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.

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Ears: Large size provides area for release of excess body heat. Enlarged middle ear gives fennec acute hearing.

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Paws: Compara­tively 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 powerfu l.

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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.

~ HABITS Like many desert animals, the fennec fox is active at night and spends the scorching days rest­ing 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 Des­ert have always hunted the fen­nec fox for food, digging it out of its den, shooting it, or catch­ing it with a noose. As a result, the fennec has become uncom­mon over much of its range, es­pecially 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 hear­ing-its sharpest sense-to lo­cate small rodents and lizards, picking up the sounds of prey with its huge ears.

When it detects a likely vic­tim, 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 an­imals, the fennec fox con­serves vital body moisture by excreting highly concen­trated urine. • The arctic fox and the fen­nec 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 ani­mals, 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 mam­mals 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 Febru­ary. About seven weeks later, the female gives birth to two to five cubs-a small litter com­pared to those of other fox spe­cies. 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 fen­nec fox takes shelter in its den during the day and emerges at night to hunt. It retains this pattern of be­havioreven 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 ag­gressive 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 ear­lier litters. At nine months old, the cubs are fully grown and independent but may still re­main 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 con­stantly alert to danger.

Feet: 4 digits, each tipped with a long, nonre­tractable 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.

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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, oth­er adults, and young. Some ani­mals 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, look­ing 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, cov­ering up to a mile each day. The animals spend nights in make­shift 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 wel­come rivals, and fierce fights be­tween 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 some­times 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 usual­ly breeds during the months of greatest rainfall, when food is plentiful. • Rival packs may fight fierce­ly 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 bee­tles to feed the young. They also groom the cubs, play with them, and teach them to hunt. After two months, the cubs are inde­pendent. They are sexually ma­ture 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 ene­mies include some larger mon­gooses, such as the solitary and slender mongooses.

~ HABITAT The dwarf mongoose thrives in the arid semideserts and savan­nas of sub-Saharan Africa, but it rarely goes very far from a water supply. Trees and clumps of dry grass offer it cover from preda­tors, 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, ter­mites, and larvae. In areas with dense cover, pack mem bers use twittering calls to maintain con­tact with one another.

As the mongoose pack moves forward, grasshoppers spring from its path, and they are fre­quently 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 moun­tains, 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, find­ing 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 mam­mals, the young of any ground­nesting 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: 2~-3 ft. Height: 1 ~-2 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. grayish brown or gold and speckled. Often striped around the underpart of the neck.

1.~"),~~~~~P~M~~~~~.~LOng . saberi ike upper canines I\;; well below the lips in males

and are used for fighting . 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.

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legs: Hind legs about 2 inches longer than forelegs produce a

springing gait and make the back look rounded.

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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 regu­larly 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 relative­ly 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 hab­it 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 de­pression 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 flow­ers. The selection is more lim­ited during harsh winters in the mountain forests in the north­ern 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 Ne­pal 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 diffi­culty. 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 un­familiar 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 San­skrit word meaning "scrotum." The name reflects the resem­blance of the musk gland to the male's testicular pouch.

~ MUSK DEER & MAN For centuries, musk deer have been hunted for a secretion pro­duced by the buck and used in perfumes and medicines. When it is dried, this oily, jellylike sub­stance 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 dis­tances, 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 popu­lation. This unfortunate ,situation can be easily remedied, howev­er, since the secretion can be col­lected without killing the buck. In addition, artificial substitutes for musk have been developed.

process. After a five-month ges­tation 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 with lighter oloring on the chest.

Tail: Long and bushy. Used for balance when moving through the trees.

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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.

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Eyes: Close-set and very large to aid night vis ion.

Facial markings: Black and white areas running from the forehead down

the nose and cheeks .

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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.

~HABITS 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 occasional­ly 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, Bas­sariscus sumichrasti. Both species

are sometimes called cacomistles.

FEATURES OF THE RINGTAll

Face: Thin face similar to a rac­coon's. Pale rings around the eyes. large, slightly rounded ears.

Claws: Sharp, re­tractable 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 colo r.

Tail: Thick and bushy with distinctive black-and-white rings. Markings on the Central American ringtail are not as pronounced.

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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 ring­tail holds a ter­ritory 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 indepen­dent. 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 sene­ga/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 ex­ternal 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, paddle­shaped. Lacking the rudimenta­ry nails of the manatees. Used for digging out plant roots. Fe­male 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 soli­tary, 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 off­spring during her lifetime.

I

~ BREEDING The female dugong reaches sex­ual maturity sometime between 8 and 18 years old. After a gesta­tion 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 carbohydrate­rich roots of the smaller plants. It feeds at night over an exten­sive area.

Left: The dugong feeds in the shal­lows 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 ances­tors 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 moth­er 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 du­gong. Steller's sea cow was dis­covered 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 con­sidered an aphrodisiac by the Chinese. The people of Mada­gascar 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 Cas­tor 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 sup­ply. The beaver can regulate the wa­ter 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 WILDLI 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.

~ HABITS The European beaver needs both trees and water, so it is confined to rivers and lakes that are bor­dered 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 cham­ber. The entrance is underwa­ter, 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 Euro­pean 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 in­cisors. These teeth keep grow­ing as they wear down.

In winter the beaver may not leave its lodge for weeks, espe­cially if the water surface is frozen. Since it does not hiber­nate, 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 swim­mer 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 bea­ver functions like a human thumb and is used to grip branches and stones.

The male and female beaver seem to pair for life. The fami­ly unit often includes kits (off­spring) from the previous year. The pair mates in late winter, and two to fou r kits are born in late spring. The male and older kits move out of the lodge dur­ing 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 cas­toreum with which the beaver marks its territory. This musky­smelling substance was consid­ered 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 cham­ber with the mother for about three weeks. She suckles them but also begins to feed them young leaves after a few days. Although 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 nip­ples 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 of­ten 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 terri­tory that it marks with scent and

urine. The territory lies within a larger home range and contains specific areas for sleeping, rest­ing, eating, and patrolling. The female margay also has a den area, where she raises her litter. The home ranges of several mar­gays frequently overlap, but in­dividuals appear to tolerate one another. In the breeding season, however, the male cat becomes more aggressive, and the fe­male 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) sev­eral times a year. At the start of the breeding season, the male margay leaves his home range to find a mate. The female re­mains 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 scientif­ic name from the name of a German explorer, Prince Max­imilian 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 moth­er on hunting trips in order to learn the skills that they need for survival.

Right: The margay's large, sensi­tive 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 mar­gay is also known as the long­tailed 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 eat­ing flesh. It uses its needle-sharp canine teeth to kill prey, usually tearing at the throat.

The margay has excellent vi­sion 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 mar­gay has wide paws with extremely flexi­ble toes. This feature enables the margay to travel swiftly through the forest and to perform acro­batic 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 leop­ard 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 top­soil, 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 frequent­ly 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 ter­mites' 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 termite­infested 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 le­ver, 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 general­ly swallows termites whole. It chews larger insects briefly be­fore 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 mar­supial 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, num­bats pair up to mate between December and April. The fe­male 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 fore­quarters are slender com­pared 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 half­grown and can search for ter­mites. At first they forage in the same area as their mother, but later they spread out. By De­cember 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 mat­ing season. Diet: Freshwater crabs, fish, cray­fish, 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, giv­ing 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.