Raccoons are medium-sized mammals native to North America. The raccoon is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of 16 to 28 inches and a body weight of 8 to 20 lb. Two of the raccoon's most distinctive features are its extremely dexterous front paws and its facial mask - the area of black fur around the eyes which contrasts sharply with the surrounding white face coloring. This is reminiscent of a "bandit's mask" and has thus enhanced the animal's reputation for mischief. Raccoons are noted for their intelligence.

The original habitats of the raccoon were deciduous and mixed forests, but due to their adaptability they have extended their range to mountainous areas, coastal marshes, and urban areas. As a result of escapes and deliberate introductions in the mid-20th century, raccoons also now live across the European mainland, the Caucasus region and Japan. Although they have thrived in sparsely wooded areas in the last decades, raccoons depend on vertical structures to climb when they feel threatened. Therefore, they avoid open terrain and areas with high concentrations of beech trees, as beech bark is too smooth to climb. Tree hollows in old oaks or other trees and rock crevices are preferred by raccoons as sleeping, winter and litter dens. If such dens are unavailable or accessing them is inconvenient, raccoons use burrows dug by other mammals, dense undergrowth or tree crotches. Since amphibians, crustaceans, and other animals found around the shore of lakes and rivers are an important part of the raccoon's diet, lowland deciduous or mixed forests abundant with water and marshes are the favorite homes of raccoons.

The shape and size of a raccoon's home range varies depending on age, sex, and habitat, with adults claiming areas more than twice as large as juveniles.

Home range sizes vary anywhere from 7 acres for females in cities to 20 square miles for males in prairies. Irrespective of whether the home ranges of adjacent groups overlap, they are most likely not actively defended outside the mating season if food supplies are sufficient. Odor marks on prominent spots establish home ranges and identify individuals.

The most important sense for the raccoon is its sense of touch. The "hyper sensitive" front paws are protected by a thin horny layer which becomes pliable when wet. The five digits of the paws have no webbing between them, but they lack an opposable thumb. Raccoons are thought to be color blind or at least poorly able to distinguish color, though their eyes are well-adapted for sensing green light.

Raccoons recognize the facial expression and posture of other members of their species more quickly because of the conspicuous facial coloration and the alternating light and dark rings on the tail. The dark mask may also reduce glare and thus enhance night vision. On other parts of the body, the long and stiff guard hairs, which shed moisture, are usually colored in shades of gray and, to a lesser extent, brown. The dense underfur, which accounts for almost 90% of the coat, keeps raccoons well insulated against cold weather.

Raccoons engage in gender-specific social behaviors and are not typically solitary, as was previously thought. Related females often live in a so-called "fission-fusion society", that is, they share a common area and occasionally meet at feeding or resting grounds. Unrelated males often form loose male social groups to maintain their position against foreign males during the mating season—or against other potential invaders. These groups usually consist of up to four individuals. Since some males show aggressive behavior towards unrelated kits, mothers will isolate themselves from other raccoons until their kits are big enough to defend themselves.

Though usually nocturnal, the raccoon is sometimes active in daylight to take advantage of available food sources. Its diet consists of about 40% invertebrates, 33% plant material and 27% vertebrates. While its diet in spring and early summer consists mostly of insects, worms, and other animals already available early in the year, it prefers fruits and nuts, such as acorns and walnuts, which emerge in late summer and autumn and represent a rich calorie source for building up fat needed for winter. Contrary to popular belief, raccoons eat active or large prey such as birds and mammals only occasionally. When food is plentiful, raccoons can develop strong individual preferences for specific foods.

Raccoons usually mate in a period triggered by increasing daylight between late January and mid-March. During the mating season, males restlessly roam their home ranges in search of females in an attempt to court them during the three to four day period when conception is possible. These encounters will often occur at central meeting places. Copulation, including foreplay, can last over an hour and is repeated over several nights. The weaker members of a male social group also get the opportunity to mate, since the stronger ones cannot mate with all available females. If a female does not become pregnant or if she loses her kits early, she will sometimes become fertile again 80 to 140 days later. After 63 to 70 days, a litter of typically two to five young is born. The average litter size varies widely with habitat, ranging from 2.5 in Alabama to 4.8 in North Dakota. Males have no part in raising young. The kits (also called "cubs") are blind and deaf at birth, but their mask is already visible against their light fur. After six to nine weeks, they begin to explore outside the den, consuming solid food for the first time. After this point, their mother suckles them with decreasing frequency. They are usually weaned by 16 weeks. In the fall, after their mother has shown them dens and feeding grounds, the juvenile group splits up. While many females will stay close to the home range of their mother, males can sometimes move more than 12 miles away. However, mother and offspring may share a den during the first winter in cold areas.

Young raccoons are vulnerable to losing their mother and to starvation, particularly in long and cold winters. The most frequent natural cause of death in the North American raccoon population is distemper, which can reach epidemic proportions and kill most of a local raccoon population. In areas with heavy vehicular traffic and extensive hunting, these factors can account for up to 90% of all deaths of adult raccoons. The most important natural predators of the raccoon are bobcats, coyotes, and great horned owls, the latter mainly preying on young raccoons.

Raccoons’ lives are often cut short by the inhumane fur industry. Like foxes, raccoons are hunted by starved dogs and often suffer in steel-jaw traps, where they endure hours of agony before they are killed—or chew an arm or leg off in an effort to escape. Raccoons are also raised on “fur farms”, often in horrific conditions. Raccoons are sometimes kept as pets, which is inhumane because the raccoon is not a domesticated species. Raccoons may act unpredictably and aggressively from the extreme stress of captivity.

Amphibians are cold blooded, breathe air through their skin and do not have hair or scales. Amphibians go through a metamorphosis; starting from an egg, morphing into larvae that is typically aquatic, breathing by gills, and growing into semi-terrestrial adults that breathe by lungs and through moist skin.

Amphibious means ‘belonging to both land and water’ - but not all amphibious creatures are amphibians. Marine iguanas, sea snakes, crocodiles and pond turtles are all amphibious but they are considered reptiles because they do not go through a metamorphosis. They also have scales; amphibians have no scales. While both amphibians and reptiles come from eggs, amphibian eggs need to stay moist or wet as they develop and are usually laid in water.

Amphibians include frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and caecilians – who resemble earthworms or snakes and hide in the ground, making them the least familiar of amphibians.. Most amphibians eat small animals like insects. Amphibians are divided into 3 major groups; salamanders, frogs and toads.

Amphibians have the sad privilege of being endangered more than any other animal group. At least 30 percent of all amphibian species are now threatened to disappear. Toads, frogs, and salamanders are vanishing due to animal agriculture, habitat loss, air and water pollution, global warming, UV light exposure, disease, and the introduction of exotic species. Because this group of animals is overly sensitive to environmental change, they should be regarded as the canary in the global coal mine. Amphibians alert us to minor but definite changes in the ecosystem that could lead to the extinction of many more species, not excluding humans.

The largest amphibian is the giant salamander at 4 feet 8 inches long. The giant salamander is also the heaviest, weighing in at a whopping 88 pounds.

The smallest amphibian in the world is a frog from New Guinea, Paedophryne amauensis, at only 0.30 inches.

The fastest amphibian is an Andean salamander, which can travel at speeds of 15 mph.

The giant salamander lives the longest, over 50 years.

Baby amphibians hatch from eggs in water, starting off as polliwogs or tadpoles with no limbs and breathing through gills like fish. Some amphibians care for their eggs and babies, while others abandon their eggs in water and offer no care. When amphibian eggs hatch, the babies do not look like their parents. They start off as a larva, then undergo metamorphosis to transform into an adult form. Some amphibians, like toads, the process of going from an egg to a toad may only takes a few weeks. For others, like bullfrogs, the process may take two years.

Giant South African bullfrogs are devoted fathers who have attacked lions and elephants while defending tadpoles. Some male frogs in the rainforest, who send messages by drumming with their feet, are the sole caretakers of their young. After the mother lays eggs, the father guards the nest and carries his children on his back.

Corals are marine invertebrates in the class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria. They typically live in compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.

Corals are sessile, which means that they permanently attach themselves to the ocean floor, essentially "taking root" like most plants do. We certainly cannot recognize them by their faces or other distinct body parts, as we can most other animals. So what exactly are corals? Corals actually comprise an ancient and unique partnership, called symbiosis, that benefits both animal and plant life in the ocean. Corals are animals, though, because they do not make their own food, as plants do. Corals have tiny, tentacle-like arms that they use to capture their food from the water and sweep into their inscrutable mouths.

Most structures that we call "coral" are, in fact, made up of hundreds to thousands of tiny coral creatures called polyps. Each soft-bodied polyp - most no thicker than a nickel - secretes a hard outer skeleton of limestone (calcium carbonate) that attaches either to rock or the dead skeletons of other polyps.

In the case of stony or hard corals, these polyp conglomerates grow, die, and endlessly repeat the cycle over time...slowly laying the limestone foundation for coral reefs and giving shape to the familiar corals that reside there. Because of this cycle of growth, death, and regeneration among individual polyps, many coral colonies can live for a very long time.

Most corals contain algae called zooxanthellae, which are plant-like organisms. Residing within the coral's tissues, the microscopic algae are well protected and make use of the coral's metabolic waste products for photosynthesis, the process by which plants make their own food. The corals benefit, in turn, as the algae produce oxygen, remove wastes, and supply the organic products of photosynthesis that corals need to grow, thrive, and build up the reef. More than merely a clever collaboration that has endured between some of the tiniest ocean animals and plants for some 25 million years, this mutual exchange is the reason why coral reefs are the largest structures of biological origin on earth, and rival old-growth forests in the longevity of their ecological communities.

Corals are a vital part of the marine world. There are around 70,000 different species of coral throughout the oceans of the world. They are most numerous in warm and tropical climates in the southern hemisphere.

Corals are divided into two subspecies based on how many tentacles they have. Corals with eight tentacles are known as Alcyonaria, which includes sea fans, soft coral and sea pens. Corals with more than eight tentacles are known as Zoantharia, which includes the coral species found in coral reefs.

Although some corals can catch small fish and plankton, using stinging cells on their tentacles, most corals obtain the majority of their energy and nutrients from algae that live within the coral's tissue. Corals require sunlight and grow in clear, shallow water, typically at depths shallower than 200 feet. Some species have adapted to living in deeper levels of the oceans.

Corals live from 3 months to 30 years, depending on the species. Coral species that make up the extensive coral reefs usually live much longer than species like the softer corals, which live on their own.

Coral reefs support more species than any other marine environment. Reefs rival rainforests in the amount of biodiversity they support. Thousands of creatures rely on coral reefs for their survival. They provide hiding places for marine animals to evade predators, and serve as a meeting and breeding ground.

Hidden beneath the ocean waters, reefs are also some of the oldest ecosystems on the planet, reflecting thousands of years of history. Although individual coral polyps are tiny, they create the largest living structures on earth - some reefs are visible from space.

Coral reefs are under stress around the world. In particular, coral mining, agricultural and urban runoff, pollution (organic and inorganic), overfishing, blast fishing, disease, and the digging of canals and access into islands and bays are localized threats to coral ecosystems. Broader threats are sea temperature rise, sea level rise and pH changes from ocean acidification.

General estimates show approximately 10% of the world's coral reefs are dead. About 60% of the world's reefs are at risk due to human-related activities. The threat to reef health is particularly strong in Southeast Asia, where 80% of reefs are endangered. Over 50% of the world's coral reefs may be destroyed by 2030.

In the Caribbean and tropical Pacific, direct contact between common seaweeds and coral causes bleaching and death to the coral via transfer of lipid-soluble metabolites. Seaweed and algae proliferate given adequate nutrients and limited grazing by herbivores such as parrotfish.

Coral disease, tropical storms, tourism and recreation, vessel damage, marine debris and aquatic invasive species also threaten coral.

Many governments now prohibit removal of coral from reefs, and inform coastal residents about reef protection and ecology. While local action such as habitat restoration and herbivore protection can reduce local damage, the longer-term threats of acidification, temperature change and sea-level rise remain a challenge.

To eliminate destruction of corals in their indigenous regions, projects have been started to grow corals in non-tropical countries.

Natural avian drilling experts, woodpeckers are well-known in popular culture. These notorious members of the Picidae family are almost exclusively tree-dwellers, and are found in treed areas throughout most of the world, with the exception of Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar and the more extreme Polar Regions. There’s far greater species diversity present in rainforest habitats, but woodpeckers can be found in savannahs, scrublands and bamboo forests as well. A few species do inhabit grassland or desert, sometimes nesting in taller cacti plants instead of trees, or, like the enterprising ground woodpecker, in holes that they dig themselves. The presence of deadwood is important for breeding populations of forest woodpecker species. 

Generally, woodpecker species have similar physiological characteristics. Depending on species, they can range in size from around 6” up to 21” in length, and up to just over 1lb in weight. The largest woodpecker species is thought to be the ivory-billed woodpecker, which had been listed as extinct for a large part of the 20th century but was rediscovered again in 2005.

A woodpecker’s strong bill and thickened skull are suitable for drilling on trees, and their brain is smaller in size and oriented differently from other avians to protect it from damage caused by repeated impacts. In fact, a woodpecker can repeatedly peck on a tree from around 8,000 to 12,000 times a day, at velocities of up to 10,000 m/s2. Their nostrils are slit-like and covered by protective feathers, while their eyes have a thick membrane that closes just before the bird makes contact, protecting them from flying pieces of wood or tree bark.

A woodpecker’s tail and feet are also uniquely functional; stiffened tail feathers actually help to act as a prop or support for them as they forage or rest in between bouts of drilling, and their feet, which have two toes facing forwards and two facing backwards, are adapted to assist them with grasping tree limbs and walking vertically up tree trunks as they forage. The males of many woodpecker species also tend to have distinctive red or yellow head markings.

Woodpeckers spend a large part of their day foraging for food. Their diet is mainly made up of insects like ants, termites, beetles, spiders and grubs from trees, though they’ll also feed on fruit, nuts and tree sap. They either collect food from the crevices in bark, or excavate holes in the wood to reach their prey, reaching in and capturing it with a long, barbed tongue. It’s a fact that many woodpecker species have a positive ecological impact on the trees they live in, since they help to control insect infestations that could damage forested areas.

When it comes to social behavior, each woodpecker species is different; some are extremely antisocial, aggressively driving away other woodpeckers, while others live in communal breeding groups, or join mixed-species flocks when they’re feeding. Staying within a larger group allows them to reduce their vigilance towards predators and increase their rate of successful foraging as well. They’re most active during the day, roosting at night inside holes (often tree cavities), which they’ll also use as nesting sites. Roosts are typically lined with the wood chips produced as a hole is made, and most woodpeckers will usually only build one nest each breeding season, though sometimes it takes them multiple tries before they find a location that’s just right. A breeding pair can take up to a month to finish excavating the perfect nest, and abandoned attempts are often used by other bird species and small mammals. They’ll often need to determinedly defend their nest once it becomes usable, since they face competition for nesting sites from other woodpeckers or different species of cavity nesting birds.

The majority of woodpecker species are monogamous, mating and raising offspring with the same partner, but some species will breed and raise chicks in cooperation with other birds or even practice polygamy. Tree drumming is often used as part of communication and courtship rituals between males and females. A mated pair jointly builds a nest, incubates the eggs, and raises young together. In most species the male tends to do most of the ‘heavy lifting’, since he performs the majority of the nest excavation and night time incubation duties. Egg clutches are usually 2-5 in number, and incubate for around 11-14 days before they hatch. The chicks are blind and featherless at first, and one parent remains in the nest at a time while the other forages and brings food back to feed them. Most woodpeckers are ready to leave the nest between 20 and 30 days of age, beginning their own one-bird drilling operations. Woodpeckers tend to live anywhere between 4-11 years of age.

Like many other endangered avians, many species of woodpeckers are threatened by loss of their habitat through human activities like removal of deadwood, large scale clearing, and agricultural development. Pesticide use in many parts of the world also threatens woodpecker populations, and changes in climate are becoming a larger issue as well. Drought tends to increase the incidence of severe forest fires that destroy mature trees (which woodpeckers use for nesting), and outbreaks of parasitic insects like the pine beetle can affect large stands of forested habitat that woodpeckers use for nesting. Several species, including the Imperial, Ivory-billed and Okinawa woodpeckers are listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.

On rainy nights, in late March or early April, if you’re lucky enough to be in the right place, at the right time, you will hear the almost eerie sound of the spring peepers. These tiny treefrogs and the equally vocal wood frogs sing at night, in the rain, when temperatures are above 40 degrees.

 

Spring Peepers, also called Chorus Frogs, are amphibians (animals that live part of their lives in water and part on land). Though they rarely climb a tree above the level of your knee, these little gems are a type of treefrog.

Spring Peepers are very small, about the size of a nickel, and brown-green, with "X" marks on their backs. This coloring allows them to blend into the background, so predators, including curious humans, can’t find them. During this season, the throats of the male are gray in color and, surprisingly, they also have mustaches.

A Spring Peeper pushes air out of a sac in its throat and draws it quickly back in, to make two clear notes. “Peep out! Peep in!” The call of male Spring Peepers forms a loud chorus, each singing its high-pitched song.

Spring Peepers will begin to appear in February or March, when the ground has thawed and the cold rains of early spring soften the earth. They gather at pools and puddles filled by winter rains and snowmelt. Woodland ponds surrounded by bushes, with branches and twigs in and above the water, are perfect for them. Like all treefrogs, they have sticky round toepads that they use to climb and cling to the twigs and bark. You'll also find Spring Peepers in fields and other low places, where they cling to stalks of grass.

Male Spring Peepers call out from their perches, peeping to attract a mate. They prefer to stay close to the deepest end of these temporary pools; the better to jump into the water and hide if anything threatening comes too close. ‘Though harbingers of spring, sometimes, you may also hear a lone male peeper calling in the autumn.

Frog populations have declined dramatically since the 1950s: more than one third of species are believed to be threatened with extinction and more than 120 species are suspected to be extinct since the 1980s. Habitat loss is a significant cause of frog population decline, as are pollutants, the introduction of non-indigenous predators/competitors, and emerging infectious diseases.

Frogs are threatened by the inhumane pet trade. Every year, a variety of sources provides millions of animals to the wild and exotic pet trade. Animals are captured from their native habitat and transported to various countries to be sold as “pets”. Others are surplus animals from zoos or their offspring. Backyard breeders also supply exotic animals. The sellers of these animals often disregard state or local laws regulating private possession of exotics,  and the dangers, difficulties, physical and physiological needs of the animals they peddle. The suffering of the animals in the hands of unqualified and hapless buyers appears to be of no concern in the lucrative exotic pet trade. The animals also pose safety risks to humans.

Frogs are also victims of the animal entertainment industry, placed on display in zoos, aquariums, businesses and nature centers. They are removed from their natural habitat; depriving them of the ability to freely engage in instinctual behaviors. Both children and adults are desensitized to animal mistreatment by the animal entertainment industry. Even under the best of circumstances, captivity is cruel for wild animals. Confined to tiny areas and gawked at by crowds, animals in exhibits endure constant stress. They may suffer from temperature extremes and irregular feeding and watering. Without exercise, they become listless, their immune systems are weakened, and they become prone to sickness; many resort to self-mutilation in reaction to stress or boredom. Mental illness is rampant among confined animals. Torn from their families and deprived of all dignity, every part of their lives is controlled by their captors. While zoos may appear to be educational and conservation-oriented, most are designed with the needs and desires of the visitors in mind, not the needs of the animals.

Colorful denizens of the trees, macaws are some of the most beautiful and charismatic birds on earth. Part of the parrot family Psittacidae, macaws in particular are New World creatures, native to South America, Central America and Mexico. There are 19 recorded species of macaw, including endangered or extinct ones; while most  are found in rainforest habitats, where their bright plumage fits in with other colorful flowers, fruits and plants. Other species also exist in woodland or drier savannah-type regions.

The two main trademarks of a macaw,  its large, curved beak and long tail, and a lighter colored facial patch (which varies in size between species), is what separates macaws from other types of parrots. Interestingly, each bird’s feather facial patterns are completely unique, much like fingerprints in humans. Most species are generally large birds, and they can range in size from 11.5 to 39.5 inches, and in weight from 4.5oz to 3.75 lb. The largest, the hyacinth macaw, has a wingspan of more than four feet! They’re also some of the most long-lived birds - many species of macaw can live from between 40-60 years of age in the wild, and larger macaws have survived up to age 75 in captivity.

In addition to their vibrant coloring, these birds have many other adaptations suited to tree dwelling. Strong feet with long, gripping toes that alternately face backward and forward (called zygodactyl) are used by the macaw to perch securely on branches, move from place to place, and grab and hold objects. Their powerful beaks allow them to easily crack open seeds and nuts, while their highly manoeuvrable, scaly tongue contains a bone that they use as a tool to manipulate food and tap into fruit.

As a rule, macaws are highly intelligent and social avians. They gather in canopy flocks that range from 10 to 30 birds, and their raucous voices - used in a language of squawks, screams and calls - are used to communicate with other birds, distinguish and identify each other, and mark territory. Macaws are also great mimics, and in captivity, some species easily learn how to imitate human speech and other sounds. Flocks sleep together in the trees overnight for security.

Like many other birds, omnivorous macaws will eat a wide variety of different foods that can include nuts, snails, fruit, seeds, leaves, palm fruit, flowers and stems. Some species travel long distances to forage, covering over 62 miles in some cases depending on the season and availability. They may even eat foods that contain toxic substances, which they seem to be able to digest. The practice of clay eating is also exclusive to macaw species in the Amazon Basin; with the exception of rainy days, these macaws visit exposed river banks daily to consume clay for its sodium content, since sodium is scarce in these species’ food sources. The clay is also thought to be a natural source of cobalamin (vitamin B12), and parent macaws in the western Amazon will feed their nestlings high amounts of clay after hatching.

Reproduction is a serious business for these birds. Reaching sexual maturity anywhere between 3 and 5 years, mated macaws are monogamous partners for life, raising their young together. Mated macaws will often lick and groom each other to display and enhance their bond together. Breeding typically happens every 1-2 years, and can happen in any season in the wild. Females lay between 1 to 4 eggs in the hollows of trees, usually located in the upper rainforest canopy, and do most of the work of incubation while the male brings them food in the nest. After hatching, the male also is the main provider for the nestlings, feeding them liquefied, regurgitated food until they’re able to eat on their own. Because they reach maturity far later than many other bird species, nestlings often stay with the parents for up to two years, and the male and female will not lay another set of eggs until the previous young are fully independent.

As adults, many macaws are able to escape predation by flying away and hiding in the canopy, but hatchlings, immature birds, and occasionally fully fledged macaws can be vulnerable to predators like snakes, monkeys, eagles, hawks and large cats. As bright as they are, adult macaws try to camouflage their nests as best as possible and are extremely vigilant when protecting their young.

Most species of macaws existing today are unfortunately endangered, some critically so. The two greatest threats to populations of macaws in the wild are the continuing deforestation of their natural habitats, which significantly reduces available nesting sites, and illegal capture of birds for the pet trade, in spite of regulated international trade laws. Some birds are also hunted locally for their meat and bright feathers, which are sold for decoration in handmade products or costuming. Blue and gold macaws tend to be the most numerous macaw species in captivity, with many hybrid variations of blue and gold and other macaw species becoming more popular in the commercial pet market. The destruction of their rainforest habitat is particularly concerning, in light of the fact that macaws don’t reproduce frequently or in large numbers, and it’s likely the largest reason why many species of these beautiful birds teeter on the brink of extinction in the wild.

The gray fox is a species of fox ranging from southern Canada, throughout most of the lower United States and Central America, to Venezuela. This species, and the closely related island fox, are the only living members of the genus Urocyon, which is considered to be among the most primitive of the living canids.

The gray fox has a gray back, tawny sides, neck and legs, a white belly, and a black stripe along the back and tail. Another black stripe crosses their face from the nose to the eye and continuing to the side of the head. Standing about 12-16 inches at the shoulders, weighing up to 16 pounds, and having an overall body length of up to 47 inches, the gray fox is an agile canid able to scurry up and down trees with relative ease.

The gray fox's ability to climb trees is shared only with the Asian raccoon dog among canids. Their strong, hooked claws allow them to scramble up trees to escape many predators such as the domestic dog or the coyote, or to reach tree-bound or arboreal food sources. They descend primarily by jumping from branch to branch, or by descending slowly backwards as a house cat would do. The gray fox is nocturnal or crepuscular and dens in hollow trees, stumps or appropriated burrows during the day.

The gray fox is a solitary hunter and is largely omnivorous. They frequently prey upon the eastern cottontail, though gray foxes will readily catch voles, shrews and birds. The gray fox supplements their diet with whatever fruits are readily available and generally eats more vegetable matter than does the red fox.

The gray fox is monogamous. The breeding season of the gray fox varies geographically; in Michigan, the gray fox mates in early March, in Alabama, breeding peaks occur in February. The gestation period lasts approximately 53 days. Litter size ranges from 1 to 7. Kits begin to hunt with their parents at the age of 3 months. By the time they are 4 months old, the kits will have developed their permanent dentition and can easily forage on their own. The family group still remains together until autumn when the young reach sexual maturity and then disperse.

Gray foxes are at risk from habitat loss, inhumane trapping, hunting and vehicle deaths.

Fox penning is an indefensible and barbaric blood sport in which dozens of dogs compete in a fenced-in area to chase—and sometimes rip apart—foxes and coyotes taken from the wild.

While the gray fox pelt is not considered as "desirable" as the red fox in the fur industry because it is more course; in recent years it has been used as trim for coat collars and for similar uses in the fur industry.

Thorny devils, also known as thorny dragons, thorny lizards and molochs, are small lizards covered from head to tail with spines and thorns. They inhabit the deserts of Australia, living in sand, spinifex grasslands and scrub. There are no other lizards like thorny devils anywhere on the planet.

Thorny devils are only about the size of a mouse. They have an extremely spiky looking appearance, with a rigid body structure. Thorny devils have false heads on the back of their necks that confuse predators when they dip their real heads down. Between the cone shaped spikes of thorny devils, small channels collect water from all parts of their body to be transported to their mouths.

Female thorny devils are usually slightly larger than male thorny devils. Females are paler in color; males being slightly redder. Both male and female thorny devils change colors. In the morning when it is cool, thorny devils are a drab olive-brown color. During the day when it gets warmer, they turn yellow and red. Their changing skin coloration helps thorny devils to blend into the Australian desert throughout the day. At night, thorny devils dig themselves into the soil to keep warm. When the heat is extreme during the day, they dig underground burrows.

Thorny devils walk slowly, stop frequently, and rock back and forth. Their shaky, jerky movements and frequent freezing in place helps them conceal themselves from predators.

Thorny devils are obligate myrmecophages, feeding primarily on ants. They eat thousands of black ants every day. They receive most of their water from moisture that forms as dew drops each night. While thorny devils are often seen standing in water, they do not drink it. Their bodies are able to simply absorb it and store it for later use. When it is very hot, thorny devils can excrete salt to retain their water.

Thorny devils are “sit-and-wait” predators. They sit near ant trails and wait for the ants, then use their sticky tongues to capture the ants. Their teeth are well designed to handle the hard, chitinous bodies of ants. The mandibular teeth of thorny devils fit between maxillary teeth to create efficient shearing tools.

Thorny devils do not randomly scatter their fecal pellets. They place them in latrine sites.

Thorny devils are almost completely inactive during the hottest summer months and the coldest winter months. During these times they take refuge underground. They are most active in the autumn and late winter months.

During mating season, thorny devils build underground nests for their eggs. Males are aggressive with each other during mating season. Females give off an intoxicating scent to attract males. After mating, males go off in search of other females. Mother thorny devils lay ten eggs in their burrow during the spring-summer season (September-December). When the eggs hatch in three to four months, thorny devil babies are immediately able to take care of themselves.

Thorny devils are preyed upon by bustards, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, goannas, falcons and snakes. Goannas also prey on the eggs of thorny devils. Thorny devils puff themselves up to appear larger when confronted by predators. Their densely-packed spikes also make predators think twice before attacking them.

Thorny devils can live up to 20 years in the wild.

Thorny devils are threatened by habitat loss and changes in climate. They are often hit by cars. Their populations are declining.

Thorny devils are also victims of the pet trade, inhumanely kept in confinement for humane entertainment. They are difficult to maintain in captivity and rarely survive longer than a few months.

Mongooses are small mammals with a similar appearance to meerkats and weasels. Mongooses are not rodents; they are members of the Herpestidae family. Mongooses naturally inhabit Africa, Asia and parts of Europe and have been introduced to the Caribbean and Hawaiian islands. There are about 34 species of mongoose.

Mongooses vary in size depending on species. Most mongooses have a long-shaped face and body, short legs and small, round ears. Mongooses have grayish or brown fur. Some species of mongoose have patterned fur or ringed tails. They are a little lighter than weasels, making them more agile and able to avert danger better than weasels.

The smallest mongoose is the dwarf mongoose. The largest mongoose is the white-tailed mongoose.

Some mongooses are solitary, while other species of mongoose live and work in communities called packs, mobs or colonies. Colonies can have as many as 50 mongoose residents. Some mongooses groom each other. Colonies may be lead by an alpha male and female who can be the only two residents who mate and reproduce. Community members may have specific jobs and duties. Some hunt, some baby sit, others guard. Elders and youngsters are often cared for by the entire pack. Mongooses are known for using tools.

Each species of mongoose has adapted to their particular ecosystem. Some inhabit treetops, some rocky areas, and others live in semi-aquatic ecosystems. Many mongooses live in burrows that they either build themselves, or take over from other animals. Mongoose burrows are made up of a complex system of tunnels.

Mongooses are active during the day and sleep at night. They chatter incessantly to each other with a humane-like speech that combines discrete units of sound using vowel and syllable combinations. Mongooses sound alarm calls when they spot predators. During mating season they produce high-pitched giggling sounds to inform potential partners they are ready to mate. Mongooses also use scent to communicate their reproductive status and to mark their territories.

Mongooses are omnivores, feeding on both plants and animals. Most mongooses prefer to feed on small mammals, amphibians, birds, invertebrates, reptiles, fish, insects and worms. They will supplement their diets with seeds, nuts, berries, eggs, fruits and roots. Mongooses are known to crack eggs, nuts and shelled animals with, or against, hard objects.

Mongooses are very fast and agile. They have a keen sense of smell, sight and hearing. They can successfully fight off snakes. Some mongooses are even resistant to snake and scorpion venom and feed on venomous snakes and scorpions.

Female mongooses usually produce just one litter each year, but are capable of producing another litter if the first litter is lost. Baby mongooses are called pups and a group of offspring is called a litter. Pup mongooses are weaned at around 6 weeks old. They then forage with their mothers until they are about 4 months old. Male mongoose babies leave their mothers when they are about 6 months old. Female mongoose babies stay with their mother longer, sometimes permanently.

Mongooses live up to 10 years in the wild.

Most mongoose species are threatened. The main threat to mongooses is habitat loss. Forest-dwelling mongooses are threatened by deforestation. Animal agriculture, pesticides and pollution also threaten mongooses.

Mongooses are victims of roadside shows in some countries, forced to fight with snakes. They are also victims of the pet trade, kept in tiny cages for the amusement of humans.

Mongooses were introduced to some areas to control pests, only to then be regarded as an invasive species. They have been made the scapegoat for the decline of many animal species, but habitat destruction, caused by humans, is the leading cause of threatened and endangered species.

Frogs are amphibians characterized by a short body, webbed digits (fingers or toes), protruding eyes and the absence of a tail. Frogs are widely known as exceptional jumpers, and many of the anatomical characteristics of frogs, particularly their long, powerful legs, are adaptations to improve jumping performance.

Due to their permeable skin, frogs are often semi-aquatic or inhabit humid areas, but move easily on land. They typically lay their eggs in puddles, ponds or lakes, and their larvae, called tadpoles, have gills and develop in water. Adult frogs follow a carnivorous diet, mostly of arthropods, annelids and gastropods. Frogs are most noticeable by their call, which can be widely heard during the night or day, mainly in their mating season.

The distribution of frogs ranges from tropic to subarctic regions, but most species are found in tropical rainforests. Consisting of more than 5,000 species, they are among the most diverse groups of vertebrates. However, populations of certain frog species are declining significantly.

A popular distinction is often made between frogs and toads on the basis of their appearance, but this has no taxonomic basis. From a taxonomic perspective, all members of the order Anura are frogs, but only members of the family Bufonidae are considered "true toads". The use of the term "frog" in common names usually refers to species that are aquatic or semi-aquatic with smooth and/or moist skins, and the term "toad" generally refers to species that tend to be terrestrial with dry, warty skin. An exception is the fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina): while its skin is slightly warty, it prefers a watery habitat. Frogs are generally recognized as exceptional jumpers, and the best jumper of all vertebrates. The Australian rocket frog, Litoria nasuta, can leap over 50 times its body length.

A tree frog is any frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. These frogs are typically found in very tall trees or other high-growing vegetation. They do not normally descend to the ground, except to mate and spawn, though some build foam nests on leaves and rarely leave the trees at all as adults. Many tree frogs can change their color for better camouflage. Tree frogs are usually tiny, as their weight has to be carried by the branches and twigs of their habitat. Typical for tree frogs are the well-developed discs at the finger and toe tips; the fingers and toes themselves as well as the limbs tend to be rather long, resulting in a superior grasping ability.

Many frogs are able to absorb water and oxygen directly through the skin, especially around the pelvic area. However, the permeability of a frog's skin can also result in water loss. Some tree frogs reduce water loss with a waterproof layer of skin. Others have adapted behaviors to conserve water, including engaging in nocturnal activity and resting in a water-conserving position.

Camouflage is a common defensive mechanism in frogs. Most camouflaged frogs are nocturnal, which adds to their ability to hide. Nocturnal frogs usually find the ideal camouflaged position during the day to sleep. Some frogs have the ability to change color, usually restricted to shades of one or two colors. Features such as warts and skin folds are usually found on ground-dwelling frogs, where a smooth skin would not disguise them. Tree frogs usually have smooth skin, enabling them to disguise themselves as leaves. Some frogs change color between night and day.

Many frogs contain mild toxins that make them unpalatable to potential predators. For example, all toads have large poison glands - the parotoid glands - located behind the eyes, on the top of the head. Some frogs, such as some poison dart frogs, are especially toxic. The chemical makeup of toxins in frogs varies from irritants to hallucinogens, convulsants, nerve poisons and vasoconstrictors. Many predators of frogs have adapted to tolerate high levels of these poisons. Others, including humans, may be severely affected. Some frogs obtain poisons from the ants and other arthropods they eat; others can manufacture an alkaloid not derived from their diet. Some native people of South America extract poison from the poison dart frogs and apply it to their darts for hunting, although few species are toxic enough to be used for this purpose. Poisonous frogs tend to advertise their toxicity with bright colors, an adaptive strategy known as aposematism. Some non-poisonous species of frogs mimic the coloration of poison frogs' coloration for self-protection.

The life cycle of a frog starts with an egg. A female generally lays gelatinous egg masses containing thousands of eggs in water. The eggs are highly vulnerable to predation, so frogs have evolved many techniques to ensure the survival of the next generation. In colder areas the embryo is black to absorb more heat from the sun, which speeds up the development. Many individuals will breed at the same time, overwhelming the actions of predators. Another way in which some species avoid the predators and pathogens eggs are exposed to in ponds is to lay eggs on leaves above the pond, with a gelatinous coating designed to retain moisture. In these species, the tadpoles drop into the water upon hatching. The eggs of some species laid out of water can detect vibrations of nearby predatory wasps or snakes, and will hatch early to avoid being eaten. Some species lay poisonous eggs to minimize predation.

While the length of the egg stage depends on the species and environmental conditions, aquatic eggs generally hatch within one week. Other species go through their whole larval phase inside the eggs or the mother, or have direct development. Unlike salamanders and newts, frogs and toads never become sexually mature while still in their larval stage. Eggs hatch and continue life as tadpoles. Tadpoles are typically herbivorous, feeding mostly on algae, including diatoms filtered from the water through the gills. Some species are carnivorous at the tadpole stage, eating insects, smaller tadpoles, and fish. Cannibalism has been observed among tadpoles. Early developers who gain legs may be eaten by the others, so the late bloomers survive longer.

At the end of the tadpole stage, frogs undergo metamorphosis, in which they transition into the adult form. This metamorphosis last typically only 24 hours. The disappearance of the tail is somewhat later. The material of the tail is used for a quick growth of the legs. After the tail has been reabsorbed, the animals are ready to leave the water and disperse into terrestrial habitats, or continue to live in the aquatic habitat as adults.

Almost all species of frogs are carnivorous as adults, eating invertebrates such as arthropods, annelids and gastropods. A few of the larger species may eat prey such as small mammals, fish and smaller frogs. Some frogs use their sticky tongues to catch fast-moving prey, while others capture their prey and force it into their mouths with their hands. There are some species that primarily eat plants. Adult frogs are preyed upon by birds, large fish, snakes, otters, foxes, badgers and other animals. Frogs can live for many years; recorded living up to 40 years. Frogs from temperate climates hibernate through the winter.

Once adult frogs reach maturity, they will assemble at a water source such as a pond or stream to breed. Many frogs return to the bodies of water where they were born, often resulting in annual migrations involving thousands of frogs. Once at the breeding ground, male frogs call to attract a mate, collectively becoming a chorus of frogs. The call is unique to the species. Some species have satellite males who do not call, but intercept females that are approaching a calling male. The male and female frogs then undergo amplexus. This involves the male mounting the female and gripping her tightly. Fertilization is external: the egg and sperm meet outside of the body. The female releases her eggs, which the male frog covers with a sperm solution. The eggs then swell and develop a protective coating.

Some species of frog lay eggs on the forest floor and protect them, guarding the eggs from predation and keeping them moist. The frog will urinate on them if they become too dry. After hatching, a parent will move them, on its back, to a water-holding bromeliad. The parent then feeds them by laying unfertilized eggs in the bromeliad until the young have metamorphosed. Other frogs carry the eggs and tadpoles on their hind legs. Some frogs even protect their offspring inside their own bodies with pouches along their side. Some swallow their tadpoles, which then develop in the stomach. Some will put the tadpoles in their vocal sac for development. Some species of frog will leave a 'babysitter' to watch over the frogspawn until it hatches.

Frog populations have declined dramatically since the 1950s: more than one third of species are believed to be threatened with extinction and more than 120 species are suspected to be extinct since the 1980s. Habitat loss is a significant cause of frog population decline, as are pollutants, the introduction of non-indigenous predators/competitors, and emerging infectious diseases.

Frogs are threatened by the inhumane pet trade. Every year, a variety of sources provides millions of animals to the wild and exotic pet trade. Animals are captured from their native habitat and transported to various countries to be sold as “pets”. Others are surplus animals from zoos or their offspring. Backyard breeders also supply exotic animals. The sellers of these animals often disregard state or local laws regulating private possession of exotics,  and the dangers, difficulties, physical and physiological needs of the animals they peddle. The suffering of the animals in the hands of unqualified and hapless buyers appears to be of no concern in the lucrative exotic pet trade. The animals also pose safety risks to humans.

Frogs are also victims of the animal entertainment industry, placed on display in zoos, aquariums, businesses and nature centers. They are removed from their natural habitat; depriving them of the ability to freely engage in instinctual behaviors. Both children and adults are desensitized to animal mistreatment by the animal entertainment industry. Even under the best of circumstances, captivity is cruel for wild animals. Confined to tiny areas and gawked at by crowds, animals in exhibits endure constant stress. They may suffer from temperature extremes and irregular feeding and watering. Without exercise, they become listless, their immune systems are weakened, and they become prone to sickness; many resort to self-mutilation in reaction to stress or boredom. Mental illness is rampant among confined animals. Torn from their families and deprived of all dignity, every part of their lives is controlled by their captors. While zoos may appear to be educational and conservation-oriented, most are designed with the needs and desires of the visitors in mind, not the needs of the animals.

A tree frog is any frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. These frogs are typically found in very tall trees or other high-growing vegetation. They do not normally descend to the ground, except to mate and spawn, though some build foam nests on leaves and rarely leave the trees at all as adults. Many tree frogs can change their color for better camouflage. Tree frogs are usually tiny, as their weight has to be carried by the branches and twigs of their habitat. Typical for tree frogs are the well-developed discs at the finger and toe tips; the fingers and toes themselves as well as the limbs tend to be rather long, resulting in a superior grasping ability.

Frogs are amphibians characterized by a short body, webbed digits (fingers or toes), protruding eyes and the absence of a tail. Frogs are widely known as exceptional jumpers, and many of the anatomical characteristics of frogs, particularly their long, powerful legs, are adaptations to improve jumping performance.

Due to their permeable skin, frogs are often semi-aquatic or inhabit humid areas, but move easily on land. They typically lay their eggs in puddles, ponds or lakes, and their larvae, called tadpoles, have gills and develop in water. Adult frogs follow a carnivorous diet, mostly of arthropods, annelids and gastropods. Frogs are most noticeable by their call, which can be widely heard during the night or day, mainly in their mating season.

The distribution of frogs ranges from tropic to subarctic regions, but most species are found in tropical rainforests. Consisting of more than 5,000 species, they are among the most diverse groups of vertebrates. However, populations of certain frog species are declining significantly.

A popular distinction is often made between frogs and toads on the basis of their appearance, but this has no taxonomic basis. From a taxonomic perspective, all members of the order Anura are frogs, but only members of the family Bufonidae are considered "true toads". The use of the term "frog" in common names usually refers to species that are aquatic or semi-aquatic with smooth and/or moist skins, and the term "toad" generally refers to species that tend to be terrestrial with dry, warty skin. An exception is the fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina): while its skin is slightly warty, it prefers a watery habitat.

Frogs are generally recognized as exceptional jumpers, and the best jumper of all vertebrates. The Australian rocket frog, Litoria nasuta, can leap over 50 times its body length.

Many frogs are able to absorb water and oxygen directly through the skin, especially around the pelvic area. However, the permeability of a frog's skin can also result in water loss. Some tree frogs reduce water loss with a waterproof layer of skin. Others have adapted behaviors to conserve water, including engaging in nocturnal activity and resting in a water-conserving position.

Camouflage is a common defensive mechanism in frogs. Most camouflaged frogs are nocturnal, which adds to their ability to hide. Nocturnal frogs usually find the ideal camouflaged position during the day to sleep. Some frogs have the ability to change color, usually restricted to shades of one or two colors. Features such as warts and skin folds are usually found on ground-dwelling frogs, where a smooth skin would not disguise them. Tree frogs usually have smooth skin, enabling them to disguise themselves as leaves. Some frogs change color between night and day.

Many frogs contain mild toxins that make them unpalatable to potential predators. For example, all toads have large poison glands - the parotoid glands - located behind the eyes, on the top of the head. Some frogs, such as some poison dart frogs, are especially toxic. The chemical makeup of toxins in frogs varies from irritants to hallucinogens, convulsants, nerve poisons and vasoconstrictors. Many predators of frogs have adapted to tolerate high levels of these poisons. Others, including humans, may be severely affected. Some frogs obtain poisons from the ants and other arthropods they eat; others can manufacture an alkaloid not derived from their diet. Some native people of South America extract poison from the poison dart frogs and apply it to their darts for hunting, although few species are toxic enough to be used for this purpose. Poisonous frogs tend to advertise their toxicity with bright colors, an adaptive strategy known as aposematism. Some non-poisonous species of frogs mimic the coloration of poison frogs' coloration for self-protection.

The life cycle of a frog starts with an egg. A female generally lays gelatinous egg masses containing thousands of eggs in water. The eggs are highly vulnerable to predation, so frogs have evolved many techniques to ensure the survival of the next generation. In colder areas the embryo is black to absorb more heat from the sun, which speeds up the development. Many individuals will breed at the same time, overwhelming the actions of predators. Another way in which some species avoid the predators and pathogens eggs are exposed to in ponds is to lay eggs on leaves above the pond, with a gelatinous coating designed to retain moisture. In these species, the tadpoles drop into the water upon hatching. The eggs of some species laid out of water can detect vibrations of nearby predatory wasps or snakes, and will hatch early to avoid being eaten. Some species lay poisonous eggs to minimize predation.

While the length of the egg stage depends on the species and environmental conditions, aquatic eggs generally hatch within one week. Other species go through their whole larval phase inside the eggs or the mother, or have direct development. Unlike salamanders and newts, frogs and toads never become sexually mature while still in their larval stage. Eggs hatch and continue life as tadpoles. Tadpoles are typically herbivorous, feeding mostly on algae, including diatoms filtered from the water through the gills. Some species are carnivorous at the tadpole stage, eating insects, smaller tadpoles, and fish. Cannibalism has been observed among tadpoles. Early developers who gain legs may be eaten by the others, so the late bloomers survive longer.

At the end of the tadpole stage, frogs undergo metamorphosis, in which they transition into the adult form. This metamorphosis last typically only 24 hours. The disappearance of the tail is somewhat later. The material of the tail is used for a quick growth of the legs. After the tail has been reabsorbed, the animals are ready to leave the water and disperse into terrestrial habitats, or continue to live in the aquatic habitat as adults.

Almost all species of frogs are carnivorous as adults, eating invertebrates such as arthropods, annelids and gastropods. A few of the larger species may eat prey such as small mammals, fish and smaller frogs. Some frogs use their sticky tongues to catch fast-moving prey, while others capture their prey and force it into their mouths with their hands. There are some species that primarily eat plants. Adult frogs are preyed upon by birds, large fish, snakes, otters, foxes, badgers and other animals. Frogs can live for many years; recorded living up to 40 years. Frogs from temperate climates hibernate through the winter.

Once adult frogs reach maturity, they will assemble at a water source such as a pond or stream to breed. Many frogs return to the bodies of water where they were born, often resulting in annual migrations involving thousands of frogs. Once at the breeding ground, male frogs call to attract a mate, collectively becoming a chorus of frogs. The call is unique to the species. Some species have satellite males who do not call, but intercept females that are approaching a calling male. The male and female frogs then undergo amplexus. This involves the male mounting the female and gripping her tightly. Fertilization is external: the egg and sperm meet outside of the body. The female releases her eggs, which the male frog covers with a sperm solution. The eggs then swell and develop a protective coating.

Some species of frog lay eggs on the forest floor and protect them, guarding the eggs from predation and keeping them moist. The frog will urinate on them if they become too dry. After hatching, a parent will move them, on its back, to a water-holding bromeliad. The parent then feeds them by laying unfertilized eggs in the bromeliad until the young have metamorphosed. Other frogs carry the eggs and tadpoles on their hind legs. Some frogs even protect their offspring inside their own bodies with pouches along their side. Some swallow their tadpoles, which then develop in the stomach. Some will put the tadpoles in their vocal sac for development. Some species of frog will leave a 'babysitter' to watch over the frogspawn until it hatches.

Frog populations have declined dramatically since the 1950s: more than one third of species are believed to be threatened with extinction and more than 120 species are suspected to be extinct since the 1980s. Habitat loss is a significant cause of frog population decline, as are pollutants, the introduction of non-indigenous predators/competitors, and emerging infectious diseases.

Frogs are threatened by the inhumane pet trade. Every year, a variety of sources provides millions of animals to the wild and exotic pet trade. Animals are captured from their native habitat and transported to various countries to be sold as “pets”. Others are surplus animals from zoos or their offspring. Backyard breeders also supply exotic animals. The sellers of these animals often disregard state or local laws regulating private possession of exotics,  and the dangers, difficulties, physical and physiological needs of the animals they peddle. The suffering of the animals in the hands of unqualified and hapless buyers appears to be of no concern in the lucrative exotic pet trade. The animals also pose safety risks to humans.

Frogs are also victims of the animal entertainment industry, placed on display in zoos, aquariums, businesses and nature centers. They are removed from their natural habitat; depriving them of the ability to freely engage in instinctual behaviors. Both children and adults are desensitized to animal mistreatment by the animal entertainment industry. Even under the best of circumstances, captivity is cruel for wild animals. Confined to tiny areas and gawked at by crowds, animals in exhibits endure constant stress. They may suffer from temperature extremes and irregular feeding and watering. Without exercise, they become listless, their immune systems are weakened, and they become prone to sickness; many resort to self-mutilation in reaction to stress or boredom. Mental illness is rampant among confined animals. Torn from their families and deprived of all dignity, every part of their lives is controlled by their captors. While zoos may appear to be educational and conservation-oriented, most are designed with the needs and desires of the visitors in mind, not the needs of the animals.

Cuttlefish are small to medium sized mollusc inhabiting ocean waters throughout the world. Cuttlefish are cephalopods, not fish. Cephalopods include the squid, octopus and nautilus. Like their squid and octopus relatives, cuttlefish have large, elongated bodies and tentacles surrounding their mouths. Cuttlefish are considered one of the ocean’s most intelligent invertebrates.

There are 120 known species of cuttlefish found across the globe, from warm and tropical shallows to cold depths of the deep seas. They are known for the flashing colors displayed on their bodies during fighting and mating.

Cuttlefish have 3 hearts and green-blue blood. They possess 8 arms and 2 long tentacles used for feeding. Cuttlefish are color blind and taste with their suckers. They have W shaped eyelids to help them see in front and behind at the same time.

Cuttlefish are amazing masters of disguise. They rely on their incredible camouflage abilities to avoid predators. Cuttlefish change color almost instantly to match their surroundings, and mimic the shape and texture of objects around them while arranging their arms to match the shape of the objects.

Like squid and octopuses, cuttlefish have sacks that eject ink to aid in escaping predators. Their ink can also be mixed with mucus to create a smaller, denser cloud about the same shape and size as their own bodies to act as a decoy cuttlefish – confusing attackers. Their color-changing abilities can also be used to hypnotize potential prey with pulsating lights and color shows.

Cuttlefish are carnivorous animals, primarily preying on small crustaceans such as crabs and shrimp. Cuttlefish also eat fish. They use their camouflaging abilities for sneak attacks and catch prey with sucker-pads on the ends of their tentacles – bringing the animal into their sharp beaks.

During cuttlefish mating rituals, male cuttlefish change their body colors to attract female cuttlefish. Some males even make themselves look like female cuttlefish to fool dominant males and then steal their females. Females place multiple sperm packets from different males into their mouth cavities. When ready to lay her eggs, she decides which male's sperm to use. Male cuttlefish try to get the females to use their own sperm by shooting a jet stream of water into the female's mouth to remove the sperm of other males. Once the female has found a safe location to lay her eggs, she reaches into her mouth cavity and takes out the sperm packets of her choice to fertilize the eggs she lays. Female cuttlefish lay about 200 eggs and some die soon afterwards.

Since cuttlefish are relatively small in size, they have numerous marine predators that hunt them. Sharks, large fish and even other cuttlefish are the most common predators of cuttlefish.

Ocean acidification caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a serious threat to all cuttlefish. Studies have shown that under high pCO2 concentrations, cuttlefishes actually lay down a denser cuttlebone which is likely to negatively affect buoyancy regulation.

Cuttlefish are also victims of the commercial fishing industry, intensively fished to the sustainable limit and beyond. Females may also be used as lures in traps during the spawning season. Cuttlefish are also frequently caught as bycatch.

Pollution, plastic and changes in climate also threaten cuttlefish.

Crane are large, long-beaked birds found all over the planet. There are 15 species of crane. Despite their similar appearance to other long-necked birds like storks and herons, cranes are not related genetically to these birds.

Cranes inhabit every continent except the Antarctic and South America. They prefer temperate wetlands and swamps in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

The smallest species of crane is the Demoiselle crane. The tallest species of crane is the Sarus crane. The heaviest species of crane is the Red-crowned crane.

Despite being such large birds, cranes are quite agile fliers. Unlike herons, cranes outstretch their necks when flying to help control their large bodies during flight.

Cranes are omnivorous birds, feeding on both plants and animals. They are also opportunistic feeders, feeding on whatever they can find in their habitat. Preferring to be near water, cranes usually feed on aquatic organisms such as fish, amphibians and insects, while also eating a variety of plants including seeds, berries, tree bark and grains.

Cranes are very social animals that form large communities called flocks. They communicate with each other via a variety of sounds and body language. Alarm calls inform other birds in the community that a threat is near.

Some species of crane live in a single territory, while others that live in temperature climates migrate seasonally. Migratory crane species travel up to 10,000 miles during migration. Cranes also travel up to 500 miles each day searching for food.

Cranes are monogamous, mating for life. Mating rituals consist of a complicated dance of fast movements of the feet, jumps, bowing and stretching. Nests are constructed in marshy habitats. Female cranes lay two eggs that hatch in about 30 days. Both crane parents care for the babies for up to 10 months. It takes 2 to 4 months for chicks to grow plumage like their parents. Cranes reach sexual maturity at the age of 3 to 5 years.

Being large animals, cranes have few natural predators. Wildcats, large birds of prey and foxes are common predators of crane babies.

The average lifespan of cranes in the wild is from 20 to 30 years old.

All crane species populations have declined dramatically due to habitat loss, pollution and the illicit pet trade industry. 15 crane species are now either vulnerable in the wild or critically endangered. The Whooping crane, Florida Sandhill crane, Siberian crane and Mississippi Sandhill crane are among the endangered crane species.

Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines characterized by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield. "Turtle" may refer to terrapins, tortoises or sea turtles. The earliest known turtles date from 215 million years ago, making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups and a more ancient group than lizards, snakes and crocodiles. Of the many species alive today, several are highly endangered.

Like other reptiles, turtles are ectotherms - their internal temperature varies according to the ambient environment, commonly called cold-blooded. Like other amniotes (reptiles, dinosaurs, birds, and mammals), they breathe air and do not lay eggs underwater, although many species live in or around water. The largest turtles are aquatic, reaching a shell length of 6.6 feet. The smallest turtle is the speckled padloper tortoise of South Africa. It measures no more than 3.1 inches.

Turtles are divided into two groups, according to how they evolved a solution to the problem of withdrawing their necks into their shells: the Cryptodira, which can draw their necks in while contracting it under their spine; and the Pleurodira, which contract their necks to the side.

Most turtles that spend most of their lives on land have their eyes looking down at objects in front of them. Some aquatic turtles, such as snapping turtles and soft-shelled turtles, have eyes closer to the top of the head. These species of turtles can hide from predators in shallow water, where they lie entirely submerged except for their eyes and nostrils. Sea turtles possess glands near their eyes that produce salty tears that rid their body of excess salt taken in from the water they drink. Turtles are thought to have exceptional night vision and have color vision.

Some land turtles have very poor pursuit movement abilities, which are normally reserved for predators that hunt quick moving prey, but carnivorous turtles are able to move their heads quickly to snap. Turtles have a rigid beak. They use their jaws to cut and chew food. Instead of teeth, the upper and lower jaws of the turtle are covered by horny ridges. Carnivorous turtles usually have knife-sharp ridges for slicing through their prey. Herbivorous turtles have serrated-edged ridges that help them cut through tough plants. Turtles use their tongues to swallow food, but they cannot, unlike most reptiles, stick out their tongues to catch food.

The upper shell of the turtle is called the carapace. The lower shell that encases the belly is called the plastron. The carapace and plastron are joined together on the turtle's sides by bony structures called bridges. The inner layer of a turtle's shell is made up of about 60 bones that include portions of the backbone and the ribs, meaning the turtle cannot crawl out of its shell. The shape of the shell gives helpful clues to how a turtle lives. Most tortoises have a large, dome-shaped shell that makes it difficult for predators to crush the shell between their jaws. Most aquatic turtles have flat, streamlined shells which aid in swimming and diving. American snapping turtles and musk turtles have small, cross-shaped plastrons that give them more efficient leg movement for walking along the bottom of ponds and streams.

The color of a turtle's shell may vary. Shells are commonly colored brown, black or olive green. In some species, shells may have red, orange, yellow or grey markings and these markings are often spots, lines or irregular blotches. One of the most colorful turtles is the eastern painted turtle which includes a yellow plastron and a black or olive shell with red markings around the rim. Tortoises, being land-based, have rather heavy shells. In contrast, aquatic and soft-shelled turtles have lighter shells that help them avoid sinking in water and swim faster with more agility.

Turtles do not molt their skins all at once, as snakes do, but continuously, in small pieces. Tortoises also shed skin, but a lot of dead skin is allowed to accumulate into thick knobs and plates that provide protection to parts of the body outside the shell. By counting the rings it is possible to estimate the age of a turtle.

Terrestrial tortoises have short, sturdy feet. Tortoises are famous for moving slowly, in part because of their heavy, cumbersome shell, which restricts stride length. The amphibious turtles normally have limbs similar to those of tortoises, except the feet are webbed and often have long claws. These turtles swim using all four feet in a way similar to the dog paddle, with the feet on the left and right side of the body alternately providing thrust. Large turtles tend to swim less than smaller ones, and the very big species, such as alligator snapping turtles, hardly swim at all, preferring to simply walk along the bottom of the river or lake.

As well as webbed feet, turtles have very long claws, used to help them clamber onto riverbanks and floating logs, upon which they like to bask. Male turtles tend to have particularly long claws, and these appear to be used to stimulate the female while mating. Sea turtles are almost entirely aquatic and have flippers instead of feet. Sea turtles fly through the water, using the up-and-down motion of the front flippers to generate thrust; the back feet are not used for propulsion, but may be used as rudders for steering. Compared with freshwater turtles, sea turtles have very limited mobility on land, and apart from the dash from the nest to the sea as hatchlings, male sea turtles normally never leave the sea. Females must come back onto land to lay eggs. They move very slowly and laboriously, dragging themselves forwards with their flippers.

Although many turtles spend large amounts of their lives underwater, all turtles and tortoises breathe air, and must surface at regular intervals to refill their lungs. They can also spend much of their lives on dry land.

Turtles lay eggs, like other reptiles, which are slightly soft and leathery. The eggs of the largest species are spherical, while the eggs of the rest are elongated. In some species, temperature determines whether an egg develops into a male or a female: a higher temperature causes a female, a lower temperature causes a male. Large numbers of eggs are deposited in holes dug into mud or sand. Sea turtles lay their eggs on dry, sandy beaches. They are then covered and left to incubate by themselves. When the turtles hatch, they squirm their way to the surface and head toward the water. There are no known species in which the mother cares for the young. Turtles can take many years to reach breeding age, and in many cases breed every few years rather than annually.

Researchers have recently discovered a turtle’s organs do not gradually break down or become less efficient over time, unlike most other animals. It was found that the liver, lungs and kidneys of a centenarian turtle are virtually indistinguishable from those of its immature counterpart.

25 species of turtles will most likely become extinct, with another 40 species at very high risk of becoming extinct. Between 48 to 54% of all 328 of their species are considered threatened. Turtles and tortoises are at a much higher risk of extinction than many other vertebrates. Asian species are the most endangered, closely followed by species from Madagascar. Turtles face many threats, including habitat destruction, harvesting for consumption and pet trade. The high extinction risk for Asian species is primarily due to the long-term unsustainable exploitation of turtles and tortoises for consumption and traditional Chinese medicine, and the inhumane international turtle pet trade.

Every year, a variety of sources provides millions of animals to the exotic pet trade. Animals are captured from their native habitat and transported to various countries to be sold as “pets”. Others are surplus animals from zoos or their offspring. Backyard breeders also supply exotic animals. The sellers of these animals often disregard state or local laws regulating private possession of exotics,  and the dangers, difficulties, physical and physiological needs of the animals they peddle. The suffering of the animals in the hands of unqualified and hapless buyers appears to be of no concern in the lucrative exotic pet trade. Reptiles pose safety risks to humans. Many incidents have been reported of escapes, strangulations, and bites from pet reptiles across the country.

Turtles are also victims of the animal entertainment industry. The use of wild animals as “entertainers” removes animals from their natural habitat; depriving them of the ability to freely engage in instinctual behaviors. Both children and adults are desensitized to animal mistreatment by the animal entertainment industry. Even under the best of circumstances, captivity is cruel for wild animals. Confined to tiny areas and gawked at by crowds, animals in exhibits and acts endure constant stress. They may suffer from temperature extremes and irregular feeding and watering. Without exercise, they become listless, their immune systems are weakened, and they become prone to sickness; many resort to self-mutilation in reaction to stress or boredom. Mental illness is rampant among confined animals. Torn from their families and deprived of all dignity, every part of their lives is controlled by their captors. While zoos may appear to be educational and conservation-oriented, most are designed with the needs and desires of the visitors in mind, not the needs of the animals.

Lionfish (also called turkeyfish, dragonfish, tigerfish, butterfly cod and scorpionfish) are venomous spiky fish that inhabit warm waters of the western and central Pacific Ocean. Lionfish are predatory fish, hunting small fish. Their venom is used for self-defense and can kill large animals. Lionfish are known for their beautiful colored bodies, covered with zebra-like stripes of red, orange, white, brown or black color, depending on the species.

Lionfish live in coastal waters around rocky crevices, as well as coral reefs with an abundance of smaller fish. There are at least 12 different species of lionfish including the Andover lionfish, Spot-fin lionfish, Red Sea lionfish, Japanese/Luna lionfish, Devil firefish, Frill-fin turkeyfish, Clear-fin lionfish, Soldier lionfish, Hawaiian turkeyfish, Red lionfish, African/Mombasa lionfish and Indian Ocean shortfin lionfish.

The range of the lionfish covers a very large area from western Australia and Malaysia east to French Polynesia and the United Kingdom's Pitcairn Islands, north to southern Japan and southern Korea and south to Lord Howe Island off the east coast of Australia and the Kermadec Islands of New Zealand. In between, the species is found throughout Micronesia.

Lionfish prey on a large variety of small fish and crustaceans. Lionfish are active hunters who ambush their prey by using their outstretched, fan-like pectoral fins to slowly pursue and corner them. The large mouths of lionfish allows them to swallow prey whole. The stomachs of lionfish have the ability to expand up to 30 times their size, allowing lionfish to eat animals larger than themselves. When food sources are scarce, lionfish will even eat other lionfish.

Lionfish have teeth. They are small and are located not only on the upper and lower jaws, but also in a small patch on the roof of their mouths. Their extra teeth aid in grasping prey caught by quick predatory strikes.

Lionfish move about by slowly undulating the soft rays of the dorsal and anal fins. During the day, they sometimes retreat to ledges and crevices among the rocks and corals.

Lionfish are mostly solitary fish, but some live in groups. Lionfish communities usually house one male lionfish and a few female lionfish that he mates with. Male lionfish are very territorial.

A female lionfish can releases up to two million eggs each year – or about 10,000 to 30,000 eggs every four days. The eggs are then fertilized by male lionfish. Lionfish couples hide after mating so their eggs can float away before being seen by predators that eat lionfish eggs. Lionfish eggs hatch in 2 days. A baby lionfish is very small and is called a fry. Baby lionfish remain near the surface of the water until they grow larger. When they are about an inch long they join the reef community. Lionfish reach adult size when they are about 2 years old.

Lionfish have few predators due to their large size and intimidating appearance. Spikes protruding from lionfish contain venom. Lionfish have over 19 spines, 13 along the backside of their bodies. Their spines are not used to hunt; only self-defense.

Lionfish live up to 15 years in the wild.

Lionfish are not currently listed as threatened or endangered in their native range. However, the increase in pollution in coral reefs may negatively affect the lionfish's primary food sources (crustaceans and fish). If lionfish are unable to adapt to declines in their prey species, their numbers may decrease.

Lionfish are victims of the pet trade. The lionfish is a very popular aquarium fish, condemned to a life in a small tank for the amusement of humans.

Lionfish are also an invasive species due to the pet industry, flourishing unnaturally in U.S. Southeast and Caribbean coastal waters. This invasive species has the potential to harm reef ecosystems because it is a top predator that competes for food and space with overfished native animals. Scientists fear that lionfish will also kill off helpful species such as algae-eating parrotfish, allowing seaweed to overtake the reefs.

Impalas are one of the most common and most graceful of Africa’s antelopes. Male impalas, called rams, are well-known for their large, curved horns.

Impalas are one of several species of antelope inhabiting the African continent. Impalas are medium-sized antelopes usually found in the savannas and thicker bush-lands in southern parts of the African continent.

Impalas are members of the Bovidae family. They are related to goats, sheep and cattle. They have long legs and necks. Impala are covered with reddish or brown hair and black and white markings. The hair in their ears and around their eyes is white.

Rams use their horns for defense against predators and other male impalas. Female impalas, called ewes, do not have horns.

Male impalas secrete a scent from a gland on their foreheads to communicate their status to rival impalas. When a male impala loses his rank, he produces less scent. Male impalas fight for territory and status during the mating season, using their horns as weapons. Older impala males claim mating territories and herd females that they guard against rival impalas. The male impala must fight off any challengers, while continuously herding and mating with his females. Competing males who loose their attempt to take over the territory usually retreat to join a bachelor herd.

Impalas are among the most adaptable animals in the African savanna. They are able to alter eating habits with the season, feeding on what is available. Impalas are herbivores, eating only vegetation. Their diets includes bark, leaves, wood and stems. Impala prefer fresh grass, but will also eat foliage and shoots when fresh grass is not available. Impalas usually drink water during the hottest part of the day when predators are the most sluggish.

Impalas live in large tribes. Female and young impalas form herds of up to 100 impalas. Young impalas live in nursery schools, called creches, where they play and groom each other. Males live in bachelor communities of around 60 male impalas. Impalas occupy large ranges, making seasonal migrations from higher to lower areas based on the availability of food.

Female impalas leave the herd to give birth. They can delay birth for a month if the weather conditions are not favorable. After a gestation period of 6 to 7 months, mothers will give birth to usually only one impala baby. Twice as many female baby impalas are born each year than male impalas. Baby impalas are called calves. After one or two days, the mother impala will bring her baby back to the community. Calves are weaned in 4 to 7 months. By 12 to 18 months old, impalas are sexually mature.

Impalas have many natural predators, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and crocodiles. They are able to jump over nine meters in distance, and over two meters high, to escape and confuse predators. Impalas use bark-like sounds to alarm each other of danger.

Impalas live for about 13 years in the wild.

The largest threats to impalas are hunting and habitat loss. Impala habitats are being disrupted with the expansion of roads and human settlements. Most impalas are currently not endangered, with a population of about 2 million. Fifty percent of impalas live on private lands. 25 percent of impalas live in protected areas. The Black-faced impala is endangered as a result of hunting.

The green or common iguana is a species of large, docile lizards native to the tree tops of Central American, South American and Caribbean rainforests. They are omnivorous reptiles bearing the scientific name Iguana iguana. One of the largest lizards in the Americas, they measure from three to six and a half feet in length and weigh in at eight to seventeen pounds. Other members of the iguana family include the Fiji Island banded iguana, the Galapagos Island marine iguana and the desert iguana. These lizards vary in size, appearance and endangered status.

Iguanas prefer the high forest canopy in order to take in the sunlight without ever having to go down to the ground where they are vulnerable to predators. Being poikilothermic, iguanas must take in sunlight in order to regulate their body temperature. Although they prefer forest environments, iguanas can adapt to more open areas. No matter what type of region they inhabit, iguanas prefer to be near water. They are excellent swimmers and dive beneath the surface to escape from predators.

The green iguana has natural camouflage from predators with its scale pattern of green, brown and yellow. They back into the lush foliage of the forest and remain perfectly still until the predator has passed on. They are capable of changing color slightly, but not nearly as well as other lizards such as chameleons. Iguanas will position themselves on branches that hang out over the water so that they may drop in and escape using their swimming skills if threatened. An iguana can survive a leap onto solid ground from heights up to forty feet.

They may look awkward and clumsy, but iguanas are actually quite fast and agile on land when they must be. They have powerful jaws lined with razor sharp teeth and whip-like, muscular tails that are about twice the length of their own bodies. If caught by a predator, iguanas can use their tails as weapons or detach them and grow another without permanent damage.

Iguanas have exceptional eyesight which aids in avoiding predators and seeking out prey. They detect even the slightest movement in the canopy from long distances. They use visual cues to communicate with others of their species. They do this through a series of rapid eye movements easily picked up by other iguanas thanks to their superb eyesight.

Their stout bodies are covered with soft, leathery scales, and they have a row of spines that extend from the back of their heads all the way to the tip of their tails, descending in size as they go down. Iguanas also have a dorsal crest that is larger in males (up to 3 inches high), and a dewlap underneath their chin (also larger in males). Male iguanas are larger than females of the species. Males have broad jowls and a bulge behind the cloacal vent that contains their reproductive organs.

Juvenile iguanas tend to be a much brighter green than adults, and can be difficult to sex until they develop. One way to determine sex is through femoral pore secretions that are at their highest during breeding months in males. Scientists have found a connection between the size of the femoral pores and the likelihood of males to perform mating displays. Dominant males perform more often and have larger pores, leading scientists to believe there is a relationship between social dominance and secretions.

Green iguanas are social animals. They bask in the sun and forage for food together among the treetops. Males are more aggressive and territorial than females, and battles over the best basking spots, territories and females are common. Juvenile males do not compete for these resources, but must always be on alert around mature males in their group.

Mating season for the green iguana only lasts a few weeks and usually occurs in fall which is the first half of the dry season. This is the only time of year that iguanas spend their time on the ground. Males become more aggressive during mating season and display themselves to females for selection. Mating displays include pushups, head bobbing, and dewlap extensions. Females congregate in the territories of larger males and seem to make their mate choices based on phenotype. During mating, the male positions his cloaca over that of the female by biting into her flesh to hold her in place. The male then deposits his sperm.

Female iguanas carry their eggs for two months and lay them during the second half of the dry season. They build nests in the sandy soil far apart from one another. Hatching occurs early in the rainy season, usually in early May. Females will lay eggs each season whether they have been fertilized or not. Batches of eggs are referred to as a clutch. Clutches usually consist of twelve to thirty eggs, of which only a third will survive. After ninety days of incubation, the baby iguanas hatch. Juveniles disperse rapidly after hatching and are very vulnerable to predators. They will reach sexual maturity when they are about sixteen months old.

Although classified as omnivores, most wild iguanas prefer a strongly herbivorous diet. They are especially fond of ripe fruit and leafy green vegetation. They get most of their water from these plants, but also obtain water from rain and condensation that accumulates in the canopy. Green iguanas enjoy the occasional insect in their diet, and juvenile lizards survive primarily on insects until they are old enough to visit foraging sites for fruit and vegetation.

The green iguana has a lifespan of fifteen to twenty years in the wild.

The green iguana status on the Endangered Species List is considered threatened. This likely has a lot to do with human interference. Iguanas are killed for their meat and eggs or sold to zoos and private reptile collectors.

Iguanas are also threatened by the pet trade. Iguanas do not thrive in captivity. In fact, they usually die within the first year of being kept as a pet. Captivity is cruel for wild animals. Animals are captured from their native habitat and transported to various countries to be sold as “pets”. Backyard breeders also supply exotic animals. The sellers of these animals often disregard the dangers, difficulties, physical and physiological needs of the animals they peddle. The suffering of the animals in the hands of unqualified and hapless buyers appears to be of no concern in the lucrative exotic pet trade.

The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia. Its range has increased alongside human expansion, having been introduced to Australia, where it is considered harmful to native mammal and bird populations. Forty-five subspecies are currently recognized, which are divided into two categories: the large northern foxes, and the small, primitive southern foxes of Asia and the Middle East.

Red foxes are social animals, whose groups are led by a mated pair which monopolizes breeding. Subordinates within a group are typically the young of the mated pair, who remain with their parents to assist in caring for new kits. The species primarily feeds on small rodents, though it may also target leporids, game birds, reptiles, invertebrates and young ungulates. Fruit and vegetable matter is also eaten on occasion. Although the red fox tends to displace or even kill its smaller cousins, it is nonetheless vulnerable to attack from larger predators such as wolves, coyotes, golden jackals and medium and large felines. The species has a long history of association with humans, having been extensively hunted as a pest and furbearer for centuries, as well as being prominently represented in human folklore and mythology. Because of its widespread distribution and large population, the red fox is one of the most important furbearing animals harvested for the inhumane fur trade.

Red foxes use their urine to mark their territories. Urine is also used to mark empty cache sites, as reminders not to waste time investigating them. Red foxes live in family group sharing a joint territory or a pack, scout or troop made of an alpha male and/or female with rogues (loner or abandoned foxes) and family members. In favorable habitats and/or areas with low hunting pressure, subordinate foxes may be present in a range. Subordinate foxes may number 1-2, sometimes up to 8 in one territory. These subordinates could be formerly dominant animals, but are mostly young from the previous year, who act as helpers in rearing the breeding vixen's kits. Non-breeding vixens will guard, play, groom, provision and retrieve kits. Red foxes may leave their families once they reach adulthood if the chances of winning a territory of their own are high. If not, they will stay with their parents, at the cost of postponing their own reproduction.

Red fox body language consists of movements of the ears, tail and postures, with their body markings emphasizing certain gestures. Postures can be divided into aggressive/dominant and fearful/submissive categories. Some postures may blend the two together. Red foxes have a wide vocal range, and produce different sounds spanning five octaves, which grade into each other.

Foxes are at risk from habitat loss, inhumane trapping, hunting and vehicle deaths. Fox penning is an indefensible and barbaric blood sport in which dozens of dogs compete in a fenced-in area to chase - and sometimes rip apart - foxes and coyotes taken from the wild.

Foxes are senselessly tortured and killed to satisfy the dictates of fashion. Wild-caught fox fur is obtained by setting traps or snares. Once an animal is caught, it may remain in the trap or snare for several days starving or slowly strangling. Farm-raised fox fur comes from animals kept in tiny, filthy cages, deprived of adequate protection from the elements. As a result, animals develop stereotypical behavior, including pacing, head bobbing and self-mutilation. On fur farms, foxes are electrocuted by placing a metal clamp on the snout and forcing a rod into the anus, and then connecting the metal to a power source. Some animals are forced into bags or boxes and gassed with carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide.

Often called endearingly ugly, opossums are the only family of marsupials to inhabit the Americas. Originating in South America, these unusual-looking little mammals gradually migrated to Central and North America around three million years ago when the volcanic bridge between the two continents arose from the sea floor, and opossums have migrated further and further north (into southern Ontario, for example) as climate change has allowed them to survive the winter season in many areas.

Grouped under the family Didelphidae, their name itself is borrowed from the word in Powhatan language meaning ‘white dog’, and was first recorded in the 1600’s by colonists in Jamestown, Virginia. Although the words ‘possum’ and ‘opossum’ are used interchangeably by many, especially in the southern states, ‘possum’ is generally the term used by scientists and naturalists to describe only the opossum’s related marsupial cousins in Australia.

Significantly different in appearance than their Outback relatives, opossums are small to medium sized, with species ranging from around mouse size to housecat stature. Species in tropical regions of Central and South America tend to be smaller than their North American counterparts. Although their lifespan in captivity may be as long as five years, in their natural habitat opossums don’t generally tend to live past the age of two years. They have long snouts, narrow skulls and jaws, and an impressive number of teeth; more than any other mammals in the Americas, in fact, making them look rather alarming in the middle of an open-mouthed hiss. An opossum’s coat is solely made up of medium length awn hairs (insulating intermediate hair) and can range from grey to black, with lighter fur on their faces, while their noses, feet and tail are usually pink and fairly hairless. Although they’re perfectly comfortable walking flat-footed on the ground, many opossum species spend quite a large amount of time in the trees, clinging to branches and tree trunks and assisted by opposable digits on their hind feet. Their tails are also helpful appendages as well; although adult opossums can’t actually dangle from trees with those hind parts (dispelling a common misconception about them). Their tails are still somewhat prehensile, helping opossums to balance and brace themselves as they climb.

These plucky little animals are tremendously resilient, and definitely aren’t picky when it comes to mealtime. All possums are opportunistic omnivores, eating what’s available seasonally and in their location, so their diet may consist of everything from garbage, pet food, small rodents, insects and grubs, to frogs, plants and berries. Even freshwater molluscs and crayfish are fair game for water-preferring opossums. They also have a strong immune system and, surprisingly, many opossum species are partly or even totally immune to select poisons and the venom of poisonous snakes like rattlesnakes and cottonmouths. Opossums are also highly resistant to the rabies virus – they’re eight times less likely to carry rabies than dogs or other wild canids.

Although they can put on a terrific show that’s capable of scaring off possible predators, opossums are more about defense than offence, rarely attacking when they’re threatened. With the exception of a mother and her offspring, they tend to live and forage for food alone, remaining in shallow burrows, tree holes or other hidden areas through the day and becoming more active at night as they hunt. When they encounter natural enemies like coyotes, wolves, bobcats, owls and dogs, opossums will hiss or growl if threatened, but can also display a very curious defensive behavior as well – playing ‘dead’ to imitate the appearance and smell of a sick or dead animal to deter an attack. This is a physiological response, and during an episode their bodies will become stiff and curled, the eyes will be closed, teeth bared, and a pungent, smelly fluid is released from their anal glands. An opossum can remain in this state for anywhere between 40 minutes and 4 hours.

True marsupials, opossums have a distinctive way of reproducing and carrying their offspring. Females have a divided uterus and vaginal structure, as well as a pouch, while males possess a forked penis. Males are somewhat larger than females, on average, with larger canines. They’ll often begin their search for a female by making a clicking ‘smack’ sound as they search. After mating, the opossum gestation period is only 12 to 14 days. The young are born extremely early and completely blind, deaf and hairless. Offspring must then crawl through their mother’s fur to reach the pouch, where they then latch on to a teat, staying there to nurse and grow throughout the next few months. Opossums generally have large litters, since many offspring fail to find an available teat in the pouch and perish shortly after a female gives birth, but litter sizes up to 13 pups are fairly common, and opossums can produce anywhere from 1 to 3 litters every year. Although most opossum mothers are responsible for the entirety of care, the yapok is an unusual opossum species. One of the only semi-aquatic marsupials, it has the distinction of being the only marsupial species in which both male and female have a pouch. Possum offspring usually wean and leave their safe pouch around 70 to 100 days old, but hitch a ride on their mother’s back after that, staying close to their dam until they’re at least four or five months old.

Although opossums were once commonly hunted in the USA for both their pelt and for the stew pot, these days they’re more typically hunted in the Dominican, Grenada and Trinidad for food. Their ability to reproduce quickly means that they’re quite populous throughout the Americas, with no opossum currently on the endangered species list. Since they are nomadic, particularly when hunting for food, they tend to be frequent victims of collisions with cars.

Caterpillar are the babies (larvae) of butterflies and moths. There are more than 20,000 different species of caterpillars found around the planet.

The fascinating cycle of caterpillars transforming into butterflies and moths is called complete metamorphosis. The cycle has four stages: egg, larva (the caterpillar stage), pupa (the chrysalis stage), and adult (the butterfly or moth stage).

Butterflies and moths lay their eggs on plant leaves. When caterpillars are first born from the eggs, they are called larva. Larva eat continuously to grow. As caterpillars grow, their skin becomes too tight so they shed, or molt. They molt four or five times. After molting several times, a caterpillar may look very different than when first born – becoming fuzzy and featuring different colors, spines, bristles and tufts (called pencils). Different species of caterpillars vary in size, color and appearance to intimidate their predators to keep from being eaten. When caterpillars are two to four weeks old they begin making a chrysalis, or cocoon. Their cocoons hang from a stick or tree. While inside the cocoon their bodies transform into butterflies or moths – growing antennae, developing wings, and their mouthparts are transformed. They then emerge from the cocoon as a butterfly or moth. They cannot fly right away since their wings are small and wet. When their wings dry, and their muscles are exercised, they fly off the host plant and begin their new lives as butterflies or moths.

Caterpillars have three body parts, like all insects: a head, thorax and an abdomen. Their hard, outer covering is called an exoskeleton. Caterpillars have six pairs of eyes that cannot see images but do detect light intensity. They use their antennae and tiny hairs, called setae, to sense touch. Caterpillars do not breathe through their mouths, but instead breath through holes on the sides of their bodies called spiracles.

Caterpillars have eight pairs of legs. The first three pairs of legs are jointed with hooks and become the butterfly’s legs. Butterflies use just four of these six legs because two are in the front and against their bodies.

Some species of caterpillar, often those that live in tropical rain forests, are poisonous. Some of these species are no longer poisonous when they transform into a butterfly or moth.

Caterpillars, like butterflies and moths, are usually herbivorous animals, but the diets of caterpillars are very different from moths and butterflies. Caterpillars eat mostly plants, leaves, and flowering plants. Some species of caterpillar are carnivorous and eat insects. Butterflies and moths, on the other hand, feed on the nectar of flowers with their long tongues.

The main predators of caterpillars are birds and large insects. They are also preyed upon by small mammals and reptiles.

The biggest threat to caterpillars, butterflies and moths is habitat destruction. Many species are now critically imperiled.

Residential, commercial and animal agricultural development threaten caterpillars, moths and butterflies. Butterflies and moths usually need very specific host plants to lay their eggs on for the caterpillars to eat once they hatch. So, it is in the larval stage that habitat destruction causes the most threat as adult butterflies and moths can often survive on a variety of different nectar sources.

The loss of breeding habitat and overwintering habitat throughout much of the world is creating a decline in butterfly, moth and caterpillar populations. Pesticides are also having a detrimental effect.

Changes in climate also threatens butterflies and moths, changing the migration and breeding range of many species.