How we protect endangered species.

Protecting endangered species is a vital aspect of being kaitiaki of our environment. Learn how we can help endangered species to recover.

Auckland Zoo’s mission is to bring people together to build a future for wildlife. In practice this is wildlife conservation science at work or what we here at the Zoo call Wild Work.

Using artefacts within a classroom, a Zoo Educator will generate discussion with students around the main threats to endangered animals on a global scale. Students will also identify actions they can take to help our world.

Session duration: Sessions with a Zoo Educator will last for approx. 45 minutes. Outside this time you are free to explore the Zoo. Most schools plan to arrive for 9:30am opening and leave by 2:00pm.

Year 5-8

  1. Identify contributing factors in wildlife extinction and endangerment
  2. Identify personal actions that can help reduce threats and protect endangered species.
  3. Recognise one conservation project Auckland Zoo participates in which helps animals to thrive in their wild habitat

 

Years 9-10

  1. Identify examples of endangered species and current threats to biodiversity
  2. State some of the ways Auckland Zoo contributes to the conservation of endangered species e.g. advocacy, breeding programmes, conservation fieldwork and research

This session compliments:

  • Biology 90926 (1.2) –  report on a biological issue
  • Biology 91154 (2.2) – analyse the biological validity of information presented to the public
  • Biology 91602 (3.2) – integrate biological knowledge to develop an informed response to a socio-scientific issue
  • Geography 91013 (1.7) –  describe aspects of a geographic topic  at a global scale
  • Social Studies 91283 (2.5) – describe a social action that enables communities and/or nations to meet responsibilities and exercise rights
  • Social Studies 91600 (3.5) – examine a campaign of social action(s) to influence policy change(s)
  • Media Studies 90996 (1.8) – write media texts for a specific target audience
  • Media Studies 91255 (2.8) – write developed media text for a specific target audience

Science – Living World

  1. Ecology Level 3-4 - Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond to environmental changes, both natural and human-induced
  2. Ecology L5: Investigate the interdependence of living things (including humans) in an ecosystem.
  3. Nature of Science: Understanding about Science, Investigating in Science, Communicating in Science, Participating and Contributing.

Science – Living World

  1. L3: Understand how people view and use places differently.
  2. L3: Understand how people make decisions about access to and use of resources.
  3. L4: Understand how exploration and innovation create opportunities and challenges for people, places and environments.
  4. L5: Understand how people’s management of resources impacts on environmental and social sustainability.

Education for Sustainability

Responsibility for Action, Sustainability, Interdependence, Biodiversity

Year 9 & 10

Science - Living World

Ecology: investigate the interdependence of living things (including humans) in an ecosystem

Ecology: explain how living things respond to environmental changes, both natural and human induced

Nature of Science: communicating in science, participating and contributing

Education for Sustainability: Concepts - responsibility for action, sustainability, interdependence, biodiversity, equity

Year 11

Science – Living World

Ecology: investigate the impact of natural events and human actions on  a New Zealand ecosystem

Biology 90926 (1.2) –  report on a biological issue

Nature of Science: develop an understanding of a socio-scientific issues by gathering relevant scientific information in order to draw evidence-based conclusions and take action where appropriate

Education for Sustainability: Concepts - responsibility for action, sustainability, interdependence, biodiversity, equity

Geography

Understand that natural and cultural environments have particular characteristics and how environments are shaped by processes that create spatial patterns

Geography 91013 (1.7) –  describe aspects of a geographic topic  at a global scale

Media Studies

Explore media concepts, media conventions and technology to create media

Media Studies 90996 (1.8) – write media texts for a specific target audience

Year 12

Science – Living World

Participating & Contributing:use relevant information to develop a coherent understanding of socio-scientific issues that concern them, to identify possible responses at both personal and societal levels

Biology 91154 (2.2) – analyse the biological validity of information presented to the public

Education for Sustainability: Concepts - responsibility for action, sustainability, interdependence, biodiversity, equity

Social Studies:

Understand how communities and nations meet their responsibilities and exercise their rights in local, national and global contexts

Social Studies 91283 (2.5) – describe a social action that enables communities and/or nations to meet responsibilities and exercise rights

Media Studies

Apply knowledge of media conventions and technology to create media

Media Studies 91255 (2.8) – write developed media text for a specific target audience

Year 13

Science – Living World

Nature of Science: participating & contributing

Biology 91602 (3.2) – integrate biological knowledge to develop an informed response to a socio-scientific issue

Education for Sustainability

Evaluate social, economic and technological measures that can be taken to sustain natural resources and improve biodiversity now and for the future

91735 (3.2) – evaluate measures that may be taken to sustain and/or improve a biophysical environment

Social Studies

Understand how policy changes are influenced by and impact on the rights, roles and responsibilities of individuals and communities

Social Studies 91600 (3.5) – examine a campaign of social action(s) to influence policy change(s)

Media Studies

Apply understanding of media conventions and technology to craft media

Media Studies 91497 (3.8) – write a media text to meet the requirements of a brief

International Baccalaureate Diploma / Cambridge A Level Biology

IB Ecology and Conservation

  1. Species and communities
  2. Entire communities need to be conserved in order to preserve biodiversity
  3. Human activities impact on ecosystem function
  4. An indicator species is an organism used to assess a specific environmental condition
  5. In situ conservation may require active management of nature reserves of national parks
  6. Ex situ conservation is the preservation of species outside their natural habitats

Biology 9700 Syllabus

Biodiversity and Conservation

  1. Define the terms species, ecosystem and niche
  2. Explain that biodiversity is considered at 3 different levels: variation in habitats; number of species and relative abundance and genetic variation within species
  3. Discuss threats to biodiversity
  4. Discuss reasons for the need to maintain biodiversity
  5. Discuss methods of protecting endangered species, including the role of zoos, botanic gardens, conserved areas, “frozen zoos” and seed banks
  6. Use examples to explain the reasons for controlling alien species
  7. Discuss the roles of NGOs and CITES in local and global conservation
  8. Outline how degraded habitats may be restored

We welcome teachers to pre-visit before their session.

Book a pre-visit here.

Email: conservationlearning@aucklandzoo.co.nz
(09) 360 3817
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