Cattle

Posts Tagged ‘north’

A shorthair cat, Sokoke is believed to have originated many centuries ago in Sokoke-Arabuko rainforest in eastern Kenya. There it was called Khadzonzo by native tribesmen, the word meaning ‘tree bark like in appearance’ in local language. Despite its independent existence in nature for many years, there is not much evidence of wild cat genetics in this beautiful cat and it is believed by many to be a feral domestic cat. The modern history of Sokoke was initiated when in early nineteen eighties they were brought from Africa to Denmark, Europe, owing to their striking appeal and fear of extinction in shrinking natural habitat. Though the shorthair cats had some trouble early on, adjusting to the cold climate of Denmark, they survived and gained recognition in coming years. Today breeding populations occur all across Europe and North America, even as Sokokes are still relatively rare as purebreds.

Sokoke has a sleek athletic body that is chiseled like that of the Cheetah. Its slender, hard muscled trunk, long legs and short head give it the appearance of a skilled predator. Coat is single layered and dense. It has a blotched tabby pattern with ticked hair and occurs in shades of brown. Head is flat at the top with alert, rounded ears and almond shaped slightly slanted green eyes.

A relatively recent development in Sokoke lines is the ‘Snow Sokoke’. This cat has a basic color in the range of cream to gray with similar marbled tabby markings on body. Legs and tail are striped and eyes are of a blue color. Snow Sokokes are very pretty. However, they are not widely accepted in breed standards at the moment.

Sokokes are very intelligent cats that are sensitive and react well to alternating moods and behavior patterns of humans. They are social and accept other pets easily into the household. Active and vocal animals, these cats readily communicate with their humans.

Grizzly Bear Description

The Grizzly Bear seems to be among the most common that people recognize by its appearance. They are very large bears and they often have a coat that is chocolate brown in color. Some of them have a white tip to them though as they get older. They range in size from 5 to 8 feet tall with the males being larger than the females. They can weigh up to 800 pounds.

Grizzly Bear Distribution

Grizzly Bears are found in North America and they are often confused with Brown Bears that are also around that same area. They will be found around the rivers of Alaska when it is time for the salmon to run upstream for spawning during the summer months. They have a grand area that they move around in looking for food, with the radius of the male being much lager than for the females. You will also find them in areas of Canada.

These bears can cover many miles every single day. They can also run about 30 miles per hour should they need to. With that type of speed and power is it is very rare that their prey is able to get away from them.

Grizzly Bear Behavior

With the exception of caring for their young, Grizzly Bears are very solitary animals. They are excellent caregivers and they can become very aggressive when humans are around at the same time they have cubs. Females will also battle with male Grizzly Bears in order to protect their young.

Grizzly Bear Diet and Feeding

They are the top of the food chain when it comes to this area. They don’t have to worry very much about becoming food for anything else. They also can take their pick when it comes to foods available. Some of their favorites include nuts, berries, leaves, and roots. They will also feed on a variety of different types of animals. Some of them are very small such a rodents. However, other times they will feed on a moose.

Grizzly Bears consume a high number of fish including salmon. They are very skilled hunters and it is exciting to watch them. They will observe the waters and quickly swipe with their claws when fish come by. Most of the time they will capture their prey, consume it, and continue hunting for more following this same method.

Grizzly Bear Reproduction Grizzly Bears will mate from May until mid July. During this period of time the males will be calling out to the females. The females will leave a stronger scent for them to follow. Courting involves eating together and rubbing up on the sides of each other.

They will part soon after mating and the female will give birth to one or two cubs at a time. The gestation period ranges from 180 days to 265 days. The cubs are about one pound at birth and very vulnerable. The mothers are excellent at caring for them though. When they are two or three years of age they will venture out on their own.

Grizzly Bear Conservation

There are less than 1,000 Grizzly Bears remaining in the wild today. The illegal hunting of them and the destruction of their habitat continues to be a threat. Even with strong conservation efforts in place it is very hard to get their numbers to increase. The fact that so few remain has encouraged zoos to take them in and to help them reproduce in a safe setting. Plans for some of those young to be returned to the wild are in place.

Grizzly Bear Human interaction

Even though the Grizzly Bear is protected in the continental USA, many people still can kill them in Canada and Alaska. They are considered to be huge trophy hunts and with a limited number of them remaining, many want to get one before it is too late. The fact that Grizzly Bears unduly have a reputation of being man eaters means many people don’t care of they are hunted or not.

Conures originate from Central America, South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. They vary in size depending on type and can be anywhere in the range of a small to a medium sized parrot. They are very playful and intelligent and can be very affectionate if handled and trained properly in their formative age.

Jenday conures are parrots that grow to approximately 12 inches at maturity. They have dark green wings with blue on the tips of the wing and tail feathers. Their heads are orange and fronts are yellow. This makes them easy to mix up with the sun conure, but this bird do not have the dark green wings and back feathers. Jenday conures are typically found in forest clearings in northeastern Brazil in the wild but they can also be found near coconut palms and the edge of the rain forest.

This pet tend to be very sociable and playful, making them ideal pets for families with children. They are intelligent, meaning that they pick up new tricks and words fairly quickly. However, their pronunciation is not always spot on, so they are not usually very popular talking birds. Also, their vocabulary seems to be fairly limited, knowing only about six unique words at a time – teach them a new word and they will forget one of the words that they already know.

Jenday conures, like any other pet, will remain healthy and develop well only if you pay proper attention to its care and feeding. In general, conures should be fed with proper bird pellet mix perhaps with the sporadic addition of different fruits and vegetables. Seeds and nuts should not feature in their diet at all because they have a high fat content and can cause health problems for your conure. The fruits and vegetables that you add to the pellet mix should be varied to ensure that your pet gets all its proper nutrition and remains healthy.

Oftentimes considered the most intelligent of all breeds of dogs, the Border Collie originate in the English and Scottish border country, and is an excellent sheep herding dog.  They were plentiful in numbers in England and Scotland during the 1800s when they were used as fetching dogs in order to circle sheep herds and keep the animals close to the shepard. By 1873, sheepdogs known as Border Collies and became extremely well known when the breeds character was tested at the first official sheepdog trial in England.

The first known Border Collie on record, tested at this trial, was a male named Hemp.  He was used to sire more offspring and has oftentimes been referred to as the Father of Border Collies for this reason alone.  Hemp used a combination of eye contact and fear in order to herd the flock, and was considered the most intelligent dog of his day in the British Isles.

Despite the fact that the breed had been recognized since the 1800s, the name Border Collie was not deemed as the official breed name until 1915.  Sheepherders in the US who were in dire need of a smart herding canine welcomed the Border Collie with open arms upon their arrival in North America.  Unfortunately, where the AKC is concerned, they were never considered as a competitive show dog until the mid-1990s.

The two primary traits of the Border Collies personality are obediency and intelligence.  Unfortunately, if they are kept indoors to long and not tended to, they can become rather destructive in their efforts to entertain themselves and stimulate their brains. Additionally, the Border Collie at times will display an aloof, guarding type of behavior as they are extremely loyal and protective.  And this behavior is exhibited the moment a strange human, dog, or other animal gets too close to their masters.

Mental and physical stimulation on a day-to-day basis are critical issues with Border Collies and many breeders and dog experts have the tendency when appraising the dogs personality to say that the breed simply has a job to perform.  So they will take advantage of any such opportunity as it arises.  In so many words, this dog has been genetically programmed to perform a multitude of work functions.

Despite their desire to be indoors with their families, they are quite capable of tolerating mild to cooler weather conditions.  As the breed requires significant amounts of room to roam around for exercising, it is ill-advisable that you subject the dog to an apartment-like environment.  In fact, the more astute breeders will deter you from obtaining one if you reside in an apartment, condo, or studio-type residence.

Border Collies have been known to live as long as 15 years, but 12 years is their average lifespan.  Fortunately, there are no major health concerns with this breed so you do not have to worry about anything unforeseen arising during the dogs life.  The only issue on rare occasions is CHD – Coronary Heart Disease.  Minor health issues include CEA, hypothyroidism, lens luxation, OCD, PDA, PRA, and seizures, but these conditions are rare and seldom occur with any documented regularity.

Choosing between cat breeds can be like trying to decide which snowflake is prettier. Each new kitten is cuter than the next. There are so many varieties to choose from, each with its own distinct look and personality. Do you want a cat breed that is sleek, like an Abyssinian or Siamese?

Alternatively, do you want a cat such as a Persian that gives an air of sophistication? Maybe you want something that resembles a cat’s wild cousins? Bengal cats have beautiful spotted coats reminiscent of leopards and ocelots, and the Pixie Bob looks like the bobcats of North America.

Pixie Bobs may have a wild look to them, but you couldn’t ask for a more charming, loving companion. This breed has a reputation for being the Golden Retrievers of the cat world. These cats, first bred in the Pacific Northwestern United States, were thought to be the product of a Bobcat and a feral cat.

DNA results have yet to prove any bloodline relation, though. The only “fierceness” this cat has is in its loyalty to its owner and family. Breeders have found that after a Pixie Bob reaches the age of one or two, they don’t adapt well to new owners.

The Pixie Bob is a medium to large cat that some have described as “big boned”. They have spotted markings and black tufts on their ears. Their tails are either short or full length. If you’re planning on showing your Pixie Bob, make sure that the breeder hasn’t had the tail docked (cut).

A docked tail is not acceptable in the show ring. Pixie Bobs also have huge paws that are “straight toed” or “poly toed”. A Pixie Bob with straight toes has paws with the usual number of toes on it (five in the front and four in the back).

A poly-toed Pixie Bob will have more than the usual number of toes, maybe six on the front paws instead of five. Unlike most cats, Pixie Bobs take three years to reach maturity as opposed to the usual one year. The males can reach 22 pounds and the females top out at 16 pounds.

If you are looking for a Pixie Bob, you can expect to sign a contract for the protection of the cattery, the kitten, and you. A contract outlines what the cattery will be responsible for (such as a 72-hour guarantee on the health of the kitten and what records the cattery’s veterinarian will provide), refunds, replacements, and expenses.

The contract will also inform you of the buyer’s responsibilities once the kitten leaves the possession of the cattery. Some other things you can expect to find on the contract are holding fees (if you request that a specific kitten be held for you), a promise from you to give the kitten a good home and reasonable care, and advertising rights (the cattery might want to use photos of your kitten for future promotions).

Now that you have decided that you would like to have a Pixie Bob of your own, where can you find one? It’s highly unlikely that you will be able to find one in a cat shelter, although there are Pixie Bob rescues out there.

While most of the Pixie Bob catteries are located in Washington State in the United States, you can find them all over the US and in the UK as well. The International Cat Association has listings for Pixie Bob catteries and practically every other breed of cat out there.