conservation

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 48

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY #48

We’re going on a short road trip today to meet one cute but stinky reptile! These turtles inhabit our local area and we’ve even met a few on twitter! So let’s get on our hiking shoes and go looking for these great reptiles!

MEET THE STINKPOT!

   Range/Habitat: Southeastern United States/ wetlands, ponds

   Diet: Omnivore: plants, insects, mollusks

   Length: 3 ¼-5”

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Stinkpots are also known as the Common Musk Turtle.
  • They expel a foul musk odor as a defense mechanism.
  • Stinkpots spend most of the lives in water.
  • They are often covered in algae.
  • Stinkpot males have longer tails than females.
  • They have barbells on their chin that help them find food.
  • Stinkpots use their tongues to breathe underwater.

Stinkpots are such cute little turtles! So many animals use the defense of emitting a stinky smell, so it must work! The best part of these little turtles is their fun name- Stinkpots! Try saying it without smiling!

  

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, reptiles, science, turtles, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

MAMMAL MONDAY #48

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY #48!

Grab your safari hats and night vision goggles and let’s head off to Africa today to meet a relative of the hyena! These bug loving mammals may look like their relatives, but they are very different! Are you ready? Let’s go!

MEET THE AARDWOLF!

   Range/Habitat: Eastern South Africa/ desert-scrub

   Diet: Insectivore: termites, insects

   Length/Weight: 26”/ 20 lbs

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Aardwolves have longer front legs than back legs.
  • They have 3 stripes on each side.
  • Aardwolves have a crest of fur down their backs. They puff the fur up when they are threatened to look bigger.
  • Aardwolves are nocturnal (active at night) and solitary.
  • They have sticky tongues that they use to eat insects!
  • Aardwolves can eat up to 200,000 termites a night!

Aardwolves are really cool. Unlike their hyena cousins who eat carrion or kill their prey, these guys eat bugs and lots of them! If you could pick, which would you be a carnivore or an insectivore?

 

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

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 47

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEATHERY FRIDAY #47

We’re putting on our heavy coats, scarves and snow shoes and going to the South Pole to meet today’s feathery friend.  We need to keep our distance because we don’t want to get hit with their stinky defense mechanism. Are you ready?

MEET THE SNOW PETREL!

   Range/Habitat: Antarctica/ oceans-coasts

   Diet: Carnivore: krill

   Length/Weight: 12-16”/ 9 oz

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Snow Petrels have pure white feathers.
  • Snow petrels have black beaks and eyes.
  • They are one of the few birds that live and bread on the Antarctic continent.
  • They live in large colonies.
  • Snow petrels are territorial.
  • Snow petrels defend themselves & territory by spitting a foul smelling oil.

Snow petrels are pretty birds! They survive in a habitat that most animals wouldn’t even think about living in! But man those birds sure can stink up the joint!

  

 

 

Categories: Animals, birds, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY # 47

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SUPER SURPRISE #47

We’re going bird watching in North Africa today! We’re on the lookout for a brightly colored bird with funny feathers around the beak! Grab your binoculars and let’s head on today’s adventure!

MEET THE BEARDED BARBET!

   Range/Habitat: North Africa/ woodlands

   Diet: Omnivore: fruit, figs, insects

   Length/Weight: 10”/ 2 ½-4 oz

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Bearded Barbets are black and red.
  • They have bristly feathers around their beaks. These feathers give them their name.
  • Bearded barbets are related to toucans and woodpeckers.
  • Bearded barbets live in groups of 4-5 birds.
  • They are plump birds.
  • Bearded barbets use their bills to pound open holes in trees.

These gorgeous birds are funny looking with their feathery beards. Did you know that birds who eat fruit such as figs, help grow more fig trees? That’s right, when these birds poop, they redistribute the seeds and help another tree grow! Neat!

  

Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 47

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WENESDAY # 47

It’s Watery Wednesday and we’re going diving in a Pacific coral reef to meet a fish who can blow a mean horn! Ok, they can’t actually play the trumpet, but they are pretty cute! Let’s do this!

MEET THE TRUMPETFISH!

   Range/Habitat: Pacific-Indian Ocean/ coral reef

   Diet: Carnivore: small fish

   Length: up to 32”

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Trumpetfish have long slender bodies and long snouts.
  • They are ambush predators.
  • Trumpetfish are yellow or brown in color.
  • They camouflage among the coral by floating vertically head down.
  • Trumpetfish have small jaws and usually suck in their prey.

 

Trumpetfish are masters of camouflage! They just float around looking like coral til their prey swims by and grabs them! If you could camouflage in any habitat what would it be?

 

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

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 47

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY #47

We docked the boat from our trip off the coast of South America and jumped on a plane to the northern part of the continent. We’re going on the wetlands to find one cool reptile. Grab your hats and let’s go!

MEET THE CAIMAN LIZARD!

   Range/Habitat: Northern South America/rainforest-wetlands

   Diet: Carnivore: snails, crabs

   Length: 3- 3 ½ ft

   Conservation Status: not listed

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Caiman lizards have large cone shaped scales on their backs and tails.
  • Male Caiman lizards have green bodies and orange throats and females have gray throats.
  • Caiman lizards have strong jaws for crushing snail shells.
  • They are excellent swimmers.
  • Caiman lizards spend most of their time in or near water.

Caiman lizards are so colorful and cool! They look like little dinosaurs, well if they had feathers they would! If you could color a lizard any color, what colors would you use?

 

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, rainforests, reptiles, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

MAMMAL MONDAY # 47

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY #47!

This Mammal Monday we’re going a boat to South America to find one amazing and beautiful marine mammal! What’s black and white and swims? Let’s go find out!

MEET THE COMMERSON’S DOLPHIN!

   Range/Habitat: Tip of South America/ Indian Ocean/ oceans-coastlines

   Diet: Carnivore: sea stars, fish, crabs

   Length/Weight: 4 ½-5 ½ ft

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Commerson’s Dolphins are black and white and look like small killer whales.
  • Commerson’s Dolphins calves are gray and develop their coloration as adults.
  • They live in schools of around 10 individuals.
  • Commerson’s Dolphins are also called the Panda Dolphin.
  • They are very acrobatic swimmers.
  • Commerson’s Dolphins are known to swim upside down to find their prey on the ocean floor.

Wow, these fast and graceful dolphins are gorgeous! They really do look like mini orcas! Did you know that Orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family? Neat!

  

 

 

 

 

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

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 46

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEATHERY FRIDAY #46

We’re staying in North America today to meet a bird who is a master at camouflage! They live near rivers and lakes, because that’s where their favorite prey lives. Grab your walking stick, best observation skills and binoculars and let’s go!

MEET THE AMERICAN BITTERN!

   Range/Habitat: North America-Central America/ wetlands, marshes, rivers

   Diet: Carnivore: fish, frogs

   Length/Weight: 23 ½-34”/ 18-32 oz

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • American Bitterns have mottled brown feathers that are perfect at helping them camouflage in their habitat.
  • They are members of the heron family.
  • American Bitterns use their dagger like bills to catch their prey.
  • They are solitary.
  • American Bitterns point their bills in the air and sway with the grass to avoid being detected by predators.
  • They have a loud booming call that sounds like a drum.

These small members of the heron family sure are neat! We love their funny call! Now all we need is a washboard and a banjo playing bird and we could have one awesome marsh bird band! Hahaha!

  

 

 

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

BUTTERFLY DAY!

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

BUTTERFLIES!!!

The Dunwoody Nature Center just north of Atlanta had a Butterfly Festival recently and of course we had to go! Our good pals Trevor and Ayden came with their parents, so it was a party for everyone!

 

Butterfly Festival here we come!

 

We had a lovely time exploring this neat little nature center and all the festivities they had throughout the day! First up we saw a Birds of a Prey show presented by Nature’s Echo.

We’re getting ready to meet some birds of prey!

The ladies from Nature’s Echo had 3 birds with them; a Mississippi Kite, a Screech Owl and a Red Tailed Hawk. These amazing birds were so cool to see up close and we learned some super neat facts about them!

  • A Mississippi Kite’s eyesight is so keen they can see every wing beat of a hummingbird’s wing.
  • Owls have 14 vertebrates in their necks.
  • It is illegal to own a raptor feather in the state of Georgia.
  • An owl’s ears are off set on their head.

Mississippi Kite having a snack!

 

Mississippi Kite- gorgeous!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Screech Owl! They are really small!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edmond & Trevor meet the kite!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We met a red tailed hawk!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out this talon! Wow!

They had a wing you could touch and feel!

 

 

Wow! Raptors have some super cool adaptations! We really enjoyed meeting these gorgeous birds!

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the birds of prey show we wandered around the nature center’s grounds to check out the fun activities and vendors! You could make crafts, enjoy treats or get a bug tattoo! We wanted a tattoo but we couldn’t decide where to put them.

This butterfly is made of bottle caps! Reusing items to make art is awesome!

We ran into this wonderful bear in his National Park outfit!

Handsome bear!

 

It finally was time to enter the butterfly tent and man, were we excited! We could hardly contain ourselves! Luckily we learned some fun butterfly facts as we waited in line!

Butterfly facts!

More fun facts!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We finally made it in the tent & there were butterflies everywhere! They were all different sizes, shapes and colors! We just loved meeting each one of them!

Butterfly sits on a feeder!

 

Black & yellow butterfly!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you spot the butterfly?

 

See the tiny butterfly above us?

Trevor & his mom helped us find this lovely butterfly umbrella!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One last gorgeous butterfly shot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our last stop of the day was inside the nature where we met some local beekeepers and sampled their honey! Yum! We could see the inside of the hive and we spotted the queen thanks to one observant boy who found her! Did you know that they queen has a yellow spot on her back? Cool!

 

Beehive!

Honey samples! Delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had the best time at The Dunwoody Nature Center’s Butterfly Festival! If you’re in Atlanta you should check out this special nature center and all their fun activities!

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Atlanta, backyard, Children, conservation, education, Environment, insects, Local, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 46

Posted on September 26, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WENESDAY # 46

Let’s all get on our sweaters, hiking boots and grab a walking stick because we’re going for a hike in Northwestern US to meet a fish that starts and ends its life in freshwater.  Be on the lookout, because the river will be full of them!

MEET THE SOCKEYE SALMON!

   Range/Habitat: Northeast Asia-North Pacific-Northwest America/

rivers-oceans

   Diet: Carnivore: zooplankton

   Length/Weight: up to 33”/up to 15 lbs

   Conservation Status: locally common

 

Fun Facts:

  • Sockeye salmon spawn in rivers and lakes.
  • They are also known as red salmon.
  • Sockeye salmon have blue heads and backs as adults.
  • Sockeye salmon live in the ocean for most of their adult lives.
  • They travel up to 900 miles to spawn (release their eggs & sperm to make new salmon).
  • When they go into freshwater systems to spawn they turn bright green and red.
  • A group of sockeye salmon is called a run.

Sockeye salmon are really cool fish! They die in the same freshwater habitat that they were born in. Can you imagine swimming all those miles? Sockeye salmon must get very tired!

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

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