Olympics

OLYMPIC ANIMALS DAY # 5

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

OLYMPIC ANIMALS DAY #5

It’s the last day of our Olympic Animals Week and we’re off to the Arctic to meet a bird who knows how to fly! We’ll need a plane to keep up with these birds, because they migrate from one end of the earth to the other! Whew! Are you ready?

MEET THE ARCTIC TERN!

   Range/Habitat: Arctic-Antarctica/ oceans

   Diet: Carnivore: fish, crustaceans

   Length/Weight: 13-14”/ 3 3/8- 4 oz

   Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

  • Arctic terns have one of the longest migrations of any bird on the planet.
  • They can fly 10,000-12,000 miles twice a year.
  • Arctic terns spend most of their lives in daylight.
  • They nest in Antarctica in the summer.
  • Arctic terns dive for their food.
  • When they are molting, they cannot fly.
  • They can live up to 20-30 years.

Wowzers! We get tired just thinking about all the flying these amazing birds do in a year! Can you imagine? Arctic terns definitely deserve the gold medal in long distance flying! We hope you’ve enjoyed Olympic Animals Week! Please tell your friends and family about our blog :)!

  

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

OLYMPIC ANIMALS DAY # 4

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

OLYMPIC ANIMALS DAY #4

Day four of our Olympic animal week takes us to deserts of the Southwestern U.S. We’re looking for a small rodent that will take on the long jump! Let’s all practice our hoping skills and meet…

MEET THE MERRIAN KANGAROO RAT!

   Range/Habitat: Southwestern U.S.-Northern Mexico/deserts-scrubs

   Diet: Herbivores: seeds, vegetation

   Length/Weight: 3 ¼-5 ½”/ 7/16- 1 5/8 oz

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Merrian Kangaroo rats are the smallest member of the kangaroo rat family.
  • They have large back legs and feet.
  • Merrian kangaroo rats have long slender tails that help them balance when they hop or stand!
  • They move much like a kangaroo.
  • Merrian kangaroo rats can jump 7-8ft in one leap!
  • They are neither kangaroos nor rats!
  • Merrian kangaroo rats live in burrows.
  • They’re adapted to survive on little water.

 

Kangaroo rats are just so cute, with their fat bodies and their kangaroo like features. And man can they leap! We’re going to practice our hopping skills today. Edmond is much better than Ellie for sure!

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, education, entertainment, mammals, nature, Olympics, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

OLYMPIC ANIMALS WEEK DAY # 3

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

OLYMPIC ANIMALS DAY # 3

We’re off to Southeast Asia to find a little fish with amazing archery skills! Don’t worry they don’t have a crossbow and arrow, they spit water! Grab your wellies and let’s head out to meet today’s Olympic worthy animal!

MEET THE ARCHERFISH!

   Range/Habitat: Indo-Pacific/ brackish waters & freshwater habitats

   Diet: Carnivore: insects

   Length/Weight: up to 16”/ up to 2 ¼ lbs

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Archerfish are silver and black.
  • They have excellent eyesight!
  • Archerfish shoot jets of water out of their mouths. They can shoot it up to 5ft away.
  • They shoot insects off of low hanging vegetation and leaves.
  • Archerfish are very accurate.
  • Young archerfish must practice their shooting skills.

 

Archerfish have amazing skills! Adults rarely miss their targets! We bet these fish could win any Olympic archery competition, fins down!

 

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

OLYMPIC ANIMALS WEEK DAY #2

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

OLYMPIC ANIMALS DAY #2

We’re taking the Ellie and Edmond sub down to depths of the ocean to meet one amazing reptile! These turtles can dive deep and swim great distances! There’s plenty of room in the sub for everyone to meet these big reptiles! Let’s go!

MEET THE LEATHERBACK TURTLES!

   Range/Habitat: Tropical-Subtropical-temperate oceans worldwide

   Diet: Carnivore: jellies, fish

   Length/Weight: 4 ½-6ft/ up to 2000lbs

   Conservation Status: critically endangered

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Leatherback turtles are the largest of all marine turtles.
  • They have the longest migration of any marine turtle, up to 3,700 miles one way!
  • Leatherback turtles can dive down to depths of 1,300 ft!
  • They can hold their breath for up 80 minutes!
  • Leatherback turtles do not have hard carapaces (top shells); instead they have leathery ones.
  • They have large flippers to help them swim.
  • Relatives of the leatherback turtle date back 100 million years!

Wow! We love leatherback turtles! Can you believe that they swim 3,700 miles to get to their feeding & breeding grounds? You thought the 800 meter relay was hard! These turtles can do that in a blink!

 

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

OLYMPIC ANIMALS WEEK!

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

OLYMPIC ANIMALS WEEK!

As human athletes gather in London to compete in this year’s Summer Olympic Games, we here at Ellie and Edmond headquarters want to celebrate some amazing animal athletes! And let us tell you these animals can put humans to shame! Our first animal lives in the savannahs of Africa and man are they FAST! Grab your safari outfit and let’s set off to meet…

MEET THE CHEETAH!

   Range/Habitat: Africa/ savannas-deserts

   Diet: Carnivore: gazelle, antelopes, hares

   Length/Weight: 3 ½-5 ft/ 46-160 lbs

   Conservation Status: vulnerable

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Cheetahs are the world’s fastest land animal.
  • They can sprint up 62 mph.
  • Cheetahs have a backbone that is flexible and acts like a spring.
  • Cheetahs have semi-retractable claws that help them accelerate.
  • Their tails work as a rudder and help the cheetah turn easily while running.
  • Cheetahs have excellent eyesight.
  • Cheetahs tan color and spots help them camouflage perfectly in the grasslands.

Cheetahs are such graceful and powerful cats! Their long, lean and muscular bodies are definitely amazing adaptations.  Who wants to have a race against a cheetah?

 

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

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