Creature Feature

The African crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) is the largest porcupine in the world. It lives in hilly, rocky habitats in sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and Italy. Covering its body are coarse quills 1 to 13 inches long of varying thicknesses. This porcupine rattles its quills to let predators know they are too close. If the threat remains, they will stamp their feet and attack the intruder with their short and thicker quills by running backwards. These attacks have been known to fatally injure lions, leopards, and even humans! African crested porcupines eat tubers, bark, bulbs, fallen fruit, and cultivated root crops. They are nocturnal and forage alone at night, traveling up to 9 miles for food! They return to the den and rest during the day. Though they forage alone, they live in small family groups made up of an adult pair and their young, both infants and juveniles. They even create elaborate burrows to house their family group!

Poppy the Porcupine of Lake Tobias Wildlife Park

Named for their two-tone appearance, Varecia variegata are black and white; their hands, feet, tails, faces, and heads are typically black, with a distinctive white ruff around their necks. They also have bright yellow eyes! Living mainly in trees, they are active during the day. They are found only in Madagascar, and sadly, are listed as critically endangered. When alarmed, black-and-white ruffed lemurs produce a deep barking noise, and when defending their territory will sound an alarm of howls and wails! Lemurs primarily eat fruit, but their diet also includes seeds, leaves, and nectar. In fact, black-and-white ruffed lemurs are also known as the world’s largest pollinators! Lemurs benefit by eating the nectar in flowers, and the trees benefit from pollination as a result of pollen sticking to the lemurs’ faces and being transported to the next tree!

source: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/black-and-white-ruffed-lemur

Two-toed sloths are found in Central and South America. They are named for the two toes on their front feet (even though they have three toes on their back feet). Sloths spend most of their lives hanging upside down in the treetops and seldom move. Because the rainforest is so hot and humid, sloths will begin growing small plants and moss in their hair, giving them a green appearance. This also helps to camouflage them within their surroundings. Because sloths are made for hanging, they cannot walk. If they are found on the ground, they will drag themselves around on their stomachs. However, sloths are said to be extremely good swimmers! Sloths generally only come down from a tree to defecate and will even give birth while hanging upside down. Sloths eat fruit, leaves, and flowers and have the slowest digestive system—it takes them up to 1 month to digest a meal!

source: https://www.laketobias.com/animals/two-toed-tree-sloth/

The red kangaroo (Osphranter rufus) or red giant kangaroo is the largest of all kangaroos! Native to Australia, this species is mostly crepuscular (active during twilight hours) and nocturnal. The red kangaroo ranges throughout western and central Australia, and typically inhabits open habitats with some trees for shade. Red kangaroos primarily eat green vegetation and get enough water from their food to survive in an arid environment. Using their powerful hind legs, these kangaroos can hop around quite rapidly—at times exceeding speeds of 35 miles per hour! (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_kangaroo)