Cormorants or Shags

One of the most fulfilling aspects of land ownership is the continual challenge to develop and improve. Our small cattle farm on the edge of sandveld that merged with the Kalahari semi-desert proper had on it two little dams. Built on the cheap with wheelbarrow, pick and shovel, these two little dams filled quickly and at the end of the rainy season, dried up after a few months, leaving a water source problem for the free-ranging beef cattle.



In response to this, the spillway of the bigger dam was raised by a good four feet – all was now ready for the onset of the following rainy season. When the first rains came, they fell first in large, stinging droplets that pocked the dust on the hard, dry ground, then broke roaring into a solid, drenching downpour. When it was over, we rushed down to the dam, half-wondering whether our handiwork had been swept away, but there it was, solid, complacently defiant as the spruit rushed headlong against it, checked, swirling and spreading slowly over more than double the area it had covered before. A new era had dawned on our little patch of Bushveld that would change its nature for the better to the advantage of generations to come.



An obvious immediate effect of the expanded water surface was that the tall mopani trees, previously well clear of the waters edge, now stood well into the dam, their leafy branches incongruous and a little forlorn. Those branches would never be leafy again. By the end of the season, the mopani trees, and all the little drowned bushes were dead.



The trees, however, did not fall over. Their deep roots anchored them firmly down into the subsoil far below the muddy floor of the dam. The mopani lost their leaves and died, but remained standing, stark, gaunt and proud, useful perching places for lone fish-eagles, lesser hawks, shrikes, sinuous white egrets, and cormorants.



Cormorants or Shags are not well known for their beautiful plumage, sweet song or mating dance. They have no particularly alluring feature to be remarked upon. They have a long hook-tipped bill, patches of bare skin on their face and a small throat pouch known as a gular sac. They are dark in colour, from a distance – black - and they breed on land in both hemispheres. This is the Cormorant Phalacrocorax Carbo, also called the Great Cormorant or the Great Black Cormorant or the Black Shag. They grow up to 40” long and have a distinguishing white patch on their cheeks.



All Cormorants or Shags are fish eaters and will also eat eels, water snakes and water molluscs of various kinds. They have been regarded as being in competition with man over food and as a result were not a welcome visitor to an area where fishing was an occupation. Their numbers dwindled through culling, but are no longer in decline.



To prepare for their dive, they often do a little half-jump before diving to depths up to 50 yards. Their longest dive is about 30 seconds, not really enough time to lie in wait and plan a surprise attack on unsuspecting fish. They are very good underwater swimmers though. Attributes which aid them in this is that they close their external nostrils when underwater and their plumage traps little air, especially their large contoured feathers. This greatly reduces their buoyancy, helping them to keep submerged. They may have gland secretions too to help keep their feathers waterproofed.



They can be seen with their wings outstretched seemingly sunning themselves after their fishing exploits. At these times their throat pouch pants rapidly. This internal system works like air- conditioning. The food and especially the water they take in is used up in the cooling process. If the water is salty, trickles of salt can be seen coming down from the end of their bill.



It is however the slightly smaller Japanese cormorant P.Capillatus which has been trained to aid the fishermen. The birds follow the boatman up and down as he works his fishing spot, diving for fish. When they come up he calls them to the boat and squeezes their throat. The fish they've caught lies within a pouch, a little like the pelican's, but much smaller. The fish is popped out of the pouch and the bird goes back to its diving activities. The birds are rewarded when they catch a large fish. The reward is a much smaller one, from the catch. (search YouTube to see it in action)

Cats, Domestic Cats, And House Cats History Revealed By Martin Marks

Cats, also referred as Felis catus, house cats and domestic cats are small, cute carnivorous mammals. For cat lovers around the world, who wish to know more about these adorable pets, below is a physiology of cats. To start with, studies reveal that around 69 billion of cats are present in the U.S. homes.

They are the second most favored pets after dogs. They can be interbred and have to be registered as pedigree pets. Human beings value cats very much for their superior companionship and capabilities to hunt rodents.

Researchers suggest that association of cats with human dates back some 9500 years ago. They believed that ancient Egyptians were first to domesticate cats, as they considered cats as religious animals. However, recent study shows that, people in other continents also domesticated cats around the same time.

Cats are expert predators and can hunt more than 1000 types of species. However, cats are easily teachable to obey commands. Some cats learn without training such as they can bolt the lock and work on simple mechanisms.

Their vocalizations vary and they use different body languages to communicate. The common vocalizations include meowing, hissing, grunting and growling.

Size And Skeleton Of Cats:

An adult domestic cat weighs about 4.5 -6.8 kilograms. Female feline weighs anywhere between 6 - 10 pounds, about 2.7 - 4.8 kilograms. The height of the cat is about 8 to 10 inches, which means they are around 20-25 centimeters in height.

The length of cat from its nose tip to the tail base averages between 18- 20 inches (46-51 centimeters) long. The size of the cats also depends on their skeleton size. The skeleton of the cat is very prominent. Their spines (backbone) have more bones because it supports the tail.

Their vertebral columns are not rigid as in human being. However, they are extremely flexible. This peculiar feature of flexibility helps them to bend their backs, twist, and twirl their bodies, so that they can squeeze through minimum gaps.

Secondly, a cat does not possess collarbone (Clavicle). If it had a collarbone, then it may not have been able to slip away through the narrow spaces. The skeleton of the cat is symmetrical and starts from the head region to entire body. The general structure of the cat's skeleton includes of three subunits.

The first skeletal subunit includes appendicular skeleton, which contains bones of fore limbs and hind limbs. The second subunit includes axial skeleton, which contains cranium, ribs, spine, and sternum. Third skeletal subunit is the visceral skeleton, which constitutes parts of other bodily organs such as ossicles (middle ear) and paws.

Functions Of Cat's Skeleton:

Cat's skeleton mainly carries out four functions. First, it supports and shields the body. Secondly, the bones work as levers to execute the muscular action. The skeleton also functions as the storehouse for phosphorous, calcium and other vital elements.

Lastly, cat's skeleton also serves as storage space for RBC (red blood cell), WBC (white blood cells) and fats.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=259302&ca=Pets

Things To Consider Before You Adopt A Chihuahua By Clarence Clark

Chihuahuas are loving pets. They are small enough for you to cuddle. They are very alert and they make an excellent guard dog. Every dog lovers would love to have a Chihuahua as a house pet. But before you get one for yourself, there are some things to consider before you adopt a Chihuahua.

There are some things that your need to review before adopting a Chihuahua. If you are willing to adopt a Chihuahua, are you mentally prepared to be fully committed to take care of this pet no matter what happens?

When it comes to adopting a Chihuahua, it matters a lot whether the dog that you adopt is an adult or a puppy.

Generally, Chihuahua puppies are easier to take care. Adopting a baby Chihuahua is definitely an advantage, as you will get to raise it up according to your wish. This also helps to ensure that the pup gets proper treatment and it will eventually grow up to a healthy and happy adult Chihuahua. By getting the chance to train the Chihuahua personally, you will get to forge a stronger bond with your pup. As such, both of you will be best friends in no time.

A Chihuahua puppy is able to adjust to new surrounding better than adult Chihuahuas. However, you must be prepared of some damage that it might cause in the house. This calls for house training. Again, this will take quite some time but if you train your Chihuahua well, she can be very obedient.

Adult Chihuahuas do not require much attention. This is because they already have certain behaviors established. But adult Chihuahuas can be temperamental, so keep a look out for that.

The thing about adult Chihuahua is that it is difficult to re-train the dog again. The dog is too accustomed with its own habit such that it resists any changes. As such, you will have to put up with any disturbing habits from your Chihuahua.

Overall, Chihuahuas are very fragile creatures. They can be severely injured with just a fall. As Chihuahuas can be pretty adventurous both in and out of the house, they love to climb on high surfaces. As aforementioned, these pets are very fragile. Thus, if you are thinking of adopting a Chihuahua, check to see if your house is well protected. As these dogs are tiny, we tend to step on them and such. They might go missing at times and it pretty hard to keep a look out for them especially if you have a big house.

So, if you are not prepared to play hide and seek, it is best that you adopt a dog that is slightly bigger than the Chihuahua.

Chihuahuas are definitely adorable, but because of its small size, they are more prone to diseases. Some of the healthy problems would include respiratory problems and dehydration. Because of this, you got to spend quite a large sum of money for regular check ups.

These fragile Chihuahuas have weak ligaments that cause the kneecap to float in and out of place. So, if you plan to make your Chihuahua be your jogging partner, think again.

The Chihuahua is such a delicate creature such that it is almost impossible for it to live by itself, unlike other dogs.

A Chihuahua would require your 100% attention all the time. And if you fail to do so, it might get pretty upset and jealous. It is best that you get a friendly and east going dog for adoption, if you think that you are not up to the challenge.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=259327&ca=Pets

Basic Horse Training Aids To Help You Get Started By Michael Paetzold

There are tools for every trade, and the right set of horse training aids can make the difference between success and frustration. Don’t be tempted to skimp on this area of investment.

All horse training is serious business. The average animal outweighs the trainer by an impressive margin, and the horse training aids you choose can help prevent serious injury.

-- Rope Halter

The most basic of horse training aids is the halter and lead rope combination. A rope halter will facilitate tying and leading, and works better than a flat halter because it will prevent leaning while at the same time being comfortable for the horse. The halter is placed on the animal’s head.

-- Lead Rope

The lead rope is attached to the halter and used to direct or “steer” the horse. In many ways this horse training aid is like a leash.

-- Longe Line

The term longeing refers to the set of training skills used to teach a horse direction, posture, and how to yield or move off pressure. And the longe line is the training aid used to accomplish this.

-- Progress String

In most cases, this horse training aid is a thin, braided rope with an eye splice at one end and leather “popper” at the other. This device is used in many ways.

You can apply a progress string as a visual aid. For instance, to let the horse know when he is in your space.

Also you can use this tool to make physical contact from the saddle. The progress string is not heavy enough to cause a horse any pain, but the popper end make s a distinct noise when applied, and can work in place of a crop.

-- Large Rubber Ball

Perhaps a less traditional horse training aid is a large rubber ball, like the kind you can buy at any toy store. This aid is great for conditioning the horse’s nerves.

You can roll the ball around in front of the horse, and even roll it gently into the horse’s legs. Also, while in the saddle, you can direct the horse into the ball and gently guide the animal to move the ball around with its legs.

This sort of training will help you desensitize your horse to unexpected movement and objects, thus decreasing the likelihood of getting spooked.

-- Plastic Tarp

Another tool for developing the horse’s courage, a common plastic tarp is an inexpensive and effective training aid. Start by laying the tarp out in the training area and leading your horse over it, or even asking the horse to walk over the tarp on its own.

As you know, a tarp can get pretty noisy when walked on. And it will create the illusion of strange footing.

You could even slowly work into an exercise where you place the tarp over your horse’s back, possibly completely covering him or her with the tarp. This not only develops the horses’ trust in you, it also simulates noisy brush and other riding situations and helps desensitize the horse to such conditions.

This list of horse training aids will give you plenty to work with in the beginning. Of course as training progresses you will need more advanced tools and tactics.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=259968&ca=Pets