Zoo Adventures Grades 6-12
To the Group Leader
This activity is designed for you and your students to self-guide
through the Zoo. You may distribute these exhibit-based activity
worksheets to your students to complete during their visit to the Zoo.
Please remember that we require a ratio of one (1) chaperone for
every eight (8) children; chaperones must stay with the children
throughout the Zoo. Zoo maps and daily presentation times are
available at the front gate and at the Information Booth upon your
arrival.
Answers to the questions may be found on the signs accompanying the
exhibit or by observing the animals. Refer to your Zoo map for exhibit
locations.
Answer Key
1. Answers will vary: habitat destruction, poaching, building
encroachment
2. Brachiation; additional answers will vary
3. Answers will vary by observation and signage clues; Differences:
tusks, size, color, ear shape, and geographic distribution, habitat:
African- plains and Asian- forests. Similarities: tusk shape, herds
are led by females, herbivores
4. Answers will vary; and may include fighting and protection
5. Both have lips that are pointed; both eat browse (leaves on shrubs
or tree branches)
6. Komodo dragon
7. To use it as a sunscreen
8. Okapi
9. Rhino- perissodactyl; greater kudu- artiodactyl; giraffeartiodactyl; tapir- perissodactyl
10. Answers will vary
11. Answers will vary; antlers: bony, usually branched structures,
present only in males (exception- caribou); horns: permanent, made
up of a bony core and keratinized sheath, often present in both
sexes and never branches
12. Hyoid
13. Hemotoxic-attacks blood cells & body tissues; neurotoxic- attacks
nervous system
Education Department ● Zoological Society of Florida ● www.zoomiami.org
Zoo Adventures Grades 6-12
Asia & Entrance exhibits
1. Observe the tigers in their exhibit. Why are all tigers
endangered?
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
2. How do the white-cheeked gibbons typically move in their habitat?
Observe the animals. How would you describe this locomotion?
_______________________________________________
______________________________________________
3. After observing both the Asian and African elephants, list two
differences and two similarities between them.
Similarities
Differences
4. Why do you think they have adapted to having such large tusk-like
incisors? (Hint: attend Asian elephant “meet a keeper” at 1:00 p.m.)
5. Visit both the Greater one-horned and black rhino exhibits, look at
the rhinos’ mouths and describe their lips and what type of
vegetation you think they might eat.
Greater one-horned rhino: ____________________
____________________________________________
Black rhino: _______________________________
____________________________________________
Education Department ● Zoological Society of Florida ● www.zoomiami.org
Zoo Adventures Grades 6-12
6. This animal is the largest species of lizard in the world. It also has
deadly bacteria in its mouth to help it kill its prey. What animal is
this?
____________________________________________
Africa
7. Pygmy hippos have mucous glands on their skins, why do you think
they have adapted to having it?
__________________________________________
8. What is the only relative of the giraffe found exclusively in dense
rainforests of Central Africa?
9. Hoofed animals are divided into two groups by the number of toes
they have. Even-toed animals are called artiodactyls and odd-toed
animals are called perissodactyls.
Draw the toes of the following animals and indicate if they are
artiodactyls with an “A” or perissodactyls with a “P”.
Rhino
Greater kudu
Giraffe
Tapir
Education Department ● Zoological Society of Florida ● www.zoomiami.org
Zoo Adventures Grades 6-12
10. Take about 10 minutes to observe the chimpanzees and another 10
minutes to observe the gorillas. Compare and contrast various
behavioral adaptations that make each of these apes unique by
filling in the diagrams. (Ex. nesting, walking, terrestrial, arboreal)
Chimpanzee
Adaptations
Gorilla
Adaptations
Shared chimpanzee and gorilla
Adaptations
Education Department ● Zoological Society of Florida ● www.zoomiami.org
Zoo Adventures Grades 6-12
11. List a few differences between antlers and horns.
Horns:
Antlers:
___________________
_____________________
___________________
_____________________
___________________
_____________________
Amazon and Beyond
12. Howler monkeys’ vocalizations can travel more than a mile. Which
bone in their bodies helps them to project such loud sounds?
a. femur
b. scapula
c. hyoid
d. mandible
13. What are two types of snake venom? Describe how they are
different.
a._______________________________________
_______________________________________
b._______________________________________
_______________________________________
Education Department ● Zoological Society of Florida ● www.zoomiami.org