Monday 08 February 2010
South African Ground Squirrel
The South African Ground Squirrel (Xerus Inauris) is also known as the Cape Ground Squirrel in England. In French, it is called Écureuil foisseur de cap and in German, it is known as Kap-erdhornchen. The length of this squirrel is 28 to 38 cm (11 to 15 inches) and it weighs about 500 to 1100 gm (1.1 to 2.4 lb). The color of its coat is tawny yellow and there is a white strip on both sides of the body. There are two dark bands on its tail.
The South African Ground Squirrel is mainly found in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Its usual habitats are open, arid country sides with sandy areas where it digs communal burrows. The South African Ground squirrels feed on grasses, roots, shrubs, fruits, seeds, and sometimes, they feed on insects as well.
The South African Ground Squirrel does not hibernate. These squirrels are very social and live in groups with about 1 to 3 females and 2 to 3 males. Sometimes, the number of males can exceed up to 9 with some sub-adult females. An interesting thing about this breed is that mature males like to form their own groups and there can be 19 to 20 individuals in one group. These groups are called bands. Their home range is shared with other groups which is actually quite a surprising thing, since in case of most of the mammals there is generally an extremely tough competition to get the female. The group-living instinct of this species gives it a survival opportunity from predators overweighing the disadvantage of breeding opportunities which come from competition.
Breeding in South African Ground Squirrels is asynchronous and there is no specific period of breeding although very few litters are seen above the ground in the months of July to October. Gestation period lasts for 48 days and the young ones are weaned after 52 days. There are one to three babies per litter. A female becomes sexually mature when she is 10 months old and a male matures at the age of 8 months. Although a female has the capability to breed throughout the year, less than 10% reproduce more than one litter in a year.
As the name suggests, this species is mainly a native of South Africa, Zambezi Rivers, and southern Cunene. In Botswana, it is found in Semi-desert regions of Kalahari and also in the central parts of South Africa, the Northern Cape, and Free State. The main habitats of South African Ground Squirrels are arid parts of South Africa, Succulent Karoo, and Nama-Karoo biomes where annual rainfall is about 100 to 500 mm. These animals prefer to roam in open terrains which are covered with bushes. They are also found in floodplain areas, dry watercourses, open grasslands, or on grounds that are overgrazed. The South African Ground squirrel is a colonial, gregarious, and diurnal animal.
Picture of the South African ground squirrel by
de:Benutzer:BS Thurner Hof, licensed under
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Thursday 04 February 2010
Black caiman
Dark colored, largest species of the family Crocodylidae,
Black Caimans (
Melanosuchus niger) have their own historical presence in and around the areas of French Guiana and Brazil. Extensively hunted for its skin, the species now is under the category of conserved reptiles and is under surveillance to prevent the species to become extinct. They were formerly located at Amazonian range, but due to constant hunt by the Brazilians for the animal’s tough skin, their population started getting thinner, to the extent of being extinct in that area. Still black caimans are present in large numbers in and around Kaw Swamps in French Guiana and on the Rupununi River in Guyana. The irony is that people living in these areas do not consider the importance of reptile on the verge of being extinct. For them the crocodile is a dangerous species living alongside them, which is surely a natural alarm. The black caiman is found to hunt the dogs, children and even adults, which create a menace and a lot of hue and cry in the surrounding areas.
Black caimans are very dark colored. Their color is subject to age and maturity where young caimans have grey colored lower jaws, which gradually turn out to be brown on aging. The yellow or white bands present across the body are more prominent in new born to six months old caimans, which fade gradually on maturity. Thus Caiman’s skin biological composition changes over a period of time. The shape of skull is a bit different from other caiman species. Black caimans have distinct protruding eyes with relatively a narrow snout.
The black caiman is an aquatic reptile. It shows it presence in not very deep but shallow fresh water bodies, particularly slow moving rivers and streams. They are also noticed in and around flooded savannah and other marshy and wetlands. They usually hunt during night. They are blessed with extra ordinary sensory organs, be it auditory or visual. They locate and hunt for their prey which usually comprises of fish, turtles, deer, domestic animals dogs and pigs.
The female black caiman starts breeding during the dry season when water levels fall and fish are easily available in shallow pools, providing an easy and plentiful meal. caimans build a huge mound nest using dead and fresh vegetable matter, into which eggs are laid. The mother caiman always be near the nest and provide protection to the eggs till the hatching process begins and is safe for the young black caimans to come out in the water.
Picture of the black caiman by
Mokele, licensed under
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Friday 29 January 2010
Ornamental snake
The
ornamental snake is an Australian snake. Poisonous, the snake belongs to the cobra family. These snakes have short tangs with paralyzing venom. With a stout body, wide flat head distinct from the neck, and a stout body, Ornamental snakes have their own presence. The scales on the body are of lighter shade with dark streaks, giving the snake an amazing appearance. As the belly is creamish or on the whiter tone, it reflects a stark contrast with the upper and lower abdominal part thus giving the snake a unique identity.
The snake is found in the Brigalow woodland belt. It is usually found inhabiting on clay and sandy soils. It also grows on natural leaves found near the rivers, forests and marshy areas. Sites which are rich in ground cover with fallen dead leaves, timber, twigs, loose bark are also inhabited by Ornamental Snakes. The site with abundance of frog dwelling in marsh or a pool of accumulated water, become very attractive to this species of snakes as frogs seem to be their staple diet and offer a good meal to them. To elaborate, the diet of Ornamental snakes consists exclusively of frogs. The very reason clarifies the abundance of Ornamental snakes at a site near Nebo, which is considered to be the hub of young frogs.
A thorough research indicates that these snakes make a repeated attempt to attack these frogs and do not consume them immediately. This was evident from the snakebites signs found on the toads and frogs, around the trap site. But as the frogs are very attractive to these snakes, even some large toads and frogs were found dead or killed every morning. One distinctive feature is that Denisonia maculate species is very aggressive and stoic. It never kills it prey instantly. The dead bodies of frogs found near the dwelling sites of these snakes reveal, extensive injuries with skull raptures and cell breakdown.
The Ornamental snake is similar in size in both its genders. Be it male or female both are of similar size and texture and possess huge fangs in front of their mouth. These snakes are found only around a small area of Queensland in Australia. Even in Queensland the snake is found mainly in the Brigalow region, along the basin of Fitzroy and Dawson Rivers.
Throughout an extensive research done on this species, its population reflected a steady uniformity without any significant changes. Yet as the development in the surrounding areas is taking pace the habitat of Denisonia Maculata is considered to be under a threat. Grazing, deforestation, crop production is leading to the clearing of marsh and under cover regions, which were the dwelling sites of the Ornamental snakes. Moreover a deliberate attempt to introduce foxes and cats can also pose a threat to these snakes as they become a natural prey to the cat family. One other looming threat is the indigestion of poisonous cane toad, which is abundant near the inhabited area, by the ornamental snakes leading to immediate death. Though the snake species is not yet decreasing in its population yet if it is not conserved sooner then it may lead to a sharp decline in its population.
Considering the gravity of the situation the Australian Reptiles Association has briefed various objectives and strategies to conserve the species. A deliberate attempt is being made to educate about the biology and ecology of the ornamental snake, their distribution, population status, possible dangers and developing awareness of the snake’s contribution in preserving environment and maintaining an eco balance. Special reserves have been developed to reduce the threats to the species still dwelling outside the reserves.
Picture of the ornamental snake by Stewart Macdonald (Smacdonald), licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Generic license
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Wednesday 27 January 2010
Mexican Long-nosed Bat - The Constant Immigrants
The
Mexican Long-nose Bat (
Leptonycteris nivalis) is also known as the Greater Long-nosed Bat. Compared to America's other bat species, the Mexican Long-nosed Bat is quite large. Its total length is about 5.5-7.5 cm (2.75-3.75 inches). It is generally dark grey but some of them have a 'sooty' brown color. There is a prominent leaf on the end of its long muzzle. The long tongue of the Mexican long-nose Bat helps it to feed on the flower nectar. It can extend its tongue up to three inches and there are hair-like papillae on the tip of its tongue. It has a very minute tail which is not very visible from a distance.
The movement patterns of Mexican Long-nosed Bats are not well-known, it is seen that each year, they move from Central Mexico to Northern Mexico and some part of their population reaches New Mexico and Texas after crossing the borders.
The female bat gives birth to its young ones during summer season in Mexico and then, the babies fly with their mothers towards north. It is believed that the female gives birth to only one or two young ones each year. It is also thought that the mother recognizes its offspring from the combination of the young one's smell and sound. The mother nurses her babies for one month and the babies become capable of flying at the age of five months.
Very few males are seen in Northern Mexico and Texas which means that they segregate from females and are rarely seen in areas of female ranges. In winter, they congregate again to copulate in caves near Central Mexico.
Since these bats mainly feed on nectar, they emerge at night in search of plants with showy flowers such as century and agaves plants. Along with nectar, the bat also swallows pollen which is picked up on its fur while it feeds and later, consumes it during grooming. In mid-May, these bats migrate to places where there are large numbers of cacti and agaves species for nectar and protein-rich pollen.
These Long-nose Bats are found at cooler and higher places in Texas, parts of New Mexico, and Mexico. The northern parts of Mexico are their main habitats along with which they are also found in scrub vegetations of certain deserts where agaves, mesquite, several cacti and creosotebush are found in plenty. These bats are also found in Big Bend National Park where five different vegetations are found at different elevations. The long-nosed bat was first discovered in The Big Bend National Park in a cave in US in 1937.
Although this species occurs in most parts of Mexico, indications show that its population is on a substantial decline. It has been found that in a discarded mine near Nuevo Leon, a population of 10,000 Mexican Long-nosed Bats was recorded in 1938, but in 1983, there were no signs of this species. In another cave, in the same area, the ceiling used to be covered with long-nosed bats in 1967 but in 1983 only one bat was recorded. It is thought that the decline can be due to the loss of food sources and roosting sites.
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Sunday 24 January 2010
African Buffalo - The Brawny Socialites
The
African Buffalo's (
Syncerus caffer) range stretches from North of South Africa to the south of Sahara Desert. Its main habitat mainly includes arid biomes and areas around rivers, swamps, and lakes. It is also found in open woodland regions.
The African buffalo is quite a heavy and large animal. Its weight can range from 500 kg (1100lbs) to 900 kg (1980 lbs) and its average weight is about 700 kg (1540lbs). Its total length from head to back can be around 2,100-3,000 mm and the length of the tail is around 750-1,100 mm. The height of African buffalo ranges from 1m to 1.7 m. This species has a very large head and strong limbs. Its chest is broad and ears are droopy and large. There is not any specific shape for its horns. They can spread outwards, downwards, or upwards. The two horns of the males are joined at the tip by a boss and they work as a shield covering the head. The various subspecies are found with different sizes such as the S.C.Caffer is double the size of S.C.Nana. The African buffalo is found in both black and brown colors. The young buffalos have thick covering of hair on their body but with age, they start losing hair and in old age, there is very little hair left on their skin.
Both, the male and the female gain their maturity at the age of 1674 days (4 years and 7 months) and there is no specific period of reproduction for African buffalos. It can occur the year around but seasonal rainfall can also influence the reproduction process. The Serengeti Plain experiences rainfall during February to July and at the end of the wet season, the conception period of the African Buffalo begins. The calf takes birth in the second half of the next wet season.
For 23 days, females remain in heat and the estrus period lasts for 5 to 6 days. Once the female has conceived, the gestation period is for 340 days, almost one full year. The female gives birth only to one calf at a time which weighs about 40 kg at birth. Male babies live with mother for only two years and then, leave the mother to join a bachelor buffalo group. Females do not leave the mother up to the time they are able to produce younger ones. A male reaches sexual maturity when it is 3 to 4 years old while a female attains maturity at the age of 5 years.
The African buffalo is a highly sociable animal that travels in large groups. These groups include females and the young calves they had given birth in the past two seasons. 3 to 4 males form a bachelor group during the dry season. There is also a dominance hierarchy within this group. There are fights among the members of every group for an estrous female. African buffalos are considered exceptionally powerful and they can run at a very high speed that can go up to 57 km/hr.
Picture of the African buffalo by Paul M Rae., licensed under
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Thursday 21 January 2010
Chinese Pangolins - Shy, Peace-loving Creatures
The
Chinese Pangolin (
Manis Pentadactyla) ranges eastward through India, Nepal, Burma, China, and eastern Himalayas. This species is mainly found in the deciduous forests and subtropical regions. The rolling hills of central Nepal have a huge number of termite mounds where Chinese pangolins are found in great numbers.
The Chinese Pangolin belongs to the burrowing family. It can dig up to 8 ft deep (2.5 meters) in the ground with its strong and clawed forefeet. It just takes the pangolin four to five minutes to dig that deep. Once it enters the burrow, it blocks the opening. Some Chinese pangolins occupy burrows of other animals as well.
The Chinese Pangolin appears like a scaly anteater. From head to body, it measures around 60 cm (24 inches) and its tail measures about 18 cm (7 inches). A mature Chinese pangolin weighs about 2.4 kg (82.72 oz). A new born baby pangolin weighs about 93 gram (3.26 oz). It has 18 rows of overlapping scales accompanied with hair, a rare combination found in mammals. It has a small narrow mouth and a little pointed head. Its nose is plump with nostrils at its end. This is a bronze colored animal with a round body equipped with extremely sharp claws.
The Chinese pangolin found in Nepal reproduces in the months of April and May when the weather is a bit warm. The female gives birth to a single young one at a time and the baby weighs about 1 lb (400 gm) and its length is about 45 cm (18 inches). The young one also has scales which remain very soft for two days. Although the young pangolin can walk on its very first day, the mother carries the baby on its back or tail. In case the mother feels threatened, it immediately folds her baby with its stomach with the help of its tail. Male pangolins have been noticed to show extraordinary parental instinct and allow the female and its baby share the burrow.
The Chinese pangolin is a rather secretive animal. They are considered nocturnal creatures and are extremely shy. They move very slowly and are known for their non-aggressive behavior. Their hard scales work as a protection cover from predators and when they feel endangered, they curl themselves in a ball. Chinese pangolins are mainly terrestrial animals and are observed in forests that are about 20 feet high from the ground.
They mainly eat insects as termites and ants. Their sharp claws help them in digging up the ants and termite mounds and with the help of their sticky, long tongue (25 cm), they can draw their prey into their mouth.
In Vietnam and Hong Kong, Chinese pangolins are considered a delicacy and they are hunted on a large scale only for this purpose. Now, Chinese pangolins are being protected in the forests where they are generally found. Factors like habitat destruction and hunting constantly challenges their survival. Since the forests they inhabit are difficult to patrol, hunters get a greater chance to hunt these animals without being caught.
Picture of the chinese pangolin by
verdammelt, licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license
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Wednesday 20 January 2010
Chamois - From Europe to New Zealand
The
chamois (
Rupicapra rupicapra), is a goat-antelope species and native to the mountainous regions of Europe, the European Alps, the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the Tatra Mountains, the Gran Sasso areas of the central Italian Apennines, the Balkans, the Caucasus, and parts of Turkey. The chamois is also found in the South Island of New Zealand, where they call it 'a shammy'. Since this species is on the verge of extinction, it is a protected animal under the "European Habitats Directive".
Chamois are normally found at higher altitudes and adapted to live in rugged, steep rocky terrain. A mature chamois may reach the height of about 30 inches (75 cm) and may weigh up to 110 lb (50 kg). Both, male and female have short and straight horns which turn backwards at the tip and males have more curved and longer horns than their counterparts. The horns of the chamois grow only in summer, no growth of the horns in winters. Because of this reason, a ring is formed on the horns every season which can give an indication of the chamois' age. The color of the coat changes according to the season and is dark brown in summers and turns light gray in winters.
The distinct characteristics of a chamois are its white face and the black strips below its eyes, a black strip on the back, and a white rump. Chamois can live up to 20 years of age. The adult males do not prefer living in herds; they choose to live in solitary while the young ones live in herds with their mothers. During the mating season (May in New Zealand, end of November or starting of December in Europe) there are fierce battles between the males to attract a female. The gestation period for impregnated female is 20 weeks long, and only one young one is born. The young chamois becomes an adult at the age of three years.
In 1907, the Austrian Emperor, Franz Joseph 1 had gifted an Alpine Chamois to New Zealand and this is how chamois got their entry in New Zealand. First, they were released in Mount Crook/Aoraki region and then, gradually, they spread all over South Island. There is no restriction on hunting of chamois in New Zealand and in fact, it is encouraged to minimize their impact on the New Zealand's alpine flora.
Chamois are hunted all over the world for their tasty meat. They come out in search of food when it is cool, i.e. in the morning and at night and this trait is exploited by the hunters because of which chamois become an easy target of hunting. The mane at the back of their neck is used to decorate hats in the alpine countries. Chamois are also killed for their smooth and soft leather.
Picture of the chamois by
Sfu, licensed under
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Sunday 17 January 2010
Red kangaroo - Proponents of A Green Environment
The
red kangaroo (
Macropus rufus) is a large kangaroo with short and red-brown fur which gradually becomes paler towards its buff and limbs. It has a square-shaped muzzle and long ears that are pointed at the ends. Females are lighter than males and their color is blue-gray with a little brown touch. The lower part of females is pale gray. The females found in arid zones have almost the same color as that of males. The hind limbs of red kangaroos are muscular and their forelimbs have small claws. Their legs work like rubber bands. A male can leap up to as much as 30 ft (9 meters) in a single leap.
The body length of a male reaches up to 4 ft 7 inches (1.4 meter) and it weighs around 190 lb (85 kg). The body length of a female is around 3 ft 7 inches (1.1 meter) and weighs around 77 lb (35 kg). The length of the tail can be from 3 to 3.3 ft (0.9 to 1 meter). The average height of a red kangaroo is about 4 ft 11 inches (1.5 meters). Because of the location of its eyes, the line of vision of the red kangaroo approximately ranges up to 300°.
The red kangaroos are known for maintaining their internal temperature at about 97°F (36 degrees Celsius) using physical, behavioral, and physiological adaptations. This includes taking shelter in the shade when the temperature is high, sweating, licking, and panting its forelimbs, and having an insulating layer of fur. These kangaroos are mostly found in the central parts of Australia. They roam in small groups known as mobs. They prefer roaming in plain regions where trees and other vegetation are scarce.
They are mainly active when it is cool in the evening or at night and usually prefer solidarity or roam about in small groups. Each mob consists of three to ten kangaroos but sometimes there can be several hundreds of them in a group. Male kangaroos are not defensive and there can be fights among males for the female when it comes into heat and the largest male becomes dominant over most of the females. The red kangaroos are crepuscular and nocturnal and spend their daytime relaxing or sleeping.
This is an herbivorous species that feeds on grasses and a variety of other vegetation. It can spend long periods without water as long as green vegetation is available and also has the ability to suck moisture from green plants.
There is no specific time for breeding among red kangaroos. Breeding period prolongs all year round. The female does not give birth until its first baby leaves the pouch. This unique ability to delay birth is found only in red kangaroo females. This ability to delay birth is known as embryonic diapause. The gestation period lasts for 33 days. The baby leaves its mother's pouch permanently when it is 235 days old but continues to suckle up till one year of age.
Picture of the red kangaroo by
user Fir0002 for
Flagstafffotos, licensed under
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Friday 15 January 2010
Eastern Chipmunk - Great Strategist
The
Eastern Chipmunk (
Tamias Striatus) is a chipmunk, a squirrel-like rodent. There are 5 dark-brown strips on the upper part of their reddish brown coat in contrast of the light brown strips on their back and the very light brown ones at underside. There is a tiny strip that starts from their whiskers and goes towards the lower part of their ears and they have a light strip above their eyes. The color of their tail is dark brown. The body mass of an average eastern chipmunk is 2.82 - 5.28 oz (80 - 150 grams) and their length is 8.46 - 11.22 inches (21.5 - 28.5 cm). Just like other relatives of their family, they also have pouches in their cheeks, which they use to transport their food. When these pouches are full of food, they may become as big as their head.
Eastern Chipmunks are mainly found in deciduous forests, urban parks of Eastern United States, and Southern Canada. In order to provide themselves with a shelter, these Chipmunks generally prefer locations where there are shrubs and rocks.
Although Eastern Chipmunks are able to climb trees, they construct their nests under the ground with widespread tunnel systems which may have several entrances. They store food for winters in their burrows and during winters, they stay in the burrows for long periods but do not hibernate in a true sense.
Eastern Chipmunks protect their burrows and like to lead a solitary life, except for during their mating season. Females give birth to 1 or 2 litters per year and there are 4-5 young ones per litter. There are two breeding seasons, one being from February to April and the other from June to August. The gestation period lasts for 31 days. The birth mass of a baby chipmunk is about 0.12 oz (93.40 gm). The weaning time is 6 weeks. Both the male and the female eastern chipmunks reach their sexual maturity at the age of one year. They live perhaps only one year in the forest but in captivity, they may live up to eight years and their lifespan is 2 to 3 years on an average.
In order to protect their burrows, eastern chipmunks hide their burrows with dirt, which they carry from other places in the pouches of their cheeks. They do this to prevent themselves from being hunted easily. They hide their burrows with materials like sticks, leaves, rocks, and plant materials so that they cannot be easily seen. They store food in great quantities for winters in these burrows. They do not hibernate during winter and wake up time and again to have food.
Since they can make several bird-like chipping sounds, they have got their name Chipmunk. The Eastern Chipmunks are very active during the daytime, spending most of their time in search of food. They like to eat seeds, bulbs, nuts, fruits, mushrooms, green plants, bird eggs, insects, and worms. Hawks, foxes, weasels,
cats, snakes, and
raccoons are their main predators.
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