~Worlds Weirdest Animals_1~

The Alpaca

(Vicugna pacos)

• domesticated species of South American camelid developed from the wild alpacas.
• resembles a sheep in appearance, but is larger and has a long erect neck as well as coming in many colors, whereas sheep are generally bred to be white and black.
• kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of Ecuador, southern Peru , northern Bolivia , and northern Chile at an altitude of 3500 to 5000 meters above sea-level, throughout the year.
• considerably smaller than llamas, and unlike them are not used as beasts of burden but are valued only for their fiber.
• Alpacas only have fleece fibers, not woolen fibers, used for making knitted and woven items much as sheeps wool is.
• These items include blankets, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, a wide variety of textiles and ponchos in South America , and sweaters, socks and coats in other parts of the world.
• The fiber comes in more than 52 natural colors as classified in Peru , 12 as classified in Australia and 22 as classified in America .

Angora Rabbit

• The Angora rabbit is a variety of domestic rabbit bred for its long, soft hair.
  
• The Angora is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbit, originating in Ankara , Turkey , along with the Angora cat and Angora goat.
  
• The rabbits were popular pets with French royalty in the mid 1700s, and spread to other parts of Europe by the end of the century.
  
• They first appeared in the United States in the early 1900s.
  
• They are bred largely for their long wool, which may be removed by shearing or plucking (gently pulling loose wool).
• There are many individual breeds of Angora rabbits, four of which are ARBA recognized. Such breeds include, French, German, Giant, English, Satin, Chinese, Swiss, Finnish, to name a few.

Komondor Dog

• Females are 27 inches (69cm) at the withers.
• Male Komondorok are a minimum of 28 inches at the withers, but many are over 30 inches tall, making this one of the larger common breeds of dog.
  
• The body is not overly coarse or heavy, however, and people unfamiliar with the breed are often surprised by how quick and agile the dogs are.
• Its long, thick, strikingly corded white coat (the heaviest amount of fur in the canine world) resembles dreadlocks or a mop.
  
• The Komondor is born with only a white coat, unlike the similar-looking Puli, which is usually white, black or sometimes grayish.
  

Red Panda
(Ailurus fulgens)

• The Red Panda, Ailurus fulgens ('shining cat,' from a Latinized form of the Greek, ailouros, 'cat,' and the participial form of the Latin fulgere, 'to shine') is a mostly herbivorous mammal, slightly larger than a domestic cat (55 cm long).
  
• The Red Panda has semi-retractile claws and, like the Giant Panda, has a 'false thumb' which is really an extension of the wrist bone.
  
• Thick fur on the soles of the feet offers protection from cold and hides scent glands.
  
• The Red Panda is native to the Himalayas in Nepal and southern China .
  
• The word panda is derived from Nepalese word 'ponya' which means bamboo and plants eating animals in Nepal .

Shoebill
(Balaeniceps rex)

• The Shoebill, Balaeniceps rex also known as Whalehead is a very large bird related to the storks.
  
• It derives its name from its massive shoe-shaped bill.
• The Shoebill is a very large bird, averaging 1.2 m (4 ft) tall, 5.6 kg (12.3 lbs) and 2.33 m (7.7 ft) across the wings.
  
• The adult is mainly grey, the juveniles are browner.
  
• It lives in tropical east Africa, in large swamps from Sudan to Zambia .
• The Shoebill was added rather recently to the ornithological lists; the species was only discovered in the 19th century when some skins were brought to Europe .
  
• It was not until years later that live specimens reached the scientific community.
  
• The bird was known to both ancient Egyptians and Arabs however.
• There exist Egyptian images depicting the Shoebill while the Arabs referred to the bird as abu markub, which means one with a shoe. Clearly, this refers to the striking bill.

The Sun Bear
(Helarctos malayanus)

• Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) is a bear found primarily in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia .
• The Sun Bear stands approximately 4 ft (1.2 m) in length, making it the smallest member in the bear family.
  
• It is often called the dog bear because of its small stature. It has a 2 in (5 cm) tail and on average weighs less than 145 lb (65 kg). Males tend to be slightly larger than females.
• Unlike other bears, the Sun Bear's fur is short and sleek.
  
• This adaptation is probably due to the lowland climates it inhabits.
  
• Dark black or brown-black fur covers its body, except on the chest where there is a pale orange-yellow marking in the shape of a horseshoe.
  
• Similar colored fur can be found around the muzzle and the eyes. This distinct marking gives the sun bear its name.