Archive for the ‘Mammals’ Category

A meerkat, otherwise known also as suricate, is a little mammal related to the mongoose. Meerkats live in large groups or families that can have between 20 and 50 meerkats on average in each group.  One meerkat usually remains on guard to warn the clan from predators like eagles, hawks, jackals or other carnivorous animals and will call out loudly and shrilly if they see potential dangers that can harm the tribe. They have many different sounds they can make from barks to peeps and chirps, with each having a different meaning.

Meerkats are fairly long-lived, usually from 10 to 14 years old. They are active in the daytime and sleep at night, unlike some animals. Read the rest of this entry »

Next time you’re taking an ocean voyage, you may be lucky enough to spot the majestic humpback whale in its native habitat. Whales can be found in the North Pacific, Atlantic, and Southern Oceans where they complete a round trip every year. Other whales can be found in the Indian Ocean, but they cannot migrate because of the ocean’s northern coastline.

You can recognize it by its knobbly head and unusually long pectoral fins, which have unique patterns. They have a long tail fin colored black and white, which can take up to a third of its body length.

The male whale makes its own song, lasting anywhere for 10 to 20 minutes. While most biologists don’t understand the reason for the whale song, it does seem to have a part to play in mating. Read the rest of this entry »

If you like lizards at all, then you are sure to appreciate the elegant Komodo dragon, which lives in Indonesia. You can find them in the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gila Motang. The magnificent lizard grows anywhere from 2 to 3 meters (6.6 to 9.8 feet) in length.

The Komodo dragon has a sense of touch that is aided by scales that have sensory plaques connected to the nerves. Some of the scales are reinforced with bone, making the lizard a tough opponent.

They primarily eat animals that are already dead, having the ability to smell their meals from 4 to 9 and a half kilometers (2 and a half to 6 miles) away. However, as the need arises, they can catch other creatures and attack their underside or go for the throat. Don’t be deceived by the large size of the lizard, they can move quite rapidly. Read the rest of this entry »

Fairy Armadillos is one of the very tiniest of armadillos, and are unique of all other armadillos. Take a closer look at these tiny pink miracles and the world of nature will become that much more interesting to you.

Physical Characteristics

The fairy armadillo is pale rose to pink in color and measures 3.5 to 4.5 inches long, excluding the tail, and weighs less than a pound. It also has a pointed nose and small eyes and ears.

Fairy armadillos have long front claws, which are used to agitate the sand, allowing them to essentially swim through ground as if it was water.They are shaped like torpedoes and have a shielded head to protect them from abrasion from the sand.

Their legs, undersides of their bodies, and under their shells are covered with soft, fine white hairs.The dorsal shell of a fairy armadillo is almost completely separate from the body; a bone plate in the shell at the rear is securely attached to the pelvic bones.

A fairy armadillo’s tail is distinctively spatula-shaped and protrudes from a notch in the rear plate. The tail drags behind the fairy armadillo as it walks, because the tail cannot be raised.

Habitat and Location

Fairy armadillos can be found in central Argentina, where they inhabit grasslands and sandy plains with thorn bushes and cacti. They tend to burrow small holes near ant colonies.

Diet

Fairy armadillos mainly feast on ants and ant larvae. However, they will also eat worms, snails, insects, larvae, and various plant and root material.

Breeding Facts

Baby fairy armadillos resemble their parents, but their shells do not completely harden until they are fully grown. The female armadillo usually gives birth to only one pup at a time. Although, fairy armadillos tend to live solitary lives, they are polygamous when it comes to mating.

The Fairy Armadillo – Ant Eater – Pink Fairy Armadillo -World Of Nature

Blue Whales are among the gentlest of mammals, characterized by the ability to communicate with other whales through their amazing whale song. Endangered for many years, Blue whales are making a comeback because some countries have decided not to endorse the large full scale whale hunts that the more barbaric and backward thinking countries do.

Physical Characteristics

Blue whales can measure well over 100 feet long and weigh more than 100 tons. Read the rest of this entry »

Right whales were so named because they were considered the “right” whale to use for whale oil which powered lamps and other items. They are no longer hunted in the United States, but many other countries still permit whaling on a large scale.

Traditionally the Eskimos lived on the whale meat and used the oil and the carcass very wisely, taking only what they needed to survive. They remain one of the few cultures who have used these giants with any wisdom. Read the rest of this entry »

The Emperor Penguin is one of the most amusing and interesting creatures alive today. They do things a bit backwards, with the father typically caring for the eggs, and carrying it along with them. In fact, Emperor Penguins have actually been observed pairing off with animals of their own sex and raising an abandoned or stolen egg together.

Physical Characteristics

Emperor penguins are the largest type of penguin, standing up to four feet tall and weighing between 70 and 90 pounds. They are distinctive by their yellow, gray, and black markings of the upper body and wings. To maintain insulation and waterproofing, a gland near their tail secretes oil into the feathers. The penguins preen their feathers to spread the oil. They can swim up to fifteen kilometers an hour.

Habitat and Location

Emperor penguins enjoy residing in the coldest climate on Earth, all around the Antarctic continent. On the Antarctic ice, temperatures can drop as low as -140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Diet

The emperor penguin mainly feasts on fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. In particular, they enjoy Antarctic silverfish.

Breeding Facts

Once emperor penguins are four years old, they are ready to mate. After mating, the female penguin lays one large egg. Immediately, the egg is rolled to the top of the male penguin’s feet. A thick fold of skin hanging from the belly of the male keeps the egg warm, while it rests on his feet. The males stay huddles in groups for up to nine weeks, while the females return to the open sea to feed. During this time, the males can lose half of their weight due to not eating.

After the egg hatches, the female emperor penguin returns to care for the chick. It is now the male’s turn to go to the open sea to feed and regain his weight. In a few weeks the male returns to help keep the chick warm and fed from food in his stomach. Once the chicks are seven weeks old, they huddle together for protection and warmth, but are still fed by their parents. At the beginning of summer season in the Antarctic, the chicks are fully grown –typically they are at six months old.

Emperor Penguin – Facts – Emperor Penguin Habits

Grizzly Bears are among the most fierce occupants of the United States. They have been known to be very gentle, but can turn sometimes immediately on a keeper or trainer, and are assuredly animals best left in the wild.

Physical Characteristics

The grizzly bear, also known as the silver-tip bear, has a distinctive shoulder hump of muscle, concave face, and famously long claws. The fur color of grizzly bears can range from a grayish color through yellow-brown to a dark brown or nearly black collaboration. Fur color relies on the habitat and climate.

Depending on the food supply, the size of grizzly bears varies. On average, males weigh 850 pounds and females weigh 450 pounds.

When a grizzly bear stands on its hind legs, the bear can reach seven feet. Despite the grizzly bear’s large size, it can reach speeds of 35 mph.

Habitat and Location

Grizzly bears used to live in western North America and the Great Plains. Today, they still reside in Canada and Alaska in the wild. In the United States, 1,000 grizzly bears remain protected by the law. Here they can mostly be found in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

Diet

A grizzly bear diet can consist of both vegetation and animals, depending on what’s available. Grizzly bears will consume grasses, roots, berries, fish, small mammals, and large mammals. They have even been known to “dumpster dive,” which can lead to conflicts with humans.

Breeding Facts

Mating season for grizzly bears is between May and July. The males rely on smell and olfactory clues to find their females. During the search, they have been known to go without food for hours. Female grizzly bears do not become pregnant immediately, because the fertilized egg floats in the womb for several months, until the conditions for developing the fetus are right. The grizzly bear cubs are born blind and toothless in the middle of winter. The number of cubs born is reliant on the local food supply, but twins are most common.

The mother Grizzly bear is one of the most fierce defenders of her cubs, being known to kill animals twice her size in defense of them.

Grizzly Bears – United States Occupants – Silver-Tip Bear – World Of Nature

The black bear ranges over a great deal of the United States, and in fact much of North America. It lives in forests and woodlands and most of the United States national park areas. The Black Bear is in good supply, and is listed among the animals of least concern on the Red List.

Appearance

The black bear is .. deep brown or black and has a very broad snout, a rounded skull which tapers in the front, and a set of small rounded ears that are set back on their head. They can actually range from deep brown, brownish black, all the way to a light sandy tone depending on the time of year and the heredity of the bear.

Breeding

The Black Bear breeds in mid summer, late June or early July, and will gestate for about 235 days, or nearly the same time span as a human. They give birth to a litter of cubs, usually two but as many as three or four and as few as just one. This takes place in late January or the early part of February.

The Young

The cubs will be tiny, hairless, and completely helpless, weighing under a pound when they are born. They will open their eyes at about a month old, and will drink milk from the mother for about 7 or 8 months time. At about six months old they will weigh in at around forty pounds. By the time they are 8 months old they may weigh 60 pounds and when they are 18 months old, typically the cubs will leave the den and become independent of the mother. At around three years, they will begin to produce their own litters. In the wild, the black bear will usually live about 18 years.

Habits

Black bear are very territorial animals and will mark their chosen area by rubbing or clawing it. They wil swim and climb very well and may pursue their enemies or prey as well as to get away from predators or hunters by running. Only rarely will the black bear turn to fight. Typically this is when they are with cubs. They are omnivores, eating nearly any kind of insect or vegetation, but will also feed on game as well as some domestic animals if the opportunity arises.

The Black Bear – Information – United States Black Bear – World Of Nature

The lion is one of the best known members of the cat family, known as the king of the beasts and an emblem of royalty for many different country’s crests and flags.

Lions are most found in the grasslands of sub-Sahara Africa, Asia, and an endangered remnant in India. The males and females appear different with the male larger and having a dark mane framing his head and neck.

Females are smaller and sleeker, able to do most of the hunting for the pride, which is made up of a few adult males, females and cubs.

Adult male lions can weigh between 330 to 550 pounds and the females tend to range from 264 to 400 pounds. The coloration of the lions is usually a tan or brownish yellow with the mane of the male being darker. Read the rest of this entry »

The Aardwolf is a smaller member of the family of animals that the hyena belongs to. They have a very unique and different diet than the hyena as well. While the Hyena primarily is a meat eater, the Aardwold eats termites, bugs and flyer bugs. Their name means earth wolf in African, a name given to them by the Dutch setters who came to Africa.

It is in fact a type of hyena but very rarely east carrion or dead materials such as the hyena eats.
The subfamily of Hyena called Protelinae is the species to which the Aardwolf belongas and it is the last surviving member of that family. All others have gone extinct.

The Aardwolf has a mane that runs down its neck and shoulders in the middle and it has black stripes that show up well against brighter, yellow colored fur. It raises the main using erector type muscles when it is frightened or nervous and the aardwolf looks a great deal larger when it does so.

The Aardwolf has legs that are much longer than the back legs, such as the hyena does and there are five toes on their front feet not four as the hyena has. In comparison to other hyenas or hyena families the aardwolf is quite a log smaller. It is only about two feet long rather than three, and is just about 20 inches tall at the shoulder for the largest.

The aardwolf is very shy and nocturnal, appearing to feed and hunt at night. They have feet and teeth and tongue that are well suited to lapping up insects rather than tearing away at meat as their cousins do. As they age the aardwolf will lose some of their teeth and this actually doesn’t impact their ability to eat at all because they primarily eat ants, grubs and even maggots.

In self defense the aardwolf will spray a liquid that is remarkably foul smelling and they also use this to mark territory as well as a way to warn off or to draw in other aardwolves. They live in southern portions of Africa-on the grassy plain area, and hunting termites and other insects at night, they can consume as many as two hundred thousand in a day.

Aardwolves don’t always stay in packs, in fact they are quite solitary, unlike hyenas. They will share burrows when they have cubs but seldome at any other time.
The female aardwolf will have a set of two to four cubs at a time, after about 100 days of gestation and while the females will hunt for food, the males will guard the cubs, but after about 2 months, the cubs will go with the female when they hunt.

The aardwolf has lived as long as 12-13 years in captivity but as wild aardwolves, they may live as long as 15 years.

Aardwolf – Hyena Family – Earth Wolf – Aardwolf Insect Eater – World Of Nature

Size and Description

The Gaboon Viper is a short and very heavy snake. They are very round in comparison to their body length. The average grown Gaboon will weigh about 18-20 pounds while it may be just four or six feet long.  The Gaboon Viper is very heavy bodied. It is excellently camouflaged with  a black or dark brown body and brown markings that run the length of its body. The head is triangular, said to be shaped like the leaves on a tree.

The Gaboon Viper has the longest fangs of any venomous snake and also makes the most venom of any other venomous snake. It is a good thing that the snake is known for being more placid since the venom is also particularly toxic. They can be very harmful if not fatal to adult humans, but they have often been said to be so placid that they can be handled by experts with nearly as much ease as handling a non toxic snake

What they Eat

The Gaboon viper is nocturnal, meaning that it hunts at night. It is not limited to the rainforests and are often seen on the roadways or logging paths. They will eat small mammals, as well as birds, frogs, and other amphibians. The Gaboon Viper is an ambush hunter, who will lie in wait on a well camouflaged area and wait for prey.

Habitat and Location
The Gaboon Viper is found in the rainforests and other moist lowlands of the  Africa. It is also found  living in or near the cacao plantations in West Africa and has been noted to be found near the  coffee plantations in East Africa. In addition they seem to be prolific in the evergreen forests that are part of Zambia.

Breeding

Gaboon Viper males engage in some very odd “wrestling” matches or combats to gain the attention of the female. The victor is the breeder.

Gaboon Vipers give birth to live babies rather than laying eggs. The term for this is that they are viviparous.  They will give birth to anywhere from 25 babies up to fifty or more per breeding, but the average is about twenty or twenty five.
The Gaboon Viper babies take nearly a year to be born. The breeding cycle for these big snakes is thought to be about every 2 or 3 years.

Gaboon Viper – Venomous Rainforest Snake – African Gaboon Viper

Physical Characteristics

Musk Oxen are large and heavy, reaching 6 or 7 feet long in length and will have a height at the shoulder that may be as tall as 5 feet. They are very heavy bodied and full grown will weigh between 500 and 900 pounds.

They live in very cold areas and as compensation are covered in long wool that completely keeps them warm. The have an outer coat that is made of very long brown hairs, while the inner woolen coat, called qiviut was gathered by native peoples for use as spinning wool. The musk ox is well suited for life in the artic.

Males and females both have very large horns that meet in the center of their skull. The Males also grow an additoinal thing called a “boss” across their horns. The musk ox has a very strong and very musky scent that gives them their names.

Wikipedia CC Licensed Musk Ox Photo

Habitat and Location:

The Musk Ox is a tundra animal. It is found in more northern and cold locations. The Musk Ox can be found in Canada (The more northern parts) Greenland, Norway, Russian, Sweeden, Alaska. At one point the Musk Ox was extinct in Norway, Sweden and Russia, having been killed off completely but the Ox was successfullly introduced back into the wild there.

The Musk Ox is a herd animal that will roam the area in which it lives. The entire herd will range over a great area to gain access to food and water.

Diet: What They Eat:

The Musk Ox lives in a herd and will range with that herd well over the area in which they live. They will eat nearly any kind of vegetation that is available to them to eat. This includes the small shoots of trees, the lichens, tundra grasses, shrubs and any other vegetation that can be found. In winter they may paw their way through the snow to find grass.

Breeding Facts

Musk oxen undergo a male rutting season just as deer and elk do. They begin to rut in the late summer and early fall. The males will compete and do battle for possession of a harem. Only one male may mate with multiple females. The babies are born after about 8 months time. One female gives birth to just one baby every other year in the springtime.

Musk Ox-Endangered Tundra Animal – World Of Nature

Physical Characteristics
The Gibbon is a smaller primate type animal who lives in the treetops.
They have strong arms and hands and aare thickly furred animals.
The color of the Gibbon can change dramatically from nearly blond to nearly black on color. They are thickly furred and very fluffy animals with thin bodies. They may weigh about 12-15 pounds when fully grown. Gibbons have no tail.

They are not good swimmers so they are sometimes isolated by the rivers of the area and are not able to get across them.

Habitat and Location

The Gibbon is found in the southeastern portions of Asia. They spend nearly all of their time in the trees of the rainforests. They have long fingers that permit them to very gracefully swing the treetops from one branch to another. Only rarely will they go to ground.

What they Eat

Gibbons will generally eat fruit and berries, but they will change up and eat leaves, bark of trees, as well as plant roots and leaves. In addition, the Gibbon will eat smaller birds, as well as tree frogs, bugs, and some small animals. This is known as being omniverous.

Breeding Facts

There are just a few primates that breed or mate for life with just one partner unless that partner is killed. One of those species is the Gibbon, who will also mourn the death of a partner.
The Gibbon gives birth to one youngster after being pregnant for about seven months. Once in a while twins do take place but that is rare. The young Gibbon will stay with both parents in a family type arrangement until they are old enough to start their own families. Gibbons usually live between 25 and 40 years. They will live much longer in captivity than they do in the wild due to predation by animals and man

Gibbon Monkey – Rainforest Gibbon Monkey – Asian Monkey

Physical Characteristics

The average size for a full grown Reticulated Python is about 25 feet. They will grow to between 15 and 25 feet and may at times be longer than 30 feet long. This makes the Reticulated Python the longest snake in the world today. Most Reticulated Pythons are about 300 pounds or a little more. They are beautiful snakes with broad lovely markings the full length of their body.

Habitat and Location: Reticulated Pythons live in the South Eastern portions of Asia. They live in countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, the Phillipines, as well as Indonesia. The Reticulated Python will most often be found near the water. They enjoy swimming and moist air that is found near rivers, lakes, pond and in the rainforest areas of Asia.

Reticulated Pythons, oddly enough, will very frequently be found where there is human interaction. They seem to have tendencies to live near areas where humans are active.

What Do They Eat

The diet of the Reticulated Python is widely ranging and diverse. They like birds as well as mammals. They will eat larger prey such as deer and pigs when they can get it. Being very large they will also eat whole animals that are several times around larger than they are. It appears to be possible that the Reticulated python has also very rarely ingested humans.

The python is an ambush hunter that lies in wait for their prey,and will grasp it very quickly with a strike before winding around and suffocating the prey. They swallow their prey whole, wriggling down over it.

Breeding and Reproduction

Unlike many other constrictors, the Python females do not bear live young, but lay eggs. The female python will breed and then may lay as few as 20 eggs but can lay as many as 100 at a time. The mother coils around the eggs and actually keeps them warm as many birds do. She quivers in a certain way, and the contractions or vibrations of her muscles will cause the temperature of the eggs to actually rise.