| We all know what wolves and coyotes look
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| | They are the only mammal found that can
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| like, and nearly everyone is familiar
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| | do this. As their lungs continue to
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| with bears, deer and turtles; what about
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| | develop, they gradually start to take
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| some less familiar animals such as
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| | over the breathing process until
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| capybara, kiwi, or tapirs? There are so
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| | eventually, when fully developed, their
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| many lesser known animals on this planet
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| | skin no longer plays a role in breathing.
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| that we hear little or nothing about most
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| | They are carnivorous by nature, eating
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| times, it is interesting to investigate a
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| | insects, small birds, reptiles and small
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| few of these creatures and understand
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| | mammals.
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| them a little more.
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| | Birds
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| Mammals
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| | Of the various birds in the world, the
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| Capybara are first on our list of unusual
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| | kiwi bird is one of the most unique. It
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| mammals. They are the world's largest
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| | is similar to the chicken in that it
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| rodent, averaging 100 pounds. They are
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| | can't fly. Their "wings" are only two
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| called rodents because they have sharp
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| | inches long and for all practical
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| front teeth that never stop growing. They
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| | purposes are useless. They are the sole
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| are semi-aquatic, spending a lot of time
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| | survivor of an ancient order of birds
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| in the water. They live in grasslands and
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| | including the now extinct moas. They are
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| forests alongside water in Central and
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| | semi-nocturnal animals, so catching a
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| South America. They are most active
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| | glimpse of them in the wild rarely
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| during the early morning and late evening
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| | happens. They can only be found in New
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| and rest during the heat of the day.
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| | Zealand and its surrounding islands. The
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| Our next animal is a cute little
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| | reason they have survived the ages in New
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| miniature "bear" called the kinkajou.
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| | Zealand comes from the fact that there
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| These are a unique animal in that they
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| | are no snakes or large mammals native to
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| are the only mammals that help to
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| | New Zealand. A bird the size of a kiwi,
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| pollinate plants. They have very long
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| | without the capability to fly would be an
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| tongues that they use to lick the nectar
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| | especially attractive target to snakes.
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| inside flowers. While they are licking,
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| | Also...the island has no bears, bobcats,
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| they get pollen on their fur and noses
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| | tigers, etc., with also makes it easier
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| and this gets transplanted to other
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| | for the kiwi to survive. With the coming
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| flowers as they feed. They are sometimes
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| | of humans to the island, especially the
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| called honey bears because they love
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| | colonization by England, house pets such
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| honey so much, but they are different
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| | as cats and dogs have become the main
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| from regular bears in that they are very
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| | predators of the decreasing kiwi
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| small, most times not weighing more than
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| | population. Some of the biggest birds in
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| 8 pounds. They are fun loving animals
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| | the world are condors. They can have
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| that even make good pets. They feed on
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| | wingspans up to 11 feet; they use their
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| fruit, honey and eggs in the wild and
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| | large wingspan to "float" on air thermals
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| their closest cousin is the panda bear of
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| | for miles without having to move their
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| Asia.
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| | wings, which conserves their energy as
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| Another unusual mammal is a tapir. It
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| | they look for food. They are in the
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| looks like half anteater, half pig, yet
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| | vulture family, feeding on the remains of
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| they are not related to either. They
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| | animals and thus they play a very
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| descend from primitive horses and rhinos.
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| | significant role in the animal kingdom.
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| They come in various color patterns
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| | They have highly evolved immune systems
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| depending on the region they are from.
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| | to ward off infection from the various
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| All baby tapirs, however, are born with a
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| | bacteria left on the animal carcasses
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| pattern of dots and stripes which make
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| | they feed on. They are very clean birds,
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| them look like a watermelon with legs. As
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| | spending much of their time cleaning
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| they age, these markings fade away to be
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| | their feathers and heads after eating to
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| replaced with their adult color patterns.
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| | further keep them safe from disease and
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| They feed on fruit, berries and leaves,
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| | bacteria. Their heads are featherless
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| and can live to be 30 years old.
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| | allowing them to stay clean during
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| Our last animal is a Marsupial Mouse.
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| | eating.
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| While this may seem like just any other
| |
| | The last unusual bird is the worlds
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| mouse, there are some very distinct
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| | smallest, weighing in at only 1.8 grams,
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| characteristics about the marsupial mouse
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| | which is less than a US penny. The bee
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| that make it stand out. Being a
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| | hummingbird's nest is only 3 cm wide. Its
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| marsupial, its young are "hatched" from
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| | tiny wings beat 80 times per second.
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| inside their mothers and then they crawl
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| | Using all this energy requires them to
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| through her fir up to their mother's
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| | eat half their body weight in food each
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| underside where they attach and feed
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| | day as well as drink eight times their
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| until they are fully developed. When they
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| | body weight in water. That's like a 150
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| come out of their mother, they are so
| |
| | pound adult human drinking 144 gallons of
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| underdeveloped that in order to survive,
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| | water each day. They are found only in
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| they have to breathe through their skin.
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| | Cuba and the Isle of Pines.
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