Saturday, May 1, 2010

May-Super Spider Monkey



No wonder spider monkeys are so popular, they are cute, fluffy, and seemingly cuddly. Though, sadly that is why they are endangered. They are illegal trading company's that will do anything for money.Their habitat is also disappearing at a fast rate. They have been depending on the tallest trees to live, and those are steadily being cut down.Now you might be wondering why they have the odd name of "Spider Monkey". Well, it really isn't that complicated, when they hang suspended by their tails, they look like a spider. Personally I do not think it even resembles that, but you can take a look for yourself.


Spider Monkeys are most commonly found in the Rain Forests in Mexico, South America, along the coasts and the banks of the Amazon, Bolivia, Brazil and The Andes. They prefer to live up in the canopy, which brings up to their diet.
Not surprisingly, Spider monkeys are herbivores. They eat mostly fruit and seed, with a side of young leaves and the occasional honey. Spider Monkeys tend to eat while hanging upside down from their tail. Spider Monkeys never take food to another location to be eaten. The lead female is often seen determining the food route for the group of monkeys, but if food is scarce, they will split up into groups. The largest groups of Monkeys, up to 100, are found in large trees full of fruit.
Males mark their territories and anyone who happens to take a mere step in will be welcomed by screaming, yelling ,and the throwing of branches and... poop.
Spider Monkeys have a 20% chance of becoming extinct in the next 20 years . Luckily there are now places in the rain forests that are protected and fit, so the Spider Monkeys that choose to live there can live the longest life possible.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

April-The Majestic Manatee



These large animals were thought to be related to the walrus because of the way they look.Today, by using Genetics, scientists found that the manatee is more closely related to the elephant than any other living animal. Manatees are very heavy and large animals, weighing up to 2000 pounds. Like the whale, there large bodies can only be supported in the water. On the land, there own weight would crush there internal organs. Manatees are the only marine mammals that are herbivores. They eat and average of 100 pounds of water plants! That is equal to more than 200 heads of Lettuce!!!!
Manatees are well suited to there aquatic life. They have powerful front limbs that help them steer and a flipper in the back that propels them forward. They can move along at 3 to 5 miles per hour, but when they are frightened, they can move more quickly. Like all Mammals, the Manatee have to breathe. They do this every 3 to 5 minutes when they are active. Manatees can only breath through their nose, and they have a flap that closes tightly when they dive.
At Birth, Manatees can weigh up to 70 pounds and are 50 inches long. They can grow to be 70 years old and more then 3 metres long.
When the Manatee comes to the surface to breathe, the disaster strikes. The boats coming towards them at high speeds, have no way of stopping in time and the propeller hits the Manatee and leaves its mark. Sad, huh??!!
Now we have places where boating is forbidden and the manatees can live without worrying if they will be the next victim to a propeller attack.