As part of our animal adaptation science unit, Beverly Critcher
from Wildlife Experience will bring wild animals
that are native to North America
to Mrs. Ranney's class for careful
scientific observation.
that are native to North America
to Mrs. Ranney's class for careful
scientific observation.
They are a non-profit wildlife education organization that brings native and exotic animals to schools and teaches children about the importance of our natural world.
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Our first visitor was an arachnid.
This arachnid, named Ocho, is a rose-haired tarantula,
which gets its name from its light pink fur.
One physical adaptation that it has is the hooks on its feet to help it climb.
Tarantula's are the biggest species of spiders in the world.
This is Ocho's last shed. When shedding, tarantula's lay upside down for two days!
A tarantula has eight eyes since it can't move its head to see in all directions.
In this photo, is a tarantula and its egg sac.
Tarantulas can lay up to 250 eggs at one time!
Baby tarantulas, called spiderlings, are born clear,
but as they grow and shed, they gain color.
Tarantulas are not poisonous, but this spider is!
If the black widow bites you, it can make you very sick or even cause death!
Black widow females have a red hourglass shape on their bellies as
warning coloration!
The most poisonous spider in California is the brown recluse, sometimes called the hobo spider because they like to travel by hiding in or on your clothing.
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Our second visitor was a reptile, a gopher snake. Because these snakes slither into gopher holes to cool off, they are called gopher snakes. They will eat baby gophers,
but the adult gophers are too large for their jaws!
The gopher snake has a pattern on its scales that resembles a rattlesnake's pattern. One behavioral adaptation of a gopher snake is that it shakes its tail against sand, so it sounds like a rattlesnake too.
This is a warning to possible predators to stay away!
Just like tarantulas, snakes shed. Here is the last molt from the gopher snake
that visited our class today!
If you look carefully, you can see its eye caps.
This molt is certainly not from the gopher snake! It is from a red-tail boa, which is native to the South American rain forest! This boa weighs 50 pounds!
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What did you learn from Beverly during her first Wildlife Experience visit to our class?
Have you done any additional research about these animals?
Do you have some fascinating facts to add?
Have you done any additional research about these animals?
Do you have some fascinating facts to add?
