Activity Guide for Grades

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Activity Guide for Grades 3-5 By the Zoological Society of Florida IJFGHIJKLMIJFGHIJKLMIJFGHIJ Zoological Society of Florida Mission Statement The Zoological Society of Florida is a private non-profit institution whose foremost mission is to encourage an appreciation for the world’s wildlife and to help conserve it for future generations. We educate the community by engaging them in the natural world.We enhance their knowledge of science by providing content information in the zoological sciences. In performing this mission, the ZSF partners with the Miami MetroZoo and aspires for excellence in public education, visitor services, animal science and conservation.

To The Teacher This African Safari Guide was designed by the Education Department of the Zoological Society of Florida to take your students on a safari without leaving South Florida. It is a thematic, interdisciplinary unit focusing on specific African species represented at Miami MetroZoo to help you teach your students about such concepts as adaptation, animal habitats and conservation in a fun and innovative manner.

The activities in this guide are aligned with the Florida Sunshine State Standards (SSS); please refer to the Standards for further goal descriptions and grade level expectations.We strongly encourage you to bring your students to Miami MetroZoo for a close encounter with African animals as you embark on your safari adventure.

Objectives After completing the African Safari Guide, students will have a better understanding of African habitats, its wildlife, and conservation concerns. Students will be able to: • Understand that Africa’s habitats support a diverse and abundant wildlife. • Recognize that much of the world’s most unique wildlife is from Africa. • Share their knowledge and appreciation of African wildlife with others. • Recognize that conservation is an on-going process and that our actions can make a difference.

© Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Contents Pre/Post-lesson Assessment ...... 3 Welcome to Africa ...... 4 Need for Speed ...... 6 Animal Adaptations Fun Fact Book ...... 8 Brainteaser Game ...... 8 Tracking Gorillas...... 12 Social Structure and Foraging Behaviors Gorilla Coordinates Grid ...... 15 Foraging Clue Sheet ...... 16 Tracking the Gorillas Worksheet ...... 17 Hoofin’ It ...... 18 Hoofed Herbivores To the Student ...... 20 Hoofin’ It Wheel ...... 21 Wheel Worksheet ...... 25 Watch Where You Step! ...... 26 The Truth on Poop Fact Sheet for Elephants ...... 28 Poop Puzzle ...... 29 Watch Where You Step Worksheet ...... 30 Painted Dogs ...... 31 Africa’s Dogs Story of “Eyespot”…...... 34 Critical Thinking Questions ...... 36 Crossword Puzzle ...... 37 Can You Outrun Extinction?...... 38 Cheetah Dilemma Cheetah Conservation Game ...... 42 Data Collection Sheet ...... 46 Glossary ...... 47 Answer Key ...... 48 Florida Sunshine State Standards ...... 49 References/Resources ...... 50 Acknowledgements ...... 51 Your Opinion is Important ...... 52

Name: ______Date: ______

1. Africa has which types of habitats (circle all that apply).

rivers wetlands desert savanna tropical forest

2. Animal adaptations are determined by an animal’s environment.

True False

3. Africa has one of the largest diversity of animals (i.e. Lots of different species).

True False

4. Africa is home to the largest number of herd type animals (hoofed stock).

True False

5. Identify 3 African animals.

1. ______2. ______3. ______

6. List 2 causes of extinction.

1. ______2. ______

7. Name 2 animals that are endangered in Africa.

1. ______2. ______

8. What can you do to help conserve nature? ______

______

9. The largest African animal is ______.

10. The African animal I like best is ______because ______

______.

3 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Welcome to Africa! Africa is a massive continent, spanning 12 million square miles and encompassing 40 countries, where 800 languages are spoken.The continent is renowned for its spectacular wildlife, which is both abundant and diverse.This diversity comes from the many types of terrain and climate that come together with living things to form different ecosystems. Ecosystems that are similar to one another are grouped together by type and called biomes.

In adapting to their environment,African animals seem to go to extremes; if an animal is the fastest, heaviest, or tallest of its kind, it’s probably from Africa! Take a look at the animal superlatives below.

Largest land animal: African Elephant, 13,000 lbs, 12 feet tall at shoulder Second largest: White rhino, 13 ft. 4,500 lbs Third largest: Hippopotamus, 9 ft. 3,000 lbs Largest frog: Goliath frog, 7.5 lbs, 12-inch body, 36 inches with legs extended Largest primate: Gorilla, 415 lbs Tallest animal: Giraffe, 18 feet Fastest land animal: Cheetah, 70 mph Largest bird: Ostrich, 7.5 feet tall, 345 lbs Fastest land bird: Ostrich, 45 mph Heaviest flying bird: Kori bustard, 42 lbs Largest herds: Wildebeest, 25-mile long herd contained 1 million animals Heaviest bug: Goliath beetle, .25 lb Tropical Forest What it’s like Thick, jungly vegetation. Equatorial areas are rainy year-round, but areas north and south of equator have a monsoon season that can dump 8 feet of rain in three months.Trees fill all available space up to 245 feet off the ground.The tallest trees provide lookouts and nesting platforms for predatory birds and monkeys. Below those, the canopy forms a continuous block of vegetation that absorbs nearly all the available light. Most arboreal animals live in this layer, feeding on insects, fruits, nuts, and leaves. Scattered small trees and shrubs live in the dim area underneath the canopy, called the understory.

Characteristic wildlife Monkeys share the treetops with parrots, hornbills, and many other birds. Chimpanzees and gorillas live among the trees. Shy Okapi, shaped like a horse and striped like a zebra.African forest elephants, smaller than their savanna relatives. Desert What it’s like Sparse plant cover due to low rainfall.The rain that does fall comes in scattered downpours or a short wet season, so life cycles of insects, fish, and amphibians are very short. Plants bloom and give fruit very quickly too. Most living things seem to be armed with thorns, spines, and venom.Temperatures are extreme, as bare ground bounces the sun’s heat back during the day and dry air loses warmth and becomes very chilly at night. Small animals spend much of the day underground. Many animals have light-colored skin or fur to reflect heat, and long legs to keep their bodies away from the hot ground.

4 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Characteristic wildlife Camels, antelopes like gemsbok, scimitar-horned oryx and addax. Naked mole rats. Reptiles are abundant, including cobras, sidewinders, adders, geckos, and chameleons. Rivers & Wetlands What it’s like Africa is dotted with lakes and swamps, and many rivers flow through the continent. Animals congregate anywhere water is found, including fish, frogs, small invertebrates, turtles, wading birds, water birds, and aquatic mammals. Large swamps grow deep and wide in the rainy season, shrinking down to flooded grass and then to mud as the rains die away each year.Wetlands are biologically very productive, providing massive amounts of food for the animals that live in them.

Characteristic wildlife Enormous Nile crocodiles. Even more massive hippos are plant eaters, grazing on land at night and lolling in the water to stay cool during the day. Flamingos, storks, egrets and ibis. Savanna What it’s like Huge expanses of grass with scattered trees. Seasonal rains produce lots of plant life for herbivores to live on, following dry periods when animals must migrate in search of food.Abundance of food supports the largest land animals and largest herds of animals in the world. Scattered trees provide food, shade, nesting sites, and hiding places. Many animals are fast runners, as hunting takes place out in the open and speed is necessary for predators and prey. Long necks enable birds and hoofed mammals to spot predators over the vegetation.

Characteristic wildlife Giraffes, elephants, cats like leopards, lions, and cheetahs. Painted Dogs and hyenas prey on ostriches, antelopes, zebras, monkeys, baboons, and small mammals.Any leftovers are cleaned up by scavengers, including vultures, marabou storks, and jackals.

5 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Need for Speed Summary: Students practice math skills in this activity on adaptations that focuses on how cheetahs and ostriches are built for speed in the game of survival.

Objectives 1. Students will understand what adaptations are. 2. Students will be able to name 3 adaptations for speed that animals have. 3. Students will compare the physical adaptations for speed on two different types of animals.

Background Adaptations are physical or behavioral traits animals acquire over time that increase their chances for survival in their environment. Physical traits consist of body structure and function, for example, the cheetahs’ spotted coat and lean body; behavioral traits are things animals do, such as being diurnal or making sounds and movements to protect their territory.These traits are passed along through generations and remain within the species for as long as it serves its purpose.The spots on the leopard did not appear suddenly.Their spot pattern had evolved through successive generations of leopards physically adapting to their environment.

The environment determines which adaptations will be retained by animal species. Carnivorous animals need to be well equipped for hunting their prey in their particular habitat.Adaptations for carnivorous animals may include camouflage, keen eyesight and strong sense of smell, sharp teeth, powerful claws, and speed. Prey animals may rely on camouflage, acute sense of smell and hearing, clawed feet for digging or climbing, and speed, among others.

Other examples of adaptations include sharp claws in bears for digging for roots and herbs, in felines for catching prey, and in raptors such as eagles and hawks for killing and catching their prey. Body coverings such as fur, feathers and scales protect and insulate, while their patterns and coloration serve as camouflage and mating display.The macaw’s colored feathers blend with rain forest leaves and flowers, the jaguar’s spots make it almost invisible among the small patches of light in the rain forest floor, and the tiger’s stripes help it blend in the tall grass. For prey animals, camouflage means protection, for predators, it means more chances to sneak up on prey.

Speed is an important adaptation for land animals dwelling on open habitats such as grasslands and deserts.There are not many places for such animals to hide, however, open habitats such as the African savannas provide animals with the space needed for running fast. Open area animals may also defend themselves by fighting back (ostrich – kick, and porcupine - quills), by camouflaging (meerkat and camel), by digging (aardvark) or by using holes abandoned by other animals (porcupines and birds). Living in herds also increases the chances of survival of animals such as zebras, giraffes, antelopes, and others. In a herd, while some animals are feeding, others are on the lookout for danger. Besides speed, open habitat predator adaptations include venom (snakes) and group hunting behavior (lions, spotted hyenas, and painted dogs).

6 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Cheetah Adaptations for Speed The fastest animals on land, cheetahs have been known to reach speeds of 70 miles per hour but speeds of about 62 mph over short distances are more common. It usually chases its prey at only about half that speed, however. Its speed allows it to hunt and escape from danger.

A cheetah’s adaptations for speed include a very light skeleton with not a lot of muscles, allowing it to run fast, as the heavier you are the slower you run.A small head and ears reduces air friction and that increases speed.

A lion, weighs an average of 380 pounds and can run up to 50 miles per hour.A cheetah weighs 120 pounds in average, and can run up to 70 miles per hour. Its body is thin and streamlined, the leg bones are longer than other cats, and it can run on the tip of its toes, making its steps longer.

The cheetah’s spine is more flexible than in other cats; this allows the cat to stretch and band its body out while running, increasing the size of the steps. All these adaptations give cheetahs a stride of about 26 feet when running at full speed.The cheetah’s long, heavy, and narrow tail helps it balance and steer when changing directions.

The feet have longitudinal grooves on the pads as well as semi-retractable claws (they cannot be completely pulled into the paw). This gives the cheetah better traction when running.

Cheetahs also have a very large heart and lungs to make sure that enough oxygen is sent to the muscles through the blood. Oxygen is the “fuel” that generates energy for the cheetahs to run that fast. Ostrich Adaptations for Speed Differently from most birds, which have 3 or 4 toes, ostriches have only 2 toes.That helps them to run fast, since they have less foot area to come in contact with the ground.The larger toe has a 4-inch claw that can be used for defense; their kick is powerful enough to kill a lion.

However, when kicking does not seem to be the best defense strategy, these flightless birds are able to run up to 45 miles an hour, maintaining this speed for about 30 minutes. Each stride can be 10 to 16 feet long.

These birds do use their wings, though, to help them balance when they run, for courtship display, and to show dominance or submission within its group. Ostriches are the largest and heaviest of the living birds.

Their average height is 7 feet tall, and their average weight is 240 pounds. Large ostriches may be 7.5 feet tall and weigh 345 pounds.The open grasslands habitat allows the flightless ostrich to easily escape from danger by running away.

Materials • Copies of Fun Fact Cards - one per student • Glue sticks • Hole punchers • Scissors • Pipe cleaners • Crayons, colored pencils or markers • Construction paper: minimum of 6 sheets per student

Procedures 1. Ask your students what they know and what they want to find out about animal adaptations and specifically adaptations for speed.

2. Discuss the concept of animal adaptations with your students.Ask them what animal body parts and coverings are helpful for animals in their particular environments.

3. Pass out construction paper, crayons, glue sticks, piper cleaners, scissors and hole punchers to your students. Have the children cut the construction paper in half.Then give each child a Fun Fact Cards sheet.

4. Students will cut the Cards apart and then glue one card to each half sheet of construction paper.

5. Children may then illustrate each page using crayons, colored pencils or markers.They may also deco- rate their Fun Fact Books with sequins or glitter (optional).

6. Have children punch two holes on the left side of each of their papers. Put all the sheets together and put the pipe cleaners through the holes to hold the pages together.

7. Review with the class how each adaptation is important to the animal.

8. Play the Brainteaser Game.

Brainteaser Game (Activity 2)

Materials • Copies of Brainteaser Game Cards – one per each student • 15 envelopes (to hold Game Cards) • Scotch tape • Marker

8 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Game Introduction This game consists of a series of questions about animal adaptations.The categories are: Adaptations, Ostriches, Cheetahs, Speed Math 1, and Speed Math 2. It is based on the Jeopardy game. Your students, sitting in small groups, will answer questions as a team, and will be awarded points when giving correct answers.

Playing the Need for Speed Brainteaser will give your students a chance to practice their math skills, and use the information they learned while making their Fun Fact Book.This will help them retain the information, as well as having a fun time playing it!

Procedures 1. Copy and cut apart the Brainteaser Cards.Write on the envelopes the name of the category and the number of points the card is worth. Place the appropriate card in the envelopes as indicated.

2. Tape the envelopes to a wall by category (a vertical row for each category) and in order of a point value (from least to greater).

3. Divide the class into 5 groups. Explain to your students that each group will have a chance to answer questions, and that they will have 2 minutes (or whatever amount of time you have specified) to discuss and find a common answer as a group. Each group should choose one member to be their spokesperson to announce their answer.

4. Number the groups clockwise and ask the first group to choose a category. (The least amount of a point category must be chosen before higher point values in the same category can be chosen.) Take the card out of the envelope, read it to the group that chose it, and give the group time to come up with an answer. Note: If a group is not able to answer a question, or if they do not have an answer at the end of time allowed, they are not awarded points, and will have to wait their turn for another try.

5. The unanswered question goes back into the envelope and any of the groups can choose it later. A group giving an incorrect answer, or giving no answer to a question, neither gains nor loses previously acquired points. (If you do not get a correct answer for one or more questions until the end of the game, you can have your students do research on them later.)

6. After a group answers a question correctly, record the number of points earned for each group. Then it is the next group’s chance to choose a question category.

7. Continue with each group, clockwise, until all questions are answered.

8. Tally up the points and see which group has the most points.

Follow Up >Review with the students which categories they thought were the best, the hardest, the most fun, etc.

>Choose 1-2 local animals and have your students name their adaptations for survival.

>Discuss with your students how South Florida wildlife differs from Africa and how it is similar (adapted to its habitat, what it eats).

Ostriches can run away from danger with Cheetah adaptations for speed include a small speeds of up to 45 miles an hour. head, a flexible spine, and a long heavy tail.

The ostrich can keep a speed of 45 miles per Cheetah adaptations for speed include hour for about 30 minutes. Each stride enlarged heart, lungs and nostrils, and (footstep) can be 10-16 feet long. semi-retractable claws.

Unlike most birds, which have 3 or 4 toes, Fastest animal on land, cheetahs can reach ostriches have 2 toes.That helps them to run speeds of over 62 miles an hour over short fast, since they have less foot area to come in distances. However, it usually chases its prey contact to the ground. at about half of that speed.

Animals living in open habitats such as grasslands and deserts have less chance to hide. For this The cheetah’s speed allows it to hunt reason, they are often adapted for speed as and escape from danger. a defense strategy, or for chasing prey.

Animal adaptations are physical traits (what their bodies look like) or behavior traits Lions and hyenas may attack cheetahs, since (what they do) that help animals to survive they hunt for similar prey, such as gazelles, in their environment. impalas, and wildebeest calves.

Animals living in open habitats such as grasslands An ostrich’s average height is 7 feet tall and deserts have less chance to hide. For this and weighs about 240 pounds. reason, they are often adapted for speed as a defense strategy, or for chasing prey.

Category 3 Category 1 Category 2 Adaptations Ostriches Cheetahs (20 points) (20 points) (20 points) Question: How fast can a Question: How fast can an Question: What do you call traits cheetah run? acquired by animals over time that ostrich run? Answer: They can run up to help them survive? Answer: An ostrich can run up to 70 miles per hour. Average speed 45 miles per hour. Answer: Animal adaptations. is 62 mph.

Category 5 Category 4 Speed Math 2 Category 1 Speed Math 1 (20 points) Adaptations (20 points) Question: A pronghorn antelope can (30 points) Question: Ostriches can run up run at speeds up to 40 mph. If they Question: In what type of terrestrial to 45 miles per hour. How many miles kept that speed for a long time, habitat can we find many animals would they cover in half an hour? how long it would take for them adapted for running fast? Answer: They would cover 22.5 miles. to cover 100 miles? Answer: In open habitats, such (45/2=22.5) Answer: It would take 2.5 hours. as grasslands, savanna. (100/40=2.5)

Category 4 Category 3 Speed Math 1 Category 2 Cheetahs (30 points) Ostriches (30 points) Question: Each stride of a running (30 points) cheetah covers about 26 feet. How Question: How does speed help Question: For how long can ostriches many feet would a running cheetah cheetahs to survive? run at 45 miles per hour? cover after 12 strides? Answer: Speed allows cheetahs to Answer: For about 30 minutes. Answer: A running cheetah would hunt and escape from danger. cover 312 feet after 12 strides. (26*12=312)

Category 5 Speed Math 2 Category 1 Category 2 (30 points) Adaptations Ostriches Question: The peregrine falcon usually (40 points) (40 points) catches its prey diving in midair at speeds Question: How do adaptations for Question: What feature helps the of up to 145 mph. One mile equals 5,280 feet. speed help animals live longer? ostrich to run fast, as they have less How many feet per hour could the peregrine Answer: These animals can more foot area to touch the ground? falcon reach in its diving? easily run away from danger, or Answer: Ostriches have 2 toes, as Answer: It reaches 765,600ft. chase their prey. opposed to 3 or 4 in other birds. (145*5,280=765,000)

Category 5 Category 3 Category 4 Cheetahs Speed Math 1 Speed Math 2 (40 points) (40 points) (40 points) Question: The black mamba snake can Question: Give three examples of Question: A cheetah runs 62 mph. reach about 12 mph in short bursts. If speed adaptations in cheetahs. An ostrich runs 45 mph. If both could a rabbit were able to run 1 mile faster than maintain this speed for a long time, Answer: Any 3 of the following: the snake it would be 3 times faster how far from each other would enlarged heart, lungs and nostrils; than the black mamba. How fast can they be after 2 hours? claws that don’t retract all the way; a rabbit run? a small head, flexible spine, Answer: They would be 34 miles away from Answer: Rabbits can run 35 mph. and a long heavy tail. each other. ((62*2) – (45*2))=34 ((12*3)-1=35)

Objectives 1. Students will able to describe a gorilla’s social structure. 2. Students will learn about a gorilla’s home range. 3. Students will plot the daily movements of a gorilla family group.

Background Gorillas have a well-developed social structure. Most gorillas live in family groups, which generally includes a silverback male adult (can weigh 300-500lbs.), several unrelated females (can weigh 150-250lbs.), sub-adults, juveniles and infants.They play, sleep, eat, and travel within this structured family group. Gorillas live in groups of three to thirty individuals. Among western lowland gorillas, family groups are frequently small.They vary from five individuals to usually no more than ten. Only adult males may stay solitary for some time.

Western lowland gorillas, especially young males and all aged females (5 years +), have a distinct reddish tinge to the hair color on top of their heads.They also have a brownish-grey coat with a red or auburn chest. Adult males who have acquired a silvery white saddle of maturity are called silverbacks.They also have a prominent sagittal crest, an elevated bony ridge that develops along the sagittal suture of the skull.The silverback is at the center of the social structure. He not only protects the young from predators, but also regulates what time the group wakes up, eats, and goes to sleep.

Gorillas do not defend a territory but remain in home ranges, the area of habitat regularly used by the group throughout the year. Even though the home ranges of neighboring groups overlap, the groups tend to avoid each other.The silverbacks are able to mutually evade other groups by making frequent calls. On rare occasions of encounters, the dominant males display chest beating, charging, and plant beating.The average distance traveled per day (day range) is .687 mi (1105 m) and their home range is over 2.70 to 5.41 mi2 (7 to 14 km2).

Western lowland gorillas primarily forage or feed on fruits, shoots, bulbs, stems, flowers, vines, bark and leaves. Occasionally they eat termites, ants, grubs, worms and insect larvae.A silverback can eat up to 7 lbs (3 kg) of vegetation a day.

Nearly all female gorillas leave their natal (birth) group at maturity to join other groups or single males. Female gorillas are extremely choosy when it comes to males.They usually transfer to a new group several times before they settle down with a certain silverback male. Like females, many males also leave their natal group when they reach puberty.They may first travel alone (lone males) or with other males— (bachelor groups).This is usually a short-term occurrence until the males acquire females from other groups and form their own one-male groups (or harems).

Gorillas are diurnal.They are most active in the morning.They wake up just after sunrise to search for food and then they eat for several hours. During midday, adults usually nap while the young play.After their midday nap, they search for food again. Before dusk, when the silverback decides to settle in for the evening, each gorilla builds in a new nest for the night. Each gorilla makes its own sleeping nest by bending branches and leaves into a springy platform.

12 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Gorillas live between 30 and 40 years in the wild and up to 50 years in captivity. Here at Miami MetroZoo we have a family group of five, which are part of a Species Survival Plan breeding management program. Our current family group consists of a silverback male (in his 20’s), two unrelated adult females (one in her 30’s and the other is in her 40’s), and two juveniles (both under 10 years old). Gorilla Group Social Structure Silverback: a mature male gorilla with silver-colored hair covering the back, which occurs when he’s about 10-12 years old. Sub-adult: gorillas between the approximate ages of 8-12 years old. Juvenile: young gorillas between the approximate ages of 4-7 years old. Infant: baby gorillas from birth to 3 years old. Other Gorilla Social Structures One male group or harem: group consisting of one adult male and multi-females. Lone males: males that have become solitary after they have reached adulthood. Bachelor group: a group of adult male gorillas that will stay together for several months or longer.

Materials • Copies of the Gorilla Coordinates Grid – one per student or pair of students • Copies of the Foraging Clue Sheet – one per student or pair of students • Copies of the Tracking the Gorillas Worksheet – one per student or pair of students • Crayons and pencils

Procedure 1. Make copies of the Gorilla Coordinates Grid, Foraging Clue Sheet and Tracking the Gorillas Worksheet (enough copies so that each student or student pair has their own set of materials).

2. Introduce the activity by discussing what a social structure is and then have a few students describe to the class their own family structure. Students should be aware that not everyone shares the same type of social structure. Use their responses to introduce the gorilla social structure.

3. Lead a discussion as to how we may be similar (i.e., set of parents, siblings, aunts, etc.) or different (i.e., single-parent, no siblings, etc.) from a gorilla-structured group. Note: Special sensitivity may be needed here since some students may come from a single parent, grandparent- raised, or other type of household.

4. Ask the students how often and where they go with their families either on weekdays or weekends. Inquire as to how far they travel locally away from home on a typical day (i.e., supermarket, shopping mall, beach, etc.) Use their responses to introduce the term home range. Explain to students that a home range is the area of habitat regularly used by an animal throughout an entire year.Ask students if they think that the home range of gorillas is similar to their own home range?

5. Let students know that they will be tracking the movements of a gorilla family group and recording it on a grid. The Gorilla Coordinates Grid is a habitat map with symbols used as landmarks.

13 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. 6. Pass out the Gorilla Coordinates Grid, Foraging Clue Sheet and Tracking the Gorillas Worksheet to the students. Be sure students either have different colored crayons or pencils at their desks. Students will use the Key on the Grid, which identifies the given symbols and an orientation compass, to help them plot the correct direction of the gorilla group by following the information on the Clue Sheet.

7. Have students read the Clue Sheet to plot the daily movement of the gorilla family group on their Grid. Using a different colored crayon or using the pattern as shown in the Key for each day the students should mark each days gorilla movement on their Grid.

8. Once the students have plotted the gorilla’s movements on their Gorilla Coordinates Grid, have the students complete the Tracking the Gorillas Worksheet by referring to the Grid.

9. After all the students are done with both activities; review the answers with the class. (Answer key is on page 48.)

Follow Up > Discuss what the students learned about gorilla foraging behavior by doing this activity.

> Have your students list all the foods they eat in a day.What foods are the same every day, what foods are different?

>Visit the gorilla family at Miami MetroZoo. Identify the members of the group: the silverback, the adult females, and the youngsters. Observe their behavior and pay close attention to interactions between the group members.

7 z z z

z 5 z z

4 R I V E R 3

2 z z z

START 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Key

Day 1 nest stem termites

Day 2 ooooooo midday rest z z z bulb ants

Day 3 ...... fruit flower grubs

Day 4 v v v v v v leaf vine root

pith bark

15 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Foraging Clue Sheet Directions: Use the information below to track the gorilla family group movements on the Gorilla Coordinates Grid Activity. Read each day individually and use the Key given underneath the Gorilla Coordinates Grid to help you identify the symbols used on the Grid. Plot the daily movements by using a specific pattern from the Key, for each particular day or with different colored crayons. Use the orientation compass to help you find the correct direction of the gorilla family group. Day 1: • The gorilla group wakes up and the silverback leads the group to their first feeding site. • They find some fruit near a log and stay there for a few hours eating. • The group moves on to find a spot to take a rest. They travel north just pass the river and take a midday rest. • The group travels east to another feeding site, where they stop to eat piths and stems. • They walk near the river and each gorilla makes its own sleeping nest by bending branches and leaves into a springy platform. Day 2: • It’s another day for our gorilla family group.The group travels in a northwest direction to a fruit site, where all of them enjoy some ripe fruit. • After everyone finishes eating, the group travels to a resting site.They find a cozy area northeast of the fruit site.The family group relaxes for their midday rest. • After their rest, the gorillas continue to travel east searching for more food and find a termite mound. The silverback is the first to eat the termites and the rest of the group joins in the feast. • They continue to travel looking for some fruit.They find fruit by traveling southeast of the termite mound. • As they travel southwest, the group stops to eat some leaves. •Once their tummies are full, the gorilla group continues their southwest trail and find a new nesting site for the night. Day 3: • The group is ready to forage for some morning food. • The gorillas travel in a northwest direction, where they stop to eat vines. • The family group continues to forage by traveling in a southwest direction, where they first stop to eat bulbs and then flowers. • After, the group travels west and settle down for their midday rest. •Once they have relaxed, they are ready to move on.They travel north pass the river.The gorillas stop to eat roots and then continue to travel. • The group finds some fruit east of two tall trees.They are ready to settle down for the night.They travel northeast and make a new sleeping nest.

Day 4: • It is morning once again, and the gorillas are ready to forage. • The family group travels east of their nest site and find bark and grubs to eat. • Then the group continues to travel east, where they stop to eat fruits. • They travel slightly northeast.Their midday rest follows near a single tree. •Once the gorillas are ready to go again, they travel west to find their afternoon food.The family group encounters an ant colony and stop to eat some ants. •Once their tummies are full, the silverback and the rest of the group travel in a slight northwest direction, where they make their nests. 16 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Tracking the Gorillas Worksheet Name: Directions: Using your completed Gorilla Coordinates Grid, track the daily movements of a gorilla family group by finding the correct coordinates.

1. What are the coordinates of the gorillas taking a midday rest on day 2? (___, ____)

2. What is the group doing on coordinates (9, 9) ______on day ____?

3. What are the coordinates of the group’s first morning feeding on day 3? (____, _____)

4. What is the group doing on coordinates (4, 5) ______on day ____?

5. What are the coordinates of the gorillas making a nest on day 1? (____, _____)

6. What is the group doing on coordinates (6, 8) ______on day ____?

7. What are the coordinates of the group feeding during the afternoon hours on day 4? (_____, ______)

8. What is the group doing on coordinates (5, 6) ______on day ____?

9. What are the coordinates of the group visiting the termite mound? (_____, _____)

10. What is the group doing on coordinates (7, 4) ______on day_____?

17 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Hoofin’ It Summary: Students construct a fact wheel of selected species of hoofed animals detailing their identifying traits, conservation status, and family relationships.

Objectives 1. Students will discover that not all hoofed animals are the same. 2. Students will understand that the diversity of hoofed animals is due to their adaptations to their environment. 3. Students will be able to name 3 species of ungulates (hoofed animals).

Background Africa is home to the largest collection of hoofed animals in the world. Dozens of species of antelopes and gazelles share the plains with zebras, giraffes, wild donkeys, and rhinos. Hoofed animals also live in the rainforests, deserts and even wetlands.Their bodies and behaviors are extremely diverse, as each species is adapted to a specific habitat.

Scientists refer to hoofed animals as ungulates.They are divided into two broad groups: those with even-numbered toes and those with odd-numbered toes.There are many more divisions within each group, but for our purposes we will only name a few groups:

EVEN-TOED

Family: Bovidae: cows and relatives, Giraffidae: giraffes and includes antelopes and gazelles okapi

Defining characteristics Unbranched horns with bone Long neck, front legs longer and special features: core and keratin sheath, than hind legs, small horns cloven hooves. covered by skin.

ODD-TOED

Family: Rhinocerotidae: Equidae: horses and relatives, rhinoceroses includes zebras and donkeys

Defining characteristics Nose horn made of keratin; Single toe forms rounded hoof, and special features: thick, armor like skin, very mane along neck, many easily large size. domesticated by humans.

Materials • Copies of Hoofin’ It Wheels (4 pieces) – one set for each student • Copies of To the Student instructions – one per student • Copies of The Wheel Worksheet – one per student • Scissors • Paper fasteners • Glue sticks • Hoofed animal photos from the internet or magazines (optional)

18 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Procedure Students will construct a Hoofin’ It Fact Wheel, which they can use to identify hoofed animals and learn some of their basic characteristics. Each animal’s name, appearance, footprint, and conservation status is represented on the Wheel.

1. Pass out the copies of the four wheels for each student, and the To the Student instructions.

2. Hand out materials needed to construct the Wheel, scissors, paper fasteners and glue sticks and have the students make the Wheel.

3. Distribute The Wheel Worksheet to the students and have them use their Wheels to answer the questions individually; or you can read the questions to the students and ask for their answers verbally. Students will learn to use their Hoofin’ It Wheel by answering the questions on the worksheet about the animals’ characteristics, classification, and conservation status.

Follow Up

> After making the Hoofin’ It Wheel, students can use it in a variety of ways.This fun identification activity can be used at school, in a field or other outdoor area. On a visit to Miami MetroZoo, students can identify the Zoo’s hoofed animals by consulting the Wheel.

> Have half of your students represent hoofed animals and the rest of the students are wildlife biologists given the task of observing and identifying the animals.

1. Print or cut out images of hoofed animals that are featured on the Hoofin’ It Wheel from the Internet or magazines.

2. Divide your class into two groups. Choose students to represent the animals and pin the pictures to their shirts.

3. The remainder of the students will be wildlife biologists who must observe and identify the animals.

4. Take everyone outdoors and seat the biologist group at strategic lookout points. Instruct the ‘animals’ to wander the area and the biologists to identify the animals.

5. Once they have identified each animal (i.e., Chris is a kudu,Terry is a zebra, and so on,) have them write their answers in their notebooks and compare their results in the classroom.

19 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. To the Student Instructions on How to Make the Hoofin’ It Wheel 1. Cut out each of the four wheels around the outer edge and glue the two large wheels together, back-to-back.

2. Pierce small holes in the centers of all wheels.

3. Attach Small Wheel 1 (animal illustrations) to Large Wheel 1 (side with the name of animal with family); attach Small Wheel 2 (hoof prints with numbers) to Large Wheel 2 (name of animal with numbers) with paper fastener.

4. Be sure the wheels can turn easily.

How to Use the Wheel: Side One teaches how to identify hoofed animals by their appearance.

To use Side One: read the description on the larger wheel, and turn the smaller wheel until you find the picture that best fits the description.

Side Two illustrates which animals are in the even-toed and odd-toed group. Their conservation status is also represented on side two.

To use Side Two: match the numbers on the large wheel and small wheel to match up details and footprints for each species.

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1. How many animals are members of the cow family?

2. Which animal’s name is Swahili for 13?

3. How many animals are endangered?

4. Why do sable antelopes rest back-to-back with each other?

5. What does a gemsbok use its horns for?

6. How do addaxes find water?

7. How does a baby okapi keep from getting lost?

8. Hoofed animals are divided into two groups, based on the number of toes they have:

a. How many animals from the wheel are in the even-toed group?

b. How many are in the odd-toed group?

25 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Watch Where You Step! Summary: By solving a word puzzle, students will realize that the solid waste of an animal can lead scientists to clues about its diet, behavior and other characteristics.

Objectives 1. Students will realize that you can tell a lot about an animal by its feces. 2. Students will understand that herbivores usually consume more food than carnivores. 3. Students will be able to describe what information is available by examining scat.

Background There are a lot of words used for feces: poop, dung, scat and other not so nice words. Dung is often used for larger animals and scat is often used for wild animals. Why is scat so important?

Researchers, field biologists, veterinarians and others use scat to determine many things about an animal when they are not able to examine the animal itself. They find a lot of useful information in scat such as, the sex of an animal, the age, if it is ready to be bred, if it is pregnant, what the animal has been eating and various diseases or health problems the animal may be having.This is scatology – the study of fecal excrement, and if you study scat you are referred to as a scatologist – one who studies fecal excrement. African Elephants Herbivores are animals that only eat plants. Elephants and rhinoceros are two very large herbivores that need to eat a large amount of food because they cannot digest everything they eat. This leads to a very large amount of SCAT or dung!

Herbivores generally eat larger amounts of food compared to carnivores, as the plant material they eat is not high in energy content. Elephants for example will eat huge amounts of food because they cannot digest cellulose, the main component of plants therefore they will eat about 5% of their body weight in the 16 hours they spend foraging for food. An African elephant can weigh 8,800 to 15,500 pounds (although the average is around 10-13,000 pounds) that means they can eat 440 to 775 pounds of food per day. Because of the large amount of food eaten each day it is important that elephants eat a variety of things.

Elephants may vary their diet with over 50 different plant varieties. Elephants also eat different parts of plants including leaves, shoots, buds, twigs, branches, fruit, grass, roots and tubers. But amazingly with all the food they eat they only digest about 40% of what they consume. So, where does the rest go? It becomes scat or dung of course. Elephant poop contains a lot of different plant material because not much of what they eat is broken down in their digestive system. The ending result is poop full of seeds and other vegetation. But the story does not end there; dung beetles and birds utilize the dung piles by using the undigested elephant food as food of their own. Black Rhinoceros The black rhino is also an herbivore. They eat leaves, twigs, branches and grasses. The black rhino has a prehensile lip that allows it to eat the leaves and twigs off of larger branches, unlike the white rhino, also from Africa who lacks the prehensile lip. Black rhinos defecate in large piles called lavatories; these huge piles are used as calling cards to give information on sexual receptivity, sex, age and territory. These rhinos will scrape their feet in the dung piles and track the scent throughout the area. 26 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Materials • Copies of the Fact Sheet for Elephants – one for each student or pair of students • Copies of the Poop Puzzle – one for each student or pair of students • Copies of the Watch Where You Step! Worksheet – one for each student or pair of students • Pencils

Procedure 1. Discuss with your students what feces, dung or poop is; that it is the rejected and undigested part of food. Remind them that this is a normal part of life and digestion.

2. How much do your students think they eat in a day?

3. With your students go over the Fact Sheet for Elephants.

4. Distribute the Poop Puzzle and have them become scatologists by solving the word problems using their math skills. Students start with the upper left corner question.There are two possible answers for every question. Under each answer is another question. Figuring out the word problem will lead you to another box with answers.The right answers will lead you to becoming a scatologist. Incorrect answers will lead to dead ends and the students will have to go back and try again to find the right answer.

5. After completing the Puzzle, review their path to becoming a scatologist.What did they learn about diets, digestion that they didn’t know before?

6. Pass out the Watch Where You Step Worksheet, and have your students complete it.

Follow Up > Have your students record what they eat every day for a week. How much of their diet was plant material? How many different types of food did they consume?

> Look for scat in your schoolyard.What can you tell about the animal that pooped? Was it loose or solid, buried or out in the open.What type of animal do you think left it there? (Goose poop has a lot of plant material in it, flying birds have loose poop).

> Review why studying scat is important, especially when the animal itself is not available for examination.

> Why do your students think veterinarians check out stool samples of domestic pets?

27 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Fact Sheet for Elephants Elephants • Elephants are herbivores • An African Elephant can weigh 8,800 to 15,500 pounds (although the average is around 10-13,000 pounds)

• Elephants eat huge amounts of food

• They eat about 5% of their body weight everyday

• They may spend 16 hours a day foraging for food

• Elephants can eat 440 to 775 pounds of food per day

• They may vary their diet with over 50 different plant varieties

• Elephants also eat different parts of plants including leaves, shoots, buds, twigs, branches, fruit, grass, roots and tubers

• They only digest about 40% of what they consume

Elephant Poop • Elephant poop contains a lot of different plant material because not much of what they eat is broken down in their digestive system

• Their poop is full of seeds and other vegetation

• Dung beetles and birds use the undigested elephant food as food of their own

• Elephants drop dung balls that weigh about 4-6 pounds

• They can drop over 100 dung balls a day!

• Elephants drop about 400-600 pounds of poop a day, enough to fill up your car trunk!

there are 20 are there poop pile? 2 elephants of scat have? of scat have? pile of scat weigh if pile of scat weigh weighs 900 lbs and weighs dung balls in the pile? elephants made the If the dung balls weigh If the dung balls weigh piles of scat, how many how piles of scat, If a pile of elephant scat 10 lbs, how much does a much how 10 lbs, dung balls, how many dung many how dung balls, balls does a 400 pound pile elephants make 450 pound elephants make Elephants can drop 4 pound Elephants can drop an honorary scatologist! Congratulations, you are you Congratulations,

poop pile? scat have? scat have? 80 pounds 2,000 pounds 500 pound pile of weighs 1000 lbs and weighs elephants made the Elephants can drop Elephants can drop If the elephant digests If the dung balls weigh If the dung balls weigh piles of scat, how many how piles of scat, If a pile of elephant scat many dung balls does a many does the elephant poop? 80 lbs and the rest turns 80 lbs and the rest into scat, how much scat much how into scat, of scat weigh if there are if there of scat weigh 5 pound dung balls, how 5 pound dung balls, elephants make 200 pound elephants make 180 dung balls in the pile? 5 lbs, how much does a pile much how 5 lbs,

200 pounds of scat have? of scat have? balls in the pile? much does it digest? much of what they eat. If the eat. of what they into scat, how much scat much how into scat, does the elephant poop? 200 lbs and the rest turns 200 lbs and the rest elephant eats 200 lbs, how elephant eats 200 lbs, dung balls, how many dung many how dung balls, If the same elephant digests Elephants digest about 40% balls does a 300 pound pile Elephants can drop 5 pound Elephants can drop weigh if there are 300 dung are if there weigh how much does a pile of scat much how If the dung balls weigh 4 lbs, 4 lbs, If the dung balls weigh

START he eat? 625 balls 1,500 balls pounds 36 of scat have? of scat have? 500 pounds 200 pounds 100 pounds 200 balls 125 pounds 300 pounds 60 balls 900 pounds does it digest? If an elephant weighs If the dung balls weigh food, it digests 40% of food, of scat weigh if there are if there of scat weigh 300 dung balls in the pile? of his body weight a day, a day, of his body weight 10,000 lbs and he eats 5% 3 lbs, how much does a pile much how 3 lbs, balls does a 125 pound pile dung balls, how many poop many how dung balls, how many lbs of food does lbs of food many how Elephants can drop 5 pound Elephants can drop An elephant eats 500 lbs of that. How many lbs of food many How that.

29 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Watch Where You Step! Worksheet Name: Fill in the answers to the questions. Under certain letters there are numbers. Copy those letters to fill in the missing words in the last statement.

1. What is wild animal poop called? ______4

2. The largest living land mammal. ______6 3 7

3. Animals that eat only plants. ______9

4. Someone who studies scat. ______2

5. This animal feeds on elephant poop. ______8

6. The study of scat. ______1

7. What is a common name for scat? ______5

In ______, people use elephant poop to make ______! 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

30 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Painted Dogs Summary: Based on the true-life story of a Painted Dog, students will become familiar with the daily struggle of survival in the wild.

Objectives 1. Students will be able to describe the natural and human causal factors in the Painted Dog survival rates. 2. Students will understand the impact that the loss of one dog can have on the survival of an entire pack. 3. Students will realize that each one of us can affect the future of the Painted Dogs.

Background

Painted Dogs are also known as African Hunting Dogs, Cape Hunting Dogs, or Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) and are one of Africa’s most endangered predators.They are very social animals and are one of few mammals that care for their old, sick, and disabled.They weigh between 44-60 lbs (20-27kg) with no variation between the males or females.

They live in packs (a group or gang of animals) of two to thirty, but usually average seven to eight adults in a pack and their young.The minimum number of dogs in a pack which can successfully hunt and breed is six dogs.There is an alpha or dominant female and an alpha or dominant male in each pack.

There is one breeding pair, and the rest of the pack helps raise the annual litter.When a dominant female becomes pregnant, she selects an abandoned den (usually a preexisting hole). After a gestation period of 70-73 days, the female will give birth having two to nineteen pups, but a typical litter size is from seven to ten.The mother stays in the den and the rest of the pack feeds her regurgitated meat. By three months old, they start to roam with the pack and at about 14 months, the pups are able to fend for themselves.

As part of their life cycle, all females in a litter disperse (break up and scatter) from the pack together between 14 and 30 months of age in order to form their own breeding packs. Some of the males also disperse as a group and others stay in their natal pack for life (about 10 years).A new pack forms when a group of sisters from one pack and a group of brothers from another pack meet.

Since Painted Dogs are cooperative hunters, they are able to chase, intercept and seize tiring prey much larger than themselves.They hunt grazing animals such as zebras, gazelles, springboks, and wildebeest, which would be inaccessible to them if they hunted alone.They rely on each other to survive. If even a single dog is killed, it can have a tremendous impact on the survival of an entire pack.This is because if other pack members are injured or killed, it may be up to one dog to hunt and provide food to feed the rest of the pack. If this single dog fails to hunt or is killed, there may be no food for those pack members waiting to be fed, usually the dominant female and her pups.

The Painted Dog population in the wild has decreased dramatically due to habitat loss, competition with larger carnivores, poaching, introduced diseases, and other factors.They are now extinct in most western and central African countries.They are presently found in eastern and southern African countries.The lack of habitat causes them to leave what is left of wilderness in search of food and venture into human populated areas.

31 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. In Zimbabwe (Southern Africa), road kills and poaching by people in communities in close proximity to the dog populations are two of the greatest threats.Automobiles run over dogs as they cut through areas where they used to roam freely. People also confuse Painted Dogs with feral, domestic dogs and shoot them on sight. Other people, such as livestock owners, are scared of them and kill the Painted Dogs with guns, snares (traps, often consisting of a noose, are set specifically to catch Painted Dogs and may cause a very high mortality rate within individual packs) and poisons.There are also people who use parts of Painted Dogs for ritual and medicinal purposes.The human population has also brought the Painted Dogs in contact with domestic dogs, many of which carry distemper and rabies.

The Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) project in Zimbabwe works to protect the Painted Dog population in Hwange National Park.They are working for long-term solutions to the problems threatening this species. Sometimes people abuse their natural resources in order to survive.The PDC believes that education, intervention, rehabilitation and anti-poaching patrols are of extreme importance in saving an endangered species.

For more information on the Painted Dog Conservation project and their conservation education programs, please visit www.painteddog.org.

Note: Some information, excerpt of “ Eyespot”, and pictures have been used with permission from the Painted Dog Conservation.

• Copies of “Eyespot the Painted Dog” excerpt - one for each pair of two students • Copies of the Painted Dog Critical Thinking Worksheet - one for each pair of two students • Copies of the Painted Dog Crossword Puzzle - one for each pair of two students

Procedure 1. Read the story before introducing it to your students.

2. Introduce the lesson by giving background information on the Painted Dog (also known as an African Hunting Dog, Cape Hunting Dog, or simply Wild Dog). Explain to the students that Painted Dogs live in packs and rely on each other for survival.

3. Ask students why they think Painted Dogs need to rely on one another for survival. Discuss the reasons why they may be endangered in the wild.

4. Inform the students about the Painted Dog Conservation group in Zimbabwe and how it works to protect Painted Dogs in the wild.

5. Introduce the story of Eyespot to your students. Inform them that this excerpt is based on the true-life story of a Painted Dog, named Eyespot.

6. Have your students pair up and then pass out the copies of “Eyespot the Painted Dog” excerpt to the pairs.Ask them to take turns reading the story to each other.

7. Once everyone has finished reading the story, hand out and have them fill in the Critical Thinking Worksheet.Then pass out the Crossword Puzzle for them to complete. (Answer key is on page 48)

Follow Up > Review answers to the Worksheet and Crossword Puzzle.

> Lead a discussion on what they learned about Painted Dogs from reading the story and what might be done to save endangered Painted Dogs.

> Visit Miami MetroZoo’s Painted Dog exhibit.The Zoo pack includes one female and two males. Students should observe the Painted dogs and see how they operate as a pack in captivity.

> Have your students become pen pals with the children from Zimbabwe. Kids in Zimbabwe are learning how to protect the Painted dog.Together, they can come up with innovative and useful ways to protect this unique species. Kids can access the Painted Dog conservation website at www.painteddog.org for more information.

Eyespot is one of the ten puppies born in the Abakwenyana pack (researchers name individual packs to keep track of them) at Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe (Southern Africa). He got his name from the two white spots on each hind flank. His mother, Neck, is the pack’s alpha female, the only female in the pack that ever breeds.

When the puppies are four months old, they are able to follow the adults until a hunt starts.They stay hidden, cached under a bush, until the pack returns. In the meantime, a babysitter is always assigned to keep a watchful eye and making sure the puppies do not stray.The pack kills a duiker antelope and gorges themselves on meat. Each adult dog stuffs its belly with meat.When the dogs return from the hunt, they regurgitate parcels of meat for the puppies.All painted dogs have special muscles in their stomachs that allow them to do this function.All the dogs in the pack feed, play with and care for the puppies.As Eyespot and his brother Arrow become older, they also Photo by Peter Blinston become expert hunters. Now that they are older, they are ready to Eyespot, the alpha male start a pack of their own.They leave the Abakwenyana pack, never of the Kansiga pack with to be part of it again, but the dispersal of offspring from packs is an a radio collar fitted for important part of painted dog behavior. monitoring movement and behavior Researchers from the Painted Dog Conservation are trying to protect and study these wild dog populations.The researchers go out into the field, dart and fit a single dog from each pack with a radio collar.They are able to keep track of an entire pack (the pack travels together) simply by fitting a single dog with a radio collar. The researchers approach Eyespot’s pack and dart him.They fit him with a radio collar so that they can keep track of his and Arrow’s movements.

Eyespot (who has a radio collar) and Arrow meet another pack, the Kasinga. All that remain of the Kasingas are Crescent (a female) and two of her offspring from a previous year. Due to an increase in poaching activity, Crescent’s mate, and all the other members of her pack, were killed by snares (a trap, often consisting of a noose). Crescent accepts the new males (Eyespot and Arrow). Painted dogs leave their original or natal packs to find their own mates by creating or joining another pack.This is how painted dog packs are formed.Arrow, who is superior at hunting, becomes the new alpha male of the pack.

Crescent’s two offspring are now young adults and assist Crescent and Arrow in the cooperative hunts. But, tragedy strikes the new pack. While Crescent lies in the den with thirteen new puppies, the rest of the pack members have run into a line of snares set by a poacher. Arrow was the first to be caught. When the other dogs (Eyespot and Crescent’s offspring—now young adults) come to help him, they are all snared also.The only one that survives is Eyespot.The radio collar that Painted Dog Conservation researchers put on Eyespot is designed to prevent injury in case the wearer is snared.With the help of the collar, Eyespot is able to pull the snare loose.

34 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Now, Eyespot must hunt alone to try to feed the puppies, while Crescent guards the den. Since painted dog hunting strategy depends on a group of dogs working together, the chances are slim that one dog alone will be able to catch enough to feed Crescent and the puppies. But, Eyespot must try his best. Few of his brother Arrow’s puppies are likely to survive, but if he can make it, he will become the new alpha male.

Final Remarks The life of this brave individual can be viewed as symbolic of humankind’s impact on Painted Dogs as a species. Because of such unnatural threats to Painted Dogs as snaring, they have become a critically endangered species, with an uncertain future.The impact that the loss of one dog can have on the survival of an entire pack is clear to see. Painted Dogs rely on each other to survive.They are responsible for the survival of each pack member and work as a unit for the benefit of all. Only humankind has the capacity to disrupt their balance. Humankind can also provide a future.

Hope for the future At a time when the Painted Dogs seem to be on the brink of extinction, there is hope for these magnificent animals.

Conservation anti-poaching units are taking action by removing snare wire from the Painted Dogs’ habitat. They in turn give the wire to local artisans (young and old).The artisans are given training, a place to work, materials and equipment.They are paid for each sculpture, which gives them a source of income.

These artisans devote their talent to creating sculptures made from snare wire. By making these incredible sculptures, people are educated about the use of snare wire sculptures for illegal poaching.The snare wire sculptures not only bring awareness, but also funds to further support anti-poaching efforts for the Painted Dogs.

Name: ______Date: ______

1. In what ways have Painted Dogs been affected by mankind’s actions?

______

2. How may the loss of one dog affect the survival of an entire pack?

______

3. Why is “Eyespot The Painted Dog” a good conservation story about the effort to save the Painted Dogs from extinction?

______

4. In what ways can humankind play a positive role in the future of the Painted Dogs?

______

12 3

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Down Across

2. Related to birth. 1. A species in immediate danger of becoming extinct.

3. The only dog that survived the snare. 4. A ______keeps a watchful eye on the pups while the adults hunt. 5. Eyespot was one of ______puppies born in the litter. 7. Another name for the Painted Dog or African Hunting Dog is the _____ Dog. 6. To vomit partially digested food. 8. Eyespot leaves his pack with ______to 9. The country where Eyespot was born. form a new one.

10. A person that kills and/or illegally 11. The male and/or female leader of the pack. takes wildlife. 14. An object that researchers fit Eyespot with after 12. A group of wild dogs is called a they dart him. (2 words) ______. 15. Stays behind to guard the den. 13. A type of trap used on Painted Dogs.

37 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Can You Outrun Extinction? Summary: Role-playing activity where students learn about conservation by viewing the daily experiences and challenges of a cheetah’s life from the cheetah’s perspective.

Objectives 1. Students will learn why cheetahs are endangered. 2. Students will be able to identify at least two factors that affect cheetah populations in the wild. 3. Students will be able to name specific things that can be done to protect cheetahs.

Background Cheetahs are famous for their incredible speed, reaching over 70 mph in short bursts. Other facts about them are not as well known. Cheetahs are solitary hunters, congregating with others only during the breeding season or when teaming with littermates to hunt. Females do all the work of raising cubs and teaching them to hunt, usually raising one or two cubs out of each litter. Cubs are born with a long silvery mane on their heads and necks, which is thought to provide camouflage when mothers hide their cubs and go off to hunt. Cheetahs communicate with chirps and squeaks, and purr rather than roar.

Cheetah numbers and their range have dropped drastically in the last century.While they used to range over Africa,Asia, Middle East, and Europe, these cats are now restricted to parts of Africa and a tiny population in the Middle East.They numbered 100,000 in 1900, and currently number 9,000-12,000. Cheetahs are protected by national and international laws, but are still killed in spite of these laws. Unlike some other endangered animals, cheetahs are rarely if ever killed for their skins or body parts; they are often killed by farmers who fear cheetahs will eat their livestock. Cheetahs also suffer from habitat loss, whereby their hunting and living space has been curtailed by encroaching human civilization.

Some species are naturally more susceptible than others: they may reproduce very slowly, live in a small area, and need absolute wilderness to inhabit, or be dependent on a certain limited food source. For example, all big cats are vulnerable because they reproduce slowly and need large areas of habitat to survive. Humans tip the balance by actively hunting them for their skins and body parts. Cheetahs are vulnerable for various natural reasons and some human-related reasons.

Problems For Cheetahs Natural Factors • Slow population growth: Large predators are slow breeders, as it takes time and resources to raise young and teach them to hunt.An average female cheetah may raise one or two cubs every other year.

• Low genetic diversity: Cheetahs are naturally lacking in genetic diversity, which gives rise to many inherited diseases.Their current low population and small breeding pool compound the problem, leading to even more inbreeding.

38 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Human Causes • Loss of habitat: Cheetah habitat is shrinking because land is taken up by agriculture, urban growth, and desertification.Africa has many wildlife preserves, but these are full of competitors like lions, leopards, and hyenas.

• Clashes with farmers: Cheetahs may live on large ranches, but only on the sufferance of the farmers that own them, who may illegally shoot or trap cats to protect their livestock.

Solutions To Problems

• Education: Cheetahs do not always pose as large a danger to livestock as farmers believe.They are too small to hunt cows or horses, and their natural prey animals are gazelles, small mammals, and even birds.When they live on ranches, they prey on native animals that share the ranchland with farm animals. Farmers who know this are less likely to feel threatened by the presence of cheetahs on their land.

• Coordinating cheetahs and farmers: In Namibia, shepherd dogs are successfully used to keep cheetahs away from livestock, enabling them to live on ranches, hunt native game, and coexist with farmers.The Cheetah Conservation Fund breeds and places 30 Anatolian shepherds for this purpose every year.The Namibian government places a Cheetah Country seal on beef produced by wildlife- friendly farms, which brings in a higher price in European markets.This encourages farmers to protect cheetahs as well. (Namibia has the largest population of cheetahs, nearly half the worldwide number of 12,000).

• Law enforcement: Laws protecting cheetahs are useless if they are not enforced; sometimes international aid can help countries to employ more park rangers and other animal protection officials.

• Captive breeding & rehabilitation: Miami MetroZoo works with DeWildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre in South Africa, a nation with 1,000 resident cheetahs. DeWildt breeds cheetahs, (600 since 1971) maintains a visitor center, and hosts scientists, conservationists, and volunteers who look after the wild cheetah population. Fundraising efforts have enabled Miami MetroZoo to provide DeWildt with a pickup truck, veterinary equipment, 8 remote-trigger cameras for population census studies, and money to expand the camp where scientists and helpers live.

In 1996, Miami MetroZoo obtained a captive-bred cheetah from DeWildt for its Wildlife Ambassador program, and in 1998, the Zoo obtained a rare king cheetah. Like many other endangered animals- from addaxes to zebras, cheetahs are part of a Species Survival Plan.

Materials • Copies (3) of Neutral Event Card sheet • Copies (2) of Positive and Negative Card sheets • Index cards (125) • Glue sticks • Copies of Cheetah Conservation Game sheet - one per student • Optional: copies of Data Collection Chart - for half of the class

39 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Procedure 1. Before playing the game, make copies of the Cheetah Conservation Event Card sheets, cut them apart and glue each card to an index card, and shuffle.

2. Lead a discussion with students as to why they think cheetahs are endangered, and go over the risks to cheetahs in the wild. “Killer farmers’’ and competition with other animals may not be familiar to them.

3. To play the game, have the students read the Cheetah Conservation Game sheet. Be sure the students understand how the game is to be played. Designate a graveyard for players that are eliminated. If a birth takes place, one or more players may return to the game from the graveyard, as chosen by the teacher. If an event kills off more than one cheetah, other students are out, as chosen by the teacher.

Optional: Students can play scientists as well as cheetahs to add another dimension to the game. If not choosing this option: Proceed directly to Step 4. If choosing this option: Split the class into two groups, with one group-playing cheetahs and one group playing scientists. Pass out copies of the Data Collection Chart to the scientists.The cheetah group proceeds through the game as described below, while the scientists keep track of what happens to them by using the Data Collection Chart. At the end of the game, the data the scientists have collected can be read aloud, graphed, made into a report, or be used to start a discussion of cheetah conservation.

4. Pass out the first round of cards and have everyone read their cards to the other students. If the card is neutral or positive, the player stays in the game. If the card is negative, the player is out.

5. After the first round, have students discuss their cards, prompting with questions such as: How did it feel to get sent to the graveyard? What do you think is going to happen to the cheetahs over the next few rounds? What is helping the cheetahs most? What is hurting the cheetahs most?

6. Continue to pass out cards for each round, allowing the students to keep the cards from previous rounds. Eliminated players keep their cards as well. (More cards are available than will be used in five rounds – this allows commonplace events to dominate and unusual events to crop up rarely, if at all, the same way they do in nature).

Note: In any round, if the number of deaths exceeds the number of students, the game is over! If births outpace deaths and you have more cheetahs “born” than there are student players in the graveyard, you can bank the cheetah births. In later rounds, you can draw from these extra cheetahs, if there are more deaths than there are players.

40 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Follow Up >At the end of five rounds, review the positive, negative and neutral events that happened to your population of cheetahs. Initiate a discussion based on the following questions:

How many cheetahs did you start with in year one? How many did you end up with in year five? Did you make it through the game? If not, what did you die from? Did everyone get out? If so, how many rounds did it take to get everyone out? What hurt the cheetahs the most? What helped them the most? What do you think of the shepherd dogs? If the cheetahs were to die out, what would that mean for different people? Farmers? Scientists? What would it mean for you? Do you think cheetahs can survive without humans helping them? Why or why not? What has to happen for cheetahs to survive?

> Have students use their game cards to write a story from a cheetah’s perspective, using the five cards to represent five years in a cheetah’s life. Deaths, births, and other events will make each student’s story different.

> Students may ask how they can personally get involved in cheetah conservation. Help them find out about conservation at home.Two good cheetah conservation websites to start their research with are: www.cheetah.org and www.dewildt.org.za.

> Research the conservation history of Florida panthers.They are similar to cheetahs in that their genetic diversity is low and getting lower due to their small breeding pool.They are also similar in that their deaths have to do with living in proximity to humans, not deliberate hunting for skins or parts. Have students compare and contrast the conservation of cheetahs and panthers.

41 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Cheetah Conservation Game Game Introduction In the Cheetah Conservation Game, students represent a population of cheetahs in South Africa. The game follows the lives of cheetahs over five years.The students draw cards representing possible events in the lives of the cheetahs. Most events will be neutral, eliminate one player, or bring back one player. A few events are catastrophic and may wipe out half the players at one time.

Eliminated students can be brought back into the game by positive events. This represents the way conservation works – small gains, hopefully outweighing small losses, gradually building up a population. If a large loss occurs, populations can crash. If the number of smaller losses outweighs the gains, population numbers will slowly decline.

Here’s How the Game Works The game is played for five rounds, and for each round you will be given a card with an event. If something bad happens and you die, you’re out.You go to the graveyard and you don’t take a card in the next round. If something really bad happens, you are out and you take other players out with you. Good things happen too, and if you get a good card, you stay in the game. If you get a card with a birth on it, you bring back players that are out (from the graveyard).

Each round of the game represents one year; after five rounds or five years, depending on what happens in the game, there may be more cheetahs or there may be less.

Will there be fewer cheetahs after five rounds? Will there be more? That depends on your cards, and on the help you receive from conservationists.

Setting the Scene You are all cheetahs living in South Africa.There are about one thousand of you. Mostly, you live on large ranches or farmland, even though there are wildlife preserves in South Africa.This is because the preserves are full of other predators like leopards, lions, and hyenas.You are the fastest runner in the world, but you’re not a fighter. If another animal wants to steal your kill, you let it.You have to – if you get hurt in a fight, you can’t hunt anymore and you’ll starve.You’d be pretty likely to get hurt, as leopards and lions can weigh three times as much as you do, and hyenas are close to your size but they travel in packs.

To stay out of their way, you stick to farmland. In Africa, farms are big and open, with wild animals like antelopes sharing the grassland with cows, sheep, and goats. Cows are too big for you to eat, so you stick with smaller animals like gazelles, hares, and birds. Farmers aren’t too crazy about having you around anyway, and they may shoot you if they see you.

Although you are wild animals, scientists and zoologists from the DeWildt Cheetah and Breeding Center look after you.They keep track of your numbers, rescue you if you get injured, raise your cubs if you die before they grow up, and try to convince farmers to let you live on their land.Veterinarians from the center may catch you once in a while to weigh you, see if you’re healthy, and medicate you for parasites, rabies or other diseases.

Are you ready to see if you’ll survive in the wild?

42 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Cheetah Conservation Cards Neutral Events - Copy three times t hunt or leave your t hunt or leave ’ make your first kill. your make certified as wildlife-friendly. you and take you to the vet. you and take you You stay in the game. You You stay in the game. You farmers protect cheetahs to get farmers protect You stay in the game. You You stay in the game. You You stay in the game. You The South African government starts African government The South pay more money for this beef; for money more pay so local better and better until one day your your better and until one day but as you watch your mom, watch your but as you get you trouble of trapping cheetahs anymore. of trapping trouble trouble of trapping cheetahs anymore. of trapping trouble You get sick and can You Now the farmer does not go to all the the farmer does not go Now Now the farmer does not go to all the the farmer does not go Now trap and kill cheetahs.trap a specially He got trap and kill cheetahs.trap a specially He got hunt.At hunter, not a good are first you comes from cheetah-safe farms. cheetah-safe comes from will People You are 9 months old and are learning to 9 months old and are are You trained shepherd dog to protect his herds. dog to protect trained shepherd trained shepherd dog to protect his herds. dog to protect trained shepherd den. ear, Because of the tag on your DeWildt putting a wildlife-friendly symbol on beef that putting a wildlife-friendly staffers know you are not moving.They are you know catch staffers The farmer whose land you live on used to live The farmer whose land you The farmer whose land you live on used to live The farmer whose land you your first kill. your many cheetahs. many You stay in the game. You You stay in the game. You better until one day your make make your better until one day You stay in the game. You You stay in the game. You You stay in the game. You he decides to stop shooting them. Miami MetroZoo donates a truck to Miami MetroZoo him to a cheetah conservation talk in trouble of trapping cheetahs anymore. of trapping trouble trouble of trapping cheetahs anymore. of trapping trouble twice as much land and protect twice as land and protect twice as much Now the farmer does not go to all the the farmer does not go Now Now the farmer does not go to all the the farmer does not go Now You are 9 months old and are learning to 9 months old and are are You trap and kill cheetahs.trap a specially He got trap and kill cheetahs.trap a specially He got DeWildt.With trucks, two can cover they hunt.At hunter, not a good are first you but as you watch your mom, watch your as you get better and you town.After about cheetahs, learning more trained shepherd dog to protect his herds. dog to protect trained shepherd trained shepherd dog to protect his herds. dog to protect trained shepherd shoot cheetahs. His little daughter dragged The farmer whose land you live on used to live The farmer whose land you The farmer whose land you live on used to live The farmer whose land you The farmer whose land you live on used to live The farmer whose land you successfully again. successfully are doing just fine. are you get plenty to eat. you kept you from being seen. from you kept You stay in the game. You vaccinated, get sick. don’t you You stay in the game. You You stay in the game. You stay in the game. You stay in the game. You survey.They vaccinate you against vaccinate you survey.They together as a pair.Working together, together as a pair.Working jackal with rabies. are Because you old enough to leave your mother.You your old enough to leave strong, are healthy, fed.You and well learning to hunt in the wild and you learning to hunt in the wild and you You are a baby cheetah. a baby are You A predator You were released at two years old, years at two released were You diseases.You come in contact with a diseases.You They give you parasite medicine.You you give They start feeling much better and hunting start much feeling staffers catch you in a routine survey. in a routine catch you staffers walked right past you while you were while you right past you walked You are a young cheetah and have grown cheetah and have a young are You Parasites are making you sick. making you Parasites are DeWildt You were born in captivity at DeWildt. born in captivity were You DeWildt staffers catch you in a routine in a routine catch you DeWildt staffers waiting for your mom. your waiting for camouflage Your decide to stick with your brother and hunt brother decide to stick with your successfully again. successfully you get plenty to eat. you twice as many cheetahs. twice as many kept you from being seen. from you kept You stay in the game. You You stay in the game. You You stay in the game. You You stay in the game. You stay in the game. You together as a pair.Working together, together as a pair.Working to get certified as wildlife-friendly. old enough to leave your mother.You your old enough to leave DeWildt.With trucks, two can they You are a baby cheetah. a baby are You A predator People will pay more money for this for money more will pay People They give you parasite medicine.You you give They that comes from cheetah-safe farms. cheetah-safe that comes from Miami MetroZoo donates a truck to Miami MetroZoo The South African government starts African government The South start feeling much better and hunting start much feeling staffers catch you in a routine survey. in a routine catch you staffers walked right past you while you were while you right past you walked cover twice as much land and protect twice as much cover You are a young cheetah and have grown cheetah and have a young are You beef; cheetahs so local farmers protect Parasites are making you sick. making you Parasites are DeWildt waiting for your mom. your waiting for camouflage Your decide to stick with your brother and hunt brother decide to stick with your putting a wildlife-friendly symbol on beef putting a wildlife-friendly

43 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. You are one of three cubs.A farmer shot your You are a mother cheetah with four cubs.You You are a mother cheetah.You are an You are a mother cheetah.You are an mother. Because she had a radio tag, DeWildt are an excellent hunter and mother, and they average hunter, and you manage to raise average hunter, and you manage to raise staff knows that she died.They raise you all reach adulthood. two cubs to adulthood. two cubs to adulthood. at the center. Bring back four players that Bring back two players that Bring back two players that Bring back three players that are out. are out. are out. are out.

You are one of three cubs.A farmer shot your You are a mother cheetah.You are a good You are a young female cheetah.You have your You are a young female cheetah.You have your mother. Because she had a radio tag, DeWildt hunter but a dry spell has sent most of your first litter of cubs but you haven’t had any first litter of cubs but you haven’t had any staff knows that she died.They raise you prey elsewhere. Only one of your practice taking care of them. practice taking care of them. at the center. cubs survives. Only one survives. Only one survives.

Bring back three players that Bring back one player that Bring back one player that Bring back one player that are out. is out. is out. is out.

You are a mother cheetah.You are a good You are a mother cheetah.You are a good You are a young female cheetah.You have your You are a mother cheetah.You have three cubs, hunter but a dry spell has sent most of your hunter but a dry spell has sent most of your first litter of cubs but you haven’t had any but two die of an inbreeding-related disease. prey elsewhere. Only one of your prey elsewhere. Only one of your practice taking care of them. One survives. cubs survives. cubs survives. Only one survives. Bring back one player that Bring back one player that Bring back one player that Bring back one player that is out. is out. is out. is out. Zoological Society of Florida,All rights reserved. 2005 ©

You are a mother cheetah.You are an You are a mother cheetah.You are an You are a mother cheetah.You have three cubs. You are a mother cheetah.You are an average average hunter, and you manage to raise two average hunter, and you manage to raise two A jackal carries one off. One dies of hunger hunter, and you manage to raise two cubs cubs to adulthood. cubs to adulthood. when prey is scarce. One survives. to adulthood.

Bring back two players that Bring back two players that Bring back one player that Bring back two players that are out. are out. is out. are out.

Cheetah Conservation Cards Conservation Cheetah twice - Copy Events Positive 44 Negative Events -Copytwice Negative Cheetah Conservation Cards

Five cheetahs get caught in a fire. Only one Five cheetahs get caught in a fire. Four get to There is a drought, and all the prey animals There is a drought, and all the prey animals gets to the veterinarian and survives the the veterinarian and survive the burns on ’ ’ burns on its feet. have left the area.You can t get enough to have left the area.You can t get enough to their feet. eat and you die. eat and you die. You and three other players You are out. You are out. You are out. are out. © olgclSceyo lrd,2005 All rights reserved. Zoological Societyof Florida,

Due to inbreeding, you are born with poor Due to inbreeding, you are born with poor There is a drought, and all the prey animals There is a drought, and all the prey animals vision.You are never quite in the right place vision.You are never quite in the right place have left the area.You can’t get enough to have left the area.You can’t get enough to at the right time when hunting.When your at the right time when hunting.When your eat and you die. eat and you die. mom stops feeding you, you die. mom stops feeding you, you die. You are out. You are out. You are out. You are out.

The farm you live on changes hands.The A gazelle kicks you in the face and cuts open A gazelle kicks you in the face and cuts open new farmer will not tolerate cheetahs your forehead. If the wound were your forehead. If the wound were You are bitten by a farm dog with rabies. anywhere near his herds. He shoots and anywhere else, you could keep it clean by anywhere else, you could keep it clean by You are not vaccinated. traps any cheetahs he can. licking it and it would heal. Since you can’t licking it and it would heal. Since you can’t reach it, the wound becomes infected reach it, the wound becomes infected You are out. You and nine other players and you die. and you die. are out. You are out. You are out.

Disease breaks out in your area, and none of You catch distemper from a farm cat, and You break your leg by stepping in an You break your leg by stepping in an you have been vaccinated. you pass it to your four cubs. animal’s burrow in the ground. animal’s burrow in the ground. You can’t hunt. You can’t hunt. You and five other players You and four other players are out. are out. You are out. You are out. 45 Cheetah Conservation Game Name: Data Collection Sheet

Round 1234 5

# of Cheetahs at Start

# of Births

# of Deaths

# of Cheetahs Remaining

Causes of Death

Most Common Event

Most Uncommon Event

46 © Zoological Society of Florida, 2005 All rights reserved. Glossary Adaptation: A characteristic or trait that has been passed from one generation to another that increases a species’/individual’s chance of survival (i.e. coloration).

Endangered: Used as a conservation term; denotes a species of plant or animal whose population decline is leading toward extinction.

Forage: To search for food and other needed resources.

Habitat: The area in which an organism lives; its home or natural environment.

Herbivore: Any plant-eating animal.

Home Range: An area of habitat regularly used by a group or an individual animal throughout the year.

Niche: A species’ role in the ecosystem in which it lives.

Predator: Any organism that hunts and eats other animals.

Prey: Any animal that is eaten by other animals.

Rare: Used as a conservation term; denotes an organism whose population numbers are low but stable.

Social structure: The composition of a social group and the way it is organized, including size, age, and number of each sex in the group.

Species Survival Plan: A captive population management and conservation plan, administered by the American Zoological and Aquarium Association. SSP's protect species that are endangered or threatened in the wild.

Threatened: Used as a conservation term; denotes a species that is likely to become endangered if steps are not taken to protect it.

10 v

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9 z z

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v v 3. (x=5,y=3)

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8 v v v v v v 4. Eating piths and stems on day 1 .... 5. (x=7,y=4) 7 z zooooo 6. Eating bark and grubs on day 4 z ooooooo ooo ooooooo 7. (x=2,y=9) 6 8. Eating fruits on day 2 z 5 z z 9. (x=8,y=7) .... 10. Making a nest/sleeping on day 1 4 R I V E R 3 .... 2 z z..z .. ooooooo 1

START 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Day 1

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Painted Dog Crossword Puzzle 12E N D ANG E R 3ED A Y T E A 456B A BYS I T T ER 7W IDL P E E 8 A ROR W N G 9 Z T U I 10P R M 11A L 12P H A 13S O G B A N A I 14R A DIOCO L L A R C T B K R H A W 15C R E S C E N T E R E

Reading L.A.1.2 The student uses the reading process effectively.

L.A.2.2 The student constructs meaning from a wide range of texts.

L.A.E.2.2 The student responds critically to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama.

Math MA.B.1.2 The student measures quantities in the real world and uses the measures to solve problems.

MA.B.3.2 The student estimates measurements in real-world problem situation.

MA.C.3.2 The student uses coordinate geometry to locate objects in both two and three dimensions and to describe objects algebraically.

MA.D.2.2 The student uses expressions, equation, inequalities, graphs, and formulas to represent and interpret situations.

MA.E.1.2 The student understands and uses the tools of data analysis for managing information.

Science SC.F.1.2 The student describes patterns of structure and function in living things.

SC.F.2.2 The student understands the process and importance of genetic diversity.

SC.G.1.2 The student understands the competitive, interdependent, cyclic nature of living things in the environment.

SC.G.2.2 The student understands the consequences of using limited natural resources.

SC.H.1.2.The student uses the scientific processes and habits of mind to solve problems.

The Encyclopedia of Animals Dr. Harold Cogger, Dr. Edwin Gould, Dr. George McKay, Joseph Forshaw, Dr. Richard Zweifel (Eds.) Barnes and Noble Books, Singapore. 2002

The Encyclopedia of Mammals Dr. David Macdonald (Ed.) Facts on File Inc, New York, NY. 1995

The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates Noel Rowe, Pogonias Press, New York, NY. 1996

Smithsonian Institution Animal:The Definitive Visual Guide to the World’s Wildlife. David Burnie & Don E.Wilson (Eds.) Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc. New York, NY. 2001 Websites Miami MetroZoo @ www.miamimetrozoo.com

American Zoo and Aquarium Association @ www.aza.org

World Wildlife Fund @ www.worldwildlife.org

Cheetah Conservation Fund @ www.cheetah.org

De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre @ www.dewildt.org.za

Painted Dog Conservation @ www.painteddog.org

The Gorilla Foundation @ www.gorilla.org

For more information about our in-house school lessons, outreach programs or teacher workshops, please refer to our website @ www.miamimetrozoo.com or contact us at (305) 255-5551.

We recognize Peacock Foundation for its continuous support of the Zoological Society Florida and Miami MetroZoo and for providing the funding for the production of the African Safari Guide.

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