Animals, Zoo, Educational Resources Animals, Educational Resources Zoo, Zoo Online Resources

The National Zoo, located in Washington D.C., was established as a zoological park in 1899 by the Smithsonian Institute. The zoo was developed for the scientific study of animals and as a place for people to look at, enjoy and learn about the captive animals. Over the past 100 years, it has become a biological park with emphasis and study not only on the animals, but also on their environment and the interaction between the two. It is still a place for the people to learn more about animals and their natural habitat. Zoo- and bio- are derived from Greek words in which Zoo means animal and Bio means life. Hence, this is the reason the National Zoological Park is calling itself a BioPark. Some of the exhibits you can visit after the field trip include Migratory Birds, Endangered Animals, Animal Babies, Reptile and Amphibians, Invertebrates, American Prairie, Cheetah Conservation and more. This web site is filled with information in the form of text, photos, and access to live video.
This site features 'live' cameras throughout the park enabling you to view the animal, as well as links to web pages outside of the National Zoo. The focus of our field trip will be the audio tour. After the tour, you are free to roam the site.

The goals and objectives of this site are to: (1) recognize and name highlighted animals in the field trip and locate where they would be found in the wild, (2) describe conservation efforts for endangered plant and animal species at the zoo and list some of the endangered species, (3) list types of research done at the zoo concerning the zoo's conservation efforts, and (4) list different types of animal behavior and their communication.

(Source: National Zoo web site and the Encyclopedia Britanica, CD-ROM 1997.)

A zoo is a place where wild animals are exhibited in captivity. This affords us the opportunity to observe and study animals that we might not otherwise have been able to do. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the word zoo was first used in the late 19th century as a popular abbreviation for the zoological gardens in London, England. Collections of captive animals have been in existence since ancient times. In many instances, these exhibits were use for the study of animals. There are over 1000 zoos in existence today.

Many conditions must be met in the organization of a structure to house animals. The animal's natural habitat has to be somewhat emulated as well as the ability of the zookeepers to care for the animals and the public to view them. Conditions such as ventilation, lighting, temperature, and humidity controls must be adjusted depending on the type of animal housed. When one considers all that needs to be done, it is simply amazing that the setup of a zoo can even be accomplished.
Many zoos have breeding programs, which help endangered species. If successful these programs can help to reverse the decline of a specific specie, such as the recent case of the Bald Eagle. A zoo was instrumental in breeding the birds in captivity and releasing them into the wild. Zoos often exchange information about the care and feeding of animals with each other.

1. Go to the National Zoo home page at http://www.si.edu/natzoo/
2. Click on the National Zoo Highlights button.
3. Click on the Audio Tours button and follow the directions for taking the tour. There are several options. One option is to read through the tour yourself, and another option is to download the audio from their site (recommended) or download onto a disk in your computer. This audio guide reads the tour information for you. Once you are finished viewing the picture, you may hit the forward button to continue on with the trip, or hit the reverse button to listen to the page again.
4. Use this tour to answer the scavenger hunt questions listed below for each of the grade levels. It is suggested that you read all of the questions before beginning your field trip. This will allow the student to have an idea of what he is seeking. Some of the questions for each grade level are similar, and some are not. Feel free to adapt a question outside of the student's grade level.
   
5. Discuss with the student our responsibility to be good stewards, and compare these responsibilities with the zoo's research and conservation efforts.
6. Point out to the student both the similarities and differences in animal behavior.
7. Allow time for the student to find answers to the questions. Check the answers with the answer key.
   

(Suggestion: You may want to have an atlas or globe nearby to look up the various locations of the animal's habitat. You may also want to use a measuring tape to show the size of some of these large animals.)

1. There are different types of large cats at the zoo. Can you name some of them and where they live in the wild?
2. Giraffes are the tallest animals and have a very long neck and a very long tongue. How long are their tongues? What is the color of their tongue?
3. In what ways do animals communicate (talk) with one another?
4. Some animals like to be alone most of the time (solitary), and some stay with their family or in a group (family groups/herds). Name a solitary animal, one that lives in a herd, and one that lives in a family group.
5. We should all be good stewards of God's creation. What is the zoo doing to be a good steward?

1. There are different types of animals at a zoo. Can you name some of them and where they live in the wild? How far are these animals from your home when they live in the zoo? How far are they from you when they are living in the wild?
2. Giraffes are the tallest animals and have a very long neck and a very long tongue. (a) How long are their tongues? (b) What color are their tongues? (c) What is the name of the bone in a giraffe's neck? (d) How big and how many bones are there in a giraffe’s neck and in a human's neck? (e) Find something in your house that is as tall as a giraffe's neck.
3. In what ways do animals communicate (talk) with one another? Why do they communicate?
4. Some animals like to be alone most of the time (solitary), and some stay with their family or in a group (family groups/herds). Name a solitary animal, one that lives in a herd and one that lives in a family group. (Answers will vary.) Few animals find a mate and stay with the mate for life. Name one of those animals mentioned on the tour.
5. We should all be good stewards of God's creation. What is the zoo doing to be a good steward? List some animals that the zoo considers to be endangered. According to zoo curators, why is the population of these animals decreasing? Conservation efforts are also directed to animal habitats. Name one and the type of animals found in the habitat.
6. Why are plants important to animals and people? How are animals important to plants?
   

1. There are different types of animals at the zoo.  Can you name some of them and where they live in the wild? Locate them on a globe or map. How far are their habitats in the wild from your home? List some distinguishing characteristics. Are they predator, prey, or both? What are their food sources in the wild and at the zoo? What size are the animals you listed? Find something in your home of comparable size. Which animal(s) did you find most intriguing? In what ways do animals communicate (talk) with one another? Why do they communicate? Which animals make inaudible sounds to people?
2. List some animals from the tour, and describe one of their behaviors and why the animal acts in such a way?
3. We should all be good stewards of God's creation. What is the zoo doing to be a good steward? List some animals that the zoo considers to be endangered. Which animals found in the United States are considered endangered? According to zoo curators, why is the population of these animals decreasing?
4. Conservation efforts are also directed to animal habitats; name one and the type of animals found in the habitat. What is a Species Survival Plan?
5. The Tropical Rain Forest is home to many plants, animals, and insects. Scientists worry that the rain forest is being lost every day. Besides studying the animals, what other interest do scientist have in the rain forest? Where is the Tropical Rain Forest located? Why are wetlands important and why are they diminishing? What types of animals and plants live in wetlands? Where is the nearest wetland to you?
   

• Sit quietly outside and observe nature. Look for animals, plants and insects around you. Draw a picture of what you see or keep a nature journal. Make sure to record the date and time you were outside. Perhaps you might write a paragraph or two about the objects you observed.
• Animal babies are fun to watch. Some babies look just like their parents, and some look nothing like their parents. Some are born from eggs, and some are not. Name some baby animals that look like their parents when they are born. What type of animal lays eggs?
• Take a trip to a farm or zoo. If there is not one nearby, perhaps a trip to the local pet store. Focus on the types of food these animals eat and their living conditions.
• Compare and contrast an animal's life in the wild and in captivity. List the pros and cons of each.
• Animals use plants in the wild, but people use them, too. They are used for food, shelter, and medicinal purposes. What type of plants do you eat? What plants do you use for shelter? How are plants used for medicine? Ask an herbalist how herbs and spices are used for healing. Which ones have been manufactured and are now used by physicians?
• One of the National Zoo's conservation efforts is the tracking of migratory birds. Which migratory birds cross your home? Keep a journal of writing and drawings as you discover and research different types of birds.
• Define these terms of animal and plant classifications: Kingdom, Class, Order, Phylum, Family, Genus, and Species. What traits are used to classify animals? Who developed this classification system? What are the scientific names for some of the animals seen on the field trip?
• Describe the differences between evolution and creation.
• Locate the natural habitat of the animals and plants on a map or globe. If you could set up a zoo, what animals would you include? Where would this zoo be located? Make up a business plan that would interest investors.
• What does a zookeeper do? What type of education do you need to work in a zoo? What types of jobs are available in a zoo?
• Biology is the scientific branch that studies animals. Research this field. How much education is necessary to attain a degree in this field?
• Study the fields of creation and evolution, and compare both in relation to the origins of animals. Go to www.MediaAngels.com for information and links to many creation science resources and sites.