National Geographic Kids - 06.07 2022

NATGEOKIDS.COM • JUNE / JULY 2022 COOL GIVEAWAY CHEETAH 30 RESCUE FUN How wildlife FACTS: heroes keep these ROYALTY cats safe FUNKY FISH



Editor in Chief, g IN DEPARTMENTS Kids and Family, Magazines and Digital THIS ISSUE 4 Weird Rachel Buchholz But True! 12 Cheetah Senior Design Editor, Magazines Eileen O’Tousa-Crowson Rescue 5 Big Question 6 Guinness Editorial Kay Boatner, Senior Editor / Digital Producer; Find out how Allyson Shaw, Editor / Digital Producer conservationists World Records are saving these 7 Bet You Didn’t Know! Photo Shannon Hibberd, Senior Photo Editor cats from smugglers. 8 By the Numbers 10 Amazing Animals Production Sean Philpotts, Manager 18 Secrets of 28 Fun Stuff the Blue Holes Digital Laura Goertzel, Senior Manager GPIVCLPOUEAASGOHEWL1I4AEY! Daring scientists PUBLISHED BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PARTNERS, LLC search for clues about COVER: TJ RICH / NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY underwater caves. (CHEETAH); JACK HILL / POOL / AFP VIA EVP and General Manager GETTY IMAGES (CROWN); ALEX MUSTARD / David E. Miller 20 30 Cool Things NPL / MINDEN PICTURES (SEAHORSE). About Royalty PAGE 3: NICHOLE SOBECKI (CHEETAH); Managing Editor, Magazines WES C. SKILES / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC David Brindley Discover facts about IMAGE COLLECTION (CAVE); TURKISH some of history’s most PRESIDENCY OF NATIONAL PALACES ADMINIS- Advertising Offices John Campbell, Senior Vice President, legendary leaders. TRATION / HANDOUT / GETTY IMAGES (SPOON- Partnerships, [email protected] MAKER’S DIAMOND); ALEX MUSTARD / NPL / 22 Funky Fish MINDEN PICTURES (SEAHORSE); © ANTON VAN Detroit Karen Sarris, [email protected] NIEKERK, 2021 (EXPLORER) Los Angeles Eric Josten, [email protected] Check out why seahorses New York Hilary Halstead, [email protected] and their cousins might be EXPLORATION HAPPENS the strangest swimmers because of you. International Publishing Yulia Petrossian Boyle, you’ve ever seen. Vice President; Jennifer Jones, Manager; When you read with us, you help further Leanna Lakeram, Account Manager 26 Science oofometer the work of our scientists, explorers, and Bloopers Finance Jeannette Swain, Director; educators around the world. Tammi Colleary-Loach, Senior Manager, Rights Clearance; Even Nat Geo Explorers make mistakes—and Parents, to learn more, visit natgeo.com/info Joey Wolfkill, Senior Business Specialist laugh about them later. Consumer Marketing John MacKethan, Director, Print Operations; Mark Viola, Senior Manager, Circulation Planning; Janet H. Zavrel, Manager, Circulation Planning Manufacturing and Distribution Kristin Semeniuk, Senior Manager; James Anderson, Manager, Global Distribution; Jennifer Hoff, Manager, Production Publicity Anna Kukelhaus, [email protected]; Caitlin Holbrook, [email protected] Parents, contact us online: [email protected] NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS(ISSN 1542-3042) is published ten times a year by National Geographic Partners, LLC, Washington, DC 20036. For more information contact natgeo.com/info. Periodical postage paid at Washington, DC, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS, P.O. Box 37545, Boone, IA 50037. Subscriptions: United States, $30.00; to Canada, $37.00; elsewhere, $48.00; all in U.S. funds. Single copy: United States, $5.00; to Canada, $10.00; elsewhere, $15.00; all in U.S. funds. In Canada, Agreement number 1000010298, return undeliverable Canadian addresses to NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS, P.O. Box 819 STN Main, Markham, Ontario L3P 9Z9. The submission of photographs and other material to NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS is done at the risk of the sender; NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS cannot accept liability for loss or damage. SUBSCRIBE TO NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS! JUST FOR PARENTS CALL TOLL FREE 1–800–647–5463 For corrections and clarifications, go online. natgeo.com/corrections MON.–FRI., 8 A.M.–9 P.M. EST, SAT., 9 A.M.–7 P.M. EST For a subscription to NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS, send written requests— Follow us on Twitter@NGKids including name, address, zip code, and payment in U.S. funds or equivalent—to and like us on Facebook. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS, P.O. BOX 37545, BOONE, IA 50037 For gift subscriptions, send giver’s name and address as well as recipient’s. Copyright © 2022 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS without written permission is prohibited. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS and Yellow Border: Registered Trademarks ® Marcas Registradas. Printed in the U.S.A. ISSUE 521 PRINTED ON 100% PEFC-CERTIFIED PAPER—PEFC/29-31-58— Please recycle.

Check out these CHECK OUT outrageous facts. THE BOOK! BY JULIE BEER AND MICHELLE HARRIS ANYONE HAVE SOME sSqwuirerealst FOOT through DEODORANT? TREE fetheeirt. UP TO 100,000ACRAENDPWROODOUCDE SEEDS IN A YEAR. Water blown out of a Your brain A jeweler created a ring BLUE WHALE’S SPOUT can hold MADE ENTIRELY can shoot OF ONE BIG 100 times DIAMOND, 3 STORIES HIGH. more information including than a the band. computer. COCKROACHES In ancient TheHre ios attoCwnocaflfleede, Egypt, only can recognize Mississippi. ROYALTY FAMILY were allowed MEMBERS. to EAT MUSHROOMS. 4 NAT GEO KIDS • JUNE / JULY 2022 JFTRINGALI / ISTOCKPHOTO (REDWOODS); CIVIUS / DREAMSTIME (SQUIRREL); COURTESY OF SHAWISH GENÈVE JEWELER (RING)

ARABIAN CAMEL Question CHECK BY JULIE BEER OUT THE BOOK! Why do camels have humps? A camel’s hump is filled with up to 80 pounds of fat, which the camel uses for energy when it can’t eat or drink. That means these animals are able to survive for several months without food and can walk up to a hundred miles in the desert without water.(It helps that they rarely sweat, even in tempera- tures over 120°F). As the camel uses the fat, the hump gets smaller. But once it takes a break to eat and drink again—a camel can slurp 30 gallons of water in 13 minutes—the hump grows bigger with the new fat inside. Camels Bactrian camels use their have two humps. flexible lips to Arabian camels, eat thorny plants and cacti that also known as other animals dromedaries, have avoid. only one. Baby 5JUNE / JULY 2022 • NAT GEO KIDS camels don’t have humps. LOVELY PET / SHUTTERSTOCK (MAIN CAMEL); CHALABALA / ADOBE STOCK (FLEXIBLE LIPS); ANDREA WILLMORE / SHUTTERSTOCK (BABY CAMEL); DMITRY PICHUGIN / SHUTTERSTOCK (BACTRIAN CAMEL)

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS BY KAY BOATNER BIG SHOE STEPS UP You’d definitely need a giant closet if you owned this sneaker. The largest sports shoe stands five feet six inches tall, stretches just over 13 feet long, and weighs 331 pounds.(That’s about as heavy as 33 bowling balls.) Made from enough fake leather to cover almost an entire NBA basketball court, the shoe took three months to build and helped raise funds for cancer research. Looks like the shoe’s creators took some huge steps for a good cause. DOGS PERFORM Border collies Halo(below left) HMM ... DID I FEED THE TRICKSand Wish aren’t just one-trick CAT TODAY? dogs. These pups completed 28 tricks in 60 seconds, earning the title for TWO NING’S the most tricks performed by two dogs in one PUPS ARE STRAITJACKET minute. Their showstoppers include spinning FALLS TO THE around in circles, jumping on and off a low BETTER GROUND. platform, crossing their front paws, and THAN ONE! giving high fives to owner Emily Larlham. Now that’s something to bark about. DARING © GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS LIMITED (ALL). INFORMATION ESCAPEThis woman PROVIDED BY © 2022 GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS LIMITED. definitely doesn’t have a fear of heights. Super Ning holds the record for the fastest straitjacket escape while suspended from a hot-air balloon. It took the daredevil just 53.7 seconds to free herself from the straitjacket as she dangled 98 feet aboveground in Weihai, China. We prefer our hot-air balloon rides to be more, er, traditional. 6 NAT GEO KIDS

1 Oneyear flashy facts after declaring 7 about fireworks BY PAIGE TOWLER independence—on 2 July 4, 1777— Fireworks can the United States started burst using fireworks to into shapes such as celebrate stars, smiley faces, and the historic event. even an image of the planet Saturn. 3 4 Some towns During the 16th century, use “quiet Queen Elizabeth I gave fireworks” the position of to avoid scaring “Fire Master local wildlife. of England” 5 to the country’s best fireworks maker. Historians think 6 7 firecrackers were The A firework’s Japanese word accidentally many colors for fireworks, inventedsome 2,000years ago in China, when people are created by hanabi, burning different means “fire threw bamboo flowers.” kinds of stalks into a fire—and metals. they exploded. 7JUNE / JULY 2022 • NAT GEO KIDS DANA.S / SHUTTERSTOCK

Summer Stats Ah, summer. Time to relax, go for a swim, and enjoy the warm weather. Soak up the fun with these sunny facts! Sydney, Australia, Earth’s axis tilts at enjoys more than 23.5°. 340 As the planet spins, its angle to the sunny days sun changes—and so do our seasons! each year. The first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere is JUNE 20 OR 21. The first day of summer in the Southern Hemisphere is DECEMBER 21 OR 22. 8 NAT GEO KIDS • JUNE / JULY 2022

CHECK OUT THE BOOK! BY JENNIFER ADRION AND OMAR NOORY About Sunscreen with an SPF of 30 blocks 80% 97% of Americans say they know how of the sun’s rays. to swim. The sun is more than 94 MILLION miles from Earth during the summer solstice—the first day of summer. The longest beach in the world— Praia do Cassino in Brazil—is ABOUT 150 MILES LONG. LUNAMARINA / GETTY IMAGES 9JUNE / JULY 2022 • NAT GEO KIDS

AMAZING MAKE IT ANIMALS SNAPPY! A BIOLOGIST HOLDS CROCODILE HATCHLINGS AT TURKEY POINT NUCLEAR GENER- ATING STATION. Comeback Critter: Only experts should handle wild animals! American Crocodile Homestead, Florida This might be the best egg hunt ever. human-made cooling canals, which Lloret, who works at the plant.“It’s happen to be perfect croc nurseries. important to respect them, but we Scientists were excited to find a So conservationists decided to start can learn to live alongside them with- record number of American crocodile studying and tracking these animals. out fear.” —Bethany Augliere hatchlings at the Turkey Point Nuclear By capturing and releasing the hatch- Generating Station last year: 568! lings in safer areas, they help protect Check out more stories, tips, and That’s good news, because about a them from predators like birds, crabs, crafts to help the planet! quarter of all crocs in the United turtles, and even other crocodiles. natgeokids.com/planet States call this spot home. Over the decades, this team has In the 1970s, habitat loss and hunt- processed, tagged, and released over ing caused the American crocodile 8,000 hatchlings.“Crocodiles are big, population to dwindle to fewer than toothy creatures, so they have a bad 300 animals. But in 1978, workers at reputation,” says wildlife biologist Mike the power plant found a nest along the 10 NAT GEO KIDS • JUNE / JULY 2022

AHOY WALLY BOARDED THERE! BOATS ALL AROUND EUROPE(HERE HE’S NEAR IRELAND) BEFORE SWIMMING BACK TOWARD THE ARCTIC. Walrus Gets Floatie Bird Isles of Scilly, England ‘Snuggles’ Rhino This walrus is unsinkable—but the boats he liked to hang out on? Not so much. MalaMala Game Reserve, Wally the walrus was far from his Arctic home when he decided to rest atop some South Africa Who says you can’t cuddle a rhino? anchored boats.Weighing almost 2,000 pounds,he sank one craft and damaged others Zaheer Ali was leading a safari before Lizzi Larbalestier from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue offered to help. when he noticed a white rhinoceros with a red-billed oxpecker bird on She built Wally a pontoon made of plastic bricks, then covered the floating structure its horn. He stopped to watch as the bird plucked ticks and insects off in poop and hair that he’d left behind on another boat. the rhino’s skin, which is a normal behavior. “He swam straight to the pontoon and got on it like he knew it was for him,” But then something surprising hap- Larbalestier says. pened:The bird leaned on the rhino’s horn and seemed to rest.“I knew this Walrus expert Lori Quakenbush WALLY moment was special,”Ali says. thinks that Wally might’ve gotten RELAXES ON A separated from his group by a PONTOON BUILT It’s not unusual to see these two JUST FOR HIM. species together,rhino conservationist Brent Cook says.“Oxpeckers often strong current moving south. feed on the parasites living on the rhino’s skin,” he says.“In exchange, Walruses usually haul out, or rest, the rhino receives complimentary pest control.” on ice and land, not boats—so it’s Plus, the oxpecker—which has possible Wally was trying to stay much stronger eyesight—will make a shrill hissing sound to warn the rhino away from people. But after a few of danger from things like hyenas and poachers. weeks of hanging out on his pon- Cook thinks that the bird had just toon, Wally started swimming finished a tasty meal and felt at ease in a warm spot.We hope these animals back toward his icy home. Bon stay BFFs. —Cheryl Maguire voyage, Wally! —Cheryl Maguire YOUR FACE CROCODILES IS SO Homestead, COMFY. Florida WALRUS Isles of Scilly, England BIRD AND RHINO MalaMala Game Reserve, South Africa FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY (CROCODILES); ADAM COLLINS (CLONAKILTY DISTILLER) / SWNS 11JUNE / JULY 2022 • NAT GEO KIDS (WALLY ON BOAT); LIZZI LARBALESTIER / SWNS (WALLY ON PONTOON); ZAHEER ALI (BIRD AND RHINO)

CHEETAH RESCUE How conservationists are saving these cats from smugglers TEXT BY In the back seat of an SUV, a cheetah cub bares his teeth and hisses. RACHAEL BALE Around his neck is a rope, which not too long ago had been used to tie him to the base of a tree. The ridge of fur down the cheetah’s spine is PHOTOGRAPHS standing straight up, and the animal’s breathing is fast and shallow. His BY NICHOLE eyes dart in every direction, taking in his surroundings. SOBECKI The people peering into the vehicle mean only one thing to the alarmed cheetah: danger. Stolen from his mother to be someone’s pet, the wild cat probably hasn’t had many good interactions with humans. What the cheetah, called Astur, doesn’t know is that the faces outside are friendly—these people have come to rescue him. 12 NAT GEO KIDS • JUNE / JULY 2022

Cheetah brothers often stay together for life. A female is usually solitary until she has cubs. Tracking Astur protect their goat herds ASTUR THE from the predators. The CHEETAH IS The people are part of a team of wildlife rescuers hope they can EXAMINED conservationists who work to stop convince the man trying FOR INJURIES. smugglers from selling cheetahs in to sell Astur to give the TISSUES IN HIS Somaliland, an independent region in EARS AND AN EYE the East African country of Somalia. The MASK HELP KEEP rescuers heard about Astur from infor- HIM CALM. mants who keep a lookout for animals that are being trafficked, or illegally cat to them instead of a traded, in the area. The conservationists learned that Astur had been stolen from pet smuggler. the wild and might soon be sold to a wildlife trafficker. Then that trafficker “Sometimes sellers do the right would sell the cheetah as a pet. AFTER BEING thing and give up the animals when RESCUED FROM Many people in Somaliland don’t know WILDLIFE that taking cubs from the wild is against asked,” says National Geographic TRAFFICKERS, the law. People there who attempt to FIVE SIX-WEEK- sell the cats are often trying to make Explorer Timothy Spalla, who is working OLD CHEETAHS extra money for their families and KEEP WARM to end the cheetah trade in Africa IN FRONT OF A HEATER. and the Middle East. ASTUR THE But before the team can talk to the CHEETAH CUB PEEKS OUT OF seller, he drives away. He did know that A CRATE AT RESCUERS. having a cub was illegal and is afraid of being arrested. But the police quickly catch up to the vehicle and hand Astur over to the rescuers. Check-Up Time Veterinarian Asma Bile Hersi tries to treat the cub as soon as he’s picked up by the team. She checks him as best she can for obvious injuries like open wounds and broken bones. At about seven months old, Astur is older than most cheetah cubs Hersi has treated— and much fiercer. “The people who were keeping him didn’t feed him very well,” Hersi says. “He was hungry, so that’s why he was fighting everyone.” VETERINARIANS Hersi and the others EXAMINE A want to get Astur to THREE-WEEK-OLD Hargeysa, Somaliland’s LEOPARD THAT WAS capital, so the anxious RESCUED AT THE cub can get a full SAME TIME medical examination. AS ASTUR. THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY, COMMITTED TO ILLUMINATING 13NAT GEO KIDS AND PROTECTING THE WONDER OF OUR WORLD, FUNDED EXPLORER NICHOLE SOBECKI AND EXPLORER TIMOTHY SPALLA’S WORK.

After two days of driving, the team ASIA arrives at a rescue center run by the Cheetah Conservation Fund, an organi- AFRICA zation that cares for cheetahs that were removed from the wild at a young ATLANTIC INDIAN age. There, veterinarian Anna Ciezarek OCEAN OCEAN takes over examining a distressed Astur. Where Cheetah cheetahs cubs chirp to “It’s always stressful rescuing a new live communicate. animal,” Ciezarek says.“You don’t know what sort of condition they’re going to friendly interactions with the cat so he’ll be in, how they’ll behave, and what begin to trust his human caretakers. you’re going to need to do.” According to Joe Bottiglieri, the center’s cheetah care manager when Astur Ciezarek sedates Astur before exam- arrived, just being near the cub without ining him carefully. The cheetah doesn’t looking scary can be helpful.“Gaining have any wounds and his joints seem to their trust takes time and patience,” move fine. A blood test shows he has no Bottiglieri says. infectious diseases, and a test of his poop finds no parasites. Now two years old, Astur has become more settled at the rescue center. He “Ultimately, Astur didn’t need treat- lives with four other male cheetahs ment,” Ciezarek says.“Other cubs aren’t named Bagheer, Cizi, Darth, and Shamsi. so lucky—many of them arrive in very His caregivers say Astur still doesn’t like poor condition.” people very much, but he’s learned to respond to commands like “come here” A New Home and “down.” When Astur cooperates, he gets treats like antelope, a favorite The skinny Astur is physically fine, cheetah snack. but he’s clearly upset. To help him adjust to the rescue center and feel safe, care- givers put him in a comfortable enclo- sure. They also focus on having short, RESCUED CHEETAH CUB FREYA EXPLORES HER ENCLOSURE IN SOMALILAND. WIN A SAFARI PRIZE PACK, INCLUDING THIS BOOK AND PLUSHIE! Protecting Cheetahs GO ONLINE MAY 23-30. natgeokids.com/june-july Because he was taken from the wild 14 NAT GEO KIDS • JUNE / JULY 2022 so young, Astur doesn’t know how to survive on his own; he’ll spend the rest of his life at the rescue center. Still, he’ll hang out with fellow cheetahs, play on plenty of climbing structures, chase around lots of toys, and be cared for by experts who know how to keep him healthy. Meanwhile, the fight against cheetah smuggling in this region continues. “These animals belong to the wild, not in a sanctuary,” says Shukri Haji Ismail Mohamoud, Somaliland’s environment minister.“We’ll keep fighting for chee- tahs like Astur to be safe.” COURTESY OF CHEETAH CONSERVATION FUND (ASTUR LYING DOWN); MARTIN WALZ (MAP)

Most THIS SIX-WEEK-OLD The big cats hunt CHEETAH ORPHAN PET at night, but BOTTLE-FEEDS EVERY TRADE cheetahs hunt FEW HOURS TO GET during the THE NUTRIENTS IT Experts aren’t sure how WOULD’VE RECEIVED many cheetahs are stolen day. FROM MOM. from the wild each year because most are never ASTUR(HERE AT TWO YEARS rescued. Instead, they’re OLD)NOW LIVES AT A RESCUE taken on a sometimes FACILITY IN SOMALILAND. deadly journey through Somaliland, across a nar- row body of water called the Gulf of Aden, and to the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East. There, they’re sold as pets to very rich people. These people typi- cally want pet cheetahs to show off to their friends and get attention on social media. But they of- ten forget that their tiny, fuzzy cub will grow up to become a hundred-pound wild cat. It won’t use a litter box, it’ll need lots of space, and it’ll require a very special diet. So cheetahs aren’t good pets—but they’re also not happy and rarely live a full life. That’s why if the species is going to survive, it needs to remain in the wild. Shukri Haji Ismail Mohamoud, Somaliland’s environment minister, is passionate about keep- ing cheetahs in the wild. “Removing too many ani- mals from the wild upsets the balance of nature,” Mohamoud says. 15NAT GEO KIDS

SPEEDBUILTFOR This wild cat’s body makes it an incredible predator. Excellent Cheetahs Extra-long eyesight have a deep chest shoulder blades makes spotting and powerful lungs and long shoulder prey quick and that move oxygen through their bodies muscles allow easy. more efficiently, for long, rapid Strong, helping them strides. blunt claws help run faster. cheetahs get a good And They’re Off! grip on the ground A cheetah’s when they’re running, small, short face has In a race between different sort of like cleats enlarged nostrils and species of land animals, wide internal airways cheetahs would totally win. on a shoe. to allow it to take in But these critters wouldn’t be far behind! Check out lots of air and not their top speeds. lose its breath mid-chase. CHECK OUT CHEETAH VIDEOS TO SEE THESE WILD CATS IN ACTION! natgeokids.com/june-july 16 NAT GEO KIDS • JUNE / JULY 2022 ANDY ROUSE / NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY (CHEETAH); CHRIS WARE (ILLUSTRATION)

A cheetah’s Their A long, spotted coat long legs muscular tail camouflages the propel cheetahs helps cheetahs predator in tall to speeds of up to maintain their grasses as it 65 miles an hour, balance on tight stalks prey. making them the world’s fastest land turns. mammal. Cheetahs use their super-flexible spine to stretch out and cover up to 30 feet in one stride. 30 48 50 55 65REDFOX: MPH BROWN HARE: MPH LION: MPH SPRINGBOK: MPH CHEETAH: MPH

SECRETS OF THE DARING SCIENTISTS SEARCH FOR C BY KRISTIN BAIRD RATTINI A bizarre world lies under the sparkling Atlantic Ocean off the islands of the Bahamas, a world few have seen. Here, a system of super-deep under- water caves called blue holes contain odd-looking creatures, six-story-high rock formations, and even ancient human remains. Scuba-diving scientists must dodge whirlpools and squeeze through narrow tunnels to study blue holes—but their risky expeditions uncover amazing secrets. WATCH A NAT GEO EXPLORER DIVE INTO A BLUE HOLE. natgeokids.com/june-july WEIRD WATER NEON PINK CREATURE FEATURE CAVE WATER! Dive about 30 feet into some blue holes, and Plunging farther down, the caves become dark and the water turns pink. It looks nice—but twisty. Anthropologist and National Geographic it’s poisonous. Because of a weak current Explorer Kenny Broad and his team have found here, rainwater and salt water mix in a many odd species here, including a tiny, trans- way that traps a layer of toxic gas where parent crustacean ... that’s venomous(right). pink bacteria thrive. To avoid getting ill, divers don’t linger here. Blue holes also contain fossils of animals— even birds. During the last ice age, these areas In other blue holes, ocean tides can were dry and made perfect perches for the whip up whirlpools that look like giant fliers. In one watery cave, a 12,000-year-old bathtub drains. Scientists must circle owl’s nest was found surrounded by lizard carefully or else risk being sucked in. bones—leftovers from the owl’s meals. 18 NAT GEO KIDS • JUNE / JULY 2022

E BLUE HOLES CLUES ABOUT UNDERWATER CAVES. HOW BLUE HOLES FORMED During past ice ages—the most recent about 18,000 years ago—water levels dropped and new land was exposed. A mixture of rain and soil ate away at the land, forming holes that became deep caves. The caves filled with water after sea levels rose again. The deepest known blue hole is about 990 feet deep. FANGED BONE-CHILLING DISCOVERY CRUSTACEAN The most amazing find in the blue holes? Human skeletons. Scientists think the remains date back about 800 years to A BLUE HOLE OFF BELIZE the time of the Lucayans—the first people believed to live in the Bahamas. No one is sure how the bones ended up in the submerged caves. But the team thinks the Lucayans might have used these areas as burial sites for their dead. With more investigation, the mystery of the skeletons may soon be solved. But scientists believe that other secrets are waiting to be uncovered in blue holes. “There are hundreds left that no human has seen,” Broad says. “It’s a whole other world for exploration.” WES C. SKILES / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTION (MAIN IMAGE, CAVE WATER, CRUSTACEAN); ANDREW HOUNSLEA / GETTY IMAGES (BLUE HOLE IN BELIZE)

2 Royalty in ancient China wore burial suits made of jade. They believed the mineral preserved their bodies. 1 3 4 On the way to her Taking the throne in 1952, India’s Jal Mahal palace own beheading, the United Kingdom’s appears to float in the middle French queen Marie of a lake—most stories are Antoinette Queen Elizabeth II underwater when the lake is full. apologized to her is the world’s longest reigning female monarch. executioner for step- ping on his foot. 5 6 8 The African country of Sudan has In 1922, an A barrier of more pyramids than prickly plants Egypt. Indian prince protected the Royal Palaces 7 held a royal of Abomey, built in the Attila, wedding 17th century in West Africa. the king of for his dog and 5th-century a golden retriever. invaders from 9 SULTAN 10 Central Asia 11 During the 12 Royals in ancient Africa The current Ancient known as Middle Ages, royal often wore sultan of Egyptian Huns, called Brunei rides rulers castles jewelry made himself in a golden sometimes used hay of lapus chariot for flagellum as toilet lazuli, a wore skirts dei, or paper. some events. “the curse blue stone. decorated with of God.” bull tails. 13 14 In 1867, Tsar Alexander II of Russia sold the Alaskan territory The Imperial to the United States for $7.2 million. Palace in Tokyo, Japan, is home to 20 percent of the city’s trees. 20 NAT GEO KIDS • JUNE / JULY 2022 THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY IS MAJORITY OWNER OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PARTNERS. HULTON-DEUTSCH COLLECTION / CORBIS / CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES (1); © ASIAN ART & ARCHAEOLOGY, INC. / MARTHA AVERY / CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES (2); JOERG REICHEL / GETTY IMAGES (3); UNIVERSAL HISTORY ARCHIVE / UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP VIA GETTY IMAGES (4); JENSON / SHUTTERSTOCK (5); GRAPHICAARTIS / GETTY IMAGES (7); ERIC LAFFORGUE / ART IN ALL OF US / GETTY IMAGES (8); ROSLAN RAHMAN / AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES (9); FILIP WARULIK / SHUTTERSTOCK (11); VVOEVALE / GETTY IMAGES (12); DANIEL A. LEIFHEIT / GETTY IMAGES (13)

15 16 Turkey’s Topkapi The Palace, built by jaguar Sultan Mehmed II, was a symbol is home to an of royalty to 86-carat some ancient Central American people who diamond called the believed the cat protected them from evil. Spoonmaker’s Diamond. 17 18 19 20 Queen A fisherman rules Victoria Flatulists— Built in the 1800s the world’s of England by King Ludwig II, tiniest kingdom— people who started the Germany’s a 2-mile-wide island tradition of passed Neuschwanstein near Italy called gas on Castle was the white command— Tavolara. wedding inspiration for dresses. entertained Sleeping Beauty’s royals in Castle in Disneyland. France. BY KAY BOATNER 21 22 23 24 There is only one The name of the In 17th-century Only royalty in the India, some remaining ancient Egyptian garments worn emperor: Inca Empire— by royalty were Japan’s queen Nefertiti decorated with Emperor a civilization that ruled Naruhito. meant “the beetle wings. parts of South America beautiful one 26 during the 15th and 16th has arrived.” centuries—could wear In the 7th century, 25 China’s first female ruler, fleece from an alpaca. Empress Wu Zetian, The first Roman created a set of 27 emperor to Chinese characters called Zetiancharacters. Queen Liliuokalani, the have a beard last monarch of what’s now during his reign the U.S. state of Hawaii, was Hadrian, was overthrown in 1893. who ruled from A.D. 117 to 138. 28 Workers kissed the bed 29 30 The ancient Maya In 1252, King Haakon of linens of England’s considered the Norway gave England’s King Henry VIII to quetzal bird’s King Henry III a polar bear. check for green feathers The animal sometimes swam poison. to be a symbol of in the Thames River. royalty. WESTEND61 GMBH / ALAMY (14); TURKISH PRESIDENCY OF NATIONAL PALACES ADMINISTRATION / HANDOUT / GETTY IMAGES (15); NICK GARBUTT / NPL / MINDEN PICTURES (16); JFL PHOTOGRAPHY / ADOBE STOCK (18); FRANCESCA ZAVANONE / GETTY IMAGES (19); MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES (20); VCG WILSON / CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES (21); THE ASAHI SHIMBUN VIA GETTY IMAGES (23); MOUNTAINPIX / SHUTTERSTOCK (25); PICTURES FROM HISTORY / UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP VIA GETTY IMAGES (26); ELLENSMILE / DREAMSTIME (27); DUNCAN1890 / GETTY IMAGES (28); AGAMI / ADOBE STOCK (30)

FunkyWhyseahorsesandtheir Fishcousins might be the strangest swimmers you’ve ever seen BY A four-inch-long critter floats upright, nearly motionless in a patch of seagrass. Its ELIZABETH curvy tail, long snout, and horse-shaped head make the seahorse seem like some HILFRANK pint-size mix of a monkey, a giraffe, and a pony. But this creature is a fish! Just like goldfish and sharks, these water- dwelling animals have fins and gills. But this family of fish—which includes sea dragons and pipefish—is any- thing but ordinary. Dive in to discover six reasons why these creatures might be the funkiest fish in the sea. 1 One seahorse Ancient species is the people thought They Drop size of a grain seahorses were Anchor the babies of of rice. sea god Poseidon’s Fish usually swim freely throughout the ocean, DENISE’S horses. but seahorses prefer to PYGMY be anchored. Their tails SEAHORSE are prehensile, meaning they can use them to grip and hang on to pieces of coral, seagrass, and man- grove roots. It’s sort of like how monkeys use their tails to grab branches. But these aren’t your average appendages: Seahorse tails are square, not tube-shaped like a monkey’s tail.“The square tail is actually more stable and requires less effort to hang on than round tails would,” marine biologist Maarten De Brauwer says. 22 NAT GEO KIDS • JUNE / JULY 2022

One sea dragon species lives deeper than most scuba 2 divers can go—over 150 feet deep. They’ve Got Odd Jaws EGGS These three fish belong to the family Syngnathidae(pro- 3 LEAFY nounced sig-NA-thi-day), which comes from the Greek SEA DRAGON words meaning “jaw” and “together.” Translation: They can’t open and close their jaws like you do when chomping The Dads on a slice of pizza. Instead, they use their tube-shaped Are on Duty snouts like powerful vacuums. These fish might be the For instance, a pipefish glides through the water to search for tiny crustaceans or plankton. Then—strike! world’s best dads: After Lightning fast, the pipefish expands its gills and a pocket of skin underneath the snout while opening its mouth. seahorse, pipefish, and This creates a suction that’s so powerful it busts up the already itty-bitty shrimp as they enter its mouth. Good sea dragon moms make thing—these fish don’t have any teeth. their eggs, they pass Sea dragons and seahorses use this same sucking action to scoop up hundreds of tiny meals in a single day. them over to the males FRY “These fish don’t really have true stomachs,just a digestive tube,” seahorse expert Tacyana Oliveira says.“So they to carry until the young need to eat and eat all day to get their nutrients.” are released. SNAKE PIPEFISH For seahorse dads, that means holding the eggs in a pouch on the front side of their tails for three to four weeks. When it’s time KOREAN to give birth, the dad SEAHORSE pumps water through the pouch, releasing hundreds of fry, or baby seahorses, in just a few minutes. Sea dragon dads also carry their eggs. But instead of putting them in a brood pouch, the eggs stick to a spongy patch on the underside of the tails until they hatch. So why the swap? “It takes a lot of energy to produce eggs—and a lot of energy to be pregnant,” De Brauwer says.“So by sharing the work between males and females, they have more energy to produce more babies.” And just a day or so after giving birth, the males of some seahorse species are ready to take on another clutch of eggs. WHICH THORNY FISH? SEAHORSE See how seahorses, SEAHORSE AUSTRALIAN WEEDY pipefish, and sea BANDED PIPEFISH SEA DRAGON dragons stack up. About 54 PIPEFISH SEA DRAGON How many species? These tails grasp objects like coral and seagrass. About 200 3 Tail tales Seahorses click when eating and growl when stressed. Different species use their tails A sea dragon’s tail can What’s that sound? to signal to others or swim. mimic seaweed. Pipefish make a clicking Sea dragons might click sound while snacking. or pop when eating. ALEX MUSTARD / NPL / MINDEN PICTURES (1 AND 3, SEA DRAGON); GRAHAM EATON / NPL / MINDEN PICTURES (2); SHINJI KUSANO / 23JUNE / JULY 2022 • NAT GEO KIDS NATURE PRODUCTION / MINDEN PICTURES (3, SEAHORSE); GARY BELL / OCEANWIDE / MINDEN PICTURES (THORNY SEAHORSE); HELMUT CORNELI / ALAMY (AUSTRALIAN BANDED PIPEFISH); SCOTT TRAGESER / NATURESTILLS LLC (WEEDY SEA DRAGON)

6 FACE They’re Great at Hide-and-Seek 4 BANDED PIPEFISH You’d be lucky to spot any member of this fish They Might Need Swim Lessons family: Sea dragons, pipefish, and seahorses Most fish easily swim through the seas with swishing tails and forceful fins. But seahorses, are experts in camouflage. sea dragons, and pipefish aren’t strong swimmers—instead, they often move slowly to “One of the best options their destination. These fish have one delicate, transparent fin on their back plus two if you’re slow, small, and more fins on the side of their neck.(Some species also have a little fin at the base of their tasty is to hide from the tails.) These tiny appendages allow them to move and steer in the water. “They certainly animals that want to eat aren’t the greatest swimmers,” De Brauwer says. But it’s no problem—these animals don’t you,” De Brauwer says. need to swim fast or far, preferring to spend their lives in sheltered, usually calm waters near mangrove roots, seagrass beds, and coral reefs. Long and skinny pipe- fish appear like a blade of These animals 5 seagrass. Seahorses can can move change the color of their their eyes in They Choose skin to match the corals opposite Dance Partners and plants that their directions. tails wrap around. And A female seahorse slowly floats leafy sea dragons blend LINED over to her mate, greeting the in so well with their SEAHORSES other seahorse with a gentle brown-and-green color- side bump.The pair twist and ing that their slow move- twirl around each other,entwin- ments look like just ing their tails and even changing another piece of seaweed. color to match one another. It appears the two are dancing, » »PLAY and in a way, they are. FIND THE HIDDEN ANIMALS Seahorses and pipefish Find each animal listed start each day by swimming below in the pictures, with their mate for a few min- then write the letter of utes. The ritual creates a bond the correct photo next between the two partners, to each animal’s name. building the trust needed to pass off their eggs. D pygmy seahorse During the breeding season, leafy sea dragon the mates are never far apart. But more solitary sea dragons Pontoh’s pygmy come together only for an hours- seahorse long dance, which ends with the female passing off her eggs. lined seahorse White’s seahorse double-ended pipefish SEE MORE INCREDIBLE PICS OF SURPRISING SEA CREATURES! ANSWERS ON PAGE 35 natgeokids.com/june-july 24 NAT GEO KIDS • JUNE / JULY 2022 DESIGN PICS INC / ALAMY (4); BLUEPLANETARCHIVE / MICHAEL PATRICK O’NEILL (5); GEORGETTE DOUWMA / NPL / MINDEN PICTURES (A, B); BRANDON COLE / OFFSET (C); TIM LAMAN / NPL / MINDEN PICTURES (D); NORBERT WU / MINDEN PICTURES (E, F)

A B C D EF 25JUNE / JULY 2022 • NAT GEO KIDS

SCIENCE EvenNatGeo Explorers make BLOOPERS mistakes—and laugh about them later. BY ALLYSON SHAW AYUSHI JAIN goofo meter MEASURES A YOUNG CANTOR’S GIANT SOFTSHELL TURTLE. BEST ABOVE, REBO NEST RACHUENE POINTS TO THE NEST OF AN AFRICAN GRASS OWL LIKE THE ONE AT RIGHT. THE SCIENTIST Tselane Rebotile Rachuene COOL JOB Ecologist and conservationist THE LOCATION Highveld grasslands of South Africa “I research and protect African grass owls—but they’re oofo meter tough to find because they nest on the ground. One time I was working in the field alone, walking in a zigzag pat- WILD RIDE g tern through the waist-high grass for hours. I clapped my hands and shouted so the mama owls would fly up THE SCIENTIST Ayushi Jain and show me where their nests are. After a long and COOL JOB Conservationist and Nat Geo Photo Ark EDGE Fellow exhausting search of the area, I found nothing. “A few weeks later, I returned with an assistant. This THE LOCATION Chandragiri River, India time we passed a rope through the grass, which safely and gently startles the birds. There—an owl! We found a “Local people call me when they find a Cantor’s giant softshell nest just three feet from where I’d searched before.(I turtle in trouble. One time when I arrived, they’d placed the animal in a large water tank. I gently tipped the tank over so keep careful records I could examine the turtle. But it immediately ran toward the river.(Unlike other turtles, softshell turtles—which can grow of where I’ve been.) three feet wide and weigh 220 pounds—can move fast.) “Sometimes I go six “I grabbed it, but the strong turtle just dragged me along behind it. Acting quickly, my colleague ran ahead and months without finding threw a piece of cloth over its head. Suddenly, the turtle stopped—and everyone burst out laughing. a bird, which can feel “We examined the turtle, then released it into the river. like a failure. But it’s I learned to have multiple assistants around to help control the animal so I don’t have another wild turtle-back ride.” always worth RACHUENE it to keep KEEPS A YOUNG searching: OWL CALM IN A These shy and BAG WHILE HE rare birds INSPECTS TAGS deserve it.” ON ITS LEGS. 26 NAT GEO KIDS • JUNE / JULY 2022 HA HOANG (JAIN PROFILE); SREERAG KRISHNAN (WITH TURTLE); © MATT PRETORIUS (RACHUENE IN GRASS); TSELANE REBOTILE RACHUENE (RACHUENE PROFILE); © ANTON VAN NIEKERK, 2021 (OWL, BOTH); MATT BIDDULPH (WALDMAN, BOTH); RANDALL SCOTT / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTION (SHAWKI PROFILE); NORA SHAWKI (EXCAVATING, BEAD); DROR VARDIMON, ASHDOD MARITIME EDUCATION CENTER (SCHEININ PROFILE); HAGAI NATIV, THE MORRIS KAHN MARINE RESEARCH STATION (TAGGING SHARK); ANDY MURCH / NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY (SHARK)

THIS THREE-FOOT JEWELRY GRABBER HOLDS JUMBLE A BOTTLE TO HELP ARIEL WALDMAN THE SCIENTIST Nora Shawki COLLECT SAMPLES. COOL JOB Archaeologist THE LOCATION Tombos, Sudan goofo meter “I was digging down toward an ancient tomb when we BEAD SINKING came upon the skeleton of a woman who was wearing a FEELING necklace. The jewelry was made of my favorite stone, lapis lazuli. I thought,‘This is incredible!’ THE SCIENTIST Ariel Waldman “I forgot all my training and excitedly reached down to COOL JOB Microscopic wildlife filmmaker pick up the necklace. But of course, over the past 3,000 years, the thread had disappeared. So all the tiny beads THE LOCATION San Francisco Bay Area, California scattered into the shifting sand under my feet. I froze, then painstakingly picked up every last bead—all 43 of “I was gathering samples from salt ponds to look at the them—and placed them in a bag. I learned to be more micro-algae and other extremophiles—organisms that patient and control my excitement: I need to check that live in this super-harsh environment. But I’d lost my everything is stable before handling artifacts.” three-foot-long grabber tool I use to scoop up water into a bottle without getting too close to the edge. g oofo meter “I didn’t want to go back, so I grabbed the bottle with NORA SHAWKI my hand and stepped near the pond’s edge and—crunch. DUSTS OFF A My foot broke through a layer of solid-looking salty crust SKULL THAT into a pool of goopy mud that clung to my leg like quick- WAS WEARING sand. I panicked, but luckily my partner was able to pull A BEADED me out. Now I have an even longer grabber—one that’s NECKLACE. five feet long—and I learned to never forget it again.” FIN AVIAD SHARK SPIN SCHEININ A DUSKY SHARK (LEFT) HOLDS THE SCIENTIST Aviad Scheinin SWIMS OFF A TAGGED THE COAST OF SANDBAR COOL JOB Marine conservationist SOUTH AFRICA. SHARK WHILE EYAL BIGAL THE LOCATION Mediterranean MEASURES Sea, Israel THE FIN. “Once my team caught a 10-foot-long goofo meter female dusky shark that we hoped to tag and study. But first we had to secure it to the side of the boat. “You need one strong researcher to hold the dorsal fin, or back fin, while another ties special ropes around the tail and the pectoral fins on the sides. But the two workers weren’t communicating well—and the shark could tell. While no one was holding the dorsal fin, the shark quickly rolled, which released the side fins’ rope. We were left with just the tail rope. “I knew we might hurt the shark if we kept it in this posi- tion. So I cut it free without taking samples or attaching a tag. This mistake was a reminder of how strong and agile these sharks are and how important it is to follow the rules: They keep everyone safe!” TAKE THE QUIZ: WHICH TYPE OF EXPLORER ARE YOU? natgeokids.com/june-july 27JUNE / JULY 2022 • NAT GEO KIDS

PLAY! GAMES, LAUGHS, AND LOTS TO DO! STUFF IN PLAIN SIGHT Rainforest animals use color and shape to hide in the forest. Find these 20 hidden critters living in this Amazon-inspired jungle. 1. red-eyed tree frog 11. harpy eagle 2. giant river otter 12. brown-throated sloth 3. spectacled caiman 13. lowland tapir mom and baby 4. blue morpho butterfly 14. rainbow boa constrictor 5. golden lion tamarin 15. Amazonian giant centipede 6. emerald tree boa constrictor 16. green iguana 7. Amazon milk frog 17. South American cane toad 8. jaguar 18. black-and-gold howler monkey 9. Goliath birdeater spider 19. spectacled owl 10. scarlet macaw 20. toucan ANSWERS ON PAGE 35

JAMES YAMASAKI (ART); RUTH A. MUSGRAVE (CONCEPT) 29JUNE / JULY 2022 • NAT GEO KIDS





BACK 1. Fill in the thought balloon. 2. Cut out the entire picture(or make a photocopy of it). TALK 3. Mail it along with your name, address, phone number, and date of birth What do to Nat Geo Kids, Back Talk, P.O. Box 96000, Washington, DC 20090-6000. YOU think this Selection for publication in a future issue will be at the discretion of Nat Geo Kids. harbor seal is thinking? FROM THE JUNE / JULY 2021 ISSUE DO VAN DIJCK / NIS / MINDEN PICTURES (SEAL); HIROYA MINAKUCHI / Does my breath Look who’s got I just hope she MINDEN PICTURES (ORANGUTAN MOM AND BABY) smell? YOUR nose now!  doesn’t sneeze …  Clive O., 11 Catherine W., 12 Isaiah B., 11 Long Valley, New Jersey Falls Church, Virginia Mooresville, North Carolina It’s “snot” funny. Wait, this isn’t food! Quincy C., 5 Naylyan O., 12 I think I overshot Boca Raton, Florida Lebanon, Pennsylvania that kiss. Miriam F., 11 Is this too close? I love to face time Clayton, Camdyn C., 6 my mom! West Virginia Overland Park, Kansas Emily P., 9 Phoenix, Arizona 31JUNE / JULY 2022 • NAT GEO KIDS

WHO C RITTER TOOTED? CHAT Ifanimalsusedsocialmedia,what would they say? Follow this striped skunk’s day as it updates its feed. BY ALLYSON SHAW STRIPED 8 p.m. SKUNK Yikes—is that rustling a red Stinker fox? Or a badger? You better SCREEN NAME: Stinker stay back.My stinky spray will make you sick! LIVES IN: Most of North America FRIENDS » SPOTTED STAR-NOSED GREAT Uh-oh, I’m going to cover my nostrils FingerFace SALAMANDER MOLE HORNED OWL now—and hide underground! SoftSpot ImAHoot SoftSpot FingerFace ImAHoot Smart move, @Stinker. I’ll release the killer milky toxin from my tail and START 6 p.m. Tonight I’m teaching my back just in case. #IAmNotFood kits how to be skunks. FIONA M. DONNELLY / SHUTTERSTOCK (SKUNK, LARGE IMAGE); BOBLOBLAW / GETTY IMAGES (SKUNK PROFILE, ALL); NIGEL BEAN / NPL / Stinker First lesson: Finding grass- Let’s not overreact—I don’t see any MINDEN PICTURES (SALAMANDER PROFILE, ALL); KEN CATANIA (MOLE PROFILE, ALL, AND MOLE NOSE); GERRY ELLIS / MINDEN PICTURES (OWL hoppers. #SkunkSchool foxes here!(Plus I haven’t eaten today, PROFILE, ALL); DON JOHNSTON_WU / ALAMY (KITS); DIANE MCALLISTER / NPL / MINDEN PICTURES (CHICKS); CUSTOM LIFE SCIENCE IMAGES / and you all look so yummy.) ALAMY (LARVA); YUVAL HELFMAN / ALAMY (HANDSTAND); HEMIS / ALAMY (KITS IN LOG); TURGAY MALIKLI / SHUTTERSTOCK (EMOJIS, ALL) 5:30 a.m. My chicks are about to ImAHoot Time to tuck leave the nest. Those the kits into the 10 weeks flew by! ole hollowed log. Stinker I remember when I laid my own 200 SoftSpot I’m glad I’m too old to be told when to eggs at the pond where I hatched. go to bed.I’m almost 30! Hmm … I haven’t seen ’em since. SoftSpot I sniffed one on a swim! It’s a And I’m 28. But it’s still my bedtime. larva now,with gills and a tail. Good night—er, day. FingerFace It might be daytime, but y’all can still wish upon a star! How did you smell it underwater? ImAHoot FingerFace NOSE-FINGERS I just blew out bubbles,held ImAHoot them with my nose-fingers, FingerFace then inhaled the smelly bubbles If you’re talking about your nose again… again.(What, like it’s hard?) Stinker 33JUNE / JULY 2022 • NAT GEO KIDS



Answers YOU’RE JEAN GALVÃO SO “Find the Hidden Animals” (pages 24-25): LAZY! A. White’s seahorse, B. Pontoh’s pygmy seahorse, C. double-ended pipefish, D. pygmy seahorse, JUNE / JULY 2022 • NAT GEO KIDS 35 E. lined seahorse, F. leafy sea dragon. “In Plain Sight” (pages 28-29): “Stump Your Parents” (page 30): 1. A, 2. A, 3. C, 4. B, 5. B, 6. D, 7. B, 8. B, 9. C, 10. D. “What in the World?” (page 34): Top row: doughnut, guitar, Swiss cheese. Middle row: rabbit hole, inner tube, keyhole. Bottom row: cereal, honeycomb, golf hole. WITH THESE OR WITHOUT AREN’T QUITE SALAD? WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR. LAUGH LOOUUTD

AAwnesommeals! BENGAL TIGER COPYRIGHT© 2022 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PARTNERS, LLC TEXT BY RUTH A MUSGRAVE



CORAL HIND

CORAL HIND A This colorful fish lives in coral reefs in the Red Sea. TRUE: It also lives in reefs throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans. B Its favorite depth is deep-end- of-the-swimming-pool deep. FALSE: More like eight swimming pools deep—at almost a hundred feet. C A female coral hind can become a male. TRUE: In a large area, there is one male for up to a dozen females. If the male disappears, one of the larger females turns into a male and takes his place. D It’s no longer than your foot. FALSE: A coral hind can be 18 inches long—as long as both feet of a 10-year- old kid. E It lets octopuses and eels prepare dinner. TRUE: This fish often follows these other predators and snatches prey they flush out of hiding. © GEORGETTE DOUWMA / NPL / MINDEN PICTURES

RED KANGAROO



GUIANAN COCK-OF-THE-ROCK

GUIANAN COCK-OF-THE-ROCK A This bird is a South American natural wonder. TRUE: The Guianan cock-of-the-rock lives in rocky areas of rainforests in the north and northeastern parts of South America. B The cock-of-the-rock has a soothing call. FALSE: Some people say its call sounds like someone strangling a rubber chicken. C It won’t king you in a game of checkers, but it might try to eat the pieces. TRUE: One study indicates that this fruit-eater prefers red or black food. D Males and females look alike. FALSE: Females are a drab olive gray or brown; males are bright orange. E A male is about five cheese puffs long. TRUE: From head to tail, it’s about 12 inches long. © SYLVAIN CORDIER / BIOSPHOTO / MINDEN PICTURES

NILGIRI TAHR

NILGIRI TAHR A Don’t expect to see the birth of a baby Nilgiri tahr. TRUE: The protective mother gives birth on hard-to-reach cliffs. B Their lifestyle of climbing high cliffs keeps these animals safe from people. FALSE: The endangered population has fallen to about 3,000 animals, mostly because of habitat loss and hunting. C An adult Nilgiri tahr weighs less than a 10-year-old kid. FALSE: It’d take three 10-year-olds to weigh as much as an adult male. A female weighs half as much as a male. D Tahrs watch out for cats and dogs. TRUE: Predators include leopards and Asi- atic wild dogs. E Nilgiri means “blue mountain.” TRUE: These sure-footed climbers live in India’s Ghat mountains, including an area called Nilgiri—the blue mountains. © PATRICIO ROBLES GIL / MINDEN PICTURES

WHITE RHINOCEROS