Eastern Grey Squirrel - Kentucky

Mammoth Cave National Park is located in central Kentucky. With approximately 650 kilometers of passageways, it is the longest cave system in the world. The cave is carved into an aged limestone strata capped by a layer of sandstone. New discoveries of connections and passageways are added each year.

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Sciurus carolinensis - There are approximately 230 species of tree and ground squirrels. The eastern grey squirrel is a hoarder; it stores surplus food in caches for later retrieval. This is a common trait among members of the Sciuridae family. There are two styles of hoarding: larder hoarders place large amounts of food in one central area, scattered hoarders place smaller amounts of food in a variety of places. Most caches are retrieved within a few days, but some animals only use their stockpile when no other food is available.

North American Beaver - Oregon

The state flag of Oregon features the official seal on the obverse side, the front, and a beaver on the reverse side. It is the only two-sided flag of an American state. Massachusetts also had a two-sided design, but changed to single-sided in 1971. In regards to national designs, only Paraguay features a two-sided flag.

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Castor canadensis - The North American beaver is one of two extant species in the Castor genus, the other is the European beaver. The North American variety is slightly smaller, with a shorter muzzle, longer fur, and a more oval-shaped tail. A beaver's tail has many uses: it serves as a rudder when swimming, can prop up the animal when it is standing upright, and it can be used as a signaling device. When the beaver sees any potential threat, it will slap its tail against the water to warn other beavers of the approaching danger.

Meadow Vole - Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has two small coastlines: the northwestern coastline fronting Lake Erie for 82 kilometers and the southeastern coastline running along the estuary of the Delaware River for 92 kilometers. Pennsylvania, despite being the 4th largest of the 13 colonies, is the only original colony without a border on the Atlantic Ocean.

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Microtus pennsylvanicus - The meadow vole is easily recognized by its small eyes and small rounded ears almost hidden by the dense fur. The size and color of the vole varies according to region, but on average, it is 12 to 20 centimeters in length and has a chestnut brown coloring interspersed with black hair. Breeding takes place throughout the year; females are able to produce up to 10 litters per year, each litter consisting between 4 or 5 young. Litters tend to be larger during the warmer months when food is plentiful.

Indian Crested Porcupine - Israel

The earliest known evidence for harvesting and preparing wild grains comes from Ohalo, an ancient settlement located on the shores of Lake Galilee. Wild barley and wheat grains dating back to more than 19,000 years ago were found at this site. The camp inhabitants also relied heavily on fish, fruit, and other plant foods.

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Hystrix indica - The Indian crested porcupine is adaptable to various environments and is found throughout much of Asia and parts of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a large rodent with lengths of almost 1 meter and weighs about 15 kilos. The porcupine has several layers of quills extending back from the shoulders; the tail is covered in shorter hollow quills. These hollow quills are rattled as a first warning against any predators. If the first warning fails, the animal turns its back and presents the intruder with a full display of quills.

Great Jerboa - Uzbekistan

Allactaga major - Of the approximately 30 species of jerboas, the great jerboa is the largest. It is 18 centimeters in length and has a tail of 26 centimeters. Primarily a desert animal, they are found throughout the arid regions of Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. They resemble kangaroos; short forearms, long tails, and powerful hind legs to allow them to hop along at speeds of 24 km/h. Jerboas are nocturnal animals and take shelter in burrows during the day.

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The Aral Sea is located between the borders of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Its old Turkic name translates as “Sea of Islands.” At one time the Aral Sea contained over 1,100 islands. Since the 1960’s, amid the rise of several irrigation projects, the size of the Aral Sea has been severely reduced. With a prior surface area of over 68,000 square kilometers, it was considered one of the world’s greatest lakes, but now, the Aral Sea measures a mere 17,160 square kilometers with further reductions expected.

Capybara - French Guinea

The historical flag of French Guinea indicates the year when the town of Cayenne was founded. The French colony was destroyed by the Portuguese, endured repeated attacks by hostile natives, and passed between Dutch, French, and English control several times before being permanently returned to France in 1814.

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Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris - Also known as the carpincho, the capybara is the world’s largest rodent. A typical adult can reach 1 meter in length and weigh 45 kilos. The capybara has four toes on the front feet and three on the hind feet with a slight webbing between each toe. The webbed toes provide support when moving along the marshy banks of the South American rivers and lakes, but does not hinder movement on solid ground; they are fast runners. Except for Chile, the capybara is distributed throughout South America.

European Beaver - Latvia

The Baltic region has produced over 100,000 tons of amber. It is often mistakenly referred to as the sap of the tree, but is actually derived from the fossilized plant resins of certain conifer trees. The Amber Road was an ancient Roman trade route used for delivering the highly prized amber from the Baltic coast to Rome.

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Castor fiber - The European beaver is well adapted to its aquatic lifestyle. The beaver can close its nose and ears to prevent water from entering and has a nictitating membrane, an inner eyelid to protect the eyes when underwater. There is also an inner lip directly behind the teeth to allow the beaver to use its teeth without water entering the mouth when gnawing on wood while submerged. The beaver will rub a protective oil into its fur when grooming itself. This musky oil is secreted from the castor gland and provides a waterproof coating.

Wood Mouse - Monaco

Monaco is the second smallest country in the world and the most densely populated. Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican City are European micro-states and are not members of the European Union. Through Monaco’s close association with France, it generally adheres to the policies of the European Union.

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Apodemus sylvaticus - Wood mice, also known as field mice, can be found throughout Europe. They prefer wooded areas, cultivated fields, and well drained grasslands. They are fastidious in maintaining their complex burrows. These chambers are separated into sleeping quarters and food storage areas. The wood mouse shelters communally during the winter and will not hesitate to set itself up in established dwellings such as houses or barns when winter conditions become extremely harsh.

Norway Lemming - Norway

Norway’s coastline stretches for 25,000 kilometers, the longest coastline in Europe. It is made up of thousands of islands and hundreds of fjords; Sognefjorden, having a length of 204 kilometers, is the longest fjord in the world. Fjords are deep and narrow channels carved into the coast through glacial erosion.

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Lemmus lemmus - Lemmings are rodents primarily found in the tundra environments of the Arctic. The Norway lemming is common throughout the Fennoscandia Peninsula and is the only vertebrate endemic to the region. Lemmings are well known for their dramatic rise and fall in population levels. During an exceptional good year with plenty of available food, the lemming population will soar to spectacular levels not sustainable the following season and resulting in the population suffering a sudden and steep decline.

European Red Squirrel - San Marino

San Marino, a micro-state, is one of two enclaves surrounded by Italy; the Vatican City is the other. San Marino is the 3rd smallest country in Europe and 5th smallest in the world. It consists of 8 municipalities and a capital city. The country was founded in 301 and claims being the oldest and the smallest republic in the world. 

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Sciurus vulgaris - The European red squirrel is well adapted for an arboreal life; sharp claws secure it to the tree, strong hind legs allow it to leap around the canopy, and a long tail helps to maintain balance as it moves from branch to branch. The bushy tail is also used as an insulator. It is wrapped around the squirrel’s body during sleep for added warmth against the cold European nights. The red squirrel feeds primarily on seeds, but will also eat berries and nuts. It stores excess food for later use, a trait common to all squirrels.

Polynesian Rat - Nauru

Rattus exulans - The Polynesian rat, also known as the Pacific rat, originated in Southeast Asia. It cannot swim for long distances and probably followed human migration onto the Pacific islands by stowing away in the vessels used by the first arrivals as they crossed from one Pacific island to another. As an invasive species, the Polynesian rat has been the direct cause of extinctions for many endemic plant and animal species once found throughout the Pacific region.

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Nauru had been inhabited by Polynesian people for over 3,000 years. The twelve pointed star on the national flag and seal represents the original 12 tribes of Nauru. The first European to visit the island was John Fearn; the British whaling captain arrived in 1798. The beauty of the island and the friendly reception of the native population prompted Fearn to name the island “Pleasant Island.” Nauru had been under the control of Germany, Australia, and Japan, but became self-ruling in January 1968.