What is a toad that is not really a toad at all? It’s the Phrynosoma, or Horned Lizard, found only in the western areas of the United States and Mexico. Usually called a Horned Toad, Horny Toad, and even Horned Frog, the Horned Lizard is neither a toad nor a frog. In fact it is not an amphibian at all. It is a reptile! The nicknames come from the horned lizard’s rounded toad-like face, and because it has a short, wide, and squat body like that of a frog or toad. Horned...
Read MoreThe Amazing Platypus
When specimens of the duckbill platypus were first sent to England in the late 1700’s, many English scientists thought it was a fraud. It plainly didn’t fit well in any of the categories of animals known at that time. Was it a bird, a reptile, a mammal or a combination of all of these? The platypus is an extremely interesting creature. It has fur like a mammal but it lays soft, leathery eggs like a reptile. Usually 1-3 eggs are laid in a nest built by the mother...
Read MoreThe Marine Iguana
Marine iguanas are found only on the Galápagos Islands located in the Pacific Ocean near Ecuador, South America. They are the only lizards that are able to live and feed in the sea. Marine iguanas are vegetarians. They feed on seaweed and algae which they find on rocks, in tidal pools, or in the sea. The adult males can grow to over 5 feet long and the females up to almost 4 feet. On land, marine iguanas are rather clumsy lizards, but in the water they are powerful,...
Read MoreThe Nature of Instinct
Suppose a group of scientists were walking along the beach, and they ran across a message written in the sand. Suppose, in addition, these same scientists praised the grains of sand for their ability to organize themselves in this way. Obviously, we would say they were crazy. Yet, the same scientists can say that the unique design of animals, including their instinctive behavior, somehow came about by random processes and, ironically, most of society accepts it. In...
Read MoreGod’s Created Creatures Communicate
Not only does God communicate through His creation and to mankind, we also see that many of His creatures are also able to communicate in unique and interesting ways. Consider the following examples: Ants have always been known for being masters of communication. Mary Jo and I confirmed that while watching ants in a huge ant farm in a natural history museum. One ant was carrying a very large load when it stumbled crossing a narrow “log bridge.” It continued to grasp its...
Read MoreThose Incredible Dolphins!
“By all rights, life in the sea should leave a dolphinbaked, crushed, and sterile. This graceful mammal avoids such a fate only by slipping through loopholes in the laws of physiology.” With such a come-on, who could resist reading “The Dolphin Strategy,” in the March, 1997, issue of Discover? The discoveries revealed in the article proved to be fascinating and exciting. One puzzle for scientists was the problem of oxygen consumption on a deep dive. Research showed that...
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Friends - Richard's Life was Changed!! - And this is why he is leading AOI's Colorado Family Camp! Join us July 30 - Aug 4 - conta.cc/3X4JroB pic.twitter.com/u8j1AP1Pmu
