Fauna Fact of the Day

The pangolin is a really unique animal found in the tropical regions of Africa and Asia. They lack teeth as well as the ability to chew, so they have adapted extremely long, sticky tongues that extend all the way down into their abdominal cavities for easy ant catching. (Anteaters have the same adaptation.) The pangolin is the only mammal on earth that has evolved scales, which are made from keratin, the same substance that makes up human nails and hair.

Animal Fact of the Day

The Himalayan Monal is a type of large pheasant found throughout Asia, and is the national bird of Nepal. Like most other bird species, monals are sexually dimorphic- the males have brightly colored plumage, while the females are plain brown and black. These birds were the inspiration behind Kevin, the large tropical bird in Pixar’s movie, UP.