<![CDATA[Exotic Mammals - Blog]]>Mon, 14 Oct 2019 22:17:37 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Exotic Mammals: The Quokka]]>Mon, 01 Jul 2013 15:11:20 GMThttp://lionstigersboysohmy.weebly.com/blog/exotic-mammals-the-quokka
Don't feel bad if you have no idea how to pronounce this animals peculiar name. "Quokka" was coined by Aboriginal people living in Westen Australia —  where the species can still be found today. But if you really want to see one for yourself, you better head over to Rottnest island where the largest population exist. The island was even named after them by the Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh. (Rottnest is derived from the Dutch meaning "rats nest.") 

The Quokka has distinctive short brown coarse hair and lighter underparts. Its body is stocky and hunched in posture with a noticeably short tail. It has a small head with a dark stripe on the forehead, short and rounded ears and a naked nose. 

While it might look like a really cute rat, it actually has more in common with a wallaby or kangaroo. It might be small, but it is still a marsupial species. (Which means the females have an extremely short pregnancy and the embryo is born 11-35 days after conception. Then the mom will suckle the baby (joey) in her pouch for up to 30 weeks.)

Quokkas sleep during the day and become very active at night. They feed on native grasses, leaves, seeds and roots. They swallow their food and then later regurgitate the cud to chew it. They often dig their own water holes and can obtain water from succulent plants like cacti. But they can actually go months without a drink, due to their remarkable ability to reuse some of their waste products. 

Quokkas form small family groups, but also share the land with up to 150 other individuals. They are very sociable animals, but fights have been known to break out amongst the dominate males over sheltered spots on hot days.  

Like its celebrity look-a-like, the Quokka may look friendly, but can also be quite vicious when it needs to be.

Taylor Swift

See the resemblance? 

<![CDATA[Exotic Mammals: The Tonkin Snub-nosed Monkey]]>Sat, 18 May 2013 03:01:43 GMThttp://lionstigersboysohmy.weebly.com/blog/exotic-mammals-the-tonkin-snub-nosed-monkey
The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey is one of the most endangered primates in the world. So endangered in fact, that it was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1989.  It is believed that there are fewer than 200 of these unique primates in the world.

The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey is only found in Vietnam. It is also the country’s largest primate species standing between 51-62 cm tall and weighing between 18-34 lbs.

Its diet consists primarily of leaves and fruits. Which makes sense considering it is exclusively arboreal.

Infants are born with grey fur that gets darker as they age. This is one of many unusual physical characteristics of the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey. They also have a broad, flattened face, upturned nose, tufted ears, pale blue rimmed eyes and thick, pink lips.

Like its celebrity look-a-like, the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey is known for its comical appearance.

Rainn Wilson

See the resemblance?  

<![CDATA[Exotic Mammals: The Little Brown Bat]]>Fri, 03 May 2013 22:20:44 GMThttp://lionstigersboysohmy.weebly.com/blog/exotic-mammals-the-little-brown-bat
Should I go see a dentist?
The little brown bat, scientifically known as the Myotis lucifugus, is known for its glossy brown fur. It has fuzzy hair on its toes and sharp pointed ears. The brown bat is between 3 and 5 inches long, weighs .19 to .34 ounces and has a  wingspan ranging from 9 to 11 inches.

They can be found in most of the United States and Canada. They live along streams and lakes -- where insects are abundant. In the winter, little brown bats form clusters and hibernate in mines and caves. In the spring, they form huge nursery colonies containing around 1,000 bats. They can live anywhere from 20 to 30 years.

Little brown bats are insectivorous and eat a variety of insects such as moths, wasps, beetles, gnats, mosquitoes, midges and mayflies. They can eat 50 percent of their own body weight each evening. Pregnant females and those with pups eat even more insects.

These nocturnal mammals use echolocation to navigate and locate prey. They send out signals and listen for those signals to return. Their sensitive hearing and huge ears help them pinpoint their prey.

Like their celebrity look-a-like, they use their sharp teeth to capture their prey.


Mike Tyson 

People tell me that my smile is my most attractive feature.

See the resemblance? 

<![CDATA[Exotic Mammals: The Sphynx]]>Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:55:33 GMThttp://lionstigersboysohmy.weebly.com/blog/exotic-mammals-the-sphynx
I know you want this.
The Sphynx, also known as the hairless cat, is not actually hairless. Like humans, they have vellus hair. Some of them have their whiskers, others aren't so lucky. Their skin is the color their fur would be. If they had it. But they don't, so it's weird. 

Don't be fooled. Just because they don't have a coat to groom, doesn't mean they are maintenance free. Their body oils, that would normally be absorbed by fur, tend to build up quickly. So they need to be bathed at least once a week. You also have to keep a close eye on them outdoors. Their skin is extremely sensitive and they can easily get sunburned or skin damage.  

Sphynxes are known for their extroverted behavior. They display a high level of energy, intelligence, curiosity and affection for their owners. 
Because they have no pelt to keep them warm they tend to cuddle up against other animals and people, especially at night time. 

Like its celebrity look-a-like, you can often find the Sphynx under some bed sheets. 


Lil' Wayne


See the resemblance?

<![CDATA[Exotic Mammals: The African Civet]]>Sat, 20 Apr 2013 02:39:14 GMThttp://lionstigersboysohmy.weebly.com/blog/exotic-mammals-the-african-civet
Is she wearing my brother on her head?
The African Civet is the only remaining member in its genetic group and is considered to be the largest Civet. The African Civet is well known for the musk that it secretes to mark its territory. This musk has been used to manufacture perfumes for centuries.

Despite its cat-like appearance and behaviors, the African Civet is not a feline. In fact it is closely related to other small carnivores including weasels and mongooses.

This nocturnal animal is primarily a tree-dwelling creature, but it will leave the trees to get food. It predominantly uses its sharp teeth and mouth to gather food instead of using its paws.

Small animals such as rodents, lizards, snakes and frogs make up the majority of the African Civet's diet. They also eat insects, berries and fallen fruits found on the forest floor. It's safe to say they support the five second rule.  

Nicki Minaj

Jungle Barbie

See the resemblance?

<![CDATA[Exotic Mammals: The Emperor Tamarin]]>Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:12:01 GMThttp://lionstigersboysohmy.weebly.com/blog/exotic-mammals-the-emperor-tamarin
Don't mess with me.
The Emperor Tamarin, thought to be named after Emperor Wilhelm II for its long white mustache, is  another extremely small primate weighing in at 1lb. Their small size and long tails allow them to easily leap from tree to tree to avoid their predators and search for their prey. 

They can be found in rainforests throughout Brazil and Peru. Their healthy diet of plants, nectar, fruits, tree sap, fungi, rodents, insects and small vertebrates allow them to live anywhere from 17-20 years. If you think their diet is a little strange, get this -- they are born in pairs. 

Like their celebrity look-a-like, they are extremely territorial and call loudly to make their presence known. 

Hulk Hogan

Come at me bro.

See the Resemblance?

<![CDATA[Exotic Mammals: The English Angora Rabbit]]>Sat, 06 Apr 2013 00:51:22 GMThttp://lionstigersboysohmy.weebly.com/blog/exotic-mammals-the-angora-rabbit
The Easter bunny ain't got nothin' on me.
The English Angora rabbit is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbits. They originated in Turkey but became popular pets of French royalty in the mid 18th century. They appeared in the US in the 20th century and are now bred mainly for their long Agora wool. 

There are many different breeds of the Angora rabbit, but only four are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. Those four are the French, English, Giant and Satin. The English Angora is the smallest of the four and is also more common as a pet because of its teddy bear facial features. 

Like its celebrity look-a-like, the English Angora rabbit is very high maintenance. Its thick and abundant wool needs to be groomed at least twice a week. But hey, at least the wool can be used to make a pair of comfy winter boots. 



See the resemblance? 

<![CDATA[Exotic Mammals: The Philippine Tarsier]]>Sat, 30 Mar 2013 04:31:12 GMThttp://lionstigersboysohmy.weebly.com/blog/exotic-mammal-the-philippine-tarsier
Look me in the eyes and say you don't love me.
The Philippine Tarsier is one of the smallest primates in the world and is believed to have been around for more than 45 million years. 

These nocturnal animals tend to stay extremely hidden and are normally only active at night when hunting insects to eat. So if you haven't heard of them before, that might be one of the reasons. The other could be the fact that these endangered species, which used to be common in rainforests around the world, now only exist on a few islands in the Philippines. 

While they may be few in number, they definitely stand out. According to the Guinness Book of Records, they hold the record for the largest set of eyes. However, those large eyes  are fixed in their skull -- meaning they can't turn in their sockets. Instead, much like an owl, a special adaptation in the neck allows them to rotate their head 180 degrees. 

Their celebrity look-a-like might not be able to do that, but she does have a similar set of eyes.

Zooey Deschanel

This is my surprised face.

See the resemblance? 

<![CDATA[Exotic Mammals: The Aye-Aye]]>Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:10:03 GMThttp://lionstigersboysohmy.weebly.com/blog/exotic-mammals-the-aye-aye
Is this really the face of a killer?
The Aye-Aye is one of the most unusual primates on the planet, so much so that it was originally classified as a rodent. Now it is classified as the largest nocturnal primate in the world.

The Aye-Aye is found exclusively in Madagascar and is known for its distinctive elongated fingers and strikingly large yellowish eyes. The most marked trait of the Aye-Aye is a thin and extremely long middle finger on each of its hands. But they don’t just use their long middle fingers to say, “fuck you.” They also use them to find and remove insect larvae from cavities.

Along with their hearty meals of insect larvae, they also eat seeds, nectar and fungus. When they aren’t hunting for food or reproducing, they spend their time self-grooming.

Like its celebrity look-a-like, the Aye-Aye tends to scare people. In some parts of Madagascar, the Aye-Aye is regarded as an evil omen and killed on sight -- making humans its primary predator. As crazy as it might sound, the Sakalava actually believe that the Aye-Aye enters houses during the night through thatched roofs and murders the sleeping human occupants. It supposedly uses its elongated finger to cut the aortic vein of its victims. 

That’s my kind of animal. 

Christopher Lloyd 

I know what you did last summer.

See the resemblance? 

<![CDATA[Exotic Mammals: The White-faced Saki]]>Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:10:20 GMThttp://lionstigersboysohmy.weebly.com/blog/exotic-mammals-the-white-faced-saki
Why yes, I do style my own hair.
The White-faced Saki, scientifically known as the Pithecia pithecia, can be found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela hanging out in the understory and lower canopy of the forest.

These arboreal (tree-living) monkeys are fast moving, shy and typically active during the daytime. Their diet consists of berries and other fruits, honey, leaves, flowers, small mammals such as mice and bats, and small birds. They hunt and move mainly in leaps. They can reportedly jump up to 10 meters. This special skill has earned them the nickname “flying monkeys.”

The White-faced Sakis live in small family groups consisting of the parents and two or three offspring. They communicate with one another with squeaks, whistles, barks, grunts and roars.

Like it’s celebrity look-a-like, the White-faced Saki usually makes bird-like chirping sounds and displays aggression by body-shaking and loud growls.

Gene Simmons

This face is how I get all the ladies.

See the resemblance?