Critter Science
The Science of Animals
The earwig… there’s more to them than you’ve heard. There are approximately 1,700 known species of earwigs in the world. You can find them lurking in dark and/or damp places, like under rocks and logs, to your bathroom and your basement. These critters have been around for over 200 million years, so they
Soft, furry, friendly (most of the time), quick, and deadly predators. The domestic cat is not only popular (the most popular pet in North America) but also a secretive hunter that has taken a huge toll on suburban wildlife. On the popular side, cat ownership outnumbers dog ownership by and large. There are 88 million known
The barn owl is not only the most widespread of any owl species, it’s the most widespread of any bird species. These beautiful raptors of the night exist on every continent, sans Antarctica. They aren’t a fan of overly cold winters, but they can handle a little chill. They aren’t equipped
Often thought of as dumb, dirty animals who spread diseases like rabies, the opossum is one very misunderstood North American animal. The fact of the matter is opossums are cleaner, more intelligent, and more beneficial to humans than many realize. Sure they aren’t going to win any
The northern spotted owl prefers to live in old growth evergreen forests and hails from British Columbia down to Mexico. Northern spotted owls are 1 of 3 known subspecies of spotted owls. The other 2 are the California spotted owl and the Mexican spotted owl. Spotted owls
Despite their namesake, the northern flying squirrel doesn’t actually fly, but rather glides from tree to tree. Bats are the only mammal known to actually fly. There are 43 known species of flying squirrels in the world, from North America, to Asia, to Europe. 90% of the world’s
The little brown bat can be found in the U.S. and Canada, from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts. There have also been documented instances in the forested areas of Mexico, at higher elevations. They typically live in forests, along rivers & lakes, but they also hide out in buildings and
This cute little mustelid that looks kind of like a stretched out kitten is actually a voracious and relentless predator known as the long-tailed weasel, aka nature’s psychopath. These little scrappers have no problems taking on foes much larger than themselves, making them a “super predator”
The mata mata turtle originates from South America’s Amazon and Orinoco basins. With many names to its credit, the mata mata, which translates to “kill, kill” in Spanish, has been renamed 14 times over the last 200 years, with the most recent naming being in 1992. They
When the satanic leaf-tailed gecko was first discovered in Madagascar, in 1888, George Albert Boulenger described these amazing geckos as “mythical”. The camouflage abilities of these critters is incredible and helps them stay out of the view of predators. Unfortunately,