Fauna
Hiding in the trees and the shrubs of the surrounding hills, hundreds of species of animals call the land surrounding Crafton Hills College home. From the smallest insect to the largest mammal, we share the land with them. I've selected four animal species to share with you today.
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Latin name: Phrynosoma Coronatum
The horned lizard is a distinctive species of reptile. It is commonly called a "horny toad" but this is an incorrect name. The horned lizard is a reptile, not an amphibian like toads. The horned lizard gets it's name from the various scales that protrude over it's body. In the wild, it is being crowded out by non-native grasses. It is commonly kept as a pet, though care must be taken with it's sharp spines. It requires a special diet and most pet owners don't realize this, so the lizard dies prematurely. |
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Latin name: Chamaea Fasciata
The wrentit lives in among the chapparal, and the lack of development of scrub can cause extinction of the wrentit. It's song is widely recognized because it can be heard regularly on the television show M*A*S*H. The show, which takes place in South Korea in the early 1950s, was filmed in the Agoura area of southern California. It is the only American representative of the mostly Asian family of babblers (Timaliidae). |
Latin name: Urocyon Cinereoargenteus
Gray foxes resemble small dogs with bushy tails. They have strong hooked claws that allow them to scramble up trees to avoid predators or to get fruit. Gray foxes are unique among canids in their ability to climb trees. They descend primarily by jumping from branch to branch. Gray foxes are nocturnal and den during the day in hollow trees, stumps or old woodchuck burrows. Gray foxes are solitary hunters and eat a wide variety of food, including field mice, shrews, and birds with fruit as it's available. |
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Latin name: Sialia Mexicana
The western bluebird is arguably the most colorful chaparral bird. It nests in chapparal trees in available cavities. Insects make up the majority of the diet, but berries and fruits can also be an important food item, especially in the winter when insects aren't as plentiful. The western bluebird often feeds by perching low in vegetation and swooping down to the ground to snatch insects. They will also fly from a perch to catch insects in mid-air, and will forage among the foliage. The organic pesticide Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloroethane (DDT) almost led to their extinction. |
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