Snow Leopard

Habitat: Rocky mountains

What‛s it like in this habitat?Steep terrain, ridges and gullies

Look:Can you see...

Forwardfacing eyes?

Long thickTail?

SmallEars?

Rosette andspot pattern?

LargePaws?

Wide, shortnasal cavity?

How do these adaptations help the Snow Leopard survive in its habitat?

Forward facing eyes - to help it judge distance when huntingLong thick tail - helps it to keep balanceSmall ears - reduces heat lossRosette and spot pattern - blends in rocky mountain habitat (camouflage)Large paws - stops cat sinking into the snowWide, shot nasal cavity - warms cold air before it reaches the lungs

Learn:

Did you know? The Snow Leopard is recognised as an endangered species by theIUCN. It is estimated that there are only 3,500—7000 left in the wild.Loss of prey, fur trade and use of their bones in tradition oriental medicineshave all played a part in the decline of Snow Leopard numbers.

Do:

Leaping Leopard!Snow leopards have short forelimbs and long hind limbs to enable them to beagile in its steep habitat. These limbs allow them to launch themselves 30 feet ina simple leap.

While in the play area have a go at leaping, who canleap the furthest? How far can you leap?

Questions:

Are they dangerous?Snow leopards are shy, solitary animals, they are rarely seen in the wild, beingactive mainly at dawn and dusk.

Are every Snow Leopards spots/rosettes different?Yes, like our finger prints, every Snow Leopards print is different and unique.

If you do not know an answer to a questions, do not guess!Write the question here and work together later to find out the answer.

ChimpanzeeHabitat: dense woodlands and tropicalforests

What‛s it like in this habitat?Lots of trees, hot and humid

Look:Can you see...

Bighead?

Opposablethumbs?

Long arms andfingers?

Opposable bigtoe?

Biglips?

Atail?

How do these adaptations help the Chimpanzee survive in its habitat?

Opposable thumbs - helps them grip their food and use toolsLong arms and fingers - helps them move easily in the treesOpposable big toes - helps them grip the trees when climbingBig head - to hold their big intelligent brainBig lips - for communicating through facial featuresA tail - No! Chimpanzees are apes so they do not have tails

Learn:

Did you know? Chimpanzees are believed to be our closest living relatives.They are capable of fashioning and using tools and catch human diseases suchas the flu and malaria.

If you do not know an answer to a questions, do not guess!Write the question here and work together later to find out the answer.

Do:

Chimp ChatSee if you can communicate like a chimp by just using your facial expressions.Very excited/frightened - mouth open wide teeth baredModerately excited/ frightened - toothy grinAggressive - lips tight, cheeks slightly puffed outFrustrated - lips puckered and slightly openPlayful - mouth open wide, top teeth covered by lipSubmissive - bottom lip out covering teeth, top lipbaring teeth

Name that chimp!Using the pictures around the enclosure can you identify each individual chimp?

Questions:

Why don't you go in with them?Chimpanzees are very strong and playful and could injure a keeper if they cameinto contact with them.

Are they actually intelligent?Chimpanzees are very clever. They can solve problems and use natural objectsas tools. Some chimpanzees have learnt to use sign language to communicate.

Humboldt PenguinsHabitat: coast

What‛s it like in this habitat?Very cold waters due to Humboldt currentfrom the Antarctic

Look:Can you see...

Wings?

Blackbacks?

Whitestomachs?

Webbedfeet?

Clawedfeet

Waterprooffeathers?

How do these adaptations help the Humboldt Penguin survive in its habitat?

Wings - used as flippers when swimmingBlack backs - camouflages them from aboveWhite stomachs - camouflages them from belowWebbed feet - aids them when swimmingClawed feet - facilitates climbing on rocksWaterproof feathers - prevents soaking of skin when in the water

Learn:

Did you know? Humboldt penguins drink salt water and use glands calledsupraorbital glands to filter excess salt from their bloodstream. The salt isfiltered through a capillary just above the penguins eyes then expelledthrough the nose.

Questions:

When they are shaking, does this mean they are cold?Penguins shiver to generate heat. They are well adapted to survive in freezingcold temperature. However not all penguins live in cold countries; some like theAfrican penguin live in Africa and the Little Penguin which lives in Australia.

Why cant they fly?Penguins have denser and heavier bones unlike birds that can fly which have lowdensity, honeycomb bones. This high density bone structure reduces theirbuoyancy to allow them to swim but ultimately makes them unable to fly.

Do:

Waddle like a penguinPenguins can walk on land however can be quite clumsy. Can you waddle like apenguin? Penguins incubate their eggs by holding them between their feet andtucking them under their plumage. Can you waddlewhile holding an egg (ball) between your feet?

If you do not know an answer to a questions, do not guess!Write the question here and work together later to find out the answer.

Californian Sea LionsHabitat: isolated beaches and rockycoastlines

What‛s it like in this habitat?Shaded areas for protection from the sun,cold waters

Look:Can you see...

Streamlinebody?

Frontflippers?

Hindflippers?

Long whiskerson face?

Nose?

Ears?

How do these adaptations help the Sea Lion survive in its habitat?

Streamline body - allows them to be agile in waterFront flippers - enables them to swim and move around on landHind flippers - used to steer when swimming and run on landLong whiskers on face - very sensitive and can detect vibrations from preyNose - has contracting muscles which seals theirs noses while under waterEars - ear flap points down to reduce amount of water getting into ear canal

Learn:

Did you know? Sea Lions can dive for up to 10 minutes and to depthsaveraging 26-98 metres, however have been known to dive to depth up to 300metres. They can reach speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour.

Do:

Sea Lion TrainerWork in pairs. One is the Sea Lion and one is trainer. Can you instruct the SeaLion to jump, raise one flipper, turn around and open their mouth using onlyactions? How will you let the Sea Lion know theyhave achieved what you asked for?

Seal or Sea LionCan you identify 3 differences between a seal and aSea Lion?

Questions:

Why don't your Sea Lions do fancy tricks?They are not here for entertainment. The behaviours shown are all things theywould do naturally in the wild, or they have been trained to do certain actions inorder for their keepers to do health checks. They have plenty of toys intheir enclosure for enrichment.

What threats do they face in the wild?Their natural predators are killer whales and large sharks. They are known tobe shot by fisherman because of them eating fishing stocks. The waste in ouroceans also harm sea lions, like plastic bags and oil spills.

If you do not know an answer to a questions, do not guess!Write the question here and work together later to find out the answer.

Sumatran TigerHabitat: lowland forest

What‛s it like in this habitat?Dense woodland, warm and humid

Look:Can you see...

Stripypattern?

Sharpteeth?

Longwhiskers?

Retractableclaws

White spotson ear?

Large cupshaped ears?

How do these adaptations help the Tiger survive in its habitat?

Stripy pattern - enables it to camouflage itself in its surroundingsSharp teeth - to kill and eat prey (carnivore)Long whiskers - used as sensors/feelers when moving through its habitatRetractable claws– used for catching prey and are retracted when walking onhard surfaces to stop them getting wornWhite spot on ears - false eyes, to scare potential predators coming up frombehindLarge cup shaped ears - to focus sounds

Learn:

Did you know? Many tigers actually enjoy swimming, and will often coolthemselves off in stream and lakes. Tigers spend most of the day sleeping,hunting mainly at night. They are solitary, spending most of their lives on theirown, only coming together to mate.

Do:

Sneak, creep, pounce!Tigers do not hunt in packs like Lions, so they need to sneak up on their prey,waiting patiently before pouncing.

Can you creep like a tiger? In pairs play a game of sneak, creep, pounce! One ofyou is the tiger and the other the prey. Try and sneak up on your prey as qui-etly as you can without your prey hearing you, whenyou are close enough POUNCE! But if your preyhears you, your out!

Questions:

Are Tigers the only striped cat?Yes - each tigers stripes are unique and individual just like our fingerprints.

How do you tell them apart?Every Tigers stripes are different and individuals can be identified by lookingat the pattern of their stripes.

If you do not know an answer to a questions, do not guess!Write the question here and work together later to find out the answer.

Brown BearHabitat: Temperate forests

What‛s it like in this habitat?Large and tall trees, cold

Look:Can you see...

Thickfur?

Long robustclaws?

Nose?

Sharpteeth?

Largelips?

Stronglegs?

How do these adaptations help the Brown Bear survive in its habitat?

Thick fur - insulates them in their cold habitatLong robust claws - used for catching fish and diggingNose - good sense of smellSharp teeth - for eating fish they have caught and huntingLarge lips - for sucking up berriesStrong legs - for running fast and climbing trees

Learn:

Did you know? Brown bears hibernate for over half the year during whichtime they do not eat, drink, urinate or defecate. They survive by preservingenergy by reducing their heart rate and body temperature and using their fatsupplies for energy. Females can even give birth during hibernation.

Do:

Sleeping BearsBears hibernate for long periods of time, slowing their heart rate and reducingtheir body temperature to conserve energy during the long winter months.Can you be a bear and hibernate?

See how long you can stay still for, if youmove you’re out! The one that hibernatesthe longest wins!

Questions:

They are so cute and cuddly, can I hug one?No! Bears are very strong and dangerous, they may look cute and cuddly butthey will hurt you.

Where are your bears at the zoo?The bears can choose which part of the enclosure to be in, so if you cannotsee them they are most likely in their off show enclosure.

If you do not know an answer to a questions, do not guess!Write the question here and work together later to find out the answer.

Ring Tailed LemurHabitat: Scrubland and forests ofMadagascar

What‛s it like in this habitat?Generally hot and dry with one rainy session

Look:Can you see...

A long stripytail?

Long backlegs?

Thick greyfur?

Large pointyears?

Long wetnose?

Human likehands?

How do these adaptations help the Lemur survive in its habitat?

A long stripy tail - follow other members of the group and for balanceLong back legs - to help jump from treesThick grey fur - to keep warm in cool weather and at nightLarge pointy ears - good hearingLong wet nose - good sense of smellHuman like hands - good grip on trees and food

Learn:

Did you know? Both males and females will scent mark their territory, but itis the females that are dominant in a group. Males will have ‘stink fights‛ inwhich they cover their tails with scent from their wrist glands and waft themaround in order to establish rank and access to females.

Do:

RingsRing Tailed Lemurs have black rings on their tails. Most Lemurs have the samenumber of rings on their tails.But how many do they have? Can you count how many rings each of our Lemurshave? Do they all have the same number of rings?(13 rings, 14 including tail tip)

Questions:

Why do lemurs sit spread out?Lemurs like to sun bathe, their white stomachs allow them to absorb the heatfrom the sun.

How many different species of Lemurs are there?101 species of Lemurs. The biggest is the Indri Lemur and the smallest is theMouse Lemur.

If you do not know an answer to a questions, do not guess!Write the question here and work together later to find out the answer.

MeerkatsHabitat: dry, open country or semi aridplains

What‛s it like in this habitat?Hot and dry

Look:Can you see...

Dark eyepatches?

Longtail?

Sharpclaws?

ShortFur?

Light browncolour?

Sensitive earsand nose?

How do these adaptations help the Meerkat survive in its habitat?

Dark eye patches - to protect its eyes from the sun, like sunglassesLong tail - for balance when standing on hind legsSharp claws - for digging burrows and looking for insectsShort fur - to keep cool in their hot habitatLight brown colour - camouflage in their sandy habitatSensitive ears and nose - to sense prey and potential predators

Learn:

Did you know? Meerkats are a type of mongoose. They live in mobs of up to50 individuals with a dominant female in charge of the group. All the offspringin the mob will be the dominant females. Individuals take turns in doing sentryduty, which is looking out for predators.

Do:

Sentry DutyMeerkats take turns on sentry duty to warm the group of predators close by.They have different calls for different predators and the group know whataction to take for what predator. Would you be a good choice for sentry duty?

Play this gameOne of you is on sentry duty, the rest are diggingfor food. Choose 3 different sounds as alarm callsfor these 3 predators - snake, jackal, eagle.E.g. Jackal - rar rar, Eagle - eeep, Snake - ssssssWhen you make the call the others in your mobneed to respond appropriately.Jackal/Eagle - sit down as quickly as you can (like Meerkats hiding in burrows)Snake - Jump up and down and hiss to scare the snake away (snakes can slitherdown burrows, its not safe down there!)

Questions:

Do they make good pets?No! They may look cute and cuddly but these animals are predators and have anasty bite. They are social animals so need to be in large family groups.

If you do not know an answer to a questions, do not guess!Write the question here and work together later to find out the answer.

Bactrian CamelHabitat: desserts and mountain regions

What‛s it like in this habitat?Hot, dry and arid, but can get very cold atnight

Look:Can you see...

Twohumps?

Widefeet?

Long eyelashes?

Thickfur?

Nose?

Themspit?

How do these adaptations help the Camel survive in its habitat?

Two humps - stores fat to be converted into energyWide feet - spread weight across the sandLong eyelashes - protects eyes from sandThick fur - thick fur in the winter when temperatures can drop to –30cNose - can close tightly to protect from sandSpit - rarely done but is used as a defensive mechanism

Learn:

Did you know? Camels can tolerate temperatures ranging from –27c to 50cand can survive without water for 10 times longer than a human. When they dofind water they can drink up to 57 litres at a time. Fat in their humps can beconverted into energy for when they cannot find food.

Do:

Spot the difference between a Bactrian Camel and Dromedary Camel

Questions:

Is water stored in their humps?No. Camels have fat stores in their humps which they use when they cannotfind food.

Why do they flick their tails?They urinate on their tails and by flicking them they spread their scent.

If you do not know an answer to a questions, do not guess!Write the question here and work together later to find out the answer.