Tiger The tiger is the largest of the big cats. Have you ever wondered why tigers have orange fur with black stripes? The stripes help the tiger to blend in with the sunshine and the shadows of the forest. This helps tigers to sneak up quietly to their prey. Come visit the tiger at the Pember Museum and see how its jaw and teeth are well suited to killing its prey with a quick bite to the throat.

Beaver The beaver has many traits that make it well suited to life in the water. Some of these traits allow beavers to swim underwater for up to one half a mile on one gulp of air. Can you stay under water that long? The beaver is the largest rodent in North America. A long, long time ago some beavers were once the size of bears. Come visit our beavers at the Pember Museum and see how their size compares to the size of your dog or cat.

Common Loon Loons are comfortable only in the water. They have big webbed feet that help them dive as deep as 200 feet. They cannot walk on land and they can only take off and fly from water. Loons must run across the water for about one quarter of a mile before they can take off. Loons have a peculiar eye color which some feel helps them see fish better under water. Come visit our loons at the Pember Museum to see the color of their eyes.

Duck-billed Platypus The duck-billed platypus is one of two mammals in the whole world that lay eggs. The platypus's dark, grey bill is a moist, nerve-filled tool used to search muddy river bottoms for shrimp, worms, and crayfish. The bill senses tiny electrical impulses given off by all living things (even you!), and this is a big help in finding its prey. The front feet of a platypus have webbing that extends beyond its toes, forming a paddle for swimming. Also,the webbing can be pulled back, leaving the claws free for digging. Come visit the duck-billed platypus at the Pember Museum and see if the front feet are ready for swimming or digging.

Armadillo The armadillo has many small bony plates, each covered by a layer of skin. Only its "tummy" is bare and so when threatened, an armadillo will pull its legs in and curl itself into a ball. The armadillo almost looks more like a reptile than a mammal. Come and visit the armadillo at the Pember Museum and see if you can find any hairs that help make it a mammal.

Flying Fox The flying fox is a fruit-eating bat. A fruit bat has a mouth like an orange squeezer. The bat uses its tongue to squash fruit against special horny ridges on the roof of its mouth. When all the juice is squeezed out, the bat spits out the skin and pits. A bat's wing is a thin, see-through layer of skin and muscle. This layer is supported mostly by a bat's finger bones. Come visit the flying fox and see who has the longer finger bones, you or the bat.

Black Bear The black bear is well known for its omnivorous diet (eats plants and animals). They have 5 claws on each foot and, like humans, walk on the entire sole with the heel touching the ground. Black bears walk clumsily and yet can run in speed bursts of up to 30 mph. Come visit the black bear at the Pember Museum and examine the size of its ears, eyes, and nose to determine which sense it relies on most for its survival.

King Penguin The penguin is a bird that cannot fly in the air but flies through the water with great speed. Penguins have an organ above their eyes that changes seawater into fresh water. A long, long time ago some penguins once stood 5 feet tall and 300 pounds. Come visit the king penguin at the Pember Museum and see who is larger, you or the penguin.

Peregrine Falcon Peregrine falcons are known for their breath taking dives and incredibly fast flying speeds. They hunt mostly ducks and other swimming birds; falcons nesting on skyscrapers in big cities prey on pigeons. A test made on the visual powers of peregrine falcons showed that the birds could easily see a small bird over a mile away while the same prey could not be seen by a human through binoculars at a shorter distance. Come visit the peregrine falcon at the Pember Museum and see its characteristic dark "mustache" mark on its cheek.

Gray Wolf The gray wolf is a social animal that lives in packs and mates for life. Except perhaps for Caribou, they probably travel more often and for greater distances than any other North American land animal. Wolves run with a bounding gait and their tail is held horizontally. Come and visit the gray wolf at the Pember Museum and see if its running pose is accurate.

Barred Owl The barred owl is a common owl in our region that prefers the quiet places of wooded swamps and forests. It has brownish gray "bars" running across its shoulders. You may have heard one of its calls that sounds like "who COOKS for You? Who COOKS for Y'all." Come and visit the barred owl at the Pember Museum and see how its eye color is different from other owls in our area.

Passenger Pigeon The last passenger pigeon on earth was named Martha. She died on September 1, 1914 in the Cincinnati Zoo. Less than a hundred years earlier, there were so many passenger pigeons in North America that a single flock could block out the sun for eight hours as it flew over a town. Come and visit the passenger pigeon at the Pember Museum and see how it differs from the pigeons that frequent our area.

Hawksbill Sea Turtle Hawksbill sea turtles feed along coral reefs on sponges, shellfish, jellyfish, and seaweed. Some people think sea turtles cry. Actually, the turtles are just getting rid of extra salt from glands near their eyes. Come and visit the Hawksbill sea turtle at the Pember Museum and see if sea turtles have teeth or not.

Fisher Fishers are a large member of the weasel family. They are known for their skill in killing and eating porcupine. The fisher knows how to flip a porcupine over on its back and attack its soft underside before its prey can right itself. Even if some quills are swallowed, the fisher's intestines are rarely damaged. Come and visit the fisher at the Pember Museum and compare its size to its other weasel cousins.