Year 8 Field work Research Desert and Rainforest Biomes Fighting Extinction Melbourne Zoo Wednesday September 6 2017 1
The Schedule for the Day Make sure that you stay with your group through the different activities that will be undertaken during the day. There is a map included here that outlines the different locations that will be investigated at the zoo and the location for lunch. The Map on the following page will help you navigate the area. Time Group 8S 1 & 8S 2 Group 8Y 1 & 8Y 2 Group 8W 1 & 8W 2 Group 8U 1 & 8U 2 8:35 BOARD BUSES BOARD BUSES BOARD BUSES BOARD BUSES 9:30-10:30 10:30-11:30 Lemur & Gorilla Page 5-8 Lion Gorge & Sustainability Page 14-18 Elephants & Orang-utans Page 9-13 Lemur & Gorilla Page 5-8 Seals Page 19-21 Elephants & Orang-utans Page 9-13 11:30 Snack Snack Snack 11:50-12:40 12:40-1:30 Seals Page 19-21 Elephants & Orang-utans Page 9-13 Lion Gorge & Sustainability Page 14-18 Seals Page 19-21 Lemur & Gorilla Page 5-8 Lion Gorge & Sustainability Page 14-18 1:30 LUNCH LUNCH LUNCH 2:00-2:30 Lion Gorge & Sustainability Page 14-18 Seals Page 19-21 Snack Elephants & Orang-utans Page 9-13 Lemur & Gorilla Page 5-8 LUNCH Catch up time Catch up time Catch up time Catch up time 2:35 LEAVE ZOO LEAVE ZOO LEAVE ZOO LEAVE ZOO 2
The Royal Melbourne Zoo School Entry Point Lemurs and Gorillas South East Asian Rainforest Path Tigers, Elephants and Orang-utans Lion Gorge and Sustainability Australian Desert 3 SNACK and Lunch Point
Introduction The activities today address how our everyday choices and lifestyle affect species around the world. Are your everyday choices and actions threatening animals? You will explore the links between human behaviours and these species and discover how simple actions can make a real difference to these amazing animals. You will view the animals in their different biomes and observe their behaviours in an enclosed space. You will discover information about the various Zoos Victoria's community conservation and sustainability campaigns, linked with the different animals and will possibly be inspired and empowered to take part in them. Zoos Victoria works proactively to help protect endangered animals in their natural environments as well as promote ecological sustainability. This field trip also gives you the opportunity to see the zoo from a different point of view and add to your knowledge of the animals and their environments as well as the programs that the zoo is involved in world wide. Fieldwork Aims During the time you are participating in this field work you will be: Investigating the animals in the Rainforest and Desert biomes Describing the issues facing the biomes and its inhabitants Comparing and contrasting different biomes and the animals in them Explaining the interconnection between human activities and the sustainability of biomes Identifying and analysing the programs that are being implemented both within Australia and Overseas Evaluating the effectiveness of these programs Field Trip Expectations Please remember the following when you are moving around the zoo: Students remain in groups at all times It is important that students move respectfully through the zoo and consider animals and other school students and members of the public. watch out for people below eye level! Ensure students understand the needs of the animals and behave accordingly - loud noises and sudden movements can upset the animals especially around the Gorilla Section Ball games and whistles are not permitted on the Zoo property 4
Activity Sheets Lemur Island The Ring-tailed Lemur is a native species to the Island of Madagascar off the coast of Africa and is found on the island s southern regions. It is here that the Ring-tailed Lemur lives within a wide variety of environments, ranging anywhere from the lowland forests to the savanna and even rocky canyons. Ring-tailed Lemurs are largely herbivores, enjoying a variety of leaves and fruits but on occasion have been known to eat the odd insect. Unfortunately, habitat destruction from farming and logging has caused the Ring-tailed Lemur to be listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. To help lemurs in the wild Zoos Victoria is working with the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership to help produce alternative food and fuel sources in the local community to protect lemur habitat. 1. Carry out the following mapping questions a. On the world map provided mark in the remaining areas available for Lemurs. b. In the space below sketch the location of the different Lemurs in the enclosure. 5
2. Answer the following questions a. How do Lemurs warm themselves in the morning? b. How do male Lemurs attract attention of females? c. When you exit the Lemur enclosure, complete the following table. Choose three animals for each layer of the rainforest. Layer Name Description IUCN Status Forest Floor Under-Story Canopy Emergent Layer d. Outline the conservation program linked to the Lemurs? e. After you have left the lemur enclosure and are heading towards the Gorillas, choose one of the sounds that the Lemur makes and name it and describe what it sounds like. (you may not be able to do this depending on the restrictions in place for the Gorillas) 6
Gorillas and Phones There are three gorilla subspecies: the Mountain Gorilla, the Eastern Lowland Gorilla and the Western Lowland Gorilla and they are found in the Western part of Africa. When excited and pleased, gorillas giggle almost the same way humans do. Young gorillas are very playful, tickling and chasing each other. Baby gorillas are quite similar to human babies, and have the same needs, such as physical touching, security and lots of opportunities to play. When gorillas are upset or threatened they show it by coughing. It is estimated that 9 million new mobile phones were sold in the last 12 months in Australia. Australians typically upgrade their phones every 18-24 months. As the forest is lost to mining it can no longer shelter gorillas and other species from hunters. In Kahuzi Biega National Park, more than fifty percent of the mountain gorilla population has been lost. By donating your phone you are: Diverting your phone from landfill because phones are refurbished and resold Helping Zoos Victoria raise money to support primate conservation Lessening the demand for coltan mining in gorilla habitat 3. Carry out the following mapping questions a. On the world map provided mark in the remaining areas available for gorillas. b. On the outline map of the Gorilla enclosure included here mark in the location of the gorillas today. You may need to go to each of the viewing areas to get a clearer overall picture. Sketch Map of the Gorilla Night time Dens Viewing Area Legend Border of Enclosure Scale: 0 12.5 m Viewing Area Research Cabin Viewing Area 7
4. Answer the following questions a. Name and describe the personalities of the five Gorillas at Melbourne Zoo. b. Which gorilla has recently had a baby? Give details of the baby c. Look at the mobile phone tree trunks. Why are mobile phones prominent in this area of the zoo? d. Listen to the video displays in the area and discuss the efforts that are being made to help protect the gorillas. (This may be restricted depending on the baby gorilla) e. What food is eaten by the gorillas each day? There is a small list in the food preparation area on the far side of the gorilla enclosure. f. Outline They re Calling on You and how you could be involved. 8
The South East Asian Rainforest The forests of the world temper our climate and filter air and water, acting much like a global airconditioning unit. Dr David Suzuki Rainforests help control our climate. The billions of leaves of the rainforests absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide that would otherwise heat the earth s surface. Leaves also release moisture into our air forming clouds that help to cool our world. Thousands of plant species flourish in a rainforest. Over two hundred different kinds of trees can grow on a single hectare. This variety of growth is sustained because nutrients within the forest are constantly recycled. The nutrients are returned to the soil from the decaying vegetation which falls to the forest floor and is broken down by millipedes, earthworms, termites and organisms such as bacteria and fungi. 1. Using the blank outline map at the back of the booklet mark on the following The location of Sumatran Tigers The location of Asian elephants 2. Answer the following questions. a. How many tigers are there at Melbourne Zoo? What are the names of the youngest tigers? b. How many are in the enclosure today? 9
c. Enter the Butterfly enclosure. What do you notice about the climate in here and how does that relate to the rainforest? d. Describe the patterns on one of the butterflies in the enclosure. How do you think that would help them in the rainforest? e. Looking at the photos in the hut entrance to the elephant area, describe the damage that can be caused by elephants. f. Find the graph of animal/human interactions and describe the trend that you can see. g. Draw a sketch of the Asian Village layout including labels for the different crops? 10
h. How can the village crop be protected? i. Complete the following table Name Translation Male/Female Other Fact Mek Kapah Bong Su Ongard KuLab Mali Dukkoon Num-Oi j. Outline the feeding program for one of the elephants. k. Summarize the three main problems facing Asian Elephants. 11
Orang-utans at Risk The Southeast Asian rainforest is home to millions of flora and fauna species. These species rely on the unique rainforest ecosystem. A very special inhabitant of the rainforest is the orang-utan. As a result of continued rainforest destruction, and an increase in palm oil plantations in the same areas, the Orang-utan is now a critically endangered species. Palm Oil typically costs the lives of up to 50 Orang-utans each week. Over 85% of the world s palm oil comes from Malaysia and Indonesia. In SE Asia alone, the equivalent of 300 football ovals are deforested every hour for palm oil production. This means that the Orang-utan faces an extremely unstable future and action must be effective to save one of our closest relatives. 1. Using the blank outline map at the back of the booklet mark on the following The location of Orangutans (Mark this on the map at the back of the booklet if the areas are too small write the names down so you can put them on a map when you get back to school) Answer the following questions a) What are the predators of the Orang-utan? b) How similar are Orang-utans to humans? c) Observe the behaviour of the Orang-utans on display at the zoo. What are they doing? Describe and take photos of their behaviour. 12
What human behaviours do they exhibit? d) Watch the video in the enclosure. Why are Orang-utans endangered? e) What steps are being taken to help protect them? f) Go to the zoopermarket at the rear of the enclosure. Categorise the different products into the correct column in the table below. g) What issues arise from the use of the products in the Red list? h) Outline the six facts about Orang-utans that can be found in the lift up fact areas of the zoopermarket. 13
Join the Pack Lion Gorge opened in December 2014 and provides a new home for some of the world s greatest predators. The African Lion, African Wild Dog and Philippines Crocodile are all housed in this location in the zoo and it is now possible to take a journey through their environment and study the threats that are seen in these areas. African Dogs once prowled throughout Sub-Saharan Africa but are now limited to southern Africa and the southern part of East Africa. They have been threatened because of habitat loss and infectious diseases. These wild dogs are not related to others and are not scavengers like jackals but will hunt their prey relentlessly. At no stage in their life will wild dogs choose to live on their own. They live as a tightly knit social group and are incredibly organized. The numbers of Lions in the wild continue to decrease dramatically as they are killed by farmers to protect livestock and as the numbers of prey fall. An adult male lion stands just over a metre tall, is over 3 metres long and weighs 220kgs. Lions are the only cats in the wild to live in a large family group called a pride hence the reason to join the pack. Philippines crocodiles are threatened by habitat destruction and practices such as dynamite fishing. The Melbourne zoo is working to strengthen the numbers of surviving wild crocodiles with so few left in freshwater areas of the Philippines. They are smaller than other crocodiles and grow up to 3m long and are a golden brown when young but grow darker as they age. It is hoped that having facilities like these at the zoo will help engage the public with the need to be involved in the conservation of these habitats and the reduction of human interactions with these animals. 1. Using the blank outline map at the back of the booklet mark on the following i. The location of the African Wild Dog ii. The location of the Philippines Crocodile iii. The location of the African Lion 14
2. Outline three features of each of the predators in this area of the zoo and their prey. Animal Feature 1 Feature 2 Feature 3 Prey African Wild Dogs The Philippines Crocodile The Africa Lion 3. Outline the threats and programs related to each of the predators in this area of the zoo. Animal Threats Program Community Group African Wild Dogs The Philippines Crocodile The Africa Lion 15
4. Count and record the number of baby crocodiles that have hatched and are out sunning themselves in the area near the two nests. 5. Tell your story Outline what each of the following colours mean on African bead bracelets 6. How many people have joined the fight? 16
Zoo Sustainability Across the world, habitats are being lost, natural resources are being over-exploited and introduced species are decimating native wildlife. In this changed world, many plants and animals are threatened with extinction. At the root of these problems is unparalleled human population growth coupled with rapidly accelerating consumption of natural resources. If action isn't taken, future generations will be living in a vastly diminished world. Zoos Victoria is actively contributing to biodiversity conservation through a suite of targeted objectives as expressed in its vision and mission. Under the leadership of the Wildlife Conservation & Science Team, Zoos Victoria aims to: Contribute directly to biodiversity conservation outcomes in the field Contribute directly to species conservation outcomes through ex situ population management of species for reintroduction Increase community connections with wildlife, enhancing understanding of conservation issues and empowering participation in their solutions, both within Australia and internationally Take its own informed action to conserve the natural world through ensuring its environmental management practices, work practices and purchasing policies minimise and/or reduce the organisation's impact on the environment Maximise opportunities for the animal collection to contribute to conservation outcomes and ensure that captive populations are managed sustainably 1. Outline the areas of the Zoo s sustainability program. 2. In the circular section of the main drive you will see a display of four seats. What are the five ways you can join the fight against extinction? 17
Who are the zoos animal ambassadors? Area Name of Animal Name and describe the six programs that are in place to help fight extinction. Outline the different turning points that have occurred at the zoo over time. 18
Australian Fur Seal Seal the Loop bins are specially designed and installed in selected fishing locations, making it easy for anglers to ensure their waste never harms wildlife. The bins are made from recycled plastic waste collected at Melbourne Zoo. Where is the closest place for you to travel to see seals in the wild? Show these locations on the map of Australia below. 19
Observe closely 3 physical characteristics of the Australian seal species? Why would these features be important? Physical Characteristic Importance What do you understand marine entanglement to mean? What do you believe is the primary cause of marine entanglement? Why is the deliberate design of fishing line such a problem for marine species? 20
How would you reduce the occurrence of marine entanglement across Victoria? What are the objectives of the Seal the Loop campaign? How could Seal the Loop bins lead to a more positive future for marine species? References Melbourne Zoo Website: Photos: Orang-Utan Website: Atlas: http://www.zoo.org.au/melbournezoo Eleanor Richards http://education.orangutan.org.au/ Jacaranda Atlas 7 th Edition 21
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