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Fun Butterfly Facts for Kids - Interesting Information about Butterflies

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Emperor penguins spend their entire lives on Antarctic ice and in its waters. They survive-breeding, raising young, and eating-by relying on a number of clever adaptations.

These flightless birds breed in the winter. After a courtship of several weeks, a female emperor penguin lays one single egg then leaves! Each penguin egg's father balances it on his feet and covers it with his brood pouch, a very warm layer of feathered skin designed to keep the egg cozy. There the males stand, for about 65 days, through icy temperatures, cruel winds, and blinding storms.

Finally, after about two months, the females return from the sea, bringing food they regurgitate, or bring up, to feed the now hatched chicks. The males eagerly leave for their own fishing session at sea, and the mothers take over care of the chicks for a while.

As the young penguins grow, adults leave them in groups of chicks called crèches while they leave to fish. There is a reason for the timing of emperor penguins' hatching. By December, when the Antarctic weather has warmed somewhat, the ice the penguins occupy begins to break up, bringing open waters closer to the nesting sites. Now the chicks are old enough to take to the seas and fish for their own food.

Check out the book Penguins vs. Puffins for more about these amazing birds!

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Emperor penguins spend their entire lives on Antarctic ice and in its waters. They survive-breeding, raising young, and eating-by relying on a number of clever adaptations. These flightless birds breed in the winter. After a courtship of several weeks, a female emperor penguin lays one single egg then leaves!

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Get ready for an epic battle of ultimate cuteness. Which team will you be rooting for in this hilarious seabird smackdown?

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At first glance, African elephants look similar to Asian elephants, but they are different species that live in different parts of the world. Here are some helpful clues for telling the 2 species apart: African elephants have very large ears that are shaped like the continent of Africa, while Asian elephants have smaller ears.

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With a range of bright colors-yellows, oranges, reds, greens, blues-poison dart frogs aren't just big show-offs either. Those colorful designs tell potential predators, "I'm toxic. Don't eat me." For example, the golden poison dart frog has enough poison to kill 20,000 mice. 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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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.

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For a long time, scientists weren't sure if giant pandas were bears or perhaps more closely related to raccoons. Now we know that giant pandas are indeed members of the bear family, similar to other bears in their general looks and the way they walk and climb.

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Meet two of the San Diego Zoo's feathered future ambassadors!

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That's when the massive marine mammal was caught on video circling the ship's remote operating vehicle (ROV), a small underwater vehicle connected to the ship deep in the ocean.

"It was probably one of the most amazing moments we've ever had on this ship," says Susan Poulton, a media consultant on the voyage. "The entire ship was jumping, cheering, and gathering around the monitors."

The Nautilus' s ROV was investigating openings in the seafloor that release natural gas when the whale swam into view. What was it doing there? The toothed mammal may have been looking for prey such as squid and fish-male sperm whales have been known to dive as deep as 3,280 feet (1,000 meters) in search of prey, and gobble about one ton (907 kilograms) of the snacks a day.

We bet the ship's team is glad its equipment wasn't confused for a quick bite!
Text from "Rare Video Captures Sperm Whale in Deep Sea" by Brian Clark Howard, NGS Staff Adapted by Rose Davidson, NGS Staff

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That's when the massive marine mammal was caught on video circling the ship's remote operating vehicle (ROV), a small underwater vehicle connected to the ship deep in the ocean. "It was probably one of the most amazing moments we've ever had on this ship," says Susan Poulton, a media consultant on the voyage.

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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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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.

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When an elephant drinks, it sucks as much as 2 gallons (7.5 liters) of water into its trunk at a time. Then it curls its trunk under, sticks the tip of its trunk into its mouth, and blows. Out comes the water, right down the elephant's throat.

Since African elephants live where the sun is usually blazing hot, they use their trunks to help them keep cool. First they squirt a trunkful of cool water over their bodies. Then they often follow that with a sprinkling of dust to create a protective layer of dirt on their skin. Elephants pick up and spray dust the same way they do water-with their trunks.

Elephants also use their trunks as snorkels when they wade in deep water. An elephant's trunk is controlled by many muscles. Two fingerlike parts on the tip of the trunk allow the elephant to perform delicate maneuvers such as picking a berry from the ground or plucking a single leaf off a tree. Elephants can also use its trunk to grasp an entire tree branch and pull it down to its mouth and to yank up clumps of grasses and shove the greenery into their mouths.

When an elephant gets a whiff of something interesting, it sniffs the air with its trunk raised up like a submarine periscope. If threatened, an elephant will also use its trunk to make loud trumpeting noises as a warning.

Elephants are social creatures. They sometimes hug by wrapping their trunks together in displays of greeting and affection. Elephants also use their trunks to help lift or nudge an elephant calf over an obstacle, to rescue a fellow elephant stuck in mud, or to gently raise a newborn elephant to its feet. And just as a human baby sucks its thumb, an elephant calf often sucks its trunk for comfort. One elephant can eat 300 pounds (136 kilograms) of food in one day.

People hunt elephants mainly for their ivory tusks. Adult females and young travel in herds, while adult males generally travel alone or in groups of their own.

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When an elephant drinks, it sucks as much as 2 gallons (7.5 liters) of water into its trunk at a time. Then it curls its trunk under, sticks the tip of its trunk into its mouth, and blows. Out comes the water, right down the elephant's throat.

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THE BIGGER THE BETTER

Asian elephants live in the tropical forests and grasslands of Southeast Asia. They're a little smaller than African elephants but can grow nine feet tall and weigh nearly six tons. That's heavier than two medium-size cars! Even newborns are on the hefty side, weighing some 200 pounds. Given their size it's no surprise that these guys are big on food. Adults can eat 300 pounds in one day, nearly 75 times what the average human eats! An Asian elephant's ideal meal includes roots, grasses, fruit, and bark.

Much of an Asian elephant's time is spent searching for grub. In fact the animal may travel 50 miles a day to find food. Asian elephants also enjoy taking dips in the water. To cool down their backsides, the animals will fill their trunks with water and spray it over themselves like a hose.

SOCIAL NETWORK

Asian elephants are gentle and super-social. Related females live with their young in herds. (Adult males go off on their own.) To communicate with each other they use rumbles, bellows, growls, and moans. Some of their vocalizations can be heard more than a mile away. Talk about a long-distance call!

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A three-foot-deep watering hole in northeast India hums with buzzing insects and chirping birds. Suddenly seven Asian elephants stomp through the grass surrounding the pool and splash into the water. It's bath time for the herd. THE BIGGER THE BETTER Asian elephants live in the tropical forests and grasslands of Southeast Asia.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9Blk2_TQME

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qdxEiIB_Sw

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Don't Be Afraid of Spiders! | Amazing Animals | Backyard Science | SciShow Kids

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A butterfly is a usually day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera. They are grouped together in the suborder Rhopalocera. Butterflies are closely related to moths, from which they evolved.

Angiosperms (flowering plants) evolved in the Lower Cretaceous, but did not become common until the Upper Cretaceous. Butterflies were the last major group of insects to appear on the planet. They evolved from moths in the latest Cretaceous or the earliest Cainozoic. The earliest known butterfly fossils date to the mid Eocene epoch, between 40-50 million years ago.

Like moths, butterflies have four wings covered with tiny scales. When a butterfly is not flying, its wings are usually folded over its back. The wings are patterned and are often brightly coloured. There are many different kinds of butterflies. The males and females of each kind are often slightly different from each other. Butterfly watching is a popular hobby. Some people also keep collections of dead butterflies that they have caught.

Like all insects with complete metamorphosis, a butterfly's life goes through four distinct stages. It begins as an egg, which hatches into a larva (a caterpillar). After some time, the larva turns into a chrysalis (like a cocoon). While it is in the chrysalis, it becomes a butterfly. The butterfly then hatches out and lays more eggs.

Predators and defenses

The main predators of butterflies are birds, just as the main predators of the crepuscular moths are bats. Also monkeys and tree-dwelling reptiles are predators, and some insects and spiders. Certainly all reptiles and monkeys have good colour vision, so that butterfly coloration works just as well on them as it does on birds.

The extraordinary colors and patterns on the wings and body can only be understood in terms of their function. Some of the most obvious functions of color are:

1. Camouflage: enabling the insect to remain hidden from view

2. Signalling to other animals

1. Warning coloration: signalling to other animals not to attack

2. Mimicry: taking advantage of another species' warning coloration

3. Sexual selection: finding a mate

4. Other kinds of signalling

3. Diversion
Startle defence: unexpected flashes of colour or eyespots

The details vary from group to group, and from species to species. The caterpillars also have colours with similar functions. The poisonous substances which make some butterflies noxious to eat are derived from the plants eaten by their caterpillars.

Wings and flight

Butterflies have a very characteristic flying style. They usually do not fly in straight lines. Their style is well described by the children's version of their name: 'flutter-by'. Some species are capable of strong, long flights (see monarch butterfly migration) and others never leave the woods they were born in. They can survive bird pecks on the wings quite well. Late in the season damage to their wings can often be seen, and still they continue flying quite well.

The head is the first part of the body. It has the eyes, mouth parts, and antennae.

The eyes of a butterfly are large. The eye is made up of smaller eyes or optical units. Eyes that are made up of optical units are called compound eyes. Butterflies do not see as many colors as humans, but they can see ultraviolet light.

The mouth of an adult butterfly does not have jaws. It has a kind of mouth that is made to suck liquids. This mouth is called a proboscis. The proboscis is made up of two hollow tubes. The tubes are locked together in the middle. When the butterfly is not using its proboscis, it is coiled up in the head. It can uncoil the proboscis when it wants to feed.

The antennae of a butterfly are used for smell and balance. The antenna in most butterflies is clubbed at the end. In some butterflies (like the Skippers), there is a hook at the end of the antenna, instead of a club.

The thorax is the second part of the body. It is made up of three segments. The legs and wings are connected to the thorax.

A butterfly has two pairs of wings. Each wing has hollow tubes called veins. The colors and patterns of butterflies are made by tiny scales. The scales over lap each other. They are connected to the wing. If a butterfly is handled, the tiny scales may rub off.

The abdomen is the third part of the body. It is made up of ten segments. The abdomen is much softer than the head and the thorax. At the end of the abdomen are the reproductive organs. In the male, there is a pair of claspers. They are used to hold on to the female during mating. In the female, there is a tube made to lay eggs.

Butterflies go through complete metamorphosis. This means that there are four parts in a butterfly's life. The first part is the egg. The second part is the caterpillar (sometimes called the larva). The third part is the chrysalis (sometimes called the pupa). The fourth part is the adult (sometimes called the imago).

A female butterfly will lay her eggs on or near the food plant of the caterpillar (the food plant is the plant that the caterpillar feeds on). The female will choose a place to lay her eggs using smell, taste, touch, and sight. Most species will lay just one egg on the food plant. Others will lay groups of five to over 100 eggs on the food plant. Most species will lay their eggs on the leaves of the food plant. Others will lay them on the flowers, stems, bark, or fruit of the food plant.

The eggs come in many different shapes and colors. They may be round or oval, and flattened. In some species, the egg shell is ribbed. The most common colors in butterfly eggs are yellow and green. The eggs will turn dark just before hatching. Also, some butterflies take a day to come out of eggs, while others could take months.

Caterpillar

Butterfly caterpillars can vary in size, color, and shape. They may have spines, bristles, or soft body extensions. All caterpillars have 13 body segments. The first three segments make up the thorax. The thorax has three pairs of legs. These legs are called true legs. The other 10 segments make up the abdomen. The abdomen has five pairs of soft legs called prolegs. The prolegs have tiny hooks at the end of the each foot. They are used to hold on to things. The hooks are called crochets.

A caterpillar's skin does not grow. As the caterpillar grows inside its skin, the skin becomes too tight. In order for the caterpillar to grow bigger, it sheds its too-tight skin. After the old skin is shed, there is a new, larger skin. This is known as molting. A caterpillar will molt four to five times before turning into a pupa. Each part between molts is called an instar.

Most caterpillars feed on leaves of plants or trees. Most species of caterpillars will feed only on a small number of certain kinds of plants. If the caterpillar's food plant is not found, it will starve to death.

Some species of caterpillars (in the family Lycaenidae) are tended by ants. The caterpillars have special glands that make a sweet liquid called honeydew. The ants like the honeydew. In return for the honeydew, the ants protect the caterpillars from predators. The caterpillars also have special body parts that make sounds. The caterpillar will make sounds with the body parts and "call" the ants when the caterpillar is being attacked by predators. The ants hear the sounds and come to protect the caterpillar.

Caterpillars in the subfamily Miletinae eat insects in the order Hemiptera. This includes aphids, mealybugs, leafhoppers and treehoppers. p356

Caterpillars in the family Papilionidae have a special organ. This organ is called an osmeterium. It is a bad-smelling gland that is shaped like a snake's tongue. It is kept behind the inside of the head. When a predator tries to eat the caterpillar, the caterpillar will release the osmeterium. This scares the predators away. p161

The pupa (plural, pupae) is formed after the last molt. The caterpillar will find a special place to pupate (pupate means to turn into a pupa). The digestive tract is emptied. The caterpillar sheds its skin. The pupa is now exposed. The caterpillar's tissues are broken down and rebuilt into the butterfly's tissues.

The pupa cannot move. It is attached to an object by tiny hooks on the end of the abdomen. These hooks make up what is called the cremaster. There are many tiny holes on the pupa. They allow respiratory gases to move in and out of the pupa.

Many pupae are easy for predators to attack. Some caterpillars (in the family Hesperiidae and the subfamilies Parnassiinae and Satyrinae) make shelters out of silk and leaves to protect themselves when they become pupae. These shelters are called cocoons. Most butterfly pupae do not have cocoons to protect themselves. Instead, the pupae have brown or green colors to camouflage themselves among leaves and branches. Pupae that do not have cocoons are called chrysalids or chrysalises.

Some butterflies may be in trouble because of habitat loss. Because of the destruction of forests and grasslands, some types of butterflies have nowhere to feed and lay eggs. To help, some people plant a butterfly garden with flowers having lots of nectar for butterflies to feed on. Some people also keep plants that butterflies lay eggs on, and enjoy watching the caterpillars hatch out and feed on the plant. Chemical sprays that are used to keep pests away from garden plants, also kill butterflies.

Some colourful butterflies

Monarch butterfly gallery

Related pages

Images for kids

Mutualism: ant tending a lycaenid caterpillar, Catapaecilma major

Braconid parasitoidal wasp ( Apanteles species) cocoons attached to lime butterfly ( Papilio demoleus) caterpillar

Lithopsyche antiqua, an Early Oligocene butterfly from the Bembridge Marls, Isle of Wight, 1889 engraving

In Spanish: Rhopalocera para niños

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Butterflies and moths are related kinds of flying insects. The adults develop from an immature form called a caterpillar. There are about 100,000 species, or types, of...

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Butterflies! Fun Butterfly Facts for Kids

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Which helps them swim quickly through the water dolphins are carnivores using their pointed teeth toMoreWhich helps them swim quickly through the water dolphins are carnivores using their pointed teeth to catch fish that they swallow whole. But they will also eat squid and crustaceans.

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Dolphin Facts for Kids | Classroom Edition Animal Learning Video

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Thought to be some of the smartest animals on Earth, bottlenose dolphins send messages to one another in many different ways. They squeak, squawk and use body language—leaping as high as 20 feet in the air, snapping their jaws, slapping their tails on the surface of the water, blowing bubbles and ev…

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Our Mission - Through education, research and rescue, Dolphin Research Center promotes peaceful coexistence, cooperation and communication between marine mammals, humans and the environment we share with the well being of DRC's animals taking precedence.

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Kids Dolphin Facts - Dolphin Research Center

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Kids can learn about dolphins, sea lions, and marine mammals. Dolphin camp, riddles, puzzles and dolphin facts.

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All About Snakes for Kids: Learn about Snakes for Children - FreeSchool

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DK Find Out! | Fun Facts for Kids on Animals, Earth, History and more!

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Visit DK Find Out! to learn about dinosaurs, space, animals, nature & more. Fun learning activities for kids with videos, quizzes & galleries at DKFindOut.com

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Check out our awesome range of animal facts for kids and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom.

Fun Snake Facts for Kids

Check out our range of fun snake facts for kids. Learn about snake skin, snake charming, snake anatomy and much more.

Read on and enjoy a variety of interesting information about snakes.

Snakes are carnivores (meat eaters).

Snakes don't have eyelids.

Snakes can't bite food so have to swallow it whole.

Snakes have flexible jaws which allow them to eat prey bigger than their head!

Snakes are found on every continent of the world except Antarctica.

Snakes have internal ears but not external ones.

Snakes used in snake charming performances respond to movement, not sound.

There are around 3000 different species of snake.

Snakes have a unique anatomy which allows them to swallow and digest large prey.

Snakes are covered in scales.

Snakeskin is smooth and dry.

Snakes shed their skin a number of times a year in a process that usually lasts a few days.

Some species of snake, such as cobras and black mambas, use venom to hunt and kill their prey. Read more venomous snake facts.

Snakes smell with their tongue.

Pythons kill their prey by tightly wrapping around it and suffocating it in a process called constriction.

Some sea snakes can breathe partially through their skin, allowing for longer dives underwater.

Anacondas are large, non-venomous snakes found in South America that can reach over 5 m (16 ft) in length.

Python reticulates can grow over 8.7 m (28 ft) in length and are considered the longest snakes in the world.

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Fun Snake Facts for Kids - Interesting Information about Snakes

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Check out our awesome range of animal facts for kids and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom. Fun Snake Facts for Kids Check out our range of fun snake facts for kids. Learn about snake skin, snake charming, snake anatomy and much more.

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I read somewhere recently that non-furry pets were becoming more popular again with kids, so I started doing some research around which types of pets are recommended (mostly reptiles). For this post, I've decided to focus on the best snakes for kids to keep as pets, because snakes are often a pretty polarizing reptile.

Some are poisonous and life-threatening; others are harmless and perfectly fine for a pet. (There are actually over 2,500 different species of snakes, which I had no idea about!)

If you're considering a snake for a pet, there are a few important things you need to know. Keep reading, and we'll cover all of that including which are the best snakes for kids.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. See affiliate disclaimer at the bottom of the page.
What to know before getting a pet snake

If you get the right type of snake, there's actually a lot to like about having one as a pet. I'll admit, I was skeptical at first.

Here are some of the pros and cons you should be aware of before you decide to get a pet snake for your child.
Pros: Cons:
Best Snakes for Kids to Keep as Pets

Here are 4 great beginner pet snakes (i.e. best snakes for kids to have as a pet) according to Reptiles Magazine:

Best Snakes for Kids #1: Corn Snake

This snake is native to North America and is widely regarded as the most popular pet snake breed.

People like their demeanor (fairly docile), their availability (easy to get), and their color combinations. Let's face it, if you're going to get a pet snake, you probably want it to look cool (or I'm sure your kid does).

Another reason these are very popular is because they don't grow too large and therefore don't need a large enclosure (a 20-gallon tank should work fine).

Best Snakes for Kids #2: Ball Python

The Ball Python is also seen as one of the most popular pet snake breeds due to their very shy demeanor and the vast amount of "morphs" (i.e. color and pattern combinations). They can be 2 to 5 feet long (the males are typically shorter than the females) and they can live a very long time in captivity (30 years or more).

The reason this one isn't #1 on our list is due to the fact that this snake requires a little bit more care than the corn snake (although still not considered too difficult to care for). There are a couple reasons why Ball Pythons are a bit trickier to care for:

First, they require some humidity in their cage including a bowl of water large enough for them to soak in.

Second, they are sometimes picky eaters and will occasionally not eat for weeks or months at a time. This isn't abnormal, and as long as the snake looks healthy, there's no reason to be concerned (although as a pet owner you will likely still be concerned!).

Overall , they are an extremely popular option if you are willing to put in the extra care.

The Rosy Boa is also considered a great snake breed for a pet as they are fairly docile and don't get too large (2-3 feet on average).

The primary downside vs. the Corn Snake and the Ball Python is that the Rosy Boa isn't often found in big box retail pet stores, so you may have to look around if this breed interests you.

Overall though, this is another great option in the list of best snakes for kids to keep as a pet.

Although not as popular as the snakes mentioned above, the Gopher Snake is another good pet snake breed.

The primary downside with this breed is that it can be a bit larger, up to 6 feet, with an average length of 4-5 feet. As adults, they would likely need to be housed in a 30-gallon enclosure.

Honorable Mention: California Kingsnake

Although considered a good beginner snake, we are leaving the California Kingsnake off the official list. This is because they are sometimes known to be a little "nippy" if not handled often enough.

For this reason, although they may make a great beginner pet snake for an adult, we won't recommend it for kids. Of course, as with all of these options, parental discretion is necessary!

What to buy for a pet snake

So, you're deciding to move forward with getting a snake as a pet for your child. Awesome! As long as you stick with one of the pet friendly options, you should find yourself with a really cool pet for your kid(s).

Once you've made the decision to buy a snake, it's time to get the necessary equipment. Although the below list is not comprehensive, these are the key things you'll need to buy for your pet snake (in addition to food, which may vary by breed, and a bowl for water).

20-gallon Terrarium

For most pet snake breeds, a 20-gallon tank should be large enough. These can vary in price depending on quality, however the one we looked into was the Exo Terra Outback Terrarium.

This tank has a stainless steel mesh cover for ventilation as well as front opening doors allow easy access for maintenance and feeding.

Heating Lamps

Most pet snakes require additional heating to maintain the preferred environment temperature. Heating lamps are one of the easiest ways to do that.

One popular option is the REPTI Zoo Reptile Light Fixture, which comes in a 2-pack, but there are lots of heating lamps out there.

If you would prefer a heating pad, that's an option too ( here's one that is highly rated).

Snake Hide

A snake hide is simply a piece of furniture you put in the snake's enclosure that allows it to conceal itself. It's actually one of the most important things you should buy for your pet snake.

Snakes in the wild like to spend most of their time hidden. Without a place to hide in your snake cage/terrarium, you're depriving it of following its natural instincts, which could cause the snake to become stressed.

There are many different snake hides you can buy, but here is one that we like, which looks like a piece of a broken log.

That's it!

Hopefully this post helped you with your decision on whether or not to buy a pet snake for your child. It might not be an easy decision, and snakes may not be the right pet for all families, but at least you have some options.
Do you have a pet snake for your kids? Any tips or suggestions for other parents who might be considering one? Leave a comment below!

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Best Snakes for Kids to Keep as Pets: What You Need to Know

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I read somewhere recently that non-furry pets were becoming more popular again with kids, so I started doing some research around which types of pets are recommended (mostly reptiles). For this post, I've decided to focus on the best snakes for kids to keep as pets, because snakes are often a pretty polarizing reptile.

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THEY "HEAR" WITH THEIR JAW.

Snakes don't have external ears to hear sound waves in the air. Instead, bones in their lower jaw pick up vibrations in the ground or water. The vibes trigger signals in the snakes' brains, which are received as messages. "Juicy mouse coming closer!"

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Snakes are masters of disguise, skilled hunters, and champion eaters. Here are eight awesome things you may not have known about these carnivorous reptiles.

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All About Polar Bears for Kids: Polar Bears for Children - FreeSchool

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Polar Bears! Learn Fun Polar Bear Facts for Children

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Polar bears live along shores and on sea ice in the icy cold Arctic. When sea ice forms over the ocean in cold weather, many polar bears, except pregnant females, head out onto the ice to hunt seals.

Polar bears primarily eat seals. Polar bears often rest silently at a seal's breathing hole in the ice, waiting for a seal in the water to surface. A polar bear may also hunt by swimming beneath the ice. But climate change is making it harder for polar bears to hunt. Ice melts earlier and re-forms later than it has in the past. Without the sea ice, the polar bear must scavenge for other, less nutritious food.

Polar bears roam the Arctic ice sheets and swim in that region's coastal waters. They are very strong swimmers, and their large front paws, which they use to paddle, are slightly webbed. Some polar bears have been seen swimming hundreds of miles from land-though they probably cover most of that distance by floating on sheets of ice.

In fall pregnant polar bears make dens in earth and snowbanks, where they'll stay through the winter and give birth to one to three cubs. In spring the mother emerges from her den followed by her cubs. During that time she will protect them and teach them how to hunt. The U.S., Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Russia signed an agreement in 1973 to protect polar bears.

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Polar bears live along shores and on sea ice in the icy cold Arctic. When sea ice forms over the ocean in cold weather, many polar bears, except pregnant females, head out onto the ice to hunt seals. Polar bears primarily eat seals.

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Easy Science for Kids Polar Bears - The Biggest Bears - learn fun facts about animals, the human body, our planet and much more. Fun free Polar Bears - The Biggest Bears activities!

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The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a large bear which lives in the Arctic. It is also called white bear or northern bear. It has black skin under the white fur. They are strong and fast, and can run as fast as 25 miles (40 km) an hour for a short distance.

Appearance

Polar bear fur is made up of a layer of dense underfur and an outer layer of "guard hairs", which appear white to tan but are actually translucent. The fur keeps them very warm. The skin is not white; it is black. Therefore, they can absorb sunlight efficiently. They are strong and can swim very well. Polar bears are similar in size to a normal bear but have a slimmer neck, longer legs and fur.

The only other bear of comparable size to the polar bear is the Kodiak bear, which is a subspecies of brown bear. Adult male polar bears weigh 350-700 kg (770-1,500 lb) and measure 2.4-3 metres (7 ft 10 in-9 ft 10 in) in total length. Around the Beaufort Sea, however, mature males reportedly average 450 kg (1,000 lb). Adult females are roughly half the size of males and normally weigh 150-250 kg (330-550 lb), measuring 1.8-2.4 metres (5 ft 11 in-7 ft 10 in) in length. Elsewhere, a slightly larger estimated average weight of 260 kg (570 lb) was claimed for adult females. When pregnant, however, females can weigh as much as 500 kg (1,100 lb). The polar bear is among the most sexually dimorphic of mammals, surpassed only by the pinnipeds such as elephant seals. The largest polar bear on record, reportedly weighing 1,002 kg (2,209 lb), was a male shot at Kotzebue Sound in northwestern Alaska in 1960. This specimen, when mounted, stood 3.39 m (11 ft 1 in) tall on its hindlegs. The shoulder height of an adult polar bear is 122 to 160 cm (4 ft 0 in to 5 ft 3 in). While all bears are short-tailed, the polar bear's tail is relatively the shortest amongst living bears, ranging from 7 to 13 cm (2.8 to 5.1 in) in length.

Compared with its closest relative, the brown bear, the polar bear has a more elongated body build and a longer skull and nose. As predicted by Allen's rule for a northerly animal, the legs are stocky and the ears and tail are small. However, the feet are very large to distribute load when walking on snow or thin ice and to provide propulsion when swimming; they may measure 30 cm (12 in) across in an adult. The pads of the paws are covered with small, soft papillae (dermal bumps), which provide traction on the ice. The polar bear's claws are short and stocky compared to those of the brown bear, perhaps to serve the former's need to grip heavy prey and ice. The claws are deeply scooped on the underside which assists in digging in the ice of the natural habitat. Research of injury patterns in polar bear forelimbs found injuries to the right forelimb to be more frequent than those to the left, suggesting, perhaps, right-handedness. Unlike the brown bear, polar bears in captivity are rarely overweight or particularly large, possibly as a reaction to the warm conditions of most zoos.

They are mostly carnivorous. They eat mostly seals and fish. When Polar bears hunt, they often wait at holes in the ice, where the seals come up to breathe. They can live off of one seal for many days, but it will make them hungry if they do.

Polar bears live alone. Polar bears are black with clear fur, so in daylight, they appear white; at night, they are invisible.

Young Polar bears stay with their mothers for 1-2 years, and they become mature when they are 5-6 years old. People think Polar bears can become 25-30 years old in nature, but in captivity (for example, in zoos), they can become up to 45 years old.

Polar bears live in countries in the Arctic Circle, including these:

Polar bear cubs

The breeding time is 8 months. The babies are born six weeks after their mother mates. At birth, a baby cub weighs less than 2 pounds (0.9 kilograms). The mother feeds the babies milk, which makes them grow fast, and after 10 weeks, the cubs weigh about 20 to 25 pounds (9.1 to 11.4 kilograms). Young polar bears wrestle in the snow to build their strength and skills. They practice using their strong paws, and they show off their big, sharp teeth.

Mother polar bears will do anything to protect their young. They can kill a predator with just one swat of their powerful front paws. Scientists have even seen a mother polar bear stand up and leap at a helicopter to keep it away from her cubs.

During the first year, the cubs begin to eat solid food but still nurse from their mother. They begin to learn to hunt and swim. But they cannot live on their own. By the time they are two years old, the cubs have grown into large bears. They leave their mother and strike off into territory of their own. They hunt and live alone. But they play with other bears they meet. Polar bears are ready to mate when they are five or six years old. They are adults by this time and weigh 330 to 660 pounds (150 to 300 kilograms).

Polar bear adults

Both male and female polar bears live to be as much as 30 years old (in a zoo). Polar bears have 42 teeth.

As adults, male bears fight with each other over a female. Each male fluffs out his coat of fur to make himself look bigger. Then, he swaggers along, growling, to scare off his rival. Polar bear scientists call this "the cowboy walk." The polar bear eats seals, fish and fruits (berries). They can be up to 250cm long and 160cm tall and weigh up to 600kg.

When two polar bears meet, they have a special way of greeting each other. They circle around each other for a while, grunting. Then they come closer and touch noses.

The polar bear was the most dangerous animal to hunt. It was also greatly respected for its strength and spirit. The bear's blubber, meat, and fur all help the Inuit survive. The Inuit gave thanks and respect in turn. After a hunt, they held a celebration that lasted for several days. Then, a polar bear dance was held. Finally, the bear's skull was set on an ice floe to release its spirit back into the Arctic.

A polar bear's paws are perfect snowshoes for them. The bottoms are wide and covered with fur to help keep the bear from slipping. The sharp claws help grip the ice.

A polar bear can crawl across ice too thin for a human to walk on. They spread out their legs and lay their bellies flat on the ice. Then they use their claws to slowly push themselves across the ice.

Polar bears mate in April or May. The cub is born in December, when the mother is hibernating. The cub stays in the den with the mother until March, then, they all come out. They eat immediately after hibernating. Sometimes, because of global warming, this is impossible and the cubs die before they have had a chance to live. The cub leaves its mother in 2-3 years.

Life expectancy

Polar bears rarely live beyond 25 years. The oldest wild bears on record died at age 32, whereas the oldest captive was a female who died in 1991, age 43. The causes of death in wild adult polar bears are poorly understood, as carcasses are rarely found in the species's frigid habitat. In the wild, old polar bears eventually become too weak to catch food, and gradually starve to death. Polar bears injured in fights or accidents may either die from their injuries, or become unable to hunt effectively, leading to starvation.

The polar bear's liver contains a lot of vitamin A. Inuit people knew that eating the liver could cause sickness and death. Several groups of European polar explorers were seriously ill after eating livers. The symptoms included drowsiness, wanting to sleep, being irritable, headaches, and vomiting. After 24 hours, people's skin began to peel off.

Indigenous folklore

For the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, polar bears have long played an important cultural and material role. Polar bear remains have been found at hunting sites dating to 2,500 to 3,000 years ago and 1,500-year-old cave paintings of polar bears have been found in the Chukchi Peninsula. Indeed, it has been suggested that Arctic peoples' skills in seal hunting and igloo construction has been in part acquired from the polar bears themselves.

The Inuit and Alaska Natives have many folk tales featuring the bears including legends in which bears are humans when inside their own houses and put on bear hides when going outside, and stories of how the constellation that is said to resemble a great bear surrounded by dogs came into being. These legends reveal a deep respect for the polar bear, which is portrayed as both spiritually powerful and closely akin to humans. The human-like posture of bears when standing and sitting, and the resemblance of a skinned bear carcass to the human body, have probably contributed to the belief that the spirits of humans and bears were interchangeable.

The Nenets of north-central Siberia placed particular value on the talismanic power of the prominent canine teeth. These were traded in the villages of the lower Yenisei and Khatanga rivers to the forest-dwelling peoples further south, who would sew them into their hats as protection against brown bears. It was believed that the "little nephew" (the brown bear) would not dare to attack a man wearing the tooth of its powerful "big uncle", the polar bear.

Symbols and mascots

Their distinctive appearance and their association with the Arctic have made polar bears popular icons, especially in those areas where they are native. The Canadian two-dollar coin carries an image of a lone polar bear on its reverse side, while a special millennium edition featured three. Vehicle licence plates in the Northwest Territories in Canada are in the shape of a polar bear, as was the case in Nunavut until 2012; these now display polar bear artwork instead. The polar bear is the mascot of Bowdoin College, Maine; the University of Alaska Fairbanks; and the 1988 Winter Olympics held in Calgary. The Eisbären Berlin hockey team uses a roaring polar bear as their logo, and the Charlotte, North Carolina hockey team the Charlotte Checkers uses a polar bear named Chubby Checker as their mascot.

Coca-Cola has used images of the polar bear in its advertising, and Polar Beverages, Nelvana, Bundaberg Rum, Klondike bars, and Fox's Glacier Mints all feature polar bears in their logos.

Polar bears are popular in fiction, particularly in books for children or teenagers.

Images for kids

In Spanish: Ursus maritimus para niños

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All About Bats for Kids: Animal Videos for Children - FreeSchool

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Explore our wide variety of animal facts and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom.

Fun Bat Facts for Kids

Check out our range of fun bat facts for kids. Learn how they see in the dark, what vampire bats feed on and much more. Read on and enjoy a variety of interesting information about bats.

Bats are flying mammals.

While others can glide, bats are the only mammals capable of continued flight.

There are over 1000 different bat species.

Bats are nocturnal (active at night).

Bats 'see' in the dark using a special skill called echolocation. Bats make noises and wait for the sound waves to bounce back off objects (an echo), if it doesn't bounce back then they can safely fly forward. They can tell the distance of various objects by how quickly the sound waves bounce back to them.

Most bats feed on insects, while others eat fruit, fish or even blood!

There are 3 species of vampire bats which feed solely on blood.

Vampire bats have small and extremely sharp teeth which are capable of piercing an animal's skin (humans included) without them even noticing.

Vampire bats can carry rabies, making their bites potentially dangerous.

Some bats live by themselves while others live in caves with thousands of other bats.

Bats can live for over 20 years.

Pteropus bats (also known as flying foxes or fruit bats) are the largest in the world.

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Fun Bat Facts for Kids - Interesting Information about Bats

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Explore our wide variety of animal facts and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom. Fun Bat Facts for Kids Check out our range of fun bat facts for kids. Learn how they see in the dark, what vampire bats feed on and much more.

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Bats are a part of the natural balance of nature and they are needed to keep everything in order.

There are all types of bats all around the world and each type has developed depending upon their location.

Bats are mammals and are the only mammals on the earth that actually fly.

Even though 'flying squirrels' are thought to fly, they actually only glide.

Pest Exterminators

Bats love to eat bugs! Because of this, they reduce the number of pesticides that are used by farmers.

This is really good for the environment and helps to reduce the amount of damage that bugs can cause.

Bats and Tequila

The lesser long-nosed species ranges of bats are found in Mexico.

Mexican Tequila companies have bat-friendly practices in place. They allow their blue agave plants to fully flower (which is how they make tequila) which are in the natural migration patterns of the lesser long-nosed bat.

The lesser long-nosed bat helps to pollinate the agave plants.

The bats play a crucial role in agave pollination and have helped to save and grow the tequila industry.

Many Mexican companies market themselves as being bat-friendly.

Fun Bat Facts for Kids:

Bats are the only flying mammals in the world.

Believe it or not, there are over 1000 different bat species in the world.

Bats are nocturnal so sleep during the day and are awake at night time.

Their wings are an extension of their skin.

Most of the time they feed on insects and some bots like to eat fruit, fish, and even blood.

There are only three species of bats called vampire bats but that like blood.

The order name of the bat is called Chiroptera, which means 'hand wing'. It's called that because their wing structure is almost the same as our hands.

There are more species of bats than any of the other mammals. With 1,200 species, bats make up one-quarter of the mammals in the world.

Bats eat a lot of different things. Those bats that eat fruit are called 'flying foxes' or mega-bats and that variety have large eyes. The fruit bats live in Australia, Asia and Africa and they consume the fruit and the fruit nectar. Like birds and butterflies, they help to pollinate the fruit trees by landing and eating the fruit or nectar.

Bats come in many sizes. The biggest bat in the world is the Malayan Flying Fox. It has a six-foot wingspan and can weigh up to two lbs. The smallest bat is very tiny. The Kitties hog-nosed bat or 'Bumblebee bat' is about the size of a dime and its wingspan in only six inches.

Most bats eat insects and they play a big part in keeping the insect populations down. A bat can eat as many as 2,000-6,000 insects per night. Imagine what the world would be like if they didn't eat all of those. We would be overrun with bugs!

Bats use 'echolocation' in the air, the same way that dolphins and whales use it underwater. They send out noise and then wait for the sound waves the echo or bounce back once it has hit an object. If nothing bounces back it shows them it is safe to keep flying forward. Using the 'echolocation' they can also tell how far away something is by the speed that the sound waves return to them.

Bats live in large groups called 'colonies' and prefer darkened places like caves, dead trees, crevices in rocks, and even in people's homes. One house in Texas had a colony of Mexican free-tailed bats that numbered twenty-five million.

Bats hang upside down because they can't stand upright. This is due to the way they are built. They have a very small pelvic area.

They hang upside-down almost all of the time, including when they are socializing, drinking, and even eating. If we hung upside down, gravity would make all of the blood rushes to our heads. Not so in bats, because they don't weigh enough for gravity to have any effect on the circulation of their blood.

You have probably heard of vampire bats. They fly at night and land on animals. Unlike the stories, they only drink about one tablespoon of blood that is often collected from many animals each night. The three species of vampire bats only live in Central and South America and Mexico. They prefer field animals such as chickens, goats, cows, and pigs.

Some bats can fly very quickly. There are a few that have been clocked at speeds of fifty miles per hour.

Bats typically live to around thirty years as an average but have a life span from ten to twenty years.

People keep track of bats, often capturing and releasing them after they check their health and weight. One bat that was captured was forty-one years old.

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Bat Facts for Kids (All You Need to Know!)

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Bats are a part of the natural balance of nature and they are needed to keep everything in order. There are all types of bats all around the world and each type has developed depending upon their location. Bats are mammals and are the only mammals on the earth that actually fly.

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Tigers for Kids: Learn All About Tigers - FreeSchool

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TIGERS For Kids- Educational READ ALOUD for Children

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A female tiger gives birth to a litter of three or four cubs, who she will care for until they are a year-and-a-half old. These cubs quadruple in size during their first month!

The powerful predator generally hunts alone, able to bring down prey such as deer and antelope. Tigers wait until dark to hunt. The tiger sprints to an unsuspecting animal, usually pulling it off its feet with its teeth and claws. If the prey animal is large, the tiger bites its throat to kill it; smaller prey is usually killed when the tiger breaks its neck. Tigers have been known to eat up to 80 pounds of meat in one night, but more often they consume about 12 pounds during a meal. It may take days for a tiger to finish eating its kill. The cat eats until it's full, and then covers the carcass with leaves and dirt. The tiger comes back to feed some more.

Tigers live far apart from each other. A tiger knows if it is in another tiger's territory based on the trees around him. Each tiger marks the trees in its area with urine and special scratches.

Unlike most members of the cat family, tigers seem to enjoy water and swim well.

Some tigers live where it gets very cold-in India and parts of southeast Asia. The whole species is endangered throughout its range.

Tigers have been overhunted for their fur as well as for other body parts that many people use in traditional medicines. Tigers' habitat has also dwindled seriously as humans have developed land for uses such as farming and logging. However, in the Siberian region of Russia, there's hope that these big cats are making a comeback.

Because of their size, strength, and predatory skills, tigers are considered one of the "big cats." Lions, cheetahs, jaguars, and cougars are also part of this grouping.

Tiger stripes are special to each individual, and their tails help them to keep their balance. The big cats share all but 4.4% of their DNA with domestic cats.

Take the big cat quiz to see how much you know about these fierce felines. Then, just for fun, see which wild cat you're most like with our personality quiz.

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Easily recognized by its coat of reddish-orange with dark stripes, the tiger is the largest wild cat in the world. The big cat's tail is three feet long. On average the big cat weighs 450 pounds, about the same as eight ten-year-old kids.

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The tiger ( Panthera tigris) is the largest living member of the cat family, the Felidae. It feeds by hunting. It lives in Asia, mainly India, Bhutan, China, Korea and Siberian Russia. Tigers are solitary animals.

Appearance

Tigers have orange fur with black stripes, and a white belly. The black stripes usually extend to the white underside. The stripes are used to keep them camouflaged while hunting. Usually, two tigers have the same pattern of stripes.

There are never tigers with different colors. There are sometimes white tigers that have white fur with black stripes, or that even have pure white fur. They have orange or red eyes. Most Bengal tigers have orange fur. The white coat only appears once in every 100,000,000 births. The Bengal tiger is the national animal of Bangladesh and India.

Tigers vary in size depending on their subspecies. Siberian tigers are the largest. Males can grow to at least 9 feet (2.7 metres) long (body length) and weigh about 900 lb (410 kg). Females are a bit smaller. Record weight for males is claimed as 890 lbs (318 kg), but this cannot be confirmed.

Where they live

Tigers can live in a variety of habitats. Mostly they need to hide, be near to a water source, and have enough prey to eat. Bengal tigers in particular live in many types of forests. These include the wet, evergreen of Assam and eastern Bengal; the swampy mangrove forest of the Ganges Delta; the deciduous forest of Nepal, and the thorn forests of the Western Ghats.

Subspecies

As previously thought, the tiger had five living subspecies. In this context, 'recently' means in the last two centuries. Three tiger subspecies are extinct (†).

Subspecies of Tiger (Panthera tigris)

However, in 2017, the Cat Classification Task Force of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group revised felid taxonomy and recognized the tiger populations in continental Asia as P. t. tigris, and those in the Sunda Islands as P. t. sondaica.

Captive tigers were bred with lions to create hybrids called liger and tigon. They share physical and behavioural qualities of both parent species. Breeding hybrids is now discouraged due to the emphasis on conservation. The liger is a cross between a male lion and a tigress. The less common tigon is a cross between a lioness and a male tiger.

The tiger is mainly diurnal. It does not often climb trees but cases have been recorded. It is a strong swimmer and often bathes in ponds, lakes and rivers, thus keeping cool in the heat of the day.

The tiger is a long-ranging species, and individuals move around over distances of up to 650 km (400 mi) to reach tiger populations in other areas.

Adult tigers lead largely solitary lives. They establish and maintain territories but have much wider home ranges within which they roam.

Facial expressions include the "defense threat", where an individual bares its teeth, flattens its ears and its pupils enlarge.

Like other , tigers roar, particularly in aggressive situations, during the mating season or when making a kill. There are two different roars: the "true" roar is made using the hyoid apparatus and forced through an open mouth as it progressively closes, and the shorter, harsher "coughing" roar is made with the mouth open and teeth exposed. The "true" roar can be heard at up to 3 km (1.9 mi) away and is sometimes emitted three or four times in succession.

When tense, tigers will moan. Moaning can be heard 400 m (1,300 ft) away. Chuffing-soft, low-frequency snorting similar to purring in smaller cats, is heard in more friendly situations. Other vocal communications include grunts, woofs, snarls, miaows, hisses and growls.

Tigers eat many types of prey, mostly other large mammals. Some examples are deer, monkeys, wild rabbits, wild pigs, tapirs, buffalo and other animals found in Asia. All tigers are carnivores (meat eaters). Some tigers may eat up to 50 pounds (23 kilograms) of meat a day. Tigers kill their prey by clamping down on the prey's throat and suffocating it.

Reproduction

Gestation ranges from 93 to 114 days, with an average of 103 to 105 days. The female gives birth in a sheltered location such as in tall grass, in a dense thicket, cave or rocky crevice.

Litters consist of two or three cubs, rarely as many as six. Cubs weigh from 780 to 1,600 g (1.72 to 3.53 lb) each at birth, and are born with eyes closed.

Around the time they are weaned, they start to accompany their mother on territorial walks and are taught how to hunt.

The cubs start hunting on their own earliest at the age of 11 months, and become independent around 18 to 20 months of age.

The oldest recorded captive tiger lived for 26 years.

Conservation

In the 1990s, a new approach to tiger conservation was developed: Tiger Conservation Units (TCUs), which are blocks of habitat that have the potential to host tiger populations in 15 habitat types within five bioregions.

In 2016, an estimate of a global wild tiger population of approximately 3,890 individuals.

Major threats to the tiger include habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation and poaching for fur and body parts, which have simultaneously greatly reduced tiger populations in the wild.

Tigers have been studied in the wild using a variety of techniques. Tiger population have been estimated using plaster casts of their pugmarks, although this method was criticized as being inaccurate. More recent techniques include the use of camera traps and studies of DNA from tiger scat, while radio-collaring has been used to track tigers in the wild. Tiger spray has been found to be just as good, or better, as a source of DNA than scat.

Interesting facts about tigers

They are biggest cats in the world.

The can live up to 25 years

A Liger is a cross between a male lion and a tigress. A Tigon is a cross between a lioness and a male tiger.

A tigers pee smells like buttered popcorn!

Tigers can't purr, but they can "chuff".

The stripes on a tigers fur are different for every tiger. No two are alike.

The smallest species of tiger is the Sumatran tiger and the largest is the Siberian tiger.

A tiger's roar is very loud and can be heard from miles away.

Images for kids

Tiger hunted by wild dogs ( dholes) as illustrated in Samuel Howett & Edward Orme, Hand Coloured, Aquatint Engravings 1807

Cover of the 1954 edition of Jim Corbett's Man-Eaters of Kumaon, illustrated by Raymond Sheppard

In Spanish: Panthera tigris para niños

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Penguins are seabirds in the family Spheniscidae. They use their wings to travel underwater, but they cannot travel in the air. They eat fish and other seafood. Penguins lay their eggs and raise their babies on land.

Penguins live only in the Southern Hemisphere of the world: Antarctica, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and South America. The furthest north they get is the Galapagos Islands, where the cold Humboldt Current flows past.

Physical description

All penguins have a white belly and a dark, mostly black, back. This is a type of camouflage to keep them safe when they swim, because it makes them blend in with their background. The white and black colors make an effect called countershading. When a predator looking from below sees the white belly and wings of a swimming penguin, they can not see the penguin well because the light is coming from above. However, when seen from above, the penguin's black back blends in with the dark water below, so they are hard to see.

The biggest penguins may stand nearly 4 feet tall (110 cm) and can weigh almost 100 pounds (40 kg). The smallest kinds are only about one foot (32 cm) tall.

Penguins have a thick layer of blubber that helps them keep warm, and their feathers are very tightly packed to make another cover. They also have a layer of woolly down feathers, under the outer veined feathers that are coated with a type of oil that makes them waterproof.

Penguins have webbed feet used for paddling in the water. They cannot walk well, so they waddle. Penguins cannot fly, but they can swim very well. Their wings have become stiff and small swimming flippers. They have good hearing and can see underwater.

Most penguins lay two eggs per year but emperor penguins lay only one. After the penguins mate, the mother lays her egg or eggs and soon goes in the ocean to eat. The father and mother take turns keeping the eggs warm, and the chicks warm after hatching. The parent on baby duty has nothing to eat. Parent penguins call to find each other amongst the thousands of birds when they return from the feeding grounds. The time one parent is alone with the eggs or chicks and going hungry may be weeks or months depending on what kind of penguin they are. If one parent does not return, the other must abandon the egg to go and eat.

Penguins eat krill, fish, squid, and other small animals from the ocean, which they catch. They are at home in the ocean. They come up on the land or ice to lay their eggs and raise the chicks. They don't eat there because they live in places where the land has no food for them. In most species the birds all nest together in a huge group, called a rookery. They usually make nests on the ground with rocks or mud.

Penguins cannot taste fish. This was discovered when a research team noticed they were missing some key genes for taste. A closer look at the DNA of penguins showed that all species lack functioning genes for the receptors of sweet, umami, and bitter tastes. It doesn't matter to them, because they swallow the fish whole.

Different kinds

There are 15-20 living species (types) of penguins. The white-flippered penguin is today generally considered a subspecies of the little penguin. It is still unclear if the royal penguin is a subspecies of the macaroni penguin. Scientists are also uncertain whether rockhopper penguins are one, two, or three species.

List of penguins

Subfamily Spheniscinae - modern penguins

Image

Genus

Living Species

Eudyptes Vieillot, 1816 - crested penguins

Images for kids

In Spanish: Spheniscidae para niños

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Elephant facts

1) There are three different species of elephant - the African Savannah elephant, the African Forest elephant and the Asian elephant. Elephants are known for their large ears, tusks made of ivory and their trunks - which are actually a fusion of their nose and upper lip.

2) Elephants are the world's largest land animal! Male African elephants can reach 3m tall and weigh between 4,000 -7,500kg. Asian elephants are slightly smaller, reaching 2.7m tall and weighing 3,000- 6,000kg.

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3) There's an easy way to tell the African elephants apart from their Asian cousins - their ears! African elephants have large ears shaped like the continent of Africa! Asian elephants' ears are smaller and shaped like India. Cool, huh?

4) You can tell a lot about an elephant by looking at their tusks! Elephant tusks never stop growing, so enormous tusks can be a sign of an old elephant. Both male and female African elephants grow tusks, but only male Asian elephants grow them. A tusk-less adult elephant is likely to be a female Asian elephant.

5) Until recently, African Forest elephants were thought to be a subspecies of the African elephant, but new research discovered that they are actually a separate species entirely. These elephants live in the tropical forests of Africa's Congo Basin. They have straighter tusks and more rounded ears than Savannah elephants.

6) These magnificent mammals spend between 12 to 18 hours eating grass, plants and fruit every single day! They use their long trunks to smell their food and lift it up into their mouth - yum!

7) All that eating means one thing, gang, an awful lot of poo! Each elephant creates about one tonne of poo per week, which keeps the soil fertile and disperses tree seeds. Elephants also dig waterholes and create footpaths, literally changing the landscape around them!

8) In Mount Elgon National Park in Kenya, a group of elephants use their tusks to mine for salt in underground caves! They feel their way around with their trunks and eat the salts by breaking them off with their tusks.

9) Elephants have created their very own sunscreen! After a river or swamp bath, they'll throw mud and sand up and over themselves to protect their skin from the hot, burning sun. Clever!

10) Sadly, elephants are in trouble. Many are killed by humans for their ivory tusks, because they've come into conflict with communities or simply for sport. There are far fewer Asian elephants (which are categorised as Endangered) than there are African elephants (listed as Vulnerable - at risk of becoming Endangered). Asian elephants also face threats from tourist attractions where people pay to ride on their backs or watch them paint pictures using their trunks.

Click here to learn more about threats to the Asian elephant and what is being done to help.
What did you think of our elephant facts? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

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10 top elephant facts! | Animals | National Geographic Kids

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1) There are three different species of elephant - the African Savannah elephant, the African Forest elephant and the Asian elephant. Elephants are known for their large ears, tusks made of ivory and their trunks - which are actually a fusion of their nose and upper lip.

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Fun Elephant Facts For Kids [year] [Size, Tusk, Diet, etc]

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Fun Elephant Facts For Kids Elephants are large, majestic animals that have been admired and studied for hundreds of years. They are the largest mammals that live on land and are known for their gentle

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Fun facts for kids including photos and printable activity worksheets about spiders.

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Here at Nat Geo Kids we're turtally mad about turtles, that's why we've put together these ten terrific turtle facts!
These magnificent creatures come in all shapes and sizes and live in a number of different environments. They all belong to a group of reptiles called Testudines, which includes turtles, tortoises and terrapins.

From giant, slow-moving land-dwelling tortoises and snappy terrapins basking in their fresh-water lagoons, to the graceful strokes of a sea turtle gliding through our oceans - check out our ten totally awesome turtle facts, below!

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1. Turtles belong to one of the oldest reptile groups in the world - beating snakes, crocodiles and alligators!

2. These creatures date back to the time of the dinosaurs, over 200 million years ago - woah!

3. Turtles are easily recognised by their bony, cartilaginous shell . This super-tough casing acts like a shield to protect them from predators - some turtles can even tuck their head up inside their shell for extra protection!

Just like your bones, a turtle's shell is actually part of its skeleton. It's made up of over 50 bones which include the turtle's rib cage and spine.

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable sea turtle primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

5. Contrary to popular belief, a turtle cannot come out of its shell. The turtle's shell grows with them, so it's impossible for them to grow too big for it!

6. What a turtle eats depends on the environment it lives in. Land-dwelling turtles will munch on beetles, fruit and grass, whereas sea dwellers will gobble everything from algae to squid and jellyfish.

7. Some turtles are carnivores (meat eaters), others are herbivores (plant eaters) and some are omnivores (a mixture of the two!). Many baby turtles start life as carnivores but grow to eat more plants as they mature.

8. Turtles are ' amniotes ' - they breathe air and lay their eggs on land, although many species live in or around water.

9. These cold-blooded creatures have an incredibly long life span. The oldest ever recorded, named Tu"i Malila, of Tonga Island, passed away at the grand old age of 188!

10. Sadly, many species of turtle are endangered! 129 of approximately 300 species of turtle and tortoise on Earth today are either vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered, according to the IUCN. Threats include loss of habitat, pollution, poaching and the illegal pet trade.

Do you turt-ally love turtles? Then get to know some awesome species with our great green turtle facts, swimmingly good loggerhead turtle facts AND fab leatherback turtle facts.

What do you think of our turtle facts? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

Images ⓒ Getty Images: Turtle in water, (636749403) . Turtle on sand, (558962897) Turtle swimming, (502266246) . Baby turtle, (127834157)

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Turtle facts: Here at NG Kids we're turt-ally mad about turtles! That's why we've put together these incredible facts about the cute creatures, check them out

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Giant panda

Giant panda

Literal meaning

"bear cat"

Alternative Chinese name

Literal meaning

"cat bear"

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca, sometimes panda bear or simply panda) is a bear species endemic to China. The name "giant panda" is sometimes used to distinguish it from the red panda. The giant panda has often served as China's national symbol.

The word panda was borrowed into English from French. No conclusive explanation of the origin of the French word panda has been found. The closest candidate is the Nepali word ponya, possibly referring to the wrist bone of the red panda, which is native to Nepal. The Western world originally applied this name to the red panda.

Description

Adults measure around 1.2 to 1.9 metres (3 feet 11 inches to 6 feet 3 inches) long, including a tail of about 10-15 cm (4-6 in), and 60 to 90 cm (24 to 35 in) tall at the shoulder. Males can weigh up to 160 kg (350 lb). Females (generally 10-20% smaller than males) can weigh as little as 70 kg (150 lb), but can also weigh up to 125 kg (276 lb). The average weight for adults is 100 to 115 kg (220 to 254 lb).

The giant panda has a body shape typical of bears. It has black fur on its ears, eye patches, limbs and shoulders. The rest of the animal's coat is white. The bear's distinctive coat serves as camouflage in both winter and summer environments. The giant panda's thick, woolly coat keeps it warm in the cool forests of its habitat.

The giant panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan, and also in neighbouring Shaanxi and Gansu.

Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the giant panda is a folivore. Bamboo shoots and leaves make up more than 99% of its diet. During the shoot season, which lasts from April to August, they put on a lot of weight, which allows them to get through the nutrient-scarce period from late August to April, when they feed mostly on bamboo leaves. Two of the panda's most distinctive features, its large size and round face, are adaptations to its bamboo diet.

Giant pandas in the wild occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat (birds, rodents, or carrion). In captivity, they may receive honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, or bananas along with specially prepared food. The ancient giant panda was omnivorous 7 million years ago (mya), it only became herbivorous some 2-2.4 mya.

As long as giant pandas spend most of the lives eating, they do not have much time for social interaction. The only exception is the breeding season. However, after mating, the male leaves the female alone to raise the cub.

Pandas communicate through vocalisation and scent marking. They are able to climb and take shelter in hollow trees or rock crevices, but do not have permanent dens. For this reason, pandas do not hibernate in cold seasons. Instead, they move areas with warmer temperatures.

Pandas have been known to cover themselves in horse manure to protect themselves against cold temperatures.

Reproduction and lifespan

Pandsa normally give birth to one cub every two years. The gestation period is somewhere between 95 and 160 days. The primary method of breeding giant pandas in captivity is by artificial insemination, as they seemed to lose their interest in mating once they were captured.

Giant pandas give birth to twins in about half of pregnancies. If twins are born, usually only one survives in the wild. The mother will select the stronger of the cubs, and the weaker cub will die due to starvation. The mother is thought to be unable to produce enough milk for two cubs since she does not store fat. The father has no part in helping raise the cub.

When the cub is born, it is pink, blind, and toothless. It weighs only 90 to 130 g ( to oz), or about of the mother's weight. It nurses from its mother's breast six to 14 times a day for up to 30 minutes at a time. For three to four hours, the mother may leave the den to feed, which leaves the cub defenseless. One to two weeks after birth, the cub's skin turns grey where its hair will eventually become black. Slight pink colour may appear on the cub's fur, as a result of a chemical reaction between the fur and its mother's saliva.

A month after birth, the colour pattern of the cub's fur is fully developed. Its fur is very soft and coarsens with age. The cub begins to crawl at 75 to 80 days; mothers play with their cubs by rolling and wrestling with them. The cubs can eat small quantities of bamboo after six months, though mother's milk remains the primary food source for most of the first year. Giant panda cubs weigh 45 kg (100 pounds) at one year and live with their mothers until they are 18 months to two years old.

The giant panda typically lives around 20 years in the wild and up to 30 years in captivity.

Although adult giant pandas have few natural predators other than humans, young cubs can be attacked by snow leopards, yellow-throated martens, eagles, feral dogs, and the Asian black bear. Sub-adults weighing up to 50 kg (110 lb) may be hunted for by leopards.

Western discovery

The West first learned of the giant panda on 11 March 1869, when the French missionary Armand David received a skin from a hunter.

The first Westerner known to have seen a living giant panda is the German zoologist Hugo Weigold, who purchased a cub in 1916.

Kermit and Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., became the first Westerners to shoot a panda, on an expedition funded by the Field Museum of Natural History in the 1920s.

In 1936, Ruth Harkness became the first Westerner to bring back a live giant panda, a cub named Su Lin who went to live at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago.

In 1938, Floyd Tangier Smith captured and delivered five giant pandas to London, they arrived on 23 December aboard the SS Antenor. These five were the first on British soil and were transferred to London Zoo. One, named Grandma, only lasted a few days. Another, Ming, became London Zoo's first Giant Panda. Her skull is held by the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Panda diplomacy

In the 1970s, gifts of giant pandas to American and Japanese zoos formed an important part of the diplomacy of the People's Republic of China (PRC), as it marked some of the first cultural exchanges between China and the West. This practice has been termed "panda diplomacy".

By 1984, however, pandas were no longer given as gifts. Instead, China began to offer pandas to other nations only on 10-year loans, under terms including a fee of up to US$1,000,000 per year and a provision that any cubs born during the loan are the property of China. Since 1998, because of a WWF lawsuit, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service only allows a US zoo to import a panda if the zoo can ensure that China will channel more than half of its loan fee into conservation efforts for the giant panda and its habitat. As a result of this change in policy, nearly all the pandas in the world are owned by China. The pandas leased to foreign zoos and any cubs are eventually returned to China.

American zoos generally pay the Chinese government $1 million a year in fees, as part of a typical ten-year contract.

Pandas have been kept in zoos as early as the Western Han Dynasty in China, where the writer Sima Xiangru noted that the panda was the most treasured animal in the emperor's garden of exotic animals in the capital Chang'an (present Xi'an). Not until the 1950s were pandas again recorded to have been exhibited in China's zoos.

Interesting facts about the giant panda

The giant panda appeared on Chinese Gold Panda coins since 1982 and as one of the five Fuwa mascots of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

In China and Taiwan the giant panda is sometimes called "spotted bear", "bamboo bear", or "giant bear cat" ("giant cat bear").

Although the giant panda, shares characteristics with both bears and raccoons, the DNA analysis shows that it is a true bear.

In its characteristics, the giant panda is more like an ancestor to other living bear species. It is sometimes called a living fossil.

The giant panda genome was sequenced in 2009.

A 110.45 kg (243.5 lb) giant panda has a canine teeth bite force of 2603.47 newtons.

The giant panda's paw has a "thumb" and five fingers; the "thumb" helps it to hold bamboo while eating.

The giant panda's tail, measuring 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in), is the second-longest in the bear family, behind the sloth bear.

A female named Jia Jia was the oldest giant panda ever in captivity; she was born in 1978 and died at an age of 38 on 16 October 2016.

The giant pandas' eye patches help them identify one another.

Pandas are born with sterile intestines and require bacteria obtained from their mother's feces to digest vegetation.

The average giant panda eats as much as 9 to 14 kg (20 to 31 lb) of bamboo shoots a day; it defecates up to 40 times a day.

The giant panda is an animal with unique adaptations, and has lived in bamboo forests for millions of years.

It has been estimated that an adult panda absorbs 54.8-66.1 mg (0.846-1.020 gr) of cyanide a day through its diet. To prevent poisoning, they have evolved anti-toxic mechanisms to protect themselves.

Pandas rely primarily on spatial memory rather than visual memory.

The giant panda can attacks humans, presumably out of irritation rather than aggression.

Microbes in panda waste are being investigated for their use in creating biofuels from bamboo and other plant materials.

Almost all pandas in the world belong to China.

Chi Chi at the London Zoo became very popular. This influenced the World Wildlife Fund to use a panda as its symbol.

Keeping a panda costs five times more than keeping the next most expensive animal, an elephant.

Threats and conservation

The giant panda has been a target of poaching by locals since ancient times and by foreigners since it was introduced to the West. Also, as a result of farming, deforestation, and other development, the giant panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived.

It is a vulnerable species. In 1963, the PRC government set up Wolong National Nature Reserve to save the declining panda population. Many believed the best way to save the pandas was to cage them. In the 1990s, however, several laws (including gun control and the removal of resident humans from the reserves) helped them survive. Wild pandas have started to increase in numbers in some areas, though they still are classified as a rare species.

In 2007, 239 pandas lived in captivity inside China and another 27 outside the country. By December 2014, 49 giant pandas lived in captivity outside China, living in 18 zoos in 13 countries.

Wild population estimates vary; one estimate shows that there are about 1,590 individuals living in the wild, while a 2006 study via DNA analysis estimated that this figure could be as high as 2,000 to 3,000. Some reports also show that the number of giant pandas in the wild is on the rise.

By March 2015, the wild giant panda population had increased to 1,864 individuals. In 2016, it was reclassified on the IUCN Red List from "endangered" to "vulnerable", affirming decade-long efforts to save the panda. In July 2021, Chinese authorities also reclassified the giant panda as vulnerable.

The giant panda is among the world's most adored and protected rare animals, and is one of the few in the world whose natural inhabitant status was able to gain a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, located in the southwest province of Sichuan and covering seven natural reserves, were inscribed onto the World Heritage List in 2006.

Population chart

Images for kids

The Qinling panda has a light brown and white pattern

Panda Research and Breeding Center in Chengdu.

In Spanish: Ailuropoda melanoleuca para niños

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Life Cycle of a butterfly | Butterflies for Kids | Learn the 4 stages of the butterfly life cycle

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Butterfly - My animal friends - Animals Documentary -Kids educational Videos

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Turtles are such fun, don't you think?

Let's learn all about these interesting creatures which you may have first heard about through cartoons such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

Turtles are Reptiles, not Animals!

Turtles are reptiles, and you can find them living almost anywhere.

They have a hard shell which helps keep them protected from attackers and the elements. The official name for their shell is a 'carapace'.

Turtles are cold-blooded, like all reptiles. This means their body temperature changes based on how warm or cold it is outside.

Many turtle species are able to hide their heads inside their bodies if they feel under threat. Combined with their hard outer shell, this helps keep them safe from predators.

How big are turtles?

There is no average size of turtle, as there are so many different species. However, the largest turtle out there is the leatherback sea turtle, which can weigh over 2000 lbs, or 900kg!

Turtles are known for their slow and steady movement, but as you probably know, slow and steady wins the race!

Turtles have been around for 215 million years. Isn't that a long time?

Many turtles are endangered. This means they may not exist at some stage, but for now we need to look after turtles and ensure they are safe.

They spend most of their lives in water, and have webbed feet to help them move around.

Only five species of turtle live in Europe. They mostly live in southern Asia and south eastern North America (where it's nice and warm!).

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Turtles are such fun, don't you think? Let's learn all about these interesting creatures which you may have first heard about through cartoons such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Turtles are reptiles, and you can find them living almost anywhere. They have a hard shell which helps keep them protected from attackers and the elements.

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The Life Cycle of a Frog: Metamorphosis from Tadpole to Frog for Kids - FreeSchool

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New 'Mini mum' frog is one of the tiniest ever discovered

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Researchers have found five new species of tiny frogs. Three of them adorably named "Mini mum," "Mini scule," and "Mini ature."

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what do frogs eat || what do frogs eat and drink ? || what do frogs eat at home | what do frog eat

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Panda Facts for Kids | Classroom Learning Video

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All About Dolphins for Kids: Dolphins for Children - FreeSchool

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Here's What We Know About Dolphin Intelligence | National Geographic

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The Dolphin | Educational Video for Kids.

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Dolphin Facts for Kids | Classroom Edition Animal Learning Video

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Facts About Caterpillars: Lesson for Kids - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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Caterpillars are insects with two antennas that rest atop their heads. Study the parts of a caterpillar and explore the stages a caterpillar goes…

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Body Parts

The head of a caterpillar is followed by 12 or 13 segments. Like all insects, caterpillars have three pairs of permanent legs, one pair on each of the first three segments directly behind the head. These legs are usually hard and jointed. At their tips are tiny claws, but in some caterpillars these are not developed. The caterpillar also has two to five pairs of soft, thick legs that support the rest of its long body. These disappear when it changes into a moth or butterfly. A caterpillar has six tiny beadlike eyes on each side of the head, just above the strong upper jaws. It breathes through nine small openings on each side of its body. These are called tracheae. It also has short antennae.

Size

Caterpillars vary in size from less than an inch to a few inches. For example, the hawk moth caterpillar, one of the largest, may grow to be 4 inches (10 centimeters) long. The clothes moth caterpillar, one of the smallest, is almost never bigger than 0.25 inch (0.6 centimeter).

Defenses

Caterpillars are the prey of many birds and insects. To avoid attacks, they have natural protections. Some caterpillars are colored to blend into their surroundings. Others have showy dots or stripes on their bodies that make them look fierce or very large. A few give off unpleasant smells, and a small number grow poisonous hair.

Molting

A caterpillar hatches from the egg laid by a female butterfly or moth. It grows quickly and soon becomes too large for its skin. The skin splits and the caterpillar wiggles out. This process, called molting, occurs four or five times before a caterpillar turns into a butterfly or moth. Some caterpillars eat up their old skins.

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Body Parts The head of a caterpillar is followed by 12 or 13 segments. Like all insects, caterpillars have three pairs of permanent legs, one pair on each of the first three segments directly behind the head. These legs are usually hard and jointed.

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A caterpillar is a young butterfly or moth that has just hatched out of its egg. A caterpillar is a kind of larva. When it is older, the caterpillar will turn into a pupa (also known as a chrysalis), and then later the pupa will turn into a butterfly.

Caterpillars usually have three pairs of small, but noticeable, true legs at the front and up to 5 pairs of fleshy false legs at the back.

Caterpillars are commonly found feeding on leaves, but they are also found inside living stems and branches or on the roots of plants and dead wood.

Most caterpillars are shades of green or brown and are relatively hairless, although in many families caterpillars are very hairy and often brightly coloured. Some species are pests of growing plants, carpets, woollens, organic fabrics and stored food products.

Caterpillars are an important source of food for birds and other invertebrates and many species help dead animals and plants decompose.

Most caterpillars have tubular, segmented bodies. They have three pairs of true legs on the three thoracic segments, up to four pairs of prolegs on the middle segments of the abdomen, and often a single pair of prolegs on the last abdominal segment. There are ten abdominal segments. The families of lepidoptera differ in the numbers and positioning of the prolegs.

Like all insects, caterpillars breathe through a series of small openings along the sides of their thorax and abdomen called spiracles. These branch into the body cavity into a network of tracheae. A few caterpillars of the family Pyralidae are aquatic and have gills that let them breathe underwater.

Caterpillars have 4,000 muscles (compare humans, with 629). They move through contraction of the muscles in the rear segments pushing the blood forward into the front segments elongating the torso. The average caterpillar has 248 muscles in the head segment alone.

Caterpillars do not have good vision. They have a series of six tiny eyelets or 'stemmata' on each side of the lower portion of their head. These can probably form well focused, but poorly resolved images. They move their heads from side to side probably as a means of judging distance of objects, particularly plants. They rely on their short antennae to help them locate food.

Some caterpillars are able to detect vibrations, usually at a specific frequency. Caterpillars of the common hook-tip moth, Drepana arcuata (Drepanoidea) produce sounds to defend their silk nests from members of their own species, by scraping against the leaf in a ritualized acoustic duel. They detect the vibrations conducted by the plant and not air-borne sounds. Similarly, cherry leaf rollers Caloptilia serotinella defend their rolls. Tent caterpillars can also detect vibrations at the frequency of wing beats of one of their natural enemies.

Classification

The geometrids, also known as inchworms or loopers, are so named because of the way they move, appearing to measure the earth (the word geometrid means earth-measurer in Greek); the primary reason for this unusual locomotion is the elimination of nearly all the prolegs except the clasper on the terminal segment.

Caterpillars have soft bodies that can grow rapidly, like balloons, between moults. Only the head capsule is hardened. In caterpillars, the mandibles are tough and sharp for chewing leaves; in most adult Lepidoptera, the mandibles are highly reduced, or soft. Behind the mandibles of the caterpillar are the spinnerets, for manipulating silk.

Some larvae of the Hymenoptera (ants, bees and wasps) order can appear like the caterpillars of the lepidoptera. These are mainly seen in the Sawfly family and while the larvae superficially resemble caterpillars, they can be distinguished by the presence of prolegs on every abdominal segment. Another difference is that lepidopteran caterpillars have crochets or hooks on the prolegs while these are absent on the sawfly larvae. Also in lepidopteran caterpillars is the upside down Y shaped suture on the front of the head. The larvae of sawflies differ also in having prominent ocelli on the head capsule.

Many animals feed on caterpillars as they are rich in protein; adversely, caterpillars have evolved various means of defenses.

Appearance

Many caterpillars are cryptically coloured and resemble the plants on which they feed and may even have parts that mimic plant parts such as thorns. Their size varies from as little as 1 mm to about 3 inches. Some look like objects in the environment such as bird droppings. Many feed enclosed inside silk galleries, rolled leaves or by mining between the leaf surfaces. Caterpillars of Nemoria arizonaria that grow in spring feed on oak catkins and appear green. The summer brood however appear like oak twigs. The differential development is linked to the tannin content in the diet.

More aggressive self-defense measures are taken by caterpillars. These caterpillars have spiny bristles or long fine hair-like setae with detachable tips that will irritate by lodging in the skin or mucous membranes. However, some birds, like cuckoos, will swallow even the hairiest of caterpillars. The most aggressive defenses are bristles associated with venom glands, called urticating hairs; a venom among the most potent defensive chemicals in any animals is produced by the South American silk moth genus Lonomia. It is an anticoagulant powerful enough to cause a human to hemorrhage to death (See Lonomiasis). This chemical is being investigated for potential medical applications. Most urticating hairs however range in effect from mild irritation to dermatitis.

Plants have evolved poisons to protect themselves from herbivores and some caterpillars have evolved countermeasures and eat the leaves of these toxic plants. In addition to being unaffected by the poison, they sequester it in their body, making them highly toxic to predators. These chemicals are also carried on into the adult stages. These toxic species, such as the Cinnabar moth ( Tyria jacobaeae) and monarch (Danaus plexippus) caterpillars, usually advertise themselves with brightly striped or coloured in black, red and yellow-the danger colors (see aposematism). Any predator that attempts to eat a caterpillar with an aggressive defence mechanism will learn and avoid future attempts.

Some caterpillars regurgitate acidic digestive juices at attacking enemies. Many papilionid larvae produce bad smells from extrudable glands called osmeteria.

Caterpillars can evade predators by using a silk line and dropping off from branches when disturbed.

Some caterpillars obtain protection by associating themselves with ants. The Lycaenid butterflies are particularly well known for this. They communicate with their ant protectors by vibrations as well as chemical means and typically provide food rewards.

Some caterpillars are gregarious; large aggregations are believed to help in reducing the levels of parasitization and predation. Clusters amplify the signal of aposematic coloration, and individuals may participate in group regurgitation or displays.

Caterpillars have been called "eating machines", and eat leaves voraciously. Most species shed their skin four or five times as their bodies grow, and they eventually pupate into an adult form. Caterpillars grow very quickly; for instance, a tobacco hornworm will increase its weight ten-thousand-fold in less than twenty days. An adaptation that enables them to eat so much is a mechanism in a specialized midgut that quickly transports ions to the lumen (midgut cavity), to keep the potassium level higher in the midgut cavity than in the blood.

Most caterpillars are solely herbivorous. Many are restricted to one species of plant, while others are polyphagous. A few, including the clothes moth, feed on detritus. Most predatory caterpillars feed on eggs of other insects, aphids, scale insects, or ant larvae. Some are cannibals, and others prey on caterpillars of other species (e.g. Hawai'ian Eupithecia ). A few are parasitic on cicadas or leaf hoppers. Some Hawai'ian caterpillars ( Hyposmocoma molluscivora) use silk traps to capture snails.

Many caterpillars are nocturnal. For example, the "cutworms" (of the Noctuidae family) hide at the base of plants during the day and only feed at night. Others, such as gypsy moth ( Lymantria dispar) larvae, change their activity patterns depending on density and larval stage, with more diurnal feeding in early instars and high densities.

Economic effects

Caterpillars cause much damage, mainly by eating leaves. The cotton bollworm causes enormous losses. Other species eat food crops. Caterpillars have been the target of pest control through the use of pesticides, biological control and agronomic practices. Many species have become resistant to pesticides. Bacterial toxins such as those from Bacillus thuringiensis which are evolved to affect the gut of Lepidoptera have been used in sprays of bacterial spores, toxin extracts and also by incorporating genes to produce them within the host plants. These approaches are defeated over time by the evolution of resistance mechanisms in the insects.

Plants evolve mechanisms of resistance to being eaten by caterpillars, including the evolution of chemical toxins and physical barriers such as hairs. Incorporating host plant resistance (HPR) through plant breeding is another approach used in reducing the impact of caterpillars on crop plants.

Some caterpillars are used in industry. The silk industry is based on the silkworm caterpillar.

Human health

Caterpillar hair has been known to be a cause of human health problems. Caterpillar hairs sometimes have venoms in them and species from approximately 12 families of moths or butterflies worldwide can inflict serious human injuries ranging from urticarial dermatitis and atopic asthma to osteochondritis, consumption coagulopathy, renal failure, and intracerebral hemorrhage. Skin rashes are the most common, but there have been fatalities. Lonomia is a frequent cause of death in Brazil with 354 cases were reported between 1989 and 2005. Lethality ranging up to 20% with death caused most often by intracranial hemorrhage.

Caterpillar hairs have also been known to cause kerato- conjunctivitis. The sharp barbs on the end of Caterpillar hairs can get lodged in soft tissues and mucus membranes such as the eyes. Once they enter such tissues, they can be difficult to extract, often exacerbating the problem as they migrate across the membrane.

This becomes a particular problem in an indoor setting. The hairs easily enter buildings through ventilation systems and accumulate in indoor environments because their small size, which makes it difficult for them to be vented out. This accumulation increases the risk of human contact in indoor environments.

Images for kids

A monarch butterfly ( Danaus plexippus) caterpillar feeding on an unopened seed pod of swamp milkweed

Larvae of Craesus septentrionalis, a sawfly showing six pairs of prolegs.

Eogeometer vadens, the earliest known geometrid moth caterpillar found in Baltic amber

William Blake's illustration of a caterpillar overlooking a child from his illustrated book For Children The Gates of Paradise.

Camouflage: apparently with eight eyes, only two of them are real. Photo in a eucalyptus tree, São Paulo, Brazil

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A caterpillar is a young butterfly or moth that has just hatched out of its egg. A caterpillar is a kind of larva. When it is older, the caterpillar will turn into a pupa (also known as a chrysalis), and then later the pupa will turn into a butterfly.

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One of the most common questions we get at the Nature Museum is, "What do butterflies eat?" In order to better understand what they eat, we have to understand how they eat!

Butterflies have a long tongue, called a proboscis, which they can curl and uncurl to drink through like a straw. Because of their straw-like mouthparts, butterflies are mainly restricted to a liquid diet.

Butterflies use their proboscis to drink sweet nectar from flowers. Nectar sometimes resides deep within a flower and the proboscis allows the butterfly to reach this sugary treat. We fill the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven with an abundance of flowering plants that produce ample nectar for the butterflies, including: coral vine, firespike, jungle cucumber, Ixora, and lantana.

We also provide sponge pads soaked with simulated nectar for the butterflies. The simulated nectar is made by mixing honey and water.

Some butterflies also enjoy a different sugary treat, fruit. They especially enjoy fully ripened and rotting fruit. Why is that? As fruit starts to decompose it softens and becomes more liquid. Butterflies will eat a variety of fruit. We like to feed them bananas, apples, and pears. We poke each piece of fruit many times to make it nice and juicy and give space for butterflies to stick their proboscises.

Butterflies do not always eat for their own nourishment. Many kinds of butterflies, usually male, will feed on other moist substances like puddles, wet gravel, sweat, scat, and even tears! What these butterflies are often doing is gathering salts and minerals to pass on to female butterflies which helps with egg development. Sometimes a large group of butterflies can be seen feeding in this way together, a puddle club!

You can learn more about how butterflies eat by checking out the video below.

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What do butterflies eat? - Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

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One of the most common questions we get at the Nature Museum is, "What do butterflies eat?" In order to better understand what they eat, we have to understand how they eat!

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DOLPHINS for KIDS (Babies, Toddlers, Preschool)

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Baby dolphin calves are some of the most adorable sea mammals in the world. You've probably heard about how highly intelligent they are, but did you know they use their tongues as straws or that they're born with mustaches? Let's dive into five amazing dolphin facts and look at some adorable dolphin calf pictures!

#1: Baby Dolphins Use Their Tongues as Straws

Newborn dolphins use their tongues as straws while nursing.
©Lynne Nicholson/Shutterstock.com

Imagine trying to take a swig of juice while you're underwater. Pretty impossible, right? Baby dolphins are faced with a unique roadblock when it comes to nursing from their mothers: they're underwater. Since breastmilk is a liquid, you might be wondering just how baby dolphins can drink their mother's milk while remaining in the water.

The answer is astounding: they use their tongues as a straw. Dolphin calves roll their tongues up like a straw when it's time to drink their mother's milk. Dolphin calves don't control how much they eat. Instead, their mothers do. Once a dolphin calf is latched onto its mother's nipple, the female dolphin shoots milk directly into the baby dolphin's mouth. This makes it possible for a full feeding to take just a few seconds.

Another thing that makes it easier for baby dolphins to drink milk underwater is the consistency of the breastmilk. It is about as thick as a milkshake, which makes it less difficult for baby dolphins to get their nutrition while swimming under the sea!

#2: One Dolphin Calf Blew Underwater Milk Rings to Imitate its Trainer

A dolphin calf and its mother come up for air.
©Christian Wittmann/Shutterstock.com

Baby dolphins are smart cookies! One six-month-old baby dolphin named Dolly learned how to copy its trainers smoke rings underwater. This tiny dolphin saw her trainer blow a cloud of smoke, so it swam back to its mother, got a mouthful of breastmilk, and swam back. She then spat the milk out in the water, creating a smoke-like cloud around her!

Dolly's trainer stated that he didn't work with her to do this trick at all. Instead, she made the connection that spitting out the milk underwater would look similar to smoke in the air. This incident just goes to show how incredibly intelligent baby dolphins are!

#3: Dolphins are Born with Mustaches

Dolphin calves are born with tiny hairs around their snouts.
©Willyam Bradberry/Shutterstock.com

Did you know baby dolphins are born with a mustache? It's true, but the more astonishing thing about this mustache is what it does for the tiny sea animals. Since baby dolphins are born with less-than-perfect eyesight, they need a different way to locate their mothers during their first few days on the earth.

The tiny hairs are short and grow around the baby's snout. After a few days, these hairs naturally shed since dolphin calves no longer need them.

#4: Baby Dolphins Can't Breathe Underwater

Dolphin calves must come to the surface for oxygen.
©Tomas Picka/Shutterstock.com

Baby dolphins are marine animals, so you might assume that they can breathe underwater like other fish. You will probably be surprised to learn that dolphin calves are mammals! That means baby dolphins and their parents lack gills, which makes it impossible for them to breathe underwater. Instead, they must come to the surface to get air.

Because of this, baby dolphins are born tail-first. This ensures that they don't drown before they can surface for their first breath of air. Dolphin calves can hold their breath underwater for up to 15 minutes since they can conserve the air in their lungs and only need to use a little at a time to keep oxygen flowing to their brains.

Baby dolphins also don't breathe out of their mouths like other mammals. Instead, they take oxygen in from blowholes, which are on the tops of their heads. Each time a dolphin calf takes a breath, they fill about 80% to 90% of their lungs. When you compare that to the typical human breath that fills only 10% of lungs, it puts it into perspective just how miraculous baby dolphins are!

#5: Dolphin Calves Learn to Swim in the Mother's Womb

Dolphin calves can swim from the moment they are born.
©marshalgonz/Shutterstock.com

When baby dolphins are born, they must immediately swim to the surface to take their first breath of air. But how do they know how to swim so soon? The answer is amazing: they learn to swim while they're gestating in their mothers' wombs!

Scientists say that baby dolphins have been observed swimming around inside the womb as early as 9 weeks gestation. Since dolphins have a gestation period that ranges anywhere from nine to twelve months, dolphin calves have plenty of time to get all the practice they need to learn how to swim!

Up Next:

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Baby dolphin calves are some of the most adorable sea mammals in the world. You've probably heard about how highly intelligent they are, but did you know they use their tongues as straws or that they're born with mustaches? Let's dive into five amazing dolphin facts and look at some adorable dolphin calf pictures!

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Dolphins are well-adapted for life in the water, although they are mammals like you and me. Various species of dolphins vary in behavior, shape and size. Dolphin species can range from 4 feet to 30 feet, yet they all have generally the same anatomy.

Fins

*** Fuse/Fuse/Getty Images

The two fins on each side of the dolphin are called pectoral fins and are mostly used for steering. Dolphins also have a dorsal fin, which is the vertical fin on the dolphin's back. The dorsal fin acts like the keel on a boat by providing stability to the dolphin's body. The tail is made of two fins called flukes and propels the dolphin's body.

Blowhole

*** Donhype/iStock/Getty Images

As mammals, dolphins breathe air and thus hold their breath when they go under water. The blowhole is the hole at the top of the dolphin's head and is what the dolphin uses to breathe when it reaches the water surface.

Rostrum

*** Ingram Publishing/Ingram Publishing/Getty Images

The long snout of the dolphin is called a rostrum. Some species of dolphins use the rostrum to probe the ocean floor for hiding fish. The rostrum contains the dolphin's conical-shaped teeth, which are useful in grabbing fish and other prey.

Blubber

*** Mustang_79/iStock/Getty Images

Dolphins have a layer of blubber or fat under the surface of their skin. This blubber aids in streamlining the dolphin's body, insulating in cool water and keeping the dolphin's body buoyant in the water.

Melon

*** Krzysztof Odziomek/iStock/Getty Images

Dolphins also use the blowhole to produce a variety of noises used to communicate with each other and echolocate. These sounds are projected by the dolphin's melon, the large, fatty forehead. The melon projects the sounds, which bounce, or echo, off other items and animals.

About the Author

Arlen Hershey has been writing science curriculum for informal science education organizations since 2006. She has written for Experiencia and Sea World. She has a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Illinois.

Photo Credits

Krasyuk/iStock/Getty Images

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Dolphins are well-adapted for life in the water, although they are mammals like you and me. Various species of dolphins vary in behavior, shape and size. Dolphin species can range from 4 feet to 30 feet, yet they all have generally the same anatomy.

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Dolphin Anatomy Facts - Diagram & Pictures Of Body

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Dolphin Anatomy Beak - the elongated part of the mouth and jaws. Blowhole - the hole on the top of the head through which the dolphin breathes air (it is the

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Of all the ocean's creatures, the dolphin is arguably the most captivating. Known for their acrobatic displays and their insatiable curiosity, the dolphin is a truly incredible marine mammal.

But how much do you actually know about the different types of dolphins that travel our planet's oceans and rivers?

In this article, we'll introduce you to 25 of the most amazing types of dolphins. We'll discuss what makes each dolphin species unique and we'll do a deep dive into all things dolphin-related.

Let's get started.

How Are Dolphins Classified?

Dolphins are a type of marine mammal. But, as is the case with most marine mammals, classifying dolphins is no easy task.

All dolphins are members of the kingdom Animalia, the phylum Chordata, and the class Mammalia. This means that dolphins are a type of mammal, not a type of fish.

Below the class Mammalia, all dolphins are part of the order Artiodactyla. Interestingly, this order is commonly referred to as the even-toed ungulates.

Now, you might say to yourself, "Wait a minute, an ungulate is a hoofed animal, like a deer, bison, or giraffe. How in the heck could a dolphin be an ungulate?"

If this thought occurred to you, you're not alone. It can be odd to think of dolphins as ungulates because they don't have well-defined toes. However, taxonomists and evolutionary biologists believe that dolphins and the other ungulates all evolved from a common ancestor. So, there you have it. Dolphins are more closely related to llamas than to types of sharks. Who knew?

Moving past that weird bit of taxonomic trivia, dolphins are also all classified within the infraorder Cetacea. More commonly known as the cetaceans, the members of this infraorder include all the animals that are informally known as dolphins, whales, and porpoises.

Here's where it gets interesting.

Technically, dolphins are whales. But, not all whales are dolphins. That's because all dolphins are part of a parvorder known as Odontoceti, which includes the toothed whales.

The toothed whales encompass all the cetaceans that have teeth, including dolphins, porpoises, and whales like the beluga, narwhal, and sperm whale. All the non-toothed whales (called baleen whales) are in the parvorder Mysticeti.

From here, things get even more complicated.

Informally, most people separate the oceanic dolphins from the river dolphins. However, all of the oceanic dolphins are part of a single family, Delphinidae, which includes about 30 living species. Meanwhile, the river dolphins are classified into 3 families: Platanistidae, Iniidae, and Pontoporiidae.

Within the family Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), there's quite a bit of debate over the classification of individual species. Traditionally, there were 6 subfamilies in the family Delphinidae, but a new classification system based on genetic analyses claims that there are only 5 families.

This taxonomic debate is why you might find different species names for a single type of oceanic dolphin.

For example, the Peale's dolphin's current species name is Sagmatias australis; however, it was traditionally called Lagenorhynchus australis. Researchers decided to add a new genus for the Peale's, dusky, and Pacific white-sided dolphins called Sagmatias because of new information from these genetic analyses. But, not all scientists agree with this decision.

Ultimately, these taxonomic debates remind us that the classification of animals is a work in progress. As more information comes to light through scientific research in the future, scientists will be in a better position to more accurately classify the different types of dolphins.

Dolphin Fun Facts

Fancy yourself a cetologist? Here are some amazing dolphin fun facts that you ought to know.

1| Dolphins Like To Communicate Using Whistles

Dolphins are incredibly social animals. They communicate through an extensive and complex series of whistles that travel quickly through the water. In fact, sound can travel many times faster in the water than through the air, making it easier for dolphins to communicate across large distances.

Researchers believe that bottlenose dolphins, in particular, have a type of high-pitched whistle that they use to identify themselves in a group. Making this whistle sound can let the rest of the pod know who is with the group at any given time.

Additionally, dolphins in a pod or in a well-bonded pair are known to use whistles to find each other if they get separated. This sort of behavior is more common among calves and their mothers, but it also happens when an adult gets separated from the pod.

Bottlenose dolphins, among other species, can also copy another individual's signature whistle. Doing so might be a way to get another dolphin's attention, especially when traveling in a large pod.

That said, dolphins can make other sounds, too. During courtship, dolphins also make pulsating yelping noises. They can also create squeaks when they're scared or stressed out.

2| Most Dolphins Hunt Through Echolocation

Dolphins, like other toothed whales, have a well-developed sense of echolocation. They're able to echolocate as part of their hunting strategy, helping them to find food in deep, dark parts of the ocean.

When a dolphin hunts, it will create a series of clicks at different frequencies. The sound pulses associated with these clicks are then emitted through their foreheads, which are decidedly melon-shaped. Eventually, these clicks will bounce off of objects, like fish, and return to the dolphin via their lower jaw.

A dolphin can use the information that it receives from the sound pulses that return to its jaw to determine where its prey is. Although most dolphins have a great sense of sight, their ability to echolocate is what makes them excellent hunters. Who knew?

3| Dolphins Have Been Used for Warfare

Yep, that's right: dolphins have a long history of being used in warfare. In fact, the US Navy Marine Mammal Program is a long-standing program that's trained countless marine mammals to aid in national defense since 1959.

When the program started, the US Navy and Marine Corps trained dozens of different marine mammal species, as well as sea turtles, seabirds, sharks, and rays. However, the program now trains only the California sea lion and the bottlenose dolphin.

Dolphins, in particular, are trained by the program to identify mines and other dangerous objects on the seafloor that would otherwise be difficult to detect with electric sonar. The dolphins in the program are generally trained to find and mark the location of any dangerous mines so that the military can remove them.

Additionally, dolphins have also been used to detect and apprehend unauthorized swimmers that might try to approach or harm military personnel or equipment. This program has also produced more than 1,200 scientific research publications that have helped advance human knowledge and understanding of these incredible animals.

4| Some Dolphins Are Incredibly Fast

It comes as no surprise that dolphins are expert swimmers. But did you know that they can reach speeds of up to 37 mph (60 km/h)?

In fact, dolphins are the fastest marine mammals on the planet. They're so fast that they're often seen riding on the waves coming off of the bow of ships and boats (this is called bow-riding).

Not all dolphins are super-fast, of course, but the common dolphin is arguably the speediest. Despite its large size, the orca can also reach speeds of up to 35 mph (56 km/h), too, making it a truly fierce hunter that's hard to out-swim in the water.

5| A Dolphin Can Live For Decades

Most dolphin species aren't well-studied due to the remoteness of their habitats. However, researchers do know that dolphins can live incredibly long lives.

In fact, the oldest-known wild dolphin is an orca named Granny who was believed to be around 105 years old when she died in 2016. She was first identified through a photo in the 1970s and she had been identified countless times in photos before her death.

Meanwhile, a bottlenose dolphin named Nicklo was believed to be about 67 years old when she died in 2017. Researchers in Sarasota Bay, Florida had known Nicklo since birth and she was a common sight in the area throughout her life.

That said, not much research has been done on dolphin lifespans and most of what we know is from photo evidence over the course of a cetacean's lifespan. Most toothed whales appear to live shorter lives in captivity, too, making it even harder to understand the average lifespan of any given dolphin species.

Types of Dolphins FAQs

Here are our answers to some of your most commonly asked questions about the different types of dolphins:

The 25 Types of Dolphins Breeds

1. Oceanic Dolphins

The easiest way to categorize all of the world's dolphins is by whether they live in oceans or in rivers. Although there are some dolphin species that sometimes blur the boundaries between oceans and rivers, most live their entire lives within one of these two types of water bodies. Here's what you need to know.

As the name suggests, oceanic dolphins live primarily in oceans. The vast majority of the dolphin species on our planet are ocean dolphins, however, not all of these species are well-known to researchers. Let's take a look at 19 of the most incredible types of oceanic dolphins on our planet.

1.1 Common Bottlenose Dolphin

The common bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus) is easily the best-known dolphin species on the planet. It lives in nearly all of the world's oceans except for the extreme northerly and southerly latitudes.

In the wild, the common bottlenose dolphin prefers to live in relatively warm and temperate seas. These animals enjoy eating shrimp, eels, squid, and a slew of different fish species. However, the species' diet varies widely from location to location.

Although the common bottlenose dolphin is a widely distributed species, most humans know of it because it's one of the most popular dolphins to keep in captivity at marine parks and aquariums. In the wild, however, the common bottlenose is listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

1.2 Hourglass Dolphin

Although many dolphin species have wide distributions around the world, the aptly named hourglass dolphin ( Sagmatias cruciger) is only found in Arctic and sub-Antarctic waters. It's generally only seen by fishing vessels, research ships, and tourist boats as they cross the Drake Passage from Argentina and Chile to the Antarctic Peninsula.

The species is relatively easy to identify in its range because it has a distinctive black body with a white hourglass-like pattern. It could potentially be confused with the southern right whale dolphin, but the hourglass dolphin has a well-defined dorsal fin.

Not much is known about the hourglass dolphin due to the remote nature of its habitat. It's listed as a species of least concern but there haven't been enough studies to know if the species' population is currently increasing or decreasing.

1.3 Dusky Dolphin

Best-known for its incredible aerial behaviors, the dusky dolphin ( Sagmatias obscurus) is a mid-size cetacean that lives primarily in coastal waters around South America, southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

The dusky dolphin's coloration generally resembles that of the Pacific white-sided dolphin with its black back and white underside. However, the white patches on the dusky dolphin have larger concentrations of grey. It also generally has a longer, narrower rostrum (beak) than other dolphins in its range.

Of all the dolphin species, the dusky dolphin is one of the most popular among sailors. That's because the species is known for traveling in groups and for doing impressive aerial behaviors, including jumps and spins. These dolphins are also known to mingle with other species, so you can often see a dusky dolphin mixed in with a group of Risso's dolphins.

1.4 Orca

We know what you're thinking: An orca isn't a dolphin!

Well, it turns out that the orca ( Orcinus orca), or 'killer whale,' is, indeed, a type of dolphin despite its large size. Technically, all dolphins are types of whales, but the orca is a type of toothed whale that belongs to the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae).

In fact, the orca is the largest of the dolphin species as they can grow to be upwards of 26 feet (8 m) in length and weigh around 7,000 lbs (3,175 kg). However, there's quite a bit of variation in orca sizes because there are at least 4 known types of orcas that live in different parts of the Earth's oceans.

Although the orca is one of the best-known dolphin species on the planet, it's not actually very well researched. These elusive dolphins live in nearly all of the world's oceans, including in the polar regions. But, there's simply not enough information about their populations to know whether the species is at risk.

1.5 Hector's Dolphin

The Hector's dolphin ( Cephalorhynchus hectori) is both the smallest and rarest of the Earth's oceanic dolphins. It lives exclusively in the coastal waters around New Zealand. There are two recognized subspecies of the Hector's dolphin: the South Island Hectors and the Māui dolphin, the latter of which lives along the western coast of the North Island.

These cetaceans can grow to be around 5 feet (152 cm) in length and about 130 lbs (60 kg) in weight, so they're very small by dolphin standards. They have no discernible beak, however, they have a distinctive rounded dorsal fin and a pale grey complexion.

Hector's dolphins generally live in small groups for most of their lives. Their major threats include accidental bycatch in fishing nets and infectious diseases. The IUCN currently lists the species as endangered with a declining population of around 7,300 individuals.

1.6 Atlantic Spotted Dolphin

One of the most easily identifiable cetaceans, the Atlantic spotted dolphin ( Stenella frontalis) is a relatively large dolphin that lives in the tropical and temperate Atlantic Ocean. It's commonly spotted around the Bahamas and in the Gulf of Mexico, but you can find it as far north as Cape Cod.

Interestingly, the Atlantic spotted dolphin isn't born with its characteristic spots. Rather, these dolphins are generally born with a greyish-white coloration that changes over time to include mottled grey and black spots. This transition normally happens before the age of 9, so a dolphin with more spots is usually an older individual.

The Atlantic spotted dolphin is listed as a species of least concern, however, there isn't much information about the species' recent population trends.

1.7 Commerson's Dolphin

Also known as the jacobita or the panda dolphin, the Commerson's dolphin ( Cephalorhynchus commersonii) is a small cetacean that lives exclusively around southern South America and the Kerguelen Islands.

The species is most commonly spotted in the Beagle Channel around Tierra del Fuego and around the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). They are generally easy to identify within their range due to the contrast between their distinctive black heads, dorsal fins, and tails and their all-white bodies.

Overall, the Commerson's dolphin is listed as a species of least concern, however, it often gets caught in fishing nets close to the shoreline. In the past, Commerson's were also hunted for use as crab bait, but this is no longer common practice.

1.8 Irrawaddy Dolphin

The Irrawaddy dolphin ( Orcaella brevirostris) is a unique and fascinating oceanic cetacean that lives in multiple separate populations around coastal southeastern Asia. It was long considered to be a subspecies of the Australian snubfin dolphin, but it has been described as a separate species since 2005.

For the most part, the Irrawaddy dolphin has a light grey underside and a dark grey back. It has a rounded forehead in lieu of a beak, and it has a very small rounded dorsal fin. In many ways, the Irrawaddy dolphin looks like a beluga, but they're impossible to confuse in the wild because they have vastly different ranges.

Most Irrawaddy dolphins are shy around boats and humans, but you can sometimes see them spy hopping when they get curious. The Irrawaddy is currently listed as endangered with a declining population due primarily to pollution and habitat disruption.

1.9 Spinner Dolphin

Found only in tropical and sub-tropical waters, the spinner dolphin ( Stenella longirostris) is a small cetacean that's particularly well-known for its acrobatic abilities. Also known as the long-snouted dolphin, the spinner dolphin has 4 recognized subspecies, most of which are differentiated by their geographic ranges.

The spinner dolphin prefers to feed on fish that live in the so-called twilight zone of the ocean. So, it will dive upward of 1,000 ft (300 m) to feed on fish. However, some subspecies of the spinner dolphin prefer to feed only at night and other subspecies feed as a group rather than individually.

Of all their unique traits, spinner dolphins are most famous for their ability to jump out of the water and spin around in mid-air. Researchers have found that the species is capable of spinning up to 10 times in a single jump, which is pretty darn impressive if you ask us.

1.10 Long-Finned Pilot Whale

Like the orca, the long-finned pilot whale ( Globicephala melas) is, indeed, a type of dolphin, even if it has the word 'whale' in its name. The long-finned pilot whale is almost indistinguishable visually from its close relative, the short-finned pilot whale, but they are two separate species with different ranges.

Long-finned pilot whales live primarily in the northern Atlantic Ocean, the southeastern Pacific Ocean, and the Southern Ocean. They have very rounded, melon-like heads that make them look a lot like belugas, but their dark coloration makes them difficult to misidentify.

The long-finned pilot whale is listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN. It is protected in many parts of its range, but it is one of the main targets of the annual grindadráp whale hunt in the Faroe Islands. The hunt is for subsistence, rather than commercial purposes, but it is highly controversial outside of the Faroe Islands.

1.11 Peale's Dolphin

Also called the black-chinned dolphin, the Peale's dolphin ( Sagmatias australis) is a small cetacean that lives primarily around Tierra del Fuego in southern South America. It is often mistaken for dusky dolphins when viewed from a distance, but it has much larger patches of white on its belly.

The Peale's dolphin prefers areas of fast-moving waters, so you can often see them near the entrance to bays and channels. They tend to congregate in small groups and they rarely travel far from shore.

Currently, the Peale's dolphin is listed as a species of least concern, but more research is needed to truly understand its population trends. The dolphins often get trapped in fishing nets, but it's not clear how much of a threat accidental bycatch actually poses to the species.

1.12 Clymene Dolphin

Found only in the Atlantic Ocean, the Clymene dolphin ( Stenella clymene) is one of the more unique species on our list. It lives primarily in temperate and tropical waters, but it can sometimes be spotted as far north as Maine.

Interestingly, the Clymene dolphin is actually a hybrid that resulted from the natural hybridization of the striped and the spinner dolphin. So far, it's the only confirmed case of this kind of natural hybridization among marine mammals.

Clymene dolphins are known for being curious and playful. They frequently approach ships and they are often spotted bow-riding off of the fore of vessels. Additionally, Clymene dolphins are known to travel in groups of up to 150 individuals, though smaller pods are more common.

1.13 False Killer Whale

The false killer whale ( Pseudorca crassidens) is a relatively large cetacean that can be found in nearly all of the world's oceans. It prefers to live in tropical and subtropical waters, but it's often spotted as far north and south as the 50º parallel.

As its name suggests, the false killer whale has some resemblance to the killer whale (orca), but only from a distance. Mistaking the two species for each other up close is difficult because the false killer whale is much smaller and it is almost completely black or dark gray in color without any white spots.

Although the false killer whale has a bad reputation for hunting other dolphin species, it's also known to have non-aggressive interactions with rough-toothed, Pacific white-sided, and common bottlenose dolphins. Additionally, the false killer whale is very social and it can sometimes form multi-pod groups of more than 500 individuals.

1.14 Striped Dolphin

One of the best-studied cetaceans on the planet, the striped dolphin ( Stenella coeruleoalba) is a curious marine mammal that lives in tropical and temperate waters around the world. It is particularly common in the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the rest of the Atlantic Ocean.

Even though its range overlaps with that of many other dolphin species, the striped dolphin is fairly easy to identify. It normally has a black to gray-colored back and a blue, pink, or white belly. The striped dolphin's back and belly are normally separated by two large white stripes (hence the name).

The striped dolphin has long been hunted by humans around the world. However, annual quotas for most legal striped dolphin hunts are quite low and the species is listed as a species of least concern. Its major threats are pollution, entanglement in fishing nets, and collisions with ships.

1.15 Long-Beaked Common Dolphin

Possibly the most common dolphin species on the planet, the long-beaked common dolphin ( Delphinus delphis) is a medium-sized cetacean that usually has a darkly colored back and a lightly colored belly.

These days, the long-beaked common dolphin is often referred to as simply the 'common dolphin.' There is a bit of debate among researchers as to whether the long-beaked and the short-beaked common dolphins are actually distinct species. Recent research suggests that they may not be different enough genetically to warrant classification as separate species.

Unlike the common bottlenose dolphin, the long-beaked common dolphin is not commonly kept in captivity. Due to its large population numbers and wide geographic range, the species is listed as being of least concern by the IUCN. However, it is threatened by fishing bycatch, pollution, and disease.

1.16 Southern Right Whale Dolphin

The southern right whale dolphin ( Lissodelphis peronii) is a funky-looking cetacean that lives only in colder waters of the Southern Hemisphere. It is closely related to the northern right whale dolphin, which is found only in northerly waters.

Within its range, the southern right whale dolphin is easily identifiable. It's the only dolphin without a dorsal fin in the entire Southern Hemisphere, and it also has a sleek body with a black back and white belly. The transition between the dolphin's black back and white belly is also very sharp, giving the species a unique geometric-type patterning.

Relatively little is known about the population trends of the southern right whale dolphin, but it is regarded as a species of least concern. Since it lives in such remote waters, most confirmed sightings of the southern right whale dolphin happen near Cape Horn, southern Africa, and Australia.

1.17 Rough-Toothed Dolphin

Appropriately named, the rough-toothed dolphin ( Steno bredanensis) is a marine mammal that's found throughout the planet's temperate and tropical waters. However, the species is very rarely spotted close to shore.

The rough-toothed dolphin gets its name from the fact that its teeth have a distinctive rough surface. Additionally, the lower jaw of the rough-toothed dolphin is often white or pink in color, which stands out against its otherwise gray skin.

Despite the fact that the rough-toothed dolphin is found in most of the world's oceans, it's not well-studied. Researchers have classified it as a species of least concern. But, the species' major threat is getting trapped as bycatch by fishing nets.

1.18 Electra Dolphin

Also known as the melon-headed whale, the electra dolphin ( Peponocephala electra) is one of the more visibly unique cetaceans on our list. It lives throughout subtropical and tropical waters, though there are a number of distinct populations of the electra dolphin around Hawaii and the Philippines.

As some of its common names suggest, the electra dolphin has a melon-shaped head. It has a large, round head with no beak and a dark gray or black body. However, it has a very prominent sickle-shaped dorsal fin that makes it easy to distinguish from false killer whales.

Relatively little is known about the electra dolphin except that it likes to swim very quickly in very large, tightly clustered pods. It is a species of least concern, however, the electra dolphin is commonly hunted and it appears to be very vulnerable to both human-produced noise and chemical pollution.

1.19 Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin

Sometimes called the Chinese white dolphin, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin ( Sousa chinensis) is a mid-sized marine mammal that lives only in the waters of southeastern Asia. However, it is not to be confused with the baiji ( Lipotes vexillifer), which is a species of river dolphin in China that may be extinct.

Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins can have a wide range of color patterns. They can range from white and grey to pink in color; however, most calves are born as either black or dark gray.

Interestingly, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is one of the few oceanic dolphins that's listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. The species appears to be easily disturbed by humans and it is often trapped in fishing nets. Pollution and vessel collisions are also major threats to the species' long-term well-being.

2. River Dolphins

Most of the world's dolphin species live in oceans; however, there are a handful of dolphins that live exclusively in rivers. These dolphins inhabit some of the world's largest rivers, such as the Amazon, Ganges, and Indus rivers, but they are also among the most highly threatened cetaceans on the planet. This is what you need to know.

2.1 Amazon River Dolphin

Commonly known as the boto or bufeo, the Amazon river dolphin ( Inia geoffrensis) is a large cetacean that lives only in the Amazon River Basin. It is actually the largest of the world's river dolphins as it can weigh upwards of 400 lbs (185 kg) when fully grown.

Additionally, the Amazon river dolphin appears to have one of the largest dietary ranges of any dolphin. It is known to eat dozens of fish species, including piranhas. These dolphins also commonly eat crabs species and river turtles.

The IUCN currently lists the Amazon river dolphin as endangered, but it was considered to be data deficient for a long time due to the remoteness of its range. Its primary threats are human development, oil and gas drilling, pollution, and human disturbance.

2.2 Araguaian River Dolphin

The Araguaian river dolphin ( Inia araguaiaensis) is a poorly studied marine mammal that lives in the Araguaia-Tocantins River Basin of Brazil. There is still some debate as to whether the Araguaian river dolphin is a separate species from the Amazon river dolphin, but DNA evidence from 2014 suggests that they are distinct species.

Similar to many other river dolphins, the Araguaian river dolphin has a very prominent forehead and a long snout. It also has unfused vertebrae in its neck, giving it the ability to turn its head sharply to either side.

Since there is some disagreement as to whether the Araguaian river dolphin is its own species, it isn't currently listed by the IUCN. However, researchers believe that there are only about 1,500 individuals left in the wild, so a lack of genetic diversity and habitat fragmentation are likely to be the species' biggest threats.

distribution map of ARAGUAIAN RIVER DOLPHINS
CC BY 2.5 / T.Hrbek, V. da Silva, N. Dutra, W. Gravena, A. R. Martin, I.P. Farias/ wikimedia commons

2.3 Bolivian River Dolphin

The Bolivian river dolphin ( Inia boliviensis) is another freshwater cetacean that's closely related to the Amazon river dolphin. There's also some debate as to whether the Bolivian dolphin is genetically distinct enough to warrant becoming its own species, so it's not listed by the IUCN.

This dolphin is found primarily in the Upper Madeira Basin of the Amazon in Bolivia. It is separated from the main Amazon river dolphin population by a series of large rapids, so it's likely that the two populations have been distinct for quite some time.

Although more research is needed to understand the health of the Bolivian river dolphin's populations, it's already protected under Bolivian law. In fact, President Evo Morales signed a law into place in 2012 that classified the species as a national treasure.

Distribution map of bolivian river dolphin

2.4 Ganges River Dolphin

As its name suggests, the Ganges river dolphin ( Platanista gangetica) is a type of cetacean that lives in the Ganges River and its tributaries. It's primarily found in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal where it is known as the susu or the shushuk.

Although they are closely related, the Ganges river dolphin and the Indus river dolphin are separate species. They are believed to have diverged evolutionarily about 550,000 years ago, though they still share similar physical characteristics.

The Ganges river dolphin is listed as an endangered species and there may be as few as 3,000 individuals left in the wild. Pollution, which is a well-known issue on the Ganges, is one of the species' biggest threats. However, the species is protected by law in India, so it is illegal to keep one in captivity except for certain scientific or rehabilitation purposes.

distribution map of ganges river dolphins

2.5 Indus River Dolphin

Commonly known as bhulan, the Indus river dolphin ( Platanista minor) is the second of two river dolphin species in south-central Asia. It lives only in the Indus River Basin and its range is primarily restricted to Pakistan and a small area of India.

Due to human development, the Indus river dolphin's global population is currently split into five smaller populations that are separated by irrigation dams and barrages. It is an IUCN-listed endangered species and it is often considered to be one of the world's most endangered cetaceans.

One of the biggest threats to the species' survival is human development, however, overfishing of its food source is also an issue. The Indus river dolphin isn't well-studied, so more research is needed to better understand how to conserve this species.

distribution map of INDUS river dolphins

2.6 Tucuxi

Finally, we have the tucuxi ( Sotalia fluviatilis), which is a small freshwater dolphin that lives in the Amazon River Basin. It is unique among the river dolphins because its facial structure much more closely resembles that of a bottlenose dolphin.

There is some debate among scientists as to when the tucuxi split off from its closest relative, the Guiana dolphin. The Guiana dolphin, or costero, as it's better known, is able to live in both fresh and saltwater environments and its range often overlaps with that of the tucuxi.

But unlike the costero, the tucuxi is listed as an endangered species primarily as a result of human development. The construction of dams throughout its range and the increase in pollution in recent years are major threats to the species' survival.

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25 Different Types of Dolphins Species (Pictures, Facts and Chart) - Outforia

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Of all the ocean's creatures, the dolphin is arguably the most captivating. Known for their acrobatic displays and their insatiable curiosity, the dolphin is a truly incredible marine mammal. But how much do you actually know about the different types of dolphins that travel our planet's oceans and rivers?

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High in dense bamboo forests in the misty, rainy mountains of southwestern China lives one of the world's rarest mammals: the giant panda, also called the panda. Only about 1,500 of these black-and-white bears survive in the wild.

Pandas eat almost nothing but bamboo shoots and leaves. Occasionally they eat other vegetation, fish, or small mammals, but bamboo accounts for 99 percent of their diets.

Pandas eat fast, they eat a lot, and they spend about 12 hours a day doing it. The reason: They digest only about a fifth of what they eat. Overall, bamboo is not very nutritious. To stay healthy, they have to eat a lot-up to 15 percent of their body weight in 12 hours-so they eat fast.

Pandas' molars are very broad and flat. The shape of the teeth helps the animals crush the bamboo shoots, leaves, and stems that they eat. They can chomp on bamboo up to one-and-a-half inches thick.

To get the bamboo to their mouths, they hold the stems with their front paws, which have enlarged wrist bones that act as thumbs for gripping. A panda should have at least two bamboo species where it lives, or it will starve.  A scarcity in bamboo threatens the already limited panda population.

An adult female panda weighs 200 pounds. Pandas can climb as high as 13,000 feet and are also very good swimmers. Sometimes male pandas relax by doing handstands against trees.

Pandas are shy; they don't venture into areas where people live. This restricts pandas to very limited areas.
Take the All Things Panda quiz!

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High in dense bamboo forests in the misty, rainy mountains of southwestern China lives one of the world's rarest mammals: the giant panda, also called the panda. Only about 1,500 of these black-and-white bears survive in the wild.  Pandas eat almost nothing but bamboo shoots and leaves.

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The charismatic giant panda is a notable symbol of conservation-and a valuable success story. Reserves in China established to protect the species have grown from eight to more than 60 over the past 30 years. WWF was the first international conservation organization invited into China to help with panda conservation.

Explore some basic facts about giant pandas.

Newborn pandas are about 1/900th of the size of their mothers-about the size of a stick of butter. But they grow large, reaching up to 330 pounds as adults.

Pandas average a lifespan of 14-20 years Most pandas leave their mothers when the mothers conceive again, which is usually after 18 months.

Pandas play an essential role in the bamboo forests of the Yangtze Basin by spreading seeds as they roam, increasing vegetation. WWF works to make this area more sustainable to protect pandas and other endangered species, such as the golden monkey and takin.

Pandas subsist almost entirely on bamboo, eating from 26 to 84 pounds per day.

Though solitary animals, pandas still communicate with one another through vocalization and scent marking. They spray urine, claw tree trunks and rub against objects to mark their paths.

Forest destruction reduces pandas' access to bamboo and prevents mating, and only about 61% of China's panda population is protected by reserves. WWF works with the Chinese government's National Conservation Program to protect the species' habitat.

Pandas are one of the rarest and most endangered bears in the world. A 2014 survey counted 1,864 pandas in the wild. While still low, that is a 17% population increase in one decade.

The giant panda is the inspiration for the WWF logo. Chi-Chi, a giant panda, was living at the London Zoo in 1961, the same year WWF was created. The species became a recognized symbol that overcomes language barriers and symbolizes conservation.

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What do pandas eat? And other giant panda facts

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The charismatic giant panda is a notable symbol of conservation-and a valuable success story. Reserves in China established to protect the species have grown from eight to more than 60 over the past 30 years. WWF was the first international conservation organization invited into China to help with panda conservation.

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Giant pandas are some of the most adorable animals in the world, not to mention baby pandas (i.e. panda cubs).

Below are 10 interesting facts about baby pandas, some of which you definitely won't have heard before.

1. What is a newborn panda's size?

A baby panda at 6-8 weeks

All pandas are born very small. The average weight is 100 grams (0.2 pounds), which is only 1/900 of their mother's weight (compared to about 1/20 for human babies).

The lightest one on record was only 36 grams (0.1 pounds) and the heaviest one was 210 grams (0.5 pounds).

2. Why are baby pandas so tiny?

Baby pandas are "premature". Due to pandas' special physiological structure, the embryo will "wander" in the mother panda's womb for three months after conception so that it is unable to be implanted.

This leads to delayed development in their mother's womb (development lasts only one and a half to two months) and the inability to absorb adequate nutrients for what would normally be considered full development by the end of a typical gestation of five months.

According to expert Dr Wang Dajun, the tiny birth size is "definitely a result of evolution over millions of years ... It is a kind of breeding strategy." He explained that pandas subsist almost entirely on bamboo, and, "It is easier for the animal to convert bamboo into milk than to convert bamboo into animal tissue." Hence shorter gestation and longer nursing.

3. What color is a newborn panda?

Newborn giant pandas are pink and furless. The iconic black and white coloring comes later, after about 3 weeks.

4. How long is a panda pregnant for?

A baby panda at 3 months

The mating season is in spring between March and May. Males and females usually associate for no more than 2 to 4 days. Pregnancy lasts from 95 to 160 days.

5. When are baby pandas born?

July to September is the period during which mother pandas give birth.

March to May is the "falling in love" period for pandas. A baby panda stays in its mother's uterus for just 3 to 5 months.

6. How baby pandas grow up?

A baby panda's growing process is interesting, but very difficult, because they are extremely fragile and can easily get sick and die. At breeding centers 90% of baby pandas survive nowadays, compared to no more than 30% in the 1960s. Read on to see how baby pandas grow up:

After 1 week: Blackish hairs start to grow on their ears and around their eyes and shoulders.

After 1 month: Black hairs grow all over the neck and chest, and they have bigger dark circles around their eyes. At the same time, white hairs also begin to grow, which give the panda its distinctive black and white look. A month-old panda is around 2 kilograms (4 lb).

At 6-8 weeks: They start to open their eyes and grow baby teeth.

At 3 months: Their limbs become stronger. They can walk as far as a meter (3 feet), but staggering, and sometimes falling over. They weigh about 5-6 kilograms (11-13 lb) by this time.

6 months: They begin to eat bamboo.

At 1 year: Panda cubs are weaned by the time they are one year old, and continue to live with their mothers. A one-year cub is up to 40 kg (88 lb).

At 1 and a half year: They live alone without their mother (if the mother mates again).

At 5-18 years: They are fertile adults.

Over 18 years: Pandas enter old age. Few pandas live over 20 years in the wild.

7. How are panda babies born?

Pandas give birth to young, just like other mammals. The birth of a giant panda can be quite painful. The mother panda's birth orifice is so narrow that the baby panda is ejected like a cannonball!

When a panda cub is born, its mother picks it up in her mouth and holds it in her arms.

Some giant panda mothers can't bear the pain and stop giving birth, and their cubs get stuck in their reproductive tracts and suffocate to death. It sounds crazy, but it's still happening.

8. Do panda mothers kill their babies?

A Baby Panda with Panda Mother

No, a panda mother won't kill her baby directly. But if she has twins in the wild, she will leave the weaker one to perish and choose to raise the stronger cub. The reason for this is that they don't have sufficient milk or energy to care for two cubs.

In a panda breeding center, the staff will rotate the two babies between their mother and the incubator every few hours so that two can be raised.

9. The survival rate of baby pandas is 60% in the wild.

Baby Pandas

Why are the survival rates of infant pandas so low? Here are some reasons:

1. Cubs are very needy and vulnerable at birth. They are born furless and blind. The limbs of newborn pandas are so weak that they are not able to stand for 3 months.

For 6 months after birth, baby pandas rely entirely on the mother's warmth, milk, and protection.

2. Cubs can be accidentally crushed by their mothers.

3. Decrease in habitat can mean the mother panda has insufficient food to gestate and nurse her cub.

4. In the wild, half of all panda births are twins; however, it is very rare for both cubs to survive as panda mothers are usually only able to raise one at a time and abandon the other twin.

10. Can I hold a baby panda?

Giant Panda Volunteer Program

The best place to see baby pandas is Chengdu Panda Base, which is very close to the downtown area.

If you visit between late August and December, you will have a greater chance of seeing tiny newborns and cuddly babies. The Baby Panda Volunteer Program is currently suspended [October 2021].

But you can take part in one of our Giant Panda volunteer programs. During the program, you can get close to the cute pandas, make their food, and feed them.

All our tours can be customized. Just Contact us. We will create a trip for your summer vacation according to your group size, time, budget, interests, and other requirements.

More Giant Pandas Related Articles

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Top 10 Interesting Baby Pandas Facts (Q&As) with Photos

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Giant pandas are some of the most adorable animals in the world, not to mention baby pandas (i.e. panda cubs). Below are 10 interesting facts about baby pandas, some of which you definitely won't have heard before. A baby panda at 6-8 weeks All pandas are born very small.

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There's something special about pandas. They're adorably fuzzy, have a gentle appearance, and just have an all-around appeal. This is double so with baby pandas. They look like stuffed toys come to life. They are more than just cute balls of fluff. These mostly herbivorous bears have an interesting start in life. Keep reading to learn some fun facts about baby pandas.

10 Interesting facts about baby pandas

1. Newborn pandas only weigh about 100g.

Newborn pandas are tiny, especially compared to their mothers, who can weigh as much as 220lbs. Since pandas solely consume bamboo, they may have evolved to have small offspring due to the minimal nutrients bamboo contains. To reach their nutrient needs, adult pandas need to eat about 40% of their body weight in bamboo every day.

3. Baby pandas are born "prematurely".

Baby pandas are born, naked and helpless, and are scientifically not fully gestated. Their brains have not fully developed, and their immune systems have not yet started to function. Even their ears have not developed, and are just tiny nubbins on the sides of their heads. For this reason, their mothers will maintain almost constant body contact with them until they are around 3-4 weeks old. Once they grow fur, they can be left alone while their mother leaves to eat bamboo.

4. They nurse until they are about 1 year old.

At around 6 months of age, pandas begin to eat bamboo. They will not wean completely until they are around one year old. This may again be due to the low nutrient content of bamboo, and the amount of energy needed to reach adult size.

5. Pandas prefer having 1 baby.

Half of all panda pregnancies result in twins. If this happens in the wild, they will often pick the stronger twin, and abandon the other. This is most frequent among first-time mothers. This is because pandas spend 80% of their time caring for the cubs for the first 3 months. Pandas need to consume massive quantities of bamboo to stay alive. When caring for their newborns they go days without eating or drinking.

Two cubs will deplete her resources much more quickly. Pandas also have to carry their cubs in their paws or their mouths, making mothering 2 much more difficult. When this occurs in zoos, the zoo veterinary team will step in. They will rotate the cubs, allowing one to feed, while the other stays in an incubator.

6. Panda babies are tiny.

With the exception of marsupials, pandas are the smallest newborn mammals in relation to the size they will reach as an adult. However, baby pandas don't stay small for long. By about 6 weeks old, a baby panda is around 10 times its birth weight. From birth to one year, a cub will gain at least 60 pounds. Pandas will reach their adult size at around 18 months old. This is around 220-224lbs for females, and up to 350lbs for males.

7. They may stay with mom for up to 2 years.

The length of time a panda stays with its mother often depends on when she conceives again. Most pandas head out on their own at around 2 years old. They are not fully mature until they reach around 4-6 with males maturing more slowly.

8. Captive pandas can be supplemented with dog milk.

When a captive mother panda has a low milk supply or multiple babies, zoos will supplement her milk supply. Dog's milk is very similar in composition to panda milk, so it is frequently used as a substitute. It is so similar in nutrient content, that there very rarely needs to be further nutrient supplementation.

9. The survival rate of pandas at birth centers has skyrocketed.

To help preserve the dwindling number of pandas, China established captive breeding programs. These programs have provided invaluable research on panda behaviors. When these facilities were first opened in the 1960s the success rate for baby pandas surviving into adulthood was only around 30%. Since then because of years of observation and research, the success rate has increased to 90%. Due to the success of these breeding programs, there are now over 300 giant pandas in captivity.

10. Pandas have hair at around 3 weeks old.

Baby pandas are born naked and pink. At birth, they resemble large baby mice. that all changes by the time they reach around 3 weeks of age. By then their distinctive coloring has grown in, and they look like miniature versions of adults. Thay may have their adult coloring, but they still have a lot of growing to do. They won't be able to walk until they reach around 4 weeks old.

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10 Surprising Facts About Baby Pandas - Wildlife Informer

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There's something special about pandas. They're adorably fuzzy, have a gentle appearance, and just have an all-around appeal. This is double so with baby pandas. They look like stuffed toys come to life. They are more than just cute balls of fluff. These mostly herbivorous bears have an interesting start in life.

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Thought to be one of the oldest living reptiles, turtles appeared on earth more than 250 million years ago and have changed little. Though their body plan is foreign to us, it has served them well during this time, and they have adapted to live on both land and sea.

Turtle Shell

The turtle shell is made up of two parts: the carapace (top, rounded shell) and the plastron (the bottom shell). Both shells are made of fused bone. In fact, turtle have vertebrae making up their spinal cord, just as humans do, but their vertebrae are fused to their shell.

Turtle Skeletal Structure

Turtles are vertebrates, so they have similar skeletal structure to humans. However, the pubic bone is inverted, pointed inward rather than outward, and the pelvis is fused to the plastron. They also have an elongated scapula to aid in movement with the shell. Probably the most notable difference is in the skull: Turtles don't have any teeth. They use beaks and strong jaw muscles to crush food.

Cardiac System

Turtles have a three-chambered heart that consists of two atria and one ventricle. Oxygenated blood and deoxygenated blood is separated by membranes and blood flow in the ventricle, but there is some mixing. When turtles are diving for food, they can bypass the lungs and send blood directly to the rest of the body. Because turtle ribs are fixed to their shells, they don't move for the lungs to expand. Thus, turtles have special muscles that allow the lungs to inhale and exhale air.

Digestive System

The turtle digestive system is not that different from most other vertebrates. Since they have diverse diets, though, they often consume plant matter, which is difficult to digest. To account for this, they have an elongated small intestine with bacteria in the caecum that help them digest. This slows digestion but allows them to retain more nutrients.

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Thought to be one of the oldest living reptiles, turtles appeared on earth more than 250 million years ago and have changed little. Though their body plan is foreign to us, it has served them well during this time, and they have adapted to live on both land and sea.

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Turtles live all over the planet, except Antarctica, and there are more than 350 species of them, ranging from small, adorable box turtles to big dinosaur-like snappers to graceful sea turtles that seem to fly through the water.

Because turtles are so common, kids run into them not just at zoos but in the wild, in their backyards, in pet shops, and in classrooms-and that leads to lots of questions! When those curious minds come looking for answers, dig into these turtle facts for kids and shell out some knowledge.

Do Turtles Have Teeth?

Turtles don't have teeth, but that doesn't mean their mouths are totally smooth or they swallow food whole. Turtles have sharp beaks that they use to cut their food-whether it's meat or plants-into pieces before swallowing it. Some turtle species also have special adaptations in their mouths and throats to help them eat. Map turtles use a secondary hard palate-a hard, bony part of the mouth-to crush their food. And leatherback sea turtles have banks of backward-facing spikes called papillae in their mouths and throats. The papillae keep the jellyfish they eat from swimming back out of their mouths once they've been swallowed!

The white ridge on the roof of this turtle's mouth is its hard palate.

Turtles weren't always toothless. One species of turtle that existed at the same time as the dinosaurs had teeth on the roof of its mouth. Scientists are still figuring out why turtles lost their teeth as they evolved, but some think that having beaks allows them to cut their food more precisely and adapt more quickly to new food sources.

Do Turtles Have Ears?

Yes, turtles have a middle ear and an inner ear. The ears are covered by a membrane called a tympanum, and you can't even see that because it's hidden beneath a scale. Turtles' ears give them very good hearing at low frequencies but very bad hearing at high frequencies.

This photo of a red-eared terrapin gives a good sense of what turtle ears look like from the outside-not much! But under the red scale on the side of the turtle's head is the tympanum, and beneath that the ear canal stretches into the head.

Turtles hear better underwater than on land because of the way their ears are built, which helps the many turtle species that spend lots of time underwater.

Do Turtles Have Tails?

Like all reptiles, turtles have tails. Tails are actually an important part of how scientists identify a turtle's species and whether it's male or female. Snapping turtles have long sawtooth tails-sometimes as long as their whole carapace, or shell. Male sea turtles have long tails that can be used to grasp things. All box turtles, on the other hand, have very short, stubby tails.

Snapping turtles have long tails.

Box turtles have short tails.

In general, the tails of male turtles are longer and thicker than those of females.

How Long Can Turtles Hold Their Breath?

Turtles can hold their breath underwater from minutes to months, depending on their species and their activity level.

When turtles are moving around in the water a lot, they come to the surface to breathe frequently. With each breath of air, they use their lungs to take in lots of oxygen to fuel their active muscles.

But when they're resting or hibernating, turtles can stay underwater longer, because their inactive bodies don't need as much oxygen. And they can get what they do need directly from water by pulling it into their cloaca (an opening in their body), where it moves past blood vessels that can absorb oxygen from it-no lungs required!

Because of cloacal respiration, sea turtles often sleep underwater. Their shells and coloring blend in well with the coral they rest on, helping keep them safe. If you were a predator, especially hunting from above, you'd have a hard time seeing them!

But cloacal respiration doesn't mean that turtles can stay underwater forever.

In a closed space like an iced-over pond, oxygen in the water can run out. And if a turtle stays underwater too long-even in the open sea-its cloacal respiration can't keep up with its oxygen needs, and it will have to surface for a breath.

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37 Turtle Facts for Kids - Do Turtles Have Teeth and More - Little Passports

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Turtles don't have teeth, but they do have ears and tails, and some species can hold their breath for months.

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A turtle is a reptile that has a shell covering its body. Turtles are known for moving very slowly. There are more than 350 species, or types, of turtle.

Turtles are found in most parts of the world. Most live in freshwater ponds, lakes, or rivers. Others live in the ocean or on land. Some turtles live in forests or even in the desert. Land turtles are often called tortoises. Some water turtles are known as terrapins.

Turtles are all different sizes. The smallest turtles are less than 4 inches (10 centimeters) long. In contrast, the Atlantic leatherback turtle can be more than 7 feet (2 meters) long. It can weigh more than 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms).

Turtles have sturdy legs with short feet and claws on the toes. Sea turtles have flippers instead of front feet. A turtle's shell is made of bone. It is usually very hard and strong. Most turtles can tuck the head, legs, and tail inside the shell for protection from enemies. Snapping turtles cannot do this, but they have a powerful bite for protection.

Turtles eat worms, snails, insects, jellyfish, and shellfish. Many tortoises eat only plants. Turtles can store food in the form of fat. Some turtles can store water, too. They can live for days or even weeks without having anything to eat or drink.

All turtles lay their eggs on land. The female digs a hole and lays her eggs in it. The temperature in the nest usually affects the sex of the baby turtles. Warmer temperatures generally produce females, while cooler temperatures produce males.

Turtles live longer than most other animals. Some species can live more than 100 years.

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A turtle is a reptile that has a shell covering its body. Turtles are known for moving very slowly. There are more than 350 species, or types, of turtle. Turtles are found in most parts of the world. Most live in freshwater ponds, lakes, or rivers. Others live in the ocean or on land.

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Turtles are unique pets that are entertaining to learn about and watch. Pet turtle care doesn't involve as much hands-on training as dogs and cats, but turtles have particular needs like appropriately-sized tanks, UVB light, and the right kind of diet. Without an appropriate feeding plan, your turtle could get sick or die, so it's important to understand what to feed them, how often, and what to do if they don't eat.

Turtle Diet

The right diet for your turtle depends on their size, species, age, habitat, and other details.

What to feed them. Generally, pet turtles are omnivores, meaning that they eat both meat and plants. A typical adult pet turtle diet should include animal products, vegetables, and fruits. Younger turtles between about 7 to 10 years old usually need a larger share of animal-sourced foods. The percentage of animal and vegetable foods your pet turtle needs depends on their species.

Animal food sources. Animal-based food sources for turtles can include processed pet foods like drained sardines, turtle pellets, and trout chow. You can also feed them cooked chicken, beef, and turkey. Live prey can include moths, crickets, shrimp, krill, feeder fish, and worms. Make sure you get insects from a pet store or undeveloped field, or raise them yourself, to ensure quality and safety.

Plant food sources. Plant-based food sources for your pet turtle should mostly be leafy greens like collards, dandelions, and mustard greens. Some of these vegetables, such as chives, parsley, and spinach, contain high levels of chemicals called oxalates, which you should avoid.

Fruits can include apples, cantaloupe, bananas, berries, and mangoes. You can also feed them non-toxic aquatic plants like water hyacinth, water lettuce, and duckweed.

How often to feed them. Feed an adult turtle once every day or two, and a juvenile one to two times a day, though this can vary depending on the species.

How much to feed them. The amount of food to give your pet turtle depends on its species. As a general rule, especially for pellets and other non-living foods, only let your turtle eat as much as they can within about 20 minutes and then remove any leftovers.

How to serve the food. Aquatic turtles and land turtles have different preferences when it comes to how they eat their food. Aquatic turtles only eat underwater, so you'll need to place food in their water tank. If you have a land turtle, place its food on a flat, hard surface like a rock, or on grass. Many turtle owners also choose to chop a mix of vegetables to feed them, so the turtle isn't just eating one type and avoiding other nutritious plants they might not like as much.

Be species specific. Different species of turtles have varying dietary requirements. Research the nutritional needs of your turtle's species, and contact your veterinarian with any questions or concerns.

Common Concerns for Feeding Pet Turtles

Overfeeding. Turtles can become obese just like humans and many other animals. Overfeeding your turtle can make them gain excess fat, causing them trouble when pulling their arms and legs into their shell. To avoid overfeeding, make sure your turtle lives in a big enough space to move freely. At minimum, tanks should be 30 gallons for turtles up to 6 inches long, and up to 125 gallons for turtles over 8 inches long. Feeding your turtle live prey also lets them hunt and get exercise.

Vitamin deficiency. Turtles are prone to vitamin A deficiency if their diet isn't right. Symptoms of too little vitamin A in turtles include a decrease in appetite, eyelid and ear swelling, kidney failure, and lung infections.

Turtles need lots of foods with vitamin A, so choose plants like carrots, squash, bell peppers, and other red, orange, and yellow vegetables. Avoid vegetables with low nutritional value like lettuce and celery. To treat Vitamin A deficiency, a veterinarian may recommend Vitamin A treatments injected or taken by mouth.

Hygiene. Turtles often defecate while they eat, so keeping their food in a separate container can help them avoid accidentally eating feces. Clean any uneaten food out of their tank regularly so that it doesn't grow unwanted bacteria and algae.

What to do if your turtle won't eat. If your turtle isn't eating enough, it could be a sign of illness, but other factors might be at play. Make sure your tank's temperature and water temperature, lighting, and size are ideal for your turtle's species. Hibernation and stress can also lead to lack of appetite in turtles. Check with a veterinarian about any symptoms and behaviors, and make a visit if symptoms don't improve after you make changes.

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Turtles are unique pets that are entertaining to learn about and watch. Pet turtle care doesn't involve as much hands-on training as dogs and cats, but turtles have particular needs like appropriately-sized tanks, UVB light, and the right kind of diet.

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Baby turtles are some of the cutest shelled animals on Earth. But did you know that they have teeth and that they raise themselves? There are so many interesting facts about turtle babies to learn, but here are our top five favorite ones!

#1: Baby Turtles Talk To Each Other Before They Even Hatch

Turtle hatchlings can communicate with one another before they hatch.
iStock.com/Satria Tegar Wicaksono

I'm sure the first thing you think about when you think of baby turtle hatchlings is not how noisy they are. However, turtle babies have been said to be able to communicate well. They use these skills to work out a plan so that they can all hatch and meet together shortly after.

About 11 percent of unhatched turtle babies are able to talk to one another through their shells. They do this in order to make their debut in the ocean together, which greatly increases their survival rate. This is incredibly important because there are currently 7 species of sea turtles that are endangered and at risk for extinction.

#2: Hatchlings Lose Their Baby Teeth

Turtle babies typically incubate for around two to three months.
iStock.com/Shidlovski

Baby turtles go through an incubation period, usually lasting 2 to 3 months, depending on temperature. The cooler the environment, the longer the incubation process takes. When the babies are finally ready to break free from their shell walls, they use what's called an egg tooth on their beaks to break free.

Unlike humans, turtle hatchlings lose their egg tooth only one short hour after it was used to help them escape.

#3: Turtle Hatchlings Are Born Orphans

Baby sea turtles don't have parents to depend on.
iStock.com/Chalabala

Most animals are born and have at least one parent to teach them how to survive in the wild. When baby sea turtles are born, they have nothing but instincts and their environments to depend on. The odds are stacked against them, and unfortunately, only about 1 in 1,100 hatchlings will live to see their adult years.

After using all the strength in their tiny bodies, the hatchlings rest and regain their energy. This makes it possible to make the long and extremely dangerous trip to the sea.

#4: Baby Turtles Are Greatly Affected By Temperature

The incubation temperature determines the sex of turtle hatchlings.
iStock.com/Riza Azhari

Temperature plays a huge role in a turtle hatchling's life even before they're born. While baby turtles are incubating, the temperature around them is what determines their sex. Baby turtles go through an incubation period, usually lasting 2 to 3 months, depending on temperature.

The warmer the eggs are kept, the more likely the babies are to be female. If the eggs were laid in an environment that may see both cool and warm temperatures, the hatchlings have an even chance of being male or female.

#5: Turtle Hatchlings Are Some Of The Oldest Babies In The World

Turtles as a species are over 230 million years old.
iStock.com/Pablo Solís Fernández

Did you know that turtles as a species are over 230 million years old? This means they were roaming around with the dinosaurs!

The ancestors of the turtles we see today didn't have just one tooth they would use to break free of their shells. They were born with a mouth full of teeth. While hatchlings used to be born with teeth, they weren't always born with shells for protection. Thankfully, turtle hatchlings have a shell to keep them safe from predators.

iStock.com/Chalabala

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
How much do baby turtles weigh?
Did you know that some adult sea turtles weigh up to 2000 pounds? Those same turtles, the leatherbacks, weigh only ounces when they first hatch from their eggs and make their way to the ocean. They're about 1 to 2 inches around when they hatch and become fully mature adults at 10 to 15 years old.
What do baby turtles eat?
Most baby turtles have a diet that consists of a few different things based on what kind of turtle they are. The most common type of turtle, the omnivore, eats both vegetation and meat from insects and even fish.
Where do baby turtles live?
Baby turtles that live in the sea have proved very difficult to keep track of after hatching and making their way into the water. There isn't much data about where they spend their time, and typically they would be tagged and tracked, but they are too small to tag and too expensive to track extensively. Baby turtles that live on land find themselves searching for a home that has calm water, so they're able to go for a swim and rocks and sticks that they can sunbathe on.
What are baby turtles called?
Baby turtles are called hatchlings, and no surprise they get their names from their entrance into this world. Adult turtles are called tortoises or just turtles, with the difference being that tortoises prefer to spend their time on land and sunbathing, whereas turtles and sea turtles love living their lives in the water. If you got a group of turtles together, you would call that a creep, although turtles are not known for their social skills and prefer to be alone.

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Baby turtles are some of the cutest shelled animals on Earth. But did you know that they have teeth and that they raise themselves? There are so many interesting facts about turtle babies to learn, but here are our top five favorite ones!

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How Does a Caterpillar Become a Butterfly? | Amazing Animals | Spring is Here | SciShow Kids

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Take a deep breath, gang, and join Nat Geo Kids as we learn ten fab facts about one seriously splash-tastic sea creature - in our bottlenose dolphin facts!
Facts about bottlenose dolphins

1) Bottlenose dolphins are marine mammals that live in tropical and temperate oceans (oceans with mild temperatures) around the world. This includes the waters off the UK and Ireland, where you can spot them swimming and playing in bays and river estuaries!

2) These beautiful creatures have a short thick beak (as their name suggests!) and a curved mouth, giving the appearance that they are always smiling. They are usually grey in colour, and measure around two to four metres in length.

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3) Social creatures, bottlenose dolphins travel in groups, called " pods ", of around 10-15. In these groups they play and hunt together, as well as cooperate to raise young dolphin calves and help each other.

4) Bottlenose dolphins are super swimmers, gliding through the water using their curved dorsal fin on their back, a powerful tail and pointed flippers. They can reach speeds over 30km an hour and dive as deep as 250m below the surface!

5) These cool creatures are awesome acrobats, too, and can be seen flipping (or " breaching ") out of the water. In fact, they can launch themselves up to five meters out of the water before crashing back down with a splash! There are different theories as to why they do this - it could be to get a better view of things in the distance, clean parasites off their bodies, communicate with other pods or just for good fun!

6) Although they live underwater, the bottlenose dolphin must come up to the surface to breath air. It breathes through what"s called a " blowhole ", a hole at the top of its head. These clever creatures can open this hole when inhaling and exhaling out of the water, and close it when below the ocean surface. They can hold their breath underwater for around seven minutes.

7) Bottlenose dolphins are kings of communication! They send each other messages in different ways - they squeak and whistle and also use body language, leaping out of the water, snapping their jaws and even butting heads!

8) These magnificent mammals also produce high-pitched clicks to help them navigate and find food - a process called " echolocation ". When the clicking sounds hit an object in the water - such as a rock or fish - they bounce back to the dolphin as echoes. From this, the super swimmers can work out the location, size and shape of the object. Cool, eh?

9) Carnivores, our finned friends eat mostly fish, but will also eat crustaceans such as shrimp and squid, too.

10) Thankfully, bottlenose dolphins are not classed as endangered. However, illegal hunting, fishing nets and pollution pose threats to these incredible creatures.

Love reading about sea life? Then be sure to check out our Humpback whale facts!

Image ⓒ Picture of dolphin stretched out above water: Photograph by Kjersti Joergensen, Dreamtime. Picture of a dolphin closeup in water: Photograph by Michael Price, Dreamtime. Picture of a dolphin jumping: Photograph by Avslt71, Dreamtime.

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10 facts about bottlenose dolphins - National Geographic Kids

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10 facts about bottlenose dolphins. Where do bottlenose dolphins live? How do they breathe? What do they eat? Find out all about this marine mammal here!

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Bottlenose Dolphin - Leo The Wildlife Ranger Animal Diaries | Animal Facts for Kids