Ignorance Is Bliss But Is Also Fear.

Lesser Mouse Deer

Not much is known about this species. It seems to be an apparent lack of interest to study this family which to me is hard to explain if we count that are the smallest hoofed animals in the world and hasn’t changed much in millions of years. This shows a form of adaptability that is remarkable and that I believe deserves to be studied.

Because very little is known about this animal in general, is hard to assess a truthful census. It’s known to be widely spread in Southeast Asia and is often part of the menu of villagers or even taken as a pet. (Please don’t have one. Let’s leave wild things wild)

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Now we are moving to a small but vey charismatic family: The hippos. I think this is an animals that is loved by the majority. Looking at its massive size combined with its features is understandable why. 

However don’t get mistaken. This animal is a fierce and the one to blame for the most fatalities in Africa. it is a very territorial animal that won’t hesitate to charge if threatened or feeling its territory invaded. The biggest problem with humans happens usually at nights, when the animal leaves the rivers to graze moving various kilometers away from river basins, encountering unaware humans. Running it’s the only option but not a sure escape since despite its weight, hippos can reach up to 50km/h. 

Hippos depends on rivers because it’s skin, which is actually pink, cannot resist the sunlight and will dry fast. And despite living its majority of time in water, they are unable to swim. 

5 subspecies have been named but just three are recognized nowadays and they are still subjected to changes. 

Male hippos fights are barbaric and they mostly happen to get the best spot in the river which will attract the most females. Once a male is dethrone, the new king won’t hesitate on killing the offspring of the old king in order to began leaving its own genes. 

Hippos in Colombia? Unfortunately, yes. Not because I don’t like them (I’m Colombian) but because they have become a threat to other endemic species of the country. Hippos were brought to Colombia illegally by narco’s most famous Pablo Escobar and were put in its private zoo. When he was killed, the zoo closed but the hippos and some other animals were left in the area. While some animals died, the hippos however, flourished. Today, they occupied a vast area of the country and they begin to clash with other animals such as the inoffensive manatees. 

While they yet don’t represent a threat to humans (some attacks have been registered) because they are not as territorial as in Africa. (It is believe because they have a larger area to develop) if the quantity keeps growing, they will become as dangerous as in Africa. For now, people greeted in towns because of its natural charm and can become touristic attraction. There are some possible solutions to this issue. One will be to sterilize all males, which is kind of unthinkable because of how expensive this could be. Other will be to send them to various zoos around the world, which is still not enough and  the last one will be to kill them all. I have an opinion about it but I would love to hear yours.

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New design, Better Illustrations! I was thinking for a while in a way to improve the layout of this blog and I feel that this way is much better. I think the layout should highlight the drawings so I decided to remove many other elements that somehow stole its attention. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks again for your support, likes, reblog and follows, means a lot. If you like this content it will help me a lot if you follow my Tumblr or if you share it. Also, every comment is very welcome. I am not an expert in the topic so if you have something to add, or something you thinks is incorrect, I will be more than happy to discuss it with you. Thank you! 

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Przewalski's Horse:

The Przewalski Horse is the only truly wild horse that remains. Extinct at some point for more than 30 years, it was the zoos who actually brought them back. By 1940′s its number began to decline rapidly and by 1969 after a fruitless search, only one individual was spotted in the wild. Only a handful of this animals were surviving in some of the zoos of Europe.

A breeding program began in the Netherlands by 1977. By 1979 the program was able to maximize the genetic diversity from the almost 400 individuals spread in 16th different facilities. By early 1900s, the number of horses increased by over 1500. The horse is now reintroduced to its natural habitat and today it’s numbers remain stable. 

Zoos are controversial but I personally think they are crucial at the conservation of the species (I’m talking about zoos that are actually working on precede the life of many species, not the ones that are created just for our own selfish enjoyment). There is of course room for improvement but a zoo is not what it used to be 40 years ago. There is a better understanding of the behavior of the animals today and this allow us to make better enclosures that are a more friendly space for the animals inside. 

On the other hand, we are making the world an uncertain place. Many of the habitats are being vanished from earth and many species have seen their numbers drastically reduced because of this. Maybe the zoos are the new futuristic Noah’s Arc. A place for recovery, where endanger animals can survive in this uncertain times. Then, we can have more time to learn how to live on earth without destroying it and put them back where they belong once everything is safe again.

If is not for zoos, the Przewalski Horse would have vanished from earth many years ago.

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The elusive and critically endangered Arabian Leopard. Infographic here

Phacochoerus – Warthog

I love this ugly! Since I was a child I feel impressed by his horrendous face. Still somehow to me is beautiful. 

There are six subspecies of Warthog until now but it could be more or less depending on further studies of some of this subspecies.

Common Warthog, Nolan Warthog: Mothers they are very aggressive, they can charge at bigger predators for defending their piglets. it is very a important element of the food chain since has many predators such as humans, crocodiles, hyenas, lions, leopards and even some birds of prey.

Southern Warthog: It can be found in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Central African Warthog: It can be found in Kenya and Tanzania

Desert Warthog, Somali warthog: Morphological differences between Desert Warthogs and Common Warthog have been overlooked until recently, that now they can be distinguished in the wild. Desert Warthog has drooping genal warts, tips of ears that bend backwards, swollen suborbital pouches round the eyes, and a shorter basi-occipital region that makes the head look “egg-shaped”.

Cape warthog: It used to be seen in the South African region but became extinct in 1865. I couldn’t find the reasons or a better image to take as a reference.

Eritrean warthog: Can be found in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia.

The next species is the last one from this huge family and and one of the most estrange from the suidae family: The Babirusa. 

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Suidae Family

This is a big family!! The big Suidae family proves how well pigs are adapted to live in this world. With almost 20 extant species alive and about 50 subspecies, being the hog the most spread pig from all the family. Still, its closest relatives, the peccaries don’t belong to the Suidae family. 

I found them amazing. They are not the most glamorous but they have their own charm.

Palawan Bearded Pig

Until recently, it was considered a subspecies of the Bornean bearded pig (Sus barbatus), but at least under the phylogenetic species concept, it must be classified as a separate species. For its treatment under other (and more widely used) species concepts, more study is required, but the presently available information seems to argue for full species status in any case.

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Plain Zebras Plain zebras are composed by seven subspecies. It is a very iconic animal, recognizable by all and many times take it as granted, therefore we think, no action had to be taken. While some of the subspecies are not facing any significant risk of extinction, some others are, or sadly disappear already. Let’s see some of this equines in detail. Burchell’s Zebra Believed extinct at some point in history, it was later proved that the subspecies status is actually stable. It is now a very common subspecies that is legally farmed for human consumption. Very common to see in zoos and even a small population of 70 to 100 specimens survive in a ranch in California.

Quagga It is the only subspecies of zebra that is extinct. By the end of the 1800′s the animal was very popular in the zoo’s of Europe and by 1883 the last specimen died in a Zoo in Amsterdam. Zoos requested more animals, discovering that they were impossible to find, finally declaring the animal extinct by 1900. It was regarded as a common animal and so close to humans that domestication was believed possible. When extinction came, humans didn’t realize and it was far to late to do something. Spotted Zebras? Black Zebras? White Zebras? Indeed. Zebra’s patterns are unique in each individuals and sometimes some of them present really amazing and rare patterns. Probably one of the most famous nowadays are the baby zebra that was spotted recently with a very particular kind of stripes. Although incredible, this kind of pattern do not represent any other new subspecies. Have a look on the link below and be amazed again by nature. Strange Zebra Patterns If you like this content it will help me a lot if you follow my Tumblr or if you share it. Also, every comment is very welcome. I am not an expert in the topic so if you have something to add, or something you thinks is incorrect, I will be more than happy to discuss it with you. Thank you! Posters in my store: Here 
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Now is the turn of the Equidae Family. Not a huge fan of this family but I most say that it was very interesting to study them. Some of the members of this family are sadly extinct, while many others are on the brink of extinction. This animal has a beauty that is hard to express with words. I guess that is why appear in so many paintings through history.

Feral Horse: The feral horse is a free animal that was once domesticated. Somehow, escaped and become feral. The most famous ones might be the mustangs in North America. However the biggest population is found in Australia with more that 400.000 individuals. In Australia they are called Brumby. They can be found mostly everywhere and it’s name change depending on where is found and what type of breed used to be. Life always will find its way to survive.

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Eden's Whale Little is know about this whale since is thought to be a smaller form of Bryde's Whale and no studies have been done to corroborate this assumption or treat it as a different species. Still, its size can reach up to 11 meters and weigh up to 20 tons. Usually seen in pair or single individuals, still can form groups of 20 animals around feeding areas. The Bryde's whale and Eden's whale share morphological similarities making them had to identify. _________ Show me your love liking and sharing my content. Thank you!. Instagram Store

Przewalski's Horse Equus ferus przewalskii Family: Equidae Genus: Equus Subspecies: 03 Feed: Herbivorous Habitat: Temperate Steppe Status and Conservation: Critically Endangered This is the only remaining species of wild horse. The other two wild horse species have already become extinct. One of them is the Tarpan (which was mentioned in a previous post), and the other is the European Wild Horse, which went extinct during the Pleistocene era. The other horses that roam in the wild are considered feral, which means they were once domesticated horses that have reverted to a wild state.

The Przewalski Horse was also extinct in the wild at one point. However, thanks to various breeding programs and the efforts of different zoos, it has been successfully reintroduced to its natural habitat in Mongolia and China. It is still classified as Critically Endangered." ________________________________ Credits: Handbook of The Mammals of the World. Hoofed Animals. ________________________________

Thank you for being here. Likes, reblogs, and follows are very much appreciated. See you next week with more mammals. A new family to show! Huuuuuuuuu