Posts Tagged With: science

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 39

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WEDNESDAY# 39

We’re going diving in the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific Oceans today! We’re looking for a shy, unusual and beautiful fish! Make sure your diving goggles are extra clean and you have a flashlight, because these fish like to hide out! Let’s do this!

MEET THE ZEBRA MORAY!

   Range/Habitat: Pacific- Indian Oceans & Gulf of California/ coral reefs

   Diet: Carnivore: crabs, crustaceans

   Length/Weight: up to 35”/ 22lbs

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Zebra Morays are eels.
  • They have no scales or fins.
  • Zebra morays have black and white, long muscular bodies.
  • Zebra morays ooze a slime that protects their skin since they don’t have any scales.
  • They lurk in cliffs, rocks and coral; often with only their head sticking out.
  • Zebra morays are ambush predators.
  • They have blunt teeth for crushing prey!
  • Zebra morays are very territorial.

These amazing eels sure are pretty! We’re not sure we’d want to touch one though, eeeww slimy! Would you be scared if you saw one of these lurking in your neighborhood reef? We sure wouldn’t!

     

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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

MAMMAL MONDAY # 39

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY # 39

Grab your down coats and mountain climbing gear because we’re going a hike in the Alpine Mountains to meet a member of the goat family! So let’s go on another fabulous adventure!

MEET THE ALPINE IBEX!

   Range/Habitat: Europe-Alps/ mountains

   Diet: Herbivore: grasses, buds, shoots

   Length/Weight: 4- 5 ½ ft/ 77-130 lbs

   Conservation Status:

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Alpine Ibex live in high attitude habitats, up to 20,000 ft.
  • They are members of the goat family.
  • They have wooly beards.
  • Alpine Ibex have large horns on their heads. Males can have horns up to 4 ½ ft and females have smaller ones.
  • Female Alpine females have tan coats and males have rich brown coats with patches.
  • Female Alpine females live in herds. The females and offspring live in groups, while the males live in male only herds.
  • Alpine ibex males compete for females with head tosses and fights.

These amazing goats live in such a spectacular habitat! Can you imagine what it’s like to walk around with those big horns on your head? Now, who’s ready for some apple cider to warm up?

 

  

 

 

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

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 38

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

FEATHERY FRIDAY# 38

It’s time to jet off to the wetlands of Sub-Saharan Africa to meet a most regal bird! These beauties wade in the water to catch a meal, so we must too! Do you have your waders? Let’s do this!

MEET THE SACRED IBIS!

   Range/Habitat: Africa-South of the Sahara/ wetlands, swamps

   Diet: Carnivores: insects, fish, frogs

   Length/Weight: 26-35”/ 3 ¼ lb

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Sacred Ibis have white bodies with shiny, black featherless heads.
  • They are wading birds and have partially webbed feet.
  • Sacred ibis live in flocks.
  • Both the male and female Sacred Ibis take care of the eggs and chicks.
  • They can live up to 20 years.
  • Sacred Ibis were worshipped in Ancient Egypt!
  • They are an ancient species. They’ve been around the planet for about 60 million years!

Wow, these birds have been around a looooong time and they were worshipped at one time! We wonder if they’re stuck up. We think they’re great either way!

     

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

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY #38

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY# 38

Man, we couldn’t decide where to go today, because the bird we found lives all over the place! So we’re off to Europe to meet this wading bird! Grab your wellies and night vision goggles and let’s head out to meet today’s bird!

MEET THE BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON!

   Range/Habitat: North-South America-Africa-Asia-Europe/wetlands-rivers

   Diet: Carnivore: fish, frogs, crustaceans

   Length/Weight: 23-26”/18-29 oz

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Black crowned night herons are also known simply as Night Herons in Eurasia.
  • They feed at night and dusk.
  • Black crowned night herons wade in shallow waters and ambush their prey.
  • They have excellent vision in dim light.
  • Black crowned night herons rest in trees during the day.

 

We just love these little stocky herons! We could watch wading birds all day and night! It is so fun to see them catch their prey! Do you have a favorite wading bird?

 

Categories: Animals, birds, Children, education, Environment, nature, rivers, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 38

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WEDNESDAY# 38

It’s Watery Wednesday again we’re off to the Northern Pacific ocean to meet a special and very toxic fish! We’ll stay in our sub to check this fish out! We have plenty of room, so who’s coming?

MEET THE FUGU!

   Range/Habitat: Western North Pacific/ ocean, reefs

   Diet: Carnivore: fish

   Length: up to 6”

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Fugu means “river pig” in Japanese.
  • They are also known as blowfish.
  • Fugus are highly toxic and release their toxins in the water to deter predators. If that doesn’t work, they inflate themselves!
  • They have beak like mouths with strong teeth and jaws.
  • Their toxin is strong enough to kill 30 adult humans.
  • Fugus breed around the full and new moons in spring time. They actually spawn on the beach during high tide!

 

We’ll keep our distance from this fish! People do eat them in Japan and it can be very dangerous! We think we’ll leave these amazing fish swimming in the ocean!

 

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 4 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

MAMMAL MONDAY # 38

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY # 38

We’re back to our regular programming today after celebrating some great animal dads last week! Today we’re heading to the rainforests of South America to meet one adorable and wooly monkey! Grab your climbing gear because we’re going up!

MEET THE GRAY WOOLY MONKEY!

   Range/Habitat: Central-South America/ rainforest

   Diet: Omnivore: fruit, seeds, flowers, small animals

   Length/Weight: 20-26”/ 8 ¾-22 lbs

   Conservation Status: vulnerable

Fun Facts:

  • Gray Wooly Monkeys are arboreal (they live in the trees).
  • They have thick, soft and curly fur.
  • Gray wooly monkeys have a prehensile tail (they can hang from it). The tail has a bald spot on near the end for better gripping.
  • They live in large troops with a dominant male and lower females and males.
  • Gray wooly monkeys have stocky bodies with strong shoulders and hips. These adaptations are for a life in the trees.
  • They are known to have a gentle nature.

Gray wooly monkeys sure are cute! Don’t you just want to hug one? We sure do, but we won’t because these monkeys are best left in their rainforest home as wild monkeys! Remember though that their home is disappearing, so it’s important that we all work to make sure it is safe!

Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, rainforests, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

DAD’S WEEK DAY # 5

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

DAD’S WEEK DAY #5

It’s the last day of dad’s week and we sure hope you’ve enjoyed meeting all of our dad friends! Today we’re going back to South America to meet a large and in charge bird dad! So shed your parka from yesterday and put on those khakis, hats and sunscreen and let’s head out to the plains of Argentina!

MEET THE GREATER RHEA!

   Range/Habitat: Eastern South America/ desert-grasslands

   Diet: Omnivore: fruits, seeds, lizards, insects

   Length/Weight: 3-5ft/ 33-60 lbs

   Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

  • The Greater Rhea is the largest bird in South America.
  • They are flightless and are related to the Ostrich and Emu.
  • Male Greater rheas attract up to 12 females with a booming call and wing display.
  • Female greater rheas (up to 12 ladies) then lay their eggs in a nest the male has dug out.
  • Male Greater rheas then take sole charge of the eggs.
  • They are highly protective of the nest and eggs and the chicks after they hatch.
  • Male Greater rheas even take care of all the chicks after they hatch!

These big old birdies sure make great dads! We wouldn’t want to mess with these dads while they’re protecting their young! Way to go Rhea dads!

      

Categories: Animals, birds, Children, dads, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

DADS WEEK DAY # 4

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

DAD’S WEEK DAY #4

We’ve already made it to Day 4 of Dads week can you believe it? So far we’ve met some awesome dads, all of whom live in a tropical or warm habitat, but not today! We’re putting on the parkas, big boots and snow shoes to meet today’s feathery dad! Talk about enduring the elements, these South Pole residents sure live in a harsh climate! Are you ready to go?

MEET THE EMPEROR PENGUIN!

   Range/Habitat: Antarctica, coastline and oceans

   Diet: Carnivore: fish

   Length/Weight: up to 3 ½ ft/ up to 82 lbs

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Emperor Penguins are the largest of all penguin species.
  • They breed in the winter.
  • Female Emperor Penguins lay their eggs and immediately give them to the males.
  • Male Emperor Penguins then carry the eggs on their feet and cover them with a pouch of skin to keep them warm.
  • Females return to the sea to eat while the males incubate the egg.
  • Male Emperor Penguins fast for around 65 days while they incubate the egg.
  • They huddle together in the harsh conditions to keep warm. The penguins rotate in the center of the huddle to get warm.

Emperor Penguins are fantastic birds! These dads go through a very harsh winter with eggs on their feet to ensure that their chicks are safe! We are very impressed by these birds! What about you?

 

 

Categories: Animals, birds, Children, dads, education, Environment, nature, oceans, penguins, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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