In April, students in Groups 1 and 2 were entertained, and occasionally scared, by a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates.

Group 1 students had previously discussed the classification of the major groups of animals and now they were able to see examples close up – very close!

Students learned about the key features of animal groups and were told about their behaviour and natural habitats

Group 2 students learned about the adaptations of different animals rather than classification.

To warm up and become active, this tarantula pokes its black abdomen out of its burrow to absorb heat from the sun – black being a good colour for rapid absorption of heat radiation. For one student, there was more to learn:  ‘When I touched the spider’s leg I felt no need to be afraid any more.’

Look at the gecko lizard.  Confused?  So are some predators!  Which end do you attack?  There is a 50% chance that a predator would pounce on the tail, thinking it was the lizard’s head.  The tail drops off and the lizard escapes.

Students also learned about a man-made environmental disaster.  The cane toad was introduced into Australia to reduce the numbers of the cane beetle, a pest of sugar cane crops.  Now, the cane toad has become the pest.  It has no natural predators in Australia, produces toxins under its skin and eats a huge variety of smaller animals, threatening populations of endangered species.

Let’s hope that the variety of animals we see today will be around tomorrow.

Mr. J. Fryer

Head of Science