animals By Assyria Bush

animals HIPPOPOTAMUS A mother hippopotamus gives birth to a single calf, usually in shallow water but sometimes on land. The calf is nursed underwater, coming up to the surface to breathe periodically. Baby hippopotamuses are weaned at about eight months but remain with their mothers for about two years.

animals By Assyria Bush

animals COUGAR Cougar cubs are born spotted and gradually change into the sandy brown adult form. They live in dens with their siblings for about two months and remain close to their mothers for about a year. One notable difference between a cougar and other big cats is that the cougar can hiss, scream, and growl but it cannot roar.

animals COYOTE Coyotes are members of the dog family with brown coats, slender pointed muzzles, and long bushy tails. They give birth to multiple pups in a secure den site. Once the pups grow up, they become powerful and adept predators, able to stalk and pounce after chasing down prey at speeds of about 40 miles per hour.

animals EASTERN COTTONTAIL Eastern cottontails are social animals that live in large burrows called warrens. Their babies — called kittens — are born in litters of between two and eight and emerge from the dens at about six weeks of age. They are born very tiny but grow quickly and are able to have babies themselves within a year.

animals EUROPEAN RABBIT European rabbits live in elaborate underground warrens with special chambers for rabbit kittens, which are born helpless and with their eyes closed. The mother rabbit lines the kitten chamber with moss and fur plucked from her belly. By about four months, the kittens may be able to have babies themselves.

animals GIANT ANTEATER The giant anteater is an insect-eating mammal with long fur, a bushy tail and a long tubular snout. Females typically give birth to a single pup, which both parents feed and care for. The pup is born a miniature version of its parents and spends about a year riding on its mother's back.

animals GIANT ARMADILLO Giving birth to quadruplets is rare for humans, but it is the norm for giant armadillos, whose body is almost completely covered in bony scales. Their pups are born with their eyes open and are able to walk around. They are weaned at about six weeks and are independent at about six months.

animals GIANT PANDA Giant pandas are usually born either singly or with one sibling. At birth they are tiny, naked, blind and helpless. They open their eyes after about two months and begin to move around at about three months. They stay with their mothers for a year and a half to three years, after which they are typically solitary.

animals GIRAFFE Giraffes usually give birth to one baby at a time, which drop about six feet to the ground at birth. They can walk around within minutes of being born and begin nursing right away. They stay close to their mothers for the first few weeks of life and gradually spend time with other members of the herd.

animals GOLDEN HAMSTER To adapt to life in the hot rocky desert, the golden hamster spends the daytime in underground burrows with many different rooms, including ones for nesting. Most live in family groups and young golden hamsters spend much of their time chasing and playing with their many brothers and sisters.

animals GRAY WOLF A female gray wolf gives birth to her pups in a den and nurses them for about a month. They are born deaf, blind, and tiny. When they emerge, they are protected and fed regurgitated food by their parents and other pack members. When they are just a few months old, wolf pups may leave the pack and form their own territories.

animals GRIZZLY BEAR Grizzly bear cubs are born in warm cozy dens during the period of winter dormancy and drink their mother's milk until springtime. When the family emerges from the den, the mother grizzly feeds and protects her cubs during their first year or two and teaches them how to hunt, fish and survive.

animals GUINEA PIG Baby guinea pigs are called puppies and they look just like tiny adult guinea pigs. They are born in litters of two or more and can see, hear and crawl around at birth. After just a few days, they are able to feed on grasses and play with their siblings.