Animal Facts
Wild animals
1.
Blue bull
The blue bull
appears as a combination of the horse and the cow. As such it resembles a horse
in appearance, but it has horns on the head and the hoofs on feet as we find
them in a cow.
It has a grey-blue body
and it can run very swiftly. Sometime it can surpass even a horse in running.
By nature it is a timid and simple creature.
We find the habitations of
the blue bull in the Gir forests of Gujarat. They move in groups. Once that
they enter into a field they destroy the crop totally. Therefore they are
hated
by farmers. As it appears like a cow it is hardly beaten or
hunted.
People drive them away by alarming them with noise. They fall prey to tigers or
lions or wolves.
The female is a slightly
shorter in size and is without horns. The male has horns on its head, a white
strip on its neck and a tuft of hair under the strip.
Because it looks like a
combination of horse and cow, it is strange in appearance and it is kept in the
zoo.
2.
Chimpanzee
The chimpanzee can act
like human beings. It resembles human beings in its behavior. The chimpanzee
walks with its four legs as other animals do but it can stand erect and walk
with two legs only as human beings do.
The male chimpanzee weighs 75 kg. and he is
five feet tall. Female chimpanzee is shorter in size and lighter in weight; it
has thick fur on its body.
Chimpanzees live on
trees and they move out in a group. The chimpanzee has large hands and it is a
vegetarian creature. The chimpanzee kept in a cage in the zoo eats the food
which the human beings normally take.
Some people are f ond of keeping
the off-springs of the chimpanzee as pets. If they are treated affectionately
and trained properly they can do some work as human beings do. It can play
tricks in the circus. The pet chimpanzee should be kept busy constantly.
3.
Crocodile
The crocodile
is a large and violent animal living in water. Most of the time it lives in the
water, but very it does come out of it to lie down
in
the mud on the bank of the river.
Though it lives in water it is
not an aquatic animal. Biology describes it as a reptile.
Except only one variety of
crocodile of sea-water all other crocodiles live in rivers or lakes; but never
in the ocean. Though crocodile has a heavy body it's agility is amazing.
The legs of the
crocodile are very short. However, it can run very fast on the ground carrying
its large and heavy body. It walks like a lizard. It uses it's legs as sails in
the water. It digests it's food by lying down idly basking in the sun.
It can swim in the
water with wonderful speed
because
of it's strong tail. lt's tail is considered as the strongest and the most
fearful part of his body.
The crocodile can injure
seriously and toss away any big creature with the blow of it’s powerful thormy,
thick, rugged tail.
The crocodile can lay
eggs which are hatched on their own in the sunshine. The young ones of the
crocodile come out of the eggs and start walking by themselves. The parents
don’t care for them at all. Crocodiles are found in all the parts of the world.
Crocodiles are hunted for two
reasons : one, the human beings, feel greatly frightened by them and second,
it's skin is very useful in making various costly fashionable and decorative
items.
4. Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus is a
huge and bulky creature. It can walk on the ground and also swim in the water
easily. The hippo is found in the African forests.
The hippo resembles
the pig, but it's head is larger and more fleshy than the latter. It's legs and
ears are smaller in comparison to it's body. The colour of it's body appears
like a combination of green and dark-brown. lt's cheeks on both the sides of
it's jaw are pink.
Though it has a
very heavy body, it is a powerful and active
swimmer.
It can swim against the current successfully. It can dive deep into the water
and stay there for quite a long time. Not only
that but it can walk on the ground at the bottom of the shallow river or
the lake.
Grass is it's usual
food. But if it enters the field of sugarcane or maize it destroys the sizable
crop. It eats heavily during the night time and enters into the water earl in
the morning. It keeps on swimming for
the whole day to digest its food.
The female hippo gives birth to one
offspring at a time. The young one is
taken by mother - for a years when the female hippo swims in the water the
young one keeps up sitting on its back.
When the hippo yawns its
mouth opens so wide that even an adult human being can sit in it. It has 40
teeth in its mouth but only two big teeth like the tusks are apparently seen.
A
big male hippopotamus may weigh 2000 kg.
5.
Hyena
The hyena is
rarely seen around by people. lt is an ugly and deformed animal. It chooses to
keep away from human beings.
The vulture among the
birds and the hyena
among
the animals have one thing common between them. As vultures feed on the dead
animals, the hyena also feeds on animals hunted by others or those dead
naturally. The more decomposed dead body is the more the hyena relishes it. If
it does not get such left-over food it kills dogs, goats, sheep calf or
anything for food.
The hyena appears
different from other wild animals - with regard to its legs. lt has only four fingers
on each leg. It is of fading brown colour and it has black strips on the body
as the tiger has. In height it resembles the young one of the ass. lt has a
short tail and its mane stretches from the neck to the back. The jaws of the
hyena are so strong that it can even
chew
the bones of big animals like the buffalo. Its strength is amazing. lf two
hyenas catch hold of a goat on both ends and pull its the body would be broken
into two. Its appearance is very dirty and fearful. But the hyena is afraid of
the human beings. If it comes across a lonely child on the outskirt of a
village it would lift away the child.
The fat obtained from
its body serves as an effective medicine for rheumatism. The African hyena is
different from the Indian hyena. The African hyena has spots instead of strips
on its body.
The
African hyena is different from the Indian hyena.
The
African hyena has spots instead of strips on its body.
6.
Kangaroo
The kangaroo is an Australian
animal. It has a pouch on its belley. The mother keeps the off-spring in this
pouch safely for four months. She can even run with the young one in the pouch.
There are many varieties of the kangaroo. Its
colour is ash-grey.It weighs about 100 kg. and it's length is seven feet.
The habitations of
kangaroo are found in the forest of Australia and New Guinea. lts front legs are
short and the hind legs are large. It has a long tail. Though its legs are short
it can stand on the ground
with
the support of its tail.
The kangaroo hops 15 to 20 feet
wide while running. lt can run 40 kms. per hour. Normally even when it walks its hops are 10 feet wide.
It is vegetarian. The
tree-roots, leaves and grass are its normal food. We find silver-grey kangaroos
as well as red kangaroos.
One variety of the kangaroo
can climb the tree, of course, it can hardly climb more than four feet.
7.
Snake
The mention of the word
,snake, is enough to frighten anybody. We find snakes in different varying from a foot-long serpent to a
forty-feet long python.
The snake is a
reptile, and it is found everywhere in the world. Snakes live in the forests as
well as among human habitations. There are different kinds of snakes. They are
found in different colours - black, brown, deep-green, gray and whitish
You must have
seen a snake-Charmer carrying snakes in his basket. On hearing the tunes of his
flute the snake raises its head, spreads its hood and begins to swing to the
tune of the flute. The snake with a hood is the cobra. Behind the cobra’s hood
we find a figure resembling the spectacles.
From among the
varieties of the snake, we find common krait, Russell’s viper, saw scaled viper
and rat snake are well known. Some snakes are poisonous while others are not.
The bite of a poisonous snake can take life of a human being or an animal.
Snake loves to eat mouse. Besides it feeds on squirrels, chameleons, lizards, and frogs also.
The mongoose is an enemy
of the snake. With its wonderful agility the mongoose can defeat even the
terrible snake. The snake is very quick and active. We would be amazed at the
wonderful speed with which it slips away.
Snakes are different in
length. Normally they are 3-4'feet long but some are 8- 1 0 feet long. The
python, a variety of snakes is very huge and stout. The length of the python
varies from 12-15 feet to 30-40 feet. The python and the snake can open the mouth
amazingly wide and gulp the prey. The muscles of the python are so strong that
it can crush the prey's body taking it into its clutch by twisting around it.
8.
Cheetah
In appearance the cheetah
resembles the leopard, but it is slimmer and larger than the leopard. Lt is yellowish
and it has attractive small black spots on the body. In comparison to its body
its head is smaller and the legs longer.
When the cheetah is
running it looks more attractive
The
cheetah can run after the prey for miles together in the same speed.
Cheetah are tamed
and are kept especially for the purpose of hunting the deer. The old cheetahs
are caught and domesticated with special care and affection. The cheetah has the
experience of hunting. A band is placed around its eyes and it is carried to
the forest in a vehicle. When the deer is in sight the cheetah is let loose behind
it. The favourite prey of the cheetah is the stag.
There were habitations
of the cheetah in the forests of Africa and South Asia. Because of their
attractive skin the cheetahs were hunted in such a great number that, now the species
is fast vanishing. The cheetah weighs 50 kg. The cheetah belongs to the species
of the cat, but the nails of the cheetah are not inverted into the claws as we find
among the cats, but are projected out as they are found among the dogs.
9.
Tiger
The
tiger is the most magnificent of all the wild animals. The black strips on its
yellow body gives it an attractive look. The tiger has amazing energy and
strength.
The hot climate does not
suit the tiger. Habitations of the tiger are spread from china and Russia in
the North-East to the islands of Jawa- Sumatra in the South. The cold regions
where the ice falls in winter are suited to tigers. Huge tigers are found in
such regions. The tiger can swim too!
Tigers are found in the
forests of Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and South lndia. The Bengali tiger is very
huge and fierce. It is rather stronger than a lion. However, man can tame him
and make him do various tricks in the circus.
To hunt a tiger is
regarded as an act of bravery. Every hunter has the ambition of hunting a
tiger. Keeping the tiger’s hide in the drawing room is a matter of pride for
hunters. The tiger does not get the legal protection as the lion does, because
tigers are quite in a large number in the whole world.
The
tiger hunts other animals like the deer, the stag and the fox. In the Gir
forest the tiger occasionally attacks buffaloes of the bigger size than it’s
own. Tigers do not move in groups as lions do. But they live with their family.
The tiger is not afraid of any one in the world else except a gunned hunter.
A
tiger can eat 35 to 40 kg. meat at a single meal.
A
fairly big tiger weighs about 225 kg.
Although
tigers do not climb trees, they are able to jump into the lower branches in a
single bound.
10.
Wolf
The wolf looks like a dog or
a fox. It is slightly larger than the fox. It is also known as ‘Nar’ in some parts. It has bright colour.
The wolf has a carefree
nature. Its enthusiasm is irrepressible and its fearlessness is unparallel. In this
respect it can surpass even a leopard. It is not afraid of even a tiger.
Normally it does not attack human beings. It may attack man only if it is very hungry
and gets food nowhere around. The wolf can run fast. It can run ceaselessly for
miles together for hunting.
The chief prey of the wolf
are sheep, goat, stag or other such animals. Generally wolves go far hunting in
a group.
They make a systematic plan
for hunting. They block the way of their prey in a group of two each. Then they
chase the prey till it is totally exhausted of running. Two wolves would clasp the
neck of the victim and pluck out its eyes first. Then they would tear off the
body of the blind and helpless victim and
enjoy the feast of the flesh.
Thus, it seems that the wolf is
perhaps the most cruel in the whole animal kingdom.
Sometime it hunts a cow or
blue-bull or a horse. Their habitations are found everywhere in India. The wolf weighs 50
to60kg. It has a thick fur on its body. The female gives birth to six young ones
at a time. The young ones stay with their parents for about a year.
11.
Zebra
Zebra looks like a combination horse
and the ass. The black strips on its white body make it look quite different.
The habitations of zebra
are found in the savanna forests of the east and South Africa. It can get along
well with the elephant and the giraffe but the lion is its foe. Besides the lion
the African hyena is also it's foe. The hyenas would come in a group and attack
the zebra. When they attack the zebra they bite on the legs of the zebra first and
make it disable. Then the rest of the hyenas attack it collectively and kill it
on the spot.
Zebra belongs to the
species of the horse, but it can not be tamed and put to work like a horse.
The mature zebra weighs 250
to 300 kg. It gives birth to a single off-spring at a time. The young one weighs
30 kg. at the time of its birth. But within fifteen days its weight increases up
to 60 kg. It can stand on its legs only within a few minutes after its birth.
The animals living among
the violent creatures of the African forests must develop the skill of running
fast. Thus the zebra has the capacity to run 40 kms. per hour. The zebras are distracted
hither - thither while running away, but they manage to get together in a group
again. The life span of the zebra is 20 years.
