L Gi'.

M MM S C A POCKET NATURALISr u
GUIDE HOOFED MAMMALS

Common Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius
To 5 ft. (1.5 m) H
., 9-10 in.
Dik-Dik
Madoqua spp .
To 17 in. (43 cm) H
Small antelope has
a long, flexible snout.

Klipspringer
Oreatragus oreotroqus
To 2 ft. (60 cm) H
Has dark 'tear stains' at
the corner of the eyes.
Downward-pointing
hooves give the impression
it walks on 'tiptoe'. Found
in rocky habitats.

White Black
Steenbok

e'~'r. ."..
Raphieerus eampestris
1 in.
White Rhinoceros To 2 ft. (60 cm) H

"
Large ears are striped inside.
Ceratotherium simum
To 6 ft. (l.B m) H
Has a square upper lip. The
9-10 in. Muzzle has a dark stripe. t
similar black rhinoceros has a
pointed, prehensile upper lip.
White Black
t ,

'a:
Common Duiker
Sylvieapra grimmia
t

e+
To 28 in. (70 cm) t1
Has a prominent black 1 in.
stripe on its snout.

Hyena lion
Inhabits woodlands
and shrubby areas. t
Forefoot ,
Oribi
24-28 in. Ourebia ourebi
To 2 ft. (60 em) H
African Elephant
Note short tail and black 1.5 in.
Loxodonto africana spot below ears. Inhabits
To 14 ft. (4.2 m) H Hind foot
Hind print is oval-shaped.
grassland savannas.
t
This guide provides simplified field reference to familiar animal tracks. It is
important to note that tracks change depending on their age, the surface Hippopotamus
they are made on, and the animal's gait (e.g., toes are often splayed when Springbok
running). Track illustrations are ordered by size in each section and are not Antidorcas marsupialis
illustrated to scale. To 30 in. (75 cm) H
2 in.
Note white belly and
Most animal illustrations show the adult male in breeding coloration. dark flank stripe. Lyre-
Colors and markings may be duller or absent during different seasons. shaped horns have
Animal measurements usually denote approximate length (head and body prominent ridges.
length). Some measurements indicate the shoulder height of species (H).
Waterford Press produces reference guides that introduce novices to travel,
languages, science and nature. Product information and hundreds of free Warthog
educational games are featured on the website: Phaeochoerus africanus

II t
www.waterfordpress.com To 30 in. (75 cm) H
Long canine tusks are key
Elephant Giraffe field marks. Holds tail 2 in.
By JamesKavanagh aloft when running.
Illustrated by RaymondLeung
Text and illustrationscopyright
Cl 2000 by Waterford Press,Ine.
ISBN-l0 1-58355-037-2 S5.95
Bushpig t
:n~liIINOO~~~
I
Potamoehoerus larvatus
All rights reserved.
To 3 ft. (90 cm) H
To order, call 800-434-2555.
A hairy version of a
11111 IIllilll 1
For permissions, or to share comments,
e-mail: editor@waterfordpress.com.
domestic pig, it inhabits
dense forested areas and t
2 in.
For information on custom-published reed beds. Tail is held
products, call 800-434-2555 or
e-rnail usatinfo@owvaterfordpress.com. : 1111~~~~~II~~lnIJIIII.11
10 9 8 7 6 5 ..• 3 2 1
~1111111illll down when running. The
similar forest bush pig
has a reddish coat. t
Printed in China 073501
HOOFED MAMMALS HOOlED MAMMALS HOOFED MAMMALS

Common

~a
Waterbuck Zebra

0
Bushbuck
Tragelaphus scriptus
To 32 in. (80 em) H
Note white throat and
t
1.5-2.5 in.
Kobus ellipsiprymnus
To 52 in. (1.3 m) H
Has a distinctive white
3-3.5 in.
Equus burchellii
To 56 in. (1.4 m) H
One of several species 4 in.
ring around its tail. Found of African zebra. Most
white spots on flanks. The
most widely distributed
along rivers, marshes and ~~ species can be be
in dry floodplains. distinguished by the
spiral-horned antelope. size and pattern
of their stripes.

Impala Topi

,~
Gemsbok

~'VH5;'
Aepyceros melampus (Tsessebe)
To 40 in. (1 m) H Damaliscus lunatus
(Oryx)
Note black banding on tail
and rump. Widespread
~ ~ L>-'_""_ To 50 in. (1.25 m) H Oryx gazella
To 4 ft. (1.2 m) H 4-5 in.
Coat has a purplish sheen.
throughout the savanna. Note dark patches on Both sexes have long,
upper legs and face. straight horns and
black facial patches. t

Grant's Gazelle
Gazella granti
To 3 ft. (90 cm) H
Prominent white rump patch
is bordered in black.
Common in East Africa.
,~ t
1.5-2.5 in.

t
Kudu
Tragelaphus spp.
To 56 in. (1.4 m) H
Tall, narrow-bodied
antelope with 6-10
vertical side stripes.
Males have long,
spiralling horns.
~, 3-4 in.

t
Roan Antelope
Hippotragus equinus
To 56 in. (1.4 m) H
Told by black mask,
white muzzle and
curving, deeply
ridged horns.
~""l""
A
Thomson's Gazelle Lichtenstein's
Gazella thomsonii
T042in.(1.1 m)H
t
1.5-2.5 in.
Hartebeest
Alcelaphus lichtensteinii Common Eland

4'
Note bold black stripe on

It,,,I,,"
To 4 ft. (1.2 m) H 3-4 in. Tragelaphus oryx
flank and face. Common Coat is tan and lacks black To 6 ft. (1.8 m) H
on East African plains. t markings. Prefers woodland
edges to open grasslands.
Large, thick-bodied
antelope has prominent
shoulder hump.
Is independent of
water and found in a

~,
Red Hartebeest variety of habitats.
Nyala
Tragelaphus angasii
To 42 in. (1.1 m)H
Male has a white chevron
between its eyes, side
stripes and a shaggy belly.
Note yellow 'socks'.
~, 2-2.5 in.
Alcelaphus buselaphus
To 4 ft. (1.2 m) H
Red-brown in color. Note
dark marks on upper legs.
Found in open grasslands
and savanna regions.

Blue Wildebeest
4-4.75 in.
African Buffalo
Syncerus coffer
To 56 in. (1.4 m) H
Large cattle-like
animal has
prominent
recurved horns.
_t,+,"
(Brindled Gnu)

~,
Common Reedbuck Connochaetes taurinus
Redunco arundinum To 5 ft. (1.5 m) H
To 3 ft. (90 cm) H Cow-like animal has dumpy 4-4.75 in.
Forward-curving horns 2.5 in. horns. The similar black
are partially ridged. wildebeest has horns that
Found in reed beds curve upward and forward.
~~ t
near open water. Giraffe
Giraffa comelopardalis
To 18 ft. (5.4 m) H
The tallest mammal in the
Sable Antelope world, it can reach leaves
Hippotragus niger 6 m (20 ft.) high. Both 7.5-8 in.

"
Red lechwe males and females have
To 52 in. (1.3 m) H
Kobus leche short horns with rounded

~~;J5L
Coat is brown to black.
To 40 in. (1 m) H
Short forelegs cause body to
Note horns and white
belly. Lives in open
3.5-4 in. tips. Coat patterns vary
among subspecies.
t
slant forward. Always found woodlands near water.
near water, it feeds on grass
and aquatic plants.
~~ t
TRACKS WITH CLAWS TRACKS WITH CLAWS TRACKS WITHOUT CLAWS

Large-spotted
African Hedgehog Black-backed Jackal
,• Genet

.",
••
Atelerix albiventris Canis mesomelas Genetta tigrina
To 7 in. (18 cm)
Has coat of stiff spines.
Rolls into a ball
when threatened.
.75 in.

t
To 16 in. (40 cm) H
Black 'saddle' is key field
mark. The similar golden
jackal found in northern
•••• 2 in.
To 22 in. (55 cm)
Cat-like animal is
solely nocturnal. The
similar small-spotted II
1 in.

t
genet has a white-
Africa lacks a dark saddle. ~

, .-.
tipped tail.

Tree Squirrel
Paraxerus cepopi
To 8 in. (20 cm)
Common on the savanna.
Lives in holes in trees. One
of 10 similar species.
•..
• •
'
t
1 in.

t
African Wild Dog
(Cape Hunting Dog)
Lycaon ptaus
To 30 in. (75 cm) H
Blotched coat and
white tail are key field
marks. Lives and hunts
in packs of up to
..'•.
'
., '
2.75-3 in.

t
African Wildcat
Felis libyca
To 14 in. (35 cm) H
Resembles a gray
domestic cat with
long legs. Note dark
rings on legs and tail.
," 1-1.5 in.

.,
Striped Polecat
40 individuals. Serval
(Zorilla)
Felis serval

." ,~",L,"
~ Idonyx striatus
" To 15 in. (38 cm) To 2 ft. (60 cm) H
Note long legs and

••••
"0 Black and white 1 in. Southern African
large ears. Primarily
markings and bushy tail
are unmistakable. When
threatened, it sprays
Crested Porcupine
Hystrix africaeaustralis
.ii.
~ 2.75-3.5 in.
nocturnal, it feeds on
small animals and
aggressors with a vile To 30 in. (75 cm) invertebrates.
scent. Large rodent has long coat
•• t
•• ,
of barbed quills that it
Cape Clawless

.
rattles when threatened.

'.-
Otter
Slender Mongoose •• Aonyx copensis
Herpestes sanguineus
.1· Honey Badger

. .- To 3 ft. (90 cm)

",1/1•.
To 12 in. (30 cm) 2 in .
(Ratel) Aquatic mammal is
Tail is black-tipped.
One of 24 species
1 in.
Mellivora capensis ' found near water.
~ Webbing between
of African mongoose.
t To 30 in. (75 cm)
Varied diet includes bee
hives and dung beetle
3.25 in. toes may be visible
in soft mud.

Suricate
(Meerkat) ,.
balls (from which it
extracts larvae). Is aggres-
t
sive and has been known
Caracal

••.
••••
Suricata suricatta to attack humans.

••••
•
To 12 in. (30 cm) Felis caracal
Burrowing creature lives 1 in. To 18 in. (45 cm) H
in large colonies in open Striped Hyena Told at a glance by its 2-2.5 in.

'".
arid areas. They often Hyaena hyaena large, tasseled ears.

W'T
stand or sit upright. To 32 in. (80 cm) H Feeds on small to
Note shaggy coat and mid-sized mammals
prominent mane. and birds.
Bat-eared Fox
Otocyon megalotis
To 12 in. (30 cm) H
, Common throughout
northern Africa.

Leopard
Told by huge ears and
bushy, black-tipped tail. L" . 1.5 in.
Panthera pardus
Feeds mainly on insects.
The similar north African
fennec fox is smaller and
has a tan coat.
~
Spotted Hyena
Crocuta crocuta
To 32 in. (80 cm) H
Note spotted coat and
sloping profile. Also
,•i'
'I/: t
4-4.75 in.
To 2 ft. (60 cm) H
Thick-set cat is told
by its spotted coat
and long tail.
A solitary,
".
'A
t 3-4 in.

Aardwolf I , called laughing hyena secretive species of

Proteles cristatus ,,1. t for its varied repertoire renowned cunning.

...
To 20 in. (50 cm) H of calls.
1.5-2 in.
Dog-like mammal feeds
primarily on termites. Cheetah Lion
t

-.'
Note long neck and ~ Acinonyx jubatus • Panthera leo
side stripes. To 32 in. (80 cm) H To 4 ft. (1.2 m) H
,

African Civet
Civettictis civetta
To 16 in. (40 cm) H
Cat-like nocturnal creature ,II • .
has a black mask and ~.
white muzzle. Feeds on
insects, fruit and
small animals.
'~'''r;"
' Key field marks are The largest African
_'." ~.t4 slender profile 3.5-4 in. cat is the only one
•• - ~- and dark 'tear
stains' under
that lives and hunts
in a group (pride).
n
eyes. Claws are
non-retractable and
Eats everything from
mice to elephants.
l.5r .
show clearly in tracks.

UNUSUAL TRACKS
Scrub Hare
Lepus saxatilis
To 2 ft. (60 cm)
Found in wooded and
grassy areas with scrub
cover. The similar cape
hare is found in more
open habitats.
Rock Dassie
Procavia capensis
To 2 ft. (60 cm)
Chubby, short-legged
animal is found in rocky
areas. Also called rock
hyrax, it is one of six
related African species.
,'~
Springhare
Pedetes copensis
To 18 in. (45 cm)
Nocturnal creature hops
about like a kangaroo.
A burrowing mammal, it
inhabits sandy areas and
feeds on vegetation.
Pangolin
Manis temminckii
To 2 ft. (60 cm)
, t
Body is covered
with heavy scales.
Rolls into a ball
when threatened.
Eats primarily ants
and termites.
Aardvark
(Antbear)
Orycteropus afer
To 52 in. (1.3 m)
Note elongate pig-like
snout and large
ears. Feeds
primarily on ants and
termites it digs up with
its powerful claws.
Vervet Monkey
Cercopithecus aethiops
W
To 20 in. (50 cm)
Note black face ~nd
long tad. Gregarious
and social, it lives in
troops of up to 20
individuals.
Savanna
Baboon
Papio cynocephalus
To 32 in. (80 cm)
Grizzled coat varies
••••
••••
'II
in color from olive
to yellow.
o
DUNG DUNG
z
o
The color, shape and consistency of dung (scat) is affected by many factors I
m
including diet, stress, age of scat and whether or not the animal is in motion CIJ
as it defecates.
••••
t
Dung reflects an animal's diet. Herbivore dung is fibrous and often loose.
Carnivore dung is usually solid and contains hair and/or bone fragments.
1 in. The following are generalized descriptions of the dung of a few common species.
lion/Cats Fox/Dogs
t To 8 in. (20 cm)
Normally contains hair and may
contain porcupine quills.
To 6 in. (15 cm)
Elongate scat usually
contains hair and bones
When a lot of blood has been of prey. Color varies from
ingested, the dung is blackish brown/olive to white .
•••
and highly odorous. Other cat Dung size varies
dung is similar, only smaller. with size of species.
.ft 1.25 in.
Elephant
Black
Rhinocerous
White
,'<c'" \~."
• •
.
• 'f ~
.
• I\) CJ1
~
"
To 20 in. (30 cm) To 12 in. (30 cm) "~~
.. ~' "l·l ~
An elephant's diet is about 80% Usually defecates in communal piles ~
grass and 20% shrubs, bark and and scatters pile with hind legs when Mongoose
Hyena To 5 in. (13 cm)
seed pods. Fresh dung is olive in finished. Black rhinos eat primarily
To 6 in. (15 cm) Scat is usually dark and
color and fades to yellow after shrubs and twigs and their dung is
Dog-like droppings are green twisted and highly odorous.
about 6 hours. fibrous and woody, containing
when fresh and white when
- ---.,
branches, wood chips and thorns. May be deposited in
t
1-1.25 in.
Grass-eating white rhinos have
elephant-like dung that changes color
from dark green to black as it ages.
dry (owing to the high bone
and mineral content).
latrines near burrow
entrance.
Ul
t . :~;
.~.
. ~~>: ,':,'
Hippopotamus Porcupine
To 8 in. (20 cm) To 2 in. (5 cm) Vervet Monkey
Hippo eat primarily grass. Elongate pellets are To 2 in. (5 cm)
Dung often contains fruit
When on land they usually
scatter their dung with a
sideways wagging of their tail.
Antelope & Allies
To 1.6 in. (4 cm)
Most have pellet-like dung that
often /ttached
seeds, vegetable matter
and grass.
~ 0
1.5-2.75 in. occurs singly or caked. In many,
the dung is concave at one end
and pointed at the other. Many
defecate in communal dung piles ~~~ ''':,' .... ~. -"
-"
that mark territorial boundaries. ~
'.'~.<..
Dung size varies with size Aardvark
of species. Baboon
To 3 in. (8 cm) To 4 in. (10 cm)
Oblong droppings are Droppings are often found
composed mostly of sand concentrated beneath trees
African Buffalo and are relatively heavy. CJ1
"
To 12 in. (30 cm) :_;j'~ "~r:' and places they roost.
t-
Similar to cow dung but ~
. . .•.. .,
darker in color. Often loose.
3-3.5 in. Zebra
~. "'s
".
To 3 in. (8 cm)
'ij ,"
Elongate pellets are often
cracked across the middle. fii1j Pi
. ,,!,'- .
"
Hedgehog
To .8 in. (2 cm)
Giraffe Rabbit/Hare 0>
Distinctive pellets are
To .8 in. (2 cm)
cylindrical and contain the To .6 in. (1.5 cm)
lit t Similar to antelope dung. As
exoskeletons of insects. Distinctive round scats are
a result of falling such a long often found in large
, 0>
distance, pellets tend to be Wildebeest communal piles away from
t
2.75-3.5 in. scattered over a broad area. To .8 in. (2 cm) burrow entrances.
• •
Pellets are found singly
or in clusters. -...J
-...J
Otter
To 2 in. (5 cm)
Mouse/Tree Squirrel
To.4 in. (1 cm)
6-6.25 in.
Droppings are deposited in
piles near water, and often
contain fragments of crab
shells or fish bones. Warthog
Cylindrical scats are rice-like
in shape and size.
Rat
To .8 in. (2 cm)
Larger versions of
mouse scat.
To 2 in. (5 cm)
t Rounded pellets are
green-brown in color.
I\)
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en