National Zoo – Meerkat

By FNZ
November 15, 2009

 

Suricata suricatta

After emerging from their cool underground burrows, meerkats start each day with a sunbath.

 

Description
About 12 inches long, meerkats have a tan or gray coat, with a pale underside. Their eyes are ringed with black, and their tails have a black tip. Their slender body is typical of mongooses.

 

Home Range
Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa

 

Habitat
Grassland, scrub forest, and desert

 

Diet
Insects, primarily, but also lizards, small reptiles, eggs, and vegetation

 

Reproduction
After a two-and-a-half-month gestation, a meerkat gives birth to a litter of two to five young. The young, called pups, are weaned at seven to nine weeks.

 

Social Structure
Meerkats live in groups of two or three families, with as many as 30 individuals. The groups are called mobs. Throughout the day, adults take turns serving as sentries, looking out for predators. When a potential threat is seen, the sentinel will make an alarm bark, and the meerkats will flee to their underground burrows.

Source: National Zoo

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Celebrate Veterans Day

By Military.com
Nov. 11, 2009

Veterans Day is a great time to educate your children about the history of this holiday and the sacrifice and dedication of our U.S. veterans. So, how do you celebrate this holiday in a creative and constructive way with your children?

 

How to Teach Kids about Veterans Day

Here are a few ideas, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs and EducationWorld.com:

1. Teach your children about the history of Veterans Day by having them create a time line of events leading to the observance of the holiday.

2. Have your kids write short articles or essays of how veterans are honored around the world. And if you know any veterans locally, propose that your kids interview them about what it’s like to serve in the U.S. military.

3. Research how American veterans were treated after they returned from various military conflicts, ranging from the French and Indian War to the Persian Gulf War. Ask your children to compare and contrast their findings. Also compare and contrast how women and minorities who served in those conflicts were treated.

4. Have children draw a picture of Veterans Day, and what this holiday means to them. Military children can draw a picture of a parent who is currently deployed, or a relative who has served.

5. Make a thank you card for veterans. Children can give this card to veterans that they know or to veterans who are listed through the local VA medical facility.

6. Ask your children’s teacher to invite veterans to their classroom. Veterans can discuss what it’s like to serve in the military, and how important it is to observe this holiday.

7. Have your kids make a colorful and fun poster with the names and pictures of relatives who are veterans.

There are a variety of ways to celebrate Veterans Day with your children. And teaching children about the significance of this holiday will help give them a deep appreciation of our nation’s service members and veterans.

 

Veterans Day Teacher Resource Guide

With Veterans Day less than 45 days away, the time is right for planning classroom activities. The Veterans Day Teacher Resource Guide contains information to help students gain an understanding of the origins of Veterans Day and why America celebrates it each November 11. It includes suggestions for a Veterans Day ceremony and classroom activities for both younger and older students. Download a copy of the Resource Guide or Veterans Day poster.

 

Source: US Military

National Zoo – Flamingo

By FNZ
November 5, 2009

Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Phoenicopteridae
Genus and Species: Phoenicopterus ruber

The Zoo exhibits flamingos from the Caribbean region. They are sometimes called American, Caribbean, or Greater Flamingo.

Size

Flamingos are usually 42 inches long from the tip of the head to the tip of the tail, and are as tall as five feet. They weigh five to six pounds, and have a wingspan of 55 inches.

Distribution and Habitat

The flamingo lives in Central and South America, the West Indies, and the Galapagos Islands, in coastal salt lagoons, saltpans, and other brackish or saltwater shallows.

Diet

Flamingos eat algae, mollusks, larvae chrysalides of brine-flies and brine-shrimps, which give them their pink color.

Reproduction

Pairs of males and females make mud-mound nests, and incubate only one egg for about 30 days. Chicks leave the nest after ten days, and join a group of other chicks, called a crèche, watched by a few adults.

Conservation

Flamingo populations remain relatively stable, despite loss of habitat due to human development.

Source: National Zoo

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

National Zoo – Veiled Chameleon

By FNZ
October 29, 2009

Taxonomy
Order: Squamata
Family: Chamaeleonidae
Genus/species: Chamaeleo calyptratus

Description

Veiled chameleons are one of about 80 species of Old World chameleons, also called true chameleons. They are aggressive and brightly colored. They have a casque, a helmet-like ridge, on top of their heads, which is a tiny swelling as a hatchling, but grows to two inches (5 cm) in height as the animal matures. As hatchlings, they are usually a pastel green, but as they mature they acquire bold bands of bright gold, green, and blue, mixed with yellow, orange, or black, that circle their body. The males are usually more strikingly colored than the females, which are usually shades of green mottled with shades of tan, orange, white, and sometimes yellow.

There is marked sexual dimorphism. Males have a larger body and casque when mature than females. Male body length can reach between 17 and 24 inches (43 to 61 cm) from head to the tip of the tail and they are usually thin in appearance. Females reach between 10 and 14 inches (25 to 35.5 cm) in length. The female’s casque is smaller than the males, and they are more heavy-bodied.

A Specialized Lizard

Chameleons are specialized tree-living lizards that catching insect prey. Their bodies are flattened from side to side, and more or less leaf-shaped. They remain still and concealed for long periods of time and wait for their prey to come near. When they move, they do so slowly, and rock their bodies from side to side like a leaf in the wind.

Eyes

They have eyes that can move independently and look in two directions at once, as well as swivel nearly 180 degrees. They are therefore able to look in any direction, and even follow moving objects, without turning their heads or shifting body position. When a prey animal is spotted, both eyes will focus on the insect in order to perceive depth.

Hands and Tail

Chameleons are highly arboreal (tree-living). They have grasping hands that work much like human hands. Three fingers are fused together and face toward the inside. They also have a prehensile tail that they use as a fifth appendage.

Color Changes

Chameleons are famous for their ability to change color. The color change serves only partly for camouflage. Although chameleons at rest tend to assume colors similar to their surroundings, color change is most often used to signify emotional state. Many chameleons are some shade of green or brown at rest, but can become far more brightly colored when frightened, courting, or defending a territory against another chameleon. Veiled chameleons when startled or threatened may darken in color and “play possum.”

Interaction with Mates

They are primarily solitary and males are very territorial. Males and females tolerate each other only during breeding.

Distribution and Habitat

Veiled chameleons are native to Yemen and southern Saudi Arabia, and reside in an amazing variety of different habitats. They can be found in the dry plateaus, mountains, and river valleys. They are arboreal, preferring to live in trees, bushes, or shrubs. They prefer temperatures of 75° to 95°F (24° to 35°C) and can be found in elevations up to 3,000 feet (914 m).

Diet in the Wild

The veiled chameleon is an insectivore. It may also eat leaves as a source of water during the dry seasons.

Zoo Diet

They are fed crickets daily.

Reproduction

They reach sexual maturity within four to five months, at 8 to 12 inches long. Breeding may occur up to three times a year. Females change colors within 18 hours of a successful mating. Egg laying occurs between 20 and 30 days after mating, with clutch sizes ranging from 35 to 85 eggs. The white, oval, tough-skinned eggs are buried in warm sand.

Life Span

The lifespan of a veiled chameleon may be up to five years for females and up to eight years for males.

Status

They are not listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The veiled chameleon is the most commonly bred and available species of its genus in the pet trade. The popularity of the veiled chameleon is due to a number of factors. Veiled chameleons are relatively hardy, large, beautiful, and prolific. Because they are found in a variety of habitats naturally, this species is tole

rant of temperature and humidity extremes, which contributes to its hardiness in captivity.

However, wild chameleons are sold for rituals and souvenirs. For example, some believe that throwing a live chameleon into a fire will bring good luck. The growing demand by tourists for chameleon “souvenirs” puts pressure on chameleon populations.

Like those of many other animals, wild chameleon populations are experiencing pressures from commercial exploitation and extensive habitat loss. Chameleon populations are particularly sensitive to the problems associated with habitat loss because many chameleon populations have evolved in small, often isolated pockets and are unable to relocate.

Fun Facts

They are probably best known for their long, sticky tongues that they use to catch prey. The tongue can be more than 1.5 times the length of their body. They “shoot” their prey with a tongue that can be projected in the blink of an eye.

Source of Information

All or part of this information was provided by the Animal Diversity Web and Museum of Zoology of the University of Michigan.
It appears here with their permission. The original author of this information was Ebony Jones.

For more information, including references, see the Animal Diversity Web account for this species, here:
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/ site/ accounts/ information/ Chamaeleo_calyptratus.html.

Source: National Zoo

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

First Halloween

By Toby Leah Bochan
October 29, 2009

This spooky celebration can be overwhelming. Follow a few simple guidelines to keep your little pumpkin smiling.

You may be excited to dress your child up and parade her around for all to see, yet for children under 3, Halloween can be a scary day. Take this advice to make her first Halloween a boo-tiful one!

 

Peek-a-WHO? Avoid a Costume Drama

 
Most young children have trouble differentiating between fantasy and reality, which can make not only people dressed as witches and ghosts, but even a life-sized Winnie the Pooh seem terrifying. Explain to your child that both kids and grown-ups will be playing “dress up” on Halloween. To help him understand that costumes are just make-believe, it’s a good idea to experiment with costumes and make-up about a week before the big day. Let your child try on different outfits and make-up and look at himself in the mirror so he can see first-hand that he is still the same person inside even if he looks different outside.

Likewise, seeing mom or dad go through the motions of putting on and taking off a costume will help him understand that it isn’t magic that transforms the kids and grown-ups he knows into princesses and robots. It’s best to avoid masks since your toddler relies on adults’ facial expressions to gauge how he should feel about unusual situations.

Chances are he’ll need to see your smiling face at some point on this strange evening. Plus, he may not be able to recognize that it’s you under the mask.

 

The Big Night

 
If you decide to go out trick-or-treating, make sure to go when it is light outside. The dark is scary for many children; Halloween night tests the courage of even the bravest kids with all the ghouls and goblins roaming the streets. Plan your route beforehand and make sure you go to houses that are friendly (no one answering the door in a scary costume).

Keep your route short — under an hour — and close enough to home that a speedy retreat can be made if he finds the festivities overwhelming.

A great alternative to taking your little one from strange door to strange door is to hold a small party at home. Introducing your child to the holiday in a small gathering will assure that Halloween leaves a positive impression. Another way your little one can experience the fun of the holiday is to have her help hand out treats.

Make sure you look before you open the door and decide whether the outfits outside are appropriate for her to see.

 

Take Care with Kids’ Scares

 
If your child is frightened by any aspect of the holiday, it is important that you remove him from the scary situation, acknowledge his fear, and reassure him that he isn’t in danger. Don’t tell him to “stop being afraid” or that “there’s nothing to be afraid of.” Instead, try to find a way to take the scare out of whatever aspect is upsetting him.

For instance, if he is scared of jack-o-lanterns you might explain how they are made, or blow out and relight the candle inside, while also telling him that it’s okay not to like them and that they can’t hurt him.

Source: Scholastic News Online

 

Editor’s Note: If your dream is to be a reporter and report stories like this one.  We are looking for kid reporters.

You can contact us at dan@youngchronicle.com

Alexander Rogov a Man of Courage

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/YC
October. 21, 2009

Editor’s Note: There are a lot of God’s special children in this world that you need your help. After reading this article, it doesn’t make you want to get involved we don’t know what would.

We hope you will enjoy the story below:

We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

By Special Olympics
October 19, 2009

Alexander Rogov had to face the reality of not achieving his dream because of an injury at the World Winter Games, but had the courage and spirit to support his teammates.

When Special Olympics Russia’s Alexander Rogov learned he was going to compete as a speed skater in the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games he thought of one thing – winning a medal.

On the first day of preliminaries for the 333-meter speed skating event Rogov fell to the ice on the third and final lap with a tear in his Achilles tendon. He courageously got back to his feet and was able to make it across the finish line, but it would be the last time he would wear his speed skates at these World Games. After traveling from his small town an hour outside of St. Petersburg, all the way to Idaho, his dreams of winning a medal in his first World Winter Games were over – on the eve of his 18th birthday.

“I was very disappointed,” Rogov said through an interpreter. “Winning a medal was the thing I wanted to do the most at the Games.”

As he underwent a successful surgery to repair the tendon, word of Rogov’s story spread throughout the community of athletes, coaches, volunteers and staff at the World Games. By the time he was back in his hotel room recovering, Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver had heard of Rogov’s story and visited him.

He told Shriver that it was difficult to remain in his room while his friends and fellow athletes competed in their own events. “It was very hard not to compete,” said Rogov. “But my teammates were very supportive and gave me updates of how our team did and who won medals.”

“He is a very good teammate, always willing to help out with equipment or whatever was needed,” said Alexey Shumilovsky, a friend and teammate of Rogov. “Our team missed him because he is a very good skater and probably would have won a medal for Special Olympics Russia.”

Shortly before the Closing Ceremony on 13 February, Rogov said he still had not told his family back in Russia about his injury. He thought his older brother and sister and his parents would be sad for him so he wanted to wait until he could tell them in person that he was not able to win a medal, so he can comfort them and tell them it is okay and not to be sad.

“I still had a lot of fun,” he said. “And I’m looking forward to being with my teammates for the Closing Ceremony. But if I had one wish it would be that I was able to win a medal.”

At the Closing Ceremony, Rogov received a big surprise when during his opening remarks, Shriver retold Rogov’s story of determination and courage. He called Rogov out on the stage to stand next to him, and Rogov made his way to the podium on his crutches, his foot in a walking boot. Shriver then told a packed house at the Idaho Centre in Nampa about a young man who traveled so far in hopes of living a dream, only to have to face the reality of not achieving that dream.

“I’ve talked to many skaters who told me that when you have an injury to your Achilles you’re lucky to be strong enough to walk anytime soon,” Shriver said. “Well, Alexander Rogov embodied the Special Olympics spirit of determination to overcome all odds when not only did he get back on his feet after falling, but he finished his race. He crossed the finish line, and while he did not win, he fulfilled the Special Olympics athlete oath by being brave in the attempt.”

Shriver gestured to the crowd, saying, “With all of your approval, what I’d like to do now is award Alex an honorary gold medal for bravery.  What do you think?”

The answer was unanimous as the crowd rose to its feet in booming cheers and thunderous applause and a young man’s dream was realized with a beaming smile and the glimmer of gold.

Source: Special Olympics

National Zoo – Tokay Gecko

By FNZ
October 20, 2009

Taxonomy
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus/species: Gekko gecko

Description
With a length of around 14 inches (35 cm), tokay geckoes are one of the largest geckoes alive today . The body of a tokay is cylindrical, squat, and somewhat flattened on the upper side. The limbs are well-defined and uniformly developed. The head is large and set off from the neck, and they have large, prominent eyes with vertically-slit pupils. The eyelids of these animals are fused together and transparent. They also have a pineal body or “third eye” on the top of their head, which is believed to coordinate their activity with light conditions. The ears can be seen on the outside of the gecko as small holes on both sides of the head. It is possible to see straight through the head of these geckoes through their ears. Their toes that have fine setae on them, allowing them to cling to vertical and over-hanging surfaces and move at fast speeds.

They have soft, granular skin that feels velvety to the touch. The coloration of a tokay gecko is very important to its lifestyle. The skin is usually gray with several brownish-red to bright red spots and flecks but it has the ability to lighten or darken the coloring of its skin. They usually do so in order to blend in or to be less noticeable to other animals.

There are obvious male and female differences in the tokay gecko. The male is more brightly colored than the female and generally the male is slightly larger than the female. A conspicuous difference between the sexes is the small amount of swelling at the base of the tail of the male, due to the presence of the two hemipenes. Also, the males have visible preanal and femoral pores and postanal tubercules.

Tokay geckoes are solitary creatures. They encounter the opposite sex only during the breeding season. They defend their territory against intruders of the same species and of other species, ensuring less competition for food. The territory is generally guarded by males but is occasionally watched by the female. These geckoes can inflict severe bites if they are sufficiently threatened.

The nose is used for breathing and also for detecting scents. Scents are detected by the large number of sensory cells on a membrane in the nostrils. They are also detected by using the Jacobson’s organ. The tokay gecko uses its tongue to carry scent particles to Jacobson’s organ and “taste” the air.

They have folds of skin that prevent the animal from casting a shadow while resting on a tree. They open up the skin fold completely and this allows them to blend in with the tree bark.

An important characteristic of the tokay gecko is its ability to cast off its tail in defense and regenerate a new one. The part of the tail that has been cast off continues to move violently for several minutes until it slows down and stops, thus giving the gecko time to escape. The tail has several sections on it where it can break off. It takes about three weeks for these geckoes to completely regenerate a new tail although it is usually never as long as the original.

Calls of the tokay gecko are used for communication, finding members of the opposite sex during the breeding season, and as a means of defense (they emit a hissing or croaking noise when being attacked).

Tokay geckoes are nocturnal.

Distribution and Habitat
Tokay geckoes are found from northeast India to the Indo-Australian Archipelago.

The tokay gecko lives in tropical rainforests, on cliffs and trees, and as pets among human habitation. They are arboreal and cliff-dwelling. They can travel on floating debris to colonize tropical islands. Tokays form mutualistic relationships with humans in tropical areas — humans provide shelter and tokays provide insect extermination. They can be found doing just this at the Small Mammal House.

Diet in the Wild
Tokay geckoes are insectivorous.

Zoo Diet
In captivity, they usually feed on mealworms, cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, pink mice, and locusts.

Reproduction
Around mating season, tokays release a liquid from their femoral pores that is thought to attract a mate or to make copulation easier. The femoral pores are located on the upper hind legs. The breeding season lasts about four to five months. Males copulate frequently with females, often grasping them with their mouths. During the breeding period, females lay eggs every month. In order to attract a mate, a male has a call that can be heard over a wide area. This loud “to-kay” sound is repeated multiple times; this sound gives these geckos their name. The male approaches the female from the rear, and they move side to side while he holds her in place with his teeth, biting her in the neck region.

The female looks for a laying site, and when she finds the right one, she affixes the small, hard-shelled, oval-shaped eggs to a solid foundation where they are guarded by both parents until they hatch. They “glue” their eggs on objects, walls, and packing crates, which has resulted in their being transported throughout the world, becoming established where food and climate are optimal.

Hatchlings are two to three inches (5 to 7.5 cm) long. Upon hatching, the young eat their outer covering of skin. They are sexually mature in about one year. Hatchlings are aggressive and readily bite, just like their parents.

Life Span
Unknown.

Status
There is no special status for tokay geckoes.

Fun Facts
Tokay geckoes eat pests such as cockroaches and locusts. In parts of Southeast Asia, tokay geckoes are regarded as harbingers of luck, good fortune, and fertility.

Source of Information
All or part of this information was provided by the Animal Diversity Web and Museum of Zoology of the University of Michigan.
It appears here with their permission. The original author of this information was Jaime Corl.

For more information, including references, see the Animal Diversity Web account for this species, here:
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/ site/ accounts/ information/ Gekko_gecko.html.

Source:  National Zoo

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

A Special Angel Meet Ximena

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/YC
Oct. 17, 2009

Editor’s Note: There are a lot of God’s special children in this world that you need your help. After reading this article, it doesn’t make you want to get involved we don’t know what would.

We hope you will enjoy the story below:

We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

By Special Olympics
Oct. 17, 2009

On paper, Ximena de Varela may sound like a typical popular, high-achieving high school student. She is on the Honor Roll and sets high standards for herself at school.  But she is not like most of her classmates at Panama’s Colegio Brader. Until recently, she was the first and only student with special needs to attend her school.

Ximena has Down syndrome, a chromosomal disorder that leads to developmental delays and intellectual disability. Despite her disability, within days of meeting her new classmates, she formed new friendships and dispelled old attitudes about disabilities and capabilities. Her impact on and acceptance by the student body impressed the school so much that it opened its doors to other students with special needs. Now the school is an example for inclusion throughout the country. “Ximena is a role model for us and all of humanity,” states one classmate.

Inspired by Ximena, Vivian Fernandez de Torrijos, herself a parent of a child with special needs, launched a national campaign promoting programs of inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities when she was first lady of the Republic of Panama. (The former first lady is also a member of the Special Olympics International Board of Directors.) Torrijos champions the work of Special Olympics and inclusion throughout Central America.

Special Olympics aren’t just making a difference; it’s driving a revolution, transforming the way people with and without disabilities think about one another and lives together. Special Olympics are committed to bringing youth with and without intellectual disabilities together in a spirit of cooperation and inclusion. Special Olympics’ outreach to youth and schools is happening now around the world. Special Olympics Unified Sports is uniting people with and without disabilities on the field of competition. Through Special Olympics Get Into It® school diversity curriculum, Project UNIFY and SO College, Special Olympics is working year-round to create bonds of understanding and friendship, both on and off the playing field.

Even in societies where people with disabilities are shunned or hidden away, Special Olympics is working to break down barriers and change attitudes of the young people who will be tomorrow’s leaders.

Every dollar you give to Special Olympics helps light the way to a better world. Even the smallest gift is enough to change one mind, one attitude, one life for the better.

What YOU Can Do

Whether you are an athlete looking to compete, a volunteer looking to make a difference, or you’re just looking to have fun and be a part of something — come be a part of Special Olympics, and experience your own story of transformation.

Source: Special Olympics

National Zoo – Gorilla

By FNZ
Oct 13, 2009

Order: Primates
Infraorder: Catarrhini
Family: Hominidae

Species: Gorilla gorilla

Subspecies:
G. g. gorilla (western lowland)
G. g. diehli (Cross River)

Species: Gorilla beringei

Subspecies:
G. b. beringei (mountain)
G. b. graueri (eastern lowland)

Some primatologists list one additional subspecies of mountain gorilla, and are proposing to separate the Bwindi population into a fifth gorilla subspecies.

Shy vegetarians, the world’s largest primates face an uncertain future in Africa’s remaining equatorial forests.

Physical Description
Gorilla of different subspecies vary in coat length, hair color, and jaw and teeth size. Individuals vary, but many western lowland gorillas (G. g. gorilla)—the subspecies to which the Zoo’s gorillas belong—have brownish-gray coats, unlike the often blackish coats of the mountain (G. b. beringei) and eastern lowland (G. b. graueri) gorillas.

Generally, the mountain gorilla has longer hair than the other subspecies.

Western lowland gorillas have a more pronounced brow ridge, and ears that appear small in relation to their heads. They also have a different shaped nose and lip. Adult male gorillas’ heads look conical due to the large bony crests on the top (sagittal) and back (nuchal) of the skull. These crests anchor the massive muscles used to support and operate their large jaws and teeth. Adult female gorillas also have these crests, but they are much less pronounced. In comparison to the mountain gorilla, the western lowland gorilla has a wider and larger skull and the big toe of the western lowland gorilla is spread apart more from the alignment of his other four toes.

Like all great apes, gorillas’ arms are longer than their legs. When they move quadrupedally, they knuckle-walk, supporting their weight on the third and fourth digits of their curled hands. Like other primates each individual has distinctive fingerprints.

Lowland gorilla hair is short, soft, and very fine. There is no under fur (a thick layer of insulating hair close to the skin, such as on dogs or minks). Lowland gorillas’ coats are suited for warm, moist forest habitats. Mountain gorillas are more shaggy and thick-furred due to the colder temperatures at high altitudes.

Size
The eastern lowland gorilla is the largest. Adult male gorillas have silvery white “saddles” that inspired the name “silverback” for these animals.

On two legs, adult male gorillas stand about five a half feet tall (rarely a bit taller). They weigh between 300 and 400 pounds. Females are smaller, standing up to five feet tall and averaging about 200 pounds. Zoo animals are often heavier.

Geographic Distribution

 

Western lowland gorillas live in lowland tropical forests in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Angola, and Nigeria.

Eastern lowland gorillas, also called Grauer’s gorillas, live in tropical forests from low elevations up to 8,000 feet in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) and along the border with Uganda and Rwanda.

Mountain gorillas, the rarest of the subspecies, hang on in mountain forests (up to 11,000 feet) at the borders of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Status
Western lowland and Cross River gorillas are listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Eastern lowland and mountain gorillas are listed as endangered on the Red List.

Habitat
Gorillas live in moist tropical forests, often in secondary, or re-growing, forests or along forest edges, where clearings provide an abundance of low, edible vegetation. Mountain gorillas range up into cloud forest.

Diet in the Wild
Gorillas are primarily herbivorous, eating the leaves and stems of herbs, shrubs, and vines. In some areas, they raid farms, eating and trampling crops. They also will eat rotten wood and small animals.

The diet of western lowland gorillas also includes the fleshy fruits of close to a hundred seasonally fruiting tree species; the diets of other gorilla subspecies include proportionally less fruit. Gorillas get some protein from invertebrates found on leaves and fruits. Adult male gorillas eat about 45 pounds (32 kg) of food per day. Females eat about two-thirds of that amount.

Reproduction
Female gorillas reach maturity at seven or eight years old, but they usually don’t breed until ten years or older.

Due to competition between males for access to females, few wild males breed before they reach 15 years old. Eight and a half months after mating, a female gives birth to one young, which can usually walk within three to six months. Young are usually weaned by three years old, and females can give birth every four years.

Upon reaching sexual maturity, between ages seven and ten, young gorillas strike out on their own, seeking new groups or mates. Zoo gorillas may reach sexual maturity before seven years old, and may have young every two to three years.

Life Span
Gorillas may live about 35 years in the wild, and up to 54 in zoos.

Behavior
Gorillas live in groups. Each group usually contains one or more silverbacks and two to ten females and young. Newly established silverbacks may kill young not sired by them, but otherwise, gorilla family life is mostly peaceful. Bloody battles sometimes occur between silverbacks when they square off to compete over female groups or home ranges. Gorillas spend their mornings and evenings feeding, usually covering only a small area of forest at a time. Groups spend the middle of the day sleeping, playing, or grooming (females groom their young or a silverback). At night, gorillas fashion nests of leaves and branches on which to sleep; unweaned infants sleep in their mothers’ nests.

Social Structure
Gorillas are behaviorally flexible. This means that their behavior and social structure is not set in stone; there is great variety. The information below should only be used as a general guide.

Gorillas live in groups, or troops, from two to more than 30 members. Western lowland data seem to indicate smaller group sizes, averaging about five individuals. Groups are generally composed of a silverback male, one or more black back males, several adult females, and their infant and juvenile offspring. This group composition varies greatly due to births and deaths and to the immigration and emigration of individuals.

Mature offspring typically leave their natal group to find a mate. At about eight years old, females generally emigrate into a new group of her choosing. She seems to choose which silverback to join based on such attributes as size and quality of his home range, etc. This seems to be related to the silverback’s size, but not always. A female may change family groups a number of times throughout her life. When leaving their natal group, some sexually mature males may attempt to replace the silverback in an already established group. However, they usually spend a few years as solitary males. Nevertheless, a new troop can be easily formed when one or more non-related females join a lone male.

Eastern lowland Gorilla

The group is led by the adult, dominant, silverback male. He has exclusive breeding rights to the females. At times he may allow other sub-adult males in the group to mate with females. The silverback mediates disputes and also determines the group’s home range. He regulates what time they wake up, eat and go to sleep.

Gorillas are most active in the morning and late afternoon. They wake up just after sunrise to search for food, and then eat for several hours. Midday, adults take a siesta and usually nap in a day nest while the young wrestle and play games. After their midday nap they forage again. Before dusk each gorilla makes its own nest, infants nest with their mothers.

All gorillas over three years make nests, day nests for resting and night nests for sleeping. Infants share their mothers’ nests. Gorillas form nests by sitting in one place and pulling down and tucking branches, leaves, or other vegetation around themselves. Adult males usually nest on the ground. Females may nest on the ground or in trees. Juveniles are more apt to nest in trees. Studies of western lowland gorillas have shown that the number of nests found at a site does not necessarily coincide with the number of weaned animals observed in a group.

The western lowland gorilla is characterized as a quiet, peaceful, and non-aggressive animal. They never attack unless provoked. However, males do fight over acquisition and defense of females, and the new leader of a group may kill unrelated infants. This causes the females to begin cycling sooner. An adult male protecting his group may attempt to intimidate his aggressor by standing on his legs and slapping its chest with cupped or flat hands while roaring and screaming. If this elaborate display is unsuccessful and the intruder persists, the male may rear his head back violently several times. He may also drop on all fours and charge toward the intruder. In general, when they charge they do not hit the intruder. Instead, they merely pass them by. This demonstration of aggression maintains order among separate troops and reduces the possibility of injury. It is thought that size plays an important role in determining the winner of an encounter between males (the larger male wins). Because of gorilla variability, some or all of these behaviors may not be seen.

Gorillas exhibit complex and dynamic relationships. They interact using grooming behaviors, although less than most other primates. Also affiliation may be shown by physical proximity.

Young gorillas play often and are more arboreal than the large adults. Adults, even the silverback, tolerate infant play behavior. He also tolerates, to a lesser extent, and often participates in the play of older juveniles and black back males.

The duration and frequency of sexual activity in gorillas are low in comparison to other great apes. The silverback has exclusive mating rights with the adult females in his group. The reproductive success of males depends upon the maintenance of exclusive rights to adult females. The female chooses to mate with the silverback by emigrating into his family group. Normally quiet animals, some gorillas are unusually loud during copulation.

Communication
Gorillas communicate using auditory signals (vocalizations), visual signals (gestures, body postures, facial expressions), and olfactory signals (odors). They are generally quiet animals, grunting and belching, but they may also scream, bark, and roar. Dian Fossey heard 17 different kinds of sounds from mountain gorillas. Other scientists have heard 22 different vocalizations, each seeming to have its own meaning. Gorillas crouch low and approach from the side when they are being submissive. They walk directly when confident and stand, chest beat (actually they slap with open hands), and advance when being aggressive.

Past/Present/Future
Until several decades ago, gorilla populations enjoyed the seclusion of vast tracts of forest. Today, Africa’s growing population puts many pressures on these declining primates. Logging roads snake into forests, opening frontiers to settlers and loggers, while hunters kill or capture gorillas for their meat, parts (sometimes sold as souvenirs), or because the animals raid farm fields. Gorilla meat is eaten by hunters and loggers, and is also sold in city markets and restaurants.

While protection laws exist in most countries still inhabited by gorillas, enforcement is often lacking. Civil wars in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have harmed conservation efforts in these countries and opened parks to poachers. Gorillas also stumble into snares set for other animals, and may be killed or injured. Increased political stability, better public awareness, and carefully protected parks would go a long way toward reversing the gorillas’ decline.

Outbreaks of the Ebola virus and increased hunting led the IUCN to move the western lowland gorilla from endangered to critically endangered status in 2007. In August 2008, the Wildlife Conservation Society released a census showing that more than 125,000 western lowland gorillas are living in two adjacent areas of the northern part of the Republic of Congo. Previously, it was thought there could be fewer than 50,000 of these gorillas.

With a population of fewer than 300 individuals, Cross River gorillas are listed as critically endangered.

A Few Gorilla Neighbors

Leopard (Panthera pardus): The only animal in its range, aside from humans, that can harm an adult gorilla, although these animals rarely tangle with each other.

African elephant (Loxodonta africana): By downing trees, forest-dwelling elephants help create gorilla feeding areas.

African gray parrot (Psittacus erithacus): Despite a large range, this forest parrot is disappearing from many areas due to capture for the cage bird trade and forest cutting. By saving gorilla habitat, we protect these and many other animals.

Fun Facts

Despite their size and current popularity, gorillas remained a mystery to people living outside of Africa until a missionary described them in 1847. After chimpanzees, gorillas are our closest relatives, sharing about 98 percent of our genes.

Source National Zoo

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Sticky Situation – Hall Monitor

By Scholastic News
Oct. 7, 2009 

Marty is a hall monitor at school. While monitoring the hall, he sees his friend Paul take a cell phone out of his backpack. Cell phones are not allowed in school. Marty doesn’t want to get Paul in trouble, but Marty is supposed to help keep order in the halls and to tell a teacher when school rules are broken. What should Marty do?

Write a paragraph explaining what you think Marty should do in the “Post a comment” section below.

Other Scholastic News readers will be posting their thoughts about this week’s ethical dilemma, too. So come back to the Sticky Situation blog to discuss their solutions!

Cick on comments

Source: Scholastic News Online

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

 

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