Tuesday 30 December 2008 Chinese Mountain Cat

The Chinese Mountain Cat (Felis bieti) or Chinese Desert Cat as it was known before 1992, had its name changed in Bejing (1992) by Chinese specialists, who argued that cats seen in the desert were misidentified Asian wildcats and not Felis bieti. They have been reported living in the Daban and Datong mountains near Xining, at elevations ranging from 2800 m to 4100 m. The Chinese Mountain Cat has been surviving in one of the most difficult environments found in the world.

Also called the 'Chinese Grey cat', the Chinese Mountain Cat is of stocky physique, a little bit larger than a domestic cat, with short legs. Usually, the color is light gray (fawn) during wintertime, and would turn to a darker hue during the summer. Chinese Mountain Cat's ears are of light red-brown, with tips of short hair tufts. The pelts of Chinese Mountain Cats make appearances at the markets, although they are fully protected by the Chinese government.

A Chinese Mountain Cat is basically crepuscular (active during twilight) and nocturnal, they hunt in the dawn hours and late night time. The reproduction period of these cats runs from January to March and the female Chinese Mountain Cat attends to the newborns in burrows, with just one entrance. They have lost a great part of their habitat, and their kind is now among the most endangered cats on the face of the earth. There's no interest in its conservation because it's poorly known.

Their diet consists of rabbits, rats and birds (also pheasants). The majority of the rodents they catch are pikas, white tailed pine voles and mole rats,

Interesting fact: Chinese mountain cats are not social animals and the females and the males live apart from each other.

Link: On august 2007, National Geographic caught the Chinese Mountain Cat on camera in the wild

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Monday 29 December 2008 Spectacled Porpoise

Body Length: 1.5 - 2.2 meters (4.9 – 7.2 feet)
Mass: 60-84 kg (130-185 lbs)

The Spectacled Porpoise (Australophocaena dioptrica) is a member of the porpoise family whose habit ranges from the southeastern part of South America and further south along Antarctica. The porpoise is classified as a circumpolar animal in cool sub-Antarctic and low Antarctic waters. A high concentration of spectacled porpoises is thought to exist around Tierra del Fuego, an archipelago off the southernmost tip of South America, which is separated from the South American mainland by the Strait of Magellan, by finding of many skeletons. Elsewhere in the Atlantic the porpoise has been seen off Brazil, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands. In the South Pacific the porpoise has been seen off Auckland, Tasmania, and Southern Australia. They have also been spotted off of Kerguelen and Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. Though the porpoises are known to frequent these areas they still remain a rarely seen animal and individuals are very rarely seen in the open sea.

The Spectacled Porpoise has a distinctive coloring with a blue-black dorsal side and a white underbelly. Their black eyes are encircled by a striking white ring, or spectacle, which gives them their name. A black strip extends from the jaw-line to the flippers with the porpoise’s lips also being black in color. A white stripe runs along the top of their tail and their head is rather small and without beak. Their dorsal fin is large and rounded, and they have spade-shaped teeth.

The Spectacled Porpoise is a carnivorous animal that feeds mainly on squid and fish, but also eats octopus, shrimp, and mollusks. Behavior of the porpoise is little known as most of the findings have been taken from stranded individuals, but they are known to live in groups of up to 25 specimens, and they are fast active swimmers who normally avoid boats. Human interaction has been limited, because of their rare encounters, so much of the relationship between man and this species of porpoise is unknown, however it should be noted that they are already shy and may be fearful rather than curious toward any human invaders (contrasted with bottlenose dolphins which are very curious toward man). Another side-effect of being rarely observed is little knowledge of the animal’s reproductive biology, but calving is believed to take place from late winter to early spring. The total population of the species is unknown but it is believed to be threatened – however because of this lack of census for their population they are listed under the DD (Data Deficient – meaning not enough is known) category of the IUCN’s (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Conservation List. Efforts are still underway to attempt to track and find out just how many there are, how healthy they are, and if they need international protection from the IUCN.

Interesting Fact: The southernmost sighting was in the Drake Passage at 58° S which is the area of water between Antarctica and South America at South America’s southernmost point and Antarctica’s northernmost point.

Drawing of the spectacled porpoise by Alessio Marrucci of the Swiss Cetacean Society, 2007, licensed under GFDL

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Monday 01 December 2008 Star-nosed mole

The Star-nosed Mole (Condylura cristata) has a large habitable range that is found in eastern Canada, and the northeastern upper half of the United States. The mole lives in moist lowland locations and is primarily an insectivore, feasting on invertebrates and arthropods that are small. Its large scaly feet help in its swimming, while the thick and long tail help with fat storage. The mole is about 50-60 grams (0.10-0.11 lbs), has 44 sharp teeth, and is 150-200 millimeters (7-8 inches) in length.

Like its cousins it digs burrows and tunnels for foraging grubs, worms, and other foods, including mollusks too. Many times these tunnels will lead under-water, as an easy escape route. It digs two types – a shallow foraging tunnel, and a much deeper tunnel for protection. The mole remains active during winter months, and has been seen swimming in freezing rivers and icy streams, protected by its thick black to brown fur, which is effective at repelling water and holding in heat. Unfortunately little is known about their social behavior, however it is known that females will give birth to a litter of 4-6, and that they might be colonial. However further study is needed.

Their nose is the most unique thing. This specialized nose is unlike any other found on any mammal, and has been especially adapted to finding food in the ground. Their nose is covered in small, extremely sensitive tentacles that have touch receptors. The nose is about a centimeter in diameter, and has 22 appendages with Elmer’s Organ (found in most moles, but not like in the Star Nosed Mole). Because of the extreme sensitivity of this specialized organ it can identify and then consume anything edible it comes across in under 125 milliseconds. It can decide whether what it has found is food or not in 8 milliseconds, and then consume it rapidly. The normal time for a mammal is around 230 milliseconds.

The Star Nosed Mole (Condylura cristata) belongs to the genus Condylura, and the tribe Condylurini of the subfamily Scalopinae, which is in the family Talpidae. Talpidae has within it the desmans, many other small insectivores and of course the mole. The reason the Star Nosed Mole is listed here under all the groups is that it is the only living member of its genus, tribe, and subfamily. The family Talpidae belongs to the order Soricomorpha, which contains shrews, solenodons (of which both species are highly endangered by rats, and two are extinct), and the extinct West Indian shrews (extinct by rats which took over the niche with the arrival of Columbus). The order belongs to the superorder Laurasiatheria (containing bats, carnivores, even and odd toed ungulates, and many more), and the infraclass Eutheria (placental mammals).

Interesting Fact

The nose of the Star Nosed Mole grows unlike any other appendage on a mammal today, or known in the past. Instead of being formed as an embryo, it instead starts out as bumps, similar to those on a coast mole, however after being born the appendages split from the nose much like a banana peel.

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