Tag: whiskers

Curvature

The nyala is also a very unique species with regards to its extreme sexual dimorphism (i.e. the differences between males and females). The male is dark brown in colour while the female is a bright orange colour. Males are born the same colour as females, but as they mature they will gradually change from orange to a dark brown. In the larger antelope species, the male is known as a bull and the female is known as a cow. With smaller antelope, the male is known as a ram and the female is known as a ewe. The nyala is used as a marker to distinguish between the names given to the males and females of other antelope species. This is because of the drastic difference in size between the male and female nyala. The male nyala is classified as a bull, while the female is classified as a ewe. Any male antelope smaller than the nyala bull is classified as a ram, and any female antelope bigger than the nyala female is classified as a cow. The species is also unique in the way males compete for females. The males will display what is called a lateral display. This is when the fringe fur on the backs and bellies of the males will become rigid and stand up straight, giving them a bigger and bolder appearance. This display of size can settle a dominance dispute the majority of the time, but on rare occasions when two bull nyala are well matched, they will lock horns and fight for breeding and dominance rights. The displays are spectacular to see.
Info source: https://arathusa.co.za/a-unique-antelope-species/
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The photo was taken during September 2017 near Nkuhlu Picnic Spot, Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Curvature

Picture of the day, Wildlife

Pod

Adult hippos move at speeds up to 8 km/h (5 mph) in water; typically resurfacing to breathe every three to five minutes. The young have to breathe every two to three minutes. The process of surfacing and breathing is subconscious: a hippo sleeping underwater will rise and breathe without waking up. A hippo closes its nostrils when it submerges into the water. As with fish and turtles on a coral reef, hippos occasionally visit cleaning stations and signal, by opening their mouths wide, their readiness for being cleaned of parasites by certain species of fishes. This is an example of mutualism in which the hippo benefits from the cleaning, while the fish receive food. Although hippos lie close to each other, they do not seem to form social bonds except between mothers and daughters, and they are not social animals. The reason they huddle close together is unknown. Hippopotamuses are territorial only in water, where a bull presides over a small stretch of river, on average 250 m (270 yds) in length, and containing 10 females. The largest pods can contain over 100 hippos. Info source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippopotamus ========= The photo was taken during January 2016 at Mabula Private Game Reserve, Rooiberg, Limpopo, South Africa.

Pod

Picture of the day, Wildlife

Unique

The striking black and white colours of the coat of the Burchell’s zebra are breathtaking. The patterns formed by these stripes are unique to each individual; which is why you will hear people say that no two zebras are completely the same. Burchell’s zebra, which is also known as the plains zebra, has black and white stripes all over its body with only a few or fading stripes on the legs. Each zebra has unique stripes that can be used as an identification character to distinguish between individuals – similar to fingerprints in humans. The stripes on the sides run down and join under the belly. Burchell’s zebra can be mistaken for the mountain zebra, but the stripes on the legs (fading stripes in Burchell’s zebra vs. clear stripes on mountain zebra) and belly are distinct (in the mountain zebra, the belly is all white with no stripes). Burchell’s zebra also have smaller ears when compared to those of the mountain zebra. There is a short mane down the back of the neck. The tail has long black hair at the end. Males are slightly larger than the females, and they have a narrow black stripe running vertically between their hind legs. In females, this stripe is wider. Males grow to between 1.35 and 1.37 m at the shoulder and their weight is between 290 and 340 kg, while females weigh about 260 kg. Info source: https://www.sanbi.org/animal-of-the-week/burchells-zebra/

Unique

Picture of the day, Wildlife