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A luna moth perches on a leaf, its bright green wings folded over its body. Suddenly the insect spreads its wings to reveal their great size. This moth’s wingspan can stretch four and a half inches—that’s about the same length as an iPhone. CATERPILLAR CRAVINGS Found only in North America, the luna moth starts out as a very hungry caterpillar. Newly hatched, this caterpillar constantly munches on the leaves of walnut, hickory, sweet gum, and paper birch trees. After about a month of filling up on these plants, the caterpillar builds a cocoon. The insect lives inside for about three weeks, then emerges as a moth. The eye-catching critter is easily recognizable because of its wings. But that’s not the luna moth’s only interesting feature. The insect doesn’t have a mouth or a digestive system. That’s because it only lives for about a week after leaving the cocoon, and it doesn’t ever eat. BAT AWAY Although luna moths don’t have an appetite, they’re a favorite snack for bats. To protect themselves from these predators, the moths spin the tails of their wingtips in circles. This disorients the bats so much that the moths are often able to make a getaway. Guess you could say they’re winging it! Text by April Capochino Myers
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The giant squid is massive and when full grown can be at least 33 feet (10 meters) long. These mysterious eight-armed creatures are rarely seen by humans. Most of what we know about them comes from finding them washed up on beaches. The largest of these hard-to-find giants ever found measured 59 feet (18 meters) in length and weighed nearly a ton (900 kilograms). Giant squid, along with their cousin, the colossal squid, have beach-ball size eyes! Their eyes are the largest eyes in the animal kingdom and are about 10 inches (25 centimeters) in diameter. Their big eyes help them to spy objects in dark depths where most other animals would see nothing. Like other squid species, they have eight arms and two longer whiplike tentacles that help them bring food to their beaklike mouths. Their diet likely consists of fish, shrimp, and other squid, and some suggest they might even attack and eat small whales. They maneuver their massive bodies with fins that seem too small for the rest of their bodies. They use their funnel as a propulsion system, drawing water into the mantle, or main part of the body, and forcing it out the back.
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These insects get their name because they have very long front legs that they hold in a position that reminds people of praying. There are about 1,800 species of praying mantids around the world. People often refer to any mantid as a praying mantis, but mantises are part of a smaller group within the mantids. Praying mantids are carnivores, eating mainly insects and other small animals. Many gardeners and farmers welcome mantids, because the insects they eat are often pests that hurt crops. In addition to insects such as crickets and grasshoppers, mantids eat spiders, frogs, lizards, and even small birds. Praying mantids have long necks topped by a triangular head. They can turn their heads 180 degrees—an entire half circle. They’re well-camouflaged, adapting colors that help them blend with plants. Some also have amazing body shapes that make them look like leaves or branches. Their front legs have rows of sharp spines to help them hold on to their prey, which they usually begin to eat head first!
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California sea lions live on the western coast of North America from the Baja California peninsula in Mexico to British Columbia. These semi-aquatic mammals feed on fish, squid, and shellfish. They are generally found in open water, where they prefer to fish, but are sometimes found in rivers near the coast as well. These sea lions are an intelligent and social species. They travel in groups of 12 or more, and hang out on man-made structures such as piers and jetties. They gather on remote sandy beaches and rocky areas to breed. During breeding season, males claim and defend their territories. Mothers usually give birth to a single pup after a gestation period of 11 months. The pups are able to swim at birth, although young pups stay on the beach rather than venturing into the water. California sea lions are usually dark brown, although some females can appear tan. Pups are born with a dark, black-brown coat. The California sea lion is faster than any other sea lion or seal in the world. They can dive to depths of 900 feet, and can stay underwater for nearly ten minutes without breathing by slowing their heart rate. Text by Sara Zeglin / NGS Staff
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These frogs are considered one of Earth’s most toxic, or poisonous, species. For example, the golden poison dart frog has enough poison to kill 20,000 mice. With a range of bright colors—yellows, oranges, reds, greens, blues—they aren’t just big show-offs either. Those colorful designs tell potential predators, „I’m toxic. Don’t eat me.“ Scientists think that poison dart frogs get their toxicity from some of the insects they eat. How do poison dart frogs capture their prey? Slurp! With a long, sticky tongue that darts out and zaps the unsuspecting bug! The frogs eat many kinds of small insects, including fruit flies, ants, termites, young crickets, and tiny beetles, which are the ones scientists think may be responsible for the frogs‘ toxicity. Poison dart frogs live in the rain forests of Central and South America.
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Blue marlins are among the largest, fastest, and most recognizable fish in the world. Their cobalt blue and silvery white bodies and spear-shaped upper jaws make this big fish stand out in a big ocean. Just how big is a blue marlin? Female blue marlins can grow up to 14 feet (4.3 meters) in length and can weigh more than 1,985 pounds (900 kilograms)! This incredible predator lives a solitary life from the time it is born. The mother lays her eggs in the open water and they float along until hatching with no parental care. From then on, the fish spends most of its life alone, far from land, in the warm surface waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They can swim long distances and will follow warm ocean currents for hundreds and even thousands of miles. Blue marlins usually feed at the surface where the water is warm, but they have been known to dive deep to feast on squid. To catch prey, blue marlins swim through dense schools of mackerel and tuna at full speed, slashing their upper jaw. They go back to the school to eat their stunned victims.
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The beluga, or white whale, is one of the smallest species of whale. Their distinctive color and prominent foreheads make them easily identifiable. Unlike most other whales, the beluga has a very flexible neck that enables it to nod and turn its head in all directions. Belugas generally live together in small groups known as pods. They are social animals and vocal communicators using a diversified language of clicks, whistles, and clangs. Belugas can also copy a variety of other sounds. These whales are common in the Arctic Ocean’s coastal waters, though they are found in subarctic waters as well. Arctic belugas migrate southward in large herds when the sea freezes over. Belugas feed on fish, crustaceans, and worms. The whale is related to the tusked „unicorn“ whale known as the narwhal. The beluga is not related to the sturgeon of the same name, which has been heavily fished for its famous caviar.
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Christmas Island red crabs are famous throughout Australia and the world for their bright red color and for their spectacular annual migration to the sea. Millions of crabs become rivers of red as they move from the island’s interior rainforests to the ocean to breed and lay eggs. During migration, red crabs climb over and around obstacles in their way, following the same migration paths every year. Christmas Island red crabs live on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean off Australia’s northern coast, about 240 miles (380 kilometers) south of Java, Indonesia. Red crabs must keep their bodies moist, so they wait for the rainy season to provide conditions that are ideal for the difficult journey. A single female can lay up to 100,000 eggs.
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A 40-pound mammal creeps along a tree branch in a steamy forest. The animal looks like a cross between a cat and a bear. And its appearance isn’t even its strangest quality. What’s even weirder is the creature’s smell: It gives off the scent of buttered popcorn! This is the binturong, an animal that’s full of surprises. GET A GRIP Binturongs live in the rain forests of Southeast Asia. They belong to a family of carnivorous mammals that also includes civets. The animals spend most of their time hanging out in the treetops. When they aren’t lounging on branches, they’re looking for yummy snacks such as insects, birds, and fruit. The animal uses its tail—which is almost as long as its body—like a fifth limb as it climbs through the forest. This tail is prehensile, which means it’s capable of gripping things. The binturong is one of only two carnivores that has a prehensile tail. (The other is the kinkajou.) By grasping onto branches and trunks with the furry extension, the binturong is able to move more easily along the trees. PASS THE POPCORN As they travel, binturongs rub a pungent substance produced in their scent glands onto branches and foliage. The animals use the odor to mark territory as well as to attract mates. The substance smells like buttery popcorn. With all its cool qualities, you definitely can’t turn your nose up at this odd-smelling animal! Text by Andrea Silen, NGS Staff
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Caribou are mammals that live in the northern regions of Europe, North America, Asia, and Greenland. When snow begins to fall, caribou move south and travel to more sheltered climes where they can feed on moss or lichens. These members of the deer family dig for food using their large hooves. The underside of each hoof is hollowed out like a big scoop and allows the caribou to dig through snow in search of food. Caribou trek north in the summer in one of the largest animal migrations on Earth. They travel more than 600 miles (965 kilometers) along well-traveled routes. They spend the summer feeding on grasses, mushrooms, and plants in the tundra. They begin to move south in the winter and over one year they will have migrated over 1,600 miles (2,574 kilometers). One adult caribou eats about 12 pounds (5 kilograms) of food each day. Caribou are hunted by indigenous northern people throughout much of their range. Woodland caribou are listed as endangered, but other caribou populations are stable.
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