Christmas Tree Worm

The Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus) is a colorful marine worm with beautiful, spiraling plumes that resemble a fir tree. These animals are colorful, and can be red, orange, yellow, blue and white.

The "Christmas tree" shown here are the animal's radioles, which can be up to about 1-1/2 inches across. The rest of the worm burrows into a tube in the coral, where it can withdraw to protect itself.

Giant Anteater

The Giant Anteater lives in forests, swampy areas and open plains of Mexico, Central America and South America. It walks and roams around in densely populated areas during the night.
    It eats insects and picks its prey up by rapidly flicking its long sticky tongue in and out. Its mouth is long and tubular and does not have any teeth. Of all the anteaters, it is the largest species and can weigh up to 39 kg or 86 lbs. Its body is covered with a coarse coat with a gray stripe running down each shoulder. Its tail is long and bushy. It has long front claws which is used for defense against enemies and tearing apart termite mounds. Their claws are so long that they are tucked under its feet and the anteater walks on its knuckles.
    It is a solitary animal and gives birth to only one young. It carries the young on its back for almost a year during its growth.
    The Giant Anteater's numbers have depleted due to the loss of its habitat to human construction. The fact that its reproduction rate is very low does not encourage the increase of its numbers.

Endangered Gorillas

Gorillas, the largest of the apes inhabiting our planet, have been a source of awe and inspiration to humans since centuries. Unfortunately though, they are on the verge of extinction today. Here's a bit about the plight of these endangered primates.

Gorillas, the largest of the apes inhabiting our planet, have been a source of awe and inspiration to humans since centuries. Unfortunately though, they are on the verge of extinction today. Here's a bit about the plight of these endangered primates.

FUN FACTS

• Gorillas are the closest relatives of humans, after chimpanzees, with almost 98 % of their DNA being similar to us humans. 
• They are non-aggressive and apprehensive species that do not attack humans, unless they are provoked. However, they are often perceived to be aggressive animals. 
• Just like humans, the fingerprints of every gorilla is unique, and no two match each other. 
• Nose-print of every Gorilla is also unique. 
• Gorillas can walk erect much like humans but prefer not to do so. On the contrary, they walk on their knuckles, by putting all their weight on them 
• It is believed that the HIV/AIDS infection can be transmitted through the body of the western lowland Gorilla, alongside the other transmission causes. 
• On an average, a Gorilla can survive in the wild for about 35 years. But it can live for more than 50 years, if well cared for, in captivity. 
• Contraceptives have the same effect on gorillas as they have on humans. 
• Gorillas do not sleep at the same place for more than one night. 
• Gorillas have the ability to hold things in their hands as well as their feet. 

Endangered White Tiger

In the last 100 years, only 12 white tigers have been spotted in the wild. These unique tigers instill a sense of unmatched beauty and awe, but common folklore portray them as the beasts of death or bad omen. So, while they may indeed be idolized by some people, they are brutally hunted down by others.

White tigers are very rarely seen in the wild. White tiger cannot be considered as a sub-species but are a result of recessive yet rare genes of the Bengal tiger and is actually a color variation. It is estimated that only one in 10,000 births can result in the birth of a white tiger naturally. Over the past couple of centuries, white tigers have become even rarer in the wild, with some unsubstantiated sightings in the Siberian wild, due to trophy hunting or capture for the exotic pet trade. Today, the white tiger can still be found in a handful of zoos and animal sanctuaries around the world, with these large and beautiful felines often being the star attraction.

INTERESTING FACTS

• In the wild, white tigers usually hunt at night as their white fur does not provide camouflage, the night vision of tigers is six times better than that of humans. 
• Just like human fingerprints, no two tigers have the same pattern of stripes. 
• There are more tigers held privately, as pets, than there are in the wild. 
• The tiger is the biggest species of the cat family and white tigers tend to be larger than the normal orange-colored tigers. 
• July 29th is celebrated as Global Tiger Day. 

Tigers usually carry the Chinese mark of wang or king on their forehead.Tigers, in general, are threatened with extinction due to loss of habitat and hunting. Three tiger subspecies - Bali, Javan and Caspian - have already become extinct. The six remaining species, Siberian, Bengal, Indochinese, Malayan, South China, and Sumatran - are found only in Asia, and are threatened due to poaching and habitat loss.
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