Ahhh…My favorite species of animal is the Red Panda…

Unfortunately, they are extremely endangered. However, thankfully, there are a number of breeding programs in the world that are doing their best to ensure the survival of this species.

Edmonton’s Valley Zoo just had the 2nd arrival of twin baby red pandas! Yeahhh!!! They were born May 26th in captivity, and were named Tai (female) and Pip (male).

The babies are no longer with their mother, as she began to groom one of the babies too aggressively, but are in great hands with surrogate, human caretakers.

At this point, their eyes are still sealed shut and they are very furry. Sleeping most of time curled up together, the twins are fed puppy formula by bottle, after graduating from stomach tubes.

There are roughly only about 2000-4000 wild red pandas in the world, but the cyclone in Myanmar greatly disturbed their habitat, and the numbers are now unknown.

There were only 4 red pandas born last year in captivity in North America, including these twins other twin brother and sister. In fact, the other 2 pandas were also born in Canadian zoos.

A total of 45 red pandas are in captivity in North America now, and every one of them is crucial to the species’ survival!

To read the original article @ Yahoo, click here.

Unlike the Giant Panda, the Red Panda is not a bear…It actually belongs in the same superfamily as skunks, weasels and raccoons.

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Eutheria
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Caniformia
Superfamily: Musteloidea
Family: Ailuridae
Genus: Ailurus
Species: A. fulgens

There are 2 subspecies of red panda:
1. Western Red Panda
2. Styan’s Red Panda – somewhat larger

Interestingly, although they are in the Carnivorous order, they actually are mainly herbivores eating mostly bamboo, although are known to supplement their diets with other plants, berries, grasses, insects, fish, eggs, young birds and small rodents. In captivity, it has been shown that they will readily eat red meat.

Conservation Status:
As I mentioned earlier, they are considered Endangered.

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I hope you enjoyed this

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S.

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Furry Arrival of Twin Red Pandas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

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:

Animal Rescue V03- Best Horse Rescues

Technorati Tags: horses, stranded horses, rescued animals, animal rescue, Netherlands, European animal, mammals

Amazing Rescue of Over 100 Stranded Horses is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Remote infra-red wildlife camera traps caught footage of the world’s most rare rhinoceros in the Ujung Kulon National Park in the jungles of Java Island in Indonesia.

The first of any footage collected in 5 years of the Javan rhinoceros, a mother and her calf were caught unawares by this “eye in the jungle”, but the mother did not like the looks of the camera and charged it, and head-butted the camera, knocking it down causing any more footage to disappear.

However, the camera was retrieved with the great night-time footage that ensued prior to the “TKO”, which will be used by researchers to delve into the secret lives of these rhino, of which there is not much information, especially about breeding habits, and rearing of young.

Check out the video here:

The estimates of population of the Javan rhinoceros in the wild comes back around 60 animals. Approximately 50 are thought to inhabit this national park. None are kept in captivity at the present time.

It has been suggested that they will remove some animals from this breeding population periodically, in case some kind of catastrophe sets in in that area, lest we lose this species forever.

Known for it’s small stature, single horn and loosely folded skin, it has been predicted by WWF that this is the world’s most endangered large mammal on the planet.

To read more on this story, go to: Cameras catch glimpse of world’s rarest rhino: WWF

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Rhinocerotidae
Genus: Rhinoceros
Species: R. sondaicus

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Photo above: European hunter with dead Javan rhinoceros in 1895

Conservation Status:
As mentioned earlier, it is critically endangered, and may very well be the most endangered large mammal on the planet.

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I hope you enjoyed this Exotic Animal Newsflash from Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Be sure to join the Exotic Animal Lover Community on MyBlogLog!

Technorati Tags: Javan rhinoceros, rhinoceros, endangered species, mammal, rhino, Asian animal, Indonesian animal, Ujung Kulon, Java Island

Most Endangered Large Mammal on Planet Amazingly Caught on Camera is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Well, it’s a sight to see…

Way too funny…A must see…Check it out here:

Rapping Easter Bunny

I wish you all a Very Happy Easter! I hope you get to enjoy it with the people that you love…***

I hope you enjoyed this installment of Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards ;D

P.S. Any cute bunny stories, about the actual animal, to tell us? Comment in the box below!

Technorati Tags: Easter bunny, bunny, rabbit, animals, Easter, mammals, funny animals

Have You Ever Seen The Easter Bunny Rap? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I hope you enjoy all of these different breeds of rabbits!

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards ;D

P.S. Do you share your home with a pet bunny? If you do, what breed are they, and what color? Any great bunny stories for Easter time? Let us know by Commenting in the Comment Box Below…

Technorati Tags: rabbits, bunny, Easter bunny, Easter, exotic pets, pets, mammals

Easter Bunny Show… is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

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
world’s rabbit species are in danger of extinction, often being the most vulnerable amongst the mammals.

Photo left: European rabbit

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I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards ;D

P.S. If you do decide to adopt a Bunny, this is your Essential Guide For Rabbit Owners: How To Train, Care And Build Trust With Your Pet Rabbit In 30 Days Or Less:

How to Train & Care for your Rabbit

Technorati Tags: rabbit, bunny, Easter bunny, bunnies, hares, lop eared rabbit, dwarf rabbit, giant rabbit, domesticated animal, pets, exotic pets, mammal, herbivore

Don’t Get Caught in the Easter Bunny Trap! is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Bombycidae
Genus: Bombyx
Species: B. mori

I watched the movie “Silk” today with my mother, and it had me thinking about the Silkworm…

No longer able to live in the wild due to it’s extreme natural selection for domestication, silkworms make silk…The cocoons they create from their salivary glands protects them during their pupal state.

It is legend that the ancient empress Xi Ling-Shi discovered silk when one day she was drinking her tea under a tree when a cocoon fell into her cup. She fished it out and the silk started to unravel out of the cocoon. She realized that it was strong enough for textile…She taught this to her people and the Chinese vehemently kept this secret from the world.

Story has it that a Chinese monk smuggled silkworms in a hollowed stick and sold this secret to the Europeans.

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I hope you enjoy today’s installment of Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards ;D

P.S. If you haven’t seen the movie “Silk“, do check it out…It has love stories and turmoil surrounding the silk trade:

Technorati Tags: silkworm, silk, insects, endangered species, domesticated animal, domesticated species, Asian animals, herbivore, Silk

What’s The Story on the Silkworm? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Many of the world’s most endangered animals also hail from the Amazon…

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Amazon Rainforest Animals by Lucien Oliveira

Most of the world’s rainforests are located in Central and South America, West and Central Africa, and Southeast Asia. They are very wet areas near the equator that give true meaning to the expression “world of abundance”, an expression that reflects on the variety of rainforest animals. Brazil holds 30% of all tropical rainforests that remain on Earth, and they are represented by Amazonia.

The Amazon rainforest animals are part of a big ecosystem sustained by an incredible amount of trees and other plants. Almost every inch is covered with vegetation. Amazonia has 427 species of mammals, 1294 species of birds, 378 of reptiles, 427 amphibians, and 3,000 fish. Among the mammals we can find the jaguar, an incredibly agile animal with a powerful bite, giant otters, the pink dolphin, also called “boto” by the natives, which is one of the three species of dolphins on Earth that live on freshwater, sloths (large and slow moving animals), armadillos, the peculiar tamandua, or anteater, tapirs, which are active mostly at night, manatees – the Amazon species is exclusively vegetarian and also one of the three manatee species in the world, etc. However, the majority of mammals are rodents and bats.

Among the birds, there is the harpy eagle, a great hunter that eats practically all species of mammals found in the Amazon rainforest, even monkeys. Other examples are the toucan, a colorful bird that is the symbol of Amazonia, the hoatzin, a unique bird with a small head and a long neck, hummingbirds, which are quite small and very hyperactive, and many other colorful, pretty birds. Among the reptiles, we can find the famous boa, which has a unique way of killing their prey: they wrap around the prey suffocating it and crashing its bones in order to be able to swallow it as a whole. Crocodiles, alligators, and turtles are also present in the rainforest.

The amphibians are mainly toads, frogs, and tree frogs. For example, the dart poison frog and the giant cane toad, which has got a strong poison that is enough to kill small animals. Among the fish, there is the famous red piranha, a carnivore fish that is known for its voracious appetite, the feared electric eel, and the Pirarucu, which is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. This amazing fish can weigh up to 150 kg.

These are the most famous rainforest animals in Amazonia, but, crawling around, there are an immense amount of insects. You can find cockroaches as big as the palm of your hand, Rhinoceros beetles and their peculiar horn, Morpho butterflies with their astonishing deep blue wings, and also termites and ants, such as the leaf-cutter ant with its massive, strong jaw. No matter where you look, you will find enchanting and interesting species. After all, that is what rainforests represent: a universe of blooming life.

Lucien Oliveira is a freelance writer with strong interest nature, wildlife and animals. You can find more about wildlife, animals and geographic national. Read more about wildlife portraits.

Article Directory: Article Dashboard

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I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards ;D

P.S. To learn more about the Amazonian Rain Forest, check out this informative book:

Discovering the Amazon Rain Forest Discovering the Amazon Rainforest

Technorati Tags: geographic national, wildlife portraits, endangered animals, animal endangered, rainforest animals, jaguar, harpy eagle, rhinoceros beetle, poison dart frog

Majestic Animals of the Amazonian Rainforest is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Conservation Status:
Sheep are a domesticated, farm animal the world over…

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Sheep Rule – Tales From The Roads Of Ireland
By Miriam Susong

“There are sheep in the road!” she screamed. “What?” I replied. With her voice ten octaves higher, my daughter Sarah yelled, “There are sheep on the road!” Calmly, I retorted, “I don’t see any shee . . .p!” “Wow, that was a close one,” I exclaimed as I slammed on the brakes. Sure as anything, there were sheep in the road. They were really on the side of the road, but from where my daughter sat, I guess they looked like they were closer to the middle of the road. There was a fold, (I guess you call them a fold . . . they did in Biblical times). They had big x’s painted on them. Pink x’s. Blue x’s. Someone we met explained that the color of the x’s designated what farm the sheep belonged to.

Sheep lover that I am, I stopped the car and I begin to say softly, “Here, sheep. Come to over here to me.” My daughters laughed at me when they heard what I had said to the sheep. But the kid in me wanted to pet one of the sheep. The sheep could have cared less if I had come all the way from America to pet them, let alone almost take their life away as I was mastering driving on the opposite side of the road. They stayed far back from the fence and barely gave me a glance. Moral of the story? Watch out for the sheep! I am sure you have heard about the sheep in Ireland. They are not storybook kind of sheep where the shepherd is seen holding his staff in his hand. They are real honest to goodness sheep who rule the road. So, if you don’t want to be wearing a wool coat with an “x” on it, go slow, and remember, “Sheep Rule.”

Miriam Susong, has been a Registered Nurse for over twenty years. She has worked mostly in the hospital setting. Miriam has long recognized the stress of nursing and the need to do something about it. She would self medicate with a getaway every few months. She would come back refreshed and renewed . . . able to be happy about her work again. Recently, Ms. Susong created a web site http://www.justgottagetaway.com in which she plans getaways for people who just love to getaway. Her specialty is planning surprise getaways. As a nurse, she knows how to care for and about people. This is evident in her planning getaways for others.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Sheep-Rule—Tales-From-The-Roads-Of-Ireland&id=500975

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I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Check out this picturesque Sheep Calendar for 2008! Only $12.99:

“Calendar 2008: Sheep”“Simply the best Sheep calendar published. Featuring superb photography, you will enjoy this Sheep calendar throughout the year, each month has a different picture. Overall size of the Sheep wall calendar, when fully opened, is approximately 12” x 24”. Get one for the home, office or they also make a nice gift.”

Technorati Tags: Ireland, sheep, mammals, bovine, Aires, European animals, farm animals, herbivore, travel, bovine

Sheep Rule! is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Photo courtesy of:
http://www.es.com/products/digital_theater/shows/christmasstar/resources/christmas_still2.jpg

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Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Camelidae
Genus: Camelus
Species:
Camelus bactrianus
Camelus dromedarius
Camelus gigas (fossil)
Camelus hesternus (fossil)
Camelus sivalensis (fossil)

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I hope you enjoyed today’s gorgeous photo on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically…And, Don’t Forget the Reason For the Season!

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Check out our other site:

ChristianFirePower.com

Technorati Tags: camel, dromedary, wise men, Jesus, Christmas, Christmas Day, Bethlehem, camel photo, mammal, Asian animal

Camels Transported The Wise Men is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover