kids south africa win a prize a day

Lulama like surprises on her birthday, so she enjoyed our surprise when we tried blowing out the candles on the cake: they were the trick kind that keep lighting up again!. Jones, Manage

TH E PL

T R OL LER CO AS

TER S

O N

TH E

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2 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2 WorldMags.net

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N a t i o N a l G e o G r a p h i c K i D S 3

• Write to us at:The Editor,NGKIDS,Cape Town 8000. PO Box 1802,

• Send an e-mail to fiona@ngkids.co.za orSMS* a letter to“NGK Letters”at33970.

Send us your letters,pictures and comments Let us know when your birthday is.Wewa nt to hear from you!

* Standard rates apply for MMSs,soaskyour parents first! SMSs cost R1,50.Free SMSs do not apply.See www.ngkids

.co.za for terms and conditions.

We love celebrating our birthday at NG KIDS We always have a brightly decorated and delicious cake This year it was made by Shounees, our editorial assistant You can see it in glorious close-up detail on page 44 Cake is what Shounees likes best about birthdays!

Lulama like surprises on her birthday, so she enjoyed our surprise when we tried blowing out the candles on the cake: they were the trick kind that keep lighting up again! Lisel likes presents best about birthdays and true to form she has organised a bonanza month of giveaways for you – one every day! Turn to page 12 for our amazing birthday giveaway calendar.

Monique likes being a princess on her birthday, and on page 18 you’ll see the ways children from nine different countries are made to feel special on their birthday.

I like doing something special on my birthday, like having a party or going out for a meal You can celebrate our birthday

by joining us at the screening of Monsters University Turn to page 33 for details In the midst of all the celebrations, don’t forget Dad It’s Father’s Day on

16 June Check out the small chest of drawers we made for him on page 47.

Find red pandas

on the pages! Wehid ten of them inthemagazine.

Here’s one, but canyouspotall ten?

I REALLYLOVE LOTS OF

surprises on

my birthday!

I LIKE DOINGSOMETHINGSPECIAL ON MYBIRTHDAY

i like cakeand sweettreats on mybirthday!

June’s subscribers of the month are Emma Balcomb from Northcliff, Shangri-La Academy in Kempton Park, Kelíc Stainbank from Centurion, Hensu

Knox from Pretoria and Reuben Post from Johannesburg They’ve won* a hamper containing a variety of 10 Top Trumps packs valued at R550 each

Pick your favourite Top Trumps card pack Pick your cards’ strongest characteristic Dare your opponents and win their card! Whoever wins all

the cards by trumping the others,wins! There are many fun packs available with different titles such as Spiderman, Lord of the Rings, Top Gear Cool

Cars, Horses and Ponies,Predators and many others! Go to www.toptrumps.com for more information.

Dear Fiona

How are you? i am a Huge

Fan oF your magazine. THe

inFo is cool anD abouT

conservaTion maybe in

in your nexT magazine

you coulD Do a sTor y on

gorillas anD i will be very

Happy i Have a Dog. His

name is bolT He HaD To Have

a fLoWER poT.

WorldMags.net

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Behind the Scenes of the

new movie EPIC

On the Cover

DEPARTMENTS

6 Pet Friends Forever 38 Subscription Page 46 Art Zone

page 18

Win Prizes Galore

Even though it’s our birthday,we’re spoiling you.

Cover PhotograPh: istockphoto Cover insets: ©2013 tcFFc All rights reserveD (epic);

skYlANDers sticker sheet BY topps Uk (skYlANDer), istockphoto (rollercoAster illUstrAtioN, cAke)

Page 3: jAmes gArAghtY (teAm); istockphoto (reD pANDA); All other imAges sUpplieD

Page 4: mAtthew AckermANN(BirthDAY); istockphoto (BAllooNs, meXicAN mAN);

Birthdays Around the World

Monsters University in 3-D

Win tickets to our hilarious birthday

movie screening

4 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 14

4

4 S e P T e m b e r 2 0 1 1

4 m A Y 2 0 1 1

30 Cool Things About Mexico

Copyright Media24 All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or be transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior consent of Media24.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS is published and distributed 12 times a

year by Media24, with permission of the National Geographic Society,Washington, DC 20036

Published by the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY Chairman of the Board and CEO John M Fahey, Jr.

President Timothy T Kelly President, Publishing and Digital Media Declan Moore Executive Vice President Terrence B Adamson International Publishing:

Yulia Boyle, Vice President Diana Z Jaksic, Director Jennifer C Jones, Manager Cynthia Combs, Rights Manager

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS Magazine Executive Vice President and Worldwide Publisher Claudia Malley Chief Creative Officer, Books, Kids, and Family Melina Gerosa Bellows Senior Vice President, Kids Publishing and Media Nancy Laties Feresten Vice President Julie Vosburgh Agnone Design Director, Books, and Kids Publishing and Media Jonathan Halling Executive Editor Rachel Buchholz Senior Editor, Science Catherine D Hughes Editorial: Andrea Silen, Associate Editor; Nick Spagnoli, Copy Editor; Kay Boatner, Assistant Editor Photo: Jay Sumner, Photo Director, Kids Publishing and Media;

Kelley Miller, Senior Editor; Lisa Jewell, Editor Art: Eva Absher, Design

Director, Kids Publishing and Media; Nicole M Lazarus, Art Director;

Julide Obuz Dengel, Designer

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER AND EXTREME EXPLORER Vice President and Publisher Francis Downey

Art Director and Designer Karen Thompson Editors Brenna Maloney,

Sara Chauhan, Macon Morehouse Designer James Wildman

Photo Editor Shannon Hibberd, Mary Ann Price

MARKETING and PR Marketing Executive Lisel Daniels

Tel.:021-443-9857

Admin Assistant Lulama Joe CIRCULATION

SALES&SOLUTIONS Circulation Manager

E-mail: ngkids_subs@media24.com NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS CAPE TOWN:

ABSA Building,Lifestyle Division,18th floor,4 Adderley Street,Cape Town

EDITORIAL Editor Fiona Thomson

fiona@ngkids.co.za

Editorial and Digital Assistant

Shounees Moolashounees@ngkids.co.za

Senior Designer Monique Petersen Copy Editor Pieter van der Lugt PUBLISHING

General ManagerLiezl de Swardt

Publisher Nikki Ruttiman ADVERTISING SALES&SOLUTIONS Sales Director

Craig NicholsonCraig.Nicholson@media24.com

Business Manager(Women’s)

Marilize HayMarilize.Hay@media24.com

Business Manager: Digital

Terance WinsonTerance.Winson@media24.com

Sales Manager(JHB)

Bianca QuinnBianca.Quinn@media24.com

083 375 1721

Sales Manager(CPT)

Abigail WilmotAbigail.Wilmot@media24.com

083 212 1141

Sales Executive(National)

Lynne Deacon073-704-8793

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This fun TV series introduces the universe to brothers

Gus and Wally, a pair of hapless “monkeynauts” assigned

to carry out important missions They cause more

intergalactic chaos than they could ever prevent! With

angry aliens, criminal masterminds and black holes to

battle, space is definitely a place for heroes When no

heroes are available,the cosmos call on Gus and Wally!

Starved for interstellar adventure (or bananas), the

Rocket Monkeys boldly go where no ape has gone before.

Although these brothers may not be the brightest in the

bunch, that won’t stop them from trying their best to

save the galaxy!

Tunein toRocket MonkeyseverySaturday

andSundayat9.35a.m onNickelodeon

Assume take-off position as

animated series about monkeys

MeeT boSSy ASTRophySiciST

DR chiMpSky.

he’S The MAn

in chARGe of The RockeT MonkeyS’

iMpoRTAnT MiSSionS.

TouGh job,buT SoMeboDy’S GoT

To Do iT!

DSTV305

www.nickelodeonafrica.com | www.twitter.com/NickAfrica | www.facebook.com/NickelodeonAfrica

bRoTheRS GuS AnD WAlly hAVe A DA

ShinG AnD DeVoTeD(if SliGhTl y ouTDATeD) Rob

oT cAlleD yAy-ok luckily he’S pRoGRAMMeD

To keep The cRAzy bRoTheRS on couRSe AnD nA

We know how much you love your pets.

Now you can send us photos, drawings and letters especially for this page!

You can also send questions about your pet to our NG KIDS vet.

The Chow Chow comes from China

where it was known as the Songshi

Quan, which means puffy lion dog.

They often have blue or purple

tongues, black mouths and lips that

touch, but do not overlap.

A few Chows were kept in London Zoo

in 1840, with the description “Wild

Carla and Bubbles

z

z

R :

z

z

z z z

Send us your pet-related letters, questions, pictures, drawings and jokes!

• E-mail to fiona@ngkids.co.za • Ask a parent to post your pet on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NationalGeographicKidsSA

• Send a letter to The Editor, PO Box 1802, Cape Town 8000

We would love to meet your pets!

If you have questions about your pets(furry, feathered or scaled), ask our local NG KIDS vet,

Professor Paws.

A:Just because a parrot can talk, doesn’t mean it will! Much depends on the species you have In some the male speaks and in others the female Be patient and remember most breeds mimic sounds rather than talk, so to them making the sound of the microwave bell is like talking.

Q: Why doesn’t

my parrot talk?

Step 1:Set the date!

If your dog was adopted,

choose the date you got

him or estimate when

it was.

Step 2:Make up a list of

your dog’s friends You’ll have

to address the invitation to

the owner, but you can invite the dogs, too!

Step 3:If you are brave enough to have it at home, prepare a room by clearing away anything breakable.

Decorate with banners and photographs of your dog.

Step 4:Lay a table of treats for the humans and one for the guests.If you make a birthday cake for the dogs it must not include any chocolate.

Step 5:The best parties have games like obstacle races and a tail-wagging contest.

How to prepare for your

Treat your small dog to a spa treatment.

Dear Fiona

Carla always wanted a dog to love,

to cuddle and to play with.On her

eighth birthday in November 2012

she was surprised with a Maltese

puppy.She was so excited,she could

not thank me enough.Immediately

the puppy got a name–Bubbles.

Bubbles is part of the family,loved

and played with every day.Bubbles

sometimes does not know he has

legs and paws because he is carried

around most of the day.He has his

own bed and lots of toys.He is taken

out for walks daily,given treats all

the time and enjoys lying on his back

so we can rub his tummy.Bubbles

does not like going to the vet for

check-ups.He’s scared of the bigger

dogs in the waiting room.Bubbles

had his first Christmas last year and

we even bought him a

present.-Carla Philander, 8, Cape Town

Dear Fiona

Chelsea became a part of our family in December 2011 , a few months after our Jack Russel passed on She is a golden retriever and is 18 months old Chelsea is so intelligent She plays dead to form a decoy when she wants to grab a toy from you and when she gets into trouble, she gives you that sweet innocent look that makes your heart melt.

- Alika, 11, and Nikhil Maharaj, 8, Centurion, Pretoria

8 J U N E 2 0 1 3

South Florida, America

This is one two-faced cat Venus’s unique mug is divided down the

middle–one side is jet black and the other is light orange

Why does Venus have such a dramatic look? Every animal’s

body contains sets of genes passed down from parents These

microscopic molecules determine how the animal will look,

including the colour of its skin, hair or fur.“The genes that

decide fur colour might have come together in an unusual way in

Venus,” cat researcher Leslie Lyons says.“This might have led to

her odd colouring”

Even though Venus doesn’t look like a regular cat, she

certainly acts like one The kitty enjoys sneaking food from the

dogs’ bowls and scampering after toys According to Venus’s

owner, she also gives lots of cuddles and kisses Who wouldn’t

want to come face to face with this cool cat?

talk about meow mix!

meow mix!

talk about meow

talk about meow

Cali

Clever Octopus Venus

Venus’s eyes are two different colours as well Green

or yellow is typical for cats Experts think Venus’s genes also caused one of her eyes

to be blue.

WorldMags.net

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N a t i o N a l G e o G r a p h i c K i D S 9

False Bay, Western Cape

This octopus must have big brains – and an even bigger appetite

The animal figured out how to untie wires holding down a

canister of food so it could get the grub

Hoping to attract and observe fish, scientists had tied a

sardine-filled container to a metal pole and lowered it to the

seabed Fish immediately swarmed the area Then the octopus

glided over It wound its strong arms around the knots and

pulled until they loosened When one knot was too tight, the

cephalopod cut it with its razor-sharp beak It still had a free

arm to fend off a cat shark that was also trying to score

some chow!

Once the octopus freed the container, it swam off with its prize

“We were floored,” says marine biologist Lauren de Vos, University

of Cape Town whose team set up the container and watched the

heist.“But these animals are smart and skilled with their arms And a

snack is great motivation”.To see the octopus in action, go to http://vimeo

com/44791802

By eLIsABeTH deFFner

you should see

me with a rubik’s cube.

oCtopus unties knots

the oCtopus naBBing its tasty snaCk.

Williamston, Michigan, america

When Mona ramouni walks down the street, she’s accompanied by anunusual crossing guard – a miniature horse named Cali The animal letsramouni know when they’ve reached a kerb by tapping her hoof three timesand won’t move forward until it’s safe for both of them to cross Mona isblind and it’s Cali’s job to lead her as a guide dog would

The 75 centimetre-tall Cali had months of training before becoming

a guide horse now shehelps Mona navigate busystreets she also leadsMona to classes at heruniversity and standspatiently by her owner’s desk during the lessons At the grocery

shop she finds the aisles Mona wants to visit.“Cali makes sure

I get my favourite cooldrink by guiding my hand to the right

bottle,” she says Miniature horses are as sharp as dogs and

since they live longer they can work with their owners for many

more years They’re also easy to care for Cali does demand one

luxury: she likes getting her hooves trimmed.“Cali works hard,”

Mona says.“she deserves the spa treatment!”

Williamston, Michigan, america

When Mona ramouni walks down the street, she’s accompanied by an unusual crossing guard – a miniature horse named Cali The animal lets ramouni know when they’ve reached a kerb by tapping her hoof three times and won’t move forward until it’s safe for both of them to cross Mona is blind and it’s Cali’s job to lead her as a guide dog would

a guide horse now she helps Mona navigate busy streets she also leads Mona to classes at her university and stands patiently by her owner’s desk during the lessons At the grocery

seeing-eye horse

i don’t horse around on the job!

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

By michelle harris and julie Beer

Check out these

outrageousfacts.

Some snails float acrosswaterclingingto abubblyraftof

their mucus.

socks

made from

You can buy

bamboo socks made from

You can buy

bamboo socks made from

You can buy

bamboo.

Some rats appear to

LAUGH

when

tickled.

i’m lol-ing over here!

an Olympic sport.

check outthe book

National Geographic Kids Weird But True 4

and the

Weird But Trueapp

MORE? WANT MORE? WANT WANT MORE? MORE?

WorldMags.net

you have to do,

grabs for only

page every day

part of the fun!

To cElEbRaTE oUR

Yunomi is the know-your-friends game that makes you laugh until your tummy hurts! Win one of SIX board games for hours of fun with your friends

Did you know that every year

360 000 new books are printed

in English? THREE readers can

win children’s books worth R500 each Exclusive Books, South Africa’s leading book retailer, stocks the widest range of books from fiction to art titles

Discover the classic tale of Disney’s Peter Pan, the little boy who can fly and will never grow old Join Peter, Wendy, Tinker Bell

and other kids as they fly off to the magical

world of Never Land Win one

of SIX Disney Peter Pan Blu- ray discs!

Organics, a trusted family brand,

now brings you their natural nourishment

for your kids

in the new Organics KIDS range Win

one of TWO Organics KIDS hampers.

ONE reader can win a book hamper,

courtesy of Penguin Books, which

includes BZRK: Reloaded by Michael Grant and Bodyguard: Hostage by Chris

a wearable, comfortable range of the iconic Ray-Bans for kids Win

a Ray-Ban Junior hamper with a pair

of sunglasses and other goodies

Are you a Belieber? ONE reader can win a Justin Bieber Top-up Fan Pack

PLUS a Believe Uber

Deluxe Limited Edition hamper FOUR others readers can win a copy

of the Believe acoustic

album, courtesy of Universal Music

THREE readers can win a complete set

of the new Vital Kids range consisting

of delicious and body-boosting vitamins like Vital Kids A-Z Multivitamin Chew Tablets and Syrup, Vital Kids Omega Sherbet (a first of its kind), Vital Kids Viral Boost Emulsion and more

SMS*

“NGK VITAL” Named after a famous hill in Torino, Italy, Superga has become part

of Italian culture. Most Italians wear their first pair as children FOUR

readers can each win a pair of shoes from the Superga kids

range.

Kit your iPad mini

out in a Speck iGuy

Made from flexible foam, it’s cute and easy to handle

Available in Grape Purple and Mango Win one of FOUR iGuy covers.

Win 1 of 11

Mister King’s Incredible

Journey activity

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in English or

Afrikaans Join the Struik Nature Club

to find out about more cool books!

Samsonite can make any journey

as much fun as the destination with its latest range of adorable owl

luggage ONE reader

can win a Sammies Owl backpack and

an Upright (50 centimetres) Looking cute on the go has never been this easy

SMS*

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Spur Kids’

birthday parties are the best!

FIVE readers can enjoy the taste

of Spur with

vouchers worth R300 each.

HoW To ENTER

To win our birthday

giveaways, find the

keyword on each panel

Features include a rotating self-portrait camera, video camera and a microphone.

SMS* “NGK TIMMY” SMS* “NGK FRANK” SMS* “NGK TWIN”

SMS* “NGK CRAYOLA”

Get a digital NG KIDS

subscription - perfect for

your laptop or tablet.

ONE reader can win a JOVI creative hamper

www.greeneyewear.com www.visitdolphinbeach.com

SMS*

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SMS* “NGK DOLPHIN”

Young eyes are precious and need

extra special care, but style-savvy kids also want to look cool The Little Greens range is not only cute and comfortable, it’s affordable as well and appeals to children up to the age of ten years Win one of TWO pairs of Little

Greens Eyewear by David Green Situated on the beach, Dolphin

Beach Hotel in Cape Town is any

family’s dream getaway ONE reader

can win a two-night weekend for

a family of four at Dolphin Beach Hotel.

ONE lucky reader can win a one night

stay at the child-friendly Riviera on

Vaal Hotel & Country Club, situated

on the scenic Vaal River The prize is

for two adults and two children,

including breakfast.

Montagu Springs is only a two-hour drive from Cape Town with lots of

fun family activities and a beautiful

scenic garden setting ONE reader

can win a two-night weekend for a family of four at Montagu Springs

It’s packed

with stories about animals, entertainment, science, technology and cultures from around the world

Win one of five

Win ONE Eco.kid hamper.

Turn your favourite pair of shoes into

roller skates by strapping the heel

skates to your shoes

Win one of FIVE pairs of heel skates

Timmy Failure and his

polar bear, Total, have

outrageous plans with

hilarious consequences

to dominate the world

There are 14 COPIES of

Timmy Failure: Mistakes

Were Made to be won

Disney’s Frankenweenie is the heart-warming tale of Victor and his beloved dog, Sparky

Sparky dies, but Victor brings him back to life - with monstrous results

Win one of SIX copies Disney’s Frankenweenie Blu-ray discs

The Twin Skate is the new skate rage

You can move around easily with two

completely separate units! Win one of

THREE pairs of Twin Skates.

Win one

of FIVE

“funtastic” art

and craft hampers

filled with innovative

Bostik goodies. Get all you

need to get creative!

SMS*

“NGK BOSTIK”

ONE reader can win an

awesome Skylanders Bundle,

an activity pack which includes a bag, activity booklet, a glow-in-the-dark Starter Pack (limited edition for Xbox, PS3 or Wii), a

glow-in-the-dark

Wrecking Ball

single character and lots more

SMS* “NGK SKY” SMS* “NGK VAAL 2”

The Crayola DigiTools Effects,

Airbrush and 3-D packs lets you create awesome effects, spray art and eye-popping 3-D masterpieces

on your iPad FIVE Crayola

DigiTools (2 x Effects, 2 x Airbrush, 1 x 3-D) sets are

up for grabs

Maccauvlei on Vaal enjoys a rich

history and being child-friendly, one

lucky reader can win a one night stay

for two adults and two children at

Maccauvlei on Vaal, including

breakfast (valid from September 2013)

Birthday

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The prizes will be awarded to correct entries drawn randomly by computer after the closing date Winners will be contacted within three days of announcement The holiday accommodation prizes excludes transport or transfers and all extras are for the individual’s account Holiday giveaways are subject to availability and may not be redeemed during peak season, over public holidays and long weekends Dolphin Beach Hotel and Montagu Springs vouchers valid until 31 October 2013 Maccauvlei on Vaal and Riviera on Vaal

Hotel & Country Club prizes are valid for six months See page 49 for terms and conditions.

*iPad not included in Speck iGuy and Crayola giveaways.

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

Download NG KIDS

to your desktop, laptop or tablet.

Buy a single issue or

at www.mysub s.co.za

ONE:

Ask Mum

or Dad to

Go to the check out, enter credit ca rd details and do wnload your e-zine!

Go to the check out, details and do wnload

THREE:

Search for Nationa l Geogra

phic Kids and click “a

this bike requires a

lot of muscle Woutervan den Bosch builtthe heaviest pedalbike, which weighs in

at 750 kilograms Ittakes a lot of effort

to pedal his creation,

so Wouter gives thebig wheel a little push

to get things movingonce he’s in the seat

Think he could pull off

shop in Germany, volunteers each held a mattress

upright until the one in front of them gently

knocked them over, like a chain of dominoes Maybe

they all took a nap afterwards

HUMAn DoMinoes

PARROT SHOOTSHOOPS

Watch out, LeBron James! Zac the macawmight give you some competition The bird canslam-dunk a ball 22 times in one minute, themost by a parrot Grabbing a light plastic ballwith his beak, Zac throws it into a tiny hoop

N a t i o N a l G e o G r a p h i c K i D S 15

with his beak, Zac throws it into a tiny hoopuntil he’s so excited that his featherless faceturns bright red His owners trained him

by rewarding him with bird treats

Talk about jumping, um, dunking

through hoops

There are 17macaw species inSouth America’srainforests

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© arco images gmbh / alamy (big picture); donna robinson (newborn, two skunks)

By Kitson JazynKa

Separated from her mother,a

distressed infant skunk squeaks on

the side of a busy road.the summer

sun in texas,america,scorches the

pavement.Cars race past.Dangerous

fire ants swarm nearby

a woman notices the helpless

black-and-white baby.she scoops her up and takes her

home.Within two days she realises the wild

animal needs more help than she can give.she

delivers the orphan in a shoe box to a local

animal shelter

the staff at Wichita Falls animal services

Center in america calls Mary Kemp,a local

wildlife rehabilitator.she agrees to take on the

care of the baby skunk.Within an hour the

two-and-a-half-week-old kit,dehydrated and

thin with a layer of soft fur,is lying in the palm

of her hand.the infant should be nursing,

tucked into a warm den with her mother and

siblings.instead,she finds a new home with

Mary,who names the little skunk stinky

Early CarE

Mary creates a bed in a dog crate with aheating pad underneath to keep the babywarm.she tries to feed the skunk a healthyliquid through a nipple attached to a syringe

stinky squirms and fights.if she doesn’t drink,she’ll die

Mary’s husband,Jesse,soothesthe baby in a rocking chair untilstinky finally drinks.they repeatthe meal every three hours andsoon the creature settles in

“stinky started running toward myhusband whenever she saw him,”Marysays.the skunk also plays with a kitten toy androlls around with a tiny stuffed fish

When stinky’s big enough to start solidfood,Mary offers her scrambled eggs.theskunk spits out the eggs at first,but soongets the hang of it.Later,Mary mixes tastymealworms into the eggs.it’s a good startfor an animal that eats plants,insects,worms,small snakes and eggs in the wild

a NEw HomE

now five weeks old,stinky will have

a better chance of survival in thewild if she bonds with anotherskunk instead of humans

another wildlife rehabilitator

in texas has an orphanskunk close to stinky’sage.so the skunk travels

200 kilometres tothe home of DonnaRobinson.stinky’s newfriend,Fancy Pants,chases her around thecage,squeaking andstomping her feet.“Butwithin a day they curled

up together to sleep,”

Donna says

When they’re eight weeks old,stinky andFancy move to a large wire pen outdoors.Forseveral months Donna feeds them four timesper day.she hides mealworms and crickets inthe dirt so they learn to forage.“they used

to dig and dig with their fat,round paws,”

Donna says

the skunks also practise defensivepostures.they pick a target,stomptheir feet and threaten with their tailsheld high.Donna doesn’t get sprayed

“But they did let out little toots as theylearned to use their scent glands,”she says

wild aNd FrEE

one night in January,Fancy claws

a hole in the enclosure andslips out.stinky is too big

to fit through the hole.“itwas like a jailbreak from amovie,”Donna says.in thewild,baby skunks stay withtheir mother for up to a year

Donna sees these young skunksare ready for freedom she letsstinky out of the enclosure and the littleskunk waddles off in search of her friend

one night in January, Fancy claws

Donna sees these young skunks

a skunk can squirt its smelly spray more than three metres.

© arco images gmbh / alamy (big picture); donna robinson (newborn, two skunks)

for an animal that eats plants, insects, worms, small snakes and eggs in the wild

a NEw HomE

now five weeks old, stinky will have

a better chance of survival in the wild if she bonds with another skunk instead of humans

another wildlife rehabilitator

in texas has an orphan skunk close to stinky’s age so the skunk travels

to dig and dig with their fat, round paws,”

“But they did let out little toots as they learned to use their scent glands,” she says

a group of skunks is called a surfeit.

R

growing up fast

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17 WorldMags.net

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kids still get a special cake with fortune-telling trinkets or coins inside Whatever the birthday boy or girl finds in their slice of cake is supposed

to predict how happy, rich or successful they will become in life Sending birthday cards is an English tradition that started 100 years ago At first the cards were meant to say sorry if you couldn’t be there on the big day.

Netherlands

The Dutch have special birthdays

like 5, 10, 15, 20 and 21 which

they call crown years and are

usually celebrated with an extra

big present! The birthday child’s

chair at the dining room table is

decorated with flowers, balloons

and streamers Everybody eats

sweet pancakes and little tarts

with delicious fillings They also

drink lemonade or hot

The best thing about a birthday? It may be a party, gifts, cake,

snacks and lots of playtime with friends Best of all: you get lots of

BY PIETER VAN DER LUGT

drink lemonade or hot

chocolate.

This tradition isn’t so common anymore, but some kids still get a special cake with fortune-telling

BY PIETER VAN DER LUGT

n a t i o n a l G e o G r a p h i c K i D S 17

Germany

On a child’s birthday a special wooden wreath is placed in the middle of the dining room table It has holes for candles, one for each year, and in the middle a holder for a tall, decorated “life candle” Someone in the family lights the candles

at sunrise and they burn all day In the evening the birthday boy or girl blows out the candles and then a party with gifts and special cake begins Germans believe it is bad luck to wish someone happy birthday even a minute before the big day begins.

On a child’s birthday a special wooden wreath is placed in room table It has holes for

party with gifts and special believe it is bad luck to wish even a minute before the big

India The Hindu people have a ceremony called

“aarti” which they also perform for a child on

a birthday They give the birthday child an oil lamp with a burning wick The child folds his hands around it to feel the warmth and energy of the fire, which is a symbol of the sun and also believed to chase away evil spirits Guests sprinkle rice on the child’s head for prosperity and sing special songs while feasting on small sweets and cakes.

If the birthday is a school day, the lucky kid can wear colourful clothes and give chocolate

to classmates.

n a t i o n a l G e o G r a p h i c K i D S 19

The Hindu people have a ceremony called

“aarti” which they also perform for a child on

a birthday They give the birthday child an oil lamp with a burning wick The child folds his hands around it to feel the warmth and energy of the fire, which is a symbol of the sun and also believed to chase away evil spirits Guests sprinkle rice on the child’s head for prosperity and sing special songs while feasting on small sweets and cakes

If the birthday is a school day, the lucky kid can wear colourful clothes and give chocolate

to classmates

n a t i o n a l G e o G r a p h i c K i D S

candles, one for each year, and in the middle a holder for a tall, decorated “life candle” Someone in the family lights the candles

at sunrise and they burn all day In the evening the birthday boy or girl blows out the candles and then a party with gifts and special cake begins Germans believe it is bad luck to wish someone happy birthday even a minute before the big day begins.

Birthdays!

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A Chinese baby’s first party is on his 30th day

already! Everyone celebrates the new member of

the family and the parents serve red-coloured eggs,

chicken, pork and sweet cakes to the guests They

get things for the home or money from the visitors.

On their child’s first birthday, parents put all kinds

of objects and toys around the baby The thing the

child picks up, is a clue to what he or she will become

someday On birthdays each guest also eats at least

one extra long noodle for a long life and good luck.

A Chinese baby’s first party is on his 30th day

already! Everyone celebrates the new member of

the family and the parents serve red-coloured eggs,

chicken, pork and sweet cakes to the guests They

get things for the home or money from the visitors.

On 15 November each year a lucky group of kids have a

bonus birthday called shichi-go-san, which means “7-5-3.”

It is for boys and girls who turn three, boys who turn five

and girls who turn seven This is a reminder of the old

days when many young children died young The family

gives thanks for the children by dressing them in special

clothes and going to a temple Afterwards the kids get

long sweets in bags decorated with turtles and cranes.

The sweets, the crane and the turtle are symbols of a

long life There was a time when all Japanese celebrated

their birthday on the first day of the New Year, but now

they all have their own real birthday.

Japan

20

long life There was a time when all Japanese celebrated

their birthday on the first day of the New Year, but now

Vietnam The beginning

of the new year, called Tet, must

be a crazy day

in Vietnam, since it’s the official birthday

of everyone in the country Nobody celebrates the exact date of their birth and babies turn one on their first Tet no matter when in the previous year they were born.

On this day children get red envelopes filled with

“lucky money” from their parents, family and friends.

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n a t i o n a l G e o G r a p h i c K i D S 17

Mexico

One of the best-known birthday treats in the world must be the piñata It’s an animal like

a donkey made from papier mâché and hung just high enough so the children at the party can reach it The kids put on blindfolds and try to hit the piñata until

it breaks Inside is lots of sweets, coins and small toys Mexicans celebrate their birthday twice.

First they go to church to receive a blessing and then everyone goes home for a party … and the piñata!

receive a blessing and then

One of the best-known birthday treats in the world must be the piñata It’s an animal like

a donkey made from papier mâché and hung just high

One of the best-known birthday treats in the world must be the piñata It’s an animal like

a donkey made from papier

Ghana

Many African cultures don’t have a tradition of birthday

celebrations, but kids in Ghana get a special breakfast of

“oto”, a savoury patty made from mashed potato mixed

with eggs friend in palm oil At the proper party later on

they have stew and “kelewele”, which is fried, spiced pieces

of plantain (a bit like a banana) The Ashanti people of Ghana

celebrate their birthday with “krada”, which means “Soul Day”.

This falls on the day they were born (Monday, Tuesday and so on)

in the week of their birth When they wake up on the big day, they

wash themselves with a special leaf soaked in water overnight In

the afternoon the birthday kid dresses up, usually in white, and

This falls on the day they were born (Monday, Tuesday and so on)

in the week of their birth When they wake up on the big day, they

wash themselves with a special leaf soaked in water overnight In

DID YOU KNOW?

In 1893 American sisters Patty and Mildred Hill wrote a song called “Good Morning

to All”.Patty was a teacher and used the song in her kindergarten classes.It later changed to “Happy Birthday

to You”,which is sung around the world and in many languages.

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This animal has extra long

wrist bones that work

like thumbs.

Read the clues below

to work out the name of

this animal?

Read the clues below

to work out the name of

this animal.

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It is a mammal.

It is arboreal, which means

TheKungFu master in the film Kung Fu Panda

was one of these.

It wraps its fluffy tail around

its body for warmth.

Write the animal’s name in the space below.

animal’s name in the

space below.

It wraps its fluffy tail around

its bodyfor warmth.

TheKungFu master in the

WANT TO BE A

HErpETOlOgisT?

Herpetologist Brady Barr, who often comes face

to face with dangerous animals

like crocodiles, pythons and polar bears, tells about his unusual methods of research.

WATCH: Dangerous

Encounters With Brady Barr

on Nat Geo WILD rEAD: Crocodile Encounters!

And More True Stories of

Adventures With Animals by

Brady Barr with Kathleen

which was founded in

helps celebrate the

125th anniversary

of the National Geographic Society

which was founded in

1888 With a parentpermission,go to

nationalgeographic com/125for moreinformation

reaL-Life croc!

Herpetologist

if you want to catch a 900-kilogram crocodile, you sometimes

have to jump on its back and ride it I don’t always do thingsthe normal way – I’ve caught a croc with a ball of string,tracked great white sharks with remote-controlled helicopters andeven dressed up as a hippo, a crocodile and a baboon to get closer

to animals I can’t just sit 20 metres away with a camera

“Once I climbed down a croc burrow in Costa Rica thinking thesides were just mud walls Then I realised they weren’t walls at all

They were crocs covered in mud I realised this when they suddenlyopened their eyes!

“I’m scared every single day, but being afraid keeps mesafe You make one mistake and you could lose a part ofyour body But don’t let anyone tell you that youcan’t do something There’s always a new quest.”

Herpetologist

to face with about his

f you want to catch a 900-kilogram crocodile, you sometimes

DARE t o

EXPLORE t o

EXPLORE “ihave to jump on its back and ride it I don’t always do thingsHerpetologist

to face with like crocodiles, pythons and polar bears, tells about his

“if you want to catch a 900-kilogram crocodile, you sometimeshave to jump on its back and ride it I don’t always do things

•IST OCKPHO TO(ENGLISH BULLDOG)

Crown jellyfish

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