Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Animals
No they do not. Beavers are not capable of echolocation, which is the practice of using sound echoes to locate and identify the environment.
However, beavers do use sound as a defense mechanism. When threatened, the beaver will dive into the water while slapping its tail hard on the surface. This makes a large booming sound that may scare the predator away while simultaneously alerting other beavers in the area.
No, they do not. Bats in generally do not produce venom that is hazardous or threatening in any way to humans.
The closest thing to any form of ‘poison’ or harm is the saliva from a vampire bat, which has an anticoagulant effect and prolongs bleeding so the bat can continue to drink blood.
Do note that a very small percentage of bats (less than 1%) may carry rabies which may be spread to humans through scratches and bites.
Yes. Utrasound are sound pressure waves (>20 kilohertz) with a frequency greater than the limit of human hearing, which is why we don’t hear them. Many animals like bats and dolphins often use ultrasound to navigate their environment.
A cat can hear ultrasonic frequencies ranging from 45 to 65 kilohertz. This ability was probably an evolution adaptation which allowed them to catch prey that emit high frequency sounds like mice, bats and other rodents.
Red pandas are omnivores. They would eat both vegetation and animals, but their main diet consists of bamboo. Red pandas love to eat berries, mushrooms, fruit, grass and tree bark. Red pandas are not expert hunters, so they scavenge for insects, eggs, baby birds, mice and bamboo rats, eating what they can find. Red pandas are solitary animals. To avoid competition, red pandas come out after sunset and goes around the forest until daybreak in search for food.
Unlike their name , red pandas are not related to the giant panda at all. Red pandas are unique creatures as they are seen as a cross between a bear and a cat, which is why it is also known as the red cat-bear. It is also nicknamed the lesser panda. Red pandas is the only living species of the Ailuridae family of animals and the class genus Ailurus. It was once categorized with bear and raccoon families but were later given their own class and family name—Ailuridae, a part of the superfamily Musteloidea consisting of the raccoon, otter, skunk, badger and weasel.
Red pandas have a fur covering their entire bodies. They have white, light colored hair on their faces, long, red brown hair on upper back and darker fur on the lower parts of their bodies. They also have distinctive tear shaped markings on their faces. Each red panda has their own distinctive markings, so no two red pandas are alike. Their heads are small and round with standing ears, black eyes and nose. Their tail has red, yellow alternating rings that act as clever camouflage amongst their moss and lichen laced habitat. They have short legs covered in thick black fur that runs to the soles of their paws. This ensures that the red panda is well insulated during Winter months while concealing their scent glands located at their anus.
No, they do not. Instead of hibernation, beavers like to accumulate piles of sticks and logs in their natural habitat (ponds)… this allows them to eat the underbark while snow can gather on the top of the pile. This also prevents the water to freeze around the food pile, helping beavers to breathe.
No, the North American porcupine is not found in Florida and many other Southern regions of United States such as Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama. Though it can be found in some southern parts of Texas and New Mexico, it is largely absent in most southern states.
The Black dwarf porcupine can be found in the south of lower Amazon area. The Mexican hairy porcupine can be found in south Mexico all the way to Panama. The bicoloerd-spine porcupine can be found in the Andean foothills of Colombia south to Peru, Bolivia. The streaked dwarf porcupine can be found in east Ecuador and northern parts of Peru. Bahia dwarf porcupine in south-eastern Brazil. Other breeds that can be found in South America are: Brazilian, Frosted dwarf, Rothschild’s, Roosmalen’s dwarf, Stump-tailed, Paraguay dwarf and Brown Dwarf.
Porcupines are by nature nocturnal creatures. That does not mean that you cannot spot a porcupine in the daytime. Sometimes the African Porcupine can be seen in daytime. Porcupines walking around in daytime usually have some business to attend to, be it migration or mating. Porcupines mate in autumn time. The porcupine will stand on it hind legs and make whining, moaning or grunting noises. A male porcupine will drench his desired female in his urine. If the female takes to the male, she will stand on her hind legs and allow the male to embrace her. She leads the way by raising her tail and disarming her quills, allowing the male safe excess. North American porcupines breed only once every year.
Pregnant female porcupines carry their babies in the womb for 7 months. Baby porcupines are born fully equipped with a full set quills and eyes open. One female usually bares one baby porcupine. Baby porcupines can chew their own within a week but are also fed milk too. They hang around their mothers for about 4 to 5 months before moving on themselves. Porcupines are usually solitary creatures. Sometimes they come together for a feast in summer and in winter where they hang out in dens among rocks.
Contrary to popular belief, porcupines cannot shoot its quills at a distance. When the porcupine is ready to strike, it will flex its tail, fanning its quills out, thrashing its tail back and forth. The shaking motion releases their quills which are located at their sides, back and legs. The quills are easily detached upon contact and are connected to the porcupine’s hind muscles. The microscopic barbs on the tip of the quills drive deeper into the victim’s flesh once lodged. The shortest quills are more deadly as they tend to get deeper into the flesh to hit vital parts.
Porcupine quills are longest on the buttocks and shortest on the cheeks. Quills are hollow with stiff hairs and a barbed tip. Each quill can measure up to 3 inches in length. The porcupine has other types of hairs such as the underfur and guard hair. The underfur is the finest coat and keeps the porcupine well-insulated. The guard hairs are longer and coarser hairs (about 4 inches) that grows over the underfur. It serves as protective layer for the back and tail.
The crested porcupine is found in Italy and North Africa. It has a special type of quill that rattles when the porcupines vibrates them. The porcupine warns its predators that it will launch its quills if it’s provoked further. Another way a porcupine warns an approaching threat is to chatter its teeth repeatedly to produce an offending odor. Similar to the skunk’s black/white stripes, the porcupine’s stark black and white pattern is a warning sign to their predators. Most predators avoid the dangerous porcupine but the American Fisher has learnt to deal with the quills by flipping them over to attack their faces or belly.
Other predators of the porcupine include the wolverine, bobcat and puma.
Porcupines are considered to be exotic pets as they are wild animals not conventionally owned as pets. In Canada it is perfectly fine to own a porcupine as a pet. However, it is illegal to own a porcupine in California and some other states in America. In Utah, New York and many other American states, a porcupine is classified under the ‘uncontrolled’ category of animals. Thus, you may own a porcupine as a pet. In the occasion where you wish to breed your porcupines, you should obtain a license from The Department of Wildlife or Fish and Game.
Porcupines make interesting pets if your state allows it. The famous Teddy Bear the talking porcupine won over 7,700 Facebook fans! Teddy Bear responds to his owner in cute ewok sounds while nibbling on food. Pokey the porcupine is with an Animal rental company. This company brings the animals on show, teaching the audiences how to pet a porcupine without getting hurt. Porcupines are known to show affection to humans when they are fed and tamed. There are many accounts of porcupines acting like a cat or dog would—asking for snuggle time, certain favorite foods and lots of attention.
It is not advisable to introduce an older, untamed porcupine to your household cats or dogs. The porcupine could get defensive. There are stories of porcupines being great friends with cats and dogs but that’s when the porcupine is introduced to the family when it’s very young.
Porcupines are large nocturnal rodents with a small head and a body covered with quills. The quills are sharp, thick needle-like hairs that porcupines use as a defense mechanism against advancing predators. These quills also have air ducts in between that help the porcupine to stay afloat and swim. A total of 30,000 quills are on the porcupine’s back, sides, and tail. The quills are barbed and remain stuck on the predator which can be both painful and deadly. Porcupines are benevolent creatures and not known to readily attack people or animals; they attack only when they deem as a life threatening situation. Do not wait to seek medical attention as soon as possible if someone or pet you know is ever attacked by a porcupine. Not only will it be painful, the quills have to be taken out correctly to minimize further damage to the skin and organs.
Porcupines do not hibernate in winter or otherwise. However, they sleep more regularly and remain close to their dens and shacks come winter. Porcupines are very active creatures. They tend to be more active at night, making them nocturnal creatures. In summer, they forage and nap high up in the trees. Their diet in summer comprises of stems, berries, fruits, branches and shoots. In winter, they will gnaw at pine/conifer needles as well as tree barks. During sever winter, the usually solitary porcupine may choose to den up with its mates. Their home terrain could be as broad as 25-35 acres.
Porcupines are active all year round without exception. They like to scout for food and often travel long distances in search of food. The porcupine’s diet is mainly vegetarian: tree leaves, bark, twigs, branches and inner tree barks. It likes herbs and fallen tree branches. Woody trees like aspen, cottonwood, willow, and pine are its favorites. Porcupines prefer smooth and thin chewable bark which it finds more appetizing. Porcupines are viewed as a pests by some as it will gnaw on trees and vegetation, sometimes damaging private property by it’s desire for chewing. Dog owners fear their dogs running into a porcupines and getting attacked by their fearsome quills.
Porcupines are otherwise rather cute, as they waddle when they walk and whine like a baby. They are not vicious unless provoked or threatened. Porcupines are found everywhere of the world. The North American porcupine can be found in western to Northern North American and even in the coniferous forests of Canada. Porcupines will explore from prairie rivers, alpine tundra and even deserts. When porcupines sleep in daytime, they prefer to slumber among fallen timber, rock clusters and caves. They like places that are cool and comfortable, away from strong afternoon sun and wandering predators.