Discover Illustrated by Octavia Herdson
Discover
Illustrated by Octavia Herdson
1
36
4
The Desert
Introduction
Globe of Africa Cats; Hoofed Mammals; Small Mammal; Bird of Prey
What is a habitat? Map of the World
6
46
The Tundra
The Savanna
Globe of Africa Big cats; Hoofed Mammals; Large Mammals; Meerkats; Ostriches
Globe of Antarctica Bear; Hoofed Mammals; Aquatic Mammals; Penguins
16
56
The Rainforest
Boreal & Alpine
Globe of South America Big Cats; Hoofed Mammals; Primates; Tropical Birds
Globe of Canada Big Predators; Hoofed Herbivores; Small Mammals; Bird of Prey
26
66
Grassland & Temperate
Index
Globe of Europe Small Mammals; Hoofed Mammals; Bears of Asia; Birds
2
Time to Discover more
3
What is a Habitat?
A Habitat is a natural environment for an animal or plant. There are a large variety of habitats ranging from the Desert to the Tundra. Each habitat is made up of different biomes. A biome is defined by the climate, how much rainfall the area gets, the type of soil and how well plants grow there.
Our earth is made up of these wonderful biomes which create habitats for animals or plants to live in. Some habitats are suitable for some animals or plants but unsuitable for others - which is why there is such a variety! 4
In this book, we will go on a journey to Discover the 6 main habitats. These are: The Savanna, Rainforest, Grassland & Temperate, Desert, Tundra and Boreal & Alpine. This is Kizzy the Kangaroo
kin
Rat, s he’ll be t a
gy
hr o u ou t
gh
h is
t
book
of Dis
o ve
c
ry a ach ill te nd w
yo
ua
This is a fun game throughout the book that you can play by guessing what animal is going to be on the next page by the paw-print that’ll be shown with the question. 5
the differ ent h abi tt s . ..
a
Guess which animal is next?
ll a bout
The Savanna “The Savanna is home to a variety of animals but is best known for having some of the largest land mammals on Earth such as elephants and giraffes. Unfortunately for the animals, it has a very short rainy season. For most of the year it is an extremely dry and hot biome meaning the animals must often travel for miles in order to find water. The main features of a Savanna are dry landscapes of harsh shrubbery and grass with the occasional tree grove where the animals take shelter from the sun.�
Africa
Key: The Savanna biome covers half of the African continent, in particular the Southern area, such as Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.
Guess who’s next?
7
The King of the Jungle
The male lion has a beautiful bushy mane to protect them when they fight
AR
Lion
RO
R R
R A AR
RO
RO
ROAR
Lions are the only social member of the cat family They live in groups called Length: 2.4 metres Weight: 150-250kg
Prides
8
The Cheetah is the fastest land mammal on the planet
70mph
Tail length is 66cm
What makes it stand out from other big cats, are the “ TEAR STRIPES”
on its face
The Cheetah is smaller than most big cats and is also one of the most timid
EN D AN
R ED
Guess who’s next?
G
E
Giraffe
One of the world’s tallest mammals
cm long
and a v e
ry
l
n
o
Giraffe Height: 5.5 metres Giraffe Weight 1080-1900kg They can run very fast but not for a long period of
ng legs...
Giraffes are mute, they do not make a noise as far as we can hear
and lo
They have a very powerful kick!
e
cks
ng
n
L
o
10
g
! g ue n o
t
13
Each giraffe has a unique pattern on their skin called patches
Rounded Powerful Horns
Weigh 250kg
and stand at 1.5 metres
Zebra
e l l e
Ga
z
They all feed on grass and small leaves or shrubs
ildebee
st
W
These herbivores are all non-territorial, social animals who live in large herds together
Black and White Stripes White Stomach
A Camouflage from the predators and insects of the Savanna 50mph
37mph
Guess who’s next?
50mph 11
40mph
Species
30 inches long
Critically Endangered The rhino can weigh from
, w ri
s y e nkly gr
horn s
k
rfu l an ds olid
To
u gh
, u p to
350-3500kg
,p e g Hu
o
we
d pointy ears an
The Rhino is the second largest land mammal
in
es b la ck bea dy e y
Lon g,
Rhinoceros 5
12
plan et a
sw e ll
as t
he m
os ti
gent i l l e nt
they form deep
Family bonds
Roaming for Miles
and miles each day in search for food
They spend about
16 hours a day eating
Ivory Tusks
A male elephant is called a Bull A female elephant is called a Cow And a baby elephant is called a Calf
13
i k S
n
Elephants are social creatures,
nk led
Elephant
The elephant is the largest land m amma
l on
the
Elephant Weight: 1450kg Elephant Length: 5.5-6.5 metres
i Wr
Guess who’s next?
The ostrich stands up to 10 feet tall
It is the world’s largest bird as well as the world’s fastest running bird
Ostrich Ostriches can not fly!
However, it uses its legs to out run predators
An ostrich has a very powerful kick. Their legs are extremely strong and have a sharp 17cm claw on their big toe
Lays the largest eggs of all the birds
50mph
This is its size compared to a chicken egg!
14
Circumference: 15cm Length: 13cm Weight: 2.2kg
Meerkats love to burrow in underground networks but they only leave them during the day
Some meerkats spend all day on the lookout for predators. To allow the other members of the family to play or forage for food, the meerkat will ‘bark’ if it spots danger
They live in colonies of up to about 40
Strong,
curved claws
Meerkat A group of meerkats is called a
“Mob” or a
“Gang”
15
Tropical Rainforest “The Tropical Rainforest is one of the wettest biomes in the world. This is because the rainforest has rain and storms every day so it never gets a break! As well as being very wet, it is also very warm so this means the trees and plants can grow tall across the whole forest. It is home to more species than all the other biomes combined!�
South America
Key: The Tropical Rainforest is very distinctive and is found in South America, in the southern part of Brazil. However, there are a few rainforests elsewhere in the world.
Guess who’s next?
17
Tiger
Part of the BIG cat family
The tiger can be found in big jungles in India
These animals are
Endangered
It’s the most powerful of all the cat species in the world. Their amazing pattern and stripes are for camouflage in the jungle to hunt it’s prey
40mph 18
They need huge teeth to hunt as these animals hunt alone Weight: 140-300kg Length: 2.3-3.3 metres
Along with the Tiger, jaguars are the only cat species that can swim well
Jaguar
Also known as the Panther
a lot of time up trees, cli d n e p s mbing t rs a u g hem and scratching them Ja Weight: 55-100kg Jaguars have one of the most powerful jaws, they’ve been known to attack and kill even a crocodile!
64mph Jaguars and tigers have distinct patterns that tell them apart 19
Jaguars are carnivorous animals that live alone, like most big cats
Guess who’s next?
e e of th Relativ
h or s
e an d th
er
h in
o
Tapir Weight: 220 -320kg Height: 0.7 -1 metres
Endangered
A group of tapirs are called a
“Candle�
They spent a lot of time in the water, it cools them down as well as removing unwanted insects. They use their snouts as snorkels
Tapirs have 4 toes on their front feet and 3 on the back feet 20
Okapi
Weight: 200-320kg Height: 2 -2.5 metres
Critically Endangered
The Okapi shares characteristics from the zebra and the giraffe The tongue of the Okapi is about
4.5cm
It can use its tongue to strip the leaves and stems off trees and plants Guess who’s next?
Lemur The lemur is naturally only found on the island of Madagascar
100
There are nearly species of lemur
This is a Ring-Tailed
Lemur
Critically Endangered
is is
a Sq
Th ey
uirre
l Monkey
Weight: 0.77-1kg Height: 25-35.5cm They are very small monkeys
They live in groups called
“troops”
live
in the high tre e top s
Th
Monkey
consisting of around 40 to 50 monkeys but sometimes the troop can get up to 500 monkeys Guess who’s next?
Squirrel Monkeys are one of the smallest members of the primate group A variety of monkeys, big and small, live in the rainforest 23
Toucan
Bright
Colourful
Vibrant
They have a big beak so they can pluck and peel fruit
They measure about 64cm in length
Their beak is 20cm, however it’s not very heavy, which makes it easy to carry around
Toucans spend most of their time up in the tree tops
However,
they are not very good at flying so instead they either glide or
HOP
across the branches of the trees
SQ
U
AWK!
Parrot
Length: 10 - 100cm
There are around 372 different parrot species Parrots use their claws as hands to pick up their food They’re the only birds that do this They live in large groups called
“Flocks”
of about 20 to 30 birds
They build their nests in tree holes or termite hills Parrots create a Bond
Only domestic parrots can copy the human voice. However, they are the most intelligent of all the birds
that lasts
FOREVER
25
Grassland & Temperate “Grasslands are filled with hoofed mammals such as horses and deer. They are found all over the earth but some areas specifically just have grassland. There are typical seasons in this biome, from Spring to Summer and Autumn to Winter. This results in both warm and cold months with enough rainfall to give the area a fertile soil for the lush grass and meadow flowers to grow on. The temperate forests that often accompany grasslands are very similar except the soils are more suitable to grow trees and bushes. The temperate is home to smaller mammals such as foxes�
Europe
Key: The Grassland biome is mainly found in Western parts of Europe such as the United Kingdom and Southern France.
Guess who’s next?
27
Badgers
Sheltering in an underground den, called a sett
Badgers are family animals and enjoy having other badgers nearby They only come out at night to hunt and explore for food
Red Fox
Red foxes use 28 different calls to communicate between each other
Foxes are sociable family animals
nce
d, sim
ilar to a cat
The female fox is called a Vixen
yb
ala
fox e h t Its thick tail helps
ta to s
It’s well known for being mischievous, cunning and very intelligent 29
Guess who’s next?
d
h a p es a n but they d s l r r s o e o l h s l e all o he w come in a Ther are wild sizes ve r t
A male horse is called a STALLION,
Wild Horse
a female horse is called a MARE and a baby horse is called a FOAL
27mph
“Neigh”
“Whinny”
“Snort” 30
The horse is a ‘flight’ animal so when it feels panic, it runs away from something rather than standing up to it
The female deer is called a HIND
S
i gh f s ta g
The male deer is called a STAG
’s the better stag.. o h w e . min r e t e to d
er in competition h t o h c a e h t t wi
Red Deer
Weight: 100kg Height: 1.22 metres
Red deer have antlers called BRANCHES
It has Shaggy red brown fur,
When two stags fight, it can be to the death!
TALL, heavy antlers
and a fairly short, stubby body with a round tummy Guess who’s next?
d a n a P Wild Pandas live only in China
They are endangered
They are excellent tree climbers and go there to hide from predators. They also use the dense bamboo forests to escape danger They spend around 14 hours of the day eating, mainly bamboo
Weight: 120kg Length: 1.5 metres All Pandas have the exact same pattern
The panda is a type of bear
The
da n a P d e R
Weight: 4.5 -9kg Length: 50cm Similar to Pandas, they also mainly eat bamboo. However, they are very different in size and appearance.
This little panda spends most its time up in the trees and it rarely steps on the ground It spends the majority of its time eating, sunbathing and sleeping Guess who’s next?
33
Barn Owl In flight
34
The barn owl is nocturnal; it hunts for mice and other creatures at night
On average it’s about
36cm long
The barn owl can turn
its head at 180 degrees, in order to see directly behind it.
Owls are classed as birds of prey The Barn Owl is distinctive because it has a heart-shaped head and has mottled pattern on its feathers 35
The Desert “The Desert is one of the harshest places for animals to live in which is why it doesn’t have a huge variety of animals compared to other biomes. There is almost no rain in the desert so the animals and plants have to adapt to contain their water in other ways or migrate to find some. Not only is there a lack of water but it is extremely hot in the day and freezing at night, which is what makes an almost impossible climate to live in.�
North Africa
Key: The largest Deserts can be found in North Africa such as Egypt. However, they can also be located in Southern Asia and parts of America too.
Guess who’s next?
37
Round head with a slender body
Cougar
Weight: 45- 68kg Length: 1.5- 2.7 metres
Commonly known as a “puma” or “mountain lion”
RR
The cougar can jump
5.5 metres high
U
P
&
to A
POUNCE
e v i t na e r Cougars a
on its prey, 20ft away
It only has one predator, which is humans
to
much larger t u b cat e s ou h a
th e y l o v e t
The yh ave s
im il
ar
i es d bo
meric a
The
oc
limb branch es a n
dr ock s
This cat can not roar like other big cats Instead of roaring, it PURRS very loudly like a house cat 38
The
“Hiss”
“Purr”
“Growl” 5cm lo
ng
Caracal
Commonly known as the “desert lynx”
Weight: 19kg Length: 90cm They like to be alone apart from when it’s mating season or with their kittens
g Lon
ear
s wi
th black t s of hair u ft
The Caracal can take down
10-12
birds at one time Guess who’s next?
39
40mph 37mph
The Camel is one of the only animals that can withstand extreme temperatures The Oryx has also adapted to harsh conditions but needs to find shelter unlike the camel
40
Spear-like horns
Camel
Black markings & White face
There are two species of camel, one of them has a double hump, the other only has one.
Their hump allows them to survive without water for about 2 weeks and without food for up to a month! Cam
to e v i l s el
about 30
Oryx
or 50
The Camel’s
height can reach
2m
and weigh up to
Long, fluttery eyelashes
680kg
& thick ear hair
They have thick fur to reflect the suns heat as well as protect from the cold at night Guess who’s next? 41
Fennec fox
This fox has huge, OVERSIZED ears
The fox is Nocturnal
They have sandy colour fur that camouflages them in the sand.
h is
e Fox is Rar
play
e to
v
The
y lo
They mate for life once they find their partner! A baby Fennec F ox i s ca lled
aK it
with
e a ch o t
her
They are highly sociable animals
T
Their fur also reflects heat and keeps them warm at night
42
d
Big
This
th a m i l r n i s a t o r f r o N m e es
es y e y d a e ,b
a re ic Am
t a R o o r a g n Ka
It’s expected to live only to 2 or 5
They live in COLONIES It’s named after the kangaroo because it also has a pouch but it carries food in it rather than its young
They can measure up to 14cm long and their tails can reach up to 16.5cm
Guess who’s next?
44
ey r p ir
It does not like trespassers and can be very
oc at ch
t he
AGGRESSIVE
This birds high-pitched, raspy scream is often used to imitate a dinosaur call in movies
kly
uic
They hunt in pairs to keep an eye out for each other
eq d
an
op low
They use their
to their advantage to catch prey.
T A I L Weight: 708-1500 grams E Length: 43-60cm Wingspan: 1.2 metres D
y fl y
ird of prey , the
ha w ki sab
120mph
the
wo s n
high
However
in th e sk y
Eyesight & Speed they have a slower approach than other birds of prey when they dive
di v
t
R E D
his
T
Sharp-taloned
et
fe
H A W K
The Tundra “The Tundra is almost as difficult to live in as the Desert is. The Tundra is extremely cold and gets very strong winds and blizzard. The winters are very long and dark but the summers are short and soggy. Due to the weather there are only small ground hugging plants; no trees, flowers or grass, just snow and ice!�
Antarctica
Key:
Although there is very little life here, at the top of our globe we have Antarctica. On the opposite side of the globe we have the arctic. They are both Tundra.
Guess who’s next?
47
ddl es t oh
law c Each
em sw im
is
at
Although it may look white, it is actually transparent
le
long
as
have thick, dense fur that keep them warm.
cm t5
elp th
Polar Bears
The Polar Bear lives in the Arctic
e k i l ct a s w a p s ar e b r la
pa
Can only run 24mph A po
of t he be a
Not all Polar Bears hibernate.
r
Bewar e
It’s only the pregnant, mother bears that do in order to keep themselves safe and warm for their cubs.
However, this type of bear is prone to over-heating rather than freezing.
Height (on hind legs): 2 metres Weight: 450kg
48
3
2
POUNCE!
They are white in the winter and turn brown in the summer month!
4
5
1
catch its p rey!
d e y Bright E
l i a T
ng
as h o rt
r liste
n a r
L
White, fl u ffy
fu
, ro u nd ears fo
a ll
Sm
Lives in the Arctic region
, stubby snout W hi skers
F o c x i t c r
ow t o
ni
Bush y
A
U
s t i sing
inc
e l b i red
tic fox dives headfi rst i c r a e h t , g n nto the sn heari
49
d
ong
Guess who’s next?
They are compact and stocky mammals ranging between
180-410kg
The male is much larger and heavier than the female Ox
Mu s
o k
n e x
But
they both have large curved horns that meet in the middle.
They have long, coarse dark brown hair that goes down below their knees to keep warm.
The Muskoxens nickname is
Ox
Lives in Greenland, which is in the arctic region
They have a short tail and a short neck, making them look even more stumpy
The Muskoxen move together as part of a herd, moving as a family through the harsh weather.
50
Reindeer or Caribou Lives in the Arctic
They are
a so ciab erd h a le an imal that migrate as part of
Hooves:
cm long
They vary between summer and winter.
In Winter,
they shrink and tighten to grip and dig into the snow
Reindeer have a lot of predators, so have to be constantly on the look out for danger
:1
0
n Ra
The only mammal to see ultraviolet light, helping them to see objects and animals that are camouflaged in the snow They travel further than any other animal. Sometimes as far as 3000 miles a year!
ge
they become spongey because of the soft and wet ground
0t o 134
In Summer,
Vision:
Not all reindeer migrate. Some are residents of the tundra Guess who’s next?
The Orca
Also known as The “Killer Whale” They are the largest member of the dolphin family and live for about 30 to 50 years in the wild
Orcas are very sociable creatures
ong l m round 1.5
A
They live in family groups called “pods” that have about 5-30 orcas in it. The pod is led by a female, usually the mother
Although spotted all over the world, they are most common in the Antarctic
Male Orca:
Weight: 9000kg Length: 7 metres
Female Orca:
T he c
Some pods combine to have around 100 Orcas or more
is alf
Weight: 4500kg Length: 6.4 metres
n bor
Each pod has a different language like humans do. This is a very complex form of communication
at
aro u
nd 1 8
0k
g!
Orcas are under protection and can’t be captured because it is harmful to remove even one Orca from their family
52
Guess who’s next?
tro
l th
dy temperature b y f a c i n g eir bo e ith sun e r t h e i r b lack or white side to the
as well as land; their wings are lik e f i l c i e fl ip uat pers These penguins are suited to aq b
The yc
con
ut
’t fl y can
an
the y
Emperor Penguin
The female and male penguin take it in turns to tend to the eggs and raise the chick
Leopard Seal
Weight: 450kg Length: 3 metres
Carnivorous aquatic mammal
so k Al
with front and hind feet that act as flippers or fins, like a fish. They move on land by wriggling their body on the ice to slip and slide across it
na now s ear-less Seals
s
Walrus
A marine mammal.
w ck, Thi
rin
kle d
It is the largest of the fin-footed mammals
and h
g tu
sks an db
ig cheek
pads that h ave q u
il-lik
eb
rist le
im w s Can
o n 0 at 2
ph ) m 3 ts ( 2
L on
55
airles s skin
that
has al
Weight: Up to 1300kg Tusk length: 90cm a ye ro
Females way around 2/3 the weight of the male
f fa t, se v er
al i nch es th
ick
Boreal & Alpine “This biome has layers because of the mountains and change of altitude. At the top of the mountains it is snowy, windy and cold and has fewer animals but further down the mountain, the biome comes to life. This is the Boreal. It is still very cold and can be snowy, which is why the trees are evergreen. A lot of berries grow on the shrubs and there isn’t a lot of grass. It has long, cold winters and short, mild summers.”
Canada
Key: The main place where we find both Boreal and Alpine is in Canada but also some parts of North America,
Guess who’s next?
57
Wolves live in packs led by an ALPHA male and female
A wolf will
Grey wolf
HOWL
It’s the largest member of the canine family Weight: 25-68kg Height: 66-82cm
to keep in touch with other pack members
They can run at about 40mph
They are similar in shape to a German Shepard dog but have grey, white or black fur
Wolves can communicate in a variety of ways, including an impressive amount of facial expressions and body postures 58
Despite being large, this bear is very agile and fast
Grizzly Bear 35-40mph
These bears HIBERNATE for 5-8 months.
They live alone apart from when they’re rearing cubs.
They have long claws the length of a human finger and a very powerful jaw.
Male weight: 360kg Female weight: 140kg
This bear may look cuddly, but it isn’t friendly! Guess who’s next?
This bear has become endangered 59
Bison Weight: 400-550kg Length: 1.5 metres
The male is much larger than the female
Bison live in herds of about 20-50, normally led by a female. The males often live alone or in smaller groups.
The male bison is called a BULL The female bison is called a COW
30mph
Moose
Weight: 450-800kg Height: 2.2 metres
or Elk
The male has huge, broad and flat antlers where as the females have nothing.
Moose are timid mammals They are very strong
swimmers
and often cross lakes many miles wide.
Moose don’t live in herds like most deer. Instead they live in small groups
T
he l argest me mber o f th
e de er f am
ily! Guess who’s next?
61
Raccoon
Raccoons have human like hands that they use to pick up food and open shells, doors and rubbish bins.
They are scavengers
They are excellent swimmers and climbers. You’ll only see a raccoon at night and they’re normally found alone.
A group of Raccoons are called a “GAZE” or A “NURSERY” 62
Weight: 9-24kg Length: 64-110cm
Powerful jaws, sharp claws and a muscular body.
Wolverines are incredibly powerful mammals despite their size
30mph
Wolverine They have a very stinky scent gland and are nicknamed a “SKUNK BEAR”
WARNING! These animals are very vicious
Guess who’s next?
Golden Eagle
It is so big that you can spot one from over a mile away
M aj
estic, ur powerful and golden colo
rds i b ed
ey r p of
Weight: 3-6kg Length: 78-88cm Wingspan: 2.1 metres
150mph
This bird of prey is particularly aggressive especially when it comes to guarding their nest.
T
a re s n lo
a
Once an eagle spots its prey with its amazing eyesight, it then swoops down at around 150mph and kills it with its powerful talons.
7.6cm long
65
Index Arctic Fox, 49 Badger, 28 Bison, 60 Boreal & Alpine, 56-57 Camel, 40-42 Caracal, 39 Caribou, 51 Cheetah, 9 Cougar, 38 Deer, 31 Desert, 36-37 Desert Hawk, 44-45 Elephant, 13
Emperor Penguin, 54 Fennec Fox, 42-43 Fox, 29 Gazelle, 11 Giraffe, 10 Golden Eagle, 64-65 Grassland & Temperate, 26-27 Grizzly Bear, 59 Horse, 30 Jaguar, 19 Kangaroo Rat, 43 Lemur, 22 Lion, 8 66
Rhino, 12 Savanna, 4-5 Seal, 55 Squirrel Monkey, 23 Tapir, 20 Tiger, 18 Toucan, 24 Tundra, 46-47 Walrus, 55 Wildebeest, 11 Wolf, 58-59 Wolverine, 63 Zebra, 11
Meerkat, 15 Moose, 61 Muskoxen, 50 Okapi, 21 Orca, 52-53 Oryx, 40-41 Ostrich, 14 Owl, 34-35 Panda, 32 Parrot, 25 Polar Bear, 48 Raccoon, 62 Rainforest, 16-17 Red Panda, 33 67
It’s time to Discover A book of illustrations Explore the natural world and it’s 6 main habitats. Learn about the different habitats and the animals that live there using this collection of 47 animals as well as fun and interesting facts throughout.
Leap inside to discover a world full of animals...