Octopus

Octopus

Mollusk. The common octopus is a master of camouflage, changing shape and color at will. Octopuses often match their surroundings to the point of becoming invisible while motionless. To cover movements and confuse predators, they release a cloud of dark ink, called sepia, gaining time to escape. Common octopuses have an arm span of 3 meters (10 feet). Because they have no bones, octopuses can squeeze into the tiniest places. They are very intelligent. In laboratory studies, scientists have observed that the octopus can figure out mazes and puzzles. There are more than 100 octopus species in the world.
Scientific Name	Lifespan
Octopus vulgaris	12 to 18 months
Diet
Carnivore. Crustaceans, particularly crabs; mollusks, worms and fish.
Predators and Threats
Moray eels, sharks, whales, seals, large fish, and humans.
Habitat
Tropical and temperate waters, worldwide.

Oedemera

Oedemera

Insect. The oedemera is a small beetle, only reaching 1 cm (.4 in) in length. Oedemeras love flowers and are particularly active on hot, sunny days. It is easy to tell males and females apart because the males have extra large thighs, making them look quite muscular. Larvae develop in the stems of old plants. Beetles have two sets of wings. Their “elytra” wings make a hard shell partially protecting their flying wings. Their metallic coloring is in the elytra. In order to fly, the beetles must raise the elytra to free up their flying wings. The oedemera's scientific name means “noble oedemera.”
Scientific Name	Lifespan
Oedemera nobilis	About a year
Diet
Herbivore. Pollen from flowers. Larvae eat plant stems, in which they develop.
Predators and Threats
Birds, toads, and insectivores.
Habitat
They favor grassy areas and places to feed on flowers. Widespread throughout Europe.

Orca

Mammal. Orcas belong to the dolphin family, although they are often referred to as killer whales. Like dolphins, orcas use echolocation – that is, bouncing sound off objects to determine their location and locate prey. Orcas are voluntary breathers, sleeping with only half of their brain at a time while the other half remains alert to regulate breathing. They are very social animals who live in stable family groups, called pods, and display a high level of care for their offspring. They also hunt together, like wolves. Orcas speak in dialects, and they can recognize the sounds from members of their own pod from several miles away.
Scientific Name	Lifespan
Orcinus orca	30-80 years
Diet
Carnivore. Fish, squid, seals, sea lions, penguins, dolphins, porpoises and large whales like the blue whale.
Predators and Threats
Humans, along with pollution and contamination.
Habitat
All oceans in the world; most common in the Arctic and Antarctic. Often spotted off the west coast of North America.

Barn Owl

Barn Owl

Bird. The barn owl has the most developed sense of hearing of all birds. Barn owls are very effective hunters thanks to a combination of forward-facing eyes, ten times the light sensitivity of humans, great depth perception, and a neck that can rotate up to 270 degrees. Serrated feather tips muffle the sounds of flapping wings during flight, allowing the owls to swoop down on unsuspecting prey. Camouflage coloring protects the owls from predators during the daytime. Barn owls do not construct nests, instead surrounding their eggs with pellets made of the regurgitated bone and fur fragments of their meals.
Scientific Name	Lifespan
Tyto alba	2-3 years
Diet
Carnivore. Rodents (voles, mice).
Predators and Threats
Great horned owl.
Habitat
Trees, abandoned burrows and buildings, forests and grasslands; Southern Canada to southern Chile, and from east to west coast in the Western Hemisphere.

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

Bird. The great horned owl is the most powerful of owls and has been called the “tiger of the woods.” The name is derived from tufts of feathers that appear to be ear tufts or horns. The feather tufts help in camouflage and have nothing to do with hearing. Great horned owls can see during the day, but their vision is even better at night, when they are most active. They spend the majority of their time hunting. Loose, soft feathers allow them to fly silently and swoop down on their prey. The male's resonant territorial call “hoo-hoo hoooooo hoo-hoo” can be heard over several miles during a quiet night.
Scientific Name	Lifespan
Bubo virginianus	13 years, 38 in captivity
Diet
Carnivore. Rodents, hares, small rabbits, frogs, fish, other owls, bats, reptiles, poultry, and insects.
Predators and Threats
Northern goshawks, and other great horned owls.
Habitat
Dense forests, deserts and plains to city parks; throughout North America, Central America and South America.

Giant Panda

Giant Panda

Mammal. The giant panda is one of the rarest animals in the world. Found only in the mountains of central China, pandas live in dense bamboo and coniferous forests at altitudes of 1,200 to 3,500 meters (4,000 to 11,500 feet). They are very playful and active for about 15 hours a day, most of which is spent eating. Having the digestive system of a carnivore, pandas must eat large amounts of bamboo every day to stay alive. The rest of the time they like to relax against a tree. They spend much of their time alone. Giant pandas cannot walk on their hind legs. They do not hibernate, because their food is available throughout the year.
Scientific Name	Lifespan
Ailuropoda melanoleuca	25 years
Diet
Omnivore. Unlike other bears, giant pandas are mainly herbivorous, eating primarily bamboo shoots, leaves and roots. Occasionally they eat other plants, small animals, and carcasses.
Predators and Threats
Humans and habitat loss; snow leopards and eagles attack baby pandas.
Habitat
Mountain forests characterized by dense stands of bamboo; China (Gansu, Shaanxi, and Sichuan Provinces).

Brown Pelican

Brown Pelican

Bird. The brown pelican is the smallest of all pelicans. To capture fish, the pelican performs a spectacular dive from 20 to 30 feet above water and scoops the fish into her bill's pouch. The pouch can hold three gallons but the bird's stomach can only hold one gallon. The pelican drains off the water and then, rather than carrying the fish, she swallows them whole before taking off. For protection from diving injuries, brown pelicans have air sacs under the front of their bodies that cushion against the force of hitting the surface of the water. Their eyes have a clear membrane to protect them under water and during flight.
Scientific Name	Lifespan
Pelecanus occidentalis	10 years, 25 in captivity
Diet
Carnivore. Primarily fish (favorite is Atlantic menhaden, a fish with very oily flesh). Requires 4 pounds of fish per day.
Predators and Threats
Raccoons (on nestlings), bald eagles, peregrine falcons and humans.
Habitat
Small coastal islands, shallow estuaries, sand spits and offshore sand bars; Anacapa Island, California south to Chile and from Maryland to Venezuela and Trinidad; British Columbia and Nova Scotia.