National Geographic Kids - USA (2022-06 & 2022-07)

26 NAT GEO KIDS^ •^ JUNE / JULY 2022

BY ALLYSON SHAW

SCIENCE

BLOOPERS

Even Nat Geo

Explorers make

mistakes—and

laugh about

them later.

THE SCIENTIST Tselane Rebotile Rachuene

COOL JOB Ecologist and conservationist

THE LOCATION Highveld grasslands of South Africa

BEST

NEST

THE SCIENTIST Ayushi Jain

COOL JOB Conservationist and Nat Geo Photo Ark EDGE Fellow

THE LOCATION Chandragiri River, India

“I research and protect African grass owls—but they’re

tough to find because they nest on the ground. One time

I was working in the field alone, walking in a zigzag pat-

tern through the waist-high grass for hours. I clapped

my hands and shouted so the mama owls would fly up

and show me where their nests are. After a long and

exhausting search of the area, I found nothing.

“A few weeks later, I returned with an assistant. This

time we passed a rope through the grass, which safely

and gently startles the birds. There—an owl! We found a

nest just three feet from where I’d searched before. (I

keep careful records

of where I’ve been.)

“Sometimes I go six

months without finding

a bird, which can feel

like a failure. But it’s

always worth

it to keep

searching:

These shy and

rare birds

deserve it.”

ABOVE, REBO

RACHUENE

POINTS TO THE

NEST OF AN

AFRICAN GRASS

OWL LIKE THE

ONE AT RIGHT.

WILD RIDE

RACHUENE

KEEPS A YOUNG

OWL CALM IN A

BAG WHILE HE

INSPECTS TAGS

ON ITS LEGS.

“Local people call me when they find a Cantor’s giant softshell

turtle in trouble. One time when I arrived, they’d placed the

animal in a large water tank. I gently tipped the tank over so

I could examine the turtle. But it immediately ran toward the

river. (Unlike other turtles, softshell turtles—which can grow

three feet wide and weigh 220 pounds—can move fast.)

“I grabbed it, but the strong turtle just dragged me

along behind it. Acting quickly, my colleague ran ahead and

threw a piece of cloth over its head. Suddenly, the turtle

stopped—and everyone burst out laughing.

“We examined the turtle, then released it into the river.

I learned to have multiple assistants around to help control

the animal so I don’t have another wild turtle-back ride.”

AYUSHI JAIN

MEASURES

A YOUNG

CANTOR’S

GIANT

SOFTSHELL

TURTLE.

HA HOANG (JAIN PROFILE); SREERAG KRISHNAN (WPROFILE); © ANTON VAN NIEKERK, 2021 (OWITH TURTLE); © ML, BOTH); MATT BIDDULPH (WATT PRETORIUS (RACHUENE IN GRASS); TSELANE REBOTILE RACHUENE (RACHUALDMAN, BOTH); RANDALL SCOTT / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE ENE

PROFILE); HAGAI NATIV, THE MCOLLECTION (SHAWKI PROFILE); NORA SHAWORRIS KAHN MARINE RESEARCH STATION (TAGGING SHARK); ANDY MKI (EXCAVATING, BEAD); DROR VARDIMON, ASHDOD MURCH / NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY (SHARK)ARITIME EDUCATION CENTER (SCHEININ^

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