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Am I at the North or South Pole?

Earth Rangers

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February 22, 2011

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!

Earth Rangers

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February 21, 2011

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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

Earth Rangers

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February 18, 2011

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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

Earth Rangers

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February 17, 2011

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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

Earth Rangers

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February 16, 2011

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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

Earth Rangers

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February 14, 2011

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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

Earth Rangers

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February 11, 2011

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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

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.

Press Play and Watch Avery’s Turtle Adventure

Earth Rangers

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February 9, 2011

58

Press Play and Watch Avery’s Turtle Adventure

Avery has big dreams, when asked what he wants to be when he grows up he says “a paleontologist, a film maker and a monster truck driver”. So where does a young man with such plans go for fun, Costa Rica to save turtles of course! Avery’s love for the wild all started by watching National Geographic videos, from these nature clips he got inspired to find out how things work.

Ranger Deed

Driven by his passion for dinosaurs, animals, bugs and reptiles oh my! Avery set off on a family adventure, filming how he and his parents are making a difference on our planet. This summer Avery and his family went to Costa Rica, where they helped the Olive Ridley Sea Turtles. Avery helped to patrol the beaches at night during the turtle’s nesting season. This budding filmmaker also got his hands dirty by helping to measure this endangered animal’s shell and tagging flippers for scientists. He also had to count and record all of the eggs. Did you know turtles often lay over 100 eggs at a time? That’s a lot of counting! Avery was awarded the rare opportunity to release a family of newly hatched turtles into the ocean. He says this was his favourite part because “They were so tiny and cute! They needed our help because their mom wasn’t there to show them where to go”.

Movie Magic

Avery made this video to tell his school all about the endangered Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, and how we can help them. Even though he’s only in Kindergarten, all of the kids now know him for his work with the sea turtles!

Who should be the next Super Ranger? Tell us whose amazing acts of green we should feature!

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.

Introducing Amazing Alice

Earth Rangers

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February 7, 2011

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We caught up with an amazing girl named Alice who is helping to protect the Jefferson Salamander. This Super Ranger has some inspirational words to share and who better to tell it then Alice herself:

Hi! My name is Alice!

I am 5 years old and I am a Super Ranger! I love learning about Dinosaurs, Space, Insects and Reptiles.

Everyday I spend time on my computer playing lots of Animal games and I love reading all about wild animals no matter how gross, slimy or dangerous. I even have my very own Ant Farm! At my house, we grown all our own veggies, and herbs… even pumpkins! Even though I am only 5 and I have Autism, I am big enough and smart enough to do big things everyday!

Ranger Deed

I became an Earth Ranger when I was watching YTV and my favorite person CARLOS said he was being an Earth Ranger. He inspired me to join his team and so I chose to help save the Jefferson Salamander.

It didn’t take me long to reach my goal to save the Salamander with my amazing Family and Friends donating what they could. When I completed my goal, I was invited to a party and I was given an award by the Leader of the Green Party of Canada, Elizabeth May, “in recognition of valuable contributions to the protection of our environment.”

Everyday there are new, hard challenges for me. I do what I can, the best I can. My Mom and Dad are so proud of me. This was a special project for me because I did it and I loved it!

Words of Wisdom

Everyone should take care of the environment…Because it will help more nature and animals grow and Because Wild Animals need help to survive, even monkeys and elephants.

If you want to help Alice Bring Back the Wild™ visit her campaign page and show your support!

Who should be the next Super Ranger? Tell us whose amazing acts of green we should feature!

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.

Flying Vampire Frog

Earth Rangers

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February 1, 2011

28

Looks like bats aren’t the only animals named after creatures that go bump in the night. Rhacophorus vampyrus, a frog first discovered in 2008 in South Vietnam, has been nicknamed the “vampire flying frog”.

Rhacophorus Vampyrus vampire flying frog — Rhacophorus Vampyrus © Jodi J L Rowley/Australian Museum

Now don’t go thinking that you are going to be attacked by a flying frog hungry for blood because these guys aren’t really bloodsuckers. This frog gets its scary nickname from the fangs that it grows when it’s young, instead of the beak-like mouth parts other tadpoles have. These fangy frogs like to live high in the trees and really have no reason to come down to the ground. Their webbed feet help them jump from tree to tree and they lay their eggs in water pools in the tree trunks.

If you had to give your favourite animal a scary nickname, like our friend the vampire flying frog, what would it be, for example what if you ran into the dreaded hippo of doom…

http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/zt02727p055.pdf

http://australianmuseum.net.au/media/Vampire-Flying-Frog-Discovery

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.