Gerenuk!

Ivor is a Gerenuk, a giraffe gazelle, found in East Africa. Gerenuks mark their territory using a preorbital gland in front of their eyes that emits a scent-bearing tar-like substance. Their necks are exceptionally long, and their eyes and ears large. Males have stout and heavily ringed horns. Gerenuks’ short tail looks longer because it ends in a tuft of black hair. They also have scent glands on their knees that are covered by tufts of hair and between their split hooves. Gerenuks stand erect on their hind legs to browse on tall bushes and use their front legs to pull down higher branches. They do not eat grass nor require water as they get enough moisture from the plant life they eat. Ivor is a Gerenuk who lives as a solitary male.

Pronghorn

Today Ivor eluded me. I had wanted to see him and Jonathan before they left for Washington, but a dentist's appointment that went too long delayed me, and by the time I got to the office, they were gone!

In honor of Ivor's swift escape from the DC area, Ivor is a pronghorn antelope. The second fastest land animal on Earth, the pronghorn vastly outruns any other animal on the American continents, reaching speeds over 60 mph - faster than my mother drives on the highway.

Evolutionary theorists have suggested that the pronghorn adapted to run so fast in order to escape predators that are now extinct, like the saber-toothed tiger. Others suggest that it is a way for males to show off when competing for mates. It may be some of both. In any case, we know that Ivor is a speed machine today. Or perhaps he would be, if Jonathan (or any of the rest of us) could keep up!

Today Ivor is an Electric Eel

Ivor (Electrophorus electricus), is a species of fish. He is capable of generating powerful electric shocks, which he uses for both hunting and self-defense. He is a
top predator in his
South American
range. Despite his name he is not an
eel
at all but rather a
knifefish.

Amy and Sam are lucky that they can not see Ivor today, because if they were around him they would have to fear being shocked. I am sure that Karla--who always trips on him--will be electricuted before the day is done.

Clouded leopard

Amy says that today Ivor is a clouded leopard!

Few people have seen a clouded leopard, named for its cloud-like spots. Its wild habitat in Southeast Asia. Although officially recorded as a species in 1821, the clouded leopard remains as mysterious today as it was nearly 200 years ago. Clouded leopards have the longest tail, in relation to body size, of any cat's tail. Also, their jaws can open wider than any other cat’s. Their 2-inch-long teeth are the same size as those of a tiger. Using their tail for balance, cloudeds ambush their prey from the treetops, landing on their target’s back and delivering one killing bite. Their flexible ankle joints allow them to climb down tree trunks headfirst. Cloudeds can climb upside down along branches and can hang by the back feet alone, which frees the front paws to snatch at prey.




More from the San Diego Zoo:

Growing up clouded

Like any newborn kitten, clouded leopard cubs are small and helpless at birth. Their eyes are closed, they have no teeth, and they are not able to walk. But at about two weeks of age their eyes open, and a week later the teeth start to emerge and they begin to walk on wobbly legs. By the time they are six months old they are fully weaned and have the full adult coloration.
Secretive lives

Considering its size, the clouded leopard is very secretive and has been difficult for researchers to study in the wild. It is believed the cats live solitary lives, unless a mother is caring for cubs. Never common, its population numbers are dropping outside of protected areas. Its rain forest habitat is often divided into small, unconnected patches of forest. As is true of all rain forest dwellers, the clouded leopards’ main threat to survival is continued habitat loss from a growing number of farms. And although they are protected by law, cloudeds are still hunted for their beautiful coat, and some Asian cultures believe clouded leopard bones and teeth have healing powers.

llama!

Today Ivor is a llama. A domesticated pack animal from South America, Ivor has soft fur that can be used to make textiles, is an intelligent helper animal, and a strong pack animal. He is friendly, but may sometimes spit on unwary humans, or attempt to neck wrestle with them. Moreover, as one of the few domesticated animals native to the region, llamas like Ivor have historically played an important part in South and Central American civilization!

Better late than never: silkworm

Today was so busy that we forgot to post Ivor's animal on the blog! This has to be corrected.

Today Ivor is a silk moth. A species of moth that has actually been domesticated and no longer occurs in the wild, Ivor spent his time as a puppy eating mulberry leaves and fattening himself up for transformation, then made a silk cocoon to transform in. Ivor is old enough now that he has probably already done that, and is now a moth. While he has wings, he can't fly. Most silk moths also don't eat, but Ivor has clearly found a way around this.

Also, one of the interns here, Elizabeth, took a bunch of photos of Ivor on his last day. Thanks Elizabeth! Here's one of them:

Honeybee

Amy forgot to tell me what Ivor is today, so I am picking his animal for the second day in a row! Today Ivor is a European honey bee.

Highly social, Ivor loves to get things done. He communicates through dances and body language to other members of his hive, conveying directions to nearby food sources. He plays a crucial ecological and agricultural role as a large percentage of food crops depend on honeybees for pollination. And while you may see honey bees in the wild, Ivor, like all common European honey bees, is actually domesticated; the numerous honey bees you see in the wild are actually feral cousins of kept bees.

Interestingly, male honeybees are relatively solitary and short-lived, surviving only long enough to mate. This doesn't really seem like Ivor's personality. He seems more like a worker bee - longer-lived, social, and industrious. This means, though, that today he's actually a sterile female.