Squirrels Live in Leaf Balls

Earth Rangers

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December 1, 2014

Around this time of year, when most trees are bare and winter is near, do you ever look up and see a ball of leaves high in the branches? If you have spotted one of these leaf balls you might be standing at the doorstep of a squirrel’s home!

Most ground squirrels hibernate in winter, but not the Eastern grey squirrel. Eastern grey squirrels stay active all year round. Throughout the winter, you can see them running around digging small holes in the snow looking for nuts that they hid in the summer and fall. Eastern grey squirrels stay warm at night in nests. They will use existing tree cavities, but if none are available they will build a leaf ball home called a ‘drey’. These balls of leaves actually have three parts: the base; the outer layer and the inner core. Squirrels build the base for their nest out of sticks so that the nest has lots of support. The outer layer of leaves looks messy and fluffy but it really helps to block the cold wind. Inside, the nest has an inner, warmer core of leaves tightly woven or packed together with grass and thin strips of tree bark. In the extreme cold, two squirrels may share the same nest to help stay warm.

Squirrel Leaf Ball — Flickr Credit benjamin sTone

More squirrel facts!

• Squirrels are in the rodent family
• Worldwide there are 262 species of squirrels
• Twenty-two species of squirrels live in Canada, six of which nest in trees, like the Eastern grey squirrel; the other 16 live in dens or burrows in the ground
• Eastern grey squirrels have two different colour types, grey and black. Scientists think the black colour is an adaptation to cold winters in Canada

Top Ten Worst Animal Hiding Spots

Earth Rangers

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November 29, 2014

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Many species use camouflage to help them survive, click here to see some animals that are incredibly good at blending into their environment. But not all animals can be the best at hiding, sometimes they don’t get it quite right. Check out this countdown of animals with the worst hiding spots.

1) “No one can see me right?”

bush dog (Speothos venaticus) — Bush dog (Speothos venaticus) Photo credit Steve Wilson

2) “I think I need a bigger tree”

3) “Total stealth mode”

gorilla hiding — Gorilla hiding. Photo credit Mark Dumont

4) “Am I lined up right?”

caterpillar on road — Photo credit hobvias sudoneighm

5) “Best hiding spot ever”

6) “Is this feathery hat too much?”

crowned pigeon — Crowned pigeon. Photo credit Jeff Krause

7) “My secret fortress”

8) “I totally blend in with the local traffic”

Elephant on the road. Photo credit Craig Sefton

9) “Be the stump become the stump…”

Bear hiding behind tree stump — Photo credit stefan david

10) “Nothing to see here, just a field of yellow flowers”

Meet Lucy – A Girl on a Mission to Banish Abandoned Batteries

Earth Rangers

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November 26, 2014

88

Meet Lucy – A Girl on a Mission to Banish Abandoned Batteries

Eight-year-old Lucy is a dedicated Earth Ranger who is always looking for ways to keep our planet healthy.

She is especially concerned with all of the batteries that she sees on the streets and playgrounds in the community where she lives. With permission from her mom, Lucy picks up batteries so she can properly recycle them at her local depot. “I worry about the batteries polluting the soil and getting into the food supply of squirrels and raccoons. I feel good knowing I’m doing something to help.”

Lucy first learned about Earth Rangers when she attended an Earth Rangers presentation at the Royal Ontario Museum. She has completed Bring Back the Wild campaigns for the barn swallow and the bobolink. Lucy also recycles, composts and brings litter-free lunches to school.

Thank you, Lucy, for helping to keep your community clean. Collecting and recycling batteries properly is extremely important because batteries can have a serious impact on the environment and animals that need healthy and clean habitats to survive. Find out more about recycling batteries with the Earth Rangers Battery Blitz Mission.

Is It Too Cold Out Today?

Earth Rangers

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November 21, 2014

111

Have you ever walked outside on an icy cold winter’s day and forgotten to put your coat on? It was probably only a matter of seconds before you realized your mistake and quickly dashed back inside for warmth and a nice hot cup of cocoa! Animals that survive in the Arctic very rarely have this problem. They are adapted to survive long winters (up to 10 months) of snowfall, ice, periods of little sunlight and freezing cold temperatures that are sometimes well below – 30° Celsius! Let’s take a look at some of the ways Arctic wildlife are able to live in this harsh climate.

Throw on your coat … and shorten your ears?!

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about adaptations to the cold is of course having a thick fur coat. Most Arctic animals have a fur coat surrounding their body that usually thickens as winter approaches.

The Arctic fox, for example, has the warmest fur coat of any mammal on earth! In the summer months, you will find the Arctic fox with a thinner brown/grey coat which is quickly replaced by a thick white one as winter approaches – used for both keeping warm and camouflaging in the snow. The Muskoxen, a large Arctic animal, has a two-layered coat with a soft wool inner layer covered by a much longer outer layer of thick hair. This double layer traps heated air near their body to better keep warm and block out the wind. It’s kind of like us wearing a sweater and a thick fleece. Arctic wolves also produce a thick winter coat and have hairs on the pads of their feet for walking on cold, icy surfaces. What other body features do animals have that help them survive the cold? Well, body heat is lost the fastest from our extremities, or body parts that stick out, like our ears, arms and legs. To adapt to the cold and reduce heat loss, Arctic foxes and wolves have smaller ears and noses as well as shorter legs, helping them to keep warm in the cold windy climate of the Canadian Arctic.

It’s a good time to fatten up!

Some animals in the Arctic can reach enormous sizes and survive the cold because of thick amounts of fat and blubber around their body. The fat acts like an insulator, trapping heat and keeping animals warm on land and in the North’s frigid and icy waters! Polar bears can weigh up to 600 kg and possess a thick layer of fat and blubber that they use for both warmth and energy, especially when sea ice has melted and they can no longer hunt for prey. Aquatic species also use a thick layer of fat to keep warm in the water, including hooded, ringed and bearded seals, as well as walrus that can have a layer of blubber over two inches thick! Female seals will also produce milk for their pups that is very high in fat to help their babies grow quickly and develop their own layers of blubber to survive the icy water.

walrus and bearded seals — Walrus and bearded seal

Getting around the snow and ice…

Snow and ice are characteristic features of life in the Arctic, which means to survive animals need specific physical characteristics to help them get around. Wolverines have large paws that act like snowshoes to keep them from sinking in deep snow. Arctic hare have long, thick claws to help them climb over piles of snow and dig dens for shelter from the cold and wind and protection from predators.

Living in the Arctic can be tricky, but these animals are adapted to these extreme conditions, allowing them to call this chilly place “home”! If you could use one of these animal adaptations to stay warm this winter which one would you choose? 1) Growing thicker hair, 2) Adding a layer of blubber, 3) Shortening your nose and ears or 4) Growing bigger paws to cross deep piles of snow?

wolverine and Arctic hare — Wolverine and Arctic Hare

Leave your answer in the comments section below!

researcher L Sciullo with polar bear — Luana Sciullo

This article was written by honorary Earth Ranger Luana. Luana Sciullo is a doctoral student in the Department of Biology at York University where she works with researchers at Environment Canada to investigate long-term shifts in Polar bear foraging ecology and body condition in relation to environmental change in Western Hudson Bay.

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Funny Talking Animals Video

Earth Rangers

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November 19, 2014

1,277

At Earth Rangers, we ask some very serious questions. Can flamingos bust a move? What’s the top track on a zebra’s playlist? What happens when a baby rhino can’t find his mom? Will that tarsier ever let go of that stick? Find out the answers to these important questions in this video—and try not to laugh too hard!

If animals could talk, what do you think they’d say?

Make Your Own Paper

Earth Rangers

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November 10, 2014

114

Have you ever made your own paper? Using paper can’t get much more environmentally friendly than this. Plus, it’s really fun too! Take your Homemade Holiday Mission to the next level by getting your family together and use these instructions to make your own paper for your Homemade Holiday cards!

Here’s What You’ll Need

Special Notes:
– Used paper can include old paper, newspaper, used envelopes, even junk mail (just make sure the paper isn’t glossy).
– Use the cookies sheet to catch water and the cutting board for flattening.
– When looking for a cloth, make sure it isn’t a face cloth or bath towel as a textured material will stick to your paper.
– You can substitute any of these items if you come across something that you think would work better.

What to do…

Rip up your paper into small pieces. Put the pieces into your leak-proof plastic container with just enough warm water to cover all the pieces and let it soak for about 30 minutes.

TIP: Add some glitter to the mix if you want your paper to sparkle!

While you are waiting for your paper pieces to soak, it’s the perfect time to make your screen. Have an adult bend your wire hanger into a rectangle. Next stretch the old pantyhose over the wire frame.

TIP: You can use duct tape to secure the edges if needed.

Are the 30 minutes up? Great! Add a little bit more warm water to your container, toss in your marbles and close it tightly. The amount water you use depends on how many paper pieces you have and how thin you want your finished paper to be. You may need to do a little experimenting. With the help of an adult shake the container until the paper has broken down and the mixture has thickened. Once you’ve removed your marbles, your paper pulp is ready!

TIP: Want a faster way to make the paper pulp? Instead of using marbles and a container, put the soaked paper pieces and water into a kitchen blender! Always remember to ask an adult before using kitchen appliances.

Place your homemade screen over the cookie sheet and pour your paper pulp over the screen until it is covered evenly. Don’t worry if you have extra pulp, it means you can make another sheet!

TIP: If your pulp is too thick, put it back in the container, add more water and mix again.

Put a clean cloth over the pulp and place your cutting board on top. Now squeeze the cutting board and cookie sheet together as hard as you can. This will help you get rid of some of the extra water while flattening your paper at the same time. Drain the extra water. Remove the cutting board and press your sponge on the cloth to soak up more water. Absorb as much water as you can. The more water you absorb, the faster your paper will dry.

Flip your screen over so the cloth is facing downward and gently scratch the screen with your finger nails or the tip of a spoon. This will help the paper detach from the screen.

TIP: Feel free to replace your cloth before flipping the screen if you think it is too wet.

Carefully remove your screen and set your paper and cloth aside to dry. Once it’s completely dry, carefully peal off your paper. If you notice your paper isn’t as flat as you want it, put it between two books for a while.

When your paper is flattened to your liking, you have made your own paper!

Want to make something fun with your homemade paper? Accept your Homemade Holiday Mission to make homemade holiday cards out of materials from around your house.

Top Ten Weirdest Looking National Birds

Earth Rangers

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November 8, 2014

135

Did you know that countries have national birds? Here’s our countdown of some of the weirdest looking national birds from all around the world. If you could pick your country’s national bird, which species would you choose? Leave a comment to share your suggestion.

1) Ecuador: Andean Condor

2) Malaysia: Rhinoceros Hornbill

3) New Zealand: Kiwi

4) Angola: Red crested Turaco

5) Trinidad and Tobago: Scarlet Ibis

6) Peru: Andean cock-of-the-rock

7) Nepal: Lophophorus

8) Kiribati: Magnificent Frigatebird

9) Guatemala: Quetzal

10) Antigua and Barbuda: Frigate

Top Ten Funny Halloween Animals

Earth Rangers

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October 25, 2014

232

These animals are in the Halloween spirit year round thanks to their striking black and orange colouring. We’ve given them some fun captions to share what we think they’d have to say about Halloween! Can you think of any other animals that remind you of Halloween? Share your suggestions below.

1) Orange tarantula

“Check out my ghost costume, I spun it myself!”

2) Cheetah

“Halloween is upon us… I can sense it”

3) Black-capped squirrel monkey

“I’m going to steal all of your Halloween candy!”

4) Orangutan

“I’m not smiling again until it is Halloween”

5) Puffin

“Do you want some of my Halloween treats?”

6) Tiger

“You’re going as a tiger too! Costume party fail”

7) Toucan

“Think how much candy I can fit in this beak…”

8) Orange poison dart frog

“So… are we going trick or treating now?”

9) Slug

“I’m going to visit twice as many houses this year, a whole two houses!”

10) Owl

“I’m on such a Halloween candy sugar buzz that I stopped blinking”

Owl close up — Photo credit: Flickr user Takoyaki_King

Team Sunflower!

Earth Rangers

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October 10, 2014

67

Meet Elizabeth, Tia, Alannah and Shawnice – four friends working together to help protect animals and preserve the environment.

Elizabeth has been an active Earth Ranger for the past three years and raised funds to help protect polar bears through a Bring Back the Wild birthday party, garage sale, doing extra chores and even donating part of her allowance. Tia also hosted a birthday party for her Bring Back the Wild campaign for the polar bear.

The girls were eager to do more so they started selling sunflower seedlings (baby sunflower plants) at their school’s Fun Fair. The sunflower sale was so popular that this year their friends Alannah and Shawnice joined the group to help with the planting of 150 seeds and care and selling of the seedlings. All of the proceeds from the plants sales were donated to Earth Rangers.

These friends are extremely committed to maintaining a healthy planet and participate in various activities like their school’s Eco Club, an annual spring clean-up in their community, recycling and helping to raise awareness for the environment through their Sunflower Fundraiser.

Elizabeth says, “It is important to protect all animals including insects, rodents, predators, spiders, amphibians and reptiles because they all play a part in keeping the ecosystem in balance.”

We couldn’t agree more. Thank you for sharing this amazing idea!

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

Top Ten Things Owls Give a Hoot About

Earth Rangers

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October 4, 2014

117

Here’s our countdown of the things owls love. From mice to eyelids and spinning their heads around, these animals have some pretty diverse interests.

1) Spinning their head around:

Owls can turn their head 270 degrees

2) Stealth:
They fly silently thanks to big wings and serrated flight feathers

3) Mice and other rodents:

They make up a big part of most owls’ diets

4) Eye-tubes:

Owls have elongated eyes instead of round eyes

5) Eyelids:

Owls and other birds have a third eyelid for cleaning their eyes

6) Wisdom:

A group of owls is called a wisdom, parliament or study

7) “Night owls”:

Owls are nocturnal, hunting for prey when it’s dark

8) Things far away:

Owls can’t see clearly up close, only in the distance

9) Hearts:

Their face is heart-shaped and forms a disk to magnify sound

10) Hiding :

The colour of their feathers helps them to camouflage

Help protect these incredible animals by starting a Bring Back the Wild campaign for the western screech owl!

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

Earth Rangers

Earth Rangers

More squirrel facts!

1) “No one can see me right?”

2) “I think I need a bigger tree”

3) “Total stealth mode”

4) “Am I lined up right?”

5) “Best hiding spot ever”

6) “Is this feathery hat too much?”

7) “My secret fortress”

8) “I totally blend in with the local traffic”

9) “Be the stump become the stump…”

10) “Nothing to see here, just a field of yellow flowers”

Throw on your coat … and shorten your ears?!

It’s a good time to fatten up!

Getting around the snow and ice…

Leave your answer in the comments section below!

What to do…

1) Ecuador: Andean Condor

2) Malaysia: Rhinoceros Hornbill

3) New Zealand: Kiwi

4) Angola: Red crested Turaco

5) Trinidad and Tobago: Scarlet Ibis

6) Peru: Andean cock-of-the-rock

7) Nepal: Lophophorus

8) Kiribati: Magnificent Frigatebird

9) Guatemala: Quetzal

10) Antigua and Barbuda: Frigate

1) Orange tarantula

“Check out my ghost costume, I spun it myself!”

2) Cheetah

“Halloween is upon us… I can sense it”

3) Black-capped squirrel monkey

“I’m going to steal all of your Halloween candy!”

4) Orangutan

“I’m not smiling again until it is Halloween”

5) Puffin

“Do you want some of my Halloween treats?”

6) Tiger

“You’re going as a tiger too! Costume party fail”

7) Toucan

“Think how much candy I can fit in this beak…”

8) Orange poison dart frog

“So… are we going trick or treating now?”

9) Slug

“I’m going to visit twice as many houses this year, a whole two houses!”

10) Owl

“I’m on such a Halloween candy sugar buzz that I stopped blinking”

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

1) Spinning their head around:

Owls can turn their head 270 degrees

2) Stealth: They fly silently thanks to big wings and serrated flight feathers

3) Mice and other rodents:

They make up a big part of most owls’ diets

4) Eye-tubes:

Owls have elongated eyes instead of round eyes

5) Eyelids:

Owls and other birds have a third eyelid for cleaning their eyes

6) Wisdom:

A group of owls is called a wisdom, parliament or study

7) “Night owls”:

Owls are nocturnal, hunting for prey when it’s dark

8) Things far away:

Owls can’t see clearly up close, only in the distance

9) Hearts:

Their face is heart-shaped and forms a disk to magnify sound

10) Hiding :

The colour of their feathers helps them to camouflage

Help protect these incredible animals by starting a Bring Back the Wild campaign for the western screech owl!

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.

2) Stealth:
They fly silently thanks to big wings and serrated flight feathers