Showing results by narrator "Tyler Meloy" in All Categories

Everything around us is made from the Earth. Some things are easily replaced, while others are not. Think about the food you have eaten or the energy it took to zoom to school on the bus. What natural resources have you used today, and are they easy to replace?

Trees give us yummy apples but also help us build houses. One of these is natural, the other man-made. Can you identify the natural resource? In this edition of the Compare and Contrast Book series, we investigate common items around us and how natural materials are made into tools, toys, and even electricity.

When one hears the word “panda” most people immediately think of the large, black and white “panda bears.” Yes, they are a type of bear. Did you know that red pandas are in an animal family of their own? While the two animals may not be related through animal classification, they share similar characteristics like a “thumb wrist” and a reliance on bamboo. Explore the similarities and differences between these mammals in this latest addition to the Compare and Contrast Series!

Seals and sea lions look very similar, and it’s sometimes difficult to tell them apart. Both marine mammals live in oceans all over the world. One has visible ear flaps, while the other has ears but no external flaps. One swooshes through the water using their back flippers, and the other uses their front flippers to swim through water. On land, one bounces along, and the other can “walk” on their hind flippers. Learn about the similarities and differences between these marine mammals in this latest addition to our Compare and Contrast Series!

What do crabs and lobsters have in common, and how are they different? While both animals live in the ocean, one prefers to swim and the other walks. One can be found in coastal tidepools and the other offshore. They both have skeletons on the outside of their bodies. There’s more to these animals than just being good food for us. Learn about these fascinating crustaceans in the latest addition to our Compare and Contrast Series.

Did you know that there are more insects than any other group of animals? The diversity of insects is staggering. What do ants have in common with bees? What’s the difference between a butterfly and a moth? How are ladybugs and weevils related? Some insects have a set of wings, some have two, but others might not have any. Some insects have a hard outer shell (exoskeleton). Learn how insects are alike and how they are different in this latest addition to the Compare and Contrast Series.

¿Sabías que hay más insectos que cualquier otro grupo de animales? La diversidad de insectos es asombrosa. ¿Qué tienen en común las hormigas con las abejas? ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre una mariposa y una polilla? ¿Cómo están relacionados los gorgojos y las mariquitas? Algunos insectos tienen un par de alas, otros tienen dos pares y hay algunos que no tienen alas. Algunos insectos, aunque no todos, tienen un caparazón duro y externo (exoesqueleto). Aprende en qué se parecen y diferencian los insectos en esta nueva entrega de la serie de Comparaciones y Contrastes.

Have you ever wondered what’s inside that “thing” on the plant? What about what lives in the hole in the tree or what lives inside that “pile of leaves or sticks?” Explore and learn what some of these natural history objects are in this latest book by Nature Photographer and Naturalist Mary Holland.

We prepare at home for natural disasters and weather emergencies. If high winds, floods, and snowstorms are heading our way, we can stay (ride it out) or leave (evacuate). But what happens when zoos, aquariums, or sanctuaries are in the storm’s path? How do zoo staff plan to protect the animals? Who can come to help them after the storm has passed?

Just like human families, animal families come in all shapes and sizes. Many fathers in the wild have unusual and unselfish roles in the rearing of their offspring. While some animal fathers may never meet or know their offspring, there are some that protect and shelter their children. Others feed or teach their young. Let’s learn more about each of these Wild Fathers and their important duties.

Like humans, dolphins learn through play, observation, and experimentation. Some learned behaviors are fun things to pass the time. In different parts of the world, dolphins have learned some fascinating hunting techniques that help them survive. Whether these learned behaviors are taught from generation to generation or learned by observation, those dolphins have unique hunting skills found only in those areas.

Marine mammals known as cetaceans are broken into two large groups: toothed whales (including dolphins and porpoises) and baleen whales. One group has a single blowhole to breathe air, the other has two. One group has tall dorsal fins to help maintain balance as they chase prey. The other scoops up water and prey in their large mouths as they swim slowly along—they don’t need large dorsal fins. One group uses echolocation, the other doesn’t. Learn more about what these animals have in common and how they are different in this latest installment of the Compare and Contrast Series.