A Whistling Duck

Fulvous whistling ducks live across 4 continents, including North and South America, Africa, and Asia. They are often found in marshes and rice fields. They forage by straining the mud for seeds and plant material. Unlike most ducks, fulvous whistling ducks mate for life. Both the male and female take turns incubating the eggs andContinueContinue reading “A Whistling Duck”

A Mob of Meerkats

Meerkats are members of the mongoose family. They live in the African savannah and yes like Timon they do eat insects, grubs and termites. They also eat scorpions, luckily they are immune to most venoms.    Meerkats live in large groups called mobs, clans or gangs. The mob is led by an alpha female, called theContinueContinue reading “A Mob of Meerkats”

The smallest crocodilians

Dwarf caimans are the smallest members of the crocodilian family. Adults are on average 4-6ft long. They are native to South America. Even though they are classified as least concern on the IUCN’s red list, dwarf caimans still face several threats to their survival. Including habitat destruction, pollution, and the illegal pet trade.  Dwarf caimans haveContinueContinue reading “The smallest crocodilians”

The worlds largest bird

You guessed it…The Ostrich  These birds are not just big, they are powerful. The ostriches’ main defense is its legs. They can run up to 43 mph (70 kph). When running isn’t an option, ostriches use their foot equipped with a 4-inch long claw. A single kick from an ostrich can kill a lion.   OstrichesContinueContinue reading “The worlds largest bird”

What is the Buzz?

…..Bees… Bees are extremely important pollinators. They are a vital part of our ecosystems, without them the human population would plumate. About ⅓  of the world’s food production depends on bees to pollinate the crops.  Although honeybees are not endangered other bees are. On the IUCN Red list 16 bee species are listed as vulnerable,ContinueContinue reading “What is the Buzz?”

The elephant’s closest living land relative is ….

….The hyrax  Hyraxes may look like rodents but they are actually cousins of the elephant.   Elephants, hyraxes, dugongs, and manatees all share a common ancestor.  There are several unique physical characteristics that hyraxes and elephants share. Both have tusks formed from their incisors, instead of their canines like other tusked animals. Both have flattened, hoof-likeContinueContinue reading “The elephant’s closest living land relative is ….”

Flaming Flamingos

The name “flamingo” comes from Portuguese or Spanish flamengo, meaning “flame-colored” The pink or reddish color of flamingos comes from carotenoids found in the shrimp, plankton, algae and crustaceans they eat. Flamingos have a unique way of eating…upside down. They plunge their head underwater and use their bills like a shovel to scoop up food.ContinueContinue reading “Flaming Flamingos”

Happy Turkey Day!

Wild Turkeys are native to North America. They have distinguishing characteristics such as large fanned tail feathers, a snood (flap of skin that hangs over their beaks) and a wattle (the flap of skin below their chins.)  Wild turkeys eat seeds, insects, and occasionally  a frog or lizard. Wild turkeys can fly for short distances. ContinueContinue reading “Happy Turkey Day!”

The masters of defense

The African crested porcupine. Porcupine means “quill-pigs” in Latin. But don’t be confused porcupines are rodents, not pigs.  The African crested porcupine has highly effective defense mechanisms. The first strategy is to appear bigger by raising and fanning out it’s 13 in quills. If this doesn’t scare a predator away the next thing they willContinueContinue reading “The masters of defense”