Lake Magado-Îombe which is located at the bottom of Magado Crater in Igembe North, Meru county is the only multi-coloured lake in Kenya.
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‎The lake is made up of orange, red, purple and green puddles which are separated by salt moulds. Locals regularly go there to collect soda.
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‎It has different hues (colours) due to the alkaline nature of the water and this makes the area have an acrid smell.
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‎Lake Magado which is located at the bottom of Magado Crater in Igembe, Meru county is the only multi-coloured lake in Kenya.
‎An aerial view of Lake Magado which is located at the bottom of Magado Crater in Igembe, Meru county
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‎The source of the unique colour combinations is thought to be openings in the earth’s crusts which are known as fumaroles.
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‎The colour changes as a result of chemical reactions resulting from the minerals contained in the lake - perhaps triggered by volcano gas activity.
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‎According to scientists, it is however more accurate to refer to the colours as being driven by oxidation-reduction chemical dynamics.
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‎The Ameru people have been collecting soda from the lake for thousands of years and they have also been sharing the crater with Boran and Somali people who mainly go there to water their animals during the rainy season and collect soda during the dry season.
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‎The Magado Crater rises 73 meters above the surrounding area and has an average diameter of 800 meters. Debris blasted out during the crater eruption and formed a rim 80 to 100 metres thick and a crater with an average depth below the rim of 140 meters.
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‎The lake, however, is not the only multi-coloured lake in the world. Other craters including Kelimutu Volcano have lakes which have different hues.
‎Due to their uniqueness, the multi-coloured lakes including Lake Magado attract tourists and geologists on yearly basis.
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Researchers have observed crows gathering around dead members of their group, remaining quiet and watchful. Sometimes they bring small objects or vocalize in unique ways. These “crow funerals” aren’t just emotional displays — scientists believe they serve as learning opportunities. Crows use these moments to gather information about dangers in their environment. As highly intelligent birds, crows recognize faces, use tools, and even plan for future events. Their funerals blur the line between instinct and social ritual, revealing a level of cognitive depth that few non-human animals display.

"Meet Rakus, a male Sumatran orangutan who recently caught the attention of the scientific community . He was spotted in Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia , with a noticeable wound on his right cheek —likely from a confrontation with another orangutan.
What amazed researchers came afterward: they observed Rakus carefully selecting and using a plant known as akar kuning (Fibraurea tinctoria) . This climbing vine is traditionally used in local medicine for its potential pain-relieving and antibacterial properties .
Rakus chewed the plant’s stems and leaves, extracted the juice , and applied it directly to his wound. He then placed the chewed remains on top of the injury, almost like a natural bandage . He repeated this process for several days , and gradually, the wound started to heal without any visible signs of infection .
After about a month , the wound had fully closed. This behavior, documented by a team of primatologists , is considered one of the first known examples of a wild animal using medicinal plants for self-treatment .
The discovery provides fascinating insights into the intelligence of great apes and how they may instinctively use nature’s resources to care for themselves . It also opens up exciting possibilities for future studies on animal self-medication .
Source: (Rainmaker1973)"

Native Africans, and probably other indigenous folks, have often learned the medicinal uses of plants from watching animals self medicate.

The gestation period is a crucial aspect of reproductive biology in animals and shows significant variations among different species. Animals with the longest gestation periods include the elephant and the whale, while those with shorter periods are the mouse and the hamster.

Here are some examples of long gestation periods in various species:

- Elephant: 22 months (almost 2 years)
- Whale: 14-16 months
- Rhinoceros: 15-16 months
- Hippopotamus: 8 months
- Giraffe: 15 months

And here are some examples of short gestation periods:

- Mouse: 19-21 days
- Rabbit: 28-32 days
- Cat: 63-65 days
- Dog: 58-68 days
- Hamster: 16-18 days

It is important to note that the gestation period can vary considerably among different species, and even within the same species. Factors that can influence this period include:

- Animal size: Larger animals tend to have longer gestations.
- Mother's age: Young females tend to have shorter periods.
- Environmental conditions: Factors such as temperature and food availability can impact the gestation period.

Nature’s Enigma: The Bocydium Treehopper
You’re not looking at a sci-fi prop. This is real. Meet the Bocydium treehopper — a bizarre insect straight out of an alien design lab.
Its helmet-like orb and hooked antennae aren’t just for show — they’re part of a stunning defense strategy to confuse predators and survive in the treetops of South America.
Small in size, massive in mystery.
Evolution didn’t just make it strange — it made it spectacular.
Explore the weird. Celebrate the wild.
#Treehopper #MacroPhotography #WeirdNature #InsectWorld #animalswildlife

Dressed in black and white… but living a life more colorful than we can imagine.

The razorbill stands tall and proud, its sharp beak and bold patterns carving a silhouette against the wild coastal winds. Every line, every mark, every glance — a story of survival written in ink and snow.

Born to the cliffs and cold seas, this bird doesn’t just endure — it thrives where storms are born.

Did you know?
Razorbills can dive over 120 feet deep underwater, using their wings to swim after fish!

In a world of noise, sometimes elegance is the loudest roar.

#WildLife
#Bird
#Animals
#Nature
#Photography

"The mud clings to him like a king’s mantle — a survivor’s shield against the sun’s relentless fire."

In the untamed wild, the warthog bows to no vanity, knows no shame.
There is only instinct. Only the primal will to endure.

Caked in a thick, drying armor of earth, he stands unbroken beneath the scorching sky — a beast shaped by struggle, not splendor. His tusks, sharp as time-worn blades, speak of battles fought. His gaze holds the wisdom of the land itself.

Did you know?
That mud is more than relief from the heat? It is his fortress — warding off stinging pests and burrowing parasites, a warrior’s defense written in dirt and sweat.

In the wild, beauty is not measured in elegance.
It is measured in resilience.

#WildLife
#Warthog
#Animals
#Nature

Jaguars possess the most powerful bite relative to their size among all big cats, making them one of the most formidable predators in the animal kingdom. Unlike lions or tigers that often go for the throat, jaguars have a unique killing method—they deliver a crushing bite directly through the skull or shell of their prey. This bone-crushing bite is powerful enough to pierce the armored hides of animals like armadillos and even the thick skulls of caimans, which are a type of crocodilian found in Central and South America.

Their muscular jaws and short, broad skulls give them the perfect mechanics for generating immense bite force. Scientists estimate that jaguars can exert a bite force of over 1,500 pounds per square inch (psi), allowing them to crack bones and kill with a single bite to the brain. This ability allows them to access food sources other big cats typically avoid.

Jaguars are not only powerful but also incredibly agile. They are skilled swimmers and often hunt in water, preying on fish, turtles, and even caimans. On land, they silently stalk through dense jungle terrain, using stealth and explosive speed to ambush prey.

Their diet is diverse, consisting of over 85 different species. Jaguars are opportunistic hunters, feeding on deer, capybaras, peccaries, monkeys, birds, and reptiles. Their adaptability, both in prey and habitat, allows them to survive in various environments, from rainforests and wetlands to scrublands.

Despite their strength and adaptability, jaguars face significant threats from habitat loss and poaching. As apex predators, their presence is vital to maintaining the health of ecosystems. Understanding and preserving these powerful and mysterious cats is essential—not only for biodiversity but for the cultural and ecological heritage of the regions they inhabit.

4 1We must now speak about the Ethiopian writing which is called hieroglyphic among the Egyptians, in order that we may omit nothing in our discussion of their antiquities. Now it is found that the forms of their letters take the shape of animals of very kind, and of the members of the body, and of implements and especially carpenters’ tools; for their writing does not express the intended concept by mean of syllables joined one to another, but by means of significance of the objects which have been copied and by its figurative meaning which has been impressed upon memory by practice. 2For instance, they draw the picture of a hawk, a crocodile, a snake, and of the member of the human body – an eye, a hand, a face, and the like. Now the hawk signifies to them everything which happens swiftly, since this animal is practically the swiftest of winged creatures. And the concept portrayed is then transferred, by the appropriate metaphorical transfer, to all swift things and to everything to which swiftness is appropriate, very much as if they had been named. 3And the crocodile is a symbol of all that is evil, and the eye is the warder of justice and the guardian of the entire body. And as for the members of the body, the right hand with fingers extended signifies a procuring of livelihood, and the left hand with the finger closed, a keeping and guarding of property. 4The same way of reasoning applies also to the remaining characters, which represent parts of the body and implements and all other things; for by paying close attention to the significance which inherent in each object and by training their minds through drill and exercise of memory over a long period, they read from habit everything which has been written.

-Diodorus Siculus (Library of History)

24 GENERAL EGG KNOWLEDGE
1. Storing eggs upside-down makes them last longer. Turning your eggs upside down before stashing them in the fridge will make them last longer. Placing the pointy end down in the carton will prevent air pockets inside the shell from coming in contact with the yolk, which helps slow down the aging process.

2. It is generally not recommended to eat eggs from reptiles like snakes and lizards, or other non-bird animals, because their eggs are not a good source of nutrition for humans. They are often high in fat and low in protein compared to bird eggs. Some reptile eggs can carry harmful bacteria or parasites that can make you sick.

3. Washed eggs need to be refrigerated. When a hen lays an egg, with that egg pops out with a nearly invisible coating called a bloom. This bloom helps prevent air and bacteria from permeating the shell and prematurely aging the egg. That is why fresh eggs straight from the chicken are often placed in bowls or baskets on the kitchen counter. Grocery store eggs, on the other hand, have been washed, thus removing the bloom and requiring refrigeration to keep them fresh.

4. The colour of the egg yolk should be very bright yellow or deep orange. The difference in colour is based on what the chicken is eating. Chickens who only eat the grain feed given to them will lay eggs that are yellow. Chickens that are free-range and eat mostly bugs and vegetation will produce these orange yolks.

5. Chickens can still lay eggs even if there is no rooster (Male chicken). Many people think that you need a rooster for a hen to lay eggs. Most of the hens producing eggs today have never seen a rooster in their life.

6. In the stores, you can usually find small, medium, large, and jumbo or extra-large eggs. Some may speculate this has to do with breed, but in the commercial industry, it usually has more to do with a hen's age. The Older the Hen, the Bigger the Eggs. The older the hen, the more likely she is to produce these larger eggs.

7. Apart from using water to test the freshness of an egg, there are other ways to tell if an egg Is fresh:
If the shell seems unusually thick, then it is fresh.
If the yolk stands really tall after you have cracked the egg, it is fresh.
If the yolk has wrinkles or dissolves into a puddle when you crack it open, then it is an old egg.

8. A chicken will lay bigger and stronger eggs if you change the lighting in a way to make her think a day is 28 hours long.

9. Eggs are good for your eyes. They contain lutein which prevents cataracts and muscle degeneration.

10. Breed determines egg shell colour. Commercial eggs are brown or white, but some breeds can also lay blue, green, or pink eggs.

11. Duck eggs are higher in fat and better for baking.

12. Brown eggs are more expensive than white eggs, because the hens that lay them are larger and require more feed.

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Why are female humans slower than male humans in running when female animals are faster than their male counterparts while still smaller?

In order to have higher intelligence we developed a bigger brain. In order to have a bigger brain we developed a bigger skull. In order to give birth (fairly) safely to babies with a bigger skull, human women developed a wider pelvis. This causes the hip joints to usually be farther apart in women than in men of the same height, making the running action of women less efficient because energy is wasted rocking from side to side.

Neanderthal vs homo sapiens skull. They had larger brains than us. And were possibly smarter.

Here are some things they could do:

* Neanderthals created sophisticated stone tools, including hand axes, scrapers, and spear points. They used wooden spears to hunt large animals like mammoths and bison. They even made glue from birch bark to attach stone tools to wooden shafts.

* Neanderthals were skilled hunters who could take down large game. They worked together in groups to ambush and kill prey.
They had the strength and precision to butcher animals for meat, hides, and bones.

* Neanderthals could make and maintain fire, using it for warmth, cooking, and protection from predators. Fire also helped them process food, making it easier to digest.

* While some lived in caves, Neanderthals also built shelters from wood and animal hides. They adapted to harsh Ice Age climates by making protective dwellings.

* They used animal hides to make warm clothing, possibly by sewing with bone needles. This helped them survive in cold environments.

* While we don’t know exactly what their language sounded like, Neanderthals had the physical ability to speak. Their brains had regions associated with speech and language, similar to modern humans.

* Neanderthals buried their dead with care, sometimes including grave goods like tools or flowers. This suggests they had rituals and possibly believed in an afterlife.

* Neanderthals created jewelry from bones, shells, and animal teeth. They painted in caves, using red ochre and black pigments.
This suggests they had symbolic thinking and some form of culture.

* Fossil evidence shows Neanderthals cared for group members who had serious injuries or disabilities. Some survived for years despite severe wounds, suggesting social support.

* Neanderthals and Homo sapiens interbred when they met in Europe and Asia. Today, most non-African humans have about 1–2% Neanderthal DNA.

* Bonus: They Were Stronger Than Us. Neanderthals had stockier builds, thicker bones, and stronger muscles. Their grip strength and endurance were far greater than ours.

In short, Neanderthals weren’t just “cavemen”—they were intelligent, adaptable, and resourceful humans.