…they have barbed pads on the soles of their feet that assist in holding on to those slippery fish.
Other common names for the osprey: Fish hawk. Sea hawk. River hawk.
(2/3)

…when I first saw osprey hunting, is that they have a reversible outer toe on each foot that allows them to grasp with two toes in front and two behind. And get this…
(2/3)

However, when said out loud, it sounds close to the English word ”white” and apparently that name stuck.
(3/3)

But, they look more gray than white… what’s up with that? Well get this, it is widely believed that their name comes from the Dutch-based Afrikaans word “wyd” (sometime spelled “weit”) and it translates to wide, referring to the wide mouth. (2/3)

second picture in black & white… Well, it seems the tiger is in fact well camouflaged.
(3/3)

green and orange, but in the twilight hours and at night, we lack the ability to distinguish between colors. Many species lack the ability to see the full range of colors, even during the day. Looking at the first picture in color, then the…
(2/3)

…sway while slowly walking, looking more like a twig moving the breeze than an insect walking. Brilliant!

…get to know them. Now, to be clear, I am no entomologist, but I do find stick insects fascinating! These herbivores not only look like sticks thanks to their perfect camouflage, but some species will…

…thermoregulation. After a day of basking in the sun, the boney plates retain heat, staying warm after sunset. Much like a rock that has been in the sun all day stays warm.

These are made of boney plates under the skin, called osteoderms. (osteo-“ Greek word for bone and “-derm” Greek word for skin.) Osteoderms not only act like armor to protect the alligator, but they also help with…⤵️

…of wildcat is the ancestral species of the domestic cat. 

(BTW - Shelter pets are the best pets. There are thousands of domestic dogs and cats just waiting for their forever family to come adopt them. I hope, if you are looking for a new furry friend, you will go visit your local shelter.)

…shelter and of course it stuck, because it is purrfect!

Fun Fact: Studies show us that the DNA of today’s domestic cats is almost identical to that of the African-Asiatic Wildcat, aka. Felis silvestris lybica (3rd pic). Under current scientific practices that means that this specie…

To hold their breath for long periods of time so they can swim underwater into the tidal zones of the ocean. Why would they do this? To feast on algae in an otherwise food sparse environment. And don’t even get me started on how they “sneeze” the excess salt out of their system.
(2/2)

However, different flamingo species process and metabolize the beta-carotene differently and this influences the coloration of their feathers.
(2/2)

the students, it ended up it was for me too.
Seeing this presentation through their eyes, & answering their questions, reminded me that we must support the next generation. Want to make a difference in the world? Then we need to acknowledge our responsibly to those who will be here once we are gone.