Pronghorn Antelope

Pronghorn Antelope are native to the prairies of North America. The name pronghorn comes from the sharply curving antlers of the male antelope. At one stage their were millions of them living in the open plains from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from Mexico to Central Canada.

The horns of the male antelope are largest in the summer and are shed annually. They have excellent eye-sight which has been compared to high powered binoculars. They are one of the fastest animals reaching speeds of  60 mph , even though they are fast they prefer going under fences rather than jumping over obstacles.
When antelope are alarmed they raise the white patch of hair on the rump. This can be seen for miles around. They are mainly tan colored with striking white markings on the head and neck. The top of the bucks nose is black and their is normally a dark patch in the shape of a triangle below the ear. Does do not have this triangular marking , there is usually a short mane along the neck.

Adult males can weigh 90-120 lbs , females weigh about 20 lbs. Antelope are mainly browsing animals especially on sagebrush because there is not a lot of grass. Wild antelope normally live up to 8 years of age.

Antelopes were given a closed hunt season in 1893 the response was unsatisfactory and the season was completely closed in 1905. By 1992 there were estimated to be less than 1,000 animals in the state of Arizona. Antelopes are found in mixed groups throughout the year. In the spring the bucks will be alone or in small groups. Bucks may have a harem of 15-20 does which they defend from the other bucks.
One or two fawns are born after a gestation period of 8 months. Unlike members of the deer family the young antelope have markings similar to adults instead of being spotted.

White Tailed Deer

White tailed deer are the smallest members of the North American deer family. They are found from southern Canada to South America.  In the peak of summer they live in the fields and meadows using clumps of broad leaf and coniferous trees for shade. During the winter they mainly stay in the forests.

Adult white-tails have reddish-brown coats in the summer which fade to grey in the winter. Male deer called bucks are easily recognizable by their large antlers which are grown annually and fall of in the winter. During the mating season bucks become very territorial using their antlers in sparring matches.

Female deer give birth to 1-3 young at at time. This normally takes place from May to June after a period of 7 months. Fawns have a reddish brown coat with white spots to help them blend into the forest

These animals are herbivores and will graze on available plant foods. Their stomachs allow them to digest a range of  different foods including: twigs , fruit , nuts , leaves , grass ,corn , alfalfa, lichens and other fungi. They sometimes forage in the daylight but normally come out at dawn and dusk.

In the wild young deer are the  prey of bobcats , mountain lions and coyotes. They use speed and agility to outrun the predators sprinting up to 30 mph and leaping as far as 9 meters into the air in a single bound.

Blue Whales

The heart of a blue whale is the size of a Volkswagen Beetle and pumps 10 tons of blood around the body. A blue whale aorta is enough for a human to crawl through. Blue whales spouts are made of water and air and rise about 30 ft into the air.

The blue whale is a marine mammal belonging to a group of whales called baleens. They are the largest animals that live on earth. Blue whales live in the open ocean and are found near continental shelf edges and polar ices. Blue whales produce a single calf every 2-3 years and from birth a calf will consume 50 gallons of milk per day. At the end of one year the calf will weigh 90 kilograms.

The open ocean is the top layer of the ocean beyond the continental shelves. It covers 360 ,000,000 square kilometers of the earths' surface. It is known as the "marine desert" , as life can be scarce and nutrients are fewer than in the shallow waters. Open ocean predators have to travel far and fast to find food, this is why marine life such as dolphins are swift swimmers.
Whales , dolphins and porpoises all belong to a group of animals called Cetacean . These aquatic animals have streamlined bodies that are suitable for swimming.

Blue whales can grow to be 100 ft in length and can weigh up to 160 tons. They have a mottled bluish grey coloring with flat heads and a small dorsal fin located in the last fourth of the body. New born blue whales are about 7 meters and weigh approximately 30 tons. They can gain 200 pounds per day.



It is not known exactly how many blue whales exist however  they are considered endangered according to  the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Blue whales have been severely hunted for their large supplies of baleen , rubber and meat. Although they are protected the  species does not seem to be improving.

Blue whales most likely have very good hearing especially at low frequencies deep in the ocean where there is no light and sight is useless.
Blue whales filter their food through their baleen plates. Blue whales eat krill (euphausiids) and copepods.  A blue whale can eat up to 8,000 lbs. of krill during its peak consumption period. It is estimated to take 2,200 lbs. of food to fill a blue whale's stomach.