Mammals Two Flashcards
Are all animals in the order Carnivora strictly carnivores? Explain.
No/ Panda Bear - herbivores, Bears - omnivores
Name three physical characteristics of carnivores:
highly specialized teeth, large brains, claws, simple stomachs
How do predators fit into the food chain? What would happen if predators were removed from the food chain?
at the top of the food chain, necessary to keep herds moving, prevent overgrazing, remove sick old injured and surplus young
Name one characteristic of a wolf that would be “appealing” to the public.
very social animals, mate for life, use facial signals to communicate
Mexican gray wolves are extinct in the wild. True or false?
False - have been reintroduced
In what way(s) is the BioPark Zoo involved with the conservation of the Mexican gray wolf?
holding facility, SSP, 5 males on exhibit, lots of education
Polar bears are (circle one) Diurnal, Crepuscular, Nocturnal. Is this true of most bears?
Diurnal - daytime Polar Bears, not true of most bears
Polar bears are (circle one) carnivores, herbivores, omnivores. Is this true of most bears?
carnivores - not true of most bears
A polar bear is considered a marine mammal. Why?
parially webbed feet, spend a great deal of time in the water
Name five adaptations of a polar bear and explain why each is an advantage for its environment.
hollow hair - to trap air to form a dead space for insulation
semi webbed feet - good swimmers
small ears to prevent heat loss
torpedo shaped body for efficient diving
thick layer of fat to add protection from the cold
oily fur - keeps water from penetrating their heavy coat
There are many misconceptions about hyenas. They are often vilified for stealing food from lions, for “laughing” when they kill and because they are hermaphrodites. How would you debunk these myths?
good hunters - only a small portion of food obtained through scavenging
not hermaphrodites - external reproductive organs appear similar
laughing call is distinct and used in situations of intense fear or to call others to feed
Choose one cat on exhibit at the zoo, and describe three adaptations that help it to survive in its habitat.
Snow Leopord
tail - heat - wrap around face
coat - very thick for warmth and color blends with surroundings
well developed chests help them draw oxygen from the thin mountain air
The claws of all cats, except the ____________, are able to retract, or be sheathed.
cheetah
Cheetah can run up to ______ mph for short distances.
65-70 mph
Most of the people you will talk to have felt a cat’s tongue. Why do cats’ tongues feel like they do?
rough - efficient to scrape bones clean of flesh
Most cats are solitary, with the exception of the African lion. True or False?
True
Why is a meerkat not a cat?
build burrows and live underground
very social animals - live in a mob
specialized scent glands
Name at least two differences between sea lions and seals.
seals - no ear flabs, swim with back fins
sea lion - swim with front flippers, spend much ore time on land then seals
Are Pinnipeds herbivorous or carnivorous?
carnivorous
Does the BioPark Zoo exhibit Asian or African elephants? Describe two ways to differentiate between these species.
Asian - smaller ears, domed forehead, one finger on trunk, four toes on hind feet, skin is smoother
Name three things you could tell the public about an elephant’s trunk
elongated - used for breathing and as an arm
can pick up a single blade of grass or suck up 2.5 gallons of water at one time
trunk used for greeting,caressing and giving reassurance
People often associate elephants with tusks. What would you tell visitors about tusks and elephants’ teeth in general?
highly specialized teeth - few in number
tusks used for digging and stripping off bark, toppling trees and fighting
How do elephants drink water? How much can they drink a day?
need 25 to 80 gallons a day
suck it up with trunk and pour it into their mount
Rock hyraxes look similar to guinea pigs yet are more closely related to elephants and manatees. How would you explain this relationship to a visitor?
similarities to elephants include foot structure and tusks developed from incisors rather than canines
We have representatives on exhibit of both the Perissodactyla and the Artiodactyla orders. What is the basic difference between these two orders?
Perissodactyla - simple digestive system
Artiodactyla - complicated digestive system
What are ungulates?
hoofed animals
herbivores
young born precocial and weaned at about a year
Are our rhinos from Asia or Africa? How do rhinos from the two continents differ?
Africa - White Rhino
2 long horns, lacking front teeth, skin much less deeply folded
What two senses are most acute in a rhino?
smelling and hearing
Most Artiodactyls are ruminants. How would you explain to zoo visitors what this means and what the advantage is?
digestive system - 4 chambered stomach - chewing the cud - ruminating start in stomach 1 and 2 then brought back up chewed and passes through stomachs 3 and 4
What would you tell visitors that the difference is between horns and antlers?
Horns - permanent, male and female
Antlers - branched and seasonal - males only
Do giraffes have “horns” or “antlers”? Explain.
Horns - bony outgrowths are permanent, shor, simple and always covered
What is the significance of the giraffe’s wonder net?
series of valves in neck and a network of flexible arteries in the brain to regulate the flow of blood to and from the head
gets blood to brain and control’s pressure in brain
Giraffes are browsers. Name an adaptation they have for eating the leaves of the thorny Acacia tree.
lips and tongues are very thick allowing to safely grasp leaves from spiny branches
Name two ways that hippos are adapted for their aquatic environment.
“Blood Sweat” - secretion that protects from the sun
Born underwater and can swim immediately
Process of surfacing is automatic - no need to wake up
Name at least four adaptations camels have for a desert habitat:
survive without water for long periods of time
drink 27 gallons of water in 10 minutes
nostrils close completely
double row of interlocking eyelashes that protect from sand and sun
padded feet for walking on sand
pelleted dry feces
concentrated urine to conserve water
