ZOO SCHOOL ENCOUNTERS AND ACTIVITIES

Below are examples of some of the encounters and activities we can include in your programme. The availability of some of the encounters depends on keeper availability and the season.

Giraffe Encounter

Learn how to feed a Giraffe! This is an awesome interactive experience, where every student can hand feed our beautiful and gentle Rothschild's Giraffes. Meet Harold and his family and learn some fascinating facts about the tallest animal in the world. Why are these animals endangered? Why do Giraffes have blue tongues and how long are they? How do Giraffes take a drink of water and how big is a Giraffe's heart? What is a 'Giraffe Crush' and what is it used for? Don't forget to bring your camera!

New Zealand Fauna

Our New Zealand flora and fauna area is home to a wealth of rare and endangered native plants and animals. Come eye to eye with our mischievous Kea, whilst enjoying a symphony of nearby bellbirds in our native bird area. Immerse yourself in the night-time world of the nocturnal house, to observe Kiwi searching for worms. Explore the native forest in our walk-through aviary, to the sound of the musical "whoosh" of Kereru in flight! Nearby in the Reptile House you will discover a wide range of native Skinks and Geckos, alongside ancient Tuatara. Learn the reasons for the unique character of New Zealand's plants and animals and why so many of our native species are extinct or endangered.

Roldo - Our Friendly Llama and his Farmyard Friends

Roldo, our very special Llama friend loves children as much as they love him. A handsome and intelligent animal with a very placid nature, Roldo appeals to students of all ages. This interactive activity includes being able to pat and groom Roldo and feed him one of his favourite foods. Where in the world do Llamas come from and what does a Llama saddlebag look like? Learn what Roldo's coat is made of. Look at his interesting hooves and long eyelashes. How do these come in handy?

Tortoise Encounter (TERMS 1 AND 4 ONLY)

Have you or your students had the opportunity to get up close and personal with a Tortoise? This is a hands-on lesson where students can gently feel the strong protective shell and scaly legs of one of our friendly Greek Tortoises. What are scutes? What is the difference between a Turtle and a Tortoise?

Lizard Encounter

Can we keep Lizards as pets? This gentle close up encounter highlights the plight of our endemic Lizard species, their decline and what we can do to at home and school. We also have a wonderful display of a number of species of nocturnal and diurnal native Geckos in our reptile house.

Frog Encounter

This engaging encounter will encourage students to take an active interest in our moist skinned Amphibians. Each year in October the education team produce a public display at the park as part of Frog Week and students could further enhance this at school or at a public library or mall.

Tuatara Encounter (TERMS 1 AND 4 ONLY)

With the support of our Keepers, we can provide a fascinating Tuatara encounter for your students which is both engaging and informative. Where can you find tuatara in the wild? Is there only one species of Tuatara? Are they really a living Dinosaur?

The CITES Room

Thanks to the support of the Department of Conservation, we have a selection of "confiscated items" from customs that students can examine. Do you know what you are allowed to bring back into New Zealand from overseas? This activity can be included in programmes focusing on endangered species. It offers a unique opportunity for students to discuss and think critically about their values and attitudes towards animals and conservation issues. Suitable for Year 5+.

Southern White Rhinoceros (conditions apply)

With the support of our exotic keeping team, we may be able to arrange for a special face to face encounter with our Rhino in the morning (separate from the public feed in the afternoon). This engaging encounter will thrill and amaze as you closely observe their sheer size, wide lips in action (as they consume their hay), their continuously swivelling ears and their unique horns.

Sumatran Tiger Feed

See our Tiger brothers Dumai and Sendiri search, leap and climb for their food! Watching these fierce predators at feeding time is an exciting experience. Discover just how far they can leap. Learn about the plight of these amazing animals and find out what you can do to help the fight for these and other endangered animals' survival!

African Lions - The Pride of the Park

Come and see our two prides of magnificent Lions up-close! Observe how their beautiful tawny coats camouflage them so well in their environment. Check out those paws with claws and their sharp teeth! Listen to them growl and roar! What sort of 'enrichment' do we provide for our Lions and why is this important? There is a public feed and talk at 2.30pm for groups who are able to stay a little later!

Meerkats and Otters

Look out for the Meerkats on sentry duty, watch them dig in the sand and see how well their body covering camouflages them in their environment. Then move over to see our Asian Small Clawed Otter brothers showing off for the students. A fascinating animal, with fluid movements both in and out of the water, the Otter is entertaining to observe. Watch how these carnivores use their paws to hold their food. Will they go for a swim today?

Cheetah

The worlds fastest land animal ... Cheetah can run at speeds of over 100Km/h. Observe their body structure, and note the features which allow this cat to move so quickly. Orana Wildlife Park has a captive-breeding programme in place, to help save Cheetah from extinction. What dangers threaten the survival of these rare and beautiful cats?

Spider Monkeys

A delight to observe in their own cool adventure playground, these very social and active animals will captivate your students. What is a prehensile tail? It sure comes in handy at meal times, with three pieces of celery to eat!

Lemurs

We have two species of Lemurs at Orana Wildlife Park, the Black and White Ruffed Lemurs and the Ringtailed Lemurs. Both of these endangered species are endemic to Madagascar. Do they have a prehensile tail like the Spider Monkey? What is the natural habitat for Lemurs? How do they communicate and maintain close bonds with each other? Is their vocalization similar to other primates? In the battle of the sexes, who leads the troop?

Siamang Gibbons

As you arrive at the park you may be greeted by the loud call of our Siamang Gibbons. Siamang gibbons are famous for their "brachiation" locomotion which enables them to swing hand over hand very rapidly through the rainforest. If you are lucky you may catch Peggy and Oscar our Siamang swinging from their house to their island!

Safari Shuttle

Climb aboard our shuttle, sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds of Orana Wildlife Park. With 80 hectares of land to explore, this is a great way to get from one area of the park to another. The driver will talk about each of the animals as they pass the enclosure. A full circuit of the Park takes approximately 35 minutes. Ask our staff to include a shuttle ride in your programme or use the public safari shuttles which depart outside Jomo's Café on the hour and half hour during the day!