Apr 25

The Tweens News | English

# 10 - Mata Mata:

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The mata mata is a freshwater turtle found predominantly in South America, notably in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. The animal’s peculiar physical aspect distinguishes it from other members of its order. It is an animal highly skilled in hunting techniques. French naturalist, Pierre Barrère described it thus:


“large land turtle with spiky and ridged scales”. The mata mata is quite visually distinctive: its head is triangular, large, and extremely flattened, with many tubercles and flaps of skin, most notably a ‘horn’ on the nose. There are two barbels on the chin and two additional filamentous barbels at the jaw. The snout is long and tubular. The upper jaw is neither hooked nor notched.

# 9 - Horseshoe Bat:

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Horseshoe bats (the Rhinolophidae family) are a large family of bats including approximately 130 species grouped in 10 genera. All rhinolophids have leaf-like protuberances on their noses. In rhinolophines species, these take the shape of a horseshoe; in hipposiderine, they are leaf- or spear-like. They emit echolocation calls through these structures, which may serve to focus the sound. Most rhinolophids are dull brown or reddish brown in color. They vary in size from small to moderately large.


# 8 - Star Nosed Mole:

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The Star-nosed Mole is a small North American mole found in eastern Canada and the north-eastern United States. It lives in wet lowland areas and eats small invertebrates, aquatic insects, worms and molluscs. It is a good swimmer and can forage along the bottoms of streams and ponds. Like other moles, this animal digs shallow surface tunnels for foraging; often, these tunnels exit underwater. It is active day and night and remains active in winter, when it has been observed tunnelling through the snow and swimming in ice-covered streams.


# 7 – Sloth:

Sloth

Sloths are medium-sized mammals that live in Central and South America. Sloths are omnivores. They may eat insects, small lizards and carrion, but their diet consists mostly of buds, tender shoots, and leaves. Sloth fur also exhibits specialized functions: the outer hairs grow in a direction opposite from that of other mammals. In most mammals, hairs grow toward the extremities, but because sloths spend so much time with their legs above their bodies, their hairs grow away from the extremities in order to provide protection from the elements while the sloth hangs upside down.


# 6 - Naked Mole Rat:

Molerat

The Naked Mole Rat, also known as the Sand Puppy, or Desert Mole Rat, is a burrowing rodent native to parts of East Africa. Typical individuals are 8–10 cm long and weigh 30–35 g. Queens are larger and may weigh well over 50 g, the largest reaching 80 g. They are well-adapted for their underground existence. Their eyes are just narrow slits, and consequently their eyesight is poor. However, they are highly adapted to moving underground, and can move backwards as fast as they move forwards. Their large, protruding teeth are used to dig. Their lips are sealed just behind their teeth while digging to avoid filling their mouths with soil. Their legs are thin and short. They have little hair (hence the common name) and wrinkled pink or yellowish skin.


# 5 - Axolotl:

Axolotl

The Axolotl (or ajolote) is the best-known of the Mexican neotenic mole salamanders belonging to the Tiger Salamander complex. Larvae of this species fail to undergo metamorphosis, so the adults remain aquatic and gilled. Their heads are wide, and their eyes are lidless. Their limbs are underdeveloped and possess long, thin digits. Axolotls have barely visible vestigial teeth which would have developed during metamorphosis. The primary method of feeding is by suction, during which their rakers interlock to close the gill slits. Axolotls have 4 different colours, 2 naturally occurring colours and 2 mutants. The 2 naturally occurring colours are wildtype (Varying shades of brown usually with spots) and melanoid (black). The 2 mutants colours are leucistic (pale pink with black eyes) and albino (golden, tan or pale pink with pink eyes).


# 4 - Tarsier:

Tarsier

Tarsiers are prosimian primates of the genus Tarsius. Tarsiers have enormous eyes and long feet. Their feet have extremely elongated tarsus bones, which is how they got their name. They are primarily insectivorous, and catch insects by jumping at them. They are also known to prey on birds and snakes. As they jump from tree to tree, tarsiers can catch even birds in motion.


# 3 - Hagfish:

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Despite their name, there is some debate about whether Hagfish are strictly fish, since they belong to a much more primitive lineage than any other group that is commonly defined fish. Hagfish are long, vermiform and can exude copious quantities of a sticky slime or mucus. When captured and held by the tail, they escape by secreting the fibrous slime, which turns into a thick and sticky gel when combined with water, and then cleaning off by tying themselves in an overhand knot which works its way from the head to the tail of the animal, scraping off the slime as it goes. Hagfish have elongated, ‘eel-like’ bodies, and paddle-like tails.


# 2 - Aye-Aye:

Icon Ayeaye Psd

The Aye-aye is a native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth with a long, thin middle finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker. The Aye-aye is the world’s largest nocturnal primate, and dwells predominantly in forest canopies. The adult Aye-aye has black or dark brown fur covered by white guard hairs at the neck. The tail is bushy and shaped like that of a squirrel. The Aye-aye’s face is also rodent-like, the shape of a raccoon’s, and houses bright, beady, luminous eyes. Its incisors are very large, and grow continuously throughout its lifespan.


# 1 - Blobfish:

Blobfish

The Blobfish inhabits the deep waters off the coasts of Australia and Tasmania. Due to the inaccessibility of its habitat, it’s rarely seen by humans. Blobfish are found at depths where the pressure is several dozens of times higher than at sea level. To remain buoyant, the flesh of the Blobfish is primarily a gelatinous mass with a density slightly less than water; which allows the fish to float above the sea floor without expending energy on swimming. The relative lack of muscle is not a disadvantage as it primarily swallows edible matter that floats by in front it.

Source: http://listverse.com/2007/09/13/top-10-ugliest-creatures

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Apr 25

The Tweens News | English

# 10 - Olm (Proteus Anguinus):

Proteus Anguinus

This amphibian, native to the deepest, darkest caves of Europe (most famously in Slovenia) and mistakenly identified in ancient times as a “baby dragon” has to be one of the most bizarre animals in the world. Completely blind, and lacking body pigmentation almost completely, the olm lives in a very alien sensory universe. Despite being blind, it can pick up both chemical and electrical signals via receptors on its entire body, which comes in handy to find the small invertebrates it feeds upon. Completely aquatic, the olm has a soft, pale skin that resembles somewhat that of a very pale human being, hence its local nickname of “human fish”. There’s a second subspecies of olm, the black olm, which is just as interesting but a tad less bizarre, since it has eyes and lacks the pale complexion of its cousin.


# 9 - Blanket Octopus (Tremoctopus Violaceus):

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There’s no such thing as a “normal octopus”. These extraordinary animals look like they came from another planet, took a dip in our oceans and liked it enough to stay. Among the many strange traits of octopuses (octopi?) we could mention having three hearts, venomous saliva, a hidden parrot-like beak, being able to change the color and texture of their skin with incredible ease and speed (they are much better at it than say, chameleons) and having “intelligent arms” that don’t seem to need instructions from the brain to perform certain actions.

That said, there are some octopi that are more bizarre than others. The blanket octopus is one of them; for a start, the female is 40.000 times heavier than the male! The male is only 2.4 cms along and leads an almost planktonic lifestyle while the female is big, spectacular and over than 2 meters long. When it feels threatened, the female can also extend a cape-like membrane between its arms that makes her look bigger and badder than she really is. Finally, an interesting fact is that the blanket octopus is immune to the deadly Portuguese Man’O War “jellyfish”; as self defense, the clever octopus often tears off some Man’O War tentacles and uses them as a weapon.


# 8 - Glass Frog (Centrolenidae):

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What makes these little Tropical American frogs so surreal is that they have translucent skin, which basically makes them a living anatomy lesson without even having to cut open the frog! Indeed, some of their internal organs such as the heart, intestines and liver are perfectly visible when you look at the frog’s underside. They are closely related and behave similarly to the better known tree frogs.


# 7 - Blobfish (Psychrolutes Marcidus):

Blobfish2

This gelatinous deep water fish has a face that only its mother would love (although those who truly admire Nature’s boundless and sometimes macabre creativity will certainly appreciate it too). Found in the oceans surrounding Australia and Tasmania, the blobfish leads a rather passive life, feeding on whatever piece of detritus floats within its reach. It lacks the muscular power of other fish and practically doesn’t spend any energy while swimming thanks to its body being less dense than water. Rarely seen alive, the blobfish is occasionally captured as by-catch by fisherman’s nets. I strongly doubt it’s edible, though.


# 6 - Assassin Spider (Archaeidae):

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Don’t worry, arachnophobic readers! The assassin spider is only 2 mm long and despite its name and creepy appearance, it is completely harmless to humans. Its long “neck” has evolved specifically to support the weight of its immense jaws, which are armed with venomous fangs and act as deadly traps for other, smaller spiders that are its main food.


# 5 - Hatchetfish (Sternoptychidae):

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Viewed from the front, the hatchetfish looks otherworldly, and in a way, it does live in a different world from ours. This deep water fish is found in all the oceans except for the coldest regions, and, like the olm and blobfish, spends its entire life in almost complete darkness. The only life it sees is produced by living creatures, including itself, via special “photophores” or light-producing organs on its sides, which allow it to lure prey and to escape predators. As scary as it may look, the hatchetfish poses no threat for humans, being only a few centimeters long.


# 4 - Hairy Crab (Kiwa Hirsuta):

Hairy-Crab

Also known as the “Yeti crab”, this crustacean is covered on what, at first glance, appears to be fur, but is actually a dense covering of setae, like those found in the legs of some shrimps. These setae seem to function as a filter, detoxifying the water in which the creature lives. This is very useful when your habitat is a deadly hydrothermal vent that is constantly throwing poisonous minerals into the water. The Yeti crab is blind and colorless and lives its entire life in darkness, just like the olm, blobfish and hatchetfish. It seems that Nature sends many of its most surreal creations to the places where humans are most unlikely to see or reach them. Maybe because they will last longer that way?


# 3 - Leafy Sea Dragon (Phycodurus Eques):

Phycodurus Eques

This fish, closely related to the sea horse, survives by pretending to be a floating bunch of sea weed. It swims very slowly, which adds to the effect, and besides, its dorsal and pectoral fins (which do all the swimming), are transparent and practically invisible. I strongly suspect most predators don’t even know the leafy sea dragon exists at all! These amazing little creatures have weird reproductive habits; the female lays the eggs into the male’s body via a long tube, and the male carries the brood until the baby dragons hatch. This fish is found in the southern and western coasts of Australia.


# 2 - Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko (Uroplatus Phantasticus):

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Evolution made this lizard looks so much like a decaying, dry leaf, that it is seldom seen, let alone eaten, by any predators. It is found only in Madagascar, where it shares the forests with other fantastic reptiles. It is an insect eater and despite its infernal name, scary eyes and defensive threat display (which it uses only when camouflage doesn’t work, which is very rarely), it is completely harmless to humans. Unfortunately, this incredible species is endangered due to over-collecting for the pet trade, and the devastation of its natural habitat (Madagascar’s forests have been reduced in a 90% and most of its iconic species are either gone or in the edge of extinction).


# 1 - Hemeroplanes Caterpillar:

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Yes, a humble caterpillar is number one in this list and I think it really deserves it. This is, in my opinion, a living masterpiece of nature and although all animals are amazing, this has to be one of the most awe-inspiring. Incredibly rare to see and found only in the rain forests of Mexico and Central America, this little creature is usually normal-looking and has rather drab colors, but if threatened by a potential predator, it undergoes an incredible transformation; it hangs from a branch with its hind legs, and inflates the front part of its body, until it looks just like a small pitviper ready to inject its deadly venom.

Not only does it mimic the triangular “head”, fierce eyes and shiny scales perfectly, but it also pretends to “strike” at enemies (it’s just a bluff, since it is not venomous or dangerous in any way). Surely, many of its potential enemies (including some humans!) fall for this incredibly accurate imitation and leave the caterpillar alone. As an adult, the Hemeroplanes is a rather non-descript moth that has absolutely nothing viper-ish about it. The Hemeroplanes caterpillar is poorly known, and sadly endangered due to deforestation.

Source: http://listverse.com/2010/04/07/top-10-fantastic-and-surreal-creatures

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Jan 07

The Tweens News | English

15 Truly Bizarre Creatures!

#1: Barreleye Fish

Barreleye-Fish

Although this fish’s existence has been known for quite some time, it was only this year that scientists fully understood how bizarre it is. These fish have a mostly black body with a transparent head (which was unheard of until recently, since it always shattered while the fish was being brought up to the surface). Although it has two indentions in the front of its head, those are NOT its eyes: its eyes are the green spheres in its transparent head. These eyes can be used to look above for food or look forward when it is stalking its prey.


#2: Hairy Frog

Frogtrichobatrachus Robustus

This African frog gets its name from the hair-like structure found on the sides of males. These hairs are used to increase the rate that the frog absorbs oxygen, since the males spend long periods of time guarding their eggs. Another impressive fact about these frogs is that they have retractable claws made of bone (as opposed to keratin). However, to get these claws out, the frog must break a bone nodule first. Ouch!


#3: Coconut Crab

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The largest living arthropod to dwell on land (weighing up to 4.1 kilograms (9 pounds)), this hermit crab is known to climb trees and eat coconuts. Unlike other hermit crabs, only the juveniles wear shells. The older youngsters often wear coconut shells. They come in a variety of colors, such as orange and blue. They are rumored to steal shiny objects.


#4: Andean Cock-Of-The-Rock

Andeancock-Of-The-Rock2

The females of this species of bird are normal enough, but the males have an odd crest that looks like a large, red/orange bulge. Its feathers consist of reds/oranges in the front,black near the bottom, and a bit of grey. They are national bird of Peru.


#5: Cnemidophorus Uniparens

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These lizards might look normal on the outside, but on closer investigation, a surprising fact is revealed: some species, such as the New Mexico Whiptail, consist entirely of females.


#6: Dwarf Whale

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The Whale is a mighty creature. It is the largest of the tooth whales, dives to incredible depths, and is known to eat massive squids. However, this species is the smallest known whale. It is not much bigger than a human adult in length. This creature can also expel a reddish substance to ward off predators (which can also be done by a similar species, the Pygmy Whale).


#7: Giraffe Weevil

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As you might expect, these weevils have a long, slender neck (only the males have this long neck, though). These long necks help the weevils in building nests. They are also quite colorful, being mostlyblack with a red body.


#8: Megalopyge Opercularis

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These moths are very furry, especially as a caterpillar. Known by several names, such as the southern flannel moth, and the asp caterpillar, this moth is said to look like a Persian cat as a caterpillar. They may look “pettable” as a caterpillar, but do NOT touch it! Like many caterpillars, these insects have a defense mechanism: those hairs are actually venomous spines. Touching one will not kill you, but it will HURT and cause a rash! First-aid is recommended if you accidentally make contact with one of these caterpillars. It uses its fur as its cocoon.


#9: Vampire Moth

Vampire-Moth

Not all butterflies and moths drink nectar! The vampire moth literally drinks blood! It uses its proboscis to pierce the skin of its target and drink the creature’s blood. And yes, they occasionally bite humans! Fortunately, they do not cause any known diseases. Only the males bite.


#10: Water Bears

Water-Bear

These tiny, caterpillar-like creatures are some of the most amazing creatures in existence. They can live practically anywhere, from hot springs to arctic regions. More amazingly, these things can enter a cryonic state that makes them almost impervious to environmental hazards. They can briefly survive temperatures of over 150 degrees Celsius as well as near-absolute zero temperatures. They can withstand massive pressures, radiation, and even the deadly vacuum of space. Their metabolism also grinds to a near halt. They are most frequently found on mosses, lichens, and other damp places.


#11: Upside-down Catfish

Upsidedown-Catfish

As their name states, these African fish are often found swimming upside-down. It is thought they do this so they can reach food on the water’s surface, such as insect eggs. Their coloration is also reversed: unlike most fish, their belly is darker than their top. This is to give them camouflage from predators from above. They are popular aquarium fish and might be available at your local pet shop.


#12: Whip Scorpions

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These frightening Arachnids have large pedipalps (pincers) and a “whip” at the end of their abdomen. More notably, these creatures can spray various chemicals from their abdomen, including formic acid (CH2O2), chlorine, and a mixture of acetic acid (C2H4O2) and octanoic acid (C8H16O2), depending on the species. The last spray has a vinegar-like smell, hence their alternate name, “Vinegarroons”. Similar creatures include Whip Spiders (also known as Tailess Whip Scorpions) and Micro Whip Scorpions.


#13: Sea Spiders

Antarctic Sea Spider

These spider-like creatures live in various depths of marine bodies. Their most notable characteristic, other than their habitat, is their huge legs (at least compared to their bodies). They have no respiratory system: instead, they use diffusion to survive. The largest of these belong to the Colossendeis colossea species.


#14: Japanese Spider Crab

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The largest living Arthropod, this huge crab has legs that can reach up to 4 meters (13 feet) in length and 20 kilograms (44 pounds) in weight! They are also said to live up to a hundred years.


#15: King Vulture

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Vultures are usually seen as dull black birds. The King Vulture, however, is a colorful creature. Its body is white on the top and black on the bottom, while its head is covered with colors ranging from red, orange and yellow to blue and purple. It also has a wattle on its head. They do not have a voice box, but they still can make low noises. According to Mayan mythology, these birds were the messengers of the gods.


Top 10 Unusual Cat Breed!


#1: Sphynx

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The Sphynx, or Canadian Hairless, is a breed of cat that is born without fur. Dating back to 1966, the cat was incredibly rare due to the delay in breeding it. The first cat, Prune passed away without throwing a litter. In 1967, a mother Sphynx and her kittens were saved. After a second litter, two kittens were transported to London, and from there, the Sphynx breed was truly born. Sphynx, contrary to popular belief, aren’t actually hairless. They are covered in an incredibly short, soft fur that has the feel of peach fuzz. It is also possible for Sphynx cats to grow whiskers and eyebrows.

Sphynx cats need regular bathing, about one bath a week, as the natural oils from their skin can’t be absorbed by their fur, and can build up on the skin and become quite fragrant. Despite not having fur, the breed is NOT hypoallergenic. They still produce the protein in their skin oil and saliva that triggers allergic reactions in those susceptible.


#2: Minskin

Minskin3

Minskins are one of a set of breeds known as “dwarf breeds”. They are created by breeding a Munchkin (#4) with other cat breeds. Minskins are the result of a Devon Rex Munchkin being bred with a Sphynx cat. They appear simply to be incredibly small Sphynx cats, and require the same grooming. The Minskin is an incredibly new breed, and has only been around since 1998. The first standard Minskin was born in 2000, and by 2005, there were fifty of them in existence. Minskins are not to be confused with the “Bambino”, which is a Sphynx cat bred with any Munchkin breed. Minskins need to have a Munchkin parent with the fur of a Devon Rex.


#3: Pixie-Bob

Jarnac Bepacific Feb07

Pixie-Bobs are a breed of cat that are relatively large. They are fully domestic, but appear to look exactly like a small bobcat. The Pixie-Bob was bred from exotic-looking stray and wildcats, rather than actual bobcat hybrids, as the original breeder previously claimed. There is no distinct personality for the breed, but what is interesting is that the cats meow rarely, or never meow at all. Instead, they communicate by chirping. They will also follow their owners around the house. Pixie-Bobs are incredibly intelligent, and enjoy being walked on leashes and playing fetch. They are even capable of understanding some human words and commands.


#4: Munchkin

Munchkin

Munchkin cats don’t have a specific coloration. Rather, they have a genetic mutation that causes their legs to grow incredibly short, or “achondroplasia”. The condition does not affect their running or jumping abilities. The main problem with Munchkincats lies in the genetics. Kittens who end up with two copies of the Munchkin gene will not survive. Because of this, the Munchkin breed is not recognized by cat fancying societies, as the trait is a “genetic disease”. Because of the genetics, Munchkins are predisposed to have sunken chests and spinal deformities. Munchkins are considered a breed, but can have the characteristics of another breed of cat, such as a Devon Rex or a Burmese. They essentially will look like the main breed, but with the characteristic short legs and larger heads.


#5: Teacup Persians

Teacup-Persian-Cats

Teacup Persians are a breed that has become quite popular recently. Many people have moved into smaller houses and apartments, and because of the space restrictions, the demand for teacup Persians has exploded. Teacups are not a strange genetic mutation, but rather the result of selective breeding of smaller-sized Persians. These cats are unique, as they look exactly like normal Persian cats , with long fur and their distinctive flat faces, but will never grow more than 6lbs for females and 7lbs for males. Full grown, they are about 8 inches tall while sitting. Standard Persians range from 10lbs to 13lbs in weight. Despite their small size, Teacup Persians are still Persians, and are susceptible to the myriad health problems that normal-sized Persians are, such as urinary tract disorders, lupus, eyelid cysts, and various cancers.


#6: Savannah

[pro-player] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m81IU3A18k [/pro-player]

Savannahs are incredibly interesting cats. They are the result of breeding a standard domestic cat with the serval, an African wild cat. The first Savannah had a Siamese mother, but Savannahs simply need to have a serval ancestor to be considered for the breed. Savannahs have wild-looking spots, stripes, and markings, but the patterns will differ, depending on the domestic cat breed used. Generations are marked by “filial numbers”, showing how far removed from the serval ancestor they are. An “F1″ Savannah had a domestic cat parent and a serval parent. An “F2″ Savannah had a serval grandparent, and so on. Savannahs who had a serval father and a domestic cat mother are 50% serval. Those cats can be bred back to servals to the point where resulting kittens are 75% serval… sometimes even up to 87.5%! Savannahs are generally incredibly large cats. F1 cats can get up to 30lbs. in weight, but later litters of smaller filial numbers will be smaller.

They are often compared to dogs in their loyalty, and will follow owners around the house, play fetch, and can be trained to walk on a leash. Savannahs greet people by head-butting them, though some may pounce. Savannahs tend to love water as well, and will even jump into the shower and join their owners. Water bowls around a Savannah will prove messy, as they like to bat the water out of the bowl until empty. They are also known for their jumping ability. From a sitting position, Savannahs can jump 8 feet straight into the air. Savannahs are also interesting vocalists, and will chirp, meow, and hiss. Their hiss is a throwback to their serval ancestor, and sounds more like an angry snake than a cat.


#7: Khao Manee

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I actually own a Khao Manee, which is what prompted me to write this list. Siamese cats, with blue eyes and point coloration, are what everyone in the States considers a Siamese. In Thailand and the surrounding areas, however, the Khao Manee is the one and only Siamese cat. The Khao Manee (or “White Jewel”) was the royal cat breed of Old Siam. It is said that the penalty for a commoner stealing a Khao Manee was death. Khao Manee are pure snow white, with the “silver and gold” eyes stated in #8, though the “gold” eye is most often actually an amber-green color, rather than straight amber-gold.

This breed is unique in that many Indonesian cultures find the Khao Manee to be extremely lucky. No true Khao Manee were found outside of Thailand until 1999, when breeder Colleen Freymuth received two Khao Manee, and became the first person outside of Thailand to breed them. The earliest mention of the Khao Manee was in the Tamra Maew, or “Cat Book of Poems” in 1350. This means that, until 1999, Khao Manee had been bred only in Thailand for nearly 650 years! Because of the luck associated with them, Khao Manee are very expensive. In the UK alone, kittens go for eight to ten thousand dollars.


#8: Japanese Bobtail

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Japanese bobtails are born with a rabbit-like puff tail, and some will even hop like rabbits, rather than running! In the year 1602, the Japanese government demanded that all cats be set free, to help protect the valuable silkworm fields from rodents. Buying and selling cats was illegal at the time, so Japanese bobtails were street cats. Bobtails come in many colors, but the most popular is the calico, or “mike” in Japanese. Most people have seen at least a version of the bobtail. The famous “Maneki Neko” or “beckoning cat” is a good-luck charm, consisting of a Japanese bobtail sitting on its haunches with one fore paw raised. Tying into the next breed on the list, odd-eyed bobtails are now quite popular in Japan. Having “silver and gold” eyes (actually blue and amber-yellow), the heterochromatic kittens are much more expensive, but don’t have the same legends surrounding them as the Khao Manee.


#9: Scottish Fold

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The Scottish Fold (or Coupari in Canada), has a dominant genetic mutation that causes the cartilage in their ears to have a fold, sometimes even up to two or three folds! This makes their ears flop forward, giving them their distinctive appearance. The more foldsthe cat ’s ears have, the closer to the head the ears will lie. The Fold’s ears look straight and normal at birth, but will begin to fold after about 21 days. Scottish Folds are generally friendly, cuddly cats , and don’t mind other pets. They also like to sleep in the “Buddha position”: sitting with their legs straight out and their back straight up from the hip, like a human.


#10: Devon Rex

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The Devon Rex breed of cat has only been around since the 1960’s. They have been genetically proven not to be related to the Cornish or German Rex breeds. The strange thing about the Devon Rex is the fact that they have very little “guard hair”, the stiff, coarse, waterproof hairs present on most furred mammals. They have mostly “down hair”, or soft, fine undercoat fur. The Devon Rex is especially unique in that their down hair is curly. They also have rather large eyes, and large, low-set ears. Devon Rex cats are active, playful, and friendly, and enjoy being perched on people’s shoulders, like parrots. They are also very intelligent, and can be taught tricks, such as fetching and walking on a leash.


Cutest Cat In The World!

This video is of one of the cutest kitten (and funniest) we have ever seen and it makes us remember why we love animals so much.

Maybe you have already seen it, but if not, today you will see the sweetest kitten around. He is a little kitten laying on his back and he gets surprised when his owner opens her palms in front of him.

Darling! The kitten really doesn’t do much but just watching its little face and the way it moves its paws in the air…. (=^_^=)

[pro-player] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bmhjf0rKe8 [/pro-player]


Cutest Baby Animals!

Today we bring you the second part in our series on the cutest animals around. This time we are concentrating on dogs, cats and bears.

Without a doubt kittens have always been some of the cutest animals around. Adorable, affectionate and hilarious when they are small, who wouldn’t love a kitten? Which photo do you think is the cutest of the kitten shots below?

Puppies are a close second when it come to which animal is the cutest of all. Take a look at the pups in the photos, they are just a few days old, so adorable.

The fifth photo is not a puppy at all, but a baby fox with huge Dumbo ears!

And then in the last photo you have the bear cubs. We are sure that these sweet cubs were what Teddy Bears were made to resemble.

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Source:

- http://listverse.com/2009/11/30/15-truly-bizarre-creatures

- http://listverse.com/2009/11/26/top-10-unusual-cat-breeds

- http://www.wambie.com/tuttifrutti_us/videos/CUTEST_CAT_IN_THE_WORLD-videos_en-720.html

- http://www.wambie.com/tuttifrutti_us/photos/CUTEST_BABY_ANIMALS_II-photo_en-807.html

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Dec 17

The Tweens News | English

The Most Searched For The Year!

THE MOST SEARCHED FOR OF THE YEAR

When we look for something on the Internet, we may not realize it, but the seach engines are recording this data and at the end of the year they compile a list of what was most sought after.

That said, we are now 3 week from 2010 and so Google and Yahoo have published lists of the most sought after words of 2009.

On the first list for both Google and Yahoo was of course, Michael Jackson.  He was the most looked for person of the year, replacing Britney Spears who had been the most looked for celebrity for 4 years straight.

After Michael Jackson, next on the list were two important social media groups, Twitter and Facebook.
Another heavily looked for word was Swine Flu, which was so popular that it even surpassed searches for Obama.

And are we missing something? Oh yeah, how about Twilight? The vampire movie was one of the most googled title of the year and we bet the same thing will happen in 2010.


Creatures From The Abyss!

These are not aliens nor are they animals from a science fiction movie. They are animals that live in the depths of the sea where no light shines.

These strange animals live in extreme conditions: impossible pressure, cold water, no light and little food. Still, they manage to survive.

To adapt to these harsh conditions, they have evolved into monster like forms. Huge mouths,  sharp teeth for catching the food there is, organs that light up to attract prey and enormous tentacles…..

The abyss is a zone in the ocean which is between 3,000 and 6,000 meters deep. Because the water is so cold and deep, it is very hard for scientists to study these creatures, and every year they discover more mysterious animals. The ocean is full of surprises!

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Source:

- http://www.wambie.com/tuttifrutti_us/news/THE_MOST_SEARCHED_FOR_OF_THE_YEAR-new_en-2315.html

- http://www.wambie.com/tuttifrutti_us/photos/CREATURES_FROM_THE_ABYSS-photo_en-798.html

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Nov 03

The Tweens News | English

Hybrids are plants or animals that are the result of mixing two different species. These creatures are strange and rare, and are usually the result of man toying with nature.

Hybrid animals take the best traits from their mother and father, and that is why they are created to increase productivity.

Some of the weirdest hybrids out there are ones like the Liger, which is a cross between a lion and a tiger. The result is a lion with stripes. A liger is bigger than a lion because it doesn’t have the gene that limits growth. This is the biggest feline in the world! It can be up to 12 feet long!

Another strange one is the Tigon, which is a cross between a male tiger and female lion. In this case, the Tigon is small, because it haws twice as much of the gene that stops growth. These animals were raised and created in captivity and you would never see them in the wild (tigers live in Africa and Asia).

Some other cool hybrids are the Zebra-horse, the Leopion, which is a cross between a female lion and a leopard and the Bengali, which is a mix of house cat and bengali wildcat.

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Source: http://www.wambie.com/tuttifrutti_us/wallpapers/photo_en-766.html

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