Mammals Encyclopedia

Gerbil — A gerbil is a small mammal of the order Rodentia. Once known simply as “desert rats”, the gerbil subfamily includes about 110 species of African, Indian, and Asian rodents, including sand rats and jirds, all of which are adapted to arid habitats. Most are primarily diurnal (though some, including the common household pet, do exhibit crepuscular behavior), and …

Gemsbok — The gemsbok or gemsbuck (Oryx gazella) is a large African antelope, of the Oryx genus. The name is derived from the Dutch name of the male chamois, Gemsbok. Although there are some superficial similarities in appearance (especially in the colour of the face area), the chamois and the oryx are not related. Gemsbok live in herds of about …

Gazelle — A gazelle is an antelope of the genus Gazella, although the three members of the genus Procapra also widely are referred to as gazelles. Gazelles are known as swift animals; they are able to reach high speeds (as high as 50-55 mph) for long periods of time. Gazelles are mostly found in the grasslands and savannas of Africa, …

Giraffe — The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all land-living animal species. Males can be 4.8 to 5.5 metres (16 to 18 feet) tall and weigh up to 1,300 kilograms (3,000 pounds). The record-sized bull was 5.87 m (19.2 ft) tall and weighed approximately 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Females are generally slightly shorter, …

Gibbon — Gibbons are the small apes in the family Hylobatidae. The family is divided into four genera based on their diploid chromosome number: Hylobates (44), Hoolock (38), Nomascus (52), and Symphalangus (50). The extinct Bunopithecus sericus is a gibbon or gibbon-like ape which, until recently, was thought to be closely related to the Hoolock gibbons. Gibbons occur in tropical …

Gopher — A gopher is a small burrowing rodent. All gophers have in common the digging of tunnels and subterranean chambers and the traits associated with the rodent order, Rodentia. Disruption of such human plans for the surface as commercial agriculture, garden plots, and some landscaping, by their underground activities, leads to their frequent treatment as pests. In contrast, North …

Gorilla — Gorillas, the largest of the living primates, are ground-dwelling omnivores that inhabit the forests of Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and (still under debate as of 2007) either four or five subspecies. Its DNA is 97%–98% identical to that of a human, and are the next closest living relatives to humans after the two chimpanzee species. …

Grison — The genus Galictis includes two species of grison, a weasellike mammal, also known as hurón in Spanish and furão in Portuguese. The lesser grisón (Galictis cuja) and the greater grisón (Galictis vittata) are both found in South America, with the latter’s range extending through Central America to southern Mexico as well. Grisóns measure up to half a meter …

Groundhog — The groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as the woodchuck, land beaver, or whistlepig, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Most marmots, such as yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but the woodchuck is a lowland creature. It is widely distributed in North …

Guenon — The guenons are the genus Cercopithecus of Old World monkeys. Not all the members of this genus have the word “guenon” in their common names, and because of changes in scientific classification, some monkeys in other genera may have common names that do include the word “guenon”. Nonetheless the use of the term guenon for monkeys of this …