Posts Tagged With: conservation

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 48

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEATHERY FRIDAY #48

It’s Feathery Friday and we’re going to Africa to meet an inhabitant of the marshes! These colorful birds love wading through the mud to find a tasty meal. So let’s put on our waders and go meet…

MEET THE GREATER PAINTED-SNIPE!

   Range/Habitat: Africa-Southeast Asia-Australia/ wetlands, marshes

   Diet: Omnivore: invertebrates, seeds, grasses

   Length/Weight: 9-11”/ 3 ¼-7 oz

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Greater Painted-Snipes have white eye patches and colorful tan-cream feathers.
  • They use their long beaks to find prey in the mud.
  • Greater Painted-Snipes have long legs for wading.
  • They are not graceful or good fliers.
  • Greater Painted-Snipes are shy and are often hard to spot.
  • Male Greater Painted-Snipes incubate the eggs and raise the chicks.

These fun little birds are built to live in their marshy habitats. How cool is it that the dads do all the work raising the chicks? Way to go dads!

  

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

SUPER SUPRISE THURSDAY # 48

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY #48

We’re hoping on a plane to the woods of Northern California. We have our backpacks and walking sticks ready and we’re looking for a tiny amphibian! Tread carefully and look closely because we’re off to meet…

MEET THE CALIFORNIA NEWT!

   Range/Habitat: Western USA (California)/ woods, mountains, wetlands

   Diet: Carnivore: invertebrates

   Length: 5-8”

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • California newts have rough warty bodies.
  • They are brown-red on the top and yellow-orange on their bellies.
  • California newts are also called the orange bellied newt.
  • They are nocturnal (active at night).
  • California newts mass migrate during breeding season.
  • California newts are very poisonous. They secrete a toxin through their skin for defense.

Amphibians are so awesome! And California newts are so small and cute!  These amphibians are best to observe and not touch though; you don’t want to mess with their toxic skin!

 

 

 

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WATERY WEDNESDAY # 48

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WENESDAY # 48

We’re taking the E & E submarine out today to find a fish who lives on the bottom of the ocean floor. Get out your best observation eyes because they are masters of camouflage! Are you ready? We have plenty of room!

MEET THE SOLE!

   Range/Habitat: Eastern North Atlantic- Mediterranean/ oceans-

estuaries

   Diet: Carnivore: mollusks, worms

   Length/Weight: up to 28”/ up to 66 lbs

  Conservation Status: vulnerable

 

Fun Facts:

  • Soles have flat bodies.
  • Soles are brown with dark blotches.
  • They burrow in the sandy or muddy ocean floor.
  • Soles have both eyes on the right side of their bodies.
  • They have an excellent sense of smell that helps them locate their prey.

Soles are cousins of flounders, both have those flat bodies. Our favorite part of the Sole is their funny side faces. What’s your favorite part?

 

 

 

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

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 48

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY #48

We’re going on a short road trip today to meet one cute but stinky reptile! These turtles inhabit our local area and we’ve even met a few on twitter! So let’s get on our hiking shoes and go looking for these great reptiles!

MEET THE STINKPOT!

   Range/Habitat: Southeastern United States/ wetlands, ponds

   Diet: Omnivore: plants, insects, mollusks

   Length: 3 ¼-5”

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Stinkpots are also known as the Common Musk Turtle.
  • They expel a foul musk odor as a defense mechanism.
  • Stinkpots spend most of the lives in water.
  • They are often covered in algae.
  • Stinkpot males have longer tails than females.
  • They have barbells on their chin that help them find food.
  • Stinkpots use their tongues to breathe underwater.

Stinkpots are such cute little turtles! So many animals use the defense of emitting a stinky smell, so it must work! The best part of these little turtles is their fun name- Stinkpots! Try saying it without smiling!

  

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, reptiles, science, turtles, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY # 47

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SUPER SURPRISE #47

We’re going bird watching in North Africa today! We’re on the lookout for a brightly colored bird with funny feathers around the beak! Grab your binoculars and let’s head on today’s adventure!

MEET THE BEARDED BARBET!

   Range/Habitat: North Africa/ woodlands

   Diet: Omnivore: fruit, figs, insects

   Length/Weight: 10”/ 2 ½-4 oz

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Bearded Barbets are black and red.
  • They have bristly feathers around their beaks. These feathers give them their name.
  • Bearded barbets are related to toucans and woodpeckers.
  • Bearded barbets live in groups of 4-5 birds.
  • They are plump birds.
  • Bearded barbets use their bills to pound open holes in trees.

These gorgeous birds are funny looking with their feathery beards. Did you know that birds who eat fruit such as figs, help grow more fig trees? That’s right, when these birds poop, they redistribute the seeds and help another tree grow! Neat!

  

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

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 47

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WENESDAY # 47

It’s Watery Wednesday and we’re going diving in a Pacific coral reef to meet a fish who can blow a mean horn! Ok, they can’t actually play the trumpet, but they are pretty cute! Let’s do this!

MEET THE TRUMPETFISH!

   Range/Habitat: Pacific-Indian Ocean/ coral reef

   Diet: Carnivore: small fish

   Length: up to 32”

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Trumpetfish have long slender bodies and long snouts.
  • They are ambush predators.
  • Trumpetfish are yellow or brown in color.
  • They camouflage among the coral by floating vertically head down.
  • Trumpetfish have small jaws and usually suck in their prey.

 

Trumpetfish are masters of camouflage! They just float around looking like coral til their prey swims by and grabs them! If you could camouflage in any habitat what would it be?

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wetlands | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 47

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY #47

We docked the boat from our trip off the coast of South America and jumped on a plane to the northern part of the continent. We’re going on the wetlands to find one cool reptile. Grab your hats and let’s go!

MEET THE CAIMAN LIZARD!

   Range/Habitat: Northern South America/rainforest-wetlands

   Diet: Carnivore: snails, crabs

   Length: 3- 3 ½ ft

   Conservation Status: not listed

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Caiman lizards have large cone shaped scales on their backs and tails.
  • Male Caiman lizards have green bodies and orange throats and females have gray throats.
  • Caiman lizards have strong jaws for crushing snail shells.
  • They are excellent swimmers.
  • Caiman lizards spend most of their time in or near water.

Caiman lizards are so colorful and cool! They look like little dinosaurs, well if they had feathers they would! If you could color a lizard any color, what colors would you use?

 

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, rainforests, reptiles, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 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: , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 46

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEATHERY FRIDAY #46

We’re staying in North America today to meet a bird who is a master at camouflage! They live near rivers and lakes, because that’s where their favorite prey lives. Grab your walking stick, best observation skills and binoculars and let’s go!

MEET THE AMERICAN BITTERN!

   Range/Habitat: North America-Central America/ wetlands, marshes, rivers

   Diet: Carnivore: fish, frogs

   Length/Weight: 23 ½-34”/ 18-32 oz

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • American Bitterns have mottled brown feathers that are perfect at helping them camouflage in their habitat.
  • They are members of the heron family.
  • American Bitterns use their dagger like bills to catch their prey.
  • They are solitary.
  • American Bitterns point their bills in the air and sway with the grass to avoid being detected by predators.
  • They have a loud booming call that sounds like a drum.

These small members of the heron family sure are neat! We love their funny call! Now all we need is a washboard and a banjo playing bird and we could have one awesome marsh bird band! Hahaha!

  

 

 

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

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