MAMMAL MONDAY # 60

MAMMAL MONDAY #60

We are off to meet a mammal who lives in a watery habitat in South America! So hop aboard our boat as we float down a river to find one cool mammal!

MEET THE GREY RIVER DOLPHIN!

   Range/Habitat: Central America-Northern South America/rivers,

estuaries, coasts

   Diet: Carnivore: fish, squid

   Length/Weight: 4 ½-6 ½ ft/ 77-88 lb

   Conservation Status: data deficient

 

Fun Facts:

• Grey River Dolphins live in freshwater habitats and estuaries.
• They have long prominent beaks.
• Grey river dolphins are very acrobatic.
• They are small and stocky.
• They have large dorsal fins.
• Grey river dolphins are solitary or live in pairs.

Grey river dolphins are amazing animals! Did you know that there were dolphins that live in rivers? We had no idea! We continue to be surprised by all the different animals on our planet!

  

 

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 59

FEATHERY FRIDAY #59

We’re jumping on a plane and heading to New Zealand to meet a one of kind bird on this fine Feathery Friday! Are you ready for an adventure down under?

MEET THE WRYBILL!

   Range/Habitat: New Zealand/rivers-estuaries

   Diet: Carnivore: insects, insect larva

   Length/Weight: 7.9-8.3”/ 1.5-2.5 oz

   Conservation Status: vulnerable

 

 

Fun Facts:

• Wrybills have grey and white feathers.
• They have long black bills.
• Wrybills are curved to the right and sideways. They are the only birds in the world with this type of beak.
• They perform aerial ballets during mating and migration.
• Wrybills are a wading bird.

These funny little birds are so neat! You must get up close to see their unusual sideway bent beaks! We sure do love meeting such amazing birds!

  

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 56

WATERY WENESDAY # 56

Today we’re jetting to South America to meet one large and unusual fish! These guys don’t have any top fins and they can electrocute a human! Best if we stand next to the river to catch a peek, don’t you think?

MEET THE ELECTRIC EEL!

   Range/Habitat: Northern South America/ rivers, streams

   Diet: Carnivore: fish, amphibians, birds

   Length/Weight: 6-8 ft/ up to 44 lbs

   Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

• Electric eels are not true eels; they are actually members of the knifefish family.
• They are one of the largest fresh water fish in South America.
• Electric eels have one long fin on their underside. They have no top or tail fins.
• Electric eels have poor eyesight.
• They have specialized cells that store electricity like batteries.
• They use electrical pulses to help them find their way around in murky rivers and streams.
• Electric eels also use jolts of electricity to stun prey. They can produce jolts up to 600 volts at one time.

WOW! Electric eels are amazing animals. Who knew there were fish out in the world that could light things up? We just never ceased to be amazed by all the cool animal adaptations there are on earth! We do wonder if an electrical eel could light our lamp for us! Hahahaha!

  

 

 

 

 

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 54

REPTILIAN TUESDAY #54

It’s that wondrous day of the week, where we go on an adventure to meet a reptile and today we are off to the marshes of North America to find one colorful turtle! Apparently they like painting! Hahahaha!

MEET THE PAINTED TURTLE!

   Range/Habitat: North America/lakes, rivers, ponds

   Diet: Omnivores: bugs, plants

   Length: 6-10”

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

• Painted turtles are freshwater turtles.
• They have a flat, smooth carapace (top shell).
• Painted turtles have yellow stripes on their necks and orange coloration on their bottom shells.
• Painted turtles bask in the sun in groups.
• They sleep on the bottom of the river at night.
• In colder climates Painted turtles hibernate during the winter.

Painted turtles are so gorgeous. They are great additions to any watery habitat! We love to count turtles piled on logs and rocks in the summertime! How about you?

    

 

 

 

FEATHERY FRIDAY # 49

FEATHERY FRIDAY #49

This Friday is full of feathers as usual and we’re going to meet our bird friend in Europe! These birds are very colorful. Let’s get our binoculars and practice our bird watching skills.

 

MEET THE GREATER SPOTTED CUCKOO!

   Range/Habitat: Europe-West Asia-Africa/ woodlands

   Diet: Insectivore: insects, caterpillars

   Length/Weight: 14-15 ½”

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

• Greater spotted cuckoos are related to roadrunners.
• They have a small crest of gray feathers on their head.
• Greater spotted cuckoos will remove the venomous hairs off caterpillars before they eat them.
• They lay their eggs in other bird’s nests, like crows, with the crow’s eggs.
• The crows then raise the Greater Spotted Cuckoo’s chicks.

These interesting birds use a very unusual method of raising their offspring. Instead of raising themselves they have another bird do it for them! Wow! Pretty crazy!

 

 

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 49

WATERY WENESDAY # 49

We’re going to the Northwest U.S. today to meet a freshwater and ocean going fish! That’s right folks; there are fish who spend part of their lives in both habitats! You ready?

MEET THE RAINBOW TROUT!

 

   Range/Habitat: Northern Pacific/ North America

   Diet: Carnivore: insects, fish, snails

   Length/Weight: up to 4 ft/ up to 53 lbs

  Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

• Rainbow trout are members of the salmon family.
• Some rainbow trout are called steelheads.
• Steelhead rainbow trout live their adult lives in the ocean, but spawn in freshwater habitats.
• Some rainbow trout spend their whole lives in freshwater habitats.
• Rainbow trout are blue green with yellow and a pink streak down their side.

Rainbow trout are really colorful fish! They have been introduced around the U.S. and now are a popular sporting fish.

 

 

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 46

WATERY WENESDAY # 46

Let’s all get on our sweaters, hiking boots and grab a walking stick because we’re going for a hike in Northwestern US to meet a fish that starts and ends its life in freshwater.  Be on the lookout, because the river will be full of them!

MEET THE SOCKEYE SALMON!

   Range/Habitat: Northeast Asia-North Pacific-Northwest America/

rivers-oceans

   Diet: Carnivore: zooplankton

   Length/Weight: up to 33”/up to 15 lbs

   Conservation Status: locally common

 

Fun Facts:

• Sockeye salmon spawn in rivers and lakes.
• They are also known as red salmon.
• Sockeye salmon have blue heads and backs as adults.
• Sockeye salmon live in the ocean for most of their adult lives.
• They travel up to 900 miles to spawn (release their eggs & sperm to make new salmon).
• When they go into freshwater systems to spawn they turn bright green and red.
• A group of sockeye salmon is called a run.

Sockeye salmon are really cool fish! They die in the same freshwater habitat that they were born in. Can you imagine swimming all those miles? Sockeye salmon must get very tired!

REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 46

REPTILIAN TUESDAY #46

We’re jetting off to New Guinea to find one odd looking reptile! Grab your wellies and a snack because we’re taking a walk in some freshwater rivers! Let’s do this!

MEET THE PIG NOSED RIVER TURTLE!

   Range/Habitat: S New Guinea-North Australia/rivers-lakes

   Diet: Omnivore: fruits, fish, snails

   Length: 28-30”

   Conservation Status: vulnerable

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

• Pig nosed river turtles have a pig like snout. This helps them breathe when they are submerged in water.
• Pig nosed river turtles are also known the Fly River turtles.
• They have flipper like limbs that resemble a sea turtle more than a freshwater turtle.
• Pig nosed river turtles have a soft, leathery skin on top of their carapace (top shell).
• They are unlike any other freshwater turtle alive today.
• Pig nosed river turtles are territorial.

We think these crazy looking turtles are so cool! They look like a pig, a sea turtle and a freshwater turtle all meshed in to one animal! If you could make a mixed up animal what you would make?

 

OLYMPIC ANIMALS WEEK DAY # 3

OLYMPIC ANIMALS DAY # 3

We’re off to Southeast Asia to find a little fish with amazing archery skills! Don’t worry they don’t have a crossbow and arrow, they spit water! Grab your wellies and let’s head out to meet today’s Olympic worthy animal!

MEET THE ARCHERFISH!

   Range/Habitat: Indo-Pacific/ brackish waters & freshwater habitats

   Diet: Carnivore: insects

   Length/Weight: up to 16”/ up to 2 ¼ lbs

   Conservation Status: Common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

• Archerfish are silver and black.
• They have excellent eyesight!
• Archerfish shoot jets of water out of their mouths. They can shoot it up to 5ft away.
• They shoot insects off of low hanging vegetation and leaves.
• Archerfish are very accurate.
• Young archerfish must practice their shooting skills.

 

Archerfish have amazing skills! Adults rarely miss their targets! We bet these fish could win any Olympic archery competition, fins down!

 

TENNESSEE AQUARIUM ROAD TRIP!

Field Trip to the Tennessee Aquarium!

Recently we took a road trip to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee and man did we have a great time! The Tennessee Aquarium has not one but TWO buildings to explore! The first one is dedicated to fresh water habitats and the second building houses some of your favorite ocean dwelling animals! That’s right everyone, you can spend your day visiting animals from all over the world and that is exactly what we did!

We started out hanging out in the plaza, getting the lay of the land and deciding on where we should start.

Out front of the Aquarium!

We decided to head into the Freshwater building first! There, they not only have great animal exhibits, but they have Ranger Rick’s backyard safari!

We headed down to check this area out  and catch a live animal encounter! We stayed to meet some cool birds, including the Galah.

 

 

Our next stop was to check out some sea horses and their relatives! They are just so cute!

Pipefish

 

Piprfish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A sea dragon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then boarded the escalator that takes you to the top of the building, where you make your journey through cool freshwater habitats! Isn’t it neat that you start from the top and make your way down to the bottom!

A really biiig tree!

This is where we met some adorable river otters!

Otters have a good time!

These guys are so playful and graceful; we could have stayed there for hours! But alas, we had to keep going, there was much more to see! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then as we kept exploring we stumbled upon some amazing amphibians! Check out these frogs and newts!

Poison Dart Frog!

Newt!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re even bigger than this guy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next was a big exhibit with all kinds of reptiles, fish and birds! They all live in one habitat, because that’s how it would be in the wild. Well, the American Alligator was separated from the other animals, but that’s understandable.

Alligator tail!

Turtle party!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turtle and ducks getting along!

 

Off we went to find turtles and tortoises! Two of our favorites in this exhibit were the Indian Star Tortoise

Indian Star Tortoise

and the Long neck turtle.

Long neck turtle!

Wow, turtles and tortoises come in so many shapes and sizes! The big exhibit in this building was shut down while we there, because the aquarium was prepping for their new exhibit River Giants! That’s ok, because it just gives us a reason to go back ! We just love all the conservation messages that the aquarium has all around too!

We need to protect our rivers!

 

We took a lunch break to refuel before heading over to the second building! We chomped on some apples and hay by the Tennessee River. As we were sitting there we watched a wild Great Blue Heron have some lunch too! He scooped up a fish from the river and swallowed it whole! YUM!

Heron! Look closely and you’ll see the fish in his throat!

Having lunch by the river!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After lunch, we were ready for our second adventure for the day! We found a lovely habitat that took us to basin of the Amazon!

Tropical!

 

We first found some very spotty fresh water sting rays! Did you know that there are rays living in rivers? Pretty cool!

Stingrays!

Then we found a pair of Hyacinth Macaws! These beautiful big blue birds were so much fun to watch! We stood there for a good 15 minutes or so watching their antics!

upside down!

 

It’s the pair!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our favorite shot of the day! Bonk!

 

So pretty!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These gorgeous birds are the largest flighted parrot on the planet!

We then stumbled into the butterfly habitat! Edmond was excited because he just loooves butterflies! We had a hard time getting pictures of these insects as they fly away so very fast. But it was so fun to find them.

Do you see the butterfly?

As we headed out of the warm, humid habitat that the butterflies live in, we began to get colder. Yep, we were getting close to the penguin habiat! The aquarium has gentoo and macaroni penguins and they are so cute! They were getting ready for breading season and gathering rocks to make nests. The penguins are very picky about the rocks they choose and work very hard to make the nests! Be careful though, penguins have been known to steal other penguin’s rocks!

Penguins!

He’s getting a rock to build a nest!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We finally went off in search of sharks!

Thanks goodness we found a shark cage!

And we were in luck, because they have them at the aquarium! Too bad we couldn’t get a photo of them, but they have to keep swimming in order to breathe.

So it was off to meet some cephalopods! We chilled out and watched the octopus for a while! He was very active and just fascinating!

Octopus!

 

Look at those suckers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ooooo…

 

We wanted to cuddle with the cuttlefish we saw, but they weren’t up for it. Oh well, maybe next time.

Hello cuttlefish!

As we made our way out, we stopped for a photo op!

It feels like we’re in the ocean!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our last stop of the day was at the IMAX theater where we saw a movie about coral reefs!

Lobby of the IMAX theater! We have but one world to share!

Coral reefs are one of the most amazing habitats on the planet! It made us want to go snorkeling immediately!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had an amazing time at the Tennessee Aquarium! If you’re ever in Chattanooga, you have to go there! They do a great job with their exhibits, their animals and their conservation message!

On our way home! We had a great day!