e-COLORING: PAINTING THE ANIMALS OF THE MUSEUM

With e-coloring, the new series of activities for children, the Educational Department brings the animals of the exhibition into your home!

We learn by painting!

•print it and

•start painting!

Each week there will be a different animal for a pleasant, calm and creative occupation for children, in 2 designs: One for younger and one for older ones.

In addition to painting, we have interesting facts about each animal.

Come to the Museum and get to know them better!

73. THE SWAN

A large waterfowl bird closest relative of geese and ducks

Its particularly long neck has more vertebrae than the rest of its family

It flies with slow flapping of its wings and with its neck stretched out

Its wingspan can reach the length of 3 meters!

It is a very skilled swimmer – helped by the membrane between its toes

It feeds on worms, shells, frogs, plant roots and seeds

Its chicks have short neck and a fluffy body

72. THE BUDGER

·

Badgers are mammals with brown-grey fur and a long tail

They are members of a family, which also includes otters, weasels and ferrets

The badger’s face is white, with distinctive black stripes on each side, which run from the nose to the ears. So, the badger looks like it’s wearing a mask!

It can be found in the mountains and forests of our country

Its legs are short and strong – its claws, long and forked, help the badger to dig well. It builds its shelter underground – it lives in burrows with many corridors

It is a nocturnal animal. Its diet consists of insects, earthworms, small reptiles, birds, mammals and fruits.

When threatened, it emits a characteristic stink smell

71. THE MUSHROOM

·

Mushrooms belong to the fungi group.

In most of them, the upper part resembles an umbrella and is called a cap, which rests on a leg called a stalk.

There is a wide variety in mushrooms, with forms of funnels, corals, etc.

The Greek word mushroom (manitari) is a diminutive of the ancient Greek “amanitis”.

A large variety of mushrooms is used in various cuisines around the world and their history is lost over time.

It is crucial to know all about mushrooms if one wants to pick and eat them, for a few of them are poisonous.

There are mushrooms that have been used in ancient times to treat several diseases.

Others have been used for dying wool and other natural fibers.

70. THE SPONGE

· Sponges are very primitive aquatic animals

· Their bodies are full of pores and channels allowing water to circulate through them

· They are also called porifera – as they are pore bearers

· Although most sponges live in the sea, there are a few freshwater species

· Sponges are usually found at shallow depth, on firm surfaces such as rocks, but some can attach themselves to soft sediment by means of a root-like base

· They present a wide variety of colors

· They firstly appeared about 500 million years ago on Earth

· If one part of them is cut off, they can create another. This phenomenon is called regeneration.

69. THE SEA URCHIN

A peculiar globular animal covered by spines

Invertebrate animal of the sea, one of the few with fivefold symmetry

It is related to the starfish, which is also its enemy!

Most sea urchins are black, dark brown, dark green, purple and red in color

They are small animals having a size from 3 to 10 centimeters

Inhabiting all oceans and seas of the world

Sea urchins move slowly, crawling with their tiny tube feet

68. THE GRASSHOPER

Grasshoppers are relatively large insects, that can make long jumps as they have shorter front legs and longer hind legs

Females are usually larger than males

They are green or brown in color

On their heads they have two large compound eyes and very strong jaws.

We find them in warm areas.

Female grasshoppers lay around 150 eggs in autumn, which they leave in holes they dig in the ground.

In springtime, while looking for food, grasshoppers move in very large groups (swarms) and can cause enormous damage to agricultural crops.

67. THE SALAMANDRA

.

It is an amphibian, meaning it lives both on land and in water

· It is typically characterized by its lizard-like appearance

· It is mainly a nocturnal animal, but it is often seen after the rain

· It has poison on its skin, that’s why it has yellow spots that warn other animals to stay away!

· Its venom is harmless to humans, unless it comes in direct contact with the eyes, mouth, or an open wound, where it causes some mild symptoms

· It can regenerate its limbs if they are cut off!

· It feeds exclusively on invertebrates, such as insect larvae, worms and snails.

66. THE ZEBRA

Herbivorous mammal that lives in savannahs, grasslands and shrublands of Africa

During birth, it has brown and yellow stripes, which become a distinctive bold black and white coat in adulthood

Each individual has unique stripes, like human fingerprints and stands out from the rest!

They usually graze in herds together with ostriches and antelopes, to better protect themselves from their enemies!

Their stripes serve as camouflage!

65. THE JACKAL

·

· It is an omnivorous mammal, feeding on invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds, small mammals and fruits

· Its presence helps a lot in cultivating areas, because it acts as a “cleaner”: it eats mice and reduces the fallen fruit and dead animals of the area it lives in

· It relates to wolf and fox

· It belongs to the Endangered species of Greece

· Jackals communicate with each other by characteristic howls after dusk.

64. THE SWALLOW

· It is a small bird with narrow wings and a forked tail

· It migrates in large flocks at the end of autumn and returns in springtime

· It flies thousands of miles to get from Europe to Africa to spend the whole winter

· It feeds on small insects, caterpillars and spiders, having its mouth open while flying

· It knows the way back to the same nest it built the previous year!

· To build its nest it makes lumps of mud.

· One nest requires about 1000 lumps and 2 weeks of work!

63. THE REINDEER

• It is the favorite animal of Christmas and Santa Claus!

• A herbivorous animal, characterized by its front teeth only present in the lower jaw!

• It is the only species of deer that both males and females have antlers!

• It has been domesticated long ago and is used by humans to pull sleds

• To withstand the cold, it has thick fur and hairy feet with wide hooves to keep it from slipping on ice and sinking in snow!

• It is the only mammal that can see ultraviolet light!

62. THE CHEETAH

· It is a carnivore mammal, belonging to the Feline family (along with the cat, lion, tiger, leopard, etc.)

· It is the fastest land animal. It can reach 120 kilometers per hour, that is, as much as a car on a highway!

· It gets tired easily while running so fast, so it only runs for a few minutes and then rests.

· It is active mainly during the day, unlike other felines.

· Cheetah is a vocal felid with a broad repertoire of calls and sounds

· Its population has declined and is threatened with extinction

61. THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT

It’s the largest animal on land, weighing up to 8 thousand kilos!

They are characterized by their large ears, their long trunk and their huge tusks, which keep growing all the time!

An elephant’s trunk is used to drink water, to bathe, to pick up objects and to communicate with other elephants

They have the longest pregnancy among mammals, which lasts 22 months, that is almost 2 years!!!

A newborn elephant can weigh 50-150 kilograms!

Elephants can live 50-70 years

They are believed to have a very strong memor

60. THE SEAGULLS

Seagulls, are seabirds, medium to large in size, usually grey or white colored
They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet.
Seagulls have harsh wailing or squawking calls.
Most seagulls are ground-nesting carnivores which take live food including
crustaceans, mollusks, fish and small birds.
They are typically coastal or inland species, nesting in large, densely packed,
noisy colonies.
Gulls are resourceful, inquisitive, and intelligent, the larger species in
particular, demonstrating complex methods of communication and a highly
developed social structure.

59. THE SNAIL

Snails are invertebrate animals, with a soft body that crawl on the ground
They have a shell, large enough for the whole animal to hide in
They also have 4 tentacles on their head, the taller pair baring 2 eyes on the
tips
To find food (usually grass and decaying organic matter) snails use the two
smaller tentacles
Snails propel themselves by deforming a slimy – sticky substance (called
mucus) beneath their soft body
This unique form of locomotion allows snails to traverse almost any obstacle,
including the ability to climb steep inclines
One can see snails when there is plenty of moisture, i.e after rain, or at night
Snails seek for soft ground to dig and lay their eggs

58. WΕASEL Mustela nivalis

 The smallest carnivorous mammal of Greece
 It is extremely mobile and mainly diurnal.
 It can be found in many parts of Greece.
 It prefers areas with many rodents, so it can find food.
 Lives about 4 years.
 The ancient Greeks and Romans kept weasels in their homes to
protect them from mice.

57. THE FLAMINGO

Flamingos are tall birds, with very thin legs and a very long neck
Their name probably comes from the Spanish flamengo, which means flame
–colored.
They live in shallow waters and they usually stand on one leg
Flamingos have a strange beak and they are very noisy birds
Their pink color comes from their diet (usually shrimps)
They are very social birds, living together in large groups.

56. THE GOLIATH BEETLE

One among the largest insects on the planet, with a length of 6-11 cm
in males and 5-8 cm in females!
It is found in many tropical forests of Africa!
Its larvae have a high protein diet, while adults feed on sap from acacia
trees.
They can lift 850 times their own weight!
Males have a Y-shaped 'horn', which they use to fight other males.

55. THE VIPER

•  Vipers are medium sized snakes, usually less than one meter long.
• On their back, vipers have dark zig-zag patterns, while on their head
  there is a X or V shape.
• The head of a viper is triangular and easily distinguishable.
• Vipers have an excellent sight – they can even see in the dark.
• Their mouth has two upper large and pointed teeth, which can release
  venom.
• Vipers do live in Greece. They are skilled climbers as well as fast
  swimmers.
• Unlike other snakes that lay eggs, vipers give birth to 10 – 20
  venomous young.

54. THE LION

The lion along with the tiger are the largest feline mammals
The male can reach the weight of 200 kg
Today we find it in Africa and India
We recognize the male by its beautiful mane that adorns its neck
Lions live in groups, females hunting for food for all the members of the
group
It is considered as king of all animals and is one of the most
recognizable species in the animal kingdom

53. THE ANT

Ants are considered as the most hardworking insects in the world, together with bees

They live in organized groups, with specific roles and collaborations

Each group, called colony, has a queen, who can live up to 20 years!

Ants can carry many times their own weight

They have an amazing communication with each other

The anthill is a very large underground apartment building with many corridors and small rooms

Credits for big photo Peter Cairns / naturepl.com

52. THE WILD CAT

It is a mammal – it belongs to the feline family
It can be found in Greece
It is larger than the domestic cat, having a thick tail
It is a nocturnal and solitary animal
It feeds on rabbits, mice, birds, amphibians and fish

First photo Credit: Peter Cairns / naturepl.com

51. THE OTTER

• This mammal lives in wetlands (only in very clean waters) and is a very good
swimmer – but also spends a lot of time on land
• It mainly feeds on fish and other aquatic animals such as crabs, crayfish,
frogs, but also water snakes, small mammals and birds
• It usually hunts at night, spending the daytime in its burrow, which has an
underwater entrance
• it has a very strong sight, hearing, and smell, both on land and underwater!
• Its fur is waterproof and also protects it from the cold
• It belongs to the Endangered species of Greece

Photo: Mireille Bessis

50. THE BEARDED VULTURE Gypaetus barbatus

It belongs to the diurnal birds of prey along with eagles, hawks, vultures, buzzards and kestrels

It has a particularly hooked beak and hooked claws, which allow it feeding mostly on the remains of dead animals and the marrow of their bones

It has an excellent vision, even in conditions of reduced visibility

It is the largest bird in Europe, with males being slightly smaller than females

Its wingspan reaches 2.5 meters!

It is an endangered species that lives on the cliffs of our country, mainly in Crete

49. THE LEOPARD

The leopard (Panthera pardus) belongs to the cat family (Felidae), together with the domestic cat, lion, tiger, jaguar, etc.

 It is a carnivorous animal, with sharp teeth and strong jaws – it is active mainly from dusk till dawn and rests for most of the day

 It has the largest distribution of all wild cats, occurring widely in Africa and in tropical jungle areas of Asia

 The dark spots on its body help the leopard hide in its natural environment (they serve as camouflage)

 It moves completely silently and can climb trees very skillfully

 It is a great runner and can leap up to 6 meters!

48. THE BEAVER

It belongs to the Rodents family, together with the mouse, the squirrel, the
mole, etc.

It has waterproof, brown fur and a big wide tail which is used as a “steering
wheel” in the water.

Its front teeth (incisor teeth) are big and strong. They are used to gnaw on
tree trunks and brunches, to transfer them to the river or to the lake, and use
them to build dams and its nest.

Its front teeth never stop growing, so the beaver needs to gnaw and chew
wood in order for them to keep them in normal-size!

The entrance of its nest is underwater, which helps the beaver protect itself
from predators.

47. THE RED FOX

It is a carnivorous mammal and prefers to feed on rabbits, hens, mice, rats,
but it is also a grapes lover!
It lives in burrows underground, where it protects itself and gives birth to its
young.
When it has leftover food, the fox saves it in order to eat it when it is hungry
again!
It is known to be a very cunning animal! Every time the fox returns to its
nest, it follows a different route!

46. GREEK NATIONAL DAY 25th OF MARCH

45. THE RED DEER

It is the largest herbivore mammal in Greece.

It lives in forests and it’s a diurnal animal (it goes around during the day and sleeps at night).

Male deer have large antlers with many branches

It has hooves on its feet and brown fur

Baby deer are born with white spots on their fur!

It’s an endangered species

44. THE SQUIRREL

It’s a very characteristic forest rodent.

It has a long bushy tail that stays folded up its back.

It climbs trees with a remarkable speed

Squirrels eat acorns, hazelnuts, fruit and mushrooms.

In Autumn, squirrels store food, in order to survive during winter, when food is rare.

In Greece it mainly lives in northern and western parts of the country.

43. THE ALPINE CHAMOIS

It is found in meadows and forests but also steep ravines and cliffs on Greek mountains

It is a herbivorous animal that lives from 14 to 20 years

It is slightly larger than a goat, having a white head and brown body

Its feet have hard, though flexible hooves that give it a firm grip

Both males and females have horns.

42. THE HEDGEHOG

It is a small, mostly nocturnal mammal

Its body is covered by hard spinessnails, small bir

It feeds on insects, worms, ds, frogs, lizards and fruit

In order to protect itself from predators, the hedgehog curls into a small, spiny ball

In the winter, when it’s too cold and there isn’t enough food to survive, the hedgehog hibernates.

41. THE ROBIN

This is the bird starring in all Christmas cards!

We recognize it by his characteristic orange breast.

Despite its small size, it has a particularly aggressive behavior on the ground

It has a very beautiful chirp, which can be confused with the nightingale’s

While it lives in the forest, we often see it in gardens and parks looking for food

It is related to the nightingale, the sparrow and the blackbird.

40. THE WILD RABBIT

An herbivore mammal which is found all over Greece.

It is smaller than the hare, with smaller and more rounded ears with brown tips

It digs underground burrows with many galleries and branches, in which it sleeps and gives birth to its young.

In case of danger, the wild rabbit taps the ground using its hind limbs, to alert the rest of the group, which disappear inside the underground burrow.

It is active mainly during dusk and night.

39. THE WOODPECKER

The woodpecker is a bird that lives in Greece

It belongs to the forest birds – it prefers to spend time on tree trunks

Two of its toes are turned backwards and the other two forwards. This enables woodpeckers to hook onto tree branches

With its long and strong beak, it can easily find its food in the wood where it digs holes

It hits the trunk of trees hard – it can hit a tree trunk 10,000 times a day!

It is a useful bird to farmers, because it eats many harmful worms

38. THE BAT

It’s a nocturnal mammal that looks like a winged mouse, however it is not related to mice and rodents in general.

It’s the only mammal capable of true flight, due to a thin membrane between the fingers of its forelimbs

It usually hibernates during winter- this hibernation may last up to 2.5 months!

During day time when it rests, but also during hibernation, the bat hangs upside down, wrapping its “wings” around its body like a blanket!

It gives birth to a single pup in spring and the mother carries it until it can fly on its own!

37. THE SEAHORSE

It is a fish whose head resembles a horse’s head, which is why we call it a sea horse

It swims in an upright position, very slowly and is often caught by the algae with its tail

The female lays the eggs in a pouch on the male’s abdomen, so the male is the one who ultimately “give birth” to the young!

He doesn’t have a stomach – food passes in and out of his body, so he has to eat constantly to survive!

A seahorse can eat up to 3000 tiny shrimps a day!

Sea horse can change color to hide and protect itself from its enemies (camouflage)

36. THE BROWN BEAR

Omnivorous mammal, which is found in northern Greece, especially in the mountains of Pindos and Rodopi.

It is the second biggest bear species in the world, after the polar bear!

In autumn, it can walk hundreds of kilometers searching for food!

It hibernates during winter time, waking up in spring, when food is abundant. While hibernating, it burns its stored fat.

Bear cubs weigh just 200-300 grams at birth time!

Normally it doesn’t attack humans. It might do it, only if it senses danger for itself or its cubs.

It is considered as an endangered species, protected by an organization called Arcturos.

35. THE CHAMELEON

This is a distinctive reptile, a type of lizard that lives exclusively on trees, we can also find it in Greece

It moves very slowly and uses its legs and tail to climb

His eyes move independently. Therefore, a chameleon can look in two different directions at the same time

Its tongue is longer than its body and sticky – so it spreads it out very quickly and grabs insects

It has the ability to change color depending on its environment and mood (camouflage) – thus protecting itself from its enemies

He can stay camouflaged for a whole day!

34. THE PELICAN

Its name comes from an ancient Greek word that means “axe”

It is a very large seabird characterized by its long and wide beak, having a huge pouch at its lower side, which is used to catch fish and drain water before drinking it

Females lay 3-5 eggs every year and hatch them for a month

Upon birth, pelican chicks are black and featherless

After about a week, the chicks are able to put their heads into their parents’ pouches and feed themselves!

Pelican parents continuously care for their chicks, which is why in ancient Greece pelicans were the symbol of a mother’s affection and commitment 

33. THE CICADAS

An insect that we meet and hear mainly during summer

It feeds on the juice of shoots, which it pierces helped by a small “proboscis”

The larva that hatches from the egg can live underground for many years – from 4 to 13, even 17, depending on the species!

Once they emerge above ground, adult individuals do not live more than 6 weeks!

The sound we hear derives from a sound device between its chest and abdomen, which looks like two small drums with a string in the middle

In order to withstand the noise from its “singing” as cicadas produce the loudest sound of all insects, it disables its own auditory canal, preventing damage to its hearing

32. THE BUTTERFLY Parnassius apollo:

This is a rare and large mountain butterfly, usually found in high altitudes, far more present over 1.000 meters

Its scientific name comes from the Greek Olympian god Apollon.

It only reproduces once- its eggs tolerate the cold and the small caterpillars emerge in spring

The patterns on its wings look like eyes, confusing its predators and therefore offering the butterfly protection

It is usually found on a specific plant that offers this butterfly a really bad taste, therefore most predators avoid consuming it!

It is usually captured by collectors due to its pretty pattern, and as a result, it has become an endangered species

 31. THE HERMITE CRAB

Unlike other crabs, it has a soft belly, so it needs to hide in empty shells to protect its fragile parts

As a hermit crab grow, it requires a larger shell, so it claims it, even if there is an animal alive inside the new shell.

It often lives together with parasites, such as the parasitic anemone, which sticks to the shell, providing protection with its antennae, which work like stingers!

In Greece we often find very small hermits, but there are also larger ones

30. THE CORAL

29. THE RHINOCEROS

28. THE GREEN-HEAD DUCK

It is usually found in rivers and lakes

It’s an omnivorous bird, eating almost everything, from seeds and aquatic plants to sea invertebrates, insects and worms

It has a membrane between its fingers, called web, that helps it swim faster in the water and makes its legs look like… flippers!

Males and females have different colours: the male is green-headed and more brightly coloured, whereas the female is brown

It carefully builds a protected nest that serves as an actual cote

Females, after laying eggs, are very protective of both the eggs and the chicks after they hatch

27. THE GOLDEN EAGLE

Also considered as the king of birds

The strongest bird of prey found in Greece

It mainly feeds on birds and small mammals, such as hares, but also reptiles, such as turtles

It can lift and carry up to 7 kg, helped but his strong claws, called talons!

It has plumage even on its feet – it looks like he’s wearing winged boots

Golden eagles usually mate for life

The chicks stay in the nest for 11 weeks and are cared for by the parents

Golden eagles are fairly long-living birds in natural conditions if they survive their first few years

26. THE FROG

It’s an amphibian, which means that it lives both on land and in the water!

Its hind legs are larger than the front ones and have membranes between the fingers. This enables the frog to swim faster in the water and jump around on land.

Frogs mostly feed on worms and insects they capture using their long tongue.

They croak during the breeding season, but also during the night, all-year long, when there is a lot of humidity.

It has smooth skin covered in mucus, to keep it moist.

Some species have poisonous skin. These are distinguished by their bright colors

The largest frog species is the African Goliath frog, with a body length of 30 cm!

25. THE LADYBIRD

It belongs to the beetles order

It is usually red with small black spots

It is a very useful insect to farmers, because it feeds on aphids and other small insect pests, harmful to cultivated plants

Due to its vivid color, it is not attractive to predators

When it feels threatened, it releases a foul-tasting liquid

It can eat around 5,000 aphids during its lifespan, which usually goes from 4 to 7 weeks.

24. THE KANGAROO

Like all snakes, it belongs to the reptile family – its entire body having a huge spine

It has no venom, but squeezes its prey until it suffocates and then swallows it in all at once!

When a boa constrictor eats a large animal, it can take several days to digest it

It feeds on any mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian can fit in its mouth – it also likes eggs

It is ovoviviparous, meaning the eggs remain in the mother’s body and live young are born, which are independent soon after birth

It is a solitary animal, which has a lifespan of 20 to 30 years.

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