June Issue 2 2015
FOR KIDS
www. z i w i ra .co m
BUILDING THE FUTURE
SUST SUSTAINABLE SUSTAI NABLE
Let’s test your eco-knowledge…
Earth Boy wants to introduce you to the friendly giants of the ocean
The
Natural Garden
A short story about the importance of ecosystems.
Summer is here, and we know you don’t want to sit around with nothing to do!
Food Safety for Kids Learn how to be safe and kind to nature at the beach.
CONTENTS
ZIWIRA JUNE 2015
14
04 08
36
26
04 Beach Fun 08 Food Safety 14 Let’s Cook 16 Ecosystems 20 Oil Spills
32 Endangered & Extinct Animals 36 Activities 40 Ritz Kids Summer Camp 42 Green Love
24 Build a Mud-house 26 The Natural Garden 28 Whales & Dolphins www.ziwira.com
BUILDING THE FUTURE
Publisher Ziwira CEO and Founder Adam Merza adam@ziwira.com Editorial Saba Khan
JUNE 2015
HELLO KIDS
saba.khan@ziwira.com Nasreen Rasool nasreen.rasool@ziwira.com Zane Small zane.small@ziwira.com Marketing Nadir Khan nadir.khan@ziwira.com +971 56 7481747 Design Asif Habib asif.habib@ziwira.com Fahad Balabhai fahad@ziwira.com Head Office Techno Hub Building, Office No. 161-162, PO Box No. 341171, Dubai Silicon Oasis, UAE. USA Office
So we are back with our second edition for you. Hope you enjoyed reading the first one and tried a few activities if not all! In this issue we have more fun and action packed activities for you, like how to make a mud brick house. Doesn’t that sound fun? I am sure it does to most of you. I enjoyed doing it when I was a kid like you - well, I still do. Apart from this, do you remember the Earth Boy? He will introduce you to some whales and dolphins. Go to (page no. 28) to learn more about them. You will also learn about some weird and wonderful animals that exist in our eco system, about which you never knew! And with summer holidays just round the corner, have some beach fun and discover different ways of enjoying and preserving nature. Happy Reading!
Ziwira Inc. 445 Park Avenue 9th Floor New York City New York 10022 United States of America Canada Office Ziwira Inc. Toronto, Canada
Saba Khan E D I T O R
@ZIWIRA
© Copyright 2015 Ziwira. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced in
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permission of the publisher.
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June Issue 2 2015
BE
BEACH FUN
The sun is a good source of Vitamin D. It’s important to get a few hours of sunlight every day. But too much exposure to UV rays from the sun can damage your skin and cause cancer. When going to the beach, we need to protect our skin from the sun’s UV rays. Apply eco-friendly sunscreen on your skin and wear a big beach hat. June Issue 2 2015
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EACH FUN In summer, many people like going to the beach. You can swim, splash in the water, build sandcastles and just have fun with friends and family. The beach is a beautiful natural treasure. It’s important that we keep it as clean as possible.
HOW? DON’T LITTER – After you eat, throw wrappers and juice boxes in the bin. RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT – Don’t break plants or flowers growing nearby. Try not to interfere with the creatures living at the seaside e.g. Crabs and birds. This is their home, if you remove them, they will not survive. Remember to take all your belongings when you leave. If you leave shoes or clothing or plastic toys behind, they will pollute the environment and harm the animals. www.ziwira.com
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June Issue 2 2015
BEACH FUN
Sea gulls are often found on the beach. They are known as scavengers because they eat anything.
Beach Creatures
Clam shells are often found washed up on the shore.
BEACH CREATURES June Issue 2 2015
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Did you know
Sand crabs live in the sand and only come out when they need to look for food
that the beach is just a small part of a HUGE ocean that covers most of our planet? Each wave picks up thousands of grains of sand and transports it somewhere else.
Have you ever seen tiny holes like this in the sand?
It’s
Mr Beach Hopper! He loves the sand, but don’t worry, he doesn’t bite. www.ziwira.com
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April Issue 2 2015
FOOD SAFETY
June Issue 2 2015
Furr Food
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ry ds!
Do you love to eat? Food can be really yummy! But if we eat bad foods, it can make us very, very sick. Be careful of any foods that have mold on it, smells funny, or looks strange.
What happens to old food? When food is very old, it begins to decompose. That means bacteria attacks the food and it starts to rot. This causes the food to turn brown mushy and to deWhen food and is very old, it begins even smelly! Bacteria warmbacteria tem- attacks the compose.loves That means peratures, that’s why should food andyou it starts to rot.never This causes the food to turn brown and mushy and even leave food out of the fridge.
WHAT HAPPENS TO OLD FOOD?
smelly! Bacteria loves warm temperatures, that’s why you should never leave food out of the fridge.
that make us Bacteria are tiny creatures seen with a very sick. They can only be microscope.
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June Issue 2 2015
FOOD SAFETY
Eeeeeeewww!
WHAT IS MOLD?
Mold is that furry stuff that grows on food when it is old and rotten. It’s good for the environment because it helps old food to decompose back into the ground, but it’s really bad for humans! Mold can be black, blue or green in color and can appear on food, plants and wood.
DON’T
Eat food with mold on it
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DO Eat fresh, clean fruits, vegetables and other foods that look and smell great. www.ziwira.com
HEALTHY SNACKS Chips, chocolates, soda’s, cakes, biscuits and sweets are unhealthy foods. They are made from unnatural ingredients that are bad for your body.
Too much sugar can spoil your teeth. Chips are usually covered with a very harmful powder called MSG. It plays tricks on your tongue, so you want more and more and more‌
The best foods are made from nature. For example, did you know that dried kiwi and raisins taste like candy? Ask mom to get banana chips, carrot chips or nuts as a healthy snack.
Healthy foods = Healthy body = Happy times and Fun! Unhealthy foods = More visits to the doctor www.ziwira.com
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June Issue 2 2015
FOOD SAFETY
Look for this sign. If something is organic, that means it doesn’t have any harmful chemicals and is good for your body as well as good for the earth.
Remember Never accept sweets or food from strangers, it may be harmful to your health. And never share food or drinks with your friends or siblings. You could get their germs!
DON’T Eat it if you don’t know what it is.
DO Ask a grown up if it’s safe first.
ALWAYS wash your hands before you eat.
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Hand Washing Maze START
It’s dinner time! Mike and Lily have been playing outside and are hungry. Help them get to dinner by washing their hands first! Step #1 Wet your hands with warm water, then add soap.
Step #2 Rub your hands together for 20 seconds
FINISH
Step #3 Rinse your hands clean with warmwater
Step #4 Dry with a clean towel. Now you’re ready to eat!
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June Issue 2 2015
LET’S COOK
HAP PY FAC E PIZ ZA Ingredients: 2 whole wheat English muffins, cut in half. 4 tablespoons homemade tomato or pesto sauce. 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Organic tomatoes, olives and bell peppers for toppings. Directions:
1 Ask a grown up to pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F or 200 degrees Celsius. 2 Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto or tomato sauce on each muffin half. 3 Sprinkle each pizza with cheese. 4 Now add your toppings in the shape of a face. Use olives for eyes, pepper slices for hair, tomato slices for the mouth and any other healthy goodies you can think of like herbs pineapple or beetroot circles.
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FRO ZEN MEL ON BAL LS Ingredients: 1 ripe melon ½ or ¾ cup seedless raspberry jam (sugar free) 1 ½ cups shredded organic coconut, toasted Directions:
1 Get a grown up to cut the melon in half. 2 Scoop out all the seeds using a spoon. 3 Ask a grown up to scoop out round balls from the flesh of the fruit using a melon baller. Or cut it into cubes. A grown up will also have to heat the jam in a small pot until it’s melted. 4 Now the fun part! Stick a toothpick into each melon ball or cube. Roll it in the melted jam and then roll it in the coconut. 5
Place the coconut-covered melon onto a large baking sheet.
6
Repeat with the remaining chunks of melon. When the tray is full, put in the freezer for 2-3 hours until they’re frozen. Enjoy! Source: yum-o.org
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LEARN
We are in�con
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What is an ecosystem? An ecosystem includes all of the living things (plants, animals and organisms) in an area, interacting with each other, and also their nonliving environments (weather, earth, sun, soil, climate, and atmosphere). Basically, it’s how everything in nature works together!
Why are ecosystems important?
all nnected!
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Take a look at a puddle in your backyard at home. In the puddle, you will find all sorts of living creatures like plants, insects, even microorganisms (so small you can’t see them!) All of these creatures depend on non-living things like water, sunlight, temperature, and even nutrients (stuff that is good for you) in the water.
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June Issue 2 2015
LEARN
What happens if you disrupt an ecosystem? When something different comes into an ecosystem (like a person, or rubbish, or a higher temperature), it can hurt the ecosystem and disrupt the delicate balance. MAJOR THREATS TO ECOSYSTEMS ARE: Habitat Destruction (destroying forests for things like wood or farming). Pollution (rubbish that doesn’t go in the bin sometimes ends up where animals live, making them sick). Over harvesting (for example, sometimes too many fish are caught). Invasive species (sometimes a creature is forced out of its home and goes to live somewhere else. This can disrupt the creatures in that area).
What is a Food Chain? When you eat food, it gives you energy to do things. All living creatures need to feed to get energy to grow, move and reproduce. But what do these living things feed on? Small insects feed on plants, and bigger animals feed on smaller ones, and so on.
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grass-hopper
frog
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How do they work? The feeding relationship in an ecosystem is called a food chain. Food chains are usually a sequence, with an arrow used to show the flow of energy. There is a difference between a food chain and a food web. A food web is a network of many food chains and is more complex.
Energy Transfer Energy is transferred (passed on) along food chains from one level to the next. Some of the energy is used up by growth, reproduction, movement, and other ways, and not available to the next level. Short food chains retain more energy than longer food chains. Used up energy is absorbed by the environment.
Check out this Freaky
Food Web
hawk
snake
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Food webs are more complex. A food chain shows all of the food chains within an ecosystem. Each living thing in an ecosystem is part of multiple food chains. Each food chain is one possible path that energy and nutrients may take as they move through the ecosystem.
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June Issue 2 2015
DISCOVER
Oil Spills
Oil spills are damaging our oceans. Imagine yourself a whale, swimming through the ocean, when you decide to come up to the surface of the water to empty your blow hole, and you end up with thick, toxic oil all over you! It wouldn’t be very nice, would it?
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Oil spills happen when people are careless. They happen when big ships called oil tankers carrying oil from country to country, accidently spill oil into the ocean. Sometimes natural disasters like hurricanes can tip ships over, also accidently spilling oil into the ocean, but this is very rare – most oil spills are caused by humans. Sea birds are often affected by oil spills when their feathers become covered in thick oil. When they try to clean the oil off their feathers by licking it, they’re poisoned because oil is toxic. Oil can also enter an animal’s lungs or liver, poisoning the animal from the inside. Oil can also blind animals when it gets into their eyes, and they can no longer watch out for predators.
Many animals are affected by Oil Spills Other animals that are affected by oil spills include plankton (small animals that whales eat), fish, seaweed, clams, oysters, mussels, and every other creature that calls the sea home. Oil spills affect whales because the oil is often mistaken for food, or it can enter a whale’s blowhole (a hole to help them breathe). Whales rise up out of the water to take a breath, so if the blowhole is plugged with oil, then the whale can’t breathe! If a whale eats a fish that has been swimming through oil, it will be poisoned and die.
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June Issue 2 2015
DISCOVER
How can we help animals affected by oil spills? If a bird has been heavily contaminated with oil, it is most important to flush the oil from its eyes. Birds are taken to cleaning centers where they are examined for broken bones, cuts, or injuries. Next the bird is given a stomach-coating medicine to prevent any more oil from entering its system. They are then warmed and placed in a quiet area where they’re fed and kept safe until they are healthy enough to be returned to their home. When sea otters are taken to a cleaning facility, they’re washed with warm water to (hopefully) break down the oil and warm the otters up. The otters also get medical treatment while they are being cleaned. After their fur is dry, they have to stay a few more days so the workers are sure of no diseases or broken bones. We can all help to stop oil spills by using less oil, because then less will have to be transported by tankers across the ocean.
How can you use less oil? Ride a bike instead of going places by car or bus.
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Biggest oil spill in history! During the Gulf War in 1991, 240 to 336 million gallons of oil were spilt into the Persian Gulf. It was caused when Iraqi forces opened the valves of oil wells to slow the oncoming American troops. It resulted in a huge oils spill. The oil slick covered an area as big as Hawaii. Fortunately, pipelines were able to be closed, and machines that separate oil from water were used to clean the mess. Much of the oil was recovered and the damage wasn’t too devastating.
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April Issue 2 2015
SUMMER
Summer Summer is here, and we know you don’t want to sit around with nothing to do! Why not try something a bit different? Here is a way you can enjoy the sunshine while you keep yourself busy making the most of what Mother Nature has to offer.
MINI MUD-BRICK HOUSES FACT Building houses made out of dried dirt is one of the oldest construction methods known to man. Build a Mini Mud-Brick House, and you could discover a talent you never knew you had. You could grow up to be an architect! (Person who designs houses).
Check out these awesome mud-houses in Syria! Designed for the desert climate, the beehive homes keep the heat out in a few ways. Their thick mud-brick walls trap in the cool and keep the sun out as well. Beehive homes have very few, if any, windows. The high domes of the beehive houses also collect the hot air, moving it away from the residents sleeping at the bottom of the house.
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Instructions: All mud-brick structures use similar ingredients (sand, clay, water and some sort of binder like straw or sticks. Mix up a batch of mud (if you don’t have straw you can use grass clippings), and then press it into an ice tray with removal binders. If you don’t have one of these, the flexible versions would work fine, but traditional ice trays would not work because the bricks would be hard to remove without falling apart. Once you have removed the mud-bricks from the tray, they might need a little squeezing to make them as compact as possible. You can either leave them to dry for a few days in the hot sun, or you can bake them in the oven (if you live in a humid climate) at a low temperature (about 150 degrees or so) until they are dry and hard – a few hours will usually do. When the mud-bricks have set, then you can begin to construct your mud building. Use a soupier mixture of mud as the mortar (stuff that keeps the bricks together). If you have any openings you would like to include, for example windows or a door, you can bridge the top with a couple of sticks and then continue building with the bricks on top of that. You can create a roof for your mini structure using ferns or any type of soft leaf, and adding some sticks, or else build the entire structure out of bricks. When you have finished, sit back, and admire your amazing mud-brick structure. This activity will keep you occupied, as well as keeping mum and dad happy that you’re playing outside. Most importantly, making mud-brick structures is entirely eco-friendly. Post a picture of it on Facebook, and show your friends how much you love the environment! www.ziwira.com
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June Issue 2 2015
STORY TIME
The Natural Garden by
Pedro Pablo Sacristan
‘The Natural Garden’ is a short story about the importance of ecosystems, and the consequences of upsetting the delicate balance of nature. Think about this as you read… There was once a King who had a great palace with wonderful gardens. In those gardens there lived thousands of creatures from hundreds of different species. They were of great variety and color, and they turned that place into a kind of paradise that everyone could enjoy. There was only one thing in those gardens that the King disliked: near the center stood the remains of what had been, centuries ago, a huge tree, but that now was withered and dry, and detracted from the color and beauty of its surroundings. This bothered the King so much that he finally ordered it to be cut down and replaced by a beautiful series of fountains. Sometime later, a wise noble was visiting the King at his palace. He whispered in the King’s ear: -“Majesty, you are the wisest of men. Everywhere one hears talk of the beauty of these gardens and the multitude of creatures that populate them. But during the time I’ve spent here, I’ve hardly seen anything other than this fountain and just a few small birds… What a deception!” The King, who never tried to deceive anyone, found, to his horror, that what the noble had told him was true. They had spent so many months admiring the fountains that they hadn’t realized that hardly any animals remained in the gardens. Without wasting time he sent for the court’s experts and advisers. The King had to listen to many lies, inventions and assumptions, but nothing could explain what had happened. Not even the great reward offered by the King managed to recuperate the royal gardens’ former splendor. Many years later, a young man presented himself to the King, assuring him that he could explain what had happened, and how the animals could be returned.
-“What happened with your garden is that there just wasn’t enough poo, your majesty. Particularly moth poo.” All those present laughed at the young man’s joke. The guards got ready to throw him out, but the King stopped them.-“I want to hear what you have to say. From the thousands of lies I’ve heard, none have begun like that.” The young man continued, very serious, and started explaining how the gardens’ big animals fed mainly on the little brightly-colored birds, who owed their appearance to their own food, composed of colorful worms, who in turn fed on various rare species of plants and flowers that could only be grown in that part of the world, just so long as there was enough moth poo for them... and so he continued, telling how the moths were the basis of much food for many other birds, whose poo encouraged the appearance of new species of plants that fed other insects and animals, and which were, in turn, vital to the existence of other species... And the young man would have kept speaking without pause if the King had not shouted. -“Enough! And can you tell me how you know all these things, being so young?” asked the King. -“Well, because now all from your garden are at my house. Before I was born my father collected that old tree you had torn out from the middle of the garden, and he planted it in our garden. Since then, every spring, from out of that tree come thousands and thousands of moths. With time, the moths attracted the birds, and new plants and trees grew, providing food for other animals that, in turn, provided food for others… And now, my father’s old place is filled with life and color. All thanks to the moths from the big old tree.” -“Excellent!” exclaimed the King, -“Now I’ll be able to recover my gardens. And you, I’ll make you rich. Rest assured that within a week everything will be ready. Use as many men as you like.” -“Your Majesty, I’m afraid that cannot be,” said the young man, -“If you like I can try to recreate the gardens, but you will not live to see it. It will take many years for the natural balance to reestablish itself. With great good fortune perhaps I, when I’m old, will see it completed. Things like these do not depend on how many men work on them.” The face of the old King was sad and pensive, understanding how delicate was the balance of nature, and how careless it had been to break it so happily. But he so loved those gardens and those creatures that he decided to build a huge palace next to the young man’s land. And with thousands of men working on the construction, he managed to see the palace finished in much less time than would have been necessary to reestablish the balance of nature of that garden in any other place. 27|
June Issue 2 2015
EARTH BOY
Whales & Dolphins Hi kids, It’s me again, Earth Boy! I want to introduce you to the friendly giants of the ocean. I’m pleased to introduce you to my friends Mr. Humpback the whale, and Mrs. Bottlenose the dolphin. I had some questions to ask them…
Earth Boy: My good friend Mr. Humpback! You are looking very large today! How long are you? Mr. Humpback: Hi Earth Boy! Yes I can grow much larger than you! I can grow to 16 meters long! WHAT ARE THE THREATS TO WHALES AND DOLPHINS? Whaling (killing whales) Being tangled in fishing lines Climate change Being hit by boats Toxic chemicals in the water Loss of habitat (nowhere to live)
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Earth Boy: That’s incredible! How much do you weigh? Mr. Humpback: I weigh 40 tons. Earth Boy: Whoa! 40 tons, now that’s heavy! Mr. Humpback: Let me introduce myself… I am a very large, intelligent, mammal. I live in the sea. I breathe air through my blowhole into lungs, unlike fish who breathe using gills. I have a sleek body that moves easily through the water.
Humpback whale www.ziwira.com
Earth Boy: Thanks Mr. Humpback, that’s amazing! Mr. Humpback, how do you feel about us humans? Mr. Humpback: Well Earth Boy, sometimes, I feel a bit sad about humans, because my home is being destroyed by them. Too many humans think it is ok to throw their rubbish in the ocean where I live and it is making me sick. Earth Boy: That’s horrible Mr. Whale! How can we help you? Mr. Humpback: You can help me by not throwing your rubbish in the sea, because if I swallow it, I get very sick. I’m sure my friend Mrs. Bottlenose will agree with me…
FACT ABOUT DOLPHINS Dolphins produce high frequency clicking sounds which act as a sonar system called echolocation (ek-oh-low-KAY-shun). When the clicking sounds hit an object in the water, like a fish or rock, they bounce off and come back to the dolphin as echoes. Echolocation tells the dolphins the shape, size, speed, distance, and location of the object.
Bottlenose dolphin
Earth Boy: Mrs. Bottlenose, it’s great to see you! Mrs. Bottlenose: screeeeet screeeeet screeeeeeet! Earth Boy: Sorry Mrs. Bottlenose, but I don’t speak dolphin! Mrs. Bottlenose: My apologies Earth Boy! It’s great to see you too. Earth Boy: Please, tell us about yourself! Mrs. Bottlenose: It would be my pleasure! I am one of 38 species of Odontocete, or toothed whale. So, in a way, Mr. Humpback and I are sort of related… Like other whales, I can swim well by moving my tail up and down. I can swim very fast!
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June Issue 2 2015
EARTH BOY
FACT: POLLUTION Air and water carries chemicals caused by pollution, from all over the world, to the arctic and sub-arctic, where some whales and dolphins live. These chemicals settle in the water and take a long time to break down because of the cold. Scientists now know that whales and dolphins from all around the world have been contaminated with pollution and chemicals which causes damage to their health. Mining, and burning fossil fuels (driving a car that runs on gas) and the dumping of waste in the ocean causes this.
Earth Boy: How much do you weigh Mrs. Bottlenose? Mrs. Bottlenose: I weigh 110lbs, lighter than a piano, which is about 500lbs, and much lighter than Mr. Humpback! Earth Boy: Your friend Mr. Humpback told me that you have some concerns about us humans, like the way we are polluting your ocean. Is that true? Mrs. Bottlenose: Yes, Earth Boy, unfortunately it is true. I always have a fun time playing with humans, but they need to treat our home better. Some of my friend have swallowed plastic and have gotten very sick! Earthy Boy: On behalf of our readers and me, I sincerely apologize for how humans have been treating your home. In the future, we will all be much more careful about where we put our rubbish!
VISIT THE DUBAI MALL AQUARIUM The Dubai Mall Aquarium offers education for youngsters. The Ocean School is designed for kids of all ages to interact with marinelife. Learn about the undersea life, aquatic environments, investigate and discuss how to appreciate the value of life under the sea. Increasing your knowledge of sea creatures will make you realize just how important they are.
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April Issue 2 2015
ANIMALS
Weirdest & Wonderful Endangered & Extinct Animals
Take a look at some of the weirdest and wildest, endangered and extinct animals that you might have never heard of before! The world must never forget about these cool creatures.
To begin with, what does endangered mean? An endangered species is any type of plant or animal that is in danger of disappearing forever. If a species of plant or animal dies out completely, it becomes extinct. Dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago. That’s a very, very, very, very long time ago!
Woolly Rhinoceros (Extinct) An incredible creature that became extinct about 10,000 years ago, is the Woolly Rhinoceros. Woolly Rhino’s looked like Rhino’s that you see today, but were covered in thick hair, because they lived during the last Ice Age. Woolly Rhinos lived in Northern Europe and Eastern Asia. They were herbivore creatures (only ate vegetation, for example grass, sprouts, and mosses). Woolly Rhinos were hunted by early humans, which would have helped cause their extinction.
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Dodo Bird (Extinct) These plump, flightless birds are also sadly extinct, and became extinct much later than the Woolly Rhino. The Dodo Bird was native to the island nation of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. When Dutch sailors arrived on the island in 1598, they hunted the birds for food because they were very slow and easy to catch. The Dodo Bird was officially labelled ‘extinct’ in 1680. They would have fed on seeds, nuts, roots, and fruits.
WHAT CAUSES ANIMALS TO BECOME EXTINCT? Habitat Loss = 88% Competition from other species = 46% Pollution = 20% Over hunting = 14% Disease = 2%
Tasmanian Devil (Alive) It may be called a devil, but it certainly doesn’t look like one. This cute little ball of fur can only be found on the island state of Tasmania, Australia. But don’t let its cuteness fool you, the reason this creature was labelled a ‘devil’, is because it makes a high-pitch screeching sound, and produces a stress-induced smell like a skunk! The Tasmanian Devil is a marsupial (animals that only live in Australasia and the Americas). They have become endangered because of ‘Devil Facial Tumor Disease’, a cancer that only Tasmanian Devils can get. It has reduced their population by over 60% - tough times for this little creature! www.ziwira.com
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June Issue 2 2015
ANIMALS
Tapir (Alive) Tapir’s are odd-looking creatures that can be found mostly in Brazil, and in some areas of South East Asia. Oddly enough, Tapir’s are related to both horses and rhinoceros. An incredible fact about Tapir’s is that they have remained unchanged for tens of millions of years! Tapirs are at home in the water and often swim to cool off. They are excellent swimmers and can even dive to feed on underwater plants. All four tapir species are endangered or threatened, largely due to hunting and habitat loss.
HOW CAN WE PROTECT OUR BELOVED ENDANGERED ANIMALS? Here are some simple ways you can make a difference: Learn about endangered species in your area. Visit a national wildlife refuge to gain more knowledge. Control your pets (often cats and dogs attack endangered animals because they don’t know any better). Reuse or recycle whatever you can. Plant trees, and conserve native habitats.
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ACTIVITIES
Let’s test your
knowledge… Can you spot the words to do with ecosystems?
G K J N H E E L K J E P M S G
Q Y E U Z L C K G N A L E S K
G Q G W C A B O V T W P Z E J
L A C Y N T P I S G R C C D K
K E C C U M R T K Y Y A T C Y
S E B M O O K A A U S I J X D
R U O T N S A T J G G T U Q Z
I X X M B P N I L H Q X E R G
M B E O W H O B S R H R Z M M
S N E M I E W A R V P B M X K
T S X R M R Y H X M D D I L W
Q K O J U E Y G R E N E S T D
P O L L U T I O N Q U V S S V
J K R J V V A Z H T O B T C X
J O E K F T G N V S Z V G G Z
Answers: ATMOSPHERE, ECOSYSTEM, ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, HABITAT, NATURE, POLLUTION, RECYCLE
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V I T C A www.ziwira.com
QUIZ
Test yourself to see how much you remembered!
1
Which is bigger, a food chain or a food web?
2
When did Woolly Rhinos become extinct?
3
In what country do some people live in mud-huts?
4
Are Tapir’s mainly found in Australia, Brazil, or Russia?
5
Are whales and dolphins threatened by loss of habitat?
Answers 1. Food web 2. 10,000 years ago 4. Brazil 5. Yes
3. Syria
Help us un-jumble this jumbled word! CONSVATIONRE
S E I T I IV www.ziwira.com
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April Issue 2 2015
ACTIVITIES
Can you guess where these awesome animals call home? Kiwi Bird
This little creature is a Kiwi Bird. Although it is a bird, it cannot fly. It is nocturnal, and has powerful eyes to be able to hunt at night. It has feathers that feel more like fur to touch. This bird has no tail, but it has little whiskers similar to a cat. It has an incredible sense of smell (I would hope so, with a nose that big!) They are very good at hiding, making them difficult to find.
Can you guess where this bird lives? Here’s a clue:
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Z_A___D
Flat-tailed Gecko Flat-tailed geckos are something you must see to believe. These little creatures are absolute masters of camouflage. They have a unique way of blending into their environment to protect themselves from predators. There are 10 different types of flat-tailed gecko, and they all come from the same place. They are able to reflect light from their body, which makes them almost invisible to see during the daytime. Can you guess where this gecko lives? Here’s a clue:
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Asiatic Cheetah Sadly, this magnificent member of the Cheetah family is critically endangered. This specific cheetah is the Asiatic Cheetah. Their legs are shorter and their heads are smaller than other cheetahs. The Asiatic cheetah separated from its African relative between 32,000 and 67,000 years ago. Cheetahs thrive in open lands, small plains, semi-desert areas, and other open habitats where prey is available. The Asiatic cheetah preys on small antelopes. Can you guess where this cheetah lives? Here’s a clue:
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Giant Panda How could anyone not like this cuddly looking animal? The Giant Panda has a body like other bears, but has unique markings like its black eye patches. Pandas live in forests that have a lot of bamboo, because they love to eat it! Unfortunately, Giant Pandas are an endangered species. Many people find Pandas cute, but they can be just as dangerous as other bears, so be careful! Can you guess where this panda lives? Here’s a clue:
Answers: Kiwi Bird – New Zealand Flat-tailed Gecko – Madagascar
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Asiatic Cheetah – Iran Giant Panda – China
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June Issue 2 2015
ADVERTORIAL
Ritz Kids Summer Camp From July 5 to August 6, 2015 Ritz Kids at The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal will welcome children aged 4 to 12 to join their environmentally focused summer camp.
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In partnership with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society and his unique environmental expertise, they have crafted experiences that appeal to any child’s innate love of discovery and sense of curiosity. Whether at a city location or a resort destination, your child is exposed to an array of environmentally focused activities that foster interaction with the world in which they live. Ritz Kids offers daily and weekly admission options. The summer camp provides a daily-changing activity schedule designed for different age groups. Activities run Sunday through Thursday from 9 am till 2 pm. Reservations are recommended as space is limited.
WEEK 1 (July 5 –July 9) – Get Creative Week This is a chance for you to be creative. Why not paint a masterpiece? Or make your own scrapbook? The first week of the summer camp is a wonderful opportunity to discover hidden talents and acquire new hobbies.
WEEK 2 (July 12 – July 16) – Environment Week Go back to nature with a diverse collection of activities focused on the environment. Learn to make coconut mugs, experiment with clay or make a summer collage – Ritz Kids offers many ways of discovering natural wonders while having fun.
WEEK 3 (July 20 – July 23) – Around the World From learning wilderness survival skills to hotel-wide treasure hunts, the third week of the summer camp is your chance to unleash your inner Robinson Crusoe. The world is your oyster!
WEEK 4 (July 26 – July 30) – Wellness Week A mixture of indoor and outdoor sports and games, the wellness week is all about embracing healthy lifestyle and getting active. The kids will also learn healthy eating tips and understand the importance of a balanced lifestyle.
Week 5 (August 2 – August 6) – Best of the Best Your best Handicraft creation, the best of the Environment Week, your favorite Around the World activity and the best of Wellness - let us enjoy it all over again!
For more information, please contact 9712-818-8145 or rc.auhrz.ritz.kids.attendants@ritzcarlton.com www.ziwira.com
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June Issue 2 2015
PARENTS & TEACHERS
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Green Love
A note for parents and teachers
Summer holidays are a dream for the little ones who don’t have to wake up early for school. But it can easily become a nightmare for parents who have to deal with bored, nagging children. So we say, turn those blues into positive energy and seize the opportunity to leave a legacy in your child’s life this summer. An outing to the beach can be more educational than you might think. Use our “Beach Fun” page as a guideline and expand on it. The outdoor environment makes a great classroom. Add to the bag of buckets and spades, a notebook and crayons too. Get the kids to observe the environment around them and draw pictures in their journal of what they see. It could be litter, seagulls, waves, sand grains or even sand crabs if you’re lucky. Encourage them to explore, touch and feel the natural textures of sand, shells and so on, but not to remove any of it from the natural habitat. Also be careful of the ‘nasties’ such as glass bottles and jelly fish! If you live in a place where the sun is very harsh, practice safe sun habits. By no means should you stay indoors under the air-conditioning all day! Get out in the sunlight early in the morning or in the late afternoon. Avoid the sun at its hottest times. Beware of harsh chemicals in sunblock. Choose an organic, eco-friendly brand such as Eco Logical Skincare, Coola Baby, TruKid, or Green Beaver. You can also make your own sunscreen out of zinc oxide, coconut oil, beeswax and tea tree oil. A great way to teach kids about caring for the environment and the harms caused to it by humans, is getting the whole family involved in a beach clean-up. This way they learn firsthand how unsightly litter can be, and how to be more mindful of their actions. Holiday picnics are also fantastic fun. Be sure to pack fresh organic fruits and healthy snacks. Train their taste buds from a young age to recognize that nature has its very own candy! They will learn to appreciate the tastes of the earth and as they grow they will be reaching for carrot sticks instead of chocolate bars. Remember, sustainability begins in the home. So if we practice green living ourselves, and encourage our kids to throw rubbish in the bin instead of on the floor, or eat healthy organic snacks over MSG-laden chips, they are likely to continue this behavior in the big bad world.
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June Issue 2 2015
CATEGORY
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