Animals

Why are snakes important? Snakes control pest populations such as rats and mice that might overpopulate and destroy crops or carry diseases. They can be both predator and prey. Snakes maintain a healthy balance in the food web.

Frogs are mostly meat-eating animals but a few feed on plants. They have backbones and short bodies. A group of frogs is called an army.

The largest land animal today is the elephant. It can be longer than a car, as high as a house, and weigh more than five cars. They can live for over 70 years in the wild. In a zoo, the oldest elephant lived for 88 years. Elephants are found in some wild areas of Africa and Asia. They are very social and intelligent animals that need to be protected, because there are fewer elephants today than in the past.

Worldwide, there are around 300,000 wolves. Wild wolves are found in North America, Europe, and Asia. There are more than 30 different kinds of wolves.

Horses are an important part of our lives. There are more than 250 breeds of horses and ponies in the world. Horses vary in size from a small pony to a full-sized horse. Around 50 million years ago, the ancestors of the horse were small with three to four toes on each foot. It may have had a striped coat for camouflage from predators.

You can enjoy bird watching almost everyday of the year. Bird-watching is also called birding. Beside using your naked eye, you can study birds with binoculars, spotting scopes, or telescopes. A camera with a zoom lens allows you to take and save photos to refer to later. Keep a bird-watching journal with you. Write the date, time, location, description, and other information. You do not need to know the birds’ names.

Red worms are one of the most important animals in nature. They help break down dead plants and animal manure to provide important nutrients for the soil. Farmers and gardeners value red worms. Learn about this animal as seen through the eyes of a red worm. Consider raising your own red worms for your compost box or pile.

Sharks are a type of fish. There are more than 400 different kinds of sharks. Each kind of shark can have a different tail design. The tail allows sharks to move fast, make quick turns, or balance themselves in the water. Most sharks have a pair of eyes located on the sides of the head that see forward, backward, upward, and downward. Some sharks have eyes on top of their head.