Food Allergies

Dear readers,

Im writing to tell you today to tell you about food allergies. My friend Libbys sister has food allergies and she is allergic to the ingredient called gluten.They are trying to make a gluten free girl scout cookie for people with allergies against gluten. To help,you can sign the petition in the link http://www.change.org/petitions/encourage-the-girl-scouts-to-sell-an-allergen-free-cookie
Thank you.

The Blanket Octopus

Today for lest weeks Fishy Friday,I'm going to tell you about the Blanket Octopus.

Not much is known about the Blanket Octopus,so I will try and report what I can.

The Blanket Octopus is one of the most stunning species of Cephalopods ever found(My moms personal favorite.).They get their name from the very long webs hanging from their tentacles.They generally come in 2 colors:Scarlet red and lemon yellow.I do not know what they eat,but I'm going to guess small fish and other small octopi and squids.they have a very odd way of defending themselves,so I hear.Its said that they take the arms of the poisonous Portugese Man O' War Jellyfish (Talk about well explainitory names.) and waving them around,using them as a weapon.They are found in the North and South Atlantic Ocean.

That's my report on the Blanket Octopus.I got the info from www.ask.com and the pictures from free Google images.The End.

What Makes A Reptile A Reptile

Today I'm going to tell you about what makes a reptile a reptile.

There are 3 main things that make a reptile a reptile.
1,they are cold blooded.
2,they are covered in scales.
3,they lay eggs.

There are 5 main species of reptile.The crocodilians,turtles and tortoises,lizards,snakes,and the rare tuatara.I wouldn't be surprised if none of you ever heard of the "tuatara",truth is I never heard of it till just now!Its a medium sized,iguana like reptile (found only in New Zealand) with the body of a lizard and (kinda) the head of a snake.Can you guess which of the pics up top is a tuatara??Any who,all reptiles are cold blooded and rely on heat to stay alive.If a reptile gets too cold,it has to sit in the sun to warm up or freeze to death.If its too hot,it goes into the shade.Next to fish,I think there are more species of reptiles then birds or mammals,I'm 100% sure.. Surprisingly,all reptiles eat meat.They have a strict "plants loosen pants,meat fills pants" diet. Albino reptiles are more rare then albino mammals,so the albino boa pic up top is REEEALLY rare.

That's my report on what makes a reptile a reptile.I got all the pics from free google images and the info from www.zoo.org.The End.

Florida's Springs: Fanning Springs

Today I'm going to tell you about Fanning Springs.

Fanning springs is a wonderful place to go if your looking for nature or just wanna go for a swim.Fish such as sturgeons and guppies can be found in the swimming area along with the Suwanee River itself.There is a board walk that allows you to examine the river close and far.Manatees are occasional in the Springs in the Winter time.You can travel on the board walk to see many species of fish or just to get a look at The Highway.There is a 60+ mile long hiking trail which you can hike on to experience many species,from the huge Pileated Woodpecker to the dangerous Coral Snake. Swimming is a must on a hot Summer day.Snorkeling and Diving are allowed but you must have a Diving License to dive. On the trail you may spot some deer or owls,be sure to bring your camera! You may also see some vines hanging from the trees,if they're strong enough,enjoy a quick swing.There are info boards scattered throughout the park with info on the many animals and plants in the area.
What I like about the Springs is the hiking trails and the swimming areas..

That's my report on the Fanning Springs.The end. (P.S,all the pictures for this post were taken by me,except for the one of the Highway,my Mom took that one.)

Fishy Monday: The Sea Dragon

Today for a special Fishy Monday,I'm going to tell you about the Sea Dragon.(Which,yes,is a fish.)

The Sea Dragon is a member of the Sea Horse family but has some different features.There are two species of Sea Dragon(that I know of),the Weedy Sea Dragon,left image,and the Leafy Sea dragon,right image.The Weedy Sea Dragon is a rainbow colored fish only found in the southern waters of Australia.Its normal size is around 20 centimeters,but some can reach lengths of up to 45 centimeters,that's big enough for a squirrel to sit on!It's usual food is crustaceans,small ones,some species of shrimp,and plankton.The Weedy Sea dragon looks kinda like a Sea Horse that dipped in a rainbow fountain and has the nose of Pinocchio.The snout is usually light blue,along with the dorsal fins.The under side is bright pink with black stripes running along it.It has a long tail,usually red,with little leaf like fins poking out of the tail.Although,some specimens are just dark or bright red.

The Leafy Sea Dragon,on the other hand,is almost ALL pale yellow.The Leafy Sea Dragon is found close to the same area as the Weedy Sea Dragon,except farther north.It's usual habitat is in the northern and central waters of Australia.It is a pale yellowish color with lots of leaf like fins poking out of its body.No wonder It's called the "Leafy" Sea Dragon!Leafy Sea Dragon's also eat shrimp,but also eat small,deep water fish.If you ask me,the weedy Sea dragon would win a Sea Dragon fashion show,but the Leafy Sea Dragon is more fascinating.

That's my report on the Leafy Sea dragon.I got the info from www.Wikipedia.com,and www.ask.com.I also got the pictures from Free Google Images.The End.

Fishy Monday: Desjardini Tang

Today for Fishy Monday I'm going to tell you about the Desjardini Tang.This particular species of tang is the largest known tang.It is found in the Red sea and is also one,if not the,most peaceful species of tang.It has a variety of different colors from a white dotted face with a brown body and a blue dotted tail to black and white with a all white face.The size of its dorsal and pectoral fin depends on its maturity,the older the fish the bigger the fin.This kinda tang is known as a Sail Fin Tang.There are many species of Sail Fin Tangs from the Desjardini,to the Scopas and Purple Tang.The Desjardini,and almost all tangs,are omnivores feeding on algae and shrimp.

That's my report on the Desjardini Tang.I got the info from Blue Zoo Aquatics.com and Aquacon .com.I got the pictures from those 2 websites also and I got the video from You Tube.com.The End.