Level 3 : Animal Selection

My three animals from last test: Dog, Robin, Unicorn

African Dog



The African wild dog, also known as the Cape hunting dog, is Africa's most endangered carnivore. Its endangered status is the result of direct persecution by people. The African wild dog is a gregarious, pack-living animal with behaviour similar to that of the well known wolf. The wild dog has a similar role in nature to that of the wolf in that it removes weak and unhealthy animals from the prey population. Like the wolf, the wild dog has been persecuted unrelentlessly. (Rather like slytherins nature :D )
The African wild dog is a slim, long-legged animal about the size of an Alsatian dog. Its coat is a dappled combination of tan, black and white - each individual having a unique pattern. They differ from true dogs and wolves in that they have only four, not five, toes on each foot. Their large rounded ears are characteristic and contribute to an extremely acute sense of hearing.

Wild dogs live in closely knit packs of up to 15 adults together with their young. Each pack has one dominant female and one dominant male. Often regarded as merciless and cruel killers, wild dogs are in fact among the most efficient of Africa's large predators. Their bad reputation is unjustified and probably a result of the frequent observation of their kills by people, as the dogs hunt mostly by day. Wild dogs hunt as a pack - they quickly single out a weak or injured animal within a herd, and the animal is then pursued until it can run no further. Wild dogs are tireless runners and chases may cover several kilometres.

The wild dog weighs between 17 - 36 kg (37 - 79 lb). It is generally found in plains and open woodland. Once pups accompany the adults on the hunt,... they take almost complete precedence at a kill. Adults may grab a bite at the time the prey has been caught, but as soon as the pups arrive the adults step back and permit them to monopolize the carcass. Wild dogs mostly hunt medium-sized antelope, with the preferred species varying according to the most abundant prey species in the area.

The birth weight of these dogs are 2 - 19 pups per litter, with an average of about 10. The time between births is usually 12 - 14 months, but it can be as short as 6 months if all of the young die. Pups are born in a den, usually one dug by an aardvark. Weaning takes place at about 10 weeks. After 3 months, the den is abandoned and the pups begin to run with the pack. At 8 - 11 months they can kill easy prey, but they are not proficient until about 12 - 14 months, at which time they can fend for themselves.

Countries Where the Wild Dog Is Found as of 2004:

Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. May have become extinct in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Uganda.

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/afriwild.html
http://www.gotpetsonline.com/african-wild-dog/african-wild-dog.html
http://www.animalinfo.org/refi.htm#iucn%202004%20red%20list%20-%20species%20search


Unicorn


The Unicorn is a mythical horse-like beast, with a horn attached on its forehead. Unicorns can live to be hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years old if left untouched by evil hands. There is little genuine fact known about the animal, due to it being mainly a creature of myth and legend.

The Unicorn is truly a breath-taking animal as those lucky enough to have encountered one would tell you. It is taller than an average horse, eventually reaching the height of around two peds when fully grown. Its ragged yet magnificent mane and tail is always a translucent silver colour, which can shine so bright under the sun that it can be dangerous to look directly at the beast. The coat of a Unicorn can be in a range of colours, spanning through dark brown, jet-black, moonlight silver, dazzling gold, although commonly it is seen to be pure white.

Unicorns are linked closely to the elves;

Quote :

The elves see in the Unicorn is the symbolic animal of Foiros, God of the Sun, representing in its uniqueness and purity the sun

A Unicorn’s eyes are generally a sky blue, or a purple haze. Their hooves will match the colour of their eyes, and are solid in shape. The horn of the Unicorn is what truly gives the distinguished air and presence that it carries. Protruding from the forehead of the animal, it appears to have a spiral engraved upon it, which catches the sun and reflects the rays to the area around, giving the impression that the Unicorn has an ever-present aura or shield surrounding its form. The horn can be any colour, some people even believe that the animal can change the shade itself, reflecting the mood of the beast

The Unicorn is a highly intelligent creature. Younger animals have a certain degree of empathy, being able to sense the emotions of people around them, and also able to communicate theirs. However, despite these abilities, what the Unicorn is truly known for is the amazing power of its horn. Supposed to be able to cure any illness instantly if taken into the body, many of the great beasts have died for the simple greed of the people. There are noted exceptions to this however. If a Unicorn judges a person in need to be worthy of its remarkable healing power, it will offer the tip of its horn to the sufferer. To have this happen is indeed a great honour. In this case, the beast will not die. The final astonishing ability as told in many legends is the power of the Unicorn's blood. For the blood of a Unicorn to be spilt means that something of great evil has happened to it. (Voldemort)

The Unicorn has no specific area to which it is confined. However, it is said to prefer woodland, a place where it can live in peacefully, quietly, away from the evils of humanity. Unicorns a gentle, docile creatures, not aggressive. There are never power struggles of any sort between Unicorns as they respect age and the experience that comes with it.

The diet of a unicorn is an unknown fact, yet it is believed that it eats as a normal horse would, grass, oats, hay etc

Quote :

"I looked, and it was unlike anything I had ever witnessed before. The blaze of the mane and tail lit up the sky, filling the area around it with a sense of radiant gloriousness. They were pure fire, unruly, wild, truly not of this world. The pure coat dazzled my eyes, so intense that I had to shield my face. And the eyes... I shall never see such a wonder again. Deep blue, the deepest that could never be remade, deeper than the ocean, deeper than the love between a man and a woman. And then, the horn. The magnificence of the beauty can not be described, for our language does not have words to do justice to such a thing.

Then, it was gone, and I knew that in those few seconds I had seen something that no mortal would ever seen again. The First Unicorn."

-- "The First Unicorn" (Anonymous)

http://www.snunit.k12.il/sachlav/zoo/english/upload/month/unicorn.html
http://uk.geocities.com/matko_gal/races/beasts/unicorns.htm
http://www.lair2000.net/Unicorn_Dreams/Unicorn_Psychology/Unicorn_Psychology.html

The Grizzly Bear:

Some times referred to as the Silvertip Bear lives mainly in the mountains of western North America and are a powerful brownie yellowish bear that is thought to be a relative of the brown bear. Grizzly bears weigh about 180–680 kg; the male is about 1.8 times heavier than the female, Average of 7 ft. Depending on where they live their colouring (their fur ) can be anything from blond to deep brown or black. Difference in fur colour is believed to be down to the bear’s environment and their diets.

Grizzly bears have a hump on its shoulders which is basically muscle which is used to power the arms for digging. They have big heads and despite their size they can run up to 35 mph probably faster if someone is chasing the with a gun


The Grizzly is normally alone at night, and in coastal areas they live near to streams and rivers where they can access salmon. Every other year the females known as Sows, have one to four cubs normally they have 2 which weigh about a 1 pound. Female Grizzly’s are very protective of their babies

The Grizzly bears can be currently found in Alaska, through to eastern Canada, and into northern Northwestern United States including Wyoming , Montana and Idaho. The Grizzly bear used to be seen in southern America but it has since vanished. It’s expected that the grizzly bears repopulation of the U.S. will be a slow due to the consequence of reintroducing a large animal to areas which are prized for farming and cattle and also because of the bear's slow reproductive habits.

Grizzly bears eat fruit and berries as well as the occasional small animal and insects depending on the tie of year and location of the bear. They normally eat off fish such as Salmon, Trout and Bass.

In the run up to winter, bears gain hundreds of kilograms of fat before going into hibernation, at the moment there is a debate between professionals as to whether or not grizzly bears actually hibernate. Much of this debate revolves around the body temperature. Grizzly bears have the ability to partly recycle their body wastes during hibernation and in some areas, if food has been good and there has been lots of it, the Grizzly will not hibernate at all.

In the USA and in some parts of Canada the Grizzly bear is listed as an endangered species and so it is protected from hunters and other things. The only natural enemy to a Grizzly Bear is man. In January 2006 the US Fish and Wildlife service, proposed to have the Yellowstone Grizzly REMOVED!!!! From the endangered list. Most national parks have a protection order on Grizzly’s along with other animals which reside there.



The Cat:
The cat is a small bundle of fluff (unless you get a non furry one ) which is valued by humans for their loving, companionship, and easy caring lifestyle. On top of that they kill rats, mice, spiders etc. An excellent predator, the cat can hunt over 1000 species for food, it is highly intelligent (we wont include my Cat Dipstick because he is the exception to the rule XD ) Because of their high intelligence and excellent ability to manipulate and have even been seen mimicking the call of birds.

The Cat is very similar to witches and Wizards and has similar categories for its ancestry or blood line. Cats with registered ancestry are often called a pedigree cat or purebred, and then of course there is the domestic short haired, domestic long haired or more affectionately known as Moggies.


Cats weight between 2.5kg to 7kgs unless they are major heavy like the worlds heaviest cat called Katy who lives in Russia and weighs in at 23 kilos. Katy’s owner reported that the length of Katy’s body is 69 centimeters, Katy is 69 centimeters around her belly *tickles belly*, her whiskers are 15 centimeters long and she has an appetite which is the equivalent of 1.5 sausages a minute. Now lets all go Aww. Some breeds of cats can exceed 11.3kg like the Maine Coon.

Captive cats can live an average of 14 to 20 years although the world’s oldest cat is 36 years old. Domestic cats tend to live longer if they are not allowed to go outdoors because the chance of injuries, fights, accidents and kitty dieses are reduced hugely also if the cat is spayed or neutered they tend to live much longer lives *books Dipstick in for the snip* Having your cat neutered prevents the chance of testicular cancer in males and ovarian cancer in females, as well as mammary cancer in both sexes.

Due to their loose skin Cats have a better chance against a predator or even another cat in a fight, as it allows them to turn their body and even when the other animal has them in its grip. This is also a great advantage to vets as it makes injections much easier (once again Dipstick is the exception to this rule.) The extra loose skin around the neck is called the scruff (this is probably where the saying “by the scruff of your neck” comes from) and is used by mothers when carrying their kittens and even in adulthood when the cat is being uncooperative, the cat feels no pain when handled by the scruff.

Cats save energy by sleeping more then other animals, this increases as they grow older, their sleeping amounts to an verge of 13 -14 hours out of the 24 hours. Some cats are known to sleep up to 20 hours per day. The term cat-nap comes from the cat’s ability to fall into a light sleep quite easily. Cats are often known to have amplified hyperactivity and playfulness during the evening and the early hours of the morning, nicknamed, the "mad half-hour" by some, normally at 6am in the morning I personally refer to it as hell.

Cats, like Dogs, walk on their toes. Cats are proficient in walking very accurately, because like all felines, they place each back paw directly in the print of the parallel forepaw, eliminating a lot of noise and visible tracks. This also gives the cats better footing for when they are walking on rough ground like gravel.

Like all felines with the exception of the cheetah, the cat has retractable claws. The claws are used for attacking prey, when relaxed they sort of blend in with the pads of the paw and hide in the fur of the foot. Cats can use their claws when mainly hunting or for better gripping but are known to use them happily for kneading (attempting to make their owner more comfortable for their soon to be sleeping bodies.). Cats have 5 claws on their front paws and 4 or 5 on their back paws.

Most breeds of cats like to settling on high places like lets say for example a tree or even on top of an open door. Animal clever clogs believe that cats like heights because it gives them a better view of their territory.

Quote :

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals warns owners to safeguard the more dangerous perches in their homes, to avoid "high-rise syndrome," where an overconfident cat falls from an extreme height

This is one lesson which Dipstick learned the hard way, as a kitten. :D

Cats are highly social animals, although they depend on themselves for most things.


Living with humans is something that has developed over thousands of years. A Cat thinks of a Human differently than it would to other cats, for example it doesn’t think the human is a cat or itself as human. It has been suggested that cats look upon their owners as a sort of surrogate mother and live forever in a kitten like stage of life kind of thing.

Cats can be fussy eaters due to a mutation in their ancestors which made them no longer be able to taste sugar (someone needs to tell Holly this!) A cat can voluntarily starve themselves without letting up even when suitable food has been placed out for them. This can happen when the cat becomes accustomed to certain foods and is normally seen in spoilt cats so when they get something they aren’t expecting then they won’t eat it.

Cats LOVE human meals, especially foods which are high in fat and rich in protein.
They can also develop Pica, which is the habit to chew on fabrics, wool, or even plastic, although its not dangerous it could result in a trip to the vets for surgery if say they ate a whole sock, or even a large amount of celeotape. This normally occurs in the Siamese and Burmese breeds and breeds with a connected ancestry to these animals.

Because cats are so small they are no harm to human unless its from a scratch which can become infected or even from rabies.





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat
http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v20/i4/bears.asp

http://www.funreports.com/2003/02/19/43511.html

In my last test in animagus 2 i chose the following animals; Wolf, fox and swan.
For part three I have selected to use the fox and the wolf. Of the two I selected, I feel the fox better suits my personality.

THE FOX

The fox or omnivorous canids is a general term applied to species of this medium sized creature with short legs, an elongated narrow muzzle, triangular ears that stand up on it's head, thick fur and a long bushy tail. The most common of these species is called the red fox. There are also species of the fox known as the gray fox, arctic fox and swift fox. I have chosen the red fox to represent my animagus because to me it is the most beautiful. The red fox is about 36-42 inches long, not including the tail and usually weighs approximately 15 pounds. They have 42 strong sharp teeth in their mouths and they eat anywhere from 1-2 pounds of food per day. The red fox usually has black ears, black bands or markings around the legs and a wite tipped tail. The bushy tail provides balance to the fox enabling it to me able to make great leaps and bounds, and it's strong legs enable it to be able to run fast at speeds up to 45 miles per hour. That amazing speed enables it to easily catch prey or to run quickly away from danger.

The coat color of the red fox can vary from bright red orange to more of a rust orange color and usually has reddish brown tips of hair mixed in with the mostly dominate color. The foxes fur becomes thicker in the winter months to protect the animal from the cold and harsh winds. The eyes of the fox are usually a yellow to gold color and they have distinctive virtically slit pupils giving them a cat like eyed appearance and they can see just as well as felines do.

The red fox has a great alertness. It has very keen senses of smell, hearing and sight. Which enables it to be able to live very closely to the human population without being seen or heard. The sly moves of the fox are one of the reason why this animal is such an amazing hunter. It can easily slink up to it's prey and surprise it without the victim knowing it is there until it is too late.

Foxes are carnivorous creatures that feed on mostly mice, rabbits, birds eggs and other small creatures. They are classified as being the smallest members of the dog family which include, dogs, wolves, jackels and coyotes. Foxes are found throughout North and South America, Europe and Africa and tend to dwell amoung the forest and desert regions.

They do tend to be loners and will claim territory but sometimes do band together in small packs.

Foxes breen anywhere from January-April depending on their location. An average litter of kits is 5 but may be as large as 13. The kits are born blind and only weigh 0.33 pounds. Their eyes usually open in 2 weeks and they take their first steps out of the den by 5 weeks. By 10 weeks they are completely weaned from their mother's milk.

Foxes have not been known to attack humans. They stay away from them and when are approached they run away and hide. Foxes do not attack other animals unless they consider that animal food.

If the fox is the animagus that I am able to chose or that is chosen for me, the picture below is what I want it too look like. I want the same appearance and markings.


http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761565627/Fox_(animal).html source

THE WOLF

The wolf is a very stealthy creature that is known for it's amazing hunting skills. It is classified as being in the dog family and is closely related to the fox, coyote, dog and jackel. They have mighty jaws with powerful teeth, large pupils and a bushy tail. I have chosen the wolf as another one of my animagus choices because The wolf is a beautiful but powerful creature.

The wolf is built for stamina, possessing features for long distance travel. Narrow chests and powerful backs and legs help to add to their speed and ability to be able to travel long distances. They are able to cover quite a bit of land in a days time usually trotting at speeds of up to 6 miles per hour. When in a dead run the wolf can reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. While sprinting they can cover up to sixteen feet per bound.

There are two species of wolves. The timber wolf and the red wolf. The timber wolf, or gray wolf can be found in Canada, Alaska, northern Europe and Russia. They are usually 6.5 feet long full grown including the tail and can weigh up to 175 pounds. The fur of the gray wolf is usually a red-yellow or yellow-gray color, with black patches on it's back and sides and white on it's chest and underside. There are also black or brown gray wolves and those in the far north may be pure white. The red wolf as of right now can only be found in Texas. It has reddish brown fur and it's size is a bit smaller than that of the gray wolf.

Both species are known to stay together in packs, especially in the winter months. This ensures their survival. They team together to hunt down and attack prey. Wolves will eat any kind of food. Their diet mostly consists of smaller rodents such as mice and moles but banded together the wolves can be a mighty force, taking down sheep, reindeer and caribu. They usually select weak, old or very young animals to capture and they have great success.

Wolves are known for their howling. Their howls have many different meanings. Howling helps members who are seperated from their packs to stay in touch with one another. It can also be used to summon pack members to a desired location. It can be used as a declaration of territory and may be used to alert other members in the pack that their is fresh food for them from a new kill.

Besides howling wolves also growl. When a wolf growls it does so to issue a warning. Their tone is very deep and bass like in sound. They will show their teeth by pulling up the ends of their muzzle.

At birth the wolf is known to have blue eyes, which will later change to a yellowish gold color at about 16 weeks of age. It is rare but on occasion the wolf may never change it's eyes color and the color will stay blue through adulthood.

If the wolf is chosen for me as my animagus, I want to look like the picture below with the came colorations and markings.


http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560395/Wolf.html source

Animagus Test 3: Animal Selection
KatieBellaTrix

Dolphins are beautiful and friendly animals. They come in a wide variety of species, and are very closely related to whales, and porpoises. Some of the most common species of dolphins are bottlenose, common dolphin, Chinese dolphin, and the rough-tooth dolphin. As I mentioned before, there is no denying dolphins are beautiful creatures. They are shaped like overgrown fish with usually a round, protruding nose, and a prominent back flipper, known as the fluke. Like whales, they also have a blow hole which they use to breathe and expel water from their bodies. There dorsal fin is the one that usually protrudes the water when they are swimming near the surface, and it resembles one of a shark.

They live in social groups where they play, mate, and travel with their friends and family. These groups are called pods and consist of about eleven animals. Sometimes in an area with a high food concentration pods can merge forming “super pods”. These pods are a strong group, but they are not picky about who’s in them. Dolphins often interchange within pods, but have been known to develop deep personal relationships caring for one another when they are sick or injured.

However friendly dolphins may be, they are also very intelligent. Naturally, we can determine exactly how intelligent they are, but they seem to be smarter than the average cat or dog. There brain is much larger than the average animal, actually rivaling the human’s for size. Because we really can’t give them a test to prove their intelligence, we can measure it by their ability to learn from experiences, comprehend ideas, learn quickly, and solve problems.

Dolphins also do a variety of complex behaviors. They play together sometimes forming “bubble rings” which they seem to enjoy immensely. They can also think creatively. In a study, it was shown that they can come up with their own behaviors. Some behaviors are taught at aquariums such as SeaWorld, but some are known naturally. For example, dolphins can often be spotted jumping in an out of water, or “surfing” the current or wave.

These creatures are very energetic animals who like to play with each other and even other local animals. However sometimes the males engage in non-playful fights where they can scar their competitor. While, it is not fully understood why they do this, many scientists suggest it is to show dominance, to ward of competition for females, or disputes among themselves. Sometimes the loser dolphin goes into a sort of exile.

I would like to think I resemble a dolphin. They are highly intelligent and graceful animals. And while, I am not entirely graceful, I am pretty intelligent (I would hope people would agree) and I am a social butterfly. I am also very creative. I like to create games and play them with my circle of close friends. I am very loyal to my friends and always feel a need to protect them. In conclusion, I hope I have taught you about the wonderful mammal, the dolphin.




Another beautiful animal, a lioness is also a mammal, and it is referred to as a “Big Cat”. It is the second largest species of cat, behind the tiger. These big beauties are sometimes known as King of the Beasts, and are well known for there might roar.

Lions used to range freely over almost all of the continents, we know this from the presence of fossils. However now, they have been more and more confined, some times due to human hunters others due to humans taking over there natural habitat. The decrease has been so dramatic there are only to places left in the world where they roam freely. In Africa, south of the Sahara Desert and in Asia on a reserve. The sad part is, many lions are living their lives in captivity.

Lions are incredibly big housecats, with muscular limbs and a powerful jaw. These carnivores, have thirty teeth which they use to eat there prey of hoofed animals. They have reddish brown fur and are born with spots for camouflage that they lose when they get older. Lionesses live longer then lions do sometimes up to 15 years in the wild.

These beasts live in social groups called prides which consists of two to twelve adult females and their cubs. Together they hunt, feed, and protect their territory from other prides. They also have to protect their cubs from adult males. Male cubs are banned from the pride when they are any wear from two to four years of age. Sometimes they are banished with there brothers are cousins and can live with them but if they don’t they hook up with unrelated males. These groups of males are called coalition.

Coalitions main purpose is to join up with and mate with a pride of females, this sometimes involves getting into to bloody fights with other males in different coalitions. When a new group of males joins the pride they kill any cubs fathered by another male. In fact statistics show that adult lions kill twenty five percent of all cubs. However when everything settles down again peaceful personal relationships between members of both groups usually develop.

When females go in to estrus, a period when they are receptive to sexual activity they mate with the males. When the period of 110 day gestation is over they give birth away from the rest of the group and introduce them to the rest of the group at eight weeks. Then they are nursed until three months when the mothers start giving them kill to eat. At eleven months they learn to hunt with the rest of the groups. Male lions usually don’t participate in child care.

The females in the group do most if not all of the hunting, that it why it is especially important for males to find a pride to join with.

I think I am like a lioness because I am protective of younger kids and like to stay with family or close friends. I feel I am motherly in a way, and feel a need to make sure my family is taken care of.

sources:
www.wikipedia.com
www.google.com
www.encarta.msn.com
www.ask.com

(Blah and here I thought we needed 500 each. Ah well...XD)

On my last test, I had narrowed my potential animagus forms to the coyote, raccoon and flying squirrel.

Coyote:



The coyote, also known as Canis latrans—barking dog; or prairie wolf, is a close cousin to the Gray Wolf. Coyotes, however, are much slighter than their wolf cousins. They are very lean and can appear to be underfed while in fact being in the best of health. They stand less than two feet tall and their coats vary in color from white-gray to tan with the occasional reddish tint. They can be easily identified by their thick, bushy tails, often held close to the ground.

Though these beautiful mammals have been extensively hunted over the years, they have responded by spreading out even further. Now they can be found from the depths of dark forests and mountains, territory that used to belong to wolves; to urban areas, territory which currently belongs to humans (and hopefully will for a long time). Though some coyotes thrive in urban settings, they still do their best to avoid human contact. They are generally wary of humans and afraid of loud noises. But in recent years, coyotes accustomed to urban life have started viewing small children as prey. A child, especially a running child, can elicit unfriendly behavior (stalking, attack, etc.) from a coyote.

But despite this, many officials are glad that coyotes have begun residing in some natural parks and cities. They help control pests and generally don’t harm humans. In fact, the coyote’s weight is at an average only 35 pounds, less than some domestic dogs.

Coyotes have been observed hunting together with a pack, but prefer to do so alone. They will form packs however, if they feel threatened. One coyote alone would never provoke a wolf, knowing that it would lose the ensuing battle. But if coyotes realize that they have the advantage and outnumber wolves, they will intentionally attack them.

Coyotes are quite adaptable. As humans gradually moved into their environment, they changed accordingly. They began to hunt during the nighttime as well as the daytime, and forage through rubbish bins for their food in cities when they realized that this was an easier way of getting nourishment. Of course, they still hunt and usually prey on carrion, small rodents, insects and fish, along with grasses, vegetables and fruits. Occasionally they will attack a larger animal, like a sheep or fawn. It goes without saying that they are omnivores.

It is much more common to hear a coyote than to see one. Their call is usually one long howl, rising and falling, or else a series of short yips, yelps and barks. It has been noted that in some rural areas, coyotes will respond to human calls. However, they continue with simpler calls when conversing with humans, and save the more complicated yips and barks for their own kind. Evidently, they've realized that theirs is the superior race.

In popular culture and folklore, coyotes are reputed to be mischievous, inventive, and evasive. All the facts show that they would be pretty good at getting themselves out of a sticky situation, as long as it didn't involve loud noises. And even then, they'd probably think of something.

Raccoon:



How can you not love them? They are adorable, clever, curious and intelligent. These creatures are nocturnal, preferring to sleep through the day. Their appearance is unmistakable, what with the distinctive ‘bandit’ darker fur around their eyes, and the dark rings circling their bushy tails. They are omnivores and will eat nearly anything, especially since their thumbs are opposable. This allows them to open doors, rubbish bins and other closed containers, and reach inside for whatever food lies within. They use their sense of smell and touch to find food.

Many Native American names for the raccoon, like asban, eespan and wtakalinch, mean that raccoons lift up things with their paws and are clever with their fingers. They are good climbers and swimmers can often be found in and out of trees, lakes, ponds and rivers.

They are alike to the coyote in many ways. (It is ironic, then, that of the few natural enemies raccoons have, coyotes are one of them.) Raccoons, just like coyotes, have broadened their territory since humans invaded it. Rather than dying out, they simply moved on. Their reputation resembles the coyote’s as well. They are reputed to be mischievous, clever, dexterous and intelligent. This means that they are highly adaptable and will adjust to living nearly anywhere, on practically any nourishment.

Of course, they do have their preferences! Raccoons love peanuts, sweets, fruits, bread, peanut butter, and dog and cat food. Naturally, too many sweets aren’t good for them, and if you are feeding raccoons, save them for a treat every once in a while.

Raccoons can be domesticated, but this is not very likely. Raccoons are wild creatures and generally act like them. They can easily wreak havoc in any household if they are not trained, and it is very difficult to train them. Rather than try to train them, you can feed them in your backyard! Here are some tips if you want to watch these wonderful animals cavort about in your backyard:

Don’t feed them by hand. They can mistake a finger for food and bite it, or they can think that you are trying to take the food away from them. Then you will run into all sorts of problems, like having to be tested for rabies...

You might want to feed them every night, or develop into a pattern, like once a week, but avoid doing that. Raccoons are clever and good problem-solvers. If you ever go away on vacation and miss the weekly feeding, they will possibly break into your house for food. Keep the feedings erratic so that they don’t expect to find food.

On that note, don’t leave the food right next to the house, or they will (rightly) associate the house with food and they will try their hardest to get into the house so that they can get to the food.

Put out a few dishes of food, so that the territorial animals and raccoons don’t fight over it. And make sure to ask your neighbors for permission, unless you live out in the woods somewhere. As long as your neighbors keep their rubbish bins tightly closed and don’t leave food lying around outside, the raccoons shouldn’t be a problem.

Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ http://www.loomcom.com/raccoons/

Dragon

There are many different species of dragons. Many muggles believe them to be guardians of hidden treasure or, the Chinese for instant, believed them to bring happiness. There is the Chinese Fireball, Common Welsh Green and the Hungarian Horntail to name a few. The Chinese Fireball is scarlet with golden spikes around its face and lives in the mountains so many believe. The Common Green Welsh is, just as the name says, is green living in the higher mountains. The Hungarian Horntail is black with Bronze horns and a spiked tail it uses as a defense.
Dragons live in many different parts of the world. Mostly they stay away from the muggles because the wizards have had sure of this by enforcing laws and having habitats where no muggle could reach. They can live anywhere from the valleys to the mountains. The live so far away from the humans because of the fact that they are short tempered and could kill a muggle in an instant by shooting flames at them.
Dragons would not do very well with non-magic animals. Most non-magical animals they eat for dinner. They would do well with some magical creatures that do well in or around fire like salamanders (not the muggles so called salamanders) that can endure great amounts of heat and practically live in fire.
Many muggles think that all dragons can do it shoot out flames from their mouths and fly using their huge wings but they have so many more other special abilities. They are magical creatures that have scales that can block magical spells. When a dragon keeper is trying to hex a dragon they usually aim for their eyes. Their eyes are not protected by magic like their scales are meaning that they spell would have an effect.

Sources
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/bestiary/dragons.html

Wolf
Wolves can weigh up to one hundred pounds and can vary in different colors. They can be various colors of white, beige, brown, gray and black and have tracks twice the size as a pet dog. The shading in a wolf’s face distinguishes its facial communication. Just like dogs, wolves too shed their fur.
There are thirty two species of wolves. There is the timber wolf and the tundra wolf to name a few. The timber wolves lives in forests and are usually black or gray. They have pointed ears and shorter and denser fur. The tundra wolves are light and have rounded ears. Because they must travel through snow they have longer legs and broader feet which helps them to move quickly through the snow.
Wolves can reduce the amount of blood flowing near their skin on cold days so that they can conserve their body heat. While walking on ice it can keep the pads on their feet just above freezing their tissue so as to not lose too much heat which this ability to conserve heat has helped the wolves to survive cold days.
Wolves travel in packs which causes them to form an attachment to one another making them social creature to their own kind. They help one another by hunting for food in packs which helps them to catch fast animals. Wolves breed once a year and once their pups become old enough they may join the pack or make one of their own packs.
Wolves only kill other creatures to survive. They will not kill another animal if it is not hungry. Mostly trying to catch bigger animals they work together to bring down their supper but will go for smaller animals if there is not any larger ones. Not many wolves have killed humans. Like many creatures wolves are afraid of humans just as much as humans are afraid of them.

Sources
http://users.ap.net/~chenae/wolfinfo.html
http://www.wolfcountry.net/

Phoenix.


A phoenix is a vegitarian bird. They are very loyal to there owner and form bonds between them. A phoenix sings soothing songs when sad to help cheer sad people up, as seen in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince after Dumbledore's funeral. Phoenix's tend to heal people they trust.

Phoenix's do not have any breeds, that we know of. They are very rare so there is just one breed. Witches and Wizards have not been able to study into them that much due to their rarity.

A phoenix is a swan sized bird with red and golden plumage, a golden beak and golden talons. There colors happen to be the colors of Gryffindor House, as well. The golden tail feathers are hot to the touch. The feathers of a phoenix are a very powerful substance.

Phoenixes are very friendly creatures, which means they are probably nice to other creatures. They might help them in certain ways, or if the creatures are dangerous to the phoenix it may attack.

A phoenix has the ability to heal with its tears. They can carry much wait. When soemone holds on to the tail they feel waitless, has told in Chamber of Secrets by Harry. The phoenix can disappear and reappear in flames. When a phoenix dies it burst into flames and is reborn from the ashes. The songs sung by phoenixes give strengh and hope. If a wand has a phoenix feather as the core and its brother has the same then when Prior Incantatum is cast the sound of a phoenix song is sounded.

Help from Harry Potter Lexicon. Link:[url] http://www.hp-lexicon.org/bestiary/fawkes.html[/url]

With relevence to the previous test and the three animals you have narrowed your form down to, complete a researched documentation upon TWO of them. Cover the following points plus anything else you believe is relevent.

* Habits of the animal
* Different breeds and characteristics
* Colourisations and distinguishing marks
* Temperament
* Relations with other animals and humans
* Abilities


The Wolf:

Habits:
Show in Dominance is a habit of the wolf, as it stands stiff legged and tall it shows off it's rank in it's pack, however if not the alpha male/Female it will show Submission where it lowers itsself to the ground, or rolls on it's back and whimpers as it exposes it's throat. Four Traits that are similar that the wolf has is. Anger, Fear, Deffensiveness, and Aggression each results in a sound such as a snarl, barks, and flattens it's ears to it's head. Wolfs are very suspicious and arn't very trusting to the stranger that smells strange. The wolf also will howl often, which is a way of communicating. The wolves with howl the most durning the mating season and the rearing season. another Habit is Scent marking, wolves will rub their scent on everything.

Different Breeds:
Arabian Wolf
Artic wolf
Caspian Sea wolf
Dingo
Domestic dog
Egyptian wolf
Eurasian Wolf
Great Plains wolf
Italian wolf
Mackenzie Valley wolf
Mexican wolf
Russian wolf
Southern-east asian wolf
Tundra Wolf
Eastern Timber wolf
Ibearian Wolf
Himilayan wolf
Indian Wolf
Hokkaido wolf
Honshu wolf
Newfoundland Wolf

Colourisations and distinguishing marks:
Most wolves colours run from black, to gray, white, some are rust colored or a buff colour (cross between white and yellow), silver, brown. Most wolves have thick fur with the exeption of the Arabian wolf, Dingo, Egyptian wolf, and Domestic dog(some).

Temperament:
Wolves are stuborn yet loyal to those of the pack, the wolf is either born with the characteristics to follow or be a leader, these usually come from the way they are raised. The alpha female is sharp and harsh to the other females in the group and doesn't let any of them mate, the wolf is very loyal to their partners and mate for life.

Relations with other animals and humans:
Wolves are hunted by humans for the attacts on their lifestock, in the "old world" The wolf would rarely attack a human but usually in rural and poverty stricken areas. Some humans (evil people) Trap wolves for fun or for the fur, (which in my opinion people who kill the endagered species for fun should get the death penetaly) Other interactions with Humans is the breeding for fur aka Fur Farms.

Abilities:
Wolves are able to run for very long times before giving up. They are very stratigoical and will attack prey from all angles. perfer psychological warfare. Their paw pads allow them to tread easily over snow. While sprinting the wolf can cover about 5 meters in one bound (16ft)

Other:
The wolf weighs in about 70 to 135 pounds, the heaviest wolf recording in is 175 pounds and the lightest 22 pounds. They can be .6 to .95 meters tall at the shoulder.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf
~~~~~~~~

The Mountain Lion

Habits:
Often a solitary animal, and territorial an abush animal perfering to stick in the shadows and wait rather then rushing out even though it is capable of sprinting. Very opportunists and will scavage but only if the dead is in their path. Feircly protective.

Different breeds :
Argentine Puma
Costa Rican Cougar
Eastern South American Cougar
North American Cougar
Northern South american Cougar
Southern South American Puma

Colourisations and distinguishing marks:
Cougars and Mountain lions are buff colored leaning towards brown, with black markings around the musel and black ears. Their young are often buff colour with black spots they share the same black musel and black ears as their adult counterparts. They have long tails like thei domestic counterparts and seem like an over grown house cat.

Temperament:
they are Ferice when with their young but usually will not attack anything other than prey or what they deem prey. Humans are not prey.

Relations with other animals and humans:
They usually stay well away from Humans and livestock, human attacks are rare, and the young or first year cougars are most prone to attack humans they will hunt to survive and all animals (excluting other pretators of course) are considered prey. If the "prey" seems to menecing or to tough a challenge the cougar will usually avvoid it.

Abilities:
Are great ambushers.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cougar

The Falcon:

The falcon is a fast flying bird. The falcon hunts medium sized birds to eat. Virtually exterminated from eastern North America by pesticide poisoning in the middle 20th century, restoration efforts have made it a regular, if still uncommon sight in many large cities. The falcon is a medium sized hawk with a black mustache mark with long pointed wings.It is 36-49 cm (14-19 in) and its wingspan is 100-110 cm (39-43 in) and weighs 530-1600 g (18.71-56.48 ounces) .

The female is larger and more heavily marked. There alarm call is a loud series of harsh "kak, kak, kak."

Populations crashed in 1950-1970 because of DDT poisoning; eastern population extirpated. It was declared an Endangered Species, and extensive efforts were made to reestablish birds in East, beginning with the work of Tom Cade in 1970 at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which eventually developed into the Peregrine Fund. The species recovered enough to be removed from the Endangered Species List in 1999.

The falcon is also called by these names: Faucon pèlerin (French)
Halcón peregrino (Spanish)
Duck Hawk (English).

The Peregrine Falcon is one of the most widespread birds in the world. It is found on all continents except Antarctica, and on many oceanic islands.

Well done Dancingsunset and magicguy93 for completing level three, you have both earned 200 points and may now move onto the next level.

I may have gone slightly overboard on the cat one, but there is so much information. I had trouble finding information about the lab that I didn't already know.

Cat

Cats come in all shapes and sizes. They can be extra furry or have no hair at all. Cats have personalities that can range anywhere from exceptionally affectionate and loving to quite stand-offish and cool. They may be very playful or they may be so calm one may often wonder if something is wrong.

Cats are widely considered to be quite intelligent. Those who think otherwise, generally feel that way because cats can be difficult to train. Most likely it is not due to a lack of intelligence but rather a lack of desire. Some cats even appear to have cognitive skills that are supposed to only be possessed by species of superior intelligence, i.e. humans. Personally, I’ve seen a cat appear to analyze the best angle at which to hit a ball off a door so it would hit a person in the foot. I kid you not; in case you’re wondering, she successfully hit said foot.

Cats have gotten a bad reputation over the centuries. There are many reasons for this. Cats are often considered to be companions of evil-doers and some people even believe cats have evil intent. New mothers are often cautioned against owning a cat, even in this day and age. I’m not talking about the concern that a pregnant woman will contract toxoplasmosis (caused by bacteria that can be found in a cat’s used litter). My friend’s mother herself said she hoped I would consider getting rid of my cat because cats get into the crib and suffocate the baby in the night. This is a slightly more logical representation of the old wives’ tale that a cat will steal a baby’s breath while he/she is sleeping.

For the most part, if the right cat is selected as a pet for the right person/family, the relationship can be quite remarkable. Their food tends to be inexpensive, unless some sort of prescription or specialty food is required or desired. They also do not eat a lot. Cats do, however, tend to be rather finicky eaters. Some cats (usually particularly spoiled cats) will even go as far as to starve rather than eat a food that is not preferred.

Cats have an average lifespan of fourteen to twenty years. Cats who are exclusively indoor cats tend to live longer than indoor/outdoor and exclusively outdoor cats. This is because of the significantly decreased risk that they will become involved in a fight or get attacked by some sort of predator. They typically weigh 5.5-16 lbs, but some breeds can exceed this and still be quite healthy.

There are several different breeds within the species. Each species has its own grouping of traits, both physical and personality types. Some of the more well-known include the Devon Rex, Maine Coon, Persian, Himalayan, and Birman. Each breed is dramatically different from the next.

The Devon Rex is a very slender cat with short curly fur. They have large pointed ears, giving them a pixie-like look. They are often very intelligent and cooperative, inquisitive and curious. If you’re curious about this particular breed, a fun way would be to check out this blog: http://daisythecurlycat.blogspot.com . The blog is from the point of view of the cat herself and has photos of her playing, modeling clothes, going for walks in her stroller, etc. The Devon Rex is a good pet for a person who enjoys a playful animal companion. They are quite appropriate for people who live alone or who often spend time alone. They are good loneliness combatants. They also get along quite well with other cats.

Often a very regal looking cat, the Maine Coon can be a bit of work to take care of. This is because of their long and thick fur. It often needs a considerable amount of maintenance. The Maine Coon is a good family cat. They are loving and affectionate, but not overly hyperactive. These are quite appropriate for a family with fairly young kids as they are also rather patient.

Himalayan cats are actually a sort of Persian. Both tend to have a great deal of fur. They are best suited to a family or household that is quiet and peaceful. They can adapt to fit into a livelier home, but it takes plenty of work, reassurance, and love. They seem to have a natural tendency to use themselves as an accessory or a piece of artwork making them a favorite of many wealthy homeowners.

The Birman is by far the most wonderful breed. They have tremendously soft fur but are not as prone to shedding as they may appear. One standard of the Birman is their eye color. It can range from an icy, silvery blue to a deep sapphire. Their fur is generally light with a golden cast to it with darker points. In that sense they look quite similar to a Siamese cat; this is the only cat that comes close to the Birman’s superiority. They are playful, but willing to stay out of the way if necessary. They are loving, but don’t smother. Can you tell that my cat, Easley the Silver-Eyed King of Northwest Indiana (Easley-Sama), is a Siamese/Birman mix?

Sources: http://www.cfa.org/breeds.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat#Size
http://daisythecurlycat.blogspot.com


Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever is one of the most popular breeds. They are great pets for families with children of all ages as they are quite playful and can be protective. They thrive in homes where they can get plenty of exercise; a small over-crowded apartment is so unsuitable that the dog may become quite irritating due to pent-up energy. These dogs are extremely trainable because they are quite intelligent and have an intense desire to please their owner/family.

There are three different varieties within the breed: chocolate, yellow, and black. All three varieties tend to range in size between 45 and 80 lbs. The males are typically within the larger end of the range. They are strong and trim with a body that is great for swimming. They also have long legs that are good for running longer distances. They have often been used as hunting dogs because of their endurance, strength, trainability, and loyalty. They also make good service dogs for people with certain special needs.

Well done hppamela. You have recieved 200 housepoints and will now be able to move onto the next level