American Red Squirrels

American Red Squirrels are about 12 inches long. They have grayish, red, or rusted colored fur with a white belly. In the summer, sometimes they have black stripes on the sides. They can be found in the forests of Alaska, the east coast north of Georgia, and the rocky mountains. They have white around their eyes. They have long bodies and have some very thick hair.

The American Red Squirrel is sedentary, solitary, and defends territory. During breeding season males wander from their territories to find a female. Females allow their trespass on her territory. They bark, chatter, scream, and purr to communicate with one another. They also use body language to communicate such as stopping their feet or moving their tails. They really like to chew on things, such as wood.

Some American Red Squirrels like to eat seeds. Others like to eat nuts including beechnuts, acorns, as well as fruit. They are predators to Songbirds. They eat their eggs and young birds when they get a chance. They also eat berries. The best food for a Red Squirrel are sunflower seeds, hazelnuts in their shell, and unsalted peanuts. And they really like pine cones. 

Females usually breed when they are a year old. Red squirrels are territorial but males must temporarily leave to find a reproductive female and return after mating. Red Squirrels do not lay eggs. The mother builds a nest made of sticks and leaves on a crook tree to give birth. A month after mating a mother can give birth to 3-7 babies. 

American Red Squirrels depend on food, insects, small animals, and even young snakes. They depend on a lot of food for the winter. They depend on the rain. They depend on safe habitats. They also depend on fungi, seeds, and nuts. They also depend on each other. They sometimes depend on humans.

Tasmanian Devil Observation

When a Tasmanian devil is in a battle, its ears turn red. Its size is 23-26 inches and 0.6-0.7m. It weighs 13-18 lbs and 6-8 kg. They are in the mammalian class. They mostly eat plants. They live in the forests of Tasmania. They are in the Dasyuridae family. They are of Dasyuromorphia order.

Wombat Observation

Wombats can run 25 mph and 40 km. They have long claws and sharp teeth. They are in the mammalian class. They weigh 33-88 lbs and 15-40 kg. They eat plants, grasses, and some root vegetables. They live in the savannas and forests of Australia, Tasmania, and Flanders Island. They are in the Diprotodontia order. They are in the Vombatidae family. The common wombat is the hairy-nosed wombat.      

 Salamander Observation

Salamanders are amphibians. They mostly eat insects but also sometimes eat small mice and small amphibians. Salamanders are slimy to keep them alive. They live underground to keep moist. Turtles, skunks, snakes and raccoons all eat salamanders. Salamanders are cold blooded. They can reach 10 inch long and weigh 3 to 8 ounces.

Iguana Observation

Iguanas eat leaves, vines, some fruits, some flowers, and insects. Male Iguanas can weigh 8.8 pounds and females 2.6–6.6 pounds. Iguanas are most scared of owls, hawks, and snakes. Some species can run 30 miles per hour. Iguanas can swim 1.5 per second. The Green Iguana can stay underwater for four hours before taking another breath. Some species of Iguanas are the Green Iguana, the Blue Iguana, the Marine Iguana, and the Desert Iguana.

Alligator Observation (Pt. 1)

The larger alligator species weigh 1,000 pounds and 15 feet. Alligators and True Crocodiles look similar, but also have major differences. An alligator’s teeth fit inside the jaw and a crocodile’s teeth fit outside the upper jaw. Adult alligators eat fish, snakes, turtles, and small mammals. Baby alligators eat insects, small fish, and amphibians. They can swim 20 miles per hour.

Lizard, Turtle, and Chameleon Observation

Lizards, turtles, and chameleons are all cold-blooded animals. Some species of lizards are the Green Anole, Marine Iguana, and the Komodo Dragon. Turtles are also cold-blooded. Some species of turtles are the Green Sea Turtle, Common Snapping Turtle, and the Spotted Turtle. Chameleons are cold-blooded too. Some species of chameleons are the Flap-neck Chameleon, the Panther Chameleon, and the Common Chameleon. All of them are my favorite.

Gecko Observation

Lizards are reptiles and there are 6,000 lizard species. There are 1,500 gecko species. They live in warm climates. Most geckos don’t have eyelids so they lick their eyes to keep them moist. They have excellent color vision. They communicate by chirping sounds. They mostly eat bugs and fruit. 

Common Snapping Turtle and Alligator Snapping Turtle Observation

The Common Snapping a large turtle with a powerful jaw and a long neck. They are found in Canada and much of North America. Its shell is made of bony material. It protects its vital organs. It can reach 20 inches long and 48 pounds. They are more aggressive to people. Alligator Snapping Turtles are the largest freshwater turtles in the world. The rides on their shell looks similar to an alligator. Some can live up to 200 years. They are less aggressive to people. Both the Common Snapping Turtle and the Alligator Snapping Turtle are reptiles.

Reptiles and Amphibians Observation

Animals that are reptiles have scales, claws or teeth, live on land or semi aquatic, and lay hard eggs (oviparous). Snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodiles, and alligators are all reptiles. Animals that are amphibians have smooth skin, no scales, no claws, live in water till lungs developed, and lay soft eggs (oviparous). Frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders are all amphibians. Reptiles and amphibians are cold blooded. You can find a lot of reptiles and amphibians in Georgia, Florida, West Virginia, and South Carolina. There are over 100 lizard species, 160 snake species, 62 turtle species, 3 crocodilian species, over 100 salamanders, and about 80 frogs and toads.