The killer whale, also known as orca, is the ocean’s top predator. It is the largest member of the Delphinidae family, or dolphins. Members of this family include all dolphin species, as well as other larger species, such as long-finned pilot whales and short-finned pilot whales, whose common names also contain "whale" instead of "dolphin."
Found in every ocean in the world, they are the most widely distributed of all cetaceans (whales and dolphins). Scientific studies have revealed many different populations with several distinct ecotypes (or forms) of killer whales worldwide—some of which may be different species or subspecies. They are one of the most recognizable marine mammals, with their distinctive black and white bodies. Globally, killer whales occur in a wide range of habitats, in both open seas and coastal waters. Taken as a whole, the species has the most varied diet of all cetaceans, but different populations are usually specialized in their foraging behavior and diet. They often use a coordinated hunting strategy, working as a team like a pack of wolves.
Hunters and fishermen once targeted killer whales. As a result, historical threats to killer whales included commercial hunting and culling to protect fisheries from killer whales. In addition, although live capture of killer whales for aquarium display and marine parks no longer occurs in the United States, it continues to remain a threat globally. Today, some killer whale populations face many other threats, including food limitations, chemical contaminants, and disturbances from vessel traffic and sound. Efforts to establish critical habitat, set protective regulations, and restore prey stocks are essential to conservation, especially for the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population.
Why do so many people look up to giraffes—besides the obvious reason? The long and short of it is that they are a wonderful example of nature’s creativity.
Giraffes are the tallest land animals. A giraffe could look into a second-story window without even having to stand on its tiptoes! A giraffe's 6-foot (1.8-meter) neck weighs about 600 pounds (272 kilograms). The legs of a giraffe are also 6 feet (1.8 meters) long. The back legs look shorter than the front legs, but they are about the same length. A giraffe's heart is 2 feet (0.6 meters) long and weighs about 25 pounds (11 kilograms), and its lungs can hold 12 gallons (55 liters) of air! Its closest relative is the okapi.
Giraffes have a small hump on their back and have a spotted pattern similar to that of a leopard. For a long time people called the giraffe a “camel-leopard,” because they believed that it was a combination of a camel and a leopard. That's where the giraffe's name camelopardalis comes from!
Although a study of giraffe genetics published in the scientific journal Current Biology concluded that there are actually four distinct species of giraffes—said to be as different from each other as polar bears are from brown bears—one is currently recognized, with nine subspecies. The subspecies have different coat patterns and live in different parts of Africa. Giraffe coat colors vary from light tan to practically black. The differences occur due to what the giraffes eat and where they live. Each individual giraffe’s markings are as individual as our fingerprints.
Masai giraffes, from Kenya, have patterns that look like oak leaves. Uganda or Rothschild's giraffes sport large, brown splotches separated by thick, beige lines. The reticulated giraffe, found only in northern Kenya, has a dark coat with a seeming web of narrow white lines.
How many bones are there in a giraffe's neck? Just like humans, giraffes have seven neck vertebrae. For giraffes, however, each one can be over 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) long!
Both male and female giraffes have two distinct, hair-covered horns called ossicones. Male giraffes use their horns to spar, throwing their neck against each other. As a male matures, calcium deposits begin to form on his skull to protect it when he head-butts with other males. These calcifications can be quite pronounced, giving the strange appearance of a three- to five-horned giraffe.
Giraffes are so big that they really don't need to hide from predators. There is safety in numbers! It’s hard to pick out one giraffe from another when they form a tight group.
Besides humans, only lions and crocodiles hunt them. If they have to, giraffes defend themselves with a deadly kick, karate-style. Their speed, the way they move, and their body designs also help them to escape predators if they need to. Giraffes have a way of moving, or gait, in which both the front and back legs on one side move forward together, then the other two legs on the other side move forward. It’s called "pacing." Giraffes can run very fast—around 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour for short distances.
You might think watching out for lions and spending 16 to 20 hours a day eating would all weigh heavily on a giraffe. Surprisingly enough, giraffes only need 5 to 30 minutes of sleep in a 24-hour period! They often achieve that in quick naps that may last only a minute or two at a time. Giraffes can rest while standing, but they sometimes also lie down with their head resting on their rump. That’s a vulnerable position for a giraffe, though, so usually one herd member stays on guard.
Many people think that giraffes have no voice, but they do make a variety of sounds, including moos, roars, snorts, hisses, and grunts. They just very rarely do so. One sound giraffes make when they’re alarmed is a snort. Threats—such as lions nearby—may warrant a snort. Giraffes are often the early warning signal for other savanna wildlife: if a giraffe herd starts to run, everyone else does, too! Studies suggest giraffes vocalize below the level of human hearing and perhaps use this sound for long-distance communication.
It’s easy to understand why giraffes top the list of so many people’s favorite wildlife. Their elegant stride, outrageous eyelashes, and calm expression give them an air of refinement.
Why do so many people look up to giraffes—besides the obvious reason? The long and short of it is that they are a wonderful example of nature’s creativity.
Giraffes are the tallest land animals. A giraffe could look into a second-story window without even having to stand on its tiptoes! A giraffe's 6-foot (1.8-meter) neck weighs about 600 pounds (272 kilograms). The legs of a giraffe are also 6 feet (1.8 meters) long. The back legs look shorter than the front legs, but they are about the same length. A giraffe's heart is 2 feet (0.6 meters) long and weighs about 25 pounds (11 kilograms), and its lungs can hold 12 gallons (55 liters) of air! Its closest relative is the okapi.
Giraffes have a small hump on their back and have a spotted pattern similar to that of a leopard. For a long time people called the giraffe a “camel-leopard,” because they believed that it was a combination of a camel and a leopard. That's where the giraffe's name camelopardalis comes from!
Although a study of giraffe genetics published in the scientific journal Current Biology concluded that there are actually four distinct species of giraffes—said to be as different from each other as polar bears are from brown bears—one is currently recognized, with nine subspecies. The subspecies have different coat patterns and live in different parts of Africa. Giraffe coat colors vary from light tan to practically black. The differences occur due to what the giraffes eat and where they live. Each individual giraffe’s markings are as individual as our fingerprints.
Masai giraffes, from Kenya, have patterns that look like oak leaves. Uganda or Rothschild's giraffes sport large, brown splotches separated by thick, beige lines. The reticulated giraffe, found only in northern Kenya, has a dark coat with a seeming web of narrow white lines.
How many bones are there in a giraffe's neck? Just like humans, giraffes have seven neck vertebrae. For giraffes, however, each one can be over 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) long!
Both male and female giraffes have two distinct, hair-covered horns called ossicones. Male giraffes use their horns to spar, throwing their neck against each other. As a male matures, calcium deposits begin to form on his skull to protect it when he head-butts with other males. These calcifications can be quite pronounced, giving the strange appearance of a three- to five-horned giraffe.
Giraffes are so big that they really don't need to hide from predators. There is safety in numbers! It’s hard to pick out one giraffe from another when they form a tight group.
Besides humans, only lions and crocodiles hunt them. If they have to, giraffes defend themselves with a deadly kick, karate-style. Their speed, the way they move, and their body designs also help them to escape predators if they need to. Giraffes have a way of moving, or gait, in which both the front and back legs on one side move forward together, then the other two legs on the other side move forward. It’s called "pacing." Giraffes can run very fast—around 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour for short distances.
You might think watching out for lions and spending 16 to 20 hours a day eating would all weigh heavily on a giraffe. Surprisingly enough, giraffes only need 5 to 30 minutes of sleep in a 24-hour period! They often achieve that in quick naps that may last only a minute or two at a time. Giraffes can rest while standing, but they sometimes also lie down with their head resting on their rump. That’s a vulnerable position for a giraffe, though, so usually one herd member stays on guard.
Many people think that giraffes have no voice, but they do make a variety of sounds, including moos, roars, snorts, hisses, and grunts. They just very rarely do so. One sound giraffes make when they’re alarmed is a snort. Threats—such as lions nearby—may warrant a snort. Giraffes are often the early warning signal for other savanna wildlife: if a giraffe herd starts to run, everyone else does, too! Studies suggest giraffes vocalize below the level of human hearing and perhaps use this sound for long-distance communication.
It’s easy to understand why giraffes top the list of so many people’s favorite wildlife. Their elegant stride, outrageous eyelashes, and calm expression give them an air of refinement.
The cougar, which is also commonly referred to as a puma, mountain lion or panther, is the second largest cat in North America. Unlike other big cats, however, the cougar cannot roar. Instead, the large feline purrs like a house cat.
Cougars also have similar body types to house cats, only on a larger scale. They have slender bodies and round heads with pointed ears. They vary between 1.5-2.7 m (5-9 ft.) from head to tail. While males can weigh up to 68 kg (150 lb.), females weigh less, topping out at nearly 45 kg (100 lb.). The coat of the cougar is a grayish tan to reddish color with lighter parts on the underside. The tail has a black spot on the end.
Inhabiting various ecosystems from mountains to deserts to sea-level, the cougar’s established range includes western North America, a small region in Florida, and most of South America. They make their home anywhere that there is shelter and prey.
Generally they prey on deer but also feed on smaller animals if necessary, including domestic animals and livestock. Cougars have even been known to eat insects. Skilled and cunning hunters, cougars stay hidden from their prey until they can pounce with claws out-stretched. Cougars can also climb with ease and leap over 6 m (20 ft.). After killing a large animal, a cougar hides the carcass and eats in the coming days. For the most part, the cougar has no natural enemies and sits atop the food chain. However, they occasionally compete with other predators such as bears and wolves for food.
During most of their lives, cougars are solitary creatures. They interact only to mate, which can happen at any time of year. Females can breed as early as 2-3 years old and give birth to 2-3 kittens at a time. They raise the young while the males return to their solitary lifestyles.
At around two years old, cougar offspring will leave their mother to start their own life. Some travel far to establish their own territory as cougars need a lot of room to roam. A healthy cougar in the wild can live to around 10 years of age. In captivity, cougars can live as long as 20 years.
Woolly mammoths were closely related to today's Asian elephants. They looked a lot like their modern cousins, except for one major difference. They were covered in a thick coat of brown hair to keep them warm in their home on the frigid Arctic plains. They even had fur-lined ears.
Their large, curved tusks may have been used for fighting. They also may have been used as a digging tool for foraging meals of shrubs, grasses, roots and other small plants from under the snow. Though woolly mammoths went extinct around 10,000 years ago, humans know quite a bit about them because of where they lived. The permafrost of the Arctic preserved many woolly mammoth bodies almost intact. When the ground around riverbanks and streams erodes, it often reveals the corpse of a long-dead mammoth that looks much like it did when it died.
For example, in 2007 in Siberia, a pair of mummified baby mammoths were found. The bodies were so well preserved that CT scans found the mammoths died from choking on mud 40,000 years ago. The mud was like a "really thick batter that they got clogged in their trachea and they were unable to dislodge by coughing," said study co-author Daniel Fisher, the director of the University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology. "It basically prevented them from taking them another breath." [Last Terrifying Moments of Baby Mammoths Revealed]
Botanist Mikhail Ivanovich Adams recovered the first Siberian woolly mammoth fossils in 1806. Over a dozen soft-tissue specimens have been found since then. Woolly mammoths were around 13 feet (4 meters) tall and weighed around 6 tons (5.44 metric tons), according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN). Some of the hairs on woolly mammoths could reach up to 3 feet (1 m) long, according to National Geographic. Though woolly mammoths are known for living in the frigid planes of the Arctic, mammoths actually arrived there from a much warmer home. Research by a team from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, found that the ancestors of both the mammoth and Asian elephant originated in Africa 6.7 million to 7 million years ago. They seemed to have stayed there for about 4 million years before moving up into Southern Europe.
Centipedes can easily be distinguished from millipedes by counting the number of pairs of legs arising from most body segments: millipedes have two pairs, while centipedes bear one pair per segment, with the first pair of legs being modified into fangs. Centipedes are generally flattened and have a pair of well developed antennae on the head. Some centipedes, such as the house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata Linnaeus), have long legs and are capable of running rapidly. The largest centipedes, Scolopendra spp. (Scolopendromorpha: Scolopendridae) may grow to be about 6 inches long. Millipede bodies are rounded or somewhat flattened. Legs are short and movement is slow, with movement of legs appearing wave-like. Most species are less than 1 ½ inch long, although one species, Narceus americanus (Beauvois) (Order Spirobolida), in west Texas grows up to 4 inches long.
Centipedes are primitive arthropods, relatives of the insects. The name “centipede” literally means 100 legs, and indeed some kinds of centipedes have nearly 100 legs. they are identified by their long, segmented body with each segment bearing one pair of legs. Centipedes are predators. They feed on any small crawling organisms they can catch. Scutigera is one common genus with very long legs that move in a rippling motion. Scolopendra is the giant centipede, a large (up to 8” long) and fast species with a reportedly painful bite. Centipedes in the genus Strigamia, soil centipedes, may also be common. Among all the centipedes, Scolopendra is considered to be the most dangerous because of its venomous fangs and feet.
Simple metamorphosis. Centipedes and millipedes spend the winter as adults in protected habitats and become active in the spring. During the warmer months, females lay eggs in soil and cover them with a sticky substance, although some species give birth to living young. Immature stages (larvae) hatching from eggs several days later are similar to adults but smaller, having fewer leg-bearing body segments. Additional leg-bearing segments are produced with each molt. Millipedes develop through about seven stages (instars) in 21 to 25 weeks. Some centipedes are known to have lived up to 6 years.
The raccoon (Procyon lotor) belongs to the carnivores grouping, a group that is composed of mammals which are primarily meat eaters, although many of them also eat berries, fruit, vegetables, eggs, acorns, beech and hickory nuts, grains, grasses, and bark, if nothing else is available. All carnivores have five toes and large canine teeth. The raccoon is omnivorous and the ratio of plant to animal food varies by season and what is available.
Raccoons are in the Procyonidae (procyon, meaning to wash) family which also includes the ringtail cat and coati, and probably the red panda. There are seven species of raccoons in North America and 25 subspecies. Their weight varies from 12 to 35 pounds. Females are usually smaller than males. Their color is grayish-brown, and the tail has 5 to 7 complete dark rings, alternating with broader brown or gray rings. The tip of the tail is always dark. Albinistic (white) and Melanistic (black) individuals are not uncommon.
Raccoons have a highly developed sense of touch considered to be superior to other non-primate mammals. They can easily unlock doors and get into trash cans and other mischief. They have a keen sense of hearing and visual acuity consistent with their nocturnal habits. Raccoons are excellent climbers and are one of the few mammals that can descend vertical tree trunks headfirst. They are also strong swimmers and can easily cross rivers and lakes, but only venture into deep water as an escape route from trouble.
It is commonly believed that raccoons wash their food. Evidence indicates that only those in captivity wash their food and that the washing is a fixed-motor pattern used in searching for aquatic prey in the wild. The name raccoon is derived from the Algonquin Indians and translates to “he scratches with his hands”.
Raccoons are mostly nocturnal. Another myth about them says if they are seen out in the daytime, they must be rabid. It is quite common, especially in urban areas, for a healthy animal to venture out during the day if it is hungry or its den has been destroyed. Frequently, mother raccoons that are nursing kits will be forced to search for food night and day. If an animal is behaving normally in the daytime, it is probably not rabid and should be left alone.
Raccoons are not territorial. Preferred terrain is forested, with ponds, lakes, marshes or streams. Raccoons are not found in terrain that lacks evergreen forests and water. When you release raccoons, it is imperative to find a place where there is plenty of water, no hunting, and people willing to feed the raccoons until they can find their own food.
Raccoons usually den in hollow trees, rock crevices, and ground dens. In late fall and early winter, their fur will thicken into a heavy winter coat and they will eat as much as they can find as during harsh weather. In winter, raccoons will spend weeks in their dens without eating. Contrary to belief, raccoons do not hibernate.
The Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia Smith) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) is an invasive insect that was recently detected in a small area of North America. A single colony was found in British Columbia, Canada in August 2019. The nest was subsequently destroyed. In December 2019, two dead hornets were found near the Canadian border in Washington. In spring 2020, one hornet was found in each of the above locations. Despite these detections, AGH is not known to be established in North America. It has NOT been detected in Utah. If you are located in Utah and suspect AGH, please contact the Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab at Utah State University or the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. AGH’s natural distribution includes parts of Asia, including southern China, northern India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand, and a very small part of eastern Russia. AGH is best adapted to areas between the temperate and tropical zones, and is more closely associated with lowlands than high elevations. Although it has been collected at about 7,000 ft. in Myanmar and about 3,800 ft. in Pakistan, wasps there are rare and populations occur at low densities.
Hornets are wasps in the genus Vespa. There is only one other true hornet in north America, the introduced European hornet (V. crabro), which occurs in parts of the eastern U.S. AGH is the world’s largest hornet. Adult AGH workers vary in length from 1 to 1 1/2 inches, while queens can reach up to 2 inches. They have a wingspan of about 3 inches. Adults have a large orange or yellow head, prominent eyes, orange mandibles, dark brown antennae with orange segments at the base, a dark brown thorax, and a brown/black and yellow striped abdomen (the last or 6th segment is yellow) (Figs 1-4). Females have stingers that are about 1/4 inch long, whereas males are stingless. Larvae and pupae are confined within the nest cavity and can be identified by their large size (compared to other hornet species). Larvae are about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, barrel-shaped, and yellow to white in color. Pupae closely resemble adults, with large black eyes and similar coloration.
AGH is a social insect that lives in colonies (nests) made up of one queen and her offspring. Colonies are established in the spring by mated queens. After spring emergence, the queens locate a suitable nest site while feeding on tree sap for energy. Nests are typically constructed underground in pre-existing cavities or burrows (Fig 7), and are often large (e.g., mature nests may contain 1,000 or more cells). Larvae develop through five instars, feeding on bits of prey or tree sap (left for them by the queen), and eventually pupate within the brood cell. The new workers then emerge and take over foraging duties, while the queen continues to lay eggs. Colonies grow over the summer, and new reproductive queens and males emerge in the fall (October) to mate with each other. In late fall, the founding queen dies after which the colony diminishes in size before succumbing to lack of worker replacement. New, mated queens overwinter in the soil to emerge the following spring.
Show any child a photo of a bird with an extraordinarily large beak, and they will tell you that it's a toucan! Perhaps the most well known tropical bird, the toucan is a symbol of playfulness and intelligence that has been used quite successfully by advertisers and business owners. There are several species of birds in the toucan family, some with names like aracari or toucanet, but they all sport that large, comical bill.
Why does the toucan have a bill that can be four times the size of its head and nearly as long as the rest of its body? Some say that the large and brightly colored bill is used to attract potential mates. Others suggest it is useful in scaring away predators or other wildlife that might compete with the toucan for food. Still others believe it is an adaptation that allows the toucan to reach food way out at the ends of branches that are not strong enough to hold the bird itself. Toucans are known to reach deep into tree cavities to grab eggs from other birds or to dig deeply into their own nesting cavities to clear them out, and pairs have been seen tossing fruit to one another in a courtship ritual. No matter what purpose you decide on, the toucan’s bill is a very useful tool!
Their famous bill is of light, but stout, construction and is hollow except for a network of bony fibers that run crisscross through the top for strength and support. It is made of keratin, the same thing our hair and fingernails are made of. Having such a lightweight bill allows the toucan to perch on the thinnest of branches to reach for the ripest of fruit!
The word “toucan” comes from the sound the bird makes. Their songs often resemble croaking frogs. Toucans combine their extensive vocal calls with tapping and clattering sounds from their bill. Many toucans make barking, croaking, and growling sounds, and mountain toucans make braying sounds like those of a donkey. Females generally have a higher voice than the males.
Although toucans and woodpeckers may not look like they have much in common, they are in the same taxonomic order (Piciformes) and have a lot in common. Like woodpeckers—and the parrots and macaws they share the forest with—toucans are zygodactylous, meaning they have two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward. This foot design provides strength and stability when moving through dense branches, up and down tree trunks, or in and out of tree cavities.
Both toucans and woodpeckers have a tongue that is long, narrow, and feather-like. Bristles along each side of the tongue help the birds catch and taste food before moving it down the throat. In addition, toucans and woodpeckers have short, stiff tail feathers, called rectrices, and nest in tree cavities. Both toucans and woodpeckers tend to be mostly shiny black, but they are decorated with bright whites, yellows, oranges, reds, and greens, depending on the species.
