Sichuan Takin (Budorcas taxicolor tibetiana)
Related to the Musk Ox and Mountain Goats, Takins range in weight from 500 to more than 1000 pounds. They migrate from rugged, mountainous areas in the summer to forested valleys in the winter. Takins often travel long distances to naturally occurring ‘salt licks’ to obtain minerals needed in their diet. Takins use a variety of different sounds to "talk" amongst themselves. If danger approaches, a takin will emit a loud warning cough, alerting other takins in the herd. During the rutting season, males are often heard producing a low bellow as a warning or challenge to other competing males. Takins produce an oily substance which is believed to make the thick fur resistant to the moisture of rain and fog. This fur may have been the magical; “Golden Fleece” searched for in the Greek mythological tale of Jason and the Argonauts.
Habitat - Mountainous regions of the Himalayan Mountain and western China at altitudes above 4000 ft.
Diet - Takins feed on grasses, leaves, buds and shoots in the summer and in the winter, feed on evergreen leaves. They often use their weight to push over small trees to get to the leaves. Their diet at the Zoo contains herbivore pellets, hay, fruits and vegetables.
Conservation - In spite of their size, takins are hunted for meat in the wild. But the main cause of their declining numbers is the loss of their habitat due to farming, mining, and logging operations.
Wolverine (Gulo gulo)
The wolverine is the largest land dwelling member of the weasel family. Native Americans called the wolverine the “skunk-bear” because it can give off a distinct, unpleasant odor. With short legs, wide feet and a powerful build, wolverines are capable of travelinglongdistances over snow. Male wolverines can have a home range of more than 250 square miles which does not overlap the range of other males. The large range and mobility of the wolverine make it one of the least studied species of mammals.
Habitat - The wolverine can be found in boreal forests, mountains, open plains and the tundra. Their historic US range was from Maine to Washington down to the Rocky Mountains and Sierra/Cascades. Wolverines now occur in the US only in Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Washington with possibly a small population in the Great Lakes region.
Diet - Wolverines are known for scavenging dead animals like caribou and moose. They are capable of killing their own prey including ground squirrels, snowshoe hairs and even larger prey such as moose which have been weakened by disease or have become stuck in snow drifts. Wolverines become extremely aggressive when defending a kill from other animals and have been known to drive bear, cougars and packs of wolves away.
Conservation - The wolverine is considered a vulnerable species. Although it has legal protection over parts of its range, in other parts trapping is still legal. Adult wolverines have no natural predators other than man. Their numbers are decreasing due to habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, trapping and habitat disturbances such as snowmobiling.
Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata)
The Japanese macaque is an Old World species of monkey that can be found in the forests of central and northern Japan. They are very social animals and their groups, or “troops”, can consistof 20 - 100 individuals. Males are twice as large as females and can weigh more than 40 pounds. Japanese macaques are active during the day and although they live in forested areas, they spend most of their time on the ground. Although difficult to see, Japanese macaques have tails and are considered monkeys instead of apes.
Habitat - Coniferous and deciduous forests, mountain and coastal regions.
Diet - Seeds, berries, fruit, buds, leaves, invertebrates and fungi.
Conservation - Considered a Threatened Species in 1976. Their decline is contributed to habitat loss due to de-forestation as well as hunting and trapping by humans to eradicate crop-raiding by these animals. There is a Species Survival Plan (SSP) for this species through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Indian Crested Porcupines (Hystrix indica)
This species is known as the “Old World Porcupine”. It is classified as a very large rodent, weighing about 30-40 pounds and usually over 3 ft long. These porcupines find shelter in caves, burrows and rock crevices. And can also swim well. When this animal is foraging at night, it can cover up to 9 miles in search of food. The longest quills grow on the shoulders, and can get up to 20 inches long. When annoyed, the porcupine will stamp its feet, raise its quills, and rattle the hollow quills on its tail. If still bothered, it will charge backwards and stab its attacker with its quills.
Habitat - They are found in Asia and throughout Middle East. The porcupine lives in mountians, tropical and subtropical grasslands, scrublands and forests.
Diet - Porcupines lives off of plants, fruits, grains and roots. They tend to get into farmers crops which label them as huge agricultural pests. These porcupines are known to chew on bones when in need of certain minerals or vitamins such as calcium.
Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia)
Snow Leopards have powerful lungs and large chest capacity to help them get enough oxygen from the thin mountain air, while their enlarged nasal cavity helps them warm the cold air they breathe before it gets to the delicate tissue inside the lungs. They can jump about 30 feet across mountain slopes and use their long tails to aid in balance as well as sometimes wrapping it around their bodies and face for warmth when resting.
Habitat – Cold, dry mountain slopes 3,000-5,400 meters above sea level. They prefer steep, broken terrain of cliffs, rocky outcrops and ravines.
Diet – Wild sheep and goats. They would kill a large animal twice monthly on average, and eat it over 3-4 days. Also eat small mammals, birds, and plants.
Conservation – Endangered due to hunting for their fur as well as habitat destruction. For more information on how to help Snow Leopards, please visit www.snowleopard.org.
Canadian Lynx (Lynx Canadensis)
Originally found throughout North America extending down to northern Virginia, they are now restricted to Canada and Alaska. In summer, its coat takes on a more reddish brown color. This lynx has a furry ruff which resembles a double-pointed beard, a short tail with a black tip and long furry tufts on its ears. Its long legs with broad furred feet aid the Canadian Lynx in traveling through deep snow.
Habitat - This cat is found in northern forests across almost all of Canada and Alaska. In addition there are large populations of this lynx in Montana, Vermont, Idaho and Washington and a resident population exists in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming that extends into the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The Canadian Lynx is rare in Utah, Minnesota, and New England; reintroduction efforts in Colorado have been ongoing since 1999, with the first wild-born kittens confirmed in 2003, with many successful kindles thereafter.
Diet - The Canadian lynx hunts for hares, rodents, birds and will sometimes hunt larger prey such as deer. It relies mainly on hearing and sight to locate prey.
Conservation - The Canadian Lynx is trapped for its fur and has declined in many areas due to habitat loss. In March of 2000, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service issued its Final Rule, which designated the Canadian Lynx as a Threatened Species in the lower 48 states.
Red Wolf (Canis rufus)
The Red Wolf is a shy and secretive smaller cousin of the Grey Wolf and is one of the most critically endangered animal species on the planet. Considered a threat to livestock, the Red Wolf was hunted to the brink of extinction. Less than 20 Red Wolves were known to exist in the wild by the 1980s. Red Wolves travel in small packs or pairs depending on the availability of prey. Pairs sometimes bond for life and females give birth to between 2 and 8 pups in the spring or early summer. Red Wolves communicate not only by howling but also by scent marking and the use of unique facial expressions and body postures.
Habitat - The Red Wolf is adaptable and can live in forests, swamp land, marshes and open agricultural areas. Although it once ranged from Pennsylvania to Florida and west to Missouri and Texas today the Red Wolf only occur in two small wild populations.
Diet - White Tail Deer, rodents and other small mammals make up the primary diet of the Red Wolf. The extermination of wolves is partially responsible for the current overpopulation of deer in many areas.
Conservation - The US Fish and Wildlife service and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums have teamed up to save this endangered species. Mill Mountain Zoo participates in the Red Wolf Species Survival Program which works to build healthy captive populations of Red Wolves some of which are reintroduced to the wild. Today more than 100 Red Wolves live and reproduce in the wild thanks to this cooperative recovery effort.
Dwarf Zebu (Bos primigenius)
Zebus are not wild animals. They are the domesticated cattle of Asia and Africa. It is thought that the Zebu is the oldest species of cattle to be domesticated. It is a tropical animal, able to tolerate hot climates, most tropical diseases, and ticks. Dwarf zebus have a large flap of skin under their neck (called a dewlap) and a hump on their withers. If food and water is scarce, they can live off the fat and muscle stored in their hump. Zebus serve as excellent draft animals. In India, they’re commonly used to pull plows and carts. In fact, there are estimates that the 200 million+ zebus provide more power in that country than all of the Indian electric plants combined.
Habitat – Farmyards and pastures.
Diet – Vegetation, grass and hay.
Cougar (Felis Concolor)
The cougar is the fourth largest cat species in the world and the second largest cat species in the New World. Cougars can average 5-9 feet in length and weigh anywhere from 90-200 pounds. Cougars once roamed throughout the United States, but today are more commonly found west of the Mississippi. Habitat loss and the decline of prey caused a reduction in cougar numbers in the 19th and 20th centuries. The eastern cougar subspecies is believed to have disappeared throughout much of the eastern United States, although there have been numerous unconfirmed sightings in Virginia over the past 30 years. Cougars are known by several different names, including mountain lion, panther, puma, whistler and catamount. The cougar is the largest “purring” cat in the world. And to help them camouflage, cougars are born with black spots.
Habitat – Found in a variety of habitats from coastal swamps, deserts, sub-alpine mountains, and tropical rainforests. Requires extensive, undisturbed forested areas that also support white-tailed deer.
Diet – White-tailed deer, elk, domestic livestock, opossums, rabbits and mice.