Mother Nature has many faces, some beautiful, some ugly, and some simply strange.
Above is The Cuban trogon (Priotelus tempuras) and is Cuba's national bird. It is
found in healthy population numbers throughout the island.
This is a collection of some of nature's truly bizarre aspects. From the weather
to tiny insects, here's some of the oddest things the natural world has to
offer. Enjoy! :)
The Everlasting Lightning Storm
Catatumbo Lightning is an atmospheric phenomenon in Venezuela's Catatumbo River,
which occurs about 160 nights a year and lasts ten hours each time. The nightly
performance can reach peaks of 280 lightning strikes per hour, illuminating the
night and deafening anyone around.
Romanesco Broccoli
Also known as Romanesco cauliflower, this edible work of natural art features
almost perfect fractal forms.
Star-nosed Mole
These odd-looking moles live in Canada and northwestern United States. Their
bizarre noses are actually a specialized sensory organ (called Eimear's Organ),
which can detect seismic vibrations.
Bismuth Crystals
Bismuth is a chemical element that obtains iridescent hues when exposed to air.
While it is chemically similar to lead, it has an unusually low level of
toxicity, making it an ideal replacement.
Rainbow Eucalyptus Tree
The Rainbow eucalyptus tree has an uncommon characteristic. The color of its bark
varies from blue, green, orange and maroon colors, with a bright green inner bark.
Ring-tailed Cat
This mammal is not actually a cat, but rather a member of the Raccoon family,
native to the southern parts of North America. They are said to make for
affectionate pets who are also highly skilled at catching vermin.
Gharials
Once the kings of all major river systems, a type of crocodile, these 20 foot
long lizards weigh in at 350 pounds are now critically endangered. Human
overfishing has reduced these reptiles to just 2% of their former strength.
Cannonball Tree
This tree gets its name from the shape of its fruit. The cannonball trees are
native to the rainforests of South and Central America. The native Amazonians
used to harvest parts of the tree for their medicinal purposes, using them to
treat anything from the common cold to types of cancer.
Okapi
Okapi has the legs of a zebra and the long neck of a giraffe, they were found by
British explorers during the early 1800s. Today they are only found in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, where only 10,000 to 20,000 remain.
Cicadas
There are about 2,500 species of cicada in the world, all spending the most of
their lives underground as nymphs. Towards the end of its life, the nymph will
burrow out of the grown and molted skin, emerging as an adult winged cicada.
Some species of cicada spend close to 17 years underground, emerging simultaneously
to mate, and beginning a new 17-year cycle.
Coconut Crab
These are the largest of the Hermit Crabs, but unlike the majority of their species,
the coconut crabs live exclusively on land. They get their name from their affinity
for the flesh of coconuts, which they can crack open by banging them with their
powerful pincers.
Royal Antelope
The royal antelope is the smallest antelope species, and are native to West Africa.
You may think that the pictured specimen is a calf, but it is actually fully grown.
The Blue Dragon
The blue dragon [Glaucus Atlanticus], is an inch long sea slug commonly found off
the East and South Coast of South Africa, and Australia. Like many other colorful
animals, its bright blue color is a warning for its powerful sting.
Sarcastic Fringehead
The sarcastic Fringehead, is a small but ferocious fish which has a large mouth
and aggressive territorial behavior, for which it has been given its common name.
When two Fringeheads have a territorial battle, they wrestle by pressing their
distended mouths against each other, as if they were kissing. This allows them
to determine which is the larger fish, which establishes dominance.
For those of you who Want More FUN - Visit The Shangy Fun List! Variety is the
spice of life! The Shangy Fun List is an ezine packed full of Poems, Inspirational and
Heart Warming Stories. Jokes from G to slightly R, and Anything else that just
might make you SMILE! Join In The Free FUN!! ... :)
SHANGRALA'S
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