Date Taken: 4/17/2023

Appearance: Large reptile with a stocky, armored body and a long, muscular tail. They have a broad, rounded snout and powerful jaws lined with sharp teeth. Their skin is covered in covered in bony plates called scutes, which provide protection and help with thermoregulation

Habitat:  Native to the southeastern United States, primarily found in freshwater habitats such as swamps, marshes, rivers, lakes, and ponds

Behavior: Cold-blooded reptiles who rely on external sources of heat to regulate their body temperature. They are opportunistic predators and feed on a variety of prey, including fish, turtles, snakes, birds, and mammals

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Date Taken: 4/18/2023

Appearance: Large aquatic mammal with a robust body and a rounded tail. They have thick, wrinkled skin that can range in color from gray to brown, and two forelimbs, or flippers, which they use for swimming and manipulating objects

Habitat: Inhabit coastal waters, estuaries, rivers, and freshwater springs in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Atlantic Ocean. They are found in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and along the eastern coast of Central and South America.

Behavior: Slow-moving and spend a significant amount of time resting and grazing on aquatic plants. They are social animals and can be found in small groups or in larger aggregations when resources are abundant

IUCN Conservation Status: Vulnerable

Date Taken: 3/31/2023

Appearance: Large reptile with a long, slender body and a powerful tail, their skin is rough and scaly, with a grayish-green color that helps them blend in with their surroundings

Habitat: Found in parts of the Americas, primarily in the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean. They inhabit both saltwater and freshwater environments, including coastal areas, estuaries, rivers, and lakes

Behavior: Excellent swimmers and have specialized adaptations for life in the water, including webbed feet and a powerful tail for propulsion. They are nocturnal carnivorous predators, feeding on a variety of prey including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

IUCN Conservation Status: Vulnerable

Date Taken: 3/31/2023

Appearance: the tallest land animals that are easily recognized by its distinctive coat pattern of irregularly shaped, oak leaf-like spots that are separated by white lines. Their long necks and legs and prehensible tongue are adaptations for reaching leaves on tall trees, which makes up the majority of their diet.

Habitat: Found in the savannas and open woodlands of southern Kenya and Tanzania, with some populations extending into Uganda and Ethiopia.

Behavior: Social animals that primarily feed on leaves, flowers, and fruits of trees and shrubs. They are non-territorial and do not have a defined home range, but rather move around in search of food

IUCN Conservation Status: Vulnerable

Date Taken: 3/31/2023

Appearance: Second-largest land mammal, after the elephant with sick gray skin, a broad, square-shaped mouth and a wide, flat head that is used to graze on grasses and other vegetation.

Habitat: Found in the grasslands and savannas of southern Africa, primarily in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya.

Behavior: Social animals that live in groups called crashes, which can include up to 14 individuals. They are active mainly during the cooler hours of the day and night, feeding mainly on grass and other vegetation, and rest during the hottest parts of the day

IUCN Conservation Status: Near Threatened

Date Taken: 3/31/2023

Appearance: Small, slender animals that have a brownish-gray fur with darker stripes on their backs, and a distinctive black “mask” around their eyes. Their long, thin tail makes up about a third of their body length.

Habitat: Found in the deserts and grasslands of southern Africa, primarily in the Kalahari Desert. They live in complex burrow systems with multiple entrances and tunnels

Behavior: Highly social animals and live in groups of up to 40 individuals, called gangs or mobs. They are diurnal and spend most of their day foraging for food, primarily insects and small vertebrates. Meerkats are known for their vigilant behavior, with individuals taking turns to act as sentinels to watch for predators while the others forage.

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Date Taken: 3/31/2023

Appearance: Largest living marsupials with distinctive red-brown fur, powerful legs, and a long, muscular tail. Their hind legs are much larger than their forelegs, and they use them to hop and bound across the landscape.

Habitat: Found throughout much of Australia, in a variety of habitats ranging from woodlands to open grasslands. They are most commonly found in arid and semi-arid areas with access to water.

Behavior: Solitary animals which feed primarily on grasses and other vegetation. They are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, and are active mainly during the cooler hours of the day and night.

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Date: 3/31/2023

Appearance: Second-largest living bird species with a mostly brownish-black plumage,  long thin legs and a small head. Their wings are small and stubby, and they are unable to fly.

Habitat: Found in various parts of Australia, including forests, woodlands, savannas, and desert areas. They prefer living in open areas with access to water, and are known to travel long distances in search of food and water.

Behavior: Social birds that are known for their speed and endurance, and can run at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. They are omnivores, feeding on a variety of plant and animal matter, including seeds, fruits, insects, and small vertebrates.

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Date Taken: 3/31/2023

Appearance: Large, colorful parrots with a mostly red plumage, along with blue and yellow feathers on their wings and tail

Habitat: Found in parts of Central and South America, including Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Peru. Prefers to reside in humid rainforests and woodlands

Behavior: Very social birds and often live in pairs or small flocks and are known for their loud, raucous calls, which they use to communicate with each other. They are omnivores, feeding on a variety of fruits, nuts, seeds, and insects.

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Date: 3/31/2023

Appearance: Large birds with a distinct pinkish orange color, with a long thin neck and legs, along with a downcurved bill with a black tip

Habitat: Found in parts of Africa, southern Europe, and Asia, as well as in some parts of the Americas. Prefers living in shallow, salty or alkaline wetlands, such as lagoons, salt pans, and estuaries

Behavior: Social filter feeder birds which form notoriously large flocks and uses their bills to scoop up water and mud to filter out small crustaceans, insects, and other invertebrates

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern