Maroons of Guyana and Suriname

by Emma R.

Good morning, Stoneleigh walkers!

Did you know that runaway slaves from the 1600s in Guyana and Suriname went into the jungle and recreated their African tribes? They kept their religion, customs, and music. Every once in a while, they would raid a plantation to free more slaves and steal food and livestock. They began to hunt and grow crops like they did in Africa. Some of these Maroons, as they are called, are still living in the jungle isolated from all people and society. However, some of the Maroons have moved to the city and have become part of the society. They have also become citizens of the country and now live in big cities. The maroons who still live in the jungle have the same religion, language, and music. They live in the same way their ancestors did in the 1600s.

Guyana

by Natalie M. and Anne Z.

Good morning Stoneleigh walkers. This week, the Jungle club learned about a small country that borders the Atlantic Ocean called Guyana. Guyana was colonized by the British until 1966 and as a result, it's official language is English. Most of this South American Country is covered by Rainforest, which houses some unique animals including a toad that weighs up to 2 lbs and can eat a bird in 2 gulps. But in areas without jungle inhabitants, a popular sport called cricket is played. it is very similar to baseball in America. Next time you see baseball, maybe you'll think of Guyana. Keep Walking, Stoneleigh.

Ecuador - An Eco Trip

by Genevieve S.

Last week, the Jungle Club had an amazing visitor - Dr. Glen Page came to talk to us about his research in Ecuador. Here is some of what we learned. Ecuador is along the equator and is extremely hot. Flamingos, dolphins and penguins all live in Ecuador. Almost all of the mangroves there were cut down to make shrimp farms for foreign shrimp companies. The mangroves were a nursery for many kinds of creatures like shrimp and plankton that filtered the water. All of the farms failed when the shrimp got a disease. Many local people in Ecuador are very poor, but they are working together to improve the ecosystem by making orchards, keeping bees, and raising fish where they once raised shrimp. Some of their ideas can even be used to improve the environment in the US.

The Pink Dolphin

by Catherine D. and Anne Z.

One of the most spectacular creatures found in Venezuela is the Pink River Dolphin. It's only habitat in the world is the Orinoco River. The color of the dolphin is pink due to it's diet of crustaceans, crabs, turtles, catfish and other fish and the waters it swims in. Scientists believe that the dolphins' pink color comes from a red pigment in the muscle tissue in the crabs and shellfish. Over time, as the dolphin eats these creatures found in the water, that red pigment builds up in their bodies, too, turning them more and more pink as they get older. Another really cool fact about their color is that the red blood cell count in the dolphin is higher that that in humans, which may explain the dolphins' unique ability to change to a bright pink when they get excited. The species is the only living pink dolphin in the whole entire world. This is a special animal because of it's pink color.

Galapagos Iguanas

by Emma F.

In the Jungle Club, we have been learning about the Galapagos Iguanas. They are the only Iguana that swims in the sea! They can dive 15 meters and will eat seaweed at 15 meters for 30 minutes before surfacing. They are the only Iguanas to eat seaweed. They are also the only Iguanas to live near the ocean. The Galapagos Iguana is a very unique Iguana. Its color is blueish green. I would love to see one in person some day.

The Fur Seal by Maya M. and Anne Z.

One of the Galapagos Islands native animals is the Fur Seal. The Fur Seal likes to live in rocky places that have a lot of shade because of it's thick fur. The face is shaped like a bear and it's eyes are slanted giving it a sad expression. It's fur is thick so it can survive in freezing cold weather, but when it comes out, it has to be careful not to lay in the sun too long or else it will overheat. We hope you enjoyed learning about the Fur seals!

The Galapagos Tortoise

by Catherine D.

The Galapagos tortoise is named because it is first on the Galapagos islands and second Galapagos means saddle and each lump in it's shell is shaped like a saddle. The tortoise also has a very strong curved mouth to comp it's food - cacti! The Galapagos tortoise is very slow so that when dry season comes, it doesn't need to do much. The tortoise is rare because it is only found on the Galapagos islands and only 200 of these tortoises exist there right now! The Galapagos tortoise is one of the most amazing creatures found on the islands.