-by Matt Robertson, author and illustrator of our Children’s Book of the Month Do You Love Exploring?
From the sweltering heat of the Saharan desert to the freezing wilds of the Arctic, animal habitats are varied and diverse. From exploring these different habitats I’ve loved learning about the weird and the wonderful, and it’s made me realise just how lucky we are to have so many incredible creatures on our little planet. Here’s a sneaky peak of some of the amazing creatures you will discover when you explore the pages of my new book, DO YOU LOVE EXPLORING?
Grasslands
The Giant Anteater has an almighty hunger for termites. These long snouted mammals can swallow up to 35,000 termites in one day!
Mountains
High up in the mountains lives one of the most well-hidden animals on the planet. The Snow Leopard’s amazing, patterned fur makes them excellent hunters as they can easily blend into their rocky surroundings.
Rainforests
Although they may look cute and harmless, the Poison Dart Frog is in fact, one of the most poisonous animals on Earth. Their brightly coloured skin acts as a warning to curious predators that if they are attacked there will be trouble!
Islands
After feeding in the in the salty seas around the Galapagos Islands, Marine Iguanas sneeze out ocean water to stop them from dehydrating.
Woodlands
A relative to the tree-hugging Koala, Wombats are fascinating creatures but one of the weirdest attributes of this animal is its poo. Scientists believe that wombats use their cube-shaped poo to mark territory and by making these droppings angular means they won’t roll away.
Ice Worlds
The Arctic Fox is a real camouflage expert! In the summer months their fur is brown and grey to fit in with the rocks and grass but in the winter months when the snow is thick, their fur turns pure white.
Deserts
The Thorny Devil of central Australia is named for its prickly body however, these spikes have their uses. They are used for collecting moisture in the air which is then drunk by the lizard. They can even drink through their feet!
Oceans
Although a common creature in popular culture, Octopuses are truly weird! There is no other creature on Earth like them and with their blue blood and nine brains you could easily mistake an octopus for an alien.
Night-time
To get at yummy bugs within trees, Aye-Aye’s use their extra-long fingers to tap on tree trunks. Scientists have also recently discovered that these primates also have a hidden thumb making them the only known primate to have six fingers!
Strange Creatures
The unusual, large beaked Shoebill is a very strange looking bird. Living in the wetlands of East Africa, their favourite food is baby crocodiles!
Endangered Animals
I bet you thought dinosaurs were extinct. Well, if you took one look at the gloriously wonderful Cassowary you could be easily fooled to believe that dinosaurs do still exist. These direct descendants of dinosaurs have feet just like a T-Rex and a crest almost like a Hadrosaur.
Do You Love Exploring? is available now for £6.99
