Animal Therapy // November
Can you imagine a frog not even bigger than a coin or a snake smaller than a pencil? Almost every species of animals have a tiny version, in nature nothing is impossible! Here is a compilation of the smallest animals on earth. Enjoy!
Studies have shown that interacting with animals can increase people's level of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin helps us feel happy and trusting. Oxytocin has some powerful effects for us in the body's ability to be in a state of readiness to heal, and also to grow new cells, so it predisposes us to an environment in our own bodies where we can be healthier.
Happy Animal Therapy Wednesday! Here's a dose of animal therapy pictures to break the week with a little peak!
Pygmy Rabbit
The Pygmy Rabbit is the smallest rabbit in the world with a length that ranges between 24-29 cm (9.4-11.4 in). Native to North America, the Pygmy Rabbit generally inhabits areas with deep soil for cover and food.
Madame Berthe’s Mouse Lemur
With an average body length of only 92 mm (3.6 in) and a weight of 30 g (1 oz), the Madame Berthe’s Mouse Lemur is the smallest of its kind and the smallest known primate. As a nocturnal animal, the Mouse Lemur lives hidden in the trees. A winner at hide and seek, the Mouse Lemur can hide so well that till now only 8 species have been discovered!
Pygmy Marmoset
A little larger than the Mouse Lemur, The Pygmy Marmoset, also called the Dwarf Monkey, is the world’s smallest monkey with a body length of 14–16 cm (5.5–6.3 in). This cute monkey inhabits tropical lands and rainforests.
Etruscan Shrew
The Etruscan Shrew, also known as the the Etruscan Pygmy Shrew or the White-toothed Pygmy Shrew, weighs only 1.2–2.7 g (0.04–0.1 oz) and has an average length of 36-53 mm (1.4-2 in). If looked at weight only, the Etruscan Shrew can be considered the smallest mammal in the world. Despite its small body, the Etruscan Shrew’s brain is the largest in ratio to its body weight compared to all animals and even humans!
Thread Snake
The Tread Snake or The Slender Blind Snake is the world’s smallest snake with a length of 11 cm (4.3 in)! There are 87 different species out there in the world. And as you might have guessed already, it is called a Blind Snake because it really is blind. The Thread Snake poses as little danger as its appearance: it is a non venomous.
Paedophryne amauensis
The smallest frog in the world, the Paedophryne Amauensis (try to pronounce that), was discovered as late as 2009 in New Guinea! Since its discovery is fairly new, this cute little frog does not even have a common name yet. Their body length has an average size of 7.7 mm (0.3 in), which is even smaller than a one euro coin! As the smallest vertebrate on earth, this frog definitely deserves a spot on this list.
Bumblebee Bat
Shorter in length than the Etruscan Shrew, the Bumblebee Bat or Kitti’s Hog-Nosed Bat is the world’s smallest mammal. With a weight of only 1.5-2 g (0.05-0.07 oz) and a length of 30–40 mm (1.1–1.6 in), the Bumblebee Bat is, as its name already predicts already, as big as a bumblebee!
Bee Hummingbird
The smallest bird and the smallest warm-blooded vertebrate, the beautiful Bee Hummingbird is 5.7 cm (2.2 in) in length and only weighs 1.8 g (0.06 oz).
Carpa paedocypris
Only as small as 7.9 mm (0.3 in) in length, the Paedocypris is the smallest fish in the ocean! Their habitat is located in the Sumatra Island, Indonesia. Leading a solitary life, the Paedocypris certainly likes to have some me-time.
Denise's Pygmy Seahorse
Can you imagine an animal as big as your fingernail? The Denise’s Pygmy Seahorse is 16 mm (0.6 in) long and lives at a 100 meter depth in the Pacific Ocean.
speckled tortoise
Native to southern Namibia and South Africa, the Speckled Tortoise or the Speckled Padloper Tortoise is the world’s smallest turtle! Though a male Speckled Tortoise can measure 6-8 cm (2.4–3.1 in), a female one can measure up to 10 cm (6 in). What makes the Speckled Tortoise even more special besides it short length compared to its species is its fingers: while all other turtles have 4 fingers, the Speckled Tortoise has 5 fingers!