It means Respect Animals While Recycling! Sounds simple enough, right? But sometimes it’s not so obvious how respecting animals and recycling go together.
Can you SPOT THE FAKE?
What’s recyclable anyway? You can probably name lots of recyclable things: cardboard, paper, glass jars, and many types of plastic. So let’s play a little game to check how much you already know!
See if you can spot the fake: the item that does NOT belong in the blue bin!
Is it the toilet paper roll, last week’s newspaper, the paper takeout food containers, or the cleaned yogurt drink bottle?
Click on the item you think is the fake!
Think like an animal!
Let’s remember our friends Eclipse and Luna. If YOU were an animal looking for a quick snack, any scrap of food would be better than hunting for your own meal.
When animals smell food coming from your recycling bin, they WILL investigate. And that’s where the problems start. Animals can get really sick or even die from eating out of recycling bins. They can get tangled, trapped, or stuck in different containers.
Recycle with care!
Before setting out your recycling box, remember to do the following:
● Always be sure to wash out bottles, cans, and jars. ● Put the lids back onto containers so animals can’t get stuck in them. ● Cut up six-pack rings so animals can’t get tangled up. ● Make sure you have an animal-proof bin and keep it closed securely. ● Dispose of anything toxic or dangerous in the right place: a recycling depot, NOT the blue bin.
All of this will work EVEN better if you put your recycling, garbage, and compost into animal-proof bins! Remember: when you take out the recycling, let out a loud RAWR!
Get more tips by accepting the RAWR Mission! Look for it in the Mission section in the Earth Rangers App.
Winner Kenzie with Earth Ranger Michela, and Chief Owl Officer Sonic
The wait is over: We’re ready to announce the winners of our Backyard Biologist Photo Contest!
We asked Earth Rangers all across Canada to take stunning snapshots of the natural world for a chance to win a brand-spanking-new Rebel T7 camera from Canon–and wow, did you all deliver!
Over 1,700 of you submitted your best photos in three categories: Epic Landscape, Wonderful Wildlife, and Coolest Colours. It was a tough decision, but after lots of deliberation, we’ve narrowed it down to the best of the best.
We unveiled the winners on September 1 during a star-studded ceremony at the Royal Ontario Museum. Winner Kenzie was presented with her new Canon camera by none other than our Chief Owl Officer, Sonic!
Now, we’re sitting down to interview our winners about how they took their photos, why they’re curious about photography, and what advice they have for other budding wildlife photographers!
Stay tuned here on the Wild Wire blog for more cool contests and creative activities. With funny jokes, tasty recipes, and crafty upcycling ideas, there’s always something new for you to explore!
And don’t forget to accept the Backyard Biologist mission, which is generously supported by Canon, in the Earth Rangers app! You’ll learn about the importance of citizen science, look for interesting plants and animals in your community, and figure out how to identify your finds!
Epic Landscape: Kate, 8
Tell me more about how you took this photo!
I took the mountain photo from a little boat! I took many shots, and stayed really really still. It was incredible and I can’t believe how beautiful the mountains are! It’s so wonderful!! It shows so many colors and life!
What made you want to try photography?
Seeing other people’s photos and being inspired! Like Robert Irwin!
What are some of your favourite things to photograph?
Big landscapes and animals if I can catch them before they move!
Can you tell us a little bit about how you shot your winning photograph?
I took many shots, and stayed really really still.
What advice do you have for other kids who might be interested in trying photography?
Start noticing more! Like things that would be cool to photograph and really notice what you like about them and what you want to capture.
If you could photograph any animal in the world up close, which one would it be?
A giraffe!!!!! I love how tall they are and their crazy tongues! And cheetahs!
Wonderful Wildlife: Maya, 9
Tell me more about how you took this photo!
I went to Newfoundland for my photos to a place called Elliston where there is a puffin viewing site. My dad and I had to carefully crouch near the edge of a cliff to get the photos. I learned that if I stood still for a while, the puffins would come right up to me. So I did that, and when one would come pretty close, I would take a bunch of photos of it, and then I chose my favourite. The puffins were so funny and cool to look at as they flew around and collected grass for their nests! I had such a fun time taking photos with my dad.
What made you want to try photography?
I saw some cool photos that my dad had taken and I wanted to try and take some cool photos too.
What are some of your favourite things to photograph?
I mostly like to photograph things in nature, like animals and flowers.
What advice do you have for other kids who might be interested in trying photography?
Try different angles, lighting, and camera settings to take interesting photos. Also, you need to be patient, determined, and not give up.
If you could photograph any animal in the world up close, which one would it be?
Definitely a snow leopard.
Coolest Colours: Kenzie, 12
Tell me more about how you took this photo!
I used my resources around me to create a nice warm colour filter. I took this photo using my mom’s phone and sunglasses (for the colour). I like to be creative to create better photos and express myself. It was during a 4-day vacation in Long Beach with my mom, brother, my mom’s friend, and her two sons. That weekend, there were so many waves, it was too dangerous to swim without a life jacket, but it was really fun on boogie boards.
What made you want to try photography?
My uncle Adam used to do photography professionally so I decided to try and loved it! I’ve been taking pictures of things in nature ever since.
What are some of your favourite things to photograph?
Sunsets and the sky. The sky is never boring! It’s always filled with colours and clouds.
What advice do you have for other kids who might be interested in trying photography?
Be creative and think of new ways to see the world
If you could photograph any animal in the world up close, which one would it be?
Turtles. I LOVE turtles and they are so cute and interesting, the way every shell is unique.
The Backyard Biologist Photo Contest is generously supported by:
Welcome back to Emma’s ultimate guide to national parks. Yes, yes… We heard you!! Emma got an overwhelming amount of requests to go to explore Yellowstone National Park. Is it worth the hype? Spoiler alert: We sure think so. But beware: Stay out of the splash zone – we’ll go see Old Faithful!
Emma has made it to Yellowstone National Park! Thank you all for recommending it as a destination, it was a great place to check out!
Yellowstone National Park is the first national park in the US, and one of the oldest national parks in the world, only predated by Khan Mountain National Park in Mongolia. It is famous for its scenic views, beautiful lakes, and rivers, but especially for its special geology. You can find many different thermal features here: Geysers, hot springs, mud pots, steam vents, and travertine terraces.
What are all these different thermal features?
Hot springs are spring that brings hot warm to the surface. Thanks to different microorganisms, some of these pools can look almost rainbow in color, from orange, yellow, and green, to bright blue.
Geysers are a type of hot spring with erupting water and steam.
Mud Pots are a type of acidic hot spring, made of rocks turned into mud or clay that stinks like rotten eggs.
Steam Vents are when what little water there is evaporates as it rises to the surface, releasing steam through fissures.
Travertine Terraces are limestone deposits around hot springs that create a stair-like look.
Living among this geological marvel are plenty of creatures, like bears, frogs, and wolves. Among those, did you know Yellowstone National Park has no one, not two, but several horned and hooved animals?
In Yellowstone National Park you can find between 2300 and 5500 American bison. What’s so special about a bison? They’re huge – the biggest land mammals in North America, actually! In the park, they’re split into two herds: one in the Lamar Valley and one in Hayden Valley.
Pronghorns are a special type of hoofed mammal, related to goats and antelopes. They are the fastest land mammals in North America. They are super small, growing to a size of 4.5 feet long and about 3 feet tall.
Finally, there’s elk, which happens to be one of the largest species of deer on earth! They can weigh up to 700 pounds, and unlike Pronghorns who all have horns, only male elk have antlers. These antlers alone can weigh up to 40 pounds!
Which of these three horned and hooves animals do you like the best? Do you have any other fun facts about them to share? Can’t think of anything? We’d love to hear other cool things that can be found in Yellowstone!
What do you think of Yellowstone National Park? Is it as cool as everyone thinks, or is there a better park to check out? Do you have any ideas of where Emma could go next? Let us know in the comments below!
I spy with my little eye something colourful! Come quick! Grab your friend and try guessing an object in this game of Rainbow I-Spy!
About the game:
Objective: Try to spot the object of the same colour that the “spy” player has called out! Players: 2 or more players
Here’s what you need:
Your favourite outdoor space
Friends or family to join you
Here’s how you play it:
Step 1:
Make your way to your favourite outdoor space. It could be your local park, a walking trail, a beach, or even your backyard!
Step 2:
Start by selecting one player to be the spy.
The spy picks an object they see that matches one of the colours on the colour chart. You can screenshot this to your phone, or make your own with paint/pencils/markers on a piece of paper.
Step 3:
Now that the spy has an object picked out, it’s time to call out the specific colour!
The other player can start guessing what that object is. If there’s several players, you can take turns. Once the object has been found, the players can swap places so that there’s a new spy to pick an object/colour. The other player can start guessing what that object is.
TIP:
If finding the object is too hard, the spy can help you guess by telling them if their guess is “hot” or “cold”. Hot means you are close to finding the object. Cold means you’re further away.
What colour did you pick when you were the spy? How long did it take each of you to find the object? Let us know in the comments!
We got tons of great guesses on Part 1 of this Pixel Puzzler and now it’s time for the answer. Are you ready for the great reveal? Find out if you got it right!
The answer to this Pixel Puzzler is (drum roll please) a ladybug! How did you do? Tell us in the comments!
Have you ever wondered how marine animals keep clean? Cats use their tongues to clean themselves, and monkeys groom each other as a family, but what about underwater creatures?
Well, it turns out that they enjoy a nice day at the spa. You heard that right: A SPA!
Photo Credit: Matt McIntosh
Okay, okay, not a spa exactly. These places are actually more like cleaning stations. Marine animals of all shapes and sizes visit these stations to receive care. Tiny shrimp or fish will clean bigger fish and other sea creatures, nibbling away dead skin, bacteria, and parasites. The smaller fish get to enjoy a meal—and keep the bigger fish healthy in the process!
Which animals work at these special cleaning stations?
Cleaner Wrasse
Cleaner Shrimp
Butterfly Fish
Neon Goby
Surgeon Fish
Parrot Fish
Angel Fish
Seabirds
These and several other species attract “clients” like sharks, turtles, rays, and eels. Some of these “clients” open their mouths wide to let “cleaners” pick food and debris from their teeth—just like when you go to the dentist! But even the predators know better than to eat the cleaners!
A Cheater!
When you go to the spa, you expect to receive care, right? What if you got the opposite? Let’s say your beautician pinched you. Yikes!
At cleaning stations, a species called the false cleanerfish mimics the look and dance of the cleaner wrasse to lower the client fish’s guard. Instead of cleaning off their clients, this cheater attacks! The clients leave in a huff—which makes it harder for real cleaner fish to get the food they need.
Luckily, both cleaners and clients will punish and chase these cheaters away. Even regular cleaners who try to cheat will be taught a lesson!
One little problem…
Cleaning stations are often near reefs, which face many threats, including pollution, climate change, illegal fishing, storms, and disease. As the reefs disappear, so do the fish that call them home.
But wait! It’s not too late to do something! We have the power to stop a big threat to cleaning stations: pollution. By keeping our rivers and shores clean, we can reduce the amount of plastic that eventually makes it way to our oceans, harming marine life!
Cleaner fish help keep our oceans clean. Let’s help them, too–by cleaning our shores!
What can you do to help clean up? Accept Shoreline Saver in the Mission section in the Earth Rangers App! You’ll get ton of helpful information to get you well on your way to becoming a shoreline superstar!
