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! Photo in honor of Pink Flamingo Day!
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Environmental Hero
Douglas W. Smith, PhD
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We are excited to announce our new Environmental Hero for the quarter - Douglas Smith! Doug was the Senior Wildlife Biologist at Yellowstone National Park before recently retiring. With more than 44 years of experience with wolves, he became a leading expert on them. He was the driving force behind the Yellowstone Wolf Project, which brought wolves back to the park. His work has led to over 100 scientific papers, numerous articles, six books (two of which won awards), and appearances on shows like 60 minutes. He is also now a speaker on the Nat Geo Live circuit, among other things. And he is co-authoring two books with Green Kids Club, which will soon come out!
You can find our interview here and it is fascinating! Listen and enjoy!
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Did you know we have a YouTube Channel?
Click here to check it out and subscribe!
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Wild Green Kids Club
Summer Camp Opportunity
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Cool Summer Camp Opportunity!
Looking for a fun way to spend a few days this summer? We have it! Check out this video about Teton Science School's Summer Camps. We are looking for students (ages 13-16) interested in going to camp from June 16-June 19, 2024. If you are interested in receiving a scholarship to attend, write us a one page letter telling us about you and why you would like to attend. Transportation from Idaho Falls and back to Idaho Falls will be provided. Submit your email to us by May 15 at contactus@greenkidsclub.com. Join us for this exciting adventure! |
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Yellowstone Wolves
Doug Smith's experience with wolf reintroduction and management in Yellowstone National Park inspired the story in our upcoming book, The Wolf Matriarchs of Yellowstone National Park. This book features illustrations from the amazingly talented former Disney animator Andreas Wessel-Therhorn. Part of the proceeds from sales of these books will go to a non-profit to support Wolf Management at Yellowstone National Park. Stay tuned for information about pre-sales!
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| Check out our books on Kindle and Amazon! |
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Stories We Have Been Following
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Bears Emerge from Hibernation
As grizzly bears emerge from their dens in search of food, wildlife managers remind everyone in grizzly country to keep bears wild. To protect both bears and people, follow these important rules:
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Keep all your food, trash, and compost in bear-resistant locations or bins.
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Never run from a bear; learn how to handle an encounter properly. Click here to learn more.
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Practice safe wildlife viewing or photography by staying at least 300 feet away from bears and never feeding them.
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Avoid hiking or biking alone, stick to maintained trails, make noise, and avoid dusk, dawn, or nighttime recreation.
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Do not use headphones or earbuds while hiking, biking, or running, and avoid fast, quiet movement in areas with limited visibility.
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Make noise (talk loud or sing) to discourage bears from approaching human-occupied areas and immediately report any bear sightings or conflicts to wildlife authorities.
Remember, responsible behavior in bear habitats can prevent bears from becoming accustomed to human presence and food, thereby reducing danger to humans and bears. Keep Bears Wild!
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Cicada Invasion
WHAT on EARTH is a CICADA?? Cicadas are insects, about 1-2 inches long. They are very loud (click here to listen) and known for disappearing for years at a time from our view. As "nymphs" they live underground, feeding on plant roots. Then, triggered by nature, they turn into adults and climb out of the earth. In the spring of 2024, a unique natural event will occur as two different cicada "broods" emerge at the same time (a once in 220 year event) across more than a dozen mid-western states. This rare occurrence, last witnessed in 1803, involves billions of cicadas from the Great Southern Brood (which comes out of the ground every 13 years) and the Northern Illinois Brood (which comes up every 17 years). These cicadas, which play important ecological roles such as providing food for predators and enriching soil nutrients, will fill the landscape from May to June. Click here to learn more! Photos from PBS.org
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Endangered Species Day is observed on the third Friday of May each year. This day reminds people of the importance of wildlife conservation and the need to protect animals and plants at risk of extinction. The goal is to raise awareness about these species' threats, such as habitat destruction, climate change, and illegal poaching.
To learn more about the Endangered Species Act - click this link.
What endangered species are in your area? What is happening in your area to celebrate this event? Let us know at contactus@greenkidsclub.com, and you just might win one of our books! Title the email "Endangered Species Day."
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May Animal & Environment Observances
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Month: (Alpha Order)
- Be Kind to Animals Month
- Gardening for Wildlife Month
- National Duckling Month
2024 Weeks: (Alpha Order)
- The Biggest Week in American Birding - May 3-12, 2024
- World Migratory Bird Day - May 11-12, 2024 (Second Weekend in May)
2024 Days: (Date Order)
- Save the Rhino Day - May 1
- World Tuna Day - May 2
- Bird Day - May 4
- Start Seeing Monarchs Day - May 4, 2024 (First Saturday in May)
- Fintastic Friday: Giving Sharks a Voice - May 10, 2024 (Second Friday in May)
- International Migratory Bird Day - May 11, 2024 (Second Saturday in May)
- International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day - May 15
- Endangered Species Day - May 17, 2024 (Third Friday in May)
- World Bee Day - May 20
- World Turtle Day - May 23
- Whooping Crane Day - May 28
- Pink Flamingo Day - May 29
- World Otter Day - May 29, 2024 (Last Wednesday in May)
- World Parrot Day - May 31
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Parrots
World Parrot Day is May 31! Parrots are colorful and clever birds that live in tropical forests all around the world, like in the rainforests of South America and Africa. They have bright feathers in all sorts of colors like green, blue, red, and yellow, which help them blend in with the bright flowers and leaves in the forest. Parrots eat fruits, nuts, and seeds, using their strong, curved beaks to crack them open. One of the coolest things about parrots is that they can mimic sounds and words they hear, which means they can actually learn to talk like humans! These amazing birds can also live a very long time, sometimes up to 50 years or more, which makes them special companions for people who take care of them. Click here to learn more about parrots!
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Featured Environmental
Non-Profit/NGO
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The Vital Ground Foundation, based in Missoula, Montana, is a 501(c)3 charitable organization and an accredited land trust dedicated to the conservation of wildlife habitats. Focused on North America's grizzly bear populations, Vital Ground aims to ensure their survival for future generations through habitat conservation and programs that minimize human-bear conflicts. Click here to learn more about them and what they do!
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We love RHINOS! Save the Rhino Day, celebrated on May 1st each year, is a special day dedicated to protecting rhinoceroses worldwide. This day is set aside to remind us about the critical threats rhinos face, such as poaching and habitat loss. Many rhino species are in jeopardy of going extinct. When visiting Kenya recently, I visited the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where they have a sanctuary for rhinos. See the video on the work these people do to protect these amazing animals! In honor of this day, email us and we will send free Kabelo, A Silly Little Rhino books to the first three people we hear from at contactus@greenkids.com!
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We want kids to join our Wild Green Kids Club! Children learn about animals and their environment and they can win books and toys through fun contests! Click on the link to find out more!
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About the author
Green Kids Club