WildWildL e s s o n sU t a h ’ s H o g l e Z o o

Carnivores of the World: 3-5

Education Standards:

3rd Grade:1.a Identify characteristics of living

things (i.e., growth, movement, reproduction)

2. Describe the interactions between living and nonliving things in a small environment

2.b Predict the effects of changes in the environment (e.g., temperature, light, moisture) on a living organism

4th Grade:1.b Describe Utah’s wetlands, forests,

and deserts2.a Identify common plants and animals

that inhabit Utah’s forests, wetlands, and deserts

2.b Cite examples of physical features that allow particular animals to live in specific environments

2.c Describe some of the interactions between animals and plants of a given environment

5th Grade:2. Describe how some characteristics could

give a species a survival advantage in a particular environment

2.a Compare the traits of similar species for physical abilities, instinctual behaviors, and specialized body structures that increase the survival of one species in a specific environment over another species

2.b Identify that some environments give one species a survival advantage over another

Welcome to your Wild Lessons Tour! This guide will take you on an educational tour through Utah’s Hogle Zoo, complete with questions to prompt discussions with your students, all while visiting an array of our amazing animals! Enjoy your journey through Utah’s Hogle Zoo!

In this tour, you will explore the world of carnivores. Carnivores are animals that eat meat and need to hunt to survive. There are a large variety of carnivores in the world, varying in size and hunting method. Today, you will visit some of the carnivores that we have at the Zoo, and will learn about the different ways they hunt and the adaptations they have to help them survive.

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1. Introduction to Carnivores

Big 6The African lion is part of our Big 6 conservation program, in partnership with the Niassa Lion Project. Have students read the Niassa Lion Project’s signs at the lion exhibit.• What threats are there to the African lion’s survival?Be sure to check out their website at http://www.niassalion.org/ to learn more about threats to African lions and what Niassa is doing to help them!

2. Hunting in Water

To begin your tour, visit the African lions in African Savanna. Lions are fierce hunters, and are very well known for their hunting techniques. Many carnivores hunt their prey alone; however lions will hunt in packs, which is unique for big cats.

• How would a lion use the surroundings in its habitat to hunt?

• What adaptations do lions have for hunting?

• What animal here in Utah might hunt similarly to lions? How might they hunt differently?

A lion camouflages perfectly with the tan savanna landscape in which it hunts. Stalking their prey by crouching low in brush makes them almost invisible. Lions are also skilled climbers and will use trees to look for prey. Strong bodies, sharp teeth and claws, and the ability to run fast, are all adaptations that make lions great hunters.

Here in Utah, mountain lions also hunt using their powerful front paws with sharp claws. Similar to the African lion, they stalk their prey and pounce on them. Mountain lions, however, are solitary, so they hunt alone.

Visit the California sea lions and harbor seals down at Rocky Shores. These animals hunt fish and other sea animals in cold water near rocky coastlines.

• What physical adaptations do seals and sea lions have to successfully hunt in water?

• Have students compare and contrast the physical traits of seals and sea lions. Which would perform better on dry land?

• Have students visit the North American river otters which live here in Utah. What are some adaptations they have that are similar to seals and sea lions?

Hunting in water requires animals to have good swimming skills, a way for their bodies to stay warm, and the ability to hold their breath for long periods of time. Seals and sea lions have webbed flippers to help them swim, blubber to keep them warm, oils that waterproof their fur, and can hold their breath for three to seven minutes! When it comes to moving on land, sea lions are able to walk upright on their front flippers and are able to pull their pelvis underneath them, making them better suited for life on dry land.

North American river otters are also very skilled swimmers! They don’t have flippers, but they do have webbed feet, oils in their fur for waterproofing to stay warm and can hold their breath for long periods of time.

Location:African Savanna

Location:Rocky Shores

3. Legless Hunters

4. Can You See Me?

Head over to the Small Animal Building and have students explore the building to find the various species of snakes that live there. Have them look for snakes that are labeled as venomous.

• Why are rattlesnakes so well adapted for living in Utah’s deserts?

• How have snakes in Utah adapted to the changing seasons?

• What advantage would having venom give a snake over a non-venomous snake?

Physically, a rattlesnake’s scales help protect it from the hot, dry desert. It has adapted to the hot desert days by seeking shelter in dens, only coming out in the morning to warm up and at dusk to hunt. In Utah, our deserts have a winter season. In order to survive winter, rattlesnakes hibernate in dens.

Rattlesnakes are lie-and-wait predators. With one strike, their venom can immobilize their prey, allowing rattlesnakes to conserve their energy, while other snakes may exert more energy by actively hunting and constricting their prey.

Head over to Asian Highlands to visit the Amur tigers, Amur leopards, snow leopards and Siberian lynx.

• How would a brightly colored animal like a tiger or a leopard survive in its habitat?

• How do the stripes or spots interact with the animal’s surroundings?

• What features of a mountain lion’s habitat make it an ideal habitat for them to camouflage in?

The coloration of the cat resembles the plants in its habitat. The stripes and spots look like the shadows that fall across the plants that these animals walk through, making the animal invisible. This makes it camouflaged with the environment.

Mountain Lions blend in perfectly with the rocky mountains that they live in. Their tan fur camouflages well with rocky cliffs, as well as the tan foliage in the Utah mountains.

Location:Small Animal Building

Location:Asian Highlands

5. Carnivores of the SkyFinally, head up the south hill to visit the birds of prey living up there. There is a rough-legged hawk, a barn owl, and two turkey vultures. These birds were once wild, but were injured.

• What physical features classify a bird as being a “bird of prey”?

• Have students compare the feet and beak of the raven to the rough-legged hawk’s feet and beak.

• How do birds of prey use their habitat to hunt successfully?

Birds of prey are classified by their strong and sharp talons, beak and their keen sense of eyesight for hunting their prey. They catch their prey using their feet, which is unique to birds of prey. Though ravens are known to occasionally hunt, they are not considered birds of prey because they do not have as strong of feet and lack sharp talons to catch prey. Their beaks are also not equipped for tearing meat like the hawk’s beak. Many birds of prey hunt in wide open areas over fields, soaring in the sky, scanning the ground for prey. Others perch in trees, scanning the ground from the tree, and swooping down on their prey. Trees in their habitat offer shelter and allow them to camouflage.

Location:Back South Hill

Hawkwatch InternationalWhat should you do if you find a baby bird out of the nest? What if you find an injured raptor? Visit http://www.hawkwatch.org to learn how to help our local birds of prey!