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Gromphadorhina portentosa

Madagascar hissing cockroaches live eight to ten months in the wild and two to five years in captivity. They are found in large colonies. Females and nymphs are allowed into a male's territory but other adult males are not.

Both males and females will hiss when they are disturbed as a defense mechanism. In contrast to males who hiss for courtship and fighting, the females will only hiss when disturbed. This hissing distracts predators allowing the roach to escape. Males can recognize each other by their hissing. Their flat body shape allows them to hide in tightly enclosed areas. By being active at night, they can avoid diurnal predation. They have sense organs in their antennae and in one pair of legs that are sensitive to vibrations.

Grasshoppers, praying mantises and termites are close relatives of the roach since they develop in the same way.

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Saving the Tamarins - Golden lion tamarins are endangered due to severe habitat destruction because of logging, farming and urbanization. Only 2-3% of their former forest habitat still exists. In 1971 an international cooperative breeding program was established to increase the captive population of tamarins. By 2025, the goal is to increase preserved forest to 62,000 acres and provide corridors to reconnect fragmented habitat to support a sustainable population of 2,000 golden lion tamarins.

Keep Out! - Golden lion tamarins establish and defend a territory as large as 100 acres against other tamarins. Territories are marked using scent glands located in the sternal and genital areas. Vocalizations are also used to warn intruders to stay away. Actual fighting between rival groups does not occur.


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okapi

Can You See Me Now? - The unique color pattern of the okapi allows it to disappear into the background of dense vegetation in the forests where it lives. From the front, the dark coloration is rather dull and inconspicuous. From the back, the white stripes against the brown fur help the okapi blend into the shadows of the rainforest. Their fur also helps repel rain and moisture in their rainforest habitat, due to an oily coating.

Prehensile Tongue - The okapi’s long prehensile tongue is used to strip leaves from branches and vines. Their tongue is 12-14 inches (30-36 cm) long and black or dark blue in color. Okapi can also use their tongue to wash their eyelids, clean out their ears and swat insects from their withers (the ridge between an animal’s shoulder bones).


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COMMERSON'S DOLPHIN

Behavior

BEHAVIOR OBSERVATION

1.For the most part, Commerson's dolphins in the wild are visible only when they are at the surface, so it is inherently challenging to document and study dolphin behavior.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

1.Commerson's dolphins are typically found alone or in small groups of two to three individuals.

•Other observers report groups of 2 to 15, 20 to 30, and on rare occasion, groups of 100 or more Commerson's swimming together.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR

1.Little is known about Commerson's dolphin movements from one area to another. Seasonal movement may be due to food availability.


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CALIFORNIA SEA LION

Behavior

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

1.California sea lions do not have a stable social organization during the nonbreeding season (August through April).

2.California sea lions are extremely gregarious and form large aggregations when on land. Individuals lie close to each other, or even on top of each other.

California sea lions are extremely gregarious and when on land will lie close to each other, or even on top of each other.

3.Large male California sea lions exhibit size-related dominance over smaller animals.


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Large male sea lions often exhibit dominance over smaller animals.

4.When in the water, California sea lions often form small groups.

5.During the breeding season, California sea lions gather in rookeries for pupping and breeding.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR

1.On land, sea lions aggregate in protected areas near shore.

2.In the water, they may form a raft: a small mass of sea lions on the surface in very close proximity.


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Sea lions will frequently float in close proximity to each other in groups called rafts.

3.Juvenile and nonbreeding California sea lions are perhaps the most playful of the otariids. They often ride the surf, chase each other, push and shove each other off rocks, and practice territorial battles. Adults engage in these activities less often.

4.In response to sudden or unusual activity (such as a loud noise or rapid movement), one or a few individuals start toward the water. This begins a rush as the rest of the herd follows. This alarm reaction is less pronounced during the breeding season.

5.Dominance behaviors are most aggressive during the breeding season. Males establish dominance by open-mouth threats and vocalizations, pushing, and shoving.

TERRITORIAL BEHAVIOR

1.Territorial behavior in males is strongly correlated to mating behavior. At the onset of the breeding season, male California sea lions establish breeding territories.

2.Dominant male California sea lions maintain territories from May through August, but territorial behavior is most intense between late


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June and early July. Galápagos sea lions maintain territories until January.

3.A male's territory extends beyond the water's edge and is partly aquatic. Various physiographic features (i.e. boulders, tide pools, reefs) serve as borders.

4.Boundaries are poorly defined and vary according to time of day, temperature, and movement of the females. Average size of a territory is about 130 square meters (1,400 square ft.). Males are frequently observed along the beach at 10-15 m (33-49 ft.) intervals.

5.Males establish territories by incessant barking, chest-to-chest pushing, grappling, and biting. Fights may result in injury, but are rarely fatal.

6. Once territories are established, males patrol their boundaries and bark when necessary to maintain and defend them. An intruding male evokes and immediate response from the resident male, who struggles violently to displace the intruder. To reaffirm their borders males often engage in ritualized boundary displays. One such display is when two bordering males rush at each other, barking. When they reach the border they stop barking, fall on their chests, and, with mouths open, shake their heads from side to side. They then rear up and stare obliquely at each other. Bull also patrol the aquatic borders of their territories by swimming along the territories' edges.

7. Territories exist only when and where females are present. Females, however, are relatively indifferent to the territories and move about freely between them. Males make no attempts to herd females or prevent their departure.

INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR

1.California sea lions often rest and sleep on land and in the water.


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Sea lions can be observed sleeping on land, in the water or both.

2.A sea lion may raise a flipper out of the water to regulate its body temperature.

Sea lions in the water are often observed raising a flipper out of the water to regulate their body temperature.

3.Sea lions often "porpoise"; that is, they leap out of the water while


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swimming and re-enter headfirst.

INTERACTION WITH OTHER SPECIES

1.California sea lions share haul-out space with northern elephant seals, harbor seals, northern fur seals, and Steller sea lions. California sea lions frequently interact with these species in much the same way as they interact among themselves.

2.California sea lions normally coexist peacefully with other marine mammal species, but breeding males, and females with newborn pups, may threaten and chase intruders. During breeding season, territorial disputes between male California sea lions and fur seals usually result in a victory for the more aggressive fur seal.

3.Pups and juveniles may snap at and briefly chase gulls.

Artic wolfBrrr! It’s Cold! - Arctic wolves have an undercoat and overcoat of fur which together provide insulation and allow them to survive temperatures of –30 degrees Fahrenheit or colder through the winter months. Thick pads on their feet prevent freezing, and their


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short muzzle and small ears help prevent heat loss. They also have shorter legs and a bulkier body than other wolves which helps them retain heat.

Life in a Pack - Arctic wolves are social animals that live in packs consisting of seven to eight related members. There is a highly complex social order in the pack and every member has a place within the dominance hierarchy. All wolves are aware of their position in the pack through communication with body posture. Every pack has a male leader, and they hunt in packs and share the kill.

Green tree phyton

Can You See Me Now? - The vivid emerald green coloration and disruptive pattern of spots and stripes provides camouflage for these highly arboreal snakes as they rest or move through the dense vegetation in the trees. When resting, they are virtually invisible – a useful adaptation for these patient predators.

Just Hanging Around - Waiting for Dinner The green tree python adopts a characteristic pose with one or two coils looped around a branch forming a sort of saddle with its head resting in the middle of the coils. The snake may curl its prehensile tail around the branch to serve as an anchor when it strikes out at passing prey or it may use the black tipped tail as a lure to draw prey in closer.


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Komodo dragon

Beware the Bite - Many lizards eat plants but Komodo dragons are carnivores and mainly eat carrion, but also ambush large prey. They use a stealthy approach when hunting prey, using their long claws and sharp teeth to attack the unwary animal as it passes by. Komodo dragon saliva contains 50 different strains of toxic bacteria that cause deadly infections in the prey animal.

Primary Sense - The Komodo dragon’s sense of smell is their primary method of detecting food. Using their forked tongues, they test the air for the scent of warm-blooded animals. They have a Jacobson’s organ on the roof of the mouth that analyzes the information from the tongue and signals the direction of potential prey. Their sense of smell is so acute, they can detect the smell of dead or dying animals up to five miles away. Learn More!


http://denverzoo.org/downloads/dzoo_komodo_dragon.pdf

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Tarantula

Grammostola rosea

An adult female tarantula may live for 30 years or more. The life span of the male is somewhat less.

Since tarantulas are largely sedentary creatures that seldom move more than a few feet from their burrows, they rely on prey passing close by. The curly-haired tarantula spears its prey with long fangs and kills the prey with venom. The tarantula then crushes the prey with powerful mouth parts while producing a special digestive fluid. This fluid liquefies the prey so that the prey can be absorbed and digested.

The bite of a tarantula is about as harmful as a bee sting to humans. The venom is designed to bring down prey smaller thanthe tarantula.

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