Want to talk about your favorite Madagascar characters in 14 different Nordic languages? Then these lists are for you. But why stop there? It’s World Wildlife Day. There are many other wildlife animals out there besides our favorite famous penguins and their friends in the Central Park Zoo. So I’ve included names of up to 40 different animals, depending on the language, to help you get started. With these lists you can learn all about Skipper’s, Rico’s, Kowalski’s and Private’s many friends all over the world.
About World Wildlife Day
March 3rd was designated as World Wildlife Day in 2013. Each year has its own theme. This year’s theme is: Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods. Regardless, World Wildlife Day is dedicated to the preservation of all wildlife – both animals and plants. While this year’s vocabulary lists are focused on animals, future years will include plant life.
Include the kids, too!
Whether or not your kids are learning a language, I included something in this post for them, too! Last week’s trip to Puerto Rico was a good reminder of how valuable it is to encourage the young ones (in this case, my nieces) to widen their horizons when it comes to animals and nature. So I’ve included a fun story about two of everyone’s favorite turtles and their own adventure in El Yunque Rainforest and other parts of Puerto Rico. You can enjoy their story here.
If your kids are interested in learning more about wildlife, and you want to help nurture their interests beyond just taking them to the zoo, there are plenty of options. The next section about interactive experiences will be of particular interest to you.
Make It an Interactive Experience
Perhaps after you go through the lists, you will want to take it a step further with your new vocabulary and connect with nature and wildlife. In that case, I have some spots to recommend before you get started with these lists. You can go directly to the lists here when you come back to download them.
Denmark – Deep Forest Art Land
Outside of Herning is a great place for an afternoon – or anytime – hike. This is more than a walk through nature. It is a place where you can experience both art and wildlife. Scattered throughout the forest are various works of art by different artists. There are guide tours offered as well as opportunities to spend the night here. For more information about the nature aspect, see the ‘Nature’ section on this page of the website.
Estonia – Marimetsa Nature Reserve
Your Estonian friend may ask if you want to go for a walk. Don’t assume you are just going on a walk through the park.They actually mean a visit to a place like Marimetsa Nature Reserve. So don’t be like me and bring just a snack bar and a little water like some clueless chump 🤣 (fortunately, they brought extra supplies 😅). Jokes aside, this 9 km (about 5.5 miles) round trip hike is totally worth it. A little over an hour from Tallinn, this nature reserve shows the true beauty of Estonia.
Stopping by the spots like the one in the picture allows you to learn a little something about Estonian nature. The information is printed in both Estonian and English. The trail takes you through the forest and bogs. The previously mentioned information spots explain, among other things, what makes the bogs look like they do. There is also a tower at the other end of the trail. From up high, you can experience great views. With your smartphone you can also take beautiful pictures that will help the memories last a lifetime.
USA – Moore to See Photo Expeditions
For those of you in the US, you don’t have to travel to Europe to see wildlife and nature. In a lesser known part of Virginia Beach is a quiet, peaceful area where nature is at its purest. There is a variety of boat tours to choose from. Some even include lunch in a quiet, secluded spot where you can enjoy the surrounding nature. These are great for those who want an educational experience, the opportunity to take beautiful pictures or both.
If you would like to learn more about a tour, the link in the heading takes you to the Moore to See Photo Expeditions website. You can also visit the official Facebook page.
Extra challenge: While you try one of these experiences out or something similar, try to see how many different animals you can name in your target language.
The Vocabulary Lists (in alphabetical order)
Danish
Elfdalian
Estonian
Faroese
Finnish
Icelandic
Inari Sami
Lule Sami
North Sami
Norwegian
Pite Sami
Skolt Sami
South Sami
Swedish
Polyglot in Progress 