#885: The Treeshrew has the highest brain:body ratio of any mammal.

The Treeshrews are not actually a shrew at all. Currently, she is considered to be more closely related to the colugo and primate Families. There are 20 species, spread across Southeast Asia. Her brain to body ratio is the highest of any other mammal, including humans, although this is in part due to her small size. She favours an omnivorous diet, feeding on insects, small vertebrates, nuts and seeds. Her maternal skills are relatively weak - her young are born weak and hairless, into a nest of dried leaves, and she suckles them only for a few minutes each day. They grow fast, and will leave the nest within a month and become sexually mature at about four months old.

#883: Zosterops

The Zosterops are tiny passerines, with species spread throughout Africa, Southeast Asia and Australasia. Many are characterised by the white rings around their eyes. He follows an insectivorous diet, favouring fruit and nectar during the warmer months, and consuming more insect prey in the colder months. This fellow is the critically endangered Mauritius olive white-eye. He feeds on nectar and insects, with a special preference for rare endemic flowers, which have been largely overtaken by introduced plants. His nests are also destroyed by introduced pests like rats and macaques.

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And thus concludes the last in my animal alphabet, but not truly the end, for I have a few animals to fill in the gaps from previous and will be taking requests, preferably around 17 to bring me up to the #900. If you wish to request an animal that has not already been included, comment here or email me: lemurkat@gmail.com, subject: ZooTrophy.

And I will, at some point in the not TOO distant future, be undertaking a similar, but smaller, project on prehistoric animals.

#872: Zebra Dove

The Zebra Dove is a ground dwelling pigeon, found in Southeast Asia.  She forages in short or barren ground, in pairs or alone, feeding on grass seeds, insects and other small invertebrates. Her plumage offers her some camouflage against the barren ground. Whilst widespread and common, in some areas she has become scarce, as specimens are captured for the pet trade.

#866: Yellow-throated Marten

The Yellow-throated Marten is a large and feisty mustelid, growing up to 720 cm in body length. His natural range is Asia, where he inhabits tropical and sub-tropical forests. He regularly preys on small deer, and even larger species, such as wapiti, wild boars and even panda cubs. Nectar and fruit also feature in his diet, and he is important in seed dispersal.

#862: Yeti

The Yeti is a large semi-bipedal bear, occasionally seen in the Himalayas. He is a creature of myth and legend, often mistaken for an ape. Yeti are extremely shy, and when danger threatens will run and hide, even burying themselves in snow. His white pelt offers ideal camouflage against his snow-covered environment. His main diet consists of Himalayan ungulates, such as tahr, markhor and takin. To hunt, he uses ambush tactics, relying on his camouflage to disguise him against the snow until the prey comes close enough to seize.

#857: Yak

The Yak is a long-haired bovid. There are two species, found in the Himalayas, across the Tibetan Plateau and into Russia and Mongolia. One of these species, Bos grunniens, has been domesticated for thousands of years, both for his meat, milk and fibre. He is also used as a beast of burden, but requires grazing pastures for extended journeys. Wild Yaks live in herds of up to thirty individuals. He is perfectly adapted for a high altitude lifestyle, and will not thrive at low altitudes.

#826: Weaver Ant

The Weaver Ants are large, arboreal ants. They are named for their complicated nests, which are constructed from leaves, which the colony stitches together. Currently there are only two extant species: one of which is this green tree ant. She is found in Northern Australia and Asia.  These ants are eusocial, with only a few females breeding and the rest are infertile workers. Workers are divided into minor or major, with the major being the larger (up to 1cm in length) and more adventurous. Minor workers remain within the nest, caring for the broods. She follows an insectivorous diet, supplementing the small invertebrates with honeydew, "milked" from scale insects.

We have a few photos of the green tree ants, which were fairly common around the Northern Territory. The nests are so neatly stiched together, that it is fascinating to think that they were created by an insect.

#825: Weaver

The Weavers are a Family of passerines related to finches.  Most of the species are found in Africa, although a few inhabit Asia. These seed-eating birds are renowned for their nesting behaviour, which varies between species. Some create small, neat and beautifully woven conical nests, others create great sprawling apartment-style complexs. Males are generally more colourful than females.

Other species of Weaver I have illustrated:
Quelea
Red Fody 
Yellow Bishop

#766: Trilobite Beetle

Trilobite Beetles are named such for their superficial resemblance to the prehistoric, extinct arthropod.They can be found in the rainforests of India and South-east Asia. Females remain in this form - the larval form - for their entire life, whereas males become actual beetles. Preferred habitat is leaf litter, and very little is actually known about them - including the diet, which may be other arthropods or decaying plant matter. Mating is a one-time affair for the male, who dies shortly afterwards, whilst the female goes on to lay around two hundred eggs, then dies a few weeks later.

#757: Tiger

The Tiger is the largest of the Felid Family, with the Siberian subspecies reaching 3.38 m  in length. It is he who is truly the King of the Jungle, and he once roamed the forests as far north as Siberia and as far south as Bali. Now his range is more restricted and fragmented due to hunting and deforestation. He is solitary, but his range often overlaps that of several females, and will sometimes even share his kills with them (and they with him). His favoured food is medium-sized ungulates, especially deer. An ambush predator, he lies in wait and uses his size and strength to disable the prey, before dispatching it with a bite to the throat.

#749: Teledu

The Teledu, or Sundan Stink Badger, is a mustelid more closely related to skunks than to badgers. Found in Malayasia, he is nocturnal and thus rarely seen. He is also not particularly well studied. His diet is omnivorous, and he uses his claws to dig for worms and other invertebrates, as well as taking eggs and carrion. If threatened, he can spray a foul-smelling substance from his anal glands - it has a range of 15 cm.

#746: Tarsier

The Tarsier are several species of prosimian. They differ from other prosimians in that they have dry noses, slitted, like a monkeys. Tiny and nocturnal, they are characterised by their enormous eyes; his eyeball is larger than his brain. They are fixed in the socket, meaning he must rotate his head to change his field of vision. Tarsiers are also characterised by their elongated tarsier bone (hence the name). The length, plus elasticated tendons, allow these tiny primates to leap great distances. His diet is insectivorous.

I love tarsiers but always have difficulty drawing them. They just don't look real. I think I might have to try this fellow again some time.

#743: Tanuki

Tanuki is the name given to the subspecies of Racoon Dog found in Japan. He is well known in mythology as mischevious, jolly and a bit of a trickster. The Asian Racoon Dog is a member of the Canine Family, and one of two Canid species that regularly climb trees. His diet is omnivorous and varies with the seasons - fruit, grains, vegetables and eggs in summer, rodents and other small prey in the colder months. Despite having an extremely thick fur coat, he hibernates in winter. This thick pelt has found favour in the fur industry. This has led to the species being introduced into Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, either intentionally or as escapees from fur farms. Whilst in his natural range numbers are declining, in this introduced range, he is at risk of becoming an Invasive Pest.

#738: Takin

The Takin is a goat-antelope found in the Himalayas. It is thought that the fleece of one of the subspecies, the Golden Takin, inspired the story of Jason and the Argonauts. He makes his home in the forested valleys, ranging up into the alpine slopes. Older males lead a solitary existence, whilst younger males and females gather in herds of around 20 individuals. In summer, gatherings may number up to 300. His large snout is an adaptation to the colder climes, as the big sinus cavities help to warm the air before he inhales it. His skin secretes an oily substance which coats his fur, acting as a natural raincoat.

Creature Feature #737: Tahr

The Tahr are three species of goat found in Oman, South India and the Himalayas. The Arabian and Nilgiri species are endangered due to limited range but this fellow, the Himalayan Tahr is still widespread. Very widespread, in fact, as he was introduced to New Zealand, Argentina and New Mexico for hunting; there is also a small population established in South Africa (from an escaped breeding pair). He is adapted for a high-alpine lifestyle, growing a thick mane of fur for the winter months. This is shedded out to a thin summer coat as the temperature rises. His hooves contain a rubber-like core, allowing him better grip on rocky slopes.

#732: Sun Bear

The Sun Bear inhabits the forests of Southeast Asia. He is the smallest of the Bear species, weighing up to 80 kg. His preferred diet consists of insects and honey, which he uses his long tongue to extract. His large canines and strong bite allow him to rip into the trunks of trees in pursuit of insect prey. Diurnal in nature, he seeks cavities beneath branches or under tree trunks in which to spend the night. Deforestation is a major threat to his survival, but he is also hunted and farmed for his bile. His gall bladder is a component in traditional Chinese medicine. Bile farming is cruel, with the bears being forced to live in close confines, tubes draining his gall bladder of its bile, unable to move or behave in anyway naturally.

If you wish to know more about bear bile farming (and it is a very disturbing procedure) please visit:
Monga Bay: Asian Bear Farming (warning: graphic images)

#708: Snow Leopard

The Snow Leopard is a large feline who makes her home in the  alpine and sub-alpine regions of Central and South Asia. Like most cats, she is solitary in nature. An ambush predator, she stalks along rocky ledges seeking prey, such as markhor, tahr and smaller mammals, on the lower slopes. Whilst related to lions and the other Panthera cats, Snow Leopards are unable to roar. Instead she hisses, chuffs, mews and wails. She has specialised adaptations to the alpine environment, including a thick coat, small ears, wide paws, with furred pads. Her tail is thickened and stores fat. She also has large nasal cavities, allowing better inhalation of the thin mountain air.

#705: Small-clawed Otter

The Small-clawed Otter is the smallest Otter species in the world. She can be found in the mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of southern Asia. As the name suggests, her claws are very short, not protruding past her fleshy fingertips. This allows her greater manual dexterity when handling prey such as molluscs, crabs and other aquatic animals. Like her larger relatives, Small-clawed Otters live in family groups, with a breeding pair and their offspring.

#682: Saola

The Saola is the Asian unicorn - in the way that she is extremely elusive and critically endangered. The species was first discovered, from remains, in 1992, with the first living speciman captured on camera in 1999. Her range is extremely small, the isolated forests of the Annamite Range, in Indochina. Due to her scarcity, little is known about her behaviour, but she appears to be solitary and crepuscular in nature. Her tongue can extend up to 16cm and the upper surface bears back-facing barbs, which help her browse foliage.

#647: Red Panda

The Red Panda is not related to the Giant Panda. He is actually more closely related to the Racoons. The reason the two were once considered related is because they both bear a pseudo-thumb, used for better grasping bamboo.

More information to come tomorrow.