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Rhinoceros Hornbill

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 21:50:35 GMT

What Is a Rhinoceros Hornbill?

Rhinoceros hornbills are one of roughly 55 species of hornbills. All hornbills are found in Africa or Asia, but rhinoceros hornbills are only found in Southeast Asia and on a few surrounding islands. They live in tropical and subtropical climates in mountain rainforests. Rhinoceros hornbills are typically found in old-growth forests with enormous trees. We’ll come back to this in a bit!

Why Are They Called "Hornbills?"

Hornbills get their name from the large horn-like structure on the beaks of many species. These structures are called casques and have different jobs depending on the species. The rhinoceros hornbill gets its name because it has one of the largest casques of any species. Scientists hypothesize its main purpose is to amplify their sound (make them louder!). Rhinoceros hornbills communicate using a loud honking sound.

Scientists also believe a rhinoceros hornbill’s large casque can be used to impress potential mates and can even be used in combat between males.

Hornbills have a very long beak, so they are commonly confused with toucans. Hornbills and toucans are not related and live on different continents. However, they do have the same habitat, diet, and nesting sites, so they would be in constant competition if they did live near each other!

What Do Rhinoceros Hornbills Eat?

Rhinoceros hornbills are frugivores, meaning most of their diet is fruit. They use their long, colorful bill to pluck fruit from tree branches. They also feed on small animals like lizards and insects. Because of their fruit-heavy diet, rhinoceros hornbills are important seed dispersers in their rainforest home.

Both male and female rhinoceros hornbills have large, colorful beaks and casques, so it can be hard to tell them apart. The bright colors of their beak are actually from being rubbed in an oil they produce on their backs. The easiest way to tell a male and female rhinoceros hornbill apart is by looking at their eyes. Males have a red eye, while females have a blueish-white eye.

How Do Rhinoceros Hornbills Make Nests?

Male and female pairs strengthen their bond at the start of the breeding season. Rhinoceros hornbills are monogamous and will typically breed with the same mate year after year. They even use the same nest if it is still available. To strengthen their bond, they vocalize together and toss fruit to one another.

When it comes time to breed, females begin to prepare their nest. They have a very similar nesting strategy to the great hornbill and a few other Asian hornbill species. Rhinoceros hornbills nest in tree cavities of old-growth trees that are typically formed when a large branch falls from the tree. As a female gets ready to lay her egg, the pair begins to seal the opening of the nest shut with the female inside. They use mushed-up food, mud, and even poop to make the seal. They leave a narrow opening just large enough for the male to pass food to the female and eventually the chick.

The female remains trapped inside the nest sitting on her eggs for several weeks while she relies on her mate to bring her food. Once the chick hatches, the male will be responsible for feeding both it and the female. As the chick grows, the nest becomes cramped, and the female eventually breaks the seal and leaves the nest. They quickly seal the chick back inside and now both parents work to feed it. Once the chick develops its flight feathers, it too breaks out of the nest and starts its life.

Are Rhinoceros Hornbills Endangered?

This nesting strategy keeps the female and chick highly protected, but also have some challenges. If something happens to the male while the female is in the nest, she has no way of getting food. If they cannot find a tree cavity suitable for a nest, they will not be able to raise a chick. With deforestation being a large problem in rhinoceros hornbill habitat, this is becoming more and more of a problem.

We can help rhinoceros hornbills and all rainforest animals by protecting forests. By purchasing items made with sustainable palm oil and buying sustainably produced paper, we can help put a stop to deforestation.

Want To Learn More?

Check out EdZOOcating Adventures' Rhinoceros Hornbill lesson with videos, quizzes, activities, projects, glossaries, and more.

Flamingos

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 21:44:25 GMT

Where Do Flamingos Live?

There are six species of flamingos that live in and near shallow water ecosystems. Four species can be found in North and South America, and two live in Africa and Asia. They live in tropical and temperate climates.

Why Are Flamingos Pink?

Flamingos are known for their beautiful pink feathers. Their pink color comes from their diet. They eat blue-green algae, small brine shrimp, aquatic insects, and other small organisms that live in shallow water. Their food, especially the blue-green algae, has a high concentration of carotenoids, an orange-red pigment. The flamingos break this pigment down as they eat and it slowly builds up in their feathers, turning them pink! Flamingos are born a white-gray color, it can take up to 3 years for them to turn completely pink.

Different parts of the world have different food available for flamingos, causing some species to be pinker than others. Species that live where there is a high concentration of blue-green algae are pinker than those that live where there is a higher concentration of shrimp/water bugs.

Are Flamingos Filter Feeders?

Flamingos are filter feeders, that's how they can eat these tiny organisms from the water. Their beaks are lined with comb-like structures called lamellae that trap food in their mouth while water escapes. When feeding, they tip their heads upside down and quickly chatter their bill.

Their necks are long enough to allow them to reach the water for feeding. They are often seen standing on one leg, which commonly raises the question - why? Scientists aren’t sure why flamingos (and other birds) stand on one leg, but theories include keeping them warm by tucking one leg under their feathers or perhaps saving energy.

Do Flamingos Live in Groups?

Flamingos are typically gregarious, which means they live in large, flexible social groups. They gather in especially large groups during the breeding season when they build their nests along the shore. Flamingo nests are piles of mud with an indent in the middle where females lay one egg.

How Do Flamingos Raise Chicks?

Flamingo pairs stick with their mate for the season and work together to raise their offspring. Unlike most other birds that collect food and bring it back to the nest for the chicks, flamingos produce a substance called “crop milk” in their throats filled with nutrients and - carotenoids! Flamingo parents often lose some pinkness while producing crop milk to feed their chick.

After several weeks, chicks gather in groups called crèches and are cared for as a group. This makes less work for each individual pair of flamingos. After about four months, the chicks are totally independent.

Are Flamingos Endangered?

Fortunately, most flamingos are not threatened with extinction. However, they do face threats such as loss of feeding and nesting sites due to the construction of dams and channels and egg collection.

Want To Learn More?

Check out EdZOOcating Adventures' Flamingo lesson with videos, quizzes, activities, projects, glossaries, and more.

Scientific Names

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 23:51:32 GMT

Why Are Animal Names Confusing?

Sometimes talking about animals can be confusing. For example, jellyfish are not actually fish and neither are starfish! This can make things complicated. But don’t worry...

Even if an animal’s common name is confusing, we can rely on its scientific name to set the record straight. Let’s get started learning about scientific names.

What Is a Scientific Name?

You can tell a lot about an animal from its name.

Most animal species have a common name (sometimes several) and a scientific name . Scientific names are also called Latin names or binomial names.

We usually use common names when talking casually about animals. We call a lion… well, a lion. We don't usually call them a panthera leo. But common names can often be confusing. For example...

Starfish are invertebrates, not fish.
Prairie dogs are squirrels, not dogs.
Red pandas are not related to giant pandas even though they are both called "pandas."

Why Do Animals Have Scientific Names?

Scientists use Latin names when discussing animals because they are more specific and tell us more about the animal. A scientific name tells us if we are talking about a species, subspecies, or broader taxonomic group.

How To Write a Scientific Name

When writing a scientific name, the Genus Is Always Capitalized and the whole name is italicized .

Writing the Scientific Name of a Species

When writing the scientific name of a species, write the g enus (capitalized) followed by the species name (lowercase). This is how you would write the scientific name for a leopard:

Panthera pardus

Writing the Scientific Name of a Subspecies

When writing the scientific name of a subspecies, add the subspecies name following the genus and species name. Like the species name, this word is never capitalized. This is how you would write the scientific name for the Amur leopard, a subspecies of leopard:

Panthera pardus orientalis

How To Abbreviate a Scientific Name

You might see an animal's scientific name abbreviated. To save time, scientists use the first letter of the genus, a period, and the full species names. This is done for subspecies, too.

Abbreviating the Name of a Species or Subspecies

Species

A leopard's scientific name is Panthera parudus . It is abbreviated as:

P. pardus

Subspecies

An Amur leopard's scientific name is Panthera parudus orientalis . It is abbreviated as:

P. p. orientalis

Here are more examples of abbreviated scientific names.

Greater flamingo: Phoenicopterus roseus

P. roseus

Eastern box turtle: Terrapene carolina carolina

T. c. carolina

Southern white rhino: Ceratotherium simum simum

C. s. simum

Abbreviating the Species in a Genus

Genus

When discussing a genus as a whole, scientists write the genus name followed by sp. if there is just a single species or ssp. if there are several species.

The genus Panthera includes leopards, tigers, jaguars, lions, and snow leopards. If we were discussing all 5 species, we would write...

Panthera ssp.

If we were writing about koalas ( Phascolarctos cinereus ) , who are the only species in their genus, we would write...

Phascolarctos sp.

While learning how to write scientific names might be confusing, they are actually meant to help scientists avoid confusion! Take some time to research your favorite animals and practice writing their scientific names so you can become an expert.

Want To Learn More?

Check out EdZOOcating Adventures' Scientific Names lesson with videos, quizzes, activities, projects, glossaries, and more.

Taxonomy

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 21:49:07 GMT

What Is Taxonomy?

Taxonomy is the scientific study of identifying, describing, and classifying organisms. But what does that really mean?

Taxonomy helps us put organisms into groups based on how similar or related they are. Taxonomy can be used for many different organisms, but we are going to focus on animals.

How Do Scientists Classify Animals?

To decide what taxonomic group an animal belongs to, scientists look at characteristics, like...

DNA: Does this animal have similar DNA to other animals?
Morphology: Does this animal look like other animals?
Native range: Does this animal (or did this animal previously...) live near other animals?
Reproduction: Does this animal have live offspring or lay eggs?
Diet: Does this animal eat similar food to other animals?
Endotherm or ectotherm: Is this animal cold-blooded or warm-blooded?
Vertebrate or invertebrate: Does this animal have a backbone?

And many others!

What Is a Taxonomic Hierarchy?

Taxonomic groups are organized into a taxonomic hierarchy , which looks like an upside-down pyramid.

Groups near the top of the hierarchy (the widest section of the pyramid) are very broad and have many animals with just a few similarities. Groups on the other end of the pyramid (the narrowest section of the pyramid) are more specific, having just a few animals with a lot in common!

Domain

Domains are the largest, broadest group. Plants and animals belong to the same domain. Bacteria make up their own domain.

Kingdom

Kingdoms are where we separate plants from animals. This is why we sometimes call animals the "animal kingdom." All animals belong to the kingdom Animalia .

Phylum (Plural: Phyla)

In the animal kingdom, all vertebrates belong to one phylum (called Chordata ) and invertebrates make up several different phyla.

Class

Phylums are divided into classes. The Chordata phylum is divided into classes such as Mammalia (all mammals), Aves (all birds), Reptilia (all reptiles), and more.

Order

A class is further separated into smaller groups called orders. The Mammalia class is divided into orders such as Carnivora (all cats, dogs, bears, etc.), Rodentia (all rodents), Chiroptera (all bats), and more.

Family

Orders are divided into even smaller groups called families. The Carnivora order is divided into the Feline family (cats), Canine family (dogs, wolves, etc.), Ursidae (bears), and more.

Genus (Plural: Genera)

Families are further separated into genera. Animals in the same genus are very closely related and typically have many traits in common. The Feline family is divided into genera like Panthera (big cats), Lynx (lynx and bobcat), Acinonyx (cheetah), and more.

Species

A genus might include one or several individual species. The Panthera genus includes 5 species (lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard , snow leopard) while the Acinonyx genus only has one, the cheetah .

Subspecies

Some species may be broken into even smaller groups called subspecies. This often happens when one species is separated from each other. Leopards live in many different areas around Africa and Asia resulting in several different subspecies of leopard.

How Does Taxonomy Help Us Name Animals?

Scientific names for a species are written as " Genus species ." If we know an animal's taxonomy, we can write their scientific name. On the flip side... If we know an animal's scientific name, we can identify its genus and species name. If two different species share the same first word of their scientific name, we know they share a genus and must be closely related!

Using an animal's scientific name is a great way to get a better understanding of their taxonomy and what other animals they are related to. Visit our Scientific Names blog to learn more.

Science Is Always Changing

It is very important to remember that scientists are always learning and discovering new information! Advancements in technology and more research have helped scientists understand how animals are really related. As scientists learn new information about animals, they sometimes have to change the way they are classified.

Animals in a taxonomic group can change as scientists keep learning.

Want To Learn More?

Check out EdZOOcating Adventures' Taxonomy lesson with videos, quizzes, activities, projects, glossaries, and more.

Flying Foxes

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 16:53:03 GMT

What Kind of Animal Is a Flying Fox?

Though they are called flying foxes, these animals are actually a genus of large bats. They get the name flying fox from their large size and furry bodies, which sometimes resemble foxes. The largest species of flying fox has a wingspan that can reach more than 4 feet wide!

There are more than 60 species of flying foxes. They are found in eastern Africa, southern Asia, northern Australia, and on numerous islands in between.

What Do Flying Foxes Have in Common With Other Bats?

As a genus of bats, flying foxes have a lot in common with other bats.

They are mammals! Bats are unique because they are the only mammals that can truly fly. Like most mammals, bats are covered in fur (except for their wings) and have live offspring. Their wings are modified arms and hands that even have finger bones!

Most species are also nocturnal, though a few that live on islands are diurnal. Scientists think this is because there are few predators on those islands so flying foxes can fly freely in the daylight.

What Do Flying Foxes Eat?

Unlike most other bats, flying foxes are frugivores, meaning they feed mostly on fruit! Some species will also eat other plant matter, like nectar, and insects. As frugivores, they have an important job in nature.

They are seed dispersers! After feeding on fruit (including the seeds inside), they fly around and drop seeds in their waste. Flying foxes are especially important because they can move seeds between islands as they travel. The species that feed on nectar are also important pollinators.

While flying foxes have good eyesight, they rely mostly on their sense of smell to find fruit. Unlike some other bats, flying foxes do not have echolocation.

Do Flying Foxes Live in Groups?

Some flying foxes are solitary, meaning they live alone. However, most are gregarious, which means they live in a group. Flying foxes form large social groups that have a very loose social structure. A group of flying foxes is called a colony or a camp. Some species can have as many as 100,000 individuals in one camp!

Flying foxes typically have one offspring, called a pup, per year. They cling to their mom’s fur for the first several weeks of their life. They fledge around 3-4 months old but stay with their mom for more than a year. Most flying foxes can live to be about 15 years old.

Are Flying Foxes Endangered?

The biggest problem flying foxes face actually has to do with their love of fruit. Flying foxes commonly feed on crops and are hunted by farmers trying to protect their fruit. This is an example of human-wildlife conflict, which occurs when humans and wildlife live too close to each other. Several species of flying foxes have been driven to extinction because of this.

Many countries have put laws in place to protect flying foxes, which is helping to ensure we don’t lose any more species to extinction!

Want To Learn More?

Check out EdZOOcating Adventures' Flying Fox lesson with videos, quizzes, activities, projects, glossaries, and more.

Koalas

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:37:46 GMT

Where Do Koalas Live?

Koalas are one of the most iconic animals in Australia. They are endemic to the woodlands and forests of eastern and southeastern Australia. This means they are found there and nowhere else in the world!

Who Are Koalas Related To?

Koalas are marsupials, meaning females have a pouch to carry their offspring. However, koalas are the only living members of their family, so they don’t have any extremely close relatives. Their closest relatives are wombats! Other examples of marsupials are kangaroos, possums, and Tasmanian devils.

What Adaptations Do Koalas Have?

Koalas are well-known for their gray, fluffy fur and large, rounded ears. They are medium-sized marsupials, though males are much larger than females and can weigh up to 30 lbs!

Unlike their wombat cousin, koalas are arboreal, and they have lots of adaptations that make life in the trees a breeze. They have sharp, curved claws that grip into tree bark. While they have 5 fingers, two of them work like thumbs. These pincher-like hands are great for grabbing onto branches. They have strong muscles in their arms and legs to help lift themselves high into tree branches.

What Do Koalas Eat?

Koalas must be skilled climbers because they find their food high up in the trees, especially Eucalyptus trees. Leaves from many species of trees make up a koala’s diet. Because they only feed on a few different types of food, we call them specialist feeders. I like to think of specialists as picky eaters, whereas generalists are not picky. Generalists will eat just about anything they can find.

Eucalyptus is toxic to many other animals, so koalas don't have much competition for food. Koalas have a special enzyme that breaks down these toxins.

Their food is very low in nutrients, which is part of the reason koalas are so slow and sleepy. They can sleep upwards of 20 hours per day.

Do Koalas Live In Groups?

Aside from a mother and her offspring, koalas are solitary, meaning they like to live alone. Offspring may stay with their mom for well over a year. Older koalas have territories that they mark with scent glands on their chest. Young koalas may travel between territories in search of food and a territory of their own.

How Do Koalas Care for Their Offspring?

Like all marsupials, female koalas have a pouch on their abdomen where they carry their offspring. Their gestation is typically only about 30 days, so when koalas are first born, they are small and undeveloped. This is the case for most marsupials! They crawl across their mother’s fur to the safety of her pouch where they feed on milk and continue to grow.

Offspring stay in their mom’s pouch for up to 7 months before they are big enough and fuzzy enough to leave. When they outgrow the pouch, they ride around on their mom’s back! Eventually, they go off on their own to find a territory and start their life.

Want To Learn More?

Check out EdZOOcating Adventures' Koala lesson with videos, quizzes, activities, projects, glossaries, and more.

Moray Eels

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 20:28:38 GMT

Where Do Moray Eels Live?

Moray eels are a family of eels with about 200 species. Most moray eels are found in the ocean in habitats like coral reefs, rocky sea beds, and other areas where they can hide. Some moray eels are found in more temperate water and some are even found in freshwater!

What Do Moray Eels Look Like?

Though their long, thin body and unusual fins make them look like snakes, moray eels are fish, not reptiles! Like most fish, they breathe with gills and move around by swimming. However, unlike most fish, moray eels don’t have scales.

Instead, they have a layer of mucus on their skin. It protects their skin from parasites and allows them to slip into tight spaces to hide and hunt. The color of some moray eels appears different because of the mucus. Green moray eels are actually brown, but the yellow mucus on their skin makes them appear green.

Between 200 species, the size, colors, and patterns of moray eels are quite different from one another.

The smallest moray eel measures less than one foot in length, while the longest moray eel measures well over 10 feet! Some species are solid in color while others have spots or stripes. Some are dull and brown, while others are vibrant. One even looks like a ribbon!

What Do Moray Eels Have In Common?

Moray eels are carnivores. Moray eels eat animals like fish, crabs, squid, and octopuses. They hide in cracks and crevices to ambush their prey. Some moray eels even hunt cooperatively with a species of grouper, meaning they use teamwork! The moray eel swims into the tight spaces where fish might hide, scaring the fish out to the waiting grouper.

Otherwise, moray eels are typically solitary. They come together briefly for breeding when the female releases thousands of eggs. The eggs float up to the surface where they continue to develop. The larval eels float at the surface feeding on plankton for months before they are developed enough to travel to the sea floor.

How Do Moray Eels Catch Prey?

Moray eels have sharp teeth and a strong jaw, like we would expect from a carnivore. However, they have one extra special adaptation that makes catching prey a breeze. Moray eels have a pharyngeal jaw. This is a second jaw that sits further back in their throat. When hunting, the pharyngeal jaw shoots forward into the mouth to grab the prey, then pulls it back into the throat.

Moray eels sometimes get a bad reputation because they seem to show off those sharp teeth. However, they’re just breathing! Moray eels open and close their mouth to pull water in and over their gills so they can breathe while resting.

So, we know moray eels are big, bad predators with sharp teeth and a movable jaw, but do they have any predators? Some moray eels, especially the larger species, are apex predators in their environment. Other species are preyed on by large fish like groupers, barracuda, and sharks, and some are even preyed on by sea snakes.

Are Moray Eels Endangered?

Luckily, most species of moray eels are not threatened with extinction. They are often seen using dead reefs as their shelter, so we’ve seen that they can survive in some areas where other species cannot.

Several species of morays are poached from the wild to be sold as part of the aquarium trade.

Want To Learn More?

Check out EdZOOcating Adventures' Moray Eel lesson with videos, quizzes, activities, projects, glossaries, and more.

Clownfish

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 20:14:50 GMT

Where Do Clownfish Live?

Clownfish are a subfamily of fish with about 30 species. They are also called anemonefish. We’ll talk about why in a little bit. They live in warm, tropical waters in the Indo-Pacific. The Indo-Pacific is where the Indian Ocean meets the Pacific Ocean between Asia and Australia. They are typically found in coral reefs!

What Do Clownfish Look Like?

Most people picture clownfish orange and white thanks to movies like Finding Nemo. However, clownfish can be striped or solid and have a variety of colors like black, yellow, and even pink.

Why Do Clownfish Live In Sea Anemones?

Clownfish have a mutualistic relationship with sea anemones! A mutualistic relationship, also called mutualism, occurs when two different species interact and they get something good from the interaction. So, what benefits do clownfish and sea anemones get?

The main benefit clownfish get from sea anemones is protection for themselves and their eggs. Sea anemones are related to jellyfish and, like jellyfish, they are covered in venomous stinging cells. Most fish get stung when they touch a sea anemone, but not clownfish. Scientists hypothesize that clownfish are not harmed by sea anemones because of a thick layer of mucus coating on their bodies.

The sea anemone also provides clownfish with food scraps not eaten in the anemone’s last meal. Most clownfish are omnivores. They eat scraps of fish and other anemone leftovers, zooplankton, worms, and algae.

So, what does the anemone get in return? A few things! The clownfish provides the sea anemone with nutrients through its waste and defends the anemone from predators and parasites.

Do Clownfish Live in Groups?

Clownfish usually live in small groups with a strict hierarchy. The group is led by a dominant female. She is the largest in the group. The rest of the group consists of males. The largest, most dominant male is the only male that will breed with the female.

Female clownfish lay their eggs on a hard surface under or close to the anemone to be as protected as possible. The larger species of clownfish produce more than 1,000 eggs at a time! The eggs are cared for by the dominant male for 6-10 eggs before they hatch.

The tiny, undeveloped clownfish are all born male. They float toward the surface and stay there until they develop enough to return to the bottom to find a sea anemone of their own.

Why Do Clownfish Change Sex?

So, since there is only one female in the group, what would happen if something happened to the dominant female?

The dominant male would become a female and the new leader of the group. The next largest male in the group would become the new dominant male and all the other males would move up one rank. Other fish, like parrotfish and wrasses, can also change sex, but they start their lives as females instead of males.

Are Clownfish Endangered?

I think we can all agree that clownfish are the perfect combination of fascinating and adorable, causing lots of people to want clownfish in their home or local aquariums! Unfortunately, clownfish are poached (or taken) from the wild to sell in the aquarium trade.

They are also threatened by warming ocean waters which harm sea anemones. Sea anemones cannot survive in water that is too warm and, as the ocean temperature increases, their survival is threatened which also threatens the survival of clownfish.

We can protect clownfish, sea anemones, and all ocean animals by reducing our impact on climate change.

Want To Learn More?

Check out EdZOOcating Adventures' Clownfish lesson with videos, quizzes, activities, projects, glossaries, and more.

Animal Jobs

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 16:36:43 GMT

Why Do Animals Have Jobs?

Animals have many jobs that help the ecosystem stay in balance. In other words, for an environment to be healthy and functioning as it should, we need all the native species to do their jobs. Many animals have more than one role in their environment.

Animals also have jobs that help people (though that’s not why the animals do it). We call these ecosystem services . Trees provide an ecosystem service of creating oxygen that we rely on to breathe! When ecosystems are balanced, humans get many ecosystem services as an extra benefit.

What Kinds of Jobs Do Animals Have?

Decomposers

Decomposers are organisms that break down dead matter and return it to the environment as nutrients. These nutrients help plants grow, which provides oxygen to the atmosphere and food for animals. Worms, millipedes, and slugs are all decomposers, along with some non-animal organisms like mushrooms and bacteria.

Pollinators

Pollinators are organisms that transfer pollen between flowers. Most flowering plants require pollination to produce seeds (which often develop inside of a fruit). Plants need to reproduce (produce seeds), otherwise, they could go extinct. Imagine if there was one apple tree left in the whole world and it didn’t get pollinated so it never made seeds. Once it dies, there will be no more apples. Some plants can be pollinated by wind, but many rely on bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and even mosquitos for pollination.

Seed Dispersers

Once plants make seeds, they rely on seed dispersers to spread seeds around an environment. Seeds must spread out to prevent plants from growing right next to each other where they would compete for water, sunlight, and nutrients. Wind and water can disperse seeds, but many plants rely on animals to eat fruit or nuts and then spread the seeds in their waste. Plants with thorny seeds can get hooked onto an animal's fur or feathers and spread out that way, too. Spider monkeys, toucans, and American black bears are all examples of seed dispersers.

Prey Species (Being a Food Source)

While many animals feed on fruit, other animals prefer other animals. Some animals have an important job in being a food source for other animals. Without prey species, carnivores would have no food. Deer, mice, and fish are very common prey species.

Predator Species (Keeping Animals In Check)

On the flip side, other animals act as important predators. Without predators, populations of prey species would grow “un-checked,” meaning they would grow and grow and grow until they ate all the plants and the environment was no longer livable. Predators like wolves keep populations of deer in check (who would over-graze the environment), snakes keep populations of mice in check (who could spread diseases), and sharks keep small fish in check (who would overgraze algae and other small fish).

Protecting All Animals

The moral of the story here is this: Animals all have jobs. Very important jobs. This is why we need to protect every single species of animal, including the ones that we might find to be a nuisance, even pests like mosquitoes.

Want To Learn More?

Check out EdZOOcating Adventures' Animal Jobs lesson with videos, quizzes, activities, projects, glossaries, and more.

Invasive Species

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 16:30:21 GMT

What Is an Invasive Species?

An invasive species is an organism that has been introduced to an area it is not native to. Invasive species can be plants, animals, or fungi and they often cause problems in the ecosystems they’ve been introduced to. Today, we are going to focus on animals.

How Do Animals Become Invasive?

Invasive species can reach new places both on purpose and by accident. And sometimes, we don’t know for sure how they were introduced, but we can make hypotheses.

Cane toads were introduced to Australia almost 100 years ago on purpose. Australia was having a problem with beetles eating sugar cane crops. They introduced cane toads, which are native to Central and South America, to eat the beetles to protect the crops. However, cane toads are not picky eaters. They ate many small, native animals and outcompeted native frogs for food. Few predators could eat toxic cane toads, causing their population to grow rapidly. Today, cane toads still threaten native species in Australia.

Burmese pythons were introduced to Florida by accident. There are many hypotheses about how Burmese pythons got from their native range of Asia to Florida. Scientists hypothesize that many pythons were released by pet owners who could no longer care for the large snakes. Large storms frequently hit Florida and have previously destroyed snake breeding centers, releasing snakes into the wild where they began to thrive.

Why Are Invasive Species a Problem?

Invasive Species Eat Native Species

Brown tree snakes are native to Australia and the surrounding islands. Scientists hypothesize they were introduced to the small island of Guam when they stowed away on a cargo ship. Before the arrival of brown tree snakes in Guam, native birds had very few predators and very few predator-defense adaptations. Brown tree snakes fed heavily on native birds and have even caused some endemic species to become extinct.

Invasive Species Outcompete Native Species

American bullfrogs are native to the eastern United States but were introduced to the West in the late 1800s to control populations of insects. They are large, powerful carnivores. They have out-competed many native amphibians and have caused many to become endangered.

Invasive Species Change the Landscape

Nutrias are native to the wetlands of South America but have been introduced to several continents due to the fur market. They feed on aquatic plants. The roots of these plants keep the wetland soil in place. When nutrias feed on the plants, they loosen the soil, causing the wetland to become unstable.

Invasive Species May Have No Natural Predators

The population of some invasive species can grow out of control if they have no predators in their introduced range. Venomous lionfish have no natural predators in the Caribbean where they are invasive. They were likely introduced by people who no longer wanted them in their home aquariums. They are powerful predators and, as their population grows larger and larger, they feed on more and more native species.

How Are Invasive Species Removed?

Physical Control: Communities promote the hunting of invasive species to reduce their population size in introduced ecosystems. This method is common in controlling Burmese pythons and lionfish.

Chemical Control: Pesticides or other chemicals are used to remove invasive species, as well. Scientists attempted to remove brown tree snakes from Guam by dropping poisoned rats for them to eat!

You can help prevent the spread of invasive species by following rules and regulations when traveling and not releasing pets into the wild.

Want To Learn More?

Check out EdZOOcating Adventures' Invasive Species lesson with videos, quizzes, activities, projects, glossaries, and more.

Animal Groups

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 16:21:52 GMT

Do All Animals Live in Groups?

While some animals live in groups with other members of their species (and sometimes even other species), some animals prefer to live alone. Animals that live alone are called solitary . Tigers, polar bears, red pandas, and many other animals are solitary.

Many solitary animals are territorial, meaning they don’t like having others in their space. They may mark their territory or even fight with others to keep them out. Living alone has some advantages such as not needing to share food!

Naming Animal Groups

While there are many solitary species, there are also many social animals! Animals that live in social groups are called gregarious .

Sometimes, animal groups have funny names, like a…

Pride of lions.
Herd of elephants.
Flamboyance of flamingos.
Committee of vultures.

How Do Animal Groups Interact?

Some gregarious animals, like lions, live in small family groups. Other gregarious animals, like flamingos, live in large, flexible social groups. A flamingo may leave or join the group at any time with no real change to the structure of the group.

Some gregarious animals work as a team for the good of the group as a whole. Elephants live in herds where all the adults work to protect each other’s offspring. Meerkats live in a group called a mob. They make alarm sounds when they see danger to warn the rest of the group to take cover. Ants and bees live in colonies. They live in complicated, intricate social groups where each member has an important job.

Other gregarious animals may live together, but they are more focused on their own survival rather than caring for the group as a whole. Caribou, schooling fish, and many penguins are like this.

Why Do Animals Live In Social Groups?

Safety In Numbers

If an animal is living in a group, they are less likely to be eaten by a predator. Imagine this… you’re a fish! You’re swimming through the ocean all alone when suddenly, there is a shark. There is a pretty good chance you’re going to be the fish that gets eaten since it’s just you and the shark. But if you were in a group of 100 fish and suddenly there is a shark, there is only a 1/100 chance that YOU will be the fish that gets eaten!

Hunting As a Team

For predators, living in a group can be a helpful way to catch prey more easily since they can work as a team! African painted dogs live in large packs that work together to catch prey, like antelope. They spread out across the area and take turns leading the chase to make sure their prey doesn’t outrun them. They then share their meal with the whole pack!

Mate Availability

Instead of having to search and signal for a mate, many gregarious animals live with potential mates, year-round! Bison travel across grasslands in giant herds. When the breeding season arrives in the spring, they join herds and males compete for mates.

Help With Offspring

Some animals that live in groups also work together to raise their offspring. When a baby squirrel monkey is born, many females in the group will help care for it. They will even take turns carrying the baby on their backs.

Challenges of Living In a Group

While there are a lot of benefits of living in a group, there are a few negative aspects, as well. Any food that is caught by the group is usually shared by the group, meaning smaller amounts of food for each individual.

For many gregarious animals, living in a group can cause competition within the group for dominance or access to food. The dominant male in a troop of baboons is constantly under threat from other males in the group for dominance.

Lastly, living in a group makes animals vulnerable to one enormous threat… people. When humans poach (meaning hunt or take from the wild) animals like fish, deer, or buffalo, it is easier to find and catch one (or many) when they are in a large group.

Overall, living in a group can be very beneficial and many animals depend on their groups for protection and survival.

Want To Learn More?

Check out EdZOOcating Adventures' Animal Groups lesson with videos, quizzes, activities, projects, glossaries, and more.

Animal Camouflage

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 16:03:36 GMT

What is camouflage?

In zoology, camouflage describes the ability of an animal to blend in or conceal its appearance. Camouflage can also be called cryptic coloration. Camouflage is typically used for one of two purposes:

To sneak up on prey. Imagine a leopard stalking its prey. Its rosettes provide camouflage among dry grasses so they can get close enough to their prey to attack.
To avoid predators: One of the best ways to not get eaten is to avoid being spotted by a predator to begin with! Imagine a stick bug hiding from a bird. They blend into the other sticks so well that the birds may not even see them!

Different Types of Camouflage

Background matching:

This is the most common type of camouflage and its name describes what it means! This type of camouflage occurs when an animal’s colors and patterns match its surroundings. Many species of owls use background matching. The colors and patterns of their feathers help them blend into tree bark!

Sometimes even the shape of the animal matches its environment, like a leaf insect whose body is shaped like a… well, a leaf! When an animal pretends to be something that it is not, whether that be something else in their environment or a different species, we call it mimicry.

Some animals even change their color to match their surroundings. Octopuses are my favorite examples of this! Not only can they change their color to perfectly match whatever structure they are trying to blend in with, but they can also change their patterns AND the texture of their skin. If they are blending into a bumpy coral, their skin will become bumpy, too!

Some animals change color more gradually, like many species of hares that live in the tundra. They change from brown to white during winter to blend into the snow.

Countershading:

Countershading is a type of camouflage characterized by the back of the animal being darker than the belly of the animal. Animals on land use countershading, like gazelles. However, I like to think about it for aquatic and semi-aquatic animals like penguins, sharks, and turtles. To see how this works, I need everyone to put on their imaginary goggles, we’re going swimming in the ocean!

Imagine swimming at the surface looking down at the dark ocean floor. If an animal swam below you that had a dark-colored back, it would blend into the dark ocean floor.

Now imagine you’re laying on the ocean floor looking up at the bright sunlight on the ocean’s surface. If an animal swam above you with a light-colored belly, it would blend into the brightness of the sun above them.

Disruptive coloration:

Disruptive coloration occurs when the colors or patterns of an animal make it hard to see the outline of the animal. If a predator cannot see where the prey animal starts or ends, it will be hard to catch them!

Imagine a zebra in a herd of many zebras. If the zebras are all moving around back and forth, it can be very challenging for a predator to see where one zebra starts and where the next one ends. It makes it harder for them to hone in on one individual zebra!

Disruptive coloration can also occur when an animal’s colors or patterns help hide body parts that would give away information about the animal, like where its head is! Some frogs have markings that make it hard for a predator to see where their eyes are.

Camouflage In a Changing World

Thousands of species rely on camouflage for survival. But what would happen if an environment changed and the camouflage used by these species was no longer effective? As human actions change ecosystems all around the world, animals will need to adapt to camouflage with these changes or they may not survive.

Want To Learn More?

Check out EdZOOcating Adventures' camouflage lesson with videos, quizzes, activities, projects, glossaries, and more.

Tadpole Water Slide

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 20:52:00 GMT

Spring days become longer, hotter.
Bullfrog stands guard while his tadpoles squirm through a crowded puddle, bumping bodies and breathing the last bit of oxygen.
For weeks, Bullfrog protected his tadpoles from perilous predators, all while their puddle home evaporated.
He fended off hungry herons, and the puddle shrank. He fended off famished fish, and the puddle shrank. He even fended off other ferocious frogs, and still, the puddle shrank.

Most frogs leave their eggs before they become tadpoles, but not Bullfrog. He cares for his tadpoles and the tadpoles of his neighbors. His instincts tell him to save them.
Positioning himself between puddle and pond, he smushes and pushes mud to create a narrow path–a tadpole water slide.
Slowly at first, then all at once, hundreds of tadpoles slip into the pond. Darting around, they replenish their oxygen and feast on water bugs making this pond their new home.

Lions | Interesting Facts About Lions

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 02:32:00 GMT

Where Do Lions Live?

Lions live in savanna and grassland ecosystems throughout Africa and a tiny portion of Asia. Lions used to have a much larger range that covered southern, western, central, and northern Africa, along with parts of the Middle East and much of Southwest Asia. While they still exist in these areas, their range has been broken into small, fragmented areas making it hard for populations to reach each other.

What Does a Lion Look Like?

Lions are the second largest species of feline (the first being the Amur tiger). They are tan in color and have small, rounded ears, muscular legs, and long tails with a black tuft of hair on the tip. Males are much larger than females weighing more than 400 lbs while females weigh between 200 and 300 lbs. Males also have a large mane that allows us to tell adult males and females apart easily.

What Do Lions Eat?

Lions are apex predators and entirely carnivorous. They primarily feed on large ungulates (hoofed animals), like zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, antelope, and even giraffes. They often work together with their pride to take down animals much larger than themselves! Cubs start hunting with the pride when they are just a few months old to learn strategy from the adults. Competition with other predators, like leopards, hyenas, and painted dogs, forces them to eat their food quickly.

Are Lions Nocturnal?

Felines are typically nocturnal, but lions tend to be more on the diurnal side. Lions have been observed being active at all times and activity can change based on environmental conditions and stresses.

How Many Cubs Do Lions Have?

Lions usually have 2 or 3 cubs but can have as many as 6! Females usually keep their cubs away from the pride for the first couple of months. She moves them between den sites to prevent other predators from tracking them. Eventually, the cubs are introduced to the rest of the pride to learn lion behaviors. If a new male takes over a pride, he may kill cubs from previous males. Female cubs may stay with their natal pride, while males often go off to find a pride of their own around the age of 2.

Fast Facts About Lion

Lions are the se cond largest cat in the world (Amur tigers are the largest).
Males can weigh more than 400 lbs and have a large mane.
Females can weigh up to about 300 lbs and often work together when hunting.
Typically one male lives with a group of females and their cubs, but occasionally there may not be a male or there may be two.
Spotted hyenas and lions have a very similar range and often compete for food. Often times, the size of the group determines who wins.
Lions hold their tails high above grasses when traveling, which makes us think they might be using them to keep track of each other.
Because of other predators in the area, new males taking over prides, and environmental pressures, a majority of lions do survive to adulthood.

5 Product Swaps for a Sustainable 2022

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 20:20:00 GMT

One of my favorite quotes says, “We don’t need a few people doing zero-waste perfectly, we need lots of people doing it imperfectly.” The idea of living zero-waste is daunting and seemingly unattainable, which I completely understand. I might spend the whole day composting my food scraps and avoiding plastic, but then when I want takeout, it comes in a Styrofoam container with plastic forks and soy sauce packets that inevitably end up in the garbage.
It is hard to live zero-waste, but no one is asking you to do it perfectly! I mean, yes, ideally we would stop adding to the landfills entirely, but let’s be realistic. With 2022 looming, it is time to think about the basic steps you can take to live a more sustainable lifestyle in the new year and, most importantly, to DO YOUR PART! Swapping out products you use every day for a readily available, cost-effective, and sustainable alternative is the first easy step. We’ll get you set up with your composting system later.

1. Sustainable Shampoo

Do you wash your hair? I hope so. You can do so without buying a new plastic bottle every few months.
Shampoo bars are a fav orite of mine. I feel fancy when I use them, they’re cheap, and I give them to everyone when I need a gift idea. More than 500 MILLION shampoo bottles are discarded each year, and yes, some of those are probably yours. If even 10% of us switched to shampoo bars (that come in sustainable packaging), that is 50 MILLION bottles that will not end up in the landfill. You can pick up shampoo bars at Target or Trader Joe's or buy them online from some of the sustainable brands that offset their carbon footprint of shipping and use recyclable packaging materials, like EcoRoots .

2. Hand Soap Alternatives

Do you wash your hands? I REALLY hope so. You can do so without buying a new bottle every time you think about the pandemic.
I used to be a sucker for the holiday scents and decorative bottles before I started paying attention to my impact. Making this switch was as easy; I spent about $30 on glass soap dispersers for all of my bathrooms and started buying soap in bulk. There is even a company that will ship you soap in recyclable milk cartons (Clean Cult) to remove plastic from the equation altogether.

3. Compostable Sponges (or Luffas!)

Do you wash dishes? I’m sure you’d rather not, but you probably do.
Most sponges contain plastic, especially on the scrubber part, that eventually breakdown into microplastics and contaminate the planet. Luckily for us and the planet, there are sponges that a re fully compostable! Trader Joe's has sponges made entirely from vegetable cellulose or you can use an all-natural luffa (which is just a fruit!). I throw my compostable sponges right in my compost, but you can just bury them in your garden or a corner of your yard. As they break down, they will nourish your garden or yard.

4. Dishwasher and Laundry Detergent Pods

Do you have/use a dishwasher or laundry machine? Here’s looking at you!
The bi ggest issue with the standard detergents is the bottles they come in. Not every city/county can recycle these containers, and even if they can, PLASTIC = BAD. I really do talk about Dropps every chance I get because they are plastic-free, carbon-neutral, and I literally never run out of detergent because they deliver it right to my door seemingly every time I’m running low. Detergent pods come in cardboard boxes that, you guessed it, can be recycled or composted!

5. Reusable Grocery and Produce Bags

I will say that every time I am at the grocery, I cringe. Not only are the chips wrapped in plastic, but then broccoli and BANANAS (which, guys, doesn’t need to be bagged) go into plastic bags, and then those plastic bags go into more plastic bags. My soul. It’s crushed. But, alas, there are simple solutions. Reusable bags are so inexpensive and easy to keep on hand. Keep some in your car, some in your closet, some in your everywhere, so you will always have them when you need them. And THEN, get yourself some produce bags . You will feel so fancy bagging your broccoli and your conscience will be clear. Now, we just have to work on the chips.

If I could make one blanket suggestion to help you have a more sustainable 2022, I would say to think about what you do every day. Think about the products you use every day. Odds are there is a sustainable alternative that will save you money and help save the planet. Choose 2022 to be the year you do your part!

Storytime with The Sirene Project

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 23:11:00 GMT

Degree: B.S. Conservation Biology and Ecology from Arizona State University

Current job: Founder of edZOOcating, an environmental and conservation education platform

Current project: Building new programs for students and families; developing a sustainable shopping resource

Current country or residence: Brecksville, OH -> Mesa, AZ

Questions for Sarah

Why do you love the ocean?

Why wouldn’t someone love the ocean? I love its soothing, calming presence and its ability to let you explore. The ocean is stable and consistent and as someone with a type-A personality, I appreciate that.
2. Your most memorable moment in/by the ocean? Growing up in the Midwest, I didn’t have a lot of opportunity to be by the ocean. It wasn’t until college that I really got to experience it. The first time I went diving, I was just off the coast of Belize and when I got in the water, I looked down and it was giant and full and alive, it took my breath away. I hadn’t seen it from that perspective and it just was overwhelming in the best way.
3. Why do you think ocean conservation is important? The stability of the ocean supports the entire global ecosystem. As we fill it with toxins, disrupt the food web, and warm its temperatures, we will undoubtedly see changes in terrestrial systems. The answer to this question is simple. If we don’t conserve the ocean, our global ecosystem will fall apart and life will change for the worse.
4. What concerns you most about the future of our oceans? That one day my kids won’t get to feel the awe and overwhelming fullness that being submerged in a seemingly untouched underwater world provides.
5. If you could give one piece of advice to someone, to better protect our oceans, what would it be? Be mindful; be aware of what is really included in the items you buy (not just ingredients, but unnecessary packaging, as well). Be aware of your normal, subconscious behaviors and think about how you can make those behaviors more sustainable. Make a list in your head of tasks you do every day and start there.
6. What is your …

Favorite Ocean Creature: Today? A moray eel
Favorite thing to do by the ocean: Snorkel or dive
Favorite Sustainable Product: Shampoo or conditioner bars; the first product that made me realize how easy sustainable living is

edZOOcating

Since I can remember, I have always been aware (and anxious) about the human impact on the environment. I remember yelling at my Dad when he would turn his car on to warm up in the Ohio winter because he was polluting the environment when he could just take a blanket. Since the beginning of college, I have worked at different zoos, aquariums, labs, and nature centers around the US before landing at the Phoenix Zoo for my first regular, full-time job. Training volunteers and educating guests on different species and global conservation issues became a real passion but when COVID shut the zoo down this spring, many of my coworkers and I got furloughed. I had been considering making a website to educate and inspire people in conservation for a while, and COVID provided me the chance. I built out content including fun facts, videos, lessons, games, sustainable living tips and tricks, conservation news, and everything else I could get done in the couple months I had. Eventually, I returned to the zoo and edZOOcating got put on the backburner. It didn’t take me long to decide I owed it to myself, the potentially huge audience of people waiting to be inspired, and the planet to give edZOOcating a real shot. The website is focused on both terrestrial and marine conservation, emphasizing the importance of our connection to the ocean. My past experiences and jobs have taken me to and taught me all about the ocean, and now I will use edZOOcating to build that admiration for the ocean up in others.
I am still learning and deciding what direction I want to take the website and how to make my voice most impactful. I hope with time I can inspire people, kids and adults, to open their eyes and realize how easy it is to make these changes and that we are on a clock. I hope the impact of edZOOcating makes people realize their impact.
Original Blog: The Sirene Project

Conservation expert helps BOCES students become 'ed-zoo-cated'

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 23:04:00 GMT

Like many people across the country who have been furloughed during the COVID crisis, Sarah Skebba was looking for a way to fill her time and further explore her passion for conservation, biology and ecology.

An educator for the Phoenix Zoo in Arizona, her job entails educating the public and volunteers about animals and the natural world. She had always harbored a longing to build a website so her outreach about protecting the environment could go further. “I wanted to reach more people and introduce them to the beauty and intricacy of animals and reveal fun facts that many people do not know,” she explained.

When her aunt Paulette Hamilton-Koehler, an Orleans/Niagara BOCES special education administrator, reached out to her to see if she would be willing to provide some education for BOCES' summer school program, it seemed like the perfect time to start working on her website www.edzoocating.com.

“I have always loved doing research for my education and career and I am fascinating by the weirdest details and I always thought it would be fun to share that,” Skebba said. “Building the website put me out of my comfort zone. It was exciting to think I could share the wonders of the animal kingdom, the mysteries of our ecosystems and the complex interactions and adaptations of species with others. Hopefully it will inspire people to take care of our planet.”

Although the website is not affiliated with the Phoenix Zoo, Skebba thanks her supervisor, coworkers and the zoo volunteers for what they have taught her about various animals. There are links to mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, fish, and articles on sustainable shopping, wildlife vocabulary, a blog on different environmental topics and classroom instruction.

She prides herself on keeping the website positive, saying her goals are “to share the love I have for animals and help people make informed decisions on being environmentally friendly. I am always willing to answer any questions adults or children have. I would love it if people suggest topics they would like to see me add. They can contact me through my website and I am also willing to share my video links if they request it.”

For Orleans/Niagara BOCES summer school, Skebba made special videos about various animals and she Zooms with teachers and students on a weekly basis to discuss the videos and answer any questions.

“Our theme for the extended school year is 'animals' (and) Sarah has been amazing with developing a movie for a different animal each week to teach the students,” Hamilton-Koehler said. “She then does two one-hour teaching sessions every Wednesday, one for the younger students and then another session for the older students. The students and staff love it and the kids are really engaged and have a lot of questions for her.”

Said Skebba, “Now that I am seeing kids engage in what I am doing, it is very inspiring. I think in order to protect our world and its animals, you have to make children the advocates for conservation. Kids want to change the world and I would love to be that person that helps them with that goal. ”

Lisa Bielmeier is the public relations director for Orleans/Niagara BOCES.

Original Blog: Lockport Journal

6 Ways to Have a Sustainable Holiday Season

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 22:01:00 GMT

The holidays are by far one of my favorite times of the year, as I’m sure most of us can agree. There is something about the holiday season that gives everyone something to look forward to, a reason to think of others, and an excuse to see family and eat too much food. While it is certainly the most wonderful time of the year, it is also the most wasteful. Between gifts, packaging, shipping, wrapping, lights, cards, Christmas trees, and most other treasured parts of the holidays, a lot of our celebration ends up in the landfill and polluting our air and water. It is possible that tradition is the true culprit here. Each year, like clockwork, we decorate our house and bake in excess without even considering sustainable alternatives. All it would take is a bit of mindfulness to really make a positive impact on the environment and sustainable businesses during the holidays. We have identified some key things to keep in mind while you start your annual traditions to help make your holidays sustainable.

Sustainable Shopping: What Makes a Product Sustainable?

Depending on what type of item you are looking for, there are different sustainable features to pay attention to! The biggest thing that makes an item sustainable is USABILITY. One of the biggest issues with the holidays is buying in excess or buying just to buy. All of the qualities of a product are important, but a gift that is practical and will not be thrown away is the best gift you can give (and get).

For almost all products, it is important to look for products that are made without palm oil or made with sustainably sourced palm oil. Look for items that have the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil certification stamp and do your research on where the oil is sourced from! Items that do not contain palm oil likely contain other oils, which are usually not as sustainable to grow as palm oil. Palm oil has a high yield, a quick-growing rate, and supports economies in regions it is grown sustainably, so other oils are not always the answer. Regardless of the type of oil, do your research on the brand to make sure they are sourcing sustainably.

Wood and paper used in products is also something to be on the lookout for. Ideally, paper or wood products that can be alternatively made with bamboo are going to be your best option. Bamboo is actually a type of grass and is the fastest growing plant in the world, sometimes growing more than 30-inches per day. If sustainably produced and harvested bamboo is not an alternative, look for products that have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC ensures that the trees harvested for that product came from a responsibly managed forest.

Another good logo to keep an eye out for is the Fair Trade Certified stamp! From food and beverages to clothing and houseware, products that are Fair Trade Certified have communities and the environment in mind. Fair Trade Certified products have been produced ethically by communities who reap the economic benefits of production by being fairly compensated. Natural resources have been grown without clearing land or burning forests and contribute to the overall welfare of the environment.

Sustainably produced palm oil, sustainably harvested wood, and ethically sourced materials are all things to keep in the forefront of your mind while you begin holiday shopping! You can also look for organizations that have packaging-free products, sustainable shipping methods, are made from recycled materials, or give back to conservation organizations. The qualifications of what makes an item sustainable are not black and white and it can be challenging to truly find a sustainable gift, but a step in the right direction is better than standing still.

Sustainable Shops: Where to Buy Sustainable Gifts

Holiday shopping this year will likely look a little different than it has in years past. Given the global pandemic, I certainly don’t plan on spending my afternoons at the mall and will have to resort to more digital methods to supply most of my holiday generosity. The issue with this is the carbon footprint of shipping and our “on-demand” lifestyles. Many times when we want or need something, we just hop online and place our 2-day shipping orders and then we do the same thing three days later and three days after that, and so on. Each shipment requires packaging (often plastic) and transportation, which takes energy and produces emissions. However, since we may not be able to do our normal in-store shopping this year, we may be stuck with no other option.

Finding companies and brands that have moved to plastic-free packaging or carbon-neutral shipping is not that hard, and we have a few favorites. There are thousands of brands who share the same mission of providing high-quality products while conserving the environment, sourcing responsibly, and producing less waste.

Sustainable Products: What Should I Buy?

I can’t stress enough how much I dislike the obligatory gift. I’m sure many of us have been in situations buying a gift for someone when we don’t actually know what they want or would use, but we feel obligated to buy them a gift anyway. This is how knickknacks accumulate and end up in the landfill next year when you’re spring cleaning.

If you are buying a gift for someone because you know and love them and want to get them a gift, be creative! Think about their hobbies, the things they love, and the items they use frequently, and then think about alternative products they could be using to be less wasteful. Gifts like this are perfect because, in the long run, you will likely save them money for no longer having to buy their single-use items and those single-use items will no longer be heading to the landfill. Don’t be afraid to make something from scratch or DIY something cute for their home either. I have personally had success with a poorly-handmade scarf for my grandparents and a garden sign I made from scrap wood, old paint, and some sealer for my parents. You can make so many homemade gifts by repurposing things around your home, you just have to think outside the box.

For those obligatory gifts, I cannot stress this enough: usability, usability, usability. If you’re going to buy a gift for someone without being able to make it personal, focus on things that everyone uses and their sustainable alternatives. You could get them wax wraps to use in the kitchen or get them a plastic-free shampoo bar to try! Produce bags also make a great obligatory gift because they can be used for more than just produce.

Sustainable Gift Wrapping: How Do I Wrap Gifts Sustainably?

So, you’ve done it. You planned ahead, you’ve got the gifts, it’s time to wrap. Growing up, my family used traditional, sparkly, waxy, overpriced wrapping paper. As a kid I loved it; we all got to pick out our favorite designs and no one ever told me how many forests were destroyed to produce it or that you couldn’t recycle it! Then, as I got older, I began to get so frustrated with the idea of wrapping paper. I was watching people buy rolls of plain, brown paper to wrap their gifts when those same people were throwing away the brown crumpled up paper that stuffs so many of our packages. If we were more aware of our behaviors that have become so normalized we would be more able to make sustainable changes.

Old newspapers make fantastic wrapping paper. Yes, it is a little thin, but as long as you work carefully, it works just fine. This is my favorite method of wrapping because you can hand-select the story or section of the newspaper to wrap each gift or even go as far as highlighting different words that describe the gift receiver. Even if you don’t get the newspaper, I’m sure one of your friends or your friend’s parents or your neighbors does and hopefully would be willing to share a few pages. If you get a paper-based tape, you can even recycle your wrapping after the big unveiling.

That brown packaging paper I mentioned before also makes a handy wrapping paper. For some companies, you can request to have plastic-free shipping and you will usually get some recyclable packaging paper instead. I keep a gift bag near my holiday decorations and whenever I get packaging paper, I neatly fold it up and store it in the gift bag. By the time the holidays roll around, I’m sure many of us would have more than enough paper to wrap our gifts.

Sustainable Holiday Decorations: How to Decorate for the Holidays Sustainably

As someone who loves to decorate for the holidays, this is one that I often struggle with. The one time of the year I allow knickknacks to clutter my house is when they are little snowmen and decorative pine cones around the holidays. From wreaths to ornaments to lawn decor, most decorations we purchase from the store are made of plastic and are often produced overseas.

One of the best ways to fill your home with decorations is to visit the second-hand store and get rid of that second-hand stigma. The thrift store is one of my favorite places to visit just before or after the holidays when people are cleaning out their decoration supplies. I love the thrift store to look for candle holders, wreaths, and little knickknacks for my shelves. All of these items at the second-hand shop could have ended up in a landfill, but they are getting an opportunity at a new life! The same little glittery tree you would buy new for $12 will probably cost you $3 and you have now reduced your consumption thus reducing the demand for the product and the natural resources necessary to create that product.

Decorating sustainably can also encourage us to reduce and reuse before we recycle. After all, that is a process. You can make amazing decorations with items lying around your house or in your yard. If you have twine and some sticks, you can make yourself an adorable hanging Christmas tree. I have already seen tons of DIY dried orange slices all over my Pintrest feed this year and, wow, there are so many charming things you can create with pine cones. Get on Pintrest and get creative, decorating for the holidays doesn't have to mean a trip to the store!

I think a lot of us can agree that the holidays wouldn’t be the same without holiday lights lining our streets. Unfortunately, that is another holiday tradition contributing to the destruction of our planet, but it doesn’t have to be! Solar-powered lights are a perfect alternative to traditional plug-in lights and come in many of the same styles. If you can’t go solar-powered, LED lights are more efficient than incandescent lights and those laser projectors are becoming more and more popular! Instead of decorating your tree out front, see what it looks like with a laser projector or colored light shining up at it!

Sustainable Holiday Cards: How Do I Send a Sustainable Holiday Card?

My family sent a holiday card every year, though they rarely made them to the receiver by the time the holidays actually hit. Taking the picture was a big project every year that my siblings and I all dreaded yet somehow became a cherished holiday memory. Giving and receiving holiday cards is one of the best ways to keep up with friends and family you don’t get to see or talk to often, but they also happen to be incredibly wasteful. A classic greeting card is one thing, at least those can be recycled, but these days, most people send customized photo collages printed on photo paper, which cannot be recycled. Most people receive their cards and hang onto them until after the holidays, at which time they are disposed of.

There are lots of alternatives to a photo collage holiday card, including a standard greeting card. There are several brands of cards that are made from recycled paper and even give back to the environment with their proceeds. There are also greeting cards that are made of recycled paper and seeds that can be planted after they have been enjoyed by the recipient. And, last but not least, we have the ever simple e-card. There are so many templates these days that sending a digital card still can be custom and fabulous.

I have found that the two biggest hurdles people face when trying to act sustainably are that they either feel like their impact as just one person is not enough or they feel that being sustainable is an unreachable task that would require them to go far outside their normal routine to achieve. However, neither of these things are actual challenges. As one person, we use 10 plastic bags at the grocery for 50 weeks a year. While we are there, we buy a case of water which we do 30 times per year to have water while on the go. We also buy a loaf of bread, a tube of toothpaste, a bottle of shampoo, and a tube of deodorant. We, as individuals, use a lot of plastic. We, as individuals, would make a difference if we were more mindful about our products and our “norms.” With the holidays being the most consumer-driven holiday of the year, it is more important than ever to choose the sustainable alternative and to introduce your loved ones to the non-single use option. While you celebrate the holidays and enjoy your traditions, remember they are still traditions with a sustainable modification.

Adaptations | Changing With the World

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 23:38:00 GMT

Let’s take a giraffe. Giraffes are known for their incredibly long necks that allow them to reach leaves high off the ground that most other animals cannot reach. The more food the giraffes get, the healthier and more successful they are in their population. The more fit giraffes are sought after for breeding, resulting in more offspring from the giraffes with taller necks. As this process continues for several generations, their necks have gotten longer, allowing them to be more successful in their environment. We call this trend natural selection, meaning that nature favors individuals who have physical and behavioral traits that help them survive and reproduce.

What Are Adaptations?

These traits which animals develop over the course of several generations are called adaptations. Adaptations are not to be confused with acclimations, which occur in an individual’s single lifetime. The giraffe’s long neck is an adaptation, while salmon acclimate from freshwater to saltwater as they migrate to the ocean. The giraffe’s neck is a physical adaptation or a body part that helps them be successful. There are also behavioral adaptations which are actions or things animals do to be successful, like being nocturnal to avoid hot days. Behavioral adaptations often depend on physical adaptations, like a peacock displaying his tail feathers in a courtship dance depends on him having huge, colorful tail feathers.

Adapting to Catch a Meal...

Animals adapt based on environmental stressors in ways that allow them to better withstand the stressor. The ability to collect food is a very important and common reason animals develop both physical and behavioral adaptations. Giraffes not only have tall necks, but they also have a long, prehensile tongue to grab leaves and branches and it is filled with extra melanin preventing sunburn while they eat! Painted dogs have adapted to outrun their fast prey by using teamwork. They live and hunt in large packs and take turns leading the chase to maintain speed. Their cooperative hunting is an incredible behavioral adaptation.

...Better than the Next Guy...

Unfortunately, only part of the struggle is being able to get their food, they also have to compete against other species in the ecosystem. Vultures have quite the method figured out. It is not uncommon to see many different vulture species at one carcass eating together without conflict. Different vulture species are often adapted to eat a specific part of the carcass, leaving the rest for other species. In Africa, the griffon vulture has a small bill and long neck; they prefer to dine on the soft tissue deep inside the carcass. Their weak bill is often not capable of ripping through a tough hide, forcing them to wait for a strong-billed lappet-faced vulture to arrive. Lappet-faced vultures are the first to eat, feasting on the meat, including skin and bones. On a less grotesque note, bats avoid competition with other avian critters by hunting and being active at night time.

...While Not Becoming One

Finding a meal is important, but so is not becoming one. Animals have adapted all sorts of crazy characteristics to avoid predators, including camouflage, spines, venom, hissing, playing dead and so many others. The poison dart frog not only packs a toxin venom but also wears a warning… literally! Their bright colors serve as a warning to predators that they are toxic and not to be messed with. Bright colors have also been observed in other non-toxic species, which scientists think is a form of mimicry to trick predators! For example, the scarlet kingsnake looks awfully similar to the highly venomous coral snake. Other animals have developed a bit of a more active strategy, like the cobra who lifts its head and flattens its neck to look large and intimidating.

Surviving the Seasons

Plants and animals that live in extreme environments have needed to adapt to survive the harshest times of the year. In many regions, the summer months look very different than the winter months, and species must have a way to survive both. As all animals have, humans have also adapted over time. In the warm months, we sweat which allows evaporative cooling to keep us from overheating. When we are cold, we shiver, which is just rapid contractions of our muscles to produce heat. Other animals change their behavior when the seasons change. Black bears can stock up on nutrients and then slow their metabolism during the winter when there is little food; this is hibernation. Some birds just throw in the towel and leave when the seasons change; this is migration.

Attracting a Mate

While all of these physical and behavioral adaptations allow animals to become fit and healthy, it doesn’t mean anything if they can’t reproduce. Animals have developed unique and intricate body parts and courtship rituals they are used to attract the fittest members of the opposite sex, especially birds. We are all familiar with a peacock’s long, beautiful tail feathers. Only males possess these long feathers; they will hold them upright in a huge fan and rattle them to entice a female. The bowerbird will collect items of all one color to present to the female as a gift. Birds of paradise are often covered in hidden iridescent feathers which they will flash to females in elaborate courtship dances. But, it’s not just birds. Male alligators will attract a mate by partially submerging their body underwater and letting out a deep, rumbling bellow. Many species of mammals will fight for the right to a mate or a group of females, like lions and baboons.

Convergent Evolution

This is by no means all of the reasons animals adapt to their environment, it all depends on what the environment throws at them. On many occasions, unrelated animals have developed similar adaptations because of similar demands or threats from their ecosystem. This is called convergent evolution. Dolphins and sharks are a simple example. Dolphins, which are an aquatic mammal, and sharks, which are a fish, have both developed streamline body shapes and powerful tails which allow them to propel themselves rapidly through the water. The wings of mammalian bats have developed the same function as the wings of almost all birds. From defense mechanisms to ecosystem service to locomotion, convergent evolution can be found all across the world.

Every plant or animal that you see has some special adaptation that allows them to live happy and healthy in their environment. Adaptations have always occurred and most organisms have managed to keep up with the pace, but that might not be the case for long. We, as humans, are increasing the rate at which the world changes at an unnatural rate. Not only are we altering the global climate, but we are also altering ecosystems and converting them to farmland, we are filling the Earth’s waterways with trash and pollution, and we are accelerating change within the environment. Every day, we decide the impact we have on the Earth, whether we acknowledge it or not, through our choices. Sustainable alternatives are everywhere. It is not too late for us to stop the acceleration, we just have to choose to.

Food Webs | How Energy Flows Through an Ecosystem

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 23:56:00 GMT

We all do a lot during our day to day lives. We wake up, we brush our teeth, we go for a walk, we do all sorts of things that require energy. Luckily, when we eat, we restock our energy supply so we can be active again the next day! All living things need energy to perform the basic tasks necessary to stay alive. Animals get energy from the things they eat, but what about plants? Plants get their energy from the sun! They use their superpower, called photosynthesis, to turn energy from the sun into energy that they can use to grow big and strong.

Trophic Levels

Food Web Complexities

Keystone Species in Food Webs

Keystone Species | Holding an Ecosystem Together

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 23:05:00 GMT

If we removed elephants from the savannas of Africa, we would lose a whole lot more than just elephants. Elephants alter the savanna with their presence, simply by eating, drinking, and moving around. As African elephants walk roughly 30 miles per day, they eat plants and deposit seeds in their fertilizer-like dung. Without African elephants, plant species would not be as widely distributed, and the savanna would become less inhabitable for other animal species. African elephants are a keystone species. Keystone species are species that other animals in the ecosystem heavily depend on. When you remove a keystone species from their ecosystem, the whole environment changes drastically. While the African elephant may be the keystone species of the savanna, there are keystone species in nearly every ecosystem, even aquatic ones.

Sea Otters

In coastal marine ecosystems where kelp forests flourish, sea otters are the star of the story. Kelp forests are an incredible underwater habitat utilized by a diverse group of animals. Kelp is huge and quick growing, sometimes growing more than 15 inches in a single day. Giant kelp beds provide shelter and protection from predators and storms for species such as sharks, seals, shorebirds, and, most importantly, sea otters. On the seafloor where the kelp is anchored to the earth, you will likely find many invertebrates species, such as sea urchins, who feed on the kelp and algae. Sea urchins can easily chew right through the base of the kelp and detach it from the seafloor, which can destroy entire kelp forest ecosystems. Luckily, sea urchins have one major predator to keep their numbers in check. Sea otters dive down and collect the urchins to fill their insatiable diet. With sea otters removed from the ecosystem, the destruction of kelp forests will inevitably follow, as would the loss of biodiversity.

Bees

While keystone species exist in far away ecosystems and underwater worlds, they also exist right in your backyard. While they don’t always get the best reputation, bees are a critical part of so many ecosystems! For plants to produce fertilized seeds, their flowers need to be pollinated. Some plants can pollinate themselves, meaning two flowers from the same plant can pollinate each other. Sometimes, one flower can even pollinate itself! However, most plants require cross-pollinating, which often requires the help of wind, birds, and bugs, like bees. Not only do humans rely on bees to pollinate many of our crops, but many animals also rely on their pollination! As new plants grow, they are a food source for animals who eat the leaves, drink the pollen, or munch on the flowers. These reproducing plants help maintain ecosystems, and we can often thank bees for that!

Gray Wolves

So, if keystone species are crucial for an ecosystem to stay the way it is, what happens if you remove them? Often, the entire ecosystem will change or collapse. Possibly the most well known example of this was in Yellowstone National Park when the gray wolves were removed from the ecosystem in the 1920s. As the human population expanded into their native range, the wolves’ habitat was altered to farmland and they started preying upon livestock. Humans retaliated by removing predators in the area using poison and hunting. Without their natural predators, deer and elk populations expanded greatly, resulting in overgrazing of the lands. The overgrazing led to an absence of trees and diverse vegetation that had historically supported birds, rodents, reptiles, and other species which each indirectly relied on the wolves. Yellowstone continued to deteriorate until the wolf reintroduction program began in the mid-1990s and wolves were returned to the ecosystem. Since then, the elk population has become controlled and biodiversity has returned to Yellowstone. Though it was not a quick process, returning this keystone species to its native lands has helped to restore the ecosystem.

Coral

Each species plays a role in its ecosystem and occupies a niche that only they can occupy. When we start removing or adding species, especially keystone species, we run the risk of permanently altering that ecosystem. As the human population continues to expand, requiring us to consume more energy, grow more food, and use more land, we run the risk of causing trophic cascades. We can protect the global ecosystem by being mindful of our choices every day. Consider the environment when you go through your daily motions. Can you use a toothpaste that uses less plastic? Can you buy your cereal from a bulk bin instead of a plastic bag inside of a box? Can you turn your AC off and put the windows down? Consider the environment when you vote. Consider the environment when you shop. The more you consider your daily choices, the bigger impact you will have.

Funky Fish | Fish Classification

Fri, 15 May 2020 04:15:00 GMT

As an incredibly diverse group of animals, I would think that everyone pictures something different when they picture a fish. Do you picture a colorful, tropical fish exploring a coral reef? Do you picture a largemouth bass in a midwestern lake or maybe a group of carp around a dock? Would it cross your mind to picture a huge whale shark or a majestic southern stingray? What about a long green moray eel? While a whale shark, the world’s largest fish, and a goldfish might not seem to share many characteristics, there is more than what meets the eye!

Fins

While they may look a little different depending on the type of fish, each species has fins instead of arms or legs. Many fish, like sharks and catfish, rely on these fins to make them agile and athletic swimmers to both catch prey and to avoid becoming prey. Other types of fish, like a seahorse or pufferfish, have fins but are not the most impressive swimmers. In fact, if these fish get caught up in a strong current, they can end up in the open ocean. Fish who lack the ability to escape a predator often have to rely on camouflage or toxic defense mechanisms to protect themselves!

Gills

Fish can use their fins to move around their underwater ecosystem and their gills to stay underwater for their whole lives! If you take a deep breath in, you’ll feel your chest and your ribs expand as your lungs fill up with air. This makes us very different from fish who actually don’t have any lungs at all! Instead, they suck in oxygen-rich water through their mouth which then passes over their gills. The gills are covered in tiny blood vessels which do a great job at stealing some of the oxygen from the water and sending it throughout the fish’s body. Who knew fish could “breathe” without any lungs!

Cold-Blooded

Like our reptile, amphibian, and invertebrate friends, fish are cold-blooded, or ectotherms. Their body temperature is highly dependent on the temperature of the water around them. So, how does a fish who dives hundreds of feet deep withstand the frigid temperatures while other fish are restricted to warm, tropical waters? It all comes down to adaptations that have occurred on a molecular level. Some species are more temperature dependent than others, which restricts them to a very narrow range of temperatures for their organs and metabolisms to function properly. Other fish, like the whale shark which can dive thousands of feet to chilly temperatures, are slower to change their overall body temperature when the temperature of their environment changes. While they can spend some time in the extreme temperatures, they must come back to their optimal range to allow proper body function.

Vertebrates

Along with being ectothermic, all fish are vertebrates, or have a bony body structure! Now, some of you may be thinking, what about jellyfish or starfish? Well, I hate to be the one to tell you this, they are actually not true fish! In fact, starfish were recently renamed “sea stars” because they, and jellyfish, are invertebrates. All true fish have a backbone, though in sharks and stingrays, it is not a true bone. Instead they have a “skeleton” made of cartilage like in your nose or ears! Whether it is true bone or cartilage, a true fish must have a hard skeletal structure.

As a true fish lover, I wish I could grow gills and spend hours observing fish in their natural environment. It can be challenging for scientists to learn about fish because, well, we are limited by human characteristics. Accredited aquariums are an amazing resource for scientists to study fish and their behaviors, and they allow normal people like us to see the wonders of the deep ocean. Next time you’re feeling fishy, make sure to find an AZA accredited aquarium to help support fish conservation and to learn the latest about our aquatic neighbors.

Bergmann's Rule | The Colder You Go, the Bigger You Grow

Fri, 15 May 2020 04:15:00 GMT

The world is filled with animals of all shapes and sizes. There are giant, six ton elephants and whales the size of football fields, but there are also tiny shrews that weigh two grams and bats that are just over an inch! Even in single ecosystems do we find an incredible diversity of size. There is something a little unusual though: animals that we find in different locations, like eagles and tigers, tend to also have a bit of size variation based on their latitude. Scientists have discovered that many animals tend to be larger the further they are from the equator. They call this phenomenon Bergmann’s Rule, and it is seen in more animals than you may think, though it is rarely seen in reptiles.

Tigers & Bears

We commonly see Bergmann’s Rule being exemplified in mammals. The Sumatran tiger is one of the most endangered animals on the planet, only numbering about 400 individuals on their native island of Sumatra. This subspecies of tiger is the only island species remaining and the only tiger found in a tropical climate. If you have been lucky enough to see one, likely at a zoo, you may have thought they looked a little small. They are the smallest subspecies of tiger, with large males usually maxing out around 300 pounds. The Amur tiger, formerly known as the Siberian tiger, lives far north of the equator. A large Amur tiger can reach more than 600 pounds, more than double the size of the Sumatran tiger.

Bears are another great example; let’s focus on the smallest and largest species. Andean (or spectacled) bears are the only bear found in South America and inhabit the forests of the Andes Mountains near the equator. Males can weigh more than 300 pounds, depending on the season. Regardless of time of year, Andean bears are dwarfed by the largest species of bear, the polar bear. Some males in the Arctic easily exceed 1,000 pounds; talk about letting yourself go!

Bald Eagles

Though common in mammals, we also see Bergmann’s Rule in many bird species, including a variety of eagles! Female eagles are usually much larger than males, so we will focus on the ladies and a majestic species we all know and love, the bald eagle. In Florida, a native bald eagle may weigh less than 9 pounds and have a mere 6-foot wingspan. However, if you take a long trip up to Alaska, you might find a female weighing more than 14 pounds with an 8-foot wingspan! These incredible differences in size varying by distance from the equator have led to one giant, unanswerable question… why?

Theories

While we may never know exactly why some animals are smaller near the equator, we do have some theories. Larger animals have a smaller surface area-to-volume ratio, meaning they are nice and chunky but don’t have as much area for heat to escape from, which keeps them warm in their cool climates. Some scientists also suggest being thicker means having a larger fat supply to live off during the harshest months when food is scarce. While many theories make sense, we can only hypothesize at this time. Who knows, it could be a combination of all the theories! Now, I don’t know about you, but I find animals even cuter when they’re extra-fluffy, so maybe a move north is in order.

Amazing Amphibians | Amphibian Classification

Fri, 15 May 2020 04:14:00 GMT

Amphibians are perhaps best known for their wet, slimy appearance and some kind of metamorphosis. The visual of a tadpole slowly growing legs and turning into a ribbiting frog may come to mind, or a salamander covered in dirt crawling from a muddy burrow. Most amphibians live near some form of water, often freshwater, which many depend on for moisture and reproduction. There are more than 8,000 species of amphibians, most of which are frogs but also include toads, salamanders, newts, and caecillians (a group of snake-like animals who mostly live underground). Though a limbless caecillian and a four-legged toad may not seem like they’d have a lot in common, you’d be surprised.

Cold-Blooded

Just like our reptile friends, amphibians are cold-blooded, or ectothermic. They are not able to regulate their body temperature internally, meaning they are subject to whatever the weather is doing in their environment. This can cause a lot of challenges for those found in extreme climates and many amphibians will seek shelter underground until conditions are more favorable.

Skin

Unlike a reptile, amphibians lack scales and instead have skin. The skin of an amphibian is often permeable, allowing moisture and oxygen to be gained or lost. This feature is why many amphibians can seemingly breathe underwater and are commonly referred to as environmental indicators, meaning their health or abundance is often a sign of a healthy or degradation ecosystem. Their skin not only absorbs moisture and oxygen, but it also absorbs pollutants when they are present. If we see a sudden loss of amphibians in a region, it may be a sign that toxins have moved into the environment or conditions are no longer healthy. Amphibians often have mucous glands which secrete a substance to keep their skin moist when they are away from wet dirt or a body of water.

Vertebrate

Like you and I, amphibians have a backbone. However, unlike us, these bones are often hollow and lightweight. Almost all amphibians, with the exception of the caecillian and a few salamanders, have four limbs in their adult form. The size, shape, and muscle capacity of the legs depend on the species. For example, a small salamander who specializes in digging will need much different arms than a frog who specializes in jumping great distances.

Metamorphosis

Amphibians are a highly adaptable yet incredibly sensitive group of animals. Though they are not the same, reptiles and amphibians are often studied under the same scientific grouping called herpetology. Herpetologists rely on amphibians to better understand the health of an environment and the best ways to restore it. Learn all about the incredible adaptations and bizarre behaviors of these animals on our Amphibians page!

Remarkable Reptiles | Reptile Classification

Fri, 15 May 2020 04:14:00 GMT

When most people picture a reptile, they see a scaly, slithering dinosaur hiding in a burrow or basking in the sun. The only thing you would be wrong about is the dinosaur part; birds are the real dinosaurs! Reptiles can be found on every continent except for Antarctica in a variety of extreme habitats. Some of the 10,000+ species have evolved to withstand burning deserts and deep ocean waters, some can climb and others dig, some can kill a beast with just one bite. Though turtles, tortoises, snakes, lizards, and crocodiles are very different, they have a few key characteristics in common.

Cold-Blooded

Unlike you, your dog, and the squirrel outside, reptiles are not able to regulate their own body temperature internally. Reptiles are ectothermic, or cold-blooded, meaning their body temperature depends on the environment around them. In areas where the sun gets too hot, reptiles must hide in shaded areas or burrow during the midday hours. In the chillier regions and seasons, reptiles must bask in the sun to warm themselves up. Some desert reptiles will go into a reptile-like hibernation, called brumation, where they slow their metabolism and reduce their breathing to avoid freezing during the cold months.

Vertebrate

Like mammals, amphibians, and fish, reptiles possess a backbone, or spine. That’s right, even the slithery snakes have a backbone with dozens of ribs that run almost the whole length of the body. Turtles and tortoises have spines and ribs which connect the soft, fleshy body to the hard, protective shell.

Scales

It is abundantly clear that reptiles do not have skin the same way people or other groups of animals do. Instead, they have scales made of keratin (the same material as our fingernails, a stingray barb, and a rhino horn) that come in all shapes and sizes. Heck, they often vary in shape and size on the same animal! Take a snake for example: when you see one sliding through the grass, you see the small, triangular scale on their backs. However, if you flip them over (which I do not recommend), you would notice the scales on the belly are much wider and hardly triangular. This helps them move around without getting tons of scales stuck on debris. They also have scales that cover their eyes which shed along along with the rest of the body. Scales don’t really stretch the same way skin does, so when snakes grow, they must shed the coating of the scales which are now too small. Snakes often shed their whole body in one clean piece, while other reptiles tend to shed in patches.

Eggs

When I was in elementary school, I learned that all reptiles lay eggs. It wasn’t until adulthood that I realized that was a big, fat lie and way more complicated! There are three ways that reptiles can give birth, the first being in the standard egg-laying way. This is the most common way that reptiles reproduce, including most pythons, sea turtles, and iguanas. This is called oviparous . Some also give birth to live young, and this can happen in two ways. Some reptiles allow their offspring to develop in eggs, but they keep the eggs inside their bodies. This includes all gartersnakes and is referred to as ovoviviparous . Other reptiles are able to reproduce like mammals, where the offspring develops directly inside the mother, not in an egg. This is called viviparous and occurs in several species of skinks.

Reptiles are a unique group of animals because, unlike mammals or fish, scientists suspect that not all reptiles share the same common ancestor. Wouldn’t you be mind-blown to know that some reptiles, like crocodiles, are more closely related to birds than they are to lizards or other reptile groups? Regardless of the scientific debate, we can all agree that, for the time being, these four characteristics are how we can tell a reptile from a mammal or fish.

Incredible Invertebrates | Invertebrate Classification

Fri, 15 May 2020 04:14:00 GMT

It is no secret that invertebrates don’t have the best reputation. Whether it is the pesky fly that won’t leave you alone or the little cockroach hiding in your foundation, most people don’t get the warm and fuzzies when they think about invertebrates. However, without invertebrates, life on Earth would be very different. As the largest group of animals, containing more than 95% of all animal species, invertebrates help regulate ecosystems by acting as a very important prey species and predator, by recycling nutrients, by building communities, and so many other ways. Plus, invertebrates are more than just the bees and cockroaches. I bet there are animals you love that you didn’t even realize were invertebrates…

Types

There are so many different invertebrates that it can be challenging to identify all of them, so we will focus on the larger groups. Arthropods are a group of animals that you are familiar with, even if you have never heard that word before! Arthropods are insects (like ants and butterflies), arachnids (like spiders and scorpions), crustaceans (like crabs and shrimp), and myriapods (like centipedes and millipedes)! While arthropods have a lot in common, each group has slight differences like how many sets of legs or body segments they have! Invertebrates also include mollusks (like snails, squids, and octopuses), annelids (like worms), and cnidarians (like jellyfish and coral). While a butterfly, an octopus, and a hermit crab might not have much in common, they all lack the major characteristic of vertebrates, bones!

Bones

This is paragraph text. Click it or hit the Manage Text button to change the font, color, size, format, and more. To set up site-wide paragraph and title styles, go to Site Theme.Mammals and birds rely on bones to support their bodies and their movement. We depend on bones to keep our arms and legs in place and to protect organs like our brain and lungs. Invertebrates have evolved other ways to support their bodies and protect the important stuff, like a hard exoskeleton or stinging cells to keep threats away. Animals like lobsters and scorpions have hard outer coatings to protect themselves from predators and to support their body structure. Jellyfish and soft corals lack a hard exterior, which leaves them unprotected and with a flexible body shape. Many of these animals have developed stinging cells or toxins which they use to prevent becoming easy prey! Invertebrates are incredibly diverse in their body shape and structure, but all specialize in their own environments.

Cold-Blooded

Invertebrates are found almost everywhere on Earth, across vast deserts to volcanic mountains to deep ocean bottoms. While these environments would be extreme for any animal, it is made even more challenging for invertebrates as they are cold-blooded, or ectothermic. They are not able to regulate their body temperature like a human or an elephant; their body temperature is determined by the environment around them. Invertebrates are able to survive in extreme ecosystems using a wide variety of strategies. Some are built for it and have thin membranes which trap heat. Others have to find or build appropriate housing with insulation to protect them, like a termite with their huge, dense mounds.

While they may not be your favorite group of animals, there is no denying that invertebrates are incredible, unique, and critically important. Without them, our world would not function at a balance. You would think that with the huge amount of invertebrates that inhabit the Earth that we don’t have to worry about them going anywhere anytime soon, but that is unfortunately not true. It is estimated that ~30% of invertebrates are at risk for extinction. It is time we start recognizing these amazing animals for the wonder and importance they have to the success of almost every single environment.

Marvelous Mammals | Mammal Classification

Fri, 15 May 2020 04:14:00 GMT

Ranging in appearance from a kangaroo with a pouch to a bat with wings to a whale with fins, mammals are an incredibly diverse class of animals. Some are carnivores while others are herbivores, some are nocturnal while others diurnal, and some… even lay eggs. More than 5,000 species of mammals exist, and while it may seem like they have nothing in common, there is more than what meets the eye.

Fur

Just like the hair on your head and the fur on your dog, almost all mammals are covered in some kind of hair. While it may be sparse on some species, its primary function is to keep us warm. For some species, it does have a few added bonuses. Mammals like tigers and zebras use their fur patterns for camouflage, helping them blend into their surroundings or their herds, making it harder for a predator to pick out one individual. Some have sensory hairs, like whiskers, to better navigate their surroundings. Others have fur that helps waterproof or protects from thorns and spines, like the javalina. Occasionally, hair can also be used to attract a mate. The Visayan warty pig grows a large mohawk during the breeding season, which the ladies really seem to fancy.

Vertebrate

If you reach around to feel your center back, you will feel your hard, bony spine. This makes us, and all mammals, what we call vertebrates. Animals like crabs or spiders who lack a back bone are what we call invertebrates. While the number, size, and shape of bones mammals have in their bodies can vary greatly, most of us do have one thing in common. All mammals, with the exception of manatees and sloths, have seven bones in their neck. Even the giraffe, whose neck can reach more than seven feet in length, only has seven neck bones.

Warm-Blooded

Being warm-blooded, or endothermic, means that even when it is freezing or blazing hot outside, we are still able to regulate our body temperatures so we don’t freeze or overheat. While there are lots of adaptations that help mammals live in extreme environments, being an endotherm is a huge benefit! Mammals who live in cold climates are often larger, giving them more fat stores to live from during the harsh months. Mammals who live in hot climates are often smaller, which increases the surface area to volume ratio and allows more heat to escape from the body.

Milk Production

Now, I will say that most things in ecology cannot be taken as law. Environments are constantly changing, and new discoveries are always being made. While these characteristics hold true for almost all mammal species, there are some exceptions. While most animals give live birth, the platypus and the echidna lay eggs, but still support their offspring through milk production. The animal kingdom is home to some wild and wonderful mammals, even though they might be a little… unusual.

Brilliant Birds | Bird Classification

Fri, 15 May 2020 04:14:00 GMT

One of the best things about birds or being a birder is that, regardless of where you are, odds are there is a bird around. Whether it be a hummingbird at your feeder, a finch bathing in a puddle, or a bald eagle on the hunt, birds never fail to offer awe. It is hard to believe birds are the closest living relatives of dinosaurs when you look at the brilliant colors of a golden pheasant or the higher brain function of a parrot, but it’s true! While we may not know all of the characteristics birds and dinosaurs share, at least we know what all of the birds have in common.

Feathers

Feathers are undoubtedly a huge part of why some birds are so beautiful. They are often vibrant and colorful with intricate patterns, but don’t be fooled, they are not just for show. Feathers serve many important purposes, like providing thermoregulation and aiding in flight. Birds are covered in a variety of different feathers, each with its own unique role. Down feathers trap heat near the body, while flight feathers are large and aerodynamic, allowing many species to fly. Others, usually males, use bright or iridescent feathers accompanied by a methodical dance to court their ladies. Sometimes feathers are even plucked and added to nesting material to create a warm, soft space for eggs and chicks.

Wings

While not all birds can fly, all birds do have wings. Wings are modified arms and can look very different depending on the bird. The tiny wings of a hummingbird allow them to hover in midair, while the wings of a vulture allow them to soar on thermal currents for hundreds of miles every day. Then, there are wings like those on an ostrich… They are present, but not entirely functional. Their weak muscles, fluffy feathers, and heavy body weight prevent them from flying and would make it appear that the wings are just for show.

Beaks

It is quite easy for you and I to eat a meal; we just whip out a fork and knife and make it happen. It is not so simple for the rest of the animal kingdom and species have developed different teeth and mouths over time based on their diet. For birds, they lack teeth entirely. Instead, they have a bill, or beak. There is no true difference between "bill" and "beak"; they can be used interchangeably, though sometimes one just feels right… Anyways, the shape and size of a bird’s beak often represents what they eat. The wide, flat bill of an ostrich is perfect for munching up bugs and seeds. The hooked bill of a parrot is perfect for cracking open nuts and hard fruit. The serrated edge on a toucan bill is very helpful for their omnivore diet. For birds, what they eat is often written all over their face.

Eggs

Birds certainly have more differences than similarities between the roughly 10,000 species, and it only gets more and more interesting as you learn! Take a deep-dive into our Bird page and explore the beauty and complexity of dozens of species. And keep an eye out your window; odds are you’ll see one in real life.