South Indian Muntjac or Barking Deer (Muntiacus Muntjak Malabaricus)

-


Sinhalese: Olu-Muwa, Welli-Muwa.

Tamil: Mann, Sembli-Mann or Pulatar-Mann.

Description: The adult male grows to about 60 cm at the shoulder; the female being about 45 cm. Their color is overall reddish brown and the buck has small antlers, and “tushes” which project about 1 cm from the upper jaw.

Distribution: Found in the jungle areas throughout most of the island, but seems to prefer the lower hills.

Habits: This little deer is very nervous and timid, and where it is persecuted by man, has become nocturnal. It is a solitary animal, seen singly or in pairs, and never far from cover. Its senses of smell, hearing and eye-sight are excellent, and its food consists of grasses and leaves. During the mating period, or when alarmed, it sometimes barks like a dog, and hence its common name.


Breeding: The gestation period is about 6 months, and normally one young is born; sometimes two.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sri Lanka Python (Python Molurus Pimbura)

-
Image
Sinhalese: Dhara Pimbura, Ran Pimbura, Pimbura Tamil: Periya Pambu, Malai Pambu, Kaloodai Viriyan. Description: A huge snake which can grow to 8 meters, but usually average about 5.5 meters. Pythons have teeth, a very sensitive tongue, and jaws which can separate to enable them to swallow large prey. Distribution: Found in the jungles of the low country; occasionally in the lower hills hills and often near water. Habits: The python is diurnal, nocturnal and solitary. They swim well, can climb trees and are not venomous. Their food consists of small to medium sized animals which they catch using their teeth, kill by constriction and swallow whole once once the prey is dead. If the meal is substantial the python does not need to feed again for 4 or more months. They have good sight over short distances, are deaf, but can feel vibrations through the ground. Their extremely sensitive tongues can sense loud noises and convey smells to the scent organ in the roof of t...
Read more

Sri Lanka Small Civet-Cat (Viverricula Indica Mayori)

-
Image
Sinhalese:  Urulava Tamil: Poolu poona, Veeregu Description: The civet-cat is easily identified by its black and white ringed tail and dark spotted grey body. The adult male, which is slightly larger than the female, has an overall length of about 84 cms. Distribution: found in jungles and scrub throughout the island except in the highest hills. Habits: The civet-cat is mainly nocturnal but not entirely so, usually spending the day living up in some patch of undergrowth. Its food consists of birds, small animals, insects, frogs etc, and also some roots and fruits. Breeding: The birth takes place in a cavity at the end of a short tunnel which is often dug in a bank, or under some large rocks or tree. 3 to 5 young are born.
Read more

Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper – Black gram Syn. Phaseolus mungo L.

-
Image
Taxonomic classification           Kingdom: Plantae             Division: Magnoliophyta             Class: Magnoliopsida             Subclass: Asteridae             Order: Solanales             Family: Leguminosae             Genus: Vigna             Species: V.mungo V.mungo is one of the most highly-priced pulses of India, especially in the vegetarian diet. It is a diffusely branched, herbaceous annual with reddish brown hairs.     Various cultivars are recognized 1. Early-maturing cultivars, which have larger, black s...
Read more