Photos of Mammals

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Aardwolf
The aardwolf, a member of the hyena family, is found throughout southern and eastern Africa. Aardwolves travel at night hunting for food, which consists of carrion (dead and decaying animal flesh) and insects, usually termites. They have weak jaws and small teeth, leaving them without defenses against enemies such as dogs.

Abyssinian
Abyssinians are particularly affectionate and have fine, soft fur resembling that of a wild rabbit. The origin of the cat is unknown, although its appearance suggests a relationship to the cats of ancient Egypt. It is one of the oldest breeds of domesticated cat.




Afghan Hound
The Afghan hound, similar to the greyhound, originated in Afghanistan and was known in ancient Egypt. A capable hunting dog, the Afghan hound is a swift runner and a powerful jumper.








African Elephants
African elephants live in grassy regions south of the Sahara Desert. Bull (male) elephants stand about 3.4 m (11 ft) tall and weigh about 5.4 metric tons, while cow (female) elephants stand 2.8 m (9 ft) tall and weigh about 3.6 metric tons. They have no sweat glands, so they like to cool off by rolling in ponds and streams. The mud that dries on their skin protects it from the sun.



Agouti
A large rodent common to the forests of Central America and central-northern South America, the swift, ground-dwelling agouti feeds on leaves, roots, and fallen fruit. The agouti is hunted by farmers because it destroys crops in agricultural areas.






Akhal-Teké
A prized desert horse, the Akhal-Teké has been bred and raised for at least 3000 years, and may have been an ancestor of the Arabian. Remarkable endurance and resistance to heat give the powerful yet graceful Akhal-Teké an edge in competitive long-distance riding and show jumping.



Alaskan Malamute
This Alaskan Malamute has dense, layered fur as a shield from severe weather. The nomadic Mahlemuts, an Inuit people of northwestern Alaska, first bred the Alaskan Malamute as a sled dog to haul their belongings. Ranging from light gray to black in color, Alaskan Malamutes are also popular as pets and show dogs.







Alpine Ibex
Famous for its surefootedness in steep, rocky terrain, the Alpine ibex is one of four species of mountain goat in the genus Capra. The Alpine ibex was on the brink of extinction from overhunting and habitat destruction in the early 20th century, but is now protected and rebuilding herd populations in Italy’s Gran Paradiso National Park and other European wildlife preserves.





American Black Bear
The American black bear lives in forests throughout North America, from Alaska and Canada to mountains in northern Mexico. Unlike most other bear species, the American black bear has adapted to human encroachment on its habitat, and it is able to survive in populated suburban areas. Despite the bear’s common name, the color of the American black bear ranges from black to brown, cinnamon, beige, and even pure white.






Antarctic Fur Seal
The Antarctic fur seal is one of 14 species of eared seals. Fur seals are polygamous and assemble in huge breeding colonies beginning in October. Breeding females feed exclusively on small, shrimplike crustaceans called krill, whereas males feed on krill, penguins, and fish. Although most eared seal populations have been decimated by overhunting, the Antarctic fur seal has rebounded from near extinction in the late 1800s to a current population of between 700,000 and 1 million animals.

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Snow Leopard
The snow leopard lives only in coniferous forest scrub areas and the mountain steppe region of the Himalayas and surrounding areas. Generally solitary except during mating season, the snow leopard may be found at altitudes higher than 6000 m (19,000 ft) in search of migratory game such as wild sheep, ibex, and the musk deer.

Sumatran Rhinoceros
The Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) has been hunted so extensively that fewer than 300 animals survive in fragmented populations in Malaysia and Indonesia. Between 1985 and 1995 the number of Sumatran rhinos declined by 50 percent due to poaching.


Sumatran Tiger
The Sumatran tiger, found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, is the smallest type of tiger. Females weigh 75 to 110 kg (165 to 240 lb), and males weigh 100 to 140 kg (220 to 310 lb). In recent years the demand for tiger parts across Southeast Asia has threatened the Sumatran tiger, whose skins, bones, and claws are used in folk remedies and as novelty displays.


Tapir
Tapirs, found in dense forests and swampy areas of Central and South America and Asia, are moderately large mammals, growing to a height of 75 to 120 cm (29 to 47 in) and a weight of 225 to 300 kg (500 to 600 lb). The nocturnal animals feed on leaves, grasses, aquatic vegetation, soft twigs, and fruit, using their short flexible snouts to roll up leaves and other vegetation.




Tarsier
Native to rain forest and shrub areas of Indonesia and the Philippines, the arboreal tarsier feeds primarily at night on insects and lizards. The primate has well-adapted hind legs for leaping, and has extremely long fingers and toes equipped with fleshy disks for traction.






Thirteen-Striped Ground Squirrel
Ground squirrels, like this common species from the midwestern United States, are social animals that live in colonies of burrows connected by a network of tunnels. The tunnels help improve the quality of the land by bringing up soil from lower levels but can be quite destructive to agricultural irrigation systems.







Walrus Tusks
The large front tusks, actually elongated canine teeth, appear to be used primarily for helping the walrus haul itself out of the water and onto large ice floes, where it spends long periods of time. Earlier speculation that the tusks were used to probe the bottom sediments in search of food appears to be incorrect. While walruses do search the sea floor for food such as clams, they apparently skim their sensitive whisker pads across the bottom rather than probing with their tusks.

Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkshire terriers are small dogs characterized by long, silky hair. A toy breed, the Yorkshire terrier was originally bred in England and was favored by the aristocracy in the 19th century.

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Numbat
The numbat, Myrmecobius fasciatus, is an endangered marsupial that lives in southwestern Australia, often in eucalyptus groves. Numbats use their sensitive noses and sticky tongues to find and eat insects, especially termites. During the winter months they warm themselves by basking in the sun. Australians have created captive breeding colonies for numbats in hopes of ensuring their survival.


Pangolin
Four species of terrestrial and arboreal pangolins are found in forest and open savanna habitats of Africa and southern Asia. Entirely covered with large, brown, overlapping scales, the pangolin is well protected against predators. When threatened, the pangolin rolls into a tight ball, causing the sharp, free edges of the scales to rise. Pangolins eat ants and termites, which they lap up with their long, sticky tongues.

Platypus
The duck-billed platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus, found only in eastern Australia, lives in streams, rivers, and occasionally lakes with year-round water. It feeds mostly on bottom-dwelling aquatic insect larvae, which it finds by probing the streambed with its pliable, sensitive bill. It grows to a maximum size of 1 to 2.4 kg (2.2 to 5.3 lb). One of only a few venomous mammals, the male platypus has a poison gland in the hind leg that opens through a bony spur on the ankle. The spur is used to defend against predators and possibly to defend its territory against other males. The females lack the venom gland and bony spur.

Polar Bear
Polar bears congregate on the snow-covered shores of Hudson Bay in northeastern Manitoba. All of Manitoba’s rivers and streams drain into the Bay, where the fishing is good for polar bears.







Pronghorn
The pronghorn is one of the fastest mammals on earth, reaching a maximum speed of 86 km/hr (55 mph) and a sustained speed of 70 km/hr (45 mph). Native to the open grasslands and brushlands of the western United States, Canada, and Mexico, the pronghorn feeds on crops and a variety of wild plants. The pronghorn’s eyes are set far out on the skull, allowing for a 360-degree field of view.



Red Wolf
The red wolf, Canis rufus, is smaller than its close relative, the gray wolf. Virtually extinct in the wild, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is breeding red wolves in captivity. They have had mixed success when the captive-bred red wolves were released into two wilderness sites within their native habitat in the southeastern United States. Some wolves were able to thrive while others died.


Reindeer
The reindeer inhabits the far northern reaches of Europe and Asia, as well as North America, where the animal is called a caribou. Although the population of reindeer has declined, some nomadic tribes in North Asia and Europe and northernmost North America still follow the herds, using the flesh of the animals as food and their antlers as tools and utensils. Massive assymetrical antlers grow on both male and female reindeer; the female reindeer is the only type of female deer to have antlers.


Ring-Tailed Lemurs
The ring-tailed lemur, Lemur catta, is found only on the island of Madagascar and the nearby islands of Comoros. Adults of this species grow to 38 to 43 cm (15 to 17 in) in length and can reach weights of nearly 4 kg (9 lb). Their habitat ranges from tropical deciduous forest to semi-desert, and they are comfortable both on the ground and climbing trees.




Short-Beaked Echidna
Echidnas are monotremes, or egg-laying mammals. The female deposits a single egg in her pouch while lying on her back. The egg hatches only about ten days later, but a young echidna stays in its mother’s pouch, feeding from milk “patches,” until its spines begin to develop. An echidna’s spines are its protection. If threatened, the animal curls up in a ball, offering a mouthful of sharp spikes to its attacker. On soft soil, it will use its long foreclaws to bury itself and escape heat and disturbances. The short-beaked echidna is Tachyglossus aculeatus.

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Dall Sheep
Dall sheep, sometimes called thinhorn sheep, inhabit cliff regions in Alpine and Arctic tundra areas of Alaska and northern British Columbia. Related to the musk ox and the moutain goat, these sheep can have either black, gray, or white coats, depending on the subspecies.





Douroucouli
The douroucouli is the only species of monkey that is nocturnal. With its large eyes, it is well adapted to see at night, but it can not perceive colors.










Dugong
This male dugong is among only a few thousand of the large marine mammals believed to remain in the Indian and western Pacific oceans. Dugongs, commonly called sea cows, have long been hunted for their meat, blubber, oil, and hide. The harmless animal uses its rounded forelimbs for locomotion and its muscular lips to tear water plants for food.




Grévy’s Zebra
The Grévy’s zebra (Equus grevyi) is the largest zebra, weighing up to 450 kg (990 lb). The vertical stripes on its body are narrow and close together, covering most of the body except the belly. Grévy’s zebra frequents the plains and brush country of Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya.



Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus divides its time between water and land. During the day, its unusually thin outer layer of skin wicks moisture away too quickly for the animal to remain out of water for very long. Instead of sweat glands, the skin has glands that secrete a thick, reddish fluid impenetrable by the sun’s burning rays; for this reason, hippos have been said to “sweat blood.” Hippopotamuses spend the night on land, foraging for the roughly 40 kg (88 lb) of food they consume a day.

Holstein Cow
Dairy farmers raise Holstein cows to produce milk. One Holstein cow can produce around 9,500 kg (21,000 lb) of milk in one year.






Komondor
A komondor is a breed of working dog distinguished by a coat of long, corded white hair that feels like felt.






Minke Whale
The small, lively minke whale is distinguished by a dark-and-light harlequin coloration, including white stripes across the flippers and upper back. When playing, a minke whale may breach, or leap out of the water, at a 45-degree angle, and then arch its back for a smooth reentry, or stretch out horizontally for a loud belly flop. These inquisitive whales sometimes appear alongside a ship, often keeping pace with the vessel for speeds up to 30 knots.





Netherland Dwarf Rabbit
The Netherland Dwarf rabbit is one of the most popular breeds of pet rabbit.









Nine-Banded Armadillo
The nine-banded or common long-nosed armadillo is the most widespread and adaptable of all species of armadillos. It ranges from the southern United States southward into Argentina and Uruguay and feeds on fungi, fruits, tubers, termites, ants, small vertebrates, and carrion.

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Arctic Fox
The arctic fox, Alopes lagopus, wears two coats. Its warm-weather coat is gray-brown. During the winter, however, its fur is thick, white camouflage against a landscape of snow and ice, protection both from predators and from the harsh temperatures of tundra latitudes. The fox’s small snout and ears also conserve heat, as do its fur-covered feet, reminiscent of a rabbit’s. Temperatures drop to -70° C (-94° F) before the arctic fox begins to shiver. A small number have blue coloration in colder months, alternating to a rich brown in the summer.

Asian Water Buffalo
Related to the African water buffalo, yak, American bison, European bison, and four-horned antelope, the Asian water buffalo, Bubalus bubalis, has been domesticated and is now found throughout India, Asia, South America, Europe, and southern Africa.



Australian Shepherd
Brought to the United States by sheepherders in the late 19th century, the Australian shepherd possesses strong herding instincts. The Australian shepherd’s natural ability to steer cattle and sheep makes it popular as both a working dog and a pet on many American farms and ranches.







Aye-Aye
The aye-aye belongs to a group of arboreal mammals known as lemurs. This solitary, nocturnal mammal has very large incisors, toes, and fingers. The aye-aye, which is found only in northwestern and eastern Madagascar, feeds primarily on insect larvae and fruits.






Barren Ground Caribou
Unlike other members of the deer family, both male and female caribou have antlers. Antlers are shed and regenerated annually, their growth controlled by sex hormones. In the spring, male antlers have a velvet appearance due to the thin coat of fine hairs that supplies them with nourishing blood flow. Within a few months, antler growth is complete and blood circulation in the velvet ceases. The animal rubs its antlers against a tree to scrape away the dead skin.

Blue Whale
The blue whale, the largest animal ever to exist, may grow over 24 m (80 ft) in length. The loud moans of blue whales may carry through deep waters to distances more than 160 km (100 mi) away, allowing them to communicate across vast areas of water. Hunted nearly to extinction in the first half of the 20th century, blue whales are now protected, although they remain endangered.






Bonobo
The bonobo, or pygmy chimpanzee, and its close cousin, the common chimpanzee, are the closest animal relatives to humans. Bonobos have a particularly peaceful way of life, where affection instead of force is used to establish rank.





Borzoi
The Borzoi, or Russian wolfhound, was bred in Russia in the early 17th century to hunt wolves and rabbits. A swift runner, the dog is characterized by a long, silky coat; a low-hanging tail; and long body.







California Sea Lion
Raising his muzzle and displaying his powerful chest, a California sea lion, Zalophus californianus, takes an aggressive posture to stake out his breeding territory and warn off intruders. If another male sea lion, or a human, approaches him, he will bark loudly and prepare to fight to defend his chosen mating area along the rocky coast.



Chinese Shar-Pei
Chinese breeders originally cultivated the excess folds of skin on the Shar-Pei to give the breed an advantage in dogfights. Considered a working dog since its origin in ancient times, the Chinese Shar-Pei retains an independent demeanor.

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