St. Edward Church
St. Edward School
St. Edward Church
St. Edward School
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Choose a nocturnal animal for your report.
http://www.redpath-museum.mcgill.ca/Qbp/Images/mammals/Skunk.jpg Skunks are the smelliest mammals. These small, nocturnal animals are found in South and Central America and much of North America. The Spray: Skunks produce a very smelly spray that repels most predators. This oily, yellow liquid is produced in two glands located under the tail. They can spray up to 10 feet away. The smell is long-lasting and very hard to get rid of. Anatomy: Wild skunks are black and white, but the patterns vary. They all have a bushy tail, short legs, clawed feet, and a long snout. Domesticated skunks have a variety of coat colors and patterns. Diet: Skunks are omnivores; they eat insects, rodents, reptiles, small mammals, worms, eggs, fish, fruit, and plants.
Tracks - The skunk leaves a distinct pattern which is easily identified. The smaller front feet are pigeon-toed and placed just ahead of the larger rear feet while in motion. This five-toed creature has long claws which are usually evident in the print.
http://www.rockleigh.org/Recreation/Images/Mammal/skunk.jpg
http://umsteadcoalition.org/ecology/Feltus/American%20Toad%20%20cropped%205x7%202%20resized%20ac%20Umstead%20Coalition%20P6220045.jpg
Toads are
amphibians, animals that spend the early part of their lives under water (as
eggs and tadpoles) and the remainder on land. These nocturnal animals hunt at
night and spend the day sheltered in a cool spot.
http://umsteadcoalition.org/ecology/Feltus/American%20Toad%20%20cropped%205x7%202%20resized%20ac%20Umstead%20Coalition%20P6220045.jpg
http://www.lioncrusher.com/images/snowleopard_01.jpg
Snow Leopards are solitary wild cats that live in the snowy central mountains of Asia. Snow Leopards are in danger of extinction due to loss of habitat, loss of prey, and over-hunting. Snow Leopards are fast runners, good swimmers and excellent climbers. They often hide their food in trees. The leopard's call sounds like a raspy cough, not a roar. Anatomy: These graceful, medium-sized cats grow to be about 3 1/2 feet long; the tail is about 3 feet long. Adults weigh from 60-120 pounds. Males are larger than females. Snow Leopards have dark rosettes on a creamy white background, camouflaging them in the snow and rocks. Cubs are gray when they are born; there are 2-3 cubs in each litter. Diet: These large cats are carnivores (meat-eaters) that hunt wild sheep, marmots, hares, birds, and other animals. Snow Leopards hunt mostly at dusk and at dawn; they are nocturnal.
http://bergoiata.org/fe/felins/Calculation,%20Snow%20Leopard.jpg
http://www.jeffrichphoto.com/snow%20leopard%20walking%201.jpg
http://dnr.state.il.us/orc/wildlife/virtual_news/images/red_fox/red_fox_on_snow.jpg
The Red Fox, is a clever mammal that has large ears and a long, bushy tail. It lives in many different habitats, including forests, deserts, steppes, grasslands, scrub, and plains. Many live in the area where forest meets farmland. Red Foxes are found in Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, and the far north of Africa. Predators of the fox include the wolf and man. Foxes will double back on their own tracks in order to confuse their enemies. Anatomy: The Red Fox is about 31 inches long with a tail 15 inches long. Males are larger than females. The fur is generally reddish-brown, but can range from almost red to gray. The long, bushy tail, sometimes called a sweep, is tipped in white. It helps the fox change direction quickly and keeps the fox's feet and nose warm when it curls up to sleep. Foxes have sharp, curved claws, sharp teeth, and thick, insulating fur. Diet: Foxes are mostly carnivores (meat-eaters). Most foxes hunt alone. They are nocturnal; they hunt mostly at night. Foxes eat small mammals (like mice), eggs, birds, worms, insects, amphibians (like frogs), reptiles (like lizards), fish, grass, berries, and nuts.
http://wildwnc.org/af/images/redfox1.jpg
http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/graphics/raccon.jpg
Raccoons are small, very adaptable mammals from North and South America and a few tropical islands. They live in a variety of habitats, including marshes, forests, prairies, cities, and suburbs. These nocturnal (most active at night) animals have a life span of about 6 years in the wild. Anatomy: Raccoons have distinctive black patches around their eyes that look like a mask. They have a bushy, black-ringed tail, clawed feet, and a pointed snout. They have long fingers and toes and an acute sense of touch. Newborn raccoons do not have black eye patches or a ringed tail; these develop after a few days. Raccoons grow to be about 18 to 26 inches long plus a striped, furry tail 9 to 12 inches long. Diet: Raccoons are omnivores; they will eat almost anything, including frogs, crayfish, birds, mice (and other small mammals), fruit, nuts, plants, crops, and garbage. Raccoons find much of their food in water.
http://www.wildlifecareofventura.org/images/raccoons/raccoon1A.jpg
http://www.deskpicture.com/dps/Nature/Animals/opossum.jpg
Virginia Opossums are nocturnal (most active at night). They sleep during the day in a den in a hollow tree or in an abandoned rodent burrow. Playing Possum: When opossums are attacked, they will "play possum," pretending that they are dead; they remain still, do not blink, and their tongue hangs out. This act often makes the attacker lose interest in the opossum. Some of their many predators include foxes and dogs. Anatomy: The Virginia Opossum is about 2.5 feet long, including its foot-long, hairless, grasping tail. This opossum is about the size of a cat. It has a clawless, opposable thumb on each hind foot. The Pouch: The young are about the size of a bee when they are born. Females have a fur-lined pouch on their abdomen into which these tiny, under-developed young crawl. The young live and drink milk from teats in the pouch for about 2 months. Diet: The Virginia Opossum is an omnivore (eating both plants and animals). It eats insects, lizards, mice, snails, earthworms, fruit, nuts, seeds, and grasses.
http://dnr.state.il.us/orc/wildlife/virtual_news/images/opossum/opossum_on_log.jpg
http://www.brandywinezoo.org/images/opossum.JPG
http://www.steveconrad.co.uk/hog/images/title.jpg
The hedgehog is a small, noisy mammal whose hair is modified into stiff, spiky spines on the upper part of its body. Large birds of prey (like owls), foxes and badgers are the only enemies of hedgehogs. They can live in a wide variety of habitats, including deserts, forests, and plains. Hedgehogs will hibernate (sleep through the winter) in very cold climates and aestivate (sleep through dry summers) in hot deserts. Anatomy: Hedgehogs range in size from 6 to 14 inches long. When threatened, the hedgehog can pull itself into a prickly ball almost impossible to attack. It has a soft underbelly with white hair. Diet: Hedgehogs are classified as insectivores (insect-eater), but have a wide-ranging diet. They eat insects (like beetles, bees, and wasps), crustaceans (like snails), small vertebrates (like mice, birds, lizards, and snakes), eggs, dead meat that they find, and some plant material. They often poke around in the dirt for food. Hedgehogs are nocturnal (most active at night).
http://www.africanfauna.com/images/hedgehog.jpg
http://www.stetson.edu/~pmay/bugs/lampyrid%201.jpg
The Pyralis firefly (also known as the lightning bug) is a common firefly in North America. This partly nocturnal, luminescent beetle is the most common firefly in the USA. The Firefly's Glow: At night, the very end (the last abdominal segment) of the firefly glows a bright yellow-green color. The firefly can control this glowing effect. The brightness of a single firefly is 1/40 of a candle. Fireflies use their glow to attract other fireflies. Males flash about every five seconds; females flash about every two seconds. Anatomy:
This flying insect is less than 1 inch long. It is mostly black, with two red
spots on the head cover; the wing covers and head covers are lined in yellow.
Like all insects, it has a hard exoskeleton, six jointed legs, two antennae,
compound eyes, and a body divided into three parts (the head, thorax, and
abdomen).
http://www.oozemagazine.co.uk/images/badger.jpg The badger is a burrowing mammal with a black-and-white striped face. Badgers are nocturnal (most active at night). They are found in tropical forests, plains, woodlands, mountains, and prairies. They are closely related to skunks, martens, and weasels. Anatomy: Badgers range in size from 13-31 inches long plus a short tail 4-7 inches long. The American badger has brown-gray fur, black legs, long, flat feet with long, strong, curved claws, and a distinctively striped face. It weighs up to 37 pounds. Diet: Badgers are omnivores (eating both animals and plants). They eat rodents, frogs, snakes, small mammals, worms, insects and their larvae, fruit, and roots. Badgers burrow for much of their food.
http://www.natureimages.co.uk/images/Limited%20Editions/NI111%20Badger%20in%20the%20Garden.jpg
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