The May 2003 questions at a glance:
• How long can a lion live?
• What is your favorite kind of dog?
• What are the names of every endangered animal?
• How many babies can a cheetah have?
• In what area of the world can an ocelot be found?
• When do kangaroos leave their mothers' pouches?
• Could you tell me about rhinos?
• Why do elephants weigh so much despite being herbivores?
• Have you ever done a show on the Vancouver Island marmot?
• Can you tell me a few things about the Canadian lynx?

Antoine, age 10-15, asks:
Dear Jack,
How long can a lion live?
Antoine

Jack says:
Dear Antoine,
Lions are the largest of all African carnivores, but do not reach their peak weight until about 7 years of age. They become competent hunters at 2 years old and some lions have been known to eat as much as 15% of their body weight! In the wild lions usually only live for about 13 years.
-- Jungle Jack

James, under 10 years old, asks:
Dear Jack,
What is your favorite kind of dog?
Your Friend,
James Carr

Jack says:
Dear James,
I like all dogs and I have raised several different breeds over the years. I currently have a golden retriever and a golden Labrador and they are wonderful pets. They are good with my four grandchildren and they love to go hiking in the mountains with me.
-- Jungle Jack

Ace, age 10-15, asks:
Dear Jack,
What are the names of every endangered animal?
Ace

Jack says:
Dear Ace,
It would be very difficult for me to list all of the endangered species, as unfortunately there are so many. If you would like more information on threatened, endangered and extinct animals you can check out the IUCN website. It is a very good source of information about animals found throughout the world. You can find it at www.redlist.org.
-- Jungle Jack

Mayara, age 16-20, asks:
Dear Jungle Jack,
How many babies can a cheetah have?
Mayara

Jack says:
Dear Mayara,
I just got back last week from South Africa and Namibia where I was able to watch several young cheetahs and their moms in the wild. It is a thrill for me to see young cats with their mothers, and I am always so impressed by how good cheetahs are with their cubs. Female cheetahs usually have between 1 and 6 cubs, but the average I saw on safari was 3 cubs. It is difficult for young cheetahs to make it into adulthood, as they are often taken by lions when they are young. It is estimated that only 5% of young cheetahs make it to independence. The good news is that an effective charity called the Cheetah Conservation Fund is helping more cheetahs to survive the odds in Namibia. Watch for my new show about cheetahs coming up in September!
-- Jungle Jack

Ginny, under 10 years old, asks:
Dear Jack,
In what area of the world can an ocelot be found?
Thanks,
Ginny

Jack says:
Dear Ginny,
Ocelots live in a wide range of areas and can be found in both tropical and subtropical habitats. They can be spotted in parts of Mexico, Central America and all the way down throughout South America into Argentina. Ocelots used to be found throughout the southern United States, but habitat destruction and hunting have caused most populations to decline rapidly.
-- Jungle Jack

Shannon, age 10-15, asks:
Hey Jack,
I'm Shannon from Newfoundland, Canada and I would like to know when kangaroos leave their mother’s pouch? I want to know this because whenever you turn on the TV you see kangaroos in their mother’s pouch! Thank you.
Your friend,
Shannon

Jack says:
Dear Shannon,
Kangaroos are usually ready to leave their mother's pouch when they are about 7 months old. As soon as the young kangaroo leaves, the mother often has another embryo ready and waiting. This explains why most adult female kangaroos usually have something in their pouches!
-- Jungle Jack

Tiffanie, age 10-15, asks:
Hi Jack,
My name is Tiffanie from Jacksonville, Tx. I am doing a project on rhinos and would like it if you would send me some information. Anything would do.
Thanks,
Tiffanie

Jack says:
Dear Tiffanie,
On my recent trip to South Africa and Namibia I was lucky to see both black and white rhinos while I was on safari. Of the five remaining species of rhinos, these are the only two left in Africa. The other rhino species are referred to as the Javan, Indian and Sumatran. Although all rhinos are basically solitary animals, white rhinos are the most sociable. White rhinos have a wide mouth and wide lips which they use to help them graze on short grasses. White rhinos have to eat huge quantities of grass in order to maintain their massive size. (They can reach up to 5,000 pounds!) Black rhinos are smaller than white rhinos and they have a mouth which is more pointed. Black rhinos have prehensile lips which help them to browse on tree branches. Most rhino species were almost hunted to extinction, but luckily some numbers are increasing due to careful protection.
-- Jungle Jack

Anabelle, age 10-15, asks:
Dear Jack,
Elephants are herbivores, right? Well, I wanna know why do elephants weigh so much despite them being herbivores?
Anabelle

Jack says:
Dear Anabelle,
Yes, elephants are herbivores and eat a variety of foliage, fruits and grasses. In order to maintain their massive size, most African elephants will consume between 160-320 pounds of food each day. They will also drink between 20-40 gallons of water. An average elephant spends about three-quarters of its life feeding or walking towards food and water. I think you will agree that this much food and water justifies an elephant's massive weight of up to 15,500 pounds!
-- Jungle Jack

Brenda, age 41-60, asks:
Dear Jack,
Have you ever done a show on the Vancouver Island MARMOT? This is the most endangered mammal in Canada. There are less then 100 left. Please Jack, I know you get many requests for help. But this is a desperate time for the marmot. And if anyone can understand that I know it is you. The Marmot Recovery Foundation in Nanaimo is looking for public help to assist in their cause. With a captive breeding program they hope to reintroduce the marmot back into its natural habitat. You reach so many caring people that just can't stand for our planet to lose another creature. With a little recognition from you maybe this wonderful animal will survive. Thank you for your time, caring and hard work to educate the people of this planet.
From, Brenda

Jack says:
Dear Brenda,
Yes, we have done a show on the Vancouver Island Marmot. We filmed on Vancouver Island in September 2001 and my daughter Kathaleen got to visit Mt. Washington in search of the few remaining wild marmots. Kathaleen and I were very moved by this endangered and charismatic little creature and we hope that other people were also inspired to help after seeing our show. If you'd like to find out more about the marmot episode or if you'd like a videotape of it, you can find it at www.junglestore.com/2215.html. Here on jackhanna.com, you'll find it in the 2001-2002 episode guide. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I know Kathaleen adopted a marmot and we continue to follow its progress in the newsletters. It's great that you support such a worthy cause.
-- Jungle Jack

Kevin, under 10 years old, asks:
Dear Jack,
Can you tell me a few things about the Canadian Lynx and what channel your show is on?
Thanks,
Kevin

Jack says:
Dear Kevin,
The North American lynx is found in deep forests in much of Canada and Alaska, as well as many parts of Washington. It is also found in northern areas of Oregon, Idaho and Montana, sections of the Rocky Mountains and certain areas in New England. The weight of a lynx ranges between 11 and 40 pounds and males are larger than females. They have very large feet which are covered in fur. These large feet help the lynx in water and makes them excellent swimmers. Their short tail has a black tip and their ears have long black tufts. They frequently climb trees and sometimes even hide in the branches to leap down on unsuspecting prey.

My show is syndicated, which means that it is seen on a variety of different channels. To find out where the show is on in your area, visit my website's Station Finder. Click on your state on the map that comes up and you should be able to see which station carries the show in the city nearest you. Some of these stations have websites, so you might even be able to click on the station name and look up my show on the local TV schedule!
-- Jungle Jack