Discovering Wildlife

Discovering Wildlife By Anubhav VIA

Discover the animals Mammals Birds Reptile and Amphibians

Mammals West European Hedgehog Arctic Fox Orang-Utan Meerkat Leopard

West European Hedgehog Hedgehogs can swim, climb, run very well. The baby’s 1st coat of spines is soft and white, the darker coat comes 36hrs after birth The car is considered the greatest threat to hedgehog numbers. Hedgehogs eat frogs, caterpillars, birds and common pests like snails

Arctic Fox The luxurious coat of the artic fox doubles in length in the winter, providing better insulation than any animal. Artic foxes can withstand temperatures as low as -50 degrees C. Arctic foxes cover more than 2300kms every year in search of-food. In early summer, a litter of cubs, averagely 6-10 are born. While in the den, cubs and their parents may consume about 4000 lemmings. Both parents, and occasionally female helpers, care for the young,

Orang-utan Orang-utans nourish their young for longer than any other species other than humans. The oran-gutan spends most of its life on trees. The orang-utan is the most endangered ape. Loss of habitat presents the main threat to their survival. Orang-utan infants are captured ( the mother is killed) and are sold illegally as pets, especially in Taiwan. Orang-utans use sticks to scratch themselves, dig out termites, prise open fruit cases and hit snakes. Chewed leaves serve as a sponge to soak water and large leaves as an umbrella

Meerkat Meerkat is an attractive & social member of the mongoose family They emerge from their burrows at dawn and warm themselves in the morning sun. They live in gangs consisting of about 30 meerkats. the pups venture out after about 3 wks. They thrive on insects, mice, birds, eggs, ant larvae, etc. Some meerkats stand on guard duty while others look for food.

Leopard One of the most impressive of all big cats, the leopard’s strength and beauty have made it the stuff of legend Their prey depends on the territory, large grazers on grasslands & primates & rodents in forests. Days are spent sunbathing on rocks, while nights are for preying. They mark their territory by urine, claw marks and roaring. It can live without water for a long time. The female raises her cubs till they are 1 year old.

Birds Atlantic puffin Barn owl Snowy owl Peregrine falcon

Atlantic puffin A puffin was seen carrying about 62 fish in it’s beak, all at a time. They are highly social and always return to the same breeding place where they were born. Puffins can dive up to 60m underwater to catch small shoaling fish they eat. They are normally seen in pairs. It collects plant matter to line it’s ‘nest’, a burrow about 2m long. They deter predators like gulls by flying in huge wheeling groups over the sea

Snowy owl Supremely quiet and controlled, this owl swoops towards their prey, often using it’s hearing to pinpoint prey. Their sleepy expression is deceptive, snowy owls are ever alert. While mating, the male performs flying displays and presents the female with a dead lemming. Instead of making a nest, the female digs a hollow on a hummok with a good view Unlike it’s cousins, snowy owls hunt by day too.

Barn owl Barn owls are skilled hunters of small birds and mammals too. Their diet of mammals include bats, voles and mice The parents are always kept busy, as the chicks are constantly hungry. A pair of owls may breed twice a year if rodents are plentiful Once barn owls mate, they are normally partners for life. Their wingspan is 107cm.

Peregrine falcon The fastest bird, the peregrine, can reach speeds up to 150kph, or 95 mph. It got it’s name from a Latin word meaning wanderer, as the bird migrates for 1600km. They are famous for their stunts, such as their characteristic stoop, or dive, in which they reach speeds up to 400kph. It is a bird of prey, or raptor and it’s diet includes smaller birds, rodents and occasionally reptiles. This majestic bird was bred by Egyptian pharaohs. They were even mummified with there masters, a sign of their superior status

Reptiles and amphibians Nile crocodile Poison dart frog

A creature, maybe from the past, the Nile croc, with a long tail & a jaws with more than 60 teeth, is a lethal hunting machine. They are oviparous and young ones hatch from eggs after about 2 or 3 months of incubation. After mating, the female crocodile lays about 50 eggs in her nest. These large and ‘ fearsome’ creatures are caring mothers. These crocs can also go without food for a year! They live for about 70 to 100 yrs. They will come to bask in the sun when it is too hot.

Strawberry poison dart frog Red spells danger as far as this dangerous amphibian is concerned. It’s red skin glows, warning predators of it’s venom. It is believed that the frogs diet, ants are the cause to produce venom, one of the most dangerous ones produced in nature. They live for more than 10 years and live near water to prevent it’s skin from drying out. The ‘Leimadophis epinephelus’ is the only snake immune to this venom. They are highly territorial and wrestle with each other over mates and terrtories.