Just like we change our clothing for the winter, many animals also change their appearance to help them stay warm and camouflage from predators. Check out this countdown of animals that look completely different from winter to summer.
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) Asquirrel! How did you do? Tell us in the comments!
Hi! My name is Karl-Antoine Hogue, and I work with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation’s Land Guardians documenting wolf activity in their Traditional Territory around Old Crow, Yukon. Our team is studying how wolves and other large mammals move and behave, and how big their populations are. We also gather traditional knowledge through interviews and informal chats with members of the community.
When you adopt a grey wolf from Earth Rangers, you’re supporting our work and helping us find the best way to conserve the wolves that live in Old Crow. As a thank you, you’ll receive a cute and cuddly plush toy, an adoption certificate, a trading card, and a poster full of fun facts for your bedroom wall or your bulletin board.
For more information, check out the adoption section in the Earth Rangers App!
In the meantime, I’m so excited to share an update about all the work I’ve been doing in Old Crow these last few months! I’ve also included some of my favourite snapshots from my Yukon trail cameras. Let’s dive in!
Spotted on the Trail
Grey wolves are amazing animals that can travel long distances to pursue their favourite prey, the migratory caribou. To monitor wolves, we have a network of game cameras that take photos whenever an animal passes by. Which of these photos is your favourite?
A grey wolf trotting through the snow in front of Karl-Antoine’s game camera.
A juvenile caribou pausing in the deep snow in front of Karl-Antoine’s game camera.
A grey wolf curls up for a nap next to some snowmobile tracks in front of one of Karl-Antoine’s game cameras.
A couple of caribou – grey wolves’ favourite snack! – passing through the snow on one of Karl-Antoine’s game cameras.
When a grey wolf like this one moves in front of Karl-Antoine’s game camera, a sensor in the camera takes a picture!
A herd of caribou strolling along a path in front of Karl-Antoine’s game camera as part of their long annual migration.
We also rely on knowledge shared by Vuntut Gwitchin Elders and other land users to better understand how wolves and caribou interact. Over the past few months, my team and I have been interviewing these knowledge holders. We’ve talked about the animals they frequently see on the Road corridor, changes they’ve seen over the year, and the history of the Road itself. Together, we’ll be able to develop solutions for conserving wildlife in Vuntut Gwitchin Traditional Territory.
Scooting Through the Snow
The snow around Old Crow is very thick, so snowmobiles are the best way to travel and meet people. Snowmobiles have front runners that look like short skis and glide smoothly over snow. At the back, caterpillar tracks dig into the snow and move the snowmobile forward faster than wheels can. Check out these pictures of my team and I traveling on our snowmobiles!
How You’re Helping Us
When you adopt a grey wolf, you enable the Vuntut Gwitchin Land Guardians to spend more time patrolling, studying, and protecting their Traditional Territory. They are the eyes and ears of their Nation. They keep records of the ways that climate change, industrial development, and other human activities change the landscape. The Land Guardians are also training Junior Guardians – young people, just like you, who are learning to become stewards of the wildlife around them.
Visit the Adoption section in the Earth Rangers App to adopt a grey wolf and help us conserve these beautiful animals!
Do you spend more time inside when the weather gets colder? Most of us do, but there’s a winter wonderland out there full of fun activities to try! Why not play winter bingo to get back outside?
About the game:
Objective: Try to fill 5 squares in a row (across, up/down, or diagonal) to win a bingo! Players: 1 or more
Here’s what you need:
A notebook or paper to write down your Bingo squarel
Something to write with like a pencil, pen, or marker
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 mountain resort, a beach, or even your backyard!
Step 2:
Look over the Bingo square. You can save or screenshot this to your phone, or write the words down on a piece of paper.
Step 3:
Start exploring and looking around! Take note of what you see and be sure to check your bingo sheet. Do it by yourself, work as a team, or challenge a friend to see who can get BINGO first!
How did you do? Were you the first to get BINGO? If so, what 5 items did you find?
Kindness rocks are special. They’re a joyful gift, a special treasure, a secret surprise, but they all have the same goal: to bring joy and hope to those who find them. It’s time to be kind!
Here’s what you need:
Rocks
Acrylic paint (as many colours as you want)
A paint dish
A marker
Here’s how you make it:
Step 1: Pour some paint into your paint dish. You can either mix several colors or use just one.
Step 2:Paint your rocks! You can create fun patterns, and add pretty drawings or decorations.
Step 3: With your marker, write some sweet and encouraging messages! Remember: Be kind!
Some ideas: “Find your hope”, “Don’t forget what’s good”, “You matter”, “Believe in yourself, you can do anything!”, “Laughter is key to life”, “Follow your heart”, “You are loved”, “Every moment matters”, “You don’t have to be perfect, be yourself”, “You are strong”, “You got this!” or “Just breathe”
Step 4: Repeat the above steps with as many rocks as you’d like! Are you planning to give some to someone special, or hide them for a stranger to find? Make as many as you might need for this.
Step 5: Once done, it’s time to hide your kindness rocks! If you plan them to be for friends/family, put them somewhere in their house for them to find. If you want to make others’ days a little brighter you can go out into your neighborhood, and drop them off somewhere for people to discover!
TIP: Kindness rocks are supposed to be nice, but remember that not all places allow them! Check your local parks and trails if you’re allowed, and do not place them in national parks where they’ll disturb wildlife. Ask your zoos, schools, and community centers if kindness rocks are permitted. Who knows? If they say yes, you might make someone’s sad day much happier!
Kindness is important! Spread love and joy by being kind to others.
