April: Denver Zoo
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These dainty antelopes weigh a mere 1-12 pounds. They pair for life. The couple, and maybe a well-grown, tagalong offspring, browse together along a network of pathways they create through the bush. Dik-diks don't need to drink because they get water from food and dew. A dik-dik's long nose helps the animal stay cool. The big glands in front of its eyes are used for scent marking and greeting. Habitat: Arid brush country with thickets for cover, across parts of East Africa, Namibia and Angola Diet: Leaves and shoots, grasses, and fruit Scientific Name: Madoqua kirkii
Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata These long-necked giants can grow up to 20 feet tall in just seven years. Found in dry scrublands and woodlands, giraffes live in small herds where group membership often changes. Adults can weigh up to two tons, so they need lots of food - munching leaves usually takes half the day.
Alouatta caraya Size: up to 22 inches (55cm) Habitat: trees along rivers of central South America Howlers live in the upper parts of forests, often perched in trees high above a river's edge. The trees offer leaves and fruit to eat and protection from predators. Adult males are black; females and young are yellow-brown. At dawn a troop of up to 19 monkeys howls to advertise its home range to advertise its home range to nearby troops. A large group can live in a small range if food is plentiful. Unfortunately, much of the howlers' habitat is now deforested farmland.
Red or Lesser Panda (Ailurus fulgens)
These animals are very shy, so the're hard to see - even here at the zoo. Red panda live high in the Himalayan mountains where they eat mostly bamboo. Their slow metabolism allows them to thrive on this low-quality food, although they also indulge in roots, grass, fruits, eggs and other foods when available.
Nothern White-Cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys)
What's up? Gibbons! Here in Chang Pa Preseve, you might see white-cheeked gibbons high up in the forest canopy. That's where the tasty fruits, leaves and tender flowers are found. Plus, it's a pretty safe place to be. Treetop branches are too thin to support the weight of hungry leopards, pythons and other large predators. Hanging out is a way of life for gibbons. Traveling, grooming, eating, playing, resting-even mating-are all done while hanving from one or both hands.
Nothern White-Cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys)
What's up? Gibbons! Here in Chang Pa Preseve, you might see white-cheeked gibbons high up in the forest canopy. That's where the tasty fruits, leaves and tender flowers are found. Plus, it's a pretty safe place to be. Treetop branches are too thin to support the weight of hungry leopards, pythons and other large predators. Hanging out is a way of life for gibbons. Traveling, grooming, eating, playing, resting-even mating-are all done while hanving from one or both hands.
Nothern White-Cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys)
What's up? Gibbons! Here in Chang Pa Preseve, you might see white-cheeked gibbons high up in the forest canopy. That's where the tasty fruits, leaves and tender flowers are found. Plus, it's a pretty safe place to be. Treetop branches are too thin to support the weight of hungry leopards, pythons and other large predators. Hanging out is a way of life for gibbons. Traveling, grooming, eating, playing, resting-even mating-are all done while hanving from one or both hands.
Hooded Capuchin (Cebus apella)
Diet: fruits, nuts, seeds, flowers, bark, insects, eggs, small animals Habitat: forests of norther and central South America These monkeys live in groups of up to 30, spreading out by day to search for food. Capuchins (say, ka-POOH-chins) feast on almost anything. When it comes to eating palm nuts, capuchins have a special technique that other monkeys don't. They smash the nut against a branch. Crack!
With thick white coats for warmth and camouflage. Dall sheep (Ovis dalli) make their home high in the mountains of Canada and Alaska. Most of the year, males and femails live in seperate groups. But fall is mating time when rams (males) see out ewes (femails) for breeding. No matter the season, Dall sheep stay on the lookout for predators. When threatened, they escape by bounding up rocky cliffs where few can follow.
This long-legged hunter can sprint up to 70 mph - faster than any other land animal - and it can reach that speed in seconds! How? A cheetah has oversized lungs, a powerful heart and streamlined body. It's the "sports car" of cats. Cheetahs hunt during the day to avoid other large predators that might steal their kill. A high perch helps cheetahs spot prey - or enemies. A cheetah uses its muscular tail for balance so it won't spin out during high-speed chases.
Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)
These flightless ostrich cousins are among the world's largest birds, weighing up to 120 pounds. Their small wings can't lift such bulk, but emus have another means of escape - with strong legs they can run 35 miles per hour. Thanks to their tough and adaptable nature, emus are found throughout most of Australia. Unlike many birds, emu mailes take charge of incubating the eggs and raising the young. Dad takes his duties seriously, aggressively defending the family when necessary.
