9 of the Cutest Mammals in the World

Fennec Fox

Fennex Fox (Vulpes zerda) is a species of mammals in the family Canidae. They are native to Ethiopia and the Palearctic. They are solitary, nocturnal omnivores. Individuals are known to live for 175 months and can grow to 374.23 mm. Reproduction is viviparous and dioecious. They have parental care (female provides care, paternal care, and cooperative breeding). They rely on running to move around.

Behavior

Vulpes zerda perceives its environment primarily through highly developed senses of hearing and smell. The enormous ears are able to filter sound through many centimeters of sand, and can detect subtle differences between whines and whimpers in the calls of other fennecs. Night vision is enhanced by a reflective retina called a tapetum. This adaptation creates the illusion of glowing eyes and is characteristic of nocturnal animals.

Habitat

Fennecs are highly specialized to desert life and found almost exclusively in arid, sandy regions. The presence of desert grasses and/or light scrub vegetation is important, as fennecs use these plants to bolster, shelter, and line their dens. Fennecs are so well adapted to their Saharan climate that they need not drink. In times of need, however, nearby vegetation is a handy source of water and may be eaten.

Sea Otter

Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) is a species of mammals in the family Mustelidae. They are associated with freshwater habitat. They are native to Pacific Ocean and The Nearctic. They are solitary, diurnal omnivores. Individuals are known to live for 360 months and can grow to 1435.71 mm. Reproduction is viviparous and dioecious. They have parental care (female provides care). They rely on running to move around.

Behavior

Sea otters communicate through body contact and vocalizations, although they are not overly vocal. Researchers have recognized nine vocalizations. Pups use squeals to communicate with their mothers. Other calls include coos, whines, distress screams, growls, snarls, and whistles. Scent is important in recognition and surveying physiological states. Each sea otter has its own distinct scent that conveys identity, age, and sex.

Habitat

Sea otters inhabit temperate coastal waters with rocky or soft sediment ocean bottom. They live in offshore forests of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), and spend most of their active time foraging below the canopy. They eat, rest, and groom themselves at the water surface. While sea otters are capable of diving to depths of at least 45 meters, they prefer coastal waters up to 30 meters deep. The shallower the water, the less time is spent diving to reach food.

Rock Hyrax

Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis) is a species of mammals in the family hyraxes. They are native to Ethiopia. They are diurnal herbivores. Individuals are known to live for 168 months and can grow to 467.37 mm. Reproduction is viviparous and dioecious. They have parental care (female provides care). They rely on arboreal (locomotion) to move around.

Behavior

All of the senses of rock hyraxes are well-developed, although their near-vision is thought to be relatively poor. Hyraxes have a variety of vocal calls. Territorial calls are distinct and genus-specific. In rock hyraxes, territorial calls are loud and repetitious and increase in volume and duration towards the end of the sequence before ending in a series of guttural noises. Adults also emit twittering or whinnying calls and striking alarm calls, which are made when a potential predator is identified. When threatened, they may growl or grind their molars. Infants make only five of the twenty-one sounds used by adults; three of these are vocal, including mewing calls given when they are lost or begging, and two are non-vocal. Between 2 to 15 months of age, young develop all vocal sounds except five; four of which are exclusive to adult females and one is characteristic of adult males.

Habitat

Procavia capensis is commonly found in arid land habitat including deserts, savannas and scrub forests. It lives in rocky areas with moderate vegetative cover and many rock crevices and cavities, the latter of which are used as shelter. Although it does not burrow, it does inhabit abandoned burrows, including those of aardvarks and meerkats. Even when traveling between suitable habitats, rock hyraxes do not normally stray from areas with some form of cover or refuge.

Ring-Tailed Lemur

Ring-Tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) is a species of primates in the family true lemurs. They are native to Ethiopia. They are diurnal omnivores. Individuals are known to live for 360 months and can grow to 1035 mm. They have . Reproduction is viviparous and dioecious. They have parental care (female provides care).

Behavior

As in other diurnal primates, communication is complex. Visual communication signals, such as body postures and facial expressions are used, in addition to vocal communication. Ring-tailed lemurs are known to use scent-marking, and even to engage in "stink battles" with one another, where secretions from scent glands are rubbed onto the tail, then wafted at opposing animals. Tactile communication is important between mothers and their young, as well as between mates. This includes grooming, play, and mating.

Habitat

Lemurs spend most of their time in the trees, but this species also spends considerable time on the ground. Ring-tailed lemurs prefer gallery forests and Euphorbia bush habitat, but they also live in many other types of forests in Madagascar.

In the Berenty Reserve in southern Madagascar, ring-tailed lemurs inhabit 3 different types of forest. These include the Ankoba forest, which consists of Pithosolobium trees and a few tamarinds, figs, and Melia; the Malaza forest, which consists of Tamarindus indicus, tall figs, celtis, and creteva. (The sub-canopy of this forest type consists of Rhinorhea and Celtis, with great numbers of peppers and sometimes capers.); and finally the Berenty Reserve, which is a spiny forest. Lemur catta does not spend as much time here, but can occasionally be seen. The spiny forest contains trees called Alaudia and Euphorbia, which look like cacti. Kalanchoe, Aloe, and Xerisicyos are also found in the area.

Red Panda

Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a species of mammals in the family Red Pandas. They are native to Asia. They are solitary, nocturnal herbivores. Individuals are known to live for 168 months and can grow to 582.3200000000001 mm. Reproduction is viviparous and dioecious. They have parental care (female provides care). They rely on arboreal (locomotion) to move around.

Behavior

Red pandas exhibit several visual displays during intraspecific interactions, including arching the tail and back, the slow raising and lowering of the head while emitting a low intensity puffing, turning the head while jaw-clapping, shaking the head from side to side, a bipedal posture with forelegs extended above the head, and staring.

Habitat

Red pandas live in temperate climates in deciduous and coniferous forests. There is usually an understory of bamboo and hollow trees. The average temperature is 10 to 25 degrees Celsius, and the average annual rainfall is 350 centimeters. (Glatston 1994, Roberts and Gittleman 1984)

Meerkat

Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) is a species of mammals in the family mongooses. They are native to Ethiopia. They are diurnal carnivores. Individuals are known to live for 150 months and can grow to 285.71 mm. Reproduction is viviparous and dioecious. They have parental care (paternal care, cooperative breeding, and female provides care). They rely on running to move around.

Habitat

Meerkats inhabit the most open and arid country of any mongoose species. They are found in areas of savannah and open plains and their distribution depends on soil type, with firm to hard soils being common living grounds (Estes, 1991; van Staaden, 1994).

Sugar Glider

Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) is a species of mammals in the family gliders. They are native to Australia. They are nocturnal omnivores. Individuals are known to live for 168 months and can grow to 156.51 mm. Reproduction is viviparous and dioecious.

Habitat

Sugar gliders can live in forests of all types, given that there is an adequate food supply. They build their nests in the branches of eucalyptus trees inside their territory. Since they have also been found to live in Southern Australia, they must be able to deal with the cold effectively. (Grizmek, 1990, Nowak, 1997)

Pika

Pika is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal found in Asia and North America. With short limbs, very round body, an even coat of fur, and no external tail, they resemble their close relative, the rabbit, but with short, rounded ears. The large-eared pika of the Himalayas and nearby mountains is found at heights of more than 6,000 m (20,000 ft), among the highest of any mammal.

Pikas prefer rocky slopes and graze on a range of plants, mostly grasses, flowers, and young stems. In the autumn, they pull hay, soft twigs, and other stores of food into their burrows to eat during the long, cold winter. The pika is also known as the "whistling hare" for its high-pitched alarm call when diving into its burrow.

Behavior

Most pika species vocalize both for predator alarms and territory defense. They produce a high-pitched 'eek' or 'kie' that is ventriloquial in character. They have also been demonstrated to eavesdrop on the alarm calls of heterospecifics, such as marmots and ground squirrels. Ochotonids can also communicate danger by drumming on the ground with their hind feet. Meadow-dwelling, burrowing species produce multiple types of vocalizations, many of which are used in socializing with conspecifics. Low chattering and mewing noises have also been reported. Both ecotypes also use scent-marking.

Ermine

Ermine (Mustela erminea) is a species of mammals in the family Mustelidae. They are associated with freshwater habitat. They are native to Hungary, Canada, Poland, The Nearctic, Macedonia, Montenegro, Denmark, Latvia, Georgia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Russia, The Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Germany, the Palearctic, United States, Bulgaria, Nepal, United Kingdom, Serbia, Belarus, Czech Republic, Japan, North Korea, Switzerland, Norway, Isle Of Man, Sweden, Spain, Kyrgyzstan, Guernsey, Ukraine, Slovenia, France, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Albania, Ireland, Croatia, Belgium, Jersey, Finland, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Romania, and Austria. They are solitary, crepuscular carnivores. Individuals are known to live for 85.23 months and can grow to 215.65 mm. Reproduction is viviparous and dioecious. They have parental care (female provides care). They rely on arboreal (locomotion) to move around.

Behavior

Ermine have keen senses of smell, vision, hearing, and touch that help them to locate prey. Most mustelids are fairly quiet animals, but some vocalizations may be used in intra-specific communication. Chemical cues are probably the main means of communicating reproductive readiness to potential mates.

Habitat

Ermine prefer riparian woodlands, marshes, shrubby fencerows, and open areas adjacent to forests or shrub borders. Although ermine are primarily terrestrial, they climb trees and swim well. Tree roots, hollow logs, stone walls, and rodent burrows are used as dens. Dens are usually around 300 mm below ground. Ermine line their nests with dry vegetation, and fur and feathers from prey. Side cavities of burrows are used as food caches and latrines.