 Below are the vocabulary "hot" words and geography roadmaps which are tailored specifically for teaching about the animals in our exhibits. For more information about all of our animal exhibits, visit the "more info" link. If you have any other questions or suggestions about additional topics you would like us to cover, please e-mail us or leave a comment in our Guestbook. We rely on your suggestions to help focus our programs on your students' specific educational needs.
- Vocabulary "hot" words used as it relates to the animals and exhibits we present:
An insect with one pair of legs per segment of its body. The name is derived from the Latin "cent" meaning one hundred and "pede" meaning foot.
 An insect with two pairs of legs per segment of its body. The name is derived from the Latin "milli" meaning one thousand and "pede" meaning foot. (i.e. our Giant African Millipedes)
A biological process where an animal physically develops after birth (or hatching) involving an abrupt change in the animal's form or cell structure, sometimes brought upon by a change of habitat or behavior.
 A name derived from the Latin "albus" meaning white. Refers to a characteristic of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and other animals which have a lack of the melanin pigment in the eyes, skin or hair. This trait is exhibited in our Albino Burmese Python.
 A specialized group of animals that require water to reproduce. Most life cycles of amphibians are oriented to annual rainfall (i.e. laying eggs early into the wet season to allow time for the young to develop before the water dries up or freezes)
The wise use of a natural resources to secure its future (i.e. harvesting enough trees to secure needed pulp demands without harvesting more than can be grown in a harvest interval)
An individual's position in the ecosystem (i.e. its "job" or what it does in harmony with its surrounding ecosystem)
Having a similar appearance to a successful species or surroundings.
 Oval shaped pupil which distinguishes venomous snakes from non-venomous.
- Ectothermy or "Cold-blooded":
Relying on one's external surroundings to maintain internal body temperatures.
- Endothermy or "Warm-blooded":
Relying on one's internal means to maintain internal body temperatures.
- Consumer: any living organism which takes a resource from an ecosystem
- 1st Level Consumer: most ecosystems base themselves on this level (ex: plants)
- 2nd Level Consumer: herbivores fall under this category (ex: insects, cows)
- 3rd Level Consumer: carnivores fall under this category (ex: snakes, wolves)
- Herbivore: a consumer that can only digest plant material
- Carnivore: a consumer that can only digest animal material
- Omnivore:
 A consumer that can digest both plant material and animal material (i.e. humans, bears and oppossums)
- Carrion eaters: a consumer which eats dead consumers (i.e. coyote, vulture)
- Geographic Road Map
- Africa - continent with largest and second largest amphibian (Pyxie Frog)
- Atlantic Ocean - first ocean we travel over during our presentation
- Equator - imaginary line dissecting planet Earth in half from North to South
- Eastern USA - home to our Alligator Snapping turtle and Scarlet Kingsnake
- Southwestern USA - home to our Pueblan Milksnake
- Pacific Ocean - largest ocean on our plant and second one we travel over
- Southwestern Pacific or Southeastern Asia - home to our Yellow-tree Monitor
- Australia - home to many still undiscovered reptiles (Yellow-tree Monitor in 1997)
- Asia - largest landmass on planet and home to our Burmese Python
- Indian Ocean - our last ocean we travel
NHECM also offers several valuable learning tools which closely follow the wildlife education programs we teach. Please visit our Educational Products link for more information.
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