Thursday 28 August 2014

“Ayam Cemani” An Amazing Chicken Which is black inside and outside.



Perhaps you may know it or not, black color is not an uncommon color in the animal world; because so many animals are black, like bears are black, gorillas are black; there’re breeds of dogs and cats that are black. But this Indonesian chicken breed recognized as “Ayam Cemani” takes black color into a completely different realm. The black color of Ayam Cemani is not limited to its special feathers and the color is all over and even on the inside. Interestingly everything of Ayam Cemani is black, like skin, beak, plume, tongue, legs, toe nails; even its meat, bones, and organs, even bone marrow is black. The chicken blood, though not black, but extremely dark colored. Ayam Cemani is so remarkable and exotic that it is referred to as the “Lamborghini of poultry”.

The word “Ayam” means “chicken” in Indonesian, and “Cemani” translates to “completely black” in Javanese. This unusual breed originated from Java in Indonesia. They were introduced in Europe in 1998 by a Dutch breeder, where they drew substantial attention between poultry enthusiasts due to its appearances and genetic makeup. Moreover; Ayam Cemani is one of the most expensive chickens in the world with a solitary bird costing up to $2,500. Ayam Cemani gets their black coloring from a generic trait recognized as “fibromelanosis”. That helps the proliferation of black pigment cells. The gene that causes fibromelanosis is a mutation that is existed in Asia about over 800 years ago. The mutation made its way to other chicken range, such as the Swedish Black Hen, or Svart Hona, which has the same fibromelanistic traits as the Ayam Cemani, and hereafter, as black as the Indonesian breed.

In Asia, Ayam Cemani is highly liked chicken because due to their meat is thought to have mystical powers. Their meat is believed to have rich in Iron, consequently helpful to females before and after childbirth. Birds are at times sacrificed during childbirth having faith in fortune will come to the laboring mother. The chicken is also sacrificed on other distinct occasions, as it is believed to be brought luck. Moreover many Asian people accept as true that eating this chicken will comfort their conscience, and their crowing brings success. The chicken lays cream colored eggs the only part of Ayam Cemani that is not black. Though, being poor sitters, they don’t roost and then the only way to hatch eggs is to incubate.

Saturday 23 August 2014

Fashionable Ducks Waddle down the Catwalk in Annual Fashion Show



You can forget now about New York Fashion Week or the Paris runway. Therefore; In Sydney, Australia, Brian Harrington, a quirky farmer, is the man behind the fashion show well-dressed ducks steal the scene at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. It’s here that the waterfowl are outfitted in stylish pink, green and yellow gowns, and even have small matching hats, too! They waddle down the catwalk at the Pied Piper Duck Show, and the gorgeous sight is considered one of the highlights of the annual event, which overall attracts an average of 900,000 visitors. 

Brian Harrington, run it for the past three decades, and works with a professional dressmaker who individually styles every duck to a theme or era. They have well covered daywear, evening attire, bridal outfits, and many more. Presently, they are showcasing costumes from the 1800’s era as well as favorites from the past. Haute couture isn’t the only waterfowl-related event that you will get at the Easter Show. Duck racing also has crowds laughing and cheering their beloved contender onto victory.

Tuesday 19 August 2014

Bicycle Chained Into Tree



This is really an interesting story, when s boy left his bike chained to a tree when he went away to war in 1914. Unfortunately he never returned, leaving the tree no choice but to grow around the bike. As some peoples pointed out, the bicycle was in fact left behind in the mid of 1950s by a local resident who basically abandoned it. Amusingly, “the tree that ate a bicycle” on Washington’s Vashon Island has even inspired a Berkeley Breadthed’s 1994 book, Red Ranger Came Calling.

Thursday 14 August 2014

Amazing Giant Tortoise is Alive over 170 years



Perhaps you may not believe it by looking a giant tortoise (Name Jonathan) alive from over 170 years. It is believed, Jonathan tortoise was born in the early 1830’s. There’re few photographs available when he was adult in 1902. These images give the idea of his age, approximately 50 years old, when the images were captures. Well, it is obviously giant tortoise isn’t active as he once was. Similarly weak as human being gets aged, as time has caught up with him. 

The giant tortoise has cataracts in both eyes that have caused him to go blind, and his poor sense of smell that doesn’t allow much for grazing. Therefore, his hand-fed once a week, and the rest of the time he enjoys a peaceful life at the idyllic-looking. Plantation House located on the small, remote British island of St. Helena, where Jonathan tortoise shares the land with St. Helena’s governor. Yes, it is true that world has changed a lot since Jonathan’s birth, probably he might not be aware of changing world. But it is amazing that this turtle has lived through so much history. And the fact that he’s still able to have a relatively happy existence after so long is significant.

A Unique Sight of Double Tree Growing in Piemonte Italy



A tree growing atop another tree, it’s not a sight that you get to see every day, but here you can know about a unique tree is growing in between Grana and Casorzo in Piemonte, Italy, recognized as the “double tree of Casorzo” or Bialbero de Casorzo in Italian.  This is a mulberry tree on top of which a cherry tree grows rises well above the mulberry tree on which it stands. The odd tree is also recognized as Grana Double Tree. No one exactly knows for the exact reasons how this is happened; perhaps various bird dropped a seed on top of the mulberry tree, which then grew roots through the hollow trunk of the host tree to reach the soil. 

Though trees growing parasitically over another tree are not rare, but they usually do not reach the size and lifespan as seen in this specific example, as there is not adequate humus and space available where they grow. Large “double-trees”, also called Epiphytes, like the Bialbero de Casorzo is a rarity. Both trees combined together make for an inspiring sight, with their branches spreading 5 meters across. The double tree’s lifespan has been astonishingly long, given the detail that the cherry tree receives all its nourishment via the mulberry tree. Well, though not the only double-tree is probably the most impressive-looking trees in the world. Both trees are thriving from the same source of nutrients, and yet they are able to share very well.