Tag: whiskers

Bleat

The name Klipspringer is the Afrikaans for ‘rock jumper’ and alludes to the animal’s ability in rocky territory where it can be seen moving freely, seemingly on tiptoe. Weighing 11-13 Kg and standing 500-600mm high at the shoulders, this is a small and stocky antelope. Ewes are slightly larger than the rams. Only rams have short horns, which are ringed only at the base. Klipspringers have smallish rounded ears positioned far back on the head, and with noticeable dark inner markings. The coarse-haired coat is variable in colour with shades of grey, yellow, brown or red, with marked white underparts, chin and lips. A prominent feature is the large, black pre-orbital gland.

Bleat

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Quenching

A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of any big cat species. Black panthers in Asia and Africa are leopards and those in the Americas are black jaguars. Close examination of the colour of these black cats will show that the typical markings are still present, but are hidden by the excess black pigment melanin, giving an effect similar to that of printed silk. This is called “ghost striping”.

Quenching

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Royalty

The King Cheetah – this unusual looking cheetah, also known as Cooper’s Cheetah, was once thought to be a separate sub-species. But it is actually an African Cheetah exhibiting a rare fur pattern mutation. A recessive gene must be inherited from both parents in order for this “blotchy” pattern to appear. First discovered in Zimbabwe in 1926, this very rare animal has been seen in the wild only 6 times. It has been known to exist in Zimbabwe, Botswana and in the northern part of South Africa’s Transvaal province. The DeWildt Cheetah Research Center in South Africa specializes in breeding this Cheetah.

Royalty

Picture of the day, Wildlife