Nyambeni was just 3 months old when she lost her herd. Thankfully, the amazing team at Sheldrick Wildlife Trust came to her rescue. Not only did they save her life, they introduced her to another rescued elephant, Mzinga! The two BFFs do everything together—they even got matching blankets! What else do these baby elephants get up to? Watch and find out!
Special thanks to our friends at Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Check out their socials at @SheldrickTrust for more info.
Nyambeni was just 3 months old when she lost her herd. Thankfully, the amazing team at Sheldrick Wildlife Trust came to her rescue. Not only did they save her life, they introduced her to another rescued elephant, Mzinga! The two BFFs do everything together—they even got matching blankets! What else do these baby elephants get up to? Watch and find out!
Poor Nyambeni! Glad she was rescued, what do you think of hers andMzinga’s story?
Something strange is happening in Yellowstone… A coyote is sniffing around a badger den. Are they rivals? Friends? Maybe — but probably not. What are these two up to? And if you’re a squirrel, should you be worried?
Something strange is happening in Yellowstone… A coyote is sniffing around a badger den. Are they rivals? Friends? Maybe — but probably not. What are these two up to? And if you’re a squirrel, should you be worried?
Curious about other strange animal teams? Check out our Wildwire blog on the subject: Unusual Animal Bffs
What a surprising team! What do you think of the badger and coyote’s teamwork?
Looking for a reason to get outside this weekend? Why not make some twiggy tree art! It’s a great way to get some fresh air and make some TREErific art to decorate your room or give to someone close to you!
Here’s what you need:
Fresh herbs (Rosemary, basil, thyme, or lavender)
Water
A glass or jar
Essential oil (citronella and lemongrass)
1 Lime and 2 lemon wedges
A floating candle (tea light candle works perfectly)
Here’s how you make it:
Step 1: Add fresh herbs! Rosemary, basil, thyme, and lavender work well.
Step 2: Fill your jar up with water, just about an inch below the lid rings, and leave enough space for your candle.
Step 3: 10-20 drops of essential oil (depending on the size of your jar). A mix of citronella and lemongrass works great. If you don’t have any of this, you can skip this step.
Step 4: Add 1 lime wedge and 2 lemon slices. The fruit and the citrus oils are great as natural bug repellents!
Step 5: Finally, it’s time to put in your floating candle! A tea light candle works perfectly for this DIY!
That’s it! These will last about 3-4 days before the herbs and citrus need replacing. That means they’ll last for the entire weekend!
What do Pikachu, Voltorb, Jolteon and the Black Ghost Knifefish have in common? They can all generate electricity! Now, as much as we’d like to tell you all about electric Pokémon, we’re going to focus on some real-life electric animals that are just as interesting!
Let’s take a dive underwater and meet some fish that don’t just make a splash but are also shockingly electric!
Electric Eel
Photo Credit: Opencage
Despite its name, an electric eel isn’t actually an eel but a knifefish. They live in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America and have special cells that store electricity like a battery. When they are threatened or on the hunt, they can release their electricity all at once, giving their target quite a shock!
Electric Rays
Photo Credit: Roberto Pillon
Relatives of the stingray, electric rays are found in oceans all over the world and you don’t want to get them charged up! They have special organs which generate a strong electric zap that they use for hunting or to defend themselves against predators.
Black Ghost Knifefish
Found in the waters of South America, black ghost knifefish can also generate electricity like their electric eel cousins. Their electricity isn’t as powerful as the other fish on this list, but they can discharge it almost 2000 times a second! That’s because it’s not meant for hunting or defence, but to navigate and communicate.
Stargazers
Photo Credit: Roberto Pillon
Stargazers certainly look strange but don’t call them ugly or you might be in for a shock! When attacked, two species of stargazers (Uranoscopus and Astroscopus) can fight back, electric style! Not only can these fish zap their attackers, but they also have two large venomous spines, a combo which led one scientist to call them “the meanest things in creation.”
Electric Catfish
Photo Credit: Stan Shebs
Electric catfish can also cause a spark. Found in the Nile River and the waters of western and central Africa, they are the only group of catfish that can create electricity. They use their power for hunting, defense and attack, exploring and searching for prey.
Bioelectro…what?
All of these fish are bioelectrogenetic (bio-electro-genetic), which means they are living beings that can generate electricity. Unlike these fish, we have to get our electricity elsewhere and it’s taking its toll on our planet.
A lot of our electricity comes from burning fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and speed up climate change. That’s why we need to save energy!
Hey Earth Rangers, if we asked you to name a pollinator, we bee-lieve we know what you’d say: bees! And you’d be right – bees are the most important pollinators on earth. But they aren’t the only ones we have to thank for helping veggies, fruits, and flowers grow! Other top pollinators include butterflies, hoverflies, hummingbirds, and some wasps and beetles! (Not to mention bigger pollinators like lemurs and bats!)
You can help to thank these special superheroes by joining the Pollinator Power Mission for National Pollinators Month!
During National Pollinators Month, we celebrate the wonderful work pollinators do and learn about why it’s so important to protect these valuable creatures. The world isn’t always easy for a pollinator. They have to deal with challenges like loss of habitat and the destruction of their ecosystems, so it’s important that we do what we can to help!
In the Pollinator Power Mission, you’ll plant a pollinator garden to help your local bees (and their buddies) stay strong and healthy. You can use the handy planting guides to find out which plants will thrive in your area. Bee-sure to take care of your garden and you’ll be rewarded with plenty of visits from your best buzzing buddies!
Check out the Pollinator Power Mission in the Earth Rangers App to find out more about pollinators and how you can help protect them!
Moss doesn’t have the same type of roots that most plants do. Instead their stems are covered with tiny leaves that act like sponges, soaking up all the water and nutrients it needs to survive.
When you sit down to eat dinner, what’s the first thing you think? Is it “Ooh, mashed potatoes!” or maybe, “Oh, man. Not leftovers AGAIN?” What you might NOT think about is, “How was this meal grown?” or “Where did this meal come from?”
But those are really important questions to ask.
While the best dinner in your mind might be chocolate cake, the best dinners for the planet are ones that come from sustainable food sources. We’re talking about food that reaches your plate without hurting the environment, not while it was growing, or being harvested, or being transported to your plate.
In fact, some farmers use something called ‘regenerative agriculture’ – two big words that really mean ‘farming while keeping the soil and land healthy, while also increasing biodiversity and absorbing greenhouse gases.’ Whew! How do they do it?
First, they avoid tilling. Tilling means disturbing the soil and root systems of plants. When you don’t till the soil, it is healthier. Next, clever farmers use compost to add nutrients back into the soil. They also plant a variety of different plants, which attract birds and pollinating insects, helping with pest control and plant growth. Win-win!
If regenerative agriculture sounds like something you’d like to get into, just join the Future Farmers Mission and read all about it! We’ve got some great planting guides for you, along with a ton of helpful tips and tricks to help exercise your green thumb and grow the garden of your dreams!
It’s time to get growing!
Join the “Future Farmer” Mission to learn about regenerative agriculture practices and how to start your own garden.
