Oct 232024
 

Snow Leopard

International Snow Leopard Day is today! Snow leopards live in mountain ranges in South Asia and Central Asia. Fewer than 10,000 snow leopards exist today, and that number is estimated to decline in the coming years. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, snow leopards have been killed by poaching. They have also seen their habitats declining. Smaller than other cats, snow leopards cannot roar. They are carnivores, preying on both wild and domesticated animals. They have adapted to mountainous, cold, and snowy conditions. They have thick fur; and their paws are large and covered with fur on the underside to traverse icy conditions. Interesting fact: their tails are unusally long and provide fat storage. The tail also has very long fur so that the tail can act as a blanket for the snow leopard’s face while the animal sleeps.

Oct 232024
 
Flag of Libya

Flag of Libya

Libya celebrates Liberation Day. Bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, and other north African countries, Libya is slightly larger than the state of Alaska. Over six million people live in Libya, and Tripoli is the capital and largest city. The country exports much of its oil and imports much of its food. Children could learn more at: Libya.

Oct 232024
 
Anderson

Speak

Laurie Halse Anderson (born Potsdam. New York, 1961) writes books for children and young adults. Her book Speak received a 2000 Michael L. Printz Honor Award. Chains earned the 2009 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. She also received the Margaret A. Edwards Medal for lifetime achievement in 2009. Young adults can view her website at: Laurie Halse Anderson.

Nicolas Appert (born Chalons-Sur-Marne, France, 1752; died Massy, France, June 3, 1841) is known as the “Father of Canning.” He invented ways of sealing and preserving food in containers. Idea: Children could find out all the ways we preserve food today.

Michael Crichton (born Chicago, Illinois, 1942; died Los Angeles, California, November 4, 2008) was a writer. His works include The Andromeda Strain and Jurassic Park.

Gertrude EderleGertrude Caroline Ederle (born New York, New York, 1906; died Wyckoff, New Jersey, November 30, 2003) was a swimmer. At one point she held 29 national and world records. She won a gold medal and two bronze medals in the 1924 Olympics. In 1926 she became the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel. Although the channel is 21 miles wide, a storm actually forced her to swim 35 miles. She returned to New York to a ticker tape parade.

Pelé (born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in Tres Coracoes, Brazil, 1940; died Sao Paulo, Brazil, December 29, 2022) was a legendary and much-loved soccer player who won three World Cups.