Download Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Red-Eyed Tree Frog
Red-Eyed Tree Frogs are amphibians (animals that spend part of their lives under
water and the remainder on land).
Habitat:These little frogs live in lowland tropical rainforests in Central America and
northern South America. Red-Eyed Tree Frogs are nocturnal (most active at night);
they rest on the undersides of large leaves during the day.
Apperance: Red-Eyed Tree Frogs are named for their large, bulging, red eyes. These
bright eyes may serve to startle predators. The body is bright green and the sides are
blue with pale yellow stripes. The feet are red/orange; the upper legs are blue. They
have long, powerful jumping legs, suction cups on the toes, and a very short
backbone. Females (about 3 inches long) are larger than males (about 2 inches long).
Life cycle/ Babies: Red-eyed tree frogs spend their lives near water (usually rivers)
because they must return to the water to lay their eggs. Adult males make a loud
croaking sound to establish their territory and to attract females. Female Red-Eyed
Tree Frogs lay eggs on the undersides of leaves (that are right above the water); the
male fertilizes the eggs as they are deposited. When the eggs hatch into tiny brown
tadpoles, they fall into the water below. The tadpoles breathe with gills and swim with
a tail. As they mature, they lose their tail, they develop lungs (for breathing air), and
they become brightly colored.
Diet: The Red-Eyed Tree Frog is a meat-eater (carnivore). It eats mostly insects,
catching them with its long, sticky tongue. It also eats other small invertebrates and
sometimes will even other eat small frogs.
Enemies: Some bats, snakes, and birds eat the Red-Eyed Tree Frog.
Scarlet Macaw
Habitat: The Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) is a
large type of parrot that is found in tropical
rain forests of Central and South America,
including Mexico, Guatemala, Belize,
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. It lives
in the canopy (the tree leaves) and emergent
layer (the tops of the very highest trees) of
the rainforest. Scarlet Macaws are an
endangered species due to their capture as
pets, and loss of habitat.
Interesting Facts:These noisy, magnificent
birds can fly at speeds up to 35 miles per
hour (56 kph), often flying in pairs or small
flocks. In captivity, Scarlet Macaws have a
life span of up to 80 years.
Appearance: The Scarlet Macaw is about 35
inches (90 cm) long. The feathers are bright
red with bits of yellow, orange and blue on
the wings. The bill is very curved. The feet
are zygodactylous; the 2 outer toes point
backwards and grip in opposition to the 2
forward-pointing toes. Males and females are
similar in appearance.
Diet: Scarlet Macaws eat fruit, seeds, and nuts. Like other parrots, they are seed
predators; they destroy the seeds that they eat and do not disperse them. Some
macaws are sometimes seen eating clay from river banks.
Babies/ Nests: Macaws nest in holes located high in deciduous trees. Females lay 2
plain white eggs in each clutch (a set of eggs laid at one time). Both parents incubate
the eggs. The young stay with the parents for up to 2 years.
BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL HABITS
The sloth is a slow-moving mammal that lives in trees.
Sloths spend most of their lives hanging upside-down
from tree branches; they eat, sleep, mate, and give birth
upside-down in the trees. They hold onto tree branches
with strong, curved claws that are on each of their four
feet.
Male sloths are solitary, shy animals. Females sometimes
congregate together. Sloths are nocturnal; they are most
active at night and sleep all
day.
SLOTH APPEARANCE
Sloths have a thick brown (and slightly-greenish) fur coat. Sloths are about the size of
a cat (roughly 2 feet = 61 cm long). They have a short, flat head, big eyes, a short
snout, a short or non-existent tail, long legs, and tiny ears. Sturdy, curved claws are on
each foot; they use these claws to hang from trees.
Some sloths have colonies of green algae encrusting their fur, both adding to the
camouflage effect and providing some nutrients to the sloths, who lick the algae.
NAME
The sloth got its name from its slow movement. It is not lazy, just slow-moving.
DIET
Sloths are plant-eaters who are more active at night; they eat leaves (including leaves
from the cecropia tree), tender young shoots, and fruit; they are herbivores (planteaters). It used to be thought that sloths ate mostly cecropia leaves because they were
often spotted in cecropia trees. It turns out that they also live in many other trees, but
aren't spotted there as easily as in cecropia trees.
Sloths have a low metabolic rate and a low body temperature (91°F). This keeps their
food and water needs to a minimum. Sloths have small molars which they use to chew
up their leafy food. Their stomach has many separate compartments that are used to
digest the tough cellulose (a component of plant material that they eat).
SLEEP
Sloths sleep during the day. They sleep about 15 to 18 hours each day, hanging upside
down.
PREDATORS
Sloths are hunted by jaguars, harpy eagles, and people. A sloth's main forms of
protection are its camouflage (greatly increased by the coating of algae growing on its
fur) and its very slow movement; these adaptations make it virtually disappear in the
rain forest canopy.
HABITAT AND RANGE
Sloths spend almost all of their lives in trees; they are arboreal. These mostly-quiet
mammals live in the tropical rain forests of South and Central America.
HOW THEY WALK
The sloth is the slowest mammal on Earth. Sloths are quadrupeds (fourlegged animals) who "walk" upside-down along tree branches. They
only rarely venture to the ground and walk on the ground in an upright
position. Sloths can swim well.
LIFE SPAN
Sloths may live 10-20 years in the wild.
BABIES
Adult females produce a single baby each year. They give birth upside down hanging
from a tree branch.
Ringtail Possum
Habitat: The ringtail possum is an agile, arboreal (tree-dwelling) marsupial that lives
in rainforests and coastal temperate deciduous forests in eastern and southwestern
Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea.
Interesting Facts: It is nocturnal (most active at night) and sleeps during the day, in a
hollow tree or in a nest made of twigs and leaves. It hangs out in small, temporary
groups of 2 to 3 adults.
Appearance: The ringtail possum is about 6 to 18 inches (16 - 46 cm) long, plus a tail
equally as long. It weighs up to 3 pounds (1.5 kg). The woolly fur is brown to gray
with a paler belly. The prehensile (grasping) tail is hairless at the tip. It has two
opposable fingers (of five) on its hands.
Babies: Females are pregnant for about 4 months. After birth, the two tiny newborns
crawl into the pouch, where they will drink milk, remaining in the pouch for about 2
months. After leaving the pouch, they still ride on their mother's back until they
mature.
Food/Diet: The ringtail possum is an herbivore (a plant eater) that eats leaves, fruit,
and flowers in the trees at night. The common ringtail has adapted to eating toxic
eucalyptus leaves; it can detoxify the poisons in this plant.
Capybara
Habitat: The capybara, Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris, is the biggest rodent in the
world. This semi-aquatic rodent lives in swamps, in marshes, and also in forests (near
ponds, lakes and rivers). It is found in Central and South America.
Capybaras gather near the water in groups of about 20 animals; they spend a lot of
time wallowing in mud. These social animals communicate using whistles and barks;
they also produce glandular scents. These mammals have a life span of 8 to 10 years
in the wild.
Body/ Appearance: Capybaras range from 40 to 52 inches (102-132 cm) long and
weigh from 60 to 100 pounds (27-50 kg). They have thin brown hair that dries off
quickly. Webbed toes help the capybara swim.
Diet: Capybaras are herbivores (plant-eaters); they eat water plants, grasses, fruit,
and grains. Like all rodents, their two front teeth continue to grow throughout their
lives, and the capybara must gnaw and chew to wear these teeth down.
Babies: Females give birth to a litter of one to six young. Newborns weigh about 2
pounds (1 kg); they have hair and can see at birth. Capybaras are mature at about 1 1/2
years old.
Predators: Hunters of the capybara include the jaguar, caiman, ocelot, harpy eagle,
large snakes (like the anaconda), and people (who eat capybara). When in danger, the
capybara goes into the water; it is a strong swimmer.
Toucan
Habitat: The keel-billed toucan, Ramphastos sulfuratus, is a South American bird
with a huge beak. This social bird lives in small flocks in lowland tropical rainforests.
It is a poor flyer, and moves mostly by hopping around trees. Toucans roost in holes
in trees. They have a croaking call that sounds like RRRRK.
Body: The toucan is about 20 inches (50 cm) long. The toucan's enormous bill is up to
one-third of its length. The bill is brightly colored, light-weight, and edged with
toothed margins. It has four toes on each foot; two toes face forwards and two face
backwards. The legs are short but strong. Males are slightly larger than females, but
their coloration is similar.
Diet: Toucan eat mostly fruit, but also eat bird eggs, insects, and tree frogs. Toucans
swallow fruit whole and then regurgitate the seeds; this disperses viable (living) seeds
in the forest.
Babies: Females lay 1 to 4 white eggs in each clutch (a set of eggs laid in one nesting
period). The eggs are laid in a hollow tree cavity. Both parents incubate the eggs, and
both parents feed the chicks.
Anaconda
The anaconda is the biggest snake in the world. Also known as the Water Boa, this giant, semiaquatic meat-eater lives in swampy areas of tropical (warm) South America. It spends a lot of
time in shallow water, hidden from unsuspecting prey. Anacondas are related to boa
constrictors. They give birth to live young; 20 to 40 baby snakes are born at one time.
Anatomy: Like all snakes, anacondas are cold-blooded; they are the same temperature as the
environment. They continue to grow all their lives, getting bigger and bigger each year. The
longest anaconda ever found was 37.5 feet (11.4 m) long, there are probably even bigger
anacondas that have not been seen. Anacondas are greenish-brown with a double row of black
oval spots on the back and smaller white markings on the sides. Their scaly skin glistens but is
dry is to the touch. The nostrils are on top of the snout, letting the snake breathe easily when it is
in the water. It smells with its tongue and has no fangs.
Hunting and Diet: Anacondas are carnivores (meat-eaters). They mostly hunt at night (they are
nocturnal). Anacondas kill by constricting (squeezing) the prey until it can no longer breathe.
Sometimes they drown the prey. Like all snakes, they swallow the prey whole, head first. The
anaconda's top and bottom jaws are attached to each other with stretchy ligaments, which let the
snake swallow animals wider than itself. Snakes don't chew their food, they digest it with very
strong acids in the snake's stomach. Anacondas eat pigs, deer, caiman (a type of crocodilian),
birds, fish, rodents (like the capybara and agouti), and other animals. After eating a large animal,
the anaconda needs no food for a long time, and rests for weeks. The young (called neonates) can
care for themselves soon after birth; they can already hunt but are pretty much defenseless
against large predators. They eat small rodents (like rats and mice), baby birds, frogs and small
fish.
Classifcation: Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Reptilia, Order Squamata (lizards
and snakes), Suborder Serpentes, Family Boidae (constrictors), Genus Eunectes, Species
murinus.
Anteaters are solitary mammals that live in grasslands, savannas (plains with grasses and some
trees), and open tropical forests in South and Central America. Anteaters are good swimmers and
tree climbers.
Anatomy: The anteater has a long, tubular snout, a tiny mouth and a very long, thin tongue.
Anteaters walk on their knuckles; they have long, hook-like claws that do not retract, but curve
under the paws when the anteater walks. These claws are used to dig for food and for selfdefense.
Anteaters range in size from just 6 ounces (170 g) up to 86 pounds (39 kg). The biggest is the
giant anteater, which is 7 feet (2 m) long including its long tail.
Senses: Anteaters have terrible eyesight but a keen sense of smell.
Diet: Anteaters are insectivores (insect-eaters). They mostly eat ants and termites but will also
eat other insects. They catch insects using their long tongue, flicking the tongue in and out up to
160 times each minute.
Jaguars are wild cats that live in rain forests, swamps, deserts, and shrubby areas from South
and Central America. These solitary felines often have dens in caves. Jaguars are territorial.
They are very good swimmers. Jaguars are an endangered species due to loss of habitat and
over-hunting by man.
Anatomy: These graceful cats grow to be about 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8 m) long; the tail is 2-3 feet
(0.6-0.9 m) long. Jaguars are bigger than leopards, and their dark markings are arranged in a
rosette of 4 or 5 spots placed around a central lighter-colored spot.
Diet: These large cats are carnivores (meat-eaters). They hunt mammals, reptiles, birds, and
eggs, including capybaras, peccaries, tapirs, turtles, and alligators. They often bury their prey
after killing it, in order to eat it later. They hunt mostly at night; they are nocturnal.
Howler MonkeyGenus
Alouatta
The Howler Monkey is the loudest
monkey and the loudest land
animal. The only animal that is
louder than the Howler Monkey is
the Blue Whale. The Howler's call
can be heard up to three miles (4.8
km) away.
The Howler is the largest New
World monkey (monkeys from
South, North, and Central America).
These social primates live high in
the trees (the canopy) of the rain
forests of southern Brazil, northern
Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia.
Howlers have a life span of about 20
years. These monkeys are in decline
due to a loss of habitat.
Anatomy: Adult male Howlers are
black to brown; females and the
young are lighter in color. Howlers
grow to be about 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to
1.2 m) tall and weigh from 8 to 22
pounds (3.5 to 10 kg). They have a
long tail, a short snout, and wide-set,
round nostrils. Adults females
usually have one baby at a time.
Diet: Howlers eat mostly leaves, but occasionally supplement their diet with fruit and maggots.
Predators: Large birds of prey (like the harpy eagle) prey upon the howler monkey.