Understanding the Evolution of the Tiger

Wildlife enthusiasts planning on taking a Tiger safari may be interested to know a bit about the evolution of this awe-commanding creature. An apex predator, it is superbly adapted to the role, the descendent of a proud line that most biologists trace back to the prehistoric Sabre-Toothed cats. To understand its genetic history is to gain an enhanced appreciation of its place in nature and the importance of preserving it, so read on for a glimpse into the Tiger's mighty lineage.

Adaptations

The Tiger is such an impressive creature and effective hunter thanks to multiple adaptations. Many of the characteristics that people look out for while on Tiger safari are in fact part of the animal's toolkit for survival - including its most iconic feature, its striped coat. 

Top Tips When Watching the Enigmatic Jaguar

One of our planet's most revered animals, the Jaguar is still shrouded in an aura of mystery for many. While afforded deity status by ancient cultures, and associated with raw power and prowess in our modern world, they have behavioural patterns and social structures like any other animal, and are an important conservation species. For those thinking of going on a Jaguar tour, a journey of discovery awaits. Learning more about these magnificent creatures can help you to understand their habits and relationship with their habitat, which in turn can help to enhance the experience of sightings. Read on for a guide to the animal's behaviour, and to glean some pointers about what to look for while on your Jaguar tour.

Hunting Habits

Jaguars are such successful hunters in part because of their powerful physiques and strong jaws, but also because they use almost every aspect of their habitat. 

The Importance of Jaguar Conservation

As many nature-lovers taking a Jaguar tour will be aware, the Jaguar is a 'near threatened' species, with the possibility of becoming 'threatened' in the future. Factors contributing to this status include hunting for its skin, shooting by farmers to protect livestock, and deforestation. With the Jaguar preferring large territories - up to 40 square kilometres for females and up to twice as much for males - the loss or fragmentation of its habitat has a serious impact. Not only are individual animals affected by reduced habitat and hunting ground, but the population suffers from loss of connection between individual animal's ranges, reducing the breeding pool. Despite the problems it faces, the animal is a protected species in several countries, and sustained efforts are being made across the Americas in protecting habitat, re-connecting ranges and educating ranchers.

Why Protect the Jaguar? For the Planet...

Belize: The Magnificent Booby Birds

The Red-Footed Booby is a species within the Pelican family that lives in tropical coastal areas. This Booby Bird is also found on tropical islands in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans, excluding Africa's Atlantic side.

In Belize the Booby is most often found out on the Cayes, most notably Half Moon Caye, part of which, in 1928, was gazetted as a Crown Reserve Bird Sanctuary under the Crown Land Ordinance. The Crown Sanctuary Reserve was specifically dedicated to protecting the Red-Footed Booby Bird. The Crown Reserve was the first and still is the oldest area designated for the protection of wildlife in Belize.

Half Moon Caye is currently home to a colony of about 4,000 plus birds including the Booby Bird. Boobies like to nest in very large colonies among the orange-flowered Ziricote thicket. At the western end of Half Moon Caye one has a spectacular view of the Boobies from an observation deck.

Wildlife of Treasure Island Florida

Treasure Island, Florida is a beautiful beach teeming with wide variety of wildlife. From the sea life to the reptiles, there is an abundance of creatures for the nature-lover to enjoy. Whether you are in the mood to simply view the beach's animal community or want to hook some of the local fish, Treasure Island is a great place to feed your desires. Many of the species can be observed without ever having to leave the shore, but those who venture out on boats run into an even wider range of amazing creatures.

Fish - With Treasure Island being a beach community, there are obviously quite a variety of species lurking around the waters. The Gulf of Mexico is one of the best places to spend a day either snorkeling and looking at all the underwater creatures or sitting with your pole catching some of these delicious fish. Some of the species of fish that are normally found in these waters include:

Bird Watching in Treasure Island Florida

Treasure Island, Florida is a wonderful place to observe some of the most magnificent wildlife in the country. Bird watching or birding is a very popular attraction to many people because of the variety of species that call these shores home. Actually, the area can serve as a good place to observe birds that may not be indigenous to the area. Many birds' migration patterns run through this region. There are some lovely shorebirds that can be spotted along this stretch of coast and it is recommended that every birder take some time to enjoy these species.

There is also a collective effort in the community to make sure these birds last for future generations, so always make sure to be careful and never disturb these creatures' natural habitats. Many of Florida's species are on the brink of peril and people should always make sure to enjoy the wildlife, while making sure to preserve the natural order.

Are Whales at Threat of Extinction?

It is common knowledge that rampant overfishing (whaling) in the 18th - 20th centuries nearly drove many whale species to extinction. While whaling certainly existed prior to this, technological improvements allowed the industry to become much more efficient in harvesting whales. Now that the global whaling industry has nearly disappeared, whale populations have been able to slowly recover. Conservation efforts and eco-tourism (centered around whale watching cruises or dolphin interaction tours) are working to fund recovery efforts, but is it too late?

The majority of the great whale species are still on the endangered species list. The United States Endangered Species Act (ESA) still lists the northern right, southern right, bowhead, fin, blue, sei, humpback, and sperm whales as endangered species. The population of the northern right is reported to be less than one thousand animals remaining. One big problem is that, even without a major impact from commercial whaling, many interactions between humans and whales mean further losses in the population.