The Animal’s Name
The waterbucks name gives it the impression that it is an animal that dwells in water, but that is infact not true. The waterbuck is a type of antelope or deer that resides near water at all times; this is what gives this animal its unique name. A group of waterbucks are identified as a herd or cluster. The males and females do not have a specific name that is used to refer to its gender, but the babies are commonly called calves. The scientific name given to the waterbuck is Kobus ellipsiprymnus.
Anatomy and Appearance
The waterbuck is a large animal that resembles the appearance of an antelope or deer. Waterbucks have rounded ears with black tips and white fur inside. If they are male, between their ears, the waterbucks
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They have two eyes, and above them are white patches of fur that are like eyebrows that come down past the corners of their eyes. Their snouts are average in size and their mouths and nose are surrounded with white fur. Inside their mouths they have grazing teeth which consist primarily of molars. From their heads, they have long thick necks that lead to their long bodies which measure as long as 6-7 feet.(source 1) For having such a long body the waterbuck is short in its height, and their shoulders only reach 3.5-4.5 feet. (source 1) They are 4-legged and have hooves that are divided into two sections, and they are slightly longer than most antelopes hooves because they help the waterbuck keep balance it the wet and marshy areas. The waterbuck has reddish- brown long shaggy fur which is unusual, considering it lives in a warm climate, …show more content…
Mating occurs when a waterbuck from a female group wanders into male herd territories. The males will then try to get the females to submit to them, and if not they will force them to mate. If they are impregnated, female waterbucks will go through a nine month gestation phase before giving birth to one calf. The baby calf is kept hidden for three weeks while nursing, and they will continue to nurse for 6-8 months. After weaning, male waterbucks form bachelor herds, and females stay with their mothers groups. The young calves become sexually mature at 12-14 months for females and 14-18 months for males. Waterbucks have been known to live as long as 18 years in captivity.
Behavior
Waterbucks are very adaptable to change, for example, the waterbuck is diurnal, but if human activity increases during the day they will become nocturnal to avoid coming into contact with humans. Waterbucks are very quiet and sedentary animals; they avoid moving great distances and try to stay in the same territory for as long as possible.
Defense and
What is Waterfowl hunting? Not only is it hands down the most adrenaline pumping, heart racing outdoors sports, but also one of the top most adventurous outdoor experiences. Becoming a waterfowl hunter could be a life changing experience, showing one the great outdoors is an excellent way to relax and breath in the fresh air. A few steps an individual needs to take before going out and becoming a waterfowl pro. Waterfowl hunting will always remain on the top of the hunting food chain. Waterfowl hunting is a great hobby, and it is thrilling for the hunter to enjoy what nature has to offer the hunter. The three key aspects of waterfowl hunting are, scouting, preparing, and enjoying the hunt.
Manatees, commonly called Sea Cow, are large aquatic mammals that are found in warm coastal areas, rivers and warm water springs in the Amazon Basin, West Africa, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the Southeastern United States. Manatees can be found in salt water, fresh water and brackish water. They spend most of their time eating aquatic plants, resting, migrating and nurturing their young. The manatee species has evolved over the last 45 million years. The adult manatee evolved into an average of approximately 10 feet long and weighs between 800 and 1,200 pounds (Site This).
The mudpuppy to me is one of my favorite animals that live under water. The mudpuppy is related to amphibians. One thing that makes the mudpuppy different is that their gills never go away like other amphibians gills do. There gills kind of look like bushes underwater just swaying around. According to “National Geographic” they say that, “mudpuppies are easily distinguishable by their bushy, red external gills, which they grow as larva and never lose. They have flat heads, wide tails, stubby les, and feet with four distinct toes. Their bodies are gray or brownish-gray with blue- black spots” (1). They have almost all the same characteristics as salamanders do: like toes and the patterns on their bodies. According to the book “A Natural History of Amphibians” the authors Robert C. Stebbins and Nathan W. Cohen talk about the skin of amphibians and they said,
You may have even seen this species yourself. Some of the most common places to find them are in your own backyard, in parks, or even dazed at headlights in the middle of Winton Road. The deer is easy to spot. In the summer, it’s coat is reddish-brown and in the winter it is buff. All year around its underside and tail are completely white as well as having a white spot on its neck.
The Blue Mountains Water Skink is fairly long-bodied and slender lizard. It can reach sizes up to 200 millimeters and weigh up to ten grams. It's scales have a shimmery shine to them, with long stripes along its back and a multitude of pale yellow spots throughout the length of it's body. It also has a light underbelly, which contrasts against the darker scales on top.
A muskrat is known for it’s black-ish brown color but muskrats can also be black, white, silver, and tan. A muskrat also has a long scaly tail, that is almost half its body length, which is 22-25 inches. This scaly tail is the main source of power when swimming. A typical muskrat normally weighs about 1.3-4.4 pounds. They also have slightly webbed feet to help them swim easily. On top of that muskrats have two layers thick fur that almost seems like wool to protect them from cold water. A muskrat has a very compact body, with a small head and small ears to make it easier for them to get around quickly while in water.
The pudus have small, black eyes, black noses, and ears that are rounded. Pudu have small hooves, dewclaws, it is a false hoof on an animal, and short tails. Their fur is a reddish-brown to dark-brown and in the winter, their neck and shoulders turn to a dark gray-brown.
The 22 known subspecies of wildcats are separated into the Forrest, Steppe, and Bay or Bush Wildcats. The wildcat is closely related to the sand, Chinese mountain, jungle, and black-footed cats but the wildcat is much less complex than any of its relatives. Compared to the housecat species, the wildcat species is relatively larger, but is smaller than that of other members of the Felinae. A wildcat looks similar to a tabby housecat with longer legs which gives it a taller stance, and also has a larger, spherical head. The tail is long(usually longer that half that of the body), and its ears are a normal length, yet broad at the base. Their eyes are large with vertical pupils, yellowish-green in color. The male wildcat is normally larger in weight, tail length, and body length and the largest of all come from cool, northern parts of Europe. Wildcats posses scary good night vision, having up to 100% better vision than a housecat and can possibly see colors as well. Their sense of smell can reach up to 218 yards, that’s almost two entire football
Hedgehogs are nocturnal though they can occasionally be seen foraging during the day if they need to build up a fat reserve
Crooks is a stable buck for the ranch. He is segregated from the other ranch hands because of his color. Crooks is a negro and is crippled which makes him participate in other activities away from the other workers. He has his own bunk situated inside the barn where very few of the other ranch hands have ventured. His back was also kicked by a horse in his early years so his back is crooked and that where he gets his name, Crooks.
White tailed deer have many predators such as humans, mountain lions, wolves, jaguars, coyotes, and bears. To escape their predators they run. They can run up to Thirty miles
The mammal that I have chosen is the giant otter. I was interested in this mammal because I did not know there was such thing as a giant otter. I mostly thought that there were just normal sized otters. Now I’m intrigued to know what the giant otter’s life is about. Where are they from? I will be finding out this information later in my paper. They are nice, but violent creatures.
tail. They have gray or rosy brown backs with lighter gray or brown hind legs and have
Otters are the smallest out of all the marine animals. Female otters are generally smaller than male otters. Their tail is about one-third of their body and is used to help them dive deeper. To swim, otters use their hind flippers and tail. An otter’s body is very slender and long. They are extremely flexible, so they can groom all of their body. Their eyes are small and their ears are just visible. All otters have a very good sense of smell and can hear very well. Their whiskers can sense vibrations in the water which comes in handy when they are hunting. Most types of otters have retractable claws which allow them to better grip their food. “It is the only marine animal capable of lifting and turning over rocks, which it often does with its front paws when searching for prey” (“Otter Anatomy &