Good morning and welcome to Kid News. I'm Tori. Today is Friday, February 27th, 2026. And we begin with a tropical

bird behind bars in the entertainment capital of the world. Sam, a runaway toucan, is safely in the

hands of caregivers after he flew as Las Vegas coop way back in November. Since then, the bright-billed birds

been flying around the city, worrying wildlife experts as to how this rainforest native was

handling the desert's chilly nights and dry air. Volunteers have been leaving out food next to a cage

in hopes of luring Sam to safety. Finally this week, Sam parked himself in the garage

of homeowners who've been following his story on the news. Veterinarians say he looks surprisingly

strong with just a little dry skin and a small chip in his beak. Sam will spend a couple of weeks

in a special bird time out to get him back to full health.

To perhaps no one's big surprise, AI is becoming a bigger part of everyday work in the United States.

A new Gallup poll shows that 12% of Americans use AI daily for their job, a number that has tripled in just over a year.

People who work in tech lead the way in usage at 31%, while 9% of teachers and educators

report daily usage. Another important factor, those who work remotely are twice as likely to

utilize this rapidly changing new technology.

Still, a recent Fox News poll showed that for the majority of Americans, 53% AI has not yet had a

notable effect on their day-to-day lives.

One of Northern California's biggest wildlife attractions is on pause.

Officials have canceled the popular elephant seal tours at Annio Nuevo State Park after several seal pups tested positive for bird flu and others are showing signs of illness.

According to researchers from UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz, this is the first

time the virus has appeared in marine mammals in the northern hemisphere. Tours and viewing areas

will be closed for the rest of the breeding season to protect the public, as well as the thousands

of seals that take up residents on the beach every winter. Scientists are

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