American Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis)

Alligator...or Alligator Mississippiensis!

The alligator was given the name "living fossil" because it has been around for over 200 million years, starting in the Mesozoic era. Scientists believe that one of the reasons that dinosaurs (and alligators) thrived during the Mesozoic era was due to their ability to survive and adapt to atmospheres with vastly different oxygen levels. Tests done on alligators show that they are able to adapt to both low and high oxygen levels within the atmosphere. It could be this ability that allowed the alligator to survive from the Mesozoic era while most other species became extinct.

 The difference between an alligator and a crocodile is that an alligator has it's teeth out of it's mouth, while a crocodile keeps it's teeth in. Another difference between an alligator and a crocodile is the shape of their snout. An alligator's snout is U-shaped, while a crocodile's snout is shaped like a V. An alligator is more apt to keep to itself if not bothered, while a crocodile is more apt to be aggressive.

 An alligator eats fish, birds, turtles, snakes, and amphibians. An alligator catches it's food by lying close to shore. When an animal comes up to drink, the alligator will move quickly to catch and drown it's prey. An adult alligator can be 4.4 meters in length, and weigh up to 800 pounds. Alligators live only in freshwater, while crocodiles can live in both freshwater and in saltwater.

Alligator mating season starts in early May and ends in early July. In early July the female lays about 50 eggs that will hatch within 65 days. Alligator babies are about 7-9 inches long and weigh about 1 milligram at birth. To this day, alligators can be found in the South Eastern United States.

Giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis)

Giraffa Camelopardalis... or a giraffe!

What's worse than a giraffe with a sore throat? A giraffe with a stiff neck, of course! A sore throat...on a neck that can be 2 meters long. That must hurt! And it would probably make it hard to eat too, as giraffes use their necks to eat acacia leaves, their main food. Giraffes usually take in large quantities of water when it is available, too, so a stiff neck could really damage a giraffe. Giraffes need a lot of water because of the hot climate in Africa. It can get up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit were the giraffes live, and that is why they need allot of water.

 Giraffes usually gather around a food source, and mate there too. They are animals known for traveling in groups. Mostly the group will consist of young adults and babies. This is because they might not be able to fight for them selves if a lion or another enemy attacks, so adult giraffes stick around. It is about 400-460 days before the calf is born. Sometimes giraffe twins can occur, but it is rare. The mother gives birth standing up, and the newborn baby comes out about 6 feet tall. The female giraffe, once fully grown, can measure up to 14 feet in height, and can weigh up to 1800 pounds. The male giraffe is about the same height, and can weigh up to 2600 pounds. Both sexes have horns, though Male's horns tend to be bigger than females.

 Giraffes are considered "the queen of the beasts" by Arab prophets and poets because of their graceful and fragile form. Although the giraffe may look graceful and fragile, it can be deadly too. When attacked by it's natural enemy, the lion, giraffes defend themselves by using a powerful kick of their hind legs. Giraffes can be found in Central and Southern Africa.



Arabian Camel (Camelus Dromedarious)



Arabian Camel...or Camelus Dromedarious!!!

Camels...they're not just a cigarette! The Arabian Camel is found in large numbers in North Africa, the Middle East, and Australia. These camels are also known as the dromedary camel and are one of the most common species of the camel family. Two other members of the camel family are llama and alpaca, which are found in South America.

Dromedary camels have only one hump on their backs, while bactrian camels have two. Though most people think that camel humps are for storing water, they are wrong. Camel humps are actually the storing place of fatty tissue. The fat acts as energy to the camel, and the fat can hold up to 1 gram of water per 1 gram of fat. This is part of the reason why camels can survive a long time in the desert without water.

 Male dromedaries can measure from 1.8 meters - 2.0 meters, and can weigh up to 600 kilograms. The females measure from about 1.7 meters - 1.9 meters, and weigh 10% less than males.

Given that camels are so large and  well adapted to living in the desert, they are used by the Bedouins to carry cargo and people across the desert. Camel hair is also used by the Bedouins to produce their tents and garments.

 At one point, the U.S. army considered using the camel for transport in the South-Western North American deserts,but in the end the idea was turned down. A number of camels were actually imported for this purpose but once the Civil War broke out the idea was largely forgotten...likely because one of the main sponsors of the idea was Secretary of War, Jefferson Davis, who had then left the Union and became the president of the Confederate States! Till this day, there are still Arabian Camels running around in the South-Western U.S.

Reindeer (Rangifer Tarandus)

Rangifer Tarandus...or reindeer!

 People think that reindeer are only for pulling Santa's sleigh on Christmas, right? Wrong! Reindeers do give transportation, but not necessarily to just Santa. Eskimoes also use reindeer for transportation. They use reindeer milk to give to their young. Here are some little known facts about reindeer:

Reindeer may be big, but they only eat lichen, willow leaves,  birch leaves, sedges, and grass. Females usually measure 64-61 inches in length. They usually weigh about 170-260 lb. Males usually measure 71-84 inches in length and can weigh 200-460 lb. While  both genders of reindeer can have antlers, some female populations lack them completely.

Large numbers of reindeer have been found in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Siberia, Greenland, Alaska, and Canada. In North America, reindeer are known as caribou and are hunted as trophies and for meat. In Europe, reindeer are herded by the Sami as a livlihood. Reindeer were very important to the Sami. Their skin was used to make clothing, and their horns to make burl cups, knives, and drums.

Reindeer mating season usually begins in late September and lasts until early November. The female usually stays pregnant until May or June. Then she gives birth to calves, who in 45 days will be able to graze and forage. The calves will keep sucking their mothers milk until the next November.

Reindeer lend themselves to alot of important people. Santa for his sleigh, the Sami for drums and clothing, the Eskimoes for milk, and last but not least, to North America for trophy hunting.