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KOALA
CARD 21
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,,~--------------------------------------~ ORDER FAMILY ~ GENUS SPECIES Phalangeridae ~ Phascolarctos cinereus ~ Marsupialia &
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KEY FACTS
SIZES Height: 24 in . Weight: Males, up to 26 lb. Females, 17 lb. Smaller in northern part of range . BREEDING Sexual maturity: Males, 3-4
years. Females, 2-3 years . Mating: Dec. - March (Southern Hemisphere's summer). Gestation: 25- 35 days. No. of young : 1. LIFESTYLE Habit: Solitary tree-dweller, except during mating. Call: Harsh, unattractive call; sounds like sawing wood. Diet: Eucalyptus leaves.
Range of the koala .
DISTRIBUTION Coastal regions of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and parts of South Australia, with the largest concentrations in New Sou th Wales and Victoria.
Lifespan: 15- 20 years. CONSERVATION RELATED SPECIES Phalangeridae family includes phalangers and possums .
Now a protected species. Sanctuaries flourish in Victoria and Queensland. Re-introduced into South Australia, w here it had become locally extinct.
HOW THE KOALA CLIMBS The koala clasps a tree trunk between its forepaws, and then draws its hind legs up together in a series of small rapid jumps.
"forefinger" spread out to give a firm grip . On the hind feet, the toes are also separated, with the "big toe" off to one side .
The furry gray koala lives high in the tops of eucalyptus trees. Now a protected species, it is still threatened by the loss of habitat due to seasonal brush fires.
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FOOD & FEEDING During the course of its evolution, the koala has developed special cheek pouches that store food and a digestive system to handle a diet consisting entirely of eucalyptus leaves. Of the more than 100 species of eucalyptus tree that grow in Australia, the koala feeds on only twelve . Koalas eat between one and two pounds of leaves daily and can easily exhaust their own food supply. The main difficulty in keeping koalas alive in zoos and sanctuaries is obtaining enough eucalyptus leaves of the right species with which to keep them fed . They cannot survive without eucalyptus.
While it looks like a small bear, the koala is actually
a marsupial whose hands and feet are specially adapted for climbing trees. When it descends to the ground, it shuffles along awkwardly on its short, stocky legs.
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HABITAT
The koala lives almost exclusively in the top branches of eucalyptus trees . Its strong legs and sharp claws help it grip the trunks .
A nocturnal animal, it feeds at night on the young shoots and leaves of high branches, and spends its day sleeping curled up in a fork of a tree .
~ KOALAS & MAN As recently as a hundred years ago, the koala was widespread in Australia . But increased settlement by man brought about a dramatic decline in its population. Much of the koala's natural
habitat was destroyed by fires set deliberately to clear the land . The fur trade introduced another threat to the koala; more than two million skins were exported from Australia in 1924 alone.
DID YOU KNOW? • The koala never drinks because it gets all the liqu id it needs from eucalyptus leaves. "Koala" is the aborigine word for " no water." • The koala is an excellent swimmer, crossing rivers in order to survive heavy flooding . • Ironically, many koalas are killed in sanctuaries by being run over by cars ' belonging to visitors . • A newborn koala is only the size of a lima bean . Its hind legs are barely formed, but its forelimbs and claws are relatively well developed . It drags itself to the pouch following a trail of saliva laid down by its mother.
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BREEDING Koalas mate between December and March. A single baby is born 35 days later. It is blind, hairless, and only 3/4 inch long . By instinct, it drags itself into its mother's pouch, which opens to the rear rather than to the front as with most other marsupials. Inside the pouch, the baby koala feeds first on mother's milk and later on half-digested food passed through the mother's rectum. After six months, the young koala leaves the pouch and clings to its mother's back, remaining with her until the following mating season. It then moves to another tree and lives independently for two to four years until it is sexually mature.
Left: At almost
a year old, this koala still clings to its mother's back. She seems happy to oblige, and although her load is no longer light, her specially adapted hands and feet let her climb with ease. Right: An adult koala eats about 1-2 pounds of eucalyptus leaves a day, some of which it crams into its cheek pouches for chewing later.
Left: A baby
koala spends the first 6 months of its life in its mother's pouch. Then, for the next 2 or 3 months, it clings to its mother's fur during the day, returning to her pouch at night.
Left: Koala
mothers and their young enjoy a close relationship. She will happily carry her youngster until it is time for it to become independent.
"'" CARD 22
ORANGUTAN ~~------------------------------------~
. . ORDER ~
Primates
FAMILY
KEY FACTS SIZES Length: Males, 4 ft. Females, 3 ft. Weight: Males, 1 30-200 lb. Females, 90-110 lb.
Pongidae
BREEDING Sexual maturity: 8-1 0 years. Mating: Year-round. Gestation: 260-270 days. No. of young: Usually a single young; twins are rare. LIFESTYLE Call: Squeaks and whines. Adult males make long, bubbling calls and also roar. Habit: Diurnal and mainly solitary. Diet: Tropical fruits, leaves, shoots, bark, insects, and eggs. Lifespan: Average 35 years. RELATED SPECIES There is one species of orangutan, with two subspecies living in Borneo and Sumatra.
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. Range of the orangutan .
DISTRIBUTION Restricted to the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. CONSERVATION In spite of the governments of Singapore and Hong Kong prohibiting their import and export, orangutans are seriously endangered. Protection schemes have had some success in returning orangutans bred in captivity to the wild, but they need to have secure areas provided in their natural habitat.
SWINGING THROUGH THE TREES
The shy and solitary orangutan is second only to the gorilla in size among the primates. Found solely on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, its population has decreased drastically.
An orangutan is a heavy-bodied animal. It uses its weight to swing back and forth on the branch it is holding , until it comes close enough to reach out and grab a branch of the next tree. The orangutan moves slowly and carefully through the trees, using all four limbs.
Its hands and feet are designed for holding and grasping branches, and its immensely powerful arms enable it to swing and climb in the trees easily. The big toe on each foot can rotate to touch the ends of the other toes, like the thumb on our hands. In effect, the orangutan has four "hands" for
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climbing trees and gripping branches. On the ground , the orangutan walks on all four limbs, with the feet bent inward and clenched , and the arms either placed flat or clenched on the ground.
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Of the three great apes-the orangutan, the
~ FOOD' &: FEEDING
chimpanzee, and the gorilla-the orangutan is the only
Fruit, nuts, leaves, bark, insects, and eggs form the diet of an orangutan. When the food supply in a particular area is plentiful, an orangutan may remain in one place for a period of time to feed. Although several orangutans may feed from the same tree, there is little social interaction or competition among them. Orangutans, like the other
one to live outside Africa. Hidden in the dense tropical rainforests which are its home, it is also unique among apes for being truly forest-dwelling.
~ HABITS The orangutan lives a solitary life in the treetops of the rainforest. With the exception of adult males, orangutans rarely descend to the ground. The orangutan is a diurnal animal-that is, active during daylight hours. At night, females and youngsters sleep in a nest of branches placed in the fork of a tree. Because males are heavier, they generally prefer to sleep on the ground. All orangutans sleep on their
~ BREEDING A dominant male orangutan may have a large breeding territory and mate with several females. Mating occurs year-round and females give birth to a single offspring every 3-6 years. A baby orangutan grows very slowly. It may become somewhat independent at 3 years of age, but it will stay with its mother until she gives birth again. Because female orangutans do not mate again until an offspring is at least 3 years old, they may only succeed in raising two to three young in a lifetime.
sides with their arms cushioning their heads. At daybreak, orangutans leave their nests and search for food. Orangutans are far less sociable than other apes and do not live in large social groups. Adult males are particularly solitary and stake out areas of forest which they defend as their own territories, fighting other males who intrude if necessary. Females occasionally group together loosely with their young.
apes, appear to be highly intelligent. They have the ability to memorize the geography of their surroundings and will travel great distances to find trees that have ripe fruit. When orangutans are thirsty, they locate a hollow in a tree where water has collected from past rainstorms.
Left: Male orangutans have large cheek pouches. Right: Fruit makes up half the orangutan's diet. It follows fruit-eating birds to fresh supplies. It uses its strong jaws and teeth to open hard or spiky skins.
Left: A newborn orangutan weighs no more than 5 pounds, but is already welldeveloped. Totally dependent on its mother for the first 18 months, it suckles from her, travels by clinging to her, and sleeps in her nest at night.
~ ORANGUTAN &: MAN The orangutan poses no threat to man, yet man is its only enemy. The orangutan's natural habitat has been destroyed to provide land and timber for an increasing human population. Female orangutans are
slaughtered so that their babies can be captured for zoos. The baby orangutans often die in captivity. Since the breeding rate of the orangutan is relatively slow, its numbers have not recovered and it is now a seriously endangered species.
fOlD YOU KNOW? • Because the orangutan spends most of its life in trees, its arms are longer and stronger than any other ape's. • "Orang" and "utan" are the Malay words for "man" and "jungle." The literal
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meaning of the name, therefore, is "man of the jungle." • Centuries ago, orangutans were much larger than they are today. Fossil remains show that a species of giant orangutan existed in China 500,000 years ago.
"" CARD 23
JAGUAR
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~ ClASS 'IIIIIIIIIII Camivora
GROUP 1: MAMMALS ~ ORDER ~ Felidae
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KEY FACTS
li1
~ FAMILY
SIZES Length: 44-73 in. Tail 18-30 in . Weight: Males, 125-250 lb. Females, 100-200 lb.
~ Panthera onca
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BREEDING Sexual maturity: 3 years. Mating: Non-seasonal in tropics; early autumn in extremes of range. Gestation: 93-110 days. No. of young: 1-4 cubs.
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LIFESTYLE Habit: Solitary, except in breeding season, when they come together to mate. Diet: Ground-living mammals; domestic stock, fish, frogs, turtles, and small alligators. Lifespan: Up to 22 years.
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RELATED SPECIES Eight subspecies; also P. tigris, P. leo, P. pardus, and P. uncia.
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Range of the jaguar.
DISTRIBUTION Central and South America as far south as Patagonia; the largest jaguars are found in Mato Grosso in Brazil. CONSERVATION All subspecies are endangered. Many are extinct except in zoos, where they breed successfully. At present, the greatest threats to the jaguar are overhunting (mostly for its fur) and the loss of its habitat to farming.
FEATURES OF THE JAGUAR & LEOPARD
A jaguar's coat (above). A leopard's coat (below) .
The jaguar is the subject of many myths and hunters' tales. The largest American wildcat, it is now rare in its natural habitat as the result of being hunted for its attractive fur.
The jaguar's jaw is larger and even more powerful looking than the leopard's jaw.
The leopard's head is smaller and narrower than that of the heavier jaguar.
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Although both animals have similar body outlines, the jaguar is more heavily built, with a stocky appearance and sturdy legs.
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BREEDING
Very little is known about the family life of wild jaguars. They have been hunted almost to extinction for their fur. Biologists now find it difficult to study wild jaguars because they have become so rare. Most information comes from studying captive jaguars in zoos, where the animals have been bred successfully. Males and females meet in the wild only to mate. The male leaves as soon as mating is over, and the female brings up the young on her own. She gives birth to one to four cubs, which are blind at birth
Jaguars live in a variety of habitats, from dense jungle and scrubland to reed thickets and shoreline forests. They will even live in open country, provided the grass and rocks offer enough cover for hunting, and a reliable supply of water is available.
~ HABITS Adult jaguars are solitary, seeking each other out only during breeding season, when male and female stay together for a short time to mate. A young jaguar stays with its mother for a few years before leaving to find hunting territories of its own.
Right: All-black jaguars are not uncommon. These cubs have a spotted father and a black mother.
FOOD Est HUNTING
Jaguars hunt mainly on the ground; however they will climb trees to lie in wait for prey. The jaguar can cover short distances rapidly, but it tires quickly. It hunts mainly at night and often surprises
its unsuspecting prey. Its food consists mostly of forest animals varying in size from mice to deer. The jaguar is a proficient swimmer and also eats frogs, fish, turtles, and small alligators. It is espe-
cially skilled at catching fish, which it does by flipping the fish out onto the riverbank with its paw. Jaguars will also kill domestic animals, particularly where the forest has been cleared for farmland. Left: Within
The size of a jaguar's territory depends on food availability. In an area where food is plentiful, such as a forest, a jaguar can survive in a circular area of about three miles in diameter. Where food is scarce, it may need to roam over an area of 200 square miles.
DID YOU KNOW? • One jaguar tagged by a biologist was next seen 500 miles away in a new hunting location . • The jaguar is the only big
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and weigh only 25-32 ounces. The cubs begin exploring the world outside the den at about two weeks, when their eyes have opened. They begin hunting with their mother at the age of six months. They remain with her for the first two years before leaving to find a territory of their own in which to hunt. A jaguar is sexually mature at three years of age.
cat that does not roar. • Amazonian Indians tell of jaguars emerging from the forest to play with village children .
their range, jaguars may occasionally be found in scrubland, although they usually prefer areas with plenty of fresh water. They are excellent swimmers and can supplement their diet with fish, frogs, turtles, and even small alligators.
Jaguars were once found in an area ranging from Arizona to Argentina, but ruthless hunting has reduced their population . The clearing of forests to build new settlements and pastures for cattle has forced them out of much of their original habitat. Jaguars are thought to be numerous in the upper basin of the Orinoco, in Venezuela, but everywhere else they are in danger of extinction. There are fewer than 200 wild jaguars left in all of Argentina. Soon, the only remaining populations will live in zoos. Although jaguars have a reputation as man-eaters, there are numerous stories about men being followed for miles through the forest by solitary jaguars. These stories give credence to the theory that the animals prefer to escort men off their territory rather than attack them.
' " CARD 24
MOOSE ,,~----------------------------------------~ GENUS SPECIES FAMILY ORDER Alces alces Cervidae ~ Artiodactyla &:
KEY FACTS SIZES Length: 8-10 ft . Height: To shoulder, 5-7 ft. Weight: 800-2,000 lb. Size varies according to sex . Female smaller than male. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 16-28 months. Mating season: September to October. Gestation: 240-250 days. No. of young: 1 or 2. LIFESTYLE Habit: Solitary or in small groups. Diet: Leaves, branches and twigs, and water and marsh plants. Lifespan: Up to 20 years . Average 1 0-1 5 years. RELATED SPECIES American moose and Eurasian elk form a single genus and species with no close relatives . Still, there are 40 species of deer (family Cervidae) worldwide.
Range of the moose. DISTRIBUTION Northern North America, including Alaska and Canada . The sli ghtly smaller Eurasian elk is found in Scandinavia, northeastern Europe, and parts of northern Asia . CONSERVATION Extremely abundant in some areas, although populations change depending on severity of winter. Of the 150,000 moose in Alaska, 10,000 are killed annually by hunters.
FEATURES OF THE MOOSE
Broad muzzle and overhanging top lip.
Males are taller and heavier than females. Males
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BREEDING
Rut (mating season) lasts for several weeks in the fall. The bull competes for one female at a time, but he mates with several in turn. Dominant bulls drive younger bulls away and fight among themselves for the females. The bulls that become badly injured while fighting for mates often fall prey to wolves and bears. The cow gives birth to one or two young in late spring. The calves cannot walk for the first few days, but by two ~ weeks of age they are able to .~ browse for their own food, and .jg they follow their mother as she ~ forages. They are weaned at ~ five months but stay with their o ~ mother until she gives birth ~
Moose are widespread throughout Canada and Alaska, where the largest animals, which stand as high as seven to eight feet at the shoulder, are found. Slightly smaller moose are also found in parts
of Europe and Asia, where they are known as elk.
~ HABITS Moose are usually solitary animals. During spring and summer the sexes live apart; calves (young moose) live with their mothers. During the warmer months moose prefer low-lying areas, often near lakes and marshes. When winter comes the moose move to higher ground, where they seek shelter in forests among birch and pine trees.
Where food is plentiful, moose form small groups that include a bull (male moose), several cows (females), and their calves. They paw at the snow to expose the edible grass and twigs below. Still, harsh winter conditions often prevent moose from finding enough to eat. Moose that are weak from hunger in winter are sometimes attacked by wolves.
~ FOOD & FEEDING Moose browse for food during both day and night but are most active at dawn and dusk. They feed on the branches and leaves of willow, birch, and aspen trees. During the summer months moose feed extensively on vegetation that grows in and around lakes and marshes. They wade in water up to their shoulders to feed. They also eat underwater plants by submerging their heads to reach the roots and stems. When lakes and marshes freeze over in winter, moose feed on berries, twigs, and branches. They also strip bark from trees and paw through snow to reach vegetation.
Right: In summer moose feed on sodium-rich aquatic plants found in lakes and marshes.
again. The cow sometimes drives the older calves away but allows them to rejoin her when she and her new calves move on.
Above: Older females often give birth to twins. Left: Rival males fighting.
DID YOU KNOW? • During breeding season hunters often imitate the female moose's call to attract males. • Bulls have been known to attack trains, possibly mistaking the whistle for the call of a rival bull. • Moose can trot as fast as 35 miles an hour. They are good swimmers and can remain underwater for up to a minute. • Moose are bred in the Soviet Union for food and to work on farms . • A moose becomes helpless in very deep snow (below) and can be overtaken by a hunter on snowshoes.
"'" CARD 25
BLACK-TAILED JACKRABBIT ,,~----------------------------------------~-~~~ FAMILY .... GENUS & SPECIES .... ORDER ~ Lagomorpha
Leporidae
~ . Lepus californicus
S'J ~ ~
KEY FACTS
SIZES Length: 24 in., head to tail. Ears, 8 in. long . Weight: Around 11 lb. Females are slightly heavier. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 8 months. Breeding season: JanuarySeptember. Spring is peak time . Gestation: 41 -47 days. No. of young: Up to 6. Females may have 3-4 litters a year. LIFESTYLE Habit: Nocturnal, solitary except in breeding season. Diet: Grasses, herbs, succulents, woody twigs, and bark. lifespan: 1-5 years in the wild . RELATED SPECIES There are 21 species of jackrabbit and hare in the United States. The white-tailed jackrabbit lives in the Northwest.
Range of the black-tailed jackrabbit.
DISTRIBUTION Western and central United States, northern Mexico. CONSERVATION As the most common of North American hare species, the black-tailed jackrabbit breeds quickly and successfully. It is considered a pest because of the damage it does to crops, and it is a popular target for game hunters as well.
HOW THE JACKRABBIT KEEPS COOL Living above ground in semidesert, the jackrabbit avoids overheating in the scorching sun by scraping out shallow, shaded holes, called forms, to lie in. Sometimes the animal will simply stretch out with its legs and body extended so the maximum surface area of its body is touching the cooler ground.
The black-tailed jackrabbit is actually a hare, not a rabbit. It is distinguished by its huge, oversized ears, which allow it to hear the faintest sounds and stay cool during the day.
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The jackrabbit lives in semidesert and prairie regions. Its brown fur gives it effective camouflage against the sparse, dry vegetation. If it is spotted by predators, however, it can run faster than a racehorse and will/eap over rocks and bushes in an attempt to evade capture.
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HABITS
The nocturnal jackrabbit is well adapted to life in the hot desert and prairie regions of North America . It lives in open spaces among the thin desert ground cover of plants such as the sagebrush and cactus. Most of the time, the jackrabbit is solitary. Like all hares, it lives above ground. During the cool of the evening, the jackrabbit emerges from its resting place to feed under the cover of darkness. Its
large ears funnel sound and enable it to hear signs of danger. Good hearing is essential to the survival of the jackrabbit, which is prey to wolves, coyotes, and pumas. In addition to its excellent hearing, the jackrabbit also has sharp eyesight. Like other hares, it will sit upright on its haunches so it can better view its surroundings. Below: For most of the year, jackrabbits are solitary.
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BREEDING
jackrabbits normally breed 9 months out of the year. At the beginning of the breeding season, males box each other with their forefeet and chase the females, often kicking and biting them. Young jackrabbits are born 6 weeks after mating in a concealed site above ground. The young have furry coats and their eyes are open. Soon, the mother separates them into individual hiding places. The young remain in their hiding places until their mother comes to suckle them. Eventually, they begin eating small amounts of vegetation in addition to their mother's milk .
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Above: In early spring, jackrabbits come together to breed. Males fight each other for access to females.
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Left: The female places her young in separate hiding places to prevent a predator from taking them all.
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When 'the young are weaned 3~
after 3 weeks, the female mates ~~ again and produces another ~~ litter. The young are sexually ~~ o mature within a year.
I I ~~
~ SPECIAL ADAPTATION The jackrabbit's eyes are situated on the sides of its head, giving it all-around vision which enables it to spot danger coming from any direction . Its fur is brown with black tips, which provides an effective
DID YOU KNOW? • jackrabbits living in the desert rarely drink water. They obtain all the moisture they need from water-retaining plants such as cacti. • jackrabbits can reach a speed of 50 miles per hour and can leap as high as 5 feet. • The undersides of a jackrab-
bit's feet are covered with long, brushlike hairs, which provide both a grip and a soft cushion on hard surfaces . • A female jackrabbit usually suckles her young once a day, spending no longer than 5-10 minutes with them .
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FOOD &: FEEDING
jackrabbits leave their resting places at dusk to feed. Occasionally, they raid crops and cause extensive damage. When food is extremely scarce, they will survive by gnawing the bark of trees. The animals feed for short
periods, stopping in between to rest. Long, chisel-like incisor teeth bite the stems of grass and herbs, which are then chewed and shredded by the flattened molars. Below: Jackrabbits include twigs and woody shrubs in their diet.
~CARD26
STRIPED SKUNK
~~--------------------~~--------~ FAMilY ORDER .... GENUS & SPECIES
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Carnivora
Muste/idae
~ Mephitis mephitis
I
KEY FACTS SIZES length: Males, 1 3-18 in . Females slightly smaller. Tail, 7-10 in. Weight: 3-6 lb . BREEDING Sexual maturity: From 11 months. Mating: February and March. Gestation: 62-66 days. No. of young: Usually 4 or 5.
LIFESTYLE Habit: Nocturnal, sociable. Adult males solitary in summer. Diet: Mainly insects and small
Range of the striped skunk.
mammals. Seasonal berries, nuts, fallen fruit, and birds' eggs. lifespan: 7 years in the wild, 8-10 years in captivity.
DISTRIBUTION Widespread throughout Canada and the United States, except in Alaska . CONSERVATION
RELATED SPECIES
Common throughout their range, striped skunks are hunted
The western spotted skunk, Spi/oga/e gracia/is, is common over
for their skins, but only with a hunting license. Many skunks
large areas of North America.
they stand their ground and spray rather than running away.
are run over by cars every year on the roads-often because
THE SKUNK'S UNPLEASANT SPRAY The skunk is best known for its ability to cause an extremely unpleasant odor. It ejects a strong-smelling fluid from its anal glands when it is threatened . The skunk aims its spray, which can travel 12 feet, at the victim's The skunk warns that it is ready to spray by turning its rear end toward the intruder, raising its tail, and pattering its front feet.
If the warning fails to deter the intruder, the skunk hisses, spreads its haunches, and sprays, seldom missing. It can spray repeatedly seven or eight times.
The striped skunk is a night-time hunter, conspicuously colored to deter its enemies. Skunks live in small groups, often sharing a burrow with the species that dug it, perhaps a fox or a raccoon. ©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
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Of all the animals that have warning coloration/
the striped skunk's easily recognized white stripe makes it one of the most successful at deterring its predators. Its marking serves as a warning to intruders that they will be sprayed with foul-smelling fluid if they do not retreat.
DID YOU KNOW? • The striped skunk's scientific name comes from a Latin word meaning "poisonous vapor." • Striped skunks do not use their spray on each other, even in the fiercest fight. • The only predator which appears to be immune to the effects of a skunk's spray is the great horned owl, which hunts the striped skunk at night. • Skunks are resistant to snake venom . They can survive ten times the amount of venom needed to
~ BREEDING The breeding season for the striped skunk is February and March. Males begin to range widely at this time, often leaving their own territories in search of a mate. During mating season, the males are very excitable and
spray large animals and humans at random. The female skunk carries her young just over 2 months. Litter sizes range from three to ten, although the average number is four to five. The young skunks, called
left: Baby skunks in Alberta, Canada. They begin exploring early, but they stay in the family unit for their first
kill an_o_t_h_e_r _a_ n i_m_a_l_o_f _si_m_i_la_r---J1 ' size. . left: Skunks may be active throughout the winter.
~ FOOD & FEEDING Striped skunks are meat eaters, feeding mainly on large insects like crickets and grasshoppers and on small mammals. They also forage in the soil and among dead leaves, using their long front claws to dig up beetle
~ HABITS Striped skunks spend the day in small groups, sleeping in dens that they dig themselves or borrow from other animals species. They often share dens with foxes or raccoons. The den is often occupied in summer by females and their young . At dusk, the skunks emerge from their den to forage for food. In towns and cities, skunks live in
woodpiles, sheds, or under houses. In the country, they are often found in the open forest. Skunks deter enemies by spraying a very offensivesmelling fluid (see back page). It can cause temporary blindness, but its main purpose is to stop the intruder from breathing for a few seconds while the skunk escapes.
kits, are born blind and without fur. The female suckles the kits for 6-8 weeks until they can hunt for themselves. The young stay with their mother, often sharing a den with several families until the end of winter and the next mating season.
grubs, earthworms, roots, and fungi. Skunks hunt by scent, sniffing slowly and carefully over the ground. Striped skunks will also eat nuts, fallen fruit, and the eggs of ground-nesting birds.
Right: The striped skunk's underside is mainly dark, but the white stripe on its back serves to warn would-be predators, rather than providing camouflage. Because of the skunk's highly offensive spray, it fears few other animals, including man.
left: Skunks can swim well, but do so only to save their lives. They never go willingly into the water.
KEY FACTS
"" CARD 27
GIRAFFE
~~.
~~-----------------~ GENUS&~P~~~p 1: MAMMAlS~~ . . FAMILY
. . . ORDER "1IIIIIIII Artiodactyla
"1IIIIIIII
Giraffidae
Giraffa camelopardalis
I
i~ 1
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SIZES Height including horns: Male 1517ft. Female, 12-15 ft. Weight: Male, 1,765-4,255 lb. female, 1,215-2,600 Ibs. BREEDING Sexual maturity: Female, 4-5 years. Male, 3'/2 years. Mating: Anytime. Gestation: 453-464 days. No. of young: Usually one calf. LIFESTYLE Habit: Loosely bound groups. Lifespan: 5 years in the wild. Diet: Leaves from trees, shrubs, climbers, vines, and some herbs.
Range of the giraffe.
DISTRIBUTION Africa, south of the Sahara Desert, in open woodland and wooded grassland.
RELATED SPECIES
CONSERVATION
Nine subspecies recognized; all similar but distinguished by coat pattern and geographical distribution.
Common in eastern and southern Africa; reduced in some western parts of Africa by poachers, but not in immediate danger. In Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, numbers are increasing at over 5 percent per year.
FEATURES OF THE GIRAFFE When it drinks, the giraffe spreads its front legs far apart in order to lower its head to the water. The giraffe has extremely elastic blood vessels and special valves in the veins of its neck to control the rush of blood to its head. Without this adaptation, the increase in blood pressure would cause the giraffe to lose consciousness.
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A giraffe's horns (above) gradually turn from gristle to bone.
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No two giraffB coat patterns (below) are the same.
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The giraffe is the world's tallest land mammal. Its long neck lets it feed on vegetation that other herbivores cannot reach.
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Like human fingerprints, the markings of a giraffe's coat are unique to each individual. When groups are gathered, the patterns act as disruptive camouflage, confusing potential predators. The giraffe's sharp vision and towering height help it to anticipate attack from predators.
~ HABITS
~
Giraffes are sociable by nature. They live in groups but do not form permanent herds. Bulls (adult males) have an identifiable pecking order, which is established through the ritual of neck wrestling. A strange bull entering an area will be challenged by the dominant male. They will proceed to butt heads (their skulls are particularly strong) until one of them retreats.
When a giraffe cow (or female) is ready to mate, she attracts all the mature bulls in the area. The dominant bull wins her by driving off all the other males. The young are born fifteen months later at a calving ground where they remain for the early part of their lives. The same calving grounds are used time after time by many females . That way, when the mothers go off to feed during the day, the calves are left to protect one another. Even so, half of the calves die in the
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Right: Neck wrestling to determine dominance may turn into rougher pushing and butting. However, serious fighting is rare.
~ FOOD & HUNTING
The giraffe browses for its food, lower branches while the male feeds from the higher which consists of the leaves and shoots of trees and shrubs. branches. This behavior Thorny acacia trees pose little problem for the giraffe; the giraffe picks off individual shoots and bunches of leaves from between the thorns with its tongue, which can be up to 18 inches long. Plants without thorns are stripped of their leaves as the giraffe pulls the whole length of smaller ~ branches through its teeth. I ~ The male and female feed ~ from different parts of a tree. ~ The female forages among the ~
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BREEDING
DID YOU KNOW? first 6 months from attacks by hyenas, leopards, and wild dogs. As the calf grows older, it begins to roam with its mother. Its main predator is the lion. After calves are a year old, their mortality rate drops below 10 percent. While the mother will mate 5 months after giving birth, her calf is not weaned until it is 15 months old. Young females stay in their mothers' home ranges, but young males wander away at about 3 years old.
• A giraffe's long neck has the same number of vertebraeseven-as most other mammals have. But the giraffes' are greatly elongated. • A giraffe is one of the few animals born with horns. A baby giraffe's horns lie flat against the skull when it is born and pop upright during the first week of life. • Giraffe cows feed for more than half of every 24 hours; bulls, for much less.
~ GIRAFFE & MAN ensures that the sexes do not have to compete for the same food within their range. Right: Newborn calves are about six feet ~all. In two and a half years, their height doubles.
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Left: The giraffe uses its long tongue to grasp leaves and then pulls its head away to tear them from the tree.
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Many different African tribes have traditions of hunting giraffes for food. The bushmen of Botswana hunt them on foot, running up behind the giraffes to cut the tendons of their back legs before spearing them to death. Tribes in Sudan, Chad, and Ethiopia hunt them on horseback. Giraffes are also sometimes killed for the hair in their tails; the natives braid and use it to make bracelets to sell to tourists. This practice has given rise to poaching in some parts of Africa.
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CARD 28 1
EUROPEAN OTTER ORDER Carnivora
FAMILY Mustelidae
KEY FACTS SIZES Length: 2-3 ft. Height: 12 in. Weight: 12-33 lb., males are heavier.
GENUS &: SPECIES Lutra lutra
BREEDING Sexual maturity: Males, 1 8 months; females, 2 years. Mating: Any time; females mate 12 months after birth of previous litter. Gestation: 61-74 days. litter size: 1-6, average 2-3. LIFESTYLE Habit: Solitary. Diet: Mainly fish . Call: Whistles and snarls. lifespan: 9-10 years. RELATED SPECIES There are 15 species of Lutrafish-eating river otters-found worldwide. All are distinct from the clawless otters, Anoyx and Amblonyx, and the engaging sea otter, Enhydra.
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Range of the European otter.
DISTRIBUTION Scattered populations exist in Europe, Scandinavia, most of the Soviet Union, and North Africa. CONSERVATION Conservationists in Europe, particularly in Great Britain and Scandinavia, are reestablishing w ild populations by releasing an imals bred in captivity.
FEATURES OF THE OTTER The otter's tapered body and tail give it a streamlined shape, ideal for efficient movement underwater.
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As the otter dives, its ears and nostrils close automatically, but its eyes remain open, allowing it to locate its prey by sight.
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DID YOU KNOW?
OTTER & MAN
The otter was once regarded as a pest and was hunted for its fur and for sport. Still, the otter population remained stable for many years. But in the 1950s it decreased as a result of pest.g icides which polluted the ~ water. The poisons first af~ fected the fish in rivers and ~ canals, which were in turn ::: eaten by otters.
The otter population is recovering in places where hunting and pesticides have been banned. The major threat to otters today is being run over on the roads . Males patrolling th~ir territories are particularly at risk, as they will cross newly built roads that run through their range .
• The long, stiff guard hairs of the otter's fur are coated with oil that the otter produces, which makes them water repellent. The hairs are so effective that the animal's skin never gets wet. • A newborn otter is bl ind and naked and only 4 inches long. • An otter can swim unde r-
Left: A young otter is taught to swim by its mother at 3 months of age, but it is some time before it is able to hunt its own food.
Found in coastal and freshwater habitats, the otter lives among rocky outcrops by coasts and wherever trees and bushes provide adequate cover along the banks of rivers and canals. River pollution, hunting, and increased road traffic have
water up to 1,300 feet before surfacing to breathe. • An adult otter needs to consume 20 percent of its body weight in food every day, wh ich is equivalent to 5 pounds. • A single ma le otter requires a te rritory of at least 10 m iles of undisturbed riverbank.
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~ HABITS
~ FOOD & HUNTING
The otter is a shy and solitary animal and is mostly nocturnal (active at night). It hunts in swampy areas and will often travel long distances over land, from one river system to another, in search of food . The otter is solitary because it wanders an extremely large territory. It patrols its territory and marks it at intervals with droppings called spraint. The spraint contains a scent which acts as a signal to other otters, preventing them from wandering into its territory. Female otters with cubs will usually occupy a smaller
The otter mainly eats fish, but it prefers eels. Still, it usually hunts for what is available and easily caught. In addition, the otter will eat crustaceans, aquatic insects, birds, frogs, and young rabbits. Otters inhabiting coastal waters prey on crabs, dogfish, and other marine fish. Remarkably agile in the water, the otter catches fish Above: The otter spends a great deal of its time near water. Still, it often spends a part of its day
playing away from the water, near its burrow.
territory within that of the male that is usually the cubs' father.
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underwater by chasing them or cornering them in clumps of weeds. After attacking a fish, the otter grips it with its sharp teeth and powerful jaws. It then carries its catch to dry land and eats it. Unlike the adults, young otters chase anything that moves, but they soon learn to become skillful underwater hunters.
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NATUREWATCH
Five-toed footprin ts in the mud beside shallow rivers and rive r mouths are an ind icatio n of t he presence of otte rs. Also, conspicuous mo u nds of drop pings, or spraint, deposit-
The otter breeds throughout the year. There are generally two or more females within a male's territory and the male will mate with all of them, staying with each female in her den . Two to three cubs are born in an underground burrow called a holt. The cubs are helpless for the first six weeks, during which time they survive on their
mother's milk. The male plays no part in raising the cubs. After nine months, the cubs begin to spend short periods away from their mother. The cubsareindependentata year old, though they may stay in their mother's territory for a few months longer. Sadly, the European otter is now a rare sight throughout most of its range.
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Right: Otters may mate at any time in the year. Two or three cubs are born in an underground burrow, or
ed o n rocks, stones, and tree roots are signs that an otter inhabits the area . An imal remains such as fish scales o r jawbones are also evide nce that otters live_nearby . _ _ _ _ _.....J holt. _____
KEY FACTS
"" CARD 29
SACRED BABOON ~~------------------------------------------~ GENUS &: SPECIES FAMILY ORDER ~
Primates
Cercopithecidae
SIZES length: Head and body, 24-30 in. Tail, 15-24 in . Weight: Males, 40 lb. Females, 20 lb .
Papio hamadryas I;.
BREEDING Sexual maturity: Males: 7 years. Females: 5 years. Breeding season: Year-round. Gestation: 1 70-1 73 days. No. of young: Usually 1 .
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LIFESTYLE Habit: Social, day-active. Diet: Fruits, grasses, roots, lizards, insects, occasionally small mammals . lifespan: Maximum in captivity: 37 1 /2 years. RELATED SPECIES The five other species in the genus Papio include the olive baboon P. cynocephalus, with which P. hamadryas interbreeds.
Range of the sacred baboon. DISTRIBUTION Found chiefly throughout eastern Ethiopia, northern Somalia, and on both sides of the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and South Yemen. CONSERVATION Although direct conflict with man and the loss of some habitat has reduced its range somewhat, the sacred baboon is still numerous and widespread .
BEHAVIORAL HABITS OF THE SACRED BA800
The sacred baboon lives in large groups among the rocky hills of northeastern Africa. The mature male grows to twice the size of the female and sports a distinctive silvery mane.
Parental care: The young stays with its mother for up to 1~ ' months , during which time it is -taught how, anGi what, to eat. ©MCM XC I IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
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BREEDING
The sacred baboon lives in a male-dominated group, which is exceptional among baboons. Each group is divided into small bands consisting of one
male and one to ten females . The male becomes sexually mature at 7 years of age. But before he can breed, he must first establish a harem of
Left: Grooming and playing are daily activities of the baboon group.
Below: The baboon prefers a fruit-based diet, but eats grass if nothing else is available.
The sacred baboon lives in an extremely complex group divided into bands, where each male has a harem. Within each band, there are recognized leaders who make decisions about where to look for food and how to deal with predators.
~ HAB ITAT The sacred baboon inhabits the rocky hill country of Ethiopia. Baboons spend more time on the ground than any other type of monkey. Its limbs are specially adapted to life on the ground, and ~can run quickly on all fours. It does not climb very well, but will do so to reach fruit. The sacred baboon spends much of the day searching for food . At noon it may seek out a shady spot to rest.
Adults nap or pick dirt from each other's fur; the young baboons wrestle and play. At dusk, the baboon retreats to its sleeping site located high up on a steep cliff. Cliffs with suitable ledges are fa vored resting places because they provide some protection from the baboon's main predator, the leopard . Suitable ledges are not easy to find, however; and each night as many as 750 baboons may gather together to sleep.
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defend each other against attacks from males of other bands intent on stealing their females . Mating occurs throughout the year, although in the drier part of the baboon 's range, most young are born after the rainy season, when food is more plentiful. The young baboon is born with fur and with its eyes open . It spends the first few weeks of its life cling ing to its mother's breast. As it grows and becomes more confident, it will ride on her back. The young sacred baboon matures slowly, during which time it usually remains within the family group. Young are weaned at 18 months, by which time the mother will either have new young or be pregnant again.
gazelles and hares. When searching for food, the young baboon usually stays close to its mother. It learns from observation how to find food, how it should be broken apart or peeled, and
which parts should be eaten. The mother will prevent her offspring from eating anything potentially harmful.
FOOD &: FEEDING
Early each morning, the baboon group breaks up into small foraging parties which climb down the cliffs and set off in search of food. The baboons must forage in small groups because the land is barren and food supplies are scattered. The sacred baboon feeds
DID YOU KNOW? • An old male baboon who other when moving through has his harem stolen often th ick vegetation . loses his silver hai r and grows • The male sacred baboon brown fu r like the female . may occasionally mate with a • The sacred baboon's female olive baboon and colorful, furless buttocks are produce fertile offspring . The believed to help group male olive baboon, however, members keep sight of each never mates with a female
females . Finding available females is difficult because every mature female in the group already belongs to another male who will fight fie rcely to protect his harem . So the young male will either court an immature female or try to steal females from the male of another band . If a male finds an available young female, he teaches her to follow him by walking between her and her mother. Eventually, the female will begin to follow the male instead of her mother. Once a bond is formed between the pair, the male will bite the female's neck to maintain his control over her. Once a male has acquired a mate, their bond is recognized by the other males in the band . Male band members will
sacred baboon because it lacks the ability to attract her. • Sacred baboons will raid a crop field in wh ich women are working, but will stay clear of those in which men are working, since they may be armed .
mainly on fruit, which it picks from bushes and trees with the use of its relatively long thumbs. When fruit is not available, the baboon will eat large quantities of grass, which it tears up by the handful. During the dry season, the baboon may also dig up the tuberous roots of various desert grasses and flowers. The sacred baboon's long, doglike jaws are packed with large molars which it uses to grind up tough and fibrous vegetation. The baboon also eats insects, lizards, snails, and other small invertebrates, and it will occasionally catch small mammals such as young
Below: When they are not with their parents, the young spend their time wrestling or playing.
' " CARD 30
GIANT ANTEATER
"~______________________________G~R~O~U~P__ l :_M _A _M __ M_A_L_ S~
~ Edentata CLASS
ORDER Myrmecophagidae
FAMILY Myrmecophaga tridactyla
KEY FACTS SIZES Body length: 40-48 in. Tail length: 28-35 in. Weight: 44-90 lb. Males slightly heavier than females. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 2-3 years. Mating season: March to May. Gestation: 190 days. No. of young: Usually 1 .
LIFESTYLE Habit: Solitary; nocturnal near towns, but a daytime feeder in remote areas. Diet: Ground-dwelling ants. Lifespan: 26 years in captivity. RELATED SPECIES The Northern and Southern tamanduas (T. mexicana, T. tetradactyla), and the silky anteater (Cye/opes didactylus).
Range of the giant anteater. DISTRIBUTION The giant anteater and the other three species of anteater live only in Central and South America. CONSERVATION The giant anteater is the most vulnerable species of anteater and is likely to become in danger of extinction in the next few years, unless measures are taken now.
SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS OF THE GIANT ANTEATER Tongue: Covered in tiny spines and housed in the snout, it can be pushed 2 feet out of the mouth and down into the ant nest. The spines point backward and are covered in a sticky substance during feeding, making escape for the ants impossible.
.. The toothless giant anteater, found only in South America, spends its day shuffling awkwardly along, sniffing the ground with its long snout in search of ant nests.
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Claws: Each forepaw has five fingers. The second and third fingers have very strong, sharp claws used for protection or to dig into the ground for ants. The anteater walks on its knuckles to protect its claws.
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~ FOOD &: HUNTING The giant anteater's diet consists mainly of grounddwelling ants, although it will occasionally eat termites and army ants. The anteater's acute sense of smell detects the ants. Its long claws are used to get into the nests. It catches the ants with its long, sticky tongue. It gets most of the moisture it needs from its food, which includes fruit and larvae. The giant anteater is prey to jaguars and other large cats, although its coat of dense hair gives it good camouflage. It will use its long claws to defend itself and with them it can inflict serious wounds on a predator.
The giant anteater is a solitary animal, spending most of its day searching for its favorite meal of ants. The largest of the four types of anteater, it lives and feeds on the ground. Its smaller relatives spend much of their time in trees.
~ HABITAT The giant ant~ater lives a solitary life. It is rarely seen with another anteater. When two animals are together, it is either for the purpose of mating or it is a mother with her young. Its habitat includes the rainforests, grasslands, and mixed forest and semiarid regions of Central and South America. It spends its day searching for food with the help of its exceptional sense of smell
and hearing. Its range is usually about one-half square mile. In areas where food is less abundant, it could be one mile. At night, the giant anteater will either scrape out a hollow in the soil in which to sleep or it will use the existing burrow of another animal. When it sleeps, it curls its bushy tail, which is almost as long as its body, around itself to keep warm.
~ BREEDING Little is known about t he courtship and mating habits of giant anteaters. It is believed that males and females come together only to mate. The mother carries the young inside her for 190 days . The mother gives birth while standing and will use her long tail like a third leg for support. At birth, the baby immediately scrambles onto its mother's back. It has a complete coat of fur that is so similar in color to its mother's that the youngster is often difficult to recognize when it is with its mother. The mother suckles her young for about six months. During this time, the baby will cling to its mother's back, although it is able to walk a month after birth.
Giant anteaters are usually silent, but a youngster will whistle shrilly when it is left alone. The offspring is slow to mature; it does not become independent until the mother is pregnant again and will not feed on its own until it is two years old. Right and Below: Mating is one of the few times that anteaters
left: Grassland is one of the anteater's varied habitats.
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Left: Despite its
poor eyesight, the anteater can locate ants with its sharp sense of smell and hearing.
DID YOU KNOW? • The giant anteater's sense of smell is 40 times more powerful than man's. • The giant anteater is from the order Edentata which
32-35° F, w hich enables it to survive on the low caloric content of its food . • An ea rly form of anteater was known to have existed
means "without teeth ."
some 20 million years ago.
• The body temperatu re of t he giant anteater is only
• A giant anteater w ill sleep up to 15 hours a day.
