Dama Gazelle

Dama Gazelle

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae
Genus : Nanger
Species : N. dama

Height : 40in (1m)
Weight : Up to 180lbs (81kg)

IUCN Status : Critically Endangered

The Dama Gazelle is both the world's largest, and the world's rarest gazelle. They once had a range that spread across all of northern Africa, but now they are restricted to only a few isolated pockets in Niger, Mali, and Chad.

Dama Gazelle

Dama Gazelles live either solitary lifestyles, or in very small groups that number up to around 15 individuals. They feed off of scrubs and acacia trees, and are able to stand on their hind legs in order to feed off higher leaves. They are can get most of their water needs right from the food they eat.

A number of factors have contributed to the population decline of the Dama Gazelle. They are illegally hunted, they have lost their habitat, they have been horribly affected by drought, and they are forced to compete for food with grazing livestock. There are only a few hundred left in the wild, though recently some have also been released into enclosures and reserves in Morocco, Tunisia, and Senegal.

Dama Gazelle

Dama Gazelle

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Mammalia

Order : Artiodactyla

Family : Bovidae

Genus : Nanger

Species : N. dama



Height : 40in (1m)

Weight : Up to 180lbs (81kg)



IUCN Status : Critically Endangered



The Dama Gazelle is both the world's largest, and the world's rarest gazelle. They once had a range that spread across all of northern Africa, but now they are restricted to only a few isolated pockets in Niger, Mali, and Chad.

Dama Gazelle

Dama Gazelles live either solitary lifestyles, or in very small groups that number up to around 15 individuals. They feed off of scrubs and acacia trees, and are able to stand on their hind legs in order to feed off higher leaves. They are can get most of their water needs right from the food they eat.



A number of factors have contributed to the population decline of the Dama Gazelle. They are illegally hunted, they have lost their habitat, they have been horribly affected by drought, and they are forced to compete for food with grazing livestock. There are only a few hundred left in the wild, though recently some have also been released into enclosures and reserves in Morocco, Tunisia, and Senegal.

Woolly Rhinoceros

Woolly Rhinoceros by Charles R. Knight

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Perissodactyla
Family : Rhinocerotidae
Genus : †Coelodonta
Species : †C. antiquitatis

Length : 12ft (3.7m)
Weight : 2-3 tons (1,800-2,700kg)

Status : Extinct since around 8,000 BCE

We've all heard about Woolly Mammoths, but what about Woolly Rhinos? These huge beasts lived across Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene. They shared land with the aforementioned Mammoths, but never manged to make it to the Americas. Despite that, they had one of the largest ranges of any Rhinoceros to ever live.

Preserved Woolly Rhino

Woolly Rhinos were amazingly well adapted to cold environments. They had a thick double coat of fur, with dense under-hairs and longer top hairs. They also had large horns that they used to push away snow in order to feed on grasses. We know what we do about this species thanks to a few specimens that have been found in Eastern Europe and Siberia. A pretty amazing carcass, found preserved in a tar pit, is now on display at the Museum of Natural History in Krakow, Poland.

It is still a bit of a mystery as to why and how the Woolly Rhino went extinct. The spread and growth of human populations might have had something to do with it. It may also have been due to climate change,which saw the loss of the Rhino's favorite grasslands. This same climate change could account for the loss of many other grazing mega-fauna species, and explain the continued existence of browsers like Reindeer and Musk Oxen.

Woolly Rhinoceros

Woolly Rhinoceros by Charles R. Knight

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Mammalia

Order : Perissodactyla

Family : Rhinocerotidae

Genus : †Coelodonta

Species : †C. antiquitatis




Length : 12ft (3.7m)

Weight : 2-3 tons (1,800-2,700kg)



Status : Extinct since around 8,000 BCE



We've all heard about Woolly Mammoths, but what about Woolly Rhinos? These huge beasts lived across Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene. They shared land with the aforementioned Mammoths, but never manged to make it to the Americas. Despite that, they had one of the largest ranges of any Rhinoceros to ever live.

Preserved Woolly Rhino

Woolly Rhinos were amazingly well adapted to cold environments. They had a thick double coat of fur, with dense under-hairs and longer top hairs. They also had large horns that they used to push away snow in order to feed on grasses. We know what we do about this species thanks to a few specimens that have been found in Eastern Europe and Siberia. A pretty amazing carcass, found preserved in a tar pit, is now on display at the Museum of Natural History in Krakow, Poland.



It is still a bit of a mystery as to why and how the Woolly Rhino went extinct. The spread and growth of human populations might have had something to do with it. It may also have been due to climate change,which saw the loss of the Rhino's favorite grasslands. This same climate change could account for the loss of many other grazing mega-fauna species, and explain the continued existence of browsers like Reindeer and Musk Oxen.

Wisent

Wisent Bull

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae
Genus : Bison
Species : B. bonasus

Height : 6ft (180cm)
Weight : 2,000lbs (900kg)

IUCN Status : Vulnerable

Also known as the European Bison, the Wisent once had a range that spread across the whole of Europe. Unfortunately, like their American cousins, they were hunted to near extinction. By the end of World War I, Europe's largest land animal had gone completely extinct in the wild, and only 54 individuals were living in captivity.

Captive breeding and reintroduction have saved this species, and there are now around 1,800 free ranging Wisent in Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, and several other Eastern European countries. In 2010, seven individuals, two males and five females, were released in northern Spain, a nod back to the days when the Wisent could be found across the entire continent.

Wisent Calf

There are unfortunately a few issues that plague the success of the species, one being the lack of genetic diversity. Because all Wisent  are descended from only 12 individuals, they are extremely susceptible to disease, including foot-and-mouth. Another issue is the existence of hybrid American-European Bison herds in the Caucasus Mountains. These hybrids live very close to the reintroduced Wisent, and there are fears that there will be intermingling.

Wisent are actually not all that different from American Bison. They are slightly smaller, and have longer legs but less hair. Wisent also browse, while Bison typically graze for their meals. They live in herds that are not typically family groups, and females give birth to one calf at a time. Wisent can live as long as 25-30 years.

Wisent

Wisent Bull

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Mammalia

Order : Artiodactyla

Family : Bovidae

Genus : Bison

Species : B. bonasus



Height : 6ft (180cm)

Weight : 2,000lbs (900kg)



IUCN Status : Vulnerable



Also known as the European Bison, the Wisent once had a range that spread across the whole of Europe. Unfortunately, like their American cousins, they were hunted to near extinction. By the end of World War I, Europe's largest land animal had gone completely extinct in the wild, and only 54 individuals were living in captivity.



Captive breeding and reintroduction have saved this species, and there are now around 1,800 free ranging Wisent in Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, and several other Eastern European countries. In 2010, seven individuals, two males and five females, were released in northern Spain, a nod back to the days when the Wisent could be found across the entire continent.

Wisent Calf

There are unfortunately a few issues that plague the success of the species, one being the lack of genetic diversity. Because all Wisent  are descended from only 12 individuals, they are extremely susceptible to disease, including foot-and-mouth. Another issue is the existence of hybrid American-European Bison herds in the Caucasus Mountains. These hybrids live very close to the reintroduced Wisent, and there are fears that there will be intermingling.



Wisent are actually not all that different from American Bison. They are slightly smaller, and have longer legs but less hair. Wisent also browse, while Bison typically graze for their meals. They live in herds that are not typically family groups, and females give birth to one calf at a time. Wisent can live as long as 25-30 years.

Falabella

Falabella Miniature Horse

Phylum :Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Perissodactyla
Family :Equidae
Genus : Equus
Species : E. ferus
Subspecies : E. f. caballus

Hight : 25-34in (63-86cm)

Despite their tiny size, Falabellas are not considered ponies. Rather, they are miniature horses, and one of the world's rarest breeds at that.  They have similar proportions to other horses, only they are much, much smaller. They are also a very adaptable breed, thanks to their history, and can tolerate changing conditions.

Falabellas have an interesting history. They were first bred in Argentina as descendants of the horses brought to South America by the Spaniards. These horses had to adapt to harsh environments and became quite hardy. By the 19th century isolated populations had seen significant amount of inbreeding, which, combined with their need to adapt, resulted in much smaller horses. It was at this time that formal selective breeding began, with Shetland and Welsh Ponies, as well as Thoroughbred horses, added to the mix. The first official registry was created by Julio C. Falabella in 1940.

Falabella Foal

There are currently about 900 registered Falabellas, and the world population of the breed numbers only a few thousand. Falabellas can only be ridden by small children, due to their size, but showing and cart-driving are popular activities for the breed. They are sweet natured horses, and are easy to handle.

Falabellas can come in all colors, as well as in a handful of patterns.

Bearded Pig

Bearded Pigs

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Suidae
Genus : Sus
Species : barbatus

Weight : 95lbs (210kg)

IUCN Status : Vulnerable

Bearded Pigs are native to the Malay Peninsula, the Philippines, part of Indonesia, and a handful of other Southeast Asian islands. They live in family groups, and are quite unique among pigs for the long migration that they undertake. During these migrations hundreds of pigs travel together under the leadership of an older male. They follow old paths at night, paths that they have probably been traveling for generations. During the day they retreat into the brush, and are in fact dirunal creatures during the parts of the year when they are not migrating.

Bearded Pig

Bearded Pigs also have the distinction of having the slimmest torsos of any pig, as well as the longest head. They get their name from the warts on their faces that are covered with beard-like hair. Thhey also have whiskers all over their face, and bushy tails.

Female pigs reach sexual maturity around 18 months. After a four month gestation period the female will leave her group to go and build a nest, which can be as large as six feet across and three feet high. She gives birth to up to eight striped piglets in this nest, and they will stay in the nest together for the first ten days of life. Piglets remain with their mother for up to a year.

Bluebuck

18th Century Illustration of a Bluebuck

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae
Genus : Hippotragus
Species : leucophaeus

Height : 4ft (1.2m)
Weight : 350lbs (160kg)

Status : Extinct since around 1800

The Bluebuck is a notable species because it was the first large African mammal to go extinct in historic times. What is so interesting is that they were already quite rare in their native South Africa when Europeans first described them in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is believed that their decline began as far back as 2,000 years ago, when the climate began to shift and when the first human farmers came to the region with sheep that competed with the Bluebucks for food and space.

During the Ice Age, Bluebucks probably had a range that spread across Africa, but by modern times they had become restricted to areas in the South and East. They were very selective grazers, and only fed on high-quality grasses. They also needed to drink water directly, which makes them different from some other antelope species that obtain most of their moisture through the plants that they eat.

There are four preserved Bluebucks specimens in European museums, along with a handful of horns and skeletons. Interestingly, none of the museum specimens show any hint of bluish hair. It  is thought by some that the name comes from the sheen given off by the mix of black and yellow hairs found in adults.

Bluebucks are related to our modern Sable and Roan Antelopes, though they were smaller in size.

Javan Rhinoceros

Javan Rhino caught on camera trap

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Perissodactyla
Family : Rhinocerotidae
Genus : Rhinoceros
Species : sondaicus

Length : 6-11.5ft (1.8-3.5m)
Weight : 2,000-5,000lbs (900-2,250kg)

IUCN Status : Critically Endangered

The Javan Rhinoceros is perhaps the rarest large mammal in the entire world. There have been no individuals in captivity for over 100 years, and less than 60 living in the wild. These remaining Rhinos are found in two protected parks, Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia, and Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam.

These Rhinos are so rare and solitary that scientists are only able to study them through fecal matter and through videos caught by camera traps. Just yesterday a report was released by WWF-Indonesia stating that they had gotten footage of a handful of Rhinos this past November and December, including images of a calf. These images provide some hope, as they demonstrate that the breeding population is viable.

Javan Rhinoceros Browsing

One major threat to the Javan Rhinoceros is poaching. In China, their horns are used in traditional medicines and catch fetch prices as high as $30,000 a piece. Last year one of the few remaining Rhinos was lost to poaching, despite strict measures to guard and protect them.

Javan Rhinos feed by browsing. They even have a long upper lip that helps them to grasp and tear at branches. In regards to other anatomical information, their bodies are covered with skin that folds in a way that looks like they are covered in plates of armor.

Javan Rhinoceroses can live 30-45 years, though the oldest in captivity only made it to 20.

Zebra Duiker

Zebra Duiker

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae
Genus : Cephalophus
Species : zebra

Height : 18in (45cm)
Weight : 45lbs (20kg)

IUCN Status : Vulnerable

Did you know that US President Calvin Coolidge had a wide assortment of strange pets? On top of nine dogs, four cats, and about half a dozen birds he also had a raccoon, two lions, a pygmy hippopotamus, and a bear. Coolidge also had a Duiker, a small African antelope that is todays featured animal!

I have been unable to figure out what specific type of Duiker he had, so I selected one that I thought looked pretty cool, the Zebra Duiker. These little guys are found in the Ivory Coast, Seirra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. They inhabit forested areas.

Zebra Duikers are solitary animals that eat various types of fruit and foliage. They have a very distinctive striped pattern that helps them to blend in with their environment and protect them from predators.

Even though they spend most of their time alone, it is believed that mated pairs remain monogamous season after season, and that the pair will defend a territory together. Both males and females have horns, and interestingly, the females are often a tad larger than the males are.

Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Hippopotamidae
Genus : Hippopotamus
Species : amphibius

Length : 10-16ft (3-5m)
Weight : Males 3,500-10,000lbs (1,600 to 4,5035 kgs); Females 3,000lbs (1,400 kgs)

IUCN Status : Vulnerable

The Hippopotamus is the third heaviest of all land animals, behind the Elephant and White Rhino. A large males can weight as much at 10,000lbs (4,535kg)! Even at birth they are huge; a newborn weighs around 100lbs (45kg).

Hippopotamuses are one of the most dangerous land mammals in Africa. Males are especially territorial and use their long tusks for fighting over land and harems of females. Threatened Hippos can attack and kill humans, and are able to run at speeds of up to 14mph (30kph).

Hippopotamus Teeth

Hippopotamuses have skin that needs to constantly stay moist. In order to accomplish this they remain in water for as long as possible, sometimes up to 16 hours a day. Adults can hold their breath for around 5 minutes (though longer times have also been observed in necessary situations), while newborns can last only about half a minute. Hippos also secrete a weird, reddish colored mucus that keeps the skin moist and helps to prevent sunburn. It is also thought that this mucus might help to prevent skin infections.

At night, the Hippos leave the water to graze. Interestingly, they eat very little compared to their body weight, only around 1-1.5%.

Illegal hunting and habitat loss have hurt Hippopotamus numbers, and overall their population is decreasing. They are protected in many areas, but coverage and enforcement is spotty.

Holstein Cattle

Holstein Cattle

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae
Genus : Bos
Species : primigenius

Height : 58in (147cm)
Weight : 1500lbs (680kg)

Well, It's Super Bowl Sunday and I'm sure you can figure out which team I'm rooting for. Because hey, Wisconsin is know for its Cheeseheads, so what better animal for today than one of our iconic Dairy Cattle?

Holstein Cattle are an old breed that dates back over 2,000 years to the wandering tribes that eventually settled in the Netherlands. Black Batavian Cattle and white Fresian Cattle were bred and culled to produce animals with a high milk output, and high land use efficiency. The black and white Holstein was born.

But... did you know Holsteins aren't always black and white?  They can be red and white as well!

Red and White Mother and Calf

Holsteins have become such an amazingly popular breed for many reasons. They have an extremely high milk output for one. The average output in 2009 among sampled individuals was 23,151lbs of milk, 842lbs of butterfat and 711lbs  of protein per year, and top produces can make over 70,000lbs per year!

Holsteins are also preferred because they calve easy, can graze in a variety of areas, and they have a very good temperament. Holsteins are so adaptable that embryos and individuals are being sent around the world to increase food production.

Vicuña

(Image Source)

Phylum: Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Camelidae
Genus : Vicugna
Species : vicugna

Height : 2.75-3.25ft (84-99 cm)
Weight : 100-120lbs (45-55kg)

IUNC Status : Least Concern

(Image Source)

The Vicuña is one of two wild Camelids found in South America, the other being the Guanaco. They can be found in the high grasslands of the Andes Mountains, hanging out at elevations of 10,500-15,750ft (3,200-4,800m). Vicuñas are the smallest of all the Camelids, and it is believed that they are the descendants of the domesticated Alpacas.

Vicuña fibers are some of the rarest and most sought after in the world. The hairs are finer than cashmere are are warmer than wool, but only about 1lb per year is produced per animal and they can only be shorn once every two years. Vicuña fleeces have been harvested for centuries, but unrestricted hunting almost led to the extinction of the species in the 1960s and 1970s. Legal sheering is allowed today under careful watch to ensure that all captured Vicuñas are returned to the wild.

Vicuñas live in rather interesting social groups. Each group includes a dominant male and several females, who have a daytime feeding territory and a higher elevation nighttime territory. These groups are very close-knit, and juveniles are kicked out to prevent inbreeding and competition. Young males and females form bachelors herds along with other members of their sex. Vicuñas are very skittish animals, and will quickly flee from any hint of danger. Thanks to a large heart, they can run at speeds of 30mph (50kph) at high elevations.

Pere David's Deer

(Image Source)

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Cervidae
Subfamily : Cervinae
Genus : Elaphurus
Species : davidianus

Height : 4ft (1.2m)
weight : 290lbs (135kg)

IUCN Status : Extinct in the Wild

The Pere David's Deer is named after French Missionary Pere (Father) Armand David, who first publicized the species to the outside world in 1865. They are also sometimes referred to as Milu. The deer had become more or less extinct in their native China, but the emperor had kept a large herd within his Imperial Hunting Park. David worked tirelessly to export some of these deer to Europe, and it was lucky that he did, because a terrible flood killed most of the park's herd not long after. All remaining deer in China were killed and consumed by soldiers during the Boxer Rebellion.

With all the deer in China gone, the European specimens were all the world had left. The Duke of Bedford collected 18 individuals from different zoos and brought them to Woburn Abbey, where he worked on a captive breeding program. Though the two World Wars resulted in some setbacks, by 1946 there were over 300 deer at the park.

(Image Source)

In 1985 the first captive bred herd was released into Beijing Milu Park, and 1986 another group was brought to Dafeng Milu Natural Reserve, north of Shanghai. There are now several hundred Deer in Chinese reserves. The overall world population is increasing, and does not seem to be adversely affected by the inbreeding that had to take place over 100 years ago.

Pere David's Deer historically lived in swampy marsh areas. They are reddish brown in the summer, and take on a more gray color in the winter. Males have antlers that they shed off each year. Females have a long gestation period that can last up to 9 months, and they typically give birth to one or two fawns.

Impala

Male Impala

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae
Subfamily : Aepycerotinae
Genus : Aepyceros
Species : melampus

Height : 29-36in (73-92cm)
Weight : 99-132lbs (45-60kg)

IUCN Status : Least Concern, but Aepyceros melampus petersi (Black Faced Impala) is listed as vulnerable

Impalas are found in Eastern Africa in light woodland and grassland areas. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with the males growing slightly larger than the females. Males are also the only sex to have horns, which grow in a S-shape to a size of up to 35in (90cm).

Impalas have a really interesting social structure, living in specific group types during different parts of the year. During the wet season young males whoa re non-territorial will form bachelor herds, and females and juveniles form herds that can number over 100 individuals. They will enter territories that are controlled by breeding-age males, and will remain in that territory throughout the season. At the end of the wet season, breeding (rutting) season occurs, and lasts about three weeks.

After rutting the dry season happens, and herds move more frequently and males are less territorial. Adult males will even travel with the female and juvenile herds in search of food and water. Female Impalas give birth in isolation, and will return to the herd after a day or two. Her calf will join a nursery group along with other young Impalas and will return to its mother to feed.

Female Impala, taken at MCZ

One rather interesting fact about the Impala is that it has a varied, adaptable diet. They are able to both graze and browse, and feed on numerous types of grasses, leaves, and seeds. This allows them to obtain a  nutritious diet throughout the wet and dry seasons, and keeps them from having to undergo the migrations that many other African mammals do.

Overall, Impalas are abundant and have a stable population trend. However, one subspecies, the Black-Faced Impala, is in pretty bad shape. Most are found in Namibia's Etosha National Park, where they are protected. Their numbers have been steadily growing, but interbreeding with Common Impalas has impacted their gene pool.