#carnivora

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor). Family Procyonidae, order Carnivora.

When parking at the wetlands within this wildlife refuge, i looked over and saw this raccoon running across the road. It quickly hopped into the dumpster that was across the road, and apparently stayed there the entire hour i was walking around because by the time i got back to my car, it was hopping out of the dumpster and walking along the road again.

Desert Spotted Skunk Spilogale leucoparia

Found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.

As a warning before spraying, the skunk stamps its front feet, raises its tail, and hisses. They may warn with a unique "hand stand"—the back vertical and the tail waving.

Liberian Mongoose Liberiictis kuhni

Found in Liberia and Ivory Coast, it was not known to Western science until 1958. A live specimen was exhibited at the Toronto Zoo, but civil war in Liberia has prevented further study. Due to its limited range and the fact that it is heavily hunted, the Liberian mongoose is considered endangered.

Otter Civet Cynogale bennettii

A semiaquatic viverrid native to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. It is a nocturnal species that obtains most of its food from the water, feeding on fish, crabs and freshwater mollusks. The otter civet is threatened by habitat destruction – specifically, the destruction of peat swamp forests to make way for oil palm plantations.

New Zealand Sea Lion Phocarctos hookeri

It is endemic to New Zealand and primarily breeds on New Zealand's subantarctic Auckland and Campbell islands, and have in recent years been slowly breeding and recolonising around the coast of New Zealand's South and Stewart islands. The New Zealand sea lion numbers around 12,000 and is one of the world's rarest sea lion species.

In the breeding season, female New Zealand sea lions gradually move inland with their pups to protect them from harassment by males, wind, storms, and potential parasitic infections. They can move up to 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) inland, from sandy beaches to tall grasses, and into forests.

Broad-striped Malagasy Mongoose Galidictis fasciata

It is endemic to eastern Madagascar. The broad-striped Malagasy mongoose is nocturnal. It forages alone or in pairs, and uses its keen sense of smell and hearing to detect prey. The mongoose is carnivorous and its diet mainly consists of insects, small reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals, which it digs out from soil and leaf litter. Known as vontsira in the Malagasy language.