Written & Illustrated by Joy Paton
Marine Turtle Giant Panda Wild Rabbit Acorn Maze Polar Bear Rattlesnake Colouring Page Make Your Own Mask!
Turtles are found in many seas around the world, mainly in tropical waters. Turtles hatch from small eggs laid on nesting beaches. Up to 150 eggs are laid in each nest! Once in the water, the male turtles will never leave the sea and the female turtles will only go back to the beach to lay their eggs. Turtles like to live in shallow waters or bays near land. They spend their time floating on currents and eating.
Some turtles are meat eaters. They will eat jellyfish and shrimps. Other turtles only eat plants such as sea grass and algae. Turtle eggs are often eaten by foxes, birds and even humans, which is making them become even more endangered. They also have to be careful of rubbish that is polluting the sea and beaches. A turtle could mistake a plastic bag for a jellyfish and try to eat it.
Pandas are the rarest member of the bear family, only about 1,000 of them survive in the wild. They live mainly in dense forests high in the mountains of China. Pandas make their dens out of leaves and sticks. Pandas only eat bamboo but must eat a lot of it. In fact, they have to eat probably as much as you weigh, every day! This takes them a long time to do and they can spend up to 12 hours a day eating. Panda’s are very shy and they won’t venture into places where humans are living. They like to move around the forest and mountains surrounding them. However, more and more roads are being built by humans and the panda’s homes are getting smaller and smaller. Because of the lack of food and habitat, less are surviving and the panda’s have become endangered.
Wild rabbits can be found in many parts of the world. They like to live in forests, meadows and woods. The male rabbits are called bucks and the females are called does. Does can have about 20 babies every year. It only takes the young rabbits 30 days to become independent and look after themselves. Rabbits dig their houses underground where they live in groups called colonies. The underground burrows are linked by tunnels. Rabbits mostly eat when it’s dark. Birds and foxes hunt them so they have to be careful. They come out of their burrows to eat grass, weeds and other green plants. Sometimes they even eat their own poo!
Squirrel has woken up from his hibernation and has forgotten where he’s burried his acorns. Can you help him find his way through the maze?
Polar bears live in the Arctic, one of the coldest places on earth. Their main habitat is on the sea ice, but they often come inland onto islands to make their homes. Seals are their main food source which they have to find and hunt. The polar bears like to stay close to the waters edge near breathing holes and wait for seals to come out. They are excellent swimmers and can swim for hours looking for food. When the polar bears can’t find any food they venture onto the islands to find small plants and grass. Female polar bears will also come inland to dig dens in the snow where they give birth to their cubs. As the climate gets warmer, the ice is melting and it is getting harder for the polar bears to survive.
Rattlesnakes get their name because of the rattling noise they make when they shake their tail. The rattle on the end of their tail gets longer as they grow older. Rattlesnakes live in marshes, deserts and forests in North and South America. They usually spend their time under low-growing plants and rocks that provide plenty of shelter from the hot sun. The rattlesnakes hibernate during the winter and come out in the spring to eat. Rattlesnakes can eat mice, rats, small birds and other small animals. They have special heat sensors on the front of their head which help them detect their prey, especially in the dark. The snakes also have fangs that fill with venom and go into they body of their prey once they have bitten them.
Peacocks and parrots are both well known for their very colourful feathers. Help them get their colour back by colouring them in!
Cut along the dotted line around the panda’s face. Then ask an adult to help you cut out the eyes. Punch a hole through the tabs and attach a short piece of elastic to each side. Make your own story about the panda!