Hesse, a state in the heart of Germany, is characterized by a diverse biocultural landscape. From the wooded low mountain ranges like the Taunus and the Vogelsberg to the fertile valleys along the Rhine, Hesse offers a wide range of habitats for a variety of plant and animal species. The flora is marked by deciduous and coniferous trees in the forests, as well as typical Central European plants such as beeches, oaks, and chestnuts. The fauna includes a variety of species, including deer, wild boar, foxes, badgers, and various bird species like woodpeckers and owls. The people of Hesse have developed a close relationship with nature over the centuries, reflected in traditions such as the preservation of orchards and the protection of nature reserves. Despite challenges from land use, urbanization, and climate change, the protection and preservation of this biocultural diversity remain crucial for the future of Hesse and the well-being of its residents.
If I look at that, I want to be a penguin. But I'm a sloth. πβ β β Are the zoos or even public swimming pools open for you? Most of our zoos in Germany are open since the beginning of May. Now I have read that the swimming pools are reopening too.
πππ§π§π§π§π§ππ All ready for an early swim?π I forgot my swimming trunks.π³ Hmm.. maybe it wouldn't have been necessary...π Do penguins bathe naked, or in a dress coat?π€πβ β β
Incidentally, these are Humboldt penguins. The same species that I saw in the wild in Peru (Islas Ballestas).π
So what is that? Weird animal! This is not a human being! π² I smell flowers! π»π Weird animal and flowers... I have to go there! β€ β β
Kalusho is the only black rhino at Frankfurt Zoo. His female companion Tsororo died of a complication of the uterus in 2016. Together they had three daughters. All of their daughters were released into the wild in Africa. The eldest daughter Akura became a grandmother four years ago in the Marakele National Park.
Kalusho, now 33 years old and originally from Zimbabwe, should actually be released together with Tsororo 8 years ago. However, it failed.
For most of the 20th century the continental black rhino was the most numerous of all rhino species. Around 1900 there were probably several hundred thousand living in Africa. In the early 1990s the number dipped below 2,500, and in 2004 it was reported that only 2,410 black rhinos remained. By 2019 the population of 5,500 was either steady or slowly increasing.
πΌMusic: "African meditation dance" by Stefan Kartenberg (2017 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial 3.0, creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/)
Barramunda / Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) in the Frankfurt Zoological Garden.
There are 6 species of lungfish in the world, of which the Australian is the most primitive. The lungfish morphology has hardly changed in the last 100 million years and therefore, like the closely related coelacanths, are considered living fossils.
Genetic studies, as well as the skull structure, the arrangement and shape of the fins, the approach of separation of oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and oxygen-poor blood from the body, suggest a close relationship to the tetrapods, to which we also belong.
Netherless, the lungfish aren't considered our ancestors, but are closely related to them.
Mata mata! ππ’ A nocturnal freshwater turtle that is found mainly in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. There it prefers shallow waters, where it remains motionless until a fish comes close. Only small fish are eaten by creating a vacuum that sucks the prey into its mouth. The fish is swallowed whole, the structure of the mouth makes it impossible to chew.
The Sumatran tiger is the only surviving tiger population in the Sunda Islands, where the Bali and Javan tigers already extinct. The species is listed as "Critical Endangered" on the Red List. Zoos like the Frankfurt Zoological Garden try to breed them. The success is very important for the preservation. Since 2017, there is a new male. But he doesn't harmonize with the female. Therefore, it's necessary to exchange with other zoos to preserve this rare animal.
