Crocodile

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Crocodile

This crocodile reminds me of our komodo dragon friend. Alligators and crocodiles are reported to be responsible for more human fatalities per year than any other predator on earth. The American crocodile is found in the swamps of the southeastern U.S. Do you know how you can tell it's not an alligator? Because its teeth show even when its mouth is shut.

Tree By Lake

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Tree By Lake

Here's our last stop at Buck Creek State Park. It's been a beautiful day for a walk. This lake is 2,120 acres. The Spotted Turtle, a state-endangered animal, is found in the area around the lake. It took about fifteen years to finish the dam across Buck Creek as a flood-control project. The park was opened in 1975.

Winter Tree

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Winter Tree

I have always enjoyed taking pictures of trees from this angle. The knobs and branches on this tree create a very interesting effect. I guess you could call it a squirrel's-eye view.

Stairs To Water

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Stairs To Water

Buck Creek has some interesting trails. One of them is quite long and gets rather muddy when it rains, I can tell you from experience\. You could actually see it in this picture at the bottom of these stairs, running right by the lake. The lake can be see from many places in the park and is well worth the trek around the trails.

Berries With Sky

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Berries With Sky

It is always fun to discover red winter berries after the trees have dropped their leaves. The crunch of leaves underfoot and the chilly air remind us of the beauty of this winter season.

Walk At Buck Creek

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Walk At Buck Creek

Maybe it's time for another stroll in the park. This is a trail at Buck Creek State Park located near Springfield, Ohio. Buck Creek was dammed up to create the C.J. Brown Reservoir, and now there is a beautiful park around the whole area. Come along and explore!

Christmas Peace

Mud Valley Memories

Christmas Peace

Blessings of Christmas peace to all my readers and to the whole world.

Komodo Dragon

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Komodo Dragon

Here we have the biggest living lizard in the world. Maybe that is why it is called the "king of the lizards." It can run as fast as a human on its stubby legs. It smells its food using its long tongue, then attacks with its claws and short sharp teeth. Weighing more than 300 pounds, it will eat almost anything, including deer, pigs, and even buffalo. Unlike most lizards, it is a carnivore. It is found among the islands of Indonesia.

Spiny-tailed Iguana

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Spiny-tailed Iguana

Can you guess why this is called a spiny-tailed iguana? It is a genus of lizard common to Mexico and Central America. Lizards are popular pets. This one is an excellent climber. It has also set the world record for speed at 21.7 mph, making it the world's fastest lizard. The spiny-tailed iguana is hunted and eaten in Central American countries and also by some hunters in Florida.

Scrub Python

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Scrub Python

Here is one of the large snakes we saw in the reptile house. Pythons can weigh up to 250 pounds and measure 33 feet long. They only move about one mile per hour on land but are excellent swimmers. They lay eggs and the mother snake warms them by "shivering." This would be interesting to see—it looks like the snake has hiccups.

Turtle

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Turtle

These turtles were quite a comparison to the 500-pound tortoise. There were small 50-gallon aquariums with water and rocks the turtles could climb out of the water on. This little guy seemed to be taking a rest while the other ones swam around or floated in the water asleep.

Cheetah

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Cheetah

This animal looks like an overgrown kitty-cat. I'm not sure I'd want to get close enough to play with it. However, there are quite a few cheetah jokes out there and I thought I would share some.

Q: Which side of a cheetah has the most spots?
A: The outside!

Q: Why don't you want to play cards in the African Savannah?
A: There are too many cheetahs!

A lion and a cheetah were playing chess. When the cheetah won, the lion complained, "Hey, you're a a cheetah!" The cheetah said, "Nah, you're lion."

Lorikeet

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Lorikeet

Lorikeets are a kind of parrot found in all different colors. They have a unique brush-like tongue with which they eat pollen and nectar instead of nuts and seeds like other parrots. They also use their strong beaks and feet to perform lots of acrobatics. We enjoyed watching the lorikeets climb on branches and in and out of their wooden birdhouses.

Kangaroo

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Kangaroo

Most people think kangaroos live only in Australia, but several species can be found in Papua New Guinea. The name kangaroo comes from a native Australian word "gangurru." Young kangaroos are called joeys. "Roo" is a local name used for any kangaroo. The kangaroo is the only large animal that moves by hopping. Did you know a kangaroo cannot back up? Of course, besides hopping, kangaroos are famous for their pouches. Baby kangaroos are born when they are very tiny and it takes months for them to get big enough to leave their cozy little pocket home.

Victorian Crowned Pigeon

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Victorian Crowned Pigeon

This beautiful bird is native to the lowland tropical forests of New Guinea. They are very docile and easy to train and can live up to 25 years. They eat mainly fruits, seeds, grains, and small invertebrates off the ground and are now an endangered species because of the wide popularity of their meat and feathers.

Kookaburra

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Kookaburra

This popular bird is a member of the kingfisher family. It is native to Australia. The bird is valued for eating snakes and lizards. The kookaburra truly does have a loud, raucous laugh which is heard at dusk and at dawn. I don't know if it really eats gumdrops.

Okapi

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Okapi

This beautiful animal looks like a cross between a zebra and a deer! Actually, okapis are related to giraffes, and have the same long tongues for eating leaves. In fact, they eat forty to sixty-five pounds of leaves every day. They're rarely spotted in their native rain forests since the zebra stripes camouflage them in the shadows. Their amazing fur repels rain but feels like velvet.

River Otters

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River Otters

These little otters seem to be having a good time at the zoo. We watched them chase each other through the mud and water and slide down the mud bank into their river. Otters can stay submerged for five minutes at a time. They eat fish, frogs, crabs, and crayfish. We had a lot of fun watching their playful antics.

Gorilla

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Gorilla

This is about as close as I've gotten to a gorilla. I don't think I'd want to get any closer. This one seemed a little upset. While we were standing watching, it ran over and socked the window as hard as it could. I felt kind of sorry for it.