Ranger Rick articles from June 1999

Ranger Rick archives from June 1999

SNOWBALL GROWS UP.(sighting of an albino white-tailed deer with its mother)
June 1, 1999... This white-tailed deer has more than just a tail that's white. Find out why. SHHHH, don't wake Snowball. She's snuggled down in a bed of dry leaves deep in a Michigan woods (see photo below). If she were an ordinary fawn, her coat would...

Babies for Snowball.(an albino deer has two normally colored fawns)
June 1, 1999... Albino animals usually have hard lives, especially when young. When Snowball was a fawn, she had to stay alert and run fast to avoid hungry coyotes and other predators. They could see her very easily. But Snowball survived to grow up (right)...

It's not easy being white.(discovering albino animals in nature)
June 1, 1999... HOW CAN YOU TELL? Even if you've never seen an albino, you've probably seen other white animals. Some kinds, such as polar bears, are white all the time. Then there are arctic foxes and other animals that grow white coats just for winter....

ADVENTURES OF RANGER RICK.(releasing balloons into the air may be dangerous to animals, birds and the environment)
June 1, 1999... The gang discovers that balloons have their ups . . . and downs. A salty breeze blew down the beach, ruffling the fur of Ranger Rick Raccoon, Odora Skunk, and Boomer Badger. The gang had come to the beach to visit their friend Sheldon Sea...

SNAKES AWAKE!(red-sided garter snakes in Canada)
June 1, 1999... The bitter winds of winter have stopped blowing across the Canadian prairie. The garter snake below has begun to stir, tempted by the warm, sunny air outside his rocky den. Little does he know that there's a bunch of schoolkids out there,...

MYTH BUSTERS.
June 1, 1999... Some things you hear about birds are myths--they just aren't true. Want the real facts? Check out these mythbusters! MYTH: Don't throw rice at weddings, because birds will explode if they eat it. MYTHBUSTER: You may have heard that,...

BUGZ IN THE MOVIEZ.(comparting bugs in movies to real life insects)
June 1, 1999... Movies have been going "buggy" for many years. But are the insects on the big screen anything like those in the real world? Do ants have real teeth? The ants in the movie A Bug's Life (see photo, right) sure do. Gee, do you suppose...

Kids CAN!(butterfiles should not be used for weddings)
June 1, 1999... Say No to Wings at Weddings Do you know anyone who's getting married? Some couples buy butterflies for their guests to release at weddings. But many scientists think this could be a bad idea. It may put the insects in places where they...

Check It Out!(see the star Arcturus)
June 1, 1999... Starlight, Starbright This time of the year, it's easy to see a really bright, yellow-orange star called Arcturus. Here's how: Go outside after dark on a clear night and turn toward the south. Now look at the top half of the sky. See the...

What's Happening Near You?(activities of butterflies, bowhead and gray whales, and chipmunks)
June 1, 1999... This month, many kinds of butterflies are coming out of their chrysalises. Sea turtles are laying eggs on beaches in the Southeast. Bowhead and gray whales have come from Mexico all the way to the waters off Alaska and western Canada. Baby...

WHAT A WATERBED!(grebes build floating nests)
June 1, 1999... Why would a bird build a nest that's all wet? It's just a real safe bet! Well, hi. It's me, Greta Grebe (see photo at right). I'm about to plop down and warm my newly laid eggs. Could you back off a bit and give me a little space? Thanks!...

Getting a Free Ride.(grebe nestling behavior)
June 1, 1999... George has a pretty comfy perch back there. It's warm and safe too. Yet he's always peeping for more food! Once my other chicks hatch, they will all ride on my back (or on their Dad's) for a week or so. At two weeks of age, my babies will...

More on Eared Grebes.(bird facts)
June 1, 1999... * Grebe eggs start out blue-white, then turn brown. That's because they become stained by the wet, soggy nest. * Three to five chicks hatch about three weeks after the eggs are laid. * While riding on their parent's back, the...