Pictures of African animals

Pictures of African Animals African Squirrel Monkey

Pictures of African Animals African Squirrel Monkey

The African Squirrel Monkey is a member of the order of primates with scientific name, saimiri sciureus. These monkeys are only as big as squirrels when they grow into adults, weighing between 700 and 1,100 grams and are only about 10 to 14 inches long. The male African squirrel monkey is biologically larger than the female, and has longer canines.

One may commonly find the African squirrel monkey in rainforests. They like to be within close range from vegetation since the latter protects them from preying birds.

African squirrel monkeys are frugivorous (preference for berries) and insectivorous. Occasionally, they also feed on tree frogs and mollusks.

The female African squirrel monkey is left to care for her young, which explains why social interaction is usually dominated by the female species. Like humans, the female African squirrel monkey can only give birth to a singular offspring. Male African squirrel monkeys only socialize with the females during mating season.

Pictures of African Animals African Squirrel Monkey

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Filed under: Pictures of African Animals — Tags: Africa, African Safari, African Squirrel Monkey, Animal, Bird, Endangered species, Humor, Mammal, North Africa, Pictures of africa, Pictures of African Animals, pictures of animals, Primate, Recreation, saimiri sciureus, Species, Squirrel monkey, Squirrels — admin @ 9:08 am June 15, 2010

Pictures of African Animals Porcupine and Porcupine Informations

Pictures of African Animals Porcupine and Porcupine Informations

Porcupine is a rodent endemic to both Old World and New World. They are the third largest living rodents in the world, after capybara and beaver. They are well known for their distinctive coat of spines or quills, similar to the one on hedgehogs. African Porcupines exist in Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, Italy and Sicily. African Porcupines are also known as Crested Porcupines. They are terrestrial and nocturnal mammals and rarely climb trees but they can swim.

Porcupines are a rounded, slow-moving and large animals with a size of 12-35 pounds in weight, 25-35 inches in length excluding tail that measures about 8-10 inches. Porcupines come in various shades of brown, grey and an unusual white. They are fairly large animals with quills in clusters. Their quills or spines are nothing but modified hair that have been thickened by plates of keratins. Depending upon the species, quills may take different forms and shapes. They are mostly herbivorous animals and feed on roots, bulbs, crops, plants and other vegetations. Sometimes, they also east insects and small vertebrates.

Pictures of African Animals Porcupine and Porcupine Informations

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Filed under: Pictures of African Animals — Tags: Animal, Biological classification, Chordata, Kids and Teens, Mammal, mammals, North Africa, North American Porcupine, Old World, Pictures of African Animals, Porcupine, Rodent — admin @ 7:06 pm March 28, 2009

Pictures of African Animals Aardvark and Aardvark Informations

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.

Pictures of African Animals Aardvark and Aardvark Informations

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Filed under: Pictures of African Animals — Tags: Africa, Afrikaans, elephant, Europe, North Africa, Pictures of African Animals, Pictures of African Animals Aardvark and Aardvark Informations, Science and Environment, Society and Culture, Sub-Saharan Africa — admin @ 12:01 pm February 22, 2009

Pictures of African Animals Lion and Lion Informations

Pictures of African Animals Lion and Lion Informations

Sandy colored carnivorous animal Lion belongs to the family of four ‘big cats’. Lion is the second largest living cat after tiger. Wild lions can be found in Sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia. Northwestern India has critically endangered population of Lions whereas Lions have altogether disappeared from North Africa, Middle East and Western Asia. Lions typical inhabit at savanna and grasslands. The population of Lions has reduced by about 30-50 percent during the last two decades.

Lions are large animals with a weight of around 200-250 kg and a height of about 1.2 meters. Lions seldom live for more than eight years whereas lionesses in secure habitat can survive up to 12-14 years. In captivity, both the lions and lionesses can live up to 20 years. Lions hunt in groups with lionesses as the most active hunter, which are well known for their precise hunting skills and teamwork. They feed on large animals like zebras and giraffes. Lions generally do not selectively hunt humans however there have been several cases of man-eaters throughout the world.