There are an estimated 2.7 million Grey Squirrels in the UK and the population is continuing to grow. The Red Squirrel population is thought to be about 140,000.

Squirrels are rodents as they have the defining characteristic of a rodent: the set of incisors in both the upper and lower jaw that never stop growing. This particular feature places the squirrel family in the Rodentia order of mammals.

Rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). Oryctolagus cuniculus includes the European rabbit species and its descendants, the world's 305 breeds of domestic rabbit. Sylvilagus includes 13 wild rabbit species, among them the seven types of cottontail. The European rabbit, which has been introduced on every continent except Antarctica, is familiar throughout the world as a wild prey animal and as a domesticated form of livestock and pet. With its widespread effect on ecologies and cultures, the rabbit is, in many areas of the world, a part of daily life—as food, clothing, a companion, and a source of artistic inspiration.

Although once considered rodents, lagomorphs like rabbits have been discovered to have diverged separately and earlier than their rodent cousins and have a number of traits rodents lack, like two extra incisors.

The European rabbit is a genus of the hares and rabbits family. It is the only species in the genus Oryctolagus. The lagomorphs still have 2 small teeth behind their upper incisors, the pin teeth, the lower teeth wear against this. Rodents do not have these extra teeth. So contrary to popular belief…..a rabbit is not a rodent !!

Four of twelve Coypu (Myocastor coypus), aka Nutria, recently proliferating in the 4.5 acre Riverstone Wetlands. Notice the red incisors in the yawning fellow on the right. The color is caused by an iron pigment that strengthens the enamel of these gnawing teeth common to all rodents (though not the color necessarily). The "dent" of rodent is the same root as the "dent" of dentist. Red is the color of blood also due to the presence of iron. A friend commented that the nutria are proliferating here because this family-friendly neighborhood wetland has no alligators to check their population.

Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha (along with the hare and the pika). Oryctolagus cuniculus includes the European rabbit species and its descendants, the world's 305 breeds of domestic rabbit. Sylvilagus includes 13 wild rabbit species, among them the seven types of cottontail. The European rabbit, which has been introduced on every continent except Antarctica, is familiar throughout the world as a wild prey animal and as a domesticated form of livestock and pet. With its widespread effect on ecologies and cultures, the rabbit (or bunny) is, in many areas of the world, a part of daily life—as food, clothing, a companion, and as a source of artistic inspiration. Although once considered rodents, lagomorphs like rabbits have been discovered to have diverged separately and earlier than their rodent cousins, and have a number of traits rodents lack, like two extra incisors. 45478

Adult male hippo yawns wildly in front of another, Upper Shire valley, Liwonde National Park, Malawi, Africa

The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), or hippo is semiaquatic, inhabiting rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps, where territorial bulls preside over a stretch of river and groups of five to thirty females, their young, and a few young adult males.

During the day, they remain cool by staying in the water or mud; reproduction and childbirth both occur in water. They emerge at dusk to graze on grasses.

Female hippos reach sexual maturity at five to six years and have a gestation period of eight months.

"Yawning" serves as a threat display. When fighting, male hippos use their incisors to block each other's attacks and their large canines to inflict injuries.

© www.myplanetexperience.com

Wombats are herbivores and nocturnal. They emerge from their burrows to eat mostly grasses, roots, herbs and bark. Their incisor teeth resemble those of rodents and grow constantly as they are adapted for gnawing on tough vegetation. Wombats have a very slow metabolism which is an adaptation to help their survival in arid conditions. It takes around 8 to 14 days for them to complete digestion.

The main predators of wombats are Tasmanian devils and dingoes. Wombats initially avoid being caught by having a very tough rear hide, with most of the rump made of cartilage. This prevents teeth or claws from easily grasping the wombat. Their very short tail also makes it difficult for a predator to catch them.

Wombats try to drive off attackers with two-legged kicks, like a donkey or horse. If chased, wombats dive into a nearby tunnel and use their hardened rump to block the attacker. In some cases, wombats allow the attacker to force their head over the wombat’s back, and then use their powerful legs to crush the skull of the attacker against the tunnel roof.

Macro Mondays: 5 Letters

Antechinus Skull:- a carnivorous Marsupial Mouse I found that had been run over on the back road. The ears helped me identify it at the time. I've saved the bones to show the children at my Child Care Centre. The children have made the jaw bones separate from the skull so they're not in the right spot ... serious underbite, now :))

"Small native carnivorous marsupial, greyish-brown above and paler below. Long pointed head with bulging eyes and four pairs of small sharp incisor teeth. Ears are large, thin and crinkly with a notch in the margin. Tail is the same length as the body or shorter and is sparsely haired. It weighs up 71 grams."

Flora: tiny native geranium.

You, with your wooden tongue.

We were one but then we broke apart.

People say it’s natural for nature to do these things.

But when you look at me, I know we should be together.

You’re going to come closer and kiss me

even if we have splinters in our mouths

and little cuts where our incisors should be

until the very day we collapse and die.

We’re so close to kissing.

We keep somehow missing

the chance to become the unified tree again.

We didn’t see our diversity

Until we were torn apart.

Listen, I’ve got a little sap for you.

If you still have some zap for me.

Let’s kiss and make up for reality.

**All photos and silly poems are copyrighted**

More properly known as Coypu (Myocastor coypus), a destructive invasive in Texas, previously over-running the Riverstone Wetlands in Sugar Land. Then a alligator came into the wetlands, maybe from the nearby Steep Bank Creek, and the nutria were gone. Now the alligator's gone, possibly removed from these family-friendly wetlands, and the nutria are back. Nutria eat tree roots and grass stems as seen here. BTW, the red incisors are typical of rodents.

Trip to Glasgow, today...

Walked along The Broomielaw from Atlantic Quay to this s-shaped footbridge, Tradeston Bridge, locally known as 'the squiggly brig", over the River Clyde.

Very heavy cloud, so it seemed that the sun broke through and seared the top of the outward canting on the north curve.

Glasgow

Scotland

Dynoro & Ina Wroldsen - Obsessed

I tried to climb into your skin

I tried to locate the beating

Of your, your, your, your heart

Of your, your, your, your heart

I walked for hours inside you

I talked in my voice and tried to

Find your, your, your, your heart

Find your, your, your, your heart

[Pre-Chorus]

I ran through all your veins

I saw all of your visions

I found all of you, babe

But I couldn't find me anywhere

And now I'm stuck inside of you

[Chorus]

Baby, you gotta let me, you gotta let me out

I gotta get free, I gotta get free, oh, baby

I'm too invested, I can't get obsessed with you

Baby, you gotta let me, you gotta let me out

I gotta get free, I gotta get free, oh, baby

I'm too invested, I can't get obsessed with you

[Verse 2]

You keep my heart between your teeth

Incisors cutting into me

Oh you're, you're, you're, you're sharp

On my, my, my, my heart

read the story please

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Nel 1956 una delegazione giapponese in visita ad Arenzano donò 100 alberi di Sakura.

Furono piantati in Via del Giappone, nelle ville e in varie parti della cittadina.

Questo, immenso e difficile da fotografare si trova davanti a Villa Mina Graffigna.

I Sakura di Arenzano fanno parte del legame storico con il Paese del Sol Levante dell' incisore arenzanese Edoardo Chiossone.

A Genova, situato all'interno di Villetta Di Negro, si può visitare il "Museo d'arte orientale Edoardo Chiossone" (quando è aperto al pubblico)

Per chi è interessato alla sua storia

fonte Vikipedia (selezionare la lingua- select language)

it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museo_d%27arte_orientale_Edoardo_Ch...

it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edoardo_Chiossone

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Thank you everyone who has taken the time to view, fave or comment on my photo. It is very much appreciated.

My contribution to this weeks #sundaysliders #hss #sliderssunday. A young lion cub showing some teeth. The next generation of hunters. Cropped heavily and lots of additional saturation, clarity and contrast.

Lions have three types of teeth: Incisors, the smallest teeth at the front of the mouth, are used for gripping and tearing meat. Canines, the four largest teeth (either side of the incisors), can reach up to 7 centimetres in length. What size is a lion cub? Mothers give birth to up to 6 cubs at a time but litters of 2 or 3 are more common.

Antechinus & bread.

Macro Mondays: Snack

Homemade bread snack.

Skull of a carnivorous Marsupial Mouse I found that had been run over on the back road. The ears helped me identify it at the time.

"Small native carnivorous marsupial, greyish-brown above and paler below. Long pointed head with bulging eyes and four pairs of small sharp incisor teeth. Ears are large, thin and crinkly with a notch in the margin. Tail is the same length as the body or shorter and is sparsely haired. It weighs up 71 grams."

African elephants are the world's largest land animals. The biggest can be up to 7.5m long, 3.3m high at the shoulder, and 6 tonnes in weight.

The trunk is an extension of the upper lip and nose and is used for communication and handling objects, including food. African elephants have two opposing extensions at the end of their trunks, in contrast to the Asian elephant, which only has one.

Tusks, which are large modified incisors that grow throughout an elephant's lifetime, occur in both males and females and are used in fights and for marking, feeding, and digging.

The other notable feature of African elephants is their very large ears, which allow them to radiate excess heat.

This is the most southerly breeding seal. Under water, Weddell seals keep their breathing holes in the ice open during winter by gnawing away at the ice. Once the canines and incisors are worn down, sadly, death is inevitable.

Albrecht Dürer (Nuremberg, 21 May 1471 - Nuremberg, 6 April 1528) - Portrait of Jakob Muffel (1526) - oil on panel transferred to canvas, size 48 × 36 cm - Gemäldegalerie Berlin

Despite my caption and the rather cocky tilt of the head, this guy was not at all aggressive. He just seems that way. :-) Probably a function of how much I was zoomed in on him. I'd describe him as having been very curious and perhaps a more real caption might have been "You got any food?"

"Marmots are large rodents (the heaviest members of the squirrel family) with characteristically short but robust legs, enlarged claws well adapted to digging, stout bodies, and large heads and incisors to quickly process a variety of vegetation.

Marmots typically live in burrows, often within rockpiles, and hibernate there through the winter. Most marmots are highly social and use loud whistles to communicate with one another, especially when alarmed."

Island Of Madagascar

Off The East Coast of Africa

Palmarium Reserve

Endangered lemur photographed at night aided by a guide holding a spotlight.

The aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth that perpetually grow and a special thin middle finger.

It is the world's largest nocturnal primate and is characterized by its unusual method of finding food; it taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes in the wood using its forward slanting incisors to create a small hole in which it inserts its narrow middle finger to pull the grubs out.

From an ecological point of view the aye-aye fills the niche of a woodpecker, as it is capable of penetrating wood to extract the invertebrates within.

The aye-aye is the only extant member of the genus Daubentonia and family Daubentoniidae. It is currently classified as Endangered by the IUCN.

The aye-aye is an arboreal animal meaning that it spends most of its life high in the trees. Aye-ayes sleep, eat, travel and mate in the trees and are mostly found close to the canopy where there is plenty of cover from the dense foliage. – Wikipedia

the only species in genus Ondatra and tribe Ondatrini, is a medium-sized semiaquatic rodent native to North America

Muskrats have a second set of lips that closes behind their front incisors so they can dive underwater, chew and eat without swallowing water.

Those incisors, like a rat's or a beaver's, are ever-growing, so they have to gnaw things to keep them under control.

Skull of a carnivorous Marsupial Mouse I found that had been run over on the back road. The ears helped me identify it at the time. I've saved the bones to show the children at my Child Care Centre.

"Small native carnivorous marsupial, greyish-brown above and paler below. Long pointed head with bulging eyes and four pairs of small sharp incisor teeth. Ears are large, thin and crinkly with a notch in the margin. Tail is the same length as the body or shorter and is sparsely haired. It weighs up 71 grams."

African elephants are the largest animals walking the Earth. Their herds wander through 37 countries in Africa. They are easily recognized by their trunk that is used for communication and handling objects. And their large ears allow them to radiate excess heat. Upper incisor teeth develop into tusks in African elephants and grow throughout their lifetime.

Island Of Madagascar

Off The East Coast of Africa

Palmarium Reserve

Endangered lemur photographed at night aided by a guide holding a spotlight. This is an Aye-aye, a lemur some Malagasy people consider evil.

The aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth that perpetually grow and a special thin middle finger. The aye-aye is the only extant member of the genus Daubentonia and family Daubentoniidae. It is currently classified as Endangered by the IUCN.

It is the world's largest nocturnal primate, and is characterized by its unusual method of finding food; it taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes in the wood using its forward slanting incisors to create a small hole in which it inserts its narrow middle finger to pull the grubs out. This foraging method is called percussive foraging. From an ecological point of view the aye-aye fills the niche of a woodpecker, as it is capable of penetrating wood to extract the invertebrates within.

The aye-aye is an arboreal animal meaning that it spends most of its life high in the trees. Although they are known to come down to the ground on occasion, aye-ayes sleep, eat, travel and mate in the trees and are most found close to the canopy where there is plenty of cover from the dense foliage. During the day, aye-ayes sleep in spherical nests in the forks of tree branches that are constructed out of leaves, branches and vines before emerging after dark to begin their hunt for food.

Aye-aye are solitary animals that mark their large home range with scent. The smaller territories of females often overlap those of at least a couple of males. Male aye-ayes tend to share their territories with other males and are even known to share the same nests (although not at the same time). Wikipedia

Island Of Madagascar

Off The East Coast of Africa

Palmarium Reserve

Endangered lemur photographed at night aided by a guide holding a spotlight. This is an Aye-aye, a lemur some Malagasy people consider evil. It is an animal which looks a little spooky, but is quite fascinating. The glowing of the eyes was caused by the floodlight.

The aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth that perpetually grow and a special thin middle finger.

It is the world's largest nocturnal primate, and is characterized by its unusual method of finding food; it taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes in the wood using its forward slanting incisors to create a small hole in which it inserts its narrow middle finger to pull the grubs out. This foraging method is called percussive foraging. The only other animal species known to find food in this way is the striped possum.

From an ecological point of view the aye-aye fills the niche of a woodpecker, as it is capable of penetrating wood to extract the invertebrates within.

The aye-aye is the only extant member of the genus Daubentonia and family Daubentoniidae. It is currently classified as Endangered by the IUCN.

The aye-aye is an arboreal animal meaning that it spends most of its life high in the trees. Although they are known to come down to the ground on occasion, aye-ayes sleep, eat, travel and mate in the trees and are most commonly found close to the canopy where there is plenty of cover from the dense foliage. During the day, aye-ayes sleep in spherical nests in the forks of tree branches that are constructed out of leaves, branches and vines before emerging after dark to begin their hunt for food.

Aye-aye are solitary animals that mark their large home range with scent. The smaller territories of females often overlap those of at least a couple of males. Male aye-ayes tend to share their territories with other males and are even known to share the same nests (although not at the same time). - Wikipedia

Il cane del fratello di mio padre, cui ero molto legata.

Qui avevo circa 13 anni, in vacanza a Rossone, una frazione di Zavattarello, con i miei nonni paterni. Per molti anni ho trascorso le mie estati in questi luoghi (a parte una settimana in montagna, tutti gli anni ) : ricordo Pietragavina, Varzi, il mercato e la carne di cavallo di Pianello Val Tidone, la cadenza e accoglienza emiliana ...Ero convinta che questi paesi fossero in Emilia, e invece ho visto che sono in provincia di Pavia. I miei nonni provenivano dalle campagne di Piacenza, Nibbiano, ma sempre nell' Oltrepo pavese, ai confini con la Lombardia. Zone di buon vino e buoni salami...

Gli altri nonni provenivano dalle campagne in provincia di Pavia e Cremona. Ricordo i bei giri in bicicletta sugli argini del Po.

Si intravvede la piccola BMW 1000 che aveva costruito mio padre : aveva comprato un'auto con la carrozzeria quasi nuova e il motore distrutto e un 'altra viceversa con un buon motore e una carrozzeria' andata' e ne aveva creata una nuova lui. Andava benissimo, di lì a poco avrei imparato a guidarla, correndo anche un po'... e mi piaceva moltissimo

La foto scattata da un altro fratello di mio padre, Artemio, il mio zio preferito. Mi sembra davvero bella, così in b/n. Non avevo mai notato quanto fosse bravo (era un artigiano, un incisore ). Allora non mi interessavo di fotografia

Capable of holding their breaths for up to 20 minutes, Muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) are highly adapted to live in and around water. For instance, their fur is waterproof, with a grid-like guard layer protecting the soft and cozy underfur from the course wear of the outer layer of fur. Their lips actually close behind their incisors, allowing them to gnaw plant material underwater without getting a mouthful of pond. These predominantly vegetarian creatures live in elaborate burrows that they dig under the water in riverbanks. These excavated tunnels lead to dry chambers and air vents that are typically calculated to come up in shrubs, so as not to be found!

Photograph made by Amanda Lacy.

Island Of Madagascar

Off The East Coast of Africa

Palmarium Reserve

One of my final aye-aye images. This one shows the endangered lemur photographed at night aided by a guide holding a spotlight.

The aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth that perpetually grow and a special thin middle finger.

It is the world's largest nocturnal primate and is characterized by its unusual method of finding food; it taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes in the wood using its forward slanting incisors to create a small hole in which it inserts its narrow middle finger to pull the grubs out.

From an ecological point of view the aye-aye fills the niche of a woodpecker, as it is capable of penetrating wood to extract the invertebrates within.

The aye-aye is the only extant member of the genus Daubentonia and family Daubentoniidae. It is currently classified as Endangered by the IUCN. The aye-aye is an arboreal animal meaning that it spends most of its life high in the trees. Aye-ayes sleep, eat, travel and mate in the trees and are most commonly found close to the canopy where there is plenty of cover from the dense foliage.

Aye-aye are solitary animals that mark their large home range with scent. The smaller territories of females often overlap those of at least a couple of males. Male aye-ayes tend to share their territories with other males and are even known to share the same nests (although not at the same time). – Wikipedia

Agamas are active during the day and are often found scampering around to snatch up their favorite foods. They can tolerate greater temperatures than most reptiles, but in the afternoon when temperatures reach around 38°C (100°F) they will settle into the shade and wait for it to cool. Frequent fighting breaks out between males; such fighting involves a lot of bobbing and weaving in an attempt to scare the opponent. If it comes to blows, they lash out with their tails and threaten each other with open jaws. Many older males have broken tails as a result of such fights. Females may sometimes chase and fight one another, while hatchlings mimic the adults in preparation for their future.

Agamas are mainly insectivores. Their incisor-like front teeth are designed for quick cutting and chewing of their prey. They may also eat grass, berries, seeds and even the eggs of smaller lizards.

Most agamas are polygamous. Males may hold six or more females in their territory for breeding. During courtship, the male bobs his head to impress the female. Occasionally, females initiate courtship by offering their hindquarters to the male and then running until he is able to catch up. The breeding season is typically March–May with eggs being laid in June–September during the season after the rains. Eggs are laid in clutches of up to 12.

Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha (along with the hare and the pika). Oryctolagus cuniculus includes the European rabbit species and its descendants, the world's 305 breeds of domestic rabbit. Sylvilagus includes 13 wild rabbit species, among them the seven types of cottontail. The European rabbit, which has been introduced on every continent except Antarctica, is familiar throughout the world as a wild prey animal and as a domesticated form of livestock and pet. With its widespread effect on ecologies and cultures, the rabbit (or bunny) is, in many areas of the world, a part of daily life—as food, clothing, a companion, and as a source of artistic inspiration. Although once considered rodents, lagomorphs like rabbits have been discovered to have diverged separately and earlier than their rodent cousins, and have a number of traits rodents lack, like two extra incisors. 16602

The nutria (Myocastor coypus) is a South American rodent species and can live over ten years. Already more than 100 years ago, the animals were introduced to Europe for fur and meat production. With a body weight of about 9 kg, it grows up to 65 cm long, plus a tail length of about 45 cm.

The striking yellow-orange colored incisors are particularly hard and grow back for life.

Island Of Madagascar

Off The East Coast of Africa

Palmarium Reserve

Endangered lemur photographed at night aided by a guide holding a spotlight. Another image of the lemur can be seen in the first comment section.

The aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth that perpetually grow and a special thin middle finger.

It is the world's largest nocturnal primate, and is characterized by its unusual method of finding food; it taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes in the wood using its forward slanting incisors to create a small hole in which it inserts its narrow middle finger to pull the grubs out.

From an ecological point of view the aye-aye fills the niche of a woodpecker, as it is capable of penetrating wood to extract the invertebrates within.

The aye-aye is the only extant member of the genus Daubentonia and family Daubentoniidae. It is currently classified as Endangered by the IUCN.

The aye-aye is an arboreal animal meaning that it spends most of its life high in the trees. Aye-ayes sleep, eat, travel and mate in the trees and are most commonly found close to the canopy where there is plenty of cover from the dense foliage. – Wikipedia

Best when viewed in Large format.........

The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world, attaining a height of 5.5m, its incredibly long neck accounting for much of its height. The long neck has resulted in a complex blood circulatory system, which is not yet fully understood by zoologists. Adult males generally reach a height of about 5 metres and females about 4,5 metres. Big males can weigh a massive 1 200 kilograms while females usually weigh some 800 to 900 kilograms. Their skin colour is tan with light brown patches on females and dark brown patches on males. Both males and females have short horns covered in skin.

Diet

Because of their very long necks, Giraffes are able to feed on the foliage of trees that is not accessible to other herbivores. The long prehensile tongue is used to pull pods and leaves into the mouth which are then stripped from the stems with the spatulate incisor teeth.

Info: www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_giraffe.html

This is a particularly striking grotesque, with both wings and vicious incisors, with a surprisingly calm citizen looking on. In style, it could be 20th century.

We had considerable time to observe and photograph this Marmot. Here he/she is calling two young that were perked on a nearby tree trunk. I like the semi-slouched position that repeats the lean of the tree trunk, and that large incisor; Yellow-bellied Marmot; Marmota flaviventris; Sequoia NP

Beethoven: "I want to keep my teeth and molars!"

I am so sorry dear Beethoven, but today all your teeth and molars will be removed because your entire dentition is infected. You are in a lot of pain and this is the only solution. You will be in a lot of pain after all also, but mommy is with you and will give you lots of hugs. Be strong my little guy, my Beety Boy.

I love you so much! ♥

My heart hurts!

Update May 14th: Some good news, his incisors stayed in and 2 canines. (There were already 2 canines that fell out due to the infection) So he still has some teeth left.

Yesterday he was quite lively, but he didn't want to eat his soft food. Unbelievable: he ate some hard kibbles. Actually he is only allowed soft food for 10 days, but okay.

He slept under my bed and after some food and his medicines, he is under my bed again; hiding. But for the moment he looks ok.

Update May 15th: Good news, my little friend is so much better. He eats in moderation, but this morning he would like to play. Yes! I am happy!

Thank you so much for your warm words!!

Moremi Game Reserve

Okavango Delta

Botswana

Southern Africa

My one and only sighting of an African Savannah Hare hidden in the long grass.

The African savanna hare (Lepus victoriae) is a mammal species in the family Leporidae, native to Africa. It is listed as "least concern" on the IUCN Red List.

It is native to diverse regions and habitats of Africa, including savannas and the Sahel. It is found in Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia.

The African savanna hare is a medium-sized species growing to a length of between 41 to 58 cm (16 to 23 in) with a weight of between 1.5 to 3 kilograms (3.3 to 6.6 lb). The ears have black tips, the dorsal surface of head and body is greyish-brown, the flanks and limbs are reddish-brown and the underparts are white. The tail is black above and white below. This hare looks very similar to the Cape hare in appearance but can be told apart by its distinctively grooved incisors.

African savanna hares are solitary, nocturnal animals. They rely on camouflage to stay hidden but can run at up to 70 kilometres (43 mi) an hour and sometimes leap vigorously sideways to break the scent trail they are leaving.

They feed mainly on grasses and herbs but also chew roots, shoots and bark and sometimes eat fallen fruit and occasionally fungi.

The breeding behaviour of African savanna hares has been little studied. They seem to reproduce at any time of year and the female gives birth to several litters during the year. The young are born in the open and able to run soon after birth. The mother seems to separate them and visits each one at intervals to allow them to suckle. They are weaned when about a month old. - Wikipedia

Nell'ombra della stanza appena illuminata dalle braci di un focolare, un vecchio siede addormentato su una poltrona di legno. Un chiarore più intenso permette di scorgere i tratti del volto segnato dall'età, la mano sinistra che sostiene il capo e la destra in parte nascosta tra le pieghe della veste. Altri dettagli emergono dall'oscurità: la brocca, la tenaglia e le fascine accanto al fuoco, le aringhe appese alla parete, i pesanti abiti indossati dal vecchio, di cui si ignora l'identità. Il dipinto può essere interpretato come la rappresentazione allegorica della pigrizia, o meglio, del peccato capitale dell'accidia, raffigurato nella tradizione pittorica dei Paesi Bassi come un uomo addormentato accanto al fuoco, con una mano sul petto. Il vecchio è stato anche identificato con Tobia, il personaggio biblico reso cieco e poi sanato per volontà divina, verso il quale Rembrandt nutriva una particolare predilezione, o ancora con l'anziano padre del pittore, già ritratto in alcuni disegni e ormai prossimo alla morte. Rembrandt firma il dipinto in basso a destra con una sigla quasi del tutto svanita, datandolo al 1629. Lo esegue dunque all'età di 23 anni, quando lavora nello studio aperto a Leida, prima di trasferirsi definitivamente ad Amsterdam. La tavola viene probabilmente realizzata per l'incisore Jacob de Ghein III, che nel 1641 la descrive tra i beni elencati nel proprio testamento, lasciandola in eredità al nipote. Attraverso vari passaggi di proprietà, l'opera giunge infine in possesso di Giacomo Delucca, che nel 1866 la vende alla Regia Pinacoteca, futura Galleria Sabauda.

Nei due dipinti a confronto, Rembrandt affronta il dialogo tra l'ombra e la luce, un tema centrale in tutta la sua produzione artistica. Nella tavola della Galleria Sabauda, la figura del vecchio addormentato è immersa in un'oscurità a tratti impenetrabile: soltanto il volto e le mani dell'uomo appaiono in piena luce, ma a rischiararli non può certo bastare la flebile brace del focolare. L'artista esalta i particolari che ritiene più importanti ed espressivi intensificandone il chiarore in modo volutamente irreale. Nella "Cena in Emmaus", la prodigiosa apparizione di Cristo agli apostoli è costruita sul contrasto tra le tenebre e la luce. Nella scena, è possibile identificare le fonti materiali dell'illuminazione: un focolare sulla sinistra, una candela posata sul tavolo a destra, nascosta dalla sagoma di Gesù. Tuttavia, la luce artificiale è allo stesso tempo luce mistica, immagine della rivelazione divina. Il miracolo prende forma concreta nella realtà quotidiana della semplice locanda. La raffigurazione realistica dell'ambiente e dei personaggi, unita all'uso espressivo e simbolico della luce, richiama le innovazioni introdotte da Caravaggio nella pittura sacra nel primo decennio del Seicento, prontamente recepite nelle scuole pittoriche di indirizzo naturalistico in diversi centri italiani ed europei. È plausibile che lo stesso Rembrandt abbia guardato al vivace movimento dei pittori caravaggeschi allora attivi a Utrecht.

Tanzania, Parco Nazionale del Serengeti, Autunno 2019

Foto scattata durante un safari in Tanzania nell’ottobre 2019 / Photo taken during a safari in Tanzania in October 2019

Gli elefanti sono mammiferi e i più grandi animali terrestri esistenti. Le caratteristiche distintive di tutti gli elefanti includono una lunga proboscide, zanne, grandi paraorecchie, gambe enormi e pelle dura ma sensibile. La proboscide viene utilizzata per respirare, portare cibo e acqua alla bocca e afferrare oggetti. Le zanne, che sono derivate dai denti dell'incisivi, servono sia come armi che come strumenti per muovere oggetti e scavare. I grandi orecchie aiutano a mantenere una temperatura corporea costante e nella comunicazione. Le gambe simili a pilastri portano il loro grande peso. Gli elefanti sono erbivori e rimangono vicino all'acqua quando è accessibile. Sono considerate specie fondamentale, a causa del loro impatto sul loro ambiente. Altri animali tendono a mantenere le distanze dagli elefanti; l'eccezione sono i loro predatori come leoni, tigri, iene e cani selvatici, che di solito prendono di mira solo i giovani elefanti. Gli elefanti hanno una società fissione-fusione, in cui più gruppi familiari si uniscono per socializzare. Gli elefanti possono vivere fino a 70 anni in natura. Comunicano al tatto, alla vista, all'olfatto e al suono; gli elefanti usano infrasuoni e comunicazioni sismiche su lunghe distanze. L'intelligenza dell'elefante è stata paragonata a quella di primati e cetacei. Sembrano avere autocoscienza, oltre a mostrare empatia per i familiari morenti e morti.

Gli elefanti africani sono elencati come vulnerabili. Una delle maggiori minacce per le popolazioni di elefanti è il commercio di avorio, in quanto gli animali vengono cacciati per le loro zanne d'avorio. Gli elefanti sono altamente riconoscibili e sono stati presenti nell'arte, nel folklore, nella religione, nella letteratura e nella cultura popolare.

Elephants are mammals and the largest existing land animals. Distinctive features of all elephants include a long trunk, tusks, large ear flaps, massive legs, and tough but sensitive skin. The trunk, also called a proboscis, is used for breathing, bringing food and water to the mouth, and grasping objects. Tusks, which are derived from the incisor teeth, serve both as weapons and as tools for moving objects and digging. The large ear flaps assist in maintaining a constant body temperature as well as in communication. The pillar-like legs carry their great weight. Elephants are herbivorous, and they stay near water when it is accessible. They are considered to be keystone species, due to their impact on their environments. Other animals tend to keep their distance from elephants; the exception is their predators such as lions, tigers, hyenas, and wild dogs, which usually target only young elephants. Elephants have a fission–fusion society, in which multiple family groups come together to socialise. Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild. They communicate by touch, sight, smell, and sound; elephants use infrasound, and seismic communication over long distances. Elephant intelligence has been compared with that of primates and cetaceans. They appear to have self-awareness, as well as appearing to show empathy for dying and dead family members.

African elephants are listed as vulnerable. One of the biggest threats to elephant populations is the ivory trade, as the animals are poached for their ivory tusks. Elephants are highly recognisable and have been featured in art, folklore, religion, literature, and popular culture.

It's a mountain that has been around quite a few time on Flickr : it's the Sass de Putia in the italian Dolomites. The right one is easy to hike but the left one requires some via ferrata gear.

You know what it also requires ? A good weather. You know, the kind of stuff preeeetty uncommon in the Dolomites during the summer.! (I'm mean, the weather is actually nice but you have to be prepared for thunderstorms and hail at any time of the day). When I took this shot we were just getting out of a massive hail thunderstorm and the sun peeked through the cloud for a few minutes before the thunderstorm started again (like 5 minutes after this image). We managed to get to the car in time but I have a special shot for the movie/advertising filming team that was in the mountain with all the gear set up when the bad weather begun...

It's a bit foggy and the sky isn't as dramatic as I would have liked it to be but I chosed to not over-edit the picture. What do you guys think?

Feel free to like, comment & share ! All feedbacks are welcome, hope you enjoy your visit on my photostream :)

Federica Galli, attiva a Milano, è stata una grande esponente dell'arte incisoria, soprattutto all'acquaforte.

I suoi lavori riprendono, fra l'altro, le vecchie cascine lombarde e, soprattutto gli alberi che la sua tecnica straordinaria trasformava in preziosi merletti.

Un grazie al Pelide Achille che me l'ha fatta ricordare.

Il sito della Fondazione Federica Galli

www.federicagalli.it/

La pagina Flickr della Fondazione Galli

www.flickr.com/photos/81810098@N03/

incisore e disegnatore Francesco Bartolozzi (Firenze, 25 settembre 1727 – Lisbona, 7 marzo 1815) - da un'opera di Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, soprannominato il Guercino (Cento, 2 febbraio 1591 – Bologna, 22 dicembre 1666)

Scene of sacrifice - Etching and burin - Museo del Settecento Veneziano Ca' Rezzonico, Venice.

Engraver and draughtsman Francesco Bartolozzi (Florence, September 25, 1727 - Lisbon, March 7, 1815) - from a work by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, nicknamed Guercino (Cento, February 2, 1591 - Bologna, December 22, 1666)

Along with the alpaca, the vicuna is one of the two species of the genus Vicugna and belongs to the camel family. It is similar to the guanaco, but is smaller and slimmer.

Its head body length is 150 centimeters, the shoulder height 100 centimeters, the weight 50 kilograms. An anatomical peculiarity compared to other New World camels are the lower incisors, which, like in rodents, constantly grow back - there is nothing comparable among other artifacts.

The fur is much finer than that of related species and so dense that it acts as an insulating layer against the cold. It is light brown on the back and whitish on the underside.

Like the guanaco, the vicuna lives in territorial family groups.

I photographed these two pretty ones in the Peruvian Andes at an altitude of almost 5000 meters ...

Das Vikunja ist neben dem Alpaka eine der beiden Arten der Gattung Vicugna und gehört zur Familie der Kamele. Es ähnelt dem Guanako, ist aber kleiner und schlanker.

Seine Kopfrumpflänge beträgt 150 Zentimeter, die Schulterhöhe 100 Zentimeter, das Gewicht 50 Kilogramm. Eine anatomische Besonderheit im Vergleich zu anderen Neuweltkamelen sind die unteren Schneidezähne, die wie bei Nagetieren ständig nachwachsen – etwas Vergleichbares gibt es unter anderen Paarhufern nicht.

Das Fell ist wesentlich feiner als das verwandter Arten und so dicht, dass es wie eine Isolierschicht gegen die Kälte wirkt. Es ist am Rücken hellbraun und unterseits weißlich.

Wie das Guanako lebt das Vikunja in territorialen Familienverbänden.

Ich habe diese beiden Hübschen in den peruanischen Anden auf fast 5000 Meter Höhe fotografiert...

The North American Beaver is the world’s second largest rodent, weighing up to 32kg (70lbs), and can reach a length of 1 to 1.2 meters (3 to 4ft) including their tail. Their tail, which is flat and paddle-like, can be up to 30 cm (12 inches) long.

They have stout bodies with large heads, long chisel-like incisors, brown or gray fur, hand-like front feet, webbed back feet, and tails that are flat and scaly. Beavers can be found in a number of freshwater habitats, such as rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. They are herbivorous, consuming tree bark, aquatic plants, grasses and sedges.

Beavers can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes underwater. They also have a transparent third eyelid which protects their eyes when swimming underwater. They have ears, although they are relatively small. They are adapted for underwater life, allowing them to hear effectively both in air and water. In fact, their hearing is better underwater, as water is a better conductor of sound than air.

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Le castor d'Amérique du Nord est le deuxième plus grand rongeur au monde, pesant jusqu'à 32 kg (70 lb), et peut atteindre une longueur de 1 à 1,2 mètre (3 à 4 pieds), queue comprise. Sa queue, plate et en forme de pagaie, peut atteindre 30 cm (12 pouces) de long.

Il a un corps trapu avec une grosse tête, de longues incisives en forme de ciseau, une fourrure brune ou grise, des pattes avant en forme de main, des pattes arrière palmées et une queue plate et écailleuse. On trouve le castor dans de nombreux habitats d'eau douce, tels que les rivières, les ruisseaux, les lacs et les étangs. C'est un herbivore qui se nourrit d'écorce d'arbre, de plantes aquatiques, d'herbes et de carex.

Le castor peut retenir sa respiration jusqu'à 15 minutes sous l'eau. Il possède également une troisième paupière transparente qui protège ses yeux lorsqu'il nage sous l'eau. Il possède des oreilles, bien que relativement petites. Ils sont adaptés à la vie sous-marine, ce qui leur permet d'entendre efficacement aussi bien dans l'air que dans l'eau. De fait, leur ouïe est meilleure sous l'eau, car l'eau est un meilleur conducteur du son que l'air.

Tanzania, Parco Nazionale del Tarangire, Autunno 2019

Foto scattata durante un safari in Tanzania nell’ottobre 2019 / Photo taken during a safari in Tanzania in October 2019

Gli elefanti sono mammiferi e i più grandi animali terrestri esistenti. Le caratteristiche distintive di tutti gli elefanti includono una lunga proboscide, zanne, grandi paraorecchie, gambe enormi e pelle dura ma sensibile. La proboscide viene utilizzata per respirare, portare cibo e acqua alla bocca e afferrare oggetti. Le zanne, che sono derivate dai denti dell'incisivi, servono sia come armi che come strumenti per muovere oggetti e scavare. I grandi orecchie aiutano a mantenere una temperatura corporea costante e nella comunicazione. Le gambe simili a pilastri portano il loro grande peso. Gli elefanti sono erbivori e rimangono vicino all'acqua quando è accessibile. Sono considerate specie fondamentale, a causa del loro impatto sul loro ambiente. Altri animali tendono a mantenere le distanze dagli elefanti; l'eccezione sono i loro predatori come leoni, tigri, iene e cani selvatici, che di solito prendono di mira solo i giovani elefanti. Gli elefanti hanno una società fissione-fusione, in cui più gruppi familiari si uniscono per socializzare. Gli elefanti possono vivere fino a 70 anni in natura. Comunicano al tatto, alla vista, all'olfatto e al suono; gli elefanti usano infrasuoni e comunicazioni sismiche su lunghe distanze. L'intelligenza dell'elefante è stata paragonata a quella di primati e cetacei. Sembrano avere autocoscienza, oltre a mostrare empatia per i familiari morenti e morti.

Gli elefanti africani sono elencati come vulnerabili. Una delle maggiori minacce per le popolazioni di elefanti è il commercio di avorio, in quanto gli animali vengono cacciati per le loro zanne d'avorio. Gli elefanti sono altamente riconoscibili e sono stati presenti nell'arte, nel folklore, nella religione, nella letteratura e nella cultura popolare.

Elephants are mammals and the largest existing land animals. Distinctive features of all elephants include a long trunk, tusks, large ear flaps, massive legs, and tough but sensitive skin. The trunk, also called a proboscis, is used for breathing, bringing food and water to the mouth, and grasping objects. Tusks, which are derived from the incisor teeth, serve both as weapons and as tools for moving objects and digging. The large ear flaps assist in maintaining a constant body temperature as well as in communication. The pillar-like legs carry their great weight. Elephants are herbivorous, and they stay near water when it is accessible. They are considered to be keystone species, due to their impact on their environments. Other animals tend to keep their distance from elephants; the exception is their predators such as lions, tigers, hyenas, and wild dogs, which usually target only young elephants. Elephants have a fission–fusion society, in which multiple family groups come together to socialise. Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild. They communicate by touch, sight, smell, and sound; elephants use infrasound, and seismic communication over long distances. Elephant intelligence has been compared with that of primates and cetaceans. They appear to have self-awareness, as well as appearing to show empathy for dying and dead family members.

African elephants are listed as vulnerable. One of the biggest threats to elephant populations is the ivory trade, as the animals are poached for their ivory tusks. Elephants are highly recognisable and have been featured in art, folklore, religion, literature, and popular culture.

Beethoven 2 years ago.

Back then he didn't have as many complaints as he does now.

His teeth were infected and last Thursday the vet removed his tartar and removed 1 incisor tooth that was already loose.

His tear glands are also flushed because he has an inflamed eye left for a long time now. Many medications did not help and Prednison cannot be given for long.

But he is not doing well yet, has bad diarrhea and with the long hair, he has to take a shower again ;-( so sad.

He ate some wet food for the first time today.

My cheerful four-legged friend is a sad little animal at the moment.

I hope he recovers quickly. I would rather be sick myself than my pet. They can't tell you what's going on. 🙏

Ohh, thank you so much for EXPLORE! April 21, 2024 position 44 ♥ . This must be a good sign my lovely Beethoven ♥

Update 22-4-2024 , he is still not well. Sleeps a lot but has something for his diarrhea now, en medication for his sickness. He doesn't eat well.

Hope to have better news tomorrow.

Update 24-4-2024 , his diarrhea is finally gone after 6 days. But he has a lot of catching up to do so he sleeps a lot.

He eats and drinks in moderation, but there is progress.

Thank you all so much for your warm words ♥

Update: 18-5-2024 Beethoven has a bacterial infection in his left eye now and is on antibiotica.

Scarlett is the most energetic of the seven goats at Belmont Audubon Habitat, and the most likely to be tuckered out after a day of grazing and frolicking. I let them out into their playpen to unwind before bedtime tonight.

Goats don't have top incisors, as you can see. They have a hard palate up there, which they use to tear their grasses or leaves, then chew them with a full set of molars.

Attributed to: Chief Robert Bell.

Culture: Heiltsuk

Images & media

kʼváxdṃ́ a (Chief's Chair)

Museum of Anthropology

University of British Columbia

Object Number: 3261/120

Materials: Maple wood? Paint Metal

Date Made: C. 1880-1900

Date Acquired: 12 Apr 2018

How Acquired: Donated

Elspeth McConnell Collection

Measurements: Overall: 96.5 cm x 57 cm x 62.5 cm

History of use

This fully carved chair may have functioned in the same way as did older styles of Northwest Coast chiefs’ seats, or settees that were bench-like and placed directly on the floor, without legs. Here, creatures from the land, sea, and supernatural realms of the Heiltsuk world transform the otherwise European-style armchair, presumably befitting the status of the high-ranking individual who would occupy it.

Purchased by the donor through a Heffel Gallery auction in 2016. The auction provenance said the chair was once in the Pitt Rivers collection in England, then in the Roy G. Cole collection in Ontario, until it appears in a 1977 Sotheby's auction catalogue.

The chair is made in a style imitating, or influenced by, the overall form of early-nineteenth-century English Regency furniture. A brass plaque mounted on the rear of the seat (probably from the first collector) read “Chair, Hyda Indians, NW Coast of America”.

While some of its carved elements may suggest an attribution to the renowned Heiltsuk (Haíɫzaqv) artist and chief, Captain Richard Carpenter (1841-1931), the chair is more closely aligned to the work of ‘Qa’aít, Chief Robert Bell (1859-1904). Comparative research with stylistically similar carvings, both documented and unattributed, points to distinctive characteristics of Bell’s style, including his stretched, human-like animal figures with long fingers [Duffek, 2019].

Iconographic meaning

Ocean-related imagery: sea monster like sculpin, sea raven, bear holding onto a serpent or eel, sea-wolf, fish-like, halibut or oolichan-like being. Man may be in spirit mode transitioning and travelling with these beings through the ocean and into the house of Kumugwe', the Chief of the Sea [Ian ńusí Rei

Physical description

Chief's chair, fully carved with animal motifs on most of its components.

The chair has a deeply carved seat with a figure that likely represents a sculpin, characterized by a broad, toothed mouth, a horn-like spine on either side of the head, a series of spines along each fin, and the body with tail fin. Its mouth is centred on the bowed front edge of the seat, the facial features are carved on the seat’s upper front surface, and the fins and body (portrayed as a face) are arranged over the remaining seat in a split, bilateral fashion.

It is painted in black and red, with some blue-pigmented areas and diagonal parallel hatching; other areas are left unpainted. The carved upper panel on the chair’s back depicts a face with black eyebrows and broad, toothed mouth. Connecting the panel to the seat is a vertical splat carved in the form of a fish and enclosing a human figure. The chair’s curved arms represent wolves, their heads facing downward and limbs folded.

Also distinctive are the front two chair legs, which are carved in the form of downward-facing, supernatural raven heads; these feature blue-pigmented eye sockets and teeth, black beaks and eyes, and red lip-line and nostrils.

The rear legs and stiles are painted but not carved. The four carved stretchers between the legs are made to represent different creatures: a killer whale with dorsal and pectoral fins folded back along its body and tail flukes folded up; a bear-like figure holding a long fish with ridged body; a wolf-like figure with extremely long “fingers”; and a figure with a beaver-like head, characterized by prominent incisors.

For museum photos of the chairs, go to collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/item?keywords=chair&a...