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Do animals play? Sometimes it’s hard to tell if an animal’s behavior means it’s defending territory or finding food—or just having fun. Read stories about tricky fennec foxes, silly parrots, splashy tigers, and other wild critters, then decide for yourself what they're up to.

You'll also discover how conservationists got the first group of four baby zebra sharks ready to be released into a protected wild habitat in Indonesia. Over the next 10 years, 500 of the endangered sharks will be reintroduced as part of an effort to restore the coral reef ecosystem where they live. Then take a fun quiz to see how much you—and your parents—know about sharks.

Next, find out how firefighting experts are developing new high-tech tools to better battle blazes from wildfires. Tricked out drones, heat-sensing cameras, and water-scooping helicopters are helping put out flames before they spread.

Also, be sure to check out an illustrated legend from the islands of Palau called "The Tale of the Magic Tree." This story reveals a value that’s important to Palauans: conservation.

Plus, take a just-for-fun personality quiz to find out if you'd survive life as a pirate. Answer 10 questions to learn if you're a captain, privateer, or landlubber.

Finally, have your parents visit our giveaway page between July 8-15 so they can enter for a chance to win a shark prize pack featuring the Nat Geo Kids book 1,000 Facts About Sharks and a shark tooth dig kit. Please note, no entries will be accepted after July 15, 2024.

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Puzzles

The fennec fox is the smallest of all the world's foxes, weighing only 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram). It has enormous ears, measuring 6 inches (15 centimeters), which it appears to have borrowed from a much bigger relative. Fennec foxes are sometimes called "desert foxes" because they live in desert zones of North Africa and the Sinai and Arabian peninsulas. They are nocturnal and avoid the daytime heat of the desert environment. Their batlike ears radiate body heat and help keep the foxes cool. They also have long, thick, soft fur coats with a wooly undercoat that insulates them during cold nights and protects them from the hot sun during the day. They have been known to jump in the air 2 feet (.6 meters) high from a standing position, and they are able to leap a distance of 4 feet (1.2 meters). These foxes dwell in small groups of up to ten individuals. Like dogs and other canids, male fennecs mark their territory with urine. They forage for plants but also eat rodents, eggs, reptiles, and insects. Like most desert dwellers, the fennec fox has the ability to go for long periods without water. These foxes are cream-colored with black-tipped tails.

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Matching: Animals

Moment of Play

Fennec Fox

Puzzles: Dinos