Critter Country

Our very own walk through ‘safari’, keep an eye out for wildcats, racoons, skunks and some very unusual creatures that Mr Tayto came across on his travels. There’s some fierce, some furry and some very cute. Here are three of the animals that you will find in Critter Country.

Who am I?
Ocelot

About me:
I’m only about twice the size of the average domestic cat! Usually I live under the leafy canopies of South American rain forests, but I have ventured as far north as Texas. My nickname is ‘the painted leopard’.

And for lunch I will have the…
Rodents, iguanas, fish, frogs and sometimes small monkeys or birds.

Who am I?
White Lipped Peccary

About me:
You may not have heard of me but I’ve a bit of a reputation for being aggressive. I live with my family in herds that can be as big as 150 Peccaries! We have been known to attack animals and kill predators when we get together in our big herds so the staff have to be very, very careful around me!

And for lunch I will have the…
Roots from the ground, fallen fruit and eggs from ground nesting birds. But I’m a typical pig and will eat anything!

Who am I?
Skunk

About me:
There’s no point in denying it, I’m most famous for my unique self-defence mechanism – my Skunk spray.
If I feel threatened or scared I fire off the worst stink
bomb you’ve ever smelled from a secret gland under
my tail! I can shoot it up to 5 metres, so be warned.
It doesn’t actually hurt, but boy does it get rid of
unwanted attention. Be careful you don’t get skunk’d!

And for lunch I will have the…
Fruit, plants, insects, eggs and even a small
mammal or fish sometimes.

Who am I?
Corsac Fox

About me:
I am sometimes known as the Tibetan Fox, We are very sociable (which is unusual for foxes) and often our dens have interconnecting holes so we can all
keep in touch. We tend to live in very dry areas,
and don’t need much water. I am threatened by the
fur trade which is not nice at all. I’m a slow runner,
but a brilliant climber.

And for lunch I will have the…
Small animals, plant, insects and carrion.

Who am I?
Rhea

About me:
I am the largest bird from South American and I am often
called the American Ostrich as I am a relation of his and we
are known to look very similar. I can reach up to almost 5
meters in height and like my friend the EMU, I cannot fly, but
I can run extremely fast so I can outrun any trouble that
comes my way. Although my wings are useless for flying,
they help me balance and change direction as I run.

And for lunch I will have the…
I eat plants fruits and seeds but will also settle for the
odd insect, lizard or bird.

Who am I?
Emu

About me:
One of my favorite hobbies is to watch other animals and
humans as I am a very curious bird. I cannot fly, but I am very
tall and can grow up to 2 meters in height. I can travel great
distances very fast by sprinting at a speed of up to 50km/h.
It is believed that I am a survivor of prehistoric times and date
back some 80 million years. I can adapt very well to different
temperatures, from 100 degrees to below 0.

And for lunch I will have the…
Plants and insects but I can go for weeks without food.

Who am I?
African Crested Porcupine

About me:
A lot of my body is covered with bristles which are rather rough. I
am recognized by my quills which run along my head, nape, and
back that can be raised into a crest, which is how I got my name. I
am not very active as I love to sleep a lot during the day. I normally
like to be alone but it is not uncommon for me to share dens or
borrows with my family. When I feel threatened, I stamp my hind
feet and rattle my tail.

And for lunch I will have the…
Plants like roots and barks. But I love fruit and vegetables if I can get
a hold of some. Yum-Yum!

Who am I?
Albino Bennetts Wallabies

About me:
I am very rare compared to normal wallabies, due to my lovely white fur and red eyes. I can jump very high and can stand up to 1.5m tall, but I am photosensitive because of my albinism. When us Wallabies are babies, we are called ‘joeys’ and live in our mothers pouches for a whole 280 days. I travel in loose groups knows as mobs to share feeding areas where we graze on grass and herbs.

And for lunch I will have the…
Grasses and herbs

Who am I?
Ring Tailed Coatimundi

About me:
A lot of people get me confused with an ant eater, because
I’ve a long nose, but I’m not – I am much cuter! I’m a very
curious, active animal and I’m very intelligent. If I’m kept
as a pet though, I can be quite cheeky!

And for lunch I will have the…
Small lizards, insects, birds, eggs and some nice fruit.
Yum-Yum!

Who am I?
Squirrel Monkey

About me:
Proportionately, I have the largest brain of all the
primates, except for you humans! I like to live in
groups and have a number of vocal calls including
warning sounds that I shout at predators like falcons,
snakes and big cats.

And for lunch I will have the…
Fruit and insects, but I wouldn’t say no to a nut,
egg or worm on occasion!