Australia’s Whale

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 m and 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.

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Migrator Fishes of Portugal

 

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

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).

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Nudibranchs of Vanuatu

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)

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Tropical Fish I

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

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

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

Clematis Flower of Guernsey

In 1985 Raymond Evison OBE, VMH, founded the Guernsey Clematis Nursery. The nursery has grown rapidly in recent years and is now the leading producer of young clematis plants in the world.

Clematis now follows behind other crops that have upheld the tradition in horticulture on the island of Guernsey. The clematis featured in this Guernsey stamps have all been bred or developed in Guernsey by Raymond Evison.

Rosemoor Evipo002 has distinctive reddish purple flowers with contrasting yellow anthers. The large flowers are borne from May to September and it is an ideal plant for growing with other wall trained trees and shrubs.

Blue Moon Evirin launched at the 1997 Chelsea Flower Show in conjunction with EMI, the record label company. Marvellous wavy edges to the whitish/blue sepals.

Wisley Evipo001 is a modern day jackmanii type named after the RHS famous garden. It produces a mass of bluish medium sized flowers. Outstanding for growing with roses.

Arctic Queen Evitwo is remarkable free flowering white double clematis flowering for most of the summer months .It produces a stunning plant when in flower, grown in a container or through an evergreen wall trained shrub

Harlow Carr Evipo004 named after the RHS northern-most garden is extremely free flowering from early summer onwards. The  produced four sepal, each width of 3”,  deep purple en-mass making it ideal for growing with roses or ground cover.

Liberation Evifive named in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the Channel Islands from wartime occupation. This clematis has dramatic deep pink reddish large flowers.

Royal Velvet Evifour has deep purple flowers born in abundance during late spring early summer. An ideal container plant or for growing with grey foliage shrubs.

Guernsey Cream, raised from the species clematis patens from China, is very free flowering in the late spring early summer and is very winter hardy. Fully rounded cream flowers.

Josephine Evijohill discovered by Josephine Hill in England and developed in Guernsey has remarkable full double pinkish mauve flowers. A great plant for growing in a container.

Hyde Hall Evipo009 selected for its compact early summer free flowering habit. A superb plant for the patio or the small town garden. Large white flowers suffused with pink with occasion green highlights.

LiveJournal Tags: Clematis,Guernsey Flower

Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey

Guernsey Post has been issued the stamp series features the endangered species, the Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey on January 29, 2004.The Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey lives in the mountainous regions of south-western China and is at the top of the state protection list along with the Giant Panda. 

Breeding in captivity has, however, been successful and it is hoped that new babies will be the beginning of a successful conservation programme for the animal. The adult and sub-adult golden snub-nosed monkey is sexually dimorphic. Adult males ,was estimated at over 7 years of age, have large bodies covered with very long, golden guard hairs on their backs and cape area. The crest is medium brown while the back, crown to nape, arms and outer thighs are deep brown.

The Golden Monkey has a big soft blue muzzle, bare bluish skin around the eyes and the feature that gives them their name, a small turned up nose. The Golden snub-nosed monkey is found in groups ranging in size from 5-10 individuals to bands of about 600.

The Golden snub-nosed monkey eats (from greatest to least in amount) lichens, young leaves, fruits or seeds, buds, mature leaves, herbs, bark, and flowers. This diet varies from season to season, showing a correlation once again between food availability and home range.

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Fungi of Alderney

What most people want to know about any fungus is “Can I eat it?” . There is small group of poisonous fungi, of which only a few species will be fatal, and a larger group of edible fungi, some more delicious than others. Another group is “inedible” but is not poisonous.There is no easy test to discover the fungus is toxic or not.

There are around 300 different species of fungi in Alderney. Their majority are doing no harm as they decompose and recycle organic matter, and many are very beautiful in appearance.

Sulphur Tuft (Hypholoma fasciculare) ,22p.

This fungi  has a sulphurous yellow cap and stem, but look underneath and the gills are a dull grey colour. It grows in clumps on dead tree stumps, and is rather toxic, though not deadly. Apparently, it tastes extremely bitter, which will hopefully put you off.

Orange Peel Fungus, Aleuria aurantia (27p),

This fungi belongs to a group called the”cup fungi”. Little orange saucer-shaped fruits  wood are found on damp, bare ground, such as little-used paths. The spores are released form the upper surface. It is not poisonous, but rather small, although it can occur in large numbers, and is used by some as a garnish, to add colour to a dish.

Shinning Ink Cap, Coprinus micaceus (36p),

A small golden-brown mushroom, often with glistening flecks on the cap. The gills beneath are dark purple-black, and the whole fungus eventually turns this colour as it rots away. It grows in clumps on dead wood, and is edible, but rather small, and tends to disintegrate in the pan.

Giant Puffball, Langermannia gigantea (40p).

This fungi is large white puff-ball can grow up to 80 cm in diameter. It occours mostly in grassland, sometimes hidden under nettles or brambles. It is quite common in Alderney, and is very good to eat, as long as it is still firm and  white inside. Slice it like a loaf of bread and fry.

Parasol, Macrolepiota procera (45p)

A tall cream to pale brown mushroom with a thick ring on the stem, and a flaky cap.It also grows in grassland, often near the coast, and on the cliffs in Alderney. The cap is excellent eating, the stem is a little coarse, but can be used in stock.

Candle Snuff Fungus, Xylaria hypoxylon (65p)

Black, cylindrical, anti-shaped fruit bodies with white tips, again growing on deadwood. This one belongs to the inedible group- it is almost as hard as wood. It can be found all the year round, and is very common.

Herons of The Reef

On February  9, 2007, Vanuatu Post released the fauna stamp, features Herons of the reef. It was interestingly seen in two different colour phases in Vanuatu – the white form has pure white plumage and yellow/brown/olive face, bill and legs. The dark form is slate-grey to brownish-black with a thin white stripe on the throat. The white form is the more rare version of the two types.

The stamp issued are one miniature sheet consist of 5 single stamps depicts their lives and the First Day Cover depicts their habitat in the background picture.

They inhabit rocky coasts and reefs but are also found around sea cliffs, mangroves and mud flats. They are found alone or in pairs and are strongly territorial in defending their foraging areas. Stalking gracefully through the shallows, they feed mainly at the intertidal zone (sometimes at night) and take small crabs, crustaceans, and small fish as well as frogs, lizards and insects. Canopy feeding, (where a heron’s wings form a parasol to provide shade and assist fishing) is common in herons but not in this species.

The nesting season is usually February to July and the adults nest in coastal trees as well as in bushes on the rocky shore and on the ground. The nest is made of sticks and twigs and often becomes bulky over a number of years. two or three pale blue eggs are laid and the chicks are sparsely covered with down. Fledging takes around 5-6 weeks.

The heron grows in length to around 50cm and is widespread throughout the Pacific but is found mainly on the western seaboard from Japan to Burma, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.

Reef Shells of Vanuatu

Vanuatu Post has focused on twelve hard-shell specimens in this issue, to highlight the importance of shells in the marine environment, and in particular those that inhabit the reefs and shallow coastal waters of the archipelago.

Molluscs belong to the phylum Mollusca which is divided into six classes – Amphineura (chitons), Monoplacophora (gastroverms or limpet-like shells), Scaphopoda (tusk shells), Gastropoda (limpets, whelks etc), Bivalvia (cockles, mussels, clams etc) and Cephalopoda (squid, nautilus etc)

Feeding is generally by taking in microscopic vegetable or animal particles that are suspended in water or lying on or just below the sea floor. The warm, clear waters of Vanuatu are ideal for the shells illustrated to thrive, and the coral reefs provide an environment, which has plenty of food.

The shells are colourful through pigmentation at the mantle secretion stage and can vary greatly. Those found in tropical waters tend to be more colourful than those in colder waters. Distribution is controlled by elements of climate, temperature, currents and water depth.The reef shells of Vanuatu are both beautiful and fascinating.

Whales of Southern Ocean

 

There are two groups of modern whale: the filter-feeding baleen whales, and the echo-locating toothed whales. Three families of baleen whale are represented in the Southern Ocean (rorqual, right whale and pygmy right whale), and five families of toothed whale (sperm whale, diminutive sperm whale, beaked whale, dolphin and porpoise). 

These fascinating mammals are the focus of the Ross Dependency 2010 stamp issue. Consisting of five large stamps (50mm x 30mm) with differ face value and one miniature sheet.

60c - Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus
At up to 18 metres long for males and 12 metres for females, the sperm whale is the largest toothed predator on Earth and probably the most abundant of the large whales. Sperm whales are characterised by their substantial rectangular heads, and have the biggest brains on the planet, weighing in at a hefty 9.5 kilograms.

$1.20 - Minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata and B. Bonarensis
The minke whale is the smallest of the rorquals owing to its sharply pointed head, and is often called the ‘little piked whale’. There are two species of minke whale in the Southern Ocean: the Antarctic minke and the dwarf minke. The dwarf minke reaches about eight metres in length and has a distinctive white patch across the flipper.

$1.90 - Sei whale Balaenoptera borealis
The sei whale gets its name from the Norwegian word seje, a small fish that was considered the whale’s preferred prey by Norwegian whalers. The sei whale was regarded by whalers as the sleekest and fastest of all the rorquals. Unlike the other rorquals, sei whales prefer to skim feed at the surface by swimming along with their mouths open.

$2.40 - Killer whale Orcinus orca
Killer whales, sometimes called orca, are toothed whales and the largest members of the dolphin family. They are highly distinctive with their black and white colour patterns, white eye patches and conspicuous dorsal fins. Killer whales are remarkable hunters and are sometimes referred to as the wolves of the sea.

$2.90 - Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae
The humpback whale is famous for its acrobatic leaps and remarkable songs. They reach about 17 metres in length and are easily recognised with their long, narrow flippers. The Southern Ocean humpbacks differ from those of the north Pacific by having considerably more white on their flippers and on the undersides of the throat and belly.

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Cats on the Faroes

Cats have lived around people for many thousands of years, and are the world's most popular pets. They're also the most popular pets on the Faroes. Therefore the Faroes Post has issued the stamp features the cats to call everyone to remind it on February 21, 2011. The stamps are issued in two single stamp with differ face value depicted beautiful cats.  One reason that cats are so popular is that they fit in readily with a modern lifestyle.

Cats don't need much care, can be left on their own, and pretty much look after themselves. A cat sat on the widow sill watching something or other with its large almond-shaped eyes for hours at a time is a familiar image. Cat owners have often speculated as to what the cat finds so interesting and what it is that only it can see outside.

The Faroese domestic cat is a small animal that is little different to wild cats. It's happiest when eating, sleeping and playing. It can stand high temperatures, loves the sun and the night and is clean and agile, which it is why it is said that it always lands on its feet. The domestic cat is a mixed race. Its hair is short and often features several patterns and colours - normally including white. The most common colouration is black and white, although tabby cats and brown cats are also common. Plus, they can be any thing from one colour to many or be striped. The majority of pure-bred cats on the Faroes are long-haired, such as the Norwegian Forest Cat, Birman, Maine Coon and Persian.