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Thursday, February 25,2010 - Thomasville Times -11 release dates: February 20-26 8-1 (10) Cute and Fierce from The fVlinl Page © 2010 Universal Uclick Awesome Otters Have you ever watched otters playing and swimming at a zoo or aquarium? People often feel happy after watching otters play. ^e Mini Page takes a closer look at this bright, fun and fierce animal. A family of smelly fighters Otters come from the same family - as weasels, polecats, mink, badgers and wolverines. Most of these (' >■ mustelids (MUS-tuh- lids) give off powerful smells. .Members of this family produce strong-smelling odors to mark their territory, attract mates and defend themselves. Sea otters don’t do this, but river otters do. They are also great hunters and strong fighters. Wolverine These river otter pups are Asian small-clawed otters, the smallest otter species. Adults might weigh as little as 2 pounds. Two branches of the family tree There are two t5q)es of otters — sea otters and river, or freshwater, otters. Here are some of their differences: Sea otters: • live only in the sea. They usually five about a half-mile from the shore, where the water is about 45 to 90 feet deep. They don’t five in the deep ocean. • spend almost every minute of their lives in the water. Alaska otters go onshore to find clams in the mud. Sea otters .sleep, male uid have Iheir young III the sea. River otters: • can live in or near any freshwater source, including rivers, stfeams, rice paddies and lakes. They can even live in partly salty water, such as canals. • spend about three-fourths of their time on land. They mate in water and get most of their food from the water. Mini Spy... Mini Spy and her fnepds are watching the otters at the zoo. See if you can find: • word MINI • number 3 • ladder • fish • lips • number 7 • doughnut • letter V • cup • umbrella • teapot • letter A • dragon from Th6 Mini Pag» © 2010 Unlvafsal U Otters, such as these river otters, are unpredictable. They can be playful one minute and scary and mean-looking the next. The three species, or types, of sea otters are about as big as a medium-size dog. Males can reach 100 pounds. Females might weigh from 40 to 50 pounds. There are 13 different species of river otters. They range in size from 2 to 20 pounds. Rookie Cookie’s Recipe Pineapple Zucchini Bread • ■3/4 cup applesauce • 4 eggs • 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained • 2 cups grated zucchini • 1/2 cup grated carrot • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon You’ll need: • 3 cups all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon salt • IV2 teaspoons baking powder • 11/2 teaspoons baking soda • 1/4 cup canola oil • 1/2 cup white sugar • 1/2 cup hrown sugar What to do: 1. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. 2. Using another howl, mix oil, sugars, applesauce, eggs, pineapple, zucchini, carrot and cinnamon. 3. Gently stir flour mixture into zucchini mixture 4. Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. 5. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees. You iviU need an adult’s help with this recipe. from The Mini Pag^ 9 2010 UnrveraBl U Meet James Maslow James Maslow, 19, stars as James in the new Nickelodeon TV series “Big Time Rush.” James grew up in La Jolla, Calif. He begm singing in the San Diego Children’s Choir. In eighth grade, he transferred to a special school for the arts. He wanted to do this so much that he rode several hours on the bus each day. He has appeared in several TV shows and movies, including the TV show “iCarly.” He also enjoys pla3Tng the guitar and piano and has written his own music. Jarnes hkes football, surfing, riding horses and mountain climbing. He has been training in the martial art Saito Ninjutsu since he was 10. He also speaks Spanish. He has a yellow Labrador. from Tbo Mini Page C 2010 Uitiversal Udlck 0u8 Ooodsport’s Supersport: Shaun White Height: 5-8 Birthdate: 9-3-86 Weight: 140 Residence: Carlsbad, Calif. Whether he’s on a skateboard in sunny California or riding a snowboard in some winter wonderland, Sharm White is capable of staging quite a show. With acrobatic flair and athletic skill, the 23-year-oId White won a gold medal m the 2006 Winter Olympics. And this week he is competing in the 2010 Winter Uames m Vancouver. White also won the 2007 Skateboard Vert Title at the Summer X Games. He developed skateboarding skills working out at age 9 with Tony Hawk. There was a time when it looked as if White would never skate or snowboard. Bom with a heart defect, he had two major surgeries as a child. He also wore leg braces at night because he was severely bowlegged. When he was able to participate in athletics, Shaun received strong backing from his family. Now he’s an icon, a healthy two-sport star still going for Olympic gold. Otters from The Mini Page © 2010 Universal Udlck Habitat Sea otters used to live along the coasts of California, Alaska, Russia and Japan. Although there is still a small population off the coast of Russia, there are only two large colonies left, near California and Alaska. In the 1800s, hunters killed nearly all sea otters for their thick fur. Although it is now illegal to hunt them, their numbers have not bounced back. The several thousand sea otters left are considered to be threatened. Pollution, lower food supplies and habitat loss are now their biggest threats. Sea otters live near kelp Kelp forests Kelp, a large seaweed, is important to their habitat. Otters wrap in it to anchor themselves dtiring a storm or while they’re sleeping. Moms wrap their young in it to keep them from floating away while the mother hunts for food. Otters are a keystone, or central, species in kelp forests. Sea urchins eat kelp, and otters eat urchins. Kelp forests house food for animals such as eagles, otters and fish. Sea otters often float on their backs. Sea otters’ hind paws have webbed flippers to help them swim. Their front paws are built mainly for grasping objects. Their normal swimming style Is like dog paddling. If they need to swim fast, they tuck their kont limbs next to their sides so they are shaped like missiles. Fabulous fur Sea otters have the most dense, or thickly packed, hair of any mammal, with about 150,000 hairs per square inch. The thick fur keeps water from wetting their skin; and insulates, or keeps them warm. A thin layer of air under their coats also helps. They are the only sea mammal that does not have a layer of blubber for warmth. Sea otters have to groom themselves constantly to prevent their fur from getting matted and less effective as insulation. They continually blow air into their fur. More About Otters from The Mini Page C 2010 Univaraal Uclick Family life River and sea otters both eat shellfish and other fish. River otters nught also eat small land animals such as rodents, birds or snakes. Sea otters are one of the few animals that use tools. They find rocks at the bottom of the sea and use them to crack open clams and other shellfish. Experts believe tool use is a sign of intelligence. Sea otters are very active and need a huge amount of food. The activity and extra food help to keep them warm. The father sea otter does not help raise the young. 'The mother has to hunt a lot of food for herself and her pup. A sea otter usually has only one pup at a time. The river otter dad does help raise the pups, and the family unit is very strong. Family members curl together on land at night. Males and females stay together after they have mated. River otters may have one to six pups, such as this Asian small-clawed otter. River otters have thousands of hairs per square inch, which help keep them insulated. Their thick fur keeps water off their skin like a rain jacket. The Mini Page thanks Kellie Lehman and Craig Lyford, animal care specialists, SeaWorld, San Diego, for help with this issue. Look through your newspaper for stories and pictures about animals. River otter communication River otters are very social. They have about 12 different vocalizations, or meaningful soimds. Throughout the day, they trade calls. The most common are chirping calls to say, “Hi, I’m over here.” They also have threatening calls that sound like a cat in a fight River otter swimmers River otters have webbing that goes about one-quarter of the way up their paws, l^en they swim, they do a type of dog paddle. They are shaped like big footballs, which makes them naturally streamlined. When they are glicfing, they use their flat tail like a rudder in a boat, swinging their tails back and forth like a shark to help them balance. River otters can sit upright, using their tails to balance. Threats Freshwater otters are considered to be vulnerable (between threatened and endangered). Then- biggest threats are pollution and loss of habitat. They hide and nest in tall grasses, and when these are cut down for farming, they have no place to be safe and raise families. Next week, The Mini Page Is all about Newspaper In Education Week. Jtm mighty FUNNY’S nmin from The Mini Page O 2010 Universal UcUck AH the following jokes have something in common. Can you guess the common theme or category? Oscar: What did the otter get when he slid into the river head-first? Olivia: Wet! Ozzie: Where does an otter in a spaceship go? Ollie: To otter space! Otis: What do you call an otter in the desert? Ophelia: Lost! ' Hounds Otters from Th« Mini Page O 2010 Unhrarsal Udlck TRY ’N Hounds FIND Words that remind us of otters are hidden in the block beiow. Some words are hidden backward or diagonaily. See if you can find; AIR ALASKA, CALIFORNIA, CALL, COAT, FRESH, FUR, HABITAT, INSULATE, KELP, KEYSTONE, PAW, POLLUTION, RIVER, ROCK, SEA, SHELLFISH, THICK. VOCALIZATION, WARM, WATER, WEBBING. Betty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large The Mini Page Staff Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist m The Mini Page © 2010 Universal Uclick Ready Resources The Mini Page provides ideas for Web sites, books or other resources that will help you leam more about this week’s topics. On the Web: • www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/ otters/index.htm • www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Mustelidae At the library: • ‘Welcome to the World of Otters” by Diane Swanson • “Lootas, Little Wave Eater: An Orphaned Sea Otter’s Story” by Clare Hodgson Meeker • “A Raft of Sea Otters” by VicM Leon • “Ring of Bright Water” (DVD) The Mini Fa0e^ Book of States nre Mini Page's popular series of issues about each state is collected here in a 156*page softcover hook. Conveniently spirahbound for ease of use, this Invaluable resource contains A-to-Z facts about each state, along with the District of Columbia. Illustrated with colorful photographs and art, and complete with updated information, The Mini Page Book of States will be a favorite in ciassrooms wd homes for years to come. To order, send $ 15.99 ($ 19.99 Canada) plus $5 postage and handling for each copy. Make check or money order (U,S. funds only) payable to Universal Uclick. Send to The Mini Page Book of States, Universal Uclick, P.O. Box 6814, Leawood, KS 66206. Or call toll- free 800-591-2097 or go to www.smartwarehousingicom. Please send ^—_ copies of The Mini Page Book of States (Item #0-7407-8549-4) at $20.99 each, total cost (Bulk discount information available upon request) Name: Address:. City: . State: . Zip: , Please include all of the appropriate registered trademark symbols and copyright lines in any publication of The Mini Page®.
The Thomasville Times (Thomasville, N.C.)
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Feb. 25, 2010, edition 1
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