Month: August 2018

SUMATRAN RHINOCEROS

August 30, 2018

The Sumatran rhinoceros, also known as the hairy rhinoceros or Asian two-horned rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), is a rare member of the family Rhinocerotidae and one of five extant rhinoceroses. It is the only extant species of the genus Dicerorhinus. It is the smallest rhinoceros, although it is still a large mammal; it stands 112–145 cm (3.67–4.76 ft) high at the shoulder, with a head-and-body length of 2.36–3.18 m (7.7–10.4 ft) … More SUMATRAN RHINOCEROS

PANGOLIN

August 29, 2018

Pangolins or scaly anteaters are mammals of the order Pholidota (from the Greek word φολῐ́ς, “horny scale”). The one extant family, Manidae, has three genera: Manis, which comprises four species living in Asia; Phataginus, which comprises two species living in Africa; and Smutsia, which comprises two species also living in Africa. These species range in size from 30 to 100 cm (12 to 39 in). A number of extinct pangolin species … More PANGOLIN

PIKA

August 26, 2018

A pika (/ˈpaɪkə/ PY-kə; archaically spelled pica) is a small mammal, with short limbs, very round body, rounded ears, and no external tail. They resemble their close cousin the rabbit, but with shorter ears. They live in mountainous countries in Asia, with two species also in North America. Most pikas prefer rocky slopes. The large-eared pika of the Himalayas and nearby mountains is one of … More PIKA

MACRAUCHENIA

August 26, 2018

Macrauchenia (name meaning “long llama”, based on the now superseded Latin term for llamas, Auchenia, from Greek terms which literally means “big neck”) was a long-necked and long-limbed, three-toed South American ungulate, typifying the order Litopterna. The oldest fossils date to around seven million years ago, and M. patachonica disappears from the fossil record during the late Pleistocene, around 20,000-10,000 years ago. M. patachonica was the best known … More MACRAUCHENIA

BALEARIC ISLANDS CAVE GOAT

August 26, 2018

Myotragus balearicus (Greek-derived Neo-Latin: μῦς and τράγος and Βαλεαρίδες “Balearian mouse-goat”), also known as the Balearic Islands cave goat, a species of the subfamily Caprinae which lived on the islands of Majorca and Menorca until its extinction around 5,000 years ago. This animal was previously described as an ‘odd goat,’ but since the genetic analyses done at the University of Pompeu Fabra of Barcelona, it seems that Myotragus was … More BALEARIC ISLANDS CAVE GOAT

STEPPE BISON

August 26, 2018

The steppe bison or steppe wisent (Bison priscus) is an extinct species of bison that was once found on the mammoth steppe where its range included Europe, Central Asia, Northern Asia, Beringia, and North America, from northwest Canada to Mexico during the Quaternary. It is believed to have evolved from Bison paleosinensis in South Asia, which means the species appeared at roughly the same time and region as the aurochs with which its descendants are sometimes confused. The steppe bison … More STEPPE BISON

KOALA LEMUR

August 26, 2018

Megaladapis, informally known as koala lemur, is an extinct genus belonging to the family Megaladapidae, consisting of three extinct species of lemurs that once inhabited the island of Madagascar. The largest measured between 1.3 to 1.5 m (4 to 5 ft) in length. Megaladapis was quite different from any living lemur. Its body was squat and built like that of the modern koala. Its long … More KOALA LEMUR

DEER

August 25, 2018

Deer (singular and plural) are the hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the fallow deer and the chital, and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer (caribou), the roe deer and the moose. Female reindeer, and male deer of all species except the Chinese water deer, grow and shed new antlers each year. In this they differ from permanently horned antelope, which are part of a different … More DEER

CAMEL

August 25, 2018

A camel is an even-toed ungulate in the genus Camelus that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as “humps” on its back. Camels have long been domesticated and, as livestock, they provide food (milk and meat) and textiles (fiber and felt from hair). As working animals, camels—which are uniquely suited to their desert habitats—are a vital means of transport for passengers and cargo. There are three … More CAMEL

MEGALONYX (JEFFERSON’S GROUND SLOTH)

August 24, 2018

Megalonyx (Greek, “large claw”) is an extinct genus of ground sloths of the family Megalonychidae endemic to North America from the Hemphillian of the Late Miocene through to the Rancholabrean of the Pleistocene, living from ~10.3 Mya—11,000 years ago, existing for approximately 10.289 million years. Type species, M. jeffersonii, measured about 3 m (9.8 ft) and weighed up to 1,000 kilograms. Megalonyx was a large, heavily built animal about 3 m (9.8 ft) long. Its maximum weight is estimated at 1,000 kg … More MEGALONYX (JEFFERSON’S GROUND SLOTH)