Portraits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All species of spider monkeys are threatened due to habitat destruction and hunting for food, and two species, the black-headed spider monkey (A. fusciceps) and the brown spider monkey (A. hybridus), are critically endangered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The yak was domesticated by nomadic tribes as early as c. 5000 B.C., and today the population is estimated at 14 million, the vast majority in Chinese territories. The population of wild yak may be fewer than 15,000, and though it is legally protected, illegal hunting still takes place and may threaten this magnificent animal with extinction.

The scientific name is Latin for ‘grunting ox’ – a most descriptive name, as it grunts incessantly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the Jersey adapts well to cold as well as hot climates, it has been exported to many countries around the world. Some countries have developed separate breeds.

 

 

 

 

 

This breed is characterized by the long horns and the wavy coat, which comes in a variety of colours, including red, ginger, black, dun, yellow, white, or grey. The long coat allows it to spend the harsh Scottish winter outdoors. It is raised primarily for the meat, which is prized for its low content of cholesterol, and also for the milk, which generally has a very high butterfat content.

Today, Scottish Highland cattle is found in many countries around the world.

 

 

 

 

 

In summer, the alpine ibex lives in rocky areas just below the snow line, at elevations between 1,800 and 3,300 m, descending to lower altitudes in the winter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several pictures, depicting this species, are shown on the page Quotes on Nature.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek oros (‘mountain’) and amnos (‘lamb’), thus ‘mountain lamb’, presumably alluding to the white fur of the animal.

 

 

 

 

 

The desert bighorn sheep, ssp. nelsoni, occurs throughout the desert regions of the south-western United States and north-western Mexico.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dromedary is described in detail on the page Animals: Animals as servants of Man.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During a research trip to the Chukotka Peninsula, north-eastern Siberia, my companions and I visited the staff of a light house, situated at the tip of Kosa Ruskaya Koshka (‘Russian Cat’s Sandspit’). One of the dogs belonging to the staff was an English springer spaniel. Our trip to this area is related in detail on the page Travel episodes – Siberia 2011: Caterpillar trip in Chukotka.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The black-backed jackal, also known as silver-backed jackal, is quite common in two widely separated areas. The nominate subspecies is distributed in southern Africa, from southern Angola, south-western Zambia, Zimbabwe, and southern Mozambique southwards to the Cape Province of South Africa, whereas subspecies schmidti is found from extreme south-eastern Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia southwards to central Tanzania, westwards to Uganda.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These animals are very intelligent and often perform in ocean parks.

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from the Greek ekhinos (‘hedgehog’, ‘sea urchin’) and mys (‘mouse’), alluding to the stiff hairs that many members of the family have on their body, presumably to deter enemies from eating them.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek mys (‘mouse’) and kastor (‘beaver’), alluding to its resemblance to the beavers (Castor).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are 3 species of zebra, living in Africa, 3 species af ass, living in Asia and Africa, and one species of horse, which went extinct in the wild, but has been reintroduced to Mongolia. Herds of feral domestic horses are found many places around the world.

The three zebra species are described on the page Nature: Nature’s patterns.

 

The domestication of wild horses is described on the page Animals: Animals as servants of Man.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Divided into 7 subspecies, it is distributed in most of subarctic Alaska and Canada, extending its range through western United States to the northernmost parts of Mexico, and in the eastern states it is mainly restricted to the Appalachian Mountains, southwards to Pennsylvania.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek erethizein (‘to irritate’), referring to the quills, the specific name from the Latin dorsatus (‘ridged’). Thus, the name can be loosely translated as ‘the animal with the irritating back’.

The word porcupine is derived from the Latin porcus (‘pig’) and spina (‘thorn’). Despite its name, this animal is not closely related to Old World porcupines (Hystrix).

 

 

 

 

 

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is described on the page Animals: Animal tracks and traces, whereas the sad fate of the tiger (P. tigris) is related on the page Folly of Man.

 

This species mainly inhabits savanna, but is also found in various types of open forest. Four subspecies are currently recognized. The nominate jubatus occurs from Uganda and Kenya southwards through eastern and southern Africa to Namibia and South Africa. It has been exterminated in Zaire, Rwanda, and Burundi. The population is estimated at around 5,000 individuals.

Subspecies soemmeringii is restricted to north-eastern Africa, occurring in South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.

With a total population estimated at less than 250 individuals, subspecies hecki is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. It has a scattered occurrence of tiny populations in southern Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Benin.

Today, the Asiatic cheetah, subspecies venaticus, is confined to Iran. It is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, as the total population in 2017 was estimated at fewer than 50 individuals, scattered over the central plateau of Iran. In former times, this subspecies was distributed from the Arabian Peninsula and Turkey eastwards to Central Asia and India.

By 2016, the total cheetah population was estimated at around 7,100 individuals in the wild. Its decline is caused by loss of habitat, poaching for the illegal pet trade, and conflict with humans.

The generic name is derived from the Greek akinitos (‘motionless’) and onyx (‘nail’ or ‘hoof’), thus ‘motionless nails’, referring to the fact that the cheetah, unlike other cats, is unable to retract its claws. The specific name is from the Latin iuba (‘mane’ or ‘crest’) and‎ atus (‘like’), thus ‘having a mane-like crest’, referring to the long mane of cheetah kittens below the age of 3 months. This mane is a means of camouflage, when the kittens are left in dense cover by their mother, when she goes hunting. The name cheetah is derived from the Sanskrit citra, meaning ‘variegated’, ‘spotted’, or ‘speckled’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Numerous other subspecies (or even species) have been described from skins that are now regarded as specimens of African wildcat.

 

 

 

 

 

Populations are decreasing in many parts of its range due to habitat destruction, hunting, and traffic accidents.

 

 

 

 

 

The lion is unique among cats due to the male’s mane, a large growth of hair around the neck and down the chest, and often a little way down the back. The mane makes a male lion look larger than he actually is, without the disadvantage of a larger weight, which would require more food. A large mane is a signal to other males that here comes a powerful animal that shouldn’t be challenged, even if the challenging male is in fact larger than his opponent, but has a smaller mane. The mane also gives some protection during fights among males, for instance when stray males attempt to take over a pride.

The lion is described in depth on the page Animals – Mammals: Lion – king of the savanna, and an unusual nightly encounter with lions is related on the page Travel episodes – Tanzania 1990: Lions in the camp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More about leopards, including a terrible man-eater from northern India, is found on the page Animals – Mammals: The spotted killer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), only one species of giraffe exists, divided into 9 subspecies, whereas other authorities recognize up to 8 separate species.

The name giraffe was derived from the Arabic zarafah, meaning ‘the one that walks fast’. The specific name is from the Greek words kamelos (‘camel’) and pardos (‘leopard’), and the Latin alis (‘resembling’), alluding to its camel-like shape and leopard-like pattern.

Other pictures, depicting giraffes, are shown on the page Nature: Nature’s patterns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All three species are seriously endangered due to habitat destruction and fragmentation, and illegal poaching for zoos. It has been estimated that the population of the Bornean orangutan in 1973 was about 300,000 individuals, and it is assumed that this number will decline to c. 50,000 by 2025. The Sumatran orangutan has an estimated population of fewer than 14,000, and it is predicted that this number will decline by 80% by 2060. The population of Tapanuli orangutan is fewer than 800, and this number is still decreasing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The spotted hyaena has a very complex social behaviour, with respect to group-size, hierarchical structure, and frequency of social interaction among both kin and unrelated group-mates. However, their social system is openly competitive rather than cooperative, with access to kills, mating opportunities, and the time of dispersal for males, all depending on the ability to dominate other clan-members. (Source: Holekamp, Sakai & Lundrigan, 2007. Social intelligence in the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, London, 362, pp. 523-538)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Australia, 24 European rabbits were introduced in Victoria in 1859. The vast farmlands were an ideal habitat for the rabbits, and the mild winters allowed them to breed year-round, so they quickly spread over most of the country. Australia’s equivalent to the rabbit, the greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis), could not compete with the fast-breeding rabbits, and today it is an endangered species.

Other places of introduction include New Zealand, certain Hawaiian islands, and islands off the coast of South Africa. There are also many instances of pet rabbits, which have escaped, forming feral populations.

In countless cases, this species has done severe damage to the environment, partly through overgrazing, partly through its system of underground tunnels, and partly through competition with local wildlife. It is regarded as an invasive species in most countries.

In 1972, English author Richard Adams (1920-2016) wrote a novel, Watership Down, describing the life of a group of wild rabbits in southern England. Although the rabbits have been anthropomorphized, the story gives a fair account of the life of these animals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cape fur seal ranges along the southern coasts of Africa, from Ilha dos Tigres in southern Angola, along the Namibian coast to Algoa Bay in South Africa, whereas the Australian subspecies lives in south-eastern Australian waters, along the coasts of Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, with the largest concentration in the Bass Strait.

The preferred breeding habitats of these seals are rocky islands, or pebble or boulder beaches. The population of the Cape fur seal is approximately 2 million, whereas that of the Australian fur seal is around 120,000. (Source: iucnredlist.org/details/2060/0)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The name Steller’s sea lion commemorates German naturalist, physician, and explorer Georg Wilhelm Steller (1709-1746), who described the species in 1741. He participated in the Second Russian Kamchatka Expedition, led by Danish explorer Vitus Bering (1681-1741).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rhino parts have been used as ingredients in traditional Asian medicine for at least 2000 years. Virtually every part of the animal is used: the horn for reducing fever and spasms; the skin for skin diseases; the penis as an aphrodisiac; the bones to treat bone disorders; the blood “as a tonic for women who are suffering from menstrual problems.”

In China, powdered horn is regarded as an aphrodisiac. However, chemical analyses have not revealed any active ingredients to suggest that the remedy could be effective in this respect. (Source: J. Still 2003. Use of animal products in traditional Chinese medicine. In: Complementary Therapies in Medicine)

In fact, western medical experts tend to discount all claims of any curative power in rhino horn. It is well known that aspirin contains similar properties and produces many of the same results as rhino prescriptions in patients.

Formerly, rhino horn was used for adorning dagger sheaths in Yemen – a practice which may still take place.

All five species of rhino are critically endangered due to widespread poaching, the Asian species also due to habitat loss.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek keras (‘horn’) and therion (‘beast’). The specific name is derived from the Greek simos (‘snub-nosed’), alluding to the square mouth of this species, an adaptation for grazing.

It has often been claimed that the most commonly used name, white rhino, is a mistranslation of the Dutch word wijd to the English word white. Wijd means ‘wide’ in English, and it was supposed to refer to the width of the rhinoceros’s mouth. However, this is not the case. In fact, the name white rhino can be traced back to a letter in Dutch, written by the Boer Petrus Borcherds to his father in 1802. In this letter, he mentions two rhinos, both killed in 1801, a male of the ‘black variety’, and a female ‘white’ rhino. Concerning the female, Borcherds stated (still in Dutch): “She was of the type known to us as the white rhinoceros. (…) I expected this animal to be entirely white, according to its name, but found that she was a paler ash-grey than the black male.” (Source: Jim Feely 2007. Black rhino, white rhino: what’s in a name? Pachyderm 43, pp. 111-115)

However, both species are in reality grey, the ‘black’ rhino somewhat darker than the ‘white’ rhino.

 

 

 

 

 

Both scientific names mean ‘two-horned’, the generic name derived from the Greek dyo (‘two’) and keras (‘horn’), the specific name from the latin bis (‘twice’) and cornu (‘horned’). The common name is explained above, see white rhino.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek rhinos (‘nose’) and keras (‘horn’), the specific name from the Latin unus (‘one’) and cornu (‘horned’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Numerous members of the family are described on the page Animals – Mammals: Squirrels.

 

The first part of the generic name is derived from the Greek kallos (‘beautiful’) – although many of the species are of a rather plain brown colour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marmots live in burrows up to 2 m underground, digging tunnels up to 10 m long. They often sit on their haunches outside their burrow, and their shrill warning whistles can be heard far away. Marmots are almost exclusively vegetarians. They do not make food deposits, but in autumn they have become extremely fat, and hibernate throughout the winter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From a distance, this animal appears largely naked, seemingly only with a crest along the back, and tufts of hair on the cheeks and tail. At close quarters, however, you notice a cover of short, bristly hairs on the body. The name warthog refers to the facial wattles, larger in the males, which also have prominent tusks that may sometimes reach a length of up to 60 cm, much smaller in the females.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Due to illegal hunting, and to feed the insatiable Asian markets for traditional medicine and bear paw soup, bears have disappeared, or become very rare, in many areas, including Europe, Southeast Asia, Korea, China, and Taiwan. Today, five species are endangered.

 

Many Asian black bears are kept in captivity to supply the markets for traditional medicine and bear paw soup. In South Korea, for instance, only around ten individuals live in the wild, whereas about 1,600 are kept in captivity, often under horrible conditions. These captive bears are often killed in the most cruel and horrendous ways, and that this practice is illegal does not seem to deter consumers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today, it is critically endangered, and maybe as few as 6,000 individuals exist in the wild.

 

 

 

 

 

It was described by French naturalist François Levaillant (1753-1824), who named it vocifer (’the one who has a penetrating voice’) – a most suitable name for this eagle, whose scream is often resounding over the African landscape. It is the national bird of no less than three countries: Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Sudan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These birds are divided into 3 subfamilies: river kingfishers (Alcedininae), tree kingfishers (Halcyoninae), and water kingfishers (Cerylinae).

 

The generic name is associated with a bird of Greek legend, called Halcyon, generally thought to be the common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis). The Ancients believed that this bird made a floating nest in the Aegean Sea and had the power to calm the waves while brooding her eggs. Two weeks of calm weather were to be expected when the Halcyon was nesting, which took place around winter solstice. These Halcyon days were generally regarded as beginning on the 14th or 15th of December.

This belief in the bird’s power to calm the sea originated in a myth recorded by Roman poet Publius Ovidius Naso (43 B.C. – c. 17 A.D.), known as Ovid. The story goes that Aeolus, ruler of the winds, had a daughter named Alcyone, who was married to Ceyx, the king of Thessaly. Ceyx drowned at sea, and in her grief, Alcyone threw herself into the waves. However, instead of drowning, she was transformed into a bird and carried to her husband by the wind. (Source: phrases.org.uk)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and kephale (‘head’), although the head is grey rather than white.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is from the Latin hispida (‘kingfisher’).

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘painted’, alluding to the colourful plumage of this bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The drake is a gorgeous bird in breeding plumage, with grey sides, purple breast, and glossy-green head, with a blue shine from certain angles. A picture of the female, which is a uniform speckled brown, is shown on the page Animals – Animals as servants of Man: Poultry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the last 50 years, the population has greatly increased due to protection from shooting on the wintering grounds. Numbers in Ireland and England have risen from about 30,000 in 1950 to about 300,000 today.

The pink-footed goose is closely related to the bean goose (A. fabalis) and was formerly treated as a subspecies of that species. The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek brakhys (‘short’) and rhynkhos (‘snout’, ‘bill’), alluding to the rather short bill of the bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is a Latinized form of the Classical Greek word for swans, kyknos.

 

As opposed to the mute swan (C. olor), this swan is very vocal, reflected in its English name, which, incidentally, is pronounced ‘hooper swan’, although the word whooper alone is pronounced ‘wooper’. In his book Ornithologiae libri tres (‘Ornithology, Book Three’), from 1676, English naturalist Francis Willughby (1635-1672) refers to the whooper swan as “the Elk, Hooper, or wild Swan”.

The mute swan is described on the page Animals: Urban animal life.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is from a Brazilian-Portuguese word, marréco, meaning ‘small duck’.

 

It breeds in Temperate Eurasia, from Iceland and Scotland eastwards to the Pacific, whereas the wintering quarters encompass the major part of Europe and the Middle East, northern and eastern Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, southern China, Taiwan, and the northern Philippines.

In North America, it is a regular winter visitor to the Pacific lowlands, from Canada southwards to California. Small numbers are also seen elsewhere in the continent.

This species was named Anas penelope by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) in 1758. He may have referred to Penelope, who, in Homer’s Odyssey, was the wife of Odysseus. She was known for her fidelity to him, while he was away on his journeys. However, as most ducks are certainly not known for their fidelity, this connection is hard to discover.

Another possible explanation may be the Proto-Greek word penelops, mentioned as ‘some kind of bird’ by Greek grammarian Hesychius of Alexandria, who, probably in the 5th or 6th century A.D., compiled a lexicon of unusual and obscure Greek words. (Source: R. Beekes 2009. Etymological dictionary of Greek. Brill)

 

 

 

 

 

One or three species are found in the Old World. If only one species is acknowledged, it is called A. melanogaster. Most authorities, however, recognize three full species: Oriental (below), African (A. rufa), and Australasian (A. novaehollandiae).

The generic name means ‘little head’ in the Tupi language of Brazil, referring to an evil spirit of the forests, the devil bird. (Source: G. Marcgrave 1648. Historiae rerum naturalium Brasiliae. Liber V)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name refers to a kind of heron, mentioned by Hesychius of Alexandria, a Greek grammarian who, probably in the 5th or 6th Century A.D., compiled a work, titled Alphabetical Collection of All Words, a list of unusual and obscure Greek words. The specific name is the name of a kind of marshbird in the Tupi language, a people who once lived in Brazil. The popular name refers to the fact that the bird seems to limp when it walks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main habitats of this bird are forests and marshy areas, but in Taiwan, where it is common, it is often found in city parks, where it can become remarkably confiding.

The generic name is derived from the name Ardea goisagi, which Dutch zoologist and museum director Coenraad Jacob Temminck (1778-1858) applied in 1836 to the Japanese night-heron (today called Gorsachius goisagi). In fact, Goi-sagi is the Japanese name for the black-crowned night-heron (below), derived from goi (‘fifth rank’) and sagi (‘heron’). In Japanese classical folklore, the all-powerful Emperor Daigo (reigned 897-930 A.D.) ordered a vassal to capture a black-crowned night-heron. Upon hearing the imperial command, the heron submitted itself to capture. The emperor was pleased that the heron had confirmed his omnipotence over nature as well as man, whereupon he granted it the title ‘king of the herons’ and the position of fifth rank in his court, and released it unharmed. (Source: J.A. Jobling, 2010. The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names, Christopher Helm, London)

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek melas (‘black’) and lophos (‘crest’).

 

 

 

 

 

It figures in Japanese classical folklore (see Malayan night-heron above).

The generic (and specific) name is derived from the Greek nyktos (‘night’) and korax (‘raven’), referring to the mainly nocturnal feeding habits of these birds, and to their hoarse, raven-like call.

 

 

 

 

 

The family and generic names are derived from Ancient Greek khloros (‘green’) and opsis (‘appearance’).

 

Previously, Jerdon’s leafbird was regarded as a subspecies of the more widespread blue-winged leafbird (then called C. cochinchinensis). However, it differs in morphology, lacking the blue flight feathers of that species. Following recent genetic research, C. cochinchinensis has been split into 3 separate species.

The specific name commemorates British physician and naturalist Thomas Caverhill Jerdon (1811-1872), who described many birds species in India, several of which are named after him.

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from ciconia, the Classical Latin word for storks.

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin crumena (a purse carried around the neck), naturally referring to the gular sac. The common name is borrowed from French marabout, which was adapted from Portuguese maraboto, which was again derived from Arabic murabit (a soldier stationed in fortified outpost), presumably alluding to the upright stance of this species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other pictures, depicting this bird, are found on the pages Silhouettes, and Travel episodes – India 1979: Hunting blackbuck with camera.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is Latin, meaning ‘turtle dove’, whereas the specific name is Ancient Greek, meaning ‘female drummer’, ultimately from tympanon (‘drum’ or ‘tambourine’), alluding to its call, a repeated du-du-du, slightly reminiscent of the sound from a tambourine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is a Latinized form of the Greek korax, meaning ‘raven’ or ‘crow’. The English name derives from Old Norse hrafn, ultimately from Proto-Germanic khrabanas.

 

 

 

 

 

A large number of these birds are in the pet trade, and many of them have escaped to form feral populations.

 

This bird is also known as Peters’s twinspot, described in 1868 by German naturalist and explorer Wilhelm Karl Hartwig Peters (1815-1883) who travelled extensively in southern Africa 1842-1848. He returned to Berlin with an enormous collection of natural history specimens, which he then described in Naturwissenschaftliche Reise nach Mossambique… in den Jahren 1842 bis 1848, ausgeführt (1852-1882), dealing with mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, insects, and plants.

The specific name is derived from the Latin niveus (‘snow-white’) and gutta (‘drop’), of course alluding to the spotted underside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin falx, or falcis (‘sickle’), referring to the claws.

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin ruris (‘country’) and colere (‘to dwell’), thus ‘countryside-dweller’. The common name was adapted from French gerfaucon, possibly derived from Old High German gir (‘vulture’), referring to its large size, or from Ancient Greek gyros (‘circle’), alluding to the hunting method of the bird. As opposed to most other falcons, it circles while searching for prey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) is described on the page Animals – Birds: Sandhill cranes – a threat to breeding birds.

 

The grey crowned crane lives in savannas and river valleys, and also sometimes in agricultural land, provided there are accessible wetlands. Traditionally, some tribes have regarded this bird as sacred, and in many places it has adapted to living near people. It is mainly sedentary, but moves around in search of areas with recent precipitation. It often spends the night in trees.

During the last 50 years or so, this species has declined drastically, and the total population may now be as low as 25-30,000, with two thirds of this number in East Africa. The decline is caused by draining, conversion of savanna to agricultural lands, and lack of flooding due to construction of dams. East African populations are classified as near-threatened, whereas the South African population is stable.

 

 

 

 

 

With a total population of nearly 700,000, the Eurasian crane is one of the most numerous crane species, only surpassed by the sandhill crane (G. canadensis). In western Europe, breeding numbers have increased dramatically in several countries, including Sweden with 15,000 to 20,000 pairs, Germany with about 8.000 pairs, and Denmark with about 500 pairs. In 1998, the total number in Europe was estimated at 45,000 pairs, but this number has since increased significantly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is Ancient Greek, meaning ‘stupid’ or ‘foolish’. In the old days, sailors often killed these birds for food, and they found them very stupid, as they were confiding and thus easy to kill.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘stupid’ or ‘foolish’ (see above).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific and common names commemorate German physician and ornithologist Karel Johan Gustav Hartlaub (1814-1900), one of the founders of Journal für Ornithologie, in 1852.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a large bird, to 68 cm long and weighing up to 1.4 kg. It is divided into two subspecies. The northern nominate race has paler wing colour and darker eye colour than the southern subspecies wymani.

 

 

 

 

 

In the past, these genera all belonged to the family Timaliidae, which constituted a true ‘waste-bin of systematics’, in which hundreds of bird species were placed. Today, most of these species have been moved to other families.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Greek trokhos (‘circular’, ’round’) and kerkos (‘tail’).

 

The specific name is derived from the Greek kyanos (‘dark-blue’) and melas (‘black’), referring to the bluish sheen in the black plumage of the male.

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from the Latin musca (‘a fly’) and capere (‘to catch’).

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek kerkos (‘tail’) and trikhas (‘thrush’), alluding to the long tail.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘four-striped’, referring to the four black stripes on the head, one on the crown, one through the eye, and two moustachial stripes.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek kossyphos, which was the classical Greek name of the blackbird (Turdus merula), but also meaning ‘thrush’ in general.

 

The specific name alludes to the KwaZulu-Natal Province in south-eastern South Africa, where the type specimen was presumably collected.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name was given in honour of British farmer Peter A. Sheppard (1875-1958), a settler in Rhodesia and Mozambique. He collected birds for the South African ornithologist Alwin Karl Haagner (1880-1962), who described the east coast akalat (below) in 1909.

The name akalat is of West African origin, used by the Fang and Bulu peoples for members of the genus Illadopsis. However, by mistake, the name was applied to members of Sheppardia in the work The Birds of Kenya Colony and the Uganda Protectorate, by Frederick John Jackson (1860-1929), compiled and edited in 1938 by William Lutley Sclater (1863-1944).

 

The specific name honours Dutch physician Jan Willem Boudewijn Gunning (1860-1913), director of the Staatsmuseum (Museum of Natural History) in Pretoria, and also of the Pretoria Zoological Gardens.

 

 

 

 

 

Numerous cormorant species are presented on the pages Fishing and Silhouettes.

 

The generic name is derived from the Greek phalakros (‘bald’) and korax (‘raven’), where ‘bald’ refers to the white (but feathered) crown of the great cormorant (below) during the breeding season, whereas ‘raven’ presumably alludes to its otherwise black plumage.

 

In the 1800s, this species was persecuted all over Europe, partly because it was competing with fishermen, partly because its guano destroyed the trees, in which it was breeding. The complete contrast to this persecution is seen in the Far East, where fishermen, for thousands of years, have been using tamed great cormorants for fishing. Pictures, depicting this practice, are found on the page Fishing.

 

 

 

 

 

According to the latest genetic research, guineafowl and New World quails are treated as separate families, Numididae and Odontophoridae, respectively.

 

The chicken is described in depth on the page Animals – Animals as servants of Man: Poultry.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name was given in honour of a French aristocrat, Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, also known as Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834). He participated in the American Revolutionary War, commanding American troops in several battles. After returning to France, he was a key figure in the French revolutions in 1789 and 1830.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Greek dendron (‘tree’) and kopos (‘hard work’), of course alluding to their way of feeding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the Ancient Greek word for wryneck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sub-Saharan members of the family, called greenbuls, brownbuls, leafloves, and bristlebills, are mainly forest birds, whereas the majority of North African and Asian species live in open areas.

 

The generic name alludes to Bleda (died 445), elder brother of Attila the Hun. They ruled their empire together, but Bleda was probably murdered by Attila.

In 1837, when English naturalist and artist William Swainson (1789-1855) described the red-tailed bristlebill (below), he named it Dasycephala syndactyla. However, the name Dasycephala was later applied to a genus in the New World family Tyrannidae. The name of that genus was later changed to Attila, alluding to the aggressive behaviour of members of the genus. Thus we may assume that this is the reason why the red-tailed bristlebill was renamed Bleda. If anyone has a more exact explanation, I would be glad to hear about it.

The common name alludes to the long bristly hairs at the base of the bill.

 

Adult birds have a bright yellow iris, younger birds brown.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘marked’. It might refer to the eye colour.

 

 

 

 

 

Members of this genus are yellowish or pale green. The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek khloros (‘green’) and kikhle (‘thrush’).

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin flavus (‘yellow’) and venter (‘belly’), but the entire bird is yellowish, with a conspicuous, narrow, yellow eyebrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It spends the winter months along shores of north-western and western Europe, southwards to Portugal, in extreme southern Greenland, and along the North American Atlantic Coast, southwards to South Carolina.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘living at the sea’, derived from mare (‘sea’). In winter, the bird is usually observed along coasts.

 

 

 

 

 

There are two subspecies, faeroeensis in Iceland, the Faroes, and the Shetland and Orkney islands, and the nominate gallinago in the rest of the distribution area. Previously, Wilson’s snipe (G. delicata) of North America was also regarded as a subspecies of the common snipe.

The generic and specific names are the Latin word for snipe, derived from gallina (‘hen’) and the suffix –ago (‘resembling’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The North African ostrich (ssp. camelus) was once widespread in northern Africa, but has disappeared from large parts of its former range. It is today considered critically endangered.

The Somali ostrich (ssp. molybdophanes), which has a bluish neck and thighs, lives in southern Ethiopia, north-eastern Kenya, and Somalia. Some authorities regard it as a separate species, S. molybdophanes. To me, its seem rather odd that a population of a species, in an area with an otherwise continuous distribution, should constitute a separate species.

The Masai ostrich (ssp. massaicus) has pink neck and thighs. It is found from southern Ethiopia and southern Somalia southwards to southern Tanzania.

The South African ostrich (ssp. australis), is widely distributed south of the rivers Zambezi and Cunene. In some places, it is farmed for meat, leather, and feathers.

A fifth subspecies, the Arabian ostrich (ssp. syriacus), which was formerly very common in the Arabian Peninsula, Syria, and Iraq, became extinct around 1966 due to overhunting.

Attempts to reintroduce the species to Israel have failed. In Australia, escaped ostriches have established feral populations.

 

 

 

 

 

Many species have been introduced elsewhere, including North America, Hawaii, and New Zealand. They often compete with native birds, and many are regarded as invasive species, in North America especially the common starling (Sturnus vulgaris), which is dealt with on the page Nature: Invasive species.

 

The scientific name is derived from the Greek notos (‘south’) and pholia (‘living in a cave or hole’), and the Latin coruscus (‘brilliant’, ‘flashing’), thus ‘the brilliant southern one, living in a cave’, i.e. breeding in a hole in a tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gannets hunt fish by diving into the sea from heights of up to 30 m, achieving speeds of almost 100 km/h, which enables them to catch fish at a much greater depth than most other airborne birds.

The generic name is derived from the Greek moros (‘foolish’), given due to the lack of fear shown by these birds at the breeding ground, allowing them to be easily killed. The common name comes from Old English ganot, ultimately from Proto-Germanic ganzo (‘gander’), which, in German, means ‘a male goose’, but in English it may also mean a ‘fool’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In his journal, Banks noted: “Calm most of the day: myself in a boat shooting, in which I had good success, killing cheifly several Gannets or Solan Geese, so like European ones they are hardly distinguishable from them. As it was the humour of the ship to keep Christmas in the old fashiond way, it was resolved of them to make a Goose pye for tomorrows dinner.”

On Christmas Day, Banks recorded that “our goose pye was eaten with great approbation.” – Therefore, it is hardly surprising that none of these specimens found their way to England, considering that a goose is best when fried with the skin on!

This species breeds along the coastlines of Australia (Victoria and Tasmania), and New Zealand, mainly on offshore islands, but also in mainland colonies. Outside the breeding season, it may be observed along coasts from western Australia to Queensland, and around New Zealand, Lord Howe Islands, and Norfolk Islands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name was the Ancient Greek name of the spoonbill, derived from platea (‘broad’), alluding to the spatula-shaped bill. The specific name is derived from the Greek leukos (‘white’) and erodios (‘heron’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘rufous’, referring to the predominantly rufous plumage of this bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek kalos (‘beautiful’), referring to the beautiful colours of many of the species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is distributed from eastern Iran and Afghanistan eastwards across the entire Indian Subcontinent to southern China, and thence southwards through Indochina to Sumatra. It has also been introduced to other places, including Oman, Mauritius, the Seychelles, Singapore, and the United States. In Singapore, it is a threat to the native green crested lizard (Bronchocela cristatella).

In China, it is declining due to persecution, presumably collected for food or traditional medicine.

The specific name is derived from the Latin verso (‘to turn’) and color (‘colour’), thus ‘the one that changes its colour’.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek ot-, the stem of ous (‘ear’) and kryptos (‘hidden’), thus ‘with hidden ears’. The common name alludes to the very long legs of these lizards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This animal, which may attain a length of up to 35 cm, used to be included in the large genus Agama, but is now the single species in the genus Stellagama. However, it may constitute a species complex and may be split into several species in the future. The generic name is from the Latin stella (‘star’), referring to its many spots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the 1800s and the first half of the 1900s, hunting and habitat depleted its numbers seriously, and it was feared that it would not survive. In 1967, it was listed as an endangered species and was legally protected. Since then, conservation efforts have been successful, and today it is again common, and has even expanded its range to Tennessee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The eyes of these animals move independently, and they are able to analyze two different images simultaneously when hunting for prey. When a suitable prey has been spotted, the chameleon projects its very long, sticky, folded-up tongue at a tremendous speed at the prey, often from quite a distance. The poor victim sticks to the tongue, which is then folded up and retracted into the mouth, prey and all.

Chameleons are also able to change colour very fast, which mostly happens when they get excited. An example is shown below under Chamaeleo dilepis.

The family name is derived from the Greek khamai (‘on the ground’) and leon (‘lion’), thus ‘earth-lion’, undoubtedly alluding to the hunting method and voracious appetite of these animals.

Several species are popular pets, and some places they have escaped (or have been released) to form feral populations, which are often a threat to the local insect fauna – and thereby indirectly to insectvorous birds, and plants which are dependent on insects for pollunation. This is seen in Hawaii and other places.

 

 

At some stage, it was brought from Egypt to Peloponnese, Greece, which today has a small population of about 350 individuals.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name honours Portuguese explorer and naturalist José Alberto de Oliveira Anchieta (1832-1897), who travelled extensively in Portuguese Angola between 1866 and 1897, where he collected a large number of animals and plants. He died in Angola, presumably of malaria.

 

 

 

 

 

It is a large species, up to 35 cm long, including the tail. It may be green, yellowish, or brownish, but there is usually pale stripes on the flanks and underside.

The specific name is Ancient Greek, meaning ‘with double scales’, which may refer to the pattern on the gular sac, where rows of green double-scales alternate with rufous bands (see picture below).

The common name alludes to two flaps on the hind neck, similar to those of the African chameleon (above).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek lepidos (‘scale’) and chelys (‘turtle’), perhaps alluding to the scaly appearance of the head and flippers of these animals. The common name is of unknown origin.

 

The specific name alludes to the olive tinge on this otherwise brownish or greyish animal.

My experience with this animal is described on the page Animals – Reptiles and amphibians: Reptiles and amphibians in the Indian Subcontinent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The largest specimens occasionally turn into dangerous man-eaters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The largest known specimen measured 5.63 m, but on average males reach a length of 3-3.5 m, females 2-2.5 m, males weighing up to 200 kg. Its numbers have decreased alarmingly during the last 50 years due to habitat destruction (dam building and conversion of wetlands to farmland). They occasionally get entangled in fishing nets and drown, and some are killed by fishermen who regard them as competitors. In 2013, it was estimated that less than 8,700 individuals were living in the wild.

The word mugger is in fact pronounced ‘magar’, the Hindi name of this animal, derived from the Sanskrit makara, referring to a mythical crocodile-like creature.

 

 

 

 

 

It is the largest living reptile, males sometimes growing more than 6 m long and weighing up to 1,300 kg. Females are much smaller, rarely exceeding 3 m in length. The largest specimens occasionally turn into dangerous man-eaters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During field work in 1989 in Tanzanian coastal forests, my companions and I encountered green mambas on several occasions, as they lay draped over thin branches in the trees. However, they were not at all aggressive, and we could admire their beautiful colour from a distance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic and common names both refer to a distinct lump that the adult male has at the end of the snout, which resembles a clay pot, known as a ghara. This lump is hollow, amplifying a hissing sound that the male emits, which can then be heard far away. The specific name means ‘of the Ganges (River)’.

The gharial population has declined drastically since the 1930s, and the current number may be less than 1,000 individuals. It is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Ndebele word matobo, meaning ‘bald head’, referring to the Matobo Hills in southern Zimbabwe, which are characterized by rather smooth granite hills. This area is prime habitat for plated lizards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Members of the genus were formerly included in the genera Mabuya and Euprepis.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek trakhys (‘rough’) and lepis (‘scale’), alluding to 3 or more slight longitudinal keels on the dorsal scales.

 

The specific name was applied in honour of Swedish naturalist and explorer Johan August Wahlberg (1810-1856), who travelled in southern Africa between 1838 and 1856, sending thousands of specimens back to Sweden. He was exploring the Okavango area in Botswana, when he was killed by a wounded elephant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is composed of Aldabra, and the Ancient Greek word for tortoise, khelys.

In historic times, giant tortoises were found on many of the western Indian Ocean islands, as well as in Madagascar, and fossil records indicate that giant tortoises once occurred on all continents, except Australia and Antarctica. Many of the Indian Ocean species were driven to extinction by European sailors, for whom they were a source of food, and they seemed to be all extinct by 1840, except the Aldabra giant tortoise.

 

 

 

 

 

The Greek tortoise may be distinguished from the quite similar Hermann’s tortoise (T. hermanni) by having large symmetrical markings on the top of the head, large scales on the front legs, and a spur on each thigh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is of Semitic origin, meaning ‘dragon’ or ‘lizard beast’. The English name is explained in various ways. Some say it has its origin due to the occasional habit of these animals to stand on their two hind legs, seemingly ‘monitoring’ something. Others say that it arose from an old superstitious belief that they would warn people of the approach of venomous animals.

Previously, the earless monitor lizard (Lanthanotus borneensis) was placed in this family, but has since been moved to a separate family, Lanthanotidae.

 

The family and common names are adapted from the Ancient Syriac word for these animals, sqinqur.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Latin name of the pit vipers, Crotalinae, is derived from Ancient Greek krotalon (‘castanet’), alluding to the rattle on a rattlesnake’s tail. This subfamily is found in Asia and the Americas. The members, which include rattlesnakes, lanceheads, and Asian pit vipers, are distinguished by the presence of a heat-sensing pit organ, located between the eye and the nostril on both sides of the head.

 

Previously, it was assumed that only one species of copperhead existed in the United States, but it has recently been split into 2 species.

 

 

 

 

 

This species is sometimes referred to as the temple viper, because of its abundance around the Temple of the Azure Cloud, a Chinese temple in Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia, in daily speech called the Snake Temple.

The specific name was applied in honour of German herpetologist Johann Georg Wagler (1800-1832). He died young of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound while out collecting near Munich.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Males of these frogs are very much smaller than the females, and their limbs are so short that they are unable to cling with their legs to the female during mating. Instead, they emit a gluey secretion from the skin that allows them to ‘stick’ to the female. (Source: amphibiaweb.org)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from bufo, the Latin word for toads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is composed of the name of Indian herpetologist Sushil Kumar Dutta (born 1952), professor of zoology at North Orissa University, Baripada, India, and Ancient Greek phrynos, the term for a kind of venomous frog.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek melanos (‘black’) and stiktos (‘punctured’ or ‘spotted’), referring to the black dots on its face.

 

 

 

 

 

The common name refers to the loud rasping call, made by the males in spring, from natter (‘to chat away’), and jack, a word used to name animals, which are smaller than similar kinds, in this case presumably smaller than the common toad (above).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin esca (‘food’) and ulentus (‘abounding in’), thus ‘most edible’. Like the common name it stems from the usage of this frog as food, particularly in France, where its legs are considered a delicacy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The female grows to about 8 cm long, the male to 6 cm. It is quite variable in colour, grey, yellow, or reddish-brown on the back, whitish on the belly. The head is triangular, and the eyes are large. When attacked by a predator , it is able to secrete a fluid, which may be toxic or unpalatable. The eggs are laid in white foam nests in trees or bushes over pools.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek polys (‘many’) and pedetes (‘leaper’ or ‘dancer’), from pedan (‘to leap’ or ‘to jump’). The specific name is also Greek, derived from megas (‘large’) and kephale (‘head’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

These animals are plant-eaters, and some species at times become serious pests, forming huge swarms that consume crops over wide areas. Most species protect themselves from predators by camouflage. If detected, they suddenly jump into the air, many species displaying brilliantly coloured wings to startle the predator. Other species have strong colours as a warning to predators that they are ill-tasting.