Animal WorldMammals |
What is the only four-horned animal in the world? |
The four-horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis) is a native of central India. The males have two short horns, usually 4 inches (10 centimeters) in length, between their ears, and an even shorter pair, 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to five centimeters) long, between the brow ridges over their eyes. Not all males have four horns, and in some the second pair eventually falls off. The females have no horns at all.
Is there a cat that lives in the desert?
The sand cat (Felis margarita) is the only member of the cat family tied directly to desert regions. Found in North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and western Pakistan, the sand cat has adapted to extremely arid desert areas. The padding on the soles of its feet is well suited to the loose sandy soil, and it can live without drinking free-standing water. Having sandy or grayish-ochre dense fur, its body length is 17.5 to 22 inches (45 to 57 centimeters). Mainly nocturnal (active at night), the cat feeds on rodents, hares, birds, and reptiles.
The Chinese desert cat (Felis bieti) does not live in the desert as its name implies, but inhabits the steppe country and mountains. Likewise, the Asiatic desert cat (Felis silvestris ornata) inhabits the open plains of India, Pakistan, Iran, and Asiatic Russia.