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The kangaroo is large marsupial that is native to the country of Australia. There are four species of large kangaroo and a number of smaller species that are closely related to the kangaroo family. The four large species of the kangaroo family are the Red Kangaroo, the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, The Western Grey Kangaroo and the Antilopine Kangaroo. These kangaroos can grow up to 2 meters tall and weigh as much as 90 kilograms. They are an important part of Australian culture and are featured on their national coat of arms.
A mongoose is a small carnivorous mammal that can be found in southern Asia, Africa, and southern Europe. The mongoose can also be found in some Caribbean and Hawaiian islands where they have been introduced. There are more than thirty species of mongoose and they range in size from 1ft to 4 ft (0.30–1.2 m). Some mongooses live in groups while others prefer to live by themselves. They have long bodies and faces with small round ears and long tails.
Dinosaur is the name given to a family of animals that lived on the earth many years ago. Scientists believe this group of animals to be extinct and many fossils have been found throughout the world. This has enabled scientist to extrapolate what these creatures may have looked like. There were many types of dinosaurs according to scientific findings. Some were reptile like creatures, while others had bird-like characteristics.
A meerkat is small mammal that is part of the mongoose family. It can be found in the Kalahari Desert in Botswana and in South Africa and in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries all around the world. The meerkat was made popular by the movie The Lion King which portrayed a small meerkat named Timon as a character. Most meerkats live in clans of up to 20, but some have been reported to live in super-families of 50 or more. Each member of the clan works together to ensure the welfare of the family. Most meerkats live 12 to 14 years. Meerkats are sandy brown in color so that they can blend in with their environments. They have narrow faces with ears that can be sealed closed when digging. They live mostly underground and dig new runs when needed.
Starfish or Sea stars are a marine creatures that are echinoderms. Echinoderms are animals which have no head, a hard skeleton under its skin, a body that resembles a star with at least five legs and a mouth in the center, and tubular feet to help them to move. Sea urchins and sea cucumbers are also considered echinoderms. There are two distinct families of starfish, soft bodied starfish from the class Asteroidea and the harder, more brittle starfish from the class Ophiuroidea. There are 2000 living species of starfish in the oceans around the world including in the arctic circles. Despite their name starfish are not actually fish as they do not possess any of the anatomical characteristics of fish such as scales, gills and fins.
Dolphins are a form of mammal that lives in water. There are both fresh water and salt water dolphins. They are part of the same family as whales and porpoises. They have a long lithe body with a dorsal fin, two pectoral fins and a large paddle like tail fin called a fluke. They are highly intelligent and friendly preferring to travel in pods. There are almost forty species of Dolphin and they are found worldwide mostly in the shallower water near the continental shelves. Dolphins come in all shapes and sizes from 1.2 m (4 ft) and 40 kg (90 lb) (Maui’s dolphin), up to 9.5 m (30 ft) and 10 tonnes (9.8 LT; 11 ST). Did you know that the Killer Whale is actually a dolphin?
Earwigs are a species of insect with a long, slender body and a pair of pincers on the end of their abdomen. There are 1,800 species of earwig and they are primarily found throughout the Americas, Eurasia, Australia and New Zealand. 5 species are found in North America, 45 in Europe and approximately 60 species in Australia. They have two sets of wings, but rarely use their flying ability. They are nocturnal insects and will hide in small, dark, moist places during the day.
Hermit crabs are soft bodied marine crustaceans that have no shell. They instead find and live inside of shells left by other marine mollusks. As they grow they discard the old shell and find a larger shell to live in. Hermit crabs carry these shells on their backs as a way to protect their soft bodies from predators. There are 1100 species of hermit crab and they can be found on most tropical beaches in tidal pools. Hermit crabs are more closely related to lobster than they are to actual crabs and come in a variety of sizes ranging from only a few millimeters to one species that is close to the size of a coconut.
A Ladybug is a small, round, spotted, winged insect that is part of the Coccinellidae family of beetles. They are usually brightly colored and the most classically familiar is the red ladybug. Ladybugs can be yellow, green, orange, grey, white and brown. Some ladybugs even have black bodies with brightly colored spots. Ladybugs are known by a variety of other names such as ladybirds (UK, Ireland, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, India, and Malta) and lady beetles. They may also be called lady clock, lady cow and lady fly. The lady part of the name is said to refer to the seven spots on the beetle which were seen to represent the seven sorrow of the Virgin Mary.
A Hedgehog is a large spiny mammal that has a mixture of spines and fur. It is a nocturnal animal and can be found though parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and New Zealand. There are no native hedgehogs in either Australia or North America. Those that live in New Zealand are an introduced species. There are 17 different species of hedgehog. The Hedgehog has a pig-like snout and numerous spines. When threatened, the hedgehog will roll into a ball with its spines facing outwards. Some hedgehogs will ram with their spines when threatened. It is becoming more common for hedgehogs to be kept as pets due to their sociable nature and calm demeanor. They tend to get along well with other domesticated animals.