Natalie Morales and Al Roker sit in a perfectly accented faux living room and laugh with the crew. “Ten seconds,” yells a producer off camera. Natalie and Al bring their giggles down and seconds later, they are live on national television.

Somewhere off set, a baby camel nuzzes.

NWF on the Today Show

NWF media personality David Mizejewski is a regular presenter on the Today Show, appearing with a myriad of fun animals. His July 17th appearance focused on animals well-adapted to surviving in hotter temperatures. Over 13 million viewers tuned in, exposing them to the National Wildlife Federation’s conservation mission. Check out my backstage photo diary and learn some interesting facts about the featured animals.

Camel

(This little guy was only 3 1/2 months old!)

• Found in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa
• Stores fat in its hump, NOT water
• Long eyelashes and ear hairs, and sealable nostrils keep sand out
• Can withstand at least 20–25% weight loss from sweating (most mammals can only tolerate about 15%)

 Harris’s Hawk

• Found in the Southwestern United States, and Central and South America
• John James Audubon named this bird in honor of his ornithological companion, financial supporter, and friend Edward Harris
• Adult females are 35% larger than males
• While other raptors hunt alone, the Harris’s hawk hunts cooperatively in “packs”

Uromastyx

• Found in North Africa, Middle East and across south-central Asia and into India
• Diet consists mainly of plants, sometimes insects;  plants supply water needed to survive
• Skin changes colors according to temperature – darker pigmentation allows skin to absorb sunlight more effectively
• Loves to bask in areas with surface temperatures of over 50 °C (120 °F)

Sulcata tortoise

• Found in southern edge of the Sahara desert, in northern Africa
• Third largest species of tortoise in the world – can weigh up to 200 lbs!
• Average lifespan is 50-150 years
• Primarily herbivores; a diet with a lack of calcium combined with high protein can cause their shells to take on a pyramid appearance

Hamadryas baboon

• Found in the Horn of Africa and the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula
• Arid environments provide advantage of fewer natural predators
• Love to hang out and take naps by their favorite waterholes;  in the dry seasons, baboons will dig their own drinking holes only a short distance from natural waterholes
• Diet consists of various plants and insects, reptiles and even small mammals

Watch the full segment:

Kathy Lee and Hoda found themselves relating so much to the baboon’s eating habits that they continued to talk about it into the next hour of the Today Show!

Tune in Next Time

To find out when NWF’s next appearance on the Today Show will be, follow David Mizejewski on Facebook and Instagram for more nature photography, and check www.nwf.org/naturegeek for more updates.

If you enjoyed my photography, follow me on Instagram!

The public lands of Fort Ord, a former military base, support a unique array of species that thrive in the area’s maritime chaparral ecosystem. Check out some wildlife found at the newly established Fort Ord National Monument:

Bobcat

A trip to Fort Ord means you’re likely to sight a bobcat.  These big cats prowl the area in search of prey–which could range from rabbits to birds to rodents. Fun fact: bobcats get their name from their stubby tail (to “bob” means to cut something short).

A bobcat on the prowl at Fort Ord National Monument (Flickr: Conservation Lands Foundation)

(Fish and Wildlife Service)

Smith’s Blue Butterfly

Fort Ord has been identified as an important habitat for the endangered Smith’s blue butterfly. In fact, land at Fort Ord was initially set aside as a nature reserve–the first in the United States created to preserve an insect!  The butterfly requires coastal dune habitat that supports seacliff or coastal buckwheat, which is used as a nectar source and host plant for larvae.  Unfortunately, freeway building and urbanization have destroyed much of this habitat, contributing to an endangered species listing for Smith’s blue butterfly in 1976. Recovery efforts have been underway–and hopefully the protection of Fort Ord will mean this endangered butterfly has a chance.

 Mountain Lion

Another big cat that roams on the expansive lands of Fort Ord National Monument are mountain lions. Mountain lions require large areas of open space because they travel over great areas or “home ranges” on the lookout for mates or prey.  Loss of habitat due to development has increased the need for wildlife corridors and open space like Fort Ord, allowing big cats like the mountain lion ample room to survive.

Mountain Lion (California Department of Fish and Game)

California Legless Lizard

Fort Ord supports one of the larger expanses of black legless lizard habitat in the species’ California range.  On first glance you might mistake a legless lizard for a snake–however, on second look you’ll realize some distinct features of the legless lizard. First, legless lizards have eyelids whereas snakes do not, and second, legless lizards are able to detach their tail when needed to trick predators.

(Flickr: California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation)

(Fish and Wildlife Service)

Golden Eagle

Golden eagles are adapted to live in a wide range of climates, but do rely on open areas like Fort Ord National Monument to hunt for prey. These eagles are found eating rabbits and rodents, but sometimes they will hunt larger game such as young deer. These birds are one of the largest raptors in the United States, second only to the California Condor and the bald eagle.