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