Posts Tagged With: children

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 37

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WEDNESDAY# 37

We’re hoping in the Ellie and Edmond submarine today to meet one of the oceans powerful predators! We have room for you, so jump in and let’s see where this trip will take us!

MEET THE CREVALLE JACK!

   Range/Habitat: Eastern Atlantic Ocean/ deep sea and coast lines

   Diet: Carnivore: fish, mollusks, crabs

   Length/Weight: up to 4 ft/ up to 70 lbs

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Crevalle jacks have large blunt heads and a black spot on their gill covering.
  • They are the largest of all jacks.
  • They have deep forked tails.
  • Crevalle jacks often cruise in schools or pairs.
  • They are powerful and fast predators.
  • Juvenile Crevalle jacks are often found in brackish (part fresh-part salt water) habitats.

 

These great fish sure are fantastic! They are just another important part of the vast ecosystem of the world’s oceans! We always have to remember that each creature great and small has its place!

 

 

 

 

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, space, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 37

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 37

We’re staying in the North American woods today to find a little reptile who lives in ponds! Grab your bug spray and your waders because we’re off to find this great reptile!

MEET THE WOOD TURTLE!

   Range/Habitat: Southeast Canada-Northern United States/ponds, woods,

streams

   Diet: Omnivore: worms, slugs, leaves, insects

   Length: 5 ½-7 ½”

   Conservation Status: endangered

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Wood turtles are diurnal (active during the day).
  • They are excellent climbers.
  • Wood turtles have pyramid shaped scutes.
  • Wood turtles have perfect coloration to camouflage in their habitat.
  • They hibernate in rivers in winter.
  • Wood turtles are intelligent and have excellent homing skills (finding their way back to their habitat).
  • They can live up to 40 years.

Wood turtles are really amazing turtles. Scientists have even tested these turtles in mazes and they do as well as rats! Pretty cool! They are endangered though, primarily due to habitat loss and taking the turtles from the wild. Turtles can make great pets, but it is very important that if you get a turtle, you get them from reputable breeder and not the wild!

 

  

 

 

Categories: Animals, backyard, Children, education, Environment, nature, reptiles, rivers, science, turtles, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

MAMMAL MONDAY # 37

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY # 37

We’ve found a cute teeny tiny little mammal from North America for Mammal Monday! Ssssshh… be very quiet and step lightly. Grab your night vision goggles because we’re going on a night hike!

MEET THE WHITE FOOTED MOUSE!

   Range/Habitat: Southeast Canada-Mexico/forests, grasslands

   Diet: Omnivore: fruit, berries, seeds, insects

   Length/Weight: 3 ½-4 ½ “/ ½-1 oz

   Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

  • White footed mice have white feet and long tails.
  • They are nocturnal (active at night).
  • White footed mice live in pairs or alone.
  • White footed mice live in dens under rocks or near tree roots.
  • They are excellent climbers and swimmers.
  • White footed mice drum their feet when they are alarmed.

Aren’t these little mammals just the cutest? There are so many members of the rodent family and each one has their own niche in the habitat. Cool, huh?

      

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 36

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEATHERY FRIDAY# 36

We’ve strapped on our hiking gear today to meet the world’s largest hummingbird high in the Andes Mountains! We’ll need some hiking snacks and binoculars to catch a glimpse of this bird! Are you ready to do this? Let’s go meet the…

MEET THE GIANT HUMMINGBIRD!

   Range/Habitat: Western South America/ mountains

   Diet: Herbivore: nectar

   Length/Weight: 8-9”/ 5/8-11/16 oz

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • The Giant Hummingbird is the largest hummingbird on the planet.
  • They eat mostly nectar, usually from agave plants.
  • Giant Hummingbirds often glide when flying.
  • They are brownish-green and much less colorful than most other hummingbirds.
  • Giant hummingbirds often live in high altitudes.

These amazing birds live in a special habitat. They are big for hummingbirds, but only weigh a fraction of what other species of birds their sizes do! Cool!

     

 

Categories: Animals, birds, Children, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY # 36

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SUPER SURPRISE  THURSDAY# 36

We’re traveling to Europe today to meet a beautiful predator today! These mammals have tufts on their ears and gorgeous coats of fur! Grab your camping gear because we’re going into the woods! Oh yeah and don’t forget the marshmallows!

MEET THE EURASIAN LYNX!

   Range/Habitat: Northern Europe-East Asia/ forests, mountains

   Diet: Carnivore: deer, goats, hares

   Length/Weight: 2 ½-4 ¼ ft/ 18-70 lbs

  Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Eurasian Lynx have one of the widest ranges of all cats.
  • They are the largest of the lynx species.
  • Eurasian lynx have tufts of fur on their ears!
  • They can have stripes or spots or plain colored fur.
  • Eurasian lynx can take down prey that are 4 times their size.
  • Eurasian lynx make a wide range of vocalizations. They will “chatter” at prey like domestic cats.
  • They are crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk).

The Eurasian lynx is a really neat cat! We especially love their ears. Did you know that their cousins to the bobcat? Tufted ears all around!

     

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , | 4 Comments

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 36

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WEDNESDAY# 36

We are off to Africa today to meet a small but extraordinary fish! These little fish have been on the planet for a very long time! Let’s gear up and head out to meet these little animals!

MEET THE ORNATE BICHIR!

   Range/Habitat: Western-Central Africa/ lakes, rivers

   Diet: Carnivore: fish, crustaceans

   Length/Weight: up to 16”/ up to 18 oz

   Conservation Status: Common

Fun Facts:

  • Ornate bichirs are considered to be the most beautiful member of the bichir fish family.
  • They are beige with black markings.
  • Ornate bichirs are small and oblong.
  • They have armor like scales.
  • Ornate bichirs stalk and ambush their prey.
  • They can stay out of water and breathe regular air for short periods of time.

What? There’s a fish that can breathe air? That is some crazy stuff! We can tell you that this small elephant and horse cannot breathe under water, although Ellie can stick her trunk out of the water :)!

 

 

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

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 36

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 36

North Africa is the place to be today! We’ve backed our bags, sunscreen and hats to find this desert dwelling reptile! These little guys like to burrow so let’s get on our hands and knees and see what we can find!

MEET THE BERBER SKINK!

   Range/Habitat: North Africa- West Asia/ desert

   Diet: Omnivore: insects, spiders, snails, plants

   Length: 16-18”

   Conservation Status: common

 

Fun Facts:

  • Berber skinks are also known as the Schneider’s skink.
  • They are the largest member of the skink family.
  • Berber skinks have orange scales on blue-gray backs.
  • They dig burrows under shrubs and bushes.
  • Berber skinks have long tails and short legs.
  • Female berber skinks lay 3-20 eggs. She then wraps herself around the eggs til they hatch.

These skinks sure are pretty with their colorful scales! We are such huge fans of all lizards! They are so diverse! They live in all kinds of habitats, come in all sizes and colors and have amazing adaptations! Do you have a favorite lizard?

  

 

 

 

 

Categories: africa, Animals, Children, education, Environment, lizards, nature, reptiles, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

MAMMAL MONDAY # 36

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY # 36

Happy Memorial Day! We’re not taking a vacation today, so that another mammal can enjoy the spotlight! Today we’re putting on our diving suits and taking a dip in the cold waters of the subarctic to meet this swimming mammal! Are you ready? Let’s do this!

MEET THE HARBOR PORPOISE!

   Range/Habitat: North Atlantic-North Pacific Ocean/ coasts, rivers

   Diet: Carnivores: fish, herring, capelin

   Length/Weight: 4 ½-6 ½ ft/ 110-200 lbs

   Conservation Status: vulnerable

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • The Harbor Porpoise is also called the common porpoise.
  • They prefer temperate and subarctic waters.
  • They generally shy and elusive.
  • Harbor porpoises tend to feed on the bottom.
  • They use echolocation to help them find their prey.
  • Harbor porpoises are black on top and white on the underside.
  • Harbor porpoises have been known to travel into fresh water rivers.

 

These shy porpoises are wonderful! Scientists don’t know much about these porpoises because of their shy nature. Ocean dwelling animals are very hard to study since humans don’t have gills :)!

  

 

 

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

We Get the Scoop on Poop!

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Scoop on the Poop!

That’s right folks you read the headline right, we’re talking poop today! We took a field trip one of our most favorite places, Fernbank Museum of Natural History. We went to check out their new exhibit “Scoop on the Poop” that opens Saturday May 26th.  We had such fun learning all kinds of fun poop facts! We giggled, we cringed and we were amazed! Be prepared to the same with 10 Great Moments in Poop!

 

10 GREAT MOMENTS IN POOP!

1)    Elephants are super duper poopers! One elephant can poop up to 80 lbs of waste a day! Wowzers!

Ellie is a Super Dooper Pooper!

Elephant Poo!

 


Yep! We’re sitting on fake poop!

Guess your weight in poop!

2)    Caterpillars throw poop to ward of predators! Yuck!

Whaaa?


3)    Poop makes great fertilizer! People have used it for thousands of years to help them grow their crops!

Poop helps crops grow!


4)    Sloths only poop once a week! What????

Sloths are fascinating!


Check out this cutie!

5)    Poop trivia steals the show!

It’s true!

6)    Tree seeds are dispersed through animal poop!

Cool! Animal poop makes new trees!

This Box Turtle dispenses seeds in it’s poop! They especially love berries!

 

7)    Poop is a great way to mark your territory!

Spread your poop- mark your territory!

8)    Scientist use poop to learn about animal’s lives!

Scientist tract scat to learn about animals!

9)    Yes Edmond, there is fossilized dinosaur poop!

Dinosaur fossilized poop!

Edmond is touching real poop!


10) You can make paper out of poop! Who knew?

Cute paper products made from poop!


 

We’ve just hit the highlights of this fun and sometimes gross exhibit! There is so much more to see and do! You can meet live animals during encounters; pretend you’re a dung beetle and learn how to track scat (that’s another word for poop). If you ask us, learning about poop is a great way to spend a day!

Dino poop!

We met a Blue Tongue Skink named Sydney!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hanging with our pal Giggy! Don’t worry he’s super nice!

Fernbank is also starting their 97 days of play this weekend! They have all kinds of fun stuff planned throughout the summer including Reptile Day (a personal favorite of ours), Claws and Paws Weekend and the Scoop on Dinosaurs event! Check out their website for all the fantastic details!

Categories: Animals, Atlanta, Children, education, Environment, Local, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 35

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEATHERY FRIDAY# 35

We haven’t featured an owl in a while, so we traveled to the grasslands of Africa to find a very cute and little owl with exceptional talons! Get your sunscreen because this little owl hunts during the day!

MEET THE PEARL SPOTTED OWL!

   Range/Habitat: Africa-South of the Sahara/ grasslands, woodlands

   Diet: Carnivore: mice, bats, insects

   Length/Weight: 6 ½-8”/ 1 ¾- 5 oz

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Pearl Spotted Owls are one of the smallest owls in Southern Africa.
  • They are mostly diurnal (active during the day).
  • Pearl spotted owls have two false eye marks on the back of their heads. These markings confuse and deter predators.
  • They have very strong talons that enable them to catch prey that is larger than them.
  • Both female and male Pearl spotted owls incubate the eggs and take care of the chicks.
  • Check out their call!

 

These little owls are super neat! And you thought all owls were nocturnal didn’t you? Our bird friends just never cease to amaze us with their diversity!

Categories: Animals, birds, Children, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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