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Animal Diversity Web
From: University of Michigan
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 don't-miss for science students, teachers and general animal enthusiasts, Animal Diversity Web  brings nature to personal computers with audio clips of wolf howls and frog calls, 3D displays of porcupine skulls and detailed descriptions of two-toed sloth habitats. The website, created by the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, is an online database of animal natural history, population distribution, species classification and conservation biology information.
The comprehensive site includes thousands of species descriptions (most written by university students), and hundreds of explanations of related phyla, classes, orders and families. |
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| Duet call of the Western chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata). | |
Users can search for information on specific animals or browse through the large database. When browsing, they should be sure to explore the many levels of the interface. Some of the most interesting multimedia material exists several clicks into a species description--material such as audio downloads of animal calls, animal photographs, 3D images of skeletons and close-up views of specific anatomical structures for various mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles. |
 The site encourages its use by high-school and college instructors for inquiry-based learning activities. A series of critical thinking exercises, lesson ideas and searching tips helps instructors guide their students through online scientific discovery. Animal Diversity Web encourages students in participating classes to submit their own species accounts for publication on the site. An extensive hyperlinked glossary also provides a helpful reference. |
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