3/3 𝘎. 𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴 often suspends reproduction in years of poor seed crops. When conditions allow, females produce litters of 2–7 after ~30 days’ gestation. As both a seed predator and disperser, it shapes forest regeneration patterns. Individuals commonly live 6–9+ years, unusually long for a small rodent

2/3
Morphologically, it is characterized by a compact body, dense grey pelage, a bushy tail, and large eyes adapted for nocturnal activity. Adults typically measure 14–19 cm with a tail of similar length.

4/4 The alpine mountain hare (𝘓𝘦𝘱𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘴 ) is the German mammal of the year 2025 and truly a fascinating animal!

3/4 They weigh about 3kg and and grow up to 40-60 cm. They are a smaller than the European hare with whom they more and more have to share their habitat due to climate change.
The mountain hare, as species, is not endangered, but individual poulations like in the alps become increasingly threatened

2/4 Alpine mountain hares have a brownish to greyish fur in summer and will change to a white coat in winter.
In other regions, however, they might keep their brown/grey or white fur all year long.

3/3 Furthermore, foot posture has been analysed by means of DeepLabCut demonstrating that the angle of the hind feet is decreased during backward locomotion which might provide more gait stability.

2/3 Walking backwards, as impractical as it may seem, is mastered by the Ansell's mole-rat (𝘍𝘶𝘬𝘰𝘮𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪). In this study, the team showed that mole-rats can walk backwards and forwards with equal ease. This is likely an adaptation to their subterranean habitat.

3/3 As apex predators, polar bears rely primarily on seals and detect breathing holes and dens over long distances. They are strong, sustained swimmers capable of traversing tens of kilometers in open water.

2/3 Polar bear pelage appears white but consists of transparent, hollow guard hairs that scatter light and black skin beneath the fur maximizes solar heat absorption.
A thick layer of fat and countercurrent heat exchange in limbs further reduce thermal loss in subzero environments.

4/4 ⚠️ Status: Vulnerable (IUCN)

Threatened by habitat loss, logging, and subsistence hunting.

Occurs in mid- to high-elevation forest, which is increasingly fragmented.
Conservation is hindered by a lack of field data — highlighting a critical need for targeted ecological research.

3/4 🌙 Behavior & Communication

Primarily nocturnal and solitary; occupies large, overlapping home ranges.

Terrestrial movement is slow, but highly agile in trees, capable of leaping several meters between branches.

2/4 🦴 Morphology

Body length: ~51–78 cm | Tail: up to 65 cm | Weight: ~10–18 kg

Dense, chocolate-brown to reddish fur; powerful forelimbs, large curved claws, and rotatable forepaws adapted for climbing.

5/5 Fun fact: The ringtail is the official state mammal of Arizona! 🌵
Its agility, adaptability, and quiet presence make it a fascinating example of desert survival.

4/5 Ringtails are mostly solitary and nocturnal, spending daylight hours in rock dens or tree hollows.
They communicate through clicks, chatters, and scent markings.
Though shy, they’ve adapted well to human structures—earning the nickname “miner’s cat” for visiting old cabins in search of food. 🏚️

3/5 These small carnivores (about cat-sized!) are omnivorous generalists—eating insects, small mammals, fruits, and even nectar. 🍇🦗
Their flexible diet helps them survive in harsh environments where food sources change with the seasons.

2/5 Ringtails thrive in arid habitats—from rocky canyons to desert woodlands. 🌵
They’re expert climbers, using their semi-retractable claws and long, banded tails for balance as they navigate cliffs and crevices.
Their tail isn’t prehensile, but it’s essential for agility and communication. 🌀

Enari et al. developed a novel acoustic biologger using bioacoustics and
biologging techniques, which can contribute to decoding cryptic vocal
behaviors of mammals. This device would become a key growth driver for
improving the application of passive acoustic monitoring in
terrestrial ecosystems.