Where Are the Wild Things?

Do you live close to wild creatures? You may think you don’t, but take another look. You will be surprised. Hunter and Parker are two brothers who live in Bozeman, Montana. They live in a state where there are many animals roaming around in the wild – elk, antelope, wolves, coyotes, bears, bison, mountain lions, moose, and bobcats.

The boys are aware of creatures right in their own backyard. One day, while they were out playing, they discovered something crawling in the grass. Hunter picked it up to look at it more closely. It was a caterpillar. The next day, they heard a bird hit the window. Parker investigated. He saw the wild thing sitting very still on their deck. Hunter took a picture of the bird without disturbing it.

Fortunately, it was not badly injured and flew away. They named it Bob.

Hunter and Parker see other wild creatures in their yard that you may have seen – rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, birds, bugs, butterflies, and deer.

Did this deer just finish a snack?

They were surprised at its long tongue.

Zoos are a great place to see wild animals. Often, there are opportunities to feed them. Hunter and Parker enjoyed feeding a giraffe.

When you can’t visit a zoo, watch a live web camera. Many zoos offer this or videos of the animals. Ask your parent to bring one up on your computer. It’s the next best thing to being there.

African Safari Parks are located across the country. These places offer drive-through areas where wild animals are outside roaming. They may come right up to your car window.

Got anything to eat?

Reading about wild creatures in books, watching videos and movies, and visiting parks with wild animals provide special adventures. But don’t forget to walk outside and use your eyes and ears. There are wild creatures all around you. Tell us how many you’ve seen. Write a letter or send a picture. You will see it in a future issue of Fun For Kidz!