Liger - rare animal

Liger facts:
- Liger is possible result of breeding a male lion with tigress.
- Tigon is possible result of breeding a male tiger with lioness.
- Lions and Tigers do not exist in the same areas on Earth, this is not something that happens in the wild. It is mainly done in captivity.

- Ligers are usually larger than their parents. This fact puts the tigress at great risk in carrying the young and may require C-section deliveries or the Tigress could even die.
- Ligers have the best qualities of the Tiger and the best of the Lion. Liger fact is that they like to stay in water (and this is specific Tiger trait) but also are very social animals (specific Lion trait).
- But also these cats suffer from many birth defects and most of the time die young.

- The head of a Liger looks more like a Lion's head. Also the tail is more like the tail of a Lion.
- The exact life span of Ligers is unknown. A female Liger called Shasta, was born at Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City. Shasta died at the age of 24. A male Liger – named Nook - who lived in Valley of the Kings animal sanctuary in Wisconsin, died at the age of 21.
- For a long time both Ligers and Tigons were thought to be sterile. But in 1943, a fifteen year old hybrid between a Lion and an Island Tiger, was successfully mated with a Lion at Munich Hellabrunn Zoo. Although the female cub had delicate health, it was raised to adulthood.

- Ligers weight about a thousand pounds (450 kg.) each, they typically devour 50 pounds (23 kg.) of raw meat in just one meal.
- Lion-Tiger mating occurs in captivity. Probably for the same reason humans do not breed with monkeys like gorillas or chimps.
- However, historically, the Asiatic subspecies of Lion had a much greater range of inhibited areas which overlapped with that of the Tiger. So it is possible, though unlikely, that Ligers might have sometimes occurred in the wild.

Slow Loris Sonya has a new friend

Slow Loris facts:
- The Slow Loris is a nocturnal primate. It has forward-facing eyes and human-like hands with an opposable thumb.
- Slow Lorises have one of the slowest primate life histories. Six months pregnancy for these pint-sized primates produces babies the weight of a handful of paper-clips (less than 50 g). They can live up to 25 years.
- The name 'Loris' has Dutch origin and means 'clown', which probably comes from the facial features that help to define the Slow Loris.
- The Slow Loris has its second finger reduced for gripping and one of the longest tongues of all the primates. Slow Lorises use their tongues to drink nectar.

- The Slow Lorises are small to medium-sized primates which range in weight from 103 g. to more than 2 kg.
- The Slow Loris movement looks similar to that of a snake due to their twisting movement caused by having several more vertebra in their spine than other primates.
- Although the Slow Loris is relatively small mammal, its home ranges can be the size of 35 football pitches.

- The Slow Loris's bite is very poisonous and its venom can kill. Currently there is no antidote and it is still not clear what is the reason for the Slow Loris venom.
- The Slow Loris is endangered due to both habitat loss and hunting for illegal pet and traditional medicine trades. In some parts of Asia it is known as the animal which can cure 100 diseases.
- There are five species of Slow Loris currently recognised - the Bengal, Javan, Bornean, Pygmy and greater Slow Loris.

- The Slow Loris is amongst the rarest primates on Earth. They devolved from their closest cousins the African bush-babies around 40 million years ago.
- They have a range of habitats over a vast area of southern and south-eastern Asia.
- Although Slow Lorises are seen as slow movers, they frequently ’race walk’ and can move up to 8km per night. Equally they are able to remain totally still for hours on end if required.

Amazing dog plays piano


Wombat facts:
- Wombats have long claws that are adapted for digging.
- Wombats live in burrows, from which they emerge at night to feed on grasses and other plants.
- Young Wombats are born singly and each is carried in its mother's pouch.

- Wombats are native only to Australia.
- The teeth of Wombats growing continuously.
- Wombats are nocturnal grazers.

- Wombat burrows are very large - up to 30 meters (100 feet) long.
- Wombats can be of different colours - from a sandy colour to brown or black to grey.
- Wombats are extremely strong and very proficient diggers.

- Most Australians have never seen a wild Wombat.
- Wombats live expectancy varies from 5 to over 30 years.
- Wombats are solitary creatures in general.

- Wombats are large animals. The average Wombat is about 1 meter (40 inches) long and weighs about 25 kg (55 pounds).
- The name of Wombat comes from the nearly extinct Darug language spoken by the Aboriginal Darug people who originally inhabited the Sydney area.
- Wombats were often called badgers by early Australian settlers because of their size and habits.