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 Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:24 am
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:29 am
Gray Wolf
The grey wolf or gray wolf (Canis lupus) is the largest wild member of the Canidae family. It is an ice age survivor originating during the Late Pleistocene around 300,000 years ago. A number of other gray wolf subspecies have been identified, though the actual number of subspecies is still open to discussion. Gray wolves are typically apex predators in the ecosystems they occupy. Though not as adaptable as more generalist canid species, wolves have thrived in temperate forests, deserts, mountains, tundra, taiga, grasslands, and even urban areas.
Wolves have between 1 and 8 offspring per litter.
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:33 am
Alpine Dhole
The Dhole (Cuon alpinus), also known as the Asiatic Wild Dog, Indian Wild Dog, or Red Dog, is a species of Asian canid, and the only member of the genus Cuon. The Dhole typically weighs 12–20 kilograms (26–44 lb) and measures 90 centimetres (35 in) in body length and 50 centimetres (20 in) shoulder height. The tail measures 40–45 centimetres (16–18 in) in length. There is little sexual dimorphism. The Dhole has a broad, domed skull and a short, broad muzzle. The bones of the forehead and upper jaw are "swollen," producing a dish-faced profile. The ears are large and rounded.
It inhabits areas of primary, secondary, degraded, evergreen, and semi-evergreen forms of vegetation, and dry thorn forests, as well as scrub-forest mosaics. It can also, however, survive in dense alpine forests, meadows and on the open steppes of Kashmir and Manchuria. As the second part of its Latin name, alpinus, suggests, the Dhole is often found in hilly or mountainous regions. The Dhole likes open spaces and during the day they can often be found on jungle roads and paths, river beds, and in jungle clearings. The Dhole inhabits in the widest range of climates in the canid family – from freezing cold to tropical heat, but is not recorded in deserts.
Dholes have between 1 and 8 offspring per litter.
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:36 am
Kirsa
The Corsac Fox (Vulpes corsac), also known as the Kirsa or Steppe Fox, is a medium sized Asiatic fox species spread throughout the central steppes of Asia. It is sometimes referred to as the Tibetan Fox (because it lives in the arid environments north and west of the Tibetan Plateau), or simply as the Sand Fox, but this terminology is confusing because the Tibetan Sand Fox (Vulpes ferrilata), which lives in the high parts of the Tibetan Plateau, is often called the "Sand Fox" or "Tibetan Fox" as well. Rüppell's Fox (Vulpes rueppellii) is also known as the "Sand Fox".
The length of head and body is 50–60 cm, and the tail length 22–35 cm. For a fox, it has small teeth and a wide skull. The Corsac Fox has hooked claws and is able to climb trees. They are omnivores, eating small animals, birds, reptiles, insects and plants. They sometimes feed on carrion and rodents. It drinks little water. It often buries its prey, such as rodents, in caches.
It is very social and lives in "corsac cities" where animals have several dens with connected holes. It prefers some steppe and semi-desert in mountainous areas. The Corsac Fox is more social than other foxes. It will share burrows and form hunting packs. It lives in small groups, and creates families. The Corsac Fox prefers a nomadic lifestyle and spends some seasons walking through the steppes. It can not walk on snow and often larger snow-drifts are the cause of death for many foxes.
Kirsas have between 1 and 6 offspring per litter.
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:41 am
Siberian Tiger
The Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is also known as the Amur, Manchurian, Altaic, Korean, North China or Ussuri tiger. It ranges throughout Western and Central Asia and eastern Russia. It is the biggest of the eight recent tiger subspecies and the largest living felid.
The Siberian tiger is typically 5–10 cm (2-4 inches) taller at the shoulders than the Bengal tiger, which is about 107–110 cm (42–43 in) tall. Males measure 8-feet-10-inches to 10-feet-10-inches long and weigh 419 to 675 pounds; females average 7-feet-11-inches to 9-feet long and weigh 221 to 368 pounds. The largest male with largely assured references was 350 cm (138 in) "over curves" (3,30 m/130 in. between pegs) in total length. Females are normally smaller than males and weigh 100–167 kg (220-368 lb), probably up to 180 kg (400 lb).
Tigers have between 1 and 6 offspring per litter.
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:44 am
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard (Uncia uncia or Panthera uncia), sometimes known as ounce, is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia. Snow leopards are smaller than the other big cats but like them, exhibit a range of sizes, generally weighing between 27 and 54 kilograms (60 and 120 lb). Body length ranges from 75 to 130 centimeters, with a tail of nearly the same length.
Snow leopards show several adaptations for living in a cold mountainous environment. Their bodies are stocky, their fur is thick, and their ears are small and rounded, all of which help to minimize heat loss. Their feet are wide, which distributes their weight better for walking on snow, and they have fur on their undersides to increase their traction on steep and unstable surfaces, as well as to assist with minimizing heat loss. Snow leopards' tails are long and flexible, helping them to maintain their balance. The tails are also very thickly covered with fur which, apart from minimizing heat loss, allows them to be used like a blanket to protect their faces when asleep.
Snow leopards cannot roar, despite possessing some ossification of the hyoid bone. The presence of this ossification was previously thought to be essential for allowing the big cats to roar, but new studies show that the ability to roar is due to other morphological features, especially of the larynx, which are absent in the snow leopard.
Snow leopards have between 1 and 5 offspring per litter.
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:48 am
Eurasian Lynx
familiar
The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, where it is one of the predators. The Eurasian lynx is the biggest of the lynxes, ranging in length from 81 to 129 cm (32 to 51 in) and standing about 70 cm (28 in) at the shoulder. Males usually weigh from 18 to 30 kg (40 to 66 lb) and females weigh 18 kg (40 lb) on average. The Eurasian lynx is mainly nocturnal and lives solitarily as an adult. Moreover, the sounds this lynx makes are very quiet and seldom heard, so the presence of the species in an area may go unnoticed for years. Remnants of prey or tracks on snow are usually observed long before the animal is seen
Lynxes prey on hares, rabbits, rodents, grouse, wild boar, chamois, foxes, roe deer and reindeer. As with other cats, trying on larger prey presents a risk to the animal. The main method of hunting is stalking, sneaking and jumping on prey. In winter certain snow conditions make this harder and the animal may be forced to switch to larger prey. The European lynx likes rugged forested country providing plenty of hideouts and stalking opportunities. The hunting area of an average lynx is from 20 to 60 km2 (8 to 23 sq mi) and it can tread more than 20 km (12 mi) during one night.
Lynxes have between 1 and 6 offspring per litter.
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:51 am
Pika
familiar
The pika, a cousin of the rabbit, is a small chinchilla-like animal, with short limbs, rounded ears, and short tail. The name pika is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). One genus, Ochotona, is recognised within the family, and it includes 30 species. Pikas are also called rock rabbits or coneys. It is also known as the "whistling hare" due to its high-pitched alarm call when diving into its burrow. The name "pika" appears to be derived from the Tungus piika, or perhaps from the Russian pikat "to squeak."
Pikas are native to cold climates, mostly in Asia, North America and parts of eastern Europe. Most species live on rocky mountain sides, where there are numerous crevices to shelter in, although some also construct crude burrows. A few burrowing species are instead native to open steppe land. In the mountains of Eurasia, pikas often share their burrows with snowfinches, which build their nests there.
Pikas are diurnal or crepuscular, with higher altitude species generally being more active during the daytime. They show their peak activity before the winter season. Pikas do not hibernate, so they rely on collected hay for warm bedding and food. Pikas gather fresh grasses and lay them in stacks to dry. Once the grasses dry out, the pikas take this hay back to the burrows for storage. It is not uncommon for pikas to steal hay from others; the resulting disputes are usually exploited by neighboring predators like ferrets and large birds.
Eurasian pikas commonly live in family groups and share duties of gathering food and keeping watch. At least some species are territorial.
Pikas have between 1 and 5 offspring per litter.
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:54 am
Lemming
familiar
Lemmings are small rodents, usually found in or near the Arctic, in tundra biomes. Lemmings weigh from 30 to 112 g (1.1 to 4.0 oz) and are about 7 to 15 cm (2.8 to 5.9 in) long. They generally have long, soft fur, and very short tails. They are herbivorous, feeding mostly on leaves and shoots, grasses, and sedges in particular, but also on roots and bulbs. Like other rodents, their incisors grow continuously, allowing them to exist on much tougher forage than what would normally be possible.
Lemmings do not hibernate through the harsh northern winter. They remain active, finding food by burrowing through the snow and utilizing grasses clipped and stored in advance. They are solitary animals by nature, meeting only to mate and then going their separate ways, but like all rodents they have a high reproductive rate and can breed rapidly when food is plentiful.
Lemmings have between 1 and 8 offspring per litter.
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:58 am
Wolverine
familiar
The wolverine (Gulo gulo), also referred to as a glutton and occasionally as a carcajou, skunk bear, quickhatch, or gulon, is the largest land-dwelling species of the Mustelidae (weasel) family in the genus Gulo (Latin: "glutton"). It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids. The wolverine has a reputation for ferocity and strength out of proportion to its size, with the documented ability to kill prey many times its size.
Anatomically, the wolverine is a stocky and muscular animal. With short legs, broad and rounded head, and small eyes with short rounded ears, it resembles a bear more than other mustelids. Its legs are short, while its large five-toed paws and plantigrade posture facilitate movement through deep snow. The adult wolverine is about the size of a medium dog, with a length usually ranging from 65 – 87 cm (25 – 34 inches), a tail of 17 – 26 cm (7 – 10 inches), and a weight of 10–25 kg (22 – 55 lb), though exceptionally large males can weigh over 31 kg (70 lb). The males are as much as 30 percent larger than the females. It is the largest of terrestrial mustelids; only the marine dwelling sea otter and giant otter are larger.
Wolverines have thick, dark, oily fur which is highly hydrophobic, making it resistant to frost. Its bushy tail is 25–35 cm in length. Like many other mustelids, it has potent a**l scent glands used for marking territory and sexual signalling. The pungent odor has given rise to the nicknames "skunk bear" and "nasty cat." Wolverines, like other mustelids, possess a special upper molar in the back of the mouth that is rotated 90 degrees, towards the inside of the mouth. This special characteristic allows wolverines to tear off meat from prey or carrion that has been frozen solid.
The wolverine is, like most mustelids, remarkably strong for its size. Wolverines inhabiting the Old World are more active hunters. This may be because competing predator populations in Eurasia are not as dense, making it more practical for the wolverine to hunt for itself than to wait for another animal to make a kill and then try to snatch it. They often feed on carrion left by wolves, so that changes in the population of wolves may affect the population of wolverines. Wolverines are also known on occasion to eat plant material.
Armed with powerful jaws, sharp claws, and a thick hide, wolverines may defend kills against larger or more numerous predators. Wolverines have been known to harass and attempt to intimidate wolves.
Wolverines have between 1 and 3 offspring per litter.
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:02 am
Polecat
familiar
The Steppe Polecat (Mustela eversmanii) is a small carnivore and is one of several species of weasel that belong to the genus Mustela. It can also be referred to as the Siberian polecat. The Siberian Weasel (Mustela sibirica) is also occasionally referred to as Siberian polecat, which can be confusing. The Steppe Polecat is found in the steppes and sub-deserts of Eastern Europe and republics of the former USSR. It is also found in Mongolia and West, Central and North East China.
Polecats have between 1 and 7 offspring per litter.
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:26 pm
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