The graceful, little key deer lives in the Florida Keys. Readers will learn more about these deer, how they became endangered, and what conservation groups are doing to help them make a comeback.
The Mongolian wild horse was once considered extinct in the wild and only a few existed in zoos. Find out how scientists working together have reintroduced Mongolian wild horses to their former habitat and are helping them take their first steps on the road to recovery.
Gray whales live in the Pacific Ocean and can grow to be 50 feet (15 meters) long. Readers will discover how whale hunters brought these huge mammals to near extinction and how people are working together to help these giants of the sea fight for survival.
The whooping crane is a unique bird found only in North America and known for its whooping call great height for a bird. Readers will learn about the whooping crane's fight for survival as hunters killed them for their beautiful feathers and humans drained their wetland habitats to build houses.
The American bison was hunted to near extinction in the 1800s as settlers moved west across what is now the United States. Readers will learn about this animal that is a symbol of the American West and find out what steps were taken to help increase the American bison population.
The small golden lion tamarin is known for its brownish-red mane, long tail, and territorial nature. Readers will learn about these creatures and how destruction of their coastal forest habitat almost led to their extinction. Find out how zoos and conservationists have collaborated to save the golden lion tamarin.
Many people are afraid of bats, but like every other living thing they play in important role in nature. Readers will learn about cave dwelling gray bats, how they became endangered, and how government leaders and scientists have teamed up to save these furry, flying creatures.
This fun book is about animal behavior. It challenges students to guess what animals are doing and why. Topics include camouflage and mimicry, color changes, migration, animal senses and adaptations, courtship dances, care from mammal mothers, playing dead, scary body parts, tongue teasers, and some silly stuff to encourage story writing.
Young readers will love learning how different plants and animals move. Sunflowers turn their heads to face sunlight, some plants close their flowers at night, and others move their heads to trap insects. Animals also move in many ways. Animals with limbs walk, run, hop, leap, climb, dance, and crawl. Animals with wings fly, flap, soar, and glide. Animals that live in water swim, hover, dive, leap, porpoise, and breach. Young readers will become aware of the different ways in which plants and animals move, as well as learn new vocabulary about movement through questions and activities.
This delightful book teaches readers about the world of baby animals by identifying animals that share the same names. Adorable photos feature pups (baby dogs and foxes), cubs (baby wolves and bears), and kids (baby goats and human children). An activity featuring photographs of animals asks children how many baby animal names they know.
Young readers are introduced to the concept and vocabulary of habitats in this colorful book. Each spread describes a different habitat and the animals that live there. Children will learn about habitats in forests, deserts, grasslands, wetlands, on mountains, and in the Arctic and Antarctic. An activity asks readers to use what they have learned to match photos of habitats with their habitat names.
Animals hide to avoid being eaten or to sneak up on animals they want to eat. This amazing book introduces children to some basic science concepts and vocabulary such as predator, prey, and camouflage. Fascinating photographs feature animals that can change color, or that have different shapes and patterns, so that they can blend into their surroundings. A special section also features animals that do not need to hide. Sharp quills or bright colors warn other animals that these animals would be dangerous to eat.
Asian carp have big appetites and can leap out of the water when startled. They were brought to the United States from their native Asian habitats to control algae growth on fish farms. Find out what happened when some of these big, jumping fish escaped and made their way up the Mississippi River.
American mink have beautiful, thick, glossy fur. At one time, many were exported to other countries where farmers raised them for their fur. Find out what happened to native species when fur went out of fashion and many minks were released into the wild.
Cane toads are known for their warty skin and poison glands. They were brought to Australia and other places to help control pests that were harming crops. Learn more about how the cane toad has gone from being farmer's friend to an unwanted pest.
Gray squirrels are known for their bushy tails and hoarding habits. These North American natives were imported to parts of Europe and South Africa as pets, but quickly went from pets to unwanted pests. Learn more about the problems caused by invasive gray squirrels and what can be done to solve them.
Emerald Ash Borers have shiny green bodies and an appetite for ash trees. This native Asian insect hitchhiked to North America and has killed millions of ash trees. Learn more about the emerald ash borer and what is being done to try to stop its spread.
The Florida panther once roamed as far west as Louisiana and as far north as Tennessee. Today, these cats are found in just four counties in southern Florida. How did the Florida panther become one of the most endangered animals in the world? Read this book to find out how hunting and other human activities brought the Florida panther to the brink of extinction. Learn what is being done to help it get on the road to recovery.
The grizzly bear once roamed much of western North America. In the early 1800s, as many as 50,000 grizzly bears lived in the West. As settlers pushed westward, the bears lost much of their habitat. Fewer than 1,000 grizzlies remained in the lower 48 U.S. states when the bear was listed as endangered. Read this book to learn how grizzly bears came close to extinction and find out what is being done to increase their numbers and insure their survival.
Honeybees are known for their familiar buzzing and honey production. Learn how an experiment meant to increase honey production created aggressive Africanized honeybees that have taken over territory and caused big problems for beekeepers, farmers, and anyone unlucky enough to disturb them.
The California condor is the largest bird in North America. Scientists have found condor fossils that are nearly 100,000 years old. As more people settled in the American west, however, condors lost much of their habitat to human development. By 1982, fewer than 25 California condors lived in the wild. Read this book to find out more about California condors, how they came close to extinction, and what people are doing do help make sure condors stay on the road to recovery.
The bald eagle is known to people around the world as a symbol of the United States. In the early 1800s, as many as 100,000 bald eagles lived in the United States. By the 1960s, the familiar bird of prey was nearly extinct. What happened? Read this book to find out how human activity brought the handsome eagle close to extinction. Discover how human efforts helped it fight back and once again become a familiar sight in North American skies.
The Hands on Science series provide students with background on key concepts in Science. Each title includes engaging hands on exercises that help bring the concepts to life for kids. Real World Science: Animals, provides information on the basic needs of animals, and the body parts and behaviors that help animals meet their needs.
Centuries ago, explorers brought hogs to the Americas as a food source. Some of these boars made it into the wild, where their offspring have managed to survive ever since. Wild boars will eat almost anything from garbage, to crops, to other animals. They can also spread disease. Read this book to find out more about how wild boars cause problems around the world and what experts are doing to find solutions.
How the Giant African Snail destroyed field crops and flower gardens and spread diseases to people thousands of miles from their native Africa.
