Category: Science
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Hippos are a semi-aquatic mammal, usually inhabiting shallow lakes, rivers, and swamps. Indeed, the name hippopotamus is derived from a Greek word meaning ‘river horse’ due to its semi-aquatic lifestyle. Hippos, the third largest known mammal, share with whales a tendency to be aquatic. This has been shown in a recent research to be more…
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Tortoise of the forest, the Home’s hinge-back tortoise, Kinixys homeana, has considerable range over the continuous Guinea-Congo rainforest region. Its long agile legs, large eyes and secretive habits are adaptations to a forest habitat. The pronounced vertical drop at the end distinguishes the carapace of the Home’s hinge-back tortoise. The shape of the carapace also…
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Honey badger, or ratel, Mellivora capensis is a relatively large mustelid (6–14 kg). Unlike most mustelidae family species, however, it does not show the typical mustelid pattern of intrasexual territoriality, instead males have large home-ranges that overlap extensively with other males and encompass the smaller home-ranges of up to 13 females with a promiscuous mating…
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Atlantic Humpback Dolphin, Sousa teuszii, has been suggested to have most likely inhabited the Niger Delta before the large scale oil exploration and has been said by one D.W. Rice to have originated from Nigeria’s 853 km coastline bordering the northern Gulf of Guinea. Generally, the species is endemic to the eastern tropical Atlantic, where…
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Spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta, also known as the “laughing” hyena is the largest of three hyena species collectively called Kòriko or ìkokò in Yoruba. They have a broad head with dark eyes, a thick black muzzle, and large, pointed equally black ears. Their golden yellow, brown, or gray coat has black stripes on the body…
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Jackal belongs to the Genus Canis, within which dogs and wolfs are classified. Called Akátá or Ajako in Yoruba language, but more correctly, Ofafa. it is a medium-sized carnivore with doglike features and a bushy tail, known for its cleverness, nocturnal habits, eerie howling and scavenging. The Golden Jackal Canis aureus, are the largest species…
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Jacob Sogboyega Odulate, known as ‘The Blessed Jacob’, inventor and essayist, was born 1884 in Ikorodu. As a pharmacist of informal learning and a man of quick wit, Odulate soon achieved fame for the medicine, Alabukun, which he manufactured. As a fourteen year old, he had left his father’s polygamous house at Ikorodu for Abeokuta…
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Jameson’s Mamba, Dendroaspis jamesoni, is one of the four species of Mamba, a venomous African snake. It is swift, arboreal, and has a very slender scaled body that is about 1.5 to 2.2 m long. Each scale is a shade of blue-green or yellow with a black outline. It has the duller green and is…
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Jean Marie Coquard was the Missionary of the Holy Catholic Church to Abeokuta who established the first hospital in Nigeria in 1859. Marie Coquard was trained as a sailor and destined for the French naval service but accident brought his ship to the Slave Coast about which he read at school and in ships’ cabins. Unfolded before…
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Jentink’s Dormouse, Graphiurus crassicaudatus, is a small-sized species of the dormouse, a family of rodent known for their long periods of hibernation and their hairy instead of scaly tails. Pelage is generally soft and short. This rarely collected species is found in primary and secondary rainforests of Nigeria as well as Ivory Coast, Liberia and…