Animals

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world. There are nine similar subspecies of giraffe, which are distinguished by coat pattern and geographical location. Patterns and shades of dark patches on its coat help conceal the animal when it stands in the shade of trees. A giraffe will live in a group but won’t form permanent herds. Male giraffes, bulls, establish a pecking order by the ritual “necking”, the intertwining of necks to fight for dominance. Its long neck (having seven neck vertebrates like most mammals but elongated) is used for multiple purposes. A series of valves in the...

Grant and Chapman Zebra (E. b. boehmi) & (E. b. antiquorum)

The Grant (Boehm’s zebra) and the Chapman are two subspecies of the Plains Zebra. There is a distinctive stripe pattern in each species of zebra. Chapman zebras have dark brown stripes on a buff background that are less distinct on hindquarters and often alternate with pale brown shadow stripes. Grant zebras have bold stripes black on white, with wide bands separated by wide spaces. No two individual zebras are marked exactly alike. Male and female zebras look alike, although males have triangular upper canine teeth used in fighting. The plains zebra is a hoofed mammal related to the horse and...

Red Rat Snake or Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata)

The red rat snake, also known as the corn snake, is primarily nocturnal, often active in the early evening. The name corn snake originated from the similarity of its white and black checkered belly markings to the checkered patterns of kernels on Indian corn. It’s terrestrial and arboreal and on occasion will use its climbing skills to raid bird nests of young chicks. It will use trees, abandoned houses and barns to search for food. The corn snake is found in much of the south-central and southeastern United States and has many colors and patterns specific to certain geographic populations....

West African Crowned Crane (Balearica pavonina pavonina)

The west African crowned crane is a striking and colorful bird with golden feathers on top of its head that resemble a Roman helmet. It changes plumage once a year, except for the remiges, which are shed every two years simultaneously, preventing flight for a few weeks. Both male and female birds have similar plumage. The west African species has its red patch beneath the white patch on its cheek. The most distinct characteristic about the crane is its windpipe, which may be 5 feet long, half of which is coiled within its breastbone. The windpipe allows the crane to...

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