We need your help! This animal is trying to tell us something but we can’t figure it out! Do you know what these sheep are thinking?
Post your ideas in the comment section below.
Tree Transfer Art
Tree Transfer Art
Time:45 min
Difficulty:Easy
Heard of tree rubbing? Why not create some cool art from the bark textures you get!
- Paper
- Colored pencils or crayons
- Tree, tree bark or leaves
- Tape
Here’s how you make 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. Anywhere that has trees or leaves!
Step 2:
Pick a tree with some cool bark. Is it rough or smooth? Got little bumps or holes?
If you can’t find a tree, any nearby bushes with leaves can do the trick!
Step 3:
Tape your paper against the bark and start rubbing your pencil/crayon start against its surface.
You should start seeing the tree bark’s texture on the paper.
Step 4:
When you are finished filling your paper with color, you can find more trees/leaves to transfer. Compare them, do they look the same? Different?
Bring your tree transfers home – you’ve got the perfect drawings for a fun collage!
Where did you go to do your tree transfer? Can you name the kind of tree (or leaf) you picked? Did you use your bark rubbing in any collage or craft? Let us know in the comments below!
Bonus: The Big 100!
Attention! This is Earth Ranger Emma confirming that everything is back to normal here at the Earth Rangers podcast control station. That little glitch from earlier this week? That was nothing!! I assure you everything is fine and we have full control of the signal and feed! Let’s just forget anything even happened.
Today it’s time to CELEBRATE! It’s our 100th anniversary, our 100th episode, our … centi-pod!
Thanks for all the great adventures we’ve had together and here’s to the next 100!!! Cheers!
Would you believe it? We’ve done more than 100 episodes! Six Years and six seasons… those are quite the adventures! Emma has been to so many places, spoken to so many people, and discovered all kinds of animals!
To celebrate this 100th Episode (centenary) Emma is looking at a very special “centi” animal: The Centipede! With over 3’000 recorded specials, there’s a ton to learn about centipedes.
Experimental Design:
It’s about time we revealed the best way to study facts! A great way to understand the world you live in is to observe, and experiment! Asking questions is super important! How else will you learn?
For experimental design, Emma shares with us a scientific method used to study the centipede. Broken down into 5 simple steps, it should be a piece of cake to try yourself!
- Step 1. Formulate your question!
- Step 2 Fill in your understanding with background research
- Step 3. Hypothesize!
- Step 4. Design the experiment!
- Step 5. Review the information you’ve gathered, see if it supports or disproves your hypothesis, and then add this new info to your understanding!
Ask questions!
You know…over these 100 episodes, we’ve followed Emma and learned a whole lot with her. You’ve asked a ton of questions about animals and places she’s visited. Why not use this celebration to ask Emma some questions about her?
On the Wildwire Emma is joining forces with Nat again to gather a bunch of questions that you have. If you have any questions about Adelia Goodwin and Ryan as well, we should be able to ask them some too! Once we’ve got a few, Emma will pick her favorite to answer in a blog.
So what are you waiting for? Ask away!
Trivia Time!
Have you listened to enough Earth Rangers episodes to answer some quiz questions? Do you remember any of this trivia from Emma’s adventures? Give it a try and see if you can be the Trivia Master of the Earth Rangers podcast!
- Name Emma’s top 5 favorite animals
- What is the name of Emma’s plane?
- What musical instrument does Emma use to call Sonic?
- What does Emma keep on her desk at Earth Rangers?
- Who did Emma meet while she was hiking the Appalachian Trail?
- What is the name of Emma’s cat?
- What did Adelia’s friend in Wapusk give Emma?
Know any of these answers? Remember any other fun trivia to show off? Let us know in the comments below!
Can you believe we’re finally at 100? Can you name which episode is your favorite? What place or animal you loved learning more about? Don’t forget to go ask some questions on the Wildwire blog!
Celebrate the podcast’s 100th Episode!
Hi Earth Rangers! Everything is back to normal here at the Earth Rangers podcast control station. That little glitch from earlier last week? That was nothing!! We have full control of the signal and feed.
More importantly: it’s time to CELEBRATE! It’s the 100th anniversary of Emma’s podcast! We’ve done more than 100th episodes – centi-pods!
To celebrate this 100th Episode (centenary) Emma is looking at the Centipede! With over 3’000 recorded specials, there’s a ton to learn about centipedes. Learn about experimental design, and try out the “Earth Rangers podcast” trivia here: Bonus: The Big 100
Ask Emma some questions
Everyone knows Emma by now. She’s our main podcast host! She’s traveled the world, gone on daring adventures, raced to earn her spots, and uncovered the mysteries of who (or what) are the “Serpent”.
To celebrate her 100th Anniversary, Emma has teamed up with Earth Ranger Nat (from the Quest for the Best) to gather YOUR questions. What is her favorite animal? Does she know how to play any instruments? Nat will also do their best to reach out to Ryan and Adelia if you have any questions. Comment below with your questions, and we’ll do our best to gather the best (and most frequent) ones to answer them in a future Wildwire blog!
Comment with your questions for Emma, Adelia, or Ryan!
A splashy spectacle for World Water Day
Have you ever sat by a stream or river, listening to the water flow, and realized just how much water we are surrounded by?
Water is all around us. It is really important to our survival. Freshwater is what we drink, use to make food, keep ourselves clean, and even make stuff.
This is why today we’re celebrating World Water Day!
World Water Day is a special day that comes around once a year to celebrate freshwater. Everyone needs freshwater to live, but many places don’t have enough. In big cities around the world, lots of people still don’t have access to clean water. Even in Canada, some First Nation Communities don’t have safe drinking water.
There are things that can harm our freshwater. Things like pollution, invasive species, and trash from our homes. And as climate change gets worse, it makes things even tougher for the plants and animals that rely on water.
What can we do about it?
World Water Day is here to remind us that water is important, and we can all do something to help! You can start by joining other Earth Rangers and taking action!
We have some fun ways for you to learn about saving water and helping the planet. Join the Big Splash Challenge in the Earth Rangers app. You will learn small, everyday habits that help save water and fight climate change!
When you log your climate-friendly habits, you’ll help us reach our goal of 120,000 habits. When we reach that goal, Earth Rangers will donate water quality testing kits to Les Scientifines (who help girls from disadvantaged backgrounds learn about science and technology) and to a youth program with the Métis Nation of Ontario.
You can also unlock some cool treasures just for you, like a coloring page, a sand dollar cookie recipe, and a shell necklace for your avatar. So let’s dive in and make a big splash together!
A test of skills!
Think you know about how climate change affects water? We’ve got two quizzes to put your skills to the test! Try the Freshwater quiz or the one on Oceans—or maybe even both. Let’s see what you’ve got!
Looking for other activities to do during World Water Day?
- Speak up: Send letters and pictures to your local leaders, or the media, sharing your concerns about your local water system. Your voice can spark change!
- Learn and spread awareness: Learn more about the importance of clean water. Tell friends, family, classmates. Awareness helps others understand why water protection matters!
- Get involved: Help out with local clean-up events around water sources such as lakes and rivers.
- Save water: Be careful with your water use at home. Take shorter showers and don’t leave your tap on while brushing your teeth!
Let’s all work together to make a big splash and protect our water!
Ask Rocky Mountaineer Julia Poetschke Anything About Badgers, Grizzly Bears, and Bighorn Sheep!
Hi! I’m Julia Poetschke! (My name is pronounced poe-et-sh-key.) I have a pretty cool job at the Nature Conservancy of Canada: I spend my days in the Rocky Mountain Trench, making this cool and craggy ecosystem comfortable for the animals that call it home.
Lots of creatures rely on the tall grasses and dense forests here for shelter and food. Some of my favorites include grizzly bears, bighorn sheep, and American badgers. But their habitat is threatened because, in the past, people didn’t manage the wildfires here properly.
This week, I’m here to answer all your questions about badgers, bears, and bighorn sheep! How deep does a badger dig its burrow? Is it safe (or even possible) to pet a grizzly bear? And what makes bighorn sheep different from the kind we find on farms? Comment below with your questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them!
And remember: when you adopt one of these animals through Earth Rangers, you’re supporting my mission to make the Rocky Mountain Trench safer and more habitable for all kinds of species.
Visit the Adoptions section of the Earth Rangers App
to adopt your bear, badger, or bighorn sheep!
Comment with your questions for Julia!
Handprint Peacock
Handprint Peacock
Time:20 min
Difficulty:Easy
We’ve got an egg-citing craft for you! Today we’re joined by a fowlsome bird! Why not make your own?
Here’s what you need:
- Acrylic paint (Green, Yellow, and Blue)
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Glue
- Tissue
- 2 googly eyes
- Blue Paper, felt, or foam sheets
- Paper scraps: old magazines, newspapers, mailers, or seasonal cards (whatever you can find!)
Here’s how you make it:
Step 1: Trace the outline of your hand on the cardboard. You will need to do this at least 3 times. Cut out these hand shapes.
Paint your peacock’s feathers green.
Step 2: While your paint is drying, cut your blue paper into one small circle, and two triangles: A tiny and big one.
Step 3: Paint the tiny triangle yellow! Your peacock still needs pretty feather designs. Dip your fingers in yellow and blue paint and mark your bird’s feathers with dots.
TIP: Be sure to clean your fingers off with tissue afterwards!
Step 4: Attach the small circle to the top of your triangle. For the face, add the small yellow triangle and googly eyes.
Step 5: Glue the feathers to the back of your peacock’s body, and there you have it! A magnificent peacock!
What name did you give your im-PECK-able peacock? Did you give its feathers different colors?
Let us know in the comments!
Let’s go Underground with Earth Rangers!
Did you know there’s a secret world of animal agents right under our feet?
It’s true. For generations, a shadowy agency of four-legged investigators has been working to protect planet earth from environmental disaster.
Desperate to save their failing local chapter, legendary Agent Saul the squirrel and his sidekick Phoebe the leopard gecko, have broken the cardinal rule and teamed up with (GASP) …Humans!
But not just any humans: Asha & Ollie are two kids whose groundbreaking methods will help the Earth Rangers protect their local park – all while trying to steer clear of the boss, a human-hating polar bear.
Strange static…is someone hacking in?
Today’s episode with Emma isn’t quite what it seems, in fact – someone else has hacked in instead! Meet Ollie and Asha…and they’re about to discover something VERY interesting. Why not give it a listen?
What IS Earth Rangers Underground?
Earth Rangers Underground is a groundbreaking mystery-comedy-adventure that follows two nerdy (but brave) kids who team up with a pair of talking animal agents to unearth the deep secrets of the animal kingdom – with hidden subterranean headquarters, dangerous missions, and a human-hating polar bear living under a city park…Wait what?!
What is this exactly?
The podcast serves as a prequel to this highly-anticipated animated series from 9 Story, written by Mark Steinberg (Hotel Transylvania: The Series). In February 2023, Earth Rangers and 9 Story Media Group announced a deal to create a new animated comedy series, which will follow the same characters.
The first episode of EARTH RANGERS UNDERGROUND will air on Monday, March 18, with new episodes dropping weekly through Earth Day: April 22.
Where to find the rest?
Look up “Earth Rangers Underground” on any of your favorite podcast listening sites (Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc…) to tune in to the rest of Ollie and Asha’s adventures!
Calling All Swifties! Chasing the Swift Fox with Peter Soroye
Hi, I’m Peter Soroye! I work for Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Canada, and I’m a huge Swiftie — I want to save swift foxes and their habitats in Canada’s prairies! My job is to identify and protect Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) where swift foxes live.
Did you know that swift foxes disappeared from Canada in the 1930s? People turned our prairies’ natural grassland into farmland, so the foxes didn’t have a place to live anymore. But, starting in the 1980s, foxes were reintroduced, or brought back, into the prairies! Now, Canada has a more stable number of swift foxes. Talk about a comeback!
But there’s still a long way to go before swift foxes are safe. Canada’s grasslands are one of the most endangered ecosystems on Earth. Climate change and construction continue to threaten swift foxes and other animals that live on the prairies.
When you adopt a swift fox from Earth Rangers, you’ll support my mission to learn exactly where swift foxes live. That way, we can give these animals the best protection possible. Plus, you’ll receive an adorable plushie, an official adoption certificate, and a cool poster full of fox facts!
Adventures in the Prairie Grasslands
This fall has been an exciting time for Swifties of all kinds! WCS Canada has continued to identify Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) across swift fox habitats in Canada’s prairies. We’ve involved special experts, other conservation organizations, and Indigenous communities. We’ve also come close to identifying Grasslands National Park and Prairie Pastures Conservation Area as KBAs. These are some of Canada’s best habitats for swift foxes. Identifying them as KBAs will draw attention to their importance and attract more protection for swift foxes and the species that depend on them. In 2024, WCS Canada will be finishing proposals for several KBAs in swift fox habitat. We hope that these sites will be officially recognized soon!
While most KBA work happens remotely, on the computer, our work on KBAs in Saskatchewan took us into the field at a few points last year. Early in the summer, I visited the Grasslands National Park Candidate KBA, where swift foxes have been reintroduced. Swift foxes stayed elusive and unseen, but other iconic prairie species like burrowing owls, prairie rattlesnakes, and bison were on full display. Check out these great photos that I took!
The Milk River Area in southeastern Alberta is another area where swift foxes can be found. My friend Michael Rudy, a KBA coordinator who has been leading work on identifying KBAs for Swift Fox, was able to snap this photo of a yawning swift fox during one of his visits to this area.
Conservation on the Computer
Like a lot of conservation, most work on KBAs happens remotely. I work virtually with KBA Coordinators in the prairies to find important sites for swift foxes and other species. My tools of the trade? A computer, a keyboard, and Swiftie — my very own swift fox stuffie, adopted from Earth Rangers!
In this photo, I’m pointing out a draft boundary of the Grasslands National Park Candidate KBA. We develop KBA boundaries by working closely with experts who know these species and sites inside and out.
Conservation in Indigenous Communities
In October, I hosted a workshop at the kihci-okâwîmâw askiy (Great Mother Earth) Knowledge Centre at University of Saskatchewan. We partnered with Birds Canada to put on the event. Together, twenty of us learned about mapping KBAs on Indigenous lands. We shared our perspectives on how to incorporate Indigenous values into KBAs.
