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A-Z of animals : Vole to Woodchuck

ABC | DEF | GHI | JKL | MNO | PQR | ST | UVW | XYZ

Vole
Long-tailed Vole
Meadow Vole
Sagebrush Vole
Southern Red-backed Vole
Townsend's Vole
Woodland Vole

Wallaby

Wallaroo

WalrusTwo Walrus subspecies are recognized: the Atlantic walrus measures 3m and weigh 1,200kg; the Pacific walrus is 3,6m long and weighs 1600kg. They feed on benthic invertebrates, such as molluscs, echinoderms and crustaceans, consuming up to 45kg a day. Longevity is 40 years. There are no known predators.

WarthogFound in Africa, Warthogs engage in ritual fights in which they charge straight on, clashing heads. Males weigh up to 250 pounds and fights between them can be violent and bloody. Female warthogs only have four teats, confining litter sizes. Each piglet has its "own" teat and suckles exclusively from it. Even if one piglet dies, the others do not suckle from the available teat.

WaterbuckDespite its name, the large waterbuck is not truly aquatic, as the sitatunga or lechwe. The mother hides her young for 3 weeks, returning 4 times a day to suckle it. Each suckling session lasts only five minutes, during which time the mother cleans the calf so that no odour is left to attract predators.

Weasel
Least Weasel
Long-tailed Weasel
Short-tailed Weasel

WildebeestThe Wildebeest herd is a spectacular sight, numbering up to 400 000 animals. Wildebeest have a unique ability to smell rain over long distances - with the first rainfalls the herds move at a fast and steady pace to the raining area, sometimes covering more than 2000km. They often walk and run in a single file, but tend to graze in a scattered formation.

Whale There are some 80 species of whales, devided into toothed whales and baleen whales. The blue whale is the largest animal alive, weighing up to 160 tons. The longest specimen was a 33.58 m long female. Lifespan is 30 - 80 years.
Fin Whale
Gray Whale
Humpback Whale
Long-finned Pilot Whale
Minke Whale
Northern Right Whale
Short-finned Pilot Whale
Sperm Whale
NarwhalThe Narwhal's ivory tusk protruding from a tooth socket is the most distinctive feature of this arctic whale. This tusk is actually a tooth, reaching 3m (10 ft) in length. Embedded 38cm (15in) into the head, the tusk is straight as an arrow, spiralled up to 12cm (5in) from the tip where it is polished and smooth.

WolfAs large predators, Wolves depend on prey such as deer, elk, caribou, and in some parts of its range, moose and bison that weigh more than a 450kg (1000 pounds). Their powerful jaws exert twice as much power as that of the domestic dog. The wolf is a highly social animal, generally living within the same pack for most, if not all, of its life. Only the top male and female breed, while any attempts to do so by others are punished.
Gray Wolf
Red Wolf

Wolverine

Woodchuck