We’re going to be trying to breed Northern pine snakes this spring. We have males and Dan Nicholas Park in Salisbury NC has a female. I’m sure Mikey will write more about the process so look for that coming up. In the meantime, here’s a photo of the female that will be making her way to us in March. She’s about 6 feet long. She’s being held by Mike Lambert, one of her human caregivers.Read more
Posts filed in: Education
Squirrel Appreciation Day
January 21st is Squirrel Appreciation Day. (I think the wolves appreciate squirrels). I learned about this day too late last year so I have been waiting all year to write this post (and, to be honest, I almost forgot again). There’s an article and photos at Huff Post from last year to acknowledge the day (click here). Michele Kloda, a member of the Museum’s research and development team, interviewed Michael Steele, Professor of Biology and H. Fenner Chair of Research Biology, WilkesRead more
Aposematic coloration
As opposed to camoflauge and blending in some animals, typically insects, but also others like amphibians and reptiles do the opposite. They are brightly colored often with elaborate designs- this is their way of warding off potential predators. Basically their colors say to other animals, “if you eat me I will be nasty” this is called aposematic coloration. One amphibian famous for this is the poison dart frog. There are about 175 species of these colorful creatures living in the rainforests ofRead more
What makes a lemur a lemur?
In my last lemur post you learned the differences between them and other primates. But what makes a lemur a lemur and what exactly is a tooth comb? Or a grooming claw? Or a reflecting tapetum? Even though lemurs are endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros Islands they can be quite different amongst themselves. Lemurs come in all sizes from the 1 oz pygmy mouse lemur to the 15 lbs Indri and Diademed Sifaka lemurs. Depending on the speciesRead more
Lemurs vs other primates
In my last Lemur post I talked about the history of Lemurs, this blog will help you understand the differences between lemurs and the primates that we are more familiar with. When you hear the word primate- you probably think of a chimpanzee and the various species of monkey you’ve seen at zoos. Primates also include the great apes- orangutans, gorillas, gibbons, and humans as well as lemurs, lorises, bushbabies, and tarsiers. Traditionally primates are divided into two groups- ProsimiansRead more
Let’s hear from you
What animal does this ear belong to? Now that you guessed that, do us a favor and in the comment section write down what you would like us to blog about. What intrigues you the most? Who or what do you want to learn more information about in the animal world or department? Help us make our Animal Department Blog something you want to read about. Thanks! Photo Read more