Posts Tagged With: children

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY # 35

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY# 35

It’s Super Surprise Thursday and we’re celebrating another watery animal friend. Today we are jetting off to the waters of Pacific and Indonesian oceans to meet a very beautiful and helpful fish! It’s time everyone learned how sand is really made J! Let’s go!

MEET THE BICOLOR PARROTFISH!

Range/Habitat: Indian-Pacific Oceans/ coral reefs

Diet: Herbivore: algae

Length: up to 32”

Conservation Status: Common

Fun Facts:

Bicolor parrotfish have fused molar teeth that resemble a parrot’s beak.
Bicolor parrotfish are brightly colored.
Their beak like mouths and coloration gave them the name parrotfish!
Juvenile bicolor parrotfish are white with orange on their head.
They eat algae off the coral.
When bicolor parrotfish chew up the coral and algae, they crush the coral. The coral that is not digested is then pooped out in sand form.
One large bicolor parrotfish can produce up to 2,200 lbs of a sand year.

Well, who knew that the beautiful white sand beaches of the Pacific were really fish poop? Hehe! There are other species of parrotfish in the Caribbean too, so you cannot escape the fish poop! Actually these fish are amazing and they do help build the ocean floor and the beaches that animals rely on for habitats and that humans love to relax on!

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | Tags: animals, children, coral reefs, education, environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | 2 Comments

WORLD TURTLE DAY!!

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WORLD TURTLE DAY!

Happy World Turtle Day! We’re celebrating our favorite reptilian four legged friends! Turtles, tortoises and terrapins come in all shapes and sizes! We’ve met all kinds of turtles including a Leatherback Sea turtle who was laying her eggs and a Green sea turtle while snorkeling! Turtles and tortoises are just fantastic!

They all have shells that are part of their skeletons! In fact if you could look inside a turtle’s shell you would see their spinal vertebrates and rib cage!

The difference between turtles, tortoises and terrapins mainly is their habitat. Generally turtles spend their lives in water or near water and tortoises live on land. Terrapins also live near water, but prefer brackish habitats (water that is a mix of fresh and salt). Turtles generally have webbed feet and tortoises have flat stumpy feet.

The individual plates on a turtles shell are called scutes! These are made of keratin, the same protein that makes up your hair and nails!

Turtles and tortoises live all over the world except in the Arctic and Antarctic. They even live in the world’s oceans! Turtles and tortoises are also kept as pets. They can be wonderful additions to one’s home, but they do require special housing and food. It is very very important that you do your homework before getting a turtle. Make sure you get them from a reputable breeder. Releasing your pet into the wild because they get too big or they seem boring is bad for the turtle and the natural habitat.

So let’s celebrate turtles with some great pictures! You can also check out our posts that featured turtles and tortoises including the Hawksbill Sea Turtle, African Helmeted Turtle, Twist Necked Turtles, African Spur-Thighed Tortoise, Indian Star Tortoise and the Red Footed Tortoise.

Many species of turtles or tortoises are threatened or endangered, especially our sea turtle friends. You can help them by picking up your trash (often sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellies). You can also provide a good back yard habitat for wild turtles. If you see a turtle crossing the road, remember to put them on the side they were heading too. Remember if you find a turtle in your yard, leave it there. Turtles are fun to watch, but wild ones do not make good pets. Check out a great organization that is working hard to save sea turtles The Sea Turtle Conservancy!

Categories: Animals, backyard, Children, education, Environment, nature, oceans, reptiles, science, wildlife | Tags: animals, children, education, environment, nature, reptiles, science, tortoises, turtles, wildlife | 2 Comments

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 35

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 35

We’re heading to Southeast Asia to meet a really big and we mean BIG reptile! We shall watch this giant reptile from a distance as they are big enough to take down a human and we are but a small elephant and horse! Are you ready to head out on this most excellent adventure? Let’s do it!

MEET THE RETICULATE PYTHON!

Range/Habitat: Southeast Asia/ rainforest, grasslands

Diet: Carnivore: birds, mammals

Length/Weight: 21-33ft/ up to 400 lbs

Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

Reticulated pythons are the world’s longest snake.
They are excellent swimmers.
Reticulated pythons have large heat pits in their jaws.
Reticulated pythons can live up to 30 years.
They do have 100 teeth, but are constrictors.
Female reticulated pythons lay anywhere from 30-100 eggs. She will wrap herself around them until they hatch.
The word reticulated comes from Latin and means “net-like”. It describes their pattern.

Wow, these snakes are not just big, but HUGE! They are spectacular and so beautiful! We’ll just make sure that we watch them from a distance :)!

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, nature, rainforests, reptiles, science, wildlife | Tags: animals, children, education, environment, nature, reptiles, science, wildlife | 1 Comment

MAMMAL MONDAY # 35

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY # 35

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: animals, children, education, environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife | 2 Comments

ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY!

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY!

Today is a day to celebrate the Endangered Species Act here in America! It was enacted in 1973 and was set up to protect animal and plant species! There are also two international organizations that work to protect animals, CITES and IUCN.

We’re celebrating Endangered Species Day, by picking a few organizations that are working to save endangered animals!

First up: The San Diego Global Wildlife Conservancy. They work in the wild and with the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park to actively protect wildlife. They’ve even reintroduced more than 30 species back into the wild! Our pal on twitter @ZooKeeperRick shared this video with us all about their efforts! They’ve had success with iguanas, pandas and California condors!

Next up: Is the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. The staff and volunteers at the center work hard to rehabilitate and reintroduce all species of sea turtles! They have a hospital and education center. They also keep track of all the sea turtle nests each season on the Georgia coast! Check out our post on when we visited!

Last up: The Kakapo Parrot! These critically endangered parrots are the largest of all parrots! They are also flightless, which is one reason they have declined in the wild. These amazing birds live in New Zealand, where rescue organizations are working very hard to save them! Check out the Kakapo Recovery website!

The National Wildlife Federation has a great page with more success stories!

We all can work to help endangered species all around the world, even with small steps! A huge problem is habitat loss for many animals. One way to combat this is by recycling glass, paper, plastic & aluminum. You can find a local recycling center near you- here! You can also help endangered animals by educating yourself and joining organizations like the National Wildlife Federation, World Wildlife Fund or the Nature Conservancy. You can also pay a visit to your local zoo, aquarium or nature center; often they are helping support animals in the wild and in their facilities with research and education! And one last thing you can do is to share your love of animals and wild places with others! Often your passion will spark that in other people! We’re going to leave you today with some adorable photos of some endangered species and hopefully they will inspire you to act!

Categories: Animals, apes, birds, Children, education, Environment, lizards, mammals, nature, oceans, orangutans, reptiles, science, wildlife | Tags: animals, birds, children, education, endangered species, environment, mammals, oceans, reptiles, science, wildlife | 4 Comments

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY # 34

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY# 34

We’re going down to the banks of the Amazon River today to meet a very special mammal on this Super Surprise Thursday! Grab your bug spray, sunglasses and cameras and let’s set out to find and meet these giant animals! (*A reader asked for more pictures- so starting today we will be posting more pics with the posts! Enjoy!)

MEET THE GIANT RIVER OTTER!

Range/Habitat: South America/ rivers, wetlands

Diet: Carnivores: fish, crabs

Length/Weight: 3 ¼-6 ft/49- 71 lb

Conservation Status: Endangered

Fun Facts:

Giant River otters are the largest of all freshwater otters.
They have webbed feet and flat wide tails to help them swim.
Giant river otters can close their ears and nostrils underwater.
Their large whiskers help them find prey in murky waters.
Giant river otters eat 6-9 lbs of food a day.
They live in small family groups that consist of 2 parents and their offspring.
They are very social and vocal. They use all kinds of chirps!
Giant river otters are diurnal (active during the day).
They live in dens on the banks of rivers.

Giant river otters are just the cutest! They each have a unique pattern on their throats that makes them easy to identify. Who wants to stay in the Amazon with us and study these amazing animals!

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, rivers, science, wildlife | Tags: animals, children, education, environment, mammals, nature, rivers, science, wildlife | 1 Comment

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 34

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WEDNESDAY# 34

Who’s ready to take a dive in our submarine? We’re taking it down to the sandy bottoms of the Mediterranean and North Atlantic oceans to see a secretive and nocturnal animal! Thank goodness our sub has lights!

MEET THE CONGER EEL!

Range/Habitat: North Atlantic-Mediterranean/ rocky-sandy bottoms

Diet: Carnivore: crustaceans, fish, cephalopods

Length/Weight: up to 8 ½ ft/ up to 145 lbs

Conservation Status: Common

Fun Facts:

Conger eels are dark grey with long finless bodies.
Conger eels do not have scales.
They are nocturnal (active at night).
They often hide in crevices and caves during the day.
Conger eels are ambush predators.

Wow! We hope you were watching because the conger eel is fast! We wouldn’t want to be a fish swimming by these eels cave when they get hungry! Chomp!

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | Tags: animals, children, education, environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | 5 Comments

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 34

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 34

It’s the day of the week to meet a reptile friend! We’re off to the Mediterranean today to find a little lizard who loves to crawl up walls! Get your flash lights out because these lizards like to hunt bugs in the dark! Let’s go!!!

MEET THE MOORISH GECKO!

Range/Habitat: North Africa-Mediterranean/ scrub, dry stone

Diet: Insectivore: moths, insects

Length: 4-6 ½”

Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

Moorish Geckos are also known as crocodile geckos.
They have flat heads and bodies.
They love to climb vertical surfaces, such as walls of homes or stone walls.
Moorish geckos have adhesive toe pads to help them climb.
They are nocturnal (active at night).
Moorish geckos are known to bask in the sun, especially in the winter.
Female Moorish geckos are known to lay eggs in a communal nest with other geckos.

These little geckos sure are cute! It would be fun to share your house with them, especially because they are great at eating pests! Yes, Mr. Moorish Gecko come in and have a meal J!

Categories: Animals, backyard, Children, education, Environment, gardens, lizards, reptiles, science, wildlife | Tags: animals, children, education, environment, lizards, nature, reptiles, science, wildlife | 2 Comments

MAMMAL MONDAY # 34

MAMMAL MONDAY # 34

We’re back to regular schedule today! We hope you enjoyed Moms week! We’re off to the savannas of Africa today to meet a sturdy little mammal! These social mammals are full of personality and spunk! Grab your safari outfit and your sunscreen and let’s head out!

MEET THE BANDED MONGOOSE!

Range/Habitat: Central-South Africa/ grasslands

Diet: Carnivore: beetles, eggs, termites

Length/Weight: 12-18”/ 3 ¼-5 ½ lb

Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

Banded Mongooses have coarse fur with tan bands down their back.
They live in social groups of 15-20 individuals.
They live in dens or abandoned termite mounds. They change dens every few days.
Banded mongooses forage for food in groups at dawn and dusk.
Clans of banded mongooses are territorial.
They are known to live among troops of baboons, foraging together.
Banded mongooses have also been seen cleaning bugs off warthogs!

Wow! Banded mongooses are really neat little animals! They are very social and smart! There’s a really cool banded mongoose research project too! Check out their website!