Animlas from Sweden

Thank you all our friends from Sweden for your animal projects. We were excited to notice that we share an animal with you. We also have the Lynx in our counrty, but we call it the Rooikat(Red cat) or the Caracal. It does not have such a fluffy coat here because it is hotter here. We also have otters in some rivers and the ocean.
We have never seen the Wolverine before except in the movie X-men! It was very interesting!

I am bringing posters of all our projects with me when I come to visit, I will see you all soon.
Liz Louw

Porcupines

Description

Porcupines are 35cm tall and their length is 90cm.They weigh 18kg.Their are heavily built with long black and white quills (spikes) from their shoulders to their tail. They have a very short, flat tail.


Habitat


* Porcupines live in burrows, caves or crevices in rocks. They live in southern Africa. A porcupine can climb trees that are 60 to 70 feet high to reach the young leaves.


Eating Habits


¤ Porcupines are vegetarians, feeding on leaves, twigs, green plants and bark. During cold winter months, porcupines exist entirely on twigs and bark.






Interesting Facts


Porcupines possess upwards of 30, 000 quills, which are spaced closely together in between dark, course fur. Quills are 3-inches long and black in colour, with bright yellowish tips. Porcupines has five 5 toes on the back feet and 4 toes on the front. Their hind feet have long, curved claws and thick pads, which leave distinctive markings. The porcupine has two distinct front teeth, which are used for gnawing. The two teeth continuously grow through out the course of the porcupine’s life.






By Michaela O’Hare

Elephant shrew

Elephant Shrew

Elephant Shrew What they look like: Elephant-shrews are more closely related to aardvarks, sea cows, and elephants than they are to shrews. They have long, furry noses. An Elephant-Shrew has a dark head, a light brown neck, darkish stomach and a dark backside.

Habitat: Elephant-shrews live in South African forests, Desert, boulder-strewn outcrops in South Africa and also thick forests. North African Elephant-Shrew’s, remain in the semi-arid, mountainous country in the far north-west of the continent of Africa.






Eating Habits: Elephant-shrews eat mainly invertebrates, such as insects, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, and earthworms. An elephant-shrew uses its long nose to find prey and uses its tongue to flick small food into its mouth, much like an anteater.






Interesting Fact:Elephant shrews are not actuly shrews. Recent evidence suggests that they are more related to a group of African mammals that includes hyraxes, elephants, sea cows, aardvarks, golden moles, and tenrecs.
By Brenton Gr 5

Wild Dogs

AFRICAN WILD DOG

DESCRIPTION: THEY HAVE BIG EARS AND HAVE DIFFERENT COLOUR FUR, THEY ARE THE SAME SIZE AS A LABRADOR.


HABITAT: THEY ENJOY OPEN GRASSLANDS TO SNEAK UP ON THERE PRAY.


EATING HABITS: THEY REALY LOVE TO EAT MEAT…..INFACT THEY ARE CARNIVORES (THEY ONLY EAT MEAT)THEY EAT MEAT LIKE BUFFALO,HARES,AND ANTELOPES(THEY HUNT AND LIVE IN PACKS MACKING IT EASY TO TAKE DOWN LARGER PRAY).


DID YOU KNOW?????


THEY CAN RUN UP TO 50 KM FOR UP TO 300 METERS.


THE FEMALES LOOK AFTER THE YOUNG.


By Madiba Gr 6

Hippo

HIPPO

Description: The hippo is the most dangerous animal in south Africa. They weigh [2630 kg]. They have no fur very little hair and a large barrel shaped body


Habitat:


Rivers and Lakes, not necessarily very deep, with pools of slow moving water and banks with good quality grazing, are the ideal conditions for Hippopotamuses.


Habits: hippos live


in herds of up to 40 individuals, consisting bull, a number of cows and their young. of one adult


Territorial fights amongst Hippos, are vicious and very often fatal. There are very few adult Hippo bulls without scars.






During the day they stay in their pools or sand banks. At night they leave the water and look for their feeding grounds, normally using always the same route.


They extremely aggressive and unpredictable animals. Very often charging other animals, passing boats and even Men.


Hippos can weigh up to 1500 Kg. and their life-span is about 50 years.


diet


Hippos are grazers, preferring short grasses

By Xandria Gr 5

Kudu

KUDU

Description


They are 150 centimetres Tall at their shoulders. They are reddish-brown to a dark blue-grey color. they have 4 to 10 upright stripes on it’s sides. The male has spiral horns up to 1.5 Metres long .


Where it lives


They live in the grassy areas of southern and eastern Africa. The Male kudus sometimes form small bachelor groups but they mostly live alone.


What it eats


Kudus eat grass and plant shoots.


Flash Fact


They can weigh up to 270 kilograms


What I used


World book j.k.11,www.Kalahari-Trophy-hunting.com


Reproduction


Kudu males are sexually mature at three years and first breed at six years, while females first calve at two to three years. Prime bulls develop massive neck muscles during the mating season due to their fighting, thrashing of bushes and digging up of soil to display their dominance to females.


When a bull has access to females, he checks the females’ reproductive condition by sniffing and flehmen of her urine and genitals.


As a female comes into heat, the dominant bull will mate only once with her since he chooses the best time for conception from the smell of her urine.


By Ester Botha

Hyena

Spotted Hyena

By Anke K


Description


Hyenas are dog-like animals with a strange body. Their front legs are longer then their back legs. They have dark brown spots on their coats. The hair on their body is short.


Habitat


Spotted hyenas live mainly in the savannah and they also live in some rainforests.


Eating habits


Hyenas eat mainly meat. They also steal food from lions, leopards and cheetahs.


Interesting facts


Spotted hyenas are the largest of the hyena family. They are also the noisiest.

Gemsbok

Description


It has a fawn brown coat with a white belly,a black mane &tail and white markings on it’s head.It’s horns grows straight and over a metre long.


Habitat


The Gemsbok lives in the semi-desert grasslands of the southern half of Africa.


Eating Habits


Only grass and fruit.It does not eat meat.


Interesting Facts


The Gemsbok also has a number of special features that helps it to conserve water.They survive by getting water from fruits and vegetables and can withstand temperatures ranging up to 45 degrees Celsius . They spend most of the day inactive and in the shade.


By Mareli

African Civet

Description: The civet has a long fluffy tail. It also has a slender body. Some civets have stripes or spots some have both. Civets also have long snouts.


Habitat: civets live in forests, deserts and savannahs. Civets also live in  Madagascar, Asia and Europe.


Eating habits: Some civets are carnivores and eat small birds, lizards and all small animals. Others are omnivores and eat fruit.


Did you know??? The civet is part of the dwarf mongoose and the genet family. Civets also live alone in the wild.

By Tyler Reynolds in Gr 6