About mammals

10 fun facts about horses
Horses have been a part of society for many years, and for many different reasons. Horses are working animals, companions and athletes in equestrian sport, to name a few. Although horses are such well-known animals, the following facts may surprise you about these magnificent creatures.
1. Horses can’t breathe through their mouth
Horses are “obligate nose breathers” meaning that they can only breathe through their nose, not through their mouth as humans can.

2. Horses can sleep standing up
Horses have what’s called a “stay-apparatus” which is a system of tendons and ligaments that allows the horse to lock their legs in position so they can relax without falling over. When not sleeping, horses also use this apparatus to rest while standing for long periods of time so they don’t fatigue. This allows them to conserve energy while standing so they are ready to take flight if needed. But it is a myth that horses never lay down – they do spend a short amount of time each day laying down for deeper sleep.

3. Horses have lightning fast reflexes
Should a situation arise when they need to fight, they can go from standing still to delivering a powerful kick in just 0.3 seconds, whereas human reaction time is 1.6 seconds.

4. Horses have 10 different muscles in their ears
This allows them to rotate nearly 180 degrees and move independently of one another. Humans only have three muscles in their ears.

5. Horses have a nearly 360 degree field of vision
This is due to the positioning of their eyes on the sides of their head. However, they have two blind spots – one directly behind them, and the other just in-front and below their nose. This means that they cannot see the grass they are grazing on, or the carrot you are sticking out to them! Instead they use their mobile and sensitive lips, whiskers and sense of smell to know what is in-front of them and decide if they want to eat it.
6. Horses do not have teeth in the middle of their mouth
You can also estimate how old a horse is by looking at their teeth.

7. Horses are highly intelligent animals
They can be taught many different tasks through positive reinforcement and clicker training, just as dogs can. One study showed that horses have the ability to communicate their needs to their guardians; these horses learned to communicate whether they wanted a blanket on or off through touching symbols on a board.

8. The earliest ancestor of the horse is estimated to have lived 55 million years ago
This ancestor was only the size of a Labrador retriever. Horses were domesticated around 6000 years ago, estimated from evidence found at archaeological sites. They were first domesticated as a food source.

9. Horses have a fixed pelvis, so they cannot do the splits
They do have some lateral movement though, allowing them to scratch their ears with their hind feet.

10. Horses are very social animals
Since horses are prey species, they find safety in a herd and form strong social relationships with each other. They use their senses to recognize familiar horses and spend time with those they have formed friendships with. In the wild, one horse will stand guard to keep watch while the other horses in the herd take time to eat, rest and sleep.

9 fascinating facts about hares
We reveal our favourite facts about spring's beguiling mascot.

1. The brown hare is Britain’s fastest land mammal, clocking speeds of up to 40mph.

2. There are about 700,000 hares in the UK — they are especially prolific in East Anglia, but sparser in the West Country and much of Wales; in northern Scotland, the brown hare is replaced by the mountain hare, Lepus timidus.

3. The true origin of Lepus europaeus is something of a mystery — there is evidence of its presence from the Iron Age onwards, but not much before that.

4. The expression to ‘kiss the hare’s foot’, meaning ‘to be late’, alludes to the hare’s great speed and the notion that, if you hesitate, it will have gone and all that will be left is a footprint.

5. Hares are solitary, not colonial, and don’t burrow. They create shallow resting places, in fields or long grass, known as ‘forms’.

6. A hare’s paw, when carried in the right-hand pocket, was believed to ward off cramp and rheumatism.

7. It was also once believed that, if a pregnant woman saw a hare, her child would have a ‘hare lip’.

8. The phrase ‘mad as a March hare’ is derived from the antics of hares during their breeding season.

9. An image of three running hares with linked ears can be found in many medieval churches and cathedrals across Britain — possibly due to their association with the Virgin Mary and the belief that hares were hermaphrodites or as a representation of the Holy Trinity.

Facts About Skunks
Skunks are small, furry animals with black and white stripes. Some skunks are striped, and some are spotted or have swirl patterns on their fur. No matter the pattern, the black-and-white coloring is a warning sign to anyone who may harm this small creature. They pack a wallop of a defense mechanism — noxious odors produced from their well-developed scent glands.

Size
Skunks are typically around the size of house cats. They grow to 8 to 19 inches (20 to 48 centimeters) long and weigh around 7 ounces to 14 lbs. (198 grams to 6 kilograms). Their tail adds another 5 to 15 inches (13 to 38 cm) to their length.

The Eastern hog-nosed skunk is the largest of all the skunk species, according to the Animal Diversity Web (ADW). It typically grows to 27.56 to 31.50 inches (70 to 80 cm) and weighs 4.41 to 9.91 lbs. (2 to 4.5 kg).
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Home References
Facts About Skunks
By Alina Bradford published June 22, 2016

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Striped skunk
The striped skunk is found across most of southern Canada, all over the United States and in northern Mexico. (Image credit: Volt Collection)
Skunks are small, furry animals with black and white stripes. Some skunks are striped, and some are spotted or have swirl patterns on their fur. No matter the pattern, the black-and-white coloring is a warning sign to anyone who may harm this small creature. They pack a wallop of a defense mechanism — noxious odors produced from their well-developed scent glands.

Size
Skunks are typically around the size of house cats. They grow to 8 to 19 inches (20 to 48 centimeters) long and weigh around 7 ounces to 14 lbs. (198 grams to 6 kilograms). Their tail adds another 5 to 15 inches (13 to 38 cm) to their length.

The Eastern hog-nosed skunk is the largest of all the skunk species, according to the Animal Diversity Web (ADW). It typically grows to 27.56 to 31.50 inches (70 to 80 cm) and weighs 4.41 to 9.91 lbs. (2 to 4.5 kg).

Habitat
These small stinkers are found in the United States, Canada, South America and Mexico. Stink badgers, which were recently considered part of the skunk family, are found in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Skunks live in forest edges, woodlands, grasslands and deserts. They typically make their homes in abandoned burrows, but will also live in abandoned buildings, under large rocks and in hollow logs.

Habits
The skunk’s most memorable trait is its smell. When frightened, skunks will shoot a smelly, oily substance from a gland underneath their tails with a range of up to 10 feet (3 meters), according to National Geographic(opens in new tab). The scent from this gland can last for days, but isn’t harmful. Most animals leave skunks alone unless they can’t find other prey. Before spraying, a spotted skunk will do a handstand on its front paws and aim its tail without taking its eyes off its attacker.

It is important to remember that most skunks are not aggressive and won’t harm humans unless they are threatened, according to The Humane Society.

Skunks are nocturnal and forage for food while most animals and humans sleep. Though you typically see skunks by themselves, they gather to mate. A group of skunks are called a surfeit.

Diet
Skunks are omnivores, which means they eat both meat and vegetation. Their diet consists of plants, insects, larvae, worms, fruit, eggs, reptiles, small mammals and fish.

Offspring
Little is known about the biology of stink badgers, according to the ADW.

Female skunks give birth every year. Their gestation period often lasts around two months and they give birth to two to 10 offspring at a time.

Baby skunks are called kits. Kits are blind when born, since their eyes are sealed shut until around the age of 3 weeks, according to the San Diego Zoo. They are weaned at 2 months old. After they are weaned, they leave the den and at to 10 to 12 months old they are ready to have their own kits.

Skunks have very short lives and often live only around three years. In captivity they can live a little longer, usually seven to eight years.
Classification/taxonomy
Until recently, skunks were considered part of the Mustelid family, related to weasels, otters and badgers. Molecular analysis has shown that skunks should be recognized as a single family, Mephitidae, according to the ADW. Also, stink badgers, which occur in Indonesia and the Philippines, have just recently been considered part of the skunk family.

Here is the classification of mephitids, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS):

Kingdom: Animalia Subkingdom: Bilateria Infrakingdom: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Superclass: Tetrapoda Class: Mammalia Subclass: Theria Infraclass: Eutheria Order: Carnivora Suborder: Caniformia Family: Mephitidae Genera:

Conepatus (hog-nosed skunks)
Mephitis (hooded skunks, striped skunks)
Spilogale (spotted skunks)
Mydaus (stink badgers)
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Species:

Conepatus chinga (Molina's hog-nosed skunk)
Conepatus humboldtii (Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk)
Conepatus leuconotus (American hog-nosed skunk, Eastern hog-nosed skunk, white-backed hog-nosed skunk, badger skunk, rooter skunk, Texas skunk)
Conepatus semistriatus (striped hog-nosed skunk)
Mephitis macroura (hooded skunk)
Mephitis mephitis (striped skunk)
Spilogale angustifrons (Southern spotted skunk)
Spilogale gracilis (Western spotted skunk)
Spilogale putorius (Eastern spotted skunk, spotted skunk)
Spilogale pygmaea (pygmy spotted skunk)
Mydaus javanensis (Sunda stink badger, Indonesian stink badger)
Mydaus marchei (Palawan stink badger)
Conservation status
No skunk species is currently endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Except for one, all are listed on the union's Red List of Threatened Species as "least concern." The pygmy spotted skunk is listed as vulnerable due to and ongoing population loss estimated to be more than 30 percent over the past three generations of the species.

Got Foxes? Here’s 9 Fox Facts You Likely Didn’t Know
Recently, fox sightings have been on the rise in the Carolinas, which means you may have spotted a few of these bushy-tailed animals trotting around your yard. If that’s the case, you may be interested to learn these nine fox facts. Foxes are fascinating creatures but can be a danger to you and your home, so it’s important to understand what you’re dealing with. In this blog, you’ll learn the fox facts you may not know as well as ways to protect your home against fox invaders.
Fascinating Fox Facts
1. Foxes are more like cats than dogs
Similar to cats, foxes are nocturnal. Due to their vertically slanted pupils, they have increased visibility in dim light. Foxes also climb trees, use their whiskers to navigate and even stalk their prey like cats. Grey foxes can retract their claws, too — just like cats. Grey foxes also more closely resemble cats, while red foxes have a similar appearance to dogs. Additionally, male foxes are called dogs while female foxes are called vixens. Foxes even tread like cats, using the balls of their feet to silently and elegantly stride.
2. Foxes live in underground dens
Fox families, also known as a skulk or leash of foxes, live in underground dens. When the vixen has her pups — a litter of foxes can range between one and 11 pups — they live in the den together for seven months while the pups grow. The pups live in the den with the vixen, while the dog fox gathers food. These underground dens also provide shelter from predators, such as coyotes, wolves, and bears. Humans, however, pose the largest threat to foxes. While no homeowner wants foxes meandering around their property, there are safe ways to remove them without harming or killing them. Related: DIY Home Wildlife Removal: Dead or Alive
3. Foxes are smelly
Yep, foxes stink. They have a sickly, musty scent that comes from the glands at the base of their tails. If you start smelling this around your home or in your crawl space, it may be an indicator that foxes are near. Click here to learn how to sniff out and identify other pest odors around your home.
4. Foxes make 40 different sounds
What does the fox say? As it turns out, foxes can produce a variety of sounds — up to 40 to be exact. The most noticeable is their scream-like howl, which is sure to send a shiver up your spine. Gekkering, a series of guttural chattering, is also the most common noises made by foxes, especially in a dispute. Foxes, specifically red foxes, are highly territorial. In the event another fox intrudes into its territory, foxes are likely to chatter loudly back and forth in defense of their home. Watch this video to hear a variety of red fox chatters.
5. Foxes are solitary
Unlike their coyote and canine relatives, foxes are solitary creatures. They prefer to hunt and sleep alone, except when they’re busy raising their young in their den.
6. Foxes have impeccable hearing
It’s reported that red foxes can hear a watch ticking from 40 yards away! Their impeccable hearing helps them to identify prey underground. What’s even more interesting is that foxes use the Earth’s magnetic field to locate their prey. That, in combination with their sensitive hearing, makes them pretty fierce predators. Watch a red fox catch a mouse in the snow, here.
7. Foxes are extremely playful
Foxes love to play. They’re even known to steal golf balls from golf courses to play with! Foxes play alone, with other foxes and other animals — even deer! If anything, it makes for some adorable backyard entertainment.
8. There are two types of foxes in the Carolinas
While there are a variety of fox species all over the world, only two call the Carolinas home: the red fox and the grey fox. Red fox:red foxRed foxes can be red, grey, black or even white. However, they’re most commonly red. Some key identifiers of a red fox are its black legs, black-tipped ears, white-tipped tail, and dog-like face. They can grow up to 20 inches in height and weigh up to 35 pounds as an adult. Grey fox:grey foxGrey foxes can also be different colors, such as red, grey or brown. The grey fox has a black-tipped tail and a dark stripe down its back. It also has a more cat-like face than the red fox. Grey foxes are much smaller than red foxes, too. As an adult, they are typically two feet in length and weigh less than nine pounds. Grey foxes have always been indigenous to the Carolinas, unlike red foxes that were introduced to the area from Europe for hunting purposes.
9. It is illegal to relocate foxes in North Carolina
This is by far one of the most important fox facts on this list. Relocating foxes is illegal in North Carolina, which is why it’s always in your best interest to contact a wildlife control specialist before attempting to remove a fox from your property.

Amazing Facts About the Deer
There are over 60 different species of deer worldwide. Deer are present on all continents except Antarctica. They can live in a range of habitats, from mountainous areas to warm and wet rainforests. The Barbary red deer is the only species present in Africa
A male deer is called a buck but some larger males are referred to as stags. A Female deer is called a doe or hind. A young deer is called a fawn. Bucks and does can be distinguished from each other by the presence of antlers. Female Caribou (Reindeer) are the only female deer which grow antlers
All species of deer have antlers, with the exception of the Chinese water deer. Instead of antlers, they have long canine teeth which can be as long as 8cm!
Each year, antlers fall off and regrow. As they regrow, they are covered in a furry coat called velvet. The velvet is rich in nerves and blood vessels, allowing the antlers to regrow quickly
During the mating season, or ‘the rut’, bucks will use their antlers to fight over does. The winner is the buck who manages to overpower the other. Red deer can be heard roaring in the rut to attract females
The length of pregnancy in deer varies according to size. Generally, the larger the species the longer the gestation. It is dependent on where a species lives as to when it will breed. Deer in tropical climates can breed all year round
When most deer are born, they have white spots which disappear as they mature. The spots help fawns to blend into their background, acting as camouflage
A fawn can normally walk within half an hour of being born. Fawns do not have a smell, helping them avoid predators
All species of deer have a four chamber stomach which allows them to chew the cud. This is a processes of partially chewing food, regurgitating it, and chewing it again to make it easier to digest
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In winter, deer are less active in order to preserve energy as there is less food available
Deer can jump up to 10ft high and are very good swimmers
As deer eyes are on the side of their head, they have 310 degrees’ vision. This is much more than humans, who have 180 degree vision. Deer also have very good night vision which is particularly useful at dawn and dusk when they are most active
Deer can have a homeland range which can span 30 miles. They move about depending on food availability
The majority of deer are shades of light to medium brown. White stags are often described in myths and folklore but they also exist in real life! A white stag occurs when a deer has a condition called leucism which causes the hair and skin to lose its natural colour. When white stags are spotted, it is often not publicised to prevent poachers finding them as they are viewed as trophies which can sell for thousands of pounds
The largest deer species was the Irish Giant Deer which went extinct 11,000 years ago. Reaching 7ft tall at the shoulder, the Irish Deer’s antlers could span 12ft, four times the width of a single bed!

Wolves are one of the many types of wildlife that live in Big Sky, Montana. It's rare to see a wolf, but we definitely share our backcountry playground with these creatures.

The next time you head out on a ski tour in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness, climb a remote peak, or backpack through the Taylor Hilgards, look out for wolf prints and listen for the distinct howling of Montana wolves. They are most certainly out there.

Here are a few fun and interesting facts about wolves to share with your friends:
The scientific name for a gray wolf is Canis lupus.
Wolves are the largest members of the Canidae family.
Males average 5 to 6.5 feet in length from nose to tip of tail. Females average 4.5 to 6 feet.
Most wolves stand at 26 to 32 inches at the shoulder.
Females weight 60 to 80 pounds. Males weight 70 to 110 pounds.
A wolf footprint will measure 4 inches wide by 5 inches long
Wolves can live up to 13 years in the wild.
Wolves have 42 teeth.

They have four toes with claws in an oval shape. They run on their toes, not their pads.
Wolves mate for life.
A litter of wolves is usually 4 to 6 pups.
Pups are born deaf and blind with bright blue eyes.
A pack of wolves can range from 2 to over 30 wolves. On average they run in packs between 5 and 8 wolves.
Wolves can run at 36 to 38 MPH.
Wolves were killed off in Montana in the late 1930's, but were reintroduced in Yellowstone National Park the 1995 and 1996 and their numbers are currently increasing.
In 2013, there were at least 625 wolves in western Montana.
The Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks allows up to 100 wolves to be hunted per year.
Gray wolves can range in color from gray, black, tan, or white.
Wolves prey on elk, deer, moose, and other animals.
Wolves have over 200 million scent cells.
They can hear up to six miles away in the forest.
A wolf's jaw has a crushing power of nearly 1500 pounds per square inch!
A wolf can eat 20 pounds of meat in one meal.
Wolves can swim up to 8 miles!
A wolf howl can be heard up to 10 km away.
Wolves were the first animals to be place on the US Endangered Species Act list in 1973.
Only two wolf attacks have led to fatalities in North America (one in Alaska and one in Canada) during the 21st Century.
Wolves do not hibernate and can potentially be seen all year long.
While you may never see a wolf in the wild, there's a good chance that a wolf will either smell, see, or hear you stomping around through the woods. The best spot to see a wolf is from the safety of your vehicle while cruising through Yellowstone National Park.

If you do see one, remember that wolves are wild animals and should not be approached. Ever. If you want to safely see a wolf in person, visit the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone to see these amazing creatures up close.

10 Interesting Facts to Know About Hippos
1. Hippos are the third largest mammals on Earth
Native to Africa, hippos are the third largest land mammals. Elephants and White Rhinos are the two largest land mammals.

2. There are two species of hippopotamids
The most widely-known species of hippopotamus is the common hippopotamus, or Hippopotamus amphibius. These hippos can measure 6 to 16 feet long. The pygmy hippo, or Choeropsis liberiensis, a smaller species of hippopotamus, is an average 5 feet long.

3. Hippos are strong swimmers
Hippos can hold their breath for an average of 5 minutes. That's long enough to take walks along lakebed and riverbed floors. No wonder their nickname is the “river horse”!

4. Hippos are a threatened animal
According to the IUCN Red List, hippos are classified as “threatened” due to human activity impacting their environment.

5. Hippos are herbivores
Hippos are herbivores, meaning they fuel their bodies with plants! Hippos eat, on average, 80 pounds of grass each night.

6. The gestation period of a hippo is 243 days (eight months)
Baby hippos are called calves, and they weigh between 30-50 pounds when they're born.

7. Hippos are the most active at night
While not considered nocturnal, most of the hippos’ foraging and activity happen during the night. They leave their resting waters near dusk and return in the morning.

8. They produce their own sunblock!
Hippos live in sub-Saharan Africa, where the sun's UV rays are incredibly strong. Hippos have adapted an ability to produce a red, oily liquid which acts as a natural sunblock.

9. Hippos can identify friends from enemies
Fascinatingly, hippos can identify a friend from foe by smelling their dung – or p**p! Hippos use middens, or outdoor areas where they repeatedly go to the bathroom. Hippos can then sniff the area to find out who's been there, and if they're considered a friend.

10. Hippos serve an integral role in their ecosystems
A hippo's enormous size lends itself to creating microhabitats for smaller organisms. They facilitate habitats for fish populations by repeatedly walking on common pathways from water sources to inland areas.



Hippos are not listed as endangered, but are considered vulnerable to extinction. Hippos are facing poaching and habitat fragmentation at a staggering rate. The leading causes of habitat fragmentation are natural disasters driven by human activity and climate change. Factory farming is a major culprit in greenhouse gas emissions and a primary driver of climate change. You can help hippos, and other animals, by lessening your meat consumption and carbon footprint on Earth. Check out the Meating Halfway 21-Day Journey guide to find out how you can make a difference.

Elk are members of the Cervidae family, which includes caribou, deer and moose. Like their relatives, elk have massive antlers and long legs with cloven hooves.

Size
Elk tend to be broader than deer, but not as massive as moose. They are typically, 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters) from hoof to shoulder and weigh 325 to 1,100 lbs. (147 to 499 kilograms), according to National Geographic(opens in new tab). An elk’s antlers make it much taller. A male elk's antlers can grow up to 4 feet (1.2 m) above its head, making it around 9 feet (2.7 m) tall in all. Females do not have antlers.

Habitat
Elks are found all over the world. Large wild populations are mostly found in North America, in the western United States from Canada through the Eastern Rockies to New Mexico and in the northern lower peninsula of Michigan, according to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web (ADW). They prefer woodlands, but they can also be found in clear cuts, open mountains, coniferous swamps, aspen-hardwood forests and coniferous-hardwood forests. They tend to stay clear of dense forests.

Habits
Elk are social animals and live in groups called herds. Herds are often quite large, with 200 or more members, according to the Smithsonian. Some herds have over 400 members. The herd is often segregated by gender, with males staying in one group and females in another. Though segregated, herds are matriarchal, which means it is run by a single female.

Harems of elk are common during mating season. A dominant male will have a herd of around six females and their yearlings. The male will defend his territory around the females until mating season is over.

Elk are most active during mornings and evenings. During the summer, elk will often migrate to higher, cooler, elevations and migrate to lower elevations in the winter.

Diet
Elk are herbivores, which means they only eat vegetation. Their diet changes depending on the year, eating grasses in the summer and woody growth in the winter months, according to the ADW. They prefer dandelions, violets, hawkweed, aster, clover and mushrooms as their favorite treats.

Elk congregate on the Camp Creek Feed Ground in northwestern Wyoming.

Elk congregate on the Camp Creek Feed Ground in northwestern Wyoming. (Image credit: USGS)
Offspring
Males are called bulls and females are called cows. A cow usually gives birth to one baby at a time after a six-month gestation period. Elk babies are called calves and weigh around 31 to 35 lbs. (14 to 16 kg) when they are born.

After just 20 minutes, a calf can stand on its own. After 16 days the calf will join the herd and complete weaning by 60 days of age, according to the ADW. Elk are ready to mate around 16 months of age. They tend to live around eight to 12 years, though they sometimes live to more than 20 years.