DC -- Natl Museum of Natural History -- Hall of Mammals:
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Description of Pictures: Four separate visits to the newly-opened exhibit.
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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.
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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
SINHHM_031121_017.JPG: Leopard. Impala.
SINHHM_031121_030.JPG: Hippopotamus. One of the world's largest land mammals, the hippopotamus weighs up to nearly five tons (4,500 kg).
SINHHM_031121_042.JPG: Leopard. This muscular cat can carry an animal its own weight up a tree. By storing kills in trees, the leopard protects uneaten food from hyenas and lions.
Impala. When impalas run, the leap explosively in different directions to confuse predators. But even such diversionary tactics did not foil the leopard that ambushed this impala.
SINHHM_031121_056.JPG: Gray wolf
SINHHM_031121_167.JPG: Huon tree kangaroo
SINHHM_031121_170.JPG: Red kangaroo
SINHHM_031121_177.JPG: Red fox
SINHHM_031121_186.JPG: Dingo
SINHHM_031121_198.JPG: Gerenuk
SINHHM_031121_213.JPG: Serval
SINHHM_031121_231.JPG: Fennec. This fox's ears measure about one-third of its body length! They detect prey and also help dissipate heat.
SINHHM_031121_235.JPG: Aoudad
SINHHM_031121_252.JPG: Lion, pouncing on African buffalo
SINHHM_031121_281.JPG: Southern two-toed sloth. Count this sloth's front claws to see how it got its name. This slow-moving mammals eats, sleeps, and even gives birth upside-down.
SINHHM_031124_014.JPG: They have a display case in the hallway downstairs that talks about how they worked on the animals for this exhibit. They include photographs, molds, and fake body parts like plastic tongues and eyeballs.
Head to Toe
Mammal Makeovers by Smithsonian Taxidermists
Three years sculpting foam and clay!
Weeks casting heads and hands, toes and tongues!
Thousands upon thousands of tiny stitches!
These tasks and many more transformed 274 mammal specimens into the inspiring display now on view in the new mammal hall upstairs.
Led by John Matthews, the award-winning taxidermy team renovated historic specimens and mounted specimens donated by zoos and research facilities from around the world. Each animal reflects the collaboration of museum curators, exhibit designers, and taxidermists to determine an accurate and aesthetic pose.
Wrangling the Orangutan
Because primates are rarely mounted and commercially available forms did not suit the required pose, the teams needed to build the entire supporting forms themselves -- a huge collaborative effort that resulted in one of the most striking specimens in the hall.
Each body part is carved from foam based on measurements taken from the carcass. The parts are fitted together and then packed with clay and plaster to create lifelike body shapes that fits the skin.
The tanned skin is tested several times on the foam to make sure it fits perfectly.
To capture the unique face of this orangutan, taxidermists built the facial structure with clay, using the death mask and other measurements as references.
SINHHM_031124_043.JPG: Giraffe
SINHHM_031124_064.JPG: Hippopotamus
SINHHM_031124_076.JPG: Gerenuk. By stretching its long neck and standing on its hind legs, the gerenuk can feed where other small antelopes can't. Its leafy diet supplies all the water it needs.
SINHHM_031124_085.JPG: Blue wildebeest. The wildebeest's survival depends on its mobility. Calves are on their feet within minutes of birth and can keep up with the herd in just a few days.
SINHHM_031124_091.JPG: Serval. With its large ears, this cat listens carefully for the sounds of birds, mice, snakes, and other small animals in the grass. Then it pounces.
SINHHM_031124_096.JPG: Giraffe
SINHHM_031124_104.JPG: Gerenuk
SINHHM_031124_108.JPG: Okapi
SINHHM_031124_142.JPG: Bushpig. With their snouts and sharp tusks, pigs are well equipped for digging up roots and tubers. Males of this species display their long whiskers to one another.
SINHHM_031124_148.JPG: Giraffe
SINHHM_031124_173.JPG: Red kangaroo
SINHHM_031124_183.JPG: Red fox
SINHHM_031124_187.JPG: Marsupial
SINHHM_031124_206.JPG: Koala
SINHHM_031124_227.JPG: Feathertail glider. This tiny glider uses its long, featherlike tail to steer, brake, and balance in the trees. Finely toothed toe pads anchor it to smooth surfaces -- even panes of glass!
SINHHM_031124_247.JPG: Vampire bat
SINHHM_031124_256.JPG: Red howler monkey
SINHHM_031124_282.JPG: Three-toed sloth
SINHHM_031124_291.JPG: Tayras
SINHHM_031124_306.JPG: Brazilian agouti. Long legs, hoof-like feet, and a streamlined body help this rodent flee through underbrush to escape meat-eaters....
SINHHM_031124_356.JPG: Eastern spotted skunk. Watch out! A handstand warns of an impending spray of noxious mist -- this small carnivore's way of defending itself.
SINHHM_031124_364.JPG: Orangutan. These great apes rarely descend to the ground. Using long arms and hook-shaped hands and feet, they swing through tree tops.
SINHHM_031124_373.JPG: Rhesus monkey. Broad, grasping feet and hands make this monkey at home in the trees as well as on the ground.
SINHHM_031124_383.JPG: Dzhungarian hamster
SINHHM_031124_391.JPG: Gray wolf. Howling is one way a wolf communicates with its pack. Thick winter fur and a varied diet help this mammal survive North America's seasonal extremities.
SINHHM_031124_402.JPG: Red squirrel. To prevent other animals from stealing their winter stash of pine seeds, red squirrels stash them 2-3 m (6.5-10 feet) under the snow.
SINHHM_031124_405.JPG: Caribou
SINHHM_031124_411.JPG: Arctic fox. With the warmest coat of all terrestrial mammals, this fox is toasty even at -40 degrees Celsius (-40 degrees Fahrenheit). A furry tail insulates its face during naps.
SINHHM_031124_431.JPG: American badger. Badgers use powerful forearms and claws to dig out small burrowing mammals. They flatten their bodies against the ground to avoid detection.
SINHHM_031124_448.JPG: Black-tailed prairie dog. Prairie dogs live together by the thousands in extensive tunnels, dug with strong legs. Light brown fur blends with prairie grasses and soil.
SINHHM_031124_465.JPG: Bobcat. The bobbed tail reduces the surface exposes to the cold, helping this cat conserve energy. The slightly spotted fur conceals the bobcat when it's hunting.
SINHHM_031124_468.JPG: Bobcat
SINHHM_031124_535.JPG: Striped hyena. More closely related to cats than dogs, hyenas like this one survive by scavenging food from larger predators and collecting bones to gnaw in their dens.
SINHHM_031124_547.JPG: Lesser Egyptian jerboa. It may be tiny, but this rodent can cover several meters in a single hop! It spends particularly hot days asleep in its burrow.
SINHHM_031124_560.JPG: Ring-tailed lemur. Infant ring-tailed lemurs like this one live on their mother's milk for the first four months of life. They travel by gripping tightly to the mother's fur.
SINHHM_031124_584.JPG: Binturoung. This long-haired mammal uses its grasping tail like a fifth limb to climb through the tropical forest in search of insects, birds, fruit, and leaves.
SINHHM_031223_007.JPG: Lion
SINHHM_031223_013.JPG: Lion: Why don't these lions have manes? They are females, who do most of the hunting while the males protect their territory.
African buffalo: Watch out for this buffalo! Its handlebar horns make dangerous weapons, and it can run up to 48 km (30 mi) an hour.
SINHHM_031223_015.JPG: Giraffe. In addition to its long legs and neck, the giraffe has a tongue that can reach up to 53 cm (21 in). The tongue is tough enough to wrap around thorns.
Giraffes usually get enough water from the leaves they eat. But during the dry season, leaves lose moisture, so giraffes come to the waterhole to drink.
SINHHM_031223_028.JPG: Grevy's zebra. Fossils show that the zebra's ancestors migrated here from North America 2.3 million years ago over land bridges that connected North America to Asia, and Asia to Africa.
SINHHM_031223_074.JPG: Black-and-white colobus. This monkey's stomach contains three chambers, enabling it to digest tough, mature leaves other canopy animals can't eat.
SINHHM_031223_097.JPG: Scaly-tailed glider. Here's a way to get from one tree to another -- glide. This glider uses spines at the end of its tail to dig into bark when it lands.
SINHHM_031223_103.JPG: Okapi. Take a good look. This chocolate-colored relative of the long-necked giraffe is so rarely seen that scientists did not even know it existed until the early 1900's.
SINHHM_031223_113.JPG: Bongo. The marking on this large, highly endangered antelope make it very hard to see in the forest shadows. It is shy and active mostly at night.
SINHHM_031223_137.JPG: Red kangaroo. One of the largest pouched mammals, the red kangaroo hops for miles at 25 kph (15.5 mph). But in an emergency, it bounds away at twice that speed.
SINHHM_031223_148.JPG: European rabbit. Europeans introduced this small but prolific hopper in 1858. It quickly colonized the southern half of Australia, where it now competes for food with many native mammals.
SINHHM_031223_165.JPG: Dingo. These wild dogs go after a wide range of prey. They usually hunt small prey alone but will cooperate to bring down large mammals like kangaroos.
SINHHM_031223_170.JPG: Koala. The koala is truly one of a kind. It has no very close relatives and lives only in eucalyptus woodlands, where it dines mostly on eucalyptus leaves.
Koalas are built for eucalyptus trees. They dine largely on the toxic leaves, and bacteria in their stomachs neutralize the harmful chemicals.
SINHHM_031223_185.JPG: Queensland ringtail. A long, gripping tail with a friction pad works like a fifth limb to help this possum keep its balance on slender tree branches.
SINHHM_031223_199.JPG: Huon tree kangaroo. The New Guinea tree kangaroo is an agile walker and rarely hops. Its scientific name (Dengrolagus matschiei) comes the Greek words dendron, or tree, and lagos, or hare.
SINHHM_031223_224.JPG: Red fox. With litters of four or more young, red foxes quickly colonized much of Australia after they were introduced for hunting in the 1860's.
SINHHM_031223_228.JPG: Red howler monkey. Unlike most monkeys, South America's largest monkey feeds almost exclusively on leaves. A special digestive system helps this slow-moving primate process bulky foliage.
SINHHM_031223_240.JPG: Tayra. These large weasels spend their nights in tree hollows or ground holes. Tayras are closely related to badgers, skunks, and otters.
SINHHM_031223_258.JPG: Pygmy marmoset. After gouging out a shallow hole with its sharp teeth, this tiny monkey returns to the same tree day after day to feed on dripping sap.
SINHHM_031223_264.JPG: Southern squirrel monkey. Bounding through the canopy, these nimble monkeys forage for insects, nectar, and ripe fruits. They avoid the uppermost branches where eagles hunt.
SINHHM_031223_280.JPG: Brazilian porcupine. Barbed spines protect this nocturnal rodent from predators. After dark, it forages for fruit and leaves, climbing small vines and branches with gripping feet and tail.
SINHHM_031223_287.JPG: Three-toed sloth. Sloths -- and closely related anteaters and armadillos -- have a body temperature up to 13 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit) lower than most mammals. Maintaining a lower temperature helps them live on less energy.
SINHHM_031223_330.JPG: South African galago. Also called a bushbaby, this wide-eyed primate lives on the rainforest edge. Gripping pads on its fingers and toes help it land safely after leaping from tree to tree.
Guided by rudderlike tails and 3-D vision, these expert leapers -- also called bushbabies -- can jump between branches nearly 4.6m (15 ft) apart in a single bound.
SINHHM_031223_335.JPG: Brown lemur. This agile climber navigates narrow treetop branches on all fours. Notice the claw used for grooming on the long, second toe of each hind foot.
SINHHM_031223_341.JPG: Spring hare
SINHHM_031223_361.JPG: Eurasian harvest mouse
SINHHM_031223_389.JPG: Polar bear. Because their prey can quickly freeze rock-solid in the winter, polar bears eat as much as they can at one sitting, sometimes as much as 45 kg (99 lb).
SINHHM_031223_402.JPG: Caribou. Both males and females carry large but relatively light antlers to defend their food supplies. Caribou are called reindeer in Asia and Europe.
SINHHM_031223_408.JPG: American marten. Martens hunt for squirrels and other rodents in trees and on the ground. During bad weather, they seek shelter in air pockets scattered under the snow.
SINHHM_031223_432.JPG: Canada lynx. With stealth and explosive leaps, the lynx ambushes its favorite prey -- the snowshoe hare. Big feet keep the lynx from sinking into the snow.
SINHHM_031223_450.JPG: Snowshoe hare. Snowshoe hares stay active all winter long, denning in snow banks during bad weather. Their snowy white coat turns to brown in the spring.
SINHHM_031223_477.JPG: Aoudad. Up in the rocks, the long-fringed aoudad finds water in small, natural pools. Although sometimes called a Barbary sheep, it is actually more closely related to goats.
SINHHM_031223_485.JPG: Jaguarundi. Short-legged and long-bodied, this cat scrambles among trees and shrubs to hunt birds and small mammals.
SINHHM_031229_003.JPG: Dama gazelle. Largest of the 16 kinds of gazelles, this slender mammal favors rockier areas of the desert. During the dry season, it migrates to regions that retain more vegetation.
SINHHM_031229_052.JPG: Sable antelope. Started by the serval, this sable has reared up. It uses its long, curved horns to threaten other males as well as to defend itself against predators.
SINHHM_031229_080.JPG: Cape porcupine. Porcupines sport a very effective defense: their hair, which has evolved into sharp quills. This porcupine rattles special quills on the end of its tail as a warning.
SINHHM_031229_096.JPG: Gunther's dik-dik. The dark spot at the corner of this tiny antelope's eyes produces a sticky substance that the animal rubs on twigs to mark its territory.
SINHHM_031229_129.JPG: Waterbuck. Look on the waterbuck's rump for circular markings that call attention to its tail movements. Different tail positions send signals to other members of the group.
SINHHM_031229_187.JPG: Bay duiker. This small antelope sometimes trails monkeys, looking for fruits and leaves that they knock down from the trees. It has even been known to hunt birds.
SINHHM_031229_200.JPG: South African galago
SINHHM_031229_234.JPG: Brush-tailed porcupine. This mammal sleeps during the day and travels at night searching for fallen fruit. If attacked, it points its long back quilts toward the predator's face.
SINHHM_031229_256.JPG: White-tufted-ear marmoset. [top] Tiny marmosets dine on protein-rich insects, sugary tree saps, and small fruits. They leave hard-to-digest leaves and larger fruits to bigger cousins like the woolly monkey.
Humboldt's woolly monkey. [bottom]
SINHHM_031229_306.JPG: Red kangaroo
SINHHM_031229_311.JPG: Brazilian porcupine
SINHHM_031229_324.JPG: Tayra
SINHHM_031229_361.JPG: Paca. Forewarned, this nocturnal rodent could use its muscular hindquarters to spring beyond a hungry jaguar's pounce. Caught off guard, it's a goner.
SINHHM_031229_380.JPG: Northern night monkey. These quiet little monkeys are most active on moonlit nights, traveling through the upper layers of the forest. Because of their owl-like hoots and large eyes, these primates are sometimes called owl monkeys.
SINHHM_031229_405.JPG: Giant anteater. An infant giant anteater weighs less than a pound at birth. It spends most of the first year of life clinging tightly to its mother's back.
SINHHM_031229_409.JPG: Giant armadillo. Massive claws help this mammal dig insects and other small animals from the forest floor. It retains the protective armor of its ancient ancestors.
SINHHM_031229_428.JPG: Brazilian agouti
SINHHM_031229_444.JPG: Brazilian agouti
SINHHM_031229_451.JPG: Black-backed jackal. With a mouthful of versatile teeth, the jackal nips, slices, and crunches different foods -- from insects and antelopes to plants and fruits.
SINHHM_031229_482.JPG: Gray seal. Seals took up life in the sea some 30 million years ago, and their teeth have evolved into sharp cone shapes that spear and hold slippery fish.
SINHHM_031229_495.JPG: Clouded leopard. The clouded leopard lounges in trees, waiting to pounce when prey nears. Of all modern cats, it has the longest canine teeth relative to body size.
SINHHM_031229_501.JPG: Mouflon. One of the smallest wild sheep, the mouflon is the ancestor of all domestic sheep. Its sharp hooves grip rocks like pincers, making it an expert climber.
SINHHM_031229_503.JPG: Wild boar. Modern domestic pigs evolved from this wild species. Millions of years ago, there was a great diversity of wild pigs -- some as large as a small rhinoceros.
SINHHM_031229_522.JPG: Orangutan
SINHHM_031229_537.JPG: Crested rat
SINHHM_031229_563.JPG: Spring hare
SINHHM_031229_573.JPG: Dzhungarian hamster
SINHHM_031229_579.JPG: Cambodian striped squirrel
SINHHM_031229_598.JPG: Armored rat
SINHHM_031229_606.JPG: Sea otter. To keep from floating away during storms and when resting, sea otters wrap themselves with long kelp strands.
SINHHM_031229_615.JPG: Ermine. Autumn's decreasing daylight triggers the release of hormones that turn the ermine's coat from brown to white for the winter. Other northern weasel species also turn white.
SINHHM_031229_634.JPG: American marten
SINHHM_031229_659.JPG: Harp seal. Pattern variations on this seal's coat may help individuals recognize family members. That's helpful when large groups gather to mate and raise pups on pack ice.
SINHHM_031229_663.JPG: Eastern gray squirrel. Scientists call squirrels "living fossils" because their body plan has changed so little since the first squirrel evolved about 35 million years ago.
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Wikipedia Description: National Museum of Natural History
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
...
Hall of Mammals
The Behring Hall of Mammals designed by Reich + Petch is a multi-award winning gallery. The design is innovative and welcoming. The mammal specimens are presented as works of modern art within strikingly minimal environmentals. Visitors discover mammal's evolutionary adaptions to hugely diverse contexts, and ultimately discover that they too are mammals.
The museum has the largest collection of vertebrate specimens in the world, nearly twice the size of the next largest mammal collections, including historically important collections from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its collection was initiated by C. Hart Merriam and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (later the Department of Interior), which expanded it in the 1890s-1930s.
Bigger photos? To save server space, the full-sized versions of these images have either not been loaded to the server or have been removed from the server. (Only some pages are loaded with full-sized images and those usually get removed after three months.)
I still have them though. If you want me to email them to you, please send an email to guthrie.bruce@gmail.com
and I can email them to you, or, depending on the number of images, just repost the page again will the full-sized images.
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2003 photos: Equipment this year: I decided my Epson digital camera wasn't quite enough for what I wanted. Since I already had Compact Flash chips for it, I had to find another camera which used CF chips. That brought me to buy the Fujifilm S602 Zoom in March 2003. A great digital camera, I used it exclusively for an entire year.
Trips this year: Three-week trip this year out west, mostly in Utah.
Number of photos taken this year: 68,000.
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