derpycats:

Beignet was born derpy.

animalworld:

SOUTH COAST GARTER SNAKE
Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis
©vabbley

Adults of this species measure 18 - 55 inches in length (46 - 140 cm), but the average size is under 36 inches (91 cm).

Appearance
A medium-sized snake with a head barely wider than the neck and keeled dorsal scales.
There are red bars alternating with the ground color along the sides above the lateral stripes. The head is red or orangish. The underside is bluish gray, sometimes very blue north of the Bay Area (shown above) and may have some dark coloring. The eyes are relatively larged compared with other gartersnake species.

Behavior
Primarily active during daylight. A good swimmer. Often escapes into water when threatened. When first handled, typical of gartersnakes, this snake often releases cloacal contents and musk, and strikes. The species T. sirtalis is capable of activity at lower temperatures than other species of North American snake.

Diet
Eats a wide variety of prey, including amphibians and their larvae, fish, birds, and their eggs, small mammals, reptiles, earthworms, slugs, and leeches. This snake is able to eat adult Pacific newts (Taricha) which are deadly poisonous to most predators.

Reproduction
There are generally far more males than females which is why, during mating season, they form “mating balls,” where one or two females will be completely swamped by ten or more males. Sometimes a male snake will mate with a female before hibernation and the female will store the sperm internally until spring, when she will allow her eggs to be fertilized. If she mates again in the spring, the fall sperm will degenerate, and the spring sperm will fertilize her eggs. The females may give birth ovoviviparously to 12 to 40 young from July through October.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Garter_Snake

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vabbley/5025193400/

Other posts:

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Northwestern Garter Snake

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Oh gosh, he’s so pretty!!

animalworld:

CARACAL - by request
Caracal caracal /ˈkærəkæl/
© Paula~Koala

• The pupils of a caracal’s eyes contract to form circles rather than the slits found in most small cats.
• The most conspicuous feature of the caracal is elongated, tufted black ears.
• The origin of its name, karakulak, Turkish for “black ear”.
• A juvenile has black on the outside of the ears, which disappears as it becomes an adult.
• Its ears, which it uses to locate prey, are controlled by 29 different muscles.
• Believed to be closely related to the African golden cat and the Serval.
• The caracal is classified as a small cat, yet is amongst the heaviest of all small cats, as well as the quickest, being nearly as fast as the serval.
• The feet of a caracal have numerous stiff hairs growing between the pads. These probably help the animal walk on soft sand.
• The jaw is short and equipped with powerful teeth.
• It is best known for its spectacular skill at hunting birds, able to snatch a bird in flight, sometimes more than one at a time.
• It can jump and climb exceptionally well, which enables it to catch hyraxes better than probably any other carnivore. If no cover is available in which to conceal itself, a caracal may flatten itself against the ground and remain motionless, allowing its coat colour to act as camouflage.
• Life expectancy in the wild is 12 years, and 17 years in captivity.

Fact Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracal

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