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Skeleton of elephant
The Indian elephant, Elephas maximas is represented by a
large, fully articulated skeleton of the solitary elephant exhibited in the centre of the
gallery. The animal to which the skeleton belonged was a fully grown tusker of exceptionally
large size, said to have been 11 feet in height, with a pair of enormous tusks. It had killed
two men, and was eventually captured near Chengam, in Tamil Nadu in 1887.
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The
Dolphin
A specimen of the Elliot's dolphin
(Steno perniger), which is one of the commonest species found in the Bay of Bengal and Indian
Ocean, is exhibited in this gallery. Its distribution ranges from the Indian Ocean eastwards
to Australia. The upper parts of this dolphin are dark plumbeous grey and its fins are almost
black. But the colour becomes paler on the sides and passes below into a pale pinkish or ashy
with a few small dark blotches on the breast and abdomen.
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The Dugong The dugong inhabits the coastal waters and
mouths of estuaries, and feeds on seaweed. It is once said to have lived in large herds, but
as it's flesh is highly edible and its fat yields a valuable lubricating oil, it has been
largely hunted, and its numbers have dwindled down in many areas. It resembles a small whale
in its fish like form with paddle-shaped front limbs and horizontally expanded tail fin. The
female holds her young against her breast with her flippers. The Dugong is said to have given
rise to the myth of the mermaid.
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The Slender Loris
The Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus
lydekkerianus) is confined to South India and Sri Lanka. It's limbs are long and slender, the
animal consequently presenting a lean and lanky appearance. It is shy, secretive and nocturnal
in its habits, and is generally found alone, sometimes in pairs, inhabiting dense forest, and
often descending from the trees into bushes to feed. During the day it sleeps concealed among
the foliage and starts searching for its prey at dusk. It is slow and deliberate in its
movements and approaches its prey very stealthily, capturing them with a quick grab using both
hands. It is omnivorous and feeds mainly on berries, insects, tree frogs, lizards, small birds
and their eggs.
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Next Gallery
Mammal Gallery