Monday 27 September 2010 The Black Rat - and its 'tall tails'!

The Black Rat (Rattus rattus) is also known as ship rats, house rats and roof rats. They have acquired these names because of their preferences for inhabiting large ships and nesting in high places such as trees and the upper floors of buildings. These rats thrive in areas inhabited by humans and are found on every continent (thanks to their instinct for ‘stowing away’), near coastal areas. Tropical regions are where they flourish but some data shows that they have been able to adapt to colder climates; this being due to the fact that Norway rats have pushed them out of many of their original habitats. This species rarely swims and is not found in aquatic areas or sewers, preferring instead, forests, agricultural areas, grasslands and any place that supports their mainly vegetarian diet.

Males of the species are often heavier and longer than females and are not solely identified by being black in color; in fact, the rats can be brown, white, grey or agouti. They weigh between 70-300 grams (2.5-10.6 ounces) and are 16-22 centimeters (6.3-8.7 inches) in length. Interestingly the tail of a black rat almost always measures longer than the rat’s body, at about 19 centimeters (7.5 inches) in length.

The species mainly eats fruits, vegetables, grains and vegetation but is an omnivore and has occasionally been known to eat insects or invertebrates. It needs only 15 grams (.52 ounces) of food and 15 milliliters (.51 fluid ounces) of water a day to survive. Its predators consist of house cats, birds and other carnivorous animals. This species of rat is plentiful in many areas and therefore, is not in any way endangered.

Female rats will produce up to 5 litters per year with the gestational period ranging from 21-29 days. Breeding occurs year round and the young are made independent from their mothers between 3 and 4 weeks of age. They begin reproducing at 3 to 5 months old. Males do not have much to do with raising the young as they move from one female to another, mating. Nests, which are made out of sticks and leaves and sometimes found in burrows, are tended by the females.

Black rats are very vocal animals and are known for stripping bark off trees and contaminating human food sources. However, they are probably best known for being the animals that carried the fleas which spread the bubonic plague.

Picture of the black rat by Liftarn, licensed under GFDL You can help spreading the word about this animal by liking it on facebook

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Wednesday 22 September 2010 The Malayan Porcupine - An Elusive Asian Rarity

The Malayan porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) is a rare and elusive creature that lives in many areas of Asia including but not limited to India, Malaysia, Nepal, and Vietnam. They are found living in altitudes from sea level to approximately 1,300 meters above sea level. With a usual life span of 20-27 years depending on environmental and encroaching human building and population factors, they can weigh from 1.7 pounds (0.760 Kg) to around 5.4 pounds (2.414 Kg) and can reach a length of 83.5 cm (32.9 inches) including their long tails. These animals are very shy and prefer to wander and forage for food at night. They are predominantly nocturnal and are rarely seen for any reason during the day unless threatened or sick.

With a huge habitat range of nearly the entire continent of Asia and even further into neighboring continents, the Malayan porcupine is one of the most widely yet sparsely spread out rodents on Earth. What makes the habitat of these creatures unique, however, is the type of terrain that they live in. They live in heavily wooded areas and make their dens in rocky areas of the ground. Malayan porcupines create burrows which lead into huge networks of tunnels beneath their surrounding habitats, allowing them to get around during the daytime without being exposed to sunlight. They live with other adults of their species and usually produce litters of two or three pups after a pregnancy of around 110 days.

The Malayan porcupine is covered at birth with soft quills which sharpen into rigid, hard quills upon reaching adulthood. This is the animal's defense mechanism and is effective to most predators and hunters that come after these porcupines. Though not predators themselves, they eat fruits, roots, nuts, and insects, as well as carrion (or dead animal matter).

In general, the Malayan porcupine is endangered because of over-hunting and human overpopulation into their habitats. There are tribes of people who eat them and who use their quills for decorative purposes. They are also hunted by feral cats, some types of wild hogs, and other predatory animals that live in the same region as they do. In some countries like Vietnam, their paws are considered good-luck charms just as rabbits' feet are in the United States. Without a little consideration and help from mankind, this unique species will become extinct very quickly. The International Union for Conservation of Nature ranks the Malayan porcupine as a vulnerable species with a high likelihood of facing extinction in the wild. This is due to the fact that they are hunted for their meat. They are also hunted to be displayed as decoration for their unique quills and coloring. You can help spreading the word about this animal by liking it on facebook

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Monday 20 September 2010 The Thomson's Gazelle - East Africa's Most Stubborn Creature

The Thomson's gazelle (gazella thomsonii) is the most common gazelle in East Africa. Although they are not as widespread as the Grant's gazelles, they can be found on ranches and farmland throughout East Africa, and persist long after other species have been killed off or migrated away.

Thomson's gazelles are commonly referred to as "tommies". Tommies stand at about half a meter (22-26 inches) tall and weigh in between 15 and 25 kilograms (35-55 pounds). Although very similar in appearance to the Grant's gazelle, they have some distinguishing features. Thomson's gazelles are slightly smaller in size compared to their cousins. In their coloring, tommies have a dark stripe that stretches from shoulder to flank, as well as a white patch on their rump. Females have either no horns, or very small, short, smooth horns. Males, which are larger, have a large ridged horns that curve back on their head.

The tommy has adapted to drier life on the open plains of East Africa, primarily in southern Kenya and northern Tazmania. Although tommies have many predators, including cheetahs, lions, leopards, and hyenas, they are frequently the last animals left on an abandoned ranch or farmland. They thrive by subsisting on the short, dry, remains of grasses left by the cattle, which make up 90% of their diet during dry seasons. Although they have many natural enemies, this disadvantage is balanced with fine senses of hearing, smell, and balance. Despite their persistence, many tommies fall victim to human gunshot.

Due to their vulnerability from predators, tommies form groups for protection. The strongest males set up territories by using exaggerated posing, marking their territory, and vigorously defending their territory with their horns. The groups consist of 5-50 females and their offspring, which wander through the male territories. These groups change in numbers, composition, and leadership as frequently as once an hour. Thomson's gazelles recognize others in their species or group by the largely visible black stripe and communicate disturbance through foot stamping. They breed twice a year, with a gestation period of six months. Due to the heavy threat of predation, approximately 50% of young tommies are lost as victims of prey.

While tommies are stubborn creatures that can subsist where other animals cannot, there has been a 60% decline in their population over the past 30 years. With a population estimate of 550,000, these animals are protected in many parks.

Picture of the Thomson's gazelle by Ikiwaner, licensed under GFDL You can help spreading the word about this animal by liking it on facebook

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Thursday 16 September 2010 The Pesty Striped Field Mouse

The Striped Field Mouse (Apodemus agrarius) is one species of mouse that owes its name to the black or dark stripe that goes down its spine. This rodent is natural to Europe and regions stretching all the way to Japan, including the regions of Siberia and Taiwan. This mouse is not considered a threatened species, rather of least concern according to conservation status classification. Its color is a light rich yellow-brown, which makes the dark striped along its back more prominent.

This little rodent can grow to be 70-140 mm long, but its tail can add 61-96 mm to those measurements. Its weight ranges from 12-49.5 grams approximate. This species can reproduce all year. Females usually have eight nipples and can give birth to six litters yearly; each litter may have up to six mice.

The striped field mouse likes to live in prairies, grasses, rice fields, the woods, gardens, marshes, cornfields, reedbeds, and forests. It is agile and capable of swimming and leaping. It lives in holes underground, which it inhabits during the nighttime, as this mouse is a diurnal animal. However, these patterns may change with the seasons becoming nocturnal during the summer, and diurnal during the cold months of winter. In autumn, it can be found during night and day. It prefers environments that have lots of foliage and a variety of grasses and vegetation and moist areas. It does not like arid areas or areas where the vegetation is not varied such as large forests. It is considered a species that is very widespread in Europe and beyond. Its diet consists mostly of insects and grains, seeds, berries, nuts, and plant roots. However, if found on wrong territory or environment it can damage food stores supplies or farm crops. It is considered to be a pest for agriculture. It has been known to be a carrier of hemorrhagic fever (HTNV).

In captivity, the diet should match what it eats in the wild as close as possible. This may include mouse mix of grains and seeds, green veggies, some servings of fruit, crickets, captive bred worms, wheat bread, and cheerios - the last two as a small quantity treat. However, junk food such as salty foods, chocolate, and other treats might harm these critters so it should never be fed to them. A vitamin supplement such as Nutrical - usually sold by veterinarians - is beneficial in very small quantities and reduced amounts and not to be overdone.

The reproduction of this species is high and natural occurrences such as rains, small predators, and freezing soils keeps it under control.

Picture of the striped field mouse by Silke Sohler, licensed under GFDL You can help spreading the word about this animal by liking it on facebook

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Wednesday 15 September 2010 The Spot-Billed Duck has it right on the nose!

The Spot-Billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) is known by many names including the Yellow-Nib, Indian Spot-Billed, Spotbill and Chinese Spotbill, as well as being locally known as Garm Pai or Gugral. Its name comes from the red spots at the base of their yellow-tipped black bills, which the females of the species lack.
Spot-bills are native to Asia, being found largely in Haryana, India, but also in China, Japan and the USSR. They live in freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers and marshes and are normally found in waters with a depth of 0-1,867 meters or 0-6,125 feet.

They nest on dry ground on top of piles of thick moss, grass, feathers and/or down. Relationships in this species are monogamous and females will lay 7-10 white colored eggs that she incubates for 26-30 days. These ducks are known to hybridize (mate with other similar species of duck) naturally with mallards and in captivity, with the Pacific Black Duck and the Philippine Duck. Breeding season differs between north and south India and with water levels: i.e. from July to October in Northern India and November to December in Southern India.

Both genders are similar in appearance having scaled brown bodies, a blue speculum with white borders on their wings, a dark brown crown, nape and eye stripe and orange legs and feet. They are a rather large species with a length ranging from 53-58 centimeters or 21-23 inches and a height of 40-81 centimeters or 16-32 inches. They have a tapered wing shape with a wingspan range of 76-94 centimeters or 30-33 inches and a fan-shaped tail. Juveniles tend to be an overall gray color.

These ducks are "dabbling ducks" meaning that they do not dive for their meals but instead stick their heads underwater with their tails in the air to forage. Spot-Billed Ducks will also graze on dry land for their food. They eat seeds, snails, grasses and aquatic plants and normally weigh about 62 grams or 2.2 ounces. They are also considered to be very social ducks and can sometimes be found in groups as large as 50 or more.

The Spot-Billed Duck has a rating of "Least Concern" on the endangered species list due to its wide range and population. Some predators of this duck would be large fish, such as the European Pike, foxes and snakes, which mostly threaten the eggs while in the nests and newly hatched ducklings.

Picture of the Spot-billed duck by Lip Kee Yap, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. You can help spreading the word about this animal by liking it on facebook