A STUDY GUIDE by Andrew Fildes
http://www.metromagazine.com.au
ISBN-13-978-1-74295-021-1 http://www.theeducationshop.com.au A study guide by Andrew Fildes
A December Films production thirteen-part series SCREEN EDUCATION
ABC Television starting 6 March 2011 2 ho is Chris Humfrey? An extraordinary charac- ter. Imagine that Jamie Oliver got interested in W animals rather than cooking – and ran a small zoo! Chris is what he’d look like: the same energy, the same ‘laddish’ charm and a boundless enthusiasm for his work. With wife Nicole and young daughters Charlie-Ashe (6 yrs) and Taasha (4 yrs), the Humfreys have turned their life into a full-time wildlife experience – they live a wild life.
Since 1994, zoologist Chris has been providing educa- tional wildlife events – school incursions, parties, corporate / workplace events, public shows. He and his family live with over 2000 animals in and around their home near Mt Macedon in Victoria. Their house is the centre of a private zoo which not only supports their educational programs but also features the care of injured and orphaned wildlife and runs a number of captive breeding programs for rare and endangered native species.
Every day brings a whole new set of problems at the zoo. Some are part of the normal running but some unique and quite unpredictable. Forgetting to close a small door means that large snakes make a run for it or the zoo’s office is overrun by rather expensive young stick insects – hundreds of them. Orphaned animals have to be hand reared, rare foods need to be found, dangerous animals handled safely. Chris is also a born explorer driven to disappear on adven- tures in search of new animals or … just because.
The Humfreys’ award-winning company, Wild Action, is one of the most successful businesses of its kind and the family can’t do it all. They employ a dedicated band of young ‘Gen Y’ presenters to help cope with the huge workload of ani- mal care (zookeepers) and presentations. Volunteers take up some of the load and there is even a young zookeeper program of supervised work experience. This all gives rise to many personal stories – both people and animals – more than enough to support a thirteen-part series. Crew The series shows a mix of both human and animal inter- Director est stories. Each of the thirteen episodes centres on three sub-stories which in turn raise various issues concerning Nick Fletcher wildlife. The style is an observational documentary, a ‘point- Executive Producers of-view’ approach and we see much of the action through Chris’ eyes. As many of the animals are active at night, Tony Wright and Chris Humfrey infra-red video technology and motion sensors were used Series Producer to capture as much of the action as possible.
Bruce Permezel Typically, in each episode, there will be the story of a Directors of Photography particular animal or species, one of a zoo-keeping and care issue and one related to the educational role of the Brendan deMontignie company. Uniquely the show overlaps the styles of wildlife and Jody Muston documentary and reality show as we see both animals and people overcoming various genuine difficulties in their lives. Editors SCREEN EDUCATION
Luke Collin and Wayne Hyett ‘This isn’t a job – it’s a lifestyle!’ (Episode 2)
3 Using Chris Humfrey’s Wild Life in the classroom
The series is aimed at a wide audience and during the early episodes, most of the presentations shown are to junior primary students – Grades Prep–2. However it would be suitable for showing to mid-primary to Year 10 students – older students could consider the issues and implications of wildlife education for instance, rather than just the ani- mals themselves. Each episode runs for 26 minutes with a common opening sequence. Each deals with three differing problems, ideas or events with some being followed up in subsequent episodes. Different themes in each episode are suitable for different age levels. There are individual animal care stories and plenty of animal poo jokes for the younger students, conservation and care issues for the older grades and small business aspects for the older secondary stu- dents. Older students may also consider some career paths in animal care and zoo-keeping.
A major resource for using the television series as a classroom resource is Chris Humfrey’s own Wild Action website at
• Could you cope? Think of all the chores, problems, the Make a collage, web page or Powerpoint presentation on loss of favourite animals. one of the following:
• Remember that they aren’t pets! They bite, they misbe- The special requirements of 3–5 of the animals shown in have, they try to escape and most can’t be trained or the series in the wild and when they are kept in a zoo. tamed. How to run a wildlife park or zoo – what would you need • What is the difference between a pet, a domestic animal and what would the daily tasks include? Design your own and a wild animal. It’s possible to tame a wild animal zoo. Choose your animals, design the enclosures and list but is it ever a pet like a dog can be? all the daily tasks necessary before you can let people visit your zoo. • What are the rules for approaching animals in the wild? (Think whales vs. jet boats). Is it acceptable to collect ani- Link:
Key Themes:
Wildlife conservation SCREEN EDUCATION Environmental education Private zoos – administration, procedures and ethics Animal handling Wildlife collection, care and breeding Dangerous animals Small business opportunities 4 and difficulties Cast of Characters
Chris Humfrey
A note on ethics – wildlife shows and presentations Lifelong wildlife nut, Chris began collecting wild species as a child and built up his own micro-zoo in Melbourne outer Some students may raise questions about it being ‘cruel’ to suburb Kilsyth. By the age of six, he was charging entry to keep animals in captivity. They may be aware that this is a his collection! This continued through secondary schooling contentious issue. and into a degree in science at Melbourne Uni. He created Wild Action while still at university and fourteen years later, Chris makes his living from animal shows for schools and he now employs eight full-time employees and provides other customers. Is there a problem with this? Are the animals encounters for over 250,000 children and adults every really ‘wild’? In what sense? Is it just a mini-circus? year. He is also a fitness fanatic, and has competed at an international level in kayaking. He uses his kayaking skills to Do the shows stress them? (As Chris says in Episode 1, access wild places and marine environments. stress can kill a wild animal). Is it fair to the animals, even if they are well treated? Keep in mind that all of Chris’ animals Nicole Humfrey are captive-bred (apart from some of the marine animals, which are collected from the wild), so they are less suscepti- Nicole met Chris while studying science at Melbourne Uni. ble to these particular stresses. but lost contact until an accidental meeting years later. Her upbringing was extremely conventional compared to Chris’ What are the ‘rules’ for animal handling? (For instance, many and she is sometimes exasperated by his wild schemes, zoos have a handling rule that the animal must come to you, especially when there is a family and a family business to not you to the animal.) run.
The ethics of zoos is a difficult problem and ideal for discus- Charlie-Ashe and Taasha sion in junior philosophy. On one hand there is the obvious educational benefit of seeing and perhaps even handling Two typical little girls with a very atypical lifestyle. Their animals that you might never see in the wild. On the other is lives are immersed and enmeshed with the animals that the problem that the animals are kept captive in unnatural cir- invade their home, watch television with them and demand cumstances and may be stressed by regular human contact. attention at all times. Even their dog is a monster, a huge, black Newfoundland. Zoo ethics link:
Inger is a mother of two who first saw Chris in action in a kindergarten presentation. Later she applied for the job of nanny to Taasha as she was attracted to the zoo environ- SCREEN EDUCATION ment and eventually she became Office and Staff Manager. Her own personal animal collection continues to grow.
5 The ‘Gen Y’ Wildlife Presenters/ Educators
Wherever they live, each presenter has a ‘kit’, a set of animals that share their lives. These are the specimens that accompany them to each presentation, wherever it is and it makes their home life rather unusual. Chris expects all his presenters to have the same enthusiasm for wildlife as himself.
Fiona Rose – Fiona is a Adam Lee – Adam is a Katie Rumble – Katie is a Laura Harbridge – Laura farm girl who, as a team typical inner-city dweller country girl and a student at studied Arts and worked leader, takes over business but with a particular love Deakin University, studying in the music industry in operations when Chris and of things that fly. His urban Zoology and Indonesian. Melbourne and Brisbane. Nicole are away. She has a lifestyle has to accom- She’s hoping to put both to Eventually she left to travel preference for marsupials modate a crocodile in the use in the future by vol- the world and volunteered which makes life in the city kitchen, frogs in the dunny unteering in an Orangutan in wildlife rescue centres in rather unusual, especially and Norman the fruit bat in sanctuary. South America, South Africa for her housemates. the lounge. and Thailand. Now she Laura Hogg – Laura has a shares her home with three housemates, a dog and thirteen zoo animals.
The Animals
The Wild Action team care for and present over 2,000 animals from 300 species. Residents of the zoo include:
Reptiles – crocodiles, lizards and snakes. The snakes include venomous Xavier Morello – A marine Darren Lever – Two things science degree in marine species like a taipan and specialist who shares the fill Darren’s consciousness Biology and Zoolology. She death adders. team leader role with Fiona. – comedy and crocodiles. has been involved in several His interest in marine organ- An experienced stand-up conservation activities Birds – emus, kookaburras, isms is extended to marine comedian with a taste for overseas, from turtles to owls, lorikeets, parrots and water sports like snorkling, reptiles is an obvious choice elephants. native ducks. sea kayaking, surfing and for the job of performer/ diving. His closest friend presenter. Marine animals – Blue- appears to be a dingo. ringed octopus, other oc- topuses, crabs, seahorses, sea stars and small sharks.
Marsupials – kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, quolls, SCREEN EDUCATION potoroos and bettongs.
Insects – spiders, stick insects, beetles, scorpions and the Giant burrowing cockroach. 6 EPISODE 1
Episode 1 – Synopsis
After we are introduced to Chris, his family and his very unu- sual lifestyle, the core theme of this episode is the manage- ment of the private zoo, particularly the dietary requirements of various animals and the difficulty in providing for them.
The three themes of this episode are:
• Providing for the dietary needs of koalas. Koalas won’t eat any old gum leaves and Chris searches for suitable trees in the area by ultralight aircraft and records them with a GPS enabled mobile phone. SCREEN EDUCATION • Possible attacks by local predators interested in the smaller animals. In this case it’s foxes and Chris has devel- oped an interesting and unusual solution to the problem. It’s quite repellent!
• Finally we are introduced to the wildlife rescue and care aspect of his facility when a Kangaroo Island Western grey 7 kangaroo ejects her joey in panic and it then has to be hand-reared. Discussion questions and tasks
General Student Research Tasks:
• What is Chris Humfrey’s job? Why is it important? What eucalypts do koalas eat? Which eucalypt species? Find out exactly. • Who works for him and how do they live? http://home.vicnet.net.au/~koalas/factsdiet.html • What sort of life do his wife and children have? How is it unusual? http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/koalas.htm
• What are the good and not so good parts of their http://www.thekoala.com/koala/ lifestyle? Predators • What animals do you see in this episode? • What local predators might cause a problem at the zoo? Koalas Are they all wild? What about stray/feral dogs and cats?
• What exactly do koalas eat? • What is the first line of defence? How do staff know that there is a problem? • Why does a male koala have a sternum (chest) gland? • Where did foxes come from and how did they get here? • How does Chris check that their digestion is working well? • What is Chris’ answer to his fox problem and is it safe? Does it work? • Chris uses a ‘Pouch-cam’ to check on the baby koala in the pouch. Why does he use it instead of opening • What is the usual answer to a fox problem? the pouch and what technology is it based upon? (1080 poison) (Fibre optic) Research Task: • What is a marsupial? How is it different to most other mammals? (Eutherians like us) Chris is of the belief that the dingo is related to the wolf. Is SCREEN EDUCATION this correct? What exactly is a dingo and how does it differ • What other type of mammals are there? (Monotremes) from a wolf?
• What does ‘mammal’ actually mean? http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dingo/origin.htm
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Episode 1 Joey
• Why does the mother dump the baby kangaroo? Is this a good survival strategy? (No sentimentality here – when threatened in the wild, she sacrifices the joey to lose its weight and to distract the predator, which will then kill and eat the baby instead of her).
• What kind of milk can the young kangaroo consume – what must it not contain? (Lactose – milk sugar). What pet animals have a similar intolerance? (Cat)
Research Tasks:
The mother and joey are Kangaroo Island Western grey kangaroos. What are the special features of this species and what is its range/distribution?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Grey_Kangaroo
They’re also a rare sub-species (race) from Kangaroo Is- land. Where is Kangaroo Island and what special animals are found there?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_Island SCREEN EDUCATION http://www.kiwr.com/kangaroo_island_wildlife
Why do we sometimes find rare animals or different forms of common animals on islands? For example, what reasonably common Tasmanian animals are now very rare on the mainland? (Quolls are a good example. Tigers and devils of course. And there were once unique 9 emus on King Island).
Episode 1 EPISODE 2
Episode 2 – Synopsis
‘This isn’t a job, it’s a lifestyle.’
This episode begins with a disappointment – one of Chris’ presenters has resigned unexpectedly and left them in the lurch. Chris now has to spread the load across other present- ers and train new staff to cover the gap. For someone with his level of enthusiasm for the job, this is frustrating.
Part of this episode focuses on Darren, his life and the way he works. Darren has been a presenter for a while but has no experience of marine animals. He has to be brought up to speed quickly and that involves a diving trip to Port Phillip Bay to find specimens, notably the deadly blue-ringed octopus. We see his nervousness about the trip, his first presentation as a ‘marine expert’ and some of his home life, living with his ‘kit’ of zoo animals. Fortunately he is also a practising stand- up comedian so he meets the challenge well.
The other themes in the episode include wild animal col- lection, zoo procedures and the blue-ringed octopus itself. There is some discussion of insects as zoo specimens and an update on Holly, the baby Western grey kangaroo rescued in episode one.
• We see Chris and Darren taking marine specimens from the wild – is this reasonable? Would it be different if these were native land animals? SCREEN EDUCATION • Someone leaves a small glass door slightly ajar in the zoo. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of young stick insects on the other side. Soon the whole office area is alive with them and they’re valuable specimens.
• The blue-ringed octopus is perhaps the most deadly creature on the Australian seashore. Specimens need to10 be collected so that they can be shown to children – with warnings never to touch one. Zoo procedures – safety and security
Why is it important to maintain good hygiene and secu- rity at animal pens and enclosures at all times? (External threats, escape problems, spread of animal diseases i.e. snake parasites)
Student activities
• Students should prepare a list of safety and security rules for a wildlife zoo like Chris Humfrey’s home. These might range from simple warning posters and signs for younger students through to proper occupational health and safety rules and signage by middle secondary students.
Discussion questions and tasks
The job of presenter
Why use young (‘Gen Y’) presenters? (They tend to be un- married with few ties, enthusiastic and energetic, connect well with small children, and are extroverted – they’re like younger versions of Chris himself.)
Each presenter may live away from the Wild Action zoo and work independently, using the ‘kit’ or set of display animals that they need for their job. What difficulties does this cause?
(Keeping wild animals in an urban household – especially the dangerous ones like crocodiles – can be difficult. Large pythons may not be very dangerous but they may escape and scare people. Fruit bats are cute but they have terrible body odour. Your housemates may have irrational fears of big insects and spiders.)
Student activities
• Imagine that you are a presenter. Write an account of a ‘Bugs’ night at home where everything goes very – very wrong. Why is it important to educate children about insects and • Discuss what special skills would be necessary to do similar animals? Darren’s job. Make a list. Is there anyone in your class like that, who has that kind of personality? (Consider What is an insect – how do we define them? (six legs) extroversion, sense of adventure, welcomes a chal- lenge, easy-going nature, enthusiasm.) What other kinds of ‘bug’ are there? What are Arachnida, SCREEN EDUCATION Myriapoda? • Research the following. You need a licence to keep some wild animals. Why? What are the licence levels The ‘yuk’ factor – people, especially children, find insects and which animals require having a licence? What do rather repulsive and spiders just plain horrid. Some adults you need to do to get a licence and to keep it? agree with them. 11
Episode 2 Student activities
• Which insects do we find most repellent? (Students could make a priority list with reasons for their choices [flies, cockroaches, ants, wasps, beetles, locusts and so on – add in positives like bees, butterflies, moths, dragonflies, jewel beetles].) Rate them from worst to best. Create an annotated poster with collected cut-out images and descriptions.
• What other types of ‘bugs’ are there? How do animals like spiders and centipedes differ from insects? Prepare a report or presentation on three typical types – an insect, a spider or mite, and a segmented multi-legged beast like a centipede or millipede.
• Create a table-top zoo with small organisms – mini- beasts. Prepare enclosures with name plates and descriptions.
Marine animals
What types of marine organisms are collected?
Which come from tidal pools and which come from deeper Discussion waters? • We see Chris and Darren taking marine specimens from Awareness of coastal dangers – which marine species in the wild – is this reasonable? Would it be different if Australia are a threat? these were native land animals?
• Why are we so fascinated by dangerous animals like sharks, snakes and venomous sea creatures?
Student research activities
• Rockpool discovery. Visit a rockpool shelf, observing all the usual precautions. Relate your experience directly to the relevant episodes. In inland areas, substitute litoral studies of freshwater zones.
• Map the most dangerous marine creatures along Aus- tralia’s coastline. Prepare a poster showing where each is found and rate each for its danger factor. (Should In- clude sharks, box jellyfish, Irukandji jellyfish, cone shells, blue-ringed octopus.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irukandji_jellyfish
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonefish_stings_in_Australia SCREEN EDUCATION
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Episode 2 EPISODE 3
Episode 3 – Synopsis
Presenters come and go and it’s time to interview a job applicant. This episode turns into a classic reality show as Chris and his team put Danielle through one of the strang- est job interviews that you’ve ever seen. Danielle has been working at the zoo as a volunteer for some time and now she’d like to step up for a full-time paid position as a pre- senter. But Chris isn’t convinced that she’s ready yet so she has to go through her paces, handling and presenting the animals in front of the team, who’ll jump on any mistake that she makes. And she makes a few.
Meanwhile, back in the zoo there is a problem with the reptiles. One of the snakes has come down with a parasite infestation and it may have spread to other snakes and rep- tiles. It’s not necessarily fatal but it is debilitating and Chris wants his exhibits to be in a healthy, lively condition.
Then there is a minor family disagreement. A friend of Chris’ has a pair of South American macaws – huge, brilliantly col- oured parrots – and he’s jealous. Can he persuade Nicole to let him buy a pair of these rather expensive and spectacular birds, which are not found in the wild in Australia? Or will he have to make do with a cheaper option?
• Danielle has to go through a rigorous job ‘audition’. Is she treated fairly? Is she up to the job? Do you think that she’ll cope with it if she gets it?
• Parasite infestations are a serious problem with keeping reptiles; such infestations are easy to acquire and hard SCREEN EDUCATION to get rid of. What exactly is a mite? How do they feed off a snake? What similar organisms can attack humans?
• Should Chris keep only native animals at Wild Action or are exotics a good idea (many small zoos now specialise in keeping animals from their own country or even their own area, i.e. Healesville Sanctuary). Why are birds like13 macaws very expensive? Why do you think Nicole is unimpressed? Student activities
• Imagine that you are a presenter. Write an account of a night at home where everything goes very, very wrong.
• Discuss the following. What special skills would be nec- essary to do Darren’s job? Make a list. Is there anyone in your class like that, who has that kind of personality? (Consider extroversion, a sense of adventure, enjoyment of a challenge, easy-going nature, enthusiasm, interest in animals and the environment.)
• Research the following. You need a licence to keep some wild animals. Why? What are the licence levels and which animals require having a licence? What do you need to do to get a licence and to keep it?
Zoo procedures – snake care
The word ‘ophidian’ refers to snakes, so the ophidian spider mite is a parasite of snakes. There are around 1600 types of spider mite and most attack plants, sucking the Discussion questions and tasks sap, but some attack insects and larger animals like ticks. Mites and ticks are arachnids, like spiders; they have eight legs. The job interviews How does Chris know that his snake is unwell? What are Danielle has the enthusiasm and she looks the part but the signs? How does he examine the animal? (Listless, does she have the depth of knowledge or the handling darker colour than usual. Visual check for mites, checks skills that are required for the job? Would you give her droppings and skin shedding.) the job? http://lllreptile.com/info/library/care-and-husbandry (Consider some of the mistakes that she makes, both in -articles/-/dealing-with-snake-mites/ the secure handling of the animals and in her knowledge of even basic geography.) Do snakes make good pets? What kinds of snakes are there? (People are often terrified of snakes but over 80 per Why use young presenters – the ‘Gen Y’ concept? cent of all the species in the world are non-venomous.)
(They tend to be unmarried with few ties, enthusiastic and energetic, connect well with small children and are extro- verted – like younger versions of Chris himself.)
Each presenter may live away from the Wild Action zoo and work independently, using the ‘kit’ or set of display animals that they need for their job. What difficulties does this cause?
(Keeping wild animals in an urban household – especially the danger- ous ones like crocodiles – can be difficult. Large pythons may not be very dangerous but they may escape and scare people. Fruit bats are cute SCREEN EDUCATION but they have terrible body odour. Your housemates may have irrational fears about big insects and spiders. Your snake might eat your fruit bat!)
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Episode 3 Student activities
• Students should prepare a list of safety and security rules for a wildlife zoo like Chris Humfrey’s home. These might range from simple warning posters and signs for younger students through to proper occupational health and safety rules and signage by middle secondary students.
• Research venomous snakes in the local area. Cover dan- gerous species, sensible behaviour in snake country and first-aid procedures for a snake bite.
• Build a giant python for the classroom as an art project, using wire and papier mache or, even better, waste materi- als like waste packaging. Design repeat patterns like carpet snakes.
Exotics – macaws
Where do macaws come from? How many different species are there and how are they named. (Usually by their colours) Which species is Chris so keen to buy?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaw
What other exotic animals can you see in the zoo? (Deer, the family dog …)
Student research activity
Research the habitat of the macaw and its lifestyle. How many different types are there and which are the rarest? SCREEN EDUCATION Which is the biggest and which is the smallest? Why do they make good pets? 15
Episode 3 EPISODE 4
Episode 4 – Synopsis and get over the natural human fear of snakes, she can’t do the job.
‘This isn’t a job, it’s a lifestyle.’ Xavier, Wild Action’s marine specialist, also features. Xavier enjoys nothing A small tragedy occurs – a ringtail pos- more than a night dive in Port Phil- sum has died in the nest, leaving her lip Bay, close to Melbourne, but his young daughter an orphan. The baby purpose is to collect specimens for the must now be reared by hand by the zoo and for presentations. We see him Humfrey family, and this process could select some common and colourful well fail. In the wild most baby animals species and witness a remarkable sight do not survive and even with the best – the dance of massed spider crabs. of care, wildlife carers often see their charges suddenly weaken and die. • The ringtail possum is a fairly com- mon species. Why should so much Another issue is a python with back time and effort be spent on a non- trouble – as a python can have up to threatened animal? 600 vertebrae, a back problem is a serious matter. The snake in question • Many chiropractors now specialise was one of Chris’ childhood pets – it’s in treating animals, especially pets elderly and precious. How should it be and horses, but you wouldn’t take a treated? Chris takes an unusual step pet to your own doctor, would you? and takes his old friend to his own Why is chiropractic a popular treat- chiropractor. After all, chiropractors are ment for animals? back specialists and a snake is almost all back, so it makes a kind of sense. • Why do we fear snakes so much? SCREEN EDUCATION If over 80 per cent of snakes are This episode also focuses on two non-venomous, is this sensible or human members of the zoo. We’re an irrational phobia? following the progress of Danielle, the new presenter; today she has to face • Xavier needs a permit to collect a make-or-break test – can she stand marine specimens from the bay. being bitten by a snake? Being ‘nipped’ Why would he need one just to grab 16 by the animals is a constant hazard a few weird beasties? After all, it’s and if she can’t deal with it confidently just like fishing, isn’t it? Discussion questions and tasks
Caring for wildlife
Raising baby animals can be a heartbreaking task. They aren’t pets and can die suddenly from unexpected causes. Lilly-Pilly is no exception and succumbs to a mystery virus. The children learn a lesson in loss. Remember that each pair of adult parent animals only need to replace them- selves during their lives and make up for any other losses. Most of their young do not survive to breeding age – if they did, we’d be buried in kangaroos!
Student activities – questions and discussion
• What sort of animals do wildlife carers raise? Where do most of them come from? What human activity orphans young animals?
• What do you do if you find an injured wild animal?
• What sort of person would make a good wildlife carer? What type of personality and special skills would be required?
• What happens to these animals when they grow up? What has to be done with them and how is this carried out?
• Research and extension. Are there any wildlife carers in your area or organisations that arrange for carers to take orphaned animals? Do they care for all wildlife or do they specialise in certain species?
Contact an organisation and get involved. Arrange for a Snake tales visit or adopt an orphan. Chris’ old python has a damaged back and is taken to the chiropractor. It seems an odd thing to do but the practi- tioner has some experience with animals and the treatment seems to work.
Student activities
• How does the chiropractor treat the animal? How does he go about treating the injury?
• How long does a big python like an olive python live? How many vertebrae does it have in its backbone (back and tail)? How can it move without legs? SCREEN EDUCATION • Discuss the following. We usually take our cats and dogs to the vet. What other animals could we take as well?
• Does anyone have an unusual pet i.e. a snake or an- other reptiles? What special care do they require? 17
Episode 4 Learner presenter • He claims that Port Phillip Bay has more biodiversity than the Great Barrier Reef – what does this mean and Danielle undergoes the ‘snakebite test’. The presenters why is it a surprise? handle animals and sometimes they will get bitten, or at least get a warning nip from a grumpy animal. They need to • What animals does he collect? be confident, unconcerned and save a real sense of caution for large or venomous animals. Danielle proves that she can • Why do the spider crabs group together and what are deal with the damage but reveals that she does have some they doing? (safety in numbers; forming a protective animal phobias. group while they shed their hard shell, which they need to do occasionally) Questions and discussion
• Which kind of snake does Danielle have to let strike at her? How does she describe the effect? How well does Student research activities she cope? How would you react? • Marine ecosystem – prepare an ecosystem diagram for • What animal phobia does she eventually reveal? (rats). the coastline nearest to you. Who are the producers, Why do some people fear animals like these while oth- the grazers, the predators? Present it as a poster or ers keep them as pets; animals like rats, mice, lizards, PowerPoint presentation. snakes, bats? Is it just irrational or is there some com- mon sense behind these fears? • Some animals, including snakes and crabs, need to shed their skin or carapace as they grow. Why is Marine collecting this? What problems does it cause? Research the phenomenon and prepare a report. The zoo does not always buy its exhibits. The marine specimens are collected from the wild (all other animals are bred and raised in captivity). We saw Chris and Darren tak- ing organisms like the blue-ringed octopus from tidal pools but now Xavier has to go deeper in a night dive, one of his favourite activities.
Questions and discussion
• What types of marine organisms does Xavier collect, and from where?
• Why is he allowed to do this and what restrictions are SCREEN EDUCATION there?
• Why should there be any restrictions – isn’t he just do- ing a kind of fishing?
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Episode 4 EPISODE 5
Episode 5 – Synopsis Danielle has been tasked to do her first unsu- pervised presentation at a school in Melbourne and she’s enthusiastic but nervous about it. The Chris is a big fan of Australia’s native dog, the zoo can keep track of her via GPS tracking, and dingo. Not only is he trying very hard to breed something seems to be wrong. She should have from his own small group of them, but he vis- been back by now but the tracker says that she its a professional breeder as well. It looks like hasn’t left the school an hour or two after the Chris has messed up the timing for the breeding presentation. Has she gone walkabout or has season – there’s only one correct time each year something happened to her? for ‘primitive dogs’ like these. Will he get a litter of pups from his old dog Luka and the black-and- • Is the dingo a genuine wild animal or just a tan bitch Gypsy? feral dog? How does it differ from the family pet? While Gypsy is getting an ultrasound to see if she is pregnant, Chris decides to check a death • The death adder is small, quiet and deadly. adder who might be ready to give birth. (They Is it one of the most dangerous snakes just have live births; they don’t produce eggs.) This is because its venom is so toxic or do others SCREEN EDUCATION one of Australia’s deadliest snakes and she has have a more valid claim to the title? to be handled extremely carefully. Chris has to deal with some disappointments here – he’s been • The kangaroos are fighting over male suffering from wishful thinking. Later, back at the dominance. Should they be allowed to zoo, the Kangaroo Island Western grey kangaroos continue or should staff intervene? have a few social problems to sort out. A young male is feeling frisky and decides to challenge the • This week Danielle is thrown in the deep end 19 big alpha male of the mob. with only a few days warning. How is she going to go with her first solo presentation? Student activities – questions and discussion
• How is the dingo different from your pet dog at home?
• Would you be interested in keeping a dingo yourself, considering the difficulties?
• What sort of person would make a good dingo owner?
Discussion questions and tasks • Gypsy is black and tan in colour – is this a true dingo colouring? (Yes, but less common than the yellow type)
Dingoes • In 2010, the dingo was reclassified as an endangered wild species. How has it been thought of in the past? While a dingo may make a good pet and people who meet them often really want one, they are now classified as • What exactly does ‘feral’ mean? (Hint: it does not mean endangered wildlife in many parts of Australia; you can’t ‘stray’) keep one without a permit and a proper enclosure. It’s not easy and perhaps it shouldn’t be – they aren’t the average • Consider other ways in which the dingo could have pet dog! colonised Australia without the help of man.
http://www.dogs4sale.com.au/Breeds/Australian_Dingo/ • Research and extension. What is the full history of the Breed_Fact_Sheet.htm dingo? How does it differ from other Australian wild animals? Prepare a report or presentation for the class, http://www.dingofoundation.org.au comparing the dingo to the family dog.
Victorian restrictions: Investigate the regulations for keeping a pet dingo in http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrenpa.nsf/LinkView/ your state. Are they reasonable? 555A93FCA70358CECA2577B50001350FBF11D1D90 BD92089CA2572BF001DE8EA How much like a true wolf is the dingo? Consider life- style and behaviour as well its appearance and shape. The origin of the dingo is a bit controversial. Canis lupus dingo is related closely to the common dog Canis famil- iaris, but is regarded as a ‘primitive dog’, like the Basenji. It Death adder breeds only once each year, not twice, and howls (with the occasional ‘yip’) rather than barking. However, because it The death adder is an unusual species. It is a venomous can interbreed with stray and feral common dogs, it cannot elapid snake like many other venomous snakes in Australia, be regarded as a separate species. It is not related to the but it has taken on the shape and behaviour of a typical pit American and European wolves but may have descended viper – short and fat with a triangular head. This is because from the Asian wolf. It seems to have arrived in Australia there are no true vipers in Australia and the death adder from Indonesia, possibly with traders, some 5000 years has adapted to fill the viper niche in the ecosystem. It is an ago and was often domesticated by Aborigines. So, unlike ambush predator, concealing itself quietly in leaf litter and SCREEN EDUCATION wolves and African wild dogs, it is not a truly wild animal waving the tip of its tail as a lure. When a small mammal, and some consider it to be a long-term feral animal. reptile or bird comes to investigate the wriggling tail tip, the death adder strikes. It has a very fast strike and its venom Because it can interbreed with common dogs it is likely that is so toxic that it can just wait for its prey to die in front of it. there are few groups of pure dingoes on the mainland, so the dingo is regarded as endangered as it may be geneti- This makes it very dangerous to humans; before an anti cally overwhelmed by feral dogs. venom was developed, 50 per cent of people who were 20
Episode 5 bitten died. It is in the top twenty of the world’s most venomous snakes, perhaps in the top ten.
http://australianmuseum.net.au/Common-Death-Adder
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/deathadder.htm
Student activities – questions and discussion
• Why does Chris think that the death adder is pregnant?
• What do you notice about the shape of the snake com- pared to that of the other snakes?
• How does Chris handle the death adder? What does the vet do? Roo fights • What would Chris have to do if he were bitten? The Kangaroo Island Western grey kangaroos have a • Research and extension. What are the rules for treating playground fight. No-one gets badly hurt but they are very a snake bite? How do you avoid getting bitten? What serious about it. Chris decides to let them get on with it – do you do if you or a friend is bitten by a snake? Pre- it’s part of normal life for big males. pare a snake bite awareness poster for the classroom.
• Prepare an annotated wall map of common venomous snakes in your area for recognition. If you are bitten Student activities – questions and discussion and need treatment, you have to know what species attacked you! • Should the zoo staff intervene to protect the younger animal from serious harm?
• Why/why not? It may be natural but these animals are in a zoo, not in the wild. If one of them gets hurt, it won’t be left to die as it would be in the wild.
• What exactly is the fight all about? What is the younger male trying to do?
• What kind of animals behave like this? What species? (Animals that live in family groups or tribes)
Learner presenter – the story continues
Danielle must take the final test – to give a presentation in a school, on her own. Did she cope and more importantly, where is she?
Questions and discussion
• What actually happened? Why would it have caused a serious problem that day? SCREEN EDUCATION
• Do we rely on technology too much? Do we expect too much from it? The GPS fails and her mobile phone is flat – panic! But a simple call to the school removes most of the worry. 21
Episode 5 EPISODE 6
Episode 6 – Synopsis this massive species. Chris has already lost two dogs to the disease and decides that the best approach is a radical treat- Have you ever seen a quoll? Most people don’t even know ment – the injection of stem cells into the joints to encourage that such a creature exists let alone that it’s now almost regrowth and healing. Nothing else has worked so it’s a last extinct on the mainland. One of the last of the carnivorous chance trial. marsupials, it’s what Australia used to have before cats and foxes showed up. In fact, it’s sometimes called a ‘native cat’. • What kind of animal is a quoll? What is the European Chris has a small colony of tiger quolls and he’s determined to equivalent? What other animals is the quoll related to? breed the savage little critters despite a major disappointment the year before. Will he succeed? Well, only if he can persuade • Why have quolls become so rare on the Australian main- the rather irritable male to mate with one of the females, rather land, although not so endangered in Tasmania? than attack her! • How does the squirrel glider differ from a normal small While the tiger quoll is the main story in this episode, there possum? Why is it called a glider and what have squirrels are a number of other events to keep them all busy. Chris has got to do with it? SCREEN EDUCATION decided to give a local primary school student the opportunity to become a ‘junior zookeeper’ and has to train him to handle • Does your school have any animals like the bearded drag- animals. Office manager and koala fanatic Inger agrees to on seen here? Who looks after them and what is involved? raise a lively bunch of squirrel gliders in her own home, but finds herself in trouble when they escape from their container • Cabby undergoes an unusual and expensive treatment inside her car while she’s driving. that has hardly even been tested on humans yet. Is it reasonable to use such high-level medical resources on a 22 Finally, ‘Cabby’ (Cabernet), the Humfreys’ huge Newfound- pet? Some people will spend anything to keep a loved pet land dog, needs treatment for the arthritis that often plagues alive, but is it sensible? Discussion questions and tasks
Quolls
As a small predator similar to the wildcat, polecat or mon- goose in Europe and Asia, the quoll played an important role in the Australian ecosystem. It looks a bit like a large, spotted possum but is faster and more agile. The wild quolls we see in the episode are quite fierce. When hand- reared and raised in captivity, they can be far more docile, but they are still essentially a wild animal. The quoll is a member of the dasyurids, a group of carnivorous marsupi- als that include Tasmanian tigers, Tasmanian devils, phas- cogales, dunnarts and many other species. Unfortunately we imported very efficient competitors and predators for them. Cats can outhunt and outbreed the quoll. Dogs and foxes will hunt and kill them. Not only that, but farmers were ruthless in trying to exterminate them because they are very enthusiastic chicken killers. All four species are now threatened and reduced to small populations.
Student activities – questions and discussion
• What kind of animal is a quoll? (predator, marsupial) Research and extension • Why are they threatened? How long do they live? • What is so special about carnivorous marsupials? • How many species of quoll survive in Australia now? Prepare a comparative chart of the Tasmanian tiger, Download a PDF with information about the quoll from Tasmanian devil, quoll, antechinus and a smaller one
• Why is it so difficult to breed them? (aggressive, short • The quoll is almost unknown and is endangered. Pre- season) pare a report and a conservation plan for at least one species – consider its range, distribution, requirements • How does the male know that the female is ready to and threats. mate?
• Does Chris’ tiger quoll have a true pouch? (No, just cover flaps. Tiger quolls can have a pouch, but it only Squirrel gliders develops after sexual maturity.) Gliders are a form of possum • Quolls are beautiful animals. Could they be kept as a unique to Australia and New Guinea pet? Would this help to save them? (there are flying squirrels in North America and Asia but they are not related). There are http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/14/3038560. several species of glider, from the squirrel glider htm seen in this episode, to the tiny feathertail glider, to the large greater glider.
The rarest is the leadbeater’s possum, although it has only a tiny gliding flap. Sugar gliders are the best known and are popular pets in SCREEN EDUCATION North America, although it can be very difficult to get a permit to keep one in Australia.
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Episode 6 Student activities – questions and discussion
• What is a glider? How does it differ from a regular possum?
• What is a squirrel? Is it really like this little glider?
• The gliders in the episode have been bred in captivity. Why would they die if they escaped into the wild?
• Do you know of any other gliders?
Research and extension Research and extension
• How many gliding possums are there in Australia? • Plan a live animal display for your school. Develop a Research one unfamiliar species such as the squirrel proposal for the school council that includes costings, glider or greater glider to find its range and details of funding, maintenance and educational advantages. its lifestyle and diet. Prepare a poster or conservation strategy. Cabby http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petauridae
• Some possums are well known but there are many The monster Newfoundland dog gets stem-cell treatment species that are rare, endangered or unfamiliar. One of for arthritis. Stem-cell research and treatments are highly them is green! There are four different brushtail pos- controversial in human medicine but less so in the veteri- sums – not just one. Select one rare possum from your nary world. area and prepare a graphic or web page profile. Student activities – questions and discussion • You can find a full list here with links, but some are from New Guinea only
• Why is stem-cell research and treatment controversial Junior zookeeper for humans?
• What is the source of the stem cells for Cabby’s treat- The Wild Action zoo has a ‘junior zookeeper’ day but Chris ment? What does ‘autologous’ mean? wants to set up a program where one or more students from the local primary school look after a live animal display • Why is this breed of dog likely to develop arthritis? Are in the school. They already have a small zoo of farmyard there other breeds of dog that have typical problems animals. One boy is selected to care for a bearded dragon. and diseases like this?
http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/factsheets/Others/ Research and extension Bearded-Dragons/364 • Investigate stem-cell treatments for both animals and Student activities – questions and discussion humans. How do stem cells work? Which animals are being treated and for what problems? What human • Does your school keep any live animals? Why and diseases might stem-cell therapy be suitable for? What where? Who cares for them? are the arguments against it?
• Why is a bearded dragon a good choice of animal to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell_treatments keep at a school? http://singularityhub.com/2009/06/25/veterinary-stem-cells • Why is it difficult for a school to keep live animals? -why-your-dog-is-getting-better-treatment-than-you/ SCREEN EDUCATION
• If you wanted to set up a small animal display how would you do it, what species would be suitable and what arrangements would need to be made?
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Episode 6 EPISODE 7
Episode 7 – Synopsis
It’s time for a holiday for the Humfrey family. Chris has a small health problem – he’s a Type A personality, full of energy and stress, and the stress level has caused trouble with his vision. A rest is prescribed, but a holiday for Chris looks like very hard work for most people.
The first destination is the Western MacDonnell Ranges near Alice Springs. While Nicole and the kids want to put their feet up, Chris has plans to check out every animal in the Northern Territory, collect a few and handle the rest – even the scary ones. He’s particularly interested in what comes out at night, what lurks in trees and what lies in wait by the waterhole. This mostly seems to be reptiles of one type or another.
Chris takes the opportunity to encourage the girls to handle animals as much as possible, and in this case they are the real thing – wild animals, not zoo specimens that are used to being handled. Most seem remarkably tolerant of being grabbed and examined.
Meanwhile, back at the zoo, the staff have to keep things running smoothly, knowing that Chris may be a very long way away but that he is still worrying constantly about what might go wrong. As well as the usual round of presentations, zookeeping tasks and main- tenance, a group of ten Junior Zookeepers are about to arrive for a day of animal handling. Someone has to tell them why dingos like to roll in poo!
• Where are the MacDonnell Ranges and why is Chris so keen to visit that particular part of Australia?
• Why are people so scared of spiders? They’re quite small and most of them don’t bite – well, not very hard, anyway.
• Why is night time a particularly good time to search for the more SCREEN EDUCATION unusual animals to be found in the Northern Territory? What is the biggest risk for the animals?
• What is the ecosystem of the highway? (insects, lizards, snakes)
• What is so unusual about the Thorny Devil – apart from its looks, of course? 25
• And yes – why do dogs roll in poo and other nasty things? Discussion questions and tasks
The MacDonnell Ranges
The Western MacDonnell Ranges are a major ecotourism attraction in Central Australia. They feature not only rea- sonably accessible wildlife but also beautiful gorges with waterholes, the Larapinta Trail walking track, four-wheel drive opportunities and camping.
Student activities – questions and discussion
• What kind of animal is a gecko? How does it differ from Junior Zookeeper day other lizards like skinks and goannas?
• A Stimson’s python is an ambush predator. What does The Wild Action zoo regularly entertains groups of young this mean? Why is it a successful strategy? Where people who experience close contact with animals and join would an ambush predator have to lurk? in some of the zookeeper’s daily tasks.
• Why do the animals hang around on the asphalt Student activities – questions and discussion highway at night? Why is it such a lure for reptiles in particular? (it warms them up and gives them energy so • What sort of tasks do you see the students undertak- they can hunt at night) What are the dangers for them? ing?
• What sort of habitat is found in the MacDonnell Rang- • What is the benefit of this activity for the students? es? What sort of animals are best suited to this environ- Would you like to be involved? ment? • Remember that being a zookeeper is still a job. What • Why is Chris so excited about rain in the centre? What do you think might be the boring bits, the problems and changes are there? difficulties? What are the good bits?
• How does Chris send insects back to the zoo from this Research and extension area? • Plan an ideal day for a Junior Zookeeper at the zoo. Research and extension Remember that some of the animals are quite difficult and some are dangerous. You should plan the day • Investigate the wildlife of the area. Prepare an ecosys- for students from the ages of five to seventeen years. tem diagram or illustrated wall chart for the MacDonnell Would you need to plan different activities for different Ranges. age groups?
• Prepare an ecotourism advertisement or brochure for the Ranges, concentrating on the environment and Thorny Devils and spiders wildlife.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacDonnell_Ranges Two particular animals stand out in this episode. Chris handles a big spider (probably Nephila edulis, the Golden http://www.macdonnellranges.com Orb Weaver); this completely disgusts the family. He is puzzled that people should fear such a small and relatively harmless beast. Then, near the Devils Marbles, he finds a Thorny Devil, a fearsome looking beast with a dreadful scientific name – Moloch horridus. This is a unique animal with unusual survival techniques. SCREEN EDUCATION
26
Episode 7 Student activities – questions and discussion Stress and health
• Could you handle a big spider, even one that almost certainly will not bite? Chris seems to be what is sometimes called a Type A personality. This means that he is energetic, tends to stress • Some people keep spiders at home as pets, like you out and likes to be in control of situations. People like him might keep tropical fish. Are they insane? tend to suffer from certain health problems, even if they are as physically fit as Chris. • Why do we fear spiders so much? Is it a reasonable fear? What is a pathological fear of spiders called? Are Typical traits are described here, and a self-assessment there other animals that cause some people similar ter- quiz is provided ror?
• Prepare a report on the ecology of the Thorny Devil. Research and extension What is its range; what sort of habitat does it need to live in? Pay special attention to the way it drinks. Why Investigate the so-called Type A personality. What are the has it adapted in this way? typical traits of that personality? What difficulties does it cause people of this type, i.e. social and health problems? http://australianmuseum.net.au/Golden-Orb-Weaving- Develop an individual plan for a Type A that would reduce Spiders his or her stress and reduce the chance of health problems. Remember that it must be acceptable to this kind of person http://www.ozanimals.com/Spider/Golden-Orb-Weaver- – you can’t tell them to ‘just relax a bit’! They won’t. Spider/Nephila/edulis.html SCREEN EDUCATION http://www.sharkbay.org/Thornydevilfactsheet.aspx
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Episode 7 EPISODE 8
Episode 8 – Synopsis
The Humfrey family holiday/expedition continues, with a drive from Alice Springs up to Darwin. Along the way they stop of at Mataranka, south of Darwin, to visit Elsey Nation- al Park. Here they find one of Australia’s greatest pests, the exotic cane toad. The animals that feature in this episode are again mostly reptiles, in particular the iconic frilled-neck lizard and the water python (or Rainbow Serpent).
A number of habitat issues are raised, such as the fate and value of disused farmland, the habitat of a local rubbish tip and the importance of areas like golf courses. Chris demonstrates here that often you do not have to go deep into the bush to find unusual animals – and he confesses that he hates rats! Chris also demonstrates how to get yourself strangled by a python, much to the amusement of the camera crew, who have to rescue him. He’s making a staff instruction video on how to safely handle large snakes at the time, so it’s all a bit embarrassing!
When he returns to the zoo, one of his zookeepers, Ben, decides that he isn’t happy and that it’s time to leave the job. He’s sad to leave his animals but feels he has no choice.
• Why does the family stop off at Mataranka on the way to Darwin?
• Why does Chris head for the local rubbish tip and what does he find there?
• What is so important about the cane toad?
• What activities are there in the Elsey National Park in Mataranka? What animals are found there?
• Once again, Chris sets out hunting for animals at night, this time in the Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve. Why is this habitat a bit more dangerous for him to go hunting SCREEN EDUCATION in? (Which crocodiles are found there? Which is most dangerous?)
• Why is he so keen to find the Rainbow Serpent and what kind of snake is it?
• Why do you think Ben has decided to part company 28 with the Wild Action zoo and Chris? Why is it such a difficult decision for him? Discussion questions and tasks
Tips and pests Research and extension
Oddly, a rural rubbish tip can become an important animal • Examine the similarities and differences between a rub- habitat. It provides a level of shelter and protection that bish tip and a natural environment. What environmental may have been lost in the rest of the area. One famous needs does a tip mimic for wildlife? (Think food and instance of ‘tip as animal habitat’ in Australia was when the shelter) last surviving population of the mainland Eastern Barred Bandicoot was discovered in the tip at Hamilton in western • Prepare a report on the cane toad disaster – its history, Victoria. More information can be found here
Student activities – questions and discussion Fogg Dam was constructed as a water resource for a rice- growing project. The project failed but the dam area quickly • Why would endangered animals live in a rubbish tip? became a wildlife attraction and was eventually given park How does it protect them and from what? status. Download the Fogg Dam fact sheet here:
• What animals does Chris find in the tip? http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks/find/pdf/foggdam.pdf SCREEN EDUCATION • Why is Chris so keen to lay his hands on the cane toad Like many bushland parks, Fogg Dam has a ‘friends’ group. he sees by the roadside? What are the aims and objectives of this group?
• Why is it sad that he can find a toad just south of http://www.foggdamfriends.org/ Darwin? On this site, you will find an extensive wildlife list including 29
Episode 8 typical activity like tree planting and prepare a report. In some areas, a Landcare group might be appropriate.
• The Rainbow Serpent is an important creature to the Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia. What is the creation myth of the serpent? Find different versions of the Rainbow Serpent myth as told by different tribes, compare them, and suggest why a snake was seen as the creator of the landscape.
Frilled-neck lizards and great, big snakes
Two animals star in this episode. A huge python becomes a problem during a video demonstration when it gets wrapped around Chris’ neck, and frilled-neck lizards dem- onstrate their peculiar running style. Contrary to popular belief, pythons do not crush or strangle their prey – they many animals that you may not have heard of before. kill by compressive asphyxia. The prey is squeezed until it can’t breathe in and soon suffocates. They are also popular Chris searches out the Rainbow Serpent, which is a water pets, especially the carpet snake variety. python with iridescent scales. The Rainbow Serpent is a vital part of the creation stories of northern Indigenous Aus- The frilled-neck lizard of Australia and New Guinea is tralians. The entire landscape was considered to have been known around the world for its strange neck frill and its created by the movement of the serpent, which now sleeps two-legged running style. It is usually found in trees and below the ground. can grow to be almost a metre long.
http://www.expedition360.com/australia_lessons_litera- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frill-necked_Lizard cy/2001/09/dreamtime_stories_the_rainbow.html Student activities – questions and discussion Student activities – questions and discussion • Why does the olive python become such a problem for • Why does the family stop at Mataranka and the national Chris? park there? • The usual handling rule for big wild snakes like py- • What animals does Chris see in the park? thons and boa constrictors is to have one person for a two-metre long animal and an extra handler for each • What is the biggest danger to Chris during his night additional metre. Does Chris follow this rule? excursion into Fogg Dam? • Where does Chris go looking for the frilled-neck lizard? • What is the Rainbow Serpent, both in reality and in Why is the animal happy in that habitat? Aboriginal myth? • What are the defence techniques of the lizard? (Hide in Research and extension tree, threaten, run)
• Select one bird, one reptile, one frog and one mammal Research and extension from the list on the Friends of Fogg Dam list. Choose animals that are unknown to you. Prepare ‘biographies’ • How exactly does a python kill its prey? Hint: it doesn’t for each animal that include habitat requirements, diet, really crush or strangle them! Find out the awful truth: range and status, i.e ‘endangered’.
30
Episode 8 EPISODE 9
Episode 9 – Synopsis
The star of this episode is no beauty – is there anything quite as ugly as an owl chick? Unfortunately, while the Masked Owl chicks have a face only a mother could love, their mother has no clue about raising them. Chris has to take over and this is an advantage for him in one respect. A hand-reared chick will ‘imprint’ on humans and grow up to be a very tame animal, and therefore ideal as a zoo and presentation specimen. One of the chicks seems to be a runt in that it is much smaller than its sibling and unlikely to survive in the nest or incubator, but the Masked Owl is quite rare so it’s well worth attempting to keep it alive.
Once again it’s time to recruit new presenters, and Chris and Nicole have set up a series of job interviews over two days. Of course these interviews are more like auditions and after the first day they’re beginning to think that they’ll never find anyone with the right combination of performance skills and scientific background. Eventually they settle on two candi- dates, but they have a heavy training schedule ahead of them.
We also meet Adam, who survived the audition process a couple of years before. He’s brought in his two Tawny Frog- mouths for a check-up. They’re working animals – stars of his shows for Wild Action – and one of them has a minor injury that is likely to sideline him for a few weeks. He also intro- duces us to his flying fox, which displays an almost dog-like devotion towards him.
We also get to meet some ‘big’ animals, including the scrub python (which escapes). It is the biggest snake species in Australia, growing up to eight metres long. At the other end of the scale, the rhinoceros beetle and the Giant Burrowing Cockroach are among the biggest insects on the planet.
• Why does Chris have to rescue the Masked Owl chicks?
• What is involved in raising a very young bird? (warmth, regular food, monitoring, handling)
• What skills does Chris want to find in a new recruit to his business? SCREEN EDUCATION • Why is he having difficulty finding suitable people?
• What are Adam’s favourite animals?
• Why is Gonzo ‘rested’ from the shows?
• Do you want a cockroach as a pet? How would your 31 parents react? The Tawny Frogmouth is the largest of the nightjars and is quite common. It is sedentary but not territorial like owls, and can be quite social. The Tawny Frogmouth tames easily.
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/tawnyfrogmth.htm
http://www.ozarkwild.org/tawnyz.php
Student activities – questions and discussion
• What differences can you see between the adult owl and the frogmouths?
• What is involved in raising a bird chick? What does the incubator do? Why is Chris keen to hand-rear the chicks?
• What do owls eat and how do they eat it?
• Why is it difficult to see frogmouths during the day? Are there any other animals that you know that use the same method of survival?
Research and extension Discussion questions and tasks • Create a guide book for Australian owls. What different groups are there; which are common or endangered; Owls and nightjars which are unique to Australia? • Investigate what is unusual about the way that an owl Many people assume that the Tawny Frogmouth is an owl eats and digests its food; see
http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/ tsprofile/profile.aspx?id=10820
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Episode 9 Student activities – questions and discussion
• Why are Chris and Nicole unhappy with the candidates they see on day one?
• What is it about them that disappoints Chris?
• What techniques do they use to test out the job appli- cants?
• Would you have chosen the same ones as Chris and Nicole?
Research and extension
• Find a job in the paper that you would like to apply for. Prepare yourself a resume that might help get you the job, or at least an interview. If you already have a re- sume/CV, are there any claims in it that are exaggerated or that your potential employer could catch you out on?
Giant insects The problem is that insects have no lungs and don’t really breathe. They have to absorb oxygen through tubes in Why are insects so small? The Giant Burrowing Cockroach their shell and that limits the possible size for an insect or is one of the very biggest and only gets to about 150mm arachnid (spiders and mites). The cockroach can get larger long, the size of a human hand. It weighs about the same than most because it is flat – no part of its internal body is as a mouse. There were some huge ones in the far dis- too far from the surface openings. tant past, during the Jurassic era, but seventy-five grams seems to be the limit in our era. Perhaps it’s colder now, or http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/ the atmosphere has less oxygen. Animals+of+Queensland/Insects/Cockroaches/ Common+species/Giant+Burrowing+Cockroach
The rhinoceros beetle is one of the largest of the beetles, though it not as big as its relative the Goliath beetle, which is the heaviest insect on earth. They are both members of the scarab family, which has 30,000 species. Beetles are one of the most abundant and successful creatures and there are huge numbers of different types.
http://www.extremescience.com/zoom/index.php/ creepy-crawlies/56-giant-insects
Student activities – questions and discussion
• Why is Chris so keen to get these two insects? What does he say about using them in a presentation?
• Why are insects so small – even the big ones? What would life be like if we had insects the size of dogs – or cows?!
• Would you keep a weird, giant insect as a pet? Why/ SCREEN EDUCATION why not?
33
Episode 9 Research and extension
How would you set up a giant insect display in your school? What would you need? Plan a mini-zoo based on these creatures.
This is one supplier of giant cockroaches, rhinoceros bee- tles and stick insects that offers them in full kits and also in grub kits suitable for children to raise – go to
Imprinting and captive breeding
One of the most difficult problems in caring for wild animals is ‘imprinting’, a psychological problem. The animals become so attached to their carers that they lose their ‘wildness’ and cannot be released. They are too tame and can’t fend for themselves or interact properly with other members of their species. Wildlife carers are not in the pet business – they want to re-release their charges when they are healed or grown up.
http://www.cerebromente.org.br/n14/experimento/lorenz/ index-lorenz.html
Ethologist Konrad Lorenz’s book King Solomon’s Ring is Student activities – questions and discussion one of the best non-fiction animal books ever written and is essential reading for any teenager who is interested in • What does imprinting mean? Are you imprinted your- animals. self?
The classic imprinting or attachment experiment: • Is it fair to raise wild animals as pets? Could this actu- ally save them? http://sites.google.com/site/attachmentie/attachment -theory/harry-harlow-and-the-monkey-experiment-on- • Can all animals be tamed, or are there some that simply youtube will not be?
There are other, related problems indicated in this episode. Research and extension Chris attempts to raise the smaller owl chick even though it seems doomed. It is not unusual for one of a clutch of • Investigate the imprinting experiments of Konrad chicks to be a ‘runt’ – it is often ejected from the nest by its Lorenz. What kind of scientist was he? What conclu- siblings. So, why try to help one that is failing to thrive? sions did he reach about the behaviour of very young animals? Have you seen the effect yourself in pets? The parents of the chicks are first-time breeders and likely to neglect their chicks until they have more experience. But • Could keeping endangered animals as pets be a good will the surviving chick be able to raise its own offspring way to stop them becoming extinct? At present it is when it becomes an adult if it has been raised by humans? difficult because of government regulations, but what animals would be popular and how sensible would it Chris has no intention of releasing the adult bird into the be to keep one? (Would you want to live with an adult wild once it is grown. He will raise it as if it is a pet, so that wombat?) Prepare a fake advertising brochure promot- it will be tame for future shows. Is this good conservation ing one or more Australian species as pets – consider SCREEN EDUCATION technique? (Better of two evils?) some that you have seen in this series such as quolls or flying foxes.
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Episode 9 EPISODE 10
Episode 10– Synopsis
In the last episode we saw the recruitment of two new pre- senters. Now it’s time for training and this episode centres on Laura in particular. We see her learning how to handle a huge snake safely and developing her confidence with one of the presenter’s most difficult and dangerous specimens, a young saltwater crocodile. How do you sex a croc? Well, it might be an idea to get a really good grip first! Laura is going to be living with one so Chris has to be sure that she can deal with any situation.
Also, a situation arises with Adam, one of the other present- ers. His Black-headed Python has disappeared. Not only has it escaped from the tank but from the house itself. He has to find it fast or it will die – Melbourne is a bit too cold for a big, northern snake. He calls on Xavier, another presenter, to help catch the elusive beast.
Even a visit to the hairdresser requires planning when you’re a Humfrey. It’s going to take a while to get his tips done, so Chris has to take a couple of baby animals with him, Nova the owl chick and a kangaroo, because they need constant feeding at their stage of development. Chris needs a hairdo because he’s about to go on a morning TV chat show.
Laura turns out to be a natural as a presenter and she soon has the handling skills. Now she needs to be set up so that she can perform school presentations on her own, and that means that her own personal menagerie is moving in with her. From now on, life at home means a crocodile in the bathroom, a lizard in the lounge and a possum in the hoodie.
• What are the most important aspects of the training for the new presenters?
• How does Adam’s snake escape and why does he know where to look for it? SCREEN EDUCATION • What sort of initial difficulties is Laura having with the larger animals?
• What stage has Nova, the owl chick, reached?
• What do you have to do to find out the sex of a crocodile? 35 • What animals does Chris take with him and what are the possible hazards? Research and extension
Look at the whole team at
What do the presenters have in common? What sort of people are they?
Saltwater crocodiles
The saltwater or estuarine crocodile (the ‘Saltie’) is the most fearsome predator in Australia. It is a top predator. The only thing that kills a crocodile – the biggest reptile – is old age, a bigger croc or a hunter. Fortunately they only live in warm, tropical areas, for example the north coast and northern waterway where the human population is small (Broome to Rockhampton). The crocodile is also found throughout Indonesia, New Guinea, south-east Asia and on the east coast of India, where the human population is Discussion questions and tasks huge.
The presenter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltwater_crocodile
Laura settles into her new role as wildlife presenter very quickly. She seems to have the right kind of personality for it – extroverted, good with children and confident with animals, even the scary ones. But now she has to take on all that goes with the job – wrestling with snakes, chasing unrestrained crocodiles and sharing her home with them.
We see what can go wrong when Adam’s Black-headed Python discovers a design flaw in its home and runs away – well, slithers off. Some things will always go wrong and what really counts is how well the presenter deals with the situation. Student activities – questions and discussion • What handling rules does Chris give Laura when she struggles with the larger animals?
• How does Chris subdue the crocodile? Why can’t it open its mouth if he holds it shut with just one hand?
• What are the main risks to and for a presenter?
• How does Chris test Laura’s ability to deal with an unexpected situation? (releases the croc)
• What animals does Laura have to deal with at home? SCREEN EDUCATION How are they housed?
• Why does Adam know where to look for his missing snake once he realises that it is gone?
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Episode 10 Student activities – questions and discussion • What is the other species of crocodile in Australia? What are the differences between each species? • Where do crocodiles live? What kind of animal are they? Prepare a chart comparing the two, showing their size, distribution and diet. • Crocodiles been around since dinosaurs were ruling the planet. Why have they been so successful? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltwater_crocodile
• Why did they survive when dinosaurs did not? (They are http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshwater_crocodile cold-blooded reptiles – dinosaurs were possibly not) • How are saltwater/estuarine crocodiles managed for • An adult male is up to six metres long (females four their own safety and that of humans? About one to two metres). Pace this out or lie down to make this length. people are killed by crocs every year in Australia. If they are protected wildlife, how are you going to protect • What is a top predator? people in crocodile-heavy areas? In groups, develop a list of simple rules and ideas to help tourists and locals Research and extension avoid danger and survive. What does the Northern Ter- ritory do to manage them? http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/ • What is the difference between a crocodile and an al- wildlife/becrocwise/pdf/fact_sheets/crocodile_manage- ligator? Could you see the special feature of crocodiles ment.pdf in this episode? Where does each live and why do they have these differences? Investigate the different mem- bers of the crocodile family (there are three) and explain the differences between them. SCREEN EDUCATION
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between -a-crocodile-and-an-alligator.htm
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Episode 10 EPISODE 11
Episode 11 – Synopsis toilet block. The family seems to suffer from animal magnetism because even their hotel room has a There’s a lot of activity in this episode – the pre- brown tree snake in it. senters have to run, the family goes canoeing and two breeding programs hit high gear. One of the • Can Chris count? How many emu eggs are emus, the father, is sitting on eggs and Chris wants there? to count them. But you can’t just walk up and push an emu off its eggs, so Chris has to develop a • Why is the male emu sitting on the eggs? How rather strange way to approach safely. Gypsy, the long will it take him? black dingo, has given birth to seven pups but one dies soon after birth. • How many dingo pups are there and what colours are they? The presenters are used to living with their animals and dealing with semi-tame show specimens, • Which animals score most points in the wildlife so how are they going to go finding wildlife, in hunt? the wild? As a training session, Chris organises a competition to see just how good they are at spot- • Why do the geckos have fat tails? ting animals out in the bush. The rarer they are, SCREEN EDUCATION the more points they get in the quest for the Wild • What’s the difference between a turtle and a Action cup. tortoise?
In the middle of all this, the Humfrey family takes a • Why is a park toilet the ideal place to find ani- quick break for some canoeing at a favourite spot, mals? Nymboida in New South Wales. Of course, this involves Chris hurling himself into the river to catch • Why does Chris remove two of the emu chicks 38 turtles (or are they tortoises?) and he introduces us to the house for hand-rearing? to one of his favourite animal habitats, the outback Animal treasure hunt
The presenters are young, fit and many have zoology degrees, so they should be able to cope with a bush hunt challenge. Without interference they must find, identify and email back a list detailing evidence about animals and plants. It’s strenuous, fun and educational. They do well but two good finds make the competition close.
Student activities – questions and discussion
• What animals do they find? Make a list. (scorpion, Eastern Brown Snake [skin], gecko [thick-tailed, Bark- ing, Marbled], centipede, Shingleback or Stumpy-tailed Lizard, echidna, Red-bellied Black Snake)
Which ones score highest? Why?
• What exactly is a scorpion? An insect, a reptile … what? Discussion questions and tasks • What would be good strategies to win this competition?
Breeding Research and extension
• Develop a similar competition for a local park. Draw up Emus and dingoes have very different approaches to rear- a score list for animals and plants with scores for each. ing their young. There are no surprises with the dog – even Students could record their finds with a mobile phone the death of the ‘runt’ is unexceptional. But big birds are camera. different. With three of the big ratites (large flightless birds) – the emu, cassowary and the rhea of South America – the • Scorpions are well known but you may not know how male does all the sitting, hatching and rearing. (The male common they are in Australia. Investigate the animal – ostrich shares the task, sitting at night when his darker how many species are there, what kind of animal are feathers make him harder to see). Why? Because the male they, are they dangerous/venomous, where do they is bigger and better able to defend the eggs and chicks, live? especially after the female has gone through the strain of laying the eggs. It is an unusual but effective strategy.
The dingo pups and two of the emu chicks spend time with the family and other humans in order to become social- ised. They’ll spend their adult lives with humans and need to imprint on them. The emus, in particular, imprint on the brightly coloured clothes of Chris’ daughters.
Student activities – questions and discussion
• What other big flightless birds are there apart from emus?
• Why are they so dangerous?
• Why are the chicks striped? (Camouflage in long grass) SCREEN EDUCATION • How can Chris tell that one pup died soon after it was born?
• Why does the family play with the emu chicks and the pups? 39
Episode 11 Animal holidays • How does a snake move? How can it climb across thin branches if it has no legs and feet?
Chris’ holidays seem to be a high-speed mixture of sport- • This snake is only slightly poisonous but quite aggres- ing activities and animal chasing. This short break is no sive. What do you think it might hunt up in trees? different, as he takes the family off to a favourite canoeing spot on the Nymboida River in NSW. Three animals are Research and extension featured in this trip – the short-necked turtle, the brown tree snake and some large green tree frogs, which prefer a toilet Animal investigations cistern to the bush. • Turtles. Are there any true tortoises in Australia? What Tortles? Many people refer to Australia’s river turtles as tor- are the exact differences between freshwater turtles, toises – they were once called this to distinguish them from marine turtles and tortoises? Draw the feet of each and the big ocean turtles. But a true tortoise does not swim and explain why they are so different. Why have they devel- is vegetarian, while a turtle is a swimmer and will eat just oped totally different limbs? about anything – meat preferably. • Snakes. How do they move, exactly? Why is it a very http://kids.mdbc.gov.au/encyclopedia/wildlife/reptiles/ effective way of moving and how fast can they go? short_necked_turtle.html Are there any advantages to being legless? Prepare an illustrated report or poster. The colubrid family is a common snake family. These snakes are usually mildly venomous and their fangs are at the back of the mouth, not the front. This one is a tree snake and demonstrates its remarkable climbing ability.
http://www.coolcompanions.com.au/australian-reptiles/ australian-snakes-australian-reptiles/brown-tree-snake/
Student activities – questions and discussion
• The turtle has no teeth or beak so how do you think it might kill and eat a frog, which it can? SCREEN EDUCATION • Why do some animals (snakes, bats, insects and frogs especially) hide out in park and campground toilet blocks?
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Episode 11 EPISODE 12
Episode 12 – Synopsis
Episode 12 begins with an unpleasant irony. Chris has been raising and training his Masked Owl, Nova, but discovers one morning that local wild owls have killed one of his wallaby joeys. The other little joey has to be captured so that it can be brought inside, out of harm’s way. Nova is almost an adult and Chris realises that he doesn’t know enough about training raptors to free-fly an owl. One of the few places in Australia to practise the ancient art of raptor-training is Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia, which happens to be one of Chris’ favourite places.
Chris has a hidden agenda to his visit there. So far his private zoo has been a place to breed and rest animals for the Wild Action shows, but what he’d really like to do is to have a wildlife park that people can visit – a proper zoo. There’s one for sale on the island and he’s keen to check it out to see if it would suit his needs and future plans. He likes the look of it and of some its animals and facilities but isn’t entirely smitten – there’s a lot that needs to be done to make it the kind of place he envisages.
Back in Victoria, the flush of baby animals continues. This time it’s a tangle of little Squirrel Gliders and a clump of rather ugly little Rainbow Lorikeets, who are a stark contrast to their beautiful parents. There are two koala joeys to check out now that they are beginning to leave the pouch for short periods. Are they in good condition and are they buck or doe?
• What is the usual diet of wild owls?
• Where exactly is Kangaroo Island?
• Why are so many small animals safer on the island than on the mainland?
• What does Chris like and dislike about the Parndana Wildlife Park? SCREEN EDUCATION
• What do you do with roadkill? Why?
• Where do quokkas come from?
• How sharp is an eagle eye? 41 • Where do baby possums ride? Student activities – questions and discussion
• How old is Nova when she needs to learn how to fly?
• Why does Chris want her to be able to free fly – to fly off his wrist and return when called?
• What does he learn from the trainer at the raptor park on the island?
• Why are owls important to us – what useful function do they have?
• How much better are the eagle’s eyes than ours? Why?
Research and extension
• Investigate the sport of falconry – the sport of the Eu- ropean kings. Is it still practised today? Which birds are used most often? What is the history?
• Owls are nocturnal. Explain why. Prepare a report on the adaptations of the bird that make it suitable for night hunting.
Odd note: eagle eye Discussion questions and tasks
The trainer at the raptor park claims that the eagle’s eye Owl training is seven times sharper than a human’s eye so it can see a mouse move at great distance. He uses a camera anal- ogy, saying that if a human eye is one megapixel then the The ancient art of training raptors is known as falconry, but eagle’s is seven megapixels. But how many megapixels that usually refers to training hawks and falcons to hunt does a human eye really have? The answer is at least 100 if game like rabbits. People still use dogs for hunting but fal- it is absolutely still, so the eagle has an awesome piece of conry is almost a lost art now. It’s not illegal in Australia but visual equipment. you need special permits to raise and keep the birds. http://news.deviantart.com/article/27174/ Owls are not usually used for hunting but some wildlife parks and zoos, like Healesville Sanctuary near Melbourne, train raptors for very popular free-flight displays. Owls were Kangaroo Island rarely used for hunting because they are mostly nocturnal and their sight is not as good as that of hawks and eagles. They use sound to locate their prey, rather than just night Where is Kangaroo Island and why is it a wildlife haven? It vision. This is why Nova looks a bit skittish – she’s distract- is one of the larger Australian islands, off the south coast ed by sounds – and it’s why falconers put hoods over the of South Australia. Large parts of it are parkland and there birds’ eyes to keep their little hunters quiet. are no foxes or feral dogs or cats on the island. There are also no rabbits to compete with the native animals for food Nova is a Masked Owl, a member of the genus Tyto, the and damage the vegetation balance. It has become a major Barn Owls with the distinctive heart-shaped face. The Kan- destination for ecotourism and any search on the net brings SCREEN EDUCATION garoo Island raptor park has a Common Barn Owl – they up large numbers of eco tour operators. look very similar but this species is whiter in the face and is found right across the planet except for in the Americas.
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Episode 12 Student activities – questions and discussion
• Why are there so many rare animals on Kangaroo Island?
• How do you approach a wild wallaby? Why does this work?
• What is different about the Tammar Wallaby?
• If you find a dead animal on the road, what two things should you do? Why is this so important?
• What does Chris like about the Parndana Wildlife Park? What does he think should be changed?
• Which animals at the park make him really enthusiastic?
Research and extension
• Find Kangaroo Island on a map of South Australia. How much of it is parkland? Draw an illustrated map of the island with pictures of the special animals that live there. Why have they survived and done well there? Baby animals
• Investigate Kangaroo Island as an ecotourism destina- Any modern zoo considers the breeding of wildlife a tion. Google the island and look at some of the holiday priority. Chris’ zoo has been successful this year with activities offered. How are these eco tours organised, endangered quolls but he also wants to make sure that he what do they offer and what is needed to protect the has enough of the more common animals to support his industry there? business. This year, he’s also got koala joeys, Rainbow Lorikeet chicks and Squirrel Gliders. • The Tammar Wallaby has a very interesting history. It is one of the small macropods badly affected by the intro- Student Activities – questions and discussion duction of predators like cats and foxes. Read the full story at
• How does a koala joey become immune to the toxins (poisons) in gum leaves? (Eats its mother’s poo!)
Research and extension
• Animal investigations – koalas. Koalas are different to most other marsupials. What special features do they have that helps them live in trees and eat toxic gum leaves?
• Nest boxes – over 300 Australian animals nest in tree hollows, including lorikeets and Squirrel Gliders (and bats and possums and ducks!) In a zoo or park nest boxes are used instead, but they have to be exactly the right shape and size to suit each species of animal. SCREEN EDUCATION They aren’t expensive and are easy to make. Perhaps you could start a nest-box program at school for the school grounds or students’ own homes.
http://www.sustainablebluemountains.net.au/localliving/ more/files/Nestboxes.pdf 43
Episode 12 EPISODE 13
Episode 13 – Synopsis
A year has gone by and the breeding program has been successful, so much so that three dingo pups have gone out to be raised by presenters and Chris is able to swap Tiger Quolls with a wildlife park in Sydney to improve genetic diversity. The quolls are a pet project of Chris’, so parting with a couple of his ‘babies’ is hard for him, but he needs fresh genes in his population and he’ll get a new breeding male from the deal.
Catching the Tiger Quolls is always a challenge and when you want to get exactly the right ones – a healthy male and female – there’s quite a bit of chas- ing involved, and it’s a chase with sharp, little teeth. As well as the two for transfer, Chris takes another pair to be hand-reared for the shows. A truly wild quoll would be just too dangerous, and hand-rearing is the only way to get a quoll tame enough to tolerate noisy, inquisitive children. Once again we have to wonder why we don’t keep these wonderful animals as pets.
Dingoes are a much simpler proposition. They may have some characteristics of the wolf but they have the behaviour patterns of a dog, and even a wolf can be tamed and trained to some extent. The puppies are unbearably cute and they have to be socialised so that they know how to behave around humans.
• How many Tiger Quoll litters has Chris managed to breed? How many joeys are there?
• Why does he take two for hand-rearing? Why does he take two up to Sydney?
• Why do they have to be quarantined when they arrive? SCREEN EDUCATION • Why are there different colours of pure dingoes? What are the colours?
• How do you train a dingo puppy? Is it any differ- ent to training a pet dog?
• What animals does Fiona keep in her home? How 44 much does a fruit bat eat? Discussion questions and tasks
Quolls
Everyone knows about Tasmanian Devils, but quolls are almost unknown. Chris thinks it may be because they don’t have such an interesting name. Perhaps we should be calling them a tiger cat or something similar, to make them more sound more intriguing. The wild adults are obvi- ously quite aggressive but the young are more docile. The hand-reared animals, by twelve weeks old, are very placid and seem no more difficult than a domestic cat. Marsupials have to be reared on lactose-free milk, just like domestic cats (and some humans!)
The key concept here is genetic diversity. Zoos constantly exchange animals and buy in fresh breeding animals from overseas to improve the genetic stock, just as dog breeders do. Failing to do this results in inbreeding, which causes genetic disorders and breeding failures.
Student activities – questions and discussion • How is the quoll different from its larger cousin, the • The Tiger Quoll is one of the last of the Australian mar- Tasmanian Devil? supial predators. What are the others? • What is unusual about the pattern of spots of the Tiger • Why have quolls become threatened in recent times? Quoll? Why can’t they compete with introduced animals? • Can you think of different names that would make the • What do you feed a baby quoll? What can’t they eat? quoll sound more interesting?
• Why is Chris swapping quolls with Featherdale Wildlife Research and extension Park in Sydney? What do zoos do to maintain genetic diversity in their small • What could happen if he doesn’t do this? populations of animals? Investigate what they do this and why it is so important. What happens if they don’t do it?
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2004/07/05/ 1145299.htm?site=perth&topic=tech
http://www.cheetah.org/?nd=genetic_diversity
Dingoes
Unlike quolls, dingoes are very well known and have been kept as pets by many people quite successfully. However, they are a potential problem – they are wolf-like pack hunt- ers, very intelligent and potentially dangerous if not well trained. In this program, we see a number of the routines and procedures that the team must undertake to make SCREEN EDUCATION the adult dogs placid, obedient and safe for children to be around. This process of socialisation is not very different to the training of any dog, but there are many very poorly trained dogs out there and the Wild Action team cannot take any risks. 45
Episode 13 Student activities – questions and discussion Compare the two points of view and then prepare written advice for someone considering buying a dingo puppy, so • How many dingo pups are kept at the zoo and how that they can make a sensible decision and know what they many go out to presenters? are in for.
• What does Chris get his children to do with the pups to tame them down?
• Why are the dingoes different colours? What are the colours and what habitats do they suit? (Ginger – de- sert; black and tan – forest; white – alpine areas. Also the alpine dingo has a longer, thicker coat.)
• What does Fiona do with her dingo pup to socialise it?
• How well trained is your pet dog? Does it always behave? What problems are caused by badly trained dogs?
Research and extension
Is a dingo a suitable pet?
This article claims it is not, and has some useful general information.
http://www.dogslife.com.au/dogs_life_articles? cid=9454&pid=146591 SCREEN EDUCATION This article takes a slightly different view, stating that it is possible if you go about it the right way.
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/dingo.htm
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Episode 13 This study guide was produced by ATOM. (© ATOM 2011) ISBN-13-978-1-74295-021-1 [email protected] For more information on Screen Education magazine, or to download other study guides for assessment, visit