Showing posts with label guinea pig. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guinea pig. Show all posts

July 16 – National Guinea Pig Day

Posted on July 16, 2020


The U.S. breeders' association for a familiar fluffy pet is called American Cavy Breeders Association - because there are two common names for this rodent in the English language: guinea pig and cavy.

(I'm not at all sure why the name guinea pig ever got invented! "Guinea" comes from a Portuguese word that refers to lands and other things owned by African people - and guinea pigs originated in South America! - and these creatures are rodents, not close relatives of pigs! In other languages, too, these rodents' names are confusing; for example, German's meerschweinchen means "little sea pigs," even though they don't live in or near the sea and aren't pigs or even all that piglike!)


Did you know...?

The Incan Empire ruled the Andes
in South America for centuries.
  • The Incas of South America domesticated guinea pigs more than 3,000 years ago. They raised them to be both pets and food. Some folk medicines are based on guinea pigs. Also, the Incas sometimes offered the rodents as sacrifices to their gods (although many other things such as food, coca leaves, cloth, and other animals - including people! - were also offered in sacrifice).

  • Because guinea pigs have been used often in experiments - like mice and rats are - the term "guinea pig" is sometimes used for a human test subject. For example, someone might say to a doctor offering a highly experimental drug: "So, you want me to be your guinea pig?"
  • Guinea pigs are fairly large compared to most rodents. They can weigh between 1.4 and 2.6 pounds, and some breeds up to 6.6 pounds (3 kg)! Of course, I'm comparing that to rodents like voles (around 1 ounce, or one-sixteenth of a pound), mice (less than 1 ounce), or even the much larger rat (about half a pound). There are much larger rodents, like the beaver (24 - 66 pounds) and the largest rodent in the world, the capybara (77 - 150 pounds - and also from South America!). 

Guinea pigs can for sure be cute:




 

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March 1, 2012 - Great Day for Animals


Anniversary of the Creation of the First National Park in the World!



On this date in 1872, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed into law a bill that created the world's first national park, Yellowstone. This 2-million-acre park fills one corner of the state of Wyoming and spills a bit into Montana and Idaho as well. It is famous for its many geothermal features, such as bubbling mud pots and stunning geysers, but another thing people count on when they go visit Yellowstone is seeing wildlife.
And not only is Yellowstone important for wildlife, the whole concept of a national park is crucial and has helped to keep some wilderness areas...well, wild! Now more than 100 countries have set aside land in national parks, including China with its 208 national parks, and Australia with its 685 national parks!

(Wow!)

Yellowstone is one of the best places in the U.S. (aside from Alaska) for wildlife, including the wildlife that people most want to see: large mammals. There are 60 species of mammals in the park, including the gray wolf, 
lynx, 
grizzly bear, 
bison, 
black bear, 
elk, 
moose, 
mule deer, 
white-tailed deer, 
mountain goat, 
pronghorn, 
bighorn sheep, 
and mountain lion.


She-e-esh, huh?

Trust me, you're going to see a few of these—but mostly herds of bison and elk, and a few deer. If you're lucky, you might see a mountain goat or a bighorn sheep. You'd have to be VERY lucky to see a moose or one of the carnivores!

Yellowstone has the largest public herd of American bison in the U.S. It also has large herds of elk. As a matter of fact, there used to be too many elk, until the gray wolf was reintroduced to the area.

Of course, there are many other smaller mammals, plus fish, birds, reptiles, and insects, in Yellowstone. It's a great place for animals—and therefore a great place to go see animals!

For info on Yellowstone's geysers...

...check out this earlier post. 


Also on this date:











Did you know...?




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