Anteater: What’s two feet long and covered with ants? Why, it’s the tongue of a Giant Anteater of course! This unusual creature is found in the grasslands and open forests of Central and South America. Giant Anteaters have long, sharp claws they use like can openers to get into termite and ant mounds. They can eat tens of thousands of these insects each day. Baby anteaters have it made; while mom does all of the hard work, they get to ride around on her back for months even though they are able to walk on their own after only four weeks!
Elephant: Elephants are found in Asia and Africa. They are the largest animals that live on land and weigh as much as two large sport utility vehicles! Elephants have one of the most amazing noses in the animal kingdom and it is also a very useful tool! In fact their nose (or trunk) is made up of over 40,000 muscles and is used for just about everything; from lifting a log weighing over one thousand pounds to delicately picking up a single blade of grass.
Gorilla: The gentle giants of the African forest, these shy and elusive creatures spend over half of their day looking for food. Mainly plant eaters, adult Gorillas can eat up to 70 pounds of food daily. That’s a lot and it means a lot of resting so they can digest their food. While mom and dad settle down for in-between meal naps, younger Gorillas busy themselves by playing with each other in the forest. At the end of the day the entire family will make new sleeping nests where they will rest until the next morning.
Mandrill: Colorful best describes these active baboons (a type of monkey). Male Mandrills are large and in charge (they are twice the size of females) as they watch over their families. The Mandrill can live in groups of up to 200 members. Adults spend their day moving through the forest looking for fruits to eat. Young Mandrills’ are curious and spend most of their time playing, climbing trees and chasing one another. When they get tired, they jump up on mom’s back for a restful ride!
Panda: These Chinese natives are rare and shy creatures who love to live in thick high mountain bamboo forests. Pandas are very particular about their food and eat only bamboo. These beautiful black and white creatures are so finicky they select only the newest leaves and freshest stems of the bamboo for their meals. These bears are sadly an Endangered Species* with only 1,600 left in the wild.
Platypus: Is it a duck? Or beaver? Or both? Well, it’s neither! This unique animal is found in the waterways of Australia and Tasmania and nowhere else in the world. The Platypus is one of only two types of animals with hair who lays eggs! After mom warms the eggs in an underground den, the baby Platypus is born in two weeks, and will remain in hiding for up to five months. After that they can be found swimming with mom looking for insects and worms for dinner.
Walrus: Blubbery? You bet they are and for good reason. Walruses are found in some of the coldest water in the world and without their six inches of blubbery insulation they would surely freeze. Walruses eat as many as 3,000 clams each day. To find these treats Walruses swim to the bottom of the ocean, where they can stay for more than eight minutes before they have to take another breath. Once at the sea floor, the Walrus uses its 700 whiskers to feel for the buried shells of the clams.
CONSERVATION
WHAT IS CONSERVATION? It means to preserve and protect nature and prevent the mistreatment and loss of wild animals and wild places. Conservation is very important to Juicy and her mission and it must be important to all of us in order to save wild animals and the wonderful places where they live.
What is an ENDANGERED SPECIES? It is a species (which is a specific type of animal) whose numbers are so small they are at risk of extinction*. There is still time for us to help them! There are many species on the endangered list and more are added every year. With your help, Juicy and her friends will help protect these wonderful animals.
What does EXTINCTION mean? Sadly this means that a species of animals no longer exists on this planet.
