conservation

MAMMAL MONDAY # 60

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY #60

We are off to meet a mammal who lives in a watery habitat in South America! So hop aboard our boat as we float down a river to find one cool mammal!

e & e river boat

MEET THE GREY RIVER DOLPHIN!

grey river dolphin   Range/Habitat: Central America-Northern South America/rivers,

estuaries, coasts

   Diet: Carnivore: fish, squid

   Length/Weight: 4 ½-6 ½ ft/ 77-88 lb

   Conservation Status: data deficient

 

Fun Facts:

  • Grey River Dolphins live in freshwater habitats and estuaries.
  • They have long prominent beaks.
  • Grey river dolphins are very acrobatic.
  • They are small and stocky.
  • They have large dorsal fins.
  • Grey river dolphins are solitary or live in pairs.

Grey river dolphins are amazing animals! Did you know that there were dolphins that live in rivers? We had no idea! We continue to be surprised by all the different animals on our planet!

grey river dolphin2   grey river dolphin3

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, rainforests, rivers, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 59

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEATHERY FRIDAY #59

We’re jumping on a plane and heading to New Zealand to meet a one of kind bird on this fine Feathery Friday! Are you ready for an adventure down under?

e e stream

MEET THE WRYBILL!

wrybill   Range/Habitat: New Zealand/rivers-estuaries

   Diet: Carnivore: insects, insect larva

   Length/Weight: 7.9-8.3”/ 1.5-2.5 oz

   Conservation Status: vulnerable

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Wrybills have grey and white feathers.
  • They have long black bills.
  • Wrybills are curved to the right and sideways. They are the only birds in the world with this type of beak.
  • They perform aerial ballets during mating and migration.
  • Wrybills are a wading bird.

These funny little birds are so neat! You must get up close to see their unusual sideway bent beaks! We sure do love meeting such amazing birds!

wrybill2   wrybill3

Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, rivers, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

VALENTINES FOR THE ANIMALS!!

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Ellie and Edmond ©

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY EVERYONE!

Today we are sharing some love- the love of animals with you! Have a great day!

E E Valentine

giraffevalbirdval

hippoval

horsecatvalhorseval

pandaval

penguinsval

monkeyval

seahorsesval

tamanduaval  tortoiseval

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, Valentines, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 59

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 59

We’re getting our snorkeling gear out and heading the coral reefs of the Pacific Ocean today! We’re off to find a fish who lives with another animal who stings! Are you ready? Let’s do this!

e & e snorkeling

MEET THE PINK SKUNK CLOWNFISH!

pink skunk clownfish   Range/Habitat: Pacific Ocean/ coral reefs

   Diet: Omnivore: plankton, algae

   Length: 4”

  Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Pink Skunk Clownfish are also known as the pink skunk anemonefish.
  • They have a symbiotic relationship with anemone and live among their tentacles.
  • Pink skunk clownfish have a long white stripe down their backs.
  • Pink skunk clownfish have a mucus coating that protects them to the toxins of the anemone.
  • They lay their eggs near their anemone hosts.

 

We bet you didn’t know there other species of clownfish out there! They aren’t all just orange and white! Animals that have mutual symbiotic relationships are so neat! Can you think of any other kinds of symbiotic relationships in the animal world?

pink skunk clownfish2   pink skunk clownfish3

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 59

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 59

We’re going exploring in the US today for an aquatic reptile with a bite! Let’s grab our wellies and your night vision goggles and let’s go exploring near a pond and see if we can find today’s animal!

EE NIGHT MARSH

MEET THE COMMON SNAPPING TURTLE!

common snapping turtle   Range/Habitat: South Canada-USA-Mexico/ ponds, lakes & streams

   Diet: Omnivore: fish, frogs, aquatic plants

   Length/Weight: 10-20”/9.5-35 lbs

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Common Snapping Turtles carapaces (top shell) vary in color, from brown to green.
  • They have long tails.
  • Common snapping turtles are nocturnal.
  • Common snapping turtles spend most of their lives in water.
  • They have webbed feet.
  • Common snapping turtles hibernate in cold weather.
  • Female common snapping turtles lay a clutch of eggs and the sex of the babies is determined by the temperature of the nest.

Common snapping turtles are such amazing creatures. Those snapping beaks are definitely built for eating! We’ll stay away those!

common snapping turtle2  common snapping turtle3

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, reptiles, science, turtles, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

MAMMAL MONDAY #59

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY #59

We sure hope everyone enjoyed the Year of the Snake celebration. We’re back to our regular schedule and it’s off to Central America for us, to meet a member of the rodent family! Can you gopher for that? (Edmond loves puns)

e e grasslands

MEET THE GIANT POCKET GOPHER!

giant pocket gopher   Range/Habitat: Central-South America/ grasslands

   Diet: Herbivore: roots, grasses, vegetation

   Length/Weight: 4.7-12”/2.2 lbs

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Giant Pocket Gophers are the largest member of the pocket gopher family.
  • They have large cheek pouches that go from their mouth to their shoulders; these pouches are where they get their name.
  • Giant pocket gophers live in burrows and tunnels.
  • They have long sharp teeth.
  • Giant pocket gophers have large claws for digging.
  • Giant pocket gophers are also called the Mexican pocket gopher.
  • They are solitary.

Giant pocket gophers are funny looking little creatures with their big teeth and small eyes! They work very hard to dig their burrow homes and hoard the food they eat!

giant pocket gopher2   giant pocket gopher3

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

THE ADVENTURES OF MIGHTY BUG!

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Ellie and Edmond ©

THE ADVENTURES OF MIGHTY BUG!

mightbug

We had the most exciting afternoon at The Center for Puppetry Arts the other day! We sat down and were transported to a lovely garden scene! That garden turned out to be the home of Bugville and the super hero Mighty Bug!

This fantastic comic book like world was full of amazing characters, including Mighty Bug, Professor Rhinoceros Beetle and the villain Scorpiana! We meet Mighty Bug in the morning as he wakes up and goes on his morning jog. Along the way we meet all kinds of bugs. Not only do we get to meet centipedes, butterflies and bees we learn something fun about each one! Did you know that ants can lift 50x their weight? That would be like a human lifting an elephant! WOW! We’re pretty sure a human couldn’t lift Ellie!

Back in Professor Rhinoceros Beetle’s lab, Mighty Bug and the professor taught us all about the parts of an insect! Did you know insects’ skeleton is on the outside? Pretty cool! As we follow Mighty Bug on his adventures we learned about the different types of habitats bugs live in!

We also meet Mighty Bug’s girlfriend Morpha Butterfly, who sang a fantastic little tune about a butterflies! Edmond was dancing the whole time! Soon though the tale takes a turn for the worse when the villain Scorpiana enacts her evil plan to take over Bugville with her gang!  Whew, the story gets interesting from there! We won’t spoil the ending for you! This fun and fantastic show is not to be missed! They use shadow puppets and human sized ones! It is full of color, laughter and intrigue! Plus you learn throughout the show! What’s better than learning while you have fun? NOTHING!

mightbug3

Grab your running shoes and your enthusiasm and make a trip to The Center for Puppetry Arts to see “The Adventures of Mighty Bug”! Check out the center’s website for tickets and times! Don’t forget to make a lightening bug puppet to take home with you when you are there!

mightbug2

Categories: adventure, Animals, backyard, Children, conservation, nature, Puppets | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

YEAR OF THE SNAKE DAY # 5

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Ellie and Edmond ©

YEAR OF THE SNAKE DAY #5

It’s the last day of Snake week and we’re going to the Mediterranean to meet one cool snake! In fact these snakes are quiet popular! Are you ready for our last adventure of the week? Let’s do this!

e e grasslands2

MEET THE LEOPARD SNAKE!

leopard snake   Range/Habitat: Southern Europe- Mediterranean/forests, suburbs

   Diet: Carnivore: rodents

   Length/Weight: 28-39”

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Leopard Snakes are also known as the European Ratsnake.
  • They are constrictors.
  • Leopard Snakes are cream with red and black blotches.
  • Leopard Snakes are shy and secretive.
  • They are crepuscular (active at dusk and dawn).

Leopard snakes are often considered the most colorful of the ratsnake family. In Greece, people often invite these snakes into their homes and gardens because they are so could as pest control! We love hearing about people and wildlife sharing space in harmony! See, snakes aren’t so bad after all!

leopard snake2  leopard snake3

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, snakes, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

YEAR OF THE SNAKE- GUESS THE SNAKE!

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Ellie and Edmond ©

YEAR OF THE SNAKE- GUESS THE SNAKE!

It’s time to guess the animal again and we’ve already given you a head start today since you know it’s a snake! So look at the picture, read the clues and give us your best guess!

green tree boa

  • I live in South America.
  • I have a prehensile tail to help me hang on tree branches.
  • I have pits in my snout to detect heat.

WHO AM I?

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, snakes, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

JANUARY CRAFT- SOCK SNAKE!!

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEBURARY CRAFT

SOCK SNAKE!!!

snake craft9

Materials:

  • Stuffing
  • Knee Sock (used is fine)
  • Red, white & black felt
  • Hot glue
  • Scissors

snake craft

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions:

1.     Cut out tongue from red felt & the two eyes from the black & white felt.

snake craft2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.     Stuff sock head for snake.

snake craft4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.     Fold a bit of the sock on each side just below the stuffing and then hot glue it in place to make the neck of the snake.

4.     Finish stuffing the whole body.

5.     Fold the opening of the sock closed and hot glue it closed. (If you want to you can sew this closed.)

snake craft6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.     Last hot glue the snake on the bottom of the head and the eyes on the top.

 snake craft8

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember if you make a snake share your photos with us! We want to see your creativity! 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, crafts, education, Environment, nature, snakes, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

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