First Animal Encyclopedia_clone

First Animal Encyclopedia

REVISED EDITION Contents Editor Ishani Nandi Art editor Shipra Jain Introduction Senior editor Shatarupa Chaudhuri DTP designer Bimlesh Tiwary 4-5 The animal kingdom Managing editors Laura Gilbert, Alka Thakur Hazarika Mammals Managing art editors Diane Peyton Jones, Romi Chakraborty 6-7 Mammals CTS manager Balwant Singh 8-9 The world of mammals Publisher Sarah Larter 10-11 Lemurs and monkeys Senior producer, pre-production Ben Marcus 12-13 The apes Producer Nicole Landau 14-15 The cat family Jacket editor Laura Gilbert 16-17 Big cats Jacket designer Diane Peyton Jones 18-19 The dog family Publishing director Sophie Mitchell 20-21 Bears Art director Stuart Jackman 22-23 Small and cunning Consultant John Woodward 24-25 The burrowers 26-27 Insect-eating mammals ORIGINAL EDITION 28-29 Rodents Author Penelope Arlon 30-31 Flying mammals Senior Art Editor Tory Gordon-Harris 32-33 Marsupials Consultant Kim Dennis-Bryan PhD. FZS 34-35 The mighty elephant Design Assistance Amy McSimpson 36-37 Hoofed mammals Publishing Manager Sue Leonard 38-39 The cattle family Managing Art Editor Clare Shedden 40-41 The horse family Jacket Designer Poppy Jenkins 42-43 Hoofed giants Picture Researcher Sarah Pownall 44-45 Water mammals Production Controller Shivani Pandey 46-47 Ocean giants DTP Designer Almudena Díaz Birds Birds First published in Great Britain in 2004 The world of birds This edition first published in Great Britain in 2015 by 48-49 Courtship 50-51 Nesting Dorling Kindersley Limited 52-53 Hatching out 80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL 54-55 Songbirds 56-57 Life in the air Copyright © 2004, © 2015 58-59 Freshwater birds Dorling Kindersley Limited, London 60-61 Sea birds A Penguin Random House Company 62-63 In the chill 64-65 Birds of prey 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 66-67 Night flyers 001–274454–Sept/2015 68-69 70-71 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978-0-24118-872-9 Printed and bound in Hong Kong A WORLD OF IDEAS: SEE ALL THERE IS TO KNOW 2 This book will ask you questions at the bottom of each page...

72-73 Exotic flyers 134-135 Sea crustaceans 74-75 Game birds 136-137 Sea molluscs 76-77 Globetrotters 138-139 Brainless wonders 78-79 Flightless birds 140-141 The world of microlife Reptiles and amphibians Fish 80-81 Reptiles and amphibians 142-143 Fish 82-83 The world of reptiles 144-145 The world of fish 84-85 Under a shell 146-147 Finding food 86-87 Introducing lizards 148-149 Staying alive 88-89 Hunting and defence 150-151 Making more fish 90-91 Slithering snakes 152-153 Sharks and rays 92-93 Attack and defence 94-95 Crocodiles and alligators Reference section 96-97 The world of amphibians 98-99 Frogs and toads 154-155 Amazing animal facts 100-101 Hunting and hiding 156-157 True or false? 102-103 Salamanders and newts 158-159 Quiz 160-161 Who am I? 162-163 Where in the world? 164-165 Glossary 166-167 Index 168 Picture credits and acknowledgements Creepy-crawlies About this book The pages of this book have special features that 104-105 Creepy-crawlies will show you how to get your hands on as much 106-107 The world of insects information as possible! Look out for these: 108-109 Egg to adult 110-111 On the move Fish Fish The Picture Detective 112-113 Eating habits quiz will get you searching 114-115 Defence Fish Picture detective through each section 116-117 Pests and plagues for the answers. 118-119 Butterflies and moths Fish truly dominate the waters of the Zebrafish Take a look through 120-121 Beetles and bugs world. They come in many shapes and Turn and learn buttons tell 122-123 Bees and wasps the fish section and you which pages to turn to 124-125 Ants and termites sizes, from huge whale sharks to in order to find more 126-127 Flies strange seahorses and fish so see if you can spot information on each subject. 128-129 Other creepy-crawlies tiny you can barely see them. 130-131 Spiders and scorpions the owners of these Every page is colour-coded 132-133 Strange land creatures Yellow tang to show you which Copperband colourful skins. section it is in. butterfly fish Yellow weird or what? wrasse These buttons Long-nosed gar give extra weird and wonderful Cuban hogfish animal facts. Zebra pipefish Royal John Ram cichlid gramma Dory 3 Golden-eyed dwarf Goldfish cichlids Seahorse Emperor angelfish Thornback ray Sticklebacks Three-striped Bony fish Turn dwarf cichlids Most fish are bony, which and learn means they have a hard Clown skeleton inside them. Sharks Seahorse: triggerfish are not bony fish, but have a p. 151 skeleton made of cartilage – Sharks: a material that is softer pp. 152-153 than bone. Boxfish 142 How many different species of fish can be found on Earth? There are about 32,800 species of fish in seas, rivers, and lakes. 143 Creepy-crawlies Beetles Beetles and bugs Beetles are the most Beetles and bugs heavily armoured of all  Glow in the dark insects. They have biting Glowworms are not worms, they These amazing creatures can and chewing mouthparts. are beetles. They have a special be found all over the world, from organ in their bodies that lights mountain tops to scorching deserts. up in the dark. They flash their bodies at night to communicate with each other. Glowworms can sometimes Glowworms are be seen at night glowing and found all over flashing in their thousands. the world. The African Goliath beetle is Bugs the biggest beetle in the world. Members of the bug family look quite like beetles, but they have a feeding tube that pierces and sucks up their food. They cannot bite and chew. The diving Bugs Clicking cicadas beetle uses its They are small, but Cicadas, a type of bug, are legs as paddles. some can be quite the noisiest of insects. They aggressive! can be heard upto 1.5 km Beetles (1 mile) away. They make Beetles are often Shield bug: it is their noise by vibrating bright and colourful. known as the “stink bug” drum-like pads on the because it can let out Scarab: this beautiful a foul smell. side of their tummies. golden scarab is found Diving beetles in South America. Coreid bug: this bug weTihreddeoatrhwwathchat ? Most beetles live on waves the flaps on its beetle eats through wood. land, but the diving beetle Chafer beetle: these legs to scare predators. When it wants to attract Some cicada catches its food – tadpoles lovely beetles vary another beetle’s attention, species can live and even small fish – in the hugely in size and colour. Aphid: this little it bangs its head against the for upto 17 years! water. In order to breathe creature is a pest. It wood. Sometimes people it tucks a bubble of air Weevil: this bright blue attacks garden plants. under its wings before weevil is found in Papua hear the tapping in every dive. New Guinea. Assassin bug: it kills their houses. other insects and sucks How do most bugs taste their food? Frog beetle: frog beetles their insides out. have colourful bodies with a metallic, shiny look. 120 Most bugs taste their food through their feet. 121 ... check here for the answers.

The animal kingdom fly, although all of them have wings. The animal kingdom The animal kingdom is divided into vertebrates and invertebrates. Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish are vertebrates. Insects are a type of invertebrate. Animals All animals, including people, have one thing in common – they eat other living things, either plants, or animals, or both. Almost all, except a few sea creatures, can move around. The beetle has muscles attached to its skeleton just like you do. Its skeleton is on the outside, however, while yours is on the inside. Beetle skeleton Not all birds can What is an What is a invertebrate? vertebrate? Bird The word invertebrate simply skeleton means not having a backbone. Most of the large The “creepy-crawly” section of this book deals with the animals in the world animals called invertebrates. Some of them have skeletons are vertebrates. This on the outside of their bodies, means that they have a while some don’t have any bones at all. backbone, and most are made up of bones put together to make a skeleton. Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish are all vertebrates. 4 Do all animals have brains?

Creepy-crawlies Stag beetle The animal kingdom Creepy-crawlies, or invertebrates, Some people think that there are make up over 95 per cent of all millions of creepy-crawlies we animals. But most of them are do not even know so small you don’t notice them. about yet. Ants are insects, Most vertebrates can move around. a kind of invertebrate. The lion is Vertebrates one of the All vertebrates came most ferocious from the same ancestor meat-eaters of millions of years ago, the mammal but have changed, or evolved, into these four group. main groups. Mammals: most live on land and none can breathe underwater. Birds: all birds have wings and most of them can fly. Fish: all fish live in the sea or in fresh water. Reptiles and amphibians: these animals live on land or in water. Lions keep their sharp claws inside their toes to protect them, until they need to attack. No, a few invertebrates have no brains. 5

Mammals Rodriguez flying fox Mammals You may wonder if animals such as dogs, bats, elephants, and mice have anything in common. They do – they are all mammals and have more in common than you may think. European Orang-utan Mongolian rabbit gerbil Eastern Boxer dog chipmunk Siamese cat Red fox Maned wolf Sea lion Field mice Which mammal lives the longest?

Long-eared Mammals bats Picture detective Two-toed sloth Take a look through the Mammals section and see if you can spot who these hairy skins belong to. Junior mammals Pipistrelle bat Mammal babies look like Baby little versions of their parents. red-necked They are all looked after by wallaby their mothers or both parents until they can feed and Turn look after themselves. and learn Baby tiger The cat family: pp. 14-17 Bats: pp. 30-31 The Arctic bowhead whale can live to well over 100 years old. 7

Mammals The world of mammals Mammals include animals such as the whale, the kangaroo, and you and me! We all have fur, we are warm-blooded, and we feed new babies our milk. Gorilla Mammal babies skeleton Most mammal females give birth to live babies, rather than laying eggs. The baby grows inside the mother’s body until it is born. The skeleton Feeding babies Mammals may All female mammals produce look very different, milk from their bodies that but stripped back they feed to their babies; to the bone, we all this feeding is called have the basic bony suckling. The milk skeleton. Scientists helps babies call us vertebrates – to grow. animals with a backbone. Turn Gorillas are and learn members of the primate family. Bears: pp. 20-21 Elephants: pp. 34-35 Baby gorilla Within the mammal group, there are many different families. 8 How many mammal families are there?

Hairy beasts The world of mammals All mammals have Polar bears can live in chilly hairy bodies, though Arctic regions because they are some are much hairier warm-blooded and have thick fur. than others. Warm blood This hair, or fur, keeps Mammals are warm-blooded, them warm. which means they can warm up and cool down their bodies Elephant to keep their temperature level. trunk An elephant in the hot jungle has the same temperature as a polar bear in the snow. This Polar bears have elephant thick fur all over may not look hairy their bodies. but it does have hair on its body. Getting around Mammals have developed different ways of moving about. Cats: some Polar bear mammals, such as the cat, have long The odd one out legs to run with. It is usually true that Bats: these are animals give birth to the only mammals live babies, but there are that can fly – they a few species, including have wings. this duck-billed platypus, that lay eggs. Platypus Dolphins: sea eggs are soft and the mammals have size of marbles. flippers and strong tails to swim with. 9 Moles: a mole has feet like spades, which are useful for burrowing. There are 153 different mammal families in the world.

Mammals Lemurs and Monkey business monkeys Most people think monkeys all look similar, but some are quite different. Monkeys and lemurs, White-faced saki: the along with the apes, male is black and the make up the mammal female brown. group known as primates. Tamarin: the golden lion tamarin has gold fur and a long mane. Howler monkey Woolly monkey: it lives in South America and Record-breaker has thick fur. Talking to each other is important to primates, which live Proboscis monkey: this together in large groups. The howler monkey, the loudest male monkey has a very land animal on Earth, screams to neighbouring long, prominent nose. groups, and can be heard several miles away. Monkeys Ring-tailed lemur Monkeys have grasping hands so they can climb trees. Many have recognizable features, such as this tamarin’s white moustache. The emperor tamarin has a long, white moustache. Lemurs weirdJapoarneswe hat? Lemurs are only found on the island macaques, a type of of Madagascar, in the Indian Ocean. monkey, live in the mountains They have thin bodies and often move by jumping along on their of northern Japan. To keep warm in the winter, they back legs. Sitting upright with its hands on its knees, this take baths in the hot ring-tailed lemur is sunbathing. volcanic springs. 10 Which are longer, a monkey’s arms or legs?

Lemurs and monkeys Treetops Spider monkeys have no All monkeys are thumbs. excellent climbers – some have long tails that they Woolly use as another limb. The spider spider monkey’s tail is bald monkey at the end for extra grip. Mandrill Ground monkey Monkeys have hands like The mandrill is one of the  ours that can few monkeys that climbs grasp branches. trees only to sleep at night. During the day, it walks Bushbaby around on all fours. When a male feels threatened, it yawns widely revealing its fearsome teeth. Bushbaby The bushbaby is a small primate that sleeps during the day and ventures out to hunt at night. It has huge eyes that help it to see in the dark. A monkey’s arms are longer than its legs. 11

Mammals The apes Family life Many people confuse monkeys and apes. Apes are large, Gorillas live in groups intelligent creatures that have no of up to 40 animals, which visible tails and can stand more consist of one male and upright than monkeys.You and many females and babies. I are members of the ape family. The males are twice the size of the females and The mighty gorilla as they mature, they grow a strip of silvery Gorillas are the largest fur across their backs. and most powerful of the apes, but they are rarely aggressive. They live in forests in central Africa. Gorilla 12 What is the dominant male gorilla in its group called?

The apes King of the swingers Gibbons are the most agile of all the apes. Their wrists and shoulders are very flexible, which means they are able to swing from branch to branch quickly. They live in pairs. Treetop apes These orange orang-utans live in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra up in the trees. They rarely go down to the jungle floor, preferring to eat and sleep in the treetops. The clever chimp This chimp is breaking nut Chimpanzees are very shells using a intelligent indeed. They piece of stone communicate with facial as a tool. expressions and are one of the only animals to use tools. Grooming strengthens friendships within the group. Grooming Chimps live in communities of up to 120 apes. Grooming is very important in ape societies. They can often be seen picking dirt and ticks out of each other’s fur. 13 The dominant male is known as a “silverback”.

Mammals The cat family Lynx All cats around the Cat carnivores world spend their Cats only eat meat, and time doing the same those living in the wild sorts of activities: have to catch it. Some hunting, eating, are fussier than others. and sleeping. Caracal: these cats can This lynx is about Living alone leap high into the air to twice the size of catch birds. a pet cat. Cats like to live on their own; only Bobcat: this cat lives a few live in groups. in the woodlands of Usually, the cats North America and that live together eats rabbits. are mothers and their babies. Jaguarundi: this small, stocky cat eats anything it can catch. Fishing cat: this cat catches fish by grabbing them with its claws. Pumas are the long jumpers of the cat world. They can make massive leaps of 12 m (40 ft). Climbers Puma Some cats live in forests, and many can climb trees. They have very good balance and sharp claws that hook onto branches. 14 Why do cats lick their fur?

The cat family The loudest roar Most big cats roar; when this lion gets angry, his roar can be heard 8 km (5 miles) away! All other cats miaow, purr, and growl. Lion A fine coat A cat’s fur keeps it warm and camouflaged. Cats spend a lot of time licking their fur with their rough tongues to clean it. There are more than Domestic cat 300 million pet cats in Cat features the world. They are closely related to wild cats. All cats look similar, but their coats, shapes, and Stalk and pounce sizes are suited to where they live. This serval has Unlike dogs, cats a long neck and big ears cannot run fast for to enable it to see and long distances, so hear well in long grass. most rely on their ability to stalk and pounce. When stalking, they keep their bodies low, move slowly, and then pounce. Serval Ocelot Turn The ocelot and learn is now a protected Dogs that live species as many in the wild: were killed for pp. 18-19 their fur. Cats lick their fur to clean themselves and to keep cool. 15

Mammals Black leopard Big cats Leopards come in different colours, but most are yellow The five largest, most ferocious meat- with black spots. Black eaters of the cat family are known as panthers were once thought to the “big cats”. They are the lion, tiger, be a different type of cat, but jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard. are actually black leopards. King of the cats Lions, found on the grassy plains of Africa, are the only cats that live in groups, or prides. All mother cats carry their cubs in their mouths. Pride of Sleepyheads lions Cats are among the sleepiest animals in the world: they spend more than 19 hours a day asleep. Prides of lions can often be seen napping under trees. They are perfectly safe to sleep in the open as they are in little danger of being killed by another animal. 16 Why do cats have whiskers?

Big cats Water cat The jaguar has large spots and loves swimming, which is quite unusual among cats. During the day it catches fish by flipping them out of the water with its paws. At night it hunts for animals in the jungle. Tiger Spotted leopard Leopards love to climb trees. High up in the branches is a good spot to watch what is going on below. Often they will even drag their kill up trees to prevent it being stolen. Leopard The giant tiger Tigers are the largest and most powerful of all the cats – they are 10 times stronger than a man! They live all over Asia, from the rainforest to the woodlands of Siberia. Female lions do not have Turn Tigers hunt manes like the males. and learn mainly in the dark. The fastest land mammal on Earth – 17 the cheetah: pp. 154-155 Their whiskers help them to feel their way in the dark.

Mammals The dog family When you think Training the wolf of dogs, you For thousands of years, probably think people have trained of pets, but dogs to do certain jobs. many members Guide dogs: many of the dog family dogs are used to guide live in the wild. blind people. Wolves Sheep dogs: people have been using dogs Wolves live in packs of about to round up sheep 20, which are led by a male and for centuries. female. They are meat-eaters and all work together to hunt and kill. They can grow up Police dogs: these guard to 1 m (3 ft) tall and have very sharp teeth, dogs use their noses to which are useful for tearing up meat. sniff out criminals. At night, whole packs howl together to warn other wolves that they are there. European Wolves sometimes grey wolf spray their urine to mark out their territory. Wolf language Facial expressions and body language are used by wolves within a pack to communicate with each other. When they want to keep other wolf packs away, they howl rather than bark. 18 What is the tail of a fox called?

The dog family Urban foxes weiDrodgs or what? A fox is a small dog. It have been tends to hunt at night and lives alone or in small family man’s best friend for over groups. The red fox has become a common sight 12,000 years! All pet dogs are in towns and cities, where it raids dustbins for food. descendants of the grey wolf and still share many characteristics, such as African When the dogs a very good sense of hunting have killed, the smell and hearing. dog whole pack shares the food. These dogs are often Red fox known as “painted wolves” because of their beautiful colouring. Raccoon dog Wild dogs This hairy dog is called the African hunting raccoon dog, although it dogs live in packs is not related to the raccoon. It is one of up to 30. They of the only have long legs and dogs that a lean body. They climbs trees. hunt together as a pack and can kill prey larger than themselves. They hunt at least once a day. Grey wolves live all over the world, including in North America, northern Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. A fox’s tail is called a brush. 19

Mammals Bears of the world There are only eight Bears types of bear in the world, including the polar bear Members of the bear family are big, and the brown bear. furry mammals with large heads, thick legs, and short tails. They have five Brown bear: this big claws on each foot. bear lives in Europe, Asia, and North America. Bear necessities Polar bear: the biggest Bears have a good sense of and most deadly bear. smell, but weak eyesight and It lives in the Arctic. hearing. This is reflected in their large nose and Spectacled bear: it got very small ears this name because it looks and eyes. as if it is wearing glasses. Brown bear A long doze Many bears are dormant in the winter, which means they doze or sleep non- stop during this time. They eat and eat during the summer and autumn months, building up fat they can use in the winter. The brown bear can stand up to 3.5 m (11 ft) – that’s twice the height of an adult human! Which bear makes nests in trees?

Bears American black bear: Climbing bears this bear sleeps up to six months during winter. Bears normally walk slowly, but if they feel Sloth bear: its claws the need they can gallop grow up to 8 cm (3 in) long, and help it tear at very high speeds. open ant nests. It may seem unlikely because of their size, but Giant panda: this most bears are also able black-and-white bear to climb trees. This giant mostly lives by itself. panda is climbing a Sun bear: it uses its tree to find a safe 25-cm- (10-in-) long place to rest. tongue to suck honey out of trees. The giant panda eats mostly bamboo shoots. Asiatic black bear: this very rare bear is It will sometimes eat a protected species. small animal grubs if it can find them. Water bears Polar bears live in the Arctic. They have thick fur to keep them warm in the chilly weather. They are excellent swimmers and can hold their breath for up to two minutes underwater. Mother love The mother bear looks after her cubs fiercely during their first year, teaching them how to survive. She sometimes stands on her back legs to increase her height and frighten enemies away. The sun bear. 21

Mammals Small and cunning There are many small, meat-eating mammals that hunt or scavenge for their food. Many are known for their clever hunting methods. The weasel family The American mink has a dark brown coat Members of the weasel family all year round. have long bodies and short legs. They have a fierce reputation for Stoat hunting – they are able to kill animals larger than themselves. Stoats Weasels hunt by Stoats and minks are themselves, killing small animals related to animals by biting weasels. In summer, stoats are brown with a white their necks. tummy, and in winter, some turn white so that they are camouflaged in the snow. Weasel Turn and learn The badger, a relative of the weasel: p. 25 22 Why are many of the weasel family becoming rare?

Raccoons Small and cunning Raccoons are Raccoons are often seen in towns small animals with rifling through dustbins. They fox-like faces and have even been known to bandit-style masks. open door latches. They are inquisitive creatures who make Mongoose family clever hunters. Mongooses are so cunning that they can kill some of Smelly skunks the world’s most venomous animals, such Skunks are found in the as snakes. Americas and feed on small animals and fruit. When Meerkats threatened, they lift their tails and let out a foul stink, This mongoose has clamped which you can smell from a its teeth around a snake’s kilometre (half a mile) away! neck to kill it. Weasel relatives Meerkats These mammals belong to the weasel family. Meerkats are a type of mongoose that Wolverine: this animal has a larger, stockier live in groups. They body than a weasel. hunt during the Polecat: polecats day, while a sentry are sometimes kept scans the area from as pets. They are called ferrets. the highest point, sitting upright, American mink: looking out for it hunts on land enemies. and in water. Because many are killed for their fur. 23

Mammals The burrowers Many mammals are diggers, building their homes beneath the ground. Some use their burrows only to sleep in, while others live underground. Rabbits Most rabbits dig burrows, called warrens, underground to protect themselves from enemies, to shelter from cold, and to provide a safe place for their babies. European rabbits live Rabbit in large groups. warrens are often a maze of tunnels. Boxing hares Hares do not actually live Hares are relatives of rabbits underground, that have longer ears. They they live in hollows can sometimes be seen boxing they make with their during the spring breeding bodies in the earth. season. They stand on their back legs, hitting out with the front ones. 24 What are rabbit babies called?

The burrowers The aardvark This animal has a body like a pig, ears like a rabbit, and it licks up ants like an anteater, but it is not related to any of these animals! It is a very good burrower, digging long tunnels with its claws. Badgers have quite large, Armadillo stocky bodies, and small Armadillos look as if they could take on heads with long noses an army with their bony armoured backs. to root out food. They dig burrows to find food and make dens. Most rest in their burrows during Badgers the day and hunt by night. Badgers Badgers have poor have short eyesight but a good legs that sense of smell. are good for scurrying down tunnels. Their burrows, known as setts, are passed down through generations of badgers. They tend to hunt at night. Moles You will know when European moles are about because they leave molehills behind on the ground. Moles spend most of their lives underground eating worms and insects. The star-nosed mole uses its paws as European mole paddles to “swim” through the earth. Rabbit babies are called kittens. 25

Mammals Insect-eating mammals Scaly anteater Many mammals spend their lives Sometimes called a scaly eating insects and other small anteater, this pangolin is not actually related to anteaters. creepy-crawlies. Most of them It uses its long claws to dig into anthills and termite mounds. only hunt at night. Giant anteater Pangolins shut their nostrils while The giant anteater is a large mammal eating ants to stop that likes to eat ants and termites. It them from rushing has a large nose and a tongue that is as long as your arm, perfect for up their noses. sticking into termite mounds. Silky anteater The silky anteater has a shorter nose and paler fur than its cousins. It spends much of its time digging out tree ants and licking them up. The giant anteater can eat more than 30,000 ants in one day! Turn and learn Ants and termites: pp. 124-125 Earthworms: p. 33 26 How big is the smallest shrew?

The head and paws Insect-eating mammals appear as the hedgehog sniffs its surroundings Small and prickly and looks out for danger. Hedgehogs use their long noses to snuffle When curled up, in the earth for insects and worms. They are the hedgehog looks covered in sharp spines that are made of a like a spiny ball. kind of hair. If this creature feels threatened, Shrews it rolls its body into a prickly ball. Not many animals Shrews are small, active would attempt to eat mammals that have to a spiny hedgehog! eat plenty of insects and The hedgehog flips itself worms every few hours to over and goes on its way. keep their energy up. They The spiny echidna can eat more than their weight in food every day. The insect-eating echidna is also covered in spines. Shrew senses It is one of the most unusual animals because, with the A shrew uses its duck-billed platypus, it is very good senses one of the only mammals of smell and that lay eggs. hearing to find food, such as Echidna small insects and earthworms. Pygmy shrew The pygmy white-toothed shrew is half the size of your finger. 27

Mammals A rat’s tail helps it to balance and Rodents turn in the water. Rodents are the mammal group that includes mice and rats. Rodents are found all over the world from deserts to the Arctic. The brown rat The rat is considered a pest. It lives almost everywhere in the world and can exist in huge numbers if enough food is available. Brown rat Dinner time Rats eat everything we eat and more, which is why they can survive worldwide. The brown rat is a very good swimmer and can catch small fish underwater. Rats and mice have a very good sense of smell and “talk” to each other using their body smells. weTihredblaockr what ? Rodent teeth rat was All rodents have four big front teeth, like responsible for killing half this marmot’s. They are very sharp. the population of London in 1665. It brought fleas to England that carried a deadly disease called the bubonic plague. 28 What is the biggest rodent in the world?

Rodent groups Rodents Over 40 per cent of the world’s mammals are Towns of rodents rodents. They come in many shapes and sizes. Some rodents live on their own, but a lot of them, such as these prairie Hamster: this creature comes from Western Asia dogs, live in large underground and is a very popular pet. communities called towns. Each Squirrel: it is an town comprises a number of excellent tree climber and burrows connected by uses its tail for balance. long tunnels. Vole: water voles live by Harvest mouse rivers and lakes and make burrows in the banks. A long, long sleep Naked mole rat: it The dormouse can be found in the woods and lives underground and fields of Europe and is an excellent climber burrows with flat feet. and jumper. It hibernates, or sleeps, for seven Porcupine: this animal months during the winter without waking up. has sharp quills that it raises when threatened. 29 Mice Mice have pointed noses and long whiskers, which help them find their way around dark corners. This house mouse eats many different types of food and can produce 36,000 Harvest mice droppings in a year. use their tails like hands, to grip onto stalks. House mouse The capybara – it’s as big as a pig!

Mammals Flying mammals Some mammals have “wings”, so they can glide through the Greater mouse- air, but bats are the only eared bats Flying mammals that can actually During the day, bats squirrel fly by flapping their wings. roost in dark caves, trees, or under a roof The glider of a building. They sleep upside-down. The flying squirrel has loose Bats pieces of skin on either side of its body. When it jumps, Bats’ wings are actually long arms with skin it opens them out like an stretching between each finger. Their thumbs umbrella and can glide for stick out like small claws to grip branches. 100 m (330 ft), steering with its tail and legs. Claw-like thumb Bats squeak to find one another in the dark. Vampire bat The saliva of Bat features vampire bats A bat’s head shape numbs the skin reflects the way it feeds. of its victims so they can’t feel the Fruit bat: has a blood-sucking bite. long snout, and a long tongue to sip nectar The real vampire and eat fruit. The vampire bat’s favourite meal Long-eared bat: is fresh blood, even yours! It feeds this bat has large ears by digging its sharp teeth into the that can hear insects’ flesh, then laps up the blood. wings flapping. Long-nosed bat: these bats have long noses to help them smell flowers. 30 What is the smallest bat in the world?

Flying mammals Bat babies Fruit bat Some bats bring up their babies together in a huge nursery, often filled with thousands of bats. Amazingly the mother can always find her baby when she returns with food. Bat diet Most bats eat insects. Others, like this fruit bat, use their long tongues to eat fruit and sip nectar from flowers. Catching insects Bats are very good at catching insects in mid-air – in the dark! They find them by making clicking noises and listening for the echoes bouncing off insects. Turn This Geoffroy’s and learn long-nosed bat drinks nectar. Gliding frogs: pp. 100-101 Bloodsuckers: pp. 116-117 The Kitti’s hog-nosed bat is the smallest – it is the size of a bumble bee. 31

Mammals Marsupials More marsupials Apart from a few that A marsupial is a mammal with live in South America, a pocket, called a almost all marsupials pouch, for carrying come from Australasia. its babies in. They vary a lot in looks. Koala Dorian’s tree kangaroo: this small Koalas look like little bears. kangaroo can climb trees. They live in Australia and are the only animal that eats Numbat: this marsupial eucalyptus leaves. They are so feeds almost entirely on hard to digest that koalas spend ant-like termites. 19 hours of the day sleeping to let their tummies settle. Rabbit-eared bandicoot: These large-eared burrowers are most active at night. Little devil The Tasmanian devil is not much bigger than a small dog but it is very aggressive. It is the biggest meat-eating marsupial and has such powerful jaws that it can eat the entire animal – bones and all! ’s front legs are... A kangaroo Bouncing marsupials Turn and learn Kangaroos cannot walk. Instead they have enormous A mammal back legs that they use to jump that lays eggs: everywhere. They can move p. 9 and p. 27 very fast just by leaping. 32 Which are bigger, wallabies or kangaroos?

Supermum! Marsupials Opossums live in the The joey Americas. Unusually belonging to for marsupials, the this mother mother has no pouch. Instead, her babies cling is definitely to her. Sometimes one big enough mother can have up to to climb 20 babies at one time! out of its pouch. Opossums are very good 33 tree climbers. In the pouch Most marsupials have pouches. When the babies are born, they are as small as beans and wriggle straight into the pouch. They do most of their growing there, instead of in their mother’s tummy. Little joey. Kangaroo and wallaby babies are commonly known as joeys. They spend several months in the mother’s pouch, and even when they are big enough to walk, they sometimes jump back in for safety. ... not used when it hops Their huge tails help to balance them when they hop. Kangaroos look like wallabies, but they are bigger.

Mammals The mighty elephant Elephants are the largest land animals African African elephants flap on Earth – the biggest one ever found elephants their enormous ears weighed as much as 150 men! There to keep themselves are two main types of elephant, cool in the hot sun. the African and the Asian. Living in herds Elephants’ tusks are very big African elephants live upper teeth. in groups called herds. However, only females and youngsters live together, males live on their own. A family usually contains about 8-10 elephants. Playtime! Baby elephants love to play, which is an important part of growing up in a herd. They chase one another, throw sticks, and climb all over each other. 34 How big is an elephant’s toenail?

An amazing nose The mighty elephant Elephants have enormous Elephants make loud, noses, called trunks. trumpeting calls to each other. But they are no ordinary noses, they do many more jobs than simply smelling. Elephants use their trunks to eat, drink, wash, and even pick up vibrations from the ground. Asian elephant Elephants use their trunks to A handy nose grab leaves high up in the trees that other animals An elephant can grip cannot reach. things with the end of its nose, like people do with their hands. It uses its trunk to grasp plants and eat them, to greet other elephants, and to show aggression to others. bigAgferircaeanresltehpahnanAtssiahnaveelemphuacnhts. Bathtime! An elephant’s skin is very sensitive and needs a lot of bathing to rinse away creepy-crawlies and keep it cool. It often sucks up water in its trunk and sprays it over its body. 35 An elephant’s toenail is as big as your hand!

Mammals Different hoofs A hoofed foot has Hoofed mammals a hard case, like a big toenail, around A hoof is a certain type of foot with each toe for strength. Hoofed feet are good a hard covering. Hoofed mammals for fast running. are found all over the world. Horse: a horse has only one toe surrounded by Wild pigs a hoof. It runs on tiptoe. Pigs are hoofed Rhinoceros: these mammals that eat large-hoofed mammals almost anything. have three toes. Wild pigs are speedy runners Camel: the camel and protective has two toes that of their little, are widely spaced stripy babies. for walking on sand. The tapir Quick, duck! Tapirs have very Tapirs spend much of long noses and their time in the water. look like pigs, When threatened, they but they belong sink under water leaving their noses poking above to a different the surface like a snorkel hoofed family. so they can breathe. On bended knee The warthog is a long-legged, African pig. When it feeds, it kneels on its wrists. The nose and upper lip form a trunk. Malaysian tapir 36 What is a moose?

Hoofed mammals Deer of the north Reindeer live in cold areas in the northern parts of the world. Twice a year they “migrate” – take a long journey – for thousands of miles to avoid bad weather and to breed. Deer giants The elk lives in swampy forests of North America and Europe. It is the largest deer in the world. Its antlers can grow to 2 m (7 ft) across – bigger than an umbrella – with up to 20 spikes on them. Deer lose Deer their antlers and grow Deer are woodland new ones animals that live together every year. in small groups, called herds. They have antlers, which are made of bone. Branching out Only male deer have antlers (apart from female reindeer, who have them as well). Deer antlers are always branched, unlike the pointed horns of cattle. It is the largest member of the deer family. 37

Mammals The cattle family The cattle family are hoofed mammals. Grazers and browsers They are herbivores, which means they The cattle family all eat plants. Some are grazers, eat plants. They have four stomachs who eat low grass. Others, such as this generuk, are to digest the plants they eat. browsers: they eat from trees and shrubs. Early walkers Many members of the cattle family are killed for food by other animals. Babies, like this wildebeest calf, are able to run within hours of their birth so they can try to stay out of danger. The herd Most members live in large herds for safety. These bison move around together according to the seasons and the food available. 38 Do members of the cattle family lose their horns yearly like deer?

The horn collection Wild sheep The cattle family Unlike deer, members of the cattle family do not Like farmed sheep, Spring in its step have branched horns. wild sheep are good at living The springbok gets Antelope: male in rocky its name from its high antelopes have regions. spring-like bounces long, pointed horns. that show predators – Barbary sheep animals that want to eat them – how fit it is. Bighorn sheep: the horns of the male sheep curve almost in a circle. Blackbuck: these impressive horns are long and wiggly. Muskox: their horns Taming the beast curve right down, then up at the tips. Wild cows, sheep, and goats were tamed Ibex: this mountain goat thousands of years ago has huge, thick horns that curve over its back. to provide meat, milk, wool, and leather. Modern Sitatunga: male farm cows are only distant sitatungas have long spiral horns. relations of wild cattle. Jersey cow No, cattle keep their horns for life. 39

Mammals The horse family Thousands of years ago, horses were wild animals. Later, humans tamed them and wild horses almost disappeared. Wild horses of today include zebras and asses. Stallion The hoof All horses and their relatives have one toe surrounded by a hoof. They run on tiptoe, which means they can run very fast. All horses have long tails and manes. Male horses are called stallions and females are called mares. The hard Mustangs hoof protects The wild horses in the USA are the toe. actually tame horses that escaped into the wild hundreds of years ago. They live in herds of one male and lots of females. 40 How does a horse scratch its back?

Mood swings The horse family Horses communicate with each other by Wild ass moving their heads, tails, and ears. Asses are smaller than horses and have much longer ears. Asses that live with humans are called donkeys. The African wild ass, which is quite rare, lives in the rocky deserts of North Africa. Teeth showing: horses bare their teeth if they are unhappy or if they are sniffing the air. Ears back: when a horse is angry, it puts its ears back flat against its head. Ears forward: when Fighting it out a horse is paying attention, it has its Male zebras fight ears facing forwards. for females by rearing up or Stripy horses kicking with their back feet. One male Zebras are stripy horses. No one knows will take control of why they are stripy but we do know that, about six females. like our fingerprints, each zebra’s stripes are unique. They live in Africa in large herds and graze on grass. Plains zebras A horse likes to scratch its back by rolling around on the ground. 41

Mammals Family members Some cousins of the Hoofed giants hoofed giants are much smaller in size. The last members of the hoofed family are by no means the least. They are Okapi: this animal some of the biggest mammals in the is the only relative of world. Meet the hoofed giants. the giraffe. It has a much shorter neck. Healthy appetite Pygmy hippo: this small Giraffes are never short hippo is a fifth the size of food – they have of its cousin. such long necks that they can reach Alpaca: alpacas high leaves and llamas are camel on trees. cousins that live in South America. Giraffes The giraffe is the world’s tallest animal. It is taller than three tall men standing on each other’s heads! 42 How much can a camel drink at one time?

A two-humped Hoofed giants camel is called a bactrian. The huge rhinoceros Ships of the desert The rhinoceros has skin that is thicker than this book Camels live in hot, dry places. Their humps act and huge horns that are made of hair. like huge food stores of fat that they can use White rhino up when there is nothing available to eat. The hippopotamus Indian rhino There are very few rhinos left because This mammal giant has a huge, stocky body people kill them for and stumpy legs. It spends a lot of time in their horns. water and it is so heavy it can walk along the bottom of a lake without floating up. A hippo 43 can hold its breath for five minutes. Giraffes are so tall, they have to spread their front legs out wide to be able to bend low enough to reach the water. A camel can drink nine buckets of water without stopping.

Mammals Water mammals Not all mammals live on land – some live in water. Unlike fish, however, water mammals have to go to the surface to breathe. Seals Seals, which include sea lions and walruses, have flippers instead of arms and legs. These make them very good at swimming but not good at walking. Turn Sea lions can Underwater lives and learn walk more easily than other seals Seals spend most of their Giant mammals because their lives in water, but return of the sea: flippers are to land to have babies. pp. 46-47 able to move in They have a thick layer several directions. of fat, called blubber, which keeps them warm. Seals are often very playful in the water. 44 What noise do seals make?

Water mammals Otters Otters are mammals that have webbed feet to help them swim. The river otter lives along river banks and spends its day swimming to catch food. Sea cows Otters of the sea Manatees are often The sea otter is the smallest sea mammal. called sea cows because It has luxurious, thick fur that keeps it very they are so big and they warm. It rarely comes to land, and even sleeps “graze” on underwater in the water. When it nods off, it wraps itself plants. They spend all up in kelp plants to stop it from drifting away! their lives in water, and even give birth there. Walruses use their noses, like pigs, to root around the sea floor for food, such as crabs or sea urchins. Walruses Walruses are huge sea mammals. They have powerful, blubbery bodies and two large, front teeth, called tusks, which can grow up to 1 m (3 ft) long. Their tusks help them cut through ice sheets and keep enemies away. In the pink Walruses are normally greyish brown in colour. But when they sunbathe, they turn blush-pink because their blood rushes to the surface of their skin to cool it down. Seals bark like dogs!

Mammals Ocean giants Whales and dolphins look like fish but they are actually mammals. The whale family includes some of the biggest creatures on earth. Toothed whales There are two kinds of whales – toothed whales and baleen whales. Toothed whales eat fish and large animals, such as seals. The killer whale can even leap onto beaches to grab unfortunate seals. The big blue The blue whale is the largest animal in the world – its heart is the size of a small car. The next largest creature, a bull African elephant, could sit on its tongue! Turn Baleen whales and learn Some whales, such as this Water mammals: humpback whale, have pp. 44-45 Plankton: rows of filters called plates, instead of teeth. These are pp. 140-141 called baleen whales. They gulp huge amounts of water, then sieve it through the plates to remove the food – tiny animals called plankton. 46 What animal makes the loudest noise on Earth?

Underwater gossip Ocean giants Whales live in groups, or pods, and many talk Whales to each other using squeaks, whistles, rumbles, Most whales look quite or clicks. Beluga whales “speak” so much that similar but a few have they are sometimes called sea canaries. different features. Leaping dolphins Narwhal: this whale has an enormous Dolphins are small whales. sword-like tusk, which They are highly intelligent and curious, and are often is actually a tooth. seen leaping alongside boats at sea. Porpoise: the porpoise is a toothed whale that looks similar to a dolphin. Sperm whale: this whale holds the record for the deepest dive of any mammal. Amazon river dolphin: this dolphin is one of the only freshwater whales. Bottlenose dolphin Dolphins have very strong tails that help lift it high above the surface. Dolphins leap out of the Underwater babies water to avoid enemies – leaping helps them to swim Whale and dolphin babies, faster – or to herd fish by called calves, grow in their making loud splashes. mother’s tummies, like other mammals. The calf drinks its mother’s milk until it is old enough to eat solid food. Spotted dolphins, like this mother and calf, live in groups of up to 15. Spotted dolphin The blue whale is the loudest animal – it makes a very deep rumble. 47

Birds Pigeon Birds Most birds can fly. This has meant that Scientists have over the years, they have been able to live discovered that in places that other animals could not modern birds evolved from get to. They live all over dinosaurs. the world, even in the chilly Arctic. Budgerigars Toucan Owl Finches Hummingbird Parrot Doves Stork Ostrich Penguin Avocet Duck Kiwi 48 Which bird has the most feathers?