Habitat

Have you ever wondered where a tiny beetle sleeps at night? I am its home. I can be a cozy, rotting log, full of soft wood that’s perfect for munching. For a little green frog with sticky toes, I am a sunny, splashy pond. It’s the best place to catch juicy flies with a flick of its long tongue. And what about a busy squirrel with a big, fluffy tail? For that squirrel, I become a tall, sturdy oak tree with strong branches for leaping and a secret hole for storing delicious acorns. I am everywhere you look in nature. I can be the deep, blue ocean for a giant whale or a hot, sandy desert for a camel with lumpy humps. I give every single plant and animal exactly what it needs to feel safe, find food, and raise its family. I am the perfect, custom-made home for every living thing. Can you guess my name?

For a very long time, I was a secret that only animals and plants knew about. But then, clever and curious people started to notice me. They packed their bags and went on big adventures to explore the world. A famous explorer named Alexander von Humboldt traveled across oceans, through enormous, steamy jungles, and climbed tall, rocky mountains. He kept a journal of all the amazing things he saw. He noticed that bright, colorful parrots with squawky voices only lived in warm, rainy forests, and that big, white polar bears with thick fur only lived in the freezing, snowy Arctic. He asked himself, 'Why don't the parrots live in the snow? Why don't the polar bears live in the jungle?' He and other scientists realized that it was not an accident. They saw that I gave the parrots everything they needed, like juicy fruits, sweet nectar, and tall trees for their nests. They saw that I gave the polar bears the perfect home, too, with icy water for swimming and tasty seals to eat. These explorers understood that I am a special place that provides the right food, water, and shelter for each living thing to survive and be happy. They decided I needed a special name so everyone could talk about me. And so, they called me a Habitat! That is me. I am the habitat for every creature on Earth, from the tiniest bug to the biggest blue whale.

Now that you know my name, you might realize that you have one of me, too. Your house, your neighborhood, and your town are all part of your habitat. It’s where you find your food at the grocery store, get water from the faucet, and have a cozy bed to sleep in. It gives you everything you need, just like a pond gives a frog everything it needs. Because I am a home for everyone, I am very, very important. Every animal and plant needs me to be healthy and safe. And that’s where you come in. You can be a habitat helper! Being a habitat helper is an important job. It means we do not throw trash in the rivers or oceans. It means we plant new trees for the squirrels and birds. It means we take care of our big, beautiful Earth. When we all work together to keep the forests green and the oceans clean, we make sure that every living thing has a safe and wonderful habitat to call home.