June 2022 Newsletter

Hi Green Kids!

Welcome to the Green Kids Club Newsletter where you can keep up with the Green Kids Club happenings each month, learn some new things, and challenge yourself as a true Green Kid ambassador for the planet (adult or child)! Celebrate World Turtle Day!

What's New with Books!

Our new book about Grizzly 399 and the ventures of her new cubs is now on sale! Beautiful photos by Thomas D. Mangelsen and wonderful illustrations by Morgan Spicer. Part of our proceeds go to the Cougar Fund and to JH Bear Solutions. To order click here.

We are excited to announce we are working with Storypod - which has an educational product where children can learn through a screen-free approach. Our book, Elee and the Shining Star and Princess have just launched! We hope you get an opportunity to go in and view this product and perhaps purchase it for a child you love.

Elee and the Shining Star

Princess

Green Kids News

Grizzly 399 Kicks Out Her Cubs

Grizzly 399 has now separated from her four cubs. This is a tough one - parents send their kids out to the big world and so do momma grizzly bears. No exceptions. 399 after several years of teaching her cubs how to survive in the wild are now out on their own. We hope that they grow into beautiful adult bears and stay in wild places.

See the following article:

Grizzly No. 399 and her cubs split

from the Wyoming Tribune Eagle

Photo courtesy of Thomas D. Mangelsen

Environmental Hero (Heroine)

We are so happy to announce that Lek Chailert, founder of Save Elephant Foundation is our Environmental Hero for this quarter. Lek has helped to save the lives of hundreds of elephants in Asia through her work where she educates elephant owners and helps them to transition their businesses away from having their elephants be ridden, perform for circuses, and other harmful venues. Lek's work has received international recognition through mainstream media. She recently was involved with a story called Love and Bananas' - see the trailer - where she teaches us about the plight of the elephant. Lek is known as the Elephant Whisperer of Thailand. Thank you Lek for all your wonderful work - go to this link on our homepage to hear our entire interview with Lek!

What We're Following...

The Ethics of Baby Bear Petting

I live in an area where people can drive their cars through a "park offering close-up wildlife views of bears" - Yellowstone Bear World. In the Spring time and early summer, you can also pet and play with cubs if you pay a certain fee. Hmm, somehow this does not seem quite right? This photo shows how a momma bear and her baby should be together and not separated as they are at these types of facilities.

An article from the Deseret News came out discussing the ethics of raising animals in captivity. It is quite the eye-opener. Please read this if you can - and understand what you do each type you visit one of these types of bear viewing places. Also, see the article from the Idaho Falls Post Register citing similar issues.

Maybe together we can all make a difference by letting the owners know they need to make some changes.

June Animal & Environment Observances

Month:

Zoo and Aquarium Month

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

Animal Rights Awareness Week - June 19-25, 2022 (Mid June)
National Insect Week - June 20-26, 2022
National Pollinator Week - June 20-26, 2022
Pet Appreciation Week - June 5-11, 2022 (First Week in June)

2022 Days: (Date Order)

Dinosaur Day - June 1 and May 17, 2022
National Black Bear Day - June 4, 2022 (First Saturday in June)
National Animal Rights Day - June 5, 2022 (First Sunday in June)
International Day of Action for Elephants in Zoos - June 8
World Sea Turtle Day - June 16
National Pets in Film Day - June 19
American Eagle Day - June 20
World Giraffe Day - June 21
National Catfish Day - June 25

International Day of Action for Elephants in Zoos

Elephants Should Be Wild

The International Day of Action for Elephants in Zoos was started in 2009. It is a global event meant to raise awareness about the plight of elephants in zoos and to end their suffering. The problem lies in the fact that elephants are a large mammal and need room to grow and live - zoos (not all of them) often keep elephants in small enclosures reducing their lives and/or creating an unhealthy situation for them. See this photo of elephants in Amboseli National Park in Kenya - how elephants should be living!

Environmental Non-Profit or NGO Highlight

Trunks Up
Trunks Up is a non-profit organization set up to help preserve and protect endangered Asian Elephants with a particular focus on the work that Green Kids Club, Environmental Hero - Lek Chailert has started.

This organization has been set up to help communicate and raise funds to help captive Asian Elephants to live lives free from abuse and deprivation. I recently returned from Thailand and was able to see firsthand what is happening to elephants in this country. Elephants are chained from the beginning of their lives and held until they either grow too old to work any longer or die from abuse. Please take a look at the work Trunks Up is doing to help make a difference. Also, do your part by not participating in tourist activities by riding elephants or paying for venues where elephants and animals are having to perform for you.

See this video.

Photo from Sylvia Medina during Save the Elephant Foundation visit.

Giveaways

We are offering a free copy of Kabelo, A Silly Littile Rhino as a give away to the first 3 people who respond to Contact us.

Complete the information and let us know you are submitting for this give away and the book you will receive!

Calling all Educators – Including Home Schooled Children!

If you are interested in an online class to teach children about wildlife, especially grizzly bears, go to our online class about Grizzly 399, through Inspired Classroom. We plan to add in some additional classroom challenges as we get into the winter. If anyone is interested in participating in this challenge go to Inspired Classroom to learn more. Feel free to email us questions as well, if you would like to get involved in our challenge!