family – Discover-Nature

Red Panda

The red panda, Ailurus fulgens, a small mammal closely related to weasels and raccoons, is found in the Himalayan and Tibetan mountain ranges of Nepal, Bhutan, and southern China. There are two subspecies, the Himalayan red panda and the Chinese red panda, differentiated by slight skull and color variations. They were isolated almost 200,000 years ago by glaciation in the Brahmaputra River Valley.

Red pandas live in steeply sloped, heavily forested areas where bamboo grows in dense thickets and there is easy access to water. Their habitat ranges in altitude from 6,500 feet to over 14,000 feet, in a temperate area with average temperatures in the upper sixties (Fahrenheit). These mountain ranges contain many protected pockets of forest, interconnected with wildlife corridors through unprotected country. Some areas overlap habitat where the Giant Panda lives, and the two species must share the bamboo in these locations.

_{Red panda, Ailurus fulgens, by Pixabay 27707, Sep 2015}

_{Red panda, Ailurus fulgrens, climbing at Taronga Zoo, by Charles Wong}

The red panda has a round head with a short snout and white fringed, triangular ears. Adults are 24″ long and weigh about 15 pounds. Their fur is dense, reddish-brown and covered with dark guard hairs. A black belly and legs, with a white muzzle and alternating red and buff rings along an 18″ tail, ensures that the red panda is well camouflaged in a forested area covered in red moss and white lichen. They have five curved claws on each foot that can be partially retracted in addition to flexible joints in their pelvis and hind limbs and an elongated wrist bone ending in a false thumb. All of these adaptations allow for a great range of motion when climbing and moving about the forest.

_{Red panda, Ailurus fulgens, mom and newborn by Rainer Halama, Jul 2013}

Red panda, Ailurus fulgens, twittering

The red panda lives in solitude, except during mating season in late winter when they cautiously seek out mates, resting and feeding near one another for short periods. Mating occurs on the ground, and gestation lasts 13 weeks, but can be prolonged up to 24 weeks at the discretion of the mother. The female selects a den site, building a nest of sticks, leaves, grass, and moss. Litters are between 1 and 4 babies weighing only 3 to 4 ounces at birth. Babies are born covered in fur for warmth, but blind for their first 18 days. They depend on their mother for everything for three to five months, and will not leave home until a year has passed.

_{Red panda, Ailurus fulgrens, sunbathing by Su-May, Sep 2011}

_{Red panda, Ailurus fulgrens, Conservation of energy by Tina R Tiller}

Red pandas move easily through the trees as well as over open ground. Trees next to bamboo stands provide places to sit higher up and eat, but the forest also provides shelter, an escape route from potential predators, and branches to sunbathe on in colder weather. If temperatures become too bitter, red pandas can lower their metabolic rates, curl into a tight ball, and sleep for a few hours to conserve warmth and energy. Bamboo makes up a large part of their diet, but it is supplemented with fruits, flowers, eggs, small mammals and birds. They prefer to eat early in the morning and late in the afternoon, while intermittently sleeping during the remaining hours.

_{Chinese red panda, Ailurus fulgens, named Kinta at Nogeyama Zoo, by Toshihiro Gamo}

Red pandas are on the endangered species list with decreasing populations near 10,000 in the wild. Their primary predators include leopards and jackals, which they can escape from using their climbing skills and agility through rocky and forested areas. But their main threat comes from poachers who prize their fur and bushy tails for the hat making industry and habitat destruction and land development that is steadily cutting large forests into small, isolated acreages. Red pandas have been well studied and are a favorite species at many zoos. Consider getting out this year to see them and learn more at a zoo near you.

Books & Blogs

It is the start of another winter here at the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum, and outside activities are slowing down, making this an excellent time to catch up on the exploration of natural history from the comfort of an easy chair. Let’s take a look at books that have been recently published plus a variety of blog sites, that provide information and activities.

Close To Home, by Thor Hanson, provides a look into the neighborhoods that the author lives in and walks through every day. He says we miss seeing many of nature’s aspects each time we leave our homes because it is all so familiar or not immediately visible to us. This book reminded me of how exciting it is to lose track of time and simply explore.

In our second selection, How Can I Help? by Douglas Tallamy, another backyard naturalist, he answers a series of questions to help us use our nature observations to take better care of our own environments. Tallamy advocates that each of us can contribute to a healthier worldwide natural environment by understanding more about our everyday actions.

The Everyday Naturalist by Rebecca Lexa focuses on how we can develop our identification skills for plants and animals. It is not a field guide, but rather a tool to help us recognize many different aspects of our observations and how to use that information along with specific id guides to identify plants and animals.

Night Magic by Leigh Ann Henion focuses on the species and happenings in the natural world after dark, a time with which most of us are not familiar. With our attention focused on improving our observational skills, we can learn to see and hear many of the wonders of nature in the night.

Everyday Environment, a blog/podcast from the University of Illinois Extension features a variety of environmental topics covering species identification, unique traits of Illinois wildlife, locations to explore and what to look for in each, and opportunities for interaction with your environment.

The website for Homegrown National Park offers information on using native plants, opportunities to get involved in conservation, a blog with entries about sustaining the natural environment in your backyard, and a blog/podcast section of environmental topics just for kids. Consider adding the native plant areas you have an impact on to their Biodiversity Map.

Several websites offer information about getting to know our wildlife species, but two of my favorites are Bug Guide and The Orianne Society. Bug Guide concentrates on insects and spiders and related species. The site offers a field guide section, an opportunity to post pictures to be identified, and a forum covering several discussion topics from naturalists throughout North America. The Orianne Society is a worldwide conservation organization concerned with reptiles and amphibians and their habitats. Lots of great photography and information accompany articles on various species. A blog and newsletter are available that cover diverse scientific topics for specific species and their homes.

Check out these resources over the coming cold months and fill in some downtime with a learning opportunity. Consider a visit to the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum or a nature center near you to learn more about your own environment or one of the many other nature topics available.

Books can be found at most local libraries or bookstores. Blogs and websites are located at:

University of Illinois Everyday Environment https://extension.illinois.edu/podcasts/everyday-environment-podcast

Homegrown National Park https://homegrownnationalpark.org/

Bug Guide https://bugguide.net/node/view/15740

The Orianne Society https://www.oriannesociety.org/?v=f69b47f43ce4

Sounds of Spring

Thunder and heavy rain, soft rain and light wind, birds in the early morning, frogs in the evening, and maybe a coyote howl deep into the night are some of the sounds of spring. As cold temperatures ease into summer highs, walks through natural areas tend to be filled with many sights as well as opportunities to learn by being quiet and listening closely.

Calls and songs are used by many species for a variety of purposes. Thousands of birds are migrating through the area, especially on clear evenings, and calls help to keep birds together and establish who is the flight leader. Year-round species are re-establishing territories, using calls to warn intruders to stay away or warn family members of approaching threats. Frog species in particular are calling during evenings to find a mate, lay eggs, and begin the establishment of the next generation.

There are dozens of species active at this time of year, and as we have been taking nature walks on campus the last few days, here are some of the wildlife we are listening to (click on each picture to hear their call)…

^{Yellow-rumped warbler, Setophaga coronata, Mirceax, Getty Images}

Yellow-rumped warbler, Setophaga coronata, by Valerie Heemstra, 2024

^{Red-winged blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus, by KenCanning, Getty Images Signature}

Red-winged blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus, by Thomas Ryder Payne, 2022

^{Palm warbler, Setophaga palmarum, by Irving A. Gaffney, Getty Images}

Palm warbler, Setophaga palmarum, by Christopher McPherson, 2021

^{Northern waterthrush, Parkesia noveboracensis, by Carol Hamilton, Getty Images}

Northern waterthrush, Parkesia noveboracensis, by Lance A.M. Benner2017

^{Northern Parula, Setophaga americana, by Neil Bowman, Getty Images}

Northern Parula, Setophaga americana, by Richard E. Webster, 2023

^{Chipping sparrow, Spizella passerina, by Irving A. Gaffney, Getty Images}

Chipping sparrow, Spizella passerina, by David Tattersley, 2023

^{Blue-headed vireo, Vireo solitarius, Mirceax, Getty Images}

Blue-headed vireo, Vireo solitarius, by Thomas Magarian, 2024

^{Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata, by Miguel Opacic, Getty Images}

Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata, Sue Riffe, 2024

Bird songs have a structure and rhythm, and are repeated often to attract a mate, ward off rivals, or bond with a family member. Other calls give warning that danger is near, keep flocks together in flight, or create a pair bond, often between mother and chick.

Frogs and toads are mating and laying eggs in area ponds. Each species has its own distinctive call, used by the males to attract a mate, warn of potential danger, establish a territory, or to signal distress. Frog species being heard around campus at this time include the following (click on each picture to hear their call)…

^{American Toad, Anaxyrus americanus, by Mshake, Getty Images}

American Toad, Anaxyrus americanus, by Thomas Margarian, 2024

^{Boreal chorus frog, Pseudacris maculata, by Derwyn, Getty Images}

Boreal chorus frog, Pseudacris maculata, by Thomas Margarian, 2016

^{Spring peeper, Pseudacris crucifer by HuntImages, Getty Images Signature}

Spring peeper, Pseudacris crucifer by Paul Marvin, 2012

^{Northern Leopard Frog, Lithobates pipiens, by Jennifer Seeman, Getty Images}

Northern Leopard Frog, Lithobates pipiens, by Paul Marvin, 2015

Sometimes, coyote can be heard when walking in woodlands around campus late in the evening. There are a lot of different calls used by these canines to provide information to other individuals. You can listen below to a bark used to indicate a threat, a social call establishing an individual’s location, a begging call from a young one, and a howl audible over long distances to announce one’s presence. Other calls may include a woof to signal a low intensity threat, a yip to claim territory, a growl to threaten another animal, and a whine or yelp to show subservience to a more dominant individual.

^{Coyote, Canis latrans, barking by TakenPix, Getty Images}

Coyote, Canis latrans, bark by Paul Marvin, 2018

^{Coyote, Canis latrans, begging, by Keith Szafranski, Getty Images Signature}

Coyote, Canis latrans, begging call by Matthew L. Brady, 2025

^{Coyote, Canis latrans, social interaction by Michel Viard, Getty Images}

Coyote, Canis latrans, social call by Flor Sangermano, 2023

^{Coyote, Canis latrans, howling, by Keith Szafranski, Getty Images Signature}

Coyote, Canis latrans, howl by Paul Marvin, 2012

Additional wildlife sounds can be heard on campus around Lake Benedictine or in nearby forest preserves. Get out for a walk and be sure to listen throughout the day for bird species, and into the evening hours for frogs, toads, and coyotes.

Great Horned Owls

The great-horned owl, Bubo virginianus, is native to much of the Americas, including most of North America and Central America and about half of South America. It is the second heaviest owl in North America, right behind the snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus, weighing up to five-and-a-half pounds with a wingspan between three and five feet.

^{Great-horned owl, Bubo virginianus, by Andy Reago&Chrissy McClareen, Aug 2012}

^{Range and distribution of Great-Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus by BirdLife International, 2014}

Feathers cover the entire body, including their feet, and are varying shades of browns and grays. Their backs and heads are mottled or barred in several patches. This coloration, especially when coupled with mostly nocturnal activities, provides excellent camouflage. Their ‘horns’ are actually feathers sticking upwards on either side of their heads. These are called plumicorns, but their function is not well understood. The feather structure of the wing allows owls to fly silently and includes a serrated leading edge to disrupt turbulence and softer feathers behind to help deaden sound.

^{Great horned owl plumicorns by Jean-pol Grandmont, Aug 2013}

^{Great horned owl wing structure by Peter K. Burian, Aug 2015}

The owl’s ears are covered by feathers, but are not symmetrical with one being higher on the side of the head than the other. This arrangement provides the owl with the ability to triangulate sounds and precisely locate prey in the dark or when prey is hidden, such as when an animal is moving about under a layer of snow. Their flattened face, shaped as a round disc, also helps to direct sound to their ears. Like all owls, their eyes are fixed in the sockets, but the bird can swivel its head almost 180° to either side allowing it to see in all directions.

^{Great horned owl talons by Curtis Bouvier, May 2010}

Great horned owls hunt from a perch, observing the area below them before diving swiftly and silently from far above. Their diet consists of small mammals, birds, amphibians, and a variety of snakes. Their talons are powerful and deadly, with a grip comparable to much larger birds such as golden eagles. Most prey is killed by being pierced or crushed in the talons. Owls may hunt and kill for more than their immediate needs and will cache their kills for future meals.

Great horned owls are not migratory. When an owl is ready to mate, courtship occurs in late fall and pairs mate for life, establishing a territory together in which they will live their entire lives. Most territorial defense is through hooting at a transgressor, but rare physical confrontations have been observed. If an owl cannot establish its own territory, it will live in silence among the fringes of other territories.

^{Great-horned owl juveniles, Bubo virginianus, by Alan Vernon, Jun 2010}

^{Great horned owl female & juvenile on nest by John Kees, Apr 2012}

Males are responsible for picking a nest site, almost always taking over a nest constructed by another species. Mated pairs breed once every two to three years, laying from one to six eggs. Egg laying occurs between late February and early April. The female alone incubates the eggs, never leaving the nest, while the male hunts and brings her food. After about 33 days, the eggs hatch. Young owls will start to fly after seven weeks, but take a full month or more to become proficient.

^{Great horned owl calling, Bubo virginianus, by Michael & Katie LaTour, Jan 2019 (at 0:02, 0:10)}

^{Great-horned owl pair calling by Bushman, Dec 2013 (at 0:18, 0:41, 0:51, 1:22)}

Owls are more often heard than seen. Although the females are larger than males, females have a smaller voice box and thus a higher pitched hooting call ending with a slight rising note. Juveniles can make hissing or screeching sounds and are often misidentified as barn owls, Tyto furcata.

You can learn more about these magnificent birds at the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum. Make a reservation to come see us by visiting our website at: https://ben.edu/campus-links/jurica-suchy-nature-museum/ (click on Register to Visit the Museum).

Ostrich

The ostrich, the largest and heaviest bird, is one of the handful of birds that cannot fly. They live in arid and semi-arid habitats in Africa, as well as in a small population of once captive birds that were released into the wilds of Australia. Several sub-species of the common ostrich, Struthio camelus can be found across most of Africa, while the Somali ostrich, Struthio molybdophanes, is only found in the far east around the Horn of Africa.

^{Common ostrich, Struthio cameus, Tanzania by Patrick Gijsbers, Getty Images Signature; Female Somali ostrich, Struthio molybdophanes, in Kenya by Ninara, Dec 2013; Male Somali ostrich, Struthio molybdophanes, in Kenya by Christiaan Kooyman, Jan 2003}

Ostrich males, called roosters, are predominantly black and can grow to 9′ and 180 pounds, while the slightly smaller females, called hens, have grayish-brown feathers and top out at about 6′ and 240 pounds. They live 30-40 years in the wild. Ostrich eyes, at almost 2″ in diameter, are the largest eyes of any land animal. Their species, camelus, refers to their long necks, large eyelashes, long legs, and their ability to go without water for extended periods.

Birds that can fly have many strong flight muscles attached to their sternum, which is shaped like a keel, an elongated structure which is narrow at the top and flares out at the bottom. However, the sternum of the ostrich is flattened and their wings are quite small. They do have powerful legs that allow them to sprint over 40mph and run long distances at an average speed of 31mph. Their long legs can cover 10-16 feet in a single stride. They only have two toes with one having a long claw that can dig into the ground for extra traction.

Notice the flattened sternum on the lower right of the ostrich compared to a flying bird below with a much larger bone.

^{Above: Flying bird shows large keel for flight muscles by LeeLiyi, Jun 2006}

^{Left: Ostrich skeleton, Museum of Veterinary Anatomy, FMVZ USP Wagner Souza e Silva, Dec, 2015}

Ostriches live in small family groups called herds. An average herd is about a dozen birds, led by one dominant male and one dominant female, called pack leaders. When males are ready to breed, they make a booming sound using an air sac in their throats that can be heard over long distances. When a female approaches, the male will puff out his chest, bow to the female, and do a dance that includes much tail shaking. This is repeated several times until the female indicates whether or not she will mate.

Ostrich eggs in shallow sandy depression, Namibia, by Th Trede, Getty Images

A dominant male digs a shallow nest 9 to 10 feet wide and mates with several females. Each mating results in 7-10 eggs laid together in the one nest. Ostrich eggs are the largest of any egg in the world weighing about 3 pounds, equal to 2 dozen chicken eggs. One male and one female will take turns incubating about 20 of the eggs, while the remaining eggs are ejected from the nest. Babies hatch in six weeks and are the size of a chicken when born, but they will grow about a foot a month, reaching adult size in six months.

Ostrich toes & claws by Mirko Vuckovic, Getty Images

Ostriches are omnivores mainly eating roots, seeds, and leaves, but will also eat insects, rodents, and snakes. They lack teeth; and as with many birds, they ingest small pebbles to help grind their food in the stomach. They are most vulnerable when eating or protecting their nests, and predators include lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and jackals. When threatened, an ostrich will not bury its heads in the sand. The bird may lie down on the ground with its head and neck stretched out to present a lower profile. They may run away, but if that is not possible, especially when protecting a nest, they will stand their ground. Their legs and sharp claws are powerful enough to deliver a kick capable of killing an adult lion. Many predators will not attack an adult ostrich, but their eggs are a delicacy for predators, vultures and other opportunists.

Many farms raise these birds, harvesting feathers and leather for clothing, plus meat and eggs for food. Although they are not considered endangered, ostriches are still threatened by habitat loss and poaching. At the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum you can view an adult ostrich, nest and eggs, plus see our new display on the skeletal structure of birds including our adult ostrich skeleton.

Hummingbirds

It is getting to the end of summer, and many bird species that winter in Central and South America will soon be starting their migrations. Of the 320 species of hummingbirds, 15 spend the summer breeding in North America, from the Gulf Coast states to southern Canada, before returning to winter habitat farther south. Only one species, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris, breeds east of the Mississippi River.

7 of the 15 hummers that breed in North America:
- Anna’s Hummingbird, Calypte anna, by Alan Scmierer-USFWS, Mar 2007
- Black-chinned Hummingbird, Archilobus alexandri, by Paul Crook-USFWS, Jun 2024
- Blue-throated Hummingbird, Lampornis clemenciae, by Alan Schmierer-USFWS, Jun 2024
- Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris, by Alan Scmierer-USFWS, Mar 2022
- Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Amazilia yucatanensis, by Alan Scmierer-USFWS, Jan 2010
- Broad-Tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus, by Tom Koerner-USFWS, Feb 2024
- Allen’s Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin, by Wendy Miller-USFWS, Jun 2024

Hummingbirds have a very high metabolism with a normal heart rate of 250 beats per minute that accelerates to almost 1250 beats per minute when in flight. They consume large amounts of nectar each day to get enough sugar to support their energy requirements. Several small grooves running the length of their tongue funnel nectar into their throat by capillary action, a force that causes liquid to rise in a small tube without needing to use air to suck the liquid in. They also eat any small invertebrate to fulfill protein, vitamin, and mineral needs. Hummingbirds snatch insects mid-air while in flight, poach them from spider webs, and glean tiny moth caterpillars from new leaves and branch tips. Another foraging method uses the blast of air beneath their powerful wings to roll over leaves on the forest floor, revealing the insect life below.

^{Anna’s hummingbird catching insects by Stan Lupo, Jul 2023}

Hummingbirds do not bond with a mate. Females establish a territory that optimizes the available nectar and offers multiple nest sites. Males establish a territory based on encountering as many females as possible. Both will defend their areas from other hummingbirds, as well as other nectar feeders including butterflies and bees. Daily feeding starts on the outer edge of their territory to chase out any overnight interlopers and ends with nectar sources deep inside the area’s interior. Males will breed with as many females as possible. Females may have more than one brood of eggs each year, either concurrently or one brood following another.

Nests are about 2″ in diameter, built of small twigs, lined with soft plant material, and covered on the outside with greenish-gray lichens. Nests are bound to branches with spider silk, usually in a forest clearing. The lichens provide camouflage by making the nest appear as a large knot when seen from below. Females reach breeding age at the end of their first year, and can breed throughout their lifetimes. They construct one or more nests, each containing two white eggs, the size of peas, which are incubated by only the female for 14 to 16 days. The male takes no part in raising the young birds, coming together with the female only during mating.

^{Allen’s Hummingbird nest, by Mike’s Birds, Mar 2013}

^{Ruby-throated hummingbird on nest with lichen, by Lorie Shaull, Jul 2020}

Hummingbirds found in the western portions of North America travel overland migration routes. However, midwestern and eastern birds fly non-stop over the Gulf Of Mexico. A hummingbird can increase its fat reserves and double its body weight in the 7 to 10 days prior to the overseas trip. Through studies using banded birds, we have learned that they fly alone, normally at night, along with large flocks of other birds. Young birds, making the trip for the first time, can successfully navigate the migration route with no prior training. Their guidance system, how it works, and how it is learned are all still a mystery.

No hummingbird species are listed as endangered. However, hybridization among species is common, and their small size and great speed make them very difficult to count and track. Little data is available about population size changes and movements; however, more birds have been found over-wintering as far north as the Gulf Coast states of North America.

At the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum, we have numerous bird specimens on display, including hummingbirds. We welcome you to come in and learn more about these amazing creatures.

Remaining 8 species that breed in North America:
Calliope Hummingbird, Selasphorus calliope, by Barbara Wheeler-USFWS, Nov 2021
Costa’s Hummingbird, Calypte costae, by Wendy Miller-USFWS, May 2020
Rivoli’s Hummingbird, Eugenes fulgens by Doug Greenberg-USFWS, Aug 2017
Lucifer Hummingbird, Calothorax lucifer, by Jim Gain-USFWS, Mar 2022
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Archilobus colubris, by Alan Scmierer-USFWS, Jun 2024
Rufous Hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus, USFWS, Jun 2024
Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Amazilia violiceps, by budgora, Mar 2014
White-eared Hummingbird, Basilinna leucotis, by Alan Scmierer-USFWS, Mar 2022

At The Waterhole

Last week, we discovered adaptations that allow elephants to deal with gravity and heat. Asian elephants live mostly in tropical forests that are warm from plenty of sunlight, although very little light reaches through the canopy to the forest floor. Rainfall may be intermittent, and shade-tolerant vegetation changes with a lack or an abundance of water. African savannas have lots of grasslands with a few trees and shrubs. They have distinct wet and dry periods, but grasses grow deep root systems that sustain them throughout the year. African woodlands are more open than Asian forests allowing a variety of trees and shrubs that grow well in full sunlight.

Elephants live in large groups, called herds, led by the strongest adult female. The herd members include all the females plus any males who not yet teenagers. The matriarch knows where to find food and water. She is aggressive when it comes to protecting the rest of the herd and is always the first to confront any threat. Males grow into bulls and will start to fight other males in their teen years. Once this aggression starts, the matriarch will kick the young bull out of the family. Bulls travel alone or together with other bulls, but it is a dangerous time for them because they do not have the support and knowledge of the matriarch for finding food and water.

_{^{The Herd by WLDavies, Getty Images Signature}}

Elephants are old enough to mate in their mid-teens. Pregnancy lasts 18-22 months, and each cow has a baby once every five years until they are in their forties. The herd is very social and several females take care of each calf. Water holes are places where the herd engages in many social activities. Elephants use water to drink, to swim and play in, and to bathe. However, bathing for an elephant means getting dirty, not clean. Elephants stir up the edges of a water hole to create mud to wallow in. Or they will cover themselves with water followed by dirt sprayed on their bodies with their trunks. Dried mud provides cooling from the sun and keeps biting insects away from tender skin. Elephants love water and bathe often, helping to keep skin moisturized.

Lovely mud by bucky_za, Getty Images Signature

Food eaten daily includes about 300 pounds of grass, tree bark, fruit, and other green vegetation. Elephants also need salt to supplement their diet. Their tongues are too short to lick anything not in their mouth, so they use their tusks to dig furrows in the ground and pile up soil and stones. Large stones can be placed into their mouth to lick salt from, and small stones are ground up by their huge molars. Food eaten daily includes about 300 pounds of grass, tree bark, fruit, and other green vegetation.

African elephants are larger than Asian elephants and males are larger than females in all species. Asian elephants average life span is about 80 years in the wild, while African elephants live only 60 years. They are excellent swimmers, often submerging their whole body underwater except for their trunks, which are used as snorkels to breathe. On land, they are slow moving, but can run short distances at better than 20 mph. They use many vocalizations to communicate such as grunts, rumbles, trumpets, screams, and purrs, and they can use their trunks to modulate sounds.

A thousand years ago, ivory was a hot commodity, and hunters exterminated elephants in North Africa. In the last century, after remaining populations were severely depleted by the late 1800s, many countries banned the trade of ivory. Elephants are recovering today, but poaching continues to be a serious threat. As more humans have moved into their native ranges, existing populations have to live in smaller areas. At their rate of food consumption, vegetation does not have enough time to grow back, and herds today are experiencing food shortages. Several conservation organizations are working to provide land for the establishment of wider ranges, care for orphaned elephants, and combat poaching.

You can see and learn more about these wondrous animals at your local zoo or natural history museum.

^{Clockwise above: African bush elephants by designerpoint, Pixabay; Masai Mara elephants by tankbmb, Getty Images; African elephant by Donvanstaden, Getty Images; Friends by cocoparisienne, Pixabay; Asian elephant by miharing, Getty Images}

Creepy Critters

A lot of creepy critters are starting to show up in my neighborhood as Halloween approaches. Many people are putting out scary pumpkins, bats, spiderwebs, and spiders. There are about 3,000 species of real spiders in North America, and all spiders have fangs that inject venom used to paralyze or kill their prey.

Spider web house by Stephanie Wallace, Oct 2007

Spiders are normally quite timid and must be threatened or provoked before they will attack a species larger than themselves. All spiders will bite, but most species do not have teeth that are large enough to break human skin. Of those that can bite through our skin, only four species dangerous to humans are found in North America. They belong to two groups, the widow spiders with three species in North America and the recluse spiders with eleven species in North America.

Widow spiders are all commonly called black widows, but they are actually three different species located across North America and include the western species, Lactrodectus hesperus, the northern species, Lactrodectus variolus, and the southern species, Lactrodectus mactans. In northern Illinois, the northern widow is a small species between 1/8″ and 3/8″ long. Males have long abdomens with white and red markings while females have more rounded abdomens with a red hourglass marking on their underside.

Northern black widow, *Lactrodectus variolus*, male by Judy Gallagher, May 2018

Northern black widow, *Lactrodectus variolus*, female by Andrew Hoffman, May 2012

Widow spiders are shy and tend to remain hidden under logs and stones, or just inside entrances to animal burrows. During autumn, as temperatures drop, they will move inside if possible and are often encountered under furniture, boxes, or discarded items that are not often disturbed. Webs are funnel-shaped and provide for adults and eggs. Once eggs are laid, the female will rarely leave the eggs untended, and will aggressively protect them from all harm, attempting to bite anyone that disturbs her or the eggs.

Black widows tend to flee rather than bite, unless they are protecting eggs. Only the females bite and their venom is especially dangerous to humans, but bites are not painful and may not even be noticeable at first. Severe stomach cramping develops within an hour or two and breathing may become difficult. Despite the uncomfortable effects, black widow bites are lethal in less than 1% of cases.

The brown recluse, Loxosceles reclusa, is the most widespread of the recluse spiders, and is often found in or around human dwellings. Other recluse species are found in very limited areas. Their favorite outdoor spots are under boards, stones and log piles, but they are most often found inside in quiet areas on the floor or behind furniture. Adult spiders are a light yellow-brown with a dark violin-shaped marking on their back. Adults are between 1/4″ and 1/2″ long with long, thin legs that can be three to four times the length of their body.

Brown recluse, *Loxosceles reclusa*, by Mike Keeling, Jan 2008

Recluse spiders are not aggressive and will only bite when disturbed. Most bites occur when the spider is caught in an article of clothing that is picked up off the floor, startling the spider. Once bitten, the wound develops a crust with a red zone around it. The crust may fall off rather quickly but leaves a crater behind that may take several months to fully heal. Although their bite may cause tissue damage, there have been no confirmed deaths in the United States.

Halloween is a special time of year and can be a fun time with scary creatures and other haunts. The Juricha-Suchy Nature Museum is hosting its 13th annual Creepy Critters Halloween Open House on October 26th (for info, please call (630) 829-6546 or email JuricaSuchyMuseum@ben.edu). I hope you get out for some trick-or-treating of your own, and let the real spiders live quietly in their own habitats.