Tag tusks

Buru Babirusa

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The Buru Babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) is a wild pig in the swine family. It is also known as the Hairy Babirusa, the Golden Babirusa, the Deer-Pig, and the Moluccan Babirusa. 

The Buru Babirusa looks like a pig with golden-brown hair. The male has prominent upward, in-curving canine tusks. The tusks curve over its face and towards its forehead. Both the male and female have lower canines, which grow upwards, but the female has smaller canine teeth than the male.

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Visayan Warty Pig

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The Visayan Warty Pig (Sus cebifrons) is a critically endangered ungulate (hoofed) mammal. 

The Visayan Warty Pig has coarse dark-grey hair. Its entire body is covered in hair. It has a thin tail with a tuft of black hair at the tip. It has long, thin ears with hair tufts. It has three pairs of fleshy warts on its face. The male has prominent whiskers and small, sharp tusks. Both the male and female have scent glands near their eyes and on their feet. 

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African Elephant and Asian Elephant: what’s the difference?

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What is the difference between an African Elephant and an Asian Elephant?

The African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) and the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) are both land mammals.

The African Elephant has larger ears than the Asian Elephant.

The African Elephant has ears shaped like the continent of Africa; the Asian Elephant has ears shaped like the country of India.

The African Elephant has no frontal hump on its head; the Asian Elephant has a frontal hump on its head.

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African Elephant

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The African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest land mammal on Earth.

The African Elephant has grey, almost hairless, wrinkled skin over its massive body. Its nose is a long trunk, its ears are large fan-like flaps, and its tail is short with a tuft of dark hair at the end. It has small dark eyes, a small mouth, and large forward and upturned ivory tusks. Both males and females have tusks, but female tusks are smaller.

Its legs are thick with large pads for feet. Its front feet have a round sole, and the hind (back) feet have an oval-shaped sole.

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Central African Warthog

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The Central African Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus massaicus) is a wild pig found in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Kenya and Tanzania.

The Central African Warthog is heavy-set, medium-sized black or brown hog, ranging from 1.0-1.5 metres (3-5 feet) long, with a mane of hair along its spine. The rest of the body has minimal hair.

It has two pairs of upward-curving tusks protruding from the mouth. One pair of tusks is the upper pair, and the second pair of tusks is the lower pair, which is shorter than the upper pair. The tusks, made of ivory, are used for digging, courtship, and fighting.

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Hippo teeth

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What are hippo’s teeth made of?

A hippopotamus is a large semi-aquatic mammal, with short, stumpy legs, and cylindrical bodies.

It has a large head, with a broad mouth that can open wide (like a crocodile).

Hippos are herbivores because they eat plants. Their incisor and canine teeth continue to grow throughout their lives.

Their teeth are like tusks and are made of ivory.

 

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM

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