Nature

Do Animals Understand a Smile?

Smiling is a natural form of communication. Words are not always necessary to convey a pleasant feeling. None of us can really know what is going on in someone else’s life, and a smile can say, without a single word, I care. But are human beings the only living creatures of God’s creation that can smile?

What does science say about the ability, or lack of ability, of animals to smile? And, do animals understand when we smile at them?

Well, do they? The short answer is an unequivocal: it depends. Maybe yes, and maybe no. It depends on the animal. We smile when we wish to express happiness, amusement, even sarcasm, but how animals perceive our smiles—the reason we smile—can vary widely across the animal kingdom.

Take a lion, for instance. I imagine if you were on safari in Africa and ended up in a situation where lunch would be just you and a hungry lion, a smile might not change the lion’s mind about his main course. You would still be lunch. However, a lion raised by humans in a home setting just might see a smile differently than his wild kin.

Christian, an African lion, was born on August 12, 1969, in captivity and purchased by John Rendall and Anthony Bourke later that year. These two young men raised Christian in their apartment for a year until he grew so large that he required a larger space to live in. John and Anthony worked for Harrod’s department store in London, and they acquired the permissions and permits to create a living space for Christian in the basement of Harrod’s. For another year, Christian lived with his human fathers. John and Anthony were allowed to exercise Christian in the Moravian church graveyard and took him on trips to the seaside (imagine the surprise while you’re soaking up the sun and see a full-grown lion walk by.)

Sadly, due to the cost of his care and his growing size, it soon became apparent that Christian could no longer live in London. When the movie Born Free was being made, John and Anthony met Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, the human stars of the movie, and they directed them to George Adamson, a British conservationist who advocated for lions in Kenya. He and his wife had raised Elsa the lioness the real star of Born Free. Together they made the decision to reintegrate Christian into the wild at the Kora National Reserve.

John and Anthony accompanied Christian to Kenya and stayed a few months while Adamson began his integration back into the wild by introducing him to an older male named Boy and a young female cub named Katania. This formed the nucleus of Christian’s pride. However, life can be unkind in the wild and Katania was killed by crocodiles. Boy was severely injured and no longer had the ability to socialize with other lions and humans, and Adamson had to euthanize him. This left Christian alone, the only surviving member of his pride. But, with patience and time, Christian was able to establish a pride in the region around Kora.

So, what does Christian’s story have to do with smiling? Sometime around 1974, John and Anthony returned to Kenya to visit their old friend. Adamson thought Christian might not remember them. Would he? They went out into the bush and soon found Christian and his pride. At first, he was cautious in his approach. I assume they called to him, with smiles and excited voices. When Christian recognized who they were, he ran to them, stood up on his back legs, and wrapped his front legs around them in a marvelous, bear hug, nuzzling their smiling faces. I imagine Christian was smiling, too, in whatever way lions smile.

Sources: enviroliteracy.org/animals/do-animals-understand-when-we-smile; wikiepedia.org/wiki/Christian_the_lion

The Monarch

There are 17,500 species of butterflies in the world. Approximately 550 species can be found in the United States. Butterflies are an important part of nature because they supply food for birds and are pretty pollinators.

Possibly the most well-known species is the Monarch. Those of us of a certain age, can remember a time when monarch butterflies were everywhere. We would go outside with our butterfly nets and chase them all around the yard until we finally caught one.

Did You Know? Aside from their favorite food, milkweed, these are the best flowers to attract butterflies to your yard: dill, blazing star, hibiscus, flowering dogwood, lilac, and parsley, to name a few.

The monarch has a four-stage life cycle: egg, caterpillar, pupa (chrysalis), and adult, which can be five weeks, two to six weeks, or six to nine months. It doesn’t matter which life stage the butterfly is in, when winter comes, it will enter a dormant (hibernative) state similar to mammal hibernation. Butterflies must stay cold and dry while dormant. If disturbed during this state, it might wake up too soon and die. Left undisturbed, most butterflies will hibernate until the beginning of March. Since butterflies in the caterpillar state can only consume certain plants, and it is important that those plants are nearby and are blooming when they wake up so they can begin to eat right away.

Monarchs lay their eggs on the milkweed plant. This plant is its only source of food. The monarch lays only one egg at a time, but over a couple of weeks, she can lay as many as 700 eggs. As you can imagine, the eggs, white and round, are extremely small. The butterfly larva remains in the egg for less than a week. When it “hatches,” it is in the caterpillar stage and remains a caterpillar for two more weeks. During this time, it molts and sheds its skin as many as five times. It also goes through multiple growth spurts and will eat its body weight in milkweed. It grows until it becomes a two-inch long caterpillar. Now it is ready to find a safe, quiet place to form its chrysalis.

The caterpillar forms a small green chrysalis—great camouflage—on a leaf or plant. They remain in the chrysalis for two weeks. You can know when the butterfly is about to emerge when the chrysalis has changed from green to brown.

Did You Know? A butterfly rests with its wings closed, while a moth rests with them spread out. Moths are dull in coloring, but butterflies are vibrant in color. Butterflies are diurnal, and moths are nocturnal.

Finally, the monarch hatches from its chrysalis. Its wings are folded and damp. It takes a little while for them to dry off. Once dry, the female monarch is ready to reproduce. The males need a couple extra days. Their wings are covered in scales and this is what gives them their colorful wings.

When monarchs migrate, it is a long and amazing trip and can consist of as many as five generations of butterflies. Over two months, monarchs will fly approximately 2,000 miles south—a staggering trek—to Mexico and the southern U.S.. This generation lives two to nine months because they spend most of that time flying and hibernating, but this generation is also responsible for the subsequent generations that will keep the life cycle of the monarch going, flying north at the end of winter to lay their eggs.

Sadly, butterflies are decreasing in number—22% in the last 20 years—resulting in the decline of other insects as well.

Sources: birdsandblooms.com/gardening/attracting-butterflies/monarch-migration-magic; ecokidsplanet.co.uk/blogs/news/science-in-the-park-how-do-butterflies-survive-winter; a-z-animals.com/how-long-do-monarch-butterflies-live; activewild.com/difference-between-moth-and-butterfly; usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/03/06/us-butterfly-population-decline/81350506007 thespruce.com/plants-for-butterflies-8606986

Cold Weather Effects on Nature

It is true that winter weather can have some negative effects in the environment, but it is also true that winter has positive—even necessary—effects in the environment.

“Snow affects people everywhere by cooling the Earth, supplying water for a variety of human uses, and sustaining healthy ecosystems, including fish and wildlife populations.”

Reflecting and Absorbing

On a sunny, snow-covered day the sun reflects off the bright white of snow. The heat and light coming from the sun is called radiation. The amount of radiation that is reflected from a material is called albedo, a Latin word meaning white. And what covers the Earth’s surface during winter with a whole lot of white and contains the greatest amount of albedo? That’s right, snow. New snow (the brightest and whitest) on the ground reflects up to 90% of the incoming radiation from the sun. The older and dirtier the snow, the less radiation it reflects.

The albedo is either absorbed by the earth or reflected back into the atmosphere. The more radiation the Earth absorbs, the warmer it becomes. But when snow covers the Earth’s surface, the majority of the albedo is reflected back into the atmosphere instead of being absorbed into the earth, and thus, it keeps the planet cooler.

Water Supply

The more snow that falls the greater the melt when warmer temperatures arrive. This melting snow soon becomes the water that comes out of the faucet, it helps produce the food we eat, and supplies electricity. Melting snow is actually critical as a source of water for agriculture, electricity generation, and other industrial uses.

Agriculture

Winter is a tough time for farmers, but farmers are pretty tough, too. Despite the risk of frost, which can damage both crops and the soil, the farmer uses winter as an opportunity to prepare the land and make plans for the coming year’s crops. They plant cold-resistant crops (i.e., garlic, carrots, spinach, lentils) using protective techniques to help mitigate the cold weather.

Winter time is the recommended time for applying compost or manure to the soil. This helps the soil to maintain its structure and fertility. To protect your winter crop from frost cover it with mesh or plastic or mulch. A light watering at the end of the day, before the temperatures drop to the point of frost, will help to keep the plants from freezing.

Did You Know? If you live in the western U.S., there’s a good chance that you brushed your teeth this morning with water that started out as millions of tiny snowflakes that fell in the mountains during the winter. The eastern U.S. enjoys sufficient year-round precipitation in the form of snow and rain. This provides a reliable source of water. The precipitation seeps through the soil into underground aquifers storing water until it is pumped out when needed.

Snowmelt supplies 75% of the water supply in the western states, and this is important because of the warmer temperatures particularly in the summer months. Melting snow is a slow process that begins in the spring and provides a steady flow of water.

Source: ourwinterworld.org\importance-of-snow

Did You Know? If you thought that winter would wipe out those pesky pests like fleas and ticks, you’ll have to think again. Cold temperatures can kill some, but both fleas and ticks have gotten pretty good at surviving even a really cold, hard winter.

“If we had perpetual summer, we should not value as we do now its bright days and beautiful flowers. Through the winter months we look forward to the time when summer with its beauty will once more gladden the earth.

“So it is with the Christian life. … Our sojourn here is as it were the Christian’s winter. But our faith and hope reach forward and upward … to the home that Christ has gone to prepare for those that love Him.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 18, 138

Source: agronoblog.com/agriculture/winter-and-its-impact-on-agriculture-a-guide-for-the-cold-season

Strange Flowers

Springtime is here. The earth is waking up from its months-long sleep. Hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips have begun to show themselves above the soil. Beautiful colors catch the eye, and the scents bring a sense of calm. Soon, petunias, marigolds, gardenias, daisies, dandelions, roses, and so many other flowers and plants will break through the surface and be added to the calliope of color and scent.

Many of these miracles of God’s creation are familiar to us, but what about other less seen, even exotic flowers and plants—also marvels of God’s handiwork? Let’s look at just a few.

Monkey Orchid

The Dracula simia, is more commonly known as the monkey orchid. Its most interesting feature is that it looks like a monkey’s face. There are several different faces. Its colorful blooms and strong orange-like fragrance make it an excellent pollinator plant. The flower is native to North America, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

White Egret Orchid

The Habenaria radiata looks like a white egret in flight, its long neck stretched forward and wings extended. This orchid is native to Japan, Korea, Russia, and China.

Hot Lips Plant

The Psychotria elata is a tropical plant from the rainforests of Central and South America. Its flower is uninteresting, but its bracts—modified or specialized leaves—are bright red and resemble puckered human lips. It grows as a shrub or small tree. It is found in Central and South America, particularly in Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Panama. It requires soil that is rich and humic from leaf litter, and requires partial shade. The plant is a traditional anti-inflammatory medicine used by the Amazon people in the treatment of arthritis and infertility.

Swaddled Babies Orchid

The Anguloa uniflora—the tulip orchid—looks like tiny babies wrapped up in a blanket inside the flower. Botanists Antonio Pavon Jimenez and Hipolito Ruiz Lopez discovered the flower during a ten-year expedition from 1777 to 1788 in Chile and Peru. This small orchid blooms in spring and is extremely fragrant. It prefers elevated regions like the Andes of South America—Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador.

Happy Alien Flower

The Calceolaria uniflora was discovered in South America by Charles Darwin. It resembles a tiny orange penguin walking on the rocks. The flower is a combination of yellow, white, and brownish red. It originated in Tierra del Fuego in the southern part of South America.

Skeleton Flowers

The Diphylleia grayi is a perennial plant native to northern and central Japan. The flower is white, but when it comes into contact with water, the petals become transparent, which is how it became known as the skeleton flower. However, once it dries out, the petals become white again.

Only God could create such diverse, intricate plants using a rainbow of colors.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 150:6

“And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’ ” Revelation 5:13

Sources: balconygardenweb.com/plants-or-flowers-that-look-like-things; wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphylleia_grayi; gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hot-lips-plant/what-is-hot-lips-plant, accessibility: February 2025

Cats – How Do They Do That?

Felis Catus, a domesticated, carnivorous mammal.

Why can cats turn over when they fall and humans can’t? Cats have an extremely flexible spine and no clavicle (collarbone). This is how the righting reflex in cats is possible. Man, on the other hand, has a collarbone and his spine is less flexible which prevents him from having the righting reflex. A cat’s righting reflex begins to appear at 3-4 weeks of age and is perfected by 6-9 weeks. The cat’s tail may help the righting reflex, but cats without tails still have the reflex and primarily use their legs while twisting their spine in a specific sequence to effect the turn.

DID YOU KNOW? Large cat species like lions and tigers have the righting reflex, but it doesn’t guarantee they will always land on their feet.

And this righting reflex isn’t exclusive to cats. Other small vertebrates—rabbits, rats, lizards—and certain invertebrates like Anthropoda (stick insects)—can also do it.

Here is how the righting reflex works:

  • The cat visually determines down from up, although it can also use its vestibular apparatus (fancy words for the inner ear).
  • It bends in the middle, allowing the front half of its body to rotate on a different axis from the rear half.
  • It tucks its front legs, reducing the moment of inertia of the front half, and extends the rear legs, increasing the moment of inertia on the rear half of the body. The result is that the front half rotates in one direction as much as 90 degrees while the rear half rotates in the opposite direction as little as 10 degrees.
  • Then, by extending its front legs and tucking its rear legs, the cat switches; rear legs rotate more in one direction, as the front legs rotate less in the opposite direction. This process may be repeated two or three times to complete a full 180-degree rotation, all before it reaches the ground.

Cats also use terminal velocity (the maximum speed attainable by an object as it falls). When falling, particularly from heights above five stories, a cat will horizontally extend out all of its limbs, and its small size, light bone structure, and thick fur will cause drag to increase until terminal velocity has been reached. In simple English, the cat uses its body to slow itself down. Cats can still be hurt depending on just how far they fall. Studies have found that falls from seven stories or higher would result in severe injury and death.

Unlike the cat and the myriad of creatures God made with unique abilities to protect and help themselves, we cannot rely on ourselves nor keep ourselves upright for one minute. Solomon wrote, “I do not know how to go out or come in.” 1 Kings 3:7, last part. We must rely solely and entirely upon our heavenly Father.

Sources: wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_righting_reflex

Flint

Flint is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of mineral quartz. Resistant to weathering, flint is a hard stone that is not easily broken. When it is broken, it breaks and chips into sharp-edged pieces, making it a hard and useful stone historically used in the making of tools and weapons. When struck, it sparks enough to start a fire.

Flint was a primary and important material used during the Stone Age. Its importance to mankind’s survival during this period cannot be underestimated. People traveled long distances to obtain the stone. It was also used for many years as trading “currency.”

Flint is found in several different colors—dark grey, black, green, white, reddish brown, red, pink, blue, and a marbled combination of any of these—and can have either a waxy or glossy appearance. Its origin remains shrouded in uncertainty.

Source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint

There is a lot of information about flint on the internet. However, almost every source I consulted talked about flint having existed for millions of years, flint fields found in Jurassic or Cretaceous beds, and flint mining started in the Paleolithic period. You get the idea.

So, I want us to look at the one time the Bible uses flint as a metaphor.

“For the Lord God will help Me; therefore will I not be disgraced; therefore have I set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.” Isaiah 50:7

This is a description of Jesus’ unwavering determination to persevere in the excruciating task set before Him.

Flint is used here to express the steadfastness of our resolve to complete the work both in our own lives and the lives of all that the Lord brings into our path; a determination to follow God’s will and carry out His commands no matter what, a hardening of resolution and courage against all opposition.

“Never let your courage fail. Never talk unbelief because appearances are against you. …

“Put your trust in God. Pray much, and believe. Trusting, hoping, believing, holding fast the hand of Infinite Power, you will be more than conquerors.

“True workers walk and work by faith. …

“Work in faith … . Pray in faith, and the mystery of His providence will bring its answer. At times, it may seem that you cannot succeed. But work and believe, putting into your efforts faith, hope, and courage. After doing what you can, wait for the Lord, declaring His faithfulness, and He will bring His word to pass. Wait, not in fretful anxiety, but in undaunted faith and unshaken trust.

“If God be for us, who can be against us?” Testimonies, Vol. 7, 244, 245

May we always say with Paul, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? …

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35, 38, 39

Keep your face set like flint.

The Gecko and Chuckwalla Lizards

The Gecko and Chuckwalla lizards are found in the southwestern United States. The Gecko lizard has an amazing ability to run upside down across the ceiling regardless of what the ceiling is made of and can run sideways across a wall, again regardless of the content of the wall. This has confounded scientists for some time. We have known for some time that the pads of the feet of the Gecko lizard are covered with little fine fibers, but this did not explain how the lizard could walk upside down on the ceiling.

Able to take pictures of the lizard’s toe pad magnified to 35,000 times, the electron microscope was able to reveal the answer. At the end of each of these fine fibers, there was a microscopic suction cup, each measuring eight-millionths of an inch in diameter. These suction cups allow the Gecko to run upside down on the ceiling and not fall off. These suction cups also present a challenge: how do they maintain suction and then release it so the little lizard can walk across the ceiling and not be forever stuck in the same place? His feet are specifically designed so that the tips of the toes bend or curl upward so that he can peel off the suction cups gradually at each step and not get so firmly stuck to the surface as to remain stuck.

Another very interesting lizard is the Chuckwalla lizard. The second-largest lizard species in the United States, its body shape is reflected in its scientific name, Sauromalus, which means flat lizard.

This lizard has skin across its back, almost like a blanket, and can change its colors throughout the day depending on its need for warmth. In the early morning, when it is cool, the lizard is dark-colored, allowing it to absorb heat from its surroundings. As the day warms up, the lizard changes to a light sandy color, allowing it to reflect heat and not burn up in the desert sun.

Another interesting design built into his body, allowing him to live in the desert, is a desalination (salt removal) factory in its nose! When the salt in his blood gets too high, the blood is shunted through this nasal factory, and the excess salt is removed. The lizard then sneezes out pure salt crystals, keeping the salt in its blood at levels compatible with life.

A third interesting fact about this lizard is its ability to protect itself from predators. When in danger, the lizard will run into the crevice of a rock and expand its body like a blowfish. Its body enlarges to perfectly match the crevice in the rock, and then it cannot be pulled from the crevice.

Evolutionists can find no fossil record that the feet of the Gecko evolved. So, it seems evident that they were perfectly formed to meet the needs of this little lizard. Neither can they find fossil evidence of the Chuckwalla adapting its life-saving mechanisms randomly and over time. These remarkable lizards clearly point to intelligent design by their Creator and not evolution.

Adapted from Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution, Volume 1 by Dr. Job Martin

Does a Squirrel’s Tail Grow Back?

I don’t believe that there are many animals in God’s kingdom that are as cute as a squirrel. I have seen brown squirrels, gray squirrels, and black squirrels.

Recently, a squirrel ran across the road in front of me and I noticed that it had a tail only about two inches long. I know that a squirrel’s tail is important—to the squirrel. Let’s look and see.

More than just a bushy appendage; it has many crucial functions that help the squirrel to survive in the wild. Its tail is made up of a series of small bones connected together by muscles and ligaments. The ligaments provide support and stability, while the muscles allow the squirrel to move its tail in a variety of directions. At the base of the tail is a gland that produces a sticky, pungent substance called musk. Squirrels use their musk to mark their territory and to communicate with other squirrels.

The squirrel uses its tail to climb trees and balance on branches. It serves as a stabilizer, a balance pole if you will, that aids in navigation as the squirrel scampers through treetops or speeds across open spaces on the ground. It is extremely agile allowing the squirrel to perform graceful and precise acrobatic feats to escape being the main course of a predator’s meal, helps to catch its food, and can even serve as an umbrella and a parachute.

A squirrel communicates with other squirrels by flicking and twitching its tail. The position and movement of its tail signals the different messages that warn of danger or confirm a safe zone.

The tail is also a temperature regulator, a biological thermostat. In winter, the squirrel will curl itself up with its tail wrapped around it like a cozy blanket. In this way, its tail helps to retain its body heat. In the summer, its tail becomes a fluffy fan by increasing the blood flow near the skin surface of the tail fur.

It looks like having a healthy, bushy tail is not just for show, but it is really important to keep the squirrel alive. So, what happens if a squirrel loses its tail?

Actually, it’s not all that uncommon for a squirrel to lose its tail.

Sometimes its tail gets stuck between the branches of a tree or between fence boards and the squirrel will simply yank it off to free itself.

For its size and cuteness, the squirrel is actually pretty aggressive. It fights over a mate and territory. It bites and claws other squirrels, so it’s no wonder that a tail can be lost from time to time.

Predators like hawks, cats, and large snakes, target its tail and it appears that the squirrel itself has the ability to “lose” it (as part of the same process that regenerates a tail) in order to save itself.

Frostbite can lead to tissue damage and the eventual loss of a tail.

Certain diseases like mange make the skin dry and brittle and can cause the tail to fall off.

So, can a squirrel’s tail grow back? Yes, it can; through a process known as autotomy. It may take several weeks, months, even a year or more for the tail to fully regrow, and the squirrel will have a short, stubby tail that grows longer and fuller as time passes, until it reaches its original length. But an interesting fact about autotomy is that it also enables the squirrel to voluntarily shed the tail.

While it’s nice to have a tail again, it’s not an exact replica of the original one. The color and texture might be slightly different, and the hair will be shorter, not as full as the original, but it will have all the necessary characteristics needed for the squirrel to survive and communicate.

DID YOU KNOW? There are other creatures in our world who have the ability to regenerate parts of their bodies: starfish, grasshoppers, sand dollars, Axolotls, certain lizards, crabs, octopi, frogs, and earthworms, to name a few.

Besides its tail, the squirrel has a few other unique anatomical features.

  • Its sharp claws help it to climb trees and grasp onto branches.
  • It has long incisors that continue to grow throughout its life.
  • Its jaw muscles are strong enough to crack open nuts and other hard foods.
  • Its large eyes provide excellent vision that can detect movement more than 100 feet away.
  • It has excellent hearing that can detect a predator even before it sees it.
  • Its fur provides insulation and camouflage.
  • Its small size helps it to move quickly and quietly.

Some additional interesting facts about the squirrel:

A group of squirrels is called a dray or a scurry.

Squirrels are generally small ranging from 4 inches to 5-1/2 inches, weighing less than an ounce. But there is another species of squirrel, the Bhutan giant flying squirrel that reaches 4 feet in length.

A tree squirrel has the ability to descend a tree, head first. It accomplishes this by rotating its ankles 180 degrees. Its hind feet are then pointing backward and able to grip the tree bark from the opposite direction.

Squirrel hair is prized in fly fishing for tying fishing flies.

Squirrels live in just about every habitat around the globe. They are predominately herbivores living on seeds, pine cones, fruit, fungi, and nuts, but will occasionally eat insects, bird eggs, and small vertebrates. In the wild, they live 5-10 years. In captivity, they can survive up to 20 years.

Baby squirrels are born altricial (in a helpless condition), naked, toothless, and blind. A little like human babies. Mom is responsible, in most species, for looking after the young. A squirrel baby is weaned at 6-10 weeks, and fully mature by the end of its first year.

Squirrels, like pigeons and certain faunas, are synanthropes, living near and benefiting from humans and their environmental modifications.

Just as the squirrel can have a new chance in life by growing a new tail, we have the chance for a new life in Christ Jesus when we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour.

Sources: a-garden-diary.com/do-squirrels-tails-grow-back-what-happens-if-they-come-off; squirrelsatthefeeder.com/squirrel-tail; wildinformer.com/do-squirrel-tails-grow-back; wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirrels; facts.net/gallery/25-animals-that-can-regenerate-body-parts

Turtles and Tortoises

The tortoise, is often confused for a turtle, and the turtle, often confused for a tortoise, are reptiles that carry their houses on their backs. These houses are hard shells covering both their backs and sides. A tortoise’s shell is larger and dome-shaped. When threatened, both turtle and tortoise will draw their heads and legs into their shell for protection.

The tortoise varies in size by species. For instance, the Speckled Cape tortoise is approximately 3 inches long, while the Galapagos giant tortoise is 4 feet in length, and can weigh in excess of 220 pounds. The tortoise has stumpy feet, similar to an elephant’s feet, making it more adapted for walking on land. They are slow-moving with an average walking speed of 0.3 mph.

Tortoises are found most in southern North America to southern South America, the Mediterranean basin, Eurasia, Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and the Pacific Islands. They live in the desert, grasslands, scrub, and evergreen forests, from sea level to mountains.

The tortoise is a strict herbivore eating grass, weeds, leafy greens, flowers, and some fruits. However, some do hunt and eat birds from time to time.

Giant tortoises cannot swim, but they can survive for long periods of time adrift at sea because they can survive without food and fresh water for months. Today only two living species of giant tortoises have survived: the Aldabra giant tortoise living on the Aldabra Atoll and the dozens of subspecies of Galapagos giant tortoise living on the Galapagos Islands.

Tortoises are the longest-living land animals in the world with an average lifespan of 80-150 years. The oldest recorded tortoise, an Aldabra giant tortoise named Adwaita (photo above)—believed to have hatched in 1750—lived an estimated 255 years until his death in 2006. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the heaviest living tortoise is Esmeralda. He, yes, a he, while not the oldest tortoise alive, is approximately 170 years old, and weighed in at 800 pounds in 2002. Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise, the oldest living tortoise, is believed to be 192 years of age.

The turtle is typically smaller. The smallest living turtle species is the Chersobius signatus found in South Africa. It is no more than 4 inches long and weighs about 6 ounces. However, the largest living turtle species is the leatherback turtle, just shy of 9 feet long and weighing 1,100 pounds. Turtle shells can be dome-shaped, making them more resistant to being crushed, but the shell of an aquatic turtle is flatter and smoother, making it easier to cut through water. Some species have camouflaged, pointy, or spiked shells that provide extra protection against predators. Softshell turtles have rubbery edges. The leatherback turtle has hardly any bones in its shell but has thick connective tissue and an outer layer of leathery skin.

Because of the weight of their shells, land turtles are slow-moving at a speed of 0.14-0.30 mph. By contrast, a sea turtle can swim 19 mph. Turtles have webbed feet with five toes.

Turtles have no ear openings, and their eardrums are covered with scales, and they have smell receptors along the nasal cavity. All turtles must breathe air. Depending on the aquatic turtle species, periods underwater vary between one minute and an hour.

Most turtle species are omnivores, but land-dwelling species are more herbivorous, and aquatic species are more carnivorous. Most feed on plant material or mollusks, worms, and insect larvae, though some will eat fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and even other turtles.

Sources: wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle; wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortoise

The Boomslang

The boomslang is a swift and agile snake indigenous to much of the Sahara in Africa. In Afrikaan, its name “boom” and “slang” translates to tree snake. It is a member of the Colubridae (or Dispholidus typus) snake family and is often referred to as the rear-fanged snake.

An adult boomslang is three to five feet long, but some have reached six feet. It is a green, slender-bodied snake weighing just over a pound. Males are light green, with blue and black edging its scales. Females are more often brown or reddish. The juvenile boomslang is camouflaged, appearing as a twig, with a white throat and bright emerald eyes. It takes a number of its eight-year lifespan for a young snake to change to its adult color.

Given its size, its eyes are strikingly large in an egg-shaped head. It has excellent eyesight and often moves its head from side to side to better see objects directly in front of it. It has anteriorly seven or eight maxillary teeth with three big fangs at the back of the mouth. The size and location of these enlarged teeth, along with its ability to open its mouth at almost a 170-180° angle, help it to inject its venom deep into the flesh of its prey. The boomslang’s venom is more deadly than the venom of the black mamba and cobra.

It dwells primarily in savannas, lowland forests, karoo shrubs, and grasslands. It is a climber but does not live in trees, preferring to live on the land where it finds its food and seeks shelter. When the weather is cold, it goes into brumation (dormancy) and takes shelter underground.

Its hunting technique is to simply lie in wait in a bush or tree until an unsuspecting frog, chameleon, or small mammal passes the boomslang’s way. It will also eat other snakes, including its mates, birds, and eggs. But as poisonous as it is, it is a delectable meal for falcons, ospreys, kestrels, and mongoose.

It is oviparous (egg-hatchers). Females lay around 30 eggs at a time in rotting logs and hollow tree trunks. Having laid her eggs, the female considers her job complete and moves on. The eggs then incubate on their own for about three months. The hatchling is grey with emerald eyes and is not harmful until it has grown to be more than eight inches long, but I would make it a rule not to bother it, no matter how small.

Once it reaches 18 inches long, it becomes highly venomous. Despite its venomous nature, the boomslang is a timid, non-aggressive snake that would like to be left alone. However, this is one snake you want to avoid. If confronted, chased, or mishandled, it will inflate its neck and assume an S-shaped striking pose typical of any snake species feeling threatened.

Boomslang venom is hemotoxic. It destroys red blood cells, prevents clotting, and causes tissue and organ degeneration. Massive internal hemorrhaging causes the victim to bleed externally from several orifices of the body—gums, nose, eyes. This massive hemorrhaging is a prolonged process that can take hours, even days, over which a victim bleeds to death.

Its venom is slow-acting, taking 24-48 hours for symptoms to appear, giving a victim a false assurance regarding how serious the bite is. If bitten, the victim should seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms to watch for include sleepiness, nausea, mental disorders, and headaches, as well as external and internal bleeding. An anti-venom for the boomslang has been available since the 1940s, originally only in Africa, but now available worldwide.

Just as Satan used the serpent in Eden to cause the fall of man and lead to his eventual death, a bite from this serpent will also lead to death. Only by the blood of Christ can we overcome this fate and obtain eternal life.

Source: thesnakeguide.com/boomslang; africansnakebiteinstitute.com/snake/boomslang; wikipedia.org/wiki/Boomslang; discovermagazine.com/the sciences/what-it-feels-like-to-die-of-a-boomslang-bite; iflscience.bom/deadly-boomslang-snake-venom-makes-you-bleed-all-your-orifices-until-you-die