Tag Archives: Africa

Don’t mistake the power of a caracal.

• Caracals are a species of wild cat, native to parts of central and southwest Asia, and Africa, and are found in savannah, semi-arid and woodland habitats.
• The Turkish words, ‘kara kulak’, meaning ‘black ear’, is where the ‘term ‘caracal’ originates from, and they have the scientific name Caracal caracal and are from the family Felidae, the family of felids or cats.
• Although they are only related to lynx by family and not genera, a caracal is also known as a ‘desert lynx’, ‘Asian lynx’, ‘Persian lynx’ and ‘African lynx’.
• Caracals range in length between 61 and 106 centimetres (2 to 3.5 feet), are 6 to 20 kilograms (13 to 44 pounds) in weight, and have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years.
• Caracals have notably long, erect fur on their ears, which is typically black, while its fur coat ranges from tan, brown to black in colour.

A Caracal
Image courtesy of Gopal Vijayaraghavan/Flickr

• Caracals usually live by themselves, and they mark their territory with urine to discourage others of the same species from entering into their zone.
• The diet of caracals mainly consists of small mammals, such as rodents, and birds, although they do stalk and attack larger animals like antelopes; and if their prey is airborne, they can leap high into the air to catch it.
• Female adult caracals typically give birth to between one to six kittens in an enclosed area, such as an already existing den, burrow or hollow, and the females raise them alone.
• Although their conservation status is classified as least concerned, caracals are negatively affected by the removal of habitats, causing limited populations in some areas, and they are a protected species in many countries.
• Caracals are preyed on by lions and hyenas; are occasionally kept as pets; and have previously been used in countries, such as India, for hunting purposes.

Bibliography:
Caracal, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/caracal

Caracal, 2014, San Diego Zoo, http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/caracal

Caracal, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracal

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Are you as crazy for honey as a honey badger?

• Honey badgers are mammals that are native to parts of Asia and Africa, and they do not have the appearance of a typical badger.
• ‘Honey badgers’ are also known as ‘ratels’, and they have the scientific name Mellivora capensis, and are from the family Mustelidae, the family of weasels and other mammals.
• Most honey badgers have fur typically coloured black with an upper white stripe, and they have baggy skin that allows freedom of movement, that is particularly advantageous when being attacked.
• Honey badgers range from 55 to 77 centimetres (22 to 30 inches) in length, excluding the tail, and weigh 5 to 16 kilograms (11 to 35 pounds).
• A honey badger typically lives by itself, however, others may be found nearby when looking for food, especially in breeding periods.

A Honey Badger
Image courtesy of Steve Slater/Flickr

• Honey badgers live in 1 to 3 metres (3.3 to 9.8 feet) long burrows underground, that can be dug in as little as ten minutes, and they can also climb and swim.
• Honey badgers have robust skin that can deflect bites, stings and punctures, making it a hard animal to kill, and they will also attack aggressively and release a smelly odour, and are therefore unpopular prey.
• The diet of honey badgers includes honey, bee larvae, insects, eggs, rodents, birds, amphibious animals, vegetation, and reptiles, including venomous snakes and turtles, and they consume all components of their prey including shell, bones, fur, and feathers.
• Honey badgers that live near livestock owned by humans can be a significant nuisance, as it is difficult to kill the badger and prevent it from capturing and eating the animals.
• Female honey badgers typically give birth to one or two cubs at a time, and can live up to 24 to 26 years in captivity.

Bibliography:
Honey Badger, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_badger

Honey Badger (Ratel), 2014, San Diego Zoo, http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/honey-badger-ratel

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Gerbil… not just a pet.

• Gerbils are a subfamily of approximately 110 species of mammals, or small rodents, native to Asian, Indian and African deserts and hot areas.
• A gerbil was historically called a ‘desert rat’, while its scientific name is Gerbillinae, and it belongs to the family Muridae, a family of rodents.
• Gerbils generally range from 7 to 20 centimetres (2.7 to 7.9 inches) in length, plus the tail that can be just as long, depending on the species, and weigh from 57 to 114 grams (2-4 ounces).
• Mongolia gerbils were first made available as pets in the mid 1900s, and are now quite popular, although the pet can be illegal in some areas due to threats to agriculture and ecosystems.
• Some species of gerbil live alone, while others reside in groups, and they use their sense of smell to determine whether fellow rodents belong to their family group or not.

A Gerbil
Image courtesy of Shankar S./Flickr

• Gerbils generally live for three to five years and females have litters of approximately eight, that are born with no fur or sight.
• The diet of gerbils generally consists of seeds, nuts and fruit, although insects, small birds and eggs, and other plant material are sometimes consumed, depending on the species.
• Gerbils live in burrows and are prominent diggers, digging underground networks and tunnels with strong claws.
• Gerbils have fur typically coloured brown, grey, black, white or tan, and those in the pet industry most commonly differ in colour due to select breeding.
• A gerbil has the ability to shed their tail if it is trapped, and they are preyed on by snakes, birds, feral cats and other small mammals.

Bibliography:
Gerbil, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/gerbil/

Gerbil, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerbil

Amazon: