October 2021 Newsletter | Green Kids Club

October 2021 Newsletter

Hi Green Kids!

Welcome to the Green Kids Club Newsletter where you can keep up with the Green Kids Club happenings each month, learn some new things, and challenge yourself as a true Green Kid ambassador for the planet (adult or child)!
Photo to Commemorate National Wolf Awareness Week!

What's New with Books!

If you get a chance take a look at our new book Jade Elephant! We are thrilled by the recreation of our book with Andreas Wessel-Therhorn a past Disney Artist with the likes of Tarzan and The Princess and the Frog.

And we have our first E-book out on Amazon Kindle Books – Grizzly 399 – you can take this book anywhere you can carry your phone!!!!

October is Dyslexia Awareness month. We would like to highlight our book, Elee with Noah Text for Dyslexic readers. We hope that you will make children or adults who have dyslexia aware of this book.

What book or story is next in our Environmental Heroes Series of books?

We are working on a Grizzly 399 Story highlighting this amazing mother bear with her 4 cubs and their life from birth to their time in second hibernation. The first book, Grizzly 399 told the story of her life and the birth of her 3 cubs born a few years ago - based on a book with photographs by Tom Mangelsen and as told by author Todd Wilkinson. This latest story is much different in that the story provides accounts of Grizzly 399 and her family moving into areas inhabited by people which is starting to create issues in the local area. Hopefully, this will not result in a loss of 399 or her family. At the end of this book we will focus on what we need to do try and live with grizzlies and other wildlife.

Fundraiser

Please help us with our virtual fundraiser to benefit our friends at Elephants Without Borders (EWB). The beautiful tote bag features a photo of Molelo and his adopted elephant family. All proceeds will go directly to the work that EWB is doing for elephant conservation in Botswana. With COVID hitting many areas in Africa including Botswana, EWB can use all the help they can to continue making a difference!

Save The Elephants

Other News!

Green Kids is proud to announce our newest Environmental Hero, Thomas D. Mangelsen. Tom is one of the most awarded and influential nature photographers in the world. He has traveled throughout the natural world for over 45 years, observing and photographing some of Earth's last great wild places. One particular project focused on a mountain lion family and inspired Tom to co-found with Cara Blessly Lowe, The Cougar Fund for the conservation of this species and other carnivores through education and advocacy. We are proud to be collaborating on our children's books, Grizzly 399, and Grizzly 399 Hibernation Pandemonium. Thank you Tom for making a difference!

See this inspirational TED talk by Thomas D. Mangelsen - Tom Mangelsen and Grizzly 399

What We're Following...

Photo of Felicia and her cubs, courtesy of Marilyn Rodman

Felicia
Felicia and her cubs, so far from what we know, are doing fine after hazing from the Wyoming Fish & Game.

Wolves
We have been watching changing legislation in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. These states are allowing the killing of large populations of its wolves. At one time the wolves were under the protection of the Endangered Species Act. This is no longer the case. Not only are states allowing hunting of the wolves, but they are also allowing non-humane ways of their killing – including baiting, hunting from helicopters, hounds, etc. No compassion in a kill - this is so very sad (see the newspaper article). The US Fish & Game is going to review the information but does not have any plans to address it for at least a year. By then much damage will be done to the wolf population. In addition, sadly part of one of the most popular wolf packs, Junction Butte pack were killed. This is because the State of Montana is now allowing shooting of wolves close to the perimeter of the park.

Grizzly Bear Deaths
There have been a number of grizzly bears euthanized in the Greater Yellowstone area. Unfortunately, Grizzly 399's daughter, 610 has lost both of her sons. This is because the National Park and other wildlife officials have determined that they have turned into problem bears due to habituation. We hope that we don't continue losing bears because of the irresponsible behavior of people leaving food in unsecured areas - see article.

Also before I published this newsletter - I found out that there is a petition going around asking for bear proof garbage be required in areas where people closely live to grizzly bears in the Teton County area - please sign this petition and share it!

October Animal & Environment Observances

Animal Holidays for October 2021
Some of these holidays are hilarious! Don’t forget to hug your sheep on October 30^th!

Month:

Bat Appreciation Month
Squirrel Awareness Month
World Animal Month

2021 Weeks:

National Wolf Awareness Week - October 17-23, 2021 (Third Full Week of October Sunday to Saturday)

2021 Days: (Date Order)

International Raccoon Appreciation Day - October 1
World Farm Animals Day - October 2
Butterfly and Hummingbird Day - October 3
Blessing of the Animals at the Cathedral Day - October 4
World Animal Day - October 4
National Badger Day - October 6
National Salmon Day - October 8
International Sloth Day - October 20
Reptile Awareness Day - October 21
National Mule Day - October 26
World Lemar Day - October 29, 2021 (Last Friday in October)
Hug a Sheep Day - October 30, 2021 (Last Saturday in October)

So we at Green Kids Club would like to highlight World Animal Day, being commemorated October 4, 2021 (you may see this after our newsletter comes out). This day was put in place to help “raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe.” Not only does it promote welfare to our animals but we need to look at what we can do to ensure we don’t lose critically endangered species to extinction. Just recently in the news, an announcement was made that 23 species in the United States including the Ivory-billed Woodpecker are now gone forever or extinct. We as a species can do better than this. If you get a chance please read this article in NPR.

Animal Facts

Salmon are a fish well known in the northwest of the United States. They are in danger of being on the brink of extinction. There are currently 14 species of salmon and steelhead in the northwest and they are "deemed endangered and are protected under the Endangered Species Act, 10 are lagging recovery goals and five of those are considered “in crisis,” according to the 2020 State of Salmon in Watersheds report," which was released in early 2021. These fish are a critical food source to at least 138 species, from insects to orcas.

Human population encroachment and development has reduced fish habitat - this includes development along shore lines, dams, sea walls and other types of bulkheads. Global warming is also a contributor.

According to Sam Mace, the Inland Northwest director of Save Our Wild Salmon, a coalition of groups committed to preserving salmon in the Columbia-Snake River Basin, thousands of steelhead trout were expected to run in a main tributary of the Snake River but there were barely 300 of them, she said. We have work to do.

Monthly Challenge

So Fall is in the air here in the United States! The days get shorter and cooler as we get closer to the end of the year. So what can you do to make an environmental difference this Fall? In our yard we always have tons of leaves falling off of our trees – so why don’t you mow your leaves versus raking them. This will reduce bags of plastics full of leaves and leaf mowing will provide natural decomposition and feed the soil. It also provides habitat for small insects. So maybe take a different approach this year after you have done a leaf jump!

Partner Highlight

We would like to highlight in this newsletter a group we just recently got to know, Jackson Wild. This group works with filmmakers “for accelerating and elevating impactful storytelling at the nexus of nature, science and conservation.” It’s interesting to see what forum storytelling can take for many areas including the environment and education. The conference I attended was amazing in learning the various types of environmental content being produced by film makers throughout the world and their passion for our planet. After leaving the venue – I was in awe of what is being created and brought to our homes. This kind of information and its presentation is so valuable in helping us make a difference on our planet and its animals.

Giveaways

This month we are giving away a copy of Grizzly 399 Hibernation Pandemonium and also our new book the Jade Elephant. So look out for these announcements on Facebook and Instagram!

Oh, and we will give away one of our Elee and the Shining Star - Noah Text version to someone who requests this for a Dyslexic reader!

Calling all Educators – Including Home Schooled Children!

If you are interested in an online class to teach children about wildlife, especially grizzly bears, go to our online class about Grizzly 399, through Inspired Classroom. We plan to add in some additional classroom challenges as we get into the fall. If anyone is interested in participating in this challenge go to Inspired Classroom to learn more. Feel free to email us questions as well, if you would like to get involved in our challenge!