A few nice types of animals images I found:
A Wollaton Deer
Image by ** Lucky Cavey **
Deer (singular and plural) are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species (except the Chinese water deer) and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year. In this they differ from permanently horned animals such as antelope; these are in the same order as deer and may bear a superficial resemblance. The musk deer of Asia and water chevrotain (or mouse deer) of tropical African and Asian forests are not usually regarded as true deer and form their own families, Moschidae and Tragulidae, respectively.
With the exception of the Chinese Water Deer, which have tusks, all male deer have antlers. Sometimes a female will have a small stub. The only female deer with antlers are reindeer (caribou). Antlers grow as highly vascular spongy tissue covered in a skin called velvet. Before the beginning of a species' mating season, the antlers calcify under the velvet and become hard bone. The velvet is then rubbed off leaving dead bone which forms the hard antlers. After the mating season, the pedicle and the antler base are separated by a layer of softer tissue, and the antler falls off.
One way that many hunters are able to track main paths that the deer travel on is because of their "rubs". A rub is used to deposit scent from glands near the eye and forehead and physically mark territory.
During the mating season, bucks use their antlers to fight one another for the opportunity to attract mates in a given herd. The two bucks circle each other, bend back their legs, lower their heads, and charge.
See my other pictures on Flickriver here: www.flickriver.com/photos/53825985@N02/
it didn't have to end like this
Image by JKönig
a few weeks ago, my friend cheryl, who works at mid hudson animal aid, posted on facebook about a cat who'd been found crying and starving on someone's lawn. she and her coworker christina rescued him, fed him, named him moe, and brought him to the hospital. he was severely malnourished, so much so that he couldn't hold up his own head.
as soon as i saw the post, i texted cheryl to find out where they were, then met them at the hospital. while we waited for blood test results, i took a few photographs to document yet another case of the ravaging effects of human selfishness.
the test results were horrendous, and the doctor assured us there was nothing anyone could do.
so about ten minutes after i took this photo, we let him go.
it's hard for me to look at this image of his face. he knew someone had done him wrong, and he knew it didn't have to be like this. and this face, this look -- it's his way of saying to the world, don't let this happen. this doesn't have to happen.
cheryl held him in her arms and actually got him to purr, even though he had to've been in agony. that's when we knew he was ready.
we lay him on his bright blue towel, placed our hands upon his bony body, and talked him through to the next world.
rest in peace, little moe.
Pawpaw identified. Originally had asked what type of fruit tree this is.
Image by abirdv
I've been trying to figure this one out. There are several of these fruit trees on the property. Evidently male/female versions were planted throughout the yard to attract a certain type of bird or butterfly. The tree had fruit on it in mid-August in Memphis, TN. I could not identify the fruit. It grew in bunches of 4-6. Was green on the outside at the time. Could probably hold about two in your hand. Fruit literally disappeared in about a week. It was not on the ground. Eaten by something? To help scale... the tall grass growing with it and bird house are about 5 feet high. I do know this is the first year the tree has produced fruit. It has evidently taken several or more years. Only know pieces from previous owner.
UPDATE - This has been identified as pawpaw. The fruit looked just like pics I've googled.
Any tips for care? Anyone know what type of butterfly and/or birds they attract? What animal do you think ate all the fruit (from at least a few trees) in a week?
