Category: Animals
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Sitatunga, Tragelaphus spekii, is a spiral horned bovine, a semi-aquatic antelope, distinguished by its long, splayed hooves and naked padlike pattern, an adaptive feature for walking through muddy, vegetated swamplands. The hindquarters are higher than the forequarters, giving the animal a peculiar hunched appearance. Body length and weight averages 1.52 cm and 75.55 kg respectively…
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Slender-snouted Crocodile, Crocodylus cataphractus, is a medium sized crocodile distinguished by its very slender snout apparently adapted for its surreptitious movement and ideal for catching fish. Recent DNA and morphological studies suggest the Slender-snouted Crocodile may not belong to the Crocodylus genus, but a monotypic Mecistops genus. The African slender-snouted Crocodile is usually about 2.5…
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Southern Burrowing Asp, Atractaspis bibronii, is a venomous small, drab grey, smooth scaled serpent with small eyes and slightly pointed head. It has backward-curved fangs at the front of its mouth. Body is cylindrical and color can be from a brownish pink to black with a lighter belly. Adults average 30-50 cm in length. The…
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Spotted-necked Otter, Lutra maculicollis, can be recognized by the brown and white spotting on the throat and underside. They are smaller than sea otters and have slim bodies and long, tapering tails. Toes are strongly webbed. The chocolate to reddish brown fur in this otter is thick and this serves to keep them dry and…
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Spinner Dolphin, Stenella longirostris, is one of the seven dolphin species belonging to one family Delphinidae that have been observed to be widely distributed in the coastal waters of Nigeria. This species is equally available in all tropical and subtropical waters around the world between roughly 40°N and 40°S. Spinner dolphins are about 2 meters…
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Striped Ground Squirrel, Xerus erythropus, is a species of terrestrial squirrels, distributed throughout the semi-arid regions of Africa, a rodent in the Sciuridae family, distinct by its coarse pelage and having conspicuous white side-stripe on each flank. They are found primarily in dry open woodlands where their fur is frequently tinted in the color of…
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Stripped Hyena, Hyaena hyaena, is a species of Hyena found in the Northeastern end of Nigeria, so named because of the black stripes on the sides of the pale grey or beige coat. It is like other hyenas dog-like in appearance, with powerful forequarters and a back that slopes down towards the bushy tail. Striped…
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Topi, scientific name, Damaliscus lunatus, is medium sized antelope with rusty red color and black legs and chest. Topi have the short neck and elongated face typical of the Alcelaphinae. It is distinguished from its look-alike, the hartebeest by its darker coloration and absence of sharply angled horns. The muzzle is long and narrow with…
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Western Tree Hyrax, Dendrohyrax dorsalis, is a small stocky animal resembling a bigger Guinea-pig. The Nigerian subspecies, D. d. sylvestris is called Ofafa in Yoruba. Like elephants they have similar footpads and toenails, there are also skeletal similarities. Unlike more highly-evolved mammals, hyraxes are unable to completely regulate their body temperatures. They are found in southern…
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Tree Pangolin, Manis tricuspis, also known as White-bellied or Three-cusped pangolin is the most available of the three Nigerian species of these scale-possessing anteaters in the southwest region where its medicinal purpose appears to be more important than its food value. Its Yoruba name, Akika, is apparently in reference to its most efficient defence mechanism,…