Alligator King!

I went to the Texas Freshwater Fishery the other day in Athens. We saw lots of Texas creatures and actually got to fish. My brother, Sam and I actually caught a couple catfish in the pond. We used corn and stink-bait. We fed more fish than we caught. It was fun.

My favorite thing to see was the American Alligator. They live near my home. We saw a baby gator once when we were in a canoe at Caddo Lake. You have to be very careful and respect their homes or they will attack. Someday soon my family is going to go to the alligator farm in Louisiana for a closer look at these creatures. I also want to visit Florida to see their alligators (and manatees, and burrowing owls). I love these reptiles!

Armadillo

I want to teach facts about armadillos because some people don't have the right information about them.

Some people think that armadillos just live in Texas, but they live all over the Southern United States. These creatures are mainly nocturnal. They have given some people leprosy, but this is very rare. Armadillos have sharp claws that help them dig burrows and tear up the earth to find food. They like to dig in my mom's gardens and grass at night. They can roll up and use their hard shell as protection from predators. Armadillos are not bad creatures. People just don't understand them. Most people only see these interesting animals laying along the roadside.

My uncle Marc really likes armadillos. He saw an armadillo ghost once in my yard!

Awwwww!

This is a picture my grandpa sent to me today. It is really cute. I don't know how happy those puppies were though! This picture is just for fun. I will educate you about another animal later.

Chambered Nautilus

This mullosk, called the chambered nautilus, eats plankton. As it grows, the nautilus grows more chambers. This is an example of a living fossil. I became interested in learning about the chambered nautilus when my grandpa showed me a huge cephalopod fossil at my house. This also helped me learn about how fossils are formed. I have actually seen a live chambered nautilus at the Dallas Aquarium. It was cool!

Killer Crocodiles

I watched a show with my dad the other day about the killer crocodiles of Costa Rica. These baby crocodiles are in danger of being eaten by the blue crab. The babies are also hunted by the large birds of Costa Rica. The coati eats the crocodile's eggs. The few babies that survive grow up to be some of the most dangerous creatures in the world! Some great people try to save these baby crocodiles so that they will become adults.

Manatees

The manatee is a misunderstood species. Some people think that because of a manatee's size that it is dangerous, but it is actually only a harmless sea cow. The manatee eats mainly sea weed and other aquatic vegetation. This creature likes warm water and can be found along the coast several countries, and also the coast of Florida. This animal needs protection from motor boats and factories built along the coastline. Like many animals, the manatee needs its habitat preserved.

The following website contains many animals, and I really like the video of the manatee.

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Animals/CreatureFeature/West-indian-manatee

Pandas

Most people know about the Giant Panda, but there's another panda called the Red Panda. The two are related but don't look like each other. Pandas are actually closer related to the raccoon family than other bears. They live in China and they are very endangered. I saw some Giant Pandas at the San Diego Zoo last summer. They were eating bamboo with a crunch and a snap. I also saw a baby sleeping up in a tree. I am glad that the zoos are taking care of these endangered species!

For a fun panda game go to:

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Education/ConservationCentral/design/daph_broadband.htm

Grizzly Bears of Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park in Montana is an excellent place to find both black bears and grizzly bears. These animals must be protected from hunters and the destruction of their habitats!

This is a good website about bears:

www.bear.org/Grizzly/GB_Home.html

Matthew, the Animal Kid!

This is Matthew's first entry to his Animal Kid blog.
Matthew loves anything and everything animal-related. Matthew also feels strongly about saving the environment and protecting the habitats of all animals. This is a lot for a boy of six years old. Throughout future postings, Matthew will relate what his animal du jour is and hopefully share information others will find thought-provoking.