Seasonal Activity Trail Series – Summer

FACT

Summer is here and the warm During weather gets everyone out and about! Summer the Earth’s axis tilts toward the sun, so the number of daylight For some it’s warm all hours increase and the year long, depending on where weather gets warmer. This they live- follow this trail encourages plants to start growing and animals to to find out more about which become active. live in the sea and which live in the sun! How do you think the sunfish moves? (Circle your answer) Cross the room and START By blowing bubbles 2 move further down until AT THE sEAL case By spitting out water you find the sharks at the top MIDDLE of THE IRISH ROOM By using it’s small side fins

Male gray seals are much larger than females- some males weigh three times as much as some females. Gray seals eat The rays are a a wide variety of , squid, octopus, relative of the shark and such as shrimp- family. There are many sometimes they eat a seabird or two!! rays in Irish waters, including the Thornback Ray, Blonde Ray, Sting Ray, Cuckoo Ray, The largest In the summer seals have their pups. FACT Undulate Ray, Homelyn Ray, Have a look at the seals in the display grey seals are Painted Ray, Electric Ray, case- why are the young seals white? to be found Common and (Circle your answer) living in Canadian White Skate. waters!

He’s not feeling well

He’s camouflaged 1

The Sunfish is the heaviest known FACT He got a fright bony fish in the world. It has an average adult weight of 1000kg. They are a relative of the pufferfish, Move to the left until and are usually hunted by sea lions, orcas (killer whales) and sharks. There are 14 species of shark you find the Sunfish. on display- can you finish the names of the six largest below? FACT Ba_ _ _ _g Shark The Scientific name for the Sunfish is _hre_ _er Shark Mola mola, which means There are 10 different species of shark 3 millstone- the fish got this in Irish waters, the biggest being the P_ _b_ _g_e Shark name because it is round, basking shark- so called as it likes to heavy and has rough surface, swim near the surface to catch some S_ _ G_ _ _ed Shark just like a millstone. In some sunshine. Have a look at ours hanging parts of the world it’s from the ceiling, and then look to the T_ _e called a Mola fish. opposite wall to find a case full of sharks! Le_ _s_ _le Shark Now move along to Now go to your right FACT the back of the room and find the Sea Shells Sea shells are homes to shell and find the crabs 4 fish molluscs- members Find the different sea shell of the same family below and finish the drawing! as slugs and snails. Have you ever found shells like these on the beach?

FACT

Crustaceans that live in the deep All crabs belong to the family- this sea tend to grow much large group includes crabs, lobsters, crayfish, Keyhole Limpet Common Mussel bigger than those in shallow shrimp, krill and barnacles. Most live in water- waters- this is known as “deep in the sea, rock pools, streams, rivers and sea gigantism”. Another example ponds. Some however live on land, like the wood louse. would be the giant squid- they grow 30 times bigger than shallow water squid! Scientists think the reason You’ll notice some of the crabs here are for this is that it’s an adaptation very big, but don’t worry- these are found to help the deal with the in the deep sea- you won’t see them walking enormous water pressure at the bottom of the along the beach! ocean.

Move along Have a look at the Northern Stone Crab’s front claws- one is bigger than the other- the case until why do you think that is? (Circle your answer) you find the Northern He lost it and it’s growing back

Stone crab. It was sat on by another crab Scallop Dog Whelk 5 It always looks like that Now make your way upstairs to River hogs, Now go to the right and A camel is also an even-toed ungulate and there are two species- the continue the trail- first stop is as their name make your way along the suggest, love the Dromedary or Arabian Camel (with the River Hog (beside the zebra!) water and are excellent wall until you find the one hump), and the Bactrian Camel swimmers. However young Bactrian Camel (two humps). The camel stores fat in they’re not able to hold the humps on its back for when food The river hog is a wild member of the pig family their breath for long so is scarce in the desert. They do not living in Africa. It prefers to live in a rainforests can only swim short FACT store water in their humps as some near rivers or swamps, but sometimes they can distances at a time people believe. be found in the savanna. When they are born, FACT they are brown and stripy for camouflage. When Camels they get older their hair turns orange-red. The Bactrian Camel and the Alpaca belong to are domesticated the same family, the Camelidae (pronounced wherever they are camel-id-day). When animals are in the same found- they provide milk family, they have some of the same features- The River hog has a strange shaped and meat, and are used to what features do both of these animals have ear with a long thin end- why do you carry heavy loads. They are (Circle your answers) think that is? (Circle your answer) also raced and in the past were ridden into battle, like horses. Long neck Long nose For good hearing 6 Front claws Big eyes 8

To swat flies Six legs Long trunk

To cool themselves down FACT Long eyelashes White tusks Long wings Dark colour

Six gills Short hooves Now go around Covered in hair Pointy teeth the case and find Despite Feathers the Hippopotamus. their appearance, the closest living relatives of the The Hippopotamus gets its name hippo are cetaceans- from the ancient Greek for “river whales, dolphins and horse”. They are herbivores, but are porpoises! territorial and aggressive- they have 7 been known to kill humans who swim into their territory. Nearly there! The Hippopotamus is a part of the ungulate group (same group as cow, Cross the room and sheep and deer), and known as an “even find the Porcupine toed” ungulate- why do you think that is? (Circle your answer)

They have 4 toes Porcupines are split into two groups- New World Porcupines (found in They have 3 toes America) and Old World Porcupines (found in Africa and Asia). The All their toes are the same size porcupine you see here is the Common or Crested Porcupine from Africa. They are members of the rodent family. FACT The The Porcupine is famous Catching prey 9 Common for its quills — the spines covering its body. Frightening Predators porcupine is found What do you think they across the continent frica, but is also use them for? (Circle Picking up litter of A your answer) found in Italy and Sicily!

FACT Have you ever heard Now go to your right of a “laughing hyena”? When a hyena and find the Hyena “laughs” it’s a call of (HINT: it’s in the big cats’ case) fear or excitement, and usually happens if Hyenas are found south of the Sahara the animal is being Desert in Africa. Female spotted hyenas are bigger than the male spotted hyenas, chased. and are also in charge of the pack. Predators; 10) Any of the following: Round ears, Four legs, Sharp teeth, Same shaped head, Large paws. 8) Long neck, Long eyelashes, Covered in hair, Long nose, Big eyes, Dark colour, Short hooves; 9) Frightening Six Gilled Shark, Tope, Leafscale Shark; 5) He lost it and it’s growing back; 6) To swat flies; 7) They have 4 toes; Answers: 1) He’s camouflaged; 2) By using it’s small side fins; 3) Basking Shark, Thresher Shark, Porbeagle Shark,

The Hyena is a member of the Feliformia (“cat-like” carnivores) group, which also includes cats, aardwolves and civets. Name three things that make hyenas look like cats (HINT: if you’re not sure, have a look at the other cats in the case) 10

For more information on exhibitions and education programmes, contact the Education & Outreach Department of the National Museum of Ireland: Tel: 01 677 7444. Fax: 01 661 9199 E-mail: [email protected] WELL DONE © 2012 Education & Outreach Dept, National Museum of Ireland – Natural History, Dublin. You have finished our trail Summer Sun This worksheet is printed on paper from sustainable sources.