Critter Science
The Science of Animals
The pink fairy armadillo, aka pichiciego, is native to the grasslands, sandy plains, and sand dunes of central Argentina. Of all the armadillos, these are the smallest. These diminutive critters are the only armadillo species whose dorsal shell is totally separate from its body. It is connected to
The armadillo is a small, barrel-shaped critter covered in a suit of fleshy armor. Its name means “little armored one”, in Spanish. Their body armor provides protection against most would-be predators. Unfortunately, their armor doesn’t protect them against vehicles. They are also sadly known as
The American kestrel is the smallest falcon species in North America and the 2nd smallest falcon in the world. They can be found from Alaska all the way down to South America and from the east to the west coast. Their beautiful plumage makes them fairly easy to spot and their call is
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 tailless whip scorpion, aka the whip spider, looks a little like a cornucopia of different types of arachnids. With long, skinny legs they look like a spider, but nope. It’s not a spider. Its first pair of legs end in antennae that are used to help it see and locate prey, as they can’t
First off, the electric eel is a misnomer as they aren’t actually eels at all, but rather a member of the knife fish family. Electric eels are one of 500 types of fish that are able to produce electrical currents. They live in shallow, muddy areas of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers
The marine iguana of the Galápagos Islands are so infamously unattractive, even Charles Darwin described them as “hideous-looking, clumsy lizards.” But what these relatively unattractive critters lack in looks they make up for with their incredible ecological adaptations. Everything from
Native to South America, the coypu, aka the nutria is now an invasive species, due to their rapid rate of reproduction and the fact that they were exported to Europe, Africa, Asia and North America for their luxurious fur. Well, some escaped and that was all she wrote! They can
The tamandua is often referred to as the lesser anteater because it is so much smaller than its relative, the giant anteater. Central and South American forest and scrub habitat are where these critters call home. There are 2 known species; the tetradactyla
The jabiru is the tallest flying bird in Central and South America. This large stork is mainly found in Central and South America but has been reported to be as far north as Texas and even Oklahoma. An odd name, yes. But it simply means “swollen neck” in the Tupi-Guarani language