Common name : Hippo, River horse Scientific name : Hippopotamus Amphibius Family : Hippopotamidae Native to : Africa and Asia Interesting fact : The colour of their sweat is red or orange. Conservation status : Vulnerable It has a large, almost hairless body with a grey-coloured skin, a barrel-shaped torso, large mouth and teeth and […]
After a hard day’s work, the elves decided to go ice skating. Everyone was having a wonderful time, except Tod. He tried to skate, but he kept falling. He watched Dina spin as she skated. The next day, the elves went sledding. “This is great fun!” exclaimed Tod happily. But Dina stood sadly and watched.
Once, there lived a family of polar bears: mother bear, father bear and baby bear. Father bear and the baby bear were out playing one day when suddenly there was a fierce snowstorm. So terrible it was that the baby bear got separated from father bear. Father bear was devastated. He did not know what
One Christmas Eve, the trees in a certain wood were very unhappy. They wished to become Christmas trees but they did not know how to do so. They felt that they were old and bare. One tree sighed and said, “If only we were green then we would be decorated for Christmas.” Hearing them, the
Scientific name : Erinaceinae Family : Erinaceidae Native to : Europe, Asia, Africa and New Zealand Interesting fact : Its back is covered with about 5000-6500 spines or quills on an average. These are not barbed or poisonous. There are seventeen different species of hedgehogs. Depending on the species, their fur is brown, white or
A shoemaker named Burt lived with his wife Margaret. They were very poor. One day, Burt had no material to make shoes. But when they woke up the next day, they found a shining pair of beautiful shoes. They wondered as to who had made them. A man bought them. The next morning, Burt saw
Christmas was around the corner. At the North Pole, the elves had finished making gifts for all the boys and the girls. They were too tired. So, they decided to go off to sleep. As elves were going, they heard some noises. They made their way towards the workshop. They peeped in through the window
It was Christmas time. The elves discussed as to what to gift Mrs Claus. They thought of many things. Finally, an elf said, “Mrs Claus would like something that we have made ourselves. Let us all make her Christmas tree ornaments!” All the elves agreed. This was their favourite work. They began to cut and
Common name : Gray langur Scientific name : Semnopithecus Family : Cercopithecidae Native to : South Asia Interesting fact : Their tails form an ‘S’ or ‘U’ pattern. Conservation status : Least Concern They are mostly grey, some more yellowish, with black faces and ears. Each has a body length of up to 79 cm
Roger had a habit of forgetting. No matter how important, his answer always was, “I forgot.” Now, Christmas was near. Roger made a list of things which Santa Claus would bring. Finally, Christmas morning came. Roger checked his stocking. But he was shocked. It held a list longer than the one he had made. Disappointed,
On a chilly day, a poor girl walked on the streets barefooted. She carried some bundles of matches. She had not sold even a single bundle of matches. She lighted a match to get some warmth! She felt as though she was sitting in front of a stove. But lo! The flame went out. She
One day, Nicholas of Myra, who later became Saint Nicholas, heard that in a faraway town, people were suffering from hunger. He immediately had the baskets of fruits, wheat and other eatables packed. Then, he and his servants started their voyage. When he reached the town, Nicholas knocked at a window. A child opened the
Scientific name : Lasiorhinus latifrons Family : Vombatidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : They have backward-facing pouches Conservation status : Least Concern There are only two living species of the hairy-nosed wombat, the Southern hairy-nosed wombat and the Northern hairy-nosed wombat. The hairy-nosed wombat’s nose is hairy, covered with fur. Their body fur
Scientific name : Cavia porcellus Family : Cavidae Native to : South America Interesting fact : They are not related to pigs and are not from Guinea! Conservation status : Least Concern Their docile nature, responsiveness to handling and feeding, and ease of caring make them very popular pets. They vary in hair colour, ranging
Common name : Comb rat Scientific name : Ctenodactylus gundi Family : Ctenodactylidae Native to : Africa Interesting fact : They do not drink water. Conservation status : Data Deficient They live in the Northern parts of Africa in rocky deserts. There are five living different species of gundis. They are between 17-18 cm in