recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Ermine

Ermine, (*Mustela erminea*), also called stoat, short-tailed weasel, or Bonaparte weasel, northern weaselspecies in the genus *Mustela*, family Mustelidae. The species is called *ermine* especially during its winterw hite colou phase. The animal’s pelt was used historically in royal robes in Europe, and the term *ermine*a lso

refers to the animal’s white coat, sold in the fur trade.

Widely distributed across northern North America and Eurasia, ermines are most abundant in thickets, woodlands, and semi-timbered areas. More than 35 subspecies are known. These slender, agile, voracious mammals measure 13 to 29 cm (5 to 12 inches) in head and body length, have a tail length of 5 to 12 cm (2 to 4.7 inches), and weigh less than 0.3 kg (0.7 pounds). Females are smaller than males, and members of northern populations are smaller than their southern counterparts .Ermines feed on small mammals, birds, eggs, frogs, and occasional invertebrates. Small prey is seized at the base of the skull, larger prey by the throat. The litter contains 3 to 13 young, born after a gestation prolonged as much as 10 months because of delayed implantation in the wall of the uterus.

In summer the ermine is brown, with a whitish throat, chest, and belly. In colder climates, the winter coat is white, except for the black tail tip. In moderately cold climates the fur becomes only partly white.

The winter-taken pelts, prized for fineness and pure color, are among the most valuable of commercial furs and are obtained mainly in northern Eurasia. During the reign of Edward III (1327–77) of England, the wearing of ermine was restricted to members of the royal family. Thereafter, state robes were constructed in such a way that in many cases the rank and position of the wearer could be determined by the presence or absence or disposition of the black spots.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified the ermine as a species of least concern. Although ermines face significant hunting and trapping pressure in small parts of their range, they are abundant animals whose global population faces no significant threat.
Bobcat

Bobcats are elusive and nocturnal, so they are rarely spotted by humans. Although they are seldom see

## Feline

### Food

Baby Deer, Rabbits, Birds, Mice and Squirrels

### Life Span

10 to 12 years

n, they roam throughout much of North America and adapt well to such diverse habitats as forests, swamps, deserts, and even suburban areas.

Bobcats, sometimes called wildcats, are roughly twice as big as the average housecat. They have long legs, large paws, and tufted ears similar to those of their larger relative, the Canada lynx. Most bobcats are brown or brownish red with a white underbelly and short, black-tipped tail. The cat is named for its tail, which appears to be cut or “bobbed.”Fierce hunters, bobcats can kill prey much bigger than themselves, but usually eat rabbits, birds, mice, squirrels, and other smaller game. The bobcat hunts by stealth, but delivers a deathblow with a leaping pounce that can cover 10 feet.

Bobcats are solitary animals. Females choose a secluded den to raise a litter of one to six young kittens, which will remain with their mother for 9 to 12 months. During this time they will learn to hunt before setting out on their own.

In some areas, bobcats are still trapped for their soft, spotted fur. North American populations are believed to be quite large, with perhaps as many as one million cats in the United States alone.
Defenders of Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife is a 501c non-profit conservation organization based in the United States. Its mission is to protect all native animals and plants throughout North America in their natural communities.

Defenders of Wildlife is a major national conservation organization dedicated to conserving wildlife, protecting wildlife habitat and safeguarding biodiversity. Founded in 1947, Defenders of Wildlife was originally called Defenders of Fur Bearers, with its primary mission to preserve wild animals. Although its mission has broadened to include wildlife habitat and biodiversity, protecting wild animals--especially large carnivores--remains a central part of its mission.

The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with field offices located in Alaska, California, the Northwest, the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains, the Southeast and the Southwest.

The current president and CEO is Jamie Rappaport Clark, who has been with Defenders since 2004 and took on her current role in 2011. Clark holds a B.S. in wildlife biology from Towson University and a M.S. in wildlife ecology from the University of Maryland. Prior to her time at Defenders, she worked more than 20 years in conservation positions for the federal government, including serving as director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She is recognized as a leading national expert on the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and under her leadership at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she secured the passage of the landmark National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997.

Defenders' aim is to conserve the full range of vulnerable North American biodiversity, from plants and pollinators to predators. The organization operates from the premise that in order for diverse wildlife populations in North America to be secure and thriving, they must be sustained by a transnational network of healthy lands and waters, including public and private lands, rivers and coastal waters, core natural areas and working landscapes.[2]

These goals are sought through grassroots efforts at the state and local level; developing programs that protect and restore key species and habitats; working with state, national and international policy makers to secure laws and policies that protect animals and their habitats; and, by taking a leading role in establishing legal safeguards for native wildlife and fighting efforts in the courts to roll back environmental protections.
Sea Wolf

Sea wolves are a unique breed of wolf found in the Great Bear Rainforest along the Pacific Coast of Canada. Swimming between islands like fish, they are genetically distinct from their inland cousins, or from wolves in any other part of the world.  British Columbia has a relatively low human population where sea wolves enjoy an isolated wilderness - an area of 21-million acres, often described as a "bastion of biodiversity". There are 25 native species of conifers and grizzly bears, black bears and spirit bears living together. In the water, whales, sea lions, seals, seabirds and salmon make the sea extraordinarily richer than anywhere else along the coast.For thousands of years, wolves have lived in peace. They had a unique relationship with the coastal First Nations peoples, for whom the wolf was considered as a revered animal treated with admiration and respect.

However, they're being threatened on all sides by hunting, trapping and industry. Road building and clear cut logging have appeared to be harmful to wolves, not only destroying the forests they live in but making it easier for hunters to gain access to coast wolves.

The Northern Gateway Pipelines project is a new threat. Huge oil tankers will transport oil in this pristine region with the potential for devastating consequences. If an oil tanker ran aground, spilling its content or sinking, it will have long-term harmful impacts on the environment similar as the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska. Chris Darimont from the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, developed the Rainforest Wolf Project in order to show these wolves as fragile symbols and gain scientific understanding about coastal wolves called "Canada's newest marine mammal".

In the early 2000s, devoted nature photographer and conservationist Ian McAllister, and Canadian wolf biologist Paul Paquet started to conduct research about these coast mainland wolves eating salmon from the wild grey Pacific Ocean. They discovered a remarkable fact that locals already knew: 25 percent of the wolves' diet was made of fish. Most extraordinary is the coastal wolves' swimming ability, often swimming across miles between islands.
Stegosaurus

***Stegosaurus (steg·o·saur·us)*** (pronounced ˌstɛgəˈsɔrəs) is a genus of stegosaurid armoured dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period (late Kimmeridgian to Early Tithonian) in what is now western North America. In 2006, a specimen of *Stegosaurus* was announced from Portugal, showing that they were present in Europe as well.[1] Due to its distinctive tail spikes and plates, *Stegosaurus* is one of the most recognizable dinosaurs, along with ***Tyrannosaurus*,** ***Triceratops*, and *Apatosaurus*.** The name *Stegosaurus* means "roof-lizard" and is derived from the Greek ***stegos/στέγος-***, ("roof") and ***sauros/σαῦρος***, ("lizard").[2] At least three species have been identified in the upper Morrison Formation and are known from the remains of about 80 individuals. They lived some 150 to 145 million years ago, in an environment and time dominated by the giant sauropods *Diplodocus*, *Camarasaurus*, and *Apatosaurus*. A large, heavily built, herbivorous quadruped, *Stegosaurus* had a distinctive and unusual posture, with a heavily arched back, short forelimbs, head held low to the ground and a stiffened tail held high in the air. Its array of plates and spikes has been the subject of much speculation. The spi

kes were most likely used for defense, while the plates have also been proposed as a defensive mechanism, as well as having display and thermoregulatory (heat control) functions. *Stegosaurus* was the largest of all the stegosaurians (bigger than genera such as *Kentrosaurus* and *Huayangosaurus*) and, although roughly bus-sized, it nonetheless shared many anatomical features (including the tail spines and recognizable plates) with the other stegosaurian genera.

Stegosaurus BodyStegosaurus Head and BeakStegosaurus PlatesStegosaurus Thagomizer
Salmon Shark

The Salmon Shark occurs in the eastern and western North Pacific and its population appears to be stable and at relatively high levels of abundance. Currently there is no directed fishery in the Northeast Pacific, apart from a small sport fishery for the species in Alaska. Bycatch in the Northeast and Eastern Central Pacific appears to be at low levels and is not increasing at this point-in-time. Additionally, with the current ban on commercial fishing in Alaska state waters and fairly conservative sport fishing limits, it appears that the population is stable. By catch in the Eastern and Western Central Pacific has been significantly reduced since the elimination of the drift gillnet fishery and the population appears to have rebounded to its former levels. In addition, the most recent demographic analysis supports the contention that salmon shark populations in the Northeast and Northwest Pacific are stable at this time and it is assessed as Least Concern. After spending the summer in the northern part of their range, the salmon shark migrates south to breed. In the western North Pacific they migrate to Japanese waters whereas in the eastern North Pacific, the salmon shark breeds off the coast of Oregon and California. Males mature at 5 years of age and females at 8-10 years. Salmon sharks breed in late summer to early autumn. The internal developmental period in salmon sharks last 9 months. Developing embryos will consume unfertilized eggs in the womb. The female give birth to live young. Once the sharks are born, they are completely independent, and they have to fend for themselves As an apex predator, the salmon shark feeds on salmon, squid, sablefish, herring, walleye pollock, and a variety of other fish. They have been seen taking other prey including sea otters and marine birds. In 1998, Alaskan salmon sharks consumed twelve to twenty-five percent of the total annual run of Pacific salmon in Prince William Sound. Salmon sharks are highly migratory, with segregation by size and sex, and with larger sharks ranging more northerly than young. Migration for the salmon shark is ultimately dependent on the concentration of the available prey species. Adult salmon sharks migrate alone or in loose groups of 30 to 40 individuals, following schools of Pacific salmon — including Sockeye (*Oncorhynchus nerka*), Pink (*Oncorhynchus gorbusha*), Chum (*Oncorhynchus keta*), and Coho (*Oncorhynchus kisutch*) — as they swim along the great arcs of current flowing off the coasts of northern Japan and the Kamchatka peninsula, the Aleutian Island chain, Alaska and British Columbia. There is an annual north-south movement of salmon sharks in both the eastern and western Pacific. Many salmon sharks feed in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Alaska, in particular Prince William Sound, home to Pacific salmon spawning grounds. Some of these sharks rapidly migrate southeast towards the west coast of Canada and the US; however, some remain in Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska during winter months despite the colder temperatures.

###
Little Brown Bat

The Little Brown Bat is a species that is well known.

It is very small with an overall body size that is from 2.5 inches to 4 inches. They also weigh no more than half an ounce. The span of their wings when outstretched can be up to 11 inches. They are brown in color and they have ears which are short and round. The Little Brown Bat is typically found living around swamplands. They have been found living in Alaska. They are also well known in areas of Georgia and Arkansas. The largest recorded number of them in the United States happens to be in New Hampshire. The only states where they aren’t known to live include Texas, Florida, and Mexico. This is strange to experts though since those are humid regions and these bats certainly do live the humid areas.

The Little Brown Bat is the one that people are the most familiar with. There are more of them in the United States and Canada than of other species combined of bats. Those that live in colder regions including Alaska take part in hibernating during the winter. This can take up six months per year, so they aren’t always seen in the high numbers that are really out there. The swampy habitat for the Little Brown Bat offers them access to plenty of insects. They also have access to water for drinking. Wasps and moths are the majority of their diet in such an environment. They can consume up to half of their body weight each night when it comes to their eating habits.

Most of the time the Little Brown Bat will consume its meals while in flight. They have very sharp molars. They have canines that are shaped in a manner that allows them to hold onto their prey while they are in flight. They will also use the tip of their wing to capture food.

They are known to eat insects off of the fur of other types of animals too. Humans observing such behavior often mistake these actions. They assume the bats are biting those animals but that isn’t the case. The use of echolocation allows them to easily find their prey in the dark.

When a Little Brown Bat doesn’t find enough food to eat on a given day, it will have to slow its body rate while sleeping during the day. This process allows it to conserve energy. Otherwise, it may become too weak to be able to fly about and look for food the next night. Usually, though they have no trouble finding enough food each night. The female Little Brown Bat is ready to mate from 7 to 9 months of age. The males mature later when they are about 1 year old. Even though mating occurs in the fall, the females are able to delay the fertilization of the sperm and the egg. She won’t allow that to occur until springtime.

The young are born in either late June or early July. Typically only one young is born at a time. They grow very fast, consuming the milk from their mother’s body. They can’t fly at birth so they are vulnerable. They hold onto her midsection and hang there. By the time they are a month old though they are already self-sufficient members of the colony.

Bat chasing a moth
Baird's Tapir

The **Baird's tapir** (*Tapirus bairdii*), also known as the **Central American tapir**, is a species of tapir native to Mexico, Central America, and northwestern South America. It is the largest of the three species of tapir native to the Americas, as well as the largest native land mammal in both Central and South America. The Baird's tapir is named for the American naturalist Spencer Fullerton Baird, who traveled to Mexico in 1843 and observed the animals. However, the species was first documented by another American naturalist, W. T. White.

Like the other American tapirs (the mountain tapir and the South American tapir), the Baird's tapir is commonly called *danta* by people in all areas. In the regions around Oaxaca and Veracruz, it is referred to as the *anteburro*. Panamanians, and Colombians call it *macho de monte*, and in Belize, where the Baird's tapir is the national animal, it is known as the **mountain cow**.

In Mexico, it is called *tzemen* in Tzeltal; in Lacandon, it is called *cash-i-tzimin*, meaning "jungle horse" and in Tojolab'al it is called *niguanchan*, meaning "big animal". In Panama, the Kunas people call the Baird's tapir *moli* in their colloquial language (Tule kaya), *oloalikinyalilele*, *oloswikinyaliler,* or *oloalikinyappi* in their political language (Sakla kaya), and *ekwirmakka* or *ekwilamakkatola* in their spiritual language (Suar mimmi kaya).
Red Wolf

The red wolf is one of the world’s most endangered wolves. Once common throughout the Eastern and South Central United States, red wolf populations were decimated by the early 20th century as a result of intensive predator control programs and the degradation and alteration of the species’ habitat. When the red wolf was designated endangered in 1967, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service initiated efforts to conserve and recover the species. Today, about 40 red wolves roam their native habitats in eastern North Carolina as a non-essential, experimental population (NEP), and more than 200 red wolves are maintained in captive breeding facilities throughout the United States. The red wolf (*Canis rufus*) is a native North American canid intermediate in size between the coyote (*Canis latrans*) and gray wolf (*Canis lupus*). Red wolves are mostly brown and buff colored with some black along their backs, often with a reddish color on their ears, head, and legs. Adult red wolves range in weight from about 45 to 80 pounds. Red wolves have wide heads with broad muzzles, tall pointed ears and long, slender legs with large feet. Red wolves stand about 26 inches at their shoulder and are about 4 feet long from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. The last red wolves were found in coastal prairie and marsh habitat because this was the last area in which the animals were allowed to remain. Any habitat area in the Southeastern United States of sufficient size, which provides adequate food, water, and cover, should be a suitable habitat for the red wolf. Telemetry studies indicate that red wolf home range requirements vary from about 25 to 50 square miles. Although the exact diet of red wolves varies depending on available prey, it usually consists of a combination of white-tailed deer, raccoons and smaller mammals such as rabbits, rodents and nutria. The red wolf is an opportunistic feeder and can travel up to 20 miles a day or more to find food, which can be consumed at a rate of two to five pounds daily. Red wolves are social animals that live in close-knit packs. Typical packs consist of five to eight animals, including a breeding adult pair and their offspring of different years. Older offspring will often assist the breeding pair in pup rearing. Almost all offspring between one and two years of age will leave the pack or “disperse” to form their own pack.

Red wolves tend to form pair-bonds for life and mate once a year in February. Pups are typically born in April or May in well-hidden dens that may be located in hollow trees, stream banks and sand knolls. Dens have also been found in holes dug in the ground near downed logs or forest debris piles. Fewer than half of wolf pups born in the wild survive to adulthood. Survival rates are affected by disease, malnutrition and predation.

Wolf packs have specific territories that they actively defend against other canids, including other wolves. Most active at dusk and dawn, red wolves are elusive and generally avoid humans and human activity.

Red Wolves PlayingRed Wolf with PuppiesRed Wolf Pouncing on a Rodent
American Shad

American shad is an anadromous species indigenous to the western Atlantic Ocean and the east coast of Canada and the United States. American shad are broadcast spawners and spawn multiple times. As adults, they inhabit the Atlantic Ocean and then migrate into the east coast rivers of Canada and the United States to spawn.

Adult American shad enter to rivers to spawn as early as November in Florida and as late as May or June in northern waters depending on water temperatures. The peak spawning temperatures for American shad is 18.5 degrees Celsius (65.3 degrees Fahrenheit). Spawning normally occurs at sundown and continues until after midnight.

Spawning behavior includes a pairing of the male and female fish, which is followed by the pair swimming close together and releasing their eggs and milt simultaneously. Adult American shad normally descend from these tributaries shortly after spawning.

After hatching, the young American shad will descend from their natal streams in the fall. Juvenile American shad, upon reaching lengths of 20 to 30 mm will begin to form schools for their downstream migration.The American shad is a Federal Trust fish, meaning that the Federal government has some responsibility for its restoring them. The American shad is protected under the Anadromous Fish Conservation Act and restoration efforts are underway from Maine to Virginia. The restoration of American shad in eastern Atlantic rivers is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, other Federal agencies, State fish and wildlife Agencies located within the watershed, non-governmental organizations and the fishing industry. Management practices facilitating this restoration process include conservation stocking and habitat restoration, especially as well as the removal of stream and river barriers and the building fish of passage facilities.
American Golden Plover

The American Golden-Plover is a conspicuous breeding bird on the tundras of North America. The species nests from Baffin Island, Canada to western Alaska. The breeding grounds converge with those of the very similar Pacific Golden-Plover (*Pluvialis fulva*) in the Bering Strait region, with the Pacific Golden-Plover being common on both sides of the Bering Strait, and the American Golden-Plover being rare in extreme eastern Siberia. Migratory movements between their North American breeding grounds and overwintering areas in South America include lengthy nonstop transoceanic flights coupled with transcontinental pathways. Overwintering occurs primarily on the pampas of Argentina and the campos of Uruguay. Many individuals defend small feeding territories on the overwintering grounds.

There is strong male-biased fidelity to specific breeding territories over successive seasons. Territories are large (10–50 ha) and defined by aerial displays and vocalizations of males and defended by both members of the pair (especially the male) against conspecifics, congeners, and other intruders. Nests are shallow scrapes lined with lichens, and clutches typically contain 4 eggs. Both sexes incubate and care for the young.
Golden Eagle

This powerful eagle is North America's largest bird of prey and the national bird of Mexico. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their heads and necks. They are extremely swift, and can dive upon their quarry at speeds of more than 150 miles per hour. Golden eagles use their speed and sharp talons to snatch up rabbits, marmots, and ground squirrels. They also eat carrion, reptiles, birds, fish, and smaller fare such as large insects. They have even been known to attack full grown deer. Ranchers once killed many of these birds for fear that they would prey on their livestock, but studies showed that the animal's impact was minimal. Today, golden eagles are protected by law. Golden eagle pairs maintain territories that may be as large as 60 square miles. They are monogamous and may remain with their mate for several years or possibly for life. Golden eagles nest in high places including cliffs, trees, or human structures such as telephone poles. They build huge nests to which they may return for several breeding years. Females lay from one to four eggs, and both parents incubate them for 40 to 45 days. Typically, one or two young survive to fledge in about three months. These majestic birds range from Mexico through much of western North America as far north as Alaska; they also appear in the east but are uncommon. Golden eagles are also found in Asia, northern Africa, and Europe.

Some golden eagles migrate, but others do not—depending on the conditions of their geographic location. Alaskan and Canadian eagles typically fly south in the fall, for example, while birds that live in the western continental U.S. tend to remain in their ranges year-round.

Golden Eagle With ChicksGolden Eagle With Deer KillGolden Eagle Flying
Star Nosed Mole

The Star-nosed mole is a native of eastern North America (the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada). Its range goes from the Atlantic Ocean westwards to North Dakota and Manitoba and south to Virginia and Ohio. It also occurs on the Atlantic coast southwards to Georgia and throughout the Appalachian Mountains. This species is found in a range of habitats that have moist soil. These animals prefer areas with poor drainages, such as coniferous and deciduous forests, wet meadows, clearings, marshes, and peatlands. They will also inhabit stream banks, lakes and ponds, and will venture into them for food. Although preferring wet areas, these moles have been seen in dry meadows up to 400 m from water. Star-nosed moles are diurnal animals and are active throughout the year. They prefer wet areas and they tunnel through swampy areas, digging systems of shallow tunnels underground, as well as deeper ones. Nests are built on a raised area that is drier. This species is semi-aquatic and sometimes their tunnels open directly into the water. They can swim well and will dive for several seconds, sometimes remaining underwater for over 30 seconds. During winter Star-nosed moles hunt more in water because the wet ground is likely to be frozen, and they will even swim under the ice. If they come above the ground searching for food it is usually at night. Little is known about how they communicate with each other. Young Star-nosed moles produce high-pitched noises and adults make wheezing sounds. The Star-nosed mole appears to be serially monogamous, with pairs remaining together for one breeding season. Males and females seem to pair up in autumn and stay together for the duration of the mating season, which is March and April. Gestation is for about 45 days, with young being born in late April until mid-June. A female produces one litter per year of 2 to 7 young, with 5 being a typical litter size. The young are hairless at birth, are about 49 mm in length and weigh about 1.5 g. Their eyes, ears and star are functional after around 2 weeks. They are independent when they are 30 days old and sexually mature at 10 months.
Arctic Hare

### Range

tundra of Canada from Newfoundland and Labrador to the Northwest Territories. Also found on Greenland an other arctic islands.

### Life Span

3-5 Years

The arctic hare lives in the harsh environment of the North American tundra. These hares do not hibernate, but survive the dangerous cold with a number of behavioral and physiological adaptations. They sport thick fur and enjoy a low surface area to volume ratio that conserves body heat, most evident in their shortened ears. These hares sometimes dig shelters in snow and huddle together to share warmth. Hares are a bit larger than rabbits, and they typically have taller hind legs and longer ears. Like other hares and rabbits, arctic hares are fast and can bound at speeds of up to 40 miles an hour. In winter, they sport a brilliant white coat that provides excellent camouflage in the land of ice and snow. In spring, the hare's colors change to blue-gray in approximation of local rocks and vegetation. Arctic hares are sometimes loners but they can also be found in groups of dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of individuals. Unlike many mammals, arctic hare groups disperse rather than form during mating season. Animals pair off and define mating territories, though a male may take more than one female partner. Females give birth to one litter per year, in spring or early summer. Two to eight young hares grow quickly and by September resemble their parents. They will be ready to breed the following year. Food can be scarce in the Arctic, but the hares survive by eating woody plants, mosses, and lichens which they may dig through the snow to find in winter. In other seasons they eat buds, berries, leaves, roots, and bark.

Traditionally, the arctic hare has been important to Native Americans. These fairly plentiful animals are hunted as a food resource and for their fur, which is used to make clothing.
Javelina

### Food

agave, mesquite beans, and prickly pear, as well as roots, tubers, and other green vegetation. small rodents and reptiles

### Range

southwest Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, southward through Mexico and Central America and into northern Argentina.

Javelina (pronounced have-a-LEEN-a) is the common name for the collared peccary. Peccaries are included in the Order Artiodactyla (even toed ungulates), where you will also find pigs, hippopotamuses, camels, llamas, mouse deer, deer, giraffes, pronghorn, antelopes, sheep, goats, and cattle.

While peccaries resemble pigs, they are not pigs. Instead, they are part of the Tayassuidae family, while pigs belong to the family Suidae. Many physical characteristics distinguish the two families of animals. Peccaries have small ears and their tails are not easily seen from a distance. Pigs have upright ears and long, hairy tails. Peccaries have three toes on the hind food; pigs have four. Canine teeth (tusks) in peccaries are straight, while they’re curved in pigs (like wart hogs). Another interesting difference is that pigs give birth to large litters of helpless young, while peccaries generally give birth to twins, who are up and running with the herd shortly after birth. The collared peccary (Pecari tajacu or Tayassu tajacu), our javelina, is found in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and south into Argentina. They can weigh 40 to 60 lbs. and stand about 20” tall. Their coats are thick and bristly with salt-and-pepper coloring and a lighter band of hair around the neck and shoulders (which resembles a collar).

Javelina will eat shrubs, grass, mesquite beans, cacti and various roots and tubers. The availability of food will often determine a herd’s location. Javelina have poor eyesight, but a good sense of smell. The scent gland on their back near the rump has a strong musky smell. Many people have said they can smell a herd of javelina before they see them. Members of a herd will rub cheek to hip (a javelina handshake!) to share this scent among the herd members. These individual scents, when combined, form a sort of herd perfume which they use to identify members of the herd. If you don’t smell like family, you’re not welcome in their territory. When they smell danger, javelina will freeze, let off that musky odor, and clack their tusks in warning. They may charge, but more likely, due to their poor eyesight, they’re simply scattering in all directions in an attempt to escape.
Burrowing Owl

The Burrowing Owl is one of the smallest owls found in North America. They are also spread all across the South American continent. They are a ground-dwelling species and live in burrows made by prairie dogs, ground squirrels, armadillos, skunks, or tortoises. Unlike most other owl species, these owls are active both during the day and at night, mostly searching for their prey. These owls usually feast upon insects during daytime and hunt down small mammals in the dark. The male and the female owls practically have no sexual dimorphism. Both look the same by size and body-color, except that, the females tend to be heavier, and the males have longer linear measurements. Also, the females mostly look brighter than the males, since they spend most of the time inside their burrows, away from the sun.
Wild America (Show)

***Wild America*** is a documentary television series that focuses on the wild animals and wild lands of North America. By the mid-1970s, Marty Stouffer had put together several full-length documentaries that were licensed as prime time network television specials. At that time, he approached the programming managers at Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) about a half-hour-long wildlife series, the first to focus exclusively upon the flora and fauna of North America. PBS signed for the rights to broadcast Marty Stouffer's series *Wild America* in 1981. The series went on to become one of the most popular aired by PBS, renowned for its unflinching portrayal of nature, as well as its extensive use of film techniques such as slow motion and close-ups. Stouffer earned as much as $250,000 per show from PBS.

The show's production ran from 1982 to 1994. The series is no longer on PBS; reruns still air in syndication on commercial television through much of the United States. In 1997, Warner Bros. released a full-length feature film of the same name, which was based on the biographical story of Marty Stouffer and his brothers, Mark and Marshall. The show Is now Distributed by Storrs Media and Teleco Productions for Syndication.
Vampire Bat

This nocturnal, flying mammal feeds exclusively on the blood of other animals. To eat the blood, the vampire bat is equipped with sharp incisor teeth that are used to nip a small piece of flesh. An anticoagulant in the vampire bat's saliva allows the blood to flow continually instead of clotting.

### Species

Bats

The bat then laps the blood that flows from the wound with its grooved tongue. Vampire bats do not suck the blood from their prey. Each night, a vampire bat needs about two tablespoons of blood (20 grams), and cannot go for more than two nights without food. At one time, wild animals comprised most of the vampire bat's diet. With the increase in man and their cattle, this bat now feeds mainly on domestic animals, such as cows, pigs, and horses. Some researchers believe that the vampire bat was a rarer species prior to the spread of the cattle industry. Due to their unique blood-feeding characteristic and the fact that they can spread many diseases, vampire bats have been widely regarded as pests and greatly feared. Various methods have been used to control the vampire bat populations, including the burning out of caves and hollow trees, and shooting and poisoning them. Unfortunately, these methods often kill many other beneficial and necessary species, such as fruit bats, nectar-eating bats, and insectivorous bats, all of which are extremely important to us. Vampire bats are not all bad, though. Research is being done on enzymes in vampire bat's saliva, and it is being used to develop a blood clot dissolving drug called Draculin. This drug may eventually help save the lives of stroke victims. Out of nearly 1,000 species of bats worldwide, there are only 3 species of vampire bats: the common vampire bat, the hairy-legged vampire bat and the white-winged vampire bat. The common vampire bat, which is exhibited at Zoo America, ranges from northern Mexico, south to central Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. Its body is 2 inches long, weighs 1 oz., and has a wingspan of about 8 inches. Vampire bats are primarily colony roosters, in caves and trees, and are considered to be altruistic in their care of one another. They will groom each other and will share regurgitated food with a roost mate who was not as fortunate in their nightly forage for food.
A Wolf Called Storm

Cameraman Jeff Turner spends a year in Canada's frozen north following Storm, an extraordinary wolf whose pack was first featured in Frozen Planet. Jeff follows Storm's pack as they hunt the giant buffalo herds that roam the area and learns how they survive in this harsh wilderness - and whether Storm can pass his hunting skills on to the new generation of wolf cubs.
Masked Shrew

The masked shrew has an arched brow and a rounded forehead. The upper parts are an ashy to cinnamon color in summer, darker brown in winter. The lower portions of the body are a lighter shade of the dorsal color. The relatively long tail is brown above and a paler buff below, the tip darker. The total length of an average-sized adult is 101 mm (4.0 in) which includes a tail about 41 mm (1.6 in) long. Adults weigh 3-6.5 g (0.11-0.23 oz.). The masked shrew is intermediate in size between the smaller, more slender pygmy shrew and the larger, stockier smoky shrew. The masked shrew has the largest range of any North American shrew and occurs throughout Alaska, Canada, the northern third of the U.S., as well as portions of the Great Basin, Rockies, and the Appalachians. This shrew is found in all terrestrial habitats, natural or disturbed, from the lowest to highest elevations in the Adirondack Park, but is most abundant in cool, moist places within mixed forests, bogs, and swamp edges. The nest, made of plant fibers and 7.6-12.7 cm (3-5 in) in diameter, may be in decaying logs, stumps, the burrows of other mammals, or in the 19 mm (0.75 in) diameter tunnels the masked shrew digs in loose soil.

Insects comprise 65% of the diet, which also includes centipedes, spiders, earthworms, and carrion. Occasionally, masked shrews kill and consume small animals such as salamanders and nestling birds. Small, soft seeds may form part of the winter diet. A masked shrew requires large quantities of food each day, and one kept in captivity ate 3.3 times its own body weight in a 24 hour period. Merriam (p. 174) described three captive shrews kept in one cage, “....Almost immediately they commenced fighting, and in a few minutes one was slaughtered and eaten by the other two. Before night one of these killed and ate its only surviving companion, and its abdomen was much distended by the meal. Hence in less than 8 hours one of these tiny little beasts had attacked, overcome, and ravenously consumed two of its own species, each as large and heavy itself!” Starvation, brought on by insect populations diminished by autumn cold spells, may explain the dead masked shrews seen along woodland trails at this time of the year.
Cyborg - LB3

## Overview

**Cyborg**, also known as Victor Stone, is a superhero who is half man and half machine. His body was destroyed in a tragic accident, but he was saved through experimental technology; most of his body parts have been replaced with cybernetic ones, which grant him access to a large arsenal of high-tech gadgets and weaponry, while also providing life support. Stone struggles with his humanity as a machine, although his enhancements have made him incredibly powerful.

## Level Appearance

* Space suits you, Sir!
* Space Station Infestation
* The Big Grapple
* The Lantern Menace
* Big Trouble in Little Gotham
* Power of Love
* A Blue Hope
* Jailhouse Nok

## Abilities

* Projectile
* Beam
* Laser
* Grapple
* Tech

## Unlocking

Cyborg is unlocked after finishing Space suits you, Sir!

## Suits

* Demolition Suit
* Sonar Suit
* Space Suit
* Stealth Suit
* Magnet Suit
* Giant Suit
* Electricity Suit
Snow Goose

Snow geese are known for their white plumage, but many of them are actually darker, gray-brown birds known as blue geese. These birds were once thought to be two separate species, but they have recently been found to be merely two different color morphs of the same bird. A single gene controls the color difference, Snow geese are harbingers of the changing seasons. They fly south for the winter in huge, honking flocks that may appear as a "V" formation or simply as a large "snowstorm" of white birds. They spend the colder seasons in southern coastal marshes, bays, wet grasslands, and fields. Their diet is entirely vegetarian, consisting of grasses and grains, grazed from damp soils or even shallow water. At winter's end, snow geese fly north to their breeding grounds on the Arctic tundra. Pairs mate for life, and produce two to six eggs each year in a shallow ground nest. Chicks can swim and eat on their own within 24 hours, but families remain together through the young's first winter. Families can be identified as groups during both the southern and northern migrations. In 1916, snow geese had become so rare in the eastern United States that hunting of the species was banned. Since that time, the birds have made a remarkable comeback. Today, though hunting has been reinstated, populations are thriving. In fact, the birds have become so numerous in places that they threaten to destroy their own habitat.
Lythronax

First discovered‭ ‬in‭ ‬2009‭ ‬and officially named in November‭ ‬2013,‭ ‬stratigraphical analysis of the *Lythronax* holotype remains has led to them being estimated as being deposited around‭ ‬80.6‭ ‬to‭ ‬79.9‭ ‬million years ago.‭ ‬This makes *Lythronax* one of the oldest tyrannosaurids known in North America,‭ ‬and at least‭ ‬2‭ ‬million years older than *Teratophoneus* which is also known from the Kaiparowits Formation but from an estimated date of‭ ‬77‭ ‬to‭ ‬76‭ ‬million years ago.

      A key feature of *Lythronax* that is instantly visible from looking at the skull is the rostrum that is comparatively short when compared to those of the majority of other tyrannosaurid genera.‭ *‬Lythronax* however is not unique in having a proportionately short rostrum in that two other tyrannosaurid genera known from what is now the south western United States,‭ *‬Bistahieversor* and *Teratophoneus*,‭ ‬are also known to have had rostrums that were proportionately shorter than those of tyrannosaurids living in the northern United States and Asia.‭

      These three genera may yet contribute to a growing pattern of shorter snouted tyrannosaurs‭ ‬living in the South West of the United States developing shorter rostrum either to meet differing ecological conditions,‭ ‬or perhaps even as a result of their populations being isolated from those in the north,‭ ‬resulting in differing traits being established between the northern and southern tyrannosaurs of the United States.‭ ‬Another possibility however is that the short snouts of these genera may be primitive forms that had disappeared in more developed
Pacific White- Sided Dolphin

Pacific white-sided dolphins, known for the distinct coloring that give them their name, are a playful and highly social marine mammal. They are also sometimes known as the “hookfin porpoise” because of their large, curved dorsal fin, though they are not technically porpoises.

In the United States, Pacific white-sided dolphins live off the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. They can be seen travelling in schools of thousands, but group sizes are usually between 10 and 100 animals. These extremely playful dolphins are often seen “bow riding” (swimming near the front part of a ship) and jumping, somersaulting, or even spinning in the air.

Pacific white-sided dolphins in the United States are not endangered or threatened, but they are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. A primary threat to Pacific white-sided dolphins is entanglement in fishing gear, such as gillnets and trawls.

NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to the conservation and protection of Pacific white-sided dolphins. We are working to help conserve this species through collaborative management, integrated science, partnerships, and outreach.
Alligator Snapping Turtle

### Range

as far north as Iowa in the Mississippi River drainage, west into eastern Texas, and east into southern Georgia and the Florida panhandle.

### Life Span

20 to 70 years

The prehistoric-looking alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America and among the largest in the world. With its spiked shell, beaklike jaws, and thick, scaled tail, this species is often referred to as the "dinosaur of the turtle world." Found almost exclusively in the rivers, canals, and lakes of the southeastern United States, alligator snappers can live to be 50 to 100 years old. Males average 26 inches in shell length and weigh about 175 pounds, although they have been known to exceed 220 pounds. The much smaller females top out at around 50 pounds. Alligator snappers spend most of their lives in water, the exception being when females trudge about 160 feet inland to nest. They can stay submerged for 40 to 50 minutes before surfacing for air.

The alligator snapper employs a unique natural lure in its hunting technique. Its tongue sports a bright-red, worm-shaped piece of flesh that, when displayed by a motionless turtle on a river bottom, draws curious fish or frogs close enough to be snatched. Adult snappers have no natural predators other than humans, who capture them for their meat and shells, and to sell in the exotic animal trade. A severe reduction in population due to unregulated harvesting and habitat loss has led states to protect them throughout most of their range, and they are listed as a threatened species.
Castroides

*Castoroides* is another example of how back in the Pleistocene animals were just bigger than they were today.‭ ‬Also known as the‭ ‘‬giant beaver‭’‬,‭ *‬Castoroides* is not just the largest beaver that we currently know about,‭ ‬but it is the largest rodent known to have ever lived on the North American continent.‭ ‬At the time of writing the only rodents known to have been bigger than *Castoroides* are *Phoberomys* and *Josephoartigasia* from South America.

      Unfortunately no clear irrefutable evidence exists that proves that *Castoroides* built dams like modern beavers.‭ ‬Structures that might represent the prehistoric remains of such structures can also be explained away as other things such as flood deposits or naturally occurring accretions.‭ ‬Available evidence actually supports the theory that *Castoroides* did not build dams given that their incisors were not as well suited to cutting into wood as modern beavers have.‭ However related genera do seem to have built lodges, which by association might indicate that *‬Castoroides* too also built lodges.

      The extinction of *Castoroides* has for a long time been shrouded in mystery.‭ ‬While the disappearance of much of the North American Megafauna has been attributed to such factors as extreme glaciations,‭ ‬climate change,‭ ‬super volcanic eruptions,‭ ‬asteroid strikes,‭ ‬human hunting and combinations of all the above,‭ *‬Castoroides* populations are actually known to have been in decline before this mass extinction took place.‭ ‬This has meant that the exact cause for the extinction of *Castoroides* has been unknown for almost two hundred years,‭ ‬but there may now be one idea which might go some way to explaining things.‭ ‬A‭ ‬2011‭ ‬paper by J.‭ ‬T.‭ ‬Faith detailed how nitrogen levels in the soil were declining at the time that *Castoroides* numbers were also declining.

      Reduced levels of nitrogen in the soil cause a reduction in growth and nutritional quality of plants that require high nutrient levels.‭ ‬Herbivorous animals that rely upon such plants end up having to eat even greater amounts of them to maintain there population,‭ ‬but this results in even less nitrogen going back into the soil as leaf litter.‭ ‬This further reduces the crop of nitrogen rich plants the following year,‭ ‬which means even more had to be eaten,‭ ‬and again this made the problem much worse again the following year,‭ ‬and so on and on again until the ecosystem collapses and is unable to support the presence of such herbivorous.‭ ‬It *Castoroides* preferred eating plants that required high levels of nitrogen,‭ ‬then they would over successive seasons and generations slowly deplete available food plant supplies.‭ ‬Thus,‭ ‬unable to adapt to eating different plants,‭ *‬Castoroides* may have ended up starving themselves into extinction.