Thursday, January 15, 2009

Animals seen while in post

Along with many hours of standing post I do get to see some unique wild life while I am here and here is a quick run down of what I have seen
Animal Life of Cuba
There are many different kinds of animals in Cuba. Take a look at the variety of life below:
Birds:

Cuban Finch (Tiaris canora)
The Cuban Finch can grow to be approximately 9 cm.
This bird tends to nest in shrubs.
Bee Hummingbird (Calypte helenae)
This bird is the world's smallest bird species.
This bird grows to a maximum length of 2.25 in.
This species is an endemic bird species of Cuba.
The Cuban Hummingbird has been labeled as threatened since 2000 due to loss of habitat.
This species is usually found in forests, gardens, and valleys.


Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus)
This species of bird is known as Cuba's national bird becuase its coloration is the same as the Cuban Flag.
Cuban Parakeet (Aratinga euops)
This species is endemic to Cuba.
This bird has been labeled as vulnerable since 2000 due to habitat loss and trapping.


Mammals:

Cuban Hutia (Capromys pilorides)
The Cuban Hutia is the largest endemic land mammal of Cuba.
It can grow to be about 60 cm in length.
This rodent lives in the forests and rocky areas of Cuba.
This animal is an omnivore and is known to eat fruits, leaves, small reptiles, and small mammals.



Cuban Solenodon (Solenodon cunbanus)
The Solenodon is endangered and was once thought to be extinct.
This species is an insectivore and feeds mostly on insects and spiders.
The Cuban Solenodon is found mostly in forests and thick shrub habitats.
This is a nocturnal species, spending the day hiding under rocks or in trees.

Small Indian Mongoose (Herpestes javanicus)
This species was introduced to Cuba to manage rodent populations.
Now they have a large range and have taken to eating almost anything.
The Small Indian Mongoose is an omnivore and will eat many small animals and fruits.


Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus)
This is a nocturnal species that spends its days in caves, rocks, trees, and even houses.
The Pallid Bat is an insectivore, meaning it feeds only on insects.
This bat's large ears help it to have an amazing sense of hearing.
Reptiles & Amphibians:


Cuban Ground Iguana (Cyclura nubila)
This species of iguana is listed as vulnerable in Cuba.
It can be commonly found on the U.S. Naval base of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.


Cuban Boa (Epicrates angulifer)
This species is listed as near-threatened.
The Cuban Boa, also known as the Cuban Tree Boa, spends a lot of its time in trees.
They can be found in woodland and rocky habitats.




Greater Frigate birds

Pelicans

Roseate Spoonbill

Now on to the water animals

Sharks, many types but manly black tip reef sharks, Nurse sharks, and bull sharks.

Spotted eagle rays

Bat rays

Tarpon

Brown eals

Snook

Barracuda

Gars

trumpet Fish

Bottle nosed dolphins

Manatees

And these are just the Creatures I have seen on post. Don't we have a wonderful creative creator?

Christ's marine,

David