SPOTTED HYENA

ORDER
Carnivora
FAMILY
Hyaenidae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Crocuta crocuta
The spotted hyena is a predator and scavenger that lives in the
African savanna. It is popularly known as the laughing hyena
because it cackles eerily when squabbling over food.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, up to
ft. Tail, about 1 ft. Female larger
than male.
Weight: 130-175 lb.
Height: ft. at shoulder.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 18 months.
Gestation: 14-16 weeks.
No. of young: 2-3, usually 2.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Lives mostly in groups.
Call: Varied squeals and howls,
including well-known "laugh."
Some sounds inaudible to
humans.
Diet: Mostly large prey such as
zebras and antelopes. Also carrion.
Lifespan: Up to 25 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The spotted hyena is the largest of
4 hyena species. The smallest is
the aardwolf, Proteles cristatus,
which eats termites.
Range of the spotted hyena.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in open grassland in Africa south of the Sahara,
excluding southern South Africa and the Congo basin.
CONSERVATION
The spotted hyena is still widespread in Africa. Because of
its varied diet, it is not currently threatened.
THE SPODED HYENA AND ITS RELATIVES
Coat: Short,
maned. Sandy
red-brown with
dark spots on
body and legs.
Dark paws,
muzzle, and tail.
Pale belly.
Head: Big and
broad, with very
powerful jaws.
ForeJegs: Longer than hind
legs. Give hyena its sleping
profile.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
AARDWOLF. Height: About 1 ft. at
shoulder. Coat: Dark-striped sandy
brown with bushy tail and mane.
Diet: Mainly termites, as well as small
mammals, reptiles, and some carrion.
Call: Soft bark or growl.
BROWN HYENA. Height About
2% ft. .at shoulder. Coat: Dense.
Dark brown body, sandy brown
mane. legs. Diet: Small
mammals, rep.tiles, eggs, insects,
Call: Howl, growl, hoot.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
STRJPED HYENA. Height: 2-2% ft.
at shoulder. Coat: Sandy gray with
thick mane. Black throat. Str'ipes on
body and legs. Die.t: Varied, includ- .
ing mammals, reptiles, carrion, fruit,
garbage. Call : Soft howl or growl.
0160200371 PACKET 37
With its sloped back and heavy build, the spotted hyena
is larger than any of its three close relatives.
It roams wild over much of Africa south of the Sahara
Desert, where it scavenges from carcasses or kills
its own prey. It usually hunts in packs,
which can bring down large prey and can force
even big cats to abandon their kill.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
The spotted hyena is most
active at dusk or night. It may
hunt alone but kills more ef-
ficiently in a pack. A hyena
pack can outrun and bring
down zebras or gnus, even
though these animals reach
speeds of 25 miles per hour.
The hyena seizes its prey by
the legs and flank and hangs
on until the victim has been
brought to its knees. It then
tears open the soft under-
parts. The pack takes about
10 minutes to kill a large ani-
mal. Their howls may attract
lions or other big cats, but
the cats are unable to steal
the kill. In fact a hyena pack
can force a lion to abandon
its own catch.
No food is wasted. What
cannot be eaten immediately
is buried, and the hyena
remembers its location.
Below: This spotted hyena has
scavenged the shattered upper
jaw from a warthog carcass.
~ HABITS
The spotted hyena lives in
packs of 12 to 100 animals.
Females are larger than males,
and the most dominant fe-
male heads the pack.
Hierarchy in the pack is main-
tained through body postures.
A weak animal may crawl on its
belly or sniff and lick another
hyena's genital region. Especial-
Iy during the mating season,
there may be outright aggres-
sion leading to the death of the
weaker animal.
The spotted hyena's team-
work in hunting and sharing
food enables it to adapt to
varied habitats and prey.
Right: This two-month-old pup is
already mingling with the adults.
SPECIAL ADAPTATI ONS
The spotted hyena commu-
nicates with others using a
I
series of calls, some of which
are too high for humans to
hear. Other calls include the
I
well-known laugh, which can
carry over several miles.
The hyena also communi-
cates by leaving its scent,
using a creamy paste from
I an anal pouch. It deposits
the paste on plants at the
DID YOU KNOW?
The spotted hyena coughs
up undigested waste such
as horns in pellet form.
A single hyena is capable
of chasing and killing prey
three times its own weight.
People once thought
every hyena was both male
and female because the
edges of its terri tory to sig-
nal other hyenas not to ap-
proach. At close range it
also emits t he paste as a
sign of aggression.
The spotted hyena has
very powerful jaws that can
crunch large bones. It can
even eat t usks and horns.
This ability is key for hyenas
t hat scavenge from t he kills
.of li ons and other big cats.
Left: The
spotted hyena
has a coarse
mane in front
and a broad
head. The fe-
male is much
larger than
the male.
male and female genital
organs look alike.
The hyena howls toward
the ground, while wolves
and dogs point their noses
toward the sky.
The hyena resembles a
dog but is more closely
related to a mongoose.
~ BREEDING
During the mating season, a
male approaches a female sub-
missively but is usually driven
off by a dominant male. Only
the highest-ranking male
mates with the female.
After a long gestation the
female gives birth to two or
three cubs in a den shared
with other nursing females.
She fiercely defends her young
from adult males, who might
kill the pups if they were al-
lowed to come near.
Newborn hyenas are better
developed than most meat
eaters. They can see and run
immediately and have most of
their teeth. Nevertheless, they
depend on the mother for
food. The mother suckles them
outside the den and slowly
weans them onto meat. They
are not fully weaned until
about 18 months old.
Below: A mother carries her pup
with a gentleness that belies the
power in her jaws.
"'CARD 152 I
PIG-TAILED MACAQUE
' ( ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ - - ~ ~
... ORDER
~ Primates
... FAMILY
~ Cercopithecidae
... GENUS &: SPECIES
~ Macaca nemestrina
The pig-tailed macaque is a large monkey that lives in the forests
of Southeast Asia. It gets its name from its short tail,
which is often held curved over its hindquarters.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Height: 1 ~ - 2 ft.
Weight: Male, 18 lb. Female, 10 lb .
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 4 years.
Mating: Mainly November,
December, and January.
Gestation: About 27 weeks.
No. of young: Usually 1 .
Frequency of births: Usually every
2 years. Yearly in captivity.
LIFESTYLE
Call: Grunts, whimpers, murmurs.
Habit: Sociable; active in daytime.
Diet: Fruit, insects, young leaves,
roots, crops.
Lifespan: Oldest in captivity,
26 years, 4 months.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 19 species in this family
of monkeys, including the rhesus
macaque, frequently used in
medical laboratories, and the
Barbary ape.
Range of the pig-tailed macaque.
DISTRIBUTION
Found throughout northeast India, Mayanmar, Thailand,
Sumatra, Malaya, and Borneo.
CONSERVATION
The number of pig-tailed macaques is rapidly declining
due to the loss of its forest habitat and the popularity
of its meat.
AGGRESSIVE POSTURES OF THE PIG-TAILED MACAQUE
1. Glowering: The first stage of
aggression begins with the pig-tailed
macaque staring menacingly at the
intruder in an attempt to establish
dominance.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
2. Display of teeth: Next the
macaque shows its teeth in a
fierce grimace.
3. Crouching before the attack:
The pig-tailed macaque crouches
down and lowers its head threat-
eningly immediately before spring-
ing at the intruder.
0160200381 PACKET 38
The pig-tailed macaque lives in dense forests,
sleeping at night among the branches of tall trees.
This heavily built monkey spends most of its day
foraging for food on the forest floor,
moving quietly in small groups.
~ H A B I T S
The pig-tailed macaque lives
in dense evergreen forests in
troops of 16 to 18 adults, in-
fants, and juveniles. In areas
where food is plentiful, the
troops are usually larger.
The troop has more than
one male, but only one is
dominant. There is a definite
DID YOU KNOW?
Macaques are intelligent.
When some Japanese ma-
caques found that washing
potatoes in salt water made
them taste better, the troop
followed their example.
When fleeing from hu-
social structure within the
troop, and the high-ranking
members eat first. If food is
scarce, the lowest-ranking
monkeys may starve.
The macaque is shy. If it is
disturbed, it will hide in the
leaves of a tree or quickly and
silently run away.
mans, macaques often run
shoulder to shoulder, mov-
ing silently as a group.
If a stranger tries to join a
troop of macaques, it may
be rejected and prevented
from taking food or water.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
The pig-tailed macaque
prefers bulky, nutritious food
like fruit, tubers, and corn.
It has a large range and
searches for food in small
troops, moving quietly and
communicating with a low,
moaning call. A group will
often raid a cultivated field
of crops after watching it for
some time. During the raid,
the group works as silently as
possible, taking the time to
c:loose the best ears of corn
Left: Like many monkeys, pig-
tailed macaques often groom
one another.
or tubers. Usually, a young
adult male stands guard in a
tree at the edge of the forest,
ready to give a warni'1g bark
if the farmer appears.
The group rarely stays in
one place, but when a fruit
tree is discovered, the mem-
bers will remain to eat the
ripe fruit. Older group mem-
bers may remember a fruit-
bearing tree and take the
other macaques back to it
at harvesttime.
Right: The macaque supplements
its diet of fruit and insects with
young leaves.
When the female pig-tailed
macaque is ready to breed,
at about age four, the hair-
less area of her buttocks
swells and reddens. At other
times the area looks like any
other patch of bare skin.
A male may touch a seated
female with his hip as a sig-
nal for her to stand and pre-
sent herself. But the female
may decide that she prefers
another male, and the choice
of mate is hers.
Less than six months after
Left: When it senses danger,
the macaque runs quickly and
silently away.
mating a single young ma-
caque is born. The mother is
very protective of the infant.
She does not allow others to
touch it and carries it every-
where, with one arm around
it as it clings to her.
The infant starts to explore
on its own at about three
weeks. The mother keeps a
close watch on it, and it re-
turns to her regularly. When
the baby is about six months
old, the mother begins to
wean it, removing her nipple
from the young monkey if it
tries to feed and giving it a
finger to suck instead.
~ PIG-TAILED MACAQUE &: MAN
Humans have made use of the
pig-tailE:d macaque's excellent
climbing ability. In Sumatra,
the monkey has been trained
to collect coconuts. In Malaya,
botanists have trained the
monkey to collect specimens
from the tops of tall trees.
The meat of the pig-tailed
macaque is very popular in
areas where it is believed to
have body-building powers.
This belief has led to a decline
in the macaque population.
"'" CARD 1 ill
BARBARY SHEEP
____________________________ __ A_lS __
... ORDER .... FAMILY GENUS &: SPECIES
Artiodactyla Bovidae Ammotragus lelVia
The barbary sheep, a plant-eater, lives in small
but sociable family groups. Despite its name, this animal
actually belongs to a middle genus between sheep and goats.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Height: 2-3 ft.
Weight: Male 200-300 lb. Female
80-120 lb.
Length: Body, 5 ft. Tail, 8-10 in.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1-2 years.
Mating: October to November.
Gestation: 150-165 days.
No. of young: 1-3.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Lives in small family groups
of 1 male, 1 or 2 females, and
several young.
Call: Young bleats; adult grunts.
Diet: Grasses, shrubby plants.
lifespan: 24 years in captivity,
unknown in the wild.
RELATED SPECIES
The only member of its genus. Its
closest relative is the blue sheep,
Pseudois nayaur, from Tibet and
eastern China.
Range of the barbary sheep.
DISTRIBUTION
North Africa, from the Atlantic Coast to the Red Sea and
south to Mali and Sudan. Introduced into California, New
Mexico, and islands in Lake Erie.
CONSERVATION
Conservation measures do not appear necessary as the
barbary sheep is still common over much of its range,
although long periods of drought have depleted some flocks.
FEATURES OF THE BARBARY SHEEP
Horns: Large, curved, and hollow. ____
Triangular in cross-section wi th
prominent ridges.
Body: Similar to a goat wi th sturdy---------,
legs. Reddish brown coat wi th short,
coarse hair and a soft, woolly undercoat.
Tail : Long and
bushy. A bald patch
underneath ___
contains scent
glands.
Feet: Front and
back toes have
developed into split,
or artiodactyJ
(even toed)
hooves.
I
MCMXCIIMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Head: Long,
with small
pointed ears
and slanting
nostrils. White
or dark brown
nose stripe.
Mane: Soft and
thick. Reaches
from the chi n
down the chest
to the top of the
forelegs. Usually
darker or lighter
than th 's
The barbary sheep, a swift, nimble climber,
lives in the hills and mountain ranges of
North Africa and the Sahara. Both male and female
barbary sheep have large, curving horns
and manes of long, soft hair on the throat
chest, and forelegs.
HABITS
Most of the year, the barbary
sheep lives in a small family
group of one male with one or
two females and young from
several litters. At the end of
the dry season, many groups
may form a large herd,
feeding and resting together
for a short period.
The day-active barbary
sheep feeds in the cool early
morning and late afternoon.
During the hottest daytime
hours it rests in shady places
under overhanging rocks or
small caves in rock faces.
Throughout the day, the
barbary sheep grooms its
coat, scratching the fur with
its horns or hooves and
rubbing against rocks or low
tree branches.
The sheep likes to wallow
in damp sand to keep its coat
clean and free of parasites.
First it rolls in the sand to
cover its flanks and under-
side, and then it uses its
hooves to scatter the damp
sand over its back.
The barbary sheep adeptly
climbs rocky mountain

The barbary sheep mates from
October to November. The
male, fiercely chasing away
rivals, chooses a female and
follows her for days until she is
ready to mate.
After 150 to 165 days, up to
three lambs are born, each
ranges and desert hills. When
danger threatens it in moun-
tainous regions, it climbs into
the rocks and hides. In sandy
desert regions, the barbary
sheep stands still, its sandy
brown coat blending into the
scenery. Its well-developed
senses of sight, hearing, and
smell help the barbary sheep
to detect predators and their
locations.
Right: If threatened, a barbary
sheep can remain motionless,
balancing on a rock face.
They stay hidden with the
female for two to three days
until they return to the family
group. The female suckles the
lambs for three months; they
reach maturity at 18 months.
Right: Young lambs are born
in late spring to coincide with
plentiful food supplies.
Left: The sheep rest during the
day, feeding only in .the cool
morning and evening.
FOOD &: FEEDING
Barbary sheep feed in the
early morning and at dusk,
often moving from high
rocky areas to nearby plains.
They feed in a group, staying
DID YOU KNOW?
The barbary sheep exudes
a strong odor from scent
glands under its tail.
Barbary sheep have been
crossbred with domestic
goats; their offspring were
bred with chamois.
alert for predators.
Barbary sheep mainly eat
grass and low-growing
plants. They stand on their
hind legs to nibble leaves,
The barbary is the only
sheep originally from Africa.
For centuries, African
tribes hunted the barbary
sheep for its meat, hide,
coat, and sinews. More bar-
bary sheep will survive as
twigs, and young shoots of
shrubs and trees. The sheep
drink water at available water
holes but rely mainly on dew
and moisture in their food.
tribes become fewer.
Barbary sheep that have
escaped from national
parks and private herds
in the United States have
established small but
healthy wild flocks.
NORTH AMERICAN
PORCUPINE
,,-------
.. ORDER
"11IIIIIIII Rodentia
FAMILY
Erethizontidae
CARD 154
GROUP 1: MAMMALS
.. GENUS
"11IIIIIIII Erethizon dorsatum
The North American porcupine is a short-sighted, slow-moving
animal well known for its quills. It spends much of the day 100
feet in the air, feeding among the branches of tall pine trees.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 2-3 ft.
Tail, up to 1 ft .
Weight: Typically 8-15 lb., but
some males reach 40 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 Yl -2Yl years.
Breeding season: October to
December.
Gestation: About 7 months.
No. of young: 1, rarely 2.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Tree- and ground-living.
Diet: Tree bark, conifer needles,
leaves, seeds, fruit.
Lifespan: Up to 17 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The 10 species of Erethizontidae
porcupines include the Mexi-
can tree porcupine, Sphiggurus
mexicanus, and the prehensile-
tailed porcupine, Coendou
prehensilis.
Range of the North American porcupine.
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread throughout wooded areas of North America.
Ranges from eastern Alaska to Labrador in the north and
from northern Mexico to Tennessee in the south.
CONSERVATION
The North American porcupine is generally considered a pest
because it kills trees by eating their bark. In some areas
attempts have been made to reduce the population.
FEATURES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN PORCUPINE
Tree climbing:
Porcupines feed
on tree bark and
pine needles and
may nest high
up in a tree.
Paws: Hard, hairless pads
and long, sharp claws
improve grip on tree trunk.
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Quills: Become erect
whenever danger
threatens. Tiny barbs
make quills difficult
to remove.
of the porcu-
pine's few
successful
0160200391 PACKET 39
Like other species in the porcupine family,
the North American porcupine spends much of
its time in trees, where it feeds on bark and pine
needles. Its sharp claws, hard foot pads, and
well-developed sense of balance help it to climb
with ease-although at a very slow pace.
~ HABITAT
The North American porcu-
pine prefers mixed woods with
conifers and deciduous trees.
But it adapts to unlikely habi-
tats such as desert and tundra.
The porcupine sleeps all day,
tucked in a hollow log or rocky
crevice. Each animal has sever-
al dens within its home range.
After a night's activity, it uses
whichever den is nearby at
dawn. It uses the same routes
to and from its dens and wears
down paths in the area.
During severe winter weath-
er, the porcupine may stay in
its den for a day or more.
When it does emerge, it sel-
dom travels far. In summer the
animal ranges farther out to
find new feeding grounds.
But even when foraging it
seldom roams more than 500
feet from its den.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
The North American porcu-
pine gnaws with its strong,
bright orange teeth on leaves,
twigs, seeds, and fruits. Its diet
varies depending on its habitat
and the season.
In spring the animal leaves
the forest to graze on grass in
nearby meadows. Summer
finds it on the ground chew-
ing roots and shoots. It also
eats young leaves, berries,
DID YOU KNOW?
A fully grown North Amer-
ican porcupine sports as
many as 30,000 quills.
A porcupine may nest in
trees 20 feet above ground.
An adult male can weigh
up to 40 pounds, which is
almost three times the ani-
mal's usual weight.
~ BREEDING
The male porcupine is solitary
for much of the year, but he
seeks a mate in late fall. Be-
cause he is very short-sighted,
he relies on his sharp hearing
and keen sense of smell to find
his partner.
When a pair meets, they per-
form a courtship ritual with
much grunting and circling.
The female comes into heat for
12 hours. If she does not mate
then, she may become fertile
again in a month. After mat-
ing, the female drives the male
away, and he has no further
role in raising the young.
A single offspring is born
about seven months later in
the spring. It is well developed
and can walk at once. It is cov-
ered with long black hair, but
the quills are short and soft. In
seeds, nuts, and flowers.
As winter approaches, the
porcupine goes back to the
woods and a diet of conifer
needles and tree bark. The
sap-laden inner bark is a valu-
able food source for the por-
cupine even when the ground
is buried under snow.
Right: The porcupine's coat looks
soft, but it hides an armory of
barbed quills.
This species swims well
because its hollow quills
give it extra buoyancy.
The North American
porcupine likes salt and may
even gnaw the handles of
gardening tools and ca:J oe
paddles for the salt left by
human perspiration.
less than a week, the young
porcupine can climb. It is able
to feed itself at about two
weeks but usually nurses for
over a month.
Above left:
Trees provide
the porcupine
with food in
winter, as well
as year-round
protection
from many
predators.
Right: At just
two weeks, a
young North
American por-
cupine climbs
carefully up a
tree in search
of needles to
feed on.
Despite its rapid early devel-
opment, the North American
porcupine takes up to four
years to become fully grown. It
may live for 10 years or more.
Early settlers regarded the
North American porcupine
as a source of meat. A few
people still hunt it for food.
Native Americans used the
quills in their costumes and
various artifacts.
The porcupine's appetite
for tree bark has made it very
unpopular with logging com-
panies. In some areas a pred-
atory pine marten called the
fisher has been reintroduced
to control the number of por-
cupines. The fisher kills the
porcupine by flipping it on its
back and attacking the ani-
mal's unprotected chest and
belly. In one part of Michi-
gan, fishers reduced the
North American porcupine
population by 76 percent in
13 years.
" CARD 155 I
WOODCHUCK
, , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ - - - - ~ ~ ~
". ORDER
~ Rodentia
FAMILY
5ciuridae
". GENUS &: SPECIES
~ Marmota monax
The woodchuck is the only marmot found in
eastern North America. Also known as the groundhog,
this sun-loving mammal spends about half of its life asleep.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 16-20 in.
Tail, 4-7 in.
Weight: 4-11 lb., increasing just
before hibernation.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Mating: March to April.
Gestation: 31-32 days.
Number of young: 2-6.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary. Hibernates
for 5 months of the year.
Diet : Grasses and herbs.
Call: Shrill whistle if alarmed. Hisses,
squeals, and growls if annoyed.
lifespan: 4-5 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The squirrel family has more than
260 species in 14 genera. It in-
cludes marmots, prairie dogs,
ground and tree squirrels, and
chipmunks.
Range of the woodchuck.
DISTRIBUTION
Found throughout eastern North America and in Alaska, the
Yukon, Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana.
CONSERVATION
Although it is often killed by farmers, the woodchuck re-
mains abundant in the cultivated regions and woodland
areas of its range.
FEATURES OF THE WOODCHUCK
Teeth: Well -
developed
incisors grow
throughout the
woodchuck's life
and are used for
burrowing as
well as eating.
Coat: Outer layer of guard hairs may
be reddish brown, black, or white.
Undercoat of warm, soft fur protects
against the cold during the
woodchuck's long hibernation.
THE HIDDEN BURROW
The woodchuck sometimes digs a false
burrow entrance near the real entrance
to confuse predators. It scatters soil
around this decoy and
digs the real entrance
from below to
make it hard
Real burrow
entrance
Scent glands:
Three glands in
the anus emit a
strong, musky
scent, which is
robably used in
ication.
MCMXCI IMP BVIIMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200381 PACKET 38
A ground-dwelling member of the squirrel family,
the woodchuck has a dark, bushy tail and
a coat of grizzled, reddish-brown fur. It spends
the summer fattening up on grasses in
preparation for its long winter hibernation.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
The woodchuck eats mainly
green vegetation like clover and
alfalfa. Because it does not eat
during its long hibernation, the
woodchuck eats large amounts
in late summer to put on
weight. At this time its body
DID YOU KNOW?
The hibernating wood-
chuck breathes once every
six minutes, its heartbeat
drops, and its temperature
falls from 96.8to 39.2F.
The name woodchuck
weight can almost double.
During hibernation, the
woodchuck wakes regularly
to excrete. It emerges much
thinner in the spring and stays
at that lower weight through
the early summer.
comes from the Native
American word wuchak:
In New York State alone,
woodchucks dig up more
than one and a half million
tons of soil each year.
~ H A B I T S
The woodchuck is found in
woodlands and pastures and
at the edges of forests. It is
active during the late spring
and summer-mostly in the
early morning and late after-
noon. It spends the rest of
the day lying in the sun or
sleeping in its burrow if the
weather is cold and cloudy.
The woodchuck rarely strays
far from its long, deep burrow.
The woodchuck is a good
swimmer and climber. It has a
wide range of calls, including
a loud whistle of alarm. When
it is annoyed, the woodchuck
left: The woodchuck's burrow
entrance is well concealed from
predators.
hisses, squeals, and growls.
The woodchuck begins its
long hibernation in late Sep-
tember, often before the first
signs of winter. At that time it
retreats to its burrow, where it
has prepared a special cham-
ber lined with soft grass and
leaves. It is said that the wood-
chuck's hibernation ends on
February 2nd-Groundhog
Day. But it actually ends much
later, especially in the northern
part of its range.
Below: The woodchuck eats
mostly grasses, but it sometimes
raids crops.
Right: After hibernating, the male
woodchuck searches for a mate.
~ WOODCHUCK &: MAN
Because of the damage it can
do to plants and crops, many
farmers consider the wood-
chuck a pest and shoot it. But
other people find the wood-
chuck helpful. It fertilizes the
~ BREEDING
When it emerges from hiber-
nation, the male woodchuck
seeks out a female and mates
in her burrow. A litter of two
to six young is born a month
after mating. Unlike most ro-
dents, the female woodchuck
ground when it defecates in
its burrow. It also loosens and
aerates the soil as it digs. Gar-
deners can use the subsoil it
kicks to the surface as topsoil
in their gardens.
produces only one litter each
year. The blind and naked
newborns depend completely
on their mother, who suckles
them. Their eyes open within a
month. After two months, they
must fend for themselves.
left: In late
September the
woodchuck
takes leaves
and grasses
underground
and uses them
to line the nest
in its hiberna-
tion chamber.
'(CARD 156
HOUSE MOUSE
, , ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
ORDER
Rodentia
FAMILY
Muridae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Mus musculus
Wherever people go, the tiny house mouse follows. It is the world's
most widespread rodent, but its invasion of our homes has turned
it into a pest and a health hazard.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, up to
3 ~ in. Tail, slightly shorter than
body.
Weight: About 1 oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 6 weeks.
Mating season: Throughout
the year.
Gestation: 19-20 days.
No. of litters: About 5 in houses,
more in warehouses and stores.
No. of young: 4-8, usually 5.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Lives in loose colonies.
Diet: Prefers grain but will eat
anything.
Lifespan: 1 ~ - 3 years in the wild.
Up to 6 years in captivity.
RELATED SPECIES
Other small mice that commonly
enter North American homes are
the white-footed mouse and the
deer mouse.
FEATURES OF THE
HOUSE MOUSE
Range of the house mouse.
DISTRIBUTION
Found wherever humans have settled and absent only from
the Arctic, Antarctic, and some jungle areas.
CONSERVATION
The house mouse is plentiful everywhere despite human
efforts to exterminate it. Even when 70,000 mice were
poisoned in one night in a grain storage yard, the colonies
managed to survive.
Sense of smell :
Very keen. The
mouse relies on
smell to locate
food and to
follow scent
trails left by
other mice.
Hearing: Very acute. Detects sounds
as high-pitched as 100kHz-well
beyond the limit of human hearing
(about 20kHz) . Uses high-frequency
squeaks to communicate and to
locate lost young.
Coat: Warm and
protective but
greasy and
strong-smelling.
May be gray-
brown or albino.
Groomed by
other members
of the colony.
Eyesight: Poor.
Can see only objects a
couple of inches away.
MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
The house mouse adapts so
easily that it can grow an
especially long coat to survi ve
and even raise a litter in the cold
of a refrigerated storage room.
0160200371 PACKET 37
The house mouse is found in buildings all over the world.
It can even grow a long coat to enable it to live
and breed in refrigerated storage rooms.
Using its keen senses of smell and hearing,
this common rodent comes out at night to sniff out,
feed on, and contaminate food.
~ HABITS
The house mouse is busiest at
dawn and dusk, when it for-
ages for food. It relies heavily
on its keen hearing and smell.
In daylight the mouse has poor
vision and probably cannot see
clearly beyond two inches.
The mouse runs up walls and
moves rapidly on flat surfaces.
It can squeeze through holes
less than a half-inch across.
Mice live in loose colonies.
At any sign of overcrowding,
the dominant male defends
the colony from intruders.
The mice mark their territory
with urine and take on the
colony's odor. Any mice with-
out this smell are ousted.
Right: A grain store provides 0
mouse colony with constant food
and ideal conditions.
~ BREEDING
Much of the house mouse's
success is due to its high rate
of reproduction. In buildings
it breeds year-round, produc-
ing up to 10 litters of four to
eight young each. The female
makes a loose nest of soft
materials and gives birth to
Left & below: The house mouse
eats whatever it can find both
outdoors and in.
her blind, furless young 19 to
20 days after mating.
The mother suckles her
young several times a day.
After about 18 days they are
fully furred and can find their
own food. By six weeks they
can breed.
Right: A female gently carries one
of her young, which is born blind
and without fur.
DID YOU KNOW?
The "waltzing mouse" has
a hearing defect that causes
it to run around in circles.
A mouse's tail is longer in a
warm than in a cold climate.
The extra length allows the
mouse to lose more heat.
NATUREWATCH
The house mouse is easy to
detect because its greasy coat
gives off a strong odor. It of-
ten leaves a waxy trail, and
you can smell the urine used
to mark its territory. Shred-
ded paper, nibbled food, and
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
The house mouse eats every-
thing available, from soap to
candles, but it prefers grain
and cereals. Where food is
plentiful, the mouse contami-
nates more than it eats with
urine and droppings. It can
transmit diseases to humans
and can also pass on parasites
such as tapeworms.
In warm weather the mouse
The house mouse can hear
and utter sounds far above
the limit of human hearing.
The house mouse may
have a fatal seizure upon
hearing certain very high-
pitched sounds.
tiny dark droppi ngs are all
signs of mice.
A mouse in captivity also
marks an area with its scent.
The more you clean its cage,
t he more t he mouse will de-
posit its own scent.
may leave a building to live
outside. There it forages for
seeds and berries until the
cool fall weather drives it
back inside. Most mice, how-
ever, prefer the indoors year-
round and can survive on
household pickings. When
the people of St. Kilda left
their Scottish island in 1930,
the mice quickly died out.
"'CARD 157 I
ARCTIC FOX
_______________________________ __
ORDER FAMilY GENUS & SPECIES
Carnivora Canidae A/opex /agopus
The Arctic fox is well adapted to coping with the harsh Arctic
climate. In winter its bushy coat turns completely white, making
it almost invisible to its prey against the snowy tundra.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Head and body length: l' /2-2 ft.
Tail length: 11-13 in.
Height to shoulder: 10-12 in.
Weight: 10-18 lb. Male is larger
than female.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Approximately
1 year.
Mating: Early April.
Gestation: 51-57 days.
No. of young: 4-11, average 6.
Female can have 2 litters a year.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary in summer. In winter,
it hunts and dens in small groups.
Diet: Small mammals, birds,
dead fish, and carrion.
lifespan: About 60 years.
RElATED SPECIES
Only species in this genus, but
related to other faxes, wolves,
and dogs in the Canidae family.
Range of the Arctic fox.
DISTRIBUTION
Found mainly in the Arctic circle, but also south on the
shores of the Bering Sea and Hudson Bay in Greenland, as
well as Iceland, northern Scandinavia, and the Soviet Union.
CONSERVATION
Although the Arctic fox has declined in local areas,
particularly south of its range, it is still common.
FEATURES OF THE ARCTIC FOX
AUTUMN COAT
,F;, j/
The turl1S fron; light brown I
in fall to white or steel blue
depending on the fox's location.
Winter coat: Long,
dense, and white,
blending with the
snow-covered
landscape. This
camouflage helps
the Arctic fox hunt
scarce prey dori ng
the wi nter.
MCMXCIIMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Body: Small and compact with short
legs. Its small , rounded body
conserves body heat lost mainly
through extremities such as the ears
and feet.
Ears: Unlike the
long, pointed
ears of its
relative the red
fox, the Arctic
fox's ears are
short, rounded,
and heavily
furred.
covered with thick hair to
insulate the fox against the col d.
PRINTED IN U.S.A 0160200261 PACKET 26
As the long summer days start to shorten,
the Arctic fox's coat thickens and changes
color. Starting at the tail, its short,
grayish brown fur first turns gray and
eventually, with the onset of winter,
a pure white. But some foxes have a
steel blue winter coat.
~ HABITS
The Arctic fox's habitat is one
of the most inhospitable on
earth. During the long
winters, it lives in almost
constant darkness; in summer
the sun shines 24 hours a day,
occasionally warming the air
to just above freezing.
The Arctic fox lives in a den
or burrow dug into the side of
a hill, cliff, or riverbank. In
winter it digs a series of inter-
connecting tunnels in the
deep snow; several family
groups occupy the tunnels.
During winter when food is
scarce, the Arctic fox ranges
over a large territory, often in
small groups. In the abundant
summer months, its territory
is smaller.
The Arctic fox does not
hibernate during the winter.
Some migrate south to the
coast or along the treeline of
northern Scandinavia.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
The Arctic fox preys on voles,
lemmings, hares, ground
squirrels, and birds and their
eggs. Near the coast it feeds
on shellfish, sea urchins, and
other shore invertebrates.
After a storm, the fox scours
the shore for beached seals
and whale carcasses or other
carrion-even beach flies.
Without meat available, the
fox eats fruit and berries.
Although it may search for
food in groups, the Arctic fox
mainly hunts alone because
small mammals or sea birds
only provide a meal for one. It
hunts by stealth, leaping on
Left: In fall, the fox's coat changes
and its heart rate slows down to
save energy.
DID YOU KNOW?
In areas where lemmings live,
the Arctic fox population fluctu-
ates according to the number of
lemmings.
The Arctic fox only starts shiv-
ering at -94F and has survived
temperatures of -, , 2F.
During the winter, Arctic foxes
have lived on the Greenland
its victim in a springing
pounce, pinning it to the
ground.
The Arctic fox follows other
predators to eat the remains
of their kill, such as the rest of
a seal killed by a polar bear. In
spring, like the polar bear, the
Arctic fox digs ringed seal
pups out of their dens in the
snow for food.
In summer, the fox hides
food in its den or pushes it
into rock crevices, keeping the
cache (store) for the lean
months ahead. It marks the
cache with its scent so it can
find it again under the snow.
Right: The Arctic fox uses ice floes
to travel in search of food in
winter.
pack ice 300 miles from the
nearest land.
When food supplies are low,
the Arctic fox survives on the
feces of reindeer and musk ox.
One Arctic fox's cache con-
tained 36 auks, two guille-
mots, four snow-buntings,
and numerous auk's eggs.
Right: After a
few weeks the
cubs explore
outside the den.
Below left: The
female finds a
den that
shelters the
cubs from the
biting Arctic
wind.
~ BREEDING
The Arctic fox chooses a mate
in early spring and mates for
life. The male becomes more
territorial, marking out a home
range with urine and feces. It
calls to its mate with a variety
of howls and wails.
In Mayor June, a litter of 4 to
, 1 cubs is born in a den in a rock
crevice or burrow. Both parents
care for the blind cubs, and
sometimes two females share a
den and look after the young.
At two weeks, the cubs
open their eyes. A week later
they explore outside the den
with their mother. They are
weaned at six weeks and
begin eating meat brought by
the parents to the den.
Later the cubs learn to hunt
with their parents; they
become independent in the
fall. Young males leave to form
their own groups while females
stay with the family group.
CARD 158J
ELEPHANT SHREW
GROUP 1: MAMMALS
------------------------
.... ORDER
~ Macroscelidea
FAMILY
Macroscelididae
.... GENUS
~ Elephantulus, Macroscelides, others
There are several species of elephant shrew living in a variety
of habitats in Africa. In spite of their name, elephant shrews
are not related to true shrews.
KEYFACTS ____________________________________________ ~ I
SIZES
Length: Body, 4-12 in. Tail, 4-10
in., depending on species .
Weight: 1 oz.-l lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 3-6 months.
Breeding: Breeds several times a
year, depending on the species,
climate, and food .
Gestation: Larger species, 2 months.
Smaller species, 1 ~ months.
No. of young: 1 or 2, rarely 3.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Most active at dawn and
dusk. Generally solitary but shares
territory with mate.
Diet: Insects, snails. Some species
eat roots, fruits, and seeds.
Lifespan: 2-4 years in the wild. Up
to 5 years in captivity.
RELATED SPECIES
Elephant shrews are placed in their
own order. They are not related to
other shrew species.
Range of elephant shrews.
DISTRIBUTION
Deserts, semiarid areas, plains, tropical lowland forests, and
savanna in northern, eastern, central, and southern Africa.
CONSERVATION
Although elephant shrews live in small populations, most are
not in danger of extinction. The habitats of some forest-
dwelling species are at risk as land is cleared for farming
and developed for tourists.
FEATURES OF ELEPHANT SHREWS
Coat: Vari es according to species. Usually there
are shades of yellow and brown. often with black
markings. This coloring provides camouflage.
Desert-dwell ing species have white underparts
that reflect heat.
Ears and eyes:
Large for the
animal 's size.
Useful for find-
ing prey and
detecting
predators.
Snout: Long and trunkl ike to help the
shrew forage for food. Long tongue
flicks small prey into the mouth.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
THE HOPPING HIND LEGS
Powerful thighs and long hind
legs let elephant shrews Quickly
leap away from predators.
0160200391 PACKET 39
Elephant shrews are named for their tapering,
trunklike snouts, which they use to probe the ground
for insects and roots. They are also called
jumping shrews because of their large, powerful
hind legs. Some species have yellow, brown,
and black fur in patterns that help to camouflage
them against predators.
~ HABITS
Elephant shrews are found in
various habitats, from deserts
and semiarid regions to grass-
lands and tropical forests. These
daytime creatures have peaks of
activity at dawn and dusk.
Small species, such as the
short-eared and bushveld ele-
phant shrews, live in shallow
burrows in soft ground or sand.
In hard or rocky soil, shrews
take over abandoned rodent
burrows or use rock crevices.
Many forest species sleep in leaf
nests on the ground. They se-
lect a different nest each night
from 12 or more they have
made within their territory.
Two forest-dwelling species,
the four-toed and rufous ele-
phant shrews, live entirely in
the open. They rely on trail
systems that crisscross their
territories to run from preda-
tors. The trails are worn smooth
and kept clear of leaves, twigs,
and other obstacles.
These species fiercely defend
a territory, which they mark
with small piles of manure.
Each territory has a breeding
pair, but the individuals live
apart most of the time.
Right: The short-nosed elephant
shrew prefers the soft soil of Afri-
can scrubland.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
Elephant shrews feed during
the day, especially in the cool
of morning and early evening.
They hunt alone, and it is rare
even for a breeding pair to
share prey. Most species feed
on insects, particularly ants
and termites, but some also
eat roots, fruits, and seeds.
Using their long, trunklike
snouts, large elephant shrews
probe for insects among leaves
and undergrowth. They look
Left: Elephant shrews mainly eat
spiders and a variety of insects.
DID YOU KNOW?
Elephant shrews commu-
nicate mainly by scent. Some
species also drum their back
feet on the ground to create
vibrations, while others slap
their tails on the ground.
Fossils suggest that ele-
phant shrews shared a com-
mon ancestor with rabbits
on the ground and just below
the surface, and they dig out
prey with the long claws on
thei r forefeet.
Small species usually take
small insects from the surface
of soil, twigs, and fallen leaves.
All species have long tongues,
which they use to flick small
prey into their mouths. They
tear large prey into manage-
able pieces with their sharp
claws and teeth.
Right: During the day, elephant
shrews patrol their territory.
and hares over 100 million l
years ago.
The golden-rumped ele-
phant shrew can move at 15
miles per hour across open
forest floor-as fast as a run-
ning human.
In Kenya, large elephant
shrews are cooked and eaten.
~ BREEDING
Most elephant shrews breed
throughout the year, regard-
less of where they live. The
gestation period varies from
one and a half months for
small species to two months
for larger elephant shrews.
Each litter consists of one or
two young, although the giant
elephant shrew and North
African elephant shrew often
give birth to three.
The female gives birth in a
burrow or nest of leaves that is
well hidden from predators. At
birth elephant shrews are well
developed and have all their
fur. They can leave the nest
with their mother after a few
days and are fully weaned at
three to four weeks. Many
species are fully grown at two
months and begin to breed
during their first year.
Left: The elephant shrew's sensi-
tive whiskers and long snout help
it find insects to eat.
GOLDEN)ACKAL
... ORDER
"1IIIIIIII Carnivora
FAMILY
Canidae
GENUS & SPECIES
Canis aureus
159 J
The golden jackal is a fast, efficient hunter over grasslands
and bush. It is also a caring and protective parent,
maintaining strong family bonds.
KEY FACTS

SIZES
Length: 2-3'/2 ft., head to tail.
Tail length: 8-15 in.
Height: 1' /2 ft. to shoulder.
Weight: Average 24 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 11 months.
Mating season: October.
Gestation: 63 days.
No. of young: Up to 9 pups.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable; lives in small
family groups.
Diet: Small animals and young
deer. Also some carrion.
Lifespan: 8-9 years.
RELATED SPECIES
Same genus as the silverbacked
jackal of East and South Africa,
the sidestriped jackal from
tropical Africa, and the Siemen
jackal of the Ethiopian highlands.
Range of the golden jackal.
DISTRIBUTION
Southwestern Europe, East and North Africa, southern Asia,
and east to Burma.
CONSERVATION
Of the four jackal species, the golden, silverbacked, and
sidestriped are in no danger. The Siemen jackal of Ethiopia
is endangered; as few as 500 pairs exist.
r PACK RITUALS OF T - HE- C-OLDEN JACKAL
In the northern range the jackal forms large
packs with one dominant (controlling) male,
who relies upon ritual behavior to
maintain his dominance.
1 The dominant male (right) and the
aggressor circle, each sizing up his
opponent.
IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM
2 The aggressor (right) tries to bite
the throat of the dominant male, who
fends him off. These encounters are
rarely bloody.
2
3 The defeated aggressor (left) shows
his submission to the dominant male
by lying down and exposing his
vulnerable underbelly.
PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200241 PACKET 24
The golden jackal is the most widespread
of the four species of jackal. It is found from
northeast Africa to Burma. In some parts of its range
it lives in the same areas as other jackal species. But
since these animals live in different habitats within
a range, competition for food is minimal.
~ HABITAT
The golden jackal's long, mus-
cular legs and light body are
built for speed; it easily runs
great distances.
The jackal forms strong
family ties and lives in pairs or
small groups. It is a territorial
animal; each member of a
group marks its boundaries
with urine. Fights with intru-
ders are rare; they are usually
warned off.
The jackal communicates
with other jackals using many
calls, from a high-pitched
howl to a whine or bark.
On the Serengeti Plain in
Tanzania, the golden jackal
shares its range with the sil-
verbacked jackal. The golden
species inhabits the open
plains while the silverback
prefers the bush.
~ BREEDING
The golden jackal pairs for
life. Breeding takes place in
October during the dry sea-
son. When the female goes
into heat (is able to mate) her
mate guards her from male
intruders. He keeps them
from mating with her
because another male jackal
can sire (father) some of the
pups in the same litter.
The pregnancy lasts nine
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
The golden jackal hunts with
its partner or in pairs, mainly
at night. Contrary to popular
belief, the jackal is not just a
scavenger. Instead it relies on
its hunting skills-its keen
hearing to detect the move-
ment of prey, and its speed to
catch it.
The golden jackal eats a
variety of food, from insects,
birds, rodents, and amphib-
ians to young gazelles. It
pounces on small prey with
ears pricked, back arched, and
bushy tail outstretched. The
jackal chases larger prey until
the prey drops from exhaus-
tion or is weak enough for the
jackal to pull down. The kill is
swift-the jackal tears first into
its victim's belly. The jackal
rarely attacks an adult gazelle
weeks. Shortly before birth
the female finds a nursery
den. Her six or more pups are
born with fur but are blind
and helpless for their first few
days. For the first three weeks
she feeds them solely on her
milk and rarely leaves them.
Once the pups are able to
eat solid food a parent goes
out and hunts for prey, then
swallows it and returns to the
with young because it might
fight fiercely in defense.
The golden jackal drags
away any food that it does not
eat and buries it or hides it un-
der vegetation for later. The
jackal is quick to take advan-
tage of the remains of kills that
lions leave. It also may rum-
den. The pups lick the par-
ent's face until it regurgitates
(spits back up) the now
softened food.
After eight weeks the pups
are weaned, but they rely
upon the parents for food for
the next three months. The
pups are so dependent on
both of their parents that if
one parent dies at this time
the pups perish too.
Left: Jackal
pups are born
with a thick,
warm coat.
Right: Pups
are rarely left
alone. One
parent keeps
watch while
its mate
hunts prey.
mage in garbage dumps near
towns, looking for a free
meal.
Left: Jackal-talk involves brief
yelps, whines, and snarls, or long,
drawn-out howls.
Below: A lone parent feeds
quickly before rejoining its pups.
DID YOU KNOW?
A solitary jackal fails to
make a kill 80 percent of
the time. Pairs have a fail -
ure rate of only 30 percent.
A mother jackal cares for
her young alone in her
den. At the first sign of
disturbance she will move
her pups to a new den.
Many newborn jackals
die when their dens flood.
A golden jackal can drive
off predators many times
its own weight.
Jackal pairs live in terri-
tories of up to one square
mile.
One or two immature
jackals often stay behind
with their parents to assist
them in rearing the next
litter.
""CARD 160 I
DONKEY
' ( ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~
... ORDER
"1IIIIIIII Perissodactyla
... FAMILY
"IIIIIIII Equidae
... GENUS & SPECIES
"1IIIIIIII Equus asinus
The donkey has a reputation for stubbornness and stupidity,
yet it has served man tirelessly for thousands of years. It is
the domesticated descendant of the African wild ass.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Height to shoulder: 3-4' /2 ft.,
depending on breed .
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 2-2'/2 years.
Breeding season: Year-round
but generally in spring.
Gestation: 12 months.
No. of young: Usually 1;
occasionally twins.
Weaning time: About 9 months.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: In the wild, may live in
unstable social groups.
Diet: Mainly grass and foliage
from shrubs.
Call: Characteristic bray.
Lifespan: More than 25 years.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 7 species in the genus
Equus-2 horses, 2 asses, and 3
zebras.
Original range of the donkey.
DISTRIBUTION
The domesticated donkey is found worldwide. Its ancestor,
the African wild ass, is found only in a few remote parts of
northeast Africa.
CONSERVATION
The domestication of the donkey has ensured its future. All
wild asses are listed as rare or endangered.
THE DONKEY'S TEMPERAMENT
The donkey is extremely patient but has a reputation
as a bad-tempered, stubborn, and stupid animal. Its
body postures indicate its moods.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
posture: Presses ears
back along neck, opens mouth,
and bares teeth.
Extreme aggression: Swings
hindquarters around and kicks
legs out at enemy.
0160200301 PACKET 30
The donkey is known by a variety of names
such as ass, moke, and burro. The donkey
has various breeds like its relative the horse,
but it does not have as many different
breeds and variations.
~ H A B I T A T ~ FOOD &: FEEDING
Domesticated donkeys live Like all equids, the donkey
in a wide variety of habitats exists only on grass. Unlike
around the world. The don- ruminants (cattle, sheep, and
key's ancestor, the African goats) that chew cud to
wild ass, and its close relative, extract nutrients from the
the Asiatic wild ass, live in grass, the donkey lacks a
desert plains sparsely covered multichambered stomach
with low shrubs. The ass has
always lived where scarce
DID YOU KNOW?
water and vegetation could
not support other animals.
The donkey can go with-
Both species of wild ass are
out water longer than any
now rare. Some wild herds in
other equid.
Africa may be descendants of
The word "ass" comes
domesticated animals that
from the Hebrew word
escaped back to the wild.
athon. The name "donkey"
At one time, the African
is attributed to the animal's
wild ass, also known as the
dun, or dull gray-brown,
true ass, could be found
color.
across North Africa from the
If a female donkey mates
banks of the Nile to the Red
with a male horse, the
Sea, and parts of Somalia,
offspring is a "hinny."
Ethiopia, and Eritrea.
When a male donkey and a
~ BREEDING
A jenny or jennet (domesti-
cated female) mates through-
out the year. But a wild
female donkey usually mates
in spring and gives birth the
following spring.
The wild donkey's courtship
behavior is different from that
of other equids (asses, horses,
and zebras). Although it lives
like horses do-in groups with
one stallion and several mares
and their young-the group is
variable and unstable.
The jack (male) acts aggres-
sively toward the female dur-
ing mating by biting, kicking,
and chasing her until she sub-
mits. Adult donkeys do not
mate for life.
left: Few animals can live and
work in the rough terrains that
the donkey inhabits.
needed for chewing cud.
Instead it eats large amounts
of grass, feeding up to 20
hours a day.
The donkey needs little
water and only drinks every
two to three days.
female horse breed, they
produce a mule. Hinnies
and mules cannot breed
with each other.
The donkey makes its "ee-
aw" sound by breathing in
and instantly exhaling.
Donkey's milk was once
used to treat tuberculosis.
In parts of England, some
believed that riding a
donkey could cure a child's
whooping cough.
The single foal is born after
one year; twins are rare. The
donkey's gestation period
(the time in which the young
develops inside its mother's
womb) is one month longer
than that of the horse.
Active and able to walk and
~ DONKEY &: MAN
The donkey, or ass, was do-
mesticated 12,000 years ago.
The Egyptians used it to build
pyramids in 3000 B.C. while
the Romans used it as a sacri-
ficial animal. In 2000 B.C. it
reached Europe and it is an
important figure in the Bible.
People have needed the
donkey for its surefootedness,
strength, endurance, and
ability to live and work under
hot and difficult conditions. It
has been used for riding, as a
beast of burden, to pull loads
and carts, and to work mills,
threshers, and wells.
The wild donkey is now rare
in its native range because
nomadic tribes have over-
hunted it and captured it for
use as a work animal.
It has been weakened by
run a short time after birth,
the foal feeds on the jenny's
extremely rich milk. It con-
tains more sugar and protein
but less fat than cow's milk.
Below: A donkey family often
moves on to breed with other
mates.
diseases from domestic live-
stock and by interbreeding
with domesticated donkeys.
Industrial and agricultural
progress have not threat-
ened the donkey in its re-
~ CHARACTERISTICS
While smaller and sturdier
than the horse, the donkey's
head and ears are large in
proportion to its body.
The donkey has a gray coat
that varies in color according
to its breed. The dark color of
the short mane extends
down the donkey's spine to
the tail, with a dark stripe
running across the shoulders.
The ears have dark tips, and
sometimes dark bands en-
circle the lower legs.
Like other equids', the
donkey's toes disappeared
and evolved into one hoof
encased in protective horn.
If a group of wild asses is at-
tacked, they form a protec-
tive circle and kick out at
their attackers with their
hooves.
mote and harsh habitat, but
protective measures are hard
to enforce in the area.
Below: The working donkey
supports the livelihood of many
rural communities.