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Pictures of African Animals Mole and Mole Informations

By Pictures of African animals

on March 17, 2009

Pictures of African Animals Mole and Mole Informations

Moles are mammals, which range in behaviors depending upon the species. Majority of the moles are burrowing moles while some may be aquatic or semi-aquatic. Moles can be found in Africa, North America, Europe and Asia. Male moles are called boars while females are called sows. In some of the countries while few countries such as Germany consider them as protected animals. De Winton’s Golden Mole is a species that is endemic to South Africa.

Moles have cylindrical bodies covered in fur with small or covered eyes and ears are generally not visible. They feed on small invertebrates such as earthworms and other creatures living underground. Occasionally, they may also eat mice that try to enter their burrows. Moles often burrow in lawns, often creating mole-hills and thereby killing lawns. They can indirectly cause damage to plant roots; however, they never eat plants. In many countries, traps, smoke bombs or flooding in the burrows, or poisons like calcium carbide are used for controlling the menace of moles.

Pictures of African Animals Mole and Mole Informations

Posted in: Pictures of African Animals

Tagged with: Africa, animal pictures, Asia, De Winton's Golden Mole, Europe, mammal pistures, Mole pictures, North America, Pictures of African Animals, Pictures of African Animals Mole, Pictures of African Animals Mole and Mole Informations, South Africa

Pictures of African Animals Hedgehog and Hedgehog Informations

By Pictures of African animals

on March 9, 2009

Pictures of African Animals Hedgehog and Hedgehog Informations

Hedgehog is an amazing spiny mammal with stiff pointed spines covering its entire back. They are endemic to Africa, Asia, and certain parts of Europe and they are introduced in Australia and New Zealand. No living species are found in North America. Hedgehogs are nocturnal and insectivorous animals. Urchin and hedge-pig are other names as per the folklores.

Hedgehogs are distinctive spines are essentially hollow hairs that are stiffened by keratins (fibrous structural proteins). Its spines are neither poisonous nor barbed and cannot be easily removed from the body of hedgehogs. Spines come out only once when th animal sheds baby spines and replaces it with adult spines, the process being known as ‘quilling’. Under extreme stress or during sickness, hedgehog may loose some of the spines. Hedgehogs possess a unique ability to roll into a tight ball, thereby causing all the spines to point upwards. This ability provides them the best defense against their predators (foxes, wolves and mongooses). They feed on variety of diets including insects, mice, rodents, snakes and eggs. Travel to see Hedgehog live

Pictures of African Animals Hedgehog and Hedgehog Informations

Posted in: Pictures of African Animals

Tagged with: Africa, amy rose the hedgehog, Asia, Europe, Hedgehog, Middle East, North America, Pictures of African Animals, Pictures of African Animals Hedgehog, Pictures of African Animals Hedgehog and Hedgehog Informations, Recreation, Rodent, shadow the hedgehog, silver the hedgehog, sonic the hedgehog, super sonic the hedgehog

Pictures of African Animals Aardvark and Aardvark Informations

By Pictures of African animals

on February 22, 2009

Pictures of African Animals Aardvark and Aardvark Informations

Aardvark is an amazing and medium sized, burrowing and nocturnal African mammal. Sometimes, aardvark is also called as ‘anteater’, ‘earth hog’, ‘earth pig’ or ‘Cape anteater’. The name aardvark comes from Afrikaans or Dutch term for earth pig. Early settlers from Europe thought it to be a domesticated pig though it is not related to pig. Moreover, despite sharing some of the characteristics and superficial resemblance, it is not related to South American Anteater. Closest living animals to aardvark are elephant shrews, hyraxes and elephants.

Aardvarks can be found in Sub-Saharan Africa in savannas, grasslands, woodlands and bushland where there is suitable habitat and available food (ants, termites etc) for them. Aardvark is vaguely pig-like in appearance with a stout body and an arched back. Limbs are moderate in length. Ears are disproportionately long. Tail is thick at the base and tapers gradually. Head of Aardvarks is greatly elongated. It rests on a short and thick neck. Mouth is small and tubular. They have a long, thin, snake-like protruding tongue and elaborate structures supporting a keen sense of smell. Aardvarks weigh around 40 to 65 kg with length between 1 to 1.3 meters. They are pale yellowish in color.