Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2021 i National Geographic Kids

Only 20 percent of the ocean has been explored. But thanks to wildlife photographers, we’re able to get glimpses of amazing ocean creatures that live there. That’s why this Special Ocean Issue brings you face-to-face with some of those animals—and the adventurers who took their pictures. The next 14 pages include five stories about how these explorers captured awesome images of ocean creatures. Plus, you’ll also discover ocean fun facts and get tons of tips on keeping this habitat healthy for the many animals that call it home. But first, take this personality quiz to see which ocean animal you are. Then dive in—let’s get this underwater expedition started! CHECK OUT OUR OCEAN HUB! natgeokids.com/ocean…

PHOTOGRAPHER Steven Kazlowski LOCATION Kaktovic, Alaska “I was on an open, flat boat called a skiff with scientists off the coast of Alaska when I saw something that might frighten people: a pair of polar bears swimming toward us. The cubs, maybe about 10 months old, seemed to want to check us out. I quickly took a picture of the pair before they got too close. Most people don’t ever get to see one polar bear in their lifetime, and I was looking at two. “We spotted this pair in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, near the town of Kaktovic. The bears spend time on the area’s barrier islands as they wait for the sea ice to return so they can hunt. [Polar bears hunt off of sea ice.] Whalers…

We don’t know where you’re reading this magazine. (If we could choose, we’d read it in a hammock between two palm trees!) But no matter where you are, you’re connected to the ocean. Plants in the ocean such as plankton and sea-weed create at least half of the world’s oxygen, so you can thank the ocean when you take a deep breath. And the local creek or stream in your neighborhood eventually flows into a river before heading into the sea. Plus, the ocean is full of animals we love. Problems caused by people are putting the ocean and the creatures that live there at risk. But you can help. Follow these tips to protect the sea, whether you’re beachside or bedroom-bound. IF YOU’RE AT THE BEACH… 1 FIX THE…

STRANGE PLANET These drawings made by Nat Geo Kids readers are out of this world! Draw what you did during lockdown. Send us your original drawings: Nat Geo Kids—Lockdown Art Zone P.O. Box 98002 Washington, DC 20090-8002 Include your name, address, phone number, date of birth, a title for your drawing, a statement that it is your own work, and the name of your parent or guardian. Your parent or guardian must sign a release for publication if your illustration is selected. Submissions become the property of National Geographic Partners, and all rights thereto are transferred to National Geographic Partners. Submissions cannot be acknowledged or returned. Selection will be at the discretion of Nat Geo Kids.…

LYNX ADORESDOMESTIC CAT St. Petersburg, Russia For some 12 years, Linda the Eurasian lynx could be seen gently licking the face of a smaller cat in her enclosure at the Leningrad Zoo in St. Petersburg, Russia. The other feline wasn’t Linda’s baby—or even another lynx—but a domestic calico cat named Dusya. Worried that Linda might get lonely, staff at the zoo introduced the lynx to the domestic cat when the animals were both just two months old. “They became friends surprisingly quickly,” the zoo’s Olga Volkova observed. “They were different in size but similar in character.” When not grooming each other, the roommates were snuggling during naptime or the tail playfully chasing each other around their shared two-room enclosure. According to Pat Bumstead of Canada’s International Society for Endangered Cats,…

1 BANDS OF BLOOMS Tulips grow in neat rows in the Netherlands, where millions of the buds pop up each spring. Originally a wild-flower from Asia, tulips were brought to Europe by a botanist in the 17th century. Today, billions of flowers are exported from the Netherlands every year. 2 RAINBOW ROCKS Natural zigzag formations in Argentina’s Hornocal mountain range appear to change color depending on the shade of the sky. A rainbow of rock layers glows in fiery shades of orange and red, plus purple and pink. 3 MARBLE MARVEL Thanks to centuries of erosion, the underbelly of this towering rock formation found in Chile’s General Carrera Lake is pure marble. The white-rock caves feature swirling details that appear blue as they reflect the glacier-fed lake. One part is even known…

PHOTOGRAPHER George Karbus LOCATION Western coast of Ireland “Most bottlenose dolphins live together in groups called pods. Not this dolphin, though. People here have been seeing her for the past 15 to 20 years, and she’s always spotted alone. The locals have many names for her, but I call her Malinká, which means ‘little girl’ in the Czech language. “I have no idea why she’s not part of a pod—her pod might’ve rejected her, or she could just prefer being alone. It’s a difficult life for a solitary female dolphin: You could easily be attacked by other dolphins without the protection of your own pod. “Though she doesn’t spend time with other dolphins, she does seem to enjoy being around humans. I’ve known Malinká for most of her life. When…

PHOTOGRAPHER Ralph Pace LOCATION Monterey, California “When I jump into water that’s full of animals, they usually all swim away. To them, I’m just a big, goofy thing that’s blowing lots of bubbles and making strange noises. So I’ve learned to be patient and wait for the perfect shot. “I was snapping photos of kelp and sea urchins when I felt a pressure on my back. It surprised me, so I quickly turned around. It was a harbor seal, and it was swimming away! A few minutes later, I felt it climbing on my back again, and when I turned, it zoomed off, almost like it was shy. Harbor seals are curious and playful, so I figured it might come back. I thought, next time it comes, I’ll just stay…

BELOW SEA LEVEL These photographs show close-up views of underwater creatures. Unscramble the letters to identify what’s in each picture. ANSWERS ON PAGE 33…

Dog Fetches Ocean Trash Boca Raton, Florida Lila the Labrador jumps off her owner’s boat and dives into the seawater. When she resurfaces, she has a glass bottle in her mouth. Good dog! The 10-year-old Lab often joins her owner’s cleanup crew when they pick up trash on local beaches and in the water. “I usually just say ‘Go get it, Lila!’ and she’ll run off to pick up the trash,” says owner Alex Schulze, who co-founded a company called 4ocean that sells bracelets made of recycled materials. Lila usually collects a few pounds of trash when they walk the beach. On the boat, she barks to let Schulze know she sees something before diving in. As a puppy, Lila loved retrieving things, even swimming to the bottom of the family…

PHOTOGRAPHER Heike Odermatt LOCATION Falkland Islands, off the coast of southeast South America “Penguins swim in an unpredictable zigzag, mainly underwater, before they come ashore to throw off potential predators. So I was very lucky to get this shot. The gentoo penguin I was following sprung out of the water right in front of me with this great leap, and then… click! “Although it looks like this penguin is jumping for joy, it’s more likely the bird was just relieved to be almost out of the water. The most dangerous part of a penguin’s day is getting in and out of the ocean because predators such as sea lions, leopard seals, and orcas cruise along the coastlines to catch them. “Penguins enter the water slowly, since they can’t see what’s…

PHOTOGRAPHER Brian Skerry LOCATION Tonga, a country in the southwest Pacific Ocean “Humpback whales migrate between their feeding grounds in the icy polar seas to their breeding grounds in warmer waters. They give birth here because the newborn whales don’t yet have the layers of blubber that will keep them warm later in life. “One morning, just after sunrise, I took a slow boat into a cove and slipped into the ocean. Immediately, I saw an incredible pair: a resting mama hump-back whale and her calf, which was less than a month old. The mother can hold her breath for over half an hour while she floats in the water, but the calf can’t. So the youngster kept gliding up to the surface to take a breath, then coming back…

Answers “Reef Race” (pages 28-29): “What in the World?” (page 30): Top row: sea stars, octopus, sea horse. Middle row: angelfish, stingray, sea slug. Bottom row: blowfish, sea urchin, lobster.…