Category Secrets of the Wild

        Although elephants are the biggest land animals, there is variation among the species in terms of their size and weight.

        The African bush elephants are largest in the Elephantidea family. The males of these species are about 3.2 metres tall at their shoulder. They weigh up to 6 tonnes. Male Asian elephants, on the other hand, grow up to 2.75metres at their shoulder. They are much lighter than African bush elephants, with a weight about 5 tonnes. The smallest elephant species is the African forest elephants. They grow to a height of about 2.2 metres and weights between 2-5 tonnes.

        There are differences in physical features between the male and the female elephants. Male African elephants are typically 23% taller than females, whereas male Asian elephants are only around 15% taller than females. There are about 326 to 351 bones in an elephant’s body.

Picture Credit : Google

        There will be hardly anyone who does not know the answer to this question. The largest living land animal is none other than the elephant. Usually two kinds of elephants are identified in terms of their location: the Asian, and the African variety. Of the African bush elephants, with their huge ears and longer tusks, are bigger than their Asian counterparts. These animals are known for their physical features and great strength. They live long, and possess complex herd behavior.

        These animals belong to the family Elephantidae. There are three species identified among elephants: the African bush elephant and the Asian elephant. They play a major role in nature and therefore are considered keystone species due to their impact on nature.

        In Asia, these animals are domesticated for various hard tasks. In times gone by, they played a key role in wars. Today, these majestic animals are exploited by Man for entertainment, and are put on display in zoos.

Picture Credit : Google

        It has been a perennial quest of Man to know where he came from. While the theory of evolution gave him clues as to who his closest relatives are. Great apes are much like us, sharing great genetic resemblance. In fact, bonobos share 98.5% of the human DNA. This is the reason why they possess very human-like qualities too.

        Bonobos are profoundly intelligent and possess deep emotional capacity. It is reported that bonobos have picked up many important features of human culture while in captivity. Most of this was accomplished through their ability to observe, and assimilate ideas.

        They are intelligent enough to learn how to   communicate, use tools and play music. In a case reported, a female bonobo tried her hand at driving a golf cart, though a short while later, it crashes on to a free!

        No doubt, a bonobo is very much like a human.

Picture Credit : Google

          As its name suggests, the pygmy chimpanzees is not as big as the common chimpanzee. As is the common feature among all primates, the adult female bonobo is somewhat smaller than the adult male. While the male is about 35 to 60 kilograms, the female is only 30 kilograms. The length of a bonobo from nose to rump when it is on all fours is 70 to 85 cm. However, when standing upright, these animals can reach a height of about 115 cm. The head of a bonobo is relatively smaller than that of the common chimpanzee. This is mainly due to the less prominent ridges it has over its eyes.

Picture Credit : Google

        Bonobo are an endangered species. Due to their size, they are also known as the pygmy chimpanzees, dwarf or gracile chimpanzees. Once, scientists thought that they were a sub-species of chimpanzees. However, today, we know that they are a distinct species. Very often, both bonobos and common chimpanzees are collectively known by the generalized term chimpanzees.

        Bonobo have distinct physical features. They have relatively long legs, pink lips, and a dark face and tail-tufts as they reach their adulthood.

        These apes have parted long hair on their heads. When it comes to similarities with humans, the bonobos are as close as the chimpanzees!

Picture Credit : Google

      Have you observed your pet cat? Cats are generally smart animals; the smartest among them is the leopard.

      In comparison with the tiger and the lion, the leopard is smaller and less fierce. However, they have the ability to adapt to the conditions in the wild better than other cats. Leopards are found in varied locations from the deserts of southern Africa, to the boreal forests of Russia, and even the busting suburbs of Mumbai.

      Leopards are known for their agility. They can climb trees with skill and grace. The langur monkey is a favourite food for the Indian leopard. In Africa, leopards face the threat of lions, who are lazy to hunt, and therefore, steal the food of the leopards,

      Although leopards are smaller than the tiger or the lion, they are brighter than both of them, and are gracefully proportioned. These cats have beautiful rosettes of black spots on their yellowish fur coat. Another characteristic feature of the animal is its cylindrical tail.

Picture Credit : Google

      Expect that they both belong to the same family, and that they both are called leopards, there is hardly any resemblance and close relation between a snow leopard and a clouded leopard.

      While both of them are found in parts of Asia, they live in diverse conditions. Mountains areas are the natural habitat of snow leopards. In order to fight the extreme cold, snow leopards grow long fur. Their fur is dark silver in colour with black markings. They move to the lower ground in order to keep warm. In summer, they rest in the shade. They have flat paws, which are designed to carry the weight of their bodies. This helps the leopard to stay steady while walking on snow.

      On the other hand, clouded leopards are mid-sized. They have very long canine teeth, which are only slightly smaller than a lion’s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures credit: Google

      Unlike other members of the feline family, snow leopards live as their name suggests, in the snow. They can with stand extreme conditions in the cold, barren mountains of Central and South Asia.

      Snow leopards are found in the entire Himalayan mountain system, as well as areas in Bhutan, Nepal and the Siberian region of Russia. No other cats can live in such heights.

      A snow leopard has the longest tail among the big cats. It reaches up to one metre in length. It helps them to balance when they chase their prey. Another interesting fact about their tail is that they wrap it around their necks like a scarf while they are resting in the extreme cold weather. Since they have to roam about in barren, snow-laden lands where food is scarce, they are sometimes referred to as the ‘ghosts of the mountains’.

Picture Credit : Google

      Jaguars and leopards have differing styles and body language when it comes to finding their meal, or protecting themselves. A jaguar will bravely defend itself if it is confronted by another, bigger, attacking animal.

      However, a leopard tends to be shy and will try avoiding confrontation. If a lion or hyena comes in its way, jaguars, in all probability, will stand their ground. They will attack even if the opponent is an anaconda or a large caiman. Jaguars are good swimmers too. They will spend a lot of time in water, if they find a convenient water body.

      Leopards, on the other hand, are more athletic. They can swiftly climb up to tree, and get hold of an impala for a meal. While jaguars love water, leopards will try to avoid it, although they can swim well.

Picture Credit : Google

 

      Which is the fiercest animal? We might consider a tiger or a lion due to its size. However, in reality, jaguars have the strongest jaws in the cat family. They can break the skull of their prey with amazing force and strength.

      With their strong teeth, jaguars are able to pierce the shells of a turtle and crunch the bones of other animals with ease. Between a lion and a jaguar, the latter’s bite is twice as strong as that of the former. Only one animal is stronger than the jaguar in this aspect the hyena!

      The way the jaw muscles are arranged in jaguar’s mouth is the reason for the strength of its bites. Other cats do not have such powerfully packed muscles and that gives an edge to the jaguar. With such strong jaws, the cat can bite through the skulls of any animal with ease and pierce the thick hide of a crocodile or a caiman.

Picture Credit : Google