Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2023, issue 100 i Eco Kids Planet Magazine

LET ME BE CLEAR! Hi, Rusty fans! I often wish I could make myself transparent. Yes, I mean totally see-through like a piece of glass. My annoying sister Rhona would never be able to find me in a game of hide and seek again (not that she ever can). Also, I could make her think the house was haunted. I’d pick up some of her things, and it would look like they’re floating in mid-air! She also gets to stay up later than me, just because she’s a bit older (NOT FAIR). If I was see-through, I could stay up for as long as I like, and nobody would even know. It would be brilliant! Well, some frogs in South and Central America can turn themselves transparent. People even call…

Why do so many adults dislike weeds? What even makes a plant a weed? I just had to investigate… Weeds? No such thing! It’s just a name for wild plants that grow freely – often where people don’t want them. People complain about them taking over their gardens, stealing sunlight and space from the plants they like. But aren’t wild plants great for nature? You bet! Milkweed is the only plant North America’s monarch butterfly caterpillars eat. Without it, it would be bye-bye to monarch butterflies – simple as that. That makes it a wildlife hero! Here in the UK, many butterfly species’ caterpillars feed on nettles and other ‘weed’ leaves. I’m not dande-lyin’! Dandelions provide pollen and sweet nectar for bees, beetles and other pollinators to eat. Blackberries are…

An ecosystem is where living things interact with each other and with other non-living things (like water, soil or air). They can be as vast as the ocean or as small as a puddle. We all live in one. And all the living things in them depend on all the other things. Ecosystems depend on certain species most of all. They’re called keystone species. They can be large predators – or so tiny you need a microscope to see them. Some are surprising! Sea stars People often call them starfish – except they’re not fish. They are, however, a keystone species in some communities. They eat lots of sea urchins, and that’s good (unless you’re a sea urchin!). Here’s why. Kelp is a brown seaweed that forms dense forests. These provide…

Helmeted hornbills rely on the rainforest for food and shelter, and the rainforest relies on them, too! But these environmental heroes are in serious danger of being hunted to extinction. Listen out for laughter The helmeted hornbill lives in the lowland forests of Southeast Asia. It can only be found in five countries: Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand. Out of about 60 species of hornbills, the helmeted hornbill is one of the largest. From its beak to its tail feathers, it measures about 180cm – the size of a tall adult. Just imagine its giant wings whooshing above your head! But these ancient birds are very rare and shy. Even if you tramped around the rainforest for days, you probably wouldn’t see one. If you’re lucky, you might just…

What you need: Leaves, twigs and other natural objects An empty sticky tape reel or some cardboard Strong glue Scissors What to do: 1. Take an empty sticky tape reel or make a cardboard cylinder. 2. Snap some twigs to uniform lengths and use scissors to trim away any spiky bits of wood. 3. Glue the twigs snugly next to each other around the cardboard reel. Stretch an elastic band around the wristband to hold the twigs in place while the glue dries if necessary. 4. Add details by layering up natural objects such as leaves and nuts. Thick leaves can be cut into shapes such as circles and stars. 5. Wear your wristband and imagine the power of nature running through your fingers!…

How could plastic-eating bacteria help reduce waste? Can a river be given human rights? Could we generate all the power we need from the sun and the wind? How do woolly sweaters help penguins in peril? Would building a giant sunshade in space stop the world from overheating? Find the answers to these questions and more in this colourful and exciting book, full of big, small and unexpected ways to save the planet. Ages: 8+ RRP £9.99 How to submit your entries: Email a photo of your drawing to win@ecokidsplanet.co.uk, or send it to Eco Kids Planet, 41 Claremont Road, Barnet, EN4 0HR. You can add any description directly on your drawing or send it via email. Your entry must arrive before 10th March 2023. Make sure you include your full…

It’s that time when the RSPCA releases its strangest and funniest animal rescues of the previous year! Animals often get themselves into sticky situations. Luckily, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals gets called out to help them. Here are some of the most unexpected rescues of 2022. SEALY HIGH! On 4th January, a seal pup somehow found himself alone at the top of a cliff in Norfolk! Someone spotted the young pup on the clifftop over 15 metres from the beach and called the RSPCA. Officer Amy Pellegrini said: “I was quite surprised to find this seal so far up – he must have just taken a wrong turn and then followed the coastal path before ending up on the cliff edge.” She took the pup…

In case you’re wondering, I don’t mean the kind that beams down from outer space… No, I’ve been investigating invasive species. These are plants and animals that appear in places they don’t belong. They might be a type of vine or bug or bird – anything that didn’t originally come from that particular area. If you live in London, have you ever noticed the noisy parakeets when visiting your local park? Although they’ve been living here for decades, they are beautiful alien invaders! There are many wild and wonderful stories about how they arrived here, but no one knows what impact they’re having on local wildlife yet. The introduction of alien species sometimes has terrible consequences. They upset the balance of the ecosystem, often driving out native creatures. Take grey squirrels…

1 Don’t be afraidIf you see me around,Circling highWhile you stand on the ground.I am not dirty,Like you have been told;I am a cleaner,An eater of old…Some think I’m creepyBut isn’t it oddThat others believeI am sacred – a god! What am I? 2 I am a beast of fiery gazeTo match the stripes that burn and blazeUpon my coat of amber rust,I stalk though snow –I walk on dust. But though you say my name with fear,My kingdom shrinks with every year…Until one day,Beware! Beware!What will you do if I’m not here? What am I? 3 One baby,Two babies,Three babies, four…Five babies,Six babies,Seven babies, MORE!So many babies,Will I ever stop?No way – never –Until the day I drop!I multiply extremely fast –I’m famous for this habit.A fluffy tail, a…