Tactile sense

Tactile sense includes the obvious sense of contact with another object, but also incorporates a bird's ability to sense air flow over its wings and a fish's sensitivity to water movements. Some creatures, such as the yapok and the star-nosed mole, have a highly sensitive sense of touch through specialised organs that they use in situations where eyes are of no use.

 

Eurasian lynx

The Eurasian lynx is the third largest predator in Europe after the brown bear and grey wolf. It is the largest of the four lynx species and a strict carnivore, consuming one or two kilograms of meat every day. This extremely efficient hunter uses fine-tuned stealth and pounce techniques to bring down animals four times its size, delivering a fatal bite to the neck or snout of an unsuspecting deer. During winter, its variably patterned coat is long and dense and large fur-covered paws help it move through deep snow. The Eurasian lynx is one of the widest ranging cats and is found in the forests of western Europe, Russia and central Asia.

 

Scientific name: Lynx lynx
Rank: Species

Common names:

• Common lynx,
• European lynx,
• Northern lynx,
• Russian lynx

Maternal care

Maternal care is where the mother of the offspring provides most or all of the effort needed to protect, feed or raise the young. In egg-laying species, maternal care includes looking after the eggs before the young hatch - for instance a mother crocodile guarding her clutch. In mammals, only the mother can provide the milk that youngsters are dependent on for the first part of their lives, so in many species all the primary care is done by the female, though males may play a part in defending or providing for the female.

Snow leopard

Snow leopards are exceptional athletes capable of making huge leaps over ravines. They are highly adapted to their harsh environment in the mountainous areas of central Asia, with long, thick body hair, a woolly belly and enlarged nasal cavities which heat inhaled cold air. Snow leopards are critically endangered since their fur was once highly prized and their natural prey has declined. They can bring down prey three times their own size, but on average only kill one large animal twice a month. 

 

Scientific name: Uncia uncia
Rank: Species

South American coati

South American coatis are omnivorous members of the raccoon family and have long mobile snouts, reddish fur and ringed tails. Male coatis were once thought to be a separate species from the females because of their solitary habits, and were called 'coatimundis'. The females live in highly social groups.

 

Scientific name: Nasua nasua
Rank: Species

Common names:

Ring-tailed coati

Fossa

Fossas are the largest carnivores in Madagascar. Secretive and cat-like, these predators are well equipped for chasing down lemurs in the forest. They are famed for having some strange development, courtship and breeding traits. As they grow, female fossas go through a period of 'masculinisation' during which their genitals resemble those of a male. Breeding takes place in the autumn when a female attracts a large number of males. A week later, she leaves and another female takes her place to mate with the assembled males.

 

Scientific name: Cryptoprocta ferox
Rank: Species

Asian golden cat

Asian golden cats are enigmatic and elusive forest predators whose population is difficult to estimate as a result. Very little is known about the behaviour of this medium-sized, wild cat. What is known, is that Asian golden cats are under severe pressure from habitat loss and poaching. Their diet consists of small animals and birds, and individuals team up to bring down larger prey. Asian golden cats have some interesting local names, for example, 'seua fai' which translates from Thai as 'fire tiger'.

 

Scientific name: Catopuma temminckii
Rank: Species

Common names:

• Asiatic golden cat,
• Temminck's golden cat