Week+4+-+Conservation+&+Advocacy

Week 4 - Conservation & Advocacy



Day 1: What is Conservation? What is Advocacy?

Students are beginning to learn what the terms "Conservation" and "Advocacy" mean. We began our day with making finishing touches on our designs for a Zoo Habitat as well as our Recycling Containers for Lauritzen Gardens. Then, we made a special trip to get some important information from Alysia Hess, a Keeper of African Painted Dogs at Henry Doorly Zoo. She taught us a lot of important facts about these endangered creatures. For instance, these animals have been "persecuted" and killed because of their original names - "African Wild Dog" and "African Hunting Dog". Also because of their hunting style. These dogs do not wait for their prey to die - they hunt in packs and eat their prey immediately after being caught. They literally rip their prey apart - which seems vicious to humans, but is just a fact of life for the dog.

media type="youtube" key="L1nd548dLX0" height="377" width="503" After Lunch, students used their time to work on their designed Controlled Habitats for an animal that isn't currently in the zoo. They also worked on finishing their designs for Lauritzen Garden's Recycling Program. Students who were finished with their designs, started creating prototypes or dioramas of their animal habitats. This has been an exciting and lengthy project for the students - they are excited to finally see their designs come to life! Using their natural surroundings, (rocks, branches, twigs, etc.) as well as some inexpensive store bought materials - they have begun to create their habitat designs in 3D form from the bottom up. Look to see these at the Showcase this Friday!

Day 2: How can WE help to conserve Habitats, Animals or Resources? How can WE become ADVOCATES? Students met a Education Department Staff Member named Roger Cattle today - he gave us a tour of the Zoo and explained their efforts to conserve and advocate for endangered animals. He also explained the research efforts to help local wildlife, like amphibians which are proned to a "Chitrid Fungus" from pollution. Researchers are testing amphibians to see if they are being affected and then decide what action to take in that environment. media type="youtube" key="FlFmpAocir4" height="377" width="503" media type="youtube" key="elUgcxw-jMk" height="377" width="503" Students also learned about "Lonsome George" a type of tortoise that because of his death, is now extinct. Below are TOP 5 Most Endangered Species:
 * Vaquita : A tiny dolphin that lives in the Gulf of Mexico and often drowns in fishing nets. 150 left
 * Hirola : An antelope with lovely swirled horns that lives near the Kenya-Somalia border and is threatened by cattle farming and drought. 600 left
 * Bonneted Bat : Florida’s largest bat was thought to be extinct until a small colony was found near Fort Myers in 2002. The 21-inch creature has lost most of the cliff crevices and tree cavities in which it lives. 100 left
 * Grenada Dove : The pink-breasted Caribbean bird has been hunted to the brink of extinction by mongooses, cats and rats. 150 left
 * White-headed Langur : These monkeys on Vietnam’s Cat Ba Island are used in traditional Chinese medicine and have now been fractured into a few small groups. 59 left

 Read more: [|http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/06/26/giant-tortoise-lonesome-george-dies-in-the-galapagos/#ixzz1yueUJtQD] We had a surprise Visit from the Geneticists at the Zoo who happen to work in the Madagascar Exhibit. They live in Madagascar for 6 months of the year and study Lemurs as well as help the native people restore forests that are being depleted due to the farming of rice. Below is a video of her role in studying the Lemur population of Madagascar. media type="youtube" key="2IYVRJx6z28" height="315" width="420" align="center"

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 240%;">Day 3: How Can We Conserve Our Native Area?

<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: left;">This morning, we will be visiting the Painted Dog Exhibit again to see some Enrichment with the Animals. Students actually got to PARTICIPATE in helping the Zoo Keepers give the animals Enrichment Items! They had to remember what they learned about these species and answer questions correctly. 3 Students were able to answer and then were asked to step into the "Keepers Only Area" to give the Painted Dogs their Enrichment Items! Check out the Video of JC Below! Autumn and Grant also had the opportunity! Check out their WikiPages to see their video! media type="youtube" key="YhEV_YFvPyU" height="377" width="503" align="center"

<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: left;">Then we will be traveling to Hitchcock Nature Center to visit with Chad Graeve who is in charge of Conservation of Hitchcock Nature Center - in particular controlled burns. media type="youtube" key="0aEuIxMOaQw" height="408" width="544" align="center"

media type="youtube" key="I4W2Sr7qytA" height="315" width="420"

<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: left;">After Lunch, we will continue work on our projects which are being placed at Hot Shops Thursday afternoon for our Showcase on Friday! We can't wait to show off what we know!

<span style="color: #003399; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 210%;">Day 4: How Can WE Do Our Part To Conserve our Earth, Animals & Resources? <span style="color: #003399; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Students will have the option of completing a "Conservation Bag" for a particular animal or habitat. They must be done with the following:


 * <span style="color: #003399; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Zoo Habitat & Perspective Drawing
 * <span style="color: #003399; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Laurtizen Gardens Recycling Proposal & Design
 * <span style="color: #003399; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Habitat Wordle (Before & After)
 * <span style="color: #003399; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">2 Focus Drawings
 * <span style="color: #003399; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">3D Diorama (Optional)

<span style="color: #003399; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> Then, they can create a bag like the one pictured in this short movie:

media type="youtube" key="TiuCNjBI8z0" height="377" width="504" align="center"

= Day 4: Showcase!!!! =