YEAH! Puzzl
The Canadian Wildlife Federation’s magazine for kids
es, Projects, Trivia and Activities Inside!
IT’S YOUR TURN! W Clasisleds
It’s our Wild Classes issue where WILD readers write the magazine
wild
Vol. 19 Number 3 Aug/Sep 2015
Oysters make pearls — and much more
Is there an immortal jellyfish?
Bugs: Don’t call them weaklings
INSIDE
ouse
Clubh
23 August/September 2015 Vol. 19 No.3
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W Clasisleds sses Wild Cla
Weasel Moose &
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29 Wild B unch
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Moose & Weasel’s PALS AT RISK
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FEATURE STORIES WILD READERS WRITE THE MAGAZINE!
SES THE WILD CLASQ WILDLIFE FA
elia Anand’s Hats off to Ms. C from the Grade 7 students richment Cambridge area en . They program in Ontario edia of sent us an encyclop are some of wildlife info. Here the highlights
8 14 CRET THE SE ING TO LIV ER? FOREV y yfish ma ll A tiny je clues reveal rtality to immo
SIX QUE AND AN STIONS ABOUT SWERS OYSTER S
Oysters a re amazin g creatures . believe us If you don’t , check th is out
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BUGS: S TR OR WEA ONG K?
Some pe ople think bugs are small and not very powerfu l. They’re w rong!
16 COVER: ISTOCK. BACK COVER: ROBERT MCCAW
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Mail Dear WILD, I really like your magazines; they are funny. Have a nice day! -Sarah Downey
Dear WILD, My name is Caleb and I’m 11 years old. I live in Edmonton and I’m crazy about birds. My sister and I love WILD magazine. She loves Moose and Weasel and I love everything!
ts magazine presen
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f Moose Get 25 o sel’s and Wea silliest all-time their strips in er book! first-ev limited There are s of this quantitie s ollector’ special c ook, so edition b today! get yours online Order it 7 at for $9.9 -fcf.org f shop.cw
SEL’S E AND WEA URES S O O M F O 25 NT ZING ADVE MOST AMA OBERT PAUL R
-Caleb Knierim Edmonton, Alta. t issue: in our nex Coming up s a summer Nothing beat how you Find out campout. the fun! can join in
Who Am I? Hey every bo
Last issu es’s mystery animal w as a walrus.
dy… Search this issue of WIL D for clues identity of o to the ur mystery animal. See can find the if you m all and gu ess what an we’re talkin im al g about. He re’s your firs t clue: I can rem ember wh ere I hide food for a my lmost an entire mo nth. Sometimes w e shorten your letters or chan them easier to ge them a tin understand or y bit to fix the to fit as many meaning, thou spelling, to m as we can on gh — they’re yo ake the page. We ur letters, afte your full nam won’t change r all. When yo e, your age an th e u ed m th ai e name of the l us, don’t forg like to know w town and prov et to include here our read ince where yo ers are from. WILD, so it ca u live. We real And be patient n take six mon ly — we work a ths or more fo long way ahea r your letter to d on appear.
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We’d love to hear from you! Send your letters, poem s, artwork and stories ab out nature and wildlife to: WILD magazine 350 Michael Cowpland Dr. Kanata, ON K2M 2W1 or e-mail us at wild@cwf-fcf.org 36
THE BACKSIDE!you guys. We didn’t
ed Looks like we stump side our April/May Back for ly rep ct get a corre n ca eri Am an s wa contest. The animal d. t don’t be discourage redstart warbler. Bu d an al im an e sid ck s Ba Check out this issue s. send us your gues
Finally, a reason for teachers to encourage wild ideas in the classroom! Every spring we publish an issue of WILD magazine written almost entirely by youth, for youth. We’re asking teachers to inspire their students to put their wild ideas to paper, then send us your students’ work. We’ll publish a selection of our favourite entries in a special 2016 edition of WILD.
For submission guidelines, visit Wild-mag.ca and click on “WILD Classes” to get started.
n a r o f F W C Join
” S T N E “IN T ! e c n e i r e p x e r outdoo
CWF'S
Celebrate the great outdoors this summer by being part of The Canadian WIldlife Federation’s Great Canadian Campout. Whether you camp in a national park, a campground or your own backyard, tell us when you plan to camp and you could win CWF’s ultimate camping gear prize pack including tent, camping gear and passes good in all Canadian National Parks. Details at
GreatCanadianCampout.ca PHOTO: VICTOR LIU
Be part of the movement. #greatcanadiancampout Proud Partners
Welcome to our WILD Classes special — where WILD readers write the magazine
Wild Classes wild
It’s Your Turn!
Here at WILD, we spend a lot of time looking for cool ideas that become stories in the magazine. Some of the best ideas come from readers like you. (That’s one of the reasons why we like getting your letters and emails.) So, a few years ago, we came up with a big idea: Since WILD readers have so much to say, why not invite them to write stories for an issue of the magazine? And our annual WILD Classes issue came to life. We’ve been doing WILD Classes for about four years now, and it’s one of our favourite issues. We also want to give a big shout-out to the schools, teachers and students who’ve helped us gather stories over the years. You guys have been great.
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H WILD Classes Wildlife FAQ WHY DO SEALS HAVE WHISKERS?
Seals, however, use their whiskers to find movements in the water — called “hydrodynamic trails” — left by the prey they are tracking. They follow the trail towards the prey. Seals can find the trail from 180 metres away. Their food includes shrimp, squid and fish. So in conclusion, whiskers are essential for seals to track down their prey, so they have something to eat! —Arisa Tieu
ISTOCK
I know many animals have whiskers, such as cats, dogs, mice, rabbits and more, but I never imagined seals having whiskers. As it turns out, these whiskers are essential for the seal’s survival, as they use their vibration-sensitive whiskers to track down prey through dark, murky waters. It’s sort of like dolphins using echolocation; similar to a sonar system bouncing an echo, dolphins see how long it takes the echo to bounce back.
Males and females of my species look exactly the same.
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HOW DOES A BEAVER HIDE FROM ITS PREDATORS? Beavers are land and water animals. The beavers’ predators are large carnivorous animals such as wolves, lynx, bears, bobcats and many more.
When a beaver is on land, it is constantly sniffing the air for any signs of predators and always on alert. If a beaver senses a predator’s presence it will retreat to water and continuously slap its tail to warn other beavers of the close predator. Beavers never venture too far from the river, stream or pond that they are living in. That way, if a threat appears when they are foraging for food, they can scurry to the water to safety. —Amelia Reiner
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HOW CAN WOOD FROGS STAY ALIVE WHEN FULLY FROZEN FOR SO LONG? The wood frog is an animal that is spread across North America and is capable of surviving very low temperatures, as low as -6 C. Surprisingly, during cold temperatures, wood frogs freeze almost solid. How, you ask? It is because they produce their own antifreeze, known as a “cryoprotectant” (CRY-oh-pro-tek-tant). This cryoprotectant is actually glucose, which lowers the freezing point of the frog’s tissue. Assuming that you have never heard of this species, you would guess it is dead. That’s not the case. The frog’s brain and heart stop functioning, and the metabolism almost stops. During this process, two-thirds or more of its body water freezes, then in the spring it thaws out completely. During the winter, the glucose stops cells from shrinking and dying. If the cells were to all shrink, the frog would die. All in all, the wood frog is just really cool. —William Hammill
ISTOCK
Adult beavers are usually good fighters and can easily escape into water. Kits are way more vulnerable and need the help of older beavers to escape their predators. Beavers can’t move very fast on land, which is why water is their best defence as refuge from predators.
WHERE DO BUTTERFLIES GET THEIR COLOURS? Butterflies are known for their bright, intense colours. They use these for many things in the wild, like camouflage, to find a mate and as a warning signal for other butterflies. These colours come from two sources, ordinary and structural colours. Ordinary colours come from normal chemicals. These chemicals absorb certain wavelengths of light, while reflecting other wavelengths. For example, a chemical called “chlorophyll” soaks up red and blue colours from the light spectrum and reflects green colours, giving the wing a green colour. The second source of colour on butterfly wings are structural sources. These colours are created because of the structure of the wing. What is really interesting about these colours is that as you look at them from different angles, the colours can change. This is known as “iridescence.” This happens when light passes through transparent multilayered surfaces. The light reflects multiple times off each layer, and the multiple reflections change the colour effect. Butterfly wings are covered by thousands of microscopic scales, each made up of multiple layers separated by air. When the light hits the multiple layers, it reflects multiple times, all of which combine to create the intense colours you see.
ISTOCK
On a butterfly wing, ordinary colours and the structural colours combine, creating an interesting effect. As the butterfly flies, you see the wing from multiple angles, which makes it appear to change, because in a way it does. When the butterfly is flying you can see the structural colour at one time and the ordinary colour at another. The colours can also combine. An example is if the ordinary colour is blue and the structural colour is yellow, you'll see blue, yellow or green as the butterfly moves. These beautiful creations of nature are very interesting and have a lot of science in them. —Colleen Hearnden
WHAT DO NARW HALS USE THEIR TUSKS FOR? The narwhal, also known as the sea unicorn, is mysterious. Part of the reason is that males have a spiral tusk, which is still a mystery to many scientists. The tusk is actually a male adult narwhal’s left tooth. It is a unique type of tooth, which grows up to three metres long — more than half of a fully grown male narwhal’s body length. It’s special because it lasts longer than the rest of a narwhal’s body after the narwhal’s death. Humans used to assume that narwhals used their tooth for hunting, showing dominance or using it as a weapon. Now it’s been scientifically proven that a narwhal uses its tooth to measure changes in its environment, like temperature and motion. It also helps them to know when it’s time to migrate by measuring the salinity level in Arctic water. The narwhal is not a magical animal, but it sure is an exceptional animal found in nature. —Suriya Ragu
HOW DO PEREGRINE FALCONS HUNT BIRDS? Peregrine falcons are swift and agile birds of prey with a one-metre wingspan. They are capable of reaching speeds up to 320 kilometres per hour in their dives. Peregrine falcons usually hunt at dawn and dusk. Their main prey are pigeons, mourning doves and shorebirds. They hunt by soaring high above or by perching up on a skyscraper or cliff to spot prey. Peregrine falcons have some of the best eyesight in the animal kingdom. Their eyes are very helpful while hunting. Once a peregrine spots its prey, it folds its wings into two Vs and dives down towards its prey. The way it attacks is based on the way the wind is blowing. If the wind is blowing against it, the falcon will descend under the bird and attack. If the wind is blowing with the falcon, it will make a speeding dive towards the bird and strike it hard with its sharp talons. The impact either kills the prey or stuns it. Then, the peregrine falcon catches it in midair. If the peregrine misses a bird on its dive, it will then try to catch it on a winding chase. —Areeb Mohammed
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Questions
b Answers
About Oysters By Jakob Roizman Grade 6, Blythwood Junior Public School
HOW LONG CAN OYSTERS LIVE? An oyster can live up to six years. If its life is much shorter, it’s likely because the oyster is sick. If it’s longer than five years, the oyster is very healthy. The lifespan of an oyster may depend on the breed of oyster (yes, there are different breeds!).
ISTOCK
Oysters are amazing creatures. If you don’t believe us, check this out
DO OYSTERS MOVE AROUND? No, oysters do not move. Once they are born, they are stuck where they are born for the rest of their lives. If there is a very strong current, it may nudge an oyster slightly. But if an oyster is attacked, it has nowhere to run. Still, its shell does quite a good job of defending the inside when it’s attacked.
WHAT DO OYSTERS EAT? Oysters mostly eat plankton and algae. Oysters are filter feeders, which means the oyster strains water over its gills, where bits of food get caught in mucus. Then the oyster eats the food it gets. By doing this, the oyster actually takes out pollution from the water, so in places that have poor water and oysters, oysters take out the pollution and feed themselves at the same time!
But oysters are lucky; they have only three predators: crabs, lobsters and humans. Humans are the biggest oyster killers. In other words, we are the oyster’s top predator.
HOW DO OYSTERS MAKE PEARLS? Humans harvest oyster pearls for jewellery. Oysters create these gems to defend their sensitive tissues from invaders. Between the hard shells of an oyster, there is a fleshy body called the “foot.” Between the foot and the shell is a soft,slimy tissue called the “mantle.” This tissue is extremely sensitive. If some random microscopic plankton crawls in the shell and disrupts the poor, innocent oyster, theoyster has nothing to get the stuff out of its body. So, the oyster creates layers of material called “nacre.” Over time, more layers of nacre are added, and that gives the pearl an effect similar to light being trapped in the gem. Then humans come along and take the pearl for jewellery.
CAN OYSTERS CHANGE GENDERS? Oysters actually can change genders! They do this because all oysters are born male. That fact left scientists wondering how they would multiply. Soon they found out that oysters change genders. Many oysters change genders at the age of one or two years, and they may turn back to male. Oysters are one of the few animals to change their gender in the whole world.
HOW BIG CAN OYSTERS GET TO BE? Oysters range in size from 6.5 centimetres to 13 centimetres and up. There is one species of oyster that can grow as big as dinner plates. These oysters are used only for the pearls that they may have inside them.
I have black feathers on my head and can be found in every one of Canada’s provinces and territories.
Oyster size is very important to people who farm them and sell them. The types of oyster sizes are X-small (6.3 centimetres to 7.6 centimetres), small (7.6 centimetres), medium (10 centimetres to 12.7 centimetres) and large (12.7 centimetres and over). As you may think, the bigger the oyster, the higher the cost is to buy it. Oyster farmers put oysters in sacks according to their size.
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Secret to Living Forever? A tiny jellyfish may reveal clues to immortality By Camille Miller Grade 6, Blythwood Junior Public School
There is a certain type of jellyfish called the Turritopsis dohrnii. These tiny little jellyfish are only 4.5 millimetres in diameter and are often known as the “immortal jellyfish.” That’s because they have found a way to “live” forever. When starvation, injury or a crisis occurs, these jellyfish transform all the cells in their body into a younger state. This means they can go from baby to adult and back to a baby again. Babies need less food, so they are less likely to die of starvation. If there is less food in their environment, immortal jellyfish get small enough that they can eat what they can find and not starve. This helps them survive in the ocean for much longer, possibly even forever. One of the reasons immortal jellyfish can do this is because they have no brain, no nervous system, no respiratory system and no circulatory system — but they are still considered animals. It’s very weird!
times e m o s e r llyfish a ,” after e j l a t r o Imm . “hydra nk own as reek mythology re in G ff a creatu , when you cut o yth In the m ra’s head, a hyd grow back. heads e r o m o w t
ISTOCK
Did you know there is a certain type of creature that is potentially immortal? Humans have been searching for the secret to immortally for generations. Has another animal really found it?
THE LIFE CYCLE OF A JELLYFISH A mature immortal jellyfish lays eggs that are fertilized in the water. The fertilized eggs turn into larvae that drop and attach themselves onto the ocean floor. It takes three days for one of these larvae to turn into a polyp. The polyp then grows into a young jellyfish and then a mature jellyfish. When faced with stresses, a mature jellyfish will shrink its tentacles and drop to the ocean floor, where it turns into a blob known as a “cyst.” The cyst attaches itself onto the ocean floor and, after three days, becomes a “polyp.” This polyp will make many copies of itself and releases many identical polyps into the ocean, and they grow into young and eventually mature jellyfish. Immortal jellyfish do this by undergoing a process called “transdifferentiation,” in which the cells essentially change into different types of cells. For example, certain cells, like muscle cells, are transformed into nerve cells or even sperm or eggs cells. A jellyfish can repeat this process however many times it wants. It basically makes living photocopies of itself. Think of it like a butterfly going back to a caterpillar and then making five more caterpillars. These jellyfish can and do die. They can die if they are taken out of water, are burned or are eaten by predators. They can also die of some diseases.
ISTOCK
To conserve energy in winter, I can drop my body temperature at night by up to 12° C.
The Turritopsis dohrnii is the only known creature on Earth whose complete body can undergo transdifferentiation. Scientists are trying to understand this process so they can apply it to humans. For example, if someone is injured maybe they can regenerate an organ or body part. If someone has cancer, maybe we can make the cancer cells turn into younger and healthier cells. In the future, what we learn from this immortal jellyfish may be the secret to living forever. a
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Bugs: Strong or Weak? Some people think bugs are small and not very powerful. They’re wrong! By Kate Sellery ISTOCK
Grade 6, Blythwood Junior Public School
COOL FACTS ABOUT INSECTS AND
BUGS
of the ant workers and soldiers Ants are as old as dinosaurs | All
ants can be as big as a small car are female | A nest of leafcutter
| A queen leafcutter
There are so many kinds of bugs that are strong in their own ways. One example is the leafcutter ant, which can carry 50 times its own body weight in its mouth. If humans could do that, they would be able to carry a truck with their jaws. Ants can also lift 50 times their body weight, but not in their mouths. A froghopper bug — sometimes known as a “spittlebug” — can jump 70 centimetres straight up. That is like a person jumping almost twice the height of the Great Pyramid of Giza. A flea can jump 200 times its length. If people could do that, they would be able to jump 344 metres — almost the length of five Boeing jumbo jets. There is also the Hercules beetle, which lives in Central and South America. It is part of the rhino beetle family and can lift 850 times its own body weight. If humans could lift 850 times their own body weight, they would be able to lift roughly 58 tonnes.
ISTOCK
The Hercules beetle was thought to be the strongest beetle in the world, but recently it has been discovered in an experiment that it is no longer the strongest. It is now the dung beetle, which can pull a load about 1,141 times heavier than its own weight. The Hercules beetle eats rotten plants, dead wood, fallen leaves and, sometimes, other small bugs. The life cycle of a
Hercules beetle is pretty short. It usually lives between 11 and 16 months. The Hercules beetle is listed as a threatened species. Some of the threats to its survival include deforestation and predators. Predators include bats, rats and birds. Hercules beetles hide in rotten tree trunks in tropical rainforests to avoid being their prey’s lunch. When Hercules beetles get mad at you, they may hiss to act fierce. They have two sets of wings to fly, and males have horns on the top of their heads. They use their horns to dig and to fight over the females. The females cannot fight because they do not have horns. The colours of the Hercules beetle are black, brown, green, blue, white or yellow. The Hercules beetle has a shell-like body and is one of the biggest beetles in the world. It grows between four and 17 centimetres long and its horns can grow longer than its body. During mating season, males sometimes pick up other males onto their horns then slam them on the ground and try to break their heads. It gets a little too intense! There are more species of beetles in the world than any other animal, with around 290,000 known species worldwide. The facts are clear: these bugs are not weak; they are strong! a
to called spittlebugs because they spit day | Froghopper bugs are also ant can lay up to 30,000 eggs in one
ronment check the temperature of their envi
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MERLIN
ANIMALS OF
NORTH AMERICA
LAURENZ BAARS
- in spring and summer, lives near the water’s edge around lakes, marshes, swamps and bogs - hibernates underground in winter; will travel long distances to find places to stay, locating them by smell - found in two regions of Canada — the Great Lakes and Nova Scotia By WILD Staff
- grows to lengths of 18 to 86 centimetres - eats small fish, tadpoles, salamanders, frogs, toads and insects - looks similar to a garter snake but has a thinner body, smaller head, longer tail and pure white lips
ILLUSTRATION: PAUL ROBERT. PHOTO: ROD PLANCK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Eastern Ribbonsnake
Eastern Ribbonsnake Why is it At Risk Eastern ribbonsnakes are officially listed as a “threatened” in Nova Scotia. In Ontario, they are a species of “special concern.” Several issues have contributed to their troubles. One is that we just don’t know much about them - where they live, what habitat they prefer and how they survive. That makes it hard to come up with plans to protect them. Eastern ribbonsnakes are also at risk as a result of loss of habitat, getting run over by cars and shrinking populations of prey species.
If you live in an area with eastern ribbonsn akes, learn how to identify them — and keep your eyes open. If you are lucky enough to see one, share your information with local wildlife offic ials. You’ll be playing a small part in increasin g our understanding of these creatures. If you don’t live in a ribbonsnake area, you can still help out. Find out more about the rept iles that live in your area and what you can do to protect them. Then, spread the word.
What CWF Is D
oing
CWF is concerne d about the futu re of eastern ribbonsnakes. Th at’s why it’s givi ng money to scientists who are researching these slithering creatu res. The scientis ts hope their work will help us learn more abou t where eastern ribbonsn akes live and ho w they use their habitat. CW F also has man y other programs to rais e awareness abou t reptiles and to protect th em and their ha bitats.
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You can send one lucky grade 8/secondary 2 class on Canada’s Coolest School Trip, a five-day all-expenses-paid adventure of a lifetime! The lucky class will fly with Air Canada and explore the spectacular La Mauricie National Park, experience Parks Canada places in historic Québec City and much more! Vote for your favorite video today at
MyParksPass.ca
cie La Mauri
National
Park
Québec C ity
PHOTOS: PARKS CANADA, THINKSTOCK
Welcome to the WILD
CLUBHOUSE Jokes + Trivia + Drawing + Projects + More
PAUL ROBERT
Hide & Seek Moose and Weasel are hidden somewhere in this image. Can you spot them? ANSWER ON PAGE 34
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Jokes What animal is smarter than a talking parrot?
PAUL ROBERT
A spelling bee
Why did the raccoon say “moo?” Because it was learning a new language.
Why wasn’t the (;::+8]?^'225=+*^
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to go to the dance? Because it was a mothball.
What’s the difference between a dog and a marine (/525-/9: A dog wags its tail, a marine biologists tags a whale.
WILD TRIVIA
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True or False: Bats in Canada typically eat at least 50 per cent of their body weight in insects each night.
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Which animal sometimes burrows through a metre of snow to reach the surface after hibernation? a) skunk b) chipmunk c) Arctic hare d) porcupine
3
What makes B.C.’s coastal rainforest different from other rainforests? a) it’s the largest in the world b) it has more species than any other c) it has the fewest species d) the majority of trees are coniferous
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True or False: Great horned owls are lazy when it comes to building nests.
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True or False: Freshwater turtles are amphibians.
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How far will a wolverine travel during its daily hunting activities? a) 10 kilometres b) 25 kilometres c) 40 kilometres d) 50 kilometres
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True or False: Grey jays are also known as “whisky jacks.”
WESLEY PITTS
Test your knowlege
>>> Find the trivia and word search answers on page 34.
WORD SEARCH G O O V
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Can you find these wild words?
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How to draw a
BEAVER By Paul Robert
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1 Using a light pencil, roughly draw the basic shapes that make up a beaver — head, body, tail, legs. Also draw the shape of a tree the beaver will be chipping away at, as well as the basic shape of the ground.
3 Add more details — more fur lines, a snout, more grass here and there, teeth marks on the part of the tree that has been gnawed and some lines to indicate your background — water and bush.
Now, still with a light pencil, draw in a few details — some fur lines, an eye, an ear, front and back toes, some grass, a branch, wood chips. Erase any lines that confu se you. Your drawing is already taking shape!
4
the lines. I decided not Using a good fine tip marker, redraw picture was of a wet ence refer My . lines fur the all to draw look kind of scraggly. it e mad beaver and the fur lines I drew on the tree. some d adde also I and lines few a I did keep
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5 lines. Now Wait for the marker to dry and erase the pencil background, the in woods the — areas colour main the block in the beaver. and chips wood the pond, the grass, the tree and
Now some shading in the background, on the tree and in the grass by adding darker colours on top of the lighter ones you just put in. Don't get too hung up on details, keep it loose.
7
8 You're nearly done. Now it's time work on the beaver, adding darker tones on top of lighter ones. Use your reference photo for ideas. Also keep in mind where the light is coming from for your shading.
that make Last step — Add the little details here and there hts, highlig some ws, shado your drawing pop — a few more Done! eye. the and the teeth
d pictures of beavers to use as Before you start drawing, find some goo website has good ones at www.hww.ca references. The Hinterland Who's Who
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PROJECT
Build a Hotel For Bugs! They’re all over the place… and they’re looking for a place to stay
3 Put the top of your bottle in your recycling bin. You don’t need it for this project. Next, punch two holes about an inch apart in the middle of your bottle.
Everybody needs a home, even if it’s only for a short time. That includes insects. But sometimes, bugs have difficulty finding one. They like the nooks and crannies they find behind rocks, under leaves or in the cracks of tree bark. Those aren’t always easy to come by, especially in tidy yards and parks. But you can help by building a bug hotel. It’s easy — and you’ll be protecting insects that help us by pollinating plants and controlling pests.
• string or twine • materials you find on the ground, such as leaves, twigs, grass, dry bark, stones and bits of clay
Follow these steps: 1
Go on a scavenger hunt around your yard or local park. Collect leaves, twigs, bits of bark, clay, grass, stones — whatever you can find. These will make the “rooms” in your hotel.
bottle Put some twine or string through the holes in your your hotel, and tie it in a loop. You’ll use this string to hang so make sure your bottle hangs straight.
5 Stuff your bottle with your rocks, twigs, leaves etc. Pack it tight. These materials will create the nooks and crannies where the bugs will live.
6
2 Using your scissors, cut off the top of your bottle. Make the cut about one-quarter of the way up. (Be careful. You don’t want to cut yourself.)
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4
wisely. Hang your hotel in your yard. Choose your spot the to close too it You probably don’t want to hang as it spot, good a is n garde a Near . house your door of might help attract pollinators..
ASHLEY BARRON
What You’ll Need: • an empty plastic bottle, like a water or juice bottle (Be sure to rinse it out before you start.) • scissors • hole punch
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As
the sun’s meek rays started to peer over the campground, Terri, Michael and Tanya Lucas awoke slowly. The three members of the Wild Bunch were camping with their grandparents, who were sleeping in a different tent. “C’mon guys!” said Tanya, the oldest of the Lucas kids. “We’ve got a big day of hiking today.” Michael grumbled as he changed in his sleeping bag. “Only a good day of outdoor adventuring would wake me up this early,” he muttered.
Tanya and Terri left the tent and began to cook the morning breakfast. After their grandparents had woken, the Wild Bunch were prepped for the day and ready to go. “Stay on the trail and be back by lunch,” their grandmother yelled to them as they rushed down the camp roads to the hiking trail. By the time the Wild Bunch got to the trail’s entrance, Michael and Terri were already out of breath. “We haven’t even started hiking and you’re already out of breath,” scolded Tanya as her brother and sister flopped down on the grass.
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Just as Terri and Michael had rested back up, they heard a rustling in the brush. The group froze. In unison, their eyes darted to the brush; Tanya broke into a cold sweat, fearing for what eerie creature was in the brush. The shadow crept out to reveal a deer. The group jumped for joy. “Cool! A deer!” cried Tanya. “Let’s follow it!” exclaimed Michael. Then, breaking the rules, they rushed through the brush off the trail. In pursuit of the deer, Terri took the lead. Suddenly a clearing appeared and Terri froze in fear. “What’s wrong?” yelled Tanya as she and Michael caught up to their younger sister. When they saw what was in the clearing, they realized Terri’s fear was justified. It was a horrifying sight. The trees in front of them were stripped clean, with bored-out veins running up and down the trunks. “What in the world happened to the trees?” Terri inquired, as the group stood dumbfounded at the horrifying sight around them. They were shook out of their daze by a park warden coming through the bush shouting, “Hey! You kids shouldn’t be here.” The tone of his voice boomed across the forest, but his demeanour softened after seeing the obvious fear on the Wild Bunch’s faces.
“What’s wrong with the trees?” Tanya asked softly. The warden gulped, clearly nervous. “Come on, I’ll give you a drive back to your site,” the warden said as he led Tanya, Michael and Terri back to his truck. As they walked with the warden, the Wild Bunch told him their campsite info and their grandparents’ names. After hearing this, the warden’s ears perked up. “Professor Lucas!” he exclaimed. “He was my dendrology professor in university.” The warden lowered his voice and said, “I was his favourite student.” Then he winked, eliciting some chuckles from the Lucas kids. “What’s dendrology?” asked Terri. The warden explained as he started up the truck and everyone buckled up. “Dendrology is the study of trees. Your grandfather could probably explain the trees’ plight better than I could.” Terri was pleased with the information she was provided. As they pulled into the campsite, the Wild Bunch explained the situation with the trees to their grandfather. Then the warden greeted Grandpa Lucas and they began reminiscing with each other. After sharing a few hearty laughs, Michael interrupted the pair’s merriment. “Are you gonna tell us about the trees now?” The two stopped and sat the three down on a bench.
The air was still on the hot afternoon as Grandpa Lucas began to speak. “There is an environmental crisis facing the world, an alien invasion destroying habitats and threatening livelihoods and economies,” he started. “But this alien does not hail from outer space, he hails from yonder lands — a bug known as the emerald ash borer, taken into Canada hidden in boxes. Emerald ash borers destroy ash trees, piercing the parts of the tree that distribute nutrients, slowly killing the tree. They are pests that are very difficult to eradicate. The only solution is to cut down the trees.” Grandpa Lucas finished his speech on a solemn note. The children were shaken by the story. “What can we do to stop this?” the group said in unison. Grandpa smiled, “That would be the warden’s specialty; the emerald ash borer is a fairly new parasite.” The warden shifted in his seat and then began speaking, “The emerald ash borer is a shared responsibility. We must inspect imported wood to make sure it is not infected. It also comes down to a very personal level: do not bring firewood from outside sources into the park, as wood taken from infected areas to areas not infected can cause serious trouble, both environmentally and with the law. Firewood
taken out of a regulated area can get you a $25 fine.” “Oh no!” interjected Michael; “We brought our firewood out of our regulated area!” Tanya jabbed Michael from under the bench to silence him. The warden giggled. “Don’t worry, I won’t fine you. I just want to take the wood before you burn it.” The group said goodbye to the warden, and he handed them a bag of uninfected firewood. The next morning, the Lucas kids and their grandparents began to disassemble their camping gear. By the afternoon, they had checked out of the campsite and were speeding down the highway. As they drove, Terri, the youngest, shared some insightful thoughts about the emerald ash borer situation. “You know, the environment is a fragile gift that humans have been entrusted to care for. We are allowed to live in nature’s world, so we must keep it the way we found it, especially as we take everything from nature and give nothing but ill wishes — the lawn needs to be cut, the tree needs to be cut, etc. We took the emerald ash borer from its native lands and took it here.” Terri finished her rant. “That was certainly an earful,” replied Grandma from behind the wheel. “You bet!” Tanya concluded. a
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Clubhouse
Editor
ANSWERS WILD TRIVIA
Cooper Langford Art Director
Steven Balaban Contributing Editor
Wayne Lynch
HIDE & SEEK
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3. d) B.C.’s coastal rainforests have more coniferous trees than leafy, deciduous trees. 4. True. Great horned owls usually make their homes in nests abandoned by other raptors. They make little effort to fix it up or to build their own. 5. False. Freshwater turtles are reptiles. Reptiles are different from amphibians in many ways. For example, reptiles usually lay hard-shelled eggs and their young are tiny versions of adults. Amphibians lay soft eggs in water. Their young are tadpoles before they become adults.
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6. c) Although wolverines are carnivores, they are more scavengers than hunters. They travel throughout the day to feed on leftovers from larger hunting animals, such as wolves. 7. True. The name “whisky jack” comes from an Algonquin word — Wisakedjak — for a spirit that plays tricks on people. Grey jays are famous for sneaking food away from people when they are in the woods.
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Stephanie Small Fred T. Ouimette
2. b) Chipmunks come out of hibernation during the first warm days of March. There’s snow on the ground in much of their range, so they have to dig their way out.
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1. True. In fact, bats will eat as much as 100 per cent of their body weight daily. Most of their diet is made up of bugs, including beetles, mosquitoes, moths and mayflies.
WORD SEARCH
I can make at least 15 different calls to communicate with members of my flock and my chicks.
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