Posts Tagged With: science
SUPER SURPRISE
THURSDAY# 30
We’re heading to the shore to meet today’s Super Surprise animal! Any guess on if it’s a bird, mammal or reptile? Well it’s small and has feathers and looks for bugs and snails in the sand! Did that give you any guesses? Let’s grab our beach blankets and head down to the water!
MEET THE RED KNOT!
Range/Habitat: Worldwide-except Antarctica/ ocean coastlines
Diet: Carnivore: eggs, snails, spiders, crustaceans
Length/Weight: 9-10”/ 3-8 oz
Conservation Status: Common
Fun Facts:
- Red knots are a member of the sandpiper family.
- They probe in the mud and shallows for prey.
- Red knots have gray plumage. Their face and underbelly turn red during breading season.
- Red knots have one of the longest migrations of any bird, up to 9,300 miles. They travel from the arctic to South America.
- Red knots in America spend part of their migration in the Delaware Bay to eat horseshoe crab eggs.
We just can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon than to sit on the beach and watch the shore birds run around! Watch out for those seagulls though, they can be pushy! Do you have a favorite shore bird?
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Categories: Animals, birds, Children, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife
| Tags: animals, birds, children, education, environment, nature, science, wildlife |
WATERY WEDNESDAY# 30
It’s time to pull on your wetsuit and put on your goggles and head into the ocean to meet today’s Watery Wednesday animal! Today’s fish has a skeleton made of cartilage and a mouth full of teeth! Maybe we’ll skip the wetsuits and watch these fish from our submarine :)!
MEET THE BLUE SHARK!
Range/Habitat: tropical-temperate waters/worldwide
Diet: Carnivore: squid, fish
Length: up to 12 ft
Conservation Status: Near threatened
Fun Facts:
- Blue sharks are called the “wolves of the sea”.
- Blue sharks are a beautiful cobalt blue color.
- They have long pectoral fins.
- Blue sharks are very fast swimmers and feeders.
- They have sharp triangular teeth.
- They migrate seasonally from cooler to warmer waters.
- Blue sharks have large litters of live pups, up to 100.
Blue sharks are known to be aggressive towards people, so they are best left alone. We think they are such beautiful and graceful predators. Like other sharks, blue sharks are threatened. We need to make sure that our oceans have these apex predators swimming around for a long time!
We found a nice shark cage to watch these wonderful creatures! Who's joining us?
Elephants & Horses love to share!
Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, fish, nature, science, Watery Wednesday
| Tags: animals, children, education, environment, fish, nature, science, wildlife |
REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 30
It’s that time of the week when we meet a reptile and that can only mean it is Reptilian Tuesday! We’re going to the land down under today mates to meet a very beautiful snake! Do you have your Australian accent ready? Let’s go!
MEET THE CARPET PYTHON!
Range/Habitat: South New Guinea-Australia/ rainforest-scrub-desert
Diet: Carnivore: lizards, birds, small mammals
Length: 6 ½ ft
Conservation Status: common
Fun Facts:
- Carpet Python have bold patterns of gray, reddish brown and black.
- Carpet pythons live in all kinds of habits.
- They have many different color variations.
- They are active day and night.
- Carpet pythons are non-venomous constrictors.
- They are semi-arboreal (spend part of their lives in trees).
Well mates, don’t you think these pythons are gorgeous! We think nature has some of the patterns out there, way better than any paisley we’ve seen! And the best patterns look best when worn by the animal that was born with it!
*If you like this post tell us :)! We love the feedback & if you know someone with kids or who loves animals please share it!
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Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, nature, reptiles, science, wildlife
| Tags: animals, children, education, environment, nature, reptiles, science, wildlife |
MAMMAL MONDAY # 30
We’re back to our regularly scheduled programming and you know what that means- it’s Mammal Monday! We’re traveling to the rainforests of Central Africa to find a primate that lives high in the trees! Grab your binoculars and let’s hop into a hot air balloon to see if we can spot this little guy!
MEET THE POTTO!
Range/Habitat: West-Central Africa/ rainforests
Diet: Omnivore: fruit, sap, insects
Length/Weight: 12-16”/1 ¾-3 lbs
Conservation Status: common
Fun Facts:
- Pottos are primates. They are members of the prosimian family that includes loris and lemurs.
- Pottos are nocturnal (active at night).
- They are arboreal (live in the trees). They spend most of their lives in the canopy of the rainforests!
- Pottos have pointy neck vertebrates that are covered by spiny skin on the back of their necks. This may be for protection, but scientists are unsure.
- They have very thick fur.
- They remain immobile in the trees to avoid predators.
- Pottos have a life span of up to 25 years.
Pottos are so super cute! These little primates have very unusual hands that help them grip the branches very high in the trees! Did you know that the canopy of the rainforests contain the most life? Scientists haven’t even found all the species that live there! Wow! Recycling paper is a great way to preserve the trees of the rainforests!
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Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife
| Tags: animals, children, education, environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife |
RABBIT WEEK # 5
It’s the last day of Rabbit week and we have one more for you! We’re heading to Europe to meet today’s special hare. You may recognize this rabbit from the book “Alice in Wonderland” as the March Hare! Are you ready to meet the last rabbit of the week?
MEET THE EUROPEAN HARE!
Range/Habitat: Europe-North-South America/ grasslands, farms
Diet: Herbivore: grass, herbs, bark
Length/Weight: 19-28”/ 5 ½-15 lbs
Conservation Status: Common- Near Threatened in areas
Fun Facts:
- European hares are also known as the brown hare.
- European hares are nocturnal (active at night).
- They are also solitary.
- European hares have fluffy cottontails.
- They have a tawny-rust colored fur.
- They are the fastest land mammal in the United Kingdom.
- European hares hide in depressions in the earth instead of burrows.
- European hares box during mating season.
We think these hares are super cute, but man can they box! Check it out! Do any of our readers have some in their backyard? We hope you have enjoyed Rabbit week! We’re back to our regularly schedule programming next week :)! We hope you have a hoppy weekend!
Elephants & Horses love to share!
Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, rabbits, science, wildlife
| Tags: animals, children, education, environment, mammals, nature, rabbits, science, wildlife |
RABBIT WEEK # 4
Have you enjoyed meeting the rabbits so far? We just love how each rabbit is so different! And do we have a different rabbit for you today! We’re heading to the Southwestern U.S. desert to find this very fast rabbit with extra large ears!
MEET THE BLACK-TAILED JACKRABBIT!
Range/Habitat: Southwestern United States-Mexico/ desert-shrub
Diet: Herbivore: grasses, herbs, cacti
Length/Weight: 18 ½-25”/ 9-13 lbs
Conservation Status: Common
Fun Facts:
- Black-tailed jackrabbits are also known as the American Desert Hare.
- They are actually hares.
- Black-tailed jackrabbits have long legs that help them move fast! They can reach speeds of up to 35 mph!
- They are the 3rd largest hare in North America.
- Black-tailed jackrabbits are nocturnal (active at night).
- Black-tailed jackrabbits have huge ears. They can regulate the blood flow in their ears, which can help heat them up at night or cool them down during the day.
- They get most of their water from the plants they eat instead of drinking it.
Wow, did you see that jackrabbit go by? They sure are fast! It is hard to miss those giant ears as they go by!
Elephants & Horses love to share!
Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, rabbits, science, wildlife
| Tags: animals, children, education, environment, mammals, nature, rabbits, science, wildlife |
RABBIT WEEK # 3
Here comes Peter Cottontail hoping down the bunny trail… Who else thinks of this song when you think of rabbits? We just love this song and every time we see today’s rabbit it pops in our head! That’s right; we’re taking a stroll in our own backyard to see today’s rabbit! Do you have guess on who it is?
MEET THE EASTERN COTTONTAIL!
Range/Habitat: Southeastern Canada- Central America-parts of Europe/ forests,
grasslands, suburbs
Diet: Herbivore: grass, bark, twigs
Length/Weight: 15-19”/2 ¼-3 ¼ lb
Conservation Status: Common
Fun Facts:
- Eastern Cottontails have reddish brown fur.
- They are mostly solitary animals.
- Eastern cottontails have fluffy white tails.
- They are most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular).
- Eastern cottontails use burrows dug by other animals.
- Eastern cottontails thump the ground often as a warning
We love to see Eastern Cottontails out in the yard munching on some clover. You have to be very quite because they can move fast! Hop! Hop! Hop!
Elephants & Horses love to share!
Categories: Animals, backyard, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, rabbits, science, wildlife
| Tags: animals, backyard, children, education, environment, mammals, nature, rabbits, science, wildlife |
RABBIT WEEK # 2
We’re heading to the chilly Arctic today to meet today’s rabbit! Actually this animal is a hare! Hares are members of the lagomorph family. They usually have larger ears than rabbits and live in nests above ground vs burrows. Hares also have babies that are born with hair and open eyes. Today’s hare lives in a very snowy climate! Put on your cold weather coat and snow shoes and let’s meet today’s hare!
MEET THE ARCTIC HARE!
Range/Habitat: N Canada- Greenland/ snowy arctic tundra
Diet: Herbivore: grasses, moss, lichen, shrubs
Length/Weight: 17- 26”/ 6 ½-15 lbs
Conservation Status: common
Fun Facts:
- Arctic hares are built to live in cold climates.
- They have thick coats of fur that turn brown-gray in the summer and white in the winter to help them camouflage.
- Arctic hares have large feet that help them walk in the snow.
- Arctic hares have smaller ears to help them regulate their body heat, smaller ears lose less heat!
- They hide in rocky outcrops and crevices.
- Arctic hares are fast, they can go as fast as 40 mph!
Arctic hares have beautiful white coats! It has to be hard to see them in all of that snow! These hardy rabbits have some great adaptations for living in a harsh climate! Now, who’s ready to warm up with hot apple cider? It’s Edmond’s specialty!
Elephants & Horses love to share!
Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, rabbits, science, wildlife
| Tags: animals, children, education, environment, mammals, nature, rabbits, science, wildlife |
RABBIT WEEK!
April theme week is here and we are celebrating rabbits! We’re featuring a rabbit a day along with a special craft and an interview with one of our rabbit pals! So are you ready to get this week started? We sure are! Rabbits are classified as lagomorphs and include hares and picas. They have large ears and four incisors in the upper jaw. They range in size and live all over the world except Antarctica. Besides being amazing animals, they are just plain cute! We’re heading south of the border (as we like to say in the U.S.) to some volcanoes outside of Mexico City to meet today’s rabbit!
MEET THE VOLCANO RABBIT!
Range/Habitat: Central Mexico/ forests, mountains
Diet: Herbivore: grasses
Length/Weight: 9- 12 ½”/ 13-21 oz
Conservation Status: endangered
Fun Facts:
- Volcano rabbits live in pine forests near volcano peaks.
- Volcano rabbits are one of the smallest rabbits in the world.
- They live in small groups of 2-5.
- Volcano rabbits have small rounded ears.
- They build their burrows.
- Volcano rabbits are mostly active at dusk and dawn (crepuscular).
How cute are these Volcano Rabbits? You would think with a name like that, they would breathe fire, but nope! There are efforts to make sure these little rabbits have enough habitat in their native Mexico! That is great news!
Elephants & Horses love to share!
Categories: Animals, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, rabbits, science, wildlife
| Tags: animals, children, education, environment, mammals, nature, rabbits, science, wildlife |
We have WILD ENCOUNTER at Zoo Atlanta
Wowee! We were invited to Zoo Atlanta for a Wild Encounter with Slasher the Komodo dragon! That’s right folks, we went behind the scenes to meet and feed mice to a Komodo dragon! Zoo Atlanta is starting a new program on March 31st called Wild Encounters where you can go behind the scenes and meet a Komodo dragon, an elephant or a panda! How cool is that? Well let’s just show you!
First we met outside of Slasher’s habitat. Our guide Shelby gave us instructions and some great information about Komodo Dragons! (60/72)
Slasher the Komodo dragon!
Shelby our Wild Encounter guide!
Did you know that komodo dragons live in Indonesia? They live on 3 different islands including Komodo Island. They are considered vulnerable, due to habitat loss and loss of some of the prey they eat. Slasher is a big guy and we were so excited to meet him! The humans were given booties to cover their shoes and a glove to wear on the hand that would hold the tongs!
Aren't these booties attractive?
Off we went to behind the scenes of the Komodo dragon habitat, where we were greeted by a reptile keeper. He showed us a skeleton of the Komodo dragon skull and some teeth!
Komodo dragon skull! Look at those teeth!
Wow these lizards have a mouth of serrated teeth that fall out often are replaced by teeth behind them, kind of like sharks. We finally met Slasher, where he was waiting for lunch!
We were given a pair of tongs with a small mouse on the end to feed Slasher. Each person took turns giving Slasher one mouse and he chomped those down in one bite!
Slasher getting a mouse!
We also learned that komodo dragons have a special organ or third eye on their head that helps them detect light and dark! Isn’t that amazing? Soon, everyone had given Slasher a mouse and he went back into his habitat. It went by so fast, but WOW, it was such an amazing experience! We were so thrilled. We sat and watched him for a bit as he lounged around.
We're watching Slasher! Edmond was too short & had to sit on Ellie!
He probably was a bit sleepy after eating all those mice. Normally you would have to head all the way to Indonesia to see a komodo up close and let us tell you, that is long trek! But all you have to do to enjoy a WILD ENCOUNTER at the zoo is get in the car! Want to learn more? Of course you do! Check out the zoo’s website! Trust us- you’ll be so happy you went!
We had such a great time meeting Slasher. We didn’t want our adventure to end, so we made a stop at the new Twiga Terrace.
Welcome to Twiga Terrace!
Did you know that twiga is the Swahili word for giraffe? FUN! Zoo Atlanta is opening a new feeding station for giraffes, also on March 31st. We stopped by to see the zoo’s giraffes and give them some tasty romaine lettuce. We had a hard time not eating the lettuce ourselves. The zoo has four giraffes, Mona, Glenda, Abu and Lily (the baby)!
Hanging with the giraffes!
Glenda came on over to sniff out our lettuce and to take a nibble.
Glenda!
We could just watch giraffes for hours! They are so graceful and beautiful!
Aren't they gorgeous?
You can feed the giraffes too! Check out the zoo’s website for more info! After such an amazing day, this elephant and horse were tired! We headed home with great memories of a fabulous adventure!
It’s a great time of year to get out and enjoy Zoo Atlanta! Did you know that when you visit the zoo and feed giraffes and have Wild Encounters that you’re helping support the animals at the zoo and their wild relatives! COOL! Zoo Atlanta is one of our favorite places and hopefully one of yours!
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The Adventures of Ellie and Edmond 