education

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 26

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 26

It’s Tuesday and you know what that means! It’s the day of the week when we meet a reptile! Woohoo! We’re heading to the grasslands of Africa to meet a big tortoise! Who’s ready to go? Let’s do this!

 

MEET THE AFRICAN SPUR-THIGHED TORTOISE!

   Range/Habitat: Africa (Southern Sahara)- grasslands/sand dunes

  Diet: Herbivore: grasses, weeds, leaves

  Length/Weight: 24-36”/100-200lbs

  Conservation Status: vulnerable

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

 

  • African Spur-thighed tortoises have spurs on their hind legs.
  • They are the 3rd largest tortoise on the planet.
  • African spur-thighed tortoise males are smaller than females.
  • They live in burrows.
  • They graze on grass and weeds.
  • They have a life span from 30-50 years.

 

These big tortoises are awesome! They are largest tortoise that lives on the mainland, since Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises all live on islands!  These guys are often kept as pets. They need loads of special care and space, because they are so big; so it’s very, very important that you do your research before deciding to get one!

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

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL POLAR BEAR DAY!

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL POLAR BEAR DAY!

Do you have your coat on for this Mammal Monday? Well, if you don’t you better grab it because all this week we are heading to the chilly arctic circle! In honor of the holiday and the fat guy who lives at the North Pole, we’ve decide to spotlight animals who live there too! First up, a large and in charge bear! Are you all bundled up? Let’s go! (This post was originally posted on Dec 19th as Mammal Monday #19)

MEET THE POLAR BEAR!

 

   Range/Habitat: Arctic/ice, shoreline

    Diet: Carnivore: seals, carrion

   Length/Weight: 7-11ft/800- 1500lb

   Conservation Status: Vulnerable (In Canada)

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Polar bears are the largest members of the bear family and the largest land carnivore on earth.
  • They have two coats of fur, an outer translucent coat that absorbs the sun’s heat and a dense undercoat.
  • Polar bears have black skin that helps them absorb heat.
  • They also have a thick layer of blubber to help them stay warm.
  • Polar bears have rough pads on their paws that help prevent them from slipping and sliding on the ice.
  • They are excellent swimmers and are often seen in open waters.
  • They use their large front paws to swim.
  • Polar bears can smell a seal from a half mile away.
  • Female polar bears dig dens in winter and stay there to give birth to 1 to 3 cubs.
  • Polar bear cubs stay with their moms until around the age of 2. They spend that time learning to hunt and be polar bears!

Polar bears are amazing animals! They are built to live in the cold arctic! These large and in-charge bears are a protected species! We hope to have them around for a very long time!

 

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

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 25

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEATHERY FRIDAY# 25

It’s Friday, Friday we’re celebrating Feathery Friday! We found a funny bird with a crown full of feathers for you today! These little birds live all over, so pack your passport and let’s head out to find this bird!

MEET THE HOOPOE!

   Range/Habitat: Europe-Asia-Africa/ woodlands- grasslands

   Diet: Carnivore: snails, insects, worms

   Length/Weight: 11”/ 2 ½ oz

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Hoopoes are little birds with long curved bills.
  • They use their bills to peck the ground for prey! They probe the ground with their bills open, kind of like birdie chopsticks!
  • They have a beautiful crown of feathers on their head.
  • Hoopoe is pronounced like this!
  • They get their name from their call.
  • Hoopoes take baths in sand and dust.
  • They are known to be foul-smelling and dirty birds.
  • Hoopoes keep their nests very dirty with poop and other secretions. This is thought to be a defense mechanism against predators.
  • Hoopoes are the national bird of Israel.

 

These beautiful birds sure have a bad reputation for being dirty, but sometimes being dirty can be a good thing! Ellie likes to get dirty, because mud is great for elephants! Just think if predators think your nest smells so bad they won’t get near it than being dirty works! Now, please don’t tell your mom and dad that you keep your room dirty to keep out predators J!

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

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY # 25

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SUPER SURPRISE

THURSDAY# 25

Wow! Do we have a surprise for today’s Super Surprise animal! This amphibian has a very funny name and an even funnier life cycle! We’re boarding a plane and heading to South America! Are you in?

 

MEET THE PARADOXICAL FROG!

Range/Habitat: Eastern South America-Trinidad/ wetlands, rivers, lakes

Diet: Carnivore: insects

Length: 2-2 ½”

Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Paradoxical Frogs tadpoles have a long life span.
  • The Paradoxical frog tadpoles grow up to 10” long, about 4 times larger than their adult size.
  • Their tails shrink and get absorb as the tadpole turns into an adult.
  • Paradoxical frogs’ eyes and nostrils are on top of their heads.
  • The adult Paradoxical frog spends most of its life in the water.
  • They are nocturnal (active at night).

 

Can you believe there is a frog that is bigger as a tadpole (baby) than it is as an adult? That sure is different! That would be like you starting out as 6 feet tall as a baby and end up being 2 feet tall as an adult! CRAZY- but cool!

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

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 25

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WEDNESDAY# 25

Woohoo, it’s Watery Wednesday and we have found a fish that has a reptile in its name! So is it a fish or it is a reptile? Well, let’s find out together! Get your diving gear on because we’re going into the ocean!

 

MEET THE CROCODILE SHARK!

    Range/Habitat: Pacific-Eastern Atlantic & Indian Oceans

    Diet: Carnivore: small fish, squid and shrimp

    Length: 3 ½ ft

    Conservation Status: Near threatened

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Crocodile Sharks are small sharks with short pointed snouts.
  • They have large eyes.
  • Crocodile sharks can extend their toothy jaws to grab prey!
  • They follow prey to the surface at night then go back to the deep during the day.
  • Not much is known about Crocodile sharks behavior.

 

These small ferocious looking sharks are still a bit of a mystery to scientist! We think they’re just cool! What do think about these crazy big eyed fish?

 

 

 

 

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

INTERVIEW WITH OWLBERT THE OWL!!

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Meet Owlbert!

We had the most exciting interview the other day! We met Owlbert the Great Horned Owl and his handler Debbie! We sat down to interview the two and learn Owlbert’s story!

Owlbert checking us out!

Us: It is so nice to meet you! Debbie can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you met Owlbert?

Debbie: I was a wildlife rehabilitator in Texas and rehabbed all kinds of animals. I am now a Master Falconer. I received a call that there was an owl who had been injured and lost his eye, so I decided to take him in.

Us: Owlbert, how were you injured?

Owlbert: I was hit by a car and a nice human found me and took me to a vet. My left eye and skull were hurt and they decided that they had to take my eye out.

Us: Wow! That sounds like it was very painful. How long did it take you to recover?

Owlbert: It took about 2 months for my head injury to heal and about another month for the swelling and pain to go away.

Us: Goodness! That was great of Debbie to take you in and help you get better. What’s it like here?

Owlbert: I live in a muse (a type of aviary) in the back yard. It has several places to perch for me and a nice box for me to go in during bad weather.

Us: That is great! You are large bird, how much do you weigh?

Owlbert: I weigh about 1500 grams or 3 lbs.

Us: Cool. What do eat?

Owlbert: I really like rats and I get a large one every day. Sometimes I get squirrels or mice too. In the wild, one of the Great Horned Owl’s favorite prey items is skunk!

Us: Whew! Skunks are stinky! Do you throw up owl pellets?

Owlbert: Oh yes, I cannot digest some of the bones and fur of the rats I eat, so every day I throw up a pellet of all those parts.

Us: Eeeew! What do you do now with Debbie?

Owlbert: Debbie and I go out to nature centers, schools and other places like Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Debbie tells people all about me and owls. Debbie does all the talking and I sit on my perch and look handsome!

Us: That is great that you act as ambassador for your wild cousins!

Owlbert: Oh yes! We like to tell people about how they can help Great Horned Owls and other animals in the wild!

Us: Neat! Can you give us some tips?

Owlbert: Sure! One great way is to make sure your own yard is great place for wildlife to live. You can plant trees or bushes that provide shelter or put up bird houses or bat boxes.  Another great thing to do is to keep things like chemical and oil containers out of reach of all animals.

Us: Those tips are fabulous! We know that you live with Debbie, would you recommend that others take in wild animals as pets.

Owlbert: Oh no. Debbie is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and she is an expert at taking care of me. Here in Georgia is illegal to own native species without a having a special permit. Being in captivity can be very stressful for wild animals and wild animals can carry diseases that they can give to other animals or people.

Us: Wild animals need to live in their habitats. Do you know any ways to enjoy animals in their habitats?

Owlbert: Oh yes! Go to a park or your yard and listen for all the sounds that you hear from birds, insects and mammals. Count how many things live under a rock. Take pictures and make a photo album.

Us: Those are some excellent ideas! How do people contact Debbie if they would like for the two of you to visit?

Owlbert: That’s easy! You can contact us at Wild Things Environmental Education!

Debbie Tennyson 770-355-2292 or eaglesky1@gmail.com

Us: Thanks again for joining us today Owlbert and Debby! We had a blast getting to meet you! Be sure to check Owlbert out on his Facebook page too!

Owlbert’s Facebook Page!

Owlbert is celebrating his 2nd birthday soon! You can join him at birthday party too! Here’s the info:

Wild Bird Center of Buford
2725 Hamilton Mill Rd. suite 1400
Buford, GA. 30519
Saturday, May 3 from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 pm

Here we are with Owlbert! He rocked!

Here are some Fun Great Horned Owl Facts:

  • They are native to the Americas.
  • They have a very low pitch call
  • They are nocturnal.
  • They are the most widely distributed owl in the Americas.
  • They cannot move their eyes, but instead can turn their head 270 degrees.
  • They have an excellent sense of hearing.  

We hope you all have enjoyed our interview with Owlbert! We know we sure did!

Owlbert and Debby gave us this fun activity to try too! Learn to see like an owl!

Owl binocular vision craft

Categories: Animals, Atlanta, birds, Children, education, Environment, Local, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

REPTILIAN TUESDAY #25

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 25

Who’s up and ready to start their day with an adorable lizard? We definitely are! Bring on Reptilian Tuesday and let’s head to the hot hot desert of the South Western United States. Bring your sunglasses, a hat and some water because this lizard likes it extra hot!

MEET THE COLLARED LIZARD!

Range/Habitat: Central-South West United States

Diet: Carnivore: insects, lizards

Length: 8-14”

Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts

  • Collared lizards get their name from the two black and one white stripe around their necks.
  • Collard lizards can run on their hind legs only (similar to Frilled Lizards).
  • They are most active on very hot days!
  • They have very strong jaws to help them crush through their favorite prey!
  • Collared lizards live in burrows or under rocks.
  • Collared lizards are the state reptile of Oklahoma!

 

These neat little lizards enjoy a climate that most of think is just way to hot! That’s what makes them special! And how cool is it that they can run on their hind legs? Ellie and Edmond wish they could do that!

 

 

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

MAMMAL MONDAY # 25

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY# 25

Happy Mammal Monday! We’re back to our regular scheduled mammals! We sure hope you enjoyed our Valentine’s week! We’re heading to the land down under today to meet today’s animal! These members of the dog family are pretty cool! Are you ready to meet them? Let’s do this!

MEET THE DINGO!

    Range/Habitat: Australia/ wetlands-grasslands-forests

    Diet: Carnivore: rodents, rabbits, birds

    Length/Weight: 28-43”/ 20-47 lbs

    Conservation Status: Vulnerable

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Dingoes are likely descendants of domestic dogs.
  • It is thought that came to Australia around 4,000 years ago.
  • Dingoes are often found alone, but will hunt in pairs and small family groups or packs.
  • Dingoes are mostly nocturnal (active at night).
  • They do not bark, but howl.
  • They have long bushy tails.
  • Dingoes often breed with domestic dogs, so pure dingoes are vanishing.

 

Dingoes are really cool members of the dog family. They are often considered pests in Australia and many ranchers build dingo fences. These predators are very important to their ecosystem though, because they keep prey populations in check!

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

VALENTINE’S FRIDAY

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

VALENTINE’S FRIDAY!

It’s Friday and the last day of our Valentine Theme Week! We hope you have enjoyed it! We have a found a very special bird for you today! These birds are the garbage men of the wild! Let’s meet this spectacular bird!

 

MEET THE BLACK VULTURE!

    Range/Habitat: United States-South America/ open land, grasslands, forests

    Diet: Carnivore: carrion, eggs

    Length/Weight: 22-27”/ 3-6 lbs

    Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

 

  • Black vultures are new world vultures; they inhabit North and South America.
  • They are scavengers and mainly dine on carrion (dead animals).
  • Black vultures lack normal vocal cords, so they hiss and grunt!
  • Both male and female Black vultures take care of the chicks.
  • Black vultures are highly social and form family groups.
  • They most often hunt by sight.

Who doesn’t love vultures? Well, if you don’t you should learn too! These social birds are great at cleaning up! Remember every animal has their place in the ecosystem and each ecosystem needs decomposers and garbage birds J!

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VALENTINE’S THURSDAY

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

VALENTINE’S THURSDAY!

We’ve only got two days of our Valentine’s theme week left and today we have a beautiful bird! You might not have to travel far to see these guys, as they live on every continent except Antarctica! Who is ready to meet these lovelies? We are!

MEET THE MUTE SWAN!

    Range/Habitat: Every continent except Antarctica/ lakes-ponds

    Diet: Omnivore: plants, insects

    Length/Weight: up to 5ft/ 20-25 lbs

    Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Mute Swans are one of the heaviest flying birds on earth and the 2nd largest member of the waterfowl family.
  • Mute swans have pure white feathers.
  • They have webbed feet that help them swim.
  • Their long necks help them reach to deep depths to get food that ducks and other birds cannot reach.
  • Mute swans mate for life.
  • Their chicks are called cygnets and both male and female mute swans take care of the cygnets.
  • Mute swans have up to 25,000 feathers!

 

You may recognize the Mute Swan from the story of “The Ugly Duckling”. These beautiful birds are so fun to watch.  Did you know that they are the National Bird of Denmark? Pretty cool!

 

 

 

 

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

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