Whales aren’t just huge, they’re also hugely fascinating! If you’ve got an interest in all things cetacean, this top ten is just for you. From discovering how to tell a whale’s age (hint: it has to do with earwax!) to finding out about how a thirsty whale gets a drink of water, you’re going to learn a ton!
Do you know any whale facts? Share your knowledge in the comments!
Earth Rangers is all about helping animals – helping them show off their silly side, that is. From some super sleepy elephant sibs to a surprise shark attack and a cheetah who’s running late for work, there’s something here for everyone!
If you’re looking for a joke that’s sure to crack you up, make a gorilla giggle, or tickle a tiger’s funny bone, look no further. Check out these excellent jokes, approved by the animal experts at Earth Rangers!
What’s your favorite animal joke? See if you can crack us up in the comments!
It might seem like animals have superpowers! Some animals can fly, some need speed, and others can become almost invisible, thanks to camouflage. That amazing power helps animals hide from predators, but we bet YOU can spot them in the video. Time to test your powers of perception!
Which animal in the video was the toughest to find?
Have you ever seen an opera-singing caribou? How about a penguin who forgot to pick up pizza for dinner? Or a feline tickle fight? Check out some of your favorite animals as you’ve never seen (or heard) them before! This video is guaranteed to make you laugh like a hyena!
What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen an animal do?
Wolves might have a reputation for being big, bad fairy tale villains, but that’s just not true! In reality, wolves help to keep ecosystems in balance by keeping other animal populations in check. Also, wolf pups are THE cutest! Don’t believe us? Watch this absolutely adorable top ten video and see for yourself!
Let us know in the comments below: which wolf pup was the cutest of them all?
Hi, Earth Rangers! My name is Claudia Haas. I’m a PhD student at Wilfrid Laurier University, and I study caribou in the Northwest Territories!
In my research, I work closely with the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nations and their Ni Hat Ni Dene Guardians. Caribou are considered one of the most important species to the Łutsël K’é Dene people. They rely on the caribou, known in their language as Ɂetthën, for physical, cultural, linguistic, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
But right now, caribou are a threatened species in the Northwest Territories. When you adopt a caribou through Earth Rangers, you’re helping me work with the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nations to protect these beautiful animals.
Visit the Adoptions section of the Earth Rangers App or check out the Earth Rangers Shop to adopt your own caribou!
Protecting Caribou Habitat
A caribou says hi at a trail camera! Photo courtesy of Łutsël K’é First Nation, Government of the Northwest Territories, and Government of Canada.
In 2020, to support the recovery of caribou, Łutsël K’é released the Yúnethé Xá Ɂetthën Hádı, a community-led caribou stewardship plan.
To help with this, the community made part of their territory, Thaıdene Nëné, an Indigenous Protected Area. It’s managed by the Thaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı: “the people that speak for Thaıdene Nëné.” This land is over 26,376 km². That’s more than four times the size of Prince Edward Island! They partner with Parks Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories to protect the area even more, using Canadian and territorial laws.
Barren-ground caribou spend time in Thaıdene Nëné throughout the year before they travel 700 kilometres north to their breeding grounds in Nunavut. That’s like walking from Calgary to Edmonton and back!
Catching Caribou on Camera!
A caribou gets a close-up look at a trail camera! Photo courtesy of Łutsël K’é First Nation, Government of the Northwest Territories, and Government of Canada.
In 2021, I worked with Łutsël K’é to set up cameras and audio recorders at 307 sites within Thaıdene Nëné. This lets us monitor caribou and other wildlife. We took pictures and listened for wildlife for an entire year! The First Nation has since continued this project with the government, keeping some cameras and audio recorders out for longer.
Recently, I worked with Łutsël K’é to make a video describing the project for elders in the community. The video is in Dëne Sųłıné Yatı, which is the traditional language of the Łutsël K’é Dene. When Europeans came to North America, they displaced Indigenous communities like Łutsël K’é. They set up their own communities where Indigenous ones had been, and they forced many Indigenous people to move to other places. They also set up schools to teach Indigenous people European languages instead of traditional languages. This means that younger people in Łutsël K’é don’t know as much Dëne Sųłıné Yatı as older people. We added English subtitles to the video so that young people can follow along and learn words in their traditional language.
You can watch the video on YouTube!
A caribou shows off its long, velvety antlers on a trail camera! Photo courtesy of Łutsël K’é First Nation, Government of the Northwest Territories, and Government of Canada.
As for my research, it takes a big team to help do all this work. We’ve looked through all the photos and listened to some of the audio. This takes a lot of time, even with help from computers.
With this data, students like me are using this information to answer important questions that will help Łutsël K’é and its partners steward Thaıdene Nëné. My labmate, Eric Jolin, discovered something interesting: For most of the year, caribou seemed to favour places with better habitat and food. But in the winter, when food is more limited, they don’t care about food and shelter as much as avoiding their biggest predator: wolves!
Claudia speaking with community members about her research.
For myself, I’m answering questions about how caribou fit into a broader wildlife community in Thaıdene Nëné, and how this compares with wildlife communities we see in other part of the Northwest Territories. I’m talking with Indigenous communities in the Northwest Territories about their priorities and how I can answer their questions.
Want to Be a Conservationist?
If you want to be a scientist when you’re older, keep learning! Find ways to volunteer with conservation organizations in your communities. Take all the opportunities you can to learn about the plants and animals that live around you. It may feel small in the big picture of global climate change, but every little bit will help. As we learn more, we can help animals adapt, and we can protect the important connections between Canada’s Indigenous people, their land, and the animals that live there.