#697: Shoebill

The Shoebill is a large and distinctive bird, characterised by his massive, shoe-shaped bill. Omce considered to be a Stork, he is now thought to be related to Pelicans and his closest relative is the Hammerkop. He stands motionless for lengthy periods of time, scanning the water for fish. Patient and generally slow-moving, he strikes quickly when prey is sighted. Given his large bill and wide gape, he is capable of taking quite considerably sized prey - including small mammals, lizards and waterbirds. He is found in parts of eastern, inland Africa, favouring water with low-oxygenated waters, in which the fish must surface to breathe.

#696: Shield Bug

The Shield Bugs belong to a Superfamily of "True bugs" characterised by their sucking mouthparts and well-developed scutellum (the hard casing above the abdomen). Species are also equipped with scent glands in the thorax. These release an unpleasant liquid, which is used to deter predators and also gives them their alternative name of "stink bug". They are not Beetles - their shell is continuously, not divided for wings.

There are around 200 species of Shield Bug. This Australian species is known as the Metallic Shield Bug. They can be found on leaf litter or other bark and feed on vegetation.

#695: Sheep

True Sheep are  members of the Genus Ovis, in the Bovine Family. There are at least five species, one of which is the domestic sheep - thought to be descended from the Mouflon. This fellow is a North American species, the Dall Sheep. Other species include the Bighorn, the Urial and the Argali. Sheep are highly sociable ruminants, stockier than their relatives. They make their homes in mountainous and hilly regions. His main diet consists of grass, lichen and other plant matter and he does not require a lot of water. In wild species, both the male and female have spiraled horns, with the male's being much larger.

#694: Shark

Sharks are cartilaginous fish ranging in size from 17 cm (the Dwarf Lanternshark) to the Whale Shark, the largest fish in the sea, who measures 12 m in length. Sharks can be traced back 420 million years. They favour a salt-water environment, although some species have been found in freshwater. Sharks replace their teeth continuously throughout their life. These grow in rows in their jaw, pushing forward like a conveyor belt. Nearly every species is carnivorous, and some are noted for being voracious predators. A few species feed on plankton.

This fellow is a Great White Shark, probably the most famous species.

Other species in this blog:
Leopard Shark
Nurse Shark
Goblin Shark
Hammerhead
Dogfish

#693: Serval

The Serval is a medium-sized feline, found in the savannahs of Africa. She is characterised by her long legs. These are ideal for helping her find prey in the long grasses. Her elongated foot bones  allow her to attain speeds of up to 80 km/hr and assist her in jumping. She is capable of leaping 3 m vertically, allowing her to snatch birds in flight. Serval are capable predators - about 50% of their hunts result in kills.

They are sometimes kept as exotic pets in America, and have been hybridised with domestic cats to produce the Savannah Cat. Being intelligent and large, Serval and Savannah Cats do not make the most easily handled of pets and are banned in some countries.

#692: Seriema

The Seriema of South America is a long-legged bird that does bear something of a superficial resemblance to yesterday's Secretarybird. His habitat is open grassland and dry woodland, where he occasionally grazes with livestock. Prey ranges from insects and other invertebrates, to small vertebrates, which are caught and beaten against the ground before being torn apart with the sickle-like claw on his second toe. At night, he roosts in trees. There are three species - this is the red-legged - and it is thought that his ancestors may have been related to the giant Terror Birds.

#691: Secretarybird

The Secretarybird is a long legged bird of prey,  rather resembling an eagle on stilts. He can measure up to 1.3 m tall.  Predominantly terrestrial, he makes his home in the savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa. During the night he roosts in acacia trees. His diet is carnivorous and he will eat everything from insects up to small mammals. Whilst noted for killing snakes, these are not a major component of his diet. Prey is pursued on foot, and often kicking into incapacitation. The Secretarybird's claws are sharp, his kick powerful; he can shatter a human's hand with one kick.