Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Deer [Aminal of Horns]

Deer (singular and plural) are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. They include for example Moose, red Deer, Reindeer, Roe and Chital. Male deer, of all species but the Chinese Water deer, and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year. In this they differ from permanently horned animals such as antelope; these are in the same order as deer and may bear a superficial resemblance. The musk deer of Asia and Water Chevrotain(or Mouse Deer) of tropical African and Asian forests are not usually regarded as true deer and form their own families, Moschidae and Tragulidae, respectively


Deer are widely distributed, and hunted, with indigenous representatives in all continents except Antarctica and Australia, though Africa has only one native species, the Red Deer, confined to the Atlas Mountains in the northwest of the continent.

Deer live in a variety of biomes ranging from tundra to the tropical rainforest. While often associated with forests, many deer are ecotone species that live in transitional areas between forests and thickets (for cover) and prairie and savanna (open space). The majority of large deer species inhabit temperate mixed deciduous forest, mountain mixed coniferous forest, tropical seasonal/dry forest, and savanna habitats around the world. Clearing open areas within forests to some extent may actually benefit deer populations by exposing the understory and allowing the types of grasses, weeds, and herbs to grow that deer like to eat. Additionally, access to adjacent croplands may also benefit deer. However, adequate forest or brush cover must still be provided for populations to grow and thrive.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Gerbera

Gerbera (pronounced /ˈdʒɜrbərə/ or /ˈɡɜrbərə/) L. is a genus of ornamental plants from the sunflower family (Asteraceae). It was named in honour of the German naturalist Traugott Gerber, a friend of Carolus Linnaeus.
It has approximately 30 species in the wild, extending to South America, Africa and tropical Asia. The first scientific description of a Gerbera was made by J.D. Hooker in Curtis's Botanical Magazine in 1889 when he described Gerbera jamesonii, a South African species also known as Transvaal daisy or Barberton Daisy.
Gerbera species bear a large capitulum with striking, two-lipped ray florets in yellow, orange, white, pink or red colours. The capitulum, which has the appearance of a single flower, is actually composed of hundreds of individual flowers. The morphology of the flowers varies depending on their position in the capitulum. The flower heads can be as small as 7 cm (Gerbera mini 'Harley') in diameter or up to 12 cm (Gerbera ‘Golden Serena’).
Gerbera is very popular and widely used as a decorative garden plant or as cut flowers. The domesticated cultivars are mostly a result of a cross between Gerbera jamesonii and anotherSouth African species Gerbera viridifolia. The cross is known as Gerbera hybrida. Thousands ofcultivars exist. They vary greatly in shape and size. Colours include white, yellow, orange, red, and pink. The centre of the flower is sometimes black. Often the same flower can have petals of several different colours.
Gerbera is also important commercially. It is the fifth most used cut flower in the world (after rose,carnation, chrysanthemum, and tulip).[citation needed] It is also used as a model organism in studying flower formation. Gerbera contains naturally occurring coumarin derivatives. Gerbera is a tender annual plant.
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds. This plant is resistant to deer.

100 Pipers Blended Scotch Whisky


    100 Pipers Blended Scotch Whisky was first produced by Chivas Brothers and sold to Seagrams around 1949.


    The name '100 Pipers' was taken from the '100 Pipers who proceeded Scotland's legendary hero, Bonnie Prince Charlie, into battle'. 100 Pipers is a blend of between 25 and 30 whiskies.


Cat



The cat (Felis catus), also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felines and felids, is a small furry domesticated carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests. Cats have been associated with humans for at least 9,500 years, and are currently the most popular pet in the world. Owing to their close association with humans, cats are now found almost everywhere on Earth.



Cats have a rapid breeding rate. Under controlled breeding, they can be bred and shown asregistered pedigree pets, a hobby known as cat fancy. Failure to control the breeding of pet cats by spaying and neutering and the abandonment of former household pets has resulted in problems caused by large numbers of feral cats worldwide, with a population of up to 60 million of these animals in the United States alone.





Sunday, November 21, 2010

Rose [Flower Of love]

A rose is a perennial plant of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in a number of colours from white through yellows and reds. Most species are native to Asia, with smaller numbers native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa. Species, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and fragrance.

The leaves are alternate and pinnately compound, with sharply toothed oval-shaped leaflets. The plant's fleshy fruit, which ripens in the late summer through autumn, is called a rose hip. Rose plants range in size from compact, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach 7 meters in height. Species from different parts of the world easily hybridize, which has given rise to the many types of garden roses.

The name rose comes from French, itself from Latin, rosa, which was borrowed from Oscan, from Greek ρόδιόν rhodion (Aeolic υρόδιόν wrodion), from Old Persian wurdi "flower" (cf.Avest. warda, Sogdian ward, Parthian wâr).

Alien [Extraterrestrial life]

Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth. Possible forms of extraterrestrial life range from simple bacteria-like organisms to sapient beings far more advanced than humans. It is unknown whether any such forms of life exist or ever existed.

The development and testing of theories about extraterrestrial life is known as exobiology, xenobiology or astrobiology; the term astrobiology however also covers the study of life on Earth, viewed in its astronomical context.

Several theories have been proposed about the possible basis of alien life from a biochemical, evolutionary or morphological viewpoint.

Alien life, such as bacteria, has been theorized by scientists such as Carl Sagan to exist in the Solar System and quite possibly throughout the Universe. No samples have been found, although there is some controversy about possible traces of life in Martian material (see life on Mars), of which the most famous are on the Allan Hills 84001 meteorite.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Gomti River [Lucknow]


The Gomti, Gumti or Gomati River (Hindi: गोमती Gomtī) is a tributary of the Ganges River. According to Hindu mythology the river is the daughter of Sage Vashist, and bathing in the waters of the Gomati on Ekadashi (the eleventh day of the Sanatana Dharma-Hindu calendar) can wash away one's sins. According to the major religious work Srimad Bhagavatam, the Gomati is one of the many transcendental rivers in India

The Gomti originates from Gomat Taal which formally known as Fulhaar jheel, near Madho Tanda, Pilibhit, India. It extends 900 km (560 miles) through Uttar Pradesh and meets the Ganges River near Saidpur, Kaithi in Ghazipur.

After 20 km from its origin, very small river Gaihaaee meets it. The river is a thin stream until it reaches Mohammadi Kheri(about 100 km from its origin),a tehsil of Lakhimpur kheri distirct, where it is joined by some tributaries like Sukheta, Choha and Andhra Choha. From here the river is well defined. Later other tributaries join this river. These are Kathina at mailani and Sarayan at Lakhimpur. Another major tributary is the Sai River, which joins near Jaunpur. At the "sangam" of Gomti and Ganges, the famous Markandey Mahadeo temple is situated.

After 240 km the Gomti enters Lucknow, through which it meanders for about 12 km. At the entrance point water is lifted from the river for the city's water supply. 25 city drains in the Lucknow area drain untreated sewage into the Gomti. At the downstream end the Gomti barrage impounds the river converting it into a lake.

The cities of Lucknow, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sultanpur and Jaunpur are located on the banks of the Gomti and are the most prominent of the 15 towns located in its catchment area. The river cuts the Jaunpur city into two equal half and becomes wider in Jaunpur.

The river collects large amounts of human and industrial pollutants as it flows through the highly populous areas (18 million approx) of Uttar Pradesh. High pollution levels in the river have negative effects on the ecosystem of the Gomti, threatening its aquatic life. On 25 July 2008, foundation stone for a sewage treatment plant was laid, which would have a capacity of 345 million litre effluents per day.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Turtles

Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines (the crown group of the superorder Chelonia), characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield. "Turtle" may either refer to the Testudines as a whole, or to particular Testudines which make up a form taxon that is not monophyletic—see also sea turtle, terrapin, tortoise, and the discussion below.



The order Testudines includes both extant (living) and extinct species. The earliest known turtles date from 215 million years ago, making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups and a more ancient group than lizards, snakes and Crocodiles. Of the many species alive today some are highly endangered.

Like other reptiles, turtles are ectotherms—varying their internal temperature according to the ambient environment, commonly called cold-blooded. However, leatherback sea turtles have noticeably higher body temperature than surrounding water because of their high metabolic rate.

Like other amniotes (reptiles, dinosaurs, birds, and mammals), they breathe air and do not lay eggs underwater, although many species live in or around water. The largest turtles are aquatic




Location : Lucknow ZOO


Camera Make : Nikon D3000


Image Taken By : Pranjal Verma

Facebook Profile : http://www.facebook.com/#!/pranjalthekiller
Monkey is any cercopithecoid (Old World monkey) or platyrrhine (New World monkey) primate. All primates that are not prosimians or apes are monkeys. The 264 known extant monkey species represent two of the three groupings of simian primates (the third group being the 22 species of apes). Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent and, unlike apes, monkeys usually have tails.

The New World monkeys are classified within the parvorder Platyrrhini, whereas the Old World monkeys (superfamily Cercopithecoidea) form part of the parvorder Catarrhini, which also includes the apes. Thus, scientifically speaking, monkeys are paraphyletic (not a single coherent group) and Old World monkeys are actually more closely related to the apes than they are to the New World monkeys.


Location : Lucknow ZOO

Camera Make : Nikon D3000

Image Taken By : Pranjal Verma

Facebook Profile : http://www.facebook.com/#!/pranjalthekiller

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts, egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. Butterflies comprise the true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea). All the many other families within the Lepidoptera are referred to as moths.

Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some, like the Monarch, will migrate over long distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Some species are pests because in their larval stages they can damage domestic crops or trees; however, some species are agents of pollination of some plants, and caterpillars of a few butterflies (e.g., Harvesters) eat harmful insects. Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts.



Location : Lucknow ZOO

Camera Make : Nikon D3000

Image Taken By : Pranjal Verma

Facebook Profile : http://www.facebook.com/#!/pranjalthekiller
To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them...!!


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