release dates: March 14-20, 2020 11 (20)

Next Week: Counting U.S. citizens Issue 11, 2020 Founded by Betty Debnam Other marsupials Mini Fact: • Kangaroos. There Meet The word are about 60 different types “koala” of kangaroos. Some can comes from grow to be 6 feet tall and the an Aboriginal weigh about 200 pounds. word They are the world’s largest

meaning “no marsupials. Eric Kibly by photo drink.” Kangaroos usually move about in the Koala late afternoon or at night, eating grasses photo by albagloria5 and other plants. During the recent bushfires in Australia, Picky eaters They can easily leap higher than a the news has been full of reports of animals grown man stands, and can travel Koalas eat only the tender leaves and bark almost 50 miles per hour. being stranded among the flames and smoke. of certain kinds of eucalyptus (yoo-kuh-LIP- Experts believe more than 1 billion native • Wombats. People don’t get to see tuss) trees. Many kinds of these trees grow in wombats very often. animals have died in the fires. Australia, but koalas are picky about the ones One of Australia’s more recognizable animals They live only in they will eat. Australia. During the is the koala. Thousands of these cute creatures Since there is so much moisture in the may have died during the fire crisis, but humans day, wombats stay leaves, koalas drink very little water. They underground, sleeping. are helping rescue as many as possible. also may eat dirt when they come down to

dmytrok by photo They don’t usually Marsupials the ground to move from tree to tree. The dirt come out of their burrows until night. While we sometimes call koalas ‘’bears,’’ may help their digestion. Wombats dig long underground they are not. Koalas are marsupials (mar- Their diet of about a pound of eucalyptus tunnels, or burrows. A group of wombats SOOP-ee-uls). Marsupial moms raise babies in leaves a day does not supply them much may share the burrow. their pouches. energy. They spend 18 to 21 hours a day • Pygmy possums. The pygmy possum When asleep in their treetop homes. Koalas are most is one of the world's tiniest marsupials. a koala is likely to be awake at dawn and dusk. It might weigh just a born, it is Habitat loss half-ounce and be only hairless Aside 3 inches long. It moves and weighs from the about mostly at night, less than bushfires feeding on nectar and an ounce. that have pollen. It is about Michael Pennay by photo Appel Mathias by photo been the size of destroying a jelly bean. After birth, the baby, called a forests in joey, crawls into its mother’s pouch, where it Australia, Resources attaches itself to one of her two nipples and REUTERS GLEN MOREY/via by photo the biggest Bushfires burn in Australia in nurses for about six or seven months. When it threat to December 2019. comes out of the pouch, it is fully developed. On the Web: koalas is • bit.ly/MPkoala Koala babies must eat some of their mom’s loss of their habitat from people clearing the droppings while they are very young. These land for buildings, roads and homes. Experts At the library: “pap” droppings contain certain bacteria that also say “dieback,” when eucalypt forests • "Jimmy the Joey: The True Story of an enable the koala to digest the special food it are damaged and die because of nearby Amazing Koala Rescue" by Deborah Lee eats for the rest of its life. development, destroys the koalas’ homes. Rose The Mini Page® © 2020 Andrews McMeel Syndication

Try ’n’ Find Mini Jokes Words that remind us of koalas are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some Catherine: What's a letters are used twice. See if you can find: koala's favorite drink? Cal: Coca Koala! AUSTRALIA, BARK, I Z H L E U C A L Y P T U S O BURROW, BUSHFIRE, S L A E E P K T P O S S U M T DIEBACK, EUCALYPTUS, E A B O R I A U S T R A L I A FOREST, HABITAT, JOEY, E I I S I P N P K E A P V B B Eco Note KANGAROO, KOALA, R P T E F E G H P C R L Y Y M LEAVES, MARSUPIAL, T U A V H E A W C Y A O A E O Smoke from Australia’s PAP, POSSUM, POUCH, K S T A S L R K A U G B F O W massive firestorms is being transported PYGMY, SLEEP, TREES, L R C E U S O Q R T O M E J K high into the atmosphere, to near the WATER, WOMBAT. F A M L B Y O Y R A E P Y I O edge of space, by intense thunderstorms P M L K T W O R R U B R U O D created by the bushfires. Meteorologists call the thunderstorm clouds rising above the firespyrocumulonimbus (PY-roh-kyoom-you-loh-NIM-bus). Cook’s Corner While scientists know a lot about how volcanic debris can have a cooling effect Koala Kookies on the planet, they are still learning You’ll need: • 2 cups all-purpose how the high-altitude smoke affects • 1 cup butter, softened flour temperatures. adapted with permission from Earthweek.com • 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus • 1 cup walnuts, extra for sprinkling chopped • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract For later: What to do: Look in your newspaper for articles 1. Mix butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. about animal rescues in Australia. 2. Add vanilla extract. Mix well.

3. Add flour and walnuts. Mix well. 2020 Andrews McMeel Syndication © 4. Roll into small balls and flatten on a greased baking sheet. Teachers: Follow and 5. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes. interact with The Mini 6. When cookies are cool, sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Makes about 5 dozen.

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