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HEDGEHOGS!!

Posted on February 3, 2015 by Ellie and Edmond ©

HEDGEHOGS!!

hedgie3

Well who read our history of Groundhog Day yesterday? If you missed it- you can catch up here.  Before there was a Groundhog Day, Romans used hedgehogs to help predict the weather. We thought because of this history we’d talk about hedgehogs today! Learn some facts and download a hedgehog coloring sheet!

hedgie2

Hedgehog Fun Facts:

  • Hedgehogs are found throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa.
  • Hedgehogs route in grasses, bushes and hedges in search of their favorite prey- insects and grubs.
  • They often make a grunting noise while routing around for their prey.
  • Hedgehogs have an excellent sense of smell and hearing.
  • Hedgehogs are nocturnal.
  • They are covered in spines that are made up of the protein keratin. The spines are semi-hollow.
  • Hedgehogs have around 7,000 spines.
  • Hedgehogs ball up when threatened.
  • Hedgehogs hibernate in colder climates and rest during hot, dry seasons in hotter climates.
  • Hedgehogs are generally solitary.

hedgie

We love hedgehogs for so many reasons! Many people love to have them around their gardens because they eat insects that can destroy their foliage. We know we would love to have one in our garden!

hedgie color

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, Uncategorized, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Weather Predicting Woodchuck!

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Meet a Weather Predicting Woodchuck…

Otherwise known as:

groundhog day UEE

It’s the day where groundhogs all around the United States predict the weather! This tradition goes back many years, so today I’m going to share some fun facts about these rodents!

groundhog

  • Groundhogs are also known as the Woodchuck.
  • Groundhogs live in North America in woodland and grassland habitats.
  • They are herbivore and eat seeds, fruits, grasses and the occasional insect.
  • Groundhogs are rodents and are the largest member of the ground squirrel or marmot family.
  • They are excellent at climbing and swimming.
  • Groundhogs burrow in the ground.
  • They gorge all fall to fatten up for their hibernation.

woodchuck2

  • Groundhogs hibernate in the winter.
  • They are known to whistle when threatened.

Groundhogs are great little creatures! Who knew they were related to squirrels? Do you have a famous groundhog where you live?  Get out your crayons and pencils class and enjoy this groundhog coloring sheet! -Professor Tamandua!

Image

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, Uncategorized, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

This is Urchin…

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Ellie and Edmond ©

This is Urchin…

Hehe! We just love a good pun! While we were exploring the kelp forests of Monterey Bay, we discovered these amazing creatures! They look like pin cushions, but they are live animals!

purple sea urchin

Range/Habitat: Southern Canada to Southern California/ coastal oceans, kelp forests
Diet: Herbivore: kelp, algae
Length: up to 3 inches in diameter
Conservation Status: vulnerable

Fun Facts:

  • Purple sea urchins are related to sea stars and sand dollars.
  • They have tube feet, pincers and purple spines. They use those tube feet to help move themselves.
  • Purple sea urchins call the rocky bottom of the kelp forest their home.
  • Sea otters and sunflower stars love to eat purple sea urchins!
Sunflower stars can swallow a purple urchin whole!

Sunflower stars can swallow a purple urchin whole!

Sea otters who consume large amounts of purple urchins have purple teeth!

Sea otters who consume large amounts of purple urchins have purple teeth!

 

  • Purple sea urchins can destroy a kelp forest if their numbers are not kept in check.
  • Young sea urchins have green spines!
  • Purple sea urchins breathe through their tube feet.

purple sea urchin2

Purple sea urchins are so cool! They are integral parts of the kelp forest habitat. They even have five segments, kind of like sea stars! We think we’ll stay away from those pointy spines though!

 

 

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LAND DOWN UNDER….

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Ellie and Edmond ©

LAND DOWN UNDER…

e e savanna

As you should know from the map that Professor Tamandua gave you, we’re in Australia! Yesterday we spotted a common wombat and we had some correct guesses! High hooves all around! Today we went to find an iconic animal of Australia! This furry creature is one adorable animal and we were lucky enough to meet a few of them, hanging out in some eucalyptus trees! Do you know who it is?

Come meet the Koala!!

koala

Habitat/Range: Eucalyptus forests, Eastern Australia

 australia map

Weight/Length: 20 lbs/ 23-33″

Diet: Folivore: eucalyptus leaves

Conservation Status: threatened

koala2Fun Koala Facts:

  • Koalas need their sleep! They snooze up to 18-20 hours a day!
  • They are arboreal! They have sharp claws that help them climb and those trees are a great place to eat and keep safe!
  • Man can koalas eat! Koalas need to eat a bunch of eucalyptus to get water and nutrition and that means they munch up to 2 1/2 pounds a day!
  • Those eucalyptus leaves are toxic, but koalas have a special bacteria to break down those toxins.
  • Koalas are marsupials- not bears! They give birth to teeny joeys that then grow in mom’s pouch!
  • These solitary species need their space! Koalas need around 100 trees per animal to be comfy and cozy!
  • Koalas are nocturnal! They spend most of their evening chewing on eucalyptus leaves!
  • Male koalas have a scent gland on their chest that they rub on trees to mark their territory!
  • All of those eucalyptus leaves give koalas a menthol cough drop smell! Ha!

koala3Koalas are amazing and odd creatures! They look like cuddly bears, but they do have claws and can be a bit territorial! Australians are working to ensure they have enough habitat to live! We couldn’t imagine a planet without these cuties!

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FEATURED ANIMAL OF THE WEEK!

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEATURED ANIMAL OF THE WEEK!

We’ve got a deep sea spooktacular fish for the featured animal this week! There are so many alien and creepy looking creatures in the dark depths of our oceans- many of which haven’t even been discovered! Come meet this one…

THE SPOOKFISH!

 

Range/Habitat: tropical- sub-tropical ocean waters/deep oceans

Diet: Carnivore: crustaceans, copepods, and anything they can get

Length: 3 ¼”

Conservation Status: unknown

Fun Facts:

  • Spookfish have a very odd shape.
  • They have transparent white bodies and long thin transparent pectoral (side) that are half the length of their bodies.
  • The Spookfish most spectacular adaptation is their eyes. They are tubular and point upwards.
  • Spookfish have a second eye on the side of their eye. It looks like a black spot.
  • The second eye is actually part of the primary eye and points downward. It acts as a mirror and is thought to help the spookfish find animal are bioluminescent. (They have chemicals in their body that give of light.)

It’s only been in the last few years that scientist figured out how the Spookfish’s eye works. They aren’t seen very often because they live so deep in the ocean! Wow!

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FEATURED ANIMAL!!

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Ellie and Edmond ©

 

FEATURED ANIMAL:
AMERICAN ALLIGATOR!

e e swamp

We spent the weekend in Florida and took an awesome air boat ride to see if we could find alligators and WE DID! We saw several areas where there were babies and we saw one mother alligator warming herself in the sun! Come learn about these ancient reptiles!

 

alligator2   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.
  • The temperature at which their gender is determined is 90 degrees.
  • 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.

alligators   IMG_8307

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alligators are so cool. The males can get up to 1,000 lbs. They get a bad rap, but they really want to mind their own business. Alligators were on the verge of extinction 40 years ago, but with great effort they are thriving in the Southeastern United States! We love a great conservation success story!

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WORLD CAT DAY!

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WORLD CAT DAY!!

HAPPY WORLD CAT DAY FROM MOE TO ALL THE CATS OUT THERE!!

moe

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Day 41- we meet a puffer fish…

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Day #41 (7/16/2014) Dogface Pufferfish…

e & e snorkeling

We went snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef yesterday and spotted so many kinds of animals, from fish to crustaceans to cephalapods. We saw a curious funny faced fish. We realized it was a pufferfish and not just any pufferfish- a dogface pufferfish!
puffer fish
Their range/habitat: Indo-Pacific oceans/ coral reefs
Their length: 3-12″  Conservation Status: common
Their diet: Omivores– algae, seaweed, sponges

• Dogface pufferfish are also known as the blackspotted puffer.
• They have no pelvic fin.
• Dogface pufferfish are solitary and territorial.
• Dogface pufferfish to have toxins.
• They will puff up when threatened.
dog face puffer fish2

We were so excited to see this special fish with the dog like face! Puffer fish get a bad rap; who knew they could be so cute? We’re going to bed for the night, it is exhausting snorkeling all day! More adventures tomorrow!

-Ellie and Edmond

 

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GUESS THE ANIMAL!

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Day #40 (6/14/14) – Guess the Animal
We had such a great time in Australia last week that we decided to stay and headed up to the Northeastern coast to see the Great Barrier Reef. We wanted to see one of the most diverse habitats on the planet. We spotted all kinds of fish on our first day! Can you guess this one?

yellow tang
• They are brightly colored.
• They have a long snout.
• They eat algae and seaweed.

Who is it?

-Ellie and Edmond

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, Uncategorized, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Day 39… A laughing bird

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Day #39 (7/11/2014) Laughing Kookaburra…
We’ve had such a great time exploring Australia and finding the monotremes! As we were watching the echidna dig around looking for grubs we heard a very famous bird call! We listened to hear that laugh again… we knew it- it was a kookaburra! We were so excited when we spotted him in the trees that we began to call back to him!

e & e rainforest
Their range/habitat: Australia-New Zealand/
Their length/weight: 18″/ 7-16 oz Conservation Status: common
Their diet: Carnivores– insects, reptiles, frogs

kookaburra

• The Laughing Kookaburra is the largest member of the kingfisher family.
• They mate for life.
• Laughing kookaburras have long hooked bills to help them catch prey.
•Laughing kookaburras sit on branches and swoop down to catch prey.
• They are known for their “laughing” songs.
• Here’s a laughing kookaburra’s song.

kookaburra2   kookaburra3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had such an amazing trip down under! This island always amazes us when we visit! The animals, the people and the grass is super yummy :)! Time to pack up the trunk and head back to HQs at the University! Professor Tamandua will have a new Science word for everyone!

-Ellie and Edmond

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

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