The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is a medium-size mammal that typically occurs in America. It is the most common armadillo. Nine-banded armadillos are likely to make homes in secondary rainforests and dry scrubs. It is thought to jump 4 feet high up in the air when threatened. They are also known as ‘long-nosed armadillo’. Nine…
The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) is the biggest vulture in South America. Like most other vultures, Andean condor is also a scavenger feeding primarily on carrion. They are thought to fly as high as 18,000 feet and are able to spot animal from that height. Unlike any other bird, Andean condor has got the largest…
The European robin or Eurasian robin (Erithacus rubecula) is a small bird that relies on insects for consumption. The bird is also known as robin redbreast. There seems to be no real difference between male and female. Robin birds are one of the Britain’s loved birds that are known for their sweet songs. In the…
The Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) is a small and tough seabird and the only puffin species native to the Atlantic Ocean. It is thought to breed in Greenland, North Atlantic islands, Norway, and Newfoundland. Part of the bill and the legs are completely orange while the rest of plumage is greyish black to white in…
The cane toad (Rhinella marina) is a large toad with the length reaching about nine inches for adults. They are mainly recognized by their U-shaped furrow between the eyes. Cane toad may grow to the size of a soccer ball. It is also known as ‘marine toad’ and the toad mainly occurs in the Central…
The two toed sloth or the Hoffmann’s two toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) is a native species of Central and South America. It occurs on the forested mountains north of the Andes and west of Lake Maracaibo. They are typically recognized by their two curved claws that are long enough to hook onto the branches of…
The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) is the most common of the cathartid species. It is thought to occur from Canadian border all the way to the southern tip of South America. Except for the subspecies C. aura aura turkey vultures are non-migratory. They belong to the true vultures of the New World and their physical…
The California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is the only New World vulture to have survived to date but it is the rarest of the birds. The condor is the largest bird of North America. It was once widespread throughout the southern North America but now the range is reduced to northern Baja and British Columbia. The…
The pink fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus) is the world’s smallest armadillo species. It is typically found in the dry sandy environments of Argentina. The pink fairy armadillo is the size of a human hand. They are hardly noticed or seen as a result of which scientists find it difficult to assess its behavior in the…
The boa constrictor (Boa constrictor) is a large to medium-size snake that is typically found in the forests of South America. It is one of the least understood snake species. Boas do extremely well in zoos and thus they are widely bred in captivity worldwide. Biologists have yet to assess boa’s behavior in the wild.…
The great grey owl (Strix nebulosa) is the largest of the forest owls. It is thought to occupy the coniferous forests of North America. The owl is highly aggressive; actively defends nest and it mainly feeds on voles. Great grey owl is able to detect little movements of a vole (beneath the snow) hundreds of…
The karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) is a blue butterfly species that is typically found in the wild lupine habitat. They mainly occur in New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, and in the southern Hemisphere. Indiana Dunes National Park hosts large number of karner blues. They have wingspan measuring up to one inch. Karner Blue Butterfly…
The green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) is by far the largest of the anaconda species. It is also one of the few snakes that have the longest lifespans. The anaconda is completely non-venomous boa species and is typically found in South America. Green anacondas are also known as ‘common anaconda’ and ‘water boa’. Green Anaconda Facts…
The sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) is a medium-sized cockatoo that occurs in the woody forests of New Guinea, Australia, and the islands of Indonesia. They are fairly common in much of its range but are thought to be pests. Sulphur-crested cockatoos are emotionally demanding but they usually make good pets. Sulphur Crested Cockatoo Facts Anatomy…
The ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) ranks among the world’s largest woodpecker species. In the north of Mexico, it is the largest of the woodpeckers. The bird is native to the woods of southeastern United States. Biologists are not clear the exact number of species remaining in the wild as many of them were hunted to near…
The Asian long-horned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) is a native beetle species of Japan, Korea, and China. Sky beetle is the other name of Asian long-horned beetle. It is thought to be one of the serious threats in China especially on trees like shelterbelts and hardwood trees. Asian Long-horned Beetle Facts Anatomy The adult sky beetle…
The bat eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) typically inhabits the savanna of Africa. It is an insectivorous animal. True to its name, the fox’s bat-like ears distinguish it from the rest of the canids. It is also called ‘big-eared fox’ and ‘black eared fox’. It is thought to have first appeared around 800,000 years ago somewhere…
The eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis) is one of the deadliest snakes in the world—second only to Belcher’s sea snake. The snake is a native species of Papua New Guinea, Australia, and Indonesia. It was discovered in Papua New Guinea back in 1953 but biologists have yet to understand how he got there. Eastern Brown Snake…
Squirrels are small-sized rodents that are widely distributed around the globe. They are native to America but many of them are introduced in Australia. Squirrels also occur in Eurasia and Africa. They are shy but they do interact with humans in urban areas where they are fed in public or national parks. Squirrel Facts For…
The dumbo octopus is an umbrella octopus that is typically found in the deep waters. It is the world’s deepest living octopus. Prominent among its features is its fins that remind us of human ears. Dumbo octopus is likely to consume copepods and crustaceans. They mainly occur in Philippine, California, to as far as New…
The crane fly (Tipula abdominalis) is a group name applied to all those insects that belong to the family of Tipulidae. They are also called daddy-long-legs. Crane flies occupy nearly every continent except that some of the flies typically occur in the tropics. They are mostly most common in the northern altitudes. Crane flies are…