Monday, April 30, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
koala
Though often called the koala "bear," this cuddly animal is not a bear at all; it is a marsupial, or pouched mammal. After giving birth, a female koala carries her baby in her pouch for about six months. When the infant emerges, it rides on its mother's back or clings to her belly, accompanying her everywhere until it is about a year old.
Koalas live in eastern Australia, where the eucalyptus trees they love are most plentiful. In fact, they rarely leave these trees, and their sharp claws and opposable digits easily keep them aloft. During the day they doze, tucked into forks or nooks in the trees, sleeping for up to 18 hours.
When not asleep a koala feeds on eucalyptus leaves, especially at night. Koalas do not drink much water and they get most of their moisture from these leaves. Each animal eats a tremendous amount for its size—about two and a half pounds (one kilogram) of leaves a day. Koalas even store snacks of leaves in pouches in their cheeks.
The Average life span in the wild:20 years
Koalas live in eastern Australia, where the eucalyptus trees they love are most plentiful. In fact, they rarely leave these trees, and their sharp claws and opposable digits easily keep them aloft. During the day they doze, tucked into forks or nooks in the trees, sleeping for up to 18 hours.
When not asleep a koala feeds on eucalyptus leaves, especially at night. Koalas do not drink much water and they get most of their moisture from these leaves. Each animal eats a tremendous amount for its size—about two and a half pounds (one kilogram) of leaves a day. Koalas even store snacks of leaves in pouches in their cheeks.
The Average life span in the wild:20 years
Eastern Quoll
The Eastern Quoll is a carnivorous marsupial of Australia, where it is extinct on the mainland of Australia, and only extant on Tasmania.
the Eastern Quoll hunts at night on insects and small rodents and fruit.
The dens of the eastern quoll are usually in caves and hollow logs or trees.
The eastern quoll grows to a length of 11 to 18 inches and a weight of 1 ½ to 4 ½ pounds with a 6 ½ to 11 inch tail. The male is visibly longer then the female and can be as much as 50 percent heavier. Some believe that the eastern quoll looks somewhat like a cat and is sometimes called the spotted native cat. It has brown fur and white spots on its body but not its long tail. Its ears are large and stand up erect at all times. The eastern quioll is also slim and agile.
The eastern quoll's social unit is individual. It lives only and normally only associates with others of its kind in order to mate or a mother with its young before they are weaned. It is nocturnal and hunts at night, sleeping during the day.
the Eastern Quoll hunts at night on insects and small rodents and fruit.
The dens of the eastern quoll are usually in caves and hollow logs or trees.
The eastern quoll grows to a length of 11 to 18 inches and a weight of 1 ½ to 4 ½ pounds with a 6 ½ to 11 inch tail. The male is visibly longer then the female and can be as much as 50 percent heavier. Some believe that the eastern quoll looks somewhat like a cat and is sometimes called the spotted native cat. It has brown fur and white spots on its body but not its long tail. Its ears are large and stand up erect at all times. The eastern quioll is also slim and agile.
The eastern quoll's social unit is individual. It lives only and normally only associates with others of its kind in order to mate or a mother with its young before they are weaned. It is nocturnal and hunts at night, sleeping during the day.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Kowari
The Kowari is a small carnivore marsupial that lives in the central areas of Australia that have dry grasslands and also the deserts.
It is similar in appearance to a mouse or a gerbil, however it is known as a very efficient predator of spiders, insects, small lizards, and other small animals.
It grows to 18 centimeters (7 inches) in length and has a 14 centimeter (5.5 inch) long tail. They are light on their feet, very quick, and are usually a molted brownish ash color, with a lighter underbelly, and the same light to white fur on their legs. They have large ears, eyes, and an excellent nose, and can track prey and strike with lightning speed.
The Kowari lives in burrows that it can dig for itself, or that it will steal from others,Their burrows can become complex as more live in the same one, and serve as a hiding place for most the day. As mostly a nocturnal creature, it will sometimes very rarely be seen out during the day; however some have been observed hunting in broad daylight, but mostly they come out to bask in the sun.
The Kowari has no need to find a source of water as long as there is food - it gets all of its moisture from prey.
The Kowari is a species at risk of extinction due to habitat loss and possibly disease.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Virginia opossum
The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial (pouched mammal) found in the United States.
The opossum is about the size of a large house cat. It has a triangular head and a long pointed nose. It has grayish fur everywhere but on its ears, feet and tail. Its tail is prehensile. A prehensile tail is adapted for grasping and wrapping around things like tree limbs. The opossum can hang from its tail for a short time. Some people think opossums hang from their tails and sleep. They don't. Their tails aren't strong enough to hold them for that long.
The opossum doesn't hibernate in the winter. It will often hole up during very cold weather because it runs the risk of getting frostbite on its hairless ears, tail and toes.
The Virginia opossum lives in a wide-variety of habitats including deciduous forests, open woods and farmland. It tends to prefer wet areas like marshes, swamps and streams.
The Virginia opossum is nocturnal and uses its keen sense of smell to locate food. It is omnivorous and eats just about anything,Sometimes, it eats garbage and carrion. Carrion is dead animals. Because so much carrion is roadkill, opossums are often killed by cars while looking for food on roadways.
The name 'opossum' was first used in western culture by Captain John Smith in 1608. It comes from the Algonquin name 'apasum', which means 'white animal.'
The opossum is about the size of a large house cat. It has a triangular head and a long pointed nose. It has grayish fur everywhere but on its ears, feet and tail. Its tail is prehensile. A prehensile tail is adapted for grasping and wrapping around things like tree limbs. The opossum can hang from its tail for a short time. Some people think opossums hang from their tails and sleep. They don't. Their tails aren't strong enough to hold them for that long.
The opossum doesn't hibernate in the winter. It will often hole up during very cold weather because it runs the risk of getting frostbite on its hairless ears, tail and toes.
The Virginia opossum lives in a wide-variety of habitats including deciduous forests, open woods and farmland. It tends to prefer wet areas like marshes, swamps and streams.
The Virginia opossum is nocturnal and uses its keen sense of smell to locate food. It is omnivorous and eats just about anything,Sometimes, it eats garbage and carrion. Carrion is dead animals. Because so much carrion is roadkill, opossums are often killed by cars while looking for food on roadways.
The name 'opossum' was first used in western culture by Captain John Smith in 1608. It comes from the Algonquin name 'apasum', which means 'white animal.'
Monday, April 2, 2012
Messy Mondays: You Might Be a Homeschooler If...
you might be a homeschooler if you watch blimey cow :)
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