Around the world with native animals

Kiwi Bird – New Zealand – A kiwi bird’s egg is large in relation to the size of its body, often weighing as much as 20% of the female’s weight. In comparison, Ostrich eggs weigh about 2% of a female ostrich’s body weight. Kiwi birds are the only known birds to have nostrils at the end of their beaks, making them one of the few birds to have a strong sense of smell. Female kiwi birds are larger than the males and when incubating the eggs it is the male that spends most of the time incubating.

Springbok – South Africa – Springboks can reach speeds of up to 50mph – handy when trying to escape from predators such as cheetahs, leopards and lions. The name ‘Springbok’ comes from the Afrikaans language – spring means jump and bok means antelope so it translates to ‘jump antelope’. The South African rugby team are known as the springboks.

Beaver – Canada – Beavers’ front teeth never stop growing – their constant chewing and gnawing ensures that their teeth get too long. Beavers can remain underwater for 15 minutes at a time. Beaver’s ability to change the landscape is second only to humans.

Kangaroo – Australia – Kangaroos cannot move backwards. Kangaroos can’t move their legs independently on land – when swimming they can kick each leg independently but on land they can only move their legs together. A kangaroo’s tail plays an important role in remaining balanced when kangaroo is hopping

Giant Panda – China – Pandas spend about 12 hours a day eating bamboo. Giant pandas are born pink, hairless, blind and 1/900th the size of its mother. The giant panda is an endangered species and nowadays it is estimated that there are only 1,500 giant pandas left in the world.

Bengal Tiger – India – Bengal tigers live alone and scent-mark large territories to keep their rivals away. A Bengal tigers roar can be heard as far as 2 miles away. Bengal tigers are endangered and numbers are decreasing – currently there are around 2,000 Bengal tigers remaining.

Bald Eagle – United States – Bald eagles have 7,000 feathers. Once paired, bald eagles remain together until one dies. Bald eagles can spot prey from almost a mile away meaning that when they fly at an altitude of 1000 feet they can spot prey covering an area of almost 3 square miles.

Komodo Dragon – Indonesia – Capable of reaching 10 feet in length and weighing 300 pounds, Komodo dragons are the heaviest lizards on earth. Komodo dragons are venomous and often target larger animals, maiming the animal and then trailing the injured animal until the venom sets in and kills it. Komodo dragons are efficient eaters and eat around 90% of their prey including the bones and hooves.

Golden Eagle – Mexico – Golden eagles can reach speeds of up to 150 mph when swooping for prey. Golden eagles maintain territories of up to 60 square miles. The average lifespan of a golden eagle in the wild is 30 years.

Arabian Horse – Saudi Arabia – Arabian horses have one less rib and one less tail vertebrae than other breeds of horse. Arabian horses are one of the oldest horse breeds in the world at over 5,000 years old. Arabian horses were the horse of choice for Napoleon, Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great and President George Washington amongst many others. Arabian horses are often identified by their concave faces and high tail carriage.