Featured Animal Archives - Animal Fact Guide

Featured Animal: Capybara

Posted on May 1, 2013 by admin

Meet our featured animal, the capybara!

Here are five facts about capybaras:

The capybara takes the title of world’s largest rodent.
Capybaras are semi-aquatic, spending a lot of time in the water.
Capybaras can stay submerged underwater for up to 5 minutes.
Capybaras have special digestive adaptations that allow them to absorb enough nutrients from their highly fibrous diet.
Very social animals, capybaras live in small family groups of about 10-20.

Posted on April 1, 2013 by admin

Meet our featured animal, the bonobo!

Here are five facts about bonobos:

Bonobos share 98.5% of our DNA.
In captivity, bonobos have learned how to communicate in human languages, use tools, and play music.
Although they resemble chimpanzees, bonobos have the ability to walk bipedally, or on two legs, more easily and for longer amounts of time than chimps.
Bonobos live harmoniously in matriarchal groups of up to 100 members.
Bonobos communicate with high-pitched barking sounds.

Posted on March 1, 2013 by admin

Meet our featured animal, the black-tailed prairie dog!

Here are five facts about black-tailed prairie dogs:

Prairie dogs live in small, close-knit families called coteries.
Groups of neighboring coteries form a prairie dog colony.
Prairie dogs communicate with each other through barking. They can describe a predator by varying the frequency and pitch of their barks.
Prairie dogs perform jump-yip calls, in which they stand on the mound, throw their head back, and let out a high-pitched bark, sometimes evening toppling onto their backs due to the exertion.
Although they once numbered in the hundreds of millions, prairie dog populations are now estimated at around 10-20 million.

Posted on February 1, 2013 by admin

Meet our featured animal, the narwhal!

Narwhal

Here are five facts about narwhals:

The horn on a narwhal is actually a giant, spiraled tooth.
The long tooth can reach up to 3 m (10 ft.) in length and grows continually to replace wear.
The name narwhal derives from the old Norse word nar meaning corpse.
Narwhals travel in groups (or pods) of 15-20 whales.
Preying on creatures primarily on the bottom of the sea, they dive on average 800 m (.5 mi.), but can go twice that.

Posted on January 18, 2013 by admin

Meet our featured animal, the Tasmanian devil!

Tasmanian devil

Here are five facts about Tasmanian devils:

Tasmanian devils inhabit the island state of Tasmania, although they once lived throughout Australia.
The Tasmanian devil is the size of a small dog.
Tasmanian devils are not picky eaters. They eat carrion (dead animals), including rotten flesh, fur, and bones!
Female Tasmanian devils give birth to up to 50 babies (joeys).
Tasmanian devils are considered endangered. Threats include being hit by cars and Devil Facial Tumour Disease.