Senegal Mammal IDs

I just got back from a trip to Senegal, mainly to see African Manatees in the wild. I spent in day in Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary where all the pictures were taken. The Sanctuary is in the northwestern portion of the country, not far from Mauritania. The first animal in question are the following canids. The park lists having side striped jackal, however neither of the below specimens look like that to me ( a species I saw very well in Tanzania). Neither have the white tip of the tail. The first individual does however have the black stripes lateral to its pectoral region. Our guide has a friend who recently sampled individuals close to the park (Reviving the African Wolf Canis lupus lupaster in North and west Africa: A Mitochondrial Lineage Ranging More than 6,000 km wide by Gaubert et all) and found them to be more consistent with wolf (African Golden Jackal). Just curious what everyone else thinks.

The rodent was in a pile of debris close to the Sanctuary Hotel. I think it is just a brown rat, but I am hoping for something a little more exotic.

The bat was in a vacant building to the left of the picnic area at Lac de Gainth.
thanks
Cheryl

1-DSC_4557
6-DSC_4788
2-DSC_4565
7-DSC_4797
3-DSC_4610
4-DSC_4611
5-DSC_4619

8-DSC_4856
9-DSC_4866

10 Comments

  • Vladimir Dinets

    The canine looks just like African wolf is supposed to look.
    The rodent is definitely not a brown rat; looks like a grass rat to me (perhaps Arvicanthis niloticus or A. ansorgei, look them up).
    As for the bats, the photos are too small to see the faces. You can try consulting African Bats group on iNaturalist, they are very helpful.

  • Cheryl Antonucci

    Thanks Vladimir! When we came up on the first one and the guide said “side striped jackal” I was just not convinced. Andy Holman, another mammal lover, was also on the trip, and after looking at his pics thought the first one was a wolf. The recent post about the DOR Ethiopian canid made me question the first one a little with the black stripes by the pectoral region.
    Jon also thought the rodent was a grass rat (lifer for me) and thought the bats were slit faced bats. I did some research after sending him the post and maybe Gambian slit faced bat based on pictures I looked at.
    Thanks again!

  • John Fox

    So, did you see the Manatee? That is high on my list of mammals I want to see.

  • Cheryl Antonucci

    Vladimir – thank you! I knew when I saw it and was told side striped jackal something was not right. Andy Holman was also on the trip and pointed out after looking at his pictures that the first one was probably a wolf. When I saw the post about the DOR Ethiopian canid, the comments made me question the first one, but think the second one was a wolf.
    Jon Hall also thought grass rat, and thought the bats were slit faced bats. After looking online I think maybe Gambian Slit faced bat.
    John- yes!!! We saw many manatees in a great location for them and for me (as in I was sitting in a tower relaxing, overlooking a freshwater spring that during high tides they come to drink from. I will have more details when I finally get through all my pictures (I am going through more bat and manatee ones now).

  • AfriBats

    Hi Cheryl, please consider sharing your bat photos with http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/afribats

    We’d be happy helping with IDs there!

  • John Fox

    Kick ass Cheryl, that is great to hear. I’ve googled myself silly trying to find a good place. Look forward to reading your trip report.

  • AfriBats

    Hi Cheryl, thanks for sharing your observations with our project on iNaturalist, much appreciated!

    Here are the 2 observations
    http://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/aholman512/2017/3/3
    http://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/aholman512/2017/2/27

    The slit-faced bats are challenging to ID from photos, here’s a comment re potential species
    http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5655545

    Thanks again!

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