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Congo Peacocks
The Congo peafowl (''Afropavo congensis''), also known as the African peafowl or ''mbulu'' by the Bakôngo, is a species of peafowl native to the Congo Basin. It is one of three peafowl species and the only member of the subfamily Pavoninae native to Africa. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. History Dr. Chapin noticed that the native Congolese headdresses contained long reddish-brown feathers that he could not identify with any previously known species of bird. Later, Chapin visited the Royal Museum of Central Africa and saw two stuffed specimens with similar feathers labeled as the 'Indian peacock' which he later discovered to be the Congo peafowl, a completely different species. In 1955 Chapin managed to find seven specimens of the species. The Congo peafowl has physical characteristics of both the peafowl and the guineafowl, which may indicate that the species is a link between the two families. Description The male (pea''cock'') of this species is a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Antwerp Zoo
Antwerp Zoo ( nl, ZOO Antwerpen) is a zoo in the centre of Antwerp, Belgium, located next to the Antwerpen-Centraal railway station. It is the oldest animal park in the country, and one of the oldest in the world, established on 21 July 1843. History Since its foundation, the park has been controlled by De Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen, a society originally called Société Royale de Zoologie d'Anvers (The Antwerp Royal Society for Zoology). This also became the popular nickname for the zoo, "De Zoologie". The initial objective was to encourage zoological and botanical sciences. Its first director was renowned zoologist and botanist Jacques Kets (10 November 1785 – 1 February 1865). He accepted this position on one condition: a museum had to be built to house his nature-historical collections. This building was inaugurated in 1844 by H.M. King Leopold I. The predicate ''Royal'' was added to the name of the society on that occasion. Throughout ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Endemism In Birds
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, the Cape sugarbird is found exclusively in southwestern South Africa and is therefore said to be ''endemic'' to that particular part of the world. An endemic species can be also be referred to as an ''endemism'' or in scientific literature as an ''endemite''. For example '' Cytisus aeolicus'' is an endemite of the Italian flora. '' Adzharia renschi'' was once believed to be an endemite of the Caucasus, but it was later discovered to be a non-indigenous species from South America belonging to a different genus. The extreme opposite of an endemic species is one with a cosmopolitan distribution, having a global or widespread range. A rare alternative term for a species that is endemic is "precinctive", which applies to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xylopia Aethiopica
''Xylopia aethiopica'' is an evergreen, aromatic tree, of the Annonaceae family that can grow up to 20m high. It is a native to the lowland rainforest and moist fringe forests in the savanna zones of Africa. The dried fruits of ''X. aethiopica'' (grains of Selim) are used as a spice and an herbal medicine. Etymology ''Xylopia'' is a compression from Greek () meaning "bitter wood". The second part of the plant's binomial name, ''aethiopica'', refers to the origin of the tree, in Ethiopia, though currently it grows most prominently as a crop in Ghana, Togo and other parts of West Africa . Distribution ''Xylopia aethiopica'' grows in tropical Africa. It is present in rain forests, especially near the coast. It also grows in riverine and fringing forest, and as a pioneer species in arid savanna regions. This species is present in the following countries: Uses ''Xylopia aethiopica'' is used extensively in construction, African cuisine and traditional medicine. The plant's ba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Treculia Africana
''Treculia africana'' is a tree species in the genus ''Treculia'' which can be used as a food plant and for various other traditional uses. The fruits are hard and fibrous, can be the size of a volleyball (ball), volleyball and weight up to . Pan troglodytes, Chimpanzees have been observed to use tools to break the fruits into small pieces that they can eat. The fruits contain polyphenols. Description and origin ''Treculia africana'' is a species of tree known in English as African breadfruit (Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, USA),Katende, A. B. et al.; 1995; Useful Trees and Shrubs for Uganda : Identification, Propagation, and Management for Agricultural and Pastoral Communities, p.638; Regional Soil Conservation Unit; Nairobi; Mbuya, L. P. et al.; 1994; Useful trees and shrubs for Tanzania: Identification, Propagation and Management for Agricultural and Pastoral Communities, p.488; Regional Soil Conservation Unit, Swedish International Development Authority; Nairobi; breadfruit (Nige ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Klainedoxa Gabonensis
''Klainedoxa gabonensis'' is a large tropical African tree of the family Irvingiaceae growing to 40m in height. Its straight trunk is buttressed and up to 25m long, while its spreading evergreen crown makes it one of the largest trees of the rainforest. It is found from Senegal to Sudan, Cameroons, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Tanzania, growing as far south as Angola and Zambia. The timber is dense (0.91-1.15) and extremely hard so that cutting and local usage is very limited, but trees are still exploited for firewood. Sapwood is thin, light brown in colour, and liable to insect attack. Heartwood is reddish to golden brown with wide dark veining, and zigzag markings. Poles are resistant to rotting and are used in hut construction and to make spring traps. This tree is usually left standing when forest is cleared for agriculture and forms a prominent part of the resultant landscape. Round about October the tree produces a spectacular flush of bright ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elaeis Guineensis
''Elaeis guineensis'' is a species of palm commonly just called oil palm but also sometimes African oil palm or macaw-fat. It is the principal source of palm oil. It is native to west and southwest Africa, specifically the area between Angola and the Gambia; the species name, ''guineensis'', refers to the name for the area, Guinea, and not the modern country now bearing that name. The species is also now naturalised in Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Central America, Cambodia, the West Indies, and several islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The closely related American oil palm ''Elaeis oleifera'' and a more distantly related palm, ''Attalea maripa'', are also used to produce palm oil. ''E. guineensis'' was domesticated in West Africa along the south-facing Atlantic coast. There is insufficient documentation and insufficient research to make any guesses as to when this occurred. Human use of oil palms may date as far back as 5,000 years in Egypt; in the late ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Canarium Schweinfurthii
''Canarium schweinfurthii'' (commonly known as the bush candle, African olive, African elemi, or canarium), is a species of large tree native to tropical Africa.ICRAF Names in many African languages are variations of ''mupafu''. Description Because of similarities in their fruit and leaves, African elemi may be confused with ''Dacryodes edulis''. Distribution and habitat African elemi is found from the coast of Nigeria, Angola to Uganda. Uses The African elemi tree is one of several sources of the economically useful oleoresin known elemi. In West Africa this resin is traditionally burned for fumigating dwellings and mixed with oil for body paint. African elemi bears edible fruit with a thick, dense, hard shell. The hard stones of its fruit are used for traditional divination among Plateau speakers in the Middle Belt The Middle Belt (also spelt Middle-Belt or Central Nigeria) is a term used in human geography to designate a belt region stretching across central Nigeri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anonidium Mannii
''Anonidium mannii'', the junglesop, is a fast-growing tropical African tree that grows to 8–30 m high, with a girth of up to 2 m.Useful plants of Bas-Congo province, DR Congo (2004) It has 20–40 cm long leaves and large flowers which produce edible fruits generally around 4–6 kg, but which can be up to around 15 kg. Fruit flavor is rich but variable and is sometimes described as an acquired taste, though the fruits are generally in high demand in Africa, with large fruits commanding high prices. The fruit is a favorite with local people (who refer to it as "bobo") and local primates, especially bonobos. Fruit After approximately 10 years, junglesops begin to produce fruit seasonally. Normally around 5 kg, some are up to 15 kg, making the junglesop not only the largest of the Annonaceae but one of the largest fruits in the world, though not as large as the jackfruit or ''Telfairia pedata''. Inside the tough, leathery brown skin patterned ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Allanblackia Floribunda
''Allanblackia floribunda'', known in English as 'tallow tree', is a species of flowering plant in the family Clusiaceae that has been long used in traditional African medicine to treat hypertension. It is a common understory tree in rainforests in western central Africa - from Sierra Leone to western Cameroon, and on into the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The medium-sized tree (up to 30 meters tall) is evergreen and dioecious (male and female flowers on different plants). The wood is said to be resistant to termites but is not particularly durable. It is fairly easy to work and finishes well but it is of little commercial importance though it has appeared on the market in Liberia as "lacewood". Uses The wood is used in Nigeria in hut-building for making walls, doors, and window frames, and in Liberia for planks. In Ghana, small trees are cut for poles and used as mine pit props and bridge piles. The twigs are used in Ghana as candlesticks, and the smaller ones as chew-s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Omnivore
An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nutrients and energy of the sources absorbed. Often, they have the ability to incorporate food sources such as algae, fungi, and bacteria into their diet. Omnivores come from diverse backgrounds that often independently evolved sophisticated consumption capabilities. For instance, dogs evolved from primarily carnivorous organisms ( Carnivora) while pigs evolved from primarily herbivorous organisms (Artiodactyla). Despite this, physical characteristics such as tooth morphology may be reliable indicators of diet in mammals, with such morphological adaptation having been observed in bears. The variety of different animals that are classified as omnivores can be placed into further sub-categories depending on their feeding behaviors. Frugivor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maiko National Park
Maiko National Park is a national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lies in one of the most remote forest areas of the country and covers . The park is divided into three sectors, straddling the states of Nord Kivu, Province Orientale and Maniema. Three of the country's spectacular endemic animals occur here: the Grauer's gorilla, the okapi, and the Congo peafowl. Maiko is also an important site for the conservation of the African forest elephant, eastern chimpanzee and the endemic aquatic genet. Creation In 1949, the Belgian colonial administration created the Bakumu Hunting Reserve (Bakumu, meaning "The Kumus", the native tribe in the region) on an area that would later encompass the boundaries of the Park as we know it today. The original plans for the area is believed to have aimed at preventing the exploitation of mineral resources rather the protection of the nature and the wildlife. On November 20 of 1970, the Presidential Decree no 70-312 which is bound t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Salonga National Park
Salonga National Park is a national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo located in the Congo River basin. It is Africa's largest tropical rainforest reserve covering about 36,000 km2 or . It extends into the provinces of Mai Ndombe, Equateur, Kasaï and Sankuru. In 1984, the national park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its protection of a large swath of relatively intact rainforest and its important habitat for many rare species. In 1999, the site has been listed as endangered due to poaching and housing construction. Following the improvement in its state of conservation, the site was removed from the endangered list in 2021. Geography The park is in an area of rainforest about halfway between Kinshasa, the capital, and Kisangani. There are no roads and most of the park is accessible only by river. Sections of the national park are almost completely inaccesible and have never been systematically explored. The southern region inhabited by the Iy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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