World’s Most Epic Beards From 2015 World Beard And Moustache Championships
The 2015 World Beard And Moustache Championships, held in the town of Leogang in the Austrian mountains, is back with more epic beards and moustaches to marvel at. Over 300 bearded and moustachioed men from 20 different countries descended on this small alpine town to strut their stuff.Contestants compete in 18 categories across three divisions; Moustaches, Partial Beards and Full Beards. Each category features three prizes for the best facial hair. If you love what you see from this year’s contestants, make sure you see the contestants from the 2014 world and 2013 national U.S. championshipsas well.Austrian photojournalist Jan Heitfleisch took countless photos at the event, and he didn’t just feature the winners – they’re all worth checking out! If you’re looking for facial hair inspiration, read on. To compete next year, check out the championship organization’s website.
Over 300 bearded men from 20 different countries came to Leogang, Austria a few days ago
Image credits: Jan Hetfleisch
They came for the 2015 World Beard and Moustache Championships
Image credits: Jan Hetfleisch
The men were competing for categories in three groups: moustache, partial beard and full beard
Image credits: Jan Hetfleisch
The 18 categories in total include best goatee, best stubble and best fashion beard
Image credits: Jan Hetfleisch
The competition takes place every year or two in a different country
Image credits: Angelika Warmuth
It was hosted by Norway in 2011 and in Alaska in 2009
Image credits: Jan Hetfleisch
Scroll down for more photos of these fascinating contestants and winners!
Image credits: Jan Hetfleisch
Full Beard Freestyle category winner
Image credits: Jan Hetfleisch
Moustache Freestyle category winner
Image credits: Jan HetfleischImage credits: Jan HetfleischImage credits: Jan HetfleischImage credits: Jan HetfleischImage credits: Jan HetfleischImage credits: Jan HetfleischImage credits: Jan Hetfleisch4Image credits: Jan Hetfleisch
Madagascar, a huge island off the southeast coast of Africa, is a natural paradise, boasting endless rainforests, tropical beaches and rich reefs. These remarkable habitats are home to an outstanding number of 250,000 species of animals, 70 percent of which are endemic only to this heavenly island. Among the species are ones you must have definitely never heard of or seen (unless you've seen them recreated in Disney films) and some of them have some amazing features or abilities. Here are 10 of the most wondrous species native to Madagascar that will leave you dumbfounded. |
1. Flat-Tailed Gecko |
It may be hard to believe that this creature is not a bunch of leaves, but actually, a living gecko. These fascinating Madagascan-endemic geckos are considered to be the masters of camouflage, because of their ability to blend in with their surroundings and their ability to act like decaying leaves. There are 10 species of flat-tailed geckos that are native to Madagascar, all of which have different special traits, such as the ability to appear like a tree bark. |
2. Comet Moth |
One of the largest species of silk moths in the world is found in Madagascar. Comet moths grow up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) and have tails that extend, which measure 15 centimeters (6 inches). The wings they develop for their adult life have vibrant colors, but unfortunately, their bright colors won't last all that long. After their 2-6 month pupation period, these creatures can only survive for 4 to 5 days, during which they are unable to feed, however, the female can lay up to 170 eggs. Image source: Frank Vassen / Flickr |
3. Tomato Frog |
These ambush predators inhabit the northern, wetter parts of Madagascar, where they feed on mostly insects - although they are known to eat anything that is small enough for their mouths. Tomato frogs get their name from the coloration of the females' skin, which is of course, red. Some of their other features are said to be toad-like, including their feet that are not webbed, their smooth toe pads, and the latex-like secretion they emit when threatened. Image source: Frank Vassen / Flickr |
4. Fossa |
This peculiar creature has been compared to a dog due to its spout, but at the same time even to a cat because of its body. So, what exactly is it? Fossas are actually members of the mongoose family, and are officially the largest mammalian predator in Madagascar. Their body's size reaches a striking 2 meters (6.5 ft) (from their snout to the tip of their tail) with long tails and retractable claws thatgive them great balancing capabilities, as well as agility. Unfortunately, these wonderful creatures are becoming even rarer by time, mostly due to the 90% destruction of their habitat by humans. Image source: Tambako The Jaguar / Flickr |
5. Aquatic Tenrec |
Aquatic Tenrecs are considered one of the rarest animal species in the world. To make matters worse for nature enthusiasts, these creatures are also quite small in size, measuring just 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) in length, making them even more difficult to spot. They are aquatic animals, which explains the purpose of their webbed feet and strong hind-limb muscles. This habitat offers them insects and tadpoles as prey, which they drag to the water's surface and load over their backs, where they control it with kicks from their hind feet. Image source: Kevin H. Barnes / Mongabay |
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6. Madagascar Pochards |
Madagascar is also home to what is considered to be the rarest duck in the world. In fact, Madagascar Pochards were thought to be extinct up until 2006, when they discovered a small population of 22 Pochards living on Lake Matsaborimena. This kind of duck is medium-sized and can dive underwater for up to two minutes, to grab hold of invertebrates, seeds and the aquatic plants it preys on. Thanks to a breeding program that started in 2009, the poor population of Madagascar Pochards is now recuperating gradually. Image source: Frank Vassen / Flickr |
7. Malagasy Leaf-Nosed Snakes |
Among many weird-looking animals native to Madagascar is the Malagasy leaf-nosed snake, which can be found slithering on top of branches high up in the trees. What gives them their name and their identity is their long, pointed leaf-like nose, which can stick out of their ambush location while preying, appearing similar to seed pods or leaves. This is another aspect added to their camouflage-adapted bodies, with the color of the skin easily blending in with their surroundings. Image source: Kumiko / Flickr |
8. Aye-aye |
These mysterious-looking nocturnal primates can be found lurking in the trees at night in Madagascar. In fact, their body is adapted for this kind of habitat, with their big toes and nails making it easier for them to clasp to branches and dig insects out of trees. They make use of one bizarre adaptation, which is echolocation, also known to be used by bats. This allows the creature to detect prey using echoes. Because they are nocturnal, it's no surprise that the Aye-ayes have big, sensitive ears and huge eyes, to aid them in their night hunting. Image source: James Joel / Flickr |
9. Darwin's Bark Spider |
This spider is by far one of the most skilled creatures not only inMadagascar, but in the world. The silk produced by Darwin's Bark Spiders is astoundingly 10 times stronger than Kevlar (a strong synthetic fiber used to reinforce car tires and other rubber products) and is the strongest silk ever discovered so far. It is no wonder this spider is one talented predator, producing huge webs across streams or rivers, of up to an unbelievable length of 25 meters (80ft), to trap insects. With its body measuring just 2.5 centimeters, this spider is a perfect example of something small being unmistakably powerful. Image source: Harvey Barrison / Flickr |
10. Panther Chameleon |
This particular species of chameleon is an exception when compared to other chameleons. Instead of taking on a camouflage appearance, Panther chameleons are vibrantly colored all over. Interestingly, this skin color changes according to their mood. Like many otherchameleons though, they can rotate and focus their eyes independently from each other to look at two things at the same time, and they have a long sticky tongue that can easily catch their prey. Image source: Florence Ivy / Flicr |
H/T: Listverse.com