collecting all the critters

Hey there! Call me Kat :)

I (impulsively) made this blog to keep track of every animal. I may add more mods to this project because trying to list every animal is a daunting task. But for now:

I’m the only mod! I have mirror pronouns (basically you call me by whatever you use). I’m aspiring to go into the wilderness/environment field someday! Animals have been a huge passion of mine since I was young, and I love learning about them. I hope you can learn some fun facts about critters here too :)

Submissions are open! Just fill out this template, and send it in.

Note that this is not an advice blog! As far as education goes, this is meant to be like reading the plaques in a zoo. Please don’t send asks about animal care!

That’s all! Feel free to explore and take a look at what we’ve got in the archive so far. Thanks for visiting <3

Pfp and wallpaper source

Common name: Peregrine falcon, Black-cheeked falcon, Duck hawk

Scientific name: Falco peregrinus

Can be found in: almost everywhere on earth, except for extreme polar regions, very high mountains, and most tropical rainforests. They have become adapted to urban environments as pigeons (Columbidae) are a major food source.

Info: Peregrines hold the title of being the fastest animals on earth. Their hunting technique involves flying high into the air, then stooping (diving) towards their target, allowing gravity to assist and accelerate in their speed. They average 40-55 km/h (25-34 mph) in regular flight, and can go over 322 km/h (200 mph) while hunting; about travelling the length of a football field in 1.2 seconds.

Several adaptations in the peregrine's body allow it to achieve these speeds. When the bird tucks in their feet, and sweeps back its tail and wings, it gives their body the shape of a bullet. Their wings are pointed and angled, reducing resistance. They also have a large keel (breastbone), which supports their large breast muscles. Their Nictitating membrane (Third eyelid) allows for precise vision in high speeds. The speeds the peregrine dives at would make it impossible for most animals to breathe, but the peregrine has a bone in their nostril to slow the airflow. A peregrine will fight against 25 Gs when coming out of a stoop; an F-16 fighter pilot will experience 9 Gs during operation.

Peregrines nearly became extinct with the usage of DDT pesticides; the chemical would affect the eggshell's ability to harden. With the ban on DDT in the 1970s, and captive breeding programs, the peregrine's population has bounced back to a stable level.

Common name: Giant anteater, Ant bear

Scientific name: Myrmecophaga tridactyla

Can be found in: swamps, humid forests and savannahs in Central and South America. Most commonly found in the tropical grasslands of Venezuela, but also occur in the Amazon basin in Paraguay and Argentina.

Info: The Giant anteater is the largest of the four living species of anteaters, which are classified as sloths in the order Pilosa. They can grow to be 1.8 m long (6 ft, which includes the snout and tail) and their tongue can be up to 60 cm (24 in). The long hairs on the Giant anteater's tail work both as shade in the heat, and a blanket in cold weather. They only have two predators: jaguars (genus Panthera) and pumas (genus Puma).

Their claws and thick coats help protect them from these felines- these claws are so big, they have to walk on their wrists. While they have poor eyesight, they have a powerful sense of smell; about 40x that of a human's! Since they have no teeth, they grind insects against their palate, and their stomachs have hardened folds to further break down the bugs. They also lack stomach acid, so the formic acid ants and termites secrete assists in the digestive process. They're listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and are the most endangered animals in Central America. They have an estimated population of <5,000.

Common name: Short-beaked common dolphin, Common dolphin

Scientific name: Delphinus delphis

Can be found in: Tropical and temperate waters

Info: The common dolphin is the most abundant cetacean in the world- the group includes whales, orcas, and narwhals. Although the common dolphin isn't seen in a lot of media like the Bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus and Tursiops adunctus), it was often depicted in ancient Greek and Roman artwork. While the high population of the species puts it at Least Concern status, it conversely works against them. In Europe, they are the species most commonly caught in bycatch (where a species is caught by nets or other fishing gear by accident). The species has been observed bow riding (surfing waves) made by whales and boats. Delphinus delphis has also bred with other species of dolphins, such as Striped Dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and bottlenose dolphins. There was a case in Southern Spain where a pod of Common Dolphins accepted a Bottlenose Dolphin (dubbed Billie), where she then had a hybrid child.

Common name: Short tailed pygmy tyrant

Scientific name: Myiornis ecaudatus

Can be found in: Tall, humid forests throughout most of the Amazon and central South America. Sometimes it's found in more open woodlands. If so, it's likely that it's around treefalls and tall trees in clearings.

Info: Myiornis ecaudatus is one of the smallest birds on the planet, only being beat by other species of hummingbirds. It is the smallest passerine, which is any bird of the order Passeriformes- the order includes over half of all bird species. While the beak is large for a bird this size, the tail is unusually short, likely how it got its name.

Common name: Bombardier Beetle

Scientific name: Stenaptinus insignis

Can be found in: North and South America, Europe, Australia, Middle East, Africa, Asia, New Zealand

Info: The Bombardier Beetle is known for its scalding chemical spray it shoots to protect itself from predators. It stores 1 4 benzoquinone and hydrogen peroxide together. When in danger, the Bombardier adds in a catalyst, which makes the 2 react together and reach a boiling point that makes it shoot out of the abdomen. The insect fires about 500-1,000 (five hundred to a thousand) blasts at its attacker per second.

Common name: Puss Moth, Southern Flannel Moth, Asp Moth

Scientific name: Megalopyge opercularis

Can be found in: The Eastern and Southern United States, (More specifically Virginia and Florida), Mexico, and parts of Central America

Info: The caterpillar's appearance makes it look like a small persian cat, giving it its "puss" name. Unfortunately, touching the bug causes the hairs to get embedded in the skin, causing rashes, blisters, and a severe burning pain. More extreme reactions can cause swollen lymph nodes, nausea, and respiratory distress. Most victims usually recover within a day, but extreme cases can linger for longer. There is no specific treatment for a sting, but ice packs, antihistamines, creams, and ointments can be used for pain relief.

Common name: no common name

Scientific name: Opabina regalis

Was found in: British Columbia, near the seafloor

Info: Opabinia is a marine species that is now extinct, but lived in the middle of the Cambrian era. The first fossil was discovered in the 1970s, and the first presentation of the creature made the audience laugh due to its appearance. It has 5 mushroom-shaped eyes, and a long hollow proboscis with spines at the end. The creature's length (excluding proboscis) ranges from 4 cm (1.6 in) to 7 cm (2.8 in). It is suspected that Opabinia used its proboscis to search through sediment on the sea floor to find food.

Common name: Manatee, Sea cows

Scientific name: Trichechus

Can be found in: depending on species, they can live in- the coasts and rivers of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the Amazon Basin, and West Africa.

Info: Manatees are marine herbivores that can weigh 440 to 1,300 pounds (199-589 kg). They are graceful swimmers that tend to move at about 5 miles an hour (8 km), but can swim 15 miles an hour (24 km) if needed. Manatees are born underwater, and can swim by themselves within an hour of birth. When still, they can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes. When swimming, they take a breath every 3-4 minutes. Their diet consists of water grasses, weeds, and algae. Manatees tend to hang out in small groups (about 6 or less) or by themselves. Trichechus is considered at risk, hunted for their hides and bones. When areas have more humans present, they may get hit by motorboats or get entangled in nets. Laws have been put in place in order to protect them.

Common name: Black Baza

Scientific name: Aviceda leuphotes

Can be found in: Forests of Northeast India, the eastern Himalayas, China and Southeast Asia

Info: the Black Baza is a bird of prey that mainly feeds on insects, either in the air or picking them off of plants. In the air, they use the method of hawking, flying off of a perch to grab a bug, then perching in the same spot or somewhere else. If they pick bugs off of plants, the feet are always used. They are found in dense forest and often hang out in groups. Black Bazas have also been seen trying to capture other birds (like Wagtails [Motacilla] ) by going into their flocks.

Common name: Livingstone's Turaco

Scientific name: Tauraco livingstonii

Can be found in: subtropical lowlands of southeastern Africa. Has an isolated population in Burundi, and can also be found in southern Tanzania, eastern and southern Malawi, eastern Zimbabwe, Mozambique and along the subtropical coast of South Africa.

Info: It's a monogamous bird, mating for life and typically laying two (2) eggs per nest. Most of its diet consists of fruit found in tree canopies. The species conservation status is of Least Concern.

Adult (pictured left) and baby (pictured right)

Common name: Tripod fish, Tripod spiderfish

Scientific name: Bathypterois grallator

Can be found in: Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, 878 to 4,720 m (2,881 to 15,486 ft) deep

Info: The Tripod fish uses its elongated fins to "stand" and hunt for food. Scientists aren't fully sure how their fins switch between flexible and stiff, but suspect that the fish pumps fluids into the fins when it needs the rigidity. The Tripod fish does not have strong eyesight to find food- it would be useless in its dark environment. Instead it uses touch and mechanosensory cues, and by "standing," its mouth is the perfect height for catching small fish and shrimp that swim by. All Tripod fish have male and female reproductive organs, and will fertilize their own eggs if they cannot find a mate.

Common Name: Assassin Spiders, Pelican Spiders

Scientific Name: Archaeidae is the family name; Afrarchaea godfreyi is considered the type species for this family.

Can Be Found In: South Africa, Madagascar, and Australia

Info: THEY HAVE NECKS. LIKE LOOK AT THOSE IMAGES LOOK HOW CURSED THAT IS. They prey exclusively on other spiders! There are about ninety described species in this family, and they're all ridiculous. They were first discovered through amber fossils in the 1840s, though no living examples were described until 1881. You can kind of see where the name "pelican" spider comes from if you view them in profile; they have a similar headshape with their pedipalps resembling the beak of a pelican; the way they spear and grab their prey is not unsimilar to a pelican, either.

Sources: x, x

Common name: Golden-mantled tree kangaroo

Scientific name: Dendrolagus pulcherrimus

Can be found in: Mountain rain forests of New Guinea

Info: Tree kangaroos are Macropods, making them related to true kangaroos (Macropodidae) and wallabies (Notamacropus). Some scientists consider it to be a subspecies of the Goodfellow's tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi) due to its similar appearance. Like the name implies, tree kangaroos live in trees; they feed on plant matter. Like true kangaroos, development occurs in the pouch of the mother. In order to get around, they have strong forearms to grab branches. They can jump 60 feet (18 m) in the air! The species is listed as Critically Endangered, losing its habitat through deforestation.

Common name: Black-footed Cat

Scientific name: Felis nigripes

Can be found in: southern Africa northward into southern Botswana, Namibia, Extreme southern Angola, and southern Zimbabwe. Its habitat is open savannas and semi-arid shrubland.

Info: despite the name, only the soles of the Black-footed Cat are in fact black. The species can travel up to 20 miles (32 km) a night in search for food, the farthest distance out of any small cat species. They are the world's deadliest cat, with a 60% success rate in hunting. They can kill up to 14 animals a night for food, and preys on 40 different vertebrates. Its prey can include scorpions, birds, and gerbils. Felis nigripes can jump up to 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) in order to catch food, and is not afraid of attacking animals much heavier than itself. The cats are usually solitary, only hanging out in groups when its a mother and kittens, with the litters usually having two (2) kittens. The cats have been studied with radio technology since the 1990s. Their status is listed as Vulnerable- one step above Endangered.