Unique Wildlife

[Buck Edwards]

Source : web 

Oryx

Oryxes are powerfully built and deep-chested with short necks, blunt muzzles, and long limbs. The sexes look alike, although females are less muscular. The gemsbok (Oryx gazella gazella) is the largest; it stands up to 138 cm (54 inches) tall and weighs 238 kg (524 pounds). It also has the most striking coloration: gray-brown with contrasting black and white body and facial markings. The Arabian, or white, oryx (O. leucoryx) is the smallest, 102 cm (40 inches) tall and weighing 75 kg (165 pounds), with only faint dark markings to offset its whitish coat. The scimitar-horned oryx (O. dammah), 120 cm (47 inches) tall and weighing 200 kg (440 pounds), is mostly white except for the reddish brown neck and chest. The horns are long and straight in the gemsbok and the Arabian oryx. Females’ horns are thinner but as long as those of males. The Arabian and scimitar-horned oryxes are listed as endangered species.

Edited September 12 by Buck Edwards

[Buck Edwards]

Shoebill

The shoebill is a bird in the order Pelecaniformes (alongside pelicans, herons, and other water birds) known for its enormous, shoe-shaped bill. It can reach up to 1.5 metres (5 feet) tall. Its abnormally large feet help it stand on aquatic vegetation while hunting, and its large wings are well-adapted for soaring. Their bill is 20-25 centimetres (8-12 inches) long and 10-13 centimetres (4-5 inches) wide. They also have eyes ringed with bright yellow.

Their massive bill has a few different uses. For one, they engage in displays of bill-clattering as a means of communication, and they are also known to make moos, croaks, and whining noises, though they are mostly silent. Secondly, their bill’s size allows them to hunt much larger fish than other birds.

Shoebills are also known to stay very still for long periods of time and move very slowly. They are also quite sensitive to humans and may abandon their nests if humans disturb them. The shoebill is classed as vulnerable by the IUCN, with its primary threats being habitat degradation, hunting, disturbance, and capture for the bird trade.

[Buck Edwards]

Aardvark

Aardvarks ( Orycteropus afer) are medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammals native to Africa. They have a long snout, similar to that of a pig, which is used to sniff out food.

Aardvarks are the only living species of the order Tubulidentata,although other prehistoric species and genera of Tubulidentata are known. They are afrotheres, a clade that also includes elephants, manatees, and hyraxes.

They are found over much of the southern two-thirds of the African continent, avoiding areas that are mainly rocky. Nocturnal feeders, aardvarks subsist on ants and termites by using their sharp claws and powerful legs to dig the insects out of their hills. Aardvarks also dig to create burrows in which to live and rear their young.

[Buck Edwards]

Giant mole rat. 

 

The big-headed African mole rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus), also known as the giant root-rat, Ethiopian African mole rat, or giant mole rat, is a rodent species in the family Spalacidae.It is endemic to Ethiopia's Bale Mountains. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland,where it can reach densities of up to 2,600 individuals per square kilometre. It is threatened by habitat loss.Where the two species overlap, it is the main prey of the endangered Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis).

[Buck Edwards]

Blue winged goose. 

The blue-winged goose (Cyanochen cyanoptera) is a waterfowl species which is endemic to Ethiopia. It is the only member of the genus Cyanochen.

A chunky mid-sized goose. Standing bird looks fairly dull, gray and dirty white, sometimes showing blue along the edge of the wing. Flying bird shows pale blue and iridescent green patches in the upperwing and a white patch on the underwing. Found in montane wetlands and adjacent grasslands, often in pairs or small groups, occasionally in large flocks. Less colorful and boldly marked than other similarly-sized waterfowl species. The calls are high-pitched whistles and yelps.

 

[Buck Edwards]

Okapi

Also known as the forest giraffe, zebra giraffe, or Congolese giraffe, the okapi is a hoofed mammal that is about 1.5 metres (4 foot 11 inches) tall and is known for its striped legs that resemble a zebra’s pattern. Male okapis have horn-like bone structures on their heads called ossicones, which are also found on giraffes. The okapi habitat is canopy forests, and it is only found northeast of the Congo River.

Okapis eat tree leaves, buds, grasses, ferns, fruits, and fungi—like their giraffe cousins, they are herbivores. In fact, despite their huge size difference, giraffes and okapi are the most closely related species to each other, as the only living members of the Giraffidae family. Unfortunately, the okapi is endangered. It does not adapt well to human settlement and is also hunted for its meat and skin. Human conflict around their habitat also poses a threat to their conservation.

[Buck Edwards]

Dugong

Often called sea cows, dugongs are large marine mammals. Though they are not the same species as manatees, they are related. They have round, blubbery bodies that are streamlined for swimming, a broad tail fluke, and paddle-like flippers. They are known for being slow and gentle, and they are believed to be the original inspiration for tales of mermaids and sirens. They hold a cultural significance for many indigenous communities.

Also native to Australia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and beyond, in Africa dugongs are found along the continent’s east coast and Madagascar’s west coast, as well as around the island nations of Seychelles and Comoros. Dugongs are classed as vulnerable by the IUCN, and their populations are unfortunately decreasing. Accidental capture and illegal hunting threaten dugongs, as well as degradation of their habitats and the seagrass meadows on which they graze.

Edited September 12 by Buck Edwards

[Buck Edwards]

Grey crowned crane. 

The grey crowned crane goes by many names—including the African crowned crane, golden crested crane, golden crowned crane, East African crowned crane, and crested crane—many of which refer to its stunning display of crown-like yellow feathers. The grey crowned crane inhabits a large range spanning from Kenya in East Africa all the way to the southeastern coast of South Africa, and its habitat is primarily savannahs.

 

Edited September 12 by Buck Edwards

[Buck Edwards]

The bat-eared fox is a small, African fox known for its enormous ears, which are over 5 inches (13 centimeters) tall. The ears are full of blood vessels that shed heat and help keep the fox cool; they also give the fox a very good sense of hearing.

Edited September 12 by Buck Edwards

[Buck Edwards]

Helmeted Guineafowl. 

Guineafowl are quintessentially African birds, easy to identify and familiar to many.

The Helmeted Guineafowl is a distinctive and easily recognisable species. It has an unusual body-shape which is laterally compressed with a disproportionately small head. Adults have a large, horn-like, bony casque or ‘helmet’ on the head, and long, pendulous blue wattles with red tips on the sides of the face.

[Buck Edwards]

Hamerkop

The hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) is a medium-sized wading bird. It is the only living species in the genus Scopus and the family Scopidae. The species and family was long thought to sit with the Ciconiiformes but is now placed with the Pelecaniformes, and its closest relatives are thought to be the pelicans and the shoebill. The shape of its head with a long bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, which has given this species its name after the Afrikaans word for hammerhead. It is a medium-sized waterbird with brown plumage. It is found in Africa, Madagascar and Arabia, living in a wide variety of wetlands, including estuaries, lakesides, fish ponds, riverbanks, and rocky coasts. The hamerkop is a sedentary bird that often shows local movements.

[Emotionalmosquito]

The shoebills are just adorable. I want one for a pet 

[Buck Edwards]

Just now, Emotionalmosquito said:

The shoebills are just adorable. I want one for a pet 

[Buck Edwards]

 

Mistletoebird

The pre-poop dancing and bum wiping routine of the Mistletoebird plays a vital role in the life cycle of this little native Australian bird with its highly adapted diet.

After these sweet little red-breasted birds eat mistletoe berries, it defecates by twisting its body sideways, then purposely wipes its poop on the branch its perched on. The seeds of the berries, which are still intact, are sticky after passing through the digestive tract of the bird. These sticky seeds cling to the branch of their host tree and grow.

The parasitic mistletoe only grows high up on other trees and so this relationship ensures both the bird and bush can survive.

Edited September 13 by Buck Edwards

[Buck Edwards]

Frigatebird

Frigatebirds arefamily of seabirds called Fregatidae which are found across all tropical and subtropical oceans. The five extant species are classified in a single genus, Fregata. All have predominantly black plumage, long, deeply forked tails and long hooked bills. Females have white underbellies and males have a distinctive red gular pouch, which they inflate during the breeding season to attract females. Their wings are long and pointed and can span up to 2.3 metres (7.5 ft), the largest wing area to body weight ratio of any bird.

 

Edited September 19 by Buck Edwards

[ricachica]

Patagonian Mara

The Patagonian Mara is a large herbivorous rodent that belongs to the cavy family, Caviidae. Similar to its close relative, the guinea pig, the Patagonian Mara possesses a stout body, muscular limbs, and relatively large ears. It is characterized by its long neck, slim tail, and powerful hind legs, which aid in its agility and speed. These creatures typically reach a length of 60 to 75 centimeters, not including the tail, and can weigh up to 16 kilograms. The Patagonian Mara is a fascinating creature with a variety of unique physical characteristics that set it apart from other rodents.