Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 221-230
-
Upload
clearmind84 -
Category
Documents
-
view
801 -
download
44
description
Transcript of Wildlife Fact File - Mammals - Pgs. 221-230
FENNEC FOX
... ORDER '11IIIIIIII Carnivora
FAMILY Canidae
GROUP 1: MAMMALS GENUS fir SPECIES Vulpes zerda
The fennec fox is superbly adapted for life in the searing heat of the North African deserts. The smallest of all foxes, it is further
distinguished by its enormous ears and very long, dark whiskers.
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 14-16 in.
Tail, 7-12 in .
Length of ears: 6 in.
Weight: 2-3~ lb.
BREEDING Sexual maturity: 9 months.
Mating season: February.
Gestation: 7 weeks .
No. of young: 2-5 .
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Night-active; social. Lives in
burrows in extended family groups
of about 10 individuals.
Call: Soft whimper.
Diet: Small rodents, lizards, insects,
plants, and fruit.
Lifespan: Up to 12 years in the
wild, but usually less.
RELATED SPECIES
The fennec fox is now placed in the
genus Vulpes, which has 12 species,
including the red fox, Vulpes vulpes.
[ Range of the fen nee fox.
DISTRIBUTION
lives in desert areas in North Africa, including the Sahara. Also
found in the Middle East.
CONSERVATION
Intensive hunting over many years has reduced the fennec fox
population considerably. It is now quite rare over much of its
former range, particularly in the Middle East. In some areas, the
species is even extinct.
FEATURES OF THE FENNEC FOX
SIZE OF FENNEC AND RED FOXES
The fennec fox is less than half the length and one-fifth the weight of the red fox.
Coat: Long and fluffy, giving insulation against nighttime cold. Sandy color pro-vides camouflage in desert.
© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Ears: Large size provides area for release of excess body heat. Enlarged middle ear gives fennec acute hearing.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Paws: Comparatively large, enabling the fennec to dig Quickly.
Soles: Completely covered with long
hairs to give the fennec a good grip
on sandy ground and to provide
protection from the hot sand .
legs: Short but very powerfu l.
0160200571 PACKET 57
In proportion to its size, the fennec fox has the
largest ears of any desert animal. Since it cannot
sweat, the fen nee uses its ears to help get rid of excess
body heat. The large ears also give the animal a keen
sense of hearing, which it uses to locate prey. The fennec
can dig very rapidly-it works so fast that it seems to
vanish into the sand when digging its burrow.
~ HABITS Like many desert animals, the fennec fox is active at night and spends the scorching days resting in a deep underground den. Usually dug at the base of a sand dune, the den is made up of a series of tunnels and several chambers. Dens often connect underground, and it is common for groups of about 10 animals to live together. The leader of the pack is a dominant male.
The fennec is unusually social for a fox. Adults may groom each other, and they often play games. In other fox species, only the cubs play together.
Toward evening the fennec fox emerges from its den and sits in the shade of a rock or bush to survey its surroundings. As night falls, it begins its search for food.
The people of the Sahara Desert have always hunted the fennec fox for food, digging it out of its den, shooting it, or catching it with a noose. As a result, the fennec has become uncommon over much of its range, especially in the north.
The fennec fox is fairly easy to domesticate. In some places it is popular as a pet.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING Although it has a broad diet, the fennec is primarily a flesh eater, like all foxes. It uses hearing-its sharpest sense-to locate small rodents and lizards, picking up the sounds of prey with its huge ears.
When it detects a likely victim, the fennec rushes in for the kill rather than stalking its prey by stealth like most foxes . If the fennec kills more than it can eat, it buries the remainder of its catch and digs it up later
Left: The fennec fox digs a den that provides protection from the high daytime temperatures.
DID YOU KNOW? • Like many other desert animals, the fennec fox conserves vital body moisture by excreting highly concentrated urine. • The arctic fox and the fennec have circular pupils. The red fox has vertical pupils. • The fennec fox was once classified in its own genus,
to eat when food is scarce. In addition to small mam
mals, the fennec eats insects, especially desert locusts. It also feeds on any plants and fruits that grow in its desert habitat, and it is particularly fond of dates.
Like all successful desert animals, the fennec seems able to survive for some time without drinking. When it does locate a source of water, however, it drinks deeply.
Right: Oversize ears are a common adaptation among desert mammals like the fennec fox.
Fennecus, because its large ears, rounded head, and less specialized teeth set it apart from other foxes . • Many scientists describe the fennec fox as the African counterpart of the small kit fox in North America. But the kit fox is more solitary than the fennec.
The fennec fox mates in February. About seven weeks later, the female gives birth to two to five cubs-a small litter compared to those of other fox species. The cubs are born deep underground in the safety of the female's den.
The young are born blind and have relatively small ears. The cubs are covered in short, very pale downy fur with a darker stripe running down the back.
The cubs open their eyes after
Left: Its parents care for the fennec cub for a relatively long time, increasing its chances of survival.
Left: The fennec fox takes shelter in its den during the day and emerges at night to hunt. It retains this pattern of behavioreven when it is kept in captivity.
about 12 days and soon start to play. The female begins to feed them solid food when they are about three and a half weeks old, and they soon become aggressive in demanding food . By seven weeks old, the cubs' ears have begun to grow. Their fur has become thicker and fluffier, darkening to its adult color.
The young are usually reared by both parents, sometimes with the help of cubs from earlier litters. At nine months old, the cubs are fully grown and independent but may still remain with their parents.
" CARD 222 1
DWARF MONGOOSE ,,~----------------------------~~~~~~~ ~ ORDER
Carnivora FAMilY Viverridae
GENUS &: SPECIES Helogale parvula
The dwarf mongoose is an unusual animal that has several almost human characteristics. It stands on its hind legs, scratches
its head, picks at its teeth, and chatters constantly.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
length: 7-10 in. (without tail).
Weight: 1-1 ~ lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 5 months.
Breeding season: Anytime. Mates
up to 3 times a year.
No. of young: Up to 7.
Gestation period: About 2 months.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Active by day; lives and
hunts in packs.
Diet: Beetles, grasshoppers, ter
mites, small mammals, reptiles,
birds, fruit, and berries.
lifespan: Up to 10 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The dwarf mongoose is the smallest
member of the family Viverridae,
which has 31 species of mongoose
and 35 species of civet and genet.
Range of the dwarf mongoose.
DISTRIBUTION
Found along the east coast of Africa from Ethiopia to the
Transvaal in South Africa. Also found in central southern
Africa and as far west as Angola.
CONSERVATION
Birds of prey and other predators hold down the numbers
of dwarf mongooses, but there are no serious threats to
the population.
FEATURES OF THE DWARF MONGOOSE
Head: Long, pointed muzzle. Its small, round ears and sharp eyes are constantly alert to danger.
Feet: 4 digits, each tipped with a long, nonretractable claw for digging and climbing.
Coat: Long and coarse, varying in color from grayish brown to dark tan flecked with gray. The chest and belly are usually lighter.
© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Tail: About 7 inches long, muscular, and covered with hair. Used for balance when the animal sits up on its hind legs.
0160200631 PACKET 63
The larger relatives of the dwarf mongoose have
a reputation for fighting with snakes, which are the
mainstay of their diet. But the dwarf mongoose rarely, if
ever, eats a snake, and it never fights a snake on its own.
Members of a pack may occasionally band together to
attack and kill a snake. More often, however, they feed
on insects such as termites, beetles, and grasshoppers.
~ HABITS The dwarf mongoose is a social animal that lives in a pack of up to 20 individuals. Each pack has a dominant breeding pair, other adults, and young. Some animals remain in the same pack all their lives, waiting for a turn to become the dominant male or female. But most leave to join another established pack or to form a new one.
Dwarf mongooses leave their burrows at dawn to hunt for food. Two young males perch high up to act as guards, looking and listening for predators. If danger threatens, they warn
the others with loud alarm calls, and the pack scatters to search for shelter.
A dwarf mongoose pack may roam for a month at a time, covering up to a mile each day. The animals spend nights in makeshift shelters.
Members of a pack play with each other and share the care of the young as well as sick animals in the pack. But they do not welcome rivals, and fierce fights between packs are common.
Right: The dwarf mongoose is not as sensitive as other mammals to a scorpion's poisonous sting.
~ BREEDING The dwarf mongoose pack has a hierarchical structure with a single dominant female or a dominant breeding pair. The "queen" is the only female in the pack permitted to breed, and the others help rear her young. If another female does give birth, her cubs are often killed in their burrow.
The queen mates up to three times a year. After a gestation of about two months, up to seven young are born in a chamber of
left: The dwarf mongoose sometimes climbs onto anthills or low mounds to look for predators.
DID YOU KNOW? • The white-tailed mongoose is three times the size of the dwarf mongoose. • The dwarf mongoose usually breeds during the months of greatest rainfall, when food is plentiful. • Rival packs may fight fiercely during a territorial dispute, using their sharp claws to tear
the burrow or in an outside nest made of grass. The newborns are blind and without fur. Their eyes open after two weeks, and they are weaned in a month.
The female helpers catch beetles to feed the young. They also groom the cubs, play with them, and teach them to hunt. After two months, the cubs are independent. They are sexually mature after five months, but they do not reach full adult size until they are almost three years old.
Right: Only one female in a dwarf mongoose pack breeds, and the others help rear her cubs.
at each other's fur and ears. • The dwarf mongoose can identify another individual, its sex, and its pack from scent markings produced by the anal glands. • The dwarf mongoose's enemies include some larger mongooses, such as the solitary and slender mongooses.
~ HABITAT The dwarf mongoose thrives in the arid semideserts and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, but it rarely goes very far from a water supply. Trees and clumps of dry grass offer it cover from predators, and there are many termite mounds, which provide shelter, food, and lookout posts. The terrain is also dotted with aban-
~ FOOD &: HUNTING The dwarf mongoose's main activity every day is searching with the pack for food. With its guards posted, the compact group scours its territory in a close formation, looking mainly for insects, such as beetles, termites, and larvae. In areas with dense cover, pack mem bers use twittering calls to maintain contact with one another.
As the mongoose pack moves forward, grasshoppers spring from its path, and they are frequently scooped up by horn-' bills. In return, these birds warn the pack of certain predators,
doned burrows, rock piles, fall en trees, and caves, which offer resting sites away from the hot African sun.
The dwarf mongoose is also found in dry acacia brush, the scanty vegetation of the mountains, and woodlands. If danger threatens, it may hide in the huge, gnarled roots of trees.
such as goshawks and falcons. Within the pack, each dwarf
mongoose fends for itself, finding its own food unless it is too young or too ill to hunt. The dominant pair may, however, take food found or killed by another member of the pack.
In addition to insects, berries, and fruit, the dwarf mongoose eats mice and other small mammals, the young of any groundnesting birds, and some reptiles. The animal is expert at opening eggs and snail shells, which it hurls between its hind legs and cracks against a tree or stone.
'" CARD 223 I MUSK DEER ,,~--------------------------------------~~ ~ ORDER ~ ~ Artiodactyla ~
FAMILY Cervidae
GENUS Moschus
Musk deer are named for the substance that is produced by the male in a glandular pouch on the abdomen. Musk is a key ingredient in many expensive perfumes. It is also used in soaps and medicines.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 2~-3 ft. Height: 1 ~-2 ft. Weight: 15-40 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 18 months.
Breeding season: Early winter.
Gestation: 5 months.
No. of young: 1, rarely 2.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Active at night, early morn
ing, and evening. Mostly solitary,
except when breeding. Range of musk deer.
DISTRIBUTION
Diet: Grasses, leaves, flowers,
shoots, mosses, lichens, softwoods.
Call: Males occasionally make a
sound like a human sneeze.
Lifespan: 10-12 years.
Musk deer are found in Russia, Mongolia, China, northern Viet
nam, northern Myanmar (Burma), northern India, and Nepal.
CONSERVATION RELATED SPECIES
There are 3 closely related species
in the family Cervidae: Moschus moschiferus, M. sifanicus, and M. chrysogaster.
Hunting in Russia is now controlled, and populations are be
lieved to be more stable. Musk deer are being raised in China
and Nepal in an attempt to increase numbers.
FEATURES OF MUSK DEER
Coat: Very coarse hair. grayish brown or gold and speckled. Often striped around the underpart of the neck.
1.~"),~~~~~P~M~~~~~.~LOng . saberi ike upper canines I\;; well below the lips in males
and are used for fighting . They are smaller and less visible in females.
Feet: Long. slender hooves. Lateral toes touch the ground as deer run downhill. so the animals are very surefooted on mountainous terrain.
© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
legs: Hind legs about 2 inches longer than forelegs produce a
springing gait and make the back look rounded.
0160200641 PACKET 64
The classification of musk deer has long been confused.
These small deer are so unusual that they were once placed
in a family of their own. Today, howeve" most authorities
place the three species of musk deer in the same family as
all other deer. The males are widely hunted for the strongly
scented secretion they produce. This substance may serve as
a signal to females, but its exact function remains unknown.
~ HABITS Musk deer rely on their keen hearing to detect danger. They appear nervous, pausing regularly while feeding to listen. The deer are ready to bound away at the slightest noise, but they often misinterpret sounds. They may flee at the sudden crack of a branch but take no notice of human conversation or the sound of a car motor.
Musk deer form groups only during the mating season. At other times the doe (female) is solitary, except when caring for . her young. The buck (male) is barely more sociable. He wan-
ders widely to patrol his relatively large territory. The buck may control up to three does, each of which feeds in a smaller area within his territory.
Musk deer are creatures of habit and repeatedly use the same trails, latrines, and hiding places. They feed mostly at night, dusk, and dawn and often spend the day lying in a scraped-out depression in the ground. They may also hide in long grass and dense vegetation.
Right: A young musk deer spends most of its first weeks hidden in the undergrowth.
~ FOOD & FEEDING Like other deer, musk deer are ruminants-chewing the cud for several hours every day. They feed on at least 1 30 different plant species, including grasses, leaves, young shoots, and flowers. The selection is more limited during harsh winters in the mountain forests in the northern part of their range. There the deer rely on mosses, tree lichens, and twigs.
Conditions are less difficult in the southern part of their range,
left: The female musk deer does not produce musk and lacks the prominent canines of the male.
DID YOU KNOW? • During the courtship period, male musk deer eat little and cover vast distances. By the end of this period, they are usually exhausted and may take several weeks to recover. • Dried musk from one gland weighs about an ounce. In Nepal in 1972, musk was worth more than its weight in gold.
where grasses, tender shoots, and leaves are available most of the year. In such places, lichens and softwood may be nearly absent from the diet.
Musk deer are expert climbers with excellent balance. They can stand on their hind legs for half a minute or more without difficulty. The deer use this skill to reach into trees and tear down branches. If there is no moss or lichen on the branches, the deer eat the wood instead.
Right: Musk deer are alert to unfamiliar sounds in their wooded mountain habitat.
• In a single year Japan may buy 11,000 pounds of musk. This represents musk from more than 176,000 bucks. • The scientific name for musk deer comes from an old Sanskrit word meaning "scrotum." The name reflects the resemblance of the musk gland to the male's testicular pouch.
~ MUSK DEER & MAN For centuries, musk deer have been hunted for a secretion produced by the buck and used in perfumes and medicines. When it is dried, this oily, jellylike substance forms grains, and these are processed to make a costly ingredient that preserves the fragrance of perfume.
Only the buck produces this
~ BREEDING The rut, or breeding season, of musk deer is usually between November and January. At this time the buck pursues the does in his territory over great distances, often chasing them to the point of exhaustion. He may also try to mate with a doe in a neighboring buck's territory, and this frequently causes conflict. Although much of the conflict is restricted to a display of the upper teeth, a buck can inflict deep wounds on the back and neck of a rival.
After mating, the male plays no further part in the breeding
secretion, but hunters' traps kill does and fawns as well as bucks. This practice is one reason for the decline of the musk deer population. This unfortunate ,situation can be easily remedied, however, since the secretion can be collected without killing the buck. In addition, artificial substitutes for musk have been developed.
process. After a five-month gestation period, the female gives birth to a single fawn. On rare occasions two young are born. The newborn deer weighs only about a pound and a half. When it suckles, it raises a foreleg and taps its mother's hind leg gently to remind her to stand still.
During its first weeks of life, the fawn hides among rocks or in vegetation while its mother searches for food. She returns to suckle her young until it is strong enough to accompany her on foraging trips. By then the fawn is four weeks old.
DOUROUCOULI
ORDER Primates
FAMILY Cebidae
GROUP 1: MAMMALS ~ GENUS & SPECIES
'11IIIIIIII Aotus trivirgatus
The douroucouli is an agile South American monkey that is active only at night. Huge round eyes help this adaptable creature
see in the dark as it moves through the forest.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 9-14 in.
Tail, 12-16 in .
Weight: 1-2 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 2 years.
Breeding season: All year.
Gestation: 5 months.
No. of young: 1 .
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Forms small family groups
of 2 adults and their young .
Diet: Mainly fruit but also leaves,
insects, and occasionally small
mammals.
Lifespan: Up to 25 years in the
wild. Longest recorded in captivity,
11 years, 7 months.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 11 genera and about
30 species in the family Cebidae.
These include the uakaris, the pale
faced saki, spider monkeys, and
howler monkeys.
FEATURES OF THE DOURO
Coat: Sh [4 dense, and soft, giving the body a stoCky appearance. Brown or gray with lighter oloring on the chest.
Tail: Long and bushy. Used for balance when moving through the trees.
if; MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Range of the douroucouli.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in forests throughout South America: from Panama
south to northeastern Argentina, and from Guiana and Brazil
west to Peru and Ecuador.
CONSERVATION
Like other animals that inhabit the forests of South America,
the douroucouli is threatened by the continuing destruction
of its habitat.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Eyes: Close-set and very large to aid night vis ion.
Facial markings: Black and white areas running from the forehead down
the nose and cheeks .
0160200571 PACKET 57
Within its large range, the wide-eyed douroucouli
has settled in forests wherever there is a good supply
of fruit, which forms the bulk of its diet. This monkey
will even venture close to human settlements in order to
find fruit. As it leaps through treetops and vines, the
douroucouli uses a wide array of calls to keep in touch
with other members of its close-knit family group.
~HABITS The douroucouli lives in the
forests of Panama and South
America, from sea level to an
elevation of about 7,000 feet.
It spends most of its time in
the treetops. It sleeps during
the day and becomes highly
active at night.
The douroucouli has excellent
night vision. It moves easily from
branch to branch searching for
food, sometimes descending to
the forest floor. Its long, strong
limbs make it one of the most
acrobatic monkeys.
The douroucouli has many
different calls, probably because
it needs a variety of sounds to
communicate with the family
group as it moves through the
dark forest. Under its chin is a
fleshy sac that it can inflate to
amplify its voice. When a mon
key detects a predator, it warns
the others with a "wook-wook"
call. Other calls include squeaks,
hisses, and barks.
The douroucouli lives in a small
family group, usually consisting
of two parents and their young.
Each family group tends to stay
in its own territory, which the
adults mark with a secretion
from their anal glands.
~ FOOD & FEEDING As darkness falls, the dourou-
couli begins a long night in
search of food . Its staple diet is
fruit, but it also eats leaves, in
sects, spiders, small birds, and
possibly bats and other small
mammals.
Because it has superb night
vision, this agile monkey can
move through trees with ease.
It can even see well enough
to catch flying creatures such
as flies, cockroaches, and bats.
The douroucouli perches on a
Left: A long, bushy tail helps the douroucouli balance but does not serve as a fifth limb.
I DID YOU KNOW? • The douroucouli may use 50 different calls. One call is often
mistaken for a cat's call.
• When there is no moonlight, the douroucouli does not fight
or hoot very much.
• Because of its large eyes, the douroucouli is also known as
the owl monkey.
branch and launches itself at
passing prey, reaching out with
its long arms to snatch its vic
tim from the air.
Occasionally, several family
groups converge on a tree
laden with fruit. The groups
tolerate one another for a
while, but the adults start a
noisy and aggressive display
before long. They may even
attack their rivals and fight
until one group returns to its
own territory.
Right: The douroucouli lives mainly on fruit, leaves, and insects found in the treetops.
• The douroucouli has denser fur than any other species of
monkey.
• South American monkeys share few characteristics with
the monkeys of Africa and Asia
and are only distantly related.
• The douroucouli occasionally feeds in full daylight.
Because its habitat is inaccessi
ble, little is known about the
douroucouli's breeding habits.
It is thought that mating takes
place at any time of the year,
depending on the availability
of food .
The male searches for a mate
when there is a full moon and a
clear sky. He hoots loudly as he
travels through the treetops. He
may cover up to four miles in
one night.
After mating, the female gives
Left: Oversize eyes enable the dou" roucouli to forage at night in the forest conopy.
birth to a single infant weighing
about four ounces. For a few
weeks the newborn clings to its
mother's belly, relying on her for
food and protection. In about a
month it can climb well enough
to transfer itself to her back. At
seven weeks, it is strong enough
to try a few jumps. At this stage
the adult male begins to help
look after the youngster.
Because the offspring remains
with the family for two and a
half years before becoming in
dependent, a family group may
have two or three young from
different years.
RINGTAIL
ORDER Carnivora
FAMILY Procyonidae
CARD 225
GROUP 1: MAMMALS GENUS & SPECI ES Bassariscus astutus
The ringtail is a small, fierce flesh eater that lives in North America. A member of the raccoon family, it has the distinctive
black-and-white ringed tail that raccoons have.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 12-16 in.
Tail, 12-1 7 in.
Weight: 2-3 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1-2 years.
Mating season: February to May.
Gestation: About 2 months.
No. of young: 2-4.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Night-active; mainly
solitary.
Diet: Small mammals, birds, rep
tiles, and insects. Also fruit and
other plant matter.
Lifespan: About 8 years in captivi
ty; shorter in the wild .
RELATED SPECIES
The other species in the genus is
the Central American ringtail, Bassariscus sumichrasti. Both species
are sometimes called cacomistles.
FEATURES OF THE RINGTAll
Face: Thin face similar to a raccoon's. Pale rings around the eyes. large, slightly rounded ears.
Claws: Sharp, retractable claws used for climbing steep surfaces and tree trunks.
• Range of the ringtail.
DISTRIBUTION
Found from Oregon east to Nebraska and southeast to
Alabama, down through the southwestern United States
into Mexico.
CONSERVATION
Although it has no commercial value and is not regarded
as a pest, the ringtail is still killed. It is not a threatened spe
cies, however.
Coat: Gray to brown in colo r.
Tail: Thick and bushy with distinctive black-and-white rings. Markings on the Central American ringtail are not as pronounced.
©MCMXCIV IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A. us P 6001 12 069 PACKET 69
The ringtail's closest relative is the central American
ring tail. Both of these species are known as the cacomistle,
a Nahuatl Indian word that means "half mountain lion. "
Because of its agile, catlike movements, the ring tail of
North America is also known as the ring-tailed cat.
~ HABITS The ringtail is found in North
America from sea level to eleva
tions of 10,000 feet or more.
An agile climber, it favors cliffs
and rocky terrain. Although
fairly common across its range,
this shy, nocturnal animal is
rarely seen.
The ringtail rests by day in a
den of moss, grass, and leaves,
which is set in a rocky outcrop
or hollow tree. Upon awaken
ing, the animal cleans itself by
licking its paws and then using
them to wash its ears and face.
Although usually solitary, the
ringtail is sometimes found with
a mate. Occasionally the ani
mals gather in groups for brief
periods of time.
When it is upset, the ringtail
growls, spits, and fluffs out its
tail, making it appear bigger than the body. When threat
ened by an enemy, it launches
into a headlong attack with
screams and snarls. It simulta
neously emits a foul-smelling
secretion from its anal glands.
Right: Large ears and eyes give the ring tail keen hearing and vision for nighttime hunting.
DID YOU KNOW? • The ringtail was used to control rodents in frontier
mines, so it was nicknamed
"miner's cat."
• Although unrelated to the civet of Africa, the ringtail is
~ FOOD & HUNTING The ringtail is primarily a flesh
eater, feeding on small mam
mals, birds, reptiles, and in
sects. Occasionally it eats fruit
and other plant matter.
The ringtail hunts at night
and prefers to ambush prey
rather than chase it. After it
jumps on its victim, the ring
tail uses its foreclaws to push
the animal to the ground. The
ringtail kills its prey by giving
it a sharp, deep bite on the
neck. It usually consumes the
victim headfirst.
Left: With retractable claws like those of a cat, the ring tail is agile in trees and on rocks.
Right: The ring tail has pale rings around its eyes, while its raccoon relatives have black rings.
occasionally called by the
same name. This is because,
like the civet, it produces a
strong-smelling secretion.
• A ringtail in a Mexican zoo lived for 23 years.
The ringtail mates from Febru
ary to May. After a gestation of
about two months, the female
gives birth to a litter of two to
four young. The newborn ring
tail is covered with sparse white
hair. Its stubby, almost bare tail
has dark rings that resemble the
black rings on the adult's tail.
Born blind, deaf, and helpless,
the young squeak constantly,
except when sleeping or suck
ling. Their mother lifts them by
the shoulders, belly, or head to
carry them away in her mouth.
After about one month, the
Left: The ringtail holds a territory of up to a square mile, which it marks by urinating on rocks and trees along the boundaries.
youngsters' ears and eyes open,
and they are weaned. The moth
er brings them solid food. She is
sometimes assisted by the male,
who has little to do with rearing
the young.
By five weeks old the young
have the bushy tail and coat of
adulthood. They are very active
by two months of age and ac
company their mother on hunt
ing trips. At four months old the
young are completely independent. By the beginning of win
ter, the family breaks up, and
the young leave.
'" CARD 226 I ' '" "J KEY FACTS --------~~-~~~~~~~~----------------------------------------------------~
DUGONG
,,~----------------------------------------~ ~
ORDER Sirenia
FAMILY Dugongidae
The dugong is a shy, harmless marine mammal with a sleek, solid body. It drifts lazily over the seabed in shallow waters
near tropical shores, where it grazes on plants.
,; SIZES
Length: 8-1 3 ft.
Weight: 500-800 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Female, 8-1 8
years. Male, unknown.
No. of young: Usually 1, rarely 2.
Gestation period: 1 year.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Generally solitary, but occa
sionally lives in small herds.
Diet: Various sea grasses and
their roots.
Call: Occasional grunts.
Lifespan: Up to 50 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The order Sirenia includes the West
African manatee, Trichechus senega/ensis; the West Indian manatee,
T. manatus; and the Amazonian
manatee, T. in unguis. The dugong's
closest relative, Steller's sea cow,
Hydrodama/is gigas, is extinct.
FEATURES OF THE DUGONG
Range of the dugong.
DISTRIBUTION
The dugong lives around the tropical coastlines of Asia, Aus
tralia, New Guinea, and eastern Africa.
CONSERVATION
Numbers have been drastically reduced by overhunting and
habitat destruction. The dugong is now almost extinct around
Madagascar. There are protected habitats along the coasts of
Africa, Australia, and Sri Lanka.
Head: Large, with long, split snout overhanging lower lip. Male has 2 large tusklike incisor teeth that project through the upper lip in front of the mouth. No external ears.
Body: Solid, streamlined, and mostly hairless, except around the mouth. Thick, tough skin varies from grayish blue to shades of brown.
© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Forelimbs: Circular, paddleshaped. Lacking the rudimentary nails of the manatees. Used for digging out plant roots. Female also uses them to support her calf.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Tail: Horizontally flattened with
straight or slightly concave trailing
edge. Moves up and down with the hind part of the body to propel the dugong through the water.
0160200581 PACKET 58
The dugong is the only sea-dwelling mammal that eats
plants. Because of its diet it is popularly known as
the sea cow. The dugong feeds in shallow waters at
night. It grazes on a variety of flowering marine
plants that are known as sea grasses. It also gets
nourishment from the juic'/J carbohydrate-rich
roots of the smaller species of sea grass.
~ CHARACTERISTICS The dugong is one of several groups of mammals that live in water but breathe air. Like its relatives, the three species of manatee, the dugong feeds primarily on plants. Because they share the same unusual feeding habits, the dugong and manatees are classified together in the order Sirenio.
The dugong has much in common with the manatees, but they differ in several ways. The dugong is smaller than a manatee and has a larger head. The dugong lacks the nails that appear on a manatee's flippers,
and its tail is not the same shape as a manatee's tail.
The dugong is generally solitary, but it occasionally lives in small family groups, or herds. It spends a great deal of time in warm water at a depth of about 20 to 35 feet, however it surfaces every few minutes to breathe. The dugong favors habitats around coral reefs and rarely ventures far out to sea. Unlike many of its relatives, it never enters rivers or estuaries.
Right: The female dugong rarely produces more than five or six offspring during her lifetime.
I
~ BREEDING The female dugong reaches sexual maturity sometime between 8 and 18 years old. After a gestation of almost a year, she gives birth, usually to just one young called a calf. At birth, the calf is about three feet long. The moth-
~ FOOD & FEEDING The dugong eats various sea grasses plus the carbohydraterich roots of the smaller plants. It feeds at night over an extensive area.
Left: The dugong feeds in the shallows at night. It may venture into slightly deeper waters by day.
DID YOU KNOW? • Up to six and a half gallons of oil can be obtained from the body of an adult dugong. The dugong's bones may be made into charcoal or used in food processing. • Fossils of the dugong's ancestors have been found in rocks I more than 50 million years old. • The dugong's closest rela-
er helps it to the surface of the water, where it starts to breathe.
The calf suckles for almost two years. While nursing, the mother floats on her back and cradles the calf in her flippers. She also cradles it until it can swim freely.
The dugong uses the bristles around its mouth to find food. It gathers grass in its jaws, and it uses its front flippers to dig roots out of the sand.
Right: The dugong feeds on sea grasses, using the horny plates on its upper and lower jaws.
tive, Steller's sea cow, weighed about 8,000 pounds and was three times the size of the dugong. Steller's sea cow was discovered in 1741 and probably became extinct 30 years later. • The dugong's relatives, the manatees, nurse on the water's surface and may be the source of legends about mermaids.
~ DUGONG & MAN The slow-moving, defenseless dugong has long been hunted for food, even to the point of extinction in some areas. Off the Australian coast, the Aborigines still catch the dugong for food.
The dugong's flesh was considered an aphrodisiac by the Chinese. The people of Madagascar used to grind the male dugong's tusks into a powder that was used as an antidote to food poisoning.
In recent times, oil released into the Persian Gulf during the Gulf War has damaged the dugong's habitat and food supplies.
'" CARD 227 I EUROPEAN BEAVER
,,~----------------------------~~~~~~~ ~
ORDER Rodentia
... FAMILY '1IIIIIIII Castoridae
The beaver is Europe ~ largest rodent and nature ~ most remarkable builder. It constructs not only large dams,
but also a secure lodge for its family.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 2~-3 ft. Tail, about 1 ft . Weight: Up to 90 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 2 years.
Mating season: February.
Gestation: 3-3~ months.
No. of young: Usually 2-4.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Lives by a wooded river or
lake in a family unit.
Diet: Tree bark, roots, twigs, leaves,
and aquatic plants.
Lifespan: 10-15 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The other species in the genus Castor is the North American beaver,
C. canadensis, which lives in Canada
and the northern U.S. Beavers be
long to a suborder of Rodentia that
includes kangaroo rats, prairie
dogs, marmots, and squirrels.
THE EUROPEAN BEAVER AND ITS DAM
Range of the European beaver.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in isolated areas in Scandinavia, Finland, Poland, Russia,
and along the Elbe and Rhone rivers. Reintroduced in parts of
France, Germany, and Austria.
CONSERVATION
Trapping exterminated the beaver from nearly all of its former
European range. Under protection and management, popula
tions are increasing today.
Trees: The beaver favors '
Tree felling: The beaver uses its
sharp front teeth to gnaw a ring
around a trunk. Site: A lowland river or lake bordered byqpen, broad-leaved woodland.
Reservoir: A protective environment for the beaver's family and food supply. The beaver can regulate the water level by adjusting the dam.
Dam: Extends all the way across the river or lake. Causes the water to rise until it covers and conceals the tunnel entrance to the beaver's lodge.
© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLI FE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
r
It cuts the tree so that it falls
toward the water,
Construction: The beaver uses various dam designs. Most of them involve wedging branches into debris or rocks on the river bottom, then adding mUd.
0160200501 PACKET 50
The European beaver first evolved about five million
years ago. It was once widespread in Europe's waterways,
but extensive trapping brought it close to extinction.
The European beaver was prized for its fur and for an
anal secretion once believed to cure illness. Today this
resourceful rodent is protected throughout its range,
and its population is slowly increasing.
~ HABITS The European beaver needs both trees and water, so it is confined to rivers and lakes that are bordered by broad-leaved woods.
The beaver builds a dam across a waterway to control the water level near its lodge. To build its lodge, the beaver digs a rising tunnel into the waterside bank and enlarges
Above: The beaver feeds on tree bark, which it strips off with its sharp front teeth.
the top end into a living chamber. The entrance is underwater, but the chamber is above water level. If the water level rises, the beaver digs upward. It may then pile twigs and soil on top of the bank to protect the lodge. When the water surface freezes, the beaver makes a hole in the dam to lower the water behind it. This makes an air space under the ice where the animals can breathe.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING During the summer the European beaver eats the roots, pads, and shoots of water lilies and other aquatic plants. It also eats the bark, twigs, leaves, and roots of trees and shrubs. It strips the bark from wood chips that it gnaws from trees with its razor-sharp incisors. These teeth keep growing as they wear down.
In winter the beaver may not leave its lodge for weeks, especially if the water surface is frozen. Since it does not hibernate, it must feed each day. In fall it collects a supply of branches to be used for food in winter and anchors them near the entrance to its lodge.
DID YOU KNOW? • The beaver is a skilled swimmer and has scales on its tail, so the Catholic church once regarded it as a fish . This meant Catholics could eat beaver meat during Lent. • A beaver slaps the surface of the water loudly with its tail to warn others of danger.
• A beaver dam in Russia was 400 feet long, 3 feet high, and up to 3 feet wide. Dams up to 1,650 feet long have been found in North America. • The little finger of the beaver functions like a human thumb and is used to grip branches and stones.
The male and female beaver seem to pair for life. The family unit often includes kits (offspring) from the previous year. The pair mates in late winter, and two to fou r kits are born in late spring. The male and older kits move out of the lodge during the birth.
The kits are born covered in
Left: At only one week old the kit swims well, but it is closely guarded by an adult.
... EUROPEAN ~ BEAVER &: MAN
The European beaver has been widely trapped for its fur and for an anal secretion called castoreum with which the beaver marks its territory. This muskysmelling substance was considered valuable because people believed that it could cure all kinds of ailments.
The beaver also suffered from river management plans that altered and often destroyed its habitat. Today it is protected in most countries, and numbers are increasing. It has even been reintroduced in areas such as the Rhone delta in France.
Left: The beaver is active mainly at night. In quiet areas it also emerges in the daytime.
left: The beaver favors softwood trees like willow and poplar. It can gnaw through a narrow trunk in only a few minutes. It cuts each felled tree into small pieces that it eats or stores.
hair and with their eyes open. They stay in the living chamber with the mother for about three weeks. She suckles them but also begins to feed them young leaves after a few days. Although adult beavers are quiet, the kits chatter a lot.
The male parent drives males from the lodge when they are two years old to begin their own families. Females also leave at breeding age.
'::: CARD 228 1
MARGAY ,,-----------------------------------------~ ~ ORDER
Carnivora FAMILY Felidae
GENUS & SPECIES Felis wiedii
The margay is a small cat that lives in the forests of tropical America. Its beautifully dappled coat has caused this animal to
be hunted extensively, and it is now severely threatened.
KEY FACTS
SIZES Head and body length: Male,
21-31 in. Female, 18-23 in.
Tail length: Male, 13-20 in.
Female, 13-17 in.
Weight: 9-20 lb.
BREEDING Breeding season: Variable.
Gestation period: 2-2~ months.
litter size: 1 or 2.
Sexual maturity: 14-1 5 months.
LIFESTYLE Habit: Solitary; day-active. Spends
most of its time in the trees.
Range of the margay.
DISTRIBUTION Diet: Birds; small to medium-size
mammals such as rats, squirrels,
opossums, and monkeys; lizards
and tree frogs.
The margay is found from northern Mexico to Uruguay and northern Argentina.
CONSERVATION lifespan: 13 years in captivity.
RELATED SPECIES Relatives include the ocelot, Felis pardalis, and the little spotted cat,
F. tigrinus.
like many other species of South American cat, the margay
has been excessively hunted for its beautiful fur. It is now threatened in all parts of its range.
FEATURES OF THE MARGAY
Coat: Soft, luxuriant fur. Yellow-brown with black spots and stripes on body and rings on tail. Base color of underside is paler.
Hind feet: Special joints allow them to rotate up to 180 degrees.
scent glands are used to
mark territory. They are lo
cated between the margay's toe pads,
on its lips and chin, and around its nipples and anus. The male has a special tail and anal gland
that he uses for scent-marking .
Claws: Long and sharp. Retracted into sheaths in the paws when resting or walking. When the cat becomes excited, it automatically flexes its muscles, causing the claws to spring from their sheaths.
© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
A SKILLFUL CLIMBER
The margay's speed in trees is increased by its ability to turn 180 degrees around the trunk.
The margay is an unusual cat because it can travel headfirst down a tree like a squirrel.
0160200601 PACKET 60
The margay is an unusual member of the cat family
because it spends almost all of its time in trees. It has
specially adapted hind limbs and feet that enable it
to perform extraordinary acrobatic climbing feats.
The margay can even pounce directly from high up
in the trees and surprise prey on the ground.
~ HABITS The margay is a small, solitary cat with beautiful markings that lives in the jungles of Central and South America. During the day it hunts and eats in the trees. At night it sleeps in the fork of a branch or in a hollow.
The margay is a superb climber as well as a skilled acrobat. It often hangs by a single paw from a branch or rushes headfirst up and down the trunks of trees. Although many cats are good climbers, few are as skilled as this agile creature.
The margay has a large territory that it marks with scent and
urine. The territory lies within a larger home range and contains specific areas for sleeping, resting, eating, and patrolling. The female margay also has a den area, where she raises her litter. The home ranges of several margays frequently overlap, but individuals appear to tolerate one another. In the breeding season, however, the male cat becomes more aggressive, and the female defends the den site and her young with ferocity.
Right: The margay hunts birds and small tree-dwelling mammals high in the branches.
~ BREEDING The margay usually breeds be-tween October and January, but it is not known whether there is a set mating season in the deep tropics. The female may come into heat (be ready to mate) several times a year. At the start of the breeding season, the male margay leaves his home range to find a mate. The female remains in her home range and mates with any males that pass through it.
When the female is in heat, she sprays a secretion around her range to signal to males that
Left: The margay was once hunted for its handsome coat, but it is now a rare sight in the wild.
DID YOU KNOW? • The margay gets its scientific name from the name of a German explorer, Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied. In the 19th century he led an expedition into Brazil's forest to record its wildlife. • The margay is often mistak-
she is ready to mate. A male and female may form a bond for the breeding season, when they share the same territory and even hunt together. But the female usually rears the young alone.
Gestation takes two months or more. The female gives birth to one or two tiny cubs, and she is very attentive to them. After a few months the cubs start to accompany their mother on hunting trips in order to learn the skills that they need for survival.
Right: The margay's large, sensitive ears are evident from a very early age.
en for the ocelot-a similar small cat that lives in the same habitat. The ocelot visits the forest floor more often than the margay. • In South America the margay is also known as the longtailed spotted cat.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING The margay is a flesh eater that preys on small to medium-size mammals, birds, lizards, and tree frogs. This cat's teeth are well adapted for killing and eating flesh. It uses its needle-sharp canine teeth to kill prey, usually tearing at the throat.
The margay has excellent vision and hearing. Even in very dim light, its unusually large eyes can spot moving objects from far away. This is because a layer of cells behind the retina reflects light. This layer of cells is also present in domestic cats, and it is what makes the cats'
Left: The margay has wide paws with extremely flexible toes. This feature enables the margay to travel swiftly through the forest and to perform acrobatic feats.
eyes shine when light hits them. The margay's keen hearing
is helped by its large, sensitive ears. The ears move in a reflex action toward any noise. This enables the cat to locate its prey exactly.
The margay catches most of its prey during forages in tree branches. Instead of stalking or chasing, it prefers to lie in wait or creep up on its victim. The margay and the clouded leopard are the only cats that can pounce on prey from above without first putting a foot on the ground for balance.
'" CARD 229 I NUMBAT
,,-------------------------------~~~~~~ ~
ORDER Marsupia/a
FAMILY Myrmecobiidae
GENUS &: SPECIES Myrmecobius fasciatus
The numbat is one of Australia ~ rarest marsupials. About the size of a squirrel, this solitary, ground-dwelling animal
lives in open forest and scrubland.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Head and body length:
7 -11 in. Male longer than
female.
Tail length: 5-7 in.
Weight: ~-1 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 11 months.
Mating: December to April.
Gestation: 2 weeks.
No. of young: 2 to 4.
Litters: 1.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary; active by day.
Diet: Mainly termites; also ants,
grubs, and earthworms.
Call: Snorts while searching for
food; hisses when disturbed.
Lifespan: 3-4 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The only species in the family.
Considered most closely related
to the family Dasyuridae, which
includes marsupial cats.
FEATURES OF THE NUMBAT
Coat: Grizzled gray to reddish brown , with about 8 white stripes running across the back and hindquarters. Generally short and coarse, but longer on the belly to protect suckling young.
Snout: Long, firm, and pointed . Used for rooting through ground litter and pry-ing up logs and stones.
Mouth: Small. Very long, sticky tongue is used to find and catch termites.
Limbs: Stocky and strong .
Range of the numbat.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in open forest and scrubland in the southern part of
Western Australia.
CONSERVATION
The numbat has disappeared from much of its former range
as a result of land clearance and the introduction of predators.
The species is protected, and animals from a captive breeding
colony are released into the wild.
Five toes on forefeet and four on hind feet, all with strong claws that are used for scratching through topsoil, undergrowth, and dead logs.
Tail: Long and bushy. If the numbat is surprised, it holds its tail erect with the hairs fluffed out.
© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200561 PACKET 56
The numbat is one of the few marsupials that has no pouch.
The young cling tightly to their mother's teats, which are
hidden by the long fur on her underside. The numbat is also
known as the banded anteater, but it prefers to eat termites
rather than ants. It uses its long snout to search for its
favorite food, which it scoops up with its long, sticky tongue.
~ HABITAT The numbat is found mainly in open woodland areas in the south of Western Australia. It prefers forests that are rich in a species of eucalyptus tree known as the wandoo. Because termites attack this tree, the branches break off and litter the forest floor. The numbat eats the termites and takes shelter in the fallen wood.
The numbat spends most of the day searching for food. After a good meal, it frequently lies basking in the sun with its legs wide apart, its mouth
open, and its tongue extended. When foraging, the numbat
trots along the forest floor or moves in a series of jerky, low leaps. It stops frequently to sit upright and survey the scene for danger. At any sign of a threat, such as a predatory eagle, the numbat runs to its nest.
At night the numbat sleeps in a hollow log or beneath thick undergrowth, in a nest that it lines with dead leaves and dry grass. Occasionally it takes over an abandoned rabbit burrow for use as its sleeping quarters.
~ FOOD & FEEDING The numbat spends much of its time searching for termites, its favorite food. It uses its keen sense of smell to locate the termites' shallow tunnels, which lie just below the ground or in pieces of dead wood. Although the numbat has powerful claws, it uses its claws only to scratch away the surface of the termites' nests, not to dig into them.
After finding the termites, the numbat laps them up with its long, sticky tongue, which it can extend four inches from its mouth. It also uses its tongue to explore the cracks between
Left: The numbat uses hoI/ow logs for shelter throughout the year.
DID YOU KNOW? • A numbat may eat as many as 20,000 termites in a day. • A numbat has 50 to 54 teeth -more teeth than any other land mammal. Since it rarely chews its prey, the numbat's teeth do not wear down much during its lifetime.
rocks and to probe into termiteinfested logs. The tongue is so muscular that the numbat can even use it to turn over pieces of wood . The animal also uses its firm, pointed snout as a lever, moving stones and fallen branches to discover if there is any food underneath.
Although it has a remarkably large number of teeth for a mammal, the numbat generally swallows termites whole. It chews larger insects briefly before swallowing them, along with any grit or soil that sticks to its long tongue.
Right: The numbat uses its claws and snout to search for termites.
• Australian Aborigines gave the numbat its name. • The numbat is the only marsupial in Australia that is fully active by day. • The peaceful numbat hisses if disturbed or caught, but it does not struggle or bite.
~ BREEDING Although usually solitary, numbats pair up to mate between December and April. The female gives birth to two to four young between January and May. The young are born in the female's nest or in a shallow burrow that she has dug. The young numbat's snout is much shorter than the adult's.
Since the mother does not have a pouch, the newborns cling tightly to her teats, and
Left: Although the numbat is a marsupial, the female does not have a pouch.
Left: A dark stripe with a white border runs along both sides of the numbat's snout. The animal's forequarters are slender compared to its stocky rump.
she drags them around with her. The long hair on the mother's underside protects the young from bumps and scrapes. They remain attached to their mother and suckle from her for a few months. By July or August she can leave them hidden in her nest while she searches for food.
The young are weaned at six months. By then, they are halfgrown and can search for termites. At first they forage in the same area as their mother, but later they spread out. By December they are independent.
" CARD 230 I GIANT OTTER SHREW
,,-----------------------------~~~~~~~~~ ". ORDER ~ Insectivora
FAMILY Tenrecidae
GENUS &: SPECIES Potamogale velox
The giant otter shrew is a solitary and somewhat elusive mammal. Because it is often underwater and active mostly at night,
little is known about this creature ~ life.
KEY FACTS
SIZES Length: Head and body, 12-14 in. Tail,10-12in. Weight: Unknown.
BREEDING Sexual maturity: Unknown. Mating: Rainy season. Gestation: Unknown. No. of young: Probably 2 litters a year, with 1 or 2 young per litter.
LIFESTYLE Habit: Solitary, except in the mating season. Diet: Freshwater crabs, fish, crayfish, insects, and larvae. Lifespan: Up to 6 years.
RELATED SPECIES The giant otter shrew's 2 nearest relatives are both much smaller than it is. They are the Mount Nimba least otter shrew, Micro
potamogale lamottei, and the Ruwenzori least otter shrew, M. ruwenzorii.
Range of the giant otter shrew.
DISTRIBUTION Found in central tropical Africa, from sea level to 6,000 feet.
CONSERVATION Because the giant otter shrew is difficult to study in the wild, its population is not known. It is thought to be rare throughout most of its range, but in 1968 it was found to be common in highland streams at Obudu, Nigeria. Deforestation may be reducing its range.
FEATURES OF THE GIANT OTTER SHREW
Head: Flattened. Eyes, ears, and nostrils project just above the water surface.
Eyes: Tiny, giving very poor vision.
Whiskers: Long and sensitive. Used along with excellent sense of smell to
search for prey such as crabs.
© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Fur: Smooth, sleek coat. Layer of dense, short underfur covered by long, coarse hairs.
0160200641 PACKET 64
The giant otter shrew's body is well suited to the forest
streams that it inhabits in central Africa. With its long,
sleek body and muscular tail, the shrew uses a snakelike
motion to propel itself swiftly through the water. Only its
eyes, ears, and nostrils project above the water's surface.
~ HABITS The giant otter shrew is well
adapted to its largely aquatic
life. Its long, slim body and tail
look like the otter's, but the tail
is shaped more like that of a tad
pole. It is flat like a rudder and
narrow near the tip. The shrew
moves its tail and body side to
side in a snakelike fashion to pro
pel itself quickly through the
water. It keeps its short legs and
feet pressed against its body, in
stead of using them to swim.
The shrew is not as agile on
land, but it can move quickly
when necessary.
The giant otter shrew has a
smooth, sleek coat made up of
a layer of dense, short underfur
covered by long, coarse guard
hairs. The animal has five toes
on each foot. The toes are not
webbed, but the second and
third toes of the hind feet are
joined lengthwise by skin. The
shrew uses these toes as a comb
when grooming its coat, which
helps to keep it waterproof.
Because its head is flattened,
the giant otter shrew can swim
with most of its body below the
water. The eyes of this night
active animal are tiny and not
very useful, but its senses of
smell and hearing are superb.
It communicates with others
through scent, by depositing
feces in and around a burrow.
~ BREEDING Little is known of the breeding
habits of the giant otter shrew.
One or two young are born in
the rainy season, when food
is most plentiful. The female
appears to give birth to two
litters a year. It is thought that
she brings up the young on her
own, because the only family
group ever seen consisted of
a female with two young. All
other sightings have been of
single giant otter shrews.
left: The giant otter shrew can move quickly on land, but it is better adapted to the water.
Right: At night the giant otter shrew alternates between feed-
DID YOU KNOW? • In southern Cameroon the • When the shrew dives, a flap
fast-moving giant otter shrew of skin covers each nostril and
is called the jes. The people in keeps the water out.
this area use the same word to • The shrew is represented in
describe someone with an ex- African folklore as part fish, due
L.o-P_IO_si_v_e_c_ha_r_ac_t_e_r. ______ t_o its tail and agility in water. J
~ FOOD & FEEDING During the day the giant otter
shrew stays in its burrow in the
bank of a stream. It makes two
entrances to its burrow--one
above and the other below the
surface of the water. Both these
entrances are connected by tun
nels to a sleeping area contain
ing a nest made of leaves.
After dark, the shrew leaves its
burrow to hunt for food. During
the night it alternates between
feeding and resting in its burrow.
At sunrise it returns to its burrow
a final time to sleep. When it re
laxes, the shrew curls up, resting
left: The giant otter shrew's tiny eyes are of little use in murky water, where it usually swims.
its head on the tip of its tail.
The giant otter shrew probes
in the mud and under pebbles
in the water for crabs, its favor
ite food. It uses its long, sensitive
whiskers and its excellent sense
of smell to find prey. When the
shrew finds a crab, it comes out
of the water and onto the bank
to eat. It turns the crab upside
down to tear the flesh from the
underside and claws.
The giant otter shrew likes to
feed on fish, which are a large
part of its diet. It also eats cray
fish, insects, and insect larvae.
In one night it may cover half
a mile of stream and eat up to
seven ounces of food.