American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)

The American Bullfrog is one large frog – able to grow a foot or more in length, weigh more than a pound, and the females are typically larger than the males. Even its tadpoles are huge, some growing to six inches before transformation. Their name is not derived from their size, but from the sound of their deep rumbling calls, which have been likened to the mooing sound of cows. All that size isn’t just for show, either. Bullfrogs are nocturnal and use their powerful back legs to lunge at prey. They are a top predator of the pond scene, preying on typical frog prey like insects, but also on other frogs and tadpoles, crayfish, fish, and even on small mammals and birds. 

Bullfrogs were originally native to the eastern United States and Canada, but have been introduced over most of North America.  They have also been introduced to South America, Europe, and Asia, where they are often considered to be a destructive invasive species.

​Chinchilla (Chinchilla)

Considered the softest mammal on Earth, the chinchilla’s dense fur is a blessing and a curse. At home in the high Andean Mountains of Chile, the chinchilla’s fur keeps it perfectly warm and insulated from the elements. The thick fur grows from some of the densest hair follicles on the planet, with each follicle growing 60 hairs at once. Chinchilla fur is so dense it can keep fleas and other disease-carrying biting insects away from the skin. Living in arid mountains, Chinchillas are able to clean themselves without water. Instead, they roll in fine silts, sands, and dust, which soaks up oil and dirt, leaving this rodent with pristine, soft, clean fur. Pet chinchillas must be provided a special dust bath to fulfill this wild need, and must not be allowed to get too wet, lest fungus grow in that perfect hair.

The chinchilla’s luxurious fur leaves it vulnerable to human exploitation. Chinchillas have been hunted for their fur since the 16th century. Because chinchillas are small, 150 animals are needed to make just one full length coat! All three species of chinchilla were collected for the fur trade, driving one extinct and decimating the populations of the other two. Currently, both remaining species of chinchilla are classified as endangered, according to the IUCN. It is now illegal to hunt wild chinchillas, and most chinchilla fur coats are made from farmed individuals. But as with any valuable animal product, the chinchilla’s soft fur continues to attract poachers.