You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen…but do you know Twiggy, the reindeer made from twigs? For today’s Eco-Activity, we’re going to show you how you can bring your own Twiggy the Reindeer to life!
Instructions:
1. Head into the forest to collect some twigs. You’re going to need at least 5 of them, 2 of which should have offshoots. Grab more if you want to make a herd for Twiggy.
2. When you’re back home, take 3 of your twigs and glue them together into the shape of a triangle.Â
3. Glue the button or pompom to one of the pointy ends of your triangle. This is Twiggy’s nose. Â
4. Take the 2 twigs with offshoots, and glue them to the two other pointy ends of your triangle. These are Twiggy’s antlers.
5. Glue googly eyes near the nose and Twiggy the reindeer is complete!
6. Tie a string around the stick at the top of Twiggy’s head so you can hang it up for the world to see.
The Earth Rangers App is where kids go to save animals! It’s free to join and you’ll have access to real-world Missions like this one. Plus, you can adopt an animal to support conservation projects, and learn all about animals in the Wild Wire Blog.
Find activities like this, and so much more in the App!
After checking out Dr. Juliette Giri’s research station, Earth Ranger Emma leaves Sonic with her to look for clues of Adelia Goodwin’s whereabouts. On her way to find where Adelia used to do some field work, Emma’s mind begins to wander. Pulling out her satellite phone, she calls polar bear researcher Larissa to see if polar bears could ever live in the Himalayas. After learning all about polar bears, Emma reaches her destination. After encountering clues that only deepen the mystery of Adelia’s location, a sudden surprise puts Emma face-to-face with what may be her biggest challenge yet!
Click the play button on the player below to listen to today’s episode!
Take a look at file number 26.93 – 86.70 from Dr. Juliette Giri and Adelia Goodwin’s research
Since snow leopards are so hard to find, Dr. Giri and Adelia used camera traps to take this photo!
Check out these photos polar bear researcher Larissa sent Earth Ranger Emma!
Wow! Larissa wasn’t kidding when she said that polar bears can get really curious! Just look how close this one got to the vehicle.
Check out the Tundra Buggy! Larissa and her colleagues use it to find polar bears in Churchill, MB.
Take a look at this page from Adelia’s Secret Journal!
Adelia sure knew a LOT about snow leopards! What’s something new that you learned?
Check out the writing that Emma found on the wall in the cave! Can you help Emma figure out what it means?
Comment below if you have any ideas that could help Emma solve this puzzle!
Stay tuned for more episodes to find out what happens next!
Emma may just have embarked on an epic quest, but our junior wildlife reporters contest is still going on!
If you’ve ever wanted to be a podcast correspondent, here is your chance. You can create your very own animal report! It could be about your all-time favourite animal, with some cool wacky facts that nobody knows about them! Or it can be about some rare animals that most people would never have even heard about. Or cool conservation projects that happen in your neighbourhood. You can even make your own quizzes, riddles and games. It is 100% your segment, but we will help you out a bit by adding cool sound effects! Ready? Click on the ‘Leave us a message’ button below!
After being approached by a rather agitated lady in the Sherpa Barista Bakery, Emma is shocked to discover that this mysterious person thinks she stole Adelia Goodwin’s secret journal! Emma quickly realizes that this individual must have known Adelia at some point. In order to gain her trust and prove her identity as an Earth Ranger, Emma has to answer three questions about animals and get at least two of them right! Can she do it? Can this mysterious figure tell her more about Adelia’s disappearance?
Click the play button on the player below to listen to today’s episode!
Emma sure had her work cut out for her to answer Dr. Juliette Giri’s questions! Test your animal knowledge below:
Which of the following animals is the main source of food for snow leopards in the Himalayas? A) the red isopod B) the green yak C) the yellow snake D) the blue sheep
Blue sheep! Check them out in the photo below. They’re not actually blue, and they’re more closely related to a goat than a sheep.
These are bahral sheep (also known as the blue sheep)! They’re the main source of food for snow leopards in the Himalays.
Of the Panthera genus –which species is most closely related to snow leopards:
Snow leopards are most closely related to Tigers! Did you get it right?
True or False: snow leopards have a roar that’s louder than a Jaguar’s but less loud than a Lion’s
Check out this video curtesy of BWCDO, Snow Leopard Conservancy, and The White Lion Foundation for the answer. Click here to learn about their partnership project conserving snow leopards in the Karakoram Mountains!
False! In fact, snow leopards can’t roar at all!
Stay tuned for more episodes to find out what happens next!
Emma may just have embarked on an epic quest, but our junior wildlife reporters contest is still going on!
If you’ve ever wanted to be a podcast correspondent, here is your chance. You can create your very own animal report! It could be about your all-time favourite animal, with some cool wacky facts that nobody knows about them! Or it can be about some rare animals that most people would never have even heard about. Or cool conservation projects that happen in your neighbourhood. You can even make your own quizzes, riddles and games. It is 100% your segment, but we will help you out a bit by adding cool sound effects! Ready? Click on the ‘Leave us a message’ button below!
Would you have passed Juliette’s test?
What surprise is awaiting Emma at Juliette’s research station?
Emma and Sonic decided on some well-deserved rest after realizing that they’ve been “go-go-go” ever since they found Adelia Goodwin’s secret journal back at the Earth Rangers Centre. Taking some time to adjust to the altitude in the Himalayas, Emma catches up on her emails from Junior Wildlife Reporters across the world.
Click the play button on the player below to listen to today’s episode!
Check out Emma’s amazing view of the Himalayan mountains from her guest house!
What a great place to check emails from Junior Wildlife Reporters across the globe!
Stay tuned for more episodes to find out what happens next!
Emma may just have embarked on an epic quest, but our junior wildlife reporters contest is still going on!
If you’ve ever wanted to be a podcast correspondent, here is your chance. You can create your very own animal report! It could be about your all-time favourite animal, with some cool wacky facts that nobody knows about them! Or it can be about some rare animals that most people would never have even heard about. Or cool conservation projects that happen in your neighbourhood. You can even make your own quizzes, riddles and games. It is 100% your segment, but we will help you out a bit by adding cool sound effects! Ready? Click on the ‘Leave us a message’ button below!
Will Emma and Sonic adjust to the altitude?
Where will Emma head to next?
What will they learn about the disappearance of Adelia Goodwin?
What do you think animals say to each other when we’re not around? They might not speak the way we do, but they communicate by using things like sound, body language, and facial expressions! For today’s eco-activity, tell us what you think these otters are saying by filling out the comic strip below:
Need some inspiration? Check out our sample comic!
The Earth Rangers App is where kids go to save animals! It’s free to join and you’ll have access to real-world Missions like this one. Plus, you can adopt an animal to support conservation projects, and learn all about animals in the Wild Wire Blog.
Find activities like this, and so much more in the App!
This summer, our friends at The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) asked for your help to design their 2021 holiday card! Earth Rangers from across Canada got crafty and created some incredible artwork that captured the beauty of forests and trees!
“FPAC sends out holiday greetings every year, and we thought that featuring original artwork from a young Ranger would be a great way to highlight Canada’s Earth Ranger program and our partnership.”
After looking through all of the amazing artwork that was sent in, the FPAC team made their decision (drumroll please!).
Congratulations Earth Ranger Livia, your artwork will be featured on FPAC’s 2021 holiday card!
Not only will we see Livia’s fabulous drawings on FPAC’s holiday card, but FPAC sent her a special prize pack that included forest pods, a chapters gift card and other goodies!
A note from Livia:
The page folds in half to be the front (winter scene) and back (holiday Earth Ranger logo – an ornament, and FPAC symbol – turned into a Christmas tree) of a holiday card.
There were so many amazing cards with wonderful artwork that FPAC sent prize packs to two more Earth Rangers!
Congratulations to runners-up Rayyaan and Maiya!
A note from Maiya:
It’s Christmas time for the animals! From the biggest bear to the smallest mouse, everyone is welcome at this Christmas tree! My card depicts a child hugging a tree, surrounded by nature. She is expressing her happiness to be outdoors and her gratitude for the forest. The winter scene also shows some animals, such as a cardinal, hare, and squirrel.
A big round of applause to these amazingly talented Earth Rangers!
You probably know that oil spills are bad for the environment, but do you know why? What really happens when oil gets into our waterways? For today’s Eco-Activity, try out this experiment to see what happens when oil and water mix!
Instructions:
1. Fill a jar about halfway full of water
2. Add a few drops of food colouring
3. Pour in some oil so that there’s about a 1-inch-thick layer above the water
4. Screw the lid on tightly and shake the jar for about 30 seconds
5. Put the jar down and watch what happens to the oil and water. Write down what you see
Take a couple of minutes to think about the experiment. Can you see why oil spills are so bad? Oil isn’t broken down by water. We need to use special cleaning products to break the oil down and remove it from the ecosystem. What are some other harmful toxins that we need to keep out of our waterways? Write them down and share them with your family.
The Earth Rangers App is where kids go to save animals! It’s free to join and you’ll have access to real-world Missions like this one. Plus, you can adopt an animal to support conservation projects, and learn all about animals in the Wild Wire Blog.
Find activities like this, and so much more in the App!
As the weather gets colder you might find it hard to wake up in the morning, but don’t worry you aren’t the only one. In fact there are some animals that, no matter how loud their parents may yell, don’t get up at all, choosing instead to stay asleep all winter!
Hibernating the weather away
When the environment becomes too hostile for an animal, they have to find a way to cope. Some animals migrate out of the area while others enter an inactive state, which they stay in until conditions suit them better. If this inactive state lasts for a long time during the winter, it is called hibernation, but if it is in a hot climate, it is called estivation. We’ve gathered up ten of the coolest true hibernators and some seasonal deep sleepers like bears in this top ten list.
Be sure to leave a comment to tell us which hibernator is your favourite!
Alpine Marmots (Marmota marmota)
Marmots hibernate for up to eight months! They spend the four months they are awake having babies and preparing for the next hibernation. During hibernation they take only 2-3 breaths a minute and their heartbeat slows down from their normal 120 beats to 3-4 beats a minute!
Common Poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii)
Photo credit ken-ichi
It isn’t often that you hear about a bird that sleeps the bad weather away, that’s because the Common Poorwill is the only known bird species to hibernate. It picks a spot under shallow rocks or rotten logs and stays there for up to five months. Its daily energy needs drop by 93% and it can stay asleep for 100 days! Once hibernation is over, it needs seven hours to get back to its normal temperature.
Bears
Only four species of bear are hibernators: American Black Bear, Asiatic Black bear, Brown bear and Polar bear. These furry mammals don’t hibernate in the true sense because their body temperature only drops a little bit and they can wakeup at any moment. In fact, a pregnant mama bear will have her cubs during the hibernation period. Like true hibernators, the bear’s heartbeat will slow down and they can go for a long time without having any food. During hibernation a Black bear’s heart can drop from 40-50 to 8 beats per minute and they can last as long as 100 days without eating or drinking!
Bats
When bats are left alone, they can be some of the longest hibernators. In the wild, big brown bats have spent 64-66 days in hibernation while in captivity one lasted an incredible 344 days! These little guys don’t have to eat but they do wake up to drink. Their heart rate drops from 1000 beats per minute to only 25 and some bats only take a breath every 2 hours.
Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemurs (Cheirogaleus medius)
Photo credit: Frank Vassen
Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemurs live in Madagascar where temperatures in June and July usually stay about 30 degrees C. Now that might seem pretty warm to you, but this is actually the coldest time of the year for these lemurs. During this cold spell Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemurs pick a tree and settle there for about seven months until the rains return in November and food is available again. During their hibernation, they live off the fat in their tail (hence fat-tailed) losing close to 50% of their body weight!
Common Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina)
Photo Credit: Jonathan Zander
Hibernating box turtles are found in well hidden spots around Southern North America (USA and Mexico). The length of their winter sleep depends on the location and turtle subspecies: some can last as short as 77 days or as long as 154 days. Their heart beat drops to just one every 5-10 minutes and they don’t have to breathe in air at all (although they do take in oxygen through their skin). They are still very sensitive to the changing environment around them, if they wake up too early they will likely not survive.
Bumblebees
When the temperature drops, males and worker bees die off but the queen survives by hibernating. She hibernates in a hole in the soil, in rotten tree stumps or under leaf litter. She will emerge 6-8 months later, warm-up and then find a nice spot to build a nest and create a whole new team of bees.
Garter snake
Unlike the bumblebee queen, who hibernates alone, garter snakes hibernate in groups. In Canada, where winters are exceptionally cold, there can be hundreds and sometime thousands of snakes grouped together for warmth. Once spring arrives and the snow melts, they head out of their winter homes to bask in the sun. It’s quite a sight to see!
Hedgehog
Hedgehogs are some of the deepest hibernators around. Some can sleep through the whole winter! Their body temperature drops and they breathe so little that it can hardly be seen. They have special cells that release heat 20 times faster than white cells. If temperatures drop too low, their heart beat picks up to produce more heat, which wakes them up briefly before they fall asleep again.
Snail
Snails have a built in bed for their hibernation. They go into their shell, close up the hole with a skin made of chalk and slime that keeps the moisture in. During this time, they use almost no energy and don’t have to eat anything at all. In some areas where there is little rain, snails can hibernate for years!
Join Earth Ranger Emma as she travels the world on a quest to solve some of nature’s greatest mysteries! With top ten countdowns, animal guessing games and epic animal showdowns, this is a journey you won’t want to miss!
References Clive Roots, Hibernation. Page 127-128 https://eol.org/pages/45509468 Mark Carwardine, Animal Records. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., 2008 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/bear-essentials-of-hibernation.html Terry A. Vaughan, James M. Ryan, Nicholas J. Czaplewski. Mammology, Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2011 http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v429/n6994/abs/429825a.html Carl H. Ernst, Jeffrey E. Lovich. Turtles of the United States and Canada. JHU Press, 2009 William H. Robinson. Handbook of urban insects and arachnids. Cambridge University Press, 2005 Joanna Burger. Whispers in the pines. Rutgers University Press, 2006-03-20 Maurice Burton, Robert Burton. The international wildlife encyclopedia. Marshall Cavendish, 1970 Mark Fox. Discovering night creatures. Curriculum Press, 2002 Andrew Hipp. The life cycle of a snail. The Rosen Publishing Group, 2002: Page 18
When the environment becomes too hostile for an animal, they have to find a way to cope. Some animals migrate out of the area while others enter an inactive state, which they stay in until conditions suit them better. If this inactive state lasts for a long time during the winter, it is called hibernation, but if it is in a hot climate, it is called estivation. We’ve gathered up ten of the coolest true hibernators and some seasonal deep sleepers like bears in this top ten list.
