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have four big canine teeth for attacking prey.
A female tiger is one of the most loving and caring mothers in the animal
kingdom. She cuddles her babies to keep them warm. She feeds them and
protects them from enemies. For three years or more she looks after them,
teaching them how to hunt and survive in the wild.
This cub is only a few weeks old. In the wild, cubs are usually born in caves
and other protected places. The mother keeps them there and brings them food
for about three months. After that, the cubs are big enough to follow her as
she hunts for prey.
The life of a baby tiger can be dangerous. If a mother leaves her cubs, even
for a short time, they may be attacked by predators. Some of the animals that
like to eat tiger cubs are leopards (left), pythons (below left), and hyenas
(below right).
LEOPARDS
CLOUDED LEOPARD: PRECIOUS CARGO
One chapter in the Zoological Society's clouded leopard story began early in
1983 with the arrival of a young pair of cats from the People's Republic of
China. The cats were a welcome addition to the Society collection. Staff
prepared a plan to encourage successful breeding, but unfortunately, tragedy
occurred before the plan could be implemented.
In the exhibit, the female was accidentally exposed to a male, which severely
mauled her right foreleg and shoulder. The injury was so severe that, because
of the initial trauma and resulting fast-spreading infection, amputation of
the leg and affected scapula were required to save her life.
The difficult surgery was masterfully conducted. Intensive care was required
for more than two months. The veterinary staff and a hospital team kept the
cat alive through repeated tube-feeding and frequent hands-on care, despite
the cat's aggressive distrust of such treatment. Following many weeks of this
regimen, the cat responded and made sufficient recovery to allow her return
to the leopard exhibit.
A primary hurdle had been cleared -- the female had survived the injury. Next
to be resolved were her adjustments to life on three legs and finding a
method which would allow her reintroduction to the Chinese male.
First, the mammal staff placed the cat in a program designed to help her grow
accustomed to life with three legs. After several months of satisfactory
progress, the staff decided to place her with the male, who had been kept in
a separate but adjoining room. The animals were allowed to make contact as
they chose. To the relief of all, the reintroduction was successful. The cats
proved to be compatible, and, shortly after reintroduction, breeding took
place.
On the morning of April 25, 1984, final proof of the success of a long and
difficult management program arrived-- a litter of two cubs. One cub did not
survive, but the other was taken to the Children's Zoo to be raised by the
nursery staff.
UNIQUE FELINE
The clouded Leopard has intrigued its public, been sought after for its fur,
and mystified those who would try to categorize it. During the early morning
hours of April 25, 1984, a discovery was made which was the culmination of a
saga, which held elements of zoo diplomacy and goodwill, tragedy and
suspense, cooperation and success. The discovery climaxed a chain of events
surrounding this paradoxical cat.
This cat has behavioral and physical traits typical of the small cats, genus
Felis, and the big cats, genus Panther. A paradox to taxonomists and
zoologists, it has been assigned to its own genus, Necrfelis, and is
considered a bridge between the two larger genera. A relationship to the
extinct saber toothed cat has even been suggested, based on the physical
characteristic of having, in proportion to body size, the longest canines of
all living felines. Its canine structure is also similar to that of the
saber-toothed cat.
The clouded leopard has a body size ranging from 24 to 42 inches (616-1,066
mm) Its tail adds another 21 to 36 inches (550-912 mm) of length. This
leopard's weight falls between 35 and 50 pounds (16-23 kg). Its fur is
grayish brown to tawny yellow and has dark markings in a variety of shapes,
which seem to form cloudlike patterns.
The clouded leopard was once believed to be exclusively arboreal and
nocturnal. Recent observations in captivity and in the wild indicate,
however, that it may be considerably more terrestrial and diurnal than
previously thought. It is believed to prey upon birds, young buffalo, cattle,
deer, goats, monkeys, pigs, and porcupines. The species is difficult to
manage in captivity because of a tendency to be highly aggressive toward
other species and humans. The exceptionally long canine teeth can easily
inflict mortal injury. True to its paradoxical reputation, however, some cats
may become extremely affectionate toward humans, even permitting and seeking
physical contact.
NORTH CHINESE LEOPARD
This leopard is so rare that humans almost never see it in the wild. It
roams the forests and mountain meadows of northern China and Korea.
It makes its home in a great tangle of fallen trees and shrubs. When it
kills smaller animals it devours them right away. But when it comes to
larger prey, like deer and wild goats, the leopard drags the animal home to
save for several meals.
Don't be scared. The teeth of this snarling leopard won't hurt you.
On the contrary. It's the snow leopard that should be afraid. Its relatives
in the wild are in constant danger from poachers who want to shoot them for
their pelts and teeth.
Even though shooting leopards is illegal, it's considered "good business."
That's because some people still wear leopard fur coats, and others believe
that leopard teeth earrings and necklaces have special powers.
SNOW LEOPARD: COLD WEATHER CAT
The shy, nocturnal and virtually unknown Snow Leopard is classified with the
big cats, but shares some small cat characteristics, for example it doesn't
roar and it feeds in a crouched position.
The Snow leopard has to contend with extremes of climate and its coat varies
from fine in summer to thick in winter. The surfaces of its paws are covered
by a cushion of hair, which increases the surface area, thus distributing the
animal's with more evenly over soft snow and protecting its soles from the
cold.
Snow leopards are solitary except during the breeding season, (January to
May), when male and female hunt together, or when a female has young. One to
four young are born in spring or early summer in a well-concealed den lined
with the mother's fur. Initially, the spots are completely black. The young
open their eyes at 7-9 days, are quite active by two months, and remain with
their mother through their first winter
Snow leopards are extremely rare in many parts of their range due to the
demand for their skins by the fur trade. Although in many countries it is now
illegal to use these furs, the trade continues and the species remains under
threat.
SNOW LEOPARD
They live in the snow-covered mountain peaks of Central Asia. How high do
these Asian Mountains rise? They reach 20,000 feet in altitude.
The snow leopard's long, thick fur keeps it warm even in the frosty air, and
its creamy white and gray color camouflages it in the snow. Because humans
are fond of turning its beautiful coat into coats for themselves, the species
is on the brink of extinction.
HYENS
SPOTTED HYENA
This hyena is also known as the "laughing" hyena. Sometimes a hyena lets out
a cry that resembles a wild human cackle.
Did you know that a hyena can gorge up to 33 pounds of meat extremely fast?
It needs to eat fast because as many as 50 other hungry hyenas may be next to
it, noisily feeding on the same piece of meat. Scientists have seen 38
hyenas devour a zebra in 15 minutes, leaving only a few scraps behind.
The hyena is famous for eating animal parts that other meat-eaters won't
touch. You might even see it stamping and biting on an ostrich egg, trying
to eat it. After devouring everything in sight, the hyena spits out the
horns, hooves, and bone pieces, ligaments and hair. If there are leftovers,
it buries the meat in a muddy pool. The hyena's good memory leads it back to
the hidden food when it's hungry again.
The spotted hyena hunts at night. Hyenas were once thought to be just
scavengers (animals that eat the meat left behind by predators). But now we
know that they're very good at finding their own food, too.
Hunting together in large packs, hyenas have a very effective way of catching
their favorite food. One hyena scares a herd of wildebeest, looks for the
weakest member of the herd, and then begins a chase. The other hyenas join in
the attack, and a wildebeest feast is soon ready.
If you've ever heard the expression "laughing hyena" and wondered where it
came from, it was inspired by the strange, laughter-like sound hyenas make
when they're being attacked or chased.
EATING HABITS
True hyenas have thickset muzzles with large ears and eyes, powerful jaws and
big cheek teeth to deal with a carnivorous diet. They walk on four-toed feet
with five asymmetrical pads and nonretractile claws. The tail is long and
bushy (less so in the spotted hyena). Spotted hyenas will eat almost
anything, but in the wild much of their food comes from mammals heavier than
44 lb. which they mostly kill for themselves. The frequency of hunting
depends on the availability of carrion; spotted hyenas will loot the kills of
other carnivores, including lions. Group feeding is often noisy, but rarely
involves serious fighting. Instead, each hyena gorges extremely rapidly on up
to 33 lb. of flesh. Pieces of a carcass may be carried away to be consumed at
leisure or, occasionally, stored underwater.
It seems that the success of spotted hyenas is ensured through individual and
cooperative hunting and sharing of food between adults. Cooperation also
extends to communal marking and defense of the territory, in which both sexes
play a similar role, whether or not they are related. Competition within the
clan can, however, be intense. The system of communication shows adaptations,
which reduce aggression and coordinate group activities. Such competition
probably provided the selection pressure whereby females evolved their large
size and dominant position, which in turn relates also to levels of
testosterone in the blood that are indistinguishable from those of the male.
Thus female spotted hyenas are able to feed a small number of offspring alone
and protect them from the more serious consequences of interference by other
hyenas, particularly unrelated males.
WHY THEY LAUGH
Hyenas are often called "solitary," a label which obscures the fact that
their social systems are among the most complex known for mammals. Spotted
hyenas employ elaborate meeting ceremonies and efficient long-range
communication by scent and sound. Even when moving alone, spotted hyenas
maintain some direct contact with their fellows. They respond to sounds,
which are only audible to humans with the aid of an amplifier and headphones.
Calls audible to the unaided human ear include whoops, fast whoops, yells and
a kind of demented cackle that gives this species its alternative name of
laughing hyena. Whoop calls, in particular, are well-suited to long- range
communication as they carry over several kilometers; each call is repeated a
number of times, which helps the listener to locate the caller, and each
hyena has a distinctive voice. Infant hyenas will answer the pre-recorded
whoops of their mothers, but not those of other clan hyenas.
LIONS
AFRICAN LION: FAMILY CATS
Lions are among the most admired animals on earth. Their strength and beauty,
combined with their bold nature, have fascinated people for ages. In fact,
the lion has often been called the "king of the beasts." And when you see a
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