Posts Tagged With: reptiles

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 40

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 40

We’re off to the rainforests of Central America to meet a really cool reptile that has a special adaptation! Can you run on top of water? We didn’t think so! Let’s head out on today’s adventure!

MEET THE PLUMED BASILISK!

   Range/Habitat: Central America/ rainforests-wetlands

   Diet: Omnivore: insects, rodents, fruits

   Length: 23 ½-30”

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Plumed Basilisks are arboreal (they live in trees).
  • They live near streams and rivers.
  • Plumed basilisks run across the surface of the water on their hind feet.
  • Plumed basilisks have 3 crests on body; on their head, back and tails.
  • They are excellent swimmers and can stay under water for 30 minutes.
  • Male plumed basilisks are very territorial. They preside over a territory with numerous females.

These lizards are sooo cool! Can you believe they can run on water? We wish we could do that, alas we only doggie paddle, or elephant and horse paddle in this case!

  

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

AMERICAN ANIMALS DAY #2

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

AMERICAN ANIMALS WEEK DAY #2

It’s day two of American Animals week and we drove the RV down to the Southwestern United States to find a really cool reptile! Grab your sunscreen or mud and your sunglasses, because it’s going to be a hot one!

MEET THE GILA MONSTER!

   Range/Habitat: Southwestern US-desert, scrub, rocky outcrops

   Diet: Carnivore: eggs and small animals

   Length: 14-20 “

   Conservation Status: threatened

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Gila Monsters are one of two venomous lizards in the whole world (the other is the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard.)
  • They brightly colored to ward of predators.
  • Gila Monsters have a forked tongue like a snake and it helps them “smell” for prey.
  • They inject venom into their prey when they bite. They have special glands in their lower jaw that stores the venom.
  • Gila monsters’ tails store fat so they can survive when food is scarce or when they hibernate in the winter.
  • Gila monsters have bumpy heads. Those bumps are part of their skull.
  • They are not harmful to humans, despite their bad reputation! So Gila Monsters aren’t so monstrous after all!

We think Gila monsters are super cool! These amazing reptiles are protected here! That is good news, because it sure would be a shame if we didn’t have this neat lizard to see!

  

 


 

 

 

 

 

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

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 39

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 39

We’re going to the rainforests of Southeast Asia to meet a brightly colored snake! We’re going to watch this guy from a distance though just to be safe! Let’s do this!

MEET THE BLUE CORAL SNAKE

    Range/Habitat: Southeast Asia/ rainforests

    Diet: Carnivore: snakes, lizards, frogs

    Length: 4- 4 ½ ft

    Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Blue Coral snakes are also known as Blue Malaysian Coral Snakes.
  • They have bright blue bodies with orange undersides, head and tails.
  • Blue coral snakes are highly venomous.
  • They flip upside down and show their bright orange coloration as a warning to predators.
  • Blue coral snakes are nocturnal.

We’re definitely going to observe these snakes from a distance. It’s best to pay attention to their warning coloration too!

 

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

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 38

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 38

Whew, it’s hot here in this desert! We hope someone brought some mud for sunscreen! We’re here to find a marvelous lizard who can blow himself up! No, no, the lizard doesn’t actually explode, instead they inflate! Are you ready to meet this new friend?

MEET THE CHUCKWALLA!

   Range/Habitat: Southwestern United States-Northern Mexico/desert

   Diet: Herbivore: fruit, leaves, flowers, succulents

   Length: 11-16 ½”

  Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Chuckwallas are large, wide and flat bellied lizards.
  • Their name comes from a Native American word!
  • Chuckwallas like hot conditions. They are often seen basking in the sun during the day!
  • When threatened chuckwallas jam themselves in crevices and inflate their lungs and flaps of skin, so that is impossible for a predator to get them out!
  • They have thick long tails.
  • Male chuckwallas are larger and often have black heads.
  • They have a life span of up to 25 years.

 

Wow, they lizards are not only cool, but they have a cool name! Try saying Chuckwalla three times fast! Chuckwalla, chuckwalla, chuckwalla… We got tongue tied just typing it :)!

       

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

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

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

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: , , , , , , , , , | 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: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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: , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 34

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

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: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Blog at WordPress.com.