A journey is about to begin
Pathera onca. The jaguar's name comes from the native Indian 'yaguara' meaning 'beast that kills its prey with one bound', since these remarkable cats typically attack their prey by pouncing on them from a concealed spot.
SIFAKA. Propithecus. With a 'shi-fak' call echoing throughout the forests of Madagascar, it's little wonder the local people named this group of lemurs the sifaka. Like all lemurs they are only found on the African island of Madagascar, where they evolved away from competition with monkeys.
After W.H. Hudson's 'Green Mansions'
SLOTH. Bradypus. The three-toed sloth's lethargic life revolves around sleeping and eating, and most energy is expended descending trees to go to the toilet. They look like bundles of leaves, partly owing to their silent stillness and partly because their fur contains a camouflaging algae.
Pathera onca. The jaguar's name comes from the native Indian 'yaguara' meaning 'beast that kills its prey with one bound', since these remarkable cats typically attack their prey by pouncing on them from a concealed spot.
SEA OTTER. Enhydra lutris. When resting or sleeping, sea otters float on their backs wrapped in kelp and often holding paws with another individual so they don't drift apart.
GUANACO. Lama Guanacoe. Darwin described the guanaco as 'an elegant animal, with long slender neck and fine legs' - a deserved compliment for this speedy, high Andes inhabitant. Its blood can carry more oxygen than other mammals, which helps the guanaco function well at altitudes of up to 4,000m.
WATER VOLE. Arvicola amphibius. Ratty, in Kenneth Grahame's 'The Wind in the Willows', was actually a water vole. The waterside burrows of these strong swimmers have many floor levels that hinder flooding, as well as nesting chambers and a food store for the long winter months.