Black howler monkeys are found in parts of Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. There are many Howler monkey species that range throughout Central and South America, but these are the ones usually found the furthest south.
As for their colour, only fully mature, adult males are black in colour. Younger Black howler monkeys, and females have a black and gold colour combination.
This howler monkey was photographed in the Pantanal region of Brazil.
So, who is the coolest cat of them all? This list of six big cats represents the biggest, smartest and coolest cats around the world.
Of all the wild cats I’ve seen on my travels, I’ve only seen one from this list – the Lion. Looks like I have to plan some more feline friendly travels? See if your favourite cat made the list.
#6 Mountain Lion (Puma concolor)
You don’t need to travel anywhere exotic to come in contact with a potentially lethal big cat. The Cougar, Panther and Mountain Lion are all the same animal – roaming across the wild areas of the Americas. From the Rocky Mountains to the Andes in South America these are extremely elusive cats that are capable of hunting big prey like Moose, Elk or Deer. Chances of seeing one are slim as they’re weary of humans and prefer to avoid any contact.
#5 Lion (Panthera leo)
Lions used to live in various locations around the world, but now wild lions are only found in Africa and India. The “King of the Jungle” is known for its distinctive mane and strong roar, a key component of big cats. What many people don’t know is that the Asiatic Lion can be found in India. Only around 400 of them remain, so it is an endangered animal and can only be seen in the Gir Forest in Gujarat, India. Over in Africa, the lion is listed as a vulnerable species, but ranges across much of Southern and Eastern Africa still.
#4 Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
The Cheetah is the fastest of all land animals, travelling at speeds upwards of 100km/hour. How can they run so fast? Well they have semi-retractable claws, enlarged nostrils, lungs and hearts that increase their running capabilities. Quite slender in appearance, these long-legged cat weighs in at 90-140 pounds. They are a vulnerable species that are found primarily in Africa and parts of the Middle East.
#3 Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia)
The elusive and endangered Snow Leopard is a close second to the Cheetah for biggest small cat. For its environment, the mountain ranges of Central and Southern Asia, it is a big cat, weighing 77-121 pounds. White in winter and brown in summer, their fur is probably the best camouflaged of any of the big cats, adding to their elusiveness and stealth capabilities. To endure cold winters, its proportionately large tail doubles as a scarf!
#2 Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)
This is the largest cat on the planet, with males weighing in at as much as 800 pounds. The Siberian Tiger is critically endangered with only about 500 left in the wild. The remaining Tigers reside in Northern Asia and Russia. It has larger feet than most tigers to navigate through snow, and has brown rather than black stripes, just to be different!
#1 Jaguar (Panthera onca)
This is the third largest cat, and one of only four “roaring” cats from the panthera genus. It is also the least threatened species on this list. Typically weighing between 124-211 pounds, some have been recorded at more than 300 pounds. This compactly built cat excels at climbing, swimming and crawling. Currently, they live in a range of places from Mexico to Northern Argentina. Jaguars are highly successful hunters with sleek features and are sometimes rumoured to be the only big cat that kills for “fun”.
While these may be my favourite six big cats, the Leopard (Panthera pardus), Bobcat (Lynx rufus) and Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) are also pretty amazing wild cats.
Big on citrus and hops aroma, this is a classic West Coast IPA, but doubled up on intensity.
Clocking in slightly under 10% ABV, this big bottle was a hefty hopper, but quite enjoyable from start to finish.
Nothing made it stand out as unique – aroma, taste and look were all quite common. Slightly murky, light orange in appearance it had a very clingy head when poured. Even after sitting for a long time, the head still hung around.
The amount of pine and bitterness in this beer matches well with the powerful aroma, so you know before your first sip that this is going to be a solid beer.
As the hopping frog on the bottle indicates, it is intensely hoppy, having been dry-hopped for two weeks. In total five kinds of hops help create this artwork of beer that is a great example of what the double IPA style had traditionally tasted like.
When most people say they’re flying to California they tend to be excited about spending time in big cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco.
For me, the first thing I did when I arrived in San Diego was head for the Colorado Desert. The desert is actually in Mexico and California – south of the Mojave Desert and considered part of the Sonora Desert.
Geography lesson aside, the Colorado Desert is a low-lying desert. It’s dry and shrubby. Not many big cacti in this part of the desert. There is plenty to see though!
Most of my time in the Colorado Desert was spent in Anza Borrego Desert State Park. As California’s largest state park, there was a lot to explore. The wildflowers weren’t out yet, as I arrived in late winter, but I still found the odd looking plants quite interesting.
As I continued east from San Diego, through the park I eventually came in sight of Borrego Springs. Nestled amongst the mountains Borrego Springs proclaims itself as California’s Secret Desert.
If you judge it by the odd desert sculptures that greet you as you approach the village, then you don’t doubt you’ve entered some sort of strange desert oasis.
As alluring as those rusty sculptures and looming mountains were, I resisted spending much time in Borrego Springs, as I found the desert itself interesting enough. Wide washes that had been previously flooded were countered by deep canyons and the rocky cliffs would be spattered with pockets of colour, creating a nice visual as I passed through the State Park.
If you like wide-open spaces and big skies this is a perfect place for camping only a few hours from San Diego. But, if you’re like me, you may want to drive a little further northeast to the edge of the Colorado Desert and into the Mojave Desert to check out Joshua Tree National Park.
When I think of all the meals I enjoyed in Turkey, one stands out above all the rest.
I’m not as much of a ‘foodie’ as many other travellers, but I’ll admit Turkey was one of the most surprising gastronomic destinations I’ve visited. Of all the great meals I enjoyed there, Iskender is the only one I still often have cravings for.
Yes, I had snacks, fresh Baklava and Turkish Delights from the markets in Istanbul. I enjoyed some seafood feasts while sailing on the Mediterranean. I had some savoury, home made Gozleme in Selcuk too…but Iskender beats them all.
Even the Testi Kebap in Goreme – cooked in a clay pot that you get to break – couldn’t beat Iskender.
You can find Iskender variations around the country, but the birthplace of the original (and best) Iskender dates back to the 19th century in Bursa. Created by İskender Efendi, it is a mouth-watering mix of strips of meat (generally lamb or beef), tomato, hot pepper, yogurt and fresh pita bread.
What brings it all together, creating the tastiest meal in Turkey, is that it is topped off by pouring a bubbling hot butter mixture over the plate, which mixes all the flavours together. It might not look pretty, but it is sweet music for your stomach.
Be warned, there are many knock-off Iskender kebab versions out there, which are frequently done quite poorly. The mix of ingredients and boiling butter are a must and the only way to guarantee you’re dining on the official Iskender is to visit one of their restaurants.
The original Iskender restaurant is a small blue corner restaurant that still exists in Bursa. This is where I first had Iskender, but they have a handful of locations in Turkey now. As it is the only meal they serve, it’s fixed price dining and you know it will be done perfectly. The family that runs the Iskender restaurants are descendants of it’s creator, so it is a proud family tradition.
They take the Iskender meal so seriously that they actually have a series of patents and trademarks protecting their name and the way they serve and prepare their Iskender meals! Kebapçı İskender is their official name and the name of the restaurants you want to find. You can also find their newer Iskender Ekspres locations, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice by taking the fast-food route.
