The Reappearing Parakeet

The Mauritius parakeet (Psittacula eques echo) has seen some dark days; in 1986 only three females were known to live in the wild. Thanks to conservation efforts to protect wild spaces this species is making a comeback. As of 2007 there were 343 Mauritius parakeets in the wild.

mauritian parakeet
Flickr credit: col.hou

http://www.eol.org/pages/4435512

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2010 is the Year of Biodiversity and Earth Rangers has teamed up with The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to bring you a daily dose of biodiversity basics

A Cactus in Canada

You don’t need to live too far south to find a cactus! The Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus is one of three cold resistant cactuses that live in the prairies of Canada.

eastern prickly pear cactus

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/nature/eep-sar/itm3/eep-sar3d/1.aspx#1

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2010 is the Year of Biodiversity and Earth Rangers has teamed up with The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to bring you a daily dose of biodiversity basics

Warm-blooded Fish

Unlike most fish the Bluefin tuna is warm-blooded, this allows it to adjust its body temperature to be warmer than the water it’s swimming in,  keeping this fish toasty  in the cooler parts of the ocean.

bluefin tuna

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2010 is the Year of Biodiversity and Earth Rangers has teamed up with The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to bring you a daily dose of biodiversity basics

Giant Trees

Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) used to spread across the West coast of the United States, but some 90-95% have been cut down and today almost all of these massive trees live in parks and on forest reserves.

Sequoia redwood tree

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/34051/0

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2010 is the Year of Biodiversity and Earth Rangers has teamed up with The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to bring you a daily dose of biodiversity basics

Guarding like a Hummingbird

10

Anna’s hummingbirds (Calypte anna) aren’t very friendly. They are so protective of their territory they will dive at anything that comes near their turf no matter the size.

anna's humming bird flight

http://www.eol.org/pages/916378

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2010 is the Year of Biodiversity and Earth Rangers has teamed up with The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to bring you a daily dose of biodiversity basics

Meal Time for Moss

Moss doesn’t have the same type of roots that most plants do. Instead their stems are covered with tiny leaves that act like sponges, soaking up all the water and nutrients it needs to survive.

moss

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/nature/eep-sar/itm3/eep-sar3h.aspx#1

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2010 is the Year of Biodiversity and Earth Rangers has teamed up with The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to bring you a daily dose of biodiversity basics

A Rhino’s Freedom

The Northern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) once roamed free across Africa in places  like Uganda, Chad and the Sudan. Today the only populations we know of are on protected land such as the Garamba National Park.

white rhinocerous

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/4185/0

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2010 is the Year of Biodiversity and Earth Rangers has teamed up with The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to bring you a daily dose of biodiversity basics


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.

Time Traveling with a Tree

The Bristlecone pine is slow growing and old, with some trees in the White mountains of California living over 4,500 years. Even after death this pines’ timber stays around for a very long time, allowing scientists to study this plant to learn what the world was like some 9,000 years ago.

bristlecone pine tree

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2010 is the Year of Biodiversity and Earth Rangers has teamed up with The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to bring you a daily dose of biodiversity basics

Species that Stick Together

Some species form what’s called a symbiotic relationship, meaning they rely on each other. For example the Clown fish (Amphiprion percula) feeds on small creatures that could harm the sea anemone. At the same time the sea anemone protects the clown fish from predators.

clown fish

http://www.eol.org/pages/222383

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2010 is the Year of Biodiversity and Earth Rangers has teamed up with The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to bring you a daily dose of biodiversity basics

An Ancient Penguin Colony

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A colony of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) in Punta Tombo, Argentina is around 114 years old and home to over a million birds.

Magellanic penguins
Photo credit: Tom Brakefield

http://www.eol.org/pages/1049619

biodiversity logo convention 2010

2010 is the Year of Biodiversity and Earth Rangers has teamed up with The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to bring you a daily dose of biodiversity basics