Wildlife0

A squirrel's diet also consists of nuts. Acorns, walnuts and peanuts are the preferred food items in this group. Other than nuts, they sometimes consume insects, seeds, eggs and plant materials like flower bulbs and roots. Like all rodents, the squirrel has four front teeth that continually grow.

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca; Chinese: 大熊猫; pinyin: dàxióngmāo),[5] also known as the panda bear (or simply the panda), is a bear[6] native to South Central China.[1] It is characterised by its bold black-and-white coat and rotund body. The name "giant panda" is sometimes used to distinguish it from the red panda, a neighboring musteloid. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the giant panda is a folivore, with bamboo shoots and leaves making up more than 99% of its diet.[7] Giant pandas in the wild will occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents, or carrion. In captivity, they may receive honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, or bananas along with specially prepared food.

affectional relationships between humans and companion animals, see human-animal bonding wider concern about the well-being of all animals, see animal welfare sexual relationships between humans and animals, see zoophilia affectional bonding between animals, see pair bond the possibility of emotions such as love in animals, see emotion in animals

A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence and relatable personalities, but some pets may be taken in on an altruistic basis (such as a stray animal) and accepted by the owner regardless of these characteristics.

Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (along with the hare) of the order Lagomorpha (along with the pika). Oryctolagus cuniculus includes the European rabbit species and its descendants, the world's 305 breeds[1] of domestic rabbit. Sylvilagus includes 13 wild rabbit species, among them the seven types of cottontail. The European rabbit, which has been introduced on every continent except Antarctica, is familiar throughout the world as a wild prey animal and as a domesticated form of livestock and pet. With its widespread effect on ecologies and cultures, the rabbit is, in many areas of the world, a part of daily life—as food, clothing, a companion, and a source of artistic inspiration.

Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots (including groundhogs), flying squirrels, and prairie dogs amongst other rodents. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa, and were introduced by humans to Australia.[1] The earliest known fossilized squirrels date from the Eocene epoch, and among other living rodent families, the squirrels are most closely related to the mountain beaver and to the dormice.

Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the side-necked turtles and hidden neck turtles which differ in the way the head retracts. There are 360 living and recently extinct species of turtles, including tortoises and terrapins.

affectional relationships between humans and companion animals, see human-animal bonding wider concern about the well-being of all animals, see animal welfare sexual relationships between humans and animals, see zoophilia affectional bonding between animals, see pair bond the possibility of emotions such as love in animals, see emotion in animals Animal Love, a 1996 documentary film directed by Ulrich Seidl

Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (along with the hare) of the order Lagomorpha (along with the pika). Oryctolagus cuniculus includes the European rabbit species and its descendants, the world's 305 breeds of domestic rabbit

A kitten is a juvenile cat. After being born, kittens display primary altriciality and are totally dependent on their mother for survival. They do not normally open their eyes until after seven to ten days. After about two weeks, kittens quickly develop and begin to explore the world outside the nest. After a further three to four weeks, they begin to eat solid food and grow baby teeth. Domestic kittens are highly social animals and usually enjoy human companionship. A Ragdoll kitten Etymology and development A kitten opening its eyes for the first time A pair of sibling kittens from the same litter at 11 weeks old The word "kitten" derives from the Middle English word kitoun, which in turn came from the Old French chitoun or cheton.[1] Juvenile big cats are called "cubs" rather than kittens; either term (but usually more commonly "kitten") may be used for the young of smaller wild felids, such as ocelots, caracals, and lynxes.[2] A feline litter usually consists of two to five kittens[3] born after a gestation lasting between 64 and 67 days, with an average length of 66 days,[3] but from one to more than ten are known.[4] Kittens emerge in a sac called the amnion, which is bitten off and eaten by the mother cat.[5] For the first several weeks, kittens cannot urinate or defecate without being stimulated by their mother.[6] They also cannot regulate their body temperature for the first three weeks, so kittens born in temperatures less than 27 °C (81 °F) can die from hypothermia if their mother does not keep them warm.[7] The mother's milk is very important for the kittens' nutrition and proper growth. This milk transfers antibodies to the kittens, which helps protect them against infectious disease.[8] As mentioned above, they cannot urinate, so they have a very high requirement for fluids.[9] Kittens open their eyes about seven to ten days after birth. At first, the retina is poorly developed and vision is poor. Kittens cannot see as well as adult cats until about ten weeks after birth.[10] Kittens develop very quickly from about two weeks of age until their seventh week. Their coordination and strength improves. Kittens play-fight with their litter-mates and begin to explore the world outside the nest or den. They learn to wash themselves and others as well as play hunting and stalking games, showing their inborn ability as predators. These innate skills are developed by the kittens' mother or other adult cats, who bring live prey to the nest. Later, the mother demonstrate hunting techniques for the kittens to emulate.[11] As they reach three to four weeks old, the kittens are gradually weaned and begin to eat solid food, with weaning usually complete by six to eight weeks.[12] Kittens generally begin to lose their baby teeth around three months of age, and have a complete set of adult teeth by nine months.[13] Kittens live primarily on solid food after weaning, but usually continue to suckle from time to time until separated from their mothers. Some mother cats will scatter their kittens as early as three months of age, while others continue to look after them until they approach sexual maturity.

Dogs can have many positive effects on the lives of their owners. They influence social, emotional, and cognitive development in children, promote an active lifestyle, provide companionship, and have even been able to detect oncoming epileptic seizures or the presence of certain cancers. Dogs can also help to relieve stress and anxiety in people. Around 38% of US households are estimated to have one or more dogs. Although dogs can be beneficial to the health and wellbeing of their owners, people should be aware that dogs of any age, including puppies, can sometimes carry harmful germs that can make people sick. Germs from dogs can cause a variety of illnesses, from minor skin infections to serious illnesses. One of the best ways you can protect yourself from getting sick is to thoroughly wash your hands after handling, caring for, feeding, or cleaning up after dogs. By providing your dog with routine veterinary care and following the Healthy People tips, you are less likely to get sick from touching or interacting with a dog.

The olive sparrow (Arremonops rufivirgatus) is a species of American sparrow in the family Passerellidae. (Other names include green finch and Texas sparrow.) Its range includes Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and southern Texas (including the counties of Val Verde, Atascosa, and Nueces). It is 14–15.5 centimetres (5.5–6.1in) long, and is the only sparrow with an olive back. It has a prominent brown eye streak and a brown-striped crown, with abuffbreast, some white bellyfeathers, and a conical beak. The sexes are similar, while the juvenile is more buff with some streaking on the belly. The olive sparrow looks similar to thegreen-tailed towheebut is smaller and lacks a rusty cap. The olive sparrow does notmigrate, and is resident in thickets,chaparral, andundergrowthnearforests, from sea level to 6,000 feet (1,800m). Males sing unmusicalchipnotes similar to theswamp sparrow. Thenestis built two to five feet above ground, and is large, made of straws, twigs, bark, leaves, and stems. Two to fiveeggsare laid each season (March to September) and are white and unspotted.

Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (along with the hare) of the order Lagomorpha (along with the pika). Oryctolagus cuniculus includes the European rabbit species and its descendants, the world's 305 breeds[1] of domestic rabbit. Sylvilagus includes 13 wild rabbit species, among them the seven types of cottontail. The European rabbit, which has been introduced on every continent except Antarctica, is familiar throughout the world as a wild prey animal and as a domesticated form of livestock and pet. With its widespread effect on ecologies and cultures, the rabbit is, in many areas of the world, a part of daily life—as food, clothing, a companion, and a source of artistic inspiration.

Dogs can have many positive effects on the lives of their owners. They influence social, emotional, and cognitive development in children, promote an active lifestyle, provide companionship, and have even been able to detect oncoming epileptic seizures or the presence of certain cancers. Dogs can also help to relieve stress and anxiety in people. Around 38% of US households are estimated to have one or more dogs. Although dogs can be beneficial to the health and wellbeing of their owners, people should be aware that dogs of any age, including puppies, can sometimes carry harmful germs that can make people sick. Germs from dogs can cause a variety of illnesses, from minor skin infections to serious illnesses. One of the best ways you can protect yourself from getting sick is to thoroughly wash your hands after handling, caring for, feeding, or cleaning up after dogs. By providing your dog with routine veterinary care and following the Healthy People tips, you are less likely to get sick from touching or interacting with a dog.

Thekangaroois amarsupialfrom the familyMacropodidae(macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, thered kangaroo, as well as theantilopine kangaroo,eastern grey kangaroo, andwestern grey kangaroo.Kangaroos are indigenous toAustraliaandNew Guinea. The Australian government estimates that 42.8million kangaroos lived within the commercial harvest areas of Australia in 2019, down from 53.2million in 2013. As with the terms "wallaroo" and "wallaby", "kangaroo" refers to aparaphyleticgrouping of species. All three refer to members of the same taxonomic family, Macropodidae, and are distinguished according to size. The largest species in the family are called "kangaroos" and the smallest are generally called "wallabies". The term "wallaroos" refers to species of an intermediate size.[3]There are also thetree-kangaroos, another type of macropod, which inhabit thetropical rainforestsofNew Guinea, far northeasternQueenslandand some of the islands in the region. A general idea of the relative size of these informal terms could be: wallabies: head and body length of 45–105cm and tail length of 33–75cm; thedwarf wallaby(the smallest of all known macropod species) is 46cm long and weighs 1.6kg; tree-kangaroos: ranging fromLumholtz's tree-kangaroo: body and head length of 48–65cm, tail of 60–74cm, weight of 7.2kg (16lb) for males and 5.9kg (13lb) for females; to thegrizzled tree-kangaroo: length of 75–90cm (30 to 35 in) and weight of 8–15kg (18–33lb); wallaroos: theblack wallaroo(the smallest of the two species) with a tail length of 60–70cm and weight of 19–22kg (41.8–48.5lb) for males and 13kg (28.6lb) for females; kangaroos: a large male can be 2 m (6ft 7 in) tall and weigh 90kg (200lb). Kangaroos have large, powerfulhind legs, large feet adapted for leaping, a long muscular tail for balance, and a small head. Like most marsupials, female kangaroos have apouchcalled a marsupium in whichjoeyscompletepostnataldevelopment.

A kitten is a juvenile cat. After being born, kittens display primary altriciality and are totally dependent on their mother for survival. They do not normally open their eyes until after seven to ten days. After about two weeks, kittens quickly develop and begin to explore the world outside the nest. After a further three to four weeks, they begin to eat solid food and grow baby teeth. Domestic kittens are highly social animals and usually enjoy human companionship. A Ragdoll kitten Etymology and development A kitten opening its eyes for the first time A pair of sibling kittens from the same litter at 11 weeks old The word "kitten" derives from the Middle English word kitoun, which in turn came from the Old French chitoun or cheton.[1] Juvenile big cats are called "cubs" rather than kittens; either term (but usually more commonly "kitten") may be used for the young of smaller wild felids, such as ocelots, caracals, and lynxes.[2] A feline litter usually consists of two to five kittens[3] born after a gestation lasting between 64 and 67 days, with an average length of 66 days,[3] but from one to more than ten are known.[4] Kittens emerge in a sac called the amnion, which is bitten off and eaten by the mother cat.[5] For the first several weeks, kittens cannot urinate or defecate without being stimulated by their mother.[6] They also cannot regulate their body temperature for the first three weeks, so kittens born in temperatures less than 27 °C (81 °F) can die from hypothermia if their mother does not keep them warm.[7] The mother's milk is very important for the kittens' nutrition and proper growth. This milk transfers antibodies to the kittens, which helps protect them against infectious disease.[8] As mentioned above, they cannot urinate, so they have a very high requirement for fluids.[9] Kittens open their eyes about seven to ten days after birth. At first, the retina is poorly developed and vision is poor. Kittens cannot see as well as adult cats until about ten weeks after birth.[10] Kittens develop very quickly from about two weeks of age until their seventh week. Their coordination and strength improves. Kittens play-fight with their litter-mates and begin to explore the world outside the nest or den. They learn to wash themselves and others as well as play hunting and stalking games, showing their inborn ability as predators. These innate skills are developed by the kittens' mother or other adult cats, who bring live prey to the nest. Later, the mother demonstrate hunting techniques for the kittens to emulate.[11] As they reach three to four weeks old, the kittens are gradually weaned and begin to eat solid food, with weaning usually complete by six to eight weeks.[12] Kittens generally begin to lose their baby teeth around three months of age, and have a complete set of adult teeth by nine months.[13] Kittens live primarily on solid food after weaning, but usually continue to suckle from time to time until separated from their mothers. Some mother cats will scatter their kittens as early as three months of age, while others continue to look after them until they approach sexual maturity.

The wee little brown birds that you see congregating around people dining outside are probably house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Dull in color but socially vibrant, the sparrow likes to live close to humans, and it is an opportunistic eater. But beyond cheerfully snatching bits of French fries that fall to the ground, sparrows will happily eat many other types of food. House sparrows are stocky birds with thick bills that are about 6 1/2 inches in length. They are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day and not at night. House sparrows are sexually dimorphic, meaning the males and females look different from each other. The males are gray-headed with white cheeks and a large black mark called a bib across their chests. Their wings are black-tipped. The undersides of the males are buff in color, and their rumps and tail are gray. The females are more muted in color, mostly reddish brown. Both have brown backs with some black feathers as well. Sparrow weight and size differ slightly between the male and female. The average male sparrow weight is 28.5 grams or 1 ounce. The average female sparrow weight is 25.3 grams or 0.89 ounces. House sparrows are not native to North America. In fact, they are Eurasian sparrows that were introduced, possibly in the 1850s. Their populations have grown well in urban areas where people live. When people moved to farms, sparrows followed. With large corporate farm development, however, sparrows dwindled in the countryside. House sparrows do not tend to live in deserts, grasslands, tropical regions or thick forests. The denser the human population is in an area, the more attractive it is to sparrows.