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American Bison

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/american-bison

Bison are the iconic image of the Great Plains and the Old West. They are massive, shaggy beasts and the heaviest land animals in North America. Despite their hefty size, bison are quick on their feet. When the need arises they can run at speeds up to 40 miles (65 kilometers) an hour. Their curved, sharp horns can grow to be 2 feet (61 centimeters) long. Females (cows) and adult males (bulls) generally live in small, separate bands and come together in very large herds during the summer breeding season. Males wage battles for mating rights, but such contests rarely turn dangerous. Females give birth to one calf after a nine-month pregnancy. Bison once covered the Great Plains and much of North America, and were critically important to Plains Indian societies. During the 19th century, settlers killed some 50 million bison for food, sport, and to deprive Native Americans of their most important natural asset. The once enormous herds were reduced to only a few hundred animals. Today, bison numbers have rebounded somewhat, and about 200,000 bison live on preserves and ranches where they are raised for their meat.
While buffalo and bison are both mammals within the Bovidae family, the two are not all

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Whooping Crane

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/whooping-crane

You may weigh more than a whooping crane (and if you don’t you better start getting seconds at dinner), but you probably aren’t taller than one! Adults are about five feet tall, which makes them the tallest birds in North America. But even as tall as they are, whooping cranes weigh only about 15 pounds, thanks to their hollow bones. WHAT’S FOR DINNER? Whooping cranes live in wetlands, marshes, mudflats, wet prairies, and fields. They’re not picky about their meals—they have a varied diet and eat small fish, reptiles, and insects, as well as grains, marsh plants, and acorns. CALL OF THE WILD Whooping cranes really like to ‚whoop it up‘ when it comes to attracting a mate. They call loudly and do what might look like a crazy dance to get attention. They flap their wings, shake their heads, jump up and down, and toss around feathers and grass! These birds are endangered, but scientists have used some pretty interesting tricks to help them survive. First they relocated one flock to Florida, but the birds never learned to migrate. Conservationists were determined to help the birds flourish and thrive, so they used a special trick with another Florida flock. Scientists „taught“ the younger birds to migrate by having them follow an ultralight aircraft from Florida to Wisconsin. After the birds bred and hatched their chicks, they’d follow the plane back to Wisconsin! In addition to the year-round Florida flock and the one that migrates from Florida to Wisconsin, another flock flies from Texas to Canada and back again each year. These whooping cranes are really spreading their wings! Text by Laura Goertzel /NGS Staff
prohibited. 1 / 4 1 / 4 Wetlands, marshes, mudflats, wet prairies, and fields are all

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River Otter

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/river-otter

Sliding and wrestling, belly flopping, and somersaulting, river otters really know how to play! They take advantage of any slippery slope for fun, whether it’s a summer slide down a muddy hill or a winter thrill on snow and ice. They glide on their bellies with their front paws by their sides. River otters are aquatic mammals. They generally live along rivers, as their name implies, but they’re also found near streams and lakes. Otters prefer water bordered by woods and with wetlands, such as marshes, nearby. Flexing their long bodies up and down, paddling with their webbed hind feet, and using their feet and strong tails to steer, river otters are underwater acrobats. They can stay underwater for up to four minutes. As they dive, they close their ears and nostrils to keep water out. They hunt underwater, skillfully chasing fish, their main food. Otters grab their prey in their mouths. When the otters catch large fish, they haul them onto shore to dine. While river otters spend most of their time in water, they do travel across land as well—often in search of a mate. Otters even make their land travel look playful. They run a few steps and then slide on their bellies. Clearly, otters know how to have fun!
their name implies, but they’re also found near streams and lakes throughout nearly all

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