Posts Tagged With: adventure

MAMMAL MONDAY #48

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY #48!

Grab your safari hats and night vision goggles and let’s head off to Africa today to meet a relative of the hyena! These bug loving mammals may look like their relatives, but they are very different! Are you ready? Let’s go!

MEET THE AARDWOLF!

Range/Habitat: Eastern South Africa/ desert-scrub

Diet: Insectivore: termites, insects

Length/Weight: 26”/ 20 lbs

Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

Aardwolves have longer front legs than back legs.
They have 3 stripes on each side.
Aardwolves have a crest of fur down their backs. They puff the fur up when they are threatened to look bigger.
Aardwolves are nocturnal (active at night) and solitary.
They have sticky tongues that they use to eat insects!
Aardwolves can eat up to 200,000 termites a night!

Aardwolves are really cool. Unlike their hyena cousins who eat carrion or kill their prey, these guys eat bugs and lots of them! If you could pick, which would you be a carnivore or an insectivore?

Categories: adventure, africa, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: adventure, animals, children, conservation, education, environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife | Leave a comment

MAMMAL MONDAY # 47

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY #47!

This Mammal Monday we’re going a boat to South America to find one amazing and beautiful marine mammal! What’s black and white and swims? Let’s go find out!

MEET THE COMMERSON’S DOLPHIN!

Range/Habitat: Tip of South America/ Indian Ocean/ oceans-coastlines

Diet: Carnivore: sea stars, fish, crabs

Length/Weight: 4 ½-5 ½ ft

Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

Commerson’s Dolphins are black and white and look like small killer whales.
Commerson’s Dolphins calves are gray and develop their coloration as adults.
They live in schools of around 10 individuals.
Commerson’s Dolphins are also called the Panda Dolphin.
They are very acrobatic swimmers.
Commerson’s Dolphins are known to swim upside down to find their prey on the ocean floor.

Wow, these fast and graceful dolphins are gorgeous! They really do look like mini orcas! Did you know that Orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family? Neat!

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | Tags: adventure, animals, children, conservation, dolphins, education, environment, mammals, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | 2 Comments

INTERNATIONAL RED PANDA DAY!

INTERNATIONAL RED PANDA DAY!

We’re celebrating the adorable and furry red panda today with a few fun facts and pictures!

Red Pandas are arboreal (they spend most of their lives in the trees).
They are nocturnal (active at night).
Red Pandas live in high altitude, cold climates in China and Nepal.
They are covered in a thick red fur. It even covers the pads of their feet.
Red Pandas have a pseudo thumb (fake thumb) on their wrists to help them hold bamboo.
They eat bamboo, fruit, nuts and eggs.
Red pandas nickname is the Fire Fox!
Recent studies show they are not related to bears or racoons! They are a member of their own family! Neat!

Red Pandas are so adorable and they endangered as their habit is disappearing. To find some cool ways to help these cuties, check out the Red Panda Network website! You can even adopt your own panda! Woohoo!