Did you know? Alligator eggs are squishy!

Alligators can grow big and tough, but they begin life in tiny eggs. American alligators lay eggs in the early summer. A female alligator builds a nest and lays 20 to 50 eggs.
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Rhinos like to eat leaves and grasses

Animal digestive systems

A digestive system is how you get nutrients from the food you eat. Nutrients help you grow and develop. Your stomach is part of your digestive system. How do your favorite animals digest the feed they eat?
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Baby animal names

Baby animals often have special names. For example, baby cats are called kittens and baby birds are called chicks.
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Beef: Why eat it?

May is Beef Month in the United States. Beef is a kind of meat comes from cattle. Hamburgers and steaks are made of beef! Beef and other meats contain many nutrients that your body needs.
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Call the Tooth Fairy!

Have you lost your baby teeth? Humans have smaller teeth when they are young. When you get older, you lose your baby teeth and larger adult teeth grow in.
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Canine Obesity

Its a new year, and while we make new resolutions to keep ourselves healthy, it is important not to forget our greatest companions, our dogs.
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Fun fact: Dinosaurs built nests too!

Dinosaurs had a lot in common with modern-day birds. Both dinosaurs and birds built nests and laid eggs!
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Does chocolate milk come from brown cows?

Actually, chocolate milk can come from any kind of dairy cow. Brown cows make the same kind of milk as black and white Holstein cows and reddish Devon cows.
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Do snakes really smell with their tongues?

Snakes do use their tongues to smell! Snakes have nostrils, just like humans. But a snake’s tongue is also very important.
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Featured Pet: Chinchilla

Chinchillas are interesting animals! They look like combination of a hamster and a squirrel. And they can hop like rabbits! These unusual pets must have special care because of their thick fur and dietary needs.
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Featured Pet: Ferrets

Ferrets belong to the family Mustelidae. This means that they are in the weasel family and are related to skunks, weasels and badgers. Ferrets have been domesticated for 2,500 years. Even though the exact origin is unknown, ferrets were used for hunting.
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Featured pet: Shetland sheepdog

Shetland sheepdogs were originally used to herd flocks of sheep. Today, many people have Shetland sheepdogs as pets. Shetland sheepdogs are known for being very loyal and easy to train. Some people train their Shetland sheepdogs to run obstacle courses!
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What To Feed Your Horse

Horses eat many types of feed, including grain and hay. They also eat grass in the pasture. Eating grass in the pasture is called grazing. Horses often receive supplemental vitamins and minerals, too.
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Mammals Big and Small

If you like large mammals, look no further than blue whales. Not only are blue whales the largest living mammals, they are the largest animals on Earth! One blue whale is as long as three school buses end to end!
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Meet an alpaca!

Alpacas might be the softest animals on Earth! These funny-looking animals are famous for their soft wool.
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Meet a wild horse!

Deep in the Mongolian wild lives a very strange horse. This small, brown horse is called Przewalski's horse. The name “Przewalski” is pronounced “sheh-VAL-skee.” The horse is very rare and its history is fascinating!
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Migratory Movements

As spring approaches you may notice some birds returning to your neighborhood. These animals may be returning to their home from migration. For some people the return of birds signifies the return of spring, but it is not just birds that migrate.
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Miniature Animals!

Your favorite farm animals just got fun-sized!
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Some animals see in the dark!

Want to learn more about pets, farm animals and zoo animals? Jr. Animal Scientists are students ages 5 to 12 who want to learn more about
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Pets with no fur

Cats, dogs and gerbils may be cute and fuzzy, but these pets are cool too!
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rangeland

What is a Rangeland?

Rangeland is all of the land in the world that is not farmland, dense forest, barren desert, or land covered by solid rock, concrete, or glaciers. Rangelands include grasslands, shrublands, savannas, and open woodlands. Almost half of the land on Earth is rangeland and one third of the United States is rangeland!
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Sheep make milk too!

Many people hear the word “milk” and think of cows. However, milk comes from a lot of other animals. Sheep give milk that can sometimes be even healthier than cow’s milk.
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Snow Leopards

Snow leopards are an endangered species. That means there are only a limited number of snow leopards left in the wild. In fact, there may only be 4,000 to 8,000 leopards left in the world. Let's learn a few things about them.
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Staying warm in winter

When the weather is cold animals can’t put on layers of clothing like we can. Farmers take special care to ensure their animals stay warm and healthy through the winter months.
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The fastest animals in the world!

Some animals move at super speeds through land, air or water. Could you keep up?
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Why do horses wear shoes?

Have you ever heard a horse go “clip, clop, clip, clop?” That sound comes from the horse’s metal shoes. The metal horseshoes are there to protect the horse’s hooves.
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Winter "sleepyheads"

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to stay in bed on the really cold days of winter? Some animals do!
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Blood donors and iron

If you are a frequent blood donor, it is very likely you have an iron deficiency.
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Feather boas come from turkeys

What do Thanksgiving and Las Vegas have in common? Turkeys, of course. The same turkeys that become Thanksgiving dinner also supply feathers for products like feather boas, hair clips and corsages.
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Vellum

In 2006, Irish archeologists pulled an ancient book out of a peat bog. Radiocarbon dating showed that the book was between 1,000 to 1,200 years old. Thanks to the low-oxygen conditions of the bog, the book was well enough preserved that the archeologists could tell it was a prayer book.
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That’s a cow?

When you think of a cow, what do you picture? Does it look something like one of these cows? Those cows are three of the most popular breeds raised in the United States.
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What do goats eat?

Goats are known for eating everything! They are curious, so they will try to eat cardboard, tin cans – even clothing! But to stay healthy, goats need to eat plant material.
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What is a chicken "comb?"

Do you use a comb for your hair? A chicken has a comb too, but its comb has a very different purpose.
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Meet the world’s biggest rabbit!

The Flemish Giant is the biggest breed of rabbit in the world. This breed can weigh 22 pounds—that’s as big as a small dog!
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crawfish

Would you eat crawfish?

Sure, crawfish look a bit like bugs, but many people think crawfish are tasty!
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Jr Animal Scientist

A Jr. Animal Scientist membership is a great way for kids to learn about science and the animal world.

Through the Jr. Animal Scientist magazine and special online resources, kids can learn about pets, farm animals and zoo animals. Scientific information is tailored for kids ages 5 to 9 (K-3rd grades). Eye-catching photos and exciting animal activities add to the fun! Plus, all Jr. Animal Scientists get special prizes just for joining.

Join today