an African wildlife safari, these creatures are in their natural habitats so the experience is more incredible. An African wildlife safari is probably one of the one interesting excursions that anyone can have in this modern world. Although there are the modern amenities in the cities, an African wildlife safari takes the guests to landscapes filled with animals untouched by the progress of the rest of the world. Many of the game preserves that will be viewed on an African wildlife safari are strictly protected to preserve the natural habitats of the animal's native to the African continent.

An African wildlife safari can take place in several countries, and Kenya is the most popular place to start. Kenya has some of the most fascinating places to view the animals of this mysterious continent. The accommodations in Kenya range from five star hotels to camps closer to the animals. An African wildlife safari will take the travelers to the preserves located throughout the country to view lions in their prides, hippos in the water and zebras eating on the plains.

An African Wildlife Safari Views Life In The Wild

The largest continent of Africa has the preserves that are familiar to those that have watched movies or documentaries filmed in Africa. There are also many isolated places that have remarkable scenery and animals roaming freely through nature. South Africa has some exciting preserves, wonderful hotels and excellent transportation. Tanzania borders Kenya, but the preserves in Tanzania are more remote and less crowded. There are African wildlife safaris throughout Tanzania that provide guests with fancy hotels rooms or camping sites in the wild closer to the animals.

African wildlife safaris are possible in Botswana and Namibia. These countries are off the beaten track so the experiences are more unique. There are excellent accommodations for visitors in these countries so they can view the wildlife roaming free. In Botswana, travelers can view the magnificent Victoria Falls and the wildlife in the Kalahari Game Reserve. There are cheetahs, gazelles and exotic birds in the wild. There are no enclosures or cages like those in the local zoo. In Namibia, guests can drive or fly over the natural habitats with cheetahs, springbok and impala. Those looking for an adventure should plan an African wildlife safari for a memorable time. An African safari takes place in magnificent surroundings, and an African safari is full of incredible images.

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