The Lesser grison (Galictis cuja) is a species of mustelid from South America. Its common name 'grison' comes from French language and means "gray".
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withLesser grisons have a long, slender body, short legs, and a bushy tail. They have a long neck and a small head with a flattened forehead and rounded ears. The top of the head, the back and flanks, and the tail have coarse black guard hairs with buff-colored tips over a softer undercoat, giving them a grizzled greyish color. The remainder of the body is black or nearly so, apart from a pale buff-colored stripe running from the forehead to the shoulders along the lower margin of the grey-furred area. The feet are webbed, with five toes ending in sharp, curved, claws.
Lesser grisons are found throughout most of southern South America. They live in a wide range of habitats, although generally near water, including grasslands, forests, scrub, and mountain meadows. They also inhabit agricultural land and pasture in some areas.
Lesser grisons hunt primarily during the day, locating their prey at least partly by scent. They are either solitary or live in small family groups of two adults and their offspring, which travel together in a single file. Lesser grisons are known to be particularly fierce and to play with their food for up to 45 minutes before eating it. During the night, they sleep in hollow trees or natural crevices, or else in excavated burrows. Burrows may be as deep as 4 m (13 ft), and have entrances obscured by leaves. Lesser grisons are semi-plantigrade, meaning they walk partly on the soles of their feet, and, despite the webbing, their feet are adapted more for running and climbing than for swimming. They have scent glands under their tails that spray a noxious chemical similar to, but probably weaker than, that of skunks.
Lesser grisons are carnivores and prey on small to medium rodents, as well as rabbits, birds, frogs, lizards, and snakes. They can also eat fruits, such as avocados.
Lesser grisons are monogamous and form pairs that hunt together when raising their young. After the gestation period of around 40 days, the female gives birth to a litter of 2 to 5 young.
Lesser grisons are frequently hunted, especially where they are thought to prey on domestic poultry. They have also been reported to be amongst the most frequent species among mammalian roadkill in Brazil. In some parts of their native range, Lesser grisons are sold as pets.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Lesser grison total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...