What Animals Purr

1. Why And How Do Cats Purr?
2. Why Cats Purr
3. Animal] Purr Like A Kitty Cat Balloon (22inch)
4. P Is For Purr

A purring monkey, a vegetarian piranha and a flame-patterned lizard are among more than 400 new species of animals and plants that have been discovered in the past four years in the Amazon rainforest, conservationists say.

Discovered through hundreds of scientific expeditions between 2010 to 2013, the total of 441 new species – all new to science – includes 258 plants, 84 fish, 58 amphibians, 22 reptiles, 18 birds and one mammal. This tally does not include discoveries of insects and other invertebrates.

The more scientists look, the more they find, said Damian Fleming, head of programmes for Brazil and the Amazon at WWF-UK, which compiled the list. With an average of two new species identified every week for the past four years, it's clear that the extraordinary Amazon remains one of the most important centres of global biodiversity.

Only Cats And A Few Other Animals Purr. Here's The Science Of How They Do It

) of the Colombian Amazon, whose babies have an endearing trait: All of the babies purr like cats, said scientist Thomas Defler, who helped discover the species. When they feel very content they purr towards each other, and the ones we raised would purr to us.

) was discovered in the part of the Amazon that extends into Guyana. Despite its extraordinary colouring, this lizard is very shy and has a tendency to avoid being seen by humans.

Some species may be lost just as they have been discovered, scientists warned. The thumbnail-sized thimble frog has been given a Latin name (

Scientists Have Only Just Figured Out How Cats Purr

) meaning that may be lost, because it thrives in an area of Guyana that could soon be opened up to tourism.

Inhabits rocky rapids in the Brazilian Amason where its main source of food, Podostemaceae aquatic herbs, is found. However, dam projects and mining activity in Pará state are threatening the health and flow of its river habitat.

Many of the recently discovered plants and animals have very restricted ranges and are thought to be endemic to small parts of the Amazon. For example, a new fish species (

Why And How Do Cats Purr?

) that has adapted to low-oxygen water is unique to one small lake in the Loreto region of Peru and found nowhere else in the world – making it and other species even more vulnerable.

The richness of the Amazon's forests and freshwater habitats continues to amaze the world, added Fleming. But these same habitats are also under growing threat. The discovery of these new species reaffirms the importance of stepping-up commitments to conserve and sustainably manage the unique biodiversity and also the goods and services provided by the rainforests to the people and businesses of the region.

The thumbnail-sized 'thimble frog' has been given a Latin name (Allobates amissibilis) meaning 'that may be lost', because it thrives in an area that could soon be opened up to tourism. Photograph: Philippe Kok

Why Cats Purr

The Amazon ecosystem is the world's largest tropical rainforest and river system, covering 6.7m square miles shared by Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It is rich in biodiversity, containing one in 10 of the species known on Earth in 1.4bn acres of dense forest and 4, 100 miles of winding rivers.

About one-fifth of the Amazon rainforest has already been lost, and deforestation is currently taking place at a rate of three football pitches of a minute, WWF says. In the past eight years, Brazil has slowed the pace of forest clearance by 80%, but roughly 6, 000 sq km is still converted to farmland each year.

The Amazon contains 90-140bn metric tonnes of carbon, the release of which through deforestation and land conversion – if not controlled – could accelerate global warming significantly.From an early age many of us are taught that when cats purr, they’re telling you they’re happy. While purring is thought to be partly voluntary and partly instinctive,  research suggests that cats can purr for various reasons, using the soft rumble as a way of communicating and as a form of self-soothing or even healing. This is why cats will often purr when they’re injured, or after a stressful event.

Animal] Purr Like A Kitty Cat Balloon (22inch)

Kittens are born blind and deaf, remaining so until they are around two weeks old. However, they begin purring after just a few days, primarily to let their mothers know where they are, and to attract their attention at feeding time. This behaviour continues into adulthood and will be familiar to cat owners who are treated to a coercive display of purring come dinner time. But this is just one of several different ways in which the purr is used.

Cats often purr when humans stroke them, leading to an association between purring and pleasure. Observed feline behaviour suggests they may also be trying to encourage further interaction, as if to say “please continue to stroke me”.

A 2009 study found that cats can conceal a cry within their purr that triggers a nurturing instinct in their owners, similar to the cries of a human baby. The study observed that when purring to solicit food, the noise cats made was “more urgent and less pleasant”, suggesting they can manipulate their purrs to communicate different things.

Why Do Cats Purr? What Your Cat Is Trying To Tell You

Readers, cats will also adapt noises like their meow to elicit a response from their owners. This means that if a cat were to have a deaf owner, it is likely they would meow less once they learned it did not trigger a response. However, the same cat would probably continue to purr, without changing the frequency of the sound.

Research into feline behaviour has lagged behind that of dogs, but a 1991 study concluded that purring emanates from the cat’s voice box, or larynx. When cats breathe, they dilate and constrict the glottis, the area around their vocal cords, in a rapid, rhythmic fashion. As the air vibrates over the laryngeal muscles of their larynx, the purring sound occurs.

Showed that domestic cats and some species of big cats, including pumas and cheetahs,  could purr at frequencies optimal for pain relief and even bone repair.

P Is For Purr

So how can you tell why your cat is purring? Your best chance of understanding them is to look at their body language and the context. If they’re purring first thing in the morning, they may be asking to be fed. If you’ve just returned from a day at work, they might be saying hello and if they are sitting on your lap, purring contentedly, they might just be signalling their approval.

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