The Giant Weta, is a species of insect, a type of cricket in family Anostostomatidae that has no wings. It is endemic to New Zealand.
There are 11 species of giant weta, most of which are larger than other weta, despite the latter already being large by insect standards. Large species can be up to 10 cm (4 in) not inclusive of legs and antennae with body mass usually no more than 35g.
Little Barrier Island Giant Weta
The largest species of giant weta is the Little Barrier Island Giant Weta, also known as the wetapunga. One female specimen holds the record for the heaviest adult insect ever documented. It weighed 71g (2.5oz), three times heavier than the average house mouse, and was more than 85mm (3.4in) long.
Specimen preserved in the collection of the Auckland War Memorial Museum
Giant weta tend to be less social and more passive than other weta. Their genus name, Deinacrida, is Greek for terrible grasshopper. They are found primarily on New Zealand offshore islands, having been almost exterminated on the mainland islands by introduced mammalian pests.
The bar is set higher and higher for awesome African game shots that we are privileged to see.!
Clinging on for dear life to the side of a vertical cliff, the tiny lion cub cries out pitifully for help.
His mother arrives at the edge of the precipice with three other lionesses and a male. The females start to clamber down together but turn back daunted by the sheer drop.
Eventually one single factor determines which of them will risk her life to save the youngster – motherly love.
The drama begins: The mother arrives at the edge of the cliff as her son cries out for rescue after being trapped when he slipped.
On the brink: Four lionesses look over the edge before aborting their rescue mission because of the sheer drop.
Slowly, agonizingly, the big cat edges her way down towards her terrified son, using her powerful claws to grip the crumbling cliff side.
One slip from her and both animals could end up dead at the bottom of the ravine.
Rescue mission: The mother inches her way down the cliff face to rescue the terrified cub before locking him in her jaws and looking for a way back up the cliff face.
She begins the equally perilous journey back to the top. Minutes later, they arrive and she gives the frightened creature a consoling lick on the head.
The dramatic rescue, captured by wildlife photographer Jean-Francois Largot, was played out in Kenya ’s Masai Mara game reserve.
Despite the presence of wardens to deter poachers, day-to-day life for the lions is not without its dangers … as the cub learned the hard way.
Motherly love: The mother gives her son a lick to say that all is well in the pride following the drama
Thumbelina (born May 1, 2001) is a dwarf miniature horse and the world's smallest horse.
She stands 43 centimetres (17 in) tall and weighs 26 kilograms (57 lb), and officially received the title of world's smallest from the Guinness Book of World Records
As noted on Chicago Now, The Guinness Book of World Records has a number of unusual facts and figures within its pages. Below is a collection of weird animal world records, read the full article here.
World's Smallest Dog
The record for the smallest dog (in terms of length) belongs to Heaven Sent Brandy, a tiny Chihuahua who is just 6 inches from nose to tail
Hedgehogs are native to Europe, Asia and Africa but are popular at pets the world over.
Keeping hedgehogs as pets became popular in the early 1980s. Pet hedgehogs still have much of their wild behaviour, including a fear of predators — especially humans, but buying from a responsible breeder and proper handling will do a lot to ensure a friendly relationship. Since domestication began, several new colours of hedgehogs have been created or become common, including albino and pinto hedgehogs