Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2024, issue 119 i Eco Kids Planet Magazine

Hi there! I’m Ella, a young elephant from the African savannah, and I’m excited to share how I learn to survive in the wild! From the moment I was born, I could stand on my own within minutes and walk within hours. But mastering my trunk took months! First, it had to grow big enough. Then, I had to learn how to control it. Now, at almost a year old, my trunk is my favourite thing – it’s like having an extra arm, nose and straw all in one! I use it for everything: picking up food, squirting water and even giving my friends playful pokes. And when I show my mum some love, I gently intertwine my trunk with hers. Mum’s milk is still the best, but I’m learning…

Charlie: I’m cruising around Shark Bay off the coast of Western Australia – but I’m not looking for sharks! I want to meet a bottlenose dolphin. Ooh, there’s one – but wait. She looks more like a shell nose! There’s a big snail shell on the end of her beak. She’s shaking it, draining it of water. Dolphins are playful, so maybe she’s just messing about. Hey, over there – what were you doing? Dolphin: Shelling, of course. Charlie: Is that a game? Dolphin: No, it’s a great way of hunting. I chase a fish into an empty snail shell on the sea floor, bring the shell to the surface, and shake it. Guess what happens next. Charlie: The fish falls out? Dolphin: Exactly – into my mouth! Charlie: You…

COMEDY WILDLIFE AWARDS This year’s Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards competition has closed after receiving thousands of entries. It’s in its 10th year now! My friends Paul, Tom and Mich, who run the show, said I could share some of the top entries for 2024 so far with you. THREE HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE In the Green Kalahari, South Africa, photographer John Mullineux snapped a pic of two male giraffes getting ready to rumble after drinking water. They started sizing each other up for a fight but walked over to a third giraffe instead. The tree-sized trio lined up so perfectly that they looked like a single giraffe with three heads! The competition is all about capturing some of wildlife’s funniest moments like this on camera. It helps to conserve…

MONTHLY COMPETITION In this month’s competition, we’re asking what animal you would like to learn from. Share your favourite animal and the unique skills or qualities you’d love to borrow. Whether it’s a snowy owl’s patience, a beaver’s craftsmanship or a wolf’s teamwork, let your imagination run wild. Draw your chosen animal and tell us why it’s special. Four lucky readers will win this beautiful snowy owl kit from our friends at Build Your Own. 4 TO WIN! SNOWY OWL Build Your Own Bringing your Build Your Own Snowy Owl to life is simple. This easy, mess-free cardboard model showcases the snowy owl’s beauty with a realistic 270° head rotation. With 39 pre-cut parts, you can assemble it in just 20 minutes using easy slot-together techniques. Made entirely from sustainable…

Animals know a thing or two – and often much more. In the wild, that knowledge means survival. But how do they learn those skills? Some animals live with others in a community of their own kind. Many pick up skills through social learning – meaning they observe how others in their group behave and simply copy it. Lessons from the pack A wolf pack is a great school for survival skills – if you’re a wolf pup. The entire pack cares for you, so you soon learn how to mix with other wolves. And the best part? You mostly learn through play, the most fun way of picking up skills! You observe the adults hunting and then practise by stalking, chasing and pouncing on your fellow cubs. By the…

Hi, Rusty fans! This blew my mind so much my brain nearly flew out of my head. Some scientists want to put endangered animals on the moon! It sounds like one of the science-fiction blockbusters I’ll make when I’m a top Hollywood director. But how could you find space helmets big enough for elephants and rhinos – or fit them into spacesuits? There are no trees for orangutans to climb up there. Would tigers be happy prowling through all that moon dust? Even our cat Luke Skywhisker would hate it and he’s used to all the dust in my bedroom. (Mum refuses to clean it any more, thinking that will make me clean it myself. Ha – WRONG!!!) But I’d misunderstood. They think parts of the moon are cold enough…

I love folk tales and folklore – especially when animals are involved. But have you noticed how these stories sneak in life lessons to learn? These tales are called fables. The Boy Who Cried Wolf This folk tale goes back to an Ancient Greek guy named Aesop – though he probably picked it up from storytellers who came before him. That makes it well over 2,583 years old! So, there was this boy whose job was to watch over a flock of sheep. He spiced things up with a prank, yelling “Help! A wolf is attacking the sheep!” The worried villagers dashed up the hill to save the sheep – only to find the kid laughing his head off. He pulled the prank again later, and once more, those villagers…

Animals know which creatures they need to fear – but how? It’s a mix of experience and instinct. They soon learn that any new creature arriving or any sudden movement can be a threat. Some caterpillars sense vibrations from an approaching predator on their plant. They might even know the difference between slight shakes caused by wind and by predators. Young prairie dogs recognise the warning calls of their elders and scoot into their safe burrows. Meanwhile, some animals know a predator is coming from the alarm calls of other animals!…

Have you ever seen a fish that looks like a pine cone? Let us introduce you to the pinecone fish (also known as pineapple fish)! Covered in spines, this little marvel can be found swimming in subtropical waters in the Pacific Ocean. Its name is spot on, as it looks just like a pine cone. This nocturnal creature lights up in the darkness, thanks to a pair of bioluminescent organs near its lower jaw. Pick up some pine cones next time you are out for a walk and have a go at making your own shoal of colourful fish. 1. Make sure your pine cone is clean. Paint it all over. When it is dry, add some highlights in another colour. 2. Glue on two paper balls for eyes. 3.…