Animal Care and Management

Limited time only (1st December 2010 – 15th April 2011)

Information and guidance for teachers

Contents

Learning objectivesCurriculum linksLesson plan Plan a routeThings to arrange prior to visitThe day of your trip: arriving at the ZooYour teaching session

BTEC Animal Care and Animal Management

Learning objectives

Students will be able to explain:

• the need for keeping accurate animal records and explore how the animals’ records are accessed and stored

• how we use new technology, such as thermography, as a diagnostic technique, to monitor animal health and to observe clinical signs

• the importance of quarantine and prevention of diseases when new animals join the collection

• physiological signs of animal health and welfare through the reproductive health of a herd of elephants

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Curriculum links

Links to BTEC Diploma in Animal CareThe following units will be touched on during this session:Unit 3: Animal Accommodation, Handling and CareUnit 7: Animal Health, Welfare and Behaviour

Links to BTEC Higher National in Animal Management Unit 4: Animal HusbandryUnit 5: Animal Health and Welfare

Lesson PlanThis lesson takes place in the Joseph Banks Room where students can explore our new display, ‘Zoo Vets – The Inside Story’. They will discover more about the role of the vets in maintaining the animal health and welfare of the collection at Chester Zoo.

IntroductionStudents will have the opportunity to discover the extensive role of the vets in the animal health division and the aspects of animal health and management that they are involved with on a daily basis.

Main lesson Group work. Activities will encourage discussion and teamwork. These will focus on:• accessing and storing medical records• the role of thermography as a non-invasive diagnostic technique• quarantine and prevention of diseases when animals enter the collection• using physiological signs as a breeding tool in elephants

Plenary A chance to summarise all of the key themes and explore the exhibit.

Plan a route

This session focuses very much on Chester Zoo and the species that are housed here. A variety of animals are discussed during this session, but there is a focus on Chimpanzees, Elephants, Black Rhino, Dalmatian Pelican, Flamingo and Cheetahs.

Some of our animal interpretation has strong links to this subject:• Film clips of elephant husbandry, training and birth at Elephants of

the Asian Forest. • Cheetah transportation and arrival at Chester Zoo in the Cheetah

Yurt area.

There are also several animal enclosures with interpretation on enclosure design:

• Realm of the Red Ape• Asian Plains (Greater One-horned Rhino)• Flamingo Lagoon

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See map on the next page for location of exhibits

Animal Care and Management : Exhibits to Visit

Cheetahs

Realm of the Red Ape

Elephants of the Asian

Forest

Joseph Banks Room

Chimpanzees

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Greater One-horned Rhino

Black Rhinos

Pelicans

Flamingos

Suggested activities to link with session

Before visit

• Some background knowledge of the above concepts would be useful, but not essential. • Visit the BIAZA (British & Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria)

website at http://www.biaza.org.uk/ • The Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice can be downloaded from the Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife- pets/zoos/standards.htm Information on other zoo legislation can also

be found here.

During visit

• Try and allow some time for students to fully explore ‘Zoo Vets – The Inside Story’.

• Visit some of the enclosures in the Zoo and have a look at aspects of animal health and welfare.

After visit

• For more information on the importance of high animal welfare standards in the Zoo, Chester Zoo’s Annual Report can be downloaded from the Zoo website at

http://www.chesterzoo.org/Home/About/Annual%20Reports.aspx

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Things to arrange prior to visit

• Please check the details on your confirmation letter. If you have any queries please call us on 01244 650205 / 389444.

• To arrange a pre-visit to the Zoo, contact us on 01244 650205 / 389444 for details.

• Arrange appropriate number of group leaders and collate contact details.

• Assign students to a group leader, ensure students and leaders know the running plan for the day, have staff contact details and map of the Zoo

• Ensure group leaders have a plan for the day including student names, time and location of teaching session (e.g. a copy of the confirmation letter) and where to meet, if necessary, after the session as well as a map of the Zoo.

Special Educational Needs

We welcome pupils with special needs. Please notify us of their requirements in advance, so that we can tailor our programmes to your pupils' needs.

Additionally, please inform us of any wheelchair users in the group or any specific allergies that we should be aware of.

For more information on disabled access please refer to the Zoo website at http://www.chesterzoo.org/Visit/GettingAround/Access%20facilities.aspx

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The day of your trip: arriving at the Zoo

• Please help us to make your entrance to the Zoo as smooth as possible

• Allow plenty of time to get to and into the Zoo. It can take 30 minutes to enter the Zoo and reach the Joseph Banks Room.

• On arrival the group leader only should approach the Main Gate with the confirmation letter. Students and other staff should remain on the coach.

• This provides an ideal opportunity for another member of staff to run through the itinerary for the day with students and helpers, to hand out work sheets, information, maps, talk times etc.

• Once the paperwork has been completed the group leader can collect the group from the coach to be counted into the Zoo by Gate Staff.

• There are toilets at the main entrance both inside and outside the Zoo.

Rainy day – indoor enclosures

The Aquarium, Tropical Realm, Fruit Bat Forest*, Spirit of the Jaguar, Islands in Danger, Realm of the Red Ape and Butterfly Journey are all heated, indoor exhibits.

Additionally, Macaws, Chimpanzees, Giraffes Elephants of the Asian Forests, Tsavo Black Rhino Reserve, Monkeys, Tsavo Bird Safari and Miniature Monkeys all have undercover viewing.

See map on next page for location of exhibits

* Please note that pupils must be accompanied by an adult when visiting Fruit Bat Forest. Back to top

One of our Discovery sessions in action!

Rainy Day Visits

Cheetah

Butterfly Journey

Islands in Danger

Fruit Bat Forest

Monkeys

Elephants of the Asian

ForestChimpanzees

Spirit of the Jaguar

Realm of the Red Ape

Tsavo Black Rhino Reserve

Secret World of the Okapi

Tropical Realm

Aquarium Grow Zone

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Your teaching session

• Sessions are run in the Joseph Banks Room opposite the Fountain Shop.

• Please be aware that it can take 30 minutes to enter the Zoo and reach the Joseph Banks Room.

• Each teaching session will last 45 minutes. There is plenty of open space for lunches outside on lawns around the zoo. On rainy days there is an indoor picnic area next door to the Arara Café near the Education Centre.

• The nearest toilets are next to Glorious Grasses, just in front of Islands in Danger.

If you are delayed for any reason and may be late for your teaching session please contact 01244 650205/ 389444. We may be able to help!

If you have found this information useful or think there is something that we could add to help your day run smoothly please let us know at learning@chesterzoo.org

Enjoy your visit!

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