#774: Turkey

The Turkey is a large gamebird native to North America. He lives in hardwood and mixed hardwood forests with good leaf cover. His diet consists mainly of seeds and plant matter, but he will also eat small vertebrates and insects. The male, much larger and bulkier than the female, struts to attract a mate, puffing out his feathers and gobbling and booming. He mates with as many females as he can and plays no role in the raising of the chicks. Turkey has become a staple in the human diet, and domesticated Turkeys are farmed throughout the world.

#773: Tadpole Shrimp

Tadpole Shrimp are omnivorous crustaceans. They are considered a living fossil, having not changed significantly since the Triassic Period. With a worldwide distribution, they are found in freshwater and brackish ponds.

#772: Tuna

Tuna is one of the most popular table fish, with cans of this handsome fellow being a staple in most pantries. What most people don't realise is that Tuna are massive: the Atlantic can reach lengths of over 4m, and the Bluefin averages 2m. This makes him one of the largest carnivorous fishes in the world. He is an active and agile predator - the Yellowfin can reach speeds up to 75 km/hr. Tuna grow fast and breed young, but Bluefins may live up to 50 years.

Tuna are seriously overfished. The Southern Bluefin is Critically Endangered, and almost every other species is catagorised from "Near Threatened" to "Endangered". Some fisheries have experimented with farming and ranching tuna, with limited success. Without careful management, these majestic ocean predators could disappear from our oceans.

Creature Feature #771: Turaco

Turacos are medium-sized birds of Africa. There are a number of species, characterised by their semi-zygodactylous toes and short rounded wings. None are strong fliers, and they prefer to run through the canopy. Diet is predominantly fructivorous, and they have a fondness for bananas, which has earned them the bird Family of Musophagidae (literally: "banana eater"). They also dine on insects and leaves. This fine fellow is Ross's Turaco.

#770: Tui

#769: Tuatara

#768: Trout

Trout are several species of common freshwater fish, closely related to salmon and charr. They favour cool, clear freshwater lakes and streams and are native to Eurasia and America. Several species - specifically the rainbow and the brown - are popular in recreational fishing and have been introduced to Australia and New Zealand. Predatory in nature, Trout hunt invertebrates and smaller fish, proving to have anegative impact on native fish to the areas in which they've been introduced.