The Wildcat (Felis silvestris), sometimes Wild Cat or Wild-cat, is a small cat (Felinae) native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa. It is a hunter of small mammals, birds, and other creatures of a similar size. There are several subspecies distributed in different regions. In its native environment, the Wildcat is adaptable to a variety of habitat types: savanna, open forest, and steppe. Although domesticated breeds show a great variety of shapes and colors, wild individuals are medium-brown with black stripes, between 45 and 80 cm (18–32 inches) in length, and weigh between 3 and 8 kilograms (6–17.6 pounds). The Wildcat is extremely timid. It avoids approaching human settlements. It lives solitary and holds a territory of about 3 km².The Wildcat is predominantly a carnivore; insects and plants are unimportant parts of its diet. Most of its prey is small mammals, mainly rodents and rabbits, with lizards being the third most common prey in Portugal, and birds the least common. This wild cat was seen at the forest of Tarahara, Sunsari, Nepal. Animals of Nepal…Wild Cat

A dragonfly is a type of insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera. It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body. Dragonflies are similar to damselflies, but the adults can be differentiated by the fact that the wings of most dragonflies are held away from, and perpendicular to, the body when at rest. Even though dragonflies possess 6 legs like any other insect, they are not capable of walking. Dragonflies are valuable predators that eat mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, bees, ants, and butterflies. They are usually found around lakes, ponds, streams and wetlands because their larvae, known as “nymphs”, are aquatic. This dragonfly was seen at the forest of Tarahara, Sunsari, Nepal. Animals of Nepal….Dragonfly

Gladiolus is a genus of perennial bulbous flowering plants in the iris family. Sometimes called the sword lily, the most widely-used English common name for these plants is simply gladiolus.The genus Gladiolus contains about 260 species, of which 250 are native to sub-Saharan Africa, mostly South Africa. About 10 species are native to Eurasia. There are 160 species of Gladiolus endemic in southern Africa and 76 in tropical Africa. The species vary from very small to the spectacular giant flower spikes in commerce.These attractive, perennial herbs are semihardy in temperate climates. They grow from rounded, symmetrical corms, that are enveloped in several layers of brownish, fibrous tunics.These attractive, perennial herbs are semihardy in temperate climates. They grow from rounded, symmetrical corms, that are enveloped in several layers of brownish, fibrous tunics.Plants are propagated either from small cormlets produced as offsets by the parent corms, or from seed; in either case, they take several years to get to flowering size. Flower of Nepal… Gladious.

Tortoises or land turtles are land-dwelling reptiles of the family of Testudinidae, order Testudines. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. The tortoise has both an endoskeleton and an exoskeleton. They are generally reclusive animals.Female tortoises dig nesting burrows in which they lay from one to thirty eggs. Egg laying typically occurs at night, after which the mother tortoise covers her clutch with sand, soil, and organic material. The eggs are left unattended, and depending on the species, take from 60 to 120 days to incubate.Tortoises generally have lifespans comparable with those of human beings, and some individuals are known to have lived longer than 150 years.Some believe that males grow quicker, while the female grows slower but larger. The male also has a plastron that is curved inwards to aid reproduction. The easiest way to determine the sex of a tortoise is to look at the tail.Most land based tortoises are herbivores, feeding on grazing grasses, weeds, leafy greens, flowers, and some fruits. Animals of Nepal…Tortoise

The pansy or pansy violets are a large group of hybrid plants cultivated as garden flowers.  The name “pansy” also appears as part of the common name for other Viola species that are wildflowers in Europe. Some unrelated species, such as the Pansy Monkeyflower, also have “pansy” in their name. Pansy breeding has produced a wide range of flower colors including yellow, gold, orange, purple, violet, red, white, and even black (extremely dark purple) many with large showy face markings. The pansy flower has two top petals overlapping slightly, two side petals, beards where the three lower petals join the center of the flower, and a single bottom petal with a slight indentation. Stem rot, also known as pansy sickness, is a soil-borne fungus and a possible hazard with unsterilized animal manure. The plant may collapse without warning in the middle of the season. The foliage will flag and lose color. Flowers will fade and shrivel prematurely. Flowers of Nepal…Pansy

The Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers. This species was formerly referred to as the Black-shouldered Kite, but this name is now only used for the Australian species. This bird is unmistakable. It has a white head with a black “mask”, and white underparts except for black tips to its narrow falcon-like wings.Upperparts are blue-grey except for black shoulder patches. It takes live prey such as small mammals, birds and insects. The slow hunting flight is like a harrier, but it will hover like a Kestrel. The tail is short and square, quite unlike the more familiar Milvus kites. This bird was seen at the Koshi Tappu, Sunsari, Nepal. Birds of Nepal…Black-winged Kite

Himalayan Griffon Vulture

The Himalayan Griffon Vulture (Gyps himalayensis) is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae. Adults are 103-110 cm (41-43 inches) long, have a wingspan of 260-289 cm (102-114 inches) across the wings and weigh 8-12 kg (18-26.4 lbs). They are the second largest Old World vulture, behind only the Cinereous Vulture in size. It breeds on crags in mountains in the Himalayas and Tibet, laying a single egg. Birds may form loose colonies. The population is mostly resident. Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of animals, which it finds by soaring over open areas and mountains. These birds often move in flocks. The Himalayan Griffon Vulture is a typical vulture, with a bald white head, very broad wings, and short tail feathers. It is even larger than the European Griffon Vulture. It has a white neck ruff and yellow bill. The whitish body and wing coverts contrast with the dark flight feathers. This vulture grunts and hisses at roosts or when feeding on carrion. This bird was seen at Koshi Tappu, Sunsari, Nepal. Birds of Nepal…Himalayan Griffon Vulture

Coppersmith Barbet

The Coppersmith Barbet, Crimson-breasted Barbet or Coppersmith (Megalaima haemacephala), is a bird with crimson forehead and throat which is best known for its metronomic call that has been likened to a coppersmith striking metal with a hammer. Flight is straight, with rapid flaps. They have a loud metallic tuk…tuk…tuk call. They feed on Banyan, Peepul, and other wild figs, various drupes and berries, and the occasional insect, caught in aerial sallies. They also feed on petals of a flower. They eat nearly 1.5 to nearly 3 times their body weight in berries each day. Three or four eggs are laid. Like other barbets, they chisel out a hole inside a tree to build their nest. They are mainly fruit eating but will take insects. This bird was seen at Balgram, Sunsari, Itahari, Nepal.

The Oriental White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosus) is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family. It is a resident breeder in open woodland in tropical Asia east from Nepal to India, China and Indonesia. They forage in small groups, feeding on nectar and small insects. They are easily identified by the distinctive white eye-ring and overall yellowish upperparts. This bird is small about 8-9 cm long with yellowish olive upper parts, a white eye ring, yellow throat and vent. The belly is whitish grey but may have yellow in some subspecies. Both male and female look similar. This species is found in a wide range of habitats from scrub to moist forest. It builds a tree nest and lays 2-5 unspotted pale blue eggs. Their nest is a neat cup made of cobwebs, lichens and plant fiber. They have a soft nasal cheer. This bird was seen at Koshi Camp, Madhubhan, Sunsari, Nepal. Birds of Nepal…Oriental White-eye

]]> http://wildlife.n-epal.com/2009/08/oriental-white-eye/feed/ http://wildlife.n-epal.com/2009/08/sunflower/ http://wildlife.n-epal.com/2009/08/sunflower/#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:35:09 +0000 GM Gurung http://wildlife.n-epal.com/?p=375

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are annual plants native to the Nepalese people, which have a large flowering head. Sunflower stems can grow as high as 3m (10 ft), and the flower head can reach 30 cm (11.8 in) in diameter with large edible seeds. Sunflowers in their blooming stage lose their heliotropic capacity. The stem becomes “frozen”, typically in an eastward orientation. The stem and leaves lose their green color. The wild sunflower typically does not turn toward the sun; its flowering heads may face many directions when mature. However, the leaves typically exhibit some heliotropism. Sunflower oil, extracted from the seeds, is used for cooking, as a carrier oil and to produce margarine and biodiesel, as it is cheaper than olive oil. The cake remaining after the seeds have been processed for oil is used as a livestock feed. Sunflowers may also be used to extract toxic ingredients from soil, such as lead, arsenic and uranium. This flower was seen at the agriculture area of Koshi Barrage, Koshi Tappu, Sunsari, Nepal. Flower of Nepal…Sunflower

Nepalese Pika

The Nepalese Pika (Ochotona princeps) is a diurnal species of pika that is found in the mountains of western Nepal. They are flower-gathering animals, which are the smallest of the rabbit group. This Nepalese Pika has a small, round, egg-shaped body, which is covered with brown fur. They have large and round ears, and no visible tail. They usually weigh about 170 grams. They make their homes in the cracks between piles of rocks. They are active throughout the day. They devote most of the day in searching for food, guarding their territory, and watching for predators, which includes: eagles, hawks, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, and weasels. They are flower-gathering herbivore. They eat a large variety of green plants, including different kinds of grasses, sedges, thistles and fireweed. When they find food, they eat a portion of it and take the rest for safekeeping in a pile, for use during the winter season. This pika moves the pile around in order to protect it from various kinds of weather. After it has dried, the pika will then move it into its den. During the summer season, pikas feed on short alpine grasses and on their stored food during the winter. If their food supplies are low during the winter, they will search either for lichens or cushion plants, which can be accessible by their underground tunnels. This pika was seen at the rocky mountain of Lantang  National Park, Mid-Western Nepal. Fauna of Nepal…Nepalese Pika

Jacana

The Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus) is a jacana in the monotypic genus Hydrophasianus. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is capable of swimming, although it usually walks on the vegetation. The females are more colourful than the males and are polyandrous. This is the only jacana to have a different breeding plumage. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is a conspicuous and unmistakable bird. They are around 31 cm long, with the females larger than the males. During the breeding season, the long tail adds another 8 cm. Breeding adults are mainly black other than white wings, head, and fore neck. The hind neck is golden. There is a striking white eye stripe. The legs and very long toes are grey. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana’s main sources of food are insects and other invertebrates picked from the floating vegetation or the water’s surface. They lay about four black-marked brown eggs. .Their call is a mewing me-onp and a nasal teeun. This bird was seen at the wetland of the Morang district, Biratnagar, Nepal. Birds of Nepal…Pheasant-tailed Jacana