Pre-visit information for secondary school teachers

Thank you for booking your visit to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo This resource is designed to give you all the information you need for your visit and is structured into the following sections:

1. Before your visit – a checklist to ensure you are prepared for your day

2. How to get to the Zoo – arriving by coach

3. On the day of your visit

4. Information to help prepare your students

5. After your visit to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

1. Before your visit to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

Have you:

Received your confirmation letter from ZSL Whipsnade Zoo? Print this to bring with you on the day

• Used the visitors’ map to plan your route around the Zoo? static.zsl.org/images/originals/whipsnade-zoo-spring-2013-map-with-hullabazoo-13311.jpg

• Planned which free talks and shows to attend on the day? www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/planning-your-visit/daily-events/

• Printed free self-guided activity sheets you could use with your class? www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/schools/resources-by-age,1884,AR.html

Checked out the information for your risk assessment? www.zsl.org/education/risk-assessment,82,AR.html

2. Getting to the Zoo – arriving by coach

Only 20 minutes from the M25 (junction 21), ZSL Whipsnade Zoo is signposted

from the M1 (junction 9 and junction 12) and all major roads - just follow the

elephant on the above map.

Coach parking

Coach parking is free for schools during term-

time.

Coach entry

Coaches are not able to enter ZSL

Whipsnade Zoo, however a free Safari Bus

provides transport once visitors are inside the

Park.

Coach driver benefits

Coach drivers accompanying a group to ZSL

Whipsnade Zoo are eligible for free entry into

the Zoo and a meal voucher.

3. On the day of your visit to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

• Enter the Zoo through the Main Entrance and show your confirmation letter to the gate staff.

• If you need to be invoiced – the gate staff will organise this for you

• You are welcome to bring packed lunches with you, or there are various catering outlets throughout the Zoo where you can buy lunch www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/visitor-information/food-and-drink

• The first aid and lost child point is the Estates Office near the Discovery Centre. If anyone goes missing, please alert a staff member or call our reception on 01582 871500. It may be helpful to have the Zoo phone number in your adult helpers’ mobile phones during the visit.

• Supervision ratios - It is Zoo policy that all children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, therefore all school groups must be supervised throughout their trip. If any group is unsupervised, teachers will be contacted and asked to re-join their group.

4. Helping your students prepare for their visit

This section is designed to help your students prepare for their visit. It covers:

A. When you arrive at the Zoo B. Places to see in the Zoo C. A session with a Discovery & Learning Officer D. Free talks and shows to see E. Some extra information F. When you leave the Zoo

If you choose to display this pdf in viewing mode in a presentation to your students, please refer to the pages that are relevant to your visit.

A. When you arrive at the Zoo You will enter ZSL Whipsnade Zoo through the Main Entrance

B. Places around the Zoo

ZSL stands for the Zoological Society of London – the conservation charity which runs our Zoo. At ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, we have over 200 different kinds of animal for you to see!

Cheetah Rock www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/cheetah-rock/

Meet Dubai and her 5 cubs at Cheetah

Rock.

The Cheetah doesn’t not roar like other

big cats, lions and tigers. Instead it

gently purrs and even makes sounds

similar to chirping to communicate to

others.

Cheetah conservation has been a major

focus for ZSL since 1991. In Tanzania

we have been carrying out the longest

running in depth study of a wild cheetah

population.

Rhinos of Nepal www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/rhinos-of-nepal/rhinos-of-nepal,58,PS.html

Come face to face with Jamil our baby rhino (born in December 2012), his mum Behan and dad Hugo. There are only 2500 greater one-horned rhino left in the wild. ZSL is working with people in Nepal to keep this number increasing.

In with the Lemurs www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/in-with-the-lemurs/

Did you know a group of lemurs is called a troop? We have two troops at Whipsnade: altogether we have 11 boys and 6 girls. Can you count them all on your walk through?

Asian Elephants www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/elephants/

Our baby elephant Max was born in October 2013 to mum Karishma. He weighed in at 129.5kg and stood at three feet tall.

ZSL and the Elephant Conservation Network (ECN) have been working in western Thailand tackling human-elephant conflict, restoring the forest ecosystem, and helping local villagers to develop jobs that do not harm the forest.

Amur Tigers www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/tigers/

Wild Wild Whipsnade http://www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/www/

From moose to honey badgers, wolves to bears, there are some amazing animals to see at Wild Wild Whipsnade

Lions of the Serengeti www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/lions-of-the-serengeti/

We have seven lions in our Whipsnade pride. The lion with the mane is called Spike. We have cubs called Max, Kia, Kato and Tato who are now seven years old. Experience the sights and sounds of Tanzania's Serengeti National Park on your way to the lion enclosure.

Discovery Centre www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/discovery-centre/

Snakes, lizards, frogs and bugs are all waiting for you to find in the Discovery Centre!

Chimpnasium

Our chimps like Elvis here eat fruit, nuts, meat and specially-made pellets. Their food is scattered in the grass to encourage foraging behaviour. Vitamins and minerals are given to them in drinks, like a herbal tea! ZSL researches forest conservation to help protect chimpanzees in the wild.

www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/chimpnasium/

Giraffes http://www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/giraffes/

Our giraffe exhibit has a special tall platform, so you can finally see these beautiful animals eye-to-eye! Did you know, giraffes have the same number of neck bones as humans? We both have seven bones in our necks – but theirs are much bigger!

Grevy zebras www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/zebras/

Grevy’s zebras like Henna here have much narrower stripes that the other two zebras species, and can live on grasses which are too tough for cattle to eat. We breed Grevy’s zebras at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo as part of a European Endangered Species Programme, and have successfully had 26 foals born over the years!

The Grevy's zebra is an EDGE species,

but what is EDGE?

www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=82

Common & Pygmy Hippos www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/hippos/

Common Hippo Pygmy Hippo

Come and see our two hippo species. Can you believe they are more closely related

to whales and dolphins that any other mammals?!

Red Panda www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/exhibits/red-panda/

The long, thick fur of red pandas protects them from their rainy habitat in the Himalayas and the reddish brown colour helps them blend in with the trees they inhabit. Don’t miss the family! The red panda family, including the cub born in 2010, mum Geri, and father Peter, live in a large oak tree in the middle of the zoo.

Jumbo Express www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/planning-your-visit/daily-events/the-

jumbo-express,268,EV.html

Take a ride on our steam engine through the habitats of some of our animals! The Jumbo Express has restricted running hours during the year so please check the website to make sure it is available on the day of your visit School groups of at least 40 pupils must pre-order by phone. Groups of less than 40 pupils must purchase tickets from the ticket booth at the platform. The train journey takes 10 – 15 minutes

C. A session with a Discovery & Learning Officer You may have the chance to meet one of our Discovery & Learning staff for a workshop.

These are interactive and hands-on: you may get to touch real objects from the natural world or even meet a live animal.

www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/schools/education-sessions/

Your session will be delivered in a room like this

www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/planning-your-visit/daily-events/

There are lots of talks and events happening around the Zoo you may wish to see. Maybe you’ll go to see the Elephant talk, or the Birds of the World

display show.

D. Free talks and events

Eating lunch

If it is sunny you can eat your lunch outside on the grass.

If it is not so warm you can eat lunch in one of the covered areas around the Zoo

E. Some extra information

Remember to put your litter into a bin – or even better, a recycling bin! At the zoo we recycle everything we can – only 1% of our waste ends up as landfill.

Dress for the day At ZSL Whipsnade Zoo there can be a range of weather, even on one day.

Make sure you bring warm clothing, proper footwear and waterproof coats so you can enjoy the zoo.

On hot days make sure you have sunscreen!

When you are visiting the animals

Our animals are fed special, balanced diets. Make sure they don’t get any extra food from visitors as it can harm them.

To see the animals behaving naturally, it’s great when visitors are very quiet so the animals don’t feel scared.

In case of emergencies Please stay with your adult during your visit. If you get separated, or have an accident, go to the Estates Office near the Discovery Centre where our staff can help.

If you have any problems, find one of the Zoo staff (wearing a green uniform) who will be happy to help.

Estate Office for First

Aid & lost property

F. When you leave the Zoo At the end of the day it’ll be time to go – take lots of photos to remember what you saw, and come back soon!

4. After your visit to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo • We greatly appreciate any feedback from teachers, so please fill out

the online questionnaire at: www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZSLWZEducation

• For your next visit, make sure you check out the ZSL What’s On calendar www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/whats-on/

• If you need to get in touch, email us at learning@zsl.org

• If you would like to keep up to date with learning news and events at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, make sure you sign up to receive the ZSL education e-news at www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/schools/sign-up-for-emails