Wildthings

The right plants, shrubs and trees encourage all sorts of insects, birds and animals to visit your garden

Q. Can wild animals, like a mongoose family, living in my garden infect my dogs with fleas?

1.American Family The Asiatic black bear also has a cousin in America – the American black bear.

1.Famous Name The Burchell’s zebra was named after British explorer, William John Burchell.

Chinchillas need interactive play time with their people for at least an hour a day

1.Is he a cat or is he a monkey? He may look very cat-like and sport a long monkey-like tail, but the fossa’s closest relatives are members of the mongoose and civet families.

1. HISTORICALLY SPEAKING The monarch is believed to be the first butterfly ever to be documented. Ancient Egyptians drew pictures of butterflies on tombs as far back as 3,500 years ago and these images resemble the monarch.

The caracal may not be large in stature, but this cat is a formidable hunter, able to take down prey far bigger than himself

1.Say what? There are actually a few different kinds of kangaroos in Australia, ranging from the popular grey kangaroos of the east and west, to the lesser-known antilopine kangaroo of the north. Interestingly enough, grey kangaroos can live up to 18 years, although some kangaroos have been found to live up to 20 years. Kangaroos in captivity usually have a lifespan of about 23 years.

Walking on the wild side- Domestic cats are believed to be descendants of the African wild cat 

1. Strange relations The elephant’s closest living relative is the dassie. This might sound odd, but recent discoveries have shown that the elephant’s oldest ancestor was about the size of a rabbit.

Q. What causes laminitis in ponies and how can it be prevented and treated? Laminitis is one of the most painful, crippling diseases of horses, ponies and donkeys.