VCE Unit 1, Area of Study 2
Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
Animal Reproduction
Biology
Student Trail
www.zoo.org.au/education
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
www.zoo.org.au/education
Discovery and Learning is a partnership between
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
Animal Reproduction
VCE Biology Unit 1:
Unity and Diversity
Area of Study 2:
Functioning Organisms
Student Booklet
Introduction
This program addresses the key knowledge and skills related to
Biology Unit 1, with particular emphasis on reproductive mechanisms.
It is designed to meet the requirements of the school-assessed
coursework (SAC) component for Outcome 2 (practical activity).
Aims
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to develop an understanding of the ways in which animals reproduce
to identify and describe reproductive mechanisms in selected
animals
to consider specific examples of reproductive technologies as they
apply to captive breeding programs at Melbourne Zoo.
Program instructions
This trail has been designed to provide you with the opportunity to
explore the Zoo and discover more about the diverse nature of the
reproductive strategies, both structural and behavioural, employed by
different animal species that aid their successful reproduction and
survival.
There are three sections for you to complete:
1. Table of reproductive features (Appendix 1)
2. Detailed questions regarding reproductive strategies of particular
animals or the reproductive technologies used at the Zoo
3. Conclusion (can be completed after the session).
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
Placental mammals
Hamadryas Baboon
(Papio hamadryas)
Hamadryas Baboon form social
hierarchies that involve the formation of
troops, bands, clans and harems. A
harem, the smallest unit, usually
includes a dominant breeding male,
females and young. Bachelor groups
also exist.
• What is the reproductive advantage of living in groups?
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• How do females indicate their readiness to mate?
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• What technology has been used to control reproduction in this group?
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
Western Lowland Gorilla
(Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
Gorilla spend up to seven years in the care of adults in the family group.
This allows the young to observe and learn a range of behaviours,
including mating and parental care, from the adults in the group.
Yuska and Rigo came to the Zoo and were raised from a young age by the
primate keeping staff.
• Explain why Rigo and Yuska were unable to produce offspring naturally
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• Describe the reproductive technology that was used to conceive Mzuri.
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Yuska
Rigo
b. 1971
b. 1970
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Mzuri
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b. 1984
Mzuri was cared for by primate keepers as Yuska was unable to care for him adequately. The
introduction of a new male, Motaba, enabled several young gorilla to be conceived naturally, yet Yuska
still displayed inadequate parenting behaviour. Primate keepers raised the young gorillas and they
were fully integrated into the family group by two years of age.
• Describe how the keepers tried to prepare the females for motherhood. Why do you think this
was necessary?
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• Suggest, and give reasons, for an action that the Zoo should employ with the family group as
the young gorilla reach sexual maturity.
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Betsy
b. 1957
Yuska
Motaba
Julia
b. 1982
b. 1979
Jumatano
b. 2000
Buzandi
b. 1991
Bambuti
b. 1971
G-Ann
b. 1983
Ganyeka
b. 2000
Yakini
b. 1999
b. 1994
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
Orang-utan
(Pongo pygmaeus)
Orang-utans are generally solitary animals however the young spend up to
eight years in the care of their mother. During this time, young orang-utans
learn most of their survival skills, which include motor skills such as
climbing, locating and remembering food sources and avoiding predators.
Male orang-utans move into areas inhabited by females for mating, then leave
the female. The female then raises the young.
Menyaru (male) was conceived naturally and born, in 2003, to parents Santan
(male) and Maimunah (female).
• What is the advantage for Orang-utans in living a solitary lives?
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• Outline how the keepers prepared Maimunah for motherhood. Comment on the success of this
preparation.
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• Describe some of the reproductive technologies that were employed to increase Maimunah’s
chance of conception.
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Qualitative data collection
• Work with a partner. For a period of 5 minutes record everything Maimunah does. At the end
of the 5 minutes try to classify the behaviour into:
1.
parenting behaviour,
2.
other behaviour.
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
The Small Cats
Most cats are solitary animals, with the exception of lions who live in a social
group. Female cats care for their young for several months and mature males
live a solitary life within an established territory. A male’s territory can overlap
that of several females. Cats are induced ovulators - the stimulation of mating
is needed for ovulation to occur.
At the Zoo, small cats are often housed together. You may notice a range of
strong smells in the area surrounding the small cat exhibits.
• Outline the significance of smell and scent for solitary animals such as
cats.
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• Explain the advantage of territorial behaviour in terms of reproduction.
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• List the reproductive technologies that can be employed to control breeding in small cats.
Outline the reasons for using each strategy.
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
Marsupials
Potoroo and Wombat
Most marsupials give birth to under developed young that
migrate to the pouch to complete their development. In some
marsupials such as the kangaroo, copulation can produce a
fertilised egg that replicates (by mitosis) to form a group of
undifferentiated cells called a blastocyst. At this stage, the
blastocyst implants and commences development into an
embryo. In unfavourable environmental conditions, some marsupials delay this implantation and this is
referred to as diapause. Some kangaroo can, at any one time, have an embryo in diapause, a newborn
joey and an older joey all dependent on the mother for nutrition, development and survival.
• Rather than record the birth date of marsupials, zookeepers take note of the date the joey
lives ‘permanently out of the pouch’. (Called the POP date). Explain, with reasons, why this is
done.
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• Suggest the reproductive and survival advantages of marsupial diapause.
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
Conservation programs
Zoos Victoria is involved in a number of important conservation projects. Research projects have
involved investigating ways of maximising the breeding potential of the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby
(critically endangered within Victoria) and the Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat (critically endangered).
The research found that a Tammar Wallaby can successfully raise the joey of a Brush-tailed Rock
Wallaby. This is achieved through a technique called ‘cross fostering’.
• Draw a flowchart to indicate the steps needed in the procedure to successfully cross foster a
Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby joey.
• Describe how cross fostering accelerates breeding in the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby.
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Melbourne Zoo has successfully bred Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats, the closest living relative of the
Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat. It was discovered that the wombat breeds more readily if given a diet of
fresh green grass and vegetables with a high water content, compared with a diet of hay (dried grass).
• Suggest some reasons for this.
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• If Northern Hairy-nosed Wombats were taken into captivity for breeding, suggest what could
be done to maximise their breeding potential.
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More information can be found at:
http://www.zoo.org.au/conservation/aust_prog.htm
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
Invertebrates
Butterflies
Some butterflies exhibit elaborate courtship behaviour and mate for
extended periods of time. Females lay their many eggs on a
particular host plant. At the Melbourne Zoo, these plants are
removed and placed in glasshouses, where they are maintained at a
constant temperature of 30oC with high humidity. After hatching, the
caterpillars feed voraciously on the host plant, undergo several moults (instars), pupate and eventally
emerge as adult butterflies.
• Locate a pair of courting butterflies and observe their behaviour for 5 minutes. Record your
observations. What is the purpose of courtship behaviour?
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• Locate one of the ‘host plants’ (in pots) that have been placed inside the butterfly house.
Record the type of butterflies visiting the plant and where they lay their eggs on the plant.
Suggest the reproductive advantage of this behaviour.
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• Compare the environmental conditions inside the butterfly house with those experienced in a
tropical rainforest. Comment on the success of butterfly reproduction and survival at the Zoo,
compared to that in the wild.
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
Stick Insects
Melbourne Zoo exhibits several species of stick insect. Stick insects are
very well camouflaged against the trees on which they feed. Sexual
dimorphism is pronounced with the female much larger than the male.
After mating, the female lays a large number of eggs which fall to the
ground.
• Locate a male and female stick insect and note the species name.
Estimate and record your observations of the following:
* length and width at the widest point of each stick insect in centimetres;
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* length of the abdomen of each stick insect in centemetres;
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Suggest a reason for the pronounced sexual dimorphism in the species you observed.
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Parthenogenesis is a type of asexual reproduction found in some animals, including stick insects,
where offspring develop from unfertilised eggs.
• Explain the difference between sexual and asexual reproduction. Give some examples of other
living things that undergo each type of reproduction.
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• Suggest the reproductive advantages and disadvantages of parthenogenesis in stick insects.
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• Watch the video about the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect and outline the steps that were
taken to save this critically endangered insect.
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
Birds
Some birds exhibit unusual strategies and elaborate courtship displays to
attract a mate and entice copulation.
Look for the bower that is made by a Satin Bower Bird.
• Draw a diagram of the bower and describe the materials it is made from.
• What is the significance of the shape of the bower and the presence of the blue objects?
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• Choose another pair of birds and observe their behaviour for 5 minutes. Record your
observations. Describe some other strategies used by birds to assist their reproduction.
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
Conclusion
Compare the distinguishing reproductive features of the following vertebrate groups that you have
considered in this program:
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Birds
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Reptiles
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Amphibians
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Mammals
• Describe some of the ways in which different groups of animals indicate their readiness to
mate. Include behavioural, visual, chemical and aural forms of communication.
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• Make a summary statement about the relationship between the number of young produced in a
mating event compared to the level of parental care provided. Include at least two different
examples from those you observed during this program.
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Glossary
Fertilisation ................... the union of the sperm and egg (gametes) as occurs in animals or plants that
reproduce sexually.
Ovulation ....................... the release of the egg from the ovary.
Oestrus .......................... the period of fertility that usually coincides with ovulation during which a female will
copulate with males.
Copulation ..................... the act of placing sperm inside the body of the female animal.
Courtship ....................... the behaviour that precedes mating; usually aimed at attracting a mate.
Sexual reproduction ..... any reproduction which involves the union of the sperm and the egg, regardless of
how the egg and sperm meet.
Asexual reproduction .... any reproduction that does not involve the union of sperm and egg.
Gestation period ............ the length of time it takes for a fertilised egg to develop to birth.
Sexual dimorphism ...... marked physical differences between the sexes.
Parthenogenesis ........... a type of asexual reproduction found in some animals (including stick insects) where
offspring can develop from unfertilised eggs.
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Wombat
Potoroo
Small Cat
Orang-utan
Gorilla
Hamadryas
Baboon
Animal
Sexual dimorphism:
Describe if present
Method of attracting
a mate
Courtship behaviour:
Describe if present
Fertilisation:
Internal or external
Live birth or egg
laying
Number of young
per litter
Care of young
Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
Appendix 1: Table of Reproductive Features
Stick Insect
……………….…
Butterfly
Species:
Frog
Lizard
Snake
Bowerbird
Red-tailed
Black Cockatoo
Animal
Sexual dimorphism:
Describe if present
Method of
attracting a mate
Courtship behaviour:
Describe if present
Fertilisation:
Internal or external
Live birth or egg
laying
Number of young
per litter
Care of young
Appendix 1: Table of Reproductive Features
Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
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Animal Reproduction - Student Trail
P.O. Box 74
Parkville Vic 3052
Phone (03) 9285 9355
Fax (03) 9285 9340
www.zoo.org.au
Discovery and Learning is a partnership between
© These sheets may be reproduced for teaching purposes. Permission to reproduce them for other
purposes may be obtained from the Discovery and Learning at Melbourne Zoo.
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