Meet Ranger Rick Online
April 13, 2006By PATRICIA CHARGOT, Yak's Corner staffer
Detroit Free Press
Every week is wildlife week to the Yak.
As a large, shaggy mammal, he'd much rather be outdoors exploring than indoors playing video games or glued to the television.
Go outside! Look around! All kinds of critters have emerged from their burrows and are scampering up trees and darting across lawns. Birds are singing their tiny, fast-beating hearts out, building nests and digging for worms.
If you haven't reconnected with nature this spring, do it for National Wildlife Week April 22-30.
"So much is happening," Phil Myers, a University of Michigan biologist, wrote to the Yak in a recent e-mail, as Michigan's critter fest was just beginning.
"Lots of animals are coming out of hibernation or returning from winter ranges. And even our year-round residents are more active than at other times of year as they feed, set up territories and get ready for the spring breeding season.
"Even better, the trees haven't gotten their leaves yet, so it's easy to see forest critters. All this makes spring a great time to be outside!"
If you're looking for ways to get involved, visit Ranger Rick, the National Wildlife Federation's on-line magazine for kids at www.nwf.org/rangerrick.
Ranger Rick, the 'zine's cute raccoon mascot, will be happy to help with fun contests, games, crafts and book reviews.
Best of all, you can learn a lot about animals and even help scientists with important conservation work.
For example, Rick recently invited kids to join Frogwatch USA, a study on U.S. frogs and toads. With amphibians in decline in many areas, the project needs volunteers to keep an eye on the frogs and toads in their communities.
Kids can learn everything they need to know to participate online: how to choose the best site for frog watching, how to observe and report on frogs, how to help frogs and toads survive the winter.
They can also communicate with other frog watchers and see what data has been gathered around the country.
Ribbit, ribbit, ka-blurp. That's frog-talk for go outside! Look around!
And don't miss "Hoot," a new movie opening in May. Based on the book by Carl Hiassen, the movie tells the story of three Florida kids who fight to save some endangered burrowing owls when their habitat is threatened by development.
Hoo-hoo-hurray for kids who care.
