Outdoor Explorer

Earth Rangers

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July 13, 2015

Hey, Earth Rangers! It’s time to get up and get out…outside that is! There is an amazing adventure waiting right outside your door. Your next Mission is to discover the natural world around you!

When you think of cool creatures, does your mind take you to places like the Amazon Rainforests or the savannahs of Africa? Before you ask your parents to book a flight to a far off place, you might want to take a look around your own neighbourhood! You’ll see that there are some pretty cool species right here in Canada!

DID YOU KNOW?

There are over 140,000 species living in Canada! Check out some of the amazing species that call Canada home:

– The greater short-horned lizard can shoot blood from its eyes when threatened
– An Atlantic puffin can carry up to 61 fish in its beak
– Monarch butterflies migrate almost 5,000 km from Canada to Mexico
– Grizzly bears can run up to 48 km/h (30 mph)
– Canada’s largest tree is a red cedar, measuring 6 metres (20 feet) wide at the base and 56 metres (182 feet) tall
– Beluga whales are born brown or dark grey and turn white then they are 6 to 8 years old
– Moose are excellent swimmers, capable of diving more than 5 metres underwater

While many of Canada’s species are really cool, they are also at risk. Thankfully there are special places set aside to make sure they are protected.

Protecting Canada’s Biodiversity,

Starting with Mount Royal Park in 1876, almost 8,000 protected areas have been established in Canada. These protected areas are dedicated to conserving nature. They cover a wide range of habitats, like mountains and plains, boreal forests and tundra, lakes and glaciers. They range from small islands like Georgian Bay Islands National Park in Ontario to HUGE areas like Wood Buffalo National Park on the boarder of Alberta and Northwest Territories, and Queen Maud Gulf Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Nunavut.

Although some protected areas are off limits because the ecosystem is too fragile, most are open to the public and are perfect places to explore with your family during your Outdoor Explorer Mission!

Become a Real Outdoor Explorer

The Outdoor Explorer Mission will take you and your family on an adventure that you’ll never forget. Using Environment Canada’s BioKit, you’ll be able to record your experience as you get up close to nature. You also get to:

– Search for animals and plants
– Listen for different nature sounds
– Inspect the ground for animal tracks
– Identify different clouds
– Investigate invasive species
– Rate the area you visited

With the BioKit as your guide, every trip outside will become an adventure waiting to happen!

Here’s what you need to do to complete your Outdoor Explorer Mission:

– Choose an outdoor space to explore with your family: use the Earth Rangers Parks Locator to find one of Canada’s protected areas, a local park or green space near you.
– Download the Nature BioKit or Urban BioKit and use it to start your outdoor adventure.
– Share your adventures with friends and family by emailing or printing the downloadable Outdoor Explorer postcard and spread the word about the importance of conservation efforts in Canada.
– Tell Earth Rangers about your adventures by submitting stories and photos at the end of your Mission.

Top Ten Most Iconic Canadian Animals

Earth Rangers

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June 29, 2015

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What species do you think best represents Canada? Check out this list and leave a comment to vote for your favourite.

1) Caribou

2) Beaver

3) Beluga Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Canada Lynx

6) Common Garter Snake

7) Grizzly Bear

8) Monarch Butterfly

9) Atlantic Puffin

10) Raccoon

Top Ten Coolest Animal Dads

Earth Rangers

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June 19, 2015

147

It’s Father’s Day this Sunday! To help you and the family celebrate, here’s a countdown of some of the coolest dads in the animal kingdom. Leave a comment to share what’s awesome about your dad.

1) Chinstrap penguin

Male and female chinstrap penguins take turns incubating the eggs and helping to feed the chicks.

2)Grey wolf

Males and females form lifelong bonds, they raise their pups together as a family.

3) Gorilla

Males lead the group, providing protection for the young and sometimes taking charge of parenting.

4) Jacanca

Jacanca father with chick — Photo credit: Matt Francey

Jacancas are single dads! They incubate the eggs and raise the chicks on their own.

5) Lion

Lion dads defend the pride’s territory, leaving mom to take care of hunting and raising the cubs.

6) Marmoset

Marmoset dads help to groom and feed their young as well as give them piggyback rides!

7) Poison dart frog

Once the eggs hatch, the tadpoles are carried on both mom and dad’s back to a water source.

8) Red fox

Red fox dads bring food back to the den for mom and the kits.

9) Seahorse

Seahorse dads carry the incubated eggs in their pouch until they hatch, which can take up to 45 days.

10) Great horned owl

In this family, dad keeps busy bringing food, like mice, to mom and the newborn chicks.

Shoreline Saver Mission

Earth Rangers

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June 15, 2015

185

Who doesn’t love a trip to the beach? You can swim in the water, build sand castles or just relax. But do you know what can turn a fun getaway into a bad time? Litter! There’s nothing fun about swimming with water bottles, finding candy wrappers in the sand or seeing a chip bag blow by as you’re trying to take a nap.

You can leave the beach, but the animals living on these shores can’t just walk or swim away. For them, garbage isn’t just ruining a trip to the beach, it’s ruining their homes.

Become a Shoreline Saver and give animals the clean home they deserve.

What is a shoreline?

A shoreline is an area where land meets water, like a beach around ocean or lakes. For this Mission, we’re also including the areas around other water sources like rivers, streams creeks, ponds and wetlands. Many of these areas are connected and flow into one another so if one gets polluted, it can affect another.

The problem:

Litter on a shoreline isn’t just an eyesore; it can also be really harmful for the animals living there. Animals might get caught in it or they might think that it’s food and choke. Invasive species can even get attached to litter and float to new places.

That’s why it’s so important that we keep our shorelines clean.

Here’s how you can help!

1. Accept the Shoreline Saver Mission and download your Mission Brief, How to Save a Shoreline Guide and Shoreline Saver Crest.

2. Use your How to Save a Shoreline Guide to make sure you have everything to complete this Mission safely.

3. Head out to a shoreline nearby with your team of Shoreline Savers. Make sure at least one member of your team is an adult.

4. Take a #ShorelineSelfie of you at the shore before you start cleaning and another one after to show off your hard work.

5. When you’ve finished, submit your pictures and let us know how it went!

You’ll need an adult’s help to complete this Mission!

What happens if you don’t live near a shoreline?

Don’t worry! You can still make a HUGE difference for shoreline animals even if you don’t live nearby. When you download this Mission Brief, you’ll find 3 actions that you and your family can do from home.

Become a Shoreline Saver and give animals the clean home they deserve.

Earth Ranger Michelle’s Animal Saving Tour in Canada and Costa Rica

Earth Rangers

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June 12, 2015

68

Earth Ranger Michelle’s Animal Saving Tour in Canada and Costa Rica

Earth Ranger Michelle is taking her animal saving adventure on the road as she travels with her family from her home in Canada to Costa Rica! This globe-trotting Earth Ranger first started a Bring Back the Wild campaign for the swift fox because she thinks “it’s a cute animal” and because she “wanted to help it because it’s becoming endangered”. Once she started her campaign, Michelle and her Mom got started planning out their fundraising strategy, which included an event at a local retirement home. Now Michelle is travelling with her family to Costa Rica where she plans to continue raising support for the protection of animals.

Michelle also makes small steps every day to help the environment which has a big impact. She doesn’t waste paper, makes sure lights are off when she’s not in the room and doesn’t waste water by doing things like shutting the tap off while she brushes her teeth. She helps her family at the grocery store too by bringing reusable bags instead of using plastic ones.

We asked Super Ranger Michelle why it’s important to protect the environment and here’s what she had to say.

“It’s important because later on in the future our world will become a disaster if we don’t take care of the animals and the environment now.”

Thanks Earth Ranger Michelle for helping to protect the environment!

What’s Threatening Bees?

Earth Rangers

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June 2, 2015

45

Bees are so important for our planet. These little insects pollinate flowers, food crops, the alfalfa and clover we feed our livestock and, of course, they make honey! Unfortunately, bees are facing some serious threats.

Habitat Loss and Fragmentation

Bees need certain qualities in their habitat to keep them happy and healthy. They need for big spaces with lots of flowers for food, as well as safe and undisturbed areas for their nests. In the winter, they need places that are protected from the wind and cold. Unfortunately, development of wild spaces is causing problems for bees. When wildflowers disappear, bees that are active in early spring have a hard time getting enough food to eat, and it can make it difficult for the queen to start her colony.

Disease and Pests

Just like you, bees can get sick. Diseases and parasites can do a lot of damage to bees. Bees can become too weak to fly or be unable to reproduce. In some cases, becoming infected can even lead to death.

Parasitic tracheal mites are a big problem for bees. These mites are so small that they can invade a bee’s respiratory system. As the mites grow bigger and bigger, they cut off the bee’s air supply and make it impossible to breathe.

The Varroa destructor is another mite that hurts bees. They live on the outside of a honey bee’s body, feeding on the bee’s hemolymph (a bee’s version of blood). These mites can cause Colony Collapse Disorder, which makes bees sick, disoriented and unable to find their way back home.

Invasive Plant Species

Pests and mites aren’t the only species that are a threat to bees. Invasive plant species are also making a big impact. These plants take over the land and other resources that native wildflowers need to survive, and when the native wildflowers that the bees feed on start to disappear, it becomes harder for bees to find food.

Pesticides

It isn’t easy being a farmer, especially when the crops they are trying to grow keep getting eaten by pests. That’s why some farmers use chemicals called pesticides to protect their crops. However, in certain circumstances, these chemicals can cause some serious health problems to insects like bees, including nervous system failure, muscle spasms or even death.

Climate Change

Scientists believe that climate change is also impacting bees. Climate change is bringing on extreme weather events which can affect the timing of when flowers start to bloom. Fewer flowers available in the early spring mean less food for bees.

Help protect a pollinator with the Pollinator Power Mission!

Meet Kristina, A Recycling and Energy Saving Hero

Earth Rangers

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May 20, 2015

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Meet Kristina, A Recycling and Energy Saving Hero

Kristina learned about Earth Rangers when we visited her school. When she heard about all the different animals that need help, she decided to do something to make a difference. She signed up to become an Earth Ranger and chose to start a Bring Back the Wild campaign to help protect the western screech owl.

Kristina told us that she loves how owls blend into the trees. She raised funds for her campaign by doing chores at home and for other family members. Her mom came up with a dollar value for each chore. The harder Kristina worked the more money she could raise, “I can say that I have done just about every chore imaginable!”

A dedicated Earth Ranger, Kristina has completed many Missions including Spring Clean Up, Homemade Holiday, Operation Conservation and Battery Blitz. Her family has even made collecting and recycling batteries a regular activity.

“At home I always make sure that we recycle and compost as much as possible. I turn off extra lights, play outside instead of watching TV and put bird feeders in our yard. We all need to do our part to help the environment. If we don’t make changes now many of the animals that we love might not be around in the next 5 or 10 years. It’s never too late to make a difference and even small things help!”

We couldn’t agree more Kristina. Keep up the amazing work!

Pollinator Power Mission

Earth Rangers

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May 11, 2015

289

Pollinators, like bees, have one of the most important jobs in the world. It’s their responsibility to keep our flowers pretty and our fruits plentiful. It’s been said that for every three bites of food you take, you should thank a pollinator! Without pollination, the foods we love so much would be a lot harder to find.

Pollinators do a lot to help us and it’s our turn to help them. When you accept the Pollinator Power Mission, you’ll be doing your part to help keep pollinators strong and healthy!

In order for pollinators, like bees, to thrive, they need to live in areas with lots of pollen and nectar. That’s why land development can be a problem. When their habitat is destroyed, pollinators can’t get enough food.

Here’s what you can do!

You can make a huge difference for pollinators, like bees, by planting a pollinator garden. The nectar and pollen from these flowers can go a long way to help hungry bees. When you accept the Pollinator Power Mission, you’ll get access to a Mission Brief that will help you get your pollinator garden started.

Do you have what it takes to protect a pollinator? Look for Pollinator Power in the Missions section in the app!

Build Your Own Bee Condo

Earth Rangers

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May 11, 2015

211

Did you know that not all bees nest in hives? Some bees use other places to lay their eggs, like in pieces of wood or in the ground. Unfortunately, as their habitat disappears, it can be hard for bees to find safe places to nest.

You can help these little superheroes by building a bee condo near your pollinator garden! Follow these instructions and take the Pollinator Power Mission to the next level.

NOTE: The bee condo will bring more bees to your garden. While bees generally aren’t aggressive, it is strongly recommended that once the bee condo is in place, it is left alone.

Here’s What You’ll Need

What to do…

Step 1:
Take your thicker piece of untreated wood and on one side mark where you want to drill your holes. Make sure each hole is about 1 or 2 cm apart.

Step 2:
Drill the holes, making them about 12 cm deep. Make sure you don’t go all the way through the wood.

Tip: Using different sized drill bits (between 6 mm and 9 mm) means your bee condo can be used by different types of cavity-nesting bees!

Step 3:
Grab your sandpaper and use it to smooth the edges around each of the holes.

Step 4:
Build a roof for your condo using the thinner wood and attach it to the top of the piece wood. This will give some shade over the entrances of the holes.

Step 5:
Roll up some paper into the shape of a straw and put it in each hole, making sure it’s a snug fit. Each roll must be several layers thick. Trim off any extra paper sticking out of the holes.

Tip: Colour the edge of the paper with your black marker. This will help attract more bees to your condo.

Step 6:
Place your bee condo in a bright, sunny spot close by your pollinator garden, making sure the side with the holes is not covered and the bee condo is hanging straight.

Tip: Once your bee condo is in a secure place, let the bees make it into a nesting place. It is recommended that once the bee condo is in place, it is left alone.

Step 7:
During the winter, protect your bee condos by putting them in a cool place (4ºc to 6ºc) like an unheated shed, basement or garage. When spring arrives, set up your condo back in the same place as before.

Step 8:
Once the young bees have emerged from your bee condo, have a parent help you remove and throw away the old paper inserts.

Step 9:
Add new paper inserts (mentioned in Step 4), then place your bee condo in the same spot as before. Remember, once your bee condo is up and secure, you’ll need to let the bees make it into their own nesting place. It is recommended that once the bee condo is in place, it is left alone.

Top Ten Largest Migratory Birds in Canada

Earth Rangers

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May 8, 2015

66

Top Ten Largest Migratory Birds in Canada

Earth Rangers and Parks Canada are counting down the biggest migratory birds in Canada! Leave a comment to share which bird species is your favourite.

10. Canada Goose

Average wingspan: 1.72 meters (68 inches)
Flight path: Geese follow one of four North American migratory flyways to their summer nesting grounds in Canada and northern parts of the United States. They conserve energy in flight by flying in a “V” or a long wavy line and they take turns leading the flock.
Fun fact: They are the largest and most widely distributed goose in North America.

9. Great Blue Heron

Average wingspan: 1.78 meters (70 inches)
Flight path: Great blue herons live in southern Canada, from the Maritimes to Alberta and along coastal British Columbia. In the winter, populations retreat from the northern edge of their breeding range and may fly as far south as the Caribbean.
Fun fact: They can curl their neck into an ‘S’ which gives them an aerodynamic shape for flying. This shape also allows them to strike at their prey. They go from standing still to extending their neck with lightning speed in order to spear fish with their bill!

8. Turkey Vulture

Average wingspan: 1.82 meters (72 inches)
Flight path: The turkey vulture breeds throughout North and South America. They fly south in the winter, some traveling as far as Texas through to South America.
Fun fact: Turkey vultures fly low, moving from side to side while smelling for the scent of dead animals to feed on.

7. Golden Eagle

Average wingspan: 1.98 meters (78 inches)
Flight path: The golden eagle breeds throughout most of Canada but primarily the west, the western United States and northern Mexico. In the winter, populations in southern Alaska and Canada migrate to Mexico, the Gulf coast and Florida.
Fun fact: Golden eagles are one of only three North American raptors that have legs with feathers all the way to their toes.

6. Bald Eagle

Average wingspan: 2.03 meters (80 inches)
Flight path: The bald eagle breeds across Canada and the United States. Their wintering grounds include areas on the Pacific and Atlantic coast, although many birds may stay near their nesting site year round.
Fun fact: Bald eagles are known for their food stealing tricks! They will harass other animals to steal their fish, such as osprey or even humans.

Cape Breton Highlands National Park, in Nova Scotia, is a great place to see bald eagles. For more information, click here. That species can be also be seen at many National Wildlife Areas such as Long Point, Sea Wolf Island, Mississippi Lake and Wellers Bay.

5. Sandhill Crane

Average wingspan: 2.03 meters (80 inches)
Flight path: They migrate to central and southern parts of the United States, as well as Mexico.
Fun fact: Sandhill cranes are able to fly higher by using currents of warm rising air. When winds and other conditions are favorable, they are able to alternate between gliding and powered flight. During migration they can fly an average of 250 km a day at speeds ranging from 23 – 83 km/hour!

4. Tundra Swan

Average wingspan: 2.15 meters (85 inches)
Flight path: Tundra swans migrate in large flocks from their nesting grounds in the arctic to wintering areas along the east and west coasts of North America.
Fun fact: Flock sizes may number more than a hundred! When they fly north in the spring, they stop more often at staging areas (to rest and feed) than they do when they fly south in the fall.

Important staging areas include the Peace-Athabasca Delta, a wetland of international significance located in Wood Buffalo National Park and the St. Clair National Wildlife Area. Tundra swan nesting habitat is protected in many arctic protected areas such as Queen Maud Gulf (Ahiak) and East Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuaries as well as Aulavik, Tuktut Nogait, and Ivvavik national parks.

3. Whooping Crane

Average wingspan: 2.28 meters (90 inches)
Flight path: The world’s last remaining natural migratory flock of wild whooping cranes nests and raises its young in Wood Buffalo National Park, a World Heritage Site on the border of Alberta and the Northwest Territories. In the winter, the Wood Buffalo flock migrates 4,000 km to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in southern Texas.
Fun fact: Whooping cranes are the tallest birds in North America! International conservation efforts between Canada and the United States have helped bring this endangered species back from the brink of extinction. For more information on the Whooping Crane, click here.

2. Trumpeter Swan

Average wingspan: 2.41 meters (95 inches)
Flight path: One population nests in remote mountain lakes and wetlands deep within Nahanni National Park Reserve where their numbers have increased in recent years. They migrate to wintering areas in the northwestern United States.
Fun fact: Trumpeter swans are the largest waterfowl in North America. They also live a long time; in the wild they can live longer than 24 years.

You can see trumpeter swans at the Vaseux Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary, which was established to provide protection for this beautiful bird. Wye Marsh National Wildlife Area and Elk Island National Park are other good places to see trumpeter swans. To learn more about Elk Island’s trumpeter swan reintroduction program, click here.

1. American White Pelican

Average wingspan: 2.7 meters (110 inches)
Flight path: Canada’s most northern colony is found in the Northwest Territories, near Fort Smith. After nesting and raising their young, white pelicans migrate to coastal areas of the United States and Mexico where they spend the winter.
Fun fact: Adults can consume up to 2 kg of food per day. They prey on fish, frogs, and aquatic invertebrates by scooping them from shallow water. The pelicans will then strain the water from their pouches before swallowing. The second largest colony of white pelicans in Canada, 15,000 at last estimate, is found on Lavallée Lake in Prince Albert National Park.