A dog show is a competitive event in which judges evaluate dogs on their physical appearance and condition. In this photograph, a woman parades a doberman pinscher for the judges’ review.
© Shutterstock

The National Dog Show, presented by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia and the American Kennel Club, took place over the weekend at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania. The National Dog Show has aired on television every Thanksgiving Day after Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade for 20 years. Anyone can go to see the show near Philadelphia for an entrance fee, especially well-behaved dogs.

The bichon frise is a popular show dog. This photograph shows bichons frises lined up for judging at a dog show.
AP Photo

The American Kennel Club (AKC), the best-known dog registry in the United States, classifies dog breeds into seven major groups for exhibition in dog shows. The seven groups are (1) sporting dogs, (2) hounds, (3) working dogs, (4) terriers, (5) toy dogs, (6) nonsporting dogs, and (7) herding dogs. The AKC also has a miscellaneous category for dogs that are growing in popularity but that have not yet been accepted for registration.

Last weekend nearly 2,000 dogs made their way to the Philadelphia area to compete with their owners, handlers, milk-bones, and hair dryers. There are 205 registered breeds in the show this year competing in the 7 group competitions. Each breed competes to be “Best of Breed.” Those winners participate to be “First in Group” in each of the seven groups. From the seven dogs named “First in Group,” the judges name the overall champion as “Best in Show.”

The American Kennel Club added a new breed to the registry last year. The Biewer terrier, a German toy breed, is making its debut on the show. The breed, pronounced like“beaver,” is a relative of a Yorkshire terrier with white, tan, and brown fur. They are known as friendly and athletic companions.

Last year, Winston, a cream-colored French bulldog won “Best in Show.” In 2021, Claire the Scottish deerhound, a type of hound, won “Best in Show.” In 2019, a bulldog named Thor won after taking the non-sporting group. A whippet, a hound breed, named Whiskey won in 2018.

Saltwater crocodile
© Firepac, Shutterstock

October 21 is a special day for our scaly friends. Slithering black mambas, majestic leatherback sea turtles, and itty bitty nano-chameleons (just discovered in 2021) step into the spotlight for National Reptile Awareness Day in the United States.

The saltwater crocodile is the largest living reptile and one of the most fearsome predators (hunting animals) on Earth. Adults can reach lengths of 23 feet (7 meters) and weights of over 1 ton (0.9 metric tons). Saltwater crocodiles live on the coasts of northern Australia and Southeast Asia, and on the islands between. The saltwater crocodile is also called the estuarine crocodile and the Indo-Pacific crocodile. In Australia, it is informally called the “saltie.”

The saltwater crocodile has a long, low, sausage-shaped body; short legs; and a long, powerful tail, which it uses to swim. It also has a tough hide, a long snout, and sharp teeth to grasp its prey.

A saltwater crocodile’s diet depends greatly on its age and size. Young individuals eat crustaceans, insects, rats, and small fish. As saltwater crocodiles grow, they take increasingly larger prey, including sharks and water buffalo. Large adults may attack humans if an opportunity presents itself.

Unlike other crocodiles and alligators, saltwater crocodiles swim in the open ocean. They have occasionally been seen swimming far from shore, apparently moving between islands. Saltwater crocodiles are often found in brackish (salty) pools and estuaries, coastal river valleys flooded by the ocean. They can also live in fresh waters, however, including rivers and swamps.

Saltwater crocodiles reproduce during the rainy season. A female saltwater crocodile lays about 50 eggs in a nest of rotting vegetation. The mother may protect the nest from predators. The eggs hatch in about three months. Hatchlings are about 1 foot (30 centimeters) long at birth. The mother carries the hatchlings from the nest to open water to protect them from land predators.

Male saltwater crocodiles grow larger than females. Males reach an average length of about 16 feet (5 meters). Females typically grow to about 11 1/2 feet (3.5 meters) in length.

Adult saltwater crocodiles have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom. They can close their jaws with approximately 3,700 pounds per square inch (16,500 newtons) of force. In contrast, human bite force is only about 200 pounds per square inch (900 newtons).

Because they present a danger to humans, saltwater crocodiles are sometimes feared and hated by people. In northern Australia, they were hunted almost to extinction before a 1970 hunting ban enabled populations to recover. Like most other crocodiles, saltwater crocodiles are threatened by hunting, invasive species, habitat destruction, and pollution. Governments across the saltwater crocodile’s range work to educate people on how to avoid attacks.

Female California condors, an endangered species, are able to reproduce without male partners, in a process known as parthenogenesis.
© Claudio Contreras, Nature Picture Library

Even after years of study, the California condor surprises researchers. In 2021, two of the giant birds were discovered to have been born through parthenogenesis, a form of reproduction in which an unfertilized egg still hatches. Parthenogenesis is a type of asexual reproduction. Human beings and almost all other animals reproduce sexually, through mating between a male and a female. In asexual reproduction, a new organism (living thing) develops from parts of, or parts produced by, one organism. This example of parthenogenesis is particularly noteworthy because the condor is a critically endangered species. At its lowest population in 1982, only around 20 California condors were alive, in the wild and in captivity.

In 1982, researchers launched a program to save the condors, and over the next few decades, the population grew to over 500. The researchers also studied the condors in captivity. They were able to collect DNA samples from feathers and eggshells and could pay close attention to the birds’ reproductive habits. They discovered that two of the male condors did not have any genetic indication of having been fathered by the other condors in captivity. Despite having only one parent, the condors were not clones (genetically identical copies) of the mother. Rather, through fusion between the unfertilized egg and another reproductive cell in the mother’s body, the offspring end up with a unique mixture of the mother’s genetic material. Female condors can only produce male offspring through parthenogenesis, due to the way sex is determined by chromosomes among birds.

While parthenogenesis is fairly rare, it is not unheard of, even in birds. Some species of turkey and domestic pigeons also have been known to reproduce in this way. Additionally, birds are far from the only animals that can undergo parthenogenesis. Parthenogenesis has been seen in species of sharks—including the hammerhead and bamboo shark—as well as some species of snakes and lizards. Some insects, like aphids and stick insects, can also reproduce asexually. However, parthenogenesis has not been documented in mammals.

Most scientists thought that parthenogenesis only happened in populations that lacked males. For example, a female shark recently surprisingly gave birth after living 10 years in an Italian aquarium where no male sharks were kept. But the female condors had males in captivity with them. Other female condors nested and produced chicks after mating with the local males.

California condors are the largest flying land birds in North America, with a wingspan of 8 to 9 1/2 feet (2.4 to 2.9 meters). They weigh up to 23 pounds (10.4 kilograms). In the wild, condors spend much of the day resting on high perches. Condors do not build nests. Instead, their eggs are laid in caves, in holes, or among boulders. A female California condor lays just one egg every two years. Condors are powerful, graceful fliers. They can soar and glide for long distances, flapping their wings an average of only once an hour. They may search the ground for food as they fly. Like other vultures, condors eat the remains of dead animals.

The growth of urban areas has posed a major threat to condor survival. The condor’s way of life requires vast areas of open, hilly country, and urban growth destroys such habitat.

The red-tailed hawk lives in open areas throughout North America. This illustration shows a red-tailed hawk in flight. The hawk uses its powerful beak to tear open prey, such as rodents. The red-tailed hawk reaches about 2 feet (0.6 meter) in length.

The red-tailed hawk is a large, stocky bird of prey. The red-tailed hawk is one of the most common hawks of North America. It lives throughout the continent and the Caribbean Islands. Red-tailed hawks prefer open spaces with places to perch, but they can adapt to almost any habitat. The red-tailed hawk has a distinctive, piercing call that sounds like “keeeeer.”

Adult red-tailed hawks measure 18 to 26 inches (45 to 66 centimeters) long. The average wingspread of an adult red-tailed hawk is about 50 inches (130 centimeters). Adults may weigh between 1 ½ and 3 pounds (700 and 1,400 grams). Females are larger than males.

Red-tailed hawks vary in coloration. Most adults have a rust-red tail. They usually have brown plumage on the top side of their bodies. The underside of the body is lighter and often mottled with dark colors. The wing undersides are also lighter in color and often have brown, black, or red markings.

Red-tailed hawks are soaring hawks. Such hawks use their excellent eyesight to spot prey from high up in the air. They then swoop down to catch it. Red-tailed hawks feed primarily on small mammals, such as mice and rabbits. They will eat just about anything they can catch or find, however, including other birds, fish, large insects, reptiles, and fresh carrion (dead animals).

Red-tailed hawks mate for life. A female red-tailed hawk lays one to five eggs per clutch. Chicks hatch in 28 to 35 days. The female usually incubates the eggs and stays at the nest with the hatchlings while the male hunts for food. Parents continue to care for their young for as long as 13 weeks after hatching.

Many species of hawk have become threatened with extinction, largely due to the destruction of their natural habitats. However, red-tailed hawks have adapted well to environments changed by human activity. They often patrol for prey in areas cleared by humans, such as farms or roadsides.

There are over 11 breeds of cats that can have black fur. The American shorthair, Bombay, British shorthair, Chantilly-Tiffany, Cornish Rex, Maine Coon, and Persian breeds are the most popular black cats.
Credit: © Eric Isselee, Shutterstock

It’s almost Halloween! Black cats are everywhere in Halloween decorations and movies. They are said to bring bad luck if you cross paths with them. But how did black cats become linked with the spooky, scary and unlucky? Somehow black cats got wrapped up in superstitions, joining ladders, spilled salt, broken mirrors, and open umbrellas indoors. However, in many cultures throughout history, black cats have been considered good luck.

There are over 11 breeds of cats that can have black fur. The American shorthair, Bombay, British shorthair, Chantilly-Tiffany, Cornish Rex, Maine Coon, and Persian breeds are the most popular black cats. Cats are a favorite pet of people around the world. Cats are intelligent and have an independent nature. These small animals can also be playful and entertaining. Many cats make affectionate, loyal pets, providing companionship for people of all ages. Tens of millions of cats are kept as pets worldwide. Surprisingly, cats were not always popular pets!

In Europe during the Middle Ages, the cat was considered a symbol of evil. Superstitious people associated the cat with witchcraft and the Devil. For this reason, people killed hundreds of thousands of cats. Although all cats were thought to be evil, black cats with their mysterious black fur contrasting with their yellow eyes were thought to be more evil than other cats. Black cats were believed to gather around witches, a superstition that stuck around for many years.

Experts believe that the destruction of so many cats led to a huge increase in the rat population of Europe and contributed to the spread of the Black Death, an epidemic of plague. This disease is transmitted to people by rat fleas. In the 1300′s, it killed from one-fourth to one-half of the people who lived in Europe. By the 1600′s, Europeans had begun to realize once again the importance of cats in controlling rodents. Cats gradually regained popularity. European explorers, colonists, and traders brought domestic cats to the New World during the 1600′s and 1700′s. Throughout the 1800′s, settlers took cats with them as they moved westward. Most cats in the United States and Canada today are descendants of these cats.

It is also said that in parts of in England, Ireland, Japan, and Scotland black cats were considered good luck. They were thought to bring prosperity and even love. Sailors often brought cats on ships to kill mice and rats that stowaway and eat their food supplies. They believed black cats brought good weather and a safe return home. They favored them over other kinds of cats.

Long before the Middle Ages, Egyptians worshiped Bastet, a cat goddess in the mythology of ancient Egypt. By about 1000 B.C., keeping cats as house pets became common. By this time, Bastet was usually represented as a woman with a cat’s head. Bastet became associated with fertility, love, and motherhood as her worship spread to other places in Egypt. She often carried a sistrum. The sistrum is a sacred rattle believed to keep evil away. Egyptians revered darker cats due to their resemblance to Bastet.

Black cats help scientists understand diseases. Researchers at the National Institute of Health discovered that black cats have genetic mutations that can make them disease resistant. Cats can get the same diseases that humans do including Alzheimer’s and cancer. Scientists study black cats to learn how to prevent and fight off these diseases in humans. Seems like black cats are pretty helpful!

Ham, chimpanzee sent into space
Credit: MSFC/NASA

When thinking of Project Mercury, students likely point to the first astronauts. Mercury was the first National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) project to send humans into space. They were some of the first beings to traverse the stars aboard a rocket and orbit the Earth, but that’s not all. Primates are the group of animals that includes monkeys, apes, and human beings. The first primate in space wasn’t cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin—it was a brave chimpanzee named Ham.

Ham was one of several animals used in Project Mercury. The Mercury capsule was tested with chimps and other primates before launching humans into space. Chimpanzees were used because they are intelligent and closely related to humans, with the ability to be trained to perform simulated spacecraft operations. Ham helped to prepare the U.S. space program for human space flight.

Ham was born in the 1950’s in a forest in Cameroon (then French Cameroon). The U.S. Air Force had chimps captured from the forest and sent to the United States. In 1959, 40 chimps were enrolled in the “School for Space Chimps” on the Holloman Air Force Base in Alamagordo, New Mexico. They were given the nickname astrochimps and trained for spaceflight. Another astrochimp, Enos, later became the first and only chimpanzee to orbit Earth.

At just 3 years old, Ham, also known as Subject 65, excelled at his tasks. The nickname Ham stood for Holloman Aerospace Medical Center, where the chimps were trained. Ham learned to pull levers when cued by a blue light. The chimps were trained to spend long periods in a chair and were subjected to extreme acceleration forces and microgravity, the sensation of weightlessness experienced by astronauts in space. After 18 months, Ham and five other well-performing chimps were sent to Cape Canaveral, Florida, in 1961 for an experimental flight. The brief suborbital flight was to test the environmental controls, life support, and recovery systems of the Mercury spacecraft in weightless conditions.

On Jan. 31, 1961, a Mercury-Redstone 2 rocket took off with Ham as its passenger. He was strapped into a “couch” in the small, pressurized capsule. The craft briefly lost air pressure during the flight, but Ham’s capsule saved him from harm. The rocket traveled 400 miles (640 kilometers) and peaked around 160 miles (250 kilometers) above Earth’s surface. It went higher and faster than NASA’s plan, which called for a peak of 115 miles (185 kilometers) altitude and a top speed of 4,400 miles (7,000 kilometers) per hour. The rocket actually reached speeds of 5,800 miles (9,300 kilometers) per hour.

The flight lasted about 16 ½ minutes. Ham experienced 6 ½ minutes of weightlessness. Ham was dressed in a spacesuit and waterproof pants. He was hooked up to sensors that recorded his body temperature, breathing, and heart rate. The flight was probably extremely distressing to Ham. Despite the stress of weightlessness and crushing acceleration forces, Ham was able to pull levers in response to flashing blue lights. He proved that astronauts could perform motor functions under the stresses of spaceflight. His capsule splashed down in the ocean and was recovered 130 miles (210 kilometers) from its target. The capsule was taking on water, and Ham had been waiting in distress for hours.

After the flight, Ham was relocated to the National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., in 1963. After 17 years living alone there, Ham joined other chimps at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro in 1980. Ham died on Jan. 18, 1983, at the age of 25, young for a chimp. His remains were buried by the U.S. Air Force at the International Space Hall of Fame in the Museum of Space History in Alamogordo. His skeleton was kept for scientific study at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington D.C. NASA eventually stopped sending non-human primates into space in the 1990’s, in part due to pressure from animal rights groups.

The white tiger has chalk-white fur with chocolate-brown or black stripes. It also has distinctive blue eyes.
© Shutterstock

True or false: the white tiger is white in order to blend in with its snowy habitat.

False! Tigers can live in almost any climate. So why are they different?

White tigers are not a separate species of tiger, nor are they albinos. Rather, these individuals carry two copies of a specific gene that causes their white appearance. Genes are the units of inheritance that determine which characteristics living things receive from their parents.

The white tiger is a tiger with chalk-white fur and chocolate-brown or black stripes. White tigers also have distinctive blue eyes. All other tigers have yellow eyes.

White tigers are extremely rare in the wild. Wild tigers are found only in Asia, and only a few remain in most countries. More than 100 white tigers live in the world’s zoos. They are all descendants of a white cub caught in India in 1951.

Whiteness in tigers is a recessive trait—that is, a tiger will only be white if it inherits two copies of the gene for whiteness, one from each parent. The gene for whiteness is quite rare.

To provide the best chance of white cubs, breeders often cross tigers that are closely related. This practice, an example of inbreeding, has led to many cubs being born with serious birth defects.

The blue-ringed octopus, shown in this photograph, is both beautiful and dangerous. The octopus has a venomous bite that has killed several people.
© Richard Merritt, FRPS/Getty Images

Australia is famous for its unique culture, metropolitan cities, and unusual wildlife, among other things. Each week, this seasonal feature will spotlight one of Australia’s many wonders.

What has eight arms and a venomous bite? The blue-ringed octopus. The blue-ringed octopus is a kind of sea animal found in the tropical and subtropical waters of Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Australia, and south Japan. It is recognizable by its psychedelic spots that are ringed with bright blue. The bodies of most blue-ringed octopuses measure about 11/2 to 21/2 inches (4 to 6 centimeters) in diameter. They measure up to about 4 inches (10 centimeters) with their tentacles.

Blue-ringed octopuses like to hide under rocks or in crevices during the day, coming out during the night. Though they inhabit depths as far down as 160 feet (50 meters), you don’t want to get caught near their parrotlike beaks. Sometimes, they bite people. The venom from their salivary glands then enters the wound. Several people have died from bites by these animals. The bite is often painless. A small spot of blood on the skin when the animal is removed may be the only clue that a bite has been sustained. The first effect of the venom is a rapidly developing numbness. Victims often stop breathing, requiring mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Treatment is the same as for snakebite. No specific antidote is available.

The blue-ringed octopuses belong to the genus Hapalochlaena.

Sun bear
Credit: © Molly Marshall, Shutterstock

Bears have been in the news a lot this summer. From hopping into backyard pools to cool off in California to running across football practice fields in Tennessee, bears are everywhere! Recently, one sun bear has been called into question for looking like a human in a bear costume! Angela, a Malayan sun bear at the Hangzhou Zoo in northwestern China, became a star after a zoo visitor posted a video online stating Angela looks like a human in a bear costume when standing up. Well, that is just what sun bears look like.

A sun bear is the smallest kind of bear. It measures about 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) long and weighs from 60 to 150 pounds (30 to 70 kilograms). The sun bear’s coat is short. It is black with a lighter-colored muzzle and an O- or U-shaped blaze (light patch) on the chest that is cream, orange, or golden in color. The blaze pattern is unique to each individual bear, somewhat like a human fingerprint. Sun bears have small ears, massive canine teeth, and an extremely long tongue. The bear’s tongue can reach up to 18 inches (46 centimeters) in length.

Sun bears are one of Asia’s most endangered animals. Experts estimate there are between 1,000 and 2,500 sun bears in the wild. They can be found from northeastern India to southeastern China, south to Sumatra and Borneo. They live in forests, especially lowland areas of deep forest. Sun bears can also be found at higher elevations and in agricultural areas. The habitat of the sun bear is disappearing quickly, with massive deforestation across much of its range.

Sun bears have long, sharp claws. A piece of bone inside each claw grows for the bear’s entire life. The longer the claw, the older the bear. The sun bear is an excellent climber and uses these special claws to tap on tree trunks and logs, searching for insects inside. The sun bear also uses its claws to break into bees nests to feed on honey and on bee larvae (young). Other food sources include termites, ants, beetle larvae, small vertebrates (animals with a backbone), and a wide variety of fruits. In the heat of the tropical sun, the sun bear can be found hugging the branches of tall trees while sleeping. This behavior may help the bear remain cool.

Sun bears spend much of their lives alone, except when with young. Unlike many other bears, they do not enter into a winter sleep. A female sun bear gives birth once a year, usually to one tiny, hairless cub. Cubs stay with their mother until they are fully grown, at about 2 years of age. Sun bears are sometimes eaten by giant reticulated pythons and may be vulnerable to predation by such large carnivores as tigers, leopards, and wild dogs. Sun bears can live to be 25 years old.

A sun bear climbs toward an apple at the Henry Doorly Zoo, in Omaha, Nebraska.
Credit: AP Photo

Experts on sun bears hope the interest in the furry creature will help conservation efforts. Zoos across the world are welcoming the increase in visitors to sun bear exhibits. Does it look like a human in a bear costume, or just a misunderstood bear?

Dill, Gherkin, and Jalapeño are the first offspring of the 90-year-old tortoise Mr. Pickles.
Credit: © Jackelin Reyna, Houston Zoo

Mr. Pickles, the 90-year-old radiated tortoise, now has three little tortoises to look after. Mr. Pickles and 53-year-old Mrs. Pickles live at the Houston Zoo in Texas. They welcomed Dill, Gherkin, and Jalapeño to their family in March. Radiated tortoises are native to Madagascar. They are a critically endangered species. Endangered species are living things threatened with extinction—that is, the dying off of all of their kind. Many zoos around the world have studied how to breed radiated tortoises to boost the population.

What’s the difference between a tortoise and a turtle? Tortoises are turtles that live only on land. Tortoises have stumpy hind legs and feet that look like those of an elephant, quite different from the flippers of sea turtles and the webbed feet of most freshwater turtles. Most tortoises have a high, domed shell. They pull their head, feet, and tail into the shell for protection from predators. Tortoises feed primarily on plants.

There are dozens of species of tortoises. Many live in hot, dry regions. Three species live in the United States. The desert tortoise is found in the deserts of the American Southwest. The Texas tortoise inhabits scrublands in southern Texas. The gopher tortoise lives in the sandhills of the Southeastern coastal plain. All three of these tortoises rest in burrows that they dig in the ground. Not all tortoises live in dry habitats. For example, the red-footed tortoise and the yellow-footed tortoise inhabit lowland tropical rain forests in South America.

Tortoises vary widely in size. One of the largest tortoises is the giant Galapagos tortoise, which lives on the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The largest Galapagos tortoises grow to 6 feet (1.8 meters) long. The speckled tortoises of southwestern Africa are among the smallest species. Speckled tortoises are only about 4 inches (10 centimeters) long when fully grown.

Like other turtles, tortoises lay their eggs in holes in the ground. When the eggs hatch, the young dig to the surface to fend for themselves. Most tortoises die in the first 10 years of life. Raccoons, foxes, and other predatory animals feed on tortoise eggs and young tortoises. Tortoises that survive the first several years can live an extremely long time. Some have lived more than 100 years in captivity.

Tortoise populations are declining quickly because people destroy the animal’s habitat and illegally kill tortoises for food. In addition, many tortoises die from diseases introduced by humans. Many countries forbid the capture or killing of tortoises.