Wildlife Encounters: Plant Protectors!

On Wednesday, we were visited once again by Wildlife Encounters who came to show us animals that help plants grow by spreading their seeds and protecting them from pests!

The first animal Jean showed us was a Millipede, which is an Arthropod. It lives in leaves, helping them decompose and add nutrients back into the soil!

The next animal we saw was a Green McCaw named Noah. We learned that birds poop every 15-20 min to ensure they are never too heavy to fly, which means the seeds they eat are still able to grow even after they get digested! Noah is a Herbivore and eats fruit seeds berries, and he can break open a walnut with his beak. His feathers are the colors of the rain forests so he can camouflage himself when he is out in his natural habitat, and the red helps them blend in with the rest of their flock.

Afterwards, we met a Fennec Fox named Radar, which helps plants by eating small insects and rodents that with otherwise be eating the plants. Native to Africa, he uses his large ears to find his prey and uses his long, furry tail to keep him warm on cold desert nights.

We then met another animal that eats plant predators, but this time it was an amphibian! Sugar Cane Toads are native to South America, and like the Fennec Fox, the Sugar Cane Toad protects the sugar cane by eating the insects trying to feast on the plant!

We then saw an animal that MANY of us have seen around our own community, which was a Skunk! While skunks like Fauna also help plants by eating pests that try to eat them, she also helps plants by digging in the ground and aerating the soil, making it healthier for plants to grow in. We also learned that skunks give you a few warning signs before they will spray you:

1. Thump the ground with their hind legs

2. Stick Up Their Tail

3. Turn Around

Even then, it will take them a few more seconds to muster up their spray, so RUN! 

Don't worry, Fauna was de-stinked before she came for her visit! 

Lastly, we saw a Red-Tailed Boa Constrictor, which also helps with pest control around plants. These snakes live in trees around South America

Afterwards, we all had the chance to touch the snake and ask Jean any other questions we had. We are so grateful to her and all the wonderful folks over at Wildlife Encounters for bringing these animals to us! 

Wildlife Encounters: Animal Planters!

This week, Wildlife Encounters paid the second graders another visit, this time with animals that help plants grow! While many of the animals we saw back in the fall were also helpful to plants and their soil, we learned about some new animals who also do their part to keep the Earth green. 

The first animals we got to see were Masdagascar Giant Hissing Cockroaches. While you may not want to find these in your house, they are a great help to the plants and soil outside. They eat decaying plants and animals, break them down, and leave the soil rich with nutrients. 

Even though Kaya the Wallaby eats plants, she helps them grow by only eating the parts of the plan that can easily grow back without damaging the rest of the plant. She also helps  to spread and plant the seeds from the plants she eats when they leave her body and she steps on them to push them into the ground and spread them over long distances. 

She also seemed very interested in eating our lunch! 

Noah is a Green Winged Macaw who loves three things: berries, nuts and Alicia Keys. While the latter does not do much to help the planet, Noah also helps plants grow by spreading the seeds of the plants he eats! 

OJ the Albino Corn Snake helps plants by protecting them from their predators. While OJ does not eat corn himself, he does enjoy the mice who do. Farmers rely on these types of animals to protect their crops and help them continue to grow. 

It was also pretty cool to see a very special audience volunteer get to hold him!

Next, we got to meet a Giant Cane Toad, which helps to protect a very important plant to second graders--sugar cane! The toad protects the plant by eating bugs that fly around it. It also secrets poison from behind its eyes to protect itself from its prey which also gets on the cane plants, so animals and insects that try to eat the plant get sick or pass away.  

Lastly, we got to meet Fauna the Brown Skunk. While Fauna has had her spray glands removed, we still learned to warning signs to know when a skunk is feeling threatened enough to spray. First, skunks will thump their feet on the ground to ward predators off. Then, they will wag their tails at a predator. Finally, they will stick their tail straight up in the air, at which point you will only have seconds to get at lease 15 feet away! Skunks do not like to spray, as it hurts their body, so they will only do so when they are feeling seriously threatened. Skunks help plants by eating only the parts of plants that will grow back, as well as the insects that destroy plants such as beetles.  

Thank you very much to our friends at Wildlife Encounters for another amazing and informative visit! And thank you to all of the animals working hard to keep our Earth green :) 

Wildlife Encounters- Animals of New Hampshire

On Thursday, we were paid a visit by Derek from Wildlife Encounters along with a few of his animals friends! Before meeting the animals, Derek had us recite the Citizens of Earth's Pledge to the Planet" to protect and respect the living things around us:

"I Pledge Allegiance 

to the Web of Life

of which we are each a strand

and to the planet Earth

on which we stand,

one ecosystem,

under the sun,

interdependent,

with diversity and respect for all"

The first animal we met was a brown Skunk named Fauna. We learned the scientific name for skunks (mephitis mephitis) as well as the scientific name for humans (homo sapiens). The first part of the name refers to the genus of the animal and the second part of the name comes from the species. We also learned that skunks are nocturnal (which means they typically come out at night), but occasionally will come out during the day if it is dark and cloudy. 

We learned that skunks are mammals because they have fur. We also learned that the only difference between hair and fur is that fur grows to a certain length and then stops while hair will continue to grow. Fauna was a little nervous around the big crowd and showed us "Nature's Stop Sign", but luckily she had been de-skunkified before becoming one of Derek's Teaching Assistants! 

Next, we met the largest reptile in New Hampshire, the Snapping Turtle! We learned that turtles don't actually have shells like hermit crabs or shellfish because their shells are part of their body and it cannot be removed! Derek showed us that the center of the shell is actually the turtle's spine and the sides make up its rip cage! Snapping turtles have very long necks, not only to protect themselves from predators, but to also help them catch their food and flip themselves back into upright position should they get knocked over.

Next we met Houdini the Groundhog/Woodchuck. Houdini was a bit plump when we saw him, because he is getting his body ready to hibernate for the winter. We learned why groundhogs/woodchucks gained the nickname "whistle pigs" when Derek lifted him out of his cage! 

Derek also told us about where the holiday "Groundhog Day" originated from. In Germany, when hedgehogs would poke out of their winter homes, it was a sign that spring was on its way! 

Next we met Aurora, the Great Horned Owl. Aurora was rescued from the wild when she was accidentally hit by a car when swooping down to pick up another animal off the side of the road. Aurora was demonstrating the "panting" movement that owls do with their beaks and throats. Owls do this to communicate with one another and they also do it when they are feeling hot or stressed. 

Lorena the Virginia Opossum was also rescued from the wild when her mother was hit by a car while carrying herself and her brothers in her pouch (they are the only marsupials living in North America). We learned that Opossums can hang from their tails and have more teeth than any other North American mammal. She even gave us a glimpse of those 50 pearly whites before Derek placed her back in her cage! 

Lastly, we met a Hognose Snake.This type of snake is only slightly venomous, and they only use it to help capture their prey. While many people are not fond of snakes (including Ms. Riley), we learned that they are vital to keeping our environment in balance! 

Thank you very much for sharing your animals and wealth of knowledge with us, Derek! We can't wait to see you and meet some new animals again later on in the year!