Antarctic Sun Starfish

We just learned about the Astropecten Aranciacus.

Another type of starfish is the Antarctic Sun Starfish, also called the wolftrap starfish or labidiaster annulatus.

This type of starfish comes from the very cold waters around Antarctica.

Most starfish usually have five arms, but this type of starfish can have over 40 arms!
They grow to be about 24 inches wide.


(from: wikipedia - labidiaster annulatus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Bald Uakari

Astropecten Aranciacus

We just learned about the American Hog-Nosed Skunk, and a lot of other animals in that same family.

Let's learn about some different kinds of starfish!

One type of starfish is the Astropecten Aranciacus.

This starfish lives in the east part of the Atlantic ocean, and also in the Mediterranean Sea.
It lives right by the coast, and when the water goes out for low tide it buries itself into the sand.

The top of this animal is reddish orange with some yellow, and the bottom is all white.
It has two sets of spiney pokey parts on the outside of its legs called inferomarginal spines and superomarginal spines.

For food these starfish eat molluscs by crawling over them and then using their mouth on the bottom to eat them.


(from: wikipedia - astropecten aranciacus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Azaras Night Monkey

American Hog-Nosed Skunk

We just learned about the Striped Skunk.

Another animal in the same family is the American Hog-Nosed Skunk, or the conepatus leuconotus.

This is one of the biggest skunks in the world, growing over 80 centimeters long.
Sometimes this skunk is called the rooter skunk, because it likes to overturn rocks and look under things, which is sometimes called rooting.

These skunks have a big white back and totally white tail. It's not just a stripe on their back, the whole top of their back is white.

Just like other skunks these animals can spray a smelly liquid at someone if they are scared.
Even though they are skunks they are a lot like badgers and are really good at clawing and digging things.


(from: wikipedia - american hog-nosed skunk)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Grey Bellied Night Monkey

Striped Skunk

We just learned about the South American Coati.

Another animal that is related to the Coati is the Striped Skunk.

These animals live in North America, in Mexico, the US and Canada.
They grow to be about 60 centimeters, and weigh around 4 kilograms.
Striped skunks have black fur with a white stripe going down their back.

Skunks are very well known for the way they can spray someone with a stinky liquid if they are defending themselves.
They can spray several meters away, to keep themselves safe!


(from: wikipedia - striped skunk)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Black Capped Squirrel Monkey

South American Coati

We just learned about the Northern Olingo.

Another animal in the same family is the South American Coati, also called the ring-tailed coati or the nasua nasua.

This animal is about 10 pounds, and has about 40 inches long.
It can be in a few different colors like black or brown, with rings on its tail and some white marks on its face.

These coati live in South America, mostly in the forests.


(from: wikipedia - south american coati)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tufted Capuchin

Northern Olingo

We just learned about the Ringtail.

Another type of animal in the same family is the Northern Olingo, also called the bushy-tailed olingo or the bassaricyon gabbii.

This small animal only grows to be about 40 centimeters, and weighs a little over 1 kilogram.

They live mostly in the trees of Central America area in countries like Nicaragua and Panama.


(from: wikipedia - northern olingo)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Wedge Capped Capuchin

Ringtail

We just learned about the Raccoon.

Another animal in the same family is the Ringtail, also called ringtail cat, miner's cat, civet cat, mountain cat, cat squirrel, Pacific cat, band-tailed cat, raccoon fox, night monkey, cacomistle or bassariscus astutus.

These animals grow to be about 35 centimeters, and weigh about 1 kilogram.
Some people have kept these ringtails as pets, which is where it gets the nickname miner's cat because it was kept by miners who were exploring the west.


(from: wikipedia - ringtail)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Golden Lion Tamarin

Raccoon

We just learned about the Long-Tailed Weasel.

Another animal that is like the weasels is the Raccoon.

Raccoons are part of the procyonid family, which is like a cousin to the mustelid family of the other weasels.

They are usually about 60 centimeters long, and weigh about 20 kilograms.
These animals live in North America, with another type of raccoon also living in South America.

Raccoons are well known for having a black mask across their eyes, and a ringed tail.
The name raccoon came from the Powhatan word meaning "animal that scratches with its hands.

One interesting thing about raccoons is that they are very good with their hands, and can even open some doors and locks that are meant to keep other critters out.


(from: wikipedia - racoon)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Brown-Mantled Tamarin

Long-Tailed Weasel

We just learned about the Haida Ermine.

Another animal in the same family is the Long-Tailed Weasel also called the bridled weasel, masked ermine, big stoat, or Neogale frenata.

These animals live in North and South America, weigh about 9 ounces and are about one foot long.

They grow a brown coat in the summer, and it turns white in the winter.

These weasels give off a strong smell to leave a mark in places sometimes, by dragging their smelly body across rocks or other things.



(from: wikipedia - long-tailed weasel)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Emperor Tamarin

Haida Ermine

We just learned about the Ferret.

Another animal in the same family is the Haida Ermine, also called mustela haidarum.

This small animal only lives on a tiny island on the west side of Canada called Haida Gwaii.

It changes its fur color from brown in the summer to white in the winter.
When it is brown the local Haida people call it daayáats’, and when it is white they call it tlag.


(from: wikipedia - haida ermine)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cotton Top Tamarin

Ferret

We just learned about the Yellow Bellied Weasel.

Another kind of animal in the same family is the Ferret, also called the Mustela furo.

These animals grow to be about 20 inches long, and weigh about 4 pounds.
Their fur comes in either black, brown or white.

Just like dogs and cats, these animals are called domesticated meaning they can be kept as pets.
Long ago people kept them as pets to help out with hunting, for other animals like rabbits.

Sometimes when these pets are playing they get excited and jump around in what is called the "weasel war dance".
People think that they did this in the wild to confuse or scare other animals, but as pets they do it when they are having fun.



(from: wikipedia - ferret)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Common Marmoset

Yellow-Bellied Weasel

We just learned about the European Mink.

Another type of animal in the same family is the Yellow-Bellied Weasel.

This animal is about 10 inches long, and weighs about 3 pounds.

They get their name from their bright yellow bellies.
Usually they live up in the mountains in Asia, in small little caves called dens.


(from: wikipedia - yellow-bellied weasel)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Proboscis Monkey

European Mink

We just learned about the European Polecat.

Another type of animal in the same family is the European Mink.

This animal is about 15 inches, and weighs about 1.5 pounds.

They are small good little hunters that swim really well and live in small caves.


(from: wikipedia - european mink)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Golden Snub Nosed Monkey

European Polecat

We just learned about the Stoat.

Another animal in the same family is the European Polecat.

This is a small animal about 400 milimeters long, weighing about 1,200 grams.
They have brown and black fur, and usually a white face.

Some people in Europe have been able to keep polecats as pets, and even teach them how to hunt things like rats.
Long ago polecats were hunted a lot for their fur, and there are many made up stories about polecats having powers to paralyze someone with just a bite to the neck!


(from: wikipedia - european polecat)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Red-Shanked Douc

Stoat

We just learned about the Giant Otter.

Another kind of animal in the same family is the Stoat, also called the short-tailed weasel, or mustela erminea.

This animal is small, and grows to about 300 milimeteres and weighs about 250 grams.

In some of the colder northern areas, the stoats will change from brown fur coats in the summer to white coats in the winter.

In many countries there are legends about stoats being spirit animals, lucky animals, or poisonous.



(from: wikipedia - stoat)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Maroon Leaf Monkey

Giant Otter

We just learned about the Smooth Coated Otter.

Another kind of animal in the same family is the Giant Otter, also called the water jaguar, river wolf, water dog, or pteronura brasiliensis.

Just like you would think from the name, this is the biggest kind of Otter in the world, growing to over 5 feet long and weighing over 60 pounds!
These animals live in South America, mostly right along the Amazon river.

Because they are so big, they will sometimes even be able to hunt things like snakes, turtles, camains (which are like small crocodiles) and even very dangerous fish like pirhanas!
With webbed feet and a tail so big it almost looks like a wing flapping in the water, they are great swimmers!

(from: wikipedia - giant otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Dusky Leaf Monkey

Smooth-Coated Otter

We just learned about the Spotted Necked Otter.

Another type of animal in the same family is the Smooth-Coated Otter, or lutrogale perspicillata.

These otters live in Asia, in countries like India.
They grow to be about 60 centimeters long and weigh about 10 kilograms.
Their fur is brown or grey, and it is short and smooth.

Just like other otters these animals love the water, but they can live anywhere from a river to a lake or a swamp.
They make their houses under tree roots or big rocks, and they sometimes will rest on the beach by the river to take a nap.

Smooth-Coated Otters are very good hunters, and they know how to chase and catch fish.
Some people have now trained otters to help them catch fish, by sending the otters in the water to chase fish right into a net to be caught.



(from: wikipedia - smooth-coated otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Northern Plains Gray Langur

Spotted-Necked Otter

We just learned about the Eurasian Otter.

Another animal in the same family is the Spotted-Necked Otter, also called the speckle-throated otter or hydrictis maculicollis.

This otter is a lot like the ones from North America or Europe, but it lives on the continent of Africa.
It grows to be about 75 centimeters long, weighting about 6 kilograms, and has white spots on its neck.

Spotted-Necked Otters live in countries like Zambia where they can hunt for fish and other animals in the lakes and rivers of Africa.


(from: wikipedia - spotted neck otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Zanzibar Red Colobus

Eurasian Otter

We just learned about the North American River Otter.

Another animal in the same family is the Eurasian Otter, also called the european otter, eurasian river otter, common otter, old world otter, or lutra lutra.

These animals live in parts of Europe, Asia and Africa and are the most common type of otter in the world.
They grow to about 40 centimeters long and weigh about 10 kilograms.

Just like the North American river otter, these animals live in lakes, rivers and ponds.
Unlike a lot of the other otters, these animals usually live alone, except for when mothers are raising baby otters.


(from: wikipedia - eurasian otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Mantled Guereza

North American River Otter

We just learned about the Sea Otter.

Another type of animal in the same family is the North American River Otter, or lontra canadensis.

This otter is a lot like the sea otter, and a lot of people think they are the same animal.
But the sea otter lives in the saltwater of the ocean, and sometimes lives their whole life in the water.
The river otter lives in the rivers and lakes of the northern parts of the United States and Canada.

They love the water and can swim all day, but they also have a home on land called a den where they raise their little baby otters.
River otters grow to be about 100 centimeters long, and weigh about 10 kilograms.
Their fur is short and very thick to keep them warm.
Just like the sea otter they can close their ears and noses to keep water out.


(from: wikipedia - north american river otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Mandrill