Perfect for nature-loving 7-12 year olds, each issue of Nat Geo Kids is carefully curated to ignite curiosity and spark conversations about science and nature, empowering children to love and care for our beautiful planet.
Ho ho ho, Kids! Hope you're all looking forward to a Santastic festive break. Whoop! One family guaranteed a white Christmas this year are the emperor penguins of Antartica! Toboggan over to page 10 to discover how these brrr-illiant birds survive life in the freezing cold. And listen up! This issue, we check out the language used by Asia's wild dogs and then hear how sea creatures communicate. Plus, to celebrate the release of Moana 2, we learn about the ancient myths of Polynesia! Hope you enjoy the puzzles and festive crafts in this issue, too. Happy Christmas! See you next month! Editor Tim and the Nat Geo Kids team…
Rats to the rescue! Ten African giant pouched rats have been trained to sniff out illegal wildlife products like rhino horns, elephant tusks and pangolin scales! Sadly, many endangered animals are killed for their body parts, which are then smuggled abroad for use in food, ornaments or 'medicine'. But the clever rats can detect the scent of these trafficked goods, helping bust smugglers and prevent wildlife crime! During a recent test at the busy port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Africa, the clever rats detected almost all of the hidden contraband within minutes! After smelling the items in shipping boxes, the rats triggered an alarm by tugging a ball on the front of their vests. It's hoped they'll soon be set to work at air and shipping ports around the…
1 These very rare voles are ONLY found on the remote Orkney Islands in northern Scotland! Known locally as volos, cutticks or cutoos, the round little rodents scurry through pastures, moorlands and bogs, scoffing down grass and sheltering under stones. 2 Larger than the UK's other voles and 100g rodents were once common across Orkney. But sadly, their numbers have plummeted since 2010 due to habitat loss and introduced predators such stoats. 3 Luckily, all was not lost! Conservationists from RSPB Scotland teamed up with locals to find and remove stoats from the islands, protecting voles and other native wildlife like curlews and hen harriers. The result? Orkney vole numbers have almost tripled - hooray!…
Nothing says Christmas quite like, er, radishes?! The people of Oaxaca, Mexico, celebrate the salad ingredient on Noche de Rábanos, when thousands of the special oversized pink veg (some up to 80cm in length!) are carved into fancy shapes – from grasshoppers and Catholic churches to people and holy figures. There's a cash prize for the best creation! It's thought the radish-whittling event started over 100 years ago so farmers and market traders could attract customers to their stalls. Today, visitors flock from around the world to check out the arty veg. Radish-ulous!…
DEC 25 Christmas Day The big day arrives! DEC 25-JAN 2 Hanukkah It's the Jewish festival of lights! DEC 31 New Year's Eve Will you stay up to see in 2025? JAN 1-JAN 31 Veganuary Try some plant-based food this month! JAN 7-JAN 14 Big Schools' Birdwatch Visit the RSPB's website to see how your class can take part…
Terrific tractor! From gigantic guitars to big boxing crocodiles (yes, really), Australia is famed for its super-sized sculptures. And last month, this giant tractor was added to the country's list of 'Big Things'. At 11.5m in height and 16m long, the Big Tractor, in Carnamah, Western Australia, is the largest tractor statue in the world. Whoa! Valley of the dead Colourful skeletons appeared around the streets, fields and even cemetery of Atlixco in Puebla, Mexico, at the end of October. The 5–8m-high cardboard 'Catrinas' were made to mark the Day of the Dead celebrations, reminding people to honour loved ones who've passed away. Animal art Several new Banksy paintings have popped up around London over the last few months. The mysterious artist, who uses walls and public places as his…
