FACTS OF INTEREST

• bullfrogs are amphibians, living in and around bodies of freshwater such as lakes and marches
• they can be found in suchhabitats all over North America from Nova Scotia to Mexico
• the name bullfrog comes from the loud, moo-like sound of their call, which can be heard over a quarter mile away
• bullfrogs can grow up to 8 inches long and weight 1.5 pounds
• bullfrogs have immense appetites and will eat just about an
  

  bullfrog puppet

  ything from small insects and fish to large mice, birds and snakes

Folkmanis Rooster Puppet

FACTS OF INTEREST

• a male chicken is called a rooster
• a female chicken is called a hen
• in most breeds, rooster can be distinguised by their impressive plumage
• they boast more colorful feathers, larger combs and longer tails than hens
• roostes have sharp, boney spurs on the back of their legs, which they use to protect themselves and their flock
• roosters are very territorial and sound their distictive “cocl-a-doodle-doo” to ward off competitors or predators
• they also assert dominance over hens by performing a “waltz” in which they walk in a half circle with one wing pointed toward the ground

Folkmanis Little Wolf Stge Puppet

FACTS OF INTEREST

• wolves are carnivorous mammals that once existed in large population all over the Northern Hemisphere
• wolves have been featured prominently in folklore and mythology for thousands of years
• a she-wolf is said to have nursed Romulus, the founder of Rome, and his twin brother as infants
• though wolves rarely attack humans, they have been depicted in folklore mainly as vicious killers – for this reason, humans have decimated wolf populations all over the world
• the main species of wolf that exist today are the grey wolf and the red wolf
• today there are almost no grey wolves in Europe at all, but many live in Asia, Canada and Alaska
• in 1980, the red wolf became extinct in its natural habitat – the SE US – but because of scientists’ efforts to breed and relaease  them, approximately 100 red wolves now live in the wild
• wolves live in hierarchical groups called packs
• the dominant member of the pack is known as the alpha male and is usually followed in rank by his mate
• theis top  male and female are usually the only wolves in a pack to breed
• other members of the pack contribute to their pups’ care and feeding
• wolves are usually monogamous for life unless one member of a couple dies
• female wolves can give birth to one litter of pups per year throughout her entire life
• pups are born in summer in litters of 5-6 pups on average
• wolves hunt strategically in packs to take down deer, moose, elk and other large mammals
• when such prey is take down, a single wolf can eat up to 20 lbs of meat in one sitting
• wolves also eat plenty of smaller game such as mice, lizards, birds and fish

Red Panda Hand Puppet by Folkmanis

FACTS OF INTEREST

• red pandas can be found in the forests of India, Nepal, Laos, Bhutan and China
• they spend most of their time up in the trees searching for food by night and sleeping aloft during the day
• red pandas use thier luxurious tails for warmth by wrapping them around their bodies when they sleep
• their tails also help them balance
• females give birth once a year to litters of 1 to 4 cubs, which are born with grey fur and weigh only a few ounces
• adults grow to be about the size of a house cat
• red pandas are distantly related to giant pandas and raccoons, but they are the sole memebers of a separate family called the Ailuridae
• the red panda is on the endangered species list, mainly due to the deforestation of its habitat