All About Nature: Animals to Paint Online

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The tundra is a cold, treeless area; it is the coldest biome. The tundra is characterized by very low temperatures, very little precipitation (rain or snow), a short growing season, few nutrients, and low biological diversity. The word tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia, which means "treeless plain."

There are two types of tundras, Arctic tundras and alpine tundras.

• Arctic tundras are frozen, windy, desert-like plains in the Arctic that are dotted with bogs and ponds. Permafrost (a layer of frozen subsoil) covers the ground, so there is very little drainage of water. The short growing season lasts for only 50 to 60 days. Arctic tundras are located in the far north of Greenland, Alaska, Canada, Europe, and Russia. Some animals of the Arctic tundra include:
  • Mammals - Arctic foxes, Arctic hares, caribou, ermine, lemmings, musk oxen, polar bears, porcupines, Arctic shrews, squirrels, voles, weasels, wolves
  • Birds - Arctic loons, snowy owls, falcons, ptarmigans, ravens, snow buntings, snow birds, snow geese, sandpipers, Arctic terns, tundra swans, many species of gulls
  • Fish - cod, flatfish, salmon, trout
  • Insects - Arctic bumblebees, blackflies, flies, grasshoppers, mosquitoes, and moths.
• Alpine tundras are located high in mountains worldwide, above the tree line. The growing season is about 180 days, and nighttime temperatures are usually below freezing. The soil is well-drained (unlike the Arctic tundra). Some animals of the alpine tundra include:
  • Mammals - elk, marmots, mountain goats, pikas, sheep
  • Birds - grouse-like birds
  • Insects - beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers, and springtails.

Arctic Fox This small, white fox lives farther north than any other land animal.

Arctic Hare This white hare lives in the Arctic and has huge hindfeet.

Arctic Tern A small bird that flies from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back again each year.

Arctic Wolf Arctic wolves are carnivores that live in Northern Canada.

Bighorn Sheep Printout The bighorn sheep is a wild brown sheep from mountains and deserts of North America.

Caribou Caribou are herbivores that live in Arctic regions.

Dall Sheep A wild, white sheep from the Arctic and sub-Arctic of North America.

Ermine Also known as stoat or short-tailed weasel, this tiny, ferocious mammal lives in cold areas.

Grasshopper Grasshoppers are insects that can hop, walk, and fly. There are about 10,000 different species of grasshoppers.

Lemming Lemmings are small, short-tailed rodents from North America and northern Eurasia.

Moose The moose is the largest member of the deer family.

Mosquito A small flying insect that is a carrier of disease.

Musk Ox Musk oxen are large, hairy mammals that live in the far north.

Polar Bear Polar Bears are meat-eaters who live in the Arctic.

Quoll The Quoll is a cat-sized carnivorous marsupial from the islands of Tasmania and Australia.

Reindeer Reindeer are herbivores that live in Arctic regions.

Short-tailed Weasel Also known as stoat or ermine, this tiny, ferocious mammal lives in cold areas.

Snow Goose Snow Geese are migratory birds from North America.

Snowy Owl A white owl that lives in the North American tundra.

Squirrel Squirrels are rodents. THey live in a variety of biomes, including the tundra.

Wolf Wolves are carnivores that live in packs and howl.

Wolverine The Wolverine is a large, ferocious weasel that lives in cold areas.

Woodland Caribou A rare caribou from Canada that eats lichens.

Woolly Rhinoceros The Woolly Rhino is an extinct rhinoceros from the Ice Ages.

All About Nature: Animals to Paint Online

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