Category Zoology

If you like Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer, you may like his bigger cousin – the Alaskan moose. The moose, or elk as it is known in Europe, is the largest member of the deer family. It stands at almost 7 feet tall and weighs close to 650 kg – almost double the size of a reindeer.

Its imposing height is accentuated by enormous, regal antlers that can span 6 feet from tip to tip. Moose shed their antlers in the winter and grow a new pair in the spring. Every year their antlers grow bigger and more impressive. For the male moose, antlers are a sign of dominance and also help protect its eyes during fights or displays.

The moose is a browser that will eat willows, aspen twigs, woody plants and bark from trees and shrubs. In fact, the name moose comes from the Algonquin (indigenous people of Canada) term meaning “eater of twigs”. Did you know that the moose can store more than 45 kgs of food in its stomach? How’s that for food hoarding?

Even though they look enormous and unwieldy, these animals are graceful on land and water. They are capable of running at 56 km/h and can swim at nearly 10 km/h. They need to be nimble on their feet, as moose hunting is a sport in Alaska. Every year nearly 7,000 moose are killed during autumn and winter with guns as well as bows by local residents. They are also hunted by wolves and bears.

Surprisingly however, the moose is listed under ‘Least Concern’ in the IUCN List. In fact, moose populations are actually increasing in many ranges. GO moose!

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In the wild, the hippopotamus is the proverbial bully. These out-sized waddlers may look cute and cuddly, but are in fact the most ferocious, unpredictable creatures you could ever encounter! Weighing between 1,210 and 3,000 kg and growing to around 1.52 metres tall and 5 metres long, they have very few natural predators, except humans.

Hippos are native to Africa and spend most of their time in muddy rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps. They do this to escape the hot African sun and to keep their skin moist. In fact, the word hippopotamus means ‘river horse’ in Greek. They are mainly herbivores who eat grass, leaves, fruits and aquatic plants.

Hippos have the dubious distinction of being the world’s deadliest large land animal. They are fiercely territorial in the water and will attack anyone who invades their space, including apex water predators like the crocodile. Did you know that hippos are responsible for nearly 500 deaths in Africa every year! Even elephants and lions steer clear of hippos when they are in the water.

Their main defence is their deadly chomp! With one of the strongest bite forces of all land animals 1825 psi (pounds per square inch), the hippo is certainly an adversary to beware of. Together with its impressive jaw which opens nearly 180 degrees and giant canines that grow to a length of 46 centimetres, the hippo can easily break a man in two if it wants to.

Did you know that hippos are the only animals in nature to produce their own sunscreen! They sweat an oily, red pigment that protects their skin from the UV rays and also prevents bacterial infection.

Hippos are threatened by humans and habitat loss. They are classified as ‘Vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List.

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The gaur, also called the Indian bison, is the largest bovine species in the world and the tallest species of wild cattle.

It is native to South and Southeast Asia. It is a strong and massively built animal that grows to a height of 1.50 to 2.20 metres and weighs up to 1500 kg.

The gaur is found mostly in India in the Western Ghats in evergreen, tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests.

Its horns grow laterally from its face and form a wide hollow on the top of its head. Males or bulls are larger than females or cows, with an intimidating dorsal ridge and a heavy dewlap (loose fold of skin below the neck). The slightly raised back gives it a somewhat belligerent appearance! Adults are blue-eyed and dark brown in colour and the lower halves of their legs are pristine white.

The gaur eats leaves, stems, grass, seeds and flowers of various plants. They also like to eat the barks of certain trees. Peak feeding occurs between 6 am and 8 am, while afternoons are spent resting in the shade of trees.

This intimidating and magnificent animal is bold and fearless. It does not fear any animal or human. The adult gaur bull has very few natural predators. Even the mighty tiger is known to give this animal a wide berth! There are many instances of gaur chasing away tigers by charging towards them. In case of an attack, bigger gaur will surround weaker calves and face off with the predator. When the gaur assumes this battle position, very few tigers will continue the attack.

It is an endangered species protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Major threats are bovine diseases from domesticated cattle who often share grazing grounds with the gaur due to encroachment by humans.

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The wild water buffalo, also called Asian buffalo and Asiatic buffalo, is found in India, Bhutan, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam. Around 3400 Asian buffalo remain in the world, of which 3100 live in India – mostly in the state of Assam.

Wild water buffalo are the largest members of the bovine tribe of cattle which include the bison, yak and the African buffalo. The wild water buffalo is almost as big as the gaur. It grows to a length of about 7 to 10 feet and weighs about 600 to 1200 kg. This species of buffalo has large sweeping horns and is larger and heavier than the domestic water buffalo. It is most likely the progenitor or ancestor of the domestic species.

Wild water buffalo are herbivorous grazers and will eat crops, grass, leaves, herbs and grass. They are found in tropical and subtropical forests and spend most of the day submerged in muddy water to keep cool. The mud, which covers their bodies, serves as a barrier to keep pests and insects away. Since they are almost always near or in water, they also eat aquatic vegetation growing in marshy areas, along the banks of rivers and even growing underwater!

The population of these buffalo is declining and they are listed as ‘Endangered’ by the IUCN. They face threats from hunting – both from humans and tigers, habitat loss, and diseases such as rinder-pest – which they get from domestic cattle that share their grazing land.

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A charging rhino is one of the most impressive sights in nature. With its formidable thick-set horns, armour-like skin and tank- like body, the rhino looks like a top-class predator. In reality it is a shy, reclusive herbivore that prefers to graze in peace and wallow in muddy puddles.

The word rhinoceros is a combination of the Greek words ‘rhino’ (for nose) and ‘ceros’ (for horn).There are 5 species of rhino left in the world, of which 2 are found in Africa and 3 in southern Asia. Of the 3 Asian species, the great Indian horned rhino is the biggest. It is about 2 metres high at the shoulder and 3.5 metres long. An adult male weighs between 1,800 and 2,700 kg.

The rhino eats fruits, leaves and grass. It prefers to graze near water and is active during the early hours of the day. In the afternoons it will avoid the midday heat by lying in muddy water. The rhino is an excellent swimmer but has relatively poor eyesight. This sometimes leads it to charge at objects irrespective of actual threat. That is why it is always best to steer clear of rhinos. It moves at a top speed of 55 km/h and despite its bulk is nimble and can jump or change direction quickly.

Did you know that rhinos are supposed to be attracted to fires? If it sees a fire it will charge towards it and stamp it out with its feet! How’s that for an animal firefighter?

Found exclusively in India and Nepal, the Indian rhino’s saga is one of the few environmental success stories of the world. From a meagre 75 in 1905, their numbers have grown to 3500 in 2022. Today, the Indian rhino is the most populous of the three Asian species of rhino found on Earth. This majestic and priceless animal has hardly any predators except for humans who hunt it for its horns. Over the years, countless rhinos across the world have been mercilessly hacked to death for their horns, which are used in traditional medicines and as a mindless display of wealth. They are currently listed under ‘Vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List.

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