Teachers Information
The idea of this pack is that it is to be used by teachers and pupils to
accompany them as they explore the Highland Wildlife Park.
Each activity can be printed out individually or as a whole booklet, it’s
a pick-n-mix worksheet.
You can select what suits the requirements of the pupils.
If the students do not find the answers during their visit research could
be undertaken when they return to school or via the internet.
Part 1
Introduction
Map of the Park
Park Spotters Guide
Upper Primary
Secondary
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Around the Highland Wildlife Park: Quiz
Summit to Sea in Scotland
Scotland's habitats
Imagine where you might see…..
Extinct British animals
Why do animals need zoos?
Scavenger Hunt: Creature Feature
Home Sweet Habitat
Highland Wildlife Park Animal Search
How Animals Move
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Animal Adaptaions
Part 2
Animal Classification and Groups
World biomes
What makes an animal rare?
Why are animals in zoos?
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Part 1 and Part 2 are separate documents and can be downloaded
according to what you want.
The √ indicates suitability for age ranges. These are purely suggestions
and you will be able to judge the ability of your pupils as to what you
want them to do.
I hope that you find these activities helpful during your visit to the Park
and can benefit your pupils understanding of animals and their
environment.
HWP
Education
If you have any suggestions or ideas regarding specific worksheets
please contact me on 01540 651981 or email [email protected]
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Highland Wildlife Park Education Dept.
Kincraig, Kingussie, Inverness-Shire, PH21 1NL.
www.highlandwildlifepark.org
Produced by Jasper Hughes.
HWP
Education
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Introduction
The Highland Wildlife Park was opened in 1972 and was taken over by
the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland in 1986.
By visiting today you are helping us support our mission, which is:
“To inspire and excite our visitor with the wonder of living animals and
so to promote the conservation of threatened species and habitats”.
RZSS is dedicated to the conservation of endangered species and
habitats, but we can only continue this work with your support.
Your admission fee, all purchases within the park and donations will help
with the following:
•Co-ordinating breeding programmes, for example our European bison.
•Research which benefits both captive and wild animals.
•Environmental education to raise awareness of wildlife issues.
•Continuous improvements in our animals’ welfare and habitat through
environmental enrichment of their enclosures.
At the Highland Wildlife Park we specialise in animals that are or were
native to Scotland and other cold weather adapted species from around
the world. The environments that these species come from will be
amongst the first to be affected by climate change.
These animals will soon disappear without our help.
As you explore the Park you will encounter many endangered animals
from cold environments i.e. from Mountains and Tundra biomes.
Tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturi, meaning ‘treeless plain’.
It is noted for its frost-moulded landscapes, extremely low temperatures,
little precipitation, poor nutrients, and short growing seasons. There are
two types of tundra within the world, these are;
The Arctic tundra.
Arctic tundra is located in the northern hemisphere,
encircling the North Pole and extending south to
the coniferous forests of the taiga. The arctic is
known for its cold, desert-like conditions.
The growing season ranges from 50 to 60 days.
The average winter temperature is -34° C , but the
average summer temperature is 3-12° C which
enables this biome to sustain life.
The Alpine tundra.
HWP
Education
Alpine tundra is located on mountains throughout
the world at high altitude where trees cannot grow.
The growing season is approximately 180 days.
The night time temperature is usually below
freezing. Unlike the arctic tundra, the soil in the
alpine tundra is well drained.
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Not seen all the animals?
Don’t forget that you can go
around the Main Reserve as many
times as you want!
Map of the Park
38
During your visit...
Please do not feed the animals, climb on walls or cross barriers.
Please do not bang on the windows at exhibits.
Please note that the Main Reserve will close half an hour before the Park closes.
Please note that the management cannot accept responsibility for any damage to vehicles
arising whilst in the Main Reserve or car park.
PLEASE NOTE
The park is constantly evolving and the location of animals may be subject to change .
Animals of the Park
HWP
Education
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Snow monkey
Japanese serow
European beaver
Arctic fox
Snowy owl
Red panda
Goral
Bharal
Vivarium
Lynx
Scottish wildcat
Eurasian eagle owl
Pine marten
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
Capercaillie
Red squirrel (wild)
Polar bears
European wolf
Markhor
Amur tiger
Bactrian camel
Kiang
Yak
European forest reindeer
Mishmi takin
Himalayan tahr
European bison
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
Przewalsk horse
Red deer
European elk
Bukhara deer
European crane
Pallas cat
Musk ox
Vicuna
Otters
Great grey owl
White-lipped deer
Satyr tragopan
Park Spotters’ Guide
Our animals in the reserve are free to move across a
large area and can sometimes be hard to see.
How many of these animals can you find in the Park?
(These pictures are not to scale)
Beaver
European
wolf
Polar
bear
European
eagle owl
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Education
Amur
tiger
Markhor
Japanese
macaque
(Snow monkey)
Lynx
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Elk
Przewalski
horse
Forest
reindeer
Red
deer
Park Spotters’ Guide
Our animals in the reserve are free to move across a
large area and can sometimes be hard to see.
How many of these animals can you find in the Park?
(These pictures are not to scale)
European
crane
Great
grey owl
European bison
.[p=
Arctic
fox
Capercaillie
Yak
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Education
Musk ox
Pallas Cat
Red
squirrel
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Kiang
Bactrian
camel
Pine
Marten
Around the Highland Wildlife Park: Quiz
Read carefully as there could be more than one correct answer.
1. What does Capercaille mean in Gaelic?
A. A wee dram please.
B. Horse of the forest.
C. Chicken of the brae.
2. Why did the pine marten population drop?
A. Loss of habitat.
B. Just died out.
C. Persecution (Human crimes).
3. How many rings, on average, are there on a Wildcat’s tail?
A. 0.
B. 1 – 2.
C. 3 – 5.
4. What noise / call does the Eagle Owl make?
A. Ooo hoo.
B. Boo hoo.
C. Yoo hoo.
5. Who opened the Wolf Wood?
A. Sir Richard Attenborough.
B. HRH Princess Royal.
C. Sheriff of Inverness.
And on what date?
6. What does “Bharal” mean in Hindi?
A. Blue sheep.
B. Grey sheep.
C. Silver sheep.
7. What does “Markhor” mean in Persian?
A. Agile goat.
B. Snake horn.
C. Sure-footed.
8. Where do the Gorals come from?
A. Scotland.
B. China.
C. Japan.
9. Male snowy owls compared to females are
A. Larger.
B. Smaller.
C. The same size.
HWP
Education
10. In the wild, Arctic foxes eat
A. Birds, lemmings, polar bear leftovers.
B. Fish and seals.
C. Fruit, nuts and berries.
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
11. Red pandas are found in the wild in
A. Perthshire.
B. Japan.
C. The Himalayan Mountains.
Their favourite food is?
12. The Wildcat and Lynx both
A. Have tufts on ears & spotted coats.
B. Belong to the same family group.
C. Have bodies the same size.
13. What is a Vivarium?
A. A type of Scottish moss.
B. Rare amphibian in Nepal
C. A place where live animals or plants are kept under conditions
simulating their natural environment.
14. The ancient Japanese believed Snow Monkeys were
A. Messengers from the gods.
B. Messengers from the underworld.
C. Like groups of very young children.
15. The European crane is a candidate for what?
A. Move to a new collection.
B. New enclosure.
C. Re-introduction to Scotland.
16. Beavers where reintroduced to Scotland in the spring of?
A. 2008.
B. 2009.
C. 2010.
17. What is going to be biggest threat to polar bears in the future?
A. Global warming.
B. Over hunting.
C. Loss of habitat.
18. What colours do you see on the Amur tiger’s ears?
A. Orange, black and blue.
B. Orange, white and black.
C. Black, Orange and red.
19. What is the current main cause for the disappearance of the
Scottish Wildcat in the Highlands?
A. Persecution.
B. Hybridisation.
C. Global warming.
HWP
Education
20. What native red animal can be sometimes seen running high
through the trees?
A. Red Panda.
B. Red Squirrels.
C. Red deer.
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
HWP
Education
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
Scotland’s Habitats
Complete the table below as part of Summit to Sea in Scotland
Type of
habitat.
Give named
examples
of habitat.
1) Mountains /
Alpine tundra.
Examples of
birds found in
this habitat.
Examples of other
animals found in this
habitat.
Ring ouzel
2) Moorland.
3) Peatland.
4) Caledonian
Pine Forest
and
5) Plantation
Woodland
Glen Affric
6) Farmland
and
Scrub
woodland.
Pheasant
Fox
7) Urban.
Fresh water:
8) Loch and
9) Rivers.
10) Coast and
Shore.
11) Estuaries.
Beauly Firth
12) Open sea.
HWP
Education
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Basking shark
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
Imagine where you might see……
Complete the table below as you approach
the “Best view is Scotland?”
What is the
animal on the
sign?
What habitat
does it live in?
Give an example
of this habitat.
What do they
like to eat?
Osprey
Otters
Badenoch / Skye
Highland cattle
Brown hare
Caperaillie
Rothiemurchus
Pine marten
Glenmore
Rabbit
Scottish wildcat
Red deer
Moorland
Ptarmigan
Golden eagle
HWP
Education
We think this is one of the best views in Scotland because it is possible to
see from loch to alpine tundra. Many unique species live in these habitats.
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
Extinct British Animals
What 5 animals used to be found in the Scottish countryside
and are now extinct in the UK?
Animal
Is it a herbivore
carnivore or an
omnivore
Give an example of
what it would eat
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Do you think we should introduce past animals back to the
Scottish Countryside, why?
What problems and benefits do you think we will have if we do
reintroduce some of these animals?
Problems:
Benefits:
How could we get over these problems?
Which of the 5 animals that could be reintroduced to the UK
do we not have at the Park?
When, where and who killed the last wolf in Scotland?
HWP
Education
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
Why do animals need Zoos?
One of the biggest reasons why we have animals in zoos is
because they are being illegally hunted and they are losing their
natural habitat in the wild.
Their wild population is decreasing. The population level can be
described as their conservation status and can be divided into;
As you walk around the Park, look for the following animals
and write down were they are from (region of origin), what
their threats are in the wild are and what their conservation
status is and to what breeding program do they belong too
(EEP or ESB)?
Region
of origin
Threats to
the
population
Conservation
status
Breeding
program
Red Panda
Amur tiger
Scottish
Wildcat
European
Wolf
Polar Bear
Pallas cat
Japanese
serow
Markhor
Beaver
Chinese
goral
European
Lynx
European
Bison
Bharal
Capercaillie
HWP
Education
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
Scavenger Hunt; Creature Features
Animals come in a remarkable variety of
shapes, sizes, and colours.
Find an animal at the Park and write its name below that:
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Education
Is red
Is white
Is blue(ish)
Is grey
Has spots
Has stripes
Has hooves
Webbed feet
Has feathers
Has scales
Has a shell
Has whiskers
Is covered in fur
Has no fur or
feathers
Has horns
Has antlers
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
Find an animal at the Park and
write its name below that:
Has a long tail
Has a short tail
Has claws
Has retractable
claws
Is bigger than you
Is smaller than
you
Could fit in the
palm of your hand
Heavier than you
Something to talk about.
What characteristics make you unique?
What characteristics do you share with some of the
animals at the Zoo?
Which animals are similar to you?
Which are different from you?
HWP
Education
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
Scavenger Hunt
Home Sweet Habitat
An animal’s home is called its habitat, and it
contains everything the animal needs to survive and
reproduce. A species’ habitat may be anything large
or small, in trees or underground. Some animals
need lots of space within their habitat to move and
find food, while others can live in a very small space.
Find an animal at the Park that:
Lives on land
Lives on the ice
Lives in forests
Lives in mountains
Lives on
grasslands
Lives on the
tundra
Lives in your back
garden
Became extinct in
the UK
Lives in Scotland
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Education
Lives in Europe
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Lives in Asia
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
Find an animal at the Park that:
Needs a large area
Needs a small area
Lives in groups or colonies
Prefers to live alone
Something to Talk About.
What’s in your personal habitat?
What do you need to live comfortably?
What is similar about your habitat and the Parks
animal’s habitats?
What is different?
HWP
Education
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
Highland Wildlife Park Animal Search.
What animals can you spot while at the Park?
Try and find them all. Put a tick by their name.
What is our
native
country?
Scottish
wildcat
Capercaillie
Pine marten
Red deer
Red squirrel
We are
found on
which
continent?
Wolf
Eagle owl
Crane
Bison
Lynx
We are
found in
what
habitat?
Polar bear
Snowy owl
Arctic fox
Musk ox
Forest reindeer
We are
found on
which
continent?
Amur tiger
Satayr
tragopan
Japanese
macaque
Chinese
goral
Przewalski
horse
We are
found in
what
habitat?
Pallas cat
We like to eat
meat.
What are we?
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Education
Monal
Red panda
Bactrian
camel
We are all
from the
same order.
What are
we?
We like to
eat meat
and veg.
What are
we?
We are
herbivores.
What do
we eat?
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Wild yak
There are not
many of us
left.
What are
we?
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
How Animals Move.
As you walk around the Park, write down the name of
the species below the picture when you see an
animal moving that way.
See how many you are able to find that...
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Education
Flies
Crawls
Climbs
Swims
Walks on their own
Walks with a group
Runs
Jumps or hops
Swings
Slithers
Walks on 2 legs
Walks on 4 legs
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.
Animal Adaptations.
An adaptation is something about an animal that makes it possible for
it to live in a particular place and in a particular way. It may be a
physical adaptation, like the size or shape of the animal's body, or the
way in which its body works. Or it may be the way the animal
behaves. Each adaptation has been produced by evolution so that
they can survive in the cold of the mountains and tundra?
Look and think about the animals in the Park.
Can you match the animals below to the adaptation?
Polar Bear Reindeer
Bactrian camel
Beaver
Arctic fox Lynx
Snowy owl
Amur tiger
Crane
(You can use the animal more than once)
Adaptation
Animal 1
Animal 2
Hollow fur
Blubber for warmth
Ability to store food on the
body (fat reserves)
Small ears
Thick/long fur
Small surface area
large mass
Excellent thermal properties
in the fur
Compact features (short legs,
rounded ears compact face)
Furry feet
Big feet
(act as snow shoes)
Excellent camouflage
Ability to grow a
winter coat
Ability to change colour in the
winter
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Education
Ability to migrate
For further activities
www.highlandwildlifepark.org/schools.htm
Complete this activity sheet and your
teacher will discuss the answers.