[ By Chris in Animals & Habitats, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
(Images via: BBC, Birding Alaska, Kimberley Accommodation, Flickr, The Americas Group)
Life is a long, arduous road full of many twists and turns. Just ask bar-tailed godwits, European eels, estuarine crocodiles and Northern elephant seals: four animal explorers that certainly accumulate their fair share of annual travel points, some via unique and even clever modes of transportation.
Hitch A Ride on the Wings of a Bar-Tailed Godwit
(Images via: Birding, Real Birder, Surf Birds, Dig Deep)
Twice a year, a bird known as the bar-tailed godwit travels almost 14,000 miles on a trip from Alaska to New Zealand in the fall and then back to its original location in the spring. Big deal, you say. I mean this bird has plenty of time to rest, right? Well, sure it does, but here’s what’s really impressive. The bar-tailed godwit can make this one-way trip in eight days straight, without once stopping for food or rest. Compare this to all other birds, which can only complete trips that are twice as short without stopping. Or to a man-made aircraft that can stay in the air for 82 straight hours (roughly 3 days and 10 hours). How does the record holding bar-tailed godwit accomplish this amazing feat, all the while never getting lost? Well, it is extremely fuel efficient, consuming only .41 percent of its body weight during each hour of any flight, and also aerodynamic in shape. Furthermore, it may have an inner compass that utilizes the Earth’s magnetic field. Whatever the case, this bird is truly something to behold in terms of its travel capabilities.
How Does It Feel to be A Traveling European Eel?
(Images via: Sustainable Sushi, Lazy Lizard Tales, BBC, Desdemona Despair)
Speaking of impressive travelers, European eels are known for swimming approximately 3,418 miles from Europe to the Sargasso Sea (located in the North Atlantic, with the Gulfstream to the west, the Greater Antilles south, and Berumda north), all for the purpose of mating and laying eggs. Once their larvae hatch, these eels swim back to Europe. In comparison to the bar-tailed godwit, these eels are more advantageous travelers in that they consume less energy; however, they are not as fast as these birds. According to a Lund’s University researcher, it would take these eels 345 days to complete the 6,835-mile trip of the bar-tailed godwit. No thanks.
Unlikely/Dangerous Ocean Surfers: Estuarine Crocodiles
(Images via: The Epoch Times, NT News, Odyssey Safari, Yet Another Tentacled Thing)
Reaching up to 23 feet in length and 1,000 pounds in weight, estuarine crocodiles don’t have bodies like the bar-tailed godwit to travel long distances, right? Yet these crocodiles are found in all different parts of the world and known for showing up in unlikely areas. How is this possible? Well, once a sly croc, always a sly croc, as these crocodiles have been known to surf the ocean currents to far away destinations. In the past, people have been surprised to see what appeared to be estuarine crocodiles far from shore. It turns out that these crocodiles, which usually reside in rivers, swamps and brackish estuaries, will turn to the oceans when the tides turn, thus allowing them anywhere from 6 to 8 hours of speedy and effortless travel. When the tides change to undesired directions, these ocean-riding crocodiles will come to shore to rest. With that said, an important question must be asked: how do these crocodiles know where they’re going? Well, it turns out that crocodiles are more like birds that we thought, specifically with internal magnetic compasses that help them determine direction.
The Migratory Lives of Northern Elephant Seals
(Images via: Daily Kos, Kid Cyber, Flickr)
A resident of the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the Northern elephant seal spends most of its year traveling (spread out during two migration patterns annually) to feeding areas that include the Gulf of Alaska. More specifically, male Northern elephant seals spend roughly 250 days at sea each year, traveling more than 13,000 miles. As for female Northern elephant seals, they spend more time migrating, specifically 300 days a year, while covering more than 11,000 miles in the process. No other mammal spends more time traveling each year than Northern elephant seals. When not migrating, Northern elephant seals are either mating or moulting (i.e. shedding their skin in layers). With so much required of Northern elephant seals, it certainly pays off that these mammals are able to dive great depths and remain submerged for extremely long periods of time. And that they have enough blubber to go around and provide abundant amounts of energy. Happy trails.
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Animals help us in many hidden ways and lessen the difficulties of our days : )
(images via charliejb, eldiablosledge, and tambako the jaguar)
Animals have been domesticated and put to work for centuries. Some, like certain species of dog, have been bred with a specific task in mind. However, there are other species that retain some or all of their wildness while still performing tasks that benefit humans. These creatures – pest killers, food producers and cleaners – are simply being themselves. The benefit that people reap is no more than a happy side effect of these natural habits.
Barn Owls: Deadly Rodent Hunters
(images via Stevie-B, Seabamirum, and Richard.Fisher)
Some farms in Europe and North America have installed nesting areas in their barns for these nocturnal predators. That is because they are prolific hunters of rodents. It is a mutually beneficial relationship, the birds eat their fill and live in safety while the farm’s pest population is kept under control.
Spiders: Snagging Pests
(image via Benimoto)
Though they are often tagged as the most ugly and menacing creatures in the bug world, spiders actually catch and eat more harmful insects. Mosquitoes, termites and bees find their way into webs more often than they end up on the business end of a fly-swatter.
Bats, Cormorants, and Dragonflies
(images via mikebaird, Jessicajil, and _PaulS_)
Bats and dragon flies are two more animals whose diets consist of mosquitoes. Certain species of bats can consume hundreds of the disease-carrying insects per night. Though dragonflies are not as prolific, they can help control a mosquito population, especially during summer months.
In the past, cormorants have been used by fisherman to catch fish on China’s Lijiang River. Though the practice is less popular now, some birds can still be seen catching fish with great skill.
Striped Hyena: Canine Garbage Disposal
(image via Just chaos)
Unlike its more predatory kin, the spotted hyena, this subspecies does not often kill its own meat. Rather, it feasts on the decaying flesh of animals that have already been killed or died naturally. This helps prevent the spread of disease and disease carrying insects.
Coconut-Picking Monkeys
(image via apes_abroad)
Monkeys in Thailand and Malaysia are used to help farmers collect coconuts. The domesticated macaques are at home in the trees and can pick 10 times more coconuts than a human laborer – sometimes more than 1,000 per day.
King Snake: Farmer’s Slithering Helper
(images via tkksummers and Just chaos)
The King Snake is a constrictor, but its colorfully patterned body sometimes leads people to mistake it for a poisonous species. Because it is immune to many types of venom, this serpent is a natural predator of poisonous snakes. It also consumes rodents and other pests that sometimes harm farmers’ crops. In addition, King Snakes are quite sociable and make good pets when domesticated.
Civet Cat and Earthworm:
(images via denn, benketaro, and pfly)
Sometimes, animals can be helpful by simply digesting. Earthworms are a welcome species in many organic gardens because the help aerate the soil and their waste is beneficial as a fertilizer.
Luwak coffee is considered a delicacy. The beans for this coffee are fermented in the digestive system of the civet cat. The beans are collected from the cat’s waste and sold for high prices.
Falcons and Passenger Pigeon
(images via Stevie-B and Ryan Somma)
Falconry is a traditional method of hunting that is not often used today, except as a sport. These naturally swift, sharp-eyed predators have been trained to take their kill back to their owner.
Another traditionally used bird is the passenger pigeon. Before the advent of more advanced communication devices, pigeons were used to send messages over long distances. Like falconry, this is mainly a hobby today.
Bacteria that Eat Garbage
(image via Next Nature)
Certain species of microscopic bacteria have been used in garbage dumps, compost sites and sewage treatment plants because of their ability to consume these types of waste and change them from harmful to harmless (or at least less harmful). Scientists are even studying ways that the bacteria’s waste can be used for energy.
Elephants: Muscle and Meat
(images via TheLizardQueen, belgianchocolate, and exfordy)
Elephants have been trained to do heavy lifting in Southeast and South Asia, as well as in some places in Africa. These creatures are the largest domesticated animal on earth. Unfortunately their wild kin are often being hunted in poorer parts of Africa, not for their ivory, but for their meat.
Algae: Oil Producer of the Future
(image via ArthurJohnPicton)
Algae cells have been found to produce extremely high amounts of oil. These tiny organisms may hold the key to a renewable energy revolution. Scientists and energy companies are studying this type of energy as a viable alternative to gas and diesel.
Josh