2011 Wrap-Up

Wow! Can you believe it’s the end of the year already? We hope you’ve enjoyed some of the fun animal facts we’ve brought you this year, and we look forward to bringing you even more in 2012.

In case you’ve missed any, here are our top five animal fact articles from the past year!


The Tiny Pygmy Jerboa – One of the world’s smallest mammals!


The Killer Whale – The true king of the sea!


The Opossum – The actor of the animal world!


Giant Chinese Salamander – 140lb amphibian!


The Vaquita – The smallest and rarest marine mammal in the world!


Happy New Year, everyone!

Image via.

The Grévy's Zebra

The well-known plains zebra is perhaps one of the most familiar symbols of African wildlife. This fully striped member of the horse family has been the subject of many films and photographs, and maintains a strong presence throughout its range. However, there is another species of zebra that looks somewhat unrelated; the Grévy's zebra.

The Grévy's zebra is the largest wild member of the equine family in the world. Most measure 8-9 feet from head to tail, stand around five feet high at the shoulders and weigh 800-1000lbs. Compared to other zebras which are horse-like in appearance, the Grévy's zebra has a larger head, longer ears and thicker mane. Many experts consider the Grévy's zebra to be more closely related to donkeys than horses, and it is thus classified as the only member of the subgenus Dolichohippus. In addition to differences in physical proportions, the Grévy's zebra can be distinguished from plains zebras by their narrower, more closely-spaced stripes and pure-white undersides.

Grévy's zebras also differ in behavior from other zebra species. Whereas most zebras live in herds or harems, the Grévy's zebra often does not. Mares and their foals can be found together in loosely-defined herds, but stallions are usually territorial, occasionally living in small groups outside of mating season, or roaming alone if they are bachelors. .

Native to much of eastern Africa, Grévy's zebras can usually only be found today in isolated pockets of Kenya and Ethiopia. Though now a protected species in both countries, Grévy’s zebra populations have dropped 75% in the last fifty years to an estimated remaining wild population of 2,500 animals. The population was considered stable as of 2008.

The Giant Trumpeter Swan

An increasingly common winter sight at many lakes and rivers in the United States are flocks of giant trumpeter swans. Trumpeter swans are both the largest native North American birds and the largest living waterfowl species on earth. Exceptionally sized individuals can have a total body length of six feet, wingspan of ten feet, and weigh 38lbs!

 

The largest number of these long-necked birds can be found in Alaska, with native populations migrating to locations throughout portions of central and western Canada and the United States seasonally. Populations that have been introduced by conservation efforts are usually year-round residents and do not migrate.

Trumpeter swans primarily feed on all manner of aquatic plants and vegetation. They often feed by upending themselves in the water and using their long necks to reach underwater plants; this technique is known as “dabbling”. In the winter, trumpeter swans will also take advantage of any remaining seeds or grains left in agricultural fields, though they prefer aquatic dining. Trumpeter swans will usually continue to nest and feed at a lake, pond or river in the winter so long as food and open water remains, often sharing their habitat with much smaller Canada geese. Once suitable wintering grounds are found, trumpeter swans may continue to return to the same site each winter for life.

Courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation

Trumpeter swan pairs usually mate for life at 4-7 years of age. They are a long-lived species, with many wild swans living well into their twenties. Because of their size, adults have no real natural predators other than golden eagles. Human hunting in the 1800’s caused the trumpeter swan to nearly become extinct. Since the early twentieth century there have been conservation efforts in place in many states that have been effective to the point that these giant swans are now once again common in some areas.

The Inland Taipan - Fierce Snake

The inland taipan, also known as the fierce snake, is a venomous snake found in east-central Australia. It is considered by biologists to have the most powerful venom of any land snake in the world, with a bite that is reportedly 50 times more lethal than that of an Indian cobra.

Inland taipans are approximately 6-8 feet long and have scales that are brown or brownish olive-green depending on season. Dark chevrons are usually visible on the body and the head and snout are nearly black. Taipans change the shade of their scales seasonally, becoming lighter during the summer to reflect light and darker during the winter to absorb it.

The taipan’s diet consists of rodents, small mammals and birds. Native rats are common in much of the inland taipan’s habitat, and in years where the rats are plentiful they will become the snake’s primary food source. They hunt by stunning their prey with a single bite, after which the taipan retreats to a crack in the arid dirt or other safe place while its venom takes effect. Once the prey has expired the taipan will return to consume it.

Despite their dangerous reputation, inland taipans are very reclusive and there has never been a report of a bite to a human other than to herpetologists actually handling the snake, and all bite victims survived through the administration of antivenin.

Reindeer & Caribou

Reindeer, known as caribou in the United States and Canada, are a type of deer indigenous to the northern regions of North America, Greenland, Asia and Europe, and are a well-known component of the story of Santa Claus. There are 9 subspecies of caribou, most of which represent the only types of deer in which both sexes grow antlers. 

The size of caribou depends largely on sex and subspecies. Female reindeer usually weigh between 170-260lbs, with males ranging from 200-700lbs; both sexes are between 33 and 59 inches tall at the shoulders. Compared to their body size, caribou have extremely large antlers. Males can possess racks up to 39 inches in width and 53 inches in beam length. The only deer with larger antlers is the moose. All species of caribou have insulated double-layer coats and are well suited to brutally cold life on the tundra.

Caribou are migratory animals, and venture farther each year than any other terrestrial mammal; sometimes over 3000 miles in a year. The herds during these migrations can contain up to 500,000 animals. Reindeer are very capable at covering ground, with an average traveling distance of 12-34 miles per day. They are excellent sprinters as well, and can run at speeds up to 50mph. Water is frequently and easily traversed on migration routes, as reindeer can swim at speeds in excess of 6mph.

Caribou and reindeer are ruminants, and eat primarily tundra grass in the summer. In the winter, lichen is their main food source, but they have also been known to consume leaves, seeds, eggs, and small rodents.

Reindeer have been hunted by native peoples since nearly the beginning of human history. Their meat and fur is a staple in northern tribal life, where most species are still actively hunted. Though never fully domesticated like horses or working dogs, reindeer have been used throughout history as draught animals to pull sleds. However, the vast majority keep their hooves on the ground!

Snowy Owls in Missouri?

The large and powerful snowy owl is best known in its Arctic tundra summer home of northern Alaska, Canada, and Eurasia. Like all snowy owls, North American birds are nomadic and usually migrate as far south as southern Canada each winter in search of food. However, during the annual Christmas Bird Count this year participants have counted over a dozen snowy owls in Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa; an incredibly high number so far south.

Snowy Owl at Smithville Lake 12/2011. Courtesy Missouri Dept. of Conservation

Being as we at the Jungle Store are located in the Kansas City area, this is exciting news for local birdwatchers. Seeing a single snowy owl wintering this far south is extremely rare, and this year alone three have already been spotted in the Smithville Lake area just north of Kansas City.

As carnivores, snowy owls tend to move whenever food becomes scarce. Their primary food source in the Arctic is the lemming, an animal that is notorious for experiencing huge population booms and declines every four years. Missouri conservationists believe that this southward migration has to do with a lemming population crash in the north, as snowy owls haven’t been seen in this area in several years.

Although they’re not native residents, it is a treat to catch a glimpse of these massive owls in our own backyards for a short while.

The Great Dane - Gentle Giant

Though not typically as large and heavy as some mastiffs and St. Bernard’s, Great Danes are nonetheless the best known of the giant dog breeds. Their easygoing temperament and playful nature has made them an extremely popular and enduring breed, with evidence of their existence dating back some 5000 years.

Adult male Great Danes usually stand 30-34 inches high at the shoulders and weigh 120-200lbs, with females being slightly smaller and lighter. However, some Great Danes can grow significantly larger. The current Guinness record holder for world’s tallest dog is a six year old blue male from Arizona named Giant George. George stands 43 inches tall at the withers and weighs 245lbs, making him both the tallest living dog and tallest dog ever recorded.

Giant George

Though originally bred for boar hunting, Great Danes are now primarily considered companion pets. Their personalities can make them ideal family dogs even around children. However, owners must establish a strong pack leader position early on with this breed, as Danes don’t stay small for long and can otherwise think of themselves as giant lap dogs; something some owners have no problem with!

Image via DanesOnline

The Hirola - Four-Eyed Antelope

The hirola is a critically endangered species of antelope that inhabits the arid plains between Somalia and Kenya. It is the only living member of the Beatragus genus and has declined in population in recent years to a current estimate of only 500 to 1200 remaining animals.

The hirola’s “four-eyed antelope” nickname stems from the large scent glands these animals have just below their eyes. When the hirola becomes excited these glands become enlarged, giving them the appearance of having a second set of eyes. Hirolas can also be characterized by their large and fearsome horns, which make for a formidable weapon to be used against rivals.

Photo credit: ARKive

Hirolas generally weigh between 175 and 260lbs and feed on the course grasses that grow in their arid habitat. Females and young hirolas live in groups of 5-40 animals, with mature males either living with a group or defending their own territories depending upon population density and food supply. Like many animals that live in dry climates, hirolas can survive for exceedingly long periods without water. 

The Vicuña

A wild ancestor to llamas and alpacas, the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) is one of two South American camelids that has never been widely domesticated, with the other being the guanaco. Vicuñas are native to the central Andes of Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile, and northwestern Argentina.

Vicuñas are considerably smaller than most camelids. On average they stand about three feet high at the shoulders and weigh 100-150lbs. Unlike alpacas, vicuñas do not vary much in coat color, and are usually light brown on their backs with longer white fur covering their necks and undersides.

Vicuñas typically live in family groups consisting of 5-20 animals. This includes a single adult male, several adult females and their young. Most family groups live in two territories, a daytime grazing area, usually in lowlands with nutrient-rich grasses, and a nighttime sleeping area higher up in the mountains. The dominant male in these groups never allows family members to venture farther than 200 feet from one another at any time.

Though vicuñas do face natural threats from pumas and foxes, their largest threat comes from humans. Unrestricted hunting from the time of the Spanish conquests through the 1960’s had reduced the vicuña population to only about 6,000 individuals. They were declared endangered in 1974; since then, conservation efforts have allowed the vicuña population to soar to a current level of 350,000.

Blue Tigers?

Although most of us are familiar with white tigers, a rare color morph of the Bengal tiger, documented sightings of Maltese or “blue” tigers have also been reported throughout history.

Artist's rendering of what a Maltese tiger might look like.

As with domestic cats, the Maltese name refers to a “blue” fur coloration that is actually slate grey. Sightings of Maltese tigers have occurred numerous times throughout the 20th century in both the Fujian Province of China and Korea. It is assumed that these blue tigers were most closely related to the now critically endangered South China tiger. If they still exist, Maltese tigers may be some of the rarest animals on earth.