 September
2005
Updated JUNE, 2007
North
American Mammals
A Smithsonian site all about our furry friends.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna
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CONTENT:
This site from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum
of Natural History is a “searchable database of all living mammals
of North America”. The database features detailed descriptions,
images, diagrams and distribution range maps for more 400 mammals
native to the North American continent and particularly the United
States. |
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SITE DESIGN:
The site offers a left side menu with links to the archive, collections,
field guide and glossary. Additionally, users can search for a specific
mammal in a variety of ways: location, species name, family tree,
conservation status and special collections. QuickTime, Adobe Acrobat
Reader, and Macromedia Flash Player are needed to fully appreciate
the features of the site. |
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REVIEW:
This online database, based on the Mammals of North America by Roland
W. Kays and Don E. Wilson, and The Smithsonian Book of North American
Mammals by Don E. Wilson and Sue Ruff, is a rich resource for teachers,
students or anyone interested in biology or the identification of
mammals in North America. The wealth of information is extensive
from the printable and customizable field guide to the interactive
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) maps of species distribution.
Teachers or students will appreciate the ability to select and create
a personal field guide for the animals that are specific to their
study. Each page of the guide includes the location for which the
information was collected, the animal’s scientific and common
names, the species' image and distribution range, the descriptive
information for the species, and a special area for notes. There
are two types of maps; one that shows static distribution and the
other that interactively offers a variety of overlays that include
topography, states and province boundaries, cities, rivers, and
US interstate highways. Additionally, users can make use of a variety
of other search options such as; location and have the results displayed
as a list or as a set of images; family tree to find all the taxa
included within a group; conservation status to find the endangered
species; and special collections of bones and teeth to help identify
species or compare functional parts of the skull and skeleton. Any
of these searches can be converted into a printable, personal field
guide.
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