"'CARD 111 COLOBUS MONKEY

'(----------------------------------------------~ ORDER

Primates FAMILY Cerocopithecidae

GENUS Colobus

The colobus monkey is a shy, forest-dwelling primate. Three different species have similar lifestyles. Only the

patterns of their coats distinguish them.

KEY FACTS

SIZES Body length: 11 /2-21 /2 ft. Tail length: 1-3 ft. Weight: Up to 26 lb.

BREEDING Sexual maturity: Varies accord­

ing to species. About 2 years for

females; 4 years for males. Breeding season: Year-round.

Gestation: 4-6 months.

No. of young: 1 .

LIFESTYLE Habit: Sociable; lives mainly in

groups in the trees. Diet: Leaves, bark, and flowers.

Lifespan: 20 years .

Call: Loud barks and croaks.

RELATED SPECIES

6 subspecies of black-and-white; 2

subspecies of red colobus; 1

species of olive colobus.

Range of the colobus monkey.

DISTRIBUTION

Tropical and mountain forests across central Africa from

Senegal to Ethiopia, and from Angola throughout Zaire to Tanzania and Malawi.

CONSERVATION Overhunting in the nineteenth century severely depleted the

colobus's numbers. As man moves farther into its habitat,

the colobus's numbers are decreasing once again .

FOUR SPECIES OF BLACK-AND-WHITE COLOBUS MONKEY

Abyssinian black-and-white , C. abyssinicus: Jet black cOloring. White mantle runs the length of body. Tail is black at the base, turning white with a bushy tuft.

Southern black-and-white, C. polykomos: GlOSSY black coat with white mantle around upper parts. Tail is long and white without any bushy tuft.

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Western black-and-white , C. velleros·us: Long white beard and whiskers. Thighs are covered in white mantle and the long tail is pure white without a bushy tuft.

Angolan black-and-white , C. angolensis: Long, white whiskers and beard. Thick, black coat with white mantle on shoulders. Tail is black with white tuft.

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There are three species of colobus

monkey-black-and-white, red, and olive.

The black-and-white colobus is the most striking of

these. Its long, white mantle and shiny black coat

were once sought after by both African tribes

and fashionable Europeans.

~ HABITS Colobus monkeys live in dense forest and spend most of their time in the trees. They live in groups, the size varying ac- . cording to the species: about five black-and-white colobus, 15 to 50 red colobus, and 10 to 15 of the olive species. An old male leads each group.

Colobus monkeys are territorial and defend their area with threatening calls and fierce displays. Group members spend most of their time in the center of the territory, swinging from branch to branch in the trees where they sleep and eat.

~ BREEDING The female mates with several different males when she is in

heat (ready to mate). She leaves the group just before giving birth, returning a day later with her tiny offspring.

For the first few days she holds the baby in her arms, but after two weeks it is strong enough to cling to her back as she swings through the trees. The olive colobus mother, however, carries her

Left: The colobus eats, sleeps, and plays in the trees, rarely touching the forest floor.

DID YOU KNOW? • According to Arab legend, a colobus monkey rips its skin when injured, rather than let a hunter catch it. • The name colobus comes from the Greek word for mutilated-a reference to the

newborn baby in her mouth and transfers it to her back after several weeks. This is because the fur of this spe­cies is short, making it more difficult for the baby to grasp.

The baby is weaned at seven months, but after six weeks it begins to eat leaves and spend more time with youngsters its own age. The young colobus monkeys are very playful.

Right: A young co/obus clings to its mother, gripping her fur with its strong hands.

animal's lack of thumbs. • African legend calls colo­bus monkeys the messen­gers of the gods because some of them climb to the tops of trees at sunrise and sit silently, as if in prayer.

Apart from people, the main predators of the colobus mon­key are leopards and eagles. Although it can move quickly, the monkey hides instead of fleeing from danger; its coat provides excellent camouflage for it in the dense forests.

~ FOOD & FEEDING Leaves are the main diet of the colobus monkey. It also eats fruit, bark, flowers, and, occasionally, insects. Most species spend all their time in the trees, although the olive colobus monkey sometimes

Left: The red colobus monkey eats leaves and shoots from only a few trees.

Left: The black-and­white colobus monkey is born with a white coat and spends the first few weeks in its mother's arms.

The fur and long plumes of the colo bus were once used as ceremonial head­dresses by African tribes.

Although it is no longer hunted on a large scale, the colobus monkey is threat­ened by loss of its habitat.

feeds on the ground. When feeding, the monkey

sits on a branch and pulls twigs toward it, ripping off the leaves with its mouth. Sometimes it uses its hands to eat. The colobus monkey has a three-chambered stomach that allows it to digest coarse leaves.

CARD 112 ]

WESTERN POCKET GOPHER

ORDER Rodentia

FAMILY Geomyidae

GROUP 1: MAMMALS ... GENUS ~ Thomomys

Western pocket gophers are rodents found in North and Central America. They are no longer than the span of a man ~ hand but

can dig complex systems of burrows SO feet long.

__ SJ_ KE_Y_F_A_CTS

~ SIZES Length: Male, 5-9 in. Female smaller. Weight: 2-14 oz. Male usually twice the weight of female.

BREEDING Sexual maturity: Male, 1 year. Female may breed at 10 weeks. Mating: Season and number of litters per year vary with location . Gestation: 17-20 days.

No. of young: Usually 5.

LIFESTYLE Habit: Aggressive. Separate terri­tories except when breeding.

Diet: Leafy plants above ground, roots and tubers below. Lifespan: 4 years in the wild .

RELATED SPECIES The 6 species of Thomomys are closely related to eastern pocket gophers of the genus Geomys.

Range of western pocket gophers.

DISTRIBUTION Found in North and Central America, from western Canada to the southwestern United States and Mexico.

CONSERVATION Many efforts have been made to control the population of western pocket gophers because they damage crops and irrigation systems. Their numbers remain high, however, because they reproduce at a rapid rate.

SPECIAL fEATURES OF WESTERN POCKET GOPHERS

Pouches: Ex­tend back to the shoulder. Can be turned inside out for cleaning. Gopher packs them with food to carfY back to its burrow.

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Incisors: Used in burrowing. Lips can close behind them to keep soil out of mouth.

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Feet: Powerful, Tail: Sparsely with long claws haired. Gopher to aid burrow- uses it to feel ing. Forelegs its way when it can push soil runs backward from burrow. in burrow.

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Western pocket gophers get their name from the fur-lined

external cheek pouches on either side of the mouth.

They use their forepaws to fill these pockets

with food, which they then carry

to a secure underground burrow.

Western pocket gophers pre­fer well-drained farmland soil, which is easy to dig, but they also live in deserts and upland meadows. They usually travel at night.

Gophers use their four in­cisors (chisel-edged teeth at the front of the mouth) to cut away roots. They then dig the soil with the large claws on their forepaws . Their numer­ous burrows include nesting chambers as well as food stor­age areas.

Each gopher fiercely defends its territory against other go­phers, male or female, except during breeding season. Ter-

ritories seldom overlap, but boundaries change as individ­ual gophers search for food and water.

The male's territory is be­tween 250 and 300 square yards. It is often twice the size of the female's territory but is still small for a mammal of this size. Where a male's terri­tory touches the territory of one or more females, burrows and nesting chambers may be shared during breeding, although each animal has its own tunnels.

Right: A gopher uses its forelegs to clear soil from a burrow entry.

DID YOU KNOW? • Pocket gophers in areas with hard, dry soil tend to have bigger incisors than those in areas with soft soil. • Gophers can run as quick­ly backward as forward-

both on and underneath the ground.

_ • To clean soil from their eyes, pocket gophers "cry" a thick fluid from their tear ducts. • Separated by impassable

~ FOOD & FEEDING

Pocket gophers feed only on plants. Above ground, they eat leafy vegetation and often fill their cheek pouches to trans­port food underground. Below ground, they eat the juicy roots and tubers that they find when burrowing.

The exact diet depends on the location, but pocket go­phers eat mainly grasses and other fleshy plants .. A gopher in a dry area often adds water­rich cacti to its diet.

left: A tapering body lets the pocket gopher move easily through its burrows.

mountain ranges, colonies of pocket gophers have evolved in complete isolation. For example, the valley pocket gopher has more than 1 85 recognized subspecies.

• Gophers can promote plant growth by breaking up and aerating the soil, but large numbers can damage crops with their huge appe­tites and vigorous digging.

---------------------------

Above: Gophers may appear in winter, but usually they block their snow tunnels with soil.

~ BREEDING Most female gophers breed at least once each season, but

many males are infertile. Go­phers in agricultural areas may breed year-round and raise several litters, while those living among natural vegetation breed seasonally.

Newborns are completely dependent. Cheek pouches open at about 24 days, eyes and ears two to three days later. Some species take up to 100 days to grow an adult coat. The young are weaned at 40 days but stay with the mother for about 60 days. Then they create shallow burrows nearby. Before the breeding season, they estab­lish their own territory and dig a full-size burrow system.

""'CARD 113

BULLDOG BAT ,,~------------------------------------------~ ~

ORDER Chiroptera

FAMILY Noctilionidae

GENUS &: SPECIES Noctilio leporinus

The bulldog bat's cheek pouches and large folds of facial skin give its face the appearance of a bulldog's muzzle.

KEY FACTS SIZES Length: 4-6 in. Forearm length: 3-4 in. Wingspan: 11-12 in.

Weight: 2'/2 oz.

BREEDING Sexual maturity: 1 year. Mating: Winter. Gestation: About 1 6 weeks.

No. of young: 1.

LIFESTYLE Habit: Nocturnal. Roosts

in groups. Diet: Small fish and insects. Lifespan: Up to 20 years.

RELATED SPECIES Only the southern bulldog bat, Noctilio albiventris, which feeds

mainly on insects.

Range of the bulldog bat.

DISTRIBUTION

Forests and mangrove swamps in Central and South America from Mexico to Argentina. Also found in Trinidad and the Antilles.

CONSERVATION Bat populations are declining worldwide because of habitat and roost loss, hunting, and the effects of pesticides. Many species are now endangered.

FEATURES OF THE BULLDOG BAT

Head: Tip of the nose projects over nostrils. Thick skin folds above and below fleshy lips. Long, pointed ears.

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Flattened toes cut down water -resistance. Long sharp claws.

Body: Head, shoulders, and mid back are covered with short, red-brown fur that sheds water. Remainder of body is hairless.

Legs and feet: Legs joined at ankles by tail membrane, which can be folded up and lowered . Large feet well adapted for catching fish .

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The bulldog bat, also known as the

Mexican bulldog bat, lives mainly on a

diet of small fish. It finds fish by using

echolocation, then dips its hind legs

into the water and scoops the prey

up with its long, sharp claws.

During the day the bulldog bat sleeps, washes, and grooms at a roost inside a hollow tree or rock crevice. Large groups of bulldog bats congregate at each roost­ing place. The sites are easy

DID YOU KNOW? • The bulldog bat is some­t ill)es called the fish -eating bat and the Mexican fishi ng bat.

• Two other species of bat prey o n fish-the California fishing bat, Pizonyx vivesi, and the false vampire bat, Mega­

derma lyra, from India . The

to locate, since the entire area smells of bat guano (waste matter) even as far

. as 50 meters away. At dusk the bat leaves the

roost to find food, avoiding obstacles by echolocation,

false vampire bat also eats birds, frogs, and other bats.

• Bats make up nearly one­quarter of all mammal spe­cies found throughout the world .

• Besides birds, bats are the only other winged verte­brates that are capable of

~ FOOD & HUNTING The bulldog bat uses echo­location to find schools of fish . Echolocation means that the animal projects a sound that bounces off the fish or other prey. The bat can determine where the prey is when the sound bounces back. After it has located a school, the bat

which the bat also uses when hunting prey. It hunts for both freshwater and saltwater fish . Sometimes the bulldog bat feeds in daylight near fish­eating birds, but this behavior is unusual.

sustained flight. .

• Bats roost in large num­bers. The largest bat roost in the world is in Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, where more than one million Mexican free-tailed bats gather during the summer.

looks for ripples on the water made by fish near the surface. The bat's interfemoral mem­brane (the thin tail skin that stretches between the hind legs) is tucked and folded up between its legs as the bat nears the water.

The bulldog bat skims the

Left: The bat's large wings enable it to glide over the water when hunting for fish.

Right: The bat drags its feet through the water to catch fish.

Below: The bulldog bat's pec.uliar shaped nose houses its echolocation system.

water, then trails its claws about one inch beneath the surface and sweeps for fish. The bat catches as many as 30 fish a night. After a sweep, the interfemoral membrane is lowered again so that it can be used for maneuver­ing as the bat flies off.

After catching a fish, the bulldog bat scoops it into its mouth . When the bat lands, it chews up the fish, breaking it into large pieces. The pieces are stored in cheek pouches and chewed again before being swallowed .

~ BREEDING Bulldog bats live in mixed­sex groups at the roost for most of the year.

The adult females group together for birth and during weaning . Males and females do not form pair bonds; that is, they mate with different partners each season .

Mating takes place dur­ing the winter. One blind and hairless baby is born 16 weeks later. The mother car­ries it with her for about two weeks, and it begins to fly at 20 days . The young bat reaches adult size within a few weeks of weaning, but it may not reach its full body weight for several years .

YAK ,,~----------------------------~~~ .,. CLASS

~ Artiodactyla ORDER Bavidae

.,. GENUS & SPECIES ~ Bas mutus

'\: CARD 114 I

The long-horned, shaggy-coated yak is one of the hardiest species of cattle. It is one of the few animals able to thrive on the

barren Tibetan plateau where the air is icy and thin.

KEY FACTS

SIZES

Length: Up to 11 ft.

Height: Up to 6 1/2 ft. at shoulder .

Weight: Males up to 2,000 lb.

Females up to 800 lb.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: Females, 1-3

years. Males, at least 5 years .

Gestation: 9 months.

No. of young: 1 calf.

LIFESTYLE

Call : A deep grunt, mainly during

the breeding season .

Habit: Cows and calves live in

large herds. Bulls live alone or in

groups of 2 or 3. Diet: Grass, lichen, and ground

vegetation .

Lifespan: Up to 25 years .

RELATED SPECIES

The yak is one of 5 species of oxen

which includes domestic cattle, Bas

taurus.

Range of the yak.

DISTRIBUTION

The wild yak is rare in the high plateaus of its range in

central Asia, north of the Himalayas. The domestic yak is

more w idespread .

CONSERVATION

Threat ened by hunting, the w ild yak is classified as endan­

gered . In Ch ina numbers have fallen drast ically. Only abou t

500 now exist in the w ild .

SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS OF THE YAK

The yak has a number of special adaptations that enable it to live in the extreme cold of the Himalayan mountains.

Body: The yak has a short, com­pact body and thick, shaggy fur that keeps it warm in the severe­ly cold climate.

Legs: Short and powerful , giving the yak balance and agility on the steep, icy mountain slopes.

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The yak's cleft, or split, hooves help it grip the often icy and rocky ground.

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strong, once roamed the desolate high country

of central Asia. Because of overhunting, probably

only 500 wild yaks remain today. The domestic yak is

numerous, however, and plays a vital role in the

lives of the tribes that live in the mountains

north of the Himalayas.

~ HABITAT

The wild yak lives high among the snow-covered mountains of Tibet at altitudes between 13,000 and 20,000 feet. Its thick skin and long shaggy coat, which almost reaches the ground, protect it from the bitter cold . Its coat is so thick and warm that the yak can sleep comfortably directly on the snow.

Despite its heavy and un­gainly appearance, the yak is actually an agile mountain

climber. Surefooted and hardy, it easily covers great distances through its rocky homeland .

During the cooler summer months of August and Sep­tember, the wild yak used to range over the highest snow­covered ground, only moving to lower, more sheltered areas as winter approached. Today the remaining wild yaks have been driven by man's pres­ence into more remote areas.

~ FOOD & FEEDING

The yak feeds on lichen, herbs, and coarse grasses that grow high in the mountains. As the snow melts during the brief summer, fresh vegetation sprouts high in the moun­tains, so the yak herds roam up into higher pastures . When winter returns, the yaks descend to graze the valleys.

The yak is able to thrive on a meager diet because its digestive system is so efficient. Like other ruminants, or cud chewers, yaks partially digest their food in their first stom­ach before regurgitating it and chewing it a second time. They swallow the food once again . Eventually the food passes through three more stomachs that digest every bit of nutrition from it.

Above: To find enough food to sustain itself, the yak must range over a large area every day.

~ BREEDING

Like other cattle, female yaks, or cows, and their young gath­er together in large herds, while the males are either solitary or live in small bach­elor herds . Females mate at one to three years of age, but males do not mate until they can establish a harem of fe­males, usually when they are five or six years old.

At the start of breeding sea­son, the mature males, or bulls, join the main herds and begin competing for access to the females. During this period the males engage in fierce, noisy fights that are mainly tests of strength and seldom result in injury.

DID YOU KNOW? • The yak was first domesti­cated in Tibet over 3,000 years ago. • The wild yak's original scientific name, Bos grun­niens, means "grunting ox ." • The wild yak only grunts during the breeding season,

The victorious bulls then mate with the cows that are in heat (ready to breed). Under the proper conditions female yaks bear offspring every other year, so nearly half the herd will mate.

while the domestic yak grunts continuously. • The yak's stomach con­tents ferment at an internal temperature of 104° F, pro­viding the animal with cen­tral heating so it can survive temperatures of 0° F.

Calves are born nine months later in June when food is plentiful. The calves grow quickly and become independent after one year.

Below: The calves thrive on a diet of their mother's nutritious milk.

The yak's great strength and its ability to survive at high al ­titudes have made it invaluable to many nomadic mountain peoples. Domestic yaks are both ridden and used as pack animals. Their wool is spun into yarn for clothing, and their milk is drunk and made into cheese and butter. Both wild and domestic yaks are killed for their meat and skins.

The domestic yak is some­what smaller than its wild counterpart and its coat is less shaggy. The domestic yak is also more docile than the wild yak. Because of their hardi­ness, yaks are often crossbred with other breeds of cattle. Thus, if the true species is to be preserved, wild yaks must be protected.

Above: The yak provides food, clothing, and fuel for the people of the Tibetan mountains.

WOOD MOUSE

ORDER Rodentia

FAMILY Muridae

CARD 115

GROUP 1: MAMMALS GENUS &. SPECIES Apodemus sylvaticus

The wood mouse, also known as the long-tailed field mouse, is a prolific and adaptable creature. It is probably the

most numerous of all mammals throughout Europe ..

--:s!IJ- KEY FACTS

I ~I SIZES ....., Length: Head and body up to 4 in .

Tail 2'/2-4'/2 in . Weight: Up to 1 oz.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: Male at 1 h oz. Female at 1/4 oz.

Mating season: March through

early winter.

Gestation: 21-26 days.

No. of young: 4-7. Up to 4 litters

a year.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Several adults may live

together in a network of

underground tunnels .

Diet: Mainly seeds, nuts, buds,

insects, and arthropods.

Lifespan: Up to 1 year.

RELATED SPECIES

Within the subfamily to which

the wood mouse belongs there

are 408 species in 89 genera.

Range of the wood mouse.

DISTRIBUTION

Found throughout Europe (except northern Scandinavia and Finland) east to the Altai and Himalayan mountains.

CONSERVATION

The most common mouse throughout its range, the wood

mouse is considered a pest but is not under any threat.

FEATURES OF THE WOOD MOUSE

HIND LEGS When the wood mouse explores, it stands up on its hind legs and sniffs the air.

Feef: Large; give the mouse a slight hopping motion when it moves.

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Feeding: The wood mouse is a good climber and often scales .Q!anches to reach fruit or

Coat: Sandy colored with white underparts. Very large ears. The tail is longer than that of other species of mice.

Despite the fact that the wood mouse

is the most common mouse throughout Europe,

it is rarely seen. This is because it is active only

at night. It spends the day resting in its burrow,

emerging at night to gather the food

that it stores underground.

Although called the wood mouse, this little rodent will live just about anywhere it has enough cover to hide from predators. Besides woodlands, it inhabits newly plowed fields, hedges, and gardens.

In urban environments it lives along railroad embank­ments and in undeveloped areas. The only place the wood mouse does not live is above the tree line, unless

there are walls and buildings to give it shelter.

The wood mouse spends its life within an area about 600 feet in diameter. It bur­rows underground and digs a series of tunnels and en­trances. Inside the tunnels it makes storerooms for food and a nesting chamber for the young. Several adult wood mice may live together in the same network of tunnels.

~ BREEDING Wood mice mate beginning in March and continuing through the end of autumn­even into winter if the weather is mild and food is plentiful. The female gives birth just under four weeks after mating and can produce four litters a year, although two or three

left: The wood mouse is a shy creature that is easily disturbed by man.

Right: When wood mice are nervous they often wash and groom themselves.

Far right: The young spend their first few weeks in a nest lined with leaves, moss, and grass.

Right: After three weeks the mother forces the young out of the nest.

The wood mouse is primarily herbivorous, eating a diet of seeds, buds, fruits, and nuts. When these are scarce, how­ever, it will eat snails, earth­worms, and insects.

The wood mouse hoards food-seeds and nuts in particular-to supplement its food supply during the winter. It packs its underground storerooms, then takes out seeds or nuts one at a time.

litters is more common. Four to seven young are

born in the nesting chamber, deep in a burrow. They are naked and blind at birth-their eyes do not open until they are 16 days old. By then they have grown a full coat of fur, although it is a darker color

[l:J NATUREWATCH The wood mouse is diffi­cult to spot in natural set­tings: it is nocturnal-even bright moonlight can keep it from emerging-and it is tiny. Wood mice that live indoors are distinctive from house mice because of their larger ears, eyes, and hind feet. They also leave larger droppings.

than the adult's, and their teeth begin to come through.

Wood mice live for little more than three or four months. The greatest popula­tion occurs in early autumn, and the smallest is in March and April when breeding season starts.

Below: When feeding, the mouse holds a nut in its forepaws as it nibbles through the shell to reach the soft fruit inside.

DID YOU KNOW? • The family Muridae, which includes the wood mouse, is larger than any other family of mammals, includ­ing man. Muridae contains 1,082 species in 15 sub­families and 241 genera.

• The wood mouse's sense of smell is so acute that it can detect the exact loca­tion of each seed in a newly planted row. It digs directly down to the seed rather than digging at random along the row.

• Young wood mice produce ultrasounds as their temperature drops, attracting their mother's attention.

~ ENEMIES

The wood mouse is a vital food source for many nocturnal ani­mals: the fox, weasel, stoat, and

badger, as well as the domestic cat. Many species of owl also prey on the wood mouse.

Many people view the wood mouse as a troublesome pest.

. The wood moUse inflicts serious

damage on both vegetable gar­dens and farmland alike, dig­ging up seeds before they germinate and nibbling grain crops down to the ground.

ASIAN ELEPHANT

ORDER Proboscidea

FAMILY E/ephantidae

CARD 116

GROUP 1: MAMMALS GENUS & SPECIES E/ephas maxim us

The Asian elephant is slightly smaller in size and has smaller ears than the African elephant. Long-living and intelligent, it has been

domesticated by humans for the last 5,500 years.

_____ ~~K-E~YFACT~S~------------------------------~ SIZES Length: 18-20 ft.

Height: 8-10 ft. Weight: Up to 11,000 lb.

BREEDING Sexual maturity: 15 years.

Mating: Usually in wet season.

Gestation: 22 months.

No. of young: Usually 1 .

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Cow and young form a

family unit. Bull is mainly solitary.

Call: Trumpets loudly when

angry, excited, or separated . Also

communicates by rumbling .

Diet: Vegetation, fruit, twigs,

small branches, bark, and roots.

Lifespan: About 60 years.

RELATED SPECIES

The four Asian subspecies include

the Indian elephant, Ceylon

elephant, Sumatran elephant, and Malaysian elephant.

Range of the Asian elephant.

DISTRIBUTION

Once found throughout India and southeastern Asia . Now

restricted to mountainous parts of India, Indochina, Sri

Lanka, Indonesia, and southern China.

CONSERVATION

Worldwide, the Asian elephant's population stands at

42,600 to 57,500 (1990 figures). It is in danger of

extinction throughout its natural habitat.

FEATURES OF THE ASIAN ELEPHANT

Ancestry: African elephants spread to the cooler and moister environs of Asia about 17 million years ago and evolved as a separate Asian species.

(

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Trunk: Used to tear foliage, fruit , and twigs from trees, to detect scents, and to breathe . Its length enables the elephant to graze from the ground without difficulty.

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Head: Foreshortened and dome­shaped. Head of the African elephant, Loxodonta african, projects forward.

0160200261 PACKET 26

A sociable animal, the Asian elephant

protects other group members.

Adults surround the young when danger

threatens the herd. Females in the group

adopt orphaned calves, and members

stay to assist shot or wounded elephants,

often putting themselves at risk.

~ FOOD & FEEDING The Asian elephant prefers to browse rather than graze. It uses its adaptable trunk to pick green leaves, fruit, and new plant shoots. The ele­phant tears off the soft bark of young trees and puts it into its mouth with the trunk.

The Asian elephant needs over 300 pounds of food a day. If its trunk is damaged, the elephant will starve. The elephant also needs large

amounts of water, which it sucks up with its trunk and squirts into its mouth.

The Asian elephant's great size makes it easy to travel long distances to find food and water within its large home range. Generations of elephants often follow the same paths between feeding areas, making wide "elephant roads" through even dense jungle areas.

~ BEHAVIOR The elephant grows through­out its life, so the largest ele­phant in a group is also the oldest. Despite its size the ele­phant can move quietly, and firm ground barely shows its tracks. When a member gets separated from the group in wooded and jungle areas it emits a grumbling purr to keep in contact.

The sexes live apart most of the time. The female stays with the family unit of sisters and mothers and daughters with their offspring. Once ma­ture, the female calf remains with the group while the young male joins a bachelor herd. When mature, a bull lives alone or in small, tempo­rary groups.

Right: The single calf stays close to its mother and may even hide from danger under her belly.

~ BREEDING

During the rutting (mating) season the Asian bull (male) elephant produces high levels of the hormone "musth" and acts more aggressive.

Rutting occurs late in the rainy season, which is also when the females go into heat. The arrival of calves 22 months later coincides with a new rainy season and a plentiful food supply.

During birth, a second elephant cow will protect the mother from lions, tigers, and hyenas that prey on calves.

At birth the Asian elephant weighs over 200 pounds; it

Left: Wild herds roam the shores of the man-made lake at the Periyar Reserve, India.

grows rapidly the first few years. At 15 years growth slows, but it continues throughout the elephant's life. Between 20 and 30 years the bull elephants have another growth spurt.

The female Asian elephant can live beyond childbearing age, which is unusual among animals. But today fewer elephants are living long lives. Only 50 percent of wild Asian elephants survive past 15 years, and only 20 percent reach 30. As hunters kill younger and younger elephants, the animal's chance for a long life dwindles.

Right: Sri Lankans scrub a working bull with methods used thousands of years ago.

DID YOU KNOW? • An adept swimmer, the elephant loves water and sometimes uses its trunk as a snorkel. • Like humans, the elephant cries when distressed . This occurs regularly in captive elephants. • The elephant, like the whale, emits low-frequency calls too low for humans to hear. Other elephants can hear the sounds more than 12 miles away. • To counterbalance its loss of habitat, the elephant regulates its population without human interven­tion . It reaches puberty later and extends the period between births.

For centuries humans have used the Asian elephant as a means of transportation, a beast of burden, a tool of war, and a religious symbol. But now its population stands at only 50,000.

Still today, in forestry work, the elephant fells trees and transports logs. Hindu people value and revere the elephant.

" CARD 117 ]

MULE DEER '(~----------------------------~~~~~~~ ~ ORDER ~ ~ Artiodactyla

FAMILY Cervidae

GENUS & SPECIES Odocoileus hemionus

The mule deer lives in a variety of North American habitats. This shy, solitary creature is often difficult to spot, despite its

fairly large population.

KEY FACTS

SIZES Height: 3 ft. to shoulder.

Length: Body 6 ft. Tail, 1 ft.

Weight: 250-300 lb. Antlers: 2 1/2 ft. span.

BREEDING

Mating season: Late September to mid-November. Gestation: 182-210 days.

Weaning period: 6 weeks .

No. of young: 2; occasionally 3.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Solitary. May form groups

in winter.

Diet: Twigs, shoots, grass, nuts,

mushrooms, lichen.

Lifespan: 10 years.

RELATED SPECIES

There are 11 subspecies of mule

deer. Odocoileus virginian us, the

white-tailed deer, is a close relative.

Range of the mule deer.

DISTRIBUTION

The mule deer lives in western parts of Canada and the

United States, extending into northern Mexico.

CONSERVATION

More than three million mule deer live in the United

States. Licensed hunting is permitted and the species is in no danger of extinction.

FEATURES OF THE MULE DEER

©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

Antlers: Widespread , multipoiAted forks. Shed be­tween January and March . Re­placement begins March or April. Reach full adult size by seven years.

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Rocky Mountain mule deer: Dis­tinguished by its black-tipped tail.

Pacific Coast mule deer: Distin­guished by its black tail. This deer was previously listed as a separate species, but has been reclassified as a mule deer.

0160200311 PACKET 31

Usually a timid animal, the mule deer

buck will fight aggressively during mating

season for a doe. The mule deer is closely

related to the white-tailed deer, but they

can be distinguished by their antlers.

~ HABITS Unlike many other species of deer, the mule deer is solitary. Living in habitats from the

high mountains to deserts and plains, it does not form herds, but rather lives alone or in small family groups in a well-defined home range.

In mountainous regions, the mule deer spends the summer on the slopes below the tree

~ FOOD & FEEDING In summer the mule deer browses on shoots and twigs from pine and aspen trees. In winter it grazes on grasses and shrubs; it also eats mush­

rooms, nuts, and lichen. When food is scarce during

the winter months, groups of

line. It has been seen as high as 7,500 feet above sea level on southeast and southwest

facing slopes. After the fall mating season,

the mule deer migrates into the valley. In winter, when

food is scarce and buried be­neath the snow, it may gather in groups of up to 50 in areas where food is more plentiful .

mule deer make "yards." They trample the snow to expose the food beneath, often caus­ing extensive damage to the land. After all the food in a

yard is exhausted, the group moves on to find a new feed­ing ground.

~BREEDING During the breeding season from late September to mid­November, the normally timid buck (male) fights aggressively for possession of a doe. He gathers a harem of about four does. They give birth in June or July, usually to twins.

The fawns can walk immedi­ately after birth. Left alone for much of the day, their fur

camouflages them from predators while they hide in

dense undergrowth. By Sep­tember the fawns are weaned and have started growing their winter coats . At the age of nine months their antlers

begin to show.

Left: A young mule deer buck sports a distinctive black-tipped white tail.

Right: Does with their fawns.

Inset: The fawn 's dappled coat camouflages it from predators.

DID YOU KNOW? • A buck's fierce fight for a doe is often a bluff. One contestant turns away be­fore a real battle occurs.

• In 1924-25 an epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease killed thousands of mule deer in California; 22,000

were slaughtered to check

the disease. • Mountain lions, bears, bobcats, golden eagles, coyotes, and wolverines hunt mule deer. • The mule deer is called "jumping deer" for its habit of jumping high when running.

Right: Mule deer prefer to live alone or in small family groups.

~ MULE DEER & MAN

The mule deer has historically been hunted by humans for its hide (buckskin) and for its flesh. Today, however, hunt­in does not threaten the

mule deer's population. Fences are built to keep

grazing mule deer out of some farm areas so they will

But in many areas food plants are grown especially to at­tract the mule deer so it can

be hunted for its valuable hide and flesh.

The mule deer population was threatened from 1905 to 1925 when hunters killed thousands of wolves, pumas, and coyotes on Arizona's Kaibab plateau. Without

these predators, the mule deer population grew from 4,000 to 100,000 in 20 years.

Because the habitat could not support such an enor­mous population, 60,000 mule deer died from starva­

tion in one year. Today the mule deer is carefully regu­

lated by hunters.

"" CARD 118 I BARBARY APE ,,---------------------------------------------~ ... ORDER ~ Primates

FAMilY Cercopithecidae

... GENUS & SPECIES ~ Macaca sylvana

Barbary apes were once common throughout North Africa. Today they are found only in the cedar, pine, and oak forests of the Atlas

Mountains in Algeria and Morocco.

KEY FACTS

SIZES Length: Male, 2-21/2 ft. Female,

slightly smaller . Weight: Male, 15-22 lb. Female,

9-15 lb.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: 3-4 years.

Breeding season: November to

March .

Gestation: 147-192 days.

No. of young: 1, occasionally 2.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Sociable, groups of 10-30. Diet: Fruit, seeds, roots, bark,

and buds.

Lifespan: 20 years.

RELATED SPECIES

Other monkeys in the macaque

(Macaea) genus include the pig­

tailed macaque, M. nigra, and the

endangered lion-tailed macaque,

M. silenus.

Range of the Barbary ape.

DISTRIBUTION

Found in northwestern Africa in Morocco and Algeria. One

colony exists on Gibraltar.

CONSERVATION

The total population is approximately 1,200 to 2,000 Barbary apes. Habitat destruction is causing a decline in

numbers.

E BARBARY APE

Sociable: Uves in groups of 10 to 30 The male helps care for the young in the group

Body: Sturdy. thick. and tailless.

Head: Round; sits on short neck.

1

Colt Yellow­brown; shorter on belly.

legs: Hmd legs shorter than front legs; walks on all fours. Stands erect to watch for predators.

",MCMXCIIMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200271 PACKET 27

Barbary apes are sociable animals that can live

peaceably among other species of ape. These primates

were once common throughout Europe but now

live only in Algeria, Morocco, and Gibraltar.

~BEHAVIOR Barbary apes are found on the

plains and mountains of Algeria

and Morocco. They can live at al­

titudes of up to 6,500 feet. The

apes inhabit forest clearings and

sparse undergrowth. They are of­

ten found among cedar, pine,

and oak forests. There is also one

colony that lives on the Rock of

Gibraltar, which lies between the

Atlantic Ocean and the Mediter­

ranean Sea.

Barbary apes are sociable and

live in highly organized commu­

nities of up to 30 animals. They

occupy territories of several

square miles that sometimes

overlap with those of troops of

other ape species. The Barbary

apes and the other species are

able to live near each other with­

out territorial problems. At night

the Barbary apes sleep in trees or

among rocks; during the day

they roam their territory, jump­

ing and climbing among the

rocks and trees. The apes usually

move on all four legs, standing

on their hind legs only to survey

the area for predators.

~ FOOD & FEEDING In Algeria and Morocco, Bar­

bary apes eat a varied diet of

fruit, herbs, seedlings, seeds,

and roots. In winter, when

food is scarce, they eat buds,

needles, and bark.

These sociable apes share their

watering holes with other species

of ape during the dry season.

Left: The young Barbary ape is suckled by its mother for three months. It becomes independent at six months.

The male Barbary ape actively

cares for the young of the

group. He establishes strong

bonds with individual infant

apes and with other males. Be­

cause a female may have sev­

eral males, it is not easy for

researchers to determine pater­

nity (fatherhood) of the young.

Therefore, the reason for the

bonding between a male and

several infant apes is unknown,

, since such bonding normally

occurs only between the

young and its parents. Some

naturalists believe that females

may be more likely to choose

nurturing males as mates, so the

males try to exhibit this trait.

The adult male begins caring

for the young a few days after

their birth. He grooms them, car­

ries them around, and plays with

them. He also may present a

young ape to another adult

male. All three apes then make

chattering noises and embrace

each other. This is seen as friendly

behavior, though other species

would consider it threatening.

~ BARBARY APE &: MAN Man is the main threat today to

the Barbary ape's existence. This

is especially true for those apes

that live on the plains, where

farmers hunt them because of

the damage they do to crops.

The only Barbary apes not

found in North Africa today live

in the colony on Gibraltar. These

are descendants of the European

apes that existed during the

Pleistocene Era, although the

colony's population has been

Above left: The apes on Gibraltar are the only survivors of the European Barbary ape.

Left: An adult grooms a young Barbary ape.

Below: Barbary apes rarely exhibit aggressive behavior.

reinforced by breeding with the

North African apes.

The population of the apes on

Gibraltar has changed over the

years. In 1858 only three Barbary

apes survived an epidemic, and

more animals were brought to

the island from North Africa.

During World War II, the British

again restocked the colony on

Gibraltar by adding to the popu­

lation from the apes in Algeria

and Morocco.

DID YOU KNOW? • In 1942 Winston Churchill ordered the immediate restocking of the Barbary ape colony on Gibraltar, which was a vital strategic base for Great Britain during World War II. Legend had it that as long as there were apes on Gibraltar it would remain under British rule.

• The Barbary ape's name probably comes from the "Barbary States." This term was once used for the North African states of Tripolitania, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.

CAPE BUFFALO

,,~--------------------------~~~~ ... ORDER ... FAMILY

'1IIIIIIII Artiodactyla ' '1IIIIIIII Bovidae GENUS &; SPECIES Syncerus coffer

"" CARD 119 1

The Cape buffalo is one of the largest animals on the African plains. Its great herds, sometimes hundreds strong, are highly organized,

especially when fending off predators.

KEY FACTS

SIZES

Height: 4-6 ft. Length: 8-11 ft . Weight: Female 1,000 lb. Male

1,500 lb.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: 2 years. Mating

does not occur until 4-6 years.

Mating season: Varies from region

to region, peaking during the

rainy season. Gestation: 340 days.

Weaning: 6 months.

No. of young: 1 .

LIFESTYLE Habit: Sociable, forming herds of

up to 1,000. Also form smaller

bachelor herds. Some old males are

solitary.

Diet: Grass, foliage. Lifespan: About 1 6 years.

RELATED SPECIES

The forest buffalo is a subspecies of

the Cape buffalo, Syncerus coffer.

Range of the Cape buffalo.

DISTRIBUTION Africa south of the Sahara. The forest buffalo occurs in the

lowland forests of central Africa, while the Cape buffalo lives

across savannah regions.

CONSERVATION Hunting for food and sport have decreased the Cape buffalo's numbers. It is also killed by farmers who think the animal

spreads disease and raids crops.

FEATURES OF THE CAPE BUFFALO

Oxpecker: The Cape buffalo allows the oxpecker to feed off the parasites living on its back.

©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

Male: Stocky and larger than the forest buffalo. Blackish body with heavy horns curving out and then down before curling up to the tip. Large ears partially hidden by horns.

DWARF FOREST BUFFALO

Light build and smaller than Cape buffalo. Has thick, reddish or bright red hair.

Female and calf: Largest herds made up of adult females and calves under two years old. Female calves under two years stay close to their mothers while males stay within her vicin ity. Three- to four-year-old males congregate together in small groups away from adult males.

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The Cape buffalo has a fearsome

reputation among predators. With its massive

build and great, curving horns,

the animal puts up a determined fight

when attacked. Wounded buffaloes have

been known to wait in cover, ready to charge their

pursuers as they approach.

~ HABITS The Cape buffalo roams across the grassy plains and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. It stays in areas with good cover and a reliable water source.

Herds vary in size from small bands of fewer than 10 ani­mals to huge groups of more than 1,000. The largest herds, composed mainly of females and offspring, are found on the open plains.

Conflicts between males may occur during breeding season. These are limited to shows of aggression rather than actual fights, which could easily result in the death of both animals.

The males' sociability

depends on their age. Three­year-old males leave their mothers and form small all­male groups either within or outside the herd. The females drive away older males from the herd to fend for them­selves on the plains.

~ FOOD & FEEDING The Cape buffalo primarily grazes, but it will eat the leaves of bushes. It feeds in the evening and chews the cud at night. It rests in the shade during the heat of the day. In the dry season, the Cape buffalo moves into available forests or wetter valley bot-

Left: A Cape buffalo keeps cool during the hot African day by wading in mud pools.

DID YOU KNOW?

• In spite of its size and bulk, the Cape buffalo can run at speeds of almost 37 miles per hour. • The Cape buffalo has a very thick, protective hide. If alarmed, it will readily escape

toms. Without a good supply of vegetation, it quickly loses weight.

The Cape buffalo needs plenty of water. It makes daily drinking trips in the morning and evening. Old, solitary males spend much of the day wading in cool water.

Right: As this Cape buffalo drinks, an oxpecker feeds on the fleas living on its hide.

through dense thornbushes that would deter most animals. • During a fight between male buffaloes, the clash of horns was so violent that one bull was tossed in the air.

Above: The charging buffalo chases away a lion.

Left: Large herds use social organi­zation.

Right: A mother watches her calf.

This large, powerful animal has little fear of predators. Hyenas and leopards kill stranded calves. Lions and large croco­diles prey on isolated adults such as elderly males. But the Cape buffalo usually fights back. Single lions often fail to capture them, and buffaloes can toss or gore the cats with

~ BREEDING

their horns. In large herds buffalo are

almost immune to danger. They may initially run from a predator, but they quickly turn and form a compact group with the adults turned toward the danger. The herd also comes to the aid of animals in distress.

Peak mating times occur in the and in a normal year the fe­rainy seasons when the animals male gives birth before the are in the best condition. A rainy season. This ensures that female may mate with a suc- she has plenty of food to pro-cession of males, but she only duce milk for the quickly grow-becomes pregnant by one of ing offspring. The calf reaches her mates. sexual maturity in two years

Gestation lasts 11 months, and breeds at the age of four.

"" CARD 12QJ GOLDEN LION TAMARIN

GROUP 1: MAMMALS -------------------------------------------ORDER Primates

FAMILY Callithricidae

GENUS &: SPECIES Leontopithecus rosalia

The golden lion tamarin has a coot that II shines like gold dust in the light. " It is a close relative of the marmoset and is

one of the most endangered of all mammals.

KEY FACTS SIZES Length: Head and body, about

1 ft. Tail, slightly shorter. Weight: 11/2 lb.

BREEDING

Sexual Maturity: About 15

months.

Mating season: Year-round.

Gestation: 5 months.

No. of young: 1-3, usually twins.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Sociable in family groups.

Aggressive to intruders.

Diet: Fruit, flowers, tender

vegetation, insects, and small

vertebrates. Lifespan: 10-15 years in

captivity.

RELATED SPECIES

There are 8 marmosets and 14

tamarins in the family. The genus

has 2 other golden tamarins : the

golden-headed lion, and the

golden-rumped tamarin .

Coat: Long, silky, and red-gold in color. Lionlike mane frames its face, sweeping back over the head.

'uMCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

Range of the golden lion tamarin.

DISTRIBUTION

Found only in a stretch of coastal forest in South America,

near Rio Sao joao, and the Poco d' Anta Reserve in Brazil.

CONSERVATION

The tamarin is critically endangered everywhere, mainly

through loss of habitat. It has recently been bred successfully in zoos around the world . Over 40 animals have been

reintroduced to the rain forests of southeast Brazil.

Feet: Long and narrow; elongated fingers. Forearm is shortened ; hand as long as forearm.

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Hands: The three middle fingers are connected at the central joint by a flap of skin.

0160200211 PACKET 21

The golden lion tamarin occupies only a tiny-and

shrinking-area of the equatorial forest regions

of Brazil in South America. Its two close

relatives, the golden-headed lion and the golden-

rumped tamarins, live in similarly small locations

in the states of Bahia and Sao Paolo

and are equally as endangered.

~ HABITAT The golden lion tamarin in-habits primal forest (forest that has not been affected by man). It lives high in the tree­tops. Because it is sensitive to direct sunlight, it usually re­treats into dense foliage dur­ing the hottest part of the day. It needs continuous for­est canopy for survival.

The golden lion tamarin spends its day in quarrelsome play with other tamarins. It jumps easily through the trees, using its elongated fin­gers to hold onto branches.

Unlike many other monkeys, it does not use its long tail to grasp branches.

The tamarin lives in family groups. Although sociable within its family, it is very aggressive with intruders. If startled, the tamarin raises its mane, bares its teeth, and makes high-pitched shrieks. Sometimes adults of the same sex fight to the death.

Right: The golden lion tamarin has claws instead of nails. They help it grip branches.

~ GOLDEN LION TAMARIN & MAN With its striking appearance, the golden lion tamarin has long been hunted as a prize exhibit for zoos. Since the sev­enteenth century it has also been popular as an exotic pet. Until 1960, the capture and export of this animal were legal. But these practices still continue illegally today.

Unlike some of its relatives, the golden lion tamarin does not settle in disturbed forest. The ever-fncreasing demands

Left: The main threat to the tam­arin is shrinking natural forest habitat.

DID YOU KNOW? • Only two to three percent of the golden lion tamarin's orig­inal wild habitat still exists. • Grooming is an important part of the golden lion tam­arin's daily activity. It helps to reinforce family ties. Tamarins even pick and clean each other's teeth. • The male golden lion tam-

put on the forest by man has meant that much of the ani­mal's natural habitat has been destroyed. This is the main reason that it has be­come endangered.

The United States began a program to reintroduce the golden lion tamarin into se­lected areas, particularly the Poco d' Anta Reserve, near Rio de Janeiro. But much of the reserve was destroyed by fire, forcing many of the 75 to 150 tamarins living there to move into areas that are not suitable as habitat . .

arin has been observed feeding its young. • The marmoset and tam­arin group of monkeys in­cludes the smallest monkey of all: the pygmy marmoset, which is only five and a half inches long. The golden lion tamarin is the largest mem­ber of the family.

~ FOOD & FEEDING The golden lion tamarin is an omnivore: it eats both meat and plants. It collects food in its treetop home, such as fruits, flowers, and plant nec-

The golden lion tamarin stays with one partner and breeds throughout the year. :rhe male assists at the birth and washes the young-usually twins.

The newborn tamarin looks like its parents, but its hair and mane are short. It clings tightly with its hands and feet to either of its parents. Every two to three hours the male gives one young to the fe­male. She nurses it for about 15 minutes and then hands it back to the male.

tars. It also searches in the branches for insects, frogs, lizards, snails, and bird eggs.

Below: The tamarin uses facial expressions for communication.

When the young tamarins are about three weeks old, they begin to explore their surroundings. They continue to ride on their parents' backs for about a month.

At four weeks, the parents give their young soft food, although they are not yet weaned. They can be on their own at three to five months but continue to run to their parents if danger threatens. Many young stay with their parents, never leaving the large family group.