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| Animals |
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 |  | Red
panda
The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a smaller relative of the well known giant
panda. Like its larger relative, the red panda is a member of the order Carnivora,
even though the vast majority of its diet is vegetable in nature. There is some
argument as to whether pandas are more closely related to the raccoon family or
to the bear family, but most experts think they belong to a family of their own.
The red panda is slightly larger than a large housecat, has rusty red fur, a long
light and dark striped tail, a short white nose, and dark tear tracks. It is crepuscular
(active around dawn and dusk) and scansorial (well adapted for climbing), spending
much of its time in trees. Red pandas are called by many names. Some of these
are: lesser panda, hun-ho, wah, and red cat bear.
In the wild, red pandas
eat mostly bamboo leaves. They supplement this diet with berries, mushrooms, grasses
and bark. Red pandas do eat some meat. They eat insects, bird eggs, bird nestlings,
and may even catch an occasional mouse or bamboo rat. The
red panda is found in the forests of singalia and Neora valley. |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | | Olive
Ridley
The olive ridley is a small, hard-shelled marine turtle which may be identified
by the uniquely high and variable numbers of vertebral and costal scutes.
Although the Olive Ridley remains widespread and relatively numerous in tropical
waters, most nesting sites support only small or moderate scale nesting (up to
around 1,000 females per year), and most populations are known or thought to be
depleted, often severely so, and some are virtually extinct.
The main
food items recorded are crabs and shrimps, but sessile and pelagic tunicates,
jellyfish and other small invertebrates appear in the diet, also fish eggs. Olive
Ridleys have been captured in prawn trawls at depths of 80 to 110m, so they are
certainly capable of foraging at relatively great depth.
Three major
threats to Olive Ridley populations have been identified: commercial harvest of
adults, incidental catch in shrimp trawls, and harvest of eggs from nest beaches.
These factors are of differing significance in different areas, although some
populations (e.g. in Mexico) are affected by all three. The Olive Ridley has been
considered by some authorities to be the most abundant marine turtle in the world,
but it may also be the most exploited one. It is found mainly in the Sunderban
area most notably in the Lothian islands. |
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Gaur
Also known as the
Indian bison and the wild ox, the gaur is a massive creature. The guar has an
enormous head and thick, muscular body, with males sometimes standing over six
feet tall at the shoulders. At birth, the guar has a golden yellow coat, which
deepens to a brown or copper color during adulthood. The skin of old guar turns
completely black. Both male and female guar have horns, though the horns of the
bulls are significantly larger than those of the cows.
A herbivore, the
guar prefers grass; it is not uncommon to see guar grazing on grasses and leaves.
At times, guar will also munch on the bark of select trees.
For most of the
year, guar bulls stay in herds together without conflict. But around mating season,
males exhibit competitive behavior. To attract mates, bulls will roam through
the rainforest, making what some scientists describe as a musical call. Herds
return the call, and bull makes its way to the herd. After fighting off other
males, a male guar will then mate with a female. The gaur is seen in Neora valley,
Jaldapara, Mahananda,Chapramari, Buxa etc. |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | | Clouded
Leopard
The Clouded Leopard is one of the 7 species of 'big cat', although due to some
of its characteristics some feel it is a link between the big cats and the small
cats. It also shares some characteristics of the extinct Sabre-Tooth Cats as it
has the longest canine teeth in relation to its size of any carnivore on earth.
However, it is not any more closely related to the Sabre-Toothed Cats than any
other cat is. The Clouded Leopard is not closely related to the Leopard, nor indeed
to any other species of cat. Its beautiful coat and stunning features combine
to make it one of the most beautiful and intriguing animals on earth. |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | | Estuarine
Crocodile
As the name suggests these crocodiles are mainly found in Estuaries where tidal
rivers meet the sea. This watery habitat is often mangrove lined They can also
be found sometimes in the open sea or inland in freshwater swamps.
The
world's largest reptile the "Salty" has a broad "stubby" snout with cone shaped
teeth. Its average length is 4 meters but males 6 to 7 meters have been reported.
Saltwater Crocs have rows of bony scales on their neck and back. There coloring
is mainly greyish brown with brown and yellow sides. Their rear feet are webbed
to aid with swimming. It is thought that they live up to 70 to 100 years Their
clear eyelids enable them to see underwater.
The feeding strategy of
a salt water croc is to wait close to the water's edge and pounce upon its victim
in the blink of an eye. The usual prey of younger crocs is smaller animals such
as fishes and crustaceans crabs insects etc. Adults can also attack and eat larger
animals by overpowering and then drowning them, (the teeth are designed more for
holding) eg fish, turtles, birds, turtles, reptiles and mammals (dingoes wallabies)
even domestic cattle and people. After the prey is dead the croc will break the
prey up into smaller pieces by violent flicking of the head to snap or break bones
or twisting and rolling the body Larger crocs will also take carrion (dead animals)
if hungry.
The croc is available in the Lothian islands, Sajnekhali and the
Sunderban. | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | | Pygmy
Hog
The pygmy hog is a
small wild pig weighing about 8.5 kg (10 lb). It lives in dense, tall grassland,
where it feeds on roots, tubers and other vegetable matter, as well as insects
and other invertebrates. Nests are built and used by both sexes at all times of
the year. The pygmy hog is apparently non-territorial. It lives in small family
groups of about 4 - 5 individuals, comprised of one or more adult females and
accompanying juveniles, and occasionally an adult male.
The continuing
decline of the pygmy hog is due to the modification and elimination of its limited
habitat by human settlement, agricultural encroachment, overgrazing by domestic
livestock, commercial forestry, flood control projects etc. Pygmy hog was considered
to be extinct from Jalpaiguri district but signs of its existence has been observed
recently in Jaldapara and Gorumara. |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | | Indian
elephant
The Asian Elephant (also known as the Indian Elephant) is a huge land animal that
lives in India, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Sri Lanka. This mammal has very strong
social bonds and lives in family groups headed by a female (called a cow). Males
(called bulls) occasionally join the group. Elephants are excellent swimmers.
Asian Elephants average about 8 feet (2.5 m) tall at the shoulder (smaller
than African Elephants). Males weigh up to 6 tons (5,400 kg); females average
about 4 tons (3,600 kg). Only males have tusks (large, pointed ivory teeth). They
have very thick, wrinkled, gray-brown skin that is almost hairless. The ears not
only hear well, but also help the elephant lose excess heat, as hot blood flows
near the surface. Elephants breathe through two nostrils at the end of their trunk,
which is an extension of the nose. The trunk is also used to get water and food.
To get water, the elephant sucks water into the trunk, then curls the trunk towards
the mouth and squirts the water into it. The trunk has a prehensile (grasping)
extension at the tip, which it uses like a finger.
Elephants eat roots,
grasses, leaves, bark, bananas and sugar cane. Working bulls can eat up to 300-600
pounds (130-260 kg) of food each day. Elephants are found in Buxa,Gorumara,Mahananda,Chapramari,Jaldapara
etc. | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | | Spotted
Deer
The Spotted Deer is the most commonly found member of the deer family in India.
It is found across the entire country except in the extreme northern regions.
They are mostly seen in large herds of 30 - 50 females with a few stags. They
grow to a height of approximately 90 cm at the shoulders and can weigh up to 85
kgs. Their life expectancy ranges from 20 - 30 years. Despite being one of the
favourite prey species of predators such as tigers and leopards and only giving
birth to a single fawn at a time, their population is quite abundant.
Their
diet consists of all kinds of vegetation but grass is the favourite. They also
eat the antlers that they shed for their rich nutrients.
Spotted deer
are extremely nervous animals and are always on the alert for a stalking predator.
They are often seen under trees housing Langurs for two reasons. Firstly, due
to their higher perch, the langurs forewarn them about approaching danger and
secondly, the titbits dropped by the Langurs make easy pickings for a meal. The
breeding season is not during one part of the year only. It can be in both the
summer or winter. However, it is mostly seen during the summers, when males can
be seeing throwing their heads back and letting out loud mating calls. Although
it comes nowhere close to the volume of the mating call of the Swamp deer. Loud
clashing of antlers can also be heard at night during this period. | |
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