Habitat Detective

Earth Rangers

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April 6, 2023

32

Habitat Detective

Time:60 min

Difficulty:Medium

Habitats play a big part in the kinds of animals and plants you see. Grab your trusty notebook because we’re going exploring! Let’s find out what habitats are near you!

Here’s what you need:

A notebook or paper to take notes
Something to write with like a pencil, pen, or marker
Your favourite outdoor space
Friends or family to join you

Here’s how you do 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 exploring and looking for clues! Can you spot any animals in the trees or bushes? Are there any signs or tracks in the snow or mud? Would this spot be a good place for an animal to make its home?

Don’t worry about taking notes right now, just try to understand the space you’re in!

Step 3:

Grab your writing tools and start jotting down the things you see. Here are some questions to help you get started:

Is it wet or dry?
Is there water nearby?
Does it get lots of rain or snow?
What is the temperature like most of the year?
Are there lots of plants for hungry animals to eat?
Are there lots of trees?
Do you see mountains or BIG rocks?
What kinds of animals do you see?

Step 4:

Read through the descriptions to help you figure out where you’re hanging out. Where does your greenspace fit? If you’re still not sure, work with an adult to look it up online.

Wetland
A wetland is a very wet and soggy place with tons of plants! They can be found in lots of regions, some more temperate than others. Some of the most common animals you’ll find are frogs and bugs!

Grassland
Grasslands are dry and grassy! They don’t get much rain and are found in flat, well-drained regions. Here, you’ll find animals like prairie dogs, bison, and lots of different types of birds.

Rivers and Lakes
Rivers and lakes are filled with lots of plants and animals; you might just have to go underwater to see them. If that’s not for you, you might spot some floating plants like lily pads, or catch a glimpse of a shorebird looking for food.

Forests
There are lots of different types of forests: hot and rainy tropical forests, cold and snowy boreal forests, and temperate forests, which fall somewhere in between. The one thing they all have in common is lots and lots of trees!

Tundra
The tundra can be a harsh place. With cold temperatures and a short growing season, you won’t see many plants (especially trees). Tundras are found in the Arctic, Antarctic, and on mountains!

Marine
These are ocean habitats. There are lots of different types: deep underwater, shallow coral reefs, kelp forests, shores, and more. The waters tend to be salty and they usually get lots of rain.

Once you’ve figured it out, let us know what you discovered in the comments!

Octopus Decorations

Earth Rangers

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April 5, 2023

53

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.

Earth Month 2023

Earth Rangers

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April 3, 2023

0

The World Needs More Earth Rangers

The planet needs our help and kids are motivated to act! We call those kids Earth Rangers and the world needs more of them. Earth Rangers is the largest youth conservation organization in the world, committed to empowering a new generation of environmental leaders. We instill knowledge, positivity, and the confidence to take action in children. Earth Month is the most important time of the year for us, and to celebrate, we have a host of special things planned. Like what you ask? To start, we’re launching two NEW Missions!

The Bring a Friend Mission inspires our animal-saving members to help spread the word about the awesome benefits of being an Earth Ranger. Saving wildlife and their habitats is a team sport and the more champions that join the better. We’ve also launched an Earth Month exclusive gold card. Every new member gets one AND so does the Earth Ranger who signs up a friend!

In the app

We have a special event happening in the app that will sure to be a hit. Who doesn’t love a scavenger hunt? Kids can explore around the app looking for clues to unlock cool items for their avatars. This is a next-level expedition, since the kids have to answer riddles along the way!

Helping to support wildlife

What can YOU do to help animals that need our support this Earth Month? Our symbolic Wildlife Adoptions Program directly supports conservation work in the field. And keeping with the celebration theme, we’re offering FREE shipping on all Adoption Kits during Earth Week, April 16-23! Now is the perfect time to pick up a plushie for the animal-lover in your life.

Earth Month Showcase

What better way to inspire kids than by sharing the stories of amazing members who have become Super Earth Rangers? We put out the call to parents, asking them to share stories about their kids crushing it as Earth Rangers. Each week, throughout the month of April, we’ll share the remarkable submissions we received from all over Canada and United States.

Meet Meryn!

Earth Rangers

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April 3, 2023

0

The planet needs our support and we know children are ready to jump in to help! We call those kids Earth Rangers, and the world needs more of them. Sharing inspiring stories is one way to spread the word about the power of eco-action. Our Earth Month Showcase is the chance to meet Super Rangers and their parents. Happy reading!

1. We love hearing about our members! Can you share a story about your eco-action?

Meryn: I’ve been an Earth Ranger for three years and in my free time I enjoy being an Earth Ranger. Once I completed the Operation Conservation mission, I started to draw signs to hang in our house to put near the light switches, by the taps, near the thermostat to remind us to be “green”. Mom: Meryn is a very curious, self-motivated child. She so looks forward to our visits to her grandma’s farm where she savours nature! When Meryn discovered the Earth Rangers App, she connected instantly with the program.

2. What excites you most about being an Earth Ranger?

Meryn: I enjoy it because it isn’t just for fun, I’m doing it for a good reason – saving animals and the earth they live on. I’ve learned so many fun facts about animals that I wouldn’t know without Earth Rangers. I enjoy watching the videos with the Animal Ambassadors.

3. We’d love to know! What is your favourite animal and why?

Meryn: I love the red fox because it has such a big fuzzy tail which it uses as a blanket. Isn’t having a built-in blanket interesting? Last year I had a red fox theme birthday party at the Nature Centre. The interpreter taught us facts about them and we even made some red fox crafts.

4. What kind of activities have you participated in through the app?

Meryn: I have already completed 18 missions! The app encourages me to get outside more and be active. I like dressing up my avatar in seasonal clothing. Leveling up is a fun way to complete more missions and receive more items for your avatar. I really like the Earth Rangers Podcast because you learn so much from them. My mom and I listen Adelia Goodwin’s Secret Journal together. I also like adopting animals and knowing I am helping them. So far, I’ve adopted the great horned owl, the red fox and Arctic fox.

5. Tell us about one activity in particular that your child really connected with.

Mom: Meryn has connected with so many of the missions and is keen to recreate charts, posters and activities in her day-to-day world. Meryn committed to the Stash the Trash mission and we would collect litter from the neighbourhood weekly. She was so keen that she started to do that during recess with her friends. Before long an entire class and even the principal would be collecting litter with her!

6. Has their eco-action had a ripple effect on the family and friends?

Mom: Meryn’s commitment to being an Earth Ranger has extended to her family and friends. She will post little eco-challenges on my Facebook page and she will get a great response taking up the challenge with her. She has had friends at school also become Earth Rangers at school and they look forward to chatting about the missions at recess.

7. What do you think is one of the most important things your child has learned as an Earth Ranger member?

Meryl: You should always think Green – think about being respectful to nature and the creatures living in it. Now we reduce, reuse and recycle as much as we can. We only use reusable bags. I use a lunch kit with dividers so I don’t have much waste.

8. As a parent, what do you think of Earth Rangers programs?

Mom: I think the Earth Rangers program is so wonderful! It has such a blend of being interactive, entertaining and educational. My daughter is so engaged and she feels so self-motivated and empowered to support conservation. I feel she is developing habits and approaches that will last a lifetime. I am learning so many good habits and facts as an adult! Thank you, Earth Rangers!

Would you Rather #39

Earth Rangers

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April 3, 2023

213

Would you rather…

Stand tall like a tree or climb like an ivy?

Tell us which one you pick in the comments!

More “Would You Rather” Questions!

Pixel Puzzler #24: Part 1

Earth Rangers

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March 31, 2023

189

Let’s put your identification skills to the test! Can you figure out what is hidden in this picture? Make your guess in the comments.

Check back next week for the answer!

Tap here for more cool stuff like this!

Saving jungles for jaguars!

Earth Rangers

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March 30, 2023

18

Here at Earth Rangers, we think jaguars are pretty cool cats! But besides cool, they’re also big cats – in fact, they’re the only member of the group of “big cats” (which includes lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, and cougars) that are found in the Americas. Lucky us! They make their homes in the dense forests of the Southwestern United States, through central America, and all the way down to Argentina. In Costa Rica, the Osa Peninsula is an extra special spot: besides being home to jaguars, it’s also home to about 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity – pretty incredible considering it covers less than 0.05% of its surface area!

Most of the jaguars you see in the wild are spotted, but about 10% of these fierce felines have a coat that looks all black instead. They’re sometimes mistakenly referred to as “black panthers”, but if you look up close, you can see they are still in fact spotted – just a whole lot darker than their lighter-colored counterparts!

Jaguars are called “apex predators”, which means they’re found at the top of the food chain. They have no natural predators, but that doesn’t mean the living’s always easy! Sadly, in the Osa Peninsula, the loss of old growth forests and the threat of hunting are putting jaguars at risk. That’s where you come in!

We’re working with the International Conservation Fund of Canada (ICFC) and Osa Conservation to protect the important Osa Peninsula and its incredible biodiversity. Threats like the destruction of old growth forests and illegal hunting are a challenge, but we can help! Our partners are working with local communities to monitor camera traps for signs of poaching and to restore corridors that help connect the fragmented landscape, but they can’t do it alone.

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!

Egg-celent Mouse

Earth Rangers

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March 30, 2023

93

Egg-celent Mouse

Time:20 min

Difficulty:Easy

Here is a mice treat for you! This little critter makes for an egg-ceptional snack!

Here’s what you need:

Hard boiled eggs
Sunflower seeds
Cucumber or carrot
Long dried pasta (like spaghetti or linguine)
Help from an adult

Here’s how you make it:

Step 1: Remove the shell from your hard-boiled egg if you haven’t already (make sure it’s cooled down first). You’ll want to peel it carefully, making sure not to damage the egg inside. You can use a spoon if you need help.

Step 2: Cut a few thin slices from your carrot/cucumber, then cut them in half so they are half circles.

Step 3: Give your mouse some ears! Cut thin slits into the top of your egg. Take your carrot/cucumber slices and slide them in.

Step 4: Use three sunflower seeds to give your mouse a face! Push one into the tip of your egg for the nose and the other two above for the eyes.

Step 5: Break your pasta up and push them into the egg to give your mouse whiskers and a tail!

**Give them a small pile of cheese and you’ve got an egg-stra special plate!**

Super Ranger Super Sisters

Earth Rangers

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March 29, 2023

30

What does it mean to be an Earth Ranger? Audrey (10) and Addison (9) know! They are two sisters who really put the Super in Super Rangers! Let’s take a look at their story.

Audrey and Addison have been living the Earth-loving life for as long as they can remember. Their main target: litter! If they see some on a hike with their Dad, they pick it up and make sure it goes in the right bin. But being a Super Ranger is a full-time gig! That’s why they pick up litter wherever they find it. They even volunteered to pick up litter at school!

When they heard about Earth Rangers, they knew it was just the place for them! In fact, they like being Earth Rangers so much, they’re getting their friends to join too! Now, that’s what we like to hear, Audrey and Addison!

These sisters LOVE the Earth Rangers App. They really like the proud feeling they get whenever they complete a Mission. Their favourite has to be More Plastic More Problems. It helped them learn how much waste is created. They’ve now kicked single-use plastic water bottles out of their lives! Hi-ya!

They also love how the app gets them outside with their family! As Earth Rangers, we know that when it comes to the outdoors, the more the merrier! Planet protection is a team sport. Amazing work, girls!

Why are Leopards Spotted?

Earth Rangers

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March 29, 2023

73

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!