Wildlife Fact File - Mammals, Pgs. 131-140
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Transcript of Wildlife Fact File - Mammals, Pgs. 131-140
"" CARD 131 I
WATER VOLE
~~----------------------------------------~ ~ ORDER
Rodentia FAMILY Muridae
GENUS Arvicola
Water voles are aquatic mammals that look like large rats. They live mainly in meadows, but some kinds can be found along
the banks of rivers, ponds, and canals.
KEY FACTS
SIZES Length: 6-9 in. Tail, to 6 in .
Weight: 5-11 oz.
BREEDING Sexual maturity: 5 weeks in females in some locations. Breeding season: March to
October. Gestation: 20-22 days. No. of young: Usually 4-6.
LIFESTYLE Habit: Lives in small family groups. Diet: Mainly grasses and waterside plants. Call: Rasping squeak when frightened; high, shrill squeak when
fighting . lifespan: About 5 months in the
wild; up to 5 years in captivity.
RElATED SPECIES There are 3 species of water vole worldwide.
Range of water voles.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in most of Great Britain, Europe (except Scandinavia and southern areas), and part of the Soviet Union. Also in southwestern Canada and northwestern United States.
CONSERVATION Water voles are hunted for their fur in the Soviet Union but are considered pests in Europe. In Britain their numbers have declined in the last decade.
THE WATER VOLE'S AQUATIC LIFE
Smoke screen: When chased underwater by an enemy such as an otter, the vole raises a cloud of mud that acts as a smoke screen.
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Burrow: There are several underwater entrances to the burrow, providing easy access-and a good escape route if chased by a predator.
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As their name implies, water voles are at home in
water. But in central Europe and further east, water
voles are often found living far from water, in gardens,
orchards, and meadows. Altogether there are three
species of water vole, located in Britain, continental
Europe, Siberia, southwestern Asia,
and northwestern North America.
In the British Isles water voles live in burrows that they dig in the banks of slow-flowing lowland rivers or in ponds and streams-wherever the water level remains fairly constant. They are also occasionally found further upland .
Within their burrows they build ball-shaped nests of grass and other plant material. They may also build these nests under driftwood or on the water bank, if there is thick vegetation .
In central Europe, the Soviet
Union, and parts of Asia, water voles are more similar to moles in their lifestyle. In these regions they may be found far from water, burrowing close to the surface in woodlands, meadows, and even gardens.
North American water voles are semi-aquatic. In the summer they often build tunnels that link their burrows to nearby waterways. In winter they move away from the water and build their nests under the snow.
~ BEHAVIOR
The male water vole has a range of over 425 feet of water bank; the female somewhat less. To mark its territory, the male rakes its hind feet over its flank gland and pushes out a secretion that it then stamps into the
Below: Water voles swim and dive with great skill.
Breeding generally begins in March and may continue until late fall. Females usually have three or four litters a year. The young of the first litter may produce litters of two by the end of summer.
The water vole's gestation period is 20 to 22 days, and up to eight young may be born. By 5 days the young have their furry coats, and 3 days later they open their eyes. They are weaned at 14 days, by which time they are about half the adult size.
ground with its hind feet . Water voles generally do
not form large colonies. Those that live on dry land may form groups consisting of the adult pair and two generations of young .
Water voles will fight if they are overcrowded, uttering high, shrill squeaks.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
Active by day and night, the water vole eats mainly grasses and waterside plants. It tears at the plant stems and pushes them into its mouth with its front paws. It will also eat twigs, buds, bulbs, roots, and fallen fruit.
In Europe, when seasonal conditions provide plenty of food for several years,
"plagues" of water voles may occur. They eat greedily, leaving green pastures looking almost like deserts, undermined with burrows. The population then drops
I NATUREWATCH
lit is easy to confuse a water vole wit h a water rat , but in fact its m uzzle is b lunter, its
I tai l is shorter, and its back is not quite as a rched . Also, its fu r is soft and shaggy, w hile
I the rat's is stiff and sleek. Li ke the rat, the water vole is usu-
dramatically, probably because of a lack of food.
ally b rown, but it can also be b lack.
A water vole's presence can often be detected by its greenish, cylindrica l droppings . These tend to be deposited around the edges of its range.
Above: Water voles gnaw the roots of young trees.
DID YOU KNOW? - During its first week the water vole ga ins more than a quarter-o unce.
- A fema le water vole can give bi rth 22 days after its previous litter.
- More than 40 water voles may live on one acre.
I-In Holland, water voles can threaten the tulip harvest because they eat Hl'e tuli p bulbs in winter.
Left: Babies are born blind and naked, weighing less than twotenths of an ounce.
MOUNTAIN ZEBRA
... ORDER "11IIIIIIII Perissodactyla
FAMILY Equidae
CARD 132
GROUP 1: MAMMALS GENUS &: SPECI ES Equus zebra
The few mountain zebras left in the wild live in the mountain grasslands of southwestern Africa. The pattern of their distinctive
stripes is as individual as a human fingerprint.
KEY FACTS
SIZES Height t o shoulder: 3-4 ft. Length: Head and body, 7 ft. Tail, 1 ~ ft. Weight: 570 lb.
BREEDING Sexual maturity: 2 years. Mating season: Usually spring . Gestation: 11 ~ -12 months. No. of young: Usually 1 .
LI FESTYLE Habit: Lives in small herds. Diet: Mainly grass. Call: Neighs like a horse. Lifespan: Up to 28 years.
RELATED SPECIES The family Equidae has 7 living species in 1 genus, Equus, which includes horses and asses.
THE ZEBRA AND ITS STRIPES
Range of the mountain zebra.
DISTRIBUTION Found in the wild only in the two mountainous regions of southwestern Africa . Once common in South Africa's Cape Province and southern Angola.
CONSERVATION The Cape mountain zebra, a subspecies, nearly became extinct. The whole species is now protected but is vulnerable.
STRIPES OF THE GREVY'S AND PLAINS ZEBRAS
Experts argue over why the zebra has a striped coat. It was once thought to function as camouflage, but this
under its neck, caUed a dewlap, is not found on the two other species.
explanation is no longer generally accepted. It is more likely that the coat acts as a bright signal to others in the herd . It may also help foals identify their mothers.
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Grevy's zebra: Narrow vertical stripes on body but none on belly. Stripes curve up on the haunches.
Plains zebra: Broad vertical stripes extend around belly. Horizontal stripes on haunches.
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The mountain zebra is found in Angola, Namibia,
and western and southeastern South Africa.
It is well adapted to arid conditions and can survive
for up to three days without water. Later,
when searching for water, it may dig down
as far as three feet in a riverbed.
~ HABITS The mountain zebra is an agile climber ideally suited to southwestern Africa's mountainous grasslands.
This member of the horse family lives in small herds, often with some antelopes. The zebra's keen hearing and eyesight make it quick to warn others in the herd when their main enemy, the lion, is near.
A herd usually consists of a stallion with one to six mares and their young. The noma-
dic group is led by a mare. The stallion follows at the rear or walks on one side to defend the herd.
In their second year males leave to form a bachelor herd. Later, they collect mares to form their own herd, or they take over an existing herd from a weak, older stallion.
Right: Mountain zebras are social members of the horse family that gather in small herds.
~ FEEDING The mountain zebra spends many hours a day grazing, always remaining alert to predators. It searches for tender shoots of grass but often has to fill up on coarser grass. If necessary, the zebra
left: The mountain zebra's rump has narrow horizontal stripes.
I DID YOU KNOW? • The three zebra species are no more closely related to each other than they are to horses and asses, which belong to the same family.
• Zebras graze for 60 to 80 percent of the day. • Zebras mix with other
eats the bark, leaves, buds, and fruit of trees. It has sharp incisor teeth to cut the grass and ridged cheek teeth to grind it to a semi pulp.
The mountain zebra has adapted to its extremely arid habitat and can go without water for three days or more.
grass-eaters such as wildebeest since they eat grass at different stages of growth.
• When grooming itself, the zebra likes to roll in mud. When the mud dries and is shaken off, it pulls loose hair and dry skin away with it.
~ MOUNTAIN ZEBRA & MAN Farmers once regarded the mountain zebra as a pest because it competed with cattle for grazing. They shot zebras in large numbers and were given a reward for each tail.
The hunting nearly killed off one subspecies-the Cape
~ BREEDING The female comes into heat (is ready to mate) several times a year, but she usually mates so the birth coincides with spring's abundant grass.
During courtship the stallion nips at the mare's legs, kneels down in front of her, and makes squealing noises. She signifies acceptance by angling back her ears and opening her mouth wide.
A single foal is born and is up on its feet within an hour.
mountain zebra. In 1913 the last 27 animals received protection in a national park near Cradock in South Africa. The population has since grown.
Zebras are popular in zoos and circuses, but they are not easily tamed.
After a few hours it is ready to move with the herd, so that there is little chance for a lion to make a kill. The foal can graze within a month or two, although it may not be fully weaned for a year.
The young stay with the herd for about two years. Then the males are driven out by the stallion. Some females may be lured away by another stallion.
Below: The foal is up and active from the day it is born.
'" CARD 133 I BANDICOOT
'(-----------------------------~~~~~~~~ ~ ORDER
Marsupiala FAMILY Peramelidae
GENUS & SPECIES Various
The bandicoot spends the night rooting around and digging holes in search of food. An active, alert ground dweller, it belongs to
that diverse mixture of pouched mammals, the marsupials.
~ KEY FACTS
f'El SIZES I:£.J Length: 6 in.-2 ft.
Weight: ' /2-10 lb.
BREEDING Sexual maturity: Female, from 3 months. Male, from 4 months.
Mating: Varies by region . Gestation: From 12 days. 50
days in the pouch. No. of young: Up to 7.
LIFESTYLE Habit: Nocturnal, grounddwelling, solitary, territorial. Diet: Invertebrates, small vertebrates, seeds, berries, tubers, and fungi. Lifespan: 3 or more years.
RELATED SPECIES The 2 species of bilby that form the family Thylacomyidae are closely related. Also known as rabbit-eared bandicoots.
SOME BANDICOOT SPECIES
Short-nosed golden bandicoot, Isoodon auratus: Inhabits arid, sandy plains and open woodland in central and northern AustFalia. Glossy golden coat with white belly.
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Range of the bandicoot.
DISTRIBUTION
Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea and the nearby Kai, Aru, Bismarck, Ceram, and D'Entrecasteaux Islands.
CONSERVATION The impact of introduced animals has helped drive two Australian species to extinction and reduced the range of several others. Bandicoots are protected by law, and some are restricted to reserves .
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Short-nosed brindled bandicoot, Isoodon macrourus: Inhabits coasts
of northeastern Australia and southern New Guinea.
Long-nosed eastern barred bandicoot, Perameles gunnii: A small bandicoot with a patterned rump. Lives in both arid areas and woodland; prefers the grasslands of Victoria, Australia and Tasmania.
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Bandicoots are native to forests, plains,
and deserts throughout Australia and
New Guinea. Once there were 17 species,
but two of these are already extinct. Others
have declined sharply and, as a result of
habitat loss through farming and other
disruptions, are unlikely to recover.
~ CHARACTERISTICS Members of the bandicoot family range across Australia, New Guinea, and outlying islands. Some are the size of small rats, others are as big as rabbits. All are strictly grounddwelling.
New Guinea bandicoots, including the spiny bandicoot, live on the floor of the island's tropical forests. The smallest species, the mouse bandicoot, and the largest species, the giant bandicoot, also live there.
The Australian species have varied habits. The golden bandicoot prefers dry areas. The northern brown bandi-
coot, the long-nosed bandicoot, and the eastern barred bandicoot live in humid habitats including grassy plains, scrub, and woodlands, and even in town gardens.
All bandicoots spend the daytime resting, usually inside a nest of grass on the ground. In the evening they come out to forage, yet they stay near cover so that they can hide from snakes, dingoes, and foxes, their chief predators.
Bandicoots are solitary by nature, pairing only to mate.
Right: The golden bandicoot lives in dry regions and has a coarse but lustrous coat.
~ BREEDING Bandicoots reproduce faster then most other marsupial species. In a moderate climate adults may mate at any time of the year. Gestation is rapid -as short as 12 days-and the tiny young are well developed at birth. They immediately crawl into their mother's pouch and feed on her milk. As the young grow, the mother's pouch enlarges
left: Bandicoots have powerful hind legs, a rough coat, and a tapered snout.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Bandicoots sleep so soundly in their nests that, in the days before they were protected, hunters could pin them down with their feet and pick them up. • In rainy weather, the northern bandicoot may kick a layer of earth over its
and eventually bulges along her body length.
As early as seven weeks after birth the young are ready to leave the pouch; they are weaned about 10 days later. The female can mate again before her young leave the pouch, so as soon as they are weaned she may be ready to bear the next litter. Three litters per year are usual.
Right: The female's pouch opens to the rear, enabling the young to climb in and out easily.
nest as an umbrella.
• Rival male bandicoots fight by locking jaws and wrestling. • Certain bandicoot species have the shortest pregnancy period known for a mammal: a mere 12 days of gestation.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING Insects, spiders, and worms form the principal diet of bandicoots, but these marsupials are opportunists and will eat other types of available food. They sometimes catch small rodents and often forage for seeds, berries, tubers, and fungi. One species forages over most of its home range
left: A rare glimpse inside the female's pouch reveals young that are small and hairless. Even in this state they seek out and latch tightly onto a teat to suckle.
each night. Where there is little water, bandicoots get enough moisture from dew and the fluids in their food.
Though bandicoots pick some of their food from the ground, they are best known for digging conical holes in the soil with their strong forefeet. They then poke their long snouts into the holes to catch invertebrates or chew plant roots and tubers. The pointed muzzles are also used to probe crevices around roots and under logs.
left: The bandicoot turns over the topsoil, sniffing out and eating roots and worms.
'" CARD 134 I AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ,,-----------------------------~~~~~~~~~ .... ORDER ~ Perissodactyla
GENUS & SPECIES Equus cabal/us
The American quarter horse is bred for short, straight-line sprints and is the fastest horse in the world. From a standing start, it can
cover a quarter of a mile in a little over 20 seconds.
KEY FACTS
SIZES Height: 14.3 to 15.1 hands (1 hand = 4 in .) Weight: 1,100 to 1,300 lb.
BREEDING Sexual maturity: Mares, 11/2-2 years. Stallions, 2-3 years . Mating: April to July. Gestation: 11 months. No. of young: Usually 1.
LIFESTYLE Habit: Naturally sociable. In the
wild, mares and young live in herds with a dominant stallion.
Diet: Grass, low-growing vegetation, supplemented with hay. Natural diet is oats, barley,
wheat, and bran. Lifespan: 20-30 years.
RELATED SPECIES The American quarter horse is
related to every other breed of horse, but it has close links with the English thoroughbred .
Origin of the American quarter horse.
DISTRIBUTION Widespread throughout the United States. Quarter horses have been exported throughout the world .
CONSERVATION The American Quarter Horse Association's objective is to preserve the horse's unique nature. Within the breed standard, however, the emphasis is on different qualities that
produce horses better suited to racing, showing, or riding .
FEATURES OF THE QUARTER HORSE
Head: Short and broad with small ears , wide-set eyes, and large nostrils.
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Back: Short and powerful. Also fairly broad , which helps to support a heavy saddle.
Average height to withers: 14.4 hh
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Hindquarters: The rear of the horse is broad and ve ry muscular. The powerful hind legs are thickly muscled .
0160200321 PACKET 32
)
Height in hands
15 hh
10 hh
5 hh
)
o hh
The American quarter horse was first bred
around 300 years ago, but its breed association was
only founded in 1940. Since then the quarter horse
has become the most popular riding horse in
the world, with a breed register of over
a million horses.
~ ORIGIN The quarter horse is the best known Western horse in America. It was first bred in Virginia during the late 1 700s by crossing native ponies with English settlers' running horses.
The chickasaws were the wild offspring of horses that were brought to the New World by the Spanish. The harsh environment and generations of inbreeding caused a small but hardy horse to evolve. The early colonists crossed them with their im-
DID YOU KNOW? • The quarter horse accelerates so quickly that jockeys have to grip the mane so they do not fly off.
• The quarter horse was the
ported stock to produce a slightly larger and more rideable horse, which still retained the chickasaw's natural agility and hardiness .
The resulting crossbreed also possessed a quick, early burst of speed. Soon they were bred especially for the popular "quarter races"straight sprints over one quarter of a mile.
The hardy and quick quarter horse proved useful to cattle ranchers as they moved west.
first true North American horse breed . • The race with the highest stakes is the All-American Futurity for three-year olds .
~ BREEDING In the wild, horses usually live in herds led by a dominant stallion. The stallion fights off rival males and mates with his mares as they come into season (become ready to mate). This assures that the strongest and most intelligent males are those that breed.
Breeding of domesticated quarter horses is more selective. Through the careful choice of both the stallion
(male) and the mare (female), a certain type of offspring may be produced. The traits
Left: The herding instinct is strong even among those horses not living in the wild.
Right: The quarter horse's characteristics are the result of careful crossbreeding.
of certain stallions are more dominant, so they stamp their offspring with their own qualities.
The American Quarter Horse Association sets a breed standard by which to judge all quarter horses. A horse that closely meets this standard is more valuable
~ QUARTER HORSE &: MAN The quarter horse and man have always been closely associated. Originally prized for its amazing speed, it later became the ideal stock horse. It is fast, agile, and sturdy enough to carry a man all day over rough terrain. It also possesses a special "cow sense." This is the ability to
pick out a particular cow, fix
it with a hypnotic stare, and keep it away from the herd by blocking its every move. This ability is highly valued since it is an efficient way to single out individual cows for special attention .
For the pleasure rider, the quarter horse's docile nature and willingness to learn make it popular.
than one that does not. Some crossbreeding takes
place to produce a faster horse suited to racing, or to create a larger, more powerful animal for hunting.
Mares come into season every four weeks, but usually mate in the spring, bearing one foal 11 months later.
Right: The quarter horse is prized by cattle ranchers for its speed and agility, which make it an ideal horse for herding cattle.
Left: The quarter horse is a favorite at rodeos. These popular competitions test the skiJIs of the cowboys and their horses against cattle and obstacles.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING The quarter horse can thrive on a relatively poor diet of range grass and scrub. Its ability to make the most of what food it can find while living out on the range is important to people who use it as a work horse.
Today most quarter horses are kept for pleasure riding or for racing. They also get a more varied diet. Apart from grass from grazing, a horse usually eats a mixture of oats, barley, corn, and bran to give it nutritional balance.
The quarter horse's stomach is adapted for large quantities of roughage, rather than small amounts of feed, so it needs plenty of hay to keep up its roughage intake.
CARD 135J
FALLOW DEER
,,-----------------------------~~~~~~~~ ~ ORDER
Artiodactyla FAMILY Cervidae
GENUS Ex SPECIES Damadama
The fallow deer, with its spotted fawn coat and broad, flattened antlers, is one of the most familiar-looking deer. This nervous
creature most often grazes in quiet woodland glades.
Mal ·
KEY FACTS
SIZES Height: 21/2 -3 ft.
Weight: 85-225 lb. Antlers: 2-3 ft. along curve.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Females, 16 months. Males, 4 years.
Mating season: September to
February. Peaks during the
September-October rut. Gestation: 230-240 days.
No. of young: 1 (twins rare).
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable, forming separate
herds outside the rut.
Diet: Grass, herbs, foliage, berries, nuts, fungi, and bark.
Lifespan: 15 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The endangered Persian fallow
deer is considered either a
separate species or a subspecies
of the fallow deer.
Range of the fallow deer.
DISTRIBUTION
Native to Mediterranean regions and parts of the Middle
East. Introduced in Europe and in parts of North America,
South America, southern Africa, and Australia.
CONSERVATION
Generally common and increasing in some areas, the
adaptable fallow deer is less common in its original range (southern Europe and the Middle East) .
E FALLOW DEER
Female: Smaller than male but has the same coat coloring .
Winter coat: The spots fade in winter and the coat be-
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Herds of fallow deer live in woodland
and parkland habitats. Adaptable in diet and
tolerant of a range of climatic conditions, they
have been widely introduced around the
world for both food and sport.
~ HABITS In its native range around the Mediterranean and in parts ofthe Middle East, the fallow deer dwells in deciduous wood
land (where trees lose foliage at the end of the growing season), hilly pine woods, and dense shrubland. When introduced elsewhere, the deer thrives in woodland
with open patches among the trees.
Wild fallow deer live in small
herds, though groups of 70
or more deer are common in parks and estates. Outside the mating season, males form their own roaming herds separate from the females and young.
With its keen senses of sight, hearing, and smell, the fallow deer can detect an intruder and alert other members of its group.
Right: During the rut, the male rounds up a small herd of females into his territory.
~ BREEDING Mating occurs from September to February, but most fallow deer mate during the fall rut (mating season) .
The male marks his territory by scraping the soil with his hooves and antlers, urinating, and breaking branches. He struts back and forth bellowing loudly, hoping to attract and mate with as many females as possible in the territory.
Pregnant females give birth
DID YOU KNOW? • Fallow deer living in parks and preserves often forage in trash cans. Many die after swallowing garbage such as ribbon, nylon threads, cigarette butts, balloons, and plastic bags.
NATUREWATCH The fallow deer has been introduced into habitats all over the world, including many woodland parks of North America.
the next spring away from the herd and under dense cover. The spotted fawns hide in this cover until they are strong enough to run with the herd.
Only males have horns, which begin to grow after the age of two. Every April the fallow deer sheds its antlers. The antlers regrow slightly larger and more elaborate each year.
• The fallow deer's relative, the Persian fallow deer, was believed to be extinct until
a tiny population was later "rediscovered" in 1955 along the border of Iran
and Iraq.
Males and females have sim ilar colors and markings, but only the male fallow deer bea r the characteristic
palm-shaped antlers .
~ FOOD &: FEEDING The fallow deer mainly feeds on grasses and herbs in summer, sometimes browsing on bushes and trees. In deer parks a "browse line" four to six feet high marks how far up the trees the deer can reach foliage. The trees are often stripped bare below this line because of the deer's voracious feeding habits.
The fallow deer adapts its feeding habits to the changing seasons. In fall and winter it
Above: A newborn fawn lies in the safety of long grass.
Far left: The male eventually develops an impressive set of antlers.
Left: The male sheds its antlers in spring. They grow back larger every year.
eats nuts, berries, bark strips, fungi, dead leaves, and holly.
It feeds throughout the day and night, mainly during early morning and evening in an open clearing with plenty of ground vegetation. The herd grazes across it slowly, but not long enough to exhaust the food supply. When not feeding, the herd rests under dense cover. The fallow deer rarely drinks-dew and plant moisture supply its water.
"" CARD 136 I PRONGHORN ,,~--------------------------------------------~ ~ ORDER
Artiodactyla FAMILY Antilocapridae
GENUS &: SPECIES Antilocapra americana
The pronghorn IS name comes from the unusual shape of its horns. It can outsprint a horse and is the fastest land mammal
in the western hemisphere.
KEY FACTS
SIZES Length: Head and body, 3-5 ft.
Tail, 3-7 in. Height: 2 1/2-3 1/2 ft. Weight: 80-150 lb.
BREEDING Sexual maturity: Both sexes
mature at 15 months, but male
seldom breeds until 5 years.
Breeding season: March to
October.
Gestation: 252 days.
No. of young: Usually 2.
LIFESTYLE Habit: Territorial grazer; lives in
herds. Diet: Shrubs, grass, and cacti.
Lifespan: 9-10 years in the wild .
Up to 12 years in captivity.
RELATED SPECIES
Subspecies include Antilocapra amer
icana americana, A. a. sonoriensis, A.
a. mexicana, and A. a. peninsular is.
Range of the pronghorn.
DISTRIBUTION
Found throughout western parts of North America, from
Canada south to northern Mexico.
CONSERVATION
By the 1920s hunting had reduced the pronghorn's
population from 35 million to 20,000 animals. Conserva
tionists have now ra ised the pronghorn's numbers to
about 450,000, but some subspecies remain endangered.
FEATU RES OF THE PRONGHORN
Horns: The male has backwardcu rving horns with small , fo rwardfacing prongs. When the female has horns, they are small . The horns' sheath (covering) is shed yearly.
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Female Rump: When alarmed, the pronghorn raises and spreads long, white hairs on its rump to warn other herd members. It also emits a strong scent from glands at the base
of the rump hai rs.
Fawn: Coat is
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The pronghorn roams in herds across the open
grasslands of North America. When it senses
a predator nearby, the pronghorn raises the
fur on its rump and emits a strong scent
to warn the herd. The animals immediately
sprint away at full speed.
~ CHARACTERISTICS The pronghorn inhabits open grassland and desert from the Canadian border to northern Mexico. Although the animal is not migratory, it covers an area up to 10 miles wide as it searches for food and water. It is most active just before sunset and after sunrise.
The pronghorn is constantly alert for signs of danger and can spot a moving object several miles away. But it may not be able to see a motionless predator
just a few feet away. When it is alarmed, the pronghorn uses its rapid sprinting ability to escape. It can maintain a speed of about 30 miles an hour for two to three miles over even ground.
Both sexes have horns, which grow and are shed yearly. Sometimes the female does not have any horns. Only the male's horns have forward-pointing prongs.
Right: The pronghorn feeds mainly on grasses and moves frequently in search of fresh pastures.
~ BREEDING Breeding season begins in the spring. Pronghorn herds split into groups, according to age and sex. At three years, young males begin establishing their own breeding territories, which can cover an area of almost two square miles. Older males often occupy the same territories year after year.
The males mark their territories with urine and feces and with a scent produced from glands below the ears. A male with an established territory tries to herd females into his area and keep them there. He promptly drives off rival males.
Competing males first confront
Left: The pronghorn 's large eyes enable it to detect movement several miles away.
DID YOU KNOW? • A two-day-old pronghorn can outrun a man. At four days it can outsprint a horse. An adult pronghorn has been recorded at speeds faster than 50 miles an hour. • The female pronghorn has
each other with a steady stare. If neither male looks away, the territory holder bellows loudly and may charge the intruder. Most conflicts end with the weaker male backing off. But when two evenly matched males meet, the result is often a violent battle.
Throughout the breeding season, small herds of females wander through the territories of the dominant males. Despite the males' attempts to keep them, the females seldom remain in one male's territory very long.
Once they have mated, females give birth a little over eight months later, usually to twins. The young fawns develop very quickly, and at three weeks old they start feeding on grass and shrubs.
only six scent glands, but the male has nine. • Galloping at full speed, the pronghorn's strides can be more than 25 feet . • Hunters once attracted pronghorns within range by tying flags to bushes.
~ PRONGHORN & MAN When European settlers first arrived, there were about 35 million pronghoms in North America. Many thousands were shot for food and sport. As farming changed the prairies, habitat loss led to a further decline in numbers.
By the mid-1920s, fewer than
~ FOOD & FEEDING Throughout most of the year the pronghorn feeds in herds. During winter a herd may have as many as 1,000 animals. The prong hom roams desert scrub and flat grasslands to feed on a wide selection of shrubby plants, grasses, and even prickly cacti. To compensate for the wear resulting from the constant chewing of tough plants, the pronghorn's teeth grow continuously throughout its life.
Grasses and other fleshy vegetation are especially important to
Above: The young suckle for only three weeks.
Left: Young fawns are left under cover while the mother feeds .
20,000 pronghorns were left, so conservationists began working to protect the remaining herds. As a result, numbers have risen to 450,000, and a limited amount of hunting is now permitted. No more than 40,000 animals may be killed in a year.
the prong hom in spring and summer.ln winter, the prong hom feeds more heavily on shrubby plants. When the ground is covered with snow, the prong hom digs until it reaches the buried vegetation.
The prong hom always takes advantage of available water. But in a drought when water is scarce or unavailable, it can survive entirely on the moisture that it gets from the plants that it eatsespecially the cacti .
EASTERN COTTONTAIL RABBIT
ORDER Lagomorpha
FAMILY Leporidae
"" CARD 137 J
GR'()uP 1: MAMMALS~ GENUS &: SPECIES Sylvi/agu5 floridanu5
The most common rabbit in the United States, the eastern cottontail rabbit is also found in South America. It gets its name
from the fluffy white fur on the underside of its tail.
KEY FACTS --------~~-------- -------------------------------------------------------~
SIZES Length: Head and body, 1-11/2 ft. Ears, 2-3 in. Tail, 1-2 in.
Weight: About 2-4 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 3-5 months. Breeding season: February to
September. Gestation: 26-30 days.
No. of young: 1-9; usually 4-5.
LIFESTYLE Habit: Mainly solitary, but has been observed frolicking in
groups. Diet: Grass and leaves. In winter:
bark, twigs, and seeds.
Lifespan: 10 years in captivity; 2-3 years in the wild.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 13 species of rabbit in
the genus, 7 of which are called
cottontails.
FEATURES OF THE EASTERN COTTONTAil RABBIT
Body size: T ( female , or doe, is larger than thw male, called a uck.
©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Range of the eastern cottontail r(lbbit.
DISTRIBUTION
Eastern United States, except for New England, extending
west to North Dakota, Kansas, Texas, northern New Mexico,
and Arizona. Also in parts of Central and South America.
CONSERVATION
The eastern cottontail rabbit is the most common and
widespread of all cottontail rabbits, and it is not an endan
gered species.
Hind legs: Its Rowerful back
legs enable it to reach
speeds of up to 25 miles
per hour and hop
over nine' feet in
the air.
PRINTED IN U.SA.
COMPARISON OF SPECIES
Desert cottontail: Pale gray fur with distinct yellow tinge. Smaller than eastern cottontail.
Mountain cottontail : Paler gray than eastern cottontail. Noticeably larger. Black-tipped ears.
0160200221 PACKET 22
The eastern cottontail rabbit is a grazing
animal that is adapted for quick movement.
It has strong hind legs that enable it to
quickly escape from danger. In addition,
its bulging eyes give it a wide field
of vision for detecting predators.
~ HABITS The eastern cottontail rabbit occupies a large area of the eastern United States. It is found in heavy brush, in woodland areas near open country, in cultivated fields, and along swamp edges.
It is mainly nocturnal but may be active from early evening to late morning. It usually spends its day in a depression in the ground or beneath a pile of under-
Above: The eastern cottontail rabbit is one of the most commonly hunted small game animals.
growth. It does not live in burrows, although in cold weather it may find shelter in another animal's abandoned burrow. When the ground is covered in deep snow, it makes a network of runs beneath the surface.
The eastern cottontail rabbit is not a territorial animal; its range of 1,000 to 8,000 square feet overlaps with the ranges of other rabbits. When pursued by an enemy, it usually runs in circles, often jumping sideways to avoid leaving a scent trail.
DID YOU KNOW? • If all the young from one breeding pair of eastern cottontail rabbits were to survive, together with their offsprings' young, they could produce 350,000 rabbits in five years. • The eastern cottontail
~ FOOD & FEEDING Like all rabbits, the eastern cottontail rabbit is a grazer, eating mainly grass and herbs. When grass and leaves are scarce, it eats bark, twigs, seeds, and roots.
Rabbits and hares eat large quantities of green vegetation. Their digestive system is adapted to process a large amount of plant matter. They also eat some of their own feces in order to extract as much nutrition as possible from their food. Rabbits produce two types of feces: soft feces they ingest, and hard pellets they leave undisturbed on the ground.
Right: An eastern cottontail rabbit can do major damage to crops and gardens.
rabbit is not affected by myxomatosis, a disease that kills the European rabbit. • Sylvilagus idahoensis, the pygmy rabbit, is the only species in the genus that constructs its own burrow.
~ EASTERN COTTONTAIL RABBIT & MAN
The eastern cottontail rabbit is a favorite prey of hunters. It thrives in cultivated and populated areas, making it easy prey.
In the 1920s, wildlife agencies, together with hunting clubs, imported eastern cottontail rabbits to Kansas, Mis-
~ BREEDING Breeding season lasts from February to September. During this time the female, or doe, may be territorial.
The fertile female can produce three to four litters of nine young each year. Still, as many as 90 percent of the young die.
Although many species of rabbit do not make nests, the cottontail rabbit does, since its young need a relatively long
Left: These baby cottontails will be able to breed by the time they are 12 weeks old.
souri, Texas, and Pennsylvania, since the local subspecies had dwindled. The rabbits bred with local species to produce a new hybrid, which is now widespread .
The eastern cottontail rabbit is considered a pest by gardeners in some areas.
period of care. A week before birth, the doe digs a shallow depression in the ground. She lines it with grass and leaves, as well as with fur she pulls from her breast and belly. By removing some of her fur, she exposes her nipples for the young to suck.
The young are born blind and naked. The mother returns to the nest to suckle the young, who develop quickly, reaching sexual maturity in three to five months. Within hours after birth, the doe mates again.
" CARD 138 I ALPINE IBEX ,,~----------------------------~~~~~~~ ~ ORDER
Artiodactyla FAMILY Bovidae
GENUS & SPECIES Capra ibex
The alpine ibex, a wild goat, lives at high altitudes in the Alps and other ~ountainous regions of central Europe. Once almost hunted
to extinction, it is now protected in reserves.
KEY FACTS
SIZES Shoulder height: 2-23/4 ft. Weight: Males, 165-265 lb. Females, 110-140 lb. Length: Body 4-5 ft. Tail 4'/2-6 in. Females smaller.
BREEDING Sexual maturity: 1-2 years.
Mating: Fall and early winter.
Gestation: About 1 70 days.
No. of young: Usually 1,
occasionally 2.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Lives in groups of females
and young of both sexes.
Diet: Grazes on grass, flowers,
and low-growing plants. Also
browses on shrubs and trees.
Lifespan: Between 1 0-1 2 years.
RELATED SPECIES
Closely related to the Siberian
ibex, Capra sibirico, and Nubian
ibex, C. nubiana.
Range of the alpine ibex.
DISTRIBUTION
Alps and high mountain regions in central Europe up to
10,000 feet above sea level. The alpine ibex lives at lower altitudes in winter than in summer.
CONSERVATION
Once almost hunted to extinction, today groups flourish in
reserves. The alpine ibex is being reintroduced into parts of
its natural range.
FEATURES OF THE ALPINE IBEX
Tail : Short and flat with a bare underside. Anal scent glands at base of tail.
Body: Typical goat body. Brownish gray coat with small amounts of black. Males have a strong odor.
©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Head: Long, with a sloping forehead , small ears, slanting nostrils, and a
......... __ Horns: Large ~1oU' .. .,. and scimitar-
typical goatlike chin beard . -----~l.ot'
shaped with prominent, gnarled ridges. Females have smaller horns. Males' horns grow larger, stronger, and more gnarled with age.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Feet: Front and back toes developed into split, or artiodactyl
"11~.tJ,J.-- (even-toed) hooves that are extremely flexible to aid climbing.
0160200261 PACKET 26
A swift and nimble climber, the alpine ibex
leaps with ease from crags to rocky ledges.
80th male and female alpine ibexes have large,
gnarled, scimitar-shaped horns, though the
male's are longer and heavier.
~ HABITS
The alpine ibex lives in large, segregated groups of either adult males or females and their young for most of the year. Males and females only join during breeding season when dominant males form harems of females.
Active during the day, the ibex feeds high up in the mountains and also moves to lower pastures to graze. In summer it lives at higher altitudes than in winter, when lack of food drives it down to more plentiful areas.
When danger threatens, the alpine ibex climbs nimbly up into the rocks to hide. It may
Right: Good balance allows the ibex to leap from rock to rock.
fight predators such as wolves, lynxes, bears, jackals, and foxes with its large horns when cornered. Its well-developed senses of sight, hearing, and smell help it to avoid danger.
Above: A male ibex waits six years until his horns are strong enough that he can participate in the rut.
~ BREEDING Mating occurs in fall and early winter. The rut (a period of intense mating-related activity among males) lasts about 10 days.
The male alpine ibexes perform fight rituals but do not injure each other; the winners form harems of mature females for breeding. The strongest males with the largest horns gain superiority and can build the largest harems with 12 or more females and one or two old, non-productive males.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
The alpine ibex feeds throughout the day on shrubs and trees. It often stands on its hind legs to reach leaves, twigs, and tender young shoots.
It also grazes on grass, flowers, and low-growing plants in high alpine meadows. If food is scarce, the ibex moves to lower, wooded valleys at dusk to feed.
Right: During the rut, males perform ritualized fights, rearing up on their hind legs and clashing horns to show strength.
DID YOU KNOW? • The male alpine ibex's horns can grow up to three feet while the larger Siberian ibex's can grow to four and a half feet. • Like other goats, the male alpine ibex has a strong body odor, and it sprays itself with
After a gestation period of 1 70 days, one or two kids
(baby ibexes) are born. The female feeds the kids until the next fall, and the offspring can
graze at one month. The females and their young live together in groups, with young males leaving when they reach maturity at two years.
~--------------------------------~ Left: In summer, ibexes climb alpine peaks to feed.
Right: Two ibexes huddle together during a winter storm.
shape and behavior. • The most sheeplike goat is the bharal, known as the blue sheep, found in Tibet and western China. • Since Roman times, the belief that parts of the alpine ibex have special healing powers has lead to overhunting in many areas. • Old male alpine ibexes sometimes grow long hair on the back of the neck.
Above: A mother and her young graze on a rock face.
SEA OTTER ,,'--_______________ GROUP 1: MAMMALS ... ORDER ... FAMILY ... GENUS & SPECIES ~ Carnivora ~ Mustelidae ~ Enhydra lutris
The sea otter is the most aquatic of the otters, spending almost all of its life at sea. Although seldom found far from land,
it is slow and awkward when it comes ashore.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 3-4 ft . Tail, 10-15 in.
Weight: Male, 50-100 lb. Female, 30-70 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Male, 6-9 years. Female, 4 years.
Breeding season: Any time of
year.
Gestation: 6-9 months.
No. of young: 1. Twins rare.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Coastal, meat eating; pairs
only for breeding season.
Diet: Fish, crustaceans, and shellfish.
Lifespan: Up to 20 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The other otter species in the
subfamily Lutrinae are the river otter, Lutra lutra, and the
endangered giant otter, Pteronura brasiliensis.
Range of the sea otter.
DISTRIBUTION
Coastal and island waters of the north Pacific from California to
Alaska in the east and Japan to the Soviet Union in the west.
CONSERVATION
Hunted to the point of extinction for its fur, the sea otter
was given protection in 1911. Pollution threatens the
otter, with oil spills such as the Exxon Valdez disaster
wiping out populations and fouling its habitat.
FEATURES OF THE SEA OTTER
Fur: Sleek, thick, and insulating . The sea otter has no fat insulation, so it relies on i,ts fur for warmth. If the hai r becomes matted by oil the otter dies from the cold.
Feeding: The sea otter eats fish and sheHtish off its chest. It uses its clawed forefeet to break open shells and to pass edible parts to its mouth.
©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
River otter: Also swims well and has sleek fur. Seizes prey in its mouth then eats on the riverbank.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
i11d feet: Long and webbed to give the sea otter maximum propulsion when diving for prey.
0160200261 PACKET 26
The sea otter inhabits the food-rich waters of the
north Pacific. With its warm, insulating fur
coat, it can swim and fish in the iciest of
waters. The beauty of its pelt almost led to
the sea otter's extermination by eighteenth-
and nineteenth-century fur traders.
~ HABITAT The sea otter lives alone in coastal waters. The smallest of sea-living mammals, it spends its entire life at sea only a half mile from the shore. During very rough storms, it may seek shelter in
~ FOOD & HUNTING This carnivore feeds on crabs, abalone (a mollusk), sea urchins, and fish. The sea otter eats up to a quarter of its body weight in food each day. A strong and swift swimmer, it propels itself with powerful strokes of its webbed hind feet and undulations of its body. It can dive deep and often feeds 65 feet below the surface.
reefs or rocky coves. The sea otter stays in
shallow coastal water to feed . On land, it walks slowly and awkwardly, lacking the agility and grace it displays in the water.
While searching for food, the sea otter remains submerged for more than a minute before surfacing for air. Unlike the river otter that catches its prey in its jaws, the sea otter uses its small, clawed forefeet to seize prey, snatching up slowmoving fish and plucking crustaceans and mollusks from seabeds or kelp stems.
Left: The sea otter spends much of its life afloat.
Below: The sea otter is adept at cracking open tough shells. It brings up a flat ocean stone to lay on its chest and then smashes mussels or clams on it to get at their soft insides.
The otter also eats clams. It may make several dives for a clam, digging a little deeper each time until it dislodges the burrowing creature.
The otter brings up all but the smallest catch to eat on the surface. Swimming on its back, it supports the meal on its chest, often rolling in the water to wash away shells and food waste.
~BREEDING The sea otter's breeding season varies across its range, and offspring are born throughout the year. Mates pair up briefly during the mating season. After mating, males go to group resting grounds while females and young otters share territory.
The gestation period varies because the sea otter can delay an embryo's development to ensure that it is born at a favorable time. The female produces one pup or,
Right: The pup learns about hunting and feeding from its mother. Here, off the Californian coast, a female teaches a pup to crack open a crab.
rarely, twins. She only has room to nurse and support a single pup on her chest while swimming on her back.
The young otter, born on a raised reef or in the ocean, quickly swims. It learns to dive at six weeks and begins to eat the same food as the adult otter. The young otter suckles until fully grown at six to eight months.
Below: The pup remains with its mother in a territory shared with other females
DID YOU KNOW? 1 • A sea otter has been known to dive 318 feet. • On the surface, a sea otter swims up to one mile per hour-beneath the water it swims six times faster. • When sleeping the sea otter often covers its eyes with a paw. • The sea otter is the only sea mammal that has no insulating layer of fat. Instead, it relies on its thick coat to trap warm air that protects it from ice-cold water~
~ SEA OTTER & MAN The sea otter has one of the most valuable coats of any mammal. Hunted intensively from the mideighteenth century, fewer than 2,000 sea otters remained worldwide by 1910.
Protective legislation was introduced and sea otter numbers slowly increased to 100,000. Today pollution threatens many of the sea otter's remote habitats. In 1989 oil from the Exxon Valdez tanker killed entire sea otter colonies in Alaska. In some parts of its range, the otter must compete with fishermen for food.
" CARD 140 I·
SUN BEAR ,,-----------------------------~~~~~~~~ ~ ORDER ~
'11IIIIIIII Carnivora '11IIIIIIII
FAMILY Ursidae
GENUS & SPECIES He/arctos ma/ayanus
The sun bear gets its name from the creamy yellow mark on its chest. Also known as the Malayan bear, it is the smallest of its
family and is known for being a lover of honey.
KEY FACTS
SIZES Length: Head and body 31/2-41/2 ft. Height to shoulder: 21/2 ft. Weight: 60-150 lb. Females are
smaller than males.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Female, 3
years, but often does not mate until 6 years. Male, 4 years.
Breeding season: Year-round.
Gestation: 96 days.
No. of young: 2.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary. Young stay with
female for 1-2 years: Diet: Fruit, honey, insects, small
mammals, birds, eggs.
Lifespan: Not known. Other
bears vary from 20-30 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The bear family has 7 species in 5
genera. The sun bear is the only
species in its genus.
FEATURES OF THE SUN BEAR
Range of the sun bear.
DISTRIBUTION Tropical and subtropical forests of Burma, Sumatra,
Borneo, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. May be found
in southern China.
CONSERVATION Numbers in the w ild are not known, but the sun bear has
declined from habitat destruction. Hunting was once w ide
spread but has decreased.
Coat: The sun bear has short, smooth fur, varying in color from jet black to a brownish black. The orangish yeHow chest marking does not occur in all specimens.
Claws: Long and pointed for ripping into the bark of trees to uncover insects and honey.
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The small, thick-set sun bear is called
Biruang or Broeang by the people
of Malaysia and is also sometimes known
as the honey bear. Unlike most other bears
who are active during the day, the sun
bear rests in the sun in a temporary
nest in the trees.
~ HABITS The adaptable sun bear lives in mountainous, lowland, and subtropical areas of its range. It mainly inhabits forests and climbs trees.
The sun bear is primarily nocturnal and spends the day sleeping in a tree in the sun . It bends or breaks the branches to form a nest 1 0 to 20 feet above the ground, giving it a good view of the forest .
The soles of the sun bear's feet are long and hairless with sickle-shaped claws. These adaptations help it to better grip the trunks of trees
when climbing. In contrast, bears that stay
on the ground have feet with hairy soles. The sun bear walks strangely because its long, clawed feet are turned inward, making it appear bowlegged as it walks.
The sun bear does not hibernate (have a dormant period) like other bears probably because of the unvarying mild climate of its habitat. Still, it adapts to a variety of habitats.
Right: The sun bear's turned-in feet give it a bow-legged appearance.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
Although classed a carnivore, the sun bear eats a wide variety of food, very little of which is meat. It climbs trees and rips out bees' nests with its sharp claws. It sticks its mobile snout and long, narrow tongue in the nest to scoop out the honey and grubs.
The sun bear also eats fruit from treetops. It also dips its paws into termite nests, licking off the termites and grubs that stick to them. The sun bear's only real meat comes from small rodents and birds.
DID YOU KNOW? • The species is thought to be intelligent: one sun bear inserted a claw into a key hole and turned it after watch ing someone unlock the door w ith a key.
• Like a tree trunk, you can count the rings of a sun bear's tooth to tell its age.
Above: The sun bear's large mouth has a long tongue, used for scooping out honey and grubs.
l eft: The extremely shy sun bear is hard to spot in the wild.
• The sun bear has a highly developed sense of smell and a wet nose like a dog . Sun bears also sit up and sniff the air. • Bears walk or "hop" up tree t runks when climbing; they descend backward, with thei r hind feet first.
~ SUN BEAR &: MAN
The Malaysian people consider the shy sun bear friendly, often keeping the animal as a pet for children.
Malaysia once listed the sun bear as big game for hunting, but now it is protected in many areas. Even so, some sun bears are sold into the pet trade. Many are also caught
~ BREEDING The sun bear's cautious nature makes it difficult to study its breeding habits in the wild. But it is known to be able to mate at any time of the year and is monogamous (mating
Above: A sun bear strikes the water playfully.
in snares set for wild pigs. Clearing of the sun bear's forest habitats has caused the sun bear population to decline.
Some once mistakenly thought that sun bears could not breed in captivity.
with one partner that it stays with for the rest of its life).
A litter usually has two 10-to 12-ounce cubs born on the ground in a secluded spot. The young remain with the mother for some time, learning hunting and feeding skills from her.
Young sun bears are good natured and playful, but older sun bears often become bad tempered and dangerous.
Left: A sun bear spends its day sleeping in the sun. It hunts at night.