Ranger Rick articles from March 2001

Ranger Rick archives from March 2001

POSSUM PATROL.(curious facts about possums)
March 1, 2001... On a branch of a bottlebrush tree, two little pygmy possums are looking for lunch. (Any insect or small lizard will do.) These mouse-sized possums live in the far-off land of Australia. They carry their babies in a pouch, just as their kangaroo...

SEAWORLD.(management of exhibits and animal care in wildlife park)
March 1, 2001... If you've ever been to a wildlife park, you've seen lots of shows and exhibits. Now here's your chance to find out what else is going on! BRRRRR! Why isn't this girl bundled up? And isn't it dangerous to stand so close to a polar bear?...

DEAR RANGER RICK.(exploring caves)
March 1, 2001... Last May, we asked if any of you had ever visited a cave. Here are a few of your cave adventures. I went to Cave of the Mounds. It was really fun. They had this one formation that looked like a parrot. When they flashed a light on it, it...

CRITTER CAREERS.
March 1, 2001... These creatures have picked jobs that go well with their names. For example, the firefly is a firefighter, so its new name is "Firefly-ter." Try to find a new name for each animal. Then write the animals' letters on the lines. G ___...

READER RIDDLES.
March 1, 2001... What do you call an ape that wins every game? A champion-zee. Jacob and Genevieve T., New York What kind of tiger doesn't give its baby teeth to the tooth fairy? A saver-tooth tiger. Derek B., Nevada Which animal robs the...

Weaving Wonders.(behavior and nest-building of weaverbirds)
March 1, 2001... What's this bird up to? Is it making a wreath? A fancy swing? A nest? Turn the page to find out. What's the redheaded weaverbird on page 15 doing? He's making a super nest! Just look at how carefully he's attached it to the...

Weaverbird? No, Weaver Kid!(how make edible nests and weave with twigs)
March 1, 2001... Don't let the birds have all the fun--you can make nests for a treat and a weaving with things you find outdoors. Nests to Eat You'll Need * 3 cups (5 biscuits) of Shredded Wheat (break the biscuits apart, but keep the strands as...

WHO AM I?
March 1, 2001... What do you think of my great, goofy snout? It's the best clue to figuring out who I am! And here are more clues: I have three close cousins with the same name. One kind lives in Southeast Asia, and the rest of us live in tropical America. Sad...

DOWN UNDER WITH THE NITS.(animal-watching in Australia)
March 1, 2001... Meet four kids who love the slimy, creepy, crawly--even dead--things most of us run away from! Slime Ball: G'day, mate! That's Australian for "Hi!" And down under in Australia is where my sister, two brothers, and I live. Oh, by...

ASK SCARLETT.
March 1, 2001... How do chameleons change colors? Phil L., North Carolina The colors come from chemicals called pigments. The pigments are inside little cells in a chameleon's skin. Other chemicals called hormones make some of the cells get bigger and...

LOOK WHO'S FISHING.(fishing behaviour of wildcat species)
March 1, 2001... Who's that peeking out from behind the marshy grass? (See photo at left.) Looks like a big-headed tabby, doesn't it? But it's not--it's a wild fishing cat. This cat does something most house cats never do. It swims! Its partly webbed toes...

SNAPPERS TOP TO BOTTOM.(curious facts about snapping turtles)
March 1, 2001... Warning: This is one tough turtle. From underneath, this swimming snapping turtle may look harmless. And snappers usually are. But don't count on it. The turtle's claws can scratch, its long neck can whip around fast, and its sharp...