Posts Tagged With: environment

CRAZY BIRD!

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Ellie and Edmond ©

CRAZY BIRD!!

We’re meeting a bird that is a folivore today! These ancient birds are crazy looking, but they sure are cool! Let’s meet the hoatzin!

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Hoatzin Fun Facts:

  • Hoatzin birds live in South America in swamps, marshes and mangroves.

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  • They are folivores and eats leaves and flowers.
  • Hoatzin can grow up to 26″ long and weigh around 1 3/4 lbs.
  • They are listed as least concern by the IUCN.
  • They are the last member of an extant group of birds from 64 million years ago.
  • Hoatzin have large crests of feathers on top of their heads.
  • Hoatzin have large crops to help them digest the leaves they consume. The crops are so big they take away room for flight muscles.
  • They are not strong fliers.

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  • These vocal birds use a variety of calls to communicate with each other, including warning calls for predators.
  • Hoatzin live in small colonies.
  • Hoatzin chicks have claws on the end of two of their digits on their wings. Chicks use these to help them climb out of water they may go into to avoid predators.
  • They are excellent swimmers.

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Hoatzin are amazing birds. These tropical birds definitely look like dinosaurs to us! We’ll keep our distance though, no one wants to get too close to a bird’s who is called the stinkbird! Hold your trunk Ellie!

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

SCIENCE WORD OF THE WEEK!

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SCIENCE WORD OF THE WEEK

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Hello students! Welcome back to vocabulary class! It has been a long break for me, but I am back and ready to learn some cool science words! Are you?

Today’s word is: Folivore: is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Some examples of folivores include hoatzin, pandas, koalas, giraffes, sloths, caterpillars and iguanas.

I know Ellie and Edmond and some of the other professors are excited for you to meet some of these leaf eaters this week! Say hi to them for me!

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

We Have the Right Whale

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Ellie and Edmond ©

We Have the Right Whale

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This week we’re meeting some plankton eaters! And today we’re meeting a whale that winters off the Georgia coast! In fact they are our state marine mammal! Woohoo! Let’s learn some cool stuff about these giants of the ocean!

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Right whale fun facts:

  • Right whales are divided into two species, the Northern and the Southern. We’re meeting the North Atlantic right whale today!
  • These whales inhabit the ocean waters of the coast of North America.

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  • North Atlantic right whales grow up to 52 feet in length and weigh up to 70 tons! Wow!
  • North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered. There are around 400 of these amazing creatures left.
  • These baleen whales are carnivores. They feed on plankton like krill. They skim these tiny prey from the water using their baleen.
  • They feed generally in spring through fall in the cold waters of the Northern Atlantic Ocean near Canada.

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  • Female north Atlantic right whales are larger than the males.
  • Females migrate to the waters off of Georgia and Florida to calve. They have one baby at a time.
  • Northern right whales are slow swimmers and tend to stay near the surface.
  • They are often in danger of boat strikes. In their protected habitats, boats must keep slow speeds.
  • Scientist believe these giants live up to 50 years and maybe even up to 100 years.
  • There are great conservation efforts going on to protect these whales. They are one of the most endangered whale in the ocean today. Fortunately they have been protect since the 1930s, but recovery has been slow. You can learn more about those efforts from the NOAA website on them.

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Protecting the earth’s creatures and the habitats we share starts with all of us. These whales along with other ocean dwelling animals can be found with plastic in their stomachs. Make sure your plastic goods go into a recycling bin and never into wild habitats! Let’s do it for the Right Whale!

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

WORLD WILDLIFE DAY!

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WORLD WILDLIFE DAY!

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Today is World Wildlife Day and we here at the University are sharing ways you can help wildlife in your backyard and around the world! Each professor will be sharing their tips today and we have a great way to get involved too! So come join us and help us celebrate World Wildlife Day!

We’ll be participating in the #InOurHands campaign for the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust! You simply draw an elephant on your hand, take a picture and share on social media. Add us and @DSWT on your tweet or tag us and the trust on Facebook! Elephants could be lost in the wild if we don’t help! To learn more about the campaign check out their website!

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

HOLEY MOLEY!!

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Ellie and Edmond ©

HOLEY MOLEY!!

We’re on day three of our you choose week and we had a friend vote for moles! So of course we narrowed down to the star nosed mole! This crazy looking creature is sure to be popular, so let’s get moving and head underground to meet this wild animal!

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Fun Facts:

  • The first thing you notice on a star nosed mole is the nose. It is compromised of 22 finger like projections, 11 on each nostril. Those projections are called tendrils.
  • Star nosed moles live in wetlands and moist habitats along the coast of Northeastern North America.FullSizeRender(36)
  • Star nosed moles can grow up to 8 inches and weigh up to 2 oz.
  • They are insectivores. They have 44 teeth to crunch up insect exoskeletons.
  • Star nosed mole nose projections are full of extremely sensitive receptors called Eimer’s organs. Other moles have these receptors, but the star nosed mole has 25,000 of them; more than any other animal!
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  • Star nosed moles are functionally blind, so those crazy looking tendrils give them a picture of their environment and of their prey! It can tell if a prey is edible in 8 milliseconds! WOW!
  • They can smell underwater too!
  • Their tendrils have no muscles or bones in them. They are not used as a scent organ. The mole has nostrils that use for smell.
  • Star nosed moles dig shallow tunnels in the wet ground. They are also excellent swimmers, using those wide front feet and back feet to help them swim.
  • They tend to be out on the ground more than other moles who stay in their burrows.

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We could on days and days about the star nosed moles. Those tendrils are unique in the animal kingdom. Scientists have been studying these critters for years and continue to learn so many things about them. They even think they may be able to pick up slight electrical fields! WOW! Our earth is full of so many crazy creatures that are so fascinating!

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

SUN BEARS!

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SUN BEARS!!

As part of our you choose week- we’re going to meet the Sun Bear!

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Fun Facts:

  • Sun bears are also called the dog bear or honey bear.
  • Sun bears are found in Southeast Asia in rainforests.

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  • Sun bears are omnivores. They eat fruit, eggs, honey and termites.
  • They can get up to 4 1/2 feet long and weigh up to 145 lbs.
  • Sun bears are listed by the IUCN as endangered.
  • They have sleek, smooth brown-black fur with a white-orangeish “sun” patch on their chest.
  • They have very loose skin around their neck.
  • Sun bears are the smallest member of the bear family.

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  • Sun bears have very long tongues that they can extend up to 10”. They use these tongues to get termites and honey.
  • Sun bears are nocturnal (active at night).
  • They spend most of their time in trees.

Sun bears are just so adorable. They are endangered mainly due to habitat loss. Helping protect their rainforest home by reducing, recycling and reusing! Yay for the 3 Rs!

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

DO A CHEER FOR POLAR BEARS!

Posted on February 27, 2016 by Ellie and Edmond ©

DO A CHEER FOR POLAR BEARS!

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Happy International Polar Bear Day! Edmond is doing a cheer for polar bears! Join him!

GIVE US A P! P is Polar! Polar bears live in polar habitats near the arctic circle!

GIVE US A P!
P is Polar! Polar bears live in polar habitats near the arctic circle!

 

GIVE US AN O! O is for

GIVE US AN O!
O is for one pound! Baby polar bears weigh around one pound when they are born. They are pink and about 12 inches long!

 

GIVE US A L! L is for large! Polar bears are the largest land predator on earth!

GIVE US A L!
L is for large! Polar bears are the largest land predator on earth!

 

GIVE US AN A! A is for excellent! Polar bears are excellent swimmers! They are classified as marine mammals because they spend so much time in the water.

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A is for awesome mom! Polar bears are awesome mothers. They look after their cubs for two years!

 

GIVE US A R! R is for reflect! Polar bear fur is translucent, not white! That fur reflects off the white snow giving them a white appearance!

GIVE US A R!
R is for reflect! Polar bear fur is translucent, not white! That fur reflects off the white snow giving them a white appearance!

 

GIVE US A B!! B is for black! Polar bears have black skin to help them absorb the heat from the sun!

GIVE US A B!!
B is for black! Polar bears have black skin to help them absorb the heat from the sun!

 

GIVE US AN E! E is for evolved! Scientists think polar bears evolved from brown bears!

GIVE US AN E!
E is for evolved! Scientists think polar bears evolved from brown bears!

 

GIVE US A B!! B is for black! Polar bears have black skin to help them absorb the heat from the sun! Their livers have 10 times more Vitamin A than any other animal on earth!

GIVE US A B!!
B is for black! Polar bears have black skin to help them absorb the heat from the sun! Their livers have 10 times more Vitamin A than any other animal on earth!

 

GIVE US A R! R is for really fat! Polar bears have up to 4 inches of blubber to keep them warm in those cold arctic habitats!

GIVE US A R!
R is for really fat! Polar bears have up to 4 inches of blubber to keep them warm in those cold arctic habitats!

 

We love our polar bear pals! These bears are losing their arctic habitats. We can help them by taking measures to use less energy at home, work or school by turning off those lights when you leave a room, unplug your laptop when you are done using it, ride your bike to work or carpool… All these help us keep our planet cleaner and safer!

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

OMNIVORE TEETH!

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Ellie and Edmond ©

OMNIVORE TEETH!

So far we’ve talked about carnivore teeth and herbivore teeth and today we’re moving on to omnivore teeth! Omnivores are animals that eat both plants and animals. They have teeth to help them with both of those items.

Sloths eat plants, flowers and small insects. They have peg shaped teeth to break down plant material. They have no incisors.

Sloths eat plants, flowers and small insects. They have peg shaped teeth to break down plant material. They have no incisors.

 

Warthogs are grazers. They also eat grubs, eggs and carrion. Warthogs have 2 pair of tusks that grow outside of their mouth. The bottom tusks can get razor sharp by rubbing against the top tusks. They use their tusks for digging, fights with other warthogs and protecting themselves against predators.

Warthogs are grazers. They also eat grubs, eggs and carrion.
Warthogs have 2 pair of tusks that grow outside of their mouth. The bottom tusks can get razor sharp by rubbing against the top tusks. They use their tusks for digging, fights with other warthogs and protecting themselves against predators.

 

Bears are some of the most famous omnivores out there.

Bears are some of the most famous omnivores out there. They have chompers for eating fish, but love to eat berries and nuts too.

 

Seagulls are also omnivores. They are famous for eating all kinds of animals and plant material. Seagulls have many different types of hunting techniques. They use their beaks have no teeth.

Seagulls are also omnivores. They are famous for eating all kinds of animals and plant material. Seagulls have many different types of hunting techniques. They use their beaks have no teeth.

 

Raccoons are also omnivores. The have regular omnivore teeth, but their top incisors have one sharp edge to help them eat nuts, berries, rodents and frogs.

Raccoons are also omnivores. The have regular omnivore teeth, but their top incisors have one sharp edge to help them eat nuts, berries, rodents and frogs.

 

Omnivore teeth are a great combination of sharp teeth for eating animals and flat molar teeth to crush plant material! Some omnivores have neat teeth adaptations for eating! We think all animal teeth are super cool!

 

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

HERBIVORES ROCK!!

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Ellie and Edmond ©

HERBIVORES ROCK!!

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We loved talking about carnivore teeth yesterday and wow are they cool, but we both know who has the coolest teeth around! It’s herbivores like us! We have teeth to grind grass, bark, leaves and other vegetation. Herbivores have varied diets so we’ll share all kinds of herbivore teeth fun facts!

We elephants have some of the most unusual teeth of all the animal kingdom. We have large molars and six sets of them! We go through them during our lifetime! Our incisors are our tusks! Both male and female African elephants have tusks. Only the male Asian elephants have tusks. We elephants are right or left tusked- just like humans are right or left handed.

We elephants have some of the most unusual teeth of all the animal kingdom. We have large molars and six sets of them! We go through them during our lifetime! Our incisors are our tusks! Both male and female African elephants have tusks. Only the male Asian elephants have tusks.
We elephants are right or left tusked- just like humans are right or left handed.

 

We horses and unicorns (ok they aren't real) :)... have jaws that move sideways to help us chew plant material better!

We horses and unicorns (Ok they aren’t real) :)… have jaws that move sideways to help us chew plant material better!

 

Rabbits have 28 teeth, including 4 incisors that grow throughout the rabbits lifetime!

Rabbits have 28 teeth, including 4 incisors that grow throughout the rabbits lifetime!

 

Beavers are rodents who use their large front incisors to chew down trees. The way they chew actually causes their teeth to get sharper. Their teeth are covered in an orange enamel!

Beavers are rodents who use their large front incisors to chew down trees. The way they chew actually causes their teeth to get sharper. Their teeth are covered in an orange enamel!

 

Honey bees are also herbivores! They don't have teeth to drink nectar and pollen.

Honey bees are also herbivores! They don’t have teeth to drink nectar and pollen.

 

Koala teeth act like scissors to help them cut through eucalyptus. These marsupials eat eucalyptus exclusively.

Koala teeth act like scissors to help them cut through eucalyptus. These marsupials eat eucalyptus exclusively.

 

Most people don't realized that wood eaters, like these termites are herbivores too! Termite jaws are strong and powerful!

Most people don’t realized that wood eaters, like these termites are herbivores too! Termite jaws are strong and powerful!

 

We do love our herbivore friends! Herbivores are an important part of the food web! Each herbivore has a specialized diet! Give three cheers for the herbivores of the world and their teeth!

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

TEETH WEEK!

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Ellie and Edmond ©

TEETH WEEK!

We’ve done feet week and now we’re doing teeth week! We’ll be covering carnivore teeth, herbivore teeth, omnivore teeth and animals that have no teeth at all!

First up today we’re sharing some fun facts about carnivore teeth! Carnivore teeth are built for eating meat. They have large canine teeth for ripping and crabbing prey. Some carnivore teeth are specialized to enable their prey with venom.

One of the first animals people think of when they think of carnivores is cats- big and small! This lion is showing off her large canines that are made for eating prey- zebras, gazelles and such.

One of the first animals people think of when they think of carnivores is cats- big and small! This lion is showing off her large canines that are made for eating prey- zebras, gazelles and such.

 

Shark teeth are serrated on the sides. It's like having a mouth full of steak knives! These teeth are perfect eating machines!

Shark teeth are serrated on the sides. It’s like having a mouth full of steak knives! These teeth are perfect eating machines!

 

The basking shark and whale shark are unlike all other sharks. These sharks filter plankton from the ocean.

The basking shark and whale shark are unlike all other sharks. These sharks filter plankton from the ocean.

 

Spiders are carnivores. Their teeth inject venom in their prey. Some snakes also have this capability.

Spiders are carnivores. Their teeth inject venom in their prey. Some snakes also have this capability.

 

Narwhals are one species of toothed whales. They have one unusual tooth adaptation. The males have a specialized large tooth that grows outside of their mouth. Scientists are not sure what this tooth is for yet.

Narwhals are one species of toothed whales. They have one unusual tooth adaptation. The males have a specialized large tooth that grows outside of their mouth. Scientists are not sure what this tooth is for yet.

 

Leopard seals are aggressive carnivores who live in Antarctica. Their cone shaped chompers are made for grabbing fish and penguins.

Leopard seals are aggressive carnivores who live in Antarctica. Their cone shaped chompers are made for grabbing fish and penguins.

 

Frogs have small cone shaped teeth in their top jaw. These "teeth" are not true teeth and are not used to grab prey or chew it. Frogs usually swallow their prey whole. They use those "teeth" to keep a hold of prey before they swallow it.

Frogs have small cone shaped teeth in their top jaw. These “teeth” are not true teeth and are not used to grab prey or chew it. Frogs usually swallow their prey whole. They use those “teeth” to keep a hold of prey before they swallow it.

 

One big group of carnivores are raptors! These birds use their specialized beaks to tear prey apart, like the fish that a bald eagle would eat.

One big group of carnivores are raptors! These birds use their specialized beaks to tear prey apart, like the fish that a bald eagle would eat. Those beaks contain no teeth!

 

Owls are also raptors. They use their beaks to grab rodents. They have no teeth to chew, so prey is swallowed whole.

Owls are also raptors. They use their beaks to grab rodents. They have no teeth to chew, so prey is swallowed whole.

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

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