Germany, a country with a rich history and diverse landscapes, is characterized by impressive biocultural diversity. From the dense forests of the low mountain ranges to the expansive coastlines of the north, Germany offers a wide range of ecosystems and habitats. The flora is diverse, encompassing a wealth of plant species, including deciduous and coniferous trees in the forests, as well as typical German flowers like the Edelweiss in the Alps. The fauna is also abundant, with a variety of bird species in the forests and wetlands, as well as mammals such as deer, wild boar, and foxes. German culture is closely connected to nature, and the protection and preservation of biocultural diversity play an important role in the country's environmental and conservation movements. Despite urban development and environmental pressures, conserving this diversity remains crucial for Germany's future and the well-being of its residents.
Two years ago I adopted the clutch of a Giant African land snail (Achatina fulica, "White Jade" ). 🐌
Crazy how fast time flies. In this video they were just a month old. It plays at 11x speed. I hope they are doing well in their new homes now. I last saw them 9 months ago.
The little animals are predatory mites. They feed on small insects, springtails and mites. This is useful because they leave the snails alone but eliminate pests.
Mites are arachnids just like spiders and scorpions. There are many specialized mite species worldwide, including blood-sucking ticks and dust mites.
Warning! Not suitable for imitation! Even slightly poisonous animals can be fatal and any animal can behave unexpectedly at any time.
I've had a persistent fascination for getting bees, wasps and spiders on my fingers since early childhood. I've always wondered why everyone panics when an animal like that is around. Panic isn't necessary. Only respect and prudence. I've never been stung or bitten, apart from a few accidents, when I stepped on or reached into it unnoticed. Still, I wouldn't dare to pick up my Chilean rose tarantula (Grammostola rosea). I don't think that's even possible without stressing both of us.
With my deeply relaxed Vietnam forest scorpion (Heterometrus laoticus) I had the impression that it was easily possible and I couldn't resist giving it a one-time try. The species is known for its peacefulness. He crawled onto the hand by himself and behaved relatively calmly. Scorpions always observe their surroundings very closely with all their senses and sometimes react to it in a startled way. He moves backwards away from the potential danger and can easily fall off the hand.
Scorpion stings are described as extremely painful. It's considered to be one of the most painful poisons in the world. The reason for this are special acids it contains. A good first remedy for the pain is said to be strong chewing tobacco that is applied to the area. According to scorpion researcher Martin Handjaba, who handles many different species, he and his colleagues have been stung many times. With the first sting, usually no poison is injected. Young scorpions like to shoot a full load straight away and every animal is different! You shouldn't try to figure out. They feel most comfortable in a natural or nature-like environment anyway.
Merry Christmas from my 21 year old me!✨🐣🎄✨ I'm Santa, Bruce Willis... and an angel. 😇
My 35 year old wishes you a Merry Christmas too! May the spirit of love and harmony be with you!❤️✌️✨
Back then I loved to create such compositions with Photoshop. There are many more like this, for example of me as a robot, a lizard and a naked mole rat on space vacation. But I don't think I'll show you. Better let your imagination run wild.😋
Exactly half a year ago, on a warm and rainy summer night. I love walking through the night, enjoying the silence, discovering beauty and letting the mind and emotions breathe.😊
That's my nevus flammeus🔥, better known as port-wine stain🍷. It's a harmless capillary malfunction in the skin. The fine blood vessels that run below the epidermis are increased and widened, which causes the reddish color. It's already present at birth. In most cases, it's linked to a somatic mosaic mutation with exchange of a base pair in the GNAQ gene🧬. Mosaicism is a condition in which a single organism possesses more than one genetic line. Getting rid of it wouldn't be a problem these days. But I like the feature!✌️
A reptile that hugs you is only looking for your warmth or tries to eat you.
Kleptothermy, theft of warmth, is a form of thermoregulation. It occurs in a wide variety of animal species, including human. For example when we cuddle up because it's cold.
Reptiles* cannot create body heat themselves. Their metabolism is dependent on external heat sources.
When your reptile hugs it body against you, it certainly feels safe. But it doesn't do it out of affection, but because you are warm.
It's still a nice feeling.
You should always keep in mind, that it's better for the animal not to take it out of the terrarium.
My leopard geckos are about to winter rest. I initiate a near-natural rest at a temperature of around 12°C. It's important to get an accurate picture of the animals health beforehand. This includes taking fecal samples, scanning the body for abnormalities and assessing the strength of the animal.
*From a cladistic point of view, which is the scientific standard today, the reptiles as a monophyletic taxon, i.e. as a natural (complete) descent group (Reptilia as clade), should at least also contain the birds, which are warm-blooded.