Mermaids

The classic Disney animated movie, The Little Mermaid, is actually based on a classic novel by Hans Christian Andersen. It tells the story of how a princess of the mermaids wants to become a human after being smitten with the human prince whom she saved from drowning in the ocean. The evil sea witch Ursula grants her wish in exchange for her voice and tells her that she can only stay human if she receives a kiss of true love from the prince. She agrees and is turned into a human. The evil sea witch tries to stop this from happening, leaving it up to the princess to win the prince’s love and stay human forever.

Mermaids have always been a topic of legend and folklore, with most countries surrounded by water having their own version of the mystical creature. Mermaids typically come in the form of half man and half fish. Their upper bodies are like that of a human being, but they have fins like a fish. They live under the water and according to legend, lure boats into rocks with their beautiful voices. Many stories passed down by sailors talks about a seeing a beautiful woman in the middle of the sea and how she disappears if they get to close to her.

Many real animals actually do resemble the mermaid. For example, the dugong or the sea cow could look like a mermaid in dark waters. There have also been many stories of fishermen claiming to have captured a real mermaid, only to discover that what they caught were only uncommon species of fish. Whether they are real or not, stories about mermaids will always fascinate us. They are only one of the many mysteries of the world’s great oceans.

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Newts

Newts, as creatures, have long been associated with the lore of witches and warlocks, often described as “essential ingredients” in the making of secret potions and spells.

The supposed subject of a Pixar and Disney animated feature, an-on-the-works movie titled Newt was scheduled for production and release some two years back, set as a romantic comedy telling the story of how the last two blue-footed newts in the world came to save their species.

The movie, however, didn’t mature into a featured release, but its cancellation hasn’t done anything bad for newts in general.

Linked with the salamander family, newts are aquatic amphibians found in Asia, Europe and in North America. As with most amphibians, newts go through the developmental metamorphosis amphibians are known for, with an aquatic larva stage and a terrestrial juvenile stage, which is followed by its adult stage.

With lizard-like bodies, newts either spend most of their days in aquatic environments and ecosystems, or live as “land lizards” only going to the water when mating season comes. A number of newts are also known to live “semi-aquatic, semi-terrestrial” lives, taking the time to either hang out in the water or stay on dry ground in balanced installments.

Bearing characteristics similar with salamanders, newts sport semi-permeable skins which aren’t as smooth as those found in salamanders, and also have a limb structure that is similar with salamanders.

One interesting thing about newts is their ability to regenerate body parts which are lost due to injury from predatory attacks and/or accidents. In most cases, a newt could regenerate a lost limb and also has the ability to regenerate lost upper and/or lower jaws. They can also regenerate eyes, hearts, intestines and spinal cords.

This regeneration ability is one of the reasons why the newt is often used as “essential ingredients” in the making of secret potions and spells (eye of newt, anyone?).

As creatures with regenerative abilities, modern science has yet been able to exactly define what gives newts this edge over other creatures, but as baffled as science is (to date) with the newt, newts continue to be unique creatures under Mother Nature’s care.

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Owls

In the movie Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, brother owls are kidnapped and taken by an evil owl king who wants to create an army of owls. One of the brothers escapes this fate and searches for the legendary Guardians, owls whose stories are told in myth, to ask their help in stopping the evil owl king. The brothers are separated, with each choosing their respective sides in the ensuing battle.

The animated film perhaps stands out for featuring hundreds of different species of owls, wonderful creatures best known for hunting at night. These nocturnal birds are known for their large, expressive eyes that shine in the dark. The large eyes of owls serve a utilitarian purpose, helping them see in the dark, especially when hunting at night.

Owls are carnivorous, living mainly off small birds, lizards, bugs and smaller mammals like mice. They have very good hearing and can turn their heads 270 degrees around.

Owls come in different shapes and sizes, with some just a few inches tall with others having wingspans that reach up to 10 feet. These birds of prey also come in different colors, depending on the environment and the species of the owl. Another characteristic that owls are known to have is their familiar sound or call. They make a “hoot” sound when they are excited or threatened. It’s also a form of communication with other owls.

Interestingly enough, owls have always been shrouded in mystery, perhaps due to their nocturnal behavior. In the past, these birds were linked to the supernatural and the occult, a sad label since they are actually harmless. In fact, if a person gets too close to them, they usually just fly off to another tree and stay as far away as possible. They are very solitary creatures, which means that they prefer to be alone. You can find owls everywhere around the world, from tropical islands to cold and snowy countries.

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Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse

The Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse is part of the cleaner wrasse family, which is often found roving around the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and in various seas in Southeast Asia and the Red Sea.

Oscar, the title character of the 2004 Dreamworks-produced Shark Tale, was actually a Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse, whose “cleaning duty” premise can be described as a tailor-fit plot device for the animated feature. Though the movie didn’t exactly rake in critical acclaim, it was a commercial success, and with its success, interests directed towards the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse was increased.

 As with other types of cleaner wrasse, the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse is known for is mutualist relationship with larger fish species, with its small size and opted diet of dead tissues and parasites. Also known to physically sport a blue streak lining along its entire body, the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse’s name can be pegged as a literal definition of the fish as a species.

Most of the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse’s “clients” identify them through their body’s blue streak, and once they are recognized, the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse gets busy by cleaning up the large fish’s body from unwanted on-surface build ups, mostly focusing on areas which aren’t easy to “reach”.

The gills of large fish, for example, are common areas which Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasses would first clean, as well as the mouth of large fishes, where bits of tissue can easily get stuck.

What the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse gets from the setup is protection from underwater predators, as well as their daily diet of parasites and bits of dead tissue.

As a species, the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse is an interesting one, given how it naturally thrives with larger predators swimming around its natural habitats.

Growing as large as four inches in size, they are quite small and easy prey for larger fish, but their smallness hasn’t been an issue for them, in finding a way for them to live without any danger underwater.

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Meerkats

If you want to see more of Timon from The Lion King, then you better check out The Lion King 1½ , the prequel of sorts to the Lion King, with sidekicks Timon and Pumbaa now starring as the animated film’s main protagonists. The film focuses on the two pals and their adventures before and during the actual events of the first Lion King movie, showing that the duo has a deeper connection to Simba and his pride than what was first previously thought.

Perhaps the best thing about The Lion King is how it depicts previously unheard of animals on the big screen. One such animal would be the meerkat, Timon’s character. As seen on the prequel, meerkats are highly social animals, living in large groups comprised of several families living underground. The squirrel-sized animal belongs to the mongoose family, and is perhaps best known for the upright posture they assume when looking out for predators in the plains of South Africa.

As proof of the strength of the social bond meerkats have in their community, these animals always work in numbers. While one group of meerkats go foraging for food, another group watches over them and act as sentries, always on the lookout for predators such as hawks and eagles that can snatch them right off the ground. When a predator is seen, the meerkats instantly make a shrill call, signaling everyone to hide in their burrows.

And speaking of burrows, meerkats have very interesting homes that are sure to impress engineers. Each underground burrow is connected to each other through tunnels, allowing meerkats to move freely through the community.

As cute as meerkats are however, they make terrible pets. Meerkats can be aggressive to their owners, especially when cornered. They have very strong prey instincts, so close interaction with humans is highly difficult to achieve.

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Famous Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees, sometimes called chimps for short, are common ape species from the genus Pan, originating from the forests around the Congo River. The mighty river also creates the boundary that sets apart the two species of chimpanzee, Pan paniscus or the Bonobo, which inhabits the forests on the eastern side of the Congo, and Pan troglodytes or the Common chimpanzee, which inhabits the forests on the western side, stretching out to Central Africa.

Today, many chimps have gone out of the wild and into the limelight, becoming famous as actors and pets.

Many movies have shown chimps as one of the main actors. In 1987, ProjectX (not to be confused with the crazy party flick), showed how humans tried to teach chimpanzees how to use sign language as a means of communication. The movie also showed many unethical practices used by animal research laboratories and testing centers.

Another famous chimp would be Michel Jackson’s pet chimpanzee, Bubbles. He was known to walk around Neverland Ranch, entertaining guests and accompanying Michael around. He was also very pampered by his master. Many animal rights activists saw Bubbles as a victim of animal abuse, protesting for the chimp to be taken out of the ranch and kept in a more suitable environment.

Another famous chimp that many saw on TV worldwide would be Sam. Sam is the chimpanzee who plays Bear, the chimp in the popular TV series BJ &The Bear. Sam actually became very close to his human co-star, Greg Evigan, and would even protect him during fight scenes.

Since they are very much like us, many experiments have been done on chimps to trace down our evolutionary roots. A common chimp basically has the mind of a 5 year old child, very curious and playful. Domesticated chimps interact with humans very well, but in the wild, they can get very aggressive.

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Hamster Bubbles

Hamster bubbles, also known as Hamster Balls, are often misunderstood as pet implements, with many Animal Rights members terming them as inhumane.

Bolt, the 2008-released animated feature telling the tale of a fictional superhero dog and his adventure in finding his way back home, featured a hamster character named Rhino who was put in a hamster bubble.

The character left many who were not aware of what hamster bubbles are asking what its purpose is, thinking of hamster bubbles as “quarantine spaces” for hamsters who are sick.

Far from being disease outbreak containment units, hamster bubbles are actually plastic pet implements designed to provide hamsters with a safe and secure means for physical exercise.

They are also used as a method of control for hamsters, allowing them the freedom to roam around the house, with hamster pet owners not having to worry about them running away or getting lost.

Typically a hamster bubble is made with air-holes and a lid where hamster owners could easily put in or take out a hamster. Made with transparent plastic, most hamster bubbles are designed without any design hazards inside, with certain types of hamster bubbles made with “barriers” to avoid masters from falling or dropping from stairs.

Not just used in keeping hamsters in, hamster bubbles are also used by gerbil pet owners, with large-enough hamster bubbles used for guinea pigs.

With most hamsters only let out of their cages or enclosures with pet owner supervision, hamster bubbles are effective pet implements that gives hamsters significant degrees of freedom to roam around and figuratively and literally stretch their tiny hamster legs.

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Male Lions

For children who grew up in the 90s, the animated film The Lion King is likely to be a fixture in their childhood. Widely considered as one of the Disney’s best animated films and one of the most critically acclaimed animated movies of all time, The Lion King captures the magic of how Disney movies should be. The film tells the story of young Simba, a lion cub eager to take his place as ruler of the pride but meets challenges along the way, including excile, no thanks to his uncle Scar, long jealous of Mufasa, patriarch of the pride.

Simba of course, eventually grows up to a fully-grown lion, and Disney does a hell of a job capturing the majesty of the African Lion through animation.

Male lions inspire a sense of awe in people, perhaps due to their impressive manes that encircle their heads. In the animal world, larger often means better, and for male lions, the larger their fringe the more females are attracted to them, increasing their chances of finding a mate.

Interestingly enough, male lions are often smaller in size to lionesses, but their manes give them a larger appearance. One unique character about the male lion though, is its virility. Male lions are on average, capable of mating for at least a hundred times in just 24 hours. Mating is such a strong instinct for male lions because it’s their key to survival—it builds the pride around them.

Male lions who are unable to join a pride of their own often die, becoming depressed due to lack of social interaction as well as becoming easy targets for other lions who aggressively defend their territory.

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Weasels

As cute, furry and cuddly weasels appear to be, the said “cute factor” of weasels is one which isn’t well understood by many, given the fact that weasels are actually ferocious hunters who don’t easily back down from a fight.

Buck, a weasel character from the 2009 animated feature Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, was made under this weasel-fact pretext, characterizing Buck as a hunter whose main “target” was something 10 times larger than him – a dinosaur.

Though real life weasels don’t typically pick prey larger than them, the weasel’s ferocity for confronting animals larger than them when they meet is well known, along with their capacity to be tenacious in getting what they want.

A part of the Mustelidae family, weasels are closely related to minks, badgers, otters and ferrets. With various weasels sporting varied coat colors and patterns, their size is generally small, with long slender bodies, short legs and round-shaped ears being the typical physical characteristics of weasels.

Divided into two major categories, the long tailed and short tailed variety of weasels can be found in different parts of the world, excluding Antarctica and Australia.

One interesting thing about weasels is their ability to change coat colors in tune with the seasons. During winter, their coats bear a faded white hue, which readily allows them to blend with winter’s surroundings. When summer comes, the coat colors of weasels transform into a brownish hue, in tune with summer’s colors.

Weasels do not hibernate, which means that they are active all year long. They are nocturnal creatures too, and though they are small in size, weasels are actually very fast, an attribute which allows them to easily pounce on targets once they are within pouncing range.

Once heavily hunted for their pelts, weasels are a protected mammal species, whose cute appearances and ferocious attitudes have made them one of the most fascinating creatures anyone could ever get to encounter.

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