Wild World Wednesday ~ the Koala

We live in a wild world. Today we're visiting the deep forests of Australia to check out the koala bear; which actually isn't a bear at all!

I Have a Pouch

The koala may look like a cute cuddly bear (as its name implies), but it's actually a marsupial - like a kangaroo.

The mother koala only has one baby at a time. When the Joey is born it's about the size of a jellybean and is blind and hairless. It stays in its mother's pouch until it outgrows it (about 6 months). Once it emerges it will ride around on Mom's back or cling to her tummy until it's a year old.

We Don't Eat Meat!

Koala bears eat the bark and leaves of 12 different species of eucalyptus trees. In fact, one koala can consume up to 2.5 pounds (1 kilogram) of leaves a day! Since eucalyptus leaves are made up of 50 percent moisture the koala bear never has to look for a water source. Oddly though, the eucalyptus leaves are highly toxic to humans and other animals.

The koala bear can average a weight of 20 pounds and live for approximately 17 years. They have sharp claws and opposable digits on their paws which help them climb and stay aloft in the trees.

Their fur is soft and think and smells like a "cough drop" due to the oils in the eucalyptus leaves.

Koala Conservation

There is only about 100,000 koalas left in the wild today. Why? The koala bear was heavily hunted for its fur in the 1920s and 1930s, plus with Australia's current deforestation problem the koala bears' numbers have continued to plummet. However, efforts are in place to help restore the koala population.

Wild Wonder Words

~ marsupial ~ an animal that carries and cares for its young in a pouch
~ Joey ~a baby koala or kangaroo
~ opposable ~ capable of being placed against one or more of the remaining digits on a hand or foot
~ deforestation ~ the action of clearing a forest

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Totally True Tuesday ~ Animal Vehicles

Totally True Tuesday ~ Animal Vehicles

We get in the car and off we go. Jump on a bike and zoom over to a friend’s house. Or glide along the sidewalk on a pair of roller blades or a skateboard. But did you know our furry and feathered friends could be considered a vehicle as well?

Paw-Powered

Dogs have been used for years as a means of travelling on snow and ice. Places like Alaska and Siberia where it’s near impossible to walk or take a car a dog sled team is ready to go. A team can range anywhere from 6 to 12 dogs harnessed together with a sleigh attached. This sled has no wheels only runners or sometimes a toboggan is used. One or two people ride on the back of the sled which is packed with supplies or hunting equipment. Once they get going, these paw-powered canines can reach speeds up to 23 km per hour and travel anywhere from 8 to 129 km a day. Plus, they never run out of gas.

Winging It

Everyday we get mail delivered to us by a person, but back before this was possible pigeons were used. This was called “pigeon post” and was essential in World War I and World War II to transport urgent messages across enemy lines.

How did they do this?

Pigeons were trained to live in one place and eat in another and would fly back and forth – up to 160 km per day. The message was attached to their leg in a small canister. Once the bird was released into the air it would immediately head for home. After the message was delivered the bird would either stay or set out with a return note.

Two-Toes-to-Tow

Because the Andes Mountains are so remote the Incas trained Llamas to haul and carry supplies. This has been going on for at least 4000 years.
Why? The Llama is extremely smart, agile, and strong. It has two large toes on each foot making it more sure-footed and sensitive to the ground then hoofed animals. Llamas can also go for long periods of time without water making them perfect for travelling. I guess that’s why they were called the “ships of the Andes.”

Camels were also used by desert dwellers to transport items. In fact, the camel can carry up to 900 pounds on its back. Today these bumpy animals are still used for giving tourists rides and for racing.

What other animals can you think of that are used for transportation?

For  more articles and stories please visit knowonder magazine at; http://www.knowonder.com

Fun Facts Friday ~ Vulgar Veggies?

Eat your vegetables or there will be no dessert for you!

Do you cringe at carrots? Grow ill at the sight of Lima-beans? Do Brussel sprouts make you want to barf? If you are totally turned off by these common veggies, then you may not want to read the rest of this article because these are the weirdest of weird! And don't tell your mom or you might just find these on your dinner plate.

Goats or Oysters?

Just when you thought vegetables couldn't get any worse, meet the Goatsbeard.

This root veggie looks somewhat like a carrot, tastes like oysters and has hairy-like protrusions that resembles the beard of a goat. It can be snuck into stews and soups or chopped up and served with butter. It's popular in Europe and Asia and unfortunately, it's also being grown in Australia and the United States. Sorry kids.


Is It Alien or What?

This broccoli species called the Romanesco, may not of landed from a planet far far away but it sure looks like it.

Romanesco is light green in colour and has tree-like growths popping out from all around it, similar to a broccoli and cauliflower mix. It was originally found in 16th century Italy but has recently enjoyed a huge growth popularity throughout the world.

So what does it taste like?

You'll be happy to know that unlike broccoli or cauliflower the Romanesco has a mild, creamy, nutty flavour that isn't as bitter as its counterparts.

The First Carrots Were Purple?

How cool is that?

When carrots were first discovered way back in ancient Persia, they were purple. Over the years other strains developed, (white, orange, yellow) and our purple-pal soon became a memory. However, scientists are amazed at the super-food this carrot really is. It's high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties!

So the next time you sit down for dinner think about these 'vulgar' veggies. Perhaps the one on your dinner plate won't seem so bad after all.
Wonder Words

~ protrusions ~ something that sticks out
~ counterparts ~ a thing closely like another thing
~ antioxidants ~ a substance that inhibits reactions promoted by oxygen
~ anti-inflammatory ~ counteracting inflammation/swelling
~ vulgar ~ offensive to good taste

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Wild World Wednesday ~ All About Dolphins

Ever since the fist dolphin was placed into captivity these adorable sea creatures have been a fan favorite. This started way back in the 1870's when sea animals would be found injured and brought back to aquariums to be rehabilitated. It wasn't until the late 1930's that Hollywood started using captive dolphins for movies and later started training them. Today there are more than 3000 Bottlenose dolphins in aquariums around the world.

Let's take a closer look at these marvelous creatures and discover what makes them so special.

The Blowhole Nose

Dolphins are not able to breathe through their noses as most animals do, they have what is called a blowhole instead. This crescent-shaped, muscular flap is on top of their heads and can be sealed off when the dolphin is diving or under water. Even though the dolphin has total control of its blowhole it must surface for air, but it takes only 0.3 seconds for it to exhale and inhale. Some dolphins are able to hold their breath for as long as 30 minutes. Like our human noses the blowhole of the dolphin is a direct passageway to its lungs.

Another function of the dolphins blowhole is used for communication. Because this mammal doesn't have vocal cords the blowhole pushes air back and forth through air sacs in the "nasal passages." Tissue know as the "phonic lips" vibrate to make the dolphin talk - a series of clicks, chirps, whistles, squeaks, moans, grunts, and creaks.

Half Asleep

As humans we automatically breathe without thinking about it, however, dolphins do not have this ability. So how does a dolphin sleep? First off, dolphins don't fall into a deep sleep like you and me, if they did they would drown. When the dolphin needs to rest it will float in a shallow pool of water or float just under the surface. When it has found a safe, comfy area, the dolphin then lets one side of it's brain sleep, while the other stays awake to continue breathing.

More Dolphin Facts

~ Dolphins live in family groups of 10 - 12
~ The best known dolphin it the Bottlenose
~ There are 36 kinds of sea dolphins and 5 species of river dolphins
~ Dolphins are mammals (warm-blooded) and give birth to their babies live as well as nurse them with milk
~ Dolphins use echolocation to find food
~ Dolphins eat fish and squid and will sometimes hunt in groups
~ Dolphins can leap from 15-30 feet into the air
~ Dolphins are not fish. They need to breathe oxygen from the air as we do.

For more information on dolphins, visit your local library or an aquarium such as Sea World.

Wonder Words
~ rehabilitated; restore to life or useful state
~ echolocation; determining the location of something by measuring the time it takes the echo to return from it.

Here's a fun activity, print and colour your very own dolphin. Click here for Dolphin Colour Page

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Totally True Tuesday ~ Nifty Nectar-Needers

We all know too much sugar isn’t good for us, but did you know some butterflies, birds and mammals need to eat sugar everyday? In fact, it’s their entire diet!

Let’s take a look at some of these nifty nectar-needers that love this syrupy supper.

Sip, Sip Away Tree-Shrew

The amazing little pen-tailed tree-shrew can be found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. However, unlike normal nectar-needers, this little fellow prefers fermented syrup from the flowers of the Bertam palm. Once these flowers are in bloom the nectar found there is high in alcohol. But even though the tree-shrew feeds on this, it never gets affected by it. Scientists believe the shrew has developed a tolerance to the alcohol because it’s the main source of its diet.

Do you suppose the pen-tailed shrew got it’s name because its tail looks like a feathered pen?

Butterflies Don’t Eat Butter! Or Do They?

Butterflies only consume nectar and water. They do this with their long straw-like “tongue” called a ‘proboscis.’ With this long straw the butterfly is able to reach deep inside the flower to where the nectar is stored and slurp it up. The butterfly uses this sugary solution to maintain its health and long migration. In fact, the Monarch butterfly travels from the Great Lakes to Mexico in the fall (about 2000 miles) then back again in the spring. That’s quite a flight for such a small creature!

So why are they called butterflies?

No one really knows where the butterfly got its name. Some say if originates back to the 18th century when butterflies would hover around the butter and milk left uncovered in the kitchen. Some believe it’s because most butterflies were yellow in colour, like butter. Another theory states that it came from the German words for flutterby.

A Hairy Tongue?

Did you know Hummingbirds are the smallest of all the bird species and that it has a hairy tongue?


Since the hummingbird’s diet consists of mostly nectar their tongue has an unique design built in. Besides being super long the hummingbird’s tongue is grooved like the letter ”W” and has tiny hairs on the tip to help lap up the nectar. Their beaks are also quite long in comparison to it’s body.

Being so tiny a hummingbird needs to eat at least 1/2 to 8 times its body weight to flourish. In fact, hummingbirds need to eat 7 times per hour for 30-60 second intervals and can lap up the nectar at 13 licks per second. Plus, this little guy may visit up to 1000 flowers per hour. No wonder he needs so much sugar!

For more information on these and other Nifty Nectar-Needers, visit your library, the Internet or, perhaps, your very own garden.

Wonder Words

~ Fermented ~ When sugar decomposes with enzymes to make alcohol
~ Migration ~ to move from one country or place to another

For more articles and great stories, check out knowonder magazine for kids on the web at; http://www.knowonder.com

Just the Hairy Fun Facts Friday

Hair. Whether it’s long or short, curly, spiky, or somewhere in between, we all have it in one form or another. But regardless of style everyone’s hair shares one quality…It’s dead.

Hairy Cells

To know more about hair we have to start at the beginning. As most living things, a hair starts out as a cell. The cells live inside small tube-like pits buried in your skin called, follicles (fol-il-cles). These are surrounded by nerves and are constantly being fed nourishing blood. As the cell matures, it divides and is slowly pushed up by younger cells beneath it. While all this pushing and shoving is taking place, a tough protein called keratin (ker-a-tin) joins in. This hardens the cells and when they finally emerge from the skin, it’s a hair. By this point, however, the hair shafts are so far away from the blood supply deep inside the follicle, it’s already dead. As gross as that may sound it’s actually a good thing. It means pain free hair cuts.

Shape Up, Follicles!

When your follicles become tired, and they do, your hair falls out. In fact, we lose between 40 and a 100 hairs a day. But don’t worry, you still have about 5 million hairs all over your entire body.

Did you know follicles are also in charge of what kind of hair you have? If your hair is curly, your follicles will be rectangular. Wavy hair sprouts from oval ones and round follicles give you straight hair.

Chimpanzees also have hair follicles and it’s the same amount as us humans.

Baby Beards

I know what your thinking…babies don’t have beards! But actually before they’re born they do. A soft, colorless hair called, lanugo (luh-noo-goh) grows on most of it’s body, starting on the face. Then about a month before the baby’s born, it all falls out.

More Hairy Facts

Everyone has tiny hairs in their nose. The itty-bitty hairs way back in your nose keep it from running all the time. They do this by sweeping the mucus back into your throat. The small hairs near the front of your nostrils keep things like dust and bugs from getting in.

On average your hair grows about 6 inches a year and grows faster in the summer. The longest hair recorded belongs to a women in China. Her hair measures 5.627 meters long. That’s 18 feet, 5.54 inches. You could actually use her hair as a jump rope.

For more hairy facts, comb through the many web-sites on the internet, or brush up on hair facts at your local library. 

Check out knowonder magazine for kids on the web at; http://www.knowonder.com

Totally True Tuesday

They wiggle and squiggle, slither and slide. They’ve had feature movie’s made about them and continue to be a fascination to the young and old. What am I talking about? Snakes!

Snakes have been around since the beginning of time. There’s now approximately 3100 different species and they can be found in all parts of the world except the Arctic regions.

Snakes come in a wide range of sizes and colours. Some live in trees, some on land and others in the sea. However, they all have one thing in common – people either love em’ or hate em’. Whether you’re a fan of this slinky fellow or not, they are still quite interesting – some more than others.

Check out the snake that resembles a dragon, one that is so small it can fit on a US quarter, and the sea snake with skin like an elephant. But beware! You might just change your mind about how you view them.

Revolting Reptiles or Super Snakes? You decide…

No Fire from this Dragon!

There’s no fire, but a bite from the feathered tree viper could lead to death!

With bristle-like scales this snake stands out from the rest. It’s found deep in the rain forests of Central Africa and grows up to 75cm (29.5 inches) long. The fangs on the atheris hispida are on its upper jaw and are retractable like all vipers.

Would you call this a Revolting Reptile or a Super Snake?

Who Ordered the Spaghetti…Snake?

The world’s smallest snake was discovered in 2008 under a rock on the Caribbean island of Barbados. This little guy measures only 4cm (10 inches) in length and is “thin as spaghetti.”

The Barbados thread snake is also blind and feeds off of the larvae of termites and ants. Unlike other snakes, the female lays only one large egg at a time.

So? Revolting Reptile or Super Snake?

Pack Your Trunk, Snake!

Unlike normal elephants, the elephant trunk snake is totally aquatic and is completely helpless on land - its scales are large and knobby and prevent the snake from slithering. It can grow up to 2.5 meters (8 feet) in length and has wrinkled, baggy skin – like an elephant!

It’s found in the sea waters of Indonesia and feeds on fish, catfish and eels. Since this snake doesn’t have any venom, it hunts it’s prey by constriction – its “knobby” scales help to hold their slippery prey in place.

Do you think the elephant trunk snake is a Revolting Reptile or Super Snake?

If you thought all these snakes were super and you want to learn more about them or other species of snakes, check out the Internet, a zoo or your local library.

Wonder Words

~ retractable – to withdraw
~ constriction – tightness or inward pressure

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Fun Facts Friday ~ Freaky Fruits

Apples, oranges, grapes and pears, these are all familiar fruits but did you know there's a fruit that has horns? Or one that is bright pink and has green scales like a dragon? How about a fruit that is considered the "King" and smells so bad it has actually been banned in some restaurants? Check out these freaky fruits and decide if you're brave enough to take a bite.

Blow a Horn for the Blowfish Fruit

This yellow-orange fruit is in the melon family and is called many names; horned melon, African horned cucumber, jelly melon and the blowfish fruit. It originated in Africa but can now be found in speciality markets around the world. It has a center like lime green Jello that is tart in taste and cucumber-like in texture. Even though the skin may be eaten (and is high in vitamin C and fiber), most people just suck out the pulpy center, and spit out the seeds.

Grab a spoon and find is you're brave enough to try the horned melon.

A Fire-Breathing Fruit?

Not quite, but it does have green scales. The dragon fruit is bright pink and has the yummy taste of a pear and crunchy seeds like a kiwi. It's high in fiber and vitamin C and easy to eat - just chop it in half and scoop out the white fleshy center.

The dragon fruit blooms on a cactus that grows like a vine and is native to Central and South America. The flower on which the fruit will eventually grow is only open for one night to be pollinated!

Would you try this pink delight?

The King of All Fruits

It may be the "king" but it's a big, spiky, STINKY king!

The Durian fruit is very large. In fact, it can grow from 30 cm (12 inches) long and 15 cm (6 in) in diameter and typically weighs from 1-3 kilograms (2-7 pounds). It can be round or oval and the skin is green to brown with tough spikes growing from it. The smell has been described as rotten onions, almonds, turpentine and even old gym socks. However, if you can get past it's odour it has an intensely sweet flavour.

The Durian fruit has been around for 600 years and is native to Malaysia and Indonesia.

Are you brave enough for the King of Fruits?

For more information on freaky fruits visit the library, internet or your local market.

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Totally True Tuesday ~ Peculiar Plants

Plants are everywhere, so we tend to take tham for granted. We may view them as boring or not at all special, but what if I told you there’s a plant that looks like a desert “octopus?” Or one dozen of this plant could fit on the head of a pin? How about a tree that can grow up to 125 feet and has bark like bubbly chocolate? These plants are all very real so read on to find out about these peculiar plants.

An Octopus in the Desert?

The welwitschia plant isn’t an actual octopus, but it sure looks like one! This native desert plant can be found in Namibia, sprawled up to 24 feet wide and 6 feet high. However, it starts out with only a stem and two leaves. As the welwitchia begins to grow the stem thinkens and the leaves split into straggly strips that look like an octopus.

This plant can live to be 400 to 1200 years old and is thought to be left over from when dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Teeny Tiny Plants!

Did you know there’s a plant so small that 12 of them would fit on the head of a pin? And 2 of these plants in bloom could fit in this letter “o”?
The Watermeal plant is part of the duckweed family. They can be found on still ponds and is green or yellow-green in colour. They don’t have any roots so they tend to float around forming a bed across the top of the water – as the name suggests it looks like floating cornmeal!

However, unlike cormeal this plant is high in protein and could be eaten. In fact, in Asian people have done just that.

It’s Not Chocolate – It’s Tree Bark!

Wouldn’t it be cool to see a tree that has bark like melting chocolate? You could if you found a Wollemia. This tree was thought to be extinct until one was found in Australia in 1994 (fewer than a hundred are known to still be growing in the wild today).

The Wollemia is considered to be an evergreen and can grow 80-130 feet (25-40 meters) tall. It is multi-trunked and has been seen with up to 100 different stems coming from the main base. The leaves are flat and fern-like, spiralling up from the shoot. If this isn’t peculiar enough for one tree, it’s bark also resembles chocolate or Cocoa Puffs cereal. But don’t try to eat it! This is where the resemblance ends!

For more information on these and other peculiar plants, check out the internet, visit a pond or a plant nursery.

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Fun Facts Friday ~ Small But Mighty

Do you sometimes feel like you’re too small? You can’t reach things that are high up or you’re always picked last for the team? Even though this may be frustrating for you, there’s some creatures that do just fine being small. Check out these amazing animals and the wonderful things they achieve every day.

A Tiny Builder – The African Pygmy Mouse

This little guy is only 30 to 80 mm (1.2-3.1 inches) long and weighs 3 to 12 grams – that’s less than an ounce! They can be found living in the sub-Saharan of Africa and are considered to be one of the smallest rodents in the world. It has small, rectangular ears and can be grey to brick-red in color with a white underbelly. These animals are nocturnal, are very social and like to live in large groups.

However, being small doesn’t stop this mouse from doing something amazing - building a pebble-pyramid. Every evening after the mouse awakens it stacks pebbles in front of it’s den. Why? As the night wears on dew collects on the pebbles. Then before the mouse goes to sleep for the day, it will lick the water from the tiny rocks. This is its main source of water in this ultra-dry region.

Not Your Normal Pea - The New Zealand Pea Crab

This teeny, tiny crab may be the size of a pea, but it’s mighty in the way it survives. The pea crab is known as a parasitic creature. It will find a common host like the green-lipped mussel and lodge itself onto its gills. Once in place it begins to steal a small portion of the food the mussel takes in.

The female pea crab ranges from 9.3 to 20.2 millimetres (0.37 to 0.80 in) wide and has a soft, see-through body. The male pea crab has a hard, white shell with orange markings and ranges from 3.2 to 11.8 mm (0.13 to 0.46 in) wide.
The males shell needs to be tougher as they move from host to host in order to find a female. However, female pea crabs may spend their entire life with the same host.

The Honey Possum – It Feeds on Nectar!

We know that certain birds and bees feed on nectar and pollen, but what about a tiny marsupial?

The Honey Possum lives in Australia and is 6.5–9 cm long and weighs only 7-11 grams for males and 8-16 grams for females – about half the size of a common mouse.

The Honey Possum is one of the few mammals that are truly nectarivorous. Like a hummingbird, the Honey Possum has a super long tongue with a brush-like tip on the end for gathering the pollen and nectar. The tail of this animal is longer than it’s body and head combined and is used to support the possum. It’s like having an extra arm!

This little guy is nocturnal and will find an abandoned bird’s nest, a hollow in a tree, a rock cavity or any safe place to sleep away the daylight hours.

So the next time you feel like you’re too small to do something, just remember these tiny creatures. They truly are natures “small but mighty.”

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Wonder Words

~ Nocturnal – Sleeps all day and is active at night.
~ Parasitic – a relationship between two different species where one is benefiting (parasite) while the other suffers (host).
~ Nectarivorous – an animal that eats the sugar-rich nectar produced by flowering plants

Totally True Tuesday

Toxic vapour cannons and beak-swords…

Is it the newest in video game fun? Perhaps, a box-office, sci-if thriller? Not quite. Actually, these are weapons used by some very unusual bugs.

READY…AIM…FIRE!

The beetle is cornered by a nasty predator – the frog.

Like machine gun fire, the beetle blasts its clueless victim.

POP POP POP!

CRACK CRACK CRACK!

It’s a direct hit to the face with three shots of toxic vapour. The frog leaps about in pain. The beetle scurries off to safety.
When it comes to chemical warfare, the Bombardier (bom-buh-deer) Beetle is the master. How? Chemicals are formed in a special organ found in the beetle’s body. This organ has two separate chambers where the toxins are formed. When the beetle feels danger is near, these chemicals mix together in another chamber. Here it’s heated to the point of boiling. It then explodes out. This gassy cloud burns and may even leave a blister.
The Bombardier Beetle also has a cannon-like rear end and can aim and fire where ever it wants. It’s found throughout the United States and Southern Canada.

ON GUARD

The insect creeps along a leaf. Its six legs are slow and silent. Its wings are tucked in tight. The tough grey body has a pointed, wheel-like ridge. The victim hasn’t a clue what’s about to happen.

Suddenly, it lunges forward, grasping the prey. Swiftly it clamps onto the fly and plunges down its sword.

The wheel bug is one of the largest insects in the assassin bug family. It’s 35 mm in length. The Wheel Bug also has two long antennas and a thin, narrow head. It’s from this special shaped head that its secret weapon is kept – the beak-sword. This works like a sharp drinking straw. The wheel bug stabs its victim, filling it up with it a dangerous spit. Within 30 seconds the victims innards have turned to a soupy mush.

The assassin bug now slurps away for about 2 hours.

These fascinating bugs can be found in the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains and in South Eastern Canada.

BOMBS AWAY!

Mom senses danger. It’s a villainous wasp hovering just overhead. She quickly gathers her 24 nymphs under her triangular body.

The wasp approaches.

Mom frantically waves her antennae. Not fazed, the wasp flies even closer. Mom turns her tough, shield-like back and quickly buzzes her wings. The wasp ignores her threat and lands just out of reach. Mom kicks out her middle and back legs in another attempt to scare it off.
It works. But the determined wasp only takes to the air and darts back and forth.

One of the nymphs edges out to see what all the commotion is about. The wasp　speeds towards it. Mom’s ready and silently drops her most powerful secret weapon…the stink blob. The wasp catches a whiff of this noxious smell and zips away in the opposite direction. Lunch will have to wait.

Stink bugs range from 6 to 12 mm in size and come in various colors. Most are brown, grey and green. Some, like the harlequin stink bug, are black with bright yellow or orange markings. All stink bugs have a large triangular structure on their backs. This raised covering points towards their hind end and is called the scutellum. As their name suggests, stink bugs also produce a chemical so noxious and foul that most insects and animals are repelled by it immediately. However, the stench-gob is used only as a last resort since it saps the bug of most of its energy.

Not all insects are as protective of their young as the ‘parent bug.’ She will still protect her young even when they’re old enough to be on their own. When the young wander off they secrete a scent trail. If in trouble they send out a powerful alarm scent. It’s Mom to the rescue as she follows this scent path right to her nymph.

If you want to learn more about these and other weird insects, visit your local library, the internet or an insect museum. And remember, the next time you see a bug, don’t bug it…you never know, it might just be loaded.