Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

20
CARD 11 The blue whole is the largest mammal ever to have lived on earth. Amazingly, it feeds on some of the smallest ocean life-plankton. KEY FACTS SIZES Length: Males average 82 ft. Females, 85 ft. Weight: 175,000-285,000 lb. BREEDING Sexual maturity: Males at a length of 74 ft. Females at 75 ft. Mating: Most females breed only once every three years. Gestation: 11-1 2 months. No. of young: Single calf. LIFESTYLE Call: Low-frequency moan. Produces ultrasonic chirps and whistles when feeding. Habit: Social and migratory. Diet: Plankton. lifespan: 80 years. RELATED SPECIES Pygmy blue whales (B.m. bre- vicouda) are thought to live in the southern Indian Ocean. Summer feeding routes. Winter feeding routes. DISTRIBUTION Limited, scattered areas all around the world; mainly based in Arctic and Antarctic waters. CONSERVATION Since 1986, commercial whaling has largely stopped, and blue whales now show signs of breeding success. Still, it will take a century of protection before they are out of danger of extinction. T HE BLUE WHALE'S FEEDING SYSTEM T he blue whale has approximately 320 b aleen plates, measuri ng 40 i nches long by 22 i nches wide . Long bristles on the end of each plate hold the minute prey . Having forced the water o ut of its mouth , the whale licks the plankton off with its fleshy t ongue. ©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A. Instead of t eeth , t he b lue whale has a row of plates in i ts mouth , known as baleen , which functions as a food- collecting device. The mouth and baleen work li ke a strainer, holding ''';' up to 5 tons of water and with each mouthful. 0160200021 PACKET 2a

description

Blue Whale, Mandrill, American Bison, North American Beaver, Indian Rhinoceros, Chimpanzee, Sperm Whale, Bactrian Camel, Red Deer

Transcript of Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

Page 1: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

~ CARD 11

The blue whole is the largest mammal ever to have lived on earth. Amazingly, it feeds on some of the smallest ocean life-plankton.

KEY FACTS

SIZES Length: Males average 82 ft.

Females, 85 ft. Weight: 175,000-285,000 lb.

BREEDING Sexual maturity: Males at a

length of 74 ft. Females at 75 ft. Mating: Most females breed only

once every three years.

Gestation: 11-1 2 months.

No. of young: Single calf.

LIFESTYLE Call: Low-frequency moan.

Produces ultrasonic chirps and

whistles when feeding.

Habit: Social and migratory.

Diet: Plankton.

lifespan: 80 years.

RELATED SPECIES Pygmy blue whales (B.m. bre­

vicouda) are thought to live in the

southern Indian Ocean.

Summer • feeding routes.

Winter feeding routes.

DISTRIBUTION Limited, scattered areas all around the world; mainly based

in Arctic and Antarctic waters.

CONSERVATION Since 1986, commercial whaling has largely stopped, and

blue whales now show signs of breeding success. Still, it will

take a century of protection before they are out of danger of

extinction.

THE BLUE W HALE'S FEEDING SYSTEM

The blue whale has approximately 320 baleen plates, measuring 40 inches long by 22 inches wide. Long bristles on the end of each plate hold the minute prey. Having forced the water out of its mouth, the whale licks the plankton off with its fleshy tongue.

©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.

Instead of teeth, the blue whale has a row of plates in its mouth, known as baleen, which functions as a food-collecting device. The mouth and baleen work like a strainer, holding

''';' up to 5 tons of water and p~nkton with each mouthful.

0160200021 PACKET 2a

Page 2: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

Although blue whales feed in deep water,

they are still mammals, and must come to

the surface to breathe. They exhale air in a cloud of

pressurized steam that rises

straight up for about 20 feet.

Like other marine mammals, blue whales are descended from early land animals. Mil­lions of years ago, the rich­ness of life in the sea lured them to water, and aquatic life gradually changed their physical characteristics.

Today, they spend most of

their time in the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans, where plankton is plentiful. In winter, the whales migrate to the warm waters of the trop­ics. But food in the tropics is scarce, so the whales depend on their thick layer of blubber for nourishment.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The biggest blue whale ever recorded was 102 feet long. The heaviest one recorded weighed 390,000 pounds. • Blue whales were once

~ BREEDING Blue whales form close ties with one another and are often seen in groups of two or four. Mating takes place in the warm waters of the tropics, where the young are born. The mother gives birth to a single calf with the aid of other females, who help her deliver the calf and then nudge the newborn to the

R. Koher/Oxford Scientific Films Ltd

called sulphur-bottom whales by sailors because their bodies became covered with algae . which was greenish-yellow like sulphur.

surface for its first breath of

air. At birth, the calf measures

about 23 feet and weighs 16,000 pounds. The baby is suckled in the water, drinking more than 160 gallons of milk a day. At 7 months, it is able to catch its own food.

Below: Mother and calf on their way to Arctic feeding grounds.

~ FOOD & HUNTING In the Antarctic, blue whales feed on vast quantities of a plankton called krill. In Arctic waters, they feed on only three species of crustacean (shelled) plankton.

Icy water contains more oxygen and carbon dioxide than warm water, which makes it rich in marine life. Plankton is up to twenty times more abundant in the Arctic and Antarctic than it is in the warm waters of the tropics.

In spite of its bulk, the blue whale can reach speeds of 1 0-1 5 knots. But it catches most of its food by diving. It can dive to depths of 1650 feet and lie submerged for up to 2 hours. Rising from the depths, the whale feeds by collecting a large amount of seawater in its mouth and then straining out the plankton (see back page).

Above right: Whales come to the surface to breathe. The spout of pressurized steam that rises into the air is one way to recognize their presence.

~WHALE&MAN Because of ·its great size, the blue whale was a prime target for the whaling industry. Its body was a source of oil and the baleen was used to make women's corsets.

Antarctic whalers slaugh­tered 30,000 blue whales from 1930 to 1931. The population has since recov­ered, but there are probably less than 10,000 alive today; they are now protected.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~S_IZ_E_SOFTHEBlUEWHAlE & MAN

Man 6 ft.

Blue whale 100ft.

Page 3: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

MANDRILL

ORDER Primates

FAMILY Cercopithecidae

GROUP 1: MAMMALS GENUS &: SPECIES Mandril/us sphinx

The ferocious appearance of the mandrill is misleading. By nature, it is quite peaceable and social. The brilliant coloring of the male IS

face distinguishes it from the plainer female.

. __ ~ KEY FACTS

I ~~ I SIZES <S7 Height: Male, 28-30 in .

Tail length: 2-3 in . Weight: Up to 120 lb. Females are half the size and weight of males.

BREEDING Sexual maturity: At least 4 years. Breeding season: Females come into estrus every 33 days. Gestation: 30 weeks. No. of young: 1 .

LIFESTYLE Call: 3 calls: for contact, alarm, and banding together. Habit: Sociable, diurnal. Diet: Plants, fruits, roots, seeds, insects, small mammals. Lifespan:' Up to 46 years.

RELATED SPECIES There are 7 species of baboon. Closely related to the mandrill is the drill, Papia leucaphaeus.

FEATURES OF THE MANDRill

Range of the mandrill.

DISTRIBUTION Forested areas of western central Africa; southern Cameroon, Gabon, and the Congo.

CONSERVATION Now an endangered species. Decline caused by habitat loss, excessive hunting for food, and sale to zoos. There is a great need for forest reserves to be established for its protection.

The adult rna e- (rign.t) dtsplays vivid cOlpratl2~ o~his fac{ and r&f11p in hues of-Slue, r.e-e1; and purple The colorilHon belps maliH:1rills & id 'ntify one anotfler wh~o they are fgraging . T~.e mal~ also

Female, and young mandrills' (befow) are ) much less cQl0rful than the adult'male; their fac s arellrayista tHack and lack any bright shad . 0.1 color. females are ,i:1alf '

has long, i5Qwerful cabJne teeth",

Young mandrills of both sexes have the same coloration as adult females. Males attain their full coloration when they are sexually mature.

-' the. size a~d weight of males.

©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200051 PACKET 5

Page 4: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

Active by day in the dense rainforests of

western and central Africa, the mandrill

is one of the largest of the ground-dwelling baboons.

Only the adult males have the brilliant

coloration that has made the species

so well known.

~ HABITS Like other species of baboon, mandrills are sociable animals, living in groups which may number from fifteen to 200 members. Each group contains at least one adult male, five or more adult females, and their young. Some males live alone, which indicates the likelihood of rivalry between adult males for the leader­ship of groups.

Mandrills spend most of the day foraging in the forest for food. While foraging, the animals keep in verbal contact with one another by making grunting and crowing sounds. They also alert one another to possible predators, such as leopards or snakes.

At intervals during the day, the group will rest. Adults groom each other while the young play.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING

Mandrills eat fruits, leaves, roots, seeds, insects, eggs, and small animals. Led by the adult males, they begin foraging for food after daybreak. They find much of their food on the ground under stones and among vegetation.

Fruit trees are another source of food for the mandrill. Large groups of mandrills, together with other species of monkey, will converge on the trees and feed on the fruit. Within their home range, mandrills are alert to the seasonal sources of food.

The mandrill is adept at foraging for food because its fingers work in a coordinated fashion . The mandrill can dig, sort, prepare food, and transfer it to its mouth.

~ BREEDING The dominant male has access to all the females in his harem, and he is most likely to father offspring. He mates randomly with the females when they are in estrus. Dur­ing estrus, the female's sex organs become swollen, indi­cating that she is ready to mate.

A single young is born 7 months later. It suckles the mother's milk and travels everywhere with her, clinging tightly to her chest. Gradually, the young mandrill will begin to explore its surroundings.

Female mandrills usually remain in the group into which they were born, but as the young males reach maturity, they must often leave the group.

Right: Social activities such as grooming help maintain the stability of the group.

Below: Foraging mandrills communicate through a series of grunts and crowing calls.

Left: A female mandrill suckles her offspring. Within hours of its birth, the young mandrill can cling tightly to its mother's chest. As the young grow older, they play together, which is how they learn the skills they will need to survive in later life.

DID YOU KNOW? • The mandrill is the largest of all monkeys. • The mandrill's reputation for ferocity is exaggerated. When a mandrill bares its teeth, it is not threatening to attack, but rather showing a submissive behavior. • Mandrills sometimes feed on items that other monkeys have dropped from the trees. • Mandrills walk on their fingers and toes, so that the palms of their hands and the soles of their feet do not touch the ground.

• A group of mandrills typically roams over 5 miles a day while foraging for food . Their actual range may cover as much as 20 square miles.

Page 5: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

"" CARD 13 AMERICAN BISON ~~----------------------------------------~ ~

ORDER Artiodactyla

.. FAMILY ~ Bovidae

GENUS fir SPECIES Bison bison

The bison once ranged freely over much of North America, and massed in herds by the millions for its annual migrations. Today, only SO, 000 bison remain, confined to a few scattered reserves.

KEY FACTS

SIZES Height: 5-6 ft. Length: Head and body, 7-11 ft. Tail, 20-24 in. Weight: Males, up to 2,200 lb. Females, up to 1,320 lb.

BREEDING Sexual maturity: Females, 2-4 years. Males, much later. Breeding season: July-September. Gestation: 270-300 days. No. of young: 1.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Sociable and migratory. Diet: Mainly grass. Lifespan: 20 years in wild, up to 40 years in captivity.

RELATED SPECIES Closest relative is the European bison, or wisent, Bison bonasus, found chiefly in eastern Europe.

Range of the American bison.

DISTRIBUTION Formerly inhabited the prairies of western Canada and the United States. Today found mainly in parks and reserves scattered throughout North America .

CONSERVATION Today the American bison population totals around 50,000, most of which is the plains bison B. b. bison. The wood bison

B. b. athabascae remains endangered.

FEATURES OF THE AMERICAN BISON

Coat: Thick, heavy mantle on head and forequarters keeps the bison warm i winter. This is shed in spring for a cooler summer coat.

Horns: Used in defense against rival bulls and predators.

Eyesight: Poor. The bison relies upon its sharp senses of smell and hearing.

©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM

Defensive wall: When danger is near, bulls form a protective shield around females, who in turn protect young.

PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200071 PACKET 7

Page 6: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

The American bison is usually referred to

by its more common name, buffalo. It is not only

found on the open prairies; there is also a subspecies,

the wood bison, which lives in the

woods and mountains.

~ HABITS

Bison live in small herds of approximately fifty animals. The herd provides defense against predators such as the wolf and coyote. Although the bison's senses of smell and hearing are sharp, its vision is poor. Since bison often do not recognize danger until it is too late to flee, the females will surround their young and the bulls will

surround the females, shielding them from their attackers.

Bison spend most of the day grazing in small groups. But where the grazing is particularly good, and during the two annual migrations, hundreds of bison may gather together to feed. They also take frequent mud or dust baths.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING

The bison feeds mainly on grass and other succulent vegetation. Methodical graz­ers, a herd can cover up to 2 miles a day in search of grass. Food is chewed and swal­lowed, then regurgitated and chewed again. This method of digestion is known as rumina­tion, more commonly called chewing cud .

In addition to its daily forages, the bison also makes seasonal journeys in search of fresh pastures. Before its numbers were reduced, the bison migrated in vast herds, moving north in spring and south in fall.

Today, although its range is far more limited, bison in Alberta, Canada still migrate 150 miles each spring and fall.

Left: The bison 's sleepy gaze belies its awesome strength.

~ BISON &:MAN When North America was first settled, the bison ranged over

a third of the continent. Sev­

eral hundred years later, it was nearly extinct.

The wholesale slaughter of the bison began at the end of

The bison is adapted to withstand the great tempera­ture extremes of its range, which once extended from Canada to Mexico. It grows a

dark, warm, shaggy coat which is shed each spring. It is replaced by a shorter, lighter summer coat.

Right: A bull takes advantage of a rough tree trunk by scratching to remove fleas.

~ BREEDING For most of the year, females and young males live to­gether in small herds. Mature bulls either live alone or band together in smaller groups. During the mating season from July to September, the bulls fight over those females that are ready to mate. In her prime, a female will calve

every other year. Rival males attempt to warn

one another off by stamping the ground and bellowing loudly. If neither bull backs down, they will charge each other, butting their heads together in a contest of strength. The winner will mate with the female and stand guard over her for several days.

Calves weigh about 65 pounds at birth and are able to stand within a few hours.

the eighteenth century. Unlike the Plains Indians, who only killed as much as they could use, American settlers shot bison by the thousands for their meat and skin, for farmland, and for sport. Entire

Above: Rival bulls meet in fierce combat to compete for a mate.

Right: The female guards her young calf, ready to chase away any marauding wolf or coyote.

herds were quickly wiped out. In 1905, the American

Bison Society was formed to preserve the relatively few re­maining animals. Today the species is considered safe from extinction.

DID YOU KNOW? • It is estimated that there were once between 40 and 60 million bison in North America.

• Some North American Indian tribes relied almost entirely on bison for their food and cloth ing.

• In the United States, the bison is more often called the buffalo, although it is not closely related to the true buffalo found in Africa. Zoologists prefer the name bison.

• The only place in the United States where the bison has never been driven out of its range is Yellow­stone National Park.

Page 7: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

CARD 14

NORTH AMERICAN BEAVER ,,~----------------------------------------~ ~

ORDER Rodentia

FAMILY Castoridae

GENUS &: SPECIES Castor canadensis

The industrious beaver plays a vital role in maintaining the natural balance of its habitat. It constructs a complex system of dams

and canals that regulates flooding, creates marshland, and prevents the erosion of soil.

KEY FACTS

SIZES Body length: 24-32 in. Tail length: 10-18 in. Shoulder height: 12-24 in. Weight: 25-65 lb.

BREEDING Sexual maturity: 3 years.

Mating: January-February. Gestation: 105 days. No. of young: Up to 8 kits.

LIFESTYLE Habit: Social, aquatic, mainly nocturnal. Builds dams, flooding large areas to provide suitable habitat for itself. Diet: Mainly bark. Lifespan: 15-21 years.

RELATED SPECIES

The genus, Castor, contains only one other species, the European beaver known as C. fiber.

THE BEAVER'S DAM &: LODGE

The dam provides a reservoir in which to construct the lodge.

Underwater entrance tunnels lead to the living chamber. Branches stored nearby provide a winter food supply.

C0MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

• Range of the North American beaver.

DISTRIBUTION The North American beaver's range extends from Canada into most of the United States. European beaver is found in Scandinavia, west and east Europe, central Asia, and northwestern China.

CONSERVATION The North American beaver has been actively repopulated by state and federal wildlife agencies.

Food Store Dam

PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200071 PACKET 7

Page 8: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

~ BEAVER 8£ MAN Much of the early exploration of North America was carried out by beaver trappers, who hunted the animals for their valuable fur. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the beaver population had declined dramatically.

Although the beaver is usually thought of as

Its numbers are now regu­lated by careful planning that allows beavers to be harvested for their fur and meat. In the 1950s, before regulations were enforced, 600,000 beavers were killed in Canada. During the 1970s, after hunting was controlled, only 100,000-200,000 beavers were killed in the United States.

a resident of North America, there is a similar

species that lives in Europe. Still, there are more beavers

in North America than anywhere else in the world.

Beavers live in family groups in dams built

across streams and lakes.

~ HABITS Beavers are found in streams and lakes in both remote and settled areas. Using their huge front teeth, they can fell very large trees and branches. They prefer oak, ash, alder, elm, willow, pop­lar, and birch trees. They use them, together with mud, stones, and sticks, to construct dams across fast­flowing streams. The dam­ming of streams causes the

area behind the dam to flood, producing a large marsh rich in water plants, insects, birds, and fish.

Within the dam, beavers construct lodges that have various underwater entrance tunnels (see back cover). They excavate mud from portions of the marsh with their front paws, constructing a system of canals along which they travel to and from their

feeding areas. They also push floating logs and tow sticks and branches down the waterways to new dam sites.

Beavers use scent to mark their territories. They deposit anal secretions and a strong­smelling substance called castoreum on rocks and mud throughout their territories.

Beavers warn each other of danger by slapping their tails violently on the water surface.

~ SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS Fur: Waterproof; the silky underfur is covered by a coat of long, shiny guard hairs. Teeth: Coated with a hard, yellowish red enamel to pro­vide a hard, sharp edge on the fro nt surface to pre­vent wear. Feet and ta il: The large, scaly

tail is flattened . It can be used close behind the front teeth, for propulsion or like a rudder. while the back of the tongue The hind feet are large and seals the throat . webbed . Scent glands: Paired scent Diving adaptations: Nose glands release a musky-and ears close when diving, smelling substance that is and a membrane protects the known as castoreum, with eyes. Beavers can gnaw which the beaver marks its underwater because the lips territory.

~ FOOD 8£ HUNTING Bark is the beaver's staple food. To ensure a constant supply of food throughout the winter, the beaver spends a great deal of time in the fall felling trees. The beaver tows the logs along the canals it

Above: Even a young oak presents no problems to the sharp teeth of the beaver.

DID YOU KNOW? • A beaver family can fell as many as 300 trees in a single winter. A pair of beavers can gnaw through a four- inch­thick branch in 15 minutes. • The beaver is the second la rgest rodent in the world . • Giant beavers weighing as much as 700 pounds existed 10,000 years ago.

has made and stores them under water.

Beavers do not hibernate in winter, but in the northern parts of their range they gen­erally only leave their lodges to feed from stored food

Beavers live in large, stable family groups consisting of one adult pair, their latest­born young, and the young born the previous year. Most beavers leave their family groups at two years of age to find territories and mates.

Beavers pair for life, and mating occurs during the winter. The kits are born in late spring in a chamber in the lodge. They have full

supplies. During this time, they live in constant darkness and lOSE track of time.

Aquatic plants, thistles, meadow-sweet, leaves, twigs, seeds, and roots make up most of the beaver's summer diet.

Top left: A dammed, tree­lined river is an ideal environ­ment for the beaver.

Left: An underwater store of branches is kept near the lodge as a winter food supply.

coats of fur and are able to swim within several hours of birth.

They are nursed for 6 weeks, after which all members of the group share the task of bring­ing them food. They soon venture outside the lodge, but it will be many months before they can survive on their own.

Below: Two week-old kits are nursed by their mother. They may stay at the lodge for up to 2 years.

Page 9: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

""CARD 15

INDIAN RHINOCEROS ~~ ______________________________ G_R_O_U_P_l_:_M_A_M_M __ A~L~S~

~ ORDER Perissodactyla

" FAMILY ~ Rhinocerotidae

.. GENUS & SPECIES ~ Rhinoceros unicornis

The Indian rhino, properly known as the great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, is a descendant of an old species of rhino. Despite its

fearsome appearance, it is generally a peaceful animal.

KEY FACTS

SIZES Height: 3-7 ft.

Length: 7-14 ft. Weight: 3,300-4,400 lb .

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: Males 7-9 years . Females, 3 years .

Mating: Females come into season

every 5-8 weeks until pregnant.

Gestation period: 462-489 days.

No. of young: 1 calf.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Partly social, partly

solitary.

Call: Social grunts and snorts;

females whistle when in season.

Diet: Grass, twigs, bamboo

shoots; wheat, lentils, potatoes.

Lifespan: About 50 years.

RELATED SPECIES The Javan rhino, Rhinoceros sondaicus is its closest relative .

Range of the Indian rhinoceros .

DISTRIBUTION

Now limited to ten locations in India and two in Nepal.

CONSERVATION

Su rvives only in protected areas; however, the population is

rising steadily and it is not in danger of extinction. In two

national parks, rhinos have also been successfully moved into protected areas within their former range.

FEATURES OF THE INDIAN RHINOCEROS

The Indian rhino has a single blunt. rather stubby horn. which is often ragged in older animals. It is made of a mass of hair-like fibers clumped together above a bony knob on the skull. The animal 's thick. dark gray skin falls in distinct folds at the joints of shoulders and flanks. giving it an armor-plated appearance.

©MCMXCIIMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

The white rhino has two horns. The front horn averages about 24 in . in length. but it can reach more than 60 in

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

The black rhino also has two horns: the longer front horn averages 20 in .

0160200031 PACKET 3a

Page 10: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

Measuring over 72 feet long and weighing up

to 2 tons, the Indian rhinoceros is bigger and

heavier than a car. It may appear to be

ponderous and slow, but it can suddenly charge at

frightening speed to drive off rivals or

enemies who stray too close.

~ HABITAT The Indian rhinoceros lives in dense growths of tall elephant

grass in swampy areas near rivers . Here it wallows in the

~ FOOD &; FEEDING The Indian rhinoceros is prin­

cipallya grazing animal. It moves around constantly to

take advantage of fresh plant growth. Adaptable in its feeding methods, the rhino has a widely varied diet. It

eats new plant growth as well as bamboo shoots, water hyacinths, and a variety of crops which can make the rhino a nuisance to farmers. Right: Elephant grass is the rhino 's principal food, but it also eats crops and bamboo shoots.

shallow water and mud to

keep cool during the day. It may also head for higher country in search of food .

~ BEHAVIOR The Indian rhinoceros is hottest part of the day. somewhat territorial . AI- Wallowing is important for though rhinos share commu- rhinos because it protects ' nal bathing pools, wallows, them from biting insects and

and dung heaps, they prevents overheating. establish their own feeding In the morning, the rhinos

and sleeping areas, which feed in open areas, slowly

average 5000 square yards. If moving toward cover as the

any other animal should sun rises higher. Throughout

wander into its private area, the day, local populations of

the rhino will charge at it to rhinos come into contact

drive it away. traveling to wallows and Rhinos remain submerged bathing pools. New arrivals to

in their wallows during the communal areas are chal-~~;II'r.i~"""'---;;;jj

The female Indian rhinoceros

comes into heat (is ready to mate) for 24 hours every 5-8

weeks. She attracts the male by spraying urine and by making a gentle whistling

sound. The solitary female seeks

dense cover when she is

ready to give birth. The calf stays with its mother until the

birth of her next offspring, between 18 months and 2

years later.

lenged by those already there, until they are permitted

to join the group. At dusk, they will move

again to their feeding areas and graze until midnight before resting . The females

with young calves move into the shelter of tall grass to

protect the young from tigers . The others, too big to fear

any predators, lie down wher­ever they are feeding .

Right: At birth, a new­born rhino calf weighs about 150 lbs. It begins to graze at 2 months, but will continue to suckle for at least a year.

Left: Rhinos and their young spend the day wallowing in an area of shallow water and mud. Communal wallowing holes are shared by groups of rhinos with no sign of aggression.

DID YOU KNOW? • Indian rh inoceroses are vul­nerable to sunburn. By wal­

lowing in mud, they protect their skin from the sun .

• The first weeks after givi ng birth, mother rhinos produce 5-7 gallons of milk daily.

• The Baluchitherium, an an­cestor of the Indian rhino, was the largest land mammal

that ever lived . It was 18 feet high and 36 feet long . It lived

over 20 million years ago.

~ RHINO&; MAN Conflict between man and the Indian rhinoceros arises from the damage rhinos do to crops and the damage man does to the rhino's natural

food supply-elephant grass.

In Nepal, villagers, who use elephant grass for the walls

and roofs of their houses, are now allowed to collect grass

in national parks at certain

times of the year. This arrangement encourages new growth of grass, which in turn benefits the rhinos.

Page 11: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

CHIMPANZEE

ORDER Primates

FAMILY Pongidae

Intelligent and lively, the sociable chimpanzee shows an ability to learn as well as to act instinctively. Its behavior could provide a

clue to that of our early ancestors.

~ KEY FACTS

rn:l SIZES ~ Height: Males, 5 1/2 ft. Females

4 1/ 4 ft.

Weight: 100-175 lb.

BREEDING Sexual maturity: 8-10 years .

Mating: Female mates when

previous offspring is about 3 years.

Gestation: 202-261 days.

No. of young: 1-2.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Sociable, in small troops.

Diet: Mainly fruit, but also leaves,

buds, blossoms, bark, resin, honey,

termites, and ants. Occasionally

other mammals.

lifespan: 40-50 years.

RELATED SPECIES

The pygmy chimpanzee, Pan

paniscus, found in Zaire.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE CHIMPANZEE

Like humans, chimpanzees can use their faces to show emotion . Researchers have discovered that they have a wide range of expressions, conveying several different emotions.

Passive expression, above. The chimpanzee is calm and at ease.

©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

Range of the chimpanzee.

DISTRIBUTION

In Africa, from Guinea to western Uganda and Tanzania, in

forest and savannah country.

CONSERVATION

Not endangered at present, except in a few locations.

Trapping for medical experiments once posed the greatest

threat to the chimpanzee, but this danger is now decreasing

under pressure of public opinion.

Friendly expression, right. A chimpanzee greets another peacefully.

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

Aggressive expression, left. The chimp is showing anger or warning a rival not to further annoy him.

Pleased expression , left. This smile, showing only the bottom teeth , conveys active enjoy­ment or pleasure.

0160200021 PACKET 2a

Page 12: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

The chimpanzee is the animal that

resembles man most closely. It shares

familiar human characteristics such as

problem-solving abilities, a high

degree of parental care,

and a variety of facial expressions.

~ HABITS The chimpanzee lives in a troop that numbers between 25 and 80. Each troop has a dominant male. The troop's home range varies in size from 7-8 square miles in the forest to 40-75 square miles in the open country.

Active by day, the chimpan-

zee sleeps at night in a nest it makes in a tree, well above ground, safe from its preda­tors. The same nest may be used for several nights if the troop is not on the move.

Chimps stay mainly in trees during the wet season and on the ground when it is dry.

~ FOOD & FEEDI NG The chimp has two intensive feeding periods each day: early morning and late afternoon.

Fruits of all kinds make up the majority of the chimpan­zee's diet. It will also eat insects and honey. It gets

~ BREEDING Breeding takes place year­round. When one of the females in the group comes into season, or heat, she will mate with several different males. The males show no sign of competition between themselves. Females have menstrual cycles much like humans and come into estrus every 36 days unless they are pregnant. They give birth about every three years after a gestation period of seven to eight months.

The young chimp is carried everywhere for its first five months and is dependent on its mother for two years. By the time the youngster is four years old, it spends most of its time with other chimpanzees close to its own age. It reaches sexual maturity at eight to ten years.

\ SPECIAL t

____ --1 ADAPTATION Of the few animals that use tools, the chimp is the most skilled. It uses sticks as weap­ons and to dig out the con­tents of insect nests. Some wi ll wet a long stick with sal iva so that soldier ants will stick to it.

most of the water it needs from fruit.

It was only recently discov­ered that the chimpanzee eats meat. It is now known that it hunts, kills, and feeds on a variety of mammals, including other primates such as the

Top: Chimpanzees may live to 50 years, graying with age.

Above: The males will drum the ground and scream when trying to establish dominance.

Right: A mother carries her youngster everywhere.

colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, and baboons.

The killing is almost always done by one adult male who smashes the animal's head on the ground. The male eats his fill before sharing with the rest of the troop.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Chimpanzees suffer from many human diseases, including malaria. • Chimpanzees are the only animals, apart from humans, that can recognize themselves in mirrors.

~ CHIMPANZEES & MAN The chimpanzee's survival is more threatened by man than by anything else. Chimpan­zees were driven away when large human populations took over their habitats. Today, hunting and trapping chim­panzees for zoos and experi­mental use is a highly profit-

able business in several parts of Africa.

Because of their biological and behavioral similarities to humans, chimpanzees have been used extensively for testing drugs. There is grow­ing opposition to this practice, but it is still widespread.

Page 13: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

"" CARD 17 BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN ~.

ORDER Cetacea

" SUB-ORDER ~ Odontoceti

GROUP 1: MAMMALS~~~) .. FAMILY .. GENUS &: SPECIES ~S ~ Oelphinidae ~ T ursiops truncatus

The playful bottlenose dolphin, found in coastal waters around the world, is one of the best-known and most loved marine mammals.

"l KEY FACTS

I i~ 1 SIZES ~ Length: 11-1 3 ft.

Weight: 330-440 lb .

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: About 8 years .

Mating: Mating can occur at any

time, but most births take place

during the summer.

No. of young : Single calf.

LIFESTYLE

Call: Extensive vocabulary of

whistles and clicks.

Habit: Sociable.

Diet: A wide range of inshore fish,

particularly capelin, anchovy,

salmon, and shrimp.

Lifespan: Up to 50 years.

RELATED SPECIES

There are about 40 species of

dolphin and their close relation, the

porpoise.

©MCMXCIIMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

• Range of the bottlenose dolphin.

DISTRIBUTION Coastal waters of the Atlantic, the temperate North Pacific and the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific region are home to three species of bottlenose dolphin--T ursiops truncatus truncatus, T. t. gilli, and T.t. aduncus respectively.

CONSERVATION Bottlenose dolphins are in no danger of extinction . This is not true of other dolphin species.

HOW DOLPHINS "SEE"

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

Dolphins communicate by means of high· pitched whistles and clicks which create sound waves. The sound waves travel through the water and bounce off solid objects, causing an echo.

A dolphin's brain is adapted to understand the echoes that travel through the water. By using this kind of echolocation. a dolphin can interpret a detailed "picture" of its environment. from which it is able to quickly identify the direction, size. and distance of prey.

0160200031 PACKET 3a

Page 14: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

Bottlenose dolphins, with their steely gray backs, dome­

shaped heads and short beaks, are intelligent and

friendly. The whistling calls they make are actually a

form of language.

~ BREEDING Bottlenose dolphins usually mate in the spring and summer. The females give birth underwater to a single calf 10-12 months later. Several dolphins surround the mother to assist with her delivery and to protect her

and the baby from shark attacks. Sharks are attracted to the scene by the blood which is released during birth .

Sometimes the dolphin helpers will tug gently at the baby's tail as it emerges, whistling encouragement to

Dolphins are very sociable animals that generally live in groups. Their friendly, coopera­tive behavior is vital to their survival. When a dolphin is sick or injured, its cries of distress summon immediate aid from

mother and youngster. They swim together as a group to guide the newborn dolphin to

the surface for its first breath of air.

The mother nurses her calf for at least 16 months, so she

usually breeds only once every two to three years. Each time, she is likely to breed with a different mate.

Below: Dolphin calves develop a close bond with their mothers, staying close to them for about sixteen months.

other dolphins, who try to

support it to the surface so that it can breathe.

Dolphins spend a large part of the day playing. They use whistles and clicks to contact each other.

~ FOOD & HUNTING Dolphins eat a wide varie·ty of

fish, and their hunting behavior varies according to the availability of food . When large schools of fish are present, as many as several

g hundred dolphins will Ql

:if cooperate in catching the fish Ql

§ by communicating with one ~ another. They drive the fish ~ into a dense mass and force j them to the surface of the ~

DID YOU KNOW? • Dolphins can eat at depths of 6 feet and can stay sub­merged for up to 15 minutes. • Sharks do not prey on bottlenose dolphins as they will attack the sharks. • To breathe when they are

water, making it impossible for the fish to escape. They also emit loud sounds to further confuse the prey.

Dolphins usually hunt during the day. However,

when fish begin migrating or c

are scarce, dolphins become ~

nocturnal hunters. They ~ Ql

search for squid and bottom- ~ -.:::

dwelling fish which are active ~ (5

at night. Cl

asleep, females lie on the water's surface with their blowholes exposed to the air; males sleep just below the surface and rise to breathe periodically as a reflex action.

u.:

DOLPHIN & MAN

Man and dolphins conflict

when they compete for fish; each year, thousands of dolphins drown in nets. Some­times schools of dolphins get

stranded on shore. Conserva­tionists try to return them to

Left: Dolphins may leap in the air to spot the location of hunting seabirds, whose presence shows them where to find schools of fish.

Below: The familiar "smile" of the bottlenose

~ dolphin reveals .i 20 to 26 pairs ~ of small, even ~ teeth in each ~ jaw.

deep water but are rarely successful. Scientists believe

that schools become stranded when a single dolphin's echo­location system is upset. Its

distress calls cause others to follow it to their deaths.

Page 15: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

SPERM WHALE

ORDER Cetacea

SUB-ORDER Odonoceti

... FAMILY ~ Peridae

"" CARD 18 1

GROUP 1: MAMMAL~ ... GENUS & SPECIES ~ Physeter macrocephalus

The sperm whale is the largest of the toothed whales and can reach a length of 6S feet. Its massive round head accounts for about

one third of its total body length.

KEY FACTS

SIZES Length: Males, 50-65 ft. Females, 35-55 ft. Weight: Males average 80,000 lb. Females, 44,000 lb.

BREEDING Sexual maturity: About 10 years (40 ft. long) for males, but they usually breed after 25 years. Mating: Males, annually. Females, about every 4 years. Gestation: 14-16 months. No. of young: Single calf.

LIFESTYLE Range of the sperm whale.

DISTRIBUTION Habit: Sociable, living in groups. Call: Whistles and clicks. Diet: Bottom-dwelling fish . Lifespan: Up to 70 years.

The sperm whale lives in the oceans of the world in two distinct groups-one migrating north of the equator to the Arctic and the other south of the equator to the Antarctic.

RELATED SPECIES The pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps) and the dwarf sperm whale (K. simus).

CONSERVATION Despite protection from the International Whaling Commis­sion, numbers have dropped from 170,000 males and slightly fewer females to only 71 ,000 males and 125,000 females.

SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS OF THE SPERM WHALE

Blowhole: The sperm whale can hold its breath for more than an hour underwater. It returns to the surface to blow (expel) spent air from its blowhole.

Spermaceti wax

Blowhole

-.,<'----- Sku ll

L...--fi~jjC-~~------ Nasal passage

Spermaceti wax: The whale controls its buoyancy when ascending or diving by drawing water throl:Jgh the nasal passages to heat or cool the vast amount of spermaceti wax.

©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.

Sperm whales will protect an injured member of their group by gathering around it in a Marguerite formation .

0160200061 PACKET 6

Page 16: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

It is believed that the sperm whale dives deeper

than any other marine mammal and may reach

depths of more than 10,000 feet-although the deepest

recorded dive is 4,000 feet. A large bull whale can dive

deepest and for the longest period of time,

staying underwater for up to 45 minutes.

~ HABITS The sperm whale is a sociable animal that lives in groups. The group structure varies according to the age and sex of the whale. Males generally live apart from females. The females form groups together with their young, numbering from five to thirty animals. There are also smaller bachelor pods of young, non-breeding whales

as well as the much larger harem groups consisting of many females, young, and a dominant, sexually mature bull.

The whales swim, dive, feed, and sleep together within their group. They also have a language of sonar clicks with which to communicate.

In summer, the whales migrate to feed in the Arctic and Antarctic.

DID YOU KNOW? • The sperm whale is born without teeth, which do not begin to grow until it reaches sexual maturity. The largest teeth are 11 inches long. • A small group of whales is called a pod.

~ WHALE&:MAN The sperm whale has been ruthlessly hunted by man for centuries, and continues to be persecuted. Whalers have taken advantage of the whale's protective instinct, whereby all members of a group will surround an injured animal in what is known as a Marguerite formation. They harpoon a single sperm whale to attract other whales who come to its rescue and then kill them as well.

Man hunts the sperm whale for food, and for the oil its blubber provides. It is also hunted for the sperma­ceti wax found in its head and for a substance called ambergris found in the intestines.

~ BREEDING

Groups of sperm whales begin their migration to the equator from the Arctic and Antarctic every fall for the winter breeding season. The bulls attempt to form harems of up to thirty adult females. Fierce fights between rival males for females are not uncommon. Once the harem is established, the bull mates with any female not already pregnant or with young.

• The sperm whale can dive 560 feet per minute; it ascends to the surface at 460 feet per minute. When the whale expels air after a deep dive, the noise it makes can be heard half a mile away.

Top Left: An adult sperm whale is about 150 times the size of a man.

Left: The sperm whale dives deeper than any other marine mammal.

Right: Human exploitation of the sperm whale has left the species engaged in a fierce struggle for survival.

After mating, the female gives birth 14-16 months later. The other females protect her while she is giving birth and then help the calf to the surface to take its first breath. The mother feeds her calf with fat-rich milk for as long as 2 years, by which time it has grown to a length of 23 feet.

Right: A female sperm whale with her day-old calf.

~ FOOD &: HUNTING The sperm whale feeds on bottom-dwelling organisms such as squid. Sometimes giant squid put up such a struggle that scars are made on the whale's head by the tentacles. Scientists are not certain how the sperm whale

catches its prey, but it is be­lieved that the whale stuns it with very loud sound waves.

The sperm whale will al~o eat snapper, lobster, and even shark. It swallows its prey whole. An adult whale will eat up to one ton of food every day.

Page 17: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

"" CARD 19 BACTRIAN CAMEL ~~--------------------------~~~~~~~ ~

ORDER Artiodactyla

FAMILY Camelidae

GENUS & SPECIES Camelus bactrianus

The Bactrian camel is the only truly wild, two-humped camel in the world. It lives in the Cobi Desert and, like the one-humped camel,

it can go for long periods without water.

KEY FACTS

SIZES Height to shoulder: 6 ft. Height to hump: Up to 7 ft. Length: 11-12 ft., including tail (21-25 in. long). Weight: 1,000-1,500 lb.

BREEDING Sexual maturity: 5 years. Mating: February. Gestation: About 1 3 months. No. of young: 1 calf.

LIFESTYLE Habit: Females live in small herds with 1 male. Other males solitary. Diet: Grasses and shrubs. Call: Low grunts.

lifespan: Longest recorded, 50 years.

RELATED SPECIES The one-humped camel, Camelus dromedarius. Camelidae is the only family in the suborder Tylopoda.

Range of the Bactrian camel.

DISTRIBUTION

In its wild state, it is found only in the Gobi Desert in Mongo­lia. In a domesticated form, it is also found in Afghanistan, Turkey, the Soviet Union, Iran, and China.

CONSERVATION

There are thought to be less than 1,000 wild camels living in the Gobi Desert. It is now considered an endangered species.

SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS OF THE BACTRIAN CAM El Nostrils: Can be closed in a sandstorm.

Humps: Two, conical shaped. These are food

10MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

Thick, wooly fleece to combat cold in winter and reduce perspira­tion. Kept in summer to act as protection against sun. .

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

Eyelashes: Long, in double rows to protect eyes from windblown dust and sand .

feet: Soles have thick, elastic pads which expand to distribute animal 's weight. They help to support camel in soft sand.

0160200071 PACKET 7

Page 18: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

The Bactrian camel is named after the part of the

region it inhabits, Bactria, on the border of

Afghanistan and Uzbekistan (former Soviet Union).

The first camels appeared in North America 40-50

million years ago, descended from an animal the

size of a small dog. They migrated to Europe and

Asia two million years ago and became nearly

extinct in their original habitat.

~ HABITAT Once found over a vast range in Asia, Bactrian camels now inhabit only Mongolia's remote Gobi Desert. They are specially adapted to cope with the extremes of climate found in this region. They form small groups of six to twenty animals that are led by a mature male. Young males spend most of their time wandering alone.

Within their habitat, the camels may be found in desert,

semidesert, grassy steppes and mountainous regions up to 6,500 feet. In the summer, they are most likely to be found in dry valleys and on nearby hills. During the winter, they frequent dried-up creek and stream beds and oases.

Below: The wild landscape of the Gobi Desert is now the last refuge of the Bactrian camel in its natural habitat.

~ BREEDING In the wild, Bactrian camels mate in February. The males chase off young animals in order to have access to the females.

Mating takes place while the camels are sitting down, but the females give birth in a standing position a year and a month later. A single young is born. Within several days, it can walk perfectly with the

DID YOU KNOW? • A Bactrian camel can drink quantities up to 30 percent of its body weight at one time. • In the desert, without water, a camel can survive up to ten times as long as a human and four times as long as a donkey. • Camels do not like wet con­ditions, but they can tolerate variations in temperature ranging from -160 F to 1200 F. • Males, females, and young camels are known respectively as stallions, mares, and calves. • In 1860, fifteen Bactrian camels were imported to the United States to haul salt across 200 miles of desert.

ambling gait that is character­istic of the adult camel.

The females nurse the young for 5 years until they reach sexual maturity. Young males are then driven out to form bachelor herds; young females remain with their mothers. Older males return to the herd during mating season but are often driven out by younger, rival males.

left: Thick, shaggy fur insulates the camel from extremes of temperature, preventing it from losing warmth at night and slowing the warming process during the day.

~ CAMEL & MAN It is thought that the Bac­trian camel was domesti­cated by man as early as 2,000 B.C. It is presumed to be a descendant of the feral camel.

~ FOOD & FEEDING Like domestic cows, camels are ruminants-that is, they feed and then regurgitate the food and chew it again. This is also called chewing cud. Able to survive on extremely sparse vegetation, they eat the tough grass, herbs, thin branches, and foliage of shrubs that grow in their arid environment. They search for food in the morning and evening and chew their cud in the afternoon.

At the end of the nineteenth century, Bactrian camels were discovered in the Lobnor Desert in China by the Russian explorer, Nikolai Przewalski, and it was established that, in

left: A calf will remain close to its mother for the first 5 years of its life. The young camel's coat eventually becomes the same color as its mother's.

The camel can tolerate great variations in its body tempera­ture-from 860 F-1 05 0 F-and therefore loses little water through perspiration. Al­though camels can go for long periods without water, they do not actually store it in their humps. The humps are, in fact, reserves of fat that are converted into water when the camel becomes dehy­drated.

its natural state, the Bactrian camel is truly a wild, rather than domesticated, animal.

The camel is also an impor­tant source of wool, milk, meat, and fuel in the desert.

left: Camels can drink up to 25 gallons at once and can suffer huge losses of water without ill effect.

Page 19: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

RED DEER

~~---------------------~ ORDER ~

"lIIIIIIIII Artiodactyla "IIIIIIII

FAMILY Cervidae

'" CARD 20

~~. __ G_ROUP 1: M""AMMA~~~)

GENUS &: SPECIES ~!I Cervus elaphus

c o -g .s ell Q)

D

~ Q)

E C1l Q)

co

The antlered red deer is an awesome sight. The stag uses his antlers as a weapon when fighting other males for access to females during

the mating season each fall.

KEY FACTS

SIZES

Height: Males 4-5 ft. Females a little smaller. Length: 5-9 ft. Weight: 220-265 lb. Antlers: 35-39 in. fully grown.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: Females 2-4 years. Males breed at 5-6 years. Mating: Early fall.

Gestation: Average 235 days. No. of young: 1 (twins are rare).

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Sociable; males form separate herds during non­breeding season.

Diet: Grass, heather, twigs, leaves, and fruits.

lifespan: 17-20 years.

RELATED SPECIES

There are 23 subspecies of deer, of which 6 are endangered.

THE RED DEER'S ANTLERS

Range of the red deer.

DISTRIBUTION

Red deer are found in southern Scandinavia, most of western Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor. They have also been introduced to Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand.

CONSERVATION

Common and increasing. Culling is carefully controlled in many places and red deer are protected both as game and as ornamental animals.

It takes a few days for the velvet to disappear and for the antlers to become clean. An adult stag can have many branches on his antlers.

Antlers begin as knobs covered in soft thin skin called velvet.

Stags over 2 years old grow branching antlers

New antlers take about 100 days to grow and are shed in April.

called prickets.

The velvet dies in July and the stag will rub it off and eat it.

©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200061 PACKET 6

Page 20: Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 11-20

In summer, the coats of these attractive and

impressive animals are a bright chestnut brown.

In the fall, the deer grow waterproof guard hairs,

which turn the coats much darker.

Wild herds are found in forests and

parkland throughout their range.

Forests are the red deer's natural habitat. Where the forest has been cleared, the deer move onto open land. Even where forests have been replanted, deer rarely return because the dense re­growth of the conifers makes it difficult for them to feed. Some deer live on open land year round; others retreat to wooded glens in the worst winter weather.

Red deer are primarily grazing animals. They feed on grass by cutting it between their sharp lower incisor teeth and their hard upper gums. They also have strong teeth in their cheeks that enable them to eat twigs in the winter when grass is scarce.

Right: The red deer feed on grass in the summer.

The autumn mating season, called the rut, is the time when the dominant stags challenge and fight one another for access to the females. Several of the successful stags corner a group of thirty to forty females, called hinds, and will mate with each sexually mature member as she comes into season.

Younger stags are excluded from breeding by the older, more aggressive males. At the end of the rut, when the stags are exhausted, the younger stags may mate with any hinds which are late coming into season.

Left: Mature stag bellowing a warning to another. If this threat is ignored, the stags will fight (see top picture).

The stags leave the females when the rut is over, forming bachelor herds for the rest of the year. The larger animals are still dominant, chasing away rivals from the best feeding places.

The calves are born after a gestation period of 8' /2 months. They are able to stand unsteadily at 20 minutes old, and are able to take milk 10 minutes later.

A calf will stay with its mother until she gives birth again . At this time she drives it away so that it will not compete with the new calf.

Right: A calf suckles from its mother. The calf's coat is speckled until after its first molt the following May.

DID YOU KNOW? • While most deer eat only the velvet as it falls off their antlers, stags in the High­lands of Scotland eat their shedded antlers as well. The soil is so deficient in the minerals the deer need to grow new sets of antlers, that

~ RED DEER & MAN Deer hunting is a popular, though controversial, sport. But the number of deer must be controlled each year, to prevent the herds from ex­hausting their food supply. Hunting, therefore, is seen as a necessary population control.

Some species of deer are bred I.ike cattle, but red deer are not suitable to be raised on ranches, since they are dangerous during the rut.

the old antlers serve as a valuable nutritive source. • Fighting stags sometimes lock their antlers together and can­not separate. When this hap­pens, both will starve to death. • A stag with twelve points on his antlers is called a "royal."

~ NATUREWATCH Red deer are easiest to spot in summer, in wooded country during the early hours of the morning . Deer watchers must be stealthy since, like most herbivores (plant eaters), deer are very wary and alert and will quickly detect unfamiliar movements, sounds, or scents. Deer can rarely be spotted on open land .