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April 2015
Arbor Day 2015
Friday 29th May
Exciting news… The Warehouse Zoofari is coming to Hamilton
Zoo.
Thanks to support from The Warehouse, we are pleased to
announce the launch of The Warehouse Zoofari programme for
Waikato and Coromandel Schools at Hamilton Zoo.
The Warehouse Zoofari is a partnership between Hamilton Zoo
and The Warehouse. Fundraising will take place in The
Warehouse region six stores throughout Waikato and
Coromandel during May. Customers can add $1 or more to their
purchase and proceeds raised will go towards giving students
from decile 1-3 an educational experience at the Zoo by
covering admission and transport costs.
Auckland Zoo and Wellington Zoo are already running The
Warehouse Zoofari and to date the programme has enabled
over 7,000 students to connect with and be inspired to care for
wildlife.
We are very excited to bring The Warehouse Zoofari to our local
schools and a huge thank you to The Warehouse and their
generous customers for making this possible.
More information will be available soon.
Teacher Open Day
Hamilton Zoo educators would like to thank those teachers who
took the opportunity to attend our teacher open day in the
holidays.
We would like to invite teachers to another open day on the
16th July. On this day teachers will be given free entry to
Hamilton Zoo by producing their teacher registration card.
You will have the opportunity to look in the zoo classroom, talk
to zoo educators about opportunities we can offer. While you
are here you are also free to explore the zoo at your own
leisure.
Have you registered? Get your students
involved in planting at Waiwhakareke.
Community planting is a great way to engage
your students in practical environmental
education.
Hamilton Zoo offer schools free educational talks following
the plantings. Students will have time to be inspired by
environmental speakers in 10min sessions, where they will
learn how their planting efforts will help restore
Waiwhakareke to its natural ecosystem. Spaces are limited
so register your interest in these talks by emailing
[email protected].
The Rhino
- the modern day unicorn and selective lawnmower!
Rhinos - strange archaic beasts with a bulky horn on the nose. Greek
writers of natural history were convinced of the reality of unicorns,
which they located in India. And in the 13th century traveller Marco
Polo claimed to have seen a unicorn in Java, but his description makes
it clear to the modern reader that he actually saw a Javan rhinoceros.
Javan rhinos are now the most threatened of the five rhino species,
with as few as 35 individuals surviving in Ujung Kulon National Park in
Java, Indonesia!
All five species are in crisis. The rarest of the black rhino subspecies, the
West African black rhino is feared to be extinct. The Northern white
rhino, a subspecies of the white rhino, is extinct in the wild and has
only five animals in captivity worldwide. Sudan, the only male, is under
guard 24 hours!
A devastating 1,215 rhinos were killed in South Africa alone in 2014,
making it the worst year g on record. If it continues to increase at the
current rate, then rhinos could sadly be extinct in the wild by 2026.
Rhinos and many other animals around the world are currently being
poached largely to satiate demand, where many people use wildlife
and animal body parts for traditional Asian medicine, as delicacies at
restaurants, as exotic pets or as trophies or clothing accessories.
Rhinos are being killed for their horn. Rhino horn is made from keratin
– the same material found in human hair and nails.
Hamilton Zoo Education Team | email [email protected] | 07 8386887 | www.hamiltonzoo.co.nz | Page 1
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What will happen after the rhinos are gone? What will that
mean for the African savannah?
Researchers are increasingly realizing that the removal of mega
herbivores from their ecosystems can have devastating impacts like
the removal of apex predators.
According to a recent study published in the Journal of Ecology, rhinos
maintain the diverse African grasslands on which countless other
species depend.
In Kruger Park in South Africa scientists have researched on the impact
that rhinos have on the savannah. Rhinos became extinct in Kruger
Park in the late 1880s, but then reintroduced in the 1960s. Rhinos have
remained in specific areas so researchers have been able to follow the
developments where rhinos graze and where they do not graze.
Science Learning Hub
Join a free, online, professional development session exploring the Science Learning Hub to find resources for
teaching about conservation. We will look at topics such as
Saving Reptiles and Amphibians; Soil, Farming and science; Life
in the sea; Tōku Awa Koiora (Restoring the Waikato River);
Conserving Native Birds; Where Land Meets Sea, Harnessing the
Sun (Solar Energy), Enviro-imprints and more…
14th May at 4pm. http://sciencelearn.org.nz/NewsEvents/Events/Science-Learning-Hub-and-conservation
Registration: http://goo.gl/forms/YCR4T3untU
Rhinos play a role in controlling the make-up of the park’s grasslands.
Rhino, like other grazing species, selectively browse on certain grass
species, which leaves room for others that otherwise, could not
compete to move in and promotes a diverse mosaic of edible plants.
Researchers liken rhinos to selective lawnmowers. African landscapes
may become very different places if rhino’s aren’t there to diversify
plant life and create prime grazing spots for other animals.
Hamilton Zoo
Hamilton Zoo plays a key role in breeding and recovery programmes for
threatened native and exotic species.
Zoo Updates
To help ensure the survival of the southern white rhino, zoo
populations have been established around the world. Hamilton Zoo
manages one of the leading breeding herds in Australasia, which is part
of a globally-managed population. Breeding animals are selected to
maintain maximum genetic diversity and avoid inbreeding.
African Hunting Dogs – We recently farewelled five dogs to
Singapore. Read about their journey in our Keeper Diaries.
White rhinos are very tactile animals that enjoy a bit of human
interaction. Hamilton Zoo offers its visitors a unique opportunity to get
up close and feel the warmth of its skin. For more information see our
animal encounter on page 3.
Brolga – we have recently been joined by a female brolga from
Auckland Zoo.
Fishing Cat - A female fishing cat was imported from Singapore
to become part of the Australasian breeding programme. She is
currently settling into her off display area.
Kea – Our Kea have been spoilt with a newly renovated
enclosure.
Grounds – Our grounds team are always hard at work. They
have been currently working on widening some of our paths to
make getting round a little easier.
Meet the Keeper
Save the Date: September 22 World Rhino Day
Teaching resources: Save the Rhino - www.savetherhino.org/
Lesson ideas:
 Endangered animals and the role of zoos
 Debates: Will farming rhinos help reduce poaching? Should legal
stockpiles of rhino horn be sold on the market? Will it reduce
poaching? Pro-Trade/No-Trade
 Produce a campaign to reduce demand and create behavior change.
 What does a wildlife ranger do?
 What can I do to help rhinos when I live in New Zealand? Is it my
problem?
Make the most of your zoo experience and come along to our
free 'Meet the Keeper' talks. Learn more about animal
behaviours, personalities, feeding patterns and conservation
issues as you watch your favourite animal being feed or given
enrichment!
Please refer to our online timetable to see what is on offer.
Follow our Keeper Diaries
-Singapore Swap
-So you want to be a zookeeper?
http://hamiltonzoo.co.nz/news-and-diaries/keeper-diaries
Hamilton Zoo Education Team | email [email protected] | 07 8386887 | www.hamiltonzoo.co.nz | Page 2
Upcoming Zoo Dates
Keep an eye on Hamilton Zoo website for further information
on what is happening at the zoo.
Some dates to watch out for 25th April - World Tapir Day
July 29th - International Tiger Day
September 17th - Free Schools Day at Waiwhakareke. Please
keep an eye out for more details on this in our next newsletter
or contact us to find out more.
Palm Oil App reader
An app is now available to download FREE that helps identify
whether a product contains palm oil and if so if it is sustainable
palm oil. Simple to use, you just scan the barcode. Available for
android and iphone, just search POI palm oil barcode scanner.
If your search comes up blank don’t give up. As this App is
being developed they are adding products. You too can help by
sending a photo of the barcode, ingredients and front of the
packet and email them to [email protected].
Sleepovers
A very unique overnight experience combining a night session
and sleepover at the Hamilton Observatory plus a day at the
zoo.
Education programmes at both the observatory and zoo can be
designed to meet your students’ learning needs.
INTERESTED?
Contact the Zoo Education Team.
Animal Encounters
Go behind the scenes at Hamilton Zoo and get up close and
personal with some of your favourite animals.
Learn more about husbandry, conservation and animal
enrichment from the keeper as you enjoy your encounter.
Hamilton Zoo offers group Eye2Eye encounters with chimps,
Sumatran tiger, lemurs, rhino and native reptiles.
For further information, please enquire when booking.
Bookings are essential.
Keep Up-to-Date
Subscribe today and get all the latest educator info in your
inbox! New Zealand schools and teachers who registered to
receive our Education Newsletter by email will go in the draw
each term to WIN a Family Day Pass to Hamilton Zoo.
Email [email protected] with NEWSLETTER in the
subject line and the name of the school in the main body of the
email.
Upcoming Environmental
Dates
World Environment Day – 5th June
Arbor Day – 5 June (Hamilton Event 29th May)
Get your students involved in planting by being part of the
Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park event (opposite Hamilton
Zoo). See page 1 for more details and find more information on
Arbor Day at www.doc.govt.nz
Matariki – 18 June
Matariki is the Māori name for the group of stars also known as
the Seven Sisters. Plan a sleepover with Hamilton Zoo and have
the opportunity to observe these stars at the Hamilton
Observatory. http://www.mch.govt.nz/nz-identityheritage/matariki
Keep New Zealand Beautiful Week – 14th-20th September
A week of activities across the country to clean up New
Zealand. www.knzb.org.nz
Conservation Week – (1-8 November)
Conservation Week gives Kiwis the opportunity to
celebrate New Zealand’s special places and native wildlife.
www.conservationweek.org.nz and
http://www.doc.govt.nz/getting-involved/events-andawards/conservation-week/
Term 1 2015 Winner: CONGRATULATIONS ... Anne Weir
Who’s working at the zoo?
Ever wondered who is who at the zoo? Pop over to our website and be introduced to some of our team.
http://hamiltonzoo.co.nz/plan-your-visit/the-zoo/our-people/
Hamilton Zoo Education Team | email [email protected] | 07 8386887 | www.hamiltonzoo.co.nz | Page 3