The Tiny Elf Owl

Elf owls can be found in the Sonoran Desert, mainly around areas with water or with plenty of saguaro cactus. They feed primarily on invertebrates such as moths, crickets and scorpions. They are also the smallest owl in the Sonoran Desert on average only 5 inches tall and weighing 1 to 1.5 ounces.

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Irish Animals

St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, let's take a minute to appreciate the different animals that call Ireland home. Don't bother looking for any snakes in Ireland, you won't find any! There are only 26 land mammal species that are native to Ireland, this is because Ireland was isolated from Europe by the rising sea after the last Ice Age about 10,000 years ago. Some of Ireland's native species include:

Irish Hare

Connemara Pony

Irish Water Spaniel

Common Lizard

Galway Sheep

Irish Setter

Kerry Bog Pony

Photos from Vet Street

A Few Staff Animal Photos

Here at The Jungle Store we have a great love for all animals, ok maybe not spiders, and that means we love taking photos of animals. Here are a few photos our staff have taken from their trips all over the country.

This photo was taken at Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary located in Hot Springs, South Dakota. The sanctuary is home to over 600 wild mustangs which have been named America's Luckiest Wild Horses. They offer a variety of tours that can last from two hours to three days, you can even reserve a cabin.

These photos were taken at the Albuquerque BioPark Aquarium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The aquarium is part of the Biopark which includes a zoo and botanical garden right next to the Rio Grande.

These photos were taken at the Kansas City Zoo located in Kansas City, Missouri. The zoo opened in 1909 and is now spread across 202 acres. In the fall of 2013 the Kansas City Zoo opened its penguin plaza with interactive learning stations and panoramic viewing windows. The zoo is also planning to add a tiger trail, orangutan canopy and giraffe feeding station in the years to come.

The Walrus, AKA "tooth walking sea horse"

The walruses scientific name in Latin means "tooth walking sea horse". When the walrus uses its prominent tusks to pull its bulk from the ocean onto pack ice, it looks like an animal is walking on its tusks, hence the name.

Walruses have a lot of skin, actually 20% of their bodyweight is made up of their thick hide. Under that skin, their layer of blubber is about half a foot thick! Its no wonder they can withstand the harsh Arctic weather. Walruses are capable of slowing their heartbeats in order to withstand the frigid temperatures of the arctic waters. Source: Live Science

A Few Awesomely Weird Products

I don't think I am alone in saying that sometimes I buy things not because I need them, but because they just look cool, weird or whatever. I have put together a list of some of these awesomely weird products that I don't necessarily need but really want. 

Horse Head Squirrel Feeder

The rubber horse head masks have been making their way around the internet for awhile now and are hilarious in pretty much every scenario. It turns out they are even funnier on squirrels.

Lazy Housekeeper Mop Slippers

Sometimes you really need to clean but just want to be lazy, these will make the path from the fridge to the couch sparkling clean.

Instant Underpants

Mom always said to wear clean underwear! Now all you have to do is soak these tidy whities in water and you're good to go. They may be a little damp, but at least they are clean. 

Bacon Adhesive Bandages

Because bacon can fix anything

Giant Googly Eyes

Googly eyes can instantly make anything funny and these are big enough to put on a refrigerator or even your house. 

Inflatable Cat Unicorn Horn

Few things put a cat in its place better than strapping a unicorn horn to its head

The Quetzal: One of the Most Beautiful Birds

Sacred to ancient Mesoamerican people, gorgeously plumed quetzals live in the mountains of Central America.

Photo from Animalposts.blogspot.com

During mating season, male quetzals grow twin tail feathers that form an amazing train up to three feet (one meter) long. Females do not have long trains, but they do share the brilliant blue, green, and red coloring of their mates. Male colors tend to be more vibrant.

Purple Martins Have Help Finding Homes

Putting up Martin houses used to be so common that John James Audubon used them to choose his lodgings for the night. In 1831, he remarked, “Almost every country tavern has a martin box on the upper part of its sign-board; and I have observed that the handsomer the box, the better does the inn generally prove to be.”

Image from All About Birds

Native Americans used to hang up empty gourds for Purple martins before Europeans arrived in North America. Purples Martins in eastern North America now nest almost exclusively in birdhouses, but birds in the west use mostly natural cavities.