Cool Facts About Animals

This is Jaguar meow meow! Learn how to cook endangered meat with just a flame thrower, trebuchet and elbow grease in this best ever episode!

In this episode we learn all about lake cow bacon, otherwise known as the hippopotamus! You'll learn about poop-flinging, built-in sunscreen, mouth gape, how huge they are, and more. Thanks for listening! If you would like to support us on Patreon, please head here: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals We have fun benefits like shout-outs and outtakes (including a funny one on poop today). Here's our website. https://coolfactsaboutanimalspodcast.wordpress.com/2021/06/06/hippopotamus-hippo/ I've loaded a picture of Teddy when he was smaller at the zoo, with a wide-mouthed hippo behind him. Here's a link to buying hippo poop: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/618838/buy-fiona-hippos-poop And to hippo poop flinging: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-jXMeo4a4k If you know the creature quiz answer or do the kid challenge, send us an email at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod. Thanks to Andrew at Ear Snacks for our theme music! Finally, check out the fellow Kids Listen podcast Fairies and Dragons, Ponies and Knights. It's a fun, episodic storytelling podcast that we think you'll really enjoy! https://dirtroadtheater.com/fadpak/

We at Cool Facts About Animals are pretty jealous of our east coast listeners who are about to get visited by TRILLIONS of cicadas! In this episode, we give you all the information you need to know about this amazing insects, which have been waiting for the past 17 years to emerge. Included in that is a zombie fungus disease that makes their butts fall off! You don't want to miss this one. Thanks to our Patreon sponsors August and Wren! If you would like to be a Patreon sponsor, you can sign up here. https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals If you haven't yet sent us your cool fact for an upcoming episode, please send it to us, along with your name, age and where you're from by May 31, 2021. We'd love to have an audio clip of you, but email is just fine. Send it to us at [email protected]

Happy Earth Day! In this special bonus episode, we each choose an endangered or extinct animal to learn about, then we choose an animal that's making a rebound, and share an idea for how you can help to keep animals of the endangered list! In this episode, we learn about: Black rhinoceros White rhinoceros European Jaguar Blackfooted pigeon Tooth-billed pigeon Condor Vaquita American alligator Here's a great website to learn more about ethical and sustainably-produced seafood: https://thehealthyfish.com/how-to-tell-if-youre-buying-sustainable-ethically-produced-seafood/ Here are the episodes that we mentioned on this episode: Past earth day episodes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/special-earth-day-animal-episode/id1334467437?i=1000409436677 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/extinct-animals-special-earth-day-episode/id1334467437?i=1000436001946 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/earth-day-episode-cool-animal-facts/id1334467437?i=1000472264858 Condor: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/california-condors/id1334467437?i=1000425872502 Submit your cool animal facts to us at [email protected] and we will play them in an upcoming episode!

In this special double episode, we learn all about herons. First, we are joined by Patreon supporter and friend Meryl to learn all about the third biggest heron, the great blue heron. Then, the usual crew learn more about the second biggest and biggest herons - the white bellied heron and the Goliath heron. We want to hear from you too! Send us an audio clip with your cool animal fact to [email protected] and we will include them in an upcoming episode. If you'd like to be a Patreon sponsor, you can head here: Thanks for listening! https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals

Jaguar wants to cover the world in trash. Can Corduroy stop him? (No animal facts in this one - this is just for fun!)

Horseshoe crabs have been around since before the age of dinosaurs! During the time, they've seen a lot of changes in the world. We talk about these living fossils, including why their blood is so valuable, their many eyes and legs, and many other cool facts. If you think you know the answer to the riddle or creature quiz, or if you do the Kid Power challenge, send us an email at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod and we'll send you a bookmark! If you'd like to be a Patreon sponsor, you can head over here. https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals Thanks to Andrew of Ear Snacks for our theme song!

Dragons are one of the most amazing animals in the world - but it's hard to get the facts about them when they are so rare. Luckily, we were able to speak with Mr. Eric of What If World and a real live What If World dragon, Dracomax! Dracomax fills us in on all sorts of interesting stuff about dragons, like their favorite jokes, systems of governance, and their deepest, darkest secrets (it involves pudding). We hope you have as much fun listening as we did making this episode. If you do, be sure to check out What If World! Thanks to our Patreon sponsors June, Iris and Manni! If you'd like to support us financially, you can check out our Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals

We have a really cool special episode for you today. In this one, we interview Gina Zwicky. Gina is a graduate student at the University of New Orleans, where she studies reptile immuno-evolution, and she knows a ton of stuff about toads, frogs, alligators and turtles. In this episode, we learn about snapping turtles' butt-breathing, how to tell an alligator from a crocodile, and why frogs have the coloring they do. We also learn about Gina's frog watch events, and why they're helpful to science. We hope you enjoy!

This is one tough animal. Smart, recklessly aggressive, equipped with tough skin, stink bombs and sharp claws - even lions run from the honey badger! We mentioned a bunch of things in this episode. Here's a link to the Nature documentary: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/honey-badger-honey-badgers-masters-of-mayhem/8636/ Here's a link to our YouTube channel - you can check out our collaboration with At Your Level and we will post a drawing lesson in the near future: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt89IP0pdPUfvETol8qHKjg Here's a link to our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals Yogurt recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017991-creamy-homemade-yogurt Granola bar recipe: https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/02/thick-chewy-granola-bars/ Thanks to Andrew of Ear Snacks for our theme song!

Learn more about sea stars (aka starfish) while playing along with the Cool Facts About Animals and At Your Level podcasts. During this activity-filled video, you'll learn how to draw the crown of thorns sea star, make an origami sea star, and hear a story about a sea star going to the library. You'll also get to see Jaguar interviewed as a sea star - aka Ulysses S. Grant. Plus, dad jokes and some holiday trombone music. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUZ_HnSlUZI

Grady, Clara, Teddy and mom Ali sit down to talk about the starfish (or is it a sea star?). You'll learn that this festive-shaped star can come with many, many more arms than you'd imagine, what important things it's lacking, the strange place its eyes are located, and about its amazing superpower. Here's a picture of that heron and eel: https://www.livescience.com/snake-eel-bursts-out-of-heron.html Here's a picture of a crown of thorns sea star: https://oceana.org/marine-life/corals-and-other-invertebrates/crown-thorns-starfish Here's some pictures of a sea star growing its body from an arm - https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/starfish-regenerating.html Here's a link to our YouTube channel – stay tuned for our activity video in collaboration with At Your Level! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt89IP0pdPUfvETol8qHKjg If you can answer our Creature Quiz, Riddle or want to take our Kid Power challenge, send us a message at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod Thanks again to Miles and Anna for being our Patreon sponsors. You can sponsor us here: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals

In this episode, the crew shares a whole bunch of really, really gross animal facts. If you do not like being grossed out, DO NOT listen to this episode! Animals include a toad that gives birth by baby toads breaking through the skin on its back, a lizard that shoots blood from its eyes, an animal that feasts on human skin, and a sea cucumber that shoots out its internal organs. We have a lot of show notes today. Here are the promised links, plus a picture of the Surinam toad (beware this picture is gross!). Jaguar's Twitter handle: https://twitter.com/TheRealJaguar2 Corduroy's Twitter handle: https://twitter.com/Corduro96602363 Tongue-eating isopod post: https://twitter.com/JimmyBernot/status/1337129154484056066 Birds decorating their nest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1zmfTr2d4c Picture of the Surinam toad: https://www.naturepl.com/stock-photo-surinam-toad-pipa-pipa-young-emerging-from-under-skin-of-mother-image01563459.html Frogs with hair: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2300424/The-frog-breaks-bones-produce-claws-burst-skin-like-X-Men-s-Wolverine.html If you have a gross animal fact to share, or think you know the answer to our riddle, send it to us by email at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod.

In this episode, we get pretty confused talking about opossums v. possums - because they sound the same! We sort it out with the help of Jaguar's helpful poem. We also learn about why they play dead and why it's so confusing, other gross defense mechanisms, and lots of other cool facts. Our friends at Nature Nerds are going to be putting out an episode on opossums too! Be sure to check it out. Thanks to Cristian for being our Patreon sponsor! If you'd like to financially support us, check out our page here: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals You can find a picture of the adorable cross-eyed opossum here: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/heidi-the-cross-eyed-opossum-becomes-a-star-in-germany/ Don't forget to answer our creature quiz or do our kid challenge! Send us a message at @coolanimalspod on Twitter or email us at [email protected]

Hi Listeners! We are trying out something new this episode, and swapping an episode with our friend Laine at Nature Nerds, a podcast in the Kids Listen family. We've never done this before, but we thought we would try it this time because we really think if you like our show, you'll also like Nature Nerds. (Our family listened to the whole first season in one day.) In each episode, Laine and her nature assistant learn about a new animal through a mix of exploration and speaking with experts. There's a lot of humor and even a little magic at play too! In this episode, you'll learn more about bats. We think you'll enjoy it. If you do, head over to wherever you listen to podcasts and look for "Nature Nerds" for more episodes on animals like nutria and honeybees. And we'll be back soon with our mystery animal. We can't wait to share it with you. Thanks for listening!

Do you think crows are scary? In this episode, we learn that crows are scary – scary smart! Did you know that crows can solve 8-step puzzles, make and use tools, recognize faces, hold a grudge and even obey traffic lights? In this episode, we learn all about these spooky smart creatures. This episode is part of the Kids Listen Halloween collaboration. I'll be updating the show notes with a link to all the episodes once it's published, or head to the Kids Listen app and search for the Halloween Playlist. https://app.kidslisten.org We mentioned a bunch of videos today: Video of the 8-step tool puzzle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gui3IswQ0DI Hook-building: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDg0AKfM8EY Crows having fun in the snow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_ta33bMB70 Jaguar's music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikzSylqEkRQ&feature=youtu.be If you think you know the Creature Quiz or riddle, or if you do the Kid Challenge, send us an email ([email protected]) or tweet us (@coolanimalspod) and we will send you a bookmark! Finally, thank you to our latest Patreon sponsor, Cecelia! If you'd like to be our Patreon sponsor, head to our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals

On this episode, we talk all about peafowl! New fact for me, only the male peafowl is called a peacock. Who knew! We also give lots of info on the peacock's beautiful tail (or train), its flying ability, and some cool facts about their eggs. For our kid challenge, we are challenging you to make a bird feeder out of apples, nut or seed butter, and birdseed. Find an example of how to do this here: https://busylittleizzy.com/2019/09/25/homemade-apple-bird-feeder/ We also mention the Kids Listen Activity Podcast - find more about that here. https://www.kidslisten.org/season-2 If you know the answer to our creature quiz or riddle, or if you did the kid challenge, send us an email at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod.

In this episode, we talk to dragonfly and damselfly expert Dr. Jessica Ware about what makes these insects so cool. And there's a lot! Like their eyes, the way they can do math even with their tiny insect brains, how big they used to be (and sometimes still are), how long they've been around for, and even how you can try to find your own new species of dragonflies. Thanks so much to Dr. Ware for taking the time to speak with us and share her knowledge with everyone! We love hearing from you! You can tweet us at @coolanimalspod or email us at [email protected]

Big news, listeners! Jaguar and Corduroy have made their first music video. Now, I'm not sure about the message, but you know Jaguar. Check it out on YouTube, https://youtu.be/ikzSylqEkRQ, and listen to the preview here.

We're back! With an episode about the pink river dolphin/aka Amazon River Dolphin/ aka Boto. In this episode we learn about why they might be their unusual color, how they look different from marine dolphins, interesting myths surrounding them, and lots more. If you think you know the answer to our creature quiz or our riddle, or if you took part in our Kid Power challenge, send us an email at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod and we will send you a bookmark! If you're interested in being a Patreon sponsor, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals And don't forget to visit www.amazoninnhubandgrub.com for all your Amazon eating needs. And be sure to check out the Curious Kid podcast! We think you'll really like it.

On this second part to our spider monkey episodes, we have the opportunity to speak with Dr. Michelle Rodrigues, who has Jaguar's dream job - getting up close and personal with spider monkeys. (Although her motivations differ from Jaguar's.) Dr. Rodrigues talks to us about spider monkey sociality, the effect of climate change on spider monkeys, whether they laugh, and - of course - answer Jaguar's question about why they are so delicious. We always love to hear from you! You can email us at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod. Thanks to Andrew of Ear Snacks for our theme song!

It's Corduroy turn to share his origin story! Learn about how he found his corduroys and how he got his name. It involves a very famous person - maybe you can figure out who! You also hear more about the Amazon Inn Hub & Grub. Be sure to head to www.amazoninnhubandgrub.com to get your gift certificates!

Did you ever wonder how Jaguar became Jaguar? In this bonus episode, Jaguar explains how he became the cat he is today. Don't forget to check out his enterprise, Amazon Inn Hub & Grub at www.amazoninnhubandgrub.com

The day has finally come, listeners. Jaguar learns all about spider monkeys. Now, the question is - will he learn to love them so much that he won't eat them again? Listen to find out, as well as finding out about their amazing tails, their calls, and some pretty gross ways they have of deterring intruders. Thank you to Emily, our latest Patreon sponsor. If you would like to be a Patreon sponsor, head to our Patreon page here. https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals We have a bunch of outtakes up there as well. If you know the answer to the creature quiz or riddle, or just want to say hi, send us an email at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod. Thanks for listening!

What animal is so big it takes to podcast episodes to cover it? The elephant! In this follow-up to our first elephant podcast, we interview Dr. Josh Plotnik, an elephant expert who studies sociality and empathy. We talk about the smartest thing Dr. Plotnik has ever seen an elephant do, whether elephants can recognize themselves in a mirror, how they show empathy, and more. Thank you to our Patreon sponsor Georgia! If you'd like to be a Patreon sponsor, head to our website here: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals We always love to hear from you. Email us at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod. Thanks to Andrew Barkan of Ear Snacks for the theme music!

We have been wanting to do elephants for SO long. Just recently, we got a slide show presentation from listener Emily that really inspired us to get moving on it! In this episode, we chat about elephants with Grady's friend Finn. We talk about how smart they are, the ways they communicate, how they show empathy, how big they are, how much they poop, and lots more. Later this week, we will be speaking with Dr. Josh Plotnik, who studies elephants and how they socialize. Stay tuned! Do you want to get in touch with us? Send us an email at [email protected] or tweet us @coolanimalspod. Thanks to Andrew Barkan of Ear Snacks for the music!

Back at what seems like the dawn of time (i.e., two months ago when the kids were still at school), Clara was working on a pollinator project for her second grade class. Clara chose the blue-tailed day gecko. But when she started researching it, she found that there was almost no information out there about them! Luckily, we discovered the Skype a Scientist program, where we were connected to Travis Hagey. Dr. Hagey is an expert on day geckos (though he has not yet studied the blue tailed day gecko) and he taught us a lot about these amazing animals – like that they can drop and regrow their tails, that they probable traveled on the side of ... something (a log?) to get to the island they live on now, and why that commercial Gecko isn't really super accurate. We learned a lot from Dr. Hagey, and had a super good time too. We hope you will as well! As always, we love to hear from you! Email as [email protected] or tweet us @coolanimalspod. Thanks to Andrew of Ear Snacks for our theme music!

This one is just for fun, definitely no learning here. Join in Jaguar's adventures as he travels from Transylvania to Washington to the moon to try to track down that rascally Corduroy.

In this special Earth Day episode, the CFAA gangs bring you lots of cool facts about a whole bunch of different animals, including the brown pelican, purple loosestrife beetle, honey badger, dung beetle, sand cat, a headless frog, and more! Do you want to make a difference this Earth Day? Learn about a new animal and tell someone about it! Including us! Send us an email with an audio recording or a paragraph about your animal to [email protected] Thanks for listening, and happy Earth Day!

Hey Listeners! Happy Earth Day Week! We are hoping to get out an Earth Episode this week, but in the meantime, we wanted to direct you to the Kids Listen Activity Podcast, where we are rebroadcasting our episode on extinct animals. You can find the Kids Listen Activity Podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kids-listen-activity-podcast/id1502915722 After the episode, head to kidslisten.org/activity-podcast to find a whole bunch of activities we put together associated with this podcast episode (and over 20 others). We have ideas like building a maze out of straws, painting rocks, measuring your yawn gape and more. Enjoy!

On this episode, we learn about a truly resilient animal, the tardigrade (aka the cutely-named moss piglet or water bear). This animal can survive anywhere from the moon to a volcano to your own backyard. In its tun state, it can lie dormant for decades in a sort of zombie state. Very cool. Thank you to Abby for supporting us on Patreon! If you would like to financially support us, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals Find Skype a Scientist Live here: https://www.skypeascientist.com/skype-a-scientist-live.html If you know the answer to the creature quiz or take part in the kid challenge, let us know and we will send you a bookmark! Email us at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod.

In honor of one of our favorite holidays, we are rebroadcasting our April Fools Day episode from last year, starring Mr. Eric of What if World. It's our most popular episode of all time and we hope you enjoy it!

On this episode, we take advantage of the amazing Skype a Scientist program and speak with Dr. Dan Killam, an expert on giant clams. We learned so much about giant clams - including how their eyes work (and that they even had eyes), how big they can get, how they are similar to trees, and lots more. We had more than we could fit in this episode. If you want to hear more about giant clams and other odds and ends (like what Dr. Killam named his Venus fly trap) head over to our Patreon page. You do not need to financially support us to hear these bonus materials. https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals We always love to hear from you! Send us an email at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod Learn more about the Skype a Scientist program here: https://www.skypeascientist.com

Starting this week, Kids Listen member podcasts – like What If World, The Past and the Curious, The Good Words Podcast, Book Club for Kids, Little Bedtime Stories, Tumble Podcast, Timestorm, Be Calm on Ahway Island, Aaron's World, Best Day Yet, The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian, Story Spectacular, Unspookable, Curious Kid Podcast and Buttons & Figs – and of course Cool Facts About Animals – will bring you a podcast and an activity based on the episode. Cool Facts About Animals' episode is up today! For our episode, we chose our second most popular episode of all time – tarantula hawk wasps. This episode features an interview with Dr. Justin Schmidt, who invented the Schmidt Sting Pain Index. Do you kow how he invented that index? He got stung. A lot. And then told people about how much each one hurt on a scale from 1 to 4. It's a really fun episode, filled with lots of animal facts from a super cool scientist. After you listen, you can find a number of activities relating to the episode, including inventing your own index, drawing your defensive superpowers, doing in-depth bug observation, and lots more. Here are all the links you need: Kids Listen Activity Podcast on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kids-listen-activity-podcast/id1502915722 Raw feed if you're not an iTunes person: https://kidslistenactivitypodcast.libsyn.com/rss Kids Listen Activity website: https://www.kidslisten.org/activity-podcast Link to our most popular episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unicorns/id1334467437?i=1000433820094 Here's another resource of podcasts to listen to and other resources: https://medium.com/kidslisten/schools-out-kids-podcasts-are-in-82634e23d4c4 And our contact info – we'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] or tweet @coolanimalspod. If you're into hashtags, use the tag #kidslistenactivitypod Stay well, listeners.

On this bonus episode of CFAA, we speak with Allyson Shaw, an editor and writer at National Geographic Kids. In this interview we learn about "comeback critters," animals that were struggling but are now doing a lot better because of human intervention, as well as animals that still really need our help. We also talk about the dangers and benefits of plastic, and practical tips to reduce plastic consumption. This episode is FULL of tips on how kids can help protect animals. We'd love to hear some of the tips you found most inspiring, and which going to try to do yourselves! You can tweet us at @coolanimalspod or email us at [email protected], and we will send you a bookmark! Thanks as always for listening, and we will back soon with our regular format.

Hello listeners! On this episode we are learning all about Koalas (not bears). We learn a number of really gross things that these animals do, despite being so cute, and some other cool facts - like how small the babies are, what their name means and all sorts of interesting things about their hands and feet. We also talk about how you can help koalas suffering from the effects of the bush fires, including by "adopting" a koala through the Australia Koala Foundation: https://www.savethekoala.com Thanks to Sam the Bug Hunter for being our Patreon sponsor! If you'd like to help support our podcast, please head over to our Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals If you know the answer to the riddle, creature or quiz, or you do the Kid Challenge, let us know! Email us at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod Thanks as always to Andrew of Ear Snacks for our theme music!

We have another bonus episode in store for you today! We speak with Dr. Jim Sanderson, a conservationist and Program Manager of Wild Cat Conservation at the Global Wildlife Conservation. We wanted to speak with him about the Andean Cat, because he is one of the very few people to ever see one in nature. While we did learn some cool things about the cat, we also learned a lot about a new field - conservationism. It was such an honor to get the chance to speak with Dr. Sanderson. This episode is a bit longer than usual, but we thought the whole interview was so interesting, we didn't know what to cut. We hope you enjoy it, and are as inspired by Dr. Sanderson's work as we are! We should be back to our normal format after this. We look forward to thanking our newest Patreon sponsor on that episode.

We were excited to receive a copy of "A Book of Rather Strange Animals" by Caleb Compton. Just like it sounds, the book is a collection of unusual, weird, wacky, and just plain cool animals. In this episode we talk about a few of the animals in the book: the purple frog; sea bunny; hammerhead worm; and vampire squid. Want to answer the creature quiz, riddle, or tell us about how you did on the kid challenge? You can reach us at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod. And if you'd like to financially support us, you can do so at https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals

On this episode, we learn all about the colossal squid – an animal that no one has actually seen move around in the ocean. In this episode you'll learn about their predators, how they attack prey, how colossal they really are, and the surprising amount they need to eat to stay alive. Thanks to Fox and Frye for the suggestion! If you know the answer to the creature quiz, or did the kid challenge, let us know! You can reach us at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod If you'd like to support us financially, please visit our Patreon page! https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals Finally, here's a link to the video of the colossal squid autopsy: https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-09-17/rare-colossal-squid-was-dissected-new-zealand-and-you-can-watch-it-youtube

Learn more about Spider Monkey Burrito Creator Day and Green Overall Day(s) with Jaguar and Corduroy. Things get a little heated, but it ends up with everyone coming together with some holiday songs. (No animal facts in this one, it's just for fun.)

On this episode, we go way back in time to learn about the velociraptor! If your knowledge about the velociraptor comes from the movie Jurassic Park (like Jaguar) then you'll be surprised to know that most of what you think is true is false! The velociraptor was only about the size of the turkey, and its hunting game was way different than portrayed. In this episode, you'll learn more about its dangerous claws, a prehistoric battle, and lots more. We mentioned two videos in the episode. They are: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0qs5oclDkI - Interesting information about what the velociraptor might have sounded like https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2erfy1 - BBC documentary in which they do experiments to discover more about how the velociraptor's claws were used If you want to answer our creature quiz, riddle, do the kid challenge, or just want to say hi, you can reach us on Twitter at @coolanimalspod or email us at [email protected] If you'd like to support us financially, and help fund our trip to the Red Woods to study a new habitat, you can support us on our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals Thanks for listening!

You can't get much spookier than this spider, the largest of all spiders. It's legs alone get be up to a foot long, and it's so hairy and creepy and…. I need to stop. On this episode, you'll learn about this tarantula's defense mechanisms—including its ability to spew barbed hairs at its enemies, the creepy thing female spiders do to their would-be mates, and lots more. We always love to hear from you! You can reach us at [email protected] or tweet us at @coolanimalspod. If you're interested in being one of our Patreon sponsors, follow the link here:https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals Thanks as always to Andrew of Ear Snacks for our theme song!

In this episode, we talk about new discoveries about orcas (aka killer whales), learn more about how smart they are (learning words!), and Jaguar gets a little jealous. We've got lots of links in this one: Here's the link to Orca v. Great White Shark: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orca-versus-great-white-shark/id1334467437?i=1000423748015 Here's the link to the salmon episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/salmon/id1334467437?i=1000417338721 Here's a link to the granola bar recipe I've been using (I love Smitten Kitchen): https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/02/thick-chewy-granola-bars/ And here's a yogurt making primer: https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-make-homemade-yogurt-step-by-step-article And thanks again to Maggie for being our Patreon sponsor! If you're interested in supporting our podcast financially, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals If you want to answer the creature quiz, riddle, or tell us how you're doing on this month's kid challenge, send us a note at [email protected] or on Twitter at @coolanimalspod. Thanks as always to Andrew of Ear Snacks for our awesome theme song!

The Cool Facts About Animals crew got the opportunity to head to Oregon's science museum (OMSI) to check out the new exhibit, Exquisite Creatures, and interview the artist behind the exhibit, Christopher Marley. Marley is an Oregon artist who uses animals and insects to create amazing pieces of art. In this episode you'll learn why it's so important to go out and see nature in real life, what kinds of looks you get when you take your pet monitor lizard for a walk, and how you can help to protect animals. Thanks as always for listening, and we will be back soon with our regularly-scheduled episode! Many thanks against to Christopher Marley for speaking with us, and for OMSI for giving us this opportunity. And thank you to Andrew Barkan of Ear Snacks for our theme music!

It's a whale! It's a shark! It's not a whale at all, it's the biggest fish in the sea! It's a whale shark! On this episode we get way too silly talking about filter feeding, the differences between whales and sharks, and just how big these sharks are. (Hint: super big.) Thanks to Miles for the suggestion, along with previous suggesters Theo and Nadia. And many thanks to Lilli and Hazel, two of our newest Patreon sponsors! If you would like to help support us take a road trip to visit in person with a scientist, you can head over to https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals and make a donation. We are narrowing in on a location, and hope to head there this fall! If you think you know the answer to our creature quiz or riddle, or if you completed our kid challenge, send us an email at [email protected], or tweet us at @coolanimalspod. Thanks for listening!

Just for fun this long weekend, we're doing filling in the blank word games with Jaguar and Corduroy! We'll be back with more cool animal facts in a week or so - stay tuned! Thanks so much to Miles and Toby, our Patreon supporters! If you're interested in supporting us financially, you can check out our Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals

Another special summer episode, this time featuring Tristan and Quinn. Besides being Sea Pig experts, they are also cousins to Grady, Clara, and Teddy. We learn lots of cool facts about this very strange looking sea creature. If you want to guess what they might look like (no peeking!) send us a picture at [email protected], or tweet us at coolanimalspod. If you already know what they look like, send us another picture instead. We will send you a bookmark! We will be getting back to school and our normal schedules soon. Thanks in advance to our three new Patreon sponsors! We will be doing official thank yous in our next three regular episodes. If you would like to financially support our podcast, click here: https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals

A long, long time ago we got a request from James—who was 5 at the time—to do an episode about tarantula hawk wasps. When we started researching the insect, we kept coming across the name Dr. Justin Schmidt. Grady had already heard of him—you may have too. He invented what's called the Schmidt Sting Pain Index. The index measures just what it sounds like it would—how painful different insects' stings are to humans. Dr. Schmidt is also the author of a book called The Sting of the Wild, which we recommend you all read. We had the great pleasure of having a Skype conversation from Dr. Schmidt from his office in Tucson, Arizona. We talked about not just the tarantula hawk wasp, but also about other stinging insects, why some insects die after they sting you, how much it hurts to get stung by a bullet ant, and lots more. Check it out. We will be back with our regular format soon! And once again, we know we have a growing list of folks who we owe bookmarks and replies too. You are on our radar, but summer fun is getting in the way. We will be back on track soon!

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the landing on the moon, we are celebrating a moon-themed animal--the Luna Moth! Learn about its fierce defense tactics as a caterpillar, the one important thing its missing as an adult, and a lot of corny moth jokes. Want to support Jaguar's mantis shrimp habit? Er, rather, our trip to Eastern Oregon to learn about some other cool animals from the experts? You can support us on our Patreon page!https://www.patreon.com/coolfactsaboutanimals To answer our Creature Quiz, send us an email at [email protected] or Tweet us at @coolanimalspod. We are behind on sending out our bookmarks, but we are aware! We promise to send soon.

On this episode, we travel all the way to… Grady's elementary school to do a "versus" episode. This past school year, Grady's third-grade class did a unit on Oregon bird, where each kid in the class chose a different Oregon bird to study. We spoke to nine of these kids to bring you this versus episode! Which type of bird would win in a fashion contest? Which type of bird would win a hotdog eating contest? And which bird reigns superior! Listen to the episode to find out. Many thanks to the kids who contributed to this episode, and to Mrs. Gassner for making this episode possible!