Animal Chain......

[Henaynei]

Unicornis, Rhinoceros ​

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Adult Indian rhinoceros​

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The Indian rhinoceros ("rhino") has one horn, and it has skin with loose folds which make it appear armored. These characteristics distinguish it from the African (black and white) rhinos. It weighs 1600 (female) - 2200 (male) kg (3500 - 4800 lb). The Indian rhino has been recorded from a number of habitats, including marshy lowland and reedbeds; tall grass or bush with patches of savanna and occasional streams and swamps; thick tree and scrub riverine forest; and dry, mixed forest. The Indian rhino mainly eats grass, reeds and twigs, feeding mostly in the morning and evening. It is usually solitary and spends long periods lying in water and wallowing in mud.

The Indian rhino formerly occurred from the foothills of the Hindu Kush in Pakistan, across the sub-Himalayan region, to the India-Myanmar border on the eastern edge of the Brahmaputra watershed. By the late 19th century, the Indian rhino had been eliminated from everywhere except the Chitwan Valley (Nepal), lowland Bhutan, the Teesta Valley (west Bengal, India) and the Brahmaputra Valley (Assam, India). For most of the 20th century, known populations have been concentrated in southern Nepal and northeastern India.

By the early 1900's, the Indian rhino was already thought to be a "vanishing race." Hunting was important to the decline, but man's modification of the rhino's habitat for cultivation and grazing was instrumental in reducing the rhino population to the point where hunting became critical (IUCN 1967). Currently, with most Indian rhinos occurring only in sanctuaries, poaching (mainly for use of its horn in Oriental medicine) is still a major threat, as well as competition for grazing with domestic stock and trespass in sanctuaries by villagers in search of firewood and fodder.

 

[PrNcSsChRmNg91]

Snake

 

[kwimmer]

Sugar Glider

 

[Henaynei]

rattlesnake

 

[kwimmer]

egret

 

[Henaynei]

Tarpan​

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Past....... Present....... Future​

• What is a Tarpan?
  The Tarpan is a prehistoric wild horse type.
• Where did they live?
  The Tarpan ranged from Southern France and Spain eastward to central Russia. Cave drawings of Tarpan horses can be found in France and Spain, and artifacts showing this breed can be found in Southern Russia where this horse was domesticated by Scythian nomads in about 3000 B.C.
• Is the Tarpan horse extinct?
  The original wild Tarpan died out during the late 1800's. The last Tarpan horse died an a Russian game preserve at Askania Nova in 1876.
• Why did they die out?
  When their natural forest and steppe habitat was destroyed to make room for more people, they came into conflict with farmers who did not want the wild Tarpans eating their crops or stealing their tame mares.
  
  The farmers in Eastern Europe treated the Tarpan in much the same manner as mustangs and wild burros are treated in the United States today.
• Did anyone try to save the Tarpan?
  The Polish government created a preserve for animals descended from the wild Tarpan at a forest in Bialowieza. Over the years this herd has developed more and more Tarpan characteristics. Today this breed is sometimes referred to as the Polish Primitive Horse.
• If the Tarpan is extinct, how can it exist today?
  The modern Tarpan is a genetic recreation of the original wild breed.
• Who recreated the Tarpan?
  Heinz and Lutz Heck, two German zoologists working at the Tierpark Hellabrunn (Munich Zoo) in Germany.
• How?
  They believed that all living creatures were the result of their genetic make-up and that genes could be rearranged like the pieces of a puzzle to recreate certain vanished species. Only breeds that still had living descendants could be recreated because those living breeds would be a source for genetic material.

 

[TriptychR]

Ninny Goat

(N's are a pain...)

 

[LADY DI]

toucan

 

[Henaynei]

Norfolk ​

Terrier​

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Courtesy of The Dutch/German Norfolk Terrier Homepage.
(Photo: Sally Anne Thompson)​

This lovable little dog is among the smallest of the working terriers. It has a short, strong, sturdy body with strongly boned legs and a fox like muzzle with large solid teeth. The eyes are dark and expressive. The ears are hanging and tight to the cheeks. The tail is docked by half. Their coats are wiry and straight and come in red, wheaten, tan, black & tan, grizzle, and occasionally with white markings. The faces sport jaunty whiskers and eyebrows.​

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The Norfolk Terriers are active, courageous, affectionate, balanced, and without any nervousness or quarrelsomeness. They are easy to train but need consistent rules to follow. These little dogs love everyone and are good with children. He will dig and bark if left outside for long periods of time with nothing to occupy his quick mind. They love toys and balls and are generally good with other pets, but can be difficult to housebreak. Norfolk Terriers should not be let off of their lead unless secure. They are okay joggers for short distances. Norfolk Terriers sometimes suffer from jealousy.​

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The breed is long-lived and hardy. About 12-15 years​

 

[kwimmer]

kangaroo

 

[Nancaroo]

Ostrich

 

[TriptychR]

Hummingbird

 

[ALittleLightInDarkness]

horse

 

[RJHarmony84]

Eagle

 

[VivDaGurl]

elephant

 

[Ryder]

Turtle

 

[RJHarmony84]

egret

 

[kwimmer]

Tasmanian devil

 

[LADY DI]

lamma

 

[Nancaroo]

Anteater