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The
Indian Porcupine
Scientific name :
Hystrix indica
Common names : Hindi
: sayal ; Tamil : moollam punni ; Telugu : yedu pandi
;
Size : 70-90 cm
(head and body) ; 8-10 cm (tail) ; with spines 18-20
cm ; 11-18 kg weight
Characters : Porcupines are easily recognized
by their hair modified more or less completely into
spines . Its neck and shoulders are crowned with a
crest of bristles 15-30 cm long . The quills on the
back are very profuse . Each quill is ornamented with
deep brown or black and white rings .
Habitat : Entire
India and Srilanka . |
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Habits
:
The Indian porcupine favors rocky hill sides . It
adapts itself to any type of country , moist or arid
, and inhabits open land and forests . It shelters
by day in caves , amongst rocks , or in a borrow .
Porcupines gnaw the bones and dropped antlers of deer
which contain calcium which helps the growth of the
quills .They have a keen sense of smell and display
high intelligence in evading traps . The main food
consists of vegetables , grains , fruits and roots
.
When irritated or alarmed , porcupines erect their
spines , grunt and puff , and rattle their hollow
tail quills . Their method of attack is peculiar .
The animal launches to itself backwards with incredible
speed and clashing its hind quarter against an enemy
, drives its erect quills deep into it with painful
or even fatal results . There are records of a leopard
and tiger being killed when they leaped over a porcupine
. The popular belief that porcupines "shoot " their
quills can be disregarded . Porcupines are found with
young in the month of march . Both parents usually
occupy the borrow with their offspring , which may
number 2 to 4 . They are born with their eyes open
and body covered with short and soft spines . |
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Mruga
vanam
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Mrugavanam
- Chowsinga enclosure |
The
Chowsinga enclosure in the zoo has been named
Mruga vanam . 'Mruga' is the sanskrit term
for animals which resemble the deer . The
chowsinga is a beautiful animal with big black
eyes. This fact probably lead to the usage
of the term 'Mruganayanee' - to describe a
woman who has beautiful eyes.
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The
Fourhorned Antelope
Scientific name :
Tetracerus quadricornis
Common name :
Hindi : chowsingha ; Tamil : Narl komboo ; Telugu
: konda gorre ;
Size : 65 cm
height ; posterior horns 8-10 cm ; anterior 1-2.5
cm .
Characters
:
The
more obvious points of distinction is the structure
of the horns which are not ringed as the true antelopes
. They are keeled in front . The females are hornless
. These animals are grouped in separate subfamily
the Boselaphinae .
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Habitat : Peninsular
India , south of Himalayas
Habits
:
chowsinga lives in undulating or hill country and
shelters in tall grass and open jungle , a terrain
more unusual to deer than to antelope . The breeding
season is in hot weather and rains and young are born
from October to February . The period of gestation
is eight to eight and half months . |
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