Posts Tagged With: nature blogs

What’s a Mata Mata You?

Posted on September 26, 2019 by Ellie and Edmond ©

What’s a Mata Mata You?

We’re meeting a funny looking reptile with a funny name. Are you ready to learn more about the Mata Mata turtle?

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Mata Mata Fun Facts:

  • Mata mata turtles call rivers and streams in the Amazon home.
  • They rarely leave the water, except to lay eggs.
  • They are pretty sedentary.
  •  Mata Matas grow to about the size of a dinner plate- up to 20 inches.
  • Their necks are longer than their vertebrae. They can stretch them to breath while they stay on the bottom.
  • These turtles can not pull their heads into their shells, but they can turn them sideways.

These weird and wild turtles are always one of our favorites to learn more about. Would you like to “snorkel” with one?

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, reptiles, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s Here!

Posted on September 23, 2019 by Ellie and Edmond ©

It’s Here!

We’re so very excited to share with you that the coloring book our Photographer drew and we helped do the research for is now on sale on Amazon. There are 50 pages of animals and their relatives and even those who may not have any relatives at all. There are some basics on classification, but wow we would need a text book to do that subject justice.

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We hope it inspires you to learn more about animals and their relatives while have fun coloring! Oh and we recommend using colored pencils or crayons in the book so the colors won’t bleed! And as always THANK YOU for your support!

Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, Children, conservation, crafts, education, endangered species, Environment, fish, frogs, mammals, nature, oceans, Puppets, reptiles, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Prickly

Posted on September 18, 2019 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Prickly

Today we are meeting a prickly animal who is the 2nd largest rodent in North America. Any guesses who it is?  Well let’s find out!

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North American Porcupine Fun Facts:

  • Porcupine backs are covered in quills.
  • They can not throw my quills, but if a predator like a wolf tries to attack they can release the quills.
  • They have around 30,000 quills!
  • Quills are made of keratin, the protein that make up human nails & hair.
  • Porcupines are excellent climbers and swimmers.
  • These herbivores eat a variety of plants, bark, berries and roots.
  • When porcupines are born their quills are soft. They grow harder in just a few days.
  • These nocturnal creatures also give off a strong odor to deter predators.
  • Porcupines have a natural antibiotic in their skin to help protect them if they fall and accidentally poke themselves with their quills.

 

There are old world (Asia, Africa & Europe) porcupines and new world (the Americas) porcupines. All have those famous quills.

Categories: adventure, american, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

That’s a Big Nose

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Ellie and Edmond ©

They That’s a Big Nose

We are excited to get back to regular posts today- for the next two weeks we’re featuring animals from the coloring book and then October will be all about those animals that people fear most!

Today we are meeting the Saiga antelope in depth. These crazy looking antelope have one big nose! Let’s learn more about them.

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Saiga Antelope Fun Facts: 

  • They live in Asia, in Russia in grasslands and semideserts.
  • Their of fossils of saiga found from the pleistocene era.
  • That big nose helps keep out dust out.
  • Those noses can also heat and cool blood during the winter and summer.
  • Only the males have the ringed horns.
  • These critically endangered antelope live in large herds that migrate.
  • These critically endangered animals are losing habitat and they are poached for their horns.

 

Have you ever seen such a strange looking nose on an antelope? We sure haven’t and we know scientists and conservationists are working to protect this species for future generations to see.

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, mammals, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

We Hate To Say Goodbye

Posted on August 8, 2019 by Ellie and Edmond ©

We Hate to Say Goodbye

It’s that time of the summer, when our campers pack up their trunks, gear, photos and get ready to go home. It’s such a bittersweet time. We sure have enjoyed sharing the ocean and all its inhabitants with you this year.

What was your favorite memory of camp? Who was your favorite animal?

Thank you for joining us this summer and we look forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks at school!

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Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, nature, oceans, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

You Say Fish- We Say Tomato

Posted on August 7, 2019 by Ellie and Edmond ©

You Say Fish- We Say Tomato

We’re meeting our last animal of Camp E&E today :(. Can you believe summer is nearly over? It has flown by! We’ll be starting the new year back at the University after Labor Day- so be on the look out for some great new friends!

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TOMATO ANEMONE FISH FUN FACTS: 

  • Like their famous relatives, the clownfish, tomato anemone fish spend most of their  time in the tentacles of an anemone.
  • The anemone protects the tomato fish from predators, while the fish provides the anemone leftovers of its food. This relationship is called symbiosis- mutualism.
  • Males are smaller than females and are bright red. The females tend be more black in color than red.
  • The most dominate fish is the largest female.
  • All anemone fish start out as males and will turn female when they need to.
  • These little fish only grow to 5 1/2 inches.

 

Anemone fish are the cutest little fish. It’s cool that they have a symbiotic relationship with anemones. We’ll be back tomorrow for our big send off at Camp!

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fishy has Red Teeth

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Fishy has Red Teeth

We’re meeting one of our favorite fish of the reef today! They are funny and crazy and yes- they have a red tooth.

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REDTOOTHED TRIGGERFISH: 

  • These blue- purple flat oval shaped fish our found in Indo-Pacific coral reefs.
  • They have tiny sharp red teeth.
  • Redtoothed triggerfish make grunt noises.
  • They can change their color depending on their mood, food or the quality of the water.
  • These cute fish use their dorsal and tail fins to swim. It is a very unusual swim style.
  • They mostly eat plankton, but are known to eat sponges, small fish and squid.
  • Females lay their eggs and guard the nest before they hatch.

 

We just love these funny fish and their little red teeth and cool swimming style! How about you?

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fishy Tang

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Fishy Tang

It’s the last week of Camp of E&E! We’re going snorkeling all week to meet some colorful reef fish! So pack your bags, we’re loading up on the big boat! Today we’re meeting a tang fish!

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POWDER BLUE TANG FUN FACTS: 

  • Powder blue tangs are members of the surgeonfish family.
  • Powder blue tangs are gorgeous! These flat oval shaped fish have blue, black, white and yellow colors.
  • They stay these colors their whole life.
  • Like other surgeonfish- they have a spine at the base of their tail that they can use for defense.
  • They are herbivores- eating algae off the reef.
  • They are diurnal.
  • Powder blue tangs are solitarily and territorial.

 

These are such gorgeous reef fish. Their relatives include the Royal Blue Tang (Dory from Finding Nemo) and yellow tangs who are popular in aquariums.

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, oceans, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s the Gong Show!

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Ellie and Edmond ©

It’s the Gong Show!

Ok, it’s not the Gong Show, it’s the Wobbegong Show! The Wobbegong Shark Show that is!                 This is one of our favorite sharks! These masters of camouflage are so cool and funny looking- they’re like Muppet sharks- hehehehe!

Wobbegong Shark

 

Wobbegong Fun Facts:

  • The carpet sharks are found on the ocean floor.
  • Wobbegong comes from the aboriginal word for shaggy beard.
  • These carnivores eat octopus, crustaceans and fish.
  • They are ambush predators, who lay in waiting for prey to swim by.
  • The little whiskers are sensory barbs.
  • Wobbegongs are found in the Pacific & Indian Oceans.
  • Like other carpet sharks, wobbegongs have spiracles that pass water over their gills when they are resting on the ocean floor.
  • Wobbegongs are mostly nocturnal.

 

When we think of sharks, we think of the great white and that typical shape. But sharks come in all shapes and sizes. We love their diversity! Do you have a favorite shark? We hope you have enjoyed shark week here at Camp E&E!

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, nature, oceans, science, sharks, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Knot Birdy

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Knot Birdy

It’s another day of watching birds and we’re meeting the Red Knot. Anyone have a guess how they got that name? Let’s find out!

 

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RED KNOT FUN FACTS:

  • These red birds are actually more grey most of the year. They develop that color during mating season.
  • They are found on every continent except Antartica.
  • It is thought that they get their name from the grunting noise they make.
  • Their numbers have fallen in North America due to population declines of one of their favorite prey- horseshoe crabs eggs.
  • These carnivores have special receptors in their beaks that help them detect pressure. These receptors help them find crustaceans buried in the sand.
  • Egrets eat their crustacean prey whole- shell and all. They crush the shells in their gizzard (a muscular part of their stomach), In fact, they have the largest gizzard of any shore bird.
  • They are listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

 

These adorable birds remind us of plovers a bit. It’s important that scientists are following population numbers as we are seeing a decline.  Remember to keep our shores clean of any trash, as plastics and other trash can harm our shore bird friends.

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, camp, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, nature, oceans, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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