BELUGA WHALE

"""-------
.. ORDER
"'1IIIIIIII Cetacea
FAMILY
Monodontidae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Oelphinapterus leucas
The beluga is one of two species of white whale. It is known by
some as the U singing whale" because the wide range of noises it
makes underwater can often be heard above the surface.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 1 0-1 6 ft. Male slightly
larger than female .
Weight: 1,000-3,000 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual Maturity: Male, 8 years.
Female, 5 years.
Mating season: April to June.
Gestation: 14-15 months.
No. of young: 1 calf.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable, living in groups.
Call: Varies from delicate 'cheep'
sound to a roar.
Diet: Bottom-dwelling fish and
crustaceans, and shoal-forming
fish.
Lifespan: 30-40 years.
RELATED SPECIES
There are only two species in the
Monodontidae family: the beluga
and the narwhal, Monodon
monoceros.
Range of the beluga whale.
DISTRIBUTION
Coastal waters of Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of North
America, Greenland, Europe, and Asia.
CONSERVATION
Present population is unknown but thought to be recovering
from heavy casualties as a result of eighteenth and nine-
teenth century whaling. Modern threats include pollution
and disturbance of breeding grounds.
IDENTIFYING THE BELUGA WHALE
Body: Plump,
white, narrower
at neck.
Length: The beluga is a
medium-sized whale.
Tail flukes: For
forward motion.
Notched; adults
may retain streaks
of dark pigment.
Calf: Grayish
brown at birth.
Slate blue in
second year, then
gradually turns
white.
Flippers: Smooth;
tips curl up.
MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Teeth: Peg-shaped to grip
prey; usually 32 teeth total.
0160200211 PACKET 21
The beluga whale lives in the icy waters of the
Arctic where its white skin camouflages it
throughout most of the year. The whale uses
its head and back to smash through the ice
so that it can come to the surface to breathe.
~ BEHAVIOR
The beluga is a vocal whale; it
makes a variety of sounds
from birdlike chirps to roars.
Like all whales, the beluga
uses these sounds to commu-
nicate. It also has a large
range of facial expressions;
these, too, may be a form of
communication.
The beluga once roamed
the seas in herds of tens of
thousands. Over-hunting has
reduced its numbers. Now
large herds gather only when
returning to their shallow
breeding grounds.
Each herd is divided into
smaller groups, or pods, of
breeding or bachelor males
and females with young.
Pods spread out in the feed-
ing grounds but join up again
for the annual migration to
the breeding grounds.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
The beluga hunts in small
packs, eating worms, crusta-
ceans, and fish that live in
schools or on the seabed.
Working in groups of five or
six, the whales herd their prey
into shallow waters, or toward
the shore. The beluga vocaliz-
es, or "talks," to other whales
in the hunting group.
The beluga's teeth, which
appear when the mammal is
about two or three years old,
are not used for feeding, since
it swallows its prey whole.
Nevertheless, they wear
down, probably because the
beluga rubs them together to
Below: The beluga's pale adult
coloration accounts for its other
name, "white whale. "
produce sounds-another
way to communicate.
Unlike other whales, the
beluga has a flexible neck and
is able to move its head from
side to side. This flexibility
allows the whale a wide
sweep of the ocean floor
when hunting. Its flippers are
flexible, too; they enable it to
move easily in tight situations,
even backwards if necessary.
~ BREEDING
Mating occurs from April to
june. The dominant male
mates with more than one fe-
male. After the mating season,
the beluga migrates south to
Warmer coastal waters and ar-
rives in june or july.
A female, pregnant from last
year's mating, will split off in-
to a small nursing pod. She
gives birth to a single calf,
which arrives underwater, tail
~ BELUGA WHALE &: MAN
The beluga whale was easy
prey for whalers of the nine-
teenth century. Whalers forced
the belugas onto beaches,
stranding them. Thousands
of whales died this way.
The beluga is no longer
killed for its meat in Western
waters, since it contains toxic
levels of poisonous marine
pollution.
Above: Belugas hunt in small
packs, working together to isolate
and gulp down large schools of
fish.
Now, the main threats to its
survival are pollution of shal-
low coastal waters, the build-
ing of hydroelectric dams that
alter its habitat, and the wide-
spread disturbance of its
breeding grounds.
Left: This
beluga whale
performs for
man, as do
other whales.
first, and then makes its way
to the surface to breathe. The
newborn calf is grayish brown
and turns lighter gray after a
couple of years. It does not
turn white until adulthood.
After about a month, when
the calf is strong enough, all
the belugas migrate back to
the colder Arctic waters. The
young beluga suckles from its
mother for about two years.
Below: The beluga is known to
make a wide variety of facial
expressions.
DID YOU KNOW?
. The beluga's breeding
cycle takes three years: 14
to 1 5 months to carry the
calf, and about two years
to suckle it.
The beluga does not
have a dorsal fin .
The beluga was called
"sea canary" by nineteenth
century whalers because of
its high-pitched sounds.
Most whales have thin
skins. Because the beluga's
sk'in is thicker, it was once
used to make bootlaces.
. The beluga shares its
habitat with the narwhal.
"'" CARD 92
EUROPEAN WATER SHREW
~ ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
ORDER
Insectivora
FAMILY
Soricidae
GENUS & SPECIES
Neomys fodiens
The European water shrew is a semiaquatic animal
and is one of the largest of all shrews. It spends its time
swimming and hunting for food in streams and rivers.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 5 in., including tail.
Weight: Up to 3/4 oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 2 years. Some
females breed in first year.
Mating: April to September.
Gestation: 24 days.
Litter size: 3-8 young.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Short, alternate periods of
activity and sleep at regular
intervals, day and night. Lives
alone or in family groups.
Range of the European water shrew.
DISTRIBUTION
Diet: Snails, insects, crustaceans,
earthworms, frogs, small fish.
Lifespan: 14-19 months.
Throughout most of Europe and Asia. Found at all altitudes.
CONSERVATION
RELATED SPECIES
There is only one other species in
this genus, Neomys anomalus.
There are 246 different species in
the family' Soricidae.
The shrew is sometimes considered a pest because it eats the
spawn of valuable fish stocks. Pollution and draining of
waterways and wetlands threaten its habitat in some areas.
HOW THE WATER SHREW SWIMS &; DIVES
As the water shrew swims underwater, the air trapped in
its fur gives it a silvery appearance. Once underwater, it
moves along the river bottom, searching for food. A
fringe of hair on the tail acts as a rudder to control its
direction.
As the water shrew
dives below the
surface, air bubbles
_____ are trapped in its
fur.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETt"
The shrew must
paddle continu-
ously while
I
foraging to avoid
rising to the
sl:lfface,
The water shrew lives
near slow-flowing, clear rivers and streams.
It swims and dives well but seldom ventures
far from the bank. The shrew is a solitary
and territorial animal, but occasionally
it lives in family groups.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
The water shrew regularly
leaves its nest for short periods
throughout the day to forage.
It mainly eats crustaceans and
other aquatic animals such as
whirligig beetles and water
gnats. It also catches larger
prey like frogs and small fish.
On land the water shrew
uses its good sense of smell to
hunt for earthworms and
insects. In water it searches
along the bottoms of streams
and rivers. It looks for prey
under stones and among
weeds in much the same way
it does on land. Once the
shrew has caught its prey, it
rises quickly to the surface.
The water shrew has sharp,
pointed teeth, which allow it
to overpower prey that is
considerably larger than it-
self. A water shrew eats more
then its own weight in food
every day and hoards food
when it is plentiful.
Left: Although
shrews have poor
eyesight, they
have excellent
senses of smell
and hearing.
They communi-
cate with one
another by scent
and also with
high-pitched
squeaks and
twitters. They are
aggressive when
protecting their
territories from
other shrews.
~ HABITS
Although it sometimes lives in
family groups, the water shrew
is mainly solitary and occupies
its own territory. It builds a
nest in an existing hole in a riv-
erbank or it digs a tunnel. The
shrew lines the nest with grass,
roots, and moss.
Right: A shrew
dives toward
the bottom of
a river.
Below: A
shrew eats a
bullhead fish.
~ BREEDING
The shrew's mating season is
from April to September. If the
male approaches a female that
is not ready to mate, they
often fight instead. During
mat ing, the male behaves
aggressively, which might
trigger the female to ovulate
(produce eggs).
The female often mates
again soon after giving birth.
Three to eight young are born
in the nesting chamber. The
female may bear two or three
litters a year.
The shrew alternates
between activity and rest
both day and night. It comes
ashore at frequent intervals to
dry off by squeezing through
the narrow passageways of its
tunnel to rid its fur of mois-
ture. It then grooms itself.
DID YOU KNOW?
Because the water shrew
completely digests its food in
three hours, it must feed
frequently t hroughout both
day and night.
Water shrews occasionally
migrate in groups of several
hundred.
I1J NATUREWATCH
Despite their wide range and
constant activity, shrews are
very difficult to spot. The best
places to keep watch are near
the banks of slow-moving
and clear, shallow streams
Left: The
young are
naked and
blind at birth,
and they weigh
only a fraction
of an ounce.
They grow
quickly and are
weaned after
four weeks,
when they are
ready to Ieave
the nest.
The water shrew's saliva
contains venom that it uses
to stun larger prey, such as
fish and frogs, to prevent the
prey from struggling. The
salivary glands of one shrew
contain enough poison to kill
200 mice.
and rivers. Shrill squeaks
coming from the grass near
the water's edge indicate that
the water shrews are fighting
among themselves to defend
thei r territories.
]
GRAY FOX
_________________________________ G_R_O_U_P_l _: M __ A_M_M_A_l_S
... ORDER ... FAMILY ... GENUS & SPECIES
Carnivora Canidae Vu/pes cinereoargenteus
A shy creature, the gray fox spends the day resting in its hideaways.
It is often called the tree fox because of its habit of climbing trees
to rest, feed, or hide from predators.
KEY FACTS

SIZES
Length: 2-21/2 ft.
Tail length: 4-12 in.
Weight: 5-15 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: About 1 year.
Mating season: January to February.
Gestation: 60-63 days.
No. of young: 2-7 cubs, average
litter 3-4.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Mostly solitary.
Call: Barks, yaps, and screeches
similar to coyote.
Diet: Mostly fruit and vegetation.
Also mice, birds, and eggs.
Lifespan: About 6 years, 12 in
captivity.
RELATED SPECIES
The island gray fox, Vu/pes
/ittora/is, is smaller and lives on
islands off the California coast.
Range of the gray fox.
DISTRIBUTION
Central United States extending north to Ontario, Canada
and south to northern Venezuela.
CONSERVATION
Nearly 270,000 gray foxes were killed for their fur in the
1977-78 season, but the animal remains widespread.
Farmers trap and shoot them when they become pests.
legs: Short, poweriullegs provide it balance
and agility. Poweriul back claws hel p push it
up the tree, while the front legs grip the sides
of the trunk.
Coat: Distinguished by
grayish, peppered coat
with a band of rusty red
underiur that runs over
the side of the neck,
back of the ears, legs,
and feet.
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Tail: Long bushy tail
with a black-and-
auburn stripe running
down its length. The tail
balances the fOx as it
0160200311 PACKET 31
The gray fox spends its day hiding
in tree hollows, among rocks, or in dense
undergrowth, emerging only at night to feed.
It lives throughout the United States
but can also be found in southern Canada
and northern South America.
The shy gray fox hides at the
slightest disturbance. Its calls
are often confused with those
of its neighbor the coyote.
It generally lives alone, but
some males and females pair
for life. In some areas groups
of one dog (male) and three
or four vixens (females) form.
The gray fox marks its well-
defined territory with urine
or with feces that are coated
with scent expelled from
the anal gland. This scent
marking serves as a warning
to other foxes to stay out of
the territory. The gray fox also
uses its call to communicate
with other gray foxes.
DID YOU KNOW?
A gray fox needs to eat
less than four percent of its
body weight in food every
day to stay healthy.
The 21 species of fox
range from the small fen-
nec, with a head and body
length of 7 to 12 inches, to
the large South American
colpeo, measuring from two
to four feet.
The desert-living fennec
fox has the longest ears of
any fox. It can hear another
animal a mile away.
Wary of humans, gray
foxes living in and around
cities are seldom sighted.
I ~ SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS
The same size as the red
fox, t he gray fox has shorter
legs t hat help it to cl imb.
The gray fox's ability to
Below: The gray fox often rests in
the trees during the day.
grip round branches with its
forelegs like a cat also helps it
climb trees. It pushes up with
the back legs, using its long
~ BREEDING
The gray fox mates noisily
early in the year; its cubs are
born in a well -hidden den 60
to 63 days later. Covered
with black fur and weighing
three ounces, the blind and
helpless cubs rely on their
parents the first few days.
Just before giving birth, the
vixen keeps the dog fox out
of the den, but she lets him
bring food when the cubs are
born. The mother weans the
cubs at six weeks and the
male brings back food for the
entire family.
The family remains together
for five months, during which
time the cubs are taught to
back claws like mount ain
cl imbing irons.
In t he t rees, the gray fox
leaps from branch to branch
hunt by their mother. Then
they leave the den to find
their own territories.
~ FOOD & HUNTING
The gray fox's auburn-tinged
coat, with its black band
down its back and tai l, cam-
ouflages it in its woody home.
The slow gray fox uses this
camouflage to surprise prey
rather than chase it.
Compared to many other
foxes, the gray fox has a more
varied diet and eats more veg-
etation. It eats wild cherries
and grapes, which it reaches
by jumping from branch to
branch to find ripe bunches
Left: A slow runner, the gray fox
uses i ts camouflage, agility, and
acute sense of hearing to catch
prey.
with great agility. It has
good night vision and
hearing. On the ground it
is slower than the red fox.
Above: Four-week-old pups
venture out of a den in a fallen
tree.
(see Special Adaptations
box, above).
The gray fox is a'iso a
predator and hunts alone at
night for mice, small ro-\
dents, eggs, birds, and s;quir-
rels. When food is abundant,
it stores extra food in differ-
ent spots throughout its
range, remembering the lo-
cations so that it can return
to eat from its stash at some
later time.
Where their ranges overlap
with that of the gray fox,
wolves, coyotes, bobcats,
and lynx prey on the gray
fox. Still, many more die in
traps set around farmland.
TWO-TOED SLOTH
"==------
"'W ORDER
'IIIIIIII Edentata
FAMILY
Megalonychidae
GENUS & SPECIES
Choloepus didactylus
"" CARD 94
The two-toed sloth is a leaf-eating animal that spends most of its
solitary life hanging upside down from the forest canopy. It moves
only in slow motion, one limb at a time.
KEY FACTS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
SIZES
Length: Up to 2 ft.
Weight: 8-25 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Male, 4-5 years.
Female, 3 years.
Mating: Year-round.
Gestation: 7-10 months.
litter size: 1 .
LIFESTYLE
Call: Bleat or hiss.
Habit: Solitary, slow moving.
Diet: Leaves, shoots, and fruit.
lifespan: 12 years.
RElATED SPECIES
Related to the three-toed sloth.
This genus contains 3 species, all
of which are slightly smaller and
lighter in weight than the two-
toed sloth.
Range of the two-toed sloth.
DISTRIBUTION
Nicaragua, Colombia, Venezuela, Guiana, north-central
Brazil, and northern Peru.
CONSERVATION
The two-toed sloth is in no immediate danger of extinction,
but its habitat is continually being destroyed as a result of
the deforestation of tropical rainforests.
FEATURES OF THE TWO-TOED SLOTH
MCMXCIIMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Coat: A short and fine underfur is covered by a longer
coat of coarse hairs. Two different species of algae grow
in grooves running the length of this longer hair and
color the sloth's fur. In dry weather the algae growing in
the grooves turns yellow, and in wet weather a blue-
green, camouflaging the sloth to match the foliage of the
trees from season to season.
Claws: The
forel imbs have
two claws,
bound together
with skin, while
the hind limbs
have three.
These feet
provide a safe,
powerful grip
on the branches
where the sloth
hangs for much
of its life.
PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200231 PACKET 23
Unable to move quickly, a two-toed sloth
relies on camouflage to outwit its predators.
A blue-green algae grows in its fur, enabling it
to blend in with the foliage as it hangs motionless
in the trees. It clasps a branch with two long,
curved claws on each foreleg and tucks its head
on its chest when it curls up to sleep.
HABITS
The two-toed sloth eats,
sleeps, breeds, and nurses its
young upside down. It usually
avoids coming down to the
ground because it is at such
great risk from predators,
such as jaguars and ocelots.
The sloth can stand, but it has
lost the use of the muscles
that it needs to walk, and it
can only move on the forest
floor by pulling itself along
with its claws.
The two-toed sloth is
nocturnal, sleeping during the
day and eating at night.
When sleeping, the sloth
places its head on its chest
and becomes a hanging ball
of fur. Moving slowly and
deliberately, it uses its acute
sense of smell and touch
when foraging for food. Its
eyesight and hearing are
comparatively poor.
The two-toed sloth is so
named because each forefoot
has two clawed toes bound
& MAN
In many parts of South Amer-
ica the two-toed sloth is
hunted by local people for its
meat. Otherwise this animal
has little commercial value and
is left alone by man.
The greatest risk to the two-
toed sloth is deforestation. The
maned sloth, a close relative, is
now endangered.
together with skin. The hind
feet have three toes. Two spe-
cies of two-toed sloth exist.
Their only differences are in
markings and color.
Adult sloths are solitary, ex-
cept when mating. When two
meet on a branch they will
fight, using their teeth and
powerful claws until one re-
treats.
The sloth's body tempera-
ture is variable and low,
around 85 F-90 F.
FOOD & FEEDING
Eating mainly leaves and
shoots, plus some fruit, sloths
have compartmented stom-
achs, similar to cattle. A meal
may take more than a month
to pass through the digestive
tract. Feces and urine are
passed about once a week.
This is done from the upside-
down hanging position.
DID YOU KNOW?
Because the sloth hangs
upside down most of the
time, its hairs lie from belly
to back so that rain will run
off them.
Sloths are more adept at
swimming than walking.
I
They use their forelimbs to
propel themselves in the
water.
Although they do not look
I similar, the sloth, armadillo,
and anteater all
the same order, Edentata,
I meaning "without teeth."
left: The sloth swims as an
adaptation to annual floods
in the forest.
BREEDING
The male two-toed sloth
attracts a female by scent-
marking an area, using both
an anal gland and his penis.
Both sexes have a strong
musky smell.
A single young is born,
above ground, after a seven
to ten month gestation pe-
riod. Implantation of the egg
may be delayed so that young
are born when food supplies
are plentiful. The young sloth
rides on its mother by hook-
A young sloth inherits its
mother's preference for fo-
liage native to its range. Other
sloths living. nearby may eat
Above: The sloth's main diet is
leaves. It also eats fruit and berries
when it finds them.
ing itself to her breast fur
for a period of six to nine
months. In the first month it
is weaned. First, it eats leaves
that the mother chews. After
other types of foliage. In this
way several sloths can occu-
pya range without compet-
ing for food.
Below: The young sloth clings to
its mother's fur for the first nine
months of its life.
a month or so it picks its own
supply of leaves while still
clinging to its mother.
If separated from its mother
a young sloth will cry out.
" CARD 95
ARCTIC HARE
" GROUP 1: MAMMALS
, , ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ - - ~ ~ ~
~ ORDER ~ FAMILY ~ GENUS fir SPECIES
~ Lagomorpha ~ Leporidae Lepus timidus
The Arctic hare lives farther north than any other hare.
By conserving its body heat, it can survive in
temperatures as low as -36
0
F.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Body, 1-3 ft. Tail, 3-5 in.
Weight: 5-10 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Mating season: Spring and
summer.
Gestation: 50 days.
No. of young: 1-9, usually 5-6.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Mostly solitary, but seen in
large groups during breeding
season and also in autumn and
winter in northernmost regions.
Diet: Grasses and arctic willow;
grain in warmer climates.
Lifespan: Average 2 years.
RELATED SPECIES
A subspecies Lepus timidus scoticus,
is found in Scotland. Another, L.
timidus hibernicus, occurs in Ireland
but does not turn white.
~ I, I ( Y ~ ~ ; f _" _, ~
Feet: The Arctic hare's feet are
covered with fur to help it stay
warm and give a firmer footing
on the ice and snow.
Winter coat:
Turns white in
___ winter to reduce
heat loss. Fur
on the ears
thickens.
([JMCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM
Range of the Arctic hare.
DISTRIBUTION
Arctic and northern temperate regions of the world, including
Alaska, Greenland, Europe, and Asia.
CONSERVATION
The Arctic hare is currently in no danger of extinction. Still,
as the human population expands into the Arctic region, and
as pollution increases, the threat to its survival grows as well.
Summer coat: The ArctiC
hare's summer coat is
less thick and lighter
in color.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Ears: The Arctic hare
(left) has short ears
that conserve heat.
The jack rabbit of
Arizona (above) has
long ears that keep it
cool in its desert
habitat.
0160200201 PACKET 20
The Arctic hare inhabits
some of the most inhospitable terrain
in the world. The barren landscape provides
little cover, and the hare is exposed to stinging
winds and freezing snow
throughout the year.
~ HABITS
The timid Arctic hare, also
known as the mountain hare,
is solitary throughout most of
the year. But, in winter it gath-
ers in large groups with other
hares to give it some protec-
tion from predators. When the
group is attacked, the hares
scatter in alf directions to
confuse the predator.
The hares living in the
southern part of the Arctic
DID YOU KNOW?
The natural habitats of
rabbits and hares are found
throughout the world. One
exception is Australia, where
hares were absent until they
were introduced by man.
The Alaskan hare has the
fastest growth rate of any

move into the forests that
border the tundra (Arctic
plain) at the onset of winter,
which give them some pro-
tection from the cold winds.
Those remaining on the
tundra seek shelter behind
scattered rocks.
During the day, the Arctic
hare rests in a shallow hole
that it scrapes in the ground,
called a form.
hare in the world.
Hares appear often in the
cave paintings of prehistoric
civilizations. The ancient
Romans raised them in
walled enclosures for their
meat, which was regarded as
a delicacy.
I ~ SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS
Like many grazing animals,
the Arcti c hare is preyed up-
on by carnivorous (meat-
eating) animals, such as the
Arctic fox, the wolf, and the
golden eagle. To protect it-
self from predators, the Arc-
tic hare has several features
that help it to escape detec-
tion and attack.
During winter, the hare' s
coat turns completely white,
which provides excellent
camouflage in t he snow and
ice. Depending on the
temperature and location,
the hare usually molts
(sheds) its coat in spring, re-
left: The Arctic hare's winter
fur camouflages it in snow
and conserves body heat.
placing it with a darker one.
The color change is t ri g-
gered by the temperature
and the sunlight, as well as
by the hare's need to
blend in with its seasonal
surroundings.
The most important
adaptations of the Arctic
hare are its keen eyesight,
acute hearing, and speed.
Its eyes are set at the top of
its head, giving the hare a
wide field of vision. Once it
has sighted a predator, it
freezes . The hare bounds
away only when it knows
that it has been detected.
Below: The Arctic hare has very
keen eyesight and hearing to
help it detect predators.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
A large part of the Arctic hare's
diet consists of the small arctic
willow shrub. The hare looks
for food at night. In the
northernmost part of its range,
snow covers the ground for as
many as 280 days a year.
Most of the plants on the
tundra grow close to the
ground for protection against
~ BREEDING
During the breeding season,
the male hare, called a jack,
fights with other males to
attract a female, or doe.
Mating takes place in spring
throughout most of the
range, except in the most
northern parts, where
breeding begins in May.
One to nine young rabbits,
called leverets, are born 50
days after mating. Although
this is a longer gestation
period than is usual for
freezing winds. When the
plants become covered with
snow and ice, hares have a
difficult time digging out
enough food for survival and
may die of starvation.
Below: The Arctic hare is a timid,
solitary animal, but it sometimes
joins other hares for protection.
hares, the extra time spent
developing in the mother's
womb means that the lev-
erets are well developed at
birth, which increases their
chances of survival in the
harsh environment.
The leverets have complete
coats of fur at birth and are
able to see clearly. They feed
on the doe's rich milk once a
day. The leverets often scrape
out their own forms (holes)
several days after birth.
'" CARD 96
HARP SEAL


ORDER
Pinnipedia
FAMILY
Phocidae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Phoca groenlandica
The harp seal pup, with its white coat, is a striking
contrast to other seals, but the irregular black patches
on the adult's skin give the harp seal its name.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 6-7 ft. Female slightly
smaller.
Weight: Up to 400 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Male, 4 years.
Female,S years.
Breeding season: February-April,
birth occurs February-March.
Gestation: Delayed implantation.
12 months total.
No. of young: 1 .
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable and migratory.
Diet: Young eats shrimp. Adult
eats capelin, cod, and herring.
Lifespan: Up to 30 years.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 19 species of true seal
including the leopard, gray, and
common seal.
Range of the harp seal. Breeding range.
DISTRIBUTION
The harp seal is found in northern Atlantic waters.
CONSERVATION
Culling is controlled by the governments of Canada (western
herd), Denmark (Greenland herd), and Norway and USSR '
(eastern herd). Measures for controlling numbers include a
ban on killing nursing mothers, quotas on killing pups, and
time limits on culling molting juveniles.
IDENTIFYING THE HARP SEAL
Adult: Male
slightly larger than
female. Silvery
coat with black
head and black
harp shape around
flanks and back.
Harp shape
develops fully
when seal is .
sexually matu v.- --. ...... w--
Ic1Mr.MXr.1 IMP RV/ IMP INr. WII nl IFF FAr.T FII p M
with irregular,
dark patches of
fur that eventually
molt, forming the
harp shape.
_Pup: Unable to swim at birth; has a
thick, pure white coat that is shed
after four weeks.
II c: A
Harp seals propel themselves through the water
by moving their hindquarters sideways, as
opposed to eared seals or sea lions who use their
foreflippers for propulsion. The harp seal is well
adapted for living in the water but is clumsy
and slow on land.

Three identical but separate
harp seal populations live on
the fringes of Arctic ice packs.
These populations migrate
south to their respective
coastal breeding grounds in
t he spring.
The harp seal travels in
groups of 10 or more, often
packed into large herds,
diving, leaping, and swimming
in unison. Adult males also
perform courtship dances.
They roar and bob energeti-
cally up and down in an
upright position in the water.

The juveniles and pregnant
cows (females) reach the
breeding grounds in early
February. The cow picks a
sheltered site on the ice for
birth and guards it against
other females.
Born at winter' s end with a
warm white coat, the harp seal
pup feeds on its mother's milk
for only two weeks. The moth-
er quickly weans her pup be-
cause she cannot feed while
suckling and because the ice-
bound pup is in danger from
bears. A newborn pup weighs
18 pounds, but will triple its
weight during suckling.
After weaning, the mother
feeds in the sea and mates
with a bull (male) . The aban-
doned pup stays on the ice for
a few more weeks to molt its
baby fur. It must now learn
how to catch its own food.
It eats mainly shrimp.
After the adults mate, they
and the juveniles haul out to
molt. They migrate to northern
feeding grounds in early May.
HARP SEAL &: MAN
About 150 years ago, 9 to 10
million harp seals existed.
Their numbers had decreased
by more than two-thirds by
the 1960s.
Blamed for depleting fish
stocks, harp seals were hunt-
ed by fishermen. Fur hunters
clubbed and skinned pups
to make fashion items.
The pups usually died
quickly, but public concern
has led to protective mea-
sures. The hunting quota
system allows only a certain
number of seals to be killed,
and the harp seal population
is increasing by about five
percent yearly.
Right: The mother uses secret
access holes in the ice to leave
and rejoin her pup.
Left: The harp seal lumbers
across land, but its streamlined
body cuts through icy waters.
Below and right: Weaned and
then deserted after 15 days, the
pup stays on the ice two more
weeks to molt its white fur.
&: FEEDING
The harp seal uses its keen
vision and hearing in the
dimly lit waters. Its sensitive
whiskers can feel the slightest
vibrations in the water.
Eating mainly shoal fish
such as capelin, herring, and
Arctic cod, the harp seal
empt ies its lungs to dive after
its fast-moving prey.
DID YOU KNOW?
Because of its markings,
the adult harp seal is also
called a "saddleback."
Molting sites may hold up
to 1 0,000 harp seals.
Because white pups blend
into the ice, scientists take
ultraviolet photographs to
count the pups.
RIGHT WHALE
ORDER
Cetacea
FAMILY
Ba/aenidae
CARD 97:=\
GROUP 1: MAMMAlS'
GENUS &: SPECIES
Ba/aena g/acia/is
The right whale is a giant of the seas. Instead of teeth, it uses long
plates called baleen or whalebone to strain its food while
skimming the surface of the water.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Adults, 40-60 ft. Calves,
12-18 ft. at birth.
Weight: Adults, about 60 tons.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 5-10 years.
Mating: Early spring.
Gestation: 9-10 months.
No. of young: 1.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable; lives in small
herds of 6 adults and young.
Call: Loud bellows, soft moans and
belches, series of pulsing sounds.
Diet: Plankton, krill, and ocean-
bottom mollusks.
lifespan: Not known, but
thought to be about 30 years.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 3 very similar sub-
species: Balaena glacialis glacialis,
B. g. japonica, and B. g. australis.

r

Range of the right whale.
DISTRIBUTION
Now found only off the coasts of Newfoundland, Madeira,
Patagonia, southwestern Australia, New Zealand, Chile,
Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands.
CONSERVATION
Once the most hunted of all whales, the right whale is now
protected by law. There are only about 2,000 left. Although
its numbers are increasing, it is still endangered.
FEATURES OF THE RIGHT WHALE
Bonnet: The right whale has lumps called cal/osites growing on its head. These horny
outgrowths of skin may be 4 inches high. They are infesteD with parasitic worms,
whale lice, and colonies of barnacles. The callosites are concentrated on the head, in
front of the blowhole, and are known collectively as the bonnet.
Baleen: There are 225 to 250 plates at each
side of the mouth. Each is up to 8 feet long
and fringed with stiff bristles.
Body: The general
shape is stocky
and fat. There is
no dorsal fin, and
the head is very
large, usually up
to 25 percent of
the body length.
A cross sec-
tion of the
skull shows
the whale's
large mouth
area.
Old-time whalers gave the right whale its unusual
name because they thought it was the "right"
whale to hunt-it swam very slowly, floated even
when it was dead, and yielded large quantities
of oil and whalebone.
The right whale lives in shal-
low coastal waters in herds of
up to six family members. In-
dividuals may swim off to join
another group, but in a few
days they return to the orig-
inal herd.
The right whale often leaps
DID YOU KNOW?
Right whales are rarely
stranded because they are
familiar with shallow water.
The right whale is also
known as the Biscay whale,
Biscayan right whale, and
great right whale.
up from the water's surface
(called breaching) and blows
its V-shaped spout up to a
height of 16 feet. It cruises on
the surface for 5 to 10 min-
utes, blowing about once a
minute, and then dives below
for 10 to 20 minutes.
The right whale's head is
about one-fourth its length.
It has an arched jaw to ac-
commodate the eight-foot-
long baleen plates.
A recording picked up a
regular clacking noise that
~ BREEDING
Mating occurs in early spring,
after a playful courtship ritual
in which the male pushes and
nuzzles the female and then
Below: With a powerful leap, a
large male clears the water.
When diving, the whale lifts
its tail out of the water and
brings it crashing down on-
to the surface. This action is
called lob-tailing and is how a
whale indicates its position
when the sea is too rough to
allow its voice to be heard.
was thought to be the right
whale's echolocation system,
sounds that enable whales
to navigate. The noise was
discovered to be made by
baleen plates banging into
each other during feeding.
strokes her with his flippers
and tail flukes.
After a gestation period of
nine to ten months, a single
calf is born tail first in a shal-
low bay. Right away the new-
born is pushed to the surface
so it can take its first breath.
The calf nurses for seven
months and spends the next
two or three years close to its
mother. It begins to breed at
five to ten years. It is thought
that right whales breed earlier
~ RIGHT WHALE & MAN
Because it moves slowly (its
top speed is just over six miles
per hour) and yields large
quantities of oil and whale-
bone, the right whale has
been hunted more than any
other whale. It was finally
protected by law in 1936.
Most hunting occurred in
the Southern Hemisphere,
with huge catches recorded
off New Zealand. Once wide-
spread, this whale is now
found only in scattered herds.
Below: Moving slowly, a whale
feeds on krill and plankton.
and more frequently today
than in the days before
whaling to compensate for
their lost numbers.
Below: A calf spends its first three
years close to its mother.
The right whale feeds by
slowly skimming the ocean
surface with its mouth open.
Every few minutes it closes its
lips and presses its tongue
against the roof of its mouth
to strain the water out be-
tween long baleen plates.
The baleen is actually made
of fused hairs, not bone.
Plankton and krill trapped
by the bristles are collected
by the whale's tongue and
swallowed. Debris also gets
caught on the plates, and the
whale frequently stops to roll
the debris into a ball with its
tongue and then flick it out
of its mouth.
",,"CARD 98
BLACK RHINOCEROS
, , ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
~
ORDER
Perissodactyla
FAMILY
Rhinocerotidae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Diceros bicornis
The black rhinoceros is in fact gray and often assumes the color of
the soil in which it wallows. It now is threatened with extinction
since poachers continue to hunt it for its horns.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 10-12 ft .
Height: 4-6 ft.
Weight: 1,000 -3,000 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Female 4-5
years. Male about 7 years.
Mating: Year-round.
Gestation: About 15 months.
No. of young: 1 calf.
LIFESTYLE
Call: Snort and puff. Calf bleats if
it loses its mother.
Habit: Solitary, nocturnal.
Range of the black rhino.
DISTRIBUTION
Diet: Branches and leaves from
shrubs and trees, some fruit, long
grass, and herbs.
The black rhino now exists only in small pockets in eastern
and southern Africa.
Lifespan: 40 years in captivity.
CONSERVATION
RELATED SPECIES
The white rhino, the large Indian
rhino, the smaller Javan rhino,
and the Sumatran rhino.
In 1984 there were 8,800 black rhinos, but by the end of
1989 the number had fallen to 3, 300. Plans are being made
to protect and manage the black rhino in the southern part
of its range before reintroducing it into the rest of its range.
FEATURES OF THE BLACK RHINO
Coat: Thick, hairless, gray. The
rhino wallows in order to keep
cool and to coat its skin with mud
for protection against biting
insects.
Senses: The rhino has poor
eyesight but good hearing. Its keen
smell detects both predators and
other rhinos.
,DMr.MXr.1 IMP RV/ IMP INr. WII nl IFF FAr.T FII p M
Horns: Made of the same substance
as the hoofs and fixed to a bump on
the nasal bone. The longer horn may
grow over four feet long.
Upper Up: Poi nted and prehensile
(capable of grasping) . The black rhino
uses it to strip vegetation for eating, as
an elephant would use its trunk.
Pl'llhlTl=n 1"111 c:: A
THE HELPFUL OXPECKER
Perches on the rhino to feed on
flies and ticks. This beneficial
partnership is called symbiosis.
THE YOUNG BLACK RHINO
Drinks its mother's milk for its
first two years. Born without
horns.
()1 R() ? ()()?? 1 PAr. I<I=T??
The black rhino is the most aggressive species
in its family, and, despite its massive bulk, it can charge
with great speed at an unwary observer. Still, it is
usually a peaceful animal if it is not disturbed, preferring
instead to browse the low trees of its wooded
habitat or simply doze in the cool shade.
~ HABITS
The black rhino lives in hilly
areas on the edges of wood-
land. Although the male,
called a bull, is solitary, his
home range overlaps with
those of other bulls, and he
comes into contact with them
at their shared water hole.
The bulls tolerate each
other. Their group, known as
a clan, is led by a dominant
bull. The clan members chal-
lenge any unknown rhino that
visits the water hole. Snorting
loudly, they paw the ground
and may charge, but they
rarely make contact. The
intruder usually retreats.
The rhino uses scent to mark
its territory. It urinates along
paths and scrapes the ground
with its hind feet after defe-
cating to collect and carry the
scent away with it.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
The black rhino browses on
trees and shrubs. It pulls down
branches from shrubs with its
horn and strips the leaves and
shoots from them with its pre-
hensile (capable of grasping)
upper lip.
It also pulls up small seedling
trees and eats fruit off trees or
fruit that has fallen to the
ground. It cannot graze easily,
but it does tear up and eat
grass clumps.
Since it needs to drink once
a day, the rhino stays near wa-
ter. It uses regularly traveled
paths to reach its water hole.
The paths are clearly visible in
the undergrowth. During
drought it digs for water with
its forefeet .
The black rhino feeds at
dawn and dusk, sleeping in
the shade or in a mud wallow
Left: The rhino's horn is valued for
its ornamental and medicinal use.
Above: The
rhino's horn
and upper lip
are adapted
for feeding
on shrubs.
Right: The ox-
pecker is a wel-
come passenger,
since it picks
parasitic ticks out
of the rhino's skin.
during the hottest hours. Since
it cannot sweat, it rolls in mud
or dust to keep cool and to
give itself a protective coating
of insect-repelling mud.
DID YOU KNOW?
A black rhino can charge at
30 miles per hour and is ca-
pable of killing a human being.
A female black rhino was
once seen wallowing with six
turtles, who were feeding on
ticks as they climbed over her
body.
Oxpeckers travel on the
~ PREDATORS
The rhino has few natural pre-
dators. Both lions and hyenas
kill calves, but poachers are
the most serious threat. They
alone are responsible for the
80 percent decline in the rhi-
no's numbers since 1970.
Poachers kill the rhino to
obtain its valuable horns.
~ BREEDING
To show his interest in a fe-
male, the bull rhino brushes
his horn over the ground,
charges at bushes, rushes back
and forth, and frequently
sprays urine. The female may
reject him at first and then
allow him to mate with her.
Left: The young calf stays close to
its mother and forms a close bond
with her.
rhino's back and provide a
dual service: they pick off
ticks and screech loudly
when humans approach.
A black rhino calf follows
its mother while she clears a
path through dense cover,
but a young white rhino is
more likely to run ahead.
Horn-handled knives sold in
Yemen accounted for the
death of 8,000 rhinos be-
tween 1969 and 1977.
Conservationists in south-
western Africa have resorted
to dehorning rhinos in order
to make them worthless to
poachers.
Fifteen months after mating,
the female retreats into dense
cover to give birth. Although
the calf can walk when it is
barely 10 minutes old, the
mother keeps it hidden for the
next few weeks, defending it
from predators.
The male black rhino stops
growing at seven years of age.
The female matures earlier at
two to five years.
'" CARD 99
POLECAT


ORDER
Carnivora
FAMILY
Mustelidae
GENUS & SPECIES
Mustela putorius
A solitary, nighttime hunter, the polecat is a European
relative of the skunk. It was once widespread in Europe
but was almost wiped out in some areas.
"I KEY FACTS
I SIZES
Height: 3-4 in.
Length: 15-18 in.
Weight: 1-4 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: By March of the
year after birth; can be as young as
8 months.
Breeding season: Between March
and June.
Gestation: 40-43 days.
No. of young: 5-10. May some-
times produce 2 litters per year.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary, nighttime hunter.
Diet: Rabbits, hares, mice, birds
and their eggs, lizards, frogs, and
large insect larvae.
Lifespan: 4-5 years in the wild, up
to 14 in captivity.
RELATED SPECIES
The ferret, Mustela putorius fura,
and the steppe polecat, Mustela
eversmanni, are close relatives.
Range of the polecat.
DISTRIBUTION
Europe from Atlantic coast to Urals, north to southeastern
Norway and south to the Mediterranean and Black seas.
CONSERVATION
Once nearly extinct in Britain, it is now recovering and its
numbers are multiplying rapidly. Common in other parts of
Europe in areas away from human settlement.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE POLECAT
The polecat has a long, low body
with a bushy tail. Its creamy yellow
underfur is covered with long,
coarse guard hairs in dark brown
or black. A striking feature is the
characteristic "face mask" that
differs from the markings of the
polecat-ferret.
The polecat-ferret is a cross
between a ferret and a polecat and
usually has a pale coat.

. -:.;
A ferret is a domesticated polecat
used for catching rabbits. Usually
smaller, it often has creamy white fur.
The polecat lives in a wide variety of habitats,
from woodlands to sand dunes. Once disliked
because of its habit of killing game birds, it is now
appreciated by foresters for controlling the
rodents and rabbits that destroy
the bark of trees.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
The polecat preys on many
other animals, including
birds, toads, frogs, lizards,
and snakes. It also eats
smaller prey such as earth-
worms and insect larvae.
Polecats are ruthless hunt-
ers, killing entire litters of
animals but eating only one
or two. They have even killed
all the birds in a henhouse
without eating a single one.
~ HABITS
Polecats are solitary hunters
and are active mainly at night.
Males may have territories as
large as 6,000 acres, which
they patrol regularly in search
of prey. Females have smaller
territories that may overlap
those of other females and
males. Territories are marked
by secretions of an oily, pun-
gent musk. The polecat also
sprays its scent when fright-
ened or angry.
Left: A dark-faced adult polecat
sniffs the night air for the scent
of prey.
111iJ NATUREWATCH
The most common sign that
polecats live in the area is the
presence of young that have
I
been run over on the roads.
Young are especially vulnerable
to cars in the fall, when they
Far left: Pole-
cats paralyze
frogs and
toads by
pithing, or
biting through
the brain stem.
This leaves the
victims alive
but immobile.
Left: Polecats
are fierce
hunters, often
catching prey
much larger
than them-
selves, such as
rabbits. They
kill them with
a bite to the
neck.
!DID YOU KNOW?
I The male polecat is almost
twice as heavy as the female.
Males hunt larger prey, leav-
ing smaller prey for females,
t hus avoiding competition for
food between the sexes.
In winter, the polecat's coat
changes to silver-gray, which
provides excellent camou-
flage.
The skunk, a close relative
of the polecat, has highly
developed anal scent glands.
Its secretions are so pungent
that they may temporarily
stop a predator's breathing.
leave their mother to estab-
lish territories of their own.
Polecats' droppings contain
fur and bones. Mink drop-
pings are similar but usually
contain fish bones.
~ POLECAT &: MAN
At one time, the polecat was
hunted for sport. Today it is
appreciated in wildlife re-
serves because it controls the
numbers of small rodents that
destroy saplings by gnawing
the bark. The polecat is also
welcomed by some farmers,
who encourage it to live in
barns and kill rats and mice.
The polecat's fur is thick
and silky and was valuable to
the fur trade. As recently as
the 1970s, thousands of pole-
cats were killed for their skins
each year. Now that public
opinion has turned against
the wearing of animal furs,
the trade in polecat skins has
almost ended.
~ BREEDING
Polecats breed from March to
June. The female allows the
male to drag her around by
the scruff of her neck for as
long as an hour. They then
mate several times. The re-
peated mating usually guar-
antees fertilization.
The female gives birth in a
nest of dry grass and moss to
a litter of 5 to 10 young 40 to
43 days later. She guards them
carefully and, for the first few
days, leaves the nest briefly to
feed. She also leaves the nest
to defecate and urinate, which
keeps the nest clean and is
a habit that the young soon
acquire.
The female suckles her
young for a month, during
which time she brings them
small pieces of meat, which
they suck and chew. When
the young are a month old,
their eyes open and they
follow their mother out of
the nest to begin exploring
their surroundings. After
learning to hunt, the young
polecats are ready to fend for
themselves in the fall.
secure nest, the
young are
watched over
by their
mother.
Left: Baby
polecats on an
outing with
their mother.
""'" CARD 1 00 I
LYNX
~ ~ __________________________________________ ~ _ _ ~ ~ h ~
~
ORDER
Carnivora
FAMILY
Felidae
GENUS & SPECIES
Felis lynx
The lynx is a nocturnal hunter that ambushes its prey.
This solitary animal inhabits the forests of North America,
Europe, and the Soviet Union.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 2-3 feet. Male larger than
female.
Height to shoulder: 2 ft .
Tail length: 2-6 in.
Weight: 11-55 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Mating season: Mid-March to
early April.
Gestation: 60-73 days.
No. of young: Up to 4, but usually
1 or 2.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary.
Diet: Small mammals such as
birds, hares, rabbits, foxes, and
deer.
Lifespan: 10-20 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The pardel lynx, Felis pardina,
found in southern Europe, is closely
related, as is the bobcat, F. rufus, of
North America.
~
Coat: Its coat varies in
from pale, sandy gray to a
rusty red. Its thin summer
coat has faint spots. In wi nter
the coat becomes much
denser and is a frosty gray
color.
Feet: Its feet are
large, round, and
padded under-
neath to help it
travel over deep
snow.
Smell: The lynx has an exceptional sense
of smell that helps it detect prey over vary-
ing distances, depending on the animal .
DMCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Range of the lynx.
DISTRIBUTION
Canada and Alaska south into Washington, Oregon, Idaho,
and Montana. Parts of New England, New York, Michigan,
and Wisconsin. Also parts of Europe and the Sovi et Unton.
CONSERVATION
Although its range is greatly diminished, particularly in
Europe, the lynx is still quite common.
Rabbit
1,000 feet
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Reindeer
2,000 feet
Ears: The lynx
has long tufts
of fur in its
ears that help
it to hear.
01 60200201 PACKET 20
The lynx once inhabited forests
throughout North America, Europe, and Asia,
but today its range is severely limited because
of the clearing of woodlands. The lynx
has also been widely hunted for its pelt,
further decreasing the population.
~ HABITAT
Above: Lynxes rest on a rocky
outcrop before starting their
The lynx is found in forests nightly hunt.
among dense vegetatioh. It is
a nocturnal hunter, and it
DID YOU KNOW?
occupies a home range that
The name lynx is derived
varies in size according to the from Lyncaeus, the name
availability of prey. When prey
of the sharp-eyed pilot on
is abundant, the male roams Jason's ship, the Argos.
over an area of up to 20 miles,
Studies of the lynx in cap-
while the female has a range tivity reveal that its acute
half that size. When prey is sense of smell can detect a
scarce, the lynx roams farther rat at 250 feet.
to find food.
Although the lynx swims
The male marks his territory and climbs well, it does not
by shredding the bark on tree run very fast.
trunks and spraying them with
A lynx can jump six feet
urine. Like a domestic cat, the into the air to catch a bird
lynx buries its droppings. Still, as it takes off from the
when it is marking the bound- ground.
ary of its territory, it leaves
In some parts of Europe,
them unburied to warn other
Stone Age man hunted the
animals of its presence.
lynx to extinction.
~ LYNX & MAN
The lynx was once more
widespread than it is today,
especially in Europe. The
clearing of forestland has de-
stroyed the animal's habitat
and forced it to retreat into a
smaller range. Hunting has
decreased its numbers as well.
Like other members of the cat
family, the lynx has been ex-
tensively hunted, primarily for
its fur, but also for its meat.
The main threat to the lynx
is the farmer. Although some
farmers see the lynx as benefi -
cial since it kills foxes, rodents,
and horseshoe hares, others re-
gard the lynx as a pest because
it kills sheep, goats, and other
livestock. In western Europe
the species has been almost
exterminated for this reason.
~ FOOD & HUNTING
The lynx is a carnivore, or
meat eater. It is not as fast as
some of its feline relatives, so
it locates its prey with its
sharp eyesight and acute
hearing, often ambushing it
rather than chasing it.
It catches its prey by wait-
ing behind a boulder or on a
low branch of a tree, attack-
ing before the victim has a
chance to escape.
In northern Europe, the
lynx hunts foxes, rabbits,
hares, rodents, birds, and
small deer. In warmer parts
of its range, the lynx buries
the remains of a kill to eat
later, but if it were to do so
during the winter, the meat
would freeze and become
~ BREEDING
The normally solitary male
leaves its range and searches
for a mate in mid-March to
early April. He fights with rival
males, and he can be heard
making a high-pitched shriek
and wail during this time.
After mating, the female
difficult to eat.
In the United States and
Canada, the lynx mainly
hunts snowshoe hares. In
these areas, the lynx's pop-
ulation fluctuates, paralleling
that of the snowshoe hare,
whose population peaks
every 9 to 10 years. The lynx
also eats meadow voles,
small deer and moose,
caribou, and sheep. Unlike
its European relative, the
North American lynx hides
meat by covering it with a
thin layer of snow or leaves.
Right: The lynx's short, powerful
legs and especially large paws
are well adapted for hunting in
deep snow.
gives birth to a litter of up to
four kittens in a hollow tree or
beneath dense undergrowth.
The furry kittens are born
blind and helpless, and they
develop slowly. They open
their eyes after 10 days and
begin to venture outside the
den five weeks later.
The kittens are weaned at
two months but remain with
their mother until the follow-
ing spring.
Below: The young cannot survive
their first winter without their
mothers.