education

MOMS WATERY WEDNESDAY

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MOMS WATERY WEDNESDAY

We’re diving down to the depths of the ocean to meet today’s fabulous mom! The ocean is full of moms large and small, some that give live birth and some that lay eggs and go about their way! This cephalopod lays her eggs and then protects them until they hatch! But it’s not that simple, so let’s grab our diving gear and meet these special animals!

MEET THE COMMON OCTOPUS!

   Range/Habitat: Mediterranean- North Atlantic/ rocky bottoms

   Diet: Carnivore: crabs, crustaceans, mollusks

   Length: Head 9” arms up 3 ft

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Common octopi are cephalopods.
  • They have no skeleton and four pairs of arms.
  • Common octopi are considered very intelligent.
  • Common octopus moms lay up to 50,000 eggs in a dark cave.
  • They stay with the eggs while they develop, generally around 2-6 months.
  • Common octopus moms take care of the eggs, by cleaning, holding and blowing oxygen over them.
  • They will not hunt or eat while they are taking care of the eggs.
  • Common octopus moms pass away soon after the babies hatch.

Wow, octopus moms give their life to make sure that their babies hatch safely! That is one amazing mom! We thought octopi before and now we love them even more!!

 

 

 

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, moms, oceans, octopus, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

MOMS REPTILIAN TUESDAY

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MOMS REPTILIAN TUESDAY

Reptiles often aren’t known for their motherly care. Most reptile babies are on their own from the minute the egg is hatched or the day they are born. One famous exception is the members of the crocodile and alligator family! We’re heading to South Georgia (our home state) to meet one responsible reptile mom! These large and in charge reptiles mean business! Are you ready to meet them?

MEET THE AMERICAN ALLIGATOR!

   Range/Habitat: Southwestern United States/ wetlands, swamps,

rivers,lakes, ponds

    Diet: Carnivore: fish, deer, mammals

    Length/Weight: 9 ½-16 ft/ 200-500 lbs

    Conservation Status: common

 

Fun Facts:

  • Alligators are large, territorial and fierce reptiles.
  • They have been on the planet for millions of years.
  • Male alligators bellow or roar to attract females.
  • Female alligators lay 25- 60 eggs in a nest build of mud and vegetation.
  • They guard the nest from predators, such as raccoons.
  • When the baby alligators hatch they are all female or male.  The temperature of the nest determines the sex of the babies.
  • Once they begin to hatch, the mother helps dig open the nest.
  • She protects them from predators by carrying them around on her head or in her mouth.
  • Baby alligators stay with their moms for around 3 years.

Wow, you don’t want to mess with a momma alligator, especially with all those teeth! They work very hard protecting their young from a whole host of predators! Way to go alligator moms!

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, moms, nature, reptiles, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

MOMS MAMMAL MONDAY

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MOMS MAMMAL MONDAY

We’re honoring all those moms out there this week by showcasing some amazing animal moms! Who’s excited? We sure are! There are so many cool animal and human moms out there! We’re starting off the week with the world’s largest land mom out there! That’s right folks; we are focusing on Ellie’s family today! Are you ready to meet a giant mammal mom? Grab your gear we’re going to Africa to meet the Ellie’s relatives!

MEET THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT!

   Range/Habitat: Africa/ grasslands, savannas

   Diet: Herbivores: grass, leaves, roots, bark

   Length/Weight: 13-16 ft/ 4 ½-7 6/8 tons

   Conservation Status: threatened

Fun Facts:

  • African elephants are the largest of all elephant species and are the largest land animal on earth!
  • Both female and male African elephants have tusks!
  • African elephants have two opposable tips on the end of their trunks.
  • African elephants live in herds, led by the oldest female. The herd consists of related females and their offspring. Adult male African elephants are solitary.
  • An elephant’s gestation period (how long the mom is pregnant) is around 22 months! The is the longest pregnancy period of any mammal.
  • Newborn elephants weigh around 200 lbs. Man that is one big baby!
  • Newborn elephants drink around 3 gallons of milk a day!
  • Calves are totally dependent on their moms for the up to the first 3 years of life.
  • Elephants stay with their moms for around 16 years; they spend of most of that time learning to be an elephant!

WOW! Aren’t elephant moms amazing! Can you imagine being pregnant for almost 2 years of your life? It takes loads of hard work to raise a baby elephant! Luckily moms have help from the other females in the herd! It takes a herd to raise a baby elephant! Ellie salutes all the elephant moms out there!

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , | 4 Comments

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 33

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEATHERY FRIDAY# 33

We just love our feathery friends and there are so many birds in the world! They come in all sizes and shapes and colors. They have common names and funny names, like today’s Feathery Friday bird! We’re off to Europe and Asia to meet a cute bird with a funny name.

MEET THE CORNCRAKE!

   Range/Habitat: Europe-Asia

   Diet: Omnivore: invertebrates, grass, seeds

   Length/Weight: 10 ½-12”/ 4-7 oz

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Corncrakes have strong pointy bills.
  • Corncrakes are also called Landrails.
  • They are known for their loud raspy calls.
  • Corncrake’s calls can be heard from a mile away.
  • They can be heard calling up to 20,000 times in a night during the mating season.
  • Corncrakes migrate to Africa in the winter.
  • They migrate at night.
  • Corncrakes are often heard but not seen. They usually stay well hidden.

These birds are just adorable and their calls are so fun! Our Twitter pal @catchthetoucan who is a bird keeper in the UK, she sent us a corncrake call, sadly we could not download it :(. We did find it on this website: http://www.hark.com/clips/mlhhmctfdy-corncrake-call

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

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY # 33

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SUPER SURPRISE

THURSDAY# 33

It’s another Super Surprise Thursday and we’re going flying today! So let’s get our hang gliding gear on because we’ll need to go hang gliding to catch these agile birds!

MEET THE COMMON SWIFT!

   Range/Habitat: Europe-Western Asia/ forest, grasslands

   Diet: Insectivores: Insects

   Length/Weight: 6 ½-7”/ 1- 1 ¾ oz

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Common swifts have long narrow wings.
  • They are fast and agile fliers.
  • Common swifts are small noisy birds.
  • They spend most of their lives in the air. They eat, mate and even sleep in the air.
  • Common swifts look like a boomerang when flying in the air.
  • Common swifts migrate to Africa during the winter.
  • Young swifts remain airborne for up to 3 years before landing to bread.

 

Common swifts are amazing birds! Can you imagine flying for up to 3 years without landing? Phew, that would be exhausting! They are such graceful birds too! We just love them!

 

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

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 33

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WEDNESDAY# 33

We’re staying in the ocean from our trip yesterday and we’re going to find a fish! Specifically we want to find a cartilaginous fish (their skeleton is made of cartilage)! Be careful where you step because these sharks like to bury themselves in the sand!

MEET THE ANGEL SHARK!

   Range/Habitat: Western North Atlantic/ ocean

   Diet: Carnivore: crustaceans, fish

   Length/Weight: up to 5 ft/ up to 60 lbs

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Angel sharks have flat bodies and wide heads.
  • They have wing like pectoral fins.
  • Their eyes are on top of their head and their gill slits are on the bottom.
  • Angel sharks bury themselves in the sand.
  • Angel sharks are also called the Sand Devil.
  • Angel sharks are ambush predators.
  • They have powerful jaws and teeth.

Angel sharks are beautiful fish! There are several different species and they each have different patterns that help them camouflage into the sandy bottom. Luckily these sharks are protected in the waters off the United Kingdom!

 

 

 

 

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, fish, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 33

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 33

We’re diving into the ocean to meet today’s reptile! These special turtles spend most of their lives at sea and come ashore to lay their eggs! Are you excited yet? Grab your diving gear and let’s go!

MEET THE HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLE!

   Range/Habitat: Tropical Ocean waters worldwide/ coral reefs

   Diet: Carnivore: sponges, mollusks, comb jellies

   Length/Weight: 23 ½-32”/ 180 lbs

   Conservation Status: critically endangered

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Hawksbill Sea Turtles are one of the smaller members of the sea turtle family.
  • They have serrated edge carapace (top shell).
  • Hawksbill Sea turtles beautiful scutes (covering on the top shell).
  • They have sharp pointy curved beaks.
  • They often rest in caves and ledges in the coral reef.
  • Most of the prey items that Hawksbill turtles is toxic to other animals.
  • They have a long life span, up to 50 years.

 

Hawksbill turtles are just amazing and beautiful! Thank goodness there are organizations and people out there trying to ensure that they are swimming in our oceans for hundreds of years to come! One great way to help sea turtles is to pick up your trash when you’re on the beach! Sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for food L!

 

 

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, nature, reptiles, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

MAMMAL MONDAY # 33

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY # 33

We’re off to the grasslands of Africa today to meet a most noble ungulate! These hoofed beauties have a lush dark coat of fur and long sharp horns for protection against predators! Do you have on your safari outfit yet? Let’s head out to meet these mammals!

MEET THE SABLE ANTELOPE!

   Range/Habitat: Eastern Africa

   Diet: Herbivores: grass, leaves

   Length/Weight: 6 ¼-8 ¾ ft/ 330-660 lbs

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Male Sable Antelopes have beautiful black coats and females have lovely chestnut brown coats.
  • They live in herds led by a dominant male.
  • Sable antelopes have long ringed horns that point backward.
  • They use the horns for protection against predators.
  • Sable antelopes never stray too far from water.
  • Calves are also chestnut in color when born and spend the first few weeks of life hidden away from the herd.
  • Male sable antelopes leave the herd when they are mature and form bachelor groups before forming a herd of their own.

 

These antelopes are just spectacular with their long horns and shiny black coats! It is rare for an adult to be attacked by predators because of those horns! We wouldn’t want to be on the wrong end of them either! Ouch!

 

 

 

 

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

SAVE THE FROGS DAY!!

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SAVE THE FROGS DAY!

Today we are celebrating Save the Frogs Day! Many frogs are not doing well in the wild and it is up to us to help them out! You can check out the official Save the Frogs website to find out more on how you can help! Today we’re just going to tell you some fun frog facts & hopefully you will see why they are worth caring about!

 

FUN FROG FACTS:

  • Frogs have been on the planet for around 200 million years! That means they could have been hoping with the dinosaurs!
  • Frogs are amphibians!
  • The largest frog in the world is the Goliath Frog! You can read about them here!
  • The smallest frog in the world was just found a few months ago! Check them out!
  • There are about 4,900 species of frogs on our planet and scientists are sure we have not discovered them all! Man that is a ton of frogs.
  • A group of frogs is called an army! A group of toads is called a knot.
  • Toads are frogs! Toads generally have warty skin!
  • Frogs are cold blooded.
  • The most toxic vertebrate is the Golden Dart Frog.
  • Frogs absorb water through their skin.
  • Most frogs hibernate during the winter.
  • Frogs hatch from eggs.
  • Frogs ears can be found right behind their eyes!
  • Male frogs are the ones that croak, chirp, or ribbit. In fact frogs make all kinds of different sounds!

Here are two tunes by Kermit to help you celebrate! Frogs in the Glen and It’s Not Easy Being Green!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories: amphibians, Animals, Children, education, Environment, frogs, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 32

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEATHERY FRIDAY# 32

We were in South Africa yesterday and we’re staying on the continent today to meet a Feathery friend! We’re going to the forests today to meet a lovely little bird! Grab your binoculars because we’re going birding!

MEET THE RED CRESTED TURACO!

   Range/Habitat: Southwestern Africa/ forests

   Diet: Omnivore: fruits, leaves, snails

   Length/Weight: 16-17”/ 7-12 oz

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Red crested turacos have a special cooper pigment that is unique to the Turraco family.
  • If you stir a glass of water with a feather from the Red crested turaco, the water would turn pink!
  • Red crested turacos live in the canopy of the forests.
  • They have mobile outer toes for gripping branches.
  • They hop from branch to branch looking for food.
  • Red crested turacos are highly territorial.
  • They live in family groups or flocks.
  • Red crested turacos bond for life and both the female and male build the nest and incubate the eggs.
  • Red crested turacos disperse seeds throughout the forest through their poop!

 

Wow, aren’t these birds amazing with their funny crests on their heads? We could watch them hop around tree branches all day!

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

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