Siberian Musk Deer

Moschus moschiferus

Last week the several members of the North Korean women's soccer team failed a doping test. The explanation given was that the steroids were accidentally taken along with traditional medicine made from Musk Deer glands. So in the light of Musk Deer making national news, lets learn a little bit about these strange ungulates!

There are actually around half a dozen species of Musk Deer, but today we'll focus on the Siberian variety, Moschus moschiferus. (Interestingly, it was once believed all Musk Deer were subspecies of the Siberian Musk Deer!) As the name might suggest, these guys live in Siberia, but also in parts of Mongolia, China, and North and South Korea. They can be found in mountainous forests and in the Taiga.

Musk Deer are considered to be more primitive than other deer. For example, males have no antlers. Instead, they have a pair of long canine teeth that grow into tusks. They also have musk glands, three different types to be exact. One is between the toes, one is at the rear, and one is on the stomach near the navel. This musk is used to mark territory, and to stimulate females into ovulating.

The Musk from Siberian Musk Deer is highly desired for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. A kilogram can sell for up to $45,000! Many extractors will kill the deer to remove the glands, but musk can be taken from live animals. Despite protections and export quotas being put into place, poaching continues to be the number one threat to the species.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable

Location : Siberia, east Asia

Size : Shoulder height up to 21in (54cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Moschidae -- Genus : Moschus -- Species : M. moschiferus

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Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemur

Microcebus berthae

Mouse Lemurs are the smallest of all the primates, and Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemur is the smallest of them all! These tiny residents of Madagascar have a body length of less than four inches; they could easily fit in your hand!

The Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemur is named for Madagascar conservationist Madame Berthe Rakotosamimanana. It is a very newly discovered species, and was only first named in 2000.

Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemurs live in one very tiny little part of the western side of the island. It is believed that there around only about 8,000 breeding capable individuals alive.

These Lemurs are nocturnal and have very large eyes that help them to see in the dark. They have reddish brown coloration on the back, with a paler underside. They are very solitary, unlike many of their larger Lemur cousins, and feed on a varied diet that contains (among other things) flowers, nectar, insects, and leaves.

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IUCN Status : Endangered

Location : Madagascar

Size : Body length 3.5in (9cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Primates
Family : Cheirogaleidae -- Genus : Microcebus -- Species : M. berthae

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Black Rosy Finch

Leucosticte atrata

Meet one of the least studied birds in all of North America! The Black Rosy Finch gets that designation because it lives in a pretty inaccessible habitat. These small birds can only be found living in the Rocky Mountains, high up above the treeline in alpine areas.

Black Rosy Finches have dark colored heads, backs, and wings, with pink undersides and feet. Juveniles are more grey in color. They roost communally, and feed off of seeds and insects.

For the most part, these birds are non migratory. However, when winter comes and snow starts to cover, they sometimes move to lower elevation areas. They build nests in cliffs and crevices, and the male is very interesting in that he defends and entire moving areas around his mate, and not just the static nest itself.

Black Rosy Finches have a large range, but their population may be declining. It is difficult to determine numbers based on their location and habitat.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : United States

Size : Wingspan 13in (33cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Fringillidae -- Genus : Leucosticte -- Species : L. atrata

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Shire Horse

Shire Mares

Once upon a time we talked about one of the smallest breeds of horse, now let's talk about the largest. The Shire Horse is a massively large breed, with males standing close to six feet tall at the shoulder! Shires can come in black, brown, or gray (and roan in females) and have characteristic feathering on their legs.

These giants have a pretty amazing history that goes back nearly 1,000 years. After the Norman conquest of Britain, huge horses were brought over and developed into "the English Great Horse." These mounts were used in warfare because their size and strength could support the heavy armor of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. During the reign of Henry VIII special care was taken to breed more large horses. Horses under 15 hands could not be bred, and exportation of the breed was strictly forbidden.

Shires pulling a brewery cart

Once heavy cavalry went out of style, the Great Horses found a new niche in agriculture and industry. They were used on farms, in factories, and for transportation. Their proliferation into society led to the modern breed, which was first was noted at the end of the 18th century, and the first studbook appeared in the 1880s.

Shires went back to their roots during WWI and WWII, and were used to pull heavy artillery. After WWII, however, the breed began to dwindle, and almost went extinct. Luckily, the breed had endured, but is still considered At Risk by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. They have found continued use within brewery settings.

One of the largest horses to have ever lived (and perhaps the largest) was a Shire named Sampson, who stood 21.5 hands high at the shoulder! (That's 7.2ft or 2.2m!)

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Status : At Risk by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust

Location : Originated in England

Size : Shoulder Height around 17 hands (1.75m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Perissodactyla
Family : Equidae -- Genus : Equus -- Species : E. ferus -- Subspecies : E. f. caballus

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Sand Dollar

Dendraster excentricus

There are many, many different species of Sand Dollar. In fact, these interesting invertebrates have an entire order to themselves! Sand Dollars typically measure only a few inches in diameter, and come in all different colors, depending on the species.

Sand Dollars can be found in oceans around the world. Though you will often find them on beaches, they actually live out in coastal waters. The specimens that you pick up are skeletons of dead sand Dollars that have washed ashore.

Though we think of Sand Dollars as smooth white disks, in life they can actually be quite prickly looking! They have a skin of tiny spines that helps them to burrow and move. They also have tube feet on both the top and bottom, and, like all Echinoderms, they display radial symmetry.

The Sand Dollar has its mouth on the underside of its body. They use their tube feet to sift through the side and direct their tiny meals into the mouth part.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : Oceans Worldwide

Size : Width around 4in (10cm)

Classification : Phylum : Echinodermata -- Class : Echinoidea -- Order : Clypeasteroida

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Screaming Hairy Armadillo

Chaetophractus vellerosus

The Screaming Hairy Armadillo gets its name from the long hairs that grow from between the plates, and from the screaming, squealing sound that it makes when threatened.

These interesting looking Armadillos can be found in dry, desert areas of central South America. They are nocturnal and spend the daytime living in deep burrows that keep them cool. Screaming Hairy Armadillos are solitary by nature. Unless it is a female with young offspring, they live in the burrows alone.

Screaming Hairy Armadillos are omnivores, but insects make up most of their diet. They also eat vegetation, and larger creatures like lizards and snakes!

Though they are hunted for their meat and armor, Screaming Hairy Armadillo populations are currently stable.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : South America

Size : Body Length up to 16in (40cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Cingulata
Family : Dasypodidae -- Genus : Chaetophractus -- Species : C. vellerosus

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Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

The Blue Jay is a relatively large songbird that is actually in the same family as crows and ravens. That family connection should make it no surprise that Blue Jays are pretty smart birds. For example, they have the ability to mimic other birds, are are particularly good at pretending to be hawks. They have also been observed using tool is captivity! Caged birds used strips of paper to gather food pellets that fell outside their enclosure.

Blue Jays have a range that covers most of eastern North America. Some of the Jays are migratory, moving north and south depending on the season. They live in forested areas, and build rather large, bulky nests. Pairs often mate for life, and both help to construct the nest. Females do all the incubating, while the male finds and brings her food. Young Jays are born helpless, but after three weeks they can fly, and will typically tag along with their parents for a few months.

In the past, Blue jays developed a pretty bad reputation. It was believed that they fed frequently on eggs and hatchlings of other birds. While this practice does happen, it is not at all common. Blue Jays have a largely vegetarian diet, supplemented with invertebrates. Their ability to store and retrieve acorns also makes them a valuable seed distributor.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : North America

Size : Body Length up to 12in (30cm), Wingspan up to 17in (43cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Corvidae -- Genus : Cyanocitta -- Species : C. cristata

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