Creature Feature #285: Grison

The Grison are two species of mustelid living in Central and South America - the Lesser and the Greater. This fellow is the Greater, and he is characterised by his larger size and silver-grey fur. He leads a terrestrial lifestyle, although is capable of climbing trees. During the day, he preys on small vertebrates, zig-zagging throughout his large territory and pausing occasionally to scent the air. He may share his territory with his mate, who will birth up to four cubs in October; tiny and blind, they grow fast, reaching adult size in just four months.

Creature Feature #284: Grebe

The Crested Grebe, and grebes in general, have always rated highly on my "animals I love" list. It's the angular nature, the impressive crest and general appearance, so it is with some delight that I present today's Animal of the Day.

Grebes are the sole members of the Podicipedidae Family, which translates loosely as "rump foot". They are named such due to their legs, which are positioned so far back that these handsome water birds are unable to walk easily on land, although they can run for short stretches (before falling forward). Thus they spend most of their life afloat. Their feet, with lobed toes, are used as propellers, pushing them forward and also downwards in deep dives as they hunt fish and other freshwater life. These handsome fellows are Crested Grebes, and they are spread across the world, with populations scattered across Eurasia, Africa and Australasia.

Creature Feature #283: Great Crested Newt

The Great Crested Newt is a relatively large amphibian, with the female being longer than the male. Predatory in nature, his main diet consists of worms, insects, slugs and snails, although they will also dine on other amphibians and cannibalism is not infrequent. He uses his strong sense of smell to hunt, but also has pressure sensitive cells on his head, that can pinpoint the movement of prey within the water. During breeding season, the male grows the dramatic crest, which he uses to attract the females, first returning to the pool in which he hatched. After mating, she will lay up to 300 eggs, placing each on the underside of an underwater leaf.

Creature Feature #282: Greater Glider

The Greater Glider is a fairly large ringtail possum, named for the gliding membrane stretching between her fore-elbow and hind-ankle. She generally makes her home in eucalyptus forests, and dines almost exclusively upon their leaves. This foliage is low in nutrients and high in lignified fibre, requiring a specialised caecum in her gut to aid with digestion. She is solitary and spends her days asleep in tree canopies, coming out after dark to forage high in the canopy. To traverse distances between trees, she uses her gliding membrane, using her long, bushy tail to steer.

Creature Feature #281: Grasshopper

There are thousands of species of Grasshopper, spread throughout the world. Their preferred diet consists of grasses, leaves and cereal crops, which he chews with his mandibles to start the digestion process. Many Grasshoppers are coloured for camouflage.  Like most arthropods, Grasshoppers begin as a nymph and grow through several instars before attaining their adult form.  This fellow is the Lubber Grasshopper, from the southeastern states of America. He can grow up to 8cm long. His wings are atrophied, rendering him incapable of flight and he is only able to jump short distances, instead preferring to walk. To avoid getting eaten, he is toxic and will emit a nasty secretion to repel anything that tries to chomp him.

Creature Feature #280: Gouldian Finch

The colourful, tropical Gouldian Finch makes his home in the savannah woodlands of Australia's Northern Territory.  He leads a nomadic lifestyle, living within a relative small area and moving only when water or food becomes scarce. Whilst he is not particularly sociable with his own kin, he will joined mixed flocks with long-tailed and masked finches. In the early part of the dry season, whilst there is still plenty of food to be found, the male begins to court the female. He bobs about her, ruffling his feathers to show his dramatic colouration to their full extent, expanding his chest and raising his head feathers. She will lay 4-8 eggs, and he remains with her, helping her to raise their brood.

Creature Feature #279: Goshawk

Thought I was going to miss today, didn't you? Well, you were right, for it is after midnight here in New Zealand, but I do have a very good excuse - I went straight from work to one of my friends' birthday celebrations and thus did not have time to upload G is for Goshawk until just now. So, without further ado:

Goshawk is the name given to twenty-six different species of raptor, all of which are species of small to medium sized hawks. They are characterised by their overall grey plumate and speckled bellies, although different species hold different characteristics. This if a Chanting Goshawk. Amongst raptor species, the female is larger than the male, and in this particular species, her main prey consists of small, relatively slow-moving land mammals. She has sturdy legs, and will pursue her prey on foot if required.