Animals Archives - Page 3 of 3

Our Neighbors the Coyotes

February 10, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 3 Comments

Have you ever taken a second out of your life to think about coyotes? Well, Oliver Martinez certainly has. This week, Oliver explains the history of coyotes, along with riveting tales of local encounters with them. – Levi Kassinove, Editor

By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent

In my three years of being in this school, I’ve heard many stories of students and even teachers seeing coyotes on campus. This made me wonder how coyotes even got to campus, or even how they got to the desert.

Photo Source desertridgelifestyle.com

Where do coyotes originate?

The coyotes have been native to North America for 1 million years. Currently they are still found in North America, from Southern Panama, to Northern Mexico, through the United States and Canada. (nationalgeographic.com)

How coyotes got to the desert

Coyotes are native to the desert. They might migrate to the east, but they originate from western America. According to the National Park Service, Coyotes attempted migration from the west of the United States to other places, but they are still native to the west. Coyotes can live just about anywhere, but they prefer open areas. This is why coyotes are found frequently in the deserts of California. (urbancoyoteresearch.com)

Experiences with Coyotes

I went and asked people about their experiences with coyotes. Tal, an eighth grader, told me his story. He woke up in the middle of the night to a coyote howling outside; he heard it making noises as if it were struggling. Creeped out, Tal went to sleep.

Another story comes from Ms. Zachik. Ms. Zachik was walking with her dog in a wash on a path, when she found herself having a staredown with a coyote. She quickly grabbed her dog and walked off and around the path to avoid the coyote.

If you happen to see a coyote, Dr. James Danoff-Burg, Conservation Director at the Living Desert, says, “Most of the time when you see a coyote out in the wild if you make yourself big by waving or yelling they’ll run away. If they don’t run away you are probably near the den.” The most likely time you’ll see coyotes will be at dawn or dusk. (kesq.com)

Coyotes are interesting creatures. A reason to like coyotes is because they maintain a balance in the ecosystem by being the top carnivores. Says Dr. Danoff-Burg, “Coyotes . . . help control the rodent population and even eat insects, including cockroaches.” Coyotes help maintain healthy ecosystems.

Why Bunnies Make the Best Pets

January 19, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

When people think of pets, they usually think of dogs and cats primarily. But what about bunnies? Bunnies are such an overlooked pet, and Jesse is here to tell you why they actually make great companions. Jesse Denyer tells us about her quarantine-inspired love for bunnies. This is a bunny-soft story. She might convince you to get a bunny, too! – Editor Abigail Horwitt

By Jesse Denyer, Bunny Enthusiast

Over quarantine I found myself feeling rather lonesome. My parents and I all worked in separate rooms of the house and would only see each other on random outings to the refrigerator. My dogs would roam the house and the yard all day long, but I feel as though my dogs were almost as bored as we were. I decided to start looking into smaller pets. I looked into hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles, basically all the animals you can get at PetSmart for $10. I stumbled upon rabbits as an idea but quickly dismissed them as they just seemed like “too much work.” A few days later, I was scrolling through Instagram and happened upon a lady who breeds Holland Lop rabbits. As I began to scroll, the cuteness of her baby bunnies was undeniable, and I decided that any animal was going to be a lot of work. I should invest in a pet bunny. I got my bunny Clover in July of 2020, and now, having had him for two years, these are some of the reasons why I think bunnies make the best pets.

First and foremost, and probably the biggest fear I had with keeping a small pet like that in my room, I feared his cage would smell. However, it is quite the opposite. Believe it or not, rabbits can be litter box trained. When he was a baby, I introduced the box to him, and he began using it in no time. Rabbits are very clean animals and do not like their space being dirty. So emptying his litter box once a day is super easy and keeps his cage perfectly scentless.

Second, they make almost no noise. Physically, the only sound I’ve ever heard my rabbit make is when he sneezes, which is a really cute squeaking noise. Besides that, the only noise my rabbit makes is when he bangs around the cage when he is scared, which only happens once in a blue moon. Besides that, they are completely silent.

Lastly, they are just so fun! They are unlike any other animal in their mannerisms and behaviors, and I find constant joy in seeing what my rabbit comes up with next. He is always happy and loves nothing more than to hop up on my bed and take a nap with me. He loves hopping all over the house, and he even goes for walks in my yard on a leash! He is so funny to watch.

Bunnies are perfect for people of all ages as they are easy to take care of, prove to be of little to no inconvenience at all, and are always happy and easy to handle. Getting my rabbit over quarantine and getting to raise him from a baby is one of the best things I have ever done, and I highly recommend everyone consider a bunny next time they want a new pet.

Clover the Bunny, Licensed Anxiety Animal

Indonesia: The Largest Archipelago in the World

January 18, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Sienna Price, World Traveler

In the United States, we are very familiar with household pets like cats, dogs, and even hamsters. Writer Sienna Price introduces us to some amazing and exotic animals from the islands of Indonesia. – Luke Sonderman

For those who do not know, an archipelago is simply a group of islands. Indonesia has the largest archipelago in the world which brings a variety of wildlife. This week we travel, via thebirdonfire.org, to the animals and ecosystems of Indonesia.

The Komodo Dragon

The komodo dragon is the largest lizard in the world measuring at three meters long! You can call them a lizard; however, many people refer to them as one of the dinosaur’s relatives. The komodo dragon’s conservation status is vulnerable which means they are endangered. Though the komodo dragon is the most dominant predator in its natural environment, their numbers are decreasing. The komodo dragon is threatened by the impact of climate change. It’s estimated that in the next 45 years the rising sea levels will reduce more than 30% of their habitat (theconversation.com). The komodo dragon has thrived in this harsh climate of Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands for millions of years (Al’s Pets & Supplies). One skill that has helped is the komodo dragon can swim! Yes, the komodo dragons love to swim, and they have been spotted swimming off the shores of their five islands on which they reside.

Sumatran Orangutan

The sumatran orangutan is only found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. With just over 13,000 sumatran orangutans left in the wild, they are in critical danger of extinction (sumatranorangutan.org).

They are extremely endangered because of the deforestation and poaching trade happening on the island. Derived from the Malay words of “Person of the forest,” the sumatran orangutan barely comes down to the floor of the rainforest. The sumatran orangutan lifespan is 30 to 40 years, and their weight is 66 to 198 pounds. Fruit makes up 60% of the sumatran orangutan’s diet. Their diet also includes lychees, mangosteens, mangos, figs, young leaves and shoots, insects, soil, tree bark, occasionally eggs, and small vertebrates (worldwildlife.org).

Pygmy Tarsier

The pygmy tarsier is a nocturnal primate found in central Sulawesi, Indonesia (wikipedia.org). Its head and body length measures just four inches long, and it weighs less than 58 grams (basically 14 times the weight of a piece of paper*). The pygmy tarsier was believed to have become extinct in the early 20th century. Then, in the year 2000, Indonesian scientists accidentally killed one while trapping rats! (wikipedia.org) They live in the montane cloud forests in the central Sulawesi Mountains at altitudes from 1800 to 2200 meters. They often inhabit the lower canopy among trunks and the forest floor (animalia.bio). The pygmy tarsiers are insectivorous and eat primarily arthropods (animaldiversity.org). The pygmy tarsier’s population is decreasing quickly due to deforestation.

As you can see, Indonesia is packed full of interesting and unique animals, some of which are very rare and endangered. It is important to be aware of the issues that are affecting their natural habitat and how they live. If one of the animals I talked about today goes extinct, it could cause a major chain reaction on how other animal species live and could impact their, and thus our, ecosystems greatly.

*themeasureofthings.com