Tag: Wildlife

Spanish moss, an iconic sight in the Southern United States, is shrouded in conflicting health claims. The truth is, while the plant itself is not toxic, its health impact on humans and pets is more complex than simple folklore suggests.

According to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the berries of the Symphoricarpos genus, which includes the plant commonly called buckbrush or coralberry, are mildly poisonous to humans and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. This fact makes it clear that buckbrush berries are not edible and should never be consumed.

Over a century ago, Southern farmers traditionally crushed American Beautyberry leaves and rubbed them on their skin and livestock as a natural insect repellent. Modern science has since confirmed this folk remedy, finding active compounds that effectively repel mosquitoes, ticks, and other pests.

A piscivore is a carnivorous animal that primarily eats fish, with a vast number of species across different ecosystems relying on fish as a staple food source. This confirms that fish is indeed part of the animal diet, encompassing both natural predation in the wild and controlled feeding in domestication.

Native to coastal regions across tropical America and Africa, the cocoplum plant (*Chrysobalanus icaco*) is utilized for a surprising variety of purposes, including edible fruit, landscaping, and traditional medicine. It is a versatile evergreen shrub or small tree highly valued in its native range for both its practical and ecological benefits.

Hooves are a specialized anatomical adaptation found in ungulates, a diverse group of mammals, which play a foundational role in their survival. The remarkable benefits of hooves include providing crucial protection for sensitive foot structures and enabling powerful, efficient locomotion across varied terrains.

The sausage fruit, a colossal, woody berry that can weigh over 20 pounds, is the extraordinary product of the African sausage tree, or *Kigelia africana*. While the raw fruit is toxic to humans, its unique properties have been harnessed for millennia in traditional African medicine, and it is now finding its way into high-end cosmetic products worldwide.

According to UN Tourism, ecotourism involves nature-based travel motivated by observing and appreciating nature, including traditional cultures in natural areas. For those seeking the pinnacle of natural splendor and biodiversity, the question becomes: where is nature best based, and what criteria define a truly exceptional natural destination?

While many enjoy the avocado fruit, a surprising fact is that specific varieties of avocado leaves are used as a seasoning in traditional Mexican cooking. However, it is a critical safety warning that the leaves of common avocado varieties contain a toxin called persin, which is highly dangerous to many animals.

Over 270 species within the mammalian order Carnivora are actually omnivorous, consuming extensive vegetation in addition to meat. This dietary flexibility is a hallmark of omnivores, which occupy a unique and vital niche within ecosystems across the globe.