Migrating Humpback Whales swim in straight lines up to 2,000 km long

That kind of accuracy is pretty important for these globetrotting animals that swim thousands of kilometers every year to migrate. Researchers found out the secret of Humpback whale migration after following 16 of them on their epic journey. These impressive navigation skills have researchers thinking that Humpback whales use the sun as well as the magnetic field to keep them swimming straight.

humpback whale jumping

Horton, Travis, Richard N. Holdaway, Alexandre N. Zerbini, Nan Hauser, Claire Garrigue, Artur Andriolo and Philip J. Clapham. “Straight as an arrow: humpback whales swim constant course tracks during long-distance migrations” Biology Letters. 2011, 7(2).

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

Top Ten Oddest Looking Plants

If you decide to travel around the world, you will run into some pretty interesting plants. We have compiled a list some of the ones we think are the craziest looking.

#1 Dragon’s Blood Tree (Dracaena cinnabari)

Socotra Dragon Tree, Dracaena cinnabari, dragon's blood tree
Dragon’s Blood Tree Photo Credit: Boris Khvostichenko

Where I’m from: The Island of Socotra, off the coast of Yemen in the Indian Ocean.

Foliage facts: This relative of the palm tree has leaves that can grow 60 cm long and 3 cm wide. This plant gets its name from the dark resin that it makes. This ‘dragon’s blood’ has been used since ancient times for medicine and dyes.

http://www.arkive.org/dragons-blood-tree/dracaena-cinnabari/

#2 Grandidier’s Baobab (Adansonia grandidieri)

Grandidier’s Baobab. Adansonia grandidieri

Where I’m from: The Island of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa.

Foliage facts: The trunk of a Grandidier’s Baobab can grow up to 3 m across and 25 m tall. This tree gets its name from a 19th century French naturalist and explorer, Alfred Grandidier.
http://www.arkive.org/grandidiers-baobab/adansonia-grandidieri/#

#3 Banyan (Ficus benghalensis)

Banyan Tree, Ficus benghalensis
Where I’m from: Native to India and Pakistan

Foliage facts: Banyans are a type of strangling fig that grows on trees, eventually covering them completely. This fig has aerial roots (in the air) that can start new trunks and get as big as 200 m in diameter and 30 m tall.

http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Ficus-benghalensis.htm

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

#4 Talipot Palm (Corypha umbraculifera)

tailpot palm,

Where I’m from: Originally from India but it has been introduced to Sri Lanka.

Foliage facts: Talipot palms grow for 30-80 years patiently waiting then when they have enough energy they spring into action. The palm will grow a flowering stalk with a dull green fruit and over 20 million flowers that take about a year to mature then the plant will die.

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/38494/0

 
 
 
 

#5 Jackal Food (Hydnora Africana)

hydnora afticana, Jackal Food

Where I’m from: Southern Africa

Foliage facts: This plant makes a bright orange or red flower but don’t get too close because it lets off a gross odor that it uses to attract insects, which help with pollination. Everything but the flower of this plant grows underground where it connects to other plants and feeds off of them.

http://www.plantzafrica.com/planthij/hydnorafric.htm

#6 Welwitschia (Welwitschia mirabilis)

welwitschia mirabilis

Where I’m from: Native to Namibia and Southern Angola (Africa)

Foliage facts: This unique plant grows two leaves when it’s young, keeping them throughout its crazy long life, an estimated 400-1500 years! Welwitschia lay on the ground (they only ever reach 500 mm in height) and over time they get tattered and torn.

http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantwxyz/welwitschia.htm

#7 Black Bat Flower or Devil Flower (Tacca Chantrieri)

tacca chantrieri, Black Bat Flower

Where I’m from: South East Asia

Foliage facts: This plant produces around 25 flowers that are said to look like spooky bat wings. They also have heavy berries and long (25 cm) “whiskers” attached to the flowers that look like a forked tail.

http://books.google.ca/

 
 
 
 
 

#8 Sea Urchin or Baseball plant (Euphorbia obesa)

Baseball plant, sea urchin, Euphorbia obesa

Where I’m from: Southern Africa, especially South Africa

Foliage facts: The Sea urchin is very rare in its natural setting but every year thousands are grown to sell. Make sure you are careful if you ever run into one, they make a milky subsistence that is poisonous!

http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantefg/euphorbobesa.htm

 
 
 

#9 Indian Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

nelumbo nucifera peripitus.

Where I’m from: Warm-temperate to tropical regions of Asia and northeast Australia

Foliage facts: This lotus is a lot like a water lily, they both grow their roots in muddy shallow water with the leaves and flower floating on the surface. What makes the Indian lotus special is the thing in the centre that looks kinda like an ice-cream cone.

http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Nelumbo-nucifera.htm

#10 Velvet Bean (Mucuna pruriens)

Velvet Bean, Mucuna pruriens

Where I’m from: Originally from Southern Asia and Malaysia but it can now be found throughout the tropics

Foliage facts: This vine is a hearty grower reaching up to 6 m and over 10 m when it has things to climb. The Velvet bean also grows funky looking pods that are 10 to 12.5 cm in length, curved and covered with grey-white silky hair.

http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/data/pf000054.htm

 
 
 
 
Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

Elephants can make noises as loud as 103 decibels. That’s like hearing a jet fly overhead at 1000 feet!

Communication is important to these very social animals; it allows them to pass down information to younger generations and form strong bonds with one another. Since elephants don’t have the greatest vision they rely heavily on their other senses, like hearing. When elephants communicate they often use low frequency sounds, called infrasound, some of which is passed through the ground. Elephants are great at remembering calls and figuring out who’s doing the talking. These massive mammals can pick out when a sound is being made by a family member, some older females can even recognize the calls made by of over 100 different elephants!

http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/oct102005/1200.pdf

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

The flightless Brown Kiwi is New Zealand’s national bird

With spiky feathers that are brown with red streaks, Brown kiwis (Apteryx mantelli) are like the punk rock heroes of the bird world. They love to stay up late because they are nocturnal (nighttime loving) and have a crazy long bill with nostrils at the end.  If that isn’t enough, they produce one of the largest eggs in proportion to its size – their eggs are 15% of the female’s body weight!

tetuatahianui, male kiwi bird
Male Kiwi. Photo Credit: Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust

Despite all these cool things, the Brown kiwi is endangered. As much as 90% of their population having been lost since the start of the 20th century. Loss of habitat and the introduction of new predators have spelled trouble for this bird. But today lots of people are working hard to save the Brown kiwi by protecting their habitat.  You can help by sharing their story with friends and family, finding out more about biodiversity or protecting species at risk with your own Bring Back the Wild™ campaign.

http://www.eol.org/pages/130161

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

The sliver and gold shells of these beetles provide excellent camouflage in the forests of Costa Rica

Like shiny things? Well put aside your love for jewelry and check out these gold (Chrysina aurigans) and silver beetles (Chrysina limbata) whose shiny metallic shells come in handy for blending into tropical rainforests of Costa Rica.

chrysina aurigans, chrysina limbata, beetles, Costa Rica,
Chrysina aurigans, Chrysina limbata. Photo credit: Eduardo M Libby

Water droplets are everywhere in a tropical rainforest, reflecting light in all kinds of directions. This creates the perfect place for a shiny gold or silver beetle to blend in and appear as a flash of light, fooling potential predators. These beetles have a great disguise for the tropical rainforest, but they sure would stand out if they lived somewhere else. Can you imagine one of these guys trying to blend in on a field of grass! What helps you stay incognito in one environment might make you stand out in another, so what kind of camouflage would you use to blend into a city, park or your backyard? Green and brown splotches, black stripes or a shiny blue coat? Tell us your answer in the comments section below.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-04/osoa-bbr042511.php

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

Male Hooded seals attract females by inflating a sac above their nose

Male Hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) are inflatable! Well a sac above their nose is anyway. When this sac is blown up it covers their nose like a hood (that’s where they get their name from). This sac looks like a red balloon and it is quite an extravagant sight that males will use to attract females and possibly threaten other males. Can’t imagine what a seal would look like with a red balloon on its face? Check out this picture to see what we mean.

hooded seal cysophora cristata
Hooded Seal. Photo credit: Sea Mammal Research Unit

What’s the deal with the Hooded seal?

Hooded seals hangout around Bear Island, Norway, Iceland and northeast Greenland, this map shows just where these seals call home. Hooded seals usually spend time on their own but they come together for breeding and molting. They are able to dive as deep as 100m and dives have been recorded that lasted over 30 minutes! These amazing swimming skills come in handy when they are on the move following a yearly migration that keeps them close to drifting patches of ice. Hooded seals also have the shortest nursing period of any mammal, 5-12 days. In this short amount of time pups will double in size while the mom loses 7-10kg every day! Today Hooded seals that live in the northwest Atlantic have fairly stable populations but the northeastern Atlantic seals have seen their numbers drop by 85-90% over the last 40-60 years. To help out the Hooded seal learn more about how your actions have an impact on species that live in the North or start spreading the word about protecting animals and their habitats with your Bring Back the Wild Campaign.

http://www.eol.org/pages/328632

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/6204/0

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

Top Ten Weird Plant Names

Ever heard of a Sneezewort, or a Monkey Puzzle Tree? We’ve got a whole list of wonky plants and the inside scoop on where they got their funny names!

#1 Sneezewort Yarrow (Achillea ptarmica)

Sneezewort
Sneezewort

Also known as: Sneezeweed

I’m named this because… I was once used as a sneezing powder. Sneezeweed was dried up and used to get people to sneeze to clear out their sinuses!

Fun fact: This plant doesn’t just make people sneeze; it can also be eaten in salads or used as an insect repellent.

http://www.eol.org/pages/467230

#2 Hooded Skullcap (Scutellaria galericulata)

Hooded Skullcap
Hooded Skullcap. Photo Credit: Fornax

Also known as: Marsh Skullcap

I’m named this because… my flowers look like caps

Fun fact: The Hooded Skullcap is part of the mint family but it doesn’t taste like mint! One of its relatives is also famous, the plant, called mad-dog weed, was used in medieval times as a remedy for rabid-dog bites.

http://www.ontariowildflower.com/lakeedge.htm#skullcapmarsh
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/skullcap-000273.htm

#3 Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana)

Monkey Puzzle Tree
Monkey Puzzle Tree

Also known as: Chilean Pine

I’m named this because… an Englishman in the early 1800s said that the tree would be a puzzle for a monkey to climb, even though there are no monkeys where this tree grows!

Fun fact: These trees can live for many years; the oldest is over 800 years old! These trees can also grow as big as 150 feet tall with a trunk diameter of 7 feet.

http://faculty.ucc.edu/biology-ombrello/pow/monkey_puzzle_tree.htm

 
 
 
 

#4 Devil’s Walkingstick (Aralia spinosa)

Devils Walking Stick
Devils Walking StickPhoto Credit: Richard Chambers

Also known as: Angelica-Tree, Prickly Elder, Hercules Club

Fun fact: The stems of the shrub have long “prickles” and it is not uncommon to see them grow 15 cm long!

http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Aralia%20spinosa.pdf

#5 Turkey Corn (Dicentra eximia)

Turkey Corn plant
Turkey Corn. Photo Credit: Kurt Stuber

Also known as: Fringed Bleeding Heart

Fun fact: This is the most heat tolerant plant in the Dicentra family. It will continue to grow throughout the summer, as long as the soil does not dry out.

http://www.eol.org/pages/594616

 
 
 
 
 

#6 Kangaroo Paws (Anigozanthos flavidus)

Tall Kangaroo Paw plant
Tall Kangaroo Paw

I’m named this because… clusters of my flowers look like a paw.

Fun fact: In the wild Kangaroo Paws can only be found in South Western Australia.

http://www.anbg.gov.au/emblems/wa.emblem.html
http://anpsa.org.au/a-flav.html

# 7 Butter and Eggs (Linaria vulgaris)

Butter and Eggs plant
Butter and Eggs

Also known as: Yellow Toadflax, Brideweed

I’m named this because… my flower looks like an egg yolk

Fun fact: According to myth, Butter and Eggs was originally a yellow dragon that transformed, sadly it then choked on a fried egg.

http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/weedsbc/weed_desc/yel_toad.html
http://chestofbooks.com/flora-plants/flowers/Wild-Illinois/Butter-And-Eggs-Wild-Snapdragon-Toadflax.html

 
 
 
 
 
 

# 8 Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum tectorum)

Hen and Chicks plant
Hen and Chicks. Photo Credit: Kurt Stuber

Also known as: House Leeks

I’m named this because… I form in a large cluster (the hen) surrounded by smaller patches (the chicks)

Fun Fact: Hen and Chicks were originally planted on roofs as protection against lightning because they are linked to Thor and Zeus, the two mythical gods of lightning.

http://www.eol.org/pages/484887

 

#9 Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album)

Lambquarters
Lambquarters. Photo Credit: rasbak

Also known as: Fat Hen, White Goosefoot, Wild Spinach

I’m named this because… the word Lambsquarters comes from lammas quarter which is a harvest festival that was held on August 1st in 9th century England where this plant was eaten. The nickname goosefoot comes from the leaves that look like a goose’s foot.

Fun fact: This plant can produce 75,000 seeds and can grow in many soil types. Lambsquarters is also very healthy for you; it contains more vitamins and essential minerals than many vegetables, especially Lettuce, Spinach and Cabbage

http://communitygarden.org/rebeltomato/pdf/Science_Pages/lambsquarters_science_page.pdf

# 10 Cheeseweed Mallow (Malva parviflora)

Cheeseweed Forest
Cheeseweed Forest Photo Credit: Kim Starr

Also known as: Little Mallow

I’m named this because… the shape of my fruit looks like mini cheese rounds but they do not taste like cheese!

Fun fact: Stay away from this plant if you’re a chicken, poultry that eat this plant’s seeds or leaves may produce lower quality eggs.

John Kallas, Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods from Dirt to Plate. Gibbs Smith(publisher), Utah: 2010,Page 103 http://bit.ly/ezTEiJ

 
Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

Top Ten Strangest Animal Survival Strategies!

Ever wonder how small creatures like beetles and ants can stand up to bigger species? How about frogs and fish? Well take a look at this list of the top ten strangest animal survival strategies.

#1 Porcupinefish (from the family Diodontidae)

Puffer fish
Pufferfish
pufferfish
Pufferfish inflated
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Predators will have to think twice before messing with this big spiky fish. When the Porcupine or Pufferfish is feeling threatened, it can inflate its body using air and water, extending its sharp points out up to 5 cm (2’’).

http://www.seaworld.org

#2 Hairy Frog (Trichobatrachus robustus)

hairy frog
Hairy frog. Photo Credit: Gustavocarra

Watch out this animal uses a wolverine style attack! They will poke sharp bones through the skin on their toes and use their spiky feet to keep predators away.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080623125003.htm

#3 Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)

platypus
Platypus. Photo Credit: Stefan Kraft

The platypus is high-tech using electro-reception to find its prey. It swims with its head swinging side-to-side in order to sense any changes in the electric field to see where its food is hiding.
http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/webpages/bhan-53573t?open#Distributionandhabit

#4 Carpenter Ant (Camponotus saundersi)

carpenter ant
Carpenter ant. Photo Credit: Richard Bartz

When the worker ant is under attack and knows it’s going to lose, it explodes! It sucks in the walls of its abdomen so fast and with so much force that the walls burst open spilling out toxins.

Hölldobler, Bert and Edward O. Wilson. The Ants: Volume 2; Volume 514.  Harvard University Press, 1990: 243. Available online at Google books: http://bit.ly/iaNh6v

#5 Wood Frog (Rana Sylvatica)

wood frog
Wood frog. Photo Credit: Ontley

Meet the incredible self-freezing frog! In winter 35-45% of the frog’s body may freeze and turn to ice. The Wood frog pulls off this trick by storing glucose in its liver, which gets released while its  ‘playing dead’. The glucose acts as antifreeze, working to keep this little guy alive while staying still. As the temperature drops the Wood frog will stop moving and breathing, its blood stops flowing and even its heart stops! Once things warm up a bit the frog comes back to life (so-to-speak) and returns to normal.

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu

#6 Bombardier Beetle (Stenaptinus insignis)

bombardier beetle
Bombardier beetle. Photo Credit Patrich Coin

This beetle knows just how to keep enemies away hot liquid eek! The beetle collects chemicals in a special chamber then when it’s under attack it heats this liquid up and sprays it from the end of its abdomen.

http://www.pnas.org/content/96/17/9705.full

#7 Electric Eel (Electrophorus electricus)

electric el
Electric eel. Photo Credit: Steven G Johnson

The electric eel uses 2 types of electricity; the first kind is for electro location (figuring out what’s in the environment) the other is for keeping predators away. For electro location the eel uses a low voltage discharge (about 10 V and reaching about 25 Hz) but the eel soups-up its discharge to high voltage (about 500 V and reaching several hundred Hz) to keep predators away.

http://www.eol.org/pages/206595

#8 Archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix)

archerfish
Archerfish. Photo credit: Trisha Hears

This fish loves water fights, which can come in handy when it’s looking for a tasty insect to snack on. The Archerfish shoots down insects by spitting beads of water at them! This fish can spit water with such force that it can knock a bug off of a plant that’s up to 150 cm away.

http://www.eol.org/pages/339020

#9 African Termite (Marcrotermes bellicosus)

african termite mound
African Termite Mound

These termites build amazing homes that help them survive by keeping the temperature inside perfect, even if the world outside is too hot or cold. These mounds are so well designed that we have started to take a closer look at them to try and help us build better homes that don’t need as much energy to keep them the right temperature. Termite mounds can reach up to 9 meters high, are water resistant and use ventilation ducts too keep them at a constant 30 degrees Celsius.

http://www.biology-resources.com/termite-01.html

#10 Cantor’s Giant Softshell Turtle (Pelochelys cantorii)

cantors giant softshell turtle
Cantors Giant Softshell Turtle

Unlike most turtles this endangered species has a soft shell that is flexible. Its shell is made up of bones under its skin that gives it a protective plate. This turtle’s flat body helps it hide which is key for it to find food because this guy’s an ambush feeder! This turtle will lay in wait then jump into action with fast movements of its neck and head to grab some of the speediest and most agile prey, like a tasty fish.

http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Accounts/crm_5_011_cantorii_v1_2008.pdf

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

The Leaf Beetle has tiny hairs on its feet that allow it to have amazing climbing abilities

Some insects, lizards and spiders are amazing climbers, what gives them this super power? Well their incredible feet sure do help!
Dock beetle
The tiny hairs (called setae) on the leaf beetle’s feet come in three different shapes; pointed, flat and disk-like each arranged in patterns across the feet. Researchers at the University of Cambridge, England believe that it is this combination of hairs and the different amount of force that is needed to peel them off of things that lets the beetle stick so well. It is hoped that by looking more closely at how these different hairs are used we can develop better nature inspired adhesives or sticky things. It may still be awhile before you can buy beetle feet tape from the store but you can go check out other amazing nature inspired designs like Velcro.

http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=100100&CultureCode=en

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

Top Ten Ugliest Animal Babies

It is pretty amazing how adults and their babies can look so different from each other. Take a look at this list of top ten ugliest (but adorable) animal babies.

#1 Robin (Turdus migratorius)

robin chick
Robin Chick. Photo Credit: galawebdesign

Baby name: Chick

The numbers: Baby robins weigh about 5.5 g.

Fun fact: Chicks are fed by both parents and eat 35-40 meals a day!

Growing up: Baby robins leave the nest when they are 13 days old and become fully independent at 4 weeks.


http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=25

#2 Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

baby owl
Owlet

Baby name: Owlet

The numbers: Barn owls lay 2-18 eggs.

Fun fact: The father brings food for the whole family but only the mother feeds the babies.

Growing up: Owlets have their first flight 50-70 days after hatching but they will return to the nest. They will stay close to home until they are 7 to 8 weeks old.

http://www.eol.org/pages/914939

 
 
 
 

#3 Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

baby giant panda
Giant panda cubs. Photo Credit: Milgrammer Lucy Reynell Zurich, Switzerland

Baby name: Cub

The numbers: Giant panda cubs weigh 85 to 140 grams.

Fun fact: Mothers enjoy playing with their young. They have even been known to wakeup a sleeping infant so that they can play together.

Growing up: Cubs are born with their eyes closed, opening them after 3 weeks. By the time they are 3-4 months old cubs are able to move on their own but they stay with their mom for up to 18 months.

http://www.eol.org/pages/328070

#4 Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)

aardvark mom and baby
Aardvark cub with mom. Photo Credit Scotto Bear

Baby name: Cub

The numbers: A newborn weighs between 1.8 and 2 kg.

Fun fact: Normally only one aardvark is born at a time, but occasionally a mom will have twins.

Growing up: Baby aardvarks stay in the burrow for several weeks before heading out with mom for a nighttime food run. At 6 months the aardvark will dig its own burrow. Even though they have moved out the young cub will still stay close to mom for a few more years until they are ready to find a mate.

http://www.eol.org/pages/327830

#5 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

baby turkey vulture
Turkey vulture chick

Baby name: Chick

Fun fact: Turkey vultures will stake out a nesting site in a sheltered area like a hollow log or old building and they will use little or no nest for laying their eggs.

Growing up: The eggs hatch after 30-40 days and the young become independent after 80-90 days.

http://www.eol.org/pages/1049010

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

#6 Stump-Tailed Macaque (Macaca arctoides)

baby stump tailed macaque
Stump-tailed macaque infant

Baby name: Infant

The numbers: Females have babies every 2 years.

Fun fact: Baby Stump-tailed macaques live in groups with moms helping to care for each other’s young. Special attention is given to the infants of high-ranking moms. Young macaques also inherit this rank from their mothers, taking up their position in the group.

Growing up: Infants are weaned after 9 months and become independent at 1.5 years

http://www.eol.org/pages/323946

#7 Tapir (Perissodactyla tapiridae)

baby tapir
Tapir calf. Photo Credit: Frank Wouters

Baby name: Calf

Fun fact: Tapirs are born with striped markings but they disappear by the time they are 6 months old.

Growing up: Young tapirs are weaned after 10-12 months.

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Tapiridae.html

#8 Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)

Baby Warthog
Warthog piglet. Flickr credit: Mediatejack, jacky w

Baby name: Piglet

The numbers: There are usually 1-7 piglets in a litter.

Fun fact: Newborn warthogs cannot keep themselves warm instead they rely on mom and a comfy burrow to keep their body temperature just right.

Growing up: Piglets stay in the den for 6-7 weeks before heading out with mom.

http://www.eol.org/pages/328332

 
 
 
 
 
 

#9 Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)

baby walrus
Walrus calf. Photo credit: Max Smith

Baby name: Calf

The numbers: Baby walruses are 113 cm long and weigh around 63 kilograms.

Fun fact: Dads don’t stick around instead groups of mothers raise their young together. The calf (baby) and cow (mom) form a very strong bond.

Growing up: A calf is weaned after 2 years and is able to find a mate of its own after 5-7 years.

http://www.eol.org/pages/328627

 
 
 
 
 

#10 Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber)

baby flamingo
Flamingo Chick. Photo Credit: Steve, Washington DC

Baby name: Chick

The numbers: When they hatch flamingo babies weigh 85-102 grams.

Fun fact: Mating flamingos build their nests out of mud. The mound is twelve inches high and circular with a lower centre for the egg.

Growing up: The eggs hatch after 28-32 days and the chicks are ready to fly about 65-90 days later.

http://www.eol.org/pages/913221

 
 
 
 
Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.