The hippopotamus protects its skin by secreting a pink oily substance, yuck! This slimy mess keeps the hippos’ skin from drying out and protects them from the affects of the sun.
http://www.eol.org/pages/311532
Pink Oily Hippo
The Ferocious Bladderwort Plant!
You may have heard of the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) and its carnivorous eating habits, but did you know that there are other plants that hunt? In fact, the bladderwort plant (Utricularia) is 100 times faster than the Venus flytrap.
The bladderwort plant lives in fresh water and is such a successful hunter that it doesn’t grow any roots. This plant catches its prey by using tiny capsules, which have doors on them that are lined with very sensitive bristles. If a small water creature touches the bristles “smooosh” goes the door and the prey is tightly sealed inside. The bladderwort then secrets acids to digests its prey and within two hours the plant is ready to reset the trap to try and catch another tasty snack.
http://www.asknature.org/strategy/001274b75a7dd4f8fc46a5a4a0446489#changeTab
http://www.ncbnaturalis.nl/en/press/pressreleases/semporna-may-have-richest-marine-biodiversity-world/
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.
Seashell Strength
Human homes and shells may have more in common than you think. Like most houses the structure of a shell is supported by interlocking bricks. Abalone seashells have two layers, the outside brittle part and an extra strong inner area that is made out of mother of pearl, called nacre. The nacre is made up of 95% chalk and is held together by 5% protein. This doesn’t sound very tough but when it is laid out in a brick pattern it is able to protect creatures from anything that might pierce the shell.
http://www.livescience.com/11696-seashells-strength-interlocking-bricks.html
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.
Am I at the North or South Pole?
If you ever thought that the only difference between the North and the South Poles are their locations on the map then this article is for you! We have put together a “how to guide” so if you find yourself lost at one of these poles you can tell whether you are in the Arctic (North pole) or Antarctica (South Pole).
Temperature
Now that you have landed at one of the poles the first thing you should do is check the temperature, pull out that thermometer that any trusty adventurer has with them and see just how cold you really are. The Arctic is the warmer of the two with an average temperature of -34, while Antarctica’s average temperature is -49 (degrees Celsius). Brrrr! Let’s hope you brought your hat and mitts!
Land and Water
Time to explore your surroundings, take a look at the land and water and see if you can tell where you are. The Arctic is a frozen ocean surrounded by land while Antarctica is the opposite –
land, including mountain ranges and lakes, surrounded by an ocean. Antarctica also has 90% of the world’s ice, while the Arctic has thinner ice and is more sensitive to climate change.
Animals
Now that we know the temperature and landscape you might want to see what animals will be keeping you company. The Arctic is home to polar bears while Antarctica is home to penguins, if you see both at the same time you are probably at the zoo!
Habitable
Time for the really bad news, if you are trying to huddle with the penguins in harsh temperature of -49 then you are probably in Antarctica and your chances of a rescue just got a little trickier. That’s because Antarctica can be a lonely place, no one lives here nor does anyone control it. Although research groups visit this area it isn’t occupied by any country, instead it is governed by the Antarctic Treaty. Things would be different if you were at the other pole, there are 4 million people living in the Arctic Circle and many countries split it, including Canada, The USA, Russia and Norway.
http://www.livescience.com/11362-north-south-poles-10-wild-differences-440.html
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.
Aye-aye Captain!
This interesting looking creature is an Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), if you haven’t seen one in your neighborhood it is probably because they can only be found on the island of Madagascar.
They may look funny but they are especially designed for finding food. Their large ears give them excellent hearing, which they use to help them find larva in the trees. They also have really slender hands with curved nails and an extra long middle digit that is used for digging out larva and piercing the skin of fruit.
http://www.eol.org/pages/324407
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.
Chocolate and Climate Change
It looks like climate change may be hitting where it hurts! Climate change has begun to affect our chocolate stock. Although there are other social issues at work, one of the biggest concerns is ecological.
The Ivory Coast and Ghana, the largest cocoa producers, are suffering from low crop yields as a result of temperatures rising, soil depleting and unpredictable rainfall. You can help by looking for products labeled ‘sustainable’ or ‘organic’ when you go to the grocery store to get your chocolate fix. These forms of farming try and leave the surrounding environment and the community healthy so that they can keep growing cocoa for years to come!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/valentines-day/savour-that-chocolate-while-you-can-still-afford-it/article1904608/page1/
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.
Talkin’ Like a Plant
Shhhh! We are trying to listen to the plants, yup that green thing outside has developed ways to communicate. In particular, they are able to tell which plants are living nearby. Many trees do not grow well around their relatives, leaving scientists confused about how plants know who their neighbors are.
Research now offers some answers, showing that young trees react to the microorganisms in the soil near their roots. The presence of these microorganisms in the ground lets the young saplings know their mature relatives are growing nearby, which decreases their chances of survival. The sagebrush is a little different; although it communicates it does so to keep its relatives close by. The sagebrush communicates by emitting chemicals into the air that land on other plants. These chemical cues help fend off insects and give this plant a better chance of survival if they are growing near other sagebrushes.
http://discovermagazine.com/2010/nov/14-the-secret-social-life-of-plants
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.
Tiny Blue Penguin Fairy
This may not look like a penguin but it certainly is! They are called little or fairy penguins (Eudyptula mino), they live in New Zealand and Australia and have the typical tuxedo look of a penguin except they are blue! They are also the smallest penguin, weighing just 2 pounds, these little guys are most affected by such threats as food shortages and habitat loss.
http://www.livescience.com/12780-blue-penguin-feathers.html
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.
Lovebirds
Ever wonder where the term lovebird comes from? Well they are a real bird and just like their name says they are quite romantic. Lovebirds (Agapornis) mate for life, forming strong bonds with one another. They can often be seen preening (cleaning each others’ feathers) or affectionately biting their partner’s beak. These birds aren’t the only romantic creatures though; here are a few more nature love stories brought to you by our feathered friends.
Homemade presents
Birds may not know how to make pink heart shaped greeting cards but many of them are expert homebuilders. Male Bowerbirds build elaborate nests using tons of found objects to put together a special scene that they hope will grab the attention of a female.
Marsh Wrens (Cistothorus palustris) also build nests to impress, but they are so hard working that they construct many different dome-shaped homes for the females to choose from. Once a female Marsh Wren comes into the males territory he will show her several different nests. If the female likes one of the nests she will line it with strips of grass, small stems and other items to make the space her own.
Cooking up something sweet
Some birds show they care by bringing food, cause nothing says I love you quite like a yummy snack. This courtship feeding can be seen in such birds as the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), males of this species bring fish to the females.
Putting on a show
Magnificent Birds of Paradise (Diphyllodes magnificus) take a different approach to courting. First the males set the stage, cleaning up an area by removing twigs and leaves. Once things are just right they show off their beautiful feathers, dancing and calling to impress the females of their species.
Take it from the birds
This Valentine’s Day be inspired by nature and show someone how much they are loved by making a gift, baking a tasty treat or singing a song. All great bird inspired ways to make your friends and family feel special.
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sterna_hirundo.html
http://www.eol.org/pages/1050701
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Diphyllodes_magnificus.html
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Agapornis_fischeri.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100909122801.htm
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.
Curvy Sea Horse
What is the most unique fish? Well the sea horse is definitely in the running! While most fish have straight bodies, the sea horse has a snout and a curved neck that is similar to a horse (hence its name). New research suggests that this fish evolved to have this shape because it gave them an advantage when looking for food. Sea horses are ambush predators, they wait for an unsuspecting crustacean to swim by then they suck the prey into their mouths and swallow them whole. Sea horses use their tails to grab hold of things like coral, helping to keep them still while they wait for their dinner. Seems like that cool body shape comes in handy!
http://www.eol.org/pages/218966
http://www.livescience.com/11633-secret-sea-horse-creature-curve.html
