The agouti, a rodent from tropical South America buries Brazil nuts for later use in case it gets hungry. Because it loses some of the buried nuts, many of the nuts sprout into trees. That's good for the forest and the agouti can always find more nuts.

Have you heard? Asian elephants have smaller external ears than African elephants, but Asian elephants hear just as well as their African cousins.

The Baikal seal is the world's only seal species that lives exclusively in fresh water, specifically in Asia's Lake Baikal.

About a quarter of all the discovered, described animals on earth are beetles.

A cheetah can sprint up to 70 miles per hour, and never get a speeding ticket! At top speed, the cat's is completely free of the ground most of the time.

Elephants can communicate with each other over a distance of six miles by broadcasting deep, low frequency, rumbling sounds.

The Asian elephant has a finger-like tip on the end of its trunk; the African elephant has two. These trunk tips can pick up objects as small as a blade of elephant grass.

Females red kangaroos are smaller and faster than males. They also have a bluish coat, so they're called "blue flyers.

The American greater flamingo gets its pink color from the algae and tiny crustaceans it eats.

One male Florida panther needs as much as 200 square miles of wild, undamaged habitat.

To prevent highways from dividing up Florida panther habitat, wildlife officials provide them with highway underpasses. This helps ensure that the big cats have safe travels. S

The largest American alligator on record measured 19 feet, 2 inches, and it lived in Louisiana.

How do all alligators look different from crocodiles? The standard rule is this: When a croc’s mouth is closed, the fourth pair of teeth on its lower jaw is visible. On alligators these teeth are covered up.

The reticulated giraffe has a bluish tongue. This adaptation prevents the tongue from getting sunburned.

People used to think that hippos sweated blood. They do not. Instead, hippo skin secretes red hipposudoric acid, which works like a sunscreen to protect the sparsely haired beast from the burning rays of the sun.

A group of kangaroos is called a mob.

Koalas have a specialized digestive system that removes the toxins from eucalyptus leaves. The toxins, which serve as important natural insecticides, are poisonous to most other animals.

Koalas sleep between 18 and 22 hours per day.

Warning: greater one-horned rhinos can urinate backward ten feet or more to either mark territory or to spray at any animal sneaking up on it.

You are a mammal. All mammals have four-chambered hearts, three unique ear bones in each ear, they nurse their young, and almost all have hair at some point in their lives. 

The platypus has a venomous spur on each of its hind ankles. It is one of only three known egg-laying mammals. (The other two, called echidnas, look like small spiny anteaters.)

The best way to tell one rhino from another is to politely request some form of identification. Kidding! Seriously, African rhinos have two horns, the Indian or greater one-horned rhino has only one horn.

The South American longhorn beetle grows more than six inches long; not including its ridiculously long antennae!

Tigers are the largest of all cats. The average natural lifespan of a wild tiger is eight to ten years.

To defend its young, a tiger will attack an elephant, which can be 20 times the cat's weight. Sounds like any mother who is protective of her young.

Did you know that some kangaroos live in trees? Zoo Miami is working with conservationists in northern New Guinea to study and protect wild Matschie's tree kangaroos.

Among the rhinos play list of vocal sounds are: mooing, honking, groaning, roaring, honking, snorting, and shrieking. How many of those sounds can you make?

The African weaverbird expertly ties knots, crafting a complex nest with two rooms plus an entryway. It stands on one foot as it ties knots with its beak and other foot.

The harpy eagle, one of the most powerful birds of prey, can grab monkeys and sloths off trees using its sharp talons.

The earliest known fossils of modern humans, Homo sapiens, were found in Africa. They date back roughly 200,000 years.

Among prides of lions, the female does most of the hunting.

Spitting cobras can spray venom six feet or more from out of openings in the front of their fangs. Not usually fatal, the spray can temporarily blind animals that get too close. 

The giant anteater's sticky tongue is up to 2 feet long. Using this spaghetti-thin structure it can eat as many as 30,000 ants and termites a day. 

Plan a biodiversity event for your community. The idea is for people from all walks of life to identify as many plants, insects, birds and other species in local wild habitats during a 24-hour period.

Draw or paint your favorite animals in their natural habitats. Show your artwork to your friends in person or via the web and tell them why these animals need healthy places to live.

Focus on your science classes. The world needs future scientists to study wild animals in their habitats and discover the most effective ways to protect them.

Ask the adults you know if they might like to get involved with local greenway or open space committees in your city or town.

Volunteer to help remove invasive plants from wild lands and waters.

Check out special programs and summer camp experiences at nearby zoos, aquariums and nature centers. When you're old enough, consider serving as a volunteer.

Convince your parents or other adults to turn part of a lawn into a garden or just a wild zone. This mini-habitat minimizes your water use and many native plants attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Visit national parks and wildlife refuges to learn what animals are endangered and what habitats they depend on. Share what you've learned with your family and friends.