Do you like to own a cat – one that is loyal, intelligent and playful? A purring cat in your lap after a hard days work! If so, then Munchkins could be your breed. Read on to take an in-depth look and learn more interesting facts about Munchkin cats.
The Munchkin is a unique cat breed, the product of continuous genetic mutation resulting in cats having short legs. Although the breed gained popularity in 1991, several sightings were recorded as early as the 1940s. The breed is registered with The International Cat Association (TICA), United Feline Organization, The American Association of Cat, Enthusiasts, Waratah National Cat Alliance, Australia, Southern Africa Cat Council and UK’s United Feline Organization.
The Munchkins are like ordinary cats, except that they have a broad chest, and shorter legs that may be slightly bowed. Also, munchkins habitually sit up on their rear legs. Munchkins sport shiny coats and fur varying in color and length. Longhair munchkins carry a beautiful curled tail. Typically, they have medium and walnut shaped eyes. On average, males weigh about 3 – 4 kg, while females weigh between 2 – 3 kg.
Munchkins are generally sweet-natured, intelligent, fast learners and playful. This exquisite and irresistible cat is so sociable, making them a good companion. Though having short legs, munchkins love to play, run and chase toys. They can even leap great heights when in a playful mood!
As pets, munchkins are ideal for owners living in apartment since this breed is best as indoor cats. Munchkins are also low-maintenance cats, short hair munchkins require once a week brushing, while long hair type needs twice a week brushing to detangle the hair.
There are nine recognized subspecies of tiger. Of these, the Caspian, Bali and Javan tigers are extinct. There are believed to be only 30-80 of the South China tiger left in the world. The Indian or Bengal tiger is the most numerous, but there are probably no more than 3,000. Read and learn more interesting facts you have to know about tigers.
With its trademark reddish-orange mark with dark stripes coat, tiger is the biggest cat in the world. Tiger can measure 2 meters long and can weigh up to 360 kilograms. Its tail can reach 1 meter long. This powerful, solitary cat, generally hunts for prey at night, catching its prey on the throat with ease. Tiger can consume 27 kilos of raw meat in one night and generally hunts for deer and antelope.
Tigers are found in parts of southeast Asia and India inhabiting areas near water. There are eight subspecies of tiger — five are extant — Bengal, Siberian, Sumatran, South China and Indo Chinese. The three extinct subspecies are: Bali, Caspian and Javan tigers. There are also known hybrid tigers. In the wild, tigers have a lifespan 10 – 15 years, while in captivity they can live up to 25 years. Below are other facts about tigers.
The Bengal tiger(Panthera tigris tigris),is found in mangrove forests of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. Bengal tigers can easily be recognized by its yellow to light orange coat mark with dark brown to black stripes.
Adult males average 270–310 cm, and weigh 221.2 kg. Bengal tigers prey on deer, wild boar, Gray langur, and also bigger animals like sloth bears, Asiatic black bears, water buffalo, leopards foxes, jackals and wolves. Current Bengal tiger population in the wild is about 1300 – 1500 individuals. Life span – up to 15 years.
The Indochinese Tiger(Panthera tigris corbetti) is found in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma and Laos. Sporting darker coats and smaller than Bengal tigers, Male Indochinese tigers measure from 2.55 to 2.85meters long and weigh about 150 to 195 kilograms. They inhabit remote forest hills and rugged mountainous terrains, preying on large animals like buffalo, deer, wild pigs, monkeys, birds, and sometimes baby elephants. Currently, there are around 1,000 – 1,800 individuals in the wild and about 50-70 in Zoos worldwide
Native to Malaysia, The Malayan Tiger(Panthera tigris jacksoni),is considered the smallest living subspecies of tiger. Malay tiger sport similar stripe pattern to the Indonesian tiger, but much closer to Sumatran tigers in term of size. Adult males measure around 237 cm in length and weigh about 120 kg. The Malayan tiger diet includes: deer, wild pigs, and cattle. The IUCN listed the Malayan tiger as Endangered with the latest population estimated around 600-800 tigers in the wild.
The Sumatran Tiger(Panthera tigris sumatrae) native only in Sumatra, Indonesia, is the smallest extant subspecies of tiger. They inhabit dense forests. It sports narrower stripes than other species and has webbed feet. Sumatran Tigers commonly prey on larger ungulates, like Wild Boar, Malayan Tapir and deer, and sometimes also smaller animals, like mice, fowl, monkeys, fish and crocodiles. Sumatran tigers can live about 10 to 15 years in the wild. Currently listed as critically endangered, the wild population is about 400 and 500 and 210 captive individuals live in zoos.
The largest subspecies of tiger Siberian Tiger(Panthera tigris altaica), inhabits mountainous forest of the Amur-Ussuri region of Siberia, Russia. Adult males can reach 270–330 cm in length and weigh 180–306 kg. Siberian tigers sport thick coat with paler golden hues mark with fewer stripes. During winter, it wears a white coat. These fierce carnivores prey on deer, antelopes, wild boar, cattle, buffalo and young elephants. Another endangered species of tigers, the current Siberian population is estimated around 400 animals in the wild. Siberian can live up to 25 years.
The most critically endangered subspecies, the South China Tiger(Panthera tigris amoyensis), lives in forests of China. One of the smaller subspecies, South China tigers measure from 2.2–2.6 m in length and weighs between 127 and 177 kg. They sport a much thinner stripes than that of other subspecies. One of the 10 Most Endangered Animals in the World, there are about less than 20 animals in the wild and 59 captive all within China. In November 2007, the first known South China tiger was born in South Africa.
The white tiger, technically as known as chinchilla albinistic, is a popular tiger mutation mostly found in zoos. White tigers are born only to Bengal tigers whose parents carry recessive genes required for white coloring. Typical white tiger has white fur, blue eyes, and a pink nose. Adult males measure 3 m long and weigh 180-285 kg. These cute tigers are slow climbers, but are good swimmers. White tigers are found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar inhabiting forests, mangroves and swampy areas.
Like the white tigers, golden tabby tigers are Bengal tigers born from parents who both carry yet another recessive genes needed in color variation. Sometimes known as “strawberry tigers”, they are larger than normal orange tigers, have thicker fur than normal, light gold fur and faint orange stripes. Currently, the estimated population of golden tabby tigers is believed to be around 30 or less.
There are also unverified reports about the Maltese tiger, or blue tiger. In 1910, Harry Caldwell reported that he spotted one outside Fuzhou, China. Another report stated that a Maltese was spotted during the Korean war. Maltese tigers are said to have bluish fur with dark grey stripes. Since there is no hard evidence to support the existence of Maltese tigers, then are Maltese tigers just mythical tigers? Or could they may have once lived, but is now extinct.
A liger is the offspring of a male lion and a tigress. This big cat appears to be giant lion sporting mute stripes. In other cases, individuals grow impressive manes. Nevertheless, most ligers simply love swimming which is against the nature of lions. On average, ligers are between 10 to 12 feet long and weigh about 1,000 pounds or more. There is also another hybrid known as tigon, the offspring of a lioness and a male tiger.
From a huge but gentle dog, to a bird with elongated tail feathers down to a white-black-orange banded pet snake, these animals are modish in their own way. Read to learn more about these M animals.
The macaques comprise 19 species of Old World monkeys that are widespread in Asia. One species, Barbary ape (M. sylvanus ) is found in Northern Africa. Depending on the species; macaques can be stocky or medium built in stature, with long tail, short tail or no tail at all. Macaques fur ranges from black, brown or gray. Adult males measure about 60 cm in body length. These highly intelligent animals have a very complicated social hierarchy and structure.
The motmots comprise 10 species of medium-sized size passerine birds found in woodlands and dense forests of Central America. Known for their elongated central tail feathers, motmots mostly have brownish green plumage and strong heavy bill. Fully grown adults measure about 17 to 50 cm long. Their diet includes small insects and lizards.
The mouflon is small feral sheep inhabiting steep mountainous areas of northern Iran and northern Iraq. They sport reddish brown coat with short hair. Males have a dark back with a saddle-shaped mark, and carry large horns. Mouflons stand about a meter at shoulder height and weigh 35 – 50 kg.
Moray eels are carnivorous marine eels found in both temperate and tropical seas. Comprising about 100 species, they are found in depths over several hundred meters. Moray eels size range from 12 cm to 4 meters and weigh more than 35 kilograms. As for its color, it varies from black, off white or sandy yellow. Moray ells have a huge head, wide jaws, small dark eyes, a protruding snout and large concave teeth. A good night hunters, moray ells feed on other fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and cephalopods.
Comprising about 25 subspecies, the Milk snake is a species of king snake widespread in the United States, Southern Canada, to Central and South America. They inhabit woodlands, agricultural fields, wetlands, rocky hillsides, barns and around houses. Depending on the species, milk snakes come in different appearance, but all carry the familiar white-black-orange or orange-black-yellow band color pattern.These terrestrial snakes have smooth and glossy scales and lack eyelids. They average from 50 to 150 cm long. A night hunter, the milk snake’s diet includes: for the young ones; insects, slugs and earthworms; adults feed on lizards, small mammals and other snakes. They have a life span of about 12 years.
Martens are slim, agile arboreal animals related to the weasel family. They are found in coniferous forests across Europe, North America and Central Asia. Martens have soft fur that ranges from yellowish to dark brown. They have large paws and bushy tails. Adults measure around 20 to 25 in. long (head to tail). Martens feed on small animals like insects, rabbits, mice, and fish. If available, they also eat honey, nuts, and berries.
The Mastiff, is a massive guard dog that is believed used by the Roman legions during the war thousands of years ago. This calm, quiet “gentle giant” measures around 27-30 inches tall at shoulder length and weighs about 150-200 pounds. Famous for their sagging skin, Mastiffs have large heads, small eyes, medium-sized ears and short muzzle. The short-haired coat range in colors from fawn, black, silver or brindle. Though a fearless guard dog, the Mastiff is kind, playful, and affectionate family dog. With proper care and attention, this “gentle giant” can live 10 to 12 years.
The Manx cat is a “tailless” cat that traces its origin on the Isle of Man. This shortening of the tail, is due to a genetic mutation of the spine. Some Manx can have normal tail, short or “stub” tail or no-tail at all. Normal or tailless, Manx cat typically has an expressive round head, big, round eyes, deep flank, wide chest and small ears. Adding to its rounded appearance, Manx has shorter front legs than the hind legs. Manx can support two coat length – Shorthair or longhair and colors vary from solid-color, Calico, Tabby, Tortoise-shell or bi-color. White Manx is rare. Adult males average 10-12 lbs while females weigh less. Manx are friendly, gentle-mannered, and affectionate.
Mergansers are diving waterfowls found in most of the northern hemisphere. There are six extant species of Merganser often called “sawbills”, found mostly in riverine forest. Mergansers are characterized by their long, slender, serrated bills. Adults average around 2 ft long . The duck’s plumage range from glossy-black, dark-green to salmon color. Some species sport crested heads with reddish breasts. They feed on frogs, mollusks, fish and marine insects.
The muskrat is a medium-sized rodent indigenous to North America. Its habitat includes lakes, marshes, rivers, streams and ponds. Muskrats sport brown or black coat with short, thick fur. The tails are long and covered with scales. Muskrats have very small eyes and ears and webbed feet. Adults measure around 40 to 60 cm and about 0.7 to 1.8 kg in weight. Muskrats spend a lot of their life on water feeding on cattails, aquatic vegetation and other small animals like frogs, fish, mussels and turtles. Muskrats are territorial animals living in family groups.
Here are some fascinating facts about mammals that you probably don't know! Read and learn.
Fastest-Panting Wild Dog
The big-eared Fennec fox(Fennecus zerda) has a novel way of cooling down in its Saharan home. When the temperature reaches 38°C (100°F), it loses heat by panting at a rapid rate of 690 breaths per minute!
In tests, the Tasmanian devil(Sarcophilus harrisii) produced a bite force quotient (the scientific measure of the power of an animal bite relative to its size) of 181. By comparison, the tiger’s bite force quotient is 127 and the lion’s mere 112.
Native to the dry savannah and open woodland areas of sub-Saharan Africa, a typical adult male giraffe(Giraffa camelopardalis) measure between 4.6 m and 5.5 m (15-18 ft) tall. The tallest recorded giraffe was a 5.8 m (19 ft) Masai bull (G.c. tippelskirchi) named George, received by Chester Zoo, UK, on 8 January 1959.
Despite its undeserved reputation, the Three-toed sloth(Bradypus tridactylus)of tropical South America is not really a lazy creature-it is just very slow. On the ground, its average speed is 1.8-2.4 m (6-8 ft) per minute (0.1-0.16 km/h; 0.07-0.1 mph), but in the trees it can accelerate to 4.6 m (15 ft) per minute (0.27 km/h;0.17 mph)!
Africa’s hyraces are small mammals that superficially resemble rodents but are most closely related to the Africa elephant (Loxodonta Africana) – the largest mammal at 4-7 tonnes (8,800-15,400lb). Despite links to the biggest of land beasts. The Yellow-spotted rock hyrax(Heterohyrax brucei), is no bigger than 47 cm (18.5 in) in total length –adult specimens can be as short as 32.5 cm (12.7in)- and weighs a mere 2.4 kg (5.29 lb), at most.
By comparison, the smallest land-dwelling mammal is Savi’s pygmy shrew(Suncus etruscus), a tiny insect-eating mammal that inhabits the Mediterranean and southern Asia regions. The shrew is about the size of a human thumb, with an average body length of 36-53 mm (1.4-2 in), tail length of 24-29 mm (0.9-1 in) and weighs just 1.5-2.6 g (0.05-0.09 oz).
Of the five species of monotreme, the platypus(Ornithorhynchus anatinus) of mainland Australia and Tasmania is the lightest. Male platypuses typically weigh 1.0-2.4 kg (2.2-5.2 lb) while females weigh just 0.7-1.6 kg (1.5-3.5 lb).
The Giant panda(Ailuropoda melanoleuca) can only digest around 21% of all the bamboo that it consumes. Consequently, it must eat up to 38% of its own weight in bamboo shoots each day.
An animal’s genome is the map of all of its genetic information and is found in the nucleus of every cell in its body. The Red vizcacha rat (Tympanoctomys barrerae) has a genome containing 16.8 picograms (1 picogram =1 trillionth of a gram) of DNA. Most other mammals have a genome containing only 6-8 picograms. The red vizcacha also has the most chromosomes of any mammal with a total of 102 chromosomes, split into 51 pairs. By comparison, humans have only 46 chromosomes, divided into 23 pairs.
The Naked mole rat(Heterocephalus glaber) is a bizarre-looking mammal that spends its life in underground burrow systems beneath East Africa’s drier tropical grasslands. An extremely social creature, mole rats reside in colonies and can live for up to 28 years.
When measured over a short distance, the Cheetah(Acinonyx jubatus) can maintain a steady maximum speed of approximately 100 km/h (62 mph) on level ground, making it the fastest land mammal over short distances.
A prime example of a speedy cheetah is Sarah, an eight-year-old that ran 100 m (328 ft) in 6.13 seconds at Cincinnati Zoo, Ohio, USA, on 10 September 2009, giving her the record for the fastest 100 m by a land mammal, trouncing Usain Bolt’s (Jamaica) 100 m time of 9.59 seconds.
However, Sarah’s speed has no staying power compared with that of a pronghorn(Antilocapra Americana). Native to western North America, pronghorns have been recorded traveling continuously at 56 km/h (35 mph) for as far as 6 km (4 miles), giving them the title of the fastest land mammal over long distances.
Finally, the fastest marine mammal is the bull Killer whale(Orcinus orca). On 12 October 1958, one specimen was recorded travelling at 55.5 km/h (34.5 mph) in the north-eastern Pacific.
The Long-tailed pangolin (Manis tetradactylus) has up to 47 vertebrae in its tail-more than any other mammal. All eight species of pangolin, or scaly anteater, have impressive spines and claws that are composed of keratin, the same substance as human fingernails.
The ivory tusk of the male narwhal(Monodon monoceros) grows to an average length of roughly 2 m (6 ft 6 in) but can exceed 3 m (9 ft 10 in) and weigh up to 10 kg (22 lb). In past centuries, the single (or, very rarely, paired) spiraled tusks were sometimes thought to be unicorn horns when found washed up on the beach.
Langur, Lemmings, Limpkins, Leonberger, What do these animals have in common?
They may not be as popular as lion, leopard, lizards, ladybugs and llama, but these L animals are marvelous in their own right. Read on to know more about these animals whose names start with the letter L.
Langurs are funny-looking monkeys widespread in some Southeast Asian countries like India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Tibet. These long-tailed monkeys live in forests, bushy terrains and swamps. Langur has a slender body, long arms, and black hairy face with thick eyebrows. Common body color includes golden, dark brown, and gray. Adult males are about 2 ft tall and weigh between 9 to 15 kg. The tail can reach up to a meter long. Langurs are excellent tree climbers, but are poor swimmers. Its diet includes leaves, grain, fruits and seeds. In the wild, Langur can live up to 25 years.
Another marvelous L animal to know is the Lemmings, a small rodent that endures the harsh weather of the Arctic Circle. These mouse-like rodents average about 7 to 15 cm in length and weigh between 30 to 112 g. Lemmings have soft brown fur, short legs, short ears, and a short tail. A solitary animal and an herbivore, Lemmings diet include leaves, grasses, bulbs, shoots and roots. It has a lifespan of 1-3 years.
The Limpkin (known also as “crying bird”, “carrao”), is a large bird inhabiting wetlands of Florida and Georgia, Puerto Rico and Northern Argentina. This marsh bird sports brown plumage mark with white spot. It has broad wings, long yellow bill, long neck and slender long legs. Adult males, which are slightly larger than females, reach up to 70 cm long and weigh up to 1.1 kg. Limpkin diet includes snails, frogs, insects, and other small marine animals
Marvel at how these swift flyers do their act. With huge wings and powerful flight, Lilac-breast roller can zoom 10 meters upward and then with closed wings swooped down at a very fast speed. Lilac-breast rollers inhabit open woodlands, savannahs, and temperate grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa. It has large green head, pinkish-orange face, short neck, whitish chin, and lilac breast. Also, it has brown eyes, black bill, greenish blue belly, short tail and short yellowish legs. Adults average 36 cm long and weigh 100 g. Lilac-breasted roller’s diet includes beetles, grasshoppers, scorpions, lizards and small amphibians.
The funny-looking Loris is a small arboreal primate found in dense forests of Southeast Asia. There are three extant species of loris namely: Slow loris (Nycticebus cougang), Slender loris(Loris tardigradus) and the Pygmy loris(N. pygmaeus). Lorises have thick gray fur, a masked face, rounded ears, large eyes, and slender limbs. A nocturnal primate, lorises spend the day sleeping and hunt for food at night. Its diet includes fruits, birds, small amphibians and insects. Depending on the species, lorises average from 17-38 cm. Lorises have a life span of about 25 years or more. However, the pygmy loris is listed as an endangered species due to habitat loss.
The lionfish (or the turkeyfish, scorpionfish), is a colorful fish inhabiting coral reefs along the shallow waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans. Famous for its red-and-white striped body, lionfish has large but laterally compressed body; feathery, fan-like and venomous fins. Lionfish average 30 – 38 cm long and up to 1.2 kg in weight. The lionfish is a wily nocturnal predator that feeds on fish, shrimps and crabs. In the wild, lionfish can live up to 15 years. A word of caution: If you happen to see a lionfish. Don’t touch it! The venom emitted from its dorsal fins is very painful to humans and can result to breathing difficulties.
The Leonberger is a large working dog that originated in Leonberg, Germany. It has a muscular body covered with thick, coarse coat. The coat’s color ranges from reddish brown, yellow-gold, cream, to pale yellow. The large rectangular shaped head is covered with black mask. Leonberger has a strong neck, broad chest, brown eyes and a large black nose. Adult males average 65-81 cm tall and weigh around 35-50 kg. By nature, the Leonberger is gentle, highly intelligent, loyal, affectionate, brave and sociable breed of dog.
Lorikeets are arboreal parrots widespread throughout Australia and Papua New Guinea. They are small to medium-sized birds known for their brush-tipped tongues. Lorikeets use these specially-tailored tongues to sip nectars from the flowers. These colorful parrots vary in size from 150 to 400 mm. Aside from nectars, Lorikeets also feed on small insects and soft fruits. Lorikeets can live for 7-9 years.
A lynx is a long-legged, medium-sized wild cat inhabiting forests of Europe, Canada, the United States and Asia. This endangered cat has a short head, long whiskers, tufted ears, large paws, and a short tail. The fur coat color ranges from tawny to cream. Adults can reach 80 to 100 cm long, 60 cm at shoulder height and weigh between 10 to 20 kg. There are four extant species of lynx: the Eurasian Lynx, Canada Lynx, Iberian Lynx and the Bobcat. Lynx are carnivores and its diet includes; deer, squirrels, caribou, birds, mice, and other small animals.
The Least Weasel inhabits meadows, grassy fields, marshes, forests of North Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa. The world’s smallest extant carnivore, Least Weasel is about 16.5 – 24 cm long and weighs between 35 -250 g. The fur is reddish- brown in color with a white belly. It has a slender body, elongated head, short ears, black eyes, and short limbs. An excellent hunter, Least Weasel feeds primarily on rodents, but also hunts for rabbits, moles, chickens, and small birds.
