Creature Feature #476: Monito del Monte

The Monito del Monte is a marsupial mouse found in the forests of South America. He is the New World marsupial most closely related to the Australian marsupial species. Arboreal in nature, he constructs a spherical nest of waterproof leaves, lining it with moss and grass. His tail is somewhat prehensile and hairless on the underside, allowing him better grip against the tree branches. It also is used to store fat to last him through his winter hibernation period.

Creature Feature #475: Monitor Lizard

There are 77 species of Monitor Lizards, characterised by their sturdy limbs, powerful tails and claws and their long necks. Most favour a terrestrial lifestyle, although some species are arboreal. They occur naturally in Africa, Oceania and Asia. The Nile Monitor has established itself in Florida, where it is regarded as an Invasive Pest. Monitor Lizards are considered intelligent and have been known to hunt cooperatively to raid crocodile nests, with one lizard luring the mother crocodile away whilst the other breaks open the nest. The decoy then returns to help devour the eggs before the crocodile returns.

This speciman is an Australian Monitor Lizard, also known as a Perentie.

Creature Feature #474: Mongoose Lemur

The Mongoose Lemur is one of the smaller Eulemur ("true lemur") species and one of only two species to also be found outside of Madagascar - on the Comoros Islands (the other being the Common Brown). It is thought that they were introduced there. Mongoose Lemur change their sleeping patterns based on the temperature. During the  warm wet months he is more active during the day, but when it becomes drier, he follows nocturnal behaviour patterns. Although generally considered vegetarian, in captivity he has been observed stalking, killing and eating birds that venture into his enclosure.

Like 90% of lemur species it is likely he will become extinct within the next 20-25 years.

Creature Feature #473: Mongoose

The Mongoose are a Family of Carnivores that includes the meerkat and the four kusimanse species. They are found naturally in Asia, Africa and southern Europe and have been introduced to Puerto Rico, and parts of Hawaii and the Caribbean. Here they have become an invasive pest due to their diet of anything terrestrial: invertebrates, crustaceans, small mammals, birds. Despite their similar appearance, they are not closely related to the mustelid family (mink, ferret, polecat etc) but are actually more closely related to the felines. Mongoose are immune to neurotoxin snake venom; the Indian Gray Mongoose is famed for his ability to kill cobra, although this is not a regular behaviour.

This is a Yellow Mongoose.

The Malagasy "mongoose" species are not actually mongooses at all, but are their own Family. They will be dealt with indivually (or at least the ringtailed mongoose will be).

Creature Feature #472: Monarch

Today's entry is dedicated to the memory of Carol "Monarch" Schmidt, a fine artist who helped welcome me to the world of Artist Trading Cards and whom dedicated her time and passions to these astonishing insects.

The Monarch Butterfly is a milkweed butterfly with a cosmopolitan distribution. She is found in America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and parts of Asia. She has even been transported into space and bred in the international space station. In America, she is most noted for her long migration. During the summer months, her range extends up into southern Canada, but as the days grow shorter, individuals gather together and begin a journey south to overwinter in California and Mexico. Colonies can travel over 4,000 kms. In New Zealand the Monarch also migrates, albeit a much shorter journey. The life cycle of the Monarch is one that  most people are familiar with: they are reliant on milkweed plants, specifically the "swan plant" to reproduce. The female lays her eggs, and the tiny yellow and black striped caterpillars hatch. These caterpillars strip the swan plant, becoming somewhat toxic from their diet. This does not deter all predators however, and some will fall prey to other invertebrates such as praying mantises or paper wasps.

Creature Feature #471: Monarch Flycatcher

The Monarch Flycatchers are small Passerine birds with long tails. Numerous species exist, spread across various Genera and inhabiting Africa, Asia and Australia. True to their name, they are insectivores, snatching insects on the wing or gleaning them from branches. This fellow is known as a Black-naped Monarch.He is found in the Phillippines and Southeast Asia.

Creature Feature #470: Mole

Moles belong to the Insectivore Family and dine on worms and insects and spend the majority of their life underground.He is superbly adapted to his subterranean life, equipped with powerful front limbs for digging. To survive in these suffocating burrows, his blood cells carry a unique protein, allowing him to re-use oxygen inhaled above ground. His  burrow acts as a "worm trap", when he senses a worm has fallen in he scurries along and captures it. A special toxin in his saliva paralyzes the earthworm, allowing him to store it away in a  larder for future consumption.