Adopting a Pharaoh Hound: An Exotic Dog
August 28, 2009 by Kimberly · Leave a Comment
If you’re looking for a more unusual common pet, then you’ll want to look for more “exotic” breeds of dogs, cats, birds or fish.
The Pharaoh Hound is a great example of an exotic breed of dog that is domesticated and a fabulous pet and part of the family.
Pharaoh Hound Puppies
Pharaoh Hound
History and origin: The Pharaoh Hound is an ancient breed of hound, going back to the Phoenician empire. They took these hounds with them when they set up residence at Malta and Gozo. They are medium sized and generally used for hunting by Egyptian nobility, they hunted everything from rabbits to gazelles.
Description: The Pharaoh Hound can weigh anywhere from 45-60 pounds and will stand about 21-25 inches in length. They have a beautiful coat, either red or tan that requires very little maintenance. Their eyes are amber and they are known to be very athletic and are able to move extremely gracefully.
About the breed: Documents show that the Pharaoh Hound is the oldest domesticated hound in recorded history. They were very important in Ancient Egypt and played a prominent role in the lives of kings and nobles. Their elegance, intelligence, and power made them very popular among different hounds. They are very affectionate, but cautious, they do not appreciate chaos of any kind around them. They have a high prey drive and you have to watch them around smaller animals because they will attack them. Therefore, they are terrible watch dogs. Pharaoh Hounds are site hounds and need to have Read more
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European Eel Numbers Plummeted by 90%
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Anguillidae
Genus: Anguilla
Species: A. anguilla
European Eels are a snake-like fish that’s usually between 1-1.5 meters in length.
They partake in a 3-year long migration, originally spawning in the Saragasso sea then heading towards Europe.
By the time they enter estuaries in Europe, they are considered to be “glass eels”, I suppose because they are see-thru mostly.
When they enter those freshwater estuaries and river systems, they undergo a Read more
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Coral is an Animal!
November 10, 2008 by Kimberly · Leave a Comment
That’s what I said…It’s not a plant or a fungus…
It’s a living, breathing animal, and it is precious! In fact, it is often called precious coral when it is red or pink in coloration.
The coral that is of red or pink “skeleton” is often used in jewelry making and sculpted art. It is soft and opaque making it ideal to use as beads or cabochon-type settings.
In fact, the coral is the word used to describe the color of the coral too…
It is mostly made up of Read more
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The Endangered Caledonian Forest in Scotland
If you’ve never heard of the Caledonian Forest, it’s time to listen up…LOL…
Basically, the Caledonian Forest is like the “Rainforest” of Scotland. It used to cover 1.5 million hectares of the Scottish Highlands, and now, only about 1% of that remains in 35 isolated areas.
This is devastating, not only to Scotland and it’s amazing wildlife, but to the world in general. We depend upon trees to survive…
The species like beaver, tarpan, wild boar and the lynx are that inhabited these forests are gone.
Photo left: Tarpan (wild horse), extinct since 1919 – This is the only known photo of a live tarpan in existence from the late 1800s.
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This forest is a unique ecosystem in the British Isles and is home to some of the rarest wildlife:
1. There are 13 bird species that breed here that are found nowhere else in the British Isles.
2. 8 more bird species breed here that are considered rare in the British Isles.
3. There are 8 mammals still present in the remaining Caledonian Forest.
4. 8 mammals are considered extinct here, including:
European Beaver- Wild Boar
- Gray Wolf
- Elk
- Aurochs
- Eurasian Lynx
- Brown Bear
- Tarpan (wild horse)
Photo right: Aurochs, extinct since 1627
What an awful shame!
What do we do now?
Well, programs have been instituted to attempt to reforest the Great Caledonian. You can volunteer in replanting, or support these endeavors. Check out the site, TreesForLife.org.uk, to find out more information on the Caledonian Forest and how you can help with reforestation.
Some of the Scottish landowners have been planning to build game reserves on their estates to release some of the species that are now considered extinct in the area, as listed above.
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I hope you find this post on the Environment and European Animals interesting on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…
Live Exotically,
Kimberly Edwards 
P.S.
Technorati Tags: Caledonian Forest, Scottish Highlands, extinct animals, reforestation, environment, British Isles, Scotland, Caledonian
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Watch Out For Animal Thieves In The Night…
June 9, 2008 by Kimberly · Leave a Comment
This is one hilarious video that I had to share with you…
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Great video…such funny, little animals!
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia???????? ????? ????????
Order: Carnivora
Family: Procyonidae
Genus: Procyon
Species: P. lotor
Conservation Status:
The raccoon is considered a species of least concern.
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I hope you enjoyed this North American Animal post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…
Live Exotically,
Kimberly Edwards
P.S. Check out this adorable Raccoon poster:
Technorati Tags: raccoon, raccoon thief, animal video, animal humor, animal thief, mammals, North American animals, European animals, omnivore
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Amazing Rescue of Over 100 Stranded Horses
June 5, 2008 by Kimberly · 2 Comments
I discovered this video yesterday and thought it was so amazing that I had to share it with you!
Watch & Be Amazed:
I had chills going up my spine while I watched this amazing video…
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I hope you enjoyed this European Animal post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…
Live Exotically,
Kimberly Edwards
P.S. If you enjoyed this video, check out this Horse Rescue Video Collection:
Technorati Tags: horses, stranded horses, rescued animals, animal rescue, Netherlands, European animal, mammals
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Don’t Get Caught in the Easter Bunny Trap!
March 14, 2008 by Kimberly · Leave a Comment
Bunnies and Easter just go together!!! What’s cuter than seeing a child with a bunny?
Just don’t fall into the trap of buying a bunny for your toddler or child at Easter time, when you are all “caught up in the moment”, just to have them lose interest and you having to take over the duties of care for your new furry friend.
Or worse, be in need of an outlet to get rid of the rabbit after you realize you don’t have time for one…
However, if you do have time and are willing, rabbits make wonderful, loving pets! They seem to get cuter to you by the day!
There are so many types of domesticated rabbit, including French lop-eared rabbits, dwarf rabbits, giant rabbits, and the list goes on and on…
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genera:
Pentalagus
Bunolagus
Nesolagus
Romerolagus
Brachylagus
Sylvilagus
Oryctolagus
Poelagus
Conservation Status:
Almost 1/2 of the Read more
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Peregrine Falcons – Making A Comeback
The Peregrine Falcon is a bird that is close to the heart of many Niagarans…
At Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, they have been running a breeding program for this dangerously endangered bird in this area…
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
Species: F. peregrinus
Conservation Status:
On a whole, the Peregrine Falcon is a species of least concern…However, in this area, their numbers have been slowly growing from an endangered state.
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Birds – The Peregrine Falcon by Michael Russell
The peregrine falcon is the best known falcon and most widespread in the world. However if you travel to North Dakota, you won’t see many and you will not find any at all in Antarctica.
This falcon was on the endangered species list back in 1970 because of a problem with egg shell thinning that was caused mainly by use of the pesticide DDT during the 1950s and 60s. It took biologists 20 years to figure out that the pesticide used to protect plants from insects was the problem affecting these birds and other animals. Small animals ate the plants contaminated with the pesticide, and when the peregrine falcon hunted those animals, the infected flesh poisoned them. The chemical even changed the behavior of peregrine falcons in that it made them stop caring for their young.
The federal government banned the use of DDT in the United States; however, the recovery process took a while because the chemical residue remained in the environment. Other countries which are home to peregrine falcons still use DDT, and that, along with trapping and shooting by poachers, still cause the bird’s population to decrease. Today the endangered list still includes the peregrine falcon, and they are gradually increasing in population.
The peregrine falcon is not a very large bird; it is about the size of a Read more
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Kisses, Hugs & Ladybugs
I just saw a little ladybug in my kitchen…in the middle of winter…
So, I was so inspired to bring you an article on them…
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Superfamily: Cucujoidea
Family: Coccinellidae
Subfamilies:
1. Chilocorinae
2. Coccidulinae
3. Coccinellinae
4. Epilachninae
5. Scymininae
6. Sticholotidinae
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Ladybugs, Ladybugs, Come to My Garden
By Lesley Dietschy
Ladybugs, also called lady beetles or ladybirds, can be a gardener’s best friend. The ladybug’s bright coloring brings welcomed cheer to the garden, as well as helping with pest control. Since medieval times, ladybugs have been valued by farmers all over the world. Many believe that the ladybug was divinely sent to free crops of insect pests. In fact, that is how the ladybug got its name. People dedicated the bug to the Virgin Mary and therefore called it “The Bug of our Lady”, which was eventually shortened to the present name “ladybug”.
Adult ladybugs are usually Read more
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Enjoying The Pleasure Of Bird Feeding In Winter
December 29, 2007 by ingrid · Leave a Comment
My mother wrote this article for you to share her enjoyment of feeding little feathered friends in the winter! Enjoy!
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Oh, what joy to look out into your yard on a cold winter’s day and see hungry little birds enjoying the bounty you have provided. Not only have you given them a valuable food source but you have the benefit of watching them forage through the menu of the day while listening to their songs, chirping and chatter of their delightful, private birdie conversations.
How to get started:
Well, remember that once you start to feed, it is imperative to continue feeding on a consistent basis as the birds will come to rely on you for sustenance.
The more variety of food available, the greater range of birds that will be attracted to your yard. Of course a variety of seeds are available at your supermarket.
In addition, some foods that are desirable are sunflower seeds, corn (on the cob or cracked), peanuts (crushed peanut shells are preferable, as the shells are beneficial to the digestive system – a good way to use up the holiday leftover nuts, suet (made of essential animal fats which are lacking in the winter months), squash and pumpkin seeds (when preparing your squash and pumpkin be sure to save the seeds for the birds). It is a good idea to put out apples, raisins, bananas and a little left over pie crust is a treat too.
Try discarding your holiday Read more
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