What is a hoodoo?
The Badlands is an area in the southeastern part of the Grassland region. It lies in a deep valley that was carved out by the Red Deer River. This is an area where many fossils have been found.
The effects of erosion are seen throughout the Badlands. Hoodoos are formed when boulders protect soft rock layers below from being worn away by erosion.
A hoodoo (also called a tent rock, fairy chimney, and earth pyramid) is a tall, thin spire of rock. Hoodoos may range from 5 to 150 feet tall. typically A hoodoo is made of soft rock topped by harder, less easily eroded stone. The harder stone on top protects the softer column and base. Without a protective top, a sandstone column quickly erodes.
The effects of erosion are seen throughout the Badlands. Hoodoos are formed when boulders protect soft rock layers below from being worn away by erosion.
A hoodoo (also called a tent rock, fairy chimney, and earth pyramid) is a tall, thin spire of rock. Hoodoos may range from 5 to 150 feet tall. typically A hoodoo is made of soft rock topped by harder, less easily eroded stone. The harder stone on top protects the softer column and base. Without a protective top, a sandstone column quickly erodes.
What is a fossil?
Fossils are the preserved remains of plants or animals. For such remains to be considered fossils, scientists have decided they have to be over 10,000 years old. There are two main types of fossils, body fossils and trace fossils. Body fossils are the preserved remains of a plant or animal's body. Trace fossils are the remains of the activity of an animal, such as preserved trackways, footprints, fossilized egg shells, and nests.
The Royal Tyrrell Museum is Canada’s only museum dedicated exclusively to the science of palaeontology. In addition to housing one of the world’s largest displays of dinosaurs, the Museum offers a wide variety of creative, fun, and educational programs that bring the prehistoric past to life.
The Royal Tyrrell Museum is Canada’s only museum dedicated exclusively to the science of palaeontology. In addition to housing one of the world’s largest displays of dinosaurs, the Museum offers a wide variety of creative, fun, and educational programs that bring the prehistoric past to life.
Red Deer River
The Red Deer River is a river in Alberta, Canada. It is a major tributary of the South Saskatchewan River . It has a total length of 724 km. The river got its name from the translation of Was-ka-soo which means "elk river" in the Cree language. Communities located along the Red Deer River include Sundre, Red Deer, Blackfalds, Drumheller, and Empress.
Pronghorn Antelope
Pronghorns are among the speediest animals in North America. They can run at more than 53 miles (86 kilometers) an hour, leaving pursuing coyotes in the dust. Pronghorns are also great distance runners that can travel for miles at half that speed.The pronghorn is the second fastest land mammal in the world, after the cheetah. It can attain speeds of over 53 miles (86 kilometers) per hour.
Pronghorns are reddish brown, but feature white stomachs and wide, white stripes on their throats. When startled they raise the hair on their rumps to display a white warning patch that can be seen for miles.
Both males and females sport impressive, backward-curving horns. The horns split to form forward-pointing prongs that give the species its name. Some animals have horns that are more than a foot (30 centimeters) long.
In the spring, females give birth to one or two young, which can outrun a human after just a few days.
Pronghorns are reddish brown, but feature white stomachs and wide, white stripes on their throats. When startled they raise the hair on their rumps to display a white warning patch that can be seen for miles.
Both males and females sport impressive, backward-curving horns. The horns split to form forward-pointing prongs that give the species its name. Some animals have horns that are more than a foot (30 centimeters) long.
In the spring, females give birth to one or two young, which can outrun a human after just a few days.
Prickly Pear Cactus
The Prickly Pear cactus can be easily identified by it's broad, flat, green pads. The white spines are 3" long and can be flat, curved or straight. They also are covered with tiny, barbed hairs known as glochids. The flowers are yellow. Ripe fruit are found beginning in July and are identified by their bright red color.
Prickly pear are found growing in rocky hillsides, around boulders, and in areas where the soil is sandy or gravelly.
They are known to live well over 20 years.
There are several different varieties of prickly pear cactus each growing to different sizes.
Fun-facts
Prickly pear are found growing in rocky hillsides, around boulders, and in areas where the soil is sandy or gravelly.
They are known to live well over 20 years.
There are several different varieties of prickly pear cactus each growing to different sizes.
Fun-facts
- The red fruit or pear of this cactus are also known as "tuna".
- Packrats often build dens at the base of these plant, which then provides protection from some of its predators.
Tumamoc Sketchbook: Prickly Pear Cactus |
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