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More on the Mountain Beaver

Despite its name, the mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) is not actually a beaver, and is actually more closely related to squirrels! They also don't typically live in high mountain environments; instead they prefer deciduous and coniferous forests in the lower levels of the Cascade mountains in western North America.

As a member of the rodent family, A. rufa shares many traits with rats and squirrels. They have a small, but compact body, small ears, large central incisors, and a small nubby tail. They are covered with thick brown fur, with a small white spot at the base of each ear, and have a number of long whiskers around their muzzle. Males and females are nearly identical, averaging 800 g (28.19 oz) in weight and 50 cm (19.65 in) in length.

Mountain beavers spend most of their time alone, and only emerge from their burrows at night. They feed almost exclusively on ferns, and can even consume bracken ferns, which are toxic to other animals. Their diet is also supplemented with pine needles, deciduous leaves, grasses, and mosses. Due to their small size, A. rufa are prey for many species including coyotes, foxes, weasels, racoons, and birds of prey.

Breeding for mountain beavers can start as early as February and extend to May. It is unknown how males and females find each other, or whether they exhibit any courting behaviour, but females typically give birth to two or three young about a month after conception. The pups are hairless, blind, and deaf, but grow quickly and are weaned after 6-8 weeks. At this time they leave the burrow and venture out to establish their own territories. They reach full maturity at about 2 years of age, and it is believed that they can survive for up to 6 years in the wild.

Conservation status: Mountain beavers are classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. However, they are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation; one subpopulation in particular, the Point Arena mountain beaver (A. r. nigra) is considered endangered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Photos

John M. Reagan

Tim Donner

Chris Wemmer

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When it comes to the Roseate Spoonbill, bald is beautiful! Though little teaspoons start out life with a hood of soft pale feathers over their face, they will slowly shed these feathers once they reach sexual maturity at around three years old.

Here’s a progression of spoonbills from hatchling to a mature adult so you can see what growing up looks like when you’re a roseate spoonbill

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Sea caves

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Rainy day in Kyoto

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Alex Schlab @ Chapter Mgmt by Adam Hicks, July 2021

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POND PONLAWIT 10.08.24

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A lot of birds we know nothing about because they aren’t ‘pretty’ enough. :(

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Any semi-aquatic reptiles other than sea iguanas and water snakes? 👀

Oh yeah, there are some cool semi-aquatic lizards specifically...

Chinese Crocodile Lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus), family Shinisauridae, Guangdong, China

ENDANGERED.

Semi-aquatic.

This is the only species in this family.

photograph by Adrian Ng, Joey Markx

Northern Caiman Lizard (Dracaena guianensis), family Teiidae, found across NW and north central South America

Semi-aquatic, feeds on large snails

photograph by Bill Hallier, Nathan Jordan

Bacon’s Water Skink (Tropidophorus baconi), EAT A TASTY WORM!, family Scincidae, endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia

Viviparous (live-bearing).

Semi-aquatic.

photograph by Enrico Lionetti

Reticulated Malagasay Diving Skink (Amphiglossus reticulatus), family Scincidae, Madagascar

Semi-aquatic

photograph by Enrico Lio

Crocodile Tegu (Crocodilurus amazonicus), family Teiidae, Peru

photograph by Matt Cage, Dick Bartlett

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INATURALIST CITY NATURE CHALLENGE THIS WEEKEND 🗣️🗣️🗣️ 🚨 🚨 🚨

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Hello! I'm looking for a suggestion of what bird might fit the lyric

I stood inside Egyptian temples I looked into eternal gardens Lay on the shores of distant islands Listening to the sea bird's song of joy

Any ideas?

Here are 3 choices for your lyrical imagery...

Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea), family Laridae, order Charadriiformes, CA, USA

photograph by Brian Sullivan

Common White Tern aka Fairy Tern (Gygis alba), family Laridae, order Charadriiformes, Hawaii

photos: George Henry Stirrett & Jill Duncan

White-faced Storm-Petrel (Pelagodroma marina), family Oceanitidae, order Procellariiformes, off the coast of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

photographs by JJ Harrison

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hey, are you on bluesky?

Why yes I am... hit me up!!

Rhamphotheca.bsky.social

Here is a blue bird for blue sky for you.

Black-naped Monarch (Hypothymis azurea), male, HE SCREMMM!!!, family Monarchidae, Malaysia

photograph by Tan Tc

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ive been on a turtle kick lately (thanks tmnt) and all i can think about is turtles

do you have any spectacular turtles and whats your favorite species? (i enjoy softshells but i think my favorite is the alligator snapping turtle)

HAVE I GOT A TURTLE FOR YOU MOTHERFUCKER!!!!

Matamata (Chelus fimbriata), family Chelidae, found in river basins in northern and central South America

Photos by J. Patrick Fischer, M. Watson, alysedevries, Stan Shebs

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by Sebastien Coutheillas

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by Sergey Palche, 2024

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by Pierre Soulages

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Vincent Xu

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