Wilds of the United States: The Animals' Survival Field Guide
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
REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES Covering over 3.5 million square miles and stretching from the Arctic to the tropics the United States has one of the most varied landscapes of any country in the world Each of these environments has something distinct to offer the animals that make their home there but they each come with their own unique challenges as well START YOUR ADVENTURE HERE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS GUAM AMERICAN SAMOA HAWAII EQUATOR 10 PACIFIC ISLANDS PAGES 117-125 Isolated laboratories for evolution the Pacific Islands are home to strange and incredible animals that are unlike any others in the United States 9 FAR NORTH PAGES 105-116 Stretching across Alaska the Far North is an expansive and rugged wilderness of mountains tundra and icy Arctic seas 8 PACIFIC COAST PAGES 87-104 There’s little boundary between land and sea on the Pacific Coast where marine fog nurtures lush forests and predators from dry land rely on the ocean’s bounty for their survival 7 DESERT WEST PAGES 71-86 Only the toughest animals survive in America’s vast Desert West where temperatures soar and months can pass without rain 8 INTRODUCTION
1 EASTERN WOODLANDS PAGES 10-20 Animals in the Eastern Woodlands must live by the rhythm of the seasons enjoying the richness of summer and braving the challenges of winter 2 APPALACHIANS PAGES 21-26 One of the oldest mountain ranges in the world the Appalachians shelter animals in mist-cloaked valleys dense temperate rainforests and icy mountain streams 3 THE SOUTH PAGES 27-40 Wetlands take a variety of forms in the South from forests flooded by the Mississippi River to coastal marshlands that rise and fall with the tides 4 TROPIC SEAS PAGES 41-48 The warm climate of the Tropic Seas creates a unique refuge in the United States for animals from Mexico Central America and the Caribbean 5 THE GREAT PLAINS PAGES 49-60 In the past America’s vast grasslands provided open territory for wildlife to graze and roam but today only fragments of these ecosystems remain PUERTO RICO U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 6 THE ROCKIES PAGES 61-70 Stretching from Canada almost to Mexico the Rockies are a vertical landscape of towering forests pounding rivers and remote alpine tundra INTRODUCTION 9
