How To Feed Mammals In The Garden

Introduction

Many of us take great delight in feeding and observing the behaviour of the feathered characters that frequent our gardens, but what about the furry ones. It seems rather strange, that while many garden centres and pets shops are stocked full with bird food, there’s hardly any for wild mammals. Yet, I have found from personal experience that feeding wild mammals can be just delightful and engaging to watch. Also it can help provide a valuable insight into aspects of their behaviour you would never normally witness. Food can also assist young mammals to survive when other food is scarce, young foxes and badgers in particular greatly benefit from the odd hand out. But before you start putting out bowls of food, there are some important things to consider.

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The European Hedgehog

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Poisonous Snakes, Venomous Spiders, Sharks & Jellyfish in The Seychelles Whilst On Vacation

Poisonous snakes, venomous spiders and man eating sharksare waiting for the unsuspecting tourist who choose a vacation in the Seychelles Islands. Stinging jellyfish, sea snakes, and all manners of creatures can turn cheap family vacations in the Seychelles into a nightmare. Fatal bites have taken the lives of bathers as occasionally, a rogue shark will hunt the waters waiting for an unsuspecting swimmer.

Tropical jellyfish can kill a human in minutes, whilst some snake bitescan cause a long and painful death. Life saving surgery should not be part of a cheap package vacation, nor should losing a loved one. On August 16th 2011, a honeymoon was cut short when a man went into the sea for a swim and was killed by a shark, several weeks after a French man had been killed by a shark attack in the same area.

Welcome to the wonderful, beautiful, yet sometimes deadly, Seychelles, enjoy your vacation or holiday.

Boomslang Snake

The Seychelles comprise of 115 separate islands off the South East coast of Africa. As with all sub tropical places, they are prone to a much higher population of deadly insects and animals. The Boomslang Snake is a small, yet formidable creature. It can open its' mouth to a 90 degree angle and can deliver a powerful potent injection of venom from its fangs at the rear of its' mouth. Meeting this snake whilst on vacation in the Seychelles is a scary thought.

The venom produced by the Boom-slang snake is hemotoxin, which prevents blood clotting. This may cause a bitten victim to die from internal bleeding as the venom spreads through the blood stream. Other possibilities and symptoms include nausea, sleepiness and permanent mental disorders. The venom is slow activating which does give time for the anti venom to be given, but then some people underestimate the potential of the bite unti it is to late.

The Boomslang venomous snake is a tree dwelling snake and has often been seen hanging down from trees and being inadvertently walked into. It is a shy snake but will retaliate if being threatened or attacked. Do not approach this snake if it is seen, use the zoom lens on the camera to take any pictures, do not try and get close, your vacation and life depends on it.

Meet Zoe - The Rare Golden Zebra

Golden Zebra

Zoe - The Golden Zebra

Source: Courtesy of: Bill Adams