#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.

#871: Zebra

There are several species of Zebra, striped equines found in Africa. Like other equines, Zebra are social creatures and live in herds, mostly consisting of females and their foals and lead by a single stallion. Male Zebras live in small bachelor groups, or alone, until they are strong enough to challenge the breeding stallions.Although Zebra have been long considered to be white with black stripes, evidence indicates that they are, in fact, black with white stripes. These stripes break up their outline, making it hard for predators to single one Zebra from another in a herd and helping to confuse predators.

#870: Zacatuche

Zacatuche, the volcano rabbit, is a tiny bunny, found only in the mountains of Mexico, more specifically, four volcanoes south of Mexico City. She lives in small groups of 2-5 rabbits, digging burrows and creating runways through the low tussock grass. She lives at high altitude, and is greatly affected by human disturbance. This disturbance has also fragmented the population, pushing her close to the brink of extinction.

#841: Wombat

This post is dedicated to Ursula Vernon, author/illustrator of the Digger comic and Dragonbreath series, plus much more.

Everytime I see a wombat, I think of her.

The Wombats are three species of solidly built marsupial found, as most marsupials are, in Australia. She is characterised by her sturdy digging claws, short legs, stumpy tail and adorable bear-like face. Of the three species, two are of Least Concern, but the northern hairy-nosed wombat (named such for her hairy nose and northern distribution) is Critically Endangered. She is nocturnal, spending her days resting in her warren of burrows and coming out at night to graze on grasses and other foliage. Therefore, she is essentially Australia's equivalent of the bunny rabbit. Like all maruspials, the baby is carried in a pouch - hers faces backwards so that as she digs, it does not get filled with dirt.

A group of Wombats is known as a wisdom.

#840: Wolverine

The Wolverine is one of the largest mustelid species, and has a wicked reputation. Despite his relatively small size, he has a fierce appetite and vicious nature. Wolverine are known to attack reindeer, and are a bane to the herders in the Lapland and other Arctic regions. He will pounce on the deer as it slogs through snow, ripping out a chunk from its shoulders, a chunk which crushes the spinal column and paralyses the deer. In this manner, the food remains fresh and warm as long as the deer survives, and the wolverine can feed on it. More commonly, his prey consists of smaller animals and carrion.

#839: Wolpertinger

Found in the Barvarian forests of Germany, the Wolpertinger has relatives in Austria and Sweden, and is closely related to the American Jackalope. Elusive and solitary, the best way to catch a glimpse of a Wolpertinger is to be a beautiful young woman (or in the company of one). The Wolpertinger is irresistably drawn towards beauty and, if the woman visits his territory during the full moon, he may be drawn out of hiding.

#833: White Bat

The Honduran White Bat is a teeny-tiny bat found in Central America. He measures less than 5 cm in length. To create shelters, he slices the side veins of Heliconia leaves, causing them to fold downwards like a tent. These can house up to half a dozen individuals: usually a male and his harem of females.

#829: Whale

The Whales are a diverse group of marine mammals, ranging in size from the 2.6 m dwarf sperm whale to the largest living mammal on Earth, the blue whale (30 m). The diet of whales is varied, this humpback and the blue are baleen whales, filter feeders. The smaller species, like the sperm whales, are toothed whales, and hunt their prey, singling out individuals for pursuit. Baleen whales favour a more indirect technique, either swimming forward, mouth agape, or gulping in great mouthfuls, filtering out the edible contents and expelling the water. Many whale species are threatened with extinction; they are long-lived, slow to mature and rarely bear more than one calf every few years. Some species have been actively hunted to the brink of extinction, and all suffer from deep-sea trawling and other human interference.

#824: Weasel

The Least Weasel is the smallest in the mustelid Family, but he has the courage of a lion. Measuring no more than 260mm in length, he preys predominantly on rodents, although will also go after birds and even rabbits. Found naturally in Europe, North America and North Africa, Weasels have been introduced to many countries, mostly islands, including New Zealand.

Here's a Bridled Weasel I drew a few years ago. As you can see, they're stoatly different.
Or not...

#819: Warthog

Happy Valentine's Day!
And what could be more romantic than a warthog?
Well, many things, I guess...

Anyhow, Warthogs are a Genus of wild pigs, comprised of two species: the Common Warthog and the Desert Warthog. They are named for the fleshy protrusions about the pig's face; this is more pronounced in males. He is the only pig adapted to a savannah lifestyle, and he follows an omnivorous diet consisting of whatever he can find and eat.

#816: Walrus

I am the walrus!
Coo coo cachoo!

The Walrus is a large marine mammal, characterised by the long tusks displayed by both male and female. The males' tusks are longer and used in fighting and territorial displays. They are also used to form and maintain holes in the ice, and to help the animal drag himself out of the water. He feeds on the ocean floor, dragging his tusks through the sediment and using his snout to dig up prey. For such a large animal, his prey is fairly small and generally sessile: tunicates, molluscs, soft corals, clams, although he will also eat crabs and, more rarely, other seals or sea birds.

#809: Vleihaas

The Vleihaas, or Riverine Rabbit, is one of the rarest mammals in the world - with less than 250 adults remaining. She is found only in isolated areas of the Karoo Desert, in river basins. She browses on foliage and flowers during the night, retiring to shallow scrapes during the day. She is slow-breeding, for a rabbit, with does birthing only one or two kits a year. Her habitat is under threat from farmland conversion, and much of it lies on privately owned land.

#802: Vicuña

The Vicuña is a member of the camelid Family. Like her cousin, the guanaco, she lives in the high alpine regions of South America. She is believed to be the ancestor of the domestic alpaca. Vicuña produce a very fine wool, perfect for keeping her warm when the high altitude temperatures reach freezing point. This wool is one of the most expensive fibres available, as wild Vicuña can only be shorn every three years. Once, hundreds were poached and killed for it.

#799: Vesper Bat

The Vesper Bats are the largest Family of Bats, spread across every continent excluding Antarctica. They are predominantly insectivorous, using echolocation to pinpoint their prey with accuracy. Some of the larger species have techniques for hunting fish and even birds. Many species are colony roosters, with caves being a popular residence, although some favour hollow trees or animal burrows. This fellow is a Pallid Bat, found in western North America and Cuba.

Other species of Vesper Bat in this blog:
Noctule

#789: Variegated Squirrel

The Variegated Squirrel can be found in North and Central America. He can be found in both dry and wet forest, but favours the arid environment. He is solitary and diurnal, constructing a nest in which to sleep through the nights. Unlike his more northerly relatives, Variegated Squirrel do not hibernate, but will become less active through inclemental weather. His diet consists of fruit, seeds and nuts and he plays an important role in seed dispersal.

#750: Tenrec

The Tenrecs are a range of small mammals found in Madagascar and parts of Africa. They have diversed to fill a range of niches, especially on Madagascar. There are aquatic Otter Tenrec, spiky Hedgehog Tenrec, and this vividly coloured Lowland Streaked Tenrec, arboreal species, burrowing species and the rotund and plump Common (or Tailless) Tenrec. Tenrec follow a mainly insectivorous diet, although some also consume fruit. The Lowland Streaked can erect her spines to deter predators. Those around her head are barbed, and can be angled to drive into a predator's face. The ones on her back are not barbed, and are used for communication; she vibrates them to produce a faint start. She can give birth to litters of up to 8 youngsters, the Common Tenrec can manage up to 35.

#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.

#747: Tayra

The Tayra is a member of the mustelid Family. found in Central and South America. Her preferred habitat is forest, but she will cross grasslands at night as she moves from one forest patch to the next. She is solitary and arboreal in nature, and can traverse the forest with speed. Her long tail aids in balance and her claws are short, curved and strong. She feeds on fruit and small vertebrates, and also has a taste for honey. Tayra are easily tamed and sometimes kept as household pets to help rid a house of vermin. She does, however, pose a threat to chickens.

#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.