Schomburgk's Deer

Rucervus schomburgki

The Schomburgk's Deer, named after British consul to Bangkok Richard H. Schomburgk, was first described in 1863. Less than 75 years later this graceful species was extinct.

It appears that the Schomburgk's Deer was endemic to Thailand, based on sightings and information, though they may have also lived in Laos and parts of China as well. They were large, graceful Deer with dark brown fur and lighter undersides. Males had antlers that could measure nearly a meter long each, females had no antlers. Their range was in open, swampy plains that were free from dense vegetation, and they lived in small groups that consisted of one male, a handful of females, and their offspring.

The habitat that they lived in played a major role in their extinction. In the late 19th and early 20th century, those same swampy plains were converted into commercial rice paddies. The deer moved into the few locations available to them, but would get even more condensed during the floods. They would flock to higher ground, but would then be easy targets for hunters. By 1932 the last wild Deer was killed, and the final captive specimen died 6 years later.

There is only one mounted Schomburgk's Deer in the entire world (at the Paris Natural History Museum), in addition to a handful of skulls, skins, and antlers. Some believe that the Schomburgk's Deer might still be out there, as a relatively fresh set of antlers was uncovered in 1991, but there have been no confirmed sightings, and the species remains listed as Extinct.

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IUCN Status : Extinct since 1938
Location : Thailand
Size : Shoulder height around 3.3ft (1m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Cervidae -- Genus : Rucervus -- Species : †R. schomburgki

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Ferret

Ferrets

Today's animal will probably be a familiar one, as they have become very popular pets in the last 30 or so years. But did you know that Ferret domestication goes back much, much further than a few decades? Through mitochondrial DNA testing, we know that Ferrets were domesticated from either the European Polecat or the Steppe Polecat (or a hybrid of the two) somewhere between 2,000 and 2,500 years ago!

The first domesticated Ferrets were used specifically for the hunting and capture of other small animals, and the name "Ferret" itself derives from the Latin word furonem-- "Thief". Wild Ferret relatives (like the aforementioned Polecats) are naturally good at moving their lean bodies through underground tunnels and burrows, flushing out prey like Rabbits and Moles. Domesticated Ferrets have the same skill set, and for hundreds of years were used to hunt small mammals and control rodent populations.

Ferret hunting does still exist in some areas, but it is much more controlled that it was previously (so as not to completely imbalance the rodent and rabbit populations). They are now kept as house pets, and are also common lab animals that have been used extensively in bio-medical research. Ferrets and humans share many metabolic and physiological features, which makes them ideal for studies dealing with (among others) heart disease, nutrition, and respiratory illness.

Did you know what Ferrets are one of the most popular pets in North America? However, they aren't for everyone! Ferrets are very active critters with big personalities and curious natures. They do best when allowed to roam outside of a cage, and also prefer to live in groups.

They are demanding pets that require attention and a large degree of maintenance to keep happy and healthy. For example, they have very quick metabolisms and have to eat roughly every four hours. They also require yearly medical checkups and vaccinations, and should be spayed or neutered. De-scenting is also a common medical procedure, as Ferrets naturally have anal musk glands that are used for mating and defensive purposes. If you can handle the Ferret lifestyle, they make for very interesting and engagement pets that can live as long as ten years.

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Status : Domesticated
Location : Originated in Europe
Size : Length up to 20in (51cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Mustelidae -- Genus : Mustela -- Species : M. putorius -- Subspecies : M. p. furo

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Shuvuuia

Shuvuuia deserti

Meet Shuvuuia, a small Cretaceous Dinosaur that was most likely covered in a coat of feathers! The type fossil of the species was found with many deteriorated structures surrounding it, structures that were similar to the central shafts of modern bird feathers. Further analysis showed that these structures once contained beta-keratin, but not alpha-keratin, which gives further evidence towards a feathery coat (as only bird feathers have beta-keratin, but not alpha).

Aside from the feathers, Shuvuuia had a few other bird-like traits. Their skulls, legs, and feet were all very similar to those on birds, but their arms are not, leaving them still within the realm of the Dinosaurs.

Shuvuuia even has a bird name, literally! Their genus is named for the Mongolia word for bird, shuvuu, as the fossils were found in Mongolia. Shuvuuia dates back between 85 and 75 million years, putting it in the Late Cretaceous period.

These Dinosaurs were very small, standing only a foot or so high and having a full body length of 2-3ft. They probably ate insects and small mammals, and were most likely very quick on their feet. All that we know about Shuvuuia comes from only a few fossils, so there is still very much to be learned and uncovered!

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Status : Extinct for around 75 million years
Location : Mongolia
Size : Length up to 2ft (60cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- clade : Dinosauria
Family : †Alvarezsauridae -- Genus : †Shuvuuia-- Species : †S. deserti

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Poitou Donkey

Poitou Donkey

We've talked about several Horse breeds in the past, but today just might be the very first Donkey breed. And what an interesting breed it is!

Like many equine breeds, the precise origin story of the Poitou Donkey is unknown. They date back at least a few centuries though, and we do know they were established in Poitou, France by 1717, as a memoir of a French royal official discussed the breed.

They are large Donkeys, just about Mule-sized, and traditionally could be easily identified by their long shaggy coats. Their hair is finer than that of other Donkeys, and if left to grow it will form long cords (like dreadlocks). Modern Poitou Donkeys are sometimes shorn for hygiene purposes, but such a thing was not allowed for showing in the past.

Poitou Donkey and Foal

Poitou Donkeys were developed for one purpose, and no, it wasn't their hair style! Because they are so large and sturdy, they were important in the creation of very large Mules. The male Donkeys were bred to Mulassier Horse females, and the resulting Mules were large, powerful, and highly prized.

The downfall of the Poitou Donkey came about when Europe began to industrialize. Their was less of a need for Mules, and so Donkey husbandry fell into a decline. By the 1970s there were only 40 of them left, but careful conservation has now increased that number to around 200 (which an equal number of hybrids). They are still a very rare breed, and are listed as Critical by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

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Status : Domesticated, listed as Critcal by the ALBC
Location : Originated in France
Size : Height up to 14.3 hands (1.5m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Perissodactyla
Family : Equidae -- Genus : Equus-- Species : E. africanus -- Subspecies : E. a. asinus

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Ground Cuscus

Phalanger gymnotis

After a week of cold-blooded, carnivorous Sharks, I think we're due for something warm, fluffy, and fruit eating. Meet the Ground Cuscus, a furry Marsupial native to New Guinea and its surrounding islands.

The Ground Cuscus has short grey hair with a white belly, along with a prehensile tail and opposable digits on their back feet to assist in climbing. They are nocturnal, solitary creatures, and feed during the night on fruits and leaves. The Cuscuses really only come together to breed, and like all Marsupials they have very, very short gestational periods. A mother Cuscus will be pregnant for only 13 days, though it will be another 100 days before their young actually leave the pouch.

Cuscuses are relatives to the Possums, and like the Possums, most of them are found living up in the trees almost exclusively. Not so with today's Cuscus! While they do feed in trees (and have the aforementioned adaptataions to help with climbing) they actually burrow in the ground (hence the name). They are the only Cuscus species to do this, but unfortunately those burrows make them easy to find by predators as well as human hunters.

Ground Cuscuses are taken by humans for use in traditional medicine, as food, and for the pet trade. Though they are listed as being of Least Concern (due to their large range and number of individuals), the population is on the decline overall and has actually been eliminated from some areas. Currently the species can be found in a handful of protected locations, but more measures will need to be taken if the downward trend continues.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : New Guinea
Size : Body Length up to 17in (44cm), Weight up to 6.5lbs (3kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Diprotodontia
Family : Phalangeridae -- Genus : Phalanger -- Species : P. gymnotis

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Crocodile Shark

Pseudocarcharias kamoharai

Our final Shark of the week is the Crocodile Shark, a small Mackerel Shark  that can be found in tropical  oceans all around the world. They are the smallest members of their Order, which also contains giants like the Great White and Megamouth Sharks.

Crocodile Sharks grow to lengths of up to 3ft, and can be identified by their slender bodies, large eyes, long gill slits and small dorsal fin. Their large eyes help them to hunt at night, and they also posses a very large liver (up to 1/5 their entire body weight) that helps them to maintain a very neutral buoyancy. The species undergoes daily migrations, moving from deep waters during the day to more shallow hunting grounds at night.

Crocodile Sharks are another one of those interesting Ovoviviparous species. And even more intriguing is that they have litters of 4 pups... two in each uterus. This is a trait not especially common in sharks-- most others have only one pup per uterus.

Because of their small size, Crocodile Sharks are not generally considered dangerous to humans. Man-made structures however? That's a while different story! Back in 1985 AT&T laid down the first deep sea fiber optic cable. The cable was shorting out, and expensive repairs were needed to fix it. Turns out that a bunch of Crocodile Sharks were attracted to the new installation and were biting it!

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : Tropical Oceans Worldwide
Size : Length up to 3.3ft (1m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Chondrichthyes -- Order : Lamniformes
Family : Pseudocarchariidae -- Genus : Pseudocarcharias-- Species : P. kamoharai

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Greenland Shark

Somniosus microcephalus

Today's Shark is one of my all time favorites-- they are just so unique! Greenland Sharks live farther north than any other Shark species in existence, swimming in the cold waters of Greenland, Iceland, and the North Atlantic. They can also grow to lengths over 20ft, allowing them to rival the Great White in size.

Greenland Sharks are such unusual creatures. While many other Sharks species are quick moving, these icy giants swim very very slowly (only around 1mph!). They also spend a great deal of time not moving at all-- another name for these guys is "Sleeper Shark" since they are so frequently inactive.

Don't let their slowness fool you! Greenland Sharks are still predators! They feed primarily on fish, but are also able to snatch up unsuspecting sea mammals as well. Horse, Polar Bear, and Reindeer remains have all been found in Greenland Shark stomachs, though how much of that was carrion is not quite known.

Greenland Sharks are solitary, but that doesn't mean that they are alone! They have a really bizarre relationship with a tiny crustacean known as Ommatokoita elongata. These copepods feed on the Sharks' eyes. The Sharks have impaired vision, since their corneal tissue is being gobbled up, but they don't use their eyesight all that much anyway. Besides, the partnership isn't completely one-sided. The parasites are bioluminescent, a trait that helps the Sharks to attract food!

The lifespan of the Greenland Shark is still a bit mysterious. Know one really knows how long they can live or when they reach maturity, but we do know that they grow very slow. A tagged Shark was re-captured 16 years after its original identification, and had only grown 8cm in that time-span (from 2.62m to 2.7m).

And before I leave you with a video of one of these guys, one final fact-- Greenland Shark skin is toxic! But that doesn't keep people from eating it. The skin is considered a delicacy in Greenland and Iceland, and must be repeatedly boiled in order to be safe for consumption.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : North Atlantic
Size : Length up to 21ft (6.4m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Chondrichthyes -- Order : Squaliformes
Family : Somniosidae -- Genus : Somniosus -- Species : S. microcephalus

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