Discovery Science 🧬

e duet that echoes through the night forest. The mating season begins in February-March, when there is still snow. Eagle owls do not build their own nests - they look for hollows in old trees with a diameter of at least a meter! A prerequisite: there must be an ice-free river nearby. The female lays 2-3 eggs. The chicks leave the nest after 35-50 days, but the parents feed them until the next winter. Puberty occurs only in the third year of life. There are only about 4,000 eagle owls left in the world. The species is listed in the International Red Book. It lives in the Russian Far East, Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands and the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Life expectancy in nature is about 20 years. In captivity they can live more than 40 years. The fish eagle owl demonstrates unique evolutionary capabilities: the owl turned into a fisherman, lost its silent flight, grew spikes on its paws and learned to roam the water. This is a living monument of nature. A symbol of the wild taiga, which we can still preserve. 🏀 Hit the hoop and get an NFT gift — https://t.me/BasketbolX_bot

Fish owl: Giant owl from the taiga. Mice are not enough for her - she switched to large prey! Imagine: an owl the size of an eagle that doesn't catch mice. Owl with bare feet. An owl that flaps its wings NOISY - unlike all the other owls on the planet. And do you know why? Because her prey underwater can’t hear anything anyway. Evolution has removed the noiselessness of flight - the fisherman simply does not need it! Meet the fish owl (Ketupa blakistoni) - the largest owl on the planet and one of the rarest bird predators in Russia. The wingspan is up to 190 centimeters - almost two meters! The weight of females reaches 4.5 kilograms. For comparison: an ordinary owl weighs 500-600 grams. The head has furry feather “ears” that stick out to the sides like disheveled antennae. The eyes are bright yellow, piercing. But the main feature is the PAWS. This is what makes the fish owl unique among all the owls in the world: it has bare toes! And on the plantar surface there are small sharp spines - natural hooks for holding slippery fish! Imagine trying to grab a wet, squirming trout with your bare hands. Impossible? And to the fish owl - please! The spines dig into the scales, and the fish is firmly fixed. Evolution removed feathers from fingers for a reason. Firstly, wet feathers freeze in winter - the bird can freeze and die. Secondly, the bare, rough fingers with spines act as a natural grip for slippery prey. Perfect adaptation! The feathered predator has two main methods of hunting: Method one: dive strike. The bird sits on an overhanging branch and patiently looks out for prey. He saw a fish - he swooped down with lightning speed, snatched it out of the water with his claws and soared back. At the same time, the eagle owl NEVER submerges completely in the water - only its paws! Method two: wandering fisherman. The eagle owl enters the water up to its belly and, spreading its wings half-open for balance, slowly wanders along the riffles, groping with its paws for fish and crayfish at the bottom. The spectacle is surreal: a huge owl, the size of a turkey, wanders through the shallow water like a heron and paws under the stones. After such swims in winter, feathers may freeze. And then the eagle owl cannot take off. Therefore, this method is typical for warm days. The fish owl walks on the ground a lot. On the banks of the rivers where he hunts, it is easy to find trampled paths - as if a small dinosaur was walking there. Ornithologists joke: if you find the trails of an eagle owl, you have found its hunting territory. The fish owl is an extremely faithful bird. He chooses a couple once and for all. If one of the partners dies, the other does not look for a new pair for years. There are cases where widowed eagle owls lived alone for 1-3 years. And they also sing a duet! The male makes two low sounds - “oo-hoo, woo-hoo”, and the female responds with a third, even lower sound - “huuu”. The result is a mesmerizing bariton

vices and cruelty. But it's epic. - - - - - We have a huge group, which is 11 years old and there are many zoologists who write tons of text every day from the field in which they are specialists. Due to VK’s failed policy towards authors, all this, unfortunately, rests only on rare advertising and your support. You can support the stability of our nervous system with a minimum subscription of 100 rubles per month. You can request support directly through the button in this post. Thank you! 🏀 Hit the hoop and get an NFT gift — https://t.me/BasketbolX_bot

Kalappa: A crab in very heavy armor. And their fights are a real tournament of knights! No one will ever return to the Middle Ages. No more fair knights in fine armor. No tournaments and noble deeds with the name of the lady of the heart on your lips. This page of history has finally been turned for everyone. Except for crabs. Here they have complete order with chivalry! Especially in crabs from the Kalappa genus. In foreign articles he is regularly called the knight crab, and journalists, at first glance, have every reason for this. Just look at his armor, it's excellent even by the standards of other crabs! The thick and durable shell curves downwards from the sides and protects the legs, which themselves are perfectly armored, by the way. Thanks to this structure of the carapace, the crab can assume an excellent defensive posture. If he presses his claws and walking legs to himself, he will turn into a 15-centimeter oval armored cookie with almost no gaps in the armor! Why aren't you a knight? But to be a knight, armor alone is not enough. Nobody calls armadillos and pangolins knights, right? A noble warrior needs to behave accordingly. Therefore, males arrange beautiful fights for females. The battle for the lady of the heart occurs as follows. When a female craves attention and passion, she secretes pheromones, which attract 2 males at night. They have a beautiful, bloodless fight, during which one crab drives the other away. Then he gently embraces the female and carries her in his arms for several days. It is difficult to find something nobler, more beautiful and graceful in nature. If you forget about the nuances, of course. Nobility and beauty will instantly evaporate if more than 2 crabs come to smell the pheromones. In this case, a beautiful tournament will instantly turn into a classic public scuffle. Or even in pursuit of a crab thief who decided to steal the main prize on the sly. And the knights run surprisingly fast for their size. And the most unpleasant thing is that the female is perceived by the males only as a prize, not even as a living being. No one asks her opinion, and she herself is not able to resist. The fact is that the female releases pheromones 3-5 days before molting. At this time, she is greatly weakened and almost unable to move independently - the armor is heavy and difficult to remove. Well, males carry females in their arms, of course, not because of romantic impulses. This is how they protect their prey from other contenders and wait until the female begins molting. After all, the shell of these crabs is designed in such a way that the male can fertilize the eggs only during the molting of the females. So the knights are fussing about: stealing girls, organizing fights and little wars in the style of all-against-all. In general, with the crab knights everything is really like in the Middle Ages, only in the real, and not idealistic-romantic. Noble fights and beautiful armor coexist with

Can a reptile become obese? Look at this red tegu and his cute chubby cheeks. You look at him, and it’s as if you don’t need to read the article further - and it’s clear that fat reptiles are already among us. Only you have fallen into a trap. This tegu has normal weight and normal proportions for its species; the same animals can be found in the wild. Another example is leopard geckos with their amazingly thick tails. Just imagine - the thickness of the tail of an average gecko is approaching the thickness of the entire body! It’s as if a cat, instead of an elegant fluffy tail, had a huge sausage hanging from it, outweighing the animal itself! And yet the animal is completely healthy and feels great - there is no sign of obesity here. However, no one has canceled the law of conservation of matter (namely matter!). If a lizard consumes more calories than it can expend, then the excess simply has to be deposited somewhere. And if there are more of them than the body is able to support, then this results in obesity with all the ensuing problems. But it can be very difficult for a person to distinguish an overfed animal from a normal one. After all, reptiles are a very ancient and diverse group of animals, whose representatives have learned to store fat in a variety of places in their bodies. Unlike mammals, which store reserves in the abdomen and on the sides in the vast majority of cases. I'll tell you even more - many reptiles are much more vulnerable to obesity than mammals. Since their metabolism can be 20-30 times lower than that of a human, such animals allow themselves the unprecedented luxury of eating 1-2 times a month. Needless to say that, when in overly caring hands, such pets naturally burst from obesity and overeating? And the most unpleasant thing is that mantras like “the animal itself feels how much it needs” do not work at all. In the wild, every organism is obliged to take the maximum, because after a moment of abundance there may come long weeks of hunger. Therefore, protect your pets from overeating, no matter whether they wear wool, sport bright feathers or are covered with scales. Author: Yaroslav Ilyin 🏀 Hit the hoop and get an NFT gift — https://t.me/BasketbolX_bot

Takahe: Spherical Phoenix. It was considered extinct three times, but each time the bird returned For the average person, a takahe is just a cool ball of feathers on thick legs. But for ornithologists this bird is special. She emerged from legend, only to die out. Three times. And yet she is here and is ready to painfully scratch with her wings anyone who doubts her existence! In the 17th century, when Europeans arrived in New Zealand, they heard stories from Maori about a bright blue bird the size of a goose that lives in the most dense and inaccessible regions of New Zealand's South Island. However, they mistook these stories for myths, because no body - no business. It was only in 1847 that several old bird bones fell into the hands of scientists. And only then it was declared... extinct. But at least we have confirmed the reality of the animals - that’s already progress! And 30 years later, the takahe fell into the hands of researchers alive, and then it was declared... extinct? After all, not a single expedition could find the animal in the wild, so scientists decided that they got one of the last individuals. The next meeting with a blue bird occurred 20 years later, in 1898. And then, finally, the bird was declared... extinct again?! Yes, as much as possible! Once again the expeditions went for a walk in the forest and rendered a verdict - this time the bird definitely threw back its spurs. And only in 1948, a group of researchers led by a New Zealand doctor (not even an ornithologist!) set out to investigate reports of traces of an unknown bird. And they discovered not only two birds at once, but also three whole fresh nests. From which it was concluded that takahe not only did not become extinct, but also continued to actively reproduce. The species was triumphantly brought back from the dead, and remains in the realm of the living to this day. And everything in this story is good, but one question remains unresolved: how did bright blue birds weighing 1.5 kilos manage to hide from Europeans for almost 300 years? It turns out that the matter is not only in the poor knowledge of the region and the small range of the bird itself, but also in their habits. Takahe are territorial birds that live exclusively in pairs and do not allow other representatives of their species to approach them, which is why their population is widely dispersed across the area: within a radius of a couple of kilometers from you there will be no more than 2-3 birds. So these birds also know their territory very well, run quickly, and if they are pinned in a corner, they themselves enter into battle, striking with small but sharp spurs and a huge beak. Tracking down such weirdos is not easy, catching them is even harder. And it’s absolutely impossible not to get hit in the face! Author: Yaroslav Ilyin 🏀 Hit the hoop and get an NFT gift — https://t.me/BasketbolX_bot

sounds unpleasant. But believe me, I’m healthier for the ecosystem than any anti-mosquito spray. Mayfly and dragonfly larvae, water bugs, small crustaceans, tadpoles and even fish fry - I'll eat them all if they're too self-confident. But my favorite dish is mosquito larvae. So if you suddenly meet me near the shore, relax. I am always busy with work: I regulate the number of small aquatic creatures and try to prevent the bloodsuckers from feeling too at ease. And I only eat people in horror stories and headlines. — We directly feel how our audience’s attitude towards you is changing - from a terrible monster to a protector. Sorry for the indiscreet question, but how are you doing with reproduction? We are sure that after reading this, everyone would now like to see more water scorpions! - We approach this issue practically - the result is more important than the process. In April-May, when the water gets warmer, we actively look for a mate and enter into short-term relationships. The female then lays several batches of eggs on the algae. The baby hatches at the beginning of summer, after which it immediately begins to actively terrorize the entire local fauna. They are not even shy about eating each other! This is understandable, because before autumn they need to grow as quickly as possible and shed as many as 5 times. Afterwards they will be considered adults and next year they will also be able to take part in raising the demography of our species. — We mentioned before that you populated almost all the bodies of water in the world, with the exception of the very cold polar regions. What helped you become so successful? Three factors played a role here: indiscriminate eating, excellent hunting skills and... flight! Yes, don't look at me like that, water scorpions really can fly. Here, look at my wings! We don’t really like this business, but if our native lake suddenly dries up, then it doesn’t cost us anything to look for a new body of water. This is how they slowly populated the entire planet. But for you people, this makes it even better. Have you already seen our new cartoon, where the water scorpion plays the leading role? If not, then watch it soon! Among the heaps of modern AI videos, this is just a find - both funny and educational. Author: Arina Taran Editor: Elizaveta Isaeva 🏀 Hit the hoop and get an NFT gift — https://t.me/BasketbolX_bot

Water scorpion: Dangerous, lives in every pond. Useful knowledge about the “little monster” Today we are interviewing an insect with the appearance of a nightmare and a reputation that has long outstripped reality. The water scorpion is the most terrible inhabitant of our reservoirs. How dangerous is he really? — To begin with, please introduce yourself. You have a non-standard appearance and we are very interested to know who you really are? — Let’s dot the i’s right away: I’m not a Scorpio. Well, not this creepy guy who crawls around the desert and stings everyone. Neither by passport, nor by pedigree. I am an insect. A bug, to be completely honest. People called me Scorpio because it’s easier for them to be scared. But there is nothing to be afraid of: I and my brothers grow to only 2.5 centimeters in length from the cute muzzle to the tip of the tail. By the way, I have never seen real scorpions in my life - our habitats are too different. True Scorpios love sun, heat and sand dunes. We enjoy village life: in a lake, river, stream. We are found in almost every body of water not only in Russia, but all over the world except the poles. - By the way, tail! It is for this reason that they called you Scorpio and now they are so afraid to meet you. Can you sting us? - Scare - yes. Sting - no. I understand, it looks suspicious: long, thin, sticking out from the back - a classic of the genre. But if I really stung everyone who was afraid of me, after the May barbecue on the river, everyone would immediately go to the emergency room. My tail is not a sting or a weapon, but a breathing tube. Through it I draw in air, exposing the tip above the surface of the water. Oxygen travels through the system of tracheal tubes throughout the body, directly to the organs. Very convenient when you are sitting in ambush. Although I’m not a Scorpio, I’m still a predator and I know how to bite. - That's a statement! We are waiting for a trick from the tail, and you, it turns out, are in for a surprise! Tell me, does it hurt? - Hurt? Well... let's just say that no one calls it pleasant. When stung, I pierce the skin and can inject digestive enzymes - it feels like a sharp burning pain, approximately at the level of a strong pinch or a bee sting. It’s unpleasant, unexpected, sometimes it can swell, but there’s no threat to life or health. I don’t have any poison, so everything goes away quickly and on its own. My bite is purely a working tool. I grabbed the prey, pierced it, injected digestive juices - and then I calmly had lunch. - Who are you hunting for? - For those who are smaller, slower and do not watch cartoons from the Book of Animals. I am an ambush predator: I sit motionless among algae, snags and silt, camouflage myself and wait. As soon as something suitable swims by, the paws slam shut faster than the prey has time to understand what happened. Then I pierce it, inject enzymes and literally suck it out from the inside. Yes, it