Flora - Fauna on stamps

Wildlife of Luxembourg - 2002

2012-01-28T18:09:00.002+07:00

On September 14, 2002 , the second stamp set , dedicated to animals living in Luxembourg fields and forests, was issued by Luxembourg Post. The stamps depict the following species, painted by Belgian wildlife artist André Buzin such as : Red Fox, Pheasant, Hedgehog, and Deer.

The red fox (Fuuss)

The red fox (Fuuss) has a long history of association with humans, having been extensively hunted as a pest and furbearer for centuries, as well as being prominently represented in human folklore and mythology. Because of its widespread distribution and large population, the red fox is one of the most important furbearing animals harvested for the fur trade .

The red fox measures up to 100 cm in length (not including its tail of 40 cm), and can weigh up to 7 or 8 kg. This animal is easily recognizable by its ears and black paws, as well as the white tip of its tail. Its coat is generally brown-red, sometimes sprinkled with white patches.

The heightened senses of this carnivore allows it to live near human residences without attracting attention. Farm land with undergrowth and open fields provides it with hiding places while providing home to numerous rodents, the fox’s primary food.
Foxes, who live on average for twelve years, mate in the middle of winter. The red fox gives birth to two to eight babies in an underground lair where the two parents care for their young for almost five weeks. When autumn arrives, the young leave their birthplace.

The hedgehog (Kéisecker)

The hedgehog is a small mammal whose back is covered with long, hard, and sharp quills and whose stomach is covered with soft fur.

It measures on average 25 cm in length and its colour varies from light brown to black. When it feels threatened, the hedgehog immediately rolls into a ball and its long quills spread out in every direction, providing an effective defensive position for the animal.

Hedgehogs are found in the daytime in hedges and woods; during the night they leave to go hunting. In summer, the hedgehog gives birth to one or two litters of four to eight babies.

Hedgehogs eat insects, worms, frogs, mice, and eggs.. European hedgehogs hibernate, but they may wake up and leave their nest to go hunting.

The pheasant (Fasan)

The pheasant (Fasan) is an admired game bird that lives mostly in grain fields, and flies rarely and feeds on insects, grains and plants. The most common species is the hunting pheasant, recognizable by the white ring around the neck of the male.

Pheasants are characterized by the great difference in appearance between the males and females: in contrast to the colorful plumage of the male, the female’s is generally drab and her tail is much shorter.

The deer (Hirsch)

The deer is a mammal that lives in Europe and Asia. It measures approximately 1.2 m in height at the withers, and has a brown-red coat and a short tail. The antlers of the male can have up to ten horns and they are shed each year; the females do not have antlers.

The males live alone or in groups, whereas the females and fawns move around in organized groups. Deer live in a variety of biomes ranging from tundra to the tropical rainforest. While often associated with forests, many deer are ecotone species that live in transitional areas between forests and thickets (for cover) and prairie and savanna (open space).

During mating season, the male associates with a group of females and fights off rival males. The female gives birth to a single fawn who remains with the mother until the age of two or three years.

Winterberries- Denmark

2012-01-21T04:09:00.001+07:00

Denmark Post regularly issue the stamp series with topic of flora fauna. On November 7, 2008, they issued stamps feature flora series , fruit of Winterberries European Holly, White Christmas Rose, Snowberry, and Yew Tree. The stamps series composed of 4 postage stamp with different face value.

European Holly/Ilex aquifolium

European holly or Ilex aquifolium, also called holly, is a species of holly native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia. Holly is a very ancient species.The habitat of Holly today is in addition to humid Mediterranean areas, the Atlantic temperate zones of Europe and North Africa mountain.

Native in the countries of the Mediterranean, it is now a protected species in some parts of Europe due to wild predation as Christmas decoration.

It is an evergreen tree growing to 10–25 m tall and 40–80 cm, rarely 1 m or more, trunk diameter.Its woody stem, has gray bark. It has smooth bark throughout its life.Its shiny leaves with spiny edge, are evergreen, dark green on the upper surface and lighter on the underside, elliptical, leathery and about 5 to 9 cm long.The flowers are dioecious, white, four-lobed, and pollinated by bees. The fruit is a red drupe 6–10 mm diameter,The fruits, red and fleshy, are typical of winter because this is precisely the ripening season. The fruits reach the crimson color typically in October and remain so during the cold months, which makes them a vital food source for forest animals. They are poisonous for human consumption.

It has great ecological value because it is a rugged pioneer species that preserves and enriches the soil facilitating colonization by others. It is of great value to birds and other fauna, including invertebrates that feed on their fruits and disperse their seeds. It is an ecological indicator of a well-preserved area, slightly degraded or recovering. Where a population of hollies thrives, it is indicative of an area with little human intrusion. They are usually found in isolated communities and remote areas.

White Christmas Rose/Helleborus niger

Helleborus niger, commonly called Christmas rose or black hellebore, is an evergreen perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. It is poisonous. The plant is a traditional cottage garden favourite, because it flowers in the depths of winter.

Although the flowers resemble wild roses (and despite its common name), Christmas rose does not belong to the rose family (Rosaceae). Helleborus niger is an evergreen plant with dark, leathery, pedate leaves carried on stems to 23–30 cm tall. The large, flat flowers, borne on short stems from midwinter to early spring, are white, or occasionally pink.

Helleborus niger has proved easier to cross with other hellebore species. Helleborus niger contains protoanemonin, or ranunculin,which has an acrid taste and can cause burning of the eyes, mouth and throat, oral ulceration, gastroenteritis and hematemesis.

Yew Trees/Taxus baccata

Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia.

It is the tree originally known as yew, be now known as the English yew, or European yew. It is a small- to medium-sized evergreen tree, growing 10–20 metres(tall, with a trunk up to 2 metres.

The bark is thin, scaly brown, coming off in small flakes aligned with the stem. The leaves are lanceolate, flat, dark green, 1–4 centimetres long and 2–3 millimetres broad, arranged spirally on the stem.The seeds themselves are extremely poisonous and bitter, but are opened and eaten by some bird species including Hawfinches and Great Tits.

It is relatively slow growing, and can be very long-lived, with the maximum recorded trunk diameter of 4 metres probably only being reached in about 2,000 years.Today European Yew is widely used in landscaping and ornamental horticulture. . Well over 200 cultivars of T. baccata have been named

Most parts of the tree are toxic, except the bright red aril surrounding the seed, enabling ingestion and dispersal by birds. The major toxin is the alkaloid taxane. The foliage remains toxic even when wilted or dried.

The precursors of chemotherapy drug Paclitaxel can be derived from the leaves of European Yew.In the Central Himalayas, the plant is used as a treatment for breast and ovarian cancer.

Snowberries/Symphoricarpos rivularis

Snowberry or Symphoricarpos, is a small genus of about 15 species of deciduous shrubs in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae. All species are natives of North and Central America, except one native to western China.

The Symphoricarpos leaves are 1.5–5 cm long, rounded, entire or with one or two lobes at the base.

The flowers are small, greenish-white to pink, in small clusters of 5–15 together in most species, solitary or in pairs.

The fruit are conspicuous, 1–2 cm in diameter, soft, varying from white to red and in one species (S. sinensis), blackish purple. When the white berries are broken open, the fruit inside looks like fine, sparkling granular snow.

Symphoricarpos rivularis is deciduous shrub that will form a thicket if not cut back regularly. Leaves are borne from upright, arching shoots and are oval and dark green. Racemes of bell-shaped, pink flowers bloom in summer followed by white fruit. The fruit taste is very bitter.

This is a nice underused plant. If you live in an area of snow it is an effective large scale groundcover. Its root system is vigorous and deep enough to hold most banks. It is streamside in many locales and would be an excellent restoration plant. Thrashers and towees will eat the berries when they get hungry enough to eat them.The fruits are very bitt.

Wildflowers of Zimbabwe–2nd series

2012-01-20T05:50:00.002+07:00

Zimbabwe Post has issued the second series of wild flower on October 22, 2002. The issued stamps feature Dissotis princeps,Leonotis Nepetifolia,Hibiscus Vitifolius,Boophane Disticha and Pyconostachys urticifolia.

Dissotis Princeps

Dissotis princeps occurs in marshy places, along streambanks and at the fringe of forests in KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Limpopo, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi.

Dissotis princeps is an outstanding garden plant with magnificent flowers and decorative foliage. It is easy to grow, and is ideal for the water or vlei (marsh) garden, or for that difficult, permanently damp spot.

Dissotis princeps is a soft, herbaceous shrub, 1.5 to 3 m tall. Young stems are angular and the whole plant is covered in short, bristly hairs. The leaves are large, 30-145 x 10-55 mm, egg-shaped to lance-shaped, and velvety, dark green above and paler to whitish underneath with 5 conspicuous veins from the base. Old leaves turn red.

This species is used in traditional medicine, probably in the same way as Dissotis canescens which is also eaten in times of famine, and the leaves, stems and roots are used to make a brew to prevent the development of certain unpleasant symptoms caused by drinking beer made from the new season's mealies, and the leaves are used to treat dysentery and diarrhoea.

Leonotis Nepetifolia

Leonotis nepetifolia, also known as Klip Dagga or Lion's Ear, is a species of plant in the Leonotis genus and the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Leonotis nepetifolia is native to tropical Africa and southern India.

It can also be found growing abundantly in some parts of Mexico (at least in the states of Puebla and Guerrero). It grows to a height of 3 metres and has whorls of striking lipped flowers, that are most commonly orange, but can vary to red, white, and purple. It has very soft serrated leaves that can grow up to 4 inches wide.

Leonotis nepetifolia is known in Trinidad as shandilay and the leaves are brewed as a tea for fever, coughs, womb prolapse and malaria .

Hibiscus Vitifolius

A shrub with alternate leaves. The 2- to 5-lobed leaves resemble grape-vine foliage. Its flowers are large and pale yellow. The fruit is a depressed globular capsule beaked in the centre.

Hibiscus Vitifolius or Grape Leaved Mallow is a herb, almost a shrub, up to 2.5 m tall, usually densely velvet-hairy all over. Leaves 2.5-6 cm long, 2-5 cm broad, subcordate-rounded at base, acute at apex, serrate to crenate, not lobed or shallowly 3 to 7-lobed, broadly ovate to orbicular, densely pubescent on both surfaces; stalk 1-5 cm long. They do look like grape leaves, hence the species name vitifolia.

Flowers occur singly in leaf axils. Flower stalk is 1.5-3 cm long, in fruit up to 5 cm. Sepals fused below the middle, 1.5-2 cm long. Flowers are 4-6 cm across, pale yellow to yellow with a large, purple centre. Petals are 3-5 cm long, 2-3 cm broad, outside with simple and 2 rayed hairs towards the top, glabrescent, obovate.

Boophane Disticha

Boophone disticha is widely distributed in all provinces of South Africa and tropical Africa. The genus comprises of five or six species and is distributed throughout southern Africa to tropical Africa. Boophone disticha is the most widespread and occurs mainly in summer rainfall region.

This is an attractive, deciduous bulbous plant with a thick covering of dry scales above the ground. The large, round heads are sometimes on such short stems that they appear to grow directly from the bulb, almost at ground level. The colour of flowers varies from shades of pink to red and are sweetly scented (July to Oct.).

The pedicels (flower stalks) elongate after flowering to form a large seedhead. This breaks off at the top of the scape (stalk) and tumbles across the veld dispersing the seed.

The greyish green leaves are erect, arranged in a conspicuous fan and are usually produced after flowering. This spring-flowering species will flower even if it does not receive any water in winter. The bulb is very poisonous.

Boophone disticha has many medicinal uses, for example the Bushman once used the poison for their arrows, and traditional healers use it to treat pain and wounds. Parts of the plant are used by certain African tribes and also by some Europeans to cure various ailments. The outer covering of the bulb is applied to boils and abscesses. Fresh leaves are used to stop bleeding of wounds. The plants are known to be poisonous to cattle and sheep. The name sore-eye flower refers to the fact that if a person is exposed to the open flowers in a confined space; it may lead to sore eyes and even to a headache.

Pyconostachys urticifolia

Pycnostachys urticifolia is a herbaceous perennial, 1–2.5 m high. The leaves are densely covered with hairs; broad and almost triangular, margins of leaf with rounded teeth, becoming smaller near the top. The stem is branched especially towards the tip.

The flowers, which are arranged in spikes at the tips of the branches, range from mauve to dark blue. As the flowers drop, the spikes develop sharp reddish spines at the base, which remain on the bush for many months. It flowers very late in autumn, from about April until June. It is seen at its best in warm places, such as Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal, for it is often cut back by frost just as it commences flowering in cold places such as Johannesburg.

Pycnostachys urticifolia is an evergreen, aromatic, perennial shrub, with beautiful dark blue flowers, which bloom very late in autumn. The species is a good choice for an informal garden.

Gloriosa Superba

Gloriosa superba is the national flower of Zimbabwe which has protected this plant. Gloriosa superba is a scandent plant, climbing by leaf-tip tendrils and can reach 3 meters in height. The perianth segments are striking in color, yellow proximally and at margins and dark red in the median portion. Propagation generally occurs from seeds, although mature plants can be divided and grown from tubers. The hard seeds can remain dormant for 6-9 months.

Gloriosa is a genus of five or six species in the plant family Colchicaceae, from tropical Africa and Asia. Their native range is Africa, Southeastern Asia and parts of Malaysia, but they are now widely cultivated. All parts of the plant contain colchicine and related alkaloids and are therefore dangerously toxic if ingested, especially the tubers; contact with the stems and leaves can cause skin irritation. Various preparations of the plant are used in traditional medicines for a variety of complaints in both Africa and India.

Resources : PlantZAfrica.com and Wikipedia.org

Flora Fauna of Uruguay - 2010

2012-01-19T02:00:00.001+07:00

The Uruguay Post issued the stamp of spring series, features flora fauna on September 30, 2010.The species depicted are Pata de Vaca, Hornero, Pirincho, and Mburucuya which are found in Uruguay.

Bauhinia forficata, commonly known as Pata de Vaca, is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to Brazil and Peru..Pata de vaca is a small tree that grows 5-9 m tall. Its leaves are 7-10 cm long and shaped like a cow’s hoof, which is distinctive to the Bauhinia genus.

It produces large, drooping white flowers and a brown seed pod resembling that of mimosa. It can be found in the rainforests and tropical parts of Peru and Brazil, as well as in tropical zones of Asia, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina.

It is a highly regarded treatment for diabetes, even being called “vegetable insulin.” As such, it is used in South America to help balance blood sugar levels and to alleviate other symptoms of diabetes (such as polyuria, kidney disorders, and other urinary problems).

Pata de vaca leaves and tea bags are common items on pharmacy shelves in South America; traditionally, a leaf tea (standard infusion) is drunk after each meal to help balance sugar levels..

Furnarius rufus or The Rufous Hornero is a large ovenbird with a square tail and a straight bill. The plumage is overall reddish brown with a dull brown crown and a whitish throat. Both sexes look alike, and juvenile birds are slightly paler below.

Rufous Horneros feed on insects and other arthropods obtained by foraging on the ground while walking.They sometimes also feed on human waste, such as bread crumbs.

Also known as the Red Ovenbird, it is a common species of second-growth scrub, pastures and agricultural land, and the species is often seen near areas of human inhabitation. Its range includes south eastern and southern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and northern and central Argentina.

Guira guira or The Guira Cuckoo is a social, non-parasitic cuckoo found widely in open and semi-open habitats of eastern and southern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and north-eastern Argentina. It is monotypic within the genus Guira,.

It has whitish-buff underparts and rump, dark brownish upperparts, a broadly white-tipped dark tail that is relatively long, an orange-rufous crest, bare yellow ocular-skin (commonly fades in captivity), and a relatively heavy, orange-yellow bill. It is generally rather shaggy-looking and has a total length of approximately 34 cm .

Guira guira is arboreal, but can frequently be seen on the ground, usually in flocks of 6 to 18 individuals. It is sometimes seen with other birds such as the Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) whose behaviour is similar.

Guira guira is a bird of open habitats and therefore has expanded its range on human-altered wooded areas, being found even in suburban parks and gardens. It feeds on large arthropods, frogs, eggs, small birds (especially nestlings) and small mammals such as mice.

Passiflora caerulea, or the Common Passion Flower, is a vine native to South America (Argentina, Paraguay, where it is widely known as the Mburucuyá , Uruguay and Brazil). It is popular with gardeners because of its intricate, scented flowers that have an almost plastic-looking appearance.In tropical climates, it will flower all year round.

A woody vine capable of growing to 15–20 m high where supporting trees are available. The leaves are alternate, palmately five-lobed like a spread hand (sometimes three or seven lobes), 10–18 cm long and wide. The base of each leaf has a flagellate-twining tendril 5–10 cm long, which twines around supporting vegetation to hold the plant up.

The flower is complex, about 10 cm in diameter, with the five sepals and petals similar in appearance, whitish in colour, surmounted by a corona of blue or violet filaments, then five greenish-yellow stamens and three purple stigmas.

The fruit is an oval orange-yellow berry 6 cm long by 4 cm in diameter, containing numerous seeds; it is eaten, and the seeds spread by mammals and birds. (Photo taken from Wikipedia)

Tropical Fruit of New Caledonia

2012-01-17T01:09:00.002+07:00

The Post of New Caledonia has issued the fruit stamp series depicted Citrus nobilis, Mangifera indica, Carica papaya in year 2008. he issue stamp consist of three postage stamp with different nominal value.

Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar (Burma) and the Yunnan province of China.Citrus fruit has been cultivated in an ever-widening area since ancient times.

Citrus juice also has medical uses; lemon juice is used to relieve the pain of bee stings. Oranges were historically used for their high content of vitamin C, which prevents scurvy. Scurvy is caused by vitamin C deficiency, and can be prevented by having 10 milligrams of vitamin C a day. An early sign of scurvy is fatigue.

Citrus nobilis as peculiar member of the citrus family seems to be a distinct species. It is a large shrub or small tree with dense foliage and small lanceolate leaves. The fruit is small, bright yellow, with quite thin skin that peels off freely and easily. It is known to the trade as "kid-glove orange." It is grown and shipped in a small way for the fancy markets on the Atlantic coast, in south Florida and the West Indies.

Mangifera indica is a species of mango in the Anacardiaceae family. It is found in the wild in India and cultivated varieties have been introduced to other warm regions of the world. It is the largest fruit-tree in the world, capable of a height of 100 feet and an average circumference of 12 -14 feet.

The ripe fruit varies in size and color. Cultivars are variously yellow, orange, red or green, and carry a single flat, oblong pit that can be fibrous or hairy on the surface, and which does not separate easily from the pulp.

The mango is generally sweet, although the taste and texture of the flesh varies across cultivars, some having a soft, pulpy texture similar to an overripe plum, while the flesh of others is firmer, like a cantaloupe or avocado, or may have a fibrous texture. Ripe, unpeeled fruit gives off a distinctive resinous, sweet smell.

Mango peel and sap contain urushiol, the chemical in poison ivy and poison sumac that can cause urushiol-induced contact dermatitis in susceptible people.

The papaya or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae. It is native to the tropics of the Americas, and was first cultivated in Mexico several centuries before the emergence of the Mesoamerican classical civilizations.

The papaya is a large tree-like plant, with a single stem growing from 5 to 10 metres tall, with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk. The lower trunk is conspicuously scarred where leaves and fruit were borne. The leaves are large, 50–70 centimetres diameter, deeply palmately lobed with 7 lobes. The tree is usually unbranched, unless lopped. The flowers are similar in shape to the flowers of the Plumeria, but are much smaller and wax-like.

The papaya is also sometimes called mugua, a name used in traditional Chinese medicine for Chaenomeles speciosa (flowering quince) or Pseudocydonia sinensis (Chinese quince).

Papaya fruit is a rich source of nutrients such as provitamin A carotenoids, vitamin C, B vitamins, dietary minerals and dietary fiber. Papaya skin, pulp and seeds also contain a variety of phytochemicals, including polyphenols.The unripe green fruit can be eaten cooked, usually in curries, salads, and stews.

Rose on Thailand’s Stamp - 2010

2012-01-15T15:00:00.001+07:00

The Communications Authority of Thailand issued stamp features rose flower on February 5, 2010. The issue stamp only one postage stamp which depicts a red rose . A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles.

The flowers of most species have five petals, with the exception of Rosa sericea, which usually has only four. Each petal is divided into two distinct lobes and is usually white or pink, though in a few species yellow or red.Roses are insect-pollinated in nature.

While the sharp objects along a rose stem are commonly called "thorns", they are technically prickles — outgrowths of the epidermis (the outer layer of tissue of the stem).Rose prickles are typically sickle-shaped hooks, which aid the rose in hanging onto other vegetation when growing over it.

Species, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and fragrance. Rose plants range in size from compact, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach 7 meters in height. Different species hybridize easily, and this has been used in the development of the wide range of garden roses.

Home-grown Vegetables of Thailand

2012-01-09T23:34:00.002+07:00

The Communications Authority of Thailand has issued the stamp series feature the Home-grown Vegetable such as: Lime, Tomato, Pumpkin and Bottle gourd on January 15, 2011.The issue stamps consist of 4 postage stamps with different nominal value.

Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp.

Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and beverages. Limes are grown all year round and are usually smaller and more sour than lemons.Lime contains 24 milligrams less vitamin C per 100 grams than the lemon.

Lime is valued both for the acidity of its juice and the floral aroma of its zest. It is a very common ingredient in authentic Mexican, Southwestern United States, Vietnamese and Thai dishes. Lime leaves are also used as an herb in South, East, and Southeast Asia. Lime is frequently used to add flavor to cold and hot drinks, including water, tonic and other cocktails.

Tomato fruit is consumed in diverse ways, including raw, as an ingredient in many dishes and sauces, and in drinks. While it is botanically a fruit, it is considered a vegetable for culinary purposes which has caused some confusion. The fruit is rich in lycopene, which may have beneficial health effects.

Tomato belongs to the nightshade family. The plants typically grow to 1–3 metres in height and have a weak stem that often sprawls over the ground and vines over other plants. It is a perennial in its native habitat, although often grown outdoors in temperate climates as an annual.

Tomato is now grown worldwide for its edible fruits, with thousands of cultivars having been selected with varying fruit types, and for optimum growth in differing growing conditions. Cultivated tomatoes vary in size, from tomberries, about 5 mm in diameter, through cherry tomatoes, about the same 1–2 centimeters size as the wild tomato, up to beefsteak tomatoes 10 centimeters or more in diameter.

Pumpkin varies greatly in shape, ranging from oblate to oblong. The rind is smooth and usually lightly ribbed.Although pumpkins are usually orange or yellow,some fruits are dark green, pale green, orange-yellow, white, red and gray.

Pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae . It commonly refers to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata, and is native to North America.

Pumpkins are very versatile in their uses for cooking. Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers.In Thailand, small pumpkins are steamed with custard inside and served as a dessert.

The Bottle Gourd or calabash was one of the first cultivated plants in the world, grown not primarily for food, but for use as a water container. The bottle gourd may have been carried from Africa to Asia, Europe and the Americas in the course of human migration.

The calabash is widely known as the bottle gourd. The fresh fruit has a light green smooth skin and a white flesh. Rounder varieties are called calabash gourds. They come in a variety of shapes, they can be huge and rounded, or small and bottle shaped, or slim and more than a meter long. The Bottle Gourd, as a vegetable, is frequently used in southern Chinese cuisine as either a stir-fry or in a soup.

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Macedonian shepherd dog. 2011

2011-12-31T07:13:00.001+07:00

On November 4, 2011, Macedonia Post issued the stamp features the shepherd dog of Macedonia, Sharplaninec. The only one stamp issued.

The Sharplaninec is an ancient livestock guarding breed from the mountain region of Macedonia,Shar Planina.

The Macedonian Shepherd Dog was named Sharplaninec because its most habitat in Shar Planina mountain. The Sharplaninec was recognized by the United Kennel Club on January 1, 1995.

The Sharplaninec is a medium-sized dog with heavy bone and thick coat. Any solid colour is acceptable but the most common is an iron gray. The length of body is slightly longer than its height at the withers, and the head is in proportion to the size of the body. Ears are drop and V-shaped and the tail is long and carried like a saber.

The Sharplaninec should be evaluated as a working livestock guardian capable of protecting stock in mountainous terrain, and exaggerations or faults should be penalized in proportion to how much they interfere with the dog's ability to work.

The Sharplaninec is characterized by extraordinary strength and large teeth, making it a formidable adversary of predatory animals. This breed has a typical livestock guarding temperament: highly intelligent and independent; devoted to family members and wary of strangers; calm and steady but fearless and quick to react to perceived threats.

Eagle Birds of Namibia

2011-12-29T08:06:00.001+07:00

Namibia Post issued the stamp series feature eagle species which almost found in surrounding the Sahara Dessert of Africa on February 02, 2009. The depicted species on stamps are Martial Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Bateleur, and Verreaux's Eagle .

Martial Eagle or Polemaetus bellicosus

The Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus), is a very large eagle ,member of the genus Polemaetus, found in open and semi-open habitats of sub-Saharan Africa.This is the largest eagle in Africa, with a length of 76–96 cm , weight of 3–6.2 kg and a wingspan of 190–260 cm .These birds are more abundant in protected areas such as Kruger National Park and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa, or Etosha National Park in Namibia.

The Martial Eagle suffers from persecution through shooting and poisoning, but also from indirect threats, such as collision with power-lines.Its conservation status was up listed to Near Threatened in 2009.

Tawny Eagle or Aquila rapax

The Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) is a large bird of prey, belongs to the family Accipitridae.Throughout its range , Tawny Eagle favours open dry habitats, such as desert, semi-desert, steppes, or savannah, plains. The call of the Tawny Eagle is a crow-like barking, but it is rather a silent bird except in display.

Tawny Eagle breeds in most of Africa both north and south of the Sahara Desert and across tropical south-western Asia to India. It is a resident breeder which lays 1–3 eggs in a stick nest in a tree, crag or on the ground.

Tawny Eagle is one of the smaller species in the Aquila genus, with the length of 60–75 cm and has a wingspan of 159–190 cm . The weight ranges from 1.6 to 3 kg .It has tawny upper-parts and blackish flight feathers and tail. The lower back is very pale. Immature birds are less contrasted than adults, but both show a range of variation in plumage colour.

The Tawny Eagle's diet is largely fresh carrion of all kinds, but it will kill small mammals up to the size of a rabbit, reptiles and birds up to the size of guineafowl. It will also steal food from other raptors.

Bateleur or Terathopius ecaudatus

The Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus) is a medium-sized eagle in the bird family Accipitridae . It is the only member of the genus Terathopius and probably the origin of the "Zimbabwe bird", national emblem of Zimbabwe.

The distinctive of the Bateleur is a colourful species with a very short tail . The adult male is 60 to 75 cm long with a 175 cm wingspan. Weight is 1.8-2.9 kg .Bateleur has black plumage except for the chestnut mantle and tail, grey shoulders, and red facial skin, bill and legs.The Bateleur is generally silent, but on occasions it produces a variety of barks and screams.

The Bateleur eagle is a common resident species of the open savannah country in Sub-Saharan Africa, though it also occurs in south-west Arabia. Total distribution size is estimated at 28,000,000 km².The prey of this raptor is mostly birds, including pigeons and sandgrouse, and also small mammals; it also takes carrion.

The Bateleur nests in trees, laying a single egg which is incubated by the female for 42 to 43 days, with a further 90 to 125 days until fledging. Bateleurs pair for life, and will use the same nest for a number of years.

Global population is estimated at 10,000 - 100,000 individuals.In 2009, the Bateleur was placed in the Near-Threatened IUCN Red List Category due to loss of habitat, pesticides, capture for international trade and nest disturbance. Decline of the species is suspected to have been moderately rapid over the past three generations.

Verreaux’s Eagle or Aquila Verreauxii

Verreaux's Eagle (Aquila verreauxii), alternatively known as the Black Eagle is a large bird of prey.This eagle lives in hilly and mountainous regions of southern and eastern Africa (extending marginally into Chad), and very locally in Western Asia.

Verreaux's Eagle has long of 75 to 96 cm and wingspan of 1.81 to 2.2 m .The weight of males is ranged 3 to 4.2 kg and females weigh 3.1 to 5.8 kg .It is black with a distinct white V marking on its back.Juveniles are usually light and dark brown with a black face.

Verreaux's Eagle is a specialist hunter of hyraxes (or dassies). Occasionally, it will prey on birds such as guineafowl or mammals of similar size to hyraxes, such as large rodents. There It hunts its prey by swooping around the corners of cliffs and thus surprising it prey by its sudden appearance. It also stoops from a perch; although this method is used less often. A pair of Verreaux's Eagle may hunt cooperatively, it seldom pirates food from other large eagle species.

Garden Life

2011-12-24T19:08:00.001+07:00

On May 28, 2011, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issued 12 new stamps featuring species of garden life. There are fauna and flora which usually found in the garden.

Top of row depicts species Great Eggfly, Passion Flower, Lady bug and Emperor dragonfly.
The stamp US$ .44 - Great Eggfly

The Great Eggfly or Hypolimnas bolina, is a species of nymphalid butterfly and found in Madagascar in the west, through to South and Southeast Asia, South Pacific islands The Great Eggfly has distinctive appearance as a black-bodied butterfly with a wingspan of about 70–85 millimetres .It has a high degree of sexual dimorphism. The female is mimetic with multiple morphs.The Great Eggfly is a fairly common butterfly found in lightly wooded country, deciduous forests, thick and moist scrub and the greener parts of human habitation.

The stamp US$ .44 - Passion Flower

The Passion Flowers or passion vines, Passiflora, is a genus of about 500 species of flowering plants, the namesakes of the family Passifloraceae.It is found worldwide, except Antarctica. The Passion Flowers are mostly vines, with some being shrubs, and a few species being herbaceous.The passion flowers have a unique structure, which in most cases requires a large bee to effectively pollinate. Passiflora species are important sources of nectar for many insects.

The stamp US$ .44 - Ladybug

Lady bug or Coccinellidae is a family of beetles, known variously as ladybirds (UK, Ireland, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, India, Malta, some parts of Canada and the US), or ladybugs (North America).They are small insects, ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm and are commonly yellow, orange, or scarlet with small black spots on their wing covers, with black legs, head and antennae.

The stamp US$ .44-Emperor Dragonfly

The Emperor Dragonfly or Blue Emperor or Anax imperator, is a large and powerful species of hawker dragonfly of the family Aeshnidae, averaging 78 millimetres in length. It is found mainly in Europe and nearby Africa and Asia. The species lives by larger ponds, gravel pits, and slow rivers.This powerful dragonfly is one of the largest species in Europe.

Males have a sky blue abdomen marked with a diagnostic black dorsal stripe and an apple green thorax. Females have a green thorax and abdomen. The male is highly territorial, and difficult to approach. They frequently fly high up into the sky in search of prey, which includes butterflies, Four-spotted Chasers and tadpoles; small prey is eaten on the wing. The females lay the eggs into plants such as pondweed, and always lay alone.

The middle of row depicts species Sweet white violet, Magpie Moth, Bluets, and Katydid.
The stamp US$ .44-Sweet White Violet

Viola blanda (Sweet white violet) is a flowering perennial plant in the Violet family (Violaceae).It is native to parts of eastern and western Canada and the North-eastern, North-central, and South-eastern United States.

The stamp US$ .44 - Magpie Moth

Magpie Moth or Abraxas grossulariata is a moth of the family Geometridae, native to Europe and North America. Its distinctive speckled colouration has given it a common name of Magpie Moth. The caterpillar is similarly coloured to the adult, and may be found feeding on the leaves of shrubs such as gooseberry. The length of the forewing is 18–25 mm.

The stamp US$ .44 - Bluets

Houstonia caerulea or Azure Bluet, is a perennial ornamental plant in the Rubiaceae family. Bluets are ideal in a rock garden. Leaves are 1/4 in. oval shaped and flowers are not much larger.Rocky pastures are the best areas to locate Bluets.Houstonia caerulea produces showy flowers approximately 1 cm across. These flowers are four-part with pale blue petals and a yellow center. The foliage is a basal rosette. Stems are up to 20 cm tall with one flower per stalk. It thrives in moist acidic soils in shady areas, growing especially well among grasses.

The stamp US$ .44-Katydid

Katydid or Long-horned grasshoppers or Bush-crickets is insect as member of the suborder Ensifera and the only family in the superfamily Tettigonioidea that contains more than 6,400 species. Many tettigoniids exhibit mimicry and camouflage, commonly with shapes and colors similar to leaves. The diet of tettigoniids includes leaves, flowers, bark, and seeds, but many species are exclusively predatory, feeding on other insects, snails or even small vertebrates such as snakes and lizards.

The bottom of row depicts the species Painted lady, Bumblebee, Stag Bettle, and Large tortoiseshell

The stamp US$ .44 - Painted Lady

The Painted Lady is a large butterfly (wing span 5–9 cm) identified by the black and white corners of its mainly deep orange, black-spotted wings. It has 5 white spots in the black forewing tips and while the orange areas may be pale here and there, there are no clean white dots in them. The hindwings carry 4 small submarginal eyespots on dorsal and ventral sides. Those on the dorsal side are black, but in the summer morph sometimes small blue pupils are present in some.

The stamp US$ .44 - Bumblebee

A bumble bee (also spelled as bumblebee) is any member of the bee genus Bombus, in the family Apidae. There are over 250 known species, existing primarily in the Northern Hemisphere although they are common in New Zealand and Tasmania. Bumble bees are social insects that are characterised by black and yellow body hairs, often in bands.

Bumble bees generally visit flowers exhibiting the bee pollination syndrome. They can visit patches of flowers up to 1–2 kilometres from their colony.Bumble bees will also tend to visit the same patches of flowers every day, as long as they continue to find nectar and pollen, a habit known as pollinator or flower constancy.

The stamp US$ .44 - Stag Beetle

Stag beetles are a group of about 1,200 species of beetle in the family Lucanidae, presently classified in four subfamilies^. Some species grow up to over 12 cm , but most are about 5 cm.

The stamp US$ .44 - Large Tortoiseshell

The Large Tortoiseshell or called Nymphalis polychloros is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. In late February or early March the butterflies emerge and mate. The females lay their pale green eggs (ova) in a continuous band around the upper twigs of Elm (Ulmus spp.) or Sallow (Salix caprea) trees. The caterpillars (larvae) are gregarious, and systematically strip the topmost twigs of the tree bare.

They seem to have little defence against predation by birds. It is possible that their decline and extinction in the British Isles (late 1970s) was due to the loss of predatory birds, which previously had preyed upon smaller birds if they strayed to the tops of these trees.

Technorati Tags: Garden life,Marshall Island,Stag Beetle,Ladybug,Magpie Moth,Large tortoiseshell,Bumblebee,Kattydid,Painted lady,Bluets,Emperor dragonfly,Great eggfly,Passion flower

New Species found in Papua–Indonesia

2011-12-24T08:42:00.001+07:00

On 5 November 2006, Indonesia Post commemorated the found of new species in Papua by releasing the stamp set depicted the new plants and birds as part of them.

The design of four new postage stamps that are on the plants and animals that are found in environmental expedition in Foja Mountains, Papua, on December 2005.

Melipotes carolae Beehler & Prawiradilaga

Expedition organized by a team of researchers Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in collaboration with Conservation International, an NGO in the environmental area of the United States, managed to find no fewer than 40 new species in Papua.

Amblyomis flavifrons Rotschild

Species are found ranging from birds, frogs, butterflies, and a number of plants, which had never been documented before.

Licuala Arbuscula Mogea

Four new species of them are featured in the issued stamps. The two stamps depict palm plants, namely Licuala Mogea arbuscula and Livistona mamberamoensis Mogea. Meanwhile, two other stamps picture the birds, namely Melipotes carolae Beehler & Prawiradilaga and Amblyomis flavifrons Rothschild.

Livistoma mamberamoensis Mogea

Each stamp measures 31.96 x 31.96 mm, and each unit worth Rp 1,500. In addition to stamps, also published Souvenir Sheet (SS), which shows one design and one plant stamps stamps of birds, with a unit price of Rp 5,000 per sheet.

Rare Endemic & Indigenous ferns of Norfolk Island

2011-12-23T20:16:00.001+07:00

Norfolk Island is the home of the majestic Norfolk Island Pine and some 40 other endemic plants including a variety of ferns. These are a source of considerable interest to scientists and botanists in that they can be found nowhere else occurring naturally. The Norfolk Island Post issued stamp set features the Rare Endemic fern and Indigenous fern in 4 se-tenant stamps. The issue stamps was designed by Mary Butterfield.

The most important group of ferns as far as conservation values are concerned are the endemic taxa. These are Asplenium dimorphum, Cephalomanes bauerianum, Cyathea australis ssp norfolkensis, Cyathea brownii, Lastreopsis calacantha, Pteris kingiana, Pteris zahlbruckneriana and Tmesipteris norfolkiensis. All of these exist as healthy populations or individuals in the wild. All are found in areas that already have legal protection. Some also occur in important populations in areas not currently protected.

Netted Brakefern –20c

Pteris zahlbruckneriana - 20c

Pteris zahlbruckneriana or Netted Brakefern is endemic fern in Norfolk Island and usually found in the forest on banks by the creeks. A number of plants in scattered populations in forest at higher elevation. Vulnerable but most of the populations are in protected areas.

Robinsonia – 50c

Asplenium austrasicum f. robinsonii – 50 c

Asplenium austrasicum f. robinsonii or Robinsonia is fern which held in a number of living collections and apparently though uncommon it was fairly widespread in the past. The plants appear to be sterile hybrids and if they arose a number of times this would explain the variability seen between individuals and widespread distribution of this uncommon plant. Asplenium australasicum grows as shrubby plant, with a rosette of yellow-green fronds which are 60 to 80 cm (24-32 in) long and 3 to 21 cm (1.2-8.4 in) wide

Hanging fork fern – 80c

Tmesipteris norfolkensis - 80c

Tmesipteris the "hanging fork fern", is a genus of fern-like vascular plants, one of two genera in the family Psilotaceae, order Psilotales, and class Psilotopsida (the other being Psilotum). Tmesipteris is restricted to certain lands in the Southern Pacific, notably Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia.it can normally be found as short spiky dark-green fronds (10–15 cm long), often with lighter bag-like sporangia at the bases of some of its "leaves". The fronds emerge directly from the fibrous root-mats which clad the trunks of mature tree ferns such as Dicksonia and Cyathea. The word of Tmesipteris is taken from the Greek language, meaning a "cut fern", referring to the truncated leaf tips

King fern – $2.00

Marattia salicina – $2.00

King fern is indigenous species of fern to Norfolk Island (the type locality), New Zealand, New Caledonia, Cook Islands, Austral Islands, Society Islands and the Marquesas. King fern is in serious decline, seriously threatened throughout its range by feral and domestic cattle, wild pigs and goats. Large plants no longer exist except in areas where there has been rigorous control of animals.Propagation is difficult. King fern can be grown from spores, but this is extremely slow.King fern has distinctive visuals : the green cane-like leaf stalks are 1 to 3 metres long. The young fronds are protected as they uncoil by a large ear-shaped basal lobe at the base. The glossy, dark green fronds are 4 metres, sometimes 5 metres long and 2 metres wide. The juvenile fronds are less robust, and wilt quickly if exposed to sunlight.

Creeper's flowers of Vietnam

2011-12-22T21:41:00.001+07:00

On 1st August 2006, the Vietnam’s Ministry of Post and Telematics (MPT) issued the stamp series "Creeper’s flowers" consisting of 4 values which depicts Momordica blossom , Fragrant cynanthe flower , Bitter melon blossom, Fiber melon blossom

The stamps are featured in a lively and realistic style that highlights the beauty of these flowers. These are 4 familiar species which are grown on trellis for decoration. Its fruits are also used as good foods and medicament. They are very common and can be seen anywhere throughout Việt Nam

Momordica blossom

Momordica cochinchinensis is a Southeast Asian fruit found throughout the region from Southern China to Northeastern Australia.Its grows on dioecious vines and is usually collected from fence climbers or from wild plants. The vines can be commonly seen growing on lattices at the entrances to rural homes or in gardens. It only fruits once a year, and is found seasonally in local markets.

Because it has a relatively short harvest season (which peaks in December and January), making it less abundant than other foods, Momordica cochinchinensis is typically served at ceremonial or festive occasions in Vietnam, such as Tết (the Vietnamese new year) and weddings.

Due to its high content of beta-carotene and lycopene, Momordica cochinchinensis is often sold as a food supplement in soft capsules.

Fragrant cynanthe flower

Telosma cordata or Tonkin jasmine, pakalana vine, Tonkinese creeper, is a species of flowering plant native to China. It is cultivated elsewhere and may occur wild as an introduced species. The plant bears clusters of golden yellow blooms along the vining stems during summer months. Individual blooms emerge successively over a period of weeks emitting a rich, heavy fragrance during the day and night.The flower buds are used in Vietnamese cuisine and in Northern Thai cuisine where they are stir-fried or boiled.

Bitter melon blossom

Momordica charantia, called bitter melon or bitter gourd in English, is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible fruit, which is among the most bitter of all fruits.

There are many varieties that differ substantially in the shape and bitterness of the fruit.This herbaceous, tendril-bearing vine grows to 5 meters. It bears simple, alternate leaves 4–12 cm across, with 3–7 deeply separated lobes. Each plant bears separate yellow male and female flowers.

Fiber melon blossom

Luffa aegyptiaca or Luffa cylindrica is a species of Luffa. Commonly known as Smooth Luffa, Egyptian Luffa and mướp hương in Vietnamese, frequently misspelled "Luffa aegyptica", it is cultivated and grown for its fruit. The fruit resembles a cucumber. Young fruit can be eaten as a vegetable while ripe fruits can be use to make bath sponges. They may also be grown as an ornamental plant. It is native to northern Africa, but is now found in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world.

Resource from Wikipedia and Vietnam Post’s Information.

Technorati Tags: Vietnam stamp,Creepers flower

Turtles of Pacific Ocean

2011-12-22T17:49:00.002+07:00

Micronesia Post issued the stamp set features Turtles of Pacific Ocean in many type of issuance, one souvenir sheet, 4 postage stamps, and one miniature sheet consist of 4 postage stamps. The species of turtle depicted are Green Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle, Australian Flatback Turtle, Kemp’s Ridley Turtle, Olive Ridley turtle, Leatherback Turtle.

Green Sea Turtle – $ 1.56

The Green Sea Turtle or Chelonia mydas is a sea turtle, possessing a dorsoventrally flattened body covered by a large, teardrop-shaped carapace and a pair of large, paddle-like flippers. It is usually lightly colored, although parts of the carapace can be almost black in the eastern Pacific. Chelonia mydas is mostly herbivorous. The adults commonly inhabit shallow lagoons, feeding mostly on various species of sea grasses.

Chelonia mydas has a dorsoventrally flattened body, a beaked head at the end of a short neck, and paddle-like arms well-adapted for swimming.Adult green turtles grow to 1.5 metres long. While individuals have been caught that reached weights of up to 315 kilograms , the average weight of mature individuals is 110–190 kilograms . The largest known Chelonia mydas weighed 395 kilograms .

Hawksbill Turtle – $ 1.56

The Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. Eretmochelys imbricata is easily distinguished from other sea turtles by its sharp, curving beak with prominent tomium, and the saw-like appearance of its shell margins.

It has a generally flattened body shape, a protective carapace, and flipper-like arms, adapted for swimming in the open ocean. Hawksbill shells slightly change colors, depending on water temperature. While this turtle lives part of its life in the open ocean, it spends more time in shallow lagoons and coral reefs.

Loggerhead Turtle – 95 c

The loggerhead turtle is found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans as well as the Mediterranean Sea. It spends most of its life in saltwater and estuarine habitats, with females briefly coming ashore to lay eggs.

The loggerhead turtle has a low reproductive rate; females lay an average of four egg clutches and then become quiescent, producing no eggs for two to three years. The loggerhead reaches sexual maturity within 17–33 years and has a lifespan of 47–67 years.

The loggerhead sea turtle is omnivorous, feeding mainly on bottom dwelling invertebrates. Young loggerheads are exploited by numerous predators; the eggs are especially vulnerable to terrestrial organisms. Once the turtles reach adulthood, their formidable size limits predation to large marine organisms such as sharks.

Loggerheads are considered an endangered species and are protected by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Untended fishing gear is responsible for many loggerhead deaths. Turtles may also suffocate if they are trapped in fishing trawls.

Hawksbill Turtle – 22 c

Adult hawksbill sea turtles have been known to grow up to 1 metre in length, weighing around 80 kilograms on average. The heaviest hawksbill ever captured was measured to be 127 kilograms . The turtle's shell, or carapace, has an amber background patterned with an irregular combination of light and dark streaks, with predominantly black and mottled brown colours radiating to the sides.

Human fishing practices threaten Eretmochelys imbricata populations with extinction. The World Conservation Union. classifies the Hawksbill as critically endangered.Hawksbill shells are the primary source of tortoise shell material, used for decorative purposes.

Green Sea Turtle – $ 2.80

Green Sea Turtle or Chelonia mydas migrate long distances between feeding grounds and hatching beaches. Many islands worldwide are known as Turtle Island due to green sea turtles nesting on their beaches. Females crawl out on beaches, dig nests and lay eggs during the night. Later, hatchlings emerge and walk into the water. Those that reach maturity may live to age 80 in the wild. Chelonia mydas is listed as endangered by the IUCN and CITES and is protected from exploitation in most countries

Australian Flatback Turtle – 88 c

The flatback sea turtle (Natator depressus) is a sea turtle that is endemic to the continental shelf of Australia. Flatback turtles belong to the Cheloniidae, or sea turtle, superfamily and are the only species found in the genus Natator.

The carapace of the adult is on average 90 centimeters long. It is low domed, the edge is upturned and has four pairs of costal scales—fewer than other marine turtles. The upper parts are an olive-grey, while it is more pale ventrally. A single pair of scales are located at the front of the head,

Flatback turtles are usually found in bays, shallow, grassy waters, coral reefs, estuaries and lagoons on the northern coast of Australia and off the coast of Papua New Guinea.

The species may feed off Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, but it nests only in Australia. Nesting occurs across the top half of Australia, from Exmouth in Western Australia to Mon Repos Conservation Park in Queensland.

The most significant breeding site is Crab Island in the western Torres Strait. Breeding may also occur on the islands of the southern Great Barrier Reef, and on mainland beaches and offshore islands north of Gladstone.

Kemp’s Ridley Turtle – 98c (top row)

Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), or Atlantic ridley sea turtle is the rarest sea turtle and is critically endangered. It is one of two living species in the genus Lepidochelys (the other one being L. olivacea the olive ridley turtle).

Kemp's ridley is a small living sea turtle species, reaching maturity at (61–91 cm) long and averaging only 45 kilograms .Typical of sea turtles, it has a dorsoventrally depressed body with specially adapted flipper-like front limbs.

The Kemp's ridley turtle feeds on molluscs, crustaceans, jellyfish, algae or seaweed, and sea urchins.Kemp's ridley sea turtles generally prefer warm waters but inhabit waters as far north as New Jersey,

Leatherback Turtle – 98c (second row)

The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of all living sea turtles .its carapace is covered by skin and oily flesh. Dermochelys coriacea is the only extant member of the family Dermochelyidae.

Leatherback turtles have the most hydrodynamic body design of any sea turtle, with a large, teardrop-shaped body. A large pair of front flippers power the turtles through the water.

The leatherback's flattened forelimbs are adapted for swimming in the open ocean. Claws are absent from both pairs of flippers. The leatherback's flippers are the largest in proportion to its body among extant sea turtles. Leatherback's front flippers can grow up to 2.7 metres in large specimens, the largest flippers (even in comparison to its body) of any sea turtle.

Loggerhead Turtle – 98 c (third row)
Same as described in other issue stamps –95c.
Olive Ridley Turtle – 98c (fourth row)

The olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), is a species of sea turtle,has a cirumtropical distribution living in tropical and warm waters of the Pacific and India Oceans from India, Arabia, Japan, and Micronesia south to southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

The olive ridley is a small extant sea turtle, with an adult carapace length averaging 60 to 70 cm.The olive ridley is predominantly carnivorous, especially in immature stages of the life cycle. .

Animal prey consists of protochordates or invertebrates, which can be caught in shallow marine waters or estuarine habitats. Common prey items include jellyfish, tunicates, sea urchins, bryozoans, bivalves, snails, shrimp, crabs, rock lobsters, and sipunculid worms. The olive ridley is also known to feed on filamentous algae in areas devoid of other food sour

Known predators of olive ridley nests include raccoons, coyotes, feral dogs and pigs, opossums, coatimundi, caimans, ghost crabs, and the sunbeam snak.The olive ridley sea turtles are considered the most abundant, yet globally they have declined by more than 30% from historic levels. These turtles are considered endangered because of their few remaining nesting sites in the world.

Technorati Tags: Sea turtle,Micronesia,Olive ridley turtle,Kemp's ridley turtle,Leatherback Turtle,Green Sea turtle,Loggerhead turtle,Flatback turtle.

Seals of Iceland–Part I

2011-12-22T08:13:00.001+07:00

On 28th day of January 2010, Iceland Post issued the first series of stamp set features fauna mammal, seal animal. The issue stamps contain of two postage stamps that depicted Harbour seal and Harp Seal.

Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) is the most common seal species in Icelandic waters. They are found in coastal waters of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as those of the Baltic Sea. Only the harbour seal and the grey seal bear pups in near shore costal terrain in Iceland. The entire harbour seal population is estimated at 400- 500.000 individuals. These are social animals and can be seen in shoals off coasts.

Harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) is a mottled seal living in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. This seal is a common vagrant in Icelandic waters. The Icelandic name „school seal“ derives from the large shoals of harp seal seen around Iceland in former times. Harp seal equals harbour seal in size and often travels in large groups. The world wide population is estimated at approximately 10 million individuals.

Technorati Tags: Iceland,Seal

Fairy Lily of Vietnam

2011-12-21T08:27:00.001+07:00

Fairy lily are petite members of the amaryllis family.It is useful as a border plant in front of the shrubberies and can decorate windows when in shallow pots or bowls.

The Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications issued the stamp series "Fairy Lily“ consisting of 2 values with the denominations of 3,500 đ and 10,500 đ, on the 30th of July 2010, The stamp set shown two petite members of Fairy Lily in Vietnam, Pink Fairy Lily (Zephyranthes carinata Herb) and Yellow Fairy Lily (Zephyranthes ajax Hort).

3,500 đ - Pink Fairy Lily (Zephyranthes carinata Herb)

Zephyranthes carinata, commonly known as the rosepink zephyr lily or pink rain lily, is a perennial flowering plant native to Central America. They have with large bright pink flowers, around 10 cm , and green strap-like leaves. They are found naturally in moist, open areas, often near woodlands.The flowers develop into more or less spherical or three-lobed capsules. The seeds are shiny black and flattened.The funnel-shaped flowers are solitary, with pink to rose red perianths.

10,500 đ - Yellow Fairy Lily (Zephyranthes ajax Hort).

Zephyranthes 'Ajax' is a delightful old rain lily hybrid, which is inexplicably hard-to-find in the commercial trade. The cross of Zephyranthes candida x Zephyranthes citrina makes a vigorous clump of fast multiplying bulbs, each producing round green leaves like its Zephyranthes candida parent.

The clumps are topped, starting in midsummer, after each rain with 2" straw-yellow upfacing flowers. Each flower is open two days...yellow the first day and white the second.

Indigenous to the Western Hemisphere, Zephyranthes are petite members of the amaryllis family. Zephyr lily these little beauties can be counted on to send up a flourish of blossoms within days of a rain storm.

Zephyranthes are clump-forming perennials which are small at first, but over several seasons will increase nicely. When preparing in ground beds these pretty lemony blossoming, petite rain lilies add a glow to the yellow bed.

Fairy lily is easy little bulbs to cultivate, standing about 9 inches tall. It is also a popular house plant. It bears linear, hollow, strap-shaped or grass-like leaves

The solitary flowers consisting of 6 pointed petals, borne on a short scape are delicate and flourish throughout the rainy season, especially after heavy showers. A good garden soil is suitable and a sunny or semi-shady environment.

Technorati Tags: Fairy lily,Vietnam stamp,flower

The European Carp - Cyprinus Carpio Linnaeus

2011-12-19T06:55:00.001+07:00

On the first day of April 2008, Vietnam Post released the stamp series features the European Carp or the common Carp, also known as Cyprinus Carpio Linnaeus. The issue stamp consist of 4 postage stamps with different denomination.

The European Carp can be recognized by its small eyes, thick lips with two barbels at each corner of the mouth, large scales and strongly serrated spines in the dorsal and anal fins. The color is variable, but often olive green to silvery grey dorsally, fading to silvery yellow on the belly.

The European Carp are reported to grow to over one meter in length, and 60 kg in weight.Inhabit warm, deep, slow-flowing and still waters such as lowland rivers and large, well vegetated lakes .

The European Carp are omnivorous, sucking and straining mud from the bottom and sucking insects and plants from the surface. Juvenile European Carp feed mainly on microscopic algae, rotifers and crustaceans.

The Common carp or European carp (Cyprinus carpio) is a widespread freshwater fish and capable of interbreeding with the common goldfish (Carassius auratus).

The Common carp are native to Asia and Eastern Europe. It has been introduced into environments worldwide, and is often considered an invasive species. The Common carp is a native of Asia, but extensive introductions into environments worldwide have helped to make it the world's most widely distributed freshwater fish.

The Common carp is so near to Vietnamese daily life and it appears so often on Vietnamese paintings. The official first day cover also released together with the stamps, depicts the painting of this freshwater fish in Vietnamese style. The postmark has designed in a fish painting style.

Marine Life – Montserrat 2010

2011-12-17T09:50:00.001+07:00

On February 12, 2010, Montserrat Post has issued the marine life stamp series that features the Basket stars, Sea Anemone, Spiny Lobsters, and Spotted Drum. Each of issue stamps have different nominal value, $ 1.10, $ 2.25, $ 2.50, $2.75 and $ 5.0.

Basket Star – $ 1.10

The Basket stars are a group of brittle stars and has characteristic many-branched arms. Their habitat are deep sea with the life span is up to 35 years in the wild. They weigh around 5 kg. Like other echinoderms, basket stars lack blood and achieve gas exchange via their water vascular system.The basket stars are the largest ophiuroids with Gorgonocephalus stimpsoni measuring up to 70 cm in arm length with a disk diameter of 14 cm.

Spiny Lobster - $2.25

Spiny lobsters are found in almost all warm seas, including the Caribbean and the Mediterranean Sea.Spiny lobsters tend to live in crevices of rocks and coral reefs, only occasionally venturing out at night to seek snails, clams, crabs, sea urchins or carrion to eat. Sometimes, they migrate in very large groups in long files of lobsters across the sea floor.Spiny lobsters navigate by using the smell and taste of natural substances in the water that change in different parts of the ocean. It was recently discovered that spiny lobsters can also navigate by detecting the Earth's magnetic field.They keep together by contact, using their long antennae.

Spotted Drum – $ 2.50

The Spotted Drum is a small fish, typically between 6 and 9 inches, that can occasionally be found on coral reefs in the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida and Bahamas.A nocturnal feeder, it leaves the protection of its daily shelter at night to feed.It can be found at depth between 3 and 30 meters.It swims in repetitive patterns.

Sea Anemone – $ 2.75

Sea anemone is a polyp attached at the bottom to the surface beneath it by an adhesive foot, called a basal disc, with a column shaped body ending in an oral disc.They can have anywhere from a few tens to a few hundred tentacles.The mouth is in the middle of the oral disc surrounded by tentacles armed with many cnidocytes, which are cells that function as a defence and as a means to capture prey.

Sea Anemones tend to stay in the same spot until conditions become unsuitable (prolonged dryness, for example), or a predator attacks them. In that case anemones can release themselves from the substrate and use flexing motions to swim to a new location.

Sea Anemones can also reproduce asexually, by budding, binary fission (the polyp separates into two halves), and pedal laceration, in which small pieces of the pedal disc break off and regenerate into small anemones.

Batwing Coral Crab or Carpilius corallinus

Batwing Coral Crab is one of the most beautiful crabs, occurs on coral reefs and rocky rubble in the shallow waters of all over Caribbean with depth ranges from 1 m to 15 m . It is a nocturnal crab. The carapace is smooth and heavy, with no teeth, except for a blunt one at the lower right- and left hand corner. The ground color is pale to brick red with scarlet spots and meandering lines of small white or yellow spots.The ends of the fingers and claws are darker. (Adopted from the Marine Species – Identification Portal)

Dolphin on Micronesia’s stamp

2011-12-15T13:44:00.000+07:00

The Micronesia Post issued the stamp set features dolphin species, Southern Right Whale Dolphin, Northern Right Whale Dolphin, Chinese White Dolphin, and Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin on September 04, 2009

Southern Right Whale Dolphin -95c

Southern right whale dolphins or Lissodelphis peronii are the only dolphins without dorsal fins in the southern hemisphere. They are smaller than northern right whale dolphins and have more white on their head and sides. They have slim, graceful bodies which are black on the upper side and white underneath. Their flippers are mainly white and are small and curved. Their flukes are small with a notch in the middle and concave trailing edges. Their beaks are small but distinct.

Northern Right Whale Dolphin-$ 2.80

The Northern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis borealis) is a small and slender species of marine mammal found in the North Pacific Ocean.The species has a streamlined body with a sloping forehead, are more slender than other delphinids, and lack any fin or ridge on their smoothly curving backs.They can reach speeds of up to 30–40 kilometres per hour across the open ocean, never along shallow coasts. They can dive up to 200 metres in search of fish, especially lanternfish, and squid.This species usually travel in groups of 5–200 animals

Chinese White Dolphin - 88c

The Chinese white dolphin or Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, Sousa chinensis chinensis , is a humpback dolphin species, one of eighty cetacean species found in Southeast Asia, and they breed from South Africa to Australia.. An adult is white or pink and may appear as an albino dolphin.A Chinese white dolphin lives 40 years, which can be determined by teeth.

Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin - 22c

The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) is a species of bottlenose dolphin that can be grown to 2.6 metres long, and weigh up to 230 kilograms . This species lives in the waters around India, northern Australia, South China, the Red Sea, and the eastern coast of Africa.Its back is dark grey and its belly is lighter grey or nearly white with grey spots.

Another issued by Micronesia Post is the miniature sheet consist of 6 postage stamps with uniform face value. This sheet features Bottlenose dolphin, Costero, Tucuxi, Short-beaked Common Dolphin, Long-beaked Common Dolphin, and Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin.

Technorati Tags: Micronesia,Dolphin,Chinese white dolphin,Indo pacific Bottlenose dolphin,Bottlenose dolphin,Long-beaked Common dolphin,Southern Right Whale Dolphin,Northern Right Whale Dolphin,Short-beaked Common Dolphin.

Vietnamese Orchids - 2008

2011-12-13T07:48:00.001+07:00

On the first of March 2008, the Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) issued the stamp set: "Orchids" consisting of 4 values with their denominations of 800d; 2,000d, 6,000d and 8,000d.

The stamp set shows specialities Vietnamese orchids: Calanthe densiflora Lindl, Ludisia discolor (Ker-Gawl) A.Rich, Spathoglottis affinis de Vriese, Calanthe argenteo-striata C.Tang & S.Cheng.

Orchid is one of beautiful and precious flowers. Orchids have diversified species. Each has own beauty. There are about 800 orchids species Vietnam, some of them are rare and precious ones with unique beauty and shape.

4-1: Calanthe densiflora Lindl.

Calanthe densiflora is a species of orchid from the genus Calanthe. Plant blooms in the fall with many 1.5 cm wide flowers.Plant is found growing in India, Myanmar, China, Taiwan and Vietnam at elevations of 160 to 1830 meters .Plants grows in intermediate to cool temperatures with shade. When potting Calanthe plants, the pseudobulbs must be half buried into the potting media.Plants should be watered regularly.

4-2: Ludisia discolor (Ker-Gawl.) A. Rich

Ludisia discolor is a species from the genus Ludisia.Plants are found growing in from India to Indonesia and in south east Asia .Plants bloom from winter to spring with many 1 .7 cm wide flowers. Flowers are fragrant .Plants are usually grown in intermediate to warm conditions. Keep plants in a shady area.

4-3: Spathoglottis affinis de Vriese

It is a widespread species found in Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam at elevations between 600-1,000 m.

Pseudobulbs of Spathoglottis affinis de Vriese are found below the ground and are flattened and of irregular shape. Each pseudobulb bears about 4 leaves that are up to 30 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. The leaves are deciduous and are often not on the plant during the winter flowering period.

Inflorescences are produced from the base and are much longer than the leaves and are up to 70 cm tall, bearing about 15 flowers that open progressively. Usually around 6-8 blooms are open at any one time.The bright yellow flowers are about 3 cm across and the lateral sepals are sometimes faintly streaked or veined with red.

4-4: Calanthe argenteo-striata C. Tang & S. Cheng

Calanthe argenteo-striata is a species of orchid from the genus Calanthe.Plant blooms in the spring with around ten to fifteen flowers. Plant is found growing on limestone slopes in Southeastern China and Vietnam at elevations of 100 to 1600 meters Plants grows in intermediate to warm temperatures with shade. When potting Calanthe plants, the pseudobulbs must be half buried into the potting media.

There are two official First Day Cover issue together with the stamps. All covers have special post marked on the sealed stamp. One of the covers depicts Spathoglottis affinis de Vriese and other cover have drawn a sketch of orchid plant with written the date of cover issued.

Wild Flowers of Gibraltar -2004

2011-12-12T08:33:00.002+07:00

On January 31, 2006, Gibraltar Post has issued the definitive stamps 2004, features the wild flower of Gibraltar, which represented are Gibraltar restharrow, Paper-white narcissus, Gibraltar campion, and Sea daffodil.

Gibraltar restharrow or Ononis natrix

This variety of the species is endemic to Gibraltar.The plants grown on coastal sands, and can be found in large numbers on the East Side sand slopes. The wildflower have typical shape of the pea family and has yellow colour , around 1.5 cm across.

Paper-white narcissus or Narcissus papyraceus.

This species known in Gibraltar as “meaitas de zorra”, they grow in their thousands all over the Rock from October to January. Therefore consider these as Gibraltar’s very own Christmas flowers. The flowers have scent, pure white flower s around 3 cm across, and grow in clusters at the ends of stem 30-50 cm tall.

Gibraltar campion or Silene tomentosa

Gibraltar campion is the pale violet flowers , around 2 cm across, and arranged in an open panicle at the end of the stems. This species has stems ranging from 15-70 cm, and woody based perennial. The leaves are densely covered in short, soft hairs and endemic to Gibraltar. This wild flower is very rare, and had been believed extinct until it was rediscovered in 1994.

Sea daffodil or Pancratium maritimum

Sea daffodil is scented white flowers that found in Gibraltar, along the East Side sand slopes, at Western Beach and in North Front Cemetery. This flower can grown up to 10 cm across, can be seen growing on sandy beaches and sandy soil almost down to the high tide mark. It can been seen from July to September.

Technorati Tags: The wild flower,Gibraltar,Sea daffodil,Gibraltar restharrow,Paper-white narcissus,Gibraltar campion

The Many-coloured Fruit-Dove

2011-12-07T14:18:00.001+07:00

The Many-coloured Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus perousii), also known in Samoa as Manulua, is a small multi-coloured dove growing up to 250mm in length , as a species of bird in the Columbidae family.

The male dove is a pale yellow-white colour with a red-crimson crown and bar across its back. The female is mostly green and grey on the head and breast with a red-crimson crown and undertail-covert area as red. These red-crimson coverts differentiate these doves from those of Fiji and Tonga where the coverts are yellow.

The Many-coloured Fruit-Dove are primarily found in large mature forest areas in the south-western Pacific - Samoa, Fiji and Tonga - where lowland tropical and sub-tropical forests provide a natural habitat. These birds feed predominantly on fruit and berries found in the high canopy and are partial to figs and also the fruit of the banyan tree. The Many-coloured Fruit-Dove are very protective of their feeding areas. The nest is a small platform of twigs where one white egg is laid.

Reduction in habitat has led to a decreased population, although the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for these doves to be considered vulnerable under conservation criteria.

This stamps released by Samoa Post on April 04, 2011. This issue stamps have logo of WWF organisation as proof of their collaboration .

Technorati Tags: Samoa,Many-cloured fruit dove,WWF stamp,bird

Niue Birds -2011

2011-12-05T13:26:00.001+07:00

Niue is one of the world's largest coral islands. The terrain consists of steep limestone cliffs along the coast with a central plateau rising to about 60 metres above sea level. A coral reef surrounds the island, with the only major break in the reef being in the central western coast, close to the capital, Alofi. A notable feature is the number of limestone caves found close to the coast. A quarter of Niue consist of virgin rainforest, it is little surprise that there is an equally stunning array of exotic birdlife complementing this island paradise.

While many fascinating birds call Niue home, this bird-themed stamp issued by Niue Post features three of Niue's favourite species on July 06,2011.The individual stamps in this issue are depict bird species, Miti, Heahea, and Kulukulu.

$1.70 Miti

The miti (Aplonis tabuensis) or The Polynesian Starling is a sociable bird as species of the family Sturnidae. Distinguishable by it's stubby bill and mainly brown feathering, the miti can often be heard whistling as it perches on branches above the rainforest canopy. Their natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and tropical moist forests. It is found in American Samoa, Samoa, Fiji, Niue, Tonga, the Santa Cruz Islands, and Wallis and Futuna Islands. Various subspecies exist throughout this wide range, some darker in coloration and some lighter. Its call is a raspy buzz or rattle. Diet is fruit and insects.

$2.00 Heahea

The heahea (Lalage maculosa) or The Polynesian Triller is a passerine bird , an active and noisy bird that is also one of Niue's most approachable birds. With a variety of calls this fast flying black-and-white bird is also distinguishable by the its black eye-stripe and narrow white tail tip. It is 15 to 16 cm long. The plumage varies geographically; some populations are contrastingly black and white while others have more grey or brown coloration.

This bird is belonging to triller genus Lalage in the cuckoo-shrike family Campephagidae. It has numerous subspecies distributed across the islands of the south-west Pacific.

The breeding range extends through Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu and the Santa Cruz Islands. It occurs in a wide variety of habitats including man-made habitats such as plantations and gardens. It feeds on insects such as caterpillars and also feeds on fruit.

$2.40 Kulukulu

The kulukulu or Ptilinopus porphyraceus or The Crimson-crowned Fruit Dove also known the Purple-capped Fruit Dove is very distinctive and tropical in colouring, with a green and grey body with hints of bright yellow. Its a species of bird in the Columbidae family. What makes it really stand out though is its crimson crown. These doves tend to live in a pair or alone, and feed mainly on berries.

This vibrant collection also includes a shaped miniature sheet produced in the shape of two hega (Vini australis). Bright green in colour, these parrots are adorned with a blue/purple crown and a red chin, throat, cheeks and upper belly. Similar miniature sheets sold out quickly last year, so be sure you don't miss out on your own brightly coloured parrots!

It is found in American Samoa, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, and Wallis and Futuna Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.

Technorati Tags: Niue,Nieue Birds,Miti,Heahea,Kulukulu

New Zealand’s Beyond the coast

2011-12-05T06:39:00.001+07:00

New Zealand’s 15,000 kilometres of coastline are home to magnificent coves, bays, harbours, sounds and fiords. Beyond this irregular coastline lies a roughly 4.3 million square kilometre exclusive economic zone that hosts an array of unique marine life. More than 15,000 species are known to live there, of which many are migratory. New Zealand's isolation means that a large number of these species are unique to our island nation, and scientists believe that many more have yet to be found. New Zealand’s varied marine animals are brilliantly portrayed in this vibrant stamp issue: Beyond the Coast.

he self-adhesive stamp sheet consists of 12 stamps (10 x 60c and 2 x $1.90 stamps), and capturing a unique part of our stunning wildlife, this stamp issue really is a tribute to New Zealand ‘beyond the coast’

Unearth New Zealand’s unique marine animals really depicted in the stamp sheet.The stamp sheet depicts a visual delight and reflective of the diversity of New Zealand’s ecosystem. The white-faced storm petrel flutters above the surface of the water, while lurking below is a range of fish from the popular snapper to the yellow moray eel and the king crab in the depths of the ocean.

The following species can be found on this vibrant stamp sheet (from top to bottom): Royal albatross, humpback whale, white-faced storm petrel, john dory, yellowfin tuna, kingfish, hammerhead shark, hapuku, demoiselle, pink maomao, snapper, arrow squid, Lord Howe coralfish, sandager’s wrasse, orange roughy, king crab and yellow moray eel. (Adopted and summarized from the New Zealand Post Information)

Technorati Tags: New Zealand,Beyond the coast,marine life,ecosystem

Weed Flowers of Norfolk Island

2011-12-04T12:32:00.001+07:00

Norfolk Island is plentiful with many unpopular introduced plants commonly known as “weeds”. Many of these weeds, if taken time to notice, have beautiful flowers. So Norfolk Island Post issued the stamp series features the weed flower on February 6, 2007 and designed by Jodie Williams

Creeping Crofton Weed, 50¢ known as “William Taylor” after the gentleman who is thought to have introduced it to Norfolk, is a low sub shrub that takes over pastures.

Lantana 50¢ is a quick growing thorny shrub with small pretty flowers. A native of tropical South America, it has been a very serious problem throughout the Pacific Islands.

Morning Glory $1.60 is an invasive climbing vine with large attractive mauve flowers. Originating from North Africa, it can take over rainforest areas. Fortunately, it is edible to cattle and they keep it in check to a large degree.

Wild tobacco $1.80 is thought to have been introduced to provide a smoke for the convicts. Originating from the central regions of South America, it was quite useful, as the leaves were used in island households as “wipes” and the dry twigs as kindling.

LiveJournal Tags: Norfolk Island,Weed flower

Wildlife in Norway–Sixth series

2011-12-02T07:35:00.001+07:00

On January 03, 2011, the Norway Post issued the sixth wildlife series stamp. This issue stamps comprises of 2 postage stamps which feature the endangered species, Polar bear and Muskox.

Kr 17,00: Polar bear (Ursus maritimus)

Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) is reckoned to be the largest land predator in the world, rivalled only by the Alaskan Kodiak bear.A full-grown polar bear on Svalbard weighs about 500 kg and usually has a maximum life span of 25 years.

The population there is now estimated at about 1500. The polar bear is the very symbol of the northern polar areas. It is the dream of everyone who visits the Arctic can see this species. Like as penguins are the signature species of Antarctica.

Hunting of polar bears has been prohibited on Svalbard since 1973. Climate changes are starting to create serious problems for the polar bear and researchers are concerned about the recent developments in the Arctic. The absence of summer ice in the polar basin may become a reality in the course of this century.

At the same time the winter period when new ice is formed may become shorter. This will restrict both living areas and the possibility of hunting seal. Seal represents more than 90 per cent of the polar bear’s diet.

Kr 27,00: Muskox (Ovibos moschatus)

The Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) is related to both sheep and cattle. Its muzzle, hooves and short tail resemble those of a sheep, while its size and the four teats of the female are comparable to a cow.

The muskox’s horns are also formed in the same way as those of cattle and sheep and are not shed like the antlers ofa deer. Compact and round in shape, the muskox mostly resembles a prehistoric animal. Its large head with its characteristic horns is low and appears to be attached directly to its body. It has a long, shaggy coat beneath which its legs are barely visible.

The muskox has its origins in Canada, Alaska and Greenland. It was imported from Greenland to Dovrefjell in Norway in 1932. The Norwegian population has since been supplemented and now numbers around 200.

LiveJournal Tags: Endangered species,muskox,polar bear,Norway,stamp

THE ENDANGERED FAUNA OF CROATIA

2011-12-01T21:54:00.002+07:00

On 15 March 2011, the Croatia Post issued the endangered species stamp series in 3 postage stamps. This issue depicts the Elenora’s Falcon, the Brown Bear, and Mediterranean Monk Seal.

Eleonora’s Falcon is a smaller species of falcon, 36 – 42 cm long, weighting 350 – 450 g and with wing span of 87 – 104 cm. It comes in two varieties – light and dark – and sexes are distinguished by the colour of eye ring and vax gland. With mail it is in yellow and with female in blue.

In Croatia there are 80 – 90 nesting pairs, which is somewhat more than 0,5% of the world’s population. According to newest estimations total world population is 15.000 nestling pairs, of which more than 80% in Greece. Eleonora’s falcon is listed in Red Book as endangered species in Croatia (EN), and is strictly protected by law.

Eleonora’s falcon nests in colonies, laying two to four eggs on mostly unapproachable cliffs of islands at sea, in August and September. Croatia is an edge area for this species, and entire or almost entire Croatian population mainly inhabits the islands of Vis, Svetac and Biševo and the nearby islets, but single birds have also been spotted on the islands of Palagruža and Jabuka.

Brown Bear (Ursus arctos), one of the eight species of bears in the world.It belongs to the order of beasts (Carnivora) and the family of bears (Ursidae).

Brown Bear’s nutrition are 95% of plant food, while for the rest of 5% of animal proteins, mainly invertebrates and large animal carcasses. In spring and summer dominate herbaceous plants and grasses, supplemented with various soft fruits .

In Croatia, the females grown-up weight between 100 – 130 kg, and males between 150 – 200 kg, some even up to 300 kg. The body is covered by long fur and thick under-fur predominantly brown, often dark brown, even black, on the spine.

There are claws on the foot-fingers , especially long on front legs (about 5 to six cm) and very strong. The bear uses them to dig in the ground, in rotten stumps and ant hills, to turn over stones, to kill and tear the prey. The bear’s denture has all the characteristics of beasts with typical incisors, canines and carnassials.

In November the bear prepares his lair. In Croatia areas the majority of lairs are found in smaller hollows in rocks which the bears adapt to their needs by digging. In the area of 12.000 km2 of Gorski kotar and Lika there live about 1,000 bears.

The bears mate from the end of May to the middle of July, and the cubs are born in January during hibernation. The female bear give birth to1-4 cubs weighting about 350 g, blind and almost furless. The female feeds cubs with its milk containing about 22% fat and 12% proteins.

The cubs spend with their mother their first year of life and the next winter in liar, and are ready to separate at the age of 1,5 year. The bears mature in three to four years, and can live in nature between 10 and 20 years.

Today in Croatian a bear has the status of hunted wildlife and can be hunted outside reserve areas. The limited size of available habitat and a vast space fact results in the status of a rare species.

Mediterranean Monk Seal or Monachus monachus is belongs to the order of fin-footed animals (Pinnipedia), family of earless seals (Phocidae), genus of monk seals (Monachus). It is two to three meters long and can weight up to 400 kg. It is the biggest animal in the family of seals. In outer look there is no difference between the sexes. A female is mature at the age of five and a male at the age of 7 years; they mate and feed only in water.

Today it lives in small colonies in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, along the coastline of Mauritania – Morocco. Total population consists of about 350 single monk seals, living in small isolated colonies of 5 to 7 monk seals, the biology of which is not well known yet. In the Adriatic, a population of 60 specimens, and today this number has reduced to 20 specimens.

Mediterranean monk seal has got big round eyes and 30 pointed teeth. On front fins it has got very well developed claws, while they considerably smaller on back fins. It eats 10 to 12 kg of food daily. They feeds on cephalopods, crabs and molluscs.

Mediterranean monk seal is adapted to living in sea. It has no auricles, it can not turn rear fins forwards; they are always stretched behind, so that it always moves clumsy on land, but thanks to its hydrodynamic form they move very masterly and fast in the water.

Mediterranean monk seal can live up to 40 years. Gestation period is 10 to 11 months, so that every second year a female gives birth to one youngling 60 to 80 cm long , weighting 40 to 60 kg. The youngling sucks 10 to 18 weeks.

Mediterranean monk seal has been protected in Adriatic since 1935 by the “Dalmatian Decree“ and on the basis of the Law on Nature Protection a fine of 100 thousand Croatian kuna is foreseen for disturbing and killing them. ( Resources from Estonia Post Office).

Flowers of Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

2011-11-30T20:30:00.003+07:00

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands Post has issued the stamp series features the coastal flower which can live in shoreline. This issue stamps depict the Ipomoea pes-caprae, Hisbicus insularis, Suriana maritima and Morinda citrifolia.

Ipomoea pes-caprae, also known as Beach Morning Glory or Goat's Foot, is a common pantropical creeping vine belonging to the family Convolvulaceae. Goat's Foot is common on the sand dunes of Australia's upper north coast of New South Wales and can also be found along the entire Queensland coastline.

It grows on the upper parts of beaches and endures salted air. It is one of the most common and most widely distributed salt tolerant plants and provides one of the best known examples of oceanic dispersal. Its seeds float and are unaffected by salt water.

Hibiscus tiliaceus is a species of flowering tree in the mallow family, Malvaceae,It is reaches a height of 4–10 m , with a trunk up to 15 cm in diameter.The flowers are bright yellow with a deep red centre upon opening. Over the course of the day, the flowers deepen to orange and finally red before they fall. The branches of the tree often curve over time. It is a common coastal plant in Eastern and Northern Australia, Oceania and Southeast Asia. It grows best in slightly acidic to alkaline soils (pH of 5-8.5).

Suriana maritima is a monotypic genus of flowering plants ,known as Bay Cedar. It has a pantropical distribution and can be found on coasts in the America and sometimes Oceania (Australasia). The grey-green, succulent foliage yields an aroma similar to that of cedar when crushed, hence the common name.

It is an evergreen shrub or small tree, usually reaching a height of 1–2 m and sometimes reaching 6 m .The leaves are alternate, simple, 1–6 cm long and 0.6 cm wide. Its yellow flowers are solitary or in short cymes among the leaves. Flowers have a diameter of 1.5 cm when open, with petals 6–10 mm long and sepals 7–10 mm long. Suriana maritima flowers throughout the year.

Morinda citrifolia grows in shady forests as well as on open rocky or sandy shores. It reaches maturity in about 18 months and then yields between 4–8 kilograms of fruit every month throughout the year. It is tolerant of saline soils, drought conditions, and secondary soils. It is therefore found in a wide variety of habitats: volcanic terrains, lava-strewn coasts, and clearings or limestone outcrops. It can grow up to 9 metres tall, and has large, simple, dark green, shiny and deeply veined leaves.

The plant bears flowers and fruits all year round. The fruit is a multiple fruit that has a pungent odour when ripening, and is hence also known as cheese fruit or even vomit fruit. It is oval in shape and reaches 4–7 centimetres (1.6–2.8 in) size. It contains many seeds.

LiveJournal Tags: Cocos (Keeling) Islands,Australia,Morinda citrifolia,Suriana maritima,Ipomoea pes-caprae,Hisbicus insularis

FRUIT- Cat`s head pear, Domesticated apple

2011-11-29T17:27:00.001+07:00

The design of the stamps employs compositions reminiscent of still life and was issued on May 06, 2011. The HUF 145 stamp shows the domesticated apple and the HUF 310 stamp depicts the cat’s head pear. Both cultivars can be found in the Újfehértó Gene Bank Collection.

Domesticated apple - HUF145

Its origin is uncertain but it was certainly grown in the 16th century in France. In Hungary it is still grown in small gardens and vineyards on the Great Plain. It ripens in August. Its 240-300 g fruit is a flattened ball with a whitish yellow flesh and stripy skin, and there is also a single colour clone version. Its flesh is hard and highly acid with little flavour. It is favoured for its size and is widely used in cooking.

The tree has a large crown with big leaves and remarkably small buds. It starts producing late but then produces well, albeit in phases. The species tolerates a variety of growing locations but it likes alkaline soil the least. The tree is excellent for old fashioned gardens and requires minimal care. The fruit can be kept until the end of September in a cool larder.

Cat’s head pear – HUF 310

Already cultivated in 1590 in the Bamberg nursery, it became known in French areas as well as West Hungary. Its fruit is large, about 9-9.5 cm in diameter. Its stem is thick and strong and does not drop easily. Hard skin and yellow flesh are typical with a reddish-brown skin on the sunny side. Its flesh is crispy and coarse but not stony. Sweet, but a little tart, it is the typical kitchen type. It used to be popular for stewed fruit and jelly. During November and December after-ripening is finished but it can be kept until spring. There are some in Transdanubia and more in historic Upper Hungary. (Source: written by Dezső Surányi, professor of historic ecology)

Blooms - Australian Cultivars

2011-11-29T09:02:00.001+07:00

Cultivar is a cultivated variety developed by selectively breeding in order to enhance or minimise traits common to other members of its species. Today’s gardeners owe much of their success to the availability of Australian cultivars. When selecting plants, modern gardeners look for more than just beauty. They demand plants that are hearty, disease resistant and easy to grow, no matter what colour their thumb.

Five Australian flower cultivars are featured in this special issue of five stamps.The stamps feature Simon Griffiths’ superb photographs of the five cultivars. Each of the cultivars was photographed at the peak of its blooming period.

The cultivars in the stamp issue were specifically bred to produce spectacular blooms on hardy, disease resistant plants suitable for home cultivation. All are entirely Australian bred, and are widely available through commercial nurseries. Three of the featured Australian cultivars are from introduced species, the remaining two are natives.

Hari Withers’ camellia:

The ethereal ‘Hari Withers’ camellia was bred by Dr R M Withers of Victoria and named in honour of his wife. Flowers average nine cm in diameter and appear mid-season on a fastgrowing, upright and spreading plant.

Described as formal double in style, they are very pale pink gradating to a deeper pink rosebud at the centre. ‘Hari Withers’ was registered in 1985 and is a Camellia x williamsii hybrid.

‘Victoria Gold’ rose:

‘Victoria Gold’ was bred by Eric Welsh (Erina, NSW) and released in 1999 to commemorate the centenary of the Victorian Rose Society. ‘Victoria Gold’ is a floribunda (clusterflowered) plant 60 to 90 cm in height.

It produces double bright yellow blooms with red margining of the petals in the cooler months.

‘Superb’ grevillea:

‘Superb’ is one of the most popular and widely available grevillea cultivars. Bred in Queensland by Merv Hodge and released in 1981, ‘Superb’ is a cross between Queensland species Grevillea banksii and Western Australian species Grevillea bipinnatifida.

‘Superb’ is a bushy, medium-sized shrub with large racemes of striking pinkish-yellow flowers that age to a deep pink. ‘Superb’ flowers throughout the year and attracts honey-eating birds.

‘Bush Tango’ kangaroo paw:

‘Bush Tango’ was bred by Yates Botanicals from four species of Anigozanthos A. flavidus, A. humilis, A. onycis and A. preissii, and released commercially in 2000. It grows to 1.2 m tall and is characterised by its bright orange flower.

‘Midnight’ rhododendron:

The beautiful rhododendron ‘Midnight’ was bred in 1978 by Karel Van de Ven of Olinda, Victoria.

An open growing, vigorous plant, ‘Midnight’ has large, magenta-rose, frilly blooms with a prominent black ‘eye’ in the middle of each flower. Trusses have around sixteen flowers. ‘Midnight’ a cross between the hybrids ‘Cup Day’ and ‘Purple Splendour’ is also a success overseas, where it can be found growing in British and American gardens.

Australian Kingfishers

2011-11-28T06:57:00.001+07:00

On October 26, 2010, Australia Post released the stamp series depicts Australian Kingfishers, illustrated by wildlife artist Christopher Pope.This issue comprises of 4 postage stamps depicts Sacred Kingfishers, Blue-winged kookaburra, Yellow-billed Kingfishers, and Red-backed Kingfishers.

Kingfishers comprise a distinctive and spectacular group. There are 95 species worldwide, 10 occurring in Australia. Two species are endemic – the Red-backed Kingfisher and the Laughing Kookaburra – and eight are shared with other countries.

Kingfishers, which include kookaburras, belong to the bird order Coraciiformes, Its vary in size. The smallest species is around 10cm in length, the largest – the Laughing Kookaburra – is around 45cm.

Sacred Kingfisher

In Australia, The Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) is primarily a woodland kingfisher that occurs in eucalypt forests, melaleuca forests, woodland and paperbark forests.It is 19–23 cm long, and feeds on insects, small crustaceans, fish, small rodents and reptiles but reports of it eating small finches are rare. Sacred Kingfishers lay about five eggs.

The Blue-winged Kookaburra, Dacelo leachii, is a large species of kingfisher native to northern Australia and southern New Guinea.

Measuring around 40 cm , it is slightly smaller than the more familiar Laughing Kookaburra. It has cream-coloured upper- and under parts barred with brownish markings.

It has blue wings and brown shoulders and blue rump. It is sexually dimorphic, with a blue tail in the male, and a rufous tail with blackish bars in the female.

The Blue-winged Kookaburra hunts and eats a great variety of animals that live on or close to the ground. In the summer wet season, insects, lizards and frogs make up a higher proportion of their diet, while they eat arthropods such as crayfish, scorpions, spiders, fish, earthworms, small birds and rodents at other times.

The Red Goshawk and Rufous Owl prey upon the Blue-winged Kookaburra. Adult birds are also slow flyers and vulnerable to being hit by cars on country roads. Nests are susceptible to raids by Olive Pythons, quolls and goannas.The Blue-winged Kookaburra is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The Yellow-billed Kingfisher (Syma torotoro) is a medium-sized (length 20 cm, wingspan 29 cm, weight 40 g) tree kingfisher. Its colouring is distinctive; it has an orange head and neck with a black nape patch and white throat.Adult females also have a black crown patch.

The upper mantle is blackish grading to olive green on the back, blue-green on rump and with a blue tail.

The upper-wing is dull green-blue with dark olive-black flight feathers. The under-parts are pale orange-grey. The bill is orange-yellow in adults, dark grey in juveniles.

With a large range and no evidence of significant decline, the conservation status of this species is assessed as being of Least Concern.The kingfisher is known to prey on large insects, earthworms and lizards.

The Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius) is a species of kingfisher in the Halcyonidae family, .The Red-backed Kingfisher is a predominantly blue-green and white bird with a chestnut rump. It is also known as tree kingfishers.

The Red-backed Kingfisher is native to most of Australia. It inhabits dry forests, mulga and mallee country, to savannah.and avoids denser forests.

Flowers of Azerbayjan–Definitive stamps 2011

2011-11-26T06:38:00.002+07:00

In year 2011, Azerbayjan Post issued the definitive stamp features rare and endemic flower in Azerbayjan, such as Gagea Alekxeenkoana, Centaurea ficher, Ophrys causcasica, and Galanthus causcasius.

Gagea Alekxeenkoana is a flowering plant in the genus Gagea of the family Liliaceae.The plant is found mainly in the Mediterranean region and central Europe.It is a less vigorous plant, growing to a height of 2–6 cm and normally having just a single pair of twisting, thread-like basal leaves, with one or two pairs of laneolate leaves, perhaps 1 cm wide, just below the flowers.

The flowers, of which there are usually no more than four on each plant, are yellow and have six petals; they are about 1½ cm in diameter. It grows mainly on dry grassland.

Centaourea Ficher is a critically endangered endemic species, which grows on limited area around Golbasi district of Ankara province. It has attractive pink, red, purple flowers, the colours of which change with maturation. It has a high potential as out door ornamental plant and as cut flower. Its natural habitat is continuously on decrease because of uncontrolled plucking, intense construction activities and urbanization.

The most important reason why the generation of the species is endangered is strong anthropogenic pressure. Therefore, the protection of this plant is of great importance.

Ophrys caucasica is endemic species of the Caucasus and rare species. Its habitat in between rocks on the middle mountainous zone, on grass growing slopes and bushes.propagated by seeds and in a vegetative way.This species should be reserve because collection of flowers, change of the habitat due to the use of the area for economic purposes.Now it has been cultivating in the Botanic Garden of the Institute of Botany of Azerbaijan .

Galanthus Caucasicus grows to a height of 0.15m and 0.08m in width. It has tapering foliage that is blue/green. It produces flowers during autumn/winter that are bell-shaped and white and green in colour. This plant is a deciduous bulb originating. from Turkey. Nodding white flowers with a green mark at the tip of each inner petal.

LiveJournal Tags: Azerbayjan,Galanthus causcasius,Ophrys causcasica,Gagea alekxeenkoana,Centaurea ficher

Hibiscus Flowers of Norfolk Island

2011-11-25T08:57:00.001+07:00

Norfolk is sub tropical island. Hibiscus flowers are endemic to Norfolk and Philip Island. Therefore Norfolk Island chosen to issue the stamp feature its on 12 single stamps on 30th August 2005. Some lovely varieties lurking in backyards and hedges around the island awaiting to be discovered. One of them is The Philip Island Hibiscus (Hibiscus insularis)

This species of hibiscus that is endemic to Phillip Island, a small island to the south of Norfolk Island. The entire natural extent of this species is just two small clumps, and each clump apparently consists of multiple separate stems of a single genotype.

It produces greenish-yellow flowers that fade to mauve through most of the year. Horticultural use of the Philip Island Hibiscus has greatly increased the number of plants (though not in its natural environment) but as it is usually propagated by cuttings the number of genotypes is still extremely small. This species is listed as Critically Endangered under Australian federal environment legislation. (Wikipedia).

Birds of the Bailiwicks

2011-11-23T05:58:00.004+07:00

On May 24, 2011, Alderney Post issued the stamp series depicts birds of the Bailiwicks. This issue represented in many formats, a beautiful miniature sheet and single stamps. All issues depicts the bird species such as: Mediterranean Gull, Common Shelduck , Common Firecrest , Balearic Shearwater, Eurasian Woodcock and Little Grebe.

36p -Mediterranean Gull ( Ichthyaetus melanocephalus )

The Mediterranean Gull, Ichthyaetus melanocephalus, is a small gull which breeds almost entirely in Europe, mainly in the south east, especially around the Black Sea, and in central Turkey.

There are colonies elsewhere in southern Europe, and this species has undergone a dramatic range expansion in recent decades.This species is 36-38 cm long with a 98-105 cm wingspan.This gull breeds in colonies in large reed beds or marshes, or on islands in lakes.

This bird takes two years to reach maturity. First year birds have a black terminal tail band and more black areas in the upper wings, but have pale under wings. This is a noisy species, especially at colonies, with a nasal "yeah" call.

The Mediterranean Gull is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

45p - Common Shelduck ( Tadorna tadorna )

The Common Shelduck resembles a small short-necked goose in size and shape. It is a striking bird, with a reddish-pink bill, pink feet, a white body with chestnut patches and a black belly, and a dark green head and neck.

The wing coverts are white, the primary remerges black, and the secondary green (only showing in flight) and chestnut. The under wings are almost entirely white. Sexes are similar, but the female is smaller, with some white facial markings, while the male is particularly crisply coloured in the breeding season, his bill bright red and bearing a prominent knob at the forehead.

This species is mainly associated with lakes and rivers in open country, breeding in rabbit burrows, tree holes, haystacks or similar. In winter it is common on suitable estuaries and tidal mudflats as well.

This bird is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

48p - Common Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla )

The Common Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla) is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family, a small plump bird, 9 cm in length with a wingspan of 13–16 cm and weighs 4–7 g. It has bright olive-green upper parts with a bronze-coloured patch on each shoulder, and whitish under parts washed with brownish-grey on the breast and flanks.

It has two white wing bars, a tiny black pointed bill, and brownish-black legs. The head pattern is striking, with a black eye stripe, long white supercilium, and a crest which is bright yellow in the female and mainly orange in the male. The sexes are very similar, apart from the crest colour, although the female is a little duller in plumage and on average slightly smaller.

It breeds in most of temperate Europe and north-western Africa, and is partially migratory, with birds from central Europe wintering to the south and west of their breeding range.

52p - Balearic Shearwater ( Puffinus mauretanicus )

The Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. It was long regarded a subspecies of the Manx Shearwater.

This species breeds on islands and coastal cliffs in the Balearic islands. Most winter in that sea, but some enter the Atlantic in late summer, reaching north to Great Britain and Ireland. This species nests in burrows which are visited only at night to avoid predation by large gulls. The Balearic Shearwater feeds on fish and molluscs. It does not follow boats.

This bird is approximately 35–40 cm long, with an 85–90 cm wingspan. It has the typically "shearing" flight of the genus, dipping from side to side on stiff wings with few wing beats, the wingtips almost touching the water. This bird looks like a flying cross, with its wing held at right angles to the body, and it changes from dark brown to dirty white as the dark upperparts and paler undersides are alternately exposed as it travels low over the sea.

It is under severe threat from the development of holiday resorts near its breeding sites, and also from animals such as cats and rats. The Balearic Shearwater is considered critically endangered with extinction by the IUCN.

This is a gregarious species, which can been seen in large numbers from boats or headlands, especially on in autumn. It is silent at sea, but at night the breeding colonies are alive with raucous cackling calls, higher pitched than the Manx Shearwater's.

58p- Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola)

The Eurasian Woodcock, Scolopax rusticola, is a medium-small wading bird found in temperate and subarctic Eurasia. It has cryptic camouflage to suit its woodland habitat, with reddish-brown upperparts and buff-coloured underparts.

Its eyes are set far back on its head to give it 360-degree vision and it probes in the ground for food with its long, sensitive bill, making it vulnerable to cold weather when the ground remains frozen.

The Eurasian Woodcock has a large range, stable population trend and large population size, the species has been evaluated as Least Concern.

The most important threat to the population of the Eurasian Woodcock in the breeding range is the increased fragmentation of its woodland habitat. At other times of year, a reduction in the amount of permanent grassland and an increase in the intensification of farming are also threats, and the species' susceptibility to avian influenza may have an impact in future.

The Eurasian Woodcock's required breeding habitat is large, unfragmented areas of broadleaved deciduous or mixed broadleaved and coniferous forest, with dense undergrowth of plants such as Brambles, Holly, Hazel, Gorse, Bracken or Bilberry. Breeding territories must include a mix of dry, warm resting places, damp areas for feeding, and clearings for flight

65p- Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

The Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), member of the grebe family of water birds. it is the smallest European member of its family .They has 23 to 29 cm in length. It is commonly found in open bodies of water across most of its range.

Bush Tucker

2011-11-17T07:27:00.002+07:00

The Bush Tucker features five Australian plants traditionally eaten by Aboriginal people. The part of the plant consumed as depicted varies from the tuber (murnong); fruit (quandong and lilly-pilly); seed (acacia); and flower (honey grevillea). The featured plants are found in a range of climates and locations throughout Australia.

The plant foods are shown against a background of a woven basket or wooden coolamon. These containers, from the collections of the Museum of Victoria, are appropriate to particular regions where the foods are found.

The issue date of stamp is 3 September 2002 and designed by Janet Boschen from Australia Post Design Studio.

Lilly-pilly (Acmena smithii):

There are several varieties of lilly-pilly fruits that may be eaten. Acmena smithii or lilly-pilly , depicted on the stamp, grows best in the moist soil of mountain gullies from Victoria to Northern Queensland. The pale mauve or white berry-like fruits are pleasantly tart and juicy and can be picked and eaten raw from the tree. Acmena smithii is a common urban street tree.

Honey grevillea (Grevillea juncifolia):

Grevillea juncifolia grows on sand plains and dunes in Central Australia. It is characterised by large orange flower clusters with abundant nectar. The sweet honey is highly sought after and can be sucked directly from the flower or extracted steeping the flower in water to make a sweet drink.

Quandong (Santalum acuminatum):

The quandong is a traditional staple food with a vitamin C content twice as high as that of an orange. Quondong trees are found in semi-arid areas of all mainland states. The small bright red fruits are eaten raw. Dried fruit, collected from under the tree, can be reconstituted in water.

The fruit can also be pounded and made into cakes to be dried and stored for later use. The relatively large kernels can also be eaten or ground into a paste for medicinal purposes.

Acacia (Acacia coriacea):

The seeds of many types of acacia trees are eaten by Aboriginal people throughout Australia. One of the more attractive varieties, Acacia coriacea, is characterised by long, twisted pods containing vivid orange and black seeds. This acacia, also called dogwood, grows on the spinifex sandplains of Central Australia.

When they are green, the pods are roasted and the seeds extracted and eaten. Hardened seeds are also picked off the ground then soaked and mashed with water to make a ‘milky’ drink.

Murnong (Microseris ‘lanceolata’):

The murnong is a small root vegetable resembling a dandelion. Murnong was a staple food of Aboriginal people in South-Eastern Australia until the mid 19th century when introduced grazing animals rapidly destroyed this once abundant and widespread plant. Now the murnong is considered an endangered species. Murnong tubers were sometimes eaten raw but were usually cooked in baskets. (Resources adopted from Australia Post Information.)

The flightless birds of New Zealand

2011-11-07T06:05:00.002+07:00

As a supporter of Children’s Health Camps since 1929, New Zealand Post is proud to lend a hand once again with the 2011 Children’s Health stamp issue.
Te Puna Whaiora - the New Zealand Foundation for Child and Family Health and Development - specialises in helping at-risk children aged five to 12 to overcome barriers to healthy lifestyles. The 10-cent surcharge on each stamp in this issue goes directly to Te Puna Whaiora's seven Children’s Health Camps throughout New Zealand, each playing a crucial role in helping children and their families in times of need.

The flightless birds featured on the stamps are also in need of love and support. The kiwi, kākāpō and takahē were all once more abundant and widely distributed throughout New Zealand than they are today. It’s only through the ongoing help of conservation programmes that we are now able to enjoy these unique and precious birds.

The stamp issued for supporting the Children’s Health Camps. Since 1929, New Zealand Post is supporter to Te Puna Whaiora - the New Zealand Foundation for Child and Family Health and Development - specialises in helping at-risk children aged five to 12 to overcome barriers to healthy lifestyles.

The 10-cent surcharge on each stamp in this issue goes directly to Te Puna Whaiora's seven Children’s Health Camps throughout New Zealand, each playing a crucial role in helping children and their families in times of need.

Kiwi - 60c + 10c surcharge (gummed)

Easily identified by its long beak, round body and hair-like feathers, this nocturnal bird belongs to a group of birds called ratites and has been adopted as one of New Zealand's most national symbols. This stamp features the brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli), one of five species of kiwi.

Kākāpō - $1.20 + 10c surcharge (gummed)

The kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus) claims the titles of the heaviest parrot in the world, as well as the only flightless parrot. Unfortunately for the kākāpō, this rare bird alerts predators such as stoats to its presence due to its distinctive musty odour.

Takahē - 60c + 10c surcharge (self-adhesive)

With its blue and green feathers, red beak and stout legs, the takahē looks very similar to a pūkeko - only much bigger. The largest living member of the rail family, the takahē spends most of its days looking for nourishment in grass stalks, fern roots and insects.

Alderney’s dragonfly

2011-11-05T05:31:00.001+07:00

Anyone visiting Alderney and hoping to see some dragonflies would do well to head for Mannez, in the east of the island, although true enthusiasts will want to contact kindred spirits at the Alderney Wildlife Trust (www.alderneywildlife.org).

Common Darter or Sympetrum striolatum (36p) is a resident species which most of us in the British Isles have probably seen, had we but known it.

The Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae native to Eurasia.

It is one of the most common dragonflies in Europe, occurring in a wide variety of water bodies, though with a preference for breeding in still water such as ponds and lakes.

The Emperor Dragonfly or Anax imperator is(45p) a large and powerful species of hawker dragonfly of the family Aeshnidae, averaging 78 millimetres in length . It is found mainly in Europe and nearby Africa and Asia.

Males have a sky blue abdomen marked with a diagnostic black dorsal stripe and an apple green thorax. Females have a green thorax and abdomen. The species lives by larger ponds, gravel pits, and slow rivers.

They frequently fly high up into the sky in search of prey, which includes butterflies, Four-spotted Chasers and tadpoles; small prey is eaten on the wing. The females lay the eggs into plants such as pondweed, and always lay alone.

The Blue-tailed Damselfly or Ischnura elegans (56p) is a European damselfly.

Another colourful character which, perfectly at home in Alderney, can also be found as far away as the Middle East, Russia and even China.

Mating wheel of Ischnura elegans - At the top the male

Adult male Blue-tailed Damselflies have a head and thorax patterned with blue and black. They have a largely black abdomen with very narrow pale markings where each segment joins the next. Segment eight, however, is entirely pale blue.

The Brown Hawker or Aeschna grandis (66p) is a large dragonfly about 73 millimetres (2.9 in) long. It is a distinctive species and is easily recognised, even in flight, by its brown body and bronze wings.

It is not resident species but probably a visitor from France. It is found on well-vegetated ponds, lakes and canals. It patrols a regular hunting territory around margins which is vigorously defended against intruders.

The Black-tailed Skimmer or Orthetrum cancellatum (75p) is a local species, the males of the species selecting territories up to 50 metres long and patrolling them tirelessly.

The adult male has a blue abdomen with a black tip and transparent wings, and the female has a yellow (later: brown) body with black bands along the abdomen and transparent wings.

The Red Veined Darter or Sympetrum fonscolombii (83p) is It is a common species in southern Europe and from the 1990s onwards has increasingly been found in northwest Europe, including Britain and Ireland.

A rare visitor, spotted in both 2006 and 2007, fuelling speculation that it was breeding at Mannez.

Males have a red abdomen, redder than many other Sympetrum species.

The wings have red veins and the wing bases of the hind-wings are yellow. The pterostigma are pale with a border of black veins and the underside of the eye is blue/grey.The female is similar but the abdomen is yellow, not red, and the wings have yellow veins, not red veins as found in the males. (Resources: Alderney Post, Wikipedia)

LiveJournal Tags: Dragonfly,Alderney,Common Darter,Red Veined Darter,Black-tailed Skimmer,Brown Hawker,Blue-tailed Damselfly,Emperor Dragonfly

Giants of New Zealand

2011-11-04T07:21:00.001+07:00

On year 2009, New Zealand Post celebrate the unique natural heritage with a “larger than life” illustrated issue, features five giant animal stamps, 28 % larger than normal stamps.

New Zealand’s biodiversity is one of the most unusual on Earth, owing to the lengthy isolation from other continents. Consequently the fauna reflect this uniqueness, envolving into distinctive and often enormous native birds, such as the giant moa and the giant eagle, archaic insects like the giant weta and mammoth ocean dwellers including the colossal squid and Southern right whale.

Giant Weta is species of weta in the genus Deinacrida of the family Anostostomatidae which has ten-centimetre-long and its horror-movie looks. Its a peaceful creature, eating mostly leaves, flowers and fruit. Most of Giant Weta are endangered and survives mainly on protected islands.

Giant wetas are endemic to New Zealand, and are examples of island gigantism.

Giant Eagle is the world’s largest eagle, believed to have become extinct around the same time as the Giant moa.

Southern Right Whale is a favourite of early whalers owing to their size and slow speed, southern right whales were easier to catch and yielded more oil than other whales.

Hence, the early settlers described this giant species as the right whale. It rightly earns a spot as a Giant of New Zealand in this collection.

The Colossal Squid with its formidable tentacles equipped with sharp, swivelling hooks, comes from the depths of the southern oceans. Historically captured by a New Zealand fishing boat of Antarctica in 2007.

Believed to have become extinct around 500 years ago, the South Island Giant Moa was the tallest bird ever, with some reaching a massive three metres in height.

LiveJournal Tags: New zealand 1990,Giant animal,Giant moa,Giant eagle,Colossal squid,Southern right whale,fauna

Chinese Alligator

2011-11-02T10:29:00.002+07:00

Estonia Post has issued the stamp features very rare crocodilian which bred in Tallinn zoo on October 4, 2001.This issue only one stamp and have marked zoo on the top corner and first day cover as seen on the bottom.

A smallish and very rare crocodilian living only on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is estimated that there are no more than 300 - 400 Chinese alligators living in the wild.

Besides local protective actions for the survival of the species the support of captive breeding programmes in zoos throughout the world is needed. Breeding the Chinese alligator, a number of zoos, among them Tallinn Zoo, have joined their efforts under the leadership of the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York.

LiveJournal Tags: Estonia,Chinese Alligator,tallinn zoo

Australian Wildflowers - 2007

2011-11-02T07:56:00.001+07:00

There are some 18,000 species of flowering plants native to Australia, grouped in about 200 families. Like the continent's distinctive fauna, the flora has evolved in isolation for 50 million years, and many plants and flowers are found nowhere else on earth. On February 13, 2007 , these stamps issued as the third issue in the Australian Wildflowers series.

Tasmanian Christmas Bell (Blandfordia punicea) is endemic to Tasmania. Its leaves are narrow and linear to one metre in length and one centimetre in width. It flowers in summer, with tubular, waxy clusters at the end of a stout stem up to one metre in length. Its flowers are up to four centimetres long and two centimetres wide, and it prefers moist acid soils in heathlands.

The Green Spider Flower (Grevillea mucronulata) is widespread from coast to mountains, in open forest and woodlands in New South Wales. Flowering in winter and spring, it is a spreading shrub to 2.5 metres high with reddish branches.

The flowers are green and in spider-like racemes about five centimetres across. Each flower has a hairy, dark purplish-red style to two centimetres long with a green tip.

Sturt’s Desert Rose or Gossypium sturtianum is wildflower that widespread in the dry inland regions of mainland Australia. Flowering most of the year, it is found mainly in rocky gullies but also on sand plains. The hibiscus-like flower is a delicate lilac with a red throat spot.

The bush is an erect, open shrub growing up to two metres high and its hairless, blue-green leaves are scented when crushed. The plants are perennial and live for about 10 years. Sturt’s Desert Rose is the floral emblem of the Northern Territory.

Phebalium whitei is the yellow-flowering shrub which is restricted to the granite outcrops of border ranges in Queensland. This spreading and open shrub reaches one metre in height and flowers in spring. It has brownish branch- lets which bear conspicuous clusters of one to six flowers and rusty-coloured buds.

LiveJournal Tags: wildflower,Australia,Phebalium whitei,Sturt’s Desert Rose,Green Spider Flower,Tasmanian Christmas Bell,flora

Young Animals - Cricetus Cricetus

2011-10-22T07:36:00.001+07:00

The Postal Administration of the Czech Republic issued a single stamp features the young animal, the European hamster or Cricetus Cricetus on June 15, 2011 .

The European hamster (Cricetus Cricetus) is a species of hamsters relative to voles and have prominent distinguishes are a medium-sized, stout-bodied animal with short legs. The tail is short and furred.Unlike a marmot, the European hamster is more colourful, with yellow to orange brown dorsal fur with black ends, and a dark brown to black chest and belly. The top head fur is reddish, with white or yellow patches behind the ears and on the nose (and on the front legs). The animal changes its rather thick coat colour once a year.

The European hamster is a nocturnal species. It is an excellent runner and jumper. It lives in separate burrows, consisting of tunnels 6-8 cm in diameter, nesting chamber, hibernating chamber, food and storage chambers and droppings chamber. It can burrow as deep as 2 meters in winter months when it hibernates. The European hamster's diet consists of grains, seeds, plants, insects and baby young nesting birds.

It is native to a large area extending from south-west Siberia (the Yenisey river) to Belgium and north-east France. It started spreading from its original habitat on steppes into central Europe during the extensive deforestation period, significantly earlier than marmots; its remains were found on neolithic archaeological sites dating back some 6-7 thousand years.

In the Czech Republic it lives in an open landscape. The population has been steadily increasing, reaching very high levels in some regions (around the Labe River, in south Moravia, etc.), although its occurrence in areas more than 500-600 meters above the sea level is rather rare.

del.icio.us Tags: European hamster,Czech Republic,Cricetus cricetus

“WHITE - TAILED SEA EAGLE”

2011-10-20T07:31:00.001+07:00

On October 08, 2011, Lithuania Post issued a single stamp features the White-tailed Sea Eagle as member of the Red Book of Lithuanian. The stamp has designed by I.Balakauskaitė.

The White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), also known as the Sea Eagle, is the largest bird of prey breeding in Lithuania, the first nest of which was discovered in 1987 in the Čepkeliai Reserve.

The preferred habitats of white-tailed eagles are the forests located close to sea bays, large rivers or lakes, or fish farms. These birds build their nests in the trees growing close to open localities such as marshes in bare soils, woodcutting places, or sites in forests. White-tailed eagles feed on fish, seabirds, and mammals.

At present, the white-tailed eagle is included in The Red List of Threatened Species and The Red List of Lithuania. The main reason for the decrease in the population of species is active economic activities in forests. Also, they supplement the trophy collections of poachers, die as a result of careless perching on utility poles or affected by chemical pollutants ingested through prey.

del.icio.us Tags: Lithuania,The White-tailed Eagle

Bush Birds of Norfolk Island

2011-10-17T08:00:00.001+07:00

The Norfolk Island Post issued the stamp series features the bush birds on August 18, 2009. The stamps are designed by Tracey Yager and comprised of 4 single stamps with different of face value.

The Bush birds of Norfolk Island depicted in this issued are The Grey Fantail, The Pacific Robin, The Golden Whistler, and The Sacred Kingfisher. The above mentioned birds are unique to Norfolk Island.

The Grey Fantail on 15 c stamp:

Mainly dark grey plumage, paler below with brownish wings. A delicate white eyebrow, and a white line behind the eye are balanced by the white band around the dark grey throat. Sexes are alike.

The Pacific Robin on 55 c stamp:

The male robin has a bright red breast, black head, back and wings, with contrasting white spots on the head and forewing. The female is subdued brown with a pale wash of apricot on her breast.

The Golden Whistler on $1.40 stamp :

Brown plumage on both the male and female. A soft gold is present all year around the under-tail area, the wing edges and flanks, becoming brighter in breading season. Some birds have a brown and white speckled chin and throat.

The Sacred Kingfisher on $2.05 stamp :

Colour can range from deep dark blue through to blue-green and aquamarine on the wings, head and back with a white collar. The breast may be white or shaded to a creamy buff. Juveniles are darker with a black mottled upper breast. Sexes are alike.

Tulip flower

2011-10-05T05:02:00.002+07:00

The Marshall Islands Postal Service Authority issued six new stamps featuring beautiful tulips on January 11, 2011. The stamps issued in se-tenant and have many colour.

The meaning of tulips is generally perfect love . Like many flowers, different colours of tulips also often carry their own significance. Red tulips are most strongly associated with true love, while purple symbolizes royalty. The meaning of yellow tulips has evolved somewhat, from once representing hopeless love to now being a common expression for cheerful thoughts and sunshine. White tulips are used to claim worthiness or to send a message of forgiveness. Variegated tulips, once among the most popular varieties due to their striking colour patterns, represent beautiful eyes.

Tulip is graceful garden flower that actually an exotic native of Asia Minor. The first bulbs found in Europe came to Vienna, Austria, from Constantinople in Turkey. A passionate interest in the flower resulted, and by the 17th century the tulip reigned as the most popular flower in many European countries. Tulips became so highly-prized that prices were sent soaring and markets crashing. Tulips are now grown throughout the world, but people still identify cultivated varieties as "Dutch tulips."

Tulip cultivation remains a vital industry in the Netherlands, where hundreds of thousands of cup-shaped flowers herald the advent of spring and the opening of the season's bulb markets.

BuzzNet Tags: flower,tulips,marshall island stamp

Flora 2011 of Armenia

2011-09-23T21:09:00.001+07:00

Armenia Post released the flora-fauna stamp series on February 02, 2011, that features the rare flora of Armenia, Sambucus Tigranii and Fritillaria Armena. The issued stamps designed by S. Azaryan in multicolour and have same nominal value .

Sambucus tigranii, is very rare species and found in the resort of Arzni, Mt Aragaz, and the Ervard Ravine, Armenia. It is endemic to Armenia.A shrub grows along the river gorges, stony slopes, and dry places. It can reach 3 m in height.Sambucus tigranii is a species of plant in the Adoxaceae family and has huge scientific and practical value. It is high decorative plant.

Fritallaria armena is a dwarf species varying from 15-25cm tall with lovely glaucous foliage clustered around a short stem, below a deep garnet bell which shows red highlights in the sunshine. Fritallaria armena is a perennial with whorls of lance-shaped to linear, medium-green leaves reaching only 3 to 6 inches in height. The flowers are borne singular on stalks. They are cup-shaped and more narrow, only 3/4 inches long, pendant, with a checkered, dark purple-brown colour.

BuzzNet Tags: Sambucus tiranii,Fritallaria armena,Armenia,Flora

Jersey Marine Life IX

2011-09-21T21:00:00.002+07:00

The ninth issue in the Marine Life series of Jersey features Squirts and Sponges. The stamps have issued on April 7, 2011 and consist of six single stamps, one souvenir sheet.

Sea squirts, or tunicates, belong to the invertebrates family of marine animals.

Tunicates (Sea squirts), are members of the subphylum Tunicata or Urochordata. Now commonly known as sea squirts and sea pork. They are found from the intertidal zone to the deepest depths, permanently fixed to a surface. Some live individually, others live in groups or colonies.

The species of Squirt and Sponges depicted on stamps are :
37p (LSL), Mint - Gooseberry Sea Squirt
42p (LPL), Mint - Yellow Finger Sponge
50p (UK), Mint - Purse Sponge
60p, Mint - Star Squirt
72p, Mint - Light Bulb Sea Squirt
80p, Mint - Red Sea Squirt.

Sponges, also, known as 'Porifera', meaning 'pore-bearing', draw the water in through a complex of pores and canals. Sponges are animals of the phylum Porifera. Their bodies consist of jelly-like mesophyll sandwiched between two thin layers of cells.
While all animals have un-specialized cells that can transform into specialized cells, sponges are unique in having some specialized cells that can transform into other types, often migrating between the main cell layers and the mesophyll in the process.

Sponges do not have nervous, digestive or circulatory. Instead, most rely on maintaining a constant water flow through their bodies to obtain food and oxygen and to remove wastes, and the shapes of their bodies are adapted to maximize the efficiency of the water flow. (Resources: Wikipedia)

Flickr Tags: Marine Life,Jersey,Sponges,Sea Squirts

Pacific Year of the Coral Reef

2011-09-14T21:44:00.002+07:00

1997, as part of a global campaign has been designated Pacific Year of the Coral Reef. Coral reefs with their immense diversity and myriad of colours are among the most productive and important ecosystems in the world .Coral reefs are home to a huge array of fish, crustaceans, molluscs and worms.Coral reefs are important as a resource to island nations. The increasing pressure on the reef ecosystems however, has made it necessary to implement an awareness campaign to highlight the importance and fragility of coral reefs.

There are over 148 species of hard coral (Sceractinians) and soft coral (Alcyonarians) within the waters of the Fiji Islands. Several species have depicted on the stamps which are issued for commemorating the Pacific Year of the Coral Reef.

63 cents - Pocillopora verrucosa (Ellis and Solander, 1786)

This species has a wide geographic distribution, being found from the Red Sea and Eastern Africa throughout the Pacific.This hard coral is common in the shallow waters of the lagoon and reflect, but occurs as thickly branched colonies in the wave affected areas of the reef slope.Colonies are characterised by branches with small protuberances (verrucae) on them. The branches are thicker and more compact where there is wave action, with a more open appearance in protected areas such as lagoons.

87 cents - Favia rotumana (Gardiner, 1899)

It was hard coral found on the upper reef slopes and in the pools on the flat reef. Its growth form is messy and usually hemispherical or rounded. The corallites are irregular in shape, with the polyps often containing more than one centre or mouth. Its robust growth form makes it resistant to wave action. Tolerance of the environmental variation (turbidity, temperature and salinity fluctuations) in the shallow reef flat zone allow colonisation of a variety of reef habitats. Its range extends from the South China Sea throughout the Eastern Pacific to the Samoas.

$1 - Sinularia sp.

This is soft coral. They can be distinguished from hard corals from their large fleshy colonies, which are soft or leathery in nature without a rock-like skeleton.The living polyp has eight tentacles (Octocorals), for feeding, whereas the hard corals have six or multiples of six (Hexacorals). They are common on the back reef margin of the barrier and inshore on fringing reefs where there is a silt or turbid environment. They are the dominant organism on some reefs, completely covering large areas to the exclusion of all else.

$3 - Dendronephthya sp.

This is the most colourful of soft corals appearing as iridescent reds, pinks and yellows. Their bright colour is due, in part, to the lack of the small, unicellular algae which live in the tissues of most hard and soft corals. As a consequence, the preferred habitat is deeper water, in shaded areas under overhangs and the entrance to caves. They occur on offshore reefs where there is clear water and good circulation. The colonies from branching tree-life colonies where the polyps are borne on the end of the branches. They have prominent skeletal spicules or sclerites which provide defence and give the colony a spiky appearance.

LiveJournal Tags: Coral reef,Fiji

Juniper berry and Crow berry

2011-09-07T06:55:00.001+07:00

On September 01, 2011, the Faroe Islands Post has issued the stamp features the ligneous plants, Juniper berry and Crow berry.These woody plants are part of 400 species of plants that make up the wild flowers of the Faroe Island.

Juniper berry or Common juniper.

The juniper is a low-growing, evergreen shrub and as a dioecious species (has separate the male and female plants). It needles measure approximately 1 cm and have a light, grey-green colour.

The male flower is yellow and oblong with an abundance of staments, meanwhile the female flower is greenish in colour, making it difficult to see. The fruit consist of berry cones that take 2-3 years to mature.

The first year colour of berry cones are green and a deep blue colour in mature (after 3 years).

Juniper tree are low growing and cannot be used as timber. Juniper was used for smoking meat and rope ( made of twisted juniper stems) meanwhile the berries are not actually berries but seed cones, are also used as spice and medication.

Crowberry or Empetrum ningrum

There are two subspecies of crow berry grow in the Faroe Islands: Common crowberry (Empetrum ningrum ningrum) and Mountain crowberry (Empetrum ningrum hermaphroditum).

Common crowberry founds in all the islands, meanwhile Mountain crowberry founds in the island of Streymoy and the southern islands.

The crowberry is a genius of dwarf shrub, an evergreen plant throughout the winter. This species has commonly found in the Faroe Islands growing-well on dry heathland.

Common crowberry is a dioecious species and Mountain crowberry has hermaphrodites flowers. The stem of the common crowberry are low and trailing and the mountain crowberry has more upright stems. The first develop pink flower around April – May and the fruit mature in the glossy black colour around July-August. The distribution of seeds by people and animal (bird) so dispersed over a wide area of the Faroe Islands.(Resources: Bulletin of the Faroe Island Stamps.)

Technorati Tags: Juniper berry,Crow berry,Faroe Islands,Wild flower

Birds of Prey - Cyprus

2011-08-31T07:58:00.002+07:00

On September 25th, 2003, Cyprus Post released the stamps features the Birds of Prey in Cyprus. The species depicted are Imperial Eagle, Eleonora’s Falcon, and Owl. The issued stamps have specific shape, triangular and have differ nominal values.

Eleonora’s falcon

Eleonora's Falcon or (Falco eleonorae) is an elegant bird of prey, 36–42 cm long with an 87-104 cm wingspan. Its long pointed wings, long tail and slim body. Eleonora's Falcon is a medium-sized falcon. It belongs to the hobby group.

This species breeds on islands in the Mediterranean particularly off Greece (where two-thirds of the world's population breeds). This species has a delayed breeding season, in late summer, because it is a specialist hunter of migrating birds which pass through the Mediterranean islands at this time of year. It captures small birds in flight, using its speed and aerobatic skills.

Imperial eagle

Imperial eagle or Aquila heliaca is monotypic species, no subspecies distinguished. Their distinctive are length ranged 72-84 cm, wingspan ranged 180-215 cm, weight ranged 2450-4530 g. Colour of adults are dark brown - almost black - in their body, with the back of head and neck golden. Normally it has two white shoulder patches of variable size, which may lack completely in some individuals. The imperial eagle is a priority species in a number of international conventions.

The distribution range of the species stretches from Central and South-Eastern Europe to Central Asia.The imperial eagle breeds both in mountains and agricultural lowland areas.

The favourite prey of the imperial eagle are daytime-active small to medium size mammals such as the suslik ( Spermophilus citellus ) and the hamster ( Cricetus cricetus ).

Owl

Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 extant bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e.g. the Northern Hawk Owl). Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish. They are found in all regions of the Earth except Antarctica, most of Greenland and some remote islands.

Different species of owls make different sounds; this wide range of calls aids owls in finding mates or announcing their presence to potential competitors, and also aids ornithologists and birders in locating these birds and recognizing species.(Resources : Wikipedia)

Technorati Tags: Cyprus,Imperial eagle,Eleonora falcon,owl,bird of prey

Australia’s Whale

2011-08-11T23:42:00.003+07:00

Australian Post have concerned about the species of Whales, and issued the stamp features that Sperm Whale, Southern Right Whale, Blue Whale, and Humpback Whale on the different nominal value . The stamps have issued on February 17,1982 and designed by Robert and Katrina Ingpen.

The stamp 24c - Sperm Whale

The Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, is a marine mammal species, order Cetacea, a toothed whale (odontocete) having the largest brain of any animal. Sperm whales are the deepest diving whales. The name comes from the milky-white waxy substance, spermaceti, found in the animal's head. Spermaceti found many important uses, such as candles, soap, cosmetics and machine oil.

Sperm whales produce ambergris, a dark, waxy substance (related to cholesterol) that is produced in the lower intestines, and is sometimes found containing squid beaks. Ambergris may help protect the sperm whale from the stings on the giant squid, its major food. Large lumps of ambergris may be vomited up by the sperm whale.

The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale, with adult males measuring up to 20.5 metres long and weighing up to 57,000 kilograms.The sperm whale's distinctive shape comes from its very large head, which is typically one-third of the animal's length. The blowhole is located very close to the front of the head and shifted to the whale's left.This gives rise to a distinctive bushy, forward-angled spray.

The sperm whale's flukes are triangular and very thick. The whale lifts its flukes high out of the water as it begins a dive .Sperm whale teeth are uniform. The teeth in the upper jaw never erupt.

The stamp 35c - Southern Right Whale

The southern right whale or Eubalaena australis is a baleen whale, one of three species classified as right whales belonging to the genus Eubalaena.The right whale's callosities appear white due to large colonies of cyamids (whale lice).Approximately 12,000 southern right whales are spread throughout the southern part of the Southern Hemisphere.

The maximum size of an adult female is 18.5 mand can weigh up to 80 tonnes. The testicles of right whales are likely to be the largest of any animal, each weighing around 500 kg. This suggests that sperm competition is important in the mating process. Right whales cannot cross the warm equatorial waters to connect with the other (sub)species and (inter)breed: their thick layers of insulating blubber make it impossible for them to dissipate their internal body heat in tropical waters.

The stamp 55c - Blue Whale

The blue whale or Balaenoptera musculus is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales .Blue whales are rorqual whales, whales that have pleated throat grooves that allow their throat to expand during the huge intake of water during filter feeding. Blue whales have 50-70 throat grooves that run from the throat to mid-body.

Blue whales are the loudest animals on Earth! Their call reaches levels up to 188 decibels. This low-frequency whistle can be heard for hundreds of miles. The blue whale is louder than a jet, which reaches only 140 decibels!

The blue whale's skin is usually blue-gray with white-gray spots. The underbelly has brown, yellow, or gray specks. They have a very small, falcate (sickle-shaped) dorsal fin that is located near the flukes (tail). Blue whales have long, thin flippers 8 feet long (2.4 m) and flukes that are 25 feet (7.6 m) wide.

Its diet consists almost exclusively of small crustaceans known as krill. Long and slender, the blue whale's body can be various shades of bluish-grey dorsally and somewhat lighter underneath.

The stamp 60c - Humpback Whale

The humpback whale or Megaptera novaeangliae is a species of baleen whale. Adults range in length from 12–16 metres and weigh approximately 36,000 kilograms .The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head.

Humpback whales can easily be identified by their stocky bodies with obvious humps and black dorsal colouring. The head and lower jaw are covered with knobs called tubercles, which are actually hair follicles and are characteristic of the species. The fluked tail, which it lifts above the surface in some dive sequences, has wavy trailing edges.

Technorati Tags: Whale,Australia Post,Blue whale,Humpback whale,Southern right whale,Sperm whale

Migrator Fishes of Portugal

2011-08-07T08:28:00.002+07:00

On 07.04.2011 Portugal Post has issued the stamp series of migrator fishes in two miniature sheet and four single stamps.The migrator fishes are called Diadromous and are classified in two group: Anadromous fish (live mostly in the ocean and breed in the rivers) and Catadromous fish (live in fresh water and breed in the ocean). They migrate from the ocean to the river or reverse during their life cycle.Most of these fish are threatened by extinction.

In Portugal, the main threats are posed by the construction of obstacles to the migration routes (such as dams and dikes), destruction of spawning grounds, overfishing, illegal fishing and widespread pollution.

The disappearance of these species is a major loss for the aquatic biodiversity, with both economic, gastronomic and cultural consequences.

To solve this condition, the action plans have been implementing such as to improve the quality of the aquatic habitats, ensure the continuity of the rivers, rehabilitate the natural breeding grounds, control pollution and gravel removal, re-establish the natural hydrologic systems and carry out a sustainable fishing management.

ANADROMOUS FISH

Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar

Atlantic Salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and (due to human introduction) the north Pacific.Also commercially known as bay salmon, black salmon, caplin-scull salmon, fiddler, grilse, grilt, kelt, landlocked salmon, ouananiche, outside salmon, parr, Sebago salmon, silver salmon, slink, smolt, spring salmon or winnish.

This species’ situation is critical, with less than 250 individuals, most of which consist of a subpopulation of the Minho River.Salmons hatch in the rivers where they remain for roughly two years. They migrate to the ocean and when they reach their sexual maturity they return to the rivers to breed, to the same place where they were born.

Shad, Alosa alosa

The shad, which is an endangered species, can be found in Portugal in the hydrographic basins of the Minho, Vouga, Mondego (that holds the biggest subpopulation), Tagus, Guadiana rivers and, occasionally, in the Douro River.

The juveniles migrate down the rivers to the estuaries, where they grow and mature. At a later stage they migrate to the ocean, where they remain feeding on plankton, returning to the rivers to breed.

River lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis

This is a critically endangered species; in Portugal it can be found in the hydrographic basins of the Douro, Vouga, Mondego, Lis, Ribeiras do Oeste, Tagus and Sado Rivers.

It is a very primitive fish, with a simple cartilaginous skeleton and a toothed, cupping shaped mouth that enables it to feed on the blood of other animals. The adults spawn in fresh water, on the bottom of the rivers, dying shortly afterwards. The juveniles migrate downriver to the estuaries and later out into the ocean where they complete their growth.

CATADROMOUS FISH

European eel, Anguilla anguilla

This endangered species can be found in all the hydrographic basins of the Portuguese Mainland and in the coastal zones of the archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira; it hunts during the night and feeds on crabs, crayfish, molluscs, amphibians and fish eggs. The European Eel spawns in the Sargasso Sea, Northwest of the Caribbean. The larvae cross the ocean in the opposite direction, towards continental waters and complete their maturity in the European rivers, and later, when it is time to breed, they migrate back into the ocean.

Thin-lipped grey mullet, Liza ramada

This species, that is highly adaptable to the variation in salinity, can be found abundantly along the whole Atlantic coast. They move around in large shoals, in coastal waters, estuaries, lakes and rivers where they feed on algae, invertebrates and waste.

At the end of spring the adults and juveniles migrate upriver to freshwater environments. In the fall the adults return to the ocean to breed. The next generation of juveniles enter the estuaries by the end of winter.

Flounder, Platichthys flesus

Present along the whole Portuguese coast, particularly north of the Tagus River, the founder can be found along the littoral shore down to depths of 80 meters; it lives on sandy or muddy bottoms, feeding on small fish and invertebrate. When they reach sexual maturity (four years in the case of the females or three years in the case of the males), they migrate to the ocean to breed, in the winter and beginning of spring. The juveniles enter the estuary in the spring and beginning of the summer.(Resources: Portugal Post, Wikipedia.)

Mandarin Goby

2011-07-29T22:49:00.002+07:00

On June 1, 2010, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issued a new stamp featuring the Mandarin Goby. Part of a family of fish known as dragonets, the spectacular Mandarin Goby, also known as the Mandarin fish, possesses a scale less body covered with an intricate pattern of many hues.

The Mandarin Goby, has the latin name is Synchiropus splendidus, is a small, brightly-colored member of the dragonet family, which is popular in the saltwater aquarium trade. The mandarin fish is native to the Pacific, ranging approximately from the Ryukyu Islands south to Australia.In the Marshall Islands, where several species of Mandarin fish live, these attractive creatures inhabit the islands' plethora of shallow lagoons and inshore reefs.

The Mandarin Goby's name comes from its brilliantly vivid colours, evoking the robes of an Imperial Chinese mandarin. Its unique coloration makes this fish a very popular addition to private aquariums throughout the world, although its finicky eating habits can make it difficult to keep. It feeds primarily on small crustaceans and other invertebrates.

Mandarin Goby are reef dwellers, preferring sheltered lagoons and inshore reefs. While they are slow-moving and fairly common within their range, they are not easily seen due to their bottom-feeding habit and their small size (reaching only about 6 cm).

Technorati Tags: mandarin goby,marshall Islands

Nudibranchs of Vanuatu

2011-07-13T06:14:00.001+07:00

On October 8, 2008, Vanuatu Post issued the stamp features the jewels of sea, Nudibranch. The stamp issued in one miniature sheet consist of 12 single stamps which each stamp depicts species of nudibranchs and composed in one beautiful colour scene of bottom the sea

The 3,000-plus known nudibranch species are possibly the most colourful creatures on earth. In the course of evolution, these “sea slugs” have lost their shell developing other defence mechanisms. Nudibranchs are blind to their own beauty, their tiny eyes discerning little more than light and dark. Instead the animals smell, taste and feel via oral tentacles. Chemical signals help them track food—not just coral and sponges but barnacles, eggs, or small fish - and other nudibranchs.

As members of the gastropod class, and more broadly the molluscs, they live fully exposed at virtually all depths of salt water, their gills forming tufts on their backs. Varying in adult size from just 20 to 600mm, they reach their greatest size and variation in warm, shallow waters and are found extensively on Vanuatu’s many reefs. Hermaphroditic, nudibranchs have both male and female organs and can fertilise one another, an ability that speeds the search for mates and doubles reproductive success.

Nudibranchs are carnivorous. Some feed on sponges, others on coral animals (hydroids) and some are cannibals, eating other sea slugs, or, on some occasions, members of their own species. There is also a group that feeds on barnacles and occasionally anemones. Some nudibranchs rely on enzymes, rather than teeth, to break down prey. In turn they are also the prey of certain fish, sea spiders, turtles, sea stars, a few crabs.

They are well equipped to defend themselves however. Tough-skinned, bumpy and abrasive, some are able to camouflage, however, others have bright colouring making them highly visible. This warns they are distasteful or poisonous. Nudibranchs hoard capsules of tightly coiled stingers, called nematocysts, and automatically release a sour liquid from the skin when touched. .(Resources: Vanuatu Post)

LiveJournal Tags: Nudibranch,Vanuatu

Tropical Fish I

2011-07-10T15:34:00.003+07:00

On May 12, 2008, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issued stamps featuring colourful Tropical Fish , i.e: the Common Longnose Butterflyfish, the Longfin Bannerfish and the Emperor Butterflyfish. Featuring artwork by noted artist Gordon Drummond.

The $0.94 stamp depicts the Common Longnose Butterflyfish. The Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish lives alone, in pairs or in small groups consisting of less than six individuals. Adult fish usually live in pairs. The Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish has a bright yellow body adorned with a black eye-spot on the anal fin (close to the caudal peduncle). The head is black above and silvery-white below. Over the eye, you can see a disruptive black bar.The Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish inhabits the Indo-Pacific and Eastern Pacific. In the Indo-Pacific, the species is found from East Africa and the Red Sea to Hawaii and the Easter Islands . Northwards, their range proceeds up to southern Japan.

The $4.80 stamp depicts the Longfin Bannerfish. The Longfin bannerfish has a white and black striped body. The stripes or bands are wide and vertical. The dorsal fin is extremely elongated extending upwards and then backwards. It ends far behind the tail fin. The tailfin is yellow.The "Poor Man's Moorish Idol" or Longfin bannerfish is suitable for community tanks with other peaceful species. They should not be kept with aggressive species.The Longfin bannerfish originates from Indo Pacific Ocean. It can be found from the coast of east Africa in the Indian Ocean to the Society Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The northern distribution limit is located in southern Japan and the southern distribution limit is situated at Lord Howe Island.

The $ 16.50 stamp depicts the Emperor Butterflyfish.The latin name is Chaetodontoplus mesoleucos. This species is belong of the genus Chaetodontoplus.The alternate common name is Red sea butterflyfish. Found singly or in pairs in coral rich areas of coastal reefs and lagoons.They feed on sponges, algae and benthic invertebrates.The length of body is 18 cm .They live in depth of the sea ranges from 2 – 20 m and wide spread in the Asian Pacific .

LiveJournal Tags: Emperor butterflyfish,Longfin Bannerfish,Common Longnose butterflyfish,Tropical fish,Marshall Islands

Tropical Fish II

2011-07-10T08:24:00.001+07:00

On June 24, 2008, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issues two new stamps each on its own sheet featuring colourful Tropical Fish, the Threadfin Butterflyfish and the Copperband Butterflyfish. Featuring artwork by noted artist Gordon Drummond.

The US$ .42 stamp shown the Threadfin Butterflyfish .The Threadfin Butterflyfish, Chaetodon auriga, is a species of butterflyfish (family Chaetodontidae). It is found in the Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea and eastern Africa to the Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Ducie islands, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe Island and Rapa Iti, at depths of between 1 and 35 m.Length is up to 23 cm. Chaetodon auriga has a neck patch of ascending and a belly patch of descending oblique dark lines.

The US$ .27 stamp shown the Copperband Butterflyfish. The Copperband Butterflyfish, or Chelmon rostratus, also commonly called the Beak Coralfish, is found in reefs in both the Pacific and Indian Oceans. This butterflyfish is one of the three species in the genus Chelmon, all being known for having longer beaks.These fish are easily identified by the yellow banding and long snout, juveniles being similar to adults. They grow up to 20 cm in length.Found at depths of 1-25 metres either singly or in pairs, forming monogamous pairs during breeding. They are usually found on coral reefs or rocky shorelines, and also in estuaries and silty inner reefs. This species is territorial and oviparous

LiveJournal Tags: tropical fish,Marshall Islands,threadfin butterflyfish,Copperband butterflyfish

Massena’s Lorikeet

2011-07-09T06:53:00.002+07:00

The Rainbow Lorikeet, through 21 different races is found throughout Indonesia, New Guinea, the Solomons and parts of Australia. Massena’s Lorikeet or Trichoglossus haematodus massena listed as a sub-species of the Rainbow Lorikeet, also known as the Coconut Lory and in Bislama – Nasiviru. Massena is found only in the Bismarck Archipelago (near New Guinea), the Solomons and throughout Vanuatu except Futuna and Lopevi.

Growing to around 250mm including a 100mm tail, these striking coloured lories are mainly bright green with a red breast, bluish-mauve head and red-orange beak. Plumage is overall green, green wings, tail, neck, back and underbelly.

Chest is orange/red with thin green to black horizontal barring and sometimes some yellow areas in the chest plumage. Head is blue with lighter blue streak feathers moving backwards to a chocolate brown with lighter brown streaks. Eyes are orange, brown in juveniles.

They frequent flowering trees but their movements are usually erratic as they travel, even between islands, in search of food.Living primarily in wooded habitat in lowland areas, they are sometimes found in steep terrain where favourite trees or shrubs are flowering. They prefer habitat other than true forest or mangroves however and are found in trees bordering watercourses surrounding paddocks, in suburban gardens and in nearly every coconut plantation.

The nectar and pollen from these coconut palm flowers form their staple diet and in return the lories are important pollinators of these trees. Other sources of food include the Indian Coral tree, the African Tulip tree and the Sago palm. They also enjoy the soft fruit of the Panama Cherry tree and ripening fruit from domestic orchards. Maize and sorghum crops are also targeted.

When alarmed while feeding, these generally noisy and active lories will remain motionless in the trees and turn their backs on the intruder in camouflage while eyeing them over their shoulder. They generally travel in pairs or small flocks and are identified by their bright colours, and shrill chatter. The flight of these parrots is swift with rapid wing beats. They are agile when flying short distances through the forest canopy while for longer flights they fly high. The Massena’s Lorikeet is listed in the Cites Appendix II as endangered and may need measures taken in Vanuatu, for their future protection.(Resources: Vanuatu Post, Wikipedia)

LiveJournal Tags: Massena's Lorikeet,Vanuatu