Page 2 - Kind News, May/June 2022, Parent Guide

ANSWER KEY AND ACTIVITIES

Critter Clues FROM PAGE 7

Our mystery critter is the pangolin. These insectivores live in grasslands and
rainforests of Asia and Africa. Although they are sometimes referred to as “scaly
anteaters,” they are more closely related to bears, cats, and dogs.
Pangolins are solitary and mostly active at night. Although many are ground-dwellers,
some species like the black-bellied pangolin can climb trees. They can eat up to 70 million
insects a year, snatching up ants and termites with their legendary tongues. Their tongues
can be up to 28 inches long — sometimes as long as their bodies! Pangolins are the only
mammals that have scales. Their scales, made of keratin, are a great defense against predators —
they are so tough that even predators like lions can’t bite through them. When threatened, pangolins roll themselves
up into a ball and release a stinky fluid from a gland near the base of their tails.
Pangolins are in trouble! All eight species are threatened because of their use in the illegal wildlife trade. Believed to be the
most highly trafficked non-human animal in the world, they are poached for both their meat and their scales. There is a false
but widespread belief that their scales have medicinal properties, which plays a major role in their poaching. The good news?
Conservationists in Asia and Africa are working to help these animals. Taiwan has made significant progress in this effort and
now has the highest pangolin population density in the world.
How can you help pangolins? Despite their high level of trafficking, many people don’t know they exist. You can raise awareness
by talking to kids and adults you know about pangolins and their plight, or by donating to organizations working to save them. To
learn more, visit savepangolins.org.
FRONT PAGE: TROPICAL STUDIO/BIGSTOCK. THIS PAGE: (CRITTER CLUES) FRENCHP/BIGSTOCK.
SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITIES
Porcupine Quiz TO THE RESCUE
1 Porcupines shoot quills at their predators. Try this with your child at home:
FALSE: Quills fall off easily when touched, but porcupines can’t CASEL CORE COMPETENCY:
shoot them. When they are scared, porcupines make clicking noises SELF-AWARENESS
and their quills stand straight up. They may shake their tails, sending To go with Pet Corner, “Anxious Cats” and Amazing
loose quills flying towards nearby people and animals. If you see a World, “The Science of Puppy Love”: Ask your child to
scared porcupine, give them plenty of space and leave them be. think about times when they get anxious. Direct them
2 Porcupines are clumsy. to a journal or another private space to write their
TRUE: Porcupines love climbing trees, but sometimes they fall thoughts down and give them these question prompts:
asleep on branches and tumble off. What helps you feel better? Are there animals or
people who help you feel better? Why do you think
3 Porcupines’ quills have superpowers. certain people and/ or animals have that effect on
TRUE: Well, kind of! Porcupines' quills have antibiotic properties. The you? Once they have done some writing, explain that
quills are coated with a special material that helps prevent infections. self-awareness is the ability to understand one’s
Scientists think this might be because porcupines are clumsy and emotions and thoughts. Ask: Do they think the journal
often fall from trees. The special quill-coating helps prevent them activity helped them build self-awareness? Why or
from getting too hurt if they get poked with their own quills.
why not? For more on self-awareness and the core
4 Porcupines and hedgehogs are related. competencies of social-emotional
FALSE: Even though they look similar, porcupines and hedgehogs learning, visit casel.org.
are not closely related. VISIT
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