Some cool wildlife animals images:
lemur
Image by belgianchocolate
Let me introduce you to one of the lemur species of Madagascar's rich fauna. This is the crowned lemur - it is easy to see where the species got it's name. Right?
Their scietntific latin name is 'eulemur coronatus'. This is the smallest species of the genus Eulemur they can weight about 1,5 to 1,8 kilograms. We both saw this species at 'National parc de montagen d'Ambre' as well as in 'Ankarana special reserve'.
At Ankarana they are even semi-tame and hang around the camp place waiting for a mango pith to be ignorantly thrown away.
They are classified as vulnerable and appear on the CITES I list. That is not a list of honor it means that they are seriously endangered. The dangers for these animals are los of habitat by logging , forest fires , development. They appear in 4 restricted areas that should be protected. (responsible tourism can bring in some needed cash to maintain the parcs)
For this species the Madagascar Fauna Group has set up a captive breeding program.
These animals can easely be seen since they are day active. If you wander through the forest you'll meet small family groups - 4 to 6 is an average group , but up to 15 individuals is possible. They feed on leaves , fruits and branches and sometimes on rare occasions on bird eggs and vertebrates.Mating occurs in May and June and 125 days later one of two youngsters are born. Two years later the cyclus can start again.
I like their long tails ,up to 49cm for an animal with a body lenght of 34 - 36 cm its huge.
Thirsty pumps
Image by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region
Suffolk, VA, August 2011:. High volume pumps drafting water from a ditch on the eastern side of Lake Drummond on Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge look like thirsty animals at a watering hole. The pumps, powered with the help of tractors, were to flood ditches to charge a water sprinkling system to douse the Laterl West Fire. Credit: Greg Sanders/USFWS
