As part of the Year 8 tropical rainforest study, 63 students visited Chester Zoo to identify some of the rainforest animals and adaptations we had been learning about in the classroom. Many students spotted the lemurs, boa constrictor, squirrel monkeys and poison dart frogs to name just a few.

In the morning, we attended a rainforest workshop, which was delivered by the zookeepers. Students learned about how the rainforest animals have adapted to the environment of the Amazon – the largest rainforest in the world. Students handled specimens and artefacts from the rainforest, including the skulls of a tiger, anteater, crocodile and a giant gerbil!!! The zookeeper talked through how the animals have special adaptations to enable them to survive in the rainforest. Pupils both answered and asked some good questions and kept the sessions lively with their knowledge and understanding of the topic! 

We then toured the fabulous Zoo site to see many endangered species being conserved and reared such as elephants, lions, giraffe and snow bear, hopefully for release back into their natural habitats. Of particular interest were the monkey forest and ‘bat cave’!!  The experience was very helpful to enhance learning and bring our 'classroom studies to life’! Pupils were excellent and had a fantastic time, with the chance of a photograph taken with their favourite animals – and that wasn’t Mr Young!?