"top ten" mammals you would like to see (2 Viewers)

[The sniper]

not something i would like to come across on my trip home from the pub

 

[Hanno]

Hard one! Grew up in Kenya and seen pretty much all the mammals there. Much harder here in Asia:-(

1. Tiger
2. Snow Leopard
3. Any bear species
4. Rhinos in Vietnam (absolutely no chance, after one was poached a couple of months ago there are only a handful left).
5. Any Kangaroo (but as I am going on a trip to Australia in 3 weeks, that should come off the list soon.
6. Moonrat.
7. Cat Ba Langur
8. Dhole
9. Asian Tapir
10. Any Lori

 

[Fozzybear]

Number one has to be the Otter as I keep finding their signs here but have not seen one. Not exactly an exotic list as I'm no traveller and really I'd be much more interested in seeing the UK species as I've not seen that many of them!

1. Otter
2. Water Vole
3. Dormouse
4. Harvest Mouse
5. Red Squirrel
6. Stoat (or weasel!)
7. any species of whale/dolphin
8. Badger (have seen one but only at a distance out of a train window!)
9. Pika (fascinated by them ever since seeing them on The Life of Mammals)
10 Arctic Fox (like a Red Fox but super-furry - how cool is that!)

Apologies for the 'dudeness' of the list!

 

[Isurus]

Number one has to be the Otter as I keep finding their signs here but have not seen one. Not exactly an exotic list as I'm no traveller and really I'd be much more interested in seeing the UK species as I've not seen that many of them!

1. Otter
2. Water Vole
3. Dormouse
4. Harvest Mouse
5. Red Squirrel
6. Stoat (or weasel!)
7. any species of whale/dolphin
8. Badger (have seen one but only at a distance out of a train window!)
9. Pika (fascinated by them ever since seeing them on The Life of Mammals)
10 Arctic Fox (like a Red Fox but super-furry - how cool is that!)

Apologies for the 'dudeness' of the list!

If you're willing to travel a little bit; I'd have thought you can nail a fair few of these pretty quickly. Water vole for example should be pretty easy at Rainham Marshes which can't be too far from you.

 

[The sniper]

otter is seen on the chelmer,lea,roding(very rare)
Red squirrel up near thetford
stoat & weasel also at rainham as are the mouses i believe

 

[Fozzybear]

Thanks guys I appreciate the responses, although 'nailing them quickly' is totally against my nature! I've spent 10 minutes trying to write a post about what I mean without it coming across the wrong way but it's not easy to do. The thing is that I really don't want that kind of experience, I'm not into that kind of nature watching at all. I don't mind if it takes years or decades to see half of those I listed (and unless I change my attitude about travel I'm unlikely to see the last two!) and I'd much rather find them myself in the wild than make a few trips to honeypot sites to tick them off.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a sackcloth and ashes person - I do go to 'proper' nature reserves with hides and seats very occasionally (like Cley, Hanningfield Reservoir, Two Tree Island...) but when I do I try to go to those places for the broad range of wildlife, I don't really like going to see specific creatures as it can be a bit of an anti-climax - seeing Nightingales and Nuthatches for the first time recently was great but as I'd gone with a friend to sites specifically hoping to see them there was an expectation so it was more a case of 'right, that's them done'. It was still great to see them and I wouldn't not go if I could do it again but not the experience it could have been if I'd found them by chance.

Not sure if that makes sense or not?

 

[James Eaton]

just out of curiosity,how big are the flores giant rats????

They are massive - I've seen a couple of them when out at night, first time I saw one I wasn't aware of their existence so was amazed when it turned round to show it's hairless tail.
Very tasty too, apparently...

James

 

[Chlidonias]

They are massive - I've seen a couple of them when out at night, first time I saw one I wasn't aware of their existence so was amazed when it turned round to show it's hairless tail.

whereabouts have you seen them? The only place I found anyone who even knew what I was talking about from my description was at Tebedo (on Potawangka Road)

 

[Steve Babbs]

snow leopard (may never get that one)
clouded leopard
jaguar
giant anteater
maned wolf
ocelot
(hoping for above 4 next year)
gorilla
puma
African wild dog
polar bear

Off the top of my head, may change my mind later.

 

[Xenospiza]

In no particular order, but with particular attention to ungulates.
Saiga (only found a skull...)
Banteng
Bongo
Markhor
Spotted-tailed Quoll
any New-Guinean tree kangaroo
either colugo
Aye-aye
Mandril
Southern Right Whale Dolphin

Luckily I've seen Sichuan Takin and Indian Rhinoceros.

 

[Mike Richardson]

1. Wolverine
2. Leopard Seal
3. Honey Badger
4. Brown Hyena
5. Hog-nosed Skunk (any species)
6. Moose
7. Crested Porcupine
8. Piebald Shrew
9. Jaguarundi
10. Tree Kangaroo (any species)

All off the top of my head and most easy enough to see in the wild. Sure I’ve missed something...

 

[Xenospiza]

All off the top of my head and most easy enough to see in the wild. Sure I’ve missed something...

In a list of ten you'll always miss something!

I saw Jaguarundi in Linhares (Brazil): apparently it's the easiest South American cat to see. Quite impressive nonetheless. It's an expensive place, but very good for mammals. If you're aiming for mammals, I'm sure you can do much better than me there.

 

[ovenbird43]

Snow leopard seems to be on most people's lists... it certainly is on mine, as far as cats go. Although, having only seen Bobcat I would love to see any of the wild cats anywhere. Seen a few good Neotropical mammals and finally saw my first whales recently, but otherwise my mammal experience (and knowledge!) is rather limited... so here goes:

1. snowshoe hare (or other new rabbits, I don't know enough about other species but I love seeing any rabbits)
2. narwhal
3. right whale
4. chimpanzee
5. kangaroo
6. snow leopard
7. gray wolf
8. kangaroo rat
9. African elephant
10. any of the really cool antelopes (can't think of any of their names)

 

[James Eaton]

whereabouts have you seen them? The only place I found anyone who even knew what I was talking about from my description was at Tebedo (on Potawangka Road)

I've seen them at Ranamese Lake area and also Golo Lusang. Golo Lusang is particular good for them as you can view a lot of trees due to the degraded forest.
They are well known around Bajawa also, a hunter I know well there can still find them quite easily still.

I assume they are more of a montane species (like the cloud rats of Philippines which largely are, so wouldn't expect there to be many actually along the Potawangka (Reo) Road unless you head more towards Reo and take one of the hunters trails off into the nearby hills).

James

 

[chowchilla]

5. Any Kangaroo (but as I am going on a trip to Australia in 3 weeks, that should come off the list soon.

You'll see them!

This is a very hard choice. I always get a thrill from unexpected encounters with mammals as they can be so much harder to see even when they are common in a given area, but anyway here goes:

World.
1) Snow Leopard.
2) Tiger.
3) Jaguar.
4) Javan Rhino.
5) Any species of bear.
6) Gorilla (either species).
7) African Wild Dog.
8) Vampire Bat.
9) Aye Aye.
10) Indris.

I actually really like finding small mammals but there are just too many to mention.

Australia.
1) Thylacine (one can always hope...)
2) Greater Bilby.
3) Numbat.
4) Hairy-nosed Wombat (either species).
5) Phascogale (either species).
6) Tasmanian Devil.
7) Tiger Quoll (seen Northern).
8) Honey Possum.
9) Ghost Bat.
10) Marsupial Mole (any species).

 

[Chlidonias]

I've seen them at Ranamese Lake area and also Golo Lusang. Golo Lusang is particular good for them as you can view a lot of trees due to the degraded forest.
They are well known around Bajawa also, a hunter I know well there can still find them quite easily still.

I assume they are more of a montane species (like the cloud rats of Philippines which largely are, so wouldn't expect there to be many actually along the Potawangka (Reo) Road unless you head more towards Reo and take one of the hunters trails off into the nearby hills).

thanks James. The chap in Tebedo was quite specific that they were found in the forest and caves around the village but I couldn't find any in the time I had. Good to have some more sites for me to search where I can actually trust they've been seen.

 

[James Eaton]

thanks James. The chap in Tebedo was quite specific that they were found in the forest and caves around the village but I couldn't find any in the time I had. Good to have some more sites for me to search where I can actually trust they've been seen.

No problem. They are very rare though close to human habitation though. I've spent alot of time night-birding on Flores when I rediscovered Flores Scops Owl, and only saw one once, despite spending 4 nights continually in the forest from dusk till dawn at Ranamese. I've spent considerable time night-birding on Flores, 7 trips now, and only seen them once more.

If you are keen to see them I would recommend going out with the hunters, shouldn't be a problem to see them then. I have regularly gone out with hunters in search of various species if I can't find them on my own, saves a lot of time and energy doing it this way. Doesn't cost that much as you can just pay them the amount it would usually cost them to sell the rat (probably 10,000 Rupiah in this case) as they won't kill it if you ask them politely - sends a good conservation message also...

Cheers,

James

 

[Farnboro John]

Its a good thread this. In no particular order:

Wolf
Tiger
Dhole
Snow Leopard
Ethiopian Wolf
African Wild Dog
Blue Whale
Red Panda
Red Kangaroo
Aardvark

The list was made marginally easier by already having seen Wolverine, Leopard, both Elephant Seals, Orca, Moose, African Elephant and so on - but its still almost impossible to squeeze all the must sees in! Maned Wolf didn't quite make it, nor Malayan Tapir, nor Giant River Otter....

Keep em coming

John

 

[Rockwolf]

For the otter, Mull is a must! Went there for the first time in May and loved the place! Saw otters and mountain hares (both were on my 'must see' list!!), so now, my list would be:

1) Grey wolf (or any wolf species)
2) Humpback whale
3) Orca
4) Scottish wildcat
5) Any other hare species (other than brown or mountain)
6) Moose
7) Any bear species
8) Snow leopard
9) Tibetan fox
10) Musk ox

 

[Steve Babbs]

Its a good thread this. In no particular order:

Wolf
Tiger
Dhole
Snow Leopard
Ethiopian Wolf
African Wild Dog
Blue Whale
Red Panda
Red Kangaroo
Aardvark

The list was made marginally easier by already having seen Wolverine, Leopard, both Elephant Seals, Orca, Moose, African Elephant and so on - but its still almost impossible to squeeze all the must sees in! Maned Wolf didn't quite make it, nor Malayan Tapir, nor Giant River Otter....

Keep em coming

John

Bloody Malayan Tapir, three nights staring out of the hide in Taman Negara with no luck. Not fun. Giant river otter is a real goody.