Ahoof

It's difficult to find purely aesthetic pictures of horses, but here's Leonardo's sketch of a rearing horse.

Roll-over the following link for a preview, but be warned that the site, like so many that offer free screensavers and wallpaper is probably not to be trusted. Obviously, National Geographic is an exception to this rule and has some great screensavers and photos.

Kissin' Puffins

These are Alaskan horned puffins – compare the beak to that of an Atlantic puffin, Fratercula arctica and another Atlantic puffin, or the head feathers to these on on an Alaskan tufted puffin.

The horned puffin is small – about the size of a pigeon – and has a black upper with a white chest and undersides. Its face and cheeks are white face, and it is named for the small black "horn" above its eyes. A thin, dark line runs from from its eyes to the nape of its neck . The horned puffin has a large, triangular orange bill with a red tip, which has earned it the occassional name 'sea parrot'.

The horned puffin is pelagic, meaning that it lives on the open sea where it can dive up to depths of 80 feet to catch fish and marine invertebrates. Horned puffins gather on sea cliffs or on rocky islets during the breeding season.

Horned puffins : Kodiak island puffins etc.

Tyger! Tyger! Burning Bright

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright,
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

William Blake (1757-1827) poet, painter and printmaker

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Once upon a time, tigers ranged across Asia. Sadly, these magnificent cats now persist only in isolated subpopulations.

Triad

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These are macaroni penguins, which breed and nest from Chile to Argentina and the Falkland Islands to the Antarctic Peninsula (more info). Even though this often hilarious-looking penguin is the most numerous of all the world's penguins, it is less known than the handsome Emperor penguin of 'March of the Penguins' fame. (Find the baby Emperor penguin in this one!)


Others: Gentoos, Gentoo chick, Gentoo parent with chicks; leuchistic chin-strap, chinstrap parent and chicks; an Adelie that only a mother could love!.


The 'Cool Antarctica' website has other great shots : this is a pair of Macaroni penguins with a Chinstrap behind and to the right.

Toucan

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This image is of a keel billed toucan, Ramphastos sulfuratus. There are about 40 species of toucans, which are neotropical passerine birds that eat fruit, insects, and small lizards. Fortunately for the bird in flight, the bill, or mandible is not as heavy as it appears.

More toucan pics: Toco toucan : channel-billed toucan with black bill, another channel-billed toucan : chestnut mandibled toucan, another : plate-billed toucan : unidentified toucan : rhino toucan, rhino, and another : another keel-bill : unidentified : Swainson's toucan : red-billed toucan, and another : toucan-barbet :

Cougar

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Puma concolor – variously called the Puma, Mountain Lion, Cougar, or Panther. Second only to the Jaguar in size, Pumas range through much of North America.

Around 13,000 years ago, as the last Ice Age was drawing to a close, a variety of large cats inhabited North and South America. These included the now-extinct sabretooths (Smilodon and Homotherium), the American lion-like cat (Panthera atrox), and the cheetah-like cat (Miracinonyx trumani). Of the big cats, only the puma (Puma concolor) and jaguar (Panthera onca) survive in the Americas today. Contrary to a popular misconception, none of the sabretooth cats was ever a tiger.

Researchers have employed computer modeling to create an updated family tree for the ancient cats. They compared DNA from modern cat-family species with 13,000 year old DNA extracted from the preserved bones of two sabretooths and the American cheetah-like cat with DNA from modern cat-family and other carnivore species. The American cheetah-like cat and the true cheetah show remarkable developmental similarity (including elongated limbs and enlarged nostrils), genetic data indicates that this similarity is an example of parallel evolution – the development of similar bodies in response to similar ecological pressures.

Big Cat Slideshows. Cougar . Cougar carrying Cub . Cooper's Rock Mountain Lion Sanctuary . Jaguar . Walking with Beasts . More sabretooths Scimitar cat Homotherium serum . Dinobastis serus skeleton . Dinobastis serus skull . Friesenhahn Cave . Panthera atrox skull . La Brea asphalt pits, CA .

Elephantine

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Bear Hug

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Most people seem to love Pandas, so here are more images (roll-over link for preview): Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, giant pandas (gallery with National Zoo Animal wallpaper); baby face, handled with latex gloves, I'm ready for my close-up, early steps, playing with food, bear hug from Mama, in the bag, up a tree, in profile, breakfast, roly-poly, sleepy, snow, Mama and Papa, Panda Cam; cub play (main), 'panda' dog (Poodle-Maltese cross); tussle on BBC; Ma and tiny cub (if you love strenuous cycling, enjoy a challenge, have more than two weeks free, and have several thousand dollars, then you could see Pandas while biking in China); Pandas.

These lovable creatures are native only to China and are unfortunately one of the most endangered species. Habitat fragmentation and poaching in China present the panda's greatest threats to survival. It is estimated that as few as 1,600 pandas now remain in the wild. 'WWF works to help giant pandas in the wild through a variety of programs, including scientific assessments, habitat conservation and outreach to local governments and people within the panda's home range.' (WWF: Adopt a Panda)

Macaroni Triad

These are Macaroni penguins, which breed and nest from Chile to Argentina and the Falkland Islands to the Antarctic Peninsula (more info). Even though this often hilarious-looking penguin is the most numerous of all the world's penguins, it is less known than the handsome Emperor penguin of 'March of the Penguins' fame. (Find the baby Emperor penguin in this one!)


Others: Gentoos, Gentoo chick, Gentoo parent with chicks; leuchistic chin-strap, chinstrap parent and chicks; an Adelie that only a mother could love!.


The 'Cool Antarctica' website has other great shots : this is a pair of Macaroni penguins with a Chinstrap behind and to the right.

My, What a Big Beak You Have!

This image is of a keel billed toucan, Ramphastos sulfuratus. There are about 40 species of toucans, which are neotropical passerine birds that eat fruit, insects, and small lizards. Fortunately for the bird in flight, the bill, or mandible is not as heavy as it appears.

More toucan pics: Toco toucan : channel-billed toucan with black bill, another channel-billed toucan : chestnut mandibled toucan, another : plate-billed toucan : unidentified toucan : rhino toucan : another keel-bill : another unidentified, and another, and another : Swainson's toucan : red-billed toucan, and another : toucan-barbet :

First Kiss

. . . roll-over image links for previews or follow the theme trails by clicking on each image to proceed to the next . . .

These are Alaskan horned puffins – compare the beak to that of an Atlantic puffin, Fratercula arctica and another Atlantic puffin, or the head feathers to these on on an Alaskan tufted puffin.

The horned puffin is small – about the size of a pigeon – and has a black upper with a white chest and undersides. Its face and cheeks are white face, and it is named for the small black "horn" above its eyes. A thin, dark line runs from from its eyes to the nape of its neck . The horned puffin has a large, triangular orange bill with a red tip, which has earned it the occassional name 'sea parrot'.

The horned puffin is pelagic, meaning that it lives on the open sea where it can dive up to depths of 80 feet to catch fish and marine invertebrates. Horned puffins gather on sea cliffs or on rocky islets during the breeding season.

Horned puffins : Kodiak island puffins etc.