Wilds of the United States: The Animals' Survival Field Guide
CANADA Rocky Mountains The UNITED STATES of AMERICA Pacific Ocean Sonoran Desert Chihuahuan Desert MEXICO 4 INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION Every year in the United States one animal embarks on an epic voyage As the warmth of summer begins to fade it leaves its home in Alaska heading south It travels the length of the Rocky Mountains pausing to rest and refuel in alpine meadows over 12,000 feet high After crossing the border into Mexico and coming back again it returns home by trekking north along the Pacific Coast It is a round-trip journey of nearly 8,000 miles made by a creature that weighs less than an ounce the rufous hummingbird No matter where you are in the United States there are animals just outside your door engaged in lives beyond imagination Beneath the hooves of bison on the Great Plains prairie dogs excavate elaborate underground cities some stretching for miles In the deserts of the west kangaroo rats use dance moves to evade being eaten by rattlesnakes And in southern bayous and wetlands alligators perform prehistoric courtship rituals that long predate humankind This field guide tells the incredible stories of these creatures and hundreds more from throughout the United States On a winding one way journey across the country we’ll hike rugged mountainsides trudge flooded swamplands and brave the heat of expansive deserts We’ll climb towering trees dig underground and stay up late to see who comes out at night We’ll traverse forests grasslands tundra and even vast ocean distances as we explore the incredible diversity of creatures who call the United States home So lace up your hiking boots and prepare yourself for adventure Like the rufous hummingbird we have a long journey ahead of us we’re off to meet the neighbors Join the rufous hummingbird on its voyage by flitting to page 108 INTRODUCTION 5
How do alligators see in the dark Page 35 Why do bull moose shed their antlers in the winter Page 13 Which seabird nests high in redwood trees Page 99 COAST REDWOOD Which cat has its own snowshoes Page 15 Which bird has the largest wingspan in North America Page 89 Whose strange bugling call can be heard in the Great Smoky Mountains Page 25 How do harlequin ducks survive raging mountain rivers Page 64 Which reptile has a fishing lure on its tongue Page 30 6 INTRODUCTION
SURVIVAL SKILLS How does an animal survive for months without rain in the Mojave or avoid predators on the open grasslands Living in the wilds of the United States isn’t easy but America’s wildlife is up for the challenge The merit badges below appear throughout this field guide to honor and highlight the incredible skills and physical adaptations that animals use to survive FORAGING Finding food is the single most important challenge that wildlife face and the first skill needed to survive ATHLETICS These animals survive in the wild by using their exceptional strength speed and agility SHELTER Finding or making a good shelter can protect an animal from the cold serve as a place to store food and give animals a place to raise their young PERFORMANCE Being a good performer can help an animal avoid predators gain social power or attract a mate TOOLKIT These animals have either learned how to use tools they find in their environment or they’ve evolved their own tools from distinctly shaped beaks to sensitive whiskers SURVIVALISTS Animals with this badge have what it takes to survive either barely changing for millions of years or rebounding from near-extinction HUNTING Hunting requires animals to draw from a wide set of skills including quick reflexes and cunning intelligence FIELD SIGNALS Animals find a variety of unique ways to send their message across the wilderness UNIFORM Being properly outfitted can help an animal survive in extreme weather attract the attention of a mate or protect them from predators COMMUNITY Going it alone can be tough so these animals have found teamwork to be the key to their survival NAVIGATION These animals take advantage of different environments to survive some traveling incredible distances throughout the United States and beyond WILDERNESS EXPERTS These incredible animals have evolved the right set of behaviors and physical adaptations to perfectly face the unique challenges of their environment INTRODUCTION 7
