It was a quiet day in the animal kingdom when a group of fuzzy friends decided it was time for a road trip. What better way to turn a boring afternoon into an adventure-filled journey – or so they thought…
Your Next Mission: Flip the Switch
Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing our planet today, and one of the ways you can help fight against it is by cutting back on the amount of electricity you use.
What is climate change and how does saving electricity help slow it down?
Climate change refers to the changes in our planet’s weather patterns over a long period of time. When we burn coal, oil or other fossil fuels to make things like electricity, we impact how quickly our climate is changing. That’s because fossil fuels release greenhouse gases when they’re burned, which then build up in the Earth’s atmosphere and cause the planet to warm faster than it has in the past.
That’s why it’s so important that we save electricity!
Your Mission: Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs and help conserve electricity in your home!
In this Mission, we’ll help you make the switch to energy-efficient light bulbs and show you how saving electricity can help the planet. We’ll also tell you more about how Canada is taking action to help slow down climate change by flipping the switch across the country!
Are you ready to flip the switch?
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The Halloween Takeover
Get into the Halloween spirit with this spooky story…
“Shrooom, flap flap” “shrooom, flap flap” this was the noise that Barticus the bat made as he flew back and forth, pacing in the dark cave. It wasn’t night time yet, so his brothers and sisters were still fast asleep.
Barticus couldn’t imagine sleeping at a time like this, not when it was the most hated, worstest day of the year… Halloween. Barticus loved to celebrate all the bat holidays, even battyismist, but every year he dreaded October 31st. As a night time loving mammal, you may think that Barticus would like a holiday filled with all things scary and spooky but you’d be wrong.
The reflection of the moon came pouring down as Barticus flew at top speed out of the cave. Barticus soared over the corn fields and towards the small houses in neat rows lined with Halloween decorations, staring down at what he hated about this time of year.
Sure, everyone loves a smiling pumpkin, or a witch hat, but why did bats have to be a spooky sign of Halloween? Barticus didn’t like the idea of people being scared of bats, because really they were some of the nicest animals around. Why couldn’t bats be the sign for something warm and fuzzy like Valentine’s Day – they were lovable mammals too! Nicer than those pesky mosquitoes… After all, what has bitten you more often: a blood sucking insect or an adorable lovable bat?
This Halloween was going to be different though, Barticus had a plan that would leave everyone jumping with fright… but this time it won’t be at bats it would be at something much, much scarier…..
The night before, Barticus had been soaring by a house when he saw a little boy playing at his computer, he was jumping up and down with excitement as the clicks of his mouse made the lemur jump from tree to tree. From the poster of Cosmo the Lemur on the wall to the Bring Back the Wild buttons, Barticus could tell this kid’s favourite animal wasn’t a bat.
It was at that moment that Barticus realized if he was going to make bats the new cute animal in town, he was going to have to give humans something else to be scared of at Halloween. That is how he came up with his plan, which after much debate; he called “The Evil Lemur Master Plan.”
Barticus couldn’t pull this off alone so he teamed up with his best friends, Signor spider and BB the black cat, to take back Halloween. As Barticus landed by the big oak tree, he saw that Signor the spider had already begun decorating BB the black cat. With a paint brush dripping with white paint, Signor had made BB’s tail look just like a ring-tailed lemur. “That looks great Signor, but she needs rings around her eyes too”. With a few more brush strokes, Signor had transformed BB the black cat into a ring-tailed lemur.
“Finished at last. Now practice your lemur growl” said Signor.
On that cue nothing happened… because BB the black cat had been sitting to be painted for so long that she had fallen asleep.
“BB!” screeched Barticus.
BB jumped up, “Ok, ok what is all the noise about?”
“Signor has finished, you’re now a lemur!” said Barticus.
BB looked down at her tail. “Well, I would have added a few more rings but I guess it will do” she replied, “ let’s go show some kids that there is something scarier at Halloween than bats, spiders and black cats!” said Barticus. With that, the “Evil Lemur Master Plan” crew was off to bring fear and fright and all things spooky to kids everywhere!
BB the black cat sat lying in wait, crouched up behind a garbage can in a dark alleyway. The paint on her fur that was supposed to make her look like a lemur had dried but it was starting to itch. BB was trying really hard not to lick her fur clean and focus on being a scary lemur when a gaggle of noisy kids started to come down the street.
As the children approached, BB crouched down and launched herself out into the street landing right in front of the children. BB mustered her loudest and scariest call, screaming “BOOOO!”
The kids stood there staring at BB, and then broke out in laughter.
BB was so shocked that she bolted back into the alleyway. Signor Spider and Barticus the bat came down from the roof top where they had been hiding.
“What was that?” asked Signor, “You’re supposed to be a scary lemur, not a ghost.”
“I don’t understand it”, said Barticus, shaking his head, “They should have run away scared. Maybe you should do something more like this – ” Barticus reached his wings up to make himself look really big and made a snarling face.
BB sighed, “I dunno… At least when I was a black cat kids didn’t laugh at me.”
“I thought you wanted to be loveable and not have people cross the street when you come near?” said Barticus.
“I do… but maybe we can’t change who we are. Black cats bring bad luck and lemurs are cute, that’s just the way it is.” replied BB.
“Come on” said Barticus, as he grabbed BB and dragged her back towards the end of the alleyway.
“This time, scream and make your arms big like I showed you, here comes two kids… now ready… set…”
BB closed her eyes hoping that maybe the kids would go the other way, but as soon as their voices were close enough Barticus pushed BB out of the alleyway. BB screamed louder than before “Blaaagggggg” waving her arms all around and stomping her feet. The little boy and girl looked at the black cat painted with a ringed tail that had just jumped out at them, then looked at each other with puzzled expressions.
“Hey,” the boy said, “that kinda looks like Cosmo, the Ring-tailed Lemur”
“Ya, he’s kinda cute and fuzzy looking” replied his sister.
The boy and girl moved towards BB as Barticus and Signor came storming out of the alleyway. The boy and girl stopped in their tracks, “Eeeek it’s a spider and a bat! Ruuun!”
The boy screamed as he turned and ran away.
“Oh’ come on”, shouted Barticus, “so a screaming lemur who jumps out at you isn’t scary but a quiet little bat is? That’s just plain ridiculous.”
As Barticus said this, he realized that the little girl was still standing in front of him.
“Happy Halloween!” she said with a big grin, as she turned and skipped off to catch up with her brother. As Barticus watched the girl leave he realized that not everyone was scared of him and that maybe some people put up pictures of bats, spiders, and black cats because they like them and not just to be scary.
“You know, being a bat on Halloween may not be so bad after all.” Barticus said as he looked down at BB, who had started trying to clean the paint off of her tail… and Signor, who had tangled himself in her fur trying to keep her from de-lemuring herself…
From Everyone at Earth Rangers
Happy Halloween!
How to have a Green Halloween
Make your Halloween green this year by taking action with your family to reduce your carbon footprint. Here are a few ideas you and your family can try:
Pumpkins – more than just a jack-o-lantern:
• When carving your pumpkin, keep the seeds to bake for a healthy snack.
• After Halloween, donate your jack-o-lantern to a farm that can use it to feed its animals – the pumpkin is a good source of vitamins for them. Another option is to place the pumpkin 
on your garden where it can decompose and provide nutrients for your plants next spring.
• If you use an LED tea light instead of a candle, the pumpkin can still be safely cooked and eaten; jack-o-lanterns aren’t as sweet as the smaller pie pumpkins, but in most recipes, no one can tell the difference.
Costumes – make them last!
• Don’t throw away last year’s costume! Instead invite your friends to trade their costumes with you for a brand new look.
• Have a one-of-a-kind costume! Make it yourself using old clothes or recycled items from around the house.
Monster mash – cut down on trash!
• Skip the paper plates at your Halloween party. Reduce waste by using reusable plates and cutlery instead.
• Avoid buying snacks with lots of extra packaging. Consider doing a “candy bar” with chocolates, jujubes and other sweets that you can buy in bulk. Provide your guests with small paper bags to fill up. Also note that chocolates wrapped in foil that scrunches up (and stays scrunched up) are recyclable.
• Use recycled items to make your own spooky party decorations.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
In partnership with
Super Ranger Joel is creating quite a buzz!
Joel, a member of Earth Rangers, is dedicated to making a different – especially when it comes to protecting Bees and Other Pollinators! Ranger Joel has something to be extremely proud of, and his enterprising ideas have started quite the buzz: Ranger Joel has become quite the entrepreneur, proving that one person CAN make a difference!
Initially inspired by Earth Rangers to make a Bee Condo, Ranger Joel wanted to go one step further and make a big difference, and his work? Well, let’s just say it hasn’t gone unnoticed! His Bee Condo Project is absolutely BUZZing: His Bee Condos seem to be spreading all over the countryside in Newfoundland and Labrador, where Ranger Joel’s project is based. He has sold over FIFTY Bee Condos, and on National Bee Day he even spoke about the significance of his project; educating both kids and adults in the importance of bees and other pollinators! Joel’s project is called Joel’s Bee Factory, and he says that the business is important because “…the bee condos protect the bees. Like, not all bees live in hives so they have their babies in their nests.” By providing a safe home for the bees, Joel makes sure that they are able to create nests and keep their hives safe. Now that’s something to buzz about!
Ranger Joel says, “I build the bee condos myself, and sell them. I also explain to people the importance of bees. I recently did a presentation on Bee Condos to the Nature Club at the Fluvarium. I’ve also visited Manuels River Interpretation Centre and installed 6 Bee Condos along their walking trails.” This summer Joel donated some of his Bee Condos to a local camp at the Brother Brennan Environmental Education Centre, and he was also asked to join staff at Manuels River Hibernia Interpretation Centre in an effort to provide a safe-haven for bees!
Earth Rangers isn’t the first organization to take note of Joel’s Bee Factory. In fact, Ranger Joel has been featured in a local Magazine called “Downhome”, he’s been interviewed by CBC, and (wait for it) he has even been noticed by Dragons Den! Wow, Ranger Joel, that’s pretty impressive!
Even with a buzzing business, Ranger Joel still finds time to continue being an active member of Earth Rangers! Ranger Joel says, “I learned about Earth Rangers through a television commercial”, and he says that he knew right away that Earth Rangers was on a similar mission: protecting the natural environment and saving animals and their habitats! Since discovering Earth Rangers, Ranger Joel has been an avid member completing important missions to help green his community like Shoreline Saver and of course Pollinator Power. He planted native pollinating flowers and vegetables in his own back-yard, and (you guessed it) he also installed one of his very own Bee Condos! Though we might be highlighting Joel’s Bee Factory, and his work for Bees and Other Pollinators, Ranger Joel is also an avid recycler. Ranger Joel says, “My family lives by The Three R’s; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – recycling is very important.” Joel and his family strive to save as much energy as they can to help reduce their carbon footprint: “We reduce by ensuring we don’t over use energy or water in our home, we reuse by making sure we have reusable items like water bottles or grocery tote-bags, and we recycle anything that can’t be reused – that way we make sure nothing ends up in our landfills that doesn’t belong there.”
So, you might be wondering what’s next for Ranger Joel? Well, Joel intends to keep his business buzzing! “On September 17th I showcased my work at the Annual Heart and Stroke Newfoundland Mini-Farmers Market “Heart in the Park”. Ranger Joel’s hard work doesn’t just help save bees by providing them with a home; his work also promotes important conversations about protecting nature and animals.
With that in mind, Ranger Joel wants to leave us with one very important message: “It’s important to protect Bees,” he says, highlighting the fact that bees are essential pollinators. “If we don’t protect them we will mess up the whole food chain.”
Thanks so much for all of your absolutely AMAZING hard work Ranger Joel! You truly are an earth-saving hero!
Want to be an earth-saving hero like Ranger Joel? Check out these Missions!
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Whatever you do, DO NOT YAWN!
These animals are so sleepy, it’s contagious. We bet you can’t make it through this whole video without yawning. Press play and see how you score on the yawn-o-meter!
Did you beat the challenge? If not, which animal made you yawn? Let us know by leaving a comment!
The Best Wildlife Pictures of 2017
Every year, thousands of photographers submit pictures to London’s Natural History Museum in hopes of being crowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year. From seals under the ice to a hungry arctic fox, 2017’s pictures are pretty amazing! Here are a few of the finalists:
Swim gym by Laurent Ballesta (France)
A mother seal and her pup play under the ice in east Antarctica. Finalist 2017, Behaviour: Mammals.
Arctic treasure by Sergey Gorshkov (Russia)
A hungry arctic fox snatches an egg from a snow goose nest. Finalist 2017, Animal Portraits.
Glimpse of a lynx by Laura Albiac Vilas (Spain)
A lynx living in the Sierra de Andújar natural park in Spain. Finalist 2017, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, 11-14 Years.
Winter pause by Mats Andersson (Sweden)
A squirrel trying to keep warm on a cold winter morning. Finalist 2017, Black and White.
The insiders by Qing Lin (China)
Clown fish and the parasitic isopods that live inside their mouths. Finalist 2017, Under Water.
Bold eagle by Klaus Nigge (Germany)
A very wet bald eagle. Finalist 2017, Animal Portraits
Sewage surfer by Justin Hofman (US)
A seahorse catches a ride on a floating cottonbud near Sumbawa Island, Indonesia. Finalist 2017, The Wildlife Photojournalist Award: Single Image
Saguaro twist by Jack Dykinga (US)
A saguaro cacti in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert National Monument. Finalist 2017, Plants and Fungi
Bear hug by Ashleigh Scully (US)
A young brown bear cub wants to play. Finalist 2017, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, 11-14 Years
Resplendent delivery by Tyohar Kastiel (Israel)
A male resplendent quetzal on its way to deliver food to its chicks. Finalist 2017, Behaviour: Birds
The power of the matriarch by David Lloyd (New Zealand/UK)
A female elephant from Kenya’s Maasai Mara national reserve. Finalist 2017, Animal Portraits
Let us know which of these pictures is your favourite!
Super Ranger James is electrically plugged in!
Ranger James attended the Electric Vehicle Conference in Toronto a few months ago to share his two passions: electric vehicles and being an Earth Ranger!
When James was 7 years old, he learned that the planet was in trouble and polar bear populations were decreasing. Ranger James sprung into action by becoming an Earth Rangers member.
Now at age 11, James spends a lot of time outdoors enjoying nature, is a long-distance runner, and has taken a keen interest in electric vehicles. Attending the Electric Vehicle Conference was really important to him and while there he was able to speak to a few key individuals that helped set up the event. “I wanted to have a car company before I became an Earth Ranger. I went to a car show with my Dad when I was 6. My Dad showed me how electric vehicles are better cars so it came together with saving the earth,” says James. “I wanted to learn more about EV’s and learn more about business”
Ranger James shared the following message with conference attendees: “Thank you for being plugged in, and don’t unplug yourself,” He also thanked companies at the event for “doing what you do for the environment!” Ranger James is always sure to tell green businesses that they are Earth Rangers too. While attending the event, Ranger James had the opportunity to interview some really interesting people from various companies including Havelaar, Ford, Aviva insurance (who sponsored the Plug n Drive), and Electric Vehicle Society. He also met the President of Electric Mobility Canada as well as many members from the EMC board!
So, what’s next for Ranger James? “I want to meet Elon Musk. And going to the Novi show in Detroit in September. And I want to learn French. And I’m working on my own electric car company. I am working on saving the Earth one person at a time. In my Youtube channel and my social media, I am going to get tens of thousands of followers. the reason I’m not saying “hoping” is because I know I will do it!” – sounds amazing! Ranger James leaves us with an important statement: “Go Green and Drive electric!”
Thank you to Ranger James for sharing his electrifying story!
Want to “go green” like Ranger James? Check out these Missions!
Love this article and want to leave a comment? Not to worry – your comment will be visible after it’s checked by our Team to make sure it’s thoughtful and squeaky clean. Check out our posting guidelines here. (http://www.earthrangers.com/wildwire/earth-rangers-wild-wire-blog-the-how-to-guide-on-commenting-up-a-storm/)
Meet the other bird that’s named after Canada
We all know the Canada goose. They are instantly recognizable with their white chinstrap and black head and neck, but did you know that they aren’t the only bird that shares its name with our great country?
Meet the Canada warbler!
This small yellow and grey songbird weighs just 9-13 grams or about as much as 6 playing cards. They eat mostly insects, especially flies, but they have been known to also eat spiders, snails, worms and sometimes fruit.
They were first discovered in Canada (hence their name) but they don’t spend all year here. During the winter, they will fly all the way down to South America to get away from the cold. Then, when the weather warms up, they fly north and settle down in Canada or northern United States.
Both the Canada goose and the Canada warbler spend at least part of the year living in the boreal forest. They are just 2 of the over 200 bird species that rely on this forest to survive.
If we want to keep our feathery friends healthy, we need to be careful about how we use our forests, and the Canadian forestry sector is on the job! They make sure we aren’t cutting down too many trees and we’re leaving the forest in good shape for birds and other animals. Not only that, they also protect and restore bird habitat, and work with conservation groups to conduct bird surveys and map their populations. The Canadian forestry sector is making sure that working forests work for birds!
Which Canada bird do you think is cooler:
Canada warbler or Canada goose?
In partnership with
Super Ranger Sara is un-BEE-lievable!
“My name is Sara, I’m 8 years old. A few weeks ago I heard about Earth Rangers on TV. I have a passion for animals so I asked my mom to sign me up for Earth Rangers.
I decided to protect bees because they are endangered and they are very valuable animals .
In order to raise money I made bees out of rocks and I bought stuffed animals and labeled them saying, “SAVE THE BEES”.
I worked very hard to make them and sell them everywhere I went with my parents. I also made an effort to demonstrate to people how important it is to help save and protect bees.
I care very much about this cause that I’m planting flowers in my garden and I also put a bee condo in my backyard.
I collected over $500 to support the campaign for the bees and helped spread awareness.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity!”
Ranger Sara hopes to be a veterinarian one day, and really wishes she could live on a farm with lots of different animals to take care of. Right now, she spends lots of time with her dog Hunter.
Ranger Sara has been working hard to make sure bees and other pollinators are recognized, protected and celebrated! Sara became an Earth Ranger in April 2017 and held a Bees & Other Pollinators fundraising campaign right away! She collected and painted rocks to look like bees and bought bee stuffed animals to raise over $500 towards her campaign. What an incredible idea!
While Sara was fundraising, she completed the 2 Missions as part of her Earth Rangers journey. First, she headed outside to her backyard and planted flowers such as lavender, sunflowers and hortensia. Next, Sara went a step further and created a bee condo for bees to find a safe place to nest. She also makes an effort to tell everyone she meets about the importance of planting flowers and adding bee condos to their gardens. Find out how you can make your very own bee condo with a parent/guardian by clicking here!
For her second completed Mission, Ranger Sara collected over 700 used batteries as part of the Battery Blitz Mission: “It made me very sad, that some people just put them in the garbage. I think we have to make more of an effort to advertise it and where people can recycle them,” Sara tells us.
Let’s hear what else Ranger Sara does on a daily basis to lead an environmentally-friendly lifestyle: “We are using eco-friendly, toxic-free cleaning products at home. We are not using plastic water bottles and are drinking filtered tap water instead. We recycle at home and everywhere we go. I use public transportation (school bus) to go to school instead of asking my parents to drop me off, and I bring litter-free lunches to school every day” – Wow! It sounds like Sara is really paying attention to how her actions can make an impact on the earth!
Sara, why is it important to protect animals and the environment?
“It is important to protect our environment, because our future depends on it. We must all work together to make efforts to save water, protect the soil and air from pollution. Keep the plants and animals alive because once we are out of something we are out of it. What I advocate to my friends is that we should not litter the environment and we should avoid the use of plastic water bottles, plastic bags and always recycle batteries. My parents always guide me to not use more than I need”
