My Science School

          Have you noticed the difference size between a goat and a cow? Although both belong to the bovine family, a goat is far smaller than a cow or buffalo. There are great variations among the different species of the Bovidae in terms of appearance and dimensions.

          The royal antelope is the smallest bovid. It has a mass of only 3 kg. However, the bison or several other species of domestic cattle have body masses approaching 1000 kg.

          The gaur is the largest bovid. It weighs easily over a tonne. All bovids have a pair of horns. However, the four-horned antelope has two pairs of horns!

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          Do you know to which family a cow belongs? Bison, African buffalo, water buffalo, antelope, wildebeest, impala, gazelles, sheep, goats, muskoxen and domestic cattle belong to the family named Bovidae. All of them are hoofed mammals. A member belonging to the Bovidae family is known as bovid.

          The Bovidae family is believed to have evolved 20 million years ago. Generally, the male members of the Bovidae family have horns, and the females lack them. However, among some domestic cattle, both males and females have horns. Horns are one of the most striking characteristics of the bovids. They vary greatly in shape and size across species. The greatest diversities of bovids occur in Africa. The maximum concentration of species is in the Savannahs of Eastern Africa. Other bovid species are also found in Europe, Asia, and North America.

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          A hyenas looks like a dog. Due to their similarity to dogs, they were, for a long time, considered to be belonging to the Canidae family. In fact, hyenas belong to the Hyaenidae family.

          Canids and hyenas have many similar features in their appearance and behaviour patterns. Both have the habit of eating quickly and strong their food. They catch their prey with their jaws and teeth and not with their claws.

          Hyenas however, are much stronger than dogs. They have the strongest set of jaws and teeth in the animal kingdom. Expert scavengers, hyenas help clear the remains of carcasses in the African plains.

          Hyenas are powerful as a pack. They can kill any prey when they are together. The kings of the jungle are afraid of hyenas when they approach in a pack because they might take away the kill from even a lion.

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            Have you seen a dog wag its tail? We know that dogs wag their tails to show their affection and gratitude. They use many signs to communicate among themselves too. In fact, wolves and dogs use sounds and body language to tell others about their moods, intentions or rank. Perhaps their tails are the most expressive of all their physical features. A high fluffed tail is a sign of authority and dominance. By puffing up their tail, they look bigger and are able to show how powerful they are. A wolf carrying its tail straight out behind it is aggressive and planning to attack. A terrified wolf adopts a humble pose. It makes itself as small as possible by crouching with its tail touching its belly.

            Lower ranking dogs or wolves in a pack approach a dominant member of the pack in order to greet or beg for food by crouching with their tails touching the belly. The tip of the tail will remain curved back to show its servility and docility towards its superior.

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          Have you seen a picture of a raccoon? It has a distinctive face with two black stripes running below its eyes. A raccoon dog looks very similar to a raccoon, but does not have anything to do with it! While a raccoon dog belongs to the Canidae family, the raccoon is a member of the Procyonidae family. Raccoons are the largest members of this family. They have the unique habit of washing food if they are near a source of water!

          The raccoon dog is also known as tanuki. The breed originates from East Asia. Their resemblance to raccoons has led people to mistake one for the other. However, we can see that both have very different features in terms of weight and diet etc. Raccoon dogs also have the habit of hibernating during the winter.

The Vikings came from Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark and Sweden). Their homelands offered little spare farmland for a growing population, so many Vikings went abroad in search of new lands. The Vikings were farmers, but also fierce warriors, and their first impact on western Europe was a violent one. They began to sail across the North Sea in the late AD 700's, raiding the coasts of Britain and mainland Europe. They raided churches and towns, carrying off loot and slaves, their raids caused panic, and rulers tried to buy off the invaders with gold. This, however, only encouraged the Vikings to come back for more.

Fact File: Decorative brooches such as this were used by both Viking men and women to hold their outer garments (cloaks and tunics) in place.

 

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In the late AD 300 s the Roman army was hard pressed to fight off waves of barbarian invasions. Troops in distant outposts, such as the British Isles, were needed to defend the empire, and by AD 410 the last Roman soldiers had left England for mainland Europe. Without the Roman army to protect them, the Roman Britons of England were unable to prevent these mercenaries, and any new bands of invaders, from taking over land they wanted. The newcomers were a mixture of people – Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Frisians – who became known as the ‘English’. The invaders came to England to find land to farm. They were well armed and tough, and drove away many Britons, who moved into western England.

Fact File: Treasures unearthed from a burial site of Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, included a gold belt, a sword and shield, an iron helmet, and several items of jewels. Finally there was a scepter and standard which must have belonged to the dead King Redwald.

 

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The advance of Islam seemed unstoppable in the late 600 s. The Byzantine and Persian empires could not halt the armies of Islam, and nor could Egypt. By AD 700 Muslims controlled most of the North African coast and ships patrolled the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean. Muslims from Morocco invaded Spain, but the advance of Islam into Western Europe was stopped in AD 732 by the Frankish army of Charles Martel.

Under the Ummayad family rule there were four classes of citizens: Arabian Muslims; new converts; Christians, Jews and Mandaens (a Persian sect); and slaves. The new converts included people from Egypt, Syria, a Persia and Asia Minor. They adopted Arab ways, but brought to the Arabs a wealth of new learning in philosophy, medicine, art and science.

Fact File: The crescent moon and star became important symbols in Islam, and were often incorporated into architecture and other designs.

 

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          Have you heard tales of cunning foxes and cruel wolves? Wolves and foxes are part of many stories, legends and myths.

          Somehow, across the world, most cultures have fascinating folk tales of these animals.

          They are popular among us, maybe, because of their smartness and unpredictable nature. In western and Persian folklore, they are depicted as symbols of cunning and trickery. This is, in part, due to their ability to evade hunters.

          In fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, wolves are presented as crafty animals that are looking for opportunities to trick others. They try to lure unsuspecting children and adults to their death. There are also legends involving wolves adopting human babies and bringing them up as wolves. Do you remember The Jungle Book, in which Mowgli is cared for by wolves?

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          Have you ever wondered when Man started befriending the dog, and keeping it a pet at home? Maybe dogs were not pets at all in the beginning. They had other utilities. The first species to be domesticated was the dog, and it has been selectively bred over millennia for its varied behaviours, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes. From huge Great Danes to tiny Chihuahuas, there are thousands of dog breeds today.

          The first dog befriended by Man was, probably, a grey wolf. The dingoes of Australia are domesticated wolves. Today, there are dingoes roaming about in large areas of the wild in Australia. They are the largest land predator in Australis, and are considered apex predators an apex predator is an animal that is at the top of the food chain.

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          The two most carnivorous dogs are the African wild dog and the dingo. We know that dogs love feasting on meat. Some domestic varieties relish a mixed diet of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.

          The teeth of the African wild dog are particularly large and sharp. They move about in packs of about 20 members and hunt down large mammals. However, these animals are on the verge of extinction. They are found mainly in one of the Tanzanian wildlife reserves, and are only about 5000 in number. These animals are the most efficient pack hunters.

          The dingo is found in Australia. Although, they are carnivorous, they are not as efficient as the African wild dog. Large red kangaroos, birds, fish and reptiles are their favourite prey.

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          Three species of jackals have been identified. They are the black-backed jackal, the golden jackal, and the side-striped jackal.

          All three species have similar body size. Usually, that measure up to the size of domestic dogs. They grow to 70 to85 centimetres shoulder to rump, with a tail length of about 25cm. According to the Animal Diversity Web, they stand about 40 cm at the shoulder, and weigh 5 to 12 kilograms.

          The black-backed jackal is called so because it has black hair running from the back of the neck to the tail. The rest of the body is reddish-brown or ginger and the chest is white. There are white stripes and black side stripes running from elbow to hip of the side-striped jackals. The golden jackal has a coat that is usually yellow to pale gold and brown-tipped. However, the colour of these jackals can vary with the season and region.

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         Jackals and coyotes are scavengers. They are opportunistic mammals, preying on small to medium sized animals. Both of they are omnivorous animals that enjoy a mixed diet. They have long legs and carved canine teeth that are suitable for hunting small animals. However, there are some differences between the two.

         Jackals are active at dusk and dawn. Occasionally, they travel in small packs to scavenge a carcass; however, they prefer to work either alone or in pairs. While these animals are found primarily in Africa, their presence is recorded in other parts of the world as well.

         The coyote, on the other hand, is native to North America. Compared to their close relatives, the grey wolves, coyotes are smaller and lighter. The coyote is sometimes called American jackal by zoologists, because it fulfills the same role that the golden jackal of Europe and Asia does. Coyotes are smarter than jackals as they can adapt to human environments. Coyotes too can hunt in packs, alone or in pairs.

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          If you see a fox on your way, there is a high likelihood that you will mistake it for a dog. There are more similarities than differences in the physical traits and characteristics among various members of the dog family.

          Among the canids, dogs are the weakest. They have shorter and weaker jaw muscles than others such as wolves, coyotes, jackals and foxes. Dogs and foxes have thinner legs than wolves.

          Dogs have the most varied eye colours. They may have, depending on their breed, white, blue, brown and yellow shaded eyes. Wolves, on the other hand, have small eyes with varying shades of yellow colour. Coyotes, jackals and foxes have yellow or brown eyes.

          In the case of paws, most Canidea family members have similar shape. All members have the same tail pattern. However, across species, the length of the tail may vary.

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