Description

Musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) live mainly in the Arctic tundra. His pronounced tourniquet and long black dress, which make his legs look even shorter, makes him look like a buffalo. In reality, it is more akin to goats.

They’re not very big. Musk oxen, on the other hand, are quite heavy, compact and massive. Adult males weigh 270 to 320 kg, and females weigh about 90 kg less. This mammal, which usually moves slowly and measuredly, can also run and climb with great agility if necessary. It can run long distances and at peaks of 60 km/h.

Both the male and female musk ox have impressive horns. They first draw a downward curve towards the face, then move outwards and go up in tapered ends. In males, the bases of each horn extend to the forehead and meet to form a hard horn and bone bump up to 10 cm thick. The less massive but equally pointed horns of females are separated by a band of fur on the forehead. A gland, close to the fragrant secretion orbit, is present.

It is thanks to its coat that musk ox is not inconvenienced when the temperature drops below -40oC an^d this despite a strong wind. This coat consists of an insulating woolly fleece, in contact with the skin, covered with large hairs or jars. Its wool is stronger and eight times warmer than that of sheep, and thinner than cashmere. Musk ox was named omingmak by the Inuit, which means “the animal whose fur is like a beard.”

Musk oxen lose their fleece around mid-summer. As not all long protective hairs fall off at the same time, the coat looks shaggy for a few weeks. Many adult males keep the year during tufts of old wool clinging to their mane and dress.

Its rounded hooves are enough to prevent it from sinking into the snow. The anterior hooves are wider than the hindquarters and allow it to dig snow in search of food.

Habitat and adaptability

Musk ox is generally found in low plains or in Arctic river valleys. The vegetation is more abundant. Low plants grow quickly producing a considerable number of flowers and rich fodder for musk ox.

During the calving period, large herds split into small groups of seven animals, on average. Throughout the summer, these groups mainly take care of their diet but also rest. At rest, musk ox lies on its belly to ruminate or spreads to the side, legs elongated, often on snowbanks not yet melted.

Young people, instead of resting, usually stand in groups and gallop near adults or compete for fun in vigorous head-kicking fights. Adults also play occasionally, especially when crossing rivers, most often jumping and turning in shallow water.

Almost at all times of the year, males engage in “one-on-one” or more violent battles. However, the frequency and intensity of these contacts increase at the end of the summer, the winner thus acquiring the status of dominant male that allows him to rule over the herd. A typical confrontation begins with threat parades in which males rub their preorbital glands against the ground or forelegs, then advance in measured steps, the horns pointed at their opponent. They then slowly recoil, swinging their heads, then dart towards each other and meet in a resounding collision. This shock is absorbed by the skull and very thick horns. If the two oxen are of equal strength, several assaults take place.

In the extreme Arctic, the sun does not exceed the horizon line between November and February. The Arctic winter is long, with temperatures of up to -15o^C for nearly two-thirds of a year. Despite the cold, wind and darkness, musk ox continues to feed and rest. It is disturbed only by the very violent storms during which it lies with its back to the wind.

Late winter and early spring are critical times for muskox. Its fat reserves are low or depleted. The animal may well starve. If it is old, its teeth are worn out it is difficult to survive the same when it is infested with parasites or if the weather conditions are unfavorable.

The defence of musk oxen against wolves is to run to a place covered with shallow snow or high ground and line up to face the attackers. When wolves surround them, they bring their rump closer together and form a tight circle from which adults, male or female, charge the enemy. You can see this training when they feel your presence a little too close. It is generally not recommended to get too close. During a wolf attack, the cubs quickly join their mother and get into the center of the circle. Facing the attackers, the males rub their glands vigorously. It seems to be a threat and a wake-up call.

Range

The species spread throughout northern Canada and Greenland and then moved westward to Alaska. Today, native (uninsured) musk ox populations are found only in Greenland (approximately 20,000 individuals) and in northern Canada about 100,000 individuals. There is also an introduced population living in freedom in Quebec. Finally, other populations have been introduced into Svalbard (islands in northern Norway), western Greenland, Norway (Dovrefjell) and Russia.

Power

On the mainland, musk oxen feed mainly on willows that grow along rivers, where they can better protect themselves from mosquitoes and biting flies that attack their eyes. In the Arctic islands, they are less annoyed by these insects.

As of September, snow covers the ground, and musk ox must dig to reach the willows, herbaceous plants and sedges that make up most of its diet. In most areas of the tundra, the snow mat is quite thin and does not interfere with its diet and movement. Herds often feed in valleys and lowlands where there is less than 20 cm of snow. In these places, the wind constantly sweeps the snow, creating a crust that is hard enough to bear the weight of an adult human being. When musk oxen fail to pierce this crust with their paws, they break it with their heads. They then push the pieces back with the legs, exposing the underlying vegetation. The dominant musk oxen in the herd often hunt their lower-tier congeners from these grazing pits. This saves them energy to survive the winter.

Reproduction

In late spring and summer, herds consist of males and females of all ages. As the rut season approaches, the composition of some herds changes. The herd contains an equal number of adult males and females. There is more than one adult male (dominant). It is surrounded by several adult females, young males and young males. Many males then leave the herd as a result of conflicts with the dominant bull. They then live alone or join other bulls while waiting for the mating period to be over.

During the mating period, males try to impose themselves by frequently pushing menacing dull bellows. After fighting or assaulting, the victor acquires the status of dominant male and can then rule over a herd. The cubs are born between April and June. This is a period of risk because the snowpack is thick and the weather conditions are bad. Females begin to reproduce at about four years of age and have one cub per year when conditions are good. Newborns are covered in a thick woolly coat and can stand a few minutes after birth.

The females stay with the herd. After a few hours, the mother is the cub are able to follow him. The calves moan to maintain the bond with their mother.

L’article Musk oxen, Ovibos moschatus est apparu en premier sur Wild-nature.

The egg that is laid in turn becomes a larva. He’s going to eat to get fat and turn into a caterpillar. In general, the caterpillar is the last step of metamorphosis before becoming a nymph, then the adult insect (the butterfly). The caterpillar has no wings. She only eats. Once it has reached a certain size, it will then settle down to weave a cocoon, coat itself with silk, or sink into the ground. It is with the help of her salivary glands that she secretes long silk threads. She uses them to weave a protective cocoon, or a silk wrap around her body. The insect then becomes a nymph.

Once the cocoon is realized, the nymph will then turn into an adult insect. Depending on the species, the development can last a few days, weeks, or even months. Once the caterpillar has metamorphosed into a butterfly, it then breaks the envelope of its cocoon to get out. Once its wings are spread, the butterfly can then fly away to feed on flower nectar or whatever. He will live until he is able to reproduce.

Caterpillars are cold-blooded insects, which is why they need heat to function normally. They have a well-defined diet. Each species will feed on a specific plant. Its mouth grinds efficiently and the caterpillar can decimate a plant quite quickly.

The appearance and size of caterpillars vary depending on the species. Some are tiny, but others are quite large. The size of the caterpillar is often proportional to the size of the butterfly. Some have smooth skin, and others are covered with hair, whose color and patterns are very different from one species to another. It is therefore often easy to identify a caterpillar and the butterfly it will produce. Caterpillars are herbivorous insects and are usually not dangerous. They are often adept at camouflage. But others produce harmful substances that protect them from predators.

The caterpillar’s body is made up of segments. The first three will form the thorax of the butterfly. They’re wearing real pairs of paws. It will then undergo some moulting before finally turning into a chrysalis. It will lose the false legs of the following segments during its final metamorphosis.

L’article The caterpillar "in between" est apparu en premier sur Wild-nature.

The blue hour and the golden hour

It is also called the “magic hour.” This is the moment that follows the sunrise very closely or the moment before sunset.It is considered the time to get a spectacular photo. It is at this point that the sun emits a softer natural light, often pink-reddish, which makes it easy to create artistic images, with a certain dramatism.

The essentials

You don’t have to have a well-defined subject to get a quality image. A landscape, a mountain that is cut out from the sky, the image is itself sublimated. Note, always favor the registration of files in RAW format. This allows for more opportunities in post production for those who like to retouch images. Then the light changes quickly at these times. It is important to manually set up the white balance. This will prevent some disappointments and precisely track the brightness. Since the blue hours and the golden hours are not long and the brightness changes fast, you can make as many shots as possible especially in the digital age.

Depending on what you are looking for, for example a softer and nicer tone, it is best to trigger 15 minutes before the golden hour and 15 minutes after for the evening. The reddish-pink tone won’t be so marked.

If you look for a photo with more clarity, it is best to trigger after the golden hour of the morning, which is clearer than that of the evening, because of the mist produced by the morning humidity present in the atmosphere. Similarly, it has a cooler tone that can improve the colors on your shots.

The blue hour, can be defined as the opposite of the golden hour because it would be the moment just before sunrise and the moment just after sunset. At this point, the contrast is low, while the light produces a very cool bluish tone, with pastel colors of a more tenuous light.

Morning or late hours

The light diffuses, at these times, illuminates the subject or element effortlessly but it drops quickly in the evening or ends quickly in the morning. For this it is important to either find tricks in order to avoid certain mistakes. A tripod remains an essential tool to avoid blurring but also to allow for a slow shutter speed. It is even more so at these times when the light is less present. Another trick if the possibility arises, the reflection on a surface can increase the brightness.

L’article Landscapes in evening and morning lights est apparu en premier sur Wild-nature.

Description

The Puffin is an alcida with a triangular beak. It is massive and colored with a bluish diamond surrounded by yellow towards the base. The head is big with a collar and a black cap. The legs are orange red. The sexes are the same. The ornamental corneal patches of the beak disappear after nesting. The beak then becomes smaller, predominantly yellow and grey. In juveniles, the beak is even thinner than in adults and the legs are dirty pink.The flight is beaten, very fast and direct, the wings appear abnormally small compared to the size of the body. The body is about 30 cm long and weighs between 350 and 600 grams.

Moults

For adults, after the breeding period, a partial first moult occurs between July and September. The feathers of the head and body are replaced. A second moult occurs between January and February and affects the feathers of the wings and tail. New ornate plaques appear just before the return to the colonies. For birds out of the nest, only one moult occurs between March and July.

Range

Mainly puffins are spread over Northern Europe. A small population nests on the West Atlantic coast. It is also found in Russia, Norway, Greenland, Iceland and Canada. For most individuals, the Iberian Peninsula seems to mark the southern limit of winter dispersal.

Place of life

The Puffin nests in a colony, inside a burrow that he digs himself. Three habitats are used: the slope break zone at the top of the small cliffs overlooking the sea, the gentle slopes with low vegetation and soft soil, the areas of scree showing erosion under the boulders.

Reproduction and breeding

Egg-laying dates vary depending on weather conditions. As a rule, spawning takes place around April. A single egg is laid. The incubation lasts 39 to 42 days and the breeding between 38 and 53 days on average. The female incubse longer and takes care of the chick more often than the male. He spends more time defending the burrow. The chick leaves the nest with the possibility of flying and, therefore, no longer receives any food support from its parents.

The average number of young per pair increases with nest density. A predated or disturbed colony may see its productivity reduced by 75%. In the event of food shortages, adults promote their survival at the expense of that of the chicks. But regulatory mechanisms allow chicks to resist: variation in growth rate, longer breeding period, differential anatomical growth.

The age of the first reproduction is 5 to 6 years. The first return to the colony is around the age of 2-3 years, but the occupation of a burrow does not occur until the age of 4. The maximum lifespan observed is about 33 years.

The annual survival of puffins depends on the temperature of the water and the amount of predated fish. Although their ecological niches may also be occupied by other bird species, this does not seem to bother them undue.

Power

Puffins are able to pass according to the available resources of various fish species such as Capelans, Herrings, Sprats and Spears. They are all prey with high energy value. The Puffin knows how to be opportunistic and change prey for its chick depending on the available resource.In winter, invertebrates can also play a significant role in feeding.

The Puffins catch their prey by immersing themselves from the surface and then propelling themselves underwater through their wings. It can reach a maximum depth of 60 m for food. It all depends on where it is located but also on the location of the resources. Prey are usually searched no more than a few dozen kilometres away.

People

There are about 6 million pairs between the West Atlantic coast, Iceland and Norway. The overall pattern over the past 30 years is a 1.5% annual increase in Iceland and the United Kingdom and a decrease in Norway and Ireland. The puffin is a true indicator of the preservation of breeding grounds. Populations fluctuate according to the various threats: gillnets, chronic oil pollution, the state of food resources and climatic conditions. A sad example is the dramatic decline in the number of numbers in the colony of Rest in Norway due to overfishing of herring.

L’article The Puffin Monk, Fratercula arctica est apparu en premier sur Wild-nature.

Reindeer in Norway

Northern Norway is an arctic environment characterized mainly by its polar climate. The average temperature for the warmest month is 10oC and there are virtually no frost-free days. This area is also characterized by tundra-type vegetation. It is a formation of discontinuous, shaved vegetation, composed of grasses, lichens and some dwarf trees. Beyond the polar circle, we observe the first day and night of 24 hours. The further north you go, the more polar nights and nightless days are. In addition, the change in the duration of the day in the spring and fall occurs much more quickly at the higher latitudes. Southern Norway has a much more temperate and humid, oceanic climate. Temperatures are a little higher along the coast thanks to the Gulf Stream.

Environmental assets and conditions

Reindeer that live at very high latitudes are subject to large temperature variations between summer and winter (from 15 to -40 degrees Celsius). In a cold environment, it can maintain a high body temperature. It can reduce or increase the amount of heat. In winter, it has a fur of excellent insulating value that provides an effective barrier against excessive heat loss. Reindeer also restricts heat loss through physiological mechanisms. Finally, behavioural responses such as curling up or searching for microclimate areas are observable. This can also reduce heat loss in a cold environment. The moult allows the insulating value of the fur to vary according to the season. Reindeer also choose cool grazing areas and go as high as possible in the mountains during the hottest summer days. In polar regions, animals are almost constantly subjected to critical temperatures, when cold weather is associated with a total absence of sunlight.

The coat

The reindeer’s coat is a relatively good insulator thanks to the large amount of air enclosed between the hairs. The interposition of an insulating layer such as fur between the skin and cold air reduces or eliminates heat loss. The heat produced by the reindeer’s body in summer is always higher than that produced in winter, regardless of its activity. The insulating power of a fur depends on the amount of air trapped between the hairs and the resistance of the coat to the convection movements of the air in the fur.

In deer, insulation depends on the air in the spinal areas of the long, hollow, thick hairs and the layer of air held in the woolly hairs forming a short, dense protective layer. The physical structure of the fur (length, diameter and density of the hairs) determines its effectiveness as an insulator. The reindeer’s coat is very insulating. It is the Deer that has the highest density of hair per cm2.

Its coat is composed of guard hairs and woolly hairs. Woolly hairs are thin, very flexible, usually short and wavy. They are devoid of bone marrow and the cuticle is made of upturned scales allowing the strands to be attached to each other. This felt provides excellent thermal insulation. The density of woolly hairs in reindeer is 2000 hairs per cm2. Each hair is attached to a sebaceous gland and a small, smooth muscle. The secretion of the sebaceous gland lubricates and waterproofs the surface of the hair. The coat therefore remains dry which allows the animal not to suffer from rain or snow. When it is lying, the snow does not melt under it, just as the frost does not accumulate on the coat. It also remains quite insulating when reindeer pass through large bodies of water, especially during their migrations.

The Importance of Fur

In addition, the reindeer is the only deer to have a hair-covered snout. They protect this usually very sensitive area from the cold and reduce heat loss. It also allows the reindeer to put their nose in the snow to dig and look for food. Reindeer can withstand very low temperatures in winter, without altering their metabolism, thanks to the insulation of its fur. In summer, high temperatures require an adaptation of this insulating power, which is ensured by moulting. In summer, the fur is more sparse, contains less woolly hair and allows a good dissipation of heat. The skin is thin and the sweat glands and sebaceous glands are developed.

Adaptations to light

The Arctic regions beyond the polar circle in which reindeer live are subject to considerable variations in the photoperiod. They are also exposed to light conditions in which the day-night cycle is virtually absent or very reduced for long periods of time each year. This happens during the winter when the sun stays permanently below the horizon line and during the summer when it never disappears. These conditions are a real challenge for biological rhythms because in general continuous light destroys the rhythm of melatonin and permanent darkness desynchronizes biological clocks.

The activity of the reindeer of Norway in the summer is distributed evenly over the 24 hours of light, they can be active at noon as at midnight. The reindeer of Norway are therefore able to respond to very small variations in brightness during the day. Either they incorporate the low light information available in winter, or their biological clock is removed and the activity is regulated instead by variations in light intensity. Reindeer seem to have adapted to the bright conditions of the high latitudes by a general reduction in the strength and activity of their internal clock.

Competition and reproduction

The rutting period, characterized by spermatogenesis, lasts two months, from mid-September to mid-November. The rut takes place regularly even in the absence of females. Unlike other Ongules, male reindeer do not use their slabs during this period. The stallions are reeling in the sign of aggression. The hairs of the snout bristle and the muscles of the neckline contract. Food intake is severely reduced or zero and males lose a lot of weight. Mating occurs mostly at sunrise and dusk. Only the dominant male can protrud from the females.

The woods

Reindeer are the only deer whose both sexes carry antlers. Even sterilized animals have them. The antlers are made up of velvet-covered bone tissue that consists of an epidermis and a derm with sebaceous glands, hairs, blood vessels and nerves, among others. The woods weigh about 7 to 10 kg and measure up to 120 cm in adults.

The heaviest animals have the largest and heaviest woods. Heaviest males (who can weigh up to 150 kg) can carry 12 kg of antlers. The size of the woods depends on the amount of food available because their manufacture costs a lot of minerals. In reindeer, calcium content and skeletal density decrease during wood growth. The minerals contained in the woods are therefore available in limited quantities. The woods are not only used as weapons but are also important in choosing a partner at the time of the rut.

Food in winter

In winter, reindeer have to dig snow to find food. They can dig up to 70 cm deep. Dominant animals tend to use holes made by dominated animals. The fawns are almost totally dependent on their mother to eat. They feed in the hole she has dug, while sharing a hole with her cub does not cost the mother energy.

Sharing a hole with its mother affects the fawn’s weight loss during the winter. The hole is less often taken by another fawn if the mother is dominant. In addition, small children spend less energy digging if they eat in the same hole as their mother. In reindeer, the status of the mother particularly influences the weight of female fawns, which are more likely to stay with their mothers than males. In addition, they are generally larger than females and are therefore less likely to have their hole caught by another fawn.

L’article Reindeer est apparu en premier sur Wild-nature.

Damselflies are insects that are found most often or close to aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats. They are also the places of their reproduction.

The larva is adapted to aquatic life. The shape of their bodies is slender and haily. Larvae are carnivorous. They are also preyed upon by many predators such as amphibians, fish and other insect larvae. At the end of her larval development, she leaves the aquatic environment in search of support to begin her moulting. But the predation that the damsel undergoes does not stop at the larval stage. Once it is rid of its exuvia, it can fall prey to fish, birds, insects, spiders and reptiles.

Males are found in large quantities at breeding grounds. Only males with the best attributes (cerques) and strategies will have a better chance of breeding. They are territorial by keeping other males at bay. But they will also have to keep in touch with the female. Either by staying close to her and being sure that she does not mate elsewhere or then he settles permanently with the female until laying her eggs.

L’article Ma Demoiselle est apparu en premier sur Wild-nature.

As in all fishing villages in this archipelago, they enjoy warmer waters. Thus from January, cod, Skeir and other cod descend the Barens Sea much colder towards this more lenient shore. In the Viking era until today, men took advantage of this windfall. At the port, they are either sold fresh or dried on specific racks (dryers). To do this, they are first prepared by removing their heads and viscera and then hanged and dried for three months. This ancestral practice is still used. Under these conditions, it allows for better conservation of fish and all these nutrients.

L’article Nusfjord est apparu en premier sur Wild-nature.

1) A departure to Switzerland

Duration: 7 days

Distance covered: 980 km

A departure and almost a flight forward, shortly after the deconfinement and free of all our obligations, so we left on August 10, 2020. You had to leave on a birthday. But where to go? First of all, we’re looking for the mountain. We decided very quickly to go to Switzerland. At least we’re sure we’ll find mountains.

Arriving in Grindelwald, a large Swiss resort, the mountains are present. A resort with lots of hiking starts. We will go from valley to valley, going south-east, then going north. We will meet the cows and they are not violets, marmots, deer, vultures and chamois.

Anecdote: “Despite the fact that many things are expensive we also met a farmer who gave us a litre of fresh milk. Without understanding each other, he saw that we wanted it a lot but not Swiss franc. We only had our poor euros. He didn’t even want it! He made us taste his milk and give us a bottle. Thank you very much.

1 L of Milk – hot chocolate and milk – pancakes”

2) Obligatory passage in Germany

Duration: 4 days

Distance travelled: 850 kilometres

We will say that this is my little Frenchie side but France is still more beautiful than Germany. We leave Switzerland with the certainty that we will not see the Alps for a while. But then what to see in this country where the fields abound, whose relief is just trying to get out of the ground? We’re going to take refuge in the Black Forest. And pretty quickly, because my old Transporter T4 is already tired of German sedans that go as if the devil was after them. Oh my God, productivity!!!

After a few bucolic outings in the Black Forest, we go hiking the Black Forest: the Grand Canyon!!! Located precisely in the Wutach Gorge towards Wutachmolhe, the gorges are about ten kilometres long. We will have understood we are well in Germany.

The gorges have many small waterfalls along the trail. The 13-kilometre trail runs along the Wutach River.

If you don’t want to take the shuttle back, you’ll need an additional 13 km. A beautiful day of hiking is to be expected.

Then we will visit the city of Fribourg in Brisgau. She’s at the door of the Black Forest.

We will mainly remember the beautiful square at the foot of the cathedral. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Freiburg is visible from afar but it is also visible from meadows. The belfry is certainly the most impressive. It consists of a set of bells, the whole of which weighs more than 21 tons. A unique set in Germany.

3) The surprise of the Netherlands

Duration: 6 days

Distance travelled: 750 kilometres

After Germany, our route continues further north. On our way we decide to go to the Netherlands. It is important to note that one third of the country is below sea level and the highest point is 321 m. Lovers of the mountains and the great outdoors, we chose our tour rather well. The Netherlands is the densest country in Europe. The density is nearly 500 inhabitants per square kilometer or almost five times France. The question then arose, what to do? To our surprise, there are exactly 20 national parks. So our interest has been there. We will have visited 4 during our stay.

Meinweg National Park:

The park is located in the south east of the country at the German border. It consists mainly of forest, heaths and parks. It is also possible to find lakes and sand dunes with quicksand.

Loonse National Park in Drunense Duinen:

The landscape is much more open than Meinweg Park. It offers a framework of dunes, which forms the largest stretch of quicksand in Western Europe. It covers 35 km2 These are formed 10,000 years ago. The wind being omnipresent the landscape often changes.

L’article Europa est apparu en premier sur Wild-nature.

The northern lights of green colors are the most commonly observed. But sometimes you see other colors. The color palette is very wide from green to purple from blue to red. The colors are characteristic of the altitude of the aurora, the composition and content of the gases of the atmosphere but also the energy of the solar wind plays a role on the colors observed.

L’article Northern Lights est apparu en premier sur Wild-nature.

L’article Stable and unstable states est apparu en premier sur Wild-nature.