CHEETAH & RHINO ACTIVITIES PRIMARY

CHEETAH & RHINO ACTIVITIES PRIMARY

Acknowledgements This resource was developed by: John Gardner, Education Officer, Zoos SA With support from the following people and organisations: Ruth Hall, Outreach Education, DECD, seconded to Zoos SA Education. Ian Walton, DECD, seconded to Zoos SA Education. Hayley Dodd, Emma Still, Jessica Langley & Carolyn Hoare: Staff at Zoos SA Education. Front cover layout designed by: Emma Still, Education Officer, Zoos SA This publication is protected by copyright. It may be reproduced by South Australian teachers for use with their students. For all other uses contact Monarto Education All images in the booklet are copyright of the Royal Zoological Society of South Australia. 2007 The Royal Zoological Society of South Australia and the Department for Education and Child Development, South Australia Updated Oct 2011 This Education program for schools is a partnership between the Monarto Zoo and the Department for Education and Child Development, South Australia. Monarto Education contact details Phone: 85344100 Fax: 8534 4077 Email: iwalton@zoossa.com.au estill@zoossa.com.au Website: www.zoossa.com.au

For the Teacher General Information Welcome to Monarto Zoo! Monarto Zoo is a fantastic educational resource. It is a 1450 hectare open range zoo located on former farming land. Large tracts of remnant mallee scrub exist in the areas between animal enclosures, and this natural scrub is being extended annually through an on-going revegetation program which involves many community and school groups. A huge variety of native fauna roams freely in the scrub areas. Monarto Zoo is involved in many animal conservation programs and these include both native and exotic species, with a heavy focus on threatened species from desert and arid habitats. Experiencing Monarto Zoo and learning about animals, ecosystems and conservation can be undertaken via Observing and handling the huge range of prepared skins, bones and other animal biofacts at the Visitor Centre. A safari bus tour of animal enclosures with a commentary provided by a trained host (for groups of 22 or more students in your own bus), Walking through the mallee scrub on signposted tracks, Taking as much time as you want to observe animals from viewing platforms around the Visitor Centre and at Bus Stops. Activities and tasks in this resource relate only to the Cheetah and Rhino lookout areas and immediate surrounds. Classes can get to these two lookouts by stopping during the Safari Bus Tour or by walking there eg. From the Visitors Centre or from the Waterhole area. In planning this excursion, please consider your schedule and how you would like to arrange the class activities on the day. Discuss this with the Education Officer at the time of booking your visit. Estimated time to complete the Visitor Centre Activities: 20-30 minutes Key:? Observe carefully Discuss and share ideas with your group Write down your thoughts Did you know?

? How many Cheetah can you see At the Cheetah Lookout in the enclosure right next to the lookout for the hand-raised Cheetah? in the larger enclosure attached to this one? All the Cheetah that can be seen in these enclosures are males. Male Cheetah like to live in groups called coalitions. Female Cheetah are very solitary they like to be alone in their territory. Can you think of some times when female Cheetahs would let other Cheetah come near them? What would be an advantage for the males of living in coalitions instead of on their own? Cheetah are the world s fastest land animal. They can run at speeds of over 100 km/hr for nearly half a kilometre. In the wild, they are the most successful hunter of all the big cats. Yet, they don t always get to eat the prey they catch and kill! What large African predators could chase a Cheetah away from the animal it has just killed? What would probably happen if the Cheetah stayed to fight the larger predators? Can you see any features of a Cheetah which would help it to run so fast?

Try to observe the Cheetah off-limit enclosures: if you are facing straight ahead at the lookout, you should turn to your left. You should be able to see the skinny raceways leading up to the off-limit area. Most of the area is over the hill. This is where Monarto s female Cheetahs are kept each in a separate yard with brush around the wire so they cannot see other Cheetahs: just the way they like it! Each night the male Cheetahs all go up the race ways to their own off-limit enclosures. How do you think the keepers train the male Cheetahs to go to their off-limit enclosures at night? Why is it important for Monarto Zoo to have small off-limit enclosures that the animals will go into? Hint: think about the animals, the keepers and other zoo workers. Keeping wild animals in captivity can cause them stress, boredom and depression. What are some of the things you can see in the Cheetah enclosures which are designed to enrich the environment and behaviour of the Cheetahs? Cheetah all have slightly different markings from each other. On their faces they all have a marking called a tear streak which no other big cat species have. Carefully observe one of the cheetah s faces and try to show the markings in the face outline below.

? At the Rhinoceros viewing area The Southern White Rhinoceros is a Threatened Species whose survival depends on conservation breeding programs operating around the World. Poachers hunting these magnificent creatures cut off their horns to sell for the Asian medicine trade. This is the largest (well over 2 tonne) and most numerous (about 15,000) of the 5 species of rhinoceros. Observe the rhinoceros and its special features List the features of this animal that make it so unique. What do you think is the purpose of its horns? _ Draw the rhino horns below.? Did you know? Rhinoceros horns are made of the same material that is found in your hair and fingernails (Keratin). You may be able to see some hairy fibres at the base of the horn.

Can you locate the feeding pads? What are they made of and why do the keepers use these for the rhino food? Is there a muddy pool in the enclosure? Rhinoceros love to roll around (wallow) and coat their skin with mud. Why would they do this? Watch the rhino again for a while. Are the ears twitching and turning? If so, why are they doing that? How could this behaviour protect a rhino in the wild? Near the Rhinoceros viewing area you will find a rhinoceros transport box (crate). Look at the size from the outside and then walk in and look at the information and photos about how these rhinos came to Monarto. What is the transport box made of? Where did Monarto s rhinoceroses come from? Estimate the length, height and width of the transport box L H W