FENNEC FOX

... ORDER
'11IIIIIIII Carnivora
FAMILY
Canidae
GROUP 1: MAMMALS
GENUS fir SPECIES
Vulpes zerda
The fennec fox is superbly adapted for life in the searing heat of
the North African deserts. The smallest of all foxes, it is further
distinguished by its enormous ears and very long, dark whiskers.
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 14-16 in.
Tail, 7-12 in .
Length of ears: 6 in.
Weight: 2 - 3 ~ lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 9 months.
Mating season: February.
Gestation: 7 weeks.
No. of young: 2-5.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Night-active; social. Lives in
burrows in extended family groups
of about 10 individuals.
Call: Soft whimper.
Diet: Small rodents, lizards, insects,
plants, and fruit.
Lifespan: Up to 12 years in the
wild, but usually less.
RELATED SPECIES
The fennec fox is now placed in the
genus Vulpes, which has 12 species,
including the red fox, Vulpes vulpes.
[
Range of the fen nee fox.
DISTRIBUTION
lives in desert areas in North Africa, including the Sahara. Also
found in the Middle East.
CONSERVATION
Intensive hunting over many years has reduced the fennec fox
population considerably. It is now quite rare over much of its
former range, particularly in the Middle East. In some areas, the
species is even extinct.
FEATURES OF THE FENNEC FOX
SIZE OF FENNEC AND RED FOXES
The fennec fox
is less than half
the length and
one-fifth the
weight of
the red fox.
Coat: Long and fluffy, giving
insulation against nighttime
cold. Sandy color pro-
vides camouflage
in desert.
MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Ears: Large size provides area for release of
excess body heat. Enlarged middle ear gives
fennec acute hearing.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Paws:
Compara-
tively large,
enabling the
fennec to dig
Quickly.
Soles: Completely
covered with long
hairs to give the
fennec a good grip
on sandy ground
and to provide
protection from
the hot sand.
legs: Short but very powerful.
0160200571 PACKET 57
In proportion to its size, the fennec fox has the
largest ears of any desert animal. Since it cannot
sweat, the fen nee uses its ears to help get rid of excess
body heat. The large ears also give the animal a keen
sense of hearing, which it uses to locate prey. The fennec
can dig very rapidly-it works so fast that it seems to
vanish into the sand when digging its burrow.
~ H A B I T S
Like many desert animals, the
fennec fox is active at night and
spends the scorching days rest-
ing in a deep underground den.
Usually dug at the base of a sand
dune, the den is made up of
a series of tunnels and several
chambers. Dens often connect
underground, and it is common
for groups of about 10 animals
to live together. The leader of
the pack is a dominant male.
The fennec is unusually social
for a fox. Adults may groom
each other, and they often play
games. In other fox species,
only the cubs play together.
Toward evening the fennec
fox emerges from its den and
sits in the shade of a rock or
bush to survey its surroundings.
As night falls, it begins its search
for food.
The people of the Sahara Des-
ert have always hunted the fen-
nec fox for food, digging it out
of its den, shooting it, or catch-
ing it with a noose. As a result,
the fennec has become uncom-
mon over much of its range, es-
pecially in the north.
The fennec fox is fairly easy to
domesticate. In some places it is
popular as a pet.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
Although it has a broad diet,
the fennec is primarily a flesh
eater, like all foxes. It uses hear-
ing-its sharpest sense-to lo-
cate small rodents and lizards,
picking up the sounds of prey
with its huge ears.
When it detects a likely vic-
tim, the fennec rushes in for
the kill rather than stalking its
prey by stealth like most foxes.
If the fennec kills more than it
can eat, it buries the remainder
of its catch and digs it up later
Left: The fennec fox digs a den that
provides protection from the high
daytime temperatures.
DID YOU KNOW?
Like many other desert an-
imals, the fennec fox con-
serves vital body moisture
by excreting highly concen-
trated urine.
The arctic fox and the fen-
nec have circular pupils. The
red fox has vertical pupils.
The fennec fox was once
classified in its own genus,
to eat when food is scarce.
In addition to small mam-
mals, the fennec eats insects,
especially desert locusts. It
also feeds on any plants and
fruits that grow in its desert
habitat, and it is particularly
fond of dates.
Like all successful desert ani-
mals, the fennec seems able to
survive for some time without
drinking. When it does locate
a source of water, however, it
drinks deeply.
Right: Oversize ears are a common
adaptation among desert mam-
mals like the fennec fox.
Fennecus, because its large
ears, rounded head, and less
specialized teeth set it apart
from other foxes.
Many scientists describe
the fennec fox as the African
counterpart of the small kit
fox in North America. But
the kit fox is more solitary
than the fennec.
The fennec fox mates in Febru-
ary. About seven weeks later,
the female gives birth to two
to five cubs-a small litter com-
pared to those of other fox spe-
cies. The cubs are born deep
underground in the safety of
the female's den.
The young are born blind and
have relatively small ears. The
cubs are covered in short, very
pale downy fur with a darker
stripe running down the back.
The cubs open their eyes after
Left: Its parents care for the fennec
cub for a relatively long time,
increasing its chances of survival.
Left: The fen-
nec fox takes
shelter in its
den during
the day and
emerges at
night to hunt.
It retains this
pattern of be-
havioreven
when it is kept
in captivity.
about 12 days and soon start to
play. The female begins to feed
them solid food when they are
about three and a half weeks
old, and they soon become ag-
gressive in demanding food. By
seven weeks old, the cubs' ears
have begun to grow. Their fur
has become thicker and fluffier,
darkening to its adult color.
The young are usually reared
by both parents, sometimes
with the help of cubs from ear-
lier litters. At nine months old,
the cubs are fully grown and
independent but may still re-
main with their parents.
" CARD 222 1
DWARF MONGOOSE
, , ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
ORDER
Carnivora
FAMilY
Viverridae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Helogale parvula
The dwarf mongoose is an unusual animal that has several almost
human characteristics. It stands on its hind legs, scratches
its head, picks at its teeth, and chatters constantly.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
length: 7-10 in. (without tail).
Weight: 1-1 ~ lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 5 months.
Breeding season: Anytime. Mates
up to 3 times a year.
No. of young: Up to 7.
Gestation period: About 2 months.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Active by day; lives and
hunts in packs.
Diet: Beetles, grasshoppers, ter-
mites, small mammals, reptiles,
birds, fruit, and berries.
lifespan: Up to 10 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The dwarf mongoose is the smallest
member of the family Viverridae,
which has 31 species of mongoose
and 35 species of civet and genet.
Range of the dwarf mongoose.
DISTRIBUTION
Found along the east coast of Africa from Ethiopia to the
Transvaal in South Africa. Also found in central southern
Africa and as far west as Angola.
CONSERVATION
Birds of prey and other predators hold down the numbers
of dwarf mongooses, but there are no serious threats to
the population.
FEATURES OF THE DWARF MONGOOSE
Head: Long,
pointed muzzle.
Its small, round
ears and sharp
eyes are con-
stantly alert to
danger.
Feet: 4 digits,
each tipped with
a long, nonre-
tractable claw
for digging and
climbing.
Coat: Long and coarse, varying in
color from grayish brown to dark tan
flecked with gray. The chest and belly
are usually lighter.
MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Tail: About 7 inches
long, muscular, and
covered with hair.
Used for balance
when the animal
sits up on its
hind legs.
0160200631 PACKET 63
The larger relatives of the dwarf mongoose have
a reputation for fighting with snakes, which are the
mainstay of their diet. But the dwarf mongoose rarely, if
ever, eats a snake, and it never fights a snake on its own.
Members of a pack may occasionally band together to
attack and kill a snake. More often, however, they feed
on insects such as termites, beetles, and grasshoppers.
~ HABITS
The dwarf mongoose is a social
animal that lives in a pack of up
to 20 individuals. Each pack has
a dominant breeding pair, oth-
er adults, and young. Some ani-
mals remain in the same pack all
their lives, waiting for a turn to
become the dominant male or
female. But most leave to join
another established pack or to
form a new one.
Dwarf mongooses leave their
burrows at dawn to hunt for
food. Two young males perch
high up to act as guards, look-
ing and listening for predators.
If danger threatens, they warn
the others with loud alarm calls,
and the pack scatters to search
for shelter.
A dwarf mongoose pack may
roam for a month at a time, cov-
ering up to a mile each day. The
animals spend nights in make-
shift shelters.
Members of a pack play with
each other and share the care of
the young as well as sick animals
in the pack. But they do not wel-
come rivals, and fierce fights be-
tween packs are common.
Right: The dwarf mongoose is not
as sensitive as other mammals to a
scorpion's poisonous sting.
~ BREEDING
The dwarf mongoose pack has
a hierarchical structure with a
single dominant female or a
dominant breeding pair. The
"queen" is the only female in
the pack permitted to breed,
and the others help rear her
young. If another female does
give birth, her cubs are often
killed in their burrow.
The queen mates up to three
times a year. After a gestation of
about two months, up to seven
young are born in a chamber of
left: The dwarf mongoose some-
times climbs onto anthills or low
mounds to look for predators.
DID YOU KNOW?
The white-tailed mongoose
is three times the size of the
dwarf mongoose.
The dwarf mongoose usual-
ly breeds during the months
of greatest rainfall, when food
is plentiful.
Rival packs may fight fierce-
ly during a territorial dispute,
using their sharp claws to tear
the burrow or in an outside nest
made of grass. The newborns
are blind and without fur. Their
eyes open after two weeks, and
they are weaned in a month.
The female helpers catch bee-
tles to feed the young. They also
groom the cubs, play with them,
and teach them to hunt. After
two months, the cubs are inde-
pendent. They are sexually ma-
ture after five months, but they
do not reach full adult size until
they are almost three years old.
Right: Only one female in a dwarf
mongoose pack breeds, and the
others help rear her cubs.
at each other's fur and ears.
The dwarf mongoose can
identify another individual, its
sex, and its pack from scent
markings produced by the
anal glands.
The dwarf mongoose's ene-
mies include some larger mon-
gooses, such as the solitary
and slender mongooses.
~ HABITAT
The dwarf mongoose thrives in
the arid semideserts and savan-
nas of sub-Saharan Africa, but it
rarely goes very far from a water
supply. Trees and clumps of dry
grass offer it cover from preda-
tors, and there are many termite
mounds, which provide shelter,
food, and lookout posts. The
terrain is also dotted with aban-
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
The dwarf mongoose's main
activity every day is searching
with the pack for food. With its
guards posted, the compact
group scours its territory in a
close formation, looking mainly
for insects, such as beetles, ter-
mites, and larvae. In areas with
dense cover, pack mem bers use
twittering calls to maintain con-
tact with one another.
As the mongoose pack moves
forward, grasshoppers spring
from its path, and they are fre-
quently scooped up by horn-'
bills. In return, these birds warn
the pack of certain predators,
doned burrows, rock piles, fall -
en trees, and caves, which offer
resting sites away from the hot
African sun.
The dwarf mongoose is also
found in dry acacia brush, the
scanty vegetation of the moun-
tains, and woodlands. If danger
threatens, it may hide in the
huge, gnarled roots of trees.
such as goshawks and falcons.
Within the pack, each dwarf
mongoose fends for itself, find-
ing its own food unless it is too
young or too ill to hunt. The
dominant pair may, however,
take food found or killed by
another member of the pack.
In addition to insects, berries,
and fruit, the dwarf mongoose
eats mice and other small mam-
mals, the young of any ground-
nesting birds, and some reptiles.
The animal is expert at opening
eggs and snail shells, which it
hurls between its hind legs and
cracks against a tree or stone.
'" CARD 223 I
MUSK DEER

ORDER
Artiodactyla
FAMILY
Cervidae
GENUS
Moschus
Musk deer are named for the substance that is produced by the male
in a glandular pouch on the abdomen. Musk is a key ingredient in
many expensive perfumes. It is also used in soaps and medicines.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: ft.
Height: 1 ft.
Weight: 15-40 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 18 months.
Breeding season: Early winter.
Gestation: 5 months.
No. of young: 1, rarely 2.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Active at night, early morn-
ing, and evening. Mostly solitary,
except when breeding.
Range of musk deer.
DISTRIBUTION
Diet: Grasses, leaves, flowers,
shoots, mosses, lichens, softwoods.
Call: Males occasionally make a
sound like a human sneeze.
Lifespan: 10-12 years.
Musk deer are found in Russia, Mongolia, China, northern Viet-
nam, northern Myanmar (Burma), northern India, and Nepal.
CONSERVATION
RELATED SPECIES
There are 3 closely related species
in the family Cervidae: Moschus
moschiferus, M. sifanicus, and M.
chrysogaster.
Hunting in Russia is now controlled, and populations are be-
lieved to be more stable. Musk deer are being raised in China
and Nepal in an attempt to increase numbers.
FEATURES OF MUSK DEER
Coat: Very coarse hair. grayi sh
brown or gold and speckled. Often
striped around the underpart of
the neck.
saberi ike upper canines
I\;; well below the lips in males
and are used for fi ghting. They are
smaller and less visible in females.
Feet: Long. slender hooves. Lateral toes touch the
ground as deer run downhill . so the animals are
very surefooted on mountainous terrain.
MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S. A.
legs: Hind legs about 2 inches
longer than forelegs produce a
springing gait and make the back
look rounded.
0160200641 PACKET 64
The classification of musk deer has long been confused.
These small deer are so unusual that they were once placed
in a family of their own. Today, howeve" most authorities
place the three species of musk deer in the same family as
all other deer. The males are widely hunted for the strongly
scented secretion they produce. This substance may serve as
a signal to females, but its exact function remains unknown.
~ HABITS
Musk deer rely on their keen
hearing to detect danger. They
appear nervous, pausing regu-
larly while feeding to listen. The
deer are ready to bound away
at the slightest noise, but they
often misinterpret sounds. They
may flee at the sudden crack
of a branch but take no notice
of human conversation or the
sound of a car motor.
Musk deer form groups only
during the mating season. At
other times the doe (female) is
solitary, except when caring for .
her young. The buck (male) is
barely more sociable. He wan-
ders widely to patrol his relative-
ly large territory. The buck may
control up to three does, each of
which feeds in a smaller area
within his territory.
Musk deer are creatures of hab-
it and repeatedly use the same
trails, latrines, and hiding places.
They feed mostly at night, dusk,
and dawn and often spend the
day lying in a scraped-out de-
pression in the ground. They
may also hide in long grass and
dense vegetation.
Right: A young musk deer spends
most of its first weeks hidden in
the undergrowth.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
Like other deer, musk deer are
ruminants-chewing the cud for
several hours every day. They
feed on at least 1 30 different
plant species, including grasses,
leaves, young shoots, and flow-
ers. The selection is more lim-
ited during harsh winters in the
mountain forests in the north-
ern part of their range. There
the deer rely on mosses, tree
lichens, and twigs.
Conditions are less difficult in
the southern part of their range,
left: The female musk deer does
not produce musk and lacks the
prominent canines of the male.
DID YOU KNOW?
During the courtship period,
male musk deer eat little and
cover vast distances. By the
end of this period, they are
usually exhausted and may
take several weeks to recover.
Dried musk from one gland
weighs about an ounce. In Ne-
pal in 1972, musk was worth
more than its weight in gold.
where grasses, tender shoots,
and leaves are available most of
the year. In such places, lichens
and softwood may be nearly
absent from the diet.
Musk deer are expert climbers
with excellent balance. They can
stand on their hind legs for half
a minute or more without diffi-
culty. The deer use this skill to
reach into trees and tear down
branches. If there is no moss or
lichen on the branches, the deer
eat the wood instead.
Right: Musk deer are alert to un-
familiar sounds in their wooded
mountain habitat.
In a single year Japan may
buy 11,000 pounds of musk.
This represents musk from
more than 176,000 bucks.
The scientific name for musk
deer comes from an old San-
skrit word meaning "scrotum."
The name reflects the resem-
blance of the musk gland to
the male's testicular pouch.
~ MUSK DEER & MAN
For centuries, musk deer have
been hunted for a secretion pro-
duced by the buck and used in
perfumes and medicines. When
it is dried, this oily, jellylike sub-
stance forms grains, and these
are processed to make a costly
ingredient that preserves the
fragrance of perfume.
Only the buck produces this
~ BREEDING
The rut, or breeding season, of
musk deer is usually between
November and January. At this
time the buck pursues the does
in his territory over great dis-
tances, often chasing them to
the point of exhaustion. He may
also try to mate with a doe in a
neighboring buck's territory, and
this frequently causes conflict.
Although much of the conflict
is restricted to a display of the
upper teeth, a buck can inflict
deep wounds on the back and
neck of a rival.
After mating, the male plays
no further part in the breeding
secretion, but hunters' traps kill
does and fawns as well as bucks.
This practice is one reason for the
decline of the musk deer popu-
lation. This unfortunate ,situation
can be easily remedied, howev-
er, since the secretion can be col-
lected without killing the buck.
In addition, artificial substitutes
for musk have been developed.
process. After a five-month ges-
tation period, the female gives
birth to a single fawn. On rare
occasions two young are born.
The newborn deer weighs only
about a pound and a half. When
it suckles, it raises a foreleg and
taps its mother's hind leg gently
to remind her to stand still.
During its first weeks of life,
the fawn hides among rocks or
in vegetation while its mother
searches for food. She returns
to suckle her young until it is
strong enough to accompany
her on foraging trips. By then
the fawn is four weeks old.
DOUROUCOULI
ORDER
Primates
FAMILY
Cebidae
GROUP 1: MAMMALS
~ GENUS & SPECIES
'11IIIIIIII Aotus trivirgatus
The douroucouli is an agile South American monkey that is active
only at night. Huge round eyes help this adaptable creature
see in the dark as it moves through the forest.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 9-14 in.
Tail , 12-16 in.
Weight: 1-2 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 2 years.
Breeding season: All year.
Gestation: 5 months.
No. of young: 1 .
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Forms small family groups
of 2 adults and their young.
Diet: Mainly fruit but also leaves,
insects, and occasionally small
mammals.
Lifespan: Up to 25 years in the
wild. Longest recorded in captivity,
11 years, 7 months.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 11 genera and about
30 species in the family Cebidae.
These include the uakaris, the pale-
faced saki , spider monkeys, and
howler monkeys.
FEATURES OF THE DOURO
Coat: Sh [4 dense, and soft, giving
the body a stoCky appearance.
Brown or gray wi th lighter
oloring on the chest.
Tail: Long and bushy. Used
for balance when moving
through the trees.
if; MCMXCII IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Range of the douroucouli.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in forests throughout South America: from Panama
south to northeastern Argentina, and from Guiana and Brazil
west to Peru and Ecuador.
CONSERVATION
Like other animals that inhabit the forests of South America,
the douroucouli is threatened by the continuing destruction
of its habitat.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Eyes: Close-set
and very large to
aid night vision.
Facial markings: Black
and white areas running
from the forehead down
the nose and cheeks.
0160200571 PACKET 57
Within its large range, the wide-eyed douroucouli
has settled in forests wherever there is a good supply
of fruit, which forms the bulk of its diet. This monkey
will even venture close to human settlements in order to
find fruit. As it leaps through treetops and vines, the
douroucouli uses a wide array of calls to keep in touch
with other members of its close-knit family group.
~ H A B I T S
The douroucouli lives in the
forests of Panama and South
America, from sea level to an
elevation of about 7,000 feet.
It spends most of its time in
the treetops. It sleeps during
the day and becomes highly
active at night.
The douroucouli has excellent
night vision. It moves easily from
branch to branch searching for
food, sometimes descending to
the forest floor. Its long, strong
limbs make it one of the most
acrobatic monkeys.
The douroucouli has many
different calls, probably because
it needs a variety of sounds to
communicate with the family
group as it moves through the
dark forest. Under its chin is a
fleshy sac that it can inflate to
amplify its voice. When a mon-
key detects a predator, it warns
the others with a "wook-wook"
call. Other calls include squeaks,
hisses, and barks.
The douroucouli lives in a small
family group, usually consisting
of two parents and their young.
Each family group tends to stay
in its own territory, which the
adults mark with a secretion
from their anal glands.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
As darkness falls, the dourou-
couli begins a long night in
search of food. Its staple diet is
fruit, but it also eats leaves, in-
sects, spiders, small birds, and
possibly bats and other small
mammals.
Because it has superb night
vision, this agile monkey can
move through trees with ease.
It can even see well enough
to catch flying creatures such
as flies, cockroaches, and bats.
The douroucouli perches on a
Left: A long, bushy tail helps the
douroucouli balance but does not
serve as a fifth limb.
I DID YOU KNOW?
The douroucouli may use 50
different calls. One call is often
mistaken for a cat's call.
When there is no moonlight,
the douroucouli does not fight
or hoot very much.
Because of its large eyes, the
douroucouli is also known as
the owl monkey.
branch and launches itself at
passing prey, reaching out with
its long arms to snatch its vic-
tim from the air.
Occasionally, several family
groups converge on a tree
laden with fruit. The groups
tolerate one another for a
while, but the adults start a
noisy and aggressive display
before long. They may even
attack their rivals and fight
until one group returns to its
own territory.
Right: The douroucouli lives mainly
on fruit, leaves, and insects found
in the treetops.
The douroucouli has denser
fur than any other species of
monkey.
South American monkeys
share few characteristics with
the monkeys of Africa and Asia
and are only distantly related.
The douroucouli occasional-
ly feeds in full daylight.
Because its habitat is inaccessi-
ble, little is known about the
douroucouli's breeding habits.
It is thought that mating takes
place at any time of the year,
depending on the availability
of food.
The male searches for a mate
when there is a full moon and a
clear sky. He hoots loudly as he
travels through the treetops. He
may cover up to four miles in
one night.
After mating, the female gives
Left: Oversize eyes enable the dou"
roucouli to forage at night in the
forest conopy.
birth to a single infant weighing
about four ounces. For a few
weeks the newborn clings to its
mother's belly, relying on her for
food and protection. In about a
month it can climb well enough
to transfer itself to her back. At
seven weeks, it is strong enough
to try a few jumps. At this stage
the adult male begins to help
look after the youngster.
Because the offspring remains
with the family for two and a
half years before becoming in-
dependent, a family group may
have two or three young from
different years.
RINGTAIL
ORDER
Carnivora
FAMILY
Procyonidae
CARD 225
GROUP 1: MAMMALS
GENUS & SPECI ES
Bassariscus astutus
The ringtail is a small, fierce flesh eater that lives in North
America. A member of the raccoon family, it has the distinctive
black-and-white ringed tail that raccoons have.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 12-16 in.
Tail , 12-1 7 in.
Weight: 2-3 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1-2 years.
Mating season: February to May.
Gestation: About 2 months.
No. of young: 2-4.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Night-active; mainly
solitary.
Diet: Small mammals, birds, rep-
tiles, and insects. Also fruit and
other plant matter.
Lifespan: About 8 years in captivi -
ty; shorter in the wild.
RELATED SPECIES
The other species in the genus is
the Central American ringtail, Bas-
sariscus sumichrasti. Both speci es
are sometimes called cacomistles.
FEATURES OF THE RINGTAll
Face: Thin face
si milar to a rac-
coon's. Pale rings
around the eyes.
large, slightly
rounded ears.
Claws: Sharp, re-
tractable claws used
for climbing steep
surfaces and tree
trunks.
Range of the ringtail.
DISTRIBUTION
Found from Oregon east to Nebraska and southeast to
Alabama, down through the southwestern United States
into Mexico.
CONSERVATION
Although it has no commercial value and is not regarded
as a pest, the ringtail is still killed. It is not a threatened spe-
cies, however.
Coat: Gray to brown in color.
Tail: Thick and bushy with distinctive
black-and-white rings. Markings on
the Central American ringtail are not
as pronounced.
MCMXCIV IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A. us P 6001 12 069 PACKET 69
The ringtail's closest relative is the central American
ring tail. Both of these species are known as the cacomistle,
a Nahuatl Indian word that means "half mountain lion. "
Because of its agile, catlike movements, the ring tail of
North America is also known as the ring-tailed cat.
~ HABITS
The ringtail is found in North
America from sea level to eleva-
tions of 10,000 feet or more.
An agile climber, it favors cliffs
and rocky terrain. Although
fairly common across its range,
this shy, nocturnal animal is
rarely seen.
The ringtail rests by day in a
den of moss, grass, and leaves,
which is set in a rocky outcrop
or hollow tree. Upon awaken-
ing, the animal cleans itself by
licking its paws and then using
them to wash its ears and face.
Although usually solitary, the
ringtail is sometimes found with
a mate. Occasionally the ani-
mals gather in groups for brief
periods of time.
When it is upset, the ringtail
growls, spits, and fluffs out its
tail, making it appear bigger
than the body. When threat-
ened by an enemy, it launches
into a headlong attack with
screams and snarls. It simulta-
neously emits a foul-smelling
secretion from its anal glands.
Right: Large ears and eyes give the
ring tail keen hearing and vision for
nighttime hunting.
DID YOU KNOW?
The ringtail was used to
control rodents in frontier
mines, so it was nicknamed
"miner's cat."
Although unrelated to the
civet of Africa, the ringtail is
~ FOOD & HUNTING
The ringtail is primarily a flesh
eater, feeding on small mam-
mals, birds, reptiles, and in-
sects. Occasionally it eats fruit
and other plant matter.
The ringtail hunts at night
and prefers to ambush prey
rather than chase it. After it
jumps on its victim, the ring-
tail uses its foreclaws to push
the animal to the ground. The
ringtail kills its prey by giving
it a sharp, deep bite on the
neck. It usually consumes the
victim headfirst.
Left: With retractable claws like
those of a cat, the ring tail is agile
in trees and on rocks.
Right: The ring tail has pale rings
around its eyes, while its raccoon
relatives have black rings.
occasionally called by the
same name. This is because,
like the civet, it produces a
strong-smelling secretion.
A ringtail in a Mexican zoo
lived for 23 years.
The ringtail mates from Febru-
ary to May. After a gestation of
about two months, the female
gives birth to a litter of two to
four young. The newborn ring-
tail is covered with sparse white
hair. Its stubby, almost bare tail
has dark rings that resemble the
black rings on the adult's tail.
Born blind, deaf, and helpless,
the young squeak constantly,
except when sleeping or suck-
ling. Their mother lifts them by
the shoulders, belly, or head to
carry them away in her mouth.
After about one month, the
Left: The ring-
tail holds a ter-
ritory of up to
a square mile,
which it marks
by urinating on
rocks and trees
along the
boundaries.
youngsters' ears and eyes open,
and they are weaned. The moth-
er brings them solid food. She is
sometimes assisted by the male,
who has little to do with rearing
the young.
By five weeks old the young
have the bushy tail and coat of
adulthood. They are very active
by two months of age and ac-
company their mother on hunt-
ing trips. At four months old the
young are completely indepen-
dent. By the beginning of win-
ter, the family breaks up, and
the young leave.
'" CARD 226 I ' '" "J KEY FACTS
- - - - - - - - ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
DUGONG
, , ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
~
ORDER
Sirenia
FAMILY
Dugongidae
The dugong is a shy, harmless marine mammal with a sleek, solid
body. It drifts lazily over the seabed in shallow waters
near tropical shores, where it grazes on plants.
,; SIZES
Length: 8-1 3 ft.
Weight: 500-800 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Female, 8-1 8
years. Male, unknown.
No. of young: Usually 1, rarely 2.
Gestation period: 1 year.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Generally solitary, but occa-
sionally lives in small herds.
Diet: Various sea grasses and
their roots.
Call: Occasional grunts.
Lifespan: Up to 50 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The order Sirenia includes the West
African manatee, Trichechus sene-
ga/ensis; the West Indian manatee,
T. manatus; and the Amazonian
manatee, T. in unguis. The dugong's
closest relative, Steller's sea cow,
Hydrodama/is gigas, is extinct.
FEATURES OF THE DUGONG
Range of the dugong.
DISTRIBUTION
The dugong lives around the tropical coastlines of Asia, Aus-
tralia, New Guinea, and eastern Africa.
CONSERVATION
Numbers have been drastically reduced by overhunting and
habitat destruction. The dugong is now almost extinct around
Madagascar. There are protected habitats along the coasts of
Africa, Australia, and Sri Lanka.
Head: Large, with
long, split snout
overhanging lower
lip. Male has 2 large
tusklike incisor teeth
that project through
the upper lip in front
of the mouth. No ex-
ternal ears.
Body: Solid, streamlined, and mostly
hairless, except around the mouth.
Thick, tough skin varies
from grayish blue
to shades of
brown.
MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Forelimbs: Circular, paddle-
shaped. Lacking the rudimenta-
ry nails of the manatees. Used
for digging out plant roots. Fe-
male also uses them to support
her calf .
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Tail: Horizontally
flattened with
straight or slightly
concave trailing
edge. Moves up and
down with the hind
part of the body to
propel the dugong
through the water.
0160200581 PACKET 58
The dugong is the only sea-dwelling mammal that eats
plants. Because of its diet it is popularly known as
the sea cow. The dugong feeds in shallow waters at
night. It grazes on a variety of flowering marine
plants that are known as sea grasses. It also gets
nourishment from the juic'/J carbohydrate-rich
roots of the smaller species of sea grass.
~ CHARACTERISTICS
The dugong is one of several
groups of mammals that live
in water but breathe air. Like
its relatives, the three species
of manatee, the dugong feeds
primarily on plants. Because
they share the same unusual
feeding habits, the dugong
and manatees are classified
together in the order Sirenio.
The dugong has much in
common with the manatees,
but they differ in several ways.
The dugong is smaller than a
manatee and has a larger head.
The dugong lacks the nails that
appear on a manatee's flippers,
and its tail is not the same shape
as a manatee's tail.
The dugong is generally soli-
tary, but it occasionally lives in
small family groups, or herds.
It spends a great deal of time
in warm water at a depth of
about 20 to 35 feet, however
it surfaces every few minutes
to breathe. The dugong favors
habitats around coral reefs and
rarely ventures far out to sea.
Unlike many of its relatives, it
never enters rivers or estuaries.
Right: The female dugong rarely
produces more than five or six off-
spring during her lifetime.
I
~ BREEDING
The female dugong reaches sex-
ual maturity sometime between
8 and 18 years old. After a gesta-
tion of almost a year, she gives
birth, usually to just one young
called a calf. At birth, the calf is
about three feet long. The moth-
~ FOOD & FEEDING
The dugong eats various sea
grasses plus the carbohydrate-
rich roots of the smaller plants.
It feeds at night over an exten-
sive area.
Left: The dugong feeds in the shal-
lows at night. It may venture into
slightly deeper waters by day.
DID YOU KNOW?
Up to six and a half gallons
of oil can be obtained from
the body of an adult dugong.
The dugong's bones may be
made into charcoal or used in
food processing.
Fossils of the dugong's ances-
tors have been found in rocks
I more than 50 million years old.
The dugong's closest rela-
er helps it to the surface of the
water, where it starts to breathe.
The calf suckles for almost two
years. While nursing, the moth-
er floats on her back and cradles
the calf in her flippers. She also
cradles it until it can swim freely.
The dugong uses the bristles
around its mouth to find food.
It gathers grass in its jaws, and
it uses its front flippers to dig
roots out of the sand.
Right: The dugong feeds on sea
grasses, using the horny plates on
its upper and lower jaws.
tive, Steller's sea cow, weighed
about 8,000 pounds and was
three times the size of the du-
gong. Steller's sea cow was dis-
covered in 1741 and probably
became extinct 30 years later.
The dugong's relatives, the
manatees, nurse on the water's
surface and may be the source
of legends about mermaids.
~ DUGONG & MAN
The slow-moving, defenseless
dugong has long been hunted
for food, even to the point of
extinction in some areas. Off the
Australian coast, the Aborigines
still catch the dugong for food.
The dugong's flesh was con-
sidered an aphrodisiac by the
Chinese. The people of Mada-
gascar used to grind the male
dugong's tusks into a powder
that was used as an antidote to
food poisoning.
In recent times, oil released into
the Persian Gulf during the Gulf
War has damaged the dugong's
habitat and food supplies.
'" CARD 227 I
EUROPEAN BEAVER
, , ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
ORDER
Rodentia
... FAMILY
'1IIIIIIII Castoridae
The beaver is Europe ~ largest rodent and nature ~ most
remarkable builder. It constructs not only large dams,
but also a secure lodge for its family.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 2 ~ - 3 ft.
Tail, about 1 ft .
Weight: Up to 90 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 2 years.
Mating season: February.
Gestation: 3 - 3 ~ months.
No. of young: Usually 2-4.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Lives by a wooded river or
lake in a family unit.
Diet: Tree bark, roots, twigs, leaves,
and aquatic plants.
Lifespan: 10-15 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The other species in the genus Cas-
tor is the North American beaver,
C. canadensis, which lives in Canada
and the northern U.S. Beavers be-
long to a suborder of Rodentia that
includes kangaroo rats, prairie
dogs, marmots, and squirrels.
THE EUROPEAN BEAVER
AND ITS DAM
Range of the European beaver.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in isolated areas in Scandinavia, Finland, Poland, Russia,
and along the Elbe and Rhone rivers. Reintroduced in parts of
France, Germany, and Austria.
CONSERVATION
Trapping exterminated the beaver from nearly all of its former
European range. Under protection and management, popula-
tions are increasing today.
Trees: The
beaver favors '
Tree felling: The
beaver uses its
sharp front teeth
to gnaw a ring
around a trunk.
Site: A lowland river or lake bordered
byqpen, broad-leaved woodland.
Reservoir: A protective environment
for the beaver's family and food sup-
ply. The beaver can regulate the wa-
ter level by adjusting the dam.
Dam: Extends all the way across the
river or lake. Causes the water to rise
until it covers and conceals the tunnel
entrance to the beaver's lodge.
MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WI LDLI FE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
r
It cuts the tree
so that it falls
toward the
water,
Construction: The beaver uses various
dam designs. Most of them involve
wedging branches into debris or rocks
on the river bottom, then adding mUd.
0160200501 PACKET 50
The European beaver first evolved about five million
years ago. It was once widespread in Europe's waterways,
but extensive trapping brought it close to extinction.
The European beaver was prized for its fur and for an
anal secretion once believed to cure illness. Today this
resourceful rodent is protected throughout its range,
and its population is slowly increasing.
~ H A B I T S
The European beaver needs both
trees and water, so it is confined
to rivers and lakes that are bor-
dered by broad-leaved woods.
The beaver builds a dam
across a waterway to control
the water level near its lodge.
To build its lodge, the beaver
digs a rising tunnel into the
waterside bank and enlarges
Above: The beaver feeds on tree
bark, which it strips off with its
sharp front teeth.
the top end into a living cham-
ber. The entrance is underwa-
ter, but the chamber is above
water level. If the water level
rises, the beaver digs upward. It
may then pile twigs and soil on
top of the bank to protect the
lodge. When the water surface
freezes, the beaver makes a
hole in the dam to lower the
water behind it. This makes an
air space under the ice where
the animals can breathe.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
During the summer the Euro-
pean beaver eats the roots,
pads, and shoots of water
lilies and other aquatic plants.
It also eats the bark, twigs,
leaves, and roots of trees and
shrubs. It strips the bark from
wood chips that it gnaws from
trees with its razor-sharp in-
cisors. These teeth keep grow-
ing as they wear down.
In winter the beaver may not
leave its lodge for weeks, espe-
cially if the water surface is
frozen. Since it does not hiber-
nate, it must feed each day.
In fall it collects a supply of
branches to be used for food
in winter and anchors them
near the entrance to its lodge.
DID YOU KNOW?
The beaver is a skilled swim-
mer and has scales on its tail,
so the Catholic church once
regarded it as a fish. This
meant Catholics could eat
beaver meat during Lent.
A beaver slaps the surface
of the water loudly with its
tail to warn others of danger.
A beaver dam in Russia was
400 feet long, 3 feet high,
and up to 3 feet wide. Dams
up to 1,650 feet long have
been found in North America.
The little finger of the bea-
ver functions like a human
thumb and is used to grip
branches and stones.
The male and female beaver
seem to pair for life. The fami-
ly unit often includes kits (off-
spring) from the previous year.
The pair mates in late winter,
and two to four kits are born in
late spring. The male and older
kits move out of the lodge dur-
ing the birth.
The kits are born covered in
Left: At only one week old the kit
swims well, but it is closely guarded
by an adult.
... EUROPEAN
~ BEAVER &: MAN
The European beaver has been
widely trapped for its fur and
for an anal secretion called cas-
toreum with which the beaver
marks its territory. This musky-
smelling substance was consid-
ered valuable because people
believed that it could cure all
kinds of ailments.
The beaver also suffered from
river management plans that
altered and often destroyed its
habitat. Today it is protected in
most countries, and numbers
are increasing. It has even been
reintroduced in areas such as
the Rhone delta in France.
Left: The beaver is active mainly at
night. In quiet areas it also emerges
in the daytime.
left: The
beaver favors
softwood trees
like willow and
poplar. It can
gnaw through
a narrow trunk
in only a few
minutes. It cuts
each felled tree
into small
pieces that it
eats or stores.
hair and with their eyes open.
They stay in the living cham-
ber with the mother for about
three weeks. She suckles them
but also begins to feed them
young leaves after a few days.
Al though adult beavers are
quiet, the kits chatter a lot.
The male parent drives males
from the lodge when they are
two years old to begin their
own families. Females also
leave at breeding age.
'::: CARD 228 1
MARGAY
, , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
~
ORDER
Carnivora
FAMILY
Felidae
GENUS & SPECIES
Felis wiedii
The margay is a small cat that lives in the forests of tropical
America. Its beautifully dappled coat has caused this animal to
be hunted extensively, and it is now severely threatened.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Head and body length: Male,
21-31 in. Female, 18-23 in.
Tail length: Male, 13-20 in.
Female, 13-17 in.
Weight: 9-20 lb.
BREEDING
Breeding season: Variable.
Gestation period: 2 - 2 ~ months.
litter size: 1 or 2.
Sexual maturity: 14-1 5 months.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary; day-active. Spends
most of its time in the trees.
Range of the margay.
DISTRIBUTION
Diet: Birds; small to medium-size
mammals such as rats, squirrels,
opossums, and monkeys; lizards
and tree frogs.
The margay is found from northern Mexico to Uruguay and
northern Argentina.
CONSERVATION
lifespan: 13 years in captivity.
RELATED SPECIES
Relatives include the ocelot, Felis
pardalis, and the little spotted cat,
F. tigrinus.
like many other species of South American cat, the margay
has been excessively hunted for its beautiful fur. It is now
threatened in all parts of its range.
FEATURES OF THE MARGAY
Coat: Soft, luxuriant fur. Yellow-brown with
black spots and stripes on body and rings
on tail. Base color of underside is paler.
Hind feet:
Special joints
allow them
to rotate up
to 180
degrees.
scent glands
are used to
mark territory.
They are lo-
cated between the
margay's toe pads,
on its lips and chin,
and around its nip-
ples and anus. The
male has a special
tail and anal gland
that he uses for
scent-marking.
Claws: Long and sharp. Retracted
into sheaths in the paws when resting
or walking. When the cat becomes
excited, it automatically flexes its
muscles, causing the claws to spring
from their sheaths.
MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
A SKILLFUL CLIMBER
The margay's speed in trees is
increased by its ability to turn
180 degrees around the trunk.
The margay is an unusual cat
because it can travel headfirst
down a tree like a squirrel.
0160200601 PACKET 60
The margay is an unusual member of the cat family
because it spends almost all of its time in trees. It has
specially adapted hind limbs and feet that enable it
to perform extraordinary acrobatic climbing feats.
The margay can even pounce directly from high up
in the trees and surprise prey on the ground.
~ HABITS
The margay is a small, solitary
cat with beautiful markings that
lives in the jungles of Central
and South America. During the
day it hunts and eats in the trees.
At night it sleeps in the fork of a
branch or in a hollow.
The margay is a superb climber
as well as a skilled acrobat. It of-
ten hangs by a single paw from
a branch or rushes headfirst up
and down the trunks of trees.
Although many cats are good
climbers, few are as skilled as
this agile creature.
The margay has a large terri-
tory that it marks with scent and
urine. The territory lies within a
larger home range and contains
specific areas for sleeping, rest-
ing, eating, and patrolling. The
female margay also has a den
area, where she raises her litter.
The home ranges of several mar-
gays frequently overlap, but in-
dividuals appear to tolerate one
another. In the breeding season,
however, the male cat becomes
more aggressive, and the fe-
male defends the den site and
her young with ferocity.
Right: The margay hunts birds
and small tree-dwelling mammals
high in the branches.
~ BREEDING
The margay usually breeds be-
tween October and January, but
it is not known whether there is
a set mating season in the deep
tropics. The female may come
into heat (be ready to mate) sev-
eral times a year. At the start of
the breeding season, the male
margay leaves his home range
to find a mate. The female re-
mains in her home range and
mates with any males that pass
through it.
When the female is in heat,
she sprays a secretion around
her range to signal to males that
Left: The margay was once hunted
for its handsome coat, but it is now
a rare sight in the wild.
DID YOU KNOW?
The margay gets its scientif-
ic name from the name of a
German explorer, Prince Max-
imilian of Wied-Neuwied. In
the 19th century he led an
expedition into Brazil's forest
to record its wildlife.
The margay is often mistak-
she is ready to mate. A male
and female may form a bond
for the breeding season, when
they share the same territory
and even hunt together. But
the female usually rears the
young alone.
Gestation takes two months
or more. The female gives birth
to one or two tiny cubs, and
she is very attentive to them.
After a few months the cubs
start to accompany their moth-
er on hunting trips in order to
learn the skills that they need
for survival.
Right: The margay's large, sensi-
tive ears are evident from a very
early age.
en for the ocelot-a similar
small cat that lives in the same
habitat. The ocelot visits the
forest floor more often than
the margay.
In South America the mar-
gay is also known as the long-
tailed spotted cat.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
The margay is a flesh eater that
preys on small to medium-size
mammals, birds, lizards, and
tree frogs. This cat's teeth are
well adapted for killing and eat-
ing flesh. It uses its needle-sharp
canine teeth to kill prey, usually
tearing at the throat.
The margay has excellent vi-
sion and hearing. Even in very
dim light, its unusually large
eyes can spot moving objects
from far away. This is because a
layer of cells behind the retina
reflects light. This layer of cells
is also present in domestic cats,
and it is what makes the cats'
Left: The mar-
gay has wide
paws with
extremely flexi-
ble toes. This
feature enables
the margay to
travel swiftly
through the
forest and to
perform acro-
batic feats.
eyes shine when light hits them.
The margay's keen hearing
is helped by its large, sensitive
ears. The ears move in a reflex
action toward any noise. This
enables the cat to locate its
prey exactly.
The margay catches most of
its prey during forages in tree
branches. Instead of stalking or
chasing, it prefers to lie in wait
or creep up on its victim. The
margay and the clouded leop-
ard are the only cats that can
pounce on prey from above
without first putting a foot on
the ground for balance.
'" CARD 229 I
NUMBAT
, , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
ORDER
Marsupia/a
FAMILY
Myrmecobiidae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Myrmecobius fasciatus
The numbat is one of Australia ~ rarest marsupials. About the
size of a squirrel, this solitary, ground-dwelling animal
lives in open forest and scrubland.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Head and body length:
7 -11 in. Male longer than
female.
Tail length: 5-7 in.
Weight: ~ - 1 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 11 months.
Mating: December to April.
Gestation: 2 weeks.
No. of young: 2 to 4.
Litters: 1.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary; active by day.
Diet: Mainly termites; also ants,
grubs, and earthworms.
Call: Snorts while searching for
food; hisses when disturbed.
Lifespan: 3-4 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The only species in the family.
Considered most closely related
to the family Dasyuridae, which
includes marsupial cats.
FEATURES OF THE NUMBAT
Coat: Grizzled gray to reddish brown, with about
8 white stripes running across the back and
hindquarters. Generally short and coarse, but
longer on the belly to protect suckling young.
Snout: Long,
firm, and pointed.
Used for rooting
through ground
litter and pry-
ing up logs
and stones.
Mouth: Small.
Very long, sticky
tongue is used to
find and catch
termites.
Limbs: Stocky and strong.
Range of the numbat.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in open forest and scrubland in the southern part of
Western Australia.
CONSERVATION
The numbat has disappeared from much of its former range
as a result of land clearance and the introduction of predators.
The species is protected, and animals from a captive breeding
colony are released into the wild.
Five toes on forefeet and four on
hind feet, all with strong claws that
are used for scratching through top-
soil, undergrowth, and dead logs.
Tail: Long and bushy. If the numbat is
surprised, it holds its tail erect with
the hairs fluffed out.
MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200561 PACKET 56
The numbat is one of the few marsupials that has no pouch.
The young cling tightly to their mother's teats, which are
hidden by the long fur on her underside. The numbat is also
known as the banded anteater, but it prefers to eat termites
rather than ants. It uses its long snout to search for its
favorite food, which it scoops up with its long, sticky tongue.
~ HABITAT
The numbat is found mainly
in open woodland areas in the
south of Western Australia. It
prefers forests that are rich in
a species of eucalyptus tree
known as the wandoo. Because
termites attack this tree, the
branches break off and litter
the forest floor. The numbat
eats the termites and takes
shelter in the fallen wood.
The numbat spends most
of the day searching for food.
After a good meal, it frequent-
ly lies basking in the sun with
its legs wide apart, its mouth
open, and its tongue extended.
When foraging, the numbat
trots along the forest floor or
moves in a series of jerky, low
leaps. It stops frequently to sit
upright and survey the scene for
danger. At any sign of a threat,
such as a predatory eagle, the
numbat runs to its nest.
At night the numbat sleeps in
a hollow log or beneath thick
undergrowth, in a nest that it
lines with dead leaves and dry
grass. Occasionally it takes over
an abandoned rabbit burrow
for use as its sleeping quarters.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
The numbat spends much of
its time searching for termites,
its favorite food. It uses its keen
sense of smell to locate the ter-
mites' shallow tunnels, which
lie just below the ground or in
pieces of dead wood. Although
the numbat has powerful claws,
it uses its claws only to scratch
away the surface of the termites'
nests, not to dig into them.
After finding the termites, the
numbat laps them up with its
long, sticky tongue, which it
can extend four inches from its
mouth. It also uses its tongue
to explore the cracks between
Left: The numbat uses hoI/ow logs
for shelter throughout the year.
DID YOU KNOW?
A numbat may eat as many
as 20,000 termites in a day.
A numbat has 50 to 54 teeth
-more teeth than any other
land mammal. Since it rarely
chews its prey, the numbat's
teeth do not wear down much
during its lifetime.
rocks and to probe into termite-
infested logs. The tongue is so
muscular that the numbat can
even use it to turn over pieces
of wood. The animal also uses
its firm, pointed snout as a le-
ver, moving stones and fallen
branches to discover if there is
any food underneath.
Although it has a remarkably
large number of teeth for a
mammal, the numbat general-
ly swallows termites whole. It
chews larger insects briefly be-
fore swallowing them, along
with any grit or soil that sticks
to its long tongue.
Right: The numbat uses its claws
and snout to search for termites.
Australian Aborigines gave
the numbat its name.
The numbat is the only mar-
supial in Australia that is fully
active by day.
The peaceful numbat hisses
if disturbed or caught, but it
does not struggle or bite.
~ BREEDING
Although usually solitary, num-
bats pair up to mate between
December and April. The fe-
male gives birth to two to four
young between January and
May. The young are born in the
female's nest or in a shallow
burrow that she has dug. The
young numbat's snout is much
shorter than the adult's.
Since the mother does not
have a pouch, the newborns
cling tightly to her teats, and
Left: Although the numbat is a
marsupial, the female does not
have a pouch.
Left: A dark
stripe with a
white border
runs along
both sides of
the numbat's
snout. The
animal's fore-
quarters are
slender com-
pared to its
stocky rump.
she drags them around with her.
The long hair on the mother's
underside protects the young
from bumps and scrapes. They
remain attached to their mother
and suckle from her for a few
months. By July or August she
can leave them hidden in her
nest while she searches for food.
The young are weaned at six
months. By then, they are half-
grown and can search for ter-
mites. At first they forage in the
same area as their mother, but
later they spread out. By De-
cember they are independent.
" CARD 230 I
GIANT OTTER SHREW
, , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
". ORDER
~ Insectivora
FAMILY
Tenrecidae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Potamogale velox
The giant otter shrew is a solitary and somewhat elusive mammal.
Because it is often underwater and active mostly at night,
little is known about this creature ~ life.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 12-14 in.
Tail,10-12in.
Weight: Unknown.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Unknown.
Mating: Rainy season.
Gestation: Unknown.
No. of young: Probably 2 litters a
year, with 1 or 2 young per litter.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary, except in the mat-
ing season.
Diet: Freshwater crabs, fish, cray-
fish, insects, and larvae.
Lifespan: Up to 6 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The giant otter shrew's 2 nearest
relatives are both much smaller
than it is. They are the Mount
Nimba least otter shrew, Micro-
potamogale lamottei, and the
Ruwenzori least otter shrew,
M. ruwenzorii.
Range of the giant otter shrew.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in central tropical Africa, from sea level to 6,000 feet.
CONSERVATION
Because the giant otter shrew is difficult to study in the wild, its
population is not known. It is thought to be rare throughout
most of its range, but in 1968 it was found to be common in
highland streams at Obudu, Nigeria. Deforestation may be
reducing its range.
FEATURES OF THE GIANT OTTER SHREW
Head: Flattened.
Eyes, ears, and
nostrils project
just above the
water surface.
Eyes: Tiny, giv-
ing very poor
vision.
Whiskers: Long and sensitive. Used
along with excellent sense of smell to
search for prey such as crabs.
MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Fur: Smooth,
sleek coat.
Layer of dense,
short underfur
covered by long,
coarse hairs.
0160200641 PACKET 64
The giant otter shrew's body is well suited to the forest
streams that it inhabits in central Africa. With its long,
sleek body and muscular tail, the shrew uses a snakelike
motion to propel itself swiftly through the water. Only its
eyes, ears, and nostrils project above the water's surface.
~ HABITS
The giant otter shrew is well
adapted to its largely aquatic
life. Its long, slim body and tail
look like the otter's, but the tail
is shaped more like that of a tad-
pole. It is flat like a rudder and
narrow near the tip. The shrew
moves its tail and body side to
side in a snakelike fashion to pro-
pel itself quickly through the
water. It keeps its short legs and
feet pressed against its body, in-
stead of using them to swim.
The shrew is not as agile on
land, but it can move quickly
when necessary.
The giant otter shrew has a
smooth, sleek coat made up of
a layer of dense, short underfur
covered by long, coarse guard
hairs. The animal has five toes
on each foot. The toes are not
webbed, but the second and
third toes of the hind feet are
joined lengthwise by skin. The
shrew uses these toes as a comb
when grooming its coat, which
helps to keep it waterproof.
Because its head is flattened,
the giant otter shrew can swim
with most of its body below the
water. The eyes of this night-
active animal are tiny and not
very useful, but its senses of
smell and hearing are superb.
It communicates with others
through scent, by depositing
feces in and around a burrow.
~ BREEDING
Little is known of the breeding
habits of the giant otter shrew.
One or two young are born in
the rainy season, when food
is most plentiful. The female
appears to give birth to two
litters a year. It is thought that
she brings up the young on her
own, because the only family
group ever seen consisted of
a female with two young. All
other sightings have been of
single giant otter shrews.
left: The giant otter shrew can
move quickly on land, but it is
better adapted to the water.
Right: At night the giant otter
shrew alternates between feed-
DID YOU KNOW?
In southern Cameroon the When the shrew dives, a flap
fast-moving giant otter shrew of skin covers each nostril and
is called the jes. The people in keeps the water out.
this area use the same word to The shrew is represented in
describe someone with an ex- African folklore as part fish, due
L.o- P_IO_si_v_e_c_ ha_r_ac_t_e_r. ______ t_o its tail and agility in water. J
~ FOOD & FEEDING
During the day the giant otter
shrew stays in its burrow in the
bank of a stream. It makes two
entrances to its burrow--one
above and the other below the
surface of the water. Both these
entrances are connected by tun-
nels to a sleeping area contain-
ing a nest made of leaves.
After dark, the shrew leaves its
burrow to hunt for food. During
the night it alternates between
feeding and resting in its burrow.
At sunrise it returns to its burrow
a final time to sleep. When it re-
laxes, the shrew curls up, resting
left: The giant otter shrew's tiny
eyes are of little use in murky water,
where it usually swims.
its head on the tip of its tail.
The giant otter shrew probes
in the mud and under pebbles
in the water for crabs, its favor-
ite food. It uses its long, sensitive
whiskers and its excellent sense
of smell to find prey. When the
shrew finds a crab, it comes out
of the water and onto the bank
to eat. It turns the crab upside
down to tear the flesh from the
underside and claws.
The giant otter shrew likes to
feed on fish, which are a large
part of its diet. It also eats cray-
fish, insects, and insect larvae.
In one night it may cover half
a mile of stream and eat up to
seven ounces of food.