©2015byJoshHestermannandBethanieHestermannForeword©2015byMartinKrattandChrisKrattAllrightsreservedFirsteditionPublishedbyChicagoReviewPress,Incorporated

814NorthFranklinStreetChicago,Illinois60610ISBN978-1-61374-961-6

LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDataHestermann,Josh,1983–Zoologyforkids:understandingandworkingwithanimals:with21activities/JoshandBethanieHestermann.—Firstedition.

pagescmIncludesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.Audience:Ages9andup.ISBN978-1-61374-961-61. Zoology—Juvenile literature. 2. Zoology—Study and teaching—Activity programs. 3. Zoology—Vocationalguidance—Juvenileliterature.I.Hestermann,Bethanie,1986-II.Title.

QL49.H542015590—dc23

2014042745

Coverandinteriordesign:SarahOlsonCoverimages:(frontcovertop,lefttoright)penguinexhibit,courtesyofZSLLondonZoo;koala,courtesyofTampa’sLowryParkZoo/DaveParkinson;clownfishandanangelfish,©istock.com101cats;bottlefeedingababyaddaxantelope,courtesyofChicagoZoologicalSocietyJimSchulz;pygmymarmoset,©istock.comGlobalP;(frontcoverbottom,lefttoright)zebra,courtesyofMarkGonka;boywithsalamander,©istock.comMissHibiscus;butterfly,courtesyofChicagoZoologicalSocietyJimSchulz;polarbearexhibit,courtesyofChicagoZoologicalSocietyJimSchulz;(backcover,lefttoright)poisondartfrog,courtesyofChicagoZoologicalSocietyJimSchulz;westernlowlandgorilla,courtesyofZSLLondonZoo;birdofparadise,courtesyofWoodlandParkZooDennisDowActivityillustrations:JimSpencePrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica

54321

InlovingmemoryofSherenClements.photo:authors’collection

Contents

ForewordbytheKrattBrothersAuthors’NotesTimeLineIntroduction:WhatisZoology?

Part1ZOOLOGYFORBEGINNERS

1Animals—FormandFunctionBakeanEdibleAnimalCellDigUp“AnimalBones”PlaytheDolphinEcholocationGameExploreConcealingColoration

2UnderstandingAnimalBehaviorTestYourSenseofDirectionDemonstrateaButterfly’sLifeCycleCommunicateLikeaDeep-SeaAnimal

3AnimalsandTheirEnvironmentsEataBatFruitSaladConstructaFoodChain

Part2WORKINGONTHEWILDSIDE-ZOOLOGYINREALLIFE

4Zookeepers,Aquarists,andOtherZooCrewCreateBehavioralEnrichmentTrainYourFriendsPlanandDrawanExhibit

5CalltheDoctor!Veterinarians

MoldTigerTeethVitalSigns,Part1:BuildaStethoscopeVitalSigns,Part2:TakeYourVitals

6WildlifeResearchersConductanExperiment:KeepingWarmBackyardZoology:PerformFieldResearchInventaNewSpecies

7ConservationWarriorsSurviveHabitatLoss:TheResourceGameMakeanEndangeredSpeciesFlyerInterviewaZoologist

AcknowledgmentsGlossaryResourcesSelectedBibliographyIndex

CourtesyoftheKrattBrothers

C

FOREWORD

allingallcreature-crazykids!There’ssomuchtolearnaboutanimals,andthisbook,ZoologyforKids,

isagreatwayforyouandallofyouranimal-lovingfriendstojumprightintotheworldofzoology.

Animalsareallaroundus,andthatmeansthatthescienceofzoologyisrightthereforyoutostudy—anydayandanytimeyouseeananimal!Eversincewewere kids, we’ve been fascinated by cool creatures, and we started creatureadventuringinourveryownbackyard.Today,wespendourtimetravelingtheworld,learningmoreaboutourfellowcreatures,andsharingwhatwelearnwithkids just like you. We hope you get started on your own personal study ofzoologybytryingthefunandeye-openingactivitiesinthisbook.

UseZoology forKids asa resource to learnasmuchasyoucan, thensharewhatyou’velearnedwithallyourfriends.Followyourdreamsandsoonenough,you’ll be having creature adventures around your neighborhood today—andaroundtheworldtomorrow!

Keeponcreatureadventuring,andwe’llseeyouonthecreaturetrail!

Yourfriends,MARTINKRATTANDCHRISKRATTCreatorsandstarsofZoboomafooandWildKratts

M

AUTHORS’NOTES

yjourneyasazoologistbeganwhenIwasjust11yearsold.Atthetime,Ididn’t evenknowwhat a zoologistwas! I remember taking a trip across

the country frommyhome state ofArizona to theMidwest to visitChicago’sBrookfieldZoo.ItwasduringthistripthatIfirsttoldmymomIwantedtoworkwithanimalswhenIgrewup.Inevergaveuponthatdream.

Pursuingacareerasazoologist ishardwork!Thereare lotsofpeoplewholoveanimalsandwanttomakeacareeroutofworkingwiththem.Itwasthanksto several years of dedication and support frommy family and friends that I“made it.” I’ve worked with some wonderful animals along the way—fromgiraffe,wallabies,andlemurstoparrots,alligators,andpythons.IevenhadtheprivilegeofworkingatBrookfieldZoo,theverysameplaceIvisitedwhenIwasjust 11 years old.While there, I helped take care of bottlenose dolphins, grayseals,harborseals,andmyfavoriteanimals—Californiasealions.Today,Igettogo towork every day at theAquariumof the Pacific,where I take care of sealions,harborseals,seaotters,penguins,andotherspecies.

Over the years I’ve also worked with hundreds of talented zoologists wholoveanimals,justlikeme.Everyday,kidslikeyoucomeuptomeandaskwhatittakestobeazoologist.Ican’thelpbutsmileandrememberitwasn’tsolongagothat I was in your shoes.Mywife, Bethanie, and I decided towrite this bookbecause we think there is so much beauty in the world and it’s important tounderstand, respect, appreciate, and enjoy it. Since we also share a love foreducationandlearning,weputourheadstogethertocreateZoologyforKids.

As you read this book,wehope it helps you feelmore connectedwith theanimalkingdom.Youwilllearntheinsandoutsofzoology,butmostofall,youwill learn what you can do to be part of this community—a community thatworkseverydaytopreserveandprotectthisamazingworldwecallhome.

—JOSHHESTERMANN,coauthor

Growing up in my family meant hiking through deserts and canyons,pitching a tent and camping high up in themountains, and even riding

wavesontheCaliforniacoast.WhenIwasoutside,Ifelthappyandfree.Ididn’tknowitthen,butmyappreciationforthenaturalworldwasthebeginningofmyjourneyasazoologist.

Then,Imarriedazookeeper.Josh’sloveforanimalsandmylovefornaturalplaceswent together like a fruit bat and a fig tree. (Don’t get that comparisonyet?Youwill!) Inotherwords,wemadeagoodteam.Together,wemore fullybegantounderstandtheuniqueandcomplicatedrelationshiphumanshavewiththeotheranimalsthatsharePlanetEarth.

Asawriter,Iamlivingproofthatnomatterwhatyourtalentsare,youcanfindawaytoparticipateinandcontributetothezoologycommunity.ThroughZoologyforKids,JoshandIhopetonotonlyencourageyourcuriousmindbuttoinspire you to go for it—whatever “it” is for you.Whether you’re a buddingscientist, an amateur photographer, or a young poet, use your strengths toshowcasewhatyoulove,toeducateothers,andtomakeadifference.

—BETHANIEHESTERMANN,coauthor

BethanieandJoshHestermannposewithZuma,amaleCaliforniasealion.CourtesyofMarkGonka

TimeLine

350BCAristotle,theFatherofZoology,writesTheHistoryofAnimals

AD77(circa)PlinytheEldercompletesNaturalHistory

AD400(circa)PolynesianssettleonEasterIsland

1551ConradGesnerpublishesfirstvolumeofHistoriaeanimalium,anearlyanimalencyclopedia1628WilliamHarveydescribesthecirculationofbloodinanimals1665RobertHookefirstusesthetermcell

1681Thedodo,aflightlessbirdspecies,becomesextinct

1683AntonvanLeeuwenhoekobservesanddescribesbacteria

1750(circa)CarolusLinnaeusdevelopssystemfornaminganimalspecies1752SchönbrunnMenagerie(todaySchönbrunnZoo)opensinVienna,Austria1826ZoologicalSocietyofLondonisfounded

1828LondonZooinLondon,England,openstoscientificfellows1831–1836HMSBeagle’ssecondvoyagewithCharlesDarwinonboard1833LouisAgassizstudiesextinctlife,publishesresearchonfishfossils1838JohnJamesAudubonfinishespublishingTheBirdsofAmerica

1846LondonZooopenstothepayingpublic

1853LondonZooAquariumopensinLondon,England

1856AquariumopensatBarnum’sAmericanMuseuminNewYorkCity(itwillburndownin1865)1858RudolfVirchowproposesthateverycellcomesfromapreexistingcell1859CharlesDarwindescribesnaturalselectioninOriginofSpecies

1859PhiladelphiaZooinPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania,isincorporated(itwillopenin1874)1860–1863BostonAquarialandZoologicalGardensisopentothepublic1860(circa)LouisPasteurbeginsstudyingbacteriaandinfectiousdiseases;laterdevelopsfirstvaccines1865GregorMendelpresentslawofinheritanceandlaysgroundworkforstudyofgenetics1872–1876HMSChallengerexpeditionoffersunprecedentedexplorationoftheocean1873NationalAquariumopensinWoodsHole,Massachusetts(latermovestoWashington,DC)1900(circa)IvanPavlovstudiesanddemonstrateshowanimalslearn

1914Thelastpassengerpigeondiesandthespeciesbecomesextinct1938B.F.SkinnerpublishesTheBehaviorofOrganisms

1940RogerArlinerYoungbecomesfirstAfricanAmericanwomantoreceiveaPhDinzoology1951RachelCarsonpublishesTheSeaAroundUs,abestsellercelebratingthenaturalworld1969RobertPainecoinsthetermkeystonespecies

1973KonradLorenzandNikolaasTinbergen’sworkinanimalbehaviorearnsNobelPrizeforPhysiologyorMedicine1981TheAssociationofZoosandAquariumslaunchesSpeciesSurvivalPlanprogram1985EdwardO.Wilsondevelopsconceptofbiodiversity

1991(circa)Effortsbegintoreintroduceblack-footedferretsintotheirnativehabitat2009(circa)ExcavationsrevealancientzooinHiera-konpolis,Egypt

2012MontereyBayAquariumResearchInstitutediscoverstheharpsponge2013Smithsonianscientistsdiscovertheolinguito

CourtesyofWoodlandParkZoo/DennisDow

AMandarinduckwithbeautifullybrightfeathers.CourtesyofTampa’sLowryParkZoo/DaveParkinson

A

Introduction

WHATISZOOLOGY?

nimals are amazing. They soar high above us, dive deep below us, andsurvive in Earth’s most unlikely places. They swing among the treetops,

scale rocky cliff faces, and burrow tunnels beneath the ground. Animals arediverse. Some are tiny, like the poisondart frog,which is barely bigger than apaperclip.Othersaremassive, like thebluewhale—anunderwatergiantwhosetongueweighsasmuchasanelephant!

Animals are beautiful. Some have vibrantly colored feathers or skin thatchangescolortomatchthesurroundings.Othershaveshimmeryscales,velvetyfur,orsturdypatternedshells.

Animalsaremysterious.Theysqueak,squawk,screech,grumble,growl,androar.Theyfight,play,sing,anddance,andsomeofthemevenshowoff.

With all of this variety, it’s no wonder we are fascinated by the animalkingdom.Ourcuriosityforthenaturalworldfuelszoology,thestudyofanimallife. This book, Zoology for Kids, aims to do two things. First, in part 1, itintroducessomebasicsofzoology.Begininchapter1bylearningwhatanimalsare.Trynottogethunguponbigwordsandbesuretochecktheglossaryoradictionaryifyougetstumped.Stickwithit,andinchapter2,you’ll learnaboutsomeoftheamazing(andsometimessilly)thingsanimalsdo.Inchapter3,you’lltakealookatanimalsintheirnaturalhabitatsandlearnhowtheyinteractwitheachotherandwith their environments.Then, inpart2, it all comes together.Youwillseehowrealzoologistsusethisinformationeverydaybydivingintotheworlds of zookeepers and aquarists, veterinarians, wildlife researchers, andconservationists.

Atoxicpoisondartfrogwithsapphire-blueskin.CourtesyofChicagoZoologicalSociety/JimSchulz

Aclose-upofagrapeshotcarpetanemone.©SheddAquarium/BrennaHernandez

Alongtheway,youwillmeetsomefascinatinganimalsandthepeoplewhoarepassionateaboutthem.You’llevenget thechanceto learnsomenewskills.Eachchapterincludeshands-onzoology-basedactivitiestohelpyouexploreanddiscoverthisnewworld.You’llbakeanedibleanimalcell, learnhowto“train”yourfriends,sculptatiger’sjawbone,inventanewspecies,andmuchmore!

Zoology forKids also offers practical advice for those looking to turn theirpassion into a career.There aremanydifferentways tobepart of the zoologycommunity.Forhands-onworkwithanimals, youmightbecomea zookeeper,anaquarist,oraveterinarian.Ifyoulovescience,youmightconsiderbecomingawildlife researcher or an ecology professor.Nature loversmight prefer one ofmanycareersthatworktowardpromotingconservation.

No two zoologists are exactly alike, but each member of the zoologycommunityhasatleastonethingincommon:aspecialloveandrespectfortheanimalkingdom.Areyoureadytobeginyourjourneyasazoologist?

Seeaboldedword?Checktheglossaryforadefinition.

AnAfricanelephant.CourtesyofDCWagner/NyaminyamiPhotography,LLC

PART1

ZoologyforBeginners

“Animalsdifferfromoneanotherintheirmodesofsubsistence,intheiractions,intheirhabits,andintheirparts.”

—Aristotle,TheHistoryofAnimals(trans.D’ArcyWentworthThompson)

ThegiantAustraliancuttlefishisamasterofdisguise.CourtesyofRogerHanlon

I

ANIMALS-FORMANDFUNCTION

t’s late spring off the coast of Australia. A crab scuffles along the sandyseafloorsurroundingavibrantcoral-reefcommunity.Itmustbeonguard.In

the ocean, there arepredators in every corner, looking for their nextmeal.AgiantAustralian cuttlefish lurks nearby. Its normally smooth skin has becometextured, almost spiky. Its special skin cells have shifted to blue-gray andgreenish-gold, mimicking the pattern of the reef over which the cuttlefishhungrilyhovers.Ithastransformeditself intoanear-perfectcopyofthereeftoitsleftandright.Ifyoulookcloselyenough,youmightseetwoW-shapedpupils,watching…waiting.

Whoosh!Suddenly,thecrabissnatchedfrombehind.Itwigglesandsquirms,but two suctioned tentacles have exploded from the cuttlefish’s beak, latchingontothecrabandpullingitintoitsmouth.Thistimearound,thecrabhasbeenoutwitted.Itwalkedrightintothecuttlefish’strap.

The giantAustralian cuttlefish is amagnificent creature, but so is the crabthatendeduponitsmenu.Eachanimalisuniqueandvaluabletoitsecosystem,whichmakesstudyingzoologyfullofdelightsandsurprises.

AgiantAustraliancuttlefishcanquicklydisappearintothescenerythankstoitsspecializedskincells.CourtesyofRogerHanlon

WhatIsanAnimal?

Ifyouhaveasheetofpapernearby,makealistofthefirst10animalsthatcometomind.Nowtakealookatyourlistandtrytoanswerthisquestion:Whatisananimal?Forinstance,whatmakesahousecatananimal?Isitthefactthatithasfour legs, a fuzzy coat of fur, whiskers, and a tail? Not all animals can bedescribedthesameway.Ahummingbirdisananimal,butithaswings,feathers,and a beak. Now take a look in a mirror. Humans are part of the animalkingdom,butwearequitedifferentfromhummingbirdsandhousecats.

Sowhat do humans, house cats, and hummingbirds have in common thatmakesusdifferent from, say,anoak treeora tulip? It’snot the fact thatwe’realive, because not all living things are animals. For instance, plants are livingthings, but plants are not animals. How do scientists know? Plants areproducers; theycreate theirownenergy.Animals,on theotherhand, likeyouandmeandhousecats,areconsumers.Consumerscan’tmaketheirownenergy;

theyhavetoconsumeit.Humansareconsumersbecausewegetenergybyeatingproducers (plants like fruits and veggies) and other consumers (animals likecows,pigs,andchickens).

Mobility,theabilitytomovearoundfreely,isanothercharacteristicofmostanimals. Whether they walk, hop, fly, slither, or swim, animals can typicallytravel fromoneplace toanotherwithoutanyhelp.Butwhenwas the last timeyou saw an oak tree hop around the park?While some plants canmove, likewhen a sunflower bends toward the sun, a plant can’t get up andwalk to theotherendofthegarden.

Someunderwateranimalsarenotmobile,suchasadultseasquirts,butthisisnotthenorm.Oncetheygrowup,seasquirtspermanently latchontosurfacessuchasanoceanpier,aship’shull,arock,orevenalargecrab.

Animals’ cells, the basic building blocks of life, are another distinguishingfeature.Animalcellsaremadeupofthreebasicparts:theplasmamembrane(thethin border around a cell), the nucleus (the control center of a cell), and thecytoplasm(the “stuff”ormatterwithina cell).Plant cells aredifferentbecausetheyhaveanextrapart,amorerigidbordercalledacellwall.

TheFatherofZoologyandHisFamousPupil

The first zoologist—an ancient Greek philosopher named Aristotle-livedmore than 2,000 years ago,from384to322BC.Aslegendwouldhaveit,Aristotlebecamethe“FatherofZoology”withsomehelpfromhisfamousstudent,AlexandertheGreat,whowasoneofthemostwell-knownmilitaryleadersofalltime.

Aristotle was an important intellectual in his day. He was an expert inmany subjects, includingbiology, history, and philosophy. King Philip II of Macedonia recognized Aristotle’s influence andinvitedhimtotutorhis13-year-oldson,Alexander.AristotleandAlexanderworkedtogetherforafewyearsexploringtheirmutualinterestsinphilosophy,science,andliterature.

When Alexander became king in 336 BC, he began conquering neighboring lands. Alexander’sconquestmissionsbroughthimandhisarmytonewplacesfilledwithplantsandanimalstheyhadneverseenbefore.Yearslater,aRomanscholarnamedPlinytheElderwrotethatAlexanderwassofascinatedbytheseexoticspeciesthathesentsomeofthembackhometoAristotle,hisformertutor.

Meanwhile,AristotlehadestablishedaschoolinAthensafterAlexanderjoinedthemilitary.Hewasnotonlyagreatteacherbutalsoastudentofthenaturalworld.Aristotle’sdetailedobservationsaboutanimals’forms,functions,andbehaviorswerethefirstoftheirkind.Hisworkinzoologycontinuedtoinfluence thescientificcommunity forhundredsofyearsafterhisdeath.CouldAlexander theGreat’sconquestshavehelpedAristotleinhisquesttounderstandanddocumentthenaturalworld,aslegendsuggests?Wewillneverknowforsure.

Humans,housecats,andhummingbirdsareallanimals.Whatdothesespecieshaveincommon?CourtesyofJeffreyB.Vrieling

Cellsvaryinsize,buteachoneissosmall,youcanonlyseeitwiththehelpofamicroscope.Ifyouweretotakeareallyclose-uplook,you’dseehowcomplexandimpressiveatinyanimalcellreallyis.

Animalcell.CourtesyofJeffreyB.Vrieling

Animals’Forms

When similar cells group together, they form tissues. Tissuesmake up organsliketheheart,brain,andlungs.Allanimalshavesimilarcells,butnotallanimalshave the same typesof tissues. For instance, someanimals that live in the sea,suchasfish,havegills—organsthatmakeitpossibleforthemtobreatheoxygenunderwater. Other animals, such as land animals andmarinemammals, havelungs—organsthatmakeitpossibleforthemtobreatheoxygenfromtheair.

Organshelpananimal’sbodyperformbasicfunctionsthatkeepitalive.Gillsandlungsallowanimalstoinhaleoxygenandexhalecarbondioxide.Organslikethestomacharepartofananimal’sdigestivesystem,which ishowanimalsgetenergy from their food.Otherorgans, suchas the liverandkidneys, alsoworkbehindthescenestosupportanimallife.

AnimalCellLingo

There’s a lot going on inside the cells in an animal’s body. In fact, there’s so much going on thatscientistsneedmanyspecializedtermstodescribeallofit.Herearejustafewofthem.

Within each cell are tiny structures called organelles. Each organelle has a job that helps the cellfunction.Ribosomes, for instance, help create proteinmolecules. Proteins have several jobs that help

keep an animal alive, such as transporting oxygen. Other organelles, like mitochondria, help createenergyforthecell.Youcanthinkofmitochondriaasminiaturepowergenerators.

Animalcellsalsocontainendoplasmicreticulum,whichlookslikeaflatnoodlethathasbeenfoldedseveral times.When free ribosomes attach to the endoplasmic reticulum, it’s considered “rough.” Ifthere are no ribosomes attached, it’s considered “smooth.” Rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulawork with other organelles like Golgi bodies to circulate material throughout the cell. Meanwhile,lysosomeshelpkeepthecellhealthybybreakingdownordigestingunneededmaterials.

Nearthecenterofananimalcellisitsnucleus.Anucleusislikethedirectorofaplay.Itkeepstabsonallthecell’sactors—theorganelles—andmakessureperformancesrunsmoothly.Thenucleusalsostoreschromosomes.Chromosomesstoreinformationthatdistinguishesonespeciesfromanother,andoneindividualanimalfromanother.Thereismuchmoretolearnaboutcellularbiology,butnowthatyouhaveabasicunderstanding,testyourknowledgebybakinganedibleanimalcell.

ACTIVITY

BakeanEdibleAnimalCell

Animal’s cells are themost basicway theydiffer fromother living organisms suchas plants.Usewhatyou’velearnedaboutanimalcellstobuildamodeloutoffood.Whenyou’redone,youcaneatit!

ADULTSUPERVISIONREQUIRED

INGREDIENTS

Packageofcakemix,anyflavor(dependingonthebrand,youmayalsoneedeggsandoil)VanillafrostingTubeofcake-decoratingfrosting,anycolorPeanutbuttercup5gummywormsContainerofsprinkles,anyshapeandcolor1piecepull-and-peellicorice3TootsieRollsSmallpackageofSkittlesorM&Ms

UTENSILS

WoodenspoonLargemixingbowl9-inchroundcakepanWaxpaperSpatulaorplasticknife

Preheattheoven,mixtogetherthecakeingredients,andbake,followingthedirectionsonthepackage.Afterthecakeisbakedandcooled,removeitfromthepanandplaceitonaflatsurfacecoveredinwaxpaper.Usingaspatulaoraplasticknife,coverthetopofyouranimalcellwithvanillafrosting.

Thefrostingrepresentsthecell’scytoplasm.Next,useatubeofcoloredcake-decoratingfrostingtodrawacirclealongtheouteredgeofthecell.Thiscoloredlinerepresentstheplasmamembrane—theouterboundaryofananimalcell.

Unwrapthepeanutbuttercupandplaceitsomewherenearthecenterofthecake.Thisrepresentsthecell’snucleus.

Next,addtheorganelles.Placeseveralgummywormsonthecakesotheysurroundthenucleus.Thegummywormsrepresenttheendoplasmicreticulum.Addsomesprinkles(ribosomes)betweensomeofthe gummy worms to create rough endoplasmic reticulum. The gummy worms without sprinklesrepresentsmoothendoplasmicreticulum.Scattersomemoresprinklesonyourcaketorepresent freeribosomes.

TocreateaGolgibody,peelastripfromyourpieceofpull-and-peellicorice,folditseveraltimessoitlookslikeanS,andplaceitwithinthecytoplasm.

Next, add the Tootsie Rolls to representmitochondrion. To represent lysosomes, pick out a fewSkittlesorM&Msofthesamecolorandaddthemtothecytoplasm.

Whenyou’redone, showoff your cakeasyouexplainwhichpartof ananimal cell eachpieceofcandyrepresents.Then,enjoyyourcreation.Bonappétit!

ExtraCreditPlantcellsaremorerectangularinshapethananimalcells.Theyhavearigidcellwallaswellasaplasmamembrane, and they also have some different organelles, such as chloroplasts and a largevacuole.Researchplantcells,thenbuildanediblemodeltocompareandcontrastwithyouranimalcell.

Structural tissueshelpdefine the shapeofananimal’sbody.These typesoftissuesincludemuscle,cartilage,andbone.Someanimals,suchashumans,haveallthreetypes.Ifyouflexyourarm,youcanfeelmuscletissuebeneathyourskinresponding to the flex. If you touch yournose or ear, you can feel cartilage, amore flexible typeof tissue thatalsomakesup shark skeletons.Bone isa thirdtypeofstructuraltissuethatmakesupmanyanimalskeletons,includingyours.

Whenyouthinkaboutskeletons,youmayassumetheyalwaysexistinsidethebody like human skeletons do. In reality, you can find three different types ofskeletonswithintheanimalkingdom.Humanshaveendoskeletonsthatsupportthebodyfromtheinside.Endoskeletonsareusuallymadeofboneorcartilage.

A second type of skeleton is called an exoskeleton,which existsoutside ananimal’s body. Exoskeletons are strong structures that enclose the body ofanimalssuchasbeetlesandlobsters.Unlikeendoskeletons,exoskeletonsdonotgrowwith the animal andmust often be shed and regrown as the animal getsbigger.

A hydrostatic skeleton relies on internal pressure from body fluids forsupport. An earthworm has no bones, and yet it’s strong enough to burrowthroughtheearth.Animalswithhydrostaticskeletons,suchasearthworms,havespecialmusclesthatcontrolinternalpressureandkeeptheirbodiesinflated,kindoflikeawaterballoon.

Whenitcomestoanimals’forms,thereissomeamazingdiversity.Butmoreoften thannot, animalshave something incommon: symmetry. Ifyouwere todraw an imaginary line down the center of a butterfly, you’d notice that theshapes,patterns,andcolorsyouseeontherightsidearethesameastheshapes,patterns,andcolorsontheleftside.Otheranimals’bodiesformacircle,suchasseaanemones.Animalswiththistypeofsymmetryresembleawheel,oftenwithamouthatthecenter.

Insectslikethismantispidhaveexoskeletons.CourtesyofDanielaSchmieder

SurvivingintheWild

Animalshavemanytoolsintheirbiologicaltoolkitwhenitcomestosurvival.Infact,oneofthemostinterestingreasonstostudyzoologyistolearnhowanimals’forms help them survive against extreme temperatures, fierce predators, andotherhurdlestheyfaceintheirdailylives.Whethertheyhavedense,waterprooffur or the ability to see in the dark, many animals simply wouldn’t make itwithouttheirbodies’naturalsurvivalkits.

Your body has a natural survival kit, too.Have you ever noticed thewaysyourbody reacts tooutside temperatures? If it’shot, youmight start sweating,which isyourbody’sattempt tocool itselfdown. If it’s cold,youmight shiver,which isyourbody’sattempt towarmitselfup.Yourbodygoes to this troublebecause maintaining the right internal temperature is very important to ananimal’ssurvival.

StudyingAncientAnimalBones

Knowledge about animal skeletons is particularly important to paleontologists, scientists who studyplants and animals of the past by analyzing fossils. In some cases, paleontologists work alongsidearchaeologists (scientists who study human artifacts and remains) to piece together the stories ofancientcivilizations.

Imagine digging in the ground at an archaeological site and coming across the bones of someanimalsthatwerenotnativetothearea.ThisiswhathappenedtoateamofarchaeologistsledbyRenéeFriedmanwhiletheywereexcavatingneartheancientEgyptiancityofHierakonpolis.

ArchaeologistsbelieveHierakonpolis, theCityoftheHawk,wasoneofEgypt’searliestandlargestcitiesalongtheNileRiver,builtathousandyearsbeforethegreatEgyptianpyramids.Inthesite’selitecemetery, Renée’s team uncovered the remains of more than 100 animals, including a leopard, twoAfricanelephants,twocrocodiles,threehippos,and15baboons.

Whyweretheseanimalsthere?Acloserlookatthefossilsmayprovideaclue.SomeoftheanimalsburiedatHierakonpolishadfracturedbonesthathadhealedbeforedeath.Becausesuchinjurieswouldhavebeenfatalinthewild,archaeologistsbelievehumansweretendingtotheseanimals’injuries.Manyoftheanimals’preservedteethalsoshowedsignsofabnormalwear,suggestingtheywerenoteatinganaturaldietwhiletheywerealive.

Thesediscoveriesmaysuggestthatinlife,theanimalswerepartofanancientzoo.Theywerebeingfedandtendedbyhumancaretakers.It’slikelytheanimalswerebroughttoHierakonpolisbythecity’srulingelitetodemonstratetheirwealthandauthority.

Archaeologists who have studied the animal remains buried at Hierakonpolis, like this baboonskeleton,believetherewasanancientzoointhisearlyEgyptiancity.CourtesyofHierakonpolisExpedition/RenéeFriedman

ACTIVITY

DigUp“AnimalBones”

Imagine youareapaleontologistwho is diggingat the site of anancient zoo.Your job is to findbonefragmentsandpiecethemtogethertohelpdeterminewhichtypeofanimalwasburiedthere.

MATERIALS

NewspapersorpapertowelsPen3craftsticks8½-Inch-by-11-inchfoamsheet(availableatcraftstores)ScissorsSmall,roundobject(bottlecap,gumball,eraser,marble,rock,etc.)MarkersNotebookpaperShoeboxwithnoholes(orcoverexistingholeswithducttape)12cupsofpottingsoilordirtSpoon

Begin by covering yourworkspacewith newspapers or paper towels. Trace three craft sticks onto afoamsheetandcutthemout.

Next,use the foamcutouts tobuildananimal skeleton.Placeone foampiece horizontally in front of you to act as the animal’s spine. Cut theremaining two foam pieces in half. These four shorter pieces represent theanimal’s two front legs and two back legs. Find a small, round object andplaceitatoneendofthespineforaskull.Cutoffasmallpieceoffoamfromyourscraptouseasatail.Placethetailboneattheoppositeendofthespinefromtheskull.

Usemarkerstomakeeachboneadifferentcolor.Forinstance,makethespinepurple,thefrontleftleggreen,thefrontrightlegblue,thebackleftlegred,thebackrightlegyellow,andthetailblack.Makesuretocolorbothsidesofeachbone.

Arrangetheskeletononyourworkspacesoeachboneiswhereitshouldbe.Writedownwhichcoloryouusedforeachbone.

Cutyourskeleton into15 to20piecesofvarioussizes.Themorepiecesyou create, the harder it will be to find them later.Write down the exactnumberofbonepiecesyoucreated.

Fillashoeboxwithaboutaninchofpottingsoilordirt(approximately6cups).Scatterthepiecesof

yourskeletoninsidethebox.Pushsomebonesdownunderthesoilandleavesomeclosertothetop.Addanotherinch(about6morecups)ofdirtorsoiltotheshoeboxtoevenlycoverallthebones.

ExtraCreditCreate amore realistic skeleton by sculpting at least 15 animal bones fromair-drymodeling clay.Oncethebonesaredry, scatter themintoyourarchaeological siteandseehowquicklyyoucandigthemupandpiecetheskeletonbacktogether.

Now that you’ve created your archaeological site, use a spoon to scoopthroughthedirtand“excavate”theskeletonfragments.Asyoufindpiecesofbone,puteachcolorintoaseparatepile.Onceyou’vefoundeachpiece,trytopieceyourskeletonbacktogether.

Most birds and mammals (including humans) are warm blooded, whichmeanstheirbodiescanstayatastabletemperatureevenwhenthetemperatureoutsidechanges.Cold-bloodedanimalssuchasreptilesandinsects,ontheotherhand,cannotdo this.Theseanimals’body temperatureschangealongwith thetemperatureoftheirenvironments.

Most animals have help managing their body temperatures thanks tofeathers,fur,orbodyfatthatslowsescapingheat.Abirdwithfeatherswillfluffitselfuponachillyday,creatingairpocketsthatholdinheat.Animalsthatliveincoldclimatesoftendependoncoatsoffurtokeeptheirbodieswarm.Theseanimalsmayevenputonsomeextrabodyfattohelpthemsurvivealong,coldwinter.Marinemammalssuchaswhalesandsealshaveblubber—alayeroffat-liketissuebeneaththeskin.Blubbercanbeasthickas12inchesinlargeanimals

likewhales.Along with the ability to regulate body temperature, animals’ senses help

them survive.Raptors such as eagles, hawks, and vultures are known for theirkeeneyesight.Andeancondorsandotherraptorspeciessoarthousandsoffeetintheairwhilesearchingforfoodwaydownontheground.

Otheranimalsrelyontheirsenseofsmell.Thegreatwhitesharkcansmellatinydropofbloodfrommilesaway.Manyfishcansensevibrationsandelectricalimpulses, along with small changes in water currents and pressure. Still otheranimals depend on a well-developed sense of hearing. Nocturnal animals thatsleepduringthedayandbecomeactiveatnight, likemanyowlspecies,relyontheirhearingandeyesighttotrackdownprey.

Echolocationisabonussensefoundinanimalssuchasbottlenosedolphinsandhorseshoebats.To echolocate, animalsmake a sound, then listen forhowlong it takes for that sound to bounce off an object and return to them. Bylistening for echoes, animals can figure out how far they are from predators,prey,orobstacles.Theycanevendeterminehowlargeanobjectisandwhetherit’smovingor staying still.Foranimals that live in theoceanor indarkcaves,thiscanbeacrucialtoolforsurvival.

Nocturnalanimals,suchasthisscreechowl,usetheirkeensensestohuntwithlittletononaturallight.CourtesyofTampa’sLowryParkZoo/DaveParkinson

ACTIVITY

PlaytheDolphinEcholocationGame

Dolphinsmust beable tonavigateunderwater, evenwhen it’s darkormurky.Todo this, they rely onecholocationinsteadofeyesight.Pretendyou’readolphinusingitsextra-specialsense—echolocation—tofindfish.Thisactivityrequiresalarge,openspaceandagroupofatleastthreepeople.

MATERIALS

Blindfold

Choose twoplayers—one tobe thedolphinandone tobe the fish.All the restof theplayerswillbeseaweed.Asagroup,definetheareaofplaybysettingupboundariesthatnoonewillbeabletopass.

Have the dolphin stand in themiddle of the space. Blindfold the dolphin so he or she can’t seeanything.Thedolphinwillneedtorelyonhisorherhearingtofindandcapturethefish.

Theremainingplayersshouldspreadoutaroundthespace.Thefishwillbeabletomove,buttheseaweedshouldchooseaspotandstaystill.

Thedolphinbegins thegamebysaying“dolphin.”Whenever thedolphinsays“dolphin,” the fishmust say “fish” and the seaweedmust say “seaweed,” imitating the echo a dolphin would hear andinterpretifitwereecholocatinginthewild.

Ifyou’rethedolphin,listencarefullytotheechoestofindthefishamongtheseaweed.Whenyouhearthefish,walktowarditandtrytocatchit.Say“dolphin”asmanytimesasyou’dliketomakesureyoudon’tlosethefishasitattemptstoescape.

Ifyou’rethefish,youcanmoveasmuchasyouwant,butyoumustalwaysrespondtothedolphin’scallbysaying“fish.”Youmustalsowalk“heeltoe,”meaningyoumusttakesmallstepsbytouchingtheheelofonefoottothetoeoftheotherfootasyoumoveforward.

Continueplayinguntilthedolphinfindsthefishandtagsit.Thefishthenbecomesthedolphinforthenextround.Playuntileveryonehashadachancetobeadolphinandafish.

ExtraCreditIfyouhavefourormorepeopleinyourgroup,tryaddingmorethanonefishtoyourocean.Tomakethe gamemore challenging, enforcea rule that says thedolphin is “out” ifheor she runs intoanyseaweed.

DazzlingDefenders

Animals’unique forms sometimes functionasbuilt-indefenses thathelp themsurviveinthewild.TheAfricancrestedporcupine,forinstance,hasabodyfullofbarbedquills.Whenapredatorisnearby,aporcupinesticksupitsquills,kind

of likethehaironyourarmswhenyougetgoosebumps.While itwouldn’tbewise to sneakupon a porcupine, themyth that says these spiky creatures canshoottheirquillsatattackersisn’ttrue.Porcupinequillsdetachprettyeasily,soaquillortwomayfalloffwhenaporcupinebustlesup.Butthatdoesn’tmeanitcanaimandshoot!

Spinesandscutesaretwomorebuilt-indefenseswithintheanimalkingdom.Some puffer fish species have spines covering their bodies that can help shooawaypredators.Whenthreatened,apufferfishwillsuckinwatertobecomebig,round,andsharp.

Other dazzling defenders, such as the nine-banded armadillo, have tough,bony plates called scutes covering their bodies. These plates are like a coat ofarmorthathelpsprotectanarmadillofrombecomingasnack.

Hoofed mammals such as white-tailed deer, moose, bison, and oryx haveantlers or horns that help themdefend their territory.During certain seasons,malebighorn sheep ram into eachotherwith their tough, curledhorns.Thesecompetitions often last for several hours until the weaker rival gives up andleaves.Thewinnerearnsterritoryandaccesstomates.Unlikedeerspeciesthatshedtheirantlerseveryyearandregrowthem,species in thebovid family, likebighornsheepandgazelles,havepermanenthorns.

Antelopeslikethisgazellehavepermanenthorns.CourtesyofTampa’sLowryParkZoo/DaveParkinson

Deerspecieslikethismooseshedtheirantlerseachyear.CourtesyofAllisonBarden/sandwichgirl

Notallcamouflage is thesame.Zebras’ stripedpatternoftenconfusespredatorswhenthezebraherd

scatters.CourtesyofDCWagner/NyaminyamiPhotography,LLC

Largeanimalssuchasbighornsheepmaybethefirsttocometomindwhenyouthinkofhorns,butnotallhornedanimalsarebig.Malerhinocerosbeetleshave front-facinghorns thatcome inhandywhenchargingrivalsduring fightsforterritory,justlikebighorns.

Clawsortalonscanalsobegreatdefensesinnature.Oneimpressivebird,thecassowary,kicksandslicesatattackerswiththetwosharptalonsattachedtothecassowary’smiddletoes.Atiger’scurvedclawscanbeequallydeadlyasitswipesat rivals andprey. Likehouse cats,most big cat species can retract their clawswhentheyarenotinuse.

Otherdefenses includebeaks,stingers,andteeth.Maleandfemalewalruseshave formidable teeth called tusks that can grow to be three feet long.Whilewalruses usually use their tusks for boring holes in the ice and lugging theirheavy bodies out of thewater,malesmay also use them as aweapon to scareenemiesawayortosparwithothermales.

Manyanimalsdefendthemselveswithharmfulsubstancescalledtoxins.Didyou know there’s a difference between venomous animals and poisonousanimals? Venomous animals inject toxins through a bite or a sting. Somevenomous animals include black widow spiders, rattlesnakes, scorpions, andstingrays. Poisonous animals, on the other hand, do not inject toxins; theysecrete them. Poisonous animals, such as certain species of toads, newts, andsalamanders, produce a toxic substance on their skin that can be deadlywhentouchedorswallowed.

Camouflage is another way animals’ forms function as a defense. Someanimals, like zebras, are naturally camouflaged with designs or patterns. Theblack-and-white-stripedpatternonazebra’sbodyiscalleddisruptivecoloration.When there is a group of zebras, their patterns make it more difficult forpredatorslikelionstopickoutonezebrafromtherestofthegroup.

Whenananimal’scoloringresemblesitsenvironment,it’scalledconcealingcoloration or background matching. Cuttlefish are masters of this type ofcamouflage.Thepigment-filledcellsinacuttlefish’sskinallowittochangecolortomatch its surroundings.This helps it hide frompredators and sneak up onprey.

Isthataneyelashleaffrogoradeadleaf?CourtesyofTampa’sLowryParkZoo/DaveParkinson

Walkingsticksdon’twaitforHalloween;theypretendtobesticksyear-roundsotheycanfoolpredatorsintothinkingthey’renotfood.CourtesyofDanielaSchmieder

Arctic foxes alsobenefit fromconcealing coloration.During thewinter, anarcticfoxgrowsathick,whitecoatoffurthatblendsinwiththesnowyterrain.When the snowmelts, the fox sheds itswhite coat for a brown-gray coat thatmatchesthecoloroftheground.

Have you ever heard of an insect that looks so much like a stick thatpredatorsmistakeitforsomethingfarlesstastythanitactuallyis?Theseinsectsarecalledwalkingsticks,and theydisplaya typeofcamouflagecalleddisguise.TheSolomonIslandleaffrogusesdisguisetolooklikeadeadleafontheforestfloor.Thanks to itsuniqueheadshape, itsdead-leafcoloring,and itsdead-leaftexture,apredatormightlookrightpasta little leaffrogwithoutevenrealizingit’smissingoutonsomethingscrumptious.

Some creatures are copycats; they have camouflage that mimics anotheranimal.Forexample,thenonvenomousmilksnakelooksjustlikethevenomouscoral snake. By copying a coral snake’s coloring, themilk snake appears to bemoredangerous than it actually is.As a result, it’s less likely tobe eaten.Wellplayed,milksnake.

ACTIVITY

ExploreConcealingColoration

Inthisactivity,you’llbeplayingthepartofabirdhuntingforitsnextmeal.Manyinsectsinthewildrelyon concealing coloration toblend inwith their surroundings.Howwelldoyou think this tacticworks?Thisactivityrequiresapartnerandadarkenedroom.

MATERIALS

Scissorsorpapercutter12-inch-by-12-inchsheetofbrowncardstock12-inch-by-12-inchsheetofgreencardstockHolepunchMarkers,crayons,orcoloredpencilsFlashlightTimerorstopwatchTweezers

Cuttwo1-inch-widestripsofcardstock—onestripfromthebrownsheetandonestripfromthegreensheet.Usingtheholepunch,punch15holesineachstrip.Collectthebrownandgreenpunches.Thesewillbeyour“insects.”Youshouldhave30insectstotal—15greenand15brown.Discardorrecyclethestripswiththepunchholes.

Next,usemarkers,crayons,orcoloredpencils tomakeyourremainingsquaresofcardstock lookmorelikeaplaceaninsectmightlive.Forinstance,thebrownpiececouldrepresenttreebark—aplaceaninsectmaytrytohidefrompredatorssuchasbirds.Inthiscase,useadarkbrownmarker,crayon,orcoloredpenciltodrawsomelinesthatimitatebark.Onthegreenpieceofcardstock,youmightdrawinsomebladesofgrasswithafewbrownpatches.

You’renearlyreadytoplay.Placethebrownpieceofcardstockinfrontofyou.Haveyourpartnerset the flashlight somewhere in the room so it’s pointing away from you. The room should be darkenoughsothatit’sdifficult,butnotimpossible,tosee.

Oncetheroomisdarkexceptforthelightfromyourflashlight,closeyoureyes.Haveyourpartnerscatterthe30insects(bothgreenandbrown)ontopofthebrowncardstock.Whenyourpartnersays“go,”heor shewill start the timerandyoucanopenyoureyes.Youwillhave30 seconds touse thetweezerstopickupasmanyinsectsaspossible.

When30secondshavepassed,yourpartnerwillsay“stop.”Turnonthelightandcounthowmanyinsectsyou’vecaptured.Howmanygreeninsectsdidyoucatch?Howmanybrowninsects?

Replaythegameusingthegreencardstockinsteadofthebrown.Howmanygreeninsectsdidyoucatchthistimearound?Howmanybrowninsects?Switchroleswithyourpartnertoseehowhisorherresultscomparetoyours.

TipThinkaboutwhatyou’velearnedinthisactivity.Whenthegreeninsectsareintheirgreenhabitat,theyaremoredifficulttofindthanwhentheyareinthebrownhabitat.Apredatorwillmostlikelygofortheeasiestmealavailable,soconcealingcolorationcanbeapowerfuldefense.

Animals have some things in common, like their cells and the ability tomove, but they really do come in all shapes and sizes.Whether it has gills tobreatheunderwater,alayerofblubbertokeepwarm,scutesthatactasarmor,orsome tricky coloration, each animal must make the most of its uniquecharacteristics to survive. In many cases, an animal must also adopt certainbehaviorstotakeadvantageofitsspecialform.

CommunicatingwithColor

It’s common to think that chameleons change colors to hide from predators by blending into thebackground.Whilethismaybepartlytrue,defenseisjustonereasonchameleonsswitchshades.

Sowhyelsedochameleonschangecolors?Mostscientistsbelievethemainreasonistoreflecttheirmoods.Likehumanswhousebodylanguagetoexpresshowthey’refeeling,chameleonscommunicate

withotherchameleonsbychangingcolors.Forexample,ifamalechameleondisplaysbrightcolorswithredspots,hemaybelookingforamate.Ifafemalelikeswhatshesees,shemaychangecolortolethimknow.

Chameleonsmay also change colorsbasedon the temperature and the timeofday.A chameleonlookingtowarmitselfbybaskinginthesunmaychangetoadarkercolorsoitcanabsorbmoreheat.

Similartothecuttlefish,achameleoncanswitchshadesbecauseithasspecialskincellsthatarefilledwith different colors of pigment.While there is still much to uncover about chameleons, includingexactlyhowandwhytheircolorschange,thissurvivaltoolcertainlycomesinhandy.

Chameleonschangecolortoreflecttheirmoods.CourtesyofDurrellWildlifeConservationTrust/DanLay

Thisstrange-lookinganimalfromMadagascariscalledanaye-aye.CourtesyofDukeLemurCenter/DavidHaring

O

UNDERSTANDINGANIMALBEHAVIOR

n the island ofMadagascar, an aye-aye sits perched in a forest tree. It’snighttime,butthenocturnalprimateiswellsuitedtoworkinthedark.It

haslargeovaleyes,oversizedears,sharpclaws,andtoesthatcangrabontotreebranches.Afterspendingmostofthedayballedupinitstreenest,theaye-ayeiswellrestedandreadyforsomegrub.Butfirst,itmustfindsome.

Using its extra-longmiddle finger, the aye-ayebegins to tap the tree.As ittaps,itlistens.Insidethetree’strunk,wood-boringinsectshavecarvedchannelsthrough the wood. The aye-aye uses the sound of its tapping to figure outwhetherthereisamealtobehadinsidethistree.Tonightit’sinluck;theaye-ayelikeswhat it hears.With its long, skinny finger, the aye-ayedigs into the tree,scoopsouttheinsects,andeatsthem.

Theaye-aye’suniqueforagingtechniqueisjustoneexampleofacoolanimalbehavior. Whether it’s foraging, hunting, grooming, or looking for a mate,animalbehaviorincludesanythingandeverythingananimaldoes.Thestudyofanimal behavior helps zoologists understand all kinds of things, such as whysomeanimals live ingroupswhileothers live alone. Ithas even shownus thatsomeanimalscanlearnandthatmosthavespecialwaysofcommunicating.

Aye-ayesusetheirextra-longmiddlefingerstotaptreetrunks,findinsects,andthenscooptheinsectsout.CourtesyofDukeLemurCenter/DavidHaring

Babybirdsreachinguptotheirparent’sbeakforfoodisoneexampleofaninnatebehavior.

CourtesyofTampa’sLowryParkZoo/DaveParkinson

Zoologists often refer to animal behaviors as innate, learned, or complex.Animals are born with a basic set of survival knowledge and/or skills. Thisknowledge is innate, which means it is not taught or learned and it can beperformed the first timewithout practice.When a baby bird reaches up to itsparent’sbeakforfood,thebehaviorisautomaticandunlearned—inotherwords,itisinnate.

Learned behaviors are those an animal develops as it gains life experience.Justlikehumantoddlerswholearnhowtobehumanbywatchingtheirsiblings,classmates,andparents,animalsoftenlearnbywatchingmembersoftheirownspecies and imitating the behaviors they see. In some cases, animals learn bypractice.Lion cubspractice stalking andpouncingby roughhousingwith theirbrothersandsisters.Laterinlife,lionsusetheseskillstohuntortodefendtheirgroup.

Mostanimalbehavioriscomplex—acombinationofbothinnateandlearnedbehaviors.Complexbehaviorsbeginwithananimal’sinstinct,whichtheanimalthenperfects through life experience.Theaye-aye’s foraging technique ismostlikely a complex behavior, as is a lion’s stalking behavior. Zoologists do notunderstand exactly how and why animals develop their behaviors, but thesemysteriesarepartofwhatmakesthefieldofzoologysoexciting.

AnimalSmarts

Animals may not need to take multiplication tests, but different forms ofintelligence—such as the ability to learn, remember, and adapt—can be anadvantagewhenlivinginthewild.Rememberhowimportantitisforananimalto regulate its body temperature? Just like humans who seek shade (or air-conditioned buildings) during the summer and wear warm coats during thewinter, animals don’t just rely on fur and blubber to keep warm; they oftenchangetheirbehaviortokeepthemselvesascomfortableaspossible.

The chuckwalla, a desert-dwelling lizard found in the southwesternUnitedStatesandMexico,hasmasteredthisskill.Intheearlymornings,chuckwallaslieoutonrocksandbaskinthesuntoraisetheirbodytemperatures.Ifachuckwallaneeds to cool down or avoid predators, it will seek a shady rock crevice. Thissimplestrategyhelpschuckwallaskeeptheirbodiesfromfreezingoroverheatingintheirharshdeserthabitat.

Some animals regulate their body temperatures during the long winter

monthsbyhibernating.Hibernationisastateofinactivityinwhichananimal’sbodytemperaturedropstojustafewdegreesabovefreezing.

Howdoesthishelp?Whenit’scold,animals’bodiesneedtousemoreenergyto stay warm. Energy requires food, which is often harder to find during thewinter.Whenananimal suchas theArcticgroundsquirrelhibernates, it savespreciousenergybyslowingitsheartrate,slowingitsbreathingrate,andallowingitsbodytemperaturetosinktoextremelows.

Wintersleepisalessintenseversionofhibernation.Whenananimalenterswintersleep,itsheartrateslows,butitsbodytemperaturedoesnotdropaslowas itwouldduringtruehibernation.Brownbears likeKodiaksandgrizzliesareknowntofindasnugdenandenterwintersleepforseveralmonthsduringthecold parts of the year.Unlike true hibernators that awaken slowly, animals inwintersleepcanbeeasilywokenupifdisturbed.

Younglionslearntostalkandpouncebywatchingtheadultsandgoofingaroundwithothercubs.CourtesyofMarkGonka

Chuckwallastaketemperaturecontrolintotheirownhands.Theybaskintheearlymorningsunshinetowarmtheirbodies,thenfindshadewhentheyneedtocooloff.CourtesyofPhoenixZoo

Emperorpenguinshuddletogethertokeepwarm.CourtesyofAllisonBarden/sandwichgirl

Some animals travel long distances to escape extreme temperatures. This

journey,calledmigration,oftenfollowstheseasons.Caribouherdstravelsouthforthewinterandbacknorthforthesummer.BirdspeciessuchastheCanadagoosealsomigratetoavoidtheextremeheatorcold.Bytravelingtoaplacewitha more comfortable climate, migratory birds have access to food and shelteryear-round.

Largemarinemammals like humpback and gray whales alsomigrate longdistancestofindfoodsuchaskrill,plankton,orshrimp.Graywhalescantravelupto12,500mileseachyear,whichwouldbelikeswimmingfromSanFrancisco,California,toRome,Italy,andbackagain!

Someanimalsareknownfortheirabilitytoproblemsolve.NewCaledoniancrowsareoneofrelativelyfewspeciesthatcancreatetoolsusingobjectsintheirnaturalenvironment.Theseforestbirdsusevines,leaves,twigs,orwhateverelseisavailabletomakehooksthatcanhelpthemcatchinsectshidinginthefoldsofatree’strunk.

Animalsthatcanlearntousetheresources intheirnaturalenvironmentinnewwaysmay give themselves an advantage over those that donot. Scientistshaveobserved theveinedoctopuscollectingandcarryingcoconut shells that itlater builds into a shelter. This type of resourcefulness suggests some forwardthinking and inventiveness. Sea otters also use existing objects as tools. Theyseemtohavefiguredouthowtouserockstobreakopentheshellfishtheycatchforfood.

LivingandGrowing

Like humans, many animals have social lives. Some animals’ social behaviorincludeslivinginagrouplikeaprideoflions,agaggleofgeese,aschooloffish,apodofwhales,acolonyofhoneybees,oraherdofwildebeest.

Group living has its advantages. Laughing kookaburra bird families sticktogether to help raise their young. Emperor penguins huddle together to keepeach other warm in the frigid Antarctic climate. Termites also live in groups.Termite colonies are highly structured; each groupmember has a specific jobthathelpseveryoneelse.

ACTIVITY

TestYourSenseofDirection

Manyanimalspecies,suchashomingpigeons,seemtohaveabuilt-incompass.Formigratoryanimals,this innate sense of direction helps them get back home, even when they’ve traveled far away.Whilehumanstendtousesignpostsandlandmarkstonavigate,nonhumananimals’senseofdirectionmaybetiedtoEarth’smagneticfield.Pretendtobeahomingpigeonasyoutestyourownbuilt-incompass.

Thisactivityrequiresapartnerandawide,openspacesuchasabackyard,afield,orapark.Aspacewithsomevariedvegetationandterrainworksbest.

MATERIALS

PenorpencilNotebookBlindfold

ObjectiveLeadyourblindfoldedpartner(the“homingpigeon”)onanunpredictablepath, thensee ifheorshecanfindthewayhome.

HowtoPlayMakeaquicksketchofyourplayingspaceinanotebook.Marktwopointsonthesketch:astartpointandafinishpoint.Chooseplacesyou’llbeabletoremember,suchasatree,abush,afence,orarockontheground.Makesureyourpartnerdoesn’tseewhatyou’resketching.

TipMake this activity easier by drawing routeswith fewer twists and turns.Make itmore difficult byaddingmoretwistsandturnsorbyturningthehomingpigeoninafewcirclesbeforeleadinghimorheralongyourmigratoryroute.

Drawaroutebetweenthetwopointsonyourmap.Theroutecanhaveasmanytwistsandturnsasyou’dlike.

Nowthatyourmapiscomplete,markthefinishpointbydrawinganXinthedirtorbystickingatreebranchintheground.Yourpartnercanwatchyoumarkthefinishpoint,butdonotmarkthestartpoint;it’sasecret!

Blindfoldthehomingpigeonandleadhimorhertoyoursecretstartpoint.Takeyourpartner’sarmandslowlyleadhimorheralongthetwisty,turnyrouteyou’veplannedonyourmap.Onceyouarriveattheendpoint,removeyourpartner’sblindfold.

Ifyou’rethehomingpigeon, it’syourturn.Trytofindyourwaybacktothesecretstartpointbyretracingthestepsyoutookwhileblindfolded.Ifyou’reunsure,makeyourbestguess.

Takealookatyourpartner’smapandcomparewhereyouendedupwiththetruestartpoint.Didyoumakeithome?Switchrolesandplayagain.

Herdlivingmakesitmoredifficultforpredatorstoattackindividuals.CourtesyofMarkGonka

Schoolsoffishswiminpacks,coordinatingtheirmovementssotheyappeartomoveasonemassiveblob.©SheddAquarium/BrennaHernandez

Many animals that live together depend on each other to survive. African

wilddogshuntinpacks,allowingthemtobringdownantelopesandotherlargeprey.Uniqueamongbirds,Harris’shawksalsohuntingroups.Thehawkstaketurnsswoopingdownandchasingtheirpreyuntilit’swornoutandvulnerable.Thatiswhenthehawksstriketokill.

Intheocean,grouplivingcanbeextreme.Manyfishspeciesform“schools”in which thousands of individuals pack tightly together and coordinate theirmovements so they appear tomove as onemassive blob. Schooling is a socialstrategy because it helps groupmembers find food andmates, but it is also adefensive strategy. Like herds ofwildebeest andother land animals, schools offishprotect eachother by confusingpredators andmaking itmoredifficult toattack.

When a group of the same species lives in the same space, it’s not alwaysharmonious. Competition for food, territory, and mates can lead to conflict,particularlyamongmales.Fightsforsocialdominanceareusuallyjustforshow,although in rare cases, two animals may fight to the death. Territory is veryimportanttosomespecies,suchasthehippopotamus.Amalehippowillfiercelydefenditsgroupanditsriverterritoryagainstintruders.

Someanimalsprefertoavoidgrouplivingaltogether,demonstratingsolitarybehavior.RedpandaslivealonehighupinthetreesintheHimalayasofeasternAsia.Afterpairingupbriefly formating season, redpandamotherswill spendaboutayearwiththeirbabiesbeforesendingthemoffontheirown.Manyotherspeciesalsoprefersolitude,includingtheSumatranrhino,themuddauberwasp,andthegiantPacificoctopus.Solitaryanimalsusuallyseekcompanyonlywhenit’stimetomate.

Matingandparentingbehaviorsare importantpartsofananimal’s life,buttheseexperienceschangedependingonwhetherananimalisamaleorafemale.Femalesareusuallytheonesthatlayeggsorgivebirthtoyoung.Butevenamongthefemalesoftheanimalkingdomtherearemanydifferentversionsofwhatit’slike to be a mom. For instance, human moms are pregnant for about ninemonthsbeforegivingbirth.White-footedmice,ontheotherhand,arepregnantforlessthanonemonth.Andbelieveitornot,elephantmomsarepregnantfornearly two years! Unlike most animals, the male seahorse—not the female—carrieseggsinhispouchuntiltheyarereadytohatch.

PuttingOthersFirst

Doanimalsperformselflessacts?Inzoology,altruism iswhenananimalbehaves inawaythathelpsanotheranimal,evenifitharmsitselfintheprocess.Insomecases,altruismevenmeansriskingone’sown life tobenefitanother.Somehumanspracticealtruismeveryday. Imagineavolunteer firefighterputtinganotherperson’slifebeforehisorherownbyhelpingastrangerescapefromaburningbuilding.Among nonhuman animals, altruism is rare and difficult to study.However,many scientists believealtruismexistsinsomeformamongcertainnonhumanspecies.

Commonvampirebats,whicharenativetopartsofMexico,CentralAmerica,andSouthAmerica,sharefoodwithgroupmemberswhenthey’reunabletofindtheirown.Onthesurface, thissystemoffoodsharingseemsselfless.Takeacloserlook,though,andthereismoregoingonthanmeetstheeye.

Commonvampirebatsareoneofjustthreebatspeciesthatdrinkblood,andtheyneedtodrinkjustabouteverydaytosurvive.Thesebatsliveinsmall,tight-knitgroupsofmostlyfemales.Itseemsabatwillregurgitatebloodandshareitslastmealwithanotherbatonlywhenthereisahistoryofsharing.Ifonememberof thegroup tries to score free food toooften, thatbat isquicklydiscoveredandcutofffromthesharingsysteminthefuture.Thistypeofaltruismissimilartothephrase“Ifyouscratchmyback,I’llscratchyours.”

Thenakedmoleratmayalsodemonstratealtruism.Thesesocialrodents liveundergroundinaridregionsofAfrica.Leadingeachcolonyof25to300membersisaqueenandherkings—usuallyonetothreemalesthatmatewiththequeensoshecanreproduce.Therestofthecolonyhasonemaingoal:totake care of the royal family. Sometimes this simplymeans digging for food. Other times, it meanssacrificing themselves to protect the rest of the colony from intruders.While this behavior appearsselfless,theremaybeanunderlyingexplanation.Becausenakedmoleratcoloniesliveinisolation,eachmoleratinacolonyisrelatedinsomewayoranother.They’reallpartofonebigfamily.Inthisexample,thenakedmoleratsseemtobelieve“whateverisgoodforthegroupisgoodforme”—evenifthatmeanspayingtheultimateprice.

Seahorsesareuniqueinnaturebecausemalesbecomepregnant,notfemales.©SheddAquarium/BrennaHernandez

Koalamotherscarefortheiryoungformanymonthsafterbirth.CourtesyofTampa’sLowryParkZoo/DaveParkinson

Withintheanimalkingdom,thereisnoonewaytoraiseafamily.Parentingdutiesdependonhowdevelopedbabiesareatbirth.Humanbabies,forinstance,arenotatallpreparedtosurviveontheirown.Therefore,humanmothersandfathersmust tend to their child for years.Many othermammals do the same.Whenkoalasareborn,theyareblindandhelpless.Koalamothershaveapouch,similar toakangaroo’spouch,where theirbabies,or “joeys,” live forabout sixmonthsafterbirth.

Hands-onparenting is not limited tomammals.There are some groups offish,suchasmouthbroodingcichlids,thatshelterhatchlingsinsidetheirmouthsandthroatsuntiltheiryoungcanescapepredatorsontheirown.

Formanyspecies,though,parentingbehaviorsarefewandfarbetween.Aftermatingandreproducing,manyanimals leavetheiryoungtosurvive,grow,anddevelop into adults on their own. For insects and amphibians that undergometamorphosis, the development from birth to adult requires some major

changes.Withoutamotherorfatheraroundtohelp,thefirstpartofananimal’s life

canbeperilous.Greenseaturtlemothersarequitefamousforburyingtheireggsonasandybeachandleavingtheirhatchlingstofendforthemselvesafterbirth.Becauseofpredatorssuchasgullsandcrabs,onlyafractionofyounggreenseaturtlessurvivethetrekfromtheirnesttotheopensea.

SpeakingMyLanguage

Communication is another importantpartof animalbehavior, and this is truewhetherananimal is living inagrouporon itsown.Buthowcannonhumananimals communicate if they can’t talk to each other? A good deal ofcommunicationcanhappenwithoutwords.

Try closing your eyes and imagining someonewho is happy or excited. Isthatpersonsmiling?Smilingisjustonewayhumanscommunicatethattheyarefeelinghappy.Whileinrarecases,animalslikeprimatescancommunicateusingfacialexpressions,bodylanguageisamorecommonmethodofcommunicationthroughouttheanimalkingdom.

Body language is different for each species and in some cases, for eachindividual animal.Yourpetdog, for instance,maywag its tail andperkup itsearstotellyouit’sexcitedtoseeyou.Oritmaytuckitstailandcowerwhenithears thunder, suggesting it’s afraid. But this is not how all animals showexcitementandfear.

BigLifeChanges

Thefourstagesofabutterfly’slifecycle:egg,larva/caterpillar,pupa,adult.CourtesyofJeffreyB.Vrieling

Metamorphosisreferstoamajorchangeinananimal’sform,function,andbehaviorafterbirth.Whenananimalsuchasafrogorabutterflyundergoesmetamorphosis,itsappearanceanditsbehaviorchangedrastically.

Abutterfly’smetamorphosishasfourdistinctstages,beginningwithanegg.Whenanadultbutterflylaysaneggontheundersideofaleaf,thelarva,orcaterpillar,canbegineatingassoonasithatches.Acaterpillaristhesecondstageofabutterfly’slifecycle.Unlikeadultbutterflies,thesewinglesscreatureshavechewingmouthparts,whichletsthemeatandgrow.Infact,caterpillarsspendmostoftheirtimeeating!

When it’s ready, a caterpillar enters the third stage of itsmetamorphosis by transforming into a“pupa.” To do this, the caterpillar spins itself into a protective shell, or chrysalis, which often hangsupsidedownfromaleaforabranch.Insidethechrysalis,thecaterpillarrests,devotingitsenergytoitsmostimpressivetransformationyet.

Thefinalphaseofabutterfly’slifecyclebeginswhenitemergesfromachrysaliswithnewlyformedwings. As an adult, the butterfly does not eat; it only drinks. During its short remaining life, thebutterfly’sbehaviorsrevolvearoundmatingandreproducingsothecyclecanbeginagainandagain.

In thewild, birds of paradise are particularly famous for their flashy bodylanguage. The Raggiana bird of paradise tries to attract mates through itsdazzlingfeatherdisplaysanddances,suchasclappingitswingsandshakingitshead.

Evenifit’sjustforshow,manyanimalscommunicateawarningtopredatorsby trying to appear bigger, stronger, or more frightening. When threatened,polarbearsandKodiakbearsstandupontheirbacklegstoseemeventallerthantheyalreadyare.

Twopolarbearsstandontheirbacklegstoappearastallandintimidatingaspossible.CourtesyofBJKirschhoffer/polarbearsinternational.org

ACTIVITY

DemonstrateaButterfly’sLifeCycle

Abutterfly’smetamorphosis includes four stages: egg, larva,pupa,andadult.Follow the stepsbelow todemonstrateabutterfly’slifecyclebyconstructingametamorphosiswheel.

MATERIALS

Penorpencil8-inch-diameterplate2sheetsof8½-inch-by-11-inchlight-coloredcardstockScissorsRuler(optional)Markers,crayons,orcoloredpencilsPaperfastenerormetalbrad

Draw a circle by tracing a plate that is facedownon top of a piece of cardstock.Repeat this step bytracingasecondcircleonaseparatesheetofcardstock.Cutoutbothcircles.

Foldthecardstockcirclesinhalftwice,thelongwayandtheshortway,soyouhavetwointersectingfoldsthatforma+.Drawlinesontopofthefolds,separatingeachcircleintofourequalsections.Usearulerifyouneedhelpdrawingastraightline.

Chooseacardstockcircleandsettheotheroneasideforlater.Refertothelife-cycleillustrationsonpage33.Intheupperright-handsection,usemarkers,crayons,orcoloredpencilstodrawthefirststageofabutterfly’slifecycle:egg.Labelthisdrawing“Stage1:Egg.”

In the lower right-hand section,draw the second stageof a butterfly’s life cycle: larva/caterpillar.Labelthisdrawing“Stage2:Larva.”

In the lower left-hand section, draw the third stage of a butterfly’s life cycle: pupa. Label thisdrawing“Stage3:Pupa.”

Intheupperleft-handsection,drawthefourthandfinalstageofabutterfly’slifecycle:adult.Labelthisdrawing“Stage4:Adult.”

ExtraCreditResearchafrog’slifecycleandmakeasecondmetamorphosiswheel.Besuretolearnwhichbehaviorsaccompanyeachstageofthefrog’sdevelopment.

Find your second cardstock circle, cut out one of the four sections, and write “MetamorphosisWheel”somewhereonthefrontoftheremaining3/4circle.Placethiscircleontopofyourothercircle.Fastenthetwocirclestogetherbystickingapaperfastenerorametalbradthroughthecenterofbothpiecesandbendingtheprongsback.

Arrangethetopcircleso“Stage1:Egg”showsthroughthecutout.Turnthetopcircleclockwisetoreveal stages two, three, and four. Demonstrate a butterfly’s life cycle by showing off yourmetamorphosiswheeltoafriendorfamilymember.

Nonhumananimalsmaynottalk,buttheyhaveplentyofwaystocommunicatewithoutusingwords.CourtesyofTampa’sLowryParkZoo/DaveParkinson

Thefrilled lizard, found inAustralia,alsohasspecialbehaviors tosay“stayback.”Frilledlizardshavefoldsofcopper-coloredskinthatusuallylieflataroundtheir necks.When confronted, the lizard unfolds its extra skin, creating whatlooks like a big frill around its head. Tomake the effect evenmore dramatic,frilled lizards also rock back and forth, hiss, and bare their teeth to warnpredators that they mean business. When animals show their teeth, there’s agoodchancethey’retryingtocommunicateawarning.

Nonhumananimalsdon’tusewords thatwewouldrecognize,butmanyofthem communicate using sound.Whales are an extreme example of a speciesthatcommunicatesusingsound.Unlikebirdsongs,whichtendtosoundmusicaltohumanears,whale songs consistofdeepmoans, rumbles, and squeals.Bluewhales and finwhales areknown for theirdeepvoices that canbeheard fromhundreds of miles away. Male humpback whales also “sing” to attract mateswhilewarningrivalstokeeptheirdistance.

Youhaveprobablyhad experiencewith another animal thatuses sound to

communicate—crickets.Acricket’s song sounds like loudchirps to thehumanear.Acloserelativeof thecricket, thekatydid,alsochirpsbyrubbingitswingstogether.Malesusethischirpingtocallforpotentialmates.

Unlike body language and sound, an animal’s lingering smell cancommunicateevenwhentheanimalisnolongertheretodeliveritsmessageinperson.Someanimals,suchasanocelot,awildcatat leastdoublethesizeofahousecat,willmarktheirterritoryusingurineandotherscentmarkings.Whenamaleocelotsniffsanothermaleocelot’sscent,itknowsthisterritorybelongstosomeoneelseanditshouldstayaway.

There are even some animals that use light to communicate. Whenorganisms produce light without creating heat, it’s called bioluminescence.Bioluminescentinsectssuchasfireflies,clickbeetles,andahandfulofmillipedespecieshaveaspeciallight-producingorgancalledalantern.

Fireflies flash light inuniquepatterns to signal toeachotherand toattractmates. This type of communication is especially handy under the sea. In fact,most bioluminescent creatures live inunderwater caves and in thedeepoceanwheresunlightcan’treach.Aquaticcreaturessuchasbrittlestars,Leidy’scombjellies,flashlightfish,andanglerfisharejustafewdeep-seaanimalsthatuselighttoattractmates,tostartlepredators,ortolureprey.

ThedeepseamayjustbethemostmysterioushabitatonEarth,whichmeansthereisalotwehaveyettolearnabouthowtheanimalsthatlivetherebehave.Fortunately for future zoologists like you, the mysteries surrounding whyanimalsdowhattheydoarenearlyendless.

Bysettingouttounderstandanimals’forms,functions,andbehaviors,you’rewell on your way to unlocking the secrets of zoology. And this is just thebeginning.Getreadytotakeastepbackandconsiderhowanimalsinteractwithmembers of the same species, with members of other species, and with theirenvironments.Whenzoologistsstudythebigpicture, ithelpsthemunderstandwhatmakestheanimalkingdomtick.

Thoughsomebioluminescentorganismsliveonland,mostlight-producingcreaturesliveintheocean,likethisseajelly.CourtesyofSalahBaazizi

ACTIVITY

CommunicateLikeaDeep-SeaAnimal

In the 1830s, SamuelMorse developed a code that helped humans communicate across long distancesusingbeepsorflashesoflight.Thislanguage,calledMorsecode,usesasignalforeachletterofthealphabetthatconsistsofdotsanddashes.

Nonhumananimalsusesound,body language, scent,and light tosendmessages to friendsandfoesalike.Pretendyouareabioluminescentcreature living in thedeepsea.Usinga flashlight, sendasecretmessagetoafriend.Thisactivityrequiresapartnerandadarkenedroom.

MATERIALS

FlashlightorlaserpointerPenorpencilandpaper

ObjectiveLearntherulesofMorsecode,thenpracticesendinglettersorasecretwordtoyourpartner.

RulesoftheGameInMorsecode,adotonthepagetranslatestoaquickflashoflight.Adashonthepagetranslatestoalongerflashof light.Theflashforadashshouldbethreetimesas longastheflashforadot.Forthisgame,plantoflashthelightforonesecondwhenyouseeadotandthreesecondswhenyouseeadash.

Takea lookat the InternationalMorsecodekeyon thenextpage.TosignalanA, you’dneed tosignalonedotfollowedbyonedash.PracticesignalinganAwithaflashlightorlaserpointerbyholdingthelightonforonesecond,thenturningitoff,thenturningitbackonandholdingitforthreeseconds,thenturningitbackoff.

When you’re signaling an entireword, youmust pause between each individual letter. InMorsecode, therule is topause fora lengthof timeequal toonedash(in thiscase, threeseconds)betweenletters. (Note: Ifyousignal twoof the same letters ina row—like the twoTs in theword letter—youpauseforalengthoftimeequaltoonedot.)

Practicesignalingeachletterofthealphabetagainstablankwall.Onceyougetthehangofit,writedownaone-wordsecretmessageforyourpartner.Beneatheachletter,writetheMorsecodesignalforthatletter.Ifyoudon’tknowwheretostart,try“SOS,”whichisauniversalwaytoaskforhelp:

HowtoPlayAfter you and your partner have learned the rules of Morse code, bring your message and yourflashlightintoasemi-darkroom.Haveyourpartnerbringapenorpencilandpaper.

Send your secretmessage by flashing the light signals on a blankwall. As you signal, have yourpartnerwritedownthedotsanddashes.

Whenyou’redone,have yourpartner try todecode yourmessageusing the InternationalMorse

codekey.Didyousuccessfullycommunicate?Switchrolesandtryanewword.

TipMakethisactivitysimplerbytakingturnssignalingsinglelettersonthewall.Makeitmoredifficultbysignalingafullsentence.Thepausebetweentwowordsisequaltosevendots.

Ared-tailedhawkswoopsdownandsnatchesarattlesnake.CourtesyofSalahBaazizi

S

ANIMALSANDTHEIRENVIRONMENTS

omewhereintheSonoranDesert,akangarooratmunchesonthefuzzyseedsof a creosote bush.A rattlesnakewatches from its hideout at the foot of a

saguaro cactus, preparing to ambush at the rightmoment. Fromabove, a red-tailed hawk stands perched on the edge of a rocky cliff face, eyeing theshowdown.Whatadelightfulfeasttheratorthesnakewouldmake,ifthehawkcouldjustavoidtherattler’sdeadlybite.

Nearby,a turkeyvultureglidessilently throughtheair, lookingtoscavengeontoday’sunluckiestvictims.Thefreshcarcassofadeadroadrunnercatchesthevulture’sscent.Itlandsandgetstowork,pickingitsmealcleanbeforeflyingoff,feelingsatisfied.Desertdecomposerslikebacteriaandfungibreakdownwhat’sleft of the roadrunner’s body, returning it to the soil fromwhich the creosotebushesandthecactigrow.

Morethan10,000milesawayinaforestcanopyontheislandofMadagascar,a red-frontedbrown lemurstrips treebarkandmunchesonsome juicy leaves.Despitekeenvisionandtheabilitytoleapswiftlyfromtreetotree,thelemurhascapturedtheattentionoftheisland’stopnaturalpredator—afossa.Stealthyandagile,thiscat-likepredatorcannotonlyclimbtrees,itcantreadacrossbrancheslikeatightropewalker.

Lemurs,likethisred-frontedbrownlemur,areanimportantpartoftheecosysteminMadagascar.CourtesyofClémenceDirac

Thefossaisacat-likepredatorrelatedtothemongoose.CourtesyofClémenceDirac

Someday, even the fossa will die. Its body will become food for bacteria,fungi, and other organisms such as Madagascar hissing cockroaches, whichrecycleorganicmatterbacktotheearth,providingnutrients fortheplantsandthetrees.

Allaroundtheglobe,fromtheoceanfloortoEarth’stallestmountainranges,animalsare interactingwithoneanotheraspartof thiscycleof lifeanddeath.Organisms are eating and being eaten; they are competing for resources likefood,water,andspace;andinsomecases,theyarehelpingeachothersurvive.

Eachlivingthingispartofavastwebofinterconnectedorganisms.Removeasingle organism from thisweb and itwill create a ripple effect. Ecology is thestudy of this phenomenon, including how organisms interact with each otherandwiththeirenvironments.

Zoologists study ecology tohelp themunderstandhownatural environments are changing, so they canwork to preserve these environments through conservation. Learn more about how you can make adifferenceinchapter6.

IntroductiontoEcology

Simply by being alive, animals are constantly interacting with theirenvironments,includingtheair,water,andland.Thisistruefororganismsbothbig and small.Humans interactwith the environment by building houses andgrowing crops, by going for a swim in the ocean or a lake, and simply bybreathingair.Thatmeansyouareinteractingwithyourenvironmentatthisverymoment!Rightnow,whereveryouare,you’retakingupspace,generatingheat,andimpactingyourenvironmentindozensofotherways.

Living things are also constantly interactingwith each other. Think of thedifferentwaysyouinteractwithotherhumansonadailybasis.Youinteractwithteachersandclassmates,friends,andfamilymembers.Theactionsyoutakeandthewordsyousayoftendeterminewhatthepeoplearoundyoudoorsay.

Whenhumanshelpeachotherout,playgamestogether,haveconversations,and fall in love, they’re interacting in a positive way. Unfortunately, humaninteractionisnotalwayspositive.Sometimes,humansinteractinanegativewaybyhurtingeachotherwithwords,actions,orweapons.

Amongnonhumananimals,it’sasimilarstory.Organismsaffecteachotherinmanyways, sometimespositiveand sometimesnegative.Ecology recognizestwodifferenttypesofinteraction:interactionamonganimalsofthesamespecies

andinteractionamonganimalsofdifferentspecies.Apopulationisagroupofanimalslivinginthesametimeandplacethatare

partofthesamespecies.Youarepartofapopulationofhumanslivinginyourhometown.Ecologists,scientistswhofocusonecology,studypopulationsinpartbytrackingpopulationgrowthsanddeclines.

Each individual animal within a population needs room to live, usesresources like food and water, and produces waste. All of these factors helpdeterminehowlargeapopulationcangrow.Whenapopulationgetstoobigforitsenvironment tosupport, some individualorganismswilldieorbe forced tomovebecausetheydon’thavetheresourcestheyneedtosurvive.It’sallpartofthebalanceofnature.

The second level of interaction ecologists study is among communities. Acommunityismadeupofanimalsthatarepartofdifferentspecies.ConsidertheredwoodforestsofCaliforniaandsouthernOregon.Withinthesecoastalforests,many different populations coexist together, including coast redwood andDouglas fir trees, as well as animals such as red tree voles (relatives ofmice),barred and spotted owls, Roosevelt elk, and black bears. Each member of acommunityhasarole,alsocalledaniche.

CommunityRelationships

Sir IsaacNewton, a 17th-century scientist, said every action creates a reaction.Newton’s ideaapplies toecology in that eachorganism’sactions—in fact, eachorganism’sverypresence—impactsitscommunityanditsenvironment.

Sometimes an organism’s impact is obvious, likewhen a fossa hunts, kills,andeatsa lemurontheislandofMadagascar.Thistypeof interactioniscalledpredation.Thefossaisapredatorandthelemurisitsprey.

Othertimes,anorganism’simpactisnotasclear.Whenbacteriahelpfertilizethe desert soil, it allows shrubs and bushes to grow, which provides food foranimalssuchaskangaroorats.Asaresult,bacteriaindirectlyimpactthesurvivalofkangarooratsinthedesert.

Besidespredation, there are several otherwaysorganisms interactwithin acommunity. In some cases, they compete. Members of a community maycompeteforspaceorforthesamefoodsources.Thegoalisalwayssurvival.

In a lopsided relationship called parasitism, one organism benefits byharming another organism.A tick forms this type of relationshipwith a host,suchasadeer.Atick latchesontoadeer’sskin,bites,anddrinks itsblood.In

thisparasiticrelationship,thetickbenefitsbyharmingthedeer.Amosquitothatlandsonyourskinonahumidsummerdayisprobablylookingforthistypeofrelationshipwithyou!

Not all interactions within an ecosystem are harmful or negative.Commensalism isarelationship inwhichoneorganismbenefitsandtheotherisn’taffected.Whenapilotfishfollowsanoceanicwhitetipsharkaround,eatingthe shark’smeal scraps, the pilot fish gets free leftovers and the shark doesn’tappeartobeaffected.Ofcourse,it’sdifficultforhumanstoknowforsure;therecouldbeabenefittothesharkthatwecan’tseeorprove.

The relationshipbetweencattle egrets andgrazinganimalsmaybeanotherexample of commensalism. When animals like cattle, rhinos, and waterbuckgraze,theystirupthesoil,causingwormsandotherinsectstomoveclosertothesurface.Cattleegretsarebirdsthatfeedonthesewormsandinsects.Theegretsbenefit from this living arrangement because it’s easier for them to find food.Thegrazers,ontheotherhand,seemtobeneitherharmednorbenefitedbytheegrets’presence.

Mutualism is awin-win scenario inwhicheachorganism ina relationshipbenefits.Likecommensalismandaltruism(rememberthefood-sharingvampirebatsandtheself-sacrificingnakedmolerats?),mutualismcanbetoughtoprove.However,therearesomeclearexamplesinnature.

You have witnessed mutualism if you’ve ever seen a hummingbird drinknectar from a flower. The hummingbird benefits from its interactionwith theplant because it needs nectar for nourishment. The plant benefits from theinteractionbecausewhen thehummingbird leaves, it takesbits ofpollengrainwith it.Whenananimal suchasabird,abee,orabat transferspollenamongplants, it can fertilize them, allowing theplants to producemore flowers.Thisprocess is calledpollination. “Pollinators” or animals that pollinate are vitallyimportanttotheircommunities.

Ecosystems

An organism’s community and the environment in which it lives form itsecosystem.TheGreatBarrierReefoffthecoastofAustraliaisoneofthelargestandmostdiverseexamplesofanecosystemontheplanet.Thisvastnetworkofcoralreefscontainsthousandsofdifferentspeciesandtheirhabitats.

ACTIVITY

EataBatFruitSalad

Fruitbatsplayaroleinyourabilitytoeatfruitsfromaroundtheworld,suchasbananas,mangoes,andfigs.Batsnotonlypollinatefruittreesbutalsospreadtheirseeds—sometimesbysuckingthejuicefromthefruitandspittingwhat’sleftontotheforestfloor,includingtheseeds.Theseseedscaneventuallygrowintonewtreesthatproducefruitoftheirown.Bypollinatingplantsanddispersingseeds,batshelpkeepforestshealthyandgrocerystoresfullofdeliciousfruits.

ADULTSUPERVISIONREQUIRED

INGREDIENTS

BananaMangoPeachDrieddates(ahandful)Freshordriedfigs(ahandful)

UTENSILS

KnifeCuttingboardLargeplateorservingplatterForksandsmallplatesforsharing

Serves3to4

Beginbyrinsingyourselectionofbat-pollinatedfruitswithtapwater.Peelthebananaandsliceitinto1-inchchunksontopofacuttingboard.Placethebananaslicesonalargeplateorservingplatter.

Slicethemangoinhalf,startingslightlyrightorleftofthecentertoavoidtheseedinthemiddle.Askanadulttowatchand/orhelp.Setthesmallerhalfaside.Takethelargerhalfandsliceoffa1-inchstripfromthemiddle,whichshouldcontaintheseed.Discardthepieceofmangowiththeseed.Peelthe skin away from eachmango half, then slice the flesh into strips and place them on the servingplatter.

Cut into thepeachuntil youhit the seed in themiddle. Slice in a circle soonehalfof thepeachseparatesfromtheseed.Removetheseedandthetoughpartsthatsurroundit.Cutthepeachintoslicesandplacetheslicesontheservingplatter.

Addsomedrieddatesandahandfuloffigstoyourservingplatter.Handoutsomeforksandservesome of each food item onto smaller plates. Explain the role that bats play in their ecosystems aspollinatorsandasseeddisperserstoeveryonewhosharesyoursnack.

ExtraCreditBatshelppollinatemanyothertypesoffruitsandnuts,includingpapaya,agave,dragonfruit,guava,durian,cashews,andevencocoabeans,fromwhichwegetchocolate.Punchupyourfruitplatterbyaddingsomeofthesetastytreats.

Humansareneithercarnivoresnorherbivores.Weareboth!Animalsthateatbothmeatandplantsarecalledomnivores.

Seaottersplayacrucialroleintheirenvironment.CourtesyofRobin

WithineachecosystemonEarth,thereisaflowofenergyandnutrientsfromoneorganismtoanother.This flowofenergyiscalledafoodchain.Whenthesunbeatsdownonaproducer,suchasacreosotebushintheSonoranDesert,itfuels photosynthesis, which provides energy for the plant to live and grow.Whenaprimaryconsumer,suchasakangaroorat,eatstheseedsofacreosotebush,itgainstheenergyitneedstoliveandreproduce.Primaryconsumersareherbivores—animalsthatonlyeatplants.

Whenasecondaryconsumer,suchasarattlesnake,eatsaprimaryconsumer,

energygetstransferredagain.Thistime,thesecondaryconsumeristheonethatgains the energy it needs to live, hunt, and reproduce. Unlike primaryconsumers, secondary consumers are carnivores—animals that eat the flesh ofotheranimals.

In some food chains, secondary consumers are eaten by a third level ofconsumers, such as a red-tailed hawk. In many ecosystems, there is an apexpredator that sits at the top of the food chain, such as a lion in the Africansavanna.

Somespeciesplayanespeciallyimportantroleintheirecosystems.Seaottersareoneexampleofakeystonespeciesthathasafar-reachingimpact.Whenseaotterseat seaurchins, itprevents the seaurchinpopulation fromeatingall thekelp—a type of sea grass that forms an important marine habitat for manydifferent marine creatures. Simply by eating their favorite meal, sea ottersactuallykeeptheirwholeecosysteminbalance!

Thecycleofenergywithinanecosystemdoesn’tendwiththeapexpredator.Scavengers such as turkey vultures feed on dead organisms, including apexpredators. Worms, maggots, cockroaches, bacteria, fungi, and otherdecomposersarenature’scleanupcrew.Scavengersanddecomposersplayakeyrole in their ecosystems by consuming nonliving matter and recycling thenutrientsbackintotheground,whichallowsthecycletobeginagain.

Earth’sNeighborhoods

Somepeople in theUnitedStatesprefer to liveon theEastCoast,whileothersprefer to live on theWest Coast. Some prefer to live in themountains, whileotherspreferthedesert.StillothersliveintheSouthortheMidwest;eachregionhas a unique set of characteristics that make it a good fit or a bad fit for aparticularpersonorfamily.

Likehumans,nonhumananimalshavespreadoutalloverEarth—fromthehottestofhotplaces, to thecoldestof coldplaces.Organismshaveeven foundhomesmilesbelowthesurfaceofthesea,whereconditionsarealiencomparedtowhathumansexperienceonland.

Unlikehumans,otherspeciesdon’tdecidewheretolivedependingonwherethey can findagood job,where taxes are low,orwhere they can find thebestpizza.Nonhumananimalsliveintheplaceswheretheyaremostlikelytosurvive.

For a large number of species, the best place to live is in the warm, wetclimateofa tropical rain forest.These lush forests support tall treesanda rich

collection of animal and plant life. But not all animals can thrive in theseconditions. In fact, tropical rain forests are just one example of a biome, acollectionofecosystemsthatshareasimilarclimate.

ScientistshavesplitEarthupintoseveralbiomesonlandandatsea.Inplacescalled deciduous forests, trees drop their leaves duringwinter and there’s rainscattered throughout theyear.Deciduous forestbiomessupportagooddealofanimal and plant life in the trees and on the forest floor. Taigas, or northernconiferousforests,areanothertypeofbiome.Taigashavelong,coldwintersandthey’retypicallycoveredincone-bearingtreeslikepinesandfirs.

TropicalgrasslandssuchastheAfricansavannahavehightemperatures,littlerainfall,andscatteredtreesandshrubs.Temperategrasslands,orprairiebiomes,aredryandwindy,oftencoveredingrass,andarepopularplacesforfarmerstogrowcrops.

Desertbiomesaredryplaceswithsparseplant lifeandextremehotorcoldtemperatures.Theanimals thatcall thedeserthomehavespecial techniques tosurvive with very little water. Similar to deserts, tundra biomes are quite dry.Thesecold,harshareasendurelongwintersandsupportfewplantsandanimals.

The aquatic biome includesEarth’smarine and freshwater regions.Marineecosystems include the ocean, coral reefs, and areas called estuaries wherefreshwater sourcesmeet the open ocean. Freshwater ecosystems include lakes,ponds,rivers,streams,andwetlands.

Asyoucan see, eachbiomeand the ecosystemswithin it support auniquecombination of plants and animals. Each one is essential in preservingbiodiversity, the diversity of life on Earth. Today, thanks in part to a newpredator, Earth’s biodiversity is at risk. Unlike natural predators, such as thefossainMadagascar,thisnewpredatorhasatendencytodisruptecosystemsanddamagetheenvironmentinwhichitlives.

Whichanimalhasthepowerandtheresourcestositatopeveryfoodchainon Planet Earth? Youmay have already guessed the answer—it’s us, humans.Zoologists and other scientists all around theworldmust put their knowledgeand love for the natural world to work to protect what they hold dear. As abuddingzoologist,thisisyourchancetodothesame.

Theokapi,arelativeofthegiraffe,isnativetotheIturirainforestincentralAfrica.CourtesyofChicagoZoologicalSociety/JimSchulz

ACTIVITY

ConstructaFoodChain

Zoologistsstudyfoodchainstobetterunderstandeachorganism’sroleinitsecosystem.LearnmoreabouttheanimalsoftheAntarcticasyouconstructafoodchainthatstartswithaproduceratthebottomandendswithanapexpredatoratthetop.ThisactivityrequiresaccesstotheInternetoralibrary.

MATERIALS

Penorpencil6paperplates(substituteindexcardsifyoudon’twanttodecorate)Markers,crayons,orcoloredpencils(optional)HolepunchScissorsYarnorstring(lessthanayard)Clotheshanger

Create onepaper plate for eachof the six organisms listed in the “Antarctic FoodChain” (right) bywritingitsnameonthebackoftheplate.Theorganismsarelistedinalphabeticalorder;yourjobwillbetoorganizethemintoafoodchainbasedonwhateatswhat.

AntarcticFoodChainDiatomsEmperorpenguinFishKrillLeopardsealOrca

First,you’llneedtounderstandeachorganismandhowitgetsitsenergy.Dosomedetectiveworkbyresearchingthesixorganisms.Onthebackoftheplates,jotdownwhateachorganismeatsand/orwhateatsit.

Beginorganizingyourfoodchainbyidentifyingtheproducerinthisgroup.Whichorganismgetsitsenergyfromtheenvironment(particularly,thesun)?Writeanumber1nexttotheproducer’snameandsetplate1aside.

Determine which organism is the primary consumer—an herbivore that eats the producer andnothingelse.Writeanumber2nexttothatorganism’snameandsetplate2ontopofplate1.

Next,askyourselfwhichconsumerwouldeattheorganismonplate2basedonyourresearchandlabelitnumber3.Then,whichconsumerwouldeattheorganismonplate3?Labelitnumber4.Whichconsumerwouldeattheorganismonplate4?Labelitnumber5.Theremainingplateisthisecosystem’sapexpredator—thetopoftheAntarcticfoodchain.Labelthisorganismnumber6.

Layallsixplatesoutverticallyonyourworkspace,withplate1atthebottomandplate6atthetop.Writethenameofeachorganismonthefrontoftheplateanddecorateitbydrawingapictureoftheorganismitrepresents.Youmayneedtogobacktoyourreferencematerialtohelpyoudraw.

Punchaholeinthetopandinthebottomofyoursixdecoratedplates.Cutsixsmallpiecesofyarnorstring.

ExtraCreditBuild more food chains by researching other Antarctic organisms such as squid, sea birds likealbatross,andthebluewhale.Hangthesechainsnexttoyouroriginalchain,thenuseyarntoturnitintoafoodweb—anetworkoflinkedfoodchains.Connecteachorganismtoalltheotherorganismsthatpreyonit,eveniftheyarepartofadifferentchain.

Loopapieceofyarnthroughthetopholeofplate1andthebottomholeofplate2.Tietheyarnsoplates1and2arelinkedtogether.Loopanotherpieceofyarnthroughthetopholeofplate2andthebottomholeofplate3,thentieitsoplates2and3arelinkedtogether.

Continuelinkingtheplatesuntilyoureachthetop—plate6.Loopthelastpieceofyarnthroughthetopholeofplate6andtieittothebottomedgeofaclotheshanger.Canyouseehowafoodchainshowsthetransferofenergythroughtheorganismsinanecosystem?Whatotherecosystemswouldyouliketoexplore?

Amuddyrhino.CourtesyofDCWagner/NyaminyamiPhotography,LLC

PART2

WorkingontheWild—SideZoologyinRealLife

“Whatyoudomakesadifference,andyouhavetodecidewhatkindofdifferenceyouwanttomake.”

—JaneGoodall,zoologist,conservationist,author

Agangofmeerkatshangsout.CourtesyofPhoenixZoo

I

ZOOKEEPERS,AQUARISTS,ANDOTHERZOOCREW

t’s7AMatNashvilleZooinTennessee.Astheearlymorningsunshinewarmstheground,agangofgregariousmeerkatsemergesfromitsburrow,preparing

tobaskinthefirstlightoftheday.A fewmiles away, Bridget Caldwell, a Nashville Zoo primate keeper, is at

home making coffee before heading to work. By 7:30 am, Bridget will bepreparingmealsfortheprimatesandotherNashvilleZooanimalsinhercare.By8 am, it’ll be time for Bridget to feed themeerkats and clean their exhibit—aplaceforzooandaquariumanimalstoeat,rest,andplaybyclimbing,swimming,burrowing,orbaskinginthesun.

BeforeBridgetcantakeherlunchbreak,sheandhercoworkerswillalsotendto siamangs, red ruffed lemurs, African crested porcupines, and a red pandanamedTsaka,inadditiontowashingdishes,doinglaundry,andcatchingupondailyreports.

Bridget’s work day may seem unique, but in reality, there are manythousandsofzoologistswhogotoworkeachdayatazoooraquarium.

It’sup to thepeoplewhowork inzoosandaquariums tocome together intheinterestoftheanimalsintheircare.Insomecases,thismeansactingastheanimals’guardiansandcaretakersbyfeedingthem,cleaningupafterthem,andmakingsurethey’rehappy.Inothercases,thismeansoverseeingotherhumansinvariousrolesorhelpingtoeducateguests.

Eachrolewithinazoooraquariumisanimportantone.Becauseeverysingleaspect of an animal’s care adds to its quality of life, zookeepers, aquarists, andotherzoocrewmustbereadytoacceptthechallengeeachdayonthejob.

WhatIsaZoo?

Oneofthebestplacestoapplyyourknowledgeabouttheanimalkingdomisatazoooraquarium.Azoo—which isshort for“zoologicalpark”or“zoologicalgarden”—isaplace thathouseswildanimals,often from all around the world. An aquarium specializes in aquatic species like fish and marinemammals,thoughmanyaquariumsalsohousesomelandanimalssuchasreptilesandbirds.

Zoosandaquariumsprovideplacesforhumanstoexperiencenatureinwaysthatmaynototherwisebe available, especially for those who live near big cities. Besides offering places to have fun onweekends, zoos and aquariums help educate the public, support animal research, and contribute toconservationefforts.Whenyouvisityourlocalzoooraquarium,you’rehelpingtheseinstitutionsfulfillalltheirroles—recreation,education,research,andconservation.

ZookeepersandAquarists

Considerforamomenthowyouwouldfeelifyouhadallthefoodintheworldtoeatbutnoroofoveryourhead.Youwouldneverfeelhungry,butyouwouldbe exposed to hot summers, cold winters, wind, rain, and snow.Without theability to grow a coat of fur or a layer of blubber to protect you from theelements,yourqualityoflifewouldsuffer.

Nowimaginehowakangaroowouldfeel if ithadfoodandcleanwaterbutnoroomtohoparound?Onlywhenakeeper tends toallofananimal’sneedscantheanimalbeashappyandhealthyaspossible.

Zookeepingrequiresmorethananappreciationforlivingthings;itrequiresan understanding of zoology. By learning about an animal’s form, function,behavior, and ecological role, keepers are better prepared to understand ananimalandrespondappropriately.Forexample,keepersmustbeabletotellthedifferencebetweenananimal that is excited to see themandananimal that isshowingaggressivebehavior.

Unfortunately,keeperscan’tjustsitdownwithananimalandchat.Animalscommunicateusingbodylanguage,sounds,andscents,butnotbyusingwords.Zookeepers and aquarists must therefore find other ways to recognize andinterpretananimal’sneedssotheycanprovidethebestcare.

When you want to get to know someone, how do you do it? In humansociety, spending timewith aperson is thebestway to get toknowhisorherpersonality.Similarly,zookeepersandaquaristsmustspendtimewithananimaliftheyhopetounderstandsubtlechangesinitsmoodorbehavior.

Keepers must know each animal’s individual history. They should findanswerstoquestionslike:Wheredidthisanimallivebeforeitcamehere?Whatisitsmedicalhistory?Hasthisanimalbeenaggressivetowardhumansorother

animals?Dependingonthespecies,thisinformationcandeterminehowakeeperchoosestointeractwithananimal.

Zookeepers and aquarists must also study each species’ natural history,includingwhereandhow it lives in itsnatural environment.Aprimatekeepershouldnotonlyknowabout eachgorilla she cares for, she shouldknowaboutgorillas in general. For instance, since gorillas live in groups in the wild, theyshould live in groups at a zoo. Likewise, an aquarist should know that speciessuchasclownfishandseaanemonescoexistinthewild,sotheycancoexistinanaquarium.

Akeeper’smostimportantresponsibilitiesfallintoacategorycalledanimalhusbandry. Inthezooandaquariumworld, thisreferstotheprocessofcaringforanimals’physicalhealthandmentalwell-being.Ifyouareapetowner,you’realreadyfamiliarwithanimalhusbandry.

PretendyouownahamsternamedPeanut.AssoonasyoutakePeanuthomefromthepetstore, it isyourjobtomakesurehehaswhatheneedstosurvive.Thismeansprovidingfood,water,andacozyplacetocallhome.WheneveryoucleanPeanut’scageorlethimroamaroundinahamsterball,you’recontributingtohiswell-being.Inaway,you’realreadyjustlikeazookeeper.

Zookeepersandaquaristsformspecialbondswiththeanimalsintheircare.CourtesyofMarkGonka

Preppinganimals’mealsisanimportantpartofthejobformostzookeepersandaquarists.CourtesyofChicagoZoologicalSociety/JimSchulz

Zooanimalsmaynotbehousepets,butakeeper’scoredutiesaresimilartothechoresyou’dperformforPeanut,yourpretendhamster.Eachanimalneedsfood,water,andacleanhome—andthisistruewhetheryou’retakingcareofahamster,amorayeel,oraMalayantapir.Butakeeper’sjobinvolvesmorethanjustthebasics.Besidesseeingtoanimals’primaryneeds,animalhusbandryinazoooraquariumalsomeansmakingsureananimalisascontentaspossible.

EnrichingAnimals’Lives

Haveyoueverwonderedwhypetstoressellbouncyballs,chewybones,andfakefuzzymice?It’sbecausepetsgetsbored,justlikepeople!Similartopetowners,abigpartofzookeepers’andaquarists’jobistomakesuretheiranimalsarehappy.

In the wild, animalsmust spend their time searching for food, water, andshelter. Inazoooraquarium,humansprovide food,water, andshelter for theanimals.Therefore,keepersmustfindotherwaystoencouragenaturalbehaviorsandtodiscourageboredom.Thisoftenmeansaddingsomethingtoananimal’senvironmentthatwillbefunorthatwillmakethemthink.

CoolCareers

AQUARIUMSTAFF

JohnRexMitchell

AnimalProgramsCollectionManagerJohnG.SheddAquarium,Chicago,Illinois

“Theaweandexcitementonthefacesofguestsandstaffwhentheygettoseeoneofouranimalsupclosenotonlygreatlyaffectsthem,itleavesalastingimpressionwithme.”

If you ask John RexMitchell, he’ll tell you that visiting an aquarium can be just as diverse of anexperience as visiting a zoo. JohnRexworks at SheddAquarium,where visitors can find not onlyaquatic creatures like sharks, rays, and sea jellies but also reptiles, primates, and birds. John Rexoverseestheanimalprogramsteam,whichfocusesoneducatingvisitorsat theaquariumandout inthe community. His most important responsibility is supervising the care of the animals in thiscollectionbymonitoringtheirlivingconditions,diets,andoverallhealth.

WhenJohnRexisn’tschedulingstaffandattendingmeetings,heenjoysinteractingwithanimalssuchasiguanas,blue-tonguedskinks,paintedturtles,ared-tailboaconstrictor,whitespottedbamboosharks, and various amphibians, among many others. He particularly looks forward to trainingsessions and educational encounters with guests. Occasionally, he even goes on TV to talk aboutanimals!JohnRexloveshisjobnotonlybecauseheworkswithsomereallyfascinatingspeciesbutalsobecausehegetstoeducatethepublicaboutthecreaturesthatinhabitPlanetEarth.

JohnRexMitchell©SheddAquarium/BrennaHernandez

Keepersprovideenrichmenttomaximizetheiranimals’senseofwell-being.Enrichmentcanbeassimpleasdesigninganddecoratinganexhibitsoitfeelsasnatural as possible to the animal. In a meerkat exhibit, this might meanprovidingaburrowsimilartowhatwildmeerkatsbuildintheAfricanplains.

Makingchangesinananimal’sexhibit,suchasaddingdifferentplantstoanaquariumorproviding anew spot for abald eagle toperch, areotherways toenrichananimal’senvironment.Changegivesanimalsthechancetoexploreand

adapttonewsurroundings.Sensoryenrichmentappealstoananimal’ssenses.Ifakeepertossesabeach

balltoadolphintoplaycatch,thedolphingetstoseeandtouchsomethingoutoftheordinary.CoveringthefloorofaKomododragon’sexhibitwithcrunchyshredded paper is also sensory enrichment. The paper gives the Komodosomethingnewtohearandfeelasitwalksaround.

Foodisanothertypeofenrichmentforzooandaquariumanimals.Byhidingfoodaroundananimal’sexhibit,keepersturnmealsintoagame.Insteadofjustwalking up to a bowl and eating, the animalmust forage for its dinner like itwouldinthewild.

Keepers may also work with animal nutritionists to come up with somespecial treats for theanimals.AsquirrelmonkeymightgetunsweetenedKool-Aid,raisins,orcondensedmilkinadditiontoitsnormaldiet.Funfoodtreatscanbe a greatway tomake an animal’s daymore varied and fulfilling. Every dietchangeinazoooraquariumiscloselymonitored,whichiswhyvisitorsshouldneversharehumantreatswiththeanimals.

ZooMeals

Animalnutritionistscarefullymonitorthedietofeachanimalatazoooraquarium.Todeterminethemenu,nutritionistslooktowhatthespecieseatsinthewild.Next,nutritionistscalculatethenumberofcalorieseachanimalneedsandpassthisinformationtothekeepers.

Zookeepersandaquaristsare typicallyresponsible forpreparinganimals’meals.Theymust followananimal’sdietguidelinescarefully.Animals’basedietsareoftensplitupintotwomealsperday,butfeedingschedulesvarydependingontheanimal.Tohelpmakesureananimal’snutritionalneedsarebeingmet,keepersoftenkeeptrackofeachanimal’sweight.Ifananimalstartsgainingorlosingweight,itsdietmightneedtobeadjusted.

New food items give animals the chance to be curious and to experience new tastes and smells.Keepers andanimalnutritionistsoftenwork together toprovide approved treats.AroundHalloween,many zoos carve pumpkins and put them in exhibits to add some variety to the animals’ day. Someanimalswilltossthepumpkinsaround;otherswilldigrightinandeatthem.Othertreatsmightincludeiceforgraysealsorcantaloupeforraccoons.

PumpkinisaspecialHalloweentreatforthistortoise.CourtesyofPhoenixZoo

iPadappsareauniqueformofenrichmentfororangutans.©OrangutanOutreach“AppsforApes”/ScottEngel

Socialenrichmentinvolveschangingupananimal’ssocialcircle.Thiscouldmean introducingananimal toanewmemberof the samespecies,or it couldmeanintroducingananimaltoadifferentspecies. Ifyou’reazookeepertakingcare of a horse, for instance, you might bring a few goats into the horse’senclosure to let them get to know each other. Forming new relationships and

observingotherscanbeanenrichingexperience foranimals, just like itcanbeforhumans.

Cognitiveenrichmentchallengesananimaltothink.Justlikememorygamesand jigsaw puzzles for humans, cognitive enrichment for zoo animals can bechallengingandfun.OrangutankeepersatseveralzoosacrosstheUnitedStatesare teaming upwithOrangutanOutreach to participate in theApps for Apesprogram,whichusesiPadtabletcomputersasaformofcognitiveenrichmentforthese intelligent primates. Apps for Apes enriches orangutans’ lives throughgames,paintinganddrawingapps, andevenmusical instruments the apes canplayonthetablets’touchscreens.

Otherformsofcognitiveenrichmentaccomplishsimilargoals.Puzzlefeedersencourage animals to figure out how to get food from a contraption. Thispresentsachallengeandoffersarewardintheformofasnackwhentheanimalsucceeds.Making sure animals feel rewarded for their efforts is an importantpartofenrichmentinallitsforms.

AnimalTraining

Zookeepersandaquaristsarepassionateaboutprovidingthebestlifepossiblefortheanimals in theircare.Onewaytheydothis isbyputtingtheiranimals inatrainingprogram.Animalsthatparticipateinconsistenttrainingroutinestendtoenjoybetter-qualitylives.

Asaformofbehavioralenrichment,animaltrainingoffersseveralbenefitsinazoooraquariumsetting.Itenhancestherelationshipbetweenananimalanditskeepers by adding away for them to communicate.Keeperswhowork closelywith their animals are better prepared to distinguish normal behavior fromabnormalbehavior.

ACTIVITY

CreateBehavioralEnrichment

Onereasonzoosandaquariumsprovideenrichmentistoencourageanimalstoexpressnormalbehavior,suchasforagingforfood.Inthisactivity,youwillplaythepartofaScarletibiskeeper.Yourmissionistocreateanenrichmentdevicethatwillencouragethebirdtoforageforitsfood.

MATERIALS

Cardboardtube(suchasanemptypapertowelroll)Scissors1cupofpackedshreddednewspaper5gummyworms(substituterubberbandsifdesired)

Flattenthecardboardtubeandcuttwotriangle-shapednotchesononesideofthetube.Avoidcuttingnotches in the inch at the top of the tube and the inch at the bottomof the tube.Keeping the tubeflattened,flipitoverandcutonemorenotchinthefoldedside.

Unflattenthetube.Youshouldhavethreediamond-shapedholes.Rollthetubesoonesetofholesisfacingupandflattenitagain.Cutthreemoretriangle-shapednotches—twoononesideofthetubeandoneontheoppositeside.

Unflattenthetubeagain.Youshouldnowhavesixdiamond-shapedholes.Closeoffthebottomofthetubebypressingtheendsinward.

Spreadtheshreddednewspaperinfrontofyou.Mixafewgummywormsinwiththepaper.Fillthetubewiththeshreddednewspaper/gummy-wormmixture.Closeoffthetopofthetubebypressingtheendsinward.

When placed in a Scarlet ibis’s exhibit, the bird would need to stick its long beak through thediamond-shaped holes and search for a worm among the shredded newspaper. In real life, keeperswouldaddrealwormsorgrubstoaforagingfeedertubetoenticeaScarletibistosearchforitsmeal.

ExtraCreditGrabapairoftweezersandtrytoforagesomegummywormsoutoftheforagingfeedertube.CanyouseehowthisenrichmentdevicewouldencourageaScarletibis’snaturalbehavior?

Awell-trainedanimalalsohasabetterhandleonwhatakeeperwants it todo. For instance, zoo animals frequently need to move from one place toanother.Trainedanimalsarelesslikelytofeelanxiousinthesesituationsbecausetheyknowwhattoexpect.

Oneofthemostimportantreasonstotrainazoooraquariumanimalissoitcanparticipateinitsownhealthcare.Ifakeeperneedstoweigha6,192-poundwhiterhinoceros,hecan’tjustpickitupandplopitonascale.Therhinohastocooperate by stepping on the scale by itself. Lucky for rhino keepers, thisbehaviorcanbetrained.

Similarly, if a pregnant animal learns to roll over and present its belly, aveterinarianwillhaveamucheasiertimegivingitatestcalledanultrasoundtocheckonthebaby.Whenkeeperstrainanimalstoparticipateintheirownhealthcare,it’smucheasiertohelpkeepthemhealthy.

Traininghasitsseriousmoments,butitcanalsobedownrightfun.Keeperstry tomake training sessions a rewarding experience for the animals.Theydothisbymixinguptheroutine,teachingnewbehaviors,andofferingavarietyofrewards. Training can be fun for visitors, too, while also supporting a zoo oraquarium’s education efforts. Even silly behaviors, such as a walrus blowing akisstoacrowd,canencouragevisitorstoappreciateananimalandwanttolearnmoreaboutit.

Beforeakeepercantrainananimalatazoooraquarium,heorshemustfirst

get to know the animal, including what it likes and doesn’t like. With thisknowledge,anelephantkeeperwouldknowtorewardanelephantwithhay,notpeanuts. The next step is to gain an animal’s trust. Keepers establish trustthrough everyday interactionswith an animal, such asmealtime.Animals feelgood when they have a full stomach, so they quickly begin to associate thosegood feelings with the source of the food: its keeper. This type of positiveinteractionhelpsbuildatrustingrelationshipbetweenkeepersandanimals.

Once keepers have formed a relationship with an animal, they can begintraining.Keepers trainusingamethodcalledpositive reinforcement.Whenakeeper signals for an animal to perform a trained behavior and the animalfollowsthrough,thekeeperreinforcestheanimalbygivingitareward.Canyouguessthemostcommonreward?Ifyouguessedfood,you’reabsolutelyright.

Think of animal training likewalking up a staircase. Each small step takesyoucloser to thegoal. Ifyou’rewalkingupa staircase, thegoal is toget to thetop. If you’re training an animal, the goal is to get the animal to perform abehaviorwhenyouaskittodoso.

Withsomepatienceandhardwork,animalsandhumanscanworktogetherinsomereallycoolways.Ifyou’veseenaneducationalpresentationatazoooraquarium, you know how impressive it can be to watch well-trained animalsshowofftheirbehaviorsforanaudience.Whilemosttraininghasmoreseriouspurposes, likehealthcare,keepersuse trainingasa tool toaddexcitementandvarietytoananimal’sday.

MakingaDifference

Because zoos and aquariums are fun to visit, they can also be great places tolearn. A common goal for the people who work in zoos and aquariums is toconnect the communitywith the animal kingdomby encouraging respect andappreciation.Afterall,visitingazoooraquariumisamuchsaferwaytodiscoverwildanimalsthantrekkingthroughtheAfricansavannaordivingtothedepthsofthePacificOcean.

Manyzoosandaquariumsgivevisitorsthechancetolearnthroughclose-upor even hands-on experiences with animals. Some zoos have educationalpresentationsor shows that allowvisitors to see animals interactwithkeepers.Sometimeszooandaquariumstaffmembershelpvisitorspetastingray, feedagiraffe, or get up close to a snake. These demonstrations are a great way forgueststolearnaboutanimalswhilealsogettingtoknowthepeoplewhocarefor

them.

TrainingBailey

Pretendyou’reakeeperatazoooraquariumwhoisinchargeofasealionnamedBailey.You’vealreadyestablisheda trusting relationshipwithBaileyby feedingher fish,her favoritemeal, several timesperday.Now,you’d like to take it a step furtherby trainingher firsthusbandrybehavior—steppingonascalesoyoucanrecordherweight.

Youmust first find a way to tell Bailey “good job” when she’s doing what you want her to do.Zookeepersuseatechniquecalledabridge,oftenawhistleoraclicker,tosignaltoananimalthat it’sdoingsomethingright.YoumustteachBaileywhatabridgemeans(inthiscase,thebridgeisthesoundof a whistle). To do this, you blow into thewhistle and immediately give Bailey her reward—a fish.Whenyourepeatthisprocessseveraltimes,Baileywilllearnthatwhenevershehearsyourwhistle,shegetsareward.

Anothercommontrainingtechniquekeepersuseiscalled“targeting.”Targetingteachesananimaltotouchpartofitsbodytoatargetobject,suchasaballontheendofapole.BeforeyoucangetBaileytostepontoascale,shemustlearntotouchhernosetoatarget.Todothis,youmusthaveyourtarget(thepole), yourbridge (awhistle), anda reward (abucketof fish).Whenyou firsthold the targetout forBailey,shewon’thaveacluewhatyou’reaskinghertodo.Toshowher,yougentlytouchthetargettohernose.Assoonasthetargettoucheshernose,youmustreinforceherbyblowingyourwhistleandgivingherafish.Baileywillbegintounderstandthatwheneverthetargettoucheshernose,she’llhearawhistleandgetareward.NexttimeyoushowBaileythetarget,shewillmostlikelyreachoutandtouchitbyherself.

ThelaststepistogetBaileytowalktowardthetarget,soyoucaneventuallyputthetargetoverthescale.Todothis,youslowlymovethetargetawayfromherandwaitforhertocometouchhernosetoit.Whenshedoes,blowyourwhistleandgivehersomefishtoreinforceajobwelldone.Soon,you’llbeabletopresentthetargetoverthescaleandBaileywillcomerightuptoitandletyouweighher.

CoauthorJoshusesatargetingpoleduringatrainingsessionwithBailey.CourtesyofMarkGonka

ACTIVITY

TrainYourFriends

Have you everwonderedwhat it’s like to train an animal? You can use the same training techniqueszookeepers and aquarists usewith animals to train your friends.Give it a try!This activity requires apartner.

MATERIALS

“Targetingpole”(spoon,stick,etc.)Treats(M&Ms,grapes,Cheerios,etc.)

ObjectiveTrainyourpartnertodosomethingsillyusingpositivereinforcement.Yourpartner’sjobistotrytogetasmanytreatsaspossiblebyfiguringoutwhatyou’reaskinghimorhertodo.

HowtoPlayBeginbyreadingthe“TrainingBailey”sectiononpage61tolearnthebasicsofanimaltraining.Haveyourpartnerchooseananimal(andmaybeevenpretendtobethatanimal).

Next, select a “bridge.” A bridge is a signal that tells the animal it has done something right.Examplesofbridgesareclappingyourhandsorsayingtheword“good.”Youcanchooseanythingforyourbridge,aslongasit’sconsistent.Inreallife,you’dneedtoteachyouranimalthatthebridgemeans“goodjob.”Inthiscase,assumeyouranimalalreadyunderstands.

Startbytrainingasimplebehaviorsuchasajumpupanddown.Lightlytouchthetargettothetopofyouranimal’shead,thengiveitabridge(claporsay“good”)andhandyouranimalatreat.Next,trytogetyouranimaltojumpbyholdingthetargetalittlehigherthanitshead.Ifitjumps,givetheanimalabridgeandatreatasareward.Ifitdoesn’tjump,gobacktothebeginning.Touchthetargettoitsheadandgiveitabridgeandatreat,thentrythejumpagain.

Once your animal jumps, hold the target a little higher.Then, a little higher.Be sure to give theanimalatreateachtimeitsucceeds.Seehowhighorhowfaryoucangetyourpartnertojumpforatreat.

Switchrolesandtrytraininganewbehavior.Teachyourpartnertorollover,tofollowyouintothenextroom,ortoflapherarmsupanddownlikeabird.Nomatterwhatbehavioryou’retraining,besuretotackleitonestepatatime.

Programssuchassummercampsforkids,volunteerprogramsforteensandadults, and animal-related classes for all ages are part of zoos’ and aquariums’efforts to provide a fun and educational environment. Outreach programsextendthismissionintothecommunity.Bysendingstaffmembersto libraries,schools,andotherpublicplaces,zoosandaquariumscanbringtheexperiencetopeoplewhomightnotbeabletovisitontheirown.

“Ifwecangetpeopleexcitedaboutanimals,thenbycrikey,itmakesitaheckofaloteasiertosavethem.”—SteveIrwin,zoologistandTVshowhost,ina2001interviewwithScientificAmerican

Focusingoneducationisjustonewayzoosandaquariumsaredifferentthantheywereinthepast.Today,zoosandaquariumsmustobeylawsbyprovidinganenvironmentwhereanimalsarefreefromthirst,hunger,malnutrition,pain,discomfort, fear, and disease. Animals must also be free to exhibit normalbehaviorstotheextenttheywishtodoso.

Inmoderntimes,therehasbeenamajorshiftinthewayzoosandaquariumsdesignexhibits.Well-designedexhibitsreflectananimal’snaturalhabitatandactas a protective barrier between animals and visitors. As zoologists learnmoreaboutthespacerequirementsandlivingpreferencesofdifferentspecies,theycancontinuetoimproveexhibitswithinzoosandaquariums.

Azooemployeeteacheskidsaboutchuckwallasatanoutreachevent.CourtesyofPhoenixZoo

Naturalbarrierskeepzooguestssafefromtheanimalsandtheanimalssafefromzooguests.CourtesyofChicagoZoologicalSociety/JimSchulz

ZoologicalParks:ThenandNow

Theveryfirstzoosandaquariumswere“menageries,”informalcollectionsofanimals,keptbyancientcivilizations.Theoriginsofmodernzoosandaquariumscanbetracedmostdirectly to the1700sand1800s,particularlyinEurope.

LondonZoointheUnitedKingdomisonegoodexampleofhowzoosandaquariumshavechangedthroughtheyears.Formorethanacentury,BritishmonarchskeptacollectionofexoticanimalsintheTowerofLondon,aroyalfortresswithalongandbloodyhistory.In1831,aftertheZoologicalSocietyofLondonwasfoundedin1826,theTowerofLondoncollectionmovedtoRegent’sParkandhelpedformLondonZoo.

Foritsfirstseveralyears,thezoowasopento“scientificfellows”likeCharlesDarwinwhowantedtocomeandstudytheanimalsinitscollection.DarwinwasaBritishnaturalistwhodevelopedthetheoryofEvolution.MembersofthepubliccouldvisitthezooonSundaysiftheyhadanotefromascientificfellow.As a result,many visitors came dressed in their Sunday best to see the animals. LondonZooopeneditsdoorstothepayingpublicin1846.

ZoologicalparksbegantoopenintheUnitedStatesduringthelate1800s.Bytheearly1900s,therewerepubliczoosandaquariumsallaroundtheworld.Manyhaveenjoyedtremendoussuccessandarestillgrowingtoday,somewelcomingseveralmillionguestseveryyear.

Zoosandaquariumshavecomealongwayfromtheirrootsasancientmenageries,butthere’sstillworktodo.Bysettingstandardsforthingslikeveterinarycare,safety,andexpertstaffing,organizationslike the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and the Association of Zoos andAquariums(AZA)helpmakesurezoosandaquariumsaremovingforward,notbackward.

GettingaJob

Animal husbandry—including enrichment and training—is a keeper’s topresponsibility.Ifyouthinkyou’reuptothetask,herearesomepointstokeepinmind. The best keepers have good communication skills and arewilling to beflexiblebasedontheneedsoftheiranimals.Theymustbeabletoworkasateamandtomakedecisionsquickly,especiallyduringatrainingsession.

Keepersmustalsobepatientandwillingtoworkhardeverysingleday.Thejob often requires dirty work, such as preparing food for the animals andcleaningupafterthem.Forexample,marinemammalkeepersmustcutupfishuntiltheyhavetheexactamountofcaloriesneededforeachanimal.Theymightalso need to scuba dive into a big exhibit and scrub algae off thewalls.Otherresponsibilities include fillingoutdaily reportsand training logsandattendingmeetingswithotherstaffmembers.

To get a job as a zookeeper or aquarist, youmust typically earn a collegedegreeinzoologyorarelatedfieldsuchasbiologyorpsychology.Eachkeeper’spath is different, so don’t be discouraged if your favorite college or universitydoesn’t offer a zoologyprogram.Many schools offer zoology-related classes inanimal behavior, zoo management, or wildlife conservation. There are evenschools known as “teaching zoos,” such as Moore-park College in California,whichfocusonanimaltrainingandmanagement.Nomatterwhereyoudecide

togotocollege,mostdegreesallowsomewiggleroomforstudentstospecializeintheirareasofinterest.

ACTIVITY

PlanandDrawanExhibit

Ananimal’sexhibitcancontributetoitswell-beingwhilealsoprovidingawayforvisitorstoobservetheanimalfromafar.Pretendyouareinchargeofplanninganexhibitforyourfavoriteanimalatazoooraquarium.Trytobalanceyouranimal’sneedswiththevisitors’needs.ThisactivityrequiresaccesstotheInternetoralibrary.

MATERIALS

PenorpencilandpaperWhiteposterboardorsheetofpaper(anysize)RulerMarkers,crayons,coloredpencils,orpaint

Chooseananimalforwhichyou’dliketodesignanexhibit.Researchyouranimalonlineoratalibrary.Ifyoudecidetoresearchonline,agoodplacetostartiswww.nationalgeographic.com/animals.

Writedownasmuchasyoucanaboutyouranimal.Answerthefollowingquestions:Wheredoesthisanimalliveinthewild?Whatistheclimatelikeinitsnaturalhabitat?Whatdoesthisanimalneedtosurvive?Howdoesitspenditsday?Whatelseisinterestingoruniqueabouthowthisanimallivesinthewild?

Usetheknowledgeyou’vegainedtobeginplanninganexhibit.Onaposterboardorpieceofpaper,drawafloormadeofgrass,dirt,orwhatevermaterialyou’dfindonthegroundinyouranimal’snaturalhabitat.Add some “furniture” such as rocks, plants, and trees.This could also includehollowed-outlogs,apond,orasmallcave.Ifyou’dlike,labeltheseitemsonyourdrawing.

Beforeyoumoveon,makesureyou’vecreatedanexhibitthatmeetsyouranimal’sneeds.Doesyouranimalneedshade?Ifso,giveitsometalltreesoracliffwithanoverhang.Shouldyouincludeaheatpad,heatlamp,orheatedrockforthewintermonths?Doesyouranimalneedafreshwatersourcesuchasawaterfallorastream?

Decidehowtheexhibitwillseparateyouranimalfromzoovisitors.Youcanuseafencewithmetalmesh,thickglass,ornaturalbarrierssuchasaditchoramoat.Ifyouchooseaditchoramoat,indicatewhereitwillgoonyourdrawing.Ifyoudecideonafenceorglass,drawitinusingarulerandlabelit“fence”or“viewingglass.”

Ifyouaredesigninganaquatichabitat,besuretoincludeanareawherevisitorscanlookthroughtheglassintotheexhibit.Labelthisarea“underwaterviewing.”Onceyoufeelconfidentinyourdesign,decorateitbycoloringorpaintingthelandscape.

ExtraCreditTake your design up a notch by adding some depth. Glue small rocks on your poster board to

representboulders,paintsomecottonballsgreentolooklikeshrubs,oruseblueconstructionpapertoaddapoolorastream.Becreativewithyourmaterialstomakeyourexhibitdesignlookasrealaspossible.

It’simportanttosupplementyoureducationwithsomehands-onexperience.Inhighschool,lookintovolunteeringatazoooraquarium,ananimalshelter,orawildliferehabilitationcenter.Incollege,planoncompletinganinternshipatazoooraquariumtogainreal-worldexperience.Becausesomanypeoplewanttobezookeepersoraquarists,youwillfacecompetitionwhenlookingforyourfirstjob.Withaneducation,someexperience,andagreatworkethic,youcandoit.

CoolCareers

ZOOKEEPER

StevenOk

StaffBiologistPointDefianceZoo&Aquarium,Tacoma,Washington

“As soon as you learn something interesting about an animal you like, find someone to share thatinformationwith.Noteveryonetakesthetimetolearnaboutthenaturalworld.Butyoucaninspirethemwithyourenthusiasm,justlikewedoatthezoo!”

StevenOklovesanimals,buthealsoenjoyssharingwhathelovesaboutthemwithotherpeople.AtPointDefianceZoo&Aquarium,Stevenlooksaftersomeexcitingspecies,includingaSumatrantiger,aMalayantiger,aMalayantapir,alowlandanoa,anIndiancrestedporcupine,anAsiansmall-clawedotter,asiamang,andawhite-cheekedgibbon.

Hisdayusuallybeginswithaquickmorningmeetingwiththerestofhisteam.Steventhenhelpscheckonall theanimals inhisdepartment,prepare theirdiets,andclean theirexhibits.Atmidday,oneteammemberconductsakeepertalkforguests,whiletherestoftheteamworksonprojectslikefixingexhibits,creatingandprovidingenrichment,orrecordkeeping.Beforetheendoftheday,Stevenprepares the animals’ evening diets and evening enrichment, checks on them onemore time, thensecurelylockseverythingupforthenight.

Stevensaysoneofthebestpartsofhisjobisgettingtoknowtheindividualpersonalitiesofeachanimalinhiscare.Whilehandraisingbabytigers,he’llneverforgetthejoyofwatchingthemdevelopfromclumsynewbornsintosneaky,mischievouscubsinjustafewmonths.

Likeotherkeepers,Steven’smostimportantresponsibilityismaintaininganimals’health.Healsohelps train the animals to participate in their ownhealth care.As a leader of the zoo’s enrichmentcommittee,Stevenhelpscreatezoo-wideenrichmentprograms.

StevenOkCourtesyofPointDefianceZoo&Aquarium

Beingakeeperisjustoneofseveraljobsavailableatazoooraquarium.Someof them do not require a college degree. The grounds crew is responsible forkeeping up a zoo’s appearance. Thismeans clearing the pathways for visitors,plantingtreesandotherplantstokeepthezoooraquariumlookingnatural,andtending tobuildings’maintenanceneeds.Without the grounds crew, zoos andaquariums would not only be less enjoyable places to visit, they wouldn’tfunctionproperly. In fact,without the help ofmanydepartments—fromguestservices, admissions, and accounting to marketing, communications, andsecurity—zoosandaquariumswouldnotbeabletoachievetheirgoalsasplacesofrecreation,education,research,andconservation.

Otherstaffmembersdedicatetheirtimetoeducatingvisitorsaboutanimalsand their natural environments. Many zoos and aquariums have an entireeducation department whose job it is to coordinate outreaches and othereducationalopportunitiesforthecommunity.

Volunteersalsoplayabig role.Volunteershelp support zooandaquariumstaffmembersineverydepartment.Beingavolunteersometimesmeansstandingnearanexhibitandtalkingtovisitorsabouttheanimals.Volunteeringatazoooraquarium is a greatway to share yourpassion for animalswhile gaining someexperienceinthefield.

Like any other business, zoos and aquariumshavemanagers.Curators, forinstance, are responsible for the employees and the animals within theirdepartments. A curator of birds would oversee all the animals in a zoo’s bird

collection.Curatorstypicallymakedecisionsaboutanimalhousing,training,andenrichmentwhilealsomanagingthekeeperswhotendtheanimals.

Veterinariansandtheirvetstaffalsoplayavitalroleatzoosandaquariums.Veterinary medicine is a key real-world application of zoology that extendsbeyondzoosandaquariumstoincludepets, farmanimals,andwildlife.Infact,while zoos and aquariums often seem front and center within the world ofzoology,thereareplentyofzoologistswhoworkseparatefromtheseimportantinstitutions.

Injuredanimalsmustundergomedicaltestsbeforevetscandiagnoseandtreatthem.CourtesyofChicagoZoologicalSociety/JimSchulz

F

CALLTHEDOCTOR!VETERINARIANS

orDr.MikeAdkesson,thereisnoaverageday.Asvicepresidentofclinicalmedicineandoneof several full-timevetsatBrookfieldZoonearChicago,

Illinois,Dr.Mikeoverseesthehealthcareofmorethan2,500animals—fromtinyfrogs, insects, andhummingbirds to rhinoceroses, dolphins, tigers, giraffe, andeverythinginbetween.Evenafteryearsofschoolingandon-the-jobexperience,Dr.Mike’sunusualpatientschallengehimtothinkcreatively.

Duringoneeventfuldayonthejob,oneofDr.Mike’spatients—alion-tailedmacaque recovering from leg surgery—kept removing the stitches from itswound.Dr.Mikewasworried.Ifthiswounddidn’theal,themonkey’slifecouldbe in danger. SinceDr.Mike andhis team couldn’t sit themonkeydown andexplain that thestitchesneeded tostay, thevet staffneeded tocomeupwithasolutionfast.

First,theytriedtodistractthemonkeysoitwouldforgetaboutthestitches,butitwasnouse.Thepatientwastoostubborn.Then,Dr.Mikehadanidea;itwas time for thismonkey toputonsomeshorts.The teamcreateda fiberglasscastthatlookedlikeapairofshorts—completewithaholeforthemonkey’stail.The cast did the trick; it was too strong for the monkey to rip apart, so thestitchesstayedinplaceandgavethewoundtimetoheal.EventhoughDr.Mikesaysthisparticularpatientstillgiveshimdirtylooks,hefeelsconfidentthattheinnovativeshortscastsavedthemonkey’slife.

Thislion-tailedmacaque,similartotheonewhoselifeDr.Mikesavedwhenhecameupwiththe“shortscast,”livesatWoodlandParkZooinSeattle.CourtesyofWoodlandParkZoo/DennisDow

Aveterinarianandaveterinarytechnicianexamineasmalldogatananimalhospital.CourtesyofAVMA

TheWideWorldofVets

Veterinarians must have a deep understanding of the forms, functions, andbehaviorsofawidevarietyofanimalspeciesinordertodotheirjob.

Vets rely on a foundation of biology and zoology to help them determinewhen a patient is healthy versus when it is ill. Detailed knowledge about ananimal’sbodystructureoranatomycomesintoplayeveryday.Forinstance,vetsmustknowthedifferencesandsimilaritiesbetweenafrogandatoad,orbetweenadogandacat,sotheycanaccuratelyevaluatethehealthoftheseanimals.

It is also important for vets to be able to anticipate how different animalspecieswillreacttoamedicalexam.Mostlikely,avetwouldapproachanervouscatdifferently thana laid-backdog.Using their knowledgeof animals’naturaland individual histories, vets can make the best diagnosis and treatmentdecisionsfortheirpatients.

Thenumberofspeciesaveterinarianisresponsiblefordependsonthetype

ofvetheorsheis.Mostvetscareforcompanionanimalslikedogs,cats,rabbits,birds,andotherhousepets.Thesevetsoftenworkforprivatepracticesoranimalhospitals.

Somevetstakecareoffarmanimalssuchashorses,cows,sheep,goats,andpigs.Farmvetsmakehousecalls toperformcheckups, toadministermedicine,ortoattendtoabirth.Vetswhospecializeinfarmanimalsmaybeemployedbylargefarmsorcattleranches,orevenasinspectorsinthefoodindustry.Animalsthat provide food for humans, such as cows and chickens, mustmeet certainstandardsofhealth,whichveterinarianscanhelpmaintain.

Exotic-animal vets, including “zoo vets,” treat many different types ofpatients, such as primates, birds of prey, marine mammals, insects, andpachydermslikeelephantsandhippos.Similarly,wildlifevetsmustbepreparedtocareforanywildanimalthatneedshelp—fromdeer,badgers,andopossumstoowls,roadrunners,andsnakes.Veterinarianswhospecializeinexoticspeciesand wildlife often work for zoos and aquariums, animal sanctuaries andmuseums,orwildliferehabilitationcenters.

Veterinarianstendtohaveaworkingknowledgeofmanyareasofveterinarymedicine.Sometimes,though,vetsbringinspecialiststohelpthemdiagnoseortreat a patient. Some vets extend their education by becoming experts in aparticularspeciesorcategoryofmedicine.For instance,anequineveterinarianspecializesincaringforhorses.Therearealsoveterinarysurgeonswhospecializein performing complicated surgical procedures, veterinary cardiologists whohave particular knowledge about heart-related illnesses, and veterinaryoncologistswho focuson treatingcancer inanimals.Thereareevenveterinaryophthalmologists—animaleyedoctors!

Dentalcheckupsandcleaningsarecommonduringaveterinaryexam.Manyveterinarianscanperformthesebasicservicesfortheirpatients.Forwildanimalssuch as bears or tigers, though, even a simple dental exam may requireanesthesia.Once“asleep,”itissafeforateamofvetsandtheirstafftocheckonandcleanananimal’steeth.Insomecases,avetwillbringinaveterinarydentisttoperformmorecomplicateddentalprocedures,suchasarootcanalorplacingatoothcrown.

Avetchecksahorse’seyes.CourtesyofAVMA

Aferretgetsitsteethcleaned.CourtesyofPhoenixZoo

ACTIVITY

MoldTigerTeeth

Likehumandentists,veterinarydentistsneedtoknowallabout theirpatients’ teeth—fromthesmallestferret to the largest elephant, and even ferocious predators like the tiger. Pretend you are training tobecomeaveterinarydentistasyousculptamandible(lowerjaw)andlearnabouttigerteeth.

MATERIALS

Plastictableclothornewspapers2poundsofwhiteorgrayair-drymodelingclayPlasticcup4acrylicpaintsorothercraftpaints(optional)Paintbrush(optional)

Read“TheFactsonTigerTeeth,”onthenextpage,beforeyougetstarted.Coveryourworkspacewithaplastictableclothornewspapers.

Use thephotosofa real tigermandible fromtheside, front,and topviews(see thenextpage) tobuilda3-Dsculpture.Taketwohandfulsofair-drymodelingclayandrollthemouttocreateaVshape.Thiswillformthebaseofthejawbone.Shapetheclaysothejawbonerisesupintheback;usethesideviewforreference.

To sculpt the 14 teeth that belong in a tiger’s lower jaw, tear off two large chunks of clay, sixmedium-sized chunks, and six small chunks. Sculpt the large chunks into two pointy canines. Thecaninesshouldbeshaped likecones thatcometoapointat the top.Sculpt thesixsmallchunks intoincisors—theteethbetweenatiger’scanines.

Atigershowsoffitsimpressiveteeth.CourtesyofChicagoZoologicalSociety/JimSchulz

Placethesixincisorsatthefrontofthejawwithonecaninetoothoneitherside.Tocreate the tiger’sbackteeth, formthesixmedium-sizedchunksofclay intocubeswithpointy

edges.Placethreeoftheseteethontheleftsideofthejawbehindtheleftcanine.Placetheotherthreeontherightsideofthejawbehindtherightcanine.

Fillaplasticcupwithwater,dipyourfingersinit,andsmoothouttheclayusingyourwetfingers.Rubtheclaywhereyouplacedeachtoothontothejawuntiltheseamsdisappear.

Setyour jawbonesomewheresafeandlet itairdry.Then, ifyou’d like,painteachtypeoftoothadifferentcolor.Chooseonecolorforthetwocanines,onecolorforthesix incisors,onecolorforthefourpremolars,andonecolorforthetwomolars.Thetoothclosesttothebackofthejawoneachsideisamolar.

TheFactsonTigerTeethTigershave30teethtotal—amixofcanines,incisors,premolars,andmolarsintheirupperandlowerjawbones.Atiger’slongteetharecalledcanines.Canineshelptigerscatchandkilltheirprey.Incisorsarethesmall teeth locatedbetweenthecanines.Incisorsareusedforgroomingandtoremovefinertissuesfromthebonesofprey.Atiger’sbackteethconsistofpremolarsandmolars.Theseteethhavesharpedgessotheycanripandtearthroughflesh.

Atiger’slowerjawbonefromtheside,front,andtopview.CourtesyofC.MiguelPinto

Vetstafftendstoacheetahunderanesthesia.CourtesyofPhoenixZoo

Tantor’sToothache

Believe it or not, elephants get toothaches, too. After zoo staff and guests at Barranquilla Zoo inColombia, South America, noticed some strange behavior from its African bush elephant, Tantor, a

teamofspecialistsfromaroundtheworldflewintohelp.Tantorhadaninfectioninthesofttissuenearhistusk,whichisactuallyalongtooth.

To get rid of the infection, the veterinary team needed to perform oral surgery similar to a rootcanal. Before they could go in and remove the infected tissue, experienced veterinarians helpedimmobilizeTantorusinganesthesia.

For three and a half hours,Dr. BarronHall, a veterinary dentist and oral surgeon, and his teamcleanedTantor’srootcanal,removedtheinfection,andsealedtheopening.WhenTantorwokeupfromtheprocedure,hewasnolongerinpain.

Besides seeking advice from specialists like animal dentists, vets need thehelpofotherstaffmemberstoperformtheirdailyduties.Veterinarytechniciansor“vettechs”aresimilartohumannurses;theysupportveterinariansintakingcareoftheirpatients.Vettechshelpkeepanimalscomfortableduringcheckupsand procedures. They often help dress animals’ wounds, prepare them forsurgery, or groom them during an exam by trimming their hooves, nails, orclaws.Vetsandtheirentirevetstaffmustunderstandananimal’smedicalneedsand use their best judgment to keep patients calm and comfortable duringmedicalexamsandprocedures.

Vets like Dr. Mike who deal with hundreds of species face new medicalchallenges almost every day. Medical issues related to old age are one suchchallenge, particularly for zoo and aquarium vets. Advances in veterinarymedicine and animal carehave allowedanimals in zoos and aquariums to livelonger than ever before. Just like in humans, it’s not always possible to cureanimalsofconditions likearthritis,heartdisease,andcancer.Therefore, it’sanimportant part of a vet’s responsibility to keep his or her animal patients ascomfortableaspossibleuntilit’stimetosaygood-bye.

Becauseeverydayoffersnewmedicalchallenges,avet’sjobisrarelyboring.Veterinariansofall typesmustsolveproblemsusingthe latestknowledgefromboth theveterinaryandmedical fields.Because thereare stillmanyunknowns,vetsmustcontinuallyseeknewknowledgethatwillhelpthemtakecareoftheirpatients.

Veterinariansareofteninvolvedinresearchingtheanswerstomanyoftheseunknowns.There are evenvetswhowork full-time to findanswers todifficultquestions about disease and who work to develop new treatments for bothanimalsandpeople.

ADayintheLife

A veterinarian’s most important responsibility is to give appropriate medical

attention to the animals in his or her care. This includes performing routineexams on healthy animals, evaluating animals that are injured or sick, anddeterminingwhatcanbedone tohelp sickanimalsgetbetter.Aswithany jobworking with animals, vets must also take responsibility for the safety ofthemselvesandtheirsupportingstaffmemberswhoplayahands-onroleduringexamsandprocedures.

Whileadayinthelifeofavetmaynotbepredictable,therearecertaindutiesmost vets performas part of their job. Formany veterinarians, thedaybeginswith “rounds,” ameetingwhere vets andvet techsdiscuss their activemedicalcases. During this meeting, vet staff members talk about the different healthproblemsandpotentialtreatmentsfortheirpatients.

Themajorityofavet’sday isusually filledwithexams,medical treatments,surgeries, and follow-up appointments with patients. Some appointments aresimple, such as checking a rashon apet rabbit.Other appointments aremorecomplex. For instance, a zoo vetmay need to anesthetize a gorilla so she cansafelyevaluateitsheart.

Whilemanyofavet’sday-to-dayexamsareperformedonsickanimals,vetsalso work hard to keep patients from getting sick in the first place. Just likehumans who need to go to the doctor every once in a while for a checkup,animals need to be examined regularly so vets can keep an eye out for anychanges.

Duringanexam,avetgenerallychecksananimal’sheartrate, temperature,andweight; listens to its lungs; and inspects itsbody, including the eyes,nose,ears, mouth, paws, and feet. A checkupmight also include collecting a bloodsample to check for signs of illness or disease.A small amount of bloodhelpsveterinarians gather information such as red and white blood cell counts,vitamin and nutrient levels, andmany other important health indicators.Vetsmay also test an animal’s blood for specific viruses or to check the level ofantibodiestheirbodiesproducetofightthoseviruses.

Akeeperweighsawaxymonkeyfrogduringitscheckup.CourtesyofZSLLondonZoo

CoolCareers

VETERINARIAN

Dr.JulieSwenson

AssociateVeterinarianFossilRimWildlifeCenter,GlenRose,Texas

“Thebestpartofmyjobisthediversity.Notwodaysareeverthesamewhenyouworkwithwildlife!EachpatientIseeisdifferentthantheonebefore,andthosedifferencesencouragemetoconstantlycontinuelearningabouttheamazinganimalsthatweshareourworldwith.”

Dr. JulieSwensonhasworkedwithpetssuchas ferrets,snakes,andparrots, injuredwildlifesuchashawks, turtles, and baby squirrels, and zoo and aquarium animals such as Madagascar hissingcockroaches,Africanlions,Asianelephants,andgiantriverotters.Butevenwithallofthisexperience,shestillhasn’tseenitall.

Dr.Juliebecameinterestedinveterinarymedicineinhighschool,butitwasn’tuntilshewasgiventhe opportunity to work on a wildlife project in South Africa that she was hooked. The projectinvolvedmovingasmallherdofwildblackrhinocerosacrossthepark,wheretheywouldbesaferfrompoachers.Todothis,thevetsandtheirstudentsneededtoanesthetizetheanimalsandrollthemontoalargeflatplatform.Ahelicopterattachedtotheplatformwithcablesliftedtheanimalsupintotheairand flew them to the safe spot. As soon as she saw the direct role vets could play in helpingEndangeredspecies,Dr.Juliewasconvincedshe’dfoundhercalling.

Each day, Dr. Julie examines and treats many different patients. This could include simpleproceduressuchasabeaktrimonatortoiseoravaccineinjectionforawhiterhinoceros.Sometimes,Dr.Juliemightneedtoperformasurgeryonananimaltocloseawoundorfixafracturedbone.Attheendofeachday,Dr.Juliespendsseveralhourscompletingpatients’medicalrecords.

OneofthemostdifficultpartsofDr.Julie’sjobiswhenapatientbecomestooilltosurviveevenwithmedicalcare.Luckily, therearealsomany joyfulmoments.Dr. Julieenjoys theopportunity tosave animals’ lives directly through her work as a vet and indirectly through her work withconservationprojects.

Dr.JulieSwensonCourtesyofJulieSwenson

Aveterinaryexammayalsoincludex-rays,specialshotscalledvaccinesthatpreventdisease,oranultrasoundtoseeifananimalispregnant.Vetsmayevenexamine an animal’s feces (bodily waste) under a microscope to check forparasites.Thismaysoundgross,butit’sallpartofbeingananimaldoctor.

Veterinarians spend a lot of time talking with the people closest to theirpatients. For vets who look after pets or farm animals, thismeans keeping intouchwiththeirpatients’owners.Forzoovets,thismeanscommunicatingwithzookeepersandaquaristsaboutthehealthoftheanimalsintheircare.Zoovetsmustalsoworkcloselywithnutritioniststomakesureeachanimalisbeingfedwhatitneedstostayhealthy.

Veterinariansareexperts,buttheyarenotall-knowing.Goodvetsasktheirpatients’caretakersquestionsduringanexamtohelp themunderstandwhat is

normal for a particular animal. Keeping detailed records or “charts” for eachpatientisanotherwayvetsgettoknowtheanimalstheyaretreating.Byworkingtogether, vets and their patients’ caretakers can identify and address medicalissuesbeforetheybecomelifethreatening.

Some days, vets can’t keep to a schedule because they must handleemergencies.Vetsoftenneedtodropwhattheyaredoingandtendtoananimalthathasbeenseriouslyinjured.Ifapetownercomesintoananimalhospitalwithaninjuredkitten,avetneedstokeepacoolheadwhilerespondingquicklytotheanimal’sinjuries.Dependingonwhathappened,avetmightgivethekittensomepain medication, check for signs of internal injuries, clean any wounds, andstitchupanycuts.Ifaninjuryissevere,avetmightbringhisorherpatientintoanoperatingroomforemergencysurgery.

Acommonemergencysituationforvetsistryingtogetaforeignobjectoutofananimal’sstomach. Ifyou’vehadapuppy,youmightunderstand.Puppiesareknownforeatingallkindsof things thataren’treally food, likedirtysocks,shoelaces, and food wrappers. Zoo and aquarium vets deal with similaremergencies.Occasionally,visitorsthrowtoys,food,orotherdangerousobjectsintoexhibits.Ifapenguinseesashinycoininitspoolandswallowsit,keepersandvetsneedtoworktogethertosavethepenguin’slife.

If vets do not remove an object right away, it could pass into the animal’sintestinesandcauseablockage,whichcouldbelifethreatening.Inmanycases,vetscanremoveforeignobjectswiththehelpofatube-shapedinstrumentcalledanendoscopeandotherspecialtools.Ifthatdoesn’twork,theanimalmusthavesurgery.

Likehumandoctors,veterinariansmuststaycalmduringemergencies.Alongwitheducationandtraining,veterinarians’abilitytomakedecisionsquicklycansaveanimals’lives.

GettingSick,GettingWell

Have you ever had the chicken pox? If so, you probably remember being toldthat you can’t go to school or see your friends because you could spread theinfection.Nonhumananimalscanspreaddiseases, too.An importantpartofaveterinarian’s job is to diagnose, treat, and prevent the spread of infectiousdiseases.

ACTIVITY

VitalSigns,Part1:BuildaStethoscope

Veterinariansuseatoolcalledastethoscopetolistentoapatient’sheartandlungsduringacheckup.Findoutwhatit’slikebycreatingahomemadestethoscopeandlisteningtoyourownheartbeat.

MATERIALS

12to18inchesofplastictubing,availableathardwarestores(5/16-inchwidthrecommended)Smallfunnel(thetipofthefunnelshouldfitsnuglyinsidetheplastictubing)DucttapeScissorsBalloon

Ifneeded,measureandcuttheplastictubingsoitis12to18incheslong.Stickthetipofthefunnelintooneendofthetube.Itshouldfitsnugly.Ifthefunnelistooloose,useducttapetosecureitinplace.

Cutoff theopenendofaballoonandthrowitaway.Stretchtheremainingpieceofballoontightacrosstheopenendofthefunnel.

Gotoaquietareaandplacethefunneloveryourheartontheleftsideofyourchest.Holdtheendofthetubeuptoyourear(beingcarefulnottoinsertitintoyourear)andlistenforyourheartbeat.Movethefunnelaroundonyourchestuntilyoufindthebestspot.

ExtraCreditNowthatyou’ve listened toyourheartat rest,do15 jumping jacksand listen toyourheartagain.Whydoyouthinkyourheartbeatsmorequicklywhenyou’reactive?

Dr.Mikelistenstoawilddog’sheartbeat.CourtesyofChicagoZoologicalSociety/JimSchulz

Twovettechsx-rayacat.CourtesyofAVMA

Tiny microorganisms called pathogens cause disease in both human andnonhuman animals. Every day, animals come in contact with countlesspathogens that could potentially harm them. Fortunately, each animal hasseveralwaystoprotectitselfagainsttheseforeigninvaders.

Animals’ first barrier of defense against viruses, bacteria, fungi, and otherpathogensistheirskinorexteriorcasing,includingthedifferentmembranesthatlinetheirbodies’surfaces.Inhumans,thisincludesthemucusinournoses,thesalivainourmouths,andtheliquidinourtearducts.

Didyouknowthatblinkingislikeadisinfectingbathforyoureyeballs?Tearscontain a substance called lysozyme that is deadly to many types of bacteria.Each time you blink, you’re washing your eyes with fluid that helps protectagainstinfection.

If a pathogen gets past this first barrier of defense, it’s up to an animal’simmunesystem,includinganetworkofantibodies,whitebloodcells,andotherspecializedcells,todestroytheinvaderbeforeitcausesaninfection.Aninfectiondevelops when a virus or other harmful microorganism gets into an animal’stissue,multiplies,andcausesdamage.

Ananimal’simmunesystemcanusuallyrecognizethesemicroorganismsandstart fighting against them. One way animals’ bodies react to infection isinflammation. Inflammation creates pain, heat, redness, and swelling near aninjured tissue.Vets anddoctors know to look for signs of inflammationwhencheckingforadisease,injury,orillness.Inmammals,includinghumans,afeveris also a common indicator that the body is trying to get rid of an unwantedpathogen.Tocheckforfever,vetstakeananimal’stemperature.

Infectiousdiseasescanspreadwhenasickanimalcomesinclosecontactwithother animals. Close contact includes touching, breathing the same air, andsharing the same food or water. Some common infectious diseases amonganimalsincludecaninedistemper,adeadlydiseasethatmostlyaffectsdogs,andfoot-and-mouthdisease,adiseasethatcausessoresinthemouthsandonthefeetof cattle. Veterinarians must be familiar with the symptoms and treatmentoptionsforbothcommonanduncommondiseases.

Treating nonhuman animals is similar in many ways to treating humans.Vetscreatesplintsorcastsforbrokenbones,theysewinstitchestohealcuts,andtheyprescribemedicationtofightinfections.Inazoooraquariumsetting,vetsmay also advise quarantine, whichmeans separating an animal from all other

animalsuntil it isdisease-free.Thishelpsprevent the spreadof adisease fromoneanimaltoanother.

Diseases called “zoonoses” or zoonotic diseases can be passed fromnonhuman animals to humans. For instance, it’s possible for humans to getsalmonellosis from an infected reptile or West Nile virus from an infectedmosquito.Amphibians,fish,andmammals—especiallymonkeys—haveallbeenknown to carry zoonotic diseases. Somemammals such as bats and raccoonscarry a particularly deadly disease called rabies that can transfer to humans.Veterinarians must know which animals are most likely to carry zoonoticdiseasessotheycanhelppreventillnessanddeath.

Zoologistswhowork directlywith animals, including vets, zookeepers andaquarists, andwildlife researchers, should always practice caution to avoid thespreadofzoonoticdiseases.Vaccinesforbothhumansandanimals,alongwithgoodsanitationandhygiene,goalongwayinkeepingeveryonehealthy.

VetsandAnimalBirths

Ranchersandfarmerswhoraisebeefcattleorkeepdairycowsdependonanimalshavinghealthybabiestohelpthemmakealiving.Therefore,animportantjobforbovineveterinarians—animaldoctorswhocareforcattleandcows—istodeterminewhenanimalsarepregnantandthenhelpthemgivebirth,ifneeded.

Zooandaquariumvetsalsotendtoplayaroleinanimalpregnanciesandbirths.Whenananimalispregnant,vetscloselymonitorthehealthofthemotherandthebaby(orbabies)beforeandafterbirth.Most babies born at a zoo or aquarium receive a wellness exam tomake sure they are healthy anddevelopingnormally.

Occasionally,ateamofvetsneedstohandraiseababyanimalifitsmotherisnotprovidingadequatecare. In these situations, vet staff members and other caretakers tend to the baby around the clock,providingitwitheverythingitneeds.

Inmostcases,whetherthepatientisacow,ahamster,oranokapi,animalscanmanagetheirownpregnanciesanddeliverieswithouthelp.Partofbeingavet isknowingwhen to step inandhelpandwhentostayoutandletnaturetakeitscourse.

Vetstaffandothercaretakersmayneedtostepinandhandraiseababyanimalifitsmotherdoesnotprovideadequatecare.CourtesyofChicagoZoologicalSociety/JimSchulz

ACTIVITY

VitalSigns,Part2:TakeYourVitals

During a checkup, veterinarians check their patients’ vital signs, just like human doctors do. Find apartnerandgiveittry.Completethisactivityafterbuildingastethoscopein“VitalSigns,Part1:BuildaStethoscope.”

MATERIALS

DigitalthermometerChairHomemadestethoscopeStopwatchortimerPenorpencilandpaperCalculator(optional)

Beginbylearningtotakeyourtemperature.Placeadigitalthermometerunderyourtongueandkeepitthereforaboutaminute.Takenoteoftheresult.Anormalbodytemperatureforahumanisabout98.6degrees Fahrenheit. Wash the end of the thermometer, have your partner take his or her owntemperature,andcompareresults.

Next,practice takingyourpartner’sheartrate.Gotoaquietspaceandhaveyourpartnersit inachair.Placethefunnelofyourhomemadestethoscopeovertheleftsideofyourpartner’schestandhaveyourpartnerholditinplace.Placetheotherendofthetubenearoneofyourears(justnotinyourear)andlistencarefully.Adjustthestethoscopeuntilyoucanhearyourpartner’sheartbeatclearly.

TipYoudonotneedastethoscopetomeasureyourpulse.Placetwofingers(yourpointerandyourmiddlefinger)alongthesideofyourthroat,justunderyourchin,andfeelarounduntilyoucandetectyourheartbeat.Countyourpulse for15secondsandcalculateyourrestingheartratebymultiplyingtheresultbyfour.

Usingastopwatchortimer,countthenumberoftimesyourpartner’sheartbeatsfor15seconds.Eachtha-thumprepresentsonebeat.Ifitiseasier,haveyourpartnerusethetimer,tellingyoutostartcountingatzerosecondsandtostopcountingat15seconds.

Writedownthenumberofheartbeatsyoucounted,thenmultiplythatnumberbyfour.Theresultwillgiveyouyourpartner’srestingheartrate.Ifyoucounted20heartbeats,yourpartner’srestingheartratewouldbe80beatsperminute.Thenormalrangeforhumans(aged10andup)isanywherebetween60and100beatsperminute.

Onceyou’vecalculatedyourpartner’srestingheartrate,switchrolesandhaveyourpartnermeasureandcalculateyours.Measureandcalculateeachperson’sheartrateatleasttwice.Ifyouaremeasuringcorrectly,theresultsshouldbesimilareachtime.

GettingaJob

Manyyoungzoologistswanttobecomeveterinarians,sogettingintovetschooliscompetitive.Agoodoverallstrategyistokeepyourgradesupwhileyouareinschool.Veterinariansneed tohave strongmathand science skills.Plan to takecollege courses in anatomy, biology, chemistry (the study of substances), andzoology.

Vetsalsoneedtoshowapassionforhelpinganimals.Beforeapplyingtovetschool, consider volunteering at a vet’s office, an animal hospital, a wildliferehabilitationcenter,alocalanimalshelter,orazoooraquariumtogainhands-on training. Future veterinary technicians and members of a vet’s office staffshouldalsolookforwaystogetexperienceworkingwithanimals.

In reality, there aremany people besides vets thatwork in a veterinarian’soffice. Accountants keep track of money going out and coming in; officemanagers help run the business by managing employees, supplies, andequipment; and receptionists answer phone calls and schedule patients’appointments.

Veterinarians and all of their staff members must have excellentcommunication skills. A vet or vet tech must be able to communicate withanimals’keepersorownerstocatchproblemsearlyandtoensureproperday-to-day care. Vets also need strong leadership skills. They must be able to makedecisionsthatcansometimesmeanlifeordeathforananimal.

“Patient.Persevering.Caring.Compassionate.Dedicated.Highly-skilledand ingenious.Theseare justafewofthewordsthatdescribeveterinarians,peoplewhohavebasicallygiventheirlivesovertothewell-beingofouranimalfriends.”

—JackHanna,zoologistanddirectoremeritusofColumbusZooandAquarium

Avet’sjobcanbeadifficultonethankstolonghours,high-stresssituations,and the inevitable loss of some patients. But alongwith this responsibility aregreatrewards.Keepinganimalshappyandhealthyisaspecialprivilegeforvets,vettechs,andtheirentireteam.

Partofbeingaveterinarianoranyothertypeofzoologistishelpingtobetterthezoologycommunity.Somevetsandvetstaffdonatetheirtimetoparticipatein research or conservation projects happening all around the world. Othersvolunteer for animal shelters orwildlife rehabilitation centers that take careofinjuredanimalswithnowhereelse togo.Bysharing theirskillsandknowledge

with others in the zoology community, vets and their teams can make a bigdifference.

IslaSanJorgeisoneofmanyplacesawildliferesearchermayvisittostudyanimalslikethisCaliforniasealionpupinthewild.Authors’collection

A

WILDLIFERESEARCHERS

fteracoupleofstomach-churninghoursinalocalfisherman’sboat,you’vemadeitacrossthestorm-roughenedwatersoftheSeaofCortezandarrived

at your home base for the next 10 days: Bird Island. The late-morningtemperaturehasalreadyclimbedabove100degreesFahrenheit.Youstandontherocky shoreline andwave good-bye to the fisherman as he jets off toward themainland.Ashedisappearsintothedistance,you’resurroundedbynothingbutchoppywaves.Youwonderwhatyou’vegottenyourselfinto.

Aquicksurveyofyoursurroundingstellsyouthere’splentyofrockherebutno trees or shade to hide from the sun. Good thing you brought a hat andsunscreen. If there’sone thing this islanddoeshave, it’s agenerousamountofbirddroppings.Suddenly,thenickname“BirdIsland”makesalotmoresense.

Bird Island’s real name is Isla San Jorge, a small government-protectedhabitatoff thecoastofPuertoPeñasco,Mexico.Here,you’llbespendingsomequalitytimewiththesaltysea,theblisteringsun,andacolonyofCaliforniasealions. Your goal is to gather asmuchdata as possible about the colony, theirbehavior,andtheirhabitat.

IslaSanJorge—“BirdIsland.”Authors’collection

ResearcherssetupcamponIslaSanJorge.CourtesyofManuelaGonzález-Sudrez

You’re part of a team of four researchers from all around the world. Thegroup’s first task is to selectacampsite.Youpopyour tentona flat spaceandhelpsetupamakeshiftkitcheninasmallcavenearthebeach.Forthemostpart,you’llbelivingoffwarmwater,cannedfood,crackers,andgranolabarsuntilthefishermancomesbacktocollectyouin10days.Sincethere’snoreasontolookforwardtodinner,youlookforwardtobeginningyourwork.

Bydaythreeofyourresearchtrip,youknowthelayoftheland.You’vespentthe better part of each day at one of two observation sites overlooking theCalifornia sea lion colony. You’re a bit sunburned and sore but feeling goodabouttheworkyourteamhasaccomplishedsofar.You’vetakenacensusofthe

colony,madedetailedobservationsofthesealions’behavior,andhikedaroundtheislandtocollectsealionpoo.You’llbringthesesamplesbacktoalabtostudytheanimals’diet.

At theendofanother longday,youandyour teammembers takesnorkelsdowntothebeach.Youdoyourbesttowashup,buttheoceanwaterleavesyoufeelingsalty.Tonightyourgrouphassomecompany;severalsealionsaresharingtheshallowwater.Youputonyoursnorkelandduckunderthewaves.Acurioussea lion inches closer and closer until you’re nearly face-to-face. Youmay betired and dirty, but you’re quickly reminded why you’re here. It may not beluxuryliving,buthey,it’sthelifeofawildliferesearcher.

ResearchandtheScientificMethod

Zoologistswhoconductresearchcontributetoourknowledgeabouttheanimalkingdom, including how humans affect different species and their habitats.Research that tracks species’breeding patterns and their numbers in thewildhelpsguideconservationefforts.

Acommongoal inscience is toexplainwhathumanshaveobserved in thenaturalworld.Zoologists,similartootherscientists,followthescientificmethodwhensearchingforanswers.Thismeanstheyaskquestions,brainstormpossibleanswers,testtheirideas,anddrawconclusions.

Thefirststepinthescientificmethodistobecuriousbymakingobservationsand askingquestions. SusanaCárdenas-Alayza, director of thePunta San Juanproject at the Center for Environmental Sustainability at Peru’s CayetanoHerediaUniversity,beganhercareerasaresearch fieldassistantbyasking thisquestion:Howdofursealsrecoverafterapopulationcollapse?SheparticularlywantedtoknowhowfursealsalongthecoastofPeruwererecoveringafteroneofthestrongestElNiñoeventsinhistory.

ElNiño refers tounusuallywarmoceanconditions along thewest coastofNorth, Central, and South America. During the late 1990s, a particularlypowerful El Niño event caused dangerous weather conditions in Peru andelsewhere. By collecting data about wild fur seals living along this coastline,SusanahelpedherfellowresearchersfigureouthowElNiñocontinuedtoaffectwildlifemanyyearslater.

SusanaalsoservesasafieldprogramcoordinatorfortheChicagoZoologicalSociety,whichsupportswildliferesearch inPeruandaroundtheglobe.Today,she continues to try to understand the effects of the environment and human

activities onpopulations of fur seals, sea lions,Humboldt penguins, andotherspecies.Sheworkswithzoologists,biologists,andenvironmentalscientistswhowant to findanswers to theirownquestionsabout thewildlife livingonPeru’scoasts.

Researchers like Susana don’t just ask questions, they brainstormpotentialanswers.Thesecondstepinthescientificmethodistomakeaneducatedguessor hypothesis. If you played the “Explore Concealing Coloration” game inchapter1,youmayalreadyhaveexperiencecomingupwithahypothesis.Asyouplayed, did you notice it was easier to gather green insects on the browncardstock and brown insects on the green cardstock? If so, you may havehypothesizedthatinthewild,insectswithcamouflagearelesslikelytobeeatenthan insects without camouflage. Good hypotheses come from these types ofobservationsandscientists’desiretoknow“how”or“why.”

Zoologistsconductresearchtoanswerscientificquestionsaboutwildlife.CourtesyofChicagoZoologicalSociety/SusanaCárdenas-Alayza

After comingupwith a hypothesis, scientists design experiments that helpthemcollectdatabytakingmeasurements,makingmoreobservations,orboth.Testing and experimenting are crucial to the scientific method. If a questioncan’t be tested with experiments or by gathering observations of the naturalworld, the scientific method can’t answer it. This includes questions aboutphilosophyorreligion,suchas“Whatisthemeaningoflife?”

CriticalThinking:IndependentandDependentVariables

To test ahypothesis, a scientistmight setupan experiment that comparesonegroupof test subjectswith another group of test subjects. In the first group, called the experimental group, the scientistchanges something to see whether it has an effect. In the other group, called the control group, thescientistdoesn’tchangeanything.

Theexperimentalgroupandthecontrolgroupmustbeexactlythesameexceptforonefactor—theindependent variable. By changing just one factor, the scientist can see how this one factor changesthings.Thechangeascientistiswatchingoutforandmeasuringiscalledthedependentvariable.

The final step in the scientific method is to analyze the results of anexperiment and, if possible, to draw a conclusion. When many differentscientists test the same hypothesis and come to the same conclusion, thehypothesisbecomesascientifictheory.

It’saLabLifeforMe

Experimentshelp researchers collectevidence that either supports ordoesnotsupportahypothesis.Someexperimentsaredifficult toconduct inananimal’snaturalhabitatbecausetherearemanyfactorsbeyondcontrolthatcouldchangetheoutcomeofatest.Whenthisisthecase,researchersmightturntothemorecontrolledenvironmentofalab.

Lab research can help scientists learn about animal behavior, includinganimals’ ability to learn, remember, adapt, and communicate. Labs that houseliveanimalsmust followrules thataimtokeeptheanimalshappyandhealthy.Research labs that test human products on animals or that involve animals inmedicalresearcharecontroversialandbeyondthescopeofthisbook.

Someresearchlabsaresimplyaplacewherezoologistscanstudydatathey’vecollected somewhere else. Researchers may observe animals at a zoo oraquarium,orinthewild,thenbringtheseobservationsbacktoalab.Oncethere,researchers enter data into computer programs that can analyze it, identifytrends, and help researchers draw conclusions. Researchers share theirconclusions by writing reports and articles for scientific journals and bypreparingpresentationsfortheirfellowscientists.

Many universities have research laboratories. These labs allow students tostudyanimals’forms,functions,andbehaviorswhiletheyprepareforacareerin

zoology—possibly as a zookeeper or aquarist, a veterinarian, a wildliferesearcher,oraconservationist.

TheLaboratoryofMedicalZoologyattheUniversityofMassachusettshelpsthe scientific community better understand infectious diseases that affectwildlife,includingzoonoticdiseasesthatcanalsoaffecthumans.Thisparticularlabfocusesonstudyingtick-bornediseases,suchasLymedisease,inadditiontohumanmalariaandrabies.TheresearchersattheLaboratoryofMedicalZoologyhelppreventthespreadofthesediseasesbytrackingoutbreaksandbyeducatingthepublicabouttherisks.

IntheField

A controlled experiment in a research lab is not always possible or preferable.Many wildlife researchers gather data to support their hypotheses throughobservationinthefield.Inzoology,“thefield”doesnotrefertoarandomfieldfullofwheat,grass,orflowers.Workinthefieldhappensoutsidetheoffice,lab,university, zoo, or aquarium. Field research often takes place in the naturalhabitatofthespeciesbeingstudied,suchasBirdIslandintheSeaofCortez.

Someexperimentsarebestperformedinalab.CourtesyofStephenM.Rich,LaboratoryofMedicalZoology

Alabscientistworkstocollectandanalyzedataaboutzoonoticdiseases.CourtesyofStephenM.Rich,LaboratoryofMedicalZoology

ACTIVITY

ConductanExperiment:KeepingWarm

Itisimportantforanytypeofscientist,includingzoologists,toknowhowtosetupanexperiment.Inthisactivity,youwilltestahypothesisthatanimalswithinsulationsuchasfur,feathers,andfatstaywarmerthananimalswithoutinsulation.Thisexperimentwilltake45minutestoonehourtocomplete.

MATERIALS

WaterpitcherMeasuringcup(withouncesmarked)Permanentmarker3aluminumcans(samesizeandshape)3quart-sizedZiplocbagsPenorpencilandpaper2cupsofshreddednewspaperSpoon2cupsoflard(availableatgrocerystores)Ice(enoughtofillasink)

DigitalfoodthermometerStopwatchortimer

Fillapitcherwith2¼cupsoftapwaterandletitsitoutonthecountertoreachroomtemperature.Useapermanentmarkertolabelthreealuminumcansandthreequart-sizedZiplocbagsA,B,andC.Onasheetofpaper,createatableliketheoneinfigure1tokeeptrackofyourdata.

Measureout 3/4 cupof tapwater from thepitcher andpour it into canA.CanA is the controlgroup;itrepresentstheamountofheatananimalwouldloseifitsatinicewithoutfur,feathers,orfattoinsulateit.PlacecanAinbagAandsetittotheside.

Measure out 3/4 cup of tapwater from the pitcher and pour it into canB.CanB represents ananimalthathasfurorfeathers.Torepresentfurorfeathers,addathinlayerofshreddednewspapertothebottomofbagBandplacecanBinsidethebag.FillbagBwiththerestofyourshreddednewspaper,makingsurethecanissurroundedonallsidesexceptthetop.SetbagBtotheside.

Measure out 3/4 cupof tapwater from the pitcher andpour it into canC.CanC represents ananimalthathasfatorblubberforinsulation.Torepresentfatorblubber,spoonsomelardintobagC,creatingahalf-inchlayeratthebottom,thenplacecanCinside.Spoontherestofthelardintothebag,squishingitaroundsothecanisinsulatedonallsidesexceptthetop.SetbagCtotheside.

Fillyourkitchensinkwithice.Take the “before temperature” of the water in can A by sticking a thermometer in the can and

lettingitsituntilitgivesyouasteadyreading.Thiscouldtakeonetotwominutes,dependingonthethermometer.

RecordthebeforetemperatureofcanAandsealbagAwiththecanandthethermometerinside.

PlacebagAupright in the sink so it’s surroundedby ice. Start your stopwatchor set a timer for 10minutes.

After two minutes, check the thermometer without opening the bag and write down thetemperatureofthewaterincanAintherowmarked“Temp.2minutes.”Twominuteslater,recordthewater temperature in the row marked “Temp. 4 minutes.” Continue checking and recording thetemperatureeverytwominutesuntilyoureach10.

After10minutes,checkthethermometerandrecordthe“aftertemperature”ofthewaterincanA.RemovebagAfromtheiceandtakethethermometerout.

YouwillnowcomparecanAtocansBandC.TakeandrecordthebeforetemperatureofthewaterincanB,thensealbagBwiththecanandthethermometerinside.PlacebagBuprightinthesinksoit’ssurroundedbyice.Startyourstopwatchorsetatimerfor10minutes.

Ateverytwo-minuteinterval,checkthethermometerandwritedownthetemperatureofthewaterincanB.After10minutes,recordtheaftertemperatureofthewaterincanB.RemovebagBfromtheiceandtakethethermometerout.

TakeandrecordthebeforetemperatureofthewaterincanC,thensealbagCwiththecanandthethermometerinside.PlacebagCuprightinthesinksoit’ssurroundedbyice.Startyourstopwatchorsetatimerfor10minutes.

Ateverytwo-minuteinterval,checkthethermometerandwritedownthetemperatureofthewaterincanC.After10minutes,recordtheaftertemperatureofthewaterincanC.

Subtract the after temperatures from the before temperatures and record the results in the rowmarked“Difference.”Whichcan lost themostheat?Whichcan lost the leastheat?Wouldananimalwithinsulationstaywarmerthanananimalwithoutinsulation?

ExtraCreditApplywhatyou’velearnedaboutscientificexperimentstoanswerthefollowingquestions:Whatistheindependentvariableinthisexperiment?Whatisthedependentvariable?

CoolCareers

WILDLIFERESEARCHER

Dr.ManuelaGonzález-Suárez

PostdoctoralResearcherEstaciónBiológicadeDoñana,CSIC,Seville,Spain

“I am always looking for questions and answers.Although I amnot out every day saving tigers orelephantsdirectly,myworkcanhelpprotectanimalspecies,andthatmakesmehappy.”

Ifyouthinkwildliferesearchersareonlyeithera)peoplewithlabcoatsandmicroscopesorb)peoplewithbinocularsworkinginexoticlocations,thinkagain!AccordingtoDr.ManuelaGonzález-Suárez,abiologist,zoologist,andresearchercurrentlyworkinginSpain,therearemanyresearcherslikeherwhowearnormalclothesandworkinaregularoffice—atleastonmostdays.

Dr.Manuelahasalwayshadtwokeycharactertraitsofazoologist:acuriousmindandaloveofnature. Looking back, she says becoming a researcher focusing on conservation biology was theperfect career choice for her. So far in her career, Dr.Manuela has done researchwork on spiderbehavior,lizardecology,andmammalianconservation.Hergoalistobeabletosayherresearchhashelpedpreventaspecies’Extinction.

Onmostdays,Dr.Manuelaridesherbiketoanofficewhereshehasadeskandacomputer.Hermainjobistolearnhowandwhyspeciesbecomeextinctandthenresearchwhatzoologistscandotoprevent this loss. Though she has spent a good deal of time collecting information and observinganimalsinthewild,she’susuallyinherofficeanalyzingdataandwritingaboutwhatshehaslearned.

Asawildliferesearcher,Dr.Manuelamustfollowthescientificmethod.Shethinksofinterestingandexcitingquestionsaboutnature,brainstormshypotheses,designswaystotestherhypotheses,thenshares what she learns with others. Because science is a continuous learning process, she says onequestionorexperimentoftenleadstootherquestionsandexperiments.Inotherwords,aresearcher’sjobisneverdone.

Asuccessfulresearchermustbeabletoworkwithotherstogetfundingandsupportforprojects.Researchersmustalsosharetheirworkbypublishinginscientificjournals,givingscientifictalks,and,occasionally,participatinginbookslikeZoologyforKids.Dr.Manuelasaysbeingawildliferesearcherrequiresdedication,butifyoulovewhatyoudo,allthehardworkpaysoff.

Dr.ManuelaGonzález-Suárez,awildliferesearcher,helpsgatherdatatobringbacktoalab.

CourtesyofManuelaGonzález-Suárez

Scientists performing observational research in the field usually have lesscontrolovertheirexperiments.However,thisdoesnotmeanobservationisn’tagood way to answer scientific questions. For instance, observation can helpresearchers gather information about how animals set up and defend theirterritories,howtheyfindmates,andhowtheyraisetheiroffspring.

Sohowdoesawildliferesearcherperformresearchinthefield?PretendyouarestudyingwildCaliforniasealionsonIslaSanJorge.Earlyintheday,youanda fellow researcher set up chairs and a shade umbrella on a rocky cliffoverlookingoneoftheisland’sbeaches,wherehundredsofsealionshavecomeashore.Youbringbinoculars,apenandpaperfortakingnotes,andmaybeevenahandheldelectronicdeviceforinputtingdata.

Your first task is toobserve thehabitat itself.Youusegridpaper todrawabasicmapof thebeach.You estimate the sizeof thehabitat andmakenoteofenvironmental factorssuchasair temperature,windspeed,andthepositionofthetide.

For thenext fewhours,youobserve thesea lionsbyconducting15-minutefocalsamples.Totakea focalsample,youwatchonesea lioncloselyandkeeptrackofeachbehavioryousee.After15minutes,youchooseanewanimalandbeginagain.

When wildlife researchers observe animal behaviors, they might use anethogram tohelpthemrecognizeandrecordbehaviorsquicklyandaccurately.If, during a focal sample, younoticed amaleCalifornia sea lionmakingnoiseandcirclingitsterritory,you’dtakealookatanethogramliketheoneinfigure2onthenextpage,recognizethesealionis“patrolling,”andmakeacheckmarknexttothebehavioronyourworksheet.

ZoologistRamonaFlatzbrieflycapturesawildCaliforniasealionpuptogathersomebasicdata.CourtesyofRamonaFlatz

Researchers also observe behavior using a technique called scanning.Scanning provides a quick sampling of an entire group’s behaviors. Unlike afocalsample,whichrecordsthebehaviorsofoneanimal,ascansamplerecordsthebehaviorsofagroupofanimalsatonepointintime.Scanningisliketakingamentalsnapshotofamomentandrecordingitforlater.

Many field research projects require a census. A census helps researcherskeeptrackofanimals’numbersinthewild.AsawildliferesearcheronIslaSanJorge,you’dneedtotakeaboatridearoundthe islandtocountthenumberofsea lions thatmake up the colony.Most of the time, researchers are not onlyinterestedinhowmanyanimalsareatasite,theyalsowanttoknowtheageandgenderofeachanimalwheneverpossible.

“When Iamexhausted from twodaysof travel,beatby sixteenhoursofuninterrupted filming,or sickfromanexoticbugthathassetupcampinmy lower intestine, Iremindmyself thatI’vegotoneof theneatestjobsintheworld.”

—JeffCorwin,zoologistandTVshowhost

FIGURE2:CALIFORNIASEALIONETHOGRAM

BEHAVIOR APPLIESTO DESCRIPTION

Patrolling Males Territorialmalebarkingandcirclingterritory.

Nursing Females/Pups Femalenursingorpup/youngadultfeeding.

Female-pupcalls Females/Pups Pupandfemalecallingforeachother.

Nuzzling All Animalsniffingatorpassingitssnoutrepeatedlyoveranotheranimal’ssnout.

Scratchingself All Groomingbyscratchingselfagainstrocks,sand,orotheranimals.

Sitting All Animalrestingonthegroundorinthesurf,frontflippersareholdingbodyup.

Resting All Animalislyingdown;bothsetsofflippersareresting.

Locomotion All Animalismovingfromoneplacetoanother.

Play All Pup/youngadultsimulatingadultbehavior.

Field researchersmightbriefly capturewild animals to tag themor to takesamples.Taggingormarkinganimalsforthepurposesofwildliferesearchhelpsscientists keep track of animals more easily. This can be helpful duringobservationalstudies.Takingsamplesofananimal’shair,tissue,blood,orfecesfromthefieldtoalabmayalsobenecessary,dependingontheproject.

After capturing a wild animal, researchers might also weigh it, take itsmeasurements, and check its body forwounds. For small animals like sea lionpups,thisisrelativelyeasytodowithoutharmingtheanimalortheresearcher.For larger species, a veterinarianmayneed to step in to anesthetize an animalbeforeitcanbesafelystudied.Zoologistsmustconstantlyweighthebenefitsandrisksofinterferingwithwildanimalsforthepurposesofresearch.

ResearchandDiscovery

Discovery is an important part of some research teams’ mission in the field.Everyonceinawhile,aresearcherwilldiscoveranewspecieswhileconductingapopulationcensusorobservingwildlife.

TheMontereyBayAquariumResearch Institute announced in 2012 that ateamofscientistshaddiscoveredaspeciescalledtheharpsponge.Thankstotheinstitute’s remotely operated vehicles that can dive far below the depths ofhumandivers,zoologistscannowstudythisdeep-seasponge.

ACTIVITY

BackyardZoology:PerformFieldResearch

BackyardZoology:PerformFieldResearch

Youdon’tneedtotravelfartoconductfieldresearch.Infact,youcanpracticebeingawildliferesearcherinyourownhomeorbackyard,or inanearbypark,zoo,oraquarium,using the same techniques realzoologistsuse.Thisactivityrequiresaccesstoananimalyoucanobserveforatleast15minutes.

MATERIALS

NotebookPenorpencilTimerorstopwatchBinoculars(optional)Magnifyingglass(optional)

Toconductwildliferesearchathome,practiceobservingananimalandcreatinganethogrambasedonyourobservationsofitsbehaviors.First,chooseananimalyou’dliketoobserve.Youcanchooseapetlikeacat,adog,orafish;awildanimalsuchasasnailoraworm;orananimalatazoooraquarium.Wedon’trecommendchoosingawildbirdunlessyouhaveafeederthatwilltemptthebirdtolingerforabout15minutes.

Setupyourobservationstationwithanotebookandapenorpencil,atimerorstopwatch,andanyothertoolsyoumayneed.(Ifyou’rewatchingazooanimalfromfaraway,maybebringbinoculars.Ifyou’rewatchinganinsectoutside,considerbringingamagnifyingglass.)

Setatimerfor15minutes.Watchtheanimalyou’vechosenandtakenotesbywritingdownallthebehaviorsyouobserve.Ifyouareobservingahousecat,yourlistmightincludelookingoutawindow,battingatatoy,drinkingwater,eatingfood,sleeping,stretching,grooming,playing,chewingonacord,andgoingtothebathroominthelitterbox.

Ifyoudon’tobservemorethantwoorthreebehaviorsduringthe15-minuteobservationperiod,trybumpingyourtimeupto20or30minutes.

When you’re doneobserving, organize yournotes into an ethogram that looks like figure 3. Listeach behavior you observed and write a brief description of it. Read through the behaviors anddescriptionsgiveninfigure2ifyouneedanexample.

FIGURE3:HOMEMADEETHOGRAMTEMPLATE

BEHAVIOR DESCRIPTION

ExtraCredit

Trycreatingasecondethogramforadifferentspecies,thencomparinghowthetwospeciesspendtheirtime.Forinstance,compareadogandacatathome,asquirrelandaninsectoutside,oramonkeyandanalligatoratazoo.

Wildliferesearcherstookthisphotoastheyscannedagroupofanimalsandrecordedtheirbehaviors,creatingasnapshotofthemomentthattheycouldanalyzelater.Authors’collection

Theolinguito,oneofscience’srecentlydiscoveredspecies,ispartofthesamefamilyasraccoons,coatis,andkinkajous.CourtesyofC.MiguelPinto

In 2013, a team of Smithsonian scientists revealed their discovery of theolinguito,asmallcarnivorenativetotheforestsofColombiaandEcuador.Theteamfirstrealizedtheolinguitowasunnamedandundescribedbythescientificcommunity during amultiyear research study focused on a previously knownspecies.

Awildlife researcher’s goal is not only to gather information about knownand unknown species but also to understand how each species fits into itsecosystem.Research,discovery,anddocumentationadd to society’sknowledgeof the animal kingdom, which can be passed down from generation togeneration.

Researchcanhelpzoosandaquariumstakebettercareoftheiranimals.Forexample, it could help a zookeeper or aquarist determine what form ofenrichmentananimalprefers.Orresearchcouldhelpacuratorunderstandhowan animal is using the space in its exhibit, which could help improve exhibitdesignsdowntheroad.

Perhapsthemostimportantfunctionofwildliferesearch,though,istodriveconservationefforts.Researchcanhelpzoologistsdeterminewhetherananimalis endangered in thewild andwhat canbedone about it. It canhelpmeasure

habitatlossandestimatewhatcouldhappenifconditionsdonotchange.Armedwith this typeof data, zoologistswho arepassionate aboutwildlife can inspireotherstostepinandhelpprotectthenaturalworld.

AnimalClassification

Zoologistshavenamedmorethanonemillionspecies,butscientistsbelievethisisjustafractionofthosethatinhabitPlanetEarth.Thismeansthereisavastnumberofspecieslefttobediscoveredandstudied.

HistoriansbelievetheGreekphilosopherAristotlewasthefirstpersontoclassifyorarrangeanimalspecies into an order based on their similar forms. In the 1700s, a Swedish scientist named CarolusLinnaeus furthered this idea. Today, we classify each living thing by grouping it into a kingdom, aphylum,aclass,anorder,afamily,agenus,andaspecies.

CarolusLinnaeusalsodevelopedasystemfornamingspeciescalledbinomialnomenclature,whichassigns each living thing a scientific namemade up of two Latinwords.Humans’ scientific name isHomosapiens.

CLASSIFYINGAHUMAN,AGORILLA,ANDACLOWNFISH

ACTIVITY

InventaNewSpecies

You’reawildlife researchergatheringdata ina remote cornerof theworld.Youcomeacrossa strangeanimalyou’veneverseenbefore.Coulditbeanundiscoveredspecies?Letyourimaginationrunwildasyou inventa species,draw it,describe it,andname it.Thisactivity requiresaccess to the Internetoralibrary.

MATERIALS

Penorpencil2to3sheetsofblankprinterpaperMarkers,crayons,orcoloredpencils

Doyou lovereptiles?Amphibians?Fish?Birds?Insects?Mammals?Thinkofananimalor twoyou’dliketouseasinspirationforabrand-newspeciesfromyourimagination.Beginwitharoughsketchofwhatyourspeciesmightlooklike.Lookuppicturesofexistingspeciestohelpguideyourdesign.

Onceyou’vebrainstormedyouranimal’sbasicform,considerwhereitwill live.Giveyouranimalsomefeaturesthatwillhelpitsurvive.Ifyou’redesigningafishwith17eyesthatlivesinsidepurpleseaanemones, youmight give it some bright purple camouflage to blend in with its environment. Youmightalsogiveitalongtongueitcanusetosnatchprey.

ExtraCreditIfyoureallyhaddiscoveredanewspeciesduringaresearchtrip,youwouldhavewrittenaboutthediscovery in your field notebook. Create a pretend field notebook andmake an entry about yourdiscovery.Howdidtheanimalcatchyourattention?Whatbehaviorsdidyouobserve?

Decidewhatyourcreaturewouldeat,whetheritwouldlivealoneorinagroup,andhowitwouldspenditsdays(ornights,ifit’snocturnal).

Nowthatyou’veoutlinedyournewspecies’form,function,andbehavior,drawafinalversiononafreshsheetofpaper.Coloryourdrawingwithmarkers,crayons,orcoloredpencils.

Decidewhattocallyournewspecies.Ifyou’dliketonameyouranimal“Jason’sRegalEyeFish,”goforit!Writethenameatthetopofyourdrawing.

Last,makeafewbulletpointsonyourpaperthatdescribeyourspecies’habitat,itsdiet,itssurvivaltechniques,andanyspecialbehaviors.Shareyourinventionwithafriendorfamilymember.

GettingaJob

Wildlife research is a teameffort. It takesmanagers like Susanawho superviseprojects, coordinate meetings between researchers and government officials,organize fieldwork, and reach out for funding. It takes field workers who arewillingtogiveupthecomfortsofhometogooutandgatherinformation.Italsotakes lab researchers like Dr. Manuela who dedicate most of their time toanalyzingdata,researchingnewprojectopportunities,andpublishingresultsforthescientificcommunity.

WhileyoumayeventuallygettosnorkelwithwildCaliforniasealions,muchofawildliferesearcher’stimeisspentplanning,fundraising,processingdata,andwriting scientific reports. Researchers study for many years in school, usuallyearningdegrees inbiologyor zoology.Theymay alsoneed to travel andworkoddhours.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in wildlife research, talk to yourparents about visiting local natural history museums, zoos and aquariums,botanicalgardens,andwildernessreserves.Considerattendingsummercampsattheseplacesandparticipatinginscience-basedactivities.

Pay close attention during science classes, especially in biology, and spendyour free time learning about and experiencing the world around you. Onceyou’reinhighschoolorcollege,volunteerataresearchlabtogetsomehands-onexperience.

Most importantly, remember that to be a researcher means to never stopasking questions and looking for answers. The answers you find as a wildliferesearcher could someday save an endangered species or a threatened habitatthatneedsyourhelp.

AzoologistfromtheLaboratoryofMedicalZoologycollectssamplesfromanaturalhabitat.CourtesyofStephenM.Rich,LaboratoryofMedicalZoology

Threatenedspeciesacrossthegloberelyonzoologistsjustlikeyou.CourtesyofBJKirschhoffer/polarbearsinternational.org

F

CONSERVATIONWARRIORS

or Dr. Sharon Hall, an associate professor of ecology, evolution, andenvironmentalscienceatArizonaStateUniversity,achanceencounterwith

an endangered species helps keep her motivated every day on the job. Onesummer,Dr.Sharonwasstudyingtheimpactsofslash-and-burnagricultureinthetropicalrainforestsofBorneo,anislandinsoutheastAsia.

She describes what happened: “One day, I was walking in the forest andheard a rustling in the trees above me. I looked up to see a baby BorneanorangutanthathadcomedownfromthetreetopstoseewhatIwasdoing.ThebabyandIwatchedeachotherforwhatseemedlikeaverylongtime—me,sittingdownontheground,andher,movingfrombranchtobranchamongtheleaves.Itseemedlikeweweregettingtoknoweachotherquietly,withthebirdsongsoftherainforestallaroundus.Ihaveneverforgottenthatmoment.”

For Dr. Sharon, this memory is bittersweet. The baby orangutan sheencounteredthatdaycouldbepartofoneofthelastgenerationsofitsspeciestolive in the wild. Because humans are destroying orangutans’ homes, the rainforestsofBorneoandSumatra, at analarming rate, thenumberoforangutanslivingintheirnaturalhabitathasdwindled.

The rain forests of Borneo and Sumatra are being destroyed to providehumanswithvaluablegoods,suchaslumberandpalmoil.Humansuselumbertobuildfurniture,shippingcrates,cabinets,andframesfordoorsandwindows.Someofthewoodevenendsupaspaper.

Palmoilisacommoningredientinproductsyouandyourfamilymightbuyeveryday,includingbakedgoods,candy,andmanyotheritemsyoucanfindinthesupermarket.Ifzoologistsandotherscientistsdon’ttakeastandagainstthedestructionofrainforests,someresearchersbelieveorangutansandotherspecies

thatliveintheseareascouldbecomeextinctinourlifetime.

Dr.SharonHalltakessoilsamplesinNepalaspartofaconservationproject.CourtesyofDr.SharonHall

ForDr.Sharon,thefewminutesshespentwithanendangeredspeciesonasummer afternoon have pushed her to work hard as an educator and as ascientist. Dr. Sharon’s job title may be “professor,” but she is one of manyzoologistswhoseultimategoalistoconservethenaturalplacesthathumansandnonhumanscallhome.

Wildlifecannotsurvivewithoutahealthyecosystem,andDr.Sharonknowsahealthyecosystembeginswithhealthysoils,plants,water,andair.Throughherwork,Dr.Sharonhelpsothersunderstandallthedifferentwaysthenaturalworldneedsourprotection.Sheisaconservationwarrior.

EcosystemsinTrouble

Can you imagine a world without tropical rain forests? If there were no rainforests, orangutans are not the only species thatwould be in trouble.Humans

mayhave accomplishedmany great feats, such as traveling to outer space anddiscoveringcuresfordeadlydiseases,butwehavealsocausedgreatharmtoourplanetanditsenvironment.

An environmental problem is an undesirable change in the environment,such as air pollution, water pollution, and deforestation. One environmentalproblemzoologistspaycloseattentiontoishabitatloss.Whenhumanscutdowntrees tomakeway for homes or agriculture like the oil palmplantations fromwhichwegetpalmoil,animalsthatliveinthesehabitatsmustmoveordie.Eventhough human survival depends on our ability to use the planet’s naturalresources,wemustdosoresponsibly.

Thegiantpandaisanotherexampleofaspeciessufferingfromhabitat loss.Destruction of the giant panda’s habitat, China’s bamboo forests, hasmade itmoredifficultfortheseanimalstofindthefoodandsheltertheyneedtosurvive.Deforestation has also isolated giant pandas from each other,making itmoredifficultforthemtomateandreproducenaturally.

Pollution caused by human activities can also destroy habitats. Accidents,suchasanoilspillintheocean,canbadlydamageanecosystemandeverythingthat lives there. Humans’ everyday actions can also accumulate and cause bigproblems.By burning fuel and cuttingdown forests, humans are adding gasessuchascarbondioxidetoEarth’satmosphere.Thesegasesgettrappedaspartofthegreenhouseeffect,anaturalprocessthatkeepstheplanetwarm.However,aswe continue to add gases to our atmosphere, the greenhouse effect intensifies,trappingmoreheatandcausingEarth’sglobaltemperaturestorise.

Manyscientistsbelievethisphenomenon,calledglobalwarming,iscausingchangesinEarth’sclimate.Inthepolarregions,warmertemperaturesarealreadyhaving a negative impact. Arctic species like the polar bear are facing newhardshipsaswarmertemperaturesmelttheregion’sseaice,whichmanyspeciesdepend on to survive.Unfortunately, these newhardships sometimes result inspeciesdeclineorevenextinction.

EcologistsusetheacronymHIPPOtorememberfiveofthemostimportantreasons for today’shigh levelsof speciesdeclineandextinction.HIPPOstandsforHabitatloss,Invasivespecies,Pollution,Populationgrowth,andOveruseofresources.

Invasivespeciesareorganismsthatarelivinginaplacetheyarenotsupposedto be. In each ecosystem, there are built-in population controls like predatorsanda limitedsupplyofresourcessuchas food,water,andspace. Ifaspecies istaken from its native ecosystem and put into a different one, it can create an

imbalance.Initsnewenvironment,aninvasivespeciesmaynothaveanynaturalpredators,soitspopulationnumberscouldsoarasitpreysonnativespecies.

ScientistsbelieveglobalwarmingiscausingseaiceintheArctictomelt.Thisisreallybadnewsforpolarbearsandotherspeciesthatdependontheseaicetosurvive.CourtesyofStevenC.Amstrup/polarbearsinternational.org

AwarningfromEasterIsland

There is a small, remote island in the PacificOcean that holds dark secrets about its past.Once thebackdropforathrivingsocietyandculture,today’sEasterIslandisbestknownforitsmoai,giantstatuescarvedfromvolcanicrockbyitsancientinhabitants.Butatwhatcostdidthissocietythrive?

ArchaeologistsbelieveEasterIslandwasoncea tropicaloasis filledwithmanyspeciesof treesandbirds. However, between AD 400 and 1700, the Polynesians who settled on Easter Island nearlydestroyed its natural environment, in large part by cutting down the island’s palm forests. WhenEuropean explorers cameupon the island in the1700s, they reported anear-barren landscapewith agreatlydiminishedhumanpopulation.

Could the islanders’ irresponsible use of their natural resources be to blame for their downfall?WhilemanyquestionsremainaboutexactlywhathappenedonEasterIslandbetweenAD400and1700,deforestationmost likelycontributedtothecivilization’s troubles.LikeEasterIsland,PlanetEarthhaslimitednaturalresourcesthatallofitsinhabitantsdependontosurvive.Ifwedonotusetheseresourcescarefully,wecoulddamageourenvironmenttothepointofnoreturn.

TheNorthAmericanbullfrogisoneinvasivespeciesthathascausedtroubleacrossNorthAmericaandonothercontinentswhereithasbeenintroduced.Intheirnaturalhabitat, bullfrogshelpkeep insectpopulations in check thanks totheirheftyappetites. Inareas like thewesternUnitedStateswheretheyarenotnative, North American bullfrogs compete with native species, such as otherfrogs,forfood.Insomecases,theinvasivebullfrogisdrivingthesenativespeciesintodecline.

Sometimes,petowners accidentally createproblemsby releasingnonnativeanimals into thewild.Burmesepythons, large snakes from southeastAsia thatareoftenboughtandsoldaspets,havewreakedhavocintheFloridaEvergladesby preying on the ecosystem’s native species. Since there are few naturalpredatorsintheEvergladesforthesegiganticsnakes,pythonsthathaveescapedorbeenreleasedintotheparkhavethrivedattheexpenseofnativewildlife.

To stop invasive species from disturbing the balance of local ecosystems,scientists and government workers may work together to introduce naturalpredators into an area that will help control a “pest” population. Theseconservationwarriorsmayalsoeducatethepublicaboutthedangersofkeepingexotic pets and/or releasing them into the wild. By preventing the spread ofinvasivespecies,conservation-mindedzoologistshopetoprotectecosystems,topreventspeciesdeclineandextinction,andtopreservebiodiversity.

SolvingEnvironmentalProblems

In some cases, government officials help conservation efforts by setting publiclandasidefornationalparksornaturepreservesthatprotectwildplacesandthewildlifelivinginthem.Parkrangers,ecologists,andotherstaffworktogethertokeeptheseareasingoodshapeforthewildlifeandthepeoplewhovisit.

Lawmakersandpoliticiansmayalsoplayarole inconservationbycreatingrulesthatprotectanimalsandtheirhabitats.Oneexampleisplacingrestrictionsonthekillingofwildlife,includingpoaching—theillegalhuntingorcapturingofanimals. It’s also up to government workers to enforce laws meant to helpprotect the environment from pollution and other environmentally damagingactivities.

CoolCareers

CONSERVATIONSCIENTIST

Dr.StevenAmstrup

ChiefScientistPolarBearsInternational,Bozeman,Montana

“These days, many seem to think humans are merely observers of ecology. In reality, we areparticipantsinitjustlikealltheothercreaturesoutthere.”

Dr.StevenAmstrupwillneverforgetthetimehefellthroughtheroofofapolarbear’sden.Suddenlyface-to-face with amother bear and her two small cubs, Dr. Steven could have easily become thefamily’slunch.Luckily,helivedtotellthetale.

Inhispastasawildliferesearcher,Dr.StevenspentalotoftimeoutonthepackiceintheArctic.Today, he focuses on findingways to save polar bears from extinction.On a day-to-day basis, thismeans writing up results from past research projects, planning new projects, collectingoutreach/educationtools,andworkingwiththemediatospreadtheword:polarbearsneedourhelp.

Through interviews, lectures, and other presentations, Dr. Steven plays a key role incommunicating the threats to polar bears and what we can do to save them. Dr. Steven hopes topreventthenumberofwildpolarbearsfromdecliningevenfurther,whilehelpingothersrealizethattheiractionsimpactpolarbears’future—forbetterorforworse.

Dr.StevenAmstrupCourtesyofStevenC.Amstrup/polarbearsinternational.org

Sometimes, lawmaking is not enough to prevent the destruction of anecosystem or the decline of a species. In these cases, zoologists called wildlifemanagers step in to help bymonitoring a species’ population numbers in thewild, by studying its role in its ecosystem, and by implementing strategies toensureitssurvival.

WildlifemanagersoftenworkforlocalgovernmentsornationalgovernmentagenciessuchastheUSFishandWildlifeService.Whenthereisaproblem,likethe spreadof an invasive species,wildlifemanagershelp findways to curb theproblemandrestoreanaturalbalance.

ACTIVITY

SurviveHabitatLoss:TheResourceGame

Habitat destructionmakes it difficult for animals to find the resources they need to survive. Simulatehabitatlossandtrytosurviveasyouplaytheresourcegame.Thisactivityrequiresthreeplayersandoneadulttoserveasthemoderator.

MATERIALS

Maskingtapeorducttape12dimes(oranysmallobject)12nickels(oranysmallobject)Penorblackmarker9indexcardsDice

ObjectiveStayaliveaslongaspossibleasyourresourcesdwindleandyourhabitatgetssmaller.

SetupUsemaskingtapeorducttapetocreatealargesquareontheground.Withmoretape,dividethesquareinto three equally spaced rows and columns, creating nine smaller squares, or “habitats,” each largeenoughforaplayertostandin.

Placeonedimeandonenickel ineachhabitatsquare.Thedimesrepresentwaterresourcetokensandthenickelsrepresentfoodresourcetokens.Settheextratokensasideincaseyouneedthemlater.

UseapenorablackmarkertowriteabigXonnineindexcards.Duringthegame,themoderatorwilladdoneoftheseXcardstoanyhabitatsquarethatgetsdestroyed.

Ifyou’reaplayer,chooseananimal speciesyou’d like torepresent.Selectoneof theninehabitatsquares and stand inside it. If you’re themoderator, read the “How toPlay” and “AdditionalRules”sectionsbeforeyoustartthegame.

HowtoPlayBeginthegamebyrollingthedice.Readtheactionbelowthatmatchesthenumberyourolledoutloudtotheplayers,thenfollowthedirections:

1. Exploreanewterritory.Eachplayermustmovetoanewhabitatsquare.

2. Yourhabitat’swatersourcehasbeenpolluted.Eachplayermustgiveuponewaterresourcetokentothemoderator.

3. Alumbercompanyhasflattenedpartofthisarea.Themoderatormustdestroytwohabitatsquaresandremovetheresourcetokensfromthosesquares.

4. An invasive species has entered your ecosystem, providing newcompetitionforfood.Eachplayermustgiveuponefoodresourcetokentothemoderator.

5. A natural disaster just hit. The moderator must destroy one habitatsquareandremovetheresourcetokensfromthatsquare.

6. Aconservationisthelpedrestore thisarea.ThemoderatorcanaddonehabitatsquarebacktotheplayingfieldbyremovingtheXcardandbyrestoring one food and onewater resource token to the square. (If nohabitat squares have been destroyed, each player can choose oneresourcetokentoaddtohisorhersquare.)

AdditionalRulesOnly one player can stand in a habitat square at a time. If a player doesn’t have the resource tokenneededtocompleteaturn,heorshemustmovetoahabitatsquarethatdoes.

Ifnoopensquareshavetheresourcetokenaplayerneedstocompletetheturn,thespeciesbecomesextinct;theplayermustleavethegame.Iftwoplayerstrytoclaimthesamehabitatsquare,thefirstonetheresurvives.

Todestroyahabitat,themoderatoraddsanXcardtothesquareandremovesitsresourcetokens.Playerscannotliveinahabitatthathasbeendestroyed.Themoderatorcandestroywhicheverhabitatheorshewants,includingthoseinwhichaplayerisstanding.Ifaplayerisstandinginahabitatthat’sbeingdestroyed,heorshemustmovetoadifferentopensquare.Ifthereisnoopensquare,theplayeriseliminated.

Thegameendswhenthere isonlyoneplayer leftontheboardorwhenallremainingplayersareeliminated.Seehowlongyourgroupcangobeforeallthreespeciesbecomeextinct!

Scientists at universities, including professors and students, also helpconservationeffortsbyresearchingenvironmentalproblemsandcomingupwithsolutions.Asanenvironmentalscientistatauniversity,Dr.Sharonworkscloselywithstudents inherclassroom, laboratory,andsometimes in the field to teachthemhowsciencecanbeusedtoaddressconservationissues.

Internationalorganizations,andallthepeoplewhoworkthere,alsoleadandencourage worldwide conservation efforts. The United Nations EnvironmentProgramme(UNEP)helpsidentifyglobalenvironmentalissuesandworktowardsolutions. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and NaturalResources (IUCN)keeps tabson theworld’s endangered speciesandpromotesconservationstrategies.IUCN’sRedListidentifiesspeciesthatarethreatenedinthewildsoscientistsaroundtheworldcanhelppreventthesespecies’extinction.

WesternlowlandgorillasareoneofhundredsofspeciesprotectedunderanAZASpeciesSurvivalPlan.CourtesyofZSLLondonZoo

Przewalski’shorsesstillexistinthewildthankstoaworldwideeffortfromconservationistsandzoo-ledreintroductionprograms.

CourtesyofChicagoZoologicalSociety/JimSchulz

Other important players on the worldwide conservation stage include thepeople who run fundraising organizations such as World Wildlife Fund andcharities such as Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Many of theseorganizations raise awareness about conservation needs through research andeducation. Each and every conservation organization relies on an army ofconservationwarriors toconduct research, to raisemoneyandawareness foracause, and to communicate with the public, local communities, and localgovernments.

PolarBearsInternationalisoneexampleofaconservationorganizationthatconducts field research to learnmore about how polar bears and otherArcticspeciesarehandlingclimateshifts.TheemployeesandvolunteersatPolarBearsInternational take action by training other conservation leaders, helpingcommunitiesmanagetheirnaturalresources,andeducatingcitizensabouthowtheycanmakeadifference.

Manyzoos andaquariumsalsohelpprotect endangered speciesbymakingconservation part of their mission statements. These institutions educate thepublic about conservation needs, they raise money for wildlife charities, theyorganize conservation projects, and they encourage staff members to helpconservationeffortsaspartoftheircommitmenttothefieldofzoology.

Zoosandaquariumsalsoparticipatebybreedingendangeredspeciesattheirfacilities.InNorthAmerica,theAssociationofZoosandAquariums(AZA)hasaprogram called the Species Survival Plan that aims to manage, conserve, andprotect more than 500 endangered species, such as the giant panda and thewesternlowlandgorilla.ZoosandaquariumsthatparticipateinSpeciesSurvivalPlansarehelpingtopreventthesespeciesfrombecomingextinct.

In some cases, zoo-born animals that are part of recovery plans can bereintroduced into the wild.While reintroduction is difficult, there are severalsuccessstoriesinvolvingspeciessuchastheArabianoryx,theCaliforniacondor,andthePrzewalski’shorse.

The Przewalski’s horse is a wild horse species that once roamed in greatnumbers across Europe andAsia, particularly inMongolia. The horse becameextinct in the wild by the 1960s, partly as a result of hunting and habitatdestruction. Since the only remaining Przewalski’s horses lived in zoos, theseinstitutionsworkedtogethertobreedtheanimalsandreintroducesomeoftheminto the wild. Thanks to these efforts, there are Przewalski’s horses roamingMongolia oncemore. Hopefully one day, the species will thrive in its natural

habitatwithoutourhelp.

TheCaseoftheBlack-FootedFerret

Zoologists believed black-footed ferrets were extinct in the wild until a small group turned up inWyomingduringthe1980s.ConservationwarriorsworkinginWyoming’sfishandgamedepartment,theUSFishandWildlifeService,andseveralNorthAmericanzoossteppedintohelp.

Tosavethisspeciesfromextinction,thesezoologistsneededtoprovidesafeplacesfortheferretstobreedandrecovertheirpopulationnumbers.Then,thegoalwastoreleasesomeoftheanimalsbackintotheirnaturalhabitatandreestablishapopulationofblack-footedferretsinthewild.

AmongthezoosthatparticipateinthisongoingreintroductionprogramisArizona’sPhoenixZoo.Stuart Wells, the director of conservation and science at Phoenix Zoo, was part of the team ofconservationists that started the zoo’s black-footed ferret program. Stuart had already worked inconservation formuchofhis career,helping todevelopabreedingprogram for endangered cheetahsandworkingwith theUSFishandWildlifeServiceonendangeredspeciesconservation.However,hesaysthemostmemorablemomentofhiscareersofarwasthefirsttimehereleasedablack-footedferretbackintothewild.

Azoologist’sabilitytobeinvolvedinaspecies’survivalisoneexampleofhowfulfillingacareerinconservationcanbe.Today,thankstoconservationwarriorslikeStuartandmanyothersacrossNorthAmerica,thereareanestimated500to1,000black-footedferretslivinginthewild,andthenumberisgrowing.

Black-footedferretswereoncethoughttobeextinctinthewild.CourtesyofPhoenixZoo

“We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use it and come tounderstandwhatitmeanstohumanity.”

—EdwardO.Wilson,biologist,researcher,professor,author

GettingaJob

Conservationwarriorsareadiversebunch.Thisisbecauseconservationistislessofajobtitleandmoreofabroadtermforpeoplewhocontributetoconservationinsomewayoranother.Zoologists likeDr.Sharon,whoworksatauniversity;Dr. Steven, whoworks at Polar Bears International; and Stuart, whoworks atPhoenixZoo,areallconservationists.

Conservation warriors also include wildlife managers, park rangers,conservation-minded lawmakersandpoliticians, andmanyof theotherpeopleyou’ve read about in this book.Think about all the zookeepers, aquarists, andotherzoocrewwhoworkeverydaytosharewhattheyknowaboutanimalswiththepublic.Thinkaboutalltheveterinarianswhovolunteertheirservicestohelpinjuredwildlife orwho travel across theworld to participate in field research.Also think about all the wildlife researchers who collect and analyze the dataneeded to determine what the problems are. These people are allconservationists,too.

Tobecomeaconservationwarrior,thinkaboutwhatyouliketodo.Whatareyougoodat?Chancesare,there’sawaytouseyourskillstomakeadifference.It’strue—anyonewhouseshisorherskillstoaddressanenvironmentalproblemorhelpaconservationeffort canbeaconservationist. Imaginehowmany jobsthiscouldinclude!

Doyouliketoreadandwrite?Youcouldbecomeawriterwhoworksforanenvironmentalagency,aconservationorganization,azoooraquarium,orevenamagazine like National Geographic or Smithsonian that covers new scientificdiscoveries in the animal kingdom, aswell as environmental and conservationissues.

Do you like taking photographs? You could be a conservation warrior bybecomingawildlifephotographer.Bycapturingphotos thatamazeand inspireothers,wildlifephotographershelpconnectpeoplewithwildlifeandthenaturalworld,encouragingthemtodotheirparttopreserveEarth’sbiodiversity.

Educators are significant in the conservation community. Instructors whoteach kids like you about zoology are helping to create a generation ofconservation-mindedindividuals.Famousmediapersonalities likeLucyCooke,

Jeff Corwin, Jack Hanna, Steve Irwin, and the Kratt Brothers have all doneimportant work to educate the public about animals. The more people knowabout the animal kingdom, the more they care about preserving it for theirchildrenandgrandchildren.

Conservationwarriors come into the field of zoologywith awide range ofeducational backgrounds and expertise. Some of them spend many years inschoolearningadvanceddegrees inbiology,ecology,environmentalscience,orzoology.Othersdon’tneedtopursueasmuchformalschooling.

ACTIVITY

MakeanEndangeredSpeciesFlyer

You’re a writer whoworks for a conservation organization like Polar Bears International. Your latestassignment is to create a flyer about an endangered species that your coworkers can hand out at anupcomingevent.ThisactivityrequiresaccesstotheInternetoralibrary.

MATERIALS

PenorpencilandpaperPhotoofanendangeredanimalScissors8½-inch-by-11-inchsheetofpaperorposterboardGluestickorotheradhesiveMarkers

Beginbychoosinganendangeredspeciesyou’dliketolearnmoreabout.AgoodplacetostartmightbetheIUCN’sRedList(http://discover.iucnredlist.org).

Researchtheanimalyou’veselectedbysearchingfor factsontheInternet, inananimalreferencebook,orinanencyclopedia.Writedowntheanimal’sscientificnameandwhatiteatsinthewild.

Next, research theanimal’snaturalhabitat. Inwhichbiomecan this speciesbe found?Alsowritedown the global region where the animal lives, such as South America, eastern Asia, or the coastalwatersoffAustralia.

Now,determinetheanimal’sstatusinthewild.Ifpossible,findsomeinformationabouthowmanyindividuals fromyour species are still living in thewild andhow thisnumberhas changed from thepast.

Try your best to find outwhy this species is endangered. For instance, is your animal losing itshabitatlikeorangutansandgiantpandasare?Isclimatechangeorpollutionmakingitdifficultforyouranimaltosurvive?

In your ownwords,write a paragraphon a spare piece of paper (or type it on a computer) thatsummarizesyourresearch.Youcouldwriteonesentencethatintroducesyouranimalandtalksaboutwhatiteats,anothersentenceaboutwhereitcanbefoundinthewild,andafewmoresentencesaboutwhyitisendangered.

FindaphotoofyouranimalthatyoucanprintfromtheInternetorphotocopyfromabook.Cutitoutandsetitaside.

Begindesigningyourflyerbywritingtheanimal’snameinbig,boldlettersatthetopofasheetofpaperorposterboard.Addtheanimal’sscientificnameunderneathinsmallerletters.Pastethephotowhereveryou’dlike.

Neatly copy your paragraph onto the flyer.Or, if you’ve typed the information, print it out andpasteiton.Usemarkerstospruceyourflyerupwithsomecolororhand-drawndecorations.

ExtraCreditPretendyouareateachergivingalessonaboutthisendangeredspecies.Presenttheinformationonyourflyertofriendsorfamilymembers,alongwithsomeideastosavethisspeciesfromextinction.

ACTIVITY

InterviewaZoologist

Wanttoknowwhatit’sreallyliketobeazoologist?Oneofthebestwaystofindoutistoaskone.

MATERIALS

PenorpencilNotebook

Whichcareerpiquedyourinterestthemostasyoureadthroughthisbook?Brainstormwithanadultabouthowyoucouldtalktoareal-lifezoologist.Ifyoulivebyazoooraquarium,thatmightbeagoodplacetostart.

Next,thinkaboutwhatyou’dliketoknow,thenwritedownsomequestionstoaskyourzoologist.Makesuretoincludethequestions“HowcanImakeadifference?”and“WhatcanIdonowtostartmyzoologycareer?”

Askanadulttohelpyoucoordinateyourinterview.Dependingonthesituation,itmightbebesttoconducttheinterviewinperson,onthephone,orviae-mail.Besuretotakenotesifyouconductyourinterviewinpersonoronthetelephone.

TipIf you can’t get in touchwitha zoologist, simply sit downandbrainstormwhat you’ve learnedbyreadingZoologyforKids.Whichwasyourfavoritechapter?Whowasyourfavoritezoologist?Next,comeupwithaplantobeginyourownjourneyasazoologist.

After the interview, sit down with a parent, guardian, or teacher and come up with a plan to

participateinthezoologycommunity.Thiscouldtakemanyforms.Forinstance,doyouwanttostopbuyingproductsthatcontainpalmoil?Doyouwanttotakeatriptothelocalbeachorparktopickuptrash?Doyouwanttotakeaclassatazoooraquariumtolearnmoreaboutanimals?Doyouwanttoraise somemoney foraconservationorganizationbymowingneighbors’ lawns, selling lemonade,orcoordinatingacarwashinyourcommunity?

Writeyourzoologistathank-younoteforhisorhertime.Includeafewsentencesinthenotethattalksaboutyourplan.

Tosetyourselfupforthepaththatbestsuitsyou,talktoaparent,teacher,orcareer counselor to figure out which classes you should take in school, whichactivities you should participate in during your free time, and what types ofhands-onexperienceyoucangain.Likeothercareersinzoology,acombinationof learning as much as you can in school and finding ways to apply thatknowledgeinyourcommunityisthebeststrategy.

TheFutureIsYou

Asafuturezoologist,thefirststeptowardmakingadifferenceisacknowledgingthat humans impact the environment. The next step is to take someresponsibilitybyeducatingyourselfandothersaboutwhatwecandotopreservethe natural world. Remember, whether you choose to become a wildlifephotographer,a journalist,aparkranger,awildlifemanager,azoocurator,anecology professor, or even a TV show host who spreads the word aboutconservation,thereisawaytouseyourtalentstomakeadifference.

Inthemeantime,don’t leaveconservationuptosomeoneelse!Continuetolearnaboutanimals, their forms, functions, andcoolbehaviors, aswell ashowthey interact with each other and with their environments. Support a zoo oraquarium by buying an admission ticket, or organize a fundraiser and donateyourearningstoawildliferesearchorconservationorganization.Finally,searchforwaysyourfamilycanmakelessofanimpactontheenvironment,whichcan

helpsavethreatenedspecieslikethepolarbear.No matter what you’re good at, you can help solve today’s toughest

conservation issues, andyoucan start inyourveryownbackyard.The fieldofzoologyneedspassionateyoungpeoplewithallsortsoftalentswhoarewillingtowork hard and dream big. If you believe in a world where humans respect,admire,andprotecttheanimalkingdom,thefieldofzoologyneedsyou.

AuthorsJoshandBethanieHestermannwithMartinandChrisKratt.CourtesyofChicagoZoologicalSociety/JimSchulz

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book wouldn’t have been possible without the overwhelming love andsupport of fellow zoologists from around the world. Special thanks to MikeAdkesson, Steven Amstrup and Polar Bears International, Renée Friedman,Mark Gonka, Manuela González-Suárez, Barron Hall, Liesl Pimentel, MiguelPinto,DanielaSchmieder,DeniseWagner,andmanyotherswhosharedexpertknowledge,photos,oradvice.Agrateful shout-out toBrookfieldZoo,PhoenixZoo,SheddAquarium,Tampa’sLowryParkZoo,WoodlandParkZoo,andZSLLondonZoofordonatingamazingphotos.

ThanksalsotoLisaReardon,whowasourproject’sfirstfan,andtotheKrattBrothers,whohave inspired somany young zoologists todowhat they love—including us! Cheers to our talented illustrator, Bryce, and to our enthusiasticactivitytesters:Karis,Naomi,Anna-Grace,Jayden,Easton,Logan,Madyson,andTannen.

GLOSSARY

altruism:Inzoology,whenananimalbehavesinawaythatbenefitsanotheranimal,evenifitharmsitselfintheprocess.

anesthesia:Medicinethatreducesoreliminatespain,oftenusedduringsurgerytoputapatientintoastateofunconsciousness.

animalhusbandry:Inzoology,thecareofanimalsandtheirphysical,mental,andemotionalwell-being.

antibodies: Proteins produced by an animal’s body that defend against invaders such as bacteria andviruses.

apexpredator:Ananimalatthetopofitsfoodchain,withfewornonaturalpredatorsinitsecosystem.

artifact:Anyitemmadebyahumanbeing.

atmosphere:Themassofgasesthatsurroundsaplanet.

biodiversity:Thediversity,orvariety,ofplantandanimallifeonEarth.

bioluminescence:Theproductionoflightwithoutcreatingheatbyorganismssuchasfireflies.

biome:AcollectionofecosystemsonEarththatshareasimilarclimateandpatternofvegetation.

breeding:Theprocessofproducingoffspringoryoung.

camouflage:Theresultofananimal’sform,coloring,patterning,orbehaviorthathelpsitavoidunwantedattentionbyblendingin,appearingtobesomethingit’snot,orotherwiseconfusingpredators.

cells:Microscopicstructuresthatserveasthebasicbuildingblocksoflife.

census:Acountorsurveyofapopulation.

climate:Typicalweatherconditionsinaspecificarea.

cold blooded (ectothermic): Refers to animals, such as reptiles and insects, whose body temperatureschangealongwiththetemperatureoftheirenvironments.

commensalism:A relationshipbetweendifferentorganismswithin an ecosystem inwhichoneorganismbenefitsandtheotherisn’taffected.

community:Agroupofanimalsofdifferentspeciesinteractinginthesametimeandplace.

conservation:Theattempttopreserve,restore,manage,ormaintainanaturalbalancewithinanecosystem.

consumer:Anorganismthateatsotherorganisms,livingordead.Inafoodchain,primaryconsumerseatproducers,secondaryconsumerseatprimaryconsumers,andsoon.

data:Facts,statistics,orotherinformationforstudyingorreferencing.

decomposer:Anorganismthatgainsenergybybreakingdownthe remainsofdeadorganisms, recyclingnutrientsbackintotheecosystem.

deforestation:Theremovaloftreesfromahabitat.

echolocation: An animal’s ability to locate objects such as predators and prey using reflected sounds orechoes.

ecology:Thestudyoforganisms’interactionswithoneanotherandwiththeirenvironments.

ecosystem:Anaturalunitmadeupofplants,animals,andtheirenvironments.

endangeredspecies:Athreatenedspecieswithlimitednumbersleftinthewild.

enrichment: The process of adding means for mental and/or physical stimulation to an animal’senvironment,providingitwithmorechoicesandthechancetodisplaynaturalbehaviors.

ethogram:Acatalogofananimal’sbehaviors.

evidence:Availablefactsandinformationtohelpdecidewhetherabeliefistrue.

evolution:Inbiology,theprocessbywhichaspecieschangesthroughouttime.

extinction:ThedisappearanceofaspeciesfromEarth.

focalsample:Therecordofoneanimal’sbehaviorsafteraperiodoffocusedobservation.

foodchain:Asequencethattraceshowfoodenergygetstransferredwithinanecosystemasorganismseatandareeatenbyotherorganisms.

foraging:Animalbehaviorassociatedwithsearchingfor,finding,andeatingfood.

fossils:Preservedtracesorremainsoforganismsfromthepast.

global warming: A gradual temperature increase in Earth’s atmosphere and oceans resulting from airpollutionthattrapsheataspartofthegreenhouseeffect.

greenhouseeffect:TheresultofEarth’satmospheretrappingheatfromthesun,whichisnecessaryforlifeontheplanet.

habitat:Anareawithinanecosystemwhereanorganism,apopulation,oracommunitylives.

hibernation:Awinter survival strategy inwhich an animal enters a state of inactivity andusesminimalenergy.

hypothesis:Apossibleanswertoascientificquestionthatcanbetestedbyconductinganexperimentorbygatheringobservationsofthenaturalworld.

infectiousdiseases:Illnessescausedbyorganismssuchasbacteria,viruses,fungi,orparasitesenteringthebody.

innate:Referstounlearnedbehaviorthatcanbeperformedforthefirsttimewithoutpractice.

invasivespecies:Adisruptiveorganismlivinginanenvironmentwhereitisnotnative.

keystonespecies:Aspeciesthatplaysamajorroleinitsecosystem.

metamorphosis:Theprocessbywhichananimal’s form, function, andbehavior changeas it transformsintoanadult,suchaswhenatadpoledevelopsintoafrog.

migration:Theseasonalmovementofanimalsbetweentwoplaces.

mobility:Theabilitytomovearoundfreely.

mutualism: A win-win relationship between different organisms within an ecosystem in which eachorganismbenefitsfromthearrangement.

parasitism: A relationship between different organisms within an ecosystem in which one organismbenefitsbyharminganotherorganism.

photosynthesis:Aprocessbywhichproducerscaptureenergyfromthesunandtransformit intoenergytheycanuse.

pigment:Asubstancethatgivescolortoanorganism’stissue.

poaching:Theillegalhuntingorcapturingofanimals.

pollination:Thetransferofpollenamongplants,whichallowstheplantstoreproduce.

population: Inecology,agroupoforganisms living in thesametimeandplace thatarepartof thesamespecies.

positivereinforcement:Atrainingmethodbywhichsomethingisaddedtoananimal’senvironmentafterabehaviorthatmakesthatbehaviormorelikelytohappenagain.

predation:Theinteractionbetweenapredatoranditsprey.

predator:Anorganismthatcapturesanotherorganismforfood.

prey:Anorganismthatiscapturedforfood.

producer: In ecology, an organism at the bottom of a food chain that gains energy from its physicalenvironment,includingthesun.

scavenger:Atypeofconsumerthatfeedsondeadordyingmatter.

scientific method: A procedure used by scientists to test hypotheses and find answers to scientificquestions.

scientificname:AformalLatinnamegiventoeachorganism,usuallyprintedinitalics.

slash-and-burn agriculture: A technique in which land is cleared by cutting and burning existingvegetationforfarming.

tissue:Inbiology,specializedcollectionsofcellsthatmakeupthematerialofwhichanimalsaremade.

warmblooded(endothermic):Referstoanimals,includingmostbirdsandmammals,thatcanmaintainastablebodytemperatureevenwhenthetemperatureoftheirenvironmentschange.

zoology:Abranchofbiologythatfocusesonthestudyofanimallife.

zoonoticdisease:Adiseasethatcanbetransmittedfromanonhumananimaltoahumanbeing.

RESOURCES

AmericanAssociationofZooKeepers(AAZK)www.aazk.orgThissiteisforanimalcareprofessionals,butitcouldbeinterestingtothosewhowanttojointhefieldsomedayasazoologist.CheckouttheupcomingeventsandreadmoreaboutAAZK’sconservationfundraiserssuchasBowlingforRhinos,anannualbowl-a-thon.

AmericanVeterinaryMedicalAssociation(AVMA)www.avma.orgAVMA’swebsiteoffersinformationforcurrentveterinarians,aspiringvetsandvettechs,andK-12educatorsplanninglessonsonwhatit’sliketobepartofthisexcitingfield.

AssociationofZoosandAquariums(AZA)www.aza.orgForthelatestnewsintheworldofzoosandaquariums,turntoAZA’swebsite,whichhighlightseverythingfromanimalbirthstoconservationefforts.UsethissitetofindAZA-accreditedzoosoraquariumsnearyou.

DukeLemurCenterhttp://lemur.duke.eduIfyoulovelemurs,thisisasiteforyou.Meetthelemurslivingatthisimportantresearchcenter,andifyoufeelledtolendahelpinghand,youcaneven“adopt”one!

DurrellWildlifeConservationTrustwww.durrell.orgDurrellWildlifeConservationTrustisaconservationorganizationdedicatedtopreventingspeciesextinctions.Learnaboutendangeredspecies,threatenedhabitats,andmostimportantly,whatyoucandotohelp.

InternationalUnionforConservationofNature(IUCN)www.iucn.org;http://discover.iucnredlist.orgIUCNisagreatresourceforlearningaboutenvironmentalproblems,worldwideconservationefforts,andendangeredspecies.

LaboratoryofMedicalZoologyattheUniversityofMassachusettswww.tickdiseases.orgThisisagoodexampleofaplacewherelabresearcherswork.

NationalGeographicAnimalswww.nationalgeographic.com/animalsThissitehasawealthofinformationondifferentanimalspecies.Useitasaresourceformanyoftheactivitiesinthisbook.

OrangutanOutreachwww.redapes.orgLearnmoreaboutorangutans,habitatloss,andwhatyoucandotohelp.

PolarBearsInternationalwww.polarbearsinternational.orgPolarBearsInternationalisago-tositeforteachersandstudentswhowanttolearnmoreaboutpolarbearsandclimatechange.

USFishandWildlifeServiceEndangeredSpecieswww.fws.gov/endangeredIfyouliveintheUnitedStates,gotothissitetosearchforendangeredspeciesinyourstate.Readaboutspeciesrecoveryplansunderwaythroughoutthecountry.

WorldAssociationofZoosandAquariums(WAZA)www.waza.orgOntheWAZAsite,findalistofWAZA-accreditedzoosandaquariums,readupontheassociation’sconservationefforts,andkeepuptodateonindustrynews.

WorldWildlifeFund(WWF)www.worldwildlife.orgLearnmoreaboutwhatthepubliccandotopreserveandprotectthenaturalworld.Thesiteprofilesendangeredspecies,endangeredhabitats,andecologicalthreatstotheenvironment,includingpollutionanddeforestation.

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