OTHER MAMMALS

AT

THE ZOO

• Sri Lankan Leopard
• Giraffe
• Ocelot
• Cheetah
• Geoffroy's Cat
• Maned Wolf
• Red Panda
• Black-Tailed Prairie Marmot
• Small-Clawed Otter
• Dwarf Mongoose
• South African Fur Seal
• Slender Tailed Meerkat
• Chilean Pudu
• Taiwan Sika Deer
• Bactrian Camel
• Llama
• Red Squirrel
• Mongolian Sheep

Mammals

SNOW LEOPARD

Also known as the ‘Ounce’, the snow leopard is classified as a ‘big-cat’ but it has some ‘small-cat’ characteristics; it does not roar and feeds in a crouched position. Inhabiting areas of coniferous forest, Alpine meadows and rocky areas of mountains in Central Asia and the Himalayas, the snow leopard generally hunts alone and covers vast areas of territory, up to 100 square kilometres in size. It’s diet includes wild boar, gazelles, hares and sometimes, domestic stock. When times are hard they will eat birds, mice and marmots.

Conservation:
The snow leopard is extremely rare in the wild; it is declining in numbers because of hunting by man for it’s fur, which is in great demand. It is also killed to protect livestock and as a hunting trophy.

DID YOU KNOW?

The under parts of a snow leopard's paws are covered with cushions of hair to protect its pads from the cold and to distribute weight more evenly in the snow. The snow leopard is an endangered species and faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

SIBERIAN TIGER

The Siberian tiger is the largest of all the ‘big cats’ and it’s grace, carriage and distinctive markings make it one of the most magnificent of all animals. The various races of tiger vary considerably in size but a large male averages 2.7 metres in length including a 0.9 metre tail and stands 0.9 metres or more at the shoulder.

Conservation:
Although the tiger has few natural enemies it does face a serious threat from man. Tigers are currently worth more value dead than alive and the demand for skins and body parts for use in oriental medicine is increasing. Today, as a result of poaching and a reduction of the tiger’s natural habitat, three of the eight sub-species are in danger of extinction. Anti-poaching patrols, habitat conservation, veterinary care, captive breeding programmes and education are all vital tools in the fight to secure the survival of this species.

DID YOU KNOW?

Tigers can eat up to 40kg of food at one sitting, the equivalent of 400 burgers!

Currently the IUCN (World Conservation Union) estimates that there are only 450 mature Siberian tigers left in the wild

SLENDER TAILED MEERKAT

A member of the mongoose family, the highly sociable meerkat inhabits the dry plains and scrubland of southern Africa. Large groups of up to 30 individuals live together. They are active during the day, some members of the group act as ‘guards’ to keep watch for danger whilst others enjoy sunbathing. Meerkats have excellent vision and can be very noisy, growling and barking when threatened. These animals feed on invertebrates, small mammals and eggs if available. They have been known to eat scorpions!

DID YOU KNOW?

Slender tailed meerkats are often kept as pets in South African homes, to keep away mice and rats.

GREVY'S ZEBRA

Also known as the Imperial zebra, the Grevy’s zebra lives on the plains of northern Kenya and the dry scrub-covered steppes of Somalia. All zebras are herbivores. Their diet consists mainly of grasses and sedges but also roots, bark, buds and fruit, which they find on the open plains. A single mare may have up to six foals in her lifetime, but only half of the foals born live to maturity; the rest die through weakness or predation.

The Grevy’s zebra is the largest of all wild equids and differs from other zebras both in appearance and behaviour. The stripes on these zebras are thinner and much closer than those of other species. Each zebra has it’s own unique pattern of stripes, just as humans have unique fingerprints.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Grevy's zebra is an endangered species. In 1977 it was made illegal to hunt these animals; however, poaching still continues. Our animals are held as part of the European Breeding Programme, which maintains a managed captive population of around 450 individuals.

RED KANGAROO

Red kangaroos live on open plains and are found throughout Australia. The newborn kangaroo (‘joey’), remains in the mother’s pouch for 8 months but continues to be suckled for nearly 6 months after it has left the pouch.

With the help of large hind legs and using its tail as a balancer, the red kangaroo can leap as far as 8 metres, but the leap does not usually exceed as height of 1.5 metres.

Although the adult male has a reddish coat, the adult female’s (‘flyer’) coat is a smoky blue.