Lots of guests come into the farmyard, see Max, and call him a “cow.” I assume that a few know he’s not a cow but choose to use “cow” rather than “steer” because it’s an easier word of small kids, but I’d bet more people just don’t know what the difference is. So here’s a quick run down of the various common terms used for cattle: Cow – A female who has had a baby (or many babies). Heifer- ARead more
Posts filed in: Education
The Mantis Shrimp
You’re probably wondering why am I writing about a shrimp. I wonder sometimes about the content of my blogs too, but this one interested me personally. I have started a saltwater tank at home and have been doing research and came across this little crustacean that I thought was very interesting. Pic by shutterstock Not only can these critters be striking to look at, but they are some powerful beings. Many people keep them in special built tanks because theyRead more
Can Snakes Swim?
YES! All snakes can swim. It’s not just specialized snakes, like Sea Kraits, that can swim and dive. Water Snakes, Copperheads, Water Moccasins, Garter snakes, Anacondas, Ribbon snakes, Rat snakes, and many more are often found near bodies of water. Even the arboreal snakes of the world like Green Tree Pythons and Mangrove snakes are competent swimmers. The museum grounds are home to a number of resident snake species; including the only venomous snake species in Durham, the Copperhead. WhileRead more
Common mistake with snakes
A lot of times I go and check on the animals in Carolina Wildlife. When I walk out I hear a lot of comments adults make to children. Some of the comments are correct and some of them are very false. One that drives me crazy is hearing people over at the snakes warning kids to avoid snakes with triangle heads because they are poisonous. Now, I do agree in avoiding the snakes, but 2 things wrong with the adviceRead more
Citizen Science!
Do you ever sit at home, staring at your computer monitor willing something interesting to happen on the internet so you can be entertained? Are you a secretary with a secret passion for reading old war diaries? How about an engineer who wants to hear whales talking to one another? Or maybe you were born and raised in a city and always wanted to go on an African safari or a fireman who dreams of being a meteorologist? Even ifRead more
Upcoming Birthday Celebration!
Cynthia, our oldest Red Ruffed Lemur, will be turning 33 years old on March 30th. On March 27th, the Explore the Wild team (Autumn and myself) will be providing Cynthia and the other Red Ruffed Lemurs with different types of enrichment and food items so that we can celebrate this milestone. This will provide the Red Ruffed Lemurs with great opportunities to interact with different food items and enrichment plus give the keepers a chance to take a lot of pictures! So, this will beRead more