Animal Class: Mammals

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Northern White-cheeked Gibbon

Nomascus leucogenys

White cheeked gibbons have melodic songs with long, pure notes rising and falling in a great call. Individuals signal territory by using vocalizations. They also use vocalizations in mating behaviors. Males and females participate in elaborate duets; the male emits booms and multi-modulated phrases and the female gives rapid great calls with rising notes, 20-27 notes, 13-15 seconds, with the male coda at the end.

Classification

CLASS:Mammalia
ORDER:Primates
FAMILY:Hylobatidae
GENUS:Nomascus
SPECIES:leucogenys

Habitat & Range

White-cheeked gibbons live in the canopy of subtropical rainforests and prefer lowland forests with more diversity of fruit trees. However more recently with habitat loss most of these gibbons live above 700 meters. This species hardly ever descend to the forest floor.

This species is found only in Southeast Asia. They primarily populate Laos, Vietnam, and Southern China. In Vietnam white-cheeked gibbons are found to the southwest of the Song Ma and Song Bo Rivers.  

Location

Adaptations

  • Nomascus leucogenys, have exceptionally long forelimbs and hindlimbs. Their bodies are built for an arboreal lifestyle. They have opposable hallux (inner toe) and pollex (thumb) making grasping food and holding branches easy.
  • Furthermore, their hands are hook shaped, facilitating brachiation (moving through the trees by grasping and swinging from branch to branch by the arms), and allowing them to remain suspended for feeding in the terminal branches where the most nutritious flowers and fruits are most abundant. .
  • In order to signal aggression, these gibbons resort to the common threat of opening their mouth wide to show their teeth.
  • White-cheeked gibbons spend much of their time grooming and playing. Grooming and playing allow individual gibbons to form bonds. It is also likely that chemical cues, such as pheromones are used to communicate reproductive status.
  • Unlike other primates, white-cheeked gibbons do not sleep during the day; they search for food throughout the day, starting high in the canopy early in the morning and retreat to the lower tree understory when the canopy heats up.
  • These gibbons will travel far in search of food when there is little rainfall.

Physical Description

  • Gibbons are small apes with very long arms and no tail. Nomascus leucogenys are not sexually dimorphic for size, but are for color.
  • Males and females are 45-63 cm (18-25 in) long and weigh and average of 5.7 kg.(12.5 lb).
  • All infants are born with cream-colored fur. At two years of age, the infants’ fur changes from cream to black, and they develop white patches on their cheeks.
  • At sexual maturity, males stay black with white cheeks. Females turn back to the original cream or pale yellow/yellow color and they lose the majority of their white cheek color, except for a thin white face ring. Females also have a black to brown crown streak
  • They have exceptionally long forelimbs and hindlimbs. Their bodies are built for an arboreal lifestyle.
  • They have an opposable hallux (innermost digit of the hind foot) and opposable pollex (thumb), and their hands are hook-shaped, for grasping food and branches
  • Their bodies are small with an upright posture.
  • The fur in both sexes is long and rather coarse. The crown hair is erect and rather elongated.

Diet

What Does It Eat?

In the wild:
Nomascus leucogenys are primarily frugivouous, with fruit comprising 39% of their diet .They especially enjoy eating the pulp of fruits.  They are important seed dispensers for some plants. Along with fruit, a large portion of their diet consists of  leaves and shoots( 36%),and they also eat  flowers, and insects. The type of food they eat depends on precipitation. When it is wet, fruit is plentiful, and they don’t have to travel.

At the zoo:
Gibbons are fed greens, vegetables, low starch biscuits, konjac gel, and some fruit for training.

What Eats It?
The main threat to white-cheeked gibbons is forest clearing , and therefore their main predator is humans, who also hunt them for food. Otherwise not much is known about other specific predators, but eagles, owls and panthers are known to prey on other gibbon species who live in the canopy.

Social Organization

White-cheeked gibbons live in small families comprising a male adult and a female adult that mate monogamously. They usually have three to four offspring within the group. There is an hierarchy among the family.  The female is dominant followed by her female offspring, male offspring, and the adult male is last.  Nomascus leucogenys individuals spend much of their free time playing and grooming. They are territorial and live in an area that spans about seventy-five to one hundred acres, and they defend their territory.

Life Cycle

White-cheeked gibbons become sexually mature at about six to seven years of age. At this point, females have a menstrual cycle that lasts about twenty-eight days. They breed throughout the year.  After a gestation period of seven months, a single infant is born. The infant stays with the mother for nearly two years, after which it is weaned.  White cheeked gibbon offspring will stay with the family group until it becomes independent between 3-8 years. Females bear young every 2-3 years and infant care is shared between the male and female of the monogamous pair.

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Red River Hog

Potamochoerus porcus

The powerful bodies and long snouts of these hogs make it easy to forage for root-type vegetables. They are omnivores, eating both meat and plants, and use their outstanding snout to locate and uncover food.

Classification

CLASS:Mammalia
ORDER:Cetartiodactyla
FAMILY:Suidae
GENUS:Potamochoerus
SPECIES:porcus

Habitat & Range

Red river hogs inhabit thickets, forests, savannas and swamps.

They are found throughout western and central Africa. They are also known as bush pigs.

Location

Map of Africa

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Adaptations

  • Red river hogs are fast runners and good swimmers.
  • With their heads lowered to the ground they are able to break through the thickets like a wedge.
  • They have foot glands that mark their tracks.
  • They have a good sense of smell to locate and uncover food.
  • They establish their territories by marking trees with their long canine teeth.

Physical Description

  • The red river hog can range from 3 feet to 3 ½ feet (100-150 cm) in length.
  • Their body is round and supported by short, sturdy legs.
  • Their tail is 1 foot to 1 ½ feet (30-45 cm) long and hairless except for the tuft of hair at the end.
  • They weigh 99-264 pounds (45-120kg).
  • They have a shaggy red coat with black and white contrasting markings on their head, a white eye ring and long white ear tassels.
  • They have a white mane that runs the length of their spine and stands up when the animal is excited or threatened.
  • They have barely visible small upper tusks and visible lower tusks which can be up to 3 inches (7 cm) long.
  • The males have a long snout covered in warts and ridges -often hidden by bushy facial hair.

Diet

What Does It Eat?

In the wild:
Grasses, water plants, roots, bulbs, fruit, carrion, small animals

At the zoo:
Various grains, greens, vegetables, cooked sweet potato, and fruit (but no citrus)

What Eats It?
They are hunted by leopard, lion, spotted hyena, python and humans.

Social Organization

They live in groups – called sounders, that consist of 2-15 females and young, attended by a male.

Life Cycle

Red river hogs breed seasonally so that the young are born between the end of the dry season in February and the midpoint of the rainy season in July. Gestation lasts 120 days. The mother constructs a nest from dead leaves and dry grass before giving birth to a litter of up to six piglets with three or four piglets being most common. The piglets weigh 23 to 32 oz at birth and are initially dark brown with yellowish trips and spots. They are weaned in about four months and develop the plain reddish adult coat by around six months. The dark facial markings do not appear until they reach adulthood at around two years of age. Red river hogs live up to 20 years.

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Southern Gerenuk

Litocranius walleri walleri

Long legs, long necks and large eyes distinguish gerenuks from other African antelope. Unlike many other four-legged herbivores these petite animals often dine balanced on their hind legs.  Using this adaptation, gerenuks can eat leaves from high on bushes and shrubs that almost no other animal can reach.

Classification

CLASS:Mammalia
ORDER:Artiodactyla
FAMILY:Bovidae
GENUS:Litocranius
SPECIES:walleri

Habitat & Range

Southern gerenuks live in the east African countries of Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and northeastern Tanzania.

Their habitat varies from semi-arid brush land to dry deserts.  They avoid dense woodland and open grassland.

Location

Map of Africa

Adaptations

  •       Several traits enable southern gerenuks to reach foliage that most other animals cannot access.
    • Their strong hind legs and specially modified vertebrae allow them to stand upright on two legs, adding to their height.
    • Their long necks make their standing height more than six feet (2 m).
    • Because they can balance on two legs, they can use their front legs to reach and pull down branches up to eight feet (2.4 m) above ground.
  • A pointed snout and long upper lip and tongue allow them to reach foliage among thorny bushes and trees.
  • The diet of southern gerenuks fills virtually all of their water needs, allowing them to thrive in dry thorn bush or desert habitat.
  • They are diurnal, active during the day, when predators are easier to spot.
  • Their coloring provides camouflage allowing them to freeze and hide in bushes, using their long necks to watch predators; hiding behavior is important because they are not fast runners.’
  • Males use their heavy horns to defend their territories against intruding males.

Physical Description

  • Gerenuks’ most recognizable features are long, strong, thin legs and long slender necks.
  • They are between 3 and 3.5 feet tall (90-105 cm) at the shoulder; range from 4.6 to 5.3 feet (140-160 cm) long; and weigh between 65 and 110 pounds (30-50 kg).
  • Males and females are similar in size but males are more muscular and weigh more.
  • Only males have large, ridged horns that curve back and up in an S-shape and range from ten to seventeen inches (25-44 cm) in length.
  • They are light brown in color with reddish brown backs and white underparts; their muzzles, eyes and the insides of their large ears are rimmed in white; their coats are short and glossy.

Diet

What Does It Eat?

In the wild:
Gerenuks are browsers eating a variety of tender leaves, shoots, fruits, blooms and buds.

At the zoo:
Alfalfa hay, wild herbivore grain, browse (plants) and produce

What Eats It?
All of the African savanna carnivores including, lions, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs hunt gerenuks.  They have been hunted for food by humans.

Social Organization

Gerenuks live in small groups of ten or fewer individuals, usually made up of females and their young or sub-adult males.  Adult males are solitary except during mating.  They establish territories that they mark with gland secretions and urine.  They appear to defend their territories only from young males.  Other dominant males and females with offspring roam freely throughout the marked areas.

Life Cycle

Gerenuks breed year round.  Males are polygynous, mating with multiple females.  Like many antelope species, male gerenuks gauge the readiness of females to mate by sniffing their urine.  Once a female is ready to mate, the male marks her with secretions from scent glands beneath his eyes and follows her closely, kicking her repeatedly before mating.  Following a gestation period of about seven months, females give birth to one calf; twins are rare.  Newborns are able to walk within minutes after birth, but stay hidden in foliage for the first several weeks while their mother forages.  They begin eating tender leaves when only a few weeks old but continue to nurse for many months.  Females are weaned at about one year old, males at about eighteen months.  They reach sexual maturity at approximately their weaning age.  Lifespan in their historic range is ten to twelve years.  In human care, they live slightly longer.

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Eastern Bongo

Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci

Bongos have many adaptations that help them survive in the wild.  The markings on the sides and backs of a bongo camouflage them in forest shadows.  Their large ears help them hear approaching predators. When running from a predator, they do so with their head up and back, so their horns do not catch in the dense forest trees and plants.

Classification

CLASS:Mammalia
ORDER:Artiodactyla
FAMILY:Bovidae
GENUS:Tragelaphus
SPECIES:eurycerus

Habitat & Range

Bongo are only found in montane rain forests with dense undergrowth. They thrive at the forest edge and in new growth areas that occur after disturbances.

Eastern (or mountain) bongos are much less prevalent than the western bongo and are only found in a mountain forested region of central Kenya – near Mt. Kenya and the Aberdare mountains.

Location

Map of Africa

Adaptations

  • They are mainly nocturnal but also graze during the morning and evening (crepuscular).
  • They are very shy and reclusive. When disturbed they run at full speed through the thick undergrowth to seek cover. They will then stand with their back to the disturbance to be in a good position to flee, and their back is less conspicuous.
  • They run with their head up so the horns lie along the back and do not impede their flight in the forest; the horns may even help deflect branches.
  • The stripes provide added camouflage from predators when they are in the forest.
  • They rely less on scent than other antelopes because they have no special secretion glands.
  • The red fur pigment stains the undergrowth when they brush against it. Although helpful for finding each other, it also assists predators.
  • The large ears help provide sharp hearing – a good adaptation for forest dwellers.

Physical Description

  • They are one of the largest forest antelopes. At full maturity, they stand between 3.5 to 4.5 ft (1–1.4m) high at the shoulder, are 7-10 ft (2-3m) long, and weigh between 460 and 900 lbs (200-408kg), with males being heavier than females; eastern bongos are larger than western bongos.
  • Bongos have a red-brown chestnut coat with 10-15 narrow vertical white stripes running over the back and down the sides and a single chest stripe. They have white underparts. The front legs are blackish with thick white stripes or spots and there is a white crescent above the hooves on all four legs. Males are darker than females.
  • The face has a black muzzle with a white chevron under the eyes and there are 1 or 2 white cheek patches on either side of the face. The ears are large with some white spotting.
  • Both sexes have lyre shaped smooth horns with 1 to 1.5 turns. The horns can grow to 2.5 ft long. They are hollow and are made out of keratin.
  • The tail is long and tufted at the tip.

Diet

What Does It Eat?

In the wild:
Leaves and bark from bushes along with grasses, flowers and roots. They require salt in their diet and will often visit mineral licks at night

At the zoo:
A variety of grain, browse, alfalfa, fruit and vegetables

What Eats It?
They are hunted by leopards and sometimes hyenas and lions but humans are now the main predators.

Social Organization

Although adult males of a similar size or age seem to be solitary, younger males may join with an older male temporarily. Males are relatively non-territorial and, although serious male fights may occur, males will try to avoid these by visually displaying or resorting to ritualized sparring. Visual displays include neck bulging, eye rolling and holding horns in a vertical position while slowly pacing back and forth in front of the other male. Males only seek out females at mating time and, when with female herds, do not restrict movement of the females (unlike other antelope). Females usually stay in herds of 6-8 individuals and young – the herds may have been larger in the past.

Life Cycle

Bongo births are concentrated in discreet traditional calving grounds. They bear a single calf after a gestation period of about 9.5 months. To limit predation, calves are hidden in the undergrowth, with the mother visiting for short periods to allow the calf to nurse. After about 1-2 weeks, the calf is able to join the herd and is weaned after about 6 months. Eastern bongo males possibly live up to 9 years in the wild and females 12 years – but data is scarce. They can live about 19-21 years in managed care.

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Lesser Kudu

Tragelaphus imberbis

Female lesser kudus will form small groups of twos or threes; males sometimes form small bachelor groups, but are typically solitary.  Mature males and females are easy to tell apart. They are sexually dimorphic (sexes have different characteristics) with the males having a grey-brown hide and horns, while females have a reddish-brown hide and no horns.

Classification

CLASS:Mammalia
ORDER:Artiodactyla
FAMILY:Bovidae
GENUS:Tragelaphus
SPECIES:imberbis

Habitat & Range

Kudus live in the arid and semi-arid scrublands found in their African ranges.

Lesser Kudus inhabit a range in northeast Africa and are native to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Location

Map of Africa

Adaptations

  • Lesser kudus have cryptic coloring (coloring which allows them to blend with their environment) provides excellent camouflage in the scrublands that make up their habitat.
  • Kudus enhance the effectiveness of their camouflage by remaining motionless for long periods of time, making them hard to spot.
  • These antelopes have large ears and fantastic hearing to help the detect predators.
  • Kudus use a warning bark to warn others of the presence of predators when threatened.

Physical Description

  • Kudus are spiral-horned antelope where males have horns that twist 2.5 times, form a chevron pattern above their heads, and may reach 3.5 feet (60-105 cm) in length.
  • They are sexually dimorphic (sexes have different characteristics) with the males having a grey-brown hide and horns, while females have a reddish-brown hide and no horns.
  • Males are also larger than females, standing about 37-41 inches (95-105 cm) at the shoulder and weighing 203-238 pounds (92-108 kg). The smaller females stand about 35-39 inches (90-100 cm) and weigh 123-154 pounds (56-70 kg).
  • Both sexes have a white stripe running down the back with 11-14 branches that run down the kudu’s sides.

Diet

What Does It Eat?

In the wild:
Kudus feed on the leaves, twigs, grasses, herbs and fruits found in their habitat.

At the zoo:
Alfalfa hay, wild herbivore grain, browse (plants) and produce

What Eats It?
Lions, leopards, wild dogs, and spotted hyenas all prey on these antelopes.  These antelope are also hunted by humans.

Social Organization

Female lesser kudus will form small groups of twos or threes; males sometimes form small bachelor groups, but are typically solitary.  Kudus do not express any territorial behaviors and fights are rare, typically only seen in breeding season.  Kudus of both sexes will stand on their hind legs and take part in shoving contests. Kudus browses the scrubland bushes at dawn and dusk, seeking shelter in the dense brush during the daytime.

Life Cycle

With no set breeding season, rutting males test the urine of all females they approach to determine their readiness to breed.  Females carry their offspring for 6-8 months before segregating themselves to deliver a single calf weighing 16.5 pounds (4 to 7.5 kg).  These calves remain hidden in grasses while their mothers forage for about 4 weeks. After that initial period, they gradually spend more time with their mother until they are weened at around 6 months.  Fifty percent of calves do not survive to six months and if they survive, will reach sexual maturity at 15-18 months.  Males do not commonly reproduce until 4-5 years when they achieve the required social status to be successful.  Kudus have a lifespan in the wild of 10-15 years and may reach 20 years in captivity.

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Fishing Cat

Prionailurus viverrinus

Fishing cats live up to their name. Fishing cats are great swimmers and have adapted to hunting in marshy areas of Southeast Asia. They have been observed in the wild “fishing” at the edges of bodies of water.  They appear to scoop their prey from the depths of the water with their partially webbed paws, and have also been observed playing with fish in shallow water. Fishing cats are best described as piscivores-predominately feeding on fish and shellfish.

Classification

CLASS:Mammalia
ORDER:Carnivora
FAMILY:Felidae
GENUS:Prionailurus
SPECIES:viverrinus

Habitat & Range

Fishing cats are found in scattered areas throughout Asia. They inhabit the peninsular region of India, and areas of Southeast Asia including, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Sumatra, Thailand, Java, and Pakistan.  

Fishing cats live primarily in wetland areas, both marshes and swamps. These cats can be found in heavily forested regions adjacent to rivers or near jungles. They can also be found in scrub areas, reed beds, tidal creek, and mangrove areas. In the Nepalese lowlands some individual fishing cats spend a lot of time in dense grasslands well away from water.  

Location

Adaptations

  • Possibly the most obvious and striking adaptation of fishing cats compared to other cats, is the webbing between their toes and their behavior in and around water. Fishing cats are great swimmers and have adapted to hunting in marshy areas of Southeast Asia. They have been observed in the wild “fishing” at the edges of bodies of water.  They appear to scoop their prey from the depths of the water with their partially webbed paws, and have also been observed playing with fish in shallow water. In captivity they have been observed to engage in washing behavior -taking flesh of other prey and dropping it in the water, retrieving it , and then eating it. They are also strong swimmers and will swim and dive for their prey. By tapping their paws on the surface of the water, they trick fish into thinking the water ripples are from an insect.  When the fish is close enough, the cat dives in after it. 
  • Fishing cat’s fur has two layers: one layer is very short and dense to keep the cat’s skin warm and dry during time spent in the water; longer hairs, called guard hairs, give the cat its color pattern, which is great for camouflage. 
  • Like many smaller felines, fishing cats communicate with hisses, guttural growls, and even a low, demanding meow. Males and females make sounds called “chittering” as part of their courtship.  
  • Kittens learn to fish by watching their mother. 

Physical Description

  • Fishing cats are considered one of the largest of the lesser cats. Adults can weigh 13 to 26 lb (6-12 kg) and measure 2-3 feet long (0.6-1 m). 
  • Fishing cats are powerfully built with short limbs and a stocky body.   
  • They have a long head and a short tail that is roughly one-third the length of their body.   
  • Their fur is coarse and brownish gray in color with distinctive dark markings, which are a combination of both spots and stripes. These spots are arranged longitudinally across the body. Six to eight dark lines run from above the eyes between the ears over the crown to the nape of the neck. These lines gradually break up into shorter bars and spots on the shoulders. The fur on the underside is longer and spotted, and the tail is ringed with 5-6 black rings; tail tip is black.  
  • The ears are small and set low on the sides of the head. The backs of the ears are dark and have a central white spot. The face has two dark stripes extending across the cheeks from the eye to below the ear.  
  • The paws have moderately well-developed webs, and the claws extend past the claw sheaths when retracted.  

Diet

What Does It Eat?

In the wild:
Fishing cats are best described as piscivores-predominately feeding on fish and shellfish. However, fishing cats’ teeth are not specially modified for catching fish and its diet probably includes any small to medium-sized vertebrate it can catch. These cats are known to have killed frogs, snakes, and insects;  also rodents, small civets, fawns, small pigs, coots, ducks, sandpipers, and a variety of domestic animals such as goats, calves, poultry and even dogs have been prey of fishing cats.  At times they have been observed to be feeding on dead cows, so are thought to also eat some carrion.

At the zoo:
At Denver Zoo the fishing cats are fed primarily fish (salmon, cod, herring, capelin, smelt, crayfish). At the zoo they are often fed live tilapia to allow the cats to hone their hunting and fishing skills. They also receive a small amount of various meat/prey items such as chicken, rabbit and rib bones.  

What Eats It?
Fishing cats do not have any documented predators other than man. 

Social Organization

These animals are thought to be primarily nocturnal and solitary, with males having a territorial range of 16-22 km and females 4-6 km and mark their territory with their strong-smelling urine. However, little is really known of their behavior in the wild.  

Life Cycle

Fishing cats mate in January and February. A male and a female make a sound called chittering as part of their courtship, with the female signaling her willingness to breed and the male communicating submissiveness. Birthing dens are often found in dense patches of reeds. Gestation lasts about 63-70 days and litter size varies from 1-4 with an average litter of 2 kittens. In the wild females raise their young without help from the male; he doesn’t stay around once breeding is over.  But males in captivity have been observed helping females care for and rear the young. The kittens weigh 100-173 grams at birth and will gain 11 grams per day. On the 16th day their eyes open. The kittens take meat around the 53rd day and are weaned at 4-6 months of age. At 8-9 months the young reach adult size and are independent at 10 months, and probably reach sexual maturity soon after. Not much is known about the lifespan of fishing cats in the wild. Zoo records indicate they many live up to 12 years in human care. 

Llama

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Llamas are close relatives of camels, but do not have humps. They have long necks and legs, relatively small heads with a split upper lip, large ears, and short tails. Their shaggy fur is coarse and ranges in color from white through reddish-brown to black; mixed coloring can occur.

Classification

CLASS:Mammalia
ORDER:Artiodactyla
FAMILY:Camelidae
GENUS:Lama
SPECIES:glama

Habitat & Range

Llamas’ natural habitat is high plateau covered with shrubs, stunted trees and grasses at elevations ranging from 7,550 to 13,120 feet (2300-4000m).  They have adapted to a variety of environments.

Llamas’ native range is the Andes Mountains of South America, primarily Peru and Bolivia, but none are found in the wild.  They were domesticated from wild guanacos (also classified as Lama glama or as a subspecies Lama glama guanicoe) 4,000 to 6,000 years ago and may be the first known domesticated animal.  Because they are domesticated, commercial herds are found in North America, Europe and Australia.

Location

Map of Americas

Adaptations

  • Llamas’ blood contains a high amount of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen from the lungs throughout the body, which enables them to survive at high elevation with low levels of oxygen.
  • They are modified ruminants with three-chambered stomachs that allow them to process a variety of foliage in their harsh environment.
  • They have thick fur to keep them warm and help protect against animal bites.
  • Like many prey animals, eyes on the sides of their heads provide panoramic vision enabling them to detect predators approaching from many angles.
  • Maximum running speed of 40 miles per hour (65kmph) helps them to escape predators.
  • Their feet, two-toed with soft, leathery pads, make them sure-footed on rocky terrain and cause less environmental damage than hoofed animals.
  • Their ability to carry loads weighing up to 130 pounds (60kg) and to travel up to 19 miles (30km) per day makes them efficient pack animals.

Physical Description

  • Llamas are the largest lamoid or South American Camelid species. Unlike Old World Camelids, they do not have humps.
  • They stand three to four feet tall (.91-1.22m) at the shoulder and five to six feet tall (1.52-1.83m) at the head; they range in length from three to five feet (.91-1.5m) and weigh between 250 and 450 pounds (113.4-204kg).
  • Females are smaller than males.
  • They have long necks and legs, relatively small heads with a split upper lip, large ears, and short tails.
  • Their shaggy fur is coarse and ranges in color from white through reddish-brown to black; mixed coloring can occur.
  • Their feet have two toes with hard toenails and a leathery pad on the sole of the toe.

Diet

What Does It Eat?

In their historic range:
Llamas eat primarily shrubs and grasses.  Their food provides most of the moisture they need to survive in a dry, high-elevation environment.

At the zoo:
Llamas are fed hay, specially formulated biscuits for herbivores and fresh browse.

What Eats It?
The most common predators of llamas are coyotes, mountain lions, and ocelots.

Social Organization

Llamas are social, gregarious animals that live in herds ranging in size from 20 to 100.  Family groups consist of a single male, up to six females and their current-year offspring.  Males leading family groups are territorial and aggressive with competing males, driving them away from the herd.  Males without harems congregate in bachelor groups.  Because they are protective of other animals, llamas are used as guards for sheep, goats, and horses and herds may adopt sheep as part of their family.  Llamas communicate with one another in a variety of ways.  Body posture can convey dominance or subordination; ear positioning indicates mood.  Although usually quiet, they vocalize to warn of predators, and mothers hum to their offspring who hum in response.  They may use common latrines to mark a herd’s territory by sight and scent.  When annoyed, threatened or establishing dominance, they may spit at the offender.

Life Cycle

Llamas are polygynous; males mate with multiple females in their herd.  They tend to mate during the southern hemisphere’s late summer and fall (November to May).  Female llamas experience induced ovulation, releasing an egg within 24-36 hours after mating.  Gestation lasts about eleven months, at which time one offspring, called a cria, is born.  Newborns weigh between 18 and 33 pounds (8-15kg) and can stand within an hour.  The infant will nurse for four to five months, and its mother will continue to care for it until it is a year old, at which time the male will drive it away from the herd.  Both males and females reach sexual maturity at two to three years old.  Well-cared-for llamas can live for more than twenty years; average life span is 15 years.

Red-ruffed Lemur

Variegata rubra

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Red ruffed lemurs are diurnal (active during the day), usually foraging in groups.  Social organization varies depending on season and habitat quality.  In some areas, groups are small with two to five individuals and in other areas or when fruit is plentiful, larger loose affiliations are formed of up to 32 individuals.

Classification

CLASS:Mammalia
ORDER:Primate
FAMILY:Lemuridae
GENUS:Varecia
SPECIES:rubra

Habitat & Range

Red ruffed lemurs live primarily in the top canopy of the tropical, lowland forests of the Masoala Peninsula including the Masoala National Park.

Location

Map of Africa

Adaptations

  • Quadrupedal and mostly arboreal, moving in the trees, but will occasionally walk on the ground. Movement in trees is by leaping, clinging, and suspending by back feet.
  • Six bottom teeth known as a tooth comb and a long claw on the second toe are used for grooming long, thick fur.
  • A long muzzle allows for collecting pollen from flowers without harming the flower.
  • Large range of 12 vocalizations aids in communication.
  • Thick bushy tail serves as a visual signal when threatened and as a balancing tool.
  • Soft, broad fingers with flat nails aid in grasping and grooming.

Physical Description

  • Red ruffed lemurs are 15-18 inches (39-46 cm) long with a 22-25 inch (56-63 cm) tail.
  • They weigh five to seven and a half pounds (2.3. – 3.5 kg)
  • They have dense gray fur with white undersides. The face is white with dark triangular eye patches and a black pointed muzzle.
  • Their distinctive tails are black and white striped.

Diet

What Does It Eat?

In their historic range:
Red ruffed lemurs are mostly frugivores in the wild consuming fruit, nectar and pollen, but also leaves, seeds and flowers.

At the zoo:
Variety of vegetables, greens, starches, and low-starch biscuits.  Small amounts of fruit for training purposes.

Wild predators of red ruffed lemurs are boa constrictors, eagles, hawks, and fossa (a weasel-like animal).  Humans also hunt and trap lemurs for food and the pet trade.

Social Organization

Social organization varies depending on season and habitat quality.  In some areas, groups are small with two to five individuals and in other areas or when fruit is plentiful, larger loose affiliations are formed of up to 32 individuals.  Established territories are defended against other groups.  Males and females form separate overlapping ranges.   Loud, raucous, barking vocalizations allow group members to stay in contact, and serve as warning to intruders and warn of the presence of predators.   Scent marking is another means of communicating and defending territory.   Females are the central force in groups and dominant to males.  Lemurs groom each other for hygiene and to cement social bonds.

Life Cycle

These prosimians (primates evolving before monkeys and apes) have a life span in the wild of 15 to 20 years but can live more than 30 years in human care.  Red ruffed lemurs are polygamous, and breeding is seasonal in the wild between May and July.  Ruffed lemurs are one of only a few primates that have litters.  Litter size is typically two to three but can be up to six, and mothers can nurse six simultaneously. Typical gestation is 100 days.  Births take place in well-concealed tree nests, unusual for diurnal primates.   Young are removed from the nest after a week or two.  Mothers will carry each in her mouth rather than on her back like other lemur species. Weaning occurs at about 4 months and sexual maturity at about two years.  Males will protect young.

Greater One-horned Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros unicornis

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Rhinos are the only animal with a horn on the nose not the top of the head. Made from compacted hair or keratin, the horn is used for plowing the ground looking for food, and self-defense.  Baby rhinos are born without horns, but the horn quickly begins developing and grows throughout the animals’ lives.

Classification

CLASS:Mammalia
ORDER:Perissodactyla
FAMILY:Rhinocerotidae
GENUS:Rhinoceros
SPECIES:unicornis

Habitat & Range

The habitat of the greater one-horned rhino is tropical grasslands and adjacent flood plains and forests. They prefer tall grasslands and thick forest areas.

Greater one-horned rhinos are found in Nepal and Northeastern India, mostly in protected areas, like national parks and wildlife reserves.

Location

Adaptations

  • Rhinos have short stout limbs that help support their weight. They walk on their toes and have a soft pad under their toes that helps cushion their steps. Despite their bulk they can run up to 35 miles per hour over short distances.
  • They have a prehensile lip that curls around the stems of the tall grasses, leaves and shrubs they eat.
  • Their small eyes are positioned on the sides of their head so to look at an object in front of them they have to look with one eye then turn their head and look with the other eye. Resulting vision is very poor.
  • They have excellent hearing but they rely most on their sense of smell for knowledge of their surroundings.
  • They have two tusk-like incisors in their lower jaw used when fighting for territory or females.
  • These rhinos are very aquatic and good swimmers. They spend time in pools or mud wallows to combat the heat and protect themselves from bugs.

Physical Description

  • Greater one-horned rhinos are covered with deeply folded gray skin. The skin is accentuated by tubercles (lumps) resembling rivets which give them a unique armor plated appearance.
  • They weigh 4000-6600 pounds (2200-3000 kg). Males are larger than females.
  • They can be up to 12.5 feet (3.8 m) long and stand 5-6 feet (1.5-1.8 m) at the shoulder.
  • Both males and females have a single dark horn up to 21 inches long (53 cm) on their nose.

Diet

What Does It Eat?

In the wild:
Greater one-horned rhinos are grazers eating grasses, twigs, leaves, shrubs, aquatic plants, fruit and cultivated crops. They drink water daily.

At the zoo:
At Denver Zoo the rhinos are fed grass hay, alfalfa, wild herb grain and browse.

What Eats It?
Tigers and humans are their only predators.

Social Organization

These rhinos are primarily solitary except for mating pairs and females with young. They may form loose aggregations around forage areas or mud wallows.

Life Cycle

Females are sexually mature at four years and males at nine years. Males fight for breeding rights with only the most dominant male earning the right to mate. Courtship can be violent and copulation can last up to one and a half hours with the male mounted the entire time. After a gestation of 15-16 months, the female gives birth to a single calf weighing 80-125 pounds (36-57 kg). The calf stands two feet tall (60 cm) at birth and can walk within an hour. The calf is weaned at about 18 months but will stay with mom for about three years until a new baby is born. Greater one-horned rhinos live 35-40 years in the wild and up to 45 years in managed care.

Southern Tamandua

Tamandua tetradactyla

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The southern tamandua, also called the lesser anteater or the collar anteater, are solitary animals aside from mating. Tamanduas feed on  ants and termites, avoiding ants with strong chemical defenses such as army ants.  They have also been known to occasionally eat honey, bees and fruit. Their long, sticky, barbed tongue can get into ant and termite homes and lick them up.

Classification

CLASS:Mammalia
ORDER:Pilosa
FAMILY:Myrmecophagidae
GENUS:Tamandua
SPECIES:T. tetradactyla

Habitat & Range

The southern tamandua is found throughout much of South America.  Widely distributed in Guyana, Trinidad, Suirname, French Guiana, Brazil, and Paraguay.  Also found in some parts of Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela.  Four subspecies of Tamandua tetradactyla have been identified.

Active on both the ground and in trees, southern tamanduas are adaptable to a variety of habitats from sea level to 6,500 ft (2,000 m).  Habitats include savanna, shrubland, and lowland and tropical rain forests.  They are commonly found near streams and rivers.

Location

north america globe

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Adaptations

  • Equipped with a chemical defense system to detect and avoid ants that sting.
  • Dense fur helps to protect skin from biting ants.
  • Stomach is specially adapted to digest insects efficiently.
  • Primarily night hunters, tamanduas’ vision is poor, but hearing and sense of smell are good.
  • Large claws and powerful forearms can be used in defense against predators. Claws are also used to rip open insect homes.
  • Another defense mechanism is the ability to hiss and spray a foul-smelling secretion that smells worse than a skunk’s spray. This behavior has earned them the nickname of “stinkers of the forest.”
  • The hairless tail is prehensile enabling it to grasp and hold tree branches. The tail is also used to balance on the back feet when standing upright.
  • Long, sticky, barbed tongue can get into ant and termite homes and lick them up.

Physical Description

  • Short dense fur is typically golden or tan but sometimes black in color. Although fur color can sometimes be a solid color, it is typically a light color with markings that look like the animal is wearing a black vest. Markings can also vary in black or in a lighter color on chest, shoulders or back.
  • Feet have enormous claws up to 4 inches (10 cm) long – four claws on the front feet with one extra-long claw on the third toe, and five toes on the hind feet. These large claws require them to walk on the outsides of their feet which makes them slow and clumsy on the ground.
  • The snout is long and curved downward with a very small opening about the size of a small stick.
  • Tongue is long and round, up to 16 inches (40 cm), and covered with small barbs and sticky saliva. The mouth has no teeth.
  • Eyes are small, and round ears protrude from the sides of the head.
  • Body length is typically between 21 and 35 inches (53 to 89 cm). Tail length is between 15 and 23 inches (38 to 58 cm).  The underside of the tail lacks fur.
  • Adult average weight is about 10 pounds (4.5 kg). There is no significant difference in female and male size.

Diet

What Does It Eat?

In the wild:
Insects and a variety of small invertebrates.

At the zoo:
 A variety of worms and insects

What Eats It?
Jaguars, pumas, margays (small wild cat), and large raptors

Social Organization

The southern tamandua, also called the lesser anteater or the collar anteater, are solitary animals aside from mating.  Tamanduas communicate sexual condition and territories by scent marking from anal glands.  Vocal communication, such as between mother and baby, includes hisses, snorts, roars and sniffs.

Life Cycle

Average life span is 9 years, but they can live longer in human care.  Sexual maturity for females is between 2 and 3 years.  Mating occurs in the fall, and gestation ranges between 130 and 150 days.  Single births are the norm, but twins can occur.  Young weigh slightly less than 1 lb. at birth and are a solid color.   Babies are cared for only by the mother who will carry them on her back for several months.  Young will stay with their mother for about 1 year at which time they are able to feed themselves.

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