Top Photo: Raccoon tracks across floating walkway in Explore the Wild. All it takes is a light dusting of snow and the fun begins, a chance to practice up on your tracking skills. A half inch of snow is all you need. In fact, a half inch is perfect for showing detail in animal tracks. Both raccoon and gray squirrels are common and very much at home here at the museum and its woods and exhibits. Both animals are wellRead more
Posts tagged: #mammal
Bears and the Fox
Top Photo: View of rock wall in Black Bear Enclosure through fence at Secondary Viewing. When outside temperatures drop from teeshirt to long john level, black bears get drowsy and look for a cozy spot to sleep it off. They enter a state of torpor where they may sleep for days, weeks or more only rising occasionally. It seems torpor hits individual bears differently. Some bears may sleep through nearly the entire winter while others will wake frequently. Little bearRead more
The Squirrel at the Train Station
Top Photo: Gray squirrel enjoying bird seed. If you’ve ever ridden the Ellerbe Creek Railroad at the museum you may have seen this or another squirrel at the bird feeders. The rodent has no fear of people, feeds at its own leisure, and is quite plainly entertaining to watch. We have “squirrel proof” feeders at our official bird feeding site, Bird Viewing, in Catch the Wind. The feeder at the Train Station is more or less a freebie. Oh, andRead more
Masons, a Cob, an Anole, Tadpoles, and a Red Bat
Top Photo: Mason bee hangs at entrance to its nest in mud wall. There are simply too many things happening outdoors to sit idle. Everything and everybody is waking up, becoming more active, stirring, building nests, blooming, fruiting, whatever it is they do in spring, and I don’t want to miss any of it. If you’ve ever been to the museum and visited Into the Mist in Catch the Wind you’ve probably noticed a little hut in the back ofRead more
The Life O’ possum
After hearing the sad news about the passing of Galileo, the Museum’s resident, exhibit opossum, and talking with Keepers Sarah and Jessi about the longevity of said animals, I decided to do a little research. I suppose I should have known opossums have a short life span. I mistakingly assumed they lived perhaps 4, 5, or even 6 years. I was incredulous when told they can only be expected to live about 2 years. Hamsters live longer than that! InRead more