You may have seen many of these animals in the wild, but our keeper / educators will tell you things you never knew about them during your private tour. Several of them also participate in “Our Big Back Yard” and “Walk on the Wild Side” education programs.
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- The American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) can be found in the southeastern wetlands of the United States. These gators can grow up to fifteen feet and weigh 1,000lbs and serve as an important member in their ecosystems. They feed on fish, turtles, snakes and small mammals helps keeps the populations of their prey under control.
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- Here at Wild Wonders we have a few different types of armadillos that can be seen at educational events or at on-site tours. including hairy armadillos (Chaetophractus vellerosus) and six banded (Euphractus sexintus). Each type of armadillo is covered in armor plates, but unlike the 3 banded armadillo, neither can roll up into a bail! instead they burrow into the ground or scrunch up as best they can to defend themselves.
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- Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agussizii) are found locally in the Mojave and Sonora deserts of southeastern California, Nevada, and through the southern areas of Arizona into Mexico. These tortoises can amazingly live to be 100 years old, only producing eggs every two to three years. To survive in the desert these tortoises will dig basins to catch the rain and have been known to wait by these basins when rainfall appears. Most of their moisture needs though come from their diet of greens, grasses, and wildflowers.
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- The North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) can be found in our big backyard of North America, ranging from parts of Canada to the United States. They are most likely to be found in various forests where they can also be found high up in the trees as they are adept climbers, but did you know porcupine can also swim? All 30,000 plus quills are hollow which allows the porcupine keep afloat!
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- Red Eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta elegansl can be found in the southeast regions of the United States and sometimes even in our own local ponds. These turtles can grow to be almost 30cm in length and live to be 50 years old.
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- Groundhogs (Marmota monax) are also commonly known as woodchucks and can be found in Northern America including Alaska, Canada, and throughout the eastern United States. While primarily seen on the ground, groundhogs are actually very adept climbers and can also swim.
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- While many people believe Virginia Opossums ( Didelphis virginiuna) to be a member of the rodent family they are actually related to Kangaroos as they are a member of the marsupial family. They are the only marsupial found in North America and are quite beneficial to our local ecosystems. They love to eat pests, insects, fruit fallen from trees, carrion, and can even eat venomous snakes!
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- North American Banded Kingsnake use constriction to kill their prey and tend to be opportunistic when it comes to their diet. The “king” in the name references its taste for other snakes. The majority of kingsnakes have quite vibrant patterns on their skins.
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- Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) can be found in our very own big backyard and can be found throughout North America. Great Horned owls can take down prey 2 to 3 times heavier than itself including, skunks, raccoons, and even porcupines.