Ecology Blueprints

Check out a recent event we hosted!Passport to Wildlife, hosted by Owl Brand Discovery Kits, greeted over a hundred families and 250 children at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium Zoo Boo on Saturday, October 15 in Tacoma, Washington.

*|MC:SUBJECT|* *|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*   Have you heard of the Hooded Vulture?   These vultures are part of the Accipitridae family and are an Old World vulture species.

*|MC:SUBJECT|* *|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|* Do you know the difference between horns and antlers?   Antlers: Are on animals like deer, moose, and elk – this is the Cervidae family1&2 Grow from the top, instead of the base2 Are shed every year, and grow the same way each year3 Are used to display dominance by males during breeding season3     Horns:  Are on animals like cows, goats, and sheep – this is the Bovinae family1&3 Are found on both males and females1 Grow from the base and are permanent1 Are covered in keratin1   Big antlers signal that a male is healthy because it takes a lot of energy to grow them.

Do you know what the rarest cat in the world is?  It’s the Amur Leopard!  They are considered to be critically endangered now and were originally listed as vulnerable in 1986.

What do you know about badgers?  There are 11 species of badger and they are divided into three different groups: Melinae, Mellivorinae, and Taxideinae.

You know that some animals are herbivores (they eat plants) or carnivores (they eat meat) or some are in the middle and are omnivores (they eat both plants and animals).

What do panthers, pumas, cougars, mountain lions, and catamounts have in common?.

One of the main characteristics that coyotes are known for is their adaptability. This has allowed them to find themselves in a variety of different environments, such as forests or cities, not just their usual habitat, like prairies.

American Minks are carnivores that live in aquatic environments.  Their dark brown fur (which has some white patches) is waterproof and they have webbed feet to help them navigate their habitats.

Have you ever considered what the criteria are for a bird to be a raptor? It can get pretty complicated. Mostly because A, some people usually use the term “raptor” interchangeably with the term “bird of prey”; B, because some people also only use “raptor” to discuss birds that are Falconiformes; and C, because scientists are still trying to figure out exactly what classifies a bird as a raptor.

What are canids? Canids are mammals that belong to the dog family. .

Bears use dens while hibernating during the wintertime. These dens are only used for this purpose and aren’t used year-round.