The Emu ( Dromaiidae )

This bird is wanted- dead or alive! In Australia, these birds are hunted down for money. Why, you might ask? Because these vegetarian birds eat all the crops, trample fences, and wreak  havoc in general for town's folk. This bird, after being killed so frequently, is finally mostly in only the eastern, uninhabited part of the island.

These birds are flightless, and other than the ostrich, are some of the largest birds in the world. Also like the ostrich, this bird is flightless. They run along the ground, sometimes reaching 30 mph. The emus travel in clusters of three to six, and pair off for mating season, usually lasting from February to April.

Instead of the mother caring for the babies, the father is usually the one to take care of the chicks when they are born. The mating process is not interrupted by captivity, and emus are often bought and bred by people. They make good pets.

Gazelle ( Artiodactyla )

These animals don't need the " No Hunting" signs- they're rarely touched anyway. The natives of Africa believe that the gazelle are relatives of their camels, and that if they harm the gazelle, their camels will die and they will not get the transportation they need. The gazelle lives in Eastern Africa, and is built with a giraffe like neck.

The gazelle feeds on acacia leaves, which are found on trees. To reach the trees, the gazelles stand on their hind legs to eat the most tender, succulent leaves it can find. Like the other desert antelopes, it does not need large quantities of water, as it draws what it needs to survive from the leaves it eats. The gazelles travel in large groups, mostly made up out of females.

Pictures of gazelles have been found inside ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 5600 B.C., suggesting that the gazelle may be one of the older creatures that survived.

Snapping Turtle ( Chelonia )

The snapping turtle's face matches it's temper perfectly- snappy and harmful! It attacks anything that disturbs it, and can snap a broom handle in half with one bite. These turtles are found in North America, and prefer calm, muddy water to live in. Maybe this contributes to their mood- if I had to live in muddy water, I'd be pretty crabby too!

These nasty turtles eat fish and waterfowl, and are very snappy. They should never be handled without extreme caution. The way a snapping turtle lures food to itself is it attracts them with it's long, pink, wormlike tongue. Then, the fish automatically think "food", and get eaten promptly.

The turtle, unlike most, raises itself up like an alligator. It will lay it's eggs far away from the water. The baby turtles find their way to water by the sky.

Anchovy ( Engaulidae )

What's the first thought that pops into your head when you hear the word anchovy? Most likely a disgusting fish that is used as an unworthy pizza topping. But you forget one little thing- these are real fish. They once swam in the ocean and lived normal lives like us. And their lives purpose is to ruin perfectly good pizza!!! But despite their tiny size, these fish have brains. When they sense danger, most likely a hungry tuna wanting lunch ( not pizza, just fish, ) they clam into a tight ball instead of scattering to hide. This preserves the anchovies on the inside of the ball.

Anchovies live in schools of thousands. Being so small, you'd wonder what they eat. These tiny rotten pizza toppings live off of plankton, which they consume by always leaving their mouth open. When plankton is scarce, they take turns leading the school, so each fish gets a chance to eat.

In the spring, anchovies come to the very top of the water to migrate to their spawning place. They can be found in many oceans all over the world. Unless it is springtime, they are usually deep water fish.

Boa Constrictor ( Boidae )

The boa constrictor is the perfect example of the gentle monster. While you may think that it is a vicious beast that swallows things in one gulp, but it isn't. It is usually a calm beast, and it isn't venomous in the least. It almost never attacks man. These are only stories. The boa constrictor actually flees when man comes near it, and only can really grow up to be about ten feet in length.

The boa constrictor does not eat things 5 times it's size in one gulp, and in fact, it's diet consists mostly of small birds, lizards, and small mammals. The boa constrictor attacks by creeping up on it's prey, and then, when the prey doesn't suspect a thing, it wraps itself around it's preys' body until it cannot breath and is suffocated. Then, it eats the animal headfirst and slowly digests it, taking a long time, sometimes even a week.

As the constrictor doesn't use a lot of energy, it can go for a long, long time without any food. The snake is commonly found in the treetops of the South American forests. If it feels threatened, it will flee slowly. It flees at about 1/3 of a mile per hour. Maybe that's why they get caught so frequently!

King Cobra ( Ophiophagus hannah )

The king cobra- it's the king for a reason! The largest and most venomous snake in the world, it can grow to be up to 16.5'. It typically eats its own kind- snakes, even if they are poisonous. It sinks it's venom into their flesh and swallows them whole. This isn't the snake you want to find in your garden!

The cobra, though it may be the king, has very poor eyesight. It detects its victims by flicking its tongue out to catch scents in the air. It fangs are razor-sharp, and they pierce the skin, injecting it with venom. This comes in handy when attacking other poisonous snakes.

This snake can be found in Southern Asia, lurking in bamboo shelters as protection. It attacks like this:
1. Snake is slithering along in the grass.
2. It slithers its tongue out.
3. It catches whiff of another snake nearby.
4. Using its poor eyesight, it goes next to the other snake.
5. The snake coils up.
6. ATTACK!!!! The snake lunges towards the neck of the other snake.
7. The venom slowly kills the snake, who is devoured in one chomp. Oh, it's good to be king!

Great White Shark ( Carcharodon carcharias )

The great white shark- one fish you don't want to find at the end of your line! If you do, it's likely the end of the line for you. This predator can kill it's unsuspecting prey with one ugly chomp, making it almost unstoppable. It is the only shark breed known to eat warm-blooded animals. When it sees a dolphin swimming by, it's automatic thought is kill. It swims underneath the creature, and then swims straight up to take a bite out of it's underside.

The great white might not seem it, but it is actually a very picky animal. It will take a small bite and eat while it waits for the animal to die, and if it likes the taste, it will return to the body for more. If it doesn't, however, the shark will leave the body and look for some other snack.

The shark's teeth are large and razor sharp. When the old teeth get bored in and dull, new sharper teeth replace them. The new teeth, unlike ours, pop up behind the old teeth, making the shark double dangerous. The sharks can be found in almost all the oceans of the world, over than the antarctic.

Bald Eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus )

The bald eagle- not bald, but covered with feathers! So, why is this fluffy bird called bald? Well, the eagle is called bald not because it is bald- but because the white head makes it look bald against all those black feathers! It has been the national bird of the U.S. for a long time, standing for freedom, power, and majesty.

When a female eagle has babies, usually only 2 eggs are born. Feeding is a constant job, and if not enough food is provided, the stronger chick will kill it's own sibling. So much for brotherly love! The female eagle is always heavier than the male, so as to help protect herself. She will catch fish and bring it back to her hungry babies, who devour the food.

The eagle can be seen lots of places, but can be found in large groups in Alaska when the salmon go upstream to spawn and die. Then, it's feast day. But when winter comes, the bald eagle has a tough time surviving. The birds and fish it usually eats are gone, and scraps and small insects become an important part of its diet for staying alive.

Hippo ( Hippopotomas Amphibius )

Hippo .... or hippopotamus amphibius!

The word hippo comes from the name water horse in greek ..... Yet I think these critters look more like water pigs than horses! These animals can survive in both land and water, and it's gravity allows it to sink to the bottom of rivers and walk along the bottom. It's no surprise that they sink; they are among the largest living animals! The only things that out-weigh it are whales and elephants.

While the hippo has webbed feet and can swim, it is not a particularly good swimmer. It is rarely found in deep water, as it cannot float either. As it is so big, the hippo does not often feel threatened, but when he does, you'll know it. When a hippo gets worried, it opens it's mouth all the way. Hippos usually travel in pods of up to one hundred, so chances of attack are slim.

Female hippos are able to start breeding at about 3 years old, while males are usually about 7. When a female gets pregnant,  she gives birth underwater- one of the few animals to do this. The baby usually weighs about 60-110 pounds. Hippos are very aggressive, especially when their babies are near. They fight by biting each other with their massive jaws. They can be found in Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia. 

Sea Turtle ( Dermochelyidae )

Sea Turtle .... or dermochelyidae!

Ever heard of the sea creature that will never die? No? The sea turtle is known to be able to live up to 80 years old. 80 years!  Don't get one of these for a pet, because it just might out live you! Since turtles have such a long life, you figure they could produce hundreds of kids. But the truth is, it takes decades until a sea turtle is mature enough to have babies! When the turtle finally does mature, the mating takes place in the sea, but strangely, the birth doesn't. At night, the mother turtle will crawl onto a nearby beach, search for suitable sand, and dig a 2 foot deep hole to bury her eggs in! Then, she leaves her babies, who will have to tend to themselves when they hatch.

Though it is illegal to hunt sea turtles in most countries, some people still hunt them for their shell, but mainly for food. In Japan and China, the flippers are good for making leather products, such as shoes, handbags, etc. Turtles are kept safe not only because they are nice to watch, but because they have immunity to a jellyfish sting and often eat them, making waters safer for tourists.

Lots of campaigns have been held against hunting and killing sea turtles, as they are an endangered species. Signs are put up on beaches that say: Sea Turtle Nest, Watch Your Step. Fishing and netting is sometimes restricted because of the sea turtles. They can be found in every ocean in the world other than the Antarctic.

Giant Otter

Giant Otter

Introducing the largest and most powerful otter.... the giant otter! These carnivorous creatures inhabit the waters of the Amazon Jungle. They usually stick to medium sized fish for their diet, but some otters have been daring enough to attack and defeat a 30 foot long anaconda. The otter has gigantic webbed paws, much like a dog's, at the end of short, stubby legs. It has a flattened tail to help it swim the fast and twisting waters of the Amazon. 

Like everything else about it, the otter has a very loud voice. It is thought to be the loudest sound of all otters. There's no mistaking this guy for a normal otter! While some giant otters are aggressive, some are as playful as puppies. But in a snap, they can turn back to being aggressive. This behavior has earned them the nickname " water wolves".

The otters are group animals, and travel in packs from 2-20. A typical pack consists of three-eight members. They feed, sleep, bathe, and swim together. Its teeth are hard enough to crack a crab's shell, which they frequently do to get the crab hiding on the inside.

Pygmy Marmoset

 Pygmy Marmoset

Introducing the world's ugliest primate .... the marmoset!  These small monkeys have thick, grizzly fur and a flat nose, and are described in their home land as " little lion". These rain forest creatures are among the world's smallest primates, so one would think that looking for food would be a problem. But the truth is, this tiny monkey lives off of tree gum and tree sap alone! It's front teeth are specially designed for making incisions in wood.

Unlike most monkeys, the marmoset uses its tail as a counterweight to balance itself on the branches it uses as pathways, as it is a creature that lives mostly in trees. No branches will break under this critter, as it is only 4.9 ounces!  The marmoset is native to many rain forests in Brazil, Columbia, and Ecuador.  

The pygmy marmoset can use vocal, body, and chemical signals to alert its family and other pygmy marmosets to danger. This is handy, as most marmosets usually live in groups of 2-6. A life span of a pygmy marmoset is usually 11-12 years in the wild, but in captivity can last up to 20 years old.