OMG Animals - Earth Rangers

Retired Ant

Earth Rangers — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Leaf-cutter ants have sharp mandibles that they use to cut leaves. As these insects age their mandibles wear down, using this dull cutting tool means it can take them three times as long to get the same piece of leaf. But these hard-working insects don’t exactly retire to the beach! Once a leaf-cutter ant’s mandibles are dull they take up a new role on the delivery crew where they carry the leaves back to the colony.

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Octopus Decorations

Earth Rangers — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

The Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris) likes to put a personal touch on its home. Once females have picked a nice hole, they start decorating it with pretty shells, stones, and other attractive objects that are nearby. We have yet to find evidence of any Taylor Swift posters.

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Why are Leopards Spotted?

Earth Rangers — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Why are leopards spotted but tigers striped?

Researching 35 species of wild cats with different fur designs, it was found that dense habitats in the trees tend to be home to patterned wild cats. These species are also more likely to be active in the dark. So what does this all mean? The detailed patterns on these wild cats have evolved to help them camouflage in the spaces where they live!

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Moose are Amazing Swimmers

Earth Rangers — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Have you ever seen a moose in the wild? What about one that’s swimming? It might surprise you, but Moose are exceptional swimmers. A few days after birth, they are able to go on long swims with their mother. When the food on the ground isn’t what they are craving, they also can dive more than 5 meters underwater for food on a lake bottom.

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Walking on Ice like a Polar Bear

Earth Rangers — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Not only are polar bear paws giant, they’re also, ummm suction-y? Polar bears’ feet have small bumps and holes on the bottom of them which act like suction cups, helping to keep the bears from slipping on the ice.

Help polar bears with a Wildlife Adoption!

Head to the Adoptions Section in the App or visit the Earth Rangers Shop!

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A Freezing Cold Frog

Earth Rangers — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 19:40:37 +0000

Did you know that some frogs, like the grey tree frog, can survive freezing temperatures? Their body makes a chemical that protects their organs and stops ice from forming. This neat trick can help humans too. We can study these frogs and use what we learn to help store people’s organs for transplants.

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Secret Seal Lair

Earth Rangers — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 13:00:00 +0000

The ringed seal (Pusa hispida) is a secretive animal. Unlike other seals, they carve out a lair in snowdrifts or ridges of ice to hide from predators. Special features of this hideout include one or more chambers and a hole in the ice to allow them to dive down into the water for food.

Help protect ringed seals with a Ringed Seal Adoption Kit, available through the App or E-Store today!

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The Trendy Arctic Fox

Earth Rangers — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 15:10:37 +0000

Fashion trends change from season to season. One winter, the “it” colour might be black, but then it’s purple in the summer. Well, certain animals, like the Arctic Fox, have their own colour trends, except it has less to do with fashion and more to do with survival.

Arctic fox’s winter coat

Arctic foxes can’t take off their coats the way we can, so they have to make special adaptations for different seasons. In the winter, the Arctic fox’s coat is white and thick, which is very handy for blending into the snowy environment and staying warm in the freezing cold. In fact, their coats hold the record for being the most insulated of all mammals, which means it is the best at keeping the heat in, allowing them to survive in temperature as low as -80 degrees Celsius!

Arctic fox’s summer coat

These warm coats are great for the winter, but what happens when the temperature warms up and the snow melts? As you can see from these pictures, the Arctic fox’s summer coat looks completely different than its winter one. Their white fur turns brown and grey, and their coat is only about half as thick. When the temperature drops again, you can bet they will be dressed in their brightest and whitest once more.

Head to the Adoptions Section in the Earth Rangers App or visit the Earth Rangers Shop to get your Adoption Kit and help make a difference today!

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TIMBER! The Beaver is Here

Earth Rangers — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 20:34:00 +0000

Meet the dentist’s favourite animals. Beavers’ teeth are super sharp and super strong. The average beaver cuts down about 216 trees per year and can take down trees with a diameter of up to 40 centimetres without even a toothache. They can even cut twigs underwater!

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Crabeater Seal

Earth Rangers — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Sometimes animals have names that just don’t make any sense! A Purple finch isn’t purple, not all ladybugs are female, a sea cucumber isn’t an underwater vegetable, and don’t forget silverfish, which definitely aren’t fish! Well, the Crabeater seal isn’t any different.

There are lots of things a Crabeater seal could be named after; their bodies are built for speed and they are one of the fastest seals when moving on land. With around 15 million of them, Crabeater seals have the largest population of all pinniped (aquatic meat-eating mammals with fins for feet like seals, walruses, and sea lions). Their teeth are even specially designed for eating krill (not crab), which makes up about 95% of their diet. Instead of all of these cool traits, the Crabeater seal is named after crabs, a crustacean that isn’t even found in the Antarctic, where these seals live. Oh well! You know what they say…a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.

Photo Credit: Liam Quinn

Know any other animals in need of a new name? Post a comment below and tell us what you think they should be called!

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