Cambron-Abbey

It lives in the savannahs and forests of South America, always near water, since it behaves in a semi-aquatic manner, a little like the hippopotamus. It is a great swimmer and diver, thanks to its webbed feet, and it can stay underwater for up to five minutes.

It rushes into the water when being scared, it mates there and – since it is an herbivore – it feeds on aquatic plants. On land, it grazes on grasses and bushes, using its two big incisors. It is quick and if it needs to escape, it is able to run as fast as a horse!

It has very powerful forelegs with long sharp-edged claws, tearing open termite nests and mounds and a long muzzle of 30 cm in the form of a tube that it inserts into the holes that it digs.

It then darts, in a fast in-and-out movement (twice a second), its long, thin 60-cm tongue coated with sticky saliva for getting insects in their tunnels to stick to it and then swallows them non-stop. 

This rodent is truly exceptional! Living in large underground colonies, within a vast network of tunnels, it hardly needs to see and its eyes are therefore atrophied; on the other hand, its hearing and its sense of smell are highly developed.

The skin, hairless, is particularly flexible and resistant to wounds. The Naked Mole Rat lives for 20 to 30 years (in captivity), which corresponds to more than 500 years for a human being! It is completely immunised against cancers and it is insensitive to pain.

The vulture, a majestic creature of the skies, embodies both the grandeur and complexity of nature. These scavenging raptors, often misunderstood, play a crucial role in ecosystems by removing carcasses and recycling dead organic matter. Their massive silhouette and broad wings evoke a sense of quiet power as they soar high in the sky, searching for their next meal.

The Angora Goat, originating from Ankara in Turkey, is renowned for its luxurious mohair wool. This precious fiber, with exceptional fineness, offers a range of colors from white to caramel. Mohair, appreciated for its softness, lightness, and natural sheen, is used by designers worldwide, embodying an ethical and sustainable fashion, highlighting the symbiosis between nature, man, and craftsmanship.

The Sulawesi Bear Cuscus is endemic to the island of Sulawesi (Celebes) and the small neighbouring islands of the Indonesian archipelago. It measures about 50 cm with a gripping, naked tail which is as long as its body: it weighs between 7 and 10 kg. The colour of its fur varies from black to grey-brown and is thick and short.

The Sulawesi Bear Cuscus lives in the treetops of humid low altitude tropical forests. It moves slowly, using its tail and its front paws with opposed fingers to cling to the branches. It is mainly active in daytime and spends a lot of time resting, to digest the cellulose of its vegetarian meals.

Of the family of mongooses and living in the South-West of Africa in groups of about thirty, the Slender-Tailed Meerkat’s behaviour is remarkably social.

Certain members stand erect on a hillock or in a bush, with a good view of the surroundings, and keep watch, while the others feed themselves, an activity which these animals pursue for many long hours, in broad daylight.