WILD ANiMALS AS PETS

u (Taken from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Docent Information sheet "I
Want One for a Pet", edited and adapted to Austin by Nancy Charbeneau)

We often hear children and adults asking about obtaining a wild animal as a pet.
Here are a few facts and figures about the wild animal pet business to use when
dealing with questions about this sort of thing. . -

1. 90% of the exotic animals bought in this country are not in their original homes
., wi thin six months after their purchase. They have either died or their owners
have gotten rid of them in one way or another.
2. Keeping a wild anjmal "pet" at home creates many unforseen ·problems. The
owner will never be able to domesticate the anjmal's wild instinct. ·Sudden noises,
strange persons, accidently stepping on the an;mals' tail, etc. may cause it to lash
out and severely injure someone.

3. Many wild animals are difficult or impossible to house train. Many wild
animal s are nocturnal. While the owner is trying to sleep, the "pet" is in the
midst or its active time. Many wild animals are quick to learn about opening
drawers and cupboards and appear to -take great delight in scattering the contents
everywhere.
4. The expense of owning a wild animal is often much more than th~ owner
u expected as he must build special cages and replace household items that have
been broken, chewed or defecated upon. Vet bills and maybe lawyers fees (if the
animal has bitten someone) add to the costs. :
5. When the owner has bad enough and wants to get rid olthe anjmal , what
happens? A "domesticated" wild animal cannot be returned to the wild and still
survive. Zoos are hesitant about taking them, for these anjmals are often. in poor
health, spoiled, and often incapable of mating after being away from others for a
long time. Euthanasia is usually the only answer.

6. The care and feeding or aoue anjmals is often a great deal more involved than
that of the conventional household pet. The exotic anjmal owner, in many cases,
is completely unaware of how to feed or manage his new "pet". Wild anjmals are
susceptible to rickets from lack of vitamins and minerals. Exotic animals
exchange diseases sometimes with humans.
7. Keeping a wild anjmal may be illegal! In Texas most wild mammals, birds,
and some reptiles are protected by state and/or federal laws and you must have a
permit to keep most of them. European ferrets can be legally sold in pet stores but
skunks and raccoons may no longer be purchased due to the diseases they can
carry (rabies and distemper).

u
8. Then there is the moral aspect of keeping wild animal pets. In order for an
animal to be brought to the U.S., an untold amount of slaughter and·suffering has
taken place between the animals' native home and here. The mother animal is
usually killed so the young may be taken. By the time the young animals arrive in
America, many have died from improper handling (as much as 80% in some
cases). In other words, by purchasing a wild animal, you are ordering the death
of a number of the same species.

9 . Not all wild animals are purchased. Often a YOWlg animal IS foUnd in the wild
and brought home. By removing that animal from the wild, the natural cycle of
events is in some small way being disturbed. Each animal has a niche to fill, and
it is important that the animal is there to do that job.

10. It is also important to remember that animal parents rarely abandon their
healthy offspring; they may be nearby waiting for you to leave, or out foraging for
food. Also, baby birds will not be neglected if touched by a human, as birds have
only a minimal sense of smell. Mammals can also be returned to the nest if they
have not been handled too much. Don't rescue an;mals unless you are sure the
parent has been killed, the animal appears to be cold, weak or injured, or in
obvious danger. Then call Wildlife Rescue Inc (472·wn..D) for information on how
to help the animal.

.~ .

f JI;.
 Wildlife Enemies (add to your Urban Wildlife description, laminated sheets in boxes)

u
,

Problem:
• Yogurt CUpS: Animals will jam their head inside to get food, but are not able
to pull their head back due to design of cup.
Solutioll:
• Crush the cup

Problem:
• Mylar: Does not biodegrade. Floats on top of water and marine animals think
it is food. When they ingest it, their intestines get blocked.
Solution:
• Use wildlife-friendly decorations

Problem:
• Plastic bags: Do not biodegrade quickly. Sea turtles and other aquatic
animals see them floating and think they are food.
Solutio,,:
• Make sure your grocer uses b~egradable bags. If not, ask for paper.

Problem:
• Oil: Hard to get off fur and feathers once it is OD. Can inhibit flight of birds;
kill aquatic animals that are a food source for wildlife.
Solution:
• Recycle oil

Problem:
• 6-pack holder: Animals get the plastic caught around their mouth and can't
get it off. They die of starvation. Some smaller birds and mammals get it caught
around their necks and are strangled.
Solution: .
• Ask your parents to cut the rings.

Problem:
• Styrofoam: Is not recyclable, rills up landiills, does not decompose
Solution: .
• Buy paper cups and plates. Use biodegradable packing peanuts.

Problem:
• Batteries: Chemicals (mercury, zinc, silver, lithium, cadmium) can leak out
and contaminate soil and water.
Solution:
• Dispose of at Hazardous Waste Recycling Center
 What Can I Do For Wildlife?
/"
START A LITTER CL~~ CAMPAIGN. Trash scat-
l ired along roadways and trails leads rats
~to the wilds where they destroy bird nests
and eat food needed by ~ther wildlife. Deer
die from eating discarded photo·negatives.
Large fish have been killed by swallowing
the. pull.tabs of pop-top beverage cans.

\ri"'a4, ' , Small fish have been trapped in the same ~iD
of can when it was dropped into river. a
l,'..w~·~1II·r Geese and other birds hav~ drowned or starve
.,~ after becoming caught in the loops of the
plastic form made to hold six such cans to-
gether. Birds alre also found dangling from
l.. :.- ~.
l . " . .. tree limbs hopelessly entangled in old fish
.,.. , L· ....•.....C line.
REMIND SMOKERS TO USE THE ASH TRAY. Grass,
weeds, and shrubs are important hiding and
nesting places for small animals and birds.
The seeds and ber~ies of the low-growing
plants provide vital winter food. All too
I
often such habitat is destroyed by fire.
In fact, 9 out of 10 fires are caused by
\.
.,-human carelessness •

u WARN OTHERS--AND SET A GOOD ~'E V"Y'm~'~ F,

TO ,STAY }J~AY FROM ALL BIRD NESTS FOUND.
Raccoons and o~her predators have long known
that they can alway, find food by following
human scent. Touching a nest is like saying
DON'T LET ANYONE PICK UP AN· "ORPHAN FAWtl. "
...
to a raccoon, "Come and get it!"
J. .........e~1It1
A fawn hidden in the woods im r t abandoned.
It was hidden there by its mother, and that's
where she will expect to find it when 'she .~
returns to give it milk. \ \ ! .~ ~ ~: ~."\;::
._ ....•. ...-
~.,

\ l'lt~~y~/
~r-a. .,.~ '.'t::
-

DON t T LET ANYONE ABANDON, A PET IN THE WILDS.

AL.. ~\' ';.' • "Dogs or cats turned loose to live- off the
~ ., I~ ;. ~t-..IIIIi~:-.
'''..~ - ".'; =' ,.
'j
country usually starve. Frequently they re-
turn again and again to the place where
faithless masters left them.

Sometimes, however, the desperate animals

become adept killers and are very hard on
wildlife.

L iL EVERYONE THAT ALL RAPTORS ARE PROTECTED

BY LAW. There is no such bird as a "chicken
hawk. tt
TELL OTHERS tolHY IT IS A MISTAKE TO FEED OR
MAKE PETS OF MOST WILD ANIMALS. Tae food
given such animals is usually poorly suited
to their needs. And not only do the animals
become dependent on humans that are kind
but trustful of those that are not. Also,
as some wild·pets mature, they became ugly-
tempered, even dangerous.

Below are several more ways you can belp

wUdlife:
Nesting baskets for owls can be made of
heavy-gauge hardware cl~th or poultry Nail kegs make
wire. excellent dens
for raccoons or __ n_.~
squirrels. Also
they make good
places for some
cut to hawks and owls
to nest.

Overlap edges and fas-

ten to form a shallow
Nail in crot ch
Load ~th

..---
.U
Adaptation - a physical or behavioral characteristic of an organism that improves
its chance of survival in the environment it inhabits
Aerial - spending most of the time in the air
Air Sacs - openings in the bones and muscles of birds which are fille2- with part of
the respiratory system .
Aguatic - living in the water
Arboreal - living in the trees
Camouflage - a type of adaptation where the organism's outer covering blends in
with its natural surroundings
Carapace - top shell of a turtle
Carnivore - a meat eating animal
Cold Blooded - see Ectothermic
Diurnal - active during the day
Ecology - the study of relationships between living organisms and their
environments
Ectothermic - having a body temperature near to that of the environment not
internally regulated (cold-blooded) dependent on external heat sources (sun) for
u raising body temperature
Endangered - an organism in danger of becoming extinct
Endothermic - able to maintain a relatively high and constant body temperature
independent of the surrounding (warm-blooded)
Environment - the collective term for the conditions in which an organism lives,
e.g., temperature, light, water, and other organisms
Estivate - becoming inactive due to extreme heat
Extinct - gone forever, none left
Habitat - the natural home of an animal where it is normally found
Herbivore - a plant eating animal
Hibernate - becoming inactive due to extreme cold
Jacobson's Organ - smelling organ in the roof of the mouth of some reptiles
Mammary glands - glands in mammals which produce milk
Migration - the periodic movements of animals to new areas or habitats
Metabolism - a process whereby food is converted into energy, stored or used to
build new cells
Molt - to shed an outer cover periodically
Musk - a scent produced by mammals of the Mustelidae family (skunks, weasels,
ferrets), used to attract mates mark territory, or in some cases, for defense
Niche - an animal's job in its environment
 Nocturnal - active at night
Omnivore - an animal that eats both meat and plants
Plastron - bottom shell of a turtle
Predator - an animal that hunts or traps other animals for food
Preen gland - an oil containing organ located at the base of the tail of most birds
Prey - an animal eaten by another animal
Scavenger - an animal that eats dead animals
Scutes - the scales covering a turtle's shell
Species - a group of closely related organisms potentially able to breed with one
another
Terrestrial - living 011 land or on the ground
Territory - any area defended by an animal
Threatened - refers to organisms that have been so depleted in number that
becoming endangered is likely
Venom - poison produced by some biting and stinging animals, such as snakes,
bees, and spiders
Warm-Blooded - see Endothermic

u
1. These vertebrates have hollow bones. (birds)

2. These vertebrates are warm-blooded, (birds, mammals)

3. A turtle is an example of this group of vertebrates. (reptiles)

4. The largest animal ever to live is a member of this group. (mammals -- blue
whale)

5. These vertebrates are cold-blooded. (fish, reptiles, amphibians)

6. Only these vertebrates have hair. (mammals)

7. All of the vertebrates in this group nurse their young. (mammals)

B. This is the only group of vertebrates that has feathers. (birds)

9. These vertebrates have scales and lay eggs that usually have a leathery skin.
(reptiles)

10. A few lay eggs, but almost all give birth to live young. (mammals)

11. Sweating helps keep many of the vertebrates in this group cool. (mammals)

12. These vertebrates have air sacs attached to their lungs. (birds)

13. These vertebrates have a muscular diaphragm that helps them fill their lungs
with air. (mammals)

14. These vertebrates have the most fully developed brains. (mammals)

15. These vertebrates have different kinds of teeth for eating different kinds of
food. (mammals)

16. Many of these vertebrates have oil, milk, sweat, and scent glands in their
skin. (mammals)

17. These vertebrates do not have teeth. (birds)

 IMPORTANT POINTS

ANlMAIJBIRD TOUR

All grades

Characteristics - reinforce basic characteristics of mammals, reptiles and birds.

Observation - have children observe differences between animals from enclosure

to enclosure.

Habitat - ask children where they think this animal would live in the wild.

Food - observe what food the animals have in their dishes or ask what children

think they would eat.

28 minutes total time. Next station -- Mammals.

 M{JM!JLL !JI!l)!Jl!PTJlLq'JCY.J{S
BACKGROUND INFORMATION

I. Definitions "
An adaptation is a physical or behavioral characteristic of an organism that improves its
chance of surviving and reproducing ~ the environment it inhabits.
Adaptations can be:
1. an bnmediate response or
2. A response over time which is seen as the evolution of an organism's physical or
behavioral traits.
An example of an immediate response: shivering in response to cold or sweating in
response to heat Not all organisms can make that immediate response. A turtle can't
shiver. The ability to easily adapt to weather changes has been very important to humans
and has made humans adaptable to many different climates. When we shiver our body is
responding to the cold and causing the muscles to work, therefore wanning the body up.
When we sweat our body is working to cool itself off, to regulate it's temperature of 98.6
degrees.
An example of a response over time:
A) Physical
Fox ears have made physical adaptations depending on the type of environment a
I
fox lives in. A kit fox that lives in the desert has large ears to radiate excess heat
and help them to hear at night. An arctic fox has small ears so that they don't lose
U heat.
B) Behavioral _
White-tailed deer have made behavioral changes in their feeding ha.bi1s..~ecause of
humans. They used to feed during the day, but now they feed at nigh~" to avoid
human contact (hunters, etc.). -"
 III. Predator/Prey Relationships
u Every animal on this earth shares a common problem. It must get enough nourishment to
keep its body going or else face death. Herbivores, the hunted or prey, are animals that
depend on plants for their food. Carnivores, the hunters or predators, largely depend on
herbivores to supply their food, and omnivores eat both plant and anima! matter..
Predators and prey are constantly adapting to each other as much as to their physical
environment. As the prey gets better at hiding, the predator gets better at rmding them. As
the prey develops better defenses, the predator finds ways of getting around those
defenses. For example, a porcupine's quills can keep away wolves and coyotes, but
mountain lions and pine martens have learned to reach under the porcupine to it's belly
where there are no quills and rip it open.

If you look at a ferret and a rabbit you can see general characteristics of predators and prey
animals. .
PREDATORS tend to bel have:
* curious rather than timid. They must investigate every possible channel lhat
might yield food;
* quick, restless, energetic and alert movements;
* well developed sense of smell;
* binocular vision (depth perception);
* strong jaws and sharp teeth.
PREY animals tend to bel havel do:
* well developed sense of hearing with large ears;
u * eyes on the sides of the head;
* unaware of an object until it moves;
* good sense of smell;
* travel in numbers for safety;
* dive for cover or stand motionless (freeze);
* protective devices such as quills, armor, spray.
IV. Defense Mechanisms
Hair or skin modifications:
quills (evolved from hair, soft to thick)
coloration for camouflage (also found in predators)
ann or
Tooth modifications:
tusks (elephant, walrus, narwhal)
canines
HQrns and Antlers
Poisonl Deterrents:
(skunks, venomous snakes- specialized saliva)

u
 Warning: . \\ ~
coloration- monarch butterfly, coral snake ..
behavior- rattlesnake rattle (evolved from build up of unshed skin), skunk
u taps paws on ground
Deception:
(owls- puff themselves up to look bigger- spread either one or two wings;
opossum- play dead; moth with eyespots; alligator lizard- makes tail seem
alive after fleeing to safety)
Mimicry:
(Mexican Milksnake, Viceroy butterfly)

V. Finding Food
Beaks
Teeth
Feet

IV. Feathers have been adapted for many different functions.

A. Physical types
1. Flight
2. Contour
3. Downy
4. Specialized
u a. Woodpecker tail spines (to prop against tree to assist in balance)
b. Owl primary feathers ( zippered to aid in silent flight)
c. Peacock taiYfan (for males to attract a mate)
d. Owl "whisker" feathers (to help feel food)
B. Coloration
1. Camouflage
2. Deception (peacocks and "eyespot" feathers)
3. Mate attraction

u
u
\0-
Introduction (15 minutes)

Define Adaptation: A CHANGE TIlAT ALLOWS A PLANT OR AN

ANIMAL TO SURVIVE AND REPRODUCE.

Discuss Immediate vs. Long-term Responses & Physical vs. Behavioral:

-What would" your bodies do if I sent you to run around the playground 10
times on a hot <;lay (SWEAT!) What would your bodies do if you went
camping in the Arctic and forgot to bring a coat? (SHIVER)
THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE

-show pictures of elephant trunk or giraffe neck

THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF PHYSICAL ADAPTATIONS
-A physical adaptation is something you can see/ measure. An elephant's
trunk is a physical adaptation that occurred over time. The length of the
trunk is a physical change that we can measure. It's also a change that took
a very long time to happen. Probably one elephant was born with an
u unusually long trunk- which turned out to be a very good thing, because
that elephant could reach higher plants to eat than any of the other
elephants. So that one elephant with the long trunk got to eat more, be
healthier and have more babies than the other elephants. The long trunked
elephant passed along that long trunk to all of its babies. And since they
could reach higher plants, they were healthy, had lots of babies and passed
along their long trunks. The elephants with the shorter trunks sometimes
had to go hungry because they couldn't reach the plants. So those elephants
didn't have enough energy to make babies and their short trunks didn't get
passed along to the next generation. Pretty soon all of the elephants had
long trunks. Then one was born with and even longer trunk and it all
started again. After many thousands of years a regular nose became a long
trunk. "
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A LONG-TERM RESPONSE

u
 *ACTIVITY: Can you think of any way that humans have pbysjcally
adapted to surviving? Hint- think about our hands and different fingers
Ask for a couple of volunteers. (Wear animal puppet on your hand) Shake
their hand with the puppet, have them introduce themselves to the puppet
and the group. Yank or joke about their thumb, what a funny finger," what
good is it, why does it stick off the side of their hand like"that? Ask them
to extend their hand and tape each child's thumb to the inside of their palm.
Then ask them if they would be willing to be your helper. Tell them to
pick up various objects both big and small. Ask the group what the
problem is- why is the helper having trouble? Talk about thumbs as a
physical adaptation and the importance of thumbs for everyday life.

NOW AN EXAMPLE OF BEHAVIORAL ADAPTATION:

Does anyone kno,v when deer eat? Show picture of deer At night. Well
they haven't always eaten at night. Deer used to eat in the daytime. Who
has an idea about why they might have changed their behavior? -Because
people shoot them in the day time. It's against the law for people to go out
at night with spotlights to find deer an kill them. So deer started going out
at night to feed. In the daytime, they lie quietly in the woods and try not to
be noticed. This is a behavioral adaptation- you can't measure the
differences like with an elephant's trunk.
Reiterate that an adaptation is something that helps an animal to survive and
it can be a physical or a behavioral response .

u
 Reasons for High Adaptability (10 minutes)

Go through the reasons for high adaptability by showing pictures.

u
Four thing~make animalsmore able to adapt and survive:
1) Short life cyclesl rapid reproduction- insects vs.~ea turtle
Do you think a sea' turtle has lots of babies each year? NO, that is
one reason that sea turtles are endangered species (they are in danger
of becoming extinct). '
Do you think this insect does? ____ ' .'
2) Using Intelligence oyer instinct- American crow vs. GQJ.~en CheekeCl- C:~,",l..... ~~ '- .
... warbler)
Crow uses intelligence to help find alternative nest building materials
People use intelligence too. We make blankets, coats, heaters, ice,
air-conditioners, etc.
3) Diet- ('.~c \,\)~.s,-\.,v .... ,~?i~\..b-"l~V'
An animal that can eat plants or meat or scavenge for just about
anything can survive better than an animal that only eats one type of
food.

4) Mobility- batlbirdlinsects
Birds, bats, and insects are very successful because they can go from
one habitat to another. If a habitat is destroyed or polluted, these
u animals are able to move to a more suitable habitat. Other animals
that can't fly may be stuck in that bad environment.

OTHER ADAPTATIONS (15 minutes)

,/f/.t ~,~ cV\atJ~ .
Show· various specimens and explainllet children explain how they help the
animal to survive: encourage discussion- DEFENSE, FEEDING

Hair/skin
quills defense
turtle shell defense
armadillo shell defense
,:,ari~~s ~el:!flage/wamiftg fur ~ defense ((~v",.;)-~\,(;.\·-!\i:\"~'.Iv:''''''·''
\(f~~.l\i\(,'- +V'( , Wc.~).~'Y\\.,,~ l ((. ~ \I..,: . __
Teethl skulls ' lI .t~ " ... .(t'"'. 'l, 1.0 'f".:· ,,- '.:
J.""
.. ,'

pictures, of tusks (elephant, walrus, narwhal) defense

herbi vore skull feeding
carni vore skull \.\

omnivore skull \,\

u
 • L.,).\-€;~ f V: ~ ~ c~ .
------
...---.

Horns/ Antlers
pictures

u Poison/Deterrents
skunk defense
snake de.fense

Warning
white-tailed deer defense
coral snake defense
tv~{\./i,D"<rv\ \ ~~_~/l. \ (.,~
·-Bi Sl.• &R--bS\ 0 c..-L.{.G. c{,"- ' ...
,~(f.",,~
.(L~ 'J"v<pL~1f'(l~":: '}) ~
Feet ~\J.~)-." \ tA.~' . " /
bird feet feeding
fll·v.;..- - t'/-· I boct-, '~iL ~~_i-t- .----- oU(;~''1 "-.l.c.._
Feathers
downy warmth
flight flying
flight & contour defense (camouflage)
peacock attracting a 1nate (large eyespot may deter predators)

Another kind of adaptation is mimicrJ. Who knows what it means to

u mimic something? To copy or pretend to be...

Mimicry
Mexican milk snake mimics coral snake
Viceroy Butterfly mimics Monarch

-The Coral snake is a venomous snake that has red, yellow and black bands
all around it's body. But not all snakes with red, yellow and black bands
are poisonous. There is another snake that looks a lot like the coral snake
and is not venomous, does anyone know the name of that snake? Does
anyone know the jingle/ rhyme we use to help us remember which one is
dangerous? (Red and yellow kill afellow; red and black poison lack) The
snake with the red band touching the yellow band IS poisonous the snake
with the red touc~ng the black IS NOT poisonous. Do you think that
animals learn this rhyme? No, animals just learn that those colors signal
danger .. So most animals stay away from all snakes that are red, yellow,
and black... and many of the snakes they are avoiding aren't venomous.
Those non-venomous snakes are adapted to look like the venomous ones.
This is an example of mimicry. .
u
 -The monarch butterfly is a butterfly that birds don't eat because it tastes
bad. The monarch eats nectar from milkweed plants which taste really
bi ner and make the butterflies taste bad to the birds. Have you ~ver eaten a
u monarch butterfly? Well, there's another butterfly called the viceroy that
does not eat milkweed and it doesn't taste bad. But the viceroy does look
almost exactly like the monarch-so birds don't eat it. If a bird catches a
butterfly that looks like this, it might taste good or very bad. However, if
it catches a different looking butterfly, then it will definitely taste good. So
the viceroy is adapted to look like the monarch and that is another example
of mimicry.

Animal Show (15 minutes)

LET'S SEE ADAPTATIONS OF A FEW PARTICULAR ANJ1vIALS:

MADAGASC·AR HISSING COCKROACH

*omnivore! scavenger
*live birth! ovoviviparous
*exoskeleton
*sticky feet
*spikes on legs
*hissing

MEXICAN' MILK SNAKE

u *mimicry
*
legless
*
scales! shedding
*
smelling with tongue
*
jawbone detachment

ALLIGA TOR LIZARD

* scales/ shedding of whole skin
**ears
tail breaks off
*tail is deceptive when broken off- seems alive
*camouflage
...,.,.- .
,~ \' /.(-t ".1
i \I _"-'

u
 ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS pROGRAM SCRIPT

>Introductory questions (see more detailed script attached)

u
Adaptations may be... * Immediate or take a long period of time
(shivers or sweat) (elephant's trunk)
* physical or behavioral
(bat's wing) .: •(feeding habits of deer)

Things that usually aid in survival or make an animal more adaptable:

- short life span and high. reproduction rate
ex: Insects, such as mosquito developing a better stinger
- use of Intelligence over Insflnct 1
ex: vireo nest building vi. crows building from scavenged
Items ~...
- dietary generalists
ex: opposums and raccopns succeeding In urban areas
- highly mobile, especially abiOty to fly
ex: bats, birds qnqJnsects 'colonizing many habitats.
:' ~ .!.

Predator vs. Prey type of beh'aviors

discuss porcupine, show .-tit.quills and lead Into defenses
, ',~

Defense:
Behavior»>kllldeer with fake wing injury, deer flashing white tails,
elks butting antlers
u
!

Structural»>mountaln lion c~aws, turtle shells, bird of prey talons

.
Food Finding»>feet and beak posters, snake skull, mammal herbivore
and carnivore skulls

Feathers»>downy feathers for warmth

, flight feathers for flight and water repellence and camoflage
peacock feather for attraction of mate and possibly to deter
predators

Mimics:
butterflies»>monarchs taste bitter because they eat milkweed;
viceroys taste fine, but look like monarchs so don't get eaten
snakes»>coral snakes are venomous; milk and king snakes are not,
but look similar to coral snakes so don't get bothered

Roach ••• omnivore, live birth, exoskeleton, stiCky feet, spiked legs
Owl··· nocturnal, predatoL superior eyesight and hearing, talons, beak
Skunk .** stripes, stamps, spray, nocturnal, omnivore, sense of smell
Opossum *.* nocturnal, omnivore, marsupial, tall and feet for climbing,

Milk Snake .*.

·playlng 'possumD
legless, earless, no eyelids, jaw detachment, constriction,
color pattern
u
 ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS SCRIPT
These are Introductory questions. Just to make sure everyone Is at the same leveL.
u What Is an adaptation?
A change that allows a plant or an animal to survive and reproduce.
What Is a reptile? a bird? a mammal?
What does It mean to be an ectotherm? an endotherm?
What Is a predator? prey? "

Adaptations - those changes that allow the organism to survive

and reproduce - may be Immediate or they may occur over a long
period of time. .
An example of an Immediate [esponse would be If we sent you
outside on a hot day to run around ltie.~lock three times ... what would
your body do? Sweat. Sweat is your body's response to cool Itself. You
don't think about it, It just happens as an Immediate response to cool you
off.
Or If you went outside on a verY cold day naked ... what would your
body do? It would get goose bumps €Jnd shiver. Those muscle
movements produce heat tp tty to warm you up. This is also an
immediate response of your bddy to Its environment.
Adaptations may also be physical or behaylorgl.
A physical adaptation hr.$omethlng you can see/measure. An
elephanfs trunk Is a physical· adaptation < elephant picture> that
occurred over time. The length of the trunk is a physical change that we
can measure. It's also a change that took a very long time to happen.
u Probably one elephant was born with an unusually long trunk - which
turned out to be a very good thlng~ because that elephant could reach
higher plants to eat than any of the other elephants. So that one
elephant with the long trunk got to eat more, be healthier and have more
babies than the other elephants. The long trunked elephant passed
along that long trunk to all of its babies. And since they could reach
higher plants, they were healthy, had lots of babies and passed along
their long trunks. The elephants with the shorter trunks sometimes had to
go hungry because they couldn't reach the plants. So those elephants
didn't have enough energy to make babies and their short trunks didn't
get passed along to the next generation. Pretty soon all of the elephants
had long trunks. Then one was bom with even longer trunk and it all
started again. After many thousands of years a regular nose became a
long trunk.
Deer have a behavioral adaptation. Does anyone know when
deer eat? < deer picture> At night. Well they haven't always eaten at
night. Deer used to eat in the daytime. Who has an Idea about why they
might have changed their behavior. Because people shoot them in the
daytime. It's against the law for people to go out at night with spotlights
to find deer and kill them. So deer started going out at night to feed. In
the day time, they lie quietly In the woods and try not to be noticed. This is
a behavioral adaptation - you can't measure the differences like with an
elephanfs trunk, but it Is definitely an adaptation to living In a well-armed
u society.

1
 Four things make animals more .able to adapt and survive:
(1) • Living a short life and reproducing quickly
- do you think an elephant <elephant picture> has lots of
u babies every year?
- do you think a mosquito does? So how much faster could a
mosquito pass along an extra large stinger than the
elephant passed along Its trunk?
(2) • Using Intelligence over Instfnct qlone
- black-capped vireo uses Instinct only In nest building (and Is
endangered) < vireo picture>
- crow uses Intelligence to help find alternate nest building
materials. < crow picture>
- people use Intelligence, top. To help us survive In all
climates, we make blankets, coats, heaters, Ice and air-
conditioners. . ,....
(3) • Being a dietary generalist r

- an animal that can eat plants or meat or scavenge for Just

about anything can survive better than an animal that
only eat~.o~e type of food.
(4) • Being highly mol?ile,~especlally fliers
- birds, bats < bat pictures> and Insects are very successful
because they can go from one habitat to another. If a
habitat is ,d§stroyed or polluted, those animals are able
a
to move to more suitable habitat. Other animals that
can't fly may be stuck In that bad environment.
So a (1) short life (2) Intelligence (3) being able to eat lots of things
u
I I

and (4) being able to fly are .thlngs that help animals to survive.

Let's look at some defensive adaptations:

Behavioral:
• Killdeer dragging wing to divert < killdeer picture> predators
away from eggs/nest.
, • Deer flashing white toils as a warning signal to others. <deer
tail p.ctur~>
• Elk butting heads to defend territory or mates. < elk picture>
Structural:
• Quills of a porcupine to protect it from predators. <quills>
• Talons of birds of prey for catching food, perching and
defense. < owl talon>
• Turtle shell ... same defense for many millions of years
because Irs such a successful adaptation, no need for
a new and Improved version of the turtle. -< shell >

Some adaptations are for getting food:

• Look at examples on feet and beak posters
• Look at mammals with carnivore, omnivore and herbivore teeth
< skulls of deer and bobcat and opossum >
• Look at snake skull and point out ability to detach at joints and
eat large prey.
u
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 Feathers are highly adapted Items also:
• Downy feathers are for warmth
• Flight feathers are for flying
• Flight and contour feathers are for camouflage
• Peacock feathers are used In attracting a mate (also the large
eyespot may deter predators)

Another kind of adaptation Is mimicry: Who knows what It means to

mimic something? To copy or pretend to be ...
• The monarch buHerfly < picture> is a butterfly that birds don't eat
because It tastes bad. The monarch eats milkweeds which taste really
bitter and make the butterflies taste bad to the birds. Have you ever
eaten a monarch butterfly? Welf t.her~'s another butterfly called the
viceroy that does not eat milkweed ·CJn~ It doesn't taste bad. But the
viceroy does look almost exactly like tHe monarch - so birds don't eat it.
If a bird catches a butterfly that looks like these, it might taste good or
very bad. However If it catches a' dlff~rent looking butterfly, then it will
definitely taste good. So the vlcer6y Is adapted to look like the
monarch and that Is an examQle of mimicry.
• Another kind of mll'l1Jcr{ Is the snakes that are these colors < rubber
coral snake>. One kind of red, yellow and black snake Is venomous. All
of the other kinds of red, yellow and black snakes are not venomous.
Does anyone know the rhymewe use to help us remember which one is
dangerous? (Red and yellow kill a fellow; red and black poison lack) Do
you think animals learn that rhyme? No. Animals just learn that those.
colors signal danger. So most anlm'als stay away from all snakes that are
red, yellow and black ... and many' of th~ snakes they are avoiding aren't
venomous. Those non-venomous snakes are adapted to look like the.
venomous ones. That is mimicry.

Now let's look at the adaptations of a few particular animals:

(It's probably best to use just one Insect, bird, mammal and reptile)
• Cockroach • Skunk
> omnivore / scavenger > nocturnal
> live birth -/ OVoviviparous > omnivore
> exoskeleton > senses: smell and touch
> sticky feet > striped for visibility
> spikes on legs > (behavioral) stamping front feet
> hissing > spray (adapted from scent marker)

• Screech Owl • Opossum • Milk Snake

> nocturnal > nocturnal > mimicry
> predator / carnivore > omnivore > legless
> vision / head rotation > marsupial > scales/
> sense of hearing > tail and feet for grasping shedding
> talons > Iplaylng 'possuma > smelling
> beak w/tongue
> camouflage > Jawbone
> small size detachmnt
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 , N Y~lte West Side - Earthworm Page 1 of2
.- .'"

u
The City Naturalist - Earthworms
NYsYTE
Article by Leslie Day, Drawing by Jonah Nishiura

EARTHWORMS: Lumbricus terrestris

"It may be doubted whether there are many other creatures

which have played so important a part in the history of the
world" Charles Darwin, 1881

Some scientists estimate that there are approximately 50,000

earthworms per acre of moist soil. Earthworms live in deep, dark, long,
and narrow tunnels or burrows under the ground, They cannot tolerate
heat and sun and so during the summer they come up to the surface
only at night. They also leave their burrows when it rains because it is
easier for them to move on the wet surface. After a rain you will notice
multitudes of earthworms on the surface. The wet ground allows them to mo:ve without drying out.

BENEFITS OF EARTHWORMS: Gardeners, fanners, foresters and soil scientists all love the
earthworm because of the good they do for flowers, crops, and plants and animals of the forest.
Earthworms are active animals and feed by bringing organic debris into their burrows from the surface
and by eating their way through the soil. The leaf litter (dead leaves and animals) they digest' contains
u nutrients made by plants during photosynthesis and includes calcium, nitrogen, potassium and
phosphorus, and organic minerals and nutrients from dead animals. Their excrement, called castings, is
deposited on the surface and is rich in nutrients, providing food for other animals and microorganisms.
This organic material is then further broken down by microorganisms of the soil, releasing nutrients in a
form available for absorption by plants.

In this way, earthworms have helped produce the fertile humus that covers the land. As a result the
layers of soil are thoroughly mixed, seeds are covered and enabled to germinate, and over long periods
of time stones and other objects on the surface are buried. This process has even buried and preserved
ancient buildings. Each year earthworm castings cover each acre with as as much as 18 tons of rich
soil.When earthworms die, usually in the dry summer, the organic material making up their bodies is
gradually released providing additional nutrients for plants. These minerals are essential to healthy plant
growth.

EARTHWORM BURROWS: the tunnels earthworms make beneath the topsoil do a tremendous
service to the trees and plants above. Their burrowing aerates the soil, which is why earthworms are
called "nature's plough". They not only help bring oxygen down into the soil, but their tunnels allow
rainwater carrying organic and inorganic nutrients down deep into the soil where the roots lie. The roots
then take up the water and the minerals and recycle them back to the herbaceous plants and woody trees.

DESCRIPTION: If you watch an earthworm move, you will most likely see it move forward, with its
pointy end in the front. This is its mouth and prostomium (area in front of the mouth). There is a
concentration of sensory cells at this anterior end around the prostomium. And though it has no eyes, it
u possesses light sensitive cells and can "sense" light. As mentioned above, it cannot hear, but feels
vibrations of animals moving nearby.

http://www.nysite.comlnature/faunalearthworm.htm 10110/2005
N Y:SIte West SIde - .Earthworm Page 2 of~

The worm's body is divided into 100 or more body segments. As the worm works its way·forward,
successive peristaltic or contracting waves of thickening and thinning (7-10 per minute) pass down the
body. At each place where the body bulges out at a given moment, the bristles, or setae, are extended 0
and grip the burrow walls. Setae, which are not true legs but pairs of bristles attached to each segment,
push against the ground with each contraction and help the animal move.

When a Robin tries to pull an earthworm out of the ground, the worm uses these bristles to hold on tight
to the wall of its home. Sometimes the worm holds on so tight and the Robin pulls so hard that the worm
comes apart. The Robin keeps the front end and the hind end wriggles back into its burrow. If a bird
pulls off the first 7 or 8 rings of the worm's body, new segments will grow. If a worm is pulled in half,
the head end will grow back.

The earthworm has no lungs and takes in oxygen through its moist skin - it is a skin breather. If it dries
out it will suffocate. Its skin is covered by mucus-secreting cells. The mucus serves not only in
respiratory exchange, but it also lubricates the worm's body and eases passage through the burrow. The
mucus covered skin helps bind soil particles together and prevents the walls of the burrow from
collapsing. .

LIFE CYCLE: Earthworms are hermaphrodites with both male and female reproductive organs. On
warm, moist spring and summer nights, you can often seen hundreds of mating worms coming up out of
their burrows. Once they have mated, the girdle like ring around the front of an earthworm, called the
clitellum slides along the worm's body, picking up fertilized eggs. When it finally falls off the worm into
the soil, it forms a well protected nest or egg case within which the embryo worms develop.

PREDATORS: Because the body of the earthworm is 70% protein, they are a sought after prey by 0
birds, especially Robins, and by burrowing animals like moles. If you watch a Robin hunting, it pauses,
cocks its head, then strikes with its bill, pulling a worm from the ground. The Robin, with its keen
eyesight, detects the earthworm's movement in the grass. The earthworm, both sightless and ear-less,
can feel the vibrations of the bird on the surface of the ground.

mSTORY: Earthworms were brought to North America by the early European settlers in the 17th and
18th centuries. If earthworms existed in North America prior to this, they were probably wiped out
during the last ice age, 10,000 to 50,000 years ago

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Earthworms, Dorothy Childs Hogner, 1953, Thomas Y. Crowell, New York

Earthworms, John Mertus, 1993

Living Invertebrates, Editors Pearse and Buchsbaum, 1986, Boxwood Press, Pacific Grove, Ca.

NYSite Home I Nature Home I Animal Guide I Sprine Guide I Summer Guide I Fall Guide I Winter Guide

This article has been prepared by the 79th Street Boat Basin Flora and Fauna Society. If you are interested in the plants and
animals of the river and Riverside Park, you can write to us at Box 9, 79th Street Boat Basin, NY, NY 10024.
Copyright © 1996 The 79th Street Boat Basin Flora and Fauna Society

http://www.nysite.com/nature/fauna/earthworm.htm 10110/2005
 · Kea Harvester Ants Page 1 of6

u Texas Agricultural Extension Service L-

The Texas A&MUniversity System 5314

Red harvester
!1,ouse 81\.d
Ants L8'1,dScape PeSIS

Bastiaan M. Drees
Professor and Extension Entomologist
The Texas A&M University System
Red harvester ants are one of the more noticeable and larger ants in open areas in Texas. However,
harvester ants are not near-Iy as common today as they were during the earlier 1900s. The decline,
particularly in the eastern part of the state, has caused some alarm because these ants serve as a major
source of food for the rapidly disappearing and threatened Texas homed lizard.

Description
Worker ants are 1/4 to 1/2 inch long and red to dark brown. They have squarish heads and no spines
on the body. There are 22 species of harvester ants in the United States, 10 of which are found in Texas.
Seven of these species are found only in far west Texas.

http://insects.tamu.edulextensionlbulletins/I-5314.html 10/10/2005
Ked Harvester Ants Page 2 of6 . . ~

Red :batYeSter·ants

Life cycle
Winged males and females swarm, couple and mate, especially following rains. Winged forms are
larger than worker ants. Males soon die and females seek a suitable nesting site. After dropping her
wings, the queen ant digs a burrow and produces a few eggs. Larvae hatch from eggs and develop
through several stages (instars). Larvae. are white and legless, shaped like a croolmeck squash with a
small distinct head. Pupation occurs within a cocoon. Worker ants produced by the queen ant begin
caring for other developing ants, enlarge the nest and forage for food.

Pest status
Worker ants can give a painful, stinging bite, but are generally reluctant to attack. Effects of the bite
can spread along lymph channels and can be medically serious. Harvester ant workers commonly are
sold for ant farms.

Habitat
Worker ants remove vegetation in circular areas or craters around nests. Colonies occur in open areas
and usually have a single central opening. The area around the opening usually has small pebbles
deposited on the soil surface by the worker ants. Often there is no vegetation within a 3- to 6-foot circle
around the central opening of the colony, and along foraging trails radiating from the colony. Colonies
usually are widely separated; however, heavy infestations in pasture and rangeland can reduce yield.
Red harvester ants also colonize in ornamental turf areas where their presence may be undesirable. They
do not invade homes or structures.

Food sources
Red harvester ant foragers collect seeds and dead insects and store them in the nests as food for the
colony. The ants' mouthparts are designed for chewing.

Management
Red harvester ants are native species and are generally not considered to be serious pests. Consider

http://insects. tamu.edulextensionlbulletinsll-5314.html 10110/2005

 • Ked Harvester Ants
".: Page 3 of6
..
-.
the option of not controlling these ants, especially in areas inhabited by the few remaining homed lizards
(see box).

u However, in certain cases, elimination of red harvester ants may be necessary. Destruction of their
nests and habitat through regular discing and mowing may eliminate them without resorting to use of
insecticides. If pesticides are selected, use registered products selectively and carefully follow
instructions provided on the label.

Although any insecticide registered to control "ants" can be used to control harvester ants, few are
registered specifically to control these species. Harvester ant colonies can be quickly eliminated using
Amdro® Pro Fire Ant Bait containing 0.73 percent hydramethylnon. Individual colonies can be treated
using 2 to 5 tablespoons of product scattered around the colony's central opening. In larger areas, the
product can be broadcast at a rate of 1 to 1 1/2 pounds product per acre (2 to 3 ounces per 5,000 square
feet) using a suitable application device such as a hand-cranked seeder or the electric-driven mountable
Herd GT Model 77 Seeder. Amdro® can be used in lawns, landscaped areas, golf courses, other
noncropped areas, grounds surrounding poultry houses, corrals, other animal holding areas, nonbearing
ornamental nursery stock, pasture and rangeland. Do not cut and bale hay from treated cattle pastures
and rangeland until 7 days after bait application.

In noncrop areas, acephate dust products such as Orthene® Turf, Tree & Ornamental Spray (75
percent acephate) can be applied as a dry application of 1 to 2 teaspoons product per nest. It also can be
applied as a liquid drench, using 1 ounce of the product mixed in 5 gallons of water. Apply the mixture
at a rate of 1 gallon per mound plus a 4-foot diameter circle around the nest.

Help Save the Texas Horned Lizard

u
The Texas homed lizard is a protected threatened species. It is commonly called "horny toad."

http://insects.tamu.edulextensionlbulletinsll-5314.html 10/10/2005
u T'U!E: ··N"J:G·.·T .·45 tE:.RS
.v ~I~V ftYYIIJi·

As
primarily sight oriented creatures, we utilize hearing as a secondary sense.
But for nC?cturnal creatures, hearing serves many important primary functions
such as detecting prey, escaping from predators, finding a mate, or even
navigating!

Remember the riddle, if a tree falls in the forest and their is no one
there to hear it, does it make a sound? The answer is yes. Sound is a physical
phenomena produced by rapid minute changes in the surrounding medium
which originate from a vibrating source and propagate outward in waves.
According to that definition the answer to the riddle would be yes.

Sound is measured in decibels, which is the loudness of the sound and

in cps, (cycles per second) which is the frequency of the sound. The range of
U human hearing is from 16 cps to 30,000 cps, with 20,000 cps being the upper
limit for most adults and 23,000 the upper limit for children. For comparison,
Middle C on the piano is 256 cps. A bat hears 100,000 cps, with a top limit of
300,000. Most birds probably do not hear above 10,000 cps.

An example of a simple ear is found in the moth. The moth has one
two- celled ear on each side of the head for directional hearing. Yet, even with
this s~ple system, the moth can derive meaning from environmental
sounds and respond accordingly. They can discriminate between faint and
intense sounds but appear to be tone deaf. Using its sense of hearing, a moth
can avoid predation by bats by detecting and responding to the high frequency
pulses emitted by bats. The moth can determine the distance and direction of
. the sound, i.e. if the sound is far away, the moth will fly up, if it is close, the
moth will drop to the ground. Some moths can even jam a bat's frequencies
It appears that mo~ only use their hearing to avoid bats.

u
s.ps comingfrom Uu18ide IIU UuJ JI
umr on tIUJt dd8lHtfore th8y AU UuJ JI
ftmIf on UuJ opposite BId&. n. moth
turM GtD01Ifrom tluI bet.
 Crickets not only also use their hearing to escape from bats, but also to
communicate with other crickets. Crickets produce sound by rubbing their
u wings together to produce song." Different songs are produced to lure a
potential mate, communicate aggression and as advertisement of territory.
The cricket listens to the songs with its legs! Two tympanic membranes on
each front leg can analyze frequency and intensity of sound.

A more complicated ear is found in mammals. The outer ear consists

of a flap, or pinna and the ear canal leading to the ear drum or membrane
itself. Beyond the ear drum is the middle ear, which is a small chamber
containing three tiny bones linked together in such a way that they amplify
the vibrations of the eardrum. The innermost bone, the stapes, transmits the
vibrations to the inner ear which is a small coiled structure that resembles a
snail shell. Inside the cochlea are membranes bearing receptor cells.
Movement of the stapes agitates the fluid in the cochlea, which in tum sets off
the receptor cells to send nerve impulses to the brain. The bird ear is very
much like the mammalian ear except there is no pinna and the middle ear
arrangement is a little different.

u Nocturnal mammals often have a very large pinna or outer ear to help
amplify sound and judge direction. Often the pinna will be quite mobile.
Sometimes it may be naked like in the opossum. Mice and rabbits have large
pinna to detect predators. On the flip side of the coin, cats use their ears to
detect the sounds of prey. They can rotate their pinna almost 180 degrees to
help pinpoint the location of the sound. Because they rely so much on their
hearing to hunt, they have heavily padded and furred paws to muffle their
own sounds. In Africa, the oversized pinna of two nocturnal animals, the Bat-
eared fox and the Aardvark, allow both to listen to the sounds made by their
favorite prey underground ... termites!

Owls use their hearing for both hunting and courtship. It is thought
that the feather tufts or "horns" of some owls may help them distinguish the
direction of the sound. The facial disks of owls also may serve to funnel the
sound to their ears". Some, such ~s the Barred, Spotted and Bam owls, have
asymmetrically placed ears to help them pinpoint the location of sounds. The
U ~eft ear is placed lower than the right ear. By comparing the intensity of the
 sound in each ear the owl can triangulate the prey's position. Experiments
performed with barn owls show that they can actually capture prey in a totally
u darkened room with an accuracy of 1.5 degrees. To aid them in detecting prey,
owls have soft primary feathers that allow them· to fly without a sound. The
mice with their sharp hearing can't detect them, and the owl does not have to
listen through the sound of its own flapping. OWls and cats probably have the
same level of hearing acuity which is about ten times better than ours.

The most extraordinary sense of hearing is found in the bat. Bats use
hearing for orientation and the capture of prey through echolocation (note:
not all of the nearly 1,000 bat species use echolocation, it is mostly used by
insectivorous bats). Echolocation allows them to fly as fast as if they were
using vision and to detect animals as small as fruitflies. They can also judge
an object's speed, size, distance and even texture. They emit a high pitched
sound in the range of 100,000 to 300,000 cps which bounces off the object and is
picked up by the bats' sensitive ears.

Some bats, such as the Spotted bat, have incredibly huge ears. They are
U as long as its body! The weird looking faces of bats all have something to do
with echolocation. The sounds are sometimes emitted through the nose and
the odd shapes alter the sound and its direction.

Bats have other uses for hearing. Mother bats that raise their babies in
large nursery colonies recognize the sound of their baby. A newly discovered
way bats use sound involves courtship. The author, while on a research
project with Dr. Merlin Tuttle, founder and Director of Bat Conservation
International, witnessed male Gray Bats that appeared to be singing in a
Tennessee breeding cave.. It is not known if the singing is to announce
territory to other males or to attract females.

Listening to Wildlife and trying to understand the sounds they make can
help humans to gain a much better appreciation and awareness of nature.
Concentrating on listening skills isn't a bad idea. We can use it to be better
communicators among ourselves!
 ..':U·I'• •_U·U·I' OPU••·"_
u BY V~Y SN.Yl1b:·

"Head.of a swine, tail of a rat, fur of a cat". So spoke Captain John

Smith of Jamestown Virginia back in 1607 to describe the opossum the
Algonquin Indian word for "white beast". It has also been described as
having the "ears and eyes of a bat". All of these are amazingly descriptive.
All in all, only the most empathetic call the opossum a "cute" creature.

The opossum, North America's only marsupial (pouched mammal),

used to only range as far north as Virginia (hence its scientific name
Delphinus virginianus ), but with the expansion of human populations, the
opossum has found its way either purposely or accidentally to California and
all but the most northern states, where its naked ears, tails and toes create
major survival problems.

People have many misconceptions about opossums. Perhaps the most

prevalent is that the opossum hangs upside down by their tails to sleep. This
u is not true. While the opossum's tail is prehensile, it is not strong enough to
support the animal's body weight. It does, however, use it for balance and
support while climbing. In this effort it is also aided by having an opposable
thumb on each of its back feet. The tail is also used to gather and transport
leaves to be used for a bed. A folktale tells of the mother carrying her tail
curled over her back and the young clinging to it with their tails. This is
probably an exaggerated observation. The young do cling to their mother's
fur and may also grab onto the tail.

Because most people find opossums flattened in the road, they think
that the creatures must be incredibly stupid. Actually, as nocturnal
scavengers, they are· out in the roads feasting on the road kills of the day and
are blinded by the headlights. Truly, opossums are not the brightest creatures.
For their size, the brain case is quite small, about the size of a pea. But
laboratory tests have shown that opossums do have a remarkable smell
memory. Testing well above dogs; cats, and turtles. It has an acute sense of
U hearing but is very nearsighted.
 Like other marsupials, opossums are born as underdeveloped embryos.
The eyes, ears, rear legs are merely buds. Twenty to forty honey bee sized
u young are born after a gestation period of only 13 days. With only a pair of
slightly developed front limbs and deciduous claws, the embryos drag
themselves the two inch length from birth canal to pouch. In the pouch are
only 13 pinhead sized nipples .. The first 13 latch· onto a nipple which then
swells and elongates and literally becomes lodged in the embryo's mouth.
The others perish. Such is survival of the fittest. Inside the protection of the
pouch, the young develop and grow until they are about 70 days old,
whereupon they are too big for the pouch and venture out, sticking only
their heads in for a drink. After 100 days, they are weaned and on their own.
Only about 50/0 of opossums live into their 3rd year. Even in captivity, an
opossum has a short life span. Unlike other mammals, but similar to
snapping turtles and alligators, an opossum grows throughout life, with no
upper limit. Perhaps it is a good thing they have short lives!

Opossums have been around for about the last 100 million years,
making them real relics. They adapted to their nocturnal life as other

u mammals did at the time, to escape the dinosaurs. They have myopic
eyesight, but do have good a good sense of hearing and as previously
mentioned, an excellent sense of smell. Opossums are slow however, and
they evolved some interesting defensive strategies. When an opossum feels
threatened, it may first open its mouth wide, show all of its teeth and snarl. If
that doesn't work, an opossum plays dead (hence the term "playing
'possum"). It rolls over, its tongue hangs out, it drools, defecates and its
breathing becomes shallow. This is not a conscious act, but thought to be
triggered by a shock type of reaction. H the opossum is lucky, the predator
loses interest and leaves .. The opossum can remain in this state for minutes
or hours.

Another amaZing ability of the opossum, is that it is immune to the

venom of the Crotalid snakes, that is Rattlesnake~, Copperheads and
Cottonmouths. This has evolved over time having to dwell with .these
snakes, as they are not immune to Cobra venom. An opossum will kill and
eat a Rattler if given the chance, so much for being slow! Its omnivorous
~iet also includes bird's eggs, young mice, grubs, earthworms and other
invertebrates, fruits, vegetables, carrion, and of course, human garbage.
j Like most humans you understand your world mainly through what you Your pupils are round so they can absorb as
. much light as possible. But cats, crocodiles,
see. Certainly you can hear, feei', and smell, but for most people, to see is geckos, lizards, and snakes all have vertical
.. say, "See what I mean?" Many noc-
to understand. That's why we often slits in their eyes. Scientists aren't sure why,
tumal creatures understand the world just as well-if not better-than we but certain species, like some frogs and
toads, have horizontal (sideways) pupils.
do. They get around at night using various highly developed senses. So if
they could talk, night ~als might say, "Feel what I mean?" or ·'Smell
Night Vision Tests
rotA what I mean?" On a moonless night you may not be able to see anything
When you go outside at night. you don't
~t when you go outside, but for many creatures that same night is full of see very well at first. Why not? 1ry this:
light. What is the difference between your eyes and theirs? when you venture out, find a comfortable
~t place to stand or sit and close your eyes for
a couple of minutes. When you open them,
t Night Eyes Eyeshine you'll be able to see better.
Except for insects and their unique com- When light from your flashlight or car head- Go outside at night with a buddy (let's call
pound eyes, all animal eyes are lined with light shines in the eyes of an animal with ta- him or her Sam), and bring a flashlight. Face
rods and cones. Cones examine detail; rods peta, the color of light reflected back varies Sam and stand about a foot away. Thm the
absorb light. Because you are diurnal (active according to the species. How many night flashlight on and hold it down by your side so
in daylight), your eyes have more cones than creatures can you identify by their eyeshine? the light hits the ground. Look directly into
na rods. Diurnal eyes are able to distinguish white Fox Sam's eyes, then slowly bring the light close
small details very clearly, but only if there is yellow Raccoon to Sam's eyes but don't shine it straight at
1exico, plenty of light. amber Skunk them. Move it away, then repeat. What hap-
dull orange Opossum pens to Sam's pupils?
The eyes of nocturnal animals are packed
l!stem red-orange Flying Squirrel While you and Sam are out checking your
with rods and have only a few cones. Noctur- red Black-tailed Jackrabbit night vision, here is something else to try.
Istem nal eyes do not distinguish small details, but deep red Porcupine Ask Sam to stand about 50 feet away from
they are able to detect shapes and movement yellow Deer you. Looking directly at Sam. ask him/her
d in dim light. Also, some animals can see green-gold CoyotelMountain Lion to wave at you. Now, look away slightly and
fonns of light that you can't. Birds that mi- green Domestic Cat and Dog •
ask Sam to wave again. Is there a
st
grate at night can see polarized light, and noc- Snake Eyes difference?
turnal insects see ultraviolet light. To protect their light-sensitive eyes, many
There should be. You are able to detect
Many night creatures have dual purpose movement in the dark much better out of
night creatures have eyes equipped with ver- the comers of your eyes because you have
eyes; they are able to see during the day and tical (up and down) pupils that can close to
night. To see well at night these animals have more rods at the edge of your field of vision
small slits during the day. This is how they and fewer cones. So if you think you see
shiny membranes called tapeta behind their prevent too much light from coming into their something straight ahead, look to the right
rods and cones. At night the tapeta reflect eyes and "blinding" them (especially if they or left. If whatever it is moves, you'll proba-
weak light back through the eye. By using are disturbed during the day and have to bly see it.
light twice, the animal can see better. move about).
17
 FL Feathers, and Whiskers
Fur on mammals and feathers on birds help
smelling organ on (
and interpret them.
.'OOfs of their mouths; --'
Smell and Feel Test
C
protect them, but they also help them feel
their way in the dark. Each hair, and every Smell and Taste Smell
feather, is attached to a network of nerves. Your nose and mouth'are lined with cells Set up a smell experiment with some
When the hairs and feathers move, a mes- Called chemoreceptors that are sensitive to the friends. One person-the tester-goes into
sage is sent to the nervous system, which microscopic chemical molecules in smells and the kitchen, while everyone else stays out of
translates and interprets that movement. fQod. Your senses of smell and taste are very sight in another room. Tester: take three
In mammals and some birds, whiskers similar, but the receptors in your nose are common foods or substances, 'such as
called vibrissae are sensitive feeling organs. 3,000 times more sensitive than the ones in ketchup, a bar of soap, and jam (nothing too
'. 1 •• in~-:'tt1eY'~I~Jess} ..... ~9jlx: .Q1out~.! Food has to be in yo~r m?u~h for strong and nothing toxic!), and place them in
. and, especiany, the face. Cat' whiskers~' vi- "'you'to taste it. Your nose can detect fain,t three small bowls or cups ,on the counter. A
brissae. Owls and goat suckers also have vi- smells from far away. fourth bowl should have nothing in it.
brissae on their faces. Goatsuckers use their When your nose detects airborne mole- Label the bowls one through four with
slips of paper. Now blindfold the partici-
vibrissae to detect and scoop up insects. cules, it sends a message to your brain. Your
pants, one at a time, and bring them into the
They might also help protect the birds' eyes. brain then translates that message: '~a! kitchen. Let each one smell the numbered
Vibrissae are highly sensitive to air move- ,. Apple pie!" bowls, then write down what they think they
ment and may tell mammals when other ani- Most insects and animals have far better smelled on a pad of paper. What did they
mals are nearby. senses of smell and taste than you do. A smell in the empty bowl?
salmon can return to the freshwater stream
Antennae where it hatched by following the "smells" Feel
The antennae of insects are similar to vi- found only in that stream. Many nocturnal Close your eyes and have a friend gently
brissae. They, too, are highly sensitive touch- mammals, such as deer, bears, rabbits, and blow the hairs on your ann or the back of
ing organs. Not all antennae are located on badgers, not only have more powerful noses your neck. Can you tell which way your
heads. Some insects and spiders have long than you do, but they leave scent trails to friend is blowing?
legs that act like antennae. Earthworms have mark their territories and to help them find With a friend or two, take turns being
small antennae all over their bodies. Cock- their way. blindfolded. Crawl around on your hands and
roaches have two short spikes on the rear of Some animals produce scents from their knees outside and try to identify what you
their bellies that feel air movements. When glands, and to mark their territory, they rub pick up, just by feel. (Your friends have to
make sure you don't crawl somewhere
the spikes detect motion, the cockroach be- their scent onto branches and rocks or leave unsafe.)
gins to run away within 1/20 of a second! their scent on the ground when they urinate Now, move indoors. Crawl around on a
Many species, like crickets and spiders, or defecate. Male moths have enormous an- carpeted area. Take turns being blindfolded
feel and smell with their antennae. Snails tennae that they use to detect the scent pro- while your friend places objects on the car-
smell with their antennae and the edges of duced by the female of their species. These pet for you to find and describe. (Try objects
their feet. Snakes don't have antennae, but antennae may have up to 1,700 tiny hairs that such as an orange, a grapefruit, a small box,
they flick out their tongues, scoop up chemi- capture scent molecules, allowing the male to a dry sponge, a rock, a pen, or a sock.)
cal particles (smells), flick them into a special follow a female from a mile away.

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