Animal A Day!

By Robert E. Wells Hardcover : 32 Pages January 1, 1997 In this installment of Wells’ science book series for kids we take a look at the concept of speed. What’s Faster Than a Speeding Cheetah? starts out with the titular feline and compares it to other animals, before moving on to planes, rockets, and to concepts like the speeds of sound and light. Wells combines his child-friendly text with whimsical illustrations and diagrams to create a cohesive, informative work. One of my favorite parts is the fact that the Cheetah, Falcon, and other animals from the beginning move through the rest of book, first as passengers on the aircraft, and then in space suits. Recommended for ages 4-8, or anyone who just wants to look at a fun book about science. Contains some additional information in back, along with a chart of how long it would take various animals/machines to travel from the Earth to the moon.

Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers by Audubon Phylum : Chordata Class : Aves Order : Piciformes Family : Picidae Genus : Campephilus Species : principalis Length : 18-20in Wingspan : 31in IUCN Status : Critically Endangered, but quite possibly Extinct The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker is/was one of the largest of all the Woodpeckers. Now, I say "is/was" because the current status of this bird is unknown. It was previously thought to be extinct, but then in 2005 a few birds were sighted in Arkansas. However, despite years of effort, and searches over thousands of square miles, no other birds have been located. Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers were found in the South-East United States, living in old growth forests. During the 19th century these habitats were destroyed , causing the birds to lose their homes. By the mid 20th century, they were believed to be extinct in the United States. Report in Cuba continued until the 1980s, but that population is now also believed to be gone. ...

A pair of Chinstraps Phylum : Chordata Class : Aves Order : Sphenisciformes Family : Spheniscidae Genus : Pygoscelis Species : antarcticus Height : 28in (72cm) Weight : 9-14lbs (3.5-5kg) IUCN Status : Least Concern Chinstrap Penguins are one of the most abundant of all the penguin species. It is estimated that there are over 7 million breeding pairs! Chinstraps live and breed in colonies and can be found in Antarctica and on islands in Antarctic Waters. The species is named for the thin black strip of feathers that runs under their beak. Chinstrap Penguins feed off of fish and krill, and can dive down as far as 230ft (70m). Using their flippers they are able to swim at speeds of around 20mph (32kph), and their dives typically last for 20-30 seconds . Adult and Chick Chinstrap couples lay two eggs, which are incubated by both the male and female. Chinstraps are relatively unique among penguins in that they raise their chicks with equal care . Many other specie...

Javan Rhino caught on camera trap Phylum : Chordata Class : Mammalia Order : Perissodactyla Family : Rhinocerotidae Genus : Rhinoceros Species : sondaicus Length : 6-11.5ft (1.8-3.5m) Weight : 2,000-5,000lbs (900-2,250kg) IUCN Status : Critically Endangered The Javan Rhinoceros is perhaps the rarest large mammal in the entire world. There have been no individuals in captivity for over 100 years , and less than 60 living in the wild. These remaining Rhinos are found in two protected parks, Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia, and Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam. These Rhinos are so rare and solitary that scientists are only able to study them through fecal matter and through videos caught by camera traps. Just yesterday a report was released by WWF-Indonesia stating that they had gotten footage of a handful of Rhinos this past November and December, including images of a calf. These images provide some hope, as they demonstrate that the breeding population is v...

Speckled Padloper Tortoise Phylum : Chordata Class : Sauropsida Order : Testudines Family : Testudinidae Genus : Homopus Species: signatus Length : 4in (11cm) IUCN Status: Near Threatened The Speckled Padloper Tortoise is the smallest tortoise in the entire world! Found in South Africa, this tiny guy has a speckled shell whose carapace rarely grows longer than a third of a foot! Their speckles help to keep them camouflaged in rocky areas, where they spend a great deal of their time hiding. Not much is known about their behavior in the wild, other than that females lay only one egg  at a time and that the species is herbivorous. Speckled Padloper Tortoises have several threats working against them. These include loss of habitat, introduction of highways, poaching for the pet trade, and the introduction of new predatory species. Their low birth rate has also made it difficult for this tiny species to survive through so many changes.

Scarlet Ibis Phylum : Chordata Class : Aves Order : Ciconiiformes Family : Threskiornithidae Genus : Eudocimus Species : ruber Body Length : 24in (61cm) IUCN Status : Least Concern My family is pretty into the Oscars and all of the film awards shows that lead up to them. Tonight is the big event, and I wanted to write about a red animal to celebrate the red carpet. And what animal is more red than the striking Scarlet Ibis? Scarlet Ibises are found in South America, and are the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago (which is quite impressive, considering the number of species there.) Male Scarlet Ibis Like Flamingos, Scarlet Ibises get their striking coloration from the food that they eat. They gain pigmentation from various small crustaceans and grow more and more red with age. Their long beaks and long legs allow them to wade through water and locate their prey. Female Scarlet Ibises lay 2-3 eggs, which hatch after about 3 weeks. Both parents incubate the e...

Giant Huntsman Spider Phylum : Arthropoda Class : Arachnida Order : Araneae Family : Sparassidae Genus : Heteropoda Species : maxima Legspan : 12in (30cm) Body Size : 2in (4.7cm) IUCN Status : Not Listed The Giant Huntsman Spider is a newly identified species that was first discovered in the Mekong region in 2001 . It has the largest legspan of any spider species yet uncovered (though since 2001 we've found over 1,000 new species in the Mekong alone, so who knows!) Despite its scary huge size, the Giant Huntsman Spider is not dangerous to humans. They get their name from the fact that they stalk and hunt down their prey (insects, small vertebrates); they are also quite fast on their long, gangly legs. Giant Huntsman Spiders are not venomous, and a bite from them will just give you a regular old spider bite.