Last Friday (5 of September) the year 4/5 & 6s went to Orana Park to celebrate our science learning this year. We saw so many animals such as the Gorilla’s and the Gibbons, the Cheetahs, the Rhinos, the Giraffes, the Boulder Copper butterfly, the Spider monkeys, the Kiwi,the Kea, the Bearded Dragon, the Lions, the Otters, and lastly the Meerkats! So I’m going to explain some of my favorite animals i saw and the things i learnt about them, Firstly at 9;30 everybody hopped into their classes bus and waited for about 45 minutes till we arrived at the zoo.
The first animal we saw (which was one of my favourite) were the Gorillas & Gibbons. We learnt that they live in rainforests in africa but are usually kept in captivity because humans are cutting down their trees. They cut down their trees because at the bottom there is a metal that is used for phone batteries. There were to gorillas there Fataki and Fuzu and they were brothers. Then we saw the Gibbons their were three called Suka, Basuki, and Barani. We didn’t learn much about them but Berani is one and she acts like a human toddler! Next we saw the cheetahs they were called Boo and Lion (ironic right?) they are to male cheetahs born in 2013 and at first they were hiding from us, but as we were walking away they both came out to say hi! After the cheetahs we saw the Rhinos! They were called Tamu, Katala, and Utani. We learnt a lot of cool facts about them one of my favourites is it would take over 100 people to take a rhino down because they weigh up to 2000 kgs. they also have a lifespan of around 60 years. We also got to touch a rhino horn, it’s made out of the same stuff our hair and fingernails are made out of! Next we got to find the Giraffes! Their named Kevin, Kamili, and Harriet. We got to feed them grass and weeds, did you know recently in Orana Park 2 giraffes died named Shira and mdoma. After we saw all of those animals we had lunch and a little break, if we finished lunch a bit early we got to see the meerkats!
Straight after lunch we looked at the boulder copper butterfly habitat. it was filled with rocks and grass! Following that we went to see the spider monkeys, there was one male named Tostada, and the four females are Belize, Merida, Maya, and Juquila. Did you know on november 9th 2014 the spider monkeys escape their enclosure. it took the workers weeks to get them down from the trees and they had to bribe them!
Next we went to see the kiwis, since they are nocturnal they have to live in a little building that’s pitch black and the only thing that can lead you threw is a pole on the edge of the enclosure. luckily even though it was dark we did get to see the kiwis (I mean a little bit at least) but walking out of the enclosure i fell over and scraped my knees and probably scared them off . one of the last habitat/animal we saw were the lions! They were called Jabari, Cleo, Zari, and Hasiria! One of the more interesting parts of the days was the male lions one didn’t have manes but the females did. this was because the females were growing old. And i may have forgotten why the males don’t!
Anyway as you can see I am very thankful that i got this experience! Have you ever gone to Orana Park?- Bella (room