recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
South African Shelduck

The **South African shelduck** or **Cape shelduck** (*Tadorna cana*) is a species of shelduck, a group of large goose-like birds which are part of the bird family Anatidae, which also includes the swans, geese and ducks. This is a common species native to southern Africa.

This is a 64 cm long bird which breeds mainly in Namibia and South Africa. In the austral winter, many birds move north-east from the breeding range to favoured moulting grounds, where sizable concentrations occur. This species is mainly associated with lakes and rivers in fairly open country, breeding in disused mammal holes, usually those of the aardvark. Pairs tend to be very nomadic when not in breeding season.

Adult South African shelducks have ruddy bodies and wings strikingly marked with black, white and green. The male has a grey head, and the female has a white face and black crown, nape and neck sides. Note the colour on the females head is highly variable. In flight they can be hard to distinguish from Egyptian geese. Juveniles are duller in appearance. Young females lack the white on the head, excluding white eye circles. Males make a deep *honk* or *hoogh* call while the female tends to produce a louder, sharper *hark*.

South African shelduck is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. The genus name *Tadorna* comes from Celtic roots and means "pied waterfowl", essentially the same as the English "shelduck".
Marmot

Marmots are rodents that they live in North America and Asia they have fur that keeps them warm and they eat grasses most and they are ascuttly form the milky and shake show and meet the animals on 81 like Mickey Mouse clubhouse and the patchwork pals even they have enemies called bears wolves and even foxes they hide under ground like ground hogs and moles they good at hiding from their enemies their hole keeps them warm and safe do you know marmots are cute
Red-Eyed Dove

The **red-eyed dove** (*Streptopelia semitorquata*) is a dove that is a widespread and common in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2004.

## Taxonomy

The red-eyed dove was formally described by the German naturalist Eduard Rüppell in 1835 from birds seen in the Taranta Mountains of Eritrea. He coined the binomial name *Columba semitorquata*. The specific epithet is combines the Latin *semi-* meaning "half-" or "small" and *torquatus* meaning "collared". The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.

## Description

The red-eyed dove is a largish, stocky pigeon, typically 30 cm (12 inches) in length. Its back, wings and tail are pale brown. When flying, it shows blackish flight feathers. The head and underparts are dark vinous-pink, shading to pale grey on the face. There is a black hind neck patch edged with white. The legs and a patch of bare skin around the eye are red. The call is a loud *doo-doo-du-du*.

Sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller than adults, and have scalloping on the body feathers. Red-eyed doves eat grass seeds, grains and other vegetation. They often forage on the ground.

## Distribution and Habitat

It is distributed through most of Sub-Saharan Africa, except in desert zones. It is a common, if not abundant, species in most habitats other than deserts. Like several other species in this genus, they are not particularly gregarious and often feed alone or in pairs. They can be found in forests near rivers.

## Behavior

Females lay two white eggs at a time. This species builds a stick nest in a tree and lays two white eggs. Its flight is quick, with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings, which are characteristic of pigeons in general.
Nilgai

**Nilgai**, (*Boselaphus tragocamelus*), also called **bluebuck**, the largest Asian antelope (family Bovidae). The nilgai is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent, and Hindus accord it the same sacred status as cattle (both belong to the subfamily Bovinae). Accordingly, the nilgai is the only one of the four Indian antelopes that is still abundant.

*Nilgai* is the Hindustani word for “blue cow,” which describes the blue-gray of adult bulls. (Cows are orange-brown.) The nilgai’s conformation, however, is more horselike than cowlike: it has a long neck with a short upright mane, a bony narrow head, a barrel-like chest, strong legs, and high withers sloping back to the croup. On the other hand, it has a hock-length cow’s tail that ends in a black tuft. Both sexes have similar markings; white areas include the cheek spots, ear tips, large throat bib, brisket, belly, rump patch, and underside of the tail. Its lower legs are banded black and white. Maximum contrast is achieved in prime males, which turn nearly black. They grow much bigger than cows, up to 1.5 metres (5 feet) tall and 300 kg (660 pounds), compared with 214 kg (471 pounds) for cows; they also have a thicker neck and a tassel of black hair bordering the white bib. But the male’s cowlike horns are quite small, being 15–18 cm (6–7 inches) long.

Nilgais inhabit flat and rolling dry savanna covered by thin woodland and scrub. Requiring minimal cover, they avoid dense woods and are most abundant in central and northwest India. (However, Texas has over 36,000 descendants of nilgais that were introduced in the 1930s, most of which are feral.) Mixed feeders, they prefer grass but also browse acacias and other trees and like flowers and fruits. They will stand on their hind legs to browse as high as possible. Overgrazing by cattle often leaves little food for the nilgais, which compensate by raiding crops. They are active during the day and even in the hottest weather seek shade only for midday siestas. Extending the usual morning and late-afternoon feeding peaks, nilgais often begin eating before dawn and keep feeding after dark. They drink regularly during the hot season but can go two to three days without water in cool weather.

The nilgai is only moderately gregarious. Herds of 10 or fewer are usual, and groups of 20 or more are exceptional. The sexes remain separate most of the time, and only one mature bull in either a bachelor or female herd is the rule. Herd membership is fluid, and the only lasting association is between mothers and calves. Adult males are often seen alone and wander widely. Whether the mating system is based on male territoriality or a male rank hierarchyremains unclear. Presence of dung middens suggests territorial demarcation, but these are used by all nilgais, even calves. There is a mating peak in November and December, but calves are born in almost every month, after a gestation of more than eight months. Cows breed again soon after calving and may be followed by calves of different ages. Over half of nilgai births are of single calves, but triplets are not uncommon. Calves spend a month in hiding before beginning to accompany their mothers.
Redhead

The **redhead** (*Aythya americana*) is a medium-sized diving duck. The scientific name is derived from Greek *aithuia* an unidentified seabird mentioned by authors including Hesychius and Aristotle, and Latin *americana*, of America. The redhead is 37 cm (15 in) long with an 84 cm (33 in) wingspan. It belongs to the genus Aythya, together with 11 other described species. The redhead and the common pochard form a sister group which together is sister to the canvasback. The redhead goes by many names, including the red-headed duck and the red-headed pochard. This waterfowl is easily distinguished from other ducks by the male’s copper coloured head and bright blue bill during the breeding season.

## Description

Male redheads have a reddish head and upper neck with a black lower neck, foreback and breast. The remaining back is a dark grayish color. The hind back and tail are brownish-black. A broad band of light gray extends across the dusky gray wing and out onto the primaries, which helps distinguish it from scaup. The legs and feet are gray, and the bill is light blue-gray with a whitish band behind a relatively wide black tip. Female redheads have a reddish-brown head, neck and breast, with a buff white chin and throat and an indistinct eye ring and stripe behind the eye. The flanks are warm brown, contrasting little with the breast, but with buffer fringes. The upper parts are darker and duller brown, with the upper-wing-coverts browner than on the male; otherwise the wing is similar to that of the male. The bill is duller than the male's, but similar in pattern.

## Breeding

Redheads breed in the northern prairies of the United States and Canada and the intermountain marshes of the west. They prefer non-forested environments with water areas sufficiently deep to provide permanent and fairly dense emergent vegetation for nesting. Of the diving ducks, redheads are the most common breeders in the United States. Female redheads lay an average of 7-10 eggs and are notorious for parasitizing canvasback nests.

## Food Habits

Redheads dive to feed on seeds, rhizomes, tubers of pondweeds, wild celery, water lilies, grasses and wild rice. They also feed on mollusks, aquatic insects, and small fish.

## Population

Redhead populations have remained relatively steady since 1955, hovering in the 400,000 to 800,000 range. As of the 2009 survey, there were more than 1 million redheads, a plateau that was reached in 2007 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2009).

## Migration

A significant migration corridor extends from southwestern Manitoba and southeastern Idaho to the Gulf Coast. In addition, some redheads migrate eastward from the northern prairies to the Great Lakes, and then onward to the Chesapeake Bay and Florida. It is estimated that 80 percent of the North American redhead population winters in the Laguna Madre of Texas and Mexico. Smaller numbers of redheads winter in Apalachee Bay, Fla., along the Chandeleur Islands, Yucatan Peninsula and the Atlantic coast from Rhode Island to Florida.
Red-Faced Spider Monkey

The **red-faced spider monkey** (*Ateles paniscus*) also known as the **Guiana spider monkey** or **red-faced black spider monkey**, is a species of spider monkey found in the rain forests in northern South America. The species faces issues with hunting and habitat loss, so is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Redlist.

## Description

The red-faced spider monkey has long, black hair and a red or pink face that is bare except for a few short, white hairs. Infants are born with dark faces, which lighten as they age. Sexual dimorphismin the species is small; the head-body length of the male is 55.7 centimetres (21.9 in) on average, while the female is around 55.2 cm (21.7 in) in length. The male weighs around 9.1 kg (20 lb), while the female weighs around 8.4 kg (19 lb). The tail is prehensile (capable of grasping) and its fingers and limbs are long, agile and strong.

## Behavior

The red-faced spider monkey exhibits a fission-fusion society, associating with large groups of up to 30 individuals during the night, but choosing to spend the days travelling, foraging, and resting in much smaller groups. At dusk, they recongregate using a greeting call to communicate. At night, they often sleep in large groups called bands. Bands typically consist of several females, with their respective young, along with a few males for protection. The only range size estimate was 255 hectares (630 acres), of which 220 ha (540 acres) had suitable habitat. The red-faced spider monkey feeds on a variety of foods and would be considered an omnivore. It will eat termites and grubs, but also feeds on supple leaves, flowers, berries and fruit. It has a gestation period of 226–232 days, is weaned after four or five years when it reaches sexual maturity, and has a life span of up to 33 years in captivity.

## Habitat and Distribution

The red-faced spider monkey is a habitat specialist, found in undisturbed primary rainforests in northern Brazil, Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana. Because of its ability to climb and jump, the red-faced spider monkey tends to live in the upper layers of the rainforest trees and forages in the high canopy.

## Conservation

The red-faced spider monkey occurs in many protected area across its range, and is protected in the Amazon under the Amazon Animal Protection Act of 1973. It is listed by the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable.
Moonrat

The **moonrat** (*Echinosorex gymnura*) is a species of mammal in the family Erinaceidae. It is the only species in the genus *Echinosorex*. The species name is sometimes given as *E. gymnurus*, but this is incorrect.

## Description

The moonrat has a distinct pungent odour with strong ammonia content, different from the musky smell of carnivores. There are two subspecies: *E. g. gymnura* is found in Sumatra and the Thai-Malay Peninsula; *E. g. alba* is found in Borneo. In the former the head and frontal half of the body are white or grey-white; the remaining is mainly black. The latter subspecies is generally white (*alba* means white in Latin), with a sparse scattering of black hairs; it appears totally white from a distance. Those from western Borneo tend to have a greater proportion of black hairs than those from the east, but animals from Brunei appear intermediate. Largely white *E. g. gymnura* also occur, but they are rare.

Head and body length is 32–40 cm (13–16 in), tail length is 20–29 cm (7.9–11.4 in), hind foot length is 6.5–7.5 cm (2.6–3.0 in) and weight is 870–1,100 g (1.92–2.43 lb). The dental formula is 3.1.4.33.1.4.3 × 2 = 44. It is possibly the largest member of the order Erinaceomorpha, although the European hedgehoglikely weighs a bit more at 1,000 g (2.2 lb) and up to 2,000 g (4.4 lb).

## Distribution

Moonrats inhabit most jungle terrain in southern Myanmar, Peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra. Although they are closely related to the short-tailed gymnure (*Hylomys suillus*) and to the hedgehog, full grown specimens more closely resemble large rats, with which they share similar habits and ecological niches. In Borneo, they occur at many sites throughout the lowlands and up to 900 m in the Kelabit Highlands. They appear to be absent or rare in some localities, possibly due to a shortage of suitable food.

## Ecology and Habitat

Moonrats are nocturnal and terrestrial, lying up under logs, roots or in abandoned burrows during the day. They inhabit moist forests including mangrove and swamp forests and often enter water. In Borneo, they occur mainly in forests, but in peninsular Malaysia they are also found in gardens and plantations. They feed on earthworms and various small animals, mostly arthropods.

## Behavior and Reproduction

Moonrats release strong odours with a strong ammonia content to mark the edges of their territories and warn other moonrats to stay away with threatening hisses also to ward off predators. Adults live alone. When they are preparing to have young, they will make nests mostly from leaves. Females usually have two babies at one time.

## Diet

The moonrat is an omnivore, known to eat a wide range of invertebrates—for example, worms, insects, crabs and other invertebrates found in moist areas. They will also eat fruit, and occasionally frogs or fish.

## Lifespan

The lifespan of the moonrat is up to five years.
Silver Arowana

The **silver arowana** (*Osteoglossum bicirrhosum*), sometimes spelled *arawana*, is a freshwater bony fish of the family Osteoglossidae, commonly kept in aquaria. The generic name *Osteoglossum* means "bone-tongued" and the specific name *bicirrhosum* means "two barbels" (from the Greek language).

## Description

This South American species is found in the Amazon Basin and in the Rupununi and Oyapock Rivers, as well as in still waters in the Guianas. This fish has relatively large scales, a long body, and a tapered tail, with the dorsal and anal fins extending all the way to the small caudal fin, with which they are nearly fused. It can grow to a maximum size of 90 cm (35 in). Unlike the black arowana, the silver arowana has the same coloring throughout its lifespan.

The species is also called 'monkey fish' because of its ability to jump out of the water and capture its prey. It usually swims near the water surface waiting for potential prey. Although specimens have been found with the remains of birds, bats, and snakes in their stomachs, its main diet consists of crustaceans, insects, smaller fish, and other animals that float on the water surface, which its drawbridge-like mouth is exclusively adapted for feeding on. Arowanas are sometimes called 'dragon fish' by aquarists because their shiny, armor-like scales and double barbels are reminiscent of descriptions of dragons in Asian folklore.
Saw-Scaled Viper

**Saw-scaled viper**, (genus *Echis*), any of eight species of small venomous snakes (family Viperidae) that inhabit arid regions and dry savannas north of the Equator across Africa, Arabia, and southwestern Asia to India and Sri Lanka. They are characterized by a stout body with a pear-shaped head that is distinct from the neck, vertically elliptical pupils, rough and strongly keeled scales, and a short thin tail. On both sides of the body are several rows of obliquely arranged serrated scales. Adults range in length from 0.3 to 0.9 metre (1 to 3 feet). *Echis* coloration includes various shades of brown, gray, or orange with darker dorsal blotches and lateral spots.

Saw-scaled vipers move by sidewinding locomotion (*see* sidewinders). They are nocturnal, coming out at twilight to hunt for food, which includes mammals, birds, snakes, lizards, amphibians, and invertebrates such as scorpions and centipedes. Egg-laying species, producing up to 23 eggs per female, reside in northern Africa, whereas live-bearing species, such as  *E. carinatus*, inhabit the Middle East and southern Asia.

Saw-scaled vipers are small, but their irritability, aggressive nature, and lethal venom make them very dangerous. When alarmed, saw-scaled vipers will move slowly with the body looped into S-shaped folds. The oblique scales are rubbed against each other to produce a hissing sound, which is a defensive alarm used to warn potential predators. These snakes are, however, quick to strike, and mortality rates for those bitten are high. In the regions where they occur, it is believed that saw-scaled vipers are responsible for more human deaths than all other snake species combined.
Striped Ground Squirrel

***Xerus erythropus*** (**striped ground squirrel**) is a species of squirrel native to Africa. It was first described by Geoffroy in 1803, but the original publication may be unavailable, so that the binomial authority is today more often cited as "Desmarest, 1817". There are six subspecies. It is a moderately large ground squirrel with sandy-brown or dark-brown fur with a white lateral stripe and whitish underparts. Adults live alone or in pairs in a simple burrow with a central nest, foraging, mostly on the ground, for seeds, nuts and roots, and caching excess food under stones. This is a common species with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

## Description

Striped ground squirrels are moderately large ground squirrels, ranging from 22 to 29 centimetres (8.7 to 11.4 in) in length, with a tail that, at 19 to 26 centimetres (7.5 to 10.2 in), is nearly as long as the body. Adults weigh between 0.5 and 1 kilogram (1.1 and 2.2 lb). They have a coat of short, bristly fur, and are pale sandy to dark brown across most of the body, with whitish, nearly hairless, underparts. A narrow stripe of pure white fur runs down the flanks from the shoulders to the hips. The tail has hairs much longer than those on the body, which fan out to the sides, and are multi-coloured along their length, presenting a grizzled appearance. The ears are small, and the muzzle long, with a projecting, almost pointed, nose. The limbs are pale, with large feet and long, straight, claws. They can be distinguished from the otherwise similar Cape and mountain ground squirrels by the fact that female striped ground squirrels possess three pairs of teats, rather than just two.

## Distribution and Habitat

Striped ground squirrels are found across Africa south of the Sahara and north of the tropical rainforest. They are found from the Atlantic coast in the west to Ethiopia and Kenya in the east, being absent in the Horn of Africa. They inhabit open or disturbed forests and savannah country, often near cultivated land, and, at the extremes of their range, coastal scrubland and semidesertregions. Fossils attributed to the species have been identified from Pliocene Ethiopia.
Mole Salamander

The **mole salamanders** (genus ***Ambystoma***) are a group of advanced salamanders endemic to North America, the only genus in the family **Ambystomatidae**. The group has become famous due to the presence of the axolotl (*A. mexicanum*), widely used in research due to its paedomorphosis, and the tiger salamander (*A. tigrinum, A. mavortium*) which is the official amphibian of many states, and often sold as a pet.

## Description

Mole Salamanders are mid-sized -- 3-4 in (7.5-10 cm) -- **stout-bodied** salamanders with **large, flattened heads**. They are black, brown, or grey in color with pale bluish or silvery flecks. Males can be distinguished by a swollen cloaca. **Larvae and paedomorphic adults** are aquatic and have**large feathery gills**. They can be distinguished from other salamander larvae by the presence of **two light stripes on their underside**.

## Range and Habitat

Mole Salamanders are found throughout the Coastal Plain of the Southeast and there are scattered populations in the Piedmont. Larvae and neotenic adults found in fishless wetlands. Adults are found in forested habitats and seem to prefer sandy pine forests more than the Marbled Salamander (*Ambystoma opacum*). Occasionally adults may be found under logs or in moist leaf litter.

### **Habits**

Adult Mole Salamanders are nocturnal and burrow during the day. They are perhaps most often encountered when they migrate to wetlands to breed on rainy nights from October to March. Mole salamanders are facultatively paedomorphic, meaning that they may retain larval characteristics as adults and continue to live in water or complete metamorphosis and live in the terrestrial environment. The "decision" to undergo metamorphosis is not fully understood and may be based on environmental cues such as water level, light intensity, food availability, competition, and predation. A recent study found that neotenic *A. talpoideum* breed earlier and have higher survival rates than terrestrial conspecifics, which may explain why paedomorphism occurs in this species.
Monarch Butterfly

**Monarch butterflies** are known for the incredible mass migration that brings millions of them to California and Mexico each winter. North American monarchs are the only butterflies that make such a massive journey—up to 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers). The insects must begin this journey each fall ahead of cold weather, which will kill them if they tarry too long. Monarch butterflies begin life as eggs and hatch as larvae that eat their eggshells and, subsequently, the milkweed plants on which they were placed. (Monarchs are dependent on milkweed plants, which larvae eat nearly exclusively.)

Fattening larvae become juicy, colorful caterpillars, then create a hard protective case around themselves as they enter the pupa stage. They emerge as beautifully colored, black-orange-and-white adults. The colorful pattern makes monarchs easy to identify—and that's the idea. The distinctive pattern warns predators that the insects are foul tasting and poisonous.

Butterflies that emerge from chrysalides (pupa state) in late summer and early fall are different from those that do so during the longer days and warmer weather of summer. These monarchs are born to fly, and know because of the changing weather that they must prepare for their lengthy journey. Only monarchs born in late summer or early fall make the migration, and they make only one round trip. By the time next year's winter migration begins, several summer generations will have lived and died and it will be last year's migrators' great grandchildren that make the trip. Yet somehow these new generations know the way, and follow the same routes their ancestors took—sometimes even returning to the same tree.

Many scientists are concerned about the eastern population of monarchs, which summer east of the Rocky Mountains. This group is occurring in ever smaller numbers, and its survival may be threatened by a series of natural disasters in the Mexican wintering grounds, as well as by reduced acreage of milkweed plants in their summer home.
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

The **rose-breasted grosbeak** (*Pheucticus ludovicianus*), colloquially called "cut-throat" due to its coloration, is a large, seed-eating grosbeak in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). It is primarily a foliage gleaner. Males have black heads, wings, backs, and tails, and a bright rose colored patch on their white breast. Males and females exhibit marked sexual dimorphism.

Breeding habitat consists of cool-temperate open deciduous woods throughout much of eastern North America, with migration to tropical America in winter. Rose-breasted grosbeaks have an average maximum lifespan of 7.3 years in the wild, and up to 24 years in captivity. Death in the wild is generally due to collision with objects (buildings, cars, etc) and predation, to eggs, nestlings and adults.

## Feeding Behavior

Forages mostly in shrubs and trees, searching for food among foliage. Sometimes hovers to take insects from foliage or bark, or flies out to catch insects in mid-air.

## Eggs

3-5, typically 4. Pale greenish blue, spotted with reddish brown. Incubation is by both parents, 13-14 days. Young: Both parents feed the nestlings. Young leave nest about 9-12 days after hatching. Male may care for fledglings while female begins a new nest. 1-2 broods per year.

## Young

Both parents feed the nestlings. Young leave nest about 9-12 days after hatching. Male may care for fledglings while female begins a new nest. 1-2 broods per year.

## Diet

Mostly insects, seeds, and berries. About half of annual diet may be insects, including beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, true bugs, and others, also spiders and snails. Eats many seeds, including those of trees such as elms, and sometimes eats buds and flowers. May feed heavily on berries and small fruits in late summer and fall. Young are fed mostly insects.

## Nesting

Male sings to defend nesting territory, and may fight actively with intruding males. In courtship, male may partly spread wings and tail, draw head back, and approach female while singing. Nest: Placed in deciduous tree or large shrub (occasionally in conifer), usually 5-20' above ground, sometimes much higher. Nest (built mostly by female) is an open cup, rather loosely made of twigs, weeds, leaves, lined with finer twigs, rootlets, and sometimes animal hair. May be so flimsy that eggs are visible through the nest from below.
Pig-Tailed Macaque

The **northern pig-tailed macaque** (*Macaca leonina*) is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Traditionally, it has been considered a subspecies of southern pig-tailed macaque. In India, it is found in south of the Brahmaputra River, in the northeastern part of the country. Its range in India extends from Assam and Meghalaya to eastern Aruanchal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. A detailed report on the ecology and behaviour of northern pig-tailed macaque has been published recently.

The **southern pig-tailed macaque** (*Macaca nemestrina*) is a medium-sized Old World monkey.

## Etymology and Taxonomy

The species epithet, *nemestrina*, is an adjective (derived from Latin *Nemestrinus*, the god of groves) modified to agree in gender with the feminine generic name. It formerly included the northern pig-tailed, Pagai Island, and Siberut macaques as subspecies.

## Description

*Macaca nemestrina* can reach a weight of 5–15 kg in large males. These monkeys are buff-brown with a darker back and lighter lower parts of the body. Their common name refers to the short tail held semi-erect and reminiscent of the tail of a pig.

## Behavior and Ecology

They are mainly terrestrial but they also are skilled climbers. Unlike almost all primates they love water. They live in large groups split into smaller groups during the day when they are looking for food. They are omnivorous, feeding mainly on fruits, seeds, berries, cereals, fungi and invertebrates.

There is a hierarchy among males, based on the strength, and among females, based on heredity. Thus, the daughter of the dominant female will immediately be placed above all other females in the group. The dominant female leads the group, while the male role is more to manage conflict within the group and to defend it.

Sexual maturity is reached at the age of 3–5 years. Female gestation lasts about 6 months. She will give birth to one infant every two years. Weaning occurs at 4–5 months. In Thailand, they have been trained for 400 years to harvest coconuts.
Red-Fronted Brown Lemur

## Description

This medium-sized lemur has a horizontal posture, which is suited to its predominantly quadrupedal mode of movement. These lemurs are also capable of leaping considerable distances, their long furry tails assisting them in maintaining their balance. Colouration of this lemur differs between the sexes. Males have grey-brown upperparts, paler creamy-grey underparts and a reddish crown. Females have far more reddish-brown upperparts and a grizzled-grey crown. Both sexes have prominent white eyebrow patches and distinctive bushy white cheeks, although these are far less bushy in females than in males. The face, muzzle and mid-forehead are dark grey to black, with a thin dark line dividing the crown.

## Biology

Red-fronted brown lemurs live in multimale-multifemale groups without a noticeable hierarchy, generally numbering from eight to ten individuals, although group size may range between 4 and 18. In western forests aggregations of between 30 and 100 individuals have even been reported feeding in a single fig tree. Breeding is seasonal with infants generally born in September or October after a gestation period of approximately 120 days. A single offspring is usual, although twins have been reported. Brown lemurs reach sexual maturity between two and three years, and the lifespan in the wild is believed to range between 20 and 25 years. This species is cathemeral, meaning it is active at varying times throughout the day and night. Fruit, mature leaves, flowers, bark, sap, soil, insects, centipedes and millipedes form the bulk of this lemur’s diet.

## Range

Found in two distinct populations in the east and west of Madagascar. The eastern and western populations represent two separate subspecies, though these have yet to be officially described. There is also a small introduced population in southern Madagascar at the Berenty Private Reserve.
Pygmy Hippopotamus

The pygmy hippo is the smaller, reclusive and nocturnal cousin to the more widely known common hippo. The name hippopotamus derives from the Greek for ‘river horse’, and is a particularly apt description for the pygmy hippo, which spends much of its time resting in rivers or swamps.

Pygmy hippos feature in many folktales. One suggests that the pygmy hippo finds its way through the forest at night by carrying a diamond in its mouth, which lights its path. The hippo is said to hide the diamond by day, where it cannot be found. According to folklore, to catch one a night, the diamond can be taken.

The species has a severely fragmented distribution and is under increasing pressure from logging, farming, hunting, and human settlement. The small isolated Nigerian population is thought to be extinct as there have been no confirmed reports of this distinct subspecies for decades, although unofficial reports from local people provide some encouragement that they may still exist.

There are only two species of hippos, both members of the Hippopotamidae family, but in two separate genera. The pygmy hippo is the sole extant member of its genus. Despite resembling pigs, and tapirs, their closest living relatives are actually the cetaceans; whales and dolphins. The ancestors of both whales and hippos were small water-loving terrestrial mammals that lived 50-60 million years ago. These groups diverged during the Eocene (around 54 million years ago) into the early cetaceans, which became completely aquatic, and a large and diverse group of pig-like terrestrial mammals known as anthracotheres.

## Distribution

The species has a discontinuous distribution in western Africa. The largest populations of H. l. liberiensis are in Liberia. Smaller populations occur in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and the Ivory Coast, primarily in regions bordering Liberia.The pygmy hippo’s range does not overlap with that of the common hippopotamus

## Habitat and Ecology

Pygmy hippos’ are nocturnal and solitary, living in lowland primary and secondary forests close to rivers, streams and palm tree swamps. They feed on terrestrial and semi-aquatic plants.
Red Wolf

The red wolf is a smaller, thinner cousin of the gray wolf. It is gray-black in color, but has a distinctive reddish cast for which it is named. The red wolf is the world's most endangered canid, and the Southeast’s native wolf. Uniquely "All-American," the red wolf's entire historical range is confined within what is now the United States. Once roaming as far west as Texas, down into Florida, and up into the Midwest, the red wolf now persists in only a fraction of its range. It has lost more of its historical territory—99.7 percent—than any other large carnivore, including lions, tigers and snow leopards.

## Diet

The red wolf’s diet primarily consists of deer and small mammals such as rabbits and rodents; however, they have been known to eat insects and berries.

## Population

Hunted to the brink of extinction, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) rounded up fewer than 20 red wolves to be bred in captivity in 1980. In 1987, the FWS reintroduced red wolves into the wild, but years of political attacks, popular misconceptions and insufficient recovery plans continue to plague recovery efforts. As a result, their numbers continue to decline and red wolves are once again facing extinction in the wild.

## Range

Historically, red wolves ranged throughout the southeastern U.S. from Pennsylvania to Florida and as far west as Texas. Today, wild populations roam just over 1.7 million acres throughout northeastern North Carolina, including Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.

## Behavior

Red wolves are primarily nocturnal and communicate by scent marking, vocalizations (including howling), facial expressions and body postures. Shy and secretive, red wolves hunt alone or in small packs – complex social structures that include the breeding adult pair (the alpha male and female) and their offspring. Red wolves tend to form pair-bonds for life. Pack size varies with the size of available prey populations. A hierarchy of dominant and subordinate animals within the pack helps it to function as a unit.

## Reproduction

Only the alpha male and female in the pack mate. Other pack members will help care for the young and bring food to the breeding female. Red wolf dens are often located in hollow trees, stream banks and sand knolls.
Springhare

The **springhare** (*Pedetes capensis*), or ***springhaas*** in Afrikaans, is not actually a hare, but a rodent. It is one of two living species in the genus *Pedetes*, and is native to southern Africa. Formerly, the genus was considered monotypic and the East African springhare (*P. surdaster*) was included in *P. capensis*. Though the species look alike at a casual glance, scientific study can easily determine which is which.

## Characteristics

   The springhare resembles a small kangaroo (though unrelated) with well-developed hind legs, which allows it to leap over 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in a single bound. It gets its name from this ability. This animal grows to be around 35–45 cm (14–18 in) in length excluding its long tail, and weighs an average of 3 kg (6.6 lb). The tail adds to another 36–47 cm (14–19 in) in length. The colour of this mammal varies from a reddish-brown to a pale grey, with a black tip on the tail. The springhare lives only in south-eastern Africa, feeding on plant matter and even occasionally insects. They have four toes on their hind feet with claws that look like small hooves; these are wider than those found on the fore feet. They have a thick, muscular neck supporting their short head. They also have large eyes, and their ears have a tragus that prevents sand from entering when they are digging.

Springhares breed throughout the year. The females give birth to a single young about three times a year. Unlike some other rodents, which have blind and hairless young, springhares are born furred, and are active within a very short time of birth. However, they are not weaned and do not leave the burrow until they are about half grown. This extended period of parental care helps to mitigate a birthrate that is, among rodents, remarkably low.

## Behavior

Springhares are mostly nocturnal, but are occasionally active in the day. During the daytime, they live in tunnels that they dig. They plug the entrance of the hole with soil from the inside of the tunnel. It is easier for them to dig during the rainy season when the soil is wet. Sometimes, they leap out of their burrows when they come out at night. The springhare jumps like a kangaroo on its hind legs, retreating to its burrow when frightened.

A pair of springhares may occupy many different burrows on different days. They tend to make three burrows together in a circular shape. These burrows are mostly found near the largest tree or bush within their home range. The springhare's home range is within 25 to 250 m (82 to 820 ft) of its burrow. It may expand its area during a drought. The springhare's unoccupied burrows are sometimes used for hiding during the daytime by the black-footed cat. The South African springhare is listed as a species of "least concern" by the IUCN.
Pinto Horse

A **pinto horse** has a coat color that consists of large patches of white and any other color. The distinction between "pinto" and "solid" can be tenuous, as so-called "solid" horses frequently have areas of white hair. Various cultures throughout history appear to have selectively bred for pinto patterns.

Many breeds of horses carry pinto patterns. Pinto coloring, known simply as "colored" in nations using British English, is the most popular in the United States. While pinto colored horses are not considered as a "breed," several competing color breed registries have formed to encourage the breeding of pinto colored horses. The word "paint" is sometimes used to describe pinto horses but today, it is specifically used for the American Paint Horse; a pinto colored horse with identifiable American Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred bloodlines.

Pinto patterns are visually and genetically distinct from the leopard complex spotting patterns characteristic of horse breeds such as the Appaloosa. Breeders who select for color are often careful not to cross the two patterns, and registries that include spotting color preferences often will refuse registration to horses that exhibit characteristics of the "wrong" pattern.

## Origins

The word "pinto" is Spanish for 'painted', and also 'dappled' or 'spotted'.

While pinto coloration has yet to be identified as a wildtype by DNA studies or seen in cave art predating horse domestication, images from pottery and other art of ancient antiquity show horses with flashy spotted patterns, indicating that they may have been desirable traits and selectively bred for. Images of spotted horses appear in the art of Ancient Egypt, and archaeologists have found evidence of horses with spotted coat patterns on the Russian steppes before the rise of the Roman Empire. Later, spotted horses were among those brought to the Americas by the Conquistadors.

By the 17th century in Europe, spotted horses were quite fashionable, though when the fad ended, large numbers of newly-unsellable horses were shipped to the Americas, some of which were sold while others were simply turned loose to run wild. The color became popular, particularly among Native Americans, and was specifically bred for in the United States, which now has the greatest number of pinto horses in the world.
Peanut-Head Bug

The fulgorid insect ***Fulgora laternaria*** (often misspelled "**lanternaria**"), aka p**eanut-head bug** is a planthopper known by a large variety of common names including **lantern fly**, **peanut-headed lanternfly**, **alligator bug**, **machaca**, **chicharra-machacuy**, **cocoposa** (in Spanish) and **jequitiranaboia** (in the Amazonregion and elsewhere in Brazil).

## Description

Eye *Peanut-head bugs* can reach a length of 85–90 millimetres (3.3–3.5 in), with a wingspan up to 100–150 millimetres (3.9–5.9 in). This insect has a protuberance at its head as long as 10–15 millimetres (0.39–0.59 in), looking like a peanut and showing false eyes to resemble that of a lizard or a serpent. The insect was originally - and mistakenly - believed to be luminescent. When attacked, it protects itself by displaying large, yellow, fake eyes on its hind wings to frighten the aggressor, and releases a foul-smelling substance. Adults can be found from June to December. They feed on the sap of plants, mainly from some trees as *Hymenaea courbaril*, *Simarouba amara* and *Zanthoxylum* species.

Several very similar species in the genus occur from Central to South America, and many museum and commercial specimens identified as *laternaria* are actually other species.

## Popular Culture

In several countries, such as Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and Peru, there exists the myth that if somebody is bitten by the *machaca*, he or she must have sex within 24 hours to prevent an otherwise incurable death. The popular belief in Bolivia (Santa Cruz de la Sierra) is that it is a dangerous insect dependant on its wing colours. The insect is actually harmless to people.

## Distribution and Habitat

This species inhabits tropical rainforests in Mexico, Central America and South America.
Mice

Mice are small rodents they live all over the world they live in South America Europe and North America they small and elephants are big they smell food with their noses they eat cheese and also nuts they have enemies like cats they hide in leaves they hibernate all winter long they form in a cartoon but not the one of the little lodgers only that is form Mickey Mouse clubhouse and minnies bow toons
Peruvian Pelican

Though closely related, the Peruvian Pelican is almost twice as large as its northern congener, the Brown Pelican.  The species breeds along the Pacific Coast of South America in Peru and Chile.  Though still common, with about half a million breeding adults, the population has been negatively affected by strong El Niño fluctuations and changes in food fish populations, particularly anchoveta.  Peruvian Pelicans are easily observed from shore as they fly back and forth in nearshore waters by means of soaring interrupted by deep, methodical wingbeats.

The main breeding season occurs from September to March. Clutch size is usually two or three eggs. Eggs are incubated for approximately 4 to 5 weeks, with the rearing period lasting about 3 months.

This bird feeds on several species of fish. Unlike the brown pelican, it never dives from a great height to catch it food, instead diving from a shallow height or feeding while swimming on the surface. On occasion it may take other food items, such as nestling of imperial shags, young Peruvian diving petrels, gray gulls and cannibalize unrelated chicks its own species. Its status was first evaluated for the IUCN Red List in 2008, being listed as Near threatened.
Musk Beetle

The **musk beetle** (*Aromia moschata*) is a Eurasian species of longhorn beetle belonging to the subfamily Cerambycinae, tribe Callichromatini. Its name comes from the delicate musky smell it emits when menaced.

## Description

This beetle is characterised by very long antennae (like all other cerambycids) and a somewhat coppery or greenish metallic tint. The typical form, characterised by a pronotum with a metallic color, is widespread in Europe, except for most of Spain and Southern Italy. In such regions, in North Africa, and in Asia to Japan, the species is represented by some subspecies characterised by a more or less red pronotum. The antennae are longer than the entire head and body length in male and as long as body in females. Nevertheless, the Oriental subspecies have usually shorter antennae. The musk beetle can be found in Great Britain locally, for example at Caldicot and Wentloog Levels otherwise known as Gwent Levels SSSI.

## Biology

The adults are usually found on leaves, especially those of the willow trees, where the larva of this species lives. The secretion with the characteristic musky smell is produced in thoracic glands, and is expelled through openings located on the distal part of the metasternum, near the hind legs articulation. The secretion was formerly supposed to contain salicylaldehyde or a salicylic ether, but there is now evidence that it consists instead mainly of four different monoterpenes, among which is rose oxide, one of the most important fragrances in perfumery.
South American Tapir

The **South American tapir** (*Tapirus terrestris*), also commonly called the **Brazilian tapir** (from the Tupi *tapi'ira*), the **Amazonian tapir**, the **maned tapir**, the **lowland tapir**, in Portuguese ***anta***, and in mixed Quechua and Spanish ***sachavaca*** (literally "bushcow"), is one of the five species in the tapir family, along with the mountain tapir, the Malayan tapir, Baird's tapir and the little black tapir. The South American tapir is the largest surviving native terrestrial mammal in the Amazon.

## Appearance

*T. terresrtris* is dark brown, paler in the face, and has a low, erect crest running from the crown down the back of the neck. The round, dark ears have distinctive white edges. Newborn tapirs have a dark brown coat, with small white spots and stripes along the body. The South American tapir can attain a body length of 1.8 to 2.5 m (5.9 to 8.2 ft) with a 5 to 10 cm (2.0 to 3.9 in) short stubby tail and an average weight around 225 kg (496 lb). Adult weight has been reported ranging from 150 to 320 kg (330 to 710 lb). It stands somewhere between 77 to 108 cm (30 to 43 in) at the shoulder.

## Range and Habitat

The South American tapir can be found near water in the Amazon Rainforest and River Basin in South America, east of the Andes. Its geographic range stretches from Venezuela, Colombia, and the Guianas in the north to Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay in the south, to Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador in the West.

## Behavior

*T. terrestris* is an excellent swimmer and diver, but also moves quickly on land, even over rugged, mountainous terrain. It has a life span of approximately 25 to 30 years. In the wild, its main predators are crocodilians (only the black caiman and Orinoco crocodile, the latter of which is critically endangered, are large enough to take these tapirs, as the American crocodile only exists in the northern part of South America) and large cats, such as the jaguar and cougar, which often attack tapirs at night when tapirs leave the water and sleep on the riverbank. The South American tapir is also attacked by the green anaconda (*Eunectes murinus*). *T. terrestris* is known to run to water when scared to take cover.

## Diet

The South American tapir is an herbivore. Using its mobile nose, it feeds on leaves, buds, shoots, and small branches it tears from trees, fruit, grasses, and aquatic plants. This is known because the diet is studied through observation of browsing, analysis of feces, and studying stomach contents.

## Mating

*T. terrestris* mates in April, May, or June, reaching sexual maturity in the third year of life. Females go through a gestation period of 13 months (390–395 days) and will typically have one offspring every two years. A newborn South American tapir weighs about 15 pounds (6.8 kilos) and will be weaned in about six months.

## Gallery

Tapir FamilyTapir RunningTapir SwimmingBaby Tapir