Innehållsförteckning för February 2026 från National Geographic Kids

Meet two tiny penguins in a big city! A colony of some 1,500 little penguins—the world’s smallest penguin species—lives here in Melbourne, one of Australia’s largest cities. I thought I could surprise people by showing them penguins thriving so close to an urban area—especially since most people probably think of penguins as living only in Antarctica. So I grabbed my camera and took a seat on some rocks overlooking Melbourne’s skyline. I spent about a hundred hours waiting for the perfect shot. Eventually, these two birds, which are each about a foot tall, waddled their way up the rocks. They’d spent the day feeding on small fish and crustaceans in the bay and were returning to land to rest. As the birds took in the view of the city, I…

Cheetahs are the fastest animals on land. While hunting, they can go from zero to 45 miles an hour in just 2.5 seconds!…

Leopard seals have a reputation for being vicious beasts. That’s how they’re portrayed in movies such as Happy Feet and March of the Penguins. As a wildlife photographer, I wanted to prove that these predators are actually misunderstood animals. With this as our mission, my friend Göran Ehlmé and I head for Antarctica, where leopard seals live and hunt penguins. When we spot a massive female leopard seal, I quickly launch our Zodiac(an inflatable boat) and set out to get a closer look. Almost immediately, the seal initiates an encounter, swimming over to our 13-foot-long boat and ducking underneath. She’s as long as the Zodiac and three feet wide—massive for her species. While I try to come to terms with her size, she swims off, grabs a chinstrap penguin that…

Score—it’s a snow day! Maybe you’ll go sledding, have a snowball fight, or snuggle up with some hot chocolate. When Japanese macaques (mah-KAKS) get a snow day, these primates play too. Also known as snow monkeys, some of these animals live in the Japanese Alps in central Japan—that’s farther north than any other primate(except humans) is found. In these mountains and forests, winter temperatures can drop below freezing and fierce storms can last for days. Luckily, snow monkeys have picked up some fun behaviors to help them survive the cold. “These curious animals are good at using things in their environment to stay warm,” primate researcher Rafaela Takeshita says. Check out five ways you can get through a chilly Japanese winter, snow monkey style. In some Japanese parks, snow monkeys…

Grab your passport! You’ve won the lottery and can travel to the chilly destination of your choice. Answer these questions to find out which cool vacation spot suits you best. If these descriptions don’t sound like you, don’t worry. This quiz is just for fun! How do you feel about camping? A. I’ll go if there’s a fancy tent. B. Absolutely not. C. Nah, I prefer the city. D. I love it! E. Only if I can camp on the side of a mountain. Which music style is your jam? A. folk B. country C. pop D. rock E. heavy metal Choose a summertime activity. A. searching for salamanders B. floating in the pool C. watching fireworks D. hiking in the woods E. zip-lining through the trees What’s your least…

Ring-tailed lemur infants stay with their moms for about a year. SUNRISE YOGA Madagascar’s ring-tailed lemurs often warm up in the morning by turning their bellies, inner arms, and inner legs toward the sun in what scientists call a “yoga pose.” Wonder if they ever do downward-facing lemur? SUNNY SWIMMER The 10-foot-long ocean sunfish is named for its basking behavior. This animal can spend nearly half its life floating near the water’s surface, possibly to warm up. Other times, the ocean sunfish dives deep in search of tasty zooplankton. BIRD (SUN)BATH Birds like the Eurasian blue tit sometimes spread out their wings when they rest in the sun. Scientists think the sun’s ultraviolet light and heat kill parasites like lice that live in the birds’ feathers. (These fliers prevent themselves…

Snow monkeys aren’t the only animals that have adapted to living in cold environments. Match the animals below to the cool ways they survive in winter at the bottom. ANSWERS BELOW A Thick blubber to stay warm in freezing water B Waterproof feathers to keep dry, and huddling for warmth C Long, fluffy tail that wraps around body for warmth D Hooves that grip icy surfaces E Natural antifreeze*-like proteins in their blood F Glow-in-the-dark powers for communicating in water lacking sunlight *Antifreeze is a substance that lowers the freezing point of a liquid; it’s used in cars to keep engines running in cold weather. Answers: 1. D, 2. B, 3. F, 4. C, 5. A, 6. E.…