Hear The Roar Magazine - Issue 9

AUTUMN 2023

ISSUE 9

l l l

The PosiTive Power of BaTs CreaTe a Mini-wildlife Pond all aBouT Pangolins

Plus, all the latest Born Free news!

WELCOME s issue we’re Welcome to Hear The Roar!! In thi t-eating animals! ec learning all about incredible ins

and has its own special place in “Every living thing is connected ’ als we might think of as ‘creepy the natural world, including anim be not y ma ers spid and s, worms or even ‘disgusting’! Insects, bug our planet healthy. They perform p kee to l vita are so cuddly or cute, but they provide ion and keeping soils healthy, and important jobs, such as pollinat s! ore – including insectiv food for countless other species h as tect large mammal species, suc At Born Free, we work hard to pro p kee can their natural habitats. If we tigers, elephants and gorillas, in in g livin cies protect the smaller spe these larger animals safe, we also ping kee n, to the giant ground pangoli these habitats, from the tiny ant ing biodiversity to flourish.” natural connections alive and help at Born Free Charlie Baker, Education Officer

CONTENTS 3

Species Spotlight

4

Born Free News

5

Tarnya’s Corner

14 Roar For Nature

6

The Positive Power of Bats

16 Wildlife Heroes

8

Paws For Thought

17 Ambassador Column

10 Create A Mini-Wildlife Pond

18 Quiz Time & Fantastic Facts

12 All About Pangolins

19 Pinecone Pangolin 20 And Finally…

2

SPECIES T H G I L T O SP GIANT ANTEATER l l l l l l l

Giant anteaters can reach an incredible eight feet in length, including their nose and tail.

Despite not having any teeth, they eat up to 30,000 ants and termites every day.

Their sticky tongues are two feet long – the longest tongue of any land mammal!

Instead of making their own stomach acid, they digest using acid from the insects they eat.

They can scare off jaguars with their big, sharp front claws.

Like gorillas, they walk on their front knuckles.

They use their big, bushy tail like a blanket when they sleep.

WHAT IS AN INSECTIVORE?

An insectivore is a type of carnivore that, instead of eating meat, eats mostly insects.

From crunchy crickets to tasty termites, insectivores eat many different insects and invertebrates (animals without a backbone).

Insectivores come in many forms; mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, spiders, scorpions, other insects and even plants! Examples of insectivores you might find in your garden or school playground are hedgehogs, bats, robins, frogs and dragonflies.

3

BORN FREE NEWS NO MORE LA ANIMALS RGE IN ZOOS A surve y fo

old e months e e r h t t s u J w covered, when dis dan and a think Ram e taken r e w Fasika mother in ir from the be sold the wild to ankfully, h e the as pets. T as able to rescu eacefully p w Born Free hs. They now live nsessa a t E little chee tuary in Ethiopia, ers of the b c n m a e s at our h other m it w g n lo Kotteh, a mily.

Fa Cheetah

POLAR BEARS IN ZOOS

Born Free’s recent report rev ealed the problems with keeping polar bears in zoos. It’s very difficult for zoos to keep polar bears happy and healthy, and keeping them captive can even add to climate change!

© Bereket Girma BFF

RESCUED!

Britain w und 76% of pe animals ant zoos to sto ople in p keepin such as Large a g large e le p h a n n captivit imals can espe ts and giraffes y . c much s as their enclos ially suffer in maller t u r es are han the ir natura so l range.

GOODBYE TO THE CIRCUS

Good news in Spain, where the use of wild animals in circuses has now been banned. Making wild animals perform is unnatural and cruel, so we hope to see more countries ban wild animals in circuses soon.

There are now 3,167 wild tigers in India, more than double the number recorded in 2006 – incredible news! Born Free has been supporting the conservation of wild tigers in India since 2004.

4

© Mike Vickers www.tigersintheforest.co.uk

TIGERS ON THE UP!

Our Rescue and Care Coordinator, Tarnya, has always given a helping hand to local wildlife in need, ever since she was little.

“As a small child I used to help my mother pick up frogs, toads and newts that had got stuck at the kerbside as they migrated towards the pond opposite our home, so you could say that is when I started my wildlife rescue!

“Each year frogs and toads will make the long journey back to the pond they were born in to lay their eggs (or spawn) and reproduce. Unfortunately, for some, this will mean they have to cross a road, where they run the risk of getting hit by cars.

Thankfully, now in some parts of the UK there are toad and frog crossing signs, alerting drivers to slow down. In spring, volunteers also patrol the roads helping the amphibians across to safety.”

In the UK, frogs, newts and toads mostly eat insects and other invertebrates.

W? O N K U O DID Y in the UK ound here frogs f skin Common ken their r a d r o n e es can light themselv e g a fl u o to cam s. rrounding in their su

Power to the plants

It’s not just animals that eat insects, some plants like to eat insects too! Sun dew is an insectivorous plant found in the UK. Sundews trap small insects on sticky tentacle s before coiling round and digesting the inse ct.

5

E V I T I S O P E TH

F O R E W PO

S T A B what comes to mind when you think of ba ts?

© Acatenazzi/ Wikimedia Commons

Perhaps Halloween, m ay species of bat found ar be even vampires? Of the 1,400 ound the world, only a handful, including the small vampire bat – who su ck bl other mammals, and th e fishing bat – who ca ood from tc actually deserve a mor e gory reputation. In fa h fish, ct, these amazing flying mamm als are vital to keep habita mostly eat insects or plants and ts around the world he althy.

6

W? O N K U O DID Y tures. caring crea

ts are very hers Vampire ba vide food for new mot y ro the Other bats p es for her babies, until , ar elp whilst she c h to be left. Without h g u st two days are old eno la ly n o ld u o w mother bats ithout food! w

DID YO U KNOW Some spe ? cies of

pitcher p n ect a r t o la including attract small ma nts use b mmals, a ts. Af dropping s fall into ter eating, the ba provide it the plant’s pitc ts’ he with vita l nutrient r and s.

OW? DID YOU KN

PLANTS:

Fruit eating bats, su ch as the flying fox, disperse seeds in their droppings, helping plants to grow in new area s, keeping habitats healthy. Some bats even pollinate plan ts, and over 500 specie s of plants are reliant on bats for pollinatio n.

relle A common pipist , UK bat, found in the 00 ,0 3 can eat up to t. insects in one nigh

INSECTS:

dusk, there are probably If you see bats swooping around at ible animals are using lots of insects around! These incred ir insect prey. By feeding on echolocation to find and catch the bers down – a natural form insects, bats help keep insect num e in the environment. of pest control, maintaining balanc icals that kill insects) on Sadly, overuse of pesticides (chem ng the number of insects, crops and in our gardens is reduci ming and gardening in a which bats rely on for food. By far wildlife can benefit! nature-friendly way, both people and

7

S E L I T P E R D L SHOU

Paws for ThoughT

© georgelogan.co.uk

reptiles are fascinating, but this doesn’t mean they make suitable pets.

8

BE PETS?

unlike cats and dogs, which have been domesticated over thousands of years, reptiles are wild animals.

They have very complex needs and don’t like being handled by humans. They can be expensive to keep, needing plenty of space, the right heat, light and even humidity. This means that, sadly, many pet reptiles die during their first year in the home.

Many lizards such as chameleons, geckos and skinks, are insectivores, so owners often buy live insects for their food. They may not realise these insects also need to be cared for and fed the correct diet, so they pass on the right nutrients to the reptile.

No reptiles are ‘easy to keep’ as pets, and some are even dangerous! They can carry

diseases and bite or scratch when frightened.

You even need a licence to keep reptiles such as Gila monsters and beaded lizards, which are venomous.

The reptile pet trade can also be bad for the environment.

Some reptiles sold as pets may have been stolen from the wild.

Reptiles also don’t make very good birthday party guests or school visitors either.

do you think reptiles should be kept as pets?

AXOLOTLS - BETTER IN A MINECRAFT BIOME THAN IN YOUR HOME!

When Minecraft added axolotls to the game, there was a big increase ts in their popularity as pe in real life. However, look axolotls are difficult to ly after as they have real mal complicated needs. Ani e th rescue centres around world are reporting that g in many are now sadly be abandoned.

9

to adding a pond is a great way help wildlife in your school grounds. Your pond could g encourage lots of interestin res, invertebrates and insectivo s. such as dragonflies and frog a even a small pond can make huge difference!

CreaTe a Mini-wildlife

Pond 10

You will encourage interesting wildlife, provide a home for insects and amphibians and fresh water for larger animals including birds and hedgehogs. sTeP-BY-sTeP guide :

1

Place your empty container into your chosen place.

More animals are likely to make the pond their home if the edges are level with the ground.

2

Make your pond accessible for wildlife.

Use gravel and stones to create a gradual slope inside the pond. This will give animals a platform to drink, rest or climb out.

3

fill your pond.

Whenever possible, use rainwater. If using tap water, leave it in a bucket at room temperature for 24 hours before adding it to your pond to allow any chlorine to dissipate.

4

Plant up your pond.

Always use native plants and try not to overcrowd your mini-pond.

You will need:

A watertight container, such as an old tub or sink (it doesn’t have to be big)

Some gravel and rocks

Small, oxygenating pond plants

for your pond.

5 Care You may need to remove excess leaves in the autumn and blanket weed in warmer months.

6

watch the wildlife move in over the next few months!

safeTY firsT! at all follow your teacher’s guidancesmall times around the pond. even a ay wish pond can be a hazard, so you m This will to cordon off the area around it. o. to help give wildlife more space

Spade (optional)

like this activity?

You can find lots more free, fun activities and lessons on Born Free’s Education pages: www.bornfree.org.uk /teaching-resources

11

s n i l o g Pan

T U O B A L AL

ngolin When a pa r, it curls into a to by a preda ll – their scales are ba defensive t even a lion or tiger a so tough th ugh them! ro th can’t bite

What is a pangolin?

Have your ever heard of a pangolin? Not many people have!

These shy insectivorous mammals gorge themselves on ants and termites using their powerful claws, long snouts and even longer sticky tongues to reach them.

There are eight different species of pangolin found in Africa and Asia, in a variety of habitats including savannahs, deserts, woodlands and tropical rainforests. Many live on the ground, but some, like the black-bellied pangolin, spend most of their lives in trees!

12

© Dr Sanjay Kumar Shukla

OW? N K U O Y DID hed is approac

All eight species of pa ngolin are threatened with extinction. Sadly, pangolins are taken from the wild and illeg ally sold for their mea t or body parts.

Pangolins are the only mammal covered with scales, which are made of keratin (the same material as hum an fingernails). These scales are thought by some people to have healing properties, de spite there being no scientific evidence. Sa dly, tens of thousands of pangolins are caug ht and killed each year so their scales can be us ed in traditional medic ine.

Born Free works hard to protect pangolins against poac hers and traders.

Weighing just 300g (the weight of two oranges) when found, he quickly grew strong thanks to their dedicated team. Named ‘Nguindolo’ (‘King of the Forest Spirit’), he began exploring the forest on his own, until one day he didn’t return to his sleeping box.

The team have since seen a white-bellied pangolin living in the local forest – it seems Nguindolo is now a free and wild pangolin!

Nguindolo t

Why are pangolins under threat?

When a baby whitebellied pangopup (baby pangolin) was found with no sign of his mother, our friends at Sangha Pangolin Project in Central African Republic stepped in to rescue him.

olin Projec

can be the tongue s length as ame its body!

rescue!

Pang © Sangha

© Jacha Potgieter

DID YOU KNOW? A pangolin ’s

Pangolin

13

R A O R E R U T A N FOR Jennah, aged 8

Jennah created this beautiful jaguar poster to teach her friends and neighbours why it’s important to protect them. “I love animals because every one is different. Some are majestic, some adorable and some unpredictable. I love jaguars because of their unique patterns and powerful presence and that’s why we need to protect them.”

14

SUPER SCHOOLS!

This term, lots of schools have got involved in fundraising for Born Free. Here’s a few of their stories.

The Discovery School

Every year group at The Discovery School adopted a Born Free animal – seven in total! When we ran school workshops earlier this year, pupils were excited to learn more about their adopted animals, including Gopal the tiger and Springer the orca.

Brookfield Infant School

Pupils at Brookfield Infant School ran a sponsored mini-marathon to raise money. It was a tough challenge, but the school raised an incredible £1,531! One of the pupils and his dad kindly presented us with a giant cheque at the Born Free office. As well as donating, each class has adopted an animal. Thank you so much Brookfield Infant!

Tydd St Mary CofE Primary School

Tydd St Mary’s pupils got creative last term, running an art exhibition, chocolate raffle and non-uniform day in aid of Born Free! Every pupil created their own wild animal masterpiece, which were framed for family members to buy. The exhibition was so popular there was a queue around the block! Students dressed as wild animals in exchange for a chocolate bar for the raffle, helping the school raise an amazing £536.10, which classes used to adopt their own animal. Pupils said, “We chose Born Free because we wanted to support and help the suffering animals. We had so much fun! Everyone enjoyed the day – we all had big smiles all day.”

Tell us about what you or your school have been up to for wildlife. Send your stories and pictures to education@bornfree.org.uk (please ask your parent, guardian or teacher before getting in touch).

For fundraising ideas visit: www.bornfree.org.uk/education-fundraising

15

Wildlife Heroes de large si g n lo a g in liv rd a h e b It can xception. e o n re a ts n a h p le e d n animals, a e Elephants th e v a S m o fr g in K y c Dr Lu tive solution a v o n in n a h it w p u e m has co and the people ts n a h p le e p e e k lp e h to safe. living alongside them, Tell us about your background.

As a youngster I was brought up in Somalia, Lesotho and Kenya. I have always loved elephants, so studied zoology at university and later based my doctorate on elephants.

What threats do elephants face?

As well as poaching and climate change, elephants are threatened by conflict with humans. Some elephants can wander into farmers’ fields, eating their crops. This can lead to elephants being injured or even killed.

What does the Elephants and Bees Project do?

We provide beehives to farmers, which are placed around crops, connected by a wire. If an elephant enters the farm, it pushes the wire, causing the hives to swing and the bees start buzzing to defend their hive. Incredibly, this causes the elephants to retreat!

The E&B team with donated beehives

How does this work?

Elephants never forget… Bees can sting elephants in their eyes, mouth and up their trunk, causing a lot of pain, so, they learn to avoid them! Beehive fences deter most elephants from entering farms meaning they are less likely to raid crops, and therefore less likely to be injured or killed.

How does this project help local people?

Not only do the beehive fences protect crops, but bees also help pollinate plants and provide an income for farmers selling their honey.

Why is it important to protect elephants?

Elephants help keep their habitats healthy, by dispersing seeds and recycling nutrients through their dung! Like all other animals, elephants have the right to live in peace on our planet.

This is such a successful project Born Free is now using this same technique to protect elephants in Meru National Park in Kenya.

16

AMBASSADOR COLUMN Hi! I’m Nikita, and I’m a Born Free Youth Ambassador and co-founder of Youth for Animals. I’m passionate about the rights of elephants, and am currently campaigning to free Shankar, a solitary African elephant confined in my local zoo here in Delhi, India.

Similar to elephants (and even ourselves!), many animals show self-awareness, intelligence and strong family bonds. One such is the orca, also known as the killer whale, the fastest and largest member of the dolphin family. Orcas are one of the world’s most intelligent species, with their own unique languages, cultures and the ability to express complex emotions – including joy, grief and empathy.

Lucy with beehive fence, Sagalla, Kenya

Just like elephants, orcas do not cope well in captivity. There are currently over 50 held captive in marine parks around the world, for our entertainment. Unable to exercise properly and often suffering multiple health issues, captive orcas can display abnormal, repetitive behaviours like swimming in circles and chewing tank walls.

Mothers and calves, who would stay together for life in the wild, can be separated from one another.

Lucy naming the Tsavo beehives

The plight of captive orca may sound discouraging, but you can make a difference and be a voice for animals!

1. Pledge not to visit marine parks or zoos.

2. Write to travel agents, asking them not to promote marine parks.

Beehive fence farmer Nzumu with honey

3. If you see an orca or dolphin being mistreated at a marine park, report it to Born Free.

4. Tell others how amazing orcas are, so they want to protect them too.

17

z i u Q time 1

ALL QUIZ ANS WERS CAN BE FOUN D IN THIS MAGAZ INE

TOADS LAY THEIR SPAWN IN…

A) …the closest pond B) …the deepest pond C) … the pond they hatched in

4

HINT:

WHERE DO SOME SPECIES OF PITCHER PLANT GET THEIR NUTRIENTS FROM? A) Their flowers B) Jellybeans C) Bat poo

2

WHAT DOES A GIANT ANTEATER SOMETIMES USE ITS TAIL AS?

3

A) Panther chameleon B) Beaded lizard C) Gila monster

A) A way to scoop up termites B) A blanket C) A fan

5

WHICH INVERTEBRATES ARE ELEPHANTS SCARED OF?

WHICH OF THESE LIZARDS IS NOT VENOMOUS?

6

A BABY PANGOLIN IS CALLED… A) A pupgolin B) A pangoling C) A pangopup

A) Spiders B) Bees C) Locusts

c i t s a t n Fa

Along with the platypus, echidnas are the only mammals who lay eggs. They lap up insects with their long, sticky tongue. Did you know Sonic the Hedgehog’s friend, Knuckles, is an echidna?!

Fishing for insect s

Chimpanzees are omnivores, eating both plants and animals.

These intelligent apes use tools, such as sticks, to find, fish out and eat insects.

18

n© Frank Vasse

Egg-cellent!

Prickly character

ons Creative Comm

facts

Tenrecs are small insectivorous mammals found in Madagascar. ilar to Although they look sim g into rlin hedgehogs, even cu , they a ball when threatened ly are actually more close ts! an related to eleph

No sting in the tail

As their name suggests, bee-eaters are a type of bird who eats bees and other flying insects. These clever, colourful birds remove the stinger from ing them. venomous insects before devour

Pinecone Pangolin Create a

With their scales giving the ap pearance of a ‘living pinecone’, what better w ay to create your own pangolin friend then with a pinecone!

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE:

Once dried, create a cone sha pe for the pangolin’s head and cylinders for the leg s, securing in place with tape. Then stick the fee t to the legs.

3

Start attaching your body par ts to your pinecone, which is your pangolin’s ma in body. Curve the tail over the back, attach the hea d to the front and legs underneath with glue. Leave to dry.

4

To finish add a long curly red tongue with some scored paper, or string!

Head

Tail

Front leg Back leg

• Card

• Scissors • Tape • Glue

• Pen or pencil

• Paint or coloured pens

Front paw QUIZ ANSWERS

Back paw

…the pond they hatched in A blanket Panther chameleon Bat poo Bees A pangopup

2

• A pinecone (if collecting from natural habitats, leave plenty for wildlife)

C B A C B C

Draw your own larger versio ns of the shapes shown below onto card. Rem ember you need two of each leg and paw. Cut out then colour in or paint to look like a pangolin. Don’t forget to add scales!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

1

YOU WILL NEED:

19

And finally... …have you enjoyed the facts in this magazine?

Our Planet Too, Born Free has teamed up with It’s wildlife ndly, who create environmentally frie of even more full s, kid for themed activity kits amazing wildlife facts!

ies, these kits help Packed with hours of fun activit mals, how to ani you learn about your favourite nt. Plus, It’s me iron take action and save our env Born Free. for ney mo Our Planet Too is raising tect wild pro p hel can you So, by ordering today, s. itat hab l ura nat animals and their a Order now or subscribe to receive every two months!

kit in the post

Find out more today at:

www.itsourplanettoo.co.uk

se packs Teachers – Did you know that the use? are also suitable for classroom

AND GO GREEN WITH OUR ONLINE MAGAZINE! View, download and share our paper-free electronic version at: www.bornfree.org.uk/publications

Printed on recycled paper

Born Free is an international wildlife charity devoted to wild animal welfare and Compassionate Conservation. Born Free works to end captive exploitation and Keep Wildlife in the Wild, where it belongs!

Born Free Foundation, 2nd Floor, Frazer House, 14 Carfax, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1ER www.bornfree.org.uk +44 (0) 1403 240170

General enquiries: info@bornfree.org.uk

Education enquiries: education@bornfree.org.uk

The views expressed in Hear the Roar!! are not necessarily those of Born Free.

Registered Charity No: 1070906