'" CARD 61

COMMON DOLPHIN
, , ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
... ORDER
~ Cetacea
FAMILY
Delphinidae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Delphinus delphis
The common dolphin is the fastest of the small dolphins, attaining
speeds over 27 miles per hour. Friendly and sociable, it is often seen
traveling in schools numbering several hundred.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 5-8 ft.
Weight: 160 lb .
No. of teeth: 80-100.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 5-6 years.
Mating: In North Atlantic, October
to December. Most births occur
from September to October.
Gestation: 1 0 months.
No. of young: Single calf.
LIFESTYLE
Call: High-pitched whistles and
clicks.
Habit: Lives in large schools.
Diet: Mainly herring and sardines,
but also a wide range of fish.
Lifespan: Up to 25 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The Cape dolphin (Delphinus
capensis) and Baird's dolphin (D.
roseiventris) are closely related.
COMPARATIVE SPEEDS
Range of the common dolphin.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in the coastal waters of all the tropical and temperate
seas, the common dolphin is abundant in the Mediterranean.
It is migratory, following schools of fish, its staple food.
CONSERVATION
The common dolphin was once hunted in large numbers in
the Black Sea. Although this has now stopped, an increasing
number are becoming entangled in fishermen's nets.
The common dolphin is the fastest of the small dolphins, but
many whales and sharks are faster.
KILLER WHALE
(Orcin us orca)
34 mph
MAKO SHARK
(Isurus oxyrinchus)
30 mph
COMMON DOLPHIN
(Delphinus delphis)
27 mph
CALIFORNIA SEA LION
(Zalophus calitomicus)
25 mph
SALMON
(Salmo salar)
23 mph
15 mph 19 mph 22 mph
MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
25 mph 28 mph 30 mph 35 mph
PRINTED IN U.sA us P 6001 12 010 PACKET 10
The common dolphin has a sleek,
streamlined body adapted for speed.
Its color varies, although most have black
or brown backs and white stomachs.
The dolphin surfaces every few minutes
to breathe through the blowhole
on the top of its head.
Above: The
dolphin's skin
is sleek and
offers little
resistance to
water. It is
instrumental in
giving the
mammal its
agility and
great speed.
Left: Common
dolphins
cruising in
strict forma-
tion.
The common dolphin is a
friendly, sociable animal that
lives in mixed groups of
males, females, and young.
The dolphin inhabits the
warmer coastal waters of the
world and is never seen as far
north or south as the bottle-
nose dolphin.
It spends its days hunting
fish and playing with other
dolphins. A dolphin can be
sighted as it rises for air, just
breaking the surface to ex-
pose its blowhole before it
dives below the waves.
Most dolphin species are
fun loving, but the common
dolphin appears to be the
most playful of all. It can be
seen leaping from the water
in great curving arcs along
with the other dolphins in
its group.
It often swims on its back,
and sometimes slaps the
water with its tail. But despite
its playful nature, the com-
mon dolphin is not easily
tamed and does not thrive in
captivity.

The dolphin has a different
mate every season. Mating
takes place in the fall and a
single calf is born 10 months
later. The calf emerges tail first,
and, while the mother helps it
to the surface to breathe,
several other females protect
them from any sharks that may
be attracted by the blood lost
in birth. The mother suckles
her calf underwater, and
feeding is quick and frequent
so that the calf can surface and
breathe every few seconds.
FOOD &: HUNTING
The common dolphin eats
herring, sardines, cuttlefish,
octopus, and shrimp. Where
herring and sardines are
abundant, the dolphin is a
common sight, but when the
fish migrate or become
depleted, the dolphin moves
Below: The dolphin must surface
frequently to breathe.
For the first two weeks of its
life, the young dolph i n stays
close to its mother or other
females. It can swim rapidly at
birth, and it soon begins to
on to other feeding grounds
in schools often numbering
several hundred.
Dolphins communicate with
each other by using a lan-
guage consisting of clicking
and whistling sounds. Com-
municating through sound is
also important in helping dol-
phins to hunt. A dolphin will
grow teeth which push
through its gums much like
those of a human baby. Still,
the calf does not become in-
dependent for many months.
Left: Common
dolphin calf
with mother.
The calf will
feed by taking
hold of one of
the nipples
that lie in
grooves along
its mother's
stomach.
make a series of high-pitched
whistles that travel through
the water. When the sounds
reach a solid object, such as
a school of fish, an echo is
created by which the dolphin
can identify the speed, size,
and direction of the prey.
This process is called echolo-
cation.
DID YOU KNOW?
The killer whale, one of the
common dolphin's most
feared predators, is itself a
species of dolphin.
The common dolphin can
stay submerged for only 3-4
minutes, while the bottlenose
dolphin can remain under-
water for up to 15 minutes.
A dolphin exchanges as
much as 90 percent of the air
in its lungs every time it
breathes. Most mammals,
including man, exchange
only 15 percent.
The dolphin has no sweat
glands. It stays cool by releas-
ing heat through its flippers .
""" CARD 62
LION


ORDER
Carnivora
GENUS &: SPECIES
Panthera leo
Known as the king of the jungle, the lion's main habitat is, in fact,
the African grasslands. Once common in Africa, Asia, and parts of
Europe, this magnificent animal is now a protected species.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Males, 9 ft., of which 3 ft.
is tail; females are smaller.
Weight: 450-550 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 2 years.
Mating: Most times of year.
Lionesses breed every two years.
Gestation: 105-112 days.
No. of young: 2-5 cubs.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Social and territorial, living
in family groups. Young males may
live in small bachelor groups.
Call: Lions roar to keep rivals out of
their territory.
Diet: Wildebeest, zebra, impala,
antelope, and gazelle.
RELATED SPECIES
Leopard, snow leopard, tiger, and
jaguar are all in the genus
Panthera.
HOW LIONS HUNT
When li onesses hunt together, several li e
j n wait downwind of the herd, while
ano1 ir travels around the herd. until she
is upwind of it. Suddenly, she breaks
Range of the lion.
DISTRIBUTION
Africa, south of the Sahara, and the Gir Forest, India. A small
population once believed to have lived in a remote part of
Iran is now thought to be extinct.
CONSERVATION
Lives in the wild only in remote areas which have remained
undeveloped. The best hope for the lion's conti nuing survival
lies in well -managed national parks and game reserves.
cover and chases the frightened herd
straight toward the hidden ambush. 1;;;'!J
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
If hunting alone, a
lioness stalks her
prey downwing of
it. She gets as
close as possible
without being seen
before attacking.
0160200081 PACKET 8
Largest and most powerful of the African carnivores,
a male lion in his prime is an impressive sight.
Male lions usually have a tawny mane which
gradually darkens with age. Because of their
dark manes, old males are known as
black-maned lions.

Unlike most members of the
cat family, lions are social
animals that live in prides
(family groups) of 20-30
individuals. Some prides
include a single male, while
others have as many as four.
Where there is more than
one male, the males are
most likely litter mates.
Males are strongly territo-
rial and will challenge
intruders, and lionesses will
fight off other females. Males
will often fight until one lion
is killed. The winner takes
over dominance of the
territory, and of the pride.
After several seasons with
a pride, the male becomes
restless and may be disinter-
ested in resisting a challenge
from a rival male. If he loses,
he will search for another
pride to dominate.
Old or injured lions who
have escaped death after
fighting, but have lost their
territory, often die trying to
fend for themselves.
FOOD &: HUNTING
Lions hunt at dusk. They have
excellent eyesight and can see
well in the dark. The lionesses
usually hunt for the entire
pride. While the lion plays little
or no part in the hunt, he
always takes precedence at the
kill, dragging the prey to a
chosen spot, then gorging
himself before the females and
cubs can eat.
Hunting is an organized
event (see back cover). During
the dry season when water is
scarce, lions often lie in wait
close to a water hole, waiting
for prey to come to drink.
Lions prefer to hunt wilde-
beest and zebra, as these
animals are slower and easier

A lioness has cubs approxi-
mately every 2 years. Shortly
before giving birth, she
chooses a suitable site for her
lair, which must be well
hidden, safe from potential
predators, sheltered, and
close to water.
The cubs are born blind
and have spotted coats. For
the first 2 months, they drink
only their mother's milk. At 6
weeks, they begin to accom-
pany their mother to the kill,
acquiring a taste for meat
and learning how to hunt.
By 15 months, the cubs can
hunt small prey.
When the cubs reach 2
years of age, their mother is
pregnant again and they
must leave her. Some young
females may be allowed to
remain in the pride, but all
the male cubs are driven out
by the dominant male.
to catch than small antelopes
and gazelles.
When prey is scarce, lions
eat almost anything, including
carrion (dead or rotting
animals). Hunger may drive
them to attack larger prey,
including giraffe, buffalo, or
even rhinoceros, hippopota-
mus, and elephant calves.
Right: Lions
mating. Normally
uninterested in
females, the male
hardly leaves his
partner's side
during mating
season.
Below: Females
share the job of
suckling and
caring for cubs.
Right:
Lionesses eat a
wildebeest.
Below: A lion
drags a zebra
from the scene
of the kill.
Straddling its
shoulders with
his forelegs, he
lifts it by the
neck.
DID YOU KNOW?
A lion's territory is deter-
mined by the size of the
pride and the availability of
prey and water.
Lionesses are ferocious
when defending their cubs.
Several will act together to
chase off a predator or an
aggressive male lion.
Lions kill only when
hungry. Their prey can
usually sense if lions are out
to kill and, if they are not,
will often ignore lions
wandering close to them.
The lion' s mane makes his
body appear larger and more
impressive than it really is,
which helps to attract
females at mating time and
frightens off rival males.
Male lions take no interest
in the rearing of the young
and, on occasion, may even
try to kill them.
IMPALA
""=
... ORDER
~ Artiodactyla
FAMILY
Bovidae
'" CARD 63 ]
GROUP 1: MAMMALS
~ GENUS & SPECIES
. ~ Aepyceros melampus
With its sleek, tawny coat, large eyes, and curved horns,
the male impala is one of the most agile-as well as
most c o m m o ~ o f all of Africa's antelopes.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Height to shoulder: 30-40 in.
Length: 55 in.
Length of horns: 20-30 in.
Weight: 100-175 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 3 months, but
rarely reproduce until 2 years old.
Mating season: Varies with area
and climate.
Gestation: 6-7 months.
No. of young: 1 .
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable herds.
Range of the impala.
DISTRIBUTION
Diet: Grasses, herbs, and shrubs.
Call: Male roars during mating
season.
Lifespan: Up to 12 years in the
wild; 17 years in captivity.
Found over most of southern and eastern Africa. Impalas
also live in national parks and reserves.
RELATED SPECIES
CONSERVATION
Impala is the only species in the
genus. There is a subspecies-the
black-faced impala, Aepyceros
melampus petersi.
Impalas have disappeared from parts of their southern
range because of overhunting by man, but they have
been introduced into new areas.
FEATURES OF THE IMPALA
Impalas bound high into the air to escape
predators. At the same time, the raised hairs on
I
, their rumps serve as a warn.ing to the rest of the
herd that predators are approaching.
When chased by a predator, an impala
can run as fast as 40 miles an haur. It
can also j ~ m p 10 feet in the air and
cover 30fee1 in a single leap. Impalas
have been known to jump over
obstacles more than eight fee1 high.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
0160200171 PACKET 17
Throughout most of southern and eastern
Africa, impalas live in open forest
country and wooded grasslands.
Only the males sport the long, curved horns,
which are ridged on the front
surface and take several
years to grow.
~ HABITS
Impalas are sociable animals
that travel in herds. Females
and young form herds as large
as 100 animals, while males
live in small bachelor herds.
The herds occupy a large
range and make seasonal
migrations according to the
availability of food.
While most males live to-
gether peacefully, dominant
males may establish their own
territories, to which they try to
attract females. The most suc-
cessful males are those whose
territories have abundant
food. Other males are tolerat-
ed as long as they show no
interest in the females.
During the dry season im-
palas of both sexes and all
ages form a single, non-
territorial herd to forage for
food away from their home
ranges.
After the dry season is over
the dominant males return to
their home ranges. They of-
ten must reclaim their territo-
ries from rival males.
~ BREEDING
The principal mating season
is April through June in the
southernmost part of the im-
pala's range, and from Febru-
ary to April in East Africa.
Males do not search for
females; instead, they mate
with those that wander into
their territories. When a
Right: Young impalas suckle for
five or six months.
Below: During mating season
male impalas fight off rivals. The
loser retires to a bachelor group
and the victor takes over the
territory.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
Impalas feed mainly on grass-
es, but they also eat a wide
variety of leaves, fruits, and
seeds. The amount they eat of
anyone food depends on
season and location.
In most parts of their range,
impalas graze the new protein-
rich grasses that flourish dur-
ing the rainy season. When
the grasses die during peri-
ods of drought, the animals
browse on bushes, herbs,
and shrubs.
Because predators often lie in
wait near water holes at dusk,
impalas drink during the hot-
test part of the day, when lions
are likely to be asleep.
female is ready to give birth,
she seeks a secluded spot
away from the herd. After the
birth, she and her calf remain
separate from the group for
several days.
When the female rejoins
the herd, her calf joins a large
group of calves that are
Right: A male
impala grazes
on protein-rich
grass. All
impalas have
black-tipped
ears and black
stripes on their
rumps and
tails.
similar in age.
Females are not usually
sexually mature until they
are two years old. A male is
unlikely to win his own ter-
ritory, or females, until he is
four years old, even though
he is sexually mature at one
year.
DID YOU KNOW?
The male impala's horns
take many years to reach full
length.
Most young impalas are
born in the middle of the
day, when predators are
usually resting.
Impalas are preyed upon by
lions, leopards, and cheetahs,
so they are constantly on the
alert for danger.
The male impala produces
a scent from his forehead. '
The greater his rank in the
herd, the stronger the scent.
When a male loses his rank,
he produces less scent.
In addition to leaping
forward, impalas can also
jump straight up and turn in
midair.
Li ving in herds helps to
protect impalas ,from preda-
tors. If the herd is attacked,
the impalas scatter in all
directions.
"" CARD 64
BROWN RAT
__________________________________
... ORDER
Rodentia
FAMILY
Muridae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Rattus norvegicus
The brown rat is considered to be a pest throughout most of its
range. Still, it rarely lives in occupied houses or buildings but,
rather, makes its home in areas uninhabited by people.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Body length: Up to 12 in.
Tail length: Slightly shorter than
body.
Weight: Variable: 3-21 oz. Males
slightly heavier than females.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Females, 11
weeks.
Mating: Throughout the year.
Gestation: 21-24 days.
litter size: 6-11, depending on
size of mother.
No. of litters: Up to 5 per year.
LIFESTYLE
Call: Shrill squeaks and squeals.
Habit: Mostly nocturnal, living in
colonies.
Diet: Prefers food rich in protein
and starch, but will eat anything.
lifespan: 1-2 years, but very few
live longer than 1 year.
Range of the brown rat.
DISTRIBUTION
Throughout the world with the exception of polar regions.
CONSERVATION
The rat is regarded as a pest because it is the carrier of many
diseases including salmonella, and man has tried for centu-
ries to exterminate it without success. The rat's successful
breeding habits and its ability to survive on any food and in
most habitats ensure its survival.
SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE BROWN RAT


Teeth: The brown rat has 16 teeth:
2 incisors and 6 molars in each jaw.
It has no pre-molars and, like all
rodents, no canine teeth.
Ears: Small , furrier than those of the
black rat. The brown rat has very sharp-
hearing.
Sense of smell: Very acute. Good for
sniffing out food supplies.
Forepaws: Often used to hold food
while the rat eats, although food is
carried in the mouth.
MCMXCIIMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM
Fur: Coarser and longer than that of
the sleek black rat. Protects against
cold . damp co itions.
PRINTED IN USA US P 6001 12010 PACKET 10
The brown rat inhabits all parts of the
world populated by humans and breeds
rapidly in colonies located in sewers
and garbage dumps. It arrived in the
Americas by way of ships belonging
to early European explorers
and settlers.

A female brown rat is ready
to breed when she is 11
weeks old and weighs four
ounces. After mating, the
male plays no part in rearing
the young.
The female builds a round
nest of loose material such as
straw. The nest is often lo-
cated in an underground
burrow. After 21-24 days, 6
to 11 young are born blind
and hairless. They are totally
dependent on their mother,
who suckles them for three
weeks. At the end of this
time, they are ready to leave
the nest.
A female may sometimes
give birth to three to five
litters in one year. A large
colony is often started by a
single pregnant female. The
black rat, or ship rat, is rarer
and can produce almost as
many litters as the brown rat,
but its females are not ready
to breed until they are four
months old.
Right: A mother rat carries her
newborn along a log. Her long,
scaly tail helps her to balance.

The brown rat is found world-
wide, with the exception of the
polar regions. It can survive in
almost any environment, but it
is most commonly found near
farms, in garbage dumps, and
in sewers. It likes dense cover,
where it will dig a series of
linking burrows in sloping
ground or in the side of a ditch.
It also prefers to live near water
and is a good swimmer.
The brown rat lives in colonies
left: Sewers provide rats with a
safe habitat and plentiful food,
but sewer-dwelling rats hasten
the spread of disease.
DID YOU KNOW?
A single female brown rat
can give birth to more than
forty young in one year.
The brown rat is also called
the sewer rat, the barn rat,
and the Norwegian rat. Its
species name. is derived from
the latter name.
The rat needs a large
where every member recog-
nizes each other by smell.
There is a social structure in a
colony, but the dominant rats
are tolerant of others.
Where there is plenty of
food available, the rat may
need to colonize only small
areas no more than several
yards in length. In large col-
onies, such as t hose found in
sewers and garbage dumps,
the highest-ranking rat will
live in the choice spot, close
to the food source. The low-
ranking rats must often
struggle to survive.
amount of food to survive
and eats the equivalent of a
third of its body weight in
food every day.
The black rat, a brown rat
relative, is thought to have
been responsible for trans-
mitting bubonic plague in
fourteenth-century Europe.
& FEEDING
The brown rat feeds at night
and sleeps through the day. It
is most active at dawn and
dusk. Although its eyesight is
poor, the brown rat has a very
keen sense of smell which it
uses to locate food.
The rat prefers to eat stored
or cultivated cereal grains but
also eats meat. It eats various
left: Rats will
eat almost any
food they can
find. People
have tried for
centuries to
poison the rat,
but it breeds so
quickly that
new litters
develop an
inbuilt resis-
tance to even
the deadliest
poisons.
types of poultry, including
ducklings.
Food is usually carried in its
mouth to a safe place where it
is eaten. Large items are drag-
ged to a hiding place. The
food the rat leaves uneaten is
left behind since, unlike many
rodents, the brown rat does
not hoard food.
NATUREWATCH
scavenging for food near
garbage dumps or aban-
doned bui ldings. In t he coun-
t ry, sloping ground is often t he
site of rat burrows that are 2-3
inches in diameter. Narrow,
well -used paths are often signs
t hat a rat colony is nearby.
In buil dings, the rat leaves
dark, greasy trails near food
sources. Rats can also be
spotted swimming across
canals or rivers.
NORWEGIAN LEMMING
FAMILY
Cricetidae
GROUP 1: MAMMALS
~ GENUS & SPECIES
~ Lemmus lemmus
The lemming resembles a mouse but has a short tail and
fur-covered feet. The rodent is the most numerous animal in
its habitat and is a source of food for many predators.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 4-6 in.
Weight: 1 -4 oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Can be as young
as 14 days in females.
Mating: Year-round in favorable
conditions.
Gestation: 16-21 days.
No. of young: Up to 12. May have
3 or more litters a year.
LIFESTYLE
Range of the Norwegian lemming.
DISTRIBUTION
Habit: Solitary. Sociable when
moving to new feeding areas.
Diet: A variety of plant matter.
Lifespan: Rarely more than 2
years.
The Norwegian lemming is confined to the northern alpine
and tundra areas of Scandinavia and the Soviet Union.
CONSERVATION
RELATED SPECIES
There are 12 species of lemming,
grouped in 4 genera, living
throughout cold regions in the
northern hemisphere.
The lemming is in no danger of extinction. Population is con-
trolled by predators and by the lemming's self-regulating
mechanism that reduces reproduction when conditions are
unfavorable.
I THE LEMMING'S MIGRATION -
As .the lemming population increases there is more competi-
tion for available food resources. Every few years the lem-
mings are forced to either migrate to new habitats or die of
starvation. They travel in huge groups, heading downhill from
the tundra. They are so desperate to find food that little deters
them from moving forward.
i )MCMXCI IMP BVIIMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
t emmings may
travel long
distances to find
new feeding
grounds, and
many die on the
journey.
0160200171 PACKET 17
When their population levels become too
high lemmings undertake mass migrations
to find new feeding grounds.
Many drown while trying to cross the sea.
In the year 1532 it was believed that
the lemmings were committing suicide.
HABITAT
The Norwegian lemming lives
3,250 feet above sea level in
the open, swampy flatlands of
the tundra (arctic plain) . In
summer it burrows under tree
stumps, fallen tree trunks, or
rocks, where it digs a short
tunnel and a small chamber
that it lines with grass.
In winter the lemming
retreats to a meadow, where
it builds a dry, rounded nest
of grass that it lines with moss
and lichen. The nest is located
on the ground under the
snow or in the branches of a
small, snow-covered shrub. In
the spring thaw, when its nest
in the meadow becomes
flooded, the lemming moves
DID YOU KNOW?
The first known account of
the lemmings' mass migra-
tion is from t he year 1532. At
that time people believed
that the lemmings were
committing suicide.
One pair of lemmings kept
in captivity produced eight
litters in 167 days.
Contrary to popular belief,
to higher ground.
In fall the lemming travels
from its summer to winter
quarters and lives temporarily
in woody marshes.
Below: In winter, when the
ground is covered with snow,
the lemming lives in a dry,
underground nest.
lemmings are not good
swimmers. They are easily
exhausted and drown within
15 to 25 minutes of entering
the water.
The lemmings' waterproof
f ur is essential to its survival in
the cold northern climate.
Females can become preg-
nant at 14 days of age.
FOOD & FEEDING
The lemming eats the tender
shoots of grasses and other
grasslike plants, as well as
bark, leaves, berries, moss, and
lichens. Even when the ground
is covered with snow, the
lemming feeds by digging
tunnels to reach vegetation
that is buried under the snow.
The lemming searches for
food day and night, alternately
feeding and resting every two
hours.
Below: A lemming feeds on grasses
and other ground vegetation.
BREEDING
The lemming can produce a lit-
ter as large as 12 young every
month, year-round. Females
from the first and second lit-
ters often breed within a few
weeks of being born.
The Norwegian lemming is
the most plentiful of all the
plant-eating animals in its
habitat. It is an important
part of the food chain and is
itself food for many preda-
tors. Birds such as skua,
snowy and great gray owls,
buzzards, gyrfalcons, and
gulls, and mammals such as
wolves, bears, wolverines,
ermines, and foxes all prey
on the lemming.
Above: The lemming's teeth are
sharp enough to chew bark.
Lemmings are born blind.
But they mature quickly and
need only a short period of
maternal care. The female
nurses the newborn for 16
days, after which they can

Norwegian lemmings make
two kinds of migration:
seasonal and periodic. Their
seasonal migrations between
summer and winter quarters
cover only short distances.
But their periodic migrations
take them great distances to
much lower altitudes than
the tundra.
Every three to four years
the lemming population
becomes too large for the
available food resources.
Many lemmings are forced
to migrate in search of food.
The usually solitary lemmings
become part of a mass mi-
gration.
When lemmings migrate
they do not travel to a specific
destination. They are simply
moving away from their
crowded feeding grounds in
search of new ones. They
sometimes follow paths and
roads that lead them directly
through areas of human
habitation. The lemmings
show little fear of people.
Many lemmings die during
the migration from disease,
starvation, accident, drown-
ing, and attack from preda-
tors. While they are moving
in such large numbers, the
lemmings make easy prey
for their predators. Thus, the
periodic migration helps to
control the lemmings' num-
bers.
fend for themselves. When
food is scarce, or when lem-
mings are forced to migrate to
new feeding areas, their repro-
ductive capacity automatically
slows down.
OLD WORLD HARVEST MOUSE


ORDER
Rodenta
... FAMILY
Muridae
GENUS & SPECIES
Micromys minutus
I
The tiny harvest mouse is only slightly larger than the garden snail.
Its small size and flexible tail enable it to scamper up and down the
slender plant stems on which it builds its nest.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 2-3 in.
Tail, 2-3 in.
Weight: Adult, 2 oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 45 days.
Mating season: May to October.
Gestation: 17-19 days.
No. of young: 3-8 per litter. May
have 3 litters a year.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary. Active at night in
summer and by day in winter.
Diet: Mainly seeds and insects, also
some fruit.
lifespan: In the wild, up to 18
months, but usually 6 months. Up
to 5 years in captivity.
RELATED SPECIES
Although it belongs to the same
family as other mice, the old world
harvest mouse is the only species
in its genus.
THE HARVEST MOUSE'S NEST
MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Range of the old world harvest mouse.
DISTRIBUTION
Throughout Europe and northern
CONSERVATION
Although not endangered, numbers have been greatly
reduced by modern agricultural methods, such as combine
harvesting, spraying, and stubble burning.
The nest of the
She then weaves
{
pieces of grass
among the leaves,
forming a rounded
structure three to .
four inches in di-
ameter. She
covers the
entrance with
grass after the
young are born.
PRINTED IN U.SA 0160200151 PACKET 15
The harvest mouse is among
the smallest of all rodents.
Its specially adapted tail functions
as a fifth limb and allows it to
keep its paws free for gathering food
as it climbs up plant stems.
HABITAT
Harvest mice live in tall grass,
grain fields, vacant lots, and
along roadsides. During severe
winters they sometimes seek
shelter in sheds and houses.
The male roams over a ter-
DID YOU KNOW?
American harvest mice, like
old world harvest mice, also
build their nests on grass
stems.
The old world harvest
mouse is the only mammal in
Europe with a tail that is
prehensile-that is, adapted
for seizing and grasping.
ritory of approximately 500
square yards, while females
have smaller territories.
In summer they are active
at night, but in winter they
are active during the day.
In the wild, pregnant
females drive away the
males, whereas in captivity,
they tolerate their presence.
In parts of Europe, harvest
mice have been found living
in ham curing rooms and
larders, earning them the
name "bacon" mice.
BREEDING
Harvest mice breed from May
to early October, often produc-
ing three litters of three to
eight young in a single year.
The newborns stay in the nest
for 11 days, where they grow
rapidly. The mother leaves to
search for food but returns at
regular intervals to feed and
clean the young. She eats
droppings so that predators
are not attracted by the smell.
At two days old the young
mice can push themselves
around the nest. Four days
later they start grooming
themselves, and by the eighth
day they can see clearly. At
FOOD & FEEDING
The harvest mouse eats seeds,
fruits, berries, and insects such
as moths, grasshoppers, and
caterpillars. What it eats de-
pends on what is available
during each season.
Although grain is one of its
main foods, the mouse com-
pensates somewhat for any
damage it may do to grain
crops by eating the pests that
threaten those crops. Wheat
aphids, such as blackfly, secrete
a honeydew that harvest mice
eat.
To feed on grain, the tiny
harvest mouse climbs up the
stalk to the seed head. It uses
its prehensile (adapted for
holding) tail to grip the plant
stalk and to b,alance itself. Then
it breaks off a seed by grasping
it in its teeth and moving its
head with a sideways motion.
It holds the seed in its front
paws, removes the husk, and
gnaws into the center of the
seed.
nine days they have teeth and
begin eating solid food; at 10
days, the mother begins to
wean them.
The young are fully inde-
pendent two weeks after
birth. The mother is usually
pregnant again by this time,
and she abandons her litter to
look for a new nesting site.
The young remain near the
nest for several more days and
then leave to find territories of
their own.
Right: Blind, naked, and
helpless, the newborn mice lie in
the nest built by their mother.
I
Evidence that an old world
harvest mouse is nearby can
be found by looking closely
among tall grasses and most
crop fields except barley. Its
nest of shredded grass and
leaves is wedged between
plant stems and attached to
them, usually one to two
feet above the ground. The
nest is well hidden in
summer when the vegeta-
tion is lush, but it is easier to
spot in late fall and early
winter when the plants lose
thei r leaves.
Left: Harvest
mice feed on
blackberries
when they are
in season. They
like the sweet
taste of the
fruit.
Below: A
harvest mouse
balances on a
stem, gripping
the stalk with
its strong,
flexible tail
while it feeds
on grains of
wheat.
EUROPEAN MOLE
"'""-
~ ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
... ORDER
~ /nsectivara
... FAMILY
~ To/pidoe
Although it is seldom seen, the velvety-coated mole is one of the
best-known small mammals. Living almost entirely underground,
surface molehills are the only tell-tale signs of its presence.
2
i
~
~ KEY FACTS
I i __ 1 SIZES
~ Length: 4-6 in.
Weight: About 4 oz. Males are
heavier than females.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: About 10
months.
Mating: March-May.
Gestation: 30 days.
No. in litter: 2-7; average 4.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary, except in breeding
season.
Diet: Mainly earthworms. Also in-
sect larvae and small invertebrates.
lifespan: Up to 3 years.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 29 species of mole,
desman, and shrew-mole, including
Russian desman, Desmona maschoto,
star-nosed mole, Candy/ura cristoto,
found in North America, and
Mediterranean mole, To/po caeca.
. Range of the European mole.
DISTRIBUTION
Throughout Europe including Great Britain (but not Ireland),
and in northwestern Asia.
CONSERVATION
Regarded as a pest in cultivated areas. Where they cause
damage to lawns and pastures, they are poisoned to control
their numbers.
MOLEHILLS &: MOLE FEATURES
MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
The mole's cylindrically shaped body is covered with very
short fur that aids its passage and helps prevent friction as it
through the vertical and horizontal tunnel system.
PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200131 PACKET 13
Most common in grassland and pasture,
European moles are found at sea level and at
high altitudes in almost every type of soil. But
they avoid areas where the soil is very rocky,
waterlogged, or acidic. They are well adapted
for their underground life.
BREEDING
Moles have an exceptionally
short breeding season; the male
goes to the female's tunnel,
where mating takes place. He
then leaves the female and she
raises the young alone.
Birth takes place from April to
June, and the young are born in
FOOD &: FEEDING
Earthworms are the mole's
staple food, although it also
eats large quantities of insect
larvae and slugs. It locates food
by traveling along its tunnels
and feeding on whatever
worms or insects it finds.
A mole requires a very large
intake of food, eating half of its
body weight in food every day.
During the fall and winter,
when earthworms are plentiful,
the mole catches them, bites
off their heads, and pushes
them into the ground to eat
.... "--- later.

Moles are active during the
day and night, digging their
tunnels and searching for
food. Mole tunnels vary in
depth from just below the
surface to 28 inches beneath
the ground. When moles dig
close to the surface, they make
piles of dirt called molehills.
The tunnels must be located
in suitable sites to avoid flood-
ing, as young moles often
drown during heavy rain.
Each mole occupies its own
network of underground
3l The mole does not have a
i good sense of smell, nor can it
hear very well. Instead, it is
:;: ::J1 ----' extremely sensitive to touch
passages that extend 100 to
165 feet. Moles spend four
hours at a time looking for
food in their tunnels, after
which they spend an equal
amount of time resting.
The territories of several
moles may overlap slightly,
but the moles will avoid each
other unless it is breeding
season.
Some scientists believe that '0
moles mark their tunnels with
scent from their bellies as they i
travel along underground. !
a special nest chamber dug by
the female.
Naked at birth, the young
develop rapidly, feeding on
their mother's milk. They are
covered with fur after 14 days
and are ready to leave the
nest after 35 days.
and is able to sense minute
vibrations in the soil around
it. Its snout is covered by
thousands of tiny hairs that
transmit information about
its surroundings.

left: The
mole's incisors,
or cutting
teeth, are small
but sharp. Its
chewing teeth
are of variable
sizes. Most
feeding occurs
underground,
and worms
form the
largest part of
its diet.
Moles have
long claws on
each forefoot
for digging
(far left, top)
and short,
strong "arms."
The hind feet
(far left,
bottom) press
against the
tunnel sides
when digging.
Above ground,
it moves using
the hind feet
and inside
edges of the
forefeet.
left: The usual
mole litter has
four young.
Each is born
naked and will
not grow fur
for 14 days.
The young
leave the nest
at 35 days.
cL
DID YOU KNOW?
Moles will avoid very wet
ground when possible, yet
they are strong swimmers.
They can also climb.
When moles are feeding
entirely on earthworms, they
do not need to drink because
earthworms consist of 85
percent water.
A mole's skin is more
sensitive to touch than that
of any other mammal.
Moles make various noises,
including squeaks and purrs.
In 1702, the King of
England, William of Orange,
was killed when his horse
I stumbled on a molehill and
threw him.
NATUREWATCH
The presence of moles can be
confirmed by their tell-tale
molehills. The molehills are
mounds of fresh earth, up to
a foot in diameter. Sometimes
a mole will come out of its tun-
nel for a few seconds.
In hot, dry summer weather,
moles are sometimes seen on
the surface for extended peri-
ods, forced above ground to
look for water. In very dry
weather, they can die of
dehydration.
GRIZZLY BEAR
ORDER
Carnivora
FAMILY
Ursidae
CARD 68
GROUP 1: MAMMALS
GENUS &. SPECIES
Ursus arctos horribilis
The grizzly bear takes its name from the long, silver-tipped hairs on
its back and shoulders. They give its coat a grizzled appearance.
The grizzly is the fiercest and most aggressive of all bears.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Standing height: Average 6 ft.
Weight: Varies from 200-650 lb.
according to location.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Males, 4 years.
Females, 3 years.
Mating: June.
Gestation: 180-250 days.
No. of young: Usually 2.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary, except during
mating season.
Diet: Wide variety of fruit, berries,
bulbs, tubers, and nuts; also insects
and grubs, honey, fish, rodents,
and lizards.
Lifespan: Maximum 30 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The grizzly is a subspecies of the
European and Asian brown bear.
There are 5 other closely related
species, including black and polar
bears.
FEATURES OF THE GRIZZLY
Its paws are broad and flat, with long
claws that cannot be drawn back. The
grizzly uses its front paws as clubs and to
catch fish. One blow from a grizzly's paw
can kill an animal of equal size.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Range of the grizzly bear.
DISTRIBUTION
The wild grizzly is found only in Canada, Alaska, and reserves
in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Washington. The largest
United States population is in Yellowstone National Park.
CONSERVATION
Once widespread throughout North America, the grizzly was
wiped out by hunting and habitat disturbance. It was listed
as an endangered species in 1975 and is now protected.
PRINTED IN U.5A
A grizzly cub's length at birth measures
only one tenth of its mother's length. (The
average human baby measures about one
third of its adult height.)
0160200091 PACKET 9
The grizzly bear, found only in
North America, is a subspecies of
the more widespread brown bear.
It leads an almost solitary existence in
wild mountains and thick forests.
~ HABITS
In its natural home the grizzly
has no enemies or predators. It
is not especially territorial and
will tolerate other grizzlies. The
grizzly rarely fights, but when
it does it usually wins. Most
fights occur during the mating
season or when a sow (adult
female) must defend her cubs
from attack.
Grizzlies forage for food in
the spring and summer. They
feed heavily in the fall to build
reserves for their winter sleep.
Most grizzlies move into their
dens when the ground is
covered with snow and stay
there until spring. The bears
~ BREEDING
Male grizzlies attract mates
by making low snorts and
nibbling the females' backs
and necks. Although mating
occurs in June, the fertilized
eggs are not implanted into
the womb until fall. This
gives the pregnant sow time
to feed and store food for
herself and her cubs.
Gestation takes 180 to 250
days, and birth occurs in the
den during the winter. The
newborn cubs are blind,
toothless, and almost
hairless. They are 8 inches
long and weigh between
usually dig their dens in the
fall. They fall into a torpor
(deep sleep) during cold
weather, similar to hiberna-
tion. On warm, sunny days,
however, they awaken and
search for food.
Male and female grizzlies
without cubs generally
emerge first, but the timing
depends on climate and on
the individual bear.
After they leave their dens in
the spring, the grizzlies need
food. They will feed near their
dens and return to them at
night until the weather is
milder.
1-1' /2 pounds. The cubs
remain in the den with their
mother until spring, feeding
on her rich milk.
In April or May the mother
takes the cubs out and teaches
them to forage and hunt.
They stay with her during the
first winter after birth. In the
second year they may stay
with their mother or share
dens with other young bears.
Right: In spite of their mother's
care, many young grizzlies die,
often from attacks by mature
bears.
DID YOU KNOW?
Fossil records show that the
first bears appeared in Europe
about 13 million years ago.
An estimated 50,000
grizzlies still live in Canada
and Alaska, but there are less
than 1,000 in the rest of
~ FOOD Ex HUNTING
The grizzly is an omnivore,
which means it is equally
satisfied by both vegetable
and animal matter. Its diet
includes fruits, berries, nuts,
roots, fish, rodents, and oc-
casionally other mammals.
It even eats carrion (dead
flesh), which it can smell
from as far as 18 miles away.
The grizzly's teeth have
become modified over the
centuries to suit its varied
diet.
When a grizzly kills a large
animal, such as caribou, it
~ ~ i & ~ ~ . : i ~ ~ ~ ~ chooses one that is young,
North America.
The phrase "licked into
shape" comes from an old
belief that bears were born so
soft and shapeless that their
mothers had to lick them into
the shape of a bear.
weakened, or wounded. The
Above and
right: Bears
living near
rivers become
skilled at
catching the
salmon that
swim upstream
to their
spawning
grounds. They
will seize
leaping fish
and eat them
on a nearby
rock.
kill can last a sow and her
cubs for four or five days. The
mother hides the carcass
from other animals between
feeding times. Grizzlies may
also dig out smaller prey,
such as ground squirrels, with
their long, sharp claws.
Grizzlies that live near rivers
are skillful at catching fish.
Sometimes the bear stands
close to the bank and flips
salmon out of the water with
its paw. Or it may wait for a
salmon to swim past and
then dive in and break its
back by pinning it to the
riverbed.
DHOLE
'==
... ORDER
'11IIIIIIII Carnivora
FAMILY
Canidae
GENUS & SPECIES
Cuon a/pinus
CARD 69 ]
The dhole is an efficient hunter. Like many other wild dogs it hunts
in packs and is capable of killing an animal the size of a buffalo by
steadily wearing its victim down.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Head and body, 3-4 ft.
Tail, about 1 ft .
Shoulder height: About 11/2 ft.
Weight: Up to 40 lb.
BREEDING
Mating: Usually winter.
Gestation: About 60 days.
No. of young: 2-6.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary and nocturnal.
Call: Whine, yelp, chatter, howl,
whistle, and hiss:
Diet: Hoofed mammals, .small
mammals, and birds.
RELATED SPECIES
Some of the southern animals of
the genus Cuon grouped in
species primoevus, sumatrensis,
dukhunensis, ruti/ans, or javanicus.
FEATURES OF THE DHOLE
Range of the dhole.
DISTRIBUTION
Southeast Asia from India to Indonesia; parts of t he Soviet
Union, China, and Korea.
CONSERVATION
Depletion of its prey makes the dhole vulnerable throughout
much of its range. The dhole is killed in areas where it preys
on herds of deer.
Tail: Bushy, like
a fox's tail ,
almost touching
the ground.
Darker than the
body, with a
black, brown, or
white tip.
Hair: Upper parts bright red . Top of head, neck, and shoul-
ders duller, with yellow-brown tint. Shorter and brighter in
southern range; thick woolly undercoat in north. Under-
parts lighter.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200191 PACKET 19
The dhole is also known as the Indian
wild dog. It is a social animal that lives
in packs, cooperating to hunt and rear
young. Despite its ferocity as a hunter,
the dhole is a shy animal that
keeps away from humans.
~ HABITS
The dhole prefers to live in for-
ested, mountainous country.
In the parts of its range with
no forest, such as Tibet, it lives
on the high plains. The dhole
lives in a wider variety of cli-
mates than any other canid
(genus Canidae)-from freez-
ing cold to tropical heat.
Packs of dholes can be made
up of one family or several
families banded together.
Before prey became scarce,
the dhole migrated only
when its prey did. But in re-
cent years the dhole's ter-
ritory has expanded,' since
increasingly smaller food
supplies have forced it to
move farther afield.
~ FOOD & HUNTING
The dhole preys on hoofed
mammals. In India it eats deer,
wild pig, buffalo, and wild
goats; in southeast Asia it feeds
on deer, gaur, and banteng;
and in Siberia it eats deer, wild
sheep, and caribou.
The dhole is a tireless hunt-
er. It tracks its prey at a steady
trot for several miles. When the
prey is exhausted, the chase is
over, and the dhole makes an
easy kill. Although one dhole
can overtake a deer without
Left: The dhole
uses its highly
developed
sense of smell
to hunt.
Below: Dholes
hunt in packs
to kill large
prey.
~ BREEDING
In its southern range the
dhole has no set breeding
season. Further north, breed-
ing usually takes place in late
winter, with pups born from
February to April.
During the breeding season
the female makes her den in
a cave, a crevice, or a burrow.
She often shares it with other
females. When she comes
into heat, the male pursues
her until they mate. The pups
are born about 60 days later,
blind and fluffy. They grow
assistance, large animals such
as the Indian buffalo require a
highly organized pack of
dholes. Then, some of them
distract the prey by biting its
head while others attack its
flanks and belly.
When prey is migratory, the
dhole migrates too. In Siberia,
dholes follow the caribou.
They both live high in the
Sayan mountains during the
summer and move down to
the lowlands in the winter.
fast, but their eyes do not
open for two weeks.
After a month the pups
start being weaned, and they
begin to chew on small
bits of meat. Six weeks later
they become more inde-
pendent.
Above: The
females of the
pack give birth
at different
times. Other
adults help to
rear the pups.
They bring
food to the den
and regurgi-
tate it for the
pups. They also
help protect
them from
predators.
DID YOU KNOW?
According to legend,
the dhole uses its urine to
blind its prey temporarily,
making it easier to catch.
A male dhole once
escaped from its pen in
the Moscow zoo by leap-
ing a series of ditches and
fences 20 feet long and
seven feet high.
One of the dhole's calls
is a whistle. Indian hunters
imitate this sound to at-
tract t he animals to them.
RATEL
'\
... ORDER
"IIIIIIIIIII Carnivora
FAMILY
Mustelidae
Despite its small size, the nocturnal ratel is one of the most
aggressive and ferocious of all animals. It attacks venomous
snakes as well as mammals several times larger than itself.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Up to 3 ft., including tail.
Height: 12 in. to shoulder .
Weight: 18-35 lb. Male heavier
than female.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Not known.
Mating: Not known.
Gestation: 6-7 months.
Litter size: 1-2 young.
LIFESTYLE
~
' y , . ~
. \ . ~
f;>/'? <-'T i"''' ~
~ ~ .
. Range of the ratel.
DISTRIBUTION
Habit: Nocturnal; usually solitary.
Diet: Birds, fish, reptiles, carrion,
roots, tubers, fruit, and berries.
Call: Grunts, growls, and howls.
Lifespan: 25 years in captivity.
Average lifespan in the wild not
known.
Found over most of Africa from southern Morocco to the
Cape. Also found in the Middle East, Soviet Union, Afghani-
stan, Nepal, and India.
RELATED SPECIES
CONSERVATION
The European common badger,
Meles meles, and the North Ameri-
can badger, Taxidea taxus, are
similar in appearance and habits.
The ratel is in no danger of extinction, but it is becoming
rarer where human population and agriculture have spread.
THE RATEl AND THE HONEYGUIDE
The ratel has a unique partner-
ship with the honeyguide bird,
The honeyguide locates a
beehive and then calls the ratel
to follow it.
, "
\ "
" '
~
MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
beehive, it climbs up to it
and rips it open, It then
eats the honey before
leaving the hive to the bird,
which feeds on the larvae
and wax', '
PRINTED IN U.SA 0160200181 PACKET 18
Although the ratel somewhat resembles
a badger/ it is a member of the weasel family.
Within Africa and the Middle East/ the ratel is found
in tropical rainforests/ open grassland/
deserts/ and mountainous regions at
altitudes as high as 10/000 feet.
~ BREEDING
The ratel, sometimes called
the "honey badger," is so
secretive that little is known
about its breeding habits.
One or two young are born
after a gestation period of six
DID YOU KNOW?
In arid regions the ratel
digs holes in dry riverbeds to
obtain water. The action also
benefits other species in the
area. The elephant is one of
the few other animals that
digs for water.
to seven months. Birth takes
place in a burrow, rock crev-
ice, or hollow tree. Research-
ers believe that the male
takes no part in raising the
young.
en
<.l
E
a.
ell
OJ
0
2
(L
~
5
CY
;
~
ii5
f-
~
u
Left: The
raters skin is
so thick that
it is rarely
penetrated
by porcupine
quills, snake
fangs, stings,
or the teeth
and claws of
predators.
Right: The
ratel climbs
trees to get
to beehives,
but it spends
most of its
time on the
ground.
The ratel kills tortoises by
biting through and smashing
the shells to get at the flesh.
If it is grabbed by the back
of its neck, the ratel can turn
around inside its loose skin
to bite the assailant.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
The ratel eats almost any-
thing it finds. Its varied diet
includes small mammals and
birds, as well as snakes, fish,
scorpions, and termites and
other insects. It also eats eggs,
berries, fruit, tubers, roots, and
honey-even the deadly
mamba snake.
When it is searching for
food, the ratel digs into the
burrows of meerkats, ground
squirrels, rats, and mice, "kil-
ling and eating the occupants.
It also kills domestic sheep
and chickens.
Left: This ratel
. ~ has killed a
~ python. In
~ addition to
. ~ attacking
~ poisonous
~ snakes, ratels
~ also kill
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
o scorpions.
~ HABITS
The ratel is mainly noctur-
nal. It spends the day below
ground and emerges at dusk
to hunt through the night.
If it is undisturbed the ratel
sometimes emerges from its
burrow by day as well.
The ratel either digs its own
burrow or takes over one
belonging to another animal,
such as the aardvark. It may
also live in a rock crevice or in
a hole among tree roots.
When it digs its own burrow,
the ratel creates a tunnel 40
feet long that may be as
Right: The
ratel digs at
an incredibly
fast speed. It
sometimes does
so as a means
of defense.
much as five feet deep.
Despite its small size, the
ratel is one of the most fero-
cious of all animals. Its fierce-
ness is especially evident in
the breeding season, when it
attacks for no apparent reason.
If the ratel is threatened by a
person or another animal, its
defense is to attack, It grips
the intruder in its powerful
jaws and maintains its hold.
The ratel is generally solitary
by nature, although males and
females may occasionally be
seen together in pairs.
SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS
The ratel's contrasting black
and white markings make it
conspicuous in its habitat.
Thus larger ani mals are
warned to leave the ratel
alone. The ratel squirts
intruders with a skunklike
scent from glands located
under its t ail. The ratel's
long, thick, and sharp front
claws are used for digging,
attack, and defense.