Kids Encyclopedia

Coyote — The coyote (Canis latrans), also known as the prairie wolf, is a mammal of the order Carnivora. The species is found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States, and Canada. It occurs as far north as Alaska and all but the northernmost portions of Canada. There are currently …

Colugo — Colugos are arboreal gliding mammals found in South-east Asia. There are just two extant species, each in its own genus, which make up the entire family Cynocephalidae and order Dermoptera. Though they are the most capable of all mammal gliders, they cannot actually fly. They are also known as cobegos or flying lemurs (misleadingly, since they are not …

Coatimundi — The coati, Nasua nasua, also known as the hog-nosed coon, is a member of the raccoon family (Procyonidae); a diurnal mammal native to South, Central and south-western North America. The word coatimundi is a commonly used misnomer applied to solitary adult male N. nasua. The term is reported to be derived from the Tupi language (Brazil). Reports that …

Civet — Civets are mammals, most of which are species in the family Viverridae. They are small, lithe-bodied, mostly arboreal members of the order Carnivora. General appearance is broadly cat-like, but the muzzle is extended and often pointed, rather like an otter or a mongoose. Civets range in length, excluding its long tail, from about 17 to 28 in (400 …

Chipmunk — Chipmunk is the common name for any small squirrel-like rodent species of the genus Tamias in the family Sciuridae. Around 25 species fall under this name, mainly in North America, although one species is native to Eurasia. Eastern chipmunks mate in early spring and again in early summer, producing litters of four or five young twice each year. …

Chimpanzee — Chimpanzee, often shortened to chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of apes in the genus Pan. The better known chimpanzee is Pan troglodytes, the Common Chimpanzee, living primarily in West, and Central Africa. Its cousin, the Bonobo or “Pygmy Chimpanzee” as it is known archaically, Pan paniscus, is found in the forests of the …

Chevrotain — The four species of chevrotain, also known as mouse deer, make up the family Tragulidae. Chevrotains are small, secretive creatures, now found only in the tropical forests of Africa, India, and South-east Asia. They are the only living members of the infraorder Tragulina. In Malay folklore, the mouse deer plays the same role as the wily fox of …

Cheetah — The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a member of the cat family (Felidae) that is unique for making up in speed and stealth what it lacks in climbing abilities. As such, it is placed in its own genus, Acinonyx. It is the fastest of all land animals and can reach speeds between 112 kilometres per hour (70 mph) and …

Chamois — The chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) is a goat-like animal native to the European Alps, the Corno Grande region of the central Italian Apennines, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The species was also introduced on the South Island of New Zealand. Chamois are strictly protected animals under the European Habitats Directive. There are two …

Caribou — The reindeer, known as caribou when wild in North America, is an Arctic and Subarctic-dwelling deer (Rangifer tarandus). The weight of a female varies between 60 and 170 kg (132 – 375 lb). In some subspecies of reindeer, the male is slightly larger; in others, the male can weigh up to 300 kg (661 lb). Both sexes grow …