FaunUP THE WILDLIFE PUZZLE BOOK
All you need is your imagination and the touch of your hands to enter in the wildlife world.
REPTILES Animals with scaly skin that live on land or in water. They include lizards, crocodiles and snakes. Most lay eggs, but some give birth to live young.
THE GREAT RUNNER
Basilisk Lizard
The most unusual thing about the basilisk is that it can run on its two back legs. It can splash its way across several meters of water, as well as run on dry land. Basilisks are able to do this because they have large back feet with a fringe of scales on each toes. WHO NEEDS RUNNING SHOES WHEN YOU HAVE BASILISK’S FEET?
The amazing ability to run on water gives the basilisk its most recognizable nickname: Jesus Christ lizard
BASILISK LIZARD
Fast facts
DIET: omnivore AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN CAPTIVITY: up to 10 years SIZE: 61 to 76 cm WEIGHT: up to 200g DISTRIBUTION: Central and South America
Basilisks are excellent swimmers and are capable of remaining underwater for up to 30 minutes
THE INTIMIDATING
Frilled Lizard
When this curious animal is cornered, it opens up a brilliant frill around its neck and bares its mouth, so that it looks as if it is about to attack. This is often enough to make the lizard’s enemies back away but, if not, it folds up its frill and runs up the nearest tree... SAY NO TO FIGHT, BUDDY!
This lizard spend most of its life in trees
FRILLED LIZARD
Fast facts
DIET: carnivore AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN CAPTIVITY: up to 20 years SIZE: 90 cm WEIGHT: 500 g DISTRIBUTION: Australia Besides defense, this lizard's frill may be used to help regulate body temperature
AMPHIBIANS Animals that live partly in the water and partly on land, and that change shape as they grow up. Amphibians include frogs, toads, salamanders, newts and caecilians.
THE BRILLIANTLY COLOURED
Fire salamander
The fire salamander spends its adult life on land. Its yellow and black markings warn that its skin is poisonous, which keeps enemies at bay as it searches for food. Fire salamanders live in forests and other damp habitats. FIRE SALAMANDER’S DIFFERENT COLOURS IS WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL.
Spotted salamanders return to the same mating pool via the same route every year
FIRE SALAMANDER
Fast facts
DIET: carnivore AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: up to 20 years SIZE: 18 cm WEIGHT: 40 g DISTRIBUTION: Europe, except British Isles and Scandinavia The fire salamander emerges at night, often after rain, to hunt prey such as earthworms
THE GLIDING
Flying Frog
Flying frogs cannot really fly, but they are experts at gliding from tree to tree in their rainforest home. They manage this remarkable trick by using their hands and feet as parachutes. For their size, flying frogs have huge fingers and toes, linked together by webs of skin. CAUTION! DO NOT TRY TO GLIDE LIKE THIS FROG AT HOME. Flying frogs live almost exclusively in the trees
FLYING FROG
Fast facts
DIET: carnivore AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: up to 20 years SIZE: 10 cm A flying frog has reduced weight per snout-vent length DISTRIBUTION: Southeast Asia Flying frogs can glide sometimes 15 meters or more
MAMMALS Warm blooded animals that have fur or hair, and feed their young on milk. Most mammals have legs, but some have wings, allowing them to swim or fly.
THE WORLD’S TALLEST LIVING ANIMAL
Giraffe
A giraffe’s neck makes up about half its height, and allows it to reach leaves far above the ground. Giraffes live in open woodland and their height helps them to watch for danger. Giraffe’s long legs allow them to run as fast as 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour over short distances... FASTER THAN THE BUS YOU TAKE EVERYDAY.
Giraffes only need to drink once every several days; they get most of their water from the luscious plants they eat
GIRAFFE
Fast facts
DIET: herbivore AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 25 years SIZE: 4 to 6 m WEIGHT: 794 to 1,270 kg DISTRIBUTION: Africa south of the Sahara Desert
Giraffes have to splay their front legs in order to drink, position that makes them vulnerable to predators
THE LARGE
Elk
This is the world’s largest deer. Elks live in woodland and open country. In winter they eat twings and bark, and in summer they migrate to high mountain grazing grounds where the female elks will give birth. Each female elk typically has a single calf, which can stand by the time it is 20 minutes old. FAST START!
Males
with
bigger
antlers can dominate small herds
ELK
Fast facts
DIET: herbivore AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 8 to 12 years SIZE: height at the shoulder, 1.2 to 1.5 m WEIGHT: 147 to 499 kg DISTRIBUTION: far North worldwide Elks lose their antlers each March, but they begin to grow them back in May
INSECTS Animals with three pairs of legs and often two pairs of wings. This giant class of animals contains more species than any other.
THE FURRY
Garden Tiger Moth
The garden tiger moth has brown and white forewings, spotted orange hindwings and a large furry body. The furry is irritant and protect it from predators, such as birds. Birds avoid it because it feeds on plants that give it an unpleasant taste. IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD AVOID IT TOO. The caterpillars of garden tiger moths also tastes nasty and are protected by long black hairs
GARDEN TIGER MOTH
Fast facts
DIET: herbivore AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: up to 11 months SIZE: wingspan up to 0.25 ft (0.075m) WEIGHT: 0.01 oz (0.3 kg) DISTRIBUTION: Europe, Asia, North America
Tiger moths are easily to mistake for small butterflies because they are brightly coloured and often fly by day
THE FIGHTER
Praying Mantis
A mantis holds its front legs together while waiting to attack, so that it looks as if it is praying. These insects are formidable predators. They use their front legs to snare their prey with reflexes so quick that they are difficult to see with the naked eye. THEY ARE REALLY WORTH OF THE PRAYING MANTIS KUNG FU STYLE!
Mantis can turn their heads 180 degrees to scan their surroundings
PRAYING MANTIS
Fast facts
DIET: carnivore AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: up to 1 year SIZE: 1.2 to 15 cm WEIGHT: up to 10 g DISTRIBUTION: worldwide, usually in warm places Mantises legs are further equipped with spikes for snaring prey and pinning it in place during the attack
BIRDS Warm-blooded animals that have wings, toothless beaks, and bodies covered with feathers. Most birds can fly, but several kinds are flightless.
THE CRISTATED
Hoopoe
The hoopoe is a ground-feeding bird. I has a crest that it can flick up over its head, and a long, curved beak. It uses its beak to probe grass and animal dung for worms and grubs. Hoopoes nest in holes in trees and walls, and are famously unhygienic. DO NOT BE LIKE THE HOOPOE AND KEEP YOUR NEST CLEAN.
Hoopoe’s wingspan can reach 48 cm
HOOPOE
Fast facts
DIET: omnivore AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN CAPTIVITY: up to 20 years SIZE: 25 to 32 cm WEIGHT: 45 to 88 g DISTRIBUTION: Europe, southern Asia, Africa Hoopoes secrete a substance of unpleasant odor in its nest. This liquid smells like rotten meat and keep predators away
THE SPLENDID
Keel Billed Toucan
The keel-billed toucan lives in forests and in wooded ares near farms. The toucan's bill is useful as a feeding tool. The birds use them to reach fruit on branches that are too small to support their weight, and also to skin their pickings. BET YOU WISH A MOUTH AS BIG AS TOUCAN’S BILL JUST TO EAT MORE CANDIES... The keel billed toucan is also known as the rainbow billed toucan because of the colourful bill that the keel billed toucan has
KEEL BILLED TOUCAN
Fast facts
DIET: omnivore AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: up to 20 years SIZE: 56 cm WEIGHT: 2.1 to 4 kg DISTRIBUTION: Central America and South America Large birds of prey and UNFORTUNATELY HUMANS are the keel billed toucan's main predators
FISH They are cold-blooded, aquatic and vertebrates. Fish have gills, commonly fins, and typically an elongated body covered with scales, but not always.
THE HARMLESS
Manta Ray
The manta ray is the largest ray in the world. Like many of the largest sea animals, it feeds on plankton, which it scoops up as it swims along. In the past, manta rays inspired many legends about sea monsters but, as far as human are concerned, these fish are totally harmless. DO NOT JUDGE A FISH BY ITS APPEARANCE.
These rays have two fleshy paddles on either side of its head that help to funnel food on its mouth
MANTA RAY
Fast facts
DIET: carnivore AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE SEA: up to 20 years SIZE: 6 to 9 m WEIGHT: up to 1,350 kg DISTRIBUTION: warm seas worldwide Unfortunately, due to their enormous size, manta rays are also commonly spotted hunting out in the open ocean
THE SMOOTH
Hammerhead
The hammerhead is the world’s most strangely shaped sharks. It has a typical shark shape, except for their heads, which have long flaps that stick ou on either side. Smooth hammerheads have been known occasionally to attack people. BE AWARE OF THE HAMMERHEAD, IT CAN HAMMER YOU... OR WORSE: BITE YOU!
Scientists do not know for certain what hammerhead flaps are for. One possibility is that they help the hammerhead to pinpoint its prey
SMOOTH HAMMERHEAD
Fast facts
DIET: carnivore AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE SEA: 20 to 30 years SIZE: 4 to 6 m WEIGHT: 230 to 450 kg DISTRIBUTION: warm seas worlwide
The smooth hammerhead is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN, the Red List of Threatened Species