Need Some Learnin'

I understand the reasons behind the sheer bulk of this animal, the mass of it. I understand the lung capacity, the 'sleek' shape for swimming, etc. What I don't get is the nose. I need some learnin' here - does anyone know why these beasts have the noses they do?

Photo courtesy: www.wonderclub.com

Bird Eater

Here is another bird eater tarantula. I have never visited the Amazon, and I think that, thanks to these, I won't. Ever. My arachnophobia is terrifying in its force if even a daddy-long-legs climbs on me. My heart would cease in its beating if I felt the weight of one of these monsters climbing up my pant leg.

Update: Brigette has corrected my perpetuation of this case of mistaken identity. This isn't a bird eater; it's a common pink toe tarantula. Thanks for the correction!

Photo from: www.flower-horn.de

Too Close

This orange hairy pile is actually the resident male orangutan at the Sacramento Zoo. We can thank my wife for the photos.

I would normally carry on in mocking tones about this ape, but since he lives so close I don't want to anger him. If these beasts really share up to 98.5% of our genes, it must be more than likely that he is checking in on the blogging world, too. I just can't risk it, not with the children.

Need Some Help

Need some help here. This bird looks like an Africanized version of a twisted, oversided toucan on the prowl. Anyone know what it is? It's ugly - start there. I need to know so I can make sure not to travel through whatever environs it infests.

Thanks for the photo and the mystery, Mike.

UPDATE: With the aid of two readers, 'anonymous' and Mark, we now know this creature to be a ground hornbill. Thanks for the ID.

Ominous & Lurking

This snapping turtle is a staple at the Atlanta Zoo reptile house. This is the most ominous, lurking, photo of one of these I have ever seen. Who would have thought turtles could be so sinister?

Awesome photo, Dana.

Prepare to Be Impaled

The viperfish's fangs are so big that they can't fit inside their mouths. As Sea and Sky puts it, "The viper is thought to use these sharp teeth to impale its victims by swimming at them at high speeds." Um, sorry little fishy trying to flee the big nasty viperfish. Prepare to be impaled. Some animals are just freaky. One more reason not to live in the deep sea.

Photo from: www.pbs.org

Disillusionment

Aren't damselflies so dainty, elegant, and pretty? They buzz around, brightening our lives. Until you see them taking a lunch break - up close.

Though I have never put much thought into damselfly eating preferences, I never thought they were so ... carnivorous? Yummy.

Thanks for the photo, and the disillusionment, Brian. BTW, check out his Flickr photostream (click his name. He is a gifted photographer, especially with macros.

New Discovery

I thought I had catalogued the majority of the world's ugly turtles with the matamata and snapping turtles (with the occasional giant tortoise). Wes, however, has proven me wrong with his photo of the Florida Softshell turtle. These guys are far more aggressive and ill-tempered than their better-protected cousins - they have to compensate.

With the softshell I have made a discovery that will no doubt rock the science world: the ugliest of turtles are aquatic (matamata, snapping, softshell). Nobel please?