Spring is the time that many species give birth. Gestation is the period of time that a developing offspring is carried inside the mother. Biologists usually reserve this term for mammals but it is used more loosely in common speech. Below I provide some examples of gestational periods for some of the animals at the museum. Keep in mind that exact times may vary by several days depending on the condition of the mother and environmental changes.Explore the Wild BlackRead more
Posts tagged: #BWOM
Big Word of the Month: Hibernation
Spring has sprung. Time to wake up! Back in October keeper Marilyn told you about our woodchuck Wendy who was about to go to sleep for the winter. Wendy is awake now and following a daily pattern of eating and sleeping. In this month’s Big Word post I thought I would explore some of the scientific terminology surrounding what we call hibernation. People often assume that an animal that hibernates simply goes to sleep for a longer time. However, researchRead more
Big Word of the Month: When is bedtime
Are there really early birds and night owls in nature? Most animals have normal daily patterns of activity. Biologists often divide behavioral patterns into one of three categories: Diurnal – being most active during daylight hours Nocturnal – being most active during nighttime hours Crepuscular– being most active around sunrise and sunset What kinds of animals do you think would fall into each of these categories?Check the comments section to see some examples.Read more
Big Word: ‘ologies
Sometimes it seems that scientists have a language all to their own! Learning how to decode big words in Biology can help make learning easier and more fun. Once you start investigating some of the big words you encounter, some patterns may become clear. For instance, a word that means “the study of” something usually ends in “ology”. The beginning of the word is often derived from Greek or Latin. Biology comes from bio (life) + ology (knowledge) = theRead more
Big Word: King Phillip loves spaghetti!
Biologists group organisms based on shared characteristics and historical relationships. This practice, known as taxonomy, uses a series of increasingly specific groups to organize the elaborate tree of life. Unfortunately, the terms used in biological taxonomy can be a challenge to the novice because they are often based on Latin and Greek. In this month’s Big Word feature we will discuss some common terminology related to the classification of animals that live here at the museum. The most common taxonomicRead more
Big Word: Anthropomorphism
Are owls really wise? Are raccoons nature’s bandits? Could a bear love some bears while disliking others? These questions reflect the tendency of humans to attribute familiar emotions and intentions to animal species. The behavior, also known as anthropomorphism, springs from our desire to know the mental status of those around us. While this capacity usually serves us well at parties, scientists try to avoid anthropomorphizing about animal behavior. We can never really know if an animal is “sad” orRead more