Magzter Gold (Sitewide CA)

Magzter Gold (Sitewide CA)

Digital Delivery

World of Animals Book of the Animal Kingdom May 1st, 2016 Digital Back Issue Cover

World of Animals Book of the Animal Kingdom Magazine (Digital)

(Write a Review)

Single Digital Issue

World Of Animals Book Of The Animal Kingdom 3rd Edition

$8.99

Powered By Zinio

Zinio

Satisfaction Guaranteed

Instant Start

Also available on ZINIO Unlimited logo

Get unlimited access to World of Animals Book of the Animal Kingdom Magazine (Digital) & 5000+ other magazines

1-month free trial

Renews at $8.99/month after trial.
Cancel anytime.

Get unlimited access to World of Animals Book of the Animal Kingdom Magazine (Digital) & 5000+ other magazines. Renews at just $8.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Start Trial Learn more

48 Articles

Welcome to World of Animals BOOK OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM

Thanks to its various natural habitats, we share our planet with a startling array of creatures and critters. Each species has evolved over time to cope with environmental challenges and changes to the landscape – all in the pursuit of survival. While some didn’t make it, others thrived, and today the animal kingdom is populated with all manner of land, air and sea-dwelling characters. This newly revised edition of Book of the Animal Kingdom offers insight into the lives of some of the most fascinating among them, with in-depth profiles, amazing facts, and stunning illustrations and photography. From butterflies to flapjack octopuses, dragonflies to Komodo dragons, get ready to embark on a tour of the animal kingdom, animal-by-animal.…

Welcome to World of Animals BOOK OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM

In the fourth century BCE, Aristotle divided the world into animals and plants. The word ‘animal’ comes from the Latin animalis and means ‘having breath’. Animals were all the living creatures that moved and breathed, while plants were the ones that stayed put. For over 2,000 years the living world was divided into just these two kingdoms. After the invention of the microscope and later the electron microscope, scientists came to recognise that single-celled organisms couldn’t really be classified as animals or plants. Bacteria and another type of single-celled organism called Archaea are now counted as fundamentally different groups of their own. That leaves animals, plants and fungi as fairly recent evolutionary offshoots from the larger group of organisms with a cell nucleus, called the eukaryotes. The animal kingdom consists of…

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM

MOTHER’S PRIDE

When it comes to parenting, the animal world presents something of a mixed bag. There is the kangaroo that carries a tiny joey in its pouch, the male seahorse that does most of the legwork and even the cuckoo that leaves its chicks to be raised by other bird species. But the award for Best Mother surely goes to the lioness. Proud, protective and proactive, lionesses can seemingly raise a whole brood of cubs without even breaking a savannah sweat. Lions are the only big cats to live in social groups, known as prides. This includes just a few males and around 12 females, along with all of their young. As the only truly social big cats, the pride operates a rather distinct pecking order. “Most prides have what we call…

Life’s not easy for a cub

Life’s not easy for a cub

The only primate to use echolocation for prey, the ayeaye is more than a tad unique

It has a freakishly long finger You must have noticed that long third digit while you were gawping at this unfortunatelooking creature. That’s no deformity: the aye-aye’s spindly finger is an essential part of its hunting arsenal, as it pokes deep into the hole it makes in a tree and hooks the juicy insect larva out. When it’s not hunting for insects, the finger is great for draining coconuts and pulling the flesh out. People thought it was a rat This strange creature is from the same order as humans, apes and monkeys (primates) but back in the 19th century, animal classification was a little more slapdash. The aye-aye has distinctly rat-like features, with its pointed face and large ears, but it also has the colouring of a squirrel, as well as a…

The only primate to use echolocation for prey, the ayeaye is more than a tad unique

OTTERS OF THE WORLD

Otters are amazing creatures. Not only are they some of the cutest animals out there but they’re also playful, mischievous, and we’re only just starting to understand how intelligent they are. They can clutch rocks firmly in their paws to use as tools and smash apart crustaceans or pick up sticks to prize open clams. They can solve basic puzzles such as stacking cups of varying size, they play fight with one another, and use muddy riverbanks as waterslides repeatedly for nothing else other than pure enjoyment. Aside from incredible intelligence, they’re unbelievable hunters and some of the most well adapted predators on the planet. The sea otter, for example, can hold its breath for up to eight minutes while frantically darting around beneath the surface at a speed of 14.5…

OTTERS OF THE WORLD

Protecting otters

Anna Guthrie is the Media and PR manager for the Wildlife Trusts UK What threats are otters facing in the UK? Hunted by hounds, made homeless by the destruction of wetlands and poisoned by pesticides, this once widespread secretive mammal was pushed to the very edge of extinction. By the 1970s and 1980s, the otter had almost disappeared from rivers and waterways in England except for a few areas in the southwest and the borders. They survived in Wales and Scotland and Northern Ireland, but in much smaller numbers. The recovery of the otter is a real good news story but it is important not to be complacent. They remain at risk from busy roads, illegal crayfish traps and persecution. How important are otters to ecological systems? An iconic species, the otter symbolises the…

Protecting otters

CLASH OF THE TITANS

Growing mighty The majestic stag is the male of the red deer species, a breed found all across Europe. With his colossal, elaborate antlers reaching skyward, the stag cuts a charismatic silhouette against a backdrop of rolling heather and misty highland moors. Behind every stag, however, is a herd of deer, with young fawns that all have the potential to become the next ferocious great hart of the hillside – and during the autumn rutting season, lurking close behind the female herd is a group of bachelor stags, poised and ready to challenge the leading male for dominance. Deer babies, known as fawns, are usually born around May and June. They will be dependent on their mothers (female deer are known as hinds) for up to four months, but are known to…

CLASH OF THE TITANS

Equipped to win the fight

Tines mean glory As antlers become more elaborate as the stag gets older, a dominant stag in his prime can be spotted easily by checking the number of tines (prongs) on his rack. A royal stag has 12 points, an imperial stag has 14 points, while a monarch deer has 16. Expressions of dominance From the age of about ten years, the number of tines on stag’s antlers will start to decline, a stage known as ‘going back’. This can show other males that the stag is past his best, and less of a threat during the rut. Other methods of combat From March to June, when the growing antlers are covered in velvet, stags seem to have a mutual understanding of this delicate material. Any quarrels among bachelor groups are usually settled with boxing…

The monkey that feels empathy CAPUCHIN

Some of the most intelligent monkeys on Earth roam the forests of South America in search of food, solving problems along the way. Their dexterous fingers and multifunctional tails make them an unstoppable force when it comes to getting what they want, and they cooperate more than any other monkey on the planet. Capuchin monkeys, of which there are 12 species, have bigger brains in relation to their body size compared any other monkey. And they show some behaviour that was once unheard of outside of the human race. These clever creatures not only use tools and take on complex tasks; they have an innate sense of fairness that is comparable only to the smartest apes. Not only do capuchin monkeys protest when they are treated unfairly, but they also recognise…

The monkey that feels empathy CAPUCHIN

How a capuchin’s brain works

Visual area The visual cortex processes all the information gathered by a capuchin’s eyes, and this is the first response of the brain to witnessing an unfair situation. The impulse travels to the rear of the brain via the optic nerve that connects to the back of the eye. Emotion centre Once the visual information has been processed, a capuchin experiences an emotional response to unfairness. The limbic system in the centre of the brain deals with hormones and chemicals that are linked to emotions such as anger or joy. Planning and memory After experiencing an emotional reaction, it’s important that the capuchin remembers which member of the group acts selfishly or unfairly and make a mental note to avoid working with them. As demonstrated by studies, even just watching another acting selfishly is enough…

How a capuchin’s brain works

They behave just like ants Several generations of naked mole rats live together in a colony, just like ants and bees. A social unit can consist of as few as 20 and up to 300 individuals headed up by a queen. As she breeds with a handful of males, worker offspring dig burrows, gathering bulbs and roots for the entire colony to eat. Some of the naked mole rats act as soldiers, providing protection for the queen. Their teeth grow constantly To burrow effectively, naked mole rats use their long, strong, protruding incisors to create the series of tunnels and chambers that make up their colony’s home. Their teeth grow constantly, so the gnawing helps to file them down. They are located on the outside of the creatures’ lips, so they can keep…

A year in the life of a... Grizzly bear

For some grizzly bears, a year in the life equates to up to six months awake and up to six months in hibernation. But the animals make good use of these two distinct time periods. The spring and summer months are spent gorging on food, learning new tricks and mating, at least for the bears that have reached maturity at the age of five. The autumn and winter periods are spent bedding down, giving birth and using their fat reserves built up during the warmer period. The cubs strike out alone from the age of two.…

A year in the life of a... Grizzly bear

CATS FROM TIGERS TO TABBIES

The feline family Biologists only recently completed a family tree for cats because of the difficulty in distinguishing species Genetic research has placed cats into eight distinct groups, or lineages, based on when they diverged during evolution. The earliest ancestors of cats evolved about 200 million years ago, but grouping the cats into lineages had previously proved challenging. Fossil records are sparse, and prehistoric remains are in short supply. Physiologically, all cats share a number of common features, such as a rounded head and a skeleton designed for agility, suggesting all cats share a common ancestor. But these common features have also made it difficult to disentangle the cat’s evolutionary web into a family tree. 8 cat lineages Panthera – Lion, leopard, jaguar, tiger, snow leopard, clouded leopard, Bornean clouded leopard Bay cat – Asian…

CATS FROM TIGERS TO TABBIES

SAVING THE ICONIC RHINO

Battling extinction As poaching spirals out of control, conservation groups work tirelessly to keep rhinos from creeping closer than ever to extinction Of the 20 species of rhino that have ever existed, only five now remain. These horned mammals have been hunted throughout human history and have become an icon of conservation. Early humans butchered rhinos for their meat, and contributed to the extinction of the woolly rhino 10,000 years ago. As slow-breeding herbivores, rhinos have struggled to hang on to their position in the earth’s ecosystem as the pressure from humans has intensified. Not only have they been slain for their meat, hides and horns, but their habitat has been claimed for purposes such as farming, logging and development of settlements. Thankfully, the world is beginning to pay attention to the rhino’s…

SAVING THE ICONIC RHINO

Evading extinction

Richard Vigne is the CEO of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. He spoke to us about the future of the last few northern white rhinos Can the remaining northern white rhinos breed without human intervention? “Sudan is now 42 years old, which is a pretty ripe old age. He’s on his last legs and won’t live forever, and he’s probably now incapable of breeding. We’re left with one old male who can’t mate and whose semen is actually not particularly good quality. We still have two females, both of whom have reproductive issues. So natural mating in the remaining animals is not really a possibility.” Can the species still be saved? “One option is to use stored northern white rhino semen, including semen from Sudan, to cross-breed with younger reproductively healthy southern white females. That…

Evading extinction

Save Rhinos Now

Ol Pejeta is east Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary, dedicated to securing habitats for the purpose of wildlife conservation. The notfor-profit organisation looks after over 100 rhinos today, with the capacity and breeding programs for more. About 600 people are employed to oversee both Ol Pejeta’s wildlife and cattle operations and it aims to get more. World of Animals is working together with Ol Pejeta to help bring awareness to a massive problem that should be stopped, and dedicates ten per cent of profits to the Ol Pejeta conservancy. You can follow this vital campaign at www.animalanswers.co.uk to get the latest news and information straight from the Conservancy. Here you’ll also find a Donate page, where your funds will go towards the fight against poaching, before it’s too late and these animals…

Save Rhinos Now

SURVIVAL SECRETS OF A MEERKAT MOB

Hierarchy of the mob Living in a structured society stops meerkats from competing for food, and having a specific role means every meerkat knows exactly where they stand The social structure of a meerkat family is one of the attributes that makes them so fascinating. They are one of the few mammals that take on different roles depending on the situation, and it makes an individual gang incredibly versatile in the wild. For instance, while a group goes foraging for food or is busy digging further tunnels, one or two meerkats will remain on sentry duty, alerting the rest of the group to any dangers via a series of low growls and squeaks. Meerkats will even climb the small, cracked shrubs and trees of the desert in order to gain a better…

SURVIVAL SECRETS OF A MEERKAT MOB

Proboscis monkey

The big nose helps them find a mate We might be poking fun at this primate’s oversized olfactory organ but it’s thought that female proboscis monkeys actually find males with bigger noses more attractive, possibly because it enhances their honking vocalisations. Their stomach is also disproportionately large That big belly isn’t just there for show: this species is a colobine monkey, meaning it has bacteria in its gut that can break down the cellulose and neutralise the plant toxins that come from its predominately leafy diet. Their stomachs also make up around a quarter of their body weight. Proboscis monkeys have webbed toes As if nature wasn’t cruel enough in handing out a schnozzle of comedic proportions and a big belly to the proboscis monkey, it also has partially webbed feet. This is an evolutionary…

Proboscis monkey

25 Amazing facts Dogs

Dogs are some of the most diverse mammals on the planet From the Bassett hound to the golden jackal, dogs show off an incredible diversity in body shape and size. A study showed that the difference between some breeds’ skulls is as profound as the difference between some mammal species. It showed that a collie skull is as different from a Pekingese as a cat skull is from a walrus, for instance. It’s a myth that dogs are colour blind, they can only see colours very faintly – as well as humans can during dusk Dogs have powerful noses The canine sense of smell is incredibly powerful compared to humans, though does vary among breeds. While humans have around five million smelling cells, alsatians are believed to have around 220 million. Sniffing out almost…

25 Amazing facts Dogs

Baboons are among the biggest monkeys in the world. Smaller only than mandrills and drills, male baboons can weigh up to 30 kilograms (66 pounds), and come equipped with long canines and strong jaws. Their size and strength, along with their tendency to live and travel in large groups, has given them a fearsome reputation. Considered vermin by the native communities in their habitats in Africa and parts of Asia, baboons are intelligent and will scavenge for food on farms and in settlements. They’re omnivores, and though they mainly find nourishment from vegetarian sources, they won’t hesitate to hunt small animals if necessary. They are also known to take backpacks from tourists and have learned how to open them to search for edible items. Tourists are advised not to feed or…

DHOLE THE DOG THAT DOESN’T BARK

Meet the super pack Dholes are strategic and cunning pack hunters Dholes are sociable animals, with an instinctive understanding of their place within a pack. The intricate social structure of their groups makes them efficient hunters, using the power of teamwork to take down prey they could never catch alone. Each pack has an alpha male and an alpha female, who are usually the only members to reproduce. The rest of the group consists mainly of males, in varying degrees of status, and a smaller number of females. Despite this, dholes are less hierarchical than wolves, show little aggression to each other (though dominance is expressed), and have been observed playing with enthusiasm, displaying strong bonds and family relationships. Perhaps the most notable expression of their empathy is that they let their young…

DHOLE THE DOG THAT DOESN’T BARK

The long-legged South American rodent that screams to get noticed

Maras scream, wheeze and grunt Maras make a sharp ‘wheet’ sound when separated from friends and pairs make alternating calls when foraging to stay close together. Males grunt to soothe females and when grooming themselves. These rodents scream to communicate in the dark, or as a warning to others when being chased. They mark their potential partners To repel other suitors, a mara will urinate on the back of his female partner to leave his scent on her fur. A female can reject a male by aiming a jet of urine back at him, often hitting him square in the face. All maras use urine when marking their scent, as well as to settle conflicts Their feet have different numbers of toes A mara’s front legs are shorter than its back legs and they have…

The long-legged South American rodent that screams to get noticed

20 Amazing facts Horses

The fastest horse on record was clocked at over 70 kilometres (43 miles) per hour. That’s almost double the speed of Usain Bolt’s recordbreaking 100-metre sprint! They don’t breathe through their mouths Horses are physically unable to breathe through their mouths. This protects them from inhaling food, but also prevents them from being able to pant in order to cool themselves down. One advantage of nasal breathing is that they are still able to sniff out and detect nearby predators while grazing. If a horse is trying to focus on something in particular, they tend to point their ears in the direction of whatever they are looking at. Arabian horses commonly have only 17 pairs of ribs while most other breeds have 18. More often than not, they have one less vertebra than other…

20 Amazing facts Horses

The polar territories that make up the northernmost reaches of America and Europe have long been synonymous with harsh existences. Characterised by their Arctic tundra biome – vast swathes of treeless, wind-scorched soil that remains permanently frozen down to almost a metre below the surface. Life there revolves around finding food, and avoiding becoming food whilst doing so. Unsurprisingly, biodiversity (variety of natural life) in the Arctic tundra is low. While many animals migrate to these regions in the summer months – often taking advantage of the remoteness and lack of predators to breed and raise their young – a few species of animals do spend their entire lives on the frigid plains. As you can imagine, such inhospitable conditions quickly weed out any unsuitable traits, and for animals who famously…

10 DEADLY REPTILES

Packed with venom and armed with some of the most vicious teeth, claws and fangs, these reptilian predators are no laughing matter. At the top of some incredible food chains, they’ve earned their fearsome reputations as formidable apex creatures. These perfect predators are often silent, unseen and expert at moving in for the kill. Some poison their victims and simply sit back to watch as their will-sapping venom slowly paralyses their prey. Others creep to within an arm’s reach unseen, hiding underwater with stealth and silence, only to ambush their victim. They pounce for the jugular, dispatching the unaware victim with a single lethal strike. These animals kill to live in a reality where natural selection is all that matters. Survival of the fittest is a race to adapt and evolve, where…

10 DEADLY REPTILES

Green basilisk lizard A cute reptile renowned for making miracles This lizard has a remarkable talent: walking (or, more accurately, running) on water, at speeds of around 1.5 metres (five feet) per second. While they are also strong swimmers and can spend up to 30 minutes underwater, they spend most of their time in the trees that make up the rainforests of Central America. Males have a distinctive crest on their heads, which is used to impress females in the hope of mating. Eggs are laid in shallow trenches by pregnant mothers, where they are left to hatch, and young are born with the ability to run, swim and climb. Frilled lizard This lizard’s extra skin is a remarkable defence The one and only member of the Chlamydosaurus genus, this fearsome-looking lizard is truly unique.…

Way of the DRAGONS

On a volcanic south-east-Asian island, fringed with yellow and pink sands, a scene that could easily be from a myth or a flashback to a prehistoric time is unfolding, and it’s soon to become even more surreal. Several hundred metres from the beach, where sand banks are broken by equally patchy areas of rock, savannah and woodland, a collection of huge, clay-coloured lizards are pulling and tearing at the carcass of a fallen long-horned beast. The eerie sound of scrabbling claws and tearing flesh is occasionally punctuated by a sharp hiss, or the crack of a powerful tail against the armoured flank of a neighbouring reptile, as the struggle to quickly consume the largest share of a fallen water buffalo becomes increasingly frenzied. The island is Komodo, part of the Lesser Sunda…

Way of the DRAGONS

How to train your dragon

How did you become a dragon trainer? I started working in the Reptile and Amphibian department at Durrell in 2010. Later that year, I found myself travelling to Rotterdam in Holland to collect our first juvenile dragons for training. We’d decided to house younger, smaller dragons because most establishments only want the big impressive adults. Eventually we send them on to their next homes as big superimpressive adults because they visibly work with their keepers. What exactly can you teach a dragon? Far more than people realise! But everything we train them to do is to avoid stress for the dragons themselves – we aren’t having them perform. That said, it still has a visible effect on people who see us being able to stroke the dragons, and the dragons very much enjoying…

How to train your dragon

They can detect electrical fields Axolotls can detect the weak electrical charge produced by movement of other animals or even just droplets hitting the water’s surface above. This is similar to electroreception in sharks, but axolotls don’t use it to hunt. It helps them to navigate murky Mexican canals. They regenerate complex organs Axolotls can heal wounds, re-grow limbs and even generate new organs if they become damaged. Two compound proteins, both of which are found in humans, work together to form a mass of regenerative cells that can produce an entire limb in 40 days. Male axolotls dance to attract females To initiate courtship, males perform a ‘hula’ dance with their tail, nudging the female. He then deposits several cone-shaped packages of sperm on nearby rocks and plants, for the female to then fertilise…

Endangered Chinese giant salamander

Why it’s endangered People eat them The biggest threat towards this docile amphibian is man. Commercial exploitation is a huge problem as the salamander is seen as a delicacy. It’s also used for medicinal cures, and although it is commercially farmed, experts believe that many animals are still hunted in the wild. Habitat destruction As with many endangered animals, the Chinese giant salamander suffers greatly from the loss of its natural habitat. More and more rivers and streams are being lost to dams, which have a massive impact on the fragile ecosystem that the salamander lives in. Deforestation is also having a negative impact on the salamander’s numbers. Pollution If the salamander’s vanishing habitat wasn’t enough, the poor creature also has to deal with pollution. Increased mining and farming activity is polluting the streams the animal…

Endangered Chinese giant salamander

Meet the family Frogs

Purple frog These odd-looking individuals hide underground Purple frogs have bloated bodies and small heads. Their legs are short and stumpy, with barely any webbing between the toes. However, they don’t need to swim or hop; they are burrowing frogs, so on each of their back feet they have a shovel-like lump. A purple frog can bury itself entirely in just a few minutes and spend most of its time concealed in the earth, using its strange tongue to suck up termites. When the monsoon rains arrive, there is a flurry of activity as the frogs race to lay their eggs in the fresh water before returning to the safety of the ground. Madagascar tomato frog These feisty frogs puff up when attacked These bright, tomato-coloured frogs are extremely eye-catching to predators, but for all…

Meet the family Frogs

THE TRUTH ABOUT SHARKS

Legends of sea monsters were widespread in times before science was as advanced as it is today. Sailors would return from voyages and tell tales of mermaids, giant octopuses and enormous fish that attacked for sport. As time went on, our understanding of the sea grew and science eventually dispelled notions of such creatures, but revealed the truth about the ocean’s dangerous inhabitants. Sharks haunt nightmares across the globe and their position in popular culture has been stirred by Hollywood hits like Jaws and media coverage of shark attacks. The truth about these huge fish is that they are intelligent animals at the very top of the food chain. Each has evolved to fill a specific niche and only a handful of these creatures can be considered truly deadly to humans. What…

THE TRUTH ABOUT SHARKS

The deep-sea flapjack octopus is an adorable mystery

The name ‘flapjack’ does make sense, really! In the UK, a flapjack is an oaty, syrupy square – which makes little sense when you think about the flat shape of the flapjack octopus’ tentacles – but in parts of the US, a flapjack is actually another name for a pancake. Why it was not named a pancake octopus to save confusion, we don’t know! It is considered the cutest octopus In June last year, it was reported that scientist Stephanie Bush of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute was considering naming a newly discovered species of flapjack octopus ‘Opisthotheusis adorabilis’ because of how adorable its ‘puppy dog eyes’ make it look. This does not appear to have been made official, unfortunately. They look like parachutes when they move Although they spend most of their time…

The deep-sea flapjack octopus is an adorable mystery

18 Amazing facts Seals

The deepest-diving seals are elephant seals, reaching depths of 2,400m (7,835ft). That’s like swimming 50 lengths of an Olympic swimming pool without taking a single breath. Harbour seals have unique whiskers. They’re twisted in an asymmetric pattern which allows the animals to detect the trail of a fish 35 seconds after it has passed the seal. Seals can live for more than 45 years, with females typically having a longer life span than males. The southern elephant seal is the largest of all pinnipeds, weighing up to a massive 3,855kg (8,500lb). Crabeater seals are the most abundant seal species, with an estimated 75 million living on the planet. California sea lions are the fastest member of the family and are able to swim at 40km/h (25mph) in short ‘sprinting’ bursts. Seals have a higher hearing threshold…

18 Amazing facts Seals

SECRETS OF THE POLAR BEAR

A polar bear mother is getting ready to take her first steps outside of the den in over six months. Spring has come to the Arctic and the Sun will now remain in the sky for 24 hours a day, putting an end to the perpetual night of winter. This is a prime time for hunting, as the bear is not the only one to become a mother. The scent of seal pup is in the air and it’s making her hyper-sensitive nose quiver. She hasn’t eaten the entire time she has been nursing her twin cubs (common in polar bears) and needs to feed fast if she has any hope of keeping them alive. If she can raise just one of them to maturity it will be a great…

SECRETS OF THE POLAR BEAR

Evolution of The blue whale

“Whales descended from small dog-like animals and their bodies slowly evolved over time” Reasons for evolution Safety in the sea Evolving to live in the sea meant avoiding a lot of enemies found on land. Swimming techniques Undulating their whole bodies while swimming ensured that whales used their fins for steering instead of paddling. Better hunting Scientists believe that it was the opportunity to access untapped food that made Pakicetus hunt near water. Strength in size As whales evolved they grew larger and larger, giving them fewer natural enemies. 50 MILLION Pakicetidae 50mn years ago These small semi-aquatic dog-like creatures were originally discovered in Pakistan and are generally considered by scientists to be the oldest link to whales. Animals like Pakicetus are notable for having similar inner ear characteristics to modern whales. 48-47 MILLION Ambulocetidae 48-47mn years ago Reports suggest that these creatures…

Evolution of The blue whale

Endangered Hawksbill sea turtle

Why it’s endangered Hunting Despite it now being illegal to hunt and kill hawksbills in many countries, the practice continues unabated, with thousands of turtles being captured and killed each year. Despite the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species forbidding their sale, hawksbills are still bought for their meat for consumption, their shells for decorative purposes, or even their anatomy for medicinal rituals. Habitat loss Hawksbills live throughout the seas of the world, however they typically mate in lagoons and then proceed to deposit their eggs on specific nesting beaches. As humans have expanded throughout the world over the last 200 years, these nesting sites have been severely depleted, with tourist resorts driving thousands of the turtles out and jeopardising their reproductive ability. Climate change Of all sea turtle species, the hawksbill is the one…

Endangered Hawksbill sea turtle

SONGS OF THE HUMPBACK

There was once a time when the oceans were thought to be vast expanses of virtual silence, but we gradually grew to realise that our planet’s water bodies contain a cacophony of aquatic noise. When biologist Roger Payne discovered the song of the humpback in the late Sixties, everything we thought we knew changed. Yet, over four decades on, we still don’t know the full story – and the whales are keeping scientists guessing. Humpbacks are large whales, reaching up to 15 metres (50 feet) in length. These majestic beasts have long, tapered bodies with elongated pectoral fins and a short dorsal fin, ending in a large fluked tail. Their knobbly heads hold huge jaws to help with their filter-feeding method of eating. “They’re found in all oceans, but not necessarily…

SONGS OF THE HUMPBACK

Life of an EMPEROR

Antarctica, in the Southern Hemisphere, is the most hostile of the two polar regions on our planet. Permanently capped with ice, this barren wilderness is a frozen desert where temperatures can fall past a staggering -60 degrees Celsius (-76 degrees Fahrenheit) during the winter months. There are few permanent residents on this bleak continent, but those that do reside here are built to survive against all the odds. The emperor penguin is by far the most resilient of all these species, with its endurance truly tested between April and September, when it returns from months at sea to breed during some of the harshest winters. Strong and bitter Antarctic winds that can reach an astonishing 200 kilometres (125 miles) per hour will batter the landscape during the season, but nestled safely between…

Life of an EMPEROR

Animal architects Inside an anthill

Five facts about ants Female worker ants live short lives and breeding males survive only long enough to mate, but black garden ant queens live for up to 12 years, never leaving the nest Initial nest-building happens quickly in order to enable the workers to venture outside to forage for food, but it takes around two years for a colony to grow large enough to produce new queens. During the summer months ants spend more time exploring, storing food for the winter and investigating potential nest sites for the next generation of queens. Black garden ant colonies can reach astonishing sizes, containing upwards of 15,000 individuals. Colonies of this size live in large, complex nests. Ants forage over widespread territories and will establish outposts in sheltered areas. Tunnels running underground, or sheltered passageways above ground,…

Animal architects Inside an anthill

Meet the family Eagles

Golden eagle Arguably the fastest eagle in the world Found across the Northern Hemisphere, this bird of prey is one of the most widely distributed eagles. Its speed makes it a formidable predator, as it can dive on its prey at up to 240 kilometres (150 miles) per hour. They have a wide and varied diet that includes carrion, reptiles and even fully grown deer. They maintain huge territories and prefer to nest high in trees where they can easily spot their prey. Their immense speed combined with their agility and sharp talons make them particularly adept hunters. In the UK only the white-tailed eagle is a larger bird of prey than the golden eagle, the latter of which is noticeable by its broad wings and very long tail. Philippine eagle A deadly predator…

Meet the family Eagles

Meet the family Ducks

King eider The sociable ducks This sea duck migrates between the north Pacific and the Arctic Circle to breed and moult. Eiders shed their old feathers and grow an entirely new coat twice a year, meeting in enormous groups to do so. When it’s time to moult, early 300,000 king eiders congregate for safety in numbers, as they can’t fly until their new feathers have developed. The whole process takes only a few weeks, and once the shiny new feathers grow in they can take flight. King eiders dive to pick sea urchins and other creatures from the sea floor, but females tend to fast when incubating eggs. Females don’t share the colourful plumage of the male, but instead are a uniform brown. Mandarin duck The family fliers These decorated ducks are native to East…

Meet the family Ducks

THE FASTEST BIRD IN THE WEST ROADRUNNERS

As far as birds go, the greater roadrunner owns the plains of its native Baja California peninsula. Darting among the rugged chaparral, the ‘chaparral cock’, as it is known locally, is a fearsomely efficient predator, revered by native American tribesmen for its strength and courage. That legendary courage is displayed on a daily basis, when dealing with their favoured, often venomous, prey. Lizards, scorpions, and even rattlesnakes make up a large part of a its diet. This handy habit of eating usuallyfeared creatures led to many legends among American and Mexican desert dwelling tribes. To obtain their necessary nourishment, roadrunners have the need for speed. Roadrunners have been reported clocking speeds of 42 kilometres per hour (26 miles per hour), making them the fastest flight-capable bird on Earth. Running in the family? As long…

THE FASTEST BIRD IN THE WEST ROADRUNNERS

The giraffe weevil doesn’t use its neck to reach food… it uses it to fight

They roll leaves to lay an egg in The resourceful weevil also uses its elongated neck and dexterous legs to roll a leaf into a cigar shape. They deposit a single egg into this tube where it’ll be protected and which, after one to two weeks, will turn from an egg to larva. The necks of the males are three times as long as the females’ The length of the beetle’s neck is used primarily for nest-building, as well as fighting with other male giraffe weevils. In the males, this can be around two thirds of the beetle’s entire length. Males try to impress females with neck fights In a display of macho-ness, male giraffe weevils will attempt to impress females by defeating other males. This fighting occurs mainly during mating season, and males will…

The giraffe weevil doesn’t use its neck to reach food… it uses it to fight

LORD OF THE FLIES

As descendants of an insect family that emerged during the Triassic period, dragonflies and damselflies were among the first flying animals on Earth. These ancient bugs are collectively known as Odonata, with more than 5,000 species currently buzzing about our planet. People regularly confuse damselflies for dragonflies, but once you know the difference it’s easy to tell them apart. The dragonfly has a thicker body than its spindly cousin, and its compound eyes are so big that they touch one another, while damselfly eyes are smaller and separated. Dragonflies also have a shorter, broader pair of rear wings, and all four wings remain outstretched after the insect lands. Damselflies have equally-sized wings that fold over their bodies while they rest. They might look like innocent fairies hovering daintily around ponds and streams,…

LORD OF THE FLIES

Meet the family Butterflies

White dragontail The fancy dresser The white dragontail is found throughout southern and south-east Asia, from India to Indonesia. These small black and white butterflies have elongated hind wings, which are as long as their front wings are wide. Dragontails have a different flight pattern to the other members of the butterfly family. When viewed in slow motion, the movement as they beat their front wings seems to ripple down through to the tips of their hind wings, like a flag in the breeze. They also tend to hover before settling on plants or puddles, which – combined with their narrow ‘tails’ – means they look similar to dragonflies when in flight, giving them their common name. Peacock Playing the intimidation game The colourful patterns on this butterfly’s wings may look beautiful to us, but…

Meet the family Butterflies

Animal architects Inside termite city

“A termite nest is continually eroded by the elements, so termite workers make constant repairs” How they build it… With a network of tunnels and chambers branching deep under the ground, there’s more to these epic feats of natural engineering than meets the eye Five facts about termites Termites dig deep underground in order to build their mounds, leaving piles of excavated material on the surface. In Africa, the presence of gold in these piles has often alerted miners to deposits beneath the ground. In tropical regions termites often build enormous mounds up to nine metres (30 feet) tall. If humans were to build a structure of equivalent scale it would reach over 1,600 meters (one mile) into the sky. Termite construction isn’t just restricted to these mounds. Termites often dig underground tunnels to access food,…

Animal architects Inside termite city

In This Issue

Description

Details

Reviews

Recent Digital Issues Browse all

Recent World of Animals Book of the Animal Kingdom Digital Issues Browse all back issues

World of Animals Book of the Animal Kingdom Magazine (Digital) Subscription May 6th, 2015 Issue

World of Animals Book of the Animal Kingdom Magazine (Digital) World of Animals Book of the Animal Kingdom 1st Revised Edition: $8.99

World of Animals Book of the Animal Kingdom Magazine (Digital) Subscription May 21st, 2014 Issue

World of Animals Book of the Animal Kingdom Magazine (Digital) World of Animals Book of the Animal Kingdom: $8.99

Customers Also Viewed

Xbox One: The Complete Manual Magazine (Digital) Subscription January 23rd, 2014 Issue

Xbox One: The Complete Manual Magazine (Digital)

X-ONE: The Complete Manual Revised Edition: $6.99

X-men Magazine Subscription

X-men Magazine

12 Issues: $65.97

XXL Basketball Magazine (Digital) Subscription March 1st, 2025 Issue

XXL Basketball Magazine (Digital)

12 Issues: $51.03 ~~$83.88~~

World of Animals Book of Predators Magazine (Digital) Subscription August 20th, 2014 Issue

World of Animals Book of Predators Magazine (Digital)

World of Animals Book of Predators Vol 1: $8.99

World of Animals Book of Ocean Wildlife Magazine (Digital) Subscription December 3rd, 2014 Issue

World of Animals Book of Ocean Wildlife Magazine (Digital)

World of Animals Book of Ocean Wildlife: $8.99

Worldradio Online (Digital) Subscription January 7th, 2014 Issue

Worldradio Online (Digital)

Jan-14: $2.99

Writer's Digest Magazine (Digital) Subscription March 1st, 2025 Issue

Writer's Digest Magazine (Digital)

(5)

7 Issues: $7.48 ~~$41.93~~

World of Animals Annual Magazine (Digital) Subscription December 22nd, 2017 Issue

World of Animals Annual Magazine (Digital)

World of Animals Annual (2024): $6.99

World of Animals Book of Big Cats and African Wildlife Magazine (Digital) Subscription March 1st, 2016 Issue

World of Animals Book of Big Cats and African Wildlife Magazine (Digital)

World Of Animals: Book Of Big Cats And African Wildlife (2nd Edition): $8.99

Xbox One: The Complete Manual Magazine (Digital) Subscription January 23rd, 2014 Issue

Xbox One: The Complete Manual Magazine (Digital)

X-ONE: The Complete Manual Revised Edition: $6.99

X-men Magazine Subscription

X-men Magazine

12 Issues: $65.97

XXL Basketball Magazine (Digital) Subscription March 1st, 2025 Issue

XXL Basketball Magazine (Digital)

12 Issues: $51.03 ~~$83.88~~

World of Animals Book of Predators Magazine (Digital) Subscription August 20th, 2014 Issue

World of Animals Book of Predators Magazine (Digital)

World of Animals Book of Predators Vol 1: $8.99

World of Animals Book of Ocean Wildlife Magazine (Digital) Subscription December 3rd, 2014 Issue

World of Animals Book of Ocean Wildlife Magazine (Digital)

World of Animals Book of Ocean Wildlife: $8.99

Worldradio Online (Digital) Subscription January 7th, 2014 Issue

Worldradio Online (Digital)

Jan-14: $2.99

Writer's Digest Magazine (Digital) Subscription March 1st, 2025 Issue

Writer's Digest Magazine (Digital)

(5)

7 Issues: $7.48 ~~$41.93~~

World of Animals Annual Magazine (Digital) Subscription December 22nd, 2017 Issue

World of Animals Annual Magazine (Digital)

World of Animals Annual (2024): $6.99

Reviews

0

0

0

0

0

No reviews yet

Ask a Question

Click stars to rate

Please select a rating for the review.

Please enter title for the review.

Please enter content for the review.

Please enter order number.

Please enter your first name and last name.

Only letters allowed for first name and last name.

Please enter your email.

Upload photo

Cancel Submit

Processing...

Thank you for your feedback! Your review has been submitted and will be published soon.

OK

Be the first to ask a question about this product

Please enter content for the question.

Please enter at least 10 characters.

Your question can not be more than 150 characters.

Please enter your first name and last name.

Only letters allowed for first name and last name.

Please enter your email.

Submit Processing...

Thank you for your question! Your question has been submitted and will be published soon.

Answer this question

Please enter content for the answer.

Please enter at least 10 characters.

Please enter your first name and last name.

Only letters allowed for first name and last name.

Please enter your email.

Submit Cancel Processing...

Thank you for your answer! Your answer has been submitted and will be published soon.

OK

×