'(CARD 121

CLOUDED LEOPARD
" GROUP 1: MAMMALS
, , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
.. ORDER ... FAMILY .. GENUS &: SPECIES
~ Carnivora . '11IIIIIIII Felidae ~ Neofelis nebulosa
The clouded leopard's bold markings blend perfectly with the
lichen-covered branches of its forest ho",e. Found only in remote
areas of India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia, it is now extremely rare.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Height to shoulder: 2'/2 ft.
Length: Body 4-4'/2 ft. Tail 3 ft.
Weight: 50 lb. Females are smaller.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Not known for
certain, but probably 5 years.
Mating season: Not known in
the wild. Cubs born in captivity
from March to May.
Gestation: 86-93 days.
No. of young: 1-5; usually 2.
Weaning period: 5 months.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Probably solitary except for
the mating season.
Diet: Principally birds and
monkeys, but any small or weak
mammal.
Lifespan: 17 years in captivity.
RELATED SPECIES
The clouded leopard is the only
species in its genus.
Range of the clouded leopard.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in India and Nepal, east through the Himalayan
foothills to southern China, and down through Southeast
Asia to Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. Also found in remote
parts of Taiwan.
CONSERVATION
An endangered species. Hunting and habitat destruction
have reduced the clouded leopard's numbers.
FEATURES OF THE CLOUDED LEOPARD
Coat: Grayish yellow, marked
with large, black-rimmed, dark
brown-colored blotches on its
back and flanks. Black spots and
stripes mark the face. Black
stripes run down its back.
Head: Narrow with a broad, blunt
snout. Has the same number of
teeth as other cats, but its ca-
nines are extremely long.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S. A. 0160200311 PACKET 31
Also known as the clouded or tree tiger,
the clouded leopard is not truly one of
the big cats, yet it is too large to be grouped
with the small cats. It is the link between
the large cats of the genus Panthera,
which includes the true leopard, and the
small cats grouped in the genus Felis.

Within its shrinking range, the
clouded leopard inhabits a va-
riety of forests and densely
wooded regions, from low
country to heights of 8,000
feet. It lives among tree
branches, sleeping or watch-
ing for prey. At rest, it lies
with its forelegs outstretched
on the branch and its long tail
straight behind it.
Little is known about the wild
clouded leopard's behavior.
Because it lives in inaccessible
areas, and because its mark-
ings blend into the foliage, it
is difficult to spot. It also stays
still when danger is near.
DID YOU KNOW?
The clouded leopard's ca-
nine teeth are similar in
shape to those of the ex-
tinct saber-toothed tiger.
Borneo natives used
clouded leopards' teeth for
earrings and their skins for
tribal battle dress.
Unlike other big cats, the
leopard does not
roar. A bone in its voice box
prevents it.
Clouded leopards in cap-
tivity are generally good-
tempered and playful.
A clouded leopard's tail
can grow to three feet.
BREEDING
Nothing is known about
clouded leopards' breeding
habits in the wild, but in cap-
tivity they produce cubs from
March to May. Litters range
from one to five cubs, but
usually two cubs are born,
each weighing five ounces.
The cubs are blind at birth
but open their eyes after 12
days. They are extremely active
by the time they are five
weeks old. The cubs begin to
eat solid food at 10 weeks but
are not fully weaned until
they are five months old. At
nine months, they become
completely independent of
their mother.
The cubs are not born with
the same coloration as adults;
their coats develop the char-
acteristic black-rimmed spots
when they have reached six
months of age.
Left: The clouded Jeopard's teeth
are similar to those of the extinct
saber-toothed tiger.
FOOD &- FEEDING
A true carnivore, the clouded
leopard eats only flesh. It eats
birds and monkeys in the
trees, swatting them with its
strong paws to stun them and
then slashing them with its
sharp claws.
It also kills pigs, deer, and
goats which it drops on from
the trees. The clouded leop-
ard then bites their necks,
breaking their spine.
On the ground, the clouded
leopard has to compete
against larger tigers and leop-
ards for food.
When pushed out of its
natural habitat by humans,
CLOUDED LEOPARD &- MAN
Man has been responsible for
the decline in the clouded
leopard's numbers. Humans
have long hunted the cat for
its fur, and despite the fact
that it is a seriously endan-
gered animal and has interna-
the clouded leopard kills
young cattle and buffalo.
Once thought to be a true
nocturnal hunter, the
clouded leopard is now be-
lieved to hunt its prey at
dawn and dusk, rather than
during the darkness of the
jungle night.
The clouded leopard stalks
its prey in the twilight, when
the animal is preparing to
sleep or to wake, and so is
most vulnerable to attack.
Right: Like its coat, the clouded
leopard's long, bushy tail is a
distinguishing characteristic.
tiona I protection, illegal hunt-
ing still continues.
Man's forest clearance is an
even greater threat to the
clouded leopard's existence.
In many parts of its range,
particularly Taiwan, it has
been forced into small areas
of inaccessible dense forest .
Native tribesmen do not
fear the clouded leopard.
Below: At one time, the demand
for the clouded Jeopard's coat
brought it almost to extinction.
RED PANDA
""
... ORDER ...
Carnivora
FAMILY
Procyonidae
122 I
GROUP 1: MAMMALS
GENUS &: SPECIES
Ailurus fulgens
Although they all belong to the same family, the red panda,
with its bushy tail and chestnut -colored fur, looks more like
a raccoon than its relative the giant panda.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: l ' /2-2 ft. head to tail.
Weight: Male, 8-14 lb. Female,
10-13 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 8 months.
Breeding season: May to July.
Gestation: 112-158 days.
No. of young: 1-4.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary, except in the
breeding season.
Diet: Mainly bamboo. Occasion-
ally small mammals, birds, eggs,
blossoms, and berries.
RELATED SPECIES
Closest relative is the giant panda,
Ailuropoda melanoleuco, and 2
subspecies, Ailurus fulgens fulgens
and A. f. styani.
Range of the red panda.
DISTRIBUTION
Found between 7,200 and 16,000 feet in the temperate
forests of the Himalayas, and the high mountains of northern
Burma, western Sichuan, and Yunnan.
CONSERVATION
In the western part of its range, the red panda is near
extinction because of loss of its forest habitat. Conservation
measures are increasing its numbers.
FEATURES OF THE RED PANDA
I
Body: Dense fur coat; red on the back and
dark brown on the belly. Compact body
has strong limbs tipped with long, sharp,
semi retractable
Tail: Used for
balance when
climbing and as
a pillow to cover
its face when
sleeping.
(gMCMXCI IMP BVIIMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM
and canines are
similar to those of
a carnivore (meat
eater) , but the
broad, flattened
molars are more
like the teeth of an
herbivore (plant
eater) .
PRINTED IN U.SA
Upper jaw Lower jaw
Feet: Hair on the sales of the
feet prevent it from slipping
on branches.
0160200331 PACKET 33
the lesser panda, inhabits a region that
stretches from Nepal to the Sichuan province
in China. A nocturnal animal, the red panda
spends most of its days asleep, searching
actively for food at night.
~ HABITS
Nocturnal and mostly active at
dawn and dusk, the red panda
spends most of its day resting
and sleeping in trees. It is an
agile climber, using its long tail
for support and counterbal-
ance. It sleeps with its legs
straddling a branch, or tightly
curled up with its head under
a hind leg. Its chestnut-brown
coat blends in well with the
branches. The red panda's
long, bushy tail serves as a
pillow or as a form of insula-
tion-by covering its face, the
tail prevents heat loss.
The red panda f6rages on the
ground. It marks its territory
with urine and substances
secreted from its foot pads,
and by depositing feces in
specially dug latrines at the
area's boundaries.
The male red panda fiercely
defends its territory. When
irritated, it makes a harsh
snort. It gives warning by
raising its forepaws over its
head before lunging to
attack. The red panda has a
limited vocal repertoire. It
squeals when distressed and
uses a twittering call to com-
municate between adults and
young.
Above: The red panda spends
much of the day draped over the
branches of trees.
The normally solitary red pan-
das form pairs at the begin-
ning of breeding season. The
male follows the scent trail of
the female, which she intensi-
fies on the day of copulation.
The couple mates on the
ground and separates immedi-
atelyafterward.
Six weeks before birth, the
female builds a nest of sticks,
grass, and leaves in a low,
hollow tree trunk or rock
crevice. Up to four young are
~ RED PANDA &: MAN
The red panda is more wide-
spread and numerous than its
well-known relative the giant
panda, but it has less human
contact, except for some
raiding of milk and butter
supplies in a few villages.
The shy red panda, with its
rich, red coat, blends into the
red-brown trees of its habitat
and is rarely seen.
In Nepal, the red panda's fur
was once used to make caps.
The Chinese also used its tail as
a duster or brush. Since they
are relatively easy to train, red
pandas used to be captured in
born into this nest.
The 11-inch cubs have
thick, grayish fur. Born with
their ears and eyes closed,
they lie still for the first 10
days curled around each
other or their mother, except
when they are suckling.
For the first few days, the
female rarely leaves her nest
and cubs, but after a week
she spends more time away
from the nest, only returning
every few hours to nurse and
small numbers for sale in the
pet trade.
But now the red panda is
protected in most areas of its
range and more than 30 zoos
groom the young.
The male does not become
involved with the cubs, even
after they emerge from the
nest at three months. When
the cubs are weaned at five
months, he may begin to play
with them. The mother and
cubs stay together until the
next breeding season starts
and they show some mild ag-
gression. Red pandas reach
adult size at12 months and
can breed six months later.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
Although classed as a car-
nivore, the red panda's
primary food source is bam-
boo. It also eats small birds,
mammals, and reptiles.
Clasping bamboo in a
single forepaw with its long,
sharp claws, it eats either
sitting, standing, or lying on
its back-only a few other
animals can do this.
Left: The red panda's face has
distinctive whiskers that it uses to
detect food in the dark.
DID YOU KNOW?
Discovered in 1825, the
red panda was t he only
known panda in the west
for more than 50 years.
The red panda's Latin
name means "fire-colored
cat" or "shining cat" be-
cause of its resemblance to
the cat.
Local names for the red
panda include "wha" and
"chitwa" because of its
twittering call.
Like its cl osest relative the
giant panda, the red panda
has an extra "thumb" on
both of its forepaws.
Because of its ringed tail,
teeth, skull, and facial mark-
ings, the red panda was
originally included in the
Procyonidae family with its
distant relative the raccoon.
Now some experts put both
pandas in t heir own family
called Ailuridae.
Red pandas can jump five
feet from branch to branch.
CHEETAH
'\
". ORDER
~ Mammalia
". FAMILY
~ Felidae
~ C A R D l m
GROUP 1: MAMMALS
". GENUS & SPECIES
~ Acinonyx jubatus
The cheetah is the fastest of all land mammals, sprinting over
60 miles per hour after its prey. It is no match for a gun, however,
and it was long hunted for its fur before gaining protection.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body up to 5 ft.
Tail up to 2 ft .
Weight: 100-1 30 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 20-24 months.
Mating season: Throughout the
year.
Gestation: 90-95 days.
Litter size: Up to 8 cubs.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Female solitary; male lives
in small groups.
Current range.
DISTRIBUTION
Original range
of the cheetah.
Diet: Antelope; also hares,
rodents, sometimes larger prey
such as zebra.
Lifespan: About 12 years in the
wild, more in captivity.
Found mainly in South and East Africa, the Middle East, and
southern Asia.
CONSERVATION
RELATED SPECIES
An endangered subspecies of the
cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus
venatiecus, lives in Asia.
The cheetah is a vulnerable species. Once widely shot for its
fur, the cheetah now suffers more from loss of both habitat
and prey. The cheetah became extinct in India in the 1950s.
Less than 30,000 remain in Africa.
HOW THE CHEETAH CATCHES ITS PREY
/ r
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
2. The cheetah follows at high speed,
usually catching up with its prey
within a minute. It leaps up and
brings down the prey with its
forepaws.
3. The cheetah suffocates its prey
by closing its jaws on the animal 's
windpipe. It then drags the carcass
to a safe place to be eaten, away
from other predators.
PRINTED IN U.S.A
1. When stalking a single prey
the cheetah emerges from cover
in order to startle the animal into
running. Other big cats use
attacks that combine surprise,
ambush, and hunting in a pack.
0160200231 PACKET 23
The cheetah is easily distinguished from
other spotted big cats by its lithe build, small
head, and long legs. These features, together
with its large lungs, are perfect adaptations for
high-speed chases after antelope in the African
grasslands that are its home.
~ H A B I T S
The male and female cheetah
have different lifestyles. The
female spends up to 20
months looking after each lit-
ter of cubs. She lives an other-
wise solitary life. She is not
aggressive to other cheetahs,
preferring retreat to attack.
Nor is she territorial, although
her range may overlap with
those of other females .
The male is rarely solitary.
He lives and hunts in an all-
male group of four or five
animals. The group may be
brothers from the same litter
that stay together for life.
Fiercely territorial, each male
group scent-marks its bound-
aries with urine. If other males
encroach on the territory of an
established group, fights oc-
cur, sometimes resulting in
the death of an intruder.
The female's scent tells a
male when she is sexually
receptive, although once the
male has picked up her scent
the pair communicate using a
series of calls.
The cubs may be born at any
time of the year. After mating
the male leaves the female,
who rears the young when
they are born, about three
months later.
The cubs are born in a den
and are blind and helpless for
about 11 days. Once their
eyes open the mother carries
them to different dens every
few days. These moves ensure
a clean den and reduce the
risk of predators, such as lions,
sniffing out the vulnerable
cubs.
The young are weaned at
about three months; then
Left: A female
and her cubs rest
under a tree.
Landmarks such
as these are
marked with
urine to set a
territorial
boundary.
Right: Cubs stay
close to their
mother. She
carries them in
her mouth when
moving to a new
den.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
The cheetah preys on hoofed
animals such as impala and
gazelle, as well as hares and
rodents. Most big cats lie in
wait for prey and pounce
when it comes within range,
but the cheetah's hunting
technique is wholly original.
The cheetah first stalks the
herd. At the right moment it
shows itself and panics the
animals into running. The
cheetah follows at high
speed, usually catching up to
its prey within a minute. If
forced to run longer than this
the cheetah gives up.
The cheetah does most of
its hunting during the day
when other predators are
sleeping. This is probably
because the cheetah is easily
frightened off its food-even
they follow their mother to
each kill and share her catch.
They leave her after 1 3 to 20
months but remain together
as a litter for a few more
months when fully mature.
The females leave first,
followed by the males, who
set off together.
vultures can force a cheetah
to abandon its kill. The chee-
tah often drags its prey to a
safe place and eats its fill. It
then leaves the remains to
other animals.
Left: Cheetahs sniff the air for prey
in Masai Mara, Kenya.
Below: A cheetah bares its teeth in
warning.
DID YOU KNOW?
The cheetah was trained
by man for hunting as long
ago as 3000 B.C.
Cheetahs were once
raced against greyhounds.
From a standstill, the
cheetah can reach its top
speed in about three
seconds.
" CARD 124 1
SERVAL


ORDER
Carnivora
FAMILY
Felidae
GENUS & SPECIES
"1IIIIIIII Felis serval
The serval is a quick, graceful predator of the African bush.
A versatile hunter, it may stalk, pounce, spring in the air,
or simply lie in wait to ambush its prey.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 2-3 ft. Tail, 1-1 '/2 ft.
Height: 1'/2-2 ft. at shoulder.
Weight: 20AO lb.
BREEDING
Mating season: Varies according
to region and climate.
Gestation: 74 days.
Litter size: 1-4.
Suckling: Up to 7 months.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary, territorial. Active
mainly at dusk and night.
Diet: Small mammals, birds,
lizards, insects, and occasionally
fish and plant matter.

. ...... \ db I

:.. ' ....
'

Range of the serval.
DISTRIBUTION
Call: High pitched cry.
Lifespan: 13 years in captivity.
Longest recorded in captivity: 1 9
years 9 months.
Widespread in Africa south of the Sahara, though absent from
the dense rainforest and the drier regions.
RELATED SPECIES
The genus Felis comprises 28
species of small cat.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
CONSERVATION
Widespread but uncommon over most of its range. Hunting
pressure in eastern and southern Africa has driven the serval
from many areas.
Hunting: The serval hunts by
stealth. It waits in the undergrowth,
turning its ears to listen for prey. At
the slightest rustle, the cat leaps in
a graceful arc and pounces on its
victim with a 50 percent success
rate.
PRINTED IN U.S. A.
Ears: Large,
broad at the
base, rising to a
point.
legs: Hind legs
longer than
forelegs, giving
extra power for
attackI ng prey.
0160200251 PAC T
The serval, with its long legs,
narrow head, slender build, and prominent ears,
is one of the most distinctive of the smaller cats.
It may lack the strength and power of
larger cats, but it makes up for it with
its swiftness and agility.
The serval, a widespread but
uncommon mammal, inhabits
much of the sub-Saharan
African savannah. It also
occurs in high-altitude
moorland, bamboo forest, and
the edges of the rainforest. It
shuns very dry terrain and is
most common under dense
cover near water. Its long legs
help it to stride across the
swampy ground of reed beds
and marshes.
Although it can climb and
swim well, the serval spends
most of its time on the ground
resting or hunting. It runs
swiftly, and, if disturbed, it
races away with high bounds
over the tall grass.
Like all small cats, the serval
lives alone in a well-defined
territory marked by the scent
of urine. The female keeps
her cubs for a short time
before forcing them out.
They wander long distances
over rough terrain before es-
tablishing their own territo-
ries. The serval remains close
to the area for many years.
Servais fighting with each
other use threat postures,
loud calls, and slashing
movements with the fore-
paws. As well as emitting
shrill cries, this species often
growls and purrs.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
The serval usually hunts at dusk
and night, but it will some-
times hunt prey that is active
during the day. In populated
areas such as farmland, the
serval reverts to its nocturnal
habits.
When hunting, the serval
left: Active in
the morning
and late
afternoon, the
serval spends
its day resting
from the heat.
Right: In the
cool early
evening, a
serval drinks
before starting
its nightly
hunt.
Below: When
annoyed, the
serval snarls,
growls, and
spits.
covers two to three miles of
its territory searching for food.
It preys mainly on rodents but
will eat hares, hyraxes, and
small antelopes such as
duikers and oribi. It kills birds
the size of guinea fowl, along
with frogs and lizards.
Occasionally it eats termites,
grasshoppers, and plants.
The serval uses many
hunting techniques. Because
its hearing is so acute, the
serval hunts by stealth. It lies
hidden in the cover of dense
vegetation and waits for prey
to approach. It also stalks
larger prey through cover,
lunging forward over the last
few feet in a surprise attack.
It sometimes moves
through tall grass, listening for
prey. Standing on its long
legs, the serval accurately
pinpoints the exact location of
its prey before leaping with a
powerful thrust, forming a
graceful arc, and landing on
its victim (see back cover).
--------------------
The mating season varies in
different regions, and some
females give birth twice in one
year. The female attracts the
male with a call to mate. She
purrs and rubs her cheek
against the male.
The female gives birth to
Above: A serval cub stays with
its mother for a year until it
learns survival hunting tech-
niques.
one to four cubs in a den
hidden by dense vegetation
and lined with dry leaves.
At birth the cubs are blind
DID YOU KNOW?
The servaline, a small,
woodland-dwelling species
with a coat of fine spots,
was once thought to be a
separate species.
An all-black species of the
serval lives in highland areas
of East Africa such as the
Aberdares Mountain range
in Kenya.
Servais can leap up to 10
feet in the air to catch birds.
and helpless. The mother
suckles them for many months
until they learn to fend for
themselves.
'\: CARD 125 I
GRAY KANGAROO
' ( ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
ORDER
Marsupialia
FAMILY
Macropodidae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Macropus giganteus
The gray kangaroo lives on the grasslands and open woodlands
of eastern Australia, including Tasmania. A peaceful grazer,
it will defend itself fiercely when necessary.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 5 ft.
Weight: Up to 200 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 18 months-2
years.
Mating: Spring to early summer.
Gestation: 29-38 days. At least
300 days in pouch.
No. of young: 1 .
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Lives in mobs (family
groups).
Diet: Grasses, shrubs, and leaves.
Lifespan: Up to 18 years.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 14 other members of
the genus Macropus, including
the red kangaroo, Macropus rufus,
and the walla roo, Macropus
robustus. The closest relative is
the western gray kangaroo,
Macropus fuliginosus.
Range of the gray kangaroo.
DISTRIBUTION
The gray kangaroo is found throughout forest s and
woodlands in eastern Australia, including Tasmania.
CONSERVATION
Although it is less numerous than the red kangaroo, and
despite large-scale killing by farmers, the gray kangaroo
numbers more than 1 .5 million and is not in immediate
danger of extinction.
FEATURES OF THE GRAY KANGAROO
A POUCH FOR THE JOEY
Hearing: Very acute. The kangaroo
can swi vel its ears to detect the
faintest sounds from many
directions.
Tail : lJfiek and
- m(JsGutar. TtlB
kaoQa.fOo props
f[seH on its tail
when grazing
or standing
upright and
stretches it out
behind as a
balance when
'[JMCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Grazing posture:
The kangaroo
crawls slowly on
all fours, moving
its limbs forward
Hindquarters: Powerful limo
with greatly extended feet
enable the kangaroo to move
fast over open terrain. Can
leap more than 24 feet.
PRINTED IN U.SA
II
To hop into the pouch, the joey
reaches up with its forepaws and
dives in headfirst.
With its forequarters in the pouch,
the joey twists around to bring its
head back to the opening.
Safely inside, only its head,
paws, and tail tip show.
0160200281 PACKET 28
The gray kangaroo is slightly smaller than
its close relative the red kangaroo. Although each
female gives birth to only one young each year, the
gray kangaroo is a successful breeder with a steady
population, and its voracious grazing habits
have made it unpopular with farmers.
~ H A B I T S
A sociable species, the gray
kangaroo lives in groups
known as mobs. A mob has a
large mature male, two or
three females with joeys
(young), and two or three
young males. Many mobs
graze together.
The gray kangaroo has a
good sense of smell and
sight, and its large, flexible
ears swivel to hear intruders
approaching from any direc-
tion. An alarmed kangaroo
thumps the ground hard with
its hind legs to warn the mob.
A grazing or slow-moving
gray kangaroo walks on all
fours, using its tail as a bal-
ance or support. The tail also
stretches out to steady the
kangaroo when it bounds
forward at high speeds.
During the hot days, the
gray kangaroo stays under
shade trees. In intense heat,
the kangaroo digs a hole and
sleeps in the cool soil.
Mother and joey kangaroos
squeak and cluck to each
other. The males grunt and
cough when they fight.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
Like all kangaroos, the gray
species eats only plants. In hot
weather it grazes in the cool
early morning and night, so it
does not need to drink very
much.
Left: Regular grooming keeps the
kangaroo cool and clean in the
hot Australian summer.
DID YOU KNOW?
The gray kangaroo has
tremendous endurance. A
man on a horse once chased
one for 19 miles out of its
home range, and then
watched as it swam another
The gray kangaroo feeds
anywhere, even alongside
sheep and cattle. It eats less
than sheep and survives on
poor-quality grass with a low
nitrogen content.
Right: Two male gray kangaroos
box for the right to mate with a
receptive female.
two miles out to sea.
The gray kangaroo can
jump as far as 44 feet .
Early naturalists thought
that the joey actually grew
out from its mother's teat.
~ GRAY KANGAROO & MAN
Australian farmers have put up
miles of fencing to keep kan-
garoos off their pastures. But
the kangaroos still jump over
or squeeze under the fences.
Left: On open ground the gray
kangaroo can move at speeds of
40 miles per hour.
~ BREEDING
The gray kangaroo mates and
gives birth in spring and early
summer, but it may breed in
other seasons if the climate
and rainfall are good. The
female leaves the mob to give
birth, first licking clean her
pouch and birth canal.
A single joey is born 29 to
38 days after mating. Only an
inch long and weighing less
than half an ounce, the pink
joey crawls out of the birth
Left: The joey spends several
months in its mother's pouch
before venturing outside.
The farmers believe the gray
kangaroos eat too much of
their grazing land, so they
shoot large numbers.
The gray kangaroo also
causes many car accidents in
Australia by leaping out un-
expectedly in front of cars.
canal opening and into the
mother's pouch.
The joey clamps its mouth
onto one of the four teats,
which swells in the mouth to
keep the joey in place. The
joey stays there for 300 days
or more, the longest pouch
life of all marsupials. It grows
slowly the first three months.
It develops faster after 1 5
weeks when the mother's
milk increases its fat and
protein. The joey suckles for
18 months until it begins
eating grass.
" CARD 126 1
PANGOLIN


ORDER
Pholidota
FAMILY
Manidae
GENUS
Manis
The pangolin has a long, tapering body that is almost
completely covered with overlapping scales. This covering provides
nearly impenetrable protection when the pangolin curls up.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Body and tail up to 5 ft.
Weight: 50-75 lb. Male heavier than
female.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 2 years.
Gestation: 140 days.
Birth: November to March.
No. of young: 1; rarely 2.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Usually solitary.
Diet: Ants and termites; other
soft-bodied insects and larvae.
lifespan: At least 1 3 years in
captivity (Indian pangolin).
RELATED SPECIES
The Asian species are the Indian
pangolin, Manis crassicaudata,
the Chinese pangolin, M.
pentadactyla, and the Malayan
pangolin, M. javanica.
THE AFRICAN PANGOLINS
Tree-dwelling
species: Agile
climbers, aided
by prehensile
(gripping) tail
that has a bare
sensory pad
at its tip.
Ground-living
species: Live
in holes dug
in the ground.
Walk on
knuckles with
claws pointed
inward. May
also climb
trees.
long-tailed tree
pangolin, Manis
tetradactyla: Feeds
by day and by
night.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Range of the pangolin.
DISTRIBUTION
African pangolins range from Senegal east to Uganda, Angola,
western Kenya, and south to Zambia and northern Mozam-
bique, Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia, to Namibia and South Africa.
CONSERVATION
The Cape pangolin is now seriously endangered. Asian
pangolins are hunted although international trade of all
species is restricted. Few thrive in captivity.
White-bellied pangolin, Manis
tricuspis: Forages by night in
rainforests and plantations.
Common.
Giant
pangolin,
Manis
gigantea:
Cape pangolin, Manis temmincki:
Forages on
the ground,
usually at
night. Like
most pango-
----lins is also
capable of
Lives in a burrow; capable of swim-
ming and climbing. Favors dry prairie
and savannah. Feeds mainly on ants.

PRINTED IN u.s.A. 0160200291 PACKET 29
This solitary, nocturnal animal lives on
a diet of ants and termites that it digs up with
its powerful forefeet and extracts with its long, sticky
tongue. Shy and protective toward their young,
all seven species are becoming extremely rare
as a result of hunting.
~ HABITAT
Of the four species of pan-
golin that live in Africa, two
inhabit the trees and two live
on the ground. The larger,
ground-living pangolins in-
habit both open grassland
and forests.
The ground-burrowing
giant pangolin can be six feet
long, head to tail.
The two smaller. species that
live in trees in Africa's rain-
forests curl up to sleep in the
fork of a branch or lie among
the plants. They have pre-
hensile (capable of grasping)
tails to help them climb.
~ HABITS
A pangolin walks on its front
knuckles with its claws tucked
underneath like a clenched
fist. This prevents the digging
claws from wearing down. If
necessary, the pangolin can
move much faster, rearing up
and walking on its hind legs
and using its tail for balance.
The pangolin rushes for its
burrow if disturbed, or it rolls
up into a ball if it cannot
reach safety in time. Its scales
protect its soft belly. The pan-
golin can also raise the scales
in defense so that their sharp
edges point outward.
DID YOU KNOW?
A ground-living pangolin
remains in its burrow during
the day. When inside it seals
the entrance with earth,
opening it up again when it
comes out to feed at night.
Locals tell of the pangolin's
"ant baths." It settles on an
ant nest, raises its scales and
allows the insects to crawl
underneath. Then it lowers
the scales, crushing the ants,
Above: A pangolin scours the
ground for termites.
Right: The pangolin's eyes and
nose are small. Its armor reaches
almost to the tip of the nose.
The pangolin marks its
range by scattering feces
along its track and by mark-
ing trees with urine or a se-
cretion from a gland near its
anus. It also squirts the foul-
smelling fluid at enemies.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
Ants and termites are the
pangolin's favorite foods.
The pangolin has no teeth.
In many ways it is similar
to the anteater of South
America: both animals have
a long, saliva-coated tongue
that penetrates insect nests
and a tough stomach to grind
down the hard outer skel-
etons of termites.
A ground-living pangolin
sniffs out an ant or ground
termite nest and rips it open
with long, sharp claws. The
pangolin relies on its thick
skin to defend it from ant
bites. For total protection, its
and enters the water, where
it raises the scales again and
lets the dead ants float out.
The ants may act like a mild
abrasive and clean beneath
the scales.
A pangolin that has curled
itself up is almost impossible
to unroll. Only predators
with very powerful jaws,
such as hyenas and larger
cats, can do so.
nostrils can seal up. Its eyes
are small and thickly lidded.
The long-tailed tree-living
species feeds on ant nests and
tree termite nests, or the
armies of ants moving on the
trees. It is the only pangolin
that feeds mostly by day.
Below: This giant pangolin is
chiefly ground-living and is most
likely to emerge at night. It climbs
by digging its large foreclaws into
the trunk and then drawing up its
body and hind feet.
~ BREEDING
The female pangolin produces
one or two young each year.
The baby tree-living pangolin
clings to its mother's tail after
birth. She carries it until it is
weaned three months later.
A ground-living baby is born
inside the burrow. Its scales arE
soft at first, hardening later. It
rides on its mother's back at
two to four weeks. When
threatened, the mother curls
up with the young hidden
inside her rolled up body.
~ PANGOLIN &: MAN
Pangolin meat is popular with
local African people, particu-
larly the flesh of the Cape pan-
golin. In Asia, where relatives
of the African species live, the
scales are powdered and used
for medicine and as an aphro-
disiac (love potion). This has
lead to reduced pangolin pop-
ulations. A ban on commercial
trade in all pangolin species is
not always easy to enforce.
SIAMANG GIBBON
ORDER
Primates
FAMILY
Hy/obatidae
GROUP 1: MAMMALS
GENUS & SPECIES
Hy/obates syndacty/epops
The siamang gibbon is the largest of the nine gibbon species.
It is found swinging agilely from tree to tree in the
rainforests of Sumatra and Malaysia.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Height: Both male and female
about 3 ft.
Weight: About 22 Ibs.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 7-8 years.
Mating season: None in particular.
Gestation: 230-235 days.
No. of young: 1 .
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable; lives in small
family groups.
Call : Female barks; male screams.
Diet: Mainly fruit and leaves.
lifespan: About 25 years.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 9 species of gibbon, of
which the siamang is the largest.
All of the gibbon species are found
in Southeast Asia.
Range of the siamang gibbon.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in the rainforests of Sumatra and Malaysia.
CONSERVATION
All gibbon species are rapidly declining in numbers. Unless
the destruction of their rainforest home stops, many species
will become endangered.
Throat sac: En-
larges to amplify
its call over
long distances.
define territories.
This develops
the bond be-
tween them.
Legs: Strong;
uses back legs
to walk upright.
Rump: Has
calluslike pads
for cushioning.
MCMXCI IMP BVII MP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200341 PACKET 34
The siamang gibbon lives in close-knit family groups.
The parents usually mate for life, and both father
and mother take an active role in rearing
and training their offspring.
~ H A B I T S
The siamang gibbon lives high
up in the rainforests of Malaysia
and Sumatra. It travels rapidly
through the trees by moving
arm over arm or swinging from
branch to branch. It walks
along the branches if they are
too big to grip with its cup-
shaped hands.
Although all gibbons com-
municate by calling to each
other, the siamang's call is
the loudest and can be heard
two miles away. Its large
throat sac, which can be
inflated to almost the size of
its head, helps to amplify the
call. A male and female pair
sing in unison, and at the
start of the song the young
join in. The song reaches its
climax with the great call of
the female. Calling serves to
announce territories and to
develop the bond between
male and female.
At night the siamang sleeps
sitting upright high in the
branches of the trees in the
center of its range. The spe-
cial pads on its rump help it
rest more comfortably.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
Almost totally vegetarian, the
siamang's diet consists mainly
of leaves and ripe fruit, partic-
ularly figs. It also gets some
protein from insects and
occasionally from birds' eggs.
The siamang feeds during
the day.
A siamang family occupies
a home range of up to 1 00
acres. Family members sel-
dom need to travel more
than a mile to get food.
Left: Siamang gibbons live high
up in treetops and swing from
tree to tree.
Right: The large throat sac
amplifies its call, which can be
heard two miles away.
The siamang mates for life.
After a seven- to eight-month
gestation period, a single
baby is born.
For the first year of its life,
the baby is fed and cared for
only by its mother. Then the
father takes charge of its edu-
cation, although the mother
contlnuestofeed it for anoth-
er year. By the time it is three
years old, the father has
taught it how to walk, swing
through trees, and behave
within the group. Because of
the long period of parental
care, the siamang produces
only one offspring every two
to three years.
Above right: The siamang's arms
are almost a third longer than its
body length.
Left: The mother is protective of
her offspring, which clings to her
for warmth.
DID yOU KNOW?
The gibbon's arms have
a spread of five feet. If it
stands erect, they dangle
on the ground. It often
carries its arms above its
head so they do not trail
on the ground.
Except for humans, the
gibbon is the only pri-
mate to walk upright.
The gibbon hates water
and cannot swim. When
it has to drink, the gib-
bon usually cups the
water in its large hands.
The gibbon has binocu-
lar vision, which allows it
t o focus ahead on the
next branches to grab.
~ FAMILY LIFE
The siamang gibbon lives
in a small, close-knit family
group consisting of an adult
male and female and two or
three youngsters. Grooming
is a major social activity that
strengthens the family bond.
At age six the youngsters be-
come sexually aware and
seek out mates. The young
male will avoid its mother, so
as not to anger its father. At
age eight it moves out to
start its own family.
"'CARD 128 I
GRAY WOLF
' ( - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
~
ORDER
Carnivora
FAMILY
Canidae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Canis/upus
The gray wolf has been the notorious villain of fables and fairy
tales for centuries, yet this highly intelligent and sociable animal
is wary of humans and avoids them whenever possible.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Up to 5 ft. Male slightly
larger then female.
Tail length: 1-2 ft.
Weight: 35-175 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 2-3 years.
Breeding season: February to
April. Those in warm climates
mate first.
Gestation: 61-63 days.
No. of young: 4-7.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Highly social. Lives in
packs of up to 10 animals.
Diet: Moose, elk, small deer, wild
sheep, and domestic livestock.
Lifespan: 10 years in the wild.
RELATED SPECIES
There are many subspecies of
wolf, including the red wolf.
Range of the gray wolf.
DISTRIBUTION
Found mainly in Canada, the eastern Soviet Union, and parts
of the United States and Europe. Small numbers occur in the
Abbruzzi Mountains in Italy.
CONSERVATION
Although protected by a number of organizations, the gray
wolf is close to extinction. In Europe it is still shot despite
legal protection.
FEATURES OF THE GRAY WOLF
Hunting: The wolf's body is built for stamina
rather than speed: it can cover 37 miles a day
when hunting. It has a large skull with extremely
powerful jaws.
Senses: The
gray wolf uses
its excellent
sense of smell
and its efficient
sight and hearing
to track prey.
MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM
Teeth: Grips
prey with
canines while
the incisors
scrape the
flesh off
the bone.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Coat: Thick
coat varies in
color from
nearly white to
almost black.
Tail: Holds its
thick tail high
when running.
0160200281 PACKET 28
The gray wolf lives in a variety of habitats,
from the arctic tundra and open steppes of
the Soviet Union to the mountainous regions and
forests of North America. Once found throughout
the northern hemisphere, its numbers have been
vastly reduced: man continues to hunt it and
its natural prey has become scarce.
~ HABITS
The gray wolf has a coopera-
tive social structure for hunt-
ing, communicating, and
defending its territory.
The gray wolf lives in packs
of 5 to 10 animals. The pack
has family units made up of a
dominant male and female
and offspring from several
years. The pack hierarchy is
maintained through domi-
nant or submissive body
posturing and other behavior
such as communal care of
young.
The pack's territory size
depends on available prey,
but it usually covers several
hundred square miles. The
gray wolf makes scent-mark
boundaries and howls to
other pack members. Rival
packs may answer the calls.
Right: Wolves prey on diseased or
weaker members of species such as
deer and caribou.
~ BREEDING
The gray wolf sexually matures
at two years. Once a wolf pair
is formed, it stays together for
life. Wolves mate at the end of
every winter, causing tension
among the pack.
Since only dominant wolves
mate, subordinate males and
females compete for a higher
place in the hierarchy. Many
wolves do not mate; instead
they help to rear young by
hunting game for them.
The wolf pair mates one to
two times a day for 14 days.
The female gives birth nine
weeks later to 3 to 10 cubs in
left: Despite legal protection, the
gray wolf is still hunted through-
out Europe.
DID YOU KNOW?
A wolf that is driven from
the pack or that has left on
its own is called a lone wolf.
It avoids contact with packs
and rarely howls.
Wary and shy, wolves
generally avoid people.
Most attacks have been
an underground den she has
dug. Sometimes she enlarges
another animal's unused den
rather than digging her own.
The mother feeds the help-
less, blind cubs for six to eight
weeks. If she leaves, the father
or another wolf guards them
while she is away.
The cubs learn to eat the
meat brought by the adults.
An adult sometimes carries
the meat for the pups in its
mouth, but when it travels
long distances, it swallows the
meat and regurgitates it for
the pups in the den.
Right: Cubs spend the first few
months of their life in a nursery
den prepared by the mother.
made by rabid animals.
Wolf packs in the far
north often follow migrat-
ing herds hundreds of miles
each year.
Centuries ago, wolves
were "tried" by people and
burned at the stake.
~ GRAY WOLF &: MAN
Humans have long feared and
killed the gray wolf, but its
intelligence, cunning, and
adaptability have saved it
from extinction.
Once widespread through-
out North America, Europe,
and the Far East, the gray wolf
is now found in large numbers
only in the Soviet Union,
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
Of all the members of the dog
family (Canidae), only the gray
wolf hunts large, hoofed ani-
mals. One wolf can kill a deer
by itself, but when it comes to
large animals such as moose,
wolves hunt in packs.
Using its hearing and sense
of smell to track prey, the
wolf will follow its target all
day and night if necessary. The
wolf only runs at 28 miles per
hour, but its remarkable en-
North America, and eastern
Europe.
The wolf has declined in
number because of the
reduction of its natural prey,
which was replaced by do-
mestic animals. Farmers
protect their livestock from
the gray wolf with poison,
traps, and guns.
durance helps it to hunt.
After a kill, each wolf,
starting with the most
dominant, eats as much as
a fifth of its body weight.
Scavengers eat the leftovers.
The wolf may have to wait
three to four days before
catching the next meal.
All pack members hunt,
except for the very young.
The young stay in the den
and wait for food.
"' CARD 129 I
ORCA (KILLER) WHALE
, , ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
... ORDER
"1IIIIIIII Cetacea
... FAMILY
"1IIIIIIII Oe/phinidae
.... GENUS & SPECIES
"1IIIIIIII Orcin us orca
The orca, or killer, whale is the only whale that preys on
other warm-blooded animals. Using teamwork, it hunts
in a group and will even attack larger whales.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Male, 26-30 ft. Female,
23-26 ft .
Weight: 9,000-14,000 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 8-16 years.
Mating season: Early winter.
Females breed every 3-8 years.
Gestation: 1 3-1 6 months.
No. of young: 1 calf.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Lives and hunts in a pod
(group) .
Call: Clicking sounds.
Diet: Fish, squid, seals, and other
whales.
Lifespan: Up to 100 years.
RELATED SPECIES
Related to the dolphins. Some
scientists group the orca whale
, with the pilot whales in the
family G/obicepha/idae.
FEATURES OF THE ORCA
Dorsal fin: Male's fin can be as tall
as seven feet.
Female's fin is short and curves
toward the back.
Length: Female
measures 23 to 26
feet; male 26 to 30
feet. The sexes are
alike except for size
and fin shape.
Range of the orca.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in every ocean as far as the ice packs of the Arctic and
Antarctic and in cooler inshore waters.
CONSERVATION
The orca is widespread and is in no danger of extinction.
Some are hunted by fishermen who claim that orcas deplete
their fish stocks. They were often captured live for marine
parks, but this activity is now controlled in the United States.
Female
White markings: Flashes
above eyes. Belly and
undersides of tail flukes and
head are all white.
Flippers:
Rounded,
paddle-shaped.
Tail flukes: Very
powerful. They
propel the orca to
a top speed of 30
miles per hour.
Teeth: 40 to 50,
sharp, curved,
and oval. They
interlock when
the broad jaws
close.
MCMXCIIMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200301 PACKET 30
Sailors have spun tales around the orca
whale's reputation for killing, yet this
mammal has never been known to attack
a human being. Its notoriously huge appetite is
normal in proportion to its great size.

The orca whale lives in close-
knit pods of 5 to 30 members.
A smaller pod contains at least
one adult male along with sev-
eral adult females and young.
A larger pod contains two to
three adult males .
Each female stays in the same
pod for life, but the males reg-
ularly move between pods. If
the pod becomes too large,
some of the whales break away
to form new pods. When trav-
eling together, pod members
stay in line, rarely spreading
out wider than half a mile.
Although capable of diving to
1,000 feet, the orca whale
usually stays close to the sur-
face. When traveling, it fol-
lows a series of 30-second dives
with a longer dive of four min-
utes; when it hunts the dives
can last longer.
While the orca spends most of
its time hunting food, it is also
very playful. Pods race along
the surface of the water or
breach (leap out of the water).
DID YOU KNOW?
When an orca breaches,
the splash can be heard
several miles away.
The orca can toss 600-
pound prey into the air.
There are two types of
whale: toothed whales and
FOOD &: HUNTING
The orca whale hunts in
groups, or pods, in coastal wa-
ters. When hunting for food,
the orca whale uses echoloca-
tion: it sends out clicking noises
that bounce back in the form
of sound waves. These waves
form a "sound picture" by
which the whale identifies
and locates prey. Once located,
prey is driven toward shore so
it cannot escape.
In colder waters the pod may
tip up a small ice floe to catch
any basking seals that slide off
into the water.
In open water the orca
spyhops, or raises its head high
out of the water and looks
baleen whales. The orca is a
toothed whale and catches
its prey with its teeth. Baleen
whales have no teeth. In-
stead they strain food from
the water through their
comblike baleen plates.
BREEDING
The male reaches sexual ma-
turity between the ages of 10
and 1 6 years; the female usu-
ally matures two years earlier.
Little is known about the
orca's breeding habits. Some
sort of courtship behavior
probably exists, and a single
male most likely breeds with
several females.
The female gives birth to a
single calf after a 12-month
gestation (pregnancy), usually
in November or December. At
Left: The orca whale is an atten-
tive parent both in the wild and
in captivity.
around the surface for prey.
When attacking large
whales, the whole pod joins
in for the kill. Some seize the
prey's tail in an attempt to
immobilize it, while the
others in the pod attack from
all directions.
Right: A pod moves out to feed.
Below: Mammals such as these sea
lions form only a fraction of the
orca's mainly fish-and-squid diet.
birth the calf measures about
seven feet, which is almost a
third of its mother's size. It
suckles for about a year, but
continues to stay close to its
mother for several more
years.
Below: The calf rarely strays far
from its mother although it can
swim well from birth.
li '1l SPECIAL
ADAPTATI ONS
Speed: The orca is the
fastest member of the
dolphin family, reaching
speeds of 30 miles per
hour, but its normal speed
is 6 to 10 miles per hour.
Teeth: The orca has 40 to
50 conical teet h that point
backward. These enable t he
orca to tear big chunks of
flesh from large prey.
Jaws: The orca's jaws open
so wide that it can swallow
seals whole.
"'" CARD 130 I
DORMOUSE
, , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ , , ~
~
ORDER
Rodentia
FAMILY
Gliridae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Muscordinus avellanarius
The dormouse is active by night, and in years gone by it was a
common sight scampering along the branches of nut and fruit trees
throughout Europe. It is now rare in parts of its range.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body 2-3 in.
Tail2-2
1
Jz in.
Weight: 3/4 oz. (up to 1 oz. before
hibernation).
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Mating: May to August. Usually
1 litter per year.
Gestation: 21 days.
Litter size: 2-7, average 4.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Pairs often nest together
in summer; hibernate separately.
Call: Ultrasonic squeaks.
Color: Rich orange-brown. Pale
underside. White on throat.
Diet: Tree flowers and fruits;
some insects.
Lifespan: About 4 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The largest species is the fat
dormouse, Glis glis, from Europe.
Range of the common dormouse.
DISTRIBUTION
Found throughout most of Europe from Sweden to northern
Spain and eastward to the Middle East.
CONSERVATION
The decline of the dormouse in Europe coincides with the
loss of ancient forests, woodlands, and hedgerows through-
out its range.
THE COMMON DORMOUSE AND ITS NE
Breeding nest: About six inches across,
woven by the female in a tree hollow.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
est site:
Usually about
th ree feet off
the ground;
sometimes
over 65 feet up
in a tree.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
On or under-
ground;
enclosed.
to enable the
dormouse to
grip branches.
0160200291 PACKET 29
The dormouse spends about half of its
life asleep. When it does awaken it spends
all of its time in the trees, moving acrobatically
along the thinnest of branches and using
its tail as a balance.
~ HABITS
The nocturnal dormouse is
the smallest of all the dor-
mouse species. It spends all of
its life in trees and shrubs. It
has excellent hearing coupled
with the large round eyes of
many nocturnal animals.
The dormouse sleeps during
the day in a round nest that it
weaves from grasses and
DID YOU KNOW?
During hibernation a
dormouse sleeps so soundly
that it can be rolled along
the ground without waking.
The dormouse's ability to
sleep very deeply was made
famous in the Mad Hatter's
tea party, a story from Lewis
Carroll's book Alice's Adven-
bark. This snug sleeping nest
is about three feet off the
ground or at the top of a
mature tree, sometimes over
65 feet high.
At night the dormouse looks
for food in the treetops . Its
padded feet and mobile wrist
and ankle joints enable it to
grip the branches as it runs.
tures in Wonderland.
During the nineteenth
century the dormouse was
kept by children as a pet.
In different parts of
Europe the dormouse is
also called the sleepmouse,
the derrymouse, or the
dozing mouse.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
The dormouse gathers all its
foqd in treetops and bushes.
It eats mainly tree flowers,
berries, and nuts. In spring it
eats tree flowers such as the
hawthorn and picks honey-
suckle berries and flowers
when they are available.
Sometimes the common dor-
mouse is called the hazel dor-
mouse because of its liking
hazelnuts. It also eats acorns
and chestnuts.
Left: The dormouse enjoys a meal
of berries from a tree.
~ BREEDING
The start and length of the dor- young about 24 days later.
mouse's breeding season de- She usually has four or five
pends upon the weather. After babies. Born blind and naked,
a pair mates, the female makes they grow their first fur about
a nest above the ground. It is a week later. This coat is
larger than the sleeping nest. molted (shed) at two weeks
The mother gives birth to her and replaced by a gray ver-
Above: The
dormouse
loves hazel-
nuts-so much
so that it used
to be known
as the hazel
dormouse.
Left: The nest
is snug for the
long winter
sleep.
sion of the adult coat. At about
10 days their eyes open.
The young stay with their
mother for two months and
are ready to breed the next
spring. The mother may have
a second litter in mild years.
~ HIBERNATION
The dormouse sleeps through
winter in a nest on or under-
ground. This period lasts from
October to April. If it warms
up outside the dormouse will
wake briefly to feed.
Before hibernating, the dor-
mouse doubles its weight. This
seasonal overeating is essential
to the dormouse's survival
Right: While
the dormouse
hibernates, its
body cools
down to about
41 "F.
Left: A mother
guards her 12-
day-old young.
NATUREWATCH
The dormouse's sleeping
habits make this creature
diffi cult to spot duri ng the
day. Look for its nest in the
canopies of young hazelnut
trees, brambles, and honey-
suckle vines in deciduous
woodlands (where trees lose
their leaves every fall) .
Li ke many rodents, t he
dormouse drops empty
nutshells after eati ng t heir
contents. It leaves a
smooth, round hole in
the shell, unlike the rough
edges left by mice or voles.
You can encourage a
dormouse population to
stay in your area by putti ng
a birdhouse about 10 feet
above ground level in a
t ree. If you do spot a nest,
do not dist urb it.
throughout the winter.
The dormouse sleeps rolled
up in a ball. Its breathing and
heart rate slow down and its
body temperature falls. It lives
on built-up body fat.
If the dormouse wakes up
during the winter months it
may burn its fat reserves too
soon and starve.