mammals

MAMMAL MONDAY #87

It’s off to South America for us today! Are you packed and ready to join us? We’re off to find a large mammal with an extraordinarily looooong tongue! Do you have a guess on who it might be? Grab your gear and let’s head out on today’s adventure!

MEET THE GIANT ANTEATER!

   Range/Habitat: Central- South America/ grasslands, forests,

   swamps

   Diet: Insectivore: termites, ants

   Length/Weight: 5 ½-7 ¼ ft/ 60-90 lbs

   Conservation Status: vulnerable

Fun Facts:

•          Giant anteaters have long tubular snouts with tiny mouths.
•          They have 2 ft long tongues.
•          Giant anteaters have poor eyesight.
•          Giant anteaters have an excellent sense of smell.
•          They have large front claws to dig in termite mounds.
•          Giant anteaters are excellent swimmers.

Giant anteaters are such great creatures! They are related to sloths! Who knew that? When baby anteaters are born, they ride on their mothers backs!

MAMMAL MONDAY #85

We’ve packed our bags for today’s adventure to Northern Australian to meet a really cool little mammal. Has everyone practicing saying mate? Pack your hiking boots and walking stick and let’s head out into the forests of the land down under!

MEET THE NUMBAT!

   Range/Habitat: Northwest Australia/ forests

   Diet: Insectivore: termites

   Length/Weight: 8-11”/ 11-26 oz

   Conservation Status: endangered

Fun Facts:

•          Numbats have long bushy tails.
•          Numbats are also known as the banded anteater.
•          They have 4” long sticky tongues.
•          Numbats have large claws on forefeet to help them dig in termite mounds.
•          They are marsupials.
•          Numbats have 53 teeth, the most of any mammal on earth.

Numbats are amazing little creatures. Their numbers dropped dramatically, but thanks to some great conservation programs their numbers are climbing back up! We love to hear how people are helping animals!

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY #84

It’s time to guess the animal! You guys know how this works! You ready, set, go!!!

• I live in the mountains of East Africa.
• I am a large ape.
• I am endangered.

WHO AM I?

MAMMAL MONDAY  #83

Happy Mammal Monday! We’re traveling to the land down under-Australia to find today’s animal! Australia is a large continent with wild and strange animals that are found no other place on earth and today’s mammal is no exception! In fact this mammal is a rare exception to the rule, instead of giving birth to live young it lays eggs! WHAAAAT? You heard right, this mammal lays eggs! Let’s meet…

MEET THE PLATYPUS!

   Range/Habitat: Eastern Australia-Tasmania/rivers-streams-rainforest

   Diet: Carnivore: worms, shrimp, crayfish

   Length/Weight: 16-23 ½”/ 1 ¾-5 ½ lbs

   Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

• Platypus are strange looking mammals, with long slender bodies, webbed feet and a duck-like bill for a mouth.
• They have long tails that look like beaver tails.
• Platypus are built for water. They are excellent swimmers and can dive to deep depths looking for prey.
• They eat about 20% of their body weight a day (about 2lbs), so they can spend up to 12 hours a day feeding.
• Platypus have no teeth!
• Male platypus have venomous spurs in the back feet. The venom is not fatal to humans, but can be very painful.
• Platypus can detect the electrical fields of other animals. They use this extra sense to find their prey!
• They are one of two mammals on earth that lay eggs. Do you know the other one?
• Platypus moms to provide milk to their offspring.

Platypus are one of our favorites, with their crazy looking bill mouths and their webbed feet! They are much loved in Australia too! You can find a platypus on the back of their 20 cent coins! Neat! Edmond wants to be on a coin! Ellie told him he’d have to learn to lay eggs first!

RED PANDA DAY!!!

Who loves Red Pandas? We love Red Pandas! Good thing it’s Red Panda Day! We’re celebrating with pictures, fun facts about red pandas and how you can help these endangered animals!

• Red pandas are classified in their own families, but are related to raccoons.
• They are nocturnal.
• They live in mountainous forests in parts of Southeast Asia.

• Red pandas are arboreal.
• They are solitary.
• Red pandas are also called The Fire Fox or the Red Cat Bear.

• Red pandas eat bamboo, grass, fruit and eggs.
• They have very thick fur and very bushy tails to keep them warm.
• Red pandas have a psuedo thumb that helps them grasp bamboo.

These adorable little red pandas are endangered, mainly due to habitat loss. There is a great organization working very hard to protect our favorite red pals! The Red Panda Network celebrates Red Panda Day, conserves forests and educates people about the fire fox! Check out their website!