The Leopard And Wild Cat

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The Leopard And Wild Cat
The leopard is most easily recognized by its rosette patterned coat and extremely long, darker tail. This large cat is sometimes confused in appearance with the South American Jaguar - the leopard though is less stocky and unlike the jaguar, its rosette markings are generally smaller and have no internal spots. The overall size of the leopard depends very much on the subspecies and location, with the largest animals growing to a length of nearly 5 feet with an additional tail length of some 3 feet - generally the male is between 20-40% larger than the female. The base coloration of the coat also varies greatly depending upon location, ranging from golden/yellow in open grasslands, through yellow/cream in desert areas to deep gold in mountain and forest regions. All black or melanistic leopards, sometimes commonly called ‘Black Panthers", are born in the same litter as normally marked cats and also carry the rosette markings, although these are masked by the darkness of the fur. It has been observed that the melantistic leopard is most generally found in the dense, wet forested areas of India and south east Asia, where the coloration advantages the cat in its hunting. The leopard is a versatile hunter and generally nocturnal in its pursuit of prey - however the increased frequency of hunting found in the female raising young often leads to more opportunist hunting during daylight hours (information from Big Cats Online). The main prey in Pakistan is Rhesus Monkey, Wild boar, Chinkara, Urial, Sind Wild Goat and Porcupines. Average litter size is 2-3 cubs which are born after a gestation period of 4 months.
Habitat and Distribution:

The common leopard  frequents Himalayan mountains upto the tree limit in the forest of chir, kail, deodar and fir. It also inhabits broken arid mountainous country in association with scrub and thorn forest.

The Leopards in Pakistan are mainly found in the highlands of Baluchistan and Sind, and the mountain forests of Punjab, N.W.F.P and Azad Kashmir. The leopard is found in the Kirthar Mountain Range of Sind and the Toba Kakar, the Mekran and the Sulaiman Range of Baluchistan. In the northern mountanious region it is found in the Murree Hills, Swat Kohistan, Dir, Chitral, Abbotabad and Lower Gilgit. It is also found in the Kaghan valley and the Margalla Hills. In Azad Kaashmir it is found around the hill ranges of Muzaffarabad and the Neelum Valley. Its survival in the Salt Range in Punjab is not clear, though they still do exist in very small numbers. The leopard sparsely inhabits the Kala Chita hills as well.
The total population in Pakistan is unknown. A study on the common leopard to estimate its population, distribution pattern and habitat preferences was done from 1998-1999 in Rawalpindi District by M. Anwar Maan and A. Aleem Chaudhry(Tiger Paper Vol. 27:No.4 Oct-Dec 2000).. The study period was carried out in four sessions. The first session was conducted in May-June 1998. The second in October, the third in November, and the fourth in February 1999. Population estimates for common leopard, density over square km, distribution pattern and preference for particular habitat were studied. The habitat was surveyed to determine the population of common leopard following the strip census method. Transects three to four km long and 100m wide were studied. Indirect evidence such as droppings, pugmarks and wildlife and livestock species preyed upon by leopard were searched out during the study. During the study 74 transects were studied covering an area of 40-60 square km. In one transect, only pugmarks were observed, which were transformed into population estimates. Three goats preyed upon by leopards were also witnessed. On the basis of indirect information(i.e. pugmarks) the per square km density of 0.018 -+ 0.016 leopards was assessed. The overall population estimate within a 281 square km habitat was 5.058 -+ 4.496, indicating that 1-9 leopards survive in its distribution range. On the basis of observations recorded during the study period, it was concluded that the population of common leopard was randomly distributed, showing no preference for a particular habitat.

Squardon Leader, Mr. Zulfikar Ahmed reports the sighting of a leopard in the year 1995 when a leopard was sighted at the top of Mount Sakesar in the Salt Range. The animal was seen by a number of people from close range in broad daylight. The mammal remained there for three days (as confirmed by multiple sightings), whichspread a wave of terror amongst the local inhabitants. Just a couple of months back an animal descended from the mountains (probably because of starvation) and entered into the town of Quaidabad, where it was shot dead. During the same time frame a calf was killed by Leopard near the Sakesar top (as reported by calf owner) The remains of the calf were poisoned by the locals. However the results of poisoning are not known. Quite recently (summer of 2000) a sighting of a female Leopard along with two cubs has been reported in the Western Salt Range . This female and the two cubs were later captured by the N.W.F.P Wildlife Department from Manglot National Park near Nizampur (CONSERVATION OF WILD LIFE AND ITS HABITAT IN SOAN VALLEY, Zulfikar Ahmed, November 2000).

The N.W.F.P wildlife department carried out a census in the province in 1997 and has put the number of leopards in that province at 76 (Distribution and Status of Wildlife in the N.W.F.P, 1997. N.W.F.P Wildlife Department). Further there might be ( a guess) 40-50 in the forests of Azad Kashmir. Sind Wildlife Department reported 7 leopards occuring in the Kirthar National Park in Sind in 1982. The total population of this beautiful cat in Pakistan may be inbetween 150-250.

Click here for a map of leopard distribution in Pakistan and recent sightings

Recent Sightings and Population Surveys:

Sightings:
1998: Female leopard and two cub seen in Azad Kashmir, near Muzaffarabad town. Female is shot. Cubs are captured by a local villager. Female cub ends at Islamabad Zoo. Male cub with Azad Kashmir Wildlife Department.

1999: Male leopard enters Abottabad city in Malik Pura area, from the surrounding hills. Leopard is captured. Released later.

2000: A female leopard is caught in Manglot Wildlife Park in Nizampur area in N.W.F.P. The leopard is released later by the N.W.F.P Wildlife Department. Reports of two more leopards from the same area are also made by the Wildlife Department.

2001: On March 27,  The wildlife department of NWFP  captures a leopard from Biran Gali and shifts it to Peshawar for protection and care. The one-year-old had injured at least two female goats and as many sheep. It was decided to release the leopard in the Galyat areas of NWFP.
On February 14th, the Abbottabad police killed a leopard that was hiding in a house in Malik Pura area (same area as in 1998 (see above). Wildlife officials fail to capture it alive and is shot 15 times. It was reported to be a captive specimen owned by FFR Center of the Pakistan Army.

Surveys:

1998-1999: Study on the common leopard to estimate its population, distribution pattern and habitat preferences was done from 1998-1999 in Rawalpindi District by M. Anwar Maan and A. Aleem Chaudhry (Tigerpaper Vol.27:No 4 Oct.-Dec.2000).

2000-2001: IUCN reports good evidence of leopards surviving in Baluchistan, south of Siahan Mountain Range, during the cheetah survey. No, actual sighting.

The Leopard Wild Cat

The Leopard Wild Cat

The Leopard Wild Cat

The Leopard Wild Cat

The Leopard Wild Cat

The Leopard Wild Cat

French Spaniel Dog

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French Spaniel  Dog
The head of the French Spaniel is held proudly, well sculptured, unburdened, without excessive sparseness, but presenting the characteristics of the breed. Head is of average length and size. The skull has a length of 1 ½ to 2 inches more than the forehead. The lateral faces of the skull appear almost parallel. The head is of medium length and width. It is well-chiseled, but not excessively. It has pronounced brow bones and a sloping stop. The slightly domed nose-bridge is a bit shorter than the skull. The upper lip does not cover lower lip. The brown nose is wide with good nostrils. Bite is either level or scissors. The eyes are fairly large and oval, dark amber in color, with an intelligent and gentle expression. Ears are set well back and in line with the eyes. They are long with feathering at the top. The neck is muscular, signally arched, oval-shaped and of medium length. Withers are pronounced and large. Back is slightly sloping, sustained and hard in action. Loins are large, of medium length, and well-muscled. Thighs (croup) are large and muscular, well rounded, without apparent bone structure. Chest is bursting with large capacity, high, good depth. The tail is full length, not docked, set low, tapering, held slantwise curves. The skin is flexible and close to the body. The coat is dense, close and water resistant and has feathering along the back of the legs, belly, tail and ears. Flat and short on the head. Coat color is white with liver markings. Markings are irregular and can be small or dominating. Speckling is acceptable. Some faults according to the written standard for this breed are: Head too short or wide, clear eyes, tail off center. Other colors except white and liver. Solid liver colored or solid white body. Solid white head. Little or no feathering. Ears too small or set to high.
Temperament

Calm, even-tempered and intelligent, French Spaniels very much enjoy the company of their owners. They are gentle with children, making great pets. Rustic looking, relatively tall and powerfully built, the French Spaniel trains well but is easily intimidated; training should be gentle, firm and consistent. They need human companionship and lots of exercise. Known and appreciated for its hunting skills, the French Spaniel works very well on rugged terrain and in the water as a flusher. French Spaniels are one of the best retrievers and point very precisely. Hunting at a gallop or extended trot, the French Spaniel has an excellent nose, but has less speed and a more limited search range than the Brittany Spaniel. They are enthusiastic hunting dogs, persistent, hardy and courageous. This breed gets along well with other dogs. It is important owners are even-tempered, but firm and consistent with the rules set upon the dog. It is also equally important, when the dog is not hunting, that he receives daily pack walks where he heels beside the handler during the walk. When a dog is lacking in either leadership and or proper mental/physical exercise it causes separation anxiety.

Height, Weight

Height: Males 22 - 24 inches (55 - 61 cm) at the withers
Height: Females 21 - 23 inches (54 - 59 cm) at the withers
Weight: 44 - 55 pounds (20 - 25 kg)
Health Problems

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Living Conditions

The French Spaniel is not recommended for apartment life. They are very active indoors and will do best with acreage. This breed is resistant to cold and damp conditions.
Exercise

French Spaniel's love exercise and have great stamina. They need daily extensive exercise, including a walk or jog and do best with an active outdoor person or hunter.
Life Expectancy

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Grooming

Regular brushing twice a week of the medium-length, flat coat is really all that is needed to keep it in good condition. Bathe or dry shampoo when necessary. It is generally a low-maintenance dog. Check the ears carefully, especially when the dog has been out in rough or brushy terrain. This breed is a light shedder.

Origin

The French Spaniel is related to the German Small Munsterlander and Dutch Partridge Dog, and like all of the spaniels who became the first pointers, the French Spaniel is a distant descendant of the longhaired Chien d'Oysel (setter), a dog of the middle ages. The breed was widely used as a game bird hunter in the 1600s. Its numbers dwindled due to the competition with English breeds, however in the nineteenth century, it was revived by Father Fournier. In 1891 the first standard was written by a man named J. de Connick. The standard described the breed as larger and more powerful than the Brittany Spaniel. The breed is still very rare, even in France.

French Spaniel  Dog

French Spaniel  Dog

French Spaniel  Dog

French Spaniel  Dog

French Spaniel  Dog

French Spaniel  Dog

European Wild Cat

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European Wild Cat
Wildcats (or wild cats) are usually grey brown with a pattern of black stripes over the body. The fur is fairly short and soft, and the tail is bushy. They are similar in appearance and colour to a tabby domestic cat. There are several subspecies: The European wildcat (Felix silvestris silvestris) has the typical gray brown coast and has thick winter fur; the Asiatic wildcat (Felix silvestris notatus) is more reddish or yellowish brown in colour with a pattern of dark spots that join into stripes; African wild cats (Felix silvestris libyca) vary from yellowish brown to gray to brown, with pattern of stripes and spots.

Size
Body length: 50cm - 75cm. Tail length: 21cm - 35cm. Weight: males 4kg - 5kg; females - 2.7kg - 4kg. The Asiatic wildcat is the smallest subspecies.

Habitat
African wildcats are found in a range of habitats, but not in rainforest or open desert. Asiatic wildcats are found mainly in scrub desert. European wildcats are found mainly in deciduous forest and also in coniferous forests, scrublands, riverside habitats, and prefer areas far from human settlement.

Food
Wild cats feed on small mammals such as mice, rats and rabbits. Also eats birds, reptiles, amphibians, eggs, large insects. Wild cats can capture prey that is almost as large as themselves.

Breeding
European wild cats breed in late winter and young are born in the spring. Asiatic wild cats breed throughout most of the year. African wild cats breed from September through March. Females give birth to one to eight kittens (average three or four) after a gestation period of about 66 days. The kittens are born in a burrow, under rocks or in dense vegetation. The young are weaned after about 42 to 84 days.

Range
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Republic of Congo, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, USA, Uzbekistan, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

European Wild Cat

European Wild Cat

European Wild Cat

European Wild Cat

European Wild Cat

European Wild Cat

European Wild Cat

Giraffes Are The World's Tallest Mammals

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Giraffes Are The World's Tallest Mammals
Giraffes are the world's tallest mammals, thanks to their towering legs and long necks. A giraffe's legs alone are taller than many humans—about 6 feet (1.8 meters). These long legs allow giraffes to run as fast as 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour over short distances and cruise comfortably at 10 miles (16 kilometers) an hour over longer distances.

Typically, these fascinating animals roam the open grasslands in small groups of about half a dozen.

Bulls sometimes battle one another by butting their long necks and heads. Such contests aren't usually dangerous and end when one animal submits and walks away.

Giraffes use their height to good advantage and browse on leaves and buds in treetops that few other animals can reach (acacias are a favorite). Even the giraffe's tongue is long! The 21-inch (53-centimeter) tongue helps them pluck tasty morsels from branches. Giraffes eat most of the time and, like cows, regurgitate food and chew it as cud. A giraffe eats hundreds of pounds of leaves each week and must travel miles to find enough food.

The giraffe's height also helps it to keep a sharp lookout for predators across the wide expanse of the African savanna.

The giraffe's stature can be a disadvantage as well—it is difficult and dangerous for a giraffe to drink at a water hole. To do so they must spread their legs and bend down in an awkward position that makes them vulnerable to predators like Africa's big cats. Giraffes only need to drink once every several days; they get most of their water from the luscious plants they eat.

Female giraffes give birth standing up. Their young endure a rather rude welcome into the world by falling more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) to the ground at birth. These infants can stand in half an hour and run with their mothers an incredible ten hours after birth.

Giraffes have beautiful spotted coats. While no two individuals have exactly the same pattern, giraffes from the same area appear similar.

Giraffes Are The World's Tallest Mammals

Giraffes Are The World's Tallest Mammals

Giraffes Are The World's Tallest Mammals

Giraffes Are The World's Tallest Mammals

Giraffes Are The World's Tallest Mammals

Alligator

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The American Alligator 
The American alligator is a rare success story of an endangered animal not only saved from extinction but now thriving. State and federal protections, habitat preservation efforts, and reduced demand for alligator products have improved the species' wild population to more than one million and growing today.

One look at these menacing predators—with their armored, lizard-like bodies, muscular tails, and powerful jaws—and it is obvious they are envoys from the distant past. The species, scientists say, is more than 150 million years old, managing to avoid extinction 65 million years ago when their prehistoric contemporaries, the dinosaurs, died off.

American alligators reside nearly exclusively in the freshwater rivers, lakes, swamps, and marshes of the southeastern United States, primarily Florida and Louisiana.

Heavy and ungainly out of water, these reptiles are supremely well adapted swimmers. Males average 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.6 meters) in length and can weigh 1,000 pounds (453 kg). Females grow to a maximum of about 9.8 feet (3 meters.)

Hatchlings are 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) long with yellow and black stripes. Juveniles, which are on the menu for dozens of predators, including birds, raccoons, bobcats, and even other alligators, usually stay with their mothers for about two years.

Adult alligators are apex predators critical to the biodiversity of their habitat. They feed mainly on fish, turtles, snakes, and small mammals. However, they are opportunists, and a hungry gator will eat just about anything, including carrion, pets and, in rare instances, humans.

                                                   The American Alligator 

The American Alligator 

The American Alligator 

The American Alligator 

The American Alligator 

The American Alligator 

Answer Why Do Zebras Have Stripes

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Answer Why Do Zebras Have Stripes 
No animal has a more distinctive coat than the zebra. Each animal's stripes are as unique as fingerprints—no two are exactly alike—although each of the three species has its own general pattern.

Why do zebras have stripes at all? Scientists aren't sure, but many theories center on their utility as some form of camouflage. The patterns may make it difficult for predators to identify a single animal from a running herd and distort distance at dawn and dusk. Or they may dissuade insects that recognize only large areas of single-colored fur or act as a kind of natural sunscreen. Because of their uniqueness, stripes may also help zebras recognize one another.

Zebras are social animals that spend time in herds. They graze together, primarily on grass, and even groom one another.

Plains (Burchell's) zebras are the most common species. They live in small family groups consisting of a male (stallion), several females, and their young. These units may combine with others to form awe-inspiring herds thousands of head strong, but family members will remain close within the herd.

Zebras must be constantly wary of lions and hyenas. A herd has many eyes alert to danger. If an animal is attacked, its family will come to its defense, circling the wounded zebra and attempting to drive off predators.

Answer Why Do Zebras Have Stripes 

Answer Why Do Zebras Have Stripes 

Answer Why Do Zebras Have Stripes 

Answer Why Do Zebras Have Stripes 

Answer Why Do Zebras Have Stripes 

Answer Why Do Zebras Have Stripes 

Adult Green Turtles

The green turtle is a large, weighty sea turtle with a wide, smooth carapace, or shell. It inhabits tropical and subtropical coastal waters around the world and has been observed clambering onto land to sunbathe.

It is named not for the color of its shell, which is normally brown or olive depending on its habitat, but for the greenish color of its skin. There are two types of green turtles—scientists are currently debating whether they are subspecies or separate species—including the Atlantic green turtle, normally found off the shores of Europe and North America, and the Eastern Pacific green turtle, which has been found in coastal waters from Alaska to Chile.

Weighing up to 700 pounds (317.5 kilograms) green turtles are among the largest sea turtles in the world. Their proportionally small head, which is nonretractable, extends from a heart-shaped carapace that measures up to 5 feet (1.5 meters). Males are slightly larger than females and have a longer tail. Both have flippers that resemble paddles, which make them powerful and graceful swimmers.
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Adult Green Turtles
Unlike most sea turtles, adult green turtles are herbivorous, feeding on sea grasses and algae. Juvenile green turtles, however, will also eat invertebrates like crabs, jellyfish, and sponges.

While most sea turtles warm themselves by swimming close to the surface of shallow waters, the Eastern Pacific green turtle will take to land to bask in the sun. Occasionally seen sunbathing alongside seals and albatrosses, it is one of the few marine turtles known to leave the water other than at nesting times.

Green turtles, like other sea turtles, undertake lengthy migrations from feeding sites to nesting grounds, normally on sandy beaches. Mating occurs every two to four years and normally takes place in shallow waters close to the shore. To nest, females leave the sea and choose an area, often on the same beach used by their mothers, to lay their eggs. They dig a pit in the sand with their flippers, fill it with a clutch of 100 to 200 eggs, cover the pit and return to the sea, leaving the eggs to hatch after about two months. The most dangerous time of a green turtle’s life is when it makes the journey from nest to sea. Multiple predators, including crabs and flocks of gulls, voraciously prey on hatchlings during this short scamper.

Green turtles are listed as an endangered species, and a subpopulation in the Mediterranean is listed as critically endangered. Despite this, they are still killed for their meat and eggs. Their numbers are also reduced by boat propeller accidents, fishnet-caused drowning, and the destruction of their nesting grounds by human encroachment.

Adult Green Turtles

Adult Green Turtles

Adult Green Turtles

Adult Green Turtles

Adult Green Turtles

Adult Green Turtles

Monkeys Names And Region

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Monkeys Names And Region
Asia's leaf monkeys take their name from the lush jungle foliage that makes up the bulk of their diets. All are equipped with a large, chambered stomach, like that of a cow, which allows them to break down and digest their fibrous fare.

Endemic to the jungles of Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo, red leaf monkeys are named for their shaggy auburn coat. They are also known as maroon langurs and maroon leaf monkeys.

These charismatic Old World primates live in bands of 2 to 13 individuals, led by a dominant male, and spend nearly all their time in the trees. They have broad, dark-colored faces with wide, expressive eyes. They average between 13 and 14 pounds (6.2 to 6.3 kilograms).

Beyond leaves, red leaf monkeys also consume large amounts of seeds and flowers. They also eat fruit but avoid sweet, ripe fruit because the sugars disrupt the delicate balance of their complex stomachs.

Red leaf monkeys are highly territorial and will challenge any intruders within their home range. Males emit a loud call to demarcate their territory and warn rivals away.

This species is under some pressure from hunting and habitat loss, but is quite common throughout its range. Nevertheless, they are protected by law throughout Malaysian Borneo.

Monkeys Names And Region

Monkeys Names And Region

Monkeys Names And Region

Monkeys Names And Region

Monkeys Names And Region

Monkeys Names And Region

Horse Running In Water

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Horse Running In Water  
Out here, on the world’s longest barrier island, the ocean meets the fringe of Texas with ruffled rows of grey-brown surf. Far away from the plains and prairies and hills and desert, the dull-colored sandbar fades casually into the deep blue Gulf.

This land was made for horses. All over Texas I have watched them graze, nipping at spring shoots in Panhandle fields and scraping at the sage brush of Big Bend, and yet only when I arrive at land’s end do I actually swing my leg up over a leather saddle, grab the reins and really get to traveling.

McLeod is an icy white thoroughbred with a sandy mane and deep wet eyes. He is a giant beast, all muscle and backbone and haunches—and his keeper warns me right off the bat: “You gotta watch him, now, he won’t sit still long.”


McLeod, my white thoroughbred (Photo by Andrew Evans, National Geographic Traveler)

“Yeah?” I ask, a little concerned. I am no stranger to a jumpy horse.

“He’s anxious to travel,” they say.

“Well then—we have something in common,” I reply and slide my palm along McLeod’s velvety face.

My horse begins walking, stepping into the dunes, oblivious to the other horses and their respective tourist loads. For the first twenty minutes we get to know one another. I make sure he knows I like a slow and steady pace—I pull up on the reins and hold him back, then release to let him move ahead. He makes sure that I know how much he hates me pulling on his reins—that he likes the water and staying ahead of the pack. Also, he doesn’t like the smaller brown quarterhorse and the smoke from a far away fire and that curious little dog running in the sand.

We get along, this animal that is carrying me down the beach and I, the distant Texan returned home. My month has passed by too quickly, the vastness of this place still a whirl in my head, but now, on horseback—with the soft rhythm of cold ocean waves—only now does my mind slow way down and I feel myself relaxed in the saddle, toes pressed against the stirrups, riding, riding.

Puffs of sand blow away from each hoof as they pull out of the dune; long and beautiful horsetails twitch and swish as the dune flowers flap like flimsy yellow crepe paper in the wind.

The wind is always blowing here, long and strong. It was blowing on the day I arrived in Texas and it is still blowing now—blowing McLeod’s slender mane to the west. Everything else disappears and we are alone—just me and my horse and the great big sea. Hooves splash into the surf and all I do is keep riding—riding and riding across another beautiful mile of Texas.

Horse Running In Water

Horse Running In Water

Horse Running In Water

Horse Running In Water

Horse Running In Water

Horse Running In Water

Deer Run Ever Fast

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Deer Run Ever Fast
The loathsome deer tick, now known as the black-legged tick, is defined more by the disease it spreads than by its own characteristics.

These blood-sucking members of the arachnid family were vaulted into the public consciousness in the mid-1970s when it was discovered that they are the primary (and possibly only) transmitters, or vectors, for Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is a debilitating, though rarely fatal, infection that is often misdiagnosed because early symptoms closely resemble the flu. Victims usually have a slowly-spreading bull’s-eye-shaped rash where the tick attached, but not always. If untreated by antibiotics, patients can develop a variety of health problems, including facial paralysis, heart palpitations, arthritis, severe headaches, and neurological disorders.

Associated mainly with the Northeast, deer ticks live throughout the central and eastern United States, wherever their favorite hosts, deer and rodents, are present. Western black-legged ticks live west of the Rocky Mountains and are also vectors for Lyme disease.

Significantly smaller than the more commonly encountered dog tick, adult female deer ticks are about as big as a sesame seed and have reddish hind bodies with black dorsal markings. Males are slightly smaller than females and are solid dark brown.

Deer ticks live about two years and go through four life phases: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. They feed exclusively on animal blood and eat only three times during their lives: once to molt from larva to nymph; once from nymph to adult; and once as adults to lay eggs. They can contract the bacteria that causes Lyme disease from an infected host at any of these feedings, but transmit it only during the second or third. They must remain attached for at least 24 hours for the bacteria to transmit.

Larvae are miniscule, no bigger than the period at the end of this sentence, and feed only on birds or mice. Nymphs are about as big as a poppy seed, but, like adults, will seek larger hosts, including deer, dogs, and humans. Adult females mate on or off a host then feed for several days, swelling to twice their normal size. Once engorged, they drop off, lay their eggs amid the leaves, and die.

Lyme disease is currently one of the fastest-growing vector-borne diseases in the United States. More than 14,000 cases are reported annually, but because symptoms so closely resemble the flu and usually go away without treatment, scientists estimate as many as nine out of every ten cases go unreported.

Deer Run Ever Fast

Deer Run Ever Fast

Deer Run Ever Fast

Deer Run Ever Fast

Deer Run Ever Fast

Deer Run Ever Fast

Deer Run Ever Fast