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Aggtelek National Park
Aggtelek National Park () is a national park in Northern Hungary, in the Aggtelek Karst region. The most significant values of the national park are the special surface formations and caves in this limestone landscape. Description The park consists of 280 caves with different sizes. It covers a total area of 198.92 km2 of which 39.22 km2 are under increased protection. The largest stalactite cave of Europe is situated in this area: the Baradla cave (26 km long, of which 8 km is in Slovakia, known under the name of Domica). Several of the caves have different specialities. For example, the Peace Cave has a sanatorium which help treating people suffering from asthma. History The first written documentation of the caves can be dated back to 1549. Since 1920 it has been used as a tourist attraction. The Aggtelek National Park itself was founded in 1985. It has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage since 1995 along with the Slovak Karst caves. Fauna Animals pres ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stalagmite
A stalagmite (, ; ; ) is a type of rock formation that rises from the floor of a cave due to the accumulation of material deposited on the floor from ceiling drippings. Stalagmites are typically composed of calcium carbonate, but may consist of lava, mud, peat, pitch, sand, sinter, and amberat (crystallized urine of pack rats). The corresponding formation hanging down from the ceiling of a cave is a stalactite. Formation and type Limestone stalagmites The most common stalagmites are speleothems, which usually form in limestone caves. Stalagmite formation occurs only under certain pH conditions within the cavern. They form through deposition of calcium carbonate and other minerals, which is precipitated from mineralized water solutions. Limestone is the chief form of calcium carbonate rock, which is dissolved by water that contains carbon dioxide, forming a calcium bicarbonate solution in caverns. The partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the water must be great ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red Deer
The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or Hart (deer), hart, and a female is called a doe or hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of western Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains of Northern Africa, being the only living species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red deer have been introduced to other areas, including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Peru, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina. In many parts of the world, the meat (venison) from red deer is used as a food source. The red deer is a ruminant, characterized by a four-chambered stomach. Genetics, Genetic evidence indicates that the red deer, as traditionally defined, is a species group, rather than a single species, though exactly how many species the group includes remains disputed. The ancestor of the red deer probably originated in central Asia. Although at one time red deer were ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caves Of Aggtelek Karst And Slovak Karst
The Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst are a series of over 1000 karst caves spread out over a total area of along the border of Hungary and Slovakia. With an exceptional diversity of karst structures and complex cave systems developing from both temperate and tropical processes, the caves and surrounding areas were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. Background This UNESCO World Heritage Site includes seven components, three of which are in Hungary, and four in Slovakia. In Hungary, the components include Aggtelek National Park, Aggtelek, Szendrő-Rudabánya Hill, and Esztramoill. The components in Slovakia are Dobšiná Ice Cave, Koniar plateau, Plešivec plateau, and a component neighbouring Silica and Jasov. Of the more 1000 caves listed in the site, there are several notable caves and cave complexes: *Baradla cave, Baradla and Domica complex *Gombasek Cave *Silica Ice Cave *Dobšiná Ice Cave *Ochtinská Aragonite Cave *Jasovská Cave Baradla-Domi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saga Pedo
''Saga pedo'' is a species of wingless Tettigoniidae, bush cricket from the southern half of Europe and western and central Asia. This brown or green bush cricket typically has a total length, from the head to the tip of the ovipositor, of up to , but exceptionally it may reach , which makes it one of the largest European insects and one of the world's List of largest insects#Grasshoppers, crickets, and relatives (Orthoptera), largest Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets and alike). The head-and-body alone typically is long in adults, but may reach up to . Colloquially known as the predatory bush cricket, or the spiked magician (due to the "enchanting" manner in which it waves its forelimbs as it approaches its prey), it is unusual due to its strictly carnivorous lifestyle and its parthenogenetic reproduction (only females exist and they breed by themselves). Feeding ''Saga pedo'' is a predator that feeds mostly on other Orthoptera, but also frequently on mantises, especially the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scarce Swallowtail
The scarce swallowtail (''Iphiclides podalirius'') is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Papilionidae. It is also called the sail swallowtail or pear-tree swallowtail. Subspecies Subspecies include:"''Iphiclides'' Hübner, [1819]" at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms'' *''Iphiclides podalirius centralasiae'' (Rosen, 1929) *''Iphiclides podalirius persica'' Verity, 1911 *''Iphiclides podalirius podalirius'' (Central and Southern Europe) *''Iphiclides podalirius virgatus'' (Butler, 1865) *''Iphiclides podalirius xinyuanensis '' Huang & Murayama, 1992 China (Xinyuan) Else see: *''Iphiclides fei ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old World Swallowtail
''Papilio machaon'', the Old World swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. The butterfly is also known as the common yellow swallowtail or simply the swallowtail (a common name applied to all members of the family, but this species was the first to be given the name). It is the type species of the genus ''Papilio''. This widespread species is found in much of the Palearctic (it is the only swallowtail in most of Europe) and in North America. Etymology This species is named after Machaon () a figure in Greek mythology. He was a son of Asclepius. The specific epithet ' refers to Machaon, son of Asclepius in the works of Homer. Taxonomy ''Papilio machaon'' was named by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'' in 1758, alongside nearly 200 other species of butterfly. Later, Pierre André Latreille designated it as the type species of the genus ''Papilio''. Subspecies There are 41 recognized subspecies, that include: * ''P. m. aliaska'' Scudder ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red-backed Shrike
The red-backed shrike (''Lanius collurio'') is a carnivorous passerine bird and member of the shrike family, Laniidae. Its breeding range stretches from Western Europe east to central Russia. It is migratory and winters in the eastern areas of tropical Africa and southern Africa. Taxonomy The red-backed shrike was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his ''Systema Naturae'' under its current binomial name ''Lanius collurio''. The genus name, '' Lanius'', is derived from the Latin word for "butcher", and some shrikes are also known as "butcher birds" because of their feeding habits. The specific ''collurio'' is from Ancient Greek ''kollurion'', a bird mentioned by Aristotle. The common English name "shrike" is from Middle English ''*schrike'', ''*schryke'', from Old English ''sċrīc'', "shriek", from the same root as ''shriek'' and ''screech'', referring to the bird's shrill cry or call. Description This migratory b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Common Kingfisher
The common kingfisher (''Alcedo atthis''), also known as the Eurasian kingfisher and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter. This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptations to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank. Taxonomy The common kingfisher was first described by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his ''Systema Naturae'' in 1758 as ''Gracula atthis''. The modern binomial name derives from the Latin ', 'kingfisher' (from Greek , '), and ''Atthis'', a beautiful young woman of Lesbos, and favourite of Sappho. The genus '' Alcedo'' compri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hazel Grouse
The hazel grouse (''Tetrastes bonasia''), sometimes called the hazel hen, is one of the smaller members of the grouse family of birds. It is a sedentary species, breeding across the Palearctic as far east as Hokkaido, and as far west as eastern and central Europe, in dense, damp, mixed coniferous woodland, preferably with some spruce. The bird is sometimes referred to as "rabchick" (from рябчик) by early 20th century English speaking travellers to Russia. Taxonomy The hazel grouse was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his ''Systema Naturae'' under the binomial name ''Tetrao bonasia''. Although Linnaeus specified the type locality as Europe, this is restricted to Sweden. The hazel grouse is now placed with the Chinese grouse in the genus '' Tetrastes'' that was introduced in 1840 by Alexander von Keyserling and Johann Heinrich Blasius. The specific epithet ''bonasia'' is Modern Latin for the hazel grouse, from the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eurasian Bullfinch
The Eurasian bullfinch, common bullfinch or bullfinch (''Pyrrhula pyrrhula'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family, Fringillidae. In Anglophone Europe it is known simply as the bullfinch (English regional, Shropshire: plum bird), as it is the original bird to bear the name bullfinch. Taxonomy and systematics The Eurasian bullfinch was Species description, formally described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus, Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of his ''Systema Naturae'' under the Binomial nomenclature, binomial name ''Loxia pyrrhula''. It is now placed in the genus ''Pyrrhula'' that was introduced in 1760 by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson. The Latin word comes from the Greek (a flame-coloured bird, from , from : Pyrrha), a 'worm eating bird' that is mentioned by Aristotle. The Latin name for the Eurasian bullfinch had been used in 1555 by the Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner in his ''Historiae animalium (Gesner), Historiae animalium'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Goldcrest
The goldcrest (''Regulus regulus'') is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family. Its colourful golden Crest (feathers), crest feathers, as well as being called the "king of the birds" in European folklore, gives rise to its English and scientific names. The scientific name, ''R. regulus'', means 'petty king' or prince. Several subspecies are recognised across the very large distribution range that includes much of the Palearctic and the islands of Macaronesia and Iceland. Birds from the north and east of its breeding range bird migration, migrate to winter further south. This kinglet has greenish upper-parts, whitish under-parts, and has two white wingbars. It has a plain face contrasting black irises and a bright head crest, orange and yellow in the male and yellow in the female, which is display (zoology), displayed during breeding. It superficially resembles the common firecrest (''Regulus ignicapilla''), which largely shares its European range, but the latter's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
