HIPPOPOTAMUS

Common name: Hippopotamus, Hippo
Scientific name: Hippopotamus amphibius
Diet: Mostly herbivorous
Average lifespan: 40-50 years
Habitat: Sub-Saharan Africa
Status: Vulnerable

Often considered the most ferocious animal in Africa, the hippopotamus is one of the world's most aggressive creatures, and the second largest land animal after the elephant. With their sheer size, enormous mouth and massive canine teeth, it's no wonder humans ought to steer clear of these mammals!

The word hippopotamus comes from ancient Greek meaning ‘river horse'. Hippos are semi-aquatic and spend a lot of their time in rivers and lakes. Both reproduction and birth occurs in water, which is rather unique in the animal world. To keep themselves cool from the hot African sun they spend most of their day in the water, emerging at dusk to graze. They do this solitarily and are not territorial on land. Hippos can consume up to 68 kilograms of grasses each night - that's a lot of food! Adult hippos cannot swim, but their specific gravity allows them to sink and run along the river floor.

Fun stuff!

Play hungry hippo online here.

Watch hippos in action here.

Click here to meet Jessica. A rather unique over-sized homely companion!

Read about a hippo and his dentist visit in the news here.

Did You Know?
• Hippos are the third largest land mammals by weight, weighing between one-and-a-half to three tonnes.

• They can easily outrun humans, and have been clocked at speeds of up to 30km/h.

• Their closest living relations are cetaceans (i.e. whales, porpoises, etc).

• They live in groups of up to 30 animals. A group is called a pod, herd, dale or bloat.

• Hippos secrete a red substance often referred to as ‘blood sweat'. The secretion acts as a natural sunscreen.

RACCOON DOG

Common name: Raccoon dog
Scientific name: Nyctereutes procyonoides
Diet: Omnivore
Average lifespan: Three to four years in the wild
Habitat: Plains, mountainous regions and common woodlands in Europe and Asia.
Status: Least concern

The raccoon dog is a member of the canid family and is native to East Asia. These opportunist hunters will eat almost anything. Females have no time to be picky; they need all the food they can find as they produce large litters of fifteen or more pups. The difficulty in feeding such a large litter has resulted in the raccoon dog providing milk for her pups for twice as long as any other dog.

Raccoon dogs acquired their name due to their astounding resemblance to raccoons, although they are not closely related.

The populations of the native East Asian raccoon dogs have been in decline recently due to human activity, especially the fur trade. Large numbers of Raccoon dogs are hunted and bred for their fur.

Learn more about raccoon dogs here .

Did you know?
• Raccoon dogs have very short legs, which make it difficult for them to get about in snow. This could be why they hibernate during winter.

• There are six recognised subspecies of raccoon dogs.

• The raccoon dog is secretive and not aggressive, playing dead to avoid predators.

ANGLERFISH

Common name: Anglerfish
Scientific name: Lophiiformes
Diet: Predator
Average Lifespan: 30-100 years
Habitat: Ocean (abyssal zone)
Status: Rare

Ever wondered what inspires our movie makers when they terrify us with supernatural creatures from the dark recesses of their imagination? What twist of imagination inspired Jabba the Hutt, or the ‘The Prawns' from District 9? Our own kiwi filmmakers at Weta Workshop seem to have mastered the art of CGI beasts of the most horrifying design.

In the book Designing movie creatures and characters: behind the scenes with the movie masters, Richard Rickitt interviews Richard Taylor about the creatures they create. "When it comes to living creatures, the real world is always our inspiration. That means including authentic physiological and anatomical detail," explains Richard Taylor.

When gazing into the gaping mouth of an Anglerfish from the deep, one wonders about this creatures evolutionary path. The term Anglerfish seems to suggest that this fish is a popular fish for anglers (which unfortunately it is). However, the term was actually devised because this ‘predator' fish entices other fish into its rather imposing mouth with a lure or bait (a fleshy tentacle that sprouts from the top of the fishes head, called an ‘esca'). Anglerfish are found in oceans all over the world. Some are bottom-dwellers while others prefer shallower water. Wouldn't you love to bump into one of these beauties when you're out snorkeling?

X-rated!
The Anglerfish has a very unusual method of reproduction. Due to the fact that they tend to live in very dark waters and in limited numbers, they have devised a unique method of finding a ‘permanent' mate. The male Anglerfish is about ten times smaller than the female. When he is born his only desire is to find a female. One area of the male is highly developed - his sense of smell. Once the male has tracked down a female, he bites into her abdomen and literally fuses himself to her body. Over time the male body atrophies, his digestive organs, brain, heart, and eyes disappear until all that is left are a pair of gonads. These gonads release sperm when the female is fertile, thus ensuring the female always has a male sperm donor ‘on board'.

So, now we know a little more about the Anglerfish, a fascinating animal that shocks our senses, and no doubt inspires our moviemakers.

Did you know?
• The Anglerfish can wiggle the esca so it resembles a prey animal, and some can actually emit light.
• Some bottom dwelling Anglerfish have pectoral fins that allow them to walk along the ocean floor.
• All around the head and body of the fish are fringed appendages that resemble seaweed and are able to change colour depending on the surroundings, thus camouflaging the fish. 

Click here to watch Anglerfish narrated by David Attenborough.

ORANGUTAN

Orangutans are great apes found only in the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. They are the largest tree-dwelling mammals, spending as much as ninety per cent of their time in trees, and depending on them for survival.

A typical day for an orangutan is spent foraging for food. Their diet consists mainly of fruit, but they also enjoy certain flowers, honey, bark, leaves and insects.

Unlike other apes, orangutans are vastly solitary, with the males spending their lives alone. Females on the other hand have a strong bond with their infants, staying with them for six or seven years, until they have developed the skills to survive on their own. Females only give birth once every eight years, which is the longest length of time between births of any animal.

Deforestation and palm oil plantations are largely responsible for the endangered status of the orangutan. If these amazing creatures are not protected now, they could become extinct within the next ten to twenty years.

Click here to watch orangutans demonstrate their DIY skills.

Click here to watch orangutans in the news.

Did you know?
• The Malay word orangutan means ‘person of the forest.'
• We share 96.4% of our genetic makeup with orangutans.
• Palm oil typically costs the lives of up to 50 orangutans per week.
• Male orangutans reach a height of approximately four-and-a-half feet and females about three-and-a-half feet.
• Males have longer hair than females, and disc-like cheek pads.

CAPYBARA

Common name: Capybara, Capibara, chigüire, ronsoco, chigüiro, carpincho capivara.
Scientific name: Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris.
Diet: Herbivorous.
Lifespan: 4-8 years in the wild.
Habitat: Found near water in the dense forests of South America.
Status: Not threatened.

It's hard to not draw attention to yourself when you are a capybara, the world's largest living rodent. Growing up to 130 centimetres long and weighing up to a whopping 65 kilograms, the ‘masters of the grasses' have it tough when it comes to keeping a low profile to avoid becoming lunch.

These semi-aquatic mammals have webbed feet that make them extra speedy in the water but often this is still not fast enough to escape the jaws of their many predators - the jaguar, puma, ocelot, eagle, caiman, anaconda and even humans.

Capybara are social creatures found living in large groups (10 to 30 others) that are dominated by one male. Their leisurely lives are spent grazing on grasses, aquatic plants, fruit and bark - they can eat up to 3.6 kilograms of plants a day. Their constant grazing wears down their teeth, which is no big deal for the capybara as their teeth grow continuously.

Learn more about the cute capybara here.

Did you know?
• The capybara's scientific name, Hydrocherus, is Greek for ‘water hog' and their common name (capybara) means ‘master of the grasses.'

• The record for the heaviest capybara was 105.4 kilograms!

• Capybara are prone to sunburn and roll in the mud to help keep their skin protected, just like pigs.

• 75% of their diet encompasses only 3 to 6 species of plant.

• Capybara are related to the guinea pig.

NAKED MOLE RAT

Common name: Naked mole rat, sand puppy, desert mole rat.
Scientific name: Heterocephalus glaber
Type: Mammal
Diet: Herbivorous
Length: 8-10cm
Weight: 30g-80g
Status: Not threatened

Virtually blind, the naked mole rat spends most of its time tunnelling its way underground in the deserts of Africa. Life in the dark is no challenge for naked mole rats, they are equipped with whiskers and a tail that they use to guide them and feel their way through the darkness. So skilled are these sightless navigators that they can run equally fast backwards as they can forwards.

Their complex social structure is highly unusual for a mammal and in this sense they live more like insects in colonies. The colony is ruled by a queen who mates with one to three males while all other members remain celibate and committed workers for the rest of their lives.

Colonies are made up entirely of family members and can range in size from 20 to 300 members. When the queen dies other females will compete to take her place, often ending in violence. Once the new queen is established she grows in length, this allows her to carry large litters during pregnancy while still managing to fit through the narrow tunnels of their underworld.

Did you know?
Naked mole rats don't drink any water and must obtain all their hydration from the plants that they eat.

These remarkable rodents appear to have a high resistance to cancer; cancer has never been observed in them.

MOOSE

Common name: Moose (North America), common elk (Europe)
Scientific name: Alces alces
Habitat: Northern Hemisphere forests in temperate to sub-arctic climates.
Diet: Herbivorous
Lifespan: Up to 27 years
Status: Not threatened

Munching on twigs and trees, in the forests of the Northern Hemisphere, dwells the moose. Largest of the deer species, the moose stands up to two metres tall at shoulder height, and can weigh as much as 820 kilograms. The bulls (males) have distinctive palmate antlers that can branch out to one and a half metres. These unique antlers take three to five months to fully develop, and are shed after mating season (September-October) to conserve energy in the winter.

Moose are mainly solitary animals and are not territorial. Fights usually occur between bulls, who are polygamous, to gain access to females, and they will often engage their antlers in battle.

There are few enemies to the moose; hunters, wolves and even ticks are among their predators. Ticks seem to wreak the most havoc on moose, latching on to the unsuspecting victim in swarms of thousands and draining their blood. It is estimated that ticks can drain up to half of a moose cub's blood. Moose infested by ticks grow weak and eventually die.

Vehicle collisions with moose are so common that many countries have ‘moose Xing' signs to warn drivers of this huge hazard. Because of their sheer size, a collision with a moose can be fatal to both the moose and the driver, and stories of moose-related accidents appear regularly in the news.

What really ticks a moose off? Find out here.

Did you know?

• The word moose is derived from the Algonquian Eastern Abnaki name moz, which loosely translates to "twig eater."

• "Moose" is both singular and plural, unlike goose becoming geese.

• Ten moose were introduced to Fiordland in 1910, but they were thought to have died off. However, there have been sightings reported that were thought to be false until moose hair samples were found by a New Zealand scientist in 2002.

• The first written description of elk appears in Julius Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico (c. 50s or 40s BC).

• It is estimated that in Norway some 13,000 moose have died in collisions with Norwegian trains since 2000.

LEMUR

Common name: Lemur
Infra order: Lemuriformes
Diet: Herbivorous and omnivorous
Lifespan: Around 18 years
Status: Threatened, endangered or extinct.

The treetops of Madagascar serve as a home and playful jungle gym for a group of primates called lemurs. Lemurs are the most primitive type of primates called prosimians. Unlike most other primates, lemurs that live in groups (called troops) have a matriarchal society. This means that the females dominate, and when their group is in danger the females will fight to protect them.

Most species of lemur spend little time on the ground. Instead they can leap with great grace and distance from tree to tree. Their opposable thumbs and long toes give them excellent grip and leverage to leap.

Scientists are uncertain how many species of lemur exist, but there are 99 known species to date. Lemurs range in size from 30 grams (pygmy mouse lemur) to 10 kilograms (indri lemur). Before human settlement in Madagascar there were larger species that weighed up to 240 kilograms, though these species are now extinct. All lemurs are threatened with extinction, mainly due to habitat destruction (deforestation) and hunting.

Click here to view lemurs in the news.

Did you know?
• The term "lemur" is derived from the Latin word lemures, meaning "spirits of the night" or "ghosts."
• When lemurs are born, they are carried in their mother's mouth until they are old enough to hang on to her fur by themselves.
• Smaller lemurs are nocturnal, larger ones are diurnal.
• Lemurs use their tails to communicate with one another.
• By the 1600s, humans had driven about 16 lemur species to extinction.
• Approximately 90 per cent of Madagascar's original rainforest, which is home to all lemurs, has been destroyed.

Click here to watch the lemur leap!

KIWI

Common name: Kiwi
Genus: Apteryx (Latin for wingless)
Type: Mammal
Diet: Carnivorous
Lifespan: Up to 60 years
Status: Endangered

The kiwi is an important national icon and treasure to New Zealanders. The love for this unique bird is demonstrated by our worldwide nickname ‘kiwi' which refers to a New Zealander, particularly when travelling abroad. There have also been cartoons such as the Goodnight Kiwi, Kiwi shoe polish and kiwis on our money. So what makes this shy little bird so special?

Kiwis are the smallest living ratites (flightless birds) and are found only in New Zealand. They have poor eyesight and rely on their excellent sense of smell to hunt out food and find their way. Kiwis are the only bird to have their nostrils located at the end of their beaks. The advantage of this is that the kiwi can seek out food by pushing their long beaks through forest floor foliage and deep into the soil to seek out worms. These largely nocturnal birds were once believed to be close relatives of the moa, however recent DNA tests have revealed that they are more likely to be the ancestors of the emu and the cassowaries. These studies indicate that the kiwi could be of Australian descent.

The kiwi is territorial and marks its ownership with a unique call. You can listen to the call of the kiwi here.

The kiwi population is in rapid decline and if we do not protect them they could be extinct in our lifetime. The three main threats to kiwi are predators, habitat loss and humans.

Tragic statistics
• About 50 percent of all kiwi eggs fail to even hatch - sometimes because of natural bacteria, sometimes because the adult bird is disturbed by predators.
• Of the eggs that do hatch, about 90 percent of chicks are dead within six months.
• 70 percent of these are killed by stoats or cats, and about 20 percent die of natural causes or at the jaws and claws of other predators.
• Only 10 percent of kiwi chicks make it to six months.
• Fewer than five percent reach adulthood.

Watch David Attenborough as he discovers kiwi here.

Did you know?

• Kiwi have the special protection of Tane Mahuta, god of the forest. The bird's ceremonial name is te manu huna a Tane - the hidden bird of Tane.
• The London Zoo was the first zoo to hold a kiwi, in 1851.
• The kiwi lays the biggest egg in proportion to its size of any bird in the world.
• The kiwi as a symbol first appeared in the late 19th century in New Zealand regimental badges. In 1906, when Kiwi shoe polish became available overseas, the symbol became widely known. This could be the reason for our nickname ‘kiwi.'

HEDGEHOG

Common name: European Hedgehog
Scientific name: Erinaceus europaeus
Type: Mammal
Diet: Carnivorous
Life Span: Up to five years

Small, spiky and incredibly cute, the hedgehog is found foraging in gardens and loves to reside under hedges, leaves and general overgrowth. Their cuteness has been captured for centuries in British folk tales, and in recent history in the form of children's books such as The Wind in the Willows series, and Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle.

Hedgehogs have even made it into the virtual world with a starring role in the computer saga Sonic the Hedgehog.

Hedgehogs are small, nocturnal and solitary mammals, covered in up to 6,000 spines and a fur undercoat. Their spines protect them from predators - when a hedgehog senses danger it rolls up into a ball, making it undesirable prickly prey.

These adorable creatures have poor eyesight but a great sense of hearing and smell, which helps them to hunt out their dinner of insects, worms and even mice! During winter the hedgehog hibernates, and this is sadly the time when the majority of hedgehog deaths occur.

Did you know?

• New Zealand's McGillicuddy Serious Party (1984-1999) once attempted to get a hedgehog elected to Parliament. They were unsuccessful.

To learn more about hedgehogs click here.

Did you know?
• The young born each year, in litters ranging from one to eleven, remain with their mothers for only four to seven weeks before heading out on their own.

• Male hedgehogs will sometimes prey upon the young of their species. Hedgehog mothers have also been known to eat their young if the nest is disturbed, though sometimes they simply move them to a new nest.

• The winning joke at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe was about hedgehogs - "Hedgehogs. Why can't they just share the hedge?"

• It's a myth that hedgehogs like milk, they are lactose-intolerant.

• The common American holiday Groundhog Day originated in ancient Rome as Hedgehog Day, and is still celebrated as such throughout much of the world. There are no native hedgehogs in the United States, so the early settlers there chose the groundhog as a substitute.

JAGUAR

Common name: Jaguar
Scientific name: Panthera onca
Diet: Carnivorous
Status: Near threatened

Not all cats were created equal. Jaguars are the largest felines in the Western Hemisphere and are often confused with leopards because of their spots. Most jaguars are tan and orange with ‘rosettes' or black spots, but occasionally you can find black and white (very rare) jaguars.

Throughout history the jaguar has gained a reputation for its sheer power and strength. In ancient Mayan culture there were various jaguar gods - most were powerful rulers of the underworld and hunters of the night. In today's popular culture, the jaguar's sturdy image is used in branding and represents many things, from sport teams to luxurious cars.

The term jaguar is derived from the Native American word yaguar, which means "he who kills with one leap," referring to the jaguar's ‘stalk and ambush' hunting tactic. Jaguars usually attack from cover and pounce on their prey, killing them by piercing their brain with their canine teeth (a technique unique to felines).

The jaguar population is declining, and they currently have a ‘near threatened' status which means jaguar may be threatened with extinction in the near future. Their decline is largely due to human activities such as habitat destruction and the fur trade.

Did you know?
• Jaguars are apex predators - this means they are at the top of the food chain and in adulthood they are not preyed upon.
• The average lifespan of jaguar in the wild is 12 to 15 years.
• Jaguars are crepuscular- they are mainly active between dawn and dusk.
• Cubs are born blind and gain their sight at around two-weeks-old.
• Jaguars weigh between 45 and 113 kg.

Click here to learn more about these amazing cats!

Did you know?

IGUANA

Species: Iguana iguana.
Common name: Green iguana.
Class: Reptillia.
Habitat: Tropical rainforest in Central and South America, islands throughout the Caribbean region and the coastal eastern Pacific.
Diet: Omnivorous.
Threat to survival: Habitat destruction and the pet industry.

Green iguanas are cold-blooded reptiles that live in sun-drenched, tropical areas. Sun-basking spots are prime real estate in the iguana world, and highly sought after. Iguanas rely on the sun's heat to maintain their body temperature and to aid digestion. When their temperature drops, iguanas become slow and sluggish, jeopardising their survival.

Iguanas live a solitary life. They only group together to mate, and have very little to do with their offspring. When baby iguanas hatch they are left to fend on their own, growing up without the protection of parents. They live a treacherous childhood, spending most of their time seeking out food and clawing their way to safety from predators. It is estimated that perhaps no more than five percent of green iguanas will survive their first year. If they make it into adulthood, iguanas can live up to eight years in the wild.

Did you know?
Iguanas have a ‘third eye' (the parietal eye) on the top of their head.

If danger is near iguanas can inflate their lungs and free fall 30 metres, their lungs acting as a cushion.

Iguanas can shed their tails to escape from predators. They grow new tails but these are never as long as their original one.

Adults can grow to lengths of almost two metres and weigh up to 13.5 kilograms.

Did you know?
Iguanas were used in B-grade films to portray dinosaurs. The film One Million B.C. resulted in the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals banning the gruesome use of reptiles in film.

These clever reptiles can slow down their heart rate to save oxygen, enabling them to hold their breath for up to 40 minutes under water.

Green iguanas love the water and are excellent swimmers.

Horse

Common name: Horse
Trinomial name: Equus ferus caballus
Family: Equidae
Status: Domesticated
Diet: Herbivorous

The horse is a fundamental figure in the shaping of our history, and is viewed as a symbol of western civilisation and ‘progress.'

Around 4,000 BC humans began to domesticate horses, leading to their use in transport and warfare. Since their domestication horses have been bred selectively to suit different tasks (such as work horses and sport horses). Presently there are over 300 different breeds, but this selective breeding has seen the decline and extinction of true wild horses.

Did you know?

• Horses are able to sleep both lying down and standing up.

• The oldest recorded horse was ‘Old Billy,' who was born in the 19th century and lived to be 62 years old. Today the average horse lives between 25 and 30 years.

• Horses have the largest eyes of any land mammal.

• Domesticated horses tend to face greater mental challenges than wild horses, due to their artificial environment.

Did you know?

• Horses can crossbreed with other members of the Equus genus such as donkeys.

• The term cowboy was first used in Texas in the 1860s to describe the work of men controlling cattle on horseback.

• Przewalski's horses are the last surviving subspecies of wild horse. 

Giant squid

Common name: Giant Squid
Scientific name: Architeuthis dux
Type: Invertebrate
Diet: Carnivorous

The ocean is an alien world home to some of the most fascinating, mysterious and yet to be discovered creatures on this planet.

One such mystery is that of the giant squid, the biggest invertebrate on earth. Little is known about these mammoth creatures who live so deep in the ocean that scientists have never been able to study or observe them in their natural environment. What is known about the giant squid is mainly based on studies of washed-up carcasses.

DID YOU KNOW?

The largest giant squid ever found measured 18 metres in length and weighed nearly a ton (900 kg).

Giant squid, along with their cousins, the colossal squid, have the largest eyes in the animal kingdom, measuring 25 centimetres in diameter.

In 2004, researchers in Japan took the first images ever of a live giant squid. And in late 2006, scientists caught and brought to the surface a live seven-metre female giant squid. Learn more here.

Fantail

Common name: Piwakawaka, tiwakawaka, fantail

Scientific name:  Rhipidura fuliginosa

The friendly fantail is a small bird native to New Zealand and Australia. The New Zealand fantail belongs to three different subspecies not found anywhere else - one on each of the North, South and Chatham Islands. Fantails are insectivores, which means their diet consists mainly of insects, but occasionally they will eat fruit. These curious little creatures are easily distinguished by their 8cm long, fan-like tail, which they use to catch their prey.

Fantails are well known for their ‘tameness' and often follow people on bush walks - a characteristic that may have contributed to their nomination as a national favourite. They can be found fluttering about in forests, rural and urban environments. Their song is a high-pitched twittering sound. Click here to listen.

Most fantails are brown with a paler shade underneath. There is not much difference in appearance between males and females, except that the male is slightly larger.

Did you know?
• In legends it is considered to be bad luck for a fantail to come inside your home.

• Apart from piwakawaka and tiwakawaka, there are 17 other dialectal Maori names for the fantail, many of which denote the restlessness of this little bird.
• About 20 per cent of South Island fantails are completely black.
• The oldest fantail known was three years old.
• Fantails topped a national poll as Bird of the Year in 2006.

Pigs

Common name: Pig, hog, swine.

Family: Sus domestica

Pigs were domesticated around 7,000 years ago and originated from the Eurasian wild boar. Today there are approximately two billion pigs on the planet and scientists have ranked them as the fourth most intelligent animal behind chimpanzees, dolphins and elephants. When given the space to do so, pigs will make their ‘toilets' in a separate area from their sleeping and eating quarters. These loveable creatures are often seen as dirty because they like to roll about in mud but pigs are actually very clean. The reason they love a good mud bath is because they have no sweat glands and use the mud to keep their skin cool and protected from the sun.

Find out more about pigs and SAFE's lovepig campaign, click here.

 Did you know?

• A piglet weighs around 1.5 kg at birth and will double its weight in just 7 days.
• A mature pig has 44 teeth.
• Pigs are very social animals and form close bonds with each other and other species.
• Pigs have four toes on each hoof, but only walk on two toes per foot.
• Some pigs have straight tails and some pigs have curly ones.

Elephants

Common names: Elephant, African elephant
Scientific name: Loxodonta africana
Lifespan: 60 to 70 years
Diet: Herbivorous

In the heartlands of Africa, roaming free across the grassy plains, you can find one of the most majestic and noble creatures, the African elephant. Towering at up to nearly four metres tall they are the largest living land mammal and can weigh a staggering 6 1/2 tonnes.

Despite their sheer size and beauty elephants fall victim to poachers and exploitation - humans are sadly their main predators. Even today, ivory tusks fetch a high price, and people flock to zoos and circuses to view the lonely lives of captive elephants for the dubious purposes of entertainment and education. But there is so much more to elephants than cheap tricks...

Elephants are highly social creatures that live in herds made up of members of their extended family. They meet and greet new herds using sound and by touching with their trunks, often showing a lot of affection and excitement in the presence of new acquaintances. Elephants use low-frequency sounds unable to be heard by humans to communicate with other elephants up to 10 kilometres away.

Scientists believe that elephants mourn the loss of others; they can be seen hovering over the remains of dead elephants, touching and examining their bones and tusks with their trunks. View this phenomenon.

Ele-facts
• Elephants have a longer pregnancy than any other mammal - almost 22 months. Cows (female elephants) usually give birth to one calf every two to four years.

• A young male elephant stays with the herd until he is fourteen or fifteen years old. Then, he goes out on his own. The young male will try to find a female elephant for a companion.

• African elephants cannot be domesticated easily.

Daddy long-leg spiders

Common name: Daddy long legs
Scientific name: Pholcus phalangioides (Fuesslin)
Order: Araneae
Family: Pholcidae

Spiders are friends not foes. Despite the bad rap they receive, very few species of spiders cause harm to humans and without them insect populations would spiral out of control.

Named after their characteristically long legs (up to 30mm long), daddy long legs are common household spiders that are found worldwide. These spiders love corners and spin their webs in houses, caves, under rocks and in warm dry places.

Myths about daddy long legs being ‘the most poisonous spiders in the world' are just that. Recent research suggests that their venom is actually rather weak in its effects on insects and there are no reported cases of their venom harming humans.

Along with the use of their venom, daddy long legs kill their prey by throwing silk at them from a distance. The prey is then wrapped in a ‘parcel' so that the spider can eat at its own leisure - now that's sensible!

Click here to watch and learn more about spiders.

Did you know?
• The weight of insects eaten by spiders every year is greater than the total weight of the entire human population.

• There can be up to nearly five million spiders per hectare.

• The combined length of thread in a spider's web is about 20 to 60 metres and it can take a spider up to three hours to make an orb web.

• On an equal weight basis, spider silk is twice as strong as steel. In addition, spider silk is very elastic. It is this combination of strength and stretch that makes the energy-to-break ratio of spider silk so high. Simply put, it is the toughest material known.

• Spiders have 48 "knees": 8 legs with 6 joints on each.

Rabbits

Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Diet: Herbivorous

The rabbit has been a popular anthropomorphic figure in folklore and popular culture for hundreds of years. Many of us have cherished childhood memories of characters such as Bugs Bunny, the velveteen rabbit and the adventurous Peter Rabbit. But perhaps no other rabbit has been more celebrated than the Easter Bunny.

The rabbit and the hare were once the most fertile animals known. In many cultures around the world the rabbit represented new life and fertility during the springtime. In the Northern Hemisphere Easter falls in the spring. This led to the use of the rabbit as a symbol of Easter, representing new life during the religious holiday.

It is believed the ‘Easter bunny' was created in Germany, appearing in literature in the 16th century. In the 19th century Germany created the first edible Easter bunnies made out of pastry and sugar.

Today the traditional charm of the Easter bunny has been swept away in a wave of commercialisation.

Rabbits in the Wild
In the wild rabbits have gained a reputation as being ‘pests.' Rabbits are prey for such a wide variety of predators that they have developed an ability to reproduce rapidly - they can produce up to 100 offspring per year!

If you have ever observed a rabbit in the wild you might have seen them doing a jumping and twisting motion. This motion is called a ‘binky' and is performed by rabbits when they are happy. Rabbits are happiest when they have plenty of room to bounce around, play, scratch, chew and burrow.

Watch the Eco-bunnies

Did you know?
• Rabbits have 28 teeth. Their teeth never stop growing.
• Predators can literally scare a rabbit to death.
• Rabbits were released onto deserted islands to provide a food source for shipwrecked sailors.
• Rabbits are the only mammals in the world that can see behind themselves without having to rotate their head.
• Rabbits are excellent jumpers. The world record for the highest jump by a rabbit is one metre.

Did you know?
The cave bear population went into decline in the Late Pleistocene epoch. This was probably due to the expansion of the brown bear population and increased competition for food and shelter. Cave bears vanished throughout Europe, and shortly after the end of the Ice Age they were extinct.

Bats

Common Name: Pekapeka, bats
Scientific Name: Chalinolobus (long-tailed) and Mystacina (short-tailed)
Status: Endangered

Bats are mysterious creatures that have fascinated and frightened humans for centuries. These creatures of the night have crept their way into popular culture, inspiring the creation of some of the most feared and loved characters of all time. From the heroic Batman to fearsome bloodthirsty vampires, it is time to shed some light on the gothic ‘villain,' the bat.

Bats are the only mammals that are capable of sustained flight and are often referred to as ‘flying rodents.' In New Zealand there are two main kinds of bat, the long-tailed and the short-tailed. The long-tailed bat enjoys a diet of insects while the short-tailed is an omnivore, helping to pollinate flowers and disperse the seeds of fruit trees. They are important pollinators for our native forests and a very helpful friend to the pohutukawa.

Humans have had a huge impact on pekapeka, who depend on the shelter of old trees for breeding. Land-clearance, the destruction of forests and the introduction of predators have all contributed to their ‘endangered' status. There are things we can do to help the pekapeka.

Visit DOC for information on protecting the gentle pekapeka in your area.

Watch bats on Youtube!

Did you know?

Pekapeka use ‘echolocation' to navigate their way through the dark night, bouncing high-frequency sounds off surrounding objects to obtain a picture of their environment.

Giant Armadillo

Common Name: Giant Armadillo
Scientific Name: Priodontes maximus
Status: Endangered

If you have ever seen pictures of a giant armadillo you have probably thought to yourself, ‘What on earth is that?'! The striking appearance of Priodontes maximus resembles a prehistoric creature armed for a galactic battle. But there is a lot more to these creatures than their curious appearance.

Weighing upwards of 26kg the giant armadillo forages alone, only associating with others to mate. This nocturnal creature can live for up to 15 years and resides in eastern parts of South America where there are large termite populations. Their diet is a buffet of ants, termites, spiders and the occasional snake or mouse. Armadillos love their ants and in one serving can consume up to 40,000 of them!

Due to their large size and heavy shielding, giant armadillos have few natural predators. They occasionally fall prey to jaguars and pumas but humans have had the deadliest impact on the species. Over-hunting by humans and loss of habitat caused by human settlement and agricultural development has made these creatures vulnerable and endangered.

Did you know?
Armadillos always give birth to four identical young - the only mammal known to do so. All four young develop from the same egg and they even share the same placenta.