theluciddreamer's Favorites

Narwhal adopted by a group of Belugas. Individual known to the authorities who has been visiting the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park for several years. Observed by sheer luck from the ferry L'HERITAGE I on the crossing between Trois-Pistoles and Les Escoumins.

Aleutian Fox
Blue Phase of the Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus)
Eareckson Air Station, Shemya Island, Aleutians, Alaska, USA

Arctic Foxes were introduced by Russian fur traders as early as 1750 to neighbouring Attu and in 1775 to Shemya. Arctic Foxes were (re-)introduced to Shemya (by Aleuts from Attu?) in 1911 using stock from the Commander Islands (Bering Island, Medny Island). Shemya became a 'fur farm' that was occasionally visted for fox trapping. Today the foxes remain as they reduce the presence ofbreeding Alaskan geese, which could cause bird strikes with aircraft taking off from Eareckson AS. The foxes are habituated to the presence of humans. while feeding them is prohibited, their behaviour indicates that this occurs/-ed.
Shemya is one the Semichi Islands, which belong to the Near Island Group of the Aleutians,

© Dirk HR Spennemann 2010, All Rights Reserved

Description :

This lovely stray feline was exhibiting sectoral heterochromatism (or dichromatic eyes). The genes responsible for melanin production are the cause of this beautiful effect. It is most often seen in white or tuxedo-colored cats. This individual also exhibited deafness; white cats have a higher risk of genetic cochlear degeneration.

Habitat:

Back porch surrounded by mixed hardwoods and a honeysuckle/muscadine vine.

We ultimately ended up fostering this kitty for a couple of weeks before someone adopted her!

One of the reasons why I find the entire wild/captive dichotomy on here somewhat arbitrary is that organisms interact with their environment whether or not they also have human contact. Its not like the squirrel or jay could, if the cat leaps, remind them that it has its "Captive/Cultivated" box checked.

This feral cat was caught on a farm in the Matau South area and is typical of the ones that we've been catching out at Uruti. All of them have a very short tail. Most of the domestic cats that I've seen have much longer tails so we were wondering why all the feral cats in this area have such short tails... any ideas?

There are actually 4 feral kittens (kittens last year, but technically adults now) who hunt out in the field. I usually only see one or two at a time, and at most 3, but the video showed 4 walking by. The first and last ones look very similar so I must have assumed they were the same cat. I added side by side comparisons of the two similar looking kittens and also between the similar kittens with another feral cat that also frequents the field. This cat looks very similar to one of the young cats, but the tail striping is different. It also looks bigger and older.