Mammalian Mammals @mammalianmammals - Tumblr Blog

Patagonian Hog-nosed Skunk (Conepatus humboldtii), family Mephitidae, found in southern Argentina and Chile

photograph by Paul B. Jones

#hog nosed skunk #skunk #conepatus #mephitidae #mammal #animals #nature #south america

Whale of a Whale May Be Biggest Animal Ever

The animal—described from 39-million-year-old Peruvian fossils—could weigh as much as 340 tons

A massive extinct whale may have just stolen the title of biggest animal ever. According to a paper published today in Nature, the creature—dubbed Perucetus colossus—could have weighed as much as 340 tons—nearly 75% more than the largest blue whales, the all-time record holder. That estimate comes from a 39-million-year-old partial skeleton unearthed in Peru. Even if the calculation turns out to be an overestimate, the animal was clearly huge, experts tell The Washington Post. The rotund giant would likely have been too sluggish to chase small but abundant critters like krill, the researchers say. Instead, its manateelike proportions (above in artist’s reconstruction) suggest it fed on the sea floor—though without a skull to examine, whether it was similarly vegetarian or preferred a more carnivorous diet remains a mystery.

via: https://www.science.org/content/article/whale-whale-may-be-biggest-animal-ever

#Perucetus colossus #Perucetus #whale #cetacean #ocean #paleontology #fossils #animals #nature

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Guess who’s never beating the “cutie patootie” allegations? It’s the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides)! It can be found in parts of northern Europe and Asia. In the colder areas of its range, this species hibernates through the winter. To prepare for this long rest, individuals gorge themselves with food—including insects, fruit, and crustaceans. A raccoon dog can gain up to 50 percent of its weight during this process, and at its peak, an individual can weigh up to 22 lbs (10 kg). Photo: sduben, iStock