Discovering the Wild: Lessons from a Zoo
|
Vacations
are the perfect time to explore and learn. Teachers often assign exciting
activities to help students discover new things. One science teacher gave
students an interesting task: visiting a zoo or zoological museum. Here’s an
example of how to prepare for and make the most of such an experience: |
Dear Students,
The
Thrill of the Wild
Have
you ever seen an elephant run? Or watched elephants fight? I had an incredible
experience in 1998 at Kaziranga Sanctuary in Assam, one of the few places in
India where the majestic one-horned rhinoceros can be spotted. The sanctuary’s
marshy terrain, covered with tall elephant grass, makes it difficult to see the
animals unless you ride an elephant.
One
morning at 6 a.m., while waiting for an elephant safari on a watch tower, I
witnessed a dramatic scene. A group of elephants approached the platform to
pick up passengers when suddenly, a tusker charged and rammed at another
elephant from behind. Chaos broke out. The elephants trumpeted loudly and ran
in fear—did you know they can run at a speed of 60 km/h? A mahout was thrown
off, and the tourists on the elephant were visibly shaken to panicked. Forest
officials acted swiftly, taming the elephants and ensuring everyone was rescued
safely.
This
thrilling event, though lasting only half an hour, showed me how unpredictable
and fascinating the wild can be. Have you ever been on a jungle safari? Perhaps
to Kanha, Jim Corbett, or Tadoba sanctuaries? Spotting a tiger or rare animals
in the wild isn’t easy. Animals don’t pose for photographs or wait for humans;
you need patience and repeated visits to catch a glimpse of them.
Wildlife
Around Us
You
don’t always need to visit a forest to see animals. Wildlife exists all around
us! Think about the animals that have visited your home over the past year.
Here’s a list of some that came to mine: dogs, cats, crows, spiders, lizards,
bees, ants, and mice and so on...
How
many animals can you list?
Where
do they live?
What do they eat?
Why
do they choose certain parts of your home?
If
you observe closely, take photos, and write down about their behaviors, you can
learn a lot about the animals living right next to you.
Now,
let us move out and explore nature outside our homes and observe how animals
walk, let us say a horse. While playing in the garden with your family or
enjoying a horse ride in garden or a barat in marriage, pay close attention to
how a horse walks. Notice how it moves its legs.
Have
you ever wondered how a horse walks or runs? Does it follow the same sequence
of steps shown in the picture? Whether it changes the sequence of movement of
legs when it starts running? How does its movement differ when it performs
dance on occasions, such as in wedding processions?
Now,
let’s think about how we walk. What happens to your legs and arms when you
move? When your right foot moves forward, which hand moves forward? How are
your neck and shoulders positioned as you walk?
To
understand this better, let’s make a toy that shows how animals move. Cut out
an animal shape from a card sheet and fit it with four movable legs, as shown
in the picture. Observe how animals walk, then use your toy to demonstrate the
movement of their legs.
Want
to make it even more fun? Team up with two friends to act like a four-legged
animal. One person can form the front legs, while another bends over and holds
their waist to form the back legs. This setup is often used in dance dramas,
like the lion and horse dances performed during school events and cultural
fests. Once ready, have a friendly competition! Can you and your friends
replicate how animals move? Give it a try, record presentations and find out
which team does it successfully, it’s both fun and educational!
If
you can’t watch animals in person, no worries! Check out videos online
available on YouTube to observe how animals move, such as:
How horses run?
How elephants walk?
How tigers walk?
There
are plenty of YouTube links available to help you learn more about their
movements.
Start
experimenting, have fun, and enjoy discovering the fascinating ways in which animals
move!
As you observe the
movements and locomotion of animals, try
·
Measuring
and comparing the speeds of different animals to create graphs or calculate
ratios in mathematics.
·
Explore how animals adapt
their movement to various terrains, linking it to concepts in geography and
ecosystems in science.
·
Build simple models or
sketches to demonstrate how joints and muscles work, and think about how
engineers use such movements in designing locomotives and robots.
Watch
videos, conduct observations, and document patterns to uncover fascinating
connections between nature and different subjects.
At
the Zoological Museum
When
visiting a zoological museum, you have the chance to observe animals up close.
These museums are designed to help people understand and appreciate the animal
world. To make your visit more enjoyable and meaningful, here are some
activities you can try:
·
Make a Zoo Map: Locate
where each animal is housed and create a map.
·
Observe Animal Movements:
Stand in front of an enclosure and note the animal’s behavior for two minutes.
For example, observe how a monkey moves or interacts with others, and record
your observations.
·
Group the Animals:
Classify animals based on their diet (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores) or
physical features (e.g., with or without horns, tails, hooves, etc.).
·
In how many ways you can classify?
·
Talk to the Staff: Ask
zookeepers how animals are cared for, including what they eat, how much they
eat, and how often they are examined by veterinarians.
·
Record Animal Sounds: Try
to identify animals by their unique calls and document what you hear.
Exploring
Behavior
Do
you want to understand how animals move?
Start
by observing a horse walking or running.
How
do its legs move? Which leg moves forward first?
Create
a simple paper model or act it out with friends to mimic how animals walk. If
observing them in person isn’t possible, you can watch online videos to learn
more.
Why
Study Animals?
Animals
play an essential role in our lives. They provide us with food, transportation,
medicine, and companionship. To care for them properly, it’s important to
understand their habits. For instance, if you want to keep a pet dog, you
should know what it eats, how much water it needs, when it sleeps, and how to
maintain its health.
Even
observing animals through CCTV camera footage can teach you a lot. You can
track when they are awake, how they eat, and how they behave when they are
hungry.
A
Real-Life Story
Let
me share the story of a little girl who lived in a small village. One day, she
didn’t return home from school on time, cautioning her worried family to search
for her. Late in the evening, she finally came back. When her mother angrily
asked where she had been, she calmly replied, “I was in the henhouse all day,
waiting to watch how a hen lay eggs.”
That
little girl grew up to become Jane Goodall, the world-renowned scientist who
dedicated her life to studying chimpanzees in the African jungles. Her journey
began with simple curiosity and patience—qualities you, too, can cultivate.
Plan
Your Visit
Before
heading to a zoological museum or zoo, gather your notebook, pencil,
binoculars, cap, and water bottle. Decide what you want to see and observe. At
the zoo, take necessary precautions and follow the zoo guidelines. Remember,
every visit is an opportunity to learn about animals, their behavior, and how
they live.
When
you learn to observe, you'll realize how the world around you are full of
fascinating stories. From animals to plants, patterns in nature, and even the
soil beneath your feet, there’s always something to explore. Who knows? Your
curiosity might lead to pioneering radical discoveries, just like Jane
Goodall’s!
Want
to hear her story—how Jane lived with chimpanzees, where she lived, and what
she did first? What happened in the jungles? Then after vacation invite me to
share Jane’s story with your class, won’t you?
See you soon,
Prashant Sir
Prashant Divekar
Jnana Prabodhini, Pune
Translated
by: Madhav Bhagwat
To read Marathi article visit
भटकंती :
प्राणी संग्रहालयाला भेट
https://prashantpd.blogspot.com/2020/10/blog-post_23.html
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