Rose's Wonderful World of Animals

Rose's Wonderful World of Animals

Walk with Rose through the animal kingdom! Included are facts and information about the animals, their habitat, and photos. Illustrated and fun for the whole family. Excellent early reader.

Cynthia C. Dobbins

Cynthia C. Dobbins ILLUSTRATED BY

Cynthia C. Dobbins & Rose Dobbins

Rose's Wonderful World of Animals

Cynthia C. Dobbins

ILLUSTRATED BY

Cynthia C. Dobbins & Rose Dobbins

Rose's Wonderful World of Animals

by Cynthia C. Dobbins illustrated by Cynthia C. Dobbins and Rose Dobbins copyright ©2023 Cynthia C. Dobbins All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any other form or for any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage system, without written permission from Headline Books.

To order additional copies of this book, or for book publishing information, or to contact the author: Headline Kids P. O. Box 52 Terra Alta, WV 26764 mybook@headlinebooks.com www.headlinebooks.com Published by Headline Books Headline Kids is an imprint of Headline Books ISBN-13: 9781958914106 Library of Congress Control Number: 2022951268

PR I N T E D I N T H E U N I T E D STAT E S OF A M E R IC A

Hi! I’m Rose. I am 9 years old. I love all animals, as they share the world with you and me, and one day, to take care of them, a Veterinarian I will be.

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I’m going on a journey to visit my friends, and along the way, will hear what each one has to say, a fun learning time this will be, so, PLEASE, come along with me.

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Alligator How would you like to brush all these teeth every day?

Advice from an Alligator: Have a healthy appetite.

Keep an eye on opportunities.

Facts!

z My name means “the lizard." z I have a wide “U” shaped snout. z The crocodile is shaped like the letter “V." z I have 74-80 teeth in my mouth at one time. I go through 2000 teeth over my lifetime. My teeth are hidden for the most part when my mouth is closed (unlike my buddy the crocodile. z My bite is so powerful I can bite through a car. z I am not scared of snakes, because their fangs can’t penetrate my hard skin. z I use my feet to swim and my tail to accelerate my swimming speed. z I not only have a third eyelid that protects my eyes underwater, but my eyes glow RED in the dark. z If you are brave enough to catch me, they say my meat really does taste like chicken. But I dare you to try.

They told me this was an alligator, But I beg to differ as it looks more like a “croc” Do I dare touch it, I think not.

An alligator’s snout is shaped like the letter “U." A crocodile’s like the letter “V”, That’s why I think it’s a “croc” you see.

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Ant Advice from an Ant:

Know your own strength.

Facts!

z There are one million of us “little guys” for every human in the world. z I prefer salty foods over sugary ones. z I don’t have ears. I hear by feeling vibrations from the ground through my feet. z I have no nose or lungs, but little openings all over my body that allow me to breathe called “spiracles." z With no sleep, humans would die after roughly 10 days. I on the other hand do not need sleep at all. z I can carry 20-50 times my body weight. That’s like you lifting a car!!

Ants go crawling one by one, !!

Grab my food, and off they run

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Bald Eagle

Advice from a Bald Eagle: Spread your wings Let your Spirit soar.

Facts!

z I am the National Bird of the United States and proud of it. I was chosen such in 1782 because of my majestic and graceful looks, great strength, and long life. z My picture is on coins, dollars, quarters and other seals of the United States.

Now, that is something to brag about. z I have the best distance vision. My eyes fill most of my skull. My eyesight is four times sharper than humans. My great eyesight can let me see a fish up to a mile away.

z Each eye has two focal points. One is directed forward, the other at an angle so I can look in two directions at once. z My body is 34-43 inches long and my wingspan is 6 to 8 feet across. z I can fly at 30 miles per hour and dive at 100 miles per hour. z My stomach is only the size of a walnut. z Historically “bald” at one time meant “white headed” not like today, that means “no hair." z It is illegal to hunt or kill me.

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Bat Advice from a bat: Hang in There!

Facts!

z I am the only flying mammal in the world. I can fly at speeds up to 100 miles per hour. z I hang upside down because I can’t stand upright. z Contrary to popular opinion and the old saying “blind as a bat”, I am not blind but my vision is very poor.

z Without “little old creepy me” say goodbye to bananas, avocados & mangoes. Over 300 species of fruit depend on bats for pollination. And I help spread seeds for nuts, figs and cacao (the main ingredient in chocolate). z I have four long fingers and a thumb each connected to the next by a thin layer of skin. z My thumb extends out of the wing as a small claw used for climbing, food and fighting. z I can eat up to 600 to l,000 mosquitoes and other insects in an hour. z That would be like a person eating 20 pizzas a night. Could you do that?

Don’t think so.

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Birds

Painting by Rose

Facts!

Advice from a Bird: Feather your nest with friendship.

Be an early bird.

Go out on a limb.

z There are 10,000 different types of us. z We have no TEETH. So we do not munch food. z Have you ever seen EARS on a bird? Our ears are the size of our eyes and are a single hole on each side of our head.

z The SMALLEST bird is a Hummingbird and only known bird to fly BACKWARDS. To HOVER, the Hummingbird beats their wings up to 200 times per second. z The world’s TALLEST bird is the Ostrich. It can grow up to 9 feet. z The Most BEAUTIFUL bird is considered to be the Golden Pheasant. z The UGLIEST bird is considered to be the Marabou Stork. z The WEIRDEST and RAREST bird is the Philippine Eagle. It is also the LARGEST of the Eagle family. If you kill one in the Philippines you can be sentenced to 12 years in jail.

I’ve held and fed all kinds of birds, And all different chirps from them I’ve heard.

Each bird is unique in it’s own way, They come perch upon my arm, eat, then fly away.

Sure wish a while longer they would stay.

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Black Bear Facts!

z I maybe called a BLACK bear, but my coat can be blue-gray or blue-black, brown and even white. z I maybe large but I can RUN up to 30 miles per hour.

Advice from a bear:

When life gets hairy-grin and bear it.

z My short CLAWS make me an EXPERT tree climber. z I can SWIM, a skill I use to hunt fish in rivers and lakes. z As an American Black Bear I EAT a range of grasses, fruits, nuts, fish, mammals, and of course, honey. z I have a keen sense of HEARING and good VISION, but my best sense is my sense of SMELL. I can detect the smell of food a mile away. z I stand up on my hind legs “sniffing scents." z I am hugely STRONG, I am able to casually flip a boulder weighing over 300 pounds with a single paw. z If you ENCOUNTER me up close—SLOWLY back away while talking without making eye contact with me.

By talking calmly, I will know you are a human and not prey. NEVER turn your back to me, DO NOT try to OUTRUN me and DON’T CLIMB a tree. I will CATCH you!!!! z I am the State animal of: West Virginia, New Mexico and Alabama.

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Blue Whale

Advice from a whale:

Don’t be afraid to make waves.

Facts!

z I am the LARGEST living creature on earth. Only living mammal larger than an elephant. z I WEIGH as much as 30 elephants and can be as long as 3 school buses.

z I tip the scales at 100-150 tons in WEIGHT. z The LONGEST blue whale ever recorded was 108 feet in length. z I can SWIM up to 30 miles per hour, but usually cruise at about 12 miles per hour. z I can BLOW water up to 20 feet high in the air. z I am the LOUDEST mammal : I can make noise so loud that travels over 1,000 miles and louder than a jet airplane.

it is

z My HEART is the size of a small car. z My TONGUE weighs over 2 tons or same weight as an elephant.

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Butterfly Facts!

Advice from a Butterfly:

Don’t take yourself lightly, catch a breeze!

z I am considered an insect. z Before I became a butterfly, I was a caterpillar. z Some people think I only have two wings, but I have four. And they are often brightly colored with unique patterns made up of tiny scales.

z I cannot fly if my body temperature is less than 86 degrees. z I don’t have a nose, I smell with my antenna. Taste with my feet. z I only live for less than a year. z I can fly up to 12 miles per hour. z

I can live almost everywhere except the NORTH POLE (burr—too cold for me!)

I found a Monarch butterfly laying on the street, I picked him up to keep.

Monarch butterflies only live a short time, And that's a shame, So I took him home and put him in a frame.

This way I can look at him every day, And remember his beauty in every way.

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Camel Facts!

Advice from a Camel:

Stand tall and reach for new heights and don’t be afraid to stick your neck out.

z I am called, “The Ship of the Desert." z My two sets of long bushy eyelashes, ear hair and close-able nostrils keep sand out of my eyes, ears and nose. z I can go a week WITHOUT water and months WITHOUT food. When there is food and water, I can eat and drink large amounts of it and store it as fat in my HUMP. Then when no food or water is available, I use the fat for energy.

z I have thick rubbery LIPS, so I can eat prickly plants. z I have a haired TAIL to swat pests such as mosquitoes and flies. z I can DRINK 30 gallons of water in just 13 minutes. Pretty fast, huh? z I have thick layers of SKIN which makes it possible for me to sit on the hot sand without being burned. z I can RUN as fast as 40 miles per hour and sustain a WALKING speed of 24 miles per hour. z My MILK is among the healthiest milk in the world. It's lower in total and saturated fat than to cow’s milk. Nutritionists state that my milk has the ability to improve a person’s immune system, stimulate blood circulation, prevent diabetes and improve the health of the heart. So DRINK UP, humans.

Over the years, I’ve ridden many camels, And sat on their humps, And as they walked, I went bumpety bump.

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Cat Facts!

Advice from a Cat:

Remember - no one is purr-fect and always land on your feet!

z A MALE cat is called a “Tom." A FEMALE cat a “Queen” or “Molly” z CALICO cats are almost always a female. z I SLEEP 16-18 hours a day. z I can make more than 100 different vocal SOUNDS. z I PURR for several reasons: happiness, stress, fear, to lessen pain when hurt. or to soothe myself. z Did you know that not just domestic house cats purr? Cats like, cheetahs, mountain lions & bobcats PURR, but can’t ROAR. But cats that ROAR, such as lions & tigers, can’t PURR. z Adult cats have 30 TEETH. z I cannot TASTE anything sweet. z My sense of SMELL is approximately 14 times greater than a humans. I have amazing night VISION and can see six times better than humans. But I cannot see in total darkness. z My WHISKERS help me detect objects and navigate in the dark. z I have sandpaper-like TONGUES that I use to clean and groom myself. z I knead my PAWS when I am happy. z Humans greet each other by shaking hands, cats greet each other by touching their NOSES together. z I have five TOES on each front paw, but only four TOES on each back paw. z I can JUMP seven times my height.

Paintings by Rose of two of her cats, Monk and Ice Cream Rose and her cat, Kevin (2021) 14

Cheetah

Advice from a Cheetah:

Chase after your dreams and spot new opportunities!

Facts!

z I and the FASTEST land animal in the world. z I can GO from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 5 seconds. z I have exceptional daytime VISION. I can easily see detail of my prey at a distance of 3 miles. That is better than most binoculars. z But I do not SEE well at night. z My BODY is 14 feet long with a 2-3 foot TAIL. My tail helps me steer and change directions at very high speeds. Like a rudder on a boat. z I have between 2,000 and 3,000 black SPOTS covering my golden tan fur. z The spots of every cheetah are unique and can be used to identify one from another. Just like fingerprints on humans, no two cheetahs have the same pattern. z Those black TEAR lines on either side of my nose function like a football players black face paint under their eyes—keeping the sun out of my eyes while I hunt. z I am like a football player in another way. My CLAWS don’t retract when I run. Instead they act like “cleats” on football shoes to help me reach top speeds. z I don’t ROAR. I purr while grooming. I communicate with other cheetahs by making small chirping sounds like a bird.

My Grammy says I run fast like a cheetah!

My second favorite animal is a cheetah, And he runs FAST. Even though I love to run and am fast, Against him in a race, I wouldn't last.

He is the fastest animal in the world you see, And can surely outrun ME!!

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Cow

Advice from a Cow:

It’s okay to be moo-dy and be udderly brilliant!

Facts!

z I DRINK about a bathtub full of water everyday. z I SWALLOW my food without chewing. Then throw it backup and slowly chew into tiny pieces and swallow again to digest in one of my four different stomach compartments. z I EAT grass and grain. I do not eat meat. I eat about 40 pounds of food per day. z I CHEW food for 8 hours a day and move my jaws 40,000 times a day while eating. z With all that FOOD I eat, I have to “poo” 16 times a day. z I have no upper TEETH but 32 bottom teeth. z I am a great smeller. My NOSE can smell odors up to six miles away. z My EYES can see 360 degrees which allows me to see in all directions except straight in front of me I cannot see the colors red and green. z I STANDUP and LAY down 14 times a day. I can’t SLEEP standing up. z I lay down 10 hours a day but only sleep about 30 minutes. z It takes 3,000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a year’s supply of footballs. z I provide 90% of the world’s MILK. The best milkers can provide 400 glasses of milk a day.

Hi Miss Cow, I'm going to learn to milk you now, I sat on a three-legged stool, And milked her till the milk pail was full.

Thanked her for letting me milk her that day, And then I went on my way.

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Deer

Advice from a Deer:

Look both ways before crossing the road Don’t pass the buck.

Facts!

z There are 50 species of DEER, which include elk, moose, reindeer, whitetailed deer, among others. z We are the only group of animals in the word to have ANTLERS. z Deer antlers are the fastest growing tissue on the planet. z Only female deers with antlers are REINDEER. z MOOSE have the largest antlers. z I can JUMP up to ten feet high and I am a very good SWIMMER. z A female deer is called a “DOE." z A young deer is called a “FAWN” z A male deer is called a “BUCK." z Dollar bills are called “bucks” because in the 18th and 19th century deer skin was used as currency.

Rose with Dancer the REINDEER 2022 17

Dog

Advice from a Dog:

Be loyal, unleash your talents and chase your dreams!

Facts!

z I can hear SOUNDS from a distance of 200 yards, compared to a human who can hear only 20 yards. z My EARS have 18 muscles, humans only have 6 in their ears. z I SLEEP about 12-14 hours spread over a 24 hour period, as an adult dog. z All puppies are born DEAF and BLIND. And they cannot hear until 21 days old. z Pear and apple seeds contain arsenic which maybe DEADLY to us dogs.

Also harmful to us to eat: Chocolate, macadamia nuts, cooked onions and anything with caffeine.

FASTEST DOG: Greyhound (can run up to 45 mph) BIGGEST DOG: Great Dane SMALLEST DOG: Chihuahua MOST DANGEROUS IN WORLD: Pit Bull

Painting by Rose of her dog Heidi 18

Rose & sister, Ka

ylie

Dolphin

Advice from a dolphin:

Glide through the day with ease and find your life’s porpoise!

Facts!

z I am one of the SMARTEST animals on Earth. z I have a bigger BRAIN than humans z I have good EYESIGHT and great HEARING. I also have better hearing than humans. z I have 72-104 TEETH. I only get one set of teeth for life, so I guess z I better take care of them. z I do not use my teeth to CHEW, as I don’t have jaw muscles to help me chew, so I catch my food and then swallow whole. Gulp!! z I do not drink WATER like humans, as I get all the fresh water I need from the fish I eat. z I cannot BREATHE underwater. I have to come up for air every 15 minutes. I breathe from a blowhole on the top of my head. z I SWIM by moving my tail up and down. I can swim at speeds of 22 miles per hour. And I can dive as deep as 3,000 feet. z The FIN on my back is called a dorsal. z The LARGEST member of the dolphin family is Orca, the Killer whale. z My ONLY predator is a SHARK. z I never fully fall ASLEEP. Part of my BRAIN always stays awake so that I can breathe. z I am very playful and friendly.

Here I am petting a dolphin with my mom That was when I was quite young.

But now that I am older, Swimming with the dolphins is what I want to do, And that's what I did in 2022.

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Elephant Facts!

Advice from an Elephant: Don't work for Peanuts and be gentle, no matter your size!

Paintings by Rose

z Elephant comes from the Greek word, “elephas” meaning “ivory” z I am the world’s LARGEST land animal and I am considered the STRONGEST. z I also have the LONGEST eyelashes in the world. They are five inches long. z I bet all you girls are jealous of that. z My BRAIN weighs between 8 and 12 pounds and is LARGER than any other land mammal. Your human brain weighs 3 pounds on average. z That is why i am considered one of the most INTELLIGENT animals on the planet. z One of my single EARS weighs as much as 100 pounds and each ear is six feet (top to bottom) and ten feet (across). I flap my ears to radiate heat away from my body. I can hear each others calls from FIVE miles away. z My TRUNK has more than 40,000 muscles, weighs 290 pounds and is 6-8 feet long and can lift up to 550 pounds or more with it. z I use my trunk like a SNORKEL when I swim in deep water. z I also can hold up to 2-1/2 gallons of water in my trunk. z I wave my trunk so I can SMELL better. z I SLEEP standing up and only sleep 3-4 hours a day. z I can DRINK up to 50 gallons of water a day. And I eat for 16 hours per day. z My favorite FOODS are: bamboo, flowers, fruits, grasses, leaves, twigs, seeds and herbs. z I WEIGH up to as much as 11 tons, which is about the weight of 3 cars.

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z I have something in common with a cat, I make purring noises like they do. z Even for my size I can RUN about 25 miles per hour. But one thing I CANNOT do is JUMP. z My sweat glands are between my toe nails. So I guess you would say I have “STINKY FEET." z I can IDENTIFY myself in a mirror. z My Skin is so sensitive that I can feel a fly land on it. z I use mud for sunscreen for my sensitive skin. z I am the only mammal besides humans to have a CHIN. z I have amazing sense of SMELL. I can smell water up to 12 miles away. I might have POOR eyesight but I have a great MEMORY. z I have two TUSKS that are made of Ivory and they are actually elongated incisor teeth.They are present at birth and after the “baby tusks”, like your “baby teeth” fall out. I get permanent teeth around two years of age by protruding from the lips and will continue to grow throughout the elephant’s lifetime. I use my tusks for protection, digging, lifting objects and gathering food. Each tusk is around 5 to 8 feet long and weighs around 5099 pounds each. Male elephants grow larger tusks than female elephants. z Sadly, around 100 elephants are killed everyday for their ivory tusks. Humans are my predators. And it is ILLEGAL to kill me. z I may be big and brave, but when in comes to bees. I am a scaredy-cat or should I say scaredy-elephant. If I hear the buzzing of a beehive nearby, I show my discomfort by flapping my ears, kicking up dust, making noises or just running away.

The elephants behind me are quite small, Haven’t grown to full size when they get big and tall, To ride an elephant—that would be fun, Even though they are giant and can weigh up to 11 tons.

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FLAMINGO

Advice from a flamingo:

Always stand on your own two feet!

Facts!

z I am the National bird of the Bahamas. z I am not BORN pink, but gray. My diet of brine shrimp and blue-green algae which contains a natural pink dye which makes my feathers pink. z I WEIGH only about 5-6 pounds. z I have a funny way of EATING.. I place my head and beak upside down in the water and suck the water in. Then pump the water out of the sides of my mouth. The plants and animals remain in my mouth for a “tasty meal." z There are 19 bones in my “S” shaped NECK. z I prefer to stand on one of my stilt like LEGS. z I lose HEAT through my feet and legs due to living in wet lands, so as a way to keep warm, I stand on one leg. Tucking my other leg close to my body so to reduce heat loss and conserve energy.

We had a stare down.

The flamingo and I, Face to face, eye to eye, Neither one of us gave in, I just smiled and gave him a grin.

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Frog

Advice from a Frog:

Spend Time at your Pad and Hop To It!

Facts!

z I live around the world, on every continent, except Antartica. We are called amphibians which means two lives. . Because we spend the first part of our life in water and the second part on land. A group of frogs is called an army. z There are more than 6,000 species of us.

We are famous for our croaking sounds, bulging eyes and leaping abilties. z Not all of us are GREEN. We come in every color of the rainbow - depends on where we live and some of us have patterns, spots or stripes. z My TONGUE is not attached to the back of my mouth, like a human tongue. It is attached to the front where I can extend it out further and make use of its sticky coating to catch food. z My BULGING eyes allow me to see in front, sides, and partially behind me. I have superior night vision. I sleep with my eyes open. I never close my eyes during my lifetime. z Once a week I will shed my SKIN completely. I will pull my skin off my body and usually I eat it. z I can’t keep my EYES open when eating. According to the smart people at the at the American Museum of Natural History, when I swallow my food I pull my eyes down into the roof of my mouth. My eyes help push the food down my throat. z Frogs were the FIRST land animals to have vocal cords. Each frog’s call is unique to it’s species. The bullfrog calls can be heard up to a mile away. z I have TEETH. The small teeth on the roof of my mouth are not typically used to bite or chew, they just keep my “dinner” from escaping before I have had the chance to swallow it. z I don’t DRINK water. I absorb water through my skin in an area known as the “drinking patch” located on my belly and the underside of my thighs.

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z Not all of us can JUMP. Most long-legged species can jump a distance greater than 20 times their body weight. That’s like a human jumping more than 100 feet. But those with shorter back legs can only hop, crawl, or walk. z My EARS are called “ tympanums” and look like a flat-disc shaped patch of skin next to each eye. z The golden dart frog (who lives in Central and South America rain forests) is the most poisonous animal in the world. Though it is only the size of a paper clip. Its skin secretes enough toxin to kill 10 humans. z Do you know the difference between a frog and toad? z Frogs are generally aquatic, while toads live on land, near water. z Frogs have smooth, wet skin. Toads have bumpy, dry skin and shorter hind legs. z Frogs have teeth, toads do not. z Toads are still frogs, though

I saw this little tree frog, At the park where I play, He was such a cute little guy, I took this picture of him one day, Just in case he decided to go back Up the tree or hop away.

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Giraffe Facts!

Advice from a Giraffe:

Stand Tall and reach for new heights and don’t be afraid to stick your neck out!

z I am the TALLEST of all land mammals. I can be as much as 18 feet tall. Both my legs and neck are six feet long. z My HEART weighs as much as a car tire. z My TONGUE is blue-black/ purple in color and is sticky and it is 18 inches long. It is so long I can clean the inside of my ears. z I can JAM my tongue into my nostrils to get any ants that might have crawled in from tree Paintings by Rose branches. Pretty tricky and icky, huh?

You humans can’t do that! z I can EAT up to 75 pounds of leaves a day. And drink up to 10 gallons of water a day, I generally SLEEP standing up-but sleep only 5-35 minutes a day. z No two giraffes SPOTS are the same, just like a human’s fingerprints.

My dad and me and the giraffe makes three.

Giraffes are so friendly and tall, I love them all.

I have fed several over the years But my favorite one, Was when he took the carrot out of my mouth with his long tongue.

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Goat

Advice from a Goat:

Celebrate your kidding nature, don’t let anyone get your goat and a “goatee” is always in style!

Facts!

z I was the FIRST animal ever used by humans for milk.

Goat’s milk is said to be healthier than cow’s milk.

Around the world more people drink goat’s milk than cow milk. z I don’t have TEETH in the front of my upper jaw, however I have around 24 molars. z I LOVE clover and grass. I sometimes “SNACK” on poison ivy. z I am considered one of the CLEANEST animals. z I am very AGILE and can jump over five feet. z Male goats are not the only ones to have BEARDS. Paintings by Rose Female goats can have them too. z A FEMALE goat is called a “nanny” or “doe.” z A MALE goat is called a “billy” or “buck” z A YOUNG goat is called a “kid." z My INTESTINES are used to make a material called “catgut” which doctors use surgically to suture (sew up) humans. It is also used for strings on musical instruments like guitars and banjos. z Want to get on my good side? Start smiling. I am able to tell the difference between a happy and unhappy human face and I prefer happy. So bring on your best smile! z While I can survive almost any climate, I HATE rain. I also try to avoid mud and puddles.

I’ve pet many a goat, with all different color coats, some big goats, some small, I love them all, I’ve had a goat walk on my back, it was part of “ yoga with a goat”—to help me relax.

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Great White Shark

Advice from a Shark: Take a bite out of life!

Facts!

z I have a powerful TAIL that propels me through the water up to 35 miles per hour. z Inside my mouth, I have 23-28 teeth in my upper jaw and 20-26 in my lower jaw. z But behind these teeth I have up to seven rows of developing teeth.

z My set of around 300 TEETH are sharp and triangular -serrated just like a knife. And each tooth can grow up to 6 inches high. Almost the length of human hand. z I DON’T GET CAVITIES—but I do loose and regrow hundreds of teeth. z It is estimated I go through about 30,000 teeth during my lifetime. z I can grow an entire set of TEETH in a little over a WEEK. NOT like when a young child loses a tooth to the tooth fairy and it takes anywhere from a couple weeks to six months for your new tooth to grow back in. z My BITE is 10 times the bite force of that of a lion. z I do not have EYELIDS. I have to actually roll my eyes back into my head in order to protect them from damage when I am attacking prey. z My sense of SMELL is so good that I am able to detect the scent of one tiny drop of blood in the water from up to three miles away. z I have six SENSES: sight, touch, smell, taste, hearing, and electroreception— which allows me to feel vibrations within the water so I can find potential prey.

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Hedgehog

Advice from a Hedgehog Don’t needle your friends, it’s okay to be a slow poke and remember your good points!

Facts!

z I got my NAME from my preferred habitat - garden hedges- and from the pig like grunts I make. z Baby hedgehogs are called “hoglets” z I am ILLEGAL in some parts of the United States to have as a pet.

z I have 3,000-9,000 QUILLS. z Muscles along my back can raise and lower the quills to respond to threatening situations. My quills are sharp like a needle, the Porcupine’s are like a fish hook. z Neither myself or the porcupine can “shoot” their quills. However, porcupines can release their quills once they have hooked into an attacker (OUCH!) z Although my EYESIGHT is poor, my HEARING, TASTE and SMELL are good. z I EAT slugs, beetles, earthworms, and birds’ eggs. z I am IMMUNE to snake and scorpion venom. z I run 8-12 miles a night if I choose to. z I carry salmonella or mycobacteria in my droppings and even if I seem healthy I can INFECT anything or anyone that I come into contact with.

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Rose getting ki

ssed by a porcup

ine

Hippo

Advice from a hippo: Enjoy a good swim!

Facts!

z My name means “river horse” z I am extremely AGGRESSIVE and called the most DANGEROUS animal in Africa z I am the THIRD LARGEST mammal that lives on Earth, behind the elephant and rhino

z I have SHORT legs, a HUGE mouth and a body shaped like a barrel. Although I look extremely fat, I am in excellent shape and I can easily outrun a human. z I have NO predators due to my weight and size. z I stay in the water about 16 hours a day and come out to eat once the sun goes down. I only eat plants and I eat up to 150 pounds of grass a night. I am able to hold my breath for up to 5 minutes z I SLEEP underwater and rise to breathe every few minutes without waking up. A natural instinct z I CANNOT swim. I move around by pushing my feet off the riverbed and walk around the bottom of the river in a graceful style which could resemble a ballet dancer like Rose. z When I go UNDERWATER, my nostrils and ears close up so no water can get inside z My eyes are protected by a clear membrane, as if I was wearing “goggles” z I SWEAT red sweat and it protects my skin from sun and infections.

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z You could call me a “big mouth” because I can open my MOUTH 4 feet wide and with my tusk like canine teeth and razor sharp incisors, I am capable of biting a small boat or a 10 foot crocodile in half. z When you see me have a large YAWN, it doesn’t mean I am tired, like Rose in the picture below. It means I am being aggressive and showing confrontation in the water.

My sister, Kaylie fed her When she came up for air.

I stayed below to watch her move Through the water with ease.

Graceful like a ballet dancer She could be.

So put a pink tutu on her, please.

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Horse

Advice from a Horse: Gallop to greatness!

Facts! z z z z

z z

z

z

z

z z

z z z

I have the LARGEST eyes of any land mammal.

I have 205 BONES in my body.

I have one hoofed TOE on each foot.

My HOOVES are made of the same stuff as your hair and fingernails. They are made out of a protein known as keratin. This means that horse hooves are kind of just like giant fingernails.

Did you know that there are 10 different MUSCLES in my ears? This is why I am able to turn my ears almost all the way around.

You can tell if I am cold by feeling my ears. You can tell if I am angry or scared if my ears are folded back.

My TEETH take up a larger amount of space in my head than my brain. I don’t have teeth in the middle of my mouth. This gap is a great place for a bit to sit.

I can’t move my HIND LEGS outwards like a human can. I can only move them forward and backward because my pelvis is fixed. So you will never see a horse doing splits. Like Rose can do. Great Job, Rose.

I cannot THROW UP. I bet you wish you couldn’t throw up, too. Nobody likes to do that.

My BRAIN weighs half as much as a humans brain.

I can’t BREATHE through my mouth which means that I can only get air through my nose. But one good thing about that—if I get choked, I can still breathe.

I can SLEEP both lying down and standing up. I need to have about 3 hours of sleep a night. Can you imagine sleeping standing up?

I am super SENSITIVE to your emotions. I understand when humans laugh, cry, or feel nervous.

There are over 58 Million Horses in the entire world. Just here in the good ol’ United States there are over 3.8 million.

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z There are 300 breeds of horses. The oldest breed being the Arabian. z The fastest horse in the world is the Quarter Horse. Even though Thoroughbred horses are the most commonly used horses for horse racing.

But they are actually not the fastest. The Quarter Horse actually has a faster sprint than the Thoroughbred does. If you think 44 miles per hour sprint by the Thoroughbred is fast, Quarter horses can run at the top speed of 55 miles per hour. z There are four basic gaits that indicate the speed a horse is moving. From slowest to fastest: walk, trot, canter and gallop. z A horse’s height is measured in “hands." Each hand equals 4 inches.

Foul: Filly: Mare: Colt: Stallion:

male/female horse under one year of age. young female horse a mature female horse a young male horse a mature male horse

Colors of horses: Sorrel: Dun: Palomino: Pinto:

a type of chestnut with a very reddish coat. yellowish or tan coat a light golden color a multi-colored horse with patches of red, brown, white and/or black

I met my first horse when I was small, And didn’t I look “nifty” with my red hat and overalls?

Farmer Rose was my nickname, But I am older and things have changed, I’m now riding a bigger horse, Because I grew up, of course.

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Kangaroo

Advice from a Kangaroo: Don’t Jump to Conclusions!

Facts!

z I have a unique “walk” in which I push off the ground with my tail followed by jumping with my feet. z I have to HOP because I can’t move my legs independently as the structure of my legs makes it incapable for me to walk. But I can HOP at speeds of 35 miles per hour. z My TAIL keeps me balanced and acts like a “third” leg.The force of my tail is equivalent to the power in both my legs combined. z I can’t move or jump BACKWARDS because of my tail. z Most of us kangaroos are LEFT handed. z I don’t SWEAT as I have no sweat glands. z Our NEWBORN kangaroos are called “Joeys” and they are the size of a lima bean when born. z It’s not just human guys that “FLEX” to impress the ladies, male kangaroos do it too! z Australia has more kangaroos than humans. 80% of animals hit by a car in Australia are kangaroos. z It is not unusual to find a “kangaroo” BURGER on a menu in Australia.

TASTY!!

This is a kangaroo I am feeding today After he ate, I petted him and then he hopped away.

With his belly full-he went to play, So I will come back and visit him another day.

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Koala

Advice from a Koala:

Enjoy Koala-ty time and take plenty of naps!

Facts! z I am easily RECOGNIZABLE by my stout, tailess body and large head with round, fluffy ears, and large, spoon-shaped nose.

My fur color ranges from silver grey to chocolate brown, with a cream colored chest. z I am NOT A BEAR - even though I am referred by some as a koala bear, I am a marsupial. I am among a group of mammals that have pouches where newborns form. z When an INFANT koala is born (also called a “joey” like a kangaroo’s newborn), they immediately climb up into its mothers pouch. They are blind and earless so it uses it strong sense of touch and smell, as well as natural instinct, to find its way. It grows and develops in the pouch for about six months. Then rides around on it’s mom’s back for another six months.

Only to use the pouch to feed and sleep. z I survive on a DIET of eucalyptus leaves and can eat up to 2 pounds of them a day. And even though eucalyptus leaves are POISONOUS to most animals—lucky for me—my special digesting organ called a “caecum”, helps to detoxify the chemicals in the leaves. Pretty amazing, don’t you think? z When I am not feasting on eucalyptus leaves, I spend time taking a SNOOZE. I sleep in the tree branches, up to 18 hours a day. z I have very BAD eyesight but very STRONG arms and claws to climb trees. z I COMMUNICATE with my friends by making a snore sound which is followed by a “Burp” (Excuse Me.) z I have FINGERPRINTS like a human.

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Lion

Advice from a lion:

It’s okay to be a little wild.

Facts!

z I am the SECOND largest cat in the world following the tiger. z I live in GROUPS of 10-15 animals called “prides." z I hunt food mostly at night. The male lion lets the female lion do 85-90% of the hunting while he patrols the territory and protects the “pride."

z GET THIS GIRLS- the girl lion does the hunting but the boy lion gets first “dibs” on eating it—doesn’t seem fair, does it?? z My TONGUE has sharp point rasps called “papillae”which I use to scrap meat off the bones of the prey. z My BITE is the weakest bite of all big cats. Jaguar has the strongest. z I am known as “King of the Jungle” because my strength and courage are symbols of royalty. z But I am NOT the most dangerous land animal in Africa, the hippo is. It kills about 500 people a year, lions only 22. z I am the SECOND fastest wild cat with a top speed of 50 miles per hour but can only do that for very short bursts. z Being a Lion, I am good at “CHILLIN” out for about 16-20 hours a day resting or sleeping. z I have amazing VISION . I can see 6-8 times better than humans in low light conditions. I have a second eyelid which acts as a “windshield wiper” removing dust and anything else blown into my eye.

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z My EYE pupil is 3 times as big as a human’s. But I can’t move my eyes side to side very well, so I have to move my entire head when I need to look in a different direction. z I can LEAP as far as 36 feet. z I do not purr. Of the big cat family, only the leopard does. But I sure can ROAR. My ROAR can be heard five miles away.

Rose with "C ash" the Ba

rbary lion.

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Llama

Advice from a Llama:

It's okay to be a little stubborn and pack life with great memories!

Facts!

z I am related to the camel, but I have no hump. z I am covered in wool, not hair. And my color can be black, gray, white or brown with variety of patterns. z I have excellent sense of smell, eyesight and hearing. z My ears are “banana shaped”, because they are long and slightly curved inward. z I spit or stick out my tongue when scared, angry, or displeased. z I communicate with my tails, ears, and by humming. z My feet have two toes with toe nails and soft leather pads on bottoms. z I am a vegetarian, very social, gentle and shy, but very curious. And not to brag, but intelligent. z I am strong and durable and can carry up to 75 pounds and walk 20 miles a day carrying that load. But if I feel the load is “too” heavy, I will just lie down on the ground and refuse to move and have been known to kick my owner till they lessen the load.

Here I am with Blueberry and Ghost, The two llamas I like the most, Llamas have lots of grit, But be careful, if they get scared or angry, they will spit.

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Lobster

Advice from a Lobster:

Stay calm in a pinch, don’t get yourself in hot water and be a good catch!

Facts!

z My BRAIN is located in my THROAT. My NERVOUS SYSTEM is in my ABDOMEN. My TEETH are in my STOMACH and my KIDNEYS are in my HEAD. z I also HEAR using my LEGS and TASTE with my FEET. z My BLOOD is white in color.

z I have 10 LEGS. If one of my legs, claws, or antennae is lost, it can grow back. z When escaping prey, I will swim BACKWARDS.

Lobster is served at restaurants, but I wouldn’t EAT this poor little creature.

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Orca

The Killer Whale

Advice from an Orca:

Jump for Joy and take time to play!

Facts!

z I am a MARINE mammal and actually a DOLPHIN. z I was given the NAME “whale killer” by ancient sailors seeing me preying on larger whale species. Over the years, my name got turned around from “whale killer” to “killer whale." And I am not even a whale! z I am an apex PREDATOR, which means nothing else hunts me. Making me an incredible predator. z I have a huge BRAIN. The second biggest of all marine animals. z I have no sense of SMELL. z I have my own LANGUAGE and an excellent MEMORY. z I COMMUNICATE by three sounds: Clicks, whistles and pulsed calls. z I do not BREATHE automatically like a human. I have to decide when to breathe. So when I sleep I can allow only ONE-HALF of my brain to sleep at a time. My other half of my brain stays alert to allow me to continue to breathe. And I only close one EYE while sleeping . z I SWIM very slow and steady close to the water surface.

I am throwing a fish to Orca a “killer whale”, Even though I like feeding him, Sure glad he is behind that glass and rail.

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Ostrich

Advice from an Ostrich:

Be observant—Keep your eyes wide open!

Facts!

z I am the LARGEST living feathered bird in the world. z I am the SYMBOL of pride, tallnes and great height. z My cousin,the Emu, is a famous TV star. He is on the Liberty Mutual Commercial. z The MALE ostrich has black plumage with a white tail. z The FEMALE ostrich is mostly brown. z We all have small HEADS, short wide BEAKS, and big BROWN eyes. z My EYES are bigger than my brain, and 5 times bigger than a human’s eyes. I have the LARGEST eyes of any BIRD in the WORLD. In fact, each of my eyes is the size of a pool ball. z I can’t FLY, but boy can I RUN. I use my long legs, powerful thighs and strong feet to reach speeds of 43 miles per hour. z One STRIDE is 10-16 feet. I can outrun a race horse. z To keep COOL, I “pee” on my legs. z The ostrich EGG is the LARGEST egg of any animal. It is 30 times the size of a chicken egg. Omelet for 12, please? z If I am cornered by a hungry predator such as a lion or cheetah. I will KICK with a force powerful enough to kill. And each of my two toed feet is armed with a 3-4 inch sharp CLAW. So BEWARE.

Ostrichs have long necks and feathery hair, And tend to be nosey and stare.

With those big eyes looking at me, They are cute as they can be.

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Panda

Advice from a Panda:

Make a little panda-monium!

Facts!

z I am BLACK and WHITE and I live in the bamboo forests of China. z While I will occasionally eat small animals and fish, BAMBOO counts for 99 percent of my diet. z I am a BIG eater. Every day I fill my tummy for 12 hours with 25-90 pounds of bamboo to meet the energy I need.

z Baby pandas are born PINK —black and white color appears around 3 weeks. z They are also born BLIND and only open their eyes 6-8 weeks after birth. z Baby pandas are about the size of a stick of BUTTER when born. z UNLIKE most bears, I DO NOT HIBERNATE. I head down from my mountain home to a warmer temperature and continue to “chomp” away on bamboo. z I am the ONLY bear with THUMBS on a special bone on my wrist. This sixth “toe” is used for grasping that yummy bamboo. z At full speed, I can RUN around 10 miles an hour. z I am an ENDANGERED species and it is estimated only around 1,000 of us remain in the world.

ISN’T HE ADORABLE!

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Peacock

Advice from a Peacock: Show your true colors!

Facts!

z I am one of the LARGEST flying birds on earth, but for only limited distances. I prefer to stay on land & fly only when trying to escape a predator or to reach a treetop to sleep through the night. z I CANNOT enter the water and swim. z My large colorful “TAIL” (I have become known for) is called a “train." I flaunt 200 feathers on my tail at one time and shed my feathers every summer. I don’t have my “tails” until I am 3 years old.

z My WINGSPAN is up to six feet. z I am mostly GREEN and BLUE in color. z I can make around eleven different SOUNDS z I am the National Bird of India. z I have an ABILITY to catch snakes and feed on them even poisonous ones. z I EAT everything from plants, seeds, flowers, ants, down to young snakes, frogs, butterflies, and mice. z I am a fast RUNNER - I can run about 9 miles per hour and fly faster at 10 miles per hour. z I have long been the LOGO of the NBC Television Network in the USA since 1956.

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Penguin

Advice from a Penguin: Keep your cool!

Facts!

z I am a FLIGHTLESS sea bird. I look like I am wearing a tuxedo. z I am a SKILLED swimmer. Swimming at speeds up to 16 miles per hour. z I can SEE clearly underwater and hunt by sight. I spend 80% of my life at SEA.

z I have good HEARING. z I have a unique BONE structure in contrast to the bone structure of other birds. I am solid, not hollow. This helps me remain underwater as long as I wish. z I WALK on land with a waddling gait due to my short thick LEGS which are set back from my body. z We penguins are highly SOCIAL animals . We eat, swim, hunt and nest in groups called “rookery." z I slide over snow and ice on my BELLY when entering and leaving the water.

I not only do it to use less energy than walking but it is FUN!! It is called “tobogganing." Have you ever tobogganed?

z I have more FEATHERS than any other type of bird. I have a thick layer of blubber that helps me keep warm. Over that layer I have woolly down feathers. My next layer is outer veined feathers. And finally I spread oil on my body which comes from a special gland near my tail feathers. The oil waterproofs my body.

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z I lose my feathers once a year (on land or ice ) and until I grow new ones, I am unable to go in the water. z I cannot BREATHE underwater but I can stay under water for 2-3 minutes before coming to the surface to breathe. But the Emperor penquin can hold breath for up to 15 minutes. z I SWALLOW peables and stones as well as food. The stones help to grind up and digest my food. They also add enough extra weight to help me dive deeper. z I cannot TASTE fish, but that doesn’t matter, I swallow them whole anyway. z I am like you, as each penquin has their own unique VOICE. z World Penquin Day is April 25th. That day lovers of penquins dress up in various shades of tuxedos to show their love for us.

Mister Penguin, you are so cute, Looks like you are wearing a black and white tuxedo suit.

On World Penguin Day, I’m dressing up in a suit, To show my love for you, But do you mind if it’s white and blue?

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Pig

Advice from a Pig:

Keep your snout clean and never squeal on your friends!

Facts!

z I am among the SMARTEST of all domesticated animals and even said to be smarter than a dog and I have an amazing memory. I recognize and respond to my NAME by the time I am 2-3 weeks old. z I never FORGET where my home is. I have the ability to trace my home from a far away distance. z I have poor EYESIGHT and a great sense of SMELL. My sense of smell is 2,000 times more sensitive then yours. My NOSTRILS are leathery snouts. z I have sixteen TOES in total but I only walk on eight of them. Don’t ask me why? z I have small EYES, so my eyesight is very POOR. z I also have small LUNGS. z I have 15,000 taste buds, while you only have around 9,000. z I cannot SWEAT. z I also am a very slow EATING mammal.

But I am an “eating machine” and love trying new food. I have been known to eat anything. So that is where “eating like a pig” and “pigging out” probably come from. z My HEART valves are used to make heart valves for humans. z There are TWO BILLION pigs in the world. z I can SWIM . z I COMMUNICATE with 20 different sounds some of which are: grunts, oinks and squeals. z I can RUN as fast as 11 miles per hour. But I do not run in a straight line. z March 1st is National Pig Day. z Contrary to my REPUTATION as being “a filthy animal” from my habit of rolling in the mud, I am actually a very clean animal. z I provide valuable PRODUCTS to humans including pork, lard, leather, glue, fertilizer and a variety of medicines. z Pigs are sometimes called “HOGS” or swine. Female pigs are known as “sows,” male pigs are called “boars” z I not only love to SNUGGLE up, but my favorite way to sleep is nose to nose.

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Polar Bear

Advice from a Polar Bear: Learn to be good ice-breakers!

Facts!

z I am a MARINE animal. I am the ONLY bear that’s not land bound. I depend on the oceans to SURVIVE. My scientific name is Sea bear. z I LIVE in the frozen wilds of the Artic. In the U.S. State of Alaska and in the countries of Canada, Greenland, Russia & Norway. z As well as my thick FUR, I have layers of BLUBBER that protects me from the frosty air and near freezing water. z I also have jet black SKIN under my white fur coat. It helps me absorb heat to keep me warm . z Actually, though, my FUR isn’t white, but transparent with hollow cores that reflect light so that I blend in with the white surroundings of ice and snow. z I depend on the ICE as a hunting platform. I wait near seal breathing holes in the ice or at the ice’s edge for a seal to surface. Then I GRAB and GULP!! z I am an EXCELLENT swimmer with my 11 inch wide paws. z My black FOOTPAD has small soft bumps called “papillae” that allow me to grib the ice and keep me from sliding. z I have an incredible SMELL. I can “sniff out “ prey 9 miles away. z We polar bears TOUCH noses to ask permission to share food. z I roll in the snow to keep clean, so I take a “snow bath."

This was the FIRST time I saw a polar bear, I’m waving my little hand and happy as can be, To see that Polar Bear swim by me.

I saw another polar when I was much older, He came at me and hit the glass, And I jumped away fast.

All I can say, it must have been having a bad day.

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Raccoon

Advice from a Raccoon: Avoid junk food and unmask your talents!

Facts!

z I am really SMART, but I am known for getting into TROUBLE. I dig threw trash cans and invade human homes. z I look like a BANDIT with my mask-like face markings. z I have 5 fingers like a human. My human like hand can grab things and open containers such as jars, bottles and trash bins.

z The greatest of all senses is my TOUCH, and I have whiskers near the tips of my paws. My hands have a bunch of NERVES that are like TASTE-BUDS sending info to my brain.

Painting by Rose

I like digging for worms!

z I also have a good sense of SMELL and I have HEARING that is so sensitive, I can detect the movement of earthworms underground. z I am not a PICKY eater, I eat almost anything I come across. z President Calvin Coolidge in 1926 received a raccoon to be eaten for Thanksgiving. He refused to have it killed or eaten. Instead he adopted it as a pet raccoon and named it “Rebecca." It was the White House pet. z Toronto, Canada, is the raccoon capital of the World.

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Red Fox

Advice from a Fox:

Have a cozy den, be bright eyed and bushy tailed!

Facts!

z I am SMALL and only WEIGH 6-8 pounds. z I am NOCTURAL which means I am up at night when you are asleep. z I am a MAMMAL and I eat just about anything.

z I have large triangular EARS and excellent HEARING. I can reportedly hear a watch ticking 40 yards away. z I have WHISKERS on my legs and face which help me navigate. z I LIVE in dens in the ground or in old trees. z I sometimes catch MICE just to play with them.

Then when I get bored, I let them go. z I “STINK” - I have a funny “musky” smell that comes from scent glands at the base of my tail.

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Painting by Rose

Rhinoceros

Advice from a Rhino: Have a tough hide!

Facts!

z I have a giant HORN that grows from my snout. Rhinoceros means “horned nose” z I have very poor EYESIGHT and am near sighted (means that I can’t see you unless you are very close) z Even though I can CHARGE up to 30 miles per hour, I can’t tell the difference between a human & a tree at 15 feet, because of my eyesight z Despite my HUGE size and weight I can run 30-55 miles per hour. z Because of my HUGE body, strong horn and thick, armour-like skin, I have no natural predators. Nevertheless, I get frightened easily ,and watch out when I do, my instinct tells me to charge directly at what frightened me, whether it be another animal or harmless object. z Like you I have SPECIAL friends. The Oxpeckers perch on my back and they eat the pesky insects and ticks living in my thick skin. And my friend’s loud cries help alert me of potential danger. Here’s a picture of my buddy. z I don’t PREY on other animals for food. I instead like to munch on lots of grass and plants at night, dawn and dusk. As during the heat of the day you will find me sleeping in the shade or wallowing in muddy pools to cool off. I love to get muddy.

I LOVE to get muddy!

Me too!

I know a Rhino, and I think it is a she, I’m not a threat, because she knows she is way bigger than me. And there is a fence between us. Ha. Ha. 49

Ring-Tailed Lemurs Facts!

z We have a slender BODY, long tail and a mouse like face z We spend more time on the ground than other species of lemurs z We are a native animal of Madagascar. z Lemur is Latin for "spirits of the night" z Baby lemurs, called "pups", stay on their Mom's back for 3 months. z We have flat FINGERNAILS similar to human beings. z We EAT fruits, leaves, flowers, insects & decayed wood. z Our TAIL is 22 inches long and we use it for balance and communication.

When we wave our tail through the air it carries my scent as means of communicating. z On our second TOE of each hind limb is called a "toliet claw." It is used mostly for grooming. z If threated, we attack with my our short NAILS. z We make a loud piercing sound when we sense danger. z We WEIGH five pounds on average. z World Lemur Day is the last Friday of October.

Rose with Patrick an

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d Zena

Sea Lion

Advice from a Sea Lion:

Glide through your day and keep your whiskers clean!

Facts!

z Sea lions and seals are two DIFFERENT animals. z I WALK on land using all four of my flippers. Seals bounce on their bellies. z I use my FRONT flippers to swim. SEALS use their hind flippers.

z I can SWIM at speeds up to 24 miles per hour but most of the time I cruise at about 11 miles per hour. z I swim by GLIDING on the surface of the water. z I can DIVE up to 1,000 feet. z I EAT different fish. Although I have 34-38 teeth which I use to catch and tear my food, I don’t use my teeth to chew the food, I swallow it whole. z I SLEEP on land. z I SEE well above and under water. But I cannot SMELL underwater. z I can hold my BREATH for up to 20 minutes. z I am an ENDANGERED species.

As he followed my hand, Turned in circles and swam.

Back and forth we played, I had such fun that day.

Rose with sea lion 2022 51

Sheep

Advice from a Sheep:

Ewe are what ewe eat and make yourself herd!

Facts!

z There are about one billlion of US on the planet.

New Zealand has ten times as many sheep as humans. z When Woodrow Wilson was President of the United States, he kept sheep on the White House lawn.

z I am EXCELLENT at recognizing and distinguishing faces. I can also distinguish between a smile and a frown on human faces. z I also have a GREAT memory. I can recognize up to 50 other sheep’s faces and remember them for two years. z I do not have TEETH in my upper front jaw. My lower teeth press up against an upper palate to break down food. z Female sheep are called “ewes." Male sheep are called “rams.” z I have an EXCELLENT sense of SMELL. My scent glands are in front of my eyes and between the digits of my hooves. z I have EMOTIONS like humans. I can feel afraid, angry, bored, sad & happy. z I have a GROOVE in my upper lip that divides it in half. The groove is called a “philtrum." I’m a picky eater and it allows me to select leaves and vegetation I like.

Here I am with some sheep, The black one looked at me all bundled up, As if to say, “You look like you are cold today.”

The two white sheep just wanted petted on their heads, “I’d be glad to”, I said.

So soft and furry these sheep, all of them, I’d like to keep.

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Sloth

Advice from a Sloth:

y s m al! i h slot E anim e h T RIT FAVO

Climb to new heights and get a grip!

Facts! z z z z z

z z z z z z z

I am one of the SLOWEST moving animals in the world.

I also am the world’s LAZIEST animal.

I am COLOR blind and completely blind in bright daylight.

I am a GOOD swimmer. I move three times faster in water than on land. My favorite swimming style is the back stroke.

I don’t “STINK” because I don’t sweat at all, but I am “buggy." I can have over 900 sloth moths and beetles living in my fur at one time. The sloth moth only lays it eggs, grows & lives in sloth fur.

My fingers and toes have 4 inch long CLAWS that act as hooks and allow me to firmly grip tree branches.

I spend MOST of my life hanging upside down.

I can stick my TONGUE out 10-12 inches.

It takes me 30 days to DIGEST one leaf.

I have 46 RIBS to support my four chambered stomach.

I can FALL 100 feet without injury. My body is designed to fall out of trees.

I leave my TREE once a week to enjoy a bowel movement. I loose about one-third my body weight in poop.

My favorite animal is a sloth, Cuddly and soft as can be, I love him sitting on my lap with me.

His hugs are so special, too, If you were here, he’d give one to you.

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Snake

Advice from a snake:

Think before you strike and don’t get rattled!

Facts!

z There are 3,000 kinds of snakes in the world. z I use my tongue to smell z I swallow my food whole. Some of my snake buddies have been known to “explode” after eating a large meal. z I have 130-500 ribs. Humans only have 24 ribs. z I do not have eyelids. I can;t blink or close my eyes to sleep.

I’ve held many a snake, And to me, it's a piece of cake, But that giant yellow boa made me nervous, I gave it a feel, And YES, it was very REAL, It’s skin was smooth and dry, I touched him, then quickly said, "Goodbye."

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The Spotted Hyenas

Facts!

z There are FOUR different species of the hyena in the world. But the SPOTTED hyena is the LARGEST and MOST COMMON. z We are SOCIAL animals and come out of our lair during the early morning hours, FEMALE hyenas are larger than the MALES and the males are DOMINATED by the females. z We live in large groups known as "clans." One clan may consist of 80 hyenas.

z We have an acute sense of HEARING. We can hear predators hunting or feeding on a carcass from a distance of up to 6 miles. z Although we are known for being COWARDLY, 95% of our meals come from hunting and we are known for warding off lionesses and leopards from their kill. We have the STRONGEST bite of any land animal. We can bite threw bones of our prey. And we are capable of digesting bones and skin. And we require we require little water. z We are BORN with all our TEETH. z Ever heard of a laughing hyena?? That is the SOUND we make when we are afraid or in danger. Just like human laughter, ours includes loud and soft grunts, laughs and giggles

Rose with Joker and Harley

55

Stingray

Advice from a Stingray:

Swim with the current and spend time at the Beach.

Facts!

z I am a flattened fish (flat like a pancake).

But I am related to the shark. He is my cousin. z I have no bones in my body. My skeleton is made up of flexible cartilage. Just like the bendy stuff that your ears and nose are made from. z My eyes are on top of my body. My mouth, gills and nostrils are on the underside of my body.

I petted a stingray, He’s related to a shark, But afraid of him I was not, He was soft and bendy, And quite friendly!!

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Turtle

Advice from a Turtle:

Come out of your shell and know when to stick your neck out!

Facts!

z I am considered a reptile. And I belong to one of the oldest reptile groups. I date back to the time of the dinosaur over 200 million years ago. z Of all animals with a backbone, I am the ONLY one that also has a shell made up of about 50 bones and covered by plates called “scutes” which are horny plates made of keratin that protect the shell from scrapes and bruises. z I CANNOT come out of my shell. It grows with me and it is impossible for me to grow too big for it. z I can pull my head and limbs into my shell for protection. But my friend the sea turtle cannot. z I have GOOD eyesight and EXCEPTIONAL night vision. I also have EXCELLENT sense of smell. z I have no teeth. Just a sharp beak to tear food. z I have no outer ears that stick out from my head, but inner ears. z Baby turtles are called, “sparkies.”

I had to have a picture with this GIANT turtle, Yes, he is REAL, And I watched him eat his meal.

I know turtles are slow, But this guy is SO big he needs a truck to give him a tow to the next place he wants to go.

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Walrus

Advice from a Walrus: Sea the best in others!

Facts!

z I have two small EYES, a MOUSTACHE, and two long TUSKS on my FACE. z My MOUSTACHE hairs are as sensitive as fingers. z My TUSKS can be as long as 35 inches. My tall tusks are like ski poles to help me haul my enormous body out of the freezing ocean water. Plus my tusks are great for smashing through ice from below to create breathing holes for swimming walrus to catch their breath.

z I can hold my BREATH up to 30 minutes underwater. z My BODY is covered in brown or pink skin. z I can WEIGH up to 3,000 pounds and grow between 7-11 feet in length. z I am called “Giant or King of the Artic. z My only natural PREDATORS are Orcas & Polar Bears. z I can SLEEP in the water. Sometimes I just need to sleep at sea, so I fill the expandable pockets on both sides of my throat with 50 liters of air. These pharyngeal/air sacs are like inflatable pillows and allow me to float on the surface while sleeping in a vertical position. I can SLEEP uninterrupted for 19 hours but sometimes at sea, I can stay awake for about 3 1/2 days straight. z When out of the water, I BELLOW loudly and SNORT to communicate.

58

Zebra

Advice from a Zebra:

Be your own self—you are unique Not everything is black and white!

Facts!

z I can SURVIVE up to 5 days without drinking water. z I am the MOST Recognizable member of the horse family due to my iconic black and white stripes. Each of us has their own stripe pattern like human fingerprints. z I have EXCELLENT eyesight and am one of the few mammals that can see in COLOR. Except I cannot see the color orange. z I am a very SOCIAL animal. I stay in groups called “dazzle “ of zebras. z Only six minutes after being born, the baby zebras are able to STAND. After 20 minutes they can WALK. Within 40 Minutes able to RUN. z I have excellent HEARING. Other than my ears, I can communicate with facial expression and sounds. I make loud braying and barking sounds and soft snorting sounds. z My EAR position, how wide my EYES are open and whether I show my TEETH are signals of communication. z I am pretty SHORT, my height ranges from 3-5 feet tall.

And I can weigh up to 770 pounds. z I can RUN up to 40 miles per hour which is pretty INCREDIBLE considering I only have ONE toe on each FOOT. z I RUN in a zigzag pattern when chased by a predator to make it more difficult for them to catch me. Pretty smart, huh? z I have an extremely powerful KICK. I can kick with nearly 3,000 pounds of force, which is enough to kill a fully grown lion with one single blow to their body. z My TEETH never stop growing so I don’t wear them down from constant gnawing on grass.

59

Animal Jokes What kind of dog always runs a fever?

Answer: A Hot Dog

Why do cows wear bells?

Answer: Because their horns don’t work

What does a frog eat with it’s hamburger?

Answer: French Flies

What did the spider do on the computer?

Answer: Create a “Web” site

What do you call a cow that plays an instrument?

Answer: A moo-sician

What do you call a famous fish?

Answer: A starfish

What do you call a bear with no teeth?

Answer: A gummy bear

What kind of bird works on a construction site?

Answer: A crane

What don’t leopards play hide and seek?

Answer: They’re always spotted

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What is as big as an elephant but weighs nothing?

Answer: It’s shadow

What did the judge say when the skunk walked into the courtroom?

Answer: Odor in the court

What do you get when you cross a snake and a pie?

Answer: A pie-thon

Which animal should you never play cards with?

Answer: A cheetah

What animals are on legal documents?

Answer: Seals

What do you call a rabbit with fleas?

Answer: Bugs Bunny

Why are fish so smart?

Answer: They live in schools

How do you know that eating carrots are good for your eyes?

Answer: Ever seen a rabbit wearing glasses to read?

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Which place should you never consider taking a dog?

Answer: Flea market

What shark always ends up working in the construction business?

Answer: A hammer-head shark

What soft drink does a frog like the most?

Answer: Croak-a-cola

What’s a frog’s favorite music?

Answer: Hip Hop

How do you stop a rhinoceros from charging?

Answer: Take away his credit card.

What did the father buffalo say when his son left to go to school?

Answer: Bison

What do you call a sleeping bull?

Answer: A bull dozer

What do you call an alligator wearing a vest?

Answer: An investigator

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How is a coin like a cat?

Answer: It has a head on one side and a tail on the other side.

Which animal is at a baseball game?

Answer: A bat

What was the first animal in space?

Answer: The cow that jumped over the moon

Do you know what is smarter than a counting cat?

Answer: A spelling bee

What state has the most pets?

Answer: Pets-sylvania

What kind of dog does Dracula have?

Answer: A blood hound

63

See You Later, Alligator!

After While, Crocodile!

Gotta Go, Rhino!

See you soon, Raccoon!

Take Care, Black Bear!

In a shake, Garter Snake!

Hit the Road, Toad Give me a Hug, Ladybug!

Bye-Bye, Butterfly!

Time to scat, Little Cat! Toodle-loo, Kangaroo!

Till then, Penquin!

Adios, Hippos!

Hasta manana, Pretty Llama On Course, brown Horse!

Good Day, Stingray!

Go Now, Spotted Cow! Peek-a-boo, fluffy Ewe! Bye is the word, Hummingbird!

MY BOOK NOW ENDS SO GOODBYE MY DEAR ANIMAL FRIENDS! 64

Rose's Wonderful World of Animals

Walk with Rose through the animal kingdom! Included are facts and information about the animals, their habitat, and photos. Illustrated and fun for the whole family. Excellent early reader.

Cynthia C. Dobbins

Cynthia C. Dobbins ILLUSTRATED BY

Cynthia C. Dobbins & Rose Dobbins