Wildanimals4Kids.blogspot.com: Wolf

 NATURAL WORLD : WILD ANIMAL

GRAY WOLF

Dangereous!
 
Yellow eyes narrowing in a warning, ears cocked to listen, this aggressive predator is all set for a kill. The long narrow snout and the sensitive nose indicate good hunting skills. The largest member of the dog family, there is a Big Bad Wolf in almost every fairy tale, That is because wolves live in the mountains and forests all across North America, Eurasia and Africa. Since it uses a certain level of cunning along with strength to hunt, domestic livestock are at  risk in areas where wolves live.

 

Its powerful body is covered with grey or brown fur. It has long muscular legs and a deep narrow chest ; perfectly built for moving across long distances. It can run at a speed of 37 miles per hour.Its paw is as large as an adult human hand.

 

 

Wolves howl to interact with the members of their pack for letting them know their location. They even howl to ward of rival packs and sometimes just out of affection for a family member. Since they hunt at night, it is said that wolves howl at the moon. The haunting sound carries over distances as much as 10 miles in different tones and pitches. A mix of different howls can confuse the listener into thinking there are 18-20 wolves in the dark, when there were only about 4.
 

Highly intelligent, they live in packs and mate for life. A male and a female wolf start a family adding more offspring to build a pack.They develop strong bonds with their family members and may even die to save a loved one, something rarely seen among wild animals.

To warn other packs,they mark their territories with urine and feces. This is very important for survival especially in difficult terrain and climates. Wolves are one of the most adaptable animals and can survive almost anywhere just like humans. Arctic wolves live in climates as cold as -40 degree Celsius with bitter winds and no vegetation. They build their dens in the snowy ground or caves and hunt animals like elk, caribou and moose.

So what's so special about these deadly animals?

Wolves who circle a herd of sheep, deer, goat, etc. looking for a kills, target only the sickly and weaker ones. This prevents the infection from spreading among the herd and at the same time provides food to the wolf pack. A fine ecological balance is maintained in nature due to this.

All different breeds of dogs have evolved from wolves over thousands of years.

Simple Lines to Speak ...

WOLF

1. The wolf is the largest member of the dog family.

2. They live and hunt in packs of 6 to 10 members.

3. Wolves can survive in all kinds of climates.

4. Gray wolves have dark fur while Arctic wolves are white.

5. They hunt animals with hoofs like goat, sheep and deer.

6. Wolves howl to interact with each other.

Public Speaking

Note for educators and parents : Describe and explain with the help of information given on this page. Help the child memorize these lines and speak in front of a camera with actions.  Young Learners may post their videos and comments here.

Those interested may send their write-up on an animal not mentioned here. (300 words max. and 3 images). Name of the contributor will be mentioned.

Email:  cqfoundation@gmail.com

Wildanimals4Kids.blogspot.com : Walrus

NATURAL WORLD : WILD ANIMALS

 

WALRUS

 

Who is that gentleman with the fine moustache?

The Walrus....a gentle giant that lives in the frigid waters of the Arctic. That enviable pair of tusks is unique to this pinniped (fin footed mammal). A walrus hauls itself out on rocky ice edges with the help of tusks. In addition to that, they have 16 more teeth. The body is heavy and bulky. It is covered with thick brown or pinkish wrinkly skin. There is  thin layer of small coarse hair on the skin. It uses its flippers to swim and propel itself in the water.It can rotate its hind flippers to walk on all fours on land.

How do they stay warm in sub zero temperatures?

Their bodies have a thick layer of fat called blubber under the skin that keeps them warm. Therefore, being fat is important for them to survive.

Babies are born without tusks. Their round heads have blunt noses with stiff bristles to help look for prey on the ocean bed. It weighs around 60 kg. at birth and stays with the mother for around 2 or 3 years. They can grow up to 1500 kg. when they become adults.

Since walruses live in large herds of about 100, babies learn to hunt for food. It consists of mussels, shellfish, other fish and small seals. Baby walruses are sometimes killed by polar bears for food.

Living in the coastal regions of Russia, Greenland, Canada and Alaska, they stay near the shore in shallow waters.

Saving the Walrus

Commercial hunting for their ivory tusks, meat and skin has endangered this animal. Climate change leading to reduction of sea ice and increase in tourism has also made their habitat unsafe for them.
It is now illegal to kill a walrus for commercial purpose. Only the tribes living in the Arctic may hunt one or two for survival since no vegetation grows in the ice.

Simple Lines for Speaking......

WALRUS

1. Walruses are large heavy sea animals.

2. They live in the icy Arctic regions.

3. A walrus has a moustache and tusks.

4. It eats shell fish, clams and small seals.

5. Herds of hundreds of walruses rest on shores.

6. It is illegal to kill a walrus.

Public Speaking

Note for educators and parents : Describe and explain with the help of information given on this page. Help the child memorize these lines and speak in front of a camera with actions.  Young Learners may post their videos and comments here.

Those interested may send their write-up on an animal not mentioned here. (300 words max. and 3 images). Name of the contributor will be mentioned.

Email:  cqfoundation@gmail.com

Wildanimals4Kids.blogspot.com: Seal

NATURAL WORLD: WILD ANIMAL

 

SEA LIONS & SEALS

Sea Lions and Seals are aquatic animals. Both have whiskers and soft noses like puppies. They are pinnipeds (fin footed) but they are different from each other.

Sleek and smooth like a mermaid ! This beautiful animal of the frozen seas is the SEA LION. A sleek smooth coat  covers the long cylindrical body. They are noisy and can bark and roar like lions.

They have long flippers and webbed feet, that help  them to swim fast in the deep icy waters. Their hand flippers can be rotated and used on land to balance and walk. Sea lions also have ears that seals do not. Groups or rafts of sea lions often bask in the sun in summer. They eat all kinds of fishes and do not chew but swallow their prey whole.

How are SEALS different ?

This is a harp seal pup. Notice, it has no ears, only tiny ear holes. The body is rounder and plumper and the shorter fins have long nails or claws to break through the ice. 

Under the coat lies the secret to its ability to survive in extreme temperatures as cold as - 50 Degree Celsius. There is a layer of fat called 'blubber' that keeps its body warm. Seals are far bigger than sea lions; elephant seals can be as heavy as a mini truck. Expert divers, they can dive to a depth of more than 1000 ft. under the sea. They feed on fish, shellfish and sea birds including penguins.

This is the heaviest of them, an elephant seal.....

There are 32 different kinds of seals including harbor seals, leopard seals, harp seals and elephant seals. 

Seal mothers feed milk to the newborns and then leave them alone when they are about 9 weeks old. For the first few weeks, the pup eats nothing but snow and slowly learns to hunt in the snow. Mother seal has fed them so much before leaving that these fat babies don't feel hungry.

When on land, they use their fat rubbery bellies to wriggle and move forward or loll around comfortably on shores. 

They live all over the world especially in cold freezing habitats of both North pole and South pole, coming to shore or drifting on ice for breeding. They swim and even sleep in the water.

Leopard Seals are dangerous predators that feed on penguins and other fishes. 

They have long sleek necks and bodies with spots like leopards.

They  are aggressive and hunt alone. The mouth curves up in a sinister smile. Only killer whales can kill a leopard seal.

Seals and Sea Lions are dying!

Seal hunting a is a way of life for tribes living in the polar regions because nothing can grow in the ice. Since they hunted only to feed themselves, there was a balance in the numbers of seals. There were no problems because the meat of one seal could feed around 20 people.

But when people turned it into a business and began hunting them for selling their fur, oil and skin for luxury products, seals were killed in large numbers. The fashion industry uses their skin and fur to make purses, coats, shoes, etc.The only way to stop this is not to buy or promote luxury animal products. 

Pollution is another reason why seals are dying. Climate change is melting the ice faster making it difficult for them to breed and find food.

Simple lines for speaking....

SEALS

1. Seals are furry aquatic animals.

2. They live in icy seas at North and South poles.

3. A thick layer of fat under the skin called blubber keeps them warm.

4. Great divers, they even sleep in the water.

5. They eat fishes and sea birds.

6. Seals are dying because of pollution and hunting.

Public Speaking

Note for educators and parents : Describe and explain with the help of information given on this page. Help the child memorize these lines and speak in front of a camera with actions.  Young Learners may post their videos and comments here.

Those interested may send their write-up on an animal not mentioned here. (300 words max. and 3 images). Name of the contributor will be mentioned.

Email:  cqfoundation@gmail.com

Wildanimals4Kids.blogspot.com : Koala

 NATURAL WORLD : WILD ANIMAL   KOALA BEAR

Is that a soft furry stuffed toy?

Wait! The coal black eyes just flickered. But the rest of the body doesn't seem to be moving. You've just seen a koala comfortably hanging on to a branch in a eucalyptus tree and you wonder how it eats only these leaves all through the day. Many people call them koala bears, because they look bear-like but they are not bears. So it's best to call them just koalas.

Koalas are Marsupials. It means that their babies are not fully developed when they are born. After birth they grow properly in a pouch. Like kangaroos, koalas also have a pouch to carry the young.

Australia is the only continent where Koalas live. In a forest, a koala has a home tree where it lives and may visit the surrounding trees. Each koala has a home tree. Male koalas even rub his scent gland on a tree to mark it. In the middle of his white chest, there is a dark scent gland that gives out a sticky substance that he rubs on the branch,

New born Koalas

A baby koala is called a 'joey'. It is born pink, hairless and blind. It is only 2 cm long and its ears are not developed. But it has strong forelimbs and a strong sense of smell that help to cling to the mother inside her pouch. It stays there for 6 to 7 months drinking only milk and peeping out now and then to look around.
When it is six months old, it eats 'pap' which is a paste like substance and is part of the mother's droppings. This helps the baby to digest leaves and buds.

Simple Lines for Speaking.....

KOALA

1.    A koala is a small mammal that lives in trees.

2.  It has a soft fat body covered with grey fur.

3.  Koalas eat eucalyptus leaves all day.

4.  The babies are born blind and hairless.

5.  They live in their mother's pouch until they grow bigger.

6.  Koalas live in the forests of Australia.

Public Speaking

Note for educators and parents : Describe and explain with the help of information given on this page. Help the child memorize these lines and speak in front of a camera with actions.  Young Learners may post their videos and comments here.

Those interested may send their write-up on an animal not mentioned here. (300 words max. and 3 images). Name of the contributor will be mentioned.

Email:  cqfoundation@gmail.com

Wildanimals4Kids.blogspot.com :Zebra

 NATURAL WORLD : WILD ANIMALS - ZEBRA

A Zebra Crossing! Now you know where they got the idea !

Long black and white stripes on a Zebra are extremely eye catching on a sunny day in the lush African forest. Each zebra has a unique pattern just as humans have unique fingerprints. Scientists say it helps them to recognize each other. This animal is closely related to a horse. 

Habitat

Africa is the only continent where zebras live. There are six species of zebras that live on mountains, plains and grasslands of eastern and southern Africa. Each species has different patterns with wider spaced or circular stripes. They live in groups or herds around water holes and ponds because the hot African summer can be very dry. Male zebras are territorial and mark their areas with dung piles. Male zebras are called stallions.

A zebra has a mane of short erect hair on the neck and a tall with a tuft of hair on the tip. The nose and mouth are black in colour just like the rest of its skin under the stripes.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of zebras gather up their young and begin the long journey across Tanzania's Serengeti plains as you can see in this map. This annual trek to find food and water covers a distance of almost 3000 km. Lions, hyenas and even human hunters lie  in wait to hunt them. River crossings are dangerous because there are crocodiles.

A fun fact about Zebras

When two zebras meet, their ears stand up on the head. If you see them biting each other, you will be surprised to know that they are not fighting. They are grooming each other by pulling on loose hairs to get rid of dirt and insects from each other's body. This is how they socialize.

Simple Lines for Speaking...

 ZEBRA

1.    A zebra has black and white stripes.

2.  It is like a horse and has a black nose.

3.  Zebras are herbivores and eat grass.

4.  Friendly zebras nip and nudge each other.

5.  They walk long distances to find food and water.

6.  Africa is the only place where zebras live.

Public Speaking

Note for educators and parents : Describe and explain with the help of information given on this page. Help the child memorize these lines and speak in front of a camera with actions.  Young Learners may post their videos and comments here.

Those interested may send their write-up on an animal not mentioned here. (300 words max. and 3 images). Name of the contributor will be mentioned.

Email:  cqfoundation@gmail.com

Wildanimals.blogspot.com : Giraffe

 NATURAL  WORLD : WILD ANIMALS - GIRAFFE

Tall and silent, the Giraffe towers over all other animals with legs taller than a human. Its striking coat of brown spots over a cream coloured coat makes it a beautiful animal. The neck  is seven feet long and can help a giraffe peer in through a second storey window of a building. In fact, the thicker and longer the neck, the stronger is the giraffe since it uses the neck and heavy skull to fight.

Scientists believe that the long necks are for competition. A lot of other plant eating animals live in the open grasslands of  Africa and the shorter animals feed on bushes and leaves that they can reach. Since droughts are common in that habitat, the long necks help giraffes eat foods that are difficult to reach. It also helps them keep a lookout for predators like lions and crocodiles. That's when the long legs are a big help. They can run at a speed of 35 miles per hour. 

However the legs are no help at water holes because a giraffe has to spread them wide in an uncomfortable position to be able to bend down and drink. Maybe that's why it needs to drink only once in a week. It also gets water from eating juicy leaves.

What is special about a giraffe's tongue?

A giraffe can wrap it's tongue around a carrot and tourists love to feed this friendly herbivore. Its black 21 inch tongue can hold or grasp things and helps this animal to reach for leaves, buds and fruits. It is so thick and slimy that a giraffe can easily slide it between thorns without getting hurt. That is how it finds lush leaves and buds among the thorns of a mimosa or an acacia tree. The saliva is like an antiseptic and heals any cuts and bruises on the tongue or skin.  A giraffe simply licks itself when it is hurt.

What do newborn giraffes do?

When a baby is born, it just falls 5  feet to the ground from its mother's body. Weak and trembling, it is covered with sticky liquid. She licks it dry and then kicks it hard.  Why? ...... because the mother knows that if a calf  cannot run, it will be eaten by lions. After falling down, the baby learns to stand up and run in a few hours.

Simple Lines for Speaking.....

GIRAFFE

1.    The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world.

2.  Its body is covered with beautiful brown spots.

3.  This herbivore eats leaves and buds.

4.  Its tongue can curve around and hold things like a hand.

5.  Baby giraffes learn to run as soon as they are born.

6.  Giraffes live in the forests of Africa.

Public Speaking

Note for educators and parents : Describe and explain with the help of information given on this page. Help the child memorize these lines and speak in front of a camera with actions.  Young Learners may post their videos and comments here.

Those interested may send their write-up on an animal not mentioned here. (300 words max. and 3 images). Name of the contributor will be mentioned.

Email:  cqfoundation@gmail.com

Wildanimals4Kids.blogspot.com: Tiger

NATURAL WORLD : WILD ANIMALS - TIGER

Beautiful and dangerous!

That's the first thing that comes to your mind when you see this Big Cat staring ahead with its yellow eyes. The largest animal in the cat family, it has bold black stripes all over its white and orange body. It has very sharp eyes and ears to hunt at night. They are stealthy (can move without making noise)

A unique tongue

A tiger's tongue has sharp spikes that can rip off the fur, skin and flesh of a prey. It attacks its prey by biting the neck or breaking the skull with its paw. A single blow can smash a bear's head. If the animal is big like an antelope or ox, it will share with other tigers or cover it with mud for eating later.

Tigers live in the forests of Siberia (Russia), China, Korea and South Asia. They mark their territory with urine and scratch marks. 

        White Tigers

White Bengal Tigers are found in India, Nepal, Bhutan  and Bangladesh. It has blue eyes. It lives in  swamps and dense forests near lakes and rivers.Most of the white tigers live in zoos now.

Apart from  looks, how are Tigers different from Lions?

• They are heavier, more muscular and more powerful than lions. 
• The body is longer which makes them more agile and experts at jumping and pouncing on the prey.
• Male lions can be lazy and live in groups but the tiger lives and hunts alone.

Simple Lines for Speaking...

TIGER 

1.    The Tiger is the national animal of India.

2.  This big cat has orange fur with dark stripes.

3.  It is powerful and stealthy.

4.  It preys on smaller animals for food.

5.  The white Bengal tiger has blue eyes.

6.  Tigers live in the forests of Asia.

Public Speaking

Note for educators and parents : Describe and explain with the help of information given on this page. Help the child memorize these lines and speak in front of a camera with actions.  Young Learners may post their videos and comments here.

Those interested may send their write-up on an animal not mentioned here. (300 words max. and 3 images). Name of the contributor will be mentioned.

Email:  cqfoundation@gmail.com