Sri lanka Gerbil Or Antelope Rat (Tatara Indica Ceylonica)

-


Sinhalese: Wer-miya

Tamil: Vel-elli

Description: Length 403 mm on average, of which tail occupies 221 mm. Has relatively long hind legs and bounds or jumps along, rather than runs, in the manner of a kangaroo, popular name-Kangaroo Rat. Sexes are alike but adult males usually larger than females.

Distribution: Well distributed throughout the lowlands and in to the hills up to 3,000 ft elevation.

Habits: A nocturnal animal, living burrows or ant-hills during the day. The burrow is dug in soft sandy soil, normally in the open away from cover. Burrows are shallow, not deeper than 12-18 inches below ground level, the male having one entrance, the female two. Both sexes have a side gallery dug to within an inch or two of the surface by which an escape can be made by bursting through the thin crust and bounding away. Omnivorous in its diet, eats grain, seeds, grubs and young birds etc. it is courageous and carnivorous but not blood-thirsty.

Breeding: up to four young are born in a dry chamber of the female’s burrow, which is lined with dead leaves.

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