Posted on 08/30/2024 4:01:03 AM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com
"Russians record a video accusing Putin of treason, demanding his resignation" Kanal13 1.66M subscribers 8-30-2024 2:30 a.m. Minutes 6:08 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgnjPv8BWww
ARTICLE
Giraffes are cool.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giraffe
The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus Giraffa. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes have been thought of as one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, with nine subspecies. Most recently, researchers proposed dividing them into four extant species due to new research into their mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, and individual species can be distinguished by their fur coat patterns. Seven other extinct species of Giraffa are known from the fossil record.
The giraffe’s distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, horn-like ossicones, and spotted coat patterns. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. Its scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and woodlands. Their food source is leaves, fruits, and flowers of woody plants, primarily acacia species, which they browse at heights most other ground-based herbivores cannot reach.
Lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and African wild dogs may prey upon giraffes. Giraffes live in herds of related females and their offspring or bachelor herds of unrelated adult males but are gregarious and may gather in large groups. Males establish social hierarchies through “necking”, combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon. Dominant males gain mating access to females, which bear sole responsibility for rearing the young.
The giraffe has intrigued various ancient and modern cultures for its peculiar appearance and has often been featured in paintings, books, and cartoons. It is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as vulnerable to extinction. It has been extirpated from many parts of its former range. Giraffes are still found in many national parks and game reserves, but estimates as of 2016 indicate there are approximately 97,500 members of Giraffa in the wild. More than 1,600 were kept in zoos in 2010.
The name “giraffe” has its earliest known origins in the Arabic word zarāfah (زرافة),[2] ultimately from Persian زُرنَاپَا (zurnāpā), a compound of زُرنَا (zurnā, “flute, zurna”) and پَا (pā, “leg”).[3][4] In early Modern English the spellings jarraf and ziraph were used, probably directly from the Arabic,[5] and in Middle English jarraf and ziraph, gerfauntz. The Italian form giraffa arose in the 1590s. The modern English form developed around 1600 from the French girafe.[2]
“Camelopard” /kəˈmɛləˌpɑːrd/ is an archaic English name for the giraffe; it derives from the Ancient Greek καμηλοπάρδαλις (kamēlopárdalis), from κάμηλος (kámēlos), “camel”, and πάρδαλις (párdalis), “leopard”, referring to its camel-like shape and leopard-like colouration.
Fully grown giraffes stand 4.3–5.7 m (14–19 ft) tall, with males taller than females.[47] The average weight is 1,192 kg (2,628 lb) for an adult male and 828 kg (1,825 lb) for an adult female.[48] Despite its long neck and legs, its body is relatively short.[49]: 66 The skin is mostly gray[48] or tan,[50] and can reach a thickness of 20 mm (0.79 in).[51]: 87 The 80–100 cm (31–39 in) long[37] tail ends in a long, dark tuft of hair and is used as a defense against insects.
I agree!
She’s a Ukie Charlatan.
By Bob Strauss
Updated on October 09, 2019
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest lizard on the face of the Earth today. An ancient species of reptile, it first appeared on the planet more than 100 million years ago—though it was not known to Western science until 1912. Prior to that time, it was known in the West only through rumors of dragon-like lizard living in the Lesser Sunda Islands of the Pacific.
Fast Facts: Komodo Dragon
Scientific Name: Varanus komodoensis
Common Name(s): Komodo dragon, Komodo monitor
Basic Animal Group: Reptile
Size: 6 to 10 feet
Weight: 150–360 pounds
Lifespan: Up to 30 years
Diet: Carnivore
Habitat: Specific Indonesian islands
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Description
Full-grown Komodo dragons typically grow to six to 10 feet and can weigh 150 pounds—though individual specimens can be as heavy as 350 pounds. They are dull brown, dark grey, or reddish in color, while juveniles are green with yellow and black stripes.
Komodo dragons are massive and powerful-looking with bowed legs and muscular tails. Their heads are long and flat, and their snouts are rounded. Their scaly skin is usually a combination of sand-color and gray, providing good camouflage. When in motion, they roll back and forth; at the same time, their yellow tongues flick in and out of their mouths.
Komodo Dragon Portrait close up - Komodo Island, Indonesia
Jamie Lamb - elusive-images.co.uk/Getty Images
Habitat and Distribution
Komodo dragons have the smallest home range of any large predator: They live on certain small Indonesian islands of the Lesser Sunda group, including Rintja, Padar, Gila Motang, and Flores, and Komodo, in habitats ranging from beaches to forests to ridge tops.
Diet and Behavior
Komodo dragons will eat almost any kind of meat, including both live animals and carrion. Smaller, younger dragons eat small lizards, snakes, and birds, while adults prefer monkeys, goats, and deer. They are also cannibalistic.
These lizards are the apex predators of their Indonesian island ecosystems; they occasionally capture live prey by hiding in vegetation and ambushing their victims, although they usually prefer to scavenge already-dead animals. (In fact, the giant size of the Komodo dragon can be explained by its island ecosystem: Like the long-extinct Dodo Bird, this lizard has no natural predators.)
Komodo dragons have good vision and adequate hearing, but rely mostly on their acute sense of smell to detect potential prey; these lizards are also equipped with long, yellow, deeply-forked tongues and sharp serrated teeth, and their rounded snouts, strong limbs, and muscular tails also come in handy when targeting their dinner (Not to mention when dealing with others of their own kind: When Komodo dragons encounter one another in the wild, the dominant individual, usually the largest male, prevails.) Hungry Komodo dragons have been known to run at speeds topping 10 miles per hour, at least for short stretches, making them some of the fastest lizards on the planet.
Reproduction and Offspring
The Komodo dragon mating season spans the months of July and August. In September, the females dig egg chambers, in which they lay clutches of up to 30 eggs. The mom-to-be covers her eggs with leaves and then lies over the nest to warm the eggs until they hatch, which requires an unusually long gestation period of seven or eight months.
The newborn hatchlings are vulnerable to predation by birds, mammals, and even adult Komodo dragons; for this reason the young scamper up into trees, where an arboreal lifestyle provides them refuge from their natural enemies until they are large enough to defend themselves.
Conservation Status
Komodo dragons are listed as Vulnerable. According to the San Diego Zoo’s website:
“One study estimated the population of Komodo dragons within Komodo National Park to be 2,405. Another study estimated between 3,000 and 3,100 individuals. On the much larger island of Flores, which is outside the National Park, the number of dragons has been estimated from 300 to 500 animals.”
While the population is more or less stable, Komodo habitat is continuing to shrink due to increasing human encroachment.
Komodo Dragon Venom
There has been some controversy about the presence of venom, or the lack of it, in the Komodo dragon’s saliva. In 2005, researchers in Australia suggested that Komodo dragons (and other monitor lizards) have mildly venomous bites, which can result in swelling, shooting pains, and disruption of blood clotting, at least in human victims; however, this theory has yet to be widely accepted. There’s also the possibility that the saliva of Komodo dragons transmits harmful bacteria, which would breed on the rotting bits of flesh wedged between this reptile’s teeth. This wouldn’t make the Komodo dragon anything special, though; for decades there has been speculation about the “septic bites” inflicted by meat-eating dinosaurs!
Sources
“Komodo Dragon.” National Geographic, 24 Sept. 2018, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/k/komodo-dragon/.
“Komodo Dragon.” San Diego Zoo Global Animals and Plants, animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/komodo-dragon.
“Komodo Dragon.” Smithsonian’s National Zoo, 9 July 2018, nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/komodo-dragon.
There is nothing wrong in supporting and informing about anything that has to do with our close ally Ukraine.
Ukraine’s enemy is the “Russia-IRAN-North Korea-Alliance”.
That alliance happens to be America’s traditional enemy as well. Right?
Luckily there are only about a dozen Freepers supporting the NeoSoviet-Islamic-Communist-Alliance I mentioned above.
“lie like a zeeper”
A veritable hive of Nazi scum and their worshipers. 😖
“lie like a zeeper”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
“Zeepers” are the invading Russians.
Indeed, they are the ones putting “Z” on all their military gear, trucks, tanks... you name it.
It’s time to defeat time to defeat the Zeepers running the Kremlin. The days of Zeeper Putin are numbered...
WOW, may their numbers grow!
“Zeepers” are the Zelensky-loving foreigners who have invaded Free Republic to support an endless stream of American tax dollars going unaudited to a known money laundering operation.
The name was coined by one of the conservative America First posters here.
And, how many boneheads made videos of DJTrump? Calling him a racist and other commie trash lies?
Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak met with American businessman, philanthropist, and chair of the Open Society Foundations, Alexander Soros.Open Society time.... Soros to the rescue?
“A veritable hive of Nazi scum and their worshipers.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You are denouncing Russia now?
Thank you.
“Neo-Nazis extremists take part in Russian military invasion of Ukraine : the Russian Imperial Legion, the Russian Imperial Movement and the Rusich.”
Nazism emerges in Russia, as Russian neo-Nazis fight in Ukraine
https://lansinginstitute.org/2022/05/26/nazism-emerges-in-russia-as-russian-neo-nazis-fight-in-ukraine/
“Zeepers” are the Zelensky-loving foreigners who have invaded Free Republic to support an endless stream of American tax dollars going unaudited to a known money laundering operation.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I will continue to use the word “Zeeper” about Putin and his invading army though, as long as they will keep putting “Z” on their Trucks and tanks.
And indeed, it’s costing Russian taxpayers a lot!
40% of Russia’s budget is now oriented towards never-ending wars. Taxes on Russians citizens has been raised sharply, and the war has trapped Russia into a near 10% inflation hellhole.
Poor Russian citizens are now, against their will, financing the Russian deep state’s love for permanent wars.
>>>>>
Russia Turns to Tax Hikes, Other Measures to Fund Its War
https://carnegieendowment.org/russia-eurasia/politika/2024/06/russia-war-economy-money?lang=en
>>>>>
This thread is brought to you by the Ministry of Propaganda of Ukraine.
What your source for this disinformation?
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