Posts Tagged ‘animals’
Creatures & Critters: Rabbit Edition
Meet Bindi! Bindi is a mini rex rabbit. Mini rex rabbits are domesticated rabbits with a calm and friendly temperament. This means that they are bred to be pets. Mini rex rabbits only grow to be 4.5 pounds and they can be litter trained. Bindi is! The mini rex has a rounded back with short, Read More »
Read MoreCreatures & Critters: Toads Edition
Meet Al and Wally! Al and Wally are the Nature Center’s Great Plains Toads. The great plains toad is covered in red and yellow wart-looking spots that actually contain glands that secrete poison. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt if you touch them! The poisonous milky fluid makes them taste bad to predators, and it is Read More »
Read MoreCreatures & Critters: Snake Edition
Meet Rosie, Courtney, and Olive, the Nature Center’s three snakes! Rosie is a corn snake and Courtney is an albino corn snake. The corn snake is slender with a length of 24 to 72 inches. They are usually orange or brownish-yellow, with large black-edged red blotches down the middle of the back. On the belly Read More »
Read MoreCreatures & Critters: Hedgehog Edition
Meet Luna! Luna is our African Pygmy Hedgehog. They are native to Africa, Europe, and Asia, but not to Iowa. We got her from a breeder and she was born on October 24, 2019. A full grown hedgehog will grow to be between 6-11 inches long and weigh between 18025 ounces. A fun fact about Read More »
Read MoreCreatures & Critters: Turtle Edition
Meet Ada, Darling, and Teddy! Ada and Darling are red-eared sliders and Teddy is a ornate box turtle. The Nature Center is home to these three turtles. Red-eared sliders are brightly marked and their carapace looks like a bowl turned upside down. The shell of a red-eared slider is divided into “scutes.” They look like Read More »
Read MoreCreatures & Critters: Fish Edition
Meet Speedy! Speedy is the Nature Center’s bluegill. The bluegill is a species of freshwater fish that is sometimes referred to as a “brim,” “sunny,” or “copper nose.” It is native to North America and lives in streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds. Bluegill fish prefer lakes and slow-moving streams. Even though they are a freshwater Read More »
Read MoreWinter Mammals of Iowa: Southern Flying Squirrels
The Southern flying squirrel is Iowa’s smallest squirrel. Although they live statewide, it can be difficult to spot them. The flying squirrel is nocturnal so they will sleep during the day. Usually they will sleep in tree cavities which can make it difficult to spot them. They are typically solitary animals during the summer, however, Read More »
Read MoreEastern Meadowlark Bird Craft
Have you ever wanted your very own singing bird? Bird songs are so beautiful but with this craft, you only get the pretty bird. We can’t make him sing but it should be a fun craft for everyone to do. Supplies: Brown, yellow, black paper Scissors Glue stick Stapler Googly eyes Pencil Read More »
Read MoreHow Do Chickadees Survive Winter?
The Black-capped Chickadee is one of the most common birds in the northern half of North American meaning you have probably seen one or many in your backyard. Since these birds are so common, you might have noticed they’re still around eating from birdfeeders. But shouldn’t they be migrating by now? Most birds have migrated Read More »
Read MoreAnimal ambassador conservationists: Ding Darling
One of the Dickinson County Nature Center’s red-eared slider turtles is named Darling. Not because it’s a darling name — although it is — but because he is named after Iowa conservationist Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling. Jay Norwood Darling was born in 1876 in Norwood, MI, but he moved with his family to Sioux City Read More »
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