Ecology XI

     The blue whale is currently accepted as the largest animal to have ever existed. We can find no remains that exceed the size of the blue whale. Even those of prehistoric times cannot outweigh the 170 tons and 100 foot length of the blue whale.
     The blue whale is a sea mammal of dark blue/gray and regular gray complexion. The dark skin on the top of the whale protects it from being seen from above and the light skin helps it stay invisible while being viewed from below. This camouflage helps the whale stay hidden from predators such as killer whales and sharks. If the blue whale were some other color, like pink, it would be eaten right away with no chance of survival. When they are not being eaten themselves, the blue whale likes to feed on krill mainly. They are filter feeders.
     Blue whales in the pacific ocean have very specific migration patterns that they follow with their pods. In the winter they migrate to the equator to escape the frigid northern waters, and then in the summer they return to the waters around Alaska. These migration patterns coincide with mating times to have calves born in the summer when the waters are warmer.
     The interesting thing about mating whales is that they need wing-men, LITERALLY. While copulating, the male whale is below the female, but below the male is another male pushing upwards to keep the pair afloat. Without these brave wing-whales, the species may have gone extinct long ago.
     While we know little about whales, they are majestic creatures that roam the ocean. Many go whale watching to get a glimpse of these elusive creatures, but many go their entire lives without seeing a single one.  We don't appreciate nature around us, we don't take in what may be gone eventually.

Sources:

http://best-diving.org/images/Adrenaline_DivingWall/diving%20blue%20whale.jpg

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/blue-whale/

http://acsonline.org/fact-sheets/blue-whale-2/

http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nmml/education/cetaceans/blue.php

http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent-exhibitions/biodiversity-and-environmental-halls/milstein-hall-of-ocean-life/the-blue-whale

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=Z5SIVkZ+n+WzlEHjk17NFw==

Ecology X

The golden jackal of northern Africa and south-central Eurasia shares much of its lineage with the modern day wolf, dog and coyote. The black-backed and side-striped jackals of sub-Saharan Africa are actually more related to each other than they are to wolves and other canine species. Both however are opportunistic carnivores that will eat most anything they can scavenge up, just like the American jackal: the coyote.

Jackals are small canine creatures resembling a cross between a dog and a wolf, in size. Their fur patterns allow them to best camouflage to their individual surroundings, most of which consist heavily of sand. Both jackal species have a light brown base coat with either dark-brown/black or golden tones depending on whether they live in southern or northern Africa. Side-striped and black-backed jackals live primarily in forested areas below the Saharan Desert. The golden jackal lives in Asia as well as Africa, with its coat allowing it to blend in better with sandy areas and the plains.

Jackals, like other canines, live in packs. They are crepuscular, meaning they are most active in the twilight hours. This time frame is heavily used by few, making it the perfect time for the scavenging jackal to work its business. Jackals scavenge food together to feed themselves and their young. Jackals have several litters per year consisting usually of a few pups. After a year or so the pups are large enough to live on their own, they either set off to form their own pack; they seldom stay with their parents.

The jackal are animals that many fear, as they do not understand them. Even here in America, most of us are scared of the coyote, because we know little about it, we never go near them. But in reality they are not as dangerous as we think, they are primarily scavengers and as long as their is enough food lying around they will not attack live prey. They are not very dangerous, we just don't understand them.

Sources:

http://www.canids.org/gallery/popup19381.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackal

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/golden_jackal.htm

http://www.arkive.org/golden-jackal/canis-aureus/

http://www.canids.org/species/canis_aureus.htm

http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_side_striped_jackal.html