• Unknown
• Friday, September 16, 2016
• 0 Comments

Here are the shine brightest stars in the quest for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy in 2016. Keep reading to know who they are

1. Amber Rose

Model and TV personality Amber Rose has joined “Dancing With the Stars.” She is a proud mother, activist, entrepreneur, spokesperson, talk show host, model, actor and published author from Philadelphia, PA. MUVA, as she is affectionately known, has quickly become the unapologetic face of neo-feminism. Amber teams with pro partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

2. Calvin Johnson Jr

Calvin Johnson Jr. is a former American football wide receiver who played his entire career for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Former Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson will trade in his football cleats for dancing shoes.

3. Jake T. Austin

Whether appearing on TV/film or lending his voice to animated characters, 21-year-old Jake T. Austin is a multi-talented actor who has showcased his talent across the board in the entertainment industry. Jake teams with pro partner Jenna Johnson.

4. James Hinchcliffe

Race car driver James Hinchcliffe is no stranger to high-pressure situations. James Hinchcliffe is arguably one of the most popular drivers in the Verizon IndyCar Series. On the show, James teams with pro partner Sharna Burgess.

5. Jana Rae Kramer

Jana Rae Kramer is an American actress and country music singer. She is best known for her role as Alex Dupre on the television series One Tree Hill. Her pro partner is Gleb Savchenko.

6. Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds

Singer/producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds is competing on Season 23 of “Dancing With the Stars”. Kenneth Brian Edmonds professionally known as Babyface, is an American R&B musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He has written and produced over 26 No. 1 R&B hits throughout his career, and has won 11 Grammy - Music Awards. He teams with pro partner Allison Holker.

7. Laurie Hernandez

Laurie Hernandez burst onto the Senior Elite gymnastics scene in 2016, just in time for the Rio Olympic Games where she won Silver in the individual balance beam and secured Gold in the team All-Around. Her goal had always been to make an Olympic Team, and her dream came true! She is known for her dazzling floor exercise routine, where she has been nicknamed the "human emoji" for her outgoing facial expressions and for her grace and artistry on the balance beam. She teams with pro partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy.

8. Marilu Henner

Actress Marilu Henner is best known for her role as Elaine O’Connor Nardo on “Taxi.” With the energy of a teenager, the wisdom of a sage, and the memory of a superhero, Marilu Henner has deservedly earned the nickname "Perpetual Motion." His pro partner is Derek Hough.

9. Maureen McCormick

“Brady Bunch” actress Maureen McCormick will be dancing on the reality competition. She is also an American recording artist and author. She teams with pro partner Artem Chigvintsev.

10. Rick Perry

Former Texas governor and Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry is once again competing for America’s votes. Coming to Dancing with the Stars season 23, Rick teams with pro partner Emma Slater.

11. Ryan Lochte

Ryan Lochte has become a transcendent figure in the Olympic world. He is a four-time Olympia and a 12-time Olympic medalist. His seven individual Olympic medals are second all-time in Men's Swimming, and he is the current world record holder in the 200 individual medley. It is the fact that the Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is competing for a different types of gold. His pro partner is Cheryl Burke. 

12. Terra Jole

Reality TV star Terra Jole will appear on Season 23 of “Dancing With the Stars. She is an American actress, producer, singer, and TV personality. Since 2014, she has gained recognition both nationally and internationally as the star and Executive Producer of Lifetime's hit TV Shows, Little Women: LA and Terra's Little Family. Terra teams with pro partner Sasha Farber.

13. Vanilla Ice

The iconic Robert Van Winkle - aka Vanilla Ice - exploded on the Rap/Pop music scene in 1990/91 selling 10 million albums in four months and hitting number one on the Billboard charts with the number one single, "Ice Ice Baby," and number one album positions. He is one of thirty contestants for this season 23 and teams with pro partner Witney Carson.

Source: factoflife.net

• Unknown
• 
• 0 Comments

Here are 9 animals you might not know are native to the U.S.

Ocelot

The ocelot is a small wild cat species, also called the dwarf leopard. It looks like a tiny jaguar or clouded leopard. Ocelots can grow as long as 3-4.75 feet from tip of nose to tip of tail, and can weigh anywhere from 20-40 pounds. The solitary cats are territorial, and they rely on thick vegetation for shelter and hunting.

The species is native to large swaths of South America, Central America, and up into North America as far as southern Texas. On rare occasions it has been spotted in southern Arizona. They once ranged even farther into the States, and were found as far east as Arkansas and Louisiana. But between habitat loss and being hunted for their fur, ocelot numbers plummeted and they were classified as vulnerable on the endangered species list until 1996.

Though they are now back to being an IUCN "least concern" species, they have not returned to portions of their former range in the States, and there is only an isolated population of perhaps 50 cats still living in Texas.

See more animal facts for kids

Collared peccary

This adorable mammal is not a feral pig, even though it is commonly mistaken for one. The collared peccary is in the family Tayassuidae (not Suidae from which domestic pigs come), and they are only somewhat related to pigs at all.

Still, they look similar enough that no one would blame you for a misidentification. In fact, they're also commonly called javelina, musk hogs and Mexican hogs — names that only confuse their classification. They are more slender and smaller than pigs, and have several anatomical differences from the number of toes on their hind feet (three instead of four) to the direction their tusks point (down instead of curled). Unlike pigs, peccaries are native to the Americas, and the collared peccary is found in South America, Central America and in North America as far up as the southwestern United States including Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.

Collared peccaries are omnivores and dine on everything from cactus to fruits, from roots and tubers to insects and even small vertebrates. They travel in small herds of around six to 10 individuals, but some herds can be as large as 50 members or more.

Ringtail

The ringtail (or ring-tailed cat, miner's cat or marv cat) looks like something you might find in the wilds of Australia, but you need look no further than the South, Southwest or West Coast of the U.S. to find them. Even though it's the state mammal of Arizona, this species is another surprising addition to this list.

The reason you may not often see them is because they're nocturnal, solitary, and shy away from humans. They're also tiny, weighing only 1-2 pounds and measuring about 2 feet long, with their tail making up about half that length.

Despite being shy, the species is said to be easily tamed and this is the source of one of its names, the miner's cat. Though it is in the raccoon family and not a cat at all, miners and settlers used to keep them in their cabins to hunt mice, rats and other vermin. Though in many occasions, it was more a matter of ringtails moving in than the cabin owners bringing them in. Still, it was a mutually beneficial relationship.

Gulf Coast jaguarundi

The ocelot isn't the only surprising wild cat species found in the United States. Have you ever heard of the Gulf Coast jaguarundi? Not many people know that this species exists, let alone that it can be found in the U.S.

The Gulf Coast jaguarundi is one of four subspecies of jaguarundi, all of which are endangered. This is perhaps one of the more unusual-looking of the cat species, and it has been compared to an otter in its build because of its short legs, long body, and long flat tail, as well as its flat-ish head and small rounded ears. The coat color ranges from a rusty brown color to a dark grey, and varies depending on its preferred habitat — those individuals that live in more densely forested areas tend to be darker in color than those living in more open areas. This species is found in southern Texas down through to eastern Mexico.

Though it is endangered due primarily to habitat loss, the Gulf Coast jaguarundi is rarely studied and is not well understood. It is known, however, to be a close relative of the cougar. It is one of the many species whose continued existence is threatened by the proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Flying squirrel

There are 44 species of flying squirrel, most of which are found in Southeast Asia. But two of those species, the northern flying squirrel and southern flying squirrel are found right here in the U.S. They are the only two native flying squirrel species and they are equally adorable.

They are seen less often than tree squirrels because they are nocturnal. That's probably why so many people are surprised to learn that they are native to the States. The southern flying squirrel lives in the eastern U.S. from Maine to Florida and west from Minnesota south to Texas. Meanwhile, the northern flying squirrel lives mostly in the Northeast, down the West Coast, and in Idaho and Montana.

Flying squirrels don't actually fly — bats are the only mammal capable of flight — but they spread the extra skin along the sides of their bodies as they leap from tree to tree to extend the length of their leap. The strategy works wonderfully, and they can glide a distance of up to 150 feet! Both species are omnivores, eating seeds, nuts, fruit and insects. But the southern flying squirrel's diet includes eggs, carrion and even birds, making them one of the most carnivorous squirrel species.