mammals

WATERY WEDNESDAY# 22

Welcome to another Watery Wednesday! We have a mammal today! Yep, there are mammals that live in the world’s oceans! Neat! Today’s animal lives in the chilly waters of the North Atlantic.  Does everyone have on their wetsuits? Let’s go!

MEET THE WHITE BEAKED DOLPHIN!

Range/Habitat: North Atlantic Ocean/North America-Europe

Diet: Carnivore: fish, squid

Length/Weight: up to 9 ½ ft/ up to 770 lbs

Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

• White Beaked Dolphins are large, stocky dolphins.
• They are dark gray with black and white patches. They can vary in color depending on where they live.
• White beaked dolphins are found in schools or pods with around 30 individuals. They have been seen in pods with as many as 1,000 individuals.
• White beaked dolphins are very acrobatic and are often seen jumping out of the water.
• White beaked dolphins are often seen with pods of fin whales and humpback whales.

These stocky dolphins are known to be very acrobatic, breaching (jumping out of the water on their side) and doing flips. We wish we could do such cool stuff in the water! But that’s what dolphins are built for and elephants and horses are not. See, every animal is special! J

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY# 21

My, what big ears you have! We have found a special little mammal with very LARGE ears for today’s Super Surprise Thursday! Get out your sunglasses and sunscreen, because we’re heading to the African desert!

MEET THE FENNEC FOX!

Range/Habitat: Northern Africa-Asia/ desert

Diet: Omnivore: seeds, fruit, termites, eggs, lizards

Length/Weight: 9 ½-16”/ 2 ¼-13lb

Conservation Status: Common

Fun Facts:

• Fennec foxes are the smallest member of the fox family.
• Fennec fox are nocturnal (active at night).
• They have unusually large ears that help them keep cool in the desert heat and warm at night.
• Fennec fox also have fur on the bottom of their paws that protects them from the hot desert sand.
• They live in small groups in underground dens.
• They can survive several days without water, but will happily drink it when they find it.
• Little is known about wild Fennec fox, most of what we know about them is from captive populations in zoos.
• Fennec fox are the national animal of Algeria! Neat!

Wow, aren’t these little foxes really adorable with their large ears? We bet they have excellent hearing too! Did you know other animals use their ears to help them keep cool? Can you guess who that animal is? NO? It’s elephants!!

MAMMAL MONDAY# 21

Who’s up and excited for Mammal Monday? We are! We found a desert loving primate for today! You better have your cameras ready, because this monkey sure is fast! Let’s get moving!

MEET THE PATAS MONKEY!

Range/Habitat: Western-Eastern Central Africa/ desert-grasslands

Diet: Omnivore: seeds, insects, tubers

Length/Weight: 23-35”/ 22-29lb

Conservation Status: Common

Fun Facts:

• Patas Monkeys have long slim bodies, arms and legs.
• Patas monkeys live in troops of 10-15 individual animals. The troops are made up of females, their offspring and one dominant male.
• Patas monkeys have a white moustache and beard, that make them look like old men J.
• They are very fast, probably the fastest primate on earth. They don’t climb trees to escape predators, but can outrun them.
• Patas monkeys can run up to 34 miles per hour.
• The male in the troop stands around the edge of the troop and acts as a guard and as a lookout.

These fast and regal looking monkeys are very special! Who wants to race a Patas monkey! Both Ellie and Edmond are pretty sure we could outrun one!

SUPER SURPRISE

THURSDAY# 20

Tiny is great way to describe today’s Super Surprise Thursday animal! Do you have your night vision goggles out? Are you ready to go walking in a field? Be careful because this little mammal might be right under your feet!

MEET THE NORTHERN PYGMY MOUSE!

Range/Habitat: Southern United States-Central Mexico/grasslands-fields

Diet: Herbivore: plants, seeds

Length/Weight: 2-2 ½”/ 7-10 grams

Conservation Status: Common

Fun Facts:

• The Northern Pygmy Mouse is the smallest rodent in North America.
• They are about the size of a chicken egg.
• Northern Pygmy mice are nocturnal (active at night).
• They burrow under logs and plants.
• They are active all year long.
• Female Northern Pygmy mice can become pregnant at the age of 60 days.

These tiny little rodents sure are cute. Do you think it would be hard to spot one in the wild? We do! That’s why we bring them to you!

SUPER SURPRISE

THURSDAY# 19

We couldn’t talk arctic animals without including this special hoofed animal! That’s right! We’ve found one of the most famous arctic dwellers of all! Do you have your sleigh ready?

MEET THE REINDEER!

Range/Habitat: North America-Europe-Asia/Tundra-forest

Diet:  Herbivore: grasses, moss, lichen

Length/Weight: 4- 7 ¼ ft/ 260-660 lb

Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

• Reindeer are also called caribou.
• They vary in color and size depending on where they live. Reindeer that live closest to the arctic are white in color.
• Both female and male reindeer have antlers. Males lose their antlers in the winter.
• Reindeer antlers are covered in a layer of fur called velvet.
• Their noses are specialized to warm cold air before it enters their lungs.
• Reindeers have a four chambered stomach!
• One of their favorite foods is called reindeer moss.
• Reindeers are the only mammal that can see ultraviolent light!
• Some reindeer populations migrate. They can migrate up to 3,000 miles in one year! Whew, they must be tired!

Besides being really neat, reindeer are famous for pulling Santa’s sleigh! We were hoping to meet a real reindeer this year, but we weren’t able to. We are making some antlers out of pipe cleaners though! What’s your favorite thing about reindeer?

We found a coloring sheet too:

http://www.edupics.com/coloring-page-reindeer-i8663.html

TOOTHY TUESDAY # 19

Well, well, well, did you know that there are no reptiles in the arctic? It seems it is too cold for our cold-blooded friends in the arctic! Instead of having Reptilian Tuesday we’re going to have Toothy Tuesday! Do you have your coats on? It’s time to meet an animal with big teeth!

MEET THE WALRUS!

Range/Habitat: Arctic/water, shoreline

Diet: Carnivore: shrimp, sea-snails, fish

Length/Weight: 9 ¾-12 ft/ 1 ¼ -2 ¼ tons

Conservation Status: data deficient

Fun Facts:

• Walrus are large marine mammals with flippers.
• Walrus eat prey off the bottom of the oceans and use suction to eat.
• They can stay underwater for up to 25 minutes and can dive down to 330ft deep.
• They are highly social and often are seen in large groups, called herds.
• Male walruses are twice the size of females.
• They have rough wrinkly skin and very whiskery faces.
• Walruses have tusks of ivory. They can grow up to 3 ft 3” long.

Walruses sure are huge and cute! How can you not like their whiskery faces? These blubbery mammals are loud, social and full of personality! They are one of our favorites!

Here’s some walrus sounds: