With time, Lakhi’s age caught up with her, and she showed signs of slowing down, old injuries got inflamed and she seemed to prefer resting against the mud beds in her enclosure
With time, Lakhi’s age caught up with her, and she showed signs of slowing down, old injuries got inflamed and she seemed to prefer resting against the mud beds in her enclosure. Late Saturday evening on the 3rd of March, she seemed more weary than usual, and even as her knees buckled under her, Asha and Coco rushed to her side to support her. Asha appeared calm and strong, as if she knew in her own way that this was it – Coco panicked initially, rushing about and running circles around her fallen friend. The team rushed in, the crane was called in to lift her back to her feet and support her – the elephants moved aside and watched, Asha touching them gently as they huddled together. They stood back as the team tried to get her back to her feet, even the younger elephants seemed uncharacteristically calm. Maybe they knew, maybe they realised it was time to let go and had their chance to say their goodbyes, and wanted to let her pass in peace. Lakhi resisted being lifted, as if she too knew her time had come. She let out her final breath and slumped down against the mud bed, eyes shut looking like she was completely at peace. As the team moved away, heartbroken, Asha rumbled loudly from where she was standing, but none of the elephants moved – Coco let out a small wail, and from every enclosure elephants responded softly with rumbles, trumpets and huffs all the way from the bulls to the closerby females like Phoolkali like an orchestra of calm, reassuring solidarity for their fallen friend.
Username: All_the_Best Published on 2024-12-24 11:53:18 ID NUMBER: 127760
Lice are tiny, wingless parasites. They divide into two groups: chewing lice, typically infesting birds and mammals, and sucking lice, feeding off mammals exclusively. Their body color ranges from whitish and yellow to brown or black.
Thrips are small hemimetabolic insects with a distinct elongated, cigar-shaped body. Their asymmetrical mouth sets them apart. Surprisingly, the right mandible is minimized and may even be absent in some species.
Earwigs are abundant creatures spread across the Americas and Eurasia. Their elongated bodies squeeze into tight crevices, like those found under bark.
Silverfish, a nocturnal insect known for its fish-like shape, lives mostly in the dark. This insect transforms from a white hatchling to a metallic, grayish adult. Key features include two long cerci, a terminal filament, and, in a few species, small eyes.
Mayflies populate the globe in clean freshwater habitats. The adult insects, characterized by their large compound eyes and short antennae, lack functional mouthparts or digestive tracts and hence do not feed in their winged stages.
The Glowworm beetle is an interesting creature. The females exhibit bioluminescence, resembling their larval stage. They cast light through photic organs on each body segment and sometimes from luminous bands extending across the body. These females are spotted more frequently than the larvae.
Tiger beetles thrive in sandy habitats across many continents, notably the United States. They're nimble creatures, quick to take flight and have a near-perfect vision. Their bright hues adorn their bodies, earning them the label "butterflies of the beetle world."
White rhinoceroses, also known as Square-lipped Rhinoceroses, rank among the largest land mammals. Their substantial weight can range from 2,200 to almost 8,000 pounds.
Plate-like folds complement their thick, pale grey skin. This density is clearly noticeable and quite impenetrable. They also sport a long neck with a hump, two uneven horns, a small set of eyes as compared to their body size, and a square-shaped lip.
Interestingly, the term "white" in their name is a misunderstood translation of "wide" in reference to their broad mouths.
They are native to the vast regions of southern Africa. However, now, their presence is limited to certain areas. While the Northern White Rhino subspecies was once found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Southern White Rhino subspecies is more spread across regions like Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe and protected areas like Kruger National Park.
They have a long gestation period spanning approximately 530 to 550 days. Consequently, their breeding interval lasts long, ranging between 2.5 to 3 years.
These types of rhinos are herbivorous, primarily consuming thick bush covers and short grasses. They play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and preventing wildfires. However, their existence is threatened due to high poaching activity, fueled mainly by illegal rhino horn demand in Southeast Asia.
The number of white rhinos could decline drastically without substantial conservation measures. Hence, the status of this African rhino species is pegged as Near Threatened.
Unfortunately, the Northern White Rhino subspecies are critically endangered1, with unconfirmed reports of surviving members in remote areas of South Sudan.
The Black Rhinoceros is widespread in southern and eastern Africa, effortlessly adapting to grasslands, deserts, and tropical forests.
The African rhinos' general skin color is grey, with some variance to yellow-brown or dark brown. Distinctively, the color tends to match the soil of their individual habitats. Apart from short, fringe-like hair on their ears, the rhino's skin is largely hairless.
In terms of size, males typically exceed females, with an average weight scale tipping between 1,700 and 3,000 pounds. This robust animal brandishes two uneven horns, with some showcasing a small third horn at the posterior.
Unlike the previously mentioned species, Black Rhinos have a pointed, prehensile upper lip that facilitates the feeding process. They leverage this advantage while browsing for their diet, primarily consisting of twigs, woody shrubs, and small trees.
Notably, the Black Rhino forms a mutualistic association with the oxpeckers. The bird not only feeds on the parasites on the rhino’s skin but also warns of incoming predators.
Unfortunately, the Black Rhinoceros is listed as Critically Endangered owing to heavy poaching for rhino horns in the late 20th century4, despite better protection and management. However, numbers have improved since the mid-90s.
The Indian rhinoceros, widely recognized as the Greater One-horned Rhino, resides primarily in the damp alluvial plains of northern India. Wallows and river dips form part of their daily routine. At the same time, dry savanna grasslands and eastern Himalayan deciduous forests serve as additional habitats.
The Indian Rhino has gray-brown skin that folds around its hind and front legs. Thanks to the single horn atop its snout, it can be spotted from a mile away, distinguishing it from its African counterparts.
As generalist herbivores, an Indian rhino's diet revolves around grasses. Still, they are open to branching out to fruits, flowers, twigs, and even grains like rice.
Strict protection and habitat management have recently allowed their population to increase slowly. However, 70% of the rhino population lives in Assam's Kaziranga National Park. A single disaster in this area could be devastating. Thus, Great One Horned Rhinos are a vulnerable species.
Lice are tiny, wingless parasites. They divide into two groups: chewing lice, typically infesting birds and mammals, and sucking lice, feeding off mammals exclusively. Their body color ranges from whitish and yellow to brown or black.
Thrips are small hemimetabolic insects with a distinct elongated, cigar-shaped body. Their asymmetrical mouth sets them apart. Surprisingly, the right mandible is minimized and may even be absent in some species.
Earwigs are abundant creatures spread across the Americas and Eurasia. Their elongated bodies squeeze into tight crevices, like those found under bark.
Silverfish, a nocturnal insect known for its fish-like shape, lives mostly in the dark. This insect transforms from a white hatchling to a metallic, grayish adult. Key features include two long cerci, a terminal filament, and, in a few species, small eyes.
Mayflies populate the globe in clean freshwater habitats. The adult insects, characterized by their large compound eyes and short antennae, lack functional mouthparts or digestive tracts and hence do not feed in their winged stages.
The Glowworm beetle is an interesting creature. The females exhibit bioluminescence, resembling their larval stage. They cast light through photic organs on each body segment and sometimes from luminous bands extending across the body. These females are spotted more frequently than the larvae.
Tiger beetles thrive in sandy habitats across many continents, notably the United States. They're nimble creatures, quick to take flight and have a near-perfect vision. Their bright hues adorn their bodies, earning them the label "butterflies of the beetle world."
White rhinoceroses, also known as Square-lipped Rhinoceroses, rank among the largest land mammals. Their substantial weight can range from 2,200 to almost 8,000 pounds.
Plate-like folds complement their thick, pale grey skin. This density is clearly noticeable and quite impenetrable. They also sport a long neck with a hump, two uneven horns, a small set of eyes as compared to their body size, and a square-shaped lip.
Interestingly, the term "white" in their name is a misunderstood translation of "wide" in reference to their broad mouths.
They are native to the vast regions of southern Africa. However, now, their presence is limited to certain areas. While the Northern White Rhino subspecies was once found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Southern White Rhino subspecies is more spread across regions like Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe and protected areas like Kruger National Park.
They have a long gestation period spanning approximately 530 to 550 days. Consequently, their breeding interval lasts long, ranging between 2.5 to 3 years.
These types of rhinos are herbivorous, primarily consuming thick bush covers and short grasses. They play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and preventing wildfires. However, their existence is threatened due to high poaching activity, fueled mainly by illegal rhino horn demand in Southeast Asia.
The number of white rhinos could decline drastically without substantial conservation measures. Hence, the status of this African rhino species is pegged as Near Threatened.
Unfortunately, the Northern White Rhino subspecies are critically endangered1, with unconfirmed reports of surviving members in remote areas of South Sudan.
The Black Rhinoceros is widespread in southern and eastern Africa, effortlessly adapting to grasslands, deserts, and tropical forests.
The African rhinos' general skin color is grey, with some variance to yellow-brown or dark brown. Distinctively, the color tends to match the soil of their individual habitats. Apart from short, fringe-like hair on their ears, the rhino's skin is largely hairless.
In terms of size, males typically exceed females, with an average weight scale tipping between 1,700 and 3,000 pounds. This robust animal brandishes two uneven horns, with some showcasing a small third horn at the posterior.
Unlike the previously mentioned species, Black Rhinos have a pointed, prehensile upper lip that facilitates the feeding process. They leverage this advantage while browsing for their diet, primarily consisting of twigs, woody shrubs, and small trees.
Notably, the Black Rhino forms a mutualistic association with the oxpeckers. The bird not only feeds on the parasites on the rhino’s skin but also warns of incoming predators.
Unfortunately, the Black Rhinoceros is listed as Critically Endangered owing to heavy poaching for rhino horns in the late 20th century4, despite better protection and management. However, numbers have improved since the mid-90s.
The Indian rhinoceros, widely recognized as the Greater One-horned Rhino, resides primarily in the damp alluvial plains of northern India. Wallows and river dips form part of their daily routine. At the same time, dry savanna grasslands and eastern Himalayan deciduous forests serve as additional habitats.
The Indian Rhino has gray-brown skin that folds around its hind and front legs. Thanks to the single horn atop its snout, it can be spotted from a mile away, distinguishing it from its African counterparts.
As generalist herbivores, an Indian rhino's diet revolves around grasses. Still, they are open to branching out to fruits, flowers, twigs, and even grains like rice.
Strict protection and habitat management have recently allowed their population to increase slowly. However, 70% of the rhino population lives in Assam's Kaziranga National Park. A single disaster in this area could be devastating. Thus, Great One Horned Rhinos are a vulnerable species.
