Rainforest aniamals

Sugar glider

The sugar glider lives in the rainforests of Australia. It is a nocturnal animal, during the day they rest in trees and is active at night. It is like a possum that has two flaps of thin skin connected to its four thumbs and body(pictures). It has four toes to grasp the tree. It moves around from tree to tree by using its hind legs to launch itself from the tree and then glide using the flap of skin to another tree, it uses its long furry tail to steer. This helps it stay away from predators on the ground and it could help it get away from predators that can't fly. http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/sciences/zoology/ClassMammalia/Mammals/OrderDiprotodontia/SugarGlider/sugarglider.jpg

Sloth

These slow moving mammals live in the rainforests of south and central America. They are nocturnal animals that spend most of their lives hanging upside down on branches of trees. They have strong curved claws to grip the branches. Their slowness makes them virtually impossible to spot because they blend into the background. They also have algae encrusted on their fur which provides camouflage and when the sloth licks it gives them nutrients. They don't need to eat or drink very much because of their low body temperature.

http://backpackingcostarica.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/sloth1.jpg

Emerald tree boa

This snake lives in the amazon. It hunts at night and with its tongue which senses odors and its upper lip that has heat sensors hunts its prey. They use their teeth to catch the prey and then using its body squeezes it to death. Its jaws have stretch ligaments that let it swallow things that are wider than itself. As you can tell from its name it is very green which provides perfect camouflage in the tree canopy.

http://www.infovisual.info/02/photo/emerald%20tree%20boa.jpg

Leopard

These big cats are widely distributed animals. There are many different variations of leopards i.e. clouded leopard, snow leopard, panther, etc. They are fast runners so the can catch their prey or escape from humans hunting. They are good swimmers too. They are wonderful tree climbers (pictured)and would hide their food in a tree to protect it from land scavengers. They have long retractable claws to grip the trees and to grip their prey. They can also maintain their balance in a tree because they have long tails. Their spotted coats provide good camouflage in the rainforest background.

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/animals/images/primary/leopard-sleeping-in-tree.jpg

Mountainous Animals

Mountain goat

In the high altitudes of the mountains the air is very thin so it can't retain the heat. Therefore it gets colder the higher up you get. The air is moister than usual as well.

The mountain goat has very sturdy hooves with two toes for balance and pads on each toe for grip so they can climb the jagged and steep rocks. They can also jump 12 feet in a single bound. They have curved horns to defend themselves from predators. In the winter they have a white woolly coats which provides them with camouflage and protection from the sharp winds and the cold, (as seen in picture).http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/animals/images/primary/mountain-goat.jpg

Alpine salamander

The alpine salamander lives in very high altitudes of 4,600 feet on mountains. They live in the damp forrests and are completely black(pictured). They have adapted their gestation period so that it lasts 3 years and the babies are born alive so that there is no risk of the tadpoles freezing in a pond or eaten. They will often hibernate in the winter when it is really cold. http://www.club100.net/reports/reportimages/switzerland2004/040730_046.jpg

Panda

The pandas live the mountains of China. They did live on the lowlands as well but with farming they have retreated to the mountains. They live at about 5,000 to 10,000 feet in the mountains, they have thick woolly fur to keep them warm. They have a diet of bamboo shoots(pictured). They have strong jaws, teeth and claws to chew. Their digestive system has adapted as well so it can digest the hard, tough bamboo. To get the nutrients it needs each day the panda has to eat 20-40 pounds of bamboo and to get this they have to spend 10-16 hours eating. Unlike most bears pandas do not hibernate. http://iwmf04.ustc.edu.cn/images/giant%20panda.jpg

Serengeti animals

Lion

They are very social animals which is why they are the only big cats that hunt in a pride. The males have very long thick manes which is why they usually don't lead the hunts. There is more females than males in the pride. They are very heavy so that they can pull down their prey. They kill the prey by biting their necks and suffocating them. Their golden coat is very handy as it is the same colour as the grass there so they have perfect camouflage (as seen in video). They will crouch down in the grass so they are unnoticeable, when they are close enough they will pounce and look for the weakest link in the herd, chase it and kill it. Their night vision is very good so they like to hunt at night when it is cooler. They keep cool by panting.

Zebra

The zebra is a member of the horse family, it has the same shape as a horse. They can be attacked and irritated by flies in this climate so the stripes confuse the flies and their tail swishes them away from behind. Their stripes also can confuse predators because they can't single out a single zebra. They have a certain alarm call that warns the herd of danger. Since there are alot of predators in the serengeti, when a foal is born it only takes it around an hour to be able to run and recognise its mother. When they are startled or in danger they will gallop away packed tight in their herds. Since their climate is so hot they will drink usually once a day (as seen in picture).http://www.zebrapr.net/USERIMAGES/zebra2.jpg

Giraffe

They live alone or in herds in the vast grasslands of the serengeti. They can cope with the heat because they are not able to shade under a tree. The giraffe is the tallest land animals and can reach up to 18 ft. Since their necks are so big they can reach the high leaves on a tree to feed which means that they rarely run out of food as no other animals can reach it. It is very awkward for them to drink and can be dangerous as they are vulnerable so they can live without it even in the blistering heat. They can be easy to knock off balance by a lion so they have a very strong kick that can kill one. They are hoofed animals like cattle.http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/images/Africa/factfile/africauniquefact13_clip_image002_0000.jpg

Lions Hunt And Lions Kills Hyena - The most popular videos are here

Tundra animals

I will start with the arctic fox. They have adapted because they have long fluffy fur and fur on the bottom of their feet to keep them insulated. It has short leg and ears to keep the heat in. It's fur changes in summer and winter for cammouflage. It is a scavenger so it could follow around polar bears and eat what is left of its meals. http://nonagraphics.com/images/Arctic-Fox-00001b.jpg They make burrows to sleep in, in the ground that isn't frozen and to help keep them keep warm they put their fluffy tails around their body.

Polar bears seem to be white but it is actually its fur reflecting the sun. There are two layers of fur and has inches of blubber underneath that. Their skin is also black which absorbs the heat, so they can easily get overheated. They love to swim so they have long necks that stay above water. They have sharp claws and teeth to catch there food like seals and fish. They are now endangered because the pollution we put into the atmosphere is causing the ice caps to melt which is the polar bears natural habitat.

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/05/17/polar_bear2_u_2.jpg

Lastly the musk ox, it has 24 inches of hair that insulates them and keeps them warm. It stays in herds throughout its life. the advantages of this is that they will warn each other of danger by stampeding. They will run up to high groung then turn and form a circle to protect the young. They are very sturdy so they aren't easily moved. They can withstand bitterly cold climates because of their hair and woolly underhair which prevents frost and the cold.http://www.alaskaone.com/wildlife/images/muskox.jpg

Hot Dessert Animals

I am going to start with the camel. The camel has adapted alot to its habitat. It is used as a means of transport for travellers. For them to be able to walk and lie down on the hot rock and sand it has thick wide pads on its feet and knees. It can go for a long time without water because it can drink 100 litres in 10 minutes! The camels lips are thick so that they can eat thistles and it won't hurt them. They have really long eyelashes so that when there is a sandstorm the sand http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1396/1184374438_86972543f6_o.jpg

does`t get into their eyes. They can also close their nostrils for this purpose.

The collared lizard is pretty cool because when he is threatened he runs really fast on his hind legs. he has adapted to his predators because if they grab his tail the skin comes off! He also has massive jaws as he is a carnivor.

Finally the desert bighorn sheep, it has big horns that can get into the cacti`s nutritious insides. to keep cool they would sweat and pant (like a dog). They stay in the desert because they do not like man made environments.

Introduction to my blog

Hello, i am writing blogs about animal geography. I will be explaining how the different animals have adapted to the different climates and surroundings in their habitats. This is a subject that has interested me since i love animals from the hot and cold climates of the world.

http://www.sheeptoshawl.com/news/data/upimages/cute_polar_bear.jpg