The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Tiger The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Tiger
Showing posts with label Tiger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tiger. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Spots, stripes and blotches: Color patterns of cat fur tracked to a key gene


Researchers discovered some of the genetics behind cat coloring, from Abyssinians and tabbies to leopards and tigers.

Your sedentary lap cat may not seem to share many similarities with its fierce relatives prowling the African savanna. But Stanford Medicine researchers have discovered a specific gene that drives much of the development of the stripes, blotches and spots that decorate all feline fur. 

"Color patterns are one of these unsolved biological mysteries; there’s no go-to model organism to study it — mice don’t have stripes or spots,” said Gregory Barsh, MD, PhD, professor emeritus of genetics. “The color patterns and variability that you see in animals like tigers, cheetahs and zebras prompted some central questions for us: What are the developmental genetic mechanisms and the cellular mechanisms that give rise to these patterns and how have they been altered during mammalian evolution to give rise to the amazing diversity of shape and form we see today?”

To read more on this story, click here: Spots, stripes and blotches: Color patterns of cat fur tracked to a key gene



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Sunday, September 27, 2020

Rescue Bear, Lion, And Tiger Were Best Friends For Almost 16 Years


We sometimes hear about “strange bedfellows” and there may be times when this occurs between different animals. The following story will convince you of the possibilities that exist in nature. It is about the bond that was formed between an American black bear, a Bengal tiger, and an African lion.

Bored Panda reported that Baloo the bear, Leo the lion, and Shere Khan have been living happily together at Noah’s Ark Animal Shelter in Georgia for almost 16 years. The trio of unlikely friends is usually known as BLT. They were rescued from the same basement of a house in Atlanta during a drug raid in 2001.

To read more on this story, click here: Rescue Bear, Lion, And Tiger Were Best Friends For Almost 16 Years



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Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Three Cubs of the Rare White Bengal Tiger Were Born in a Crimean Safari Park


Belogorsk, Crimea - Three cubs of the rare white bengal tiger born in a Crimean safari park were shown to the public.

Born in early October, the cubs were still not able to open their eyes and squeaked as they tried to crawl on the park grass.

The Crimean safari park chief zookeeper said the birth of the blue-eyed bengal tiger triplets was an important contribution to the park's collection, which also helps saving the animals from extinction.

Two of the cubs are male, and one female.

The zookeeper reports that the little ones are developing really well.

White tigers are a genetic variation of the better-known orange bengal tigers.

Between 5000 and 7000 tigers live in the wild, down from 100,000 at the start of the 20th-century.

Poaching, deforestation and over-hunting of their natural prey have hit their numbers.

The peninsula of Crimea is recognized internationally as part of Ukraine, although it has been largely integrated into Russia after Moscow annexed the territory in 2014.




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Thursday, October 18, 2018

These Incredible Animal Photos Show Why Steve Irwin’s Son Is An Award Winning Photographer


Being part of the legacy that Steve Irwin left behind must be no easy task, but Robert Irwin, his 13-year-old son makes it seem smooth and oh-so-easy. Robert and his family have always been involved with nature, and even as a baby, his love for it was obvious. Now as a young teenager, he has actually traveled around the world with his family, capturing nature while at it and becoming an award-winning photographer – yes, at just 13-years-old!

Regardless of his age, there is no question why his work has been recognized in several contests: the images he captures are raw and pretty up-close, giving people a more intimate glance at nature and wildlife through his images.

To read more on this story, click here: These Incredible Animal Photos Show Why Steve Irwin’s Son Is An Award Winning Photographer



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Wednesday, September 19, 2018

8 Secrets Zoos Keep Under Wraps


Zoos exist to display exotic animals for all the world to see. But what's going on at zoos away from the public's view?

Few destinations conjure up as idyllic an image as an afternoon at the zoo. Strolling about on a nice day with some lighthearted animal-themed ice cream treat and checking out monkeys, bears, and a few sleeping reptiles is as wholesome as apple pie on the Fourth of July.

But certainly, some secrets must be hidden in the shadows of those cages and fake rock formations. For those who have ever wondered about what’s really going on at your local zoo behind the locked gates and after closing time, allow us to drops some zoo truths on you.

To read more on this story, click here: 8 Secrets Zoos Keep Under Wraps


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Tuesday, August 14, 2018

The Obsessive Search for the Tasmanian Tiger


Andrew Orchard lives near the northeastern coast of Tasmania, in the same ramshackle farmhouse that his great-grandparents, the first generation of his English family to be born on the Australian island, built in 1906. When I visited Orchard there, in March, he led me past stacks of cardboard boxes filled with bones, skulls, and scat, and then rooted around for a photo album, the kind you’d expect to hold family snapshots. Instead, it contained pictures of the bloody carcasses of Tasmania’s native animals: a wombat with its intestines pulled out, a kangaroo missing its face. “A tiger will always eat the jowls and eyes,” Orchard explained. “All the good organs.” The photos were part of Orchard’s arsenal of evidence against a skeptical world—proof of his fervent belief, shared with many in Tasmania, that the island’s apex predator, an animal most famous for being extinct, is still alive.

The Tasmanian tiger, known to science as the thylacine, was the only member of its genus of marsupial carnivores to live to modern times. It could grow to six feet long, if you counted its tail, which was stiff and thick at the base, a bit like a kangaroo’s, and it raised its young in a pouch. When Orchard was growing up, his father would tell him stories of having snared one, on his property, many years after the last confirmed animal died, in the nineteen-thirties. Orchard says that he saw his first tiger when he was eighteen, while duck hunting, and since then so many that he’s lost count. Long before the invention of digital trail cameras, Orchard was out in the bush rigging film cameras to motion sensors, hoping to get a picture of a tiger. He showed me some of the most striking images he’d collected over the decades, sometimes describing teeth and tails and stripes while pointing at what, to my eye, could very well have been shadows or stems. (Another thylacine searcher told me that finding tigers hidden in the grass in camera-trap photos is “a bit like seeing the Virgin Mary in burnt toast.”) Orchard estimates that he spends five thousand dollars a year just on batteries for his trail cams. The larger costs of his fascination are harder to calculate. “That’s why my wife left me,” he offered at one point, while discussing the habitats tigers like best.


To read more on this story, click here: The Obsessive Search for the Tasmanian Tiger 


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Friday, October 20, 2017

Some People Decided to Show How Animals Enhance Their Lives by Getting Animal Tattoos


Is seeing an animal you adore sure to put a smile on your face? Some people decided to show how animals enhance their lives by getting tattoos to elicit that very response with every glance! Take a look at  how a few creative animal enthusiasts took permanent steps to share their appreciation for animals with the world.

Panda Tattoo
Many people don’t know that pandas used to roam all across China millions of years ago. Now, they primarily live in the mountain ranges of central China – which is an interesting fact that you can share with people when they see your adorable panda tattoo!



Kitty Reaching for the Stars Tattoo
Cat owners know that felines are forever curious. This enthralling tattoo perfectly represents the mentality of a feline, showcasing a cute cat reaching for the stars!



Snake Tattoo
It isn’t always the first creature people feel affection for, but there’s a sizeable amount of the population who greatly enjoys the sinuous beauty and stubborn survivalist nature of the snake. This brave woman decided to show her love for this animal with a subtle hand tattoo.



Bear Tattoo
It’s important to bear in mind that those of the ursine lineage are capable of quiet grace and beauty. Though the cute and often clumsy idea of a bear is common in everything from cartoons to wood carvings, a stunning tattoo like this captures the wild elegance in their hearts.



Deer Tattoo
Deer lovers are sure to fawn over the beauty of this tattoo. It’s appropriate that this tattoo was placed on the ankle, as deer are fond of running and jumping around!



Sometimes Subtlety is the Best Option
Not everyone wants to get a prominent tattoo that’s easily seen. A compact tattoo, such as a baby scorpion behind your ear, is an excellent way to represent an animal that you care about without drawing a lot of attention.




Love for the Sea
Maybe your favorite creature resides in the water! If so, you may want to ink your skin with a colorful representation of one of the most popular residents of the ocean – like this fanciful crab!



Eye of the Tiger
The tiger is a stunning animal – and one under threat from habitat loss and poaching. So a tattoo as beautiful as this one is not only a great conversation-starter, it may lead to another great conversation as well.



Family of Elephants


Whether sweet, silly, or captivating, an animal tattoo can be a fun and creative way to show your appreciation for the creatures that inspire us every day. If you’re getting a tattoo, consider going a little wild with it. It’s a great way to share your fascination, and could even start a dialogue that raises awareness about protecting the species you love!

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Friday, September 23, 2016

Four Rare White Lions Cubs Were Born in the Zoo Safari in Borysew, Poland


Borysew, Poland - Four rare white lion cubs have been born in a private zoo in central Poland.

The lion cubs were born on Sunday at the Zoo Safari in Borysew and are doing well under the care of their mother, 5-year-old Azira. They are the fourth litter for Azira and 7-year-old Sahim. There are at most only a few hundred white lions in the world.

Head of the zoo Andrzej Pabich said the genders of the cubs was unknown because keepers have not touched them yet.

On Thursday, a white tiger also gave birth at the zoo, and Pabich believes there are three cubs.



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Monday, February 15, 2016

Sacramento Zoo - Two Endangered Tigers Were Placed Inside of an Enclosure in Mating Attempt: Male Tiger Kills Female


Sacramento Zoo officials said they had high hopes that two rare Sumatran tigers would begin courting this week.

Mohan, a 12-year-old male, already had plenty of visual contact with 15-year-old female tiger Baha since his arrival at the zoo in December.

The idea was to get Mohan and Baha to reproduce as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. Sumatran tigers are considered critically endangered, with fewer than 400 still alive today, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

“Both tigers’ behavior indicated that this was the proper time for physical introductions,” the Sacramento Zoo said in a statement. “Based on knowledge and experience from past successful introductions, staff decided to physically introduce the tigers on Wednesday morning.”

The two tigers were placed inside of an enclosure, and staff watched from outside as what was supposed to be one more step to keeping the species alive ended in tragedy.

Mohan became “aggressive,” according to the zoo, and attacked Baha within a matter of minutes, the Sacramento Bee reported. Staff used a water hose and fire extinguishers to intercede, the Associated Press reported, and secured Mohan elsewhere.

But by the time veterinarians got to Baha and tried to resuscitate her, it was too late: She had already died from the attack, according to the zoo.

“We are truly devastated at the passing of Baha,” the zoo’s animal collection director, Matt McKim, said in a statement. “Not only was she a wonderful ambassador and a truly attentive mother, she was also a one-of-a-kind tiger that inspired many.”

Sacramento Zoo’s director and chief executive officer Kyle Burks told the Bee that although it’s rare, aggression between tigers does happen in captivity.

Mohan has since been removed from public viewing, the paper reported.

Baha had been living at the Sacramento Zoo since 2002 and leaves behind five living offspring, all bred through successful zoo introductions, according to the zoo.


Female Malayan tiger Tiga Tahun, was killed as a result of "aggressive behavior" by her intended mate during a breeding session Saturday morning. Photo: Ken Bohn


                                           Mohan (left) and Baha (right)


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Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Did You Know That These Hybrid Animals Are Still in Existence?


Hybrid is defined as “the offspring of two animals or plants of different breeds, varieties, species, or genera, especially as produced through human manipulation for specific genetic characteristics.” Take a look at some of these animals that still exist today.




Liger

The animal made famous by Napoleon Dynamite is actually real. Ligers are the offspring of male lions and female tigers. While there are legends of Ligers prowling the wilds, they currently only exist in captivity, where they are deliberately bred.
  
There is a myth that Ligers never stop growing their entire lives, which is untrue. They just grow to freakish sizes in their normal growth window. Ligers are the largest cat in the world. Hercules, the biggest individual Liger, weighed 922 pounds.




Tigon

When a male tiger and a female lion mate, the tigon is the result. It used to be believed that tigons were smaller than their parent species, but they can grow just as large. They are, however, smaller than ligers.

Both ligers and tigons are capable of producing their own offspring, leading to confusingly-named hybrids such as titigons and liligers.




  
Zebroid

A Zebroid is a cross between a zebra and any other equine. Zebroids have been around for a long time – they were even mentioned in some of Darwin’s writings. They tend to be male and to have the physiology of the non-zebra parent, with zebra stripes adorning parts of their body. Zebroids are more wild than domestic, are hard to tame, and are more aggressive than horses.




Coywolf

Coyotes are very genetically close to red and eastern wolves, with whom they diverged only about 150-300,000 years ago. Interbreeding between them is not only possible, but becoming more common as wolf populations rebound. Coyotes are not, however, very compatible with gray wolves, which have about 1-2 million years of genetic estrangement separating them. Some hybrids do exist, though they are rare

There are a number of different coywolf hybrids, and their populations dot North America. Generally, they are larger than coyotes but smaller than wolves, and share behavioral characteristics of both species.




Grolar Bear

Grolar bears, also called “pizzly bears” by the less charitable, are a cross between polar and brown bears. Their natural ranges rarely, if ever, overlap, and most grolar bears live in zoos. However, there have been a handful of confirmed sightings in the wild. In 2006, an Alaskan hunter shot one.

They look pretty much like an even split between polar and grizzly bears. Behaviorally, they are closer to polar bears than to browns.



Savannah Cat

This uncommon but awesome breed of housecat is a cross between a domestic cat and a Serval, a kind of wild cat that lives in Africa. They are exceptionally large and behave remarkably like dogs, following their owners around the house, wagging their tails to express pleasure, and even playing catch. Savannahs also do not fear water, and will invite themselves into the shower with you. Unfortunately, they are extremely expensive.




Wholphin

When a male false killer whale and a female bottlenose dolphin love each other very much, they produce a wolphin. “Wolphin” is a portmanteau of “whale” and “dolphin,” which is misleading. False killer whales are actually not a whale, and are in the same family as dolphins.

Nevertheless, they are extremely rare. They are occasionally spotted in the wild, and there is currently only one individual in captivity.


   
Beefalo

Beefalo are crosses between buffalo and cows. They’ve been around since the 1800s, when they were called “cattalo.” Beefalo are heartier than cattle, and do less ecological damage to the prairies they graze on. However, beefalo breeding has led to conservation problems for wild bison. It is now estimated that only four total herds still exist that are not polluted by cow genes.



Hinny

Hinnies are basically reverse mules. A mule is a product of a male donkey and a female horse, and a hinny is a product of a male horse and a female donkey. Their heads look like horse heads, and they are slightly smaller than mules. They’re also much less common.



Narluga

Narwhals and Belugas are the only two members of the monodontidae family of whales, so it should be no surprise that they are able to crossbreed. However, they are extraordinarily rare. Sightings have been increasing in the Northern Atlantic recently, which some researchers consider a warning sign of climate change.





Cama

Camas did not exist until 1998. Some mad scientist at the Camel Reproduction Centre in Dubai decided to cross a male dromedary camel with a female lama via artificial insemination, and out popped the first Cama. The intention was to breed them to produce fur that could be clipped and sold, and to serve as a pack animal. To date, only five have ever been produced.




Dzo

The dzo (male) and dzomo (female) are hybrids between domestic cows and wild yaks. They exist mostly in Tibet and Mongolia, where they are prized for their high yield of meat and milk. They are larger and stronger than both cows and yaks, and are used as beasts of burden.

The lines can blur – it is believed that most yaks and cows in the region now carry at least some of the other’s genetic imprint.



Leopon

If a male leopard is intrepid enough to mate with a female lion, a Leopon is the result. It’s almost impossible for this combination to occur in the wild, and every known Leopon has been the product of breeding in captivity. Leopons appear to have the head and mane of a lion, and the body of a leopard.




Geep

Goats and sheep appear to be very similar, but they are more different than you might suspect. Natural hybrids between the two animals are typically stillborn, and if they aren’t, occur extremely rarely. An animal called a “sheep-goat chimera” has also been produced by artificially combining goat and sheep embryos.




Jaglion

A Jaglion is the offspring of a male jaguar and a female lion, and are very rare. The two pictured above were the result of a close friendship between a jaguar named Diablo and a lioness named Lola, who were bosom buddies at Ontario’s Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary. They’re named Jahzara (left) and Tsunami (right).




Mulard

The Mulard is a cross between a mallard and a muscovy duck. The muscovy duck is native to South and Central America, and is easily recognized by its bright red Darth Maul face. Mulards are bred for food, and are unable to produce offspring of their own




Żubroń

The żubroń is a cross between a domestic cow and a European bison (also called a “wisent”). They are, in many ways, superior to the domestic cow, as they are stronger and more resistant to disease. They were thought to be a possible replacement for cattle, but now only exist in one small herd in the Bialowieski National Park in Poland.




Blacktip Shark Hybrid

Until recently, there were no known hybrid shark species. But the Australian black-tip shark is mating with the common black-tip, and are regularly spotted on the Eastern Australian coast. Opinion is divided about exactly why they have begun to hybridize.
  


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Sunday, May 31, 2015

Real Looking Toy Tiger Generates 911 Call in Camas, Washington


The sight of a stuffed tiger, a very large stuffed tiger — lashed to the top of an SUV cruising around a southwest Washington lake was enough to generate a 911 call from someone who apparently thought it was real.

The Columbian newspaper of Vancouver reports that Connor Zuvich says he was by Lacamas Lake in Camas on Monday with some friends when a truck came by and dumped some trash and the giant tiger.

Zuvich tied it to the top of his vehicle, then he and his friends started cruising around the lake in the enhanced SUV.

Officer Henry Scott was sent to investigate the tiger 911 call, described by Camas police as an "animal problem."

The 19-year-old Zuvich says he and the officer traded jokes and photos, then parted ways. Other drivers also got the joke, honking and giving him a thumbs-up sign.

As Zuvich says, "The thing looked really realistic."

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Saturday, May 2, 2015

12 Of The World’s Most Massive Animals


In America, we love everything that’s big. Whether it be our trucks, our land, our drinks, or our burgers, there’s one slogan that we like to live by: Bigger is better.

And it’s no different when it comes to the animal world. Whether it be a 300-pound snake, a 2-pound goldfish, or a pig that weighs as much as a truck, we’re impressed by the biggest and best!

Take a look at some of the biggest animals below. Most of them have been confirmed by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the absolute biggest of the big among their species.


1. At 7'4" tall when standing on his hind legs, and 3'8" when on all fours, Zeus holds the record for tallest dog ever.




2. Trouble, the world's largest domestic cat, was 19" tall from shoulder to paw.
  




3. 13-year-old Blossom is the world's tallest cow, standing at 6'4".




4. Big Jake, the world's tallest horse, weighs about 2,600 pounds and is an incredible 6'11" tall! That's 20 hands!




5. It took over 100 people to finally capture this 20'3" monster.




6. Originally bought for 99 cents, this goldfish lived over 15 years and grew to be 15 inches long and weighed in at 2 pounds!




7. 9-year-old Romulus holds the honor of being the world's tallest living donkey. At 5'8" he's over 17 hands!
  



8. The largest living cat is the aptly named Hercules. An adult male tiger, he stands 4'1" at the shoulder and weighs 922 pounds!




9. Medusa, the world's longest snake, lives in Missouri and is 25'2" long!




10. This Chinese pig weighed 1,984 pounds before it died. That's a lot of bacon!




11. The world's biggest catfish weighed in at an incredible 280 pounds. That thing could eat you!
  



12. And Patrick! The world's largest and oldest Wombat: 88 pounds and 28 years old — this guy knows how to live!


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