Kristen Holder
Author for A-Z Animals

A lake and a lagoon are both free-standing bodies of water, right? Not exactly. Their location and the way they get water from their water sources in a lake vs… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Socotra is a small Yemeni island chain off the coast of the Horn of Africa in the Indian Ocean between Somalia and Yemen. Socotra’s landscape has been called alien, and… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

The black snakes on this list are often confused with each other, such as the black racer with the black rat snake. One of the snakes on this list is… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

When we think of color-changing animals, the first thing that comes to mind is lizards. However, there are at least two snakes out there that change color to blend in.… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Alabama is divided into 4 geologic regions: the Limestone Valleys, the Coastal Plain, the Piedmont Plateau, and the Appalachian Mountains. Some ticks in Alabama live in all these regions, while… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

There are around 350 known species of sharks in the world and most of them aren’t dangerous. However, Hawaii is the 4th most dangerous place in the world for shark… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Water is what defines channels, and rivers flow in some of those channels. As rain lands on the earth and pools enough to run, it begins moving. This movement, over… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Key Points: Eight species of the Alabama blacksnake can be found within the state. Many harmless black snakes are killed each year out of misidentification as cottonmouths, venomous, semi-aquatic black… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Rivers are a popular fixture on our landscape, but did you know that rivers only cover a tenth of the earth’s land? Did you know that an estuary needs a… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

The lucky rabbit’s foot has a strange but true history. In 1584, people carried a rabbit’s foot to spare themselves from arthritis and cramping. Nobody is sure why this was… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Cobras are famous for being highly venomous, but they’re more than just deadly. They’re elapid snakes which means their fangs stay erect instead of folding up into the roof of… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

When it comes to coachwhip snakes, you’ll hear a lot of talk about western or eastern coachwhips. This leaves one to wonder what exactly are the differences when it comes… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Snakes as we know them have been slithering on the planet since about 145 million to 65 million years ago. Snakes probably came from the Mediterranean Tethys, a strip of… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

There are over 3,500 types of snakes on the planet and most of them know how to climb trees. Characteristics of snakes may vary, but they’re all limbless reptiles in… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Do snakes eat birds? The simple answer is yes, although most snake types will not be able to capture an adult bird. Instead, the consumption of birds is more of… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Coachwhip snakes vs chicken snakes is a matter of understanding the characteristics that make each of these snakes unique. Both are nonvenomous and have overlapping territories in the USA. There… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

There aren’t true pescatarian snakes anywhere, but there are more than five snakes that eat fish as their primary food source on this planet. Most snakes will eat fish intermittently… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

There are a lot of amazing facts about corn snakes, but there are a few that are so amazing that they deserve a moment in the spotlight. These snakes are… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

The Barbados thread snake, the smallest in the world, measures at 4 inches long and was not even discovered until 2006. The second smallest snake, the Malagasy blind snake, can… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Snakes are already unusual due to their elongated and limbless anatomy. Yet even among these slithering serpents are snakes that are so unusual, they deserve a moment in the limelight.… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Copperhead snakes are venomous carnivores that can grow up to 4 feet long. Their heads are copper-colored, which is where they got their name. They can be found in the… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

The hognose snake and coachwhip snake are two examples of snakes that fake their death as a defensive strategy among different species and subspecies of snakes. They have a lot… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

There are multiple types of hognose snakes like the western hognose snake, the snow hognose snake, and a number of other varying species that live in a wide variety of… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Key Points: Water snakes are nonvenomous but their saliva acts as an anticoagulant - causing excessive bleeding and much pain after repeated bites. The diamondback water snake can be found… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Key Points: Cottonmouths, also known as water moccasins, are venomous snakes found in the southeastern United States. They are known for their aggressive behavior and are responsible for a significant… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Frogs are amphibians, which means they are cold-blooded, and they spend time both on land and in water. A few can thrive in just one of these environments, but generally,… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Carpet beetles are small oval insects that can be found in the Americas, the Middle East, North Asia, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. They’re a common house beetle that is… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Alligator lizards are carnivores that look like mini alligators because of their scales and short legs. They’re a diversified species, with over 67 types of alligator lizards living across the… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Arctic hares are the largest hares found in North America. While they're brown or grey in the summer, they grow white fur in the winter to blend into the snow.… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Tuna are carnivorous and are a popular food choice among humans. We may eat tuna, but what does a tuna eat? Each tuna can weigh more than a thousand pounds.… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago

Spider monkeys are found in parts of Mexico, the Amazon rainforest, and Central America. Since they are found in jungles on the American continents, they are New World monkeys. They… Read More

By Kristen Holder 3 years ago