Category: Animal Fridays
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Meet the fennec fox
It’s the middle of summer here in Boston, and it is getting hot! Unfortunately, I am not adapted to living in this hot weather. But you know who is? The cutest desert animal, the fennec fox. Fennec foxes (Vulpes zerda) get their name from the Arabic word for fox, fanak. They are found in the deserts…
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Meet the bald eagle
This past week was July 4th, the United States’ Independence Day. So, I thought it was an excellent time to take a closer look at the U.S.’s national bird: the bald eagle. Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are a type of sea eagle, large fish-eating eagles that live along the water. You typically find bald eagles…
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Meet the seahorse
Mothers usually get all the credit for raising their offspring, but there are some pretty amazing fathers out there, too! In honor of Father’s Day, let’s talk about one of the best animal fathers around: the seahorse. There are approximately 50 species of seahorses found in shallow, coastal waters worldwide. I personally associated seahorses with…
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Meet the Atlantic puffin
I had a very exciting weekend: I saw puffins! Some friends and I went to Booth Bay in Maine for a puffin cruise. After about an hour of sailing into the bay, we saw them: Atlantic puffins. And let me tell you, they were so cute! If you need further proof of a puffin’s cuteness,…
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Meet the lightning bug
Summer is coming. Next week (June 21) is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The summer solstice is traditionally considered a magical time when spirits and fairies find it easier to cross into our world. And although you probably won’t see any fairies in the next week or…
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Meet the Mary River turtle
It’s time for another turtle, but you may only have heard of it if you’re in the punk scene. This is the Mary River turtle, aka the punk turtle on the internet, because it grows a green algae mohawk in its Australian river home. Unfortunately, scientists don’t tend to call it ‘punk turtle’ and instead…
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Meet the giant anteater
It’s summer here in Boston, which means the dreaded return of ants. We’ve been getting ants in our house lately (although they seem to be gone after we set out some traps!). But you know what else can get rid of ants? Anteaters. Anteaters are animals in the order Pilosa, an order that includes sloths. There…
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Meet the lovebug
A few nights ago, I was talking with my partner and asked him what this week’s animal should be. I jokingly said, “Oh, why don’t I talk about lovebugs!” He said, “You totally should!” To which I replied, “Wait, lovebugs are a real thing??? I thought it was just a cute name for people who…
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Meet the common snapping turtle
We’re over halfway through May, and we all know what that means: it’s almost World Turtle Day! World Turtle Day is May 23, a day to celebrate and protect turtles and tortoises. And there isn’t a better way to celebrate than by learning more about one of the largest turtles we have in North America:…
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Meet the opossum
I’m going to Chicago this week for my sibling’s college graduation! I’m very excited. Now, cities typically aren’t the first place you think of when you think of thriving wildlife. But many critters have found ways to thrive in urban environments, and Chicago is no different. So, in honor of my sibling’s graduation, let’s talk…